Thompson Local News Archives for 2016-06

TRCC Hosts Canada Day Events

The country is celebrating its 149th birthday, and the city of Thompson is making sure you can celebrate in the community.

 

This year's Canada Day celebration is taking place at TRCC throughout the day and concludes with the annual fan-favourite firework show which will start at dusk. The party starts at 9 in the morning with a pancake breakfast and starting at noon, the kids favourite attraction, Fun Land, opens up along with games and activities like face painting, fish pond and laser tag will be available.

 

There will be performances throughout the day provided by Folklorama and Superb Entertainment

Thompson Unlimited ceases operations as of July 1st.

Last week the City of Thompson announced the end of operations for Thompson Unlimited as of July 1st.

Thompson Unlimited began in 2002 under the name Thompson Community Development Corporation, tasked with promoting ways to diversify the economy of the city.

On June 22nd Thompson Unlimited submitted a formal letter to the City indicating that the organization was experiencing challenges and felt it was in the community’s best interest to turn the economic development portfolio over to the City.  

In its fourteen years of operation Thompson Unlimited successfully promoted Thompson as a regional service center, popular site for winter weather testing and a tourist destination.   

The City of Thompson will now be tasked with adapting the Economic Development Action Plan developed by the Thompson Economic Diversification Work Group (TEDWG) in April 2013.   

Mayor Dennis Fenske commented that “Council will undertake a process to develop the next steps in guiding the City’s economic development function to ensure that we are in a position to take advantage of unlimited opportunities to grow our community.”

Midwifery Program Discontinued at UCN

Fourteen Bachelor of Midwifery students at the University College of the North learnt that courses for their program will not continue as funding was cut from the provincial program.

 

Students rallied outside the Manitoba Legislative Building on Tuesday to demand answers from the provincial government. Students argued that they already took out student loans for tuition and made sacrifices in professional and personal life to accommodate studying for the program.

 

Education Minister Ian Wishart says the real issue is that the program was sending students to practical work that were not up to standard. The University College of the North launched the multi-million dollar midwifery program in 2006 with a mandate to address the shortage of midwives especially in northern communities.

Graduation Ceremony Tonight at R. Parker Collegiate

It will be a tearful farewell tonight as the Grade 12 students from R. Parker Collegiate will take get up on stage and accept their diplomas at tonight's Graduation Ceremony. The Ceremony will take place at TRCC Gym at 7 PM and students are reminded that they must be there by 6PM.
 

After the Ceremony, there will be a Safe Grad which will take place at the Legion at 10PM.

Chairman of the Safe Grad committee Donny Morris, says the proper precautions have been set in place to make sure the Safe Grad will be safe.

 

Local officials and parents will be part of the security and safety team which will have one individual present for every three kids during the duration of the night. Yellow wristbands will be given out to underage kids who will be attending the event to prevent them from purchasing or consuming alcohol.

Water Bombers Deployed Monday Evening

Water Bombers were activated last night to contain a small wildfire across the Burntwood River west of Thompson.

 

Residents noticed the Bombers fly over the city Monday evening, as they were coming back from putting out a wildfire in Gillam. The Bombers were then notified of the fire by the River and decided to aid the water bombers that were already there from Paint Lake.

 

The size of the fire was approximately point three hectares, says Regional Field Supervisor Tim Cameron who points to the storm and lightning from last Friday night, for the cause of the blaze. The spot where the fire took place is still being monitored to make sure there is no possibility of relighting.

National King Miner wraps up its 45th event

Thousands of dollars in prize money was paid out this Sunday to the top competitors in the 45th annual National King Miner contest.   

In all, fourteen participants competed in 11 events to show their proficiency in the fastest time to win the money.   

This year’s King Miner is Brian Woytkiw, who has claimed the title for his 11th time.   Ed Chuckrey currently holds the record for the most wins of the title with twelve.  

First runner up is Tyrell Hall, followed by Josh Forrest and then Alex Martin.  

The rookie award went to Bruno Forrest and this year’s winning team was made up of Scott Kennedy, Daniel Kennedy, Richard Patterson and Frank Bushby.

Water Main Renewal Project is underway downtown

By now you’ve likely noticed some machines and crews in the downtown area.   Get used to it.  They’ll be there over the summer.   Matt Boscariol, Director of Planning and Community Development for the City of Thompson, explains one phase of the project.

“What we’re doing is directional drilling so we’re drilling underground and pushing pipe to repair the water mains.  We’re repairing approximately 2.5 kilometres of water main.  We’re moving from Cree Road down Selkirk all the way to the end of Selkirk.”

