Council's hands are tied—a new municipal accommodation tax (MAT) still will come into effect on Jan. 1.

The games were much higher-scoring in Fort Frances Men's Basketball League action last Tuesday night at Fort High.

The first game of the night saw the RBC Lions aiming to keep their perfect record intact against the BDO Ballerz.

In the only close game of the night, RBC found themselves in the unusual spot of being behind for much of the first half.

OTTAWA—Quebec's finance minister yesterday brushed off complaints from Alberta about his province's share of the federal equalization-funding pie, calling them pre-election posturing in the Prairie province.

TORONTO—Ontario's financial watchdog says the province's deficit will rise to $12.3 billion this fiscal year—half-a-billion more than he predicted before the spring election but less than the Progressive Conservative government's own projections.

TORONTO—The Ontario government says indigenous people no longer will have to swear allegiance to the Queen while being sworn into municipal office.

An alternate oath is being offered after an indigenous councillor-elect in a Northern Ontario town was forced to vacate his recently-won seat because he wouldn't pledge allegiance to the Queen.

OTTAWA—Public Safety minister Ralph Goodale says he will examine the transfer of Victoria Stafford's murderer, Michael Rafferty, from a maximum-security prison to a medium-security facility—a review that will take place just weeks after Rafferty's accomplice, Terri-Lynne McClintic, went back to a prison from an indigenous healing lodge.

NEW YORK—The “Fearless Girl” is making her stand outside the very temple of American capitalism.

The hands-on-her-hips statue that spent most of the past two years staring down Wall Street's “Charging Bull” sculpture, becoming a spunky symbol of feminine empowerment, was unveiled yesterday at her new permanent home in front of the New York Stock Exchange.

UNIONDALE, N.Y.—Casey DeSmith is providing a lift for the Pittsburgh Penguins while Matt Murray is sidelined by a lower-body injury.

DeSmith made 25 saves to lead the Penguins to a 2-1 shootout win against the N.Y. Islanders last night.

“He was really good all night. He was locked in,” said Penguins' coach Mike Sullivan.

“He made some big saves for us.”

SEATTLE—Bobby Wagner leapt over the line of scrimmage, swatted Dan Bailey's field-goal attempt, and sparked the Seattle Seahawks to two late touchdowns.

Whether or not what Wagner did was entirely legal, he frankly didn't care.

“I'm not stressing about that. I made the play. They called what they called,” Wagner said.

VANCOUVER—DeVone Claybrooks has been named the new head coach of the B.C. Lions.

The Lions made the long-expected move official in a news release today.

The former Calgary Stampeders' defensive co-ordinator replaces Wally Buono, who retired at the end of the season following 46 years in the CFL.

WASHINGTON—NASA's first look at a tiny asteroid shows the space rock is more moist and studded with boulders than originally thought.

Scientists yesterday released the first morsels of data collected since their spacecraft, Osiris-Rex, hooked up last week with the asteroid Bennu, which only is about three blocks wide and weighs about 80 million tons.

WASHINGTON — NASA’s first look at a tiny asteroid shows the space rock is more moist and studded with boulders than originally thought.

MOSCOW — Two Russian cosmonauts were preparing to venture outside the International Space Station Tuesday to inspect a section where a mysterious leak has been discovered.

NEW HAVEN, Conn. — The assertion that “truth isn’t truth,” made by a personal attorney for President Donald Trump, tops a Yale Law School librarian’s list of the most notable quotes of 2018.

NEW YORK — Many companies including McDonald’s and Kellogg are purging artificial colours from their foods, but don’t expect your cheeseburgers or cereal to look much different.

Colours send important signals about food, and companies aren’t going to stop playing into those perceptions.

TUALATIN, Ore. — Rosa Villarreal’s three young sons jumped and ran around the field of Christmas trees like jackrabbits, their excitement palpable as they raced from evergreen to evergreen. The boys, ages 2, 4 and 6, were picking out a real tree this year a new tradition their young parents hope will create lasting memories.

Traditionally, Italian porchetta is a whole pig that is spit-roasted to produce fall-apart tender, rich pieces of slow-cooked pork, aromatic with garlic, fennel seeds, rosemary, and thyme. It’s served with pieces of crisp skin on a crusty roll.

Naan is an Indian flatbread with a chewy texture and a puffed, slightly charred crust. Brushing the baking sheet with olive oil and then baking the naan on the lowest rack in a 400 F oven gives it a crispy texture—just like pizza crust. This recipe can be doubled. Follow this recipe with your kids.

PIZZA IN A FLASH

Servings: 1-2

Making holiday cookies—the rolled, cutout, and glazed butter-cookie variety—is everyone’s favourite December activity. Unfortunately, these cookies either look good but taste like cardboard or have buttery, rich flavour but lack visual appeal.

It will be mostly cloudy tonight, with an overnight low of minus-eight C (17 F) and south-southeast winds gusting up to 13 km/h.

Tomorrow will see a mix of sun and clouds, with a high of minus-three (26) and low around minus-nine (16).

Look for south-southeast winds gusting up to 15 km/h.

The La Verendrye Hospital Auxiliary held its December executive meeting on Tuesday (Dec. 4) in the small conference room at the hospital.

Convener Janet Lambert reported the “Spirit of Christmas” fundraiser held Dec. 9 at the Copper River Inn was a success, with 210 people in attendance.

All expenses were donated so all proceeds will go directly to health care at the hospital.

After almost 16 years with the town, treasurer Laurie Lindberg is retiring at month's end.

Mayor, council, and administration expressed thanks to Lindberg during Monday night's regular meeting.

Mayor June Caul said Lindberg “has been so invaluable to me to learn the ropes and to understand things” during her first four years on council.

Nearly one year after first arriving here in Borderland, the second family of Iraqi refugees has moved away to southern Ontario.

Rami Canoon, his wife, Fivyan Shamoon, and their two daughters, Fbaana, seven, and Oryana, three, left for London, Ont. on Dec. 1.

Go jump in the lake!

The Voyageur Lions Club of Fort Frances is looking for folks to brave the icy waters of Sand Bay on New Year's Day for its annual “Polar Plunge.”

The fundraiser once again will be held at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 1 on the ice behind La Place Rendez-Vous here.

Club member Bill Michl said registration is off to a decent start.

Paramedic Katie Stearns of the Rainy River District EMS found a place in the back of an ambulance for yet another food donation during this year's “Stuff-a-Cruiser” campaign held Saturday at Safeway, The Place, and Walmart here, Cloverleaf Grocery in Emo, and Beaver Mills Market in Rainy River. No information as to how many cruisers were stuffed was available prior to press time today.

District nursing students will be able to get their education closer to home starting next fall.

Confederation College will be offering a fourth intake of the Community-Based Collaborative Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) program in September, 2019.

A local resident would like to see improved sidewalks and highway crossings, as well as more trees, in Fort Frances.

The Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association is calling on the Ontario government to adopt a regional electricity price for Northwestern Ontario as a means to attract new industry while reducing the cost of energy in the region.

Winter has arrived and the Northwestern Health Unit would like to remind people in the region to take extra caution when spending time outdoors.

"When temperatures reach minus-28 degrees C or below, with or without the wind chill, the risk of a cold-related injury such as frostbite or hypothermia becomes much higher.

The Ontario government is celebrating the 100-year anniversary of recording baby names in Ontario.

“Choosing a name for your child is an important and personal decision for all parents,” said Government and Consumer Services minister Bill Walker.

“The lists of top baby names in Ontario is one way to help parents choose a name for their baby,” he noted.

Marg Heyens of Emo won $50 in the Alzheimer Society of Kenora/Rainy River Districts' cash calendar draw for December.

Linda McClymont of Kenora won $75 while fellow Kenora residents Irma Milko, Wendy Sutherland (twice), Hazel Larabie, Scott and Sheila Belair, Jim Burley, Kyle McIsaac, Ryan O'Connor, Marlean Keeley, Ginnie Hintz, and Eileen Wilton each won $50.

Trying to break into a new community can be tough, especially when you're from another country.

To help those who recently immigrated here get better connected to other immigrants, the Valley Adult Learning Association held a “Newcomers Meet-and-Greet” on Nov. 30 at the Super 8.

“Last January we got quite an influx of newcomers to Canada,” noted VALA employee Tracey Ormerod.

A candlelight vigil was held Thursday evening at Knox United Church here to pay tribute to the tragic deaths of two local women who died 18 years ago at the hands of gender-based violence.

Since the deaths of Melani Sutton and Deanna Daw in 2000, an event has been held in the community on Dec. 6, which falls on the “National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.”

The Rainy River District School Board held its inaugural meeting last Tuesday evening at the Education Centre here.

The trustees said their oaths before being sworn in, with Fort Frances trustees Raymond Roy and David Kircher later being acclaimed as board chair and vice-chair, respectively.

There is a strong group of musically-talented individuals at Mikinaak Onigaming School and they recently were given an outlet to express themselves.

A recording studio was built in the basement of the school in March, with the aim of giving students a place to tap into their musical talents and learn about production.

The Chapple, Emo, La Vallee and Alberton Fire & Emergency Service is warning district residents of a scam in which individuals are impersonating local fire and emergency services to solicit donations.

Last Thursday, the fire service was notified by local residents saying they were contacted by fraudsters posing as local fire departments and asking for donations.

On Monday, members of the Treaty #3 Police Service attending Mitaanjigaming First Nation in response to a fire that had engulfed a home.

It has been learned that a member of the community has passed away in connection with this fire.

Trying to choose a career as a high school student can be a difficult task.

With so many different occupations to choose from, it can be quite overwhelming for some students to find a career path that suits their needs.

Nothing compares to the aroma of baked Christmas goodies when coming in from the cold winter weather.

Our olfactory sensations (our sense of smell) contribute up to 80 percent to our sense of taste, and thus is a very important part of our ability to recognize and enjoy flavour.

Lillian Pearson (Fort Frances) and Colette Cameron (Noelville, Ont.) won the $100 up for grabs for Nov. 30 and Dec. 1, respectively, in the Rainy River Distrit Mutual Aid Association's weekly cash calendar draw.

The Muskie boys' hockey team definitely has nothing to hang its head about.

Fort High went 3-0-1 before falling 3-1 to the Morris Mavericks in the 'B'-side final at the annual Victoria Inns tournament in Brandon, Man. held Friday through Sunday.

Losing streaks can test the morale of any team and the Fort Frances Lakers are happy to put their most recent one behind them.

A Chase Robideau goal 13:40 into the third period proved to be the game-winner as the Lakers beat the visiting Red Lake Miners 5-3 on Saturday night at the Ice For Kids Arena to snap a seven-game losing streak.

It was a weekend full of impressive performances by local swimmers at the Northwest Narwhal's Massaro Construction LTD Invitational swim meet held Dec. 1-2 at the Lakehead University pool in Thunder Bay.

Sarah Rittau, a member of the local Cyclone Swim Club, medalled in all nine of her events in the female age 15-and-older division.

They did not get off to the start they wanted but there still is a lot of season left for the Muskie senior and junior boys' basketball teams.

Both squads lost their NorWOSSA season-openers last Tuesday against the host Kenora Broncos and were looking to rebound this week.

