Falls City Police Busy

International Falls Police are busy.

Chief Mike Musich says officers responded to more than 500 calls for service in April with 93 of the cases of a more serious nature.

Musich says if the trend continues he will be asking for more officers.

Musich some of the more serious incidents included assaults, domestics and a kidnapping/confinement incident

International Falls Seeks Volunteers

International Falls is seeking someone to help oversee it's City Beach.

Committee member Linda Torseth says they have people for June, but are still looking for volunteers for the rest of the summer.

Individuals would do light duties such as open and close the gate to the beach, collect funds from campers and do minor clean-up.

Interested people are asked to contact the city.

Feds Criticized For Lack Of Notice With Nat'l Day Of Honour

The Royal Canadian Legion is perplexed about why the federal government gave it little time to prepare commemoration ceremonies for last Friday's National Day of Honour.

The day was held to mark the end of Canada’s mission in Afghanistan.

Thunder Bay-Rainy River MP John Rafferty says several branches didn't have time to put something together.

No ceremonies were announced by another of four legions in the Rainy River district.

Sex Offenders Living In District

Some stark reality about where registered sex offenders live in Ontario.

The Ministry of Corrections has handed Global News that information after being ordered to do so by the Supreme Court.

Global has since created maps on its website showing the areas, by postal code only, where sex offenders registered in 2008.

In the Rainy River district, the data indicates there were 14 living within the area code POW, 20 in P9A, and 95 within POT, which also includes areas around the Thunder Bay and Upsala areas.

Unlike Minnesota, Ontario law enforcement is not required to inform the public when a sex offender moves into their community.

Contract Deal Reached

A tentative deal has been reached between Unifor and Resolute Forest Products.

If ratified, the four-agreement will become the pattern agreement for the pulp and paper industry in Eastern Canada.

The announcement comes just days after Resolute announced it would not re-open its pulp and paper mill in Fort Frances.

PC's Propose To Reduce Size Of Government

Progressive Conservatives wants to reduce the size of government and the number of workers in the public sector.

Leader Tim Hudak says it's key to balancing the budget within two years in an effort to help achieve his million jobs plan.

Part of the plan includes shrinking the size of cabinet from 27 to 16 ministries and reducing the number of government workers by 100-thousand.

NDP Offering Tax Credits

New Democrats are offering up a couple of tax credits they say will create more jobs.

 

One would reward manufacturers that expand facilities or purchase new machinery or equipment.

 

Leader Andrea Horwath says it will help kick-start investments in the manufacturing sector.

 

The NDP is also promising a tax credit to businesses to offset 10 per cent of the salaries of new hires.

Nurses Get Contract

Members of the Ontario Nurses' Association have received an arbitration decision resolving a contract dispute with several Ontario hospitals.

 

The two-year award provides a 1.4-percent wage increase in each year.

 

The Association is disappointed with the ruling saying it barely keeps up with inflation and the impact of a wage freeze nurses accepted over the past two years.

FAlls Hospital Earns Award

Rainy Lake Medical Centre is being recognized for meeting guidelines for reporting its birth rate data to the State.

 

Hospitals are required to register 98 per cent of births to the Minnesota Department of Health within five days.

 

Rainy Lake Medical Center was almost 99 per cent compliant with its 75 births last year.

Red Cross Helping New Osnaburgh

New Osnaburgh First Nation remains in a state of emergency as the community continues to deal with a February fire that killed a woman and three children.

A team from the Canadian Red Cross is in the community near Pickle Lake.

Spokesperson Tracey Browne says the goal is to develop a plan to improve the quality of life in New Osnaburgh and determine what services various agencies should be offering.

Man Pays For Hole Through His Truck

A Timmins man is facing a repair bill and a $3,000 fine after accidentally discharging his rifle inside his truck.

The man told conservation officers it happened while he was loading his gun inside the vehicle so he won't startle a deer he spotted while travelling in the Sioux Narrows area last November.

The gun went off as he stepped out of the truck with the bullet going through the passenger door,
breaking a window and deploying the airbags.

Court heard the case last month.

McHappy Day

A significant contribution to Ronald McDonald Houses from the Fort Frances area.

Last Wednesday's McHappy Day at the Fort Frances restaurant helped raise more than $2,000.

The annual fundraiser gives one-dollar from every Big Mac, Happy Meal and hot McCafe beverage sold.

Fort Frances Ready To Move On

The town of Fort Frances says it's ready to move ahead without the existence of its major employer for the past 100 years.

Resolute Forest Products announced this week it will permanently shutdown its pulp and paper mill.

Mayor Roy Avis says it has lift a cloud of uncertainty that existed for month with temporary layoffs and shutdowns along the way.

Avis says the focus now will be on initiatives that help offset the economic loss.

Students Empowered To Make Change

Students in northwestern Ontario who identify as being gay, lesbian, bi-sexual or trans-genders are being encouraged to promote dignity and human rights in their schools.

 

About 80 gathered for a conference in Fort Frances yesterday.

 

Human rights-consultant Chris D'Sousa hopes the message can spread outside schools as well.

 

D'Sousa was encouraged that school administrators and teachers attended to support the students efforts.

Tory Candidate Visits Atikokan

The Progressive Conservative candidate for Thunder Bay-Atikokan is kicking his election campaign with a visit to Atikokan today.

 

Harold Wilson says he's been chomping at the bit for several months to get his message out about the importance this election is to Ontarians.

 

Wilson also feels he can do a better job representing the riding that the Liberals have done.

Elections Ontario Sets Up In Former Library

The former library in Fort Frances will serve as the main returning office for the provincial election in the Kenora-Rainy River riding.

 

Ian Simpson returns as the returning officer.

 

There will also be satellite offices in Dryden, Kenora, Red Lake and Sioux Lookout.

 

There is also a satellite office in Atikokan at the Voyageur Mall for voters in the Thunder Bay-Atikokan riding.

Hudak Focused On Jobs

Progressive Conservative leader Tim Hudak is remaining focused on his jobs plan.

He says yesterday's campaign start is the first day of his million jobs mission.

Hudak says jobs creation is the only issue that should matter in this election.

Premier Warns Against Voting PC or NDP

Premier Kathleen Wynn is warning Ontarians about voting for the PCs or NDP in the June election.

The Premier says the province has made several gains under Liberal leadership, but a change at the top could reverse that.

Wynne also makes no apologizes for the investments her government has made and is planning more of the same if re-elected.

Oberstar Funeral

Funeral services for former Minnesota congressman James Oberstar will be held today in Maryland.

International Falls Economic Development Officer Shawn Mason says he was a great advocate for the city.

International Falls Mayor Bob Anderson says Oberstar was instrumental in many city and area projects.

Oberstar died on the weekend at the age of 79.

He represented northern Minnesota in Washington for 36 years before being defeated in 2010.

Now Say It!

Graduating high school students in Minnesota are being encouraged to "Now Say It."

It's the name of a campaign by the Minnesota Secretary of State's office to get more young people to register for the November 4th general election.

While Minnesota has the highest voter turnout in the nation, turnout for non-presidential elections is often lower than presidential years — with the lowest rates among young people.

Native Policing Probed

Canada's auditor general has identified a number of problems with the First Nations Policing program.

Michael Ferguson suggests the program is not working as intended and aboriginal police services in Ontario often have different standards that other police departments.

Ferguson adds there are no assurances that policing facilities maintained by First Nation communities are adequate or meet building and fire codes.

Resolute To Close Mill

Resolute Forest Products is making it official.

The company has announced it is permanently closing its idled pulp and paper mill in Fort Frances.

Spokesperson Xavier Van Chau says all efforts to restart the mill in some way were simply exhausted.

The company those is still looking at potential opportunities for its biomass boiler.

The decision comes just three months after the last operation paper machine was halted in January.

The remaining 50 employees working since will be offered job opportunities with Resolute's other operations.

One of the unions representing workers at the Fort Frances mill is expressing disappointment in the company's closure decision.

Unifor's Stephen Boon says workers agreed four years ago to concessions aimed at helping the company restructure and keep the mill profitable.

He says the union will now ensure that Resolute follows through on its commitment to provide new job opportunities for affected employees.

Thunder Bay-Rainy River MP John Rafferty calls the closure news devastating.

Rafferty says he's willing to work to secure the pensions and severance pay for affected workers and community assistance as required by the town.

