Co-Champions in Bass Tournament

(Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship photo)

For the first time in the history of the Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship, there are co-winners.

Richard Rud and Jon Austin of International Falls and Thunder Bay's Glenn Leroux and Trevor Zimak avoided controversial tie-breaking scenarios to share the title after tying for the lead after three days of fishing with 52.42 pounds

The tie-breakers included anglers going back into the lake for a fish-off or a flip of a coin to determine who takes the first place money.

The two teams opted to share the title and the first and second place money.

Tournament Draws Good Crowds

An estimated 1,600 people attended the weigh-ins at the Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship over the three days.

Paul Morrison, who served as master of ceremonies, says a new format, that crowned three different winners, helped create more excitement.

"I thin it's been really great," says Morrison, "not only with the three different formats, but the three different days of fishing. So it ties in quite nicely for the first year that we're doing this."

Morrison also applauded the work of the 85 volunteers involved which is down from the normally 200 that have worked the event in the past.

NHLer in Bass Tournament

Among this year participants at the Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship was Dustin Byfuglien, who now plays for the new Winnipeg Jets.

It's was Byfuglien's first appearance at the tournament.

"Being from Roseau, not to far away, and always coming here in the summer time to go fishing," says Byfuglien. We decided to going and see what happens."

Bfyfuglin and his fishing partner Josh Meyers finished well back in the standings.

Forest Fire Update

(File photo)

Several forest fires continue to burn in northwestern Ontario, but some of the 3,500 people evacuated from communities over the past two weeks could be going home as early as today.

Emergency officials says weather has turned favourable for the two-thousand plus firefighters involved, helping to minimize further risk to communities.

There are still over 118 forest fires burning across the region.

Evacuation Process Reviewed

(File photo)

Officials in Ontario are looking into whether families have been split up while being evacuated from communities threatened by forest fires raging in the province's north.

Deputy community safety minister Ian Davidson says the province has done its best to keep families together since evacuations started.

But he says the province is investigating unconfirmed reports that the evacuation process has separated members of some First Nations families from each other.

Fires Reported in Rainy River District

After almost two weeks of no forest fires activity in the Rainy River district, there were two new starts yesterday.

Both are located within Quetico Provincial Park.

Their cause is not immediately know, but the 0.1 and 0.3 hectare fires are being observed currently by the Ministry of Natural Resources.

Four More Years - If He Wins

Premier Dalton McGuinty says he will be around for another four years if his Liberals win the election -- but can't say what he will do if they lose.

Speaking at a party conference in Richmond Hill, north of Toronto, McGuinty says opposition leaders don't have the experience he does.

The Liberals still haven't released their election platform, but McGuinty says it will have some exciting ideas for the future.

Fire Truck Taken

A Minnesota Man is facing charges after trying to steal a fire truck.

Members of the Greenwood Township Fire Department, northwest of Tower, had gone out on a call Saturday, only to return to the hall to find their fire truck missing.

St. Louis County Sheriff's officials found the fire truck in Cook and arrested a 25-year-old on charges of theft and impaired driving.