The water main renewal project comes in at about $1.06 million, with funding coming from the province thanks to the gas tax, as well as through various grants.    

In all, around 3 million dollars in capital projects will be completed in Thompson this summer.  Part one is the water main renewal project which is currently underway on Selkirk Avenue.   Part two comes later, as Matt Boscariol, Director of Planning and Community Development for the City explains.

“We’re going to start tearing up Selkirk as well at the beginning of August, to improve the roads,  moving down Selkirk just past the one way street before Domino’s.  We’re also going to be improving Cree Road - a small chunk of Cree Road - right in front of Doug’s Source for Sports and right before Fox Bay.  It’s about 150 feet of Cree Road that we need to resurface.”
 
The multi-use pathway loop will also be completed this year.   It’s expected the work will be completed by the end of September.  

For more on the work to be done, listen to Thompson Today at 12:40 and 5:10 this afternoon.

Graffiti Cover-up Program starts up in early July

The Canadian Mental Health Association and the City of Thompson are working together to clean up the city with their Graffiti coverup program.  

Catherine Pohjolainen with the CMHA, explains how it works.

“What we do is, we team up with the City of Thompson and we hire participants of CMHA to go around and cover up the graffiti with paint.  Businesses, organizations and residents can call us and we will send people out to cover up their graffiti.”

Over 200 sites were covered up last year.  The amount of graffiti covered each year since the program began in 2007 seems to be on the rise, but Pohjolainent says that has a lot to do with the program participants.

“It’s pretty steady every year.  They (the program participants) get really creative in trying to find more and more graffiti that they can cover up.  I think that they have just found a lot more.   They’ve been very resourceful in locating different graffiti.”

She also explains the value of the program.

“It’s based on the broken window theory that pretty much says that once a community deteriorates aesthetically the community becomes more vulnerable to crime, violence and things like that.  We’re just trying to do our part to deter that from happening.”

Clients of the CMHA make up the work crew, gaining valuable work experience and skills while improving the city’s appearance.   

If you see graffiti, report it to Catherine at 677-6-0-5-1.  The coverup program will begin operations in early July and will run through September.

RCMP Warn Local Residents About CRA Scam

Local RCMP are telling residents from Thompson and surrounding areas to be aware of a recent internet scam.

People claiming to be from the Canadian Revenue Agency are sending email letters looking for personal information so a refund can be processed for the recipient of the email.

The Canadian Revenue Agency DOES NOT contact anyone through email.  Their representatives will only contact you by phone or through regular mail.   

If you’ve got concerns or questions, you can contact the Canadian Revenue Agency at their website at www.cra-arc.gc.ca.

If you feel you may have been scammed or a scam has been attempted, contact the RCMP at 677-6909.   
 

Nickel Days Begin Today!

Nickel Days begins today!    Starting at 4 o’clock the main gate and midway open.

The four-day festival features the usual fair-type activities such as rides and games, but it also pays tribute to Thompson’s mining industry with the National King Miner Contest.  The contest will be held on Saturday starting at 9 am on the Rec Grounds.  

The Lion’s Club Parade begins at 10 am Saturday, starting from the Heritage North Museum, going past the hospital, continuing the full loop of Thompson Drive back to the corner of Princeton and Station Road.   

There are also talent contests, family games and the Nickel Days Social.   This year’s featured act is The Sheepdogs.

To see the whole schedule of Nickel Days events go to nickeldays.ca.

Acquired Brain Injury Unit

June is Brain Injury Awareness Month.   Thompson has one of only two Acquired Brain Injury Units in the province, designed to help those recovering from such injuries .  Bruce Krentz from the Northern Health Region shares the most common ways brain injuries occur.

“There are lots of ways you can end up with a brain injury.  Some of the top things that can happen:  Falls - ice, falling out of bed, falling in the shower.  Vehicle related collisions is a huge one -  bicycles, motorbikes - get your helmets on, it’s a good idea; violence,  and sports injuries is another one.”

Domestic violence is a contributing cause to brain injury, but it’s often not recognized as a public health issue because it often is kept secret by the victim.    A study has found that 92 per cent of victims of domestic violence reported their partners hit them in the head more than once; up to 83 per cent reported being both hin in the head and severely shaken; and approximately 8 per cent said they were hit in the head over 20 times in the past year.

160-thousand Canadians sustain brain injuries each year and incidents are rising. At this time, over a million Canadians live with the effects of an acquired brain injury.

Bruce Krentz with the Northern Health Region says prevention is the key.     He says that wearing a helmet during certain activities can reduce the incident of brain injury.  

