Queen's Park Resumes

Provincial politicians return to the legislature today after a long winter break.

Kenora-Rainy River MPP Sarah Campbell says she's ready to continue the battle over winter road maintenance.

Campbell says another priority is affordability after hearing concerns over Metrolinx expansion plans in southern Ontario and hydro rates.

Police Now Confirm Victims In House Fire

Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service are confirming that four bodies have been located inside of a home at Mishkeegogamang First Nation near Pickle Lake, following a house fire late last week.

No names have been released.

Sergeant Jackie George says several agencies are involved in the investigation that will take time to complete.

Boil Water Advisory Lifted

The water all good again at Riverside Health Care's Emo Health Centre.

The Emo hospital had been under a boil water advisory last week because of a water main break on Front Street close to the facility.

That advisory was lifted Friday.

Hammond Reef Deadline Today

Today is the deadline to comment on the federal environmental assessment of Osisko Mining's Hammond Reef gold project near Atikokan.

The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency is gathering input before making a decision on the project.

New Gold Files Technical Report

Another key document in New Gold's Rainy River project is now complete.

The company has filed a technical report pertaining to its gold project north of Barwick.

The report provides further information on the project's history as well as additional detail on both the technical and financial estimates.

New Gold is targeting construction to begin some time next year with the mine opening a year later.

Resolute Get New Deal For Workers At U.S. Mills

As Resolute Forest Products prepares for contracts talks with Unifor for its mills in Canada, the forest company has completed new deals for workers at four of its U.S. mills.

The five-year agreement covers more than 15-hundred employees at mills in Tennessee, South Carolina, Alabama and Georgia.

The deal includes wage improvements, but no details are provided.

New Release From Atikokan Artist

A new release from Atikokan blues artist Sunday Wilde.

Entitled "He Digs Me," the thirteen new songs are a bit of a departure for the artist who has added drums and some electric guitar.

Along with new original songs, Wilde also adds her version of Patsy Cline's "I Falls To Piece."

The album was recorded in Minnesota last fall.

Homeowners Asked To Help Prevent Freezing

The town of Fort Frances is asking homeowners who have faced frozen water lines in the past or who's neighbours are suffering the same face to run their water for the next few months.

The town's public works department has been called out to thaw more than 90 lines as of yesterday.

Manager Doug Brown says the shallow depth of lines is partly to blame.

Brown says its also good to leave a trickle of water if you're leaving town for the weekend.

Osisko Write To Shareholders

Osisko Mining's shareholders can expect mail in the near future.

The company has fired off a letter recommending they reject the unsolicited bid from Goldcorp.

Osisko states the $2.8 billion offer fails to recognize the value of it's Canadian Malartic mine in Quebec.

The letter adds that Goldcorp also made three previous offers, all of which Osisko says would have been "value destructive" to shareholders.

The matter is also before a Quebec court while Goldcorp has extended its offer until March 10.

No Change To FedNor

The Minister responsible for FedNor is firing back at Thunder Bay-Rainy River MP John Rafferty.

Rafferty this week stated the federal budget included no new funding for the regional economic development agency and that hundreds of thousands of dollars had been removed.

Greg Rickford calls it a "bold faced lie."

Rickford says they have new priorities under FedNor with some focus on manufacturing and support for businesses who want to diversify.

Iron Range Using Hwy 502 Again

Iron Range Bus Lines is once again using Highway 502.

The local bus line had refused to travel the road due to poor conditions and dismal road maintenance this winter.

That resulted in lengthy travel times for area sports teams, both here in Fort Frances and those in the Dryden areas.

Opposition Parties Split Provincial By-Elections

The governing Liberals were shut out in two provincial by-elections in southern Ontario.

Gila Martow won in Thornhill, maintaining the riding for the Progressive Conservatives.

The NDP's Wayne Gates won in Niagara Falls, a riding formerly held by the Liberals.

Ontario Looks To Deny Licenses

The Ontario's government appears to be trying to put an end to payday lender The Cash Store.

The province’s Registrar of Payday Loans has issued a proposal to refuse licenses to The Cash Store and Instaloans, both owned by Edmonton-based The Cash Store Financial Services.

The proposal stems from a recent court decision that lead them to being prohibited from offering payday loans or lines of credit products in Ontario.

The company plans to ask for a hearing before the License Appeal Tribunal.

Ontario Asked Not To Raise Tobacco Taxes

Ontario's corner store owners want the province to avoid following the federal government's lead in raising tobacco taxes.

The Conservative government announced in the federal budget Tuesday to add $6.00 in new taxes to a carton of smokes.

The Ontario Convenience Stores Association's Dave Bryans says that only hurts owners and does little to address the issue of contraband tobacco.

Bryans says further increases from Ontario will only inflame the problem.

Trucker Now Charged

OPP have now laid charges in that near head-on collision north of Nipigon involving two transports that was captured on video and went viral.

Police say 31-year-old Akmal Hayat of Milton, Ontario has been charged with careless driving, failing to remain at the scene of an accident and failing to report an accident.

Video of January's incident, showing one transport having to take evasive action to avoid another trying to pass a snow plow, helped police identify the driver.

More Charges Againt Thunder Bay Man

More charges have been laid against a Thunder Bay man accused of incidents of sexual assault dating back to 1997.

OPP slapped four new charges on 52-year-old Gary Lamont after determining the identity of three male victims.

Lamont has been in custody since arrested in December on eight other charges.

Police says the victims, all male, were between the ages of 17 and 24 at the time of the alleged incidents that occurred at Thunder Bay and Warnica Lake between 1997 and 2007.

OFAH Support Federal Funding Commitment

The Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters is welcoming announced plans by the federal government to add another $15-million over the next two years to a recreational fisheries conversation partnership program.

The program was created last year to help support local projects that benefit the conservation of fisheries habitats.

OFAH says the new money will allow for dozens of new projects to proceeds

Crime Stats Drop In Rainy River District

A drop in calls for service for the OPP in the Rainy River district.

OPP responded to almost 68-hundred calls last year, compared with the 78-hundred in 2012.

Rainy River district detachment commander, Inspector Steve Shouldice says there was a similar trend in Fort Frances where police handling about 33-hundred calls.

Shouldice says police also cleared 33 per cent of all property crimes and 93 per cent of all violent crimes, both significantly higher than the provincial and national averages.

Tim Hortons Brings Smiles To Policing Committee

It's all smiles for the OPP's Community Policing Committee.

Tim Hortons in Fort Frances has donated nearly $4,300 raised from last fall's sale of Smile Cookies.

Constable Anne McCoy says the money will be used in a variety of ways this year.

The Committee is also working on a website to be launched next month.

Drive To Conditions

All highways in the Rainy River district and Koochiching County are open but being listed as snow covered with the snow falling in the region.

Drivers are advised to take precautions while on the roads.

There was a brief closure of Highway 71 near Sioux Narrows yesterday, following a two vehicle collision.

No one was injured.