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New trucking regulations are now in effect in Manitoba.
Mandatory entry-level training for commercial truck drivers is now required. The requirements include 121.5 hours or the equivalent of three weeks of training.
Earlier this year, the province said that anyone who already held a class 1 licence would be grandfathered in.
Manitoba joins three other provinces in making entry-level training for commercial truck drivers mandatory. The others are Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Ontario.
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- Contributed by Josh Sigurdson
At 10:30 Friday morning, Lac du Bonnet RCMP responded to a call of a missing boater.
After investigation, it was determined that a 49-year-old male was harvesting wild rice in an airboat on the Whiteshell River, approximately 5 km north of Jessica lake, when he failed to return to his camp.
Another harvester in a second boat, set out to find the missing male when he found the submerged airboat in about 15 feet of water. He searched the immediate area but could not find the 49-year-old male. He immediately called the RCMP for assistance.
Upon arrival, Lac du Bonnet RCMP and Sustainable Development along with private boats searched the surrounding area but could not locate the missing male.
On Saturday morning, Police returned to the location with boats and drones to search the water and shoreline. The Hutterian Emergency Aquatic Response Team (HEART) also arrived to help find the missing boater.
At around 10:30 am HEART located the deceased male in the water with an underwater camera. His body has since been recovered by RCMP.
The investigation is ongoing
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- Contributed by Josh Sigurdson
At around 6:50 Friday morning, Carberry RCMP responded to the Brandon Hospital for a report of a 45-year-old male who was admitted with gunshot wounds.
Police are on the lookout for a suspect by the name of Nicholas Peters in relation to the shooting. He has been charged with the unauthorized possession of a firearm, careless use of a firearm, and discharge of the firearm with intent.
36-year-old Nicholas Peters is described as 6’ tall, 250 pounds, with brown hair, and hazel eyes. He is from Brandon.
He may be driving a white Dodge pick-up truck with a Manitoba licence plate number of KDX 716.
Anyone with information about the whereabouts of Nicholas Peters is asked to call the Carberry RCMP at 204-834-2131.
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- Contributed by Josh Sigurdson
With school starting up, should school zones be implemented in Dauphin?
Deputy City Manager, Renee St. Goddard, says to her knowledge there have never been school zones in Dauphin.
She says city council has previously discussed the idea of school zones.
“When legislation came out that allowed for reduced speed zones near schools, the city spoke with MVSD. The school division has not had any incidents or near misses to report to the city for 14 years at minimum. We continue to partner with the school division to provide safe traffic and pedestrian movement around schools.”
St. Goddard adds, they’ve received inquiries from the public about school zones but there haven’t been any complaints.
She says the city looks at all safety issues.
“We look at all safety issues to address safety around the schools such as stop signs, crosswalks, solid fences, no parking around schools so buses have better visibility, and ease of turning for parking lots and entrances to allow for easier bus and parent pick-ups and drop-offs. So that increases the safety around school zones.”
St. Goddard believes the city is working well with MVSD to make sure the appropriate levels of safety are being considered.
St. Goddard doesn’t know if one area needs school zones more than the other, but she did point out the higher number of schools on Mountain.
“We did do a speed study this summer on both sides of Mountain Road, but we haven’t received the data yet to analyze. I don’t know if one area needs one more than the other but that comes to mind as a frequent area that often sees an increase in traffic once school starts.”
St. Goddard wants to remind drivers to be cautious as students head back to school.
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- Contributed by Isaac Wihak
Over the long weekend and with school starting up shortly there could be an increase in cyclist activity.
Key points to remember for drivers are motorists should leave about a metre between themselves and a cyclist, and take an extra look to make sure there isn’t a cyclist in your blind spot.
Smiley adds cyclists have to follow the rules of the road, be visible, ride defensively, and use hand signals.
According to the RCMP, if a cyclist runs a red light or doesn’t stop at a stop sign, they could receive a fine of 203 dollars.
On average in Manitoba, there are 300 incidents between motorists and cyclists with 4 cyclists killed, yearly.
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- Contributed by Isaac Wihak
The 27th Annual Ashern Rodeo is happening this weekend just 1.5 miles south of Ashern.
