Internet Safety

The Ontario government has approved changes to the health and physical education curriculum for elementary schools to help kids better protect themselves online.

Starting next fall, there will be specific sections in the curriculum for Grades 4 and 7 about Internet safety and the potential risks of online activities.

There will also be "age appropriate'' discussions about online dangers in Grades 1 through 8.

Native Leaders Meet in Wabigoon

Former National Grand Chief Phil Fontaine is expected to attend a meeting of area First Nation Chiefs in Wabigoon today.

Fontaine is a keynote speaker of a Grand Council Treaty 3 meeting that aims to encourage and create economic opportunities for first nations through partnerships.

Fleury Visits Fort Frances

(Rainy River District School Board photo)

Don't Quit before the Miracle - that was the key message from former NHLer Theoren Fleury who spoke to about two hundred people at the Townsend Theatre last night.


Fleury is promoting his book "Playing with Fire" that outlines his career and past additions to drugs and alcohol, and says the response has been very positive.

"There's a lot of similarities in people's lives with mine," says Fleury. "It's funny how different people have picked out different things in the book that they said has inspired them and helped them get through some tough times as well."



Since arriving Tuesday, Fleury has spoken at area schools, met with local hockey teams and visited the district jails.



Today he travels to Atikokan where he will speak at the Atikokan High School.

Red Cross Branch Developed

There's a push to create a branch of the Canadian Red Cross in Fort Frances.

Shauna Hansson, district manager in Dryden says they're hoping to use the expertise of a number of volunteers to get the local office up and running.

"Right now we're looking for a branch council," says Hansson, "which is comprised of a president, vice-president and secretary. We're looking for people to represent the programs - disaster management, injury prevention programs, community initiative programs and fund development as we are a not-for-profit organization."

Hansson says there no specific target date for start-up, but could take at least a year before the council is fully functional.

211 Coming to District

The development of a comprehensive database for residents to find information about social, community, health and government services is underway in northwestern Ontario.

Trudy McCormick of the Northwest Community Legal Clinic says when active this fall, residents in the Rainy River District can access that database by calling 2-1-1.

"In any community you should be able to dial 2-1-1," says McCormick, "and be connected with someone who you can talk to about finding resources in your community for what ever your particular issue is."

An agreement involving the Lakehead Social Planning Council and 211 North will see the Legal Clinic responsible for maintaining that database.

It's hoped to call the system in place by the fall.

College Scholarships Awarded

The Rainy River District Campus of Confederation College has presented eight students with awards and scholarships totalling four thousand dollars.

Here is the list of recipients

Cheryl Maki - Metis Nation of Ontario Bursary

Patsy Roy - Metis Nation of Ontario Bursary

Elisabeth Nussbaumer - Corinne Boote Memorial Award (Awarded to a student from any program on the basis of financial need and academic achievement)

Beverly Dyke - Fort Frances Golf Committee Scholarship (Awarded to students from any program who are residents of Fort Frances or area attending any campus of Confederation College on the basis of financial need)

Peter Penner - Student Union of Confederation College Inc. Award (Awarded to students from any program on the basis of providing additional financial support. Involvement in campus life, community contributions and extra-curricular activities will be taken into consideration

Stacey Wilde - Student Union of Confederation College Inc. Award and Fort Frances Golf Committee Scholarship

Melissa Wood - Joseph B. Fero Memorial Award (Awarded to students from any program on the basis of financial need.)

David Egan - Fort Frances Golf Committee Scholarship, Student Union of Confederation College Inc. Award and Josh Klukie Memorial Award (Awarded to a student in the second year - third semester - of the Paramedic Program who has excellent academic achievement and good social skills with peers and others.)


David Egan was presented with three awards while Stacey Wilde earned two.

Other recipients were Cheryl Maki, Patsy Roy, Elisabeth Nussbaumer, Beverly Dyke, Peter Penner and Mellisa Wood.

Ice Road Closed

Voyageurs National Park has been forced to close its ice roads.

Recent warm weather and rain showers has left a significant amount of standing water and slush on the roads.

The park says if weather conditions permit, the roads may reopen.

Snowmobile trails in the park are still open, but sledders are being advised to use caution.

Voyageurs National Park Day

(National Park Service Photo)

Voyageurs National Park is front and centre in Washington today.


Park, County and city leaders have teamed up to promote the park as part of Voyageurs National Park Day at the Capital.

Cory MacNulty of the Voyageurs National Park Association says its an important day.

"It's an historic event," says MacNulty. "It's the first time we're really doing this going as a number of interest stakeholders in the park, going to Washington D.C. together to try to raise awareness with our delegation how important Voyageurs National Park is."

The group is holding several meetings with government officials and hosting a reception.

Water Quality Forum

Water quality on Lake of the Woods is again the main topic of discussion at a two-day international conference in International Falls.

Todd Sellars of Lake of the Woods Water Sustainability Foundation says the findings of a report on phosphorus and nitrogen in the lake will be released.

"The results of the nutrient and water quality modeling that our Foundation has been doing with Trent University and Minnesota St. Cloud State University as well as Minnesota Pollution Control and the Ontario Ministry of Environment," says Sellars. "That's been a two year project, so it will be the first peak of the results of that work."

As many as 80 scientists from Canada and the United States are expect to attend today and tomorrow.

Mining Deal with Area Native Communities

Brett Resources has signed an agreement in principal on a formal impact and benefits agreement with eight area First Nations relating to the company’s Hammond Reef Project north of Atikokan.

