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If you've spent time in Brandon, you'll know firsthand how many people flock to the Park Community Centre.

Right in the heart of Brandon, the Community Centre is a meeting hub for so many, and it's set for a brand new facelift. As announced by the Manitoba government on Thursday, $6 million is being invested to support the revitalization of the Community Centre and non-profit child-care facility.

Jeff Fawcett is the mayor of Brandon and is thrilled that the government stepped up.

"It is great news, it was a promise that the provincial government made during their campaign," said Fawcett. "They now provided an update on how they will live up to that promise."

The Park Community Centre will host a variety of activities, including live music on a new stage, yoga classes, and gatherings for local community groups. There will also be record sales, creating a lively yet welcoming atmosphere.

A cornerstone of the community for almost 80 years, there will also be 62 new child-care spaces in the centre that will support families in Brandon. 

"That's very important," added Fawcett. "Like all of our communities, you could put daycares in every corner and still not have enough. Any daycare additions are very important."

The current building will be demolished before the construction of the new building begins. Fawcett expects that process to start next fall, and he knows there will be many eyes on the progress for as long as it takes.

"It's in our core downtown, so that makes a difference; a lot is going on in downtown Brandon," ended Fawcett. "Initially, the plan was to revitalize the green space. There was a community outcry that had us look at rebuilding. To the province's credit, they've got themselves involved and took it to the next level."

Fawcett was unsure of how long it will take to complete the build but added that it will be worth the wait.

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About 30 grade 12 students are set to cross the stage and be handed their diplomas from Goose Lake High School in Roblin.

The school will hold its graduation on June 21, followed by a dinner and dance on June 22. The excitement continues to build for the soon-to-be graduates, and ahead of their big day, they're holding a Safe Grad fundraiser.

Prizes up for grabs:
1st prize: $1000.00
2nd prize: 2 x $500.00
3rd prize: 4 x $250.00

Tickets are only $20 each, and a limited number are still left. The draw date is April 11.

If you're interested in tickets, you can contact any grad or call/text Paulina at 204-293-1822.

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The interview process is underway as the search for a new Chief Administration Officer (CAO) for the Rural Municipality of Dauphin continues.

This was after Nicole Chychota left the position, as she took a position with the City of Portage la Prairie.

Ernie Sirski is the Reeve of the RM.

"I'm optimistic we're going to find somebody; we'll get someone in place in the near future," said Sirski. "It's a challenging situation, there is no doubt about it. This is an important position for the municipality and we want to make sure we get the right person in place."

The successful candidate will be responsible for providing information to the Council and ensuring compliance with all applicable laws. This includes overseeing on-site staff and managing Public Works operations, among other duties.

Sirski believes it can be an extremely rewarding position.

"It would provide the successful candidate with a challenging opportunity to grow your skills in municipal government and provincial laws that govern municipalities," said Sirski. "I believe it would be a welcomed challenge to the right individual."

Assistant CAO Tyral Solski has taken over the position on an interim basis.

"It's not the first time that she's done it; we're in good and capable hands right now," continued Sirski. "We don't have to worry about the rural municipality falling apart, that's for sure."

If you are interested in applying, Ernie says it would be nice if you had some experience.

"Some municipal experience would be a nice thing to have," ended Sirski. "At the same time, we know what kind of challenges that brings. If we have to, we will look at training the right individual."

If you are looking to apply, you can call 204-638-4531 or head to the office. 

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A Pine Creek woman will spend 10 years in prison following the stabbing death of her partner in 2022.

Sheryl Thompson was originally charged with second-degree murder, but pled guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter.

The sentence was handed down yesterday in Dauphin court in relation to the death of 51-year-old Lance Moosetail.

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In the most recent provincial budget, the government announced a $150 million commitment to the agricultural sector in the face of tariffs from the United States and China.

Details of that commitment were announced Wednesday, with $10 million in additional matching funds for the AgriStability program, as well as $140.8 million for business risk management programs such as AgriInsurance and AgriInvest.

Dauphin MLA and Provincial Ag Minister Ron Kostyshyn says the intent of the funding is to have money available if tariffs put Manitoba producers in a challenging position.

