Atikokan Renewable Fuels Still Waits for Wood

A partner in the company Atikokan Renewable Fuels says they've been forced to lay off most of their employees because they are still waiting for a wood allocation from the Province.

Ed Fukushima says the process is flawed and he's disappointed.

"It's problematic, "says Fukushima. "If there's a deadline set it should be met. We've got a major investment up there in Atikokan. It cost us to heat the building which is not producing any income. We're paying taxes up there and we have potential jobs for some northerners. There's no reason why this project shouldn't go forward."

The plant proposes to make pellets for Ontario Power Generation, but Fukushima says time is working against them.

New Detachment to Open Soon

Treaty Three Police Service is hoping to have their new detachment at Couchiching First Nations up and running in the near future.

Chief Conrad Delaronde says they are just putting the finishing touches to the facility.

"We should be taking possession of it hopefully in the early part of the new year," says Delaronde. "It's almost done. It's on Agency One land and it's going to be out southern detachment serving communities in that area."

Delaronde says they also want to expand their drug unit and enhance their administrative services in the new year.

Board Finances Strong

The Rainy River District School Board appears to be in a good financial position.

Audited statements to the end of August released show the board enjoyed a surplus of $1.9 million.

The surplus was due to an increase in government grants and a decrease in expenditures.

The money has been moved into the board's reserve fund for future use.

Violence Against Aboriginal Women Hearings

Violence against aboriginal women will be discussed in Sioux Lookout and Thunder Bay this week.

The Status of Women committee is traveling across Canada.

British Columbia MP Cathy McLeod says they want to hear from community members.

"(We want to) Naming violence and saying it's not okay and sharing that with the children," says McLeod. "How can we really take the good things that are happening and imbed it in a more widespread way."

McLeod says they will be releasing a report to the federal government in the spring.

Invasive Species Plan Unveiled

Minnesota's Department of Natural Resources has unveiled its plan to slow the spread of zebra mussels and other aquatic invasive species.

It includes additional conservation officers to inspect boats and other vehicles that spread invasive species as well as increased fines for violations.

It will be presented to state lawmakers on Friday.

Ice Box Days Gets Attention in England

(City of International Falls photo)

Some International exposure over the weekend for International Falls and its Ice Box Days.

Chamber president Faye Whitbeck was the guest Saturday on a London, England based radio program to talk about the event.

Whitbeck says the hosts inquired mostly about turkey bowling, comparing the frozen birds to actual bowling balls and wondering where you placed your hands.

NDP Promise HST Cut on Energy Bills

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath continues to attack the McGuinty Government's failure to remove the HST from hydro, and home heating bills.

Horwath says northerners especially are struggling and need a break.

Horvath says if her party is elected she would remove the HST from home heating oil and natural gas.

McGuinty Future

A broadcast report says Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty is hinting that he may not serve a full third term if his Liberal party wins re-election in October.

In an interview with CTV News, McGuinty hedged about his future when asked if he would serve out four years.

McGuinty said he was " not going to speculate as to how long,'' but was committed to seeing through the policies the Liberals have put in place.

McGuinty first led to Liberals to power in 2003.

Natural Helpers Program at Fort High

(Fort Frances High School teacher Shane Beckett explaining Natural Helpers Program at recent Rainy River District School Board meeting)


Students at Fort Frances High School are benefiting from a program that offers help from their own peers.

The Natural Helpers program was established two years and involves a group of students selected in part by the student body.


Grade 11 student Kennadi Herbert says there's satisfaction to lending a hand.

"It's hard helping people and hard constantly being there and listening to every one's problems," says Hebert, "but when you get that thank you or that smile or that 'you helped me so much' it makes it all worth it."

The group participates in monthly training sessions, including on suicide identification.

Limited Snowmo Trails Open in Park

(Voyageurs National Park photo)


Voyageurs National Park is reporting many of ski and snowshoe trails are open, but only two of its snowmobile trails are fit for use.

Among them, the entire 50 mile length of the Green Trail from Rainy Lake, through the Kabetogama Lake and Ash River communities and on to Crane Lake.

The Park says thin ice conditions are preventing other trails from opening.

DNR Commish Named

Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton has selected a seasoned conservationist to head the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

Tom Landwehr, formerly of the Nature Conservancy's Minnesota chapter, becomes commissioner of natural resources, a position that requires balancing varied economic and recreational interests.

