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Brian Schoonbaert has announced his plans to retire as CEO of Prairie Mountain Health.
Schoonbaert has held the CEO position since 2021.
He has spent over 35 years in the health field, including time as the CEO of Brandin Regional Health Authority, and Vice President, Finance, Capital, Support Services, and Chief Operating Officer of Brandon Regional Health Centre.
In a news release, PMH Board of Directors chair Lon Cullen said Schoonbaert’s commitment to providing quality health care and supporting all PMH staff, physicians, and volunteers was always been evident.
A recruitment process for a new CEO is now underway
Schoonbaert's final day at PMH will be April 5th, 2024.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
A drug bust in the RM of Dauphin from 2021 was back in a Winnipeg court this week.
32-year-old Winnipeg native Jory Rowe faces a charge of possession for the purpose of trafficking and has had hit matters put over until November 14th.
In March of 2021, Mounties pulled over a vehicle on Highway 5, about ten kilometres west of Ochre River, and after the driver refused to give a breath sample, he was arrested.
A search of the vehicle led to the seizure of a large variety of cannabis products, about 195 grams of cocaine, cash, and an open bottle of liquor.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
A Parkland resident has been identified as the victim of a fatal pedestrian-vehicle collision from last week.
Last Thursday night, Blue Hills RCMP in Brandon was notified of the accident about 10 km west of Brandon in the RM Of Whitehead.
They say the pedestrian, who has been identified as a 21-year-old male from Ochre River, was walking in the middle of a driving lane on the Trans Canada Highway near Road 115 West when he was struck by a westbound semi-trailer.
The unnamed man was pronounced dead at the scene.
The semi-driver, a 25-year-old from Regina, was not physically injured as a result of the collision.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
It has been a welcomed change and a very exciting one at that.
The old Ashern fire hall opened in the 1970s and it served its purpose for the better part of 52 years. Now, the Ashern Fire Department has moved into a brand new fire hall which they did earlier this year. The brand new fire hall in Ashern is right along the highway and it is a gorgeous building that Ken Falk is very pleased with.
"It's been a process, we have been working on this for a number of years," said Falk. "To finally get the go-ahead to get this new hall has been very exciting. It truly is a beautiful building and everyone is very excited to have moved in."
To mark the exciting move, the Fire Department will be hosting its grand opening on Friday with opening ceremonies and ribbon cutting starting at 1:00 p.m. and the event will run until 3:00 p.m.
The event is open to the public and the Ashern Fire Department will begin the day with students from the Ashern Early Years School. You can tour the new fire hall and if you're interested in joining the Ashern Fire Department (AFD), you can also get information on that as well.
The department services a very large area which includes a fire agreement with the RM of Grahamdale. Their service area includes the north part of West Interlake including up to Lake Manitoba Narrows, halfway to Fisher Branch, and halfway to Moosehorn in the north.
Falk is the Fire Chief and he understands every member of the Fire Department is a volunteer and he is extremely appreciative of all they do.
"We have a very good group of young men and women that have joined over the years," ended Falk. "I'm proud of the group that we have here and their commitment to the firefighting service we do. I'm very proud."
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- Contributed by Darnell Duff
Jeannette Ritchot has had a deep passion for music her entire life, and now she gets to share it with the city for years to come.
In order to spread her wealth of musical love, Richot has donated her Yamaha Clavinova piano, worth $1,500 to the Watson Art Center.
"I donated this piano for different reasons. For local piano players to come in to play, and for local piano teachers to use for their students for lessons and recitals, and also possibly a piano concert. i also know this piano is going to be a legacy that I have left behind."
The piano does have a plaque, right above middle C, where you can see the words "kindly Donated By Jeannette Ritchot October 2023", where her legacy will be etched for time immemorial.
Ritchot sends a message to every avid player in the city, come out to the open mic nights, or any opportunity you can to play this wonderful instrument.
She looks forward to hearing it sing it's tune time and time again, but in its new home at the Watson Art Center.
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- Contributed by Michael Brossart
A power outage has resulted in a boil water advisory for the town of Angusville.
be sure to bring water for consumption or cooking to a rolling boil to ensure it's safety.
Please be advised, due to the power outage there will be a boil water advisory placed on the LUD of Angusville. Please share with your neighbours, help ensure everyone stays safe. Thank you
Posted by Rural Municipality of Riding Mountain West on Wednesday, November 8, 2023
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- Contributed by Michael Brossart
The Dauphin RCMP have arrested 2 wanted men and seized firearms, drugs, and cash.
Yesterday at 10:25 pm, an RCMP officer observed a vehicle known to be associated with two males who were wanted in relation to a recent shooting in Brandon, driving on Main Street South in Dauphin.
The Officer approached the vehicle when it stopped at a gas station. The Driver was arrested as he left the gas station, and the passenger attempted to get into the driver's side and flee.
Luckily, reinforcements arrived and boxed in the vehicle before it could leave, and the second suspect was arrested as well.
