2025 October Archive

By Tony Zerucha

The Town of Beausejour is scheduled to get an early Halloween treat as the Park Avenue watermain project is both on schedule and under budget. 
Work began in April between the 100 and 300 blocks of Park Ave., which took three weeks. The work has continued east in sections on the north side of Park Avenue. Beginning on Sept. 22, 801-917 Park Ave. will see four weeks of work, concluding around Oct. 17. The final section, 918-951 Park Ave., runs to Oct. 24. Final restoration will follow and resume next spring.

Excavations are expected both on boulevards and private property to connect water service lines to the new watermain. Residents and businesses will continue to be provided with above-ground temporary water service during the service line installation works as some affected properties continue to be disconnected for several hours or more.

All efforts are made to maintain access to driveways and businesses, but municipal staff caution that no access will be allowed during certain activities. Affected residents can park on adjacent streets, and business owners are consulted if access is restricted during construction. 

Residents and business owners should prepare for discoloured water due to flushing and hydrant use. The Town of Beausejour recommends running cold water for five minutes and letting it settle for 30. If the issue persists, contact the Town of Beausejour.

Director of Operations Brendan Mazurik credited great weather for the project’s quick start. Mother Nature took a few days back with some bad weather, which, combined with congestion and increasingly poor ground conditions, pushed the timeline back.

Mazurik expects the delays to be temporary, but cautioned that progress is dependent on ground conditions.

“As they move east of Fifth Street South, the congestion issue will improve,” Mazurik said. “However, ground conditions remain the same, with lots of sand, hardpan and boulders. The weather also remains a risk. We’re still expecting a completion date around Oct. 24.”

Mazurik said the project, which had a tab of just over $4.3 million, is currently under budget, thanks to lower clean-up costs.

“The town has contingencies built into the contract for contaminated soil and restoration,” Mazurik explained. “The town sampled five former service station sites and received favourable results, which means the town will not need to perform any extra clean up or change construction materials suitable for contaminated soil, a total cost savings of approximately $50,000. 

“We’ve also included several options for hard surface restoration in the contract. Depending on the conditions this fall, and the (Manitoba

Infrastructure and Transportation) schedule for the Park Avenue Road Project, the Town expects to save another $40,000-$100,000 in temporary restoration costs at this point.”

The watermain will connect with Beausejour’s new $16.6 million water treatment plant located on the east end of Beausejour, which was officially opened in May. The old water treatment plant was built in 1957 and upgraded in 1962, 1976 and 1995, but was at the end of its usable life span. The new plant allows the town to improve their water supply with a softened treated water and meet the projected growth demands.

2022 audit reveals shortfall, money to be paid back over 10-year term

By Mark T. Buss

An audit into the Town of Lac du Bonnet’s previous finances and practices has identified a significant accumulated deficit that will require the town to borrow money to pay it back.

At the council meeting of Sept. 25, the town passed a resolution to proceed with municipal borrowing to address the accumulated deficits revealed in the 2022 municipal audit, totalling $896,189 and pay it back over a 10-year term. 
CAO Marley Seymour said a deficit amount of $425,826 was accumulated over the time period from 2017-2021, with 2022 alone producing a deficit of $470,333.

The town acknowledges the financial shortfall stems from past decisions and operational practices involving previous council and administration. Key contributing factors included inaccurate budgeting, purchases of non-budgeted items, overspending on capital projects, and unexpected repairs to municipal assets.

Seymour said several big ticket items were undertaken during that time period to improve infrastructure and community services. These projects included Lac du Bonnet Arena foundation upgrades, watermain renewal projects, the rebuild of the Lac du Bonnet dock and the acquisition of Environmental Options Recycling Depot.

“Environmental Options was purchased but not budgeted for,” Seymour said.
There was also the purchase of property at 82 Park Ave., but that has since been sold to help recover shortfalls.

As required under municipal legislation, the audit documents were submitted to the Province of Manitoba for review. On Sept. 22, Minister of Municipal and Northern Relations Glen Simard issued an order directing the town to recover the full noted deficit amount through borrowing.

As part of the legislated borrowing process, a public notice will be issued and a borrowing bylaw will be drafted and submitted to the Municipal Board for approval. 

In a statement, Mayor Ken Lodge said since the 2022 election, the town has identified inconsistencies in bookkeeping and expenditures and took immediate steps to investigate and restrict spending. He added there is no reason to believe there was any intent or malice in the actions that let to the deficit.

“Our goal now is to move forward responsibly and ensure we are on firm financial footing,” Lodge stated. “We are committed to following all required regulations and putting corrective measures in place.”

Seymour confirmed the deficit will impact property taxes. The borrowing will result in annual debenture payments starting in 2026, which will be included in the general municipal portion of property tax bills.

She said the administration team is working to meet council’s goals of strategic planning and fiscal discipline. They are also identifying efficiencies to address budget constraints and implementing measures to ensure that similar issues do not arise in the future.

The 2023 and 2024 audits are still outstanding. A financial consultant is currently assisting with the review of financial documents to ensure accuracy and completeness before submission.

By Tony Zerucha

When it came time to seek a replacement for retiring CAO Colleen Johnson, the RM of Whitemouth only had to look down the hallway to find a suitable candidate in municipal finance officer Lacey Smith.

Johnson recently announced her retirement after 10 years of service to Whitemouth and 42 years of working for towns and municipalities across Manitoba. She and her husband Arthur are settling in Lundar, where she will be kept busy as a nana to three grandchildren.

“We just love it,” Johnson said.

Johnson praised the team at Whitemouth, who she credits for many successful projects over the years. There were beneficial infrastructure works, including an underground reservoir with the health authority. Early in her Whitemouth tenure, an important insurance claim was settled, and the Fire Marque insurance program in Whitemouth was a Manitoba first. 

Johnson is also proud of the achievements of many local, regional, provincial and national committees. She travelled to the Philippines to teach municipal administrators and participated in a judicial recount here. While serving on an Association of Manitoba Municipalities committee, Johnson got to pick up environmentalist David Suzuki at the airport and spend time with him.

In addition to municipal administration, Johnson helped other municipalities find suitable CAOs. That helped her know she had a gem in Smith, who has rare qualifications.

“In my years of looking for CAOs for other RMs, Lacey is the first person with senior utility operator experience, never mind administrative experience,” Johnson said. “I am so impressed.”

Smith began her career in Whitemouth in 2012 as a utility operator. She was a utility operator and lead with the LGD of Pinawa before returning to Whitemouth as an administrator two years ago.

Johnson and Smith are working together until Christmas. Smith said she’s excited about learning all she can over the next 14 weeks.

“Colleen is an absolutely fantastic mentor,” Smith said. “I appreciate her insight.”

There is plenty to keep them busy. They’re focused on a new lagoon and a waterline extension for Elma. Subdivisions are proposed, and a zoning plan is up for review.

Smith brings insights gleaned from her utility and public works backgrounds. She said that understanding is critical when it comes to planning projects and applying for grants.

In the coming weeks, Johnson will be perusing files as she looks for anything that can help Smith learn and avoid unnecessary pitfalls.

“You never want history to repeat itself,” Johnson said. “We want the i’s dotted, t’s crossed, and  every ratepayer treated with the utmost respect.”
Smith is excited to face any upcoming challenges.

“I have some big shoes to fill,” she concluded. “I’m looking forward to working for the citizens of Whitemouth.”

Cottage owners association to appeal to Municipal and Northern Relations after second reading passed

By Simon Ducatel

Bird River residents who oppose the Winnipeg River Planning District’s proposed plan to lift a decades-old development moratorium intend to appeal with the provincial government after the Municipality of Alexander recently passed second reading. 

Among their primary concerns is part of the proposal to flip approximately 600 acres of land from natural resource to residential/cottage for potential development. 

Last year, when Alexander began a provincially-mandated review of the municipality’s development plan, a consultant was brought onboard to help steer the process and the first round of public hearings was held. That was when residents heard the moratorium on developments along the Bird River, a narrow and shallow stretch of water that has been pushed beyond its capacity, could end up being lifted should the revised development plan go through, said Hank Krueger, vice-president of the Bird River Cottage Owners Association (BRCOA).

“Everybody at the meeting wasn’t too terribly pleased with that,” Krueger said, adding residents were assured development wouldn’t necessarily occur immediately.

A second draft was later presented following the first round of consultations. However, the document was not substantially changed from the original, Krueger said, adding the moratorium would still be lifted and parcels redesignated but with the caveat that any subdivisions would need to have lots no less than 20 acres.

“It’s just at this point, I think, to try to pacify the people,” he said, adding the municipality could potentially later come back to subdivide those parcels into smaller lots.

A second public hearing held Sept. 11 in a virtual video format that people had to register for in advance also left a lot to be desired, he said, adding there was no opportunity to make verbal presentations and limited ability to ask questions. 

“None of my questions were answered,” he said. “So that was disappointing.”
The moratorium that had been conducted identified the density of cottage development along the Bird River placed a substantive demand on the waterway.  However, the moratorium had allowed for approximately 50 lots before coming into effect.

“Now the consultants are saying, ‘Well, you know, the moratorium was a failure because boat traffic increased anyway.’” 

Krueger said those attending the consultation heard that increased boat traffic was due to people coming to the river from other areas of the lake.

“And that may be part of the issue... but certainly when you build another 50 lots on an already saturated river, and each one of those new cottages probably has a pontoon boat, a speed boat, a fishing boat, and a couple of jet skis, that certainly contributes to the carrying capacity or lack thereof of our river,” he said. “They didn’t answer that question.”

Members of the cottage owners’ association are seeking support through a website they set up – brcoa.ca – to collect signatures for a petition they intend to send to the minister along with a letter, adding the number of names was inching upward to 1,000. The deadline to sign the petition is Oct. 5. 

For his part, Alexander Deputy Reeve Mac Kinghorn, who is also chair of the Winnipeg River Planning District, expressed support for the people on the Bird River – especially the owners of homestead properties that have been in families for generations.

Over the years, he said the RM has contributed funds on a nearly annual basis to conduct water quality testing and is currently in the process of becoming a part of a new watershed district that is being formed covering the Winnipeg River area.

“The water quality in the Bird River really is not the greatest,” he said, adding the moratorium originally came into play as a result of the provincial government under the intent of addressing the amount of boat traffic. 

“I think the moratorium is a good idea. I really am not crazy about it being removed,” said Kinghorn. “But when it came into play, the whole idea of it was to try and limit the amount of boat traffic on the river.” 

Kinghorn noted owners of homestead properties were not properly considered.
“I feel that they’ve gotten a raw deal,” he said. “What it boils down to is this moratorium won’t let them subdivide... they are to the point where they would all like to have their piece of paradise. They should have the ability to be able to subdivide.”

Another factor was a failure in the moratorium to limit the number of boats per property allowed on the river at any given time, he said. 

“We’ve got people that have got their two- to five-acre lot with the big, sprawling houses on them; can’t call them cottages, because it’s just too big to be cottages,” he said. “They got a pontoon boat. They’ve got a fishing cruise type boat, and they got two jet skis.” 

The result is entire families out on the water using multiple crafts, he said.
“The mistake was made then when the moratorium came in,” he said. “It should have been limited to one boat per lot... that may have helped.” 

Kinghorn also said the municipality learned through the consultant that the province did not feel keeping the moratorium was worthwhile as it didn’t work.  
“It’s the bulk of the people on the river that want it, which are the ones that have all developed their paradise lots and are against having any further development to it,” he said. 

Although the second reading has passed, nothing is written in stone. Following the municipality’s submission to the province was a 14-day period for people to appeal. 

By Mark T. Buss

The former reeve of the RM of Reynolds believes proposed changes to the RM’s zoning bylaw will take the decision making process out of the hands of elected councillors.

“The municipality won’t be run by council any more, it will be run by the municipality, which is hired people under direction of the provincial government,” David Turchyn said.

On Oct. 7 at 7 p.m., a public hearing will be held at the Reynolds Civic Centre in Hadashville in regards to adopting Zoning Bylaw 04-2025 and replace Zoning Bylaw No. 7/13 in accordance with the Planning Act. 
Municipal zoning bylaws regulate and control the use of development of land and buildings within the limits of the RM. Although zoning bylaws should be adjusted every few years, the current bylaws for Reynolds have been unchanged since 2014.

An 80-page document, Turchyn believes the proposed bylaw will take future development out of the hands of property owners and give it to the development officer. Under the proposed bylaw, he claims if a farmer wants to clear land larger than one acre, they need a site plan, a drainage plan, an application must be provided for a fee, and the decision will not be made by council.

“My interpretation of the regulations are they are quite restrictive,” Turchyn said. “The permit fees and procedures may become quite costly and time consuming.”

Reynolds taxpayer Taylor Connolly says updated municipal-wide zoning changes may impact landowners. She encourages residents to do their homework before attending the meeting, read the draft zoning bylaw and review maps. She encourages participants to know what zone they are in, the history of the property’s zoning and how they intend to use their land in the future.

She also asks taxpayers to review the language of the proposed bylaw to see if it is more restrictive and judge for themselves if there is power shift from elected officials to RM staff.

“(It is) imperative that every resident in the RM of Reynolds comes to this public hearing, as it directly affects all of us,” Connolly stated.

Zoning Bylaw 04-2025 and supporting material may be inspected at the Reynolds municipal office during normal office hours Monday to Friday. Copies may be made upon request.

