The parking lot of Twin Valley Coop grocery store in Russell was definitely the place to be last Friday afternoon as Fire and EMS crews joined with the volunteer driven Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) with their unique vintage war time ambulance and the RCMP hosting kids and their families. Constable Colin Ho had a bunch of area kids in the back seat of this cruiser.
Deputy fire chief Curtis Boucher showed a number of excited kids the inner workings of the firetruck while Pat MacIsaac co leader of the CERT team showed kids the inside of the antique ambulance.

Students and staff will be returning to school soon. This means that children will be out walking to and from school.
Please ensure that you are following all school speed zones as you never know when that ball may pop out with a child chasing after it.
Check out what’s keeping police busy in this week’s RCMP Report.

Emergency medical services in Dauphin will have a bit of familiarity to them as plans have been made to open a tempory emergency department in the existing hospital.
Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care Minister Uzoma Asagwara announced yesterday that the temporary emergency department will operate on the main floor of Dauphin Regional Health Centre, using temporary power, water and other infrastructure, while restoration work continues in other areas of the hospital.
When it opens, Sept. 7, the temporary emergency department will provide emergency services 24-7. A mobile CT unit will also be up and running within several weeks.
“We promised the people of Dauphin we would work as quickly as possible to bring emergency care back home, and we are on track to deliver,” Asagwara said.
“A tremendous amount of work has happened in a short period of time to make this possible. I want to thank the health-care workers, tradespeople and everyone who has been working around the clock to get emergency care back up and running safely in Dauphin.”
Physicians, nurses and other health-care workers have been directly involved in planning the temporary emergency department. Staff orientation and walkthroughs will take place before the department opens.
Other health services will continue to be provided in nearby sites ,while restoration work progresses. Dialysis patients are currently receiving care in Brandon, Russell, Swan River and Ashern, chemotherapy is being provided in Brandon, and labour and delivery services are available in Neepawa and Brandon. Transportation supports remain available for patients who need to travel for dialysis and chemotherapy.
“Bringing emergency care back to Dauphin is a major step forward for patients, families and health care workers who have been dealing with the impacts of this flood,” said Agriculture Minister and Dauphin MLA Ron Kostyshyn.
“We know people want their hospital back, and so do we. There is more work ahead, but we will keep moving as quickly and safely as possible to restore services and bring more care back home.”
The Community Health Services building attached to Dauphin Regional Health Centre will continue to provide outpatient community care including IV therapy.
Walk-in diagnostic services temporarily being provided at the provincial building in Dauphin will also be moved back to the Dauphin Regional Health Centre.
“The reopening of our emergency department is an important milestone for Dauphin and the surrounding region,” said Treena Slate, CEO, Prairie Mountain Health.
“While work to fully restore the hospital continues, reopening emergency services in their original space means people can once again access urgent care closer to home. This would not have been possible without the extraordinary dedication of our facilities teams, contractors, clinical leaders, physicians and staff. I want to sincerely thank everyone who worked tirelessly to bring this essential service back to our community.”
Restoration work is continuing throughout the health centre as teams work to safely return additional services to Dauphin including surgery and endoscopy.
Further updates will be provided as additional services are restored.

The legal troubles of a former Dauphin mayor and member of Parliament got a little bit worse as police levelled 26 additional charges as part of a months long investigation in firearms trafficking.
Inky Mark was rearrested, Aug. 12, and charged with weapons trafficking, three counts of possession of a weapon when knowing possession was unauthorized, nine counts of possession of a restricted or prohibited weapon with ammunition without a license or registration, nine counts of possession of a firearm when knowing possession was unauthorized, possession of a firearm with a tampered serial number, two counts of failing to report a lost firearm and possession of more than six kilograms of explosives.
The charges are in addition to the 12 weapons-related offences charged at the time of Mark’s initial arrest in July following the execution of a search warrant at his Dauphin home.
During that search police located and seized hundreds of firearms, an antique cannon, ammunition and more than $300,000 in cash, which resulted in firearm trafficking, possessing a firearm with a tampered serial number and possession of property obtained by crime charges.
Since that time the investigation has continued, led by the RCMP West District General Investigation Section and supported by officers from the National Weapons Enforcement Support Team.
As part of that process, investigators were contacted by a member of the public on July 13, the same day that Mark’s arrest was announced, and told of an incident involving the suspect that occurred sometime between December 2024 and February 2025.
Officers learned the suspect responded to a social media post from a friend complaining about a coyote on their property by going to the person’s home unprompted and handing them a firearm with ammunition.
The individual did not use the weapon, which has been recovered by RCMP.
The investigation has also resulted in completion of work to process the evidence seized from Mark’s home in July.
Mark possessed 445 firearms at the residence, up six from the number reported at the time of his arrest. Of those 445 firearms, RCMP have determined that:
• 295 firearms were unsafely stored;
• 10 were prohibited; and
• 11 were restricted or prohibited firearms that were not registered to the suspect.
Additionally, 26.5 kilograms of explosives were recovered, which is more than four times higher than what licensed individuals are allowed to possess.
As well, a number of restricted or prohibited firearms were stored with readily available ammunition and two firearms registered to Mark were not located.
Mark was released from custody on an undertaking.

