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We continue to look back on the incredible work of the Parkland Ukrainian Family Fund.

While this is a "fund", there was a great deal more than the money offered in the way of support.

Father Brent Kuzyk worked tirelessly to help ease the souls escaping a harsh reality to come to the peaceful Parkland.

"For them to make the decision to leave their country, everything that was familiar to them behind and resettle here permanently, that has it's spiritual and emotional challenges. That is where the church and the church comes in. It provides a sense of stability, it provides faith, it provides real grounding for them, again, emotionally and spiritually."

Father Kuzyk worked closely with the Family Fund to ensure that incoming families found support from a community whenever they needed it.

Offering both means of communication and council, Father Kuzyk was filled with joy knowing he could offer his help to the Family Fund through translation and time.

Father Kuzyk says that this effort only works because of the support of the community.

"I want to thank the whole community at large. Every ethnic group in town, every peoples, every individual has been welcoming. whether it's the industries in town, those who have been hiring, whether it's the people for the past two plus years who've been donating to the Parkland Ukrainian fund, whether it's those donating furniture, vehicles, their homes, clothing, it has been fantastic."

We'll highlight another facet of the Parkland Ukrainian Family fund tomorrow.

Tomorrow, we take a look at the experience of leaving a home and being welcomed to a new one.

The Watson Art Centre was once again a hub of activity as the State of the City Address took place over the lunch hour.

The lunch started with introductions from the Parkland Chamber of Commerce's Stephen Chychota, a brief overview of the funding dispersed by the Dauphin and District Community Foundation this year.

Then, Dauphin's Mayor David Bosiak took the podium to talk about the current state of, and more importantly the vision for the future of, Dauphin.

"Sustained, regular growth. Manageable growth. The sense that we'd love the community to 'boom' but we don't want to get into a 'boom-bust' cycle."

As part of these collaborative goals, Bosiak spoke highly of the "boulders" of culture, and the power they hold in working together.

"We're combining the weekend experiences of Ukrainian Festival and CountryFest with the regular ongoing experience of Northgate as our three main boulders or pillars of our adventure experience strategy."

There was also a brief look at the budget, announced previously, which contained a lot of spending for community safety and cultural development.

Update: Ronal Gabriel has been safely located.

The RCMP would like to thank the public for their assistance in this effort.

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The Dauphin RCMP has received a report of a missing man from Dauphin.

Ronald Adam Gabriel, 48, was missing. He was last seen on May 1, 2024, on Buchanon Avenue, which turns into Highway 5. He was hitchhiking from Dauphin, believed to be headed to Saskatoon.

The report came in on May 12, at approximately 11:20 am.

Standing 6 feet tall and weighing approximately 160 pounds, Gabriel was last seen wearing a grey sweater, black pants with a white stripe, and grey runners. He was carrying a bag.

Gabriel is known to travel, but it is out of character for him to not have contact with his family. His family and police are concerned for his well-being.

If you have information, please call Daupin RCMP at 204-622-5020, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477, or secure tip online at www.manitobacrimestoppers.com.

Manitoba Lieutenant Governor Anita Neville will present the annual Lieutenant Governor's Historical Preservation and Promotion awards Tuesday night to five recipients, including one from the Parkland.

Grandview Municipality Mayor Lyle Morran says he was completely surprised when he received the call about the award from the Lieutenant Governor herself.

"I almost hung up on her.  I just thought it was another one of these scam calls.  But I did notice on my phone that it did say something about government, so I just kept talking a little longer and realized that it was for real and that I was talking to the Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba."

Morran believes he is being recognized for work on the T.A. Burrows building at the Watson-Crossley Museum. 

"It is an unreal building.  Anyone that comes into it can not believe that we got that kind of a building in such a small community.  If it was not for the help of the Burrows Lumber Company and the descendants of Theodore Arthur Burrows, it would never be here,  They had a big part in it.  We definitely could not have afforded that kind of building."

Morran thinks it is great that work on a museum project outside of Winnipeg is being recognized, and he hopes this award helps promote history and museums throughout the Parkland region. 

In 2011, the provincial government instituted a new law called 'Slow Down and Move Over'.

This law is aimed at keeping emergency services personnel safe while they are on duty. Whether it be ambulance, fire, or police, safety is the name of the game. 

According to many operators, these rules are not being followed. CAA Manitoba recently conducted a survey and the results are in. 85 percent of Manitoba drivers are aware of what the 'Slow Down and Move Over' law is, but only 41 percent of those could pick out the correct definition of what the law truly is. 

The survey also found that a third of drivers confuse this law with the requirement that you pull over when an emergency vehicle is passing you from behind. These two laws are completely different, but both can come with hefty fines and even suspensions.

When it comes to the 'Slow Down and Move Over' law, Ewald Friesen with CAA Manitoba says it's an easy law to abide by.

"If you see an emergency vehicle ahead of you on the road, drop your speed by half the posted speed limit," said Friesen. 

Fines for not adhering to the laws are very serious. They can include the suspension of your license for up to one year and fines could total up to two thousand dollars. 

CAA's survey also found that 95 percent of drivers will slow down when they see a police vehicle, 93 percent will slow down when they see an ambulance, and 89 percent when they see a fire truck. This number significantly drops when people see a tow truck that is working. 

While 95, 93, and 89 percent may seem high, Friesen says these numbers are still far too low and drivers must slow down when they come across emergency vehicles.

"It is imperative that we slow down and move over, it is as simple as that," offered Friesen. "If you are doing more than 80 km/h, drop your speed to 60 and if you are doing less than 80 km/h, drop your speed to 40."

