The Rural Municipality of Dauphin council held its regular meeting, June 24.

Accounts and finances

Council approved 20 cheques, as well as payroll and online payments in the amount of $249,938.02.

Committee reports

Assistant CAO Tyral Solski informed council that Dauphin Recreation Services general manager Ryan Vanderheyden had responded to a question from the June 10 council meeting which he attended regarding the value of the assets at DRS.

When asked about the Association of Manitoba Municipalities June district meeting, Solski said it was a good meeting with only two resolutions discussed.

Transportation

Public Works foreman Ryan Jenkins reported the graders were out maintaining the roads.

The gravel program is progressing with trucks hauling out of the Chute Pit and Tardiff Pit.

Dust control has been applied to all ratepayer applicants.

Crews have been installing approaches with some having been completed.

Sign maintenance is ongoing with damage being done by big equipment  to one of the largeRM of Dauphin signs.

Crews have also been out with the brusher, cleaning up some road allowances for access to property and visibility issues.

Crews will start to mow some main roads as part of the summer road maintenance program.

There was another collapsed culvert, which crews have repaired.

Drainage

Crews were out repairing and replacing culvert markers as part of the spring ditch clearing maintenance.

More surveys for drainage licensing were done as time allowed and crews were moving pipes to more locations.

Meetings

Councillor Ken Plustwa volunteered at the Inter-Mountain Watershed District water festival in Ethelbert. He also attended interview sfor the CAO position and an IMWD board meeting in Ste. Rose, which were also attended by councillor Ken Shewchuk, who also attended a Dauphin and District Handivan Association meeting.

Councillor Ron Ryz attended a Riverside Cemetery Board meeting, as well as the CAO interview meetings and the June AMM District meeting.

CAO hired

The RM of Dauphin has hired Grady Stephenson as the new CAO, effective, July 28.

Grass cutting

Upon reviewing proposals for grass cutting municipal lands, council approved the proposal submitted by Conquest Property Management.

Ste. Rose RCMP have arrested three men in connection with multiple incidents.

On June 20, Ste. Rose du Lac RCMP received a report of an abandoned pickup truck located on PR 278, near Road 127N, in the RM of Alonsa.

The vehicle had been stolen on June 13 and was reportedly driving erratically in and around the Ebb and Flow First Nation earlier in the evening. Information was also received that the suspects may be armed.

Officers responded and while enroute, received another call stating that several men had exited from the vehicle and ran into the woods, heading towards the lake.

With the assistance of officers from Dauphin, Amaranth, Winnipegosis, Police Dog Services and RCMP Remotely Piloted Aircraft System, two suspects were tracked for nearly four kilometres by Police Service Dog Marook in the wooded area before being located and arrested without incident.

Later that morning, police received information that a third suspect, involved with the stolen vehicle earlier in the morning, was now walking along Kinosota Road.

Officers attended to the area and located the 28-year-old man who was arrested without incident, however, once taken into custody, began to utter threats towards the officers and damaged the police vehicle.

RCMP have charged Mathew Kakewash, 31, Shawn Francoeur, 26, and Brady McKay, 28, with numerous offences including uttering threats, possession of property obtained by crime, flight from police and operating a conveyance in a dangerous manner.

All three were remanded in custody.

This year’s Gary Brandon Memorial Golf Tournament was sold out with 64 teams competing.

When the two-man match play event was done, it was Payton Lepla and Nelson Lepla who stood tall, beating Tandri Sigurdson and Trevor Fox to win the championship flight.

Jake Wiens and Steve Desroches finished third, beating Darcy Malcolm and Kayon Malcolm.

Eric Prokopowich and Ben Talbot won the first flight, defeating Tyler Carefoot and Linden Smigelsky. James Davidson and Keith Hanke finished third after they defeated the duo of Rob Bouchard and Mike Sparrow.

