Proposed Debt Settlement Services Rules Welcomed

There's some praise being offered to the Ontario government for its plans to bring in new rules aimed at debt settlement services.

Frank Fabiano, a trustee in bankruptcy with Grant Thornton, says he's aware of individuals who used these services and paid out large sums of money intended to help cover their debts, only to be sued later by their creditors.

Fabiano says some the companies take the money and don't negotiate a deal with creditors for some time.



The proposed legislation includes companies having easy-to-understand contracts and doing away with upfront fees.

QR Walking Tour Planned

The Fort Frances Museum is in the midst of organizing a walking tour that will require a smart phone.

Curator Sherry George says they're hoping to display QR codes on various buildings that can be read with smart phone technology.

By reading the codes, people will be directed to websites that describe the location along with historical information.

George says they plan to begin with the downtown area in hopes of expanding elsewhere.

Dragon Boat Festival Preparations

Preparations are being made for this year Dragon Boat Festival in Fort Frances.

The event will be held during Canada Day along the Rainy River.

Organizer Jenny Greenhalgh says the success of last year inaugural event is attracting some interest this year.

NCDS is currently accepting groups or individuals wanting to participate.

Local History Promoted

The story of a woman from the Fort Frances area, who's a big part of Victoria, British Columbia's history, is being told.

Isabella Mainville lived here in the early 1800's before marrying Charles Ross, an employee with the Hudson Bay company and moving west.

Fern Perkins, a retired teacher, is in the area to talk about her great-great-great grandmother.

Perkins spoke at area schools and during a community event last night.

Festival Results From Thursday

Sturgeon Creek Alternative Program captured two first place finishes to bring the English drama competitions at the Rainy River District Festival of the Performing Arts to a conclusion.

Instrumental also took place with several multi winners.

Tianna Veldhuisen, among them, took two individual awards in the string category, then as a duet with Katelyn Bruyere and as part of violin group.


Today French Drama takes place this afternoon at the Townshend Theatre and later tonight at Knox United Church.


Here are all of the results from Thursday


FESTIVAL 2013 - Drama Results, Thursday, April 18
   
Choral Speaking, Grade 2
FIRST:  J. W. Walker School, Grades 1 and 2 (Director, Nicole Evans)

Choral Speaking, Grade 3
FIRST:  Sturgeon Creek Alternative Program, Grades 6 to 8 (Director, Yvonne Veldhuisen)

Elementary Skit, Grades 6 to 8
FIRST:  Sturgeon Creek Alternative Program, Grades 6 to 8 (Director, Yvonne Veldhuisen)



FESTIVAL 2013 - Instrumental Results, Thursday, April 18

Beginner Ensemble
FIRST:  Robert Moore School, Grade 4 Class (Director, Cynthia Donald)

Bands and Orchestras, Beginner Band
FIRST:  St. Thomas Grade 4 - 8 Beginner Band (Director, John Faith)
SECOND:  J. W. Walker School Grade 7 to 8 Band (Director, J. Bonner-Vickers)

Ensembles, Garage Band, Cover Material
FIRST:  Shawn Brady and Raymond Pols

Guitar Solo, Level 1
FIRST:  Calin Campbell
SECOND:  Reese Jolicoeur

Guitar Solo, Level 2
FIRST:  Scott Jolicoeur
SECOND:  Ryley Booth

String Solo, Popular Music, Junior
FIRST:  Scott Jolicoeur (Guitar)
SECOND:  Ryley Booth (Guitar)

Violin Solo, Examination Courses, Grade 1
FIRST:  Alexa Veldhuisen

Violin Solo, Examination Courses, Grade 4
FIRST:  Hannah Veldhuisen
SECOND:  Mika Kooistra

Violin Solo, Examination Courses, Grade 5
FIRST:  Tianna Veldhuisen
SECOND:  Katelyn Bruyere

Violin Solo, Method Courses, Level 4
FIRST:  Katelyn Bruyere


String Solo, Short Recital Piece, Junior
FIRST:  Mika Kooistra
SECOND:  Hannah Veldhuisen

String Solo, Short Recital Piece, Intermediate
FIRST:  Tianna Veldhuisen
SECOND:  Katelyn Bruyere

Junior Duets
FIRST:  Hanna Veldhuisen and Mika Kooistra


Intermediate Duets
FIRST: Tianna Veldhuisen and Katelyn Bruyere

Instrumental Solo, Popular Music, Adult Woodwind
FIRST:  John Jankiewicz

Instrumental Solo, Short Recital Piece, Adult Woodwind
FIRST:  John Jankiewicz

Violin Concert Group, Junior
FIRST:   Katelyn Bruyere, Mika Kooistra, Alexa Veldhuisen, Hannah Veldhuisen, Tianna Veldhuisen

Tourism Minister Defends Tourism Strategy

Ontario's Tourism Minister is disputing opposition claims that the tourism industry in northern Ontario isn't a big priority for him.

