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Manitoba Fisheries have been seeing Small-mouth bass populations creep across the province more than expected.

Brody Kitch with Manitoba Fisheries is quite concerned about this, as smallmouth bass are aggressive eaters, and could threaten native populations.

"A management issue that we're dealing with right now across the province, not just in western Manitoba, is the illegal movement of smallmouth bass. we're seeing smallmouth bass pop up into lots of lakes that weren't put in by the province. They can play a pretty big impact on our native species, specifically out stocked-trout waters that we put a lot of time, money, and effort into." 

Kitch was shocked to find that small mouth bass have been spotted as far north as Thompson.

With these sitings, Manitoba would have the farthest northern populations of these fish, which is uncommon for a species originating in middle-North America.

Kitch warns that if you're for some reason transporting these fish, there could be some consequences, both on the enviroment, and your wallet.

"You might think you're doing something right, but in the big picture it's typically quite detrimental to the fisheries and it is also illegal. theres a just under $500 fine if you're caught moving fish, so keep that in mind"

There are still limits on smallmouth bass in the province, but Kitch suggested there may eventually be some measures taken to reel in these smallmouth bass populations.

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Contributed by Michael Brossart

Published: May 23, 2024 - 6:00 am

Northgate Trails is a highlight of the Dauphin area that's visited by people from around the world, and there's a lot of work in keeping it at this global level. 

Jean-Louis Guillas with the Dauphin Derailleurs Cycle Club is looking to instate "Trails Thursdays", which will be a weekly meet-up at 6pm at the trails to attend to maintenance on the trails.

"Part of our campaign, and this volunteer piece, is to educate people about the work that it takes to maintain this trail. the kind of work we have to do is completely dependent on where we have the trails. it's a beautiful area, but it's also sort of vulnerable in some portions, so it means there's special care that needs to go into it"

Trails Thursdays will bring together local nature and trail enthusiasts to help with a wide variety of tasks that these trails need to be done.

This could range from grass and brush cutting, tree clearing, scouting trails for needed maintenance, and more.

Guillas notes that some people will be hired for more specialized work to help prevent erosion and build infrastructure for the Manitoba Summer Games.

Trails like "Old Chap" are quite close to a creek that runs through the trail system, and long-term run-off threatens to degrade that trail as it exists today.

The Trails require a lot of upkeep year-round too, not just during the summer months.

Guillas noted that the first snowfall of last year was nearly impossible to pack with the mechanical trail groomers that are usually used.

A call to action for snowshoers went out and saw a great group of people come out and pack down the snow manually.

If you want to support your local Trails and keep them in pristine condition for years, come out to the trailhead every Thursday at 6 pm.

You can also contact Jean-Louis, The Trail Tutors, or the Dauphin Derailleurs on Facebook for any questions you have!

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Contributed by Michael Brossart

Published: May 22, 2024 - 6:33 pm

We are just 80 days away from the Manitoba Summer Games.

Hundreds of athletes, their families, and friends will invade Dauphin and the surrounding area to be a part of the historic event.

This event will also feature dozens of Parkland athletes including the U16 Dauphin Hawks team that won a tournament in Brandon over the weekend. It's safe to say that as the countdown continues, the buzz continues to build.

"The anticipation is certainly building, we have signage going up throughout the community," said Bryan Mintenko, Games Coordinator. "It's a great time and we continue to work hard to make sure this is an event to remember."

As of right now, the organizing committee is looking for people to carry the torch as a part of the 'Torch Relay'. There are certain criteria to be considered.

CRITERIA:

1. A former 2004 Manitoba Games athlete who represented our region, from Dauphin or the surrounding area;
2. A former Manitoba Games athlete (in any year), who represented our region from Dauphin or the surrounding area; and
3. A Dauphin or surrounding area celebrity or athlete who achieved a significant level of performance.

If you would like to nominate someone from the community, you can email Bryan at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The deadline for applications is May 31. 

As we continue to near the Opening Ceremonies, Mintenko says this event is all about showing off our incredible region and the beautiful facilities that will be used.

"It is incredible the amount of support and funding that we have been able to secure," said Mintenko. "This will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for so many athletes and that's what makes it so special."

