Tories Refuse To Endorse Nuisance Bear Committee

Kenora-Rainy River Conservative candidate Randy Nickle is standing behind several members of his party who voted against an NDP motion to establish a nuisance bear committee.

The motion passed in the Ontario Legislature 31-24 last week, and the Conservatives note that all three former Ministers of Natural Resources stood and voted against it.

Randy Nickle says we've already had a committee to study the issue and they made their recommendations to the government.

He says the conservatives have already been looking at consulting northerners on the wildlife issues facing the region and that their northern policy has given northerners a voice and let them determine what's best for them.

Nickle says it's another form of duplication and a waste of taxpayer money.

Forest Fire Season Wraps Up in NWO

An unusually quiet fire season in northwestern Ontario.

The official fire season wrapped up last week.

Fire information officer Heather Pridham says not only were the number of fires down, the number of forest land burned was also much less than normal.

Pridham says there were 357 fires this summer, almost half as much as last year.

Health Unit Encourages Testing For Radon

A simple test in your home could prevent lung cancer.

The Northwestern Health Unit is encouraging home owners to test for Radon, which is a naturally occurring radio active gas that comes from the breakdown of uranium that is found in rocks and soil.

Public Health Inspector Rick Pascoe says you can't see it, smell it or taste it.

Test kits range from 15 to 30-dollars and are available at local home household stores.

Another Challenge For Snowmobile Industry

A Conservative MPP is accusing the Liberal government is trying to kill the snowmobile industry in Ontario.

Jim Wilson says a new regulation would require snowmobile clubs to pay for the use of hydro right-of-ways.

He says that's just not financially feasible for most clubs.

Wilson says the new regulations would require the snowmobile clubs to not only pay for use of the hydro right-of ways, but also to pay for fencing along the trails.

Fort Resident Charged With Auto Theft

A 26 year old Fort Frances resident faces a long list of charges after police
in Rainy River District stopped a stolen vehicle.

The vehicle was reported stolen early Monday morning from a home in Fort Frances, and a half hour later the OPP had located it.

The vehicle was pulled over and the driver, Bobby Morrison was arrested.

He faces two counts of breach of probation, impaired driving, theft of a
vehicle, driving while under suspension and possession of marijuana.

Gravelle to Update Northern Growth Plan

An update on the Northern Growth Plan.

A forum is slated for next month in Timmins featuring mayors, aboriginal and community leaders.

Northern Development and Mines Minister Michael Gravelle says he promised such a meeting to the northern mayors back in August.

The meeting is scheduled to take place December 6th.

Heart of the Continent Progressing

A new tourist idea is being discussed for our region, and both sides of the border would be part of the plan

A group called the Heart of the Continent Partnership, wants to create a new travel destination by connecting the dots between International Falls and Duluth in Minnesota and Fort Frances and Thunder Bay in Ontario.

The idea comes in the form of an interactive map that would highlight the area’s natural features and it's historic sites.

 Restaurants, Hotels and bars would also be featured.

The hope is to create new jobs and tourism.

The group is on the verge of raising $200,000 that would fund the project.

I Am Awesome Retreat in the Running for Aviva Funding

A local event, may be well on it's way to receiving additional funding for next year. .

The I Am Awesome! (And I Know It!,) retreat is currently ranked 1st in this round of voting for the Aviva Community Fund contest.

The retreat is meant to help boost the confidence of young women in our area.

The organizer of this retreat, Renée Martin-Brown is grateful to those who have voted so far.

Voting for this round ends today.

 The winning project is provided with funding for next year.

A link to the contest is available on the 93-1 The Border facebook page.

Atikokan Experience Building Boom

A brand new saw mill being built just outside of Atikokan could bring 90 more job to the area.

The 50 million dollar project is being constructed on the property of the former Buchanan Mill.

It should start operations in 2015.

On the other side of town, Ren-tech is building into a new wood pellet facility.

With the hope of creating 20 new jobs.

The plan is to supply the Atikokan Generating Station.

They are spending $22 million in an effort open in April of next year.

