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Today is the day that single day passes for Dauphin's Countryfest officially go on sale.

They are now available at the Countrfest office on 2nd Avenue North East, online at countryfest.ca, or by calling 1-800-361-7300. 

This year's edition of Countryfest goes from June 28th to the 30th. 

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The president of the Manitoba Association of Friendship Centres is disappointed that a review of how Friendship Centres in Urban areas are funded was not included in yesterday's provincial budget.

\Swan RIver's David Gray admits the government had some tough choices to make with regards to its budget.

But he feels Friendship Centres have been forgotten about for over two decades.

"In 2000, when the funding was last reviewed, we were getting a significant amount of money from the province in terms of the budgets for most Friendship Centres.  And now that number has dropped significantly and actually the Federal Government provides way more money.  Here is the problem though.... the two programs that the province does fund are now working on 67-cent dollar's, because the value that they have funded has depreciated by 33 per cent in that time because of inflation.  But we are expected to do the same things."

Gray adds this will continue to force Friendship Centres to have to make choices on what programs they can fund.

"An example is in Swan River, where the Friendship Centre was happy to partner with the province in housing, but have now discontinued that because the province, through several massinations - ended up trying to force the same process by reducing available resources.  And so the board there just cut that program and said we will not manage your program anymore."

MAFC represents Friendship Centres in 11 Manitoba communities, including Dauphin and Swan River. 

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Skygazers will have a rare opportunity next week to view a solar eclipse.

The event will be visible across North America next Monday, with Manitobans expected to be able to see a 70 percent partial solar eclipse, while other areas could get to view a full eclipse. 

The Manitoba Optometrists Association is reminding people in our province to take all necessary precautions before attempting to view it. 

That includes wearing specific solar eclipse glasses that meet ISO 12312-2 international standard and not directly looking at the sun otherwise. 

They add it is never safe to look directly at the sunadding there will be no time when it is safe to view the eclipse without eclipse glasses.

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A Ste Rose teen has moved on to the second stage of the 2024 CrossFit Games competition. 

Ayden Bradley's journey began with the opening of the games on February 29th.

After three straight weeks of fitness tests, Ayden finished in the top 14 per cent in the boys 14-15 year old worldwide division, which earned him an invite to the quarterfinal round of the competition.

That round begins April 17th with more skilled workouts over 6 days, with the top 200 athletes after that then advancing to the semi final round in May in Carson, California.   

After the semi finals, the top 40 will compete in the World CrossFit finals, which are set for June in Texas.

Ayden trains 5-6 days a week out of EXT FIT in Ste Rose, which is owned by his father Steven.

He is the first member of his family to advance within the CrossFit Open competition. 

His dad has competed for 11 years, while his mom Michelle has competed for five years. 

You can keep track of his progress by going online to games.crossfit.com. 

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On the court docket, another court appearance was made by a man arrested last April in connection with a fatal single vehicle rollover near Duck Bay.

38-year-old Katlin Lamirande of the Pine Creek First Nation faces Careless Driving Causing Death charges following the crash near Highway 272, when a northbound truck collided with a row of trees and rolled, resulting in the death of a 5-year-old boy. 

Lamirande will be back in court on May 14th. 

Meanwhile, 40-year-old Dauphin resident Wayne Becks was ack in Minnedosa court yesterday in relation to a serious assault from November of 2022. 

His case has been adjourned until May 7th. 

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Two people were arrested and a loaded sawed-off shotgun was seized from a vehicle following a single vehicle collision last Thursday near the Ebb & Flow First Nation.

RCMP from Ste Rose were conducting patrols on the reserve around 5 pm last Thursday when they noticed a vehicle that had a suspect wanted on several outstanding warrants.

Attempts to pull over the vehicle failed, but the vehicle did eventually hit the ditch on a dead-end road a short distance away.

The 31-year-old male driver attempted to flee the scene on foot but was arrested after a brief chase.

Jesse St. Paul of Portage la Prairie faces charges of Flight from Police, Operating a vehicle while prohibited, and several firearms-related offences.

He was already facing several charges in relation to a shooting incident from early January on the Sandy Bay First Nation.