Here are the sunrise and sunset times for Dec. 13-19:

Getting to showcase his talents among some of the best youth football players across the country is an experience Jaykob Ryll will never forget.

What a way to kick off the season.

The Muskie junior and senior girls' volleyball teams came away with impressive wins in their NorWOSSA regular-season openers last Tuesday against the host Kenora Broncos.

The juniors swept the Broncos in straight sets by scores of 25-10, 25-17, and 28-26.

The more you work at something, the more you get better at it.

At least, that's what the Muskie girls' hockey team is hoping.

The black-and-gold came out on the wrong side of a 5-4 shootout loss to the host Dryden Eagles on Thursday night that saw their NorWOSSA record fall to 1-2-0-1.

Crossroads vice-principal Sharla McKinnon, left, and principal Kerri Tolen received the Rainy River District School Board's monthly Recognition of Excellence award last Tuesday night. They were saluted for the “Awesomeness Through Art” events held at the Devlin school in which students learned about math and art.

Rami Canoon, his wife, Fivyan Shamoon, and their two daughters, Fbaana, seven, and Oryana, three, bid farewell to Kathy Mueller at the Thunder Bay Airport on Dec. 1. The Iraqi family has moved to London, Ont. to be closer to extended family members.

Couchiching Chief Brian Perrault addressed a rally on Parliament Hill last Thursday about the mercury poisoning at the Grassy Narrow First Nation. About 50 years ago, a mill dumped mercury upstream from the Treaty #3 First Nation and the reserve's children are showing signs that the neurotoxin is still affecting the community to this day.

Grade 11 Mikinaak School student James Yerxa listened to a multi-layer track he created under the guidance of Anna Atkinson while she visited to teach students how to use equipment inside the school's new recording studio. He is using Ableton Live and holding a USB Audio Interface Device for music production.

Bargain Shop interim manager Dawn Gray, left, her son, Sam Gray, First Student supervisor Tracy Mose, and local Salvation Army Lt. Ryan MacDonald helped load more toys onto the First Student bus Saturday at The Bargain Shop.

Techways program co-ordinator Marlon Douglas spoke about the bike mechanics program he has been facilitating at district schools during the Rainy River District School Board's inaugural meeting last Tuesday night at the Education Centre here. It is hoped the program will spark an interest among students so they are more confident to pursue careers in tech and the trades.

Camie Gray of Iron Range Bus Lines (top left) accepted a case of Kraft Dinner from Jesse Csuzdi as he left Safeway on Saturday morning. Iron Range's buses proved very useful for hauling away the large amount of non-perishable food items donated during this year's “Stuff-a-Cruiser” campaign.

Jacquee Loerzel, community family violence counsellor at Riverside Health Care here, helped light the candle held by her mother, Fort Frances Mayor June Caul, during the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women event at Knox United Church on Thursday evening. Those who attended lit their candles to honour victims of domestic abuse.

Kathryn Pierroz said her oath and pledged allegiance to the Queen before being sworn in as a trustee during the Rainy River District School Board's inaugural meeting at the Education Centre here last Tuesday night.

The “Waabishkiibinesii Women Singers" drum group performed songs of healing during the annual candlelight vigil service held at Knox United Church here Thursday evening for the annual "National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.”

“Boreal," comprised of Katherine Wheatley, left, Tannis Slimmon, and Jude Vadala, delighted and charmed the audience Friday evening at the Townshend Theatre during the third "Tour de Fort" concert of the 2018-19 season. The trio of Guelph songstresses tour together as "Boreal” each November and December, performing a collection of homespun winter-themed songs and holiday classics.

Fort High student Janissa Judson was set up in the school's cafeteria last Wednesday morning with her display that looked at heat therapy and her co-op placement at La Verendrye Hospital here. She found the physiotherapy aspects of her placement to be the most interesting.

Rachel Anderson, left, and her friend, Jordan, sang during Thursday evening's candlelight vigil ceremony at the Knox United Church.

Ellayna Kabel helped to clear some dishes off of table during the Muskie girls' hockey team's annual tea and bake sale held Saturday afternoon at the Fort High cafeteria. Members of the team served sandwiches, desserts, tea, and coffee to raise funds for the program. The event also featured a penny table.

Colton Bodnar and Nick Hahkala of the Fort Frances Lakers looked to keep Red Lake Miners' defenceman Dante Tisi in check during their squad's 5-3 win Saturday night at the Ice For Kids Arena. The Lakers snapped a seven-game losing streak with the win and will be looking to keep things rolling heading into Friday night's game against the Dryden GM Ice Dogs here at 7:30 p.m.

The fall hunting season allows us to have fun in the outdoors in all conditions.

Paiten Kinnear looked to rush the puck down the ice toward the Dryden Eagles' zone during the Muskie girls' hockey team's 5-4 shootout loss there last Thursday night. The black-and-gold will be looking to get back into the win column tonight against the host Kenora Broncos before playing in the annual K-Town Classic tourney there this weekend.

Jaykob Ryll had the pleasure of meeting retired Edmonton Eskimos' wide receiver Henry “Gizmo” Williams during his time with the NISSAN Kickoff Project in Edmonton last month.

Former NHL star Theoren Fleury held a workshop entitled “Reflections on Healing and Trauma, a One-Day Conversation with Theo Fleury” at the Couchiching multi-use facility last Thursday. The workshop aimed to help those dealing with traumatic experiences to open up in a safe, community-like atmosphere so they could begin down the path to healing.

Muskie football player Jaykob Ryll posed for a photo with a fellow NISSAN Kickoff Project player during the exhibition game held the day before the Grey Cup in Edmonton back in November. Ryll was part of Team Midnight, which won the game by a 23-17 margin over Team TITAN Pro-41.

Effective Dec. 18, La Verendrye General Hospital is moving to a centralized registration model.

This standardized change aims to improve patient flow, improve staff and patient safety, and enhance the patient experience.

There were a couple of memorable individual performances resulting in some season-high point totals in Fort Frances Men's Basketball League action Tuesday night at Fort High.

The first game of the night featured the Muskies taking on the Revco Renegades.

The Muskie court teams did a great job of defending home court Tuesday afternoon against the Dryden Eagles.

Both the junior and senior girls' volleyball squads came away victorious to improve to 2-0 in NorWOSSA play.

The juniors won in straight sets (25-8, 25-12, and 25-22) while the seniors prevailed in four sets (25-23, 25-17, 22-25, and 25-18).

Jordon Bazylewski looked to drive towards the hoop during the fourth quarter of the Muskie junior boys' basketball team's 46-42 loss to the Dryden Eagles here Tuesday afternoon. All four Muskie court teams resumed NorWOSSA action this afternoon when they hosted the Kenora Broncos at the “Fish Tank,” with the outcomes not known as of press time.

Seven Generations Education Institute hair-styling program students Jasmine Bump, left, Jadia Nash, Larissa Derkson, and Cherish Gervais showed off the Christmas tree-styled mannequin heads they had decorated on Tuesday at the hair studio on King's Highway.

Work has begun to demolish the building located at 335 Scott St. in order to re-purpose the site into a parking lot for The Sleepy Owl motel located directly to the west. A motion to enter into a site plan control agreement with Good Day Wholesalers (Crozier) Ltd., which owns both properties, was passed at Monday night's council meeting.

-Staff photo

OTTAWA—Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has appointed four new senators including a failed Liberal candidate, filling every seat in the upper chamber.

The Senate has a full complement of 105 senators—the first time there hasn't been a vacancy in about eight years.

Trudeau has appointed 49 senators since becoming prime minister and will have the chance to appoint more in 2019.

OTTAWA—The federal government is enacting strict new measures to address mounting concerns about tired flight crews on commercial planes—big and small.

New regulations will set lower limits for the number of hours pilots can be in the air and on the job before having to take a break, taking into account the times of day they fly and how often they take off and land.

OTTAWA—As he does almost every day before attending question period, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau bounded down the stairs between his third-floor office in Parliament Hill's Centre Block and the foyer on the second floor outside the House of Commons.

TORONTO—The man about to become Ontario's top cop should step aside while a probe is conducted into allegations of political interference from Premier Doug Ford's office in his hiring, the leader of the Opposition said yesterday as the government stood firm on the appointment.

OTTAWA—Experts the federal government charged with looking at whether people suffering only from mental disorders should be eligible for medically-assisted death couldn't even agree on what evidence is relevant to the question, according to reports tabled in Parliament yesterday.

Police investigations into the deaths of nine indigenous people in Thunder Bay, Ont. were so problematic—in part because of systemic racism—that they should be reinvestigated, an independent review released yesterday recommends.

The recommendation by Ontario's police watchdog is one of 44 in a report that concludes the city's police service is rife with racist attitudes.

REGINA—A consulting firm says sight lines are a safety concern at the rural intersection where the deadly Humboldt Broncos bus crash happened back in April.

OAKLAND, Calif.—Minus their top player and with their coach still mourning his mother's death two days earlier, the Toronto Raptors put an emphatic stamp on a season sweep of Golden State.

They did it with the two-time defending NBA champion Warriors nearly at full strength, too—a very different scenario from when the teams played in Toronto less than two weeks ago.

CALGARY—Johnny Gaudreau's overtime winner in a 6-5 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers last night returned the Calgary Flames to first place in the NHL's Western Conference.

Trailing 5-3, Calgary's Sean Monahan and Rasmus Andersson scored in the final 68 seconds of regulation to tee up Gaudreau's winner 35 seconds into extra time.

LAS VEGAS—An all-star starter to the relief-reliant Rays, a Tanner-for-Tanner trade, and a Scott Boras sighting.

Intrigue at the winter meetings but not much impact.

Not yet, anyway.

Charlie Morton was the top name to switch teams yesterday, joining Tampa Bay for a two-year, $30-million deal after going 15-3 with Houston last season.

TORONTO—Troy Tulowitzki had no plans to be anything but a starting shortstop upon his return from injury.

The Toronto Blue Jays felt it was unlikely he'd be able to play regularly at an above-average level.

On Tuesday, the Jays made the final move by giving the veteran infielder his release.

It will be partly cloudy tonight, with an overnight low of minus-seven C (19 F) and southwest winds gusting up to 17 km/h.

Tomorrow will be sunny, with a high of two (35) and low around minus-six (21)

Look for southwest winds again gusting up to 17 km/h.

Mostly cloudy skies are forecast for Saturday, along with a high of four (39) and low dipping to minus-five (23).

The Fort Frances Lakers will hold their annual bake sale on Friday, Dec. 14 from 4-8 p.m. at the Memorial Sports Centre. Baking donation drop-offs welcome after 2 p.m. tomorrow. For pick-up, call 274-7395 or 276-8241.

It was a job well done for the Muskie junior and senior girls' volleyball teams over the weekend.

The juniors went a perfect 8-0 en route to the claiming the title at a tournament hosted by the Dryden Eagles on Friday and Saturday.

The Dryden GM Ice Dogs stormed out to a 3-0 first-period lead and never looked en route to a 6-2 win over the Fort Frances Lakers on Friday night at the Ice For Kids Arena.

Diane Maxey directed the Fort Frances Choraliers in a performance of “Good News from Home” yesterday afternoon at the Townshend Theatre here. A few hundred people enjoyed the upbeat Christmas cantata, which the Choraliers also performed the previous Sunday over in International Falls.

