Free Bag Stays

Fort Frances residents get to put one bag of garbage at the curb without a bag tag after all.

Council has opted against requiring tags on all bags to raise revenue in favour of a four dollar monthly fee to be placed on future sewer and water bills.

Mayor Roy Avis says it will help offset costs of recycling and establishing a new landfill site.

The new charge will collect over $102-thousand dollars this year.

Festival Results April 16

The second week of the Rainy River District Festival of the Performing Arts has resumed with drama competitions.

They opened yesterday with Erika Tymkin taking five first-place honours.

Andrew Eldridge, Taylor Shouldice and Christian Wiedenhoeft were each triple winners

The competition continue this morning at Robert Moore School.

Here are results from Tuesday.

Serious Poetry, Grade 7
FIRST:  Gavyn DeBenetti

Serious Poetry, Grade 8
FIRST:  MacKenzie Wright

Humorous Poetry, Grades 9 and 10
FIRST:  Alyssa Chiasson
SECOND:  Andrew Eldridge

Serious Reading, Grades 7 and 8
FIRST:  Gavyn DeBenetti

Humorous Reading, Grades 9 and 10
FIRST:  Alyssa Chiasson

Serious Reading, Grades 9 and 10
FIRST:  Andrew Eldridge

Humorous Reading, Grades 11 and 12
FIRST:  Taylor Shouldice

Humorous Reading, Adult
FIRST:  Ericka Tymkin

Bible Reading, Grades 9 and 10
FIRST:  Andrew Eldridge

Bible Reading, Adult
FIRST:  Ericka Tymkin

Humorous Poetry, Grades 11 and 12
FIRST:  Taylor Shouldice

Serious Poetry, Adult
FIRST:  Edicka Tymkin

Monologues - Serious, Grades 9 and 10
FIRST:  Andrew Eldridge

Monologues - Serious, Adult
FIRST:  Ericka Tymkin

Impromptu Speech, Grades 11 and 12
FIRST:  Taylor Shouldice


Impromptu Speech, Adult
FIRST:  Ericka Tymkin

Serious Poetry, Kindergarten
FIRST:  Alexis Latter

Humorous Poetry, Kindergarten
FIRST:  Alexis Latter

Humorous Poetry, Grade 1
FIRST:  Isiah Peltomaki

Duet Reading, Grade 2
FIRST:  Amy Norris and Torri Spence

Serious Poetry, Grade 3
FIRST:  Olivia Eldridge

Humorous Poetry, Grade 3
FIRST:  Christian Wiedenhoeft

Humorous Poetry, Grade 3
FIRST:  Christian Wiedenhoeft
SECOND:  Emma Toriseva

Humorous Poetry, Grade 4
FIRST:  Jenaya DeBenetti

Serious Poetry, Grade 5
FIRST:  Tori Toriseva

Humorous Poetry, Grade 5
FIRST:  Isaac Dykstra
SECOND:  Sammy Stone

Serious Reading, Grades 3 and 4
FIRST:  Jenaya DeBenetti

Serious Reading, Grades 3 and 4
FIRST:  Christian Wiedenhoeft

Council Finalizes Budget

Fort Frances town council is coming in with a budget that includes a levy increase of one-point-eight per cent.

That works out to a tax increase of less than one per cent for residential ratepayers.

Treasurer Laurie Witherspoon says even with recent changes to property assessment, the average dollar amount is less than $70.


Mayor Roy Avis credits administration for being able to keep the numbers down so low.

Council will bring the budget before the public Monday before giving formal approval.

Lot Lottery April 25

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A lottery for the new housing lots on the former Huffman School property will take place next week.

Fort Frances council has finalized the details of the sale and the lottery.

Packages will be made available today with the lottery taking place April 25.

Cost of the lots will range from $51-thousand dollars to $83-thousand.

Fort Frances Asked To Hold NOMA Conference

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Fort Frances is mulling over hosting an annual regional municipal conference next year.

The town has been asked to host the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association's event.

Council initially said no, but rescinded that decision to see if outlining communities will be able to assist.

Dryden Holding Back MPAC Funds

Dryden has decided to withhold a chunk of money it owes to the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation.

Mayor Craig Nuttall says roughly $79-thousand will be put in a trust until MPAC can come up with a fair deal on the assessment of the Domtar Mill.

MPAC dropped the mill's value 72 per cent which could lead to a five-million dollar tax rebate for the company.

New Program For Obstetrics Unit

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A new professional development and performance improvement program is being introduced to Riverside Health Care Facilities.

It's called Managing Obstetrical Risk Efficiently or MORE OB.

