Province Provides Funding for OSPCA

Ontario government is giving the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals five and a half million dollars to strengthen its protection for animals.

The money will go towards hiring more investigators to handle complaints from rural and northern communities.

There will also be a 24/7 dispatch service for residents to call about alleged animal abuse.

Specific attention will be also made on cracking down on puppy and kitten mills and better training for investigators in the agricultural sector.

Old Tourist Bureau Torn Down

The old Tourist Bureau on Highway 17 east is no more.

The building was torn by city work crews yesterday.

The old tourism office was considered prohibitive to repair, and
has been replaced by the Discovery Center.

The cost of the demolition was pegged at about 10 thousand dollars.

No word on what the city plans to do with the property.

Police Costing On the Table Again Today

Municipal officials are hopeful a new deal can be reached with the
province on police costs.

A meeting is taking place today in Dryden to discuss the issue.

Kenora mayor Dave Canfield says there has been some progress
in recent months.

Canfield says communities such as Kenora and Red Lake pay more than 900 dollars a household for police costs, while other pay less than 100 dollars.

He says all they are looking for is a level playing field.

Sioux Narrows-Nestor Falls Could Operate Caliper Lake Next Year

The Town of Sioux Narrows/Nestor Falls is seriously looking at operating Caliper Lake Provincial Park next summer.

The town currently operates Sioux Narrows Park.

Mayor Bill Thompson says a recent MNR survey shows the provincial parks are a definite boost to the local economy.

Thompson says town council will likely decide next month whether or not to operate both provincial parks next year.

Campaign Continues to Save Ontario Rangers

Organizers fighting for a return of the Ontario Ranger program aren't giving up hope.

Natural Resources Minister David Orazietti gave little indication this past week the program, cut last fall, would be back.

Lisa Streets, a member of the Friends of the Ranger Program, says their work is far from over.

Streets says it wouldn't take a lot of money in the provincial budget to have the program restore.

Project Safe Hallowe'en Hands Out Glow Sticks

Much of northwestern Ontario will be a glow on Halloween.

Some 6 thousand glow sticks have been distributed to schools and child care centers around the region.

OPP Constable Anne McCoy says they will help young trick or treaters be seen.

The campaign, expanded to the Kenora and Dryden districts last year, is also being extended to the Thunder Bay region this Halloween.

Mining Company Still Plans Rail Line into Ring of Fire

KWG Resources says they still plan to build a railroad at their staked claim in the Ring of Fire.

It comes after Marten Falls Chief Eli Moonias said the claims were staked illegally and without their consultation.

Vice-president of Exploration, Moe Lavigne says they received a former chief's blessing back in 2009 and notes it might be a case of different administrations having different point of views.

Lavigne says the company's claims are legal in the Provincial Government's eyes and also involved First Nation consultation.

Growing the Gridiron

Growing the Gridiron.

That is the name of a football camp that 48 kids took part in yesterday at Beaver Brae Secondary School.

Kyle McCabe with the program says the goal is to allow kids to have fun and learn at their pace.

Growing the Gridiron is in it's first year of operation and McKay says it's been a huge success.

The program is in Fort Frances today.