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The votes are in at the Manitoba General Employee's Union, and the New Collective health agreement has been ratified.
Roughly 6600 healthcare support workers in the Prairie Mountain Health and Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authorities have voted to accept the tentative agreement reached by their bargaining committees and employers on October 8, 2024.
On average, MGEU Members will receive wage increases of %27 over the four years of the contract.
There are also improvements to sick leave, vacation provisions, and the addition of wellness days.
MGEU president Kyle Ross is pleased with the results:
It's a rather large increase. Our workers have told us they're really appreciative of this increase. It's unfortunate that it's not front-loaded, but our members are happy and so are we."
He also says the next steps will be to calculate the back pay, as the contract effect stretches to April.
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- Contributed by Michael Brossart
Even though Assistant Commissioner Scott McMurchy has held the position of Commanding Officer for Manitoba RCMP since May of this year, a formal and symbolic ceremony took place on Thursday to make the passing of command official.
Parchments were signed and bagpipe banners were exchanged as part of the ceremony to mark the beginning of a new command in the province and a new path forward.
Assistant Commissioner McMurchy has taken over the post from Deputy Commissioner Rob Hill.
The ceremony was held at the Lower Fort Garry National Historic Site.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
This weekend marks the start of fall craft sale season.
Grandview is holding its 13th annual Fall Harvest Show from 10 until 4 on Saturday at the Kinsmen Community Centre.
Event chairperson Lisa Boughton says the format for this year's show is the same as previous years., adding they have several new vendors and more handmade vendors in attendance.
"We have a couple of baking tables which is always a wonderful thing, and a freeze-dried treat table. Other than that, we have hand-made sewing, crocheting, we have a lady coming in that does leather-fur mitts and other items. It is her first time here. There is also a really neat wild Canadian artistry, who do stone carvings out of rocks and gems."
If you are looking to get a start on your Christmas shopping, Boughton says you need to check this event out.
"We actually have a couple of tables that have Christmas items. One lady has little Christmas trees that she has made - little table-yop Christmas trees. So there are tables that are focused directly on Christmas sales. But I know that I personally like to get my Christmas shopping done early, and this is a nice, easy way of doing it."
There will also be a silent auction and a 50/50 draw, with all proceeds being put back into the community.
Admission is three dollars per person.
Also this weekend there is the Selo Marketfest on Sunday at the Selo Hall south of Dauphin.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
Dauphin Co-op has been celebrating Co-op week this week with celebrations in both Dauphin and Ste Rose.
Dauphin Co-op General Manager Lorne Eiffert says Co-op's are an important part of every community that they are located in Western Canada, adding it is great to support the week and to be recognized for their work.
Earlier this week, the Dauphin Co-op presented over 72 hundred dollars in proceeds from their Fuel Good Day promotion to the Friends of Dauphin Lake.
They also announced earlier this month that 1.2 million dollars will be given back to their members in the form of equity payments, as part of a $2.6 million total in allocations from 2023.
2024 marks the 85th anniversary of the formation of the Dauphin Co-op.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
Grandview School will be closed to all students and staff on Friday after a threat was made.
Mountain View School Division (MVSD) was made aware of the threat towards the school and it was reported to the RCMP.
To allow the RCMP to investigate and to assure everyone remains safe, the school will close for at least one day.
The situation will be reassessed and an update will be provided before Monday.
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- Contributed by Darnell Duff
A woman charged in relation to a death in July of 2023 in Waywayseecappo was back in court.
25-year-old Talisa Brandon faces one charge of manslaughter after a 23-year-old man passed away after being discovered with injuries in a home on the reserve.
Her matters were put over until November 12th.
And a Dauphin man charged in connection with a serious assault in November of 2022 has also returned to court.
40-year-old Wayne Becks faces charges of aggravated assault and uttering threats.
He remains in custody until his next court date on October 29th.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
A case of illegal Bison Hunting led to an arrest recently in the RM of Russell-Binscarth.
On October 14th, around 1:55 pm, Russell RCMP received a report of 6 bison having been shot and removed from a farm property.
The owner of the property that housed the bison reported that the locks on his pasture gates had been replaced with some that didn't belong to him, and that 6 bison were indeed missing.
A review of nearby trail cams saw four trespassers, who drove in with a pickup and several off-road vehicles, had shot the bison and removed them from the property.
The next day, RCMP were notified of an ad to hunt bison for $1000 a head on this location, but it was not posted by the owner.
Officers reached the people that hunted the Bison, who were under the impression that the operation was legitimate, and their cooperation resulted in an arrest.
On October 16, Russell RCMP issued a Warrant of Arrest out for Gerald Sean Gebler, 52, from Portage la Prairie, who was charged with Theft over $5000 and Mischief over $5000 in relation to this incident.
Later that day, Gebler turned himself in to the Portage la Prairie RCMP where he was later released for court scheduled for January 22, 2025, in Russell.
Additional charges are likely.
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- Contributed by Michael Brossart
In what has now become a yearly tradition, the Parkland U18 Rangers host their "Pink the Rink" Hockey Fights Cancer game Friday night.
Proceeds from this year's game against the Southwest Cougars will support cancer care wards in Dauphin, Swan River, and Russell.
Organizer Carla Garton says puck drop is 7:30 pm at Credit Union Place, but there will be festivities before the game.
"Every year, we honour someone who has either battled cancer or has been affected by cancer. This year that person is David Swanton, who has lost both parents to cancer. We will share his story at the start of the game and then he will be involved with the puck drop."
"The Rangers will be dressed in their famous pink jerseys, and the other team partakes as well as we provide them pink tape for their socks so that they are aware that this event is happening."
Garton is hoping they will get a big crowd for tomorrow night's festivities.
"Health care workers can get into the game for free, and then there is an admission for everyone else to get in. There is also a 50/50, a puck toss that will take place during the intermission, and then a raffle."
Raffle prizes include four rounds of golf with two power carts at the Neepawa or Gilbert Plains golf courses, and a signed Carson Bjarnson Philadelphia Flyers jersey.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
It was a good week of October weather on the Weekly Crop Report, with temperatures hitting 20 degrees on many days.
There were some colder nights though, with -4 on some, and frosty conditions left behind.
Harvest still made some strong progress, as seen here:
Yield reports are also rolling is, with some variance seen between crops and locations.
In cereals, Spring wheat yield estimates range from 40 to 95 bu/acre. Protein ranges from 10 to 15%. Oat yield estimates range from 110 to 180 bu/acre, and Barley yield estimates range from 80 to 120 bu/acre.
Corn harvest has just started, and the preliminary yield reports range from 140 to 240 bu/acre.
Oilseeds also show yields, with Canola yields ranging from 25 to 65 bu/acre, with averages ranging from 30 to 45 bu/acre.
Flax harvest yields range from 20 to 40 bu/acre. Sunflower harvest has started, and preliminary yield results for black oilseed sunflowers are around 2200 lbs/acre.
Dry bean harvest is approximately 99% complete, with average yields estimated at 1700 to 2000 lbs/acre.
Soybean harvest continues with yields ranging from 35 to 60 bu/acre, and an average of 40 to 45 bu/acre.
In the realms of forage and livestock, corn silage is nearing completion.
At 75% complete, dryland yields are at 6 to 10 tonnes, but high plant moisture and kernel integrity were the concerns raised for this year’s crop.
Pasture growth is very slow as day length shortens and temperatures cool. However, pastures rarely look this well in October due to warm and moist fall. Overall forage and pasture growth is more than last year due to the early season moisture.
Cattle roundup has begun with cattle starting to come off pasture, calves are being weaned and either backgrounded or sold.
Freshly-weaned cattle are passing through auction marts. Producers are feeding cattle with hay on pasture or have moved cattle to stockpiled fields for grazing.
Manure is being spread on fields as producers clean their corrals, and dugouts are mostly full.
Taking things closer to the Northwest region, a good week of October weather to help move harvest progress closer to completion.
Temperatures reached the 20’s by afternoon for most of the week. Overnight temperatures cooled off, with most areas receiving frost. Laurier station recorded the highest daytime and lowest overnight temperature for the region, reporting 27.8°C for the high and -4.4°C for the low.
Spring wheat harvest nears completion at 99% complete. Lodging has made for some slow progress in some fields. The average reported yield is approximately 65-70 bushels/acre, though some fields average less at 40 to 50 bu/acre and some going 80 bu/acre plus.
Canola harvest made good progress again this week and is approximately 92% complete across the region.
Progress nears completion in the Swan Valley and The Pas while Dauphin/Ste. Rose continues behind due to many challenges this spring. Reported yields so far have been quite varied based on crop conditions throughout the season as well as disease pressure, but generally lower than average.
Average yields so far have been approximately 30 to 40 bu/acre.
Soybean harvest is approximately 85% complete across the region and more advanced in the Swan Valley area, while Dauphin/Ste. Rose area continues to be behind. Early reports of yields are 35 to 40 bu/acre and 50 to 55 bu/acre in some higher-yielding fields
With a bit of warmer weather left this week, plenty of fields are expected to wrap up, with lots of progress moving forward.
But until next week, here's wishing all the producers out there a safe, speedy harvest!
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- Contributed by Michael Brossart
A planned road work and paving project has led to the closure of Hamilton Street within the Town of Neepawa.
A portion of Hamilton Street was closed yesterday between Mountain and First Avenues, and will remain closed until further notice.
Even though the road is closed to vehicle traffic, businesses in that area do remain open.
Retailers are encouraged to park on either First or Mountain Avenues, and then use the sidewalks to access the businesses in that area.
The Town of Neepawa thanks everyone for their understanding.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
For the second straight year, a store within the Dauphin Co-op has received the Co-operative Retail System Home Centre Commitment to Excellence Award for Retail.
This year, it is the Ste Rose Home and Building Centre getting the recognition from Federated Co-op Limited for the Manitoba and Southern Saskatchewan area.
The award marks a first for Co-ops across Western Canada, as no Co-op retail has ever won the award two years in a row.
Stephen Bunka, the manager for Dauphin Co-op's Building Division, credits a strong focus on brand identity across the division as the reason for their success.
The CRS Home and Building Solutions Department recognizes excellence in Retailing every year, with this award being presented to those Home & Building Centres that achieves excellence in financials, operations, customer experience, and community involvement
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