Ayanna Savage, left and Aiden Loerzel took a seat on Santa and Mrs. Claus' laps to tell them what they would like for Christmas and get their picture taken by Studio Gibbous at The Christmas Store (located at Lowey's Greenhouse & Market Gardens) on Saturday.

TORONTO—Months after saying it would not cap the number of licences for retail pot shops after cannabis was legalized, the Ontario government has reversed course, saying it now will only be able to issue 25 licences by April.

TORONTO—Ontario's Opposition says the government is trampling on workers' rights by immediately resorting to back-to-work legislation to prevent a strike at one of the province's major power utilities.

GRANDE PRAIRIE, Alta.—A rally in support of Alberta's oil industry drew hundreds of supporters who cheered as speakers delivered a message that the rest of Canada needs to be thankful for the prosperity the province provides.

TORONTO—The Ontario government is slashing millions of dollars in funding for programs that are aimed at providing students with extra skills and support, leaving school boards to figure out how students will be affected.

A spokeswoman for Education minister Lisa Thompson said $25 million was slashed from the budget after the government reviewed the “Education Programs—Other” fund.

NEW YORK — Johnson & Johnson is forcefully denying a media report that it knew for decades about the existence of trace amounts of asbestos in its baby powder.

The report Friday by the Reuters news service sent company shares into a tailspin, suffering their worst sell-off in 16 years.

MINNEAPOLIS—With a new play-caller in place, the Minnesota Vikings re-committed to running the ball.

And Dalvin Cook proved again his capability—when healthy—of taking over a game.

WINNIPEG—Mark Scheifele was in a joking mood after setting up the tying goal and then scoring the winner 4:18 into overtime as the Winnipeg Jets topped the league-leading Tampa Bay Lightning 5-4 last night.

Scheifele was asked how he was feeling about his scoring touch of late, which includes a five-game point streak of five goals and nine assists.

DENVER—In the fourth quarter, Jamal Murray's shots finally started falling.

“About time,” the Denver guard said.

About time, too, to take the pesky Nuggets as a serious threat.

DENVER — After months of delays, the U.S. Air Force is about to launch the first of a new generation of GPS satellites, designed to be more accurate, secure and versatile.

NEW YORK — Racial justice. Obstruction of justice. Social justice. The Justice Department. Merriam-Webster has chosen “justice” as its 2018 word of the year, driven by the churning news cycle over months and months.

The word follows “toxic,” picked by Oxford Dictionaries, and “misinformation,” plucked by Dictonary.com.

LOS ANGELES — Father Jim Sichko has a 50-state congregation and a simple mandate from the pope: Go forth and do good deeds.

It will be partly cloudy tonight, with an overnight low of minus-10 C (14 F) and southeast winds gusting up to 13 km/h.

Tomorrow will see a mix of sun and clouds, with a high of zero (32) and low around minus-seven (19).

Look for south-southwest winds gusting up to 13 km/h.

For an impressive 31 years, the community Christmas dinner sees local residents from all walks of life come together for food and fellowship—and next Tuesday will be no different.

The Fort Frances Volunteer Bureau will be hosting the annual dinner from noon-2 p.m. on Christmas Day at Knox United Church.

The Sleepy Owl is pleased to be a part of the beautiful and exciting things happening in downtown Fort Frances.

We're literally making space for it!

The hotel was purchased in February of last year by a young entrepreneur. He and his team are working together to find ways to improve and benefit their guests and the local community at the same time.

La Verendrye General Hospital has transitioned fully to a centralized model for patient registration and visitor information.

From 8 a.m.-8 p.m., all hospital patients and visitors should use the Main Entrance off Front Street and proceed to the First Floor Registration via the elevators or stairs to one of the two registration/information desks.

Jim MacDonald Motors will have a new owner as of Jan. 2, 2019.

Nick Beyak, who currently owns Sunset Country Ford here and Dryden GM, has purchased a third dealership.

“Being from Fort, and having the GM dealership here in Dryden and the Ford dealership down there, it was a logical choice,” Beyak told the Times on Monday from Dryden.

The Fort Frances Choraliers impressed the audience of nearly 300 people at the Townshend Theatre on Sunday afternoon with their performance of the annual Christmas cantata, this year entitled “Good News from Home.”

But what if Borderland residents could enjoy high-quality vocal performances by talented ensemble members more than a couple of times a year?

Employment, Workforce Development and Labour minister Patty Hajdu announced Monday the launch of the employer application period for the 2019 Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) program.

Not-for-profit organizations, public-sector employers, and private employers with up to 50 employees now can apply for funding to hire a young Canadian this summer.

Emo Legion Br. #99 will host its annual $1,000 dance this Saturday (Dec. 22).

Local band Nite Hawk will perform.

Tickets are available at the Legion daily from 3-6 p.m. or Tompkins Hardware in Emo (age of majority is required).

This is always a fun-filled evening and if you're lucky, you'll go home with cash winnings!

—

The provincial government introduced legislation on Monday to prevent a strike or lockout at the Ontario Power Generation, which Energy minister and local MPP Greg Rickford has deemed necessary to avoid power outages by this weekend.

If the bill passes, the Ontario Power Workers' Union and Ontario Power Generation (OPG) will settle their disputes through arbitration.

4-H Canada is proud to announce that the Farm Credit Canada (FCC) 4-H Club Fund has provided $114,250 to 233 clubs across Canada to support various activities and local events.

The Club Fund is part of FCC's $250,000 annual commitment to 4-H Canada.

Construction of the Seven Generations Education Institute's new facility on Agency One lands here is nearing completion.

Jarnel Contracting is wrapping up the finishing touches on the interior of the 40,000 sq. ft. building, which is set to open early in the New Year.

The annual “Polar Plunge,” organized by the Voyageur Lions Club of Fort Frances, once again will be held on Sand Bay on New Year's Day.

For more info or to get a pledge sheet, call Bill Michl at 276-1334.

Jump for your group and you will receive half of your pledges for your own group. The other 50 percent will be used by the Lions for projects in the district and beyond.

A 200-page report released last week by the Ontario Independent Police Review Director found strong evidence of systemic racism in the Thunder Bay Police Service.

“Our community has been waiting for this [report] for two years,” said Rainy River First Nations Chief Robin McGinnis.

A month ago, the Fort Frances Family Centre only had enough funds to last until the end of December.

Now, thanks to a recent influx of donations, it can remain open until at least June.

“We know now we can make it halfway through the [year],” said Monica Sus of the centre.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry is seeking the public's help in identifying the individual(s) responsible for shooting and abandoning a bull moose.

On Dec. 9, conservation officers were made aware of an antlerless bull moose found dead by a member of the public.

The province is making life more affordable by putting a stop to fishing licence fee increases for all Ontario residents and removing the $2 service fee.

“We're making it easier for Ontarians to get out on the water and enjoy the great outdoors by keeping fishing licences more affordable,” said Natural Resources and Forestry minister John Yakabuski.

With Part 2 of Bill C-46 coming into effect yesterday (Dec. 18), the OPP has begun to exercise new authority for investigating impaired drivers on Ontario roads.

Police officers now will be able to demand a roadside breath sample from any lawfully-stopped driver to determine whether a person has alcohol in their body without first having to suspect the motorist has been drinking.

The Citizens for Backus/AB is pleased to announce the award of a $10,000 Minnesota Historical and Cultural grant to hire a qualified professional architect to prepare a Conditions Assessment of the historic 1914 Alexander Baker School.

This assessment will serve as a guide to preservation planning for the building, which is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.

Dentists across Ontario hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday season, and are gifting you with helpful dental tips to keep it a merry time for your mouth.

Whether you're staying in with family and friends, or heading out to parties between now and New Year's, the Ontario Dental Association (ODA) wants you to enjoy the festivities while keeping these four “S”s in mind.

Over the years, I've discovered many simple methods that will help to easily perfect the meals that we serve.

Some are so obvious, like a meat thermometer. Yet it's bizarre when I come across a household that does not have one.

It was a weekend to remember for the Muskie senior girls' volleyball team.

The black-and-gold went a perfect 7-0 en route to claiming the title at the Tiger Spike-off tournament held Friday and Saturday in Thunder Bay.

Fort High beat the St. Thomas Aquinas Saints (Kenora) in three sets by scores of 25-14, 14-25, and 16-14 in Saturday's final to snare the gold.

There's always a learning curve in sports at the junior level and the Muskie boys' basketball team is starting to learn what it takes to be successful.

The Muskies nabbed their first win of the season with an exciting 56-52 victory over the visiting Kenora Broncos on Thursday afternoon that improved their NorWOSSA record to 1-2.

The sign-up list for the annual Boxing Day tournament hosted by the Sunset Country Squash Club currently is full while the list for the 32nd-annual La Place Rendez-Vous Open is nearly full.

Club member Bob Tkachuk noted the deadline for those who are interested in entering is tomorrow.

Although his squad snagged a pair of wins over the Kenora Broncos within a three-day span last week, Muskie boys' hockey team head coach Jordan Sinclair is hoping his charges can start to play with more consistency.

The black-and-gold improved their NorWOSSA record to 4-2 following a 6-3 win Thursday night in Kenora and then a 3-1 victory here Saturday night.

The Muskie junior girls' volleyball team dominated the NorWOSSA landscape last season and it's looking like it will be much the same this season.

The black-and-gold went a perfect 8-0 en route to the claiming the title at a tournament hosted by the Dryden Eagles on Friday and Saturday.

The Rainy River Owls' junior and senior boys' basketball teams will be hoping the second half of their seasons brings better fortunes.

Both squads dropped their games last Tuesday and Wednesday against the visiting Red Lake Rams and Sioux Lookout Warriors in NorWOSSA 'A' action.

They have improved steadily all season and were rewarded for their hard work over the weekend.

Issy Taylor scored twice to pace the Muskie girls' hockey team to a 2-1 win over the Lord Selkirk Royals (Winnipeg) on Saturday afternoon to claim the 'B'-side title at the annual K-Town Classic Tournament in Kenora.

Last week was a dominant one for the Rainy River Owls' junior girls' volleyball team.

The squad earned a pair of 3-0 sweeps against the visiting Red Lake Rams and Sioux Lookout Warriors last Tuesday and Wednesday to improve its NorWOSSA 'A' record to 3-1.

Every game you play is a learning experience and the Muskie senior boys' basketball team is hoping it can use the lessons learned over the weekend to improve moving forward.

The Muskies went winless in five games at the Sun Spartan Invitational in Brandon, Man. on Friday and Saturday while competing against some of the best teams from that province.

St. Michael's students brought some Christmas cheer to Rainycrest on Friday afternoon when the kindergarten classes performed classic Christmas carols in Hallett Hall. Following their performances, the youngsters handed out Christmas-themed drawings to the home's residents.

Ron Hines performed an original tune, “What Christmas Really Means,” just prior to the Fort Frances Choraliers taking the stage Sunday afternoon at the Townshend Theatre. He was accompanied by his wife, Lee-Ann Hines, on piano and backing vocals.

The duet of Pam Guild and Tania Cox beautifully sang “It's Christmas Everywhere” just before the rest of their fellow Choraliers took the stage with them here Sunday.