Volunteer:

More than 500 people have already registered to volunteer for the week-long event. With this said, Mintenko says more are still needed.

You can register to volunteer by visiting Bryan at City Hall or you can also call him at 204-250-2166 or you can email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

"We're still looking, we could use a few hundred more," offered Mintenko. "I'm not sure we will get to our goal of 1000, but if we can get to 800, that would be great."

Every volunteer who registers before June 1 will be put into a draw for a $1000 prize to the Elkhorn Resort and Spa, located in the beautiful Riding Mountain National Park, which is just south of Dauphin.

In some other exciting news, you can get yourself decked out thanks to the Summer Games merchandise store and you can also secure your 50/50 tickets here. 

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Contributed by Darnell Duff

Published: May 23, 2024 - 11:03 am

An 18-year-old from Dauphin, a 16-year-old from Duck Bay, and a 15-year-old from Camperville are all facing a slew of charges.

On May 19 at about 3:15 a.m., the Winnipegosis RCMP conducted a traffic stop in Minegoziibe Anishinabe First Nation. During this stop, drug paraphernalia was in plain view inside the vehicle. 

When officers searched the vehicle, illicit cannabis, crack cocaine in individual baggies, a sawed-off shotgun, a handgun, ammunition, black ski masks, Canadian currency, and drug paraphernalia were all found.

As a result, Damien Moosetail, along with a 16-year-old from Duck Bay, and a 15-year-old from Camperville have been charged with Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking Cocaine, Possession of Cannabis for Selling, Possession of a Weapon for a Dangerous Purpose, Possession of a Weapon Obtained by Crime, and several other firearms offences.

All three remain in custody. 

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Contributed by Darnell Duff

Published: May 22, 2024 - 1:23 pm

The Parkland Chamber of Commerce is preparing for their final lunch and learn event of the season, which will take place next Tuesday at the Watson Arts Centre.

Executive Director Stephen Chychota thinks it will be a topic of keen interest to everyone in the business sector.

 "Everyone has payment processing, they have a cyber presence, they have digital items like their phones. So there is a slant to it that we are going to be talking about online security and the risks of that and the frauds that can potentially come."

Richard Bankert will discuss these topics, while representatives from the Digital Manitoba Initiative will also be making a presentation during this event. 

"To give us a rundown on what Manitoba businesses have they been doing over the past few years to adapt more technology into their businesses.  Where are they putting those investments and taking on new technologies or made those steps and progress.  It is kind of in that lens that technology does not drive your business, that you have to use the technology in a way that makes your business thrive." 

 You can register for this event by this Friday through the Parkland Chamber's website. 

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Contributed by Jeff Henson

Published: May 22, 2024 - 12:55 pm

CAA's 13th annual Manitoba Worst Roads Campaign has wrapped up for another year.

CAA's Ewald Friesen was excited to announce the title of Manitoba's Worst Road.

"We have to announce that dubious distinction this year goes out to 18th Street out in Brandon. #1 Worst Road."

Here's the full list of the top 10 worst roads:

1. 18th Street, Brandon
2. Leila Avenue, Winnipeg
3. PR 307, Whiteshell
4. Kenaston Boulevard, Winnipeg
5. PTH 26, Saint François Xavier
6. Empress Street, Winnipeg
7. Pandora Avenue, Winnipeg
8. Saskatchewan Avenue, Winnipeg
9. Grant Avenue and Munroe Avenue, Winnipeg
10. Inkster Boulevard and Richmond Avenue, Winnipeg

There were a couple of roadways in the  parkland areas that appeared on the list, namely Main street in Russel and Provincial Road 274 in Gilbert Plains.

Friesen hopes the level of involvement sparks some action from the provincial government.

"This year, we had 71 different municipalities participate in the campaign, and together they nominated 486 different potential worst roads. So that tells us there's no shortage of frustration out there."

It's not all bad news, as Friesen said some names have disappeared from the list.

"there are some success stories. for instance, highway 75 out in Morris, the province announced a $61 million investment to repair the road. year over year, St.James in here in Winnipeg, it was in our top 10 list, we dont hear about it any more."

 The next step for CAA is to take this information to the provincial Government to let them know which roads need the most work, and what work is the most important to the citizens of Manitoba.

