Operation Corridor

Transport drivers will have to be extra attentive on the road as Operation Corridor is being rolled out today.

OPP Sergeant Shelley Garr says police will join a number of agencies in the 24-hour blitz.

"The Ontario Provincial Police, the Ministry of Transportation, the Ministry of Environment will be cracking down on aggressive commercial truck drivers and unsafe commercials vehicles that are travelling on our highways," says Garr.

Garr says they will also be watching for seatbelt infractions and distracted drivers.

Canadian Tug of War Team Named

A list of Canadians celebrities pulling for Fort Frances in the July 2 Pulling for Peace tug of war with International Falls has been released.

Fort Frances Mayor Roy Avis will captain the team that includes former CFLers Jack Cameron and Bill Low and former NHLers Dave and Mike Allison.

They'll go up against an Amercan squad that includes six former members of the Minnesota Vikings.

Here's a list of the celebrities for both teams.

CANADA

• Roy “Ace” Avis, Fort Frances mayor

• Paul “Foot Pedal Down” Ryan, Fort Frances councillor

• John “Italian Stallion” Albanese, councillor

• Ken “Polka Dot” Perry, councillor

• Andrew “Flying Finn” Hallikas, councillor

• Rick “Weed Man” Wiedenhoeft, councillor

• Mark “Cheeze” McCaig, Chief Administrative Officer, town of Fort Frances

• Glenn “Leftie” Treftlin, city clerk, town of Fort Frances

• Doug “Mork” Brown, Public Works manager, town of Fort Frances

• “Fabulous” Faye Flatt, town planner, town of Fort Frances

• Frank “The Good” Sheppard, town fire chief, town of Fort Frances

• Dave “The Enforcer” Montgomery, Fort Frances High School football coach

• Jack “The Hammer” Cameron, Canadian Football League

• Bill “The Undertaker” Low, Canadian Football League

• Mike “Red Dog” Allison, National Hockey League

• Dave “Big Red” Allison, National Hockey League player, coach

• John “Relentless” Rafferty, MP, Thunder Bay-Rainy River

• Howard “Hitman” Hampton, MPP, Kenora-Rainy River

• Ian “Simmer” Simpson, Fort Frances High School vice principal

• Al “The Muscle” McManaman, Fort Frances High School principal


UNITED STATES

• Captain Matt “The Motivator” Blair, Vikings alumnus

• Shawn “The Muscle” Mason, Falls mayor

• “Pumped Up” Paul Eklund, Falls City Council

• Gail “Running Wild” Rognerud, city council

• Cynthia “Jumping Jaksa Flash,” city council

• Brian “The Brawn” Youso, Koochiching County sheriff

• “Giant” Jake Youso, Holy Cross College hockey player

• “Mighty” Matt Youso, United States Hockey League player

• “Flamin’” Frank Youso, Vikings alumnus

• “Benchwarmer” Bob Lurtsema, Vikings alumnus

• Greg “Coffin Corner” Coleman, Vikings alumnus

• “Stunning” Stu Voigt, Vikings alumnus

• “Thundering” John Swain, Vikings alumnus

• “Dangerous” Dione Wessels, American Strongman Corp., president, female athlete

• Mary “Mad Dog” Casanova, Ranier author

• “Slim” Jim Oberstar, former 8th District congressman

• U.S. Sen. Amy “Armstrong” Klobuchar

• U.S. Sen. Al “Funnyman” Franken

• State Rep. Tom “The Annihilator” Anzelc

• State Sen. “Toughman” Tom Saxhaug

Missing Man Found

OPP have located the body of a missing American man on Lake of the Woods.

The body of 69-year-old Richard Hermann of Illinois was found by an OPP marine unit Sunday on the lake's shore near Morson.

Hermann and another man, 73-year-old James Wealther, went missing May 23 during a fishing outing on the lake.

Wealther's body was found the next day.

Search in Boundary Waters Canoe Area

Minnesota authorities are searching the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness for a missing Wisconsin Man.

23-year-old Ty Sitter was reported missing early Friday after failing to return to his camp from a canoe outing at Swan Lake.

His canoe was found upright and unoccupied, with about 4 inches of water in it.

Stolen Vehicle Arrest

A 24-year-old man will appear in court next month following an OPP investigation into a stolen vehicle in Atikokan.

Police found the vehicle early Sunday morning, not far from where it was taken.

The unidentified man was charged with being impaired and having cocaine in his possession.

Task Force Holds Meetins

A task force looking at the management of the Lake of the Woods and Rainy Lake basins begins a series of public meetings Monday in Atikokan.

The International Joint Commission-sponsored group is seeking comment on its draft final report which contains recommendations on how best to manage the areas waters.

Monday's meeting is at the Atikokan Economic Development Commission's office on Main Street beginning at 7 p.m.

NDP to Select Election Candidates

Ontario's New Democrats plan to nominate 30 candidates over the next two weeks, nearly doubling their slate by the end of the month.

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath says the candidates expect to be in place by the time the party releases its election platform June 24.

Howard Hampton in Kenora-Rainy River and Mary Kozorys in Thunder Bay-Atikokan have already been choosen in their ridings.

Big Fish - But Not a Record

Minnesota wildlife officials say a silver-phase northern pike caught last week by a Wisconsin angler may have been huge, but it won't breach the state record.

Mark Plumley of St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin caught the 18 pound, 14 1/2 ounces fish at Snowbank Lake near Ely Wednesday.