Larry Johnston and Brian Johnston won the second flight, beating Mike Van Alstyne and John McMullen. Christian Laughland and Bob Gilroy finished third, beating Mark Odut and Regan Hedley.

Zach Mertens and Willi Budzinski won the third flight, defeating Mike Pernarowski and Jordan Pernarowski.

Dave Campbell and Jerron Kyle defeated Jody Bilous and Derrick Kabel to win the fourth flight.

Sutherland and Terry James won the fifth flight over Safronetz and Collins, while Eastman and Diboll beat Terran Roos and Branden Hrychuk to win the sixth flight.

The Dauphin Ag Heritage Club is proud to preserve the rich legacy of settlement and farming in the Parkland.

As part of Dauphin Consumers Co-op’s ongoing commitment to heritage preservation and community engagement, they recently announced $35,000 of in-kind support toward the construction of a new display facility at Selo Ukraina.

The funds will be used to create an agricultural heritage exhibit at the village site to house antique farm equipment. The project will cost approximately $232,000, about a quarter of which has been raised so far.

President of the Ukrainian Folk Arts Centre and Museum, Jim Perchaluk, said while they have applied for various grants, they are also looking for donations from businesses, and farmers in particular.

Part of the agriculture exhibit, he added, will include a pioneer log barn, which will be relocated to the village next year.

Among the grants already received is a $7,500 grant from the Dauphin and District Community Foundation.

Selo Ukraina is the centre for the preservation of Ukrainian culture and heritage in Manitoba.

“The proposed agricultural heritage exhibit aligns with the rich agricultural history deeply embedded within our community. As stewards of our heritage, it is essential to preserve and showcase the agricultural lifestyle of the pioneers who played a pivotal role in shaping the social and cultural fabric of Manitoba in the early 1900s,” Perchaluk said.

“The agricultural heritage exhibit will become a cornerstone attraction within the Ukrainian Heritage Village Museum at Selo Ukraina and serve as a dynamic platform for the public to engage with agricultural artifacts, fostering a deeper appreciation for our agricultural legacy.

“The financial contribution by Dauphin Consumers Co-op Ltd. will be a tremendous boost in the fund-raising by the Ukrainian Folk Arts Centre and Museum in making the agricultural heritage exhibit a reality in our community. We thank the Dauphin Consumers Co-op for their dedication to preserving our shared heritage.”

“At Dauphin Co-op, we believe in the power of history to inspire, educate and connect us,” said Lorne Eiffert, Dauphin Co-op general manager.

“It is a privilege to support a project that preserves our shared heritage for future generations. Contributing to the growth and vitality of our communities is at the heart of what we do - this project is a meaningful reflection of that commitment.”

The project, Eiffert added, reflects Co-op’s vision of keeping local history alive for future generations and creating a destination for education, storytelling, and community pride.

“We have walked alongside generations of farmers for over 85 years and we are proud to be able to support this important piece of history,” he said.

The Manitoba government has partnered with front-line health-care staff to form a Lower Wait Time and System Improvement Team.

The goal is to develop a strategy to reduce patient wait times in the emergency room.

The Lower Wait Time and System Improvement Team is led by Dr. Paul Ratana, provincial specialty lead of emergency medicine at Health Sciences Centre (HSC), and Dr. Kendiss Olafson, internal medicine and critical care at HSC Winnipeg, with physicians, nurses and allied health professionals specializing in emergency medicine, internal medicine, neurology, family medicine, anesthesiology and more.

The team is supported by experienced process engineers who specialize in streamlining systems to improve services.

“No one understands the delays in patient care better than those on the front lines of health care,” Olafson said.

“They face the daily frustration of a system that is often slow, fragmented and siloed. Our goal is to address some of the most challenging and discouraging aspects of care delivery, supporting the quality of front-line work without adding to workloads.”

The Manitoba government has released a Lower Wait Time Strategy, developed by the team, to improve timely patient access to high-quality emergency health care across the province.

