NewsNow
Environment Canada has issued dozens of extreme cold weather warnings across the western provinces including right here in Dauphin and the surrounding area with wind-chilled temperatures hitting as low as minus 55 degrees Celsius in some areas over the next few days.
The bone-chilling cold has gripped all of Alberta, most of British Columbia and Saskatchewan, and even parts of here in Manitoba along with Ontario.
It appears there is no relief in sight however as the weather agency says the extreme cold could persist into the new year next week.
The wind chill over the next few days here in Dauphin could reach minus 46 or colder in the mornings with a risk of frostbite in just a few minutes.
Environment Canada also says to make sure to dress in layers and make sure the outer layer is wind resistant to help cut down the cold wind. If you have to work outside they recommend you take regular breaks to warm up.
If it is too cold out for you then it Is also too cold for your pets so make sure they stay indoors where it is warm as much as possible.
The full list of extreme cold warnings in the province can be found here.
- Details
- Contributed by Eric Fawx
This afternoon the Manitoba Provincial government announced they are updating their health orders when it comes to public gatherings across the province which will affect capacity limits at locations where all attendees are fully vaccinated, have a medical reason not to receive a vaccine or people are under 12 years of age.
Premier Heather Stefanson and Manitoba’s Chief Provincial Public Health Officer Dr. Brent Roussin announced the newly edited restrictions to help reduce the spread of the Omicron Variant of Covid-19.
The newly released restrictions mean gatherings must not exceed 50 percent of the usual capacity of the space, or 250 people, whichever is less. This includes:
- indoor and outdoor public gatherings.
- restaurants, licensed premises, food courts, and socials.
- movie theatre and concert halls.
- performing arts venues and outdoor ticketed performing arts events.
- museums and art galleries.
- outdoor and indoor sporting and recreational facilities including dance schools and martial arts studios.
- gyms, fitness centers, and yoga studios.
- indoor and outdoor ticketed sporting events.
- indoor recreational businesses.
- seasonal facilities and events.
- religious services and Indigenous cultural events; and
- bingos, casinos, and businesses with VLTs.
In addition to the restrictions, liquor sales in restaurants and licensed premises must end at 10 p.m. daily.
All these changes will come into effect on Tuesday, Dec. 28 at 12:01 a.m. and will expire on Jan. 11, 2022.
Dr. Roussin also gave an update on the testing backlog which is now at 11,500.
- Details
- Contributed by Eric Fawx
The province of Manitoba has made the decision to make the take-home self-administered Covid-19 rapid tests available at testing sites across the province as well as for vulnerable people.
Health Minister Audrey Gordon said in a release on Monday that the type of tests given out at the testing sites will be based on vaccination status.
The rapid tests will be available at some testing sites in Winnipeg and one in Selkirk to start but will be rolled out across the province in the near future.
If you are fully vaccinated and symptomatic you will be given a take-home rapid test but may also be selected randomly for a PCR test on-site.
Those that are symptomatic and unvaccinated will have the regular PCR test administered on-site while asymptomatic, high risk and unvaccinated may receive a take-home rapid test as well along with further treatment being possible.
This decision comes after the testing backlog in the province has reached over 10,000 in Manitoba and the expected wait time for results may be over 4 days with the backlog currently.
- Details
- Contributed by Eric Fawx
The Public Health Agency of Canada is investigating a salmonella outbreak in Western Canada and have determined sickness has been reported in 84 people to date.
The outbreak is linked to Alasko brand frozen whole kernel corn as well as Fraser Valley Meats brand frozen whole kernel corn. Both of these brands have been recalled by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
People have reported getting ill in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario. Of the illnesses 12 of those have been in Manitoba while 4 were in Saskatchewan, 2 were in Ontario, 30 in Alberta and 36 in B.C.
The illnesses reported in Ontario however are related to travel to Alberta and B-C.
The Agency says people should not use, eat, sell or serve any of these recalled products.
- Details
- Contributed by Eric Fawx
Manitoba Hydro will increase its rates by 3.6% starting January 1, 2022. Hydro was seeking a 5% increase but the Public Utilities Board, which oversees Utilities in the province, declined the rate.
Hydro applied for the rate increase in November to offset their losses that were caused by the drought and low water levels. According to Manitoba Hydro's CEO, the low water level meant Manitoba Hydro couldn't produce a surplus of energy to sell in markets outside of Manitoba.
