CN Charged With Blocking Crossing

CN Rail is being charged for blocking a rail crossing in Koochiching County.

It comes after a train blocked the Van Lynn Road for more than 90 minutes last Thursday afternoon.

County Sheriff Brian Jesperson says the issue of lengthy delays at area crossings has gone on for too many years.

A charge is considered a petty misdemeanor and can lead to a fine of $300.00.

County Board Chair Kevin Adee says it's still action that many residents have wanted to see even if the fine is pocket change for CN.

County Board Approves Budget

Koochiching County board of commissioners has approved its 2014 budget.

Spending for the year tops out at just over $25.4-million with the tax levy remaining the same as last year at almost $4-million.

The county is also planning to put more than $2-million into reserves.

Gas Tax To Hurt Northern Ontario

Progressive Conservatives says Liberal plans to add a new province-wide gas tax to fund rapid transit in southern Ontario will have a huge impact in northern Ontario.

Critic Vic Fedeli says an extra 10 cent a litre charge will result in higher prices for other goods trucked to the north.

Fedeli says it's also a slap in the face by asking northerners to help fund the southern Ontario they likely won't benefit from.

Chamber Announced New Board

The Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce has returned Mark Caron as its president.

The owner of M.L. Caron Electric was elected to a third term in voting that concluded Monday.

Myles Kuharski of Gillons' Insurance takes over as first vice-president while Jordan Forbes of Saulteau Consulting and Engineering is the second vice-president.

Here is the full slate of officers.

EXECUTIVE:


President:  Mark Caron, ML Caron Electric
1st Vice President:  Myles Kuharski, Gillons' Insurance
2nd Vice President: Jordan Forbes, Saulteaux Consulting & Engineering
Treasurer: vacant - pending election in January
Secretary:  Annely Armstrong, NCDS & Chamber Manager
Past President: Cathy Emes

DIRECTORS:

Robin Payeur, Causeway Insurance / Main Street Market
Lisa Plourde, RBC Royal Bank
Steve Gushulak, Fort Frances General Supply
Mike Vanderwater, Acklands-Grainer
Travis Glowasky, Studio Gibbous
Paul Noonan, La Place Rendez Vous Hotel
Jennifer Greenhalgh, NCDS
Marie Allan, BDO & Company LLP
Ben Morelli, From the Grind Up

Rounding out the Board for 2014 are the Appointee and Ex-Officio positions:

APPOINTEES:
John Albanese, Town of Fort Frances
Angela Halvorsen, Rainy River Future Development Corporation
Toby Munro, Resolute Forest Products

Appointments from the Fort Frances Downtown Business Improvement Association and the Pwi-Di-Goo-Zing Ne-Yaa-Zhing Aboriginal Business Development Advisory Services have yet to be announced.

Coffee Break Time

It's time to take a coffee break.

The Alzheimer Society for the Kenora-Rainy River Districts is bringing back its Coffee Break Challenge next month.

Acting Executive Director Rossana Tomashowski says residents, groups and businesses are invited to host a coffee break to help raise funds for the Society.

Last January's event brought in almost $5,000.

Register by contacting the Society in Kenora or through its website.

OPP Intercept Drug Package

One person is in custody after OPP intercepted a courier package containing drugs.

Police says the parcel, shipped from British Columbia and destined for a man in Emo contained approximately eight pounds of marijuana.

The Emo resident is now facing drug trafficking charges and will appear in court in January.

Iron Range Stops Travel Along Hwy 502

Supplied photo

Iron Range Bus Lines is no longer allowing its buses to run along Highway 502 because of concerns it has with road conditions this winter.

That's impacting Fort Frances High School teams who charter the bus carrier to get to places like Dryden and Sioux Lookout.

Athletic Director Shane Beckett says taking a longer route through Highway 71 and the Trans Canada Highway creates its own safety issues with students on the bus for longer periods of time.

No games have been cancelled, but some starts times have had been adjusted to accommodate the longer trips.

Tax Levy Stays The Same

There will be no tax increase in International Falls in 2014.

City council gave formal approval to its budget and levy at its meeting last night.

Councillor Cynthia Jacksa says an increase in local government aid from the State prevented a potential increase in the levy.

