The countdown to Manitoba’s quintessential country music festival is on. Dauphin Countryfest kicks off June 25 and with an eclectic and iconic mix of artists set to hit the stage, it is going to be legendary.
The four-day music festival takes place in the idyllic Selo Ukraina site just five minutes south of Dauphin, and according to organizers, not only is the festival an economic boost to the community, it is more importantly an opportunity for country music fans to build community.
“The togetherness it creates in our community, the sense of pride it gives us to host such a large event is immense,” said Countryfest First Vice-President Bob Gilroy. “The economic impact for a rural Manitoba community like Dauphin does not go unnoticed with an event the size of Countryfest. In its initial years, Countryfest was similar to many rural community events - small and with little financial input and a lot of volunteer blood, sweat and tears. Over the past 37 years, the festival has grown to the point that one cannot ignore the economic boost it provides Dauphin directly and by extension the Parkland region.

Growing up in northern Manitoba as a person who is a part of the 2SLGBTQIA community was not an easy thing for many who lived and experienced it. It’s something that Connie Merasty has first-hand lived experience in and it forced her to leave her home community to find a safe place.
“I’m turning 58 years old this year and was born and raised in Opaskwayak Cree Nation(OCN),” said Merasty. “I’m the eleventh of twelve children. I’ve lived in cities, mainly Winnipeg, for over 30 years. That was where my advocacy work started.
“It was a big culture shock for me as a young person to come from OCN to Winnipeg. When I left my home community, it was under great duress. I struggled a lot with substance abuse and all of the things that come with living a life of homelessness. I didn’t have an education when I went to Winnipeg, so I was left to my own devices for survival.

Local screenplay writer and filmmaker Steven Bignell is back at it again, this time with a new film. Bignell has been working on his latest film, which he had the idea for several years ago but finally decided to put together.
“This is a film idea I had lying around for a few years,” said Bignell. “I went back to developing and fixing up the script.
“It’s set in the WWII era and is about two friends who haven’t seen each other in over 12 years, and then they meet up serving in the war on opposite sides. The film is called Our Blood is the Same and I came up with this title because everyone’s blood is the same colour.”

With the need for more staff and options when it comes to healthcare, Pharmacists Manitoba is sounding the alarm that they can assist in this matter. Currently, in Manitoba, pharmacists can assess patients and prescribe for only 14 common ailments; meanwhile, in Alberta, pharmacists can assess and prescribe for 58, and in Saskatchewan, 41. Former resident of The Pas and pharmacist Britt Kural has been advocating to expand pharmacists’ scope of practice in Manitoba.
“There are lots of things that pharmacists do that currently help support primary care access,” said Pharmacists Manitoba Pharmacy Practice Advisor Britt Kural. “What we’re really trying to raise awareness about is how little it is compared to other provinces. There are 41 additional common ailments and services that we are asking the government to enable pharmacists to do in Manitoba, to be able to catch up to the other provinces and to allow pharmacists to use the skills that they possess, help patients and improve access to primary care.

The Dauphin Clippers rugby teams handed out year-end awards, last week.
Four awards were handed out for the Clippers girl’s 7s team.
Kiersten VanDekerckhove was named the varsity MVP and Mindy Chartrand was the Top Rookie, while the JV MVP was Alina Genik and Edie Fleck was the JV Top Rookie.
The varsity girls award winners were: Top Forward - Ryann Richard-Soltis; Top Back - Felicity Sahulka; MVP - Paityn Bourgouin; Top Rookie - Anna Durston; Maverick Award - Isabella Williams; Playoff MVP - Desiree Lariviere; Spirit Award - Mackenzie Kropelnicki; and Most Improved - Maya Hughes.
JV boys award winners were: Top Forward - Garrett Urichen; Top Back - Garrett Sahulka; MVP - Rudy Oosthuizen; Top Rookie - Hendrik Du Plessis; Maverick Award - Sly Fedorkiw; Playoff MVP - Rudy Oosthuizen; Spirit Award - Dax Arneson; and Most Improved - Cohen Lambie.
Varsity boys award winners were: Top Forward - Ben Miner; Top Back - Jordan Evans; MVP - Julien Lopez; Top Rookie - Emil Saifulin; Maverick Award - Blake Thacker; Playoff MVP - Alex Thompson; Spirit Award - Blake Symchych; and Most Improved - Tristen Fidierchuk.

