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With the first snow of the season upon us, it may be time to start thinking about winter tires.
While it is possible to make it through the winter with all-season tires, most safety experts do not recommend it because they don’t grip ice or snow enough to help stop efficiently.
Winter tires, studded or not, increase grip on snow and ice which improves stopping distance. The reason their grip is better is that they are made from a softer rubber.
When it comes to deciding between studded and studless winter tires, it’s all a matter of preference.
Jason Kindlein, the Manager of Denray Tire in Dauphin, says that he, personally, likes studded tires because of the little bit of extra traction they provide.
“If you put a good winter tire on, it’s definitely going to be better,” said Kindlein. “If you’re doing lots of highway driving, where you could be hitting that black ice, I think the studs are definitely an advantage.”
Just because the snow has already fallen, it doesn’t mean that it’s too late to install winter tires. Kindlein said that any time after the beginning of October is a good time.
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- Contributed by Josh Sigurdson
The Government of Manitoba has issued a wind warning for Lake Dauphin, Lake Winnipegosis, and Lake Manitoba.
Wind speed and wave action could raise levels by as much as five feet or more.
Property owners are advised to take precautions.
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- Contributed by Josh Sigurdson
For the first time since cannabis was legalized, the prices have been cut, but not enough to be cheaper than illegal pot.
According to StatsCanada the price for legal cannabis fell 6.4 per cent this quarter, to $7.37 per gram.
Illicit marijuana fell 5.9 per cent and remains cheaper, at $5.59 per gram.
StatsCanada gathered the prices from its StatsCannabis crowdsourcing app and urges caution in interpreting the data.
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- Contributed by Isaac Wihak
In a recent report done by MPI, hundreds of Manitoba drivers have admitted to angry driving.
Of the 1,500 people surveyed, 3 in 10 drivers admitted they committed acts of road rage after feeling angry.
In response to the study, MPI is launching a campaign this month called “Friendly Manitoba”.
The campaign is designed to bring awareness to the dangers of driving angry. Angry drivers are 35 percent more likely to cause or get into a collision.
The study also found that 4 in 10 drivers admitted to weaving in and out of traffic, and nearly three-quarters of the people surveyed admitted to speeding up on a yellow light.
While there is no collision data tracked specifically to feelings of anger while driving, repeat high-risk driving behaviours and subsequent convictions (i.e. dangerous driving, speeding, and at-fault collisions) can result in a driver’s licence suspension. Suspensions impact an individual’s placement on the Driver Safety Rating (DSR). While the majority of Manitoba drivers have a +15 rating and receive a 33 percent discount off their Basic Autopac premium, more than 2,000 drivers are at the bottom of the scale with a -20 rating and $3,000 driver’s licence surcharge.
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- Contributed by Josh Sigurdson
For the first time this fall, many areas in the Parkland are under a Snowfall Warning, including Dauphin.
The warning is in effect for the following areas:
- Gilbert Plains Municipality including Ashville.
- Grandview Municipality including Valley River Reserve.
- Mossey River Municipality including Winnipegosis and Fork River.
- Mun. of Ethelbert including Garland.
- Mun. of Roblin includingMakaroff Shortdale and Bield.
- Mun. of Russell-Binscarth including Gambler Res.
- R.M. of Dauphin including Sifton and Valley River.
- R.M. of Lakeshore including Ochre River and Makinak.
- R.M. of Lakeshore including Rorketon and Toutes Aides.
- R.M. of Riding Mountain West including Asessippi Provincial Park.
Anyone in or near those areas should be on the lookout for adverse weather conditions and take the necessary safety precautions.
Click here for the full statements from Environment Canada.
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- Contributed by Darnell Duff
Yesterday afternoon, around 1:30 pm, Blue Hills RCMP responded to a farm accident.
The accident happened just east of Highway 464, near Brookdale, 29 km south of Neepawa.
A 73-year-old male was caught in a large piece of farming equipment and was pronounced dead on scene.
Workplace Health and Safety has been notified, and RCMP continue to investigate.
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- Contributed by Josh Sigurdson
All schools in the Swan Valley School Division are closed today because of an anonymous email threat.
The email was sent Monday afternoon to the Swan Valley Regional Secondary School. The writer threatened to cause harm to students and staff at the school.
RCMP were called and the school was put into hold-and-secure protocol, which means that classes continued as normal, but no one was allowed to enter the school.
CEO of the school division, Jon Zilkey, stated in a notice that other schools were notified of the threat.
Zilkey added that at no time did any incident occur at the schools that put students and staff in danger.
After consulting with the RCMP, the division decided to close all seven schools today, including the division office, and bus garage.
The nature of the threat has not been shared as the investigation is ongoing, but the school division will update everyone about planning for Wednesday.
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- Contributed by Josh Sigurdson
The Government of Manitoba announced yesterday that it will be investing nearly $3 million to enhance mental health and addiction education programs for children and youth.
The investment is part of the province’s comprehensive approach to improving mental health and addictions programming.
The announcement includes three new initiatives from the province, totalling an investment of $2.94 million over three years, which includes:
- $823,000 to the NorWest Youth Hub to increase mental health and addictions counselling, Indigenous cultural supports, primary health care, as well as recreation and training opportunities for youth aged 14 to 24;
- $621,000 to Project 11, which provides virtual and in-person lessons and activities designed to improve mental health awareness and positive coping strategies for students in Kindergarten to Grade 8;
- $1.5 million to expand the distribution of Thrival Kits to Grades 4 to 6 students across the province.
In Manitoba, 1 in 4 people aged 10 and older have a diagnosed mood or anxiety disorder. 75 percent of mental health onsets happen before the age of 24.
The province invested $566 million last year towards mental health and addictions.
Over 100 mental health and addictions initiatives have been implemented across all governments since 2016.
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- Contributed by Josh Sigurdson
Ceto, the Manitoba First Nation Police Service’s police dog continues her hot streak.
MFNPS responded to a call on the Waywayseecappo First Nation, about the possible sighting of a wanted man.
After finding the man, he fled through the basement window of a home. Ceto tracked the man for 200 metres until he gave himself up.
34-year-old Gary Shingoose, from Waywayseecappo, faces 23 charges, including assault with a weapon, failing to comply with sex offender registry, breaking and entering, and uttering threats.
He is due in Brandon court to face the charges.
Since starting her career in the spring, Ceto has been involved in over 30 arrests.
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- Contributed by Josh Sigurdson
The amount you have to pay to drive could be going down come March.
Manitoba Public Insurance is asking the Public Utilities Board for an average reduction of 0.6 percent.
"We have a commitment to reduce operating costs and that's one reason why we're hoping this will happen," said Brian Smiley with Manitoba Public Insurance.
The rate decrease for more than 800,000 private passenger vehicles would be an average of 0.9 percent if MPI's proposal is accepted.
On the negative, motorcycle premiums would increase an average of 5.1 percent.
If accepted, the new rates would take effect on March 1, 2020.
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- Contributed by Darnell Duff
Love and Persson Group is hosting a fundraiser for the Alzheimer Society this week.
Make Your Coffee Count takes place from 8:30 am to 5 pm on Thursday and Friday.
The goal of the event is to bring awareness to the number of people affected by Alzheimer’s in the Parkland.
Love and Persson will be serving coffee and cookies, and will also have a donation box.
Love and Persson is located at 101 Main Street North in Dauphin.
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- Contributed by Josh Sigurdson
