Town Gets Access

An important step towards a long-waited upgrade of a pumping station on Portage Avenue in Fort Frances.

The town has received the okay to access CN Rail and private property to complete the job.

It now hopes to do the work next year.

College Programs Promoted

Confederation College is out promoting its programs offered out of its Rainy River campus in Fort Frances.

Campus manager Anne Renaud says the four programs will begin classes in January and run right through the summer with the second semester starting in September with others.

Registration is now being accepted for business accounting, business human resources, protection, security and investigation and child and youth worker programs.

Halloween Time Limit Proposed

Fort Frances town council is going to give the idea of a time limit on Halloween some review.

Resident Jackie Lampi Hughes proposes having a two-hour window starting at 6 p.m.

Lampi-Hughes, who generally likes Halloween, says trick-or-treating in her neighbourhood is becoming too lengthy.

Lampi-Hughes says similar time limits are already in place in communities such as Dryden.

Question of the Day - November 15

Do you support limiting the time children can have trick-or-treating on Halloween?

Cast your ballot on B93.ca.

Yesterday's poll question found 84 per cent of respondents believing MP John Rafferty made the right decision to support an end to the long-gun registry.

Sidewalk Defended

A Fort Frances resident wants the town to rethink its reasons for ripping up a section of sidewalk on her street.

Armit Avenue resident Barb Kircher feels the walk is well utilized and should be maintained.

Council had stated that to fix up the walk it would have to destroy a number of trees.

Citizen of the Year Announcement

We could learn today who the citizen of the year is for the town of Fort Frances.

The selection was expected to be announced at last night's council meeting, but the yet-to-be identified individual had not been notified.

The nominee is to be honoured at a town appreciation dinner this Friday.

Official Plan Approved

Fort Frances has a new document that will govern land-use planning in the town.

Councillors put their final blessing on the new Official Plan last night.

It must still receive approval from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs.

Mine Project Proceeds

Construction of an open-pit gold mine near Atikokan is not that far off.

President of Osiski Mining Sean Rosen says the company's ready to enter the permitting phase of its Hammond Reef gold site.

If all goes well, construction could begin by 2014.

The company has projected the area to have more than 10.5 million ounces of available resource.

Groups Receive Funding

The Rainy Lake Sportfishing Club and the Koochiching Soil and Water Conservation District are among the latest recipients of funding from Minnesota's Conservation Legacy Partners Program.

The two groups are getting $215-thousand to deal with log jams, soil erosion and sedimentation along the Rat Root River.

The efforts are aimed at improving walleye spawning areas.

Registry Warning

The Harper government has been warned that scrapping the requirement to register rifles and shotguns could fuel illegal firearms trafficking across the Canada-US border.

A bill to scrap the registry could become law by the end of the year.

But an internal memo from a senior Public Safety department official says removing the registry would weaken import controls -- resulting in more restricted weapons finding their way into the country.

NDP Seek End to HST on Home Heating

Ontario's New Democrats will bring in a private member's bill in an effort to get the provincial portion of the HST removed from home heating bills.

New Democrat Michael Mantha will introduce the bill when the legislature resumes sitting next week.

He says the bill will save families $100 a year.

Four Charged

Four residents of Couchiching First Nations face drug charges in connection with an incident in the Kenora area.

OPP discovered one-thousand grams of marijuana after stopping a mini-van on the Trans Canada Highway Friday night.

Two men, aged 29 and 45 and two women, 41 and 32 years of age, were arrested on charges of trafficking and possession.

Gold Mine Projections

There will be no base camp for employees working at a proposed gold mine north of Barwick.

Rainy River Resources released a preliminary economic assessment of its project last week.

President Raymond Threlkeld expects the projected 618 full-time workers to live in nearby communities.

There will likely be a camp for the 675 workers involved in the construction phase of the project.

An open-pit mine could open as early as 2015.

