More Council Decisions

2009-04-13

12:27:42

The proposal to move the tugboat Hallet and fire tower is also up for discussion at tonight's council meeting.

That project also faced opposition at last week's meeting - most aimed at the fire tower with some councillors suggesting it not be saved.

Also tonight, the Northwest Youth Action Alliance will be recognized for its promotion of no-smoking at the Memorial Sports Centre. The town recently changed its by-laws to prohibit smoking in front of the centre's doorways.

The public portion of tonight meeting begins about 5:45 p.m.

 

Chamber Supports Library Project

2009-04-13

12:24:58

Monday night's Fort Frances town council meeting could have a very large audience on hand.

Members of the Library Board are expected to be joined by members of the Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce in a show of support when council decides if it will move forward on the new Library and Technology Centre.

President Cathy Emes says council should proceed.

"All of the time and effort and fundraising that's gone into it," says Emes, "as well as the need for a new library. It's not just the library, it's the technology centre, that's important for the community."

Council deferred making a decision on a construction contract at a meeting last week after some councillors expressed concern with the town's commitment toward the project estimated at little more than a million dollars.

Sunset Country Bowlers Win Team Title

2009-04-13

07:21:55

Members of the Men's Sunset Country Bowling team captured the team title at the Northern Ontario provincial 5-pin bowling championships held in Dryden on the weekend.

The team, which included Fort Frances' Andrew Stamarski, defeated a team representing the North Bay area.

Medical Officer of Health Welcoming Role

2009-04-13

07:17:41

The Medical Officer of Health for the Northwestern Health Unit is settling into to his position just fine.

Doctor James Arthurs has been the region's acting chief medical officer since January 1st, and says its been a rewarding experience so far.

"I'm really having a good time," says Arthurs, " and enjoying learning more about where Kenora fits into the northwest, where the northwest fits in with the province and how all of us need to work together for better health for all of us who live here"

Arthurs is not sure when the "acting" part of his title will be removed. The Minister of Health still has to confirm his appointment.

Minnesota Elk Public Meeting

2009-04-13

06:57:28

Minnesota’s elk management plan will be the focus of an upcoming public meetings to be held by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources in Greenbush.

The D-N-R says the plan will address population levels, crop depredation and hunting season management of wild elk in northwestern Minnesota.

Elk are native to the state but faced near extinction in the early 20th century.

Ontario Graduation Rates

2009-04-13

06:56:30

Five years after Ontario eliminated Grade 13, only 69 per cent of students completed the four-year high school program in four years.

The Education Ministry reported a 77 per cent graduation rate for Ontario high schools last month, but that included students who go back for a fifth year.

Education Minister Kathleen Wynne says both graduation rates are good news because they show more students are completing high school.

Confederation College Graduate Survey

2009-04-13

06:53:46

Confederation College has scored high marks from its graduates and the companies who hire them.

A survey conducted by College's Ontario says almost 87 per cent of the graduates were satisfied with the education received at the college. Eight per cent seemed pleased with the overall quality of services, programming and resources available.

Almost 98 per cent of employers, the highest of any college in Ontario, expressed satisfaction with the quality of the educational preparation of Confederation's graduates.

 

 

Koochiching County Road Work

2009-04-13

06:52:03

Two projects in the Koochiching County area are among this year's work planned by the Minnesota Department of Transportation.

This July, M-DOT will begin replacement of a bridge on Highway 11 in Clementson at a cost of $2.9 million dollars.

M-DOT also plans to dismantle the historic Silverdale Bridge on Highway 65 in August. The bridge will be moved to the St. Paul area where it will reconstructed as a recreational trail bridge. 

Emergency Food Program Assistance

2009-04-13

06:50:57

Koochiching County is receiving some federal dollars to assist with area emergency food and shelter programs.

The county received almost $12,000 through the Emergency Food and Shelter National Board and another $5,600 in federal stimulus dollars.

The money will be disbursed among local service agencies.

Robert Moore School Goes to Tender

2009-04-13

06:46:29

The Rainy River District School Board is planning to seek tenders this week on the new Robert Moore School.

Manager of Plant operations, Raymond Roy says prospective contractors will have about a month to make their submissions. Roy says site preparation continues.

"We've elected to use a strategy known as pre-loading," says Roy. "We've preloaded the site of the new school. This generally that will consolidate the soils. We had two options to do the current pre-load option or go with piles."

Roy says because of the soils, using piles would have driven up the cost of construction significantly. Construction of the school could begin as early as this June.

 

Council Meets Monday Night

2009-04-13

06:43:56

The fate of two projects in Fort Frances could be decided Monday night when town councillors gather for their regular meeting of council at the Civic Centre.

Council will review a Fort Frances Library Board recommendation to accept a tender with Aurora Construction for the building of the new library and Technology Centre at a cost of $3.7 million. At a special meeting last week, some councillors expressed concern with the town's commitment of a about a million dollars toward the total budget of $4.7 million.

