For fans of Ottawa’s Fringe Fest, check out three behind-the-scenes blogs run by Fringe staffers: * [ Kevin Waghorn ](http://fringewaghorn.blogspot.com/) - producer * [ Melissa ](http://fringe-melissa.blogspot.com/) - publicity assistant * [ Kevin Wilson ](http://simonbob.livejournal.com/) - preformer ** Related: ** Ottawa Festivals Guide

At OttawaStart, we have an automated Google search set up that sends us articles about Ottawa from around the blogosphere. Sometimes we get some strange stuff. Like this post from Steve Brandon: “photos I took today walking to and from Merivale Zellers to get my hair cut! ...

The 2006 Stanley Cup Finals have barely started – but the oddsmakers in Vegas have already made their picks for the 2007 champions. At the top of the list: Ottawa Senators, 6/1. (via Japers' Rink ) ** Related: ** Ottawa Hockey Guide

What are the chances? Last week, local photog Andrew Knapp sent us the photo on the left of lightning over Ottawa . A few days later, he stumbled on another photo online, with the exact same lightning strike – but from a different angle. ...

From azerbic : “After 30 years of covering the Olympics for CBC, sportscaster Brian Williams is abandoning ship for CTV in December 2006.” A CTV press release says that Williams will also be doing work for CTV and TSN between Olympic games. ...

For the past two summers, local garden expert Rene Trim wrote a weekly column for OttawaStart about gardening. We’ve collected all of his articles – over 40 of them – and put them on our new Start Gardening page. Happy gardening! ...

Photographer Andrew Knapp sent us an amazing pic of lightning over Ottawa , from last Monday’s thunderstorm. He took the shot from a rooftop in New Edinburgh, looking west over downtown Ottawa. We’ve posted it on the front page of OttawaStart . ...

Try Sobeys (Barrhaven & Kanata), Loeb (6 locations, including Island Park and Southgate). Found via iLate.ca , a guide to stores and services that are open late in Ottawa. ** Related: ** Ottawa Shopping Guide

There are three wards in Ottawa without a candidate registered for the 2006 Municipal Election . Now, there’s still over 5 months until the election, so still plenty of time to sign up – but if you’re looking for an easy election campaign, maybe these wards might be for you? ...

Today on Ottawa Watch, Mark Bourrie has a great piece on the Parliamentary Press Gallery : The gallery of today is not the gatekeeper of anything. Want the best coverage of Question Period? Tune into CPAC from 2:15 to 3:00 Monday to Thursday, 11:15 to noon Friday (and at rebroadcast times) and see it yourself. ...