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Unidentified human remains were found Monday after a home was engulfed in flames in the community of Birch River.
It started at 4:40 p.m. with Swan River RCMP responding to a report of a structure fire at a residence located on Lorne Ave.
Once the fire was brought under control and extinguished, firefighters entered the home and found unidentified human remains.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Swan River RCMP, along with Major Crime Services, RCMP Forensic Identification Services and the Office of the Fire Commissioner, continue to investigate.
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- Contributed by Nicholas Iatropoulos
The RM of Lakeshore Municipal Election Forum was held by the Parkland Chamber of Commerce last night. There are three people vying for the position of reeve in the election, and six people running for three council seats in each of the two wards.
At the Forum, Clayton Watts was the only Reeve candidate in attendance. Malcolm Scott and Ernie Smadella were the council candidates in attendance for Ward 1, and Nathan Hulley, Michael Brunen, Clayton Foster, and Jean Geisel were the council candidates for Ward 2 at the event.
Questions from the public covered topics like political transparency, recreation, growth, indigenous relations, and infrastructure. When given the opportunity to bring their own topics to the forefront, candidates all touched on the poor quality of roads throughout the RM, and access to gravel.
The election forum was streamed to the Parkland Chamber of Commerce Facebook page and can be viewed here.
Reeve Candidates:
- Clayton Watts
- Bryan Preston
- Jeff Konowalchuk
Council Candidates in Ward 1:
- Malcolm Scott
- Richard Kachur (Incumbent)
- Shanna Cowal
- Ernie Smadella (Incumbent)
- Caudy Ray
- Fred Schurko
Council Candidates for Ward 2:
- Michael R. Brunen Sr. (Incumbent)
- Nathan Hulley
- Clayton Foster
- Gavin Thompson (Incumbent)
- Jean Geisel (Incumbent)
- Brianna Williams
Each ward also has its own voting location which will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on October 26th. Residents in Ward 1 will vote at the Lawrence Community Centre, 800 1st Street S, Rorketon. Residents in Ward 2 will vote at Ochre River Community Hall, 401 Mann Street, Ochre River.
The Parkland Chamber of Commerce is hosting a Municipal Election Forum for the Municipality of Ste. Rose tonight at the Community Centre at 7 p.m.
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- Contributed by Sam Brownell
The City of Dauphin held a regular council meeting Monday at City Hall.
Mayor Christian Laughland says that the City has officially proclaimed October 24th as World Polio Day.
"Rotary is a global network of 1.2 million neighbours, friends, leaders and problem solvers who see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change in communities across the globe... In 1985, Rotary launched PolioPlus and, in 1988, helped to establish the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, which today includes the World Health Organization, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, UNICEF and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, to immunize the children of the world against polio," he adds.
According to Mayor Laughland, polio cases have dropped by 99.9% since 1988 and the world stands on the threshold of eradicating the disease due to Rotary's contribution of $1.9 billion and many volunteer hours to protect more than 2.5 billion children in 122 countries.
Laughland went on to say that the WHO declared the African region free of wild poliovirus on August 25th, 2022.
Furthermore, the City of Dauphin has also proclaimed November 2022 as Radon Awareness Month.
"Radon... is an invisible, odourless, and tasteless radioactive gas released naturally during the breakdown of uranium in soil and rock... [When] radon gas decays, it forms its radioactive elements that are carcinogenic if inhaled," Mayor Laughland adds.
According to Christian Laughland, radon exposure is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers in Canada with an estimated 3,800 deaths related to radon each year.
He encourages residents to protect themselves by testing their homes and taking action to reduce high levels.
The council meeting can be watched in its entirety on YouTube.
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- Contributed by Nicholas Iatropoulos
The Trial of Jack Winters, who's facing numerous charges related to a fatal collision in the RM of Dauphin in 2019, started this morning.
The two-week trial is being held in the Aspen Lodge at the Parkland Rec Complex and is open to the public.
Today, the crown called their first three witnesses to the stand, with another three witnesses planned for tomorrow.
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- Contributed by Sam Brownell
The community of Neepawa is gearing up for the construction of a new hospital.
The Manitoba Government announced Monday that a new hospital will be built on nearly 40 acres of farmland on the town's east side with preparations for construction on the property set to begin in two weeks.
Health Minister Audrey Gordon was on hand for the announcement and she had this to say.
“Our government is building a stronger healthcare system for all Manitobans including residents in Neepawa and surrounding communities in the Westman region,” said Gordon. “When complete, this investment in a new hospital will serve as a foundation for a health-care system that allows residents in this region to more easily access specialized health-care services closer to home without the need to travel to larger centres like Brandon or Winnipeg for care.”
