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It's an event for the whole family, back this weekend.
The MukTuk Annie Festival and Grand Ole Opry Kinosota style are good to go. Starting with a fish fry on Friday evening at the Kinosota Community Centre, it's a weekend packed with activities for the whole family.
The fish fry starts at 6:00 p.m. on Friday. The evening includes a whist drive, puzzle race, and an always popular crib tournament. On Saturday morning, kick off your day with a pancake breakfast at 10, followed by events starting at noon, and the Grand Ole Opry at 2. There will be more events after the Opry.
Vicki Campbell has been waiting for this weekend to come.
"We try to include things that used to be everyday jobs," said Campbell. "We want our youth to experience it. Like hauling and cutting wood. We want to give our youth a taste of what we used to do."
Sunday is all about family. Events will begin at the Community Centre at 1:00 p.m. Sunday promises plenty of laughs and friendly competition, with around 15 fun-filled games lined up—including the always-entertaining look-alike contest. Best of all, every event is free to join, making it a perfect day for the whole family.
There will be prizes for everyone.
"It's a great time for the entire community to come together. It's something everyone can do, without costing a ton of money," ended Campbell. "Our main goal is to have a community where everyone is having fun. We don't want anyone to miss out."
Whether young or young at heart, the MukTuk Annie Festival is a celebration of community, tradition, and togetherness—don’t miss your chance to be part of the fun.
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- Contributed by Darnell Duff
The roads are open, and on your travels, you'll start seeing motorcycles out and about.
That means it's time to start focusing on safety for motorcyclists. May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month. Between 2022 and 2024, there were nine fatalities and 434 injuries to motorcycle drivers and passengers in collisions on Manitoba roadways.
Tara Seel is with Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI).
"We did find that careless driving is the leading factor in motorcycle collisions in Manitoba," said Seel. "I will stress that's careless driving on the part of the motorcyclists and those driving vehicles."
According to reports, intersections are the most likely places where motorcycles crash. In 2024, thirty-five percent of fatal motorcycle crashes occurred at intersections.
"We want motorcyclists to be aware that they might not be as visible out there, so you must drive accordingly," continued Seel. "Slow down, make sure your intentions are known when you're going to stop or change lanes."
MPI has a campaign right now: Look Twice for Motorcycles. That's because motorcycles can easily fit in the blind spots of vehicles, even when you shoulder check.
Over the past five years, motorcyclists under 30 years of age were involved in twice as many collisions as motorcyclists between 30 and 59, and males made up approximately 91% of motorcyclists involved in collisions.
"To give you some context. There were 30,980 motorcycles registered in Manitoba, and most of those are licensed to men," continued Seel. "That could account for why men are making up for most of the collisions."
There are many ways to keep motorcyclists safe on the road.
For Motorcyclists:
- Wear the right gear – an approved safety helmet, eye protection, jacket, pants, and boots;
- Try to be highly visible by wearing bright colours;
- Ride so that others can see you – headlight on and not weaving in and out of traffic so that you stay out of motorists’ blind spots; and
- Adjust riding behaviour to the road surface – if you are riding on a slippery surface, for example, slow your speed accordingly and adjust when making turns.
For Drivers:
- Always look twice for motorcycles when changing lanes and at intersections to be sure there isn’t a motorcycle in your blind spot;
- Watch for signals – it may be hard to see a motorcycle’s turning signal, so watch for other signs, like shoulder checking, which can indicate the rider is planning to change lanes or make a turn; and
- Follow at a safe distance – motorcycles may stop faster than other vehicles, so four seconds is the recommended following distance. That should be increased at night or if it is raining.
Let's all stay safe on the roads this summer so everyone can go home to their families.
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- Contributed by Darnell Duff
The final of three people arrested following a New Year's Eve 2023 armed robbery in Ebb & Flow has learned his fate.
28-year-old Braden Moar of Ebb & Flow was sentenced to four years in jail after pleading guilty to armed robbery.
Last summer, 30-year-old Richard Ross of Silver Ridge was sentenced to just under four years for his role in the incident, which saw a truck stolen and four people assaulted.
20-year-old Mason Moar of Ebb & Flow had charges against him stayed by the crown last month.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
Dauphin's new fire truck has arrived in the city.