The Northern Health Region is holding a tour of their Acquired Brain Injury unit tomorrow from 12:15 to 1:15 at 12 Spruce Road as part of Brain Injury Awareness Month.  Everyone is encouraged to attend.

National Aboriginal Day a Huge Success

Beautiful weather and a large, enthusiastic crowd helped make yesterday’s National Aboriginal Day a huge success.   Here Elder Jack Robinson explains what the day  meant to him.   

“It’s a very, very special day, because when I think back, of when I was young we were not allowed to do any of our traditional dances, sweat lodges, pipe ceremonies. So this means a lot to me that we’re allowed to have all of our people come here and celebrate the Aboriginal Day.”

Thompson MLA Kelly Bindle also attended the National Aboriginal Day celebrations in the city.    He accepted a framed copy of the Thompson Accord, to commemorate the Province of Manitoba becoming a partner to the accord.   This is what he had to say about the day.

“I’m very proud to be here on behalf of the provincial government because today is a historic day.  Our provincial government is signing on to the Thompson Aboriginal Accord, and we’re committed to meaningful consultations and relationships in line with our “Yes, North!” initiative and our recent throne speech.”   

“I’m happy to be in Thompson - we’re on Treaty 5 land. It’s nice to  see the elders here and we thank them for coming and promoting their culture and sharing their wisdom.”

Hundreds of people from Thompson and surrounding areas joined the celebrations which took place at McLean Park.  Yesterday marked the 20th anniversary of National Aboriginal Day in Canada
 

Importance of Sunscreen

With the longer days of summer now here and more hours of daylight, sun screen is a must for anyone spending time outdoors.   Jessie Lawrence, a Sun Sense Facilitator for the Canadian Cancer Society tells us the different between  UVA and UVB rays.

“UVA makes up most of the sun’s natural light.  They penetrate deep into the skin to cause premature aging and wrinkles.  UVB is what causes burning and it’s about a thousand times stronger than UVA.”

Applying sun screen is one thing that stands between you and a nasty sunburn.  Here’s Jessie Lawrence with the Canadian Cancer Society, with some mistakes that people make when it comes to sun screen.

“Mistakes would include not wearing sun screen, missing spots - especially with the spray - and not reapplying every two hours or when we get out of the water.   Lots of people think you just put it on once and then you’re good for the rest of the day.”  

Missing spots when applying sun screen is another common mistake.  Remember to apply it to the back of your neck, your ears, the back of your legs and your feet.     

Lawrence has some other advice to protect your skin from overexposure to the sun.

“We recommend protective clothing, so long sleeve shirts and pants.   They have to be tightly woven.   The other thing with clothing is that it’s better if it’s dry versus if it’s wet. We recommend to wear a hat, preferably a sun hat or bucket hat.  A baseball cap is okay as long as you cover your ears and your neck with sun screen.   Seek shade.   Use an umbrella, go under a tree, go beside a building.   We also want to wear sunglasses because the sun can be harmful to our eyes.”

For best protection, apply sun screen 20 to 30 minutes before being in the sun, to give it time to absorb into your skin.    A broad spectrum sun screen with a minimum SPF of 30 is recommended.  Also check if it has the Canadian Dermatologists logo. 

Chamber Meeting with Attorney General of Manitoba

The Attorney General of Manitoba, Heather Stefanson, along with the Minister of Growth, Enterprise and Trade, Cliff Cullen and Thompson MLA, Kelly Bindle met with members of the Thompson Chamber of Commerce on Friday.

The “Yes North” Initiative was mentioned numerous times during the meet and greet, as a priority for the Progressive Conservative government.    The program was part of the PC’s election campaign and it’s focus is on two priority areas:   Sustainable development of natural resources and tourism opportunities in northern Manitoba.
   
The three MLAs were in Thompson to kick off  the consultation process with local interest groups including the City of Thompson, Vale, union representatives,  and Chamber of Commerce members.

Tips for Staying Safe in the Boreal Forest

Vacation time for northerners often means camping.   Brian Barton is with Sustainable Development with the Province and he offers a tip to keep you safe while you’re enjoying the great outdoors.

”The biggest thing is keeping your campsite clean.  Make sure you take your garbage to the garbage receptacles.   You put your food away at night or when you’re not at the campsite.  Keep it enclosed within containers or within you’re vehicle if you’re not there.  And if you’re tenting, you don’t eat or keep food inside your tent.   Always keeps it away from where you’re sleeping.”

And if part of your camping experience includes heading out on the trails of the Boreal Forest for some exploring, make sure you’re prepared for any eventuality.  

Barton offers some advice for you  before you go on your adventure.

