Treaty 3 Police Battle High Crime Rates

Treaty 3 Police say financial pressure is hurting in their battle with high crime rates.

The Treaty 3 Police service area currently has the worst crime severity index in the province.

Deputy Police Chief Terry Armstrong says they are doing everything they can to lower the index.

Armstrong says the force has also seen

a 41 percent increase in calls for service.

Distracted Driving Crackdown

Provincial police are gearing up for another distracted driving campaign.

All this week, police are asking motorists to make a commitment to leave their handheld devices alone while behind the wheel.

They also want passengers to take matters into their own hands and tell drivers to put down their phones.

Another Storm

Another late season winter storm is tracking across our region today.

Watch for snow, changing to ice pellets and freezing rain before changing to rain later this morning.

Motorists should exerc
ise caution due to potentially slippery, slushy and snow-covered roads.

Attendance To Council Meetings Encouraged

There could be a large audience when Fort Frances council resumes its budget discussions tonight.

Posters around town encourage people to attend the meeting in light of council's decision last week to required bag tags on all garbage bags at the curb for pick up.

No one takes claim for the posters that ask if you would prefer to spend your money on food rather than bag tags.

Campbell Supports Minerals Extracted Staying In Province

Kenora-Rainy River MPP Sarah Campbell wants minerals extracted in Ontario to stay in the province.

Campbell says it's important that the jobs remain here.

A bill that would have entrenched that into the Mining Act when down to defeat at Queen's Park last week.

Summer Company Program Accepting Applications

Applications are now being accepted for a summer program that teaches students how to run their own business.

Summer Company is a provincial program promoted through the Northwest Business Centre.

Manager Diane Schwartz-Williams says over 400 companies will be developed across Ontario with four spots open to eligible students aged 15 to 29 in the Kenora and Rainy River districts.

Applications close May 17.

Successful candidates will be given $1,500 for start up costs.

Vote For Emily Today

The public can help a Fort Frances teen win a component of the Miss Teen Northern Ontario pageant.

18-year old Emily Hyatt is competing in next month's event in Sudbury.

Starting today, voting begins on the people choice award.

The winner will get an automatic berth in the final 15. 

Hyatt is one of 40 girls taking part.

Visit the pageant's website to cast your vote.

Laced Marijuana Found

Ontario Provincial Police are raising some red flags about some marijuana seized in Fort Frances.

Police says the marihuana was laced with amphetamines, commonly known as speed.

Police began investigating after informed that people who had purchased the marijuana were becoming sick causing them to seek medical attention.

OPP don't say if they have made an arrests.

Question Of The Week

There was considerable debate last week by Fort Frances council on how additional revenue could be raised through garbage collection.

In our 931theborder.ca poll, we ask you what method you'd prefer.

In response to last week's question, 56 per cent of respondents did not favour keeping ice in the Ice for Kids Arena until the end of June.

Festival Results From Thursday April 11

The first week of the Rainy River District Festival of the Performing Arts has come to a close with Kaylen Cunningham capturing a pair of first place awards in piano.

The festival resumes next Tuesday with competition in English and French drama.

Local comedian Ryan McMahon returns home to serve as adjudicator.

Here is a list of all winners from Thursday.


Popular Selection, Grade 5
FIRST:  Katelyn Bruyere

Popular Selection, Grade 6
FIRST:  Jordan Bruyere

Popular Selection, Grade 8
FIRST:  Erin Gustafson

Popular Selection, Grade 9
FIRST:  Sarah Bagacki
SEOND:  Kaitlyn Chiasson

Quick Study, Grade 8
FIRST:  Lorianne Dueck
SECOND:  Lucas Koomans

Own Choice, Grade 2
FIRST:  Kaylen Cunningham

Romantic 20th or 21st Century, Grade 3
FIRST:  Jessica Empey
SECOND:  Jacob Gustafson

Romantic 20th or 21st Century, Grade 2
FIRST:  Kaylen Cunningham

Classical, Level 2
FIRST:  Jordan Eldridge
SECOND:  Katrina Klug

 Children's Songs, Level 2
FIRST:  Chandler Borger
SECOND:  (Tie) Mykenzie Borger, Star Martin

Children's Songs, Level 2
FIRST:  Kaylyn Levesque
SECOND:  (Tie) Naomi Dunn, Presley McQuaker

Traditional Hymn, Folk Hymn or Modern Chorus
FIRST:  Teagan Friesen

Communities Preparing For Mining Boom

Several communities in the Rainy River district are getting preparing for the benefits expected from new mines in the region.

