Dryden

Two northwestern Ontario residents are facing charges related to a murder investigation after human remains were found near Northwest Angle #33 First Nation in September.

This comes as the OPP continues to investigate the death of 45-year-old Buifford Cowley of Naotkamegwanning First Nation, also known as Whitefish Bay First Nation.

Cowley was first reported missing from Whitefish Bay on September 4. By September 9, after extensive searches in the area, officers located Cowley’s remains in the Northwest Angle #33 First Nation area. 

Northwestern Ontario residents are asked to come out and support those in need in the community this weekend with the return of two major fundraising events.

The CP Holiday Train is scheduled to make its way through northwestern Ontario on Saturday, featuring the musical talents of Aysanabee of Sandy Lake First Nation and Tenille Townes.

CP’s schedule says the train will stop in Dryden by 11:30 a.m., Vermilion Bay by 1 p.m. and Kenora by 3:20 p.m, as staff hope to collect as much food and raise as much money as they can for food banks across the country.

Leadership with the Central Community Club is taking action to address concerns in the area but they want to clear the air with the City of Kenora.

On November 29, Q104 and KenoraOnline spoke with Kenora resident Bailey Hall after she warned the community about drug use and garbage in the Central area, after a clients’ dog got into the mess over the weekend and needed an emergency visit to the vet. Thankfully, it’s okay.

Hundreds of front-line healthcare staff at the Lake of the Woods District Hospital had a feast of authentic East Indian cuisine yesterday, thanks to the generosity of a local business owner and Council members.

A 59-year-old Machin man has been arrested and charged after officers conducted a search of his vehicle during a Festive RIDE stop. 

On November 26, 2022 OPP officers with the Dryden Detachment were conducting a festive RIDE program on Highway 105 in the Township of Machin. A driver approached the RIDE program and was requested to provide a breath sample. The driver refused to provide a breath sample, at which point the driver was placed under arrest.

Officers then searched the vehicle and located a quantity of suspected methamphetamine, cocaine and Canadian Currency.

Visitor restrictions are returning to normal at the Lake of the Woods District Hospital.

Leadership says the COVID-19 outbreak that was reported on November 15 is now over, after support and consultations from the Northwestern Health Unit.

“Thank you to the entire LWDH team for the tremendous effort to manage the outbreak and for the care they put into their work each and every day,” wrote the hospital, in a prepared statement.

This was the hospital’s fourth reported COVID-19 outbreak in 2022.

The Alberta government has introduced a bill that would grant Premier Danielle Smith and her cabinet broad powers to rewrite provincial laws behind closed doors in an effort to push back against Ottawa. 

The proposed legislation would also allow cabinet to direct “provincial entities” — Crown-controlled organizations, municipalities, school boards, post-secondary schools, municipal police forces, regional health authorities and any social agency receiving provincial money — to not use those funds to enforce federal rules deemed harmful to Alberta's interests.

Residents are warned to keep a close eye on their pets and children in the Central Park area, after vets helped to save the life of a dog over the weekend.

Kenora resident and dog-walker Bailey Hall says on Sunday, she and her clients’ dog were taking a walk through the new Central Community Club rink area at Central Park when the dog discovered an area filled with garbage, discarded clothing and items associated with drug use.

Kenora – Rainy River MPP and Minister of Indigenous Affairs, Greg Rickford, says the government has ‘no plans’ to back down from Bill 23 and their latest housing initiative despite calls for further consultation with First Nation communities.

Ontario’s Bill 23, the More Homes Built Faster Act, aims to address the provincial housing crisis by building 1.5 million new homes and apartment units by 2032 – with a mix of ownership and rental options across the province.

A 15-year-old from Fort Frances is facing 16 charges of Mischief after a string of incidents involving vehicles in Fort Frances over September and October.

The Fort Frances OPP says police were called to investigate 13 separate incidents of damage to vehicles in the area between September 19 and October 10, with most of the damage occurring overnight.

As a result of the OPP’s investigation, a 15-year-old who cannot be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act is facing 16 counts of Mischief under $5,000.