North West LHIN Fighting Diabetes

The number of people living with diabetes in Northwestern Ontario is among the highest in the province.

To combat that, the Northwest Local Health Integration Network continues to provide more coordinated diabetes care.

Susan Pilatzke is the Senior Director of Health System Transformation, and says they are looking at how they can improve patient care.

In 2012, the LHIN's took over the role for diabetes services from the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.

KDSB Looks to Dispose of Housing Units

Underutilized social housing units in the area may be on the chopping block.

The Kenora District Services Board is asking permission from the province for the possible elimination of units in Ear Falls, Dinorwic, Hudson and Minaki.

CAO Dan McNeil stresses this is fist step in a long process to possibly dispose of the units.

He notes any decision would require provincial and board approval.

Ear Falls Councilor Vic Robinson is concerned of future need for the spaces in his community if mining and forestry activity take off.

Goldcorp to Build Transmission line to Northern Communities

Goldcorp is teaming up with 13 First Nations to provide more efficient power to the remote North.

An agreement was signed today, allowing a new company to develop a transmission line that will connect
communities powered by diesel generation.

Manager of Aboriginal Affairs with Goldcorp Adele Faubert says phase one of the project will run through Pickle Lake.

Faubert says phase one should be finished by the end of 2015, and is expected to create 12-hundred construction jobs.

18th Annual Rotary Auction on Now

Going once, Going twice, and Sold.

The 18th annual Kenora Rotary auction is underway right now and there are over 150 prizes available.

Keith Nelson from the Rotary says you gotta act fast.

Nelson says the money raised will go towards projects in the community and around the world.

You can bid online at www.KenoraRotary.ca.

NORWOSSA Badminton Results

The Junior and Senior Beaver Brae Broncos Badminton teams have advanced to the NWOSSA championship.

Both teams competed in the NORWOSSA finals yesterday and had a great results.

The senior team finished 2nd behind Atikokan while the junior team finished tied for 1st with Atikokan.

The junior team captured 3 gold medals with Boe Rodgers and Alex Smith in boys doubles, Logan Ginn in boys singles, and Jordan Carlson and Coel Forsyth in mixed doubles.

There was also 1 gold in seniors play with Jodi Melillo and Maddie Trudeau earning the medal in girls doubles.

The NWOSSA championship begins April 17th.

Telus Cup Western Regional Play-downs Begin Tonight

The Telus Cup Western Region play-downs take to the ice at the Thistle Arena tonight.

The Kenora Triple "A" Midget Thistles are playing host to the Thunder Bay Kings, Winnipeg Wild and Saskatoon Contacts as they compete for a berth in the Telus Cup.

Every team will play each other in the round robin with the top 2 teams facing off for the title on Sunday afternoon.

Action gets underway at 5:00 tonight when Saskatoon battles with Thunder Bay.

The first game for the Thistles follows at 8:00 when they take on the Wild.

The cost to attend is 7 dollars a game of 40 dollars for a 7 game pass.

ETFO says Contract Talks Haven't Done Any Harm

The union representing public elementary teachers says it's close to a deal with the government that could make changes to current contracts.

The move comes after the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario told its members last week that it was O-K to return to extracurricular activities.

Asked if the proposed changes were worth the harm done to students, president Sam Hammond had this to say.

Hammond says he can't say when an agreement may be finalized.

Dryden Mayor Supports Road Tolls for NWO

Dryden Mayor Craig Nuttall believes road tolls on Northern Ontario highways are a smart idea.

Premier Kathleen Wynne has floated the idea to help cover the repair costs of aging infrastructure.

Nuttall says sure people won't be too happy with it, but it will pay off.

Nuttall says the benefit to the tolls would be more money coming into the municipalities, if it's done that way.

Busy Year Ahead for Treasury Metals

It's going to be a busy year for Treasury Metals as they work to develop the Goliath Gold Project, east of Dryden.

Environmental Technician Mac Potter says a big focus this year is the creation of an Environmental Impact Statement.

Potter says the report will contain information about environmental
 factors such as wildlife, groundwater, weather and vegetation.

Alzheimer Society Launches 2nd Annual Penny Drive

A great way to do away with your extra pennies.

The 2nd annual penny challenge is on at the Alzheimer Society of the Kenora and Rainy River Districts.

Executive Director Lynn Moffatt they are looking surpass last years total of $6.000.

