Riding Mountain MLA Greg Nesbitt is Manitoba’s new Minister of Natural Resources and Northern Development.

Premier Heather Stefanson welcomed Nesbitt to the provincial cabinet at a swearing-in ceremony at the Manitoba Legislative Building, last week.

“I am excited to welcome Greg to our cabinet team,” Stefanson said. “Minister Nesbitt is long-time business owner and community leader and understands the importance rural economic development plays in building a strong and vibrant province. I am confident Minister Nesbitt will play an important role as we continue with our efforts for economic recovery and growth and building hope and opportunity for all Manitobans.”

The premier also noted Andrew Smith, MLA for Lagimodiere, will assume the role as Minister Responsible for the Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries Corporation, while continuing as Minister of Sport, Culture and Heritage and Minister Responsible for Travel Manitoba and the Manitoba Centennial Centre Corporation.

The appointments were necessary following the resignation of former minister Scott Fielding.

The premier thanked Fielding for his years of service as a cabinet minister and wished him well as he explores new opportunities in the private sector.

Dauphin and District Handivan has a new president following the organization’s annual general meeting, May 24.

Sharon Zeiler will fill the position following the retirement of Vern Richardson from the board. Returning to the executive are vice-president Marge Beyette and treasurer Lori Bremner.

Lavonne Tyschinski joins the board as a new director serving with continuing directors Jamie Graham, Jaime MacMillan, Kianna Assman and Marion Muir.

Municipal representatives are Reeve Ron Ryz from the Rural Municipality of Dauphin and councillor Rodney Juba from the City of Dauphin.

The board took the opportunity to thank Richardson for his years of service and the leadership he provided during COVID-19 and the challenges the pandemic presented.

Richardson has offered his experience on an as-needed basis for future challenges.

The board looks forward to continuing to provide transportation services to the community and in the surrounding areas.

A man is in custody following two fires in Camperville recently.

On May 21, at approximately 2:45 a.m., Winnipegosis RCMP responded to a report of a house fire on Spruce Bluff Road, in the community.

Upon arrival, officers found the home was fully engulfed with flames and the fire department was on scene attempting to extinguish the blaze.

There was no one inside the residence at the time and the cause of the fire is under investigation.

At approximately 3:50 a.m., the investigation led officers to check a residence on Gospel Bay, in Camperville.

When officers arrived they found the front porch on fire. The officers woke up the occupants of the home and assisted with extinguishing the fire.

No one was injured.

Officers identified a suspect in the second fire, and a 37-year-old man was arrested a short distance from the scene.

Matthew Flamand of Camperville was charged with one count of arson with disregard for human life. He was remanded in custody.

Winnipegosis RCMP, along with the Office of the Fire Commissioner, continue to investigate.

A Dauphin woman is in custody following a recent traffic stop, which resulted in the seizure of a firearm and a quantity of drugs.

Britanny Bungay, 34, is facing charges of carrying a concealed weapon, possession of a firearm and ammunition in a vehicle, possession of a restricted firearm with ammunition without a licence, possession of a weapon obtained by crime, possession of a firearm with a tampered serial number and possession of methamphetamine.

On May 26, at approximately 7 p.m., West District Crime Reduction Enforcement Support Team (CREST), conducted a traffic stop on Hwy. 10, in the RM of Dauphin.

During the stop the officer noticed a firearm on the floor of the vehicle and the driver and passenger were arrested.

The driver, Bungay, had an outstanding warrant for possession for the purpose of trafficking and was found to be in possession of approximately seven grams of methamphetamine.

The passenger, a 27-year-old female from Dauphin, is facing charges of carrying a concealed weapon, possession of a firearm and ammunition in a vehicle, possession of a restricted firearm with ammunition without a licence and possession of a weapon obtained by crime.

She was released with an upcoming court date.

CREST, along with Dauphin RCMP, continues to investigate.

With the warmer weather upon us, many Manitobans are eager to get outside and enjoy the outdoors which may include riding off-road vehicles (ORVs).

Manitoba RCMP want to remind operators of the laws of ORVs to ensure a safe ride.