Jarnel Contracting nearly has finished the Seven Generations Education Institute's new $16-million building on Agency One lands here. The 40,000 sq. ft. facility, which will house all of SGEI's programs, is set to open early in the New Year.

The Grade 1/2 class at Sturgeon Creek recorded a digital presentation of the Christmas story for their Christmas concert this year. With the help of their Grade 7/8 book buddies, they sang the song “Rejoice” while the audience enjoyed the presentation.  -Dave Ogilvie photo

Heart transplant recipient Curtis Jourdain is home for Christmas. The Couchiching resident, who underwent a 16-and-a-half-hour heart transplant surgery back on July 23, was pictured smiling at the Thunder Bay Airport on Saturday following his flight from Toronto. He will return to Toronto on Jan.

Firefighter Doug Wright was among the Fort Frances Fire Brigade members who packed hampers Monday morning at the Salvation Army food bank here. The brigade has made it a Christmas tradition to pack the hampers, this year stepping up to fill a tall order—160 hampers in total.

St. Michael's school staff and students filled the banquet room upstairs at La Place Rendez-Vous at noon on Monday for a Christmas lunch celebration. The Waabishkiibinesii Women singers/drummers performed songs while students sang “Come O Come Emmanuel” before saying grace and enjoying the feast.

Students acted out the nativity scene yesterday afternoon during the dress rehearsal for the Christmas concert staged by St. Michael's French Immersion classes. A crowd of parents and grandparents filled the gymnasium to watch their little ones perform.

Cara Coran sang the solo during “O Night Divine," during the Fort Frances Choraliers' performance of "Good News from Home” here Sunday afternoon.

A handful of people turned out to the open house at local MPP Greg Rickford's constituency office at 276 Scott St. yesterday afternoon. Baked goods and apple cider was enjoyed by those who came out. Mr. Rickford unfortunately could not attend in person as he was called away suddenly for an emergency sitting at Queen's Park.

The Grade 2 class at Robert Moore School, under the supervision of Ms. Richards and Mrs. Howell, presented a skit entitled “The Presents” yesterday before a packed house in the auditorium. When Santa got his pack stuck in the chimney, Mrs. Claus, the reindeer, an angel, and an assortment of Christmas characters all came to the rescue.

Grade 5 students from St. Francis School visited Columbus Place here yesterday for a sing-along with the residents. The children sang classic Christmas songs like “Silent Night" and "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.”

St. Francis School's Junior Division celebrated an Advent prayer service at St. Mary's Church here Thursday evening. Children sang hymns and Christmas songs, said readings from the Bible, lit candles, blessed the Advent wreath, and prayed.

Michael Brady narrated the Christmas cantata, “Good News from Home,” here Sunday afternoon. The cantata retold the story of the Nativity.

Sawyer, left, and Peyton Jourdain took a seat on Mr. and Mrs. Claus' laps on Saturday at The Christmas Store (Lowey's Greenhouse & Market Garden) to tell them what they wanted for Christmas and have their picture taken by Travis Glowasky of Studio Gibbous. Santa reminded the children that chocolate chip cookies are his favourite to eat before placing presents under the tree.

Jordon Bazylewski tried to evade a Kenora Broncos' opponent with some nimble dribbling during the second half of the Muskie junior boys' basketball team's 56-52 win Thursday afternoon at Fort High. Bazylewski scored five points in helping the black-and-gold secure their first league win of the season to go along with a pair of losses.

Aurora Hutton tipped a shot over the outstretched arms of Kenora Broncos' defender Brianna Leutschaft during the third set of the Muskie junior girls' volleyball team's 3-0 win Thursday afternoon at Fort High. The squad will cap the first half of their NorWOSSA schedule tomorrow against the host Dryden Eagles.

Rayman Bassi of the Dryden GM Ice Dogs tried to cut towards the net while Fort Frances Lakers' defenceman Anthony Antonelli looked to thwart him on the backcheck during the second period of the visitors' 6-2 win Friday night at the Ice For Kids Arena.

Ashton Cousineau looked to fend off a Kenora Broncos' opponent and win the puck battle during the first period of the Muskie boys' hockey team's 3-1 win Saturday night at the Ice For Kids Arena. It was the Muskies' second-straight win against the Broncos after also beating them 6-3 on Thursday night in Kenora.

On Feb. 16, 2017, members of the Dryden Police Service attended a residence in response to a child in medical distress.

A three-year-old boy was transported to the hospital and pronounced dead.

The OPP's North West Region Crime Unit commenced an investigation following a request for assistance from Dryden Police Service.

On Dec. 18 around 11:40 a.m., Dryden OPP officers conducted a stop for Highway Traffic Act offences on Highway 17 in Machin Township, west of Dryden.

As a result of the stop, police seized a large quantity of drugs with an estimated street value of $ 36,200.

Santa and Mrs. Claus surprised a group of children at the Fort Frances Public Library yesterday morning during the “Family Story Time” event, which is held each Wednesday from 10:30-11 a.m. in the Children's Department. The kids had a chance to sit on Santa's lap, get their picture taken by parents, and tell him what they wanted for Christmas.

KINGSTON, Ont.—Speaking to a small crowd of well-dressed Liberal donors, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke out against division and polarization even as a larger crowd of angry protesters was kept far away from the posh event.

WINNIPEG—A lawyer representing some indigenous hockey teams in Manitoba argued in court yesterday that all the “white teams” got together and formed a new Junior 'B' league which excludes First Nations.

All of the teams were part of the Keystone Junior Hockey League until May, when five teams left to create the Capital Region League.

VANCOUVER—A newly-discovered cave and the surrounding area in British Columbia's Wells Gray Provincial Park has been closed off to the public, with threats of fines up to $1 million for those who don't stay away, says an order from BC Parks.

The order issued this week says anyone who enters the surrounding area or the cave can be fined and face imprisonment for up to a year.

VICTORIA—Maxime Comtois, the lone veteran on Canada's world junior hockey team, hopes his teammates learn from yesterday's victory.

Comtois had two goals and two assists in Canada's 5-3 win over Switzerland in a pre-tournament game designed to help both squads prepare for the world junior championship that begins on Boxing Day in Vancouver and Victoria.

EAGAN, Minn.—The Minnesota Vikings have hit their familiar stride on defence during the second half of the season after some uncharacteristic earlier struggles.

There's been no better example of this lately than Anthony Barr.

“He's always been a good player," coach Mike Zimmer said. "I think he's probably taking it to another level right now.”

TORONTO—Pascal Siakam summed up his confidence in teammate Fred VanVleet with two words: “Steady Freddie.”

VanVleet displayed his resiliency last night—bouncing back from a dismal first three quarters to rally the Toronto Raptors to a 99-96 victory over the Indiana Pacers.

DENVER—Gabriel Landeskog got the chance to celebrate his goal a second time—after a big sigh of relief.

He thought his score would count despite a challenge for goaltender interference.

But really he wasn't sure. It's hard to be completely sure.

HAVANA — Major League Baseball, its players’ association and the Cuban Baseball Federation reached an agreement that will allow players from the island to sign big league contracts without defecting, an effort to eliminate the dangerous trafficking that had gone on for decades.

NEW YORK—Racial justice. Obstruction of justice. Social justice. The Justice Department.

Merriam-Webster has chosen “justice” as its 2018 word of the year—driven by the churning news cycle over months and months.

The word follows “toxic," picked by Oxford Dictionaries, and "misinformation,” plucked by Dictonary.com

WASHINGTON—Scientists think they've figured out the falling dominoes that led to Earth's largest mass extinction and worry that human-caused climate change puts the planet on a vaguely similar path.

Some 250 million years ago, about 90 percent of sea life and 70 percent of land life went extinct in what is now called the “Great Dying.”

LONDON — Tens of thousands of passengers were delayed, diverted or stuck on planes Thursday as the only runway at Britain’s Gatwick Airport remained closed into a second day after drones were spotted over the airfield.

The airport south of London Britain’s second-busiest by passenger numbers closed its runway Wednesday evening after two drones were spotted.

SEOUL, Korea, Republic Of — North Korea said Thursday it will never unilaterally give up its nuclear weapons unless the United States first removes what Pyongyang called a nuclear threat.

NEW YORK — You don’t need to hang the mistletoe higher but you might want to skip the holiday cookies.

A new report released Thursday shows U.S. adults aren’t getting any taller but they are still getting fatter.

The average U.S. adult is overweight and just a few pounds from obese, thanks to average weight increases in all groups — but particularly whites and Hispanics.

MEXICO CITY — A group of prominent scientists issued an appeal Wednesday to Mexico’s new president, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, calling on him to take the unprecedented step of outlawing the possession of gill nets in the upper Gulf of California to save the critically endangered vaquita porpoise.

What’s America’s favourite family vehicle? The SUV? The minivan? These days, it could very well be the pickup truck.

What’s America’s favourite family vehicle? The SUV? The minivan? These days, it could very well be the pickup truck.

It will be cloudy tonight, with an overnight low of minus-14 C (seven F) and north winds gusting up to 15 km/h.

Tomorrow will be mostly cloudy, with a high of minus-eight (17) and low around minus-12 (10).

Look for east-northeast winds gusting up to 13 km/h.

The Muskie boys' hockey team will visit the International Falls Broncos on Friday, Dec. 21 at 7 p.m. at Bronco Arena for the opener of their annual two-game “Border Battle” exhibition series.

Environment, Conservation and Parks minister Rod Phillips has released his first Minister's Annual Report on Drinking Water.

The report highlights progress over the last year and shows that 99.8 percent of more than half-a-million test results from municipal residential drinking water systems met Ontario's drinking water quality standards.

The Fort Frances Homelessness Committee soon will be set to open “Out of the Cold"—a three-day-a-week "pop-up” shelter at the Apostolic Way church here.

The 10-bed facility recently passed a building inspection but due to operational issues, the committee now is eyeing a mid-January start date.

The Fort Frances Kiwanis Club has made Christmas a more joyous time of the year for those who are less fortunate through the local Salvation Army's “Adopt-a-Family” program.

The club, which has been doing this annually for more than a decade, was able to “adopt” 10 families through the program this year.

A local class recently spread Christmas cheer in the east end of town with their random act of kindness walk.

Rae Ann Wood's Grade 2/3 class at St. Michael's School hand made 100 cards and assembled 226 packages containing chocolates and specially-wrapped candy canes during their last week of school before Christmas break.

The Legion Ladies' Auxiliary to Br. #29 met on Dec. 12 with 41 members in attendance.

The meeting was brought to order at 6 p.m. by president Alfreda Easton, followed by the minutes of the Nov. 14 general meeting and the Dec. 5 executive meeting being circulated and approved.

A short meeting was held to cover required year-end items and approval to pay accounts.

The Competition Bureau has announced it will examine gasoline prices in Northwestern Ontario.

Energy minister and local MPP Greg Rickford wrote to the Competition Bureau on Nov. 30 requesting an investigation after seeing gasoline prices remain stagnate in the region even after the Ford government cancelled the cap-and trade carbon tax.

Bill 67 was passed Thursday at Queen's Park to prevent a strike or lockout at Ontario Power Generation in what the government calls an effort to avoid putting the province's power supply at risk.

The bill is intended to prevent large-scale power outages across Ontario.

