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**UPDATE**
Kristen Roulette has been located safely and the Manitoba First Nations Police Service thanks the public for their assistance.
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Manitoba First Nations Police Service is requesting the public’s assistance in finding a 25-year-old woman from Sandy Bay First Nation.
Kristen Roulette was last seen in Sandy Bay First Nation on December 24th.
Roulette is described as First Nations, 5 feet 5 inches tall, slender build, and dark hair. She was last seen wearing black/white pants, red sweater, black/white jacket, red bandana (similar to photo provided).
Police say they have some information that she may be in Winnipeg but this has not been confirmed.
Police are concerned for her well- being and are asking anyone with information regarding her whereabouts to contact Manitoba First Nations Police Service, Sandy Bay Detachment at 204-843-7700.
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- Contributed by Josh Sigurdson
The Parkland is under an Extreme Cold Warning.
In Dauphin, Environment Canada is saying we should expect a low of minus 33 tonight. With wind chill at minus 34 in the evening and minus 39 overnight.
Extreme wind chills are forecast to exceed -40 in most of southern Manitoba, and -45 in northern Manitoba.
These types of warnings are issued when very cold temperatures or wind chill create an elevated health risk.
If you are planning to go outside Environment Canada suggests being on the lookout for adverse weather conditions and take necessary safety precautions.
Things should warm up by Wednesday.
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- Contributed by Josh Sigurdson
The Grandview Legion is hosting their New Year’s Eve Party.
Lauren Thompson is the musical guest for the evening.
It’s a special night because he could be close to retiring and the Grandview Legion won’t be able to book him again.
The Party is an all-around get together for anyone who wants to come out.
There will be a door prize as well.
They will be giving rides home for free to anyone in the Grandview and, maybe the Gilbert Plains area.
It costs 15 dollars to attend, there will be a lunch served during the evening.
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- Contributed by Isaac Wihak
Rural Cell phone coverage is a priority for the provincial NDP in the New Year.
NDP leader Wab Kinew says one of the big issues he’s been interested in lately is cell phone affordability and service for Manitobans.
“One of the priorities for me as the leader of the NDP is to take steps at the Leg to try and make cell phone bills more affordable, and also to push the cell phone providers to increase the amount of coverage.”
Kinew says emergency alerts are a big issue that needs to be addressed.
If people are going to keep paying so much, they should be getting the emergency alerts. He mentioned incidents like the Alonsa Tornado as one example of where more people needed to receive the warning.
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- Contributed by Josh Sigurdson
A woman who grew up in Russell was shot and killed by Calgary police on Christmas day.
29-year-old Stacey Perry was shot after several hours of erratic driving that started after midnight on the 25th.
Police say it was decided to box the car in after she began driving into oncoming traffic.
Police say she was trying to use her vehicle as a weapon and Global News learned that an officer fired his gun at the woman to save another officer from harm.
The police officer fired his weapon after telling the driver to stop and take her foot off the gas.
Calgary police have not provided any more information on a motivation for her actions.
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- Contributed by Josh Sigurdson
Snowmobile trails are open around the Parkland.
Al Butler, President of Snowman, says right now the Intermountain Club has groomed trails around the Grandview and Gilbert Plains area.
More are opening soon.
“In the Russell area, we’ll be opening up some trails in the next day or so. So I think it’s progressively happening. They’re not just going to all happen all at once.”
“With the little additional snow that we’ve had in the last two or three days, I think you’ll find the trails progressively opened. The forecast is indicating that we’re going to get some more snow through the week and this coming weekend. So if that happens, I think you’ll see some trials opening up.”
Snowman has an interactive map they’ve developed to show which trails have been groomed.
You can get to the map by clicking here.
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- Contributed by Josh Sigurdson
The flu numbers are rising this year.
The best way to avoid getting the flu is still to get immunized.
If you didn’t get immunized, check with your local public health nurse, local pharmacy or medical clinic.
If you have the flu, avoid spreading it by staying home, avoiding contact with other people, as well as practicing good coughing, and coughing or sneezing into the bend of your arm.
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- Contributed by Isaac Wihak
With the year wrapping up Robert Sopuck is looking at 2019 and anticipates there are a number of issues we’ll be dealing with.
“The issue of Canada’s competitiveness is extremely important. We’re starting to see foreign investment leave this country. For example, I think, Encana Pipelines has closed down their head office in Calgary. We saw the closure of the GM plant in Oshawa. There could be some major economic headwinds coming towards us.”
Crime is also a big issue for the Parkland, and in 2018 it hit home for Sopuck.
“We had the shooting in the Onanole area, and I live quite close to there. Friends and neighbours were involved in that, and it was a very frightening time for people. I can’t have anything but praise for the police officers who were the first responders, one of course was injured, and they caught the criminals.”
He says the problem of crime is always there but, hopefully, they can stay on top of it in 2019.
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- Contributed by Josh Sigurdson
Around 4000 vehicles were checked in Week Three of the RCMP’s Holiday Checkstop Program.
68 checkstops were conducted all over the province with 21 people charged with Impaired Driving because of alcohol.
The highest blood/alcohol reading was almost three times the legal limit and driver was found with a .220.
During the week that ran between the 17th and the 23rd, there were six alcohol-related tiered suspensions and one drug-related tiered suspension.
Two people were charged with Refusing a Breath Demand.
12 people were charged with improper storage of alcohol or cannabis in a vehicle.
