Simon the Scientist is gaining more traction as time goes on. After being a semi-finalist in the Pow Wow Pitch contest, he recently was discussed during a session in the Manitoba Legislature. The Pas – Kameesak MLA Amanda Lathlin read a Member’s Statement acknowledging the work that Simon does through Simon the Scientist.
“Today I am honoured to recognize the truly admirable and scientific mind of a young educator. Simon Monteith, also known as Simon the Scientist, is a Cree youth originally from Opaskwayak Cree Nation, currently living in Winnipeg and attending Lakewood School. At only 10 years old, he has spent almost three years making inspiring educational videos from his kitchen in Winnipeg.

As part of Westoba Credit Unions Community Investment Strategy, they created a charitable fund in partnership with the Brandon Area Community Foundation to create the Inspire Program. Westoba Credit Union employees donated annually to the fund and in 2020, 50 percent of Westoba Inspire projects were funded by staff contributions.
“There are eight Westoba Inspire committee members throughout the province,” said Westoba Inspire Committee Member Cheryl Antonio. “Organizations fill out an application for what they are looking to use the money for.
“We have seen applications focused on things like recreation, animal welfare, senior centres and daycares to name a few. The committee awarded our local spraypark project $25,000 several years ago.

The Valley Stage Players made their grand return last weekend (Nov. 18-20) with a production of Deputy Jan, a play by Richard Gremel produced by special arrangement with Heuer Publishing LLC. Proceeds from the dinner theatre event went to benefit the Swan River Valley Agricultural Society.

On Friday (Nov. 18), the Swan Valley Farmers’ Market brought back their annual Christmas market this year, filling up the Swan Valley Historical Museum hall with local vendors selling various handmade crafts, treats and goodies.

A 6-4 victory over the Winnipeg Freeze, Friday in Dauphin allowed the Dauphin Kings to maintain their hold on second place in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League’s MGEU West Division.

Sunday’s game in Winnipeg was postponed due to the Grey Cup and will be rescheduled to a later date.

Winnipeg took a 3-2 lead into the first intermission and the Kings tied it in the second period. Dauphin took the lead with two goals in the first five minutes of the third and the teams traded goals to round out the scoring.

Kings head coach and general manager Doug Hedley said it was not one of his team’s best games they’ve played this season.

“But at the same time, we found a way to get two points. Any win is a big win in this league. It’s not easy to do and any time you end up on the right end of the score is a good thing,” he said, adding there are still areas of the game the team has to work on.

“Including our work ethic. But you find a way to get it done and you move on,” he said.

The Freeze only have two wins on the season and are last overall with only five points. But they gave the Kings all they could handle, Friday.

“You have to give the Freeze credit, they played hard. They capitalized on some mistakes we made,” Hedley said.

“But we were on the wrong side of pucks a lot. We were on the wrong side of battles a lot. The back pressure that we’ve been doing consistently lately wasn’t there. Just the hard on pucks and stick battles. We weren’t at our best, but we found way to get it done.”

The first-ever Top Prospects Showcase was held in Portage, last Tuesday and Wednesday, with 12 players from the Kings taking part.

Hedley said all 12 players represented the team well.

“I thought all of guys showed real well and deserved to be there,” he said.

The Kings lineup will be bolstered by the addition of a pair of players from Ukraine, 20-year-old goaltender Dmytro Kubritskyi and forward Havryil Simchuk, who turns 16, Dec. 17.

Simchuk’s older brother Mikhail currently plays for the Brooks Bandits of the Alberta Junior Hockey League.

Hedley said once their paper work with Hockey Manitoba and Hockey Canada is done, they can start playing, which he hopes will be done by the end of the week.

The Kings were contacted last year by a representative of Canadian Friends of Hockey in Ukraine about Ukrainian-born players joining the team.

“They’re trying to place national team members in North America to play hockey somewhere, because of what’s going on there,” Hedley said.

The Kings will get a good test on Tuesday when the Portage Terriers pay their first visit to Credit Union Place at 7:30 p.m.

On the weekend, Dauphin plays the Neepawa Titans in a home-and-home, beginning Friday in Neepawa, with the rematch in Dauphin on Saturday. Both games begin at 7:30 p.m.

A criminal investigation is underway after money was discovered missing from the Gilbert Plains Municipality account.

Reeve Jim Manchur said details of how the $514,571.86 was transfered out of the municipality’s account without council’s authorization are still being determined.

“It happened over a series of time. We’re still getting the final results back from the forensic accounting people that did the investigation for us,” Manchur said, adding the municipality was alerted to the situation by its financial institution and engaged Meyers Norris Penny to conduct a third party investigation.

“There was a number of things happening there and we haven’t got all the details. And a lot of the information from the forensic report has been submitted to the RCMP, so they’re going to be continuing the investigation, as well.”

