Land For Homes Available

The town of Fort Frances is freeing up some land for new housing development.

Town planner Faye Flatt says an area known as the Nelson Street Park and vacant land on Minnie Avenue at Front street will be rezoned to permit new homes.

Council also plans to turn unopened parts of Holmes and Elm Avenues, south of Riverview Drive, into housing lots.

User Fees to be Discussed

Fort Frances town councillors will begin discussing next month the fees paid to access of variety town services and programs.

CAO Mark McCaig says Ontario's Consumer Price Index will serve as a guide in setting any new rates.

The rate for sewer and water services will be determined at a later date.

Funding Denied

Fort Frances town council has turned down requests for funding from two separate organizations, including for the annual Christmas dinner.

While it recognizing the worthiness of the Fort Frances Volunteer Bureau organized event, council opted not to take any action on its request.

It also denied funding to the Uniquely Me program aimed at building the self-esteem among young girls.

Question of the Day - November 15

Respondents to a question on B93.ca appear to be split on whether there should be a time limit on Halloween in Fort Frances.

55 per cent support a limit.

Fort Frances town council is looking at the idea first proposed by local resident Jackie Lampi-Hughes.

Careful Driving

Motorists may want to consider easing up on the gas pedal and taking some extra time to get to work this morning.

About four centimetres of snow fell across the borderland last night.

With the cold and wind this morning, some roads have become extremely slippery.
The Ministry of Transportation reports most highways in the Rainy River district, including Highway 11, to be partially snow-covered or snow packed.

Drunk Drivers Stopped

Ontario Provincial Police will kick off their Festive Ride campaign at the end this month.

But some motorists in the Rainy River district have found out the hard way that the OPP's search for drunk drivers happens at anytime of the year.

Since August, OPP have charged nine drivers with impaired driving.

The latest happening on the weekend in which a 51-year-old man from Windsor was found impaired behind the wheel of his vehicle on Hele Road in Chapple Township.

Property Assessment Notices Issued

Property owners across the Rainy River district will begin receiving notices about their property assessment this week.

Municipal and school taxes are based on the figures identified by the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation.

Account manager Darryl Bender says they'll tackle complaints if required.

Louis Riel Day

Today is Louis Riel Day.

It commemorates Riel, a key figure in the Red River Rebellion in the late 1880's.

President of the Sunset Country Metis Association Clint Calder says they'll celebrate with a feast and entertainment at their Fort Frances hall tonight.

Few tickets are still available at Fort Frances General Supply or the United Native Friendship Centre.

Town Gets Access

An important step towards a long-waited upgrade of a pumping station on Portage Avenue in Fort Frances.

The town has received the okay to access CN Rail and private property to complete the job.

It now hopes to do the work next year.

College Programs Promoted

Confederation College is out promoting its programs offered out of its Rainy River campus in Fort Frances.

Campus manager Anne Renaud says the four programs will begin classes in January and run right through the summer with the second semester starting in September with others.

Registration is now being accepted for business accounting, business human resources, protection, security and investigation and child and youth worker programs.

Halloween Time Limit Proposed

Fort Frances town council is going to give the idea of a time limit on Halloween some review.

Resident Jackie Lampi Hughes proposes having a two-hour window starting at 6 p.m.

Lampi-Hughes, who generally likes Halloween, says trick-or-treating in her neighbourhood is becoming too lengthy.

Lampi-Hughes says similar time limits are already in place in communities such as Dryden.

Question of the Day - November 15

Do you support limiting the time children can have trick-or-treating on Halloween?

Cast your ballot on B93.ca.

Yesterday's poll question found 84 per cent of respondents believing MP John Rafferty made the right decision to support an end to the long-gun registry.

Sidewalk Defended

A Fort Frances resident wants the town to rethink its reasons for ripping up a section of sidewalk on her street.

Armit Avenue resident Barb Kircher feels the walk is well utilized and should be maintained.

Council had stated that to fix up the walk it would have to destroy a number of trees.

Citizen of the Year Announcement

We could learn today who the citizen of the year is for the town of Fort Frances.

The selection was expected to be announced at last night's council meeting, but the yet-to-be identified individual had not been notified.

The nominee is to be honoured at a town appreciation dinner this Friday.

Official Plan Approved

Fort Frances has a new document that will govern land-use planning in the town.

Councillors put their final blessing on the new Official Plan last night.

It must still receive approval from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs.

Mine Project Proceeds

Construction of an open-pit gold mine near Atikokan is not that far off.

President of Osiski Mining Sean Rosen says the company's ready to enter the permitting phase of its Hammond Reef gold site.

If all goes well, construction could begin by 2014.

The company has projected the area to have more than 10.5 million ounces of available resource.

Groups Receive Funding

The Rainy Lake Sportfishing Club and the Koochiching Soil and Water Conservation District are among the latest recipients of funding from Minnesota's Conservation Legacy Partners Program.

The two groups are getting $215-thousand to deal with log jams, soil erosion and sedimentation along the Rat Root River.

The efforts are aimed at improving walleye spawning areas.

Registry Warning

The Harper government has been warned that scrapping the requirement to register rifles and shotguns could fuel illegal firearms trafficking across the Canada-US border.

A bill to scrap the registry could become law by the end of the year.

But an internal memo from a senior Public Safety department official says removing the registry would weaken import controls -- resulting in more restricted weapons finding their way into the country.

NDP Seek End to HST on Home Heating

Ontario's New Democrats will bring in a private member's bill in an effort to get the provincial portion of the HST removed from home heating bills.

New Democrat Michael Mantha will introduce the bill when the legislature resumes sitting next week.

He says the bill will save families $100 a year.

Four Charged

Four residents of Couchiching First Nations face drug charges in connection with an incident in the Kenora area.

OPP discovered one-thousand grams of marijuana after stopping a mini-van on the Trans Canada Highway Friday night.

Two men, aged 29 and 45 and two women, 41 and 32 years of age, were arrested on charges of trafficking and possession.