Landwehr expects the state's deficit and two pending precious metals mining projects in northeastern Minnesota to be a big part of his new job.

Alzheimer Education

The Alzheimer's Society of Kenora and Rainy River Districts is trying to raise awareness of the disease in 2011.

Executive Director Lynn Moffatt says a new survey suggests that 23 percent of baby boomers don't know some of the early signs of the disease.

"Some of the ten warning signs are memory loss that effect day to day abilities," says Moffatt. "Difficulty performing regular and familiar tasks such as preparing a meal or playing a game even."

Moffat says the risk of getting the disease also increases with age.

Prevention Program Put in Place

Riverside Health Care Facilities is taking a holistic approach in preventing patients from getting pressure ulcers.

They're often inflicted on those who remain in one position for too long.

Dee O'Sullivan-Drombolis says the new program benefits both patients and staff.

"It encompasses a lot of education," says O'Sullivan-Drombolis, "not just for staff, but also for patients and making sure you really understand what's going on and also implementing personalized care plans. First of all to be comfortable and to prevent from getting a fresh ulcer."

Staff recently completed a series of education sessions to implement the program this year.

Medical Hostel Suggested

A member of the Atikokan General Hospital board feels there's a need for an affordable place to stay in Thunder Bay for regional patients and their families traveling for medical purposes.

Marlene Davidson says a medical hostel could be an alternative to those who can't afford the $75 to $100 a night hotels.

"There should be a regional spot in Thunder Bay, like a hostel, where people can go to if they have someone in the Regional Hospital," says Davidson, "or someone who is doing testing or just coming out of the hospital that needs to have another day or two before they get on the road to go back to their own community."

Davidson envisions the hostel being similar to one in Thunder Bay set up for aboriginal people.

Collection Depot Open

Fort Frances' new recycling collection depot is now open.

The town's environmental superintendent Doug Herr says the facility on Sixth Street West allows residents to drop of acceptable recyclables at any time of the day.

"There are four bins that you feed through the fence to put your recycling in to," says Herr. "When the bins are full we'll dump them into the recycling building on the same property and put the bins back.

Herr says the town will be monitoring the site regularly to ensure things such as tires and household waste aren't dropped off.

A $75-thousand grant from Waste Diversion Ontario aided in the facilities construction.

Emergency Aid Fund Bolstered

KOOTASCA Community Action has received financial support from the Otto Bremer Foundation.

The foundation is giving the Koochiching County agency $20-thousand.

The money will be set aside for eligible residents facing emergency or crisis situations and needing financial help for such things as heating, housing or transportation.

NAN Chief Heading Down Under

The Grand Chief of the Nishnawbe Aski Nation is traveling to New Zealand next week.

Stan Beardy will be taking part in a conference that will look at environmental issues.

He'll be one of the panel speakers representing first nations living in the boreal forest.

Shaw E-Mail Coming to Internet Users

Shaw Cable will be sending its Internet customers warnings about illegal downloading.

Warner Brothers Entertainment is apparently asking Shaw to send emails advising customers that it is illegal to download copyrighted music and movies.

Shaw president Peter Bissonette says the company is simply complying with a copyright agreement between all broadcast distributors and copyright holders.

New Fishing Summary Released

The new Ontario Recreational Fishing Regulations Summary is now out.

There are no changes to the rule governing lakes in the Rainy River district, but MNR Biologist Amy Godwin says that could change in the future.

"They're currently working on the management plan for the zone," says Godwin. "From there they will implement changes to the regulations if need be."

Godwin says the only change of any significant in northwestern Ontario for this year was a clarification of the northern pike season at Eagle Lake near Dryden.

Snow-a-Rama Approaching

Easter Seals is putting out a call for participants to this year's Snow-a-rama in Atikokan.

The January 29 event is a one hundred kilometre ride allowing snowmobilers to raise money for Easter Seals kids programs in northwestern Ontario.

Rhonda Harrison of the Easter Seals Thunder Bay office says it's one of their signature events.

"Atikokan is like the second biggest of all of Ontario," says Harrison. "It's one of the original Snow-a-Rama events. It's quite a following. It has people coming from all over to participate."

Registration and pledge forms can be found by going to the website http://www.snowarama.org/