Nipissing First Nation voters will be casting ballots for chief and council this summer. 

A nomination meeting is taking place on May 17 (7-9 pm) at the Nipissing First Nation community center in Garden Village.  

Candidates can also be nominated by email or regular mail.  

The necessary forms can be found at nfn.ca. 

They must be received on or before the close of the May 17 meeting. 

Election Day is July 5, subject to acclamations.  

There will be e-voting, mail-in and in-person ballots.   

Currently, there are 2,749 voters, but that changes with member registration.

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The literacy team at the Near North District School Board has won a Dyslexia Canada Educational Excellence Award.  

Officials say the award celebrates exceptional dedication within school communities in supporting students with dyslexia.  

“It is an honour to receive this acknowledgement from Dyslexia Canada,” says K-12 Student Achievement and Well-Being Principal, Stephen Krause. "I am so very proud of the members of our literacy team and the collaboration they engage in alongside educators across our system every day. However, this award is also a recognition of our district and all who work in it, especially our K-12 educators as they dive deeper into their learning and work in school teams to make continual shifts in the literacy programming and delivery of instruction to meet the needs of all students most effectively.” 

The team includes Krause, Lorianne Haslehurst, Amy Bartlett Gibson, Genive Di Bernardo, Lisa Rogers, Michael Watson and Rebekah Felsman.  

They will be presented with the award at the International Dyslexia Association (IDA) Ontario Literacy and Learning Conference in Toronto on Saturday. 

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The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry has issued a Flood Warning Bulletin for the Lake Nipissing shoreline.

The ministry says Friday's average lake level was measured at 196.16m which is below the maximum ‘non-damage’ level of 196.22m.

"High winds could pose a significant risk and cause damages along with upcoming rainfall events," states a release.

Officials say flooding has been reported in the Lavigne area along the shoreline of Lake Nipissing with water levels rising onto properties.

They add the Upper French River area is seeing high water and rising river levels,  with some impact to residents along the river.

However, flood levels have not been reached.

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65,000 Ontario hospital workers represented by the Ontario Council of Hospital Unions - CUPE and SEIU Healthcare have a new contract.

They will see a 6% wage increase over the two-year deal along with benefits improvements. The unions say it’s the result of an intensive round of coordinated bargaining and almost identical, two-year arbitrated contracts.

“[Thursday’s] arbitration decision will lift the spirits of frontline hospital workers who are struggling with impossible workloads in a staff retention crisis,” says Michael Hurley, President, OCHU-CUPE. “Significant improvements to dental and other benefits, real wage increases, and substantial adjustments to premiums will all contribute to making these frontline hospital staff feel valued and help them to better cope with the cost-of-living crisis that all working people are facing.”

Hurley adds they regret that they were unable to advance towards nurse-to-patient ratios in the agreement.

A variety of healthcare workers are covered by the new contract, including Personal Support Workers, Registered Practical Nurses, pharmacy and X-ray technicians, and more.

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A disturbance on Saturday afternoon at the Marcel and Jane Labbé Arena in Sturgeon Falls has led to charges for a 40-year-old Markstay-Warren woman.  

The Nipissing West OPP reports a parent from one team was assaulted with a solid object by another parent after a hockey game earlier in the day. 

Police say the victim sustained minor injuries. 

The accused faces assault and mischief charges and has an April 4 court appearance in North Bay. 

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An $809,000 federal loan is helping a North Bay company design and build a plant to modify explosive-grade ammonium nitrate.  

“I’m excited that FedNor is supporting our revolutionary mining explosives technology,” says John Burrows, President of Nexco Inc. “The funding is helping us scale-up and innovate, and will help us bring to market a greener and more cost-effective solution for blasting in the mining industry. We’re proud to be investing in our community here in Northern Ontario and making a difference in the mining explosives industry.”  

37 jobs are expected to be created by the funding which was announced by Anthony Rota, Member of Parliament for Nipissing–Timiskaming.  

“[Friday’s] investment will ensure the region’s continued excellence in the mining industry by supporting innovation in North Bay and across northeastern Ontario,” says Rota. “I’m looking forward to following Nexco’s progress over the coming years as they work to build their business and create good, sustainable employment right here in Nipissing-Timiskaming.” 

The money will also help with the design and acquisition of the equipment needed for both Nexco’s laboratory and demonstration plant, which will be used for ongoing testing of their innovative products.  

