Dryden

Residents are encouraged to wear green today in honour of the Logan Boulet Effect, in support of organ donor awareness/registration across Canada.

Boulet was a 21-year-old defenceman for the Humboldt Broncos, who succumbed to his injuries after the tragic crash on April 6, 2018. Of the 29 passengers, sixteen lost their lives and thirteen will all bear physical and emotional scars for life.

The Lake of the Woods District Hospital continues on the roller coaster ride of what is COVID-19.

This ride has taken them through vaccination policies, non-emergent services suspended, patient visitor limitations, outbreaks, and many more struggles.

Significant staff shortages are what the ride has taken the hospital on, along with many other regional hospitals in recent months causing unprecedented times.

Hospital CEO, Ray Racette says that the recent staff vacancies are the worst he has seen in the last 20-30 years and during the last two years of COVID-19.

If you are a residential school survivor, you are able to contact the 24-hour National Crisis Line at 1-866-925-4419 for support. Indigenous people can also access the Hope for Wellness Help Line at 1-855-242-3310 or online chat at www.hopeforwellness.ca.

The provincial and federal governments are funding more mental health supports for Wauzhushk Onigum members, as the community continues to carry out work to locate their lost children.

The Ontario government has announced it will be expanding eligibility for fourth doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to individuals aged 60 and over, as well as First Nation, Inuit and Metis individuals and their household members over 18, effective today.

Ontario says booster doses are being offered to these individuals at a recommended interval of five months after receiving their last booster, or about December 2021.

The Dryden GM Ice Dogs enter the semi-finals of the SIJHL tonight. They'll head to Red Lake to take on the Miners in the first of a five-game series. Dryden is coming off of a sweep of the Fort Frances Lakers in the first round of the playoffs.

Kenora's Jeff "Gussy" Gustafson is into day one of the 2022 Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Chickamauga Lake. Weigh-ins will be at 3:30 this afternoon.

A recall of certain Kinder brand chocolate products linked to an outbreak of salmonella in Europe and the U.K. has been expanded to Canada.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says there have been no illnesses reported in Canada in association with the affected products distributed by Ferrero Canada Ltd.

The recalled chocolates include Kinder Schoko-Bons, Happy Moments - Kinder Confections Assortment, Kinder Mini Eggs, Kinder Egg Hunt Kits, Kinder Mix 7 Easter Treats, Kinder Surprise Miraculous, Kinder Surprise Natoons and Kinder Surprise.

Residents are in for some slick roadways tomorrow.

Environment Canada has issued a Special Weather Statement calling for a low-pressure system with heavy snowfall into tomorrow morning. Up to 15 centimetres of snow mixed with rain is possible, with reduced visibility expected.

The statement is in effect across the region as of the time of writing.

This winter has been one to remember. As of April 5, the Kenora area has received 238 cm of snow starting from October. The average for those months combined is usually roughly 145.5 cm.

Due to a significant rate of COVID-19 within their staff, leadership with the Dryden Regional Health Centre is moving into Level 4 – RED CONTROL – of their COVID-19 pandemic plan.

New measures include limiting patients to only 1 designated essential visitor who must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and must pass entrance screening requirements before entry.

Staff say additional measures are being considered at this time, such as ramping down services.

Dryden city councillors have approved a $1.3 million contract with Kenora’s Moncrief Construction to replace and upgrade eight sets of traffic lights throughout the community.

The need for new traffic lights comes after the Ministry of Transportation requested a report on the status of Dryden’s traffic lights along Highway 17 and the Highway 594 corridor in 2018.

The North West Region OPP has charged two Winnipeg residents with drug and firearm offences after a bust at a Fort Frances business.

The OPP say they executed the warrant at a business on the 1000 Block of Kings Highway 11 in Fort Frances shortly after 11 a.m. on April 1, with the help of the Fort Frances Community Street Crime Unit.

As a result, 36-year-old Byron Dignard of Winnipeg is facing charges of: