Gun Bill Passes

A Minnesota state House committee has passed a bill that would let county attorneys carry guns on the job.

The House Public Safety Committee's vote Thursday comes a month after the courthouse shooting in Grand Marias.

The firearms bill would exempt county attorneys from a statute that prohibits local government employees from carrying firearms.

Cold, but Not That Cold

It's the Ice Box of the Nation, but according to the Weather Channel, International Falls is not the coldest place in America.

It's giving that distinction to Barrow, Alaska, based on average annual temperatures from the last 30 years.

The Falls comes in at number two on the Channel recent poll.

Some Health Programs to be Delisted

 The NDP is worried that the McGuinty government's cuts to the number of services covered by O-HIP will turn into a slippery slope of biggers cuts down the road.

The party's finance critic Michael Prue calls the latest announcement a part of an agenda the province started eight years ago when it delisted chiropractors and physiotherapists and optometrists.

Health Minister Deb Matthews says the province will reduce the number of services covered by O-HIP in the fight against the deficit.

Health Unit Board Selections

A Fort Frances councillor is back as the head of the Northwestern Health Unit's Board of Directors.

John Albanese has been re-elected as chair.

Fort Frances councillor Paul Ryan and former Emo Reeve Russ Fortier were also returned to the board.

Provincial Funding Announced

Fort Frances will receive more than $3.2- million from the province this year.

That's its allocation under the Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund.

Over $900-thousand is to be used to offset the town's policing costs.

The province also says the town will also benefit in half-a-million dollars from the ongoing uploading of municipal costs for area social programs.

The Ministry of Finance did not disclose the amount of funding to Atikokan.

It says it couldn't calculate its allocation because the town had not submitted required financial information.

Question of the Day - January 26

A split vote to our question regarding the town of Fort Frances plans to remove sidewalks in disrepair.

51 per cent of respondents don't think the town is justisfied in its reasons while 49 per cent support the town's plans.

Today's question, do you think this week's First Nations leaders meeting with the Prime Minister was beneficial?

Let us know on our website 931TheBorder.ca.

Mixed Feelings from Treaty 3

Grand Council Treaty Three has mixed feelings about this week's summit with the federal government.

Grand Chief Diane Kelly says the prime mininister's decision to spend all day meeting with aborignal leaders was unprecedented, but some of the speeches by the Assembly of First Nations were somewhat disheartening.

She feels Treaty Three's own laws can better protect their harvesting areas.

Rafferty Takes Aim at Premier

Thunder Bay-Rainy River MP John Rafferty says Premier Dalton McGuinty is passing the buck when he claims First Nations are a Federal responsibility.

Rafferty says that's not the case since the Province of Ontario signed both the Treaty Three and Nine treaties.

The local MP adds the McGuinty Government has failed to provide equal funding toward first nation  education.

Watch What You Share Online

Ontario's privacy commissioner is warning people to be careful of information they share about themselves online.

Dr. Ann Cavoukian says pieces of information that seem unrelated can be linked to create a detailed profile.

Wolf Season Planned

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is proposing to let hunters and trappers take 400 wolves this fall.

DNR officials say research indicates the population could sustain a higher harvest quota, but say they're taking a conservative approach for the state's first season.

The region's wolves come off the endangered list tomorrow.

New Vice-Principal for Rainy River HS

Rainy River High School will have a new vice-principal next month.

Dan Mack is being appointed to the position in an interim basis.

He replace Don McBride who is retiring.

Health Minister Asked to Visit

Ontario's Health Minister is being invited to visit the Rainy River district.

Kenora-Rainy River MPP Sarah Campbell says it may help find a more long-term solution that improves better access to physicians for area residents.

Campbell says the situation has become especially critical in Rainy River where the town's lone doctor announced recently to retire by the end of June 2013.

Health Care Reform Planned??

A change in how Ontario spends money for health care may be on the horizon.

Premier McGuinty says government will soon outline its plans for health care reform.

McGuinty says the government will also have to deal with public sector salaries in its drive to eliminate the deficit.


The New Democrats are worried by the Liberal government's talk of transforming Ontario's health care system.

Leader Andrea Horwath fears the lack of specifics.

The Progressive Conservatives, meantime, say they'll keep pushing for a legislated public sector wage freeze to help trim the deficit, an idea rejected by the Premier.

Air Ambulance Job Cuts

Ontario's air ambulance service ORNGE has cut 18 jobs in an effort to cut costs.

The cuts apply only to office jobs and not paramedics or pilots.

ORNGE has been at the centre of controversy lately over its questionable business practices, posh headquarters and high executive salaries.

Water Meters Being Changed

A final attempt will be made next month to replace a number of out-dated water metres from a number of Fort Frances businesses, industries and institutions.

Operations and Facilities Manager Doug Brown says the company tasked with the job is hoping to finish the changeover it started last fall.

Brown says some of the 173 metres being replaced were installed up to 40 years ago.

Because of increase accuracy in reading water use, Brown admits some users may find themselves paying more for water than they did with the old meters.

Unemployment Rate Unchanged

The unemployment rate in Koochiching County held steady at 7.9 per cent last month.

The latest figures from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development show the County created about one hundred jobs in December over the month before.

Union Merger Explored

The Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union and the Canadian Auto Workers are getting the ball rolling to create one mega union.

Stephen Boon, CEP National Representative for this region, says both sides are pushing to establish a new union.

Other unnamed unions could also be included.

Law School Dean Selection Continues

Lakehead University is starting to whittle down it's list of potential Law School Deans.

Spokesperson Rodney Hanley says they should have a short list of candidates in February.

Applications for the new Thunder Bay law school have come from across Canada and around the world.

Lost Wheels

Both the 20-year-old driver of a transport and the company he was driving for face charges after OPP stopped a vehicle near Dryden missing a set of rear tires.

The incident happened Saturday.

No word where the missing tires went or how long the vehicle had been on the highway before police stopped it.

Seine River Looks for New Business

Seine River First Nation is receiving provincial funding to help attract new business and create jobs.

The money allows the band to complete an inventory of its community assets, update its web profile and host an investment readiness strategy workshop.