Dauphin’s Breken Brezden finished in seventh place at 2023 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships, last week, in Oshawa, Ont.

Brezden recorded personal bests in both of her skates, posting a score of 56.06 in the short program, which had her in fifth place, before posting a score of 91.64 in the free skate program, which placed her seventh in the nation.

“Going into the competition, I just wanted to do what I’ve been doing in training and get a personal best and improve my placing. So the thing I set out to do, I accomplished and I’m pretty proud of myself,” she said.

It took a while for her seventh place finish to set in.

“At first, it didn’t really sink in yet. But the day after, I’ve been really excited and really happy about it all,” she said.

Her total score of 147.70 was another personal best and put her just .21 points out of fifth place.

“To be able to go out and do that at nationals, I’m pretty proud of myself,” she said.

Brezden hopes to keep improving as she continues her career and is thankful for the support she has received.

“I’m super thankful for my coaches in Hamilton who have helped me. My coach in Dauphin. My coaches all over, the people who have worked with me,” she said. “And then I’ve seen so many nice messages after my skates and I’m super thankful for that. As well as my parents for believing in me and allowing me to make some changes so I can achieve my goals.”

The demolition of the old Acadamy Video location on Second Avenue Northeast hit a snag Thursday afternoon after crews from Stirling Enterprises hit a gas line, which was still charged though it was supposed to have been shut off.

Manitoba Hydro staff had the gas leak contained prior to the arrival of the Dauphin Fire Department on the scene and the demolition was able to continue.

The City of Dauphin is making some major investments in the collection and processing of refuse.

At its regular meeting, council approved an increase in the amount it is willing to pay for the purchase of a new garbage truck, as well as an investment in the refurbishing of the trash compactor at the Dauphin landfill site.

The City originally ordered a new garbage truck in 2021 after a tendering process which saw Peterbilt Manitoba awarded the contract at a price of $341,973.32 plus taxes with a delivery window of approximately 18 months.

When checking on the progress of the build last October, director of Public Works and Operations, Mike VanAlstyne, discovered the truck was not yet in production due to supply train issues.

Peterbilt Manitoba, he told councillors, was only allotted one of the four trucks it ordered. As well, VanAlstyne said in a memo, there have been extreme increases in pricing and surcharges being pushed through the system to the end user, which have resulted in a price jump of $74,038.57 for the City’s truck.

The company proposed a cost-sharing arrangement resulting in each absorbing $37,017.68 of the added costs. Peterbilt Manitoba, VanAlstyne added, is receiving no support from their factory or body suppliers. The company has also reserved a build slot for the City at the end of April meaning the truck would likely be available in September or October of this year.

“At this point this is the best solution we could see. We did get just some verbal quotes from another supplier and it was $120,000 increase for the same unit,” VanAlstyne said.

Council approved the added cost of $37,017.68 with the funds to be drawn from the Machinery and Equipment Reserve Fund.

The new purchase price is $378,991 plus applicable taxes.

“It has been a mess for everybody,” VanAlstyne said. “So we are expecting to see it this year.”

Council also approved an expenditure of $143,362.69 plus fees and taxes to refurbish the landfill compactor which is “requiring some significant work.”

The machine is leaking and burning significant amounts of engine oil, as well as leaking transmission fluid, VanAlstyne said.

The compactor is a 2006 model with approximately 12,000 hours. While it is climbing in age, the hours are low enough to justify the maintenance, VanAlstyne said, adding the City could conceivably expect another 10 years service from the machine if the repairs are made. A good used replacement unit, VanAlstyne said, could cost approximately $1 million, while new machines cost upwards of $1.5 million.

The city has secured quotes from Toromont CAT in Brandon to have the engine replaced and the transmission inspected while the machine is split apart. If further work on the transmission is needed, it may have to be rebuilt, as well. The quotes range in value from $87,170.26 plus fees and taxes for the engine replacement and transmission inspection, to $143,362.69 plus fees and taxes for the engine replacement and complete rebuild of the transmission.

Council approved an expenditure of up to $143,362.69 with the funds coming from the Machinery and Equipment Reserve Fund.

This January, during Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, the Alzheimer Society is creating awareness about the many resources available to help support families as they face the challenges of living with dementia.

With more than 18,400 Manitobans living with dementia today, a number expected to reach 39,100 by 2050, the Society continues to enhance support for families impacted by dementia and meet their needs early in, and throughout, their journey.

Check out the feature page in this week’s issue.

Roblin RCMP received a 911 call about 10 to three in the afternoon on Boxing Day from a male that said he needed police, but then hung up. Call taker indicated the male sounded intoxicated.

No location given other than in Roblin. Members attended and patrolled, but no one flagged them down.

Find out what has kept police busy in this week’s RCMP report.

The new year has brought a new doctor to the Roblin Health Centre and the W.E. Nash Clinic. Dr. Donatus Osuorah, also known as Donald, joined the staff and began seeing patients at the clinic on Jan. 3.

“It’s going well,” he said in an interview Friday.

Find out more about Dr. Osuorah in this week’s Review.

Recent foggy weather has left the trees covered in frost more than one day in the past week. This stretch of trees along Eighth Avenue South were a beautiful sight to see yesterday morning.

It was one of those things that quite possibly was just meant to be. Because everything just fell perfectly into place.

Richard and Myrtle Croswaite had been back home for a wedding in the U.K. In the Isle of Mull to be exact.

“I told Daymon about this wonderful entertainer Davy Holt who had been at the wedding - he really got the crowd going - and Daymon, being Daymon said “Get him over,” Myrtle said. As it happens, the friends who were hosting the wedding of their son, Graham and Alison Brown also work at Tobermory Distillery and are scotch whiskey experts. So the dye was cast..... And Pat MacIsaac - who calls himself the ‘Marketing Dude’ from the Russell Inn and Myrtle - who is the Customer Service Manager set to work planning a lovely weekend of something a little unique for people from the prairies.

Read more in this week's Russell Banner!

During the first week of 2023, Darryl Fuz, General Manager of the Paterson Grain terminal in Binscarth presented a cheque for $10,000 to Abbey Vorelick, Care Team Manager for the Russell Health Centre.

The donation is from the Paterson Family Foundation. The Paterson Family Foundation is a private, charitable foundation incorporated under the laws of the Province of Manitoba.

It is composed of a Board of Directors that meets twice a year to make decisions on applications received and to deal with other Foundation business. The Paterson Family Foundation was started in 2018 to follow in the footsteps of dedicated philanthropist Senator Norman McLeod Paterson.

Since then, the foundation has been a devoted supporter of community organizations in the Prairie Regions of Canada. Grants are made to charitable, non-profit organizations with the major emphasis on projects and programs in the areas of education, health care, religion, social welfare and youth. The Foundation’s prime areas of interest are in the Prairie Region of Canada.

“This is the fourth year in a row that the Paterson Family Foundation has chosen to make a $10,000 donation to the Russell Health Centre,” Fuz said after the presentation. “And that’s because of all the great work that everyone sees is being done here.” The funds are to be utilized for the 2023 year towards emergency care and services provided by the Russell Health Centre.

Get the full story in this week's Russell Banner!

Alex Senf’s goal 2:29 into overtime lifted the Dauphin Kings to a come-from-behind 6-5 win over the Winnipeg Blues, Saturday, salvaging a split for the local junior A hockey club.

The Blues had scored a 6-4 victory, Friday in Winnipeg, spurred by a three-goal outburst in a span of 3:05, early in the second period.

Kings head coach and general manager Doug Hedley said the Kings were a better team on Saturday.

“They got a point out of it, but I don’t think they deserved it. I thought we had so many chances in the second period,” he said.

Three power-play goals kept the Blues in the game and allowed them to take a 5-3 lead early in the third period. Both goals came on a five-on-three advantage.

“The fact that we got down 5-3 in the third period and found a way to come back and get two points out of it is huge for the guys’ confidence. I really think we have a good group in there,” Hedley said. “We’ve got size, we’ve got speed, we’ve got talent, we’ve got skill. We’ve just got to learn how to work and work smart.”

The Kings enter the week in third place with 41 points, two back of the Waywayseecappo Wolverines and one behind the OCN Blizzard. Dauphin is also one point ahead of the Swan Valley Stampeders.

Virden swept OCN in a pair of games over the weekend and sit in last place, but only 10 points behind the Wolverines.

Having the division so close will make for an exciting stretch drive.

“Especially right now. We’ve got some big games. We’ve got Swan. We’ve got OCN. We’ve got Wayway. So it’s all in our division now. It’s going to be playoff hockey from here on in,” Hedley said.

Teams will be looking to solidify their rosters with the Jan. 10 trading deadline.

Hedley said it would be great to find a top six forward to help the team offensively.

“Having said that, I really liked (Carter) Zalischuk tonight. He was outstanding. You know that kid is always going to give you hard work,” he said, adding the trio of Rylan Gibbs, Logan Walker and Ethan Williment was the best line on Friday. “They practiced all week that way,” Hedley said. “We’re starting to finally get those three guys that can come out there and get a big goal at the right time.”

Hedley tinkered with the power play, using defenceman Aidan Brook as a forward to plant himself in front of the net.

Most of the Kings moves, Hedley said, were made at the Dec. 1 deadline.

“But a puck moving right handed D-man would be great. A top three forward, left handed shot would be ideal,” he added.

Given how tight things are in the West Division, Hedley doesn’t see much movement from among the six teams.

The break allowed the Kings to bring back a healthy lineup, but goaltender Cole Sheffield left Saturday’s game after he was hit in the head in a collision at the side of the net. Hedley said he will be day-to-day.

Hedley planned to talk to Sheffield and fellow tender Marko Belak about the team carrying three goaltenders with the addition of Dmytro Kubritskyi.

The 20-year-old has been playing with the Ukraine national team against Canadian university squads in a series of exhibition contests and has shone in his outings.

Hedley said Kubritskyi has the capability to provide the kind of goaltending Carson Cherepak gave the Kings last season.

“We’re hoping Dmytro can come in here and really solidify (the goaltending),” he said, adding Sheffield and Belak’s numbers are almost identical. “We’ll see what happens,” Hedley said.

The Kings have just one game this week, traveling to Swan Valley on Wednesday to face the Stampeders.