Council is also expected to discuss a proposed contract to refurbish and relocate the tugboat Hallet and fire tower. At last week's meeting, some councillors felt the fire tower should not be saved. Tonight's meeting begins at about 5:45

Town of Fort Frances Heads to Court over Pither's Point Park

2009-04-13

06:42:50

The town of Fort Frances is headed to court this week over Pither's Point Park.

Legal representatives for the town will be asking a court judge Wednesday to consider a notice of motion that would allow the town the ability to continue operating the park until litigation between area native bands and the federal, provincial and municipal governments is resolved, or for as long as an Ontario Order in Council that declared the area a park - remains

The notice of motion was filed in court last week. A 99-year leased signed by the town is set to expire at the end of this month.

Attawapiskat

2009-04-09

07:48:09

If Ottawa gives the O-K, Ontario says it is prepared to take a larger role in Attawapiskat -- the northern aboriginal community that's being plagued by toxic fumes.

Community Safety Minister Rick Bartolucci says if community leaders ask the feds for help, it's possible Ottawa could ask Ontario to do more. The fuel fumes -- leaking into homes and the elementary school -- stem from an underground leak that took place 30 years ago.

Marathon Pulp Profits

2009-04-09

07:46:14

A northwestern Ontario pulp company that filed for bankruptcy this year is showing a tidy profit.

The accountants are now scrambling to correct the report, which had told creditors Marathon Pulp lost nearly nine-million dollars by the end of September 2007. But information released this week by the operation's trustees shows the mill had net earnings of 6-point-2 million.

Officials attribute the difference in numbers to a typo.

Legal Clinics Merge

2009-04-09

07:42:11

The Kenora and Rainy River community legal clinics have united to enhance their services.

The Kenora, Fort Frances, and Atikokan offices are now known as the Northwest Community Legal Clinics. Kenora Clinic Spokesperson Nan Norman says it will help them better serve the area.

"It's the best scenario following the departure of our previous director," says Norman. "And as staff we're happy. For the public, there's more resources than there were previously."

Staff at the three locations will share clients and manage workloads together.

Highway Project to Continue

2009-04-09

07:38:28

Koochiching County commissioners had decided to proceed with their plans for a reroute of the northern section of Highway 332.

A request to end that project was rejected by a 4-1 voted at their meeting this week.

Chair Mike Hanson says they were advised to continue and let litigation through the Minnesota Court of Appeals to continue.

"We're in proverbial limbo right now," says Hanson. "As long as litigation is ongoing, the county board has been advised by its legal folks when we make our comment to make them on what we know and not to form an opinion on something that may nor may not happen."

International Falls City Council is appealing a Minnesota Department of Transportation decision that supported the county's position on the project. Several businesses have voiced their opposition.

 

Tourism Outlook Dismal

2009-04-09

07:22:14

The Ontario Sunset Country Travel Association is bracing for a slow tourist season.

With North America experiencing a recession, the tourism group expects this summer's tourist season to be a bust. Executive Director Gerry Cariou says there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

"I think this is going to be the low of the low, "says Cariou, "in terms of the cycle of travellers to here because where the low of the recession, especially in our key market the United States. So were going to have to hang on this year, but I do expect things picking up next year."

Cariou says in 2010, the tourism industry will have to deal with the impact of the a 3 percent increase in taxes on accommodations resulting from the merger of the provincial sales tax and the federal goods and services tax.

Smart Board Gift

2009-04-09

07:17:47

So-called smart boards are coming to Our Lady of the Way School in Stratton.

The Northwest Catholic District School Board has received a more than $10,000 from the Rainy River First Nation for the purchase of the equipment that includes the touchscreen white-boards.

The board hopes to have the new equipment in place by the fall.

More Defibs Coming

2009-04-09

07:14:52

There are more defribrillators coming to the Rainy River District.

A media conference Thursday morning will announce the placement of the life-saving units in local schools. In February, funding through the Heart and Stroke Foundation helped with twenty units being placed in several municipal facilities across the district, including three in Fort Frances.

Details will be revealed at 10:00 a.m. at Robert Moore School in Fort Frances.

Budget Talks Continuing

2009-04-09

06:52:10

It's looking a little better for residential ratepayers in Fort Frances.

While an exact tax rate has yet to be finalized, preliminary figures suggest homeowners could be paying less than one per cent more than last year - depending on which taxing option council selects. Meantime, the operating budget will see the town spend about one-hundred thousand dollars less than it did last year. Treasurer Laurie Witherspoon says changes in costs has driven up this year's capital spending.

"The total budget for capital went from $13,909,000 to $14,655,000," says Witherspoon. "The long term debt has changed from $1,497,000 to $2,131,000."

Council is still waiting for some additional information from the province before it can finalize the budget.