NewsNow
Construction work will be taking place throughout Riding Mountain National Park next week.
Beginning Monday, August 10, crews will be resurfacing a portion of Highway 19, as well as repairing the guardrail.
Parks Canada asks travellers to be prepared for delays, loose rocks, and increased traffic.
The construction work will continue until September 30th.
- Details
- Contributed by Tess Kovach
A meteor shower will be passing by Earth for the next few weeks, filling our skies with shooting stars.
The Perseids shower happens every year around August, and is visible to the naked eye.
If you want to catch a glimpse of the shower, Planetarium Astronomer with Manitoba Museum Scott Young explains the best time to watch.
“For us in North America the best time for us to observe it is after midnight on the 11th into the morning of the 12th. It’s kind of an early morning rise; the best time will be around 2 and 4 in the morning.”
He adds that you’ll have the best view if you get away from city lights, and sit with your back to the moon.
For more information about the meteor shower, visit manitobamuseum.ca.
- Details
- Contributed by Tess Kovach
A tornado touched down Friday night just outside of Virden.
RCMP arrived on scene shortly after 8:10 p.m., where they found 2 vehicles had been picked up, and thrown into the ditch.
A 54-year-old man from Sioux Valley First Nation was taken to the hospital with serious but non-life threatening injuries.
When searching the second vehicle, officers found 2 people that were thrown from their vehicle. An 18-year-old man, and an 18 year-old woman, both from Melita were pronounced dead at the scene.
Misheyla Iwasiuk was chasing the storm with her fiancé, and was the first on the scene.
“It started snapping and pushing over trees and as the tornado approached a farmyard it hit some dried dirt and you could see the funnel cloud fully condense. Unfortunately, it hit the farm and crashed into the road before it moved on to the next field over.”
Misheyla tells CKDM the tornado damaged nearby vehicles and farm equipment.
“One vehicle was flipped over and a man was pinned inside so I called 911. There were powerlines knocked over everywhere, and they were underneath the vehicle that he was trapped in. It was a risky area to be in for everyone out there so there was pretty extensive damage. It was a very violent tornado.”
Misheyla adds that the tornado was on the ground for around 10 to 15 minutes.
RCMP continue to investigate.
- Details
- Contributed by Tess Kovach
The Independent Investigation Unit has dropped its investigation into a man who suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound during his arrest in Riding Mountain National Park.
On July 22, RCMP responded to a home in Riding Mountain National Park, where a barricaded man was believed to be armed.
When the man surrendered to police, officers noticed the gunshot wound and the man was taken to the hospital.
Further investigation determined that the injury was self-inflicted, and that RCMP had no connection to the gunshot.
- Details
- Contributed by Tess Kovach
Public health officials have announced 17 new cases of COVID-19 in the province.
This brings the total number of lab-confirmed positive and probable cases to 491.
10 of the new cases are from the PMH region, 5 are in Winnipeg and 2 are in the Southern Health Region.
9 people are in the hospital, 3 of those are in intensive care. There are now 132 active cases and 351 recoveries. The number of deaths remains at 8.
While there has been a potential exposure to COVID-19 at a Tim Hortons on the Trans-Canada Highway at 18th St. in Brandon, the risk of transmission is considered very low. Information is being provided to help people assess their risk.
For up-to-date information on COVID-19 in Manitoba, click here.
- Details
- Contributed by Isaac Wihak
A severe thunderstorm watch has been put into effect for the Parkland.
Conditions are calling for the development of severe thunderstorms, strong wind, and heavy rain in the following areas:
- Gilbert Plains Mun. incl. Ashville
- Grandview Mun. incl. Valley River Res.
- Mossey River Mun. incl. Winnipegosis and Fork River
- Mun. of Ethelbert incl. Garland
- Mun. of Roblin incl. Makaroff Shortdale and Bield
- Mun. of Russell-Binscarth incl. Gambler Res.
