Conversion Work Celebrated

The official start of conversion of Ontario Power Generation generating station in Atikokan has been recognized.

A sod-turning ceremony was conducted at the plant yesterday.

The plant is being converted from using coal to biomass and is expected to be complete by 2014.

About 200 new jobs are expected to be created as a result of the work.

Museum Gala Planned

Fort France Museum is preparing for a special gala next month.

Duane Hicks, chair of the Friends of the Museum committee, says the November 1st event will help unveil the completed "What Hooks You Here" initiative and the local donation of art by the late aboriginal artist Norval Morrisseau.

Hicks the event is also serving as a fundraiser for the committee.

Not So Warm September

Some warm days in the early parts of September weren't enough get us pass the monthly temperature average.

Geoff Coulson of Environment Canada says the month did see several days reach beyond the 20 C mark, but the monthly average was brought down by a change in the weather at mid-month.

September ended with an average temperature of 10.9 degrees Celsius, more than a full degree below the norm of 12.2.

Fundraiser Sold Out

A Riverside Foundation For Health Care fundraiser to raise money for the new digital mammography has been sold out.

The "Evening in Paris" event takes place Saturday at the Memorial Sport Centre.

The Foundation says tickets are no longer available.

New Digital Mammography Unit In Place

The new digital mammography unit, Riverside Foundation for Health Care has been raised money for, is now up and running.

Riverside Health Care Facilities CAO Allan Katz says they had enough confidence in the Foundation's campaign to commit to the purchase earlier this summer.

Katz says the unit is one of the best available producing a low amount of radiation and high quality clinical photographs.

Installation of the unit at LaVerendrye Hospital was completed last week.

The Foundation says it has all of the $650-thousand need in donations and commitments in place.

Not All People With Mental Illness Getting Help

The majority of people with mental illnesses or addictions in Ontario aren't getting treatment for their conditions.

That's the conclusion of a new report, which says the burden of mental illness in the province is higher than that of all cancers and infectious diseases combined.

Federal Health Minister Upset

Canada's normally reserved minister of health isn't mincing words when it comes to pharmacies and others who allegedly fleeced the aboriginal health-benefits plan.

Leona Aglukkaq says she's upset and disappointed with allegations that some pharmacists were stealing money from taxpayers.

Teachers Head To Court

EFTO photo

Ontario public school teachers are turning up the heat on Premier Dalton McGuinty.

Unions representing teachers and school support staff will launch court action in Toronto today, challenging his Liberal government's legislation that imposes a two-year contract on teachers.

They are argue Bill 115 strips them of their right to collective bargaining.

Go Local Launched Today

The new Go Local campaign in the Rainy River is being launched today with some western Canada help.

Jessie Radies, creator of Live Local Alberta, is in Fort Frances to provide advice to local officials.

Radies says its part of a renewal seen across north America to bolster local economies.

Radies says the campaigns have the potential of bringing significant benefits to both businesses and consumers.

Travel Policies To Be Reviewed

Travel policies for municipal staff and elected officials will get a review by Fort Frances council.

A committee has been formed to see if changes are needed to the policies or the amount of money paid out for staff and councillors who attending training or meetings.

Mayor Roy Avis says it's part of an annual review with a final report coming out in about a months time.

More Gold And Silver Identified

Rainy River Resources has determined it has more gold and silver than initially thought at its project north of Barwick.

An update mineral resource statement issued today puts measured and indicated mineral resources at 6.2 million ounces of  gold and 13.2 million ounces of silver.

That's 9 per cent higher than the numbers released for gold in February and 12 per cent high for silver.

The company hopes to begin open pit mining operations in 2016.

Commission Reconsiders Boundary Change

A federal commission is backing down on moving Lake of the Woods Township out of the Thunder Bay-Rainy River riding as part of a redraw of federal ridings in Ontario.

The commission recommended it be attached the Kenora riding.

But president George Valin says concerns brought forward to a hearing in Kenora convinced them to reconsider.

In her presentation, Lake of the Woods township Mayor Valerie Pizey said the area identifies more with the Rainy River district than Kenora.

Lakers Look To Honour Former Player

Fort Frances Lakers board of directors will meet tomorrow night to decide how to honour Jaret LeClair.

He was one of four killed in a car crash near Pic River First Nation Sunday.

Coach Wayne Strachan says the former player will be honoured in some fashion.

Some have suggested the team retire LeClair's number 7 he wore in the three season he was with the Lakers.

Together We Did It!

