Liberals Select Candidate

Liberals in Kenora-Rainy River have selected their candidates for this October's provincial election.

Emo township councillor Anthony Leek was unopposed in his bid for the candidacy at a nomination meeting last night in Fort Frances.

Leek says he's want to bring a strong voice to the riding.

"I'm dedicated to providing you an outlet to share your concerns, suggestions and questions to the province," says Leek. "I want to be the voice of positive commitment for you while I'm at Queen's Park and share the rest of Ontario the passion I have for the people of this riding."

Leek hopes to have his campaign team in place over the next few weeks.

Conservative Candidate Expected Soon

The Conservatives may be close to announcing their candidate for the Kenora-Rainy River Riding.

Party officials say they had several people interested in running but were hesitate to do so with Howard Hampton sitting as MPP.

Now that the incumbent has announced he won't seek re-election, officials say they could have a candidate in place within a few days.

U.S. to Assist with Fire Fight

(MNR photo)

The Ministry of Natural Resources is now getting help from the United States in the forest fire fight in northwestern Ontario.

About fifty forest firefighters from Minnesota will join the more than two-thousand now in the area's forests.

There are about 120 fires burning in the region- including three in Quetico Provincial Park.

Cellphone Tower Blocked

(File photo)

A Minnesota court has blocked AT&T's plan to build a 450-foot cellphone tower near the edge of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area.

The judge supported Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness claims the tower would likely hurt the "scenic and aesthetic resources'' of the area, but gave the ok for one less than half its size.

AT&T contended one tall tower would do the best job of extending cellphone service east of Ely, allowing paddlers to call for help in emergencies.

The company is now considering its options.

Walk for Good Life at Half-way Point

A group of walkers have passed the half-way point in their journey around the Kenora-Rainy River district.

The seventeen young people are taking part in the "Walk for Good Life" that started Monday at Eagle Lake First Nation.

Passing through Couchiching First Nation yesterday, 16-year-old Justin Morrison of Couchiching says its been a great experience.

"Just walking alone on the highway, just all by yourself, you have so much time to think and find yourself," says Morrison. "That's why it's my favourite time of year."

The group will end their walk at Eagle Lake First Nation Sunday.

Samsung Deal Rewritten

The province has renegotiated its seven-billion dollars green energy deal with Korean giant Samsung.

The Liberal government says the new deal will save taxpayers money and get new manufacturing plants built faster.

The government is giving Samsung a one-year extension to get its wind and solar projects online because of problems securing agreements with First Nations.

Get Your Vaccine Shots

Ontario's chief medical officer says recent cases of mumps and measles should serve as reminders for everyone to get their vaccine shots.

Two people from Quebec were sick with infectious measles recently while at Canada's Wonderland and a southern Ontario resort.

Doctor Arlene King says two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine are enough to protect someone from both infectious viruses.

Two Enter NDP Nomination Race

There are now two people in the running to replace the outgoing Kenora-Rainy River MPP Howard Hampton as the riding's NDP's candidate for this October's provincial election.

Sarah Campbell, Hampton's constituency assistant in Dryden and Kenora lawyer Robert Siding have declared this intention to seek the nomination.

NDP will select their candidate through a series of meetings beginning August 12, ending in Fort Frances August 15.

Liberal Select Candidate Tonight

The Liberals in Kenora-Rainy River will select their candidate for the October provincial election tonight at a meeting in Fort Frances.

Emo councillor Anthony Leek is the only declared candidate so far.

Greens Selected Riding Candidate

The Green Party has selected its candidate for Kenora-Rainy River.

Jo Jo Holliday of Kenora was also its candidate in the 2007 provincial election and was the Greens candidate in the 2008 federal election.

Tax Loss to Fort Frances

More tax loss for the town of Fort Frances

Treasurer Laurie Witherspoon says a reassessment of the International bridge will mean a loss of about $25,000 to the town.

"For 2010 the assessment was $1,447.000," says Witherspoon. "This year it has dropped to just over $1-million. What it means the revenue for the town of Fort Frances is that we'll only receive $14,888."

Witherspoon says the reassessment was done by the U.S. Revenue Department and can not be appealed.

Town Turned to Retired Employee for Help

The town of Fort Frances is turning to a recently retired employee to handle its I-T services.

CAO Mark McCaig says the signing of a contract with former Manager of Information and Technology Darryl Allan will save the town money in the long-run.

"We take a look, case-by-case basis, with every job that we have," says McCaig. "When there's retirements we examine any opportunity to achieve some organizational synergies and to downsize through attribute. That opportunity presented itself with Darryl."

Allan retired from the town Friday.

Charges Laid over Weekend

OPP across northwestern Ontario laid almost 500 charges over the long weekend.

Nearly 70 per cent of them were against motorists who were caught driving too fast.

Fourteen other people were cited for seatbelt infractions and 51 charged for liquor offences.

Rent Hikes Promised

The Liberals say they'll change the way Ontario's rent increase rate is set if they're re-elected this fall.

Landlords will be able to increase tenants' rents by 3.1 per cent in 2012 -- up from the 2011 rate of 0.7 per cent.

The rate is currently tied to the Consumer Price Index, which is calculated annually by Statistics Canada.

Mudfling This Weekend

(Atikokan Mudslingers photo)

There'll be plenty of mud slinging in Atikokan this weekend.
The Atikokan Mudslingers host their annual 4-by-4 Mudfling at the Charleson Recreation Area.

President Cathy Barnard says this year there will be a featured vehicle on site.

"This year we have a feature presentation by Wade Snyder of Edgerton, Alberta," says Barnard. "He's coming in with his blower car has 2,500 horsepower and holds the record in western Canada of 2.7 seconds for 200 feet."

Races go Saturday and Sunday.

Truck Accident Near Atikokan

(OPP photo)


A man was taken to Thunder Bay hospital Sunday following a single vehicle accident involving a transport.

It happened on Highway 11, twenty kilometres west of Atikokan.

The vehicle suffered extensive damage

Police are still investigating.

Move Over for Emergency Vehicles

OPP are conducting a blitz on drivers who fail to obey Ontario's move over legislation.

Drivers are required to move over or slow down and proceed with caution when passing an emergency vehicle parked on the side of the highway with its lights flashing.

A campaign to make motorists aware of their obligations was conducted on the weekend.

Literacy Camp Underway

Rainy River District School Board has started a summer Literacy Camp at Donald Young School in Emo.

The camp provide children with a variety of activities designed to enhance their literacy skills and prepare for the new school year.

Road Work in Koochiching County

Work has begun to resurface the Silverdale Bridge on Highway 65 in Koochiching County.

A section of the highway will be closed as a result, forcing motorists to take detours until the project is complete August 19.

Motorists can also expect lane closures on Highway 71 between Big Falls and Pelland as crews work on a resurfacing project that began last Thursday.

The 28-mile project is scheduled to be complete in mid-October.

Hampton Ending Political Career

Former Ontario NDP Leader Howard Hampton says after 35 years in politics, 26 of them as the MPP for Kenora-Rainy River, it's time to move on.

Hampton stated last fall he'd plan to seek re-election this October.

But the 59-year-old Hampton says he's since had a chance of heart.

Hampton, who was attorney general and minister of natural resources in Bob Rae's government in the early 1990s, stepped down as Ontario NDP leader in 2009 after 13 years in the job.