MPP Wants Queen's Park Back In Session

The MPP for Kenora-Rainy River wants her constituents to help get Queen's Park back in business.

Sarah Campbell calls Premier Dalton McGuinty's decision to prorogue the legislature because he's stepping down a "political lock-out."

Campbell is asking residents to write or call the Premier to get him to reconsider his decision to halt business at the legislature.

Meantime, Liberal supporters are still in shock by their leader's sudden resignation.

Vice-president of the party's northern region, Anthony Leek says he found out about the resignation on-line.

Economic Development High On The Candidates Agenda

Economic development top of mind for candidates attending a forum in International Falls.

Falls mayoral candidate Bob Anderson says it starts with creating a climate that helps foster job grown among existing entrepreneurs and businesses.

Councillor Paul Eklund, who's also running for mayor, says the city needs to continue investing in projects as it's now doing.

Candidates running in races in Ranier, Koochiching County and School Board District 361 also participated in the forum held at Rainy River Community College.

Park Clarifies Position On Cell Tower

Voyageurs National Park and its Park Association are clarifying statements made in a letter over AT&T plans to install a cellphone tower near the park.

The Koochiching County Board, which gave approval to the tower in August, took the letter as a threat.

The Association's Jody Tableporter says that wasn't the intent.

She says they support the County decision to limit the height of the tower to 199 feet thus minimizing any impact to the park.

The AT&T is building the tower with the ability to expand higher.

Area CEP Reps Support Union Merger

Northern Ontario members of the Communication Energy and Paperworkers Union are throwing their support being a merger with the Canadian Autoworkers.

CEP gave its blessing at its conference earlier this week.

Local rep Steven Boon believes it will provide strength to the local membership.

Boon says it will still be at least six to 12 month before all the work needed on the new structure is complete.

Catholic Education Funding Challenge

The province is trying to shut down a constitutional challenge to its funding of Catholic schools.

A Toronto woman is arguing in court that funding Catholic school violates the charter and should be stopped.

Men Without Hats Cancels Show

A scheduled performance of the 80's band Men Without Hats in Fort Frances has been cancelled.

The November 2 show at Club 88 is one of several across western Canada the Canadian group has cancelled.

The band cites unforeseen circumstances as the reason.

Foundation Fundraiser Hailed A Success

Riverside Foundation for Health Care's recent fundraiser, "An Evening in Paris," is being hailed a huge success.

Last Saturday's event raised more than $30-thousand for the new digital mammography unit campaign.

Over 200 people attended the sold out event.

Border Numbers Still Up

New numbers from the Fort Frances border.

The Canada Border Services Agency says more than 100-thousand travellers in over 48-thousand vehicles crossed into Canada at Fort Frances in August.

That's a 3.6 per cent increase in the number of travellers and 4.7 per cent increase in vehicles compared to August of last year.