Kenora

Canadian Blood Services says it is struggling to replenish a critically low national supply caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The organization says the virus that has persisted since March 2020 has resulted in the smallest donor base in a decade.

"The number of people across Canada who donate regularly has decreased by 31,000 donors since the start of the pandemic, which has put a strain on the existing donor community," said Rick Prinzen, chief supply chain officer and vice-president of donor relations for Canadian Blood Services.

Isolated severe thunderstorms are possible this evening.

Hazards: 
90 km/h wind gusts
Nickel size hail.

Timing: 
This evening.

Large hail can damage property and cause injury. Strong wind gusts can toss loose objects, damage weak buildings, break branches off trees and overturn large vehicles.

Lightning kills and injures Canadians every year. Remember, when thunder roars, go indoors!

— Update —

Highway 71 has reopened.

— Original Story —

Highway 71, five kilometres south of the Highway 17 junction, is closed in both directions due to a forest fire.

The Ministry of Transportation says, “Hwy 71 is currently closed at Isabelle Lake, 5km south of hwy 17 junction, due to a forest fire. Duration of closure is expected to be short.”

At the time of publishing, it’s unclear when the highway will reopen or how big the fire is.

David Blake, who co-owns the Greek Monster Cafe, which operates the high school cafeteria's in Kenora, and the former Entertainment Director for Harbourfest has encountered a number of health issues over the last couple of years.

Dave suffered a heart attack on January 15, 2021 and following that, was experiencing unusual back pain, which was diagnosed as stage 3 bone marrow cancer.  

Students at Beaver Brae Secondary School are going into the summer months with their heads held high as a number of academic and athletic awards were handed out in recognition of hard work and perseverance.

The BBSS student success assembly was emceed by Isaac Wykes and Maya Newton, which also featured music from Emma Cumbey and Aneira Olson.

Luc Boucha earned the Male Athlete of the Year Award, while Tessa Penner impressed with Female Athlete of the Year.

Two Grade 11 students from St. Thomas Aquinas are proving that they could represent at the UN General Assembly after an impressive delegation.

Akbar Imran and Anwyn Friesen-Kroeker represented the country of Belarus at the recent Winnipeg Model United Nations Assembly, where they took the Bert Friesen Award. The Bert Friesen Award for Best Prepared Delegation is awarded each each year to the team exhibiting knowledge and awareness of UN Charter and procedures, their assigned country and resolutions and global context.

The Treaty Three Police Service welcomes two cadets to their service as part of a pilot projects at their South Detachment.

Ericka Heil and Joel Ottertail, members of Lac La Croix First Nation, have been invited to take part in the project, which allows for mentoring and development of Indigenous and under-represented candidates to better support T3PS in diversification endeavours.

Both Heil and Ottertail are graduates from the Northern Ontario Cadet Program at the Provincial Police Academy. The cadets will perform public service duties and assist T3PS officers.

The Ministry of Labour, Skills and Training Development is investigating the circumstances between two workers suffering serious injuries on June 3 at Kenora’s Weyerhaeuser Mill.

Spokesperson Kalem McSween says the Ministry received a report of the injury on June 3, after two workers received non-critical injuries while inspecting a piece of equipment at the mill. The two workers later received medical treatment at the Lake of the Woods District Hospital.

Transport Minister Omar Alghabra has announced that the government will pause all mandatory random COVID-19 tests at Canada's airports for vaccinated travellers from Saturday until the end of the month.

For now, unvaccinated travellers will still be tested at airports, but the government plans to move that testing off-site next month.

The government previously said current public health measures would remain in place until the end of June, but has been facing mounting pressure from industry and opposition to improve the chaotic situation playing out in Canada's airports.

Many Ontarians may have forgotten that mask requirements are still in effect in certain areas of the province, but Ontario’s top doctor says almost all remaining mask mandates will be ending as of midnight tomorrow. 

Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Kieran Moore, has confirmed that mask requirements in high-risk public settings like healthcare settings, shelters, public transit and jails will expire as of 12 a.m. June 11.