Flu Numbers On The Rise

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A lot of people are getting sick in our region.

The Northwestern Health Unit is reporting an increase in respiratory illness.

Manager of Infectious Diseases Donna Stanley says hospitals and clinics are busy as a result.


Stanley says some are also visiting with the stomach flu, but there's little can be done as the virus can't be treated with antibiotics, and usually go away on their own.

Stanley says if you have the flu, stay home.

CUPE Accepts Deals With School Boards

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School Support staff with the Northwest Catholic District School Board and Rainy River District School Board have new contracts.

Members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees have voted to accept separate provincial agreements, reached in negotiations held during the Christmas break.

CUPE Local 65 president Terry Soulliere says while the contract does address a number of issues for workers, they're still concerned with the impacts Bill 115 had on the talks and will continue to campaign against it.

MP Worried About Bill C-45

Thunder Bay-Rainy River MP John Rafferty says all Canadians should take interest in the environmental issues raised by the Idle No More Movement.

Rafferty says the changes to the Navigable Waters Protection Act in Bill C-45 will have a detrimental effect on many.

Rafferty says they're meant to help the pipeline industry.



The changes ensures the protection of Rainy Lake, Rainy River and Lake of the Woods, but not the waters leading into them.

Ontario Metis Happy With Ruling

The president of the Metis Nation of Ontario is excited about last week's federal court ruling that places Metis under federal jurisdiction.

Gary Lipinsky says the decision should have a positive change in their dealings with government.

Lipinsky is cautious, though, that the Harper government may still appeal.

Bus Delayed

There's a school bus in the Rainy River district that's running late this morning.

MN 251, driven by Murray Neilson, is running 30 minutes late.

Two Women Front Runners For Liberal Leadership

Two women have emerged as the front-runners in the race to replace Dalton McGuinty as Ontario premier and Liberal leader after a weekend of delegate selection votes.

Former MPP Sandra Pupatello, who quit politics in 2011, captured 504 committed first-ballot delegates to the leadership convention, which is set for the weekend of January 25th.

Former education minister Kathleen Wynne, was a close second with 463 delegates.

About a dozen Liberals from Kenora-Rainy River cast ballots in voting held in Dryden Saturday.

Tibbs Remembered Tonight

Sharon Tibbs will be remembered tonight.

Members of Fort Frances council intend to take time at their meeting to reflect on the fallen councillor.

Tibbs died last week.

Funeral services are planned for this Saturday.

Walk-Outs Cancelled

Ontario High School teachers are cancelling a planned day-of-protest scheduled for next Wednesday.

It's follows Friday morning's labour relations board ruling that deemed a planned walk-out by public elementary teachers to be an unlawful strike.

Premier Dalton McGuinty says it was that ruling that prompted secondary school teachers to cancel their protest over the government's decision to impose a two-year contract on them.

Record Temperatures

An unusual spell of warm weather Thursday has broken several temperature records in northern Ontario.

Fort Frances was the region's hot spot with the high coming in at 8.3 C.

That shattered the previous high of 3 C set back in 1990.

Atikokan reached 7.8 degrees C, breaking the old mark of 1.4 C set in 2006.

International Falls came in at 48 F, also a record

Bayfield's Latest Findings

Bayfield Ventures has uncovered more high-grade gold from its exploration project in the Rainy River district.

The company has released the latest assay results from a drilling program at its Burns Block project, adjacent to Rainy River Resources gold project, north of Barwick.

It's part of a 100-thousand metre drill program, the company says has full funding to complete.