Campbell Ready For Election

Kenora-Rainy River MPP Sarah Campbell says affordability will be one of the key talking points in her campaign for re-election.

 

She says last week's Liberal budget failed to address issues such as the rising costs of hydro, gasoline, and auto insurance which played into her decision to back her leader's decision not to support the document.

 

Campbell adds there's just no longer any trust in the provincial Liberals.

 

Leaders Campaign Day

For the leaders today in the provincial election, Premier Kathleen Wynne focuses on jobs with stops in Kitchener and Brampton before helping to open a campaign office in Ottawa.

 

PC Leader Tim Hudak travels to Mississauga, Burlington and Brantford.

 

NDP leader Andrea Horwath is in Toronto this morning before heading to Kitchener and Niagara Falls.

Sirens Tested In Fort Frances

It came a day earlier, but yesterday's sirens in Fort Frances were nothing more than a test.

 

Fort Frances Fire and Rescue Service says they were sounded to test the system as they were working on some alarms that were not functioning properly.

 

The monthly test, which is done the first Wednesday of the month, will go ahead as planned today.

 

Officials advise that if the sirens do go off, turn to  93.1 The Border for an update instead of calling the fire department or turning to social media sites for information. 

Fool's Gold Preview

A northwestern Ontario junior mining company is in the spotlight in a television program to air next week on the Discovery Channel.

 

Fool's Gold follows Shotgun Exploration as its explores the former Straw Lake Mine, a once operating gold mine north of Fort Frances.

 

Mark Fairington, AKA Griz, calls it's a learning experience given that none of the crew had any mining experience.

 

A sneak preview of the program was held last night in Fort Frances.

Promise of Trade Jobs From PCs

Progressive Conservative leader Tim Hudak is promising to create 200-thousand new jobs in the trades.

 

Hudak says cutting red tape and giving Colleges more say in how to attract students to the trades can lead to that number.

 

Even though he visited a company that received funding to create jobs, Hudak says reducing taxes and hydro costs are better measures.

Liberals Seeking Donors

The Ontario Liberal party is making a push to bolster its campaign coffers.

It's looking to add at least 500 new donors to its list by midnight tonight.

Successful Fundraiser

Riverside Foundation for Health Care's spring luncheon is being hailed a huge success.

More than 170 people attended Saturday's event in Fort Frances.

Almost $9,100 was raised.

New Instructor Hired

Rainy River Community College has hired a full time instruction for its Industrial Maintenance program.

Michael Koski has been an instructor at Mesabi Range College in Virginia for the past year and has more than thirty years of industry experience.

The program is aimed at preparing students for work in all types of industry and includes a certificate, diploma, and Associate in Applied Science degree.

Success For Cadets

Some success for members of the 144 Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Corp in Fort Frances following their involvement in the recent Northwestern Ontario band and drill competitions in Thunder Bay on the weekend.

 

The cadets placed second overall while their Drill Commander, Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class Chelsea Barron was second as Drill Commander.

 

The team, which also included two cadets from the 908 Rainy Lake Air Cadet Squadron, placed first in the Best Dress category.

Liberals Prepared To Fight For Kenora-Rainy River Riding

The Liberals are hoping to improve on their showing in Kenora-Rainy River from the last provincial election.

 

Emo's Anthony Leek returns as their candidate and says he's better prepared than he was four years ago.

 

Leek says he wants to highlight his involvement in the region and the interest Premier Wynne has shown to northern Ontario since taking over as leader.

Thunder Bay-Atikokan Riding Candidates Ready

Candidates in Thunder Bay-Atikokan are ready for the election.

Liberal incumbent Bill Mauro is confident of his chances of retaking the riding and the Liberals returning to power.

NDP candidate Mary Kozorys says she wants to give Ontarians a voice.

PC candidate is Harold Wilson.

NDP Leader Ready To Debate

The Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association is setting May 26th as the date for a leaders debate.

Premier Kathleen Wynne challenged the opposition leader to a northern Ontario debate prior to the election call and NDP leader Andrea Horwath is accepting.

Horwath calls the challenge funny given the Liberals refused to participate in a similar debate four years ago.

Local Board Seen As Leader

RRDSB photo: supplied

Ongoing efforts to improve the safety of students who identify as being gay, lesbian, bi-sexual or trans-gender continues in Fort Frances today.
Members of EGALE Canada are providing training to about 50 educators and community reps.

Facilitators Kevin Weldes-Godin says it's making a difference in schools.

Weldes-Godin also applauds the Rainy River District School Board as being a leader in making its schools more inclusive.

Multi-modal Area Ownership Questioned

International Falls city council has given final approval to a contract for work at its multi-modal area, but not before some debate over the property's ownership.

Mayor Bob Anderson expressed concern that while city's economic development authority purchased the 77 acres, council had given no authority to the EDA.

City solicitor Steve Shermoen called it a technicality, but saw no problems with the city correcting the issue even after the work contract was finalized.

Body Of Infant Found

In Thunder Bay, city police are investigating a grizzly discovery.

The body of an infant was located yesterday afternoon in a wooded area along the Neebing River, near the Delaney Arena in the city's south side.

An autopsy is scheduled to take place in Toronto.

NDP Says Northerners Support Budget Defeat

The NDP says northerners are welcoming the chance to go to the polls.

They've released a survey that says 50 per cent of residents in northern Ontario asked approve of leader Andrea Horwath's decision not to support the Liberal budget.

35 per cent disapprove.

It's a 56 per cent approval rate province wide.

47 per cent also says they hold the Liberals responsible for the election compared to 26 per cent pointing blamed at the NDP and 10 per cent on the PC's.

Financial Accountability Office Disputed

The Liberals and the NDP are throwing barbs each other for the failure of the Financial Accountability Office.

It's one of the reasons for NDP leader Andrea Horwath not supporting the budget and sending Ontario into an election.

The Liberals say it was the NDP who rejected two qualified candidates last month.

But NDP accuse the Liberals of foot dragging during the process, they say led to several individual withdrawing and the Liberals trying to push a hand-picked candidate they knew would not pass the test.

Visitor Restrictions At Rainycrest

Visitor restrictions are now in place at Rainycrest Long-term Care home in Fort Frances.

It's because of an outbreak of gastroenteritis.

Residents effected are being isolated while visits are being restricted to one family member at a time.

All group activities at the home have also been postponed.

Camp Break-Ins Reported

Some cottage owners in the Sioux Narrows-Nestor Falls area are returning to their camps to find they've been victims of break-ins.

OPP says some alcohol and sporting goods were taken from a cottage at Regina Bay on Lake of the Woods sometime over the past month.

Another cottage in the Nestor Falls area was broken into sometime since Christmas.

The owners report the cupboards were ransacked by nothing was taken.

Teen Found

A Manitoba teen who was the subject of a search by the RCMP and OPP has been found.

Police says 16-year-old Toni Rose Linklater was located Friday in Manitoba.

There had been reports she had been spotted in northwestern Ontario, hitch-hiking.

New Gold Preparing For Mine Construction

New Gold continues to prepare for construction and eventual opening of its planned open pit mine north of Barwick.

It's recently hired an engineering team and has began identifying potential equipment purchases.

President Randall Oliphant says they're benefiting from a slowdown in mine development that's helping to keep costs down.

Oliphant says many of the costs are coming in or below estimates.

LGBT Training In Fort Frances

Educators, administrators and reps from other agencies are gathering today in Fort Frances for the start of a two day conference relating to lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans-gender students.

Rainy River District School Board's Casey Slack says i'ts the third time officials with EGALE Canada have offered this type of training.

Slack says a separate session will be held Wednesday with students.

Education Week

This is education week across the province.

Education Director with the Rainy River District School Board Heather Campbell says the theme is excellence in education.

Schools across the district has holding various events in recognition.

Here is a list of all events

Crossroads
 May 5 – Cultural activities
 May 7 – School Speech Contest in the morning, and Jump Rope for Heart in the afternoon
 May 8 – Pancake breakfast, and talent show
 May 9 – Earth Day/Re-use it Fair

Donald Young
 May 6 –Staff vs. students volleyball games
 May 7 – Community Spring Tea from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m.
 May 7 – Family Math Night from 5:30 to 7:15 p.m.
 May 8 –School Speech Contest
 May 9 – Jump Rope for Heart

J. W. Walker
 May 6 - Pancake breakfast
 May 7 - School Speech Contest
 May 8 - Art Extravaganza, and Lunch with a Learner

McCrosson-Tovell
 Focus throughout the week on Science and Technology in classrooms
 Mental Health announcements and student participation in yoga each morning
 May 6, 7 – Online book discussion

Mine Centre
 May 5 – Student assembly with a presentation by students in Grades 7 and 8
 May 5 – staff vs. students dodge ball
 May 6 – School-wide Math Inquiry
 May 7 – School Pow Wow
 May 8 – Kindergarten to Grade 2 Spring Tea, and Youth Mental Health Week activities
 May 9 – School-wide Buddy Reading

Nestor Falls
 May 6 – Monthly assembly and School Speech Contest
 May 8 – Spring clean-up

North Star Community
 Buddy Reading visits throughout the week
 Giant Map activities in the gym all week
 Family members are invited to participate with their children in math and reading activities during
 the first block all week.
 May 8 -– Principal will do a zany activity if the students have met the challenge of reading 5,000 books in one week

Riverview
 May 5 – Mental Health presentation
 May 7 – Whole school team building activities
 May 9 – Parent Council will be hosting a Spring Tea from noon to 2:00 p.m.

Robert Moore
 May 6 – Art Extravaganza
 May 7 – Book Fair
 May 8, 9 – Book Fair
 May 8 – Pancake Breakfast

Sturgeon Creek School
 May 5 – School Speech Contest
 May 8 – Spring Tea and concert

Sturgeon Creek Alternative Program
 May 8 – Grandparents Day, Festival highlights, speeches, and spring Concert in the Evening
 May 9 – Pitch in Day, and Buddy Day.

Rainy River High School
 May 8 – Mental Health presentation for students
 May 9 – Entrepreneur workshop, and career choices presentation

Atikokan High School
 May 6 - Dressing Room project geared towards Grades 9 and 10 girl’s self-esteem

Rainy River High School
 May 5, 7– Mental Health presentations for students
 May 6 – Yoga demonstration
 May 7 – Visit from local artist, Peter Spuzak

Fort Frances High School
 May 8 – Mental Health Awareness Forum
 May 9 – The school will host Grade 8 students for the transition to high school with a Mini We Day.

Parents of elementary and secondary students are invited and encouraged to attend the EQAO Parent Forum on Saturday, May 10 at La Place Rendez-Vous, Fort Frances.

PC Candidate Election Ready

The candidates in the Kenora-Rainy River Riding are hitting the hustings for the June 12th provincial election.

Conservative candidate Randy Nickle says it's been a whirlwind couple of days in the wake of the Liberal government's budget last Thursday.

NDP incumbent Sarah Campbell and Liberal candidate Anthony Leek spent part of their weekend at the Kenora Home show.

The Green Party by Tim McKillop of Pickle Lake. 

Hospital To Hire Intern

Atikokan General Hospital is receiving provincial funding to hire an intern.

The $31,500 from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund was announced prior to last Friday's election call.

The hospital will use the money for a senior management assistant intern.

New Police Chief Hired

Treaty Three Police Service has new police chief.

Louie Napish from the Eagle Lake First Nation takes over from Dan Davidson who was serving in an interim capacity.

Napish has been with Treaty 3 Police for the past 18 years, most recently serving as deputy chief.

Funeral For Oberstar

Funeral services for a long-serving Minnesota congressman will be held this week in Maryland.

Jim Oberstar died Saturday at the age of 79.

He represented northeastern Minnesota for 36 years and was instrumental in helping the State and area communities with several projects.

Cold Start To The Year

The National Weather Service out of Duluth says the first four months of the year in International Falls ranks as the second coldest start in history.

The average temperature came in at 11.6 F - that's -11 C.

It's 0.3 degrees warmer than the start to 1950.

NDP To Reject Budget

An Ontario election appears likely this spring.

NDP leader Andrea Horwath says her party will not support passing of the Liberal budget.

Speaking to reporters at Queen's Park, Horwath says her decision is based on the scandals that have plagued the Liberals over the past several years.

Horwath believes the budget is about throwing money around simply to avoid the scandals.