We Day Honoured

Students who played a role in organizing a mini-We Day in the spring at Rainy River High School are being recognized tonight by the Rainy River District School Board.

Student council organized last May's event, bringing together motivational speakers and performers, including Jared Funk, a three-time medal para-Olympian, the Winnipeg Blue Bomber Cheerleaders and author Drew Hayden Taylor.

This year's student council is planning to hold another event next April.

School Breakfast Programs Getting Funded

School breakfast programs at Ontario's schools are being expanded.

The provincial government says it will provide an additional $3-million towards the development of 200 new breakfast and morning meal programs, mostly in high-need communities.

Part of the funding will also support the hiring of coordinators to work with schools in developing partnerships with businesses and food distribution networks.

Bayfield Continues Exploration

Exploration around the New Gold's gold project, formerly Rainy River Resources, near Barwick continues.

Bayfield Ventures is out with its latest assay results

The company is drilling in an area it believes to be as significant as New Gold's deposit.

Shooting Incident In Caramat

A search is underway for a man wanted in connection with a shooting incident in the small northwestern Ontario community of Caramat. near Longlac.

OPP says another man is recovering after being shot in the leg during a confrontation last night.

Police says the suspect showed up at the victim's home last night, wearing a ski mask and carrying a long run, firing a single shot before fleeing.

Smoking Off Limits At Thunder Bay Hospital

If you've got a medical appointment at Thunder Bay's Health Science Centre, leave the cigarettes at home.

The city has approved changes to its smoking by-laws allowing the hospital to ban smoking outright on its grounds.

Hospital Spokesperson Tracie Smith says the changes will allow hospital security and Health Unit officers to ticket anyone caught smoking on hospital grounds. 

The exact amount of the fine has not been set.

Premier Stays Away From Personal Attacks

Premier Kathleen Wynne wants to distance her Liberals from the opposition.

With election talk heating up in Ontario, Wynne says she has no interest in a campaign of mudslinging or personal attacks, and doesn't think the public wants it either.

Wynne addressed party faithful in Hamilton on the weekend in an event aimed at developing policies for the next election.

Gravelle Supports Bear Bill

Ontario's Northern Development Michael Gravelle says he'll back a private members bill aimed at reducing incidents of nuisance bears.

It's being introduced by Thunder Bay-Atikokan MPP Bill Mauro.

Mauro's bill also looks at expanding the Ontario's hunt, even if includes returning the spring hunt.

Accountability Office Gets Approval

The provincial Government is one step closer to having a financial accountability officer.

The bill has passed third reading in the legislature.

Kenora-Rainy River MPP Sarah Campbell says it will ensure scandals, like that of the gas-plant cancellations, never happen again.

The creation of an accountability office was a key demand from the NDP in supporting the Liberals budget.

Catholic Board Happy With Numbers

The Northwest Catholic District School Board says it's seeing some improvements in the latest provincial test scores.

The board bettered its result in Grade 3 reading by five per cent while 70 per cent of its grade 6's met or better the provincial standard in reading.

Education Director Rick Boisvert says they also see a reduction in the gender gap, especially at grade 6.

In math, 58 per cent of grade 3's and 62 per cent of grade 6's achieved provincial standards.

Environment Fines Going Back To Communities Effected

Fines collected from companies who violated Ontario's environmental laws are being turned back to the communities the infractions occurred.

Over $320-thousand will be doled out to groups and organizations that apply for improvement projects.

None of the money, though, is available to communities in northwestern Ontario.

Steps Against Stigma

Mental Illness Awareness Week goes next week  and the Canadian Mental Health Association in Fort Frances will kick it off with a walk Saturday.

Spokesperson Nancy Daley-Fulton says "Steps Against Stigmac" is in part to draw awareness of the stigma of mental illness.

Registration forms can be obtained at CMHA, its website, Energy Fitness or at the day of the event

Province Encouraging Breastfeeding

The province wants to see more newborns breast feed.

That why Ontario's Health Ministry will spend more than $2.5 million dollars on a campaign to encourage breastfeeding.

Health Minister Deb Matthews says about 90 per cent of mothers want to breast feed, but only 60 per cent do so.

The campaign includes a 24-hour support hotline and specific initiatives for areas where there is a low rate of breastfeeding.

Phone Number To Stay On List

It may only take one call to avoid those pesky telemarketers.

The Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commissions says numbers registered with the National Do Not Call List who were to expire today, will remain on its list for another year.

The registry was set up five years ago with the intend of people re-registering every five years.

The CRTC says existing registrants will stay in place while it gathers comments on how to keep them permanently.

Municipal Leaders Frustrated With Government

Area municipal leaders are frustrated.

They directed much of their angry at Northern Development Minister Michael Gravelle during the Northwestern Ontario Regional Conference.

President of the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association Dave Canfield says government just not moving fast enough on northern issues such as the Ring of Fire development.

Municipal reps are also looking for a conversion of the generating station in Thunder Bay to proceed.

Northern Policy Institute Working To Include More Input

The Northern Policy Institute wants to give northerners more say into the decision making process at Queen's Park.

Chief Executive Officer Charles Cirtwell says they're trying to create an online community consultation tool that will gather public feedback on Provincial Government policies.

The independent think tank for northern Ontario was formed more than a year ago.

Routes Identified For Power Project

Several routes have been identified for a transmission line through Minnesota to draw power from Manitoba.

The first phase will see the line connect to the Iron Range area.

Minnesota Power's Joe Atkinson says they are getting close to determining a preferred route.

Some of the possible routes go through Koochiching County including one passing by Littlefork.

New Gold CEO Head World Committee

The Chief Executive Officer with New Gold has been selected to head the World Gold Council.

Randall Oliphant will take over from Ian Telfer, chair of Goldcorp.

The World Gold Council is the market development organization for the gold industry.

New Gold is in the process of taking over Rainy River Resources

Former Fort Frances Man Honoured

A former Fort Frances officer has been recognized for an act of bravery by the OPP.

Constable Mike Golding, who now works in Thunder Bay, helped find a woman with mental illness who had wandered away from her home in Kaministiqua in minus 20 degree temperatures.

Golding received the St. John Ambulance Award and the Commissioner's Letter in a ceremony recently in Thunder Bay.

First Nation Dispute Heads To Supreme Court

The Supreme Court of Canada has decided to hear a Kenora First Nations appeal of an Ontario Court of Appeal's over land use decisions

The Wabauskang First Nation wants the federal court to determine whether Ontario has the authority to make land-use decisions in Treaty 3.

The band currently has a case against Rubicon Minerals.

The Supreme Court is expected to hear the appeal sometime late next year.

Question Of The Week

Fort Frances council is being asked to set aside money in the 2014 budget  towards the demolition of the former Rainy Lake Hotel.

Should this be a priority for council next year?

Let us know on our website 931theborder.ca.

Minnesota A Good Place To Do Business

Minnesota is being eyed as one of the best States for Business.

Forbes Magazine ranks the Gopher State eighth, up 12 spots from its showing in 2012.

Forbes credits the strength of the Twin Cities to host several national corporations, Minnesota's school system, it's low poverty rate and the health of its population as benefits to business.

Virginia is ranked number one.

High School Test Results Revealed

Some good news for the Rainy River District School Board in the latest results from the standardized tests written by its high school students

86 per cent of grade 9 students met or exceeded provincial standard in the test for academic mathematics

Education Director Heather Campbell says that better the provincial average.

The board did see declines in the outcomes in applied math.