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The Manitoba government is investing $6 million in support of the province’s arts and culture sector, and local arts groups hope to get some of the funding.

Peter Nadolny, the coordinator for the Watson Art Centre in Dauphin, was previously successful in getting provincial funding for the centre and plans to apply for the new Arts and Culture Sustainability Funds if the centre qualifies.

“A lot of these grants are geared towards the artists themselves,” said Nadolny, “where we’re just a building that facilitates the arts.”

Whether the centre can get funding or not, Nadolny is happy if the artists at the centre qualify because as he says, “helping the artists helps the art centre, because this is their home.”

On top of dealing with the pandemic, the Watson Art Centre suffered a flood last month. Nadolny says even if they were given the go-ahead to open their doors, they wouldn’t be able to for a while because they are dealing with repairs.

The Dauphin and District Allied Arts Council, which runs the Watson Art Centre, aren't sure yet how the funding could benefit Dauphin.

Yvonne Lillie, president of the Dauphin and District Allied Arts Council, says “I would hope that we would be able to access some of this, especially given the fact that the flood has taken over our building right now,” she adds, “we’re in a very unique position that we’re going to have to work hard to make sure things are still available for people to use that building.”

When the Watson Art Centre is open, Nadolny says it’s used every day and is home to nine partner groups that include dance, theatre, and art.

Shortly before 3:30 on Tuesday morning, the Sifton and Dauphin Fire Departments were dispatched to a single-vehicle rollover about 3.5 miles southeast of Sifton.

The road conditions and visibility made responding to the scene difficult.

Once Sifton Fire arrived on the scene, they determined that there were no serious injuries and no extrication was needed.

Cam Abrey, Fire Chief, says being extra safe on the roads while driving is critical.

"In weather conditions like this, it can be unpredictable, and change quickly at times," said Abrey. "We understand people have to travel for work but if you are doing so, be careful, and be prepared."

The winter storm warning for the Parkland was ended by Environment Canada earlier this morning.

Heavy snow and blowing snow will continue but end later today. 

In addition to the heavy snow, moderate to strong winds gusting as high as 60 km/h will also lead to reduced visibility in blowing snow on Tuesday morning.

You should consider postponing non-essential travel until conditions improve. Prepare for quickly changing and deteriorating travel conditions. Visibility will be suddenly reduced to near zero at times in heavy snow and blowing snow. 

After today, the forecast will improve drastically. The high will be zero on Wednesday before it skyrockets to a high of 10 on Thursday followed by a high of 16 on Friday. 

Manitoba Hydro is reporting that more than 1700 customers are without their power in Winnipegosis and area. 

In a tweet early this morning, Hydro said they were on the way to attempt to restore power in the community.

Manitoba Hydro later tweeted saying they couldn't access the repair area. As a result, crews will resume work at 7:00 a.m.

Many customers in the Eclipse area, east of Dauphin, have also reported they have been without power for several hours. 

Manitoba is pausing its use of the AstraZeneca vaccine for people under the age of 55, which health officials say is out of an abundance of caution.

On Monday, Dr. Joss Reimer from Manitoba’s vaccine task force explained the decision follows reports of a rare but serious side-effect in Europe noticed predominantly in young women.

Reimer notes that we have not seen any examples of this rare side-effect happening in Manitoba or Canada.

“The increase in this rare type of serious blood clot affects somewhere around 1 in 100,000 to 1 in 1,000,000 people who receive this AstraZeneca / COVISHIELD vaccine. Symptoms typically happen four to 20 days after vaccination,” explains Reimer.

For the time being, AstraZeneca vaccines will continue to be available through medical clinics and pharmacies for Manitobans between the ages of 55 to 64.

This change in how Manitoba will use the AstraZeneca vaccine is effective immediately.

Anyone under the age of 55 scheduled to receive the vaccine will be contacted to cancel their appointment.

On Monday health officials in Manitoba announced 53 new cases of COVID-19, and 136 new cases of variants of concern.

No new deaths have been reported.

Today’s new non-variant COVID-19 cases are in the following health districts:
• two cases in the Interlake–Eastern health region
• 27 cases in the Northern health region
• two cases in the Prairie Mountain Health region 
• one case in the Southern Health–Santé Sud health region
• 21 cases in the Winnipeg health region

Today’s new variant  cases are in the following health districts:
• Five cases in the Interlake–Eastern health Region
• 14 from the Southern Health–Santé Sud health Region
• 117 from the Winnipeg Health Region

There have been a total of 33,975 cases of COVID-19 identified in the province since the beginning of the pandemic and 934 deaths.

There are 1,177 active cases and 31,864 individuals who have recovered from COVID-19.

The total number of confirmed variant of concern cases of B.1.1.7 is 116, the total number of variant of concern cases of B.1.351 is 14, and the total number of variant of concern cases that have not been categorized is 129, bringing the total number of confirmed variant of concern cases to 259.

There are 66 people in hospital with active COVID-19 and 83 people in hospital with COVID-19 who are no longer infectious but continue to require care, for a total of 149 hospitalizations

There are 11 people in intensive care units with active COVID-19 as well as 16 people with COVID-19 who are no longer infectious but continue to require critical care, for a total of 27 ICU patients

According to the province’s data, there are active cases of COVID-19 in the following Parkland health districts: Dauphin (0), Riding Mountain (1), Duck Mountain (2), Porcupine Mountain (32), Asessippi (3). Brandon has 2 active cases.