"We still do not know what may change, but we just wanted to work in partnership with the proposal that had been brought forward by the Federal Agriculture minister.  We just solidified that thought that we were putting additional dollars in the budget towards the Ag Stability program."

There is also an additional $90 million set aside as a contingency for farmers and producers if the impact of tariffs grows.

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More than 1,200 athletes competed for gold medals, and more than 700 volunteers made it happen. Thousands of visitors came to Dauphin to witness history in the making.

The 2024 Manitoba Summer Games, powered by Manitoba Hydro, were an overwhelming success this past summer. The event featured the top athletes in the province in various age groups, and people are still talking about how special it was.

And as the City of Winnipeg gets set to host the 3rd Annual Tourism Awards, Clayton Swanton and Carla Wolfenden will be there

The 2024 Summer Games is a finalist for Event of the Year - Rural Category. 

The Ghost Tours at Lower Fort Garry, the Gimli International Film Festival, the Great Outdoors Comedy Festival, and Nuit Blanche 2024 round out the top five.

Carla Wolfenden was a co-chair for the Dauphin event.

"We're very honoured. It's a great way to be recognized for all of the years of hard work that people put in," said Wolfenden. "We aren't able to pay or recognize everyone because it was literally hundreds of people that made it happen. It makes me feel very proud of our community. We didn't just get it done, we got it done very, very well."

The week-long event began with the Opening Ceremonies in front of a packed crowd at Credit Union Place and ended with the Closing Ceremonies, once again in front of a packed crowd at Credit Union Place. Athletes competed in several different sports.

"We put Dauphin on the map again as a great event-hosting community," continued Wolfenden. "We were able to show off our incredible recreational facilities. Many of the athletes had never been here before and were so impressed with what we have here."

Wolfenden knows this event couldn't have happened without the volunteers and executives. 

"On behalf of Clayton and myself, we can't thank our executive and all of the incredible volunteers enough. You stepped up when we made the call for volunteers," ended Wolfenden. "They helped us put on a great event and showcase our town to the province."

The 2024 Manitoba Summer Games, an event that no one will forget.

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Established in 1982, the Swan Valley Crisis Centre (SVCC) provides critical services, including emergency and transitional housing, to women and children who are experiencing or have experienced family violence.

Between 2019 and 2023, there were 979 victims of intimate partner homicide, 719 of whom were women.

That meant in that period, a woman in Canada was killed by her intimate partner every 2.5 days. In 2023 in Canada, of the 123,319 people aged 15 and over who experienced intimate partner violence (IPV), 78% were women.

Within the SVCC is the Women's Resource Centre, which provides drop-in services, such as computers, and ways to navigate the different systems. 

Crystal Duchesne is the Executive Director at the SVCC and says the programs offered are incredibly important.

"To not have these services in this community would mean women and children having to leave our community," said Duchesne. "They would be transferred to Dauphin, and many times they're full, so they would be transferred to Brandon. That takes them away from their family, their friends, their jobs, and their community."

As noted above, they also provide transitional housing, and the 2023-24 year was one for the record books.

"We've seen a sharp increase in women and children spending the night here," continued Duchesne. "Bed nights from 2023-24 almost hit 3000, which is a 100 percent increase from the year before."

They are also the only organization in Swan River that offers parenting courses, and all services are free. They are one of two organizations that provide anger management sessions and the only organization that does domestic violence information sessions.   

In the 2023-24 year, there were 341 women's counselling sessions, 90 children's counselling sessions, 95 parenting sessions, 79 anger management/domestic violence sessions, 34 women's group sessions, and 28 public/classroom presentations.

They service the Swan Valley and surrounding First Nations communities. So if you are in need, you can call them at 204-734-9368. You can also visit them at 119 9th Ave N in Swan River. 

Crystal also confirms that they are in the planning stages of expansion. The current building is older and isn't accessible to people with mobility issues, meaning it does not meet the needs of all community members. 

Under their current vision, the new space would include a healing room and 12 additional emergency and transitional housing units, which would bring the total to 16 units for women and children suffering from family violence. The new building will ultimately go on property donated by the Elbert Chartrand Friendship Centre. 

