No injuries in Hospital Bridge Accident

The OPP say no-one was injured in a single vehicle accident this morning on the Hospital Bridge.

A pick-up truck lost control shortly after 9:00 and ended up on its side.

The OPP and Kenora's Fire and emergency services department were called out.

Traffic was closed to one lane for over an hour while emergency crews worked to clear the wreckage.

Hospital says "no" to Lobbyists

Administration at Lake of the Woods District Hospital says its never employed lobbyists

and never intends to do so in the future.

A recent report suggests that as many as 14 Ontario Hospitals have used lobbyists to gain

access to the McGuinty Government.

Chief Executive Officer of the local hospital, Marc Belcaen says if they need to get a message

to the provincial government or the Ministry of Health, they have a board chair and vice-chair

to do the job.

Belcaen says the Ontario Hospital Association is now encouraging hospitals to avoid using

lobbyist altogether.

Opposition parties are concerned that money is being diverted from front-line health services

to pay lobbyists.

Support shown for Fort Hope First Nation

Leaders of a northwestern Ontario first Nation in crisis say they're now confident their calls for help aren't falling on deaf ears.

Sharon Johnston, wife of Governor Gen. David Johnston, and Ruth Ann Onley, wife of Ontario Lieutentant-Governor David Onley, visited Fort Hope First Nation yesterday.

Johnston and Onley toured the fly-in community, that recently declared a state of emergency due to increasing murders, gang fights, arsons and animal cruelty.

Band leaders have put out repeated calls for help from all levels of government as they attempt to deal with the problems.

Stan Beardy, grand chief of Nishnawbe Aski Nation, also visited yesterday and said it was important that the First Nation has attracted the attention of the Governor General and Lieutenant-Governor.

New President for Lakehead

The new era for Lakehead University officially todaqy.  

Brian Stevenson officially gets installed as university president. 

Stevenson says the day is about celebrating a new phase in the university's history and a new direction they'll be taking with the rest of the community.

Hospital in the Black

Even though Lake of the Woods District Hospital has a surplus half-way through this fiscal year, its been a struggle to balance their books.

The hospital is 264 thousand dollars in the black after six months of the the 2010/2011 fiscal year.

Despite the black in, Chief Executive Officer Marc Belcaen says its been tough making ends meet.

Belcaen says they cut the volunteer co-ordinator position as a cost-saving measure and will also

not be replacing two managers, who will be retiring later this year.

Vote to End Strike at NOSM today

It's voting day for employees of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine in Thunder Bay and Sudbury.

They'll be voting on whether to accept their first contract with the school.

Dean Roger Strasser says, if accepted, the process begins to get the workers back on the job.

The workers went on strike August 16th.

Funding Sought for Orpheus Project

The OPP and a number of other community partners have applied for funding for a new program to help out local youth.

The Orpheus Project is being supported by the Kenora Metis Council and Making Kenora Home.

The groups have applied for 20 thousand dollar grant from the Safer and Vital Communities Fund.

The money would be used to set up a music resource room equipped with instruments for a music drop-in center.

The goal of the project is to use music to create and safe environment for youth.

The groups are still waiting to hear if their application is successful.

Doer Weighs in on Cross Border Issues

Canadian officials are working to ease problems encountered by American hunters and fishermen as they try to cross into our country.

Northern Ontario tourism operators say they're losing money because the Americans are being turned away over previous convictions like driving under the influence, but our Ambassador to the U-S Gary Doer says first we have to educate U-S visitors about the seriousness of drinking and driving convictions:

Doer made the comments during a stop in Saint John, New Brunswick where he was addressing an economic development conference.

Tobacco-Free Video Contest launched

The Northwestern Health Unit is looking for youth to 'Play, Live and be Tobacco-Free.'

Youth Coordinator Roberta Lappage says they are accepting video submissions until November 15th from anyone aged 14-to-24.

The contest runs until November 15th and entrants have a chance to win an IPad prize package.