Opposition Continues To Challege Government's Tourism Strategy

The opposition continues to challenge the governing Liberals on its tourism strategy for northern Ontario.

Kenora-Rainy River MPP Sarah Campbell says despite having a significant impact on the economy, area operators aren't getting the respect they deserve.

Campbell also feels the province erred in closing tourism information centres last year.

Business Expo Sold Out

A pleasant predicament for the Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce.

Manager Annely Armstrong says they have no space available for next week's Business and Community Expo.

Armstrong says changes to the event, including a lower price for early registrants and doing away with the Strongman competition, may have helped attract vendors.

The event goes April 26 and 27.

More Snow Expected

Yet another winter storm is being forecast for the Borderland.

It's the result of a large low pressure system that's tracking from Texas.

Environment Canada says some parts of our region could receive between five and 10 centimeters of snow tonight and into tomorrow.

Clarification

A clarification to a story about Rainy River Resources CFOB-News ran last week.

It stated project costs for a new open pit mine north of Barwick to be about a billion dollars.

In fact, initial upfront costs are $713-million.

There would be another $322-million spent after the mine opens.

Costs for an underground mine are listed at $68-million with another $
95-million in sustaining capital costs.

We Day In Rainy River

WE Day Winnipeg 2012

We Day is coming to Rainy River High School.

The May 28th event will be a smaller version of an event held last fall in Winnipeg promoted by the organization Free the Children.

Jessica Haw, one of the organizers, says they will have a number special guests and talents to help inspire students.

Haw, who attended the Winnipeg event, says it's also an effort to bring that experience back to the entire school.

More Support For Justin Trudeau

More local support for Justin Trudeau as leader of the federal Liberal party.

President of the Kenora Rainy River provincial Liberal Riding Association Anthony Leek is excited for the federal party.

Leek says Trudeau may be relatively young to run the party but has great potential.

MNR Preparing For Forest Fire Increase

There's no threat right now, but the Ministry of Natural Resources says a number of factors could result in an increase in forest fires in the future.

Rick Payne, a Fire Response Specialist, says to deal with that potential, the MNR is updating its fire management strategies.

Payne says government cutbacks may also impact operations, but stresses they will just have to operate within their budgets.

Minnesota Conservation Officers Busy

A busy week for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Conservation officers.

More than 700 boats fishing along the Rainy River were checked recently.

Enforcement was taken on anglers who failed to have a fishing license, boaters who had insufficient number of life jackets on board, boats that had no registration and anglers with an over limit of walleye.

More Charges Laid

Minnesota wildlife officials say 21 more people face fish poaching charges in the biggest such case in the last 20 years.

The cases involve illegal purchase and sale of game fish, mostly walleye, taken from popular fishing lakes such as Cass, Leech, Red and Winnibigoshish lakes on the Red Lake or Leech Lake reservations.

Ten men were indicted last week on federal charges from the same investigation.

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

File photo

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

File photo

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

Supplied photo

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

File photo

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.