By Morgan Maguet

Dr. Ayo Abioye has begun offering medical services at Guardian Pharmacy in Beausejour on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

“I am excited to be offering holistic and comprehensive care to the people in Beausejour and the surrounding area,” said Dr. Ayo. “I am offering a variety of medical services for people of all ages. I am accepting new patients and also willing to see walk-ins as I am able to accommodate my work schedule.”

Dr. Ayo has worked as a family physician for the past three years and has more than a decade of experience in internal medicine.

“I relocated from Ireland after 13 years of training and interning there. I completed my training in general medicine and then specialized in family medicine. I am currently exploring a special interest in skin conditions and working toward a diploma in dermatology,” she said.

Dr. Ayo added the community itself was part of what drew her to the area.

“I was attracted to Beausejour as I believe it is a beautiful place where I will be able to provide the kind of patient care I intend to offer. The people here are friendly, polite and appreciative,” she said.

Dr. Ayo looks forward to becoming part of the community while helping residents access consistent and compassionate care close to home.
The addition comes at a time when many Manitoba communities are facing physician shortages and long waits to see a family doctor. By setting up in a central, familiar location, the clinic in Guardian Pharmacy aims to make it easier for residents to get the care they need without leaving town.
“The clinic officially re-opened on Sept. 4,” said Michael Rassin, owner of Guardian Pharmacy, located at 635 Park Ave. “Patients are welcome to either book appointments ahead of time [at 204-268-2500] or simply walk in during clinic hours.”

The service is expected to complement the pharmacy’s existing role in the community, offering convenience for residents who need prescriptions, advice or follow-up care.

Rassin said the pharmacy currently has plans to expand the service. 
“Our goal is to have two full-time doctors in place by November 2025,” he said.

The clinic currently offers a wide range of services including primary care and preventative medicine, chronic disease management, weight-loss support, pediatric care and child immunizations, women’s health, as well as travel and other vaccines.

The addition of Dr. Ayo marks a positive step in expanding local primary care and improving access for Beausejour residents.

By Brian Adolph

The 2025/26 Eastern Manitoba Concert Association (EMCA) season opened with a tribute to two of Canada’s most iconic singer-songwriters Sept. 27 at the Pinawa Community Centre.

Leonard and Joni: The Untold Love Story recounts, in story, song and projected images, the brief romantic relationship and lifelong friendship between Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen.

Covering the period between the pair’s first meeting at the Newport Folk Festival in 1967 and Mitchell’s return to the same festival 55 years later, Edmonton singers Dana Wylie and Joe Nolan alternated performing selections from the Mitchell and Cohen songbooks. The opening classics, Suzanne and Both Sides Now illustrated how the young Cohen and Mitchell – both brilliant poets – recognized each other as kindred spirits.

The two-set, 110-minute show highlighted songs the artists inspired in one another, featuring pieces such as Bird on a Wire (based on a painting by Mitchell) and Rainy Night House (about the pair’s breakup). A standout moment was Wylie’s stirring performance of That Song About the Midway (written about Cohen), where she demonstrated the remarkable vocal range required of any singer tackling Joni Mitchell’s music. Nolan, in turn, beautifully channelled the beat-poet sensibility of Cohen in a moving recitation of A Thousand Kisses Deep.

Backing Wylie and Nolan were Harry Gregg (bass), Jamie Cooper (drums), Rooster Davis (organ, piano), and Kyle Mosiuk (guitar, vocals), who, along with Wylie, are members of the acclaimed Edmonton-based roots/blues band Secondhand Dreamcar.

Wrapping up with a spirited Big Yellow Taxi, Joni and Leonard: The Untold Love Story left the audience with a deeper appreciation for how Cohen and Mitchell’s lifelong relationship inspired some of the most iconic songs of their generation.

By Tony Zerucha

Sagkeeng First Nation’s Lennon Hall hopes his championship at the recent 2025 Canadian Muay Thai Open in Kitchener, Ont. inspires Indigenous youth to follow their dreams. 

Competing in the 18-40 years C Class (63.5 kg.), Hall won three bouts to capture the title on Aug. 17.

It’s been a meteoric rise for a man who only began competing three years ago. Hall said he tried boxing, wrestling and jiu-jitsu before settling on muay thai, attracted by the striking. The avid mixed martial arts fan quickly found success, as he won the 2023 Revelation Sub-Only Grappling Tournament in Steinbach.
Hall is always training, but he accelerates it when approaching a fight.

“When I have a fight coming up, I train harder and more often,” he said. “I’ll train all week and take a day or two off. My harder training days are usually Sunday and Wednesday. The training usually involves padwork, running, sparring, drilling techniques and callisthenics.”

Hall initially trained on his own, but found that a supportive team helped him grow as a competitor. He joined Winnipeg Kickboxing and Muay Thai under the tutelage of Canadian champion Trisha Sammons and Brendon Paukovic.

“They’ve helped me tremendously on this journey,” Hall said. “The team is the main reason why I’ve been successful so far. They push me to my limits and help me grow.”

Hall said the entire Kitchener experience was a blast. He bonded with his teammates and got to know them better.

The fights were pretty good, too.

“The build-up to each fight was the most challenging part,” he explained. “Even after each win, I still knew I had to fight again, and that was mentally challenging. At the end of the day, I was able to overcome the challenge and win the tournament.”

Hall’s goal was to capture gold, but it was also important for him to showcase the hard work he and his teammates put into training. Donning the belt was a victory for him and them.

He also hopes to inspire many future victories in many fields for Indigenous people. 

“I want to represent my people as an Aboriginal athlete and show them that we can be much more than drugs, alcohol and gang violence,” Hall said. “I want the youth to see me and feel inspired. And of course I want to be a champion!”
Hall said he still needs to work on the mental aspects of muay thai, which are tested during gruelling competitions. Related to that are developing cardiovascular endurance, physical strength, and the discipline to answer the bell every day.

“Outside the gym, I am a father,” Hall said. “I tend to use it as an excuse not to train, but I have to work on that.”

And work on it he does. Hall knows he has plenty of reasons to keep going.
“My greatest strength is the journey I’ve been through and the team and support I have behind me.”

Diagnosed with cystic fibrosis as a baby, Wyatt Spring wants to be next Owen Martin

By Tony Zerucha

As her son Wyatt approaches nears the three-year anniversary of his first dose of the cystic fibrosis (CF) drug Trikafta, Sheralin Spring marvels at how far he’s come.

Now she can also look forward to where he’s going.

When he was a few weeks old, Wyatt, now nine, was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis. Thanks to a prescreening program, it was detected early.

The diagnosis was life-changing for the family. Wyatt had to undergo nearly three hours of therapy every day.  His regimen including drug inhalation and pummelling, where his parents would cup their hands and tap his chest in a bid to loosen mucus. Wyatt took seven medications daily.

