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Families around Dauphin are picking up their Christmas hampers today.
Starting at 8:30 volunteers at the Friendship Centre will begin handing out hampers.
“The support has been phenomenal from the community. Adopt a family is up by one family this year, so that’s the most I’ve ever had at 146, which is wonderful. All the hampers have been filled by the food bank and the Angle Tree that weren’t adopted. So everybody is taken care of.”
Laverne Hudson, Coordinator of Adopt a Family, says she expects the back hall of the centre to be empty by 5.
212 hampers are being given out today which includes a total of 500 children are getting Christmas gifts this year through donations. Of the 500, 362 children adopted by the Adopt a Family Program and 180 plus are from the Angel Tree hampers.
Numbers are down this year because the program is only giving hampers to families in Dauphin, the RM of Dauphin, Ochre, and Sifton. They decided to scale back how far they reach this year.
“The community has been awesome.”
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- Contributed by Josh Sigurdson
The Food For Thought program received a two thousand dollar donation from Parkland Title Loans.
Food for Thought helps 600 students from 5 different schools get meals on Tuesdays and Thursdays from September to spring break.
The donation will go straight to the program and should help with a couple meals. Meals cost about 1200 dollars. They usually raise around 50 thousand dollars for the year but they’ve only raised 15 thousand this year.
The program is for all kids, all you have to do is sign up and it’s free.
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- Contributed by Isaac Wihak
Last year in Manitoba, over 3100 vehicles were stolen.
In 50 per cent of the cases, the key was left in the ignition and 90 per cent of the cases were involving the use of keys.
Those vehicle thefts cost Manitoba ratepayers about 17 million dollars.
Holiday shoppers are reminded to never leave shopping bags and other valuables in plain view when a vehicle is left unattended.
Doing so can result in vehicle break-ins and create unnecessary stress over the holiday season.
MPI’s tips to protect your vehicle from theft are, never leave your vehicle running unattended, never leave your vehicle keys unattended, park in well-lit areas, lock the doors and close the windows when parking, and, put valuables and packages out of sight.
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- Contributed by Isaac Wihak
Fusion Credit Union will unveil their new brand today across the Parkland.
“Pretty exciting day. We have at 10 o’clock; all 18 branches will unveil the logo at the same time. Then each branch will tell their own story to the people in attendance. Each person who comes in that day will get a special gift with the new Fusion logo on it. And coffee and doughnuts will be on us all day too."
Ron Hedley says they will also unveil their website and the new mobile app.
During the summer the amalgamated Catalyst and Vanguard Credit Unions announced their new name, Fusion.
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- Contributed by Josh Sigurdson
Dauphin wants to make a big impact on the provincial Economic Growth Action Plan.
The plan includes establishing a new office to lead major development initiatives and investment projects in rural Manitoba.
“Comparatively to other provinces and other states, seems like most other places if you wanted to just get any information about economic development in a province or a state there is usually a one window approach, one person, or one office to call and then that person will send you in the direction that you need to go. That’s not the case in Manitoba. There is not one number or one office to call.”
Sharla Griffiths says Dauphin submitted a letter to the AMM supporting the idea and encouraging them to consider Dauphin as a physical location.
“Development or bringing any kind of an office, of any kind, into Dauphin is always something that we strive for to build our economy. If we were to have that office right in Dauphin that would be easy access for all of the businesses and people who want to start businesses in the Parkland.”
“Instead of being on the phone or instead of doing any of the start-up work at a distance people could come into this office and meet with the people there and get what they need.”
The program will spearhead major economic development initiatives and investment project, and be a government-wide program review of all economic development programs. The Manitoba government is establishing a modern approach that will include new economic development programs, like the creation of a revamped Tax Increment Financing Framework and a Skills, Talent and Knowledge Labour Market Strategy.
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- Contributed by Josh Sigurdson
The Manitoba Government recently distributed nearly $450,000 to some Manitoba police agencies through the Federal Proceeds of Crime Fund. Dauphin and the Parkland area did not receive any of the funds.
Police services in Winnipeg, Brandon, Portage La Prairie, God's Lake Narrows, Thompson, Rivers, Springfield, and Winkler received funding. The funding isn't meant to simply put more officers and cruisers on the streets; it's to go toward crime provention programs, and to help those at risk access resources and support systems to help them avoid gangs and other troubles.
While Dauphin and area went without funding this time, it doesn't mean funding won't come our way in the future. A list of where the funds went is below.
Brandon Police Service - $43,100 for their bicycle theft prevention strategy, and $22,100 for a project to reduce recidivism rates in Brandon.
