Forest Fire Season Starts This Week

Believe it or not forest fire season officially begins tomorrow.

Fire information officer with the Ministry of Natural Resources Debbie MacLean admits it could be a while before there are any fire starts in northwestern Ontario given the amount of snow in the forest.

Still, she says the MNR will prepare for the season as normal, noting activity picked up quickly after a slow start back in 2012.

$100,000 Club Grows

The region's education sector is seeing an increase in employees earning over $100,000 a year.

 

The disclosure of public sector salaries shows 39 employees with the Rainy River District School Board over the $100-thousand salary threshold.

 

That's up from 35 employees in 2012 and the 22 disclosed two years ago.

 

The Northwest Catholic District School Board has 13 employees on the list, down one from 2012.

 

Riverside Health Care Facilities shows 20 over the magic number, including 9 nurses.

 

The town of Fort Frances has five on the list.

PSB Appointment

A member of the Fort Frances Police Services Board is back for another term.

 

Ron Scofield has been reappointed to the Board by the province for another two year term.

 

It will be his sixth year with the Board.

 

Meantime, another provincially-appointed seat is still vacant.

 

It became empty after former Mayor Glenn Witherspoon ended his term last year.

Premier Seeks At Legal Advice

Premier Kathleen Wynne is seeking legal advice regarding comments from the Progressive Conservatives over the gas plant scandal.

 

The provincial Liberals say an email from the PC Party last week and subsequently posted on its website, claims Wynne "oversaw and possibly ordered" an individual to delete records in former Premier Dalton McGunity's office.

 

Premier Wynne denies the allegations and has written Tory Leader Tim Hudak to stop making the false and defamatory accusations.

School Bus Cancellations For Monday March 31

Here is a list of school bus cancellations in the Rainy River District this morning.

 

All Iron Range Bus lines in Fort Frances area only

All Dimit Bus Lines

Shane McDonald's SM 235

Keith Jolicoeur - KJ220

Bruce Nielson - BN245

Murray McDonald - MM230

Bill Romyn - BR260

Greg Ferris - GF200

Jody Goliquer - Big Grassy to Rainy River H.S.

Ken Fisher - KRF205

Les Fraser - FK225

Murray Nielson - MN251

Darryl Dyck - MN250

Jack Medwechuk - JM240

Bob Johnson - BJ215

Kaylene Johnson - BJ216

Seine River handicap bus

Seine River high school and elementary buses

Northwest Bay's elementary and the high school buses

Stanjikoming First Nations

Red Gut Bay - both buses

Aboriginal Head Start bus