Donald Young School Review

The Rainy River District School Board will begin gathering public input on the future Donald Young School next month.

It's the first of three schools to undergo a public accommodation review.

Superintendent of Education Casey Slack says recommendations regarding the Emo school could be finalized by next June.

Reviews of Crossroads School in Devlin and Sturgeon Creek in Barwick will start at a later date.

Rafferty Not Switching Parties

Thunder Bay-Rainy River MP John Rafferty has no plans to join another party after being sanctioned by his own for voting in support of ending the long-gun registry.

He's being prohibited from speaking in the legislature and from sitting on legislative committees, but  isn't speaking-ill of interim leader Nicole Tymul.

Rafferty is not certain how long the sanctions will last.

Question of the Day

Do you think Thunder Bay MP John Rafferty made the right decision to support an end to the long-gun registry?

Cast your vote at B93.ca.

Hunters Beware

Ontario Power Generation has issued another reminder to hunters about not trespassing on its property.

It follows new reports of trespassers at the utility's two Terrace Bay stations.

OPG says it's worried staff at the stations could get shot.

National Aboriginal Addictions Awareness Week

This is National Aboriginal Addictions Awareness Week.

Nancy Kantor, a committee member for local festivities, says there will be a variety of events to celebrate the theme of the campaign.

It includes a walk through Couchiching First Nations starting at 5 p.m. tonight from the Treatment and Support Services Centre.

Local Swimming Sensation Joins Indiana

A first for the Fort Frances Aquanauts Swim team.

17-year-old Donovan Taylor has signed a letter of intent to join the famed University of Indiana swim team next fall.

He says its a good step towards his ultimate goal of reaching the Olympics.

Taylor is receiving both an athletic and academic scholarship.

Perfect Again

Safety remains number one again in the Rainy River district.

Safe Communities Rainy River has received a perfect score on a National Report Card issued by Safe Communities of Canada.

Administrative Coordinator Grace Silander says it shows the local organization is doing what it can to help keep people safe.

It's the fifth straight year that the group has received perfect marks for such things as its programs, promotion and volunteers.

Mine Potential Identified

Rainy River Resources says it could open a proposed open-pit gold mine north of Barwick by 2015.

Underground operations would begin three years later.

A preliminary economic assessment reveals the mine would operate for at least 13 years, producing more than four-million ounces of gold and nearly 6.5 million in silver.

Osisko Project Bigger

Osisko Mining has increased the size of its Hammond Reef Project near Atikokan.

It's pegging potential resources at more than 10.5 million ounces of gold.

That's more than 4-million from the figure identified in 2009.

Police Boards Want Changes

If police service boards get their way, people with unpaid fines would be denied their vehicle registration sticker.

The Ontario Association of Police Services Boards says chronic offenders should have their vehicles seized.

The boards say there are one-billion dollars worth of unpaid fines in Ontario, for everything from traffic offences to trespassing.

Fishing Fine

An expensive catch of walleye for a Chicago man.

Court has fined the man $24-hundred for having 12 walleye over the legal limit.

He was charged in June while fishing at Lac La Croix in Quetico Provincial Park.

Mauro Get P.A. Posting

Thunder Bay-Atikokan MPP Bill Mauro will serve as the Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Northern Development and Mines under the new Liberal government.

It's the same position Mauro held in 2003.

Blue Dots on Sale

Pharmasave in Fort Frances is participating in a fundraiser for the Canadian Diabetes Association.

Spokesperson Richard Boon says the drug store is asking its customers to purchase a Blue Dot in support of the association.

The money goes towards funding area diabetes programs.

The fundraiser will continue until the end of November.

Rainy Lake Showcased Through Art

The Rainy Lake area will be showcased through an art exhibit at the Fort Frances Museum starting today.

Local artist Connie Cuthbertson says she and Wayne Yerxa talked a while ago about doing a show together and easily found a theme.

Over 50 works of art will go on display until mid-January.