A 29-year-old female passenger from Ebb & Flow was also arrested on scene but was released on a promise to appear in Dauphin court on May 28th. 

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Health care and making life more affordable for Manitobans were key points in the 2024 Manitoba budget.

Finance minister Adrian Sala introduced what the NDP government is calling "21 new ways to save".

"A broad, middle class tax cut, a 15-hundred dollar tax credit for homeowners, and no school property taxes for families that need the most help.  A tax credit for renters, a tax credit for seniors, and 10 dollars a day child care for every day of the year."

That plan also includes lower insurance rates, rebates for home and business security systems, and an increase to the minimum wage. 

On the health care side, Sala says the health workforce in Manitoba will grow significantly this year.

"This year, we are hiring 1,000 health ccare workers.  100 doctors, 90 paramedics, 210 nurses, and 600 Health Care Aides." 

The province also announced that construction of a new Emergency department in Eriksdale is being included in this budget. 

Sala also promised to balance the province's books within the NDP government's first term in office. 

"We have inherited a historic deficit from the previous government.  We are starting with a health care system that is broken by seven years of cuts and chaos, as well as coming out of years of rising costs, and people are struggling.  There are those that will say that this budget is too ambitious, but it is for those reasons that it needs to be ambitious.  We can fix health care and make life more affordable and we can do it while charting a path back to balance in four years."

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Several health facilities in the region have been included in a Capital Construction Update released recently by Prairie Mountain Health.

Neepawa

Construction of a new hospital in Neepawa is ongoing, with the target opening set for early 2026.

The facility, which is being built east of Neepawa along the north side of the Yellowhead Highway, will be over four times the size of the current hospital in that community and will feature 60 acute care inpatient beds, as well as an expanded emergency department and the addition of a hemodialysis suite. 

Russell

Meanwhile, the construction of an expanded cancer care unit at the Russell Health Centre is into its final stages.

Expected to wrap up later this spring, the expansion will add an additional 33-hundred square feet of space to the existing CancerCare Manitoba Chemotherapy treatment space. 

Dauphin

After opening a relocated Chemotherapy unit this year, work is continuing towards relocating the Endoscapy Unit to the main floor of the Dauphin Regional Health Centre, which is expected to wrap up in the coming months. 

Phase two of their capital project is also underway, which includes the addition of nine inpatient beds - with seven being in the medicine unit and two in the surgical ward, while also renovating the former cancer care space on the third floor into a new physiotherapy unit along with some administrative offices. 

Swan River

Work in winding down on the installation of a new CT scanner at the Swan Valley Health Centre in Swan River.

The scanner itself is being installed over the next two months and is expected to be fully operational by this summer, once inspections and the hiring of staff to operate it is concluded. 

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The Manitoba government is extending the fuel tax holiday.

The current tax break, which is in place from Jan. 1 to the end of June, removes the 14 cent provincial tax on gas.

Now, the province has extended the tax break for another three months.

Premier Wab Kinew said the province made this decision as Manitobans are dealing with inflation and the high cost of living.

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Fishing licenses in Manitoba for 2024 went on sale as of Monday, and to coincide with that the province has released its Anglers' guide for this year. 

The guide is available through the province's Economic Development, Investment, Trade and Natural Resources website, as well as in stores where angling licenses are sold, and Manitobans are encouraged to pick up a copy and read it to learn about new fishing requirements, that also went into effect this week.

Residents are reminded that they can not fish in some areas during the spring, including Dauphin Lake and its tributaries, with the exception of the Vermillion Reservoir, as well as the Assiniboine River downstream of the Porgae Diversion to Provincial Road 240. 

You are also reminded that fishing for walleye and sauger is not allowed in the Northwest and North Central divisions between May 1st and May 18th. 

While they go on sale this week, 2024 Angling licenses do not become valid until May 1st. 

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The city of Dauophin has announced that it is now looking for seasonal labourers. 

They add preference will be given to people that have experience working with concrete, carpentry, and operating heavy equipment. 

More information and a link to apply can be found on the city's Facebook page. 

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