The employee at the centre of the issue has been terminated for just cause, Manchur said.

In a letter to residents of the municipality, Manchur said councillors take their stewardship of municipal resources seriously and have been making changes to financial controls and procedures to better protect municipal funds.

Those changes include eliminating the ability to etransfer from municipal accounts without dual authorization and requiring council approval on all financial reports.

There have also been increased controls put in place to ensure bank statements are reconciled on a regular basis, as well as requirements for regular and up-to-date audits.

“For a number of months now we’ve changed what we’re doing with our reporting and no single person can now have control of any e-transfer payments out of our accounts,” Manchur said. “And our financial reporting has been vastly improved.”

While the amount of money missing is substantial, the municipality is working on getting reimbursed.

“We’re co-operating with our insurance company. There is, I guess, clauses within our policy that allow us to collect the money from an insurance standpoint,” Manchur said.

The Dauphin and District Community Foundation (DDCF) hosted its Philanthropist of the Year and Giving Challenge Fund-raiser, Nov. 18, at the Aspen Lodge in the Parkland Recreation Complex.

The 2021 Philanthropist of the Year Award went to Myles and Bonnie Haverluck, who moved back to Dauphin in 1979 and have been involved in promoting the community ever since.

Myles has sat on multiple boards and gave much of his time to the betterment of the community, while Bonnie was active in canvassing for charities such as the Canadian Cancer Society and other fund-raising activities. She was also in charge of band concerts and was the treasurer.

The Haverlucks were founding members of DDCF.

Bonnie was proud and thankful for receiving the award.

“I’m proud of my family, my children coming back to Dauphin. Dauphin is home. It was a great town raising children, raising a family, working and just being a part of Dauphin. Dauphin is home in a nutshell,” she said.

Because Dauphin is home, Bonnie feels it is important to give back to the community whenever possible.

“The community is a wonderful place for family and children. And that’s why the next generation keeps coming back,” she said.

The 2022 Philanthropist of the Year Award was presented posthumously to Peter Sklepowich, who died, May 14, 2020, and bequeathed more than $500,000 to DDCF.

DDCF executive director Kit Daley calculated his gift will have granted out $130,000 over the next five years, and more than $250,000 in the next 10 years.

Sklepowich’s friend and lawyer Jason Beyette accepted the award on his behalf and said it was fitting for Sklepowich to receive the award.

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Crews from Horizon Glass in Brandon were hard at work replacing windows at the Watson Arts Centre, last week.

The project encompasses the replacement of eight full windows and 36 glass inserts to upgrade all of the facility’s windows to triple pane.

The project is financed through a Building Sustainable Communities matching dollars grant of $50,000, a Heritage Resources Conservation Grant of $25,000 and a $5,000 contribution from the Dauphin and District Community Foundation with the City providing the balance of the funding.

The remainder of the work is expected to take place in January.

The newly elected members of Town of the Pas Council were sworn in last week and held their first meeting. Lisa Nordick presented the first delegation to the new council and talked about how during the public candidates forum during election brought forward the lack of understanding and inclusiveness for people who may be experience homelessness or addictions. Nordick suggested that the new members of council take the time to undergo some training and development in this area and invited them to participate in a session.
“Under the calls for action for municipalities, Action 57 requires us to educate public servants on the history of Indigenous people and the trauma of residential schools,” said The Town of the Pas Mayor Andre Murphy. “We are going to do that training and right now as well our council will be signing up for the Inclusify workshop. That workshop is a two-part one for anti-racism and council leadership training designed for municipal council to taking a personal and system approach to understanding Indigenous racism, gender discrimination and other forms of oppression.

"After a lot of hard work, many long nights, and unbreakable determination, my new chapter as a solo artist has begun, with the promise to give you one hell of a musical experience. Through all of this, only a few things have stayed consistent: myself, my guitar, my music, and my people. Thanks for supporting this and letting me do what I love.” - JR Charron.

If you head to JR Charron’s website this is how his bio ends. And, after winning the Fans’ Choice at the Manitoba Country Music Awards last weekend, if it’s possible, he’s thanking his fans more than ever.

Last weekend’s gala ceremony and his performance on stage capped off a summer in a career that back when he started 13 years ago, was a dream. Known as the small town boy with the big voice JR Charron continues to break down barriers by combining old and new school country influences with his powerfully gritty rock vocals.

The music and experience of growing up in a small town in Manitoba has shaped his career. “It was engrained in me because of my parents - my dad played keyboard and guitar - but I didn’t really pick up the guitar until after dad passed away and that’s when I kinda figured that this was something I might pursue more professionally.“

Charron’s heartfelt relatable lyrics about life continue to touch a cord with fans, have always been that. Growing up, I’ve always been into creative writing and poems and now they’ve become lyrics.

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