On June 25, Melanie Bigras dialed 911 on her cellphone but received no response, as the call would not go through.

She tried again, and that call also wouldn’t connect. She tried the home landline, and was able to connect, but Bigras noted, “Even that phone often had unreliable service.” Bigras lives in River Valley, about a 40-minute drive northwest of Sturgeon Falls, along Highway 539 from Highway 64.

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Losing that connection to emergency services was concerning for Bigras, and she wants to see the area’s infrastructure upgraded to improve service.

Bigras explained, “This is not a one-time issue. Phone and cell service in River Valley is frequently unavailable or unstable, leaving many of us—especially the seniors who make up a large portion of this community—vulnera

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