Hayes Wins Quest Again

Her performance of Heart's hit song "Alone" has earned Brittnay Hayes her second Quest for the Best title.

Hayes, who won in 2009, was voted the best vocal performance following the final sing-off last night with Larissa Desrosiers.

Hayes lost the sing-off last year, but took home $15-hundred in the Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce sponsored event..

Area Residents "Be A Donor"

There continues to be strong interest in the Rainy River district from residents to register their consent for organ and tissue donation.

Figures release show 39 per cent of Fort Frances residents and 25 per cent of those living elsewhere in the district have already signed on with a provincial registry.

That's higher than the provincial average of 22 per cent.

Rainer Roost Celebrates 25 Years

Anniversary celebrations for an assisted living facility in Rainer.

Decker's Family Care established Rainer Roost 25 year ago as a 7 bed unit, expanding later to 23.

John Decker says they've been able to fill a real need.

A open house will be held tomorrow at 1 p.m. with the facility making a special dedication in honour of a former resident.

Warm Weather To Continue

More warm and dry weather is on the way for the Rainy River district.

Environment Canada's Chantal Cerny says the higher than normal temperatures already experienced this summer will likely continue in the fall.

The average temperature for June was 1.4 C above the norm while the thermometer this month has reached over 30 C four times, compared with the average of two.


Rainfall amounts for June was the lowest it's been in eight years while another monthly record low could be achieved in July.

Health Care To Many Could End

Millions of Ontarians could find themselves without health insurance coverage if they ignore government notices to get a new health card.

There are still more than 3-and-a-half million residents with the old red-and-white cards, including a CTV reporter who was told her OHIP card had been cancelled and she'd have to pay $60 to see a doctor.

The old cards don't have expiry dates, but government officials say people were sent three notices to get the newer one.

If the card holder doesn't respond, and the health card hasn't been used in seven years, the government will suspend it.

Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship Results

Here are the results from the first day weigh-ins at the Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship.