Chapple township is receiving provincial funding to develop an economic development strategy and complete an inventory of available assets.

Atikokan is ensuring its community data is in GIS format.

It's also completing an analysis of available land for residential use and conducting a temporary housing study.

The Rainy River Future Development Corporation is receiving money to conduct an industrial park assessment.

Winter Shows It's Still Here

Another blast of winter for the Borderland today.

As much as five centimeters has fallen across the region so far with at least another five expected by the time the storm moves away later tonight.

There are no road closures, but the Ministry of Transportation reports highways in the Rainy River district to be snow covered with slushy sections.

Similar conditions are report on highways in Koochiching County.

Winter Trends Examined

There has been some wacky weather in northwestern Ontario this winter.

Environment Canada Geoff Coulson admits it's been a different winter that we normally expect.

There's been more snow fall than last year, but the trend for temperatures have been unusual with December and January warmer than normal while February, March and April have been colder than normal.

Coulson adds temperatures will likely stay cooler than normal for at least another two weeks.

Coroner's Inquest Called Into Death

The death of a Fort Frances man two years ago has sparked a coroner's inquest.

74-year-old Edwin "Teddy" Davis died while operating a trail groomer that broke through the ice on Manitou Lake in February 2011.

He had been building a winter road for a mining company.

The inquest will be held May 21st in Dryden.

Labour Board Rules EFTO Broke The Law

The Ontario Labour Relations Board says the union representing public elementary school teachers broke the law when it advised its members to withdraw from extracurricular activities.

The board says the action constituted a strike within the meaning of the Education Act.

The Elementary Teachers Federation's actions were province wide
, but the ruling only apply to two southern Ontario school boards who challenged the directive.

Cause For Paws Tomorrow

The Borderland Humane Society is preparing for a major fundraiser.

It's Cause for Paws goes Saturday at Lenard's in International Falls.

Event chair Kallie Kantos-Fritz says it's the fifth year for the event as the Society itself celebrates its 40th year.

Money raised is used in a variety of ways, including offsetting the costs to care for the animals the Society has at its facility.

Feasibility Report On Proposed Mine Released

Rainy River Resources says it has its road map to begin development of an open pit mine north of Barwick late next year.

The company has released it's feasiblity study identifying project costs at a billion dollars, creating 400 jobs during construction and 600 when the mine opens.

President Raymond Threlkeld doesn't foresee anything sidetracking plans.

The project currently going through the environment assessment process the company expects will be complete in time to begin construction in the fall of 2014.

Transmission Line Meetings Planned

Minnesota Power is giving area residents several opportunities to comment on proposed routes for a new transmission line to the Manitoba border.

A series of open houses will begin next week with one taking place in Littlefork April 19 at the Littlefork Community Centre.

The line is required to facilitate a power agreement with Manitoba Hydro that will selling power to Minnesota beginning in 2020.

Canada Day Draw Tickets Available

Riverside Foundation for Health Care is rolling out its annual Canada Day Cash Lottery.

Tickets are now available.

Over $19-thousand in cash and prizes is again up for grabs, including a 10-thousand dollars grand prize.

Early bird purchasers get in on a draw for an all-inclusive Fly-In Fishing Trip to Manitou Weather Station Fishing Lodge.

Tickets are available at Gillons' Insurance, Green's Country Wide, McTaggarts, Emo Health Centre, Rainy River Health Centre, Rainycrest Long Term Care and La Verendrye Hospital.

You can also call 274-4803 to purchase your tickets by phone with a credit card.

Rainy River Release Feasibility Study

Rainy River Resources is pegging developing of an open pit mine at its gold project north of Barwick to cost over a billion dollars.

The figure is contained in a feasibility study released by the company.

Pre-production costs come in at over $700 million.

Another $163-million is identified for an underground operation.

The study says as many as 400 jobs would be created during the construction phase with employment in the mines reaching at least 600.

About four-million ounces of gold and over 10-million ounces of silver have been identified with exploration to boost those numbers continuing.

The company, is hoping development on the project, currently going through the environmental assessment process, can begin late 2014.