Fort Frances Time Online Edition - January 27, 2017

Willem Kirk-Bertens (left) and Jace Alexa (right) chose to spend their day off from school playing hockey on the outdoor rink by the East End Hall this morning. Today was a P.D. Day for students across the district, with classes resuming Monday.

Ryan Faragher's roller-coaster season just went off the rails.

The Fort Frances native was put on waivers yesterday by the Anaheim Ducks—possibly ending his affiliation with the only NHL team with which he has been associated.

In 21 games this season with the Utah Grizzlies, the Ducks' ECHL affiliate, the 26-year-old had a 10-9-0-1 record.

They were makeup games but No Diggity's effort wasn't just cosmetic.

With the Fort High gym unavailable due to exams, St. Michael's School last night hosted to a quartet of postponed games from Dec. 8 in the Fort Frances Women's Volleyball League.

Third-place No Diggity reigned supreme in its two matches—earning the maximum six points to bump their season total to 65.

Lisa Penner hopes it's as easy as one, two, three—and if she can be finished in two, even better.

The Fort Frances resident will aim for her third-straight Northern Ontario senior women's curling title starting tomorrow as the third for Kenora skip Peggy Taylor as they enjoy home-ice advantage in a best-of-three final against Pina Luomala of Geraldton.

SASKATOON—The University of Saskatchewan will spend $8.4 million on trying to find a cure for multiple sclerosis.

The school has recruited renowned American MS researcher Dr. Michael Levin, who will become the new chair in multiple sclerosis clinical research for a seven-year term beginning in March.

WINNIPEG—Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faced some anger over indigenous issues and oil pipeline development during a town-hall meeting yesterday in Winnipeg.

Small groups of protesters scattered throughout the crowd of about 1,200 people held up anti-pipeline signs and shouted “Keep it in the ground.”

TORONTO—Ontario's English Catholic teachers have secured a two-year contract extension—giving the Liberal government one less potentially-contentious round of negotiations leading into the next election.

TORONTO—Premier Kathleen Wynne is denying Toronto's request to charge tolls on two major commuter highways, but says Ontario municipalities will get a bigger share of gas tax money for transit.

TORONTO—Ontario colleges have been ordered to come up with new salary proposals for their presidents and other executives after some institutions proposed pay hikes of 50 percent.

The memo from the Liberal government comes at the same time a report says Ontario's 24 public colleges face a cumulative debt of $1.9 billion over 10 years in an age of declining enrolment.

NEW YORK—Lady Gaga reportedly is entertaining an unusual twist on her Super Bowl halftime show, which—though it's not confirmed—she could perform from the roof of the stadium.

If that comes to pass, she won't be the only one making a big play for attention this year.

TORONTO — The company behind the Keystone XL pipeline submitted a new presidential permit application to the U.S. Department of State for approval on Thursday.

The project would move 800,000 barrels of oil a day from Alberta to refineries along the U.S. Gulf Coast.

NEW YORK — Lady Gaga is reportedly entertaining an unusual twist on her Super Bowl halftime show, which though it’s not confirmed she could perform from the roof of the stadium. If that comes to pass, she won’t be the only one making a big play for attention this year.

WASHINGTON — Can women be brilliant? Little girls are not so sure.

LOS ANGELES—John Scott absorbed every bit of oxygen at last year's NHL all-star weekend.

The starring attraction in Hollywood this January won't be an unlikely enforcer taking part in the festivities but Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews, Patrik Laine, and a whole bunch of other first-time all-stars.

SAN DIEGO—Tiger Woods had a rough return to the PGA Tour yesterday but two Canadians found themselves in the top three after the first round.

Woods, playing in a PGA Tour event for the first in 17 months, fell apart on the back nine of the South Course at Torrey Pines and wound up with a four-over 76, leaving him in danger of missing the cut at the Farmers Insurance Open.

MELBOURNE, Australia—Rafael Nadal fended off Grigor Dimitrov in five long sets to set up a vintage title match against Roger Federer at the Australian Open, where every singles finalist is aged 30 or over.

CHICAGO—The Winnipeg Jets were just OK for most of the first part of the season. Except for their games against the Chicago Blackhawks.

Against the Blackhawks, they were perfect.

Andrew Copp and Bryan Little scored in a 32-second span in the third period as Winnipeg continued its dominance over Chicago with a 5-3 victory on the final night before the NHL all-star break.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.—Moonwalkers and dozens of others who took part in NASA's storied Apollo program paid tribute yeterday to the three astronauts killed in a fire 50 years ago.

On the eve of the Apollo 1 anniversary, hundreds gathered at Kennedy Space Center to honour Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee.

LOS ANGELES—Another attempt is underway to establish California as a separate nation.

Election officials announced yesterday a proposal has been submitted to the Secretary of State's Office that would ask voters to repeal part of the state constitution that declares California an inseparable part of the United States.

LOS ANGELES — Another attempt is underway to establish California as a separate nation.

Election officials announced Thursday that a proposal has been submitted to the Secretary of State’s Office that would ask voters to repeal part of the state constitution that declares California an inseparable part of the United States.