A subsequent search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of two firearms, ammunition, cash, weapons, and approximately 250 grams of suspected cocaine.
Tyler Guiboche, 34, and Joshua Chartrand, 27, both from Dauphin, have been charged with numerous drug and firearms charges, including Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking, Possession of a Firearm with a Tampered Serial Number x2, Possession of Property Obtained by Crime, Unauthorized Possession of a Firearm and Weapons Possession Contrary to Order.
Both individuals were remanded into custody and the Dauphin RCMP continues their investigation.
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- Contributed by Michael Brossart
Organizers of a "Spirits and Sweets" event that is being held in conjunction with the Rotary Book Fair are reminding people interested in attending that they must purchase their tickets for it in advance.
The event goes Friday night from 7-9 pm at the 8th Avenue hall and will feature 30 different spirits, as well as eight different desserts being prepared by Irving's Catering.
Book fair organizer Jean Louis Guillas says they tried a similar event to this in the spring, with a great deal of success.
"We did it in the spring with a wine-tasting event and people had so much fun. They really liked the combination of being able to shop for books while being able to have time to visit with friends and sample some new wines. This time it will be spirits and desserts. It is a great social time."
Tickets are $40 each, and Guillas says they must be purchased in advance.
" There is 30 different spirits on offer, such as whiskeys or tequilas, bourbons, and a few liqueurs as well. And eight fabulous different desserts that are being prepared by Irving's Catering. And Carla has made a special effort to research desserts that pair particularly well with these different types of spirits."
There will also be a number of games throughout the evening.
Tickets are available from any member of the Dauphin Rotary Club, or at the Dauphin Liquor Mart.
Guillas asks that you purchase your tickets as soon as possible so that they can give the caterer an idea of how many people will be attending.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
Mountain View School Division has started the process of forming its next multi-year Strategic Plan and is seeking input from the public as to what that plan should contain.
A Community Conversation event is set for tomorrow night starting at 7 p.m. a the DRCSS, with parents, guardians, and community members encouraged to take part.
Pre-registration is requested, which you can do either online at www.mvsd.ca, or by calling the office at 204-638-3001.
There is also an online survey that you are asked to fill out. That is available through the school division's website.
Similar events have already been held in other MVSD communities, including Gilbert Plains, Grandview, Roblin, Winnioegosis, Ethelbert, and Ochre River.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
More than 400 Manitobans lost their lives due to drug overdoses in 2022.
According to data from Manitoba's Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, 418 Manitobans died from drug-related deaths in 2022, which is down 14 from the 432 deaths in 2011. 43 of those alone died in October of 2022.
The number of drug-related deaths continues to increase over the years. In 2019, 200 deaths were reported while 372 were reported in 2020 and two years later, 418 were reported. While the number of Manitobans dying because of opioid addictions continues to rise at an alarming rate, the number of Manitobans seeking help because of an alcohol addiction continues to rise as well.
If you are concerned about your use of drugs or alcohol, the Canadian Mental Health Association Swan Valley Branch is here to help. Every Thursday until December 14, they will be hosting an Addiction Recovery Skills Course at Red Road Compass beside Pizza Place in the community.
Rod Seib is the Peer Support and Public Education Coordinator at the Swan Valley Branch and as he says, these sessions are very important for those who are struggling.
"There is a real need. There are other programs but there are always more needs than what services can provide," said Seib. "These courses are free of charge so we removed that barrier for the folks that want to take part but don't have the financial means to do so."
There was one session last Thursday and it was positive.
"We had six individuals come out for that first session and it was an introductory session about how the brain gets into that mode of addiction," said Seib. "I had great feedback from the individuals that came and they're looking forward to continuing the course."
If you did not attend the first session but are interested, you can do so. However, Thursday, November 09 will be your last chance to sign up. If you do not take part in this next session, Seib says you will be unable to enter the course moving forward.
Seib says if you're struggling and you are in the Swan River area, you are welcome to join for the next six sessions in person at 602 Main Street in Swan River from 1:30 to 3:30 every Thursday from now until December 14.
"No one should struggle alone, there is help available," ended Seib. "I, myself, have struggled with addiction, so I have that life experience that I can connect with people and understand what they may be going through."
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- Contributed by Darnell Duff
A 55-year-old man from Roblin is dead after a collision late last week.
On November 3 just before 5:00 p.m., Russell RCMP responded to a combine harvester having rolled over into a slough located off Provincial Road 592, near Road 140N, in the RM of Riding Mountain West.
The man was driving the combine and heading southbound when he lost control on an icy downhill portion of the road. This resulted in the combine sliding into a steep embankment and it rolled onto its roof into the water, with the 55-year-old man still inside.
A witness jumped into the icy water and was able to pull the victim out of the cab and provide medical assistance until EMS arrived; however, it was too late. The 55-year-old man was pronounced deceased on the scene.
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- Contributed by Darnell Duff
