Chris Radford will return to the Municipality of Russell Binscarth council table after being voted in by a large
margin at last week’s municipal by election.
Chris Radford 299 votes
Leanne Bily 142 votes
Dale Sawchuk 124 votes
Nick Foisy 42 votes
This by election however brought out a dismal 30 percent voter turnout where only 608 people bothered to vote.

Over 60 charges have been laid, and five people have been arrested—including the rapper Decepti Kon and his girlfriend Kristen Frankow—after a massive drug trafficking investigation in Yorkton, Bredenbury, Bangor, and the RM of Orkney.
On April 24, Saskatchewan RCMP’s Yorkton Saskatchewan Trafficking Response Team executed search warrants at four residential properties in Yorkton, Bredenbury, Bangor, and the RM of Orkney, and were conducted as part of an ongoing drug trafficking investigation.
During the searches of the properties, officers located a number of illicit substances and weapons. The illicit substances seized by officers included approximately:
-340 grams of cocaine;
-1,035 grams of methamphetamine;
-251 grams of psilocybin;
-49 grams of heroin;
-25 LSD blotters;
-2,282 pharmaceutical-style opioid pills;
-23 grams of dimethyltryptamine;
-1.1 kgs of illicit cannabis;
-5000 illicit cigarettes; and
-5000 pharmaceutical-style Xanax pills.

Turn to page 3 in this weeks Russell Banner  for the full story.

Join your neighbors and be part of the team your community can count on when disaster strikes.
Our Russell Binscarth Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) is a volunteer group of trained residents who help during community events, emergencies and crises. Members learn basic medical aid, fire safety, light search and rescue, and how to organize as a team alongside local responders. CERT volunteers provide immediate assistance, support recovery efforts, and help residents who need extra support—so professional responders can focus on the most urgent tasks.
If you want to make a real difference close to home, join our Community Emergency Response Team and help our community in times of disaster or crisis.
What CERT Volunteers Actually Do
CERT members turn training into action by:
• Training the public to prepare for impactful emergencies and household readiness.
• Providing immediate, basic life-saving aid at disaster scenes until professional help arrives.
• Supporting community recovery efforts after emergencies and disruptive events.
• Sharing clear, coordinated public information with residents when rumors and confusion spread.
• Identifying and assisting residents who need extra help during emergencies.
• Assisting with practical tasks such as distributing emergency supplies, food and beverages, sandbagging operations, debris management, disaster scene support, and offering Psychological First Aid.
• Offering first aid services and support to local community events.
Join us today!
We meet one Wednesday per month starting this May for team training!
Contact: Wes Anderson or Pat MacIsaac at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

“Our family has endured a lot, but it never defines who we are. We continue to move through life with unwavering faith, genuine smiles, and an abundance of love to share with others.” -
Elizabeth Fingas
In February of 2021 the area was shocked at the sudden passing of Karen Fingas, a mother of four young children and much loved LPN at the Russell Personal Care Home, just eight days after her diagnosis of stomach cancer.
Now, after hearing Terry Fox’s older brother Fred talk at Major Pratt, earlier this month, Craig and Karen Fingas’ eldest daughter Elizabeth, is organizing and hosting ‘A Run For You’ in her honor and in aid of the Cancer Care Unit in Russell.
“Our family has endured a lot, but it never defines who we are,” Elizabeth said.
“We continue to move through life with unwavering faith, genuine smiles, and an abundance of love to share with others.”
These traits and values, Elizabeth said, have been passed down through generations.
“It started with listening to stories from our great grandparents (Ann and Ray Davidson, and Alice and Paul Fingas) when we would visit for juice and dainties, sitting on their laps as they spoke.”
“Then to our grandparents (Gayle and Randy Fingas, Shirley Driedger and the late Mike Petryk) who provide us guidance when we feel lost, to our parents (Craig and the late Karen Fingas) who created the beautiful people we have and will become.”
Now, she says, it has come down to Craig and Karen’s children - Elizabeth, Jamie, Kennedy and Brodie Fingas.

Read the full story on pages 1 and 2 in this week's Russell Banner.

A Dauphin man out on bail awaiting trial in the United States connected to the theft of a handgun is facing additional charges following a search of his residence by RCMP.

Wilfred Kachurowski, 73, has been charged with seven firearms and gun smuggling related offences, including weapons trafficking, importing weapons knowing they are unauthorized, possession of a firearm when knowing possession is unauthorized, unauthorized possession of a firearm, unauthorized possession of a prohibited weapon, possession of a restricted firearm, and unsafe storage of firearms.

On March 23, Manitoba RCMP were notified by U.S. Customs and Border Protection that firearms charges had been laid in Minnesota against Kachurowski after a handgun was stolen during a gun show two days earlier in Newfolden, Minn.

Kachurowski was arrested at the scene and a handgun was recovered from his bag by the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office. He was subsequently charged with felony theft, released on bail and returned to Canada, Mar. 28.

Officers from the Manitoba Integrated Law Enforcement Team (MILET) and the RCMP National Weapons Enforcement Support Team (NWEST) began investigating after learning additional stolen weapons may be located at Kachurowski’s residence, in the RM of Dauphin.

On April 15, MILET West officers - assisted by NWEST, the RCMP West District Crime Reduction Enforcement Support Team and Dauphin RCMP - executed a search warrant at the address.

Six handguns were recovered, at least two of which were identified as being stolen from the United States.

None of the firearms were stored in compliance with regulations and several firearms were loaded.

Kachurowski was remanded in custody.

The investigation continues.

Every year, students across Manitoba have the opportunity to demonstrate employability-related skills in a competition, with the winners in each category advancing to compete on a national level. This year, a group of Margaret Barbour Collegiate Institute (MBCI) students participated in the Skills Manitoba Competition.
“This year, the Skills Manitoba Competition was held in Winnipeg on April 9, 2026,” said MBCI Instructor Lisa Gibb.

With winter behind us, it’s time to start thinking about warmer temperatures and what that all brings. Wildfires have become a constant concern for the north and the tri-community has been diligent about doing what it can to prevent another summer like the last one. Wildfires can start due to several factors, both weather-related and human-related.
“In the Gateway to the North, our landscape is a beautiful but volatile mix of boreal forest and muskeg, and understanding what sparks a wildfire in our backyard is the first step toward community safety,” said The Pas Fire Department Fire Chief Byron Shangraw. “Generally, we see two primary drivers: natural lightning strikes and human-caused ignitions.

A new cosmetics and beauty company has started here in the Valley and its reach is growing to international levels. Newcomer Jossy Nelson and her family came to Canada and fell in love with Swan River during a visit. This led to them finding employment, a warm welcome, and a new place to call home. As a result, Nelson chose to open up her cosmetics company, Adaluxe Cosmetics, here in the community.
“My family and I came to Canada as Irish Citizens of African descent (Nigeria) to explore Canada and gain some international experience through working in our career paths and settling into the community,” said Nelson. “On arriving in Canada, my husband had a friend who invited him to come visit them in Swan River for a few days before returning to Ireland. Upon getting to Swan River, a job opportunity opened up for my husband and he took it. Within a couple of months, my husband returned to Ireland to bring us with him to Swan River and here we are.
“As new comers to Swan River, the lovely people in the community welcomed us with an open arm of love and care and embraced us, I got my first job at the CBF School in Swan River and later moved to work at the North West Immigration Services in Swan River, where I worked as a Settlement Worker in Schools, working with immigrant children by helping them settle into the new community.”
Nelson has an extensive background, education and experience in the cosmetics and beauty industry. Not only did she learn about the creation of beauty products, but she also gained valuable experience working in the industry before creating her own line of cosmetic products.
“Adaluxe Cosmetics started as a vision and a dream, because I studied my first degree in Biological Sciences, specializing in Botany, graduated with a degree in Manufacture of Medicinal Products at Dublin Institute of Technology in Ireland and culminated it with a Diploma in Beauty Therapy at the Tullamore School of Beauty, in Ireland,” said Nelson. “Through those years of learning and researching, my interest in skincare and beauty was sparked. I started thinking about how to contribute a solution to the human needs that exist within the global beauty industry.
“After graduating from the School of Beauty, I secured employment with some of the global beauty industries, like Elizabeth Arden and Estee Lauder, where I worked as a counter manager for some years in Ireland and gained tremendous experience. In the process of time, I engaged in research to know more about human needs that exist in the area of beauty and through my research findings, analysis and recommendations, I saw a niche that could make my products stand out in the midst of others.
“Adaluxe started because I had the entrepreneurial drive to create something,” said Nelson. “When we finally moved from Ireland to Canada, my passion for beauty increased even more, and I continued with my research, which I started a couple of years before moving to Canada. After researching the Canadian beauty industry and manufacturing companies, Adaluxe Cosmetics was born, and all our products are made in Canada.
“Adaluxe Cosmetics was launched in Swan River and since then, it has been progressively gaining ground, and we are still looking out for more opportunities to expand our distribution channel as wide as possible.
“Adaluxe Cosmetics is a premium quality brand, a one-stop shop for all skincare and makeup products,” said Nelson. “Our products are suitable for all ethnicities, all genders, all ages, all skin types and all skin tones. They are naturally derived, paraben-free, gluten-free, and animal cruelty-free.”
Nelson chose to do a brick-and-mortar storefront to open up Adaluxe Cosmetics, while still fulfilling online orders and distribution from that location.
“Adaluxe Cosmetics is currently located at 900 Main Street, beside Scales Pharmacy. Customers can come into our shop to buy products or order online from our website: www.adaluxecosmetics.com. When orders are received, we deliver locally and mail orders to distant locations across Canada and the rest of the world. Also, we do attend some trade and craft shows where we display and sell our products.
“We are currently creating awareness and letting customers and the general public know that we have distribution opportunities for businesses and individuals to sell and distribute Adaluxe Cosmetics’ premium quality products.”
Nelson is extremely grateful for the support the community has provided both upon her family’s arrival in the Valley and also for the overwhelming support with Adaluxe Cosmetics. She hopes to grow and expand her business to become a distribution one located in the Valley.
“The people in the Valley have been supportive and encouraging, and we are thankful and appreciate everyone for the support,” said Nelson. “As a small rural community, word of mouth goes far beyond. We have orders come from outside Swan River, and we are often told that their families in Swan River told them about Adaluxe skincare and beauty brand and they place orders to try the products and they keep returning for repeat orders. We are grateful. The community feels like one large family.
“We hope to source more funds, discover incentive programs, grow our production line and expand our distribution channels far and wide across Canada and beyond.”

The Swan River ice broke loose recently and with snow melt coming in fast and furious, people are reminded to avoid getting too close to the river banks.  Pictured here, the Swan River was roaring this past Sunday afternoon, as seen here, around the Swan Valley Historical Museum area.

Russell Senior Services hosted their Spring Fling and brought in the ever popular Fugitives to coax the dancers onto the new dance floor. In all, about 70 people took advantage of the free afternoon which was made possible by funding from the province of Manitoba. The attendees were treated to an afternoon lunch where the vegetable skewers and the Texas brownie (Anne MacIsaac’s recipe) were made by Bev MacIsaac and the bountiful dainties were compliments of Louise Trinder’s baking skills.