There was also no fatal traffic-related collisions during week three.
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- Contributed by Josh Sigurdson
Manitoba Public Insurance released their top five fraud cases of the year.
They estimate that auto insurance fraud costs $50 million a year and broken down that’s about $50 for each ratepayer.
Suspicious claims are handled by Manitoba Public Insurance’s Special Investigation Unit. As of the end of this November, claims savings are more than $10 million with the SIU closing 1,600 investigations.
Here is their list:
No. 1: “Comic Con Job”
A devout fan of Comic-Con, the 25-year-old woman was observed walking around Winnipeg’s Convention Centre for six hours, enjoying her favourite superheroes, wizards, spaceships, and zombies. An investigator also observed the woman going on numerous shopping trips and driving the two-hour round trip from her rural home to Winnipeg.
Just one problem: the woman was collecting income replacement payments after stating she was unable to work due to injuries from a motor vehicle collision. She told her MPI case manager she could only walk a maximum of 15 minutes before getting dizzy and was unable to drive for long periods of time. After receiving information via the Tips Line, an investigation was opened.
With all the conclusive evidence in hand, Manitoba Public Insurance terminated the woman’s income replacement payments and demanded repayment of $34,000 in benefits already paid out.
No. 2: “Polite Arsonist”
The registered owner opened a theft claim, telling her MPI adjuster she had given her car to her 22-year-old son, who reported the keys were stolen while he was attending a house party. The truth would become evident days later thanks to a number of witnesses, who had quite the story to share with police and MPI investigators.
One witness stated that while driving down a road in rural Manitoba around 7 a.m., he was shocked to see a man deliberately light a fire within his vehicle which was parked in a ditch.
As the vehicle quickly became engulfed in flames, the witness stopped and asked if the man was okay. The young man replied, “Yes, thanks. And have a nice day,” before running off into the bush. The witness contacted RCMP.
The investigation would also uncover that the same vehicle had been involved in a hit-and-run collision the previous evening in Winnipeg. After being awoken by the loud crash, a neighbour quickly attended to the crash site where he came upon a young man who told the neighbour “not to speak to police.”
The man, who appeared highly intoxicated, then quickly drove away in a Dodge Nitro ─ the same vehicle which was burned hours later in the rural ditch.
Police showed photos of several individuals to the witnesses, who were able to conclusively identify the driver. With the evidence in hand the claim was denied for false statement, resulting in a savings of $57,000 to Manitoba Public Insurance ratepayers.
No. 3: “Breakfast Blunder!”
The registered owner of the vehicle opened a total theft claim with her MPI adjuster after police found her vehicle badly damaged. She reported she had given her vehicle to her son, who told MPI staff he had gone for breakfast with his brother at a downtown hotel. The son, 45, claimed that after breakfast he went to the washroom while his brother also left their table to play VLTs.
The son presumed an opportunistic thief must have taken the vehicle keys out of his unattended sweater which had been left on a chair.
The man’s story quickly unravelled when hotel staff confirmed the restaurant hadn’t served breakfast in a number of years and the brother stated he hadn’t seen his brother in over nine months.
MPI subsequently filed a Statement of Claim for repayment of the $22,800 already paid.
No. 4: “Not So Jolly Christmas Party”
The Winnipeg man told his adjuster that while he and his girlfriend were attending a Christmas party, someone stole his vehicle from a parking lot. He confirmed that he was missing a key. The man’s Dodge Journey was recovered not far from the man’s residence ─ badly damaged after crashing into a tree.
An investigation was launched after several suspicious circumstances came to light. Investigators would learn the man and his girlfriend did return home from the party, with the male appearing highly intoxicated and agitated. Shortly after arriving home the 22-year-old vehicle owner was seen driving off in his vehicle.
When presented with all the facts the vehicle owner withdrew their claim. Savings to Manitoba Public Insurance ratepayers: $22,600.
No. 5: “Vehicle Technology Tells All”
Thanks to an anonymous call to MPI’s Tips Line, Autopac ratepayers were saved nearly $40,000.
The vehicle owner opened a claim after his 2014 Nissan Titan was badly damaged after crashing into a ditch in rural Manitoba. The man claimed that he was driving at the time of the crash. However, due to tips/information provided, investigators believed the man’s wife was actually driving and was heavily intoxicated at the time of the crash. However, police were unable to place her at the crash.
The vehicle owner was told that the vehicle’s onboard Crash Data Recorder had been removed and staff with MPI’s Training and Research Unit were going to download the data which would confirm occupants’ weight in the front seat at the time of the crash. The man then withdrew his claim.
Anyone with information about auto insurance fraud is encouraged to call the Manitoba Public Insurance TIPS Line: 204-985-8477 or toll-free 1-877-985-8477. All calls are anonymous.
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- Contributed by Josh Sigurdson
The City of Dauphin installed a new sign in Vermillion Park to show off our Canada 150 trees.
Last year Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba Janice Filmon donated five Regal Celebration Trees to Dauphin.
“They are planted in Vermillion Park towards the east end of where the camping is, or the loop where people can drive through the park. Part of the cities commitment to this donation was to put up a sign saying what the trees are and to acknowledge who gave them to us and why they are there.”
Sharla Griffiths says Dauphin was one of only 6 locations outside of Winnipeg to get the trees.
The sign was designed, constructed, and installed by Graphic Factory.
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- Contributed by Josh Sigurdson
