New Gold Preparing For Mine Construction

New Gold continues to prepare for construction and eventual opening of its planned open pit mine north of Barwick.

It's recently hired an engineering team and has began identifying potential equipment purchases.

President Randall Oliphant says they're benefiting from a slowdown in mine development that's helping to keep costs down.

Oliphant says many of the costs are coming in or below estimates.

LGBT Training In Fort Frances

Educators, administrators and reps from other agencies are gathering today in Fort Frances for the start of a two day conference relating to lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans-gender students.

Rainy River District School Board's Casey Slack says i'ts the third time officials with EGALE Canada have offered this type of training.

Slack says a separate session will be held Wednesday with students.

Education Week

This is education week across the province.

Education Director with the Rainy River District School Board Heather Campbell says the theme is excellence in education.

Schools across the district has holding various events in recognition.

Here is a list of all events

Crossroads
 May 5 – Cultural activities
 May 7 – School Speech Contest in the morning, and Jump Rope for Heart in the afternoon
 May 8 – Pancake breakfast, and talent show
 May 9 – Earth Day/Re-use it Fair

Donald Young
 May 6 –Staff vs. students volleyball games
 May 7 – Community Spring Tea from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m.
 May 7 – Family Math Night from 5:30 to 7:15 p.m.
 May 8 –School Speech Contest
 May 9 – Jump Rope for Heart

J. W. Walker
 May 6 - Pancake breakfast
 May 7 - School Speech Contest
 May 8 - Art Extravaganza, and Lunch with a Learner

McCrosson-Tovell
 Focus throughout the week on Science and Technology in classrooms
 Mental Health announcements and student participation in yoga each morning
 May 6, 7 – Online book discussion

Mine Centre
 May 5 – Student assembly with a presentation by students in Grades 7 and 8
 May 5 – staff vs. students dodge ball
 May 6 – School-wide Math Inquiry
 May 7 – School Pow Wow
 May 8 – Kindergarten to Grade 2 Spring Tea, and Youth Mental Health Week activities
 May 9 – School-wide Buddy Reading

Nestor Falls
 May 6 – Monthly assembly and School Speech Contest
 May 8 – Spring clean-up

North Star Community
 Buddy Reading visits throughout the week
 Giant Map activities in the gym all week
 Family members are invited to participate with their children in math and reading activities during
 the first block all week.
 May 8 -– Principal will do a zany activity if the students have met the challenge of reading 5,000 books in one week

Riverview
 May 5 – Mental Health presentation
 May 7 – Whole school team building activities
 May 9 – Parent Council will be hosting a Spring Tea from noon to 2:00 p.m.

Robert Moore
 May 6 – Art Extravaganza
 May 7 – Book Fair
 May 8, 9 – Book Fair
 May 8 – Pancake Breakfast

Sturgeon Creek School
 May 5 – School Speech Contest
 May 8 – Spring Tea and concert

Sturgeon Creek Alternative Program
 May 8 – Grandparents Day, Festival highlights, speeches, and spring Concert in the Evening
 May 9 – Pitch in Day, and Buddy Day.

Rainy River High School
 May 8 – Mental Health presentation for students
 May 9 – Entrepreneur workshop, and career choices presentation

Atikokan High School
 May 6 - Dressing Room project geared towards Grades 9 and 10 girl’s self-esteem

Rainy River High School
 May 5, 7– Mental Health presentations for students
 May 6 – Yoga demonstration
 May 7 – Visit from local artist, Peter Spuzak

Fort Frances High School
 May 8 – Mental Health Awareness Forum
 May 9 – The school will host Grade 8 students for the transition to high school with a Mini We Day.

Parents of elementary and secondary students are invited and encouraged to attend the EQAO Parent Forum on Saturday, May 10 at La Place Rendez-Vous, Fort Frances.

PC Candidate Election Ready

The candidates in the Kenora-Rainy River Riding are hitting the hustings for the June 12th provincial election.

Conservative candidate Randy Nickle says it's been a whirlwind couple of days in the wake of the Liberal government's budget last Thursday.

NDP incumbent Sarah Campbell and Liberal candidate Anthony Leek spent part of their weekend at the Kenora Home show.

The Green Party by Tim McKillop of Pickle Lake. 

Hospital To Hire Intern

Atikokan General Hospital is receiving provincial funding to hire an intern.

The $31,500 from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund was announced prior to last Friday's election call.

The hospital will use the money for a senior management assistant intern.

New Police Chief Hired

Treaty Three Police Service has new police chief.

Louie Napish from the Eagle Lake First Nation takes over from Dan Davidson who was serving in an interim capacity.

Napish has been with Treaty 3 Police for the past 18 years, most recently serving as deputy chief.

Funeral For Oberstar

Funeral services for a long-serving Minnesota congressman will be held this week in Maryland.

Jim Oberstar died Saturday at the age of 79.

He represented northeastern Minnesota for 36 years and was instrumental in helping the State and area communities with several projects.