The vehicle, which cost just under 850 thousand dollars to build, pulled into its new home at the Dauphin Fire Hall on Wednesday.
Fire Chief Cam Abrey goes over some of its features.
"It holds double the water of the previous fire trucks, so it is capable of holding 1,000 gallons of water on board rather than 500. We have also created a few different safety features for the firefighters. That includes lowering the hose beds a bit, in order to reduce the stretching risk or slips, trips, or falls. We also designed the cab so that it is a clean cab component. We can use it for rehabilitation for the firefighters."
The pump operator will now be able to be enclosed in the truck when battling fires, and the truck also includes a clean cab air purification system.
Abrey says there was a lot of excitement at the fire hall on Wednesday.
"It was like a bunch of kids on Christmas morning. They have been crawling all over it. We have been trying to figure out what tools will go where. So this truck will not go into service right away. It is going to be taking the equipment off some of the old trucks and putting them into service on this one, and finding the right locations so that everyone knows where all of the equipment is located. It will probably be a week or so to get it into full service."
Purchase of the truck was made possible in large part by an 800-thousand-dollar grant from the provincial government.
Abrey is confident the truck will serve both the city and the R-M for many years.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
RCMP and Manitoba First Nations Police have located the body of a second man from Sandy Bay who went missing after his boat broke down and was blown off course last week.
The 41-year-old man's body was located around 3:45 p.m. Wednesday along the shoreline of Lake Manitoba.
The body of the other man, a 22-year-old from Sandy Bay, was recovered last Friday morning.
The duo left from behind the Sandy Bay water treatment plant last Thursday before experiencing issues with their boat and the water.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
If you supported McHappy Day last week, then you can feel proud in the news that it was a huge success for the local McDonald's in both Dauphin and Swan River.
Thanks to your support, Ronald McDonald House and Whitmore School will benefit from a portion of the proceeds from the day at the Dauphin restaurant.
In both Swan River and Dauphin combined, $35,000 was raised.
In Dauphin alone, $25,000 was raised.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
A 36-year-old man from Brandon is facing several charges after assaulting a female in Dauphin.
On May 11 at 1:15 p.m., Dauphin RCMP responded to an assault on 1st Avenue NW. A 37-year-old female was outside with serious injuries. She was taken to the hospital and later transported to Winnipeg for treatment via STARS.
A short time later, the RCMP located Brendan Komarnicki, and he was arrested. While in custody, he assaulted a police officer.
He faces the following charges:
- Aggravated Assault
- Assault Causing Bodily Harm
- Assault while Choking, Suffocating or Strangling
- Possession of a Weapon for a Dangerous Purpose
- Assault on a Police Officer
- Assault on a Police Officer with a Weapon
- Fail to Comply with Undertaking Condition
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- Contributed by Darnell Duff
The message is simple: Slow Down and Move Over.
The law was designed to protect emergency responders and roadside workers. If you see an emergency vehicle or tow operator up ahead, reduce your speed and move to an open lane if it is safe to do so. If the posted speed limit is less than 80 km/h, you must slow down to 40 km/h. If the posted speed limit is 80 km/h or higher, you must slow down to 60 km/h.
Ewald Friesen is the manager of government relations for CAA Manitoba.
"If you see a fire truck, ambulance, or tow truck ahead, you can never go wrong if you reduce your speed by half and, if safe to do so, change lanes away from the scene," said Friesen.
AAA in the United States conducted a study last year. Over the last 10 years in North America, there have been 100 tow truck fatalities.
If you decide not to slow down when there is an emergency vehicle or tow truck ahead working, you could face consequences.
"The minimum fine is $298 and two demerit points," continued Friesen.
A recent study conducted by CAA found that eight in ten CAA members have heard of the Slow Down, Move Over law. While many drivers abide by the law when approaching an emergency vehicle, the same is not always true for tow trucks.
"Tow truck operators are included in this law," said Friesen.
So the next time you hit the open road and are approaching an emergency vehicle or tow truck, Slow Down and Move Over.
"The penalties are real," he ended. "We have partnered with the RCMP, and they will be doing more enforcement on Manitoba highways. We're very pleased to see they're keen to do this."
