This week, 100 Women Who care Thompson will be meeting virtually to pick a local charity to donate to this quarter.

Nominees include Lions Manor 55 so it can build perimeter fencing and security gate around the premises, the Thompson Seniors Community Resource council to provide technology training to Elders and seniors, and the Northern Health Foundation for their ID Clinics.

The meeting will be on Zoom this Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.

People interested in joining the group can visit 100womenthompson.com.

Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister has announced updated public health orders for the province. 

He says case numbers have improved over the past few days, but our health care situation is still critical. 

Pallister states the orders are effective at 12:01 a.m. on May 29, including no indoor or outdoor gatherings with members outside your household. That includes recreation spaces, playgrounds, golf courses, parks, sports fields and camp grounds. 

In-person shopping is limited to one member per household, and many businesses and organizations will remain closed for in-person services including gyms and fitness clubs, restaurants and bars, personal services, museums, galleries and libraries.

Additionally the Chief Public Health Officer will utilize health hazard orders to close businesses if necessary where there are multiple cases and transmission is a risk.                                                 

Pallisters adds anyone who can must be allowed to work from home as much as possible, and people should stay home as much as possible over the next two weeks. The updated public health orders remain in place until Saturday, June 12 at 12:01 a.m.

The Thompson RMCP released the traffic enforcement highlights for the Victoria Day long weekend.

A total of 80 tickets were issued, 20 of them for speeding. The highest speed was 35 kilometres over the speed limit.

Additionally, there were numerous instances of officers stopping and suspending motorists for impaired driving, which typically result in a license suspension and having their vehicle impounded.

Other tickets issued include 20 for driving unregistered vehicles, nine for driving without a valid driver’s license, and four for driving while suspended.

Also three tickets each were handed out for failing to wear a seat belt, failing to produce a driver’s license, and for unlawful transportation of liquor or cannabis in a motor vehicle.

To curb the spread of COVID-19 in First Nations, Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak has rolled out a protocol to all 26 of its communities.

The protocol, which was developed in partnership with the Manitoba RCMP and Public Prosecution Service of Canada or PPSC, would assist RCMP officers to enforce local COVID-19 bylaws enacted by First Nations communities in the region once signed by an MKO First Nation.

It would also allow for PPSC to conduct the prosecution of bylaw offenses committed in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic upon their discretion.

During a press conference, grand Chief Garrison Settee likened the protocol as a tool that is available for Northern First Nations to help them better enforce their bylaws, and is not intended to undermine the sovereignty of said communities.

Manitoba Chief Public Health Officer Dr Brent Roussin reported 259 new cases of COVID-19 this afternoon, bringing the five day test positivity rate down to 13.8 per cent.  He also reported two additional deaths with one in the Winnipeg Health Region and one in the Southern Health Region. 

Of the new cases, 187 are in Winnipeg with much lower numbers in other regions, including 14 in the Northern Health Region. 

Roussin announced extended restrictions as COVID-19 case numbers remain too high. 

Indoor public gatherings are not allowed and visitors are not permitted on private property except in certain circumstances. Outdoor gatherings with anyone outside a household are not allowed, and that applies to all recreation spaces, playgrounds, golf courses, parks and sports fields.

Retail businesses are able to operate at 10 per cent capacity or a max of 100 individuals (whichever is fewer), and only one person per household is allowed to enter a businesses. Many businesses and organizations will remain closed for in person service including gyms, fitness clubs, restaurants, bars, personal service businesses, museums, galleries and libraries.

These will remain in effect until 12:01 a.m. on May 29, with what’s coming next to be announced later in the week.

A grade 7 class at Deerwood School is looking to get their messages heard on issues they believe are important in our community.

Sarah Schroeder has been teaching social justice as a part of the human rights unit for her social studies class, and her class has been inspired to research and share their findings on topics that are relevant to Thompson.

Those issues include Thompson’s homeless community, animal rights, suicide awareness, better local and provincial roads, recycling, and Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

The students have incorporated these topics into mantras that will be aired on 102.9 CHTM from May 24 to June 4.

The Deerwood School junior high classes will also be holding a physically-distanced walk on May 26 to honour Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

Shamattawa First Nation has declared a state of emergency due to the number of suicides and suicide attempts by youth in the community.

Chief Eric Redhead made the announcement yesterday, stating Keewatin Tribal Council and Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak's Crisis Response Teams were to arrive in the community.

A seven year-old child was taken to the Children’s Hospital in Winnipeg following a suicide attempt, and Redhead says his own sister, a 32-year-old mother of four, committed suicide earlier this month

Redhead added the community has reached out to Health Canada to provide additional support to the First Nation.

MKO will be holding a media availability with Redhead and Grand Chief Garrison Settee on the situation later today.

Manitoba Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Brent Roussin reported 430 new cases of COVID-19 this afternoon, bringing the five day test positivity rate to 12.7 percent.  Roussin also reported one new death in the Southern Health Region.