Overall, the city will spend just over $14-million, with about levy staying at $2.1 million.

Cost Study Suggested

Water and sewer rates will go up in International Falls next year.

The five per cent increase is the second of a three-year plan.

Koochiching County Commissioner Wade Pavleck says  now might be the time for the city to consider a costing study involved all those impacted by the city's rates to see if some savings can be identified.

Falls Mayor Bob Anderson says a costing study is something they have budgeted for in 2014.

Councillor Cynthia Jacka believes it may come down to getting more users of the system to bring down rates.

Ontario To Go Ahead With Pension Reform

Ontario is set to go it alone with pension reform after Ottawa blocked a consensus on reforms to the program.

Following a meeting with his provincial counterparts in Meech Lake, Quebec, federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty says now is not the time to move on the pension issue.

Ontario Minister Charles Sousa disagrees, saying the province will move forward to implement a "made-in-Ontario alternative" to protect Ontario workers in their retirement.

Details on how that will happen are still to come.

Festive RIDE Stats

OPP's stepped up enforcement on drunk driving this month has resulted in seventeen motorists in northwestern Ontario being charged with impaired driving.

Just one charge has been laid in the Rainy River district.

There have also been 13 license suspensions issued to drivers blowing in the "warn range."

Three of those in our district.

This is the fourth week of the Festive RIDE program that concludes after New Years Day.

Ambulance Service Helps Salvation Army

The Salvation Army in International Falls is benefiting from the generosity of residents in that city.

Calls to fill an ambulance helped bring in a variety of gifts, food items and clothes.

Paramedic Nathan Meyers was happy with the first ever drive.

Meyers says along with the gift items children's clothing and food, over 721-dollars was also received for the Salvation Army.

Province Expands Dental Program Eligibility

More children in Ontario will be able to see a dentist free of charge.

The province is expanding the eligibility for its "Healthy Smiles Ontario" program, it says will help more than 70-thousand children and youth in low income families

Beginning in April, families with one child must have a net income of $21,500 or less to qualify.

The figure increases $1,500 for each additional child.

Crash Victim Named

The man killed in a single vehicle crash on Highway 11-17 near Shabaqua has been identified as 55-year-old John Lackey of Keswick, Ontario.

Provincial Police say Lackey was a passenger in a pick-up truck that rolled over Sunday afternoon and was struck in the back by a large fuel tank that came through the bed of the truck.

The 27-year-old driver was transported to hospital in Thunder Bay with unknown injuries.

Commissioner To Retire

Ontario's Top Cop is stepping down.

OPP Commissioner Chris Lewis has announced he's retiring at the end of next March, ending a 35-year policing career.

Lewis joined as constable in 1978 in Kapuskasing, becoming Commissioner in August 2010.

A search for his replacement is underway.

Cruisers Over-Stuffed

OPP photo

A huge show of support from Rainy River District food banks.

Area residents helped stuff 37-and-a-half cruisers in the OPP's annual stuff a cruiser campaign held in Fort Frances, Emo and Rainy River.

Constable Anne McCoy is thankful to those who donated food and other items fur local food banks.

McCoy says the food will help them get through want is a normally busy time of the year.

The campaign also filled four ambulances and brought in a cruiser full of diapers.

The items are being distributed to the Salvation Army, the United Native Friendship Centre and Sunset Country Metis in Fort Frances, the Emo Food Bank and the Rainy River-West End Food Bank.

An earlier campaign in Atikokan helped fill ten cruisers.

More Food Drives

Area food banks are getting more support this week.

Staff and students at J.W. Walker School in Fort Frances are holding their own food drive today and tomorrow to help those in our community.

Food Bank Use On The Rise

The demand for food banks across Ontario is growing.

The Ontario Association of Food Banks finds 375-thousand people now relying on food banks every month with over 16-thousand first time users identified this year.

Executive Director Bill Laidlaw says it's an trend that has been on the rise in the past decade.

Laidlaw says those on social assistance, seniors, single parent families and students among the greatest users.

NDP Calls For HST Removal From Home Heating Costs

Provincial NDP are renewing their calls to have the HST removed from the cost of home heating.

