Dryden

A man wanted for murder was among the four bodies found in a crashed plane near Sioux Lookout over the weekend.

British Columbia’s Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit has confirmed that 36-year-old Gene Karl Lahrkamp of Kincardine, Ontario was one of the four victims of the crash, which was found to have gone down sometime between April 29 and April 30 south of Sioux Lookout.

Due to increasing lake, river, and creek levels, the Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources, and Forestry is advising residents of a Watershed Conditions Statement - Flood Outlook that will be in effect until May 13, 2022.

They advise that residents in the Kenora, Sioux Narrows-Nestor Falls, Dryden, Oxdrift, and surrounding areas exercise extreme caution around less travelled roads, bridges, water-crossings, lakes, and rivers. They say that water levels in these areas and in portions of the district are extremely high.

OPP are reminding the public that no ice is safe ice after a recent tragedy in Pickle Lake.  

The Pickle Lake Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) are investigating a suspected drowning that happened at July Falls.  

OPP responded to a call at approximately 2:00 pm on April 29, 2022, as it was reported an individual had fallen through the ice.  

The price of gasoline in the Kenora area has once again hit an all-time high.

Fuel prices jumped about 7 cents per litre from 182.9 to 189.9 at three service stations in Kenora on May 2, and prices are expected to even out across the community in the coming days. Fuel prices had sat at 182.9 for the previous two weeks.

After over two years, the Kenora Airport (YKQ) can now welcome their friends from the south once again, as their international status has been reinstated by the federal government.

As of May 15, 2022, Kenora will once again be considered an Airport of Entry, which means that American travelers flying into the community can clear customs here, instead of at a previously designated airport.

The Conservative party says six leadership candidates have cleared the final hurdles to getting their names on the ballot, while three others who did not make the cut are pushing back.

Pierre Poilievre, the bombastic Tory finance critic whose rallies have at times drawn thousands, and Jean Charest, the former Quebec premier who is appealing to more centrist Conservatives, are both candidates in the race to replace former leader Erin O'Toole.

It’s official! It has been the rainiest and the wettest April on record in Kenora, according to Environment Canada.

The 30.8 mm of rain the region received over the weekend was able to break another rainfall record for the month of April.

“It has been the rainiest April in Kenora, according to the station at the Kenora Airport, 67.8 mm was the final tally in terms of rainfall,” says Gerald Cheng, Environment Canada Meteorologist. “That broke the record of 1960 with 51.2 mm that year. It was certainly a rainy April.”

April showers continue to help the spring ice melt.  

Ice Patrol’s Tim Armstrong recently shared an update about the status of the ice melt on Lake of the Woods. According to Armstrong, significant rain and the increase of authorized outflow from the Lake of the Woods Control Board are contributing to melting ice in some areas of the lake.  

The Red Lake Miners have been crowned the champions of the SIHJL!

The Miners hosted the Kam River Fighting Walleye, who are in their first season in the league, in game 6 of the best-of-seven series over the weekend, and finished off the series with a win at home.

Ryan Howe, Nic Bolin and Ethan Poole were the three stars of the game, in Red Lake’s first-ever SIJHL championship. Jaxson Taupert made his playoff debut in the net for the Miners.

Statistics Canada says northwestern Ontario’s population is continuing to grow older, as the average age in the region took another dip through the 2021 Census.

Statistics Canada released their newest set of information gathered through the 2021 Census, detailing the Kenora District’s average age, age demographics and population size. The Kenora District includes a number of municipalities and First Nation communities throughout the area.