- R.M. of Dauphin incl. Sifton and Valley River
- R.M. of Lakeshore incl. Ochre River and Makinak
- R.M. of Lakeshore incl. Rorketon and Toutes Aides
- R.M. of Riding Mountain West incl. Asessippi Prov. Park
- Details
- Contributed by Tess Kovach
Employment in Manitoba has increased for the third month in a row, as nearly two-thirds of Manitobans have returned to work.
In July, Manitoba’s total employment increased by 12,400, a 2 percent increase from June.
Premier Brian Pallister made the announcement this morning, saying “over 60 percent of Manitobans who have lost their jobs because of COVID are now back at work. Overall our provincial unemployment rate has edged down to 8.2 percent which is the lowest in Canada.”
Full-time employment was up by 6,200 people, or 1.3 percent between June and July – over double the national average according to Statistics Canada.
Manitoba also has the lowest youth unemployment rate in Canada.
- Details
- Contributed by Tess Kovach
UFCW Local 832 says four more employees at the Maple Leaf Foods plant in Brandon have tested positive for the coronavirus.
This brings the total to 8 cases at the plant this week.
None of the first four cases are to workers on the production line, but it’s unclear right now whether the new cases are or not.
Yesterday, Dr Brent Roussin said there isn’t any indication of workplace spread at Maple Leaf.
Roussin says the Brandon cluster is linked to a person who travelled from Eastern Canada and didn't self-isolate "perfectly'' upon arrival in Manitoba.
- Details
- Contributed by Isaac Wihak
Masks or face coverings will be mandatory at all of Walmart Canada’s stores starting next week on Wednesday, August 12.
Walmart says it doesn’t matter what the local government has mandated, masks will be required.
The company is asking customers to bring their own masks when in the store.
Other safety measures such as increased cleaning, wellness checks for staff, customer limits, plexiglass dividers, and one-way floor markings are already implemented to keep staff and customers as safe as possible.
- Details
- Contributed by Isaac Wihak
Canada’s National Ukrainian Festival may not have been able to go ahead as planned this year, but organizers were determined to keep the spirit of the festival alive.
CNUF Second Vice President Nick Yakimishen tells CKDM the idea to host a virtual festival came up after the board was forced to postpone the event.
“Beginning of July we discussed it as a board and decided it would be nice to still do something for that weekend, and keep the spirit of the festival alive.”
Following a parade through town on the decorated CNUF float on Friday, festival organizers invited the community to tune in to their Virtual Grandstand Variety Show on Saturday evening.
(CNUF parade float outside the Dauphin Market Place Mall on Friday)
Yakimishen says the nearly 3-hour virtual show was well received by the festival community.
“I’ve had a few people say they didn’t realize what the Ukrainian festival was all about, and now that they’ve seen the virtual online show — they’re more interested in coming to the festival in the coming years.”
Looking ahead, Nick says the CNUF organizers are hoping the festival can proceed as normal next year, and get back to what the community has come to expect over the last 54 years.
- Details
- Contributed by Matt Hamel
Dauphin RCMP stepped up their traffic patrols during the August long weekend, with the aim of increasing road safety in the Parkland area.
As a result, a number of traffic violations and charges were laid:
Highway Traffic Act:
- two drive while disqualified,
- three use cell phone or other hand-operated electronic device while driving a vehicle,
- seventeen disobey traffic control device (stop sign or red light),
- one fail to wear a seatbelt,
- three driving without a valid drivers licence,
- one exceed speed limit,
- one improper equipment (window tint),
- one learner driver operate a class 5 vehicle without a supervising driver,
Off Road Vehicle Act:
- one fail to wear a helmet,
- two operate an off road vehicle on or across a roadway,
Criminal Code:
- two impaired operation of a motor vehicle,
- one executed arrest warrant for failing to appear in court,
Constable Dominic Picard with the Dauphin RCMP says “we are happy to say that there were no reported traffic collisions this long weekend in the Parkland area,” and thanked the public for their attention in keeping our roadways safe.
- Details
- Contributed by Matt Hamel