Moffatt says they will have a bi-weekly weigh in until the challenge ends on June 30th.

Call 468-1516 for information.

LOWDPOA and FOCA Voice Support for ELA

Fresh water impacts every-ones daily lives.

That's a message from the Lake of the Woods District Property Owners Association and Federation of Ontario Cottagers’ Association regarding the closure of the Experimental Lakes Area.

Susan McLeod with the Property Owners Association says the research is important to everyone.

McLeod says they continue to push the importance of the facility through discussions with MP's and letter writing campaigns.

Hotel Incident Victims Name Released by OPP

Kenora OPP have named the Toronto man who died in the city on Sunday.

Officials say 36-year-old Michael Sylborne was found dead on the street under a broken fourth floor window at the Best Western Lakeside Inn.

Police had been called to the hotel to respond to a disturbance around 3:45 in the morning on Sunday.

Police added Sylborne had been in Kenora while working on a construction project in the area.

Randy Nickle to Speak at Pre-budget Meeting

A local PC candidate will represent Northwestern Ontario at a provincial pre-budget consultation meeting.

Randy Nickle will make a presentation today in Thunder Bay on his two main topics of concern, the twinning of highway 17 from Kenora to the Manitoba boarder and tourism in the region.

Nickle says tourism centers play a vital role in the region.

Nickle says it's unfair that Southern Ontario centers can govern the way centers in the North operate.

Campbell Speaks Out For Libraries

Public libraries are getting support in the Ontario Legislature.

Kenora Rainy River MPP Sarah Campbell is calling on the government to come up with a new funding program to help libraries thrive.

Campbell says libraries are more important now than ever before as they serve to fill the role left by cuts to Service Ontario and Travel Centres.

Campbell says with many municipalities facing budget cuts that some libraries in Northern Ontario are facing closure.

Hockey for Health Faces Off This Month

The 5th Annual Hockey for Health Tournament is just a few weeks away.

Organizer Dean Caron says they have teams competing from all around the city and region.

The tournament runs April 18th to 21st and is in support of the Lake of the Wood District Hospital Foundation, twinning the rink at the Rec Centre, and the Canadian Cancer Society.

You can get involved by purchasing raffles tickets throughout the city with up to 7-thousand dollars in prizes, or watching the games in your best Don Cherry jacket.

the fundraising goal for this years tournament is $55,000.

Update on Death at Best Western

OPP have identified the victim of a death at a Kenora hotel as a man from Toronto.

The incident took place at the Best Western Lakeside Inn on Sunday morning around 3:45 after police were called about a disturbance inside a hotel room.

Constable Dave Cain says that upon arrival officers found a man lying on the sidewalk underneath a broken window in the 4th floor.

The victim was transported to hospital where he died from his injuries.

Study on Patient Transfers Expected Soon

The Kenora District Services Board says it is continuing to charge hospitals for non-urgent land ambulance patient transfers.

CAO Dan McNeil says some hospitals are co-operating and some aren't.

McNeil notes a study involving area hospitals, ORNGE and the Rainy River District Social Services Area Board is expected to be finalized this month and shed some light on the problem.

Under provincial law the request to respond to a cardiac call is 6-minutes and McNeil notes that's impossible with their ambulances are tied up with a non-urgent transfer.

Youth for Water Walk Through Kenora

A number of aboriginal youth from Manitoba are speaking out to save the water.

The group of 9 teenagers arrived in Kenora yesterday afternoon during their walk from the Manitoba Legislature to Parliament Hill in Ottawa.

Ben Raven says they are doing the walk to make sure water is safe for everyone.

Between marches inside Manitoba and now to Ottawa, the group has walked over 900 kilometers.

Mines and Minerals Symposioum in Thunder Bay

It's that time again.

The Ontario Prospectors Association will be holding their 2013 Mines and Minerals Symposium which begins today and runs through tomorrow in Thunder Bay.

Executive Director Garry Clark says this year's theme is "Advancing Towards Production".

Clark says over a hundred booths will be set up and they have 32-speakers over the two days.

MNR Asks Public Not to Feed Deer

The Ministry of Natural Resources is advising people to not the deer.

Kathyrn Lyzun with the MNR says although feeding them is a well intended gesture it has negative impacts on the animals including digestive problems, more natural predators entering the area, and more deer attempting to cross roadways.

you can find out more by visiting www.ontario.ca/feeding wildlife.