Fines can escalate to a maximum limit of $2,000 and/or a one-year driver’s licence suspension issued by a judge.
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- Contributed by Darnell Duff
Nearly 20% of people in Manitoba have to deal with food insecurity and wonder where their next meal will come from.
In Canada, nearly one in four people don't know where their next meal is coming from. Several factors contribute to these numbers: rent is going up, grocery store prices are skyrocketing, and daily life is getting more expensive.
That's where the Dauphin & District Food Bank comes in. The local Food Bank is busier than ever. Just a few years ago, Robin Gambler and her crew provided hampers to about 50 families. Today, that has doubled to more than 100 applicants every two weeks. Many of those applicants have a household of more than one.
The Food Bank in Dauphin serves more than 200 people every two weeks. Add that up over a month, and that's more than 400 people staying fed thanks to the Dauphin & District Food Bank.
"Many people don't realize how many people are struggling," said Gambler. "When they have three kids, paying high rent and utilities. Sometimes there is no money left for food. Many people rely on us."
Recently, the Manitoba Egg Farmers announced they're doubling their monthly contribution of eggs to Manitoba Harvest. The contribution is now 3,600 dozen or 45,000 eggs. Gambler says they don't receive any eggs from Harvest Manitoba. However, they do get about 10 dozen per month from Safeway. The cartons are cut in half and given to the families who need.
"We used to serve maybe 50 or 60 families, and now we're up to at least 100 every two weeks," continued Gambler. "Every intake we get five or six new people that have never come in the past."
Gambler says the Food Bank is still in search of a new home. Parkland Crossing has been sold, and while the Food Bank has been given an extension, they need to be out by the end of September. Gambler says they have been looking at some spots, however, nothing has stuck.
"We need at least 2,500 square feet," offered Gambler. "We prefer it to be in Dauphin because many of our clients walk."
For 23 years, Robin has been a cornerstone of the Dauphin Food Bank, offering not just food but compassion, warmth, and a listening ear. Known for her kindness and unwavering dedication, Robin says if you or your family are in need, the Dauphin Food Bank will be here for you.
"I find it very rewarding that we can help so many families," ended Gambler. "When we started, we were feeding 30 families a month. When we started to grow, we ended at Parkland Crossing."
If you know of a spot for the Dauphin Food Bank, call the Dauphin Friendship Centre at 638-5707. Ask for Robin.
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- Contributed by Darnell Duff
Several Parkland area nurses joined hundreds of their counterparts from across the province for a rally last week at the Manitoba Legislature.
Mandee Nakonechny is the President of the Parkland Community Nurses Local 122, and says their message to the Kinew government that day was simple.
"Our current slogan is "Same Shift, different day". And no pun intended as an X marks through the F in the shift."
Nakonechny adds that front-line nurses have seen very little change in how health care is moving from the previous government to the current one.
"(The government is very proud that they have hired 600+ health care workers and made some positive moves in that sense. But the front-line workers are not seeing that, and the nurses are not holding back on speaking about how that is affecting us on everyday job levels. And that is through the entire province."
"We would really like to know the number of staff that have left besides the 600+ that they have claimed to have hired."
She goes over some of the issues that nurses continue to face.
"Staffing shortages are one of the biggest ones. We are coming into our summer season of vacations, and we are already having nurses working overtime and over and above their exceeded amounts."
"Violence is another issue. (Apparently) It is okay for medical staff to be assaulted and spit on and have objects thrown at them on a daily basis at numerous health care facilities across the province. But if that were to happen at a different job site, that would not be tolerated."
Nakonechny says there is solidarity among nurses across the province, as well as other health care teams, and that they want Manitobans to know that things are not okay in the health system.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
Organizers of Thursday's Moose Hide Campaign Day event have made some changes to the schedule due to the weather.
The event, which brings focus to the issue of violence against women and children - will still begin with doors at the Dauphin Friendship Centre opening at 1 pm, and opening ceremonies and speeches going at 1:30.
But instead of an outdoor walk followed by a barbecue, that will be replaced by an indoor gathering at the DFC Hall starting at 2:30, with burgers, hot dogs and drinks from the kitched being served.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson