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RCMP say a 15-year-old boy has been charged with murder in the death of a 16-year-old girl in Easterville.

Police say a girl was found dead with obvious injuries in the community on Friday morning.

Later in the day, officers said, they arrested and charged a 15-year-old boy with second-degree murder in relation to the death.

The youth remains in custody, and the investigation continues.

Dauphin's Countryfest is set to kick off this weekend, but organizers have been forced to make a last minute change to their entertainment lineup.

General Manager Kamryn Winters says Mark Chesnutt, who was slated to perform Sunday night, has been forced to pull out of the festival.

"He is undergoing heart surgery I believe, so he had to cancel a lot of his upcoming dates And I am sure that everything will go great and that people will get to see him in the future.  But it just did not pan out for us this year."

Winters says they have lined up George Fox to perform in Chesnutt's place.

"We have George Fox playing with Sawyer Brown this fall on their tour, so it will be nice to get a taste of what he is going to bring to that tour."

She adds they are very appreciative that Fox could commit on such short notice.   

"We are getting down to the very last minute so it was hard to get that email last week about Mark. But Rob (Waloschuk) was able to pull it together and get somebody really quick. "

She says that Fox is a great fit to their "Classic Country" lineup for this year's festival. 

A heads up if your travel plans take you to Winnipeg in the coming days.

Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure has announced that it will be closing a stretch of the Trans-Canada Highway in the Rural Municipality of Headingley from June 24 at 6:30 a.m. until June 28 at 9 p.m.

This closure will allow for the reconstruction of the Trans-Canada Highway which includes road and Canadian Pacific Kansas City railway improvements consisting of the installation of new railway tracks, railway signals, and the widening of the rail crossing in addition to surface improvements.

Westbound and eastbound lanes will be closed to traffic.

Westbound traffic will be detoured off the Trans-Canada Highway onto Provincial Trunk Highway 100 to PTH 3 then onto PTH 2. Motorists will then travel on PR 248 north back to the Trans-Canada Highway.

Eastbound traffic will be detoured off the Trans-Canada Highway onto PTH 13 to PTH 2, then onto PTH 3 before merging back onto the Trans-Canada Highway.

Most commercial vehicles are permitted on the detour, however, long combination vehicles will be limited to travelling in the daylight hours.

After a councilor stepped out of their previous role to take on public work, the RM of Gilbert Plains is seeking a new councilor in an upcoming By-election.

Courtney Roehl, CAO of the Municipality, says the registration begins Monday.

"The process is just starting. As I've mentioned, the registration packages will be available June 24th, and the actual registration forms aren't due until July 23rd, so there is time to talk to different people, get your forms in order, and then come back, and get the nomination packages in mid-July

If you live in the RM, there may be some people talking to you soon and looking for signatures for entering this by-election.

"For voting, you have to be a Canadian citizen at least 18 years of age, and a resident for at least 6 months before the election date, or a registered landowner"

So whether you're running for the position of councilor, or just voting, make sure you have your say in Gilbert Plains Up-coming by-election.

The Municipal By Election for the office of Councillor will be held on August 28,2024. Registration Packages are available starting June 24, 2024.

Posted by Gilbert Plains on Tuesday, June 18, 2024

With warmer weather on the way and the very wet spring we've seen, Manitoba might be set for a terrible mosquito year.

Entomologist Taz Stuart is an expert on mosquitos, and he expects a booming year in this pest population.

"People haven't seen a lot of mosquitos in the last 5-6 years because of the drought-like conditions and the city programs and the small towns have their programs too, but there is a noticeable difference in the amount of activity at dusk and dawn"

He also mentions that mosquito eggs can survive in dry conditions for several years, so many dormant eggs could be awakened with all the moisture in our soil.

Taz has a few recommendations as an expert on these blood-sucking nuisances.

"Personal protection measures are going to be key, avoiding those times when mosquitos are most active, removing, dumping, draining, filling, covering, and treating any water sites and reduce the water the amount of water in your back yard will reduce the number of mosquitos in your yard."

Taz also recommends strong, DEET-based repellents, and proper light-colored clothing to keep the bugs off.

Culex tarsalis, the mosquitoes seen often in Manitoba summertime can carry diseases, so it's best to avoid getting bites, before you get something else.

A tragic incident was reported by the RCMP earlier this week, as a man has died after a plane crash.

The Swan River RCMP responded to a plane crash north of Minitonas, in the RM of Minitonas-Bowsman where a small single engine airplane was located.

The lone occupant, a 53-year-old male from the RM of Minitonas-Bowsman, was pronounced deceased at the scene by Emergency Medical Services.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada was notified of this incident.

The community of Rossburn will get an early jump on Canada Day celebrations this weekend with their annual Bring on Summer and early Canada Day celebration.

Set for Saturday, the event includes a market and craft sale, an outdoor bingo, a free kids zone with bouncy houses, and a show and shine.

Other activities include an all-day BBQ fundraiser, beer gardens, and an evening street dance.

Everything takes place along Main Street in Rossburn. 

Some great news for local families looking for activities to do outdoors with their children.

Dauphin Recreation Services has announced that the splash park in Vermillion Park is now open for the season. 

The park was previously closed after repairs were needed to return it to full operation.

The splash park is open daily from 9 am to 9 pm. 

With repairs and improvements now complete to Lake Audy Road, Parks Canada has officially opened the Bison Enclosure and other features at Lake Audy in Riding Mountain National Park. 

Among the other areas now open are the Lake Audy Campground, day Use area, and the Horse Corral.

Visitors are also reminded that Lake Audy is open to all human-propelled watercraft, but they must first undergo an aquatic inveasive species inspection at the Boat Cove in Wasagaming.

Parks Canada AIS inspectors will be stationed at Lake Audy on weekends throughout the month of July.

Other tips that visitors are encouraged to remember include staying in your vehicle and giving wildlife the space they need if you are viewing them, and remembering that there is minimal to zero cell phone service in the Lake Audy area. 

We are now officially one week away from the start of Dauphin's Countryfest.

The three-day festival begins next Friday, with a lot of activity now taking place at the Selo Ukraina site to get it ready for the event.

Countryfest General Manager Kamryn Winters says they will be moving their office up to the site over the weekend.

"The sites are getting surveyed and the grass is being cut.  We are hoping that the weather is going to be great and things are looking very good.  Ticket sales are picking up, and we have already passed last year's ticket sales."

"As of Monday morning, ticket sales move up to the site.  You can drive up to the site and grab your tickets there, but the best way to get your tickets would be to call us at 1-800-361-7300 or buying them online, then you can just pick them up at the will-call booth."

In a slight change for this year, Winters says the site does not open to festival goers until Thursday.

 "This year with there being no Thursday entertainment at the festival, Thursday becomes the new Wednesday.  So the gates will be opening Thursday at10 am."

This is the 35th anniversary for Dauphin's Countryfest. 

Update, 4:14pm:  Dauphin RCMP has safely located Skyler Boulbria.

RCMP thanks the public and media for their assistance.

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The Dauphin RCMP is seeking the public's help in the case of a missing 15-year-old.

Skyler Boulbria was last seen at approximately 1:30 pm, on June 18, 2024, at a residence in Dauphin.

Skyler is described as approximately 5’2” tall, 120 pounds, with dark hair with blonde highlights, and facial piercings.

She was last seen wearing a black sweater, black shorts, black netted stockings and black sandals.

She may be within the Roblin Area.

If you, or anyone you know have information on her whereabouts, please call Dauphin RCMP at 204-622-5020 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477, or visit the Manitoba Crime Stoppers Website.