by Alicia McCutcheon AUNDECK OMNI KANING—A 20-year-old Aundeck Omni Kaning (AOK) man had an encounter with the invasive giant hogweed plant late last month, an encounter that’s left him with wounds, scars and a loss of tolerance to sunlight. Nick McGraw explained that he was hired to do some brush cutting in the community near the lake where he believes he encountered giant hogweed, inadvertently cutting th ...

Tom Sasvari with files from Stacey Lavallie The Recorder MANITOULIN—The Manitoulin Health Centre’s (MHC) worst fears as far as provincial funding for this fiscal year came to fruition last week when there was no mention of funding for small hospitals in the provincial budget. However, changes made to the budget the day before the vote, following a meeting of the leaders of the provincial Liberal Party and N ...

by Alicia McCutcheon LITTLE CURRENT—Gabe Abotossaway sits in one of the Manitoulin Health Centre’s visiting areas, eager to share his progress. He smiles a lot, his mouth spreading out in a grin over his cheeks made much fleshier since the last time this reporter saw the young man, and he looks healthy. His mother Beverly sits at his side, as always. She looks happy too, but weary, after almost a year of up ...

Mildred “Millie” Helena Jewell nee Lewis died peacefully at Manitoulin Health Centre on Wednesday, March 21, 2012 at the age of 80. Predeceased by her beloved husband Leonard on January 27, 2012. Dear mother of Bob and Eleanor, Wayne, all of Little Current; Lewis and Kim of Providence Bay; Cliff and Susie, Sandra and Tim Phillips, Pam Jewell and Rob McWade, all of Little Current; grandchildren Amber Correa ...

Tom Sasvari The Recorder SHESHEGWANING—The Sheshegwaning First Nation has given the Manitoulin Health Centre ‘Tree of Life’ fundraising campaign a significant financial boost. “We appreciate the services provided by the Manitoulin Health Centre at both its locations,” stated Chief Joe Endanawas at the presentation of a cheque for $7,400 he and members of council made on behalf of the community on Tuesday. “ ...

Tom Sasvari The Recorder MANITOULIN—After having received substantial funding through the Ministry of Health under its Health Infrastructure Renewal Fund (HIRF) in each of the past two years, the Manitoulin Health Centre (MHC) received some bad news last week. “The bad news is we were shut out of funding this year,” Derek Graham, chief executive officer (CEO) of the MHC, said late last week. “We’ve received ...

by Alicia McCutcheon MANITOULIN—Manitoulin Health Centre Chief Executive Officer Derek Graham said the news of the demise of the opiate painkiller OxyContin came as a surprise to he and his staff as news arrived at the hospital, via fax, the same day the rest of Ontario learned of the narcotic’s discontinuation from pharmacy shelves. The Expositor reported last week that long-acting OxyContin, created by Pu ...

Tom Sasvari The Recorder MINDEMOYA—Members of the Manitoulin Health Centre (MHC) board of directors are concerned with the costs and the administrative workload that will come with the new provincial Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) process that hospitals have to follow as of January 1, 2012. “This could represent a huge administrative burden,” said board member Michael Shain at ...

In loving memory of Douglas Steven Slaght who passed away peacefully January 1, 2012 at the age of 63. Cherished husband of Anne, loving father to Bob (Kim) of Cambridge, Bill (Amanda) of Little Current, Ellie who will always be Doug’s canine princess, and brother-in-law to Olga of Little Current. Doug will be deeply missed by his grandchildren Melissa, Alison, Jared and Bradley. Great-grandfather to Tathal ...

by Alicia McCutcheon MANITOULIN—Manitoulin police chiefs are speaking out on some of the practices of the methadone program, specifically the ‘carry home’—the ability to take home several days worth of methadone (the synthetic opioid used to help the treatment of those with an opioid dependence and mitigate withdrawal symptoms) in a locked box—in light of two eerily similar Island deaths and subsequent mans ...