Members of the Expanding Community Cancer Care (ECCC) committee met recently for a celebratory meeting. 

It was the first gathering for the group since receiving word that the expansion to the Manitoba Cancer Care chemo unit in Russell had been approved, thanks to the efforts and tenacity of everyone who worked diligently over the last seven years to bring the project to fruition. 

Find out more in this week’s issue.

People who have been protesting mask mandates and other Covid restrictions don’t have anything to complain about as of 12:01 this morning.

While some health experts have warned against it, the province’s requirement to mask up in all public spaces came to an end today, March 15.

Read more in this week’s Review.

If you’re searching for a picture of Madison Haliuk, it’s probably safe to say that what you’ll find will have something to do with hockey.

That’s because, hockey has been a huge part of Madison’s life for just about as far back as she can remember.

She first donned hockey gear at the age of five - taking on a love of the game after watching her older brother Carson on ice.

Recently, her years of hard work have paid off in a big way as Madison has committed to the Assiniboine Community College Cougar women’s hockey team for the 2022-23 season. Not that it was her first offer.

Despite having numerous other universities and colleges from down south reach out to her, Haliuk who is daughter of Brian Haliuk and Estha Baseley, chose to stay a little closer to her hometown of Binscarth.

Read more about this story in this week's paper!

The Swan Valley Snowmobile Association (SVSA) picked the perfect day for their annual Vintage Ride, taking off from the Westwood Inn Saturday morning (Feb. 26), heading to the Wellman Lake Trail Shelter on their club trails, before heading back in the afternoon.

A total of 57 vintage snowmobiles participated in the day, with sleds as old as 1974.

A rider heads down the trail on their vintage sleds up to the Duck Mountains. Snowmobiles from decades past were parked at the Westwood Inn before departing. A record number of riders and their sleds gathered at the Wellman Lake Trail Shelter for refreshments while visiting with their fellow snowmobile enthusiasts.

Check this week's paper for lots more!

A dream became reality with the grand opening of the Binscarth Tobaggan Slide.

The Binscarth and Friends committee worked for more than a year - during a pandemic- to raise an astounding $27,190.00 for the Binscarth slide.

It was time to celebrate at Binscarth Vision 20/20’s first annual Family Winter Festival held over the February long weekend honoring Louis Riel Day.

There were fire pits, hot chocolate and cake to stave off the cold.

Vinora Bennett and all of her family members  spent hours sculpting a wonderful tobogganing bear in honor of the day, Kevin Bridgeman brought down his team and stone boat for family fun and Ron and Patty Robinson from the skating rink committee made sure there was time for a free skate session.  

By Derek Holtom

Some youth have a pool or a playground structure in their backyard for entertainment when the snow’s off the ground.

For the Tweet family, it was a batting cage.

“When we moved to Russell, my Auntie bought us a batting cage,” says Dawson Tweet, a former area resident now living in the United States. “My brother, my dad, my sister and I would spend countless hours up in the batting cage in the backyard.”

Looking back, hitting the curveball all summer long in Russell helped develop skills that would open up doors for all three siblings.

Tweet, 20, recently signed with William Jewel College in Liberty, Missouri, a NCAA school. He did so after spending two years at Mesabi Range College (a two-year junior college), located in Virginia, Minn., and he hopes to study Physical Therapy next fall. His sister, Savanna, played collegiate softball herself at Minnesota State University Moorhead, while younger brother Wyatt just signed on with Bismarck State University, a junior school where he hopes to follow in his older brother’s footsteps and also make the NCAA ranks.

“This is huge – it will allow me to continue to go to school and play NCAA Division II baseball,” says Tweet. “It’s been a long-time goal of mine to play NCAA baseball. Parents always prioritize school, so this means I can continue to get an education and I can play a game that I love.”

Born in Fargo, N.D., Tweet and his family relocated to Russell in 2009 (when he was seven years old) to work at and eventually take over a bed and breakfast owned by his parents. That didn’t work out, but it did bring Tweet to the Russell area, where he honed his skills in not just baseball, but just about every   sport he could play.

“I played lots of different sports,” he said. “I played hockey, volleyball, badminton, and baseball, all in high school.”

His father Blair (the Canadian) and his mother Amy (the American) helped expose all their children to all sorts of interests. But it was baseball that really spoke to Tweet as time went   on.

“We were living in Fargo, my father worked at the baseball field there, so I was already around it,” says Tweet. “All the time the focus was really on baseball, but I did love playing all those other sports. It keeps you busy in the off season.

“And that’s my whole family – they love playing other sports as well,” he said. “And you learn so much more about being an athlete by playing different games and working out different parts (of your body). It all benefits you.”

After the signing, which was announced in part on Twitter (which is sort of ironic given his last name), Tweet was inundated with congratulations from friends and family.

“Everyone was over the moon,” he said. “I got so much feedback from my friends on how proud they were of me.

“And especially from my family – they were all so happy for me, and they knew how much work I put into this.”

The collegiate baseball season is much different than that of a say a football or hockey player. Tweet says they try to get in a short fall season before the snow falls, then start up as early as possible in the spring.     And while snow is not uncommon in Missouri, spring comes there a lot sooner than it does in Manitoba or Minnesota.

“We do a lot of work in the gym in the winter, and actually (my school team) is about to take a trip to Florida for some training,” says Tweet, referencing a state famous for winter baseball. “We will have a lot more time to be outside in Missouri, where it isn’t as cold.”

Four years from now Tweet will be close to graduating, have four years of college baseball under his belt, and still only be 24 years old. So, is professional baseball – at any level – in his future?

“It’s always been a dream of mine,” he said.    “Baseball is a competitive world, and if I’m given an opportunity to further my career, I absolutely want to pursue it.

“It is a long ways down the road, so I just have to keep working and keep focused, and make sure I take care of my school  training.”

By Terrie Welwood

If you’re been a local anytime over the last 100 years, you may well have run into Mae Glasman. 

Last Friday, Mae turned 100 years old. 

She was born on her parent’s farm in the RM of Silver Creek on February 25, 1922. 

She remembers being told that Nellie Clement drove Dr. Shaw out to the Frame family farm in the RM of Silver Creek to help with the delivery. 

On October 28th, 1949 Mae married Bob Glasman at that same farm in Silver Creek. United Church minister Reverend Reid married them.  

She’d known Bob her whole life but the courting started in earnest when Bob asked her if he could give her a ride home from a dance.

Over the years, Mae has been a very active member of the local branch of the Royal Canadian Legion, serving as President and treasurer. She was also a very active member of the congregation of the Knox United church her in Russell. 

Farm life and raising a family always kept her busy, working on the farm and growing most of the food to raise her family.

Mae is well known for her orange cakes; her angel food cakes and her cinnamon buns - just ask the boys at the pharmacy about that. 

She loves a good coffee visit with her friends and could often be found surrounded by a group of friends at one of the local coffee shops.  She’s always been quick with smile and if you’re lucky, she’ll grace you with one of her slightly naughty jokes.

Mae and Bob Glasman’s were blessed with three children. 

Eldest son Greayer and his wife Joanne live in Saskatoon. His younger sister Janet lives there too with his husband Ross Revill and their family. 

Here in Russell, there’s Rob Glasman and his wife Andrea. 

In all their five grandkids and five great grandchildren. 

Thank you, Mae, for brightening so many lives with your quick smile and fantastic sense of humor.