Of the new cases, 313 are in the Winnipeg region and 44 in the Southern Health Region, with lower numbers in other regions including 37 in the Northern Health Region.

Chief Nursing Officer Lanette Siragusa says while some people are still getting the virus within three weeks of their first dose of the vaccine, that people should still get the vaccine as it lowers the risk of more severe outcomes from COVID-19. 

Siragusa notes the second doses will be coming soon, but reminds Manitobans to be cautious for the first three weeks so that the vaccine can build up in the body.

Of the total 45, 579 reported cases, 4, 568 are active and 40 thousand individuals have recovered.  Variants of concern numbers were not released. There are currently two active COVID-19 cases in the Thompson/Mystery Lake District.

May is Vision Health Month, and the Canadian Ophthalmological Society is stressing the importance of residents getting their routine eye exams.

Winnipeg ophthalmologist Doctor Gdih Gdih [Gih-day] explains people may be putting off eye exams due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

That can be worrisome considering many serious eye diseases have no symptoms, but if caught early enough during regular exams with an eye doctor; they can treat and prevent vision loss in 75 per cent of cases.

Gdih says Canadians can be proactive in protecting their vision by maintaining a healthy lifestyle, knowing your family medical history, wearing the right sunglasses with UV 400 coverage, and wearing proper safety equipment for work and sports.

To learn more about Vision Health Month, listen to Thompson Today at 12:40 and 5:10 this afternoon.

The Manitoba government has signed a memorandum of understanding with Xplornet Communications to connect more than 125 thousand unserved or underserved Manitobans to reliable high speed internet services.     

Manitoba Central Services Minister Reg Helwer says the agreement will provide broadband services to nearly 30 First Nations and approximately 270 rural and northern communities.

It will also serve 350 communities with cell phone access, including along long stretches of transportation services, as early as this fall using the thousands of kilometers of Manitoba Hydro fibre-optic cable across the province that has unused capacity.

The Manitoba government, Manitoba Hydro and Manitoba Hydro Telecom are collaborating to finalize the contract in the coming weeks.

The annual Relay for Life will be held next month here in Thompson.

The fundraising event celebrates cancer survivors and memorialises those who’ve lost their life to cancer, and the money raised goes towards cancer research.

Bennett explains while they can’t hold the event in person due to public health orders, the community can still come together and participate virtually.

The Relay for Life will be on June 12^th. For more information or to register, visit relayforlife.ca.

Hear the full interview with Bennett on Thompson Today at 12:40 and 5:10 this afternoon.

This month kicks off the War Amp’s annual key tag campaign, which is celebrating its 75^th anniversary this year.

The key tag campaign is a part of the free lost-key return service the organization runs, which employs amputees across the country. The funds from the service along with donations go towards programs and services for Canadian amputees.

Spokesperson James Jordan says the key tags should be in the mail boxes of Manitoba residents by the end of this month, but acknowledges there may be some minor delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

If someone doesn’t receive their key tags by then, they can visit waramps.ca and have them delivered to their address free of charge.

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

On Friday, the City of Thompson formally announced two new transit buses have hit the streets.

In a press release, the city states the 20-passenger Spirit of Mobility buses are more proportional to their transit ridership than the previous full-sized buses, and residents with reduced mobility have it as an option for accessing services in and around the City of Thompson.

The new buses also have GPS systems which will help city planners assess the efficiency of existing transit routes. It will also allow residents to track buses in the city in real-time in the future.

Mayor Colleen Smook says improvements to the city’s transit system have been a long time coming, and that transit that works well is an important part of an accessible and inclusive community.

Premier Brian Pallister has announced a new Manitoba Pandemic Sick Leave Program to provide direct financial assistance to help fill gaps between federal programming and current provincial employment standards for paid sick leave. 

He explains the program will provide all private sector, non-profit and charitable employers with up to six hundred dollars per eligible employee for up to five days for COVID-19 related sick leave. That includes testing, vaccinations, side effects, self-isolation due to COVID-19 symptoms, and care for a loved one in any of these circumstance.

The eligibility period begins today and runs until September 25^th.

A suspect has been charged following a search at a residence in Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation where drugs and money were found.

On Tuesday night, Nelson House RCMP seized approximately 90 grams of cocaine, prescription medication, Canadian currency, and drug-related equipment.

A 32-year-old man faces charges of Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking and Possession of Property Obtained by Crime.

The investigation is ongoing.

Manitoba public health reported 290 new cases of COVID-19 this afternoon bringing the five day test positivity rate to 8.5 percent. They also reported one death in the Winnipeg region. 

Of the new cases, 212 are in the Winnipeg region, 31 in Prairie Mountain and 29 in the Southern region, with lower numbers in other regions. That includes seven in the Northern Health Region. 

Of the total 39, 814 reported cases, 2, 693 are considered active and 36, 142 individuals have recovered. 182 people are in hospital with 47 in intensive care.

