Atikokan Plant To Stop Burning Coal In October

Ontario Power Generation's plant in Atikokan will stop using coal this fall.

The plant won't be generating power using biomass until 2014.

Plant Manager Chris Fralick says they'll be shutting the plant down in October to allow for the conversion work to proceed.

Cost of the work is estimated at about $200-million.

Fralick says the existing workforce of 85 will continue to be on site during the work.

Dragon Boat Club Formed

There's a move to keep the Dragon Boats floating all summer long along the Rainy River.

A club is being formed to help coordinate use of the boat obtained by Northern Community Development Services of Fort Frances.

Executive Director Jenny Greenhaulgh says it stems from the recent Dragon Boat festival in Fort Frances.

Greenhaulgh says they'll be making it available to both individuals and groups.


She says they're still in the process of finalizing scheduling of the boat.

Town To Seek Retrofit Funds

The town of Fort Frances is looking at the federal government's new community infrastructure fund to help with an energy retrofit project.

An administrative report to council tonight recommends it submit an application for the previously approved project with Honeywell listed at over $3.4 million.

The feds are making about $4-million dollars in its fund available to northern Ontario communities.

Other projects, including the reconstruction of Colonization Road East, were considered, but the energy saving initiative was was identified as top priority.

New Fires In Rainy River District

There are two new forest fires in the Rainy River district.

Both are lightning caused and listed as being under control.

One is located south of Mine Centre.

The other is near Lower Squirrel Lake, northeast of Atikokan.

A third fire still burns within Quetico Provincial Park.

Because it's posing no problem, the 0.4 hectare fire is being allowed to burn itself out because of its benefits to renewing the area's ecosystem.

Plane Crash Near Brainerd

A pilot has been killed and a passenger injured following a plane crash into a lake near Brainerd, Minnesota.

The Federal Aviation Administration says it happened just before 10 yesterday morning at Upper Whitefish Lake.

The FAA says the plane was amateur-built four years ago.

Class Action Lawsuit Launched

A class action lawsuit has been launched against Elections Ontario regarding the loss of personal information of up to 2.4 million voters.

This after Ontario's chief electoral officer announced last week that two memory sticks containing copies of personal information collected from voters in 20 to 25 ridings went missing in April.

New Instructor At Rainy River Community College

Rainy River Community College has hired a new part-time American Indian Studies instructor.

Stephen Briggs of International Falls will begin his tenure August 20.

He has been with the Minnesota Indian Education Association Board of Directors, but has worked at the College in past summers as an assistant teacher for its Ojibwe Immersion Camps and with its American Indian Studies Department.

Kids Pro Tournament

11-year-old Aarron Meyers is the big winner of the Canada Safeway Kids Pro fishing tournament to open the Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship.

Meyers reeled in almost 11.5 pounds of fish with partners James Kaemingh and Dan Veldhuisen.


All 19 youngsters involved caught fish.


Here's the complete standings


Kid-Angler -  Pro Angler - Total Weight
Aaron Meyers - James Kaemingh - 11.35
Blake Morken - Vince Godbout - 10.30
Braedon Belluz - Shane Wepruck - 10.14
Aiden Wielinga - Troy Norman - 9.96
Caleb Woods - Luke Levesque - 9.49
A.J. Kellar - Luke Levesque - 9.28
Shaye McCormick - Cole Godbout - 9.10
Hunter Bourassa - Dave Lindsay - 9.16
Jacob Albright - Larry Butner - 7.87
Chase Badiuk - Phil Banger - 7.63
Jarvis Esselink - Mike Adams - 7:48
Maverick Wickham - Dave Lindsay - 7.22

Trace Gosselin - Dan Fraser - 6.73
Sullivan Shortreed - Ray Watson - 4.82
Garrett Hyatt - Jon Evans - 4.61
Jesse Esselink - Anthony Veert - 4.00

Gaige Dyke - Sean Good - 3.40
Gabby Peters - Bryan Gustafson - 2.80
Rachel Anderson - Bryan Gustafson - 2.80