MPP Michael Mantha introduced a private members bill on the final day of the fall sitting.

Mantha says with recent examples of government waste and the threat of huge increases in electricity rates in the near future, removal of the sales tax is needed more than ever for people already struggling to pay their bills.

Debate on the bill isn't likely until sometime in the new year.

LHINS Get A Review

Regional health authorities will get a review in the new year.

A provincial legislative committee intends to hold public meetings in late January and February to review the Local Health System Integration Act.

It include a meeting in Thunder Bay on February 3.

The 7-year-old act led to the creation of 14 Local Health Integration Networks, including one for the Northwest, to oversee the planning, integration and funding of local health.

Fatal Weekend Accident

One person is dead following a motor vehicle accident west of Thunder Bay.

OPP says the 53-year-old man died yesterday afternoon after a pick-up truck rolled over on Highway 11-17 west of Thunder Bay near Finmark road.

His identify has not been released.

Trains Moving Again

Trains are moving again on the CP rail line in northwestern Ontario.

A derailment about 10-kilometres east of Ignace forced the closure of the line early Saturday morning.

Fourteen grain cars left the track.

No one was injured.

New Gold Commits To Area Gold Project

New Gold is reaffirming its commitment to its newly acquired Rainy River gold project.

The mining company makes that promise following the release of a feasibility study for a gold project in British Columbia.

Chair Randall Oliphant says given the drop in gold prices and that the Rainy River project has a more modest capital requirement, the company's priority will be advancing the project north of Barwick.

An update feasibility study for the project is due out early next year.

Internet Services Study

Telecommunication services in the Rainy River district will be getting a review.

Rainy River Future Development Corporation wants to study what exists and what plans companies have to expand services.

Client services Manager Geoff Gillon says it's hoped the findings will lead to them working with companies to improve the bandwidth.

Stuff A Cruiser Tomorrow

OPP want area residents to stuff a few cruisers.

The annual food drive for area foods banks takes place in Fort Frances, Rainy River and Emo tomorrow.

Constable Anne McCoy says they need as many non-perishable food items as possible.

The food collected will be shared between the Salvation Army, the United Native Friendship Centre, Sunset Country Metis, Emo Food Bank and the Rainy River West End Food Bank.

Some of the food will also be given to the Fort France Volunteer Bureau for its community Christmas dinner.

Last year, a total of 30 cruisers were filled across the Rainy River district.

Ten were stuff in an even in Atikokan at the end of November.

Suspended Drivers Beware

Suspended drivers beware.

OPP are expanding a program that allows officers to nab suspended drivers

Sergeant Brian Humber says it includes cameras installed on top of cruisers.

Three of the units will be on vehicles in northwestern Ontario.

Spring Bear Hunt Bill Passes Second Reading

The return of the spring bear hunt in Ontario is one step closer to reality.

Thunder Bay-Atikokan  MPP Bill Mauro's private members bill has  passed second reading at Queen's Park.

It's now goes to a legislative committee for review.

The purpose of the bill aims to reduce the number of aggressive bear attacks.

Students Send Greetings To Fort Frances Solider

Some special holiday greetings for a soldier in Afghanistan from Fort Frances.

Master Bombardier Nathan Cousineau connected by Skype with students and staff at St. Francis School yesterday.

Teacher David Black says it was a real thrill.

Cousineau supply teaches at the school.


Students represented Cousineau with banners, art work and a huge postcard to show their support him and fellow soldiers.

Cousineau, deployed to Afghanistan in September, was very appreciative of the students show of support.

Fort Frances Impacted By Canada Post Plan

Canada Post is confirming door-to-door mail delivery in Fort Frances and other small communities where the service now exists will be eliminated as part of its announced changes.

Company spokesperson Anick Losier says every affected community in Canada will eventually see the change over to residents having to go to a neighbourhood community mailbox to get their mail.

Losier says exactly when the change over takes place in Fort Frances has yet to be determined.

Search For New Medical Officer Of Health Underway

The Northwestern Health Unit has started the process of hiring a new Medical Officer of Health.

Dr. Jim Arthurs plans to retire next year.

