Fort Frances Times Online Edition - September 5, 2019

The woman killed by a black bear on Sunday has been identified as Catherine Sweatt-Mueller of Maple Plain, Mn.

Shortly after 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, members of the Rainy River District Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) were advised of a call for service at Red Pine Island on Rainy Lake.

“Rewind,” featuring Don Halling, Al Andrusco, Rick Socholotuk, Dean Tibbs, Dean Tibbs, Donna Stapler, and Gene Andrusco, played to a packed crowd at the Rainy Lake Square last Thursday evening. The band performed a mix of audience-pleasing songs from the '50s, '60s and '70s in tribute to the late Marty Tibbs.

William Fitzgerald was elated to attend his first day at the Fort Frances Nursery School here Tuesday. Children of all ages either returned to school this week or started on a new adventure attending pre-school or kindergarten.

Student doctor Alice Chen of Lidkea Optometry and Kiwanian Robin Wright displayed the winning ticket for the Fort Frances Kiwanis Club's “Trip of the Month” draw for September at International Travel Services on Tuesday. This month's winners were Carla and David Lovisa, who won a trip to Charlottetown, P.E.I. valued at $3,600.

Jill Savage brought her guitar and her voice to the stage, accompanied by Grace Kooistra on piano, at the Rainy Lake Square last week during Market Thursday. It was the first public performance for the pair of musicians.

Local artist Cher Pruys last week was named the finalist award winner in Camelback Gallery's Online Juried Paint My Pet Competition for this photorealistic painting of Oliver, her fifth-generation Australian Labradoodle.

—Image courtesy

of Cher Pruys

Local MPP Greg Rickford, centre, visited David and Ashley Barker at Barker Logging in Devlin yesterday for a funding announcement. The announcement was for $170,341 to expand production capabilities at the business and construct a bush shack for its employees. The funds also helped offset the costs of purchasing a wood loader, long-haul skidder, and truck.

VANCOUVER—The cannabis industry is seen by some First Nations as an opportunity to take the initiative and get out of poverty, says the regional chief of the B.C. Assembly of First Nations.

VICTORIA—One of Canada's oldest fall fairs is putting a new twist on its annual showcase of local livestock, produce and fruit by adding a new category for best home-grown marijuana.

The Cowichan Exhibition in Duncan, B.C., which dates back to 1868, has created a best cannabis category to embrace legalization and celebrate local pot growers, said exhibition vice-president Bud James.

TORONTO—Ontario students returned to class Tuesday amid uncertainty surrounding labour talks between the government and unions representing public school teachers and educational workers.

Education sector contracts expired Saturday and while bargaining is still in its early stages warning signs have already begun to emerge from the talks.

TORONTO—Ontario drivers can now carry electronic proof of their auto insurance on their smartphones or other devices.

Finance Minister Rod Phillips says the pink paper insurance slip isn't being eliminated yet, but being able to display the information on a phone can save drivers from rummaging through their glove compartments.

WINNIPEG—Manitoba Mounties say they have located a vehicle belonging to an army reservist relieved of his duties over allegations that he belongs to a neo-Nazi group.

RCMP have said Patrik Mathews was last seen by family members in Beausejour, northeast of Winnipeg, on Aug. 24.

OTTAWA—A nationwide get-out-the-vote campaign targeting post-secondary students launched yesterday, aiming to maintain gains in turnout at the polls among the nation's youngest voters.

GUELPH, Ont.—An Ontario university is offering an online course to teach people how to grow better marijuana.

The University of Guelph says its cannabis production course begins next week and is already full with 60 students.

The school says the course, which costs at least $545, is part of a new cannabis specialization in the university's horticulture certificate program.

TORONTO—A Toronto gallery was deliberately elusive in proving the authenticity of a painting purportedly by the renowned Indigenous artist Norval Morrisseau, Ontario's top court said Tuesday as it awarded tens of thousands of dollars in damages to the Canadian musician who bought the piece.

VANCOUVER—Patients in Canada and the United States filled opioid prescriptions after minor surgery at a rate that was seven times higher than those in Sweden, reveals a new study that suggests the addictive pain drugs could be used more judiciously in North America.

VICTORIA—A study suggests the average Canadian drinker receives more than one-tenth of their daily recommended calories from alcoholic beverages, but you wouldn't know it from looking at the label.

Researchers at University of Victoria looked at Statistics Canada data on alcohol sales and consumption between 2015-2016 to calculate how many calories Canadians consume from booze.

PRINCE ALBERT, Sask.—Darlene Stonechild is preparing to bring a piece of her family's history home to her southeastern Saskatchewan First Nation.

Her brother, Dale Stonechild, a prolific artist known primarily for his paintings, is one of the carvers behind a totem pole that has stood for almost 45 years on a bank of the North Saskatchewan River in Prince Albert.

Tonight will be partly cloudy with an overnight low of nine C (48 F).

Tomorrow will be partly cloudy with a shower before noon. Expect a high of 21 (70) and a low of seven (45).

Saturday will see low clouds with a high of 16 (61) and a low of eight (46).

Bob Wepruk, George Elliott and the Northern Jammers will hold a free concert on Thursday, Sept. 5 at the Rainy Lake Square from 6-8 p.m. Bring a chair. Their country and bluegrass tunes will be sure to get you dancing.