On July, 29th at approximately 11:30 PM, the Thompson RCMP conducted a traffic stop with a vehicle on Thompson Drive South. 

As a result of this traffic stop, a 18 year-old man from Thompson was arrested and found in possession of approximately 32 grams of cocaine and approximately $2000.  This man faces multiple charges and was released to appear in court at a later date.

Additionally, a 27 year-old man from Thompson was arrested during this traffic stop and faces multiple charges.  This man was released as well to appear in court at a later date.

A man has died after drowning in the Burntwood River.

On July 29at approximately 11:20 am, Thompson RCMP received a report of a possible drowning in the city on the Burntwood River near the Miles Hart Bridge.

The initial investigation has determined that a group of people were on the shore of the river and began to swim. A 30-year-old male began struggling to swim and multiple bystanders pulled him out of the water.

RCMP and emergency services arrived and resuscitation attempts were started. The 30-year-old male, originally from Split Lake, was transported to hospital where he was pronounced deceased.

RCMP continue to investigate.

WINNIPEG - The Manitoba government says most students are to be back in classrooms on Sept. 8, but there will be new guidelines to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19.

All students from kindergarten to Grade 8 will have in-class instruction five days a week under a plan released by the Progressive Conservative government.

High school students will also be in class full time except in schools where there is inadequate space for physical distancing, in which case there will be some days of remote learning.

Students will not be required to wear masks, but schools will be asked to ensure students are two metres apart as much as possible.

Lunch and recess breaks are to be staggered to minimize congestion, and in many cases teachers will change classrooms instead of students.

Buses will be running at reduced capacity, and parents will be asked to transport their children to school if they can.

Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation has announced a new service for its members who have referrals for medical appointments in Winnipeg.

NCN Medical Receiving Home provides transportation for a patient upon their arrival to Winnipeg from the airport or bus depot to the receiving home, medical appointments, and their point of departure from Winnipeg.

The service also provides home-cooked meals and accommodations for patients while they’re in Winnipeg for medical appointments.

NCN says the facility will have an onsite cook, 24 hour security, three transportation drivers, daily housekeeping staff, and a residential councillor, all of whom are staffed by NCN community members.

The Thompson Professional Firefighters Association says they conducted a successful water rescue this weekend.

In a Facebook post, the association says a general alarm was activated Sunday evening after a person had jumped from the Miles Hart Bridge.

Members of the association deployed the city’s water rescue boat and saved the victim.

The association says the person was then transported to Thompson General Hospital in stable condition.

Mayor Colleen Smook is encouraging Thompson residents, along with frequent visitors to the area, to fill a survey about public safety concerns they may have.

The city says the survey asks respondents to not only express their sense of safety and its causes, but also their sense of community.

The survey is a part of the development of the Community Safety and Well-Being Action Plan, which the city is working on in partnership with the Ma-Mow-We-Tak Friendship Centre and the Thompson RCMP.

Residents can fill out the survey online at thompson.ca, or pick up a paper copy either at city hall or the Ma-Mow-We-Tak Friendship Centre.

The survey will be available until August 12.

While the COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to reduced traffic volumes on provincial roadways, Manitoba Public Insurance says far too many drivers in the province are still travelling at dangerous speeds.

MPI explains that between April to June, 148 speed-related Serious Driving Offences, or SDO, were forwarded to the Registrar of Motor Vehicles, which includes speed infractions of 50 kilometres over the legal limit. That's a 60 per cent increase compared to the same time last year of 93 offences.

Vice President of Community Engagement Satvir Jatana says about one in five road fatalities in Manitoba last year had speed as a contributing factor.

Of the speed-related SDOs brought forward to MPI, the average speed from April to June of this year was 59 kilometres over the posted speed limit.

UPDATE: Gelma Rehead has been located safe and sound. The RCMP thank the public for their assistance.

Local authorities are asking for help from the public in locating 45-year-old Gelma Joan Redhead of Shamattawa.

Redhead was reported missing to the Thompson RCMP on Wednesday, July 22. She was last seen on Cree Road in Thompson on Wednesday, July 15.

Redhead is described as being 5'2" and around 155 pounds with a slim build, black hair, and brown eyes.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Redhead is asked to contact the Thompson RCMP at 204-677-6909.

MLA Danielle Adams is calling on the provincial government to invest in northern healthcare, after hearing concerns of surgeries being delayed at the local hospital due to high humidity.

In her report, Adams says she reached out to the Northern Health Region regarding the delayed surgeries at the Thompson General Hospital, and explains that the health authority says the reason for the high humidity is due to a number of systems in the hospital need to be replaced.

She states one of these systems is the Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning System, which leaked and flooded three of the four operating rooms last summer.

Adams says the PCs are putting the newly renovated ORs at risk by not replacing the AC system, claiming that not replacing it would cost taxpayers more money.

She adds that the delays are putting northern patients under more stress, as they have to look for alternative sites to have their surgeries done such as Winnipeg.