The kick-off of "This Place Where We Live" going tonight from 7 pm to 9 pm.

Hospital CEO Retiring

Riverside Health Care Facilities is losing its Chief Executive Officer.

Wayne Woods is retiring next March.

He's been with Riverside for the past 13 years.

The Board has already hired an executive recruiting firm to assist in the search of a new CEO.

Record-Setting Forest Fire Season

It's a modern day record for forest fires in Ontario.

Debbie MacLean of the Ministry of Natural Resources says over 600 thousand hectares of forest where burned this past season - the most in about 50 years.

MacLean says it cost the government about $230 million to fight the 1330 blazes.

Tourism Season Not Great

Ont. Sunset Country Travel Assoc. photo

It wasn't a great summer for many tourist outfitters in northwestern Ontario.

Gerry Cariou, executive director of Ontario's Sunset Country says there wasn't much in the way of growth compared to last year, but there was some improvement at the border with fewer complaints received.

Cariou says a sluggish American economy continues to be a drag on this region's tourism industry.

New Hydro Rates In Place

New time-of-use electricity rates go in effect today.

Using electricity between 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. or between 5 p.m.and 7 p.m. at night will cost 10.8 cents a kilowatt hour.

The rate between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. is now 6.2 cents while the mid-peak rate from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. is 9.2 cents.

Cooks Needed

A call for help has been put out by organizers of the Community Christmas dinner in Fort Frances.

Karen Mitchell of the Fort Frances Volunteer Bureau says the biggest need right now is people to cook turkeys.

Mitchell says she's already received donations, but there's no panic for items just yet.

Health Care Task Force Formed

A new task force is being deployed in Minnesota to examine how to hold down costs while improving access to health coverage.

Governor Mark Dayton set up the group to come up with an action plan for policy changes.

Moustache Season Opens

Moustache Season is open!

Thousands of men across Canada are taking part in the Movember challenge to raise funds and awareness for men's health, specifically prostate cancer.

Rebecca Von-get, Executive vice president for prostate cancer Canada says early detection is key

According to Statistics, Prostate Cancer afflicts one in seven men in Canada.

BIA Pleased with Rainy Lake Talks

The chair of the Fort Frances Downtown Business Improvement Association is happy with the direction being taken on the former Rainy Lake Hotel.

A group of representatives have agreed to continue meeting to finding possible ideas for the shuttered landmark.

BIA Chair Connie Cuthbertson says last week's meeting was very encouraging.

The group will meet again at the end of November to discuss possible funding opportunities

Garage Destroyed by Fire

Fire destroyed a garage on Third Street East in Fort Frances Friday

It occured shortly after the noon hour.

A small shed and a nearby house also suffered damaged.

The cause has not been identified.

Halloween Tonight

Ontario Provincial Police want to ensure everyone has a safe Halloween.

Constable Anne McCoy says young trick or treaters should keep to well lit areas and parents should know where they're children will be if going by themselves.

McCoy says youngsters should also avoid running across streets or lawns.

Youngsters Glowing Tonight

Youngsters across the Rainy River district will be glowing again this Halloween.

Grace Silander of Safe Communities Rainy River says nearly four thousand glow sticks were distributed to schools and day cares for children to use tonight.

The sticks help keep them visible tonight.

A limited number of the sticks are still available at Tess' Kitchen on Scott Street in Fort Frances.

Halloween for Hunger

Members of Saving Faces will be on the streets tonight asking for non-perishable food items.

Natalie Hyatt says it's the second year that the Fort Frances High School group has participated in the Halloween for Hunger.

Members will be in costume, but will carry name tags to identify themselves.

Walleye Anglers Examined

A Ministry of Natural Resources study gives anglers some credit in keeping walleye stocks healthy in northwestern Ontario.

Researchers looked at the habits of anglers in 157 walleye lakes.

One of the studies authors, Len Hunt, says it did prove lakes close to anglers do face fishing pressures

The study also disproved a theory that anglers target the best lakes until fish populations go in decline.

Campbell Now Riding's MPP

Sarah Campbell is itching to get to work.

The Kenora-Rainy River MPP was handed the NDP critic portfolio of Natural Resources and Aboriginal Affairs before being sworn into office Thursday.

Campbell says MPP's could be in the legislature next month.

MP Looks to Protest Severance Pay

Thunder Bay-Rainy River MP John Rafferty has brought back a private members bill aimed at protecting workers' severance when companies enter bankruptcy protection.

It's a similar bill that died on the order table in the last parliament.

First reading of the bill took place in the House Thursday.

Gas Leak

The smell of natural gas brought members of the Fort Frances Fire and Rescue Service to the downtown core Thursday night.

Fire officials say a relief value let go at Union Gas's new sub-station on Mowatt Avenue at around 6 p.m.

The problem was blamed on debris on the line and corrected within three hours.

Hunters Fined

A costly hunting trip for two Ontario men.

The two men, from Chelmsford and Manitouwadge, were fined a total of  $10,000 after being convicted on two separate incidents of hunting on private property.

They had been first charged last November and then again in April while hunting in the Rainy River district.

Alone with the fines, one man was banned for hunting for four years - the other for two.

L.U. Moves Up

Lakehead University has moved up one spot in the Maclean magazine rankings of Canadian universities.

President Dr. Brian Stevenson says they have room for improvement.

Lakehead ranks second among the five undergraduate universities in Ontario.

Haunt Opens Again

What has become a Halloween tradition returns Monday to Fort Frances.

Tess and Robert Coish will transform the backyard of their Scott Street business into a Halloween haunt for young ghouls and goblins.

The Coishes are also accepting donations of treats from people willing to assist.

Gold Search Widens

The search for gold in the Rainy River district continues to heat up.

Winnipeg-based Kings Bay Gold says it has staked more land around its Menary township project after assay results showed strong indications of gold mineralization.

Further mapping, sampling and drilling are now planned for the area, 20 kilometres south of Nestor Falls

The company is also exploring a tailing's pond used by a former mining company back in the 1990's

Fires Still Burn

Forest Fires still burning inside Quetico Provincial Park will be allowed to burn themselves out.

Some of the eight fires have been active since July.

Jennifer Young of the Ministry of Natural Resources says a management plan in place allows fire in certain areas to help regenerate the park's forests.

All of the fires were lightning caused and have covered a total area of about 270 hectares

Canoe Holder Wins Contest

A holder made of miniature paddles and a canoe is among ideas given consideration by the Atikokan Economic Development Corporation for further development.

Darrell Chambers proposed the idea as part of the Corporation's contest to further promote the town's moniker as Canoeing Capital of Canada.

Chambers says he's already working toward having fifty holders ready for sale soon.

Take a Coffee Break

It's not too late to sign up for a Coffee Break.

Executive Director of the Alzheimer Society of Kenora-Rainy River Lynn Moffatt says they still have a number of kits to hand out to potential hosts.

The fundraiser runs until February.

Chili Winners

The public has spoken.

Holmlund's Financial Services was the judges' selection in of the Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce's Chili Cook-off.

CIBC was the people's choice.

A total of thirteen teams took part in Wednesday's event.

Senior's Survey Near Completion

An Atikokan seniors group has nearly 100 per cent participation in a survey they hope will result in construction of an assisted living facility in that community.

Alex Broski of the Atikokan Senior Forum says they've been asking seniors to help identify local needs

Broski says the information may help find a builder interest in the project.

Rafferty Wants Input

Most New Democrats don't like it, but Thunder Bay-Rainy River MP John Rafferty isn't going to pass immediate judgement on the Conservative's plan to abolish the long-gun registry.

Rafferty is going to let his constituents do the talking and is seeking their input.

Rafferty says the latest legislation is similar to previous attempts to scrap the registry but includes a clause to destroy all existing registry records.