The new facility will be located on recently rezoned land east of Lions Riverbend Campground near Provincial Trunk Highway 16. The Neepawa facility is expected to serve patients from the broader geographic area.
The new facility will be nearly four times the size of the existing Neepawa Health Centre and it will include the following
- 63 acute care inpatient beds, up from 38 at the current site; an expanded emergency department designed to best practice standards that include treatment and assessment rooms;
- a trauma room, a stretcher bay and an ambulance bay;
- and enhanced space for a number of programs, such as surgery, diagnostics and palliative care as well as various outpatient services including chemotherapy and ambulatory care services.
Brian Schoonbaert, CEO of Prairie Mountain Health was also on hand for the announcement
“Prairie Mountain Health is extremely pleased to be moving forward to replace the existing Neepawa hospital as we work with our health partners and stakeholders to meet the anticipated needs of our growing population within this part of the health region,” he said. “We are grateful that construction will soon begin and plans for additional communication with staff, community leaders and residents will take place in the very near future.”
Renal services will be established in the community for the first time at the new site, following a review of the number and frequency of patients travelling for dialysis treatment. There are currently 28 hemodialysis patients living in the catchment area who could potentially benefit from the new, eight-station unit in Neepawa.
“Kidney dialysis patients who live in or near Neepawa are used to making multiple trips per week to other communities to receive care,” said Dr. Mauro Verrelli, provincial medical specialty lead for renal health, Shared Health. “Establishing this service in Neepawa will improve their quality of life by significantly shortening commutes, allowing them to be closer to the network of family and friends they rely upon for support.”
The project is expected to be at least $127 million dollars and the projected target date for completion is in 2025.
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- Contributed by Darnell Duff
A 55-year-old man from Shoal Lake is dead after a two-vehicle collision on Friday.
The Shoal Lake RCMP responded to the accident on Friday at about 1:30 p.m. on Highway 42 at Road 139 West, in the RM of Yellowhead.
It's been determined that a semi-truck with trailers was travelling north on Road 139 West and he crossed Highway 42 when it was unsafe to do so and collided with a semi-truck going west on Highway 42. The driver of the semi-truck was prounounced dead on the scene and he wasn't wearing a seatbelt.
The 61-year-old in the semi-truck with trailers suffered minor injuries.
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- Contributed by Darnell Duff
The Dauphin Clinic Pharmacy's flu shot clinic starts Monday and will run for the next two weeks at the DCP Annex in the parking lot.
It'll be open on weekdays from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. for those aged 5 and up.
Pharmacist Barret Procyshyn says that people should get a flu shot because it not only protects them against the influenza virus but also prevents it from being spread to those around them.
"Whether that's friends or family... [who] maybe are immunocompromized or are a little bit older or are at a high risk from asthma or COPD, you really want to prevent the flu from spreading in the Parkland area and you can do your part by getting the shot," he adds.
Procyshyn went on to say that the flu shot has been proven to be very safe and that people have been getting it for decades with little to no side effects.
"Some things you can expect are a little bit of injection-site pain [and a] sore arm. Some people get a little bit of flu-like symptoms. You can't actually get the flu from the flu shot, but you can get a... headache, nausea, and [you might feel]... off for a day or less," he adds.
What should I do before going to the flu shot clinic?
Before going to the clinic, people should wear a short-sleeve shirt and have their health card. No appointments are necessary and shots will only be delivered on a walk-in basis.
Who is eligible to receive a flu shot?
Anyone staying in Manitoba is eligible to receive a free flu shot and people aged 65 and older are able to get a high-dose flu shot, which is specifically tailored for that age group. There is no injection fee.
What if I'm new to the province and don't have a Manitoba health card?
People without a Manitoba health card are still able to receive a flu shot at no cost. They can simply present their out-of-province health card, so that the flu shot can get recorded into the pharmacy's system under the out-of-province health card number.
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- Contributed by Nicholas Iatropoulos
The City of Dauphin is launching a new campaign tonight, in an effort to cut down on crime in the city. Deputy City Manager Lisa Gaudet has been working closely with the RCMP and the City's Protective Services Committee to prepare the 9 PM Routine campaign.
There will be a post every night at 9 PM for the next 21 days on the City of Dauphin's Facebook and Instagram pages. The posts will encourage people to:
- Remove valuables from their vehicles and yards
- Lock their vehicles
- Remove keys from ATVs and farm equipment
- Lock their exterior doors
- Turn on an exterior light
- Activate their security systems.