In the Interlake, the Eriksdale/Ashern health district has no active cases of COVID-19. Fisher/Peguis health district has seven active cases.

The Manitoba Government is providing $12-million in grant funding to 10 municipalities, including Dauphin and Portage la Prairie.

The grant funding is going towards the housing needs of vulnerable Manitobans, and affordable housing initiatives.

City Manager, Sharla Griffiths says the City of Dauphin is pleased to be included in this funding, and will be receiving $714,600.

Families Minister Rochelle Squires says lower income families have been hit particularly hard by the pandemic, and adds “this funding will enable and empower our municipal partners to help those who face barriers to housing in their communities.”

Each of the 10 municipalities getting funding get to choose how to address its objectives for housing affordability and development, an approach that Squires says enables the municipalities to leverage additional sources of funding if they want.

The City of Dauphin will be devising the methods to use the money in the coming weeks.

The special weather statement that was in effect for much of the Parkland has now come to an end; however, a winter storm warning is now in effect as heavy snow, blowing snow, and patchy freezing rain are expected today and tonight.

A strong low-pressure system tracking across the central Prairies will spread a large swath of snow across central and northern Manitoba. Heavy snow over west-central Manitoba will track eastward this morning into the Norway House and Island lake areas and then slide southwards into the Parkland region this afternoon into this evening.

Storm totals are forecast to be in the 15 to 25 cm range, although local amounts may be highly variable.

In addition to the heavy snow, moderate to strong winds gusting as high as 70 km/h will also lead to reduced visibilities in blowing snow this afternoon and tonight.

The system will depart entirely into Ontario on Tuesday morning.

Manitoba added 55 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday and one death.

A man in his 60s from the Winnipeg health region is the 934th Manitoban to die with COVID-19.

The number of variant cases detected in Manitoba is unchanged, at 123.

The current five-day COVID-19 test positivity rate is 3.9% provincially and 3.1% in Winnipeg. The total number of lab-confirmed cases in Manitoba is 33,922.

The provincial data shows 1,179 active cases and 31,809 individuals who have recovered from COVID-19.

There are 59 people in hospital with active COVID-19 as well as 81 people in hospital with COVID-19 who are no longer infectious but continue to require care, for a total of 140 hospitalizations.

There are 11 people in intensive care units with active COVID-19 as well as 16 people with COVID-19 who are no longer infectious but continue to require critical care, for a total of 27 ICU patients.

Today’s new COVID-19 cases are from the following health regions:
• two cases in the Interlake-Eastern health region
• 13 cases in the Northern health region
• three cases in the Prairie Mountain Health region
• 10 cases in the Southern Health-Santé Sud health region
• 27 cases in the Winnipeg health region

According to the province’s data, there are active cases of COVID-19 in the following Parkland health districts: Dauphin (0), Riding Mountain (1), Duck Mountain (2), Porcupine Mountain (35), Asessippi (3). Brandon has one active case.

In the Interlake, the Eriksdale/Ashern health district has no active cases of COVID-19. Fisher/Peguis health district has seven active cases.

The province updated the pop-up vaccine clinic schedule on Friday, which now shows more immunization opportunities coming to the Parkland in the days and weeks ahead.

Vaccine pop-up clinics will be making stops in Portage la Prairie, Lundar and Russell on Tuesday, March 30th — but officials say those appointments have already been filling up fast.

Appointments are required and can be made by calling 1-844-626-8222 (1-844-MAN-VACC) from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. daily. Callers will need to have their health card ready.

The vaccine eligibility in Manitoba has remained the same over the past few days, with supersites and pop-up clinic appointments open to those 65 and older and First Nations people age 45 and older.

The Moderna vaccine is being used at the pop-ups, while mainly Pfizer is given out at the supersites. AstraZeneca has been shipped to pharmacies and medical clinics for use in a special at-risk segment of the population.

Click here to see the updated pop-up vaccine clinic schedule.

The new dates on the pop-up clinic schedule include:

Interlake/Eastern Region

Interlake


Prairie Mountain Health Region

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A special weather statement is in effect for the Parkland, with Environment Canada predicting a period of “active spring weather” over the next few days.

A low pressure system over the central prairies is expected to bring strong winds, heavy snow, blowing snow and patchy freezing rain beginning overnight Sunday, and lasting into Tuesday evening.

A sharp drop in temperature is expected — from the mid to upper teens on Monday afternoon, falling into the minus teens by evening and overnight.

Parts of Manitoba may experience severe winds on Monday afternoon with gusts as high as 90 km/h. 

Further east, into the Red River Valley and Interlake, winds will still be strong, with gusts to 70 or 80 km/h likely.

The cold front may bring moderate to heavy flurry activity or snow squalls, some of which may start out as rain showers before switching over to snow as temperatures plummet. 

Local snowfall amounts across the south will be in the 2 to 4 cm range while heavier snow is likely across the central Interlake where 5 to 10 cm will be possible. The heaviest snow will track from east of Lake Winnipeg northwards into central and northern Manitoba, where Winter Storm Watches are in effect.

Blowing snow will reduce visibilities to near zero at times in heavy flurry activity so travel will be particularly hazardous late Monday into Monday night and Tuesday.

Conditions are expected to improve on Tuesday evening as the low pressure system pulls off into Ontario.