Overdue Hike Found Safe

An overdue hiker is okay after spending the night in the woods of northeastern Minnesota.

The St. Louis County Sheriff's office says the 31-year-old man from Grand Rapids emerged from the woods on his own yesterday morning.

He had gone for a hike on a trail northeast of Orr Wednesday, telling family members he'd be back that night.

Because of bad weather, the hiker decided to camp out overnight and hike out in the morning.

Missing Teen Sought

OPP are seeking the public's help in locating a Fort Frances teen.

Police say 16-year-old Angela Shutes had left a home in the town's east end May 19.

She was spotted at a north end home Monday night in the company of a man where she told people there she did not wish to be found.

Shutes is described as being native with a heavy build and wearing dark rimmed glasses.

She sometimes uses the last name as Linklater.

DNA Being Sought To Identify Decades Old Remains

Minnesota authorities are asking families of missing loved ones to provide DNA samples as part of an effort to identify about 100 sets of human remains.

The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension says many of the unidentified remains were discovered decades ago, before DNA testing was available.

Kasabonika Residents Return Home

Emergency Management Ontario says all of the residents of Kasabonika Lake First Nation who were evacuated from the community have returned home.

EMO says the flood situation in the remote northwestern Ontario First Nation has stabilized, although water levels in the area still remain high.

Power Outages Hits Western Part of District

A brief power outage yesterday for several residents living west of Fort Frances.

Nearly 42-hundred Hydro One customers between Alberton township and Rainy River were without power for about ninety minutes yesterday afternoon.

Hydro One says the outage was so crews could make emergency repairs. 

Zebra Mussels Found In Minnesota Waters Linked To Ontario

File photo

Zebra mussels have been found in a Minnesota lake that eventually flows into the Rainy River and Lake of the Woods.

The Department of Natural Resources confirms the invasive species were found attached to a dock removed last fall from Sand Lake, 170 kilometres, southwest of International Falls.

Zebra mussels have also been identified in nearby Little Sand Lake.

Both lakes are part of a chain of waters that eventually flow into Rainy River.

Additional searches of connected waters are being performed to determine the scope of the infestation.

New Kids' Garden Club Formed

Young people will get a chance to grow a their own garden this summer.

A new Kids's Garden Club is being establish as part of the Fort Frances Community Garden.

Krista Nielson of the Northwestern Health Unit says a number of small plots are being set up for children of all ages to participate.

Nielson says it will help foster healthy eating habits and educate youngsters about where their food comes from.

Registration to the club can be made by calling Krista at the Health Unit at 274-9371

CEP/CAW Merge To Be Called Unifor

What will become Canada's largest private sector union now has a name.

The new group _ which brings together the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union and the Canadian Auto Workers _ will be called Unifor.

Its logo will be a red U on a white shield.

The new union will represent about six-thousand workers in northwestern Ontario.

Library Announced Summer Hour

Summer hours for the Fort Frances Public Library Technology Centre will kick in this weekend.

It will be open Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. while closing weekends.

Tax Extension Given To Some Minnesota Businesses

Some Minnesota businesses are getting extra time to pay taxes.

The Minnesota Department of Revenue is advising that some commercial property owners can have two extra weeks to make their first-half tax payments.

It's the result of a new law meant to accommodate businesses that have seen profits hampered by a cool, wet spring.