Northern Fires Key Focus

MNR photo

Focus for Ministry of Natural Resources forest firefighters continues to be in the remote north.

Eleven fires of the 70 active are now over 100 hectares.

One of the largest is within Woodland Caribou Provincial Park that has scorched almost one thousand hectares.

Another concern is a cluster of fires burning near the remote communities of Deer Lake and Keewaywin where smoke may be a concern for residents.


Meantime, a new forest fire has been reported in the Rainy River district.

The small fire, located at Dash Lake, north of Emo, is listed as being human caused, but under control.

It's the 35th fire in the district this fire season.

Walk For Good Life Approaches

An annual pilgrimage by native youth through the Kenora and Rainy River districts remembers a well respected elder this year.

The 500-kilometre Walk for Good Life is aimed at inspiring youth.

Larissa Desrosiers of the group Good Life for Young People says this year's walks honours Elder Joseph Morrison.

The walk starts July 29th at Eagle Lake First Nation, ending there a week later.

BIZKIDS Coming to Fort Frances

CKDR photo

A camp aimed at creating young entrepreneurs comes to Fort Frances for the first time next week.

The Northwest Business Centre's BizKids Camp is geared to those between the ages of 9 and 12.

The Centre's Stephanie Armstrong says they'll be a number of activities and tours with participants selling products created at a market next Friday.

There's still some space available and those interested can contact the Centre's Dryden office.

Drilling Scaled Back

Rainy River Resources is scaling back some of its drilling work in the district.

Eight of twelve diamond drill rigs working at its gold project north of Barwick have already been demobilized.

Another will be halted in September.

Meantime, more gold findings are being reported in the latest results of the drill program done to determine the exact size of deposit.

Railroad Daze

Supplied photo

Railroad Daze kicks off in Rainy River today.

Rec Director Kam Kuzyk says there's plenty of events to help celebrate the communities railroad heritage.

Among event is the Great Beaver Cardboard and Duct Tape Boat Races - vessels made up of only cardboard and duct tape.


The race is now in its 10th season.


Registration is Sunday at 12:30 p.m. down at Hannam Park with the race at 3 p.m.


Here's a complete list of all events.



Friday July 20, 2012


10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. - The Library's Best Book Sale Ever! ~ Rainy River Public Library
11:00  a.m. - 11:45  a.m.  -  Kids' TD Summer Reading Club ~ Rainy River Public Library
5:30 p.m.  -  Beer Gardens & Canteen Open ~ Rec. Centre Ball Diamonds
5:30  p.m.  - So You Think You Can Dance Rainy River ~ Upstairs of Rec. Centre
5:30   p.m. - 7:00 p.m. - Locum House Supper ~ Senior’s Centre ~ 201 Atwood Ave - Pulled Pork sandwiches, Salads, Dessert – Freewill Offering
6:00  p.m. -  Opening games of the Mixed Slo-pitch Tournament Rec. Centre Ball Diamonds
8:00  p.m. -  Family Movie Night – Journey 2: The Mysterious Island Upstairs of Rec. Centre – Free Admission

Saturday July 21, 2012

9:00  a.m. - Mixed Slo-pitch Tournament starts ~ Rec. Centre Ball Diamonds
10:00  a.m. -  6:00 P.M. The Library's Best Book Sale Ever! ~ Rainy River Public Library
10:00   a.m. - Canteen open’s ~ Rec. Centre Ball Diamonds
10:00   a.m. -  4:00 P.M. 1st Annual Craft Show ~ Seniors Centre ~ 201 Atwood Ave.
10:00   a.m. - 5:00 P.M. Fun Fly (radio controlled planes) on Burns Rd. (In between Hwy 600 and Government Rd.)
10:00   a.m. - Bike Rodeo ~ School Parking Lot
11:00   a.m. - Beer Gardens Open ~ Rec. Centre Ball Diamonds
11:00  a.m. - Railroad Daze Parade ~ Route: Hannam Park up through Main St. (Please call the Rec. Centre to register a float)
11:00  a.m. -  1:30  p.m. -  Farmer’s Market ~ Atwood Ave.
1:00  p.m. -  2:30  p.m. -  Fastball Grudge Match between R.R. Royals and Pinewood Bears
Rec. Centre Ball Diamonds
1:00  p.m. -  3:00  p.m. -  “Ooey Gooey Fun” Kids Games ~ Best Start Hub Parking Lot
4:30  p.m. -  7:00  p.m. -  Steak Fry $12 a plate ~ Legion
8:00  p.m. -  Home Run Derby ~ Rec. Centre Ball Diamonds
9:00  p.m. -  2:00 a.m. - Age of majority Dance – DJ Amy Anderson Rec. Centre - $5 Admission



Sunday July 22, 2012


9:00  a.m. - Mixed Slo-pitch Tournament starts ~ Rec. Centre Ball Diamonds
10:00   a.m. - Canteen opens ~ Rec. Centre Ball Diamonds
10:00   a.m. -  2:00 p.m. - 1st Annual Craft Show ~ Seniors Centre ~ 201 Atwood Ave.
10:30  a.m. - Rainy River Community Worship Service (inter-denominational)  Hannam Park ~    Rain Location - Evangelical Covenant Church
11:00   a.m. - Beer Gardens open ~ Rec. Centre Ball Diamonds
12:30  p.m. -  The Great Beaver Cardboard Boat Registration and supply pick up: $10.00 per team at Hannam Park
2:00  p.m. -  Championship Slo-pitch ball game ~ Rec. Centre Ball Diamonds
3:30  p.m. -  The Cardboard & Duct Tape Boat Races Begin! Hannam Park Waterfront

Research Project Turning In To Book

A report released last year on race-relations in the Rainy River district is being turned into book form.