Rank 1, team 3 Mark Raveling and Mike Luhman 19.73
Rank 2, team 2 Glenn Leroux and Trevor Zimak 18.45
Rank 3, team 59 Tyan Teigen and Mike Teigen 18.31
Rank 4, team 91 Jim Sandelovich and Karl Howells 17.25
Rank 5, team 24 Bill Godin and Ralph Galusha 16.73
Rank 6, team 20 Chad Johnson and John Janousek 16.71
Rank 7, team 48 Dennis Fiedler and Duane Anderson 16.68
Rank 8 team 31 Troy Norman and Jay Samsal 16.67
Rank 9, team 5 Jeff Gustafson and John Peterson 16.63
Rank 10, team 56 Kurt Johnson and Pat Jeffries 16.10
Rank 11, team 74 Ted Stewner and John Guzej 15.92
Rank 12, team 101 Dan Grosenick and Trevor Guderyan 15.89
Rank 13, team 46 Dorian Lindholm and Bill Wilcox 15.71
Rank 14, team 35 Brian Hansen and Lee Erickson 15.67
Rank 15, team 65 Dave Lindsay and Norm Lindsay 15.64
Rank 16, team 44 Jason Pavleck and Bill Walls 15.55
Rank 17, team 42 Dennis Barnard and Scott Gobeil 15.40
Rank 18, team 14 Ted Heyens and Leo Heyens 15.37
Rank 19, team 34 Chad Adrians and Caleb Colwell 15.36
Rank 20 team 104 Jody Shypit and Jeremy Shypit 15.35
Rank 21, team 84 Dan Seckora and Pete Garin 15.34
Rank 22, team 38 Leroy Wilson and Mike Wilson 15.27
Rank 22, team 60 George McDonald and Kevin Erickson 15.27
Rank 24, team 7 Darren Ward and Tony Holenko 15.24
Rank 25, team 37 Scott Ourada and john Allen 15.00
Rank 26, team 43 Glenn Ward and Mark Wilson 14.70
Rank 27 team 17 Jim Merthan and David Skallet 14.66
Rank 28, team 96 Luc Levesque and Alex Parent 14.52
Rank 29, team 1 Richard Rud and Joh Austin 14.48
Rank 30, team 55 Jarold Nesbitt and Pat Villemaire 14.38
Rank 31, team 49 James Kaemingh and Dan Veldhuisen 14.26
Rank 32, team 72 Paul Kielb and Tyler Long 14.12
Rank 33, team 30 Scott Walsh and Heath Iacarella 14.11
Rank 34, team 6 Bill Sentor and Brian Durham 14.06
Rank 35, team 76 Paul Visser and Dillon Swire 13.94
Rank 36, team 8 Scott Bonnema and Mark Fisher 13.86
Rank 37, team 103 John Gibbons and Jules Gibbons 13.66
Rank 38, team 57 Scott D. Roe and Rick Grissom 13.63
Rank 39, team 99 Colin Gluting and Scott Gluting 13.57
Rank 40, team 18 Steve Sandberg and Scott Sandberg 13.44
Rank 41, team 28 Morgan Cadene and Rene Cadene 13.40
Rank 42, team 94 Matt Dronyk and Marcel Tookenay 12.93
Rank 43, team 54 Nathan Brigham and Brett Myers 12.92
Rank 44, team 100 Duane Peterson and Travis Peterson 12.87
Rank 44, team 36 Tom Pearson and Adam Dalum 12.87
Rank 46, team 22, Frank McClymont and Terry McClymont 12.78
Rank 47 team 62, Jim Ducharme and Larry Ducharme, 12.52
Rank 48, team 40 Josh Miller and stan Miller 12.48
Rank 49, team 16 Bryan Gustafson and Jamie Bruce 12.46
Rank 50, team 82 Larry Buttner and Mike Jolicouer 12.39
Rank 51, team 33 Troy Jutting and Tom Ward 12.29
Rank 52, team 19 Dale Labelle and Dave Byrnes 12.25
Rank 53, team 41 Murphy Paypompee and Thomas White 12.19
Rank 54, team 4 Lauren Ras and chuck Olson 12.11
Rank 55, team 51 Derek Kuntz and Bob Kuntz 12.10
Rank 56 team 67 Les Whitefish and Norma Spencer 11.94
Rank 57, team 47 Harvey Cochrane and Gerald Arch 11.86
Rank 58, team 13 Kyle Juillery and John Glenn 11.85
Rank 59, team 53 Ryan Hastie and Rick Cooper 11.72
Rank 60 team 80 Larry Bollig and Todd Bollig 11.69
Rank 61, team 73 Darren Marcine and Tony Gierke 11.66
Rank 62, team 89 Mike Badiuk and Jeff Bragg 11.60
Rank 63, team 21 Doug McBride and Matt Plante 11.59
Rank 64, team 97 Terry Wilson and James Lambert 11.45
Rank 65, team 12 Paul Jewiss and Mike Graham 11.38
Rank 66, team 70 Dave Bennett and Mark Libitka 11.09
Rank 67, team 68 Rob Newhouse and Paul Singerhouse 11.08
Rank 68, team 50 Cole Godbout and Braedon Keast 11.08
Rank 69, team 39 Shanke Wepruk and Mike Maxton 10.95
Rank 70, team 88 Anthony Veert and Tyson Mclean 10.20
Rank 71, team 9 Joe Thrun and Jim Moyhagh 10.00
Rank 72, team 15 Jon Evans and Dave Evan 9.93
Rank 73, team 75 Randy Paishk and Vernon Fair 9.88
Rank 74, team 29 Erick Bennet and Hiram Archibald 9.86
Rank 75, team 69 John Miller AND TIM Miller 9.69
Rank 76, team 66 David Doty and Troy Ostby 9.64
Rank 77, team 85 Mike Adams anD Michelle Adams 9.43
Rank 78, team 102 Dave Beckmann and Ron Gerdusmeier9.04
Rank 79, team 26 Steve Hurlburt and Alex Orme 8.91
Rank 80, team 93 Ray Watson and Norm Woods 8.86
Rank 81, team 86 Terry Allan and Bob Calder 8.76
Rank 82, team 87 Calvin McKay and Danny Fontenot 8.70
Rank 83, team 23 Jeff Schreiner and Tam Schreiner 7.80
Rank 84, team 45 Dan Fraser and Patti Fraser 7.55
Rank 85, team 98 Sean Good and Pete Badiuk 7.46
Rank 86, team 77 Daniel Mueller and David Mueller 7.21
Rank 87, team 63 Phil Bangert and Dave Bangert 7.04
Rank 88, team 79 Tom Johson and Clarence Johnson 6.25
Rank 89, team 58 Bill Brooks and Mike Klawitter 5.64
Rank 90, team 92 Clint Geyshick and Kerek Geyshick 4.50
Rank 91, team 81 Kent Ballan and Steve Ballan 3.40
Rank 92, team 90 Andrew Perrault and Tasha Perrault --
Rank 92, team 83 Colin Santerre and Brian Caul --
Rank 92, team 78 Justin Rose and Courtney Armstrong --
Rank 92, team 25 Greg Kizeweski and dave Markquart --
Rank 92, team 71 Jonathan Ottertail and Blair Whitefish --
Rank 92, team 10 Vince Godbout and Ron Tucker --

Youth Arrested in Shooting Incident.

Police have made an arrest in connection with a shooting incident earlier this week at Whitefish Bay First Nation near Sioux Narrows.