Most of the laws around ORVs fall under the Off Road Vehicles Act. Here are some general rules to keep in mind when riding an ORV:
• Anyone under the age of 14 must have direct supervision of a parent or legal guardian who is a minimum of 18 years of age. Youth over the age of 14 can ride without parental supervision, but cannot cross a roadway until they obtain a valid driver’s licence.
• All ORV operators and riders must wear properly fastened safety helmets unless the vehicle is equipped with rollover protection and the occupants are wearing securely fastened seat belts.
• ORVs are not to be operated on roadways, shoulders, medians of divided roadways or sidewalks.
• ORVs are permitted to be in the ditch, provided travel is in the same direction as vehicle traffic, the ORV is to the right of the roadway and the shoulder, and the ORV is being operated in an area where ORV use is permitted. Always remember to be on the lookout for hazards in the ditch, such as culverts, driveway approaches, and road signs.
• No riding on privately owned or leased land without permission.
• No riding within 30 metres of a dwelling that is not yours between midnight and 7 a.m.
• No riding within 30 metres of a playground or area set aside for recreation that is not fully fenced.
• No riding in a careless manner.
• No riding without reasonable consideration for other people and property.
• When conditions are dry, use caution as sparks from an ORV can ignite grass and branches, starting a fire.
• Be aware of local bylaws in the area you are riding.
• Impaired driving laws apply to all motorized vehicles. Only operate an ORV when sober and alert.

In 2021, RCMP in Manitoba responded to eight fatal collisions involving ORVs and 58 collisions where serious injury occurred. Contributing factors in these collisions included speed, no helmet and impaired driving.

Knowledge and safety are key, so make sure you are aware of the rules in place in the area where you are riding.

Be safe and enjoy the ride.

A vehicle fire in the back lane of 200 Main St. N kicked off what proved to be a busy Wednesday for the Dauphin Fire Department, last week.

Just before 2:30 p.m., the department was dispatched to the scene of the vehicle fire, which was quickly extinguished. It is suspected a mechanical failure caused the fire.

That evening firefighters attended at the station for their weekly training session. As they were leaving at approximately 10:30 p.m., a call was received regarding a single vehicle accident on Hwy. 20 north of the city.

The vehicle had collided with a deer and the airbags were deployed. The lone occupant of the vehicle was uninjured.

Upon their return to the station, firefighters were then dispatched to a report of a structure fire on the 200 block of Main St. N. at approximately 11:30 p.m.

The fire was a result of unattended cooking and the damages were contained to the one apartment.

Fire chief Cam Abrey said thanks to the quick actions of others in the apartment block noting the alarm sounding and calling 911, the damages were minimal.

The lone occupant of the apartment was treated by EMS and released at the scene.

Dauphin residents are once again being given an opportunity to learn more about the history of their community.

The Dauphin Family Ties Family History Group is once again hosting its popular Cemetery Stroll, May 29, at Riverside Cemetery.

The event, which debuted last spring, includes a walking tour through a portion of the cemetery that will introduce attendees to 16 former Dauphinites who helped weave the fabric of the community. A biography will be provided at each gravesite allowing the reader to learn about the lives of the people that came before us and their contributions to the evolution of Dauphin.

As well, out of respect to all the airmen and airwomen who served and trained at the two British Commonwealth Air Training Plan schools at Dauphin during the Second World War, the group is calling special attention to 15 of the 49 airmen who lost their lives while training here and who lie at rest at Riverside.

The event will start at 1 p.m. and will run until 4 p.m. weather permitting.

If the day is spoiled by inclement weather, the alternate date will be, June 5.

Travel is not advised in Duck Mountain Provincial Park as Manitoba Environment, Climate and Parks continues to advise all provincial park and campground visitors to carefully check and monitor conditions before heading to provincial parks this spring.

Blue Lakes, Childs Lake, Singush Lake and Wellman Lake campgrounds in the park are closed until at least, May 27, due to road washouts. All campgrounds, canoe routes and backcountry campsites are also closed.

Park visitors are reminded to obey road and trail closures and do not attempt to drive through flooded areas or across damaged bridges.

Updated details on closures and advisories due to flooding are available at www.manitobaparks.com.

Nopiming Provincial Park is also facing travel restrictions and closuresdue to multiple road washouts. Some trails in Turtle Mountain and Whiteshell provincial parks are also closed including the Mantario Trail.

