Recycling Report Accepted in Principal

Fort Frances town councillors have accepted a report in principal aimed at increasing the amount of materials collected for recycling in the town.

The report makes nine recommendations.

Operations and Facilities Manager Doug Brown says its now up to council to decided how it will proceed with the report.

"This is a ten year strategy," says Brown. "Every one of the strategies will cost the community more money so what (council) will have to decide is which one strategy we're going to do in 2011 for the coming year."

Requiring businesses to ban the use of plastic shopping bags is among proposed recommendations.

Police Costing Concern Resolution Passed

Fort Frances town councillors supported a resolution last night calling on the province for more money to help with local policing costs.

The cost of contracting police services to the OPP has risen 47 per cent over the past decade and the town's concerned with the impact a recent 5 per cent wage increase given to OPP officers across the province will have on its budget.

The town is expected to receive about $940-thousand from the province for policing in 2011.

Fan Club Seeks By-Law Exemption

Fort Frances Lakers Fan Club is calling on the town of Fort Frances for an exemption to the town's new sign-by-law.

The by-law, effective January first, puts a 180 day a year limit on the use of so-called portable signs at any one location.

The Lakers Fan Club currently uses signs at Canadian Tire and the White Pine Inn to promote the team's games and other activities year round.

I. Falls Man Faces Sex Assault Charges

An International Falls man who works as a Customs Border Protection Officer is facing charges of sexual assault.

The Koochiching County Sheriff's Office arrested 45-year-old Patrick Hamburg in mid-November, but only charged him last Thursday.

According to a criminal complaint, Hamburg is alleged to have sexually assaulted a young girl over a four year period beginning in 2005.

Natural Gas Prices to Drop

Union Gas customers in northwestern Ontario will see a slight decrease in their bills in the new year.

The Ontario Energy Board has approved a decrease of about 2.3 cents per cubic metre on the price paid for natural gas effective January 1st.

A drop in the price paid by Union Gas will mean its customers will save about 9 dollars over the year on the price they pay.

Morley Has Reeve

The township of Morley has a full council.

Moe Henry, acclaimed as a councillor in October's municipal election, is now serving as Reeve.

Tyler Nordin comes aboard to fill the vacancy created by Henry's move.

The appointments, done earlier this month, were necessary after nobody filed for the position of Reeve prior to the October 25th election.

Safe Schools Grant

The Rainy River District School Board and the Ontario Provincial Police have secured funding for a Safe Schools initiative.

A total of 100-thousand dollars from the Ministry of Community and Correctional Services will help bring training to school staff across the district in the area of threat assessment and trauma response.

An interagency protocol is also to be developed that enable schools to response more quickly to incidents that could pose potential risk to others.

The training is expected to begin this spring.

McTaggart Back as Police Service Board Chair

John McTaggart has been re-elected chair of the Police Services board for Fort Frances.

McTaggart has been with the board several years.

Former Fort France mayor Glenn Witherspoon will again serve as the vice-chair.

Former Bingo Hall Looked At

There appears to be some serious interest in the former Fort Frances Bingo Hall.

Jack Mallon, real estate agent with Royal LePage Lannon Realty, says no offer has yet been submitted, but a group recently went through vacant hall and is now working on the necessary financing.

The name of the group was not disclosed.

Atikokan Mayor Recognized

The mayor of Atikokan has been recognized for his long career in municipal politics.

Dennis Brown has received a 25-year Long-Standing Service Award from the Province of Ontario.

Brown was first elected to Atikokan municipal council in 1980, and has served as mayor for the last 13 years.

Cost of Food Up

The Northwestern Health Unit says the cost for families in the Kenora-Rainy River district to eat healthy each month has risen 11 per cent over the past year.

Nutritionist Julie Slack says the over $916.00 price tag for food is leading many to make unhealthy food choices so they have money for other expenses.

"Food tends to be or often is the one that you will let go," says Slack, "or choose what is cheaper. Often less healthy foods are the cheaper foods so people might be making food chooses that aren't the best so they can pay their rent."

Slack says while food prices continue to rise, incomes have not kept up at the same pace.