“If you’re getting away, heading off down the trails, if you’re going over night or for  a multi-day trip, then  you’ve got to be prepared for that.  Whether it’s food or clothing or a means of communication, people should know where they’re going.  Maps are available online or you can purchase them through Canadamapsales.com.    The same rules apply out in the bush, though, about keeping your campsite clean.”

Nature has lots to offer us, if we’re smart about what to do when we’re out camping or hiking around the Boreal Forest.   Brian Barton with Sustainable Development prepares us for a couple of unwanted guests we could encounter.

“The biggest one we have up here is insects, mosquitoes and black flies.   Insect repellent and things like that are our best bet.  Next would probably be black bears.    
If you follow those tips - keeping your campsite clean and keeping your food away from your tent - generally you won’t have any problems.  If you do encounter an animal like that, you stay as a group.  Back away slowly.  Don’t turn your back on him, but try to appear as big as you can.  If the animal keeps coming then you start making noise.”

Barton says that bears typically want to avoid us as much as we want to avoid them.  For more on how to keep safe and enjoy your holiday time outdoors, listen to Thompson Today at 12:40 and 5:10 this afternoon.

Dog Bite Prevention Tips

As you’re out and about this summer, you’ll likely see more dogs and their owners out as well.   In order to minimize the chance of being on the receiving end of a dog bite, you should be aware of why a dog might bite in the first place.  Veterinarian Dr. Ingrid Sproll with the WinRose Animal Clinic in Winnipeg has some of those reasons here.

 

“There are several reasons that a dog might bite.  Some dogs are biting because they’re trying to protect something like an object - food, a toy or even a person like their owner or their owner’s property.   Other dogs may bite if they’re frightened.     Some get over-excited during play time or even if they start to chase a person they can sort of activate their prey drive.”

 

Research shows that over half-a-million dog bites occur in Canada every year.   And of those, three-quarters of dog bites occur with dogs that are familiar or known to the victim. 

 

According to Dr. Sproll, any dog is capable of biting you, especially if it’s stressed.  She describes some of the signs that a dog is stressed.

 

“Things like rapid panting and yawning are signs of nervousness.  If they pin their ears back or out to the side, and if you’re seeing the whites of the dog’s eyes, that’s a sign that they’re stressed or fearful.   A dog that doesn’t want you to approach it or touch it, they may turn their head away from you or hold their tail low or they may hold it low and have a very slow wag.”

 

The Humane Society of Canada estimates someone suffers a dog bite every 60 seconds in this country.  If a threatening dog is approaching you and you’re afraid of being bitten, you should “Be a Tree.”    Dr. Sproll outlines the steps on how to “Be a Tree.”  

 

“What “Be a Tree” involves is:  Step one is to “fold your branches”.  So you want to bring your arms to your sides and hands in.  Step two is to “watch your roots grow”.  So you’ll put your feet together and look down so you’re not making threatening eye contact with the dog, and step three is to count in your head until the dog goes away or help comes.”

 

The “Be a Tree” method was developed to be easy to teach to children, but is useful for everyone.   For more on how to identify dogs that may be stressed and ready to bit – and how to avoid those bites - listen to Thompson Today at 12:40 and 5:10 this afternoon.

Vale's 60th Anniversary Coming Up This Weekend

Vale celebrates its 60th anniversary in Thompson this year, with events for their employees this Saturday and Sunday.   Ryan Land, Manager of Corporate Affairs and Organizational Development, has more about the company’s and the city’s beginnings.

“We’re celebrating the 60th year of the discovery of the ore body that lead to the city of Thompson and our Manitoba operations as we know them.  In 1956, we signed an agreement with the Province of Manitoba and that lead to the development of our operations, the development of the ore body and, of course, the beginning of the City of Thompson which was named for our then CEO and Chairman,  Dr. J. F. Thompson.”

The celebration this week includes events for the employees of Vale, as well as for all residents of Thompson.  Here Land outlines the plans for the weekend.

“We have two days of events for our employees and their families and they take place over June 18th and 19th.  On the 18th we’ll be at the TRCC.  Entertainment, music, food, all sorts of activities.  We’ll be giving our employees a commemorative gift at that time as well.  And then on Sunday, we’ll be over at the Heritage North Museum.  The INCO annex is a display we have there.”

Land also talks about the event open to the general public.

“We do have on Sunday night, the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra is coming to Thompson.  And in recognition of our 60th, Vale has sponsored that event and they’ll be doing a community concert at the Letkemann at 7:30 Sunday night.   And, we’ve sort of recommended that there be a suggested donation of $10 per family.  All of the proceeds will be going to the R.D Parker Music Students Association.”
 