After starting the season with two straight wins on the road, the Parkland Mavericks have now lost two in a row at home.
The latest set back came at the hands of the Manitoba Wombats, 34-24, Saturday, at Mavs Fest in Dauphin.
Ronin Mouck had two tries and two converts and Julien Lopez, playing his first game ever with the Mavericks, also had two tries.
The Mavericks were shorthanded for most of the game after losing a player to a red card late in the first half.
“Considering we played down a man the whole game, we played really, really good. They were starting the get tired in the second half and we did come back pretty close. But playing 14 on 15 stopped us from getting an even shot,” said captain Jordan Campbell.
The Wombats have always been one of the top teams in Rugby Manitoba’s Premier Division, with 60 players to choose from.
“And they’re a really competitive group and we were neck-and-neck with them. So I’m very happy with the way we performed, for sure,” Campbell said.
Campbell feels the Mavericks need to work on being more conservative in how they play with aggression.
“We need to stop getting penalties. That definitely is the big thing. Penalties kind of butcher us,” he said, adding the Mavericks are also missing some of their main starters.
“And I thought we played really good for what we had,” he said.
The Mavericks don’t play again until they host the Winnipeg Wasps Division 1 team, July 4, at 1:30 p.m.
Campbell said it will be good to have a two-week break.
“We’ve got about eight new players coming to practice, so we’re pretty excited to have some new faces. And back-to-back home games, we get the Premier Wasps and then the Div. 2 team, so it will give us a nice little break and build some team chemistry, so we can let them have it,” he said.
The Parkland Lady Mavericks hit the pitch for the first time, hosting the Winnipeg Brumbies, Saturday.
The Brumbies took advantage of a team which hadn’t even practiced together yet, scoring a 66-29 win over the Lady Mavericks.
Desiree Lariviere had three tries and Halie Garlinski had two tries. Kateri Mills had two converts.
Coach Cassandra Kostelnyk was pleased with how the team played.
“A lot of the girls had never played together before and they actually didn’t have a chance to get together to practice as a team before the game. So all things considered, I think they did a good job,” she said.
Kostelnyk was most impressed with how quickly they started playing as a team.
“It was almost hard to tell that they haven’t even practiced together, let alone play together,” she said.
The Lady Mavericks will travel to Brandon, June 23, to play the Lady Barbarians, a game rescheduled from May 30.
The Lady Mavericks practice Tuesdays and Thursdays at Kin Field from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., and are still looking for players.
“Anybody is welcome. We’re always accepting new players. And if you’ve never played before and you’re interested, we’ll teach you everything you need to know,” Kostelnyk said.
Practice will see the Lady Mavericks go back to the basics.
“And making sure that we continue to grow our dynamic as a team and start running as a team more often and just build off what we did on Saturday,” Kostelnyk said.
“We’re excited for the next game and for what the rest of the season will bring.”