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Contributed by Michael Brossart

Published: May 22, 2024 - 11:44 am

Corporal Richard Janzen's stepfather was killed by a drunk driver.

You too may have had someone seriously injured or killed by someone under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Every day, on average, four Canadians are killed and 175 more are injured in impairment-related crashes.

It is estimated that between 1,250 and 1,500 people are killed each year by drivers who are under the influence. For Corporal Janzen, losing his stepfather was a nightmare. 

"We have taxis, you have friends, and you have family," said Janzen, who is a Traffic Services Officer with the Manitoba RCMP. "There are so many options. Driving while under the influence of alcohol is not okay."

Alcohol isn't the only thing; however. Many people these days are driving under the influence of Cannabis. Earlier this month, a 27-year-old female from Dauphin had her license suspended after being charged for Driving on the Opposite Side of the Roadway. She had tested positive for Cannabis. 

"As soon as we have a reasonable suspicion that someone is under the influence of a drug, we have a drug screening tool that we use," said Janzen. "It will test for the legal limit of Cannabis and other drugs. There is also a physical coordination test."

Janzen wants to re-iterate that the RCMP is on patrols 24/7 and if you are driving while under the influence, severe penalties can come.

These can include financial penalties but more importantly, you can severely injure yourself or someone else and in some cases, someone could be killed.

"We are out non-stop, especially with Mandatory Alcohol Screeing, officers are doing these at every stop," ended Janzen. "You would be surprised with how many impaired drivers we are getting from partying the night before."

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Contributed by Darnell Duff

Published: May 22, 2024 - 11:00 am

Week 20 of the Manitoba Crop Report saw a lot of rain throughout the week, slowing some seeding down, but not falling too far behind on the 5-year average.

Even the driest location in our area, Swan Valley, still saw 9 mm of rain, with Reedy Creek topping the chart at 67.8 mm.

Despite the rain, Provincial seeding progress is about 47% complete, slightly behind the 5-Year average of 52% for week 20.

Producers have focused on planting corn, which is 65% complete, cereals, at 70% complete and peas nearly done at 90% complete.

Canola planting has just started with roughly 20% of the acres planted.

Soil temperatures were adequately warm and the seeding of more sensitive crop types such as soybeans has begun, currently at 34% completion.

However, The Interlake region is behind other areas due to recent rains and sits at 30% complete.

Winter cereal fertilizer applications are complete with field survival at 85-95% and only a few fields terminated. Winter cereal stands are growing rapidly.

Spring wheat and barley are sitting at 77% complete across the province with the Central region being the most advanced at 85% complete. Early planted fields are in the 3 to 4 leaf stage.

Canola is about 1/5th complete, and Sunflowers are at 26% complete, but a slower start to oilseeds is noticeable from this moisture.

Field pea planting is at 90% completion across the province. The Interlake region however is only at 45% complete due to recent rains. Most of the pea acres in Manitoba are grown in the West and Northwest regions.

The rain was great news for livestock producers though, as Nearly all creeks, streams, dugouts, and sloughs have refilled to capacity.

Cattle feed levels hold for most producers, and many have put cows out to pasture to get them out of the muddy conditions.

Some cattle are being turned out to pasture where there is carryover forage or turned out with supplemental feed. More cattle will go out over the next 7 to 10 days. Producers want to ensure forage growth is adequate, 5-6” tall, before grazing.

As well, calving season is nearly wrapped up, but there's been an abundance of ticks, as well as the first few mosquitos. Both of which are sure to be a nuisance. 

In the Northwest Region, some seeding took place bumping our region to 40-45% complete. Field peas are nearly complete for seeding at 90% in our area, with some of the earliest planted fields emerging.

Precipitation came primarily in rain, but also in the form of hail in some areas. The highest accumulated precipitation amounts were in Reedy Creek and The Pas with 67 and 59mm, respectively.

Spring wheat seeding continues and is approximately 75% complete, and the earliest seeded wheat that has emerged, growing nicely.

Barley and oat seeding is approximately 30% complete. Canola seeding is 25% and soybean is 15% complete.

Winter wheat and fall rye crops are growing nicely, with a small amount of winterkill.