Portage La Prairie RCMP - $25,000 for the Portage Hub's new community mobilization project.
God's Lake Narrows RCMP - $12,000 for a healing camp program.
Thompson RCMP - $25,500 for community events in Thompson for families and at-risk youth, and $23,604 to utilize the Manitoba Street Reach team.
Norway House RCMP - $7,282.96 for training and equipment for the Norway House Taekwondo program.
Rivers Police Service - $3,100 for the Rivers Police Cadet program.
Springfield Police Service - $20,000 for their Police Service Cadet program.
Winkler Police Service - $20,000 for their Community Care program.
Winnipeg Police Service - $63,900 and $20,000 for "Complex Trauma" videos for school aged kids, and the creation of educational videos.
Winnipeg Police Service - $126,174 for funding for the Bear Clan Patrol
Winnipeg Police Service - $33,357 to develop a mobile app.
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- Contributed by Alec Woolston
As of today; new impaired driving laws have come into effect which means police officers can now stop and test anyone for alcohol in their system, without reasonable suspicion. Refusal of a breathalyzer test could also now be charged as a criminal offence.
Before today, officers needed to have at least 2 reasons to pull someone over.
The new laws are a part of Bill C-46 which was passed earlier this year.
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- Contributed by Alec Woolston
Premier Brian Pallister was in Dauphin this morning for the official opening of the new MRI machine.
“It’s a tremendous boost to the region, the whole region, not just the folks around Dauphin but in the whole Parkland area. And we shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that it is going to save people a lot of time and money because travelling to Brandon is not a small investment and it’s tough when people are ill, to begin with, and it’s, and it’s tough on their families too. So this is going to be a real help that way.
The new MRI machine is projected to perform around 3,500 scans per year As patients who would have had scans at other sites are scheduled for MRI appointments in Dauphin, spaces will open up at other sites, reducing waits province-wide.
“It’s the kind of investment that makes good sense. I would say having the community get behind it is helpful. But also we’re looking to spend smarter as a government and not just spend because it’s in a certain area. But spend because it’s a smart thing to do.’
“MRIs are crucial for making important diagnoses and monitoring illnesses,” said Dr. Brock Wright, chief executive officer, Shared Health. “The addition of this equipment in Dauphin will enable Manitobans in this part of the province to access these valuable services much closer to home.”
The new MRI won’t have effects just impacting the Parkland. It’s expected to reduce the number of inter-facility transfers required for patients who would previously have been transferred to another site, such as Brandon or Winnipeg, to receive a diagnostic scan.
“It will also be a help, that frankly the people who need to be tested in Brandon. Because it will help shorten those wait times they’ve been experiencing down there. And I shouldn’t just say Brandon, because I understand some of the patients had to go further afield, as far as Boundary Trails Hospital down between Morden and Winkler. So, with the new federal carbon tax coming on that’s going to add to the bill for gas as it is and it just saves people that extra money that can now stay on their kitchen table instead of having to come off," says Pallister.
“The new MRI machine will significantly improve access to health services for people in the region, particularly for our ageing population,” said Doug Deans, chair, Dauphin Hospital Foundation. “The new MRI unit further strengthens access to health-care services at our hospital, which has developed into a true regional health centre for the Dauphin and Parkland area.”
The addition of the scanner is expected to help decrease the MRI wait times across the province. Since July 2017, average wait times for MRIs have seen a 30 percent improvement, declining to 16 weeks from 24.
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- Contributed by Josh Sigurdson
Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister is in Dauphin for the official opening of the MRI Machine.
The event started at 9 this morning. Health, Seniors and Active Living Minister Cameron Friesen is also on hand.
The announcement is being streamed on YouTube at youtube.com/ManitobaGovernment. CKDM's Benjamin Schwab is there.
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- Contributed by Alec Woolston
Changes to the provincial electoral division boundaries have been made.
Brad Michaleski thinks the right decision was made and the changed electoral boundaries are better for the Parkland than the original proposals.
The changes make sense because they follow the trading patterns for Dauphin.
Michaleski thinks the consultations were good and may have brought up concerns that the commission maybe wasn’t aware of.
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- Contributed by Isaac Wihak
The new electoral divisions in Manitoba have been released.
Dauphin mayor, Allan Dowhan is pleased they have gone with the east-west boundary he wanted.
In terms of trade, school boundaries, medical, dental, airport, and other services, Dowhan is very happy with how things have turned out.
Dowhan has noticed a big change in the boundaries from what was originally proposed.
“I think they really listened and took all the proposals to heart because they are a lot different from what was originally proposed.”
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- Contributed by Isaac Wihak
