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Awards night
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Manitoulin Student Aid Fund awards over $38,000 to graduates
by Neil Zacharjewicz
MANITOULIN - The generosity of donors to the Manitoulin Student Aid
Fund continues to grow.
This year marked the 33rd anniversary of the Manitoulin Secondary
School Awards Night. The event was held on Thursday, December 19.
This year, donors contributed an all-time high of $38,710, surpassing
the record of $37,595 contributed in 1997. Approximately 104
graduates received awards this year.
"We are proud of you and the mark you are making as you study and
prepare for your future careers to enter the world of work," stated
Carolyn Lane-Rock, principal of Manitoulin Secondary School, to the
graduates. "We know that you will remember your years here with
pleasure and pride and we wish you well."
"To the parents and community, we thank you for the generous
outpouring of support for Manitoulin Secondary School. Every year you
provide the dollars which allow us to give scholarships for
excellence and bursaries for those continuing post-secondary
education. We are indeed grateful to the many individuals,
businesses, service groups, communities and organizations who
continue to support us in this way," Ms. Lane-Rock said.
Ms. Lane-Rock also extended thanks to the Manitoulin Student Aid
Committee for their hard work and dedication in making the evening an
ongoing success.
Brent St. Denis, Member of Parliament for Algoma-Manitoulin, assured
the graduates that their years of preparation in high school have
prepared them for a successful post-secondary experience.
"You are the future of this country. You are the future of this
Island," Mr. St. Denis said. "Congratulations to all of you."
Algoma - Manitoulin Member of Provincial Parliament Mike Brown
marvelled at the $38,710 raised by the Student Aid Committee.
"That is totally incredible," he said. "You have the most magnificent
student aid committee in this riding, and likely in the province of
Ontario."
Mr. Brown pointed out that in the new millennium, there will be new
opportunities available to the graduates which have never been
available before, and urged them to take advantage of them.
"This certainly is an auspicious night," said Academic Superintendent
Jean Hanson. She indicated the fact that the event was celebrating
its 33rd anniversary spoke volumes of the investment made by the
community of Manitoulin in its youth.
"Tonight, we are here to join in celebration of excellence," Ms.
Hanson said. "We know the honours bestowed upon you will be an
impetus for other."
Manitoulin's trustee to the Rainbow District School Board, Larry
Killens, said he could not express enough how happy he was for the
students.
"We are a world class school," he said. "Our students have been
tested and re-tested by the current government, and in spite of them,
they have done really well."
He said Manitoulin Secondary School students fair better in all
categories than students across the province in Education Quality
Assessment Office (EQAO) testing.
Symbolically, Mr. Killens produced two balloons, suggesting one
represented Island students, and the other students from across
Ontario. When he released the balloon representing the Island
students, the balloon rose to the ceiling. Mr. Killens said it
represented the fact that Manitoulin students rise above the rest.
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Two arrested in 21 Legion break-ins across Ontario |
by Neil Zacharjewicz
LITTLE CURRENT - Members of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 177 were
shocked last June when they discovered their facility had been robbed.
It was a sentiment that several of their comrades across the province
experienced and shared themselves. On December 16, the Ontario
Provincial Police's Rural and Agricultural Crime Team, with the
assistance of the Ottawa Tactical Unit and the Ottawa Police Service,
arrested two men in connection with break and enters at 21 Royal
Canadian Legions across Ontario.
The arrests followed a three-month investigation by the crime team
and the City of Kawartha Lakes OPP, which began when they were
notified of a break and enter into the Bobcaygeon Legion on August
25, 2002. Officers were investigating the incident when another
break and enter was reported on September 28 at the Coboconk Legion.
The OPP continued the investigation and discovered approximately 25
Legions had been entered across the province. In most incidents, the
suspects targeted liquor, cigarettes, lottery tickets and cash after
a seven-month crime spree.
Officers from the Central Region OPP Rural and Agricultural Crime
Team, assisted by the Ottawa Police Service, Smith Falls Police
Service, Eastern and Northeastern Region's OPP Rural and Agricultural
Crime Team, the OPP Central Region Community Response Team, the
Kanata OPP, and other members of the OPP, continued the investigation
and successfully identified two suspects from the Ottawa area.
On December 16, police executed two search warrants at two separate
homes in Ottawa and arrested the suspects. Jean Paul Lanouette, age
34, and Berry Hubert, age 26, both of Ottawa, were arrested without
incident. During the execution of the search warrant, officers seized
maps, cash, break and enter tools and other items related to break
and enters. A 2002 GMC truck was also seized in regards to proceeds
of crime.
