Slight Increase To MVSD Budget For 19-20

The budget for the Mountain View School Division for the 2019-20 school year has increased 352,142 dollars to 42, 366, 055 dollars.

The increase will help the school division avoid making significant cuts in any area.

The idea heading into creating this budget was to make a responsible budget that maintains the programming they have in the division.

After the difficulty with decreases for the 2018-19 budget, this budget was a lot easier to make.

Last year they had to reduce 4 or 5 staffing positions, 3 teaching, and non-teaching positions as well.

This year no reductions of that source will be made.

Bart Michaleski, MVSD Secretary-Treasurer, says the budget is one piece of an overall discussion that’s going to happen this year on education.

“There’s a large systemic review that’s going to be starting in the next month or so. So we want people to know and understand the budget, but we want to ensure they’re engaged in the broader conversation that’s going to go on provincially.”

The taxes have increased this year. MVSD Special Levy increased 2.75% which will bring in 16, 992, 673 dollars and the MVSD Mill Rate is up 1.82% to 15.63.

The budget has increased in the areas of staff professional development by 5, 000 dollars, field trip budget by 2, 078 dollars, and technology/software licensing by 16, 000 dollars. Reductions have made to the school instructional and supply budgets by 37, 753, and the total materials/supplies budget by 38, 394 dollars.

There is a projected growth of 13 students for the division in the next school year.

Details: Contributed by Isaac Wihak; Published: Mar 5, 2019 - 5:19 am

The province's budget deficit is expected to be $51 million lower than expected.

The Manitoba government released its third quarter report for the 2018-19 fiscal year, this afternoon.

Finance Minister Scott Fielding announced the province is tracking towards a budget year shortfall of $470 million, down from $521 million projected in last year's budget.

Fielding noted all government departments except for one are projecting to be within budget. The Department of Health, Seniors and Active Living is projecting to be 3.5 per cent below budget.

Details: Contributed by Josh Sigurdson; Published: Mar 4, 2019 - 5:55 pm

This year’s Manitoba Outstanding Young Farmers are from Glenlea.

Will and Jen Bergmann own a mixed farm operation. They do grains and oilseeds, finishing pigs, and have an organic CSA vegetable garden. They sell their organic products to people and restaurants in Winnipeg.

“If we can share our story and tell where their food is coming from and how it’s grown and develop that narrative then it will ultimately change what’s happening on the food scene and what’s happening on our farm and other farms.”

They were chosen on Saturday at the MOYF Awards Banquet that took place at the Elkhorn Resort.

Will says being an Agvocate is important. Saying it’s not only the city people who need to get out into rural areas but farmers also need to go into urban areas.

“Farmers nowadays aren’t often going and spending time in the cities and understanding the urban population. So we’re trying to bridge that gap. And we’re doing that through conventional farming, through organic farming, and we are trying to create a conversation that is pro-agriculture. Saying it’s going to take all kinds of people, all kinds of farmers, farming all different types to provide safe, nutritious, affordable food for everyone.”

They will now compete for the national title in Fredericton, New Brunswick in December.

Details: Contributed by Josh Sigurdson; Published: Mar 4, 2019 - 1:30 pm

Update: Waylon Mckay was arrested on March 2, 2019, for First Degree Murder, in Thompson.

The RCMP would like to thank the media and the public for their assistance.

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Nelson House RCMP arrested three and are still searching for one more person involved in the homicide of an 18-year-old.

Police are searching for 27-year-old, Waylon Alfred Mckay, who is wanted for first-degree murder as well. He could be in the Thompson, St. Laurent, or Winnipeg area.

Mckay has a tattoo of a teardrop under each eye and a tattoo on his right cheek.

Two arrests were made February 23^rd, a 27-year-old, Patrick Linklater and 23-year-old, Gerald Lee Spence were both charged with First Degree Murder.

On Monday an additional arrest was made to 31-year-old, Russel Sinclair, also for first-degree murder.

He is considered violent and police are asking anyone with information on his whereabouts to please call Nelson House RCMP at 204-484-2837, local police or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477, or submit a secure tip online at www.manitobacrimestoppers.com.

Details: Contributed by Isaac Wihak; Published: Feb 27, 2019 - 4:31 pm

The provincial government is committed to addressing the underlying issues related to poverty.

They released a new poverty reduction strategy this morning.

Families Minister Heather Stefanson says ‘Pathways to a Better Future’ renews the province’s commitment to address the underlying issues related to poverty and create better outcomes for more Manitobans.

