Body Recovered from Lake

Provincial Police have recovered the body of a missing man from Rainy Lake.

An OPP dive team located the body of 24-year-old Clayton Windigo yesterday morning, not far from where he went missing.

Windigo was last seen Sunday night while diving from a bridge on Highway 11 in the area of Bear's Pass when he entered the water, but failed to resurface.

Road Closure Today

There will be more traffic detours for motorists travelling to the north end of Fort Frances today.

Fifth Street, between Portage Avenue and Cornwall, is being closed beginning at 8 this morning, re-opening around noon.

Town officials say the closure is necessary because CN Rail is removing old railway track from within the roadway.

The work is not connected with the current road improvements being done along Portage Avenue.

Complex Future Still Uncertain

Fort Frances town officials say they're still uncertain what the impact Ontario's early learning program will have on the local Children's Complex.

Children as young as young as four could be attending full-day kindergarten in Fort Frances schools by the fall of 2011.

Chair of the town's Community Services Committee Councillor Andrew Hallikas says the impact on local day care services is still unknown.

"We have had meetings with local representatives of the boards of education, provincial representatives and current child care deliverers in the district," says Hallikas, "and the full impact of these changes is not yet clear."

The province is moving to make early learning available in all schools by 2014.

Airport Hanger Questions

Town councillors are raising some questions about what's inside the hangers at the Fort Frances airport.

They arose during discussion at Monday's meeting while council approved a new lease for one of the facilities.

Mayor Roy Avis noted the hanger had been used previously used as a storage unit.

"What I've been told being on council for the past thirteen years is that they're supposed to be used for aircraft," says Avis. "If it is to stimulate use of the airport, there should be an aircraft there."

Operations and Facilities Manager Doug Brown says a clause in lease agreements prohibits the storage of items such as boats or trailers in the hangers.

More Help to Manitoba

A quiet forest fire situation in northwestern Ontario is allowing the Ministry of Natural Resources to send additional crews to battle fires in Manitoba.

Crews from Thunder Bay, Fort Frances, Pickle Lake, Greenstone and Red Lake will join five others from the East Fire region in northern Manitoba.

They join the over fifty MNR personnel who have been in the province since last week.

Quest Line-up Set

Quest for the Best now has a full slate of contestants.

A total of twenty performers will compete in the local singing show.

It's scheduled for July 22 as part of this year's Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship at the Memorial Sports Centre.

Tickets, including those for the special V.I.P. section, are now on sale at Canadian Tire or at the Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce office.

Volunteers Needed

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is seeking more volunteers to help monitor the states rivers and lakes this summer.

Volunteers will be part of a program that collects information to help measure the health of the waters.

The M.P.C.A. says help is needed in a number of counties including Koochiching.

Library Under Budget

It's appearing the final tab on the new Fort Frances Library Technology Centre will come under budget.

There is still some exterior work to do, but Community Services Manager George Bell says total construction costs are still running about $63,000 less than the original budget of $4.2 million.

The cost to furnish the new facility is also under budget by about $21,000.

Official Plans Comes Back to Public

A draft of Fort Frances' official plan comes before the public for comment this week.

Consultant Greg Hynde says the document which sets out guidelines for development addresses a number of key issues.

"It does conform with the provincial policies, all of them," says Hynde, "including the growth plan. We put in some guiding principals for sustainability that he province wants in your document. We have new policies and designations for environmental protection."

The town will hold two public meetings Wednesday to gather public input.

Caul Bridge Work Changes

Repairs to the Caul Bridge in Fort Frances may not lead to a closure of McIrvine Road after all.

Operations and Facilities Manager Doug Brown says the traffic over the bridge may be reduced to just one lane when the contractor begins improvements next week.

Brown says its also been determined the upgrades will only take two weeks to complete, half of what was initially thought.

Moffat Money Awards

(Mayor Roy Avis presents Moffat Family Fund cheque to members of the Fort Frances Girls Hockey Association)


Eight Fort Frances area organizations are sharing $37,500 in funding from the Moffat Family Fund.

Mayor Roy Avis handed out cheques to the recipients at Monday's council meeting.

The recipients were the Salvation Army ($10,000), KidsSport ($8,5000), United Native Friendship Centre ($5,000), Rainy River District Festival of the Arts ($3,500), Fort Frances Museum ($3,000), Fort Frances Highlanders ($2,000), Rainy River District Air Cadets ($3,000) and Fort Frances Girls Hockey Association ($3,500).