The weeds and volunteers are also growing though. Luckily, there have been some fair conditions for spraying Herbicides to help manage this issue.

This week should hopefully hold a little less rain so seeding can kick into high gear. Some cooler temperatures hopefully won't cause issues, as Thursday is forecasting 0 over night.

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Contributed by Michael Brossart

Published: May 22, 2024 - 6:00 am

It was a busy weekend for Dauphin RCMP as they worked hard to keep the City Safe.

Over the May long weekend, Dauphin RCMP made 4 separate traffic stops, all of which resulted in the seizure of drugs and weapons.

On May 17, a traffic stop was initiated on Mountain Road. Two of the three occupants of the vehicle were found to have outstanding warrants.

The investigation led to the arrest of all three occupants and the seizure of methamphetamine, cocaine, a cutting agent, Tramadol pills, drug paraphernalia, and Canadian and American currency.

Leslie McKay, age 42, Robert Chartrand, age 46 (both from pine creek, and April Bull, age 28, of Dauphin were arrested and are facing charges of Possession of Drugs for Trafficking for both cocaine and methamphetamine and Possession of Property Obtained by Crime.

They were remanded in custody.

Another stop took place May 18th on Mountain Road, and  One of the passengers was found to be wanted.

The investigation led to the arrest of all the occupants and the seizure of methamphetamine, crack cocaine, Gabapentin pills, drug paraphernalia, and Canadian currency.

Brian Houle, age 39; Sherise Hunter, age 33; and a 45-year-old male, all from Ebb and Flow First Nation, were arrested and are facing charges of Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking for both crack cocaine and methamphetamine, and Possession of Property Obtained by Crime.

Hunter, who had a warrant, and Houle were both remanded while the 45-year-old male was released with a court date.

On May 19, 2024, at approximately 2:05 am, a traffic stop was initiated with two vehicles associated to each other on 2^nd Street Southwest.

Investigation led to the arrest of all six occupants from both vehicles, and the seizure of a sawed-off rifle, an imitation handgun, methamphetamine, cocaine, a baton, and Canadian currency.

Four males, aged 16, 19, 32, and 38, and two females, aged 31 and 37, all of Swan River, are facing charges of Possession for Trafficking both cocaine and methamphetamine, Possession of Property Obtained by Crime, Possession of a Prohibited Firearm, and other weapons offenses.

All six individuals have been released with a court date.

And finally on May 19, 2024, at about 9:35 pm, a traffic stop was done Main Street.

Two males fled from the vehicle when it came to a stop. Officers located the two nearby and they were taken into custody.

A 25-year-old male from Dauphin was found in possession of cocaine, psilocybin, drug paraphernalia, and bear spray. He is facing charges of Possession for Trafficking both cocaine and psilocybin, Possession of Property Obtained by Crime, and Possession of a Weapon for a Dangerous Purpose.

A 15-year-old male from Dauphin was found to have bear spray. He is facing the charge of Possession of a Weapon for a Dangerous Purpose.

Both were released with court dates.

The total amount of drugs seized over the four traffic stops is more than 108 grams of cocaine, more than 105 grams of methamphetamine, and 30 grams of psilocybin.

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Contributed by Michael Brossart

Published: May 21, 2024 - 5:00 pm

Environment Canada meteorologists are tracking a severe thunderstorm.

This severe thunderstorm is moving east at 20 km/h, bringing lightning, high wind conditions, and up to nickel-sized hail.

Severe thunderstorm warnings are issued when imminent or occurring thunderstorms are likely to produce or are producing one or more of the following: large hail, damaging winds, and torrential rainfall.

This warning is in effect for the RMs of Dauphin, Sifton, Valley River, Gilbert Plains, and more.

Heavy downpours can cause flash floods and water pooling on roads.

Large hail can damage property and cause injury.

Strong wind gusts can toss loose objects, damage weak buildings, break branches off trees, and overturn large vehicles. Remember, severe thunderstorms can produce tornadoes.

Stay indoors, its going to be an intense storm.

If you're getting to much static over the AM airwaves, click the Listen Live button, as our online feed does not get any static!

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Contributed by Michael Brossart

Published: May 21, 2024 - 4:42 pm