Vice-president Lori Maki says it's a team approach to improve care and decreasing the risk of adverse events in the obstetrics unit at Laverendrye Hospital.

A core team is currently in training to help roll it out to other staff.

NDP Claim Tourism Strategy Not Working For North

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The opposition wants to see that the province's tourism strategy is working for northern Ontario.

NDP members point to last year's closure of tourism information centres and the development of tourism apps they say don't work in remote areas as failures of that strategy.

Kenora-Rainy River MPP Sarah Campbell says there's now competition from Manitoba promoting itself with road signs in the region.

Tourism Minister Michael Chan says province is
committed to using technology for its promotional efforts.

First Nations Get Funding To Participate In Environmental Assessment Process

A number of area First Nations communities are getting a bulk of funding made available to participate in the environmental assessment process of Rainy River Resources' proposed gold mine north of Barwick.

In total, eight communities will get a portion of the $166-thousand  put up by the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency.

Metis Nation of Ontario and the Rainy River Soil and Crop Improvement Association are also participating.

Rainy River Resources is hoping to get approval by next summer so it can start construction on an open pit mine by the fall of 2014.

Couchiching Woman Charged In Kenora Assaults

A woman from Couchiching First Nation faces charges following a string of assaults in Kenora on the weekend.

Provincial Police say a cab driver was allegedly assaulted by the 22-year-old and threatened with a knife.

A short time later officers received a call about the same individual attacking another woman who had to be hospitalized for treatment.

Former Area MP Likes Trudea As Liberals Leader

A former Liberal MP for the Rainy River area feels the selection of Justin Trudeau as leader will re energize the party.

Ken Boshcoff was in Ottawa for the leadership convention and thinks Trudeau's star power is a benefit.

Boshcoff says Trudeau has visited the northwest several times and thinks his election as leader will bode well for the region.

Treaty 3 Police Battle High Crime Rates

Treaty 3 Police say financial pressure is hurting in their battle with high crime rates.

The Treaty 3 Police service area currently has the worst crime severity index in the province.

Deputy Police Chief Terry Armstrong says they are doing everything they can to lower the index.

Armstrong says the force has also seen

a 41 percent increase in calls for service.

Distracted Driving Crackdown

Provincial police are gearing up for another distracted driving campaign.

All this week, police are asking motorists to make a commitment to leave their handheld devices alone while behind the wheel.

They also want passengers to take matters into their own hands and tell drivers to put down their phones.

Another Storm

Another late season winter storm is tracking across our region today.

Watch for snow, changing to ice pellets and freezing rain before changing to rain later this morning.

Motorists should exerc
ise caution due to potentially slippery, slushy and snow-covered roads.

Attendance To Council Meetings Encouraged

There could be a large audience when Fort Frances council resumes its budget discussions tonight.

Posters around town encourage people to attend the meeting in light of council's decision last week to required bag tags on all garbage bags at the curb for pick up.

No one takes claim for the posters that ask if you would prefer to spend your money on food rather than bag tags.

Campbell Supports Minerals Extracted Staying In Province

Kenora-Rainy River MPP Sarah Campbell wants minerals extracted in Ontario to stay in the province.

Campbell says it's important that the jobs remain here.

A bill that would have entrenched that into the Mining Act when down to defeat at Queen's Park last week.

Summer Company Program Accepting Applications

Applications are now being accepted for a summer program that teaches students how to run their own business.

Summer Company is a provincial program promoted through the Northwest Business Centre.

Manager Diane Schwartz-Williams says over 400 companies will be developed across Ontario with four spots open to eligible students aged 15 to 29 in the Kenora and Rainy River districts.

Applications close May 17.

Successful candidates will be given $1,500 for start up costs.

Vote For Emily Today

The public can help a Fort Frances teen win a component of the Miss Teen Northern Ontario pageant.

18-year old Emily Hyatt is competing in next month's event in Sudbury.

Starting today, voting begins on the people choice award.

The winner will get an automatic berth in the final 15. 

Hyatt is one of 40 girls taking part.

Visit the pageant's website to cast your vote.

Laced Marijuana Found

Ontario Provincial Police are raising some red flags about some marijuana seized in Fort Frances.

Police says the marihuana was laced with amphetamines, commonly known as speed.

Police began investigating after informed that people who had purchased the marijuana were becoming sick causing them to seek medical attention.

OPP don't say if they have made an arrests.

Question Of The Week

There was considerable debate last week by Fort Frances council on how additional revenue could be raised through garbage collection.

In our 931theborder.ca poll, we ask you what method you'd prefer.

In response to last week's question, 56 per cent of respondents did not favour keeping ice in the Ice for Kids Arena until the end of June.