There were more winners in the Rainy River District Mutual Aid Association's weekly cash calendar draw.

Winning $30 for Dec. 16-22 were Yvonne Treffers (Atikokan), Mike and Bev McCoy (Devlin), Brenda Boettele (Fort Frances), Tom Johnson Sr. (Mine Centre), Barry Marcotte (Fort Frances), Teresa Haney (Atikokan), and Donna Calvelli (Atikokan).

Children had a blast skating with the Fort Frances Lakers on Thursday at the Ice For Kids Arena during their “Fan Appreciation Skate.”

The event was free to attend, and all who came out received a complimentary hotdog, bag of chips, cookies, and hot chocolate courtesy of Integral Hockey Stick Repair, Wasaw Foods, and Sysco Foods.

The Fort Frances Sports Hall of Fame is pleased to announce its 2019 inductees.

Dave Mitchell (power lifter) is being inducted in the Athlete category.

Being inducted in the Builders category are Barney Maher (Muskie sports), Ken Christiansen (hockey), Bruce McLeod (hockey), and Mary Beth and Bob Tkachuk (squash and tennis).

The Lakers put in a strong effort against the Thief River Falls Norskies on Friday night at the Ice For Kids Arena here but came up short with a 3-1 loss in their final game before the SIJHL's holiday break.

“Not the outcome we were hoping for,” Lakers' head coach Wayne Strachan conceded.

Members of the Fort Frances Kiwanis Club packed hampers last Thursday at the local Salvation Army office for the “Adopt-a-Family" program. This year, the club "adopted” 10 families that each received $150 in gifts and $100 in groceries for Christmas. The program has ran annually here for more than 10 years.

Rainycrest resident Verenia Zucchiatti, front row left, joined Rainycrest Auxiliary president June Caul, resident May Matheson, activity worker Elizabeth Logue, and resident Robert Bliss, as well as auxiliary vice-president Diane Maxey, Riverside Foundation director Allison Cox, auxiliary member Laurie Hogan, auxiliary treasurer Sheila McMillen, and Foundation chair Bill Gushulak, in celebratin

Lakers' fans hit the rink Thursday for a “Fan Appreciation Skate” with the team at the Ice For Kids Arena. The event was free to attend and the Lakers' way of giving back to the fans who continue to support them year-round. Those who came out received complimentary refreshments, donated by Integral Hockey Stick Repair, Wasaw Foods, and Sysco Foods.

Marc-Andre Michon, left, and Maria Gilbert were among the volunteers who served up food to everyone who attended the community Christmas dinner Christmas Day at Knox United Church. The delicious meal was prepared by volunteer cooks Sharon Gurski, JoAnne Formanek Gustafson, and Tracy Clarke.

Lakers' forward Noah Loveday lunged for the puck as the Thief River Falls Norskies regained possession during Friday night's game at the Ice For Kids Arena here. The Norskies prevailed 3-1 in the Lakers' final game before the SIJHL holiday break.

Rae Ann Wood's Grade 2/3 class at St. Michael's School smiled for a picture before embarking on their “Random Act of Kindness Christmas Walk,” where they distributed 100 handmade cards and 226 gift bags to homes surrounding their school on Thursday. The cards and gift bags were put together by the students during their last week of school before the Christmas break.

Families and individuals of all ages attended the community Christmas dinner at Knox United Church. Here, Marlon, Camille and Katrina Hagarty enjoyed a dessert. In addition to food and camaraderie, dinner guests were treated to a performance of the Christmas cantata, “Good News from Home,” thanks to Diane Maxey and a dozen or so of the Fort Frances Choraliers.

Several generations of the Gerber family treated patients and staff alike to a lovely selection of Christmas songs last Wednesday afternoon at La Verendrye General Hospital here. The Gerbers have made it a holiday tradition to spread joy through music.

Allison Cox, director of the Riverside Foundation for Health Care, was getting settled into her new office last Wednesday in the lobby at La Verendrye General Hospital where the registration desk used to be.

People from near and far attended the 31st-annual community Christmas dinner at Knox United Church on Tuesday afternoon. Here, Emilia Suminska, hailing from Warsaw, Poland, and Mike Kempf, originally from Fort Frances but now living in Finland, joined Kempf's mother, Bernice, for a delicious meal.

People from near and far attended the 31st-annual community Christmas dinner at Knox United Church here Tuesday afternoon. Above, Emilia Suminska, hailing from Warsaw, Poland, and Mike Kempf, originally from Fort Frances but now living in Finland, joined Kempf's mother, Bernice, for a delicious meal.

The average monthly payment for a new car is hovering around $530, according to the most recent Experian auto finance report. The average lease payment is $430. While these payments will fit some budgets, they’re painfully steep for others.

BOSTON — Things got a little wild in New England in 2018 ‚Äî as in actual animals weaseling their way into the headlines.

An Oregon man became the first person to traverse Antarctica alone without any assistance on Wednesday, trekking across the polar continent in an epic 54-day journey that was previously deemed impossible.

Colin O’Brady, of Portland, finished the bone-chilling, 930-mile (1,500-kilometre) journey as friends, family and fans tracked the endurance athlete’s progress in real time online.

Another five-10 cm of snow is expected tonight, with an overnight low of minus-16 C (three) and north winds gusting up to 37 km/h.

Tomorrow will see gradual clearing, with a high of just minus-14 (seven) and low around minus-23 (nine below).

Look for north-northwest winds gusting up to 32 km/h.

A New Year's Eve potluck dinner and dance (for ages 55+) will be held Monday, Dec. 31 at the Sister Kennedy Centre. Dinner is at 5 p.m., with the dance to follow.

Jason Kabel got ready to smack a return to Anika Alexander during their semi-final showdown in the annual Boxing Day squash tournament held at the Memorial Sports Centre here. Kabel took the best-of-five match by a 3-2 margin before falling 3-1 to Steve Boileau in the 'A' Open final. The other division winners were Mark Faragher ('A'), Jeff Gustafson ('B'), and Ryley Booth ('C').

OTTAWA—Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Andrew Scheer's Conservative party is in the exact same place it was under Stephen Harper's leadership and that's why he and his Liberals will continue “pointing out” the similarities.

The Liberal party put the Harper stamp on Scheer the day he was elected leader of the Conservative party—billing him as a far-right social conservative.

OTTAWA—The Royal Canadian Mint is creating two commemorative coins to mark the 75th anniversary of D-Day.

The Liberal cabinet approved the design of the new toonies, one of which will have multiple colours instead of the usual two-toned coin, to commemorate a key turning point in the Second World War.

OTTAWA—Finishing fourth in a byelection usually is not cause for celebration.

But delight was in the air for Elizabeth May and the Green Party of Canada over their candidate's fourth-place result in the recent byelection in the eastern Ontario riding of Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes.

MONTREAL—Frederic Pelletier is boldly predicting he and his team will get the New Horizons spacecraft exactly where it should be on New Year's Day—1.6 billion kilometres beyond Pluto to rendez-vous with a space rock known as Ultima Thule.

LOS ANGELES — The origins of a suspected computer attack that disrupted the Los Angeles Times and Tribune Publishing newspapers remained unclear Sunday after causing delivery delays and being brought to the attention of federal investigators.

MINNEAPOLIS—While taking the NFC North champion Chicago Bears to the playoffs for the first time in eight years, head coach Matt Nagy has displayed an energetic personality and aggressive mindset throughout his debut.

Even with their post-season position all but set, the Bears refused to let up. And they kept the rival Minnesota Vikings out of the playoffs in the process.

While the Kansas City Chiefs, New Orleans Saints, and L.A. Rams were mesmerizing pro football fans with their outlandish offensive onslaughts, something else might have gone unnoticed.

More teams that failed to make the playoffs in 2017 are in this season than there are repeaters.

Yep, seven of the 12 qualifiers didn't make it last year, some not coming close.

GLENDALE, Ariz.—Brandon Pirri has had a late December to remember for the Vegas Golden Knights.

The journeyman forward had a goal and assist in the Golden Knights' 5-1 win over the Arizona Coyotes last night, and has five goals as part of his seven points in the six games he's played for Vegas this season.

TORONTO—The Toronto Raptors overcame their worst start of the season, and an offence that moved like molasses, to beat the Chicago Bulls 95-89 last night.

It wasn't pretty but it was a win without Kyle Lowry and Jonas Valanciunas. And the injury-bitten Raptors will take it.

Revelers around the globe are bidding a weary farewell Monday to an unsettling year filled with challenges to many of the world’s most basic institutions, including politics, trade, alliances and religion.

Here’s a look at how people are ushering in the new year:———

KIRIBATI

SEATTLE — Alan Naiman was known for an unabashed thriftiness that veered into comical, but even those closest to him had no inkling of the fortune that he quietly amassed and the last act that he had long planned.

DETROIT — No collusion! (Or at least a lot less of it.)

That’s according to a Michigan school’s latest “List of Words Banished from the Queen’s English for Mis-use, Over-use and General Uselessness.”

It will be partly cloudy tonight, with an overnight low of minus-26 C (15 below zero F) and north-northwest winds gusting up to 17 km/h.

Tomorrow will be sunny but bitterly cold, with a high of just minus-18 (zero) and low plunging to minus-25 (13 below).

Look for west-southwest winds gusting up to 11 km/h.

Students from Confederation College's Aboriginal Community Advocacy program recently co-hosted a round dance and giveaway event with the organizers of the annual “Full Moon Memory Walk” to thank members of the community for their continued support.

The Ford government has concluded the largest public consultation on education in the province's history.

This comprehensive education consultation had participation from parents, students, educators, employers, and organizations from across Ontario.

OPSEU president Warren (“Smokey”) Thomas is calling on the Ford government to start 2019 responsibly by freezing plans to further expand sales of alcohol.

Thomas said Ontarians should be alarmed over media reports on the serious shoplifting problems that occur regularly at LCBO stores.

The provincial government is making life more affordable by bringing relief to Ontario's tourism operators who rely on the province's Tourism-Oriented Directional Signing Program (TODS) to generate a positive economic impact in their local communities.

In April, 2018, the previous government signed a contract with Canadian TODS Limited towards the end of their administration.

Angele Robichaud of Devlin got an early present after winning the $2,500 up for grabs on Christmas Eve in the Rainy River District Mutual Aid Association's weekly cash calendar draw.

The board of health overseeing the Northwestern Health Unit will have some new faces around the table in 2019.

Eight of the 11 seats on the board are filled by representatives from municipalities within the region and on the heels of the recent municipal election, the board will see some new faces.

Up to three members of the board are appointed by the province.

For some, the idea of going to college sounds scary. Not everyone knows what program to take or many feel overwhelmed at the idea of going back after a long time away.

The College Access program at Confederation College is designed to help students make a seamless entry in post-secondary education.

OPP canine teams work across the province each day to support public safety.

In addition to these duties, the OPP Canine Unit has created the 2019 Canine Calendar to raise money for the OPP Youth Foundation and the Friends of The OPP Museum.

Each month of the calendar features OPP canines from across the province.

With the first half of the SIJHL season officially in the books, the Fort Frances Lakers now have their sights set on improving in all areas moving forward.

A 3-1 loss to the visiting Thief River Falls Norskies back on Dec. 21 dropped the Lakers' record to 11-17-0-0 as they headed into the SIJHL's two-week holiday break on a sour note.

