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At the Optimist Festival, last week in Winnipeg, two concert bands from the DRCSS were recognized.
The Grade 9 and Senior bands received the highest score possible, earning three five-Star ratings from each of the adjudicators and a Superior Performance Achievement Award.
DRCSS Band Director, Taylor Schmidt, explained how the ratings worked:
“All three bands did wonderful. We did go there and ask for a rating. So the rating system is a star system; one-star, two-star, three-star, four-star and five-star ratings and you have three adjudicators that listens to each of the bands. Each adjudicator gives an overall rating based on a list of criteria they have and our Grade 10 ensemble received two three-star and one four-star rating. Our Grade 9 and Senior concert band, they actually received the highest rating you can at the festival, and that would be receiving a five-star rating from each of the adjudicators.”
Approximately 114 students from the DRCSS performed at the festival.
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A Roblin teacher also received a nomination as Educator of the Year.
Chad Peters, a Grade 3 and 4 teacher from Roblin Elementary, explains his initial thoughts on receiving the nomination.
“Probably my first response is I am humbled. And the question that many of us always ask is why me, what have I done that’s worth noting. I’m sort of a behind the scenes, not a sage on the stage and so I was honoured but I was humbled as well.”
The awards were presented on February 23rd at the “Yes I Can” Awards.
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Manitoba won’t be getting their prison farm back anytime soon.
The federal government has announced they are opening two federal prison farms in Ontario at a cost of four million dollars.
There are currently no plans to reopen Manitoba's Rockwood farm.
Rockwood Institution was a minimum-security facility at Stony Mountain located north of Winnipeg.
It was a dairy operation, primarily.
The farm prisons were shut down back in 2010.
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- Contributed by Josh Sigurdson
The Municipality of Grandview council plans to have representation from six members after the next election.
Also at the most recent meeting, it was discussed to go with a two ward system, with an urban and a rural.
Originally planned to reduce councillors to four, it’s being proposed to go with three urban and three rural.
Grandview Mayor, Lyle Morran, talks about one of the biggest concerns voters have:
“I guess something that everyone has to remember, the ward system is really only for the election. After that, each councillor represents the whole municipality.”
The by-law still requires a third reading, and that will take place in a couple weeks.
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- Contributed by Josh Sigurdson
HIV is on the rise in Manitoba.
Saskatchewan has the highest rate of new cases in Canada, and Manitoba is second on the list according to the latest figures.
In 2016, there were 128 new cases reported to Manitoba Health.
This is an increase of 47 percent compared to 2014.
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Getting Parkland grain to market is part of the reason the president of the Keystone Ag Producers traveled to Ottawa this week.
Dan Mazier spoke in front of the Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications.
In his presentation, Mazier spoke about how vital the rail system is to the ag economy.
“Part of the problem with this rail service is the railway companies are controlling the Canadian economy. It’s eliminating the growth potential; we could be making the most of the second biggest crop in Canadian history. They are eliminating the opportunity to market it.”
Mazier urges Parkland producers to get in contact with agriculture ministers, Liberal members of Parliament to voice their concerns about this issue.
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- Contributed by Josh Sigurdson
Women in the Parkland could have to wait longer for breast cancer screening.
CancerCare Manitoba's two custom vans equipped with mammography machines are off the road after undergoing mechanical repairs in December.
The vans travel to over 90 Manitoba communities on a two year rotation, including the Parkland.
CancerCare hopes the vans are up and running next week.
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Mountain View School Division is hosting a Public Budget Forum on Monday.
There is a reduction in funding from the Province this year.
Donna Davidson, Superintendent CEO for the division, talks about why it’s good for people to attend this:
“I think it’s always important for the public to attend the budget forum so that they can have an opportunity to hear about the division, not only the budget, the dollars used to support the programing in Mountain View School Division, but some of the initiatives and the strategic direction Mountain View School Division is pursing. It provides the public with an opportunity to have input or a voice in the budget prior to being approved an hour early by the board of trustees on March 12.”
The forum is at the division office’s conference room and starts at 7:00 in the evening.
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A possible major winter storm could hit the Parkland on Sunday.
Environment Canada issued a statement this morning, that snowfall is predicted for Sunday night and continuing into Monday with an estimated 15 to 30 centimeters, due to a Colorado Low approaching Manitoba.
Environment Canada says wind will begin blowing up to 40 km/h and combine with heavy snow, could cause reduced visibility.
This weather system has the potential to cause major travel disruptions.
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- Contributed by Josh Sigurdson
Sheldon Stashko, from Dauphin, received the Educational Assistant of the Year award.
He was recognized for his work helping students at the DRCSS.
Stashko gives his thoughts about what it means to be recognized for the award:
“It’s a great honour, it really is. It’s nice to be recognized for what you do. It’s nice for people outside of Winnipeg to be recognized for what they do, as well. It’s a double bonus.”
The award was announced at the Manitoba “Yes I Can” awards last Thursday.
Stashko works with extraordinary students to help them accomplish great things in their lives.
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- Contributed by Josh Sigurdson
A Dauphin doctor has been recognized for his work.
Dr. Scott Kish, site lead for the Parkland’s Family Medicine Unit, won the 2018 Manitoba College of Family Physicians award for Family Physician of the Year.
Dr. Kish explains what the award means to him:
“It’s an honour, for sure, and a surprise as well because I wasn’t aware that I was nominated. I think the recognition of who’s gone before me with this, in terms of our residency program, Dr. Mike Penrose has won this award and Dr. David O’Hagan has as well, and just knowing them personally and knowing what their practices have been like and the standard of care they provide; I think that makes this even more meaningful for me.”
Dr. Kish will receive the award in April at the Annual Scientific Assembly in Winnipeg.
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