Hospital CEO Retiring

Riverside Health Care Facilities is losing its Chief Executive Officer.

Wayne Woods is retiring next March.

He's been with Riverside for the past 13 years.

The Board has already hired an executive recruiting firm to assist in the search of a new CEO.

Record-Setting Forest Fire Season

It's a modern day record for forest fires in Ontario.

Debbie MacLean of the Ministry of Natural Resources says over 600 thousand hectares of forest where burned this past season - the most in about 50 years.

MacLean says it cost the government about $230 million to fight the 1330 blazes.

Tourism Season Not Great

Ont. Sunset Country Travel Assoc. photo

It wasn't a great summer for many tourist outfitters in northwestern Ontario.

Gerry Cariou, executive director of Ontario's Sunset Country says there wasn't much in the way of growth compared to last year, but there was some improvement at the border with fewer complaints received.

Cariou says a sluggish American economy continues to be a drag on this region's tourism industry.

New Hydro Rates In Place

New time-of-use electricity rates go in effect today.

Using electricity between 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. or between 5 p.m.and 7 p.m. at night will cost 10.8 cents a kilowatt hour.

The rate between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. is now 6.2 cents while the mid-peak rate from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. is 9.2 cents.

Cooks Needed

A call for help has been put out by organizers of the Community Christmas dinner in Fort Frances.

Karen Mitchell of the Fort Frances Volunteer Bureau says the biggest need right now is people to cook turkeys.

Mitchell says she's already received donations, but there's no panic for items just yet.

Health Care Task Force Formed

A new task force is being deployed in Minnesota to examine how to hold down costs while improving access to health coverage.

Governor Mark Dayton set up the group to come up with an action plan for policy changes.

Moustache Season Opens

Moustache Season is open!

Thousands of men across Canada are taking part in the Movember challenge to raise funds and awareness for men's health, specifically prostate cancer.

Rebecca Von-get, Executive vice president for prostate cancer Canada says early detection is key

According to Statistics, Prostate Cancer afflicts one in seven men in Canada.