In 2020, Spring learned that Manitoba was the only province at the time without a CF drug plan. That put promising new drugs like Trikafta financially out of reach for most families. At the time, Trikafta cost $407,000 a round.

Three other options cost between $250,000 and $380,000 per round.

Those drugs are important because they go beyond treating symptoms to targeting the genetic defects that cause the disease. In trials, recipients often saw their symptoms subside within hours; weight gain could begin in days.
Spring went to work. She became president of the Manitoba chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Together with a group, they met with politicians and lobbied for coverage. Approvals came in stages, with Wyatt’s age group getting the okay in late summer of 2022. In October, he celebrates three years on a drug that has dramatically changed his life.

“I feel like it’s zoomed by,” Spring said. “He went from having this persistent cough in the mornings, but after three weeks of Trikafta, it was gone. Eight to 10 months after he began taking Trikafta, we stopped doing his evening treatments.

“When we initially tested to detect CF, Wyatt’s score was 116; anything over 60 was indicative of it. Now he hovers around 40, so technically, he doesn’t meet that diagnostic criteria for having CF as long as he’s taking his meds.”

Spring said Wyatt is doing so well that they are considering stopping his evening treatments, too; the next doctor’s appointment will help decide.
Wyatt is thriving. He made his A hockey team last season and was a top scorer. This summer, he’s playing in an elite summer league. On Father’s Day, Wyatt placed 16 out of 2,200 in the Manitoba Marathon’s five-kilometre run.

“It’s just insane,” Spring said. “He finished a 5k race in just over 22 minutes. I run 5k multiple times a week, and I am lucky if I can do it in 28 minutes, and I’ve been doing it a long time.

“He’s the epitome of health and thriving; just an athlete. I don’t know if it would have been like that if we didn’t have him on Trikafta.”

Wyatt has his sights set on being the next Owen Martin, the Oakbank product who was just drafted by the Winnipeg Jets. He’s skated since he could walk. Every day, he shoots pucks in the garage and practices his skills. Nothing is taken for granted.

For Spring, it’s a welcome change, one she once thought was never to be.
“I thought he was not going to be able to do what other kids do, he’s not going to be able to play sports. That’s something we’re passionate about in our household. 

“I don’t like to admit when I’m wrong, but I’ve never been happier to have been wrong in that circumstance. Because he’s not just doing what other kids can do, he’s doing even more. That’s just Wyatt. He’s always been a go-getter who wants to do his best. Nothing stops him.”

Wyatt is a man of few words, but he wants to encourage kids with CF and many other illnesses that they can do whatever they put their minds to.
Spring encourages parents and loved ones of kids diagnosed with diseases never to give up hope

“Science is changing every single day for everything. Now, we’re talking about gene therapy. They’re talking about possibly being able to cure CF before a kid is even born.

 “Trikafta is just the beginning of everything. And no matter what, you know, if you have a loved one with a medical condition, don’t give up hope, because there is change happening every day. 

“He’s only nine, and his life is completely different than when he was born, and it’s completely different than people who were born with CF 20 or 30 years ago.”

Hosco says she has been treated like a criminal due to chronic respiratory issue

By Morgan Maguet

Garson resident Sharon Hosco is taking Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) to court, alleging that her driver’s licence was improperly suspended after chronic respiratory issues prevented her from completing a roadside breathalyzer test.
Hosco says she’s pursuing the case not just for herself, but for others in similar situations.

“No one should have to go through this,” Hosco said. “You shouldn’t be treated like a criminal just because you have a medical issue.”

Pulled over near Lockport on Hwy 44 in November 2024 for speeding, she was asked to complete a routine breathalyzer test.

As a person who struggles with asthma, cough hypersensitivity and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease diagnosed by a pulmonologist, Hosco told the officer she may have difficulty with the test. At the time, she said she was also struggling with a bad cough and later tested positive for COVID-19, for which she was prescribed a new inhaler by her doctor.

When the RCMP officer asked her to blow into a screening device, she says she tried repeatedly but could not produce enough air.

“I continued to try 12 times... and was told my efforts were going to be documented as a refusal,” said Hosco.

Under Manitoba’s Highway Traffic Act, a recorded refusal is treated the same as a confirmed impaired reading. Hosco’s car was immediately seized, and her licence was suspended for 90 days.

“I was speeding, but I haven’t had a drink since my 50th birthday, and I am 77 now,” said Hosco.

In addition to her licence suspension, there was a $700 administrative fee, as well as $1,600 in impound fees to pay before the appeal process could begin.
Hosco followed instructions from MPI, which included paying for a driver’s safety course, attending a meeting at Addictions Foundation Manitoba, and trips to the doctor for updated medical documents – all at her own expense, with no promise of her licence being returned. She contacted both the RCMP and MPI for guidance, but was bounced between departments before filing a formal appeal.

MPI upheld the suspension and instructed her to install an ignition interlock on her vehicle – a device that also requires a breath sample allowing her to start the vehicle – so that she may regain her licence. Hosco said she attempted to blow into a sample interlock device in April but couldn’t activate it.
“I couldn’t blow into the roadside breathalyzer, so they took my licence... and now, to get it back, they’re telling me I must install another breathalyzer in my car. I just don’t feel that makes sense,” she said.

Hosco is represented by lawyer Ryan Poirier of Middleton and Middleton Law Office in Beausejour, who has been assisting with appeals and discussions with MPI. After nearly a year of paperwork and unsuccessful attempts to resolve the matter through the administrative process, Poirier filed an application for judicial review on her behalf.

Hosco is represented by lawyer Ryan Poirier of Middleton and Middleton Law Office in Beausejour, who has been assisting with appeals and discussions with MPI. After nearly a year of paperwork and unsuccessful attempts to resolve the matter through the administrative process, Poirier filed an application for judicial review on her behalf.

“We would like the Court of King’s Bench to say that whenever MPI makes these types of decisions, which can have a huge impact on people’s lives, MPI should be required to provide reasons to the person explaining their decision,” said Poirier. 

Her application for judicial review will be heard Oct. 9 at the Selkirk Court Office. She is asking not only for her licence to be reinstated, but also for her expenses from the case to be covered. Hosco would also like see the province adopt a medical accommodation process, where drivers who cannot blow can instead be tested by other means such as blood or saliva.

“Although we think the provincial Highway Traffic Act could be made better, we are not asking the Court to strike down or modify the current legislation in court,” Poirier said. “But we would certainly invite the Government of Manitoba to consider doing so based on this case, as there is a lot to improve upon,” he said.

Manitoba Public Insurance spokesperson Tara Seel said all information provided is carefully considered during the review process, including medical documentation, which was the case in Hosco’s situation. She added that all decisions are made under the parameters established in the Highway Traffic Act, and an Appeal Decision Notice is provided to each appellant.

