Sirens Tested In Fort Frances

It came a day earlier, but yesterday's sirens in Fort Frances were nothing more than a test.

 

Fort Frances Fire and Rescue Service says they were sounded to test the system as they were working on some alarms that were not functioning properly.

 

The monthly test, which is done the first Wednesday of the month, will go ahead as planned today.

 

Officials advise that if the sirens do go off, turn to  93.1 The Border for an update instead of calling the fire department or turning to social media sites for information. 

Fool's Gold Preview

A northwestern Ontario junior mining company is in the spotlight in a television program to air next week on the Discovery Channel.

 

Fool's Gold follows Shotgun Exploration as its explores the former Straw Lake Mine, a once operating gold mine north of Fort Frances.

 

Mark Fairington, AKA Griz, calls it's a learning experience given that none of the crew had any mining experience.

 

A sneak preview of the program was held last night in Fort Frances.

Promise of Trade Jobs From PCs

Progressive Conservative leader Tim Hudak is promising to create 200-thousand new jobs in the trades.

 

Hudak says cutting red tape and giving Colleges more say in how to attract students to the trades can lead to that number.

 

Even though he visited a company that received funding to create jobs, Hudak says reducing taxes and hydro costs are better measures.

Liberals Seeking Donors

The Ontario Liberal party is making a push to bolster its campaign coffers.

It's looking to add at least 500 new donors to its list by midnight tonight.

Successful Fundraiser

Riverside Foundation for Health Care's spring luncheon is being hailed a huge success.

More than 170 people attended Saturday's event in Fort Frances.

Almost $9,100 was raised.

New Instructor Hired

Rainy River Community College has hired a full time instruction for its Industrial Maintenance program.

Michael Koski has been an instructor at Mesabi Range College in Virginia for the past year and has more than thirty years of industry experience.

The program is aimed at preparing students for work in all types of industry and includes a certificate, diploma, and Associate in Applied Science degree.

Success For Cadets

Some success for members of the 144 Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Corp in Fort Frances following their involvement in the recent Northwestern Ontario band and drill competitions in Thunder Bay on the weekend.

 

The cadets placed second overall while their Drill Commander, Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class Chelsea Barron was second as Drill Commander.

 

The team, which also included two cadets from the 908 Rainy Lake Air Cadet Squadron, placed first in the Best Dress category.

Liberals Prepared To Fight For Kenora-Rainy River Riding

The Liberals are hoping to improve on their showing in Kenora-Rainy River from the last provincial election.

 

Emo's Anthony Leek returns as their candidate and says he's better prepared than he was four years ago.

 

Leek says he wants to highlight his involvement in the region and the interest Premier Wynne has shown to northern Ontario since taking over as leader.

Thunder Bay-Atikokan Riding Candidates Ready

Candidates in Thunder Bay-Atikokan are ready for the election.

Liberal incumbent Bill Mauro is confident of his chances of retaking the riding and the Liberals returning to power.

NDP candidate Mary Kozorys says she wants to give Ontarians a voice.

PC candidate is Harold Wilson.

NDP Leader Ready To Debate

The Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association is setting May 26th as the date for a leaders debate.

Premier Kathleen Wynne challenged the opposition leader to a northern Ontario debate prior to the election call and NDP leader Andrea Horwath is accepting.

Horwath calls the challenge funny given the Liberals refused to participate in a similar debate four years ago.

Local Board Seen As Leader

RRDSB photo: supplied

Ongoing efforts to improve the safety of students who identify as being gay, lesbian, bi-sexual or trans-gender continues in Fort Frances today.
Members of EGALE Canada are providing training to about 50 educators and community reps.

Facilitators Kevin Weldes-Godin says it's making a difference in schools.

Weldes-Godin also applauds the Rainy River District School Board as being a leader in making its schools more inclusive.

Multi-modal Area Ownership Questioned

International Falls city council has given final approval to a contract for work at its multi-modal area, but not before some debate over the property's ownership.

Mayor Bob Anderson expressed concern that while city's economic development authority purchased the 77 acres, council had given no authority to the EDA.

City solicitor Steve Shermoen called it a technicality, but saw no problems with the city correcting the issue even after the work contract was finalized.

Body Of Infant Found

In Thunder Bay, city police are investigating a grizzly discovery.

The body of an infant was located yesterday afternoon in a wooded area along the Neebing River, near the Delaney Arena in the city's south side.

An autopsy is scheduled to take place in Toronto.

NDP Says Northerners Support Budget Defeat

The NDP says northerners are welcoming the chance to go to the polls.

They've released a survey that says 50 per cent of residents in northern Ontario asked approve of leader Andrea Horwath's decision not to support the Liberal budget.

35 per cent disapprove.

It's a 56 per cent approval rate province wide.

47 per cent also says they hold the Liberals responsible for the election compared to 26 per cent pointing blamed at the NDP and 10 per cent on the PC's.

Financial Accountability Office Disputed

The Liberals and the NDP are throwing barbs each other for the failure of the Financial Accountability Office.

It's one of the reasons for NDP leader Andrea Horwath not supporting the budget and sending Ontario into an election.

The Liberals say it was the NDP who rejected two qualified candidates last month.

But NDP accuse the Liberals of foot dragging during the process, they say led to several individual withdrawing and the Liberals trying to push a hand-picked candidate they knew would not pass the test.

Visitor Restrictions At Rainycrest

Visitor restrictions are now in place at Rainycrest Long-term Care home in Fort Frances.

It's because of an outbreak of gastroenteritis.

Residents effected are being isolated while visits are being restricted to one family member at a time.

All group activities at the home have also been postponed.

Camp Break-Ins Reported

Some cottage owners in the Sioux Narrows-Nestor Falls area are returning to their camps to find they've been victims of break-ins.

OPP says some alcohol and sporting goods were taken from a cottage at Regina Bay on Lake of the Woods sometime over the past month.

Another cottage in the Nestor Falls area was broken into sometime since Christmas.

The owners report the cupboards were ransacked by nothing was taken.

Teen Found

A Manitoba teen who was the subject of a search by the RCMP and OPP has been found.

Police says 16-year-old Toni Rose Linklater was located Friday in Manitoba.

There had been reports she had been spotted in northwestern Ontario, hitch-hiking.

New Gold Preparing For Mine Construction

New Gold continues to prepare for construction and eventual opening of its planned open pit mine north of Barwick.

It's recently hired an engineering team and has began identifying potential equipment purchases.

President Randall Oliphant says they're benefiting from a slowdown in mine development that's helping to keep costs down.

Oliphant says many of the costs are coming in or below estimates.

LGBT Training In Fort Frances

Educators, administrators and reps from other agencies are gathering today in Fort Frances for the start of a two day conference relating to lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans-gender students.

Rainy River District School Board's Casey Slack says i'ts the third time officials with EGALE Canada have offered this type of training.

Slack says a separate session will be held Wednesday with students.