Tornadoes Spotted

(Supplied photo)

There are no reports of damage after funnel clouds were reported in several northwestern Ontario communities yesterday.

Meteorologist Bill Laidlaw says they came as severe weather passed through. "There was strong indications of funnel activity as far west as Kenora and Grassy Narrows," says Laidlaw. "There was reports of at least two tornado touchdowns - one to the north of the Dryden airport. The other in the vicinity of Sioux Lookout."

Environment Canada issued tornado warnings for that area late yesterday afternoon.

Matt Queau shot this short video of a funnel cloud passing north of Dryden.

Water Levels Holding Steady

Water levels in the Rainy Lake basin are holding their own, despite this summer's hot and dry weather conditions.

Rick Cousins, an engineering advisor to the International Rainy Lake Board of Control, says even with heavy rainfalls in early July, water levels have stayed within acceptable levels.

"Outflows were increased somewhat due to that," says Cousins, "but the levels on both Namakan and Rainy Lakes were maintained pretty closes to the middle of the International Joint Commission rule curve bands."

Cousins doesn't expect much change heading into the fall.

West Nile Virus Identified

Signs of the West Nile Virus have been identified in the Fort Frances area.

The Northwestern Health Unit says a number of mosquitoes were identified in a trap tested positive for the disease.

West Nile can be spread to humans through the bite of mosquito, but there are no reports of any people having contracted the disease.

Moose Management Plan

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has released a draft management plan that seeks to bolster research into what is killing Minnesota's moose faster than they can reproduce.

The DNR estimates about 4,900 moose in northeastern Minnesota, down 11 percent from last year's numbers.

The proposal includes measures to restrict deer populations and tighter restrictions on hunting.

The draft is open for public comment until the end of September.

Conservative Vote Saturday

The Conservatives in Kenora-Rainy River will vote this Saturday for their candidate for the upcoming provincial election.

Balloting will be done in Fort Frances, Dryden and Kenora.

In Fort Frances, that vote will be conducted at the La Place Rendez-Vous with registration going from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.

Two Kenora city councillors, Rod McKay and Louis Roussin, are seeking the nomination.

Court Ruling Today

The Ontario Superior Court is expected to render its decision today in a case over logging and treaty rights.

The case was brought over a decade ago by trappers from Grassy Narrows First Nations against the Ministry of Natural Resources.

The band has asserted the province does not have the authority to infringe on its territory by allowing logging operations on traditional lands.

Jail Abuse Probe

The provincial ombudsman will probe allegations of excessive use of force by guards against inmates in the province's jails.

Andre Marin says he received more than 100 complaints last year from inmates who say they were assaulted by correctional officers.

Marin says what's even more disturbing are the allegations that the violence has been covered up or ignored.

Historic Designation Given

A Minnesota landmarks near International Falls has earned a coveted designation.

Grand Mound, located west of the city, has been designated a National Historic Landmark by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior.

Grand Mound is at the center of an interconnected landscape of burial mounds, seasonal villages and sturgeon fishing sites going back to 200 B.C.

A Good Man's Life

A former Rainy River district man who fought in World War Two is the subject of a book.

A Good Man's Life chronicles the life of Jack MacDonald who left the family farm near Fort Frances to join Canada's war effort.

His son, Wayne Kehl, says the stories of war vets are important to tell.

"My kids, who are now in their 30's, know nothing of this," says Kehl. "I think most of the children of boomers have no real idea of what went on in the war. If you think about it, most boomers don't know much about it either."

MacDonald now lives in British Columbia.

Heritage Party Candidate to Enter Race

(Northern Ontario Heritage Party Leader Ed Deibel)

It appears the fledgling Northern Ontario Heritage Party plans to run a candidate in the Kenora-Rainy river riding.

Published reports say an announcement will come this week.

The party, formed by now leader Ed Deibel of North Bay, has planned to field candidates in all eleven northern ridings.

City Recognizes Local Flyers

The city of International Falls is planning to recognize a local family well-known to the flying community in Minnesota.

The airport terminal will be renamed after Francis Einarson with the field to be called Einarson field.

Francis Einarson, along with his brother Jim, purchased the airport after World War II, later lobbying State and federal governments for improvements.

NDP Select Candidate

NDP in Kenora-Rainy River have selected MPP Howard Hampton's constituency assistant in Dryden as their candidate for the October 6 provincial election.

Sarah Campbell of Oxdrift beat out Kenora lawyer Robert Sinding following a series of nomination meetings that concluded Monday night in Fort Frances.

Campbell says the campaign for her is now underway.

"I've been meeting with people and advocating on their behalf and doing some of that work already," says Campbell. "I can tell you Howard has set the pace and I just have to keep going and work just as hard as I possibly can."

No results were given, but a total of 137 people cast ballots in meeting held in Sioux Lookout, Red Lake, Dryden, Kenora and Fort Frances.

Howarth Happy with NDP Team

NDP leader Andrea Horwath is expressing confidence in her party's fortunes in the upcoming provincial election.

Horwath says they have strong candidates and supporters across the province that are anxious to get to work.

"We have a great slate of candidates, but our volunteers are coming out in droves," says Horwath. "Already in many of the ridings they're knocking on doors. Our candidates are knocking on doors. We're getting ready for once the writ drops our campaigns are off and running right off the mark."

Horwath was in Fort Frances for Monday's nomination meeting of the riding's NDP candidate.

Hampton Says Thanks

Kenora-Rainy River MPP Howard Hampton is giving thanks to the people who supported him in past elections.

Hampton, who decided earlier this month not to seek reelection, says the hard work of so many volunteers helped keep him at Queen's Park for nearly a quarter of a century.

"There are many people who worked on every campaign. They've contributed financially. They put up signs. They knocked on doors," says Hampton. "I can't thank them enough. These aren't people who were paid for this. They gave of their free time. They volunteered."

Hampton will participate in one more election by helping campaign for the riding's new NDP candidate Sarah Campbell.

Conservative to Pick Candidate Soon

The Conservatives should have their candidate in the Kenora-Rainy River Riding in place by this weekend.

Plans are being finalized for a travelling ballot box to visit, Fort Frances, Dryden and Kenora.

So far the times and locations of where the ballot box will be have not been finalized.

Two Kenora city councillors, Rod McKay and Louis Roussin, are duking it out for the nomination.

Search for Time Capsule

The demolition of the former Robert Moore School in Fort Frances is expected to continue for at least another week.

Crews began knocking down the old school Friday.

They're also searching for a time capsule believed to have been placed in the school at the time of construction.

So far no such capsule has been found.