Michael Chan was challenged in Queen's Park this week by the NDP who cited the closure of tourism information centres as part of a failed strategy.

Chan says the province needs to look at technology to help market the region.

Chan adds that since 2010, the Liberals have also provided $18-million dollars towards a Regional Tourism Organization that helps market the entire north.

New Board In Place

A new International advisory board for the Rainy Lake and Lake of the Woods watersheds is now in place.

It consolidates two existing boards and was a key recommendation of an task force that identified ways of improving water quality in the basin.

The new board is comprised of 20 members, representing interests and governments in both Canada and the U.S., and will report to governments on water quality objectives in the boundary waters.

Communities Told To Be Ready For Possible Evacuees

Communities across northwestern Ontario are being asked to be "host" ready.

The Chief of Emergency Management Ontario, Allison Stuart, stresses they need to be prepared at all time to host evacuees when in need.

Stuart admits they were caught off-guard two years ago when se
veral First Nations had to be evacuated due to the threat of forest fires.

EMO has now drafted a set of guideline that help determine suitable sites.

Fort Frances served as a host for the first time last summer when about one hundred people from Sand Lake First Nation had to be evacuated because of forest fires.

State Of Emergency Declared

A state of emergency has been declared on a remote First Nation in northwestern Ontario, where two people have died in the past two weeks.

There are fears suicide is spreading on the Neskantaga First Nation, where drug addiction is said to be a major problem.

Festival Results From Wednesday April 17

Robert Moore School took four school honours while Mira Donaldson claimed five individual awards in the second day of English drama competitions at the Rainy River District Festival of the Performing Arts.

Callahan Wiedenhoeft was also a multiple winner, winning three events.

Competitions continue this morning at the Townshend Theatre.

Here are the results from Wednesday.

Elementary Skit, Grades 1 to 3FIRST:  Robert Moore School, Grade 1 (Director, Cathy Richards)

Elementary Skit, Grades 4 and 5
FIRST:  Robert Moore School, Grade 4 (Director, Cynthia Donald)

Choral Speaking, Kindergarten
FIRST:  Robert Moore Early Learning (Director, Barb Eldridge)

Choral Speaking, Grade 2
FIRST:  St. Michael's School, Grade 2 (Director, Paulette Romaniuk)

Choral Speaking, Grade3
FIRST:  St. Michael's School, Grade 2 (Director, Artina Gurski)

Choral Speaking, Grade 5
FIRST:  Robert  Moore School, Grade 5 (Director, Julie Ste. Croix)

Choral Speaking, Grade 6
FIRST:  Crossroads School, Grade 6 (Director, Meghan Spooner)

Serious Poetry, Grade 6
FIRST:  Cole Trimble

Serious Poetry, Grade 6
FIRST:  Callahan Wiedenhoeft
SECOND:  Mira Donaldson

Humorous Poetry, Grade 6
FIRST:  Callahan Wiedenhoeft
SECOND:  Alina Eldridge

Humorous Poetry, Grade 6
FIRST:  Mira Donaldson

Original Poetry, Grades 4 to 6
FIRST:  Mira Donaldson

Serious Reading, Grades 5 and 6
FIRST:  Mira Donaldson

Humorous Reading, Grades 5 and 6
FIRST:  Callahan Wiedenhoeft

Humorou Reading, Grades 5 and 6
FIRST:  Mira Donaldson

Sight Reading, Elementary
FIRST:  Mira Donaldson

Funding For Native Health Access Centres

Two Native Health Access Centres in northwestern Ontario are getting money to help retain and hire new physicians and nurse practitioners

Along with the $2.3 million, centres in Fort Frances and Kenora will also get funding for building renovations.

President of the Fort Frances centre, Clint Calder says that capital money is most needed.

Aboriginal Affairs Minister David Zimmer announced the funding during a visit to Kenora yesterday.
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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.