“MPI’s Driver Fitness department is multi-faceted and is comprised of medical fitness professionals, including registered nurses, whose expertise is used to assess the medical information provided. MPI reviewing officers also receive training from MPI’s legal department and are governed by the parameters in the Highway Traffic Act,” said Seel. “Driver legislation requires an ignition interlock device to be installed following certain roadside suspensions. This is not at the discretion of MPI.”

For Hosco, the technical and legislative requirements have translated into real-world challenges.

“I just want to get back to my regular life. It’s depressing not being able to leave your home,” she said.

Community service group provides funds, items to those impacted by spring fires

By Simon Ducatel

Following the devastating wildfires from this past spring, members of the Lac du Bonnet Lions Club sought to help those impacted begin the long road to recovery.

“We were able to sort of pick up after the initial (emergency crews) and we were able to step in as those services withdrew,” said Denise Joss, Lac du Bonnet Lions club vice-president.

“A lot of people were still in shock when we met them,” she said, adding the impact of the experience will undoubtedly continue to reverberate. 
Along the way, they connected with people who had endured a traumatic ordeal and forged new friendships.   

“I got more hugs than I did at the last family reunion,” she fondly recalled. “It was life changing for all of us.”

In the immediate fallout of the fires, the Lions “jumped right into action” and voted to disburse $500 cheques to those who lost their dwellings. That initiative resulted in total contributions of approximately $15,000 through the club’s Chace the Ace community support account, she said.

But the Lions were far from finished and began brainstorming what to do next, ultimately opting to submit an application for $15,000 US – or a little more than $20,000 in Canadian funds – in disaster relief funding to the Lions Club International Foundation through their district governor. The approval came within 48 hours and the funds were received shortly afterward early in June, she said. 

Between the two initiatives, she said the Lions disbursed a little more than $30,000. 

The largest hurdle to overcome was contacting the affected families, as some of them were in hotels or other towns renting an apartment or even staying with relatives throughout the province. The Lions developed a list of items those affected by the fires could use.

“Some families are planning to rebuild and need tarps, rakes, shovels and garbage bins now, to clean up their property before winter sets in,” Joss cited as one example.

Other items included a seven-piece bedding set along with four sets of towels and a couple of pillows as well as mini-kitchen supplies to cook food, such as a toaster, kettle and coffee maker.

With a list of items in hand, the Lions went about shopping locally.

“That money that we got for the grant... went into our community’s businesses,” she said, adding most of them also played a part by generously offering deals.

“Most of these totes that they took were about $300 to $500 worth of items.” 
One recipient requested a single package of bedding supplies as they were residing in a trailer with limited space, while another couple who lost a cabin still had a primary residence and implored the Lions to give their kits to someone more in need, she said, adding that by the end, everything had been spoken for.

Approximately 50 packages were prepared to provide assistance to the residents of the 29 properties that were destroyed, and the recipients each got to choose their preferred kit. 

“(But) the most helpful items were not the material. It was the generous community support... the outpouring of concern and kindness had the most impact on these fire victims as they start to rebuild their life,” Joss said.

“There’s one lady, she hugged every one of us five times by time she finally set foot out the door.”

The Lions members who formed the committee each put in at least 100 hours, but every second was worth the effort, she said, noting they also drew inspiration from their faith.

“We built community and friendships,” Joss said. “I know that those people that we touched, we’re always going to be close.”

By Morgan Maguet

The Beausejour Brokenhead Fire Department cadet program is in full swing this season with students from École Edward Schreyer School joining the station’s operations.

The program gives high school students the chance to gain hands-on experience at the fire hall while keeping up with their studies. In return for their commitment, participants earn high school credits, offering a blend of education and real-world training.

The program is aimed at helping students interested in emergency services get training and work experience, while also assisting the operations of the department.

Guidance counsellor Pamela Penner explains, the program is growing in popularity and has helped students find a career.

“It’s a small program with a lot of impact,” Penner said. “Usually there are three or four spots each year, and it’s just for Grade 12 students.”
Penner helps connect interested students with the fire department. 

“My role is to get the word out, answer questions and forward the students’ information if they’d like to apply,” she said.

She said the response has been strong.

“Students are genuinely excited about the opportunity. They come to me asking when it’s happening, and they really want to be part of it.”
She added the partnership between the school and fire department carries broader value. 

“Both play such important roles in the community, and when we work together, it supports the well-being of everyone,” Penner said.

The program was recently re-launched in 2021, but is not a completely new idea.

“The fire department ran a cadet program for a short period in the early 1990s,” said Fire Chief Dean Mineault.

Today, the cadet program is led by Deputy Chief Ryan Keefe and radio operator Danielle Gerylo, who have spearheaded this program to fill a void within the rural fire service. They have met with Penner to work on a credited program while introducing the selected students into the career of emergency services, Mineault said.

The duties and tasks performed by the students as well as their learning experiences allow them to understand the work of a real firefighter. 
“Students are allowed to practice and observe during real emergency situations. They are assigned PPE and get to ride in the back while we respond to an emergency. We have assigned two trained members who mentor these students throughout the program, providing supervision and hands on learning,” said Mineault.

Students also gain insight into the variety of tasks and responsibilities that come with emergency response, from equipment handling to communication and teamwork.

Former cadet Carter Ramsden says the program helped him find permanent employment. He now works with Criti Care EMS, a private paramedic company operating in northern Manitoba and Winnipeg.

“I feel that my experiences drastically helped me obtain my training and helped me start my career in the emergency services,” said Ramsden. “My favourite part of the program was learning by getting hands on experience at practice and on calls. I felt that getting so much support helped me learn and remember certain skills needed to be successful in this career.”

“Some of the tasks I performed during calls were traffic control, assisting nozzle control, grabbing basic tools as well as using tools under supervision,” he added.

 The program has also helped promote firefighter retention and interest in the Brokenhead area. 

“Recruitment and retention have always been a difficult task for the rural service across Canada. Records indicate a downward trend in people stepping up to fill roles, and it’s been my goal as fire chief to get more people involved with these types of programs that will benefit the community long after I retire,” said Mineault.

Penner and Mineault hope the program will continue to grow, building a new generation of firefighters and emergency responders who will keep Beausejour and Brokenhead safe for years to come.

By Mark T. Buss

Gord Emberley has been recognized by both the Town and RM Lac du Bonnet for his efforts in preserving community history.

On Sept. 24, Emberley was honoured for his dedication and presented with a plaque installed at Lac du Bonnet town dock. The plaque – presented jointly on behalf of both municipal councils – highlights many of his preservation efforts and a lifetime of achievements.

“I’m humbled by the recognition listed on the plaque, and would like to thank everyone that encouraged, supported and assisted me for each endeavour,” Emberley said. “I could not have dedicated my time to all these projects without the support of my wife and my family and those around me, and look forward to continuing to work on behalf of councils and draw the public’s attention to the rich history of the area.”

