On the front line of the fight to save Canada’s bats

On a cool July evening in the Northwest Territories, a team of young bat surveyors gathered at the base of a box where week-old bat pups had been spotted the night before.

As its name may indicate, a bat box is a human-made wooden habitat placed 10 feet or more above ground as an alternative roosting place for the animals, which sometimes like to find their way into cosy attics.

However, the scene here was bleaker than it had been the previous evening. Two pups looked to have died at the foot of their roost in the 24 hours since they were last seen.

Disappointment lingered among the crew until suddenly, a flutter was spotted in a tiny chest cavity.

No more ‘decisions’ needed for LeBron

LeBron James, one of the world’s most amazing athletes, has made his final decision.

At the age of 41, the 23-year National Basketball Association star is still among the league’s elite players and on July 24, James made Decision II — where to take his talents for the upcoming season. The answer: the Philadelphia 76ers.

Decision I came back in 2010, when King James became a free agent after seven seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers. A native of Akron, Ohio, James was a home-state hero and the undisputed best player in the league, proof of which were back-to-back MVP awards in his last two seasons with the Cavs. But LeBron was ready to move and every team in the league visited Fort Knox to gather up enough cash to try to entice him to their team. Where would he go? ESPN turned the James saga into a 75-minute TV special, during which James announced he would sign with the Miami Heat.

He played four seasons in Miami, winning two more Most Valuable Player awards and leading Miami to a pair of NBA titles. Free agency beckoned again, and LeBron went back to Cleveland for four more seasons. The last seven years, he’s played for the Los Angeles Lakers, winning another league title in 2020.

Doors to historic Brandon homes flung open

If you’ve ever walked or driven around the city and found yourself wondering what’s behind door No. 1 … or 2, or 3 … then Doors Open Brandon is for you.

Doors Open is a chance to satisfy curiosity about heritage and other notable buildings in Brandon. The free event takes place Aug. 15 from noon to 4 p.m. and includes both guided and self-guided tours of buildings — including some not normally open to the public.

“Doors Open Brandon is in many ways a sister program to the Open Gardens program,” said Brady Dane, recreation co-ordinator at Parks and Recreation Services in Brandon.

“The idea is people get access to some buildings of either historical or general interest that aren’t usually open to the public. We also partner with a lot of the local museums in the Westman region to offer free entry and a little bit of enhancement to their offerings.”

Cross-country runner makes pit stop

A 22-year-old long distance runner visited Brandon last week during his journey across Canada.

James Newman visited on day 79 of his trek across the country as he raises money for scholarships for children who lost their parents. Newman said Manitoba was a welcome sight at this stage into his journey, having started from St. John’s, N.L.

“It’s easier running. It’s so fricken nice,” Newman said of the Manitoba leg of his journey. “Its unbelievable. If it wasn’t for the heat, this would be the best province to run in.”

The flat terrain of Westman gave his body time to recover, he said. He has had issues with internal bleeding, blisters and tendon injuries along his run, which had exceeded 5,200 kilometres by the time he landed in Brandon.

Rural Roundup — Aug. 13, 2026

DAUPHIN

Getting Dauphin Regional Health Centre back up and running is not as simple as plugging in a generator and firing up the x-ray machines.

Prairie Mountain Health CEO Treena Slate said all systems in the hospital are intertwined and operating such a facility requires a significant amount of power.

“The gases that are required in the operating room and obstetrical care, they alone require probably the most significant amounts of power. All of the diagnostics services in the building require a significant amount of power,” Slate said. “Those two systems have to be in place before we can do anything in the building. We need to have our electrical infrastructure in place before we can power up the HVAC systems and the mechanical structures in the building.

Assiniboine College brings new modular trades courses to Dauphin

Assiniboine College is introducing a series of short-term construction trades courses at its Parkland campus in Dauphin this fall, offering flexible training for people interested in home improvement projects or exploring careers in the skilled trades.

The new modular program begins Oct. 5 and is divided into five standalone, hands-on courses, each running about three weeks. Students can enrol in a single course or combine multiple offerings to build a broader range of practical construction skills.

The courses cover drywall installation and finishing, painting selection and application, interior finishing, exterior finishing and concrete forming.

Jim DeGraeve, Acting Dean of Trades at Assiniboine College, said the courses are intended to provide an accessible entry point for people looking to gain practical experience without committing to a longer program.

Building Neepawa’s future health-care workforce

A University of Manitoba program designed to give health-care students firsthand experience in rural Manitoba is creating new opportunities in Neepawa while strengthening the community’s ability to attract future doctors, nurses and other professionals.

Officials with the university’s Office of Rural and Remote Learner Experiences say Neepawa has become a popular destination for students completing placements, highlighting the community’s growing role in training the next generation of health-care workers.

The program, launched in 2021, supports students from medicine, nursing, pharmacy, dentistry and rehabilitation programs by helping arrange travel and accommodations for placements outside Winnipeg. Its goal is simple: introduce students to life in rural Manitoba and encourage them to consider building careers there.

“We recognized that part of the gap in recruitment and retention into rural communities is ensuring learners have an experience in those communities,” Program Director Melissa Balness said in an interview. “If you grew up in an urban centre and have never been to a rural community, it’s hard for you to envision working there.”

Anthology looks to art, poetry and personal stories to reflect ongoing tragedy of MMIWG2S

REDress: Art, Action, and the Power of Presence is not a book with a beginning and an end, says Red River Métis author, artist and activist Jaime Black-Morsette.

