MINNEDOSA

A local curling tournament that fundraises for cancer surpassed the $100,000 mark in its sixth year. The Curling for a Cure tournament in Minnedosa raised $40,060 this year after competition on Feb. 14-16.

The fundraising this year drove the grand total to $134,611 since the curling tournament began.

Money from this year will go to the Candlelighters Childhood Cancer program and the Neepawa Community Cancer Program.

Spots have already sold out for next year’s tournament. Tournament organizer Chad Yanchycki said eight extra teams will be allowed to sign up for next year, which will bring the total 32.

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DAUPHIN

Mountain View School Division will receive a 6.5 per cent increase in funding in the coming year from the province.

MVSD secretary-treasurer Lori Slepicka said the division badly needs the increase. She said that the biggest increase in the division appeared to be in wage and enrolment growth, which will help pay for raises and contracts.

The division also received an increase in nutrition program funding.

Manitoba’s education minister Tracey Scmidt said the increase is above the rate of inflation so schools can be confident in stable funding as they set budgets.

The total support is now up to $28.1 million for the MVSD.

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WESTMAN

New data obtained by an association of health-care professionals shows that emergency medical services have become less available and reliable.

Jason Linklater, president of the Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals, wrote in an essay that ambulance response times in rural Manitoba are getting worse despite the NDP’s commitment to fix health care.

“Paramedics are committed to providing care, but they are struggling with ongoing staffing shortages combined with high call volumes and intensifying social challenges, including on-the-job violence,” he wrote.

Key findings in Linklater’s essay include that rural ambulances were out of service on average almost 30,000 hours each month due to staffing shortages in 2024. This would happen, for example, when two paramedics were not available to staff the ambulance. Linklater wrote this was a 400 per cent increase since four years previous.

Linklater also wrote that response times for ambulances increased year-over-year in the Prairie Mountain Health region in the most recent year-over-year data. He added that call volumes have increased in recent years, and a large number of Shared Health paramedic positions are unstaffed; about 200 of roughly 800 positions.

» Minnedosa Tribune

NEEPAWA

A Westman member of parliament is speaking out about recent break-ins to mail boxes at post offices. MP Dan Mazier for Dauphin–Swan River–Neepawa said a chain of crime highlights the need to get tough.

Mazier said the targeted break-ins were in Neepawa, Minnedosa, Rivers, Kelwood, Arden, Austin, MacGregor, Carberry, Rapid City, Erickson, Onanole and Sandy Lake.

“I am aware of at least 250 mailboxes that have been broken into in various communities throughout our region,” Mazier wrote in February. “This is not a coincidence; this is the work of repeat offenders who have no fear of consequences.”

Mazier said the attacks have led to an unacceptable result: that some post offices have been forced to lock their doors at night, making it impossible for Canadians to access their mail in these areas after doors shut, for example at 5 p.m.

Speaking of the current situation in Westman, Mazier said he would like to see more security at post offices, such as cameras. But he added the attacks are from individuals he thinks would not be deterred by them.

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BRANDON

Canada’s National Arabian Championships is returning to Brandon this summer, thanks to the efforts of Brandon First, an organization that promotes the Wheat City to multi-day activities and their organizations.

Executive director Jennifer Watson says they attend conferences, meetings, sporting events and more to find events that would make a good fit for Brandon to host. Then they find a local committee or interested party to pursue these potential leads and liaison between the committees, the venues and local stakeholders.

One of the highlights of last year’s events was the first-ever Western Canadian U-13 Boys and Girls Softball Tournament, and the largest provincials that the Ashley Neufeld Baseball Complex has seen to date.

Watson says it often takes years in advance to bid for a large event.

» Discover Westman

CARTWRIGHT

A new building for a local butcher is set to open soon as the butcher, Russ Isaac, and his wife Gloria have invested in the building to upgrade their family business.

Border Trail Meats is set to open its new location in March as the family puts their finishing touches on a 1,440-square-foot building. The red-and-black building sits on Highway 3 near Cartwright.

Russ does custom cuts for customers in the area, but he is hoping to expand. The aim is to add meat sales to the business, and possibly install a smoking room in the new building. Russ said the business may hire an additional employee now.

The butcher said the new building is the biggest investment the family has ever made, and he hopes to keep happy customers for the business for the years to come.

» Killarney Guide