Quite often one of the main drivers of social events is drinking, and those who cannot, or do not want to consume alcohol can find themselves on the outside looking in.
Val McInnes of Bloom ’n Bean in Dauphin is looking to change that through her recently opened Sobr Market franchise at her Main Street storefront.
The business offers spirit replacements, such as rum, whiskey, vodka and tequila, along with white, red, rose and sparkling wines, premixed cocktails and bubbly wine alternatives.
Top quality products are sourced from around the world, she said, all with zero alcohol at a price point comparable to the liquor store.
“They are designed with a flavour profile that gives you the feeling of that alcoholic beverage that you might not want to have anymore or can’t have anymore,” McInnes said.
“The companies work really, really hard on flavour profiles.
“People can’t tell the difference when you mix it with whatever your mixed beverage is.”
And she has had plenty of customer feedback reinforcing the quality of the product since she began testing the market.
One customer, she said, sampled a whiskey, purchased a bottle, then came back a week later and picked up two more bottles.
“He said, ‘this is the best whiskey I’ve had’,” McInnes said.
And while one of the main target markets is those who do not or cannot drink alcohol, McInnes said Sobr Market products are also an option for anyone wanting the experience of an adult beverage without the complications that are possible with the consumption of alcohol.
“I’ve got guys that come in and grab an IPA and go icefishing because then they don’t have to worry about driving their sleds. They don’t have to worry about driving their trucks coming off the ice,” she said, adding she also offers a tasting bar so customers can try any of her products.
“You can come and try them at any time. We’ll give you a shot because we want people to like what they’re buying before they purchase it.”
On top of in-store purchases, McInnes has set up tasting booths at community events and is looking at wholesaling opportunities. She will be hitting the road visiting restaurants, golf courses, and other businesses educating them on the options available for their customers who might not feel included in those spaces.
“They go to the bar, there’s not a lot for them to have. They go to restaurants, there’s not a lot for them to have if they don’t want to have a Pepsi or a Sprite,” she said, adding the process satisfies the teacher in her.
“I get to explain things to people and educate them on options, which I don’t think people realize that they have.”
Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries has reported a decrease in the volume of alcohol consumed in recent years opening the door for the products offered by Sobr Market. McInnes added she herself was ignorant of the demand and she has, in fact, changed her perspective on her own consumption.
“I enjoyed having a drink, but I didn’t enjoy having the drink because of the alcohol. I enjoyed having the drink because of the flavours,” she said, adding there are more people than she realized who share that view.
“The thing I’m hearing the most from people is just that inclusivity of still being able to be a part of that community without the pressures of having to drink.”
And that is driving McInnes’s excitement to provide an alternative for others, which might fill their wellness plans or their health requirements, but doesn’t alienate them from the culture that has been created around the consumption of alcohol.
“The demographic is exploding exponentially. I’m excited,” McInnes said.
“I think it’s a really cool niche market that the company was really excited for us to look at in Dauphin.”
McInnes invites anyone interested to stop in and find out more about what exactly is available.
“I don’t have the space to carry everything that (Sobr Market) carries, but I can sure grab some of the top line products,” McInnes said, adding she is trying to add something new with every restocking order and will do her best to accommodate special requests.
“I’m very proud of the product lines and there is something for everybody. It may take us a little while to find it, but we can find it.”

The Rural Municipality of Lakeshore hopes to borrow almost $2.5 million to cover deficits its current council discovered after examining financial records going back more than a decade.
Council held a public meeting, June 8, in Ochre River to discuss introducing a bylaw to authorize the borrowing of $2,497,543 million from the Province to cover deficits for 2023 and prior years of $1,825,399, as well as $672,144 for 2024.
The mandate to borrow the money came from the Province, with the money to be repaid over 10 years at an estimated interest rate of five per cent per year.
The meeting, which was attended by close to 150 residents, lasted for more than two hours, with many residents asking questions surrounding the issue.
“The forensic audit, we can’t speak on that, because it has just been finalized with the insurance company and it’s now gone to the RCMP,” said acting reeve Michael Brunen, adding more information will be released later this week.
The Province of Manitoba was represented and some of the information they gave out during the course of the meeting was different than what the Lakeshore council was told before hand, Brunen said.
The Province, Brunen said, gave council two choices - borrow the $2.5 million with the 10-year payment plan or the Province would step in and eliminate the council and run the RM.
“How high do you think your taxes would go? Because we are one of the lowest tax-based municipalities in the province,” he added.
It was mentioned at the meeting that about 20 other municipalities in Manitoba are also having financial difficulties.
Council gave first reading to the borrowing bylaw, June 9, and is expected to give second and third reading, June 22, in Rorketon.
Brunen understands the frustration residents have regarding the deficits and how they came about.
“Naturally, you’re going to wonder, ‘where did we go wrong? What did you buy?’ Well, it wasn’t just one term or one year. It’s going back at least 10 or 12 years when this was first noticed,” he said.
“It goes back that far. Three terms. And that’s just a failure from a lot of departments, not just the CAO. It goes to council itself. The finance department. The reeve. The Province needs to step in and oversee this or have someone help us. Ever since amalgamation, really, things have gotten bad. It really has. We’ve seen the failures. And it’s happening all over the province.”
No deficits were found for the years 2020, 2021 and 2022.
Brunen pointed out the current council is the one that found the deficits because of a forensic audit being performed.
“They went back and found this by other council’s mistakes. Not saying we’re perfect either. But this is why,” he said, adding when he became acting reeve, discrepencies were found in the office, which resulted in the need for a forensic audit.
“During its process, these things were discovered and, of course, it went back and found more and more and more. But the forensic audit had nothing to do with the deficit,” he said.
Brunen was overwhelmed and pleased with the turnout for the meeting.