In 60-years of operations in Thompson, Vale has had some positive impact on  the community.  Ryan Land, Manger of Corporate Affairs and Organizational Development, shares one the company is particularly proud of.

“Our journey toward Zero Harm has been the most important indicator for our milestones over the years.  The most important work we do is send our employees home safely every day.   And, we continue to get ever closer to Zero Harm.   Many will know that we achieved a milestone in February of one year without a lost-time injury for the first time in the history of our operations.”

For more on the 60th anniversary of Vale’s Manitoba Operations listen to Thompson Today on 102.9 CHTM at 12:40 and 5:10 this afternoon.

 

Thompson Community Foundation Announces Grants

The Thompson Community Foundation announced their grant allocations for 2016 yesterday at the (Juniper Centre.)

Thirteen local groups and programs received almost 90-thousand dollars in funding from the TCF fund, the Moffat Fund and the Joe Brain Fund.  

Dave Moore, Grant Chairperson for the Thompson Community Foundation, explains who’s eligible to apply for funding.

 

"Organizations that can apply are any organizations that have charitable foundations to do good works in Thompson."

The thirteen recipients of funding are:

    *       The Canadian Cancer Society for a Radon Testing Awareness Presentation in Thompson in November 2016.

∙    YWCA Thompson Residence Inc. to replace carpeting

∙    HOPE NORTH Suicide Prevention Committee towards jerseys for the flag football camp

∙    Boys & Girls Club of Thompson Inc. towards renovations for a wheelchair accessible washroom

∙    Thompson Public Library for new furniture for the teen area

∙    Ma-Mow-We-Tak-Friendship Centre towards a play structure / playground
∙    R.D. Parker Collegiate Physical Education Program to purchase snowshoe equipment

∙    Ecole Communautaire la Voie du Nord towards a play structure / playground

∙    Thompson Zoological Society toward construction materials for the aquarium

∙    St. Lawrence Roman Catholic Church towards the cost of siding / insulation for the exterior renovation project

∙    Thompson Crisis Centre to purchase bed frames and mattresses

∙    R.D. Parker Collegiate - Pathways Program to purchase kitchen equipment

∙    Keewatinowi Awasisak Opi-ki-wak towards a play structure / playground


The Thompson Community Foundation manages what has been described as a “savings account” for our community what has been  built by gifts and donations from residents past and present, businesses and community organizations.  The foundation was established in 1995 as a partner for community groups working to enhance the qualify of life in the City of Thompson.

The TCF is funded by donor gifts of all sizes.  The gifts are combined into a capital fund which is invested to produce and annual revenue which is then granted to worthy community projects annually.   The original gifts to the fund are never spent and the annual revenue is used year after year to serve Thompson.

As the size of the savings account grows so does the size of the annual distribution to community projects.  

Total grants awarded by the Thompson Community Foundation to date amount to just over one million dollars.

 

RCMP Musical Ride Coming July 9/16

The RCMP musical ride is coming to Thompson, one of their 50 stops around Canada this year.    The Musical Ride is internationally renowned and was in England in May as part of  the Queen’s 90th birthday celebrations.

The troop will be here on July 9th,  sponsored by the Rotary Club of Thompson and the City of Thompson.   President of the Rotary Club, Sandra Ross-Hitch, has more on the history of the Musical Ride.

“The RCMP ride itself was developed  in 1876 by early members of the North-West Mounted Police to display their riding ability and entertain the local community.  It has evolved over the decades into a uniquely Canadian performance enjoyed by tens of thousands of spectators every year.”

The Musical Ride is also a way for the RCMP to help communities with fund raising efforts.  Funds raised from ticket sales for this event will go toward the Rotary Club of Thompson to support their local projects.

Tickets are available at the TRCC, Lamberts Paint & Decor, and the RBC.  Ticket prices are $10 for adults, $5 for children 3 to 16 and $5 for Seniors over 60.   

For more information about the RCMP Musical Ride contact Sandra Ross-Hitch at 204-677-5111 or the Rec Department, City of Thompson, at 204-677-7952.

Vehicle Collision Outside of Thompson



This past Friday,  shortly after 1:00 PM. Thompson RCMP and emergency services responded to a report of a head-on collision approximately 40 kilometres south of Thompson on Highway 6.

One youth sustained serious, but non-life threatening injuries.  Preliminary findings indicate that a northbound car was attempting to pass another vehicle when it collided with a southbound van. Speed is believed to be a factor but alcohol is not suspected at this time.
The investigation is ongoing.