Riverside Foundation for Health Care says it's reached its goal of $650-thousand to bring digital mammography to the district.

The Foundation says last Tuesday's radiothon on 93.1 The Border that netted almost $90-thousand in four hours helped bring them over the top.

Support to the Together We Can campaign that started in April came from across the district.

Flu Shots Coming To Fort Frances Pharmacy

The Ontario government has cleared the way for pharmacists at about 600 drug stores across the province to give flu shots this fall.

Shoppers in Fort Frances says it will begin offering the shots at the end of this month.

Pharmacists will also be able to renew most prescriptions and offer some services previously provided only by doctors, but there's still no agreement on how that will work.

Date For Assessment Appeal Hearing Gets Close

A hearing on Resolute Forest Products' appeal of the assessment of its mill property in Fort Frances could come next spring.

Town CAO Mark McCaig says the Assessment Review Board is still waiting on some information from the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation first.

It's asked for MPAC to complete that work by November 16.

Resolute wants its assessment cut almost in half which could lead to a tax rebate of over $2-million.

Weekend Enforcement Stats

Another busy long weekend for OPP across northwestern Ontario.

A traffic enforcement blitz resulted in 361 drivers charged with speeding, 54 of which were in the Rainy River district

25 people were caught for not wearing their seatbelt, three in this district

5 were charged with impaired driving, none here.

Fire Prevention Week

Fire prevention week is in full swing in the Rainy River district.

Wayne Riches of the Fort Frances Fire and Rescue Service says the theme of "have two ways out" is aimed at encouraging families to create escape plans and to know what number to call in case of fire.

The week includes visits to area schools and displays at Canadian Tire Saturday as part of a fall fire safety day.

Update - Former Laker Dies

OPP are now confirming that a former member of the Fort Frances Lakers hockey club was among those killed in a motor vehicle accident east of Thunder Bay.

20-year-old Jaret LeClair was among four people in a pick-up truck that came into collision with car on Highway 627 Sunday night, just outside Pic River First Nation.

It is not immediately know if LeClair was driving or was a passenger.

Two other people in the truck and the driver of the car were also killed.


Meantime, the Lakers Hockey Club is looking at ways of honouring LeClair.

Some have suggested the team retire his jersey.

Coach Wayne Strachan says exactly how they will honour him could be determined when the board of directors meet later this week.

LeClair wore number 7 in the three seasons he was with the Lakers.

Former Laker Dies

The Fort Frances Lakers are mourning the loss of a former player.

The team says Jaret Leclair died Sunday night.

The 20-year-old played with the Lakers for three seasons.

His cause of death has not been released, but OPP are investigating a fatal motor vehicle accident near LeClair's hometown of Pic River First Nation.


Police say four people were killed and two others injured, one seriously, after two vehicles collided on Highway 627 Sunday night.

No name have yet been released.

Boundary Changes Hearing In Kenora

The MP for Thunder Bay-Rainy River riding is expected to be at a meeting  in Kenora today to speak out against proposed changes to federal riding boundaries in northwestern Ontario.

John Rafferty is to make a submission to a federal commission proposing to take Lake of the Woods township out of his riding and attach it to the Kenora riding.

Rafferty doubts the area will be adequately served.

New College Programs Proposed

Confederation College is looking to introduce some new programs to Atikokan.

A 12-week welding program could begin this winter with programs in mechanical techniques and practical nursing starting up next fall.

Manager of the Rainy River campus, Anne Renaud says the programs meet a couple of needs including demand and the ability to have transferable skills.

Renaud says they're now determining interest.

Low Water Levels

Low water levels are effecting some water bodies in the Rainy River district.

The Ministry of Natural Resources says levels on Manomin, Despair, Footprint, Off and Jackfish Lakes are all lower than normal.

The levels of some rivers and streams linking those lakes are also down.

The MNR says anyone using a boat in those water should use extreme caution over the next several weeks.

Large Minnesota Forest Fire Still Burning

Authorities say it could be weeks before a wildfire in northwestern Minnesota is contained.

The fire near Red Lake is the largest of several burning in the area and has consumed more than 38 square miles

The fire is threatening private land, timber resources, a major power line and a few private hunting cabins in Beltrami Island State Forest.

International Conference At Medical School

The Northern Ontario School of Medicine is hosting a major 6-day conference this week looking at the opportunities and challenges of community participation in health care.

Dean Roger Strasser says it brings some important international attention to the school.

Over 850 delegates from more than 45 countries are expected to attend.

Strasser says some delegates will also be visiting northwestern Ontario hospitals.