The season already has had its fair share of challenges but the Muskie girls' hockey team has met them head on while continuing to look at ways to improve.

Alex Gartzke (#11) helped her teammates gather up all the teddy bears that had been tossed onto the ice after she scored the first goal for the Muskie girls' hockey team during the first period of their 6-5 loss to the St. Thomas Aquinas Saints in their annual “Teddy Bear Toss” game last Tuesday night at the '52 Canadians Arena.

The Fort High band made a stop at St. Michael's School on Dec. 20 to perform classic Christmas songs under the direction of conductor Lee-Anne Hines. The visit was made possible through a partnership between the local public and Catholic school boards in an effort to “bring music to life in the classroom.” The visit was a culminating activity to help a Grade 3 class at St.

The Rainy Lake Orchestra, conducted by Joe Belanger, performed a free concert, entitled “Holiday Melodies," on the evening of Dec. 17 at the Fort Frances Public Library and Technology Centre. Refreshments were provided by the "Friends of the Library” while donations were collected for the local Salvation Army food bank.

The winter landscape in Northwestern Ontario offers plenty of outdoor activities for everybody.

Brady Bodnarchuk looked to win a face-off in his own zone during the first period of the Muskie boys' hockey team's 5-4 win over the St. Thomas Aquinas Saints last Tuesday night at the Ice For Kids Arena. The black-and-gold (5-2) will resume NorWOSSA action Jan. 8 when they visit the Red Lake Rams.

It was a good day for the Muskie court teams in Dryden last Thursday as three of the four squads came home victorious in their last matches before the holiday break. In girls' volleyball action, the junior Muskies swept their best-of-five match 3-0 while the seniors downed the host Eagles 3-1.

Jeff Wright lunged for the ball as he returned it to Mark Faragher during the annual Boxing Day tournament held last Wednesday at the Memorial Sports Centre. Close to 20 players faced off all morning and into the afternoon. The Sunset Country Squash Club's next tournament is slated for Jan. 4-6, with 66 players expected to participate.

St. Thomas Aquinas Saints' goalie Sarah From let Jill Calder know she was an unwelcome guest in front of her net as she tried to shove her away during the third period of the visitors' 6-5 win over the Muskie girls' hockey team last Tuesday night at the '52 Canadians Arena.

A total of 19 jumpers braved frigid temperatures to participate in the Voyageur Lions Club of Fort Frances' annual “Polar Plunge” yesterday on Sand Bay near La Place Rendez-Vous. The event, which sees participants raise pledges for charities and then split the proceeds with the club, brought in around $8,000 this year.

Poached chicken gets a bad rap for being tough, dry, and a little squeaky between your teeth. But that’s probably because poaching is a relatively imprecise cooking method.

CALGARY — Dollar and Ghost are watching with great interest as their owners bounce along to “Staying Alive” by the Bee Gees.

Dollar, or Dolly as she is called by her owner, even gets up close and personal. The Nova Scotia duck tolling retriever licks the face of her human mom while Sharon Manly is learning mouth-to-snout resuscitation and CPR on a dog mannequin.

Low and slow is the way to go when it comes to making this yummy fish dish. A low-temperature oven (set to just 300 F) ensures that the fish cooks slowly, without drying out. Crispy, buttery, garlicky panko bread crumbs get a head start in a skillet so they’re golden brown when the fish comes out of the oven.

Delicately flavoured spaghetti squash makes for a fun and interesting vegetarian main, but often the squash must be roasted in the oven while a separate sauce is made on the stove. In the multicooker, however, we could make a simple fresh tomato sauce and cook a large 4-pound spaghetti squash together in one pot.

Tabbouleh is a signature Levantine salad made of bulgur, parsley, tomato, and onion steeped in a penetrating mint and lemon dressing.

We started by salting the tomatoes to rid them of excess moisture that otherwise made our salad soggy. Soaking the bulgur in lemon juice and some of the drained tomato liquid, rather than in water, allowed it to absorb lots of flavour as it softened.

This classic New Orleans specialty is built on a roux—a cooked mixture of fat and flour that must be stirred constantly, sometimes for an hour or more, until it is deep brown.

Expect increasing cloudiness tonight, with an overnight low of minus-12 C (10 F) and southwest winds gusting up to 15 km/h.

Tomorrow will see the risk of freezing rain giving way to some sunshine.

Look for a high of two (35) and low around minus-seven (19), with southwest winds gusting up to 17 km/h.

A new year means a new calendar.

The Dairy Farmers of Ontario's Milk Calendar, which for years had been available to Ontario residents as an insert in the Fort Frances Times and other newspapers, will not be distributed that way this year.

But there's still a way for fans of the popular calendar to get their hands on it.

Nick Beyak is settling in as the new owner of Fort Frances GM (formerly Jim MacDonald Motors). Beyak, who also owns Sunset Country Ford here and Dryden GM, officially assumed ownership as of yesterday. Beyak's late father, Tony, sold Causeway Pontiac GMC to Jim MacDonald in August, 2000 when the Beyak family moved to Dryden to buy the GM dealership there.

Jill Howarth, left, and Robin Wright read out the winning ticket in the Fort Frances Kiwanis Club's “Trip of the Month” draw for January yesterday morning at International Travel Services. Ed and Colleen Wiersema of here will be heading to France—a trip valued at $4,500. Next month's trip is an Alaskan cruise valued at $5,000.

OTTAWA—Canada's infrastructure minister says an overhaul of how the government approves funding for projects should solve concerns about construction delays and escalating costs.

OTTAWA—Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is poised to call byelections in three federal ridings within days and now he has a fourth vacant riding he may choose to fill at the same time.

Sheila Malcolmson officially has resigned as the New Democrat MP for the British Columbia riding of Nanaimo-Ladysmith.

OTTAWA—A new report on the country's highest-paid CEOs is adding evidence to the argument that women face a “double-pane glass ceiling” at the top of Canada's corporate ladder—first in getting to the executive suite and, once there, earning as much as their male counterparts.

VANCOUVER—Climate change is prompting glaciers in British Columbia, Yukon, and Alberta to retreat faster than at any time in history—threatening to raise water levels and create deserts, scientists say.

David Hik, an ecology professor at Simon Fraser University, said the region is one of the hotspots for warming and the magnitude of change in the glaciers is dramatic.

REGINA—Conservative leader Andrew Scheer welcomed 2019 with a warning that if Canadians re-elect Justin Trudeau this year, the federal carbon tax that's going to take effect only will climb.

“Canadians know what Justin Trudeau is going to do,” Scheer said during a New Year's Day news conference in a Giant Tiger store in Regina.

OTTAWA—The federal Liberals want to widen the reach of the country's job-training programs after senior officials heard warnings that Canada has been spending about half what comparable countries do on efforts to keep their workers employable.

OTTAWA—A panel of MPs wants the federal government to look at making criminal pardons automatic for some offenders who have served their sentences.

The House of Commons public safety committee also suggests lowering the $631 fee for a pardon and simplifying the often-complex process for applicants.

An Ontario judge has found some of the enforcement powers held by the province's animal welfare agency to be unconstitutional and says the government must re-write related laws to remedy the situation.

FORT McMURRAY, Alta.—Syncrude has pleaded guilty and been fined more than $2.7 million in the deaths of 31 great blue herons at one of its oilsands mines north of Fort McMurray.

VANCOUVER—At least seven Canadians have died after getting stuck in clothing donation bins and the latest fatality has prompted an advocate to call for the “death traps” to be immediately fixed or removed.

A 34-year-old man was found lodged in a bin in West Vancouver on Sunday—the fifth person in the province to die the same way since 2015.

SAN FRANCISCO — Netflix said 45 million subscriber accounts worldwide watched the Sandra Bullock thriller “Bird Box” during its first seven days on the service, the biggest first-week success of any movie made for the company’s nearly 12-year-old streaming service.

NEW YORK — After 104 years, Lord & Taylor’s flagship store on Fifth Avenue locked its doors forever.

The venerable department store famed for its animated holiday windows closed down Wednesday afternoon, ending a blowout sale that left whole floors empty. By the end, clothes that once sold for as much as $100 were going for $5.99, and $600 designer shoes for $99.

LAKE FOREST, Ill.—The Chicago Bears are rolling into their first playoff appearance in eight years, with nine wins in 10 games and their sights set on a bigger prize after capturing the NFC North.

“This is where it gets real,” coach Matt Nagy said Monday.

OTTAWA—Elias Pettersson thought this was a pretty good day.

The Vancouver Canucks' rookie scored his third goal of the night in overtime to lead the Canucks to a 4-3 victory over the Ottawa Senators yesterday after learning earlier in the day that he would represent the Pacific Division at the upcoming NHL all-star game.

VANCOUVER—It wasn't just Canada's junior hockey team that was devastated last night—it was the entire country, says defenceman Ian Mitchell.

The defending champs were ousted from the world junior hockey championship after a dramatic 2-1 overtime loss to Finland.

INDIANAPOLIS—Andrew Luck spent last January just like the previous two—watching playoff games from afar and hoping for a chance to return.

This weekend he's officially back.

MEXICO CITY—Mexican experts say they have found the first temple of the Flayed Lord, a pre-Hispanic fertility god depicted as a skinned human corpse.

Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History said yesterday the find was made during recent excavations of Popoloca Indian ruins in Puebla state.

LAUREL, Md.—A NASA spacecraft four billion miles from Earth yielded its first close-up pictures yesterday of the most distant celestial object ever explored, depicting what looks like a reddish snowman.

BEIJING—China's burgeoning space program achieved a first today: a landing on the so-called “dark” side of the moon.

Three nations—the United States, the former Soviet Union, and more recently China—have sent spacecraft to the near side of the moon, which faces Earth, but this landing is the first-ever on the far side.

DETROIT—No collusion! (Or at least a lot less of it).

That's according to a Michigan school's latest “List of Words Banished from the Queen's English for Mis-use, Over-use, and General Uselessness.”

MEXICO CITY — Mexican experts say they have found the first temple of the Flayed Lord, a pre-Hispanic fertility god depicted as a skinned human corpse.

Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History said Wednesday the find was made during recent excavations of Popoloca Indian ruins in Puebla state.

LAUREL, Md. — A NASA spacecraft 4 billion miles from Earth yielded its first close-up pictures Wednesday of the most distant celestial object ever explored, depicting what looks like a reddish snowman.

BEIJING — China’s burgeoning space program achieved a first on Thursday: a landing on the so-called dark side of the moon.

Three nations the United States, the former Soviet Union and more recently China — have sent spacecraft to the near side of the moon, which faces Earth, but this landing is the first-ever on the far side.

BEIJING — China’s burgeoning space program achieved a first on Thursday: a landing on the so-called dark side of the moon.

Three nations the United States, the former Soviet Union and more recently China — have sent spacecraft to the near side of the moon, which faces Earth, but this landing is the first-ever on the far side.

It will be partly cloudy tonight, with an overnight low of minus-six C (21 F) and west-southwest winds gusting up to 13 km/h.

Tomorrow will be partly sunny and mild, with a high of zero (32) and low again around minus-six (21).

Look for light southwest winds.

Cloudy skies are forecast for Saturday, along with a high of minus-two (35) and low around minus-13 (eight).

