New legislation introduced by Municipal Affairs and Housing minister Tony Clement last Thursday will give voters more opportunity to show their teeth in local politics. β€œIt gives the people more input as to what they want to see,” said Fort Frances Mayor Glenn Witherspoon. If passed, the bill would allow […]

With the new scale, grandstand, and auctioneer’s box in place, this year’s spring cattle auction at the Stratton sales yard was held Saturday with few glitches. β€œIt’s running a lot smoother,” said Harold Duivenvoorden. β€œThis is a lot different than it was a year ago.” Volunteers had been doing last-minute […]

Matt Neilson, a grade eight student at Sturgeon Creek School, is glad Walter Rogoza gave him a little advice after a district science fair last month at Crossroads School in Devlin. Because after fixing up his crystal radio project in order to compete in a regional competition in Dryden last […]

Seeds are planted, watered, grown, and harvested. And in the case of Larry and Linda Lamb, they’re also cleaned. Lamb has retained distribution rights on many varieties of seed in Northwestern Ontario. His business began as an alternative to shipping seeds to Manitoba for treatment, and he’s since become one […]

Wood ash from the local mills, which could be used by farmers to improve soil quality is now being shipped by the truck load to landfill sites. Some Rainy River area farmers are hoping to work out a deal with the mills based on the success of other cooperative partnerships […]

A drive through Northwestern Ontario almost guarantees the sight of at least one Inukshuk, an Inuit tradition which is becoming one of many Canadian emblems. The stone structures are often built with a human shape and catch the eyes of most passer-bys. Tourists often who have never seen an Inukshuk […]

From smoking to motor-vehicle injuries, the lifestyle of people living in Northwestern Ontario is not a healthy one, according to figures in a recent study by the Health Statistics Division of Statistics Canada. The stats aren’t good. On average, Northwestern Ontario residents are more obese–and more likely to die young […]

Having already raised about $400,000, Rainy River First Nation Chief Jim Leonard said he’s certain the Aboriginal Dialysis Acquisition Drive will reach its goal soon. β€œWe will definitely get it. Our goal is $500,000 and it will be raised,” he stressed Tuesday. Starting in early February, the campaign–chaired by Chief […]

The Rainy River Social Services Administration Board is going back to square one in the choice of an apportionment formula that will dictate each municipality’s share towards its budget. One formula already had been chosen by the board but a misunderstanding in the voting process forced it to put all […]

After only three years of shared ownership, Manitou Forest Products at Rainy River First Nation (Manitou Rapids) is looking at the possibility of a half-million dollar expansion. It already has re-invested $750,000 over the last five years. β€œWe’re always expanding, trying to put up new buildings. Right now, we are […]

A new building that has appeared just east of Emo has drawn a lot of speculation from passing motorists and nearby residents. The Wieringas’ new indoor horse ring is one of the biggest building projects in the area at 60’ x 140’. β€œSomeone said β€˜that’s a really big garage,’” laughed […]

The Emo Figure Skating Club–along with their very capable instructor, Marie-Josee Potvin, moms, and helpers–staged a grand finale to the season with their annual ice show Sunday afternoon. This year’s theme was β€œCentury of Memories,” which dated back to the Waltz, featuring skaters Trevor Baker, Kayla Caul, MacKenzie Caul, Noreen […]