Solar Panels Getting Results

The town of Fort Frances is beginning to see results from solar panels place atop some municipal buildings.

More than 47-thousand kilowatt hours of electricity were generated from the panels placed on the roofs of the Public Works department, Memorial Sports Centre, Water treatment plant and Children's complex last fall.

Sustainability Coordinator Travis Rob says it's less than predicted, but feels the system is still working well.

Over $35-thousand in revenue was generated through the hydro being sold back to the grid.

Snare Stuck On Bear's Head

YouTube photo

Concern is being expressed for the welfare of a bear that has been walking around for months with a snare around his head.

Michael Scheibler says the bear, he's named Anson and has fed for the past four years at his Emo wildlife sanctuary, showed up in July with the snare.

Scheibler fears he's now headed off to hibernate.

He says based on the wounds suffered so far, it's uncertain to say if the bear will make it through the winter.

Earlier efforts by the Ministry of Natural Resources to tranquillize the bear failed.

Early Winter Storm

Weather to blame for an outage in the Fort Frances area overnight.

About 14-hundred Hydro One customers lost power for about an hour shortly after 1 a.m.

A system that's passing through the area dropped varied amounts of snow and came with strong winds.


O-P-P near Kenora had to shut down a section of the Trans Canada Highway last night because of numerous motor vehicle accidents results from a storm that effected that area.

The highway has since been reopened.


A regional meeting of museum curators in Fort Frances has been cancelled due to weather.

Snow in other parts of the region is making travel to get here difficult.

More Human Caused Forest Fires

MNR file photo

More human caused forest fires in northwestern Ontario.

The Ministry of Natural Resources says crews had to respond to three such fires on Tuesday.

Two were in the Kenora district.

The other, burning on property along Highway 611, northwest of Fort Frances.

Health Care Concerns Being Told At Queen's Park

Health care stories gathered during a recent NDP tour of the Kenora-Rainy River riding are getting back to Queen's Park.

MPP Sarah Campbell says many northerners are frustrated and scared that services won't be there when they need them the most.

Campbell says stories gathered will be told in the legislature in the coming days in an effort to spur action from Health Minister Deb Matthews.

Campbell was joined on the tour last week by NDP Health Critic Frances Gelinas.

SIDS Fundraiser

The Northern Lights Credit Union is holding a fundraiser today.

Cassandra Ryan says branches across the region are attempting to raise awareness about sudden infant death syndrome.

People who make a donation of 20 dollars or more will get a tax receipt by SIDS Canada.

NDP Worried About Possible MNR Closures

The NDP is looking for assurances from Ontario's Natural Resources Minister MNR offices in northern Ontario will remain open.

At Queen's Park, Kenora-Rainy River MPP Sarah Campbell says Nipigon, east of Thunder Bay has been told its office won't be closing, and wants the same given to others community.

Minister Michael Gravelle says any future operational changes will ensure the MNR's core values and services are maintained.

Body of Man Wanted In Nova Scotia Found

An OPP search in dense woods in northwestern Ontario has recovered the body of a man they believe is wanted in the alleged confinement and sexual assault of a teenage boy in Nova Scotia.

The body of 31-year-old Wayne Alan Cunningham was recovered in an area around Geraldton near a 2003 Hyundai Elantra found on a logging road Wednesday night.

His cause of death is under investigation, but foul play is not suspected.

Cunningham's co-accused, David James Leblanc, was arrested Sunday.

Assisted Living Facility Planning Continues

The group aiming to get an assisted living facility built in the Fort Frances area has a better road map to reaching that goal.

Health officials, municipalities and others came together to provide input into a three-year strategic plan for the Assisted Living Action Group.

Chair Erma Armit says its key moving forward.

Armit says they hope to have a final document in place soon.

Human Trafficking Present Here

We might not see it on the streets, but an ex-RCMP officer says human trafficking is likely happening in northern Ontario.

Marty Van Doren, who coordinates a RCMP human trafficking awareness program, says many young girls and boys involved in the sex trade industry in Canada are coming from remote First Nations looking for a better way of life.

He says they get to the big cities where they're meeting people who mislead and later abuse them into working for them.

Van Doren was speaking to members of area police services boards gathered in Fort Frances.

School Grounds Get Facelift

Some improvements are coming to the grounds of Mine Centre School.

The Rainy River District School Board plans to use reserve funds on the project that includes an expansion of the school playground area and a new baseball diamond.

Over half-a-million dollars has been earmarked for the project.

