New Transformer Station Planned

A major investment from Hydro One into the Rainy River district.

It's planning to spend $25-million building a new transformer station in Barwick.

Spokesperson Tiziana Baccega Rosa says it will replace an existing and aging station in Fort Frances and improve the electricity capacity of the area between Rainy River and
.

Construction will likely start later this month with the station on-line a year from now.

Legal Clinic Welcomes Funding Announcement

The Northwest Legal Clinic is welcoming an announcement of new funding from the province.

Executive director Trudy McCormick says this week's announcement from the Ministry of the Attorney General essentially returns money taken away from legal clinics in this spring's budget.

McCormick says they had been looking at potential service cuts had the government not come through with the additional dollars.

Province Committed To Experimental Lakes Area

Published reports say the Ontario government will pay to keep the Experimental Lakes Area operating in the long term.

The province and the federal government continue to negotiate the transfer of the research station near Kenora to Winnipeg-based International Institute for Sustainable Development.

Natural Resources Mininster David Orazietti says Ontario's commitment will be below $2-million but isn't commenting on a specific number.

A tentative transfer agreement expires at the end of this month.

Bass Studied At Bass Tournament

Anglers weren't the only ones interested in the bass in Rainy Lake during the recent Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship.

Ministry of Natural Resources, aided by its stewardship rangers, collected data on the fish caught.

Biologist Chris Martin says it helps identify the health of the fish population.

The MNR has been studied bass caught during the tournament for several years.

Beware Of West Nile Virus

The Northwestern Health Unit wants you to protect yourself against West Nile Virus.

Public Health Inspector Kurt Casey says symptoms of the virus are flu-like.

Casey says the number of infected mosquitoes in our area is low, but the threat of West Nile still exists.

Ontario Byelections Today

Today is a judgment day of sorts for Kathleen Wynne's record as Ontario premier as voters in five provincial byelections head to the polls.

The byelections -- in Windsor, London, Ottawa and two Toronto ridings -- are all former Liberal seats.

Regardless of the outcomes, however, Wynne will still be leading a minority government at Queen's Park.

Premier OK Talking To Speaker

The NDP calls it highly inappropriate, but Premier Kathleen Wynne says she won't prevent her staff from talking to the Speaker of the legislature.

But Wynne says she won't tolerate her staff putting "any undue pressure'' on the impartial Speaker.

Her comments come after recovered emails suggested senior Liberals in former premier Dalton McGuinty's office tried to get Speaker Dave Levac to change a key ruling against the government.

Gay Marriage Now Legal In Minnesota

Carlos Melia photo

Dozens of gay couples are getting married at Minneapolis City Hall as Minnesota becomes the latest state to legalize same-sex marriage.

The law allowed weddings to begin at 12:01 a.m. today.

Several midnight weddings were planned at several county courthouses around Minnesota, as well as at the Mall of America's Chapel of Love.

Restaurants Say Liqour Discounts Unfair

Ontario restaurants are unhappy with the province's liquor agency for what they see as unfair discounts for the federal government and foreign embassies.

The Liquor Control Board of Ontario started giving foreign embassies and consulates a 49 per cent discount on beer, wine and liquor sales last month.

A group representing Ontario's restaurants says the new discounts are unfair when they have to pay full retail price
s for alcohol.

Mine Union Upset With Premier

A mining union is accusing Ontario's premier of ignoring pleas for an inquiry into mine safety.

The United Steelworkers says it wrote to Kathleen Wynne in May seeking a meeting, only to have the Premier recently respond, rejecting the request and referring the issue to Labour Minister Yasir Naqvi.

Ontario Director Marty Warren is disappointed, saying he hoped the Premier would have taken the issue more seriously than her predecessor.

NWO Man Appointed To Species At Risk Advisory Committee

A northwestern Ontario man has been appointed to committee that provides advice to government on the handling of the Species at Risk act.

Brad Maggrah of Wabigoon will serve on the National Aboriginal Committee on Species at Risk for three years.

Maggrah is also President of the Ontario Coalition of Aboriginal People.