Hospital still in the black

Lake of the Woods District Hospital still expects to break even on its operations this year.

After the first eight months of this fiscal year, the hospital is running a surplus of about 388 thousand dollars.

Finance Manager, Cindy Gasparini points out the surplus will likely shrink during the winter months, because they have higher utility costs.

She adds there will also be some added expenditures, including equipment maintainance contracts.

She says they are still in good shape financially and barring any unforseen expenses they should be in the black once again this year.

Visitor Restrictions Lifted at Hospital

Some good news for anyone with a loved one at Lake of the Woods District Hospital.

Administration has lifted visitor restrictions that have been in place since before Christmas.

Leslie Brown is the head of patient care and says they decided to lift the visitor ban yesterday
afternoon because they've seen a decrease in the number of people with the flu.

Brown says anyone who has a cough, a runny nose, has a fever or any symptoms of vomiting or
diarrhea should avoid visiting patients at the hospital.

Quiet year for RIDE Campaign

The message of not drinking and driving seems to finally be sinking in.

The OPP wrapped up its seasonal RIDE program over the weekend and just two people were pulled off the road for impaired driving.

In all, officers stopped over 63 hundred vehicles during the five week seasonal campaign.

Two license suspensions were also issued along with 21 other criminal code and liquor license violations.

NOHFC funds three new local businesses

Six local entrepreneurs are getting funding from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund to

start up new businesses in the region.

Taiga Property Services of Kenora has been promised just over 35 thousand dollars to
purchase a back-hoe loader to provide earth-moving services to local cottagers.

Comfort Table Bakery of Vermillion Bay is also getting over 92 thousand dollars to purchase a

building so it can produce fresh baked goods, such as bread, cinnamon buns and pastries.

Another Kenora business, North West Doors, will get 25 thousand dollars under the Young

Entrepreur Program to purchase a trailor, a scissor lift and other tools to repair and install

garage doors.

NDP promise to take HST off Home Heating Bills

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath continues to attack the McGuinty Government's failure to remove the HST from hydro, and home heating bills.

Horwath says Northerners are struggling and need a break.

Horvath says if her party is elected she would remove the HST from home heating oil and natural gas.

New Fishing Regs available

There are no major changes to the fishing regulations in the 2011 Ontario Recreational Fishing Summary for lakes in the Kenora and Rainy River Districts.

The booklets are now available and MNR Biologist Amy Godwin says some clarifications were made to the northern pike season at Eagle Lake near Dryden.

Godwin says the MNR is currently reviewing fisheries management plans for this area which could lead to regulation changes in the future.

Saints win on the Court, lose on the Ice

Thomas Aquinas court sport teams haven't missed a beat after being idle for the Christmas Holidays.

The Saints won all three games played yesterday in Ignace against the Falcons.

The T.A. junior boys basketball team cruised to a 59-33 victory.

Jarrod Sundmark led all scorers with 19 points.

In girls volleyball action, both the Saints junior and senior girls won in three straight sets.

Both girls teams will be back in action today as Thomas Aquinas and Beaver Brae are hosting the 30 team Winter Smash tournament.

Action begins at noon at both gyms.

Meanwhile, the Thomas Aquinas boys hockey team lost its first game of the NorWOSSA Single "a"

season.

The Saints were in Sioux Lookout last night and lost 6-5 in a shootout to the Warriors.