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A Brandon University master’s student from Gilbert Plains received a large grant to research a moth that eats plastic bags.
Harald Grove received 17, 500 dollars to continue his research.
He explains what the funding is going towards.
“I want to look at the Waxworm in terms of its ability to eat plastic. I don’t know if anyone is familiar, Waxworms came out in the news recently a year ago and they found that these little insects will chew through plastic bags. So what I want to know is how that process occurs. So, through the past year we’ve been looking at what genes are being expressed in the Waxworm associated with it’s ability to eat plastic.”
Funding is coming through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada grant called the Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarship-Master’s Award.
He explains the grant he received.
“The NSERC grant, it’s a council in Canada that helps researchers in certain institutions do their research and fund their research. In terms of a master’s level, I applied for it with a lot of help from my supervisor, who helped me, guided me through the process. So I had to explain, basically what I was going to be doing with my research and how I would be using the money to continue my research.”
Greater wax moths are also valuable in research because they are often used as a stand-in for mammals in the study of microbial infections.
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- Contributed by Josh Sigurdson
In Dauphin, Coats for Kids is a program ran at the Dauphin Friendship Centre to help keep kids warm during the cold winter months.
The program exists because there’s a need for children to have coats when it gets cold out.
Robin Gambler, one of the coordinators at the Dauphin Friendship Centre, thinks people should donate because winter jackets can be very expensive and no one wants to see children going cold in the winter.
They started asking for donations a couple weeks ago when it got really cold. Donations are accepted at the Dauphin Friendship Centre and will be accepted for another month.
If you have a child in need of a jacket you can go to the Friendship Centre but everything is monitored to make sure someone doesn’t take too much.
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- Contributed by Isaac Wihak
The RCMP has spent some time preparing for cannabis legalization.
In preparation, the RCMP has spent time doing online training and attending presentations. They have systems in place to make sure they enforce the laws properly.
Now that cannabis is legal the RCMP doesn’t anticipate an increase in road stops.
Officers won’t be looking for anything in general when deciding whether they will pull someone over or not. It’s left up to the officer’s judgement.
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- Contributed by Isaac Wihak
All ten candidates running for Dauphin city council presented their platforms at an election forum in Dauphin.
They all want better relations with the RM of Dauphin. The idea of starting fresh with new councils, new heads of councils, and new CAOs is a way to move relations forward. Some candidates like the idea of regular formal meetings between the two groups. The thought that both are better if they work together was a common theme from candidates.
Crime and homelessness are some of the big issues for candidates running for council in Dauphin. Affordable housing was brought up multiple times. Candidates cited the need for more residential buildings to be constructed in Dauphin, which is one way of reducing homelessness. Most candidates want to work with groups around town to help provide services to those struggling with homelessness.
On crime, some cited a need for RCMP officers to be present in the community at all times and that the city needs to do a better job at responding to the concerns of residents.
When asked about recreation and providing things to do for youth in the community, the councillors who commented all said sports are important. They mentioned the need to keep the facilities we have in good condition. No one mentioned any recreation options for youth who are not into sports.
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- Contributed by Josh Sigurdson
Municipal elections advanced voting is going on today across the Parkland.
Voting is open at in the RM of Dauphin in the Council Chambers located on highway 20A East.
In the Mossey River Municipality, advanced voting is going on today at the municipal office in Winnipegosis.
In the Municipality of Ste. Rose advance voting is going on at Nouveaux Horizons in Laurier.
In Gilbert Plains voting is taking place at the municipal office.
In the Grandview Municipality voting is going on in the municipality office boardroom.
All advanced voting goes until eight tonight.
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- Contributed by Josh Sigurdson
The town of Ste. Rose du Lac held an election forum last night.
As in most cases, lowering taxes was a major point which was brought up a few times. Citizens are concerned because taxes were raised in the rural side, but haven't changed much in town.
All candidates want to keep the hospital in Ste. Rose. They believe the hospital is integral to their community.
Recreation is one of the priorities the candidates have, citing there are nice hockey and curling facilities that they want to use to attract more people to the municipality.
The election is next Wednesday the 24th.
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- Contributed by Isaac Wihak
As of midnight; recreational marijuana is legal across the entire country.
Justin Trudeau made the promise to voters during his 2015 federal election run that the Liberal party would legalise weed if elected.
According to a senior government official, anyone with a possession charge of 30 grams or fewer will now be eligible for a pardon if they apply for one. Up until today, the charges for simple possession were a fine of up to $1000, and 6 months in jail.
In Manitoba, 5 stores will open up in Winnipeg, and 1 store will open up in Dauphin, in the Marketplace Mall.
There are still fines for smoking or vaping in public, in provincial parks, as well as a handful of other fines. If you choose to use marijuana, please do so responsibly.
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- Contributed by Alec Woolston
Tweed in Dauphin is the only pot store opening today that isn’t located in Winnipeg.
Dauphin has a store because one of the four companies that have the approval to sell cannabis chose to put a store here in Dauphin.
The LGCA is anticipating more stores to open in the next couple of weeks.
In the coming months, there could be a round two of cannabis stores opening up.
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- Contributed by Isaac Wihak
A Dauphin man won 49 thousand dollars from a scratch ticket back in September.
Jason Thorkelson bought his lucky Instant 649 at the Dauphin co-op on Main Street.
“I think it’s pretty awesome! Came in at the right time,” Thorkelson said.
This isn’t the first time he’s been lucky, he also won back in 2012 playing the same game.
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- Contributed by Josh Sigurdson
Dauphin is the only place in rural Manitoba that will have a pot store ready to go tomorrow.
The Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Authority of Manitoba has approved only 6 stores to open across the province.
The store in Dauphin is called Tweed, it is located at the Market Place Mall.
Winnipeg has five stores opening right away tomorrow as well.
Stores can open as early as 8 in the morning.
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- Contributed by Isaac Wihak
Some business owners are concerned about workers showing up for work after taking cannabis products.
Kirk Nyquist, a host of the Reefer MEDness Podcast, explains his thoughts on the topic.
“Businesses need to learn to accommodate and help employers who are smoking cannabis. Because, are you impaired when you smoke cannabis? That’s the question. If you take a high THC, ya you got some cerebral cognitive issues and happiness happening. You take a high CBD you’re not cerebrally affected. So are you impaired with CBDs. There’s so much we don’t know.”
If you want to find out more about cannabis you can check out the Reefer MEDness Podcast. Go to ReeferMed.ca to find all 13 current episodes.
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- Contributed by Josh Sigurdson
