Gift cards scamming residents out of hundreds ahead of holidays
Northwestern Ontario residents are warned of an ongoing scam involving gift cards ahead of the holiday season.
Front Store Manager at Kenora’s Shoppers Drug Mart, Tina Desaulniers, warns that while gift cards are an easy and popular choice over the holidays, residents should take extra time to ensure they are actually purchasing a valid gift card due to an ongoing scam across Canada.
Dec. 15 Sports Update
Members of the Kenora Aerialettes are back from Red Lake after an impressive showing. Alexandrea Spivey took first in all events, with Emerson Rose coming in second overall. Reese Tivy took third overall, and Avase Tsevende placed first in all events in her age category.
Four Canadian teams hit the ice tonight in NHL action. The Toronto Maple Leafs head to New York to face the Rangers, the Canadiens host the Ducks in Montreal, the Jets welcome the Predators to Winnipeg and the Oilers meet the Blues at Rogers Place.
Rotary gives $40,000 back to the NWO community
Rotarians in Dryden are donating $40,000 back to the community they love.
Through the Dryden Rotary Charity Foundation, Dryden Rotary Club, with help from the Rotary Club of Sioux Lookout and with funding through radio bingo, a number of donations are being made to meet the club’s youth, poverty, health and community initiatives.
Mount Evergreen to reopen ahead of holidays
Volunteers with the Mount Evergreen Ski Club say the hill will be open over the holiday season!
Past President at the ski hill, Blair McCallum, is inviting skiers, snowboarders and tubers to come down for the 2023 winter season.
“We’re super excited. We’ve done our snowmaking. We’re in the process of pushing it around and getting the lifts ready. We’ll be open and ready to go on Monday.”
Traffic moving again after Highway 17 collision
The Ministry of Transportation is reporting that one lane of Highway 17 has reopened near Vermilion Bay after a collision earlier this morning.
The collision was reported to police shortly before 12 p.m., just west of Vermilion Bay, which shut down the TransCanada at the Highway 71 and Highway 105 Junction.
Logging truck driver Troy Mineault was one of the many residents caught in the highway's lineup. He says the incident involved two tractor-trailer units, with one of the vehicles driving through the trailer of the second.
$50,000 of cocaine seized on Highway 17
Officers with the Dryden and Ignace OPP have seized over $50,000 worth of cocaine after a traffic stop on Highway 17 earlier this week.
Police say on December 12 around 5 p.m., officers conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle travelling west on Highway 17 in Ignace, where officers found and seized 360 grams of cocaine worth an estimated $54,000.
As a result, 32-year-old Kristopher Lindsay of Thunder Bay, ON is facing charges of:
- Possession of a Schedule I Substance for the purpose of Trafficking,
Hwy 17 closed from Kenora to Vermilion Bay due to collision
UPDATE: 3:15 p.m. - the west lane of traffic has reopened. Drivers are asked to use caution in the area.
Highway 17 is closed in both directions between Kenora and Vermilion Bay.
Ontario 511 reports that Hwy 71 Junction to Hwy 105 Junction is closed due to a collision just west of Vermilion Bay
Traffic control in place. Please use caution in the area.
NWO drivers paying 4th most expensive fuel in Canada
Northwestern Ontario’s fuel prices are dropping – but we’re still paying some of the most expensive prices across Canada.
As of December 13, fuel stations in Kenora are reporting prices at 160.9 per litre – a drop of 10 cents from December 12’s prices. Prices are also now sitting at 172.9 in Dryden, 158.2 in Sioux Lookout and 147.9 in Red Lake, for a regional average price of 170.9.
SPONSORED: Exciting news for Kenora’s downtown!
After many years since the project’s initiation, a new health care facility in downtown Kenora may soon become reality.
The team at Waasegiizhig Nanaandawe’iyewigamig (WNHAC) is excited to see this project come to life, bringing with it opportunities and benefits for clients, staff and the entire community.
“This project has been a labour of love, with many contributing to making this milestone a reality,” says Executive Director Serena Joseph.
Pinecrest reports new COVID-19 outbreak ahead of holidays
Kenora’s Pinecrest Home for the Aged is reporting its sixth COVID-19 outbreak of the year.
On December 10, the Northwestern Health Unit declared a COVID-19 outbreak in Pinecrest’s Unit #1, with two residents who have tested positive.
As a result, visitor restrictions are as follows in Unit #1:
- One essential caregiver for positive residents, unless otherwise approved,
- Two essential caregivers for remaining residents, unless otherwise approved,
- No designated caregiver under the age of 18,
- No general visitors,