Chris Radford will return to the Municipality of Russell Binscarth council table after being voted in by a large
margin at last week’s municipal by election.
Chris Radford 299 votes
Leanne Bily 142 votes
Dale Sawchuk 124 votes
Nick Foisy 42 votes
This by election however brought out a dismal 30 percent voter turnout where only 608 people bothered to vote.

Join your neighbors and be part of the team your community can count on when disaster strikes.
Our Russell Binscarth Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) is a volunteer group of trained residents who help during community events, emergencies and crises. Members learn basic medical aid, fire safety, light search and rescue, and how to organize as a team alongside local responders. CERT volunteers provide immediate assistance, support recovery efforts, and help residents who need extra support—so professional responders can focus on the most urgent tasks.
If you want to make a real difference close to home, join our Community Emergency Response Team and help our community in times of disaster or crisis.
What CERT Volunteers Actually Do
CERT members turn training into action by:
• Training the public to prepare for impactful emergencies and household readiness.
• Providing immediate, basic life-saving aid at disaster scenes until professional help arrives.
• Supporting community recovery efforts after emergencies and disruptive events.
• Sharing clear, coordinated public information with residents when rumors and confusion spread.
• Identifying and assisting residents who need extra help during emergencies.
• Assisting with practical tasks such as distributing emergency supplies, food and beverages, sandbagging operations, debris management, disaster scene support, and offering Psychological First Aid.
• Offering first aid services and support to local community events.
Join us today!
We meet one Wednesday per month starting this May for team training!
Contact: Wes Anderson or Pat MacIsaac at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

“Our family has endured a lot, but it never defines who we are. We continue to move through life with unwavering faith, genuine smiles, and an abundance of love to share with others.” -
Elizabeth Fingas
In February of 2021 the area was shocked at the sudden passing of Karen Fingas, a mother of four young children and much loved LPN at the Russell Personal Care Home, just eight days after her diagnosis of stomach cancer.
Now, after hearing Terry Fox’s older brother Fred talk at Major Pratt, earlier this month, Craig and Karen Fingas’ eldest daughter Elizabeth, is organizing and hosting ‘A Run For You’ in her honor and in aid of the Cancer Care Unit in Russell.
“Our family has endured a lot, but it never defines who we are,” Elizabeth said.
“We continue to move through life with unwavering faith, genuine smiles, and an abundance of love to share with others.”
These traits and values, Elizabeth said, have been passed down through generations.
“It started with listening to stories from our great grandparents (Ann and Ray Davidson, and Alice and Paul Fingas) when we would visit for juice and dainties, sitting on their laps as they spoke.”
“Then to our grandparents (Gayle and Randy Fingas, Shirley Driedger and the late Mike Petryk) who provide us guidance when we feel lost, to our parents (Craig and the late Karen Fingas) who created the beautiful people we have and will become.”
Now, she says, it has come down to Craig and Karen’s children - Elizabeth, Jamie, Kennedy and Brodie Fingas.

Read the full story on pages 1 and 2 in this week's Russell Banner.

Russell Senior Services hosted their Spring Fling and brought in the ever popular Fugitives to coax the dancers onto the new dance floor. In all, about 70 people took advantage of the free afternoon which was made possible by funding from the province of Manitoba. The attendees were treated to an afternoon lunch where the vegetable skewers and the Texas brownie (Anne MacIsaac’s recipe) were made by Bev MacIsaac and the bountiful dainties were compliments of Louise Trinder’s baking skills.

At about 6:30 pm on Tuesday April 21st, Scott Gregor, the CFO of Riding Mountain West was checking out the water flowing under the municipal road off of Hwy 83 to the entrance to the Asessippi Beach & Campground.
“I had driven down the road over the Bear Creek around 6:15 p.m, and the water was really flowing down the road and over the culvert,” Karen Goraluk said.
“Scott who works for the RM was there watching and I guess he heard a noise and ran to back his vehicle and backed it up and he was still able to get a video of the culvert letting loose and going down Bear Creek before it ended up in the Shell River where it is now.”
A few days prior, the RM, she said, had been keeping an eye on that portion of road.
“They had their back hoe there and sat there for a few hours one evening keeping the culvert clear so that the water was flowing west,” Goraluk said.
Bear Creek, Karen explained, comes all the way from the Riding Mountain National Park and winds its way down and goes through the culvert right beside Asessippi Beach & Campground and ends up in the Shell River and then into Lake of the Prairies.
“If you go to the Inglis school and head north down the provincial road just north of the school, Bear Creek has two big culverts there.”
“And all that water comes down from there plus all the runoff along the creek and it all passes past the campground.”
Although nothing of this magnitude has happened since the Goraluk family took ownership of the Asessippi Beach & Campground in 2008, Karen said she knows that a washout like this has happened in the past when the washrooms and a septic tank were demolished by the waters of Bear Creek a number of years ago.
Goraluk said she’s spoken to the RM of Riding Mountain West who have assured her that a new culvert is already on order and are hopeful they’ll receive it in time for their May long weekend opening at the campground.
In speaking to Glenda Lemcke, the CAO of the RM of Riding Mountain West, came assurances that the culvert is indeed on order and is expected to arrive within two weeks.
If for some reason, the culvert does not arrive within that time frame, the RM will come up with a plan to ensure that road will be open.
Intrigued? Pick up a copy of Russell Banner at our office or one of our fine newspaper dealers and turn to pages 1 & 2. 

BY: JENNIFER LAVIOLETTE

A new youth sports team has been established in Roblin, giving youth a chance to play basketball. The Roblin Raptors is a club basketball team started by head coach Ryan Wiesner. Assistant coaches are Danny Andres and Brandin Beasley, and the team managers are Rita Collins and Tara Martin. This team started as a result of some strong interest coming from the elementary school.
“Rita Collins was coaching the boys’ elementary school team and I was helping out a bit, while also coaching the guys at GLH,” said Roblin Raptors Head Coach Ryan Wiesner. “There seemed to be some keen players at the elementary. I also knew a few homeschooled boys who were excited to play basketball on a club team, so I put out some feelers to see what the interest would be and to my surprise, 11 guys signed up.
“We are a 14U team, whereas it’s more common to have a 15U team, so we’re playing against older competition a bit this year. There are 15U programs in Yorkton and Dauphin, as well as larger centres like Brandon, Winnipeg, Regina, etc. Sometimes other surrounding communities have programs too, but none were able to do that this season.”
The Roblin Raptors just started their first season earlier this month made their first appearance this past weekend at a tournament in Dauphin.
“Our first practice was April 6, 2026, and we’ve had two a week since then,” said Wiesner. “The boys are improving so much.
“Our first tournament was in Dauphin this past weekend, on April 18 to 19, 2026, and due to this being our first season and playing older competition, it was a true growing experience. The boys showed a ton of grit and determination and by the fourth game, they played very well.
“We all were extremely proud of their effort and were able to see them put up 43 points, and their defence improved a lot too,” said Wiesner.
There is an opportunity for a home audience to cheer on and support this new local youth basketball team next month, when they host their first tournament.
“The club basketball season is relatively short compared to other sports,” said Wiesner. “It only goes from April until the beginning of June.
“We have a home tournament planned for May 10, 2026, and we’re also going to the Club Basketball Manitoba Championships from May 22 to 24, 2026. There is also the possibility of some exhibition games coming up too. The whole point of the program is to help the players have fun and to grow and develop their skills as basketball players.
“Come on out and cheer us on May 10 at the Goose Lake High Gymnasium,” said Wiesner. “The first game is at 2 p.m. and the last one at 6:30 p.m.”