Testing Exceeds Provincial Standard

The town of Fort Frances is looking to see if it can still limit the number of water samples it takes to test for lead despite exceeding provincial standards this past summer.

During June and October, adverse lead levels were found in just three samples of 22 sites tested.

That equates to about 13.6 per cent, but the province wants 10 per cent or less before allowing municipalities to reduce their testing.

Operations and Facilities Manager Doug Brown says because the town has been within acceptable levels in the past, it's hoping to still qualify for reduced testing.

Baby Boom?

(Diane Maxey with one of many babies born in 2010)


It's turning out to be a banner year for births at Fort Frances' LaVerendrye Hospital.

Riverside Health Care Facilities says 218 babies have been born to the end of November, exceeding the 190 births born in all of last year.

It's also the highest number of births at the hospital since 1998 when there were 253.

This past November alone brought in 28 babies, compared with the 16 in the same month last year.

Senior Executives Gets Bonuses

Five senior AbitibiBowater executives are splitting nearly $5-million U.S. in cash and stock for their efforts in helping the forest products company restructure its operations and exit creditor protection.

Departing chief executive David Paterson gets about $1.1 million in restructuring recognition awards and profit bonuses.

OPP Cruiser Destroyed

Provincial police are eminding motorists to slow down or move over when passing an emergency vehicle stopped with its lights activated.

The warning comes following an incident near Upsala in which a transport slammed into the back of an empty cruiser, stopped while the officer was investigating a truck fire.

The officer was not hurt.

Failing to slow down or move over for an emergency vehicle can result in a fine of up to $2-thousand.

Drug Arrests

Four people face drug-related charges following three separate incidences in Fort Frances last month.

In one case, six pounds of marijuana, valued at over $57-thousand, a replica handgun and cash were found by OPP after stopping a vehicle December 1st.

Constable Anne McCoy says it's a sizable find.

"It is one of the larger marijuana seizures the police have made," says McCoy. "That's credit to the work and the intelligence work that the Community Drug Action Team has been doing in our area."

Another man was charged when police found $28-hundred worth of Oxycontin pills in a vehicle.

Another man was charged after police discovered 30 grams of marijuana in his possession.

Man Busted at Border

An International Falls Man faces charges after attempting to cross into the U.S. with marijuana taped to his body.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection says it happened Saturday around 12:30 p.m. as the 24-year-old man was walking to International Falls.

46 grams of marijuana taped to the man's leg was found when Customs officers conducted a secondary examination.

He was later turned over the Koochiching County Sheriffs office for prosecution.

Border Stats Released

A busy November for officers with the Canada Border Services Agency in Fort Frances.

Statistics released show more than 50-thousand people crossed the border, twenty of whom were found to have various criminality issues.

Eight of which were refused entry while the rest were allowed in on temporary visitor permits.

Officers also seized a boat, motor and trailer and a vehicle from Canadians residents who attempted to undervalue their purchases.

In both cases, the owners were forced to pay heft fines to get their property back.

Kenora Trial Underway

The trial of a 39-year-old Grassy Narrows woman involved in a police shooting in downtown Kenora this past summer is underway.

Helen Proulx faces four charges including assaulting a police officer with a weapon and assault with a weapon.

OPP Constable Kathrine Moyer told the court yesterday she told Proulx at least six times to drop the knife she was carrying.

Moyer said she only fired her gun after Proulx came at her, jabbing the knife in the officers direction.

Moyer testified Proulx also repeatedly to shoot her.

Testimony continues today.

Tire Tax Credit Proposed

The Canadian Automobile Association and the Ontario Safety League are behind a coalition asking for a $25-per-tire tax credit to encourage people to buy winter tires.

The CAA says evidence from Quebec, where winter tires are mandatory, shows they do reduce accidents and help save lives.

Premier Dalton McGuinty acknowledges the benefits of snow tires and even recommends drivers use them, but says he has no intention of providing a tax credit or rebate for buying winter tires.

The Ontario Safety League says McGuinty should reconsider his opposition to the tax credit, noting snow tires reduce accidents and cut down the number of people needing care in hospitals.