“Our renewed strategy aims to break the cycle of poverty by giving Manitobans the resources they need to succeed and our primary goal is to reduce Manitoba’s child poverty rate by 25 per cent by 2025,” said Stefanson. “This plan is guided by Manitobans’ ideas and experiences, driven by outcomes and contains measurable goals and indicators we can use to track success.”

To measure progress in a transparent and accountable way, the strategy will focus on a new set of 13 indicators and the following six priority areas:
• investing in Manitoba’s future prosperity through supports to children and youth;
• working together to improve health outcomes and standard of living;
• promoting economic inclusion through employment, education and training;
• facilitating partnerships and supporting community-based organizations;
• strengthening client-centred service delivery; and
• making positive change through social innovation.

Released last week, Statistics Canada’s 2017 Canadian Income Survey shows a 20 per cent improvement in Manitoba’s child poverty rate and a seven per cent improvement to Manitoba’s overall poverty rate to 2017 from 2016. Manitoba now ranks second lowest among the provinces in poverty.

The Poverty Reduction Strategy Act requires the province to implement a poverty reduction and social inclusion strategy, review and update it every five years, and develop indicators to measure success.

The Pathways to a Better Future report is available at www.manitoba.ca/povertyreduction.

Details: Contributed by Josh Sigurdson; Published: Mar 4, 2019 - 12:04 pm

Saturday night around 11, Russel RCMP responded to a fatal snowmobile collision.

A 35-year-old Roblin man failed to negotiate a turn and collided with the thick brush.

He was pronounced deceased on scene.

The collision happened 8 kilometres northwest of Inglis on a groomed snowmobile trail, northwest of the Assessippi Ski Hill in the RM of Riding Mountain West.

He was wearing a helmet. Alcohol and speed are believed to be factors in the accident.

The RCMP is continuing the investigation.

Details: Contributed by Isaac Wihak; Published: Mar 4, 2019 - 11:17 am

The Brandon Police are asking for your help in finding a missing 20-year-old woman.

Leah Ernest was last seen by her family last Sunday when she left home.

She's 5-foot-5, 150 pounds, she has curly shoulder length hair, brown eyes, and a medium complexion.

Ernest usually wears a white winter jacket with a green or brown hoodie.

Anyone with information regarding Leah is asked to call the Brandon Police Service at 204-729-2345.

Details: Contributed by Darnell Duff; Published: Mar 4, 2019 - 6:26 am

In recent years, Syphilis has been making a major comeback.

In 2018 the rates of the disease were at historic highs in the Prairie Mountain Health region.

It’s something PMH has been dealing with since the end of 2014.

In 2014 there were two cases of Syphilis, by August of 2018, 31 cases were reported.

The total could go up because they are still investigating cases.

Across the province, 350 cases were reported compared to 118 in 2014.

Syphilis was passed down by mothers to newborns ten times last year.

The increase in cases is likely from the increase in crystal meth use.

Using a condom is the best way to avoid spreading syphilis.

Details: Contributed by Isaac Wihak; Published: Mar 4, 2019 - 6:10 am

People were freezin’ for a reason on Saturday when they took the Polar Plunge.

15 brave participants jumped into freezing water in support of the Special Olympics. Last year 12 people jumped.

Michelle Meadows, Chair of the Dauphin Polar Plunge says so far they have raised $3500, which is about what they raised last year.

“It’s not only the fundraiser, but it’s the exposure. Well, the cold exposure, but it’s also the exposure for people to come out and see.”

With the temperature on Saturday around -22 and a wind-chill of -36 both the jumpers and those who cheered them on were cold.

“We’re lucky enough to have the fire department really helping us out. They were awesome! We had two volunteer firemen who have been trained in cold water rescue, and they were in their rescue gear. They were in there and they said it was warm. I don’t know if that was just to lure people into the water. We also had the firemen fill up the tank.”

Darren Anderson, Manager of law enforcement torch run and partnerships with Special Olympics Manitoba, says these kinds of events support the dozens of athletes here at home. He spoke to us last year.

“Provincially we have over 17 hundred athletes. In the Parkland region alone we have 54. In Dauphin, we have 15-25 and that’s just on the floor hockey program. Around the region, we have bowling in Winnipegosis, Russell, and Swan River. Snowshoeing in Russell and Swimming in Swan River.”

Meadows says organizers are looking forward to holding the 3rd plunge next year.