Cold Start To The Year

The National Weather Service out of Duluth says the first four months of the year in International Falls ranks as the second coldest start in history.

The average temperature came in at 11.6 F - that's -11 C.

It's 0.3 degrees warmer than the start to 1950.

NDP To Reject Budget

An Ontario election appears likely this spring.

NDP leader Andrea Horwath says her party will not support passing of the Liberal budget.

Speaking to reporters at Queen's Park, Horwath says her decision is based on the scandals that have plagued the Liberals over the past several years.

Horwath believes the budget is about throwing money around simply to avoid the scandals.

Budget Announced

The Liberal government is out with its budget for 2014.

Finance Minister Charles Sousa delivered the document at the Ontario Legislature yesterday.

It calls for spending of more than $130-billion on a variety of programs.

That increases the deficit to $12.5 billion this year, but Sousa is promising to balance the books by 2017.

Area Liberals Happy With Budget

Provincial Liberals from northwestern Ontario are happy with the budget.

Municipal Affairs Minister Bill Mauro says the budget is great for people in northwestern Ontario.

Northern Development and Mines Minister Michael Gravelle says it contains many perks for northwestern Ontario.

It includes previously announced funding for the Ring of Fire and dedicated to annual funding for municipalities to fix up roads and bridges.

The NDP must support the budget in order for it to pass, something Gravelle hopes takes place.

Opposition Reaction To Budget

Reaction from the opposition to the budget not surprising.

PC Finance Critic Vic Fedeli says the budget only increases spending and piles more onto an already historic provincial debt.

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath, who remained quiet about the budget yesterday, is expected to comment at a news conference planned for this morning.

Budget Reaction

Plenty of reaction to the provincial budget.

The Ontario Public Service Employees Union wants the NDP to reject the budget and force an election.

President Warren Thomas says while some low-income wage earners will be helped, the budget aims to cuts jobs and wages of most public employees.

He's also objecting to the Liberal's plan to boost private financing to some public services and infrastructure projects.

Meantime, Unifor has come out in support of the Liberal budget.

It calls the budget "decent," noting that it provides some important investments in public services and infrastructure.

The union is hoping the NDP give its support.

The Registered Practical Nurses Association of Ontario says it while welcomes plans to expand the scope of nurses and other health care professional, the extra $11-billion for capital improvements and the pay increase to personal support workers in the home and community section, the budget fails to address the funding constraints hospital and other health facilities are now under.

Students feel they've been left out of the Ontario budget.

Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario says it sees nothing to improves access or affordability for the thousands of students struggling financially to attend college or university.

Chair Alastair Woods says it's clear that students don't register as a Liberal priority.

High Schools Prepare For New Program

Five high schools, including Fort Frances High, are preparing to be part of a new business and entrepreneurship pilot program aimed at aboriginal students.

 

Lucie Santoro of the Martin Aboriginal Education Initiative says it will be offered to grade 11 and 12 students.

 

Santoro says subjects focus on all aspects of business.

 

The program will begin this fall.

 

More Border Officers Hired

Watch for some new faces as you cross the border into the United States.

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection is in the process of hiring two-thousand new officers.

They're to be deployed at 44 land, air and sea ports across the U.S.

Minnesota Bicycle-Friendly

MN Bike Trail Navigator

Minnesota is being applauded for its efforts to promote cycling in the state.

 

The League of American Bicyclists says Minnesota ranks number two among the most bicycle-friendly states in the nation.

 

The State includes thousands of miles of trails for biking, including 600 paved routes.

 

Minnesota also has a bike-sharing system in the Twin Cities which is expected to expand elsewhere in the future.

Camp Seeks More Campers

Supplied photo

More campers from northwestern Ontario are wanted by a camp specifically for children with cancer.

Camp Quality near Thunder Bay is offering its annual week-long camp in July.

Director Ashleigh Quarrell says a number of openings are now available.

There is no cost to attend, but eligible campers need to register by May 31.

Click this link to register.

No Change In Mill's Future

Resolute Forest Products says its plans for the mill in Fort Frances remain unchanged.

The company says it's still working to reposition the idle operation.

But in a conference call to investors Thursday, president Richard Garneau says that hasn't been so successful.

Garneau adds they have spent nearly $9-million on steps that keep the mill in idle-mode.

Layoffs Announced For Thunder Bay Mill

Twenty-five to thirty workers are being temporarily laid off at the Resolute Forest Products saw mill in Thunder Bay.

Spokesperson  Xavier Van Chau says it's because they have too much lumber caused by a lack of rail cars to ship it to market.

Van Chau adds that no students will be hired at the sawmill this summer because of the layoffs.

Weather Blamed For Resolute Losses

Resolute Forest Products says this past winter has had an impact on its bottom line.

The company says its operating loss now stands at $50-million.

It blames the winter weather which led to higher electricity costs, production disruptions and equipment failures, as well as disruptions in shipments.