Throne Speech Delivered

The federal government's Throne Speech is making a lot of promises.

It includes working to improve the skilled trades sector.

The Throne Speech also mentions the federal government's vow to improve First Nation's education on reserve.

The Harper government will also continue pare down the size and cost of Government, reduce cell phone roaming costs and to make cable providers offer pick and pay TV services.

Community Living Unveils Plans For Former School

Supplied photo

We'll get a look later today at what the future plans are for the former Sixth Street School in Fort Frances.

Community Living Fort Frances and District intends to take the wraps off its plans for the property at an event at the site at 2:30 p.m. this afternoon.

The invite says the agency proposes to build a fully accessible, mufti-purpose building that will include areas for training, activities and office space.

Community Living purchased the former school for a dollar almost four years ago from the Rainy River District School Board.

Ontario Education Minister Looking At Education System

Education Minister Liz Sandals is talking about the future of the province's education system.

She's on an Ontario wide tour and visited Thunder Bay yesterday.

Sandals says some of the concerns are around meeting the needs of students with disabilities.

Sandals says students are also interested in learning about personal finance and entrepreneurship in high school.

Loans Considered For New Animal Shelter

Koochiching County and the city of International Falls are being asked to float the Borderland Humane Society loans to help build a new animal shelter.

City Solicitor Steve Shermoen says the loans will help get construction going and will be repaid over time.

Shermoen says he's aware of financial support the Society may get in the future that could help pay off the loans.

Both the City and County have previously agreed to provide $50-thousand each toward the project.

Branding Workshop Tonight

The Northwest Business Centre is helping area entrepreneurs put a fresh twist on marketing their products.

Centre Manager Diane Schwartz-Williams says The Creating and Communicating Your Brand Story workshop will be held tonight in Fort Frances.

The event costing 30 dollars goes from 5 to 9 tonight at the La Place Rendez Vous.

"Ordinary Woman, Extraordinary Dreams" Showing Today

An inspirational documentary is being show today in Fort Frances.

Spinal Cord Injury Ontario's Darren Lillington says "Ordinary Woman, Extraordinary Dreams", about Maggie Sofea, a young aboriginal woman from Summer Beaver First Nation, who had an accident at very young age and how she's overcome her disability to achieve several life goals including returned to her home  community.

The viewing take place at 2 p.m. at the Fort Frances Library.

Rainy River Resources Is Now New Gold

A friendly takeover of Rainy River Resources is now complete.

New Gold says it now controls all of the company's shares, completing a deal announced in June.

Executive chair Randall Oliphant is pleased the acquisition is now complete and says they can focus attention on advancing Rainy River's gold project north of Barwick.

New Gold is in the process of completing a detailed review and update of the feasibility study as well as advancing the permitting efforts.

NOMA President On Hand For Throne Speech

An interesting spectator from northwestern Ontario in Ottawa for the Throne Speech.

The president of the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association, Dave Canfield was invited to attend.

Canfield says he also got a chance to meet face to face with the federal cabinet.

Canfield says Kenora M.P. Greg Rickford helped arrange for the invite which came directly from the Prime Minister's office.

Public Budget Requests Taken To Next Level

Fort Frances council is moving some of the public's budget requests on for further discussion.

Among them a new sidewalk along Keating Avenue requested by the Fort Frances Traffic Safety Committee.

Council agreed Monday night that it might be in a position to fund half the cost if proponents for the sidewalk agree to covering the other half.

Total cost is estimated at about 65-thousand dollars.

Normal Winter Forecast

Don't expect a lot of whitestuff in northwestern Ontario this winter.

Accu-Weather is out with its annual forecast and it shows below normal snowfall for the Rainy River district.

The long range winter forecast also suggests temperatures should be about normal. 

Council Talking Trees

Trees a topic for discussion at Fort Frances council last night.

Concerns about fallen and decaying trees were first brought up a local resident three weeks ago.

Town crews took care of problems at Legion Park, but councilor Andrew Hallikas says Pither's Point Park still needs to be addressed.

Operations and Facilities Manager Doug Brown says because the park's land is in dispute, permission is needed from area First Nations before work can take place.

Brown says there's also a need for some discussion about trees planted along Highway 11 in honour of war veterans.

Town To Address Zoning By-Law Issues

The town of Fort Frances intends to address a number of zoning issues around the community all in one swoop.

Planner Faye Flatt says a number of properties have been identified as being in non-compliance of the zoning by-law and she'll be contacting owners about possible changes.

Flatt says she's also hoping to include any property owner who may be considering new development and will require a zoning by-law chance in the process as well.

Any changes likely won't come until early in the new year.

Fort Council Pursues Provincial Dollars

Fort Frances council will pursue provincial funding for two infrastructure projects.

The town's hoping to do work along a section of Colonization Road West, near Armstrong Place, and Third Street East between Crowe and Frenette Avenues next year.

The combined price tag is about $2.8 million.

Council Says No

Fort Frances council is saying no to an apartment building owner's request to be exempt from the town's environmental fee.

The owners of Skyview Apartments feel that because their garbage collection is handled by a private firm, they shouldn't be required to pay the 4-dollar charge.

The new fee went in place this year to generate more revenue for the town's waste management services.

County Gives CN Ultimatium

CN is being given a deadline to fix up a rail crossing in Rainer.

Koochiching County Commissioner Wade Pavleck says it's so bad that a resident in a wheelchair can't cross.

Pavleck says the County's been promise the work will take place, but feels they've waited long enough for it to happen.

The County intends to tell CN that if the job isn't done by October 25, it will offer up its own crews to do the work.

Slash Burning In Crossroute Forest

A warning to users of bush roads in the Crossroute Forest area.

Resolute Forest Products has started the burning of residual branches and tree tops that remain after logging.

The burning is done to aid in reforestation.

Officials say smoke from the fires may reduce visibility so caution is advised.

Death Ruled Not Suspicious

OPP say the death of a hunter in the Rainy River area isn't suspicious.

The body of an American man was found by other hunters he was with Monday night, 30 kilometres north of the junction of Highway 11 and Highway 611 North.

His name has not been released pending notification of family members.

Fort Men Face Drug Charges

Two Fort Frances men face charges following a drug bust in Kenora.

OPP seized 12 pounds of marijuana after stopping a vehicle on Highway 17 Monday night.

Police value the drugs seized at over 36-hundred dollars.

A 20-year-old and a 26-year-old will appear in court in December on possession charges.

Throne Speech Today

The Harper government unveils its parliamentary agenda today with the Speech From the Throne.

Thunder Bay-Rainy River MP John Rafferty is looking for a promise to restore the 23 million dollars taken out of the FedNor budget so more industry can be developed here.

Rafferty believes the Prime Minister will try to make Canadians forget about his governments broken promises.

Mail Sorting Now Done In Thunder Bay.

Sorting of all of the region's mail is now being done at Canada's Post's sorting station in Thunder Bay.

A new system went in place last month.

Spokesperson John Caines says the city plant is now handling mail for areas such as Fort Frances, Dryden and Kenora.

Caines says the move is being made to help make the system more efficient and no jobs have bee lost because of the change.