Let The Bidding Begin
St. Paul’s United Church Auction Items on Display

( Echo Photo)
Over 300 items are up for bids in the St. Paul’s United Church Silent Auction. The event being held this Saturday at the church along with a pancake breakfast from 9:00 till 11:00 am is a great chance to pick up some pretty great items, including hotel rooms, gift certificates(full item list inside). Bidders previewed items at The Cow during the week up until Thursday. Bidding ends at the church Saturday at 11:30 am sharp. All are welcome to the pancake breakfast on Saturday.

Male in Custody After Search
Public Safety Warning Issued

The Marathon Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) was investigating an incident on Highway 17 between Marathon and Neys Provincial Park.
At approximately 5:40am this morning OPP members attempted to stop an eastbound motor vehicle between Terrace Bay and Marathon. The vehicle came to a stop west of Marathon and when Police approached the vehicle, there were no occupants. A search of the immediate area was conducted and one male was arrested in relation to the incident.
Justin Joseph CHAISSON, 21 years of age, from Saskatoon, SK is in custody and being held for bail hearing at the Schreiber OPP detachment. The accused has been charged with Possession of Stolen Property Over $5000, Flight from Police and Breach of Probation.
The OPP Crime Unit is investigating the possibility of a second male’s involvement in occurrences along the Trans Canada highway but there is no active search for that person in the Marathon vicinity.
 Anyone who may have information that would assist in the investigation is encouraged to contact the police at 1-888-310-1122 or remain anonymous by calling CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
The OPP reminds all members of the public to be aware of their personal safety at all times. The OPP’s website, www.opp.ca, contains a number of useful resources, tips and links.

February is Medicine Cabinet Clean up Month
Free Medicine Disposal Bag Coming in Regional Newspapers Next Week
EcoSuperior and the Thunder Bay District Health Unit are reminding you to safely dispose of your old medicines. This February has been declared Medicine Cabinet Clean-Up Month in the communities of Marathon, Geraldton, Nipigon, Terrace Bay and Manitouwadge. With funding support from the Government of Ontario, a medicine collection bag will be delivered to every household in a February edition of the local paper. The bag can be used to bring old, expired or unwanted medicines to your pharmacy to be discarded in a way that does not harm our environment and health.
“We hope this makes it easier for people to gather up their unused or expired medicines,” says EcoSuperior’s Program Coordinator Ashley Priem. “Returning them to your pharmacy ensures safe disposal.”
The safe disposal of medicines is a concern because science continues to document the presence of prescription and non-prescription drugs in streams, rivers and wildlife which consequently may have a harmful effect on the environment and indirectly, on human health. It has been common practice for people to flush old medicines down the toilet or throw them out with landfilled garbage, but such disposal can impact the health of local water supplies as well as wildlife. Most water treatment plants are not designed to remove such chemicals from waste water before it is returned to lakes and rivers.
Keeping unused or expired medicines around the home poses other health risks. People may unintentionally take old medications that are no longer applicable to their health condition and suffer falls or other adverse health effects. Unused medications may appeal to youth who see prescription drugs as a way to get “high.”
“Regularly review your medications with your doctor or pharmacist,” says Sheena Albanese, Health Promotion Planner at the Thunder Bay District Health Unit. “And bring your old meds to a pharmacy as part of a regular routine to help keep our community and our environment healthy.”
Consumers can return all unused or expired prescription drugs, including patches, unwanted non-prescription drugs such as pain relievers and cold medicines, herbal products and vitamins.
Almost all local pharmacies offer a safe medication disposal service, but the public is not widely aware of the importance of returning medicines to the pharmacy for safe disposal.
Watch for your medicine disposal bag in next week’s edition of The Echo, your only community newspaper.