Festivities kick off tonight with the Street Dance and fireworks. Saturday’s events feature a pancake breakfast and, of course, the rodeo, with a social to follow. Sunday’s events feature the rodeo finals and Threshermans’s reunion.
The beer gardens and grandstand are both covered, so the event will go rain or shine.
Weekend passes cost $15, day passes are $10 and kids under 6 get in free,
For more information, check out the Ashern Rodeo on Facebook.
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- Contributed by Josh Sigurdson
Starting tonight and going all weekend long is the Dark Sky Weekend at Riding Mountain National Park.
This is the second Dark Sky Weekend and Visitor Experience Manager, Richard Dupuis, says they’re trying to make it an annual event.
New this year, is a photography workshop and yoga at night.
Making a return are the night hikes, day time activities for the kids, and the chance to learn about Anishinabe perspectives of the night sky.
RMNP does the Dark Sky Weekend to celebrate the night sky and how great the view is from the park.
For the full schedule click here.
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- Contributed by Isaac Wihak
On August 27th, 2019, Manitoba First Nations Police members attended to a disturbance on Highway 45.
Once on scene, officers learned that 17-year-old Leona Rayleen Edith Mecas ran away from home after an altercation with her parents.
After patrols in the immediate area, officers could not locate Leona.
Police are asking for the public’s assistance in locating Leona Rayleen Edith Mecas, who goes by the nickname “Weebs”. She is described as Indigenous, 5’3, 147 lbs, with long black hair. There was no clothing description given.
Police are concerned for Leona’s well-being and are asking anyone with any information on the whereabouts of Leona Mecas to call the Waywayseecappo Detachment at 204-859-5070.
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- Contributed by Josh Sigurdson
Manitoba residents will be able to vote in the provincial election in just over a week.
Leifa Misko, the chairperson for the Mountain View School Division board, says some of the issues they’d like addressed in this next election include the set of robust needs students have, that need to be addressed to transition from school to employment.
Misko also identified the need for trades training promotion and the need for partnerships to share costs and provide better education.
Misko says over the past few years the school division has been able to meet with the two MLA’s that are within the MVSD Region and hopes that whoever is the elected MLA will continue to have communication with the school division.
Misko expects the elected government to consult and cooperate with the school division before making any changes.
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- Contributed by Isaac Wihak
12 rural municipalities have declared a state of agricultural disaster in Manitoba after a hot and dry summer has left beef producers struggling to find enough feed to feed their herds.
Arnthor Jonasson, the reeve of the RM of West Interlake and Mike Brown, a councillor for the RM of Alonsa both say that the time for the government to come in and help producers is now, adding that by the time the election is done, it may be too late.
The affected RMs are Alonsa, Armstrong, Bifrost-Riverton, Coldwell, Ethelbert, Fisher, Grahamdale, Lakeshore, McCreary, Ste. Rose, West Interlake, and Woodlands.
Hay yields in the province have been far below average this summer, adding on to the impact producers are feeling after a streak of dry years.
Early in the summer, the provincial government announced it would allow livestock producers to cut hay and let their herds graze on Crown lands.Jonasson and Brown said that producers are trying to get the attention of both the federal and provincial governments to provide financial assistance through the AgriRecovery Program.
The program framework would allow for immediate feed and freight assistance and some compensation for the drilling of wells for the hauling of water to livestock.
Due to the shortage of feed, many producers are faced with the choice of whether or not to liquidate portions of their herds, if not their entire herds.
Both Keystone Agriculture Producers and Manitoba Beef Producers have urged farmers across the province to list any available hay, straw, and alternative feeds for use to help the producers struggling to feed their herds.
The looming provincial and federal elections have some producers worried that government intervention could be delayed, but Jonasson and Brown are hoping action will be taken in the next few days.
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- Contributed by Josh Sigurdson
Dustin Racette has been arrested after two weeks of searching.
Around 11:40 in the evening on August 14th, Dustin Racette was being treated at the Dauphin hospital before assaulting and running from corrections officers.
Racette is charged with escaping lawful custody, assault with a weapon, and assault a police officer with a weapon.
Unconfirmed reports say he was arrested at Bacon Ridge, which is just south of Ebb and Flow.
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- Contributed by Isaac Wihak