Mr. Lanouette has been charged with 21 counts of break and enter,
breach of probation, proceeds of crime, and possession of break and
enter tools. Mr. Hubert has been charged with break and enter,
possession of break and enter tools and possession of stolen
property. Both men were remanded into custody and then transported to
Lindsay Court for a bail hearing today. Mr. Lanouette's break and
enter charges are in relation to break-ins at Royal Canadian Legion
branches in Little Current, Toledo, Coboconk, Merrickville,
Morrisburg, Bracebridge, Smith Falls, Warsaw, Bobcaygeon, Brechin,
Kincardine, Mactier, Kearney, Sundridge, Deseronto, Apsley,
Warkworth, Barry's Bay, Haliburton, Petawawa and Warminster. He was
also charged with a break and enter at an arena in Keene.
Mr. Hubert's break and enter were charged in relation to the
incidents at the Toledo and Smith Falls Legions.
The investigation is continuing with regards to other Legion and
business break and enters across Ontario.
Royal Canadian Legion Branch 144 President Garry Hannah expressed
relief that the individuals responsible for the break-in in Little
Current had been caught.
"We have some closure on it now," Mr. Hannah stated. "I'm just glad
that they are not young offenders, so that they will get more than
just a slap on the wrist." |
MPAC closure
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Closing announcement dampens MPAC employees Christmas
by Michael Erskine
SUDBURY---Employees of the Municipal Property Assessment (MPAC)
office in Little Current have been waiting for the axe to fall
for
some time, and fall it did just a few days before Christmas with
the
news the office would be closing March 31, 2003.
"The timing is never good for something like this," said Darryl
Bender, MPAC account manager. The closing would not be a
surprise for
the employees he added saying, "They have been talking about
this on
and off for the past 10 or 15 years. The workload on the Island
is
just not enough to justify keeping the office open. We wanted to
let
the employees know what was happening as soon as the decision
was
made by the board."
The closure will affect six employees.
Positions will be available for some of the employees in the
Sudbury
office, depending on seniority, said Mr. Bender.
The Manitoulin operations will be consolidated in the Sudbury
office
which is currently located at 199 Larch St. That office itself
will
be moving on March 31 however, as the current lease for the
Sudbury
location has expired and the current landlord has indicated they
need
the space.
When it is necessary for work to be done on the Island,
operations
will be conducted out of a much smaller storefront, possibly
rented
space in the Northeastern Manitoulin and the Islands municipal
office, although there has as yet been no agreement reached on
that
matter.
"We don't even know if they have room for us yet," he said.
"There
will be something set up before March 31, however."
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Hospitals urge caution in wake of Norwalk virus outbreak |
by Michael Erskine
MANITOULIN---The Sudbury District Health Unit and area hospitals
and
nursing homes are urging visitors to use caution through the
holiday
season if they are suffering from flu-like symptoms and to avoid
emergency rooms unless they have an emergency.
"We haven't seen the virus here yet," said Manitoulin Health
Centre
CEO Jim Van Camp. "If you have flu symptoms, please don't visit
our
patients and staff, we are asking people to use discretion.
Unfortunately, the flu season and the Norwalk Virus co-incide
with
the holiday season," he added.
The Norwalk Virus has been experienced in some Sudbury and
District
health care institutions, with patients experiencing vomiting
and
diarrhea.
"It is very hard to control, especially in nursing homes," said
Sudbury District Health Unit spokesperson Ed Wierzbicki. "Plus,
at
the same time the elderly and people with lowered immune system
are
at very high risk."
Mr. Wierzbicki confirmed there have been no reports of outbreaks
on the Island.
"But it is very prevalent, and it is unlikely that it is not in
the
area," he said.
Dr. Penny Sutcliffe, Sudbury Medical Officer of Health, stresses
the
importance of proper hand-washing.
"Thorough hand washing with soap and water is still the single
most
important way to stop the spread of the virus," said Dr.
Sutcliffe.
Improper hand washing allows the virus to be spread through food
and
objects that an infected person touches.
The Sudbury Regional Hospital has restricted visitation to one
family
member per patient, and all school children are prohibited from
visiting. The hospital's emergency department has a further
restriction that will see all visitors prohibited except one
parent
per child.
Everyone is susceptible to the virus, and symptoms include
watery
diarrhea, vomiting, nausea and abdominal pain. Headache and low
grade
fever may also occur.
The disease usually occurs within 48 hours and most people do
not
need to seek medical attention.
"It used to be called the 24-hour flu," said Mr. Wierzbicki.
"Now we
know it is the Norwalk Virus."
Still, if blood is found in the stool, if there are signs of
dehydration such as increased urination or dizziness, or if
vomiting
and diarrhea is prolonged, a visit to a health care professional
is
recommended.
Other than that, if you are suffering from a Norwalk or
Norwalk-like
virus, drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. Wash your
hands
to avoid spreading the disease.
"Bed rest at home, fluids and good personal hygiene are the best
medicine for this disease," said Dr. Sutcliffe.
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