Solar Panels Getting Results

The town of Fort Frances is beginning to see results from solar panels place atop some municipal buildings.

More than 47-thousand kilowatt hours of electricity were generated from the panels placed on the roofs of the Public Works department, Memorial Sports Centre, Water treatment plant and Children's complex last fall.

Sustainability Coordinator Travis Rob says it's less than predicted, but feels the system is still working well.

Over $35-thousand in revenue was generated through the hydro being sold back to the grid.

Snare Stuck On Bear's Head

YouTube photo

Concern is being expressed for the welfare of a bear that has been walking around for months with a snare around his head.

Michael Scheibler says the bear, he's named Anson and has fed for the past four years at his Emo wildlife sanctuary, showed up in July with the snare.

Scheibler fears he's now headed off to hibernate.

He says based on the wounds suffered so far, it's uncertain to say if the bear will make it through the winter.

Earlier efforts by the Ministry of Natural Resources to tranquillize the bear failed.

Early Winter Storm

Weather to blame for an outage in the Fort Frances area overnight.

About 14-hundred Hydro One customers lost power for about an hour shortly after 1 a.m.

A system that's passing through the area dropped varied amounts of snow and came with strong winds.


O-P-P near Kenora had to shut down a section of the Trans Canada Highway last night because of numerous motor vehicle accidents results from a storm that effected that area.

The highway has since been reopened.


A regional meeting of museum curators in Fort Frances has been cancelled due to weather.

Snow in other parts of the region is making travel to get here difficult.

More Human Caused Forest Fires

MNR file photo

More human caused forest fires in northwestern Ontario.

The Ministry of Natural Resources says crews had to respond to three such fires on Tuesday.

Two were in the Kenora district.

The other, burning on property along Highway 611, northwest of Fort Frances.

Health Care Concerns Being Told At Queen's Park

Health care stories gathered during a recent NDP tour of the Kenora-Rainy River riding are getting back to Queen's Park.

MPP Sarah Campbell says many northerners are frustrated and scared that services won't be there when they need them the most.

Campbell says stories gathered will be told in the legislature in the coming days in an effort to spur action from Health Minister Deb Matthews.

Campbell was joined on the tour last week by NDP Health Critic Frances Gelinas.

SIDS Fundraiser

The Northern Lights Credit Union is holding a fundraiser today.

Cassandra Ryan says branches across the region are attempting to raise awareness about sudden infant death syndrome.

People who make a donation of 20 dollars or more will get a tax receipt by SIDS Canada.

NDP Worried About Possible MNR Closures

The NDP is looking for assurances from Ontario's Natural Resources Minister MNR offices in northern Ontario will remain open.

At Queen's Park, Kenora-Rainy River MPP Sarah Campbell says Nipigon, east of Thunder Bay has been told its office won't be closing, and wants the same given to others community.

Minister Michael Gravelle says any future operational changes will ensure the MNR's core values and services are maintained.

Body of Man Wanted In Nova Scotia Found

An OPP search in dense woods in northwestern Ontario has recovered the body of a man they believe is wanted in the alleged confinement and sexual assault of a teenage boy in Nova Scotia.

The body of 31-year-old Wayne Alan Cunningham was recovered in an area around Geraldton near a 2003 Hyundai Elantra found on a logging road Wednesday night.

His cause of death is under investigation, but foul play is not suspected.

Cunningham's co-accused, David James Leblanc, was arrested Sunday.

Assisted Living Facility Planning Continues

The group aiming to get an assisted living facility built in the Fort Frances area has a better road map to reaching that goal.

Health officials, municipalities and others came together to provide input into a three-year strategic plan for the Assisted Living Action Group.

Chair Erma Armit says its key moving forward.

Armit says they hope to have a final document in place soon.

Human Trafficking Present Here

We might not see it on the streets, but an ex-RCMP officer says human trafficking is likely happening in northern Ontario.

Marty Van Doren, who coordinates a RCMP human trafficking awareness program, says many young girls and boys involved in the sex trade industry in Canada are coming from remote First Nations looking for a better way of life.

He says they get to the big cities where they're meeting people who mislead and later abuse them into working for them.

Van Doren was speaking to members of area police services boards gathered in Fort Frances.

School Grounds Get Facelift

Some improvements are coming to the grounds of Mine Centre School.

The Rainy River District School Board plans to use reserve funds on the project that includes an expansion of the school playground area and a new baseball diamond.

Over half-a-million dollars has been earmarked for the project.

Appointment For Area Liberal

The candidate who ran for the Liberals in this riding is the last provincial election has been elected to the Party's executive council.

Anthony Leek says his appointment as the Northern Region Vice President will help get local issues to the table.

Leek says the appointment also further strengths the local riding association.

Comedian Returns Home

A homecoming for a First Nations Comedian.

Ryan McMahon brings his talents to Fort Frances today for this first time in three years.

McMahon is on a self-funded cross-country tour to follow up on some of the national success he's achieved this year that includes being named to the new faces list at the Just for Laugh's Festival in Montreal and the taping of a television special for CBC.

Radiothon Nets Huge Dollars For Foundation

The final numbers are still being tallied, but Riverside Foundation for Health Care is much closer to reaching its goal in the "Together We Can Campaign."

Over 85-thousand dollars in donations were received during a four-hour radiothon Tuesday on 93.1 The Border.

Campaign co-chair Jan Beazley says it exceptional support.

OPP Looking For Savings

Ontario Provincial Police says their doing what they can to find savings for municipalities under contract with the OPP.

Speaking before area police services boards gathered in Fort Frances, Superintendent Rick Philbin of the OPP's municipal policing bureau says a change in a formula used to calculate costs has been lowered.

Philbin says a two-year wage freeze also helped, but some municipalities worry about the impact of a pending 8.5 per cent increase in 2014.