Kenora MP Named To Cabinet

Northwestern Ontario has a voice in Prime Minister Harper's cabinet.

Kenora MP Greg Rickford has been named Minister of Science and Technology and will be responsible for FedNor.

Rickford says he's excited to take charge of northern Ontario's economic development program.

Rickford has also been asked by Prime Minister Harper to take the lead in the Ring of Fire project.

Kenora Search Update

OPP have recovered the body of a man who jumped off a bridge in Kenora into the Winnipeg River Saturday and failed to surface.

He's been identified as 20-year-old John Savoyard of Minaki.

His body was found by an OPP dive team early yesterday morning.

Police Search Underway In Rainy River

Police on both sides of the border are involved in a search for a man in the waters of Rainy River.

OPP say the unnamed 27-year-old was with another who attempted a swim last night into the river, returning back to the Emo public dock, a distance of about 60 metres.

The one man returned safely.

An OPP Marine unit, with help from Koochiching County Sheriff's Department are patrolling the area.

An OPP dive team is also responding.

Curling Club Profiled

Fort Frances Curling Club is looking for your vote in the Kraft Celebration Tour.

The Club is home to several leagues for curlers from its Little Rockers to seniors.

President Ron Silver says the sport attracts a wide range of talents, but remains one of few that truly promote fair play.

Silver says the club has also had the privilege of hosting many regional and provincial championships, allowing local residents to watch the likes of Brad Jacobs, Al Hackner and Krista McCarville.

Search For Man Continues

A search continues for a 20-year-old man who jumped off a bridge in Kenora into the Winnipeg River and never surfaced.

OPP officers on patrol were flagged down Saturday by witnesses.

An OPP marine unit and dive team have been on scene since.

The name of the man has not been released.

More Zebra Mussels In Minnesota

More zebra mussels have been found in Minnesota.

State wildlife officials say adult zebra mussel have been identified in Cross Lake and Lower Hay Lake - two of 14 lakes in the Whitefish chain in central Minnesota, north of Brainard.

Similar discoveries were confirmed in May at lakes, southwest of International Falls, that eventually flow in Rainy River.

Quiet Weekend For Forest Fires

MNR file photo

A quiet weekend on the forest fire front in northwestern Ontario.

Just one new fire was reported with the number of active down to 32.

However, the effects of rain in the far north were short lived and the hazard there is back to the high range.

The central and southern portions of the region are in a low to moderate fire hazard.

Newspapers Put To Computer

The Fort Frances Museum continues its work to preserve its large collection of local newspaper.

The newspapers are being digitized so they can be stored on computer.

The Museum's Jeremy Hughes says it will help protect their existing copies, some of which are in such bad shape they should no longer be handled.

Hughes says storing them on computer will also improve access for research.

Class Action Lawsuit

A longstanding class action lawsuit heads back before the courts today.

The case stems from the almost 16-thousand aboriginal children in Ontario who were removed from their homes between 1965 and 1985, and placed in non-native communities.

Vote This Friday

It's just a matter of days before you get to help the Fort Frances Curling Club secure a spot in the Kraft Celebration Tour.

The on-line vote against Dryden goes July 19.

Club president Ron Silver says the club will host a bbq, courtesy of Canada Safeway and Kraft for anyone who visits the Club Friday and uses its WiFi to cast ballots.

Those without computers can also cast ballots at Boston Pizza, La Place Rendez Vous, Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce, Fort Frances Library and Technology Centre, McDonalds, Fort Frances Museum, NCDS, Lowrey's, From the Grind Up, Wilson's Business Solutions.
 
You can also log onto kraftcelebrationtour.ca, 931theborder.ca or fortfrancescurlingclub.ca beginning Friday 11 a.m.