The Bargain! Shop Is Number One

A fundraising campaign for Easter Seals has earned number one honours for a Fort Frances department store.

Local staff at The Bargain! Shop raised $4,100, topping all stores in Ontario and Manitoba.

Manager Darcy Banman says it had been something they had been striving for after placing second for so many years.

The Fort Frances total was almost 25 per cent of money raised by all The Bargain! Shops in Ontario.

NDP Upset At Lack of Government Help for Mining

NDP Critic Michael Mantha, continues to attack the Ontario Liberal government's treatment of the mining sector.

He believes the electricity supply is not sufficient enough to support new mining developments.

Mantha says if the government doesn't take action, thousands of potential new jobs could be affected.

Mantha adds that 30 to 50% of operating costs for the Mining sector is in the price of electricity. And the threshold for the Global Adjustment program still stands at 1 megawatt, which penalizes mid-sized producers.

Crash Victims Identified

Provincial Police have identified the four other men killed in Saturday's crash on Highway 17, near English River.

26-year-old Brady Ostell, 27-year-old Andrew Ostell, both of Kitchener, 42-year-old Kyle Prince from Waterloo and 44-year-old James Jackson from Fort Erie were in a pick-up truck that collided with a transport.

The driver of the transport, a 43-year-old man from Cambridge, was also killed.

More Drug Charges Laid

OPP have have laid more charges in connection with that massive drug bust last week in Kenora.

Eight more people have been arrested and face a variety of charges, including of possession and trafficking of both cocaine and marijuana.

A total of 38 people were rounded up last week following a year-long investigation.

Quarry Issue Sent Back To Planning Commission

Plans for a rock quarry are drawing the ire of some residents in Koochiching County.

Wagner Construction wants the develop the quarry at the end of County Road 144, southeast of International Falls.

The application was denied by a planning committee, but residents living nearby, such as Cindy Black were back before the County board to convince it of their opposition.

The County is sending the issue back to the planning commission for a re-look.

Land Auction Today

Several state lands in northeastern Minnesota are about to be sold off.

A public action for the 23 parcels of land takes place today.

Many of the properties are located with Cook, Itasca, Lake and St. Louis Counties, with minimum bids ranging from 27-thousand dollars to has high as 650-thousand.

Blood Donor Clinic Closes To Target

They came close.

The Canadian Blood Services collected 231 units of blood following clinics held earlier this week in Fort Frances.

They were hoping for at least 240 units, but are still happy with the outcome.

Almost 300 people turned out.

The next clinics won't take place until next August.

Best Chili Named

FFCC photo

The people have spoken.

Gillon's Insurance's "Bewitchin Broker's Brew" was named the top tasting chili in a public vote at the Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce's Great Canadian Chili Cook Off.

That differed from the judges selection of the dish "Socket To You" from the staff at Acklands-Grainger.

The Fort Frances Dental Centre won the award for the best costumes.

Regions Drug Overdoses Now Number 1 Killer

It's now become more deadly then motor vehicle collisions.

The Northwestern Health Unit has revealed some sobering statistics about drug use in our region.

Public Health Nurse Kim Elke says opiate overdoses have become the leading cause of deaths in the region.

Elke says Oxycodone is the leading cause of opiate addiction in the region even though it has been pulled of the health units drug list.

Winter Road Maintenance Questioned

OPP photo

A brief dusting of snow in some parts of the Rainy River district yesterday morning has our MPP wondering how well our highways will be plowed this winter.

Kenora-Rainy River's Sarah Campbell says over the past couple of years, her office has fielded several complaints about the condition of roads in the winter.

Campbell says government needs to step up and ensure our roads are maintained to a high standard this winter.

NDP Support Ranger Program's Return

NDP are standing with former alumni in calling for a reinstatement of the Ontario Park Ranger program.

At Queen's Park Wednesday, Michael Mantha, a former Ranger himself, questioned Natural Resources Minister David Oriazetti on the decision.

Mantha says it provided unique opportunities for young people.

But Oriazetti says by moving the program to a day-based one, they've been been able to add more locations and provide more opportunities for youth.