Question of the Day - October 26

Meantime, 92 per cent of respondents to a B93.ca question want the Thunder Bay-Rainy River MP to support the governments bill.

8 per cent feel Rafferty should help keep the registry in place.

Today's question, Fort Frances town council is being asked to help fund a program that improves the self-esteem of young girls.

Is this a program council should fund?

Vote at B93.ca

American Denied Entry

An American on a bicycle riding to Winnipeg was among 42 people prevented from entering Canada at the Fort Frances point of entry last month.

The Canada Border Services Agency says the man was denied entry after it was revealed he had criminal convictions in at least ten different States.

In another case, a man from Texas who wanted to move to Fort Frances was denied entry when he declared his main source of income was from playing on-line poker.

The man unable to prove he had funds to support himself or that he had employment or a home in the United States.

A total of 96-thousand people passed through the border in September.

Nipigon Informs Residents of Nuke Storage Plan

None are in the Rainy River district, but the number of northwestern Ontario towns willing to at least consider the idea of storing waste from nuclear reactors in their vicinity has reached half a dozen.

Nipigon is the latest to allow an information kiosk to be set up to inform locals about the proposal.

Mayor Richard Harvey says council has not made any decision about the project.

PC Members Seeks Speaker Position

Ontario's Liberals may end up with a virtual majority after all despite falling one seat short in the October 6th election.

This, after Progressive Conservative MPP Frank Klees announced he will run for Speaker of the legislature.

Both the Tories and the New Democrats had vowed not to put any candidates forward to force the Liberals to up a candidate and further weaken their numbers.

Operation Christmas Child Info Session

A chance to learn more about Operation Christmas Child today.

Organizer Della McQuaker says an event at the Bethel Baptist Church in Fort Frances will help explain how  people can help children in developing countries at Christmas.

The kick-off event goes from 2 p.m. until 6 p.m.

Chili Cook-Off Today

Some of the best local chilli recipies will be put to the test today.

The Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce's annual Chili Cook-off goes at the Legion.

Manager Anthony Mason says 15 teams are taking part.

You can taste them all and vote for your favourites from 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m.

Campbell Gets Q.P. Responsibilities

A full plate of responsibilities for Sarah Campbell.

The Kenora-Rainy River MPP will be Natural Resources and Aboriginal Affairs critic for the provincial New Democrats.

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath made the appointments during a caucus meeting this morning in Toronto.

Bill to End Long-Gun Registry Introduced

A federal bill to scrap the registration of long guns will be introduced in Parliament today.

Thunder Bay-Rainy River M-P John Rafferty says its difficult for him to make comment on right away.

While supportive of scrapping the registry, Rafferty says he'll again seek local input before making his final decision on this bill.

Self-Esteem Program Seeks Funding

The town of Fort Frances is being asked to contribute funding to a program that helps improve the self-esteem of young girls.

Facilitator Heather Jarvis says it will help expand the Uniquely Me Program now run out of J.W. Walker School.

Sixteen girls are now involved in the six-week program.

Mayor to Meet with Federal Transport Minister

Fort Frances will be represented at a meeting this week with federal transport Minister Denis Lebel.

Operations and Facilities Manager Doug Brown says it's important the Minister understand the issues faced by small municipal airports.

Lebel is inviting area Mayors to a meeting while he's visiting Red Lake Thursday.

Mayor Roy Avis is expected to attend.

Jobs Summit in St. Paul

There will some International Falls involvement to the Governor's final job summit in the Twin Cities.

City Mayor Shawn Mason will be a part of the panel that meets today.

The forum will examine ideas of creating more jobs gathered at several regional summits, including one held in International Falls earlier this month.

Shadow Cabinet Announced Today

Kenora-Rainy River MPP elect Sarah Campbell will know today what critic portfolio she'll be handling for the New Democrats.

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath will unveil her shadow cabinet this morning at Queen's Park.