 With a background as a forest ranger and a bush pilot, Emberley has always been interested in history and aviation history in particular. With Lac du Bonnet’s own rich history as the first official Canada Post airmail service site in 1927, it was a match made in heaven.

Emberley formed the Lac du Bonnet and District Historical Society in 1987 and later was appointed to form the Lac du Bonnet Municipal Heritage Advisory Committee (MHAC) to advise councils on the preservation of Lac du Bonnet’s heritage resources and to provide opportunities for public awareness, education and participation in heritage conservation. The committee also helped establish the Lac du Bonnet District Museum under the operation of the Lac du Bonnet and District Historical Society.

“I truly appreciate the recognition for the work that the committee and I have done over the years,” Emberley said at the presentation. “I’d like to acknowledge all current and previous committee members for their support, some unfortunate no longer with us.”

A driving force behind the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada in Winnipeg, he also served on the Manitoba Heritage Council from 2000-2013, helping to bring the Vickers Vedette monument to the Lac du Bonnet dock.
In recognition of his community service, he was named to the Order of Canada in 1995, received the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002 and Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012.

Lac du Bonnet Mayor Ken Lodge – who was joined by town Coun. Greg Short and RM Couns. Vi Enns-Preston and Jeff Easton – thanked Emberley for his commitment and provided a personal message.

“You are a friend and a mentor to me... and because of you I work in aviation,” Lodge said. “Most importantly you’ve shown true dedication to our community through your career and life, and I don’t have enough words to thank you for that.”

Reeve Loren Schinkel was not able to attend but wanted to congratulate Emberley on this wonderful recognition. 

“His dedication to preserving the history of Lac du Bonnet and serving our community is truly inspiring,” Schinkel said. “My heartfelt thanks and appreciation go out to him for all he has done.”

By Tony Zerucha

A recent fire on Gunn Road shows how prepared the Springfield Fire and Rescue Service is to meet safety needs not only in Springfield, but also surrounding communities, Chief Brian Seaton explained. 

Seaton made the comments after City of Winnipeg Coun. Russ Wyatt suggested Springfield’s volunteer fire service may not be prepared enough to handle complex incidents.

This past spring, Winnipeg and Springfield crews were dispatched to a fire on the 600-block of Gunn Road, which is a dividing line between Springfield and Winnipeg. The fire, which spread throughout an auto storage yard, was on Winnipeg’s side of the street. The damage included melting hydro transformers, exploding propane tanks and destroyed vehicles.

In an interview with the CBC, Wyatt called the area a “ticking time bomb” due to the area’s industrial concentration. Some of those companies handle highly flammable materials.

Wyatt then questioned how prepared Springfield was to address any significant incidents that arise in the industrial park.

“[In] the RM of Springfield... they do not have fire hydrants, they do not have a full-time paid fire services, it’s volunteer,” Wyatt said.

Seaton said Springfield has long prepared for moments like that fire. For years, fire chiefs have worked with area businesses to secure additional water supplies so they don’t have to waste precious time refilling at stations further away. Seaton said many nearby businesses have confirmed their willingness to help with water and even equipment.

He stressed that planning is crucial. On the day in question, the fire’s direction rendered several water stations inaccessible. Luckily, Seaton has sites throughout the area, so others were safe to use.

Seaton explained the fire was in a troublesome location, far away from any Winnipeg hydrant. The city employs two tankers, but they were stationed on Winnipeg’s south end; Seaton estimated they would take up to 40 minutes to arrive.

Enter Springfield crews, who spent hours at the scene working with their Winnipeg counterparts. Springfield’s equipment was used to suction water and to ensure it would last as long as possible.

“There was no issue with us having enough water on site,” Seaton said. “We always work well with the City of Winnipeg. At the end of the day, I’m very happy that fire didn’t go as far as it could have.”

Springfield has invested heavily in fire preparedness in the industrial park. A new station was strategically located away from railroad tracks so crews would be less likely to be blocked from an incident by trains. That station, Station 3, has two tankers that can hold a combined 4,800 gallons of water.
“That’s a good start,” Seaton said.

Station 3 has an on-site well. Additional nearby wells are on Redonda Street and Springfield Road. Then there are the many businesses that provide water sources.

“I wasn’t worried about fighting the fire,” Seaton said.

When the fire occurred, years of education efforts by Seaton and former chiefs like Jeff Hudson paid off. That work continues. Seaton will soon have a new fire inspector in the fold. Their duties will include meeting with businesses to pre-plan for incidents.

Firefighting is more complex than it was decades ago. Seaton said there are more dangerous products today. Electric vehicles pose unique challenges for crews. The chief organizes training so his charges are up to date.

Those crews will soon have new equipment. New engines and a water tanker are among the items on order. Some day, Seaton hopes to add a ladder truck.

“The RM is growing; we’re not stopping,” Seaton said. “We’re growing upwards, not just outwards.”

The Springfield Fire and Rescue Service is constantly recruiting. Seaton expects several new members to join in the coming weeks. He credited the entire force for sacrificing time away from family and friends to serve their community. He noted that some of the volunteer firefighters are City of Winnipeg firefighters contributing on their days off.

By Andrea Geary

Singer-songwriter Brandi Vezina’s new EP Grit & Glamour reflects her family’s connection to Powerview-Pine Falls and the community’s history.

For the first six years of her life, Vezina and her mother lived with her uncle Norm in Stony Point near Pine Falls. Norm worked at the Pine Falls pulp and paper mill until it closed in 2009. Vezina remembers how greatly the mill’s closure impacted her uncle.

“It broke my uncle’s heart when the mill closed,” she said.

In tribute to her uncle and the many other community members whose lives were affected, she and Winnipeg singer-songwriter Scott Nolan wrote Paper Town, one of six songs on Grit & Glamour. 

“It shows the fragility of the town and its industry. Everything was based around the mill. It was like the heart of the town.”

The Manitoba Arts Council and Manitoba Film and Music have recognized the cultural significance of this song through their support of Vezina’s current Grit & Glamour tour that began in September and will end on Nov. 14 when she performs at Grey Cup Fest’s Coors Light Concert Series.

She said she co-wrote the other songs on her new EP between 2022 and 2024 with musicians she admires.

Vezina hails from a seventh generation Métis family with strong musical roots. She has earned national recognition through Amazon Music’s Indigenous Song Camp in Toronto, the SOCAN Foundation, Kilometre Music Group and sākihiwē festival. She was selected to participate in the OHSOTO’KINO Music Incubator Program and is honing her songwriting skills.

“I’m writing new material and I’m recording,” she said, adding that her fans can expect to hear more new music in 2026.

Vezina is pleased to be nominated for the first time in the Manitoba Country Music Awards’ songwriting category for Paper Town. She is also nominated for Female Artist of the Year and Grit & Glamour is nominated for Album of the Year. The awards presentation is set for Nov. 8 at Club Regent.