Lifesaving Society Manitoba says they’re concerned that there may be a higher number of drowning fatalities and injuries this summer as they raise awareness for National Drowning Prevention Week.

Doctor Christopher Love explains that because many of the places that people depend on for a safe swimming environment are closed or on reduced hours, the organization is worried that people may turn to more dangerous places to go for a swim.

Love states that the long-term average for Manitoba when it comes to drowning fatalities is usually between 21 to 22 deaths, but adds that number has spiked in the past few years.

"Unfortunately in the past two years we have post statistics for (2016 and 2017), we were above the long-term average with 31 deaths in 2016 and 25 deaths in 2017."

For tips on how you can be water smart while on, in, or around the water, tune in to Thompson Today at 12:40 and 5:10 this afternoon.

UPDATE: Sarina Brightnose was found safe and sound.

The Thompson RCMP are seeking the public's help in locating 17-year-old Sarina Sarah Faye Brightnose.

Brightnose was reported missing to Thompson RCMP on July 16. She was last seen on Pickerel Crescent in Thompson on July 15.

Brightnose is described as being 5'7" and approximately 140 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing black sweat pants, a black t-shirt, and black sneakers.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Brightnose is asked to contact the Thompson RCMP at 204-677-6909.

Two seperate police searches has resulted in cocaine seizures and an arrest.

On July 17 at approximately 7:15 p.m, the Thompson RCMP conducted a traffic stop with a vehicle on Princeton Drive.

As a result of this traffic stop, a 34-year-old man from Thompson was arrested and found in possesion of roughly 4.5 ounces of cocaine and a large amount of money. The suspect faces multiple charges, namely possessions of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking and failure to comply with a release order.

The second seizure occured the following day on July 18 at around 1:35 a.m, a Controlled Drugs and Substances Act search Act search warrant was executed at a residence on Hickory Avenue.

The search resulted in approximately 2.5 ounces of cocaine, drug packaging, and cutting agents being seized.

The investigation into this warrant continues.

When heading out to bear country this summer, it’s important to make sure you do your part in making sure you protect yourself, the people around you, and the wildlife.

A Wildlife Biologist with Manitoba Agriculture and Resource Development, Janine Wilmot, says black bears are the most common type of bear you would be encountering in the province, and can be found all across Manitoba.

Wilmot explains the there are many things people can do when out in bear country to prevent run-ins with wildlife, such as walking with a group of people, keeping your dog on a leash if you bring them to bear country, and securing attractants such as food and garbage.

Listen to Thompson Today at 12:40 and 5:10 this afternoon for more on bear safety.

After hearing growing concerns regarding the purported mistreatment of Indigenous customers shopping at the local Walmart, MKO are planning a march to protest the racism they’re experiencing at the store.

Grand Chief Garrison Settee the organization has heard from a number of First Nations citizens who say they have been racially profiled.

He adds Indigenous people shopping at the Thompson location contribute substantial amounts of money to the corporation.

MKO sent a letter to Walmart earlier this month to coordinate a meeting to discuss solutions on this matter.

The march will be this Monday beginning at 1 p.m. at the Giant Tiger parking lot, and will move along Thompson Drive North, ending at the Walmart parking lot.

The Northern Health Region says that they’re using this period of calm to prepare for the second wave of COVID-19 in the fall.

Doctor Natalie Casaclang, one of the Medical Officers of Health for the authority, says the Northern Health Region currently has three weeks supply of personal protective equipment on hand, which they are closely monitoring.

She adds that the region is looking at how they can increase testing capacity and how they can safely isolate people who aren’t able to be at home.

Casaclang says while she can’t predict when exactly the second wave of the virus will come, it’s important to remain vigilant in following public health guidelines.

She explains this is especially imperative that we take what we learned from the first wave of the virus as flu season comes up in the fall, as COVID-19 shares most of its symptoms with the common flu, and that we should treat the flu season as COVID season.

For the full interview with Casaclang, tune in to Thompson Today at 12:40 and 5:10 this afternoon.

UPDATE: Justin Muskego ha been found safe and sound.

The Thompson RCMP are asking for help in finding a man who went missing from the Thompson General Hospital.

28-year-old Justin Reginald Muskego from Cross Lake is described as being 5'10" and 165 pounds with short black hair. He was last seen wearing a black sleeveless shirt, gray sweatpants, and black and gray runners.

Anyone with information on Muskego's whereabouts is asked to call the Thompson RCMP detachment at 204-677-6909.

The Thompson RCMP are on the look out for a shoplifter who stole from Giant Tiger earlier this year.

On May 27 at around 4:30 p.m, the police were notifed from the store that a sholifter stole several hundred dollars of merchandise from the store.

Police are asking for the public's help in identifying the woman in the photo.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Thompson RCMP at 204-677-6909, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477, or secure a tip online at www.manitobacrimestoppers.com.

The Manitoba RCMP is reminding Manitobans to be aware of scam callers claiming to be from government agencies pretending to be government employees asking for large sums of money.

