Caring Dads

Help is coming to area men who may have abused or neglected their children or exposed them to abuse in the family home.

Brad Ricci, a facilitator of the program "Caring Dads," says it's something new to the Rainy River district.

The program is being offered out of Atikokan next month with the hopes of expanding it to other communities in the future.

Solar Project Starts Up

A town of Fort Frances solar project will begin generating power today.

The Public Works building is one of four municipal buildings that will have the panels installed.

McGuinty Still Wanted

There are still some members of the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association who think the Premier will show for tomorrow's northern Ontario leaders debate in Thunder Bay.

Vice President Dave Canfield believes Dalton McGuinty will have a change of heart.

McGuinty has said he won't attend because of a scheduling conflict.

Tickets Available for Rachel's Challenge

Plenty of tickets are still available to next week's community presentations of Rachel's Challenge in Fort Frances.

Steve Latimer of the United Native Friendship Centre says the positive-peer pressure campaign is one that parents needs to know about.

Tickets are free and available at Northwoods Gallery Gifts, United Native Friendship Centre and Cloverleaf Grocery in Emo.

Ignace Working with Bending Lake

Ignace town council has agreed to work with the Bending Lake Iron Group to move forward with a mine site southeast of the community.

The company plans to develop an industrial site at Bending Lake and build a rail line connecting the CP's line within two years.

The company is still looking at trucking concentrate to a proposed pig iron plant in Atikokan.

Bear Problems in Fort Frances

Bears are becoming a nuisance for some residents in Fort Frances.

By-law enforcement officer Arlene Brynes says the number of calls received has picked up in recent days.

There have been 13 reported sightings and at least four bears were captured and relocated outside the town.

Brynes says one bear had to be killed because it suffered injuries believed to have come from being hit by a vehicle.

Issues Debated in Kenora

Hydro rates, the Far North Act and forestry were among issues arising out of a debate in Kenora for candidates seeking election in Kenora-Rainy River.

The Liberal's Anthony Leek admits his party's policies have been under attack, but they aren't about to change course now.

The NDP's Sarah Campbell reiterating her party's plans to bring down hydro rates.


Rod McKay of the Conservatives says his party believe in opening up the north for development.

Charmaine Romaniuk of the Northern Ontario Heritage Party wants to ensure mineral mined in the north be processed in the north.

Jo Jo Holiday from the Green Party says in order to have a healthy economy, we need a healthy population.

Stratton Debate Organized

There will be a provincial election debate in the Rainy River district.

The Rainy River Federation of Agriculture is sponsoring an event a week from tomorrow at Our Lady of the Way School in Stratton.

A meet and greet, sponsored by the Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce, takes place the day before in Fort Frances.

Advance Polls Open

Advance polls open today in the provincial election.

Returning officer for the Kenora-Rainy River riding Ian Simpson says voters can go to the returning office in Fort Frances or to the Rainy River Community Centre beginning at 10 a.m.

In Atikokan, there is an advance poll at Elections Ontario's office on Main street.

Three Face Drug Charges

Three people in the Rainy River district will make future court appearances on drug charges.

A 60-year-old Fort Frances man was charged after OPP seized  $3,000 worth of marijuana plants from a home in late August.

A week later, a marijuana grow operation was discovered in Barwick where police seized plants and dry marijuana, valued at over $23-thousand.

A 47-year-old man was charged.

A day later, a 44-year-old woman from Couchiching First Nation was charged after police stopped a vehicle and found $4,100 worth of cocaine inside.

Environmental Film Festival

The environment takes front and centre at a film festival at Fort Frances High School today.

Beth Fairfield, chair of the Rainy River District School Board's Environmental Education Committee says it's the event's third year.

Students will see a number of short films.

An expo will also be held to showcase environmental products and services in the district.

The festival is restricted to students only, but the expo is open to the public from 10 a.m. until 12:30 p.m.

Dayton Talks Jobs

(Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton listens to International Falls Mayor Shawn Mason at economic development summit)

Education and transportation were among areas identified needing support to help generate jobs in Koochiching County.

Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton heard from a variety of individuals at his economic development summit on job creation.

International Falls Mayor Shawn Mason says promotion of its foreign trade zone would go along way to meeting that goal.

The input will be further discussed as a State-wide jobs summit planned for the end of next month.

Demo Project at Area Schools

Schools in the Rainy River District are being used as demonstration sites to find ways of integrating speech and language services for young children.

Ann Anderson, the public board's speech language coordinator, says they're focusing on the needs of students going from preschool to junior kindergarten.

Lonna Oster, a speech language pathologist with the Kenora – Rainy River District Preschool Speech and Language Program, has been seconded to head the project.

Support Workers Back on Job

Support workers with Confederation College are back on the job today.

They still have to vote on a tentative deal that ended a 16-day old strike at all of Ontario's 24 community colleges, but their union is recommending acceptance.

Voting is expected to take place within two weeks.

Rainfall Warning

Environment Canada has issued a rainfall warning for the Morson and Nestor Falls areas.

A system moving across the area over the next 24 hours is expected to bring up to five centimetres of rain in some areas.

Lesser amounts are expected around Fort Frances and Atikokan.

Ontario Election Day 14

Premier Dalton McGuinty says he can find health care savings without making cuts to hospitals.

Tory Leader Tim Hudak promises to end the mandatory smart meter program, call the meters a government cash-grab.

The NDP is promising to help municipalities with public transit costs if they commit to holding the line on fares for four years.

Debate in Kenora

Candidates in Kenora-Rainy River will debate regional issues in Kenora today.

This one is sponsored by the Kenora Chamber of Commerce.

Weather Aids Minnesota Fire Fight

Firefighters appear to be gaining ground on a forest fire that has blackened 147 square miles of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area in northeastern Minnesota.

Fire information officer Doug Anderson says significant rainfall has resulted in the fire being 23 per cent contained.

Rainy River Resources Finds Nickel

There's gold - now there appears to be nickel at Rainy River Resources gold project north of Barwick.

The company says it recently found what it believes to be a new nickel deposit.

Further exploration is planned to better define the size of the discovery.

St. Mary's 60th

St. Mary's Church in Fort Frances has started celebrations towards its 60th anniversary.

Bishop Fredrick Colli says it's a significant milestone.

The church was originally constructed in 1951.