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It is a day that youth have been dreading for the past two months, while parents have been eagerly anticipating.
Today (Wednesday) marks the opening day of the 2024-25 learning year for students in the Turtle River, Park West, and Frontier School Divisions, as well as most students in the Mountainview School Division.
The exceptions are Mackenzie Middle School, where only students attending grade six, and both the DRCSS and Winnipegosis Collegiate, where only grade nines are having their first day of classes today.
All other classes at those three schools are getting one more day of summer holidays, as their school year does not begin until Thursday.
Tomorrow will also be the first day back for students in the Swan Valley School Division.
MVSD Acting Superintendent and CEO Suzanne Cottyn issued the following statement regarding the start of the new school year.
She says she is looking forward to the start of the 2024-25 school year and welcomes back all new and returning students and staff.
She adds as we begin the school year together, she is reminded how interconnected we are as a school community and the importance each individual holds in being a part of creating an inspiring, safe, and respectful learning environment for our students and staff.
She closed by saying Community engagement and involvement is an important part of public education and with the upcoming by-election we welcome community members to engage in the process.
Tomorrow will also be the first day of classes for students in the Swan Valley School Division.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
Environment Canada has issued an air quality advisory for most of the Parkland region, including Dauphin.
They say Wildfire smoke from fires in northern Saskatchewan has moved into west central areas of Manitoba.
Wildfire smoke can cause very poor air quality and reduced visibility, which can fluctuate over short distances and can vary considerably from hour to hour.
They add if your breathing becomes difficult or uncomfortable while outdoors, you should stop or reduce strenuous physical activities.
People with lung diseases, such as asthma and COPD, can be particularly sensitive to the smoke, along with young people and older adults.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
UPDATE:
The RCMP has confirmed that Joseph McIvor has been safely located.
They are thanking the public for their assistance.
The Ste. Rose RCMP are searching for Joseph Ryan McIvor.
On July 9, McIvor was reported missing after leaving his home and not returning. Although friends claim they saw him, police have been unable to find him despite checking multiple locations.
McIvor is thought to be in the Ebb and Flow First Nation area. If you have any information, please call 447-3082 or contact Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.
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- Contributed by Darnell Duff
With School back in session this week, School zones should be on the minds of many motorists.
Slowing down in school zones and stopping for buses is critical for student safety and can also cost you a sizeable fine if you don't.
Ewald Friesen, the Manager of Community Relations for CAA, runs the numbers on how much these speeding tickets could get you.
"Drivers caught speeding in a school zone could get a fine of at least $200 and move down the driver's safety rating scale 2 demerits"
Friesen offered a lot of good ideas to avoid the school zone congestion, including meeting your child away from the main pick-up area, or walking/biking/skateboarding while the weather is nice.
School transit safety expands just beyond school zones though, as buses will be busy moving children across the parkland.
Drivers who see a bus with the stop sign out and/or red lights flashing must stop on both sides of the road. the only exception to this is if oncoming traffic is divided by a meridian
The fines for not stopping for a bus can land you 2 demerits on your driving rating, but also a whopping $674 (or more) ticket if your caught.
Safe driving won't just save you money, but it could also save a child's life from an accident.
So stay sharp, drive safe, and make sure everyone gets to school.
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- Contributed by Michael Brossart
The 50 Lt. Colonel Barker Dauphin Air Cadets Squadron is set to hold their registration and information night tonight (Tuesday).
However, unlike other community groups who are gathering tonight at the Parkland Rec Complex Curling Rink for the Dauphin Rec, Health, and Leisure Mart, the local Air Cadets group will be holding their event in the gymnasium at Parkland Crossing.
It is set to take place from 6:30 to 9:15.
More information can be found by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
Individuals interested in running for one of the four vacancies on the MountainView School Division's board of trustees can start picking up their nomination packages as of today (Tuesday).
The packages are available at the school division office west of Dauphin between 8:30 am and 4:30 pm.
Prospective candidates must be at least 18 years of age, a Canadian citizen, and must live within the ward that they are looking to be elected in.
Once they pick up their nomination package, they must get signatures from a minimum of one per cent of eligible voters in the ward that they are running in.
Completed nomination packages are to be turned back into the division office between 8:30 am 4:30 pm between September 18th and 20th and September 23rd or 24th.
The by-election is scheduled to take place on October 30th.