This comes after a Thompson resident received calls from a scammer pretending to be from the CRA and the Thompson RCMP detachment, asking them to send money through the mail by spoofing their phone number.

Spoofing is when a caller intentionally falsifies the information transmitted to your caller ID display to disguise their identity.

Luckily, the victim’s family member noticed something was off, and prevented the parcel from being sent.

The RCMP and all government agencies, including Service Canada, will never call asking or demanding money for any reason.

Anyone who receives these types of calls or believes they may have been a victim of fraud is asked to call their local police detachment or the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501.

For more tips and information regarding current scams and how to protect yourself, visit The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) website.

The Thompson RCMP is seeking the general public’s assistance in locating witnesses who may have seen a white Dodge Dart driving around the Deerwood area on Monday afternoon at around 1 p.m.

This is related to the shooting on Beaver Crescent, where a man was taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Anyone with information or with surveillance of this vehicle is asked to call the local detachment at 204-677-6909 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477

Manitoba MPs have been calling for Tommy Prince, a man considered to be Canada’s most decorated Indigenous war veteran, to be featured on Canada’s new five dollar bill.

Although Prince received eleven war medals and served in World War Two and the Korean War, he dealt with racism and poverty and passed away as a homeless person. However, he has still been honoured by the Province of Manitoba and other parts of the world.

Arctic Radio News reached out to Churchill Keewatinook-Aski MP Niki Ashton and she believes having Prince on the new five dollar bill is a great idea, adding that it’s important that there is someone who is Indigenous featured on the currency.

Ashton went on to say that in the spirit of reconciliation and justice, this is a moment in time where we can take a look at who we are honouring as symbols of our country.

You can learn more about Tommy Prince by visiting thecanadianencyclopedia.ca.

Coinciding with National Fishing Week, Lifesaving Society Manitoba has also been raising awareness on wearing a life jacket while out on the water.

Water Smart Coordinator Doctor Christopher Love says it’s especially important to talk about in Manitoba, as most people who die during a boating accident are not wearing a lifejacket.

About 50% of all boats sold in Canada are purchased with fishing as the main use of the boat. Lifesaving Society Manitoba says part of the reason why boating deaths involve a significant number of fishers is that those who fish don’t consider themselves boaters, so they don’t make boating safety top of mind when they’re out on the water.

Hooked on Lifejackets runs from July 4^th to the 12^th.

For more information on the Hooked on Lifejackets campaign, visit lifesaving.mb.ca or listen to Thompson Today at 12:40 and 5:10 this afternoon.

Local authorities are investigating a shooting that occurred on Beaver Crescent earlier this week.

On the afternoon of July 6 after 1 p.m, the Thompson RCMP was called to the scene, where they found a man suffering from a non-life threatening gunshot wound.

The victim was taken to the Thompson General Hospital in stable condition.

Two men, a 33-year-old and a 35-year-old were arrested by police on Red River Drive after the shooting and face multiple charges.

MKO is raising concerns regarding the alleged treatment of First Nations customers shopping at the local Walmart.

In a news release, Grand Chief Garrison Settee says he’s heard from First Nations customers that have been racially profiled.

Once incident Settee highlighted was when a First Nations man was told he wasn’t allowed into the store because he looked inebriated despite never using alcohol.

He explains Walmart and Impact Security should take steps to ensure Indigenous customers are respected while they shop, and adds that MKO has sent a letter to Walmart to request a meeting to talk about ways to improve the corporation’s plan to improve the service quality First Nations citizens can expect to receive.

At this time, Walmart Canada has not responded to a request for comment.

UPDATE: Thompson RCMP were able to confirm late Friday afternoon (July 3) that Kirkness has spoken to his family and is safe in Winnipeg.

The public is being asked to help locate a missing man from Split Lake.

46-year-old Saul Steven Kirkness was reported missing to the Thompson RCMP on June 26. He was last seen in Winnipeg one week earlier.

Kirkness is described as being 5’11” and 176 pounds with short black hair and brown eyes.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Kirkness is asked to contact the Thompson RCMP at 204-677-6909, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477, or secure a tip online at www.manitobacrimestoppers.com.

With the north having had a rainy summer so far this year, MP Niki Ashton is calling on Ottawa to step in on the negative impacts the weather is having on northern communities.

Ashton says the region has seen record rainfall, and that it's affecting northern infrastructure, especially roads and highways.

She also called out the provincial government, saying that the cuts they’ve made to the budget were “part of the problem”.

Ashton goes on to say many northerners rely on roads and highways to travel to and from their communities, and that federal disaster assistance must be made available to address the damage done to them by the weather conditions we’ve seen so far.

Cranberry Portage RCMP is investigating a break-in at their local high school.

Just after 3:30 Monday morning, the police were called to the high school in the community for a disturbance.

When officers arrived, they found 105 windows had been broken, and entry had been made into the computer lab where 42 computers were destroyed.

The damage is estimated to be $200, 000.

On Tuesday, a 27-year-old man from the community was arrested , and will be facing charges of breaking and entering, mischief over $5, 000, and possessing break-in instruments.