Census enumerators in Thompson following up with Census submissions

 

Not all Thompsonites have had the chance to submit their 2016 Census forms.

 

Some homes across the city have yet to receive their forms, even a month after the May 10th due date to have them submitted.

 

Mayor Dennis Fenske explains that Census Canada is going to have enumerators in the area working to make sure everyone is accounted for.

 

“There’s a team up this week with boots on the ground to do some follow up work, so there will be a couple of chances to get caught up in the 2016 Census. We encourage everyone to make sure that if you haven’t filled out your Census forms, please contact Census Canada through Thompson.ca.”

 

Fenske also noted that the City is working with people that have yet to receive their forms. If you are still missing yours, call City Hall at 677-7920 and let them know.

Public artwork now on display in play park

 

Artwork from local artists has begun being put on public display.

 

The Spirit Way Committee commissioned four local artists to design artwork featuring various themes that will be on display at the play park near the Miles Hart Bridge.

 

Jan Hall’s work is the first one standing, with the theme “To Be Children”.

 

“There are three different panels that depict children playing. The top one is a little girl on a swing, the middle one is two little kids, a girl and a boy on a teeter-totter, and the bottom one is a boy kicking a ball.”

 

Hall describes the amount of work that went in to creating this structure.

 

“I started with wire armatures, covered it with tin foil, then I used fabric that’s dipped in this special liquid, which makes it hard as a rock and makes it also weatherproof. I like working in that medium, and that’s why I did mine that way.”

 

The artwork from the other three artists will be going up soon.

Tim Horton's Camp Day sees great fundraising success

 

Thompsonites showed their support earlier this month for Tim Horton’s Camp Day.

 

The 25th iteration of the annual event continued the tradition of raising funds for the Tim Horton’s Children’s Foundation in order to be able to send underprivileged youth to any of their summer camps.

 

Through donations and sales of coffee and Camp Day bracelets, the Thompson location managed to raise $7,159.34, with over $4,000 of that coming from donations.

 

There were three local youth that attended camp last summer, but the success of the 25th annual event hopes to see eight young Thompsonites going this year.

Free Family Fishing Weekend means licenses not required

 

This weekend is the annual summer Family Fishing Weekend.

 

All across the province, fishing licenses are not required for Manitobans to bring their families on the water and catch some fish on Saturday and Sunday.

 

Linda Horner, the District Park Supervisor with Manitoba Conservation, says that along with free park entry to Paint Lake, there will be a special event at the amphitheatre in the park.

 

“We’re having the K-9 unit, Hunter, coming out to do a demonstration for us at the park, 7 pm at the Paint Lake amphitheatre. The dog is used for various duties with Sustainable Development, so he’s just going to test his skills trying to find fish and wildlife and show what he can do.”

 

For more information on the Family Fishing Weekend, call 204-945-6784.

Thompson RCMP members among those inducted into Order of the Buffalo Hunt

 

Four Thompson RCMP officers were among those recognized with one of the province’s highest honours.

 

Sixty-five RCMP members from across Manitoba were inducted into the Order of the Buffalo Hunt in a ceremony this past Tuesday at the legislative building in Winnipeg for their roles in providing support for those affected by the wildfire in Fort McMurray.

 

Sergeant Joe Frizzley, one of the members recognized, explains more about what they did while in Fort Mac.

 

“We had various roles, but our main role was to provide relief for the RCMP members that police Fort McMurray, as a majority of the member’s houses were affected by the fires. The members in Manitoba that attended, our main role was to replace their duties so that they could get their affairs in order in order to continue on. So we attended more or less to replace their detachment in order to provide policing.”

 

Frizzley was recognized alongside Staff Sergeant Noel Allard, Sergeant Colby Argue, and Constable Scott Cherney.

 

Photo Credit: RCMP MB Twitter page

Fire at Paint Lake causes damage to cabins

 

There were no injuries reported in a fire at Paint Lake this past weekend.

 

The fire started in one of the rental cabins and spread to another, as well as surrounding trees and causing damage to water and sewer lines for several other cabins.

 

Fire and Emergency crews managed to put out the fire before it spread any further.

 

Thompson Fire and RCMP are investigating the cause of the fire.

Thompson Community Foundation holding wine tasting event

 

Whether you’re a connoisseur or you just like wine, Thursday’s wine tasting event might be for you.

 

The event is being put on by the Thompson Community Foundation to raise funds for their operating costs.

 

Grant Chair for the Thompson Community Foundation Dave Moore has more details on the event.