The Parkland Mavericks improved to 8-2 on the season with a convincing 56-19 win over the Winnipeg Wasps, Saturday, in Winnipeg.
Julien Lopez and Ronin Mouck had two tries each, while Owen Tyschinski, Garrett Fletcher, Nate Yury, Riley Keith and Colten Miner had one each.
Mouck also added four converts and a penalty kick.
Fletcher was named Man of the Match for his efforts.
“He stuck some huge tackles out there. Even though a lot of players scored, he got Man of the Match for how he led on the field,” said Mavericks captain Jordan Campbell.
Campbell said the team’s pack was a major factor in the win.
“Our pack won us the game. They played perfect. They didn’t pick up any penalties. They played as a unit. We blew them out in the scrums. Physically, they had way bigger players than us, but we were just hitting with everything we had,” he said, adding a lot of the backs did the scoring, but it was all off of the play of the pack.
A game like this will give the Mavericks added confidence as playoffs draw near.
“It gives us a better taste of their Div. 2 team. All season we’ve been playing a mixture of Div. 1 and Div. 2 guys, so we’re really anticipating anything,” Campbell said.
“We’re ready for the best of the best to come play. To be honest, we’re dialed in right now. We’re playing as a unit and we’re practicing that way, as well. Even practices I’ve noticed the intensity is picked up.”
The game against the Wasps was the best team play Campbell has ever seen from the Mavericks.
“We really lifted each other up and held each other accountable out there,” he said.
The Mavericks are 3-0 in Division 2 play and will end the regular season, Sept. 12 in Winnipeg against the Wombats.
Campbell said they want to get as many players into that game as possible, so they can rest some of their starters.
Campbell expects to host a playoff game, Sept. 19 or 26.

This year’s Dauphin Kings will be younger than what fans are used to seeing.
The local junior A hockey team held its training camp at Credit Union Place this weekend, with 37 players hoping to make the team.
Kings head coach and general manager Bryan Kromm liked what he saw throughout the weekend.
“I think, for the most part, it was very competitive. I think we got what we needed out of this camp and now moving forward, it’s the real test against some other teams in the league to see how some of these kids fare,” he said.
The plan is to carry 27 players into the preseason schedule, which began last night when the Kings hosted the Northern Manitoba Blizzard.
“There will be probably between 10 to 15 kids that will be moving on after Monday,” Kromm said.
Camp, Kromm said, resembled summer hockey style of play and he will begin to introduce some structure to the team’s play as they enter the preseason.
“Some five-on-five stuff that we’re looking for and see which guys can pick that stuff up once we get into some real hockey,” he said.
The Kings will begin to work on special teams the following week before opening the season, Sept. 18, in Selkirk against the Steelers.
A number of local players were in camp, including returning players Quentin Fisk, Luke Myhre and Sam Swanton along with prospects Landyn Garton, Jake Myhre and Benjamin Gardner.
For Kromm, having local players on the team is important for several reasons.
Fans, he said, like to see hometown players on the local team.
“Those kids have some really important ties to the community, as well. So they’re helpful in that aspect with kids that are not from here,” he said.
“So there’s a lot of benefit to having local guy in the mix. And I think a lot of kids grow up wanting to be Dauphin Kings. So to give some kid the opportunity to play for the Dauphin Kings that’s from here, that’s special, as well, to me.”
There are three players attending Western Hockey League camps that may return to Dauphin.
Noah Smigelsky is in Everett with the Silvertips, while Forrest Karlson is with the Red Deer Rebels. Veteran defenceman Brody Wytinck is with the Kamloops Blazers.
“We might see those kids come back into the fold maybe early next week. So we’re waiting on those kids, plus a few others that we have on our radar,” Kromm said.
Landyn Garton scored twice and Soren Hayden had three assists to lead Team Myles Fee to a 7-3 win over Team Barry Trotz in the annual JoFo Cup, Saturday.
Cooper Johannsen, Kale Pratte, Jake Griffiths, Kurtis Kinoshita and Liam Spencer also scored, while Ander Reyes, Landon McGregor and Luke Ratzlaff shared goaltending duties.
Gavin Smith with two and Max George replied for Team Barry Trotz. Benjamin Gardner, Bryson Yaschyshyn and Piet Mierau each played one period in goal.
On Monday, George had a goal and two assists to lead the Kings to a 5-2 win over the Blizzard.
Collin Freidrich, Ashton Shields, Jake Myhre and Nic Collins had Dauphin’s other goals, while Reyes stopped 11 of 12 shots he faced and Mierau made 10 saves on 11 shots.
The Kings will play a home-and-home with the Waywayseecappo Wolverines, Friday in Dauphin at 7 p.m. and Saturday in Waywayseecappo at 7:30 p.m.