The Northern Health Region is currently at 426 active cases, with the Thompson/Mystery Lake District now down to three.

The total reported variants of concern cases across the province are at 2, 705 with 993 active, and a total of 58 reported cases in the Northern Health Region.

On Apr. 2, as a result of a 4-month investigation, Thompson RCMP along with the North District Crime Reduction Enforcement Support Team (CREST), the Emergency Response Team (ERT) and the Manitoba North District Containment Team executed a search warrant at a warehouse located on Severn Crescent in Thompson. The warehouse is associated to a local business with suspected ties to drug trafficking and organized crime.

As a result of this search, officers seized a large quantity of illicit pills, a large sum of cash, a large safe encased in concrete and drug related paraphernalia.

On Apr 30, as a part of this continuing investigation, Thompson RCMP executed a search warrant at an apartment located on Princeton Drive in Thompson. As a result of this search, officers seized approximately 315 grams of cocaine, illicit pills, cash and drug related paraphernalia.

The investigation has resulted in the arrest of two individuals from Thompson, 49-year-old Dennis Thomas and 64-year-old Christopher Pearce. Thomas was remanded into custody for a court appearance scheduled on May 3 in Thompson Provincial court, whereas Pearce was released from custody to appear in Thompson Provincial court on September 24, 2021.

RCMP continue to investigate.

As a way to recognize Mother’s Day this Sunday, the Thompson Pentecostal Assembly will be handing out carnations to the women in the community in their parking lot.

Pastor Mel Versluis explains the church usually does something special for the women who attend their church on Mother’s Day. However considering how difficult this past year has been, they wanted to extend that to the entire community.

The Thompson Pentecostal Assembly will be giving out flowers May 9 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. while supplies last.

A number of residents who attended the City of Thompson’s budget presentation were opposed to the plan that was laid out Thursday night.

The budget outlined last month in the draft financial plan totals out to around 41 million dollars, which is a 5.37 per cent increase from the previous year.

The residential property mill rate would increase by two per cent, while the commercial rate increase is 1.64 per cent.

The ICIP funding for infrastructure is still pending, which would be used for projects including roads, buildings, and water mains.

Residents who spoke during the presentation were overwhelming against the budget, with some stating the city should have allocated funding for local businesses struggling due to the COVID-19 pandemic, while others admonished council for raising taxes during this time.

Council will discuss the budget at their next meeting on Monday.

Visit thompson.ca for the draft financial plan and budget presentation, and the City of Thompson Youtube channel for the video of the presentation.

This is two weekends in a row now that Manitoba RCMP apprehend three impaired drivers in a single shift. Last week’s occurrences occurred in the Lundar/Ashern area, this past weekend, it was Thompson’s turn.

In the span of 12 hours on Saturday, May 1, Thompson RCMP responded to three separate traffic incidents where the vehicle drivers were found to be impaired.

In Canada, it is a criminal offence to operate a conveyance while your ability to operate the conveyance is impaired by alcohol and/or drug as well as having a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) that exceeds 80 mg% (.08). Failing to comply with a demand will result in criminal charges, which carry the same, or greater, penalties as driving while impaired.

At approximately 1:45 pm, officers received a complaint of a hit-and-run collision at the intersection of Princeton Drive and Thompson Drive, near Mystery Lake Road. It was reported that a vehicle rear-ended another vehicle and then fled the scene.

As officers were attending the scene, information was received that led them to an address on Poplar Crescent where the suspect vehicle was located. The investigation led to the arrest of a 28-year-old female, from Thompson, for impaired driving. She was taken to the detachment where she provided breath samples that were found to be over twice the legal limit. She was released for court scheduled July 20, in Thompson, on charges of Operating a Conveyance with a BAC that exceeds 80 mg% (.08) as well as Failing to Stop after an Accident.

At approximately 10:05 pm, an officer observed a vehicle driving erratically near the Thompson Inn. A traffic stop was initiated and the subsequent investigation led to the driver providing a lawful breath demand on an Approved Screening Device (ASD) to which he failed.

The 54-year-old male driver, from Thompson, was served with a 90-day Immediate Roadside Prohibition for Alcohol (IRP) drivers license suspension and released from custody.

Then at around 1:25 am, a traffic stop was initiated on Mystery Lake Road. The investigation led to the arrest of a 31-year-old female, from Thompson, for impaired driving. She was taken to the detachment where she provided breath samples that were found to be over three times the legal limit.

During the course of the investigation, the 31-year-old female provided a false name. Her true identity was uncovered and it was determined that she had a Warrant out for her arrest from The Pas for a previous Impaired Driving incident.

She was remanded into custody on charges including Operating a Conveyance with a BAC that exceeds 80 mg% (.08), Operation of a Conveyance while Impaired and Obstructing a Police Officer.

All three accused each received a 90-day licence suspension as well having their vehicle seized and impounded.