“Things are really moving. I’m starting to get more recognition,” she said.

By Tony Zerucha

On Sept. 16, the RM of Springfield took the first step in harmonizing its indemnity and council expense bylaws just weeks after Manitoba’s Auditor General ruled council members amassed $3,000 in ineligible expenses on 2022.

On Aug. 28, Auditor General Tyson Shtykalo released a 34-page report to Manitoba’s Legislative Assembly that analyzed seven municipalities. The investigation into Springfield revealed from January through October 2022, a period concluding with the municipal election, councillors were overpaid approximately $3,000, mostly for travel. 

On Aug. 29, Springfield released a statement confirming that, according to Indemnity Bylaw 19-02, only time spent in business, and not travel, was claimable. However, councils for several years have been operating under a Council Expense Policy that states council members are entitled to be compensated for travel time to and from the authorized event at the per diem rate as set within the council rates and allowance bylaw.

“We recognize the importance of consistency between policy and legislation, and we are actively working toward harmonizing the indemnity bylaw with the current expense policy,” the statement read. 

The proposed new indemnity bylaw sees the basic annual council indemnity rise from $36,720 to $37,454.40; it rises by two per cent in 2026 (The mayor is paid $10,000 more). An addition sees council members compensated for travel time to and from authorized municipal business functions.

The draft council expense policy also includes language allowing compensation for travel to and from authorized functions. Daily maximums for meals rise from $70 to $100. Council members pay $10 per month towards meals provided for on-site meetings.

First reading for the indemnity bylaw passed 4-1, with Coun. Mark Miller opposed.

The council expense policy unanimously passed first reading. Second and third readings will be scheduled for an upcoming meeting.

Fans of the Eastern Manitoba Concert Association (EMCA) should get ready to be transported to the golden age of swing and jump blues as The Misery Mountain Boys take the stage at the Pinawa Community Centre on Oct. 24 at 7:30 p.m. 

Known for breathing new life into the lively sounds of the 1930s and 40s, this dynamic group blends clever original compositions with reimagined classics that captivate audiences of all ages.

Featuring guitar, upright bass, clarinet, saxophone and drums, their infectious rhythms and tight musicianship are matched only by their witty charm. Whether you’re dancing in your seat or soaking in the nostalgic soundscape, their show is a joyful celebration of timeless music with a modern twist.

This is a must-see for fans of vintage style, toe-tapping grooves, and unforgettable live energy, The Misery Mountain Boys promise an evening of entertainment that’s both nostalgic and refreshingly new.

Doors will open at 6:45 p.m., with the performance starting at 7:30 p.m. There will be a concession pre-show and at intermission including snacks, drinks and alcoholic beverages. Attendees with mobility issues are encouraged to use the backdoor closest to the gym between 6:45 and 7:15 p.m. 

Advance tickets are priced at $35 for adults and $20 for those under 30 years of age. They can be purchased online at emcaconcerts.com or at Solo Market in Pinawa. Tickets may also be available at the door, subject to availability.

Open Doorways Orphanage (ODO) is presenting Winnipeg comedian and singer Neil Keep at St. Paul’s United Church in Beausejour at 7 p.m. on Oct. 16.

With around 1,500 shows over a 50-plus year career, Keep loves entertaining and it shows. His light comedic shtick, short stories and gentle humour engage and energize audiences while his four-octave range is featured in a musical repertoire moving from crooner, big band swing, broadway and classical to country and western, rock, pop, folk and gospel. 

Audiences often dance, sing, clap and tap along to the incredible music he brings. A few sing-alongs are usually on tap for those who like to participate
The Neil Keep show is Open Doorways Orphanage’s major fundraiser for 2025 – a year when the board of directors made some tough decision due to rising costs, the low Canadian dollar and the difficulty of raising funds.
They had to cut ODO staff back to half time and the young adults at the orphanage – ranging in ages from 16-21 – have stepped up to help by doing basic household chores, helping with cooking, cleaning and laundry. Three of the children are expected to graduate this year and may be hired by the school as teaching assistants.

The ODO board started a GoFundMe page to help raise funds and they would appreciate the continued support of North Eastman residents. Donations can be made by visiting the Open Doorways Orphanage website or by contacting Sharon Dugard at 204-268-1530.

Tickets for the ODO Neil Keep Show are $20 and available at Pennyweight Market in Beausejour or by calling Della Harkham at 204-266-1353

By Tony Zerucha and Sierra Smith

The Beausejour Comets are back in the win column with a pair of victories over the weekend.

Following a season-opening loss to the St. Malo Warriors, the Comets earned their first win with a commanding, 5-0 triumph over the Lundar Falcons Oct. 3.
Second-year forward Cash Clarkson opened the scoring at 8:30 of the first period. New Comet Maddex Long and rookie Miles Armit earned assists. Rookie Greyson Wood followed it up 36 seconds later. His first of the season came off passes from Jaedys Dancyt and Crosby Liske. That 2-0 mark lasted into intermission.

Midway through the second, Dancyt connected for a power-play marker with veterans Tanner Amos and Seth Hlady chipping in helpers.

Beausejour added a couple of late insurance goals in the third period. Long scored his second of the campaign, and Liam Johnston his first. Eleven different Comets earned at least one point, with Long, Wood, Dancyt and Carkson getting two each.
Sawyer Abraham made 19 saves for his first Capital Region Junior Hockey League shutout. The Comets blasted 41 pucks at the Falcons’ net.

An incident with 7:51 remaining in the game saw 65 penalty minutes issued to the two teams. After Falcon Kennedy Kerr was penalized for goalie interference, teammate Slater Farthing earned 17 minutes, including a game misconduct, for checking to the head. Falcon Liam Russell and Amos were given fighting majors and game misconducts.

On Oct. 5, the Comets controlled the game from start to finish, securing an 8-3 victory over the Arborg Ice Dawgs.

Easton Gaffray opened the scoring in the first period at 2:13, followed by a power-play goal from Clarkson just 10 minutes later, set up by Gaffray. Rookie Colby Armstrong added another goal with assists from Long and Wood. The Ice Dawgs managed to get on the board before the period ended, making it 3-1 in favour of the Comets.

Early in the second period, Lochlan Cuthbert scored with passes from Liam Johnston and Nikolas Bear. Despite being a rookie, Cuthbert brings experience from three strong seasons with the Pinawa Panthers, where he totalled 121 points in 60 games. Clarkson struck again, with Long recording his second assist of the game to make it 5-1. The Ice Dawgs responded with a goal at 5:43, cutting the lead to 5-2.

