Accessibility Tools

Three high-profile court cases returned to the docket this week. 

54-year-old Marc Dorais of Ethelbert, who is accused of lighting a house in that community on fire last June while a mother and her kids were in the home, was in Dauphin court on Monday, and had his matters put over until June 24th in Dauphin.  
53-year-old Cyril St Paul, who faces a charge of second-degree murder following a shooting last December in Ebb & Flow, will see his case go to a preliminary hearing next March. 
And Amber Fisher, the former CAO of Gilbert Plains Municipality, also appeared in court on Tuesday and had her matters adjourned until June 24th.
She is accused of defrauding the municipality of over half a million dollars.  
Some much-needed rain was received over the past week, helping move along this year's crop. 
According to the latest Manitoba Agriculture Crop Report, Soybean seeding is now complete in the Northwest region, while Spring wheat and field peas are now 99 per cent complete.  
Canola is now 95 per cent seeded in the area, but Flea beetle pressure is now being monitored closely.
Some localized areas have seen increased pressure and require additional control. 
Fall rye and winter wheat range from early to full head emergence.
Province-wide, 99 per cent of this year's crop is in the ground, compared to the five-year average of 94 per cent.  

2025 has been a busier year to start for the Dauphin Fire Department.

At  a recent city council meeting, Fire Chief Cam Abrey reported that the  DFD has responded to 97 incidents between January 1st and May 22, an increase of 17 calls from the same time frame in 2024.

A doubling of motor vehicle collision calls compared to last year, and a busier spring with wildfire calls were given as reasons for the increase.

A total of nine structure fires have been reported this year.

Two of the nine fires are considered suspicious in nature - one was in a home in January, while the other was the announcer’s booth at the grass ring near Rotary Arena in February.

It's a Jamboree that is all about family.

The Little Valley Jamboree returns this weekend at the Erickson Rec Centre. Starting Friday at 6 and running until Saturday at midnight, the two-day Jamboree has something for the entire family to enjoy.

Toni Ferguson is a board member.

"Both days, we have music playing every hour, live bands. On Saturday, we have a kids' zone outside. Bouncy castles, petting zoo, face painting," said Ferguson. "Those are just a few of the things going on. We also have silent and live auctions. There will be great food."

Every year, the committee provides a cheque to three children in the community who are sick to cover their medical expenses. This year, Brooks Davis, John Jacob Bernardo, and Odin Hebert are recipients. All funds collected will be divided equally among the three.

Camping is available. A weekend pass is $30 or $20 for a day pass. Those aged 17 and under are free. 

Ferguson, who says this is always one of her most enjoyable weekends of the year, can't wait for Friday.

"It's all excitement. I love listening to the bands, we have some bigger names coming this year," ended Ferguson. "If you've ever been there, you walk in and feel the community love. We call it the Jamboree family."

So if you're looking for something fun to do this weekend, the Little Valley Jamboree has you covered. 

The Dauphin RCMP are looking for a suspect after a Main Street business in Dauphin was robbed again. 

On June 7 at 9:15 a.m., officers responded to the business and were told that a male entered the store with a knife, went behind the counter, and stole 20 to 25 cartons of cigarettes. He fled before officers arrived.

They found the knife believed to have been used in the incident. After further investigation, it was the same suspect who used a stolen debit card at the store on June 2.

If you have any information, you're asked to contact the RCMP. 

The fire ban in Riding Mountain National Park is no longer.

And the fire danger rating is now low. This came after the weekend brought rainy conditions and mild temperatures. 

While the ban is over, officials did provide a few tips.

  • Keep campfires in the fire pits provided;
  • Keep fires small and never leave a fire alone; and
  • Extinguish fires fully before you leave or go to bed – pour water on it, stir the ashes, and repeat until they are cool to the touch.

Beautiful is one word used to describe the transformation at the Ashern Lakeshore General Hospital.

Construction on an 18,000 square-foot single-storey addition began in January of 2023. The new inpatient unit added 12 beds, bringing the total to 26. The addition includes a spiritual care space and a new occupational therapy and physiotherapy space.

Candace Blahey is the director of health services for acute care. 

"Each of our rooms has floor-to-ceiling windows. Private rooms and private bathrooms," said Blahey. "We have an extended palliative care space with an adjacent family room for anyone wanting to stay. Each room has ceiling track lifts if that's required, which is lovely."

The space was moved into on May 6. All patient rooms are single-bed rooms. This increases patient privacy and improves infection prevention and control. 

"It's amazing. I know it sounds cheesy, but it's a little bit of a dream come true," continued Blahey. "Ashern and the surrounding communities needed something. They need a nice and beautiful space to be cared for. There are so many words to describe how wonderful it is that this renovation is complete."

ashern1

Now fully operational for over a month, the newly opened space has paved the way for long-awaited renovations to the emergency department. Currently, the department has just five treatment areas to serve a population of approximately 10,000 people from the town and the surrounding area.

"Five spaces are just not enough to provide care," ended Blahey. "The old inpatient unit is going to be expanded into the new emergency department. The existing emergency department will remain as is."

The 5,400-square-foot expansion will add eight treatment spaces, increasing the total to 13. It will feature a dedicated interview and consult room, and convert hallway stretcher bays into fully equipped treatment rooms.

They've been awarded General Motors' prestigious Triple Crown Award for customer satisfaction. In 2022, they won the General Motors Presidents Club Award. Twenty-Twenty-Three brought forward the Manitoba Motor Dealers Association, Top 5 Customer Satisfaction Award.

They opened their doors on May 1, 1995. In 2004, they moved into their state-of-the-art 30,000 square foot facility at 1600 Main Street South. They go above and beyond to ensure every customer is satisfied. Whether that's to purchase a vehicle, to collision repair, or everything in between, the crew at Dean Cooley GM in Dauphin has been there.

Thirty years after opening their doors for the first time, Dean Cooley says they're going stronger than ever.

"We feel very fortunate that we deal with multiple generations of families," said Cooley. "To see customers come back time and time again makes us feel very good about the relationship we have with them. Hopefully, our customers know how much we appreciate them."

Dean Cooley GM offers brand-new Chevrolet, Buick, and GMC vehicles, on top of Certified Pre-Owned vehicles. Their highly knowledgeable sales staff and finance experts take great pride in helping you find your dream vehicle.

Their Service Department and Collision Centre have highly trained technicians, and their Parts Department is well-stocked with all the parts, accessories, and tires you need.

Customers are greeted with a smile, and the staff takes great pride in making sure every customer leaves with a smile.

"We have a great group right now. They work hard every day and get along with each other. The atmosphere around the store is incredible," continued Cooley. "That's what makes a successful business. It comes down to two groups of people: the teammates who are performing the work every day and our customers. Right now, I think we are in the best position we've ever been in our history."

dc3

To ring in 30 incredible years, they're celebrating with a fundraising BBQ on Tuesday from 11:30 to 1:30. Proceeds will go to the Dauphin & District Food Bank, and you can try your luck for a chance to win a Blackstone. 

Dean Cooley GM in Dauphin, has been driving with you for 30 years, and Dean is looking forward to 30 more.

"It makes you feel great. I am very proud of our dealership, and thankful to do business in the Parkland," ended Cooley. "For a farm kid from Birtle, it's been the most awesome place to live, raise a family, and do business."

For everything Dean Cooley GM has to offer, head here

Weather issues are being blamed for a decrease in final attendance numbers for this year's Manitoba Summer Fair in Brandon.

The five-day event wrapped up on Sunday with crowds estimated at around 35,000 to 40,000 - a drop from the 50,000 that attended the 2024 show.

In particular, the wind is said to have impacted some of the midway rides during this year's show.

Organizers say there were no major incidents this year, which they attribute to upgraded security measures for this year. 

The year for the Prairie Mountain 4-H Beef club comes to an end tonight with their annual supper and auction in Roblin.

The supper goes at 5 pm at the Roblin Curling Rink, while the auction starts at 6:30 at the Roblin Rodeo Grounds.

Club leader Jimmy Hunter says the events complete a year of work done by the 4-H members with their steers.

"The members pick a steer and take care of it all winter.  They weigh the animal in the fall and then weigh them again in the spring, so that the kids know themselves how they fed the cattle and how much weight the steer put on.  Then these kids take and halter break, wash and clean, and get them all ready for the show." 

A total of 13 steers will be auctioned off tonight, which is a sharp increase from last year's 4 animals.

The club also grew this year from 6 to 16 members.

Tickets for the supper are $25 each and will be available at the door. 

Phase Two of consultation work is underway regarding improvements to the intersection of Highways 5 and 68, east of Ste. Rose.

Stantec Consulting is taking the lead on this project, which will not only see improvements made to the intersection, but also includes 1.8 km of bituminous reconstruction on Highway 68.

Stantec reps will be at the Ste. Rose Community Centre on Tuesday from 4 to 8 pm to hold a come-and-go Public Information Session on the project.

Final functional design of the project is expected to be completed later this year, with construction slated to start next June, and take about a year to complete.