The Rainy River Valley Agricultural Society is meeting today (Jan. 3) at 7 p.m. at the Emo Curling Club to discuss a proposal to sell a lot of land to Emo Township. Interested members of the fair board are invited to attend.

It was an up-and-down weekend for the Muskie girls' hockey team.

The black-and-gold compiled a 1-2-1 record at the annual Loop Weekend tournament in Thunder Bay.

The Muskies opened play Friday evening with a 3-1 win over the Midget 'C' Fury.

Jill Calder scored twice while Abbie Kenny had the other goal.

Nicholas Ducharme of the Red Lake Gladiators looked to rush the puck up the ice during his squad's 7-1 win over the Lake of the Woods Bears yesterday afternoon in the final of the Fort Frances Minor Hockey Association's annual Bantam 'A' tournament at the Ice For Kids Arena. The Gladiators went a perfect 6-0 en route to the gold medal.

Bob Shine looked to unleash a backhander off the wall and towards his opponent, Sean Cameron, during the men's 'A' Open final of the Sunset Country Squash Club's 32nd-annual La Place Rendez-Vous Open on Sunday afternoon at the Memorial Sports Centre. Cameron won the match 3-0 to snare the division crown.

TORONTO—Hundreds of thousands of cash-handling machines across the country have had to be upgraded to handle Canada's distinctive new $10 bill, featuring a vertical portrait of Nova Scotia civil rights advocate Viola Desmond, while some others still awaiting changes are rejecting the banknotes.

TORONTO—Ontario's chief coroner has launched a review of police suicides that took place in the province last year after noticing a spike in officers killing themselves.

TORONTO—The Ontario government is accepting entries this week from those looking to enter a lottery to apply for the first 25 retail cannabis licences in the province.

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario said expressions of interest can be submitted online today through noon Wednesday, with the draw to take place on Friday and results to be posted within 24 hours.

TORONTO—Police and the public need to be able to clearly distinguish between valid street checks by officers and random stops that should be abandoned altogether, a judge tasked with reviewing the province's regulations on the issue said Friday.

TORONTO—In the span 60 seconds, Kyle Lowry drilled a three-pointer, took a charge from 6'8" bulldozer Thaddeus Young, and drew a foul on a basket for a three-point play.

And the game wasn't yet three minutes old.

VANCOUVER—Jack Hughes still had tears in his eyes Saturday night as he talked about losing the gold-medal game at the world junior hockey championship.

“Right now, there's nothing I really want to learn from this,” the 17-year-old said after Finland beat the Americans 3-2 in a dramatic finals performance.

“It's sad. I don't want to go through this again.”

KAPALUA, Hawaii—Xander Schauffele never had a better round or a more peculiar ending.

After holing out for two eagles, and then closing with four birdies over his last five holes for an 11-under 62, he chose to wait inside the scoring trailer to see if it would be enough to beat Gary Woodland in the Sentry Tournament of Champions yesterday.

BALTIMORE—The L.A. Chargers kept Lamar Jackson grounded and by the time the rookie got the passing game going, it was too late for the Baltimore Ravens.

Michael Badgley kicked five field goals, and L.A. harassed and hounded Jackson, during a 23-17 victory yesterday afternoon in the opening round of the NFL playoffs.

WINNPEG, Man.—Kyle Connor was happy to be part of an offensive burst the Winnipeg Jets needed.

The winger ended a 10-game pointless streak with a goal that helped the Jets dump the Dallas Stars 5-1 yesterday.

“Yeah, felt good,” Connor said.

“Nothing's really changed too much from my game," he added. "I thought I was a little quicker tonight, played with lots of speed.”

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — With five national championships in the past nine seasons, Alabama already has accomplished something never done before in the AP poll era that began in 1936.

Winning another crown Monday night against Clemson would lift the Crimson Tide even further above other college football dynasties and into the conversation about the best runs in all of college sports.

BEIJING — Huawei Technologies Ltd. showed off a new processor chip for data centres and cloud computing Monday, expanding into new and growing markets despite Western warnings the company might be a security risk.

Huawei and other Chinese technology companies that rely on Western technology are stepping up efforts to develop their own.

NEW YORK — The world’s largest tech conference has apparently learned a big lesson about gender equity.

CHICAGO—The Philadelphia Eagles needed help to get into the playoffs—and Chicago provided it.

Look how the defending Super Bowl champions repaid the Bears.

It will be cloudy tonight, with an overnight low of minus-11 C (12 F) and west-southwest winds gusting up to 24 km/h.

Tomorrow will see light snow, with an additional accumulation of one-three cm (one-two inches).

Expect a high of minus-eight (17) and low around minus-19 (two below zero), with west-northwest winds gusting up to 28 km/h.

Bingo caller Sarah Clouston, left, and library CEO Caroline Goulding checked which numbers had been called during a game yesterday afternoon at the Fort Frances Public Library. The game was played during the weekly “Tween Club” which has resumed now that the Christmas break is over. Youths aged nine-12 are urged to come by the library each Monday from 4-5 p.m.

MELFORT, Sask.—The driver of a transport truck involved in a deadly crash with the Humboldt Broncos junior hockey team's bus pleaded guilty today to all charges against him.

“I plead guilty, your honour,” Jaskirat Singh Sidhu said as he stood before a judge in a court in Melfort, Sask.

VANCOUVER—The Court of Appeal of British Columbia has given the federal government more time to fix its solitary confinement law after a lower court declared indefinite prisoner segregation unconstitutional.

TORONTO—Work to rebuild Ontario's Liberals gets underway in earnest this year after their decimation at the ballot box last spring, but the party may wait until after the fall federal election to chose a permanent new leader.

TORONTO—Ontario's post-secondary institutions now are expected to have free-speech policies in place under a controversial provincial rule that officially came into effect this year.

ATLANTIC OCEAN, At Sea—An Ontario-based record-setting solo rower is back at sea on his latest cross-continental expedition—this time joined by his 20-year-old daughter.

John and Libby Beeden are nearly halfway through their 5,650-km voyage from Portimao, Portugal to Antigua after setting off about a month ago.

OTTAWA—A decade-old goal to get at least half-a-million electric cars on Canada's roads by the end of 2018 appears to have missed the mark by more than 400,000.

TORONTO—Ontario kicked off its application process yesterday for the first 25 cannabis retail licences in the province, with the results of a lottery expected later this week.

The government said the firm cap on the number of stores that will open this spring was needed due to what it called serious cannabis supply issues that had to be addressed by the federal government.

MONTREAL—The family of a Quebec woman who went missing with her Italian friend in West Africa last month says it finally feels federal authorities are taking the case seriously following several frustrating days seeking answers from Ottawa.

TORONTO — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and U.S. President Donald Trump have agreed to continue to seek the release of two Canadians detained in China, Trudeau’s office said Monday.

China grabbed the Canadians in apparent retaliation for the arrest of a top Chinese tech executive. Trudeau spoke to Trump in a phone call Monday.

TORONTO — Shares of New Gold Inc. climbed more than 10 per cent in early trading after the company reported improved fourth-quarter performance at its troubled Rainy River mine.

SANTA CLARA, Calif.—Dabo Swinney kissed the championship trophy and proclaimed this Clemson team the greatest of all time.

He's got a case.

With stunning ease and a freshman quarterback, Clemson toppled college football's greatest dynasty again to become the first perfect playoff champion.

TORONTO—Class was in session for the Maple Leafs last night.

And Toronto head coach Mike Babcock was clear in his grading—they didn't pass the test.

Pekka Rinne made 18 saves for his third shutout of the season as the Nashville Predators jumped out to a 2-0 lead through two periods before choking off any hope of a comeback over the final 20 minutes in a 4-0 victory.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — With stunning ease ‚Äî and a freshman quarterback ‚Äî Clemson toppled college football’s greatest dynasty again to become the first perfect playoff champion.

Trevor Lawrence passed for 347 yards and three touchdowns and the second-ranked Tigers beat No. 1 Alabama 44-16 on Monday night in the College Football Playoff national championship game.

TORONTO — Anyone who has seen an “Intel Inside” label on a piece of computer technology will instantly grasp what BlackBerry Ltd. is aiming to achieve with its “BlackBerry Secure” branding strategy.

The Canadian technology company, based in Waterloo, Ont., unveiled the latest components of BlackBerry Secure on Monday at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nev.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska—A moose wandered into a hospital building in Alaska's largest city yesterday—and Stephanie Hupton was ready to capture the visit with her phone camera.

Hupton works in billing at a physical therapy office inside a building attached to Alaska Regional Hospital in Anchorage.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — A moose wandered into a hospital building in Alaska’s largest city Monday ‚Äî and Stephanie Hupton was ready to capture the visit with her phone camera.

LONDON — Officials say a giant “fatberg” a mass of hardened fat, oil and baby wipes measuring 64 metres (210 feet) long ‚Äî has been found blocking a sewer in a southwestern English town.

Andrew Roantree, of South West Water, says it will “take our sewer team around eight weeks to dissect this monster in exceptionally challenging work conditions.”

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s recent claim that his predecessors endorsed his idea of a wall at the Mexican border got no support from the ex-presidents’ club.

Trump stated in a Rose Garden news conference Friday: “This should have been done by all of the presidents that preceded me. And they all know it. Some of them have told me that we should have done it.”

With its juicy oranges, tender chicken and a crunchy topping, Chinese chicken salad offers an enticing variety of tastes and textures. But many versions seem to have lost their way, weighted down with gloppy sauces, lacklustre chicken, sugary canned orange segments and watery greens.

Lettuce wraps are the perfect low-carb vehicle for delicious fillings. We wanted a light but flavour-packed filling and knew an Asian-inspired flavour profile was the way to go.

In the traditional Greek dish called shrimp saganaki, sweet, briny shrimp are covered with a garlic- and herb-accented tomato sauce and topped with crumbles of creamy, salty feta cheese.

Eggplant shines in this dish, where its melt-in-your mouth consistency and ability to soak up a flavour-packed sauce are on full display. But its excess moisture can be a serious liability, leading many recipes to require time-consuming salting, draining and drying.

One of the best ways to serve banana bread is with toasted nuts. Toasting nuts in the oven makes them taste better. Spread the nuts out on a rimmed baking sheet and heat the nuts in a 350 F oven until you can smell them, which takes about 5 minutes. Once the nuts cool, chop and stir them into the batter for any cake, cookie, muffin or quick bread. Follow this recipe with your kids.

It will be overcast tonight, with an overnight low of minus-17 C (one F) and west-northwest winds gusting up to 26 km/h.

Tomorrow will be partly sunny but cold, with a high of minus-13 (eight) and low around minus-20 (four (below zero).

Look for northwest winds gusting up to 22 km/h.

The Ontario government is welcoming 2019 with reforms to make our province more competitive and signal that Ontario is open for business.

Changes related to Ontario's labour market that came into effect on Jan. 1 include:

For some folks, having a real Christmas tree in their home is a cherished tradition.

The only problem is how do you get rid of it once the holidays are over?

Never fear. The Fort Frances Fire Brigade once again will be conducting its annual tree pick-up next Saturday (Jan. 19).

District singer and musician Anna Schwartz recently earned a rare achievement for vocal talent and knowledge—a gold medal from the Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM).

