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Mountain View School Division has started the process of forming its next multi-year Strategic Plan and is seeking input from the public as to what that plan should contain.
A Community Conversation event is set for tomorrow night starting at 7 p.m. a the DRCSS, with parents, guardians, and community members encouraged to take part.
Pre-registration is requested, which you can do either online at www.mvsd.ca, or by calling the office at 204-638-3001.
There is also an online survey that you are asked to fill out. That is available through the school division's website.
Similar events have already been held in other MVSD communities, including Gilbert Plains, Grandview, Roblin, Winnioegosis, Ethelbert, and Ochre River.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
More than 400 Manitobans lost their lives due to drug overdoses in 2022.
According to data from Manitoba's Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, 418 Manitobans died from drug-related deaths in 2022, which is down 14 from the 432 deaths in 2011. 43 of those alone died in October of 2022.
The number of drug-related deaths continues to increase over the years. In 2019, 200 deaths were reported while 372 were reported in 2020 and two years later, 418 were reported. While the number of Manitobans dying because of opioid addictions continues to rise at an alarming rate, the number of Manitobans seeking help because of an alcohol addiction continues to rise as well.
If you are concerned about your use of drugs or alcohol, the Canadian Mental Health Association Swan Valley Branch is here to help. Every Thursday until December 14, they will be hosting an Addiction Recovery Skills Course at Red Road Compass beside Pizza Place in the community.
Rod Seib is the Peer Support and Public Education Coordinator at the Swan Valley Branch and as he says, these sessions are very important for those who are struggling.
"There is a real need. There are other programs but there are always more needs than what services can provide," said Seib. "These courses are free of charge so we removed that barrier for the folks that want to take part but don't have the financial means to do so."
There was one session last Thursday and it was positive.
"We had six individuals come out for that first session and it was an introductory session about how the brain gets into that mode of addiction," said Seib. "I had great feedback from the individuals that came and they're looking forward to continuing the course."
If you did not attend the first session but are interested, you can do so. However, Thursday, November 09 will be your last chance to sign up. If you do not take part in this next session, Seib says you will be unable to enter the course moving forward.
Seib says if you're struggling and you are in the Swan River area, you are welcome to join for the next six sessions in person at 602 Main Street in Swan River from 1:30 to 3:30 every Thursday from now until December 14.
"No one should struggle alone, there is help available," ended Seib. "I, myself, have struggled with addiction, so I have that life experience that I can connect with people and understand what they may be going through."
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- Contributed by Darnell Duff
A 55-year-old man from Roblin is dead after a collision late last week.
On November 3 just before 5:00 p.m., Russell RCMP responded to a combine harvester having rolled over into a slough located off Provincial Road 592, near Road 140N, in the RM of Riding Mountain West.
The man was driving the combine and heading southbound when he lost control on an icy downhill portion of the road. This resulted in the combine sliding into a steep embankment and it rolled onto its roof into the water, with the 55-year-old man still inside.
A witness jumped into the icy water and was able to pull the victim out of the cab and provide medical assistance until EMS arrived; however, it was too late. The 55-year-old man was pronounced deceased on the scene.
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- Contributed by Darnell Duff
A repo job in Rorketon led to a rather nasty altercation on the roadways.
On November 4th, Ste. Rose du Lac RCMP received a report that a car was ramming into a pickup truck on Highway 276 just north of Ste. Rose du Lac. Police responded immediately and located the two vehicles traveling at high speeds on the highway, with the car swerving all over the roadway. Both vehicles were significantly damaged.
When officers stopped the vehicles, two occupants of the car complied with police instructions and exited the vehicle. The female passenger continued to comply while the male driver would not let officers cuff him. An officer was injured during the process, but the male was arrested. The male driver of the truck was arrested without incident.
The investigation has determined that the male pickup truck driver was there to repossess the truck, and the two individuals in the car made chase, cutting him off and slamming on the brakes to stop him. He continued to flee after a gun was pointed at him by one of the occupants of the car, and shots were fired at the truck.
The driver of the car, a 45-year-old male from Rorketon, is charged with the Dangerous Operation of a Motor Vehicle, Pointing a Firearm, Discharging a Firearm, Unsafe Storage of a Firearm, and Unauthorized Possession of a Firearm.
The only injury in this altercation was the officer, who received medical attention, and was released from the hospital.
The investigation continues.
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- Contributed by Michael Brossart
Do you know a teacher in the province that deserves some recognition?
The Manitoba Government has just opened its Nomination for awarding Manitoba’s Excellence in Education Awards for just that cause.
In order to be nominated, individuals must be educators who hold a valid, permanent Manitoba teaching certificate and work directly with kindergarten to Grade 12 students in a school setting on a daily basis.
Parents, Guardians, Students, admins and colleagues can send in a submission from now until January 18th can nominate these indivuals in the following 5 categories:
- The Teaching Excellence award
- The Outstanding New Teacher Award
- The Outstanding Team Collaboration award
- The Outstanding School Leader and,
- The Premier’s Award for Excellence In Education.
