An announcement took place at City Hall on Friday afternoon. It involved members of the Sault Ste. Marie Alternate Level of Care Solutions Group and what their plans are to move forward in solving the local A-L-C bed crisis. Solutions will be worked on over the next several weeks and months to put an end to the situation, with the Sault Area Hospital being the first target for improvement. The committee is made up of many community members including city representatives. Shelley McEachern is one of the group’s co-chairs — she says solutions will be worked out as part of an ongoing plan. McEachern says some of those solutions may come in the form of home maintenance, homemaking or food preparation. The group plans to meet every two weeks for the foreseeable future and is aiming to have solutions involving the Sault Area Hospital in effect within the next month of two.

Algoma Central Corporation has released its operating results for the three month period ending March 31st. The company reported a net loss of 16.9 million dollars compared to 18.4 million during the same period last year. The losses were less due to a reduction in repair and maintenance costs, lower crew costs and a better mix of business in the company’s Domestic Dry-Bulk division. Lower earnings were felt in the Real Estate due to the re-opening of the hotel operations and lower occupancy at the Station Mall. There was also less money made in the Product Tanker division because of lower market demand.

About 350 students are expected to attend graduation ceremonies at Lake State on Saturday. The rest of the more than 500 grads will be looking on through a streaming video connection. The guest speaker at the event is best selling author Sue Harrison — the Michigan native graduated from LSSU in 1971 and has served on the university’s board of trustees for eight years. The English Language and Literature graduate is an award-winning author, having written seven novels and is currently working on another book set in Michigan’s Eastern Upper Peninsula. In addition to Harrison, Simon Purdy is this year’s student respondent. During his time at Lake State, Purdy has helped raise awareness of atrocities taking in Darfur, Sudan. The sociology grad plans to travel and help to improve social problems any way he can — future plans include becoming a college professor and a position in public office.

Sunday might as well have been declared ‘Walking Day’ in Sault Ste. Marie. There are four walks talking place across the city. The 2010 Sault Ste. Marie M-S Walk starts at 9:45 in the morning at the Delta Waterfront Hotel parking lot. The Steps For Life walk is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. at the Jo Forman Track, while the 2010 Walk For Kids Help Phone goes at Bellevue Park at the same time. The first Jane’s Walk will begin at the Sault Theatre Workshop on Pittsburg Avenue at 2:00 p.m.

Eight high school students will be visiting the Sault over the next couple of days. The students from Constance Lake First Nation near Hearst will be arriving on Sunday to stay at the residences at Algoma University. The group will be touring Sault College on Monday before walking through Algoma U on Tuesday. During their tour, they will learn about the Shingwauk Project Archives at Algoma and what programs are offered there.

Sault Ste. Marie is receiving 1.19 million dollars through the Provincial Gas Tax Program. The local share is part of 316 million dollars handed out across the province through the initiatve. Sault MPP David Orazietti was at Sault Transit Service offices to make the announcement on Friday. City transit will use the money to maintain certain services that include the Parabus. When asked if the HST would impact future investment from the Gas Tax Program, Orazietti answered that the mark of 2 cents per litre would stay where it is. The Harmonized Sales Tax is expected to have the biggest impact on energy sources, including gasoline, when it is implemented on July 1st. City Transit Manager Don Scott says this year’s allocation will go towards maintaining existing services such as the Parabus and the route serving Sault College and Algoma University. In previous years, the local share of the Gas Tax Program has been spent on new buses, that now operate on 5 percent biodiesel fuel. Scott says Transit is considering extending the North Street route with the next investment in 2011, as a way of serving the former Great Northern route that was piloted a couple of years ago.

City Police report an early morning breakin to the Beer Store on Bruce Street – where a front glass window was smashed and some beer stolen from a display.

An attempted breakin to a shed in the 500 block of Korah Road was reported.

There were more thefts from vehicles with items such as a purse, clothing and groceries stolen.

Police charged 28 year old Caleb Jones of Letcher Street with assault causing bodily harm – after a male who was known to him, was punched in the face at a local bar early yesterday morning.

26 year old Amber Stringer of Sherbourne Street, and 26 year old Melissa Filby of Alexandra Street were charged with shoplifting at WalMart yesterday and 19 year old Richard Macoloney of Allard Street was charged with stealing from WalMart earlier this month – while working there.

And a 16 year old boy was arrested early this morning – for being unlawfully at large – from the group home he was residing in.

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The Ontario government announced details of its Northern Ontario Energy Credit yesterday. The credit was first announced in the 2010 provincial budget — it ranges from 130 dollars for a single person to 200 dollars for families. The plan is to process applications and deliver the credit in two installments this Novemeber and in February 2011. The credit is part of the McGuinty government’s five year Open Ontario plan to create jobs and economic growth. It would go to individuals and families that qualify, but would be adjusted or eliminated depending on income. The credit is available to anyone over the age of 18 who pay rent or property tax on their residence. The credit can be paid to individuals until their income reaches more than 48 thousand dollars a year and to families until annual income reaches more than 65 thousand dollars.

Decisions about mental health highlighted yesterday’s meeting of the Northeast LHIN Board of Directors. The group plans to work with the Sault Area Hospital to ensure seven new mental health beds for the new hospital when it opens its doors next year. Other decisions included LHIN staff working on an implementaion plan to integrate more than 100 addiction and mental health services and the placing of 31 regional mental health beds in Sudbury.

Some interesting statistics involving some northern districts and First Nation communities in a report from the Ontario Trillium Foundation. According to the report, First Nation unemployment in the Algoma, Sudbury, Manitoulin and Cochrane districts was at least 15 percent in 2006 — more than double the overall rate in those same regions. However, the report also mentions that First Nations people are completing college at rates comparable to the general population in those areas. This as nearly 45 percent of First Nation residents in the four districts are under the age of 25.