Watercraft restrictions are now in place in Nopiming and Whiteshell provincial parks to help protect flooded shorelines from erosion. Recreational motorboat traffic is prohibited from operating within 100 metres of shorelines. When exiting or approaching a shoreline, boats should move directly out from land and avoid creating a wake where possible.

Several boat launches are closed in Whiteshell and all traffic on Whiteshell lakes should be aware of debris and areas of floating bog.

A list of restricted lakes and launch closures is available at www.manitobaparks.com.

The following campgrounds have closures and delayed openings in place:
• Bird Lake, Beresford Lake, Black Lake, Shoe Lake and Tulabi Falls campgrounds in Nopiming Provincial Park are closed until at least, June 2, due to overland flooding and road washouts.
• Manipogo Provincial Park campground has a partial closure of sites until at least, May 27, due to overland flooding.
• Nutimik Lake, Opapiskaw and Otter Falls campgrounds in Whiteshell Provincial Park have a partial closure of some sites until at least, May 27, due to overland flooding.
• White Lake Campground in Whiteshell Provincial Park is closed until at least, June 2, due to high water levels and flooding.
• St. Malo Provincial Park campground has a partial closure of some sites until at least, June 2, due to overland flooding.
• Rivers Provincial Park campground has a partial closure of some sites in low-lying areas until at least, June 2, due to overland flooding.
• Watchorn Provincial Park campground has a partial closure of sites in low-lying areas until at least. May 27.
• Lake St. George Provincial Park campground is closed until further notice due to flooded access roads.

Closures may be extended if flooding and high water conditions continue.

Reservation holders and seasonal campers will be contacted and their fees refunded if their campsite is affected by a closure.

Campers should not pre-emptively cancel reservations before being notified of a site closure or cancellation policies will apply.

All other provincial park campgrounds are open.

Services such as drinking water and washrooms may be limited or reduced in some areas as a result of late spring conditions which are delaying the seasonal setup and operation of water lines. Campers are advised to plan accordingly for potential service reductions and pack adequate drinking water.

Park visitors are asked to report any significant trail flooding or maintenance concerns to the local park district office.

The Parkland Vipers 16U girls volleyball team finished eighth at provincials in Winnipeg, this past weekend.

The Vipers started strong, beating Vision, 25-7, 18-25 and 15-8, before falling 23-25 and 23-25 to the Winnipeg Power.

The round-robin continued with a 25-21, 21-25 and 15-8 win over the Bandits, followed by a 28-26 and 25-23 win over the Westman Wild to finish first in their pool.

Parkland opened the playoffs with a 25-18, 13-25 and 15-13 win over Bison Brown, then lost to Winman, 26-28 and 17-25. A 12-25, 25-17 and 15-17 loss to the Bandits left the Vipers to play for seventh place against Blazers Inferno.

Playing the Inferno without a break between matches, the Parkland squad ran out of gas, falling 15-25 and 15-25, finishing eighth out of 19 teams.

Meanwhile, the Parkland Vipers 16U volleyball team will host a spaghetti supper, sponsored by Irving’s Catering, May 12, at the Ukrainian Orthodox Auditorium (8th Ave. Hall) from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Tickets are $15 per meal, which includes a beverage and dessert. Meals can be picked up to go or you can eat at the hall.

Tickets must be purchased prior to the event and can be purchased through any Viper 16U parent or contact Ted Rea at 204-648-4433.

The Manitoba government is providing $9 million this year for the province’s Green Team program that gives young Manitobans work in the summer months.

Green Team grants are awarded to non-profit organizations, education authorities, Northern Affairs Community Councils (NACC) and municipal governments to hire youth between the ages of 15 and 29 to work on community projects between May and September.

The funding is provided to improve neighbourhoods, promote community involvement and help develop young leaders.

The projects also stimulate local economic activity and improve job creation in urban and rural communities, particularly through the recovery from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Priorities for the 2022 summer season focus on:
• community-based organizations and municipal governments which can offer full-time employment opportunities for youth;
• projects which support COVID-19 response and recovery efforts; and
• projects which can demonstrate community need and partnerships.

This year, approximately 700 projects across the province will receive funding for the program, with more than 2,200 youth expected to receive work.

The program funds 100 per cent of wage costs for non-profit organizations, education authorities and NACCs and 50 per cent of wage costs for municipalities on a cost-shared basis.

The first Green Team projects for 2022 are planned to begin in May.