The strategy outlines how to increase or add services that affect the timeliness of care at three main points of a patient’s experience – triage and admission if necessary, inpatient care and access to outpatient treatment to be able to return home safely.

Strategic initiatives include increasing the number of endoscopy procedures, including over the weekend, exploring models to shorten the wait time between triage and initial physician assessments, and expanding the community intravenous program to allow more patients to recover at home.

Ste. Rose du Lac RCMP are asking for assistance in locating a missing man.

On May 8, Ste. Rose du Lac RCMP received a report that 50-year-old Patrick Simmons was last heard from on Apr. 30, while he was Dauphin.

He told a family member that he was planning to travel to Somerset but never arrived.

Simmons is described as five feet, 11 inches tall, weighing approximately 200 pounds.

He is balding with brown/blonde hair on the sides.

He was wearing a black and grey hoodie and may be driving a red, 2017 Ford F150 with Manitoba license plate GZY 597.

RCMP and Simmons’ family are concerned for his well-being and are asking anyone with information to call the Ste. Rose du Lac RCMP at 204-447-3082, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477, or to submit a secure tip online at www.manitobacrimestoppers.com.

Ste. Rose du Lac RCMP continue to investigate.

The Province is investing an additional $540,000 to help stop the spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS), including a new fund to deliver AIS prevention resources to partners  in the fight.

The new fund will provide resources to municipal governments, Indigenous governments, non-government organizations and water-user groups, to help implement AIS prevention programs, projects and supports.

In addition, $130,000 will be invested for equipment dedicated to AIS prevention and mitigation efforts.

The human-caused spread of AIS is preventable. Water users are reminded to clean, drain and dry watercraft and water-related equipment to prevent the spread of AIS. Anglers are also reminded it is illegal to import live bait into Manitoba.

Later this spring, watercraft inspection stations will be set up throughout Manitoba to help water users comply with AIS requirements. Anyone transporting motorized or non-motorized watercraft over land must stop at all open watercraft inspection stations along their route. Operating schedules for these stations will be posted on the AIS website.

Manitobans are legally required to clean, drain and dry both motorized and non-motorized watercraft. This includes power boats, jet skis, sailboats, stand-up paddle boards, canoes and kayaks, as well as all water-related equipment including:

• watercraft trailers;
• fishing gear;
• paddles and anchors;
• farm and industrial gear such as water pumps;
• personal flotation devices including life jackets;
• beach toys (such as sand pails and shovels);
• floating devices and inflatables (such as tubes, rafts, water mats and hunting decoys); and
• scuba and snorkeling gear.

Provincial park campground reservations are set to open over five days from Apr. 7 to 11.

And Environment and Climate Change Minister Mike Moyes is encouraging Manitobans to take advantage of all that the protected areas have to offer.

“Spring is here and Manitobans are looking forward to spending quality time in nature,” Moyes said.

“This year, as Canadians are choosing to explore closer to home, Manitoba’s provincial parks offer incredible destinations for adventure, relaxation and discovery. Last week, our government was pleased to announce in Budget 2025 we are making parks entry free for one year.”

To accommodate high demand, reservations will once again open in stages over five days to make it easier to secure a spot at favourite provincial park campgrounds. Before opening day, users are encouraged to check their online accounts, update passwords and review reservation rules. The Parks Reservation Service also offers campsite photos and descriptions to help campers choose the perfect spot.

The Parks Reservation Service will start taking reservations at 7 a.m. each day online at www.manitobaparks.com and by phone at 204-948-3333 or toll-free at 1-888-482-2267 on:

• Apr. 7 - reservations open for all cabins, yurts and group-use areas;
• Apr. 8 - reservations open for campsites at Birds Hill, Winnipeg Beach and Grand Beach campgrounds;
• Apr. 9 - reservations open for campsites in all campgrounds in Whiteshell Provincial Park including Betula Lake, Big Whiteshell Lake, Brereton Lake, Caddy Lake, Falcon Beach, Falcon Lakeshore, Nutimik Lake, Opapiskaw, Otter Falls, West Hawk Lake and White Lake;
• Apr. 10 - reservations open for campsites in all northern and western campgrounds including Asessippi, Bakers Narrows, Clearwater Lake, Duck Mountain, Manipogo, Rainbow Beach, Rivers, Paint Lake, Spruce Woods, Turtle Mountain, Wekusko Falls and William Lake; and
• Apr. 11 - reservations open for campsites in all remaining campground locations including Birch Point, Camp Morton, Hecla, Hnausa Beach, Lundar Beach, Moose Lake, Nopiming, St. Malo, Stephenfield and Watchorn.

On opening days, online users will enter a virtual waiting room before 7 a.m. Depending on traffic, users may be placed in a queue to ensure a smooth booking process.

Walk-in reservations and in-person payment arrangements can also be made at 1181 Portage Ave. in Winnipeg and will be available Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. beginning Apr. 7.

A Dauphin man is facing numerous charges as part of an ongoing investigation by police.

Rashid Noor, 52, has been arrested and charged with a number of offences under the Excise Act, and the Tax Administration and Miscellaneous Taxes Act (TAMTA).

The charges stem from the execution of two search warrants by Dauphin RCMP at a Main Street Business over the span of four months.

On Dec. 12, 2024, police executed their first search warrant at theestablishment and seized the following:

• 994 unstamped cigarettes;
• 970.2 grams of unstamped tobacco;
• 4,050 Canada stamped cigars being illegally sold as singles;
• 5,025 canada stamped cigarettes; and
• 251 unstamped vaping devices.

On Apr. 3, at approximately 8:30 a.m., as part of the ongoing investigation, Dauphin RCMP executed a second search warrant at the business.

When officers arrived, there was one maleemployee inside who was also the owner.

During the search, the following was seized:

• Four bottles of liquor being sold without a permit;
• 33 pouches -138.6 grams of unstamped tobacco pouches;
• 179 Pouches - 2,178 grams unstamped flavoured nicotine pouches;
• 289 unstamped cigarettes;
• Canada stamped cigars being illegally sold as singles;
• 2,900 Canada stamped cigarettes;
• 106 unstamped vaping devices;
• 432 Canada stamped vaping devices; and
• 47 Bottles -2,970 millitres Canada stamped vaping liquid.

Noor was released from custody for a later court date.

On the fifth anniversary of Melinda Lynxleg’s disappearance, RCMP Major Crimes Services says it is closer than ever before to providing the Tootinaowaziibeeng Treaty Reserve woman’s family some answers as to what exactly happened to her.

Lynxleg, 40, had been missing for over three years when her body was located on June 7, 2023, at an abandoned property in San Clara.

Police located Lynxleg’s body after searching the property, which contained a small house and several outbuildings.

RCMP Forensic Identification Services, RCMP Search and Rescue and a Forensic Anthropologist were all on scene assisting with the search.

An autopsy confirmed her death was a homicide.

“The RCMP does not give up on missing people,” Sergeant Laura LeDrew, a Manitoba RCMP Major Crime Services investigator said at the time.

“More than three years of searching, conducting interviews, collecting evidence. We never stopped. Finding Melinda is an important part of this investigation. She can now go home. But our work is not done.”

Since that time, RCMP Major Crime Services, with assistance of the Roblin RCMP, have been working tirelessly to find answers as to what happened to Lynxleg.

More than 130 people were spoken to by police, as investigators followed up on every lead, while canvassing the entire community.

Police say thousands of hours have been spent looking for answers, including a complete review of the entire investigation, which recently led to new information coming to light.

This development has given the investigation forward momentum and officers are confident they’re even closer to finding those answers.

RCMP Major Crime Services continues to seek out any information someone may have.

If you have not reached out to police before, speak up now.

The RCMP Major Crime Service Tip Line is 1-431-489-8042.