Author Jeff Denis says he's secured a contract with an academic publisher.

He's back in the area to discuss his findings and gather more data.

Denis' research was conducted over an 18-month period that included interviews and surveys

Kelly Loses National Chief Bid

Former Treaty Three Grand Chief Diane Kelly has failed in her bid to become National Chief of the  Assembly of First Nations.

Kelly dropped out of the race after finishing third with 39 votes in the second round of balloting.

Shawn Atleo, who was returned for a second term, says First Nations are increasingly demanding to be treated as equal partners in governance and in control over natural resources.

He says his mandate will reflect the will of the regional chiefs who advise him.

Help From Minnesota Arrives

Map of Active Fires

Ontario is now receiving assistance from Minnesota is dealing with a rash of forest fires in northwestern Ontario.

Twenty firefighters from the State are being deployed near the remote communities of Deer Lake and Keewaywin to aid in suppression efforts of several fires there.

The lack of fire activity in the Rainy River district is also allowing the MNR to relocate some personnel from this district to the remote north.

Five new fires were reported yesterday, bringing to 70 the number of those active.

Former ORNGE CEO Says Government Was Informed

The man at the centre of the Ornge scandal says the government never told him he was veering off course in running the province's air ambulance service.

Chris Mazza told a legislative committee yesterday the Ministry of Health was fully informed about what he was doing at the taxpayer-funded organization.

Health Minister Deb Matthews disputes Mazza's testimony, saying even the auditor general had trouble finding out what was going

Candidate Proposes Federal Mining Institute

A Democratic congressional candidate in northern Minnesota is proposing developing a new federal institute on mining and the environment.

Rick Nolan says the institute would be located in the Iron Range area and could help the industry overcome production and environmental issues to create more jobs.

Rival candidate Jeff Anderson calls the plans wasteful federal spending.

Worldwide Support For Experimental Lakes Area

The international community isn't giving up its fight to keep the Experimental Lakes Area near Kenora open.

More than 29-hundred people from 58 countries have signed an on-line petition calling on the federal government to reverse its decision to end funding to the research site.

Some signatories says the federal government has a mandate to conduct whole-ecosystem freshwater research.

Voter Information Missing

No one in northwestern Ontario appears to be impacted, but Elections Ontario says up to 2.4 million voters elsewhere in the province may have had their personal information compromised.

Chief Electoral Officer Greg Essensa says the privacy breach happened when two memory sticks went missing.

The data includes names and birth dates, but no SIN numbers or drivers' licence information.

Forest Fire Being Watched

The Ministry of Natural Resources continues to monitor a lone forest fire burning in the Rainy River district.

It's located within the southeastern part of Quetico Provincial Park near Dack Lake.

The lightning-caused fire is only 0.4 hectares in size and causing little concern.

Eight new fires were reported yesterday elsewhere in northwestern Ontario.

Respite Program Continues

A respite support program introduced to the Rainy River district two years is being continued.

Carol Ness of Thunder Bay-based Wesway says a pilot project that helps families who care full-time for seniors recently received additional funding through the North West Local Health Integration Network.

Ness says there's been so much demand that they have a waiting list.

Revamp Of Driver's Licenses Sought

The war on tobacco is taking a new twist.

The Thunder Bay District Health Unit is advocating a redesign of the provincial driver's license.

Spokesperson Klaus Larsen says making it easier to show when a person under 19 will reach age of majority would help in discourage the sale of tobacco to underage teens.

MADD Looks To Reform

MADD Canada is looking to restart it's organization in northwestern Ontario.

A chapter in Thunder Bay closed down because of a lack of volunteers and its main head resigning because of poor health.

Former CEO Testifies

Ousted Ornge CEO Chris Mazza is slated to appear before a legislative committee today that's looking into the troubled air ambulance service.

Many of the witnesses so far have pointed the finger at Mazza for the controversy that's created a major embarrassment for the governing Liberals.

Assembly Vote Today

The Assembly of First Nations will decide today whether to re-elect national chief Shawn Atleo or choose a new leader.

Former Grand Chief of Treaty 3 Diane Kelly is among the candidates are vying for the three-year position, which will be settled by the votes of chiefs assembled in Toronto for the organization's annual meeting.

NAN Names Candidates

Seven people are on the list for the top post with the Nishnawbe Aski Nation Grand Chief.

They include current Deputy Grand Chief Terry Waboose and former Sioux Lookout Mayor and Juno Award winner Lawrence Martin.

The election takes place next month.

The position opened up with Stan Beardy being elected Chiefs of Ontario Regional Chief last month.

"American Girl" Movie Plays In Falls

An area author who played a role in the latest "American Girl" movie will be hosting special viewing in International Falls tomorrow.

"McKenna Shoots for the Stars" is based on a character featured in two books written Ranier's Mary Casanova.

The movie was shot in Winnipeg and stars Jade Pettyjohn as McKenna with appearances by Canadian-born Nia Vardalos and former U.S. Olympic gymnast Cathy Rigby.

Tomorrow's event at the Backus Community Centre starts at 6 p.m.