Town council is facing a dilemma in deciding whether to install solar panels atop the Public Works garage, Memorial Sports Centre, Children’s Complex, water treatment plant, and the Civic Centre in order to generate electricity which then can be sold back to the grid for much-needed revenue. The proposal certainly […]
Editorials
The decision by the Rainy River District School Board to find David Kircher had breached the Trustee Code of Conduct was a necessary one—but it reeks of hypocrisy. As anyone who lives in a small town knows, actions and discussions which take place behind closed doors inevitably leak out at […]
The annual “sunshine list” will be out in early April and no doubt the number of public-sector employees in Ontario making more than $100,000 a year will be longer than ever. The purpose of the list is noble enough: to provide transparency so taxpayers can see where their hard-earned money […]
A regional swim meet, a girls’ hockey tournament, a youth bowling tournament, and a squash tournament filled local hotels and restaurants this past weekend. In total, more than 400 young athletes were in the community—and most brought parents with them. As such, the parking lots and streets around the Memorial […]
It didn’t take Dave Kircher long to stir the pot at the Rainy River District School Board. Ever since it was revealed that hundreds of thousands of dollars went missing from Fort Frances High School over several years, Kircher has been spearheading a crusade demanding better accountability on the part […]
There’s no harm in asking. That clearly was the mindset over in International Falls last week when Mayor Shawn Mason wrote to U.S. President Barack Obama inviting him to the dedication ceremony for the new James Oberstar Riverfront Complex on July 2—which also happens to coincide with the annual international […]
A push to build a casino in Fort Frances is afoot again—a topic local delegates plan to bring up with provincial ministers during the annual Ontario Good Roads Association/Rural Ontario Municipal Association joint conference slated for Feb. 27-March 2. There’s no question casinos are cash cows. One only has to […]
People gripe. It may not be one of our better traits, but it’s a fact of life. The issue drawing the ire of many residents these days, of course, has been the town’s snow removal efforts in the wake of the back-to-back blizzards that dumped more than a foot of […]
Income tax cuts for most Ontarians. A host of tax credits on everything from home heating costs to child benefits to property tax relief for hundreds of thousands of seniors. More spaces for university students, more aid for children with autism, and new programs to help families stay healthy while […]
From the brave souls who took the “plunge” into Sand Bay last New Year’s Day to the 320 people who turned out Saturday for the community Christmas dinner at Knox United Church, 2010 marked another year of annual events interspersed with unexpected occurrences of triumph and tragedy, controversy and inspiration […]
One of the most heart-wrenching decisions any family faces is when an elderly loved one no longer can live in their own home, whether due to advanced age, health problems, or the fact younger family members don’t live nearby to help out with the daily household chores, to run errands, […]
First off, the mayor and council of Fort Frances deserve the heart-felt thanks of residents for their willingness to tackle the many difficult challenges facing our community for another four-year term. Just looking at the long list of town boards and committees that councillors sit on, a tremendous time commitment […]
