Another Profitable year for Hospital Foundation

The Lake of the Woods Hospital Foundation still is a big contributor to the fortunes of the medical facility.

At the Hospital's annual general meeting last night it was revealed that the foundation was able to turn over 550 thousan dollars to purchase capital equipment and help out with infrastructure programs.

Some of the major purchases this year included a harmomic scalpel and a tissue processor lab, cost over 100 thousand dollars.

The foundation is also planning another major fundraiser this year, an Octoberfest in the fall.

Search continues for missing angler near Morson

The OPP say they still have not located an angler who has been missing on Lake of the Woods for the past two weeks.

69 year old Richard Herman from Peoria, Illinois was reported missing on evening of Monday, May 23rd.

He and 73 year old James Wealther, also of Illinois, had been fishing in a 16 foot boat near Morson.

Wealther's body was found the next day, where it had washed up on shore, but so far there has been no sign of Herman.

The OPP's Underwater Search and Recovery Unit had been brought in, with no success.

Only the Marine Unit is still actively looking for his body.

Health Unit offers Prenatal Progams

The Northwestern Health Unit is asking expecting mothers to sign up for a prenatal education program.

Spokesperson Kathy Bryck says the classes are offered 2 to 3 months before someone' due date.

Bryck says the program is a valuable tool.

For more information go to the Health Unit website at http://www.nwhu.on.ca/

Federal Government Launches Nutrition North Program

The federal government has launched a program to help bring food costs down in communities in the far north.

Subsidies are now available under the government's Nutrition North program.

David Stezenko is one of the people who is helping to co-ordinate the program in this region and hopes it will help bring healthy affordable food to remote communities.

The federal subsidy is expected to reduce transporation costs.

Kenora girls Soccer Team wins gold in Winnipeg

A golden finish for a local girls soccer team.

The Kenora Athletic Soccer Club's Under 14 squad went undefeated at the Children's Hospital Tournament in Winnipeg over the weekend.

The team won their division with a 2-1 win over Niakwa in the final.

 
The team gave up only two goals in five games.

Two Grassy Men in Hospital Following Single Vehicle Accident

Two Grassy Narrows residents remain in hospital following a single vehicle accident on Highway 671.

The OPP say the accident took place on the road to Grassy Narrows around 12:30 Sunday morning, about 30 kilometers north of the By-Pass.

Police say the vehicle drove off the road and hit a hydro pole.

Both of the occupants of the vehicle were transported by ambulence to Lake of the Woods District Hospital.

The driver, a 48 year old man sustained what are being called life-threatening injuries, and was transported by air ambulence to hospital in Winnipeg.

The passenger, a 35 year old man, sustained less serious injuries, but remains in hospital.

A good Weekend for the Cancer Society

An incredible weekend for the Canadian Cancer Society in northwestern Ontario.

Relays for Life were held in 4-communities on Friday and Saturday.

Over 250-thousand dollars was raised in the 12-hour event.

Red Lake topped everyone with over 106-grand brought in.

Dryden raised 58-thousand dollars, Sioux Lookout 57-thousand and Ear Falls 32-grand.

Kenora will hold its Relay for Life this Friday.

Fire Destroys Apartment Building on 4th Street North

An overnight fire has gutted an apartment building in the north end of town.
The blaze broke out around 11:00 last night and Kenora fire crews spent all night trying to bring the fire under control.

Fire fighers are still at the scene mopping up, and there is still some smoke that can be seen coming from the roof of the building.

A spokesperson for the fire department says the apartment building was pretty much engulfed in flames by the time they arrived at the scene.

All the occupants managed to escape the burning building and there were no injuries reported.

The cause of the blaze is still under investigation

Hospital in the Black again

Lake of the Woods District Hospital finished last year in the black.

Figures released at the Hospital's AGM show a surplus of just over 71 thousand dollars in the 2010/2011 fiscal year.

Chief Executive Officer of the Hospital, Marc Belcaen says this year will be a challenge to balance their books, because they still don't know exactly how much money they will be getting from the province.

Belcaen says increased staff costs, and inflation as a whole means its going to be tough to have any kind of surplus this year.

Con College President Earns National Honor

The outgoing President of Confederation College has received a National award.

Pat Lang has received the ACCC Distinguished Service Award.

The award is for outstanding leadership and service in the Canadian College system.

Lang was recognized for her advocacy in getting students the advanced skills education they need in Northern Ontario.

Lang has more than doubled the apprenticeship opportunities for Northerners and developed new contract training opportunities for 50-Aboriginal communities.

Con College Recruiting Students for Trades programs

Confederation College is making the rounds to regional high schools over the next two weeks.

It's promoting its Trades and Aviation programs.

Recruitment intern Pam Lamba says in some cases students don't need to leave their home community.

Lamba says the demand for employees in the trades is very high, especially in northwestern Ontario.

16 Year old Girl rides the rails into the US

Officials won't say much about a missing southern Manitoba girl who took shelter in a parked freight train and woke up the next morning in Minnesota.

RCMP says the 16-year-old from Steinbach was able to get past the border and ended up in Duluth.

It's believed the train may have passed through the border at Warroad, Rainy River and Fort Frances.

Kenora Mother Supports Deer Cull

A Kenora mother is supporting the idea of a deer cull in the city after a close call.

Courtney Van Aertselaer says a female deer jumped over her six foot fence into her back yard this week and almost trampled her daughter.

Van Aertselaer says she managed to scare the deer away, but her dog was trampled three times by the agressive deer.

Girls Soccer Teams finish out of the Play-Offs at OFSAA

Overall a pretty successful OFSAA tournament for Thomas Aquinas and Beaver Brae girls soccer teams.

The Saints finished the round robin with a 2-2 record, which is their best performance at the All-Ontario Championships.

Despite their record, T.A. still was unable to advance to the medal round.

Beaver Brae meanwhile compiled a 1-3 record at the Double "a" championships in Windsor.

Richardson Acclaimed as Hospital Board Chair

The board of Lake of the Woods District Hospital has a new chair.

Fred Richardson was acclaimed to the position at last night's annual general meeting.

Richardson had served the past two months as acting chair following  the resignation of Debbie Baldwin.

He says one of his main goals is to kick-start a campaign to have a new hospital built in Kenora.

Dale Munro was acclaimed as vice-chair of the hospital board at last night's meeting.

Hospital Board Elects Three New Members

Lake of the Woods District hospital has three new board members.

Conrad Delaronde, chief of the Treaty Three Police, Geraldine Kakeway from Confederation College and Calvin Harasemchuck were all introduced at last night's AGM.

They replace Anita Cameron, who has been on the board for the past 10 years, Blair McCallum and Debbie Baldwin.

This is the first year that new board members were selected from the corporate membership rather than being chosen through the municipal election process.

Hampton Disappointed by Shortened Session at Queen's Park

Kenora-Rainy River M.P.P. Howard Hampton says he's surprised, but not shocked that the Liberal government cut short the current sitting of the Ontario legislature.

MPP's were supposed to sit yesterday, but Hampton suggests Premier Dalton McGuinty wanted to cut his losses and pulled the plug on the sessin a day early.

Hampton says with the legislature officially adjourned, the provincial

election campaign will hit high gear.

Con College Graduation Ceremonies Today

Over 14-hundred Confederation College students from across the Northwest will be graduating today.

Registrar Marjorie Kinnunen says ceremonies will be taking place at satellite campuses right across the region.

The day will be filled with honorary diplomas and the announcement of the Governor General's award.

KMTS "Likes" the Community Foundation

The Kenora and Lake of the Woods Regional Community Foundation is getting a helping hand once again from KMTS.

The local telephone utility says its will donate 50 cents to the foundation for every person who logs onto their facebook site.

Darlene McGillvary is the executive director of the foundation and says any funds raised will go towards their operations.

McGillvary says they hope to be able to attract at least five thousand people to the KMTS site.

Fort Frances Man Faces Child Porn Charges

A Fort Frances man is scheduled back in court today on several sexual offences involving children.

O-P-P says 41 year old Christopher Ernest Simmons was arrested after a May 19th search of his home turned up alleged images of child sexual abuse on computers and video devices.

He's also been accused of trying to obtain sexual services from someone under 18.