The much-hyped Plan B replacement for the NorthWest Round-up and Exhibition dubbed Rally for the Valley was held on Saturday (Aug. 29), with fundraising food booths open Friday evening as well as most of the day Saturday. Pictured, the delayed Canada Day fireworks went off with a bang, dazzling those in attendance with a spectacular show. See more on A7, A10 & A11.

A name for the hall at the Swan Valley Historical Museum has been revealed at last. Matching the plaque honouring them inside the complex, the hall that gets used for many fuctions all year round will be known as the Filuk Hall, in honour of Peter and Alice Filuk, who were founding members of the Swan Valley Historical Society and the Swan Valley Historical Museum (SVHM). Pictured here, SVHM Board Member Gary Wowchuk (left) and SVHM President Lois Borland (centre) looks on as Peter and Alice Filuk’s son Terry (right) unveils the new signage for the complex during the Harvest Festival held on Sunday (Aug. 30). See more on A3.

By Ed Doering
The Roblin Review
Hugh Skinner thinks it may be time for area residents to make more noise about the closure of the bridge over the Shell River on PTH #83.
The bridge was closed indefinitely back in June after flood waters undermined its supports and raised concerns about its structural integrity.
“I sent a letter (dated July 27) to the minister and I haven’t gotten nothing back,” he said in an interview Aug. 14. “Maybe we, as a community, should be making more noise.”
Skinner lives just five miles north of the bridge and if he follows the official detour route down the Boundary Road it adds almost 50 miles (80 kms) to any trip he has to make to destinations south. And that includes Inglis and Russell.
He said he’s talked to various people with regard to the bridge closure and the speculation is that permanent repairs will take one to three years.
“The heavy traffic on PR.482, the detour, is causing significant damage to that road which will only get worse as movement of grain ramps up with harvest,” he said in his letter to transportation and infrastructure minister (MTI) Lisa Naylor.
“I feel, along with my neighbors, that it’s unacceptable that this important route for the people of western Manitoba should remain closed for that length of time.”

Read more on page 2 of this week's Russell Banner.

By Terrie Welwood
Russell Banner
Like much of the prairies, the communities of this area were founded by agricultural endeavors at their core.
In 1893, the County of Russell was awarded The Banner for the most entries a of the highest quality at the Industrial Winnipeg Exhibition.
That Banner is now on display at the Russell Heritage and Arts Museum on the west side of town.
The Russell Ag Society held their Ag Days over the weekend of August 20- 23rd carrying on a tradition that started with the Russell Fair hosted by the Ag Society from 1883 onward.
Over the years, the Russell Fair was the event of the year. The what’s now still known as the Fair grounds to many, a huge grandstand sat on the edge of the race track which ran around the spot of the one of the most westerly ball diamonds now.
There were baking, sewing and art exhibits in outbuildings.
On both sides of the east part of the grounds, sat cattle barns.
At that time, it wasn’t uncommon for the Russell Fair and the Ag Society to draw upwards of 1,000 to the weekend event.

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