Once fully complete, it is anticipated that Nexco would be able to produce enough product to supply 11 percent of the North American market for ammonium nitrate. 

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With the warm weather impacting ice conditions the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry is advising people to remove ice huts before it’s too late.  

Conservation Officers say ice conditions are expected to deteriorate quickly in certain parts of the province before the required removal date, and owners and anglers need to plan ahead.  

“If ice huts are left out on the ice and allowed to fall through beyond the removal date, the matter will be investigated and may result in charges being laid against the owner(s) of the hut,” states a release. 

According to the province, the removal date for our area (Fisheries Management Zone 11) is March 31.  

Officials also say ice hut owners are responsible for removing all debris and garbage from the ice around their huts.  

They say anything left behind becomes an environmental and public safety concern for boaters.  

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Environment Canada has issued a flash freeze warning for our area.

Officials say sudden icy conditions on roads and walkways are expected along with a brief period of freezing rain.

The weather agency says a dramatic change in temperatures is expected this afternoon with temperatures plummeting within a few hours.

During the transition from rain to snow, some areas may see a brief period of freezing rain and ice pellets.

Snowfall amounts up to 5 cm are also expected Wednesday.

Nipissing Parry Sound Student Transportation Services reports all school buses in all areas are cancelled Wednesday, Feb. 28.

Schools remain open.

Meantime, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry is advising area residents that a Water Safety statement is in effect in the North Bay District until next Tuesday (March 5).

Officials say area residents should keep a close watch on conditions and exercise caution around rivers and streams.

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North Bay’s Home and Garden Expo is back at Memorial Gardens this weekend.  

One highlight is Clean Green Beautiful North Bay’s (CGB) inaugural Resilience Fair.  

Hariett Madigan, CGB chair, says they're bringing in more than a dozen presenters and exhibitors to enhance awareness of the Good Life Goals and more. 

“The first thing people will probably want to know is just what the heck are the Good Life Goals anyway,” she says. “They’re things like eating better, being kind, shopping local and all of the actions you can take to help us as a community to come together as we face climate change.”  

Madigan says they’re also highlighting a variety of local initiatives related to climate change, food security, conservation, and community wellbeing.  

“People will be able to do their ecological footprint to see how many Earths they’re impacting by the way they live and what changes they can make to do better,” she says.  

The Resilience Fair is set up near the Sports Hall of Fame area of Memorial Gardens, with workshops in the Hall of Fame lounge.  

Overall, the Home and Garden Expo includes more than 100 vendors. 

The Feb 23-25 event features everything from contractors and flooring experts to kitchen and bath specialists, hot tubs, granite countertops, solar specialists, security solutions, and more. 

Admission is $2 or a non-perishable food item, with all proceeds going to the North Bay Food Bank. 

Event Details:
Date: February 23, 24 & 25
Time: Friday 3 to 8 pm, Saturday 9 am to 5 pm, Sunday 9 am to 2 pm
Location: North Bay Memorial Gardens

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West Nipissing's Land Use and Development Strategy for the former mill site is an award winner.  

[caption id="attachment_48754" align="alignright" width="168"] Kassandra Girard (Photo supplied by the Municipality of West Nipissing)[/caption]

The plan received two prizes at the Economic Developers Council of Ontario (EDCO) Awards of Excellence earlier this month.  

They include a rural award and the Lieutenant Governor’s award for outstanding effort in economic development.  

Municipal officials say the strategy outlines a vision and plan for the former pulp and paper mill site along Highway 17 in Sturgeon Falls, and includes housing, greenspace, retail, and highway-commercial business. 

"The investment and economic development opportunities stemming from this revitalization project are significant,” says Kassandra Girard, West Nipissing Economic Development Officer. “By transforming the land into a mixed-use property, we can create a vibrant community hub that will benefit residents, businesses, and visitors.” 

Mayor Kathleen Thorne Rochon congratulated everyone involved in the win and thanked residents and stakeholders who participated in the consultations.  

“This shows what one small community can do when working together towards a common goal,” she says. “Our current Economic Development Advisory Committee and Municipal Council will continue to use this plan as the roadmap for realizing the enormous potential of this desirable location.” 

EDCO looks to support Ontario municipalities in fostering their economic prosperity.  

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