Forest Fire Season Starts This Week

Believe it or not forest fire season officially begins tomorrow.

Fire information officer with the Ministry of Natural Resources Debbie MacLean admits it could be a while before there are any fire starts in northwestern Ontario given the amount of snow in the forest.

Still, she says the MNR will prepare for the season as normal, noting activity picked up quickly after a slow start back in 2012.

$100,000 Club Grows

The region's education sector is seeing an increase in employees earning over $100,000 a year.

 

The disclosure of public sector salaries shows 39 employees with the Rainy River District School Board over the $100-thousand salary threshold.

 

That's up from 35 employees in 2012 and the 22 disclosed two years ago.

 

The Northwest Catholic District School Board has 13 employees on the list, down one from 2012.

 

Riverside Health Care Facilities shows 20 over the magic number, including 9 nurses.

 

The town of Fort Frances has five on the list.

PSB Appointment

A member of the Fort Frances Police Services Board is back for another term.

 

Ron Scofield has been reappointed to the Board by the province for another two year term.

 

It will be his sixth year with the Board.

 

Meantime, another provincially-appointed seat is still vacant.

 

It became empty after former Mayor Glenn Witherspoon ended his term last year.

Premier Seeks At Legal Advice

Premier Kathleen Wynne is seeking legal advice regarding comments from the Progressive Conservatives over the gas plant scandal.

 

The provincial Liberals say an email from the PC Party last week and subsequently posted on its website, claims Wynne "oversaw and possibly ordered" an individual to delete records in former Premier Dalton McGunity's office.

 

Premier Wynne denies the allegations and has written Tory Leader Tim Hudak to stop making the false and defamatory accusations.

School Bus Cancellations For Monday March 31

Here is a list of school bus cancellations in the Rainy River District this morning.

 

All Iron Range Bus lines in Fort Frances area only

All Dimit Bus Lines

Shane McDonald's SM 235

Keith Jolicoeur - KJ220

Bruce Nielson - BN245

Murray McDonald - MM230

Bill Romyn - BR260

Greg Ferris - GF200

Jody Goliquer - Big Grassy to Rainy River H.S.

Ken Fisher - KRF205

Les Fraser - FK225

Murray Nielson - MN251

Darryl Dyck - MN250

Jack Medwechuk - JM240

Bob Johnson - BJ215

Kaylene Johnson - BJ216

Seine River handicap bus

Seine River high school and elementary buses

Northwest Bay's elementary and the high school buses

Stanjikoming First Nations

Red Gut Bay - both buses

Aboriginal Head Start bus

Public Sector Pay Freeze Proposed

Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak wants the Liberal government to expand on its plans to freeze MPP wages.

He says all public sector workers should have their wages frozen as well.

The Tories says the MPP freeze will only save the province about $350-thousand a year when it's facing a nearly $11-billion deficit.

Hudak is also suggesting the pay of Cabinet members be slashed further for every year the government runs a deficit.

Public Workers Union Votes For Job Action

Public sector supervisory and other staff have given their union a mandate to stage job actions and other workplace disruptions to back contract demands.

Members of the Association of Management, Administrative and Professional Crown Employees of Ontario voted 94 per cent this past week in support.

It's the first time the Union has had such a vote.

President Gary Gannage says calls a government demand for benefit cuts a "declaration of war" on union members and their families.

Council Pay Revealed

More than $116-thousand was paid out in salaries and expenses for members of Fort Frances town council last year.

Mayor Roy Avis was the top wage earner at $32-thousand for serving on council as well on the Fort Frances Power Corporation and Police Services Board.

He also incurred $8,500 in expenses to attend a variety of meetings on behalf of the town outside the region.

Most other councillors earned around the $13-thousand mark with Rick Wiedenhoeft's pay coming in at $16-thousand as he too sits on the Police Services Board.

Road Maintenance Criticized

The opposition is throwing blame on the Liberal government for poor winter road maintenance this winter.

PC Critic Jeff Yurek attributes complaints about snow plowing practices to changes the Liberals made four years to how those contracts are awarded.

Transportation Minister Glen Murray says they're now delivering road maintenance at a lower cost value than when the Conservatives began contracting out services in 1998..

Road Work Planned

Some new passing lanes will be part of improvements planner for US Highway 53 south of International Falls.

Minnesota Department of Transportation's Walter Leu says most of the highway within Koochiching County and 11 miles into St. Louis County will get attention next year.

The work will include new turning and by-pass lanes.

Leu says total cost of the work is estimated to be about $25-million

Rainy River Resources Take-over Highlighted

The publication "Business in Vancouver" is listing New Gold's acquisition of Rainy River Resources as the fifth most-expensive mining acquisition in Canada in 2013.

New Gold acquired Rainy River Resources and its signature project near Barwick for $400-million in a cash and stock transaction, which closed in October.

First Quantum Minerals acquisition of Inmet Mining for $5.1 million is at the top of the magazine's annual review.

Outdoor Expo Gets Underway Today

An expo for area outdoor enthusiasts gets underway today in Internationals Falls.

The annual Outdoor Expo begins at 4 PM this afternoon at the Evangelical Covenant Church.

It continues from 9 AM to 4 PM tomorrow.

Organizer Tom Holt says it will include a number of speakers, demonstrations and displays.

Admission is free, but your encouraged to bring a non-perishable food items for the Salvation Army.

Canada Win Softwood Lumber Ruling

Canada likes it, but the U.S doesn't.

The London Court of International Arbitration is supporting Canada over export charges related to the Softwood Lumber Agreement.

Canada argued it shouldn't have applied the charges when a 2011 decision ruled subsidies to struggling companies in Ontario and Quebec violated the agreement because they came before the deal was been extended.

Canada's is now refunding companies their money.

The decision can not be appealed.

Boil Water Advisory Lifted

A boil water advisory at Rainy River Health Centre has been lifted.

The advisory was put in place last Thursday because of a water main break near the Rainy River hospital.

Riverside Health Care had taken precautions, including bringing in bottled water, during the advisory.

Food Insecurity Growing

A new report suggests food insecurity is becoming a serious problem in Canada's northern and remote First Nations communities.

The Council of Canadians Academies says the number of aboriginal households lacking access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food is growing at a rate more than double that of non-aboriginal households.

The Council says while there is no single solution, cooperation among various agencies and governments is key to reversing the trend.

New Program At Rainy River Community College

A new early childhood education program is being offered at Rainy River Community College in International Falls.

It's partnering with Virginia's Mesabi Range College on the degree program.

Graduates can also use the course to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education through Southwest State University.

Some of the courses are also transferable to a program at the University of Minnesota-Duluth.

Opposition Wants Fine Details Disclosed

The opposition is pushing the government to reveal how much contractors, responsible for plowing provincial highways, were fined this winter for failing to meet provincial standards.

NDP critic John Vantof says there's conflicting information about the reason for those fines that needs to be cleared up.

Transportation minister Glenn Murray is only saying the government has spent $10 million more this winter so contractors could purchase additional snow plows.

Three Arrested In Drug Bust

Three people are facing charges following a drug bust at a Fort Frances home this week.

Members of the Combined Forces Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau executed a search warrant at an Armit Street home Tuesday to find 555 grams of marijuana, street-valued at $11-thousand, and over $1,800 in cash.

Two Winnipeg residents, ages 20 and 42, and a 47-year-old Fort Frances man were arrested and are awaiting court appearances.

Ring of Fire Advances Another Step

Another step is being taken in making sure First Nations concerns are heard in the Ring of Fire negotiations.

Northern Development Minister Michael Gravelle says the province and Mattawa First Nations have signed an agreement to move forward with a negotiating process on the issues they find crucial to them.

New Director Appointed To Riverside Foundation For Health Care

Riverside Foundation for Health Care has a new director.

Samatha Manty takes over the position Monday, replacing Nicke Baird who left to become the executive director at NCDS.

Manty, who's a graduate of Montreal's Dawson College, will wrap up her currently job at the Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce this week.