Auditor Concerned About Hospital Overcrowding

Ontario's auditor general says hospitals aren't discharging patients on time and still face overcrowding and delays in their emergency departments.

Jim McCarter says more than 50-thousand patients stayed in hospital longer than necessary last year because their ongoing care couldn't be arranged.

McCarter also says only 16 per cent of government stimulus cash was actually spent in the province in the first year.

Half the money went to a small number of infrastructure projects that, in most cases, weren't shovel ready.

Border Skating Club Seeks Kurt Browning Visit

The Border Skating Club is trying woe Kurt Browning.

President Doctor Lorena Jenks says they're involved in a Skate Canada contest that asks clubs to show how they're using it's new logo with a seminar from the four-time Canadian and World Champion up for grabs.

"What we did for our club is we used a digital version of the logo in the background and then interviewed many of our skaters why liked about skating," says Dr. Jenks, "and tried to highlight the Skate Canada motto which is compassion, spirit, triumph."

Click the link to vote for the Border Skating Club's submission.

Voting continues until the end of December

Acts of Kindness Fundraiser Successful

(Emcees Dale Fortes and Joelle Blanc-Paull selected a winner at Friday's Acts of Kindness Fundraiser)

The first ever Acts of Kindness fundraiser for the Fort Frances Community Chest is being hailed an overwhelming success.

About $20-thousand was raised in Friday's event.

Community Chest committee member Larry Cousineau says it's great support for the fund.

"This is helping people tremendously," says Cousineau. "The Community Chest is just what it is - a chest of money that's kept to one side for people who need it for medical reasons."

Over one-hundred services and products were auctioned off both at the Fort Frances Legion and on-line.

Tax Bill Payment Deadline Extended

Northerners living or with property in unorganized areas will get some extra time to pay their tax bills.

First payment was due last Friday, but it will now be at the end of January.

Kenora-Rainy River MPP Howard Hampton says the bills, delivered only last week, should never have come out during the winter in the first place.

"People are getting hydro bills that are totally unreasonable," says Hampton. "People are being forced to pay the HST on any purchases they make and people are trying to get ready for Christmas. Then this arrives in the mail."

Hampton says complaints from property owners to his office prompted government to change the deadlines.

Rafferty Disappointed by Stimulus Rpoert

Thunder Bay-Rainy River M.P. John Rafferty is disappointed to hear the federal stimulus program hasn't lived up to the government's promise of job creation.

A report from the Parliamentary budget officer suggests few municipalities receiving money experienced employment growth.

"We all know that when some governments make those kind of declarations there's a lot of political-puffery, but the proof in the pudding on this one," says Rafferty, "and I think Canadians are pretty disappointed that that's what has happened."

Rafferty says the development of a national job strategy would have gone a long way to getting more people employed

National Day of Remembrance

Sombre memorials will be held in many centres across Canada today, on this, the 21st anniversary of the Montreal massacre.

On this day in 1989, an enraged gunman killed 14 women at L'Ecole Polytechnique.

In Fort Frances, a vigil is planned at Knox United Church beginning at 6 p.m.

Foundation Seeks New Operating Table

Riverside Foundation for Health Care is hoping to deliver a new state of the art operating table to the emergency department at LaVerendrye Hospital this Christmas.

It's this year's Christmas appeal objective.

Director Nicke Baird says letters seeking donations were issued last week.

"Inside is a pledge card and if they would like to donate they can fill out the pledge card and mail it back with a cheque," says Baird.

Cost of the operating table is about 45-thousand dollars.

Local Project Seeks Votes

An area woman is looking for district wide support to help win a Pepsi Canada contest.

Jackie Badiuk has proposed the idea of creating more green spaces at area schools to the Pepsi Refresh Everything Project contest in hopes of winning $25-thousand.

"I work at the high school at lot and I'm part of the Big Green Committee, the environmental club, and we've tried to come up lots of different ideas of ways to green our community," says Badiuk. "I saw the ad for the Refresh Everything and it just popped into my head to apply."

People can link to the project by clicking this link http://www.refresheverything.ca/rrdsbgreenspace

Man Convicted on Sex Offences

A 44-year-old man has been sentenced to 66 months in jail and ordered to register with the Sexual Offenders Information Registry after being found guilty of three counts of Sexual Exploitation and a charge of Sexual Interference.

The charges against Garry Donald Mathewson were laid in July following a police investigation involving three males victims that took place in the Rainy River and Thunder Bay districts between 1992 and 1999.

Mathewson was also ordered by a court judge Wednesday to submit DNA samples to the Sexual Offenders Database and stay away from places frequented by children for the next ten years.