 

“The wine tasting is a great way to taste all the new wines; we’re going to have people from the Thompson Liquor Mart there that are going to be giving people little sips of wines and talking about pairing your wine. There will be some great food there that you can have as well, and socialize with all your friends.”

 

Taking place at the Riverlodge Place beginning at 7:00, tickets are $45 each available at the Liquor Mart.

Manitoba MP showing support for petition to continue all-weather road development

 

The Member of Parliament representing Thompson has thrown her support behind an infrastructure petition.

 

MP for Churchill-Keewatinook Aski Niki Ashton has joined a petition calling on the federal and provincial governments to build an all-weather access road on the east side of Lake Winnipeg, following Premier Brian Pallister making good on a campaign promise to dissolve the East Side Road Authority.

 

Ashton explains the situation with the winter road system currently in place and why an all-weather road is necessary.

 

“We know that 21 communities across Manitoba are only accessible by plane depend on winter road travel, which is something that’s more and more at risk, given climate change. We know that these communities are growing; we know that people need access to all-weather road systems so that they can bring in food more easily, materials more easily, and access goods and services more easily. And that really, access to a road is something that so many of us across the country take for granted, but it’s something that should be made available to many communities.”

 

The petition also calls on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to follow up on a campaign promise he made in September, which was saying he would work with provincial, municipal, and First Nations partners to determine what the right infrastructure is.

 

Ashton added, “Right now, we’re seeing both levels of government step away from northern communities, and we want to say that that’s the wrong direction; that we need the federal government to step up, we need Prime Minister Trudeau to live up to the commitment he made back in September, and we need to see that the goal of building roads along the east side and serving communities across our region that are isolated is met.”

 

More information on the petition can be found here.

 

Photo Credit: Save Our East Side Road Facebook page

Thompson's Gutsy Walk shows successful fundraising efforts

 

Donations continue to pour in for Crohn’s and Colitis research even after the annual Gutsy Walk.

 

The walk that took place this past Sunday saw $10,448 raised through pledges from 21 walkers and other donations, with another $450 being donated since.

 

Walk organizer Dave Moore was pleased with the turnout for the event, noting that people were showing up and breaking records despite poor weather conditions.

 

“It was very wet; we were a brave bunch that came out, so thank you again to them for the support. And this was the first year that we’ve raised close to $11,000.”

 

Moore also noted that pledges are still being accepted until July 4th, and anyone wishing to donate can call 679-5732.

Small fire put out by Thompson fire crews over the weekend

 

No injuries were reported after Thompson fire crews put out a small fire at a residence over the weekend.

 

A garage on Hickory Avenue caught fire Saturday afternoon, which Thompson’s Deputy Fire Chief Rick Morris estimated caused between $30,000 and $50,000 in damages.

 

Thompson RCMP and Fire crews continue to investigate the cause of the fire.

RD Parker cabaret will bid farewell to senior students

 

One of the final performances of the year for the RD Parker music department takes place Tuesday night.

 

The 31st annual cabaret will feature performances from their senior bands and is seen as a farewell to their graduating students.

 

One of the music directors, Kevin Lewis, talks about the theme for this year’s show.

 

“Our theme this year is ‘Journey to the Land of Make Believe’, so we have some very whimsical music, some stuff that I’m sure people will recognize from movies, TV shows, musicals, and then some really interesting character pieces as well.”

 

The cabaret will be held in RD Parker’s Trojan Gym beginning at 7 pm, with tickets $5 for adults and $3 for students.

ACT Foundation expanding CPR and defibrillator program outside Thompson

 

A partnership between RD Parker and the Advanced Coronary Treatment Foundation is now expanding.

 

All throughout the year, students from Thompson’s high school learned valuable first aid through ACT’s High School CPR and Defibrillator Training Program.

 

Operations Manager Jennifer Edwards explains more about the ACT Foundation and their program.

 

“The ACT Foundation is a charitable organization whose mission is to empower Canadians to save lives. And what we really focus on is setting up high school CPR and defibrillator training programs. So what we’re doing here is, we’re setting up a CPR program where we’ve donated the equipment, the training mannequins and the training defibrillators, to the schools, and then we’ve trained the teachers as instructors for the students. So the teachers offer the program as part of the curriculum every year. So it ensures that every student has the opportunity to learn the basic life saving skills of CPR before they graduate.”

 

Edwards also explains why it’s important for young adults to have this training.

 

“Early CPR and early defibrillation combined can increase survival rates by up to 75%. So by teaching young people this basic life skill of how to do CPR and how to use a defibrillator, it’s actually increasing the survival rates of people before they go to the hospital, if they should suffer a cardiac arrest. But part of the program is recognizing the signs and symptoms of a heart attack or stroke, so knowing what those distress signs are, so that you know you need to get help.”