Over the last decade in North America, there have been 100 tow truck fatalities.

"These are all avoidable if drivers show caution on the road," ended Friesen. 

So the next time you're driving and spot an emergency vehicle ahead of you with its lights on, slow down and move over. It could save you your license, and your pocketbook, and most importantly, it could save a life. 

On May 11, 2024, around 4:10 a.m., Swan River RCMP received reports of a man wielding a weapon and threatening people in Sapotaweyak Cree Nation.

The suspect then took a family member's vehicle, possibly hitting someone on an ATV. Police located and attempted to stop him, but he fled, driving recklessly.

After crashing the vehicle, he was apprehended with the help of community members.

Errol Leask, 26, faces multiple charges, including Dangerous Operation of a Motor Vehicle and Possession of a Weapon for a Dangerous Purpose. No collision involving an ATV was confirmed, and the investigation continues.

Over the past two years, The Parkland has brought well over 200 people to our area.

So many of them have given back and helped grow Dauphin and the Parkland's economy.

Mike Csversko, with Fusion Credit Union, was thrilled that they could help with the fund.

"In terms of helping them get settled in, whether that's finding places to live or even financing their first homes, it's very heart-warming to see the look on their face when they walk out the door knowing that they're homeowners. It's quite a special feeling."

Csversko was also excited to support some new entrepreneurs through the Fusion Infusion program.

We have seen some Ukrainian businesses, some start-ups, who have applied through that program. It's great that they're here for the long-term and settling down. They're starting their businesses, they're hiring people. Definitely encourage them to continue to grow. We need entrepreneurs in our community, and that's kind of the life blood, those small businesses that create employment and keep the economy moving.

Fusion Credit Union played a key role in accepting donations and managing the money, dispersing it to the newcomers who needed it.

Ted Wojtowicz is all about the community.

If any group in the community needs a helping hand, Ted will be there. For the past 25 years, Ted has been a part of the Dauphin Lions Club. 25 years volunteering is certainly something to be very proud of and just recently, Ted received recognition for all his hard work and efforts with the Lions Club.

He received a 25-year pin.

"I'm grateful that they showed appreciation," said Wojtowicz. "They always have. We have many members that have been volunteering for a long time as well."

Ted worked at the post office for more than 30 years before retiring 12 years ago. Ever since, Wojtowicz has remained just as busy as he was when he was working. While it was nice to get the recognition that he did, Ted says he doesn't volunteer with the goal of getting recognition, he does it because he cares and he loves what he does.

"I love helping the community and people that need help," offered Wojtowicz. "There are people out there that need help and that's what we are here for."

For the past 22 years, Ted has visited all of the schools in Dauphin and the Ochre River area. There, he visits grade one students and gives them a certificiate to go along with a flag. This is something that is near and dear to Ted's heart.

"It's great to see the kids smile all the time, I look forward to my visits every year," said Wojtowicz. "I've had a few teachers that I gave out a certificate and flag to like 20 years ago and they still remember receiving it. It's always something that I love to do."

25 years done and just as busy as ever, Ted is looking forward to continuing to give back to the community in anyway possible.

"It's a great club to be a part of, I love being a part of the Lions Club," ended Wojtowicz.  

On top of visiting schools every year, Ted has volunteered as security at Dauphin Kings games for the past six years. Throughout the year, the Lions Club hosts fundraisers and local organizations like the Allied Art Centre and Peter Pan Nursery benefit thanks to financial donations. 

Sunrise Credit Union recently completed the 12th edition of its "Our Manitoba" photo contest.

This year's winner hails from Arborg, as Corinne Einarsson's entry was selected from 30 finalists in a one-week, online vote.

Einarsson's entry, called "The Old Train Station", is a photo taken last summer of the train station in Riverton.

In a news release, Einarsson said it was an incredible feeling that her photo resonated with the judges and audience, adding she is grateful and humbled by the recognition.

A total of 433 photos were submitted which was whittled down to 30 finalists by a panel of Sunrise Credit Union staff.

Einarsson will receive a $500, one-year term deposit from SCU, while her photo will be profiled on SCU's branch TVs and social media channels, as well as on their 2025 calendar. 

Two of the four people arrested following a February weapon and drug bust in Dauphin have had new court dates set.

40-year-old Roland Klyne of The Key First Nation returns to Dauphin Court today, while 39-year-old Cody Genaille of Brandon will be back in court in that city on May 23rd.

Meanwhile, one of three people arrested in connection with three armed robberies in Dauphin back in March has also had a new court date set.

24-year-old Mallory Catcheway of Brandon has had her matters adjourned to May 28.

The new commanding officer for the Manitoba RCMP has been in his new role for just over two weeks and brings 34 years of experience with the Red Surge to the position.

Assistant Commissioner Scott McMurchy was born in Rossburn and raised in The Pas, and considers it to be a great privilege and honour to be the province's new top cop. 

 "(Thank you to) the citizens of Manitoba for their support. I really appreciate this opportunity being from Manitoba.  I am very invested in Manitoba and continuing in my role to support our front-line officers and our folks out there that are working in communities across this province, and providing them the tools and resources necessary to keep communities safe."

McMurchy sees staffing as being the biggest challenge facing RCMP in Manitoba.

But he adds that headway is being made in this area. 

"We are very fortunate here in recent months to gain employees from other police services in Manitoba and outside of Manitoba joining us as experienced officers.  And just in terms of talking to my recruiting team here in Manitoba it looks like it will take some time, but the tide is turning here with the wrapup of our training academy at Depot in Regina, where we are starting to see now some new members coming back into Manitoba."