Two new trustee representatives from the Roblin area are needed, as are one from the city of Dauphin, and one from the Ethelbert-Gilbert Plains-Grandview area.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
Sentencing will take place September 12th for an Ebb & Flow man found guilty in relation to his role in a July 2022 armed standoff on the First Nation.
39-year-old Manuel Houle was arrested after reports of three people in a home on the reserve, which eventually caught fire after several explosions.
Meanwhile, 38-year-old Travis Malcolm of Ebb & Flow was also back in court last week in relation to an assault and firearm complaint in Ebb & Flow from this past April.
Malcolm is slated to return to court in Dauphin on November 12th.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
Efforts continue to keep Zebra Mussels out of Manitoba and the rest of Western Canada, following their discovery late last year in Clear Lake.
It’s illegal to possess, transport or release zebra mussels in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, or British Columbia, and people who use watercraft in the region are urged to do their part and make sure their equipment is properly cleaned and dried.
Over the weekend of August 23rd to 25th, Conservation officers and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada completed a blitz of roadside boat checks, stopping 451 vehicles carrying watercraft between the Manitoba and Ontario border.
While none of those watercraft contained visible mussels, a total of 153 had improperly cleaned or drained equipment.
It was the second blitz done this summer by federal officials.
In June, officials found a total of 104 watercraft or equipment that wasn’t clean, drained, or dry, and failed an inspection.
Five of those vehicles were carrying a boat or watercraft with visible zebra mussels.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
An investment of 1.2 million dollars from the federal government will go toward retrofitting the Gilbert Plains Recreation Complex.
The funding, announced on Friday, will help construct accessible bathrooms, change rooms, and other features which are expected to be completed in 2025.
This work adds to the new ice rink refrigeration system which is already in use at the facility's arena and curling rink.
In a news release, Gilbert Plains CAO Courtney Roehl says the municipality greatly appreciates the support from both the federal and provincial government and they look forward to all of the upgrades being complete.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
Work continues to move along on the construction of a new hospital in Neepawa.
Work on the new health centre, which will be over four times the size of the current Neepawa hospital, began in November of 2022.
Debbie Poole is the Regional Lead of Clinical Planning for Prairie Mountain Health and says their goal is to have the exterior of the building completed by this fall.
"(We are going to) make sure it is water-tight. And then we are going to focus on the interior part of it. So there will be a little bit of paving that will take place this fall as well, but the main focus right now is to get that building envelope completely enclosed on the exterior, and then we are going to shift to the interior."
She adds they are still on target for Prairie Mountain Health to get the keys to the building by the summer of 2026.
"But I do have to say that there is a large element of staff orientation and training that will need to occur. So in terms of having the first patients in the hospital, those projected or anticipated dates will be late fall of 2026 or early winter of 2027. There is also going to be a phased-in opening, looking at opening services that they already provide today in Neepawa in the new hospital, and then we will get into the expanded areas that are being offered at the hospital."
Poole adds several services will be expanded in the new facility.
"The emergency department will be much larger, the surgery and diagnostic departments will also be much larger than what is current. But then there will also be new services, including an ambulatory care wing. And in that wing there will be renal services, so there will be nine hemodialysis stations there. Plus an ambulatory care wing for patients that are requiring outpatient treatments such an I-V therapy and dressing changes."
The new facility will also have 30 additional medical beds than what is in the current Neepawa hospital.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
Your chance to get all of your families fall and winter activities in order is coming up next Tuesday!
The Rec, Health, and Leisure Mart will be running from 5 to 7 pm in the Parkland Recreation Complex Curling Rink, with a ton of groups attending.
You'll find the following list of groups offering registration:
- Dauphin Recreation Services/Kin Aquatic Centre
- Dauphin Curling Club/Dauphin Junior Curling
- Zirka Ukrainian Dance
- Parkland Gators Swim Club
- Bratstva Ukrainian Dance
- Dauphin Karate Club
- Dauphin Gymnastics Club
- Prairie Mountain Health
- Dauphin Friendship Centre
- Dauphin Junior Rec Hockey
- ParkFIT
- Northwest Metis Council
- Skate Dauphin
- Telfer Highland Dance
- Dauphin Girl Guides
- Beaver Scouts
- Club DJ - Grace Bible Church
This is a perfect opportunity to wrangle all your family activity registrations all in one location.
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- Contributed by Michael Brossart
