Rafferty Has Optimism About Mill Following Meeting

Some cautious optimism from Thunder Bay-Rainy River MP John Rafferty about the future of Resolute Forest Products in Fort Frances.

Rafferty and MPP Sarah Campbell met with company president Richard Garneau last week in Toronto for nearly 3 hours.

Rafferty says Garneau spoke about investments Resolute's making in northwestern Ontario and how its looking at new products for its mill in Fort Frances.

Rafferty says Garneau also denied rumours of an offer from Boise to purchase the mill.

Question of the Week

78 per cent of respondents to our question on 931theborder.ca don't believe operations at the Fort Frances mill will be restarted at a later date.

This week we ask if you plan to support a charitable organization this Christmas season.

PCs Select Candidate For Next Election

Progressive Conservatives have selected their candidate for the Kenora-Rainy River riding in the next provincial election.

Kenora businessman Randy Nickle says he wants to give a stronger voice to the area at Queen's Park.

Nickle was unopposed in the Tories' nomination meeting held Saturday in Dryden.

High School Teachers Union Plot Next Move

Ontario high school teachers are expected to reveal their next steps today in an escalating labour battle with the governing Liberals.

The union representing the teachers cut off talks last week after teachers rejected local agreements with two school boards.

Drug Charges Laid

A 22-year-old woman from Couchiching First Nation will head to court next month on drug charges.

The OPP's Fort Frances Community Drug Action team arrested the woman November 23 while she was in her vehicle at a Fort Frances parking lot, possessing of 10 Oxycontin pills and eight Fentanyl patches.

Police says the drugs sold on the street would fetch about $26-hundred.

OPP Crime Stats For October

Break-ins and assaults topping the OPP's crime report for the month of October.

OPP investigated 11 break-ins across the Rainy River district, eight of which occurred in Fort Frances.

Among them, a break-in of a home where medication was taken.

There were also 19 assaults in the district, 10 in Fort Frances.

Catholic Board Staff and Students Celebrate Movember

There are some clean shaven faces at St. Francis School and the Northwest Catholic District School Board in Fort Frances.

Staff ended their involvement in Movember by shaving their moustaches off before students at the school Friday.

Teacher Derek Jones says students got involved by wearing fake stashes.

The exact amount of money raised is still being counted.

Movember is aimed at raising awareness and fund for men's health, particularly prostate cancer.

Legion Auxiliary Members Honoured

MPP Sarah Campbell photo

Two long-time members of the Royal Canadian Legion Auxiliary in Fort Frances are recipients of Queen Elizabeth the second Diamond Jubilee medals.

Sylvia Gunderson and Alfreda Easton received their medals at the Legion Auxiliary monthly dinner Friday night from MPP Sarah Campbell.

Easton has spend more than 45 years as a volunteer with the Auxiliary that continues today.

Gunderson was cited for her involvement in organizing many Legion events.

Hunter Charged

More fines for hunters not following the rules.

A Kapuskasing man the latest to be fined for unlawfully hunting deer.

Ronald Ouellette plead guilty in Fort Frances court last week to several charges related to a November 2011 incident about deer being shot on private property and from a roadway.

Ouelettte was fined $3-thousand.

Police Costs Savings Possible

Some possible saving for the town of Fort Frances towards its policing costs for next year.

OPP are estimating costs to be about $2.660-million.

That's about $28-thousand less than what was estimated for this year.

Costs are determined on a per case basis.

OPP have also determined the exact cost of policing for the first six months of this year to be about $49-thousand less than estimated.

Student Assaults Reported

Three assaults involving students at Fort Frances High School have been identified in a month end report issued by the Ontario Provincial Police to the Fort Frances Police Services Board.

Two of the incidents in October occurred on school property with the other taking place away from the high school.

Detachment Commander Inspector Steve Shouldice says in one case a knife was shown.

In all three cases, charges were laid.

Foul Play Ruled Out In Death

Provincial Police have ruled out foul play in the death of a Fort Frances man earlier this week.

They've also identified him as 55-year Derek Pollard.

His body was found inside a residence at the Elizabeth Street Manor Tuesday morning.

Healthy Eating Costs Rise

The cost of healthy food continues to rise

The Northwestern Health Unit says it found the monthly cost for a family of four to be $941, a nearly three per cent hike over last year.

Nutritionist Julie Slack says incomes continue to fall off the pace forcing people to make even tougher decisions how they spend their money.

Slack says some families cannot even afford basic food stables to supports healthy eating.

Opposition Take Aim At Liberal Over Teachers Dispute

EFTO File photo

The Opposition is blaming the provincial Liberals for the threats of strike action by elementary teachers across Ontario.

PC critic Peter Shurman says Education Minister Laurel Broten needs to use the tools introduced in Bill 115 to keep school open.

The New Democrats want the Liberal government to scrap the Bill which teachers says hinders their ability to negotiate local contracts.

Elementary teachers are promising to give 72-hours notice of strike action, while high school teachers have called off any further bargaining with local school boards.

Former Atikokan Librarian Dies

The wife of Atikokan Mayor Dennis Brown has died.

Doris Brown died Wednesday in Atikokan at the age of  73.

Brown was Atikokan's librarian for many years where she named Ontario Librarian of the Year in 1997.

She also served as a community rep. for several organizations including the Atikokan Crisis Centre, Atikokan General Hospital and Lakehead University.

Funeral services will be held Monday in Atikokan.

Community Dinner Planned

Fort Frances Volunteer Bureau has started the planning for the annual Community Christmas Dinner.

It takes place at the Knox United Church on Christmas Day.

It's also the 25th annual event.

Donations of food items, especially turkeys, and volunteers are now been sought.

Call the Bureau's office if you can lend a hand.

Movember Ends

Supplied photo

Movember  is over.

The month encourages men to grow moustaches to raise awareness and funds for men's health, specifically prostate cancer.

Even some junior kindergarten students at St. Michael's school in Fort Frances got in the spirit by displaying mock stashes last week.