Getting Home Safe This Holiday Season

The holiday season often has a lot of libations and travel associated with it, and a local initiative wants to make sure those don't overlap.

The Dauphin Ride Program has been around for over 30 years, started by the late John Shuttleworth in 1992.

The program offers a way to get both yourself and your vehicle home if you are out drinking during the weekends this holiday season.

Duos attend the calls for a ride. They collect the caller's keys, and one gives them a ride home while the other drives the vehicle home.

Shosho Shuttleworth carries on the program that her father started all those years ago.

"I like to say we're in the business of saving lives and getting people home safe and sound"

She also mentions that this program is always looking for volunteers.

"They can get in touch with me, or my husband Cory at home. Our number is 638 1463."

This program is run in part through the RCMP. The RCMP does expedite the background checks for people involved to help Shuttleworth find excellent safe drivers.

The program runs every Friday and Saturday up until Christmas, and again on New Year's Eve.

So if you're looking to make sure people are staying safe on the roads this holiday season, consider joining up with the Dauphin Ride Program.

Details: Contributed by Michael Brossart; Published: Nov 20, 2023 - 1:58 pm

Much like many businesses today, the Dauphin RCMP detachment is currently understaffed.

A fully staffed detachment would see 16 constables working, but Dauphin RCMP Sergeant Scott Linklater says they currently have 3 vacancies at that level, with two other officers currently on unpaid leave.

"COVID shutting downthe depot really hurt us because we did not have the people coming out to replace the ones that were retiring or leaving. So we have some catching up there. I think we are getting better as we have two members that are wanting to come here in the new year so that will bring our numbers up. Our numbers are always in flux with members transferring out. Sometimes we are above, sometimes we are below.l Usually we are below, with gaps in between members leaving and coming."

Linklater says this is an issue that is plaguing police forces around the world, saying that becoming a police officer does not appear to be as attractieve a choice as it once was.

"It is nationwide for the RCMP, and worldwide for police forces around the world. I know in the U-K and in Australia they are having issues too. it is just - I do not kow why it is not as attractive as it used to be, but it is not and I think everywhere is now trying to find people to work for them."

Details: Contributed by Jeff Henson; Published: Nov 20, 2023 - 12:51 pm

According to gasbuddy.com, the average price for a litre of gasoline in Manitoba continues to come down.

It was down a further 1.8 cents over the past week to 150.31 cents a litre.

That number also marks a 4.1 cent improvement from one month ago and is 16.7 cents a litre cheaper than on this day one year ago.

Nationally, the average price was down 1.2 cents over the past week to 148.83 cents.

Locally, you can find a litre of regular fuel in Dauphin for anywhere between 153.6 and 154.9 cents.

Details: Contributed by Jeff Henson; Published: Nov 20, 2023 - 11:31 am

An R-M of Ethelbert man will be back in court today in relation to a break, enter, and theft in Grandview last month.

Dauphin RCMP said on October 2nd that someone broke into a business in Grandview and stole several items, including power tools.

Eleven days later. Mounties executed a search warrant on a property in the RM of Ethelbert and seized multiple items, including power tools, lawnmowers, a snowblower, and an ATV.

53-year-old Marc Dorais was in Dauphin court last week and was remanded into custody in Winnipeg.

Details: Contributed by Jeff Henson; Published: Nov 20, 2023 - 9:50 am

Cathy Yellowaga of Roblin is $52,000 richer.

She was the lucky winner in the 2023 edition of the Russell Take a Year Off Lottery.

She will get $1,000 per week for the next year.

Eight other prizes were handed out.

$5000 - Willie Kowbuz of Dauphin

$3000 - Terry Stonehouse of Russell

$2000 - Wendy McComb of Brandon

$1000 - Carol Schnittjer of Dauphin

$1000 - Murray Baxter of Swan River

$500 - Lorraine McCannell of Neepawa

$500 - Delores Muir of Russell

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Jennifer Zimmer of Russell won the 50/50 which was worth $27,270.

Details: Contributed by Darnell Duff; Published: Nov 18, 2023 - 11:57 pm

A structure fire had multiple fire trucks on 11th Avenue after smoke was seen billowing from the roof.

The Owner of the home stated he thinks the fire started due to a malfunctioning ceiling fan and spread through the attic, but fire services have yet to confirm this suspicion.

Fire services arrived on the scene rapidly and doused the flame before it spread to the majority of the structure.

No injuries have been reported, but the damage total is still unknown.

Details: Contributed by Michael Brossart; Published: Nov 18, 2023 - 1:53 pm

A local charitable organization had a disturbance Thursday morning, and the sound of concrete shattering glass rang through the building.

Jason Gilmore with the DNRC was at his desk, getting ready for the day when he heard the distinct sound of breaking glass, and he soon realized someone had thrown a chunk of concrete through the second-floor boardroom window.

"All of a sudden, I saw shards of glass on the carpet up there."

Gilmore was at a loss for who would've done this, and why.

"We would hope, given the services that we provide for the community, somebody wouldn't be vindictive or whatever. We're here to serve and help. Yeah, it was a shock"

The DNRC has reached out to businesses nearby to see if they had any information on who would have committed this random act of vandalism.

If you saw anything related to this incident around 9:15 a m Thursday morning, Gilmore urges you to the RCMP and the DNRC know.

Details: Contributed by Michael Brossart; Published: Nov 18, 2023 - 10:15 am

The City of Dauphin will be looking to sure up public safety with new CCTV cameras.

An Announcement yesterday at city hall had Mayor David Bosiak and Dauphin MLA / Manitoba's Ag Minister Ron Kostyshyn lay out how this plan works.

A total of 17 cameras will be installed in public locations, not interfering with any private properties.

The cost of this project is estimated to be nearly $48,000 dollars, and not a dollar of it came from taxpayers.

Minister Kostyshyn shares some details about the Criminal Property Forfeiture Act, the proceeds of which covered this cost.

"The act was brought in in 2009 by our NDP government. The long and short of it is that funds that are apprehended in criminal activities, and the sale of some of the items, whether its actual dollars or property that was seized, creates cash equity for the geographic area."

There was also some talk of looking into more safety measures funded through this act, though details are still being discussed with city council and the RCMP.

Details: Contributed by Michael Brossart; Published: Nov 18, 2023 - 8:51 am

For our final article of Ag Appreciation Week, We're highlighting a local voice that's been farming for nearly 50 years.

Ernie Sirski is the Reeve of the RM of Dauphin. He started his ag career in 1974 and got deeper into the political aspects of it in 1991 when he helped organize one of the largest farm rallies ever held in Canada on the steps of the Manitoba Legislature.

Through that, he got deeply involved with a wide variety of national and provincial farm groups including Manitoba Pulse and Soy Bean Growers, Soy Canada, the provincial and national Canola Councils, and the board of United Grain Growers.

The culmination of this life experience allows Sirski to give us some keen insights into how Agriculture fuels communities.

"You look at our local municipality and the biggest tax base is still the agricultural land that we use and we produce the product that turns into food."

Sirski notes the reciprocal support of the industry is key to keeping community shops around.

"Things like the farm dealerships that are located in this city, we're fortunate to have 3 very good dealerships but not only that it's the small businesses on Main Street. It's the small businesses in the mall that we support. If we didn't support them, we wouldn't have them. That's the reality."

A message that Sirski sends to everyone is a message of involvement.

"I say this regularly, Get involved. Because you know what? I can't do it all, the rural municipal council can't do it all, and the staff can't do it all. But as yourself, get involved... I don't care if it's getting involved in your church, getting involved in your RM, getting involved with the Ag Society, or getting involved with your hockey club. Do something, because without that, we don't have a community."

Sirski capped off our conversation with two important reminders.

One is that if you see a producer driving farm equipment down a back road or highway, slow down and take care. Everyone deserves to get home safe at the end of the day.

And two;

"If you got time, go hug a farmer."

Thanks for joining 730 CKDM this week in our mission to send the love and appreciation that Agriculture workers deserve to them over the air and on our website.

And to the Ag workers reading this article, from everyone here at CKDM, Thank you. You're such a core aspect of our economy, our community, and life in general.

We really can't say it enough.

Thank you.

Details: Contributed by Michael Brossart; Published: Nov 17, 2023 - 1:34 pm

The case of a summer armed robbery in Minitonas will return to court on December 20th

On August 2nd, Swan River RCMP said a man was held against his will in a home by five people, suffering minor injuries after he was robbed with a firearm.

Police searched the same home on August 7th, seizing quantities of crystal meth, cocaine, heroin, and MDMA, as well as drug paraphernalia, ammunition, and stolen property from the earlier robbery.

27-year-old Nikko Guiboche of Minitonas, 27-year-old Dawson Kozminski-Ursel, of Teulon, and 37-year-old Tanelle Mohr of Minitonas were all arrested as a result of the search.