Gaudet says the campaign is 21 days long because that's how long it takes to form a routine.
"They say it takes 21 days to create a habit, so we felt that 21 days was a good period of time for people to get into the habit of participating in this 9 PM Routine. We're hoping that the habit will extend beyond the 21 days."
The city is looking for engagement from the community, and Gaudet says they want people to comment and share the post once they've completed the suggestions.
"We are really trying to encourage as much engagement with our posts as possible, so we will be kind of keeping track of who is commenting, sharing, liking, and engaging with the posts the most, and we will have some prizes to give out at the end of the 21 days."
Gaudet says that on top of the city's posts, the RCMP will have officers patrolling and leaving reminders for people when they see something is unsecured.
"In conjunction with the social media campaign, the Dauphin RCMP will have members out patrolling the neighborhoods and leaving 9 PM Routine cards to let residents know that they were there, and if they noticed anything left unsecured."
The 9 PM Routine campaign was created in 2017 by a Sheriff's Office in Florida and has spread to police forces and municipalities across North America.
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- Contributed by Sam Brownell
Paul Wisnoski of Eden, Manitoba, won the early bird draw for the Neepawa Farm & Leisure Lottery 2022. He will now have to choose whether he would like the $10,000 cash prize, or the $12,000 voucher to Enns Bros. Neepawa.
Like many fundraising initiatives, the money goes toward a good cause. In this case what is that good cause?
When you buy a ticket for the lottery your money goes toward continued renovations and improvements to the Beautiful Plains Medical Clinic in Neepawa.
This year those improvements include fixing the original roof, which has a leak, and building a rotunda at the south entrance. Both projects have been pending for a while because of lots of other renovations being done at the clinic first.
Lottery Chairman Mary Ellen Clark says the clinic has been renovated and expanded three times in previous years to accomodate a growing population in Neepawa; largely due to an influx of people who are employed by the Hylife facility.
The work that has been done so far has enabled the clinic to host 8 doctors.
The strong efforts of the Neepawa Farm & Leisure Lottery committee, organizers, and volunteers, to raise funds for the Beautiful Plains Medical Clinic over the years have been recognized by government and have helped Neepawa in getting a new hospital.
"The influx of the money we've been raising for the clinic has escalated to the point where we are getting a new hospital that we've needed for so many years", said Clark.
There are still plenty of chances to win prizes when the final draws are made on Sunday, November 6th. Tickets are $100 and 50/50 add-on tickets are $20, or get 5 for $50. Call 1-877-876-8555, or go to neepawalotto.com.
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- Contributed by Alec Woolston
The Manitoba Farm Women's Conference is back in Brandon on November 15th and 16th this year. The event starts with a Meet & Greet on the 15th at the Victoria Inn, and there's a full day of talks planned at the Dome Building on the 16th.
Cheryl Janzen from the Conference says they have some great topics that will be discussed at this year's event.
"The speakers this year are going to be talking about energy renewal, and getting back together, and safety and security on the farm. Also just being together and advocating for ag and supporting farm women and all the great things they do."
Registration for the conference is open until November 1st on the Manitoba Farm Women's Conference Website.
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- Contributed by Sam Brownell
Thursday, October 20th will be recognized as the Canadian Royal Purple's first annual Purple Thursday.
Angie Smith, president of the Dauphin Royal Purple Lodge and the Manitoba Royal Purple Association, says that it's a campaign held on the third Thursday of October which recognizes the intersection of interpersonal violence and brain injuries.
"We are connecting all the... lodges across Canada to women's shelters. We are collecting self-care items and putting them in purple care bags and on Purple Thursday... we will be donating those bags to every shelter across Canada," she adds.
Smith went on to say that they'll be right outside the Walmart at the Dauphin Market Place Mall to collect self-care items, such as feminine hygiene products, toiletries, shampoo and toothpaste, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, October 15th.
Angie Smith says that the cause means a lot to her because she is a survivor of interpersonal violence.
"We are trying to draw... awareness because I think there is a lot of talk about brain injuries, which is the Canadian [Royal] Purple's main cause. We talk about sports injuries, but nobody ever talks about the intersection between brain injuries caused by interpersonal violence... I really think that we need to draw awareness and stop the violence," she adds.
According to Smith, anyone going through any kind of domestic violence can reach out to the Parkland Crisis Centre for support at 204-638-9484.
Those who are seeking information regarding brain injuries can contact the Dauphin Royal Purple Lodge by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
They can visit the Canadian Royal Purple's national website as well.
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- Contributed by Nicholas Iatropoulos
