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The Public Utilities Board has turned down a recent bid by Manitoba Hydro to increase electricity rates by 3.5%.
The increase, which if approved would take effect on April 1st, follows a 3.6% increase in rates that was approved in June 2018.
The P.U.B's decision now means there will be public hearings on the rate hike request, and a final decision will be made around late May or early June.
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- Contributed by Alec Woolston
The final numbers for this year's Holiday Checkstop program are in. Despite a greater number of check-stops and vehicles checked this year by the RCMP; impaired driving charges are down, but fatalities are up.
Overall, 11,714 vehicles were checked throughout 262 checkstops. 90 people were charged with impaired driving (87 by alcohol, 3 by a drug) compared to 117 last year. As well, 30 alcohol-related tiered suspensions and 2 drug-related tiered suspensions were given out. There were also 15 people charged with refusing a breath demand, and 49 people charged with improper storage of alcohol or cannabis in a vehicle.
Unfortunately, 5 people lost their lives in traffic-related collisions this year during the program, compared to 1 fatality last year.
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- Contributed by Alec Woolston
Some Manitoba Infrastructure seasonal employees, including the Dauphin Paint Crew, are expected to be out of a job when the construction season gets going.
The government is privatizing the maintenance road work and taking away around 50 jobs across the province.
“When we look at, for instance, the Dauphin Paint Crew, the folks that very proudly have done that work out of the Dauphin site. To know that those families, those employees, are not going to be called back to work, those are more families from Dauphin that are going to be affected. It’s going to affect the local economy of Dauphin.”
Michelle Gawronsky, president of MGEU says some of these employees have had the same job for more than 20 years and she doesn’t understand why employment isn't staying local.
“We know from when they did the sign crew. When they actually closed their doors. And any time you start affecting a smaller community that way it has really, really huge effects for the economy of that community.”
Not many details have been released by the province yet.
Gawronsky believes everyone should get a hold of their MLA and ask them what exactly their plans are and why they are making the cuts.
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- Contributed by Josh Sigurdson
Last night Dauphin Towing was able to remove a truck that fell through the ice northwest of Ochre on Road 143.
The truck had fallen in the ice sometime in late November.
Trees had to be cut down, a hole had to be chiselled 20 feet long, 8 feet wide to remove the truck.
Dawn Isfeld, co-owner of Dauphin Towing, says that hole is dangerous.
“What our concern was is that huge hole. Like if someone is driving by and their front tire goes in, their whole front end will go under. Very, very dangerous!”
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- Contributed by Josh Sigurdson
Russell RCMP is asking for the public’s help in tracking down a man involved in a road rage incident around Roblin.
The man was caught stopping and getting out of his car to yell at another driver on Provincial Road 583 near Roblin by a semi’s dashcam.
The man drove a silver coloured Ford Focus.
A video of the incident is posted on the RCMP’s Facebook page.
Call Russell RCMP at 204-773-3051 if you know who he is.
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- Contributed by Josh Sigurdson
Dauphin has made it onto Expedia’s ‘Canadians Choose the Best Places to Visit in 2019' list.
Some of the highlights they say about Dauphin include Countryfest, Manitoba Mudrun, and the Vermillion River Walking Trail.
“Manitoba is the province to watch in 2019, given how many times it showed up in our poll of top recommended cities. Dauphin was mentioned by name--which makes complete sense when you look at popular 2019 events, like Dauphin's Countryfest and Manitoba Mudrun. It more than earns a spot on our top 2019 cities list..” commented Jennifer Cuellar author of the article.
To make the list, Expedia asked 1,000 Canadians where they would recommend travellers visit this year.
A lot of people recommended travelling within Canada itself, and Manitoba showed up more than it ever has before.
The other Manitoba town on the list was Brandon.
For the full list click here.
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- Contributed by Josh Sigurdson
The Dauphin Fire Department dealt with a fire in the Dauphin Market Place Mall this afternoon.
The fire started in the workshop at the back of the building.
The building’s sprinkler system was activated in the area but because of a shelving unit installed above the workshop bench, it was unable to suppress the fire on its own.
Everyone was evacuated safely by the time the department arrived.
Members of the Fire Department stayed until around 1:30 pm helping the various stores with ventilation to remove the remaining smoke and with moving stock and removing water in order to protect inventory.
The cause of the fire is deemed accidental and there aren’t any estimates on damages at this point.
Most of the businesses have reopened.
Original Story below
The Dauphin Fire Department dealt with a fire in the Dauphin Market Place Mall.
Reports say shortly after 12 pm a fire started in the maintenance room.
The mall was full of smoke and we’re told everyone inside was evacuated safely.
The fire trucks left the mall around 1:30.
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- Contributed by Josh Sigurdson
14-year-old Josh Beaulieu has been missing since December 24th.
Josh is described as Aboriginal, 5-foot-6, 115 lbs and has a fair complexion, with straight short brown hair, and brown eyes.
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- Contributed by Josh Sigurdson
To kick off the New Year, the upcoming Chamber Lunch series features three different presentations.
Stephen Chycota says this is a lunch you should not miss.
The first is by Carissa Caruk-Ganczar on the pilot Dauphin and Area Business Incubator followed by Clayton Swanton giving an update about the newly developed mountain bike trails up by the Selo sight and the 2020 Manitoba Summer Games.
The lunch will wrap up with a presentation by Mary and Alison from Dauphin Neighbourhood Renewal about the ins and outs of the Unity Project.
Tickets are still available for the lunch that takes place on Tuesday from 11:45 to 1 pm at the Parkland Rec Centre.
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- Contributed by Josh Sigurdson
RCMP are searching for an escaped inmate from the Saskatchewan Penitentiary who was last seen in a prison truck in Yorkton yesterday at 4 p.m.
Police say 24-year-old Steven Briggs was spotted driving a blue 2015 four-door crew cab Dodge truck with a CSC logo in the Yorkton area.
During the 10 p.m. count at the penitentiary on New Year’s Eve, guards were short an inmate.
Briggs is described as about five-foot-nine-inches tall and 157 pounds with tattoos on both hands and his left forearm.
He is serving seven years and three months on assault and theft charges.
Yorkton RCMP is asking for the public’s assistance with any information in regards to his whereabouts and of the CSC truck.
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- Contributed by Josh Sigurdson
Damian Catcheway-St Paul is Dauphin Hospital’s first baby born in the New Year.
Damian was born at 3:17 in the morning on January 1st.
He was 8 pounds 13 ounces and 22cm.
His parent Chelsea Catcheway and Dennis Stpaul are from Skownan.
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- Contributed by Josh Sigurdson