During Premier Wab Kinew’s visit to the Swan Valley where he came to assess the damage from the epic flooding that devastated much of the region, local leaders accompanied the premier as well as provincial ministers and visiting provincial media to the area where Hwy. No. 10 East was cut by where the normally docile Tamarack Creek would usually cross. Pictured here, Premier Kinew examines the result of decision making from local municipal leadership and how they mitigated further damage in Swan River and the immediate area. (LEFT INSET) The overflowing Tamarack Creek flows over Hwy. No. 10 to create temporary falls as it erodes the road. (RIGHT INSET) Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure crews strategically break up the road to allow for more efficient and less destructive passage of the floodwaters.. See more on A2

The Swan Valley Fire Department (SVFD) members are trained for not just fires, but overall emergency response. When the flooding hit the Valley, the calls for help came in.
“Our members are trained by courses provided to us by the Manitoba Emergency Services College in Brandon,” said SVFD Fire Chief Darren Fedorchuk.
“The first call for help came on June 8 at 7:11 a.m. and to date we have been dispatched to seven calls involving overland flooding and one mutual aid assist request from EMS. We received multiple calls for people trapped or isolated because of the overland flooding. We assisted 26 people with relocating to safe ground and rescued seven people from life-threatening conditions, which included five being trapped in a house surrounded by swift water from the river and two from a partially submerged vehicle.
“Our last call received was on June 10 at 8:29 a.m. to provide assistance to EMS, who requested help accessing a patient,” said Fedorchuk.
SVFD’s first call was to a triple incident which started with a water rescue for people trapped in their home in the Municipality of Swan Valley West. When SVFD arrived on the scene, water was flowing over the road, making it inaccessible by vehicle or foot. The use of the SVFD’s zodiac boat was used to rescue the victims and their pets safely.
A second page came in for another water rescue and SVFD arrived on the scene to find a large portion of the road inaccessible due to water flowing over it. As the crews prepared the Zodiac to be deployed, a local farmer was able to offer the use of his tractor to help get crews safely across to one victim and some animals.
The third call came in shortly after lunch, and it was for another water rescue, but for multiple victims trapped by flood waters. Upon arrival, SVFD found the road inaccessible due to water running over the road. The Zodiac was put into place, but had limitations given the condition of the shallow water in the field and ditches. Luckily, another farmer with a sprayer was able to help the crew out with victim rescue and multiple trips were made to take victims to safety.
Later that day, SVFD received another call for a water rescue for people who were stuck in a car in flood waters on Hwy. No. 83. The Zodiac was deployed and crews were able to rescue the two victims. While finishing that call, another one came in to rescue people who were trapped on Pretty Valley Road (P.R. No. 486). Once again, the Zodiac was used to rescue three individuals who were inspecting flood waters in the area and got cut off.
The next day, another call came in to retrieve a person from their property in the Municipality of Swan Valley West. The crew arrived on scene at the intersection of Hwy. No. 83 and Pretty Valley Road. The Zodiac was portaged closer to the incident location and a strategic method of rescue was planned out. The victim was rescued and reunited with their family.
No injuries were reported and the SVFD urge people not to attempt to drive through any flood waters or risk going into areas that are currently not safe, because you don’t know what is under the water.
Fedorchuk is familiar with responding to flooding, but has never experienced anything of this magnitude before. There were some difficult challenges to overcome with some of the rescues, but thanks to the assistance of others, those rescues were successful.
“In my time as fire chief, this is the most overland flooding I have seen in our response area,” said Fedorchuk.
“The hardest challenges were accessing where we had to be since roads were rapidly deteriorating, accessing areas that were too swift to cross by foot but too shallow for the rescue boat and portaging the rescue boat when we had to.”