The deal is with Couchiching, Lac La Croix, Mitaanjigaming, Naicatchewenin, Nigigoonsiminikaaning, Rainy River, Seine River and Lac des Mille Lacs.

The agreement recognizes Brett's rights and obligations with respect to the Project.

In return the company will provide job opportunities to qualified band members and businesses.

The bands will also receive shares in the project and funding for education and training.

Resource Estimate Released

Rainy River Resources has a better indication of how much gold it has in plans for a potential gold mine in Richardson township, northwest of Emo.

President Raymond Threlkeld says a resource estimate points to about 2.3 million ounces of know resources, but more work must be done to confirm another 2.7 million ounces in inferred resources.

"It gives us an indication of what's there, but it does says if these are extractable ounces at this time," says Threlkeld.

Threlkeld says they may have a better indication about the inferred resources when another resource estimate comes out in the fall.

NDP Seek Budget Change

New Democrats are proposing a sub-amendment to the federal budget aimed at killing the Harmonized Sales Tax in Ontario.

The NDP want any reference to HST removed from the budget - which if passed would cancel a 4-point-3 billion dollar payment to Ontario to implement the controversial tax.

Thunder Bay-Rainy River MP John Rafferty, who supports the sub-amendment, says it would be irresponsible for any MP in Northwestern Ontario to support the budget that effectively raises the price of gas, hydro and snow removal.

A vote on the motion is scheduled for later this evening.

I. Falls in the Dark

Power has now been fully restored in the city of International Falls.

Amy Rutledge of Minnesota Power says the outage happened just after 6 a.m. and impact about one-thousand customers.

It forced school officials to cancel classes at Falls High School and West End Elementary.

Crash Victim Identified

A resident of Sioux Narrows has been identified as the victim of an early morning motor vehicle collision near Nestor Falls that closed Highway 71 for about ten hours.

OPP say 42-year old Brian Beacham was the driver of a northbound passenger van that came into collision with an oncoming transport in the southbound lane of the Highway in the vicinity of Caliper Lake.

Police says the closure was necessary to complete their examination of the scene.

The highway is now open.

Officer Killed

Investigators are putting together the evidence they've been able to find from yesterday morning's shootout that claimed the life of a15-year veteran Ontario Provincial Police officer.

Constable Vu Pham was shot in a gun battle that broke out after he'd pulled over a vehicle near Winthrop, north of London.

Witnesses say the gunman and officer were firing at each other from across a rural road, and that as many as 20 shots were exchanged.

But OPP Commissioner Julian Fantino says the officer was "immediately incapacitated'' in the gunfight and died later in the hospital.

The suspect, who was also hospitalized, is believed to be in his 70s, but his condition isn't known.

Throne Speech

Ontario's Liberal government says attracting more foreign students and investing in clean water technology will help the province get back on its feet.

The government's throne speech promises legislation to cash in on the huge demand for clean water technologies, something Ontario Federation of Labour president Sid Ryan calls a clever ploy.

Ryan says Ontario's Conservatives will be forced to talk about the deadly tainted water tragedy in Walkerton 10 years ago if the Liberals campaign on the clean water idea.

He says it would force Opposition Leader Tim Hudak into defending the policies of the Mike Harris government.

The Canadian Federation of Students calls the government's plan to bring in more foreign students to raise cash ``ridiculous,'' and says the best way to help all students is lower tuition fees.

The Tories say the government is looking at international students as a cash cow, while the New Democrats say the throne speech offers no relief to people worried about their jobs.

No Weddings Please

The owner of La Place Rendez-Vous is calling on Fort Frances town councillors to reconsider their decision to allow catered weddings at Sunny Cove Camp.

Paul Noonan told councillors last night that move puts the town in direct competition with businesses already offering similar services.

"Our banquet facilities as well as others in the community including the Legion, Curling Club and Arena are no where near maxed out," said Noonan. "Opening up an additional facility will only serve to negatively impact on all of us."

Noonan suggests the town consider alternative revenue generating initiatives such as opening Sunny Cove to public camping.

Recruitment Report Released

A report commissioned by the town of Fort Frances makes a number of recommendations aimed at improving the town's ability to attract and retain physicians.

Geoff Gillon of the Rainy River Future Development Corporation told councillors last night the key is creating an environment that welcomes doctors.

"It's highly competitive out there," said Gillon. "We can only do so much as a small community. But if we work together as a community and we show prospective physicians that we want them and we welcome them and we're prepare to support them, we have a very good chance of attracting younger doctors to the community."

Among the recommendations include creating an executive council within the current recruitment committee, increasing awareness of local incentive programs and hiring assistants to work with the committee.

Highway 71 Closed

Highway 71 has been closed in the Nestor Falls area due to what provincial police are describing as a serious motor vehicle accident that occurred early this morning.

Details of the accident, south of the community, have not been released at this time, and police say it's uncertain how long the highway will remained closed.

Stay tuned to B-93 for further details as they are made available.

Census Forms Out Next Week

(U.S. Census Bureau photo)

The U.S. Census Bureau has begun mailing advance letters to inform Americans of the pending arrival of the 2010 Census form.

The 10-question census is being distributed to about 120-million households next week.

Officials in Koochiching County, concerned with a potential decline in population, are pushing for students studying outside the county and seniors wintering in other states to identify the County as their main residency.