Appointment For Area Liberal

The candidate who ran for the Liberals in this riding is the last provincial election has been elected to the Party's executive council.

Anthony Leek says his appointment as the Northern Region Vice President will help get local issues to the table.

Leek says the appointment also further strengths the local riding association.

Comedian Returns Home

A homecoming for a First Nations Comedian.

Ryan McMahon brings his talents to Fort Frances today for this first time in three years.

McMahon is on a self-funded cross-country tour to follow up on some of the national success he's achieved this year that includes being named to the new faces list at the Just for Laugh's Festival in Montreal and the taping of a television special for CBC.

Radiothon Nets Huge Dollars For Foundation

The final numbers are still being tallied, but Riverside Foundation for Health Care is much closer to reaching its goal in the "Together We Can Campaign."

Over 85-thousand dollars in donations were received during a four-hour radiothon Tuesday on 93.1 The Border.

Campaign co-chair Jan Beazley says it exceptional support.

OPP Looking For Savings

Ontario Provincial Police says their doing what they can to find savings for municipalities under contract with the OPP.

Speaking before area police services boards gathered in Fort Frances, Superintendent Rick Philbin of the OPP's municipal policing bureau says a change in a formula used to calculate costs has been lowered.

Philbin says a two-year wage freeze also helped, but some municipalities worry about the impact of a pending 8.5 per cent increase in 2014.

Drug Bust At Area Border

A Windsor, Ontario man is facing charges following the seizure of over $2-million in cocaine and heroin at the Pigeon River border south of Thunder Bay.

The over 14-kilograms of cocaine and 1-and-a-quarter kilograms of heroin were discovered hidden in a concealed compartment of a truck that attempted to cross into Canada September 22.

Some Quetico Park Fires Out

Two of the forest fires that have been burning for several weeks within Quetico Provincial Park are now out.

The Ministry of Natural Resources is continuing to monitor three others still active at the southern end of the park.

One is almost 300 hectares in size.

Books Of Life Created

A class of young students in Atikokan is playing a part in promoting aboriginal education across the province.

Grade 2 and 3 students from North Star Community School participated in an Ontario Teachers' Federation initiated that asked students to create books about their lives.

Teacher Kristy Cameron says she took her students works and compiled a CD entitled ""Living the Seven Sacred Teachings."

The students works were recently on display at a provincial launch of the project in Toronto.

Funds Sought For Trail Project

Int'l Falls photo

The City of International City and Koochiching County are teaming up to seek grant money for a trail project  linking the Falls with Rainer.

Fall's economic development officer Shawn Mason says it gives them a better shot at the $375-thousand requested from the State.

The project includes 1.2 miles of new paved trail with an exiting section being widened.

Total cost is just under one-million dollars with additional funding coming from the federal government, the County and the City.

Ontario Helps Minnesota On Fire

MNR file photo

More help from Ontario for Minnesota in their fight to suppress fires burning in that state.

Two Ministry of Natural Resources waterbombers and a birddog aircraft had to be called to help stop a fire in northwestern Minnesota that crossed into Manitoba Sunday.

MNR personnel are also assisting with several fires in Alberta.

Crossroads Students Raise Money For Terry Fox Foundation

More donations have been counted from one school from last Thursday's Terry Fox School Run.

Students at Crossroads Schools in Devlin raised over $21-hundred dollars for the Terry Fox Foundation.

Jordan Sparks Coming To I. Falls?

A visit with a long-time friend has led to talk of singer Jordan Sparks possibly performing in International Falls.

Falls city lawyer Steve Shermoen  met up with Spark's grandfather during the Ryder Cup in Chicago where he was introduced to the former American Idol winner.

Their talk led to fishing and a possible visit to the Falls.

Shermoen says there was even some discussion of Sparks performing in the city, but a lot has to be worked out to make that happen.

New School For Pikangikum

A new school for Pikangikuum First Nation.

The project is among three schools the federal government will move on this year.

Funding will come out of the $275-million previously budgeted to improve First Nations education.

Riverview Raise Funds For Terry Fox Foundation

More funding for the Terry Fox Foundation.

Students at Riverview School in Rainy River raised over $12-hundred  in last Thursday's Terry Fox School run.

Environmental Commissioner Critical Of Liberals

Ontario's environmental watchdog says the government is stumbling and retreating in the implementation of simple programs that used to work fine.

Environmental commissioner Gord Miller says the province is "blind'' to the impact forestry is having on wildlife and isn't doing enough to protect water resources against the continued threat of dry weather.