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Some troubling numbers have come in from Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI).

In 2024, 2,817 drivers were suspended for three days for distracted driving, while 150 were suspended for seven days due to distracted driving. Last year's numbers were a sharp increase from those in 2023, when 2,469 three-day and 98 seven-day suspensions were handed out.

Tara Seel is with MPI.

"These numbers are the highest they have been in the past five years," said Seel. "Distracted driving isn't just cellphones or electronic devices, there are many different forms, and all are equally as dangerous. These numbers are alarming, we're seeing more distracted drivers than ever on Manitoba roadways."

In 2024, there were 675 distracted-driving collisions throughout the province, many of which resulted in fatalities. While distracted driving collisions have gone down from their high in 2022 of 795 across Manitoba, even a single collision due to distracted driving is too much.

"It is the number one cause of fatalities on Manitoba roadways," offered Seel. "Distraction in all its forms is taking people's focus off the road, and when that happens, they are unable to respond in a timely manner to unexpected obstacles on the roadway."

There are a few easy tips to ensure you stay focused while driving.

  • Turn on the do not disturb function on your cellphone;
  • Tell your passengers you are focused on the road;
  • When travelling with your animals, make sure they are restrained; and 
  • When travelling with children, keep them busy. 

Not only is it extremely dangerous to drive while distracted, but significant fines can follow. Driving while distracted can result in fines up to $672 and a five-point deduction on your Driver Safety Rating (DSR).

Repeat offences can lead to a license suspension, and you can also be charged with an offence the distraction caused you to commit. This includes running a red light and or getting in a collision. 

As April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, now is the time to make the right decision: don't drive while distracted.

"We see many Manitobans still practicing risky driving behaviours that are putting lives at risk," ended Seel. "The main message is, focus on the road, lives could depend on it."

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The spring Rotary Book Sale begins Thursday morning at the 8th Avenue Hall.

Jean-Louis Guillas with the Dauphin Rotary club says there will be a little bit of everything at this sale.

"Everything that you want to read for all ages.  Come and do your Christmas shopping early!  We have two pristine, complete sets of Harry Potters, and all other kinds of books."

All books at the sale are two dollars or less.

Guillas explains what proceeds from the book sale go towards.

"It helps to sponsor all of our youth programs and scholarships and leadership camp experiences.  We have a team going out to Model United Nations again this year, which we are really excited about.  It is the second year in a row for that.  This year, we are going to send someone to "An Adventure in Human Rights, which is at the Human Rights Museum in Winnipeg."

It is free to attend, with the sale going from 9 am to 7 pm tomorrow, 9 until 5 on Friday and 9 to 4 on Saturday.

There is also a wine tasting event on Friday from 7 to 9:30 p.m., which costs $40 to attend. 

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The Dauphin Rail Museum is hoping a public information campaign will bring the City of Dauphin back to the table to discuss options for saving the last remaining rail turntable in Manitoba.

President Jason Gilmore says that includes an online petition, which can be accessed through their Facebook page.

He admits the city holds all of the cards in this situation.

"We have fully understood that it is a work site and have tried to be respectful of that.  If we send people or visitors it is usually on evenings or weekends.  But we were told that vehicles are getting larger, which is the reason why (the turntable) needed to be moved.  And then finally, with the notification of the letter for the full removal, indicating that this would allow the shop to function better."

Gilmore says if discussions can not come to a resolution towards saving all or at least some of the turntable at its current location, they would at least like a detailed report from the city as to why that can not happen.

The rail turntable, which is 84 feet in size and weighs approximately 40 tonnes, first opened in Dauphin in 1906. 

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It has been five years since Melinda Lynxleg was last heard from.

The 40-year-old from Tootinaowaziibeeng Treaty Reserve was found on June 7, 2023, at an abandoned property in San Clara. This was after she had been missing for three years, and an autopsy confirmed her death was a homicide.

The RCMP has spoken to more than 130 people over the past five years, looking for answers. Recently, new information came to light, giving the investigation forward momentum. Officers are confident they're even closer to finding answers for the family.

If you have any information, call the RCMP Major Crime Services Tip Line at 1-431-489-8042. 

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