The Manitoba RCMP West District saw a year-over-year decrease in calls for March according to statistics released last week.

The district, which includes Dauphin, reported decreases in all main categories.

The following sub-category increases and decreases were highlighted by police:

• Common police activities - This category had an overall decrease of 19 per cent, from 569 calls in 2021 to 459 this year. The largest decreases was in suspicious people, vehicles or property, which dropped from 232 calls last year to 158 this year, a drop of 32 per cent, and breach of peace, which was down 33 per cent from 146 calls to 98. Wellbeing checks were up from 67 calls last year to 83 in 2022, an increase of 24 per cent.

• Crimes against the person - Overall, the category decreased from 381 calls for service last year to 346 this year, a drop of nine per cent, with a 15 per cent decrease in assaults, which were down from 232 to 198.

• Crimes against property - The category had a minimal decrease overall from 550 calls in 2021 to 547 calls this year, a drop of just one per cent. Theft under $5,000 increased from 112 requests for service to 136, an increase of 21 per cent, and fraud increased from 64 calls in 2021 to 71 in 2022, a rise of 11 per cent. Theft over $5,000 decreased from 42 to 29, a drop of 31 per cent.

• Drug enforcement - Overall drug enforcement decreased from 62 calls last year to 34 incidents this year, a drop of 45 per cent, with a notable decrease in trafficking, which was down from 42 to 17, a drop of 60 per cent.

The Manitoba East District also reported an overall decrease in incidents for March, dropping 13 per cent from 6,607 calls in March 2021 to 5,722 this past March.

The Manitoba North District, however, reported a 14 per cent increase in call volume climbing from 5,590 last year to 6,399 this year.

A Parkland musical artist is set to release her debut album later this month.

Emma Peterson of Winnipegosis will release her debut album titled “Just for the Record”, May 20, and will embark on a three-stop promotional tour, which will include Dauphin.

Peterson recorded most of the album, which contains six songs, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“And I feel like it’s a very good capsule of what I’ve been writing the past couple of years, and tells a little bit of my story, but also just helps me tell stories that I’ve seen. It’s a really special group of songs,” she said. “Just for the Record” contains a number of upbeat songs that will make listeners feel good.

“I just made sure to have some songs on there that just make you feel good. Something you can listen to when you’re driving with the windows rolled down,” Peterson said. “It’s summertime now, so I just wanted something positive to be in other people’s lives.”

Read the full story in this week's Dauphin Herald!

A celebratory WHOO HOOO was let out after Deputy Premier Cliff Cullen announced that the province would be picking up the $700,000 in remaining costs the Expanding Community Cancer Care Committee needs to meet its $2.5 million goal to start construction.

For more, get the May 10, 2022 edition of The Russell Banner!

They say it’s best to travel when you’re young and that’s just what former Roblinite Kelsey Bates has discovered. 

She recently left for Thailand at the end of March to do some conservation base projects and will be there until next month. This has been something Bates has aspired to do for quite some time.

The full story is in this week's Roblin Review!

The Manitoba Good Roads Association (MGRA) held its 110th annual Dinner and Awards Banquet April 19 in Brandon and recognized three local home owners for their efforts in beautifying their properties and, in effect, the province.

Receiving the Jeffries Shield for Best Urban Home Grounds in Manitoba in the 1,001 to 2,000 population class were Penny Chase and Mark Boucher.

There's lots more in this week's Review. 

A large crowd of dignitaries, local groups and representatives, health care staff and residents were on hand Tuesday, May 3 to take part in a formal recognition ceremony that highlighted the plan to proceed with expanding the Russell Health Centre Chemotherapy Unit.

Deputy Premier Cliff Cullen, on behalf of Premier Heather Stefanson, said he was delighted to be in Russell to acknowledge that the long-awaited new addition to the Russell Health Centre would be proceeding to the next stages.

Check the Roblin Review this week for more!

The new owner of Roblin’s Parkland Bakery and Pastry Shop comes from a long line of bakers.

Wes Riedstra was born in the Netherlands and came to Canada in 2005 with his parents who settled in the Carman area and opened the Carman Bakery and Pastry Shop.

Get all the details in this week's Review!

The Beef and Barley festival has been around since 1973. Year after year, it was it was one of the highlights of the Thanksgiving weekend as former residents of all ages made a point of coming home and renew old friendships. 

As such, many thought of Beef and Barley as our annual reunion of sorts.

Just like so many other events, the annual fall festival fell victim to Covid 19 but they’re not held back any longer. So, the core of the festivals organizing committee is meeting again on Monday, May 9th at 7 p.m. at TinHouse Coffee Co. on Russell’s Main Street and they’d love for you to join them! 

Want to read the full story? Find it in the May 3^rd, 2022 edition of The Russell Banner!

The Bowsman Lions Club hosted a Ukrainian Relief Dinner on Saturday (April 30) at the Veterans Community Hall. Feeding more than 700 patrons perogies, cabbage rolls, beetniks and sausage, all proceeds will be donated to help Ukrainians in need during the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

The Community Foundation of Swan Valley presented grants to several recipients during their spring granting night on Wednesday (April 27).