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A sensory room is a specially designed space that uses specialized equipment to stimulate or calm the senses through lighting, sound, textures, and movement.
Sensory rooms can be designed for a wide range of needs, and do not need to be in larger spaces. Henderson School in Dauphin is taking a proactive approach to accommodate those who require such a room.
They're currently raising funds to create a sensory room at the school. Once completed, it will be a room that benefits the kids by providing a safe, controlled environment.
Crystal Rudkavich is on the school's parent council.
"It's pretty important," said Rudkavich. "This room will help support mental health, improve their readiness to learn, and help regulate their emotions. It allows them to re-focus their energy and manage stress."
The parent council received a grant to help create the room; however, more funds are still required to proceed with the project. At a price tag of roughly $95,000, the parent council will move forward with fundraisers.
The first of which is a community meal fundraiser on Thursday, December 11. It'll be at the 8th Avenue Hall.
"We are going to be doing lasagna, Caesar salad, breadsticks, a beverage, and dessert," ended Rudkavich. "It'll be from 4:00 to 7:00, an adult meal is $20, and kids 12 and under are $10. We have a ton of amazing raffle prizes. There will be a 50/50, and a photo booth with Santa."
You must pre-order your tickets by Sunday. Call Henderson School or Crystal at 647-0877.
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- Contributed by Darnell Duff
Brett Anderson of Kinosota faces several charges after he was caught during a traffic stop earlier this week.
On Tuesday, Dauphin RCMP stopped the 34-year-old on Main Street South. Anderson is not able to possess a driver's license. He was also in breach of numerous court ordered conditions including driving a vehicle and being in Dauphin.
A search of the vehicle led to officers seizing open liquor, a small amount of meth, and drug paraphernalia.
Among other charges, Anderson faces operation of a vehicle while prohibited and driving without a license. The vehicle Anderson was driving was impounded.
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The Manitoba RCMP plans to issue warning letters to drivers with peeling or missing plates.
In Manitoba, you are required to have a plate on the front and back of the vehicle. They must both be legible.
Barry Kirby is a constable with the Dauphin RCMP.
"The license plate needs to be fully readable by the naked eye or license plate scanner," said Kirby. "It can't be obstructed by dirt or snow. It also can't be peeling."
If you are missing a license plate or it isn't legible, under the Highway Traffic Act, you could be ticketed at any time. That is the officer's discretion.
"What most of us do here locally is if we see your vehicle has either of those defects, we will give you a warning," said Kirby. "If we see the same vehicle a week or more later, and the issues aren't rectified, you're likely to get a ticket for it."
With it being December, the holiday season is nearly here. Christmas parties are in full swing, and you may have plans to go out and enjoy some drinks and or cannabis with friends.
While that can make for a great time, you should never drive while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. It affects your ability to drive and your reaction time. You may have a different perception of what's happening around you.
Kirby says it could involve a minor collision or something serious that ends up fatal.
"At the end of the day, your license could be suspended anywhere from 24 hours to 90 days. Those suspensions could increase if you have past impaired suspensions," continued Kirby. "Your vehicle can also be impounded anywhere from three days to 60. Those can also be extended if you have past suspensions."
Kirby and the entire staff at the Dauphin RCMP Detachment wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season. But when you're out and about planning to have a few cold ones, he says, plan ahead. Don't get behind the wheel impaired.
"Here locally, we're blessed with quite a few options. We have two Taxi companies that are available and are both very active," commented Kirby. "Friends or family. The Christmas safe ride program is starting up soon. They're always a fantastic option that is staffed by some amazing volunteers."
The Dauphin RIDE program is set to return this weekend. The program will run this year on December 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20 and on New Year's Eve. The RIDE program, which runs out of the Dauphin Friendship Centre, is fully endorsed and supported by the Parkland Detachment of the RCMP.
The program gets you and your vehicle home safely after a night out.
"At the end of the day, when you're driving impaired, you're putting lives at risk," ended Kirby. "The Dauphin RIDE program is saving lives. It's an amazing thing. The RCMP here in Dauphin loves it, and we hope it can continue for many years to come."
Stay safe and have a great month.
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Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) is warning customers to not click on a text they might receive indicating they have a refund owing.
MPI warns the text is not from them, and they do not communicate these types of messages by text.
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- Contributed by Mark Jones
Revamping the Mental Health Act was on the mind of Lisa Gaudet.
So on November 27, the City of Dauphin brought forward the resolution at the Association of Manitoba Municipalities convention in Winnipeg. The three-day convention welcomed delegates from around the province.
