More Forest Fires Sparked

Five new fires have popped up in the Rainy River district.

There are now twelve active fires in the district, nine within Quetico Provincial Park.

All are lighting strikes from previous storms.

Rachel's Challenge Tickets Available

Tickets for the Rachel's Challenge presentations in Fort Frances are now available.

Steve Latimer of the United Native Friendship Centre says he's excited about the support to bring the positive peer-pressure initiative to the region.

Tickets can be obtained on a first-come first-service at Northwoods Gallery and Gifts, United Native Friendship Centre and at Cloverleaf Grocery in Emo.

Green's Select New Candidate

The Green Party has apparently found someone to run in Thunder Bay-Atikokan.

Jonathan Milnes is the party's replacement for Russ Aegard who stepped down last week because of personal commitments.

Governor Plans Visit

Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton will be in International Falls Monday.

He'll be at Rainy River Community College in the latest stop of a state-wide economic development summit aimed at gathering ideas on job creation.

It will also be his first visit to the Falls since becoming Governor last fall.

Atikokan B & E's Investigated

OPP have called in their Rural and Agricultural Crime Team and Forensic Identification Services to assist with the investigation of a series of break-ins in Atikokan.

Seven separate homes and businesses were targets of thieves between September 5 and September 12.

Copper Theft Arrests

Two Atikokan residents have been charged in connection with the theft of copper wire from Atikokan Hydro.

A 27-year-old man and a 19-year-old woman will appear in court next month on break and enter, theft and possession of stolen property charges.

Borders to Share Officers

United States and Canada plan to designate officers who can work investigations on both sides of the border in a new pilot program next year.

The initiative stems from broad agreement earlier this year by both countries to co-operate more on law enforcement.

Details of the pilot program, including precisely where and when it will begin, were not disclosed.

Yeah! It was That Cold!

International Falls is living up to its moniker as the "Icebox of the Nation."

The National Weather Service says the thermometer dipped to minus 7 C or 19 F yesterday morning, the earliest ever temperatures have dropped to the teens in September.

Hospitals Receiving Financial Gift

Area hospitals will benefit from a substantial gift from a long-time resident of the Rainy River district.

Director with Riverside Foundation for Health Care Nicke Baird says the resident, who is choosing to remain anonymous, is providing the Foundation with $100,000.

Baird says the fund will be turned into an Endowment Fund that allows the Foundation to benefit from the interest earned.

Liberal's Absence Defended

Ontario's Northern Development Minister Michael Gravelle is coming to the defence of his Leader.

Premier Dalton McGuinty won't be attending a northern issues debate in Thunder Bay, because of what the Liberals now say is a conflict with a prior commitment.

Gravelle disputes claims his party doesn't care about the region and favours having a northern issues segment as part of a province-wide televised debate on September 27 in Toronto.

McGuinty is in Thunder Bay today.

Local Candidates Debate in Dryden

Provincial candidates in the Kenora-Rainy River Riding will debate the issues tonight in Dryden.

Dryden media are hosting the all-Candidates forum.

There's no word yet if any debates are planned in the Rainy River district.

Thunder Bay-Atikokan Debate

Residents of Atikokan get to hear tonight from the candidates seeking their vote.

Liberal incumbent Bill Mauro, NDP's Mary Kozorys and PC's Fred Gilbert will participate in a Thunder Bay-Atikokan riding debate at the Atikokan town hall.

It's hosted by the Atikokan Chamber of Commerce and begins at 7 p.m.

EQAO Board Results Released

The Rainy River District School Board says more of its students are doing better writing the standardize provincial tests.

Education Director Heather Campbell says they're close to matching the provincial averages in many areas.

Campbell says while reading scores improved over previous years, it will still be an area of focus for the board.

The Northwest Catholic District School Board is happy with its standardized test results.

Education Director Mary-Catherine Kelly says their students excelled in several areas.

Kelly says St. Michael's and St. Francis School in Fort Frances had high number of students exceeding provincial standards in all tests.

More Fires in Rainy River District

Two more forest fires in the Rainy River district.

Both were lightning caused.

One, northwest of Atikokan near Miranda Lake is listed as still being active.

The other was near Marmion Lake and is out.

Six others are still burn within Quetico Provincial Park.

Dummies Cancel

One of the main shows in this year's Tour de Fort's line-up is in jeopardy.

Brad Roberts, of the Winnipeg-band Crash Test Dummies, says they've cancelled a fall tour of Canada and the U.S. because of his back trouble.

Doctors have advised the lead singer not go out on the road for the remainder of this year.

The band was set to play at the Townsend Theatre in Fort Frances November 15.

No word if the concert will be rescheduled.

Coaltion Seek Healt Care Platforms

Ontario's politicians are being urged to make health care a top election campaign priority.

Natalie Mehra with the Ontario Health Coalition says access to care is a serious issue in Ontario and all the political parties need to detail where they stand.

The coalition will soon distribute two newsletters to 400-thousand households.

One is a voter's guide to how the parties stand on key health-care issues.

The other will focus on how tax cuts are affecting health care.

Ontario Election Day 8

A change in the polls has been followed by a change in Tory tactics.

Recent polls suggest PC Leader Tim Hudak has lost his lead over the Liberals.

Yesterday, Hudak broke from several days of blasting the Liberals over its proposed tax break for companies that hire new Canadians to focus on government waste.

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath says her office has not approved using Jack Layton's memory to raise money.

One Toronto candidate was calling voters to say the party is going through a rough patch since the federal NDP leader died last month and could use financial support.

Horwath says it's not an approach she agrees with and nor should NDP candidates.

Premier Daltom McGuinty says is promising to continue taking over some costs from municipal governments.

But, he says, it's not something the PC's would do.

Library Board Seeks Meeting with Town Council

The Fort Frances Library Board wants to meet with Fort Frances town council.

Councillor Rick Wiedenhoeft, who sits on the board, says there's some conflicts between the provincial library act and the municipal act they need to resolve.

"We're going through a policy review at the library board," says Wiedenhoeft, "and the chair wants to resolve these subtle difference between the Municipal Act and the Library Act."

Mayor Roy Avis and town clerk Glenn Treftlin will attend to board's meeting later this month.

Rafferty Sails with Canadian Navy

(John Rafferty photo)


John Rafferty is back from being at-sea.

The Thunder Bay-Rainy River MP spent the weekend aboard HMCS Ville de Quebec as part of a program offered to federally elected representatives.

"It certainly opened my eyes what the Canadian navy does," says Rafferty. "It certainly opened my eyes to life on a frigate. And it opened my eyes to the sorts of Canadians who are involved with the Navy and what they have to do."

Rafferty says much of time was spent on manoeuvres in the Atlantic off the coast of Nova Scotia.

Lemonade Stand Helps Health Care

(Tatum Kielczewski and Kiera Sherlock with Lori Maki of Riverside Health Care Facilities)


Local health care services have benefited from the entrepreneurial spirit of two six year old girls in Fort Frances.

Tatum Kielczewski and Kiera Sherlock set up a lemonade stand on Scott Street Saturday.

They raised 45-dollars and turned all of their profits over to Riverside Foundation for Health Care.