- Details
- Contributed by Sam Brownell
Manitoba has reached its COVID testing capacity with near-record-setting case counts being reported daily.
The province says there's a backlog of more than 10,000 tests that need to be processed which means that the amount of cases reported yesterday is likely much lower than the real number of active cases.
The province says the current turnaround time is four days or more for test results and says you should only go to a testing site if you have COVID, cold, or flu-like symptoms.
- Details
- Contributed by Eric Fawx
UPDATE: The Brandon University senate has voted in favor of delaying the start of the Winter Term by an overwhelming majority. The delay will allow both students and faculty to prepare for remote learning for at least the first month of the term.
The start of term schedule will now be:
- University opens as scheduled on Tuesday, January 4.
- New Student Orientation will be held virtually Tuesday, January 11.
- The first day for most classes will be Wednesday, January 12.
- Classes will be mostly online until the end of January.
A full updated list of important dates for this term can be found here.
----------------------------
Brandon University has asked their Senate to approve a delayed start to the Winter Term which was supposed to begin January 4, 2022. The University has also announced it will be moving to primarily remote learning until the end of January at the earliest.
If the delay is approved by the BU Senate, the school would still open as scheduled on January 4th, but classes would not start until the week after. The purpose of the delayed start is to help faculty make the shift to remote learning.
The BU Senate controls the academic calendar for the school and is expected to meet as soon as possible. Details will be shared with the BU community once the decision has been made.
Brandon University follows the University of Manitoba and the University of Winnipeg in their decisions to start the Winter Term remotely and reevaluate mid-January, once they have a better idea of the situation.
- Details
- Contributed by Sam Brownell
Jeff Morton from Hamiota was sitting on a fortune and he didn't even know it. Morton won 10 million dollars in August but didn't realize he had the winning Lotto 6/49 ticket until mid-December.
Morton said he has heard that the winning ticket that was unclaimed had been sold in Manitoba but he never thought it would be his.
Other than paying off his mortgage, Morton doesn't have any big plans for the money and he plans on continuing to work for a bit, but wants to retire before he turns 65 next summer.
- Details
- Contributed by Sam Brownell
In the past three weeks, the Dauphin RCMP have received ten complaints of theft involving catalytic converters being removed from vehicles.
Catalytic converters are made up of rare metals (platinum, rhodium and palladium) which are found inside them. Once stolen, these items are taken to junkyards or scrap dealers and exchanged for cash.
Here are some preventative measures to avoid having your catalytic converter stolen:
- Park in well-lit areas and close to buildings and entrances when you are not able to park in a secured garage or building.
- Park in an area that has video surveillance.
- Set your car alarm to go off if it detects vibration.
- Engrave your vehicle identification number (VIN) on the catalytic converter.
- Report it to the police should you see anyone underneath a vehicle, either in a residential or business area, during off-hours of the day or night.
The RCMP are asking anyone who may have information regarding these thefts to contact the Dauphin Detachment at (204) 622-5020, call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477, or submit a secure tip online here.
The Dauphin RCMP continue to investigate.
- Details
- Contributed by Eric Fawx
As families in the Parkland get ready to celebrate Christmas, businesses in the community will be too.
Below is a list of some business holiday hours to keep in mind:
Dauphin Liquor Mart
Friday, December 24 — 9am-6pm
Saturday, December 25 — CLOSED
Sunday, December 26 — 11am-6pm
Monday, December 27 — 10am-8pm
Friday, December 31 — 9am-9pm