In the third period, Bear scored a powerplay goal off a setup from Job Peters and Hlady. Wood added another goal, assisted by fellow rookie Gunnar Veilleux. The Ice Dawgs scored on a power play, but Peters sealed the game with a short-handed goal assisted by Clint Thomas and Hlady with just one minute remaining, giving the Comets an 8-3 victory. 

Beausejour received five penalties compared to four for Arborg. Starter Alex Cavanagh made 18 saves on 21 shots. The Comets fired 41 shots on net, scoring on eight of them.

The Comets’ next game is on Oct 11, when they face the La Broquerie Habs at Hylife Centre with a 7:30 p.m. start. Their next home game will be on Oct. 17 against the North Winnipeg Satellites at the Beausejour Sportsplex at 8 p.m.

By Tony Zerucha

Springfield Winterhawks  GM Steve Gault is mostly keeping the band together that took the club to the seventh game of the South Eastern Manitoba Hockey League (SEMHL) finals last season. 

Of the 25 players from last year, 21 are expected to return. Jason Frykas retired, and Erik Pushka, Paul Ciarelli and Riley Darragh are taking a year off.

“We want to keep our nucleus together,” Gault said. “We don’t have to release any guys.”

That leaves four roster spots up for grabs. Gault said he’s heard from many players, some with SEMHL experience, who are eager to claim those spots. Some have been practicing with the team, but none have signed as of yet.

“Through word of mouth, they know we have a great organization,” Gault said. “We’re giving these guys a place to play.”

Gault’s recruiting job became harder when the SEMHL reduced his recruiting radius by 20 km. It may cost him a player, but he said he is undeterred in filling out his roster. Plenty of eligible talent remains within that smaller circle, and each team is allowed a limited number of imports from outside of it.

The SEMHL will have a different look this season. The Ste. Anne Aces, who won the last three league titles, were kicked out of the league in an on-again, off-again saga that took most of the summer. The Aces appealed to Hockey Manitoba, which initially ruled in their favour before reversing course. 

The SEMHL’s decision to oust the Aces leaves several talented players looking for homes this winter. Some are rumoured to be headed to nearby Ile des Chenes.
While the Aces have appealed to Hockey Canada, the SEMHL has released a schedule without the Aces. The season runs from Oct. 24 to Feb. 7, with teams playing nine home and nine away games each. Springfield opens the season at home on Oct. 24 with an 8:15 p.m. start against Morden.

All teams make the playoffs. The eighth- and ninth-place teams will meet in a home-and-home, two-game series to decide which team advances. Should the series be tied, Gault said they will play until a goal is scored.

The playoffs then continue in a traditional 1 versus 8 format. The quarterfinals and semi-finals are best-of-five affairs, with the final a best-of-seven.

The Winterhawks bring back plenty of firepower for their sophomore season. Gault believes forward Carter Barley will be the best player in the league. Barley led the loop with 22 goals last year, adding 19 assists to finish fourth in scoring with 41 points.

Connor Grunsten finished with 14 goals and 16 helpers in 14 games, Owen Blocker had 10 goals and 24 points in 16 games and Yvan Pattyn had 15 points in 14 games. Connor Barley and Dane Hirst were also in the point-a-game club. Goalie Steve Christie’s 2.55 goals-against average was the lowest. Backup Ashton Howarth posted a 1.82 average in six starts.

By Tony Zerucha

Paul Binda has seen plenty of success in his decade-plus with the Springfield Xtreme, enough to know success is earned one shift at a time.

On the eve of the 2025-26 Hanover-Tache Junior Hockey League season, that’s the message Binda is sending to his squad, one that will look a bit different from those of the recent past. Gone are some key players, like star goalie Dylan Kizlik, forwards Brady Chambers and Sam Sass, and several key defencemen.

A spirited camp has Binda confident he’ll fill those holes with equally talented players. Forward Owen Chmelnytzki suited up for four regular-season Xtreme games last season, scoring a goal and adding two assists. Binda said he’s not scared of the tough play and showed it in the playoffs.

Chmelnytzki is part of a pipeline from the Winnipeg High School Hockey League’s College Pierre-Elliott (CPET) Canadiens. Fellow Hab Brady Heilman is a blueliner with a net front presence, while forward Easton Crane has turned heads in camp.
“He does whatever we ask of him,” Binda said. “He’s open to learning and is good at getting pucks in the corner.”

Goaltender Tyson Murdock is another CPET alum with a competitive streak. While Josh Rach returns and is the No. 1 goalie, Binda said Murdock is willing to fight for his minutes and has beaten expectations thanks to strong hand-eye coordination.
Look for several ex-Springfield Sabres to make their marks. Cam Osborne is a good power forward who’s not afraid to get physical. Evan Suchar has a great pair of hands. Parker Fazio is a hard worker.

Binda and his staff spent most of the three-game preseason watching the younger players perform, but with a soft touch. There was minimal coaching so they could view how players reacted in various situations. Who showed leadership qualities? How did they respond to tough situations without a coach’s input?
The early returns are positive.

“We wanted to play the younger guys to see what they have,” Binda said. “They didn’t give up; these young guys kept going and going.”

Binda estimates he’s been involved in every Xtreme season but one since 2013. Over that decade-plus, there have been seven or eight finals appearances.
“We have a new model every season,” Binda said. “Last year, it was day by day, and game by game. I tell the players that every destination has a bridge, and every game you have to work to cross it. We’re going to really battle.”

The Xtreme always keep a big roster, partially to accommodate players’ work and academic schedules. In 2024-25, those schedules often conflicted with games, leaving the Xtreme to work the phones to their AP list. Binda also likes to keep some variety so they can match up against different styles of play.

Binda will soon see what those different styles are on Oct. 11 with an 8 p.m. tilt against the Macdonald Swarm. Three of the next four games are against the expansion Warren ‘67s.

By Mark T. Buss

Two men have been arrested in connection with a double homicide in Victoria Beach this past summer where police say one of the victims was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.

On Oct. 22, an RCMP press conference revealed Mitchell Johanson, 28, from Grand Marais and Nathoniel More-Harrison, 31, from the RM of St. Clements are in custody and facing Second Degree Murder charges four months after two people were shot and killed in what police say was a targeted double homicide in the RM of Victoria Beach.

On June 20 at approximately 2 a.m., Powerview RCMP received a report of a possible shooting on Hampton Road in Victoria Beach, located in the northeast corner of the peninsula that juts out into Lake Winnipeg.
Upon arrival, officers located the bodies of a 41-year-old female and a 29-year-old male from Victoria Beach

The female has been identified as Melissa Wilson. A mother and grandmother, she was a school bus driver for the Sunrise School Division.
The 29-year-old victim has been identified as Sly Thibert, who worked as a commercial fisherman in the area.

Police said at the time a person of interest was reported to be driving a white truck when they fled south on Hwy 59 prior to police arriving on scene.
RCMP say Johanson was arrested in British Columbia on Oct. 