By: Martha Dillman

A group of northern Ontario business people, including Peter Grant, are showing an interest in purchasing Grant Forest Products. MP Charlie Angus says the group is willing to keep the Timmins operation running. American based Georgia Pacific are also showing an interest – they’re not willing to maintain the Timmins mill.

By: Martha Dillman

Sudbury now has a new airline carrier. Porter Airlines will be offering service there by the end of March. Spokesperson with Porter Brad Cicero says Timmins is in their original business plan to add as a destination, but no final decision as been made at this point as to when.

By: Martha Dillman

Students across the province are still waiting to see if their college instructors will go on strike.  OPSEU is refusing to take a rejected final offer forward to the instructors. President of Northern College Fred Gibbons says a plan is being reviewed from a previous strike to minimize the impact on students if a strike were to happen.

By: Martha Dillman

The Timmins Police and OPP are changing who is in charge of policing where. Starting Monday, the Timmins Police will be responsible for Kamiskotia Road, and Highway 101 between Porcupine and Timmins. The OPP will start patrolling Highway 655, and continue looking after waterways and trails within the city of Timmins.

By: Natalie Geddes

No more warnings and no more tolerance when it comes to drivers who use their cell phone while on the road. An education period on the new distracted drivers law comes to an end at midnight Sunday. Officers will be handing out fines of $150 for those who don’t comply.

By: Martha Dillman

The Porcupine United Way is extending their 2009 Campaign for another month. To date, they’ve only reached 80% of their goal. The total goal for 2009 was $425,000.

By: Martha Dillman

Hospitals across the province will not have their budgets frozen in the spring budget. President and CEO of the Timmins and District Hospital Roger Walker says he’s relieved. He adds it would have been difficult to continue operations without affecting service if the freeze were implemented.

By: Martha Dillman

The future of Grants Forest is still up in the air as American based Georgia Pacific looks to take over. MP Charlie Angus recently met with the President of Georgia Pacific. He says he still has concerns over potential job losses and pensions.

By: Martha Dillman

The Timmins and District Hospital will start expanding their $9.7 million dialysis unit next week. Monteith Building Group is the construction group working on the project. Thirty jobs are expected to be created as a result.

By: Martha Dillman

The proposed Xstrata Met Site closure is changing the city’s budget position. The city of Timmins could lose about $1 million this year and additional $3 million next year if the closure happens. Mayor Laughren says the loss in revenue won’t be handed onto residential taxpayers – rather changes may be made internally to save money.