 

More than 330 students will be trained in CPR and how to use a defibrillator each year, with the program now expanding into schools in Nelson House and Wabowden.

Special Olympics Manitoba makes presentation in Thompson

 

Special Olympics Manitoba was in Thompson last week, with representatives giving a presentation to inform local residents about what Special Olympics is.

 

The presentation was held at the TRCC and also featured a call to action for people to volunteer as coaches or other positions.

 

Heather Chrupalo, the Norman Regional Leader, has details on what people should do if they’re interested in applying.

 

“First thing they can do is they can go to the Special Olympics website, SpecialOlympics.mb.ca, they can click on the ‘Volunteer’ icon and then that will take them to the volunteer registration form. Otherwise, they can call 925-5628, that’s in Winnipeg, and ask questions and get more information.”

 

Chrupalo added the coaches they’re looking for in our region include 5-pin bowling and snowshoe or cross country skiing.

Annual Gutsy Walk takes place this weekend

 

The 2016 Gutsy Walk will be taking place in Thompson this weekend.

 

The annual walk is held to bring awareness to Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, and to raise money for research.

 

Dave Moore, organizer for this year’s walk, talks about the importance of people getting involved in the walk.

 

“It’s not only to raise funds to try and find a cure, but it’s just to find awareness because it’s kind of a sleeper disease, but there’s 100 people that have it in Thompson, and there’s lots of different degrees of pain and fatigue. It’s quite a nasty disease.”

 

The walk will start at 102.9 CHTM on Sunday at 1:00, with registration beginning at 12:00.

Society for Manitobans with Disabilities presentation given to Chamber of Commerce

 

A presentation was made during Wednesday’s Chamber of Commerce meeting by the Society of Manitobans with Disabilities.

 

The presentation was in regards to the programs that SMD offers throughout the northern region.

 

Brenda Davidson, the supervisor of the Society’s northern regional office, shares details on some of the programs they offer.

 

“[In our Supported Employment Program,] we have pre-employment skills training, we help them learn how to make a résumé and cover letter, we have workshops in learning how to get along with coworkers and supervisors, how to interact on the job, we do mock interviews so people will be more comfortable going into an interview, and that kind of stuff. So those are all part of the pre-employment, and then we can help connect them with an employer.”

 

“[In our Vocation Rehabilitation Program,] we work with individuals who are either deaf or hard of hearing, or have a neurological or physical disability that affects them on a daily basis. We can help them, if they’re a child, transition from high school into adulthood and into the workforce. If it’s an adult who has acquired a disability or they haven’t been open to us before, they can be open to us for those services.”

City Council approves purchase of additional street sweeper

 

At their most recent meeting, Thompson City Council passed a resolution that would allow the City to purchase another street sweeper.

 

With this addition, the City will have three sweepers cleaning the streets of Thompson throughout the summer months.

 

Director of Public Works Wayne Koversky talks about the benefits of adding another machine into the rotation.

 

“Basically, what it does is assist us in the actual aspect of doing the streets. Now we’ll always have two units that can continuously be out there, versus having one filling up a dump truck, moving forward, and then waiting for that dump truck to come back. We can actually have two sweepers out there proactive, picking up that material and loading it into that same truck. Basically it just speeds up the process.”

 

The sweeper was initially provided as a rental from Winnipeg before the purchase was approved.

Thompson Vale team wins provincial mine rescue competition

 

For the second year in a row, Thompson’s Vale team took first place in the annual mine rescue competition.

 

The provincial competition sees teams representing mining companies from across Manitoba come together to compete in various scenarios, including an underground rescue, firefighting, and more.

 

Team Vale consisted Captain and Technician Todd Yuskow, Co-Captain Tom Flett, Gas Man Steve Oniske, #3 Man Ian McKenzie, #4 Man Derek Brightnose, Director of Operations Dave Caswell, and Coach Warren Brass.

 

Vice President of Operations for Vale Manitoba Mark Scott offers his congratulations to the team, as well as Vale in general.

 

“I want to congratulate the Captain and his whole team. It’s great that our team was successful over the weekend, and that for the second year in a row, we’ve been able to capture the provincial title. This says a lot about the two teams that participated in those two competitions, but even more about the strength of our training and the strength of our risk management and mine rescue program on site here that two different teams have won that competition back to back.”

 

By winning the provincial competition, the Vale team has earned the right to qualify for the bi-annual western competition in Fernie, BC next year.

 

Photo Credit: Kacper Antoszewski

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