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The Northwest Métis Council Manitoba House is hosting their annual MukTuk Annie festival this weekend in Kinosota.
The event's origins come from the 1970s, and were recently re-introduced a few years ago.
Manitoba House Local chairperson Vicki Campbell says this year's festival begins tomorrow night with a Family Casino Night, followed on Saturday with a pancake breakfast, and then the start of a day full of competitions.
"There is going to be a water-hauling contest, wood-hauling, log-sawing, log-throwing, nail-pounding, and leg wrestling. We will also have cribbage and whist tournaments, as well as different events late in the afternoon such as a jigging contest, moose, goose, and duck calling, as well as the best liar and the best storyteller. And, also throughout the night because we are having a dance in the evening, there will also be a contest for the best-dressed Métis."
Sunday will be a Family Day with youth competing with adults in a number of events.
Campbell says the goal of the Festival is to bring everyone together.
"We will be competing in some contests where the activities are actually things that people had to do every day - like hauling wood and water - that a lot of the youth do not have to do now. So we just want to bring them back and get them to do some of this stuff and get them away from their devices and just be part of the community."
There is also the traditional MukTuk Annie competition.
This year, there are four men competing, dressed as women, and taking part in events throughout the weekend.
- Details
- Contributed by Jeff Henson
Sean Beaulieu of Ebb & Flow First Nation is facing several charges and Marook the Police Service Dog has once again saved the day.
On Wednesday at about 3:40 p.m., the Dauphin RCMP saw a vehicle driving at a high rate of speed and tried to conduct a traffic stop on Lake Road SE on the Ebb and Flow First Nation. Sean refused to stop and instead continued to drive in an unsafe and erratic manner to flee officers.
Officers deployed a spike belt and located the vehicle on Sucker Creek Road and the vehicle went over it, continuing to drive for a short distance before entering the ditch. Beaulieu then fled on foot.
Marook and his handler located the suspect hiding in the bush and arrested him. It was determined the suspect was also wanted on two Warrants of Arrest.
A search of the area was conducted and a bag with a small quantity of methamphetamine was located. A search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of an imitation firearm, drugs and unstamped cigarettes.
Beaulieu is now facing a slew of charges.
•Possession of Methamphetamine
• Flight from Peace Officer
• Resisting Arrest
• Operation of a Motor Vehicle While Impaired
• Operation of a Motor Vehicle while over 80 mg%
• Dangerous Operation of a Motor Vehicle
• Possession of a Weapon for a Dangerous Purpose
On top of those charges, Sean was also charged under the Tax Administration and Miscellaneous Taxes Act for Possessing Unmarked Tobacco and under the Highway Traffic Act for Carrying Liquor in a Vehicle, Driving an Unregistered Vehicle, Driving without Insurance, and Driving without Holding a Valid Driver's License, to go along with Speeding.
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- Contributed by Darnell Duff
Victims of crime in Manitoba will benefit from an increase in funding from the provincial government.
They have announced a 50 per cent increase in funding to Manitoba Justice Victim Services, going from $500,000 to $750,000.
The funding comes from the Criminal Property Forfeiture Fund, which uses the proceeds of the sale of seized criminal property.
Money from this fund goes to initiatives such as Heartwood Healing Centre, which provides individual and group therapy to Manitobans 16 and over who have experienced childhood sexual abuse.
Another benefactor of this money is Candace House, which provides wrap-around support in a comforting home-like day refuge for victims, survivors, and families who have lost a loved one to violent crime, among others.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
Two court cases from the Ebb & Flow First Nation were back on the Dauhin court docket this week.
40-year-old Lyle Malcolm, who was arrested following an alleged armed standoff in that community in July of 2022, had his matters put over until October 31st.
He will remain in custody until that time.
And one of three people arrested in connection with a New Year's Eve armed robbery also had a new court date set.
27-year-old Braden Moar had his matter adjourned to September 5.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
The RCMP in Ashern is on the lookout for Nathaniel Taylor.
The 31-year-old is wanted for Sexual Assault and Failure to Comply with an Undertaking about an investigation that began on July 31.
Taylor is described as being 5’11”, 200 lbs with short brown hair and green eyes. His current whereabouts are unknown. If you know where Nathaniel could be, you're asked to call the Ashern RCMP at 204-768-2324.
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- Contributed by Darnell Duff
Tyler Bileski is the newest member of Gilbert Plains Municipal council.
Bileski picked up 189 of the 293 votes cast yesterday in a by-election for the vacant spot on municipal council.
Robert Shumka was next with 69 votes while Roy Becks received 35 votes.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
Serial killer Jeremy Skibicki was sentenced to life behind bars on Thursday with no chance of parole for 25 years.
He was convicted by a judge last month on four counts of first-degree murder in the 2022 killings of four Indigenous women whose remains he left in garbage bins.
Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran were both members of Long Plain First Nation. Rebecca Contois was from O-Chi-Chak-Ko-Sipi First Nation, also known as Crane River. Police believe the 4th Indigenous woman, given the name Buffalo Woman was in her 20s.
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- Contributed by Darnell Duff
The city of Dauphin has announced details of its fall cleanup program.
It is set to begin on October 8th in the day 4 collection area and will continue in reverse order of garbage collection until all areas of the city have been visited.
Compostable materials that will be picked up during fall cleanup include garden waste, grass, leaves, shrubs, and tree branches.
These items must be free of recyclable meterials, household and hazardous waste, and should be in clearly identifiable piles or in biodegradable bags or boxes.
You should also place your fall cleanup items in your back lane.
If you do not have a back lane, you should then place your items on the front boulevard as close to the curb as possible, as large equipment will be used to pick up these items.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
Mahihkan Bus Lines has announced that it is closing its operations as of September 6th.
Besides offering charter bus services, Mahihkan offered regular service from Flin Flon to Winnipeg.
In a post on their Facebook page, the company said despite their best efforts to sustain their business operations in order to provide a reliable transportation option for Northern Manitobans, ongoing market viability, inflationary pressure, and challenging economic circumstances forced the company to make this difficult decision.
The post went on to thank Mahihkan's customers, suppliers, and employees throughout the years.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
Phase two of the clinical spaces renovation project at Dauphin Regional Health Centre is projected to be completed very soon.
Debbie Poole is the Regional Lead of Clinical Planning with Prairie Mountain Health and says this round of renovations should wrap up in September, with patients being able to access the new beds by sometime in October.
"Adding seven beds, which will be new inpatient, single occupancy rooms. And then there will be two additional rooms in surgery."
Poole says adding the new beds to the DRHC is very important, as Dauphin is seen as a regional hub for the Northern part of Prairie Mountain Health.
Poole adds this phase also included a new physiotherapy area on the third floor, as well as renovating a conference room.
"The conference room was renovated so as to provide a little more space for having meetings in that room and for nurses to do training. The therapy space is much more open compared to where it was previously on the second floor. It has lots of natural light coming into it, which staff will enjoy as well as patients."
Phase one included the completion of a new cancer care unit and an endoscopy unit, both on the main floor of the hospital.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
Residents in the Municipality of Gilbert Plains are selecting a new councillor today (Wednesday).
Three candidates - Robert Shumka, Roy Becks, and Tyler Bileski - are vying to fill the vacancy on council.
Voting is taking place until 8 pm tonight at the Richardson Pioneer Hall in Gilbert Plains.
- Details
- Contributed by Jeff Henson