The City of Dauphin was represented by Lisa, Sharla Griffiths, and multiple councillors, including Christian Laughland, Dauphin's deputy mayor. The Mental Health Act is more than 25 years old.
Mental health care, community needs, and best practices in crisis response have changed dramatically since then.
"Across Manitoba, we are seeing more mental health emergencies. The RCMP are being pulled into roles that really require a health-based response," said Gaudet. "We received significant support for this resolution. This isn't just a Dauphin problem. Communities across Manitoba are facing the same challenges."
Gaudet says municipalities recognize that the RCMP can not and should not be the primary mental health responders. Updating the Act will lead to better outcomes for people in crisis. It will improve public safety by freeing up officers to do the work they're trained to do."
The resolution passed with approximately 94 per cent support from the membership.
"We were very pleased and not surprised. This is an issue that affects communities across the province," continued Gaudet. "Apart from the vote in support of this resolution, we also received a lot of comments from the delegates expressing their support for this concept."
In Manitoba, an estimated 28 per cent of adults have a diagnosed mental illness. Manitoba has the highest past-year prevalence of any mental disorder (13.63%) and alcohol use disorder (3.83%) in Canada.
It's estimated that in any given year, 1 in 5 people in Canada will personally experience a mental health problem or illness.
Taking care of your mental health is more important than ever.
At AMM, the City of Dauphin found out they're receiving money from the provincial government for the new daycare that is coming to town. It was also confirmed by Wab Kinew that they'll break ground on the City's new correctional centre next year.
"Well, AMM was a very productive experience for those that attended," ended Gaudet. "We were able to bring forward some of the concerns that are specific to the City of Dauphin. We met with the cabinet ministers on various issues regarding public safety and more. We felt it was a very productive convention."
The AMM's next convention is slated for the spring.
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Sonja Blank was born and raised in Germany.
After she finished high school, she decided to travel the world. She spent a year in Canada. Blank ended up settling in Manitoba because she felt a connection with the people.
She got her teaching degree from the University of Winnipeg and then got a teaching job in the then Dauphin-Ochre River School Division. Sonja spent 27 years working in the Mountain View School Division. She retired three years ago, but wasn't ready to fully say goodbye to her teaching days, so she became a substitute teacher at Whitmore School.
Blank is back in Germany with her family and friends, and there is a lot to celebrate. On Tuesday night, she won the Ward 4 by-election within Mountain View School Division. She will now join the board of trustees.
Sonja woke up at 2:30 a.m. on Wednesday, and an hour later, she found out the great result.
"Obviously, I was pleased with the result. I celebrated by myself to start because everyone was sleeping here, so I didn't want to wake anyone up," said Blank. "We celebrated a bit this morning. This afternoon, we will likely take each other out for lunch."
Sonja earned 153 votes. She beat Michelle Smigelski, who got 86; Valerie McInnes, who got 83; Rigby Devos, who got 36; and Carter Taylor-Luke, who got 14.
Blank believes her experience and knowledge as a teacher and a longtime board member will bring expertise and skill to the board. She would love to see more collaboration and consultation. Sonja has experience working on the provincial board with the Manitoba Teachers' Society.
She looks forward to being there for the school staff, every student, and the entire community.
"I am representing their needs, their interests, and hopefully, their voices," continued Blank. "I am hoping that what I will bring is more transparency and more community engagement. I plan to reach out to folks in Dauphin. I will start with the candidates who ran alongside me. I honour their engagement."
In an online post on Tuesday night, vice-chair of the board, Jarri Thompson, welcomed Sonja. She looks forward to working with her. Jarri said Sonja's calm presence, willingness to listen, and the heart she brings to every conversation will be a real strength around the table.
"Yes, I was absolutely humbled this morning when I saw that post," commented Blank. "I have to send her a note back. I haven't gotten to that yet. I'm truly blessed to be working with such a great group of people."
Sonja thanks all who stepped out into the cold Dauphin air on Tuesday to cast their vote. She's a strong believer in a democratic system and the right to engage in the political process.
"I'm happy to see people want to have input into what we want to see at the Mountain View School Division board table in terms of our collective and communal values," ended Blank. "I'm deeply honoured and pleased that my values resonated with those who cast their vote in my direction. I hope that my values are representative of the majority of Dauphin constituents."
Blank also expresses her sincere gratitude to the other candidates who had the courage, passion, and determination to let their names stand in the election.
