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Chief Cornell McLean of Lake Manitoba First Nation hit it big on Monday and is returning from a trip to Minnesota with $1,376,617.44 US.

McLean and his wife Lisa were at Shooting Star Casino in Mahnomen, Minnesota, when he hit the jackpot in the Dancing Drums Explosion slot machine. We have reached out to McLean for further comment about what he plans to do with the winnings.

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Contributed by Sam Brownell

Published: Dec 28, 2022 - 9:47 am

If you are retired, looking for some extra work, or just looking for something to do, the Mountain View School Division (MVSD) has lots of openings for school bus drivers.

Lori Slepicka, Secretary-Treasurer for MVSD, says a handful of their drivers have retired, so the school division is looking to fill the vacant spots. There are a variety of shifts and routes available from being a casual driver on weekends and field trips, to one of the full-time routes. Slepicka says the full-time routes require just a couple of hours in the morning and afternoon on school days to pick up and drop off kids at school.

"Bus driving is a great opportunity if you're trying to find work-life balance, or an add-on job to farming or if you're self-employed and need that steady paycheque coming in," commented Slepicka.

Outside of the time commitment, drivers need at least a Class 2 license and must attend school bus driver training. Conveniently, MVSD has an opportunity for you to complete that training next month from Friday, January 13th to Sunday, January 15th.

Candidates will get help in obtaining their Class 2 license and will be prepped for the written and physical tests as well. The deadline to apply is Monday, January 9th. You can submit a resume or application at the school division office in Dauphin or send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

"Our bus drivers are often our unsung heroes, they're the first face that the children see when they head off to get their education and it's probably the last face they see before they go home for the day. It's an important role."

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Contributed by Alec Woolston

Published: Dec 28, 2022 - 8:08 am

UPDATE:

One person is dead and 15 people are now without a home after the fire which burnt down the Gladstone Hotel early Sunday morning.

ORIGINAL STORY:

The historic Gladstone Hotel was destroyed by a fire early Christmas Morning.

Crews were called to the fire early Sunday morning and were on the scene until past 9 a.m. Reports say that crews were able to save the adjacent Galloway building and several apartments connected to it.

The MLA for Agassiz, Eileen Clarke, made a post about the devastating fire.

The Municipality of Westlake-Gladstone has a volunteer fire department.

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Contributed by Sam Brownell

Published: Dec 28, 2022 - 6:00 am

Update: The snowfall warning for Dauphin - Russell - Roblin - Winnipegosis is over. The one issued for Swan River - Duck Mountain - Porcupine Provincial Forest Area remains in effect.

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A Snowfall warning has been issued for communities across the Dauphin - Russell - Roblin - Winnipegosis area, as well as the Swan River - Duck Mountain - Porcupine Provincial Forest area.

Around 10 to 15 cm of snow is expected across the region, starting early this evening, and continuing through the night. The snow will continue on Wednesday, but accumulations will be much less with only a couple cm expected.

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Contributed by Sam Brownell

Published: Dec 27, 2022 - 4:22 pm

It is one of Western Canada’s largest agricultural events and the largest annual event to be held in Brandon. It is also one of only two fairs in Canada to receive Royal designation from Queen Elizabeth II and has been recognized as one of the Top 100 Events in North America, receiving numerous awards from the tourism industry.

The Royal Manitoba Winter Fair returns to Brandon from March 27 to April 1, 2023. Today is the last day to get your tickets at the early bird price. You can head to RMWF to get those tickets today. 

Mark Humphries with the RMWF says this is always a must-attend event.

"There are so many things to do, it is the biggest event in Brandon every single year," said Humphries. "We have people coming from everywhere, our hotels are always jam-packed, and it's such a great event for the entire family, young or old."

At the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair, you can expect to see world-class show jumping, heavy horse competitions, livestock sales and displays, a quality hands-on agricultural education program, exceptional live entertainers, over 300 commercial and agricultural exhibits, and much more. 

A key attraction is the Royal Farm Yard. It features  44,000 SF and it's home to the petting zoo, live animal shows on the TD AG Action Stage, and cattle shows. There's also the horse show and it's Manitoba's #1 equestrian show. Competition for that starts early each day in both the Westoba Place main arena and Westoba Ag Centre, with top-level show jumping. Westoba Place has 5000 seats so there are plenty of options. 

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Contributed by Darnell Duff

Published: Dec 24, 2022 - 5:00 am

The wet Spring season we had in Manitoba in 2022 was one that you will probably remember for years to come. It made the #3 spot on Environment Canada's list of the top 10 weather stories in Canada this year.

The winter season had already brought enough snow to make it the third-highest snowfall in Manitoba since 1872. Then the spring season came. Five Colorado low systems swooped in and caused some of the most extensive and longest-lasting flooding in a long time.

Here in the Parkland, the excessive precipitation led to lots of overland flooding, road closures due to washouts, closed campgrounds and beaches, and places like Mafeking being stranded due to washed out roads.

[Flooding in the RM of Dauphin]

[Overland flooding in the RM of Mossey River]

Residents of Peguis First Nation certainly will not forget the Spring of 2022 as over 1,000 people who live there were forced to evacuate due to flooding. There was also a significant ice jam on the Fisher River.

[Picture of part of the flooding on Peguis First Nation]

The sheer amount of precipitation often came in clusters of back-to-back wet days over 8 weeks, which inevitably caused people to deal with flood fatigue, stress, and burnout.

Read more about what Environment Canada calls Manitoba's drenching spring, here.

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Contributed by Alec Woolston

Published: Dec 23, 2022 - 10:00 am

After being the only province or territory in Canada to not have a weather alert yesterday, Manitoba was due for some eventually.

Extreme Cold Warnings are in effect for a handful of regions in Manitoba including the Parkland. Wind chill values around -40 are possible today and tonight. The warning should not be in effect for too long as conditions are to moderate during the weekend.

More information is available here.

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Contributed by Alec Woolston

Published: Dec 23, 2022 - 5:25 am

Adrian Gulay spent 10 years as an RCMP officer in Roblin. Nine years ago, Adrian took his own life, but his memory will live on and he will never be forgotten.

Quick to call Roblin his home, Adrian was an animal lover and his love for dogs was as genuine as love can get. While patrolling Roblin and surrounding communities, Adrian would carry dog food in his RCMP cruiser and he would feed any stray dog that he would come across. 

Gulay and Brian Onofreichuk became great friends and to this day, Brian still remembers the great times they spent together and in Gulay's memory, Brian has started collecting donations of dog food. The food will then be sent to the Parkland Humane Society in January. This isn't the first time that Brian has started collecting donations as last January, over 700 pounds of dog food was collected and donated. 

Hundreds of people have already donated dog food in the past month and the total is already just about 2500 pounds that will be donated. The total is expected to rise as donations are being accepted until January 13. You can drop them off at B&P Sales & Service or watch for an RCMP drop-off vehicle that is stationed throughout Roblin. Brian says the support has been incredible.

"It's just overwhelming," said Onofreichuk. "I tell people, if you walk down the street and mention Adrian's name, everyone remembers him. RCMP come and go, but he lives on."

Brian remembers Adrian for being a great man that was extremely kind to people and always wanted to make you smile.

"He had such a big heart and such a great sense of humour, I had so many great times with him," ended Onofreichuk. "The way he dealt with people, he was so nice and so far. He respected people, it was unbelievable how great he was."

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Contributed by Darnell Duff

Published: Dec 23, 2022 - 5:00 am

It's known as Western Canada's premiere grain industry showcase and it's coming up early next month.

The Western Canadian Crop Production Show takes place in Saskatoon from January 9 to 12. The four-day event features more than 300 exhibitors and over 95 per cent of the people who walk through the doors are directly involved in the grain industry.

The only exhibits you will find on the trade show floor are those directly related to crop production.

"It's a must-attend event for every single prairie farmer," said Leigh-Ann Hurlburt, Agriculture Manager for Saskatoon Prairieland Park Corporation. "This event is a true leader in the field of crop science and technology. Our exhibitors come from all over Western Canada ar the northern United States, it really is amazing."

The event will also be celebrating its 40th annual show. At the show, you will get to see and learn about all the latest technology in seeding, spraying, and harvesting. Tickets are just $20 and you can get them at the door or you can also get them at Crop Production Show. 

There will also be several presentations in the Nufarm Information Theatre beginning on January 9 with 'what pulse crops want to tell you about Aphanomyces and Fusarium' and running right up until the final presentation on January 12 with 'oilseed crop update' from 2:30 to 3:30. 

"There are very specific criteria to get into this show," said Hurlburt. "Everything that you see at our show and the exhibitors you speak with are all here to help you get the crop in the ground and get the most out of it possible."

Five buildings are used for the event with more than 950 trade show spaces featuring the largest equipment in agriculture today. 

"Everything you need to assure you will have a successful growing season, we have it here," ended Hurlburt. 

You can also get more information at Western Canadian Crop Production Show. 

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Contributed by Darnell Duff

Published: Dec 23, 2022 - 5:00 am

After a successful two-year pilot, the Peer Support Program at the Dauphin Regional Health Centre (DRHC) has received funding to continue providing services. An announcement was made by Manitoba's Mental Health and Community Wellness Minister, Sarah Guillemard this week.

The funding is part of "A Pathway to Mental Health and Community Wellness: A Roadmap for Manitoba." Peer Support Canada defines peer support as “emotional and practical support between two people who share a common experience, such as a mental health challenge or illness.” Peer support is rooted in core values, including self-determination, respect, hope and recovery, and empathetic and equal relationships. Staff offer support in person or virtually as well as one to one or in group settings.

The Peer Support Program in Dauphin at the DRHC was started by Prairie Mountain Health and Peer Connections Manitoba in June of 2020. 

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Contributed by Alec Woolston

Published: Dec 22, 2022 - 7:13 am