“I tried to subvert the concept of the book and make it a circle by calling the last chapter ‘Beginning Again’. And I’m really looking into the ways in which we have the philosophy of the circle and the cycle, and rebirth and death, and of coming back and rising up again,” said Black-Morsette.

The final chapter includes Black-Morsette’s poems “Skywoman” and “Skywoman 1” about the beginning of the world.

“I’m really thinking about, and posing to readers, the concept of what seeds are we planting, what new worlds are we building…and imagining what those look like,” she said.

No more ‘decisions’ needed for LeBron

LeBron James, one of the world’s most amazing athletes, has made his final decision.

At the age of 41, the 23-year National Basketball Association star is still among the league’s elite players and on July 24, James made Decision II — where to take his talents for the upcoming season. The answer: Philadelphia 76ers.

Decision I came back in 2010, when King James became a free agent after seven seasons with Cleveland Cavaliers. A native of Akron, Ohio, James was a home-state hero and the undisputed best player in the league, proof of which were back-to-back MVP awards in his last two seasons with the Cavs. But LeBron was ready to move and every team in the league visited Fort Knox to gather up enough cash to try to entice him to their team. Where would he go? ESPN turned the James saga into a 75-minute TV special, during which James announced he would be signing with the Miami Heat.

Cycle of Hope to visit Brandon today

Habitat for Humanity’s Cycle of Hope fundraising tour is scheduled to land in Brandon this afternoon during a seven day tour of southern Manitoba.

Up to 50 cyclists will arive through the afternoon, along with support volunteers, and will be staying overnight at Brandon Vineyard Community Church. The riders will then head out to Killarney tomorrow in a group down Highway 10.

The ride through Brandon will help cyclists witness the fruits of their labours, Brett Bourne, manager of signature events at Habitat for Humanity, said.

“It’s just putting the whole picture together for the riders,” Bourne said. “The cyclists can see exactly where the efforts are going.”

Rural Roundup for Aug. 6, 2026

NEEPAWA

The final hurdle in the return of a Practical Nursing program to Neepawa in 2027 has been cleared.

In July, Neepawa Town Council approved signing a new lease agreement with Assiniboine College for the rental of the Neepawa Training Facility. The agreement, which begins Aug. 1 and runs until Sept. 30, 2028, will see the facility used as a base for the college’s Licensed Practical Nursing program, which is scheduled to begin in January.

The space, located in the former RCMP building at 239 Mill Street, will also be used for an adult learning centre. Under the terms of the lease deal, the Town of Neepawa will receive $5,000 per month. This marks the return of Assiniboine College to Neepawa, as the inaugural two year program launched back in early 2024. During its’ year hiatus from Neepawa, the program was taught in Steinbach.

Steam engine community turns out strong in Austin

AUSTIN — Steam engine hobbyists say the torch will need to be passed to keep the antique hobby alive.

At the Austin Threshermen’s Reunion & Stampede last month, about 30 volunteers ran demonstrations, such as by powering a sawmill and a farm plow with steam, and playing a game of tug-of-war with a steam-powered tractor. One hobbyist, Andy McMillan of Carman, said it’ll soon be up to a younger generation to get involved to keep the shows going.

“Its a dying hobby really,” he said. “A lot of these people I’ve known my whole life. Except there’s going to be a lot fewer cause people are getting older.”

Steam engine enthusiasts are used to seeing each other at events around the Prairies, even across the border into the United States, and running rigs together at various shows, he said. But as time passes, so grows the need for new interest and membership to continue the niche community.

Study links Yukon Chinook salmon decline to marine heat waves in the Bering Sea

YUKON — There is reason to be hopeful, says the Yukon Salmon Sub-Committee, in light of a new study published by Alaska researchers that sheds more light on the mystery of shrinking Chinook salmon returns on the Yukon River.

Co-authored by researchers from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and the U.S. National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) the study identifies significant and prolonged marine heat waves in the Bering Sea as a contributing factor to the massive drop in the number of salmon migrating up the Yukon River to return to spawning beds in the Yukon.

A marine heatwave is defined a period of increased ocean water temperatures that meet or exceed the upper limits of the historical average for a period of five or more days in a row.

Curry Cunningham is an associate professor of fisheries with the University of Alaska Fairbanks College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences and was one of the lead researchers on the NOAA led study.

Assiniboine marks 65 years with legacy tree planting at North Hill

Assiniboine College marked its 65th anniversary with a project intended to leave a lasting mark on its North Hill campus, planting 65 trees with the help of staff, students and a local nursery.

The planting took place earlier this month as part of the college’s anniversary celebrations. Evergreen Valley Nursery donated 40 of the trees, while the college purchased the remaining 25.

College president Mark Frison said the initiative reflects both the institution’s history and its future.

“These trees are a living symbol representing growth, our students, our people, and our impact in the communities we serve,” Frison said. “They will be a great addition to the North Hill campus, a cornerstone of our future.”

Tasting tips for International Beer Day

After a hot day mowing the lawn or digging in the garden, prairie folk hardly need an excuse to enjoy a perfectly chilled beer. But if you were looking for one, International Beer Day 2026 takes place on Friday, August 7. Your excuse would be even better if you made that cold one a locally produced craft beer.

Manitoba has about 26 craft breweries and brewers are highly creative. If you are wanting to expand your palate, a little know-how is in order.

Sidney and Laryssa Stevenson run Section 6 Brewery (section6brewing.ca) a craft brewery and taproom in Brandon and are happy to share their expertise on what is behind all those flavours.

To start, all beer has the same four basic ingredients: malt, hops, yeast, and water.