Hospital Achieves Accreditation

Some recognition for Lake of the Woods District Hospital.

It has rececieved a commendation from Accreditation Canada.

Marc Belcaen is the Chief Executive officer of the Hospital and says
its a long process to be accredited, but well worth the effort.

Belcaen says the hospital will continue to work on the few areas that they fell short in the accreditation process.

Local Nursing Students Set to Graduate in the New Year

Local hospitals should have their pick of new nurses come the new year.

The next graduating class of the Bachelor of Nursing program offered
through Lakehead University and Confederation College will complete their studies in February of 2014.

Laura Christie is with Con College in Kenora and says that good news for local health care facilities.

The next RN course offered through Con College will start up in the fall, with a minimum of 24 nursing students expected to enroll.

Water Levels Easing On Lake of the Woods

Water levels on Lake of the Woods are starting to stabilize.

The Lake of the Woods Control Board says the lake went up four inches
in the past week.

That's slightly lower than we've seen over the past couple of weeks.

The Control Board says outflow from the Norman Dam has more than tripled
since the middle of May due to all the rainfall seen in the basin.

Anyone with concerns about water levels is invited to attend an open house
being staged by the Control Board on Tuesday night at the Best Western Lakeside Inn.

Staffing Levels Improve At Local ER

Things are starting to look up for the Emergency Department at Lake of the Woods District Hospital.

Chief of Medical Staff, Dr. Kerry McDonald expects that by the summer, all available shifts in the ER will be staffed local physicians.

That means locums will not be needed to help keep the emergency room
operating.

McDonald adds that it will also be a substantial saving to the provincial health care system.

He adds that it provides some continuity of care, as the doctors will become
more familiar with the patients that frequent the ER.

Busy Weekend for MNR Fire Crews

It was a busy weekend for Ministry of Natural Resources fire crews.

28-new forest fires were reported over the weekend in northwestern Ontario.

Most of the fires were in the Sioux Lookout, Nipigon and Thunder Bay districts.

An aggressive air attack with water bombers was needed on most of the fires.

The Ministry of Natural Resources is paying close attention to a lightning-cased fire fire about 35-kilometres east of Summer Beaver.

The blaze is 15-hundred hecatares and is burning near several cabins in the area.

Fisher Qualifies for Ironman

Edie Fisher will be off to the World Ironman competition in Hawaii this fall.

Fisher qualified for the event by winning her age group at the Eagleman
70.3 Triathlon in Maryland.

Fisher placed first in the 55-59 division and will head to Kona, Hawaii in
October for her 4th Ironman.

Local Schools Achieve "Eco" Certification

Another environmental pat on the back for the Keewatin-Patricia District School Board.

Five schools in the District have received Ontario EcoSchools certification for environmental practices.

Board Spokesperson Kathy Boone feels they have become an environmental leader.

Beaver Brae, Lakewood, Dryden High School and the Golden Learning Centre received the EcoSchool certification.

Ornge Funerals Held

Funeral services were held in Kapuskasing over the weekend for an Ornge paramedic killed a week ago in an air ambulance crash in northeastern Ontario.
   
Dustin Dagenais was one of two paramedics and two pilots who died when the helicopter went down minutes after taking off from Moosonee.
 
The other paramedic, Chris Snowball,was remembered Friday
at funeral services in Burlington.
   
A memorial service for all four victims will be held in Toronto on June 18th.

Hard Rock Medical Debuts

A television series based on the Northern Ontario Medical School has debuted on TV Ontario.

The premiere episode of Hard Rock Medical was broadcast last night.

Actress Tamara Duarte, who play Gina Russo, a first year med student, feels its a good portrayal of the medical challenges facing the north.

Hard Rock Medical is the first ever scripted drama produced by TV Ontario.

Local High School Soccer Teams Return from OFSAA

Local high school soccer teams had one their best showing at the All-Ontario Championshiops, but still came home empty handed.

The Thomas Aquinas boys lost in the quarter-finals 1-0 to Ridley College of St. Catherines.

Ridley was the eventual silver medalist at the OFSAA single A championships.

Meanwhile, the T.A. girls were beaten 6-0 by the top team in the OFSAA Girls finals in the quarter-finals.

Villanova went on to win gold.

Beaver Brae's girls fells just short of the play-offs, finishing the round-robin in a two way tie for
second in their pool.

But because of goal differential, they were eliminated from the medal round.