Dryden

The Dryden OPP recently welcomed the newly amalgamated members of the former Dryden Police Services.  

The Dryden Detachment of the OPP held a welcome ceremony on March 29, 2022, for the ten, newly amalgamated, members of the former Dryden Police Services (DPS).  

The amalgamation between the two officially happened in late February, but discussions about the transition started nearly five years ago.  

After years of discussion, the twinning of Highway 17 between the Manitoba-Ontario border and Kenora is finally set to begin this spring.  

The provincial government announced on March 30, 2022, that they have awarded a contract to Moncrief Construction to widen the first section of Highway 17 from two to four lanes with construction set to begin this spring.  

After a nationwide search, the Lac Seul Police will have a new Chief of Police.  

The Lac Seul Police Service Board recently announced that they have selected Bruno Rossi as their new Chief of Police.  

Ontario’s leadership is ‘confident’ that despite a small spike in COVID-19 cases and the rise of the BA.2 sub-variant of the virus, the province isn’t looking to shut down again any time soon.

On March 29, Ontario reported a total of 790 COVID-19 hospitalizations with 165 patients in intensive care units. Hospitalizations are up from 639 one week ago, while ICU admissions dropped from 179. Ontario says about 47 per cent of those patients were admitted specifically for COVID-19.

Edit: We have edited the story to add Dr. Kit Young Hoon's salary from the Northwestern Health Unit. She is now the top earner in northwestern Ontario. 


Healthcare workers make up four of the top five public sector salaries in northwestern Ontario, with two of the top three working at the Lake of the Woods District Hospital in Kenora.

The chief of a First Nation that's searching for unmarked graves at a former residential school in British Columbia says they're looking for long-term funding as they prepare for a visit today by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Chief Willie Sellars from Williams Lake First Nation says his community along with others conducting similar investigations at former government-funded, church-run institutions across Canada need financial support for their work from start to finish.

An incredible act of support is continuing in Red Lake.

As most provinces begin to live without COVID-19 restrictions and masks, Kenora MP, Eric Melillo believes the federal government should follow suit.

“I believe it’s time for the federal government to follow the evidence and follow the lead of the provinces and lift the mandates,” said Melillo.

Currently, proof of vaccination and masks are still required to travel by plane or by train for those aged 12 and over. The federal mandate has been in effect since the end of November 2021.

The Dryden GM Ice Dogs are off to a great start in the SIJHL playoffs. They blanked the Fort Frances Lakers 5-0 in the first of a five-game series at the Dog Pound last night. They have the day off today before facing off against Fort tomorrow.

A former junior hockey player with life-altering injuries from a bus crash four years ago is getting a boost he's been anticipating for two years.

Ryan Straschnitzki, 22, is one of four individuals with spinal cord injuries who are in Calgary this week to have the epidural stimulators in their spines reprogrammed.

Straschnitzki was paralyzed from the chest down when a bus carrying the Humboldt Broncos of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League was in a collision with a transport truck in 2018. Sixteen people were killed and another 13 were injured.