New Terry Fox Run Organizer

There will be a new organizer of the Terry Fox run in Fort Frances this September.

The Church of the Holy Spirit in Fort Frances will coordinate the run's thirtieth anniversary.

Spokesperson Cheryle Wolfe says there's a significant connection to the church.

"We have a member of our congregation, George Walsh and his brother Sandy, who have taken part in the carrying of the colour flag in Thunder Bay since day one," says Wolfe. "It's kind of a special thing for George which is a special thing for all of us."

Wolfe says they are looking at a new route and ways of involving more people from around the district.

Pledge forms and t-shirts are expected to be made available soon.

Bayfield Adds Second Drill Rig

Bayfield Ventures is stepping up its exploration activities north of Barwick.

The company is adding a second drill rig to its Rainy River gold project.

It's hoping the results will lead to an expansion of gold mineralization previously determined by Rainy River Resources on its site which is adjacent to Bayfield's property.

Restructuring Plan Outline Approved

AbitibiBowater has won court approval of its restructuring plan outline, allowing the company to seek the support from its creditors.

Under the plan, unsecured creditors would share the reorganized company’s stock in addition to the right to participate in a 500-million dollar notes offering that would be convertible into equity.

Secured creditors would be paid in full in cash, or get some other other mutually agreed upon treatment that would give them a full recovery.

The company’s existing shareholders would be wiped out under the proposal.

Driver Charged

A motorist faces several charges after trying to allude police in Fort Frances on the weekend.

OPP say as officers turned to follow a motorist driving in an erratic manner in the town's west end early Sunday morning, the driver sped away only to stop along McIrvine Road near Eighth Street.

The driver then fled his vehicle, but was apprehended a short time late by police at a nearby private business.

He now faces several Highway Traffic Act offences, entering a premise where prohibited and impaired driving.

Busy Weekend for OPP

A busy weekend for Provincial Police in the Rainy River district.

Police responded to 135 calls between during the August long weekend.

Among them, nine motor vehicle collisions - four involving wildlife.

No injuries were reported in any of the accidents.

Forty-seven charges were also laid during traffic patrols, including three for motorists having a radar warning device.

Mill Fire

Minimal damage is being reported from a weekend fire at AbitibiBowater's mill in Fort Frances.

It started shortly after midnight Sunday in the area of the paper machines.

Mill staff and the mill's sprinkler system helped contained the blaze by the time firefighters with the Fort Frances Fire and Rescue Service arrived on scene.

Officials says the fire was likely started by an overheated bearing.

Border Blamed for Declining Tourism Numbers

Border crossings in Fort Frances and Rainy River continue to be a bone of contention for the area's tourism officials.

Executive Director of Ontario's Sunset Country Gerry Cariou says area lodges are reporting large declines in American visitors, and point to the area's border as a contributing factors.

"Canada has over the past ten years since 9-11 has established an unfriendly border to American travellers," says Cariou. "Fort Frances and Rainy River, specifically, seem to be the canary in the coal mine where it's almost the serial turnbacks of people of minor criminality much more pronounced than the other entry points across Canada."

Cariou believes millions of dollars in revenue has been lost by the enforcement of rules that restrict Americans with prior drunk driving convictions from entering Canada.

New Strategic Plan in Place

International Falls city council has a new strategic plan.

Mayor Shawn Mason says it outlines a number of goals and objectives for council over the next two years.

"For some people looking at them they might think they're out there in terms of being able to achieve them," says Mason, "but we really have to think big. We have to really have that peripheral vision as a leader."

The plan includes taking a proactive leadership towards economic development and on legislative issues affecting the city.

Election Filings Start Today

Today starts a two week filing period for candidates seeking a number of local government seats in Minnesota.

They include International Falls councillor positions representing west, east and central wards.

Mayoral seats and certain councillor positions in Rainer, Littlefork and Big Falls will also be up for grabs as part of the November 2 general election.

Youth Employment Centre Closing

(Youth Services Officers Jamie Petrin (left) and Dayna Debenedet)


Service Canada's Employment Centre for Youth's season is coming to a close.

The Fort Frances office ends its season Friday.

Youth Services Officer Jamie Petrin says despite a tough economy, they were able to find work for a number students this summer.

" It was really, really awesome this summer," says Petrin. "We had a really successful summer this season. (We) met lots of people. Got lots of jobs posted. Talked to lots of students and employers."

Petrin says until its closing, the office will also be providing information on loans and grants for students returning to school this fall.

SIU Makes Correction

The Special Investigation Unit is correcting information it released last week regarding this past June's police shooting in Kenora.

The S.I.U. had noted there was a two hour delay by the OPP in reporting the shooting of 39-year-old Helen Proulx who had brandished a knife at a female officer.

It now says there was a 51-minute delay.

Director Ian Scott apologizes for the error, but says they would still have liked to have been notified sooner, as required under the Police Service's act.

The officer involved was cleared of any wrongdoing.

Ontario Sends More Help

Ontario is sending more help to western Canada ravaged by forest fires.

Over one hundred Ministry of Natural Resources firefighters and support personnel were sent to northern Saskatchewan and British Columbia on Sunday.

Another twenty firefighters have been in Manitoba since early last week.

The MNR expects to be called on for more assistance, especially in B.C. where the fire situation is worsening.

New Legislation Already Felt

At least two drivers have received licence suspensions under Ontario's new regulations for zero blood alcohol for young drivers.

They were both issued by police in Toronto.

Ontario Provincial Police say they will release complete numbers later today.

Under new regulations in effect this weekend, Ontario drivers age 21 and under must have a blood alcohol level of zero.

Maximum penalties include a 30-day suspension and $500 fine.

Water Park Opens

The township of Emo officially opens its spray park tonight.

A dedication ceremony will be held at 5 p.m.

The park became a reality this year following four years of local fundraising which topped well over $225-thousand.

Warning! Fake Inspectors

The Northwestern Health unit is warning restaurant owners to be on the watch for fake public health inspectors.

The fake inspectors contact restaurant owners by phone asking for detailed business and personal information and threatening them with fines if they don't comply.

Medical Officer of Health Doctor James Arthurs says two restaurants were recently targets in the Kenora and Rainy River districts.

He says Health Unit inspectors usually arrive unannounced and carry photo ID's.

Drownings to be Reviewed

The province's acting Chief Coroner says there will be a review of all drowning deaths in Ontario that have occurred this summer.

Doctor Bert Lauwers says the purpose is to identify common factors that may have played a role in the deaths.

Once complete, Lauwers says the results of this review will be released to the public later in the year.

There have been three drowning-related deaths in the Rainy River district.

Inquests Planned

The deaths of two men in northwestern Ontario last year will be subjects of coroner's inquests later this fall.

A September inquest in Fort Frances will examine the death of 21-year-old Dylan Wreggitt of Atikokan.

He died while in custody at the Rainy River District Jail last August.

Another inquest into the death of 30-year-old Levi Schaeffer will be held in Thunder Bay in October.

Schaeffer died in an altercation with Provincial Police in the Osnaburgh Lake area last June.

E.R Cash Defended

Health Minister Deb Matthews is defending the decision to spend 100-million dollars this year to help cut wait times in E-R's.

Conservative Lisa MacLeod says the money would be better spent creating long-term care beds to free up space in congested hospitals.

Matthews says she understands the program isn't perfect, but she says it's a good start.

One-point-nine million dollars earmarked for the Northwestern Health Integration Network is all going to Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre.

Atikokan Bass Classic Nears

(CKDR Photo)

Atikokan will be the next stop on this summer's tournament tour for area anglers.

The Atikokan Bass Classic gets under in two weeks time with a full field of 110 angler teams competing.

Chair Jim Johnson says the push right now is for volunteers to help set up a week from today.

"The big tent is going up and everybody knows that's a big job, " says Johnson. "The more hands that are there, the easy it will be to put it up. Then Saturday and Sunday we'll be filling it up with tables and chairs which is a labourious job. Again, the more people that we have out to help will make the job that much smaller."

Person interested in helping out can register at Bass Classic's office, by calling 597-2757 or on its website http://www.atikokanbassclassic.com/.

Boys Scouts 100th Celebrated in International Falls

Boys Scouts in the International Falls area will gather tomorrow to help celebrate the one-hundredth anniversary of scouting in the United States.

Troop 145 committee member Tammy Riley says they're invited current and former scouts to watch a Centennial Celebration Show originating from the National Scout Jamboree in Fort A-P Hill in Virginia.

"We're going to gather at Faith United Church for the webcast," says Riley. "We also want to consider it an opportunity for past and present scout to gather so we're going to consider it as a reunion also."

The event begins at 6:30 p.m. Saturday night.

Interested community members on both sides of the border are invited.