The Department of Natural Resourcse used to keep records for silver pike, but no longer recognizes it among record fish because that color phase isn't a distinct species.

New Fires Reported

Six new forest fires were reported in northwestern Ontario Sunday - two in the Rainy River district.

One is still burning at Nym Lake, across from a Quetico Provincial Park access point.

It's about 0.3 hectares in size

The other fire was located near Obikoba Lake, about 20 kilometres north of Fort Frances.

The fire reached about 0.1 hectares before being extinguished by MNR crews.

Proposed Dump Sites Get Further Inspection

The Ministry of Natural Resources will be back before the public this fall with a preferred plan to replace a landfill site in Mine Centre.

Spokesperson Cheryl Gartley says four potential sites have been identified that will get a further look by consultants.

"They'll be looking at things like the topography, doing some hydrology studies, digging some soil test pits and things like that," says Gartley, "to help them make decisions and narrow down the choices."

Gartley says a transfer station that would take waste to the Fort Frances landfill is also being considered.

Ranger Camp Turns All-Male

An Ontario ranger camp at Quetico Provincial Park will have a new look to it this year.

The Mink Lake camp will be an all-male one for the first time in its 36-year history.

Program officer with the Ministry of Natural Resources Cathy Starr says demand was the main reason.

"Historically we've had a lot more male applicants than female applicants," says Starr. "So we took a look at the demographics and Mink Lake is changing."
Female camps will continue to operate out of parks in Ignace, Thunder Bay and Sioux Lookout.

University LED study

Lakehead University's research reputation is getting another shot in the arm with the opening of a new lab which will develop LED lights.

A private company is partnering with LU on the project.

Atikokan Group Receives Funds

Community Living Atikokan was among the recipients of provincial funding announced Friday.

More than $431-thousand was doled out to northwestern Ontario groups through the province's Healthy Communities Fund.

Community Living will use its share to develop new physical activity initiatives that includes training facilitators in the Healthy Eating Adds Up program for people with disabilities.

Wild Childz Holds Car Show

Some of the best looking automobiles in the Borderland were on display at Fort Frances High School Friday.

The show was put on by the school's Wild Childz Car Club

Member Oryn Albanese says it's a relatively new club.

"What we're trying to do is get students to know about cars," says Albanese, "different types of engines in cars, what it takes to build an engine, how to manufacture them, making parts, fixing parts, all that sorts of things."

The students also designed and constructed the trophies handed out to the winners.

Pickets Up in Fort Frances

There's no strike in Fort Frances, but it didn't stop Canada Post's temporary workers from setting up an information picket in front of the post office yesterday.

Kim Kelly of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers says they're upset for being abruptly laid-off during the dispute.

"There's lot of work for them to do," says Kelly. "There's mail piling up inside but they've been sent home.

Kelly says the layoffs came without reason Tuesday while most workers were in the middle of their shifts.

Outside Help Sought

The town of Fort Frances has turned to an outside firm to help deal with AbitibiBowater's appeal of its property assessment.

It's signed a service agreement with Toronto-area based Municipal Tax Equity Consultants and MTE Paralegal Corp.

A hearing on AbitibiBowater's request to have its assessment, dating back to 2009, lowered has not been set.

Gas Price Caps Promised

Ontario New Democrats are promising to regulate gas prices if elected this fall so that drivers know what they will be paying from week to week.

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath says she would set a weekly price cap on gasoline - a move she says should make gas cheaper on an annualized basis.

While consumers may not see the difference on a daily basis, Horwath says her plan will mean drivers won't wake up to huge price spikes if something happens overnight to drive up oil prices.

Market Thursdays a Hit

The Fort Frances Business Improvement Association's Market Thursdays is attracting the interest of a few artisans.

Jocelyn Matheson, a maker of homemade jewelry, was among the first to take advantage of the new summertime Market.

"It's a really good opportunity for local artists to showcase," says Matheson. "It's been a lot of fun. There's a real good sense of community. People are stopping and they're interested in what we're doing. It's been really great."

Portrait artist Lindsay Joy Hamilton says it's a great venue for local artisans.

"It's right downtown. Lots of exposure. Lots of great crafts and painters," says Hamilton. "It would be really nice to see all of the talent Fort Frances outside sharing their gifts with us."

It's the first year for the Markets that will run every Thursday outside the Fort Frances Museum.

Native Ed Funding Concerns

The Rainy River District School Board is asking the province to reconsider how it funds native education programs.

The Ministry of Education now requires at least twelve students to a program, up from eight.

The board's Aboriginal Education Leader, Brent Tookenay, says despite a large number of native students here, the Ministry doesn't count many of them toward the funding.

"With seven First Nations communities within the Rainy River District School Board, many of the board's pupils are considered non-resident pupils for funding purposes," says Tookenay, "and not recognized for the numbers to reach this funding benchmark.

Tookenay says the policy seems more beneficial to southern Ontario boards where there's a high number of urban-native students.

Outage Revised

Hydro One has revised the length to time some communites in the Rainy River district will be impacted by Sunday's power interruption.

Residents of Couchiching and Red Gut, as well as those in Farrington, Halkirk and Watten townships will be without electricity from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m.

Residents in Burris, Crozier, Dance, Devlin, LaVallee, Lake Depair and Miscampbell will see outages from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and for a half hour beginning at 5 p.m.

A seven hour outage for the town of Fort Frances is still planned.