Homeowners Asked To Help Prevent Freezing

The town of Fort Frances is asking homeowners who have faced frozen water lines in the past or who's neighbours are suffering the same face to run their water for the next few months.

The town's public works department has been called out to thaw more than 90 lines as of yesterday.

Manager Doug Brown says the shallow depth of lines is partly to blame.

Brown says its also good to leave a trickle of water if you're leaving town for the weekend.

Osisko Write To Shareholders

Osisko Mining's shareholders can expect mail in the near future.

The company has fired off a letter recommending they reject the unsolicited bid from Goldcorp.

Osisko states the $2.8 billion offer fails to recognize the value of it's Canadian Malartic mine in Quebec.

The letter adds that Goldcorp also made three previous offers, all of which Osisko says would have been "value destructive" to shareholders.

The matter is also before a Quebec court while Goldcorp has extended its offer until March 10.

No Change To FedNor

The Minister responsible for FedNor is firing back at Thunder Bay-Rainy River MP John Rafferty.

Rafferty this week stated the federal budget included no new funding for the regional economic development agency and that hundreds of thousands of dollars had been removed.

Greg Rickford calls it a "bold faced lie."

Rickford says they have new priorities under FedNor with some focus on manufacturing and support for businesses who want to diversify.

Iron Range Using Hwy 502 Again

Iron Range Bus Lines is once again using Highway 502.

The local bus line had refused to travel the road due to poor conditions and dismal road maintenance this winter.

That resulted in lengthy travel times for area sports teams, both here in Fort Frances and those in the Dryden areas.

Opposition Parties Split Provincial By-Elections

The governing Liberals were shut out in two provincial by-elections in southern Ontario.

Gila Martow won in Thornhill, maintaining the riding for the Progressive Conservatives.

The NDP's Wayne Gates won in Niagara Falls, a riding formerly held by the Liberals.

Ontario Looks To Deny Licenses

The Ontario's government appears to be trying to put an end to payday lender The Cash Store.

The province’s Registrar of Payday Loans has issued a proposal to refuse licenses to The Cash Store and Instaloans, both owned by Edmonton-based The Cash Store Financial Services.

The proposal stems from a recent court decision that lead them to being prohibited from offering payday loans or lines of credit products in Ontario.

The company plans to ask for a hearing before the License Appeal Tribunal.

Ontario Asked Not To Raise Tobacco Taxes

Ontario's corner store owners want the province to avoid following the federal government's lead in raising tobacco taxes.

The Conservative government announced in the federal budget Tuesday to add $6.00 in new taxes to a carton of smokes.

The Ontario Convenience Stores Association's Dave Bryans says that only hurts owners and does little to address the issue of contraband tobacco.

Bryans says further increases from Ontario will only inflame the problem.

Trucker Now Charged

OPP have now laid charges in that near head-on collision north of Nipigon involving two transports that was captured on video and went viral.

Police say 31-year-old Akmal Hayat of Milton, Ontario has been charged with careless driving, failing to remain at the scene of an accident and failing to report an accident.

Video of January's incident, showing one transport having to take evasive action to avoid another trying to pass a snow plow, helped police identify the driver.

More Charges Againt Thunder Bay Man

More charges have been laid against a Thunder Bay man accused of incidents of sexual assault dating back to 1997.

OPP slapped four new charges on 52-year-old Gary Lamont after determining the identity of three male victims.

Lamont has been in custody since arrested in December on eight other charges.

Police says the victims, all male, were between the ages of 17 and 24 at the time of the alleged incidents that occurred at Thunder Bay and Warnica Lake between 1997 and 2007.

OFAH Support Federal Funding Commitment

The Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters is welcoming announced plans by the federal government to add another $15-million over the next two years to a recreational fisheries conversation partnership program.

The program was created last year to help support local projects that benefit the conservation of fisheries habitats.

OFAH says the new money will allow for dozens of new projects to proceeds