The Health's Unit Chief Executive Officer, Mark Perreault says they hope to have Arthur's replacement in place by May.

Perreault says they are currently in the final stages of the hiring process.

Postcard Signing

Premier Wynne can expect to receive a lot of holiday card this season.

Advocates calling a rise in Ontario's minimum wage are fanning out across the province today asking people to sign cards that asks the Premier to bring the hour wage to 14-dollars an hour.

The minimum wage has been frozen at 10-dollars for the past three years.

Good News Forecast For Ontario Economy

A new report suggests Ontario's economy is on the upswing.

RBC Economics Provincial Outlook says strong demand for exports and an expected resumption of the manufacturing sector's recovery will help boost economic expansion in Ontario in the next two years.

RBC expects growth to rise 1.3 per cent this year and 2.6 per cent in 2014.

Trails Still Closed

Despite a large dump of snow and recent cold temperatures, Voyageurs National Park says it hasn't been able to open any of its snowmobile trails yet this winter.

Park officials says the snow has actually slowed ice making and has made for slushy conditions on the area lakes.

Some of its ski trails are open, but not groomed.

Local Girls Retreat Wins Funding

An early Christmas present for the I Am Awesome and I Know It Retreat for young women.

It secured $5,000 after finishing 3rd in voting in the Aviva Community Fund contest's semi-final round.

Director Renee Martin-Brown says the money will make a huge difference for the event.

Her submission, along with the other top ten finishers, will now be reviewed by a panel to determine who gets the top prize of 50-thousand dollars.

A decision is expected in January.

High School First Responders Planning Trip To Washington

Fort Frances High School First Responders are planning for a trip to Washington in February.

Member Ashley Dupuis says they've embarked on a campaign to raise the money to attend to International Emergency Medical Services Conference.

The First Responders will be at Canada Safeway and the Christmas Store this weekend.

Changes To Municipal Act Requested

Ontario's Ombudsman is calling for the province to impose penalties against municipalities who violate Ontario's closed door meeting rules.

Andre Marin says the number of complaints to his office has more than double in the past year, but there's no consequence for violating the law.

Marin also wants changes in the Municipal Act that allows for one independent body to investigate complaints.

Most communities, including Fort Frances, pay for their own investigator instead of using the free services of the Ombudsman.

New Equipment For Sports Centre

Some new equipment for the Memorial Sports Centre's fitness room.

Town council has agreed to buy out the lease on two of its treadmills and purchase another, costing just over $13-thousand dollars.

Councillor Andrew Hallikas says keeping good equipment helps maintain membership.

Councillor Ken Perry says now is not the time to be looking at such new purchases.

The costs will be taken out of town reserve funds.

Advocates Hoping For Minimum Wage Increase In New Year

Advocates in Minnesota are hoping to see a raise to State's minimum wage next year.

Some observers believe there's a good change that will happen when the Legislature resumes in the new year.

Minnesota Budget Project's Nan Madden says raising the rate to $9.50 an hour would benefit several thousand families.

Critics say upping the minimum wage will result in more unemployment.

Changes To Canada Post

Canada Post is planning to phase out door-to-door mail delivery in urban communities.

It's part of a five-point plan expected the save the Corporation between $700 and $900 million.

Canada Post says it plans to set up more community mailboxes to take the place of door-to-door delivery over the next five years, saving it half a million dollars.

It also intends to expand its efforts of establishing postal outlets in retail stores and trim between 6 and 8 thousand jobs, mostly through attrition.

Ontario Auditor Releases Report

Northern Ontario's doctor shortage is drawing the attention of Ontario's Auditor General.

In her annual report, Bonnie Lysyk says while the province has increased the number of physicians, only 5 per cent are practicing in rural and northern areas where 14 per cent of Ontario's population live.

Lysak notes that locum doctors, meant to cover short-term vacancies in eligible communities, are instead being used for long periods of time, with a third of all hospitals using temporary physician services continuously since 2007.

Lysyk also reports that while workforce is shrinking, Ontario Power Generation's senior management is getting bigger.


Lysyk says the size OPG's senior management group has increased 58 per cent since 2005.

Lysyk adds the compensation given to OPG's employees is having a huge impact on the cost of electricity.

