Time-of-Use Billing in Place

Time-of-use billing is starting to take effect in Fort Frances.

Some Fort Frances Power Corporation customers are now being charged rates based on when they use power.

CEO Jorge Ruppenstein says customers will see the difference when their bills are issued in July.

"On the new bill, it will actually total how much electricity was consumed during these three time periods," says Ruppenstein, "on-peak, off-peak and mid-peak."

All Power Corp customers will be on the new billing system July 1st.

Literacy Test Numbers Reviewed

The Rainy River District School Board is taking a close look at the latest results from standardized literacy tests written by its students.

Eighty-per cent of students who wrote the March tests met or exceeded provincials standards.

Superintendent of Education Casey Slack says they're now looking at where improvements can be made.

"Senior administration and the school level leaders can articulate next steps working with out program support team to ensure that come September we've got some enriched practices in place to enhance performance on the test," says Slack.

The results were slightly lower than last year.

MNR Crews Returning

The Ministry of Natural Resources has started the process of bringing back its forest fire fighters and other support staff from Alberta.

The first one hundred will return home soon with the rest of the 273 personnel coming back to Ontario over the next few days.

An increase in the fire hazard in northwestern Ontario has prompted the MNR not replace the crews who have been in Alberta since the middle of May.

Earthroots Apologizes

The environmental group Earthroots is offering an apology to Weyerhaeuser.

Earlier this week, the group claimed the company's mill in Kenora used formaldehyde in the production of its engineered lumber, a fact strongly denied by Weyerhauser.

Yesterday, Earthroots issued an apology and says it will do a review of its report to check its accuracy.

Fort Frances Posties Walk the Line

Twenty-one unionized workers at the Fort Frances post office are among those on the streets because of a lock-out by Canada Post.

Local union president Sandra Lange says for the most part, the local public is understanding of what's taking place.

"It seems that most people are because they sure seem to support us, " says Lange. "I guess they're paying attention. Anyone who came into the post office we had nothing but support. Same on the picket line. We're getting a lot of honking and waves."

Lange says the lock-out will actually force Canada Post back to the bargaining table.

The federal government has served notice it will implement back-to-work legislation if the two sides don't settle their differences through negotiations.

Strategic Plan Discussions Today

Fort Frances council sits down today at Sunny Cove Camp to come up with a new strategic plan.

CAO Mark McCaig says it will serve as a blueprint for council over the next four years.

"So we put timelines and benchmarks that we monitor on an ongoing basis," says McCaig, "and we try to wrap everything up during the term of council or at least begin the initiative during the term of council."

McCaig says ideas from the public and a variety of town committees will be part of today's discussions.

Border Funds Spending Questioned

Thunder Bay Rainy River MP John Rafferty isn't giving up the fight for Northwestern Ontario's border communities taking up the issue in the House of Commons.

"For our communities, tourism is a key part of the economy, "says Rafferty. "Yet, the government diverted $50 million from the border infrastructure fund to beautify communities in the minister's riding, using the fund as a private wish list, while ignoring border regions like northwestern Ontario."

Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird disputes the funds were misspend.

Board Test Results Released

Eighty-per cent of students from the Rainy River district who wrote the standardized literacy test this spring met or exceeded the provincial standard.

Results for individuals boards were released yesterday.

Atikokan had the highest rate of success among the district's three high schools at 83 per cent.

Rainy River High School had 81 per cent while 79 per cent of Fort Frances High students successfully completed the test in March.

Tuitions Increase

The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system is moving ahead with a budget that would raise tuition an average of nearly 4 percent at its 25 two-year colleges, including Rainy River College in International Falls.

Chancellor James McCormick says requests to hold the line at 3 per cent were not possible because the system is expected to lose nearly 11 per cent in state funding.

Fire in Minnesota Watched

Authorities in Minnesota are keeping an eye on a forest fire smoldering in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area.

The fire, near Gaskin Lake, 20 kilometres northwest of Grand Marias, is about six acres in size.

The strategy is to let the fire burn to the south and west of the lake while limiting its spread on the north side.

It was reported by campers in the area, but it's not clear how it started.

Canada Post Workers Locked Out

(Canadaa Post workers on line in Thunder Bay last week - CJUK photo)

Rotating strikes at Canada Post have given way to a lockout of workers in urban areas.