It is important to note that an educator may be nominated in only one award category per year.
If the nominee was a recipient of an award in a previous year, this educator cannot be nominated in the same award category.
Award recipients will be honored at a ceremony in the spring, and to nominate an Educator that you think deserves this recognition, visit the education section on the Manitoba Government Website.
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- Contributed by Michael Brossart
Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure has announced a phased reopening of all traffic lanes at the Trans Canada Highway and Provincial Trunk Highway 1A interchange just west of Portage la Prairie.
Single-lane closures will remain on the Trans-Canada Highway in both directions until the remaining on-highway work can be completed.
That work is expected to wrap up by November 14, allowing the Trans-Canada Highway to be fully opened to traffic in both directions.
The new overpass on PTH 1A on the west side of Portage la Prairie is now open to traffic.
Motorists are asked to observe signage and use caution while travelling through the construction zone.
Cleanup activities and wrap-up work will continue next spring and should be complete in the summer of 2024.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
The annual Rotary Fall Book Fair kicks off Wednesday at the 8th Avenue Hall.
Organizer and Rotarian Jean-Louis Guillas has been very impressed with the donations they have received this year, adding there will be something for everyone at this year's sale.
"I am always surprised with the quality of books that come in. There is always the staples such as romances and mysteries, but there is always something new for every age. And shockingly, really good children's books this time, all in excellent condition."
Guillas encourages you to attend the sale multiple days if you can
"I recommend that you come every day! Of course, if you are coming from away you might only get one shot at the sale. But it is not like you are going to lose out if you are not there on day one. You should come on day two, day three, or in the afternoon on day four, because some people bring their donations to the sale, so there is always something new to be found."
The Book Fair will be open from 9 until 6 on Wednesday and Thursday, 9 until 5 on Friday, and 1 until 5 on Saturday.
Brand new this year is the Spirits and Sweets event on Friday night from 7 to 9.
Tickets are $40 per person for that and MUST be purchased in advance from any Dauphin Rotarian or at the Liquor Mart in Dauphin.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
A man accused in the killings of four Indigenous women has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder.
Jeremy Skibicki appeared in court Monday to take part in a pretrial that is scheduled for two weeks.
He is accused of killing Rebecca Contois, Morgan Harris, Marcedes Myran, and an unidentified woman Indigenous leaders have named Buffalo Woman, whose remains have not been found.
Police believe the remains of Harris and Myran are in the Prairie Green Landfill north of Winnipeg, while Contois' remains were found last year at a separate landfill run by the city.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
Dauphin's MLA and Manitoba's Minister of Agriculture recently joined CKDM to discuss his Letter of Mandate.
This letter had 5 core goals that are to be addressed by Minister Ron Kostyshyn's time in office.
- Reinstate unit transfers to the Crown Land program while also making leases more affordable to give the next generation of producers a fighting chance.
- Work with the Federal government to ensure strong AgriRecovery and AgriStability supports to help producers make ends meet while they navigate the impacts of climate change.
- Keep MASC offices open to give producers the support they need close to home and explore opportunities to bring MASC offices back to rural communities.
- Work with the Minister of Advanced Education and Training to deliver funding to build a Prairie Innovation centre for Sustainable Agriculture at Assiniboine Community College.
- Support innovation and research in the agricultural sector including opportunities to expand regenerative agriculture.
The Letter Of Mandate, signed by Premier Wab Kinew recognises that agriculture is a core foundation of the Manitoba economy, and with Kostyshyn's previous experience in the role, he's well aware of this fact.
"We want to make the agricultural industry more affordable, more opportunist for our producers for the betterment of them staying on the land."
To read the full Letter Of Mandate, you can visit the Province of Manitoba Website.
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- Contributed by Michael Brossart
One person is dead following a single-vehicle crash Friday night near the Sapotaweyak Cree nation.
Swan River RCMP says the mishap occurred around 6:20 Friday night on Provincial Road 483, about 8 km west of the reserve.
They say a minivan with four people inside of it entered the ditch and rolled.
A 33-year-old female passenger from Sapotaweyak was pronounced dead at the scene, while the other two passengers - a 22-year-old male from the community, and a 38-year-old female from Swan River, were transported to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The driver, a 23-year-old female from Sapotaweyak, provided a breath sample at the Swan River detachment, where Mounties say she was found to be over three times above the legal limit.
She has been charged with Impaired Driving causing death and is scheduled to appear in court in Swan River on February 7th.
RCMP, with support from the Criminal Collision Investigation Team and an RCMP Forensic Collision Reconstructionist, continues to investigate.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
Repairs are underway at a pair of water main issues in Dauphin.
The city says there is a water main break on 4th Avenue NE near Mountain Road.
Mike van Alstyne - the city's director of public works - says residents in that area might notice a discolouration of their water while the repairs are being done.
There is also a water main leak in the area of Merrill Avenue.
Van Alstyne says the water valves in that area have been turned down in order to be able to do those repairs, meaning residents in that part of the city might see a reduction in pressure in their taps.
No timeline has been given for when these issues will be fixed
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