Ontario's Auditor General also focused in on the Ministry of Natural Resources, saying it's finding it difficult to protest Ontario's park's System.

Lysyk points to the expansion in the number of parks in the past decade and increased responsibilities for the Ministry as reasons.

Lysyk says she found significant portions of the park system that were subject to little or no enforcement of regulations on hunting and fishing, and prohibited activities such as commercial timber harvesting occuring regularly.

Opposition Reaction to Auditor Report

Progressive Conservative leader Tim Hudak wants to see Premier Wynne take action on the findings of the Auditor General.

Hudak doesn't have much faith that will happen suggesting the Liberals are too focused on the gas plant scandal.


NDP Leader Andrea Horwath says the Auditor's report shows the Liberal government isn't respecting people's priorities or taxpayer dollars.

Official Opening For Good Samaritan Society

An official opening yesterday for the Good Samaritan Society's new facilities in International Falls.

Residents moved into the new 54-bed facility in September.

Administrator Adam Coe says it brings the quality of care they provide to an even a greater level

A separate ribbon cutting for a 24-unit assisted living facility adjacent to the nursing home was done in  October.

Changes To OPP Labour Rights

The Provincial Government is making the labour rights of OPP officers consistent with the rights of officers working for municipal police services.

The new legislation, which passed at Queen's Park yesterday,  will move the management rights clause out of the legislation and into the collective agreements for uniformed and civilian staff.

MP Upset With Federal Government

Thunder Bay-Rainy River MP John Rafferty is expressing disappointment in the Conservative government for failing to accept a NDP motion to expand the Canada Pension Plan.

Rafferty told the House of Commons the government has made it clear retirement security is not its priority.

The Finance Minister's Parliamentary Assistant Andrew Saxton says with the economy still unable, now is not the time to expand CPP, noting NDP's proposal would eliminate up to 70-thousand jobs across the country.

Final Vote Day In Aviva Contest

Today's the final day to vote for the "I Am Awesome and I Know It" girls retreat submission in the Aviva Community Fund contest

The Retreat is sitting fifth in the small projects category this morning with voting to conclude at 11 a.m.

Top ten finishers will receive $5,000 and move on to a final round of voting.

Click this link to vote.

Recycling Depot To Be Improved

There is some improvement coming to a recycling depot in Fort Frances.

The town plans to purchase two new compactor units and four large-sized containers to replace the smaller bins at the 6th Street depot.

Councillor Rick Wiedenhoeft says it will help clean up the area.

The $218-thousand dollar cost is being covered by a $117-thousand from Stewardship Ontario.

The town will use some its gas tax dollars to cover the rest.

New Manufacturing Fund Established

The federal government is creating a new fund to boost manufacturing in northern Ontario.

The Advanced Manufacturing Fund, to be delivered by FedNor, sets aside $200-million over the next five years to encourage the development of cutting-edge technologies.

The feds say the fund was designed to address needs identified by northern Ontario manufacturers.

ALAG Asks For Closed Door Meeting

The group pushing for an assisted living facility in the Fort Frances area is asking for a closed door meeting with town council.

Members of the Assisted Living Action Group made the request after presenting an update on its work to council Monday.

Rainycrest Long Term Care's Darryl Galusha says having a facility here would avoid seniors having to move away.

ALAG has asked for the meeting to take place some time early in the new year, but did not explain why it wants the session to be behind closed doors.

New Tax Rate For Large Industrial Sector

The tax rate for Resolute Forest Products is going up.

Fort Frances treasurer Laurie Witherspoon says approval from the provincial government allows the rate to increase 15 per cent.


Five other municipalities impactted by huge assessment decreases to their pulp and paper mills also received similar approval to increase the rate 15 per cent.

Fort Frances, Witherspoon says Resolute will be billed an extra $270-thousand in taxes for this year with the new rate being used as a bench mark in next year's budget discussions.

NWO Representation Sought For MPAC Board

There's a move to get some northwestern Ontario representation on the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation.

Thunder Bay city council is nominating councillor Ken Boshcoff to sit on MPAC's board.

His name is being forwarded to the Association of Municipalities of Ontario for consideration for nomination in the new year.