The Crown corporation made the decision after almost two weeks of rotating walkouts.

Canada Post says the walkouts were becoming too expensive.

The post office and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers are said to remain "far apart" on several key issues, with no progress being made at the bargaining table.

OPP Reviewing Community Services Initiatives

The new policing contract with the town of Fort Frances has forced the OPP to re-think its community services strategies.
Police, in the past, have been involved or helped start programs.

Detachment Commander Inspector John Kendrick says that will change with changing staff levels.

"What's that basically had us do is review our current programs that we have in place to make sure that we're getting basically the most bang for the buck for the community," says Kendrick, "and ensuring that our Community Services is hitting the mark."

Kendrick says the primary focus will be partnerships that have an element of policing or public safety.

Policy Institute Taking Shape

The Northern Policy Institute is taking shape.

The think tank is to help create economic development initiatives for the region.

Northern Development Minister Michael Gravelle says it's mandate has been identified.

"Based on what northerners have told us," says Gravelle, "is to develop and promote proactive evidence-based purpose-driven policy options that deepen the understanding about the unique challenges and opportunities in northern Ontario and support the sustainability development and long-term economic prosperity of northern Ontario."

Gravelle discussed the institute during a conference in Thunder Bay yesterday.

Internet Safety Being Discussed

Cyber-bullying and Internet safety will be the focus of a public meeting in Atikokan tonight.

The event at St. Patrick's School is the outcome of a recent school survey.

OPP Constable Anne McCoy says it's just as important parents know what they're children are doing on-line.

"Some of the parents are now familiar at all with social networking sites such like Facebook and YouTube," says McCoy. "What we're doing is we're encouraging them to get educated about them. Take a class or have their kids teach them. Sit down with them at the computer and get them to show them the websites they're visiting."

McCoy says similar sessions could be coming to other communities in the future.

Solar Projects Not Concerning

The Fort Frances Power Corporation is welcoming the increase in the number of solar projects to the area.

The latest is at Fort Frances High School.

The Corporation's CEO Jorge Ruppenstein says each project gets thoroughly tested.

"Before any of theses projects get off the ground we actually do what's called a connection impact assessment," says Ruppenstein. "where we do a computer simulation of the effect that an installation like this would have on our plant with respect to safety and electrical performance."

The high school project is the first to involve the Corporation directly.

New Website for Area Women

There's another way for Northwestern Ontario women to connect.

Executive Director of PARO Centre for Women's Enterprise Rosalind Lockyer says they've created a new website.

"We as women in the north want to have something special where women can go every day and interact with each other or help each other," says Lockyer. "Not only to build a business or advance their careers, but also to help their communities.

The website was funded by the Ontario Trillium Foundation.

Missing Girl

Provincial Police are seeking the public assistance in locating a missing girl from Young Star House north of Emo.

16-year-old Belinda Paishk was last seen Monday morning when she caught a school bus to go to high in Fort Frances.

The 5'2" First Nation girl was last seen wearing a black shirt with a skull on it, jeans and a lip ring.

Visitor Restrictions Imposed

Visitor restrictions have been imposed at Rainycrest Long Term Care.

Officials says its because of an increase in the number of confirmed cases of gastroenteritis.

Only family members of residents of the home will be permitted with visits limited to the residents room.

All group programming and a BBQ for staff and volunteers planned for yesterday was also cancelled.

Think North Forum

A conference on northern Ontario's economy happened Tuesday in Thunder Bay.

Northern Development Minister Michael Gravelle says the Think North Summit is the next stage in implementing the northern growth plan.

"This is a true planning session," says Gravelle. "One where we expect to have significant input from many experts, but also from northerners themselves, on where we go next."

Municipal and business leaders from the Rainy River district were also in attendance.

Mining Forum

Thunder Bay hosted a mining forum Tuesday.

Co-Chair Michael Fox says it brought together first nations, mining companies and the provincial government.

"Having these forums and making people more aware how to get involved and move forward on a community economic development agenda for the aboriginal communities as well as Thunder Bay, looking for new opportunities will help create that awareness," says Fox.

A spokesperson with the Province also provided an update on changes to mining act regulations.