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Another great way to enjoy some winter time in Riding Mountain National Park has arrived.

Fireside Fridays is a weekly event that takes place at the Visitor Centre from 6 to 9 in the evening. Each Friday of the month will have a different activity. The first Friday of the month will be a trivia night, the second will be a movie night, the third will be a board game night, and the fourth Friday will be an open mic night which will also feature Indigenous performers from the area.

Snacks and beverages like beer and wine will be available for purchase but attending the events themselves is completely free. There will also be free hot chocolate by the fire to help you warm up during the cold months.

You can make Fireside Fridays part of your weekend experience in the park which is open year-round like the Visitor Centre. There is a new skating rink and trail behind the Visitors Centre which is a bit more sheltered from the cold. There are also many opportunities for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, and more.

The Visitor Centre is also available for rentals thanks to some recent renovations. You can book it for things like meetings and holiday office parties. Click here for more information.

It is Remembrance Day today which is observed on the 11th day of November to mark the formal end of hostilities during World War I "at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month" of 1918. Hours before then, an armistice was signed between Germany and the Entente Powers. The war itself would officially come to an end with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles on June 28th of 1919.

There are ceremonies for Remembrance Day taking place around the Parkland. In Dauphin, a commemoration service will get underway at Credit Union Place at 10:45 this morning followed by the Remembrance Day Cenotaph Service at Memorial Boulevard at noon.

Services are also scheduled in places like McCreary, Roblin, Winnipegosis, Kinisota, and Gilbert Plains. See our community calendar for information for each of them.

The Province of Manitoba has announced a $200,000,000 dollar investment to help with healthcare professionals' retention, training, and recruitment. The program will end mandated overtime, and add 2,000 healthcare professionals to the provincial system.

Premier Heather Stefanson and Health Minister Audrey Gordon made the announcement this afternoon. Stefanson says Manitobans and all Canadians expect their leaders to solve issues that matter the most.

“While all jurisdictions are facing significant human health resources challenges, and while we continue to wait for the federal government to come to the table to increase its share of health funding, we are taking the necessary action here in Manitoba to strengthen our health system now and well into the future.”

Gordon says when coming up with the three-pillared plan, they met with officials through all levels of the healthcare system.

“We will continue to work with all levels of health care from leadership to front-line workers to gather feedback and ideas to improve the health-care system for those employed within it and for all Manitobans.”

The first pillar is retention, which will ensure those working in the system are supported and continue to provide safe, reliable, and accessible services. The second pillar is training healthcare staff at all levels, and the Third is recruiting those who are currently qualified and wish to practice in Manitoba by reducing barriers and making it easier to do so.

Co-op Food Store

Friday, November 11th - Open from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Co-op Main Street Gas Bar 

Friday, November 11th - Open from 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Co-op Mountain Road Gas Bar 

Friday, November 11th - Open from 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

All other Dauphin/Ste. Rose Co-op locations are closed on Remembrance Day.

Dauphin Liquor Mart

Friday, November 11th - Open from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Fusion Credit Union

Friday, November 11th - Closed

The Dauphin Marketplace Mall

Friday, November 11th - Open from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Walmart

Friday, November 11th - Open from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Safeway

Friday, November 11th - Open from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.

No Frills

Friday, November 11th - Open from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m.

City of Dauphin

Friday, November 11th - Closed

Dauphin Rec Services

Friday, November 11th - Open for the Remembrance Day Service, All Facilities Closed.

Dauphin Clinic Pharmacy

Friday, November 11th - Open from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.

Super Thrifty Pharmacy

Friday, November 11th - On call for emergencies between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m.

Call 204-638-3702 between those times for assistance.

Dauphin Vet Clinic

Friday, November 11th - Closed

When the clinic is closed, a vet is on call for emergencies at 204-638-3208.

Canada Post

Friday, November 11th - Closed

The Dauphin Friendship Centre is preparing for another year of the Coldest Night of the Year Fundraiser which starts December 1st.

As they get ready, volunteers are needed to help make the event a success. Jarri Thompson from the Friendship Centre says there are a number of positions that need to be filled.

"Currently we are recruiting team captains and a variety of volunteers including route management, check-in management, start and finish teams, drivers for safety suites, and that's just to name a few, there are many within that."

Thompson says they have pamphlets available that go over the details of each position for anyone that is wanting more information. This is the second year the Friendship Centre has been a part of the fundraiser, and Thompson says it was really successful last year.

"The funds from this fundraiser will go to our Food for Thought Program. Last year we were able to raise a little over eleven thousand, and that money went towards the cost of food, as well as new cooking ware, we got a new range and new deep fryer."

Thompson says this year they're hoping to update their kitchen with the funds raised.

"The funds that we do raise, and the funds that we do get from the government, that pretty much just goes to the cost of covering the food. We've been running this program for 35 years, our kitchen is outdated, and we would love to update that."

To get involved, you can reach out to the DFC at 204-638-5707 and ask for Jarri, or go to the fundraiser's page here.

Representatives from the Dauphin Derailleurs Cycle Club (DDCC) and Fusion Credit Union gathered at the Northgate Trails Tuesday to celebrate the completion of the Fusion Flow Zone.

The Fusion Flow Zone — located near the Selo Ukraina site — is an elite-level 5-kilometre competition cycle trail that is part of the larger Northgate Trail System.

DDCC Infrastructure Chair Clayton Swanton says that the trail's name comes from its shape.

"All the trails [in the Fusion Flow Zone] are coming out of the escarpment on a downhill trajectory and have a lot of flow to them... When you're on a bike or even you're walking or running on them, you can really feel the flow of the trail," he adds.

Swanton went on to say that it will be open year-round for all kinds of users.

"It's a multi-use trail. We very sincerely mean it when we say it's for hikers...snowshoers, [and] people on foot, to be shared with cyclists... In the couple [of] years we've had these trails open, everybody's really been able to co-use this space together. We love the fact that we can use these trails in all seasons and all types of weather," he adds.

In February 2020, Fusion Credit Union donated $150,000 to the project through their Full Circle Fund. The scope of the project included the development of the trail system, as well as landscaping and installation of trailhead signage and a bike repair station.

Throughout the Fusion Flow Zone, signage featuring the word ‘Enjoy’ is displayed.

Fusion Credit Union says that they chose to use the word ‘Enjoy’ as an opportunity to brand wellness initiatives for employees, members, and communities, and consider 'Enjoy' to be a perfect fit for the bike trails.

Assiniboine Community College is introducing a new program intended to help fill jobs in the Manitoba pork industry.

Tim Hore, Dean of the Russ Edwards School of Agriculture & Environment at ACC says the Swine Production Foundations program will have its first intake in December.

"It's really meant to educate and train those individuals that like working with animals, enjoy working with others, and really looking for a rewarding career that has a lot of upward mobility in the pork sector."

Hore says they worked with industry groups to ensure the program would fill a gap in the labour force.

"It was really a partnership with respect to understanding what the need of the industry is and was, and as a College, and as Manitoba's Ag College, being able to listen, learn, and then develop a program that was really meeting the labour gaps that they were telling us they're having trouble to fill."

The program will be fully online, and students will be able to work through it at their own pace.

"The program basically is three courses, it's 24 credits, and it's completely self-directed, so students have the opportunity over a five-year period to finish the three courses at their own speed, and whatever makes sense for them. They could finish that within quite a shorter time frame, but it's really up to them in terms of how fast they want to work through the three courses that are required."

Hore says there is about 80 hours worth of work for the Swine Operation Foundation Course, another 80 hours for the Professionalism for Swine Tech Course, and 160 hours for the Swine Production Practices Course.

More information about the program can be found on the ACC Website here.

The Manitoba government advises that a Pfizer infant vaccine was recently recommended for use in children aged six months to four years old.

They say that most parents and caregivers who make a first vaccine appointment for a child in that age group should expect that the Pfizer infant vaccine will be offered.

According to the province, this vaccine is being distributed to clinics, pharmacies, and vaccine sites across Manitoba and should be available as early as this week.

The Pfizer infant vaccine is a three-dose series and each dose should be given at least eight weeks apart. It is recommended that, whenever possible, children receive the same vaccine for each dose.

The remaining provincial stock of the Moderna infant vaccine will be used as second doses for those who received that vaccine as a first dose, the province says.

However, in the case of immunocompromised children, the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) strongly recommends the Moderna infant vaccine.

Appointments can continue to be made by using the online booking tool, by contacting the vaccine call centre at 1-844-626-8222, or by contacting medical clinics and pharmacies directly.

Children must be at least six months of age at the time of their immunization appointment.

A Swan River RCMP officer was on patrol Sunday morning in Minitonas when they saw someone parked in front of a business with their car running.

The officer recognized the driver and remembered he was prohibited from driving. When the officer went to turn around the vehicle started driving, but was pulled over by the officer right away.

Further investigation found that the suspect was responsible for a theft of gas that had occurred on October 3rd at a business in Swan River.

31-year-old Randy Dietz from Minitonas was arrested without incident and found to be in possession of cocaine at the time of the arrest. He's been charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance, Driving While Disqualified, Theft, and two counts of Failing to Comply.

Dietz was remanded into custody.

Premier Heather Stefanson and Indigenous Reconciliation and Northern Relations Minister Alan Lagimodiere released a statement on behalf of the Manitoba government Tuesday with regard to Indigenous Veterans Day.

Their statement can be found below:

Today, on Indigenous Veterans Day, we honour all First Nations, Inuit and Métis veterans who provided their services to Canada. We remember the Indigenous peoples who lost their lives, whose lives were forever impacted, and their families and communities who have lost loved ones. We also extend our deepest gratitude to all current serving Indigenous members of the Canadian Armed Forces for their continued heroism and dedication to Canada.

On Nov. 8, 1994, Manitoba became the first province to recognize National Indigenous Veterans Day. Now acknowledged across Canada, commemorations take place to honour and remember the over 12,000 Indigenous peoples who served in the First World War, Second World War and Korean War.

On this significant day of remembrance, we acknowledge and honour the courage, sacrifices and important contributions of all First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples who serve and continue to serve across all generations.

We encourage Manitobans to take this time to listen and learn about the history of Indigenous veterans in Canada, and their legacy of bravery and leadership in serving our country.

To learn more visit https://veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/people-and-stories/indigenous-veterans.

The City of Dauphin's 9 PM Routine Campaign has come to an end after three weeks of nightly posts.

Deputy City Manager Lisa Gaudet worked with the RCMP on the campaign and she said it was extremely successful. Gaudet says that throughout the campaign they had a total reach of more than 23 thousand people.

"There was lively engagement with each of our nightly posts, and lots of people talking about the routine. People were sharing our posts throughout the Parkland and it's inspired other municipalities to want to duplicate this campaign."

Gaudet says they were pleasantly surprised with the amount of participation.

"A lot of effort went into each post to make each one unique and catchy, and we really tried to make it kind of a fun campaign, hoping to draw as much attention and people participating as possible which we were very happy to see. For each nightly post, I was paying attention to the numbers that were coming in and the reach was very very good."

All the 9 PM Routine posts can be seen on the City of Dauphin Facebook Page here. The City was offering prizes to the people who engaged the most throughout the campaign, and those winners will be announced later this week.