The 18-year-old, who is attending her first year at the Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) in Winnipeg, took her Level 10 voice exam back in June and was informed in November of her top score.

As police raise the alarm about the steadily increasing number of impaired drivers on our roads, OPSEU president Warren (Smokey) Thomas is demanding that Premier Doug Ford abandon his reckless plans to further privatize and expand alcohol sales.

“The easier it is to get alcohol and cannabis, the more deadly our roads become,” said Thomas.

Local artist Cher Pruys continues to impress art enthusiasts and critics both domestically and overseas.

Her painting, “Entranced,” recently was awarded the gold medal for figurative painting in the Mondial Art Academia's International 2018 competition.

“This honour is a wonderful kick-start to 2019,” Pruys told the Times on Friday.

With 2018 in the books, local Liberal MP Don Rusnak has high hopes for Thunder Bay-Rainy River with several goals set for 2019.

Looking back at last year, Rusnak said he's most proud of his party's successes in building relationships to secure funding for infrastructure projects around the riding.

In December, the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care conducted its annual Resident Quality Inspection (RQI) and Critical Incident System Inspection at Rainycrest Long-Term Care Home here.

Is it possible to live well with Alzheimer disease and still contribute to society in a meaningful way?

Rossana Tomashowski, executive director of the Alzheimer Society of Kenora/Rainy River Districts, says yes!

The next “Country Jam” at the Emo Legion will be held this Friday (Jan. 11) starting around 7 p.m.

New musicians are more than welcome to drop in to the jam. Just bring your own equipment and set up as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, if you enjoy old-time country music, plan on attending. Admission is only a toonie, which goes towards heating (or cooling) costs.

On the morning of Jan. 3, the Rainy River Health Centre experienced a main sprinkler break that resulted in significant water damage in the emergency department, observation, and treatment areas.

A horizontal evacuation was conducted and there were no injuries to patients, residents, or staff.

A Devlin resident is warning others that going outside in the cold without bundling up first can pose a serious health risk.

Bruce Bellamy told the Times that his brother, Richard, passed away on Jan. 2 from a cardiac arrest he believes was brought on by him going outside in the extreme cold.

Henry and Thea Kaemingh recently celebrated their 60th anniversary.

They were honoured with a party of friends and family sharing this special day with them.

May you enjoy many more years of happiness.

Jamie Davis and Kayla Benjamin, meanwhile, we're married on New Year's Eve, with the wedding and dinner/reception taking place in Devlin.

The Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Sarita Verma as its dean and CEO effective July 1.

The NOSM board of directors unanimously approved the appointment on Dec. 12.

Forget the common cold and 'flu—Rainy River District has a severe case of “Catch the Ace” fever these days!

The fifth round of the Rainy River Regional Abattoir's progressive raffle now is in its 28th week, with the grand prize jackpot for this Friday's draw estimated at $20,000.

The provincial government has unveiled valuable resources to help farmers reduce the risk of barn fires this winter—the time when most barn fires occur.

Dianne Lipinski and Samuel and Jean Arbuckle of Fort Frances were among the $50 winners in the Alzheimer Society of Kenora/Rainy River Districts' cash calendar draw for January.

Winning $75 were Frank Robinson and Debbie Fletcher of Dryden, and Mike Desemules of Red Lake.

Backus Community Center in International Falls again will offer a hot chili meal as part of Icebox Days on Saturday, Jan. 19 from 2-4 p.m. on the stage.

The cost is $8 (U.S.) for a large bowl of chili and $5 for a smaller bowl (all meals include cornbread, condiments, beverages, and a cookie).

It was a happy start to the New Year for Wade Modeland of Atikokan, who won the $2,000 up for grabs on Jan. 1 in the Rainy River District Mutual Aid Association's weekly cash calendar draw.

Doug Agar (Fort Frances) won the $100 for Jan. 1.

Economic focus is in the news more than ever these days and everyone seems like they're searching for ways to tighten their purse strings, especially at this time of the year when the Christmas credit card bills are rolling in.

Landon Okell and Benjamin Norlock each scored twice to pace the Red Lake Gladiators to a 7-1 romp over the Lake of the Woods Bears here Sunday afternoon to claim the title of the Fort Frances Minor Hockey Association's annual Bantam 'A' tournament.

After a mostly back-and-forth first period, the Gladitors struck three times within the last five minutes to grab a 3-0 lead.

The Fort Frances Girls'/Women's Hockey Association's PeeWee Leafs travelled to Fargo, N.D. to play in the SCHEELS Girls' International Hockey Tournament over the weekend, where they wound up finishing in fifth place in the 12U 'B' division.

The Muskie girls' hockey team's fitness level is going to be put to the test over the next couple of weeks.

The black-and-gold kicked off a busy stint by playing in the annual Loop Weekend tournament in Thunder Bay over the weekend, where they compiled a 1-2-1 record.

Sean Cameron had his mind made up heading into the weekend that he wasn't going to be denied.

The Muskie senior and junior boys' basketball teams battled hard in the first half of the NorWOSSA season and are looking to continue that trend over the latter part of the schedule.

The seniors went into the Christmas break fresh off an impressive 74-52 win over the host Dryden Eagles (2-2) back on Dec. 20 that improved their league record to 3-1.

The Muskie boys' hockey team has been able to withstand a plethora of injuries and are more than ready to embrace what the second half of the season might bring.

It's been a dream start to the NorWOSSA season for both the Muskie senior and junior girls' volleyball teams.

The juniors made quick work of the host Dryden Eagles (0-4) back on Dec. 20 with a 3-0 win to head into the Christmas break in first place with an unblemished 4-0 record.

The PeeWee 'AAA' Paper Kings represented Northwestern Ontario—and Canada—at the Paul Bunyan International PeeWee Hockey Tournament held Dec. 28-30 in Bemidji, Mn.

The team features local players Teagan Wrolstad, Royce Allan, Dakato Cooper, and Hayden Beckett, and is coached by Rooke Pitura of Kenora along with Corrie Trist and Jody Reid of Dryden.

Anna Schwartz showed off the gold medal she received for acing her Royal Conservatory of Music vocal exam.

Noah and Olivia Sivonen played with their rubber duckies after mom, Mandi, bought the first and second tickets sold for the upcoming “Rubber Duckie Raffle." The Fort Frances Lions Club has paired up with the Fun in the Sun committee to bring back the "Rubber Duckie Race” next summer as a fundraiser.

Proud parents Madisyn DeGagne and Derek Morrison of Fort Frances greeted Lux Riven Mathew DeGagne, a 7 lb., 1 oz. baby boy, at 10:53 p.m. on Jan. 1 at La Verendrye General Hospital—the first baby of 2019 here in Rainy River District.

The Fort Frances Public Library recently added virtual reality software to its “Makerspace” for the public to use. The library currently offers the Oculus Rift, Oculus Go, and an Insignia Virtual Reality Viewer. Library card-holders can rent out all of the virtual reality units except for the Oculus Rift, which remains stationed at the library.

“Entranced,” a painting by local artist Cher Pruys, recently was awarded the gold medal for figurative painting in the Mondial Art Academia's International 2018 competition.

—Image courtesy of Cher Pruys

Jorja Fournier listened closely to the numbers call during a fast-paced game of Bingo at the “Tween Club” held yesterday afternoon at the Fort Frances Public Library. The club has resumed now that the Christmas break is over. Youths aged nine-12 are urged to come by the library each Monday from 4-5 p.m. for fun and informative activities geared towards them.

Laura Gosse, community engagement co-ordinator for the Fort Frances Museum & Cultural Centre, admired “Fallen Halo" and "Peaceful"—two of the quilts local resident Hubert Meyers submitted yesterday for the upcoming "Fibre Arts Festival.” The deadline to submit a piece for the juried exhibit featuring the work of district fibre artists is this coming Tuesday (Jan.

Some local residents already have discarded their Christmas trees on the boulevard in anticipation of the Fort Frances Fire Brigade's annual tree pickup. The pickup will take place next Saturday (Jan. 19)—a week later than usual.

Nikki Bagacki looked to dig out and return a low shot during her match against Mary-Beth Tkachuk on Sunday afternoon during the Sunset Country Squash Club's 32nd-annual La Place Rendez-Vous Open at the Memorial Sports Centre. Bagacki and Tkachuk were tied with 10 points apiece in ladies''B' division action but Tkachuk claimed second place due to her head-to-head win.

Fort Frances Lakers' defenceman Dane Bateman (#96) looked to strip the puck away from Dryden GM Ice Dogs' forward Evan Walls during his squad's 6-1 loss there Saturday night. The Lakers will look to get back on track tonight versus the host Thief River Falls Norskies before welcoming those same Ice Dogs on Friday night at the Ice For Kids Arena here.

Nicholas Ducharme of the Red Lake Gladiators looked to bust his way past his Lake of the Woods Bears' opponents and towards the goal during the third period of his squad's 7-1 win in the final of the Fort Frances Minor Hockey Association's annual Bantam 'A' tournament at the Ice For Kids Arena. Ducharme netted the first goal of the game to help ignite the Gladiators' offence.

Bob Shine lunged to get his forehand on the ball during his 3-0 loss to fellow Thunder Bay resident Sean Cameron in the men's 'A' Open final Sunday afternoon at the Sunset Country Squash Club's 32nd-annual La Place Rendez-Vous Open. It was the first tournament title for Cameron, who denied Shine his 12th crown here.

Hunter Jean locked in on where he wanted to put his serve during the junior 'B' final Sunday afternoon at the Sunset Country Squash Club's 32nd-annual La Place Rendez-Vous Open. Evan Wright claimed the division title with four wins while Jean wound up second.

Shelby Larson with a pair of beautiful perch caught recently from Lake of the Woods.

TORONTO—Shares of New Gold Inc. climbed more than 10 percent in early trading yesterday after the company reported improved fourth-quarter performance at its troubled Rainy River mine.

The Toronto-based company said gold production at its Rainy River mine in Northwestern Ontario surged 39 percent in the fourth quarter to 77,202 ounces.

NEW YORK — The U.S. cancer death rate has hit a milestone: It’s been falling for at least 25 years, according to a new report.

Lower smoking rates are translating into fewer deaths. Advances in early detection and treatment also are having a positive impact, experts say.

Look for increasing cloudiness tonight, with an overnight low of minus-18 C (zero F) and north-northeast winds gusting up to 11 km/h.

Tomorrow will be cloudy, with a high of minus-10 (14) and low around minus-13 (eight).

Expect east-southeast winds gusting up to 15 km/h.

The year-end provincial statistics for fire fatalities are in—and the number of fire deaths in Ontario is extremely heartbreaking.

Sadly, 101 people lost their lives to fire; many of these deaths involved children … so many years of potential life lost!

As well, many of these deaths were completely preventable.

It's a game the Muskies girls' hockey team will like to put behind them quickly.

The Dryden Eagles exploded for four goals in the second period and never looked back in a 7-1 rout of Fort High on Tuesday night at the Ice For Kids Arena.

Three of the four Muskie court teams came away victorious Tuesday afternoon in NorWOSSA action against the host Kenora Broncos.

Both the junior and senior girls' volleyball squads claimed their matches in four sets to improve their league records to an identical 5-0.