A 16-year-old, whose name can not be released, is facing a charge of second degree murder.

Treaty Three Police found the body of 61-year-old Charles Minshall Sunday morning after responding to reports of shots coming from the area his store.

Police aren't saying, for now, how he died.

Drug Trafficking Ring Busted

Police say they have dismantled a prescription drug and cocaine trafficking ring allegedly run by an inmate in jail.


Investigators believe the group has been operating for two years and funnelled large amounts of cocaine and the painkiller Oxycodone from southern Ontario cities to communities in the northwest.

Eleven people, including a jail employee, are facing nearly 100 charges after the six-month joint investigation between the provincial police, RCMP and various local police forces.

Don't Pick Up Hitchhikers

Police are advising motorists not to pick up hitchhikers on Highway 17 in the Schreiber area, east of Thunder Bay.

They're searching for a man wanted in connection with a break-in near the city.

Two others were arrested, one later released, after OPP, trailing a suspect vehicle, had to deploy a spike belt to slow it down.

The occupants then fled on foot.

Bass Tournament Kicks Off

Midge McTaggart photo

First day of fishing in the Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship goes today.

95 angling teams began leaving from the Sorting Gap Marina at 7 a.m.

Event chair Gord Watson says a change in prize structure introduced last year is helping to generate excitement with a few more local teams taking part.

Weigh-ins at the Memorial Sports Centre begin at about 3:30 p.m.

Be sure to stay with 93.1 The Border as we provide live updates.

Quest For The Best Tonight

Twenty of the area best singers compete at Quest for the Best tonight.

They'll be divided into two groups with the winners of each section taking part in a sing-off for the one-thousand dollar first place money.

The show at the Memorial Sports Centre begins at 7:30 p.m.with 93.1 The Border's own Dave Bishop hosting.

Torys Dispute Teachers Contract

The Progressive Conservatives say Liberal claims they negotiated a two-year wage freeze with the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association are false.

P-C Leader Tim Hudak says teachers will still be allowed to advance on a salary grid, which means automatic raises for many of them.

Rain Helps Forest Fires Situation

Rain is helping to lower the forest fire hazard in the Rainy River district.

The Ministry of Natural Resources says four fires, allowed to burn within Quetico Provincial Park, received heavy amounts of rainfall and were showing minimal signs of life yesterday.

Those storms also brought plenty of lightning strikes which the MNR says could mean the potential of more new starts in the near future.

Power Corp Worried With Energy Review

The Fort Frances Power Corporation is expressing concern with the province's review of the energy sector.

It includes a potential sell-off or amalgamation of municipally owned distribution utilities.

Chair Doug McCaig is worried the province may force the Power Corp being folded in with either Hydro One or other area utilities.

McCaig says such a move could impact on local rates, which are the lowest in the province.

New Forest Fires Reported

The Ministry of Natural Resources is closely watch if a storm passing through the area will provide any help to the number of forest fires burning across northwestern Ontario.

Ten new starts were reported yesterday, including two new lighting-cause blazes within Quetico Provincial Park.

A total of 70 across the northwest are active.

Drug Investigation Revealed Today

Details of a joint forces drug investigation are expected to be revealed later today.

Officials says it focused on the trafficking of prescription medication and other illegal drugs from southern Ontario to several communities in the northwest.

OPP, Thunder Bay Police, RCMP and Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service were null.

E-Waste Depots Set Up

There are now permanent depots in the Rainy River district for people to dump their old electronic equipment.

Asselin's Transportation and Storage is setting up two locations.

Co-owner Eldon Mose says one will be at main office in Alberton township.

A second site is at the Black Sturgeon landfill site located on Highway 502.


Materials collected will be shipped to recycling facilities.

Home Price Report Questioned

A report on rising Ontario home prices has drawn concern from a Liberal MP.

The Municipal Property Assessment Corporation says home prices in Ontario are up 17 per cent over the past four years, 26 per cent in the Kenora-Rainy River districts.

The corporation says the numbers suggest a strong real estate market.

MP John McCallum says the increase is high given the current economic environment.

Atikokan Showcased

Atikokan is showcasing its promising future to a Thunder Bay audience today.

The town's inviting developers, miners and investors to an open house at the Whitewater Golf Course to learn more about its activities.

The town's preparing for an economic boom in the energy, forestry and mining industries with as many as four projects, creating as many as 900 new jobs, about to proceed.

Parade of Boats Tonight

FFCBC photo

Just one more sleep before the fishing begins at the Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship, but tonight anglers  showcase their boats and gear in the annual Parade of Boats.

This year, it starts at the Memorial Sports Centre, beginning at 5:30 p.m., and travelling west down Scott Street to Mowat Avenue.

Anglers will then head to Boston Pizza where you get your opportunity to rub shoulders and obtain a few fishing tips.