Ste. Anne Man Charged After Savage Attack on a Dog By Marianne Curtis
Rodeo Returns to Marchand
A Ste. Anne man has been charged for using a hockey stick to attack a Pomeranian that was nosing around in garbage. “She is paralyzed now,” said the dog’s owner, Danielle Nault when interviewed shortly after the attack. “Before they could touch her back legs and she could feel it, but today she has no feeling at all.” Bree, who Nault has owned for almost six years, had to eventually be put down due to her injuries. On July 17 Ste. Anne Police Sgt. Doug Davis said he found the dog struggling in a ditch Monday evening after receiving a call from eyewitnesses. “An eye witness said a person hit the dog twice with a stick or pipe, picked the dog up by the throat and threw it into the ditch,” Davis said.
Continued on page 3 This team takes down a steer during the team doctoring portion of the rodeo.
De Salaberry to Improve Water Quality The RM of De Salaberry has expressed an interest in improving the water quality and reducing the sedimentation of St. Malo Lake. Many local residents have seen changes in the lake and surrounding area over the last 30 years and feel that there are many sites that need to be cleaned up, restored and improved. The RM wants to ensure that it remains a vibrant and enjoyable recreational destination for the thousands of people who visit the area every year.
Digging in deep, this horse is ready to dash home during the ladies barrels competition.
By Marianne Curtis Rodeo fans were treated to two days of cowboys, horses, and cattle when the Manitoba Ranch Rodeo hit the outdoor ring in Marchand on July 28 and 29. The two day event consisted of a sanctioned rodeo with cowboys from several southern Manitoba communities competing in events that were challenging, and in some cases, down right hilarious. Spectators hooted and hollered at some of the antics pulled by the sometimes uncooperative livestock. Despite many
Photos by Marianne Curtis
discouraging attempts, the cowboys left the ring covered with dust but wearing a smile. The list of events included bronco riding, steer mugging, team doctoring, barrel racing, wild cow milking, calf branding and the wild horse racing. The ladies and juniors competed in barrel riding and goat tying. Each team’s point results are added to a final score for every competition they attend and at the end of the season they are presented an award for overall highest scores. The event was hosted by the Marchand Community Club. The weekend also included a dinner on Saturday night followed by a performance by local country star Quinton Blair.
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Four Winds Builds Addictions Treatment Centre By Marianne Curtis People struggling with addictions will soon have a new place to go for treatment now that the City of Steinbach has given the green light to Southland Church’s application to build a rehab centre.
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August 2012
Rehab continued... Continued from page 1 Southland Community Church was recently granted a conditional use permit for Four Winds Housing which will be built behind Funks Livestock on the west side of Steinbach. Four Winds will be a twostory housing project that will provide living space in separate parts of the building for 22 men and 22 women who have addictions and life controlling behaviours. Stefan Duerkson, director for the Four Winds Program, says the facility will be open to recovering addicts who have already found stability in their lives but still need extra help to reintegrate back into society. “We are not opening it up to people in crisis,” Duerkson explained at the conditional use hearing. The goal of Four Winds Housing is to facilitate growth in the foundations of healthy thinking and healthy behaviours by meeting basic needs including food, shelter, healthy emotional attachment to others and a sense of belonging and teaching participants how to live and function in community life by understanding and applying healthy boundaries. All programming provided is done at Southland Church, just down the street. People will learn to find and keep a job, manage money, how to cook and communicate effectively with others. Construction on the new facility began at the beginning of July. Southland Church officials say this is the first of four large residential buildings planned for that multi acre site.
More Than Just News!
Dawson Trail Dispatch
Convicted Sexual Predator Makes SE Manitoba as Residence The Manitoba Integrated High Risk Sex Offender Unit is releasing details to the public regarding Adrian Albert Hofer who was released from Stony Mountain Institution in Stony Mountain on July 17 and is expected to take up residence in the rural area of Southeast Manitoba. Hofer (22) is an offender convicted of two counts of Sexual Interference and one count of Forcible Confinement and is considered a significant risk to become involved in further offences. Hofer repeatedly sexually molested two boys known to him, between November 2008 and August 2009. Hofer was arrested on August 9, 2009 and remanded in custody until July 19, 2010. On that date he received a total sentence of 48 months, which includes credit for the equivalent of 24 months spent in custody prior to being sentenced, followed by three years supervised probation, which ends July 17, 2015. Hofer’s probation supervision includes conditions which prohibits him from being in contact or communication with children under the age of 16 years unless a sober and responsible adult is present at all times and possessing any pornographic materials. He is also required to attend, participate in and complete programming and counseling, including sexual offender
counseling and treatment as directed by his probation officer. Hofer will also be subject to a 10 year prohibition order until July 17, 2022 which prohibits him from attending a public park, public swimming area where persons under the age of 16 years are present or can reasonably be expected to be present, or a daycare centre, school ground, playground, or community centre, seeking, obtaining or continuing any employment, whether or not the employment is remunerated, or becoming or being a volunteer in a capacity, that involves being in a position of trust or authority towards persons under the age of 16 years and using a computer system for the purpose of communicating with a person under the age of sixteen years. Hofer will be prohibited from possessing any firearms and weapons until July 17, 2022. Although Hofer participated in some sex offender treatmentprogramming while in prison, he is still considered a significant risk to re-offend and male children are at risk. While the RCMP is providing the information to assist the public to take suitable measures to protect themselves, they warn that any form of vigilante activity or other unreasonable conduct directed at Hofer will not be tolerated.
Adrian Albert Hofer
Stuartburn Close to Hiring Administrator The RM of Stuartburn council is one-step closer to hiring a new chief administrative officer after receiving a number of applications. According to council, five applications were received prior to the end of June deadline. Council had hoped for more resumes, so they extended the application deadline to July 27. The RM of Stuartburn is expected to make a decision in the next few weeks. The municipality was forced to look for a new administrator because the previous one resigned after a year on the job. In the interim, the municipality has hired Judy Reimer back as acting administrator until the position is filled.
St. Malo continued... Continued from page 1 The vision for the area is that St. Malo Lake remains a popular and desirable destination where people can enjoy water-based recreational activities and feel safe with the quality of the water and surrounding environment.” The purpose of the St. Malo Lake Stewardship Plan is to identify logical and attainable projects and activities that improve water quality, manage water levels, protect and enhance ecosystem health and ensure the integrity of local infrastructure. The Steering Committee is made up of representatives from the RM of De Salaberry, the St. Malo & District Chamber of Commerce, St. Malo cottagers, the Seine Rat River Conservation District (SRRCD), Manitoba Water Stewardship and the St. Malo Wildlife Association. Over the next two years the sitespecific, sub-watershed planning initiative will be completed along side the Water Planning Authority of the Rat River Integrated Watershed Management Plan.
More Than Just News!
Dawson Trail Dispatch
August 2012
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Crimestoppers Launches Pet Abuse Tip-Line By Marianne Curtis Several recent incidents of animal cruelty, including the senseless beating of a Pomeranian in Ste. Anne, have led to a unique partnership between police and Crimestoppers. On July 19, Crime Stoppers and the Winnipeg Police announced a partnership that is expected to help Paw Tipsters, a non-profit service that combats animal cruelty. Paw Tipsters wants to shut the door on puppy mills and dog fighting, along with incidents of animal cruelty. Yvonne Russell started Paw Tipsters as a non-profit organization that offers cash for tips on animal abuse after finding a starving and abused black lab on the street and giving it a home. She now hopes the partnership with Crime Stoppers will grow the program. “This effort would not be possible without the support and enthusiasm of Winnipeg Crime Stoppers,” said Russell. “We are very excited to be able to provide a new tool in order to deter and prevent animal abuse and cruelty.” Tips that lead to arrests or animal seizures are eligible for up to $2,000 reward under the partnership that became active July 19. Paw Tipsters and police believe this is the first time in Canada an organization targeting animal cruelty has teamed up with Crime Stoppers and offered rewards for tips. Anyone with information on animal cruelty or any unsolved crime is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 786-TIPS (8477) or text TIP170 plus a message to CRIMES (274637). Cash rewards will be based on the outcome of investigations.
Niverville Man Plans Fundraiser with Pet Walk By Marianne Curtis
“In the past weeks there has been a rash of dogs and cats that Pet lovers and those opposed to have been in the news that have been abused,” stated Piasta. “First animal abuse of any kind are there was the puppy thrown out in invited to participate in a fundraising walk in support of the the dumpster. Then there was the puppy thrown from a moving car, newly launched Paws Tip line. the kitten beaten with a bat and In support of this cause Barry finally the Pomeranian beaten and Piasta, organizer of the Niverville it’s back broken with a hockey Dog Adoption Fair and known stick.” rescue advocate, is inviting “This has sickened me,” Piasta everyone to participate in a fundraising walk to the Legislature. added. He hopes the walk will also raise awareness about animal On July 19, Crime Stoppers and the Winnipeg Police partnered with abuse and cruelty. “This has got Paw Tipsters, a non-profit service to stop.” The walk will take place on to combat animal cruelty. Paw Tipsters wants to shut the door on August 24 at 5 pm starting at the Forks and finishing at the grounds puppy mills and dog fighting, of the Manitoba Legislature. The along with incidents of animal group will collect donations from cruelty. The non-profit people along the walk. organization will rely on Taking place along the River fundraising and donations to keep Walk, participants are encouraged in operating.
Dog Attacked continued... Continued from page 1 “I found the dog there and drove it and the owner to the emergency vet in Steinbach. When I found it, it was probably scared to death. It tried to bite me as I picked it up because it probably thought someone else was coming to hurt it,” Davis recalled. “The dog couldn’t move its hind end at all, but it was trying to drag itself home. It couldn’t pull itself,” he added. Nault said neighbours who witnessed the assault told her a hockey stick was used and during the attack, the hockey stick broke. “There was no reason to do this. She’s a sweet dog,” Nault said. Nault said she is thankful none of her five children witnessed the attack on the family pet. Sgt. Davis said that Christopher Lyons (39) has been formally charged with the offence of causing unnecessary suffering. Lyons was charged and released with the promise to appear. However, as part of the terms for this release Lyons, who owns two dogs at home, was forced to find new homes for his pets.
to bring their dogs and either wear a purple ribbon on their pet or carry a purple hockey stick in honor of the Ste. Anne incident. Funds raised from this event will go to support Paw Tipsters. The non-profit group is offering cash rewards for tips phoned into CrimeStoppers that lead to arrests or animal seizures. Anyone wishing to participate or wanting more information can call Barry at 510-4299.
Odie and Belle (both rescue pups) are all dressed up and ready to participate in a fundraising walk taking place August 24 in support of Paw Tipsters. Photo by Marianne Curtis
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More Than Just News!
August 2012
Guns, the I-Toy for Wackos Mass shootings in Denver and Toronto have entered the pages of our fast becoming infamous history along with mayhem in Columbine and a Montreal school plus many more. Unfortunately they are becoming too numerous to mention and heaven forbid, even remember. The latest one in Toronto was gang related with the public treated as incidental and unavoidable collateral damage by punks. A gang hangover from the Caribbean and now rewarded with a Canadian passport. In Denver the theatre, showing the new Batman movie was chosen because of many potential targets. All shooters in these two cases were, I suspect, psychologically damaged. You may disagree with this assessment, but at the very least, they should be deemed incapable of owning, let alone bearing, arms. Sane is definitely not part of their resume. For the Denver suspect, who left 12 dead and 58 wounded, psychologically impaired is an understatement for that guy. He had sent his plans to a psychiatrist beforehand. He went into the theatre with full body armor, two automatic rifles, two glock pistols and one 12gauge shotgun. He had purchased, online, thousands of rounds of ammunition with clips for 100 rounds of ammunition for his rifle, which he used, plus deployed a teargas canister to start a stampede to give himself
better targets. Anybody buying that much ammunition should be constrained, no, he must be flagged restrained and detained. Anybody filling these orders deserves to be shot in the vicinity of the lower abdomen. Who in hell needs 100 round clip of ammunition in an urban setting? This is definitely not conducive to any neighbourhood. In Canada, sure, it was fine to kill the gun registry, its ineffectiveness was obvious. But, illegal gun ownership is a runaway problem. Using these weapons is never an “If”; it is a “When”. An extra five years in jail for a crime committed with a weapon is also reasonable in most cases, but what can be done before the fact. With our neighbours below the 49th parallel, it has potential to become a presidential election issue, I hope. Romney clearly is bowing to the money of the NRA and states the status quo is fine with him and the Republican Party. Personally, I think he’s a flaming idiot without a trace of “cajones”. Obama is making some noises to manage the excesses in automatic gun and ammunition availability but this is nothing more than floating political trials to see if it has the potential to stick. So “cajones” are in short supply all around. A society, which feels it has the right to bear arms, is stupidly arrogant and has little to offer. What is needed, of course, is political dialogue at the
Serving the communities along the historic Dawson Trail and beyond.
The Dawson Trail Dispatch is a monthly newspaper distributed free of charge to 50 Southeastern Manitoba communities. Published by: One One Consultants Inc. Box 308, Richer, MB R0E 1S0 Phone: (204) 422-8548 Fax: (204) 422-9768 Dan Guetre, Managing Editor One One Consultants Inc., Publisher News Writers: Marianne Curtis, and Dan Guetre Columnists: Lee Guetre, Peter Friesen, Anni Markmann, Peter Martens, Herman Unrau, Raylene Snow, Lorena Mitchell, Eileen Lewis, Travis Olifirowich Production/Design: Dan Guetre, Myriam Dyck, Monica Guetre and Wilma Priebe Advertising: Karen Jorgenson and Dan Guetre
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community level because politicians are like steers or castrated lambs. They look awake and very well fed but are only good at following. We, the people, are the only ones who can initiate this dialogue. This gun craze, in conjunction with seemingly overwhelming mental deficiencies, is toxic to human’s quest for enhancement of civilization. Is the problem nature? Is it nurture? My guess it is both. Is the problem diet? Is it environmental? More than likely, they are real factors, but the greatest impediment is the lack individual and collective will to be involved. This “I” society is too busy gratifying themselves and one wonders if there is an end to this mental detritus. We have become a third world siege mentality society. “Cajones” are in short supply all around.
Toews Leaves “Paper Trail” Dear Editor: I am sending a photo of Vic Toews’ flyers and newspapers from the past 4 months. I have been receiving this accumulation several times a year for 8 years. I am constantly removing this from my group mailbox and cleaning up the discards on the ground. The flyers do not contain any news, it is repetition – sheer waste. This government minister has spent $120,000 a year, more now with rising publishing costs; the most of any government minister; that adds up to a million dollars of taxpayers’ hard earned money. I have sent requests to his Provencher constituency office;
Dawson Trail Dispatch
Keeping our Streets and Communities Safe This past week, Statistics Canada released the 2011 Police Reported Crime Statistics. The Statistics Canada report showed that the crime rate has decreased by 6 percent from last year, however it remains 208 percent higher than it was in 1962. These statistics show that our tough on crime measures are starting to work. Our government is stopping the revolving door of the criminal justice system. The fact of the matter is that when the bad people are kept in jail longer, they are not out committing crimes. However, there is still more work to do. Our government remains committed to improving safety for Canadians where they live work and raise their families. We have delivered on this promise by passing comprehensive legislation that holds violent and repeat young offenders accountable, and gives victims of crime a voice in the criminal justice system. As part of its actions to combat gang and youth crime in Canada, our Government has: toughened sentencing and bail provisions for serious gun crimes; strengthened the sentencing and monitoring of dangerous high-risk offenders; ensured that murders connected to organized crime will be treated automatically as first-degree murders and we have imposed mandatory jail time for drive-by or reckless shootings; ended sentence discounts for multiple murder; and passed legislation to abolish the fainthope clause which allowed early parole for murderers. To assist those youth who are most at risk of offending, our government continues to work with communities to tackle gang and youth crime by investing in community-based projects. Most recently, our government provided $7.5 million annually in funding to help youth steer clear of and escape gangs. On February 21, the Harper government launched the next phase of the Youth Gang Prevention Fund, which will continue to provide youth in gangs or those at risk of joining gangs with life skills to help them make smart choices and stay away from gangs and crime. With the coming into effect of amendments to the Corrections and Conditional Release Act (part of the Safe Streets and Communities Act) on June 13, we announced concrete action to ensure the voices of victims of crime are heard. These amendments include measures to enshrine victim participation in conditional release hearings, and keep victims better informed about the management of offenders. Our Conservative government will continue to work to ensure that police have the tools they need to do their jobs and that dangerous criminals stay where they belong - behind bars. Please feel free to contact my office if you have any concerns or issues you would like to discuss. You may contact my office toll free at 1-866333-1933 or at 204-326-9889 or in Lac du Bonnet at 204-345-9762. You may write my office at 8 - 227 Main Street, Steinbach, MB R5G 1Y7, by fax at 204-346-9874 or by e-mail at toewsv1@parl.gc.ca.
no response from him, to Ottawa asking that this reckless waste be stopped; no response from him. That million dollars could be put to good use. The Stephen Harper government inherited a surplus when it came to power, then it
started reckless spending and our deficit has soared. Vic Toews has his fingers in the taxpayers’ cookie jar – get them out Vic. Yours truly, Nancy Cullen Lorette, MB
More Than Just News!
Dawson Trail Dispatch
More Than Trading Partners In July, I had the opportunity to meet with U.S. legislators from across the Midwestern part of the United States to discuss cross-border issues that are important to both Canada and the United States. These talks included the Keystone XL Pipeline, border security and of course, cross border trade. During the meetings, we were able to hear from representatives from some large corporations that are very involved in commerce in both Canada and the United States as well as around the world. One of these companies was the Campbell Soup Company, a very familiar household brand name in North America. They expressed frustration about how regulations between our countries affect their production process. One example was the fact that they were forced to run two separate production lines for their soup varieties because Canadian regulations required that only 19-ounce cans could be used while the United States preferred 16-ounce cans. This regulatory hurdle would seem simple to eliminate but was a barrier for years. Only this year as part of a larger agreement between countries have some of these issues been addressed but many regulatory hurdles remain. One of the messages sent from business to policy makers is that we need to move beyond thinking of our nations as simply partners in trade. To be sure, the trade we do between our countries is critical. We are each other’s largest trading partners. However, things have evolved beyond that according to business leaders who now say we are not just trading partners, we are business partners. We are building and producing things together for the rest of the word. Products and parts that are manufactured will sometimes cross the Canadian and U.S. Border several times until a product is produced. It will then be shipped for export somewhere else in the world. This relationship benefits both of our countries as it creates jobs and opportunities for the citizens of both Canada and the United States. This changing reality might bring about a new mindset as well. As trading partners, there is often a focus on simply our individual interest. When we consider our nations as business partners, there is a greater incentive to work together to ensure that we are maximizing that relationship to the benefit of both our countries. Earlier this year Prime Minister Stephen Harper and President Barack Obama announced a new U.S. – Canada border deal addressing some of the regulatory hurdles that make this business relationship difficult while ensuring border security remained. Many companies already see our nations as not just trading partners but business partners. As those realities grow, more focus will put on ensuring the regulations between Canada and the United States help that partnership flourish for the benefit of both our countries. I appreciate your comments and concerns. If you have any comments on these or other issues, you can contact me by writing, #3 – 227 Main Street, Steinbach, MB R5G 1Y7, by phone at (204) 3265763, by fax at (204) 346-9913, by e-mail at kelvin.goertzen@leg.gov.mb.ca or by visiting my website at kelvingoertzen.com. I look forward to hearing from you.
Budget Bill Suppresses Debate and Declares Federal Veiled Agenda Dear Editor: You have surely heard about Bill C38, the federal government’s budget bill that was just passed at the end of June. This bill was approximately 429 pages long, with more than 750 clauses amending more than 70 federal statutes. Usually, budget bills are around 12 pages long; this year’s budget bill was 429 pages. Furthermore, it makes major changes to essential programs that affect the lives of Canadians. The federal government tried to justify its decision by saying that everything in it is related to the economy. However, the true reason Bill C-38 is so large is so that it can hide the changes it will bring about. This conclusion stems from the fact that Bill C-38 goes beyond issues that are logically related to the budget and makes changes across the board, from retirement to environmental protection. The legislative process for this bill was depressing. It was imposed on Parliament and it undermined the serious role that parliamentarians could have played. There was little debate, the bill was dealt with quickly, there were few hearings and witnesses involved, and all proposed amendments were rejected. What are we here for if we cannot make amendments? Among other things, Bill C-38 does the following: - Amends the Fisheries Act that protects fish habitats to make it legal to engage in activities that harm fish habitats (71 fish species at risk of extinction); - Attacks the Canadian social safety net by making changes to Old Age Security (for Canada’s most vulnerable seniors) and Employment Insurance (without
consulting any of the provinces); - Cuts funding to search and rescue teams across Canada; - Takes power away from independent commissions and Parliament; - Closes regional offices across the country; - Eliminates many control mechanisms that existed independent of the federal government; - Cuts funding to the Aboriginal Youth Suicide Prevention Strategy; - Permanently closes a number of historical sites across Canada; - Encourages people to make purchases in the United States (48 hours), depriving the provinces of millions of dollars of sales tax revenue; - Eliminates funding for the Community Access Program, which provides Internet access, while also changing EI measures to send unemployed Canadians two emails a day to share job opportunities – how can they stay informed without access to the Internet? - Changes the definition of “for charitable purposes” and makes other changes relating to Canadian charitable organizations; - Shuts down the National Council of Welfare; - Removes the requirement to comply with the Employment Equity Act; - Eliminates the requirement to undertake many of the federal environmental assessments; - Makes gradual and unannounced changes in a number of other sectors, attacks human rights, threatens Canadian unity and Canada’s reputation and economic future, and weakens the legislative process. This omnibus bill has serious consequences for Canada. Sometimes it is necessary to impose austerity measures. Again, it must be done transparently and respectfully, taking into account the opinions of interested parties. We, as Liberal Senators, were prevented to do our job properly.
Despite our efforts to act in Canada’s best interests, we were unable to prevent this bill from being passed. We voted according to our principles as this is the raison d’etre of the Senate of Canada. We voted according to our principles. However, is that enough to justify our actions? Maria Chaput, Senator Ste. Anne, MB
Pioneer Days Parade Crowd Expected to be Huge The Steinbach Chamber of Commerce is eagerly anticipating another huge crowd for the annual Pioneer Days Parade, to be held on August 3. The Honorary Parade Marshall this year will be United Transportation Driver Training, this year’s Chamber of Commerce ‘Business of the Year’ award recipient. United Driver Training is the largest driver training school in Manitoba, and the first to offer instruction in five different classes, Class 1 through 5. This year’s theme is ‘Steinbach… Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow.’ “We want to celebrate our past, our heritage, while at the same time looking forward to the future and all the changes that are happening as our city
August 2012
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Ministers Discuss New Building Canada Fund I had the opportunity to meet with representatives of all 197 municipalities in Manitoba in June to discuss their ideas for the new Building Canada Fund. I was able to utilize these suggestions during the Local Government ministers meeting held in July. This involved the Local Government ministers from across all provinces and territories. At this time, we discussed our thoughts for the new fund in preparation for the roundtable meeting held in Winnipeg with the Federal Minister of State for Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, Steven Fletcher. Investment in our infrastructure supports a broad range of services for Manitobans, communities and municipalities. Infrastructure investments are also creating steady growth and new jobs, leading to exciting opportunities and a high quality of life for Manitoban families. I am glad to see that the scheduled resurfacing of Hwy 207 from Deacon’s Corner and through Lorette has been completed. Good roads are necessary for any community to remain economically healthy. That is why our government has committed to our Manitoba Capital plan to spend $4 billion over ten years on highways and bridges. Hwy 207 from Deacon’s Corner to Landmark Corner, Hwy 210, Hwy 311 and the Trans Canada Hwy east from Deacon’s Corner to Hwy 12 are a part of that plan. I am aware that there were some inconveniences caused by the construction happening on the 207 and I do apologize for that. Now we will be able to enjoy our improved road for many years to come. As in past years, the Manitoba Floodway Authority will be closing Courchaine Road to allow work to occur on the Inlet Control Structure. The road will be closed from Turnbull Drive to St. Mary’s Road from July 23 until March 29, 2013. I would like to assure you that the RM of Ritchot, local school divisions and emergency crews have been notified of this closure so that they may plan accordingly and ensure services are maintained for local residents. Alternative bridge crossings are available at St. Adolphe to the south and the Perimeter Highway to the north. Following this year’s work, it is anticipated that the long-term closure of Courchaine Road related to Inlet Control Structure improvements will not be required. I would like to thank you in advance for your cooperation. For more information on the Red River Floodway Expansion Project, please visit the MFA website floodwayauthority.mb.ca or call 945-4900. As always, I appreciate hearing your comments and thoughts on these and other provincial initiatives. I encourage you to contact me by e-mail (rlemieuxmla@mts.net), by phone 878-4644, or by mail at 101-1309 Dawson Road, Box 517, Lorette, MB R0A 0Y0 and together we can continue to move Dawson Trail and Manitoba forward. Editor’s Note: I am trying to guage the sincerity in the above invite to contact Ron Lemieux. I have left 8 messages, both with his constituency office and his Ministerial office for him to call me regarding an important business matter for another company I own that has some concerns about the provincial government’s direction in legislating the industry. It is now going on to 4 1/2 weeks and still no contact. It seems that unless it is election time, a call back is of low importance. Maybe it is time the Dispatch evaluates whether the space we allow for certain MLA’s should be given to other MLA’s who believe that communication with residents is an important part of representing residents. - DG
bigger and better,” she stated. “It gives everyone a chance to get out and meet their neighbor.” The three-day event, which is scheduled to take place August 10 to 12, kicks off with music by Mike Blair and local band, the Ripperz. Saturday starts with a pancake breakfast hosted by the Landmark Kinsmen, parade, hot dog lunch and children’s events. This year for the first time, a mini-Folklorama is taking place with representatives from Chili, Argentine, Cuba and Israel. Former resident Marianne Curtis, author of Finding Gloria, will also be on hand during the afternoon with her best selling memoir. The day will end with a community pork BBQ that starts the evening followed by a dance with music by the Darryl Marsh Band and fireworks. On Sunday, all the churches in The community of Landmark is Landmark invite the community to gearing up for a celebration when a worship service in the park the community invites everyone to followed by a picnic lunch. this year’s annual Friendship More volunteers are needed so Festival. Organizer Cheryl Tremeer is thrilled anyone interested are encouraged with the success of the festival that to call Cheryl at 355-4277 or 3554056. she started a few summers ago. “We always have a great time and we want this year’s festival to be
grows,” said Parade Marshall Kyla Murray. The parade will start at the Fire Hall at 10 am, and proceed west down Main Street. Prizes will again be awarded in six categories based on the theme, Steinbach… Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow, Antique vehicle, Farm Antique, Youth entry, Equestrian entry, and Judges Choice.
Friendship Festival Comes to Landmark
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August 2012
More Than Just News!
Ritchot Council Shuts Door on Advance Funding for Doctor Enticement
Dawson Trail Dispatch
Super Walmart Construction Progresses
By Marianne Curtis In a move that has upset many people in the community of Ile des Chênes, the RM of Ritchot has shut down a plan that was expected to entice medical services into the town. At a special meeting of council, the RM of Ritchot met to make a decision after the IDC Community Centre board came to council requesting an advance. The committee asked the municipality for an advance against future revenues in the amount of $169,000. The money was to be used to finish the 6,000 square foot second storey at the town’s new community centre. Council was told the committee had a commitment from a doctor who wanted to set up a medical clinic and a pharmacy. However, in order for the tenants to move in, the entire second floor would have to be finished. The committee formally requested the municipality to consider an advance on revenue so the project could move ahead. A few days later, on July 20, council held a special meeting to discuss the matter. A motion to allow the IDC Community Centre Board to proceed with building a medical clinic on the second storey with the municipality funding the costs was defeated unanimously. RM of Ritchot Reeve Bob Stefaniuk confirmed that his council shut down the board’s plans. “They wanted the money quickly to finish off the upstairs; the assumption is that it had something to do with another pharmacist setting up in town,” Stefaniuk explained. “The profits would not have been what they expected. We didn’t see the payback in their proposal.” Council then voted to block off the second floor to further use until a suitable tenant is found. A third resolution has council saying they would continue their search for suitable tenants and work with the board to pursue any leads that will result in filling the space and provide rent revenue.
The new Super Walmart in Steinbach is expected to be open in early 2013. Photo by Marianne Curtis
Construction on the new Walmart in Steinbach is moving along quickly. Walmart Manager Kevin Evans said that the Super Walmart is expected to open in early 2013. “We are leasing office space and when that is finalised we will be kicking off the hiring centre,” Evans said. The company will be looking to fill 200 positions. Meanwhile, the City of Steinbach is still trying to get the Department of The RM of Ritchot council denied the advancement of revenues to be used to lure a doctor Highways to speed up intersection improvements along Highway 12 in front of the new store’s location. The City of Steinbach blames Manitoba and pharmacist as tenants to the second floor of the Ile des Chênes Community Centre. Infrastructure and Transportation for being too slow to approve the plans. Photo by Marianne Curtis Traffic is expected to increase significantly once the new store opens. This could cause problems at the northern entrance to the store. The However, Stefaniuk denies that and surrounding area, such as a plans include improving the turning lanes and installing a set of traffic medical doctor, pharmacy, dentist, lights. council will make the decision. “It is up to the board what kind of and physiotherapist. businesses go in there; council is not in the business of making deals,” Stefaniuk continued. “If we handle this prudently we will have a facility that will serve us well into the future.” A Jack Russel Terrier deemed a dangerous dog in the RM of La Broquerie is now residing in the RM of Ste. Anne. Stefaniuk confirmed the On July 11, the RM of La Broquerie council hosted a public meeting in regards to an alleged dangerous dog living municipality is blocking off the in the municipality. According to council at least two individuals were bitten by the dog, which is owned by Tonya Hann. second floor. After listening to the victims, the municipality deemed the pup a dangerous dog under Bylaw No 8-2006. “We want to see what happens in “It is council’s opinion that the dog in question is a danger to the community,” stated council. “The said dog, a Jack the future. This project is now in a Russell Terrier, has been declared a dangerous dog.” holding pattern,” Stefaniuk Hann was served with a dozen conditions if she decided to keep the animal. These conditions include liability concluded. insurance, fencing, muzzling and obedience training. These conditions also included leaving a $1,000 bond with the The $6.7 million Ile des Chênes municipality until the conditions were met. In addition, the impounded dog would only be released to its owner when Community Centre was made the conditions were met. possible with $2.77 million in federal Council have given her ten days to comply. funding through the Community According to Reeve Claude Lussier, the owner complied with some of the conditions, picked up the dog and moved Adjustment Fund and the Rural to Richer. Municipality of Ritchot. “She has taken her dog back and we have notified the RM of Ste. Anne that she has moved there,” stated Lussier. “I The new centre includes a hall and hope and pray that no one gets bit in Richer.” a bilingual public daycare for 94 The RM of La Broquerie has taken steps to make sure something like this does not happen again. Council passed a children. There is also office rental new animal control bylaw. The municipality is using the Portage La Prairie dangerous dog bylaw as a template. Council space with a focus on bringing expects to approve the new bylaw on August 15. medical services to the community
La Broquerie Deals with Dog Owner
Dawson Trail Dispatch
More Than Just News!
August 2012
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Record Foodgrains Harvest in Niverville By Marianne Curtis Harvesting season has begun and the Niverville and District Canadian Foodgrains growing project recently broke its donation record after harvesting winter wheat. On July 24, the project harvested 78.2 bushels an acre from its 264 acres of winter wheat. Sold for $7.25 a bushel to area farmers for animal feed, the crop produced about $150,000 for the Foodgrains Bank, their biggest donation since starting in 2000. Ken Krahn, with the Niverville and District Grow Project, was pleased with the groups contribution. “Everything that came off was donated 100 percent to Canadian Foodgrains,” Krahn stated. “I believe our last record was $100,000, so this was definitely a jump from that.” On harvest day 15 combines and six grain cars participated in the afternoon harvest. “It was a kind of party atmosphere with picnic tables and a BBQ,” Krahn noted. Canadian Foodgrains Bank is a partnership of Canadian church-based agencies working to end hunger in developing countries by increasing and deepening the involvement of Canadians in an effort to end hunger. Through the Canadian Foodgrains Bank (CFGB) a number of grain producers in the region donate portions of their crops, or planted specifically to support the program. Nationally the CFGB has delivered $514,717,753 worth of programming and shipped 1,005,725 metric tonnes of food and seeds to 76 countries around the world.
Steinbach Sets Rules to Enhance Housing Development By Marianne Curtis The City of Steinbach is working to enhance multifamily housing development in established neighborhoods. According to Mayor Chris Goertzen, Steinbach recently developed an Infill Multi-Family Units Policy, which provides guidelines for the development process of infill multi-family housing. “Council is pleased to have this Policy as a new tool to help create neighbourhoods that accommodate a variety of uses,” said Goertzen. “It was important for Council to see new criteria put in place and to create a process that would respect existing dwelling units while at the same time allowing for increased density that fits in well with the surrounding homes.” The Policy focuses on mixing low, medium, and higher densities in older neighbourhoods in an effort to conserve land and fiscal resources by maximizing use of infrastructure. The new guidelines are intended to help meet these development goals while maintaining the character of established neighborhoods. “I believe this new process will result in multi-family projects that residents will be proud to live in and at the same time respect the area in which it is developed,” added Goertzen. “The review process will demand more creativity and compromise from developers of multi-family projects in the infill area, resulting in a more aesthetically pleasing city.” Some of the specific construction standards within the new policy include infill multi-family buildings that must be oriented to the frontage street similar to adjoining residential properties. Corner properties shall address both public right of ways as if they were a front yard. Exterior cladding should attempt to reflect the traditional materials of existing buildings in the surrounding neighborhood. The height of any multi-family developments directly adjacent to a single family dwelling shall be limited so that the height of the multi-family building is generally compatible with adjacent buildings. Outdoor patios above the main floor shall not be located in the side yard abutting a single or two family residential properties. Buffers shall be provided when a multi-family development is to be situated adjacent to a single family dwelling.
Fifteen combines came out to help the Niverville and District grow project harvest 264 acres of winter wheat for the Canadian Foodgrains Bank.
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More Than Just News!
Dawson Trail Dispatch
Family Fun Fair and Registration Day for Fall Programs – Wednesday, August 29, 3 - 8 pm at Steinbach Cultural Arts Centre, 304 Second Street. Bouncers, Face painting, free hot dogs and demos by xcompany dance and martial arts. Come and see what’s up! Classes include: Creative Wellness – Gentle Hatha Flow Yoga, Pilates, NEW! Sculpt & Tone, NEW! Triple Benefit 30-20-10, Zumba, Creative Cooking and Kids in the Kitchen, Adult Dance – Belly Dance and Social Dance, Languages – Spanish or French for beginners or more advanced, Visual Arts – Kid’s Art XTravaganza, Clay Creators, Kid’s Art Adventure, Exploring Acrylics, Drawing Dynamics, Digital Photography, Adult Pottery, Theatre for ages 5-15 with the Backyard Theatre Company, Dance and Martial Arts (Little Ballerinas, Broadway Stars, Jazz, Tap, Hip Hop, Breakdance, Hawaiian Hula, Kidz Yoga and more) with XCOMPANY/ Southeast School of Dance, and Music and Theory (piano, voice, violin, guitar) with the Manitoba Conservatory of Music & Arts. Miss Rose from Kindermusik will also be taking registrations for early childhood music and movement classes for families and kids, 0-7 yrs.
swimming and field trips! Volunteer! If you are over 14, we welcome you at Summer Camps.
NOW! Better Together!
Concert Series 2012-13
XCOMPANY and Southeast School of Dance are partners in providing great dance and martial arts programs – guys and girls, ages 3 +. Check out exciting classes at xcompany.net or call 470-5425.
Reserve your seats now for our 2012-13 concert series. Get the discounted package price for all five shows, plus get 10 percent off for Added Attractions including the Magical Mystery Munsch family show, and Madeline Hildebrand in Young Artists series. Here’s a great idea – let the next gift you give be tickets for an incredible performance, or purchase a gift certificate.
Support Arts Center BBQing in support of your local community Arts Centre: Join us for Mix 96.7 FM Charity BBQ next to RBC and Earl’s Meats Wednesday on Main Street in Steinbach, August 29, 11:30-1 pm.
NEW! The Dance Floor
Become a master in social dance, or start at the beginning! With four-week sessions or a discounted 12-week session to choose from, it’s flexible and affordable! A new dance for each session. Take advantage of FREE practice time per week and monthly dances.
New Workshops Learn to dance at your wedding (wedding parties, families, etc) or come Friday nights – for singles, starting with line dancing.
Southeast Artists Group Join the Southeast Artists Group and paint with them Tuesday mornings. Call Gary at 346-9623.
Summer Arts Day Camps Sign up NOW for Summer Arts Day Camps. Camps are underway, but still a few openings for A Bug’s Life, Let’s Play Ball (four-day camp for ages 5-7) and All Ball. Camps run 9 am - 5 pm daily for ages 5-12. Sign up for fun with music, drama, dance, crafts, recreation,
Loader Stolen in Lorette St-Pierre-Jolys RCMP is seeking the public’s assistance in the theft of construction equipment that occurred in Lorette. In the early morning hours of July 13, unknown person(s) attended a construction site in Lorette
Lunch Anyone? Stop by 306 Reimer Ave., grab a smokie from Frank in Stein hot dog stand, and check out local artworks in the two-storey house gallery. Artists painting on site Mon-Fri 11:30 am - 2 pm (Hours are subject to change. Check website) Loewen Green Art Scene: Artists and Musicians welcome at the Loewen Green Art Scene at 306 Reimer Ave! Contact Yvonne at 346-1077 or email visualarts@steinbachartscouncil.ca. FREE painting lessons at the Loewen Green Art Scene with Colleen Watchorn, 11:30 am-2 pm on the following Wednesdays, August 15, 22, 29. Just try it! No experience necessary. FREE pastel lessons with Julie Coss – Friday, Aug 10. FREE Sketching Lessons with Antonio Durocher – Monday, August 13. Bring supplies. And keep posted for other artists offering free lessons in August!
Arts4Tots Preschool Program A few spaces left for ages 3-5 in the Arts4Tots Preschool Program, MondayThursday afternoons.
Wanted Board Nominees to serve on the Steinbach Arts Council Board of Directors for 2012-13. Looking for business skills or creative skills – any community caring qualities are welcomed. Email director@steinbachartscouncil.ca.
FREE Movie Night FREE Movie Night under the stars on Saturday, September 8 at A.D. Penner Park. Come early for a charity BBQ in support of programming for kids and adults at your community Arts Centre. Check our website for times.
Planning for Christmas Plans are underway for the 2012 annual Christmas Home Tour and Tea on Sunday, November 25. If you have a home, you would like to feature or showcase, please call us. We are looking for five homes of all styles and designs. and made off with a 2012 New Holland skid steer loader valued at approximately $61,000. Investigators are requesting anyone with information to contact the St-Pierre-Jolys RCMP at 433-7908 or call, Manitoba Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS). You can also submit online at manitobacrimestoppers.com or text “TIPMAN” plus your message to CRIMES (274637).
Dawson Trail Dispatch
More Than Just News!
August 2012
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Cooling for Less Wow, it has been hot out there, and inside, too. We are looking at different green ways to stay cool. Everyone knows you can open the windows at night and close them in the morning but what are the options when even that does not help? We have been looking at the new technology that works with your solar thermal (solar hot water) system. How it works is the solar thermal tubes heat water and glycol to heat the refrigerant to the right temperature to air condition your house. This innovative new way to use your solar thermal system is really getting more attention because in the past we have had to cover or dump the extra heat in the summer from the solar thermal system as we create too much heat in the summer months. In Canada, we need to size solar thermal systems to meet 50 percent of your load for winter because in the summer we have a 150 percent or more production of heat. With everyone at the lake, we have been working hard to keep up with demand for quiet solar power. More and more people are getting frustrated with campers that use generators at night. So what should people look for in a good solar system? A basic solar system should have a very good foundation. You need to use good quality solar batteries that will be able to handle the storage of your power. Go to an expert on sizing the battery bank to meet your needs. You should bring information like the size of the AC unit you are wanting to power. Count the lights you have that will be on and for how long. The more information you can provide about your power consumption, the better it is to size the foundation of your system to handle the overnight load of the trailer, tent, or cabin. Please remember car batteries will not do and most marine batteries are not made to handle the deep cycle of the solar system. Marine batteries are only 55 amps to 100 amps and the plates inside are not as thick, which means you will have to replace these batteries more often. After you have chosen your battery bank, you will need very good quality battery cable or you will cause a bottleneck for the power to both go in and out of the batteries. Always have an expert size the cable needed for your solar and battery system. I also cannot stress enough that you need to buy and use approved for use in Canada equipment. These standards are very important for safety and are put in place to protect you and your property. You run the risk of fire with unapproved power equipment and if these are deemed to have caused a fire that damages property or causes injury, you could be liable, as your insurance company will not cover you. We recently outfitted the Weyburn, Saskatchewan A & W restaurant with all new LED lights. If you are going that way, check them out! They will have paid for themselves in 9 months! The staff cheered as they said the kitchen was a lot brighter. The savings for this restaurant owner will be thousands over a 3-year period due to the low consumption of the LED lights. Have a save and happy summer and keep cool! If you want to join the conversation, visit greening-myworld.blogspot.ca or for more tips please visit Evolvegreen.ca.
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Dawson Trail Dispatch
Go-Karts “Fly” During St. Labre 200
When the dust settled, over 1,000 spectators came out to cheer on a dozen teams throughout the region who participated in this year’s St. Labre 200. Photo by Marianne Curtis
By Marianne Curtis Over 1,000 spectators headed out to St. Labre over the weekend of July 13 to 15 to take in the 4th annual St. Labre 200. When the dust settled at the end of the day Grunthal’s Tristars took home the coveted Best Sleep Centre Sparkplug Cup for the second year in a row. They are the only team that managed to complete the grueling 200lap race. The annual St. Labre 200 go-kart build-off competition is a challenge where 14 teams build their own go-karts within 24 hours. Each team is given basic materials along with their own basic framing materials. They are then challenged to build go-karts from scratch on the first day and race their new creations the next day in a fastpaced nail-biting 200-lap race on a quarter mile dirt track. The winner earns the right to hoist the Best Sleep Centre Sparkplug Cup. François Grenier, one of the organizers of the yearly event, said he is not sure of the exact number of spectators. However, he did note they ran out of food several times even though they tripled their initial supply due to the higher than expected turnout. “It was a very big success,” stated Grenier. “We had tons of people come watch the races. We had tons of people participate in the races. We also had terrific weather and a lot of smiling faces.” “Highlights for myself was seeing all the smiles on people’s faces and seeing my brother win 2nd place as part of the Marchand Loose Chains,” he added. He added that this event would not have been possible without the volunteer committee and “amazing volunteers”. “So many people come and do the work we ask of them with a smiling face. People who come to the event see that and really appreciate it,” Grenier added. A dozen teams throughout the region participated in the weekend build challenge and race. Marchand West Loose Chains came in second by completing 196 laps and Pist N’ Broke from Steinbach finished with 192 laps. Other teams who participated included the Moonshadow Holsteins, Moteur Busters and To Be Determined all from St. Labre. Funk’s Toyota from Steinbach, Nederhoed Bandits and Florze Boyz from La Broquerie, Thibaultville Thunder and Camp Perdu from Richer, Hitrac from Winnipeg and Snap Off from Pine Falls also participated.
Plumbing Breaks Moves Piney Council Meetings The RM of Piney council has been forced to move their public meetings after a plumbing malfunction in the municipal office. Effective July 10, the RM of Piney council will be meeting at the Vassar Hall instead of the municipal council chambers. According to councillor Sian Barrow, the municipal office flooded due to a “plumbing malfunction” over the July long weekend. This has forced the municipal office employees to move into the regular council chambers to conduct business while renovations are completed. As a result, all public council meetings and hearings have been moved to the Vassar Hall until further notice. It is unsure at this point when council will be returning to their regular meeting space.
Dawson Trail Dispatch
Failure of Lorette Lift Station Pump
The RM of Tache has been advised that the community of Landmark will be looking at a new pump at the Lorette Lift Station. At a recent meeting, council was informed that one of two pumps in the Lorette Lift Station had failed and extensive repairs are needed. While service to the community has not been affected, council has been advised that a replacement pump is needed as soon as possible. The failed pump would then be repaired and become a back up for the system. Estimated cost could be about $70,000.
Tax Grab by the Province is Regressive In April, the Manitoba Government announced its new budget, including some tax increases to the usual items and some brand new taxes. The fuel tax will increase 2.5 cents per litre to 14 cents per litre. At least it’s a flat tax, regardless of how much gas is per litre (unlike GST that increases as the price of gas goes up). And the smokers saw an increase of 2.5 cents per cigarette to a total of 25 cents per cigarette. Keep that in mind next time you light up! But the government also announced some new taxes. Now that it has been a few months we are seeing the tax increases, it’s time to make sure you know about them and I’ll provide some opinion on them. The first tax came into effect July 1. It’s the tax on some personal services that affect mostly women. That’s why some have commented it’s a tax on Women! The government will charge the PST on the following services as of July 1: spa treatments, pedicures, manicures and facials, haircuts and hairstyling, tattooing and piercings. Haircuts costing less than $50 will be exempt. When you look at this list of services, you can see that it hits women the most. Fortunately I don’t spend much on my haircuts and I’m not coloring it (No grey hairs yet!). Also subject to the PST will be purchases of property and group life insurance, trip cancellation insurance, baggage insurance, protection insurance on bank loans and land titles insurance. The changes do not affect or apply to individual life, disability or critical illness insurance policies. I believe the provincial sales tax on property insurance is unfair. You can have two different families living in similar homes with similar costs for home insurance, but very different incomes. It’s what we call a regressive tax, everyone taxed the same regardless of income level. So when you go to renew your house or tenant insurance, it will have increased by at least seven percent. Don’t get mad at the insurance company or broker, they are just adding the tax as they are required to do. And now the businesses that pay property taxes, how do you think they will handle the seven percent increase? Of course, they will need to increase their revenue to cover it. They will increase their prices that you and I pay. The Government of Manitoba should have increased the provincial income taxes on the higher income individuals to collect $180 million instead of all these regressive taxes that will hurt the lower income families the most. Fuel taxes and house insurance taxes – we all need to pay them, but the higher income families will feel it less and the lower income families will notice it the most. Oh, you wanted some good news? The basic personal amount is going up $250 from $8,384 to $8,630 (that was announced last year). We are still way behind. The federal basic amount is at $10,822. So your income between $8,630 and $10,822 gets taxed by the Province (at 10.8 percent), but not by the Feds. Still, we have the lowest basic personal amount in the country. Everyone saves some taxes regardless of income level. The government should have provided an outright tax break to the lowest income earners with earnings under say $20,000. Why should they be paying provincial taxes? Our lowest income individuals get taxed the highest in the country. Does that sound like a government concerned about “the little guy”? And the minimum wage is going up again in the fall to $10.25. Now this is not a tax, but of that $0.25 increase those receiving minimum wage may get, how much? Do you think they actually see an increase after the provincial tax, federal tax, CPP and EI are taken off? All it does is cost the small businesses more in their payroll taxes (including the employer CPP and EI). Again, does this really help the lower income earner? It does put more taxes in the provincial tax pocket! If the government wants to help those earning minimum wage, stop taxing them! There was one more tax increase: another $35 increase in registration fees on vehicles. This tax and the increased tax on fuel are supposedly going straight to roads. Let’s see what they do. Anni Markmann is a tax professional and a Certified Financial Planner working, living, and volunteering in our community. Contact Anni at annimarkmann@mts.net or 422-6631 or 36 Dawson Rd in Ste Anne.
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August 2012
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Famous Grunthal BBQ at Hanover Ag Fair The community of Grunthal is gearing up to host the festival of the year when it holds the Hanover Ag Fair and Rodeo on August 16 to 19. Kicking off Friday with a ribbon cutting and Bullarama, the weekend is jam packed with activities for all ages. On Saturday, the day begins with a pancake breakfast and 4-H shows. At 10 am, spectators will be treated to a parade. Attendees are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items to the event as volunteers from the Grunthal and Area Food bank will be collecting them along the route. The World Famous Grunthal Chicken Barbecue will take place at noon at the Arena, right after the Parade. Agriculture and other activities take place all day along with the Prudential Family Funzone including bouncers, a petting zoo, carnival games, and more. A whole hog BBQ happens at 5 pm at the Puratone Tent with an amazing evening of entertainment on the Fairway Ford Mainstage starting with Shane Yellowbird and guests Quinton Blair and Luke Reimer. Fast-paced rodeo action is expected to draw crowds when the MRCA/CCA Rodeo takes place Friday at 7 pm and on Saturday at 1 pm. Ranch rodeo will be taking place on Sunday afternoon.
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August 2012
Frog Follies Delivers Jumping Good Times
Dawson Trail Dispatch
Toews’ Recipe Supports Local Food Banks
On July 11, Toews met with the heads of all five food banks in the region in New Bothwell where he presented them with a donation to their organizations. (l-r) Vern Froese, Chicken Farmers of Canada; Jake Wiebe, Manitoba Chicken Producers; Ivan Balenovic, Bothwell Cheese; Vic Toews, MP for Provencher; Hank Klassen, SE Helping Hands; Bev Simard, Lac du Bonnet and area Food Bank; Pat Rempel, Red River Valley Food Bank and Iris Swiderski, Lorette Food Bank.
By Marianne Curtis
Above: Nine-year-old Jasmine Carriere from St. Pierre-Jolys had a great time jumping her frog during the annual St-Pierre-Jolys Frog Follies competition. Right: Sixteen-month-old Emilienne Allard-Tinkler enjoys meeting her first kitten at the petting zoo, which was set up as part of the Agricultural Fair portion of the event. Photos by Marianne Curtis
By Marianne Curtis The community of St. Pierre-Jolys could not have asked for a better weekend to host this year’s Frog Follies. Soaring temperatures and plenty of activities drew hundreds to the community for the packed weekend. The community of St. Pierre-Jolys celebrated tradition, family and community when the 43rd Frog Follies and Agricultural Fair took place July 12 to 15. The non-profit event brought people together from all over the province for a fun-filled, action packed weekend. “Continuing our successful partnership with the St-Pierre Agricultural Society, this year’s festival did not disappoint as a record amount of activities were offered to all who came,” stated Sébastien Ouellette. Festivities kicked off Friday night with the Great Canadian Frog hunt, where people participated in catching the frogs to be used for the Canadian National Frog Jumping Championship. Jumping competitions, which took place on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, attracted several dozen competitors of all ages. Some of the feature activities included one of Manitoba’s premier agricultural exhibition displays and fair, numerous children’s activities, slo-pitch tournament, a parade, fireworks, a Sunday night DJ social and the Canadian National Frog Jumping Championship. This year’s Frog Follies also featured a special showcase of local entertainers. This year’s performers included Lindsay Johnston, Ivan Reimer, Dustin Harder, Julian Austin, Cold Hard Cash, The Saint-Beach Boys and Steven Porter, to name some of the local talent that was showcased over the weekend.
Steinbach RCMP Arrest Shooter On July 14 shortly after midnight, the Steinbach RCMP responded to a complaint of shots being fired at an outdoor house party near Blumenort. Investigation revealed that two adult males had gone to the house party where one of the males got into an argument with a female. Following the argument, the same male went inside the residence and retrieved a rifle while the second male waited in a truck parked outside. The male exited the residence, fired two rounds into the air and chased people off the property. The two males then fled the scene in a vehicle. Police have charged Jordan Wall of Steinbach with careless use of a firearm, eight counts of pointing a firearm, eight counts of uttering threats, unlawful possession of a firearm, break, enter and theft, and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose. This matter is still under investigation and charges are pending on the second adult male involved. No one was injured during the shooting incident. If you have any information regarding this incident you are asked to contact the Steinbach RCMP at 3264452 or if you wish to remain anonymous, you can also call Manitoba Crime Stoppers at 1-800-2228477(TIPS) or SUBMIT a secure tip online at manitobacrimestoppers.com or TEXT: TIPMAN plus your message to CRIMES (274637).
Draft Horse Competition to be Popular The South East Manitoba Draft Horse Association (SEMDHA) is holding their first Annual Plowing Competition on Saturday, August 11 and will be celebrating the Association’s 30th anniversary. It will be held one mile West of Steinbach on Hwy 52 and ½ mi North on Keating Road. Plowing competition starts at 10 am. The association is anticipating a sizeable group of participants with draft horses and vintage tractors, both locally and from across the province, who will participate in 12 different plowing classes. A special invitation is extended to the public to see the Plowmen’s work and age-old tradition first hand. Admission to the event is free and lunch and refreshments will be available on site.
A chicken sandwich recipe originating from Provencher has helped fund five food banks in the region after a recent contest held in Ottawa. Provencher MP Vic Toews participated in the Everyone Wins with Canadian Chicken contest, held live on CTV Morning Live in Ottawa. During the broadcast Toews’ “Provencher” Pesto-Chicken Philly-melt recipe was awarded 1st place. The award also came with a $10,000 donation to be divided among the food banks in his riding. The $10,000 prize was divided between the five food banks throughout Provencher on a per capita basis, based on the size of the area that each of the food banks service. Cheques were presented to Southeast Helping Hands who received $5,050 and Lorette Food Bank received $1,262.50. Food banks in Morris, Springfield and Lac du Bonnet received $1,282.50 each. The Everyone Wins with Canadian Chicken contest was organized by the Chicken Farmers of Canada, Maple Leaf, Food Banks Canada and the Hill Times. The contest received 72 entries from Members of Parliament from ridings across Canada, all of whom were competing for a donation to their local food banks and the chance for their recipe to be served at the 20th Annual Great Canadian Chicken BBQ in Ottawa on July 1. The 72 recipes submitted by the MP’s will be compiled in a digital cookbook and made available at victoews.com and chicken.ca. Toews’ winning entry includes a homegrown featured ingredient, 2-year-old Bothwell cheddar. Award winning, Bothwell Cheese has been manufacturing a wide variety of cheeses since 1936 using only the freshest locally produced milk.
Dawson Trail Dispatch
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Habitat Homes Underway in La Broquerie On July 28, Habitat for Humanity’s Southeast Chapter held a building bee in La Broquerie where several people came out to help two single moms build their new home. After a lengthy screening process, two Steinbach families were chosen, including Veronica Banos and Maria Unrau. While both families will receive a new home, the summer just got busier for the pair. As part of the commitment, each family must put in 300 hours working on their own home. The new homes are expected to be complete in about 10 months. The two new homes are being built on Habs Bay in La Broquerie. Harry Friesen, Director of Habitat for Humanity in southeastern Manitoba, is pleased with the progress of their project in La Broquerie. “The response from the area has been phenomenal stated Friesen. “Businesses are calling and wanting to be a part of it. They offer to donate this and that.” Anyone wishing to contribute to the project is encouraged to contact La Broquerie Lumber and speak to Farrel Rempel. La Broquerie Lumber has offered to match donations up to $8,000 brought into the store. Right: Steinbach mom’s Veronica Banos and Maria Unrau give Habitat for Humanity’s Southeast Chapter’s project manager a hug during the building bee. Below: The walls go up on a Habitat for Humanity home in La Broquerie thanks to the hard work of several volunteers.
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Steinbach Residents May Get Disaster Assistance By Marianne Curtis Steinbach has received calls from some affected property owners regarding flooding in residential areas after the rainstorm on July 25. According to council, the city has since been contacted by the Manitoba Emergency Measures Organization (MBEMO). Although a Disaster Financial Assistance (DFA) program has not been established for this particular event, affected residents can still submit applications to MBEMO for consideration should a DFA program be established. Mayor Chris Goertzen said that with such a significant rainfall as the city received there are some residents that had water enter their basements. “It is important for Manitoba EMO to be aware of these incidents as they determine if a Disaster Financial Assistance program should be set up for this incident,” stated Goertzen. “I would encourage all citizens who experienced flooding as a result of the storm to submit an application through the link on the City’s website.” Once MBEMO receives the claims and assesses the damages incurred, they determine whether or not a DFA program will be offered. If developed, the DFA program would apply to the private sector only, including primary homes, small businesses, and farms, and would pertain to instances of overland flooding only. Denis Vassart, Steinbach’s Emergency Planning Coordinator, also encourages residents to submit flood reports. “The submission of reports by residents affected by the storm will help determine the need for such a program,” said Vassart. “Affected residents should submit their application within the next few weeks and follow the recovery process steps on the MBEMO website closely.” Residents are encouraged to submit photos or videos with their applications. Although at this time there is no way to know for certain whether or not a DFA program will be established, affected residents are encouraged to fill out the application online at gov.mb.ca/emo/home/dfa/ #application or print out the form and mail it to the MBEMO Office by end of August. More information on Disaster Recovery is available on MBEMO’s website gov.mb.ca/emo/home/recover/ index.html.
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More Than Just News!
August 2012
Dawson Trail Dispatch
Local Artist’s Work Featured on American Tourist Mag By Marianne Curtis A young painter from Steinbach will have her work on display in Duluth, Minnesota at a fine art festival. Thirty-eight year old Amanda Klassen has been chosen to be among many artists with displays at the Art in the Bayfront Park Art Fair. While there, she will be teaching an abstract acrylic painting class. One of her paintings has also been chosen to grace the cover of the Art Fair brochure. Klassen is no stranger to attention when it comes to her artwork. For the past two years, she has had a display where she also painted while
visitors watched. “I have displayed my artwork and painted at this event two years in a row,” said Klassen. “When I applied for this Bayfront Art Festival in May and found out they had chosen my artwork for the cover of their brochure, Cindi Rempel Patrick’s name popped into my head because I’d started doing things in Steinbach,” stated Klassen. “Two pictures are going to be on billboards, one of me painting and one of the paintings that will also be on the brochure. The artwork they chose was a piece I painted at Steinbach’s Movie Night Under the Stars and I thought of her again, since she invited me to paint at that
event.” The piece that was chosen was actually painted during Steinbach’s Movie Night Under the Stars. “I asked some girls if they would like to offer some artistic advice,” Klassen explained. “As they chose colors and spaces on the canvas I continued to paint.” The result was a bright abstract painting. Klassen’s artwork will be on the front cover of 20,000 brochures printed and sent to prospective art buyers all over Minnesota.
During Steinbach’s Movie Night in the Park Amanda Klassen painted a piece with the help of local girls. It will now grace the front cover of a brochure to be distributed throughout Minnesota.
Stay Cool Babe! Are we ever having a summer full of hot and sunny days! For the heat lovers, it’s wonderful. “Beach” weather, they call it. Camping by the water, picnics in the shade, swimming in the pool, and all those activities are what puts the fun into summer. But, the fun soon fizzles out if you’ve had too much of that heat. For those who work in this type of heat and for those who are heat sensitive, it is tough. For those with medical conditions that prevent sweat (Anhidrosis, HSAN-IV, and Ichthyosis) or are enduring pregnancy, MS, menopause, perimenopause and taking certain medications, it becomes a serious concern to keep cool. Overheating of the body (hyperthermia) due to environmental heat exposure can cause a spectrum of disorders ranging from heat cramps, heat rash, heat tetany (getting stressed in the heat causing symptoms of hyperventilation, respiratory problems, muscle spasms, tingling and numbness), heat syncope (fainting), heat exhaustion, and the most severe, heat stroke (body temp of over 40.6 degrees Celsius). Do not ignore the effects of the heat. Signs and symptoms that your body send you are important. Profuse sweating, weakness, nausea, vomiting, headache, light-headedness, pale skin, dark urine (dehydration), dizziness and rapid heartbeat are all warnings. If heat exhaustion continues without proper intervention it can progress to heat stroke, which can damage the brain and other vital organs and can even cause death (heatexhaustionrelief.com). Here are ways to stay cool and tips to prevent heat illnesses: - find shade and stay in it - drink plenty of fluid (not alcohol or caffeine drinks, they dehydrate) - drink cold drinks like slushies and eat popsicles, etc. - use fans/air conditioners - splash water on yourself every now and again (sprinklers, cool showers, wet cloths to pat yourself) - be active in the early part of the day - rest regularly and lie down if you have any of the symptoms - wear light colored cotton clothing (remove excess clothing or roll up sleeves and pants) - use cooling talc powder to assist body cooling - avoid heavy meals, excess fat and high cholesterol food - eat light fresh fruit like watermelon, peaches, cantaloupe and pears. - sit with your feet in a pan of cool water Think of your body as a radiator of sorts. The heart pumps the blood to the rest of your organs and back again. Cool off an area with a cold compress, a wet cold cloth or a cool water splash where you have pulse points. These points have more blood flow; like your head, neck, chest, or groin area. The cooler blood will be carried back to the heart, thus cooling the rest of your body and aiding in the treatment of heat exhaustion. If after trying these relief techniques, you still have signs or symptoms of heat exhaustion it is very important to get medical attention. If you get heat stroke, it is very serious and must have proper care. Each year 6,200 people are hospitalized for heat stroke, which has many long lasting effects. In 2005, 180 people in Canada died of heat stroke (Research heat exhaustion on Google). Well, there you have it my friends. It isn’t just sun block that’s required out there on those hot, sultry days. Go out, have fun, but remember to keep your body temperature down. Be ‘Cool’ Babe! Raylene Snow is the owner and operator of Raylene’s Wellness Spa located on Hwy 210 South, halfway between Ste. Anne and Giroux.
The finished piece.
Ritchot Adds Twisters to Emergency Plan
Ten Digit Dialing in Effect The last weekend of July began the switch to 10-digit dialing and Manitobans are reminded to make sure their home alarms and any preprogrammed dialing devices have had the 204-area code added to them. Beginning July 29, callers who do not use the 204 area code will hear a recorded message reminding them to add the area code. This automated message may disrupt some automated dialing systems, so the public is reminded to add the area code to all their preprogrammed phone numbers. Ten-digit dialing becomes mandatory on October 20. Calling 911 for emergency services is not affected.
Residents in the RM of Ritchot who lose their home in a twister can expect some financial assistance from the municipality. Council recently acknowledged that one of the possible threats facing residents in the municipality is tornados. “The Ritchot Emergency Plan deals with specific hazards and threats which might affect the safety of Ritchot residents,” noted council. “One of those threats are the possibility of tornadoes coming through an area and damaging homes.” The municipality will loan to residents’ monies for accommodations and food for a 24-hour period following damage to a home by a tornado, which makes the home unsafe. The maximum assistance is $250. Residents are expected to reimburse the municipality once their insurance claims are processed.
Dawson Trail Dispatch
More Than Just News!
Communities Mourn Loss of Popular Teacher
August 2012
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Construction Boom Hits Ile des Chêne
By Marianne Curtis The Hanover School Division is among many who are in mourning following a tragic accident west of Kenora. On July 8, 30 year-old Niverville teacher Dana Dueck died when her motorcycle collided with a truck. Ontario Provincial Police say the motorcycle she was riding crossed the centre line and struck an oncoming pick-up truck. Dueck, who was born and raised in Landmark, is the daughter of Dennis and Wilma Keating of Keating Mechanical in Landmark. She is survived by her husband Kris. Dana, who had just celebrated her 30th birthday, was camping in Falcon Lake when she and her father took a spin on her new birthday present. “On her way to go mini-golfing with some of the family, she looked back at us and said, ‘Who says a girl can’t have everything?’ And off she went,” recalled her mother in a Dana Dueck statement. Tragedy struck on the way back to Falcon Lake. Hanover school superintendent Ken Klassen said Dueck was a grade 6-8 teacher in Niverville and was a big part of the school. “It’s a huge loss for all of us and our hearts go out to the family and to the staff and students.” Klassen added that even though it is summer vacation, Hanover School Division provided griefcounselling services to students. “We definitely want to be able to support both students and staff that are grieving,” added the former Landmark Collegiate principal. “She was one of my students so it’s very close to home.” Over 1,000 mourners attended her funeral, which took place at Southlands Church in Steinbach. She is remembered as being very involved in everything from sports, band, drama, and choir in school. After graduating with honours from Landmark Collegiate, she went to the University of Manitoba and got her degree in Physical Education. Her first job with Hanover School Division was at Steinbach Junior High and after three years, she landed her dream job at the Niverville Collegiate as full time gym teacher for the junior high students. Students are expressing their grief through a Facebook page that was created for anyone who knew her to join and share their memories. One student posted, “So many lives being taken away recently. Constant reality checks remind us of what we have, and how we should treasure it while we have it. R.I.P. Mrs. Dueck. I didn’t know you too well, but you put up with our shenanigans like no other teacher would. My heart goes out to the friends and family.” This is the second tragic loss of a teacher from the Niverville Collegiate in the past year. In May, 32-year-old Ryan Letkeman was killed when a car that failed to stop at a stop sign struck the motorcycle he was driving.
Crow Wing Hires Groomers to Maintain Trail By Marianne Curtis The Crow Wing Trail Association has become the first organization across Canada that has hired a company specifically to maintain their portion of the national Trans Canada Trail. The Crow Wing Trail is 191 km long, short in comparison to the length of the Trans Canada Trail. “However, maintaining a trail that stretches from Emerson to the Winnipeg Floodway has always been looked at as a horrendous challenge,” says Emerson Mayor and Crow Wing Trail Board Member, Wayne Arseny. “While towns do a great job keeping their short sections mowed and maintained, the longer remote sections through pristine grasslands, prairie, aspen forests In its first time endeavour, probably in Canada, Arseny and helper Jake Voth were hired by the Crow Wing Trail Association and wetlands soon grow over.” In its first time endeavour, to maintain the entire 191 km this summer. probably in Canada, the Crow Wing Trail Association, with assistance from the Manitoba Recreational Trails Association, to maintain the entire 191 km this summer, hired Arseny and helper Jake Voth. With a rented tractor and a 6' brush mower, Arseny indicated it took them only three long days to mow the grass sections on the entire route. Hundreds of downed trees were removed to allow mowing in the forested areas, low hanging branches were cut back and miles of tall prairie grass and weeds were mowed leaving a nice trail that is easy to follow. The next phase will be to erect 300 more directional signs to help users stick to the trails, respect the private landowners’ adjacent properties and avoid farmers’ seeded fields. The last phase will deal with issues such as water holes and rougher sections. “While the majority of the trail is designated for non-motorized traffic,” said Arseny. “Jurisdictions like Emerson and De Salaberry do not stop quads from going on municipal road allowances. This puts additional pressures on maintenance when these road allowances are part of the trail.” The Crow Wing Trail goes through the communities of Emerson, Ridgeville, St. Malo, StPierre-Jolys, Otterburne, Niverville and St. Adolphe, as well as the municipalities of Franklin, De Salaberry and Ritchot and the Roseau River First Nations.
Construction on the first of seven 2-story condominiums on the west side of Ile des Chênes began earlier in July. Photo by Marianne Curtis
By Marianne Curtis The community of Ile des Chênes is seeing a major construction boom. Construction has begun on three major apartment projects and a strip mall on the west side of town. During July, construction began on a project proposed by Josh Friesen. The major housing project consists of the construction of 112 condominium units, located on the south side of Le Claire Road. Once complete the project will consist of seven 2-story buildings and each building will contain 16 units. “We are very pleased with the growth we’ve been seeing in Ile des Chênes,” stated RM of Ritchot Reeve Bob Stefaniuk. On the opposite side of the road, an additional 60 townhouses and 60 multifamily condominiums are expected to be constructed within the next few years. “This growth is good for the community,” Stefaniuk added. “As more people move in there will be a greater demand for services, and this is good for the community as a whole.” In addition to the new construction project, the new $5 million project that will see 23 1,100 square foot two story condominiums constructed along Main Street in Ile des Chênes will be ready for occupancy in the next few months. The RM of Ritchot council remains optimistic that with the close proximity to Winnipeg, commuters will see the appeal to moving to Ile des Chênes.
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August 2012
Bothwell Cheese Now Kosher Certified New Bothwell’s, Bothwell Cheese has attained Orthodox Union Certification. “We are very proud to achieve this certification and delighted about the prospect of introducing our cheese to new customers, who may never have had the opportunity to experience Bothwell Cheese for themselves,” says Bothwell President and CEO Ivan Balenovic. Bothwell Cheese has been making special-order Kosher cheese since the mid-80s and, with this highly acclaimed certification, the company is now making a select number of their Orthodox Union Certified products widely available for the first time. “The OU is thrilled about Bothwell Cheese launching its OU-Kosher product line,” says Orthodox Union Rabbinic Coordinator Rabbi Avrohom Gordimer.” The incredible planning and work that Bothwell put forward to attain the certification guarantees that it meets the highest Kosher standards.” “We’ve always had exceptional factory standards, and this certification by a highly-respected third party, provides further verification,” says Balenovic. “Many of our loyal customers have been requesting Kosher cheese, and we’re delighted to make it available.” To attain this designation, Kosher inspectors spend time on-site and rigorously monitor all aspects of production, process, ingredients, equipment, and facilities. Bothwell has employed a full-time Mashgiach (Kosher guide/supervisor) to participate in the cheese-making process.
More Than Just News!
Dawson Trail Dispatch
Dawson Trail Dispatch
More Than Just News!
August 2012
Rich Heritage of Richer Draws Hundreds of People Richer’s Enfant-Jésus Heritage Site welcomed hundreds of guests from all areas of the province at their annual event, Celebration Thibaultville, in July. Two musical groups, Michael Audette and his Real Deal Band, and the Dutiaume Brothers, a Métis group originally from Richer, enlivened the crowd with their songs and music. The two groups were selected to play as a representation of the two founding cultural groups, the French Canadians and the Métis, who settled in the area that has become Richer today. In addition, other entertainers were the Paradise Square Dancers and Lulu the magician who made young and old alike laugh with amazement. Visitors took in craft booths, the archival displays in the historic church, and tried their luck at winning one of the many prizes offered at the Silent Auction, the 50/ 50 draw or the door prize. This year, displays were set up to represent and honour the pioneer women of Richer, the local dairy industry from the last century, antique tools and a showcase of the Saint-Joseph Sisters of SaintHyacinthe who supported the Richer community for 57 years. The event is held annually to regroup the community, families and friends and to raise funds for the maintenance of the Enfant-Jésus Heritage Site.
Flooded Streets Last week I received one of the biggest surprises of my life. With my alarm clock screaming at me in the very early hours of the morning, I managed to roll out of bed with enough time to have breakfast before heading off to work. Stepping out my front door, I saw that it must have rained a little during the night, not enough to leave any puddles but at least the garden received some moisture. Hopping in the car, I drove off. On my way into Steinbach, I began to notice that quite a few of the ditches and fields had more than a healthy amount of standing water in them. Seemed a bit odd to me but then again, maybe they got a bit more rain than we did. Driving on, I soon drove into town and that is where one of the biggest surprises of my life happened. Steinbach was flooded! Coming into town I saw that the street before me was gone, replaced by a lake. A lake in which cars and trucks had figured that they should try to cross. Realizing that my car was capable of neither floating nor flying (I definitely did not want to try to see if it could dive) I had hopes of reversing back from this watery grave until I looked into my reviewmirror and saw a vehicle on my bumper. Driving with one car behind me and one right in front of me, I felt a little like the proverbial sheep being led to slaughter. A bit of an overstatement, sure, but that’s kind of how it felt. Forced to follow, I prayed as never before that my car’s motor wouldn’t become flooded and leave me stranded. The prayers continued as I felt the car pushing a wall of water before it. Seeing a stalled vehicle farther down the road with its hazards on, I realized that enough was enough and, managed to find a side street that wasn’t flooded and quickly got out of the lake. Weaving the rest of the way to work, I managed to only cross one more lake before I reached the safety of my work. I can’t remember ever being so happy to get to work! I’m thinking that maybe I should have bought one of those cars that have a boat for a bottom, and then I would’ve had a great time. Until next time, take care and keep your world spinning.
Archival displays in the church.
“Naughty nuns” selling 50-50 draw tickets.
Visiting the historical cemetery site.
The arrival of guests to the event.
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More Than Just News!
August 2012
St. Adolphe Festival is the Best Muddiest Place
Dawson Trail Dispatch
Lightening Strikes Home in Ile des Chênes
Fire crews from the RM of Ritchot, Tache and Town of Niverville all responded to a house fire north of Ile des Chênes after lightening struck a house and set it on fire. Photo by Marianne Curtis
Nine-month-old Reid Cycay from St. Adolphe got pretty dirty along with his dad as they took in the mudslide set up during MudFest.
By Marianne Curtis
Photos by Marianne Curtis
By Marianne Curtis It was the second time in over a decade that the community of St. Adolphe hosted a community festival and, thanks to the weather, the second annual mud festival was a huge success. The twoday event called, Mudfest 2012: A family messtival, took place at the old community park on July 28 and 29. According to organizers, the community came together in an effort to build community pride and raise “green” awareness through the two-day mud fest last year. A group of volunteers successfully organized the program that included tons of fun, live entertainment and of course tons of mud. With the support from multiple organizations and limited funding MudFest, become a reality. The event kicked off with a MudCake Breakfast (pancakes with treats) followed by a mudslide, mud pit activities for all ages, tug of war, mini-golf, kids tent, sand play hill and a mud sculpture contest. A second slide just for small children was added this year. Also new, this year was the zombie run called MAR 2012. The run was a zombie-infested, 3.5 Km obstacle course. Runners wore flag-football style belts with flags and runners making it across the finish line with at least one flag were declared winners. Saturday evening events included a community BBQ and beer gardens featuring live entertainment. Sunday was a wellness day with a Family Scavenger Hunt, yoga in the Park and an outdoor church service followed by a community picnic lunch.
Water Conservation Recommended by Steinbach Public Works By Marianne Curtis For the second straight summer, Manitoba has been subjected to unusually high temperatures and very little rain. Residents are being encouraged to conserve water. Steinbach public works department explained that water conservation means doing the same with less, using water more efficiently or reducing where appropriate, in order to protect the resource now and for the future. Using water wisely reduces pollution and health risks, lowers water costs, and extends the useful life of existing supply and waste treatment facilities. To ensure there is enough cost-effective water for current and future Steinbach residents, people need to work at reducing the amount of water wasted daily. Steinbach public works department offers these helpful outdoor water saving tips: - Water your lawn and plants early in the morning or in the evening to avoid water loss due to evaporation. Try to water on calm days only. Use a rain gauge to track rainfall. When you water your lawn, place an empty tuna can or other one-inch deep can on the grass and only water until the can is full. Grass only needs about one inch of water per 30 minutes of watering, twice a week, to stay green. Set your sprinkler so that it waters your grass, not your sidewalk or driveway. - Mulching around trees and plants reduces evaporation. Water your lawn only when it needs it. If it springs back after you step on it, it is okay. - Plant more perennials that are indigenous since they need less water. Deep soak your lawn and garden beds. One good watering is better than lots of surface watering. - Purchase a rain barrel and collect rain water to water your plants and shrubs. - Sweep (instead of hosing) driveways and paths. - Wash your car using a bucket. Use hose only for rinsing. Regularly check hoses and taps for leaks. - Cover your swimming pool when it is not being used to reduce evaporation. Fill a small plastic wading pool with water for children on a hot day instead of running a sprinkler for them. Squirt guns or small plastic containers filled with water are also effective, water-smart ways to cool down. - Use a bucket of water and squeegee to wash windows instead of a hose. - Run decorative fountains only when you are around to enjoy them.
A sudden storm that blew into the Ile des Chênes area during the morning of July 4 caused a little excitement north of town after a lightening strike set fire to a local residence. Walter Van Gorp and his wife were on their deck enjoying a cup of coffee at about 9 am when the storm hit. “We were sitting on the deck when we heard this deafening bang. I thought it hit one of the trees until I saw sparks falling off the roof onto the grass and my wife told me to call 911,” stated Van Gorp. He watched fire fighters sawing into his roof and said, “My wife couldn’t hear anything for awhile afterwards but otherwise we are okay.” The retired dairy farmer marveled at how the lightening managed to hit the house, considering the aesthetics of the farm. The bungalow, which is surrounded by over two dozen 25-foot high pines, was one of the lowest points on the yard. Three silos adjacent to the old dairy barn, which houses the Wildlife Haven Rehabilitation Centre, were all unscathed. Firefighters from the RM of Ritchot, Tache and Niverville rushed to the scene and extinguished the fire that was burning the roof of the house. A damage estimate is not yet available.
Dawson Trail Dispatch
More Than Just News!
Segue Career Options to Help Steinbach Youth Get Jobs
August 2012
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By-Election Slated in Stuartburn
On August 29, residents from the Gardenton area in the RM of Stuartburn will go to the polls to elect a new Ward 1 councillor. Senior Election Official Judy Reimer said that four candidates would be competing for votes. Candidates are Guy Bouchard, Christine Friesen, Doug Penner and David Shewchuk. part of the Government of Canada’s Voters can cast their ballots on August 29 from 8 am to 8 pm at the RM of Youth Employment Strategy (YES). Stuarburn office in Vita. An advance poll will be held August 24 from 8 am to 8 “Segue Career Options would like to pm at the same location. acknowledge the Government of The by-election was called after former councillor Dan Bodz stepped down Canada for the Skills Link funding for from his position having served several consecutive terms. our youth employment project in Steinbach,” stated Debra Stockwell, Segue’s Program Director. “This funding is essential to assist youth in our community and surrounding areas to make a successful transition into employment or return to school.” The participants in the Segue Career Options project will attend skills workshops on topics including computer use, problem solving and time management. Participants will then gain hands-on experience in work placements with local employers in fields such as retail, administration and the skilled trades. Eligibility criteria are individuals who face a barrier to employment, Provencher MP Vic Toews was on hand to personally award a $151,000 grant so that Segue and are eligible for assistance. Individuals must be linked to a Career Options in Steinbach can provide programming to help young people prepare for the workforce. sponsoring agency prior to receiving services. Types of assistance offered are workshops offered through the Skills By Marianne Curtis vocational assessments matching Link program,” said Toews. “Our individual’s skills, abilities and Provencher MP Vic Toews was on government’s Youth Employment Strategy is helping youth develop the interests with appropriate jobs, hand to personally announce new placement services for individuals in skills and gain the experience they funding in support of youth in employment settings, work training Steinbach. The funding is expected to need to get jobs now and prepare for services that provide community the workforce of tomorrow.” help them gain the skills, knowledge based on-the-job training for Segue Career Options is receiving and experience needed to enter and qualifying individuals and follow-up over $151,000 from the Skills Link succeed in the job market. (Left to Right) Steinbach MLA, Kelvin Goertzen (along with his son Malachi), services in job mentoring and program to help 20 youth overcome “I am very pleased that Steinbach Steinbach Councillor Michael Zwaagstra, Dairy Queen Owner Jo Unger and SCU barriers to employment. Skills Link is accommodation services once youth will benefit from the representative Tim Friesen were busy serving Blizzards at Dairy Queen in Steinbach individuals obtain employment. on Thursday July 26 as part of Make a Miracle Treat Day, with proceeds of the ice
Make A Miracle Treat Day
cream treat going to the Children’s Hospital of Manitoba.
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More Than Just News!
August 2012
Tall Grass Prairie More than Just Tall Grass Manitoba’s Tall Grass Prairie Preserve will be hosting its annual Prairie Day event on Saturday, August 11 at the Prairie Shore Interpretive Trail, located three kilometres east of Tolstoi on Hwy 209. Special presentations will highlight orchids of the tall grass prairie, rare plant surveys and the Conservation Data Centre, butterflies and other prairie insects as well as various creative uses for native plants. Volunteers from Wildlife Haven Rehabilitation Centre will be present along with a couple of their animal ambassadors. Join an entomologist on a bug hunt to see the smaller creatures that make their home in this special prairie ecosystem. Take in a guided walk and learn about the diversity of wildflowers or enjoy fresh bannock baked over an open fire. Children will be treated to face painting, a scavenger hunt and other fun activities. Admission for the day is $5 per adult and free for children. Activities will begin at 10 am and to 4 pm. There is an on-site canteen, which will be open from 10:30 am until 3:30 pm. A barbecue lunch with hot dogs and hamburgers will be served from 11:30 am to 2 pm. Only cash can be accepted at this event. Picnic tables and rustic washrooms are also available on-site. Bring a lawn chair or blanket, sunscreen and insect repellent and trail conditions may be wet so rubber boots or a change of footwear is suggested. All Prairie Day activities will take place rain or shine. For more information on this event, contact Manitoba Tall Grass Prairie Capturing beetles, bugs and butterflies, everyone gets into the action during Prairie Preserve staff at 425-3229 or tgpphq@mymts.net. Day at the Manitoba Tall Grass Prairie Preserve.
Dawson Trail Dispatch
Manslaughter Charges Laid in Tache Death A manslaughter charge has been laid against a Springfield man after a man died following a weekend assault outside his home in the RM of Tache. Mounties were called to the residence located near Monominto Road in the RM of Tache on July 7 at around 11:45 pm. The victim, 58year-old Lothar Krieg, was transported to the Ste. Anne Hospital and then transferred to Winnipeg. Krieg died of his injuries three days later, RCMP confirmed. RCMP had charged 20year-old Dillyn Carl Nodwell Friesen from Anola with aggravated assault but the charge is now upgraded to manslaughter. Friends and co-workers remember Krieg as a kind, smiling man with a gentle heart. He very much enjoyed
R2, the red-tailed hawk ambassador from the Wildlife Haven Rehabilitation Centre, attended Prairie Day last year; other animal ambassadors will be visiting the Manitoba Tall Grass Prairie Preserve on Saturday, August 11.
Hit and Run Driver Sought Steinbach RCMP received a report of a hit and run collision that occurred on July 14 at 2 am at the intersection of Road 34N and
possibly Carriere Drive in the RM of La Broquerie. While driving westbound on Road 34N, a vehicle was struck by a vehicle traveling northbound who failed to stop at a stop sign. The driver of the vehicle traveling on Road 34N suffered minor injuries. No license plate number was obtained from the suspect vehicle; however, it should have significant damage to the passenger
side front bumper. Police are asking for the public’s assistance in locating the vehicle and driver that fled the scene. If you have any information, you are asked to contact the Steinbach RCMP at 326-4452 or CrimeStoppers at 1-800222-8477 (TIPS) or manitobacrimestoppers.com or text “TIPMAN” plus your message to Crimes (274637).
Maintain Your Home’s Value Maintenance is almost like an insurance policy in some ways. When you invest in a large endeavour, such as a home, you purchase insurance to protect the value of your home in case something happens. It is also crucial to maintain and even upgrade your property. If you want to keep the value of your home and even increase the value, it is absolutely critical to invest in a plan to maintain it. You must repair and take care of your place. If your home’s exterior has any painted elements you will have to periodically re-paint. Damaged parts from weather also need to be fixed. For example, if you have wood trim that is splintering you may need to replace the damaged part. Vinyl stripping or other items may also be damaged from wear and tear or weather. Repair or replace. If you are looking to put your home on the market, it is a great idea to tweak all those maintenance items and take it up a notch. Clean the windows, weed the flowerbeds, do all the trim when you cut the grass. Regular maintenance can make a huge difference in the value, or perceived value, of your house. When a buyer is looking at a property and it clearly shows that it lacks regular upkeep and maintenance, they tend to wonder what else is wrong with the place. If what they “see” isn’t maintained then they question whether the unseen is in good shape. You cannot expect a property that is poorly or never maintained, to have the same Fair Market Value as one that has been properly maintained and cared for. If you want to have the best return on your investment then you need to put some work into it. It is summer now and this happens to be a fantastic time to accomplish a large number of things on the maintenance schedule, whether you actually have a formal maintenance schedule or you make it up as you go along. Commit to doing at least one thing to improve your property this season. You and your long-term investment will be glad you did. Until next time, have a great day.
Victim Lother Krieg will be remembered as the smiling man with the gentle heart.
building, cooking, billiards and anything to do with the outdoors, especially camping and fishing. Krieg leaves behind his wife Barbara and two daughters, Elizabeth and Krista.
Dawson Trail Dispatch
More Than Just News!
August 2012
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Amazing Grace I sometimes wrestle with the deathbed conversion of some very evil people. I have sentenced them, not in court, but in my heart. I have put them behind bars and locked the door. They are forever imprisoned by my revulsion. Then, the impossible happens. They repent; they accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. My righteous response might be; God would not let them off that easy, would He? Not after what that person did. After all, grace is for average sinners like you and me, not horrible people like those who have committed murder. I might even think to myself that it is about time someone spoke out against sin. There are times when we must take a stand against sin; after all, we are decent law-abiding folks. (Romans 2:1) You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. (NIV1984) Paul is saying that if I think that I am walking on high ground when I point fingers at others, I should think again. Every time I criticize someone, he is saying that I am condemning myself. It is one thing for me to have an opinion. It is another for me to pass a verdict. It is one thing for me to have a conviction, a passion for righteousness; however, it is another thing to convict the person. It is one thing to be repulsed at the acts of a murderer and we all should be. But it is another thing to claim that I am superior, I am not, or to claim that the murderer is beyond the grace of God. No one is beyond the grace of God, even if I think they might be. I do not believe that the Apostle Paul is saying that we should renounce all criticism and rebuke of others. We are challenged to hate and even to root out sin in our lives. But it is God who judges the sinner. God has called us to despise evil, but He has never called us to despise the evildoer. But, oh, how I would like to put on a judge’s robe and do just that in my mind and heart by slamming down the gavel, “guilty!” But here is the problem. God does not compare me to a murderer. Those evil types are not the standards God uses, He uses His standard, and compared to Him, the apostle will argue, (Romans 3:23) “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (NIV1984) That is the reason why God is the One who judges. There was a time when I thought that ignorance was best for me. “Stay stupid, do not get too smart with all that Christian stuff, do not listen to my conscience, and I will avoid all sorts of problems.” But we have within our hearts an unwritten law. An instinctive knowledge of right and wrong. It is there 24 hours per day. Kind of like the cop on the street. I see the Cop and the first thing that I do is check my speed. Scripture does that to us. It takes it to another level and reminds us that we will be judged by that Cop because we know right from wrong. It dwells in the depth of our soul, and guards us and never leaves us leaderless. (Romans 2:16) This will take place on the day when God will judge men’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares. (NIV1984). When those who have never accepted Jesus Christ as their Saviour stand before God in judgment, there will be nothing that escapes His notice. All secrets will be known to Him. There is nothing that will be hidden. There is nothing that will not be revealed. That is a scary thought. But wait a minute. To know this may sound like bad news and it could be. But, to act based on that news is to be able to counteract the bad news with the good news that Jesus Christ can change our destiny, or anyone else’s for that matter. You see, when we come to Christ in sincere repentance and faith He will forgive all our sins, even those secret sins, and totally blot out every sin. The Bible (Hebrews 8:12) teaches us that He remembers them no more. It will never be brought up against us again. We need to know this. We need to act on it. We need to share it with others. We are all without excuse. God has made a way for us to escape judgment. Jesus Christ is the way. Would you pray this prayer with me? “Lord Jesus, come into my heart. Forgive my sins. I want my life to change. My thoughts and my attitude need to change. I do not have the peace in my heart that I yearn for. I really want that peace, joy and happiness that will fulfill my hearts desire. Please let the Holy Spirit help me be the kind of Christian that will honour Your Name.” Amen.
More Than Just News!
August 2012
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Piney Calls By-Election Steinbach 55 Plus offers programs, activities, services and volunteer opportunities, striving to promote healthy and active living for older adults of the southeast region. We invite you to come and pay us a visit and consider participating in some of our programs. For more information drop by the Centre, Monday to Friday 9 am to 4 pm, call 320-4600 or online steinbach55plus.com. Membership at Steinbach 55 Plus is only $20 per year due in January of each year for those 55 years of age and older.
Monthly Programs Single Ladies’ Night Out: The first Friday of the month at 5 pm. Enjoy supper out at a local restaurant. Call the centre for the place to meet. Foot Care: The first and third Tuesday of the month from 9 am - 3 pm. Run by Val Fry, a professional foot care nurse. Cost $30. Bring your own towel. Book an appointment. Pot Luck Supper: The second Thursday of every month at 6 pm. Meat and beverages are provided. Cost: $5 per person. Bring along a casserole, salad or desert. Reserve your seat. Birthday Party: The first Wednesday of the month. All members with a birthday are invited for complimentary cake and coffee. Guests are asked to pay $2. Entertainment provided. Beltone Hearing: The third Friday of each month. Call 1-800-661-2653 for appointment.
Weekly Programs Monday
9:30 - 10:30 am Fitness Class with DVD 1 pm Canasta 7:30 - 8:45 pm Tai Chi Tuesday 8:30 am - 3:00 pm Circle of Friends Wednesday 9 - 11:30 am Tai Chi 1 pm - 4 pm Cribbage 1:30 pm Floor Curling 7 pm Old Time Country Band Practice Thursday 9:30 - 10:30 am Fitness Class with DVD 1 - 4 pm Bridge and Whist 1:30 pm Wii Bowling Friday 8:30 - 3 pm Circle of Friends Noon meals are available Monday through Friday. Cost $5. Call 320-4605 by 9 am to reserve your meal for that day. Purchase your meal ticket at the receptionist desk before noon. Monthly menus available at the office or in the newsletter. Bring a friend. Monday to Friday 1 - 4 pm – Billiards 9 am - 12 pm and 1 - 4 pm - Computer Lab. Cost $1. Volunteer Opportunities include perogy making, decorating and setting tables, birthday party hosts, food preparation and serving, clean up, greeters, receptionists. Benefits include reduced program rates, a voice in business meetings, voting rights, and eligibility to serve on the board or committees.Membership at Steinbach 55 Plus is only $20 per year and due in January of each year. Membership is for those 55 years of age and older. Benefits include reduced program rates, a voice in business meetings, voting rights, and eligibility to serve on the board or committees.
Rempel Honoured in Landmark Former City of Steinbach councillor Art Rempel was among 26 recipients recently honoured with Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee medals. On July 20, nearly 100 people attended the event that saw Senator Don Plett presenting the recipients with their awards. Plett was born and raised in Landmark. “Medals were given out to people who stood out in their communities,” stated Plett. “This is about recognizing everyday Canadians that do so much to make our country what it is.” Each senator was given 30 medals to hand out. Plett said he has four more to give out. “Who to choose is a very difficult task,” Plett noted. Rempel was pleased to be one of the recipients of this special honor. “At the end of the day it is nice when someone said thank you for your service,” Rempel said. “Politicians are not appreciated very much.” Rempel retired from politics two
Dawson Trail Dispatch
Main Street Condos Going Up in St. Adolphe
The RM of Piney council has put out the call for nominations and scheduled a fall by-election after the recent resignation of one of its councillors. Ward 4 councilor Mike Patrick tendered a resignation letter to council on June 26. Councilor Sian Barrow said this is the first time in memory the RM of Piney has held a by-election. “No one can remember when we last had one,” stated Barrow. “The rumour mill is in overdrive, but nothing concrete so far as to who will run.” Photo by Marianne Curtis Nominations for the vacant position will be accepted by the RM of Ritchot Reeve Bob Stefaniuk is very excited to see a new set of municipality from August 7 to 13. Voting day will be held September condominiums under construction in St. Adolphe. Over the past two months, the three-story building has been rising along 18. Main Street in St. Adolphe. “It is really nice to see them building there. It is a good location and will bring several new families to the community,” stated Stefaniuk. The condominiums, which are being marketed by Dan Vermette, are 1,019 square feet and contain three bedrooms. The units are expected to be ready for occupancy in the fall.
Vandals Damage Quarry Oaks Golf Course
Steinbach RCMP received a report of mischief to the Quarry Oaks Golf course greens. The first incident occurred on July 22 when an all terrain vehicle drove onto one of the greens and caused damage by doing “power turns” on the green. A similar incident occurred on July 25 where again an all terrain vehicle caused damage to a different green. The damage has been estimated at approximately $3,000. Entry onto the golf course appears to have been from Road 38 N in the RM of Ste Anne. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Steinbach RCMP at 326-4452 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800222-8477 (TIPS) or at manitobacrimestoppers.com or text “TIPMAN” plus your message to Crimes (274637).
RCMP Search for Lewd Man in White Dodge Truck
On July 19, Steinbach RCMP received a report of an indecent act. Investigation revealed that at approximately 4:30 pm an adult female was driving on Brandt Street in Steinbach when a male driving a late model white Dodge pickup truck pulled along beside her and exposed himself. The man was described as Caucasian, between 20-25 years old wearing a black/dark baseball cap, dark sunglasses, and a cut-off t-shirt. RCMP is asking for the public Senator Don Plett presents former City of assistance in identifying the Steinbach councillor Art Rempel with a suspect. If you have any Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. information, you are asked to contact the Steinbach RCMP at 326years ago after 32 years in local politics. He started his career as a 4452. If you wish to remain anonymous, trustee for the Hanover School Division where he sat for 13 years. you can also call Manitoba Crime He then spent 19 years as a City of Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or SUBMIT a secure tip online at Steinbach councillor. manitobacrimestoppers.com or The new commemorative medal TEXT: TIPMAN plus your message was created to mark the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s to CRIMES (274637). accession to the throne and will be awarded to 60,000 Canadians.
Dawson Trail Dispatch
COMMUNITY EVENTS
More Than Just News!
August 2012
Steinbach Pioneer Days – Starts Friday, August 3 - 6 at the Mennonite Heritage Village 231 PTH 12 N. Begins with parade in Steinbach on Main St. Relive Mennonite past through pioneer activities, steam powered threshing, horse show, auction, music, and lots of good food. Contact 326-9661 or mhv.ca or Anne Toews Program Director annet@mhv.ca
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Thieves Target Shamrock Golf Course
EMAIL YOUR COMMUNITY EVENT TO EDITOR@DAWSONTRAIL.CA OR FAX 204-422-8548
1st Annual Plowing Competition - The South East Manitoba Draft Horse Association invites all on Saturday, August 11 to the St-Pierre-Jolys RCMP is seeking the Association’s 30th anniversary. It will be held 1 mile West of Steinbach on Hwy #52 and ½ mi North on Keating Road. Plowing public’s assistance in a Break and Enter Carrick starts at 10 am. Draft horses and vintage tractors compete in 12 different plowing classes. Event is free and lunch/refreshments that occurred at the Shamrock Golf Carrick Days – Saturday, August 11 & Sunday, August 12, old-time town picnic, corn & pig roast hosted by Carrick Community will be available. Course in the Rural Municipality of Club. Live entertainment!! Contact 429-2113. Pioneer Day Camp - Monday, August 13 - 16 from 10 am – 3pm. Life of a pioneer, old fashioned games, make pioneer snacks, Tache. Giroux In the early morning hours of July 7, do arts and crafts and much more! For children ages 9-12. Cost is $120. Contact 326-9661 or email kimp@mhv.ca. Women’s Golf Networking Event - August 8 starts at 6 pm- Networking at the club house, food and refreshments available for unknown person(s) broke into the purchase, 7 pm- Tee Time! All golfers must be ready to start. Girouxsalem Golf Course (9 holes). Non-members welcome. Cost- Fall on the Farm - On Monday, September 3, experience harvest work, hearty food, corn on the cob, music, hog butchering, Shamrock Golf Course and stole Green Fees are $15.95. Registration deadline is August 1. Contact Raylene Snow 422-6234. and pioneer demonstrations at the Mennonite Heritage Village, 231 PTH 12 N. Contact the Mennonite Heritage Village 326- approximately $5,000 worth of golf 9661 . equipment and liquor. Grunthal Investigators are requesting anyone 2012 Hanover Ag Fair Schedule - The Hanover Agricultural Society celebrates agriculture and rural living. From Friday, August Rock & Read – At Anna‘s House from 1 - 2:30 pm. Summer program at Anna’s House no. 11- Highway 12 North. Free hands 17 – Sunday, August 19. Starts with a Pancake Breakfast at 7 am in the Puratone Tent. Barrel Racing at 3 pm and rodeo begins on learning experience teaching nursery rhymes, lullabies, finger-plays, book sharing and book making for parents and child with information to contact the Stat 7 pm. BBQ, music and much more entertainment. Pierre-Jolys RCMP at 433-7908 or call program. Best enjoyed with children ages 3-5yrs. Contact Cathy Bailley 346-0413. Kleefeld Canadian Blood Services Steinbach Clinic - Blood donor clinic, Thursday, August 16 from 2 pm- 8 pm at the Steinbach E.M.C. Community Playgroup - for parents, caregivers and children ages 0-5. Activities include time for playing, stories, songs and 422 Main St. snacks. Every 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month at the Kleefeld Rec Centre. Contact Irene Ascough 377-5013. Green Drinks South Eastman - South Eastman Transition Initiative presents Green Drinks South Eastman. Drop in on the 3rd Kleefeld Farmer’s Market - If you are looking for bread, brownies, butter, buns, cakes, cookies, fruit, honey, jam, jelly, muffins, Tuesday of every month at 7 pm at the Lecoka 5-275 Main St to grab a coffee and discuss sustainable living. Contact email pickles, pie, preserves, vegetables just to name a few off the top or anything else we want you at the Kleefeld Farmers Market. rebecca_hiebert@yahoo.com. Starts Tuesday, June 19 at 3 - 6:30 pm. Located at 76 Park Street. Seniors (60 +) Shinny Drop-in Hockey - every Monday from 10 -11 am at Centennial Arena. Contact Bob Barrow at 392-3596 La Broquerie or email bob.r.barrow@gmail.com. Seine River Services for Seniors- Health Centre/Centre de Santé from Monday to Friday 8:30 am - 4 pm. Offers services and programs for seniors. Income Tax help, Lifeline, mobility equipment, foot care, hair care, transportation, home maintenance, The Steinbach Rotary Club - meets every Monday at noon at the Smitty’s Family Restaurant, 145 Park Road West. Contact Cornie yard maintenance, Telecheck, the E.R.I.K. program, puzzles and games. Contact Community Resource Coordinator Juliette at 326-3155. Rowan at 424-5285 or labseinerss@gmail.com. Shopping Trips: Winnipeg’s St.Vital Mall every first Thursday of the month, leaving at 10 am - 3 pm. Cost $15. Steinbach’s Mental health information and support sessions - for family and friends of people with mental health issues are held the 2nd Clearspring Centre every last Thursday of the month, leaving at 10 am - 1 pm. Cost $10. Tuesday of every month from 7 – 8:30 pm at the Eden East building, 21 Loewen Blvd. Contact Kim at 371-0824 or email eastmanmss@mts.net Lorette Grand Opening Ceremonies/Family Fun Day - Saturday August 18 at the Seine River Church. Free activities for all age groups MS Monthly Self-Help group meeting - for people living with multiple sclerosis. The group meets on the second Thursday including bouncers, face painting, crafts. Starts at 3 pm - 7 pm. Everyone welcome. evening of each month from 6 - 7 pm at Fernwood Place apartments. Contact Nadine Konyk, Rural Client Services Coordinator at 1-800-268-7582 or email nadine.konyk@mssociety.ca. The TD Summer Reading Program – Program begins July 1 at the Bibliothèque Taché Library. Register at the library, by phone 878-9488, or email: btl@srsd.ca. Bibliothèque Taché Library Summer Hours are July 1 to September 4, Tuesday, Wednesday, MS Lunch Group- on fourth Thursday of every month, from 12 – 1 pm at the Village Green Restaurant. Contact Nadine Konyk, Thursday, and Saturday, 10 am- 2 pm. Closed July 21- August 10. Rural Client Services Coordinator 326-1434 or email nadine.konyk@mssociety.ca. Mitchell Mood Disorders Association of Manitoba individual and support groups - for persons experiencing depression, anxiety, stress, Breakfast and Social - every Tuesday morning, 7:30 - 9:00 am except the last Tuesday of the month when the social is held bi-polar disorder and other mental health/emotional concerns. Meets on the first Wednesday of each month at Jake Epp Library instead. Lunch starts at noon at the Mitchell and Area Seniors Centre. Contact 326-6944. from 7 – 9 pm. Contact Judy Dunn 204-444-5228. Niverville The Bethesda Regional Healthcare Auxiliary - meets on the first Tuesday of every month except for the months of July and August Recreation and Wellness Showcase – Wednesday, September 12 from 5 – 8 pm. Fall Sports Participants and Sports Groups at the Bethesda Hospital. We welcome anyone interested in auxiliary work. Contact Verna Thiessen at 326-3028. Registrations for the 4th annual Showcase. Contact recreation@whereyoubelong or 388-4078. Carillon Toastmasters - meetings are open to adults who want to improve their leadership and communication skills. Thursday Moms N’ Tots Playgroup - Moms with children up to age six. Wednesday mornings from 9:30-11:30 am located in the lower evenings starting at 7 pm at the Steinbach and Area Lions Club - meets on the second and fourth Wednesdays every month starts level of Fourth Avenue Bible Church (62 4th Avenue S.). Free drop-in program with coffee and snacks provided, along with a at 6:30 pm at the Magnolia Restaurant. Contact 326-2313. large open space for the kids to play while the moms visit. Contact Karen at klenzrpeters@hotmail.com. Meetup Group for Women Solo-Entreprenuer group helps you connect with other women who are passionate about growing Richer their business, lead by Doreen Penner and meets monthly for 1 hour. Free, except for food and beverage. Contact and to register Guided tours of the Enfant-Jésus Church Heritage Site - Call Yvonne at 422-9369 or Patricia at 422-6880. Summer displays this Doreen at 392-2698. year: archival documents and photos; artifact themes: one-room schools, carpentry and sawmill tools, Saint-Joseph Sisters; tribute to pioneer Richer women; restoration projects; religious artifacts. Also included is a tour of the historic Enfant-Jésus Steinbach AA 12 Step Recovery Program - Meetings are held on Wednesdays at 7 pm. Steinbach United Church, 541 Main St. Cemetery and grounds including the grotto and leaning cross. Ring the front door bell. Richer Black Bear Day will be held on Saturday, August 18 at the Dawson Trail Park in Richer. SloPitch Tournament, Car Show, Young moms to be - Bi-weekly support group starts at 4:30 pm at Anna’s House B-11, Hwy 12N. Contact 346-0413. Kids Activities and lots more. Live music performed by Group Therapy. Tolstoi Ride with the King - On Saturday, September 1, a motorcycle benefit ride to promote brotherhood and raise funds for Prairie Day - On Satruday, August 11, celebrate the beauty of the tall grass prairie. Prairie Shore Trail, 3 km east of Tolstoi on improvements to the youth building next to the Richer Fellowship Church. Ride to the Whiteshell and a BBQ lunch on site. Ride PR 209Learn how prairie plants have adapted to fire, drought and grazing. Explore and discover the unique species that make ends at the church in Richer on Southeast Drive where the draws will be held for rider prizes along with burgers and blessings. this area their home. Animal ambassadors from the Wildlife Haven will be visiting in the afternoon. Guided walks, special Registration is at 9 -10 am at Richer Fellowship Church. Route maps, coffee and donuts provided. presentations, face painting and critter catching will keep everyone busy. BBQ lunch and canteen on site (cash only). Admission $5 per adult, children free. Contact 425-3229 or email tgpphq@mymts.net. Monday Night Bingos - to raise funds for Stacey Pchajek Memorial Foundation Inc. The foundation provides scholarships, bursaries and prizes to students graduating grades 8 and 12. Children Under 14 must be accompanied by an adult to be on Vassar premises and must play bingo. Doors Open at 5:30 pm at the Young at Heart Club in Richer. MGCC License # BI/BO4164. Vassar Ball Tournament August 18 and 19. Saturday, pancake breakfast at 8:30, Slow pitch tournament, Mens baseball Tourney, Contact: Doreen Pchajek at 422-5243 or email doreen@spmf.ca. swimming pool opens, Balloon Bouncers 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Silent Auction and Live Band - The Cracked Eggshell, 8 p.m. On Sunday, pancake breakfast 8:30 a.m., swimming pool, Mens Fastball Tourney, Balloon Bouncers 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Silent Roseau River Auction and open air dance. Food and refresments available. In support of the Vassar Community Recreational Centre. Roseau River Park Fundraiser - Starts Saturday, August 11 - 12. Saturday great tasting Fish Fry from 4 - 7 pm and Sunday a Pancake Breakfast 8 – 10 am followed by a Kielte and Sausage lunch 11 am - 1 pm and then to end the day Hot Turkey Supper Whiteshell - South 4 - 7 pm. Canteen serving hot dogs and hamburgers, drinks and more. Contact Harv at 425-3964. Forces of Nature- August 6 -12. Eruptions, meteorites, fires, windstorms, stars and even UFO’s – learn the forces of nature that have shaped the Whiteshell we know today. South Junction Wet & Wild- August 13- 19. Delve into the deeps of the Whiteshell waters to acquaint yourself with swimmers, floaters, sinkers South East Farmer’s Market is open in August. and invaders. Prowling for Prey August 20 - 26. Go on the prowl as we follow the relationships of predators and their prey in the Whiteshell. Sprague The Forest Resource - August 27 – September 2. Fish, furs, bannock and rice. Enjoy the forest resource feast this weekend. Free Western Fest in Sprague – Starts Saturday, August 11 - 12 at the Sprague Community Centre. Contact 437-2210. Park Entry for this long weekend only. Bannock Bake September 2, at White Lake. Contact 204-369-3157 or 369-3157, email Sloan.Cathcart@gov.mb.ca or go online at ManitobaParks.com. St. Malo Furs, Floods and the French- Join St. Malo’s Interpreter to explore the history and mystery of this hamlet. Follow the trail made General by fur traders, who also created the Crow Wing Trail. Experience the community created by French settlers who followed them. The Super Start Program, A Healthy Baby program run through South Eastman Health/Sante-Est Inc., will be holding a monthly St. Malo Bike Tour every Thursday in July and August at 11:30 am. Meet at the Amphitheatre. Contact 945-4375 or group session. This is a program for pregnant women and families with infants up to one year of age. Each session includes Morgan.Hallett@gov.mb.ca. song and rhyme time, discussions and games on topics related to healthy babies and healthy moms. Included are door prizes, nutritious snacks and milk coupons for all participating expectant moms or mothers who have babies up to six months of age. St. Pierre-Jolys Next month our session will be held at: th Mood Disorders Association of Manitoba – Support group meetings held on the 4 Tuesday of every month at 7 pm. Located Ste. Anne – Wednesday, August 8 from 10 am – 12 pm at the Ste. Anne Dayspring Fellowship Church at the Health Corner DeSalaberry Hospital. Contact Judy Dunn 444-5228. Kleefeld – Thursday, August 9 from 10 am - 12 pm at the Kleefeld Recreation Centre Niverville – Tuesday, August 14 from 10 am - 12 pm at the in the Niverville Community Fellowship on 3rd Ave. Ste. Anne St. Pierre-Jolys – Thursday, August 16 from 10 am - 12 pm in the St. Pierre Health Corner, 354 Prefontaine Ave. Bibliothèque Ste Anne Library Used Book Fundraiser – Sale of huge selection of used book proceeds will be used towards new Lorette – Wednesday, August 22 from 10 am – 12 pm at the Community Services Building (next to the pharmacy) library books. For further information call Mona at 422-9958 or drop in at the library at 16 Rue de l’Église. Cost of books $1- Ste. Agathe – Tuesday, August 28 from 10 am - 12 pm at the Ste. Agathe Hall $5. Contact Terry from Super Start at 346-7021 or just drop in. Summer Reading Club - Bibliothèque Ste Anne Library presents, this year’s program “Imagine”. Kids can improve their reading skills and reduce summer learning loss while having fun. Ages 4 to 12, who registrants receives a poster, stickers and an activity book free. Prizes are awarded throughout the summer. Children can pick up their awesome reading kit when they register in person or call 422-9958.
Maplewood Golf Course Hit by Thieves
St. Pierre RCMP are seeking the Ste. Geneviève Bibliothèque Taché Library - At the Community Centre on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month. Large selection of books in public’s assistance in a break and enter both French and English, for children and adults. The library has over 21,000 books including audiobooks, DVDs, CDs, large print that occurred at the St. Pierre Golf books and magazines plus they can import books from any library in Manitoba. Special requests can be made to the librarian, Course in the RM of DeSalaberry. Brandi Schmitz at 878 - 9488, bibliotachelibrary.com or in person. Come for coffee and a visit and see what we are all about.
In the early morning hours of June 28, unknown person(s) broke into the
Maplewood Golf Course and stole approximately $5,000 worth of golf equipment and liquor. Investigators are requesting anyone with information to contact the RCMP at 433-7908 or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477. You can also submit online at manitobacrimestoppers.com or text “TIPMAN” plus your message to CRIMES (274637).
Manitoba Crime Stoppers at 1-800-2228477 (TIPS) or submit online at manitobacrimestoppers.com or text “TIPMAN” plus your message to CRIMES (274637).
New Vehicle Damaged at Cherry Hill Steinbach RCMP are investigating a mischief that occurred at the Cherry Hill Estates RV Park on July 22. Between the hours of 4:30 pm and 9:30 pm, an unknown suspect(s), scratched the exterior of a brand new Ford Escape SUV that was parked near the washrooms. No other vehicles were reported to be damaged. The RCMP are asking for public assistance in identifying the suspect. If you have any information, you are asked to contact the Steinbach RCMP at (204) 326-4452 or if you wish to remain anonymous, you can also call Manitoba Crime Stoppers at 1-800222-8477 (TIPS) or SUBMIT a secure tip online at manitobacrimestoppers.com or TEXT: TIPMAN plus your message to CRIMES (274637).
Youth Arrested on Firearm Complaint On July 24 just before 8 am, Steinbach RCMP received a report of a male walking down Lumber Avenue in Steinbach near the skate park holding a gun. Police flooded the area and located a male youth matching the description. Police took the youth into custody without incident and located the firearm that was involved. Police determined the firearm to be a replica. The 15-year-old youth cannot be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, however is facing charges including possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose and two counts of failing to comply with Probation. He was also charged for an un-related incident of break, enter and theft and two counts of mischief.
Vandals Damage New Brentwood Building On or between June 28 and 29, vandal(s) accessed a building site located on Brentwood Drive in Steinbach. The vandal(s) used rocks and boards and smashed several windows located at the building site. Damage was estimated at approximately $5,000. Police are asking for public assistance in identifying the suspect(s) responsible for this crime. If you have any information you are asked to contact the Steinbach RCMP at 326-4452 or CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or manitobacrimestoppers.com or text “TIPMAN” plus your message to Crimes (274637).
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August 2012
More Than Just News!
Dawson Trail Dispatch