Trails Not Open Yet

The abundance of snow around the Rainy River district is generating some excitement among snowmobile enthusiasts.

However, not all trails maintained by the Borderland Snowmobile Club can't be yet be groomed.

President Dave Goodman says there's just no frost in the ground.

"The main reason you need the frost is all is that in swamp areas or soft areas the groomer will sink very quickly and get stuck," says Goodman, "and we can take the risk of taking the groomer into the swamps especially."

Goodman says the current cold stretch will help and some partial sections of trails could be open next week.

Choraliers Receive Money

The Fort Frances Choraliers have received funding from the Ontario Trillium Foundation.

Choir director Diane Maxey says the over $11-thousand will help purchased some much desired equipment.

"We are getting a trail to house all of the equipment for easy access to move it around," says Maxey. "We're hoping to get our risers that we've wanted for a long, long time and portable. And we'll probably have a wireless microphone that will help us a lot in our performances."

Maxey says because the choir does not have a charitable number, the Valley Adult Learning Association helped obtain the money by submitting the application under its name.

Catholic Trustees Take Office

Newly elected trustees with the Northwest Catholic District School Board take to office for the first time tonight.

Teresa Larson, representing Atikokan, Catherine Bowen and James Kulchyski from Sioux Lookout, Kathy Bryck and Robert van Oort of Dryden, Anne-Marie Fitzgerald and Harold Huntley from Fort Frances and Mark Chojko-Bolec representing Stratton and area will be sworn-in at a ceremony at St. Francis School in Fort Frances.

The trustees will then elect a new chair and vice-chair.

Doctor Honoured

A Fort Frances doctor has been recognized by the Ontario College of Family Physicians.

Doctor Jason Shack was one of seventeen Ontario physicians to receive the College's Award of Excellence.

The award recognizes family physicians for their contributions to patient care, their communities and their profession.

Acts of Kindness Promoted

The Acts of Kindness fundraiser for the Fort Frances Community Chest happens tonight at the Fort Frances Legion.

Steve Sinclair, whose family benefited from a contribution from the chest about five years ago, says it's important the fund remain vibrant.

"The financial support from Community Chest is the most important thing that you can have," says Sinclair. "To know that there is someone there to help you in a time of need, but equally important is the community outreach. Neighbours helping neighbours. You need them both."

Over 100 items will be auctioned off at tonight's event.

Atikokan Council Sworn In

Atikokan's Mayor says the township's new council's enters with more hope for a better future than ever before.

Dennis Brown and his council were officially sworn into office last night.

Brown says they take office with the community on the verge of a boom.

"All we need to do is to see them come to fruition," says Brown. "I'm talk about initiatives in the mining with Osisko and Bending Lake. I'm talking about the wood biomass at the former particleboard plant and the opportunities that could exist at the O.P.G plant. These are all good news stories."

Brown says plans for a new arena, maintaining medical services and continuing infrastructure work are other priority areas.

DMTS On-Line in Rainy River District

DMTS is looking to make its presence felt in the Rainy River district.

The city of Dryden-owned municipal telephone system has been offering cell services to the district since last October.

Marketing manager Tyler Peacock feels they can be competitive.

"Coverage, pricing, selection. Like I said before," says Peacock, "I think we have a great line up as far as a product line goes. Our prices are very competitive and we're here to stay."

Peacock says a new roaming agreement was also signed with AT&T that gives its customers better service in the U.S.

Dietary Allowance Remains

The Canadian Union of Public Employees says the Ontario government has done the right thing by keeping a special dietary allowance for welfare recipients.

The province says it's revising the allowance, which remains capped at a maximum of 250-dollars a month.

The Ministry of Community and Social Services had considered cutting the program after costs jumped from $6-million to more than $200-million a year.

Court Ruling Today

A decision is expected today on the status of prostitution laws in Ontario.

Ontario's highest court will rule on a lower court's decision on the laws that control prostitution.

The courts have said the laws could stay in effect until today.

Government lawyers have argued the lower court ruling should be put on hold while they appeal it.

Carbon Monoxide Bill Debate

Making carbon monoxide detectors mandatory in Ontario may move a step closer to becoming the law today.

A Progressive Conservative MPP's private member's bill is up for second reading.

It would amend the building code to put detectors in homes, condos and rental apartments.

Energy Credits Issued

Eligible Northern Ontario residents who applied for the Northern Energy Tax Credit can expect their first payout this month.

Single residents, 18 and older, with an income of $35,000 to $48,000 will receive up to $130.

Families with a household income of $45,000 to $65,000 are eligible for up to 200-dollars.

Residents have until the end of next June to apply for the credit.