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The Neepawa RCMP are looking to identify a suspect who used a counterfeit bill at a business on Mountain Avenue.
A $100 counterfeit bill was used to purchase merchandise. After review, there were noticeable defects on the bill that indicated it was counterfeit. If you notice the suspect (pictured above), contact the Neepawa RCMP at 476-7340.
If you suspect that you’re being offered a counterfeit note, assess the situation to ensure that you are not at risk.
Then, do the following:
- Politely refuse the note and explain that you suspect that it may be counterfeit;
- Ask for another note (and check it too);
- Advise the person to check the note with the local police;
- Inform your local police of a possible attempt to pass suspected counterfeit money; and
- Be courteous. Remember that the person in possession of the bill could be an innocent victim who does not realize that the note is suspicious.
Here are security features found on real Canadian currency. $5, $10, $20, $50, $100, and a vertical $10.
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A youth was arrested after uttering threats towards Langruth Elementary School.
On Saturday, the Sandy Bay Ojibway became aware of an online threat to do harm towards the school.
Later in the day on Saturday, the youth was arrested for Uttering Threats. He was released and will appear in court at a later date in Amaranth.
The Manitoba First Nations Police Service believe this is an isolated incident.
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A theft investigation has lead to a violent confrontation for officers.
On November 28th, at approximately 8 AM, Portage la Prairie RCMP responded to a report of an attempted vehicle theft on Dufferin Avenue East.
Upon reaching the scene, officers determined that a female had tried to get inside the victim's SUV.
The suspect had fled on foot.
Patrols were started, and the suspect was located not far from the scene.
The suspect refused to comply and resisted, including kicking officers, resulting in the officers' uniforms being torn.
While enroute to the detachment, the suspect kicked the vehicle windows, and continued kicking when in the cell at the detachment.
EMS attended the detachment to treat the suspect for minor injuries.
Shia Meeches, 24, from Portage la Prairie was arrested and charged with the following: Assault on Police Officer x4; Assault; Mischief equal to or under $5,000 – damage to property; Mischief equal to or under $5,000 – obstruct enjoyment of property; Resist/Obstruct peace officer.
Meeches was released with a future court date.
Portage la Prairie RCMP continue to investigate.
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Marsha McDonald of Ochre River has avoided time behind bars.
In October of 2024, the RCMP found 44 grams of cocaine and Canadian currency in the vehicle Marsha was in.
The 40-year-old received a conditional sentence of two years less a day. That's followed by one year of probation.
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The organization was put on the back burner because of a lack of board members.
The Intermountain Sport Fishing Enhancement is now back. Rod Carberry and a great group of volunteers have stepped up to take over the organization. It's been four years since the group last had any activity.
Their objective is to enhance fishing opportunities in the region. They stock and improve boat launches. If you enjoy fishing, the group will do everything in its power to ensure you have plenty of opportunities to do so in Parkland.
Carberry talks about the importance of this group.
"I think it's pretty important. Some things have gone unmaintained. For example, the Valley River boat launch. Every spring, the launch is affected because of high water and spring runoff. Then the launch becomes unusable," said Carberry. "That particular launch is important for smaller vessels. Like your 12, 14, and 16-foot boats that need a safe place where they can fish."
Rod adds that the Vermillion River is an excellent resource for both local anglers and for tourism. It's grown in and requires some maintenance. For the first time in a few years, there was a fishing day at Uncle Bob's trout pond. It was very well received.
If you are an angler, you'll know all the great fishing spots here in the Parkland. If you're interested in getting into it, Rod says you're in for a treat.
"Yeah, we've got a great area. Intermountain says it all, we're between Riding Mountain and Duck Mountain," continued Carberry. "Lake Dauphin's winter fishing is known to be some of the best Walleye for consistent size. Then you start getting into the Duck Mountains, and there are endless opportunities up there. We're in a great spot, and we need to continue developing it."
Earlier this year, the group was out on the water at night fishing with the E boat, doing a population study of the Bass and forage on the Vermillion Reservoir. 95 bass were caught, measured, and weighed to determine age class and overall health of the lake.
"Yeah, it was very cool. It's the first time I've experienced E fishing," ended Carberry. "We shocked the lake and scooped up with nets everything that floated to the surface that we could. We partnered with Manitoba Fisheries. They're going to take the data and create a report for us. They were quite positive with the results and the amount of bass and age class that we got."
If you are interested in what the group is doing or have opinions on what should be done, reach out to Rod on Facebook.
Ice fishing season is right around the corner. Good luck catching.
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