Saturday, January 1 — CLOSED
Fusion Credit Union - (24th: 9am-2pm, 25-28 CLOSED, 31st 9am-2pm, Jan 1-3 CLOSED)
The Dauphin Marketplace Mall
Friday, December 24 — 6 am-6 pm
Saturday, December 25 — CLOSED
Sunday, December 26 — 6am-10pm
Monday, December 27 — 8am-10pm
Friday, December 31 — 7am-6pm
Saturday, January 1 — 9am-9pm
Walmart
Friday, December 24 — 6am-6pm
Saturday, December 25 — CLOSED
Sunday, December 26 — 6am-10pm
Monday, December 27 — 8am-10pm
Friday, December 31 — 8am-6pm
Saturday, January 1 — 9am-9pm
Safeway
Friday, December 24 — 7am-6pm
Saturday, December 25 — CLOSED
Sunday, December 26 — 9am-6pm
Monday, December 27 — 8am-10pm
Friday, December 31 — 8am-6pm
Saturday, January 1 — 9am-6pm
No Frills
Friday, December 24 — 9am-6pm
Saturday, December 25 — CLOSED
Sunday, December 26 — 9am-6pm
Monday, December 27 — 9am-9pm
Friday, December 31 — 9am-6pm
Saturday, January 1 — CLOSED
Co-op Food Store
Friday, December 24 — 8am-4pm
Saturday, December 25 — CLOSED
Sunday, December 26 — CLOSED
Monday, December 27 — 8am-8pm
Friday, December 31 — 8am-6pm
Saturday, January 1 — CLOSED
Co-op Main Street Gas Bar
Friday, December 24 — 6:30am-6pm
Saturday, December 25 — CLOSED
Sunday, December 26 — 8:30am-7pm
Monday, December 27 — 6:30am-930pm
Friday, December 31 — 6:30am-7pm
Saturday, January 1 — 8:30am-7pm
Co-op Mountain Road Gas Bar
Friday, December 24 — 6:30am-6pm
Saturday, December 25 — CLOSED
Sunday, December 26 — 8:30am-7pm
Monday, December 27 — 6:30am-9:30pm
Friday, December 31 — 6:30am-7pm
Saturday, January 1 — 8:30am-7pm
City of Dauphin
Friday, December 24 — City Hall and City Shop Closed at Noon
Saturday, December 25 — CLOSED
Sunday, December 26 — CLOSED
Monday, December 27 — CLOSED (as well as 28th)
Friday, December 31 — City Hall and City Shop Closed at Noon
Saturday, January 1 — CLOSED (as well as 2nd and 3rd)
Dauphin Rec Services
Friday, December 24 — Admin Office Closes at Noon (Facilities Open)
Saturday, December 25 — CLOSED
Sunday, December 26 — CLOSED
Monday, December 27 — Admin office Closed (Facilities Open)
Friday, December 31 — Admin office Closes at Noon (Facilities Open)
Saturday, January 1 — CLOSED
Dauphin Clinic Pharmacy
Friday, December 24 — 8:30am-4pm
Saturday, December 25 — CLOSED
Sunday, December 26 — 12pm-2pm
Monday, December 27 — 12pm-2pm
Friday, December 31 — 8:30am-4pm
Saturday, January 1 — 12pm-2pm
Super Thrifty Pharmacy
Friday, December 24 — 9am-3pm
Saturday, December 25 — CLOSED
Sunday, December 26 — CLOSED
Monday, December 27 — 9am-12pm
Friday, December 31 — 9am-4pm
Saturday, January 1 & 2 — CLOSED
Monday, January 3 — 9am-12pm
Dauphin Vet Clinic
Friday, December 24 — 8:30am-12pm
Saturday, December 25 — CLOSED
Sunday, December 26 — CLOSED
Monday, December 27 — CLOSED
Friday, December 31 — 8:30am-3pm
Saturday, January 1 — CLOSED
When the clinic is closed, a vet is on call for emergencies at 204-638-3208.
Canada Post
Friday, December 24 — 8:30am-4pm
Saturday, December 25 — CLOSED
Sunday, December 26 — CLOSED
Monday, December 27 — CLOSED (As well as 28th)
Friday, December 31 — 830am-4pm
Saturday, January 1 — CLOSED (As well as 2nd and 3rd)
COVID Testing Site (301 Main Street North)
Friday, December 24 — 9am to Noon
Saturday, December 25 — CLOSED
Sunday, December 26 — CLOSED
Monday, December 27 — 9am-3pm
Tuesday, December 28 - CLOSED
Wednesday, December 29 - 9am-3pm
Thursday, December 30 - 9am-3pm
Friday, December 31 — 9am-3pm
Saturday, January 1 — CLOSED (As well as 2nd and 3rd)
Provincial COVID-19 Updates
There will be no daily COVID-19 Updates from the province from December 25-28 or January 1-3.
CKDM’s office will close at Noon on Friday Dec 24 for Christmas and will reopen Wednesday Dec 29 at 8:30am and will close Fri Dec 31 at 3pm for New Years' and will be re-opening on Tuesday January 4 at 8:30 am.
- Details
- Contributed by Eric Fawx
Free KN95 Masks will be available in Liquor stores across Manitoba starting December 26th. KN95 masks have been proven to be more effective than reusable cloth masks so the province is trying to make them more accessible.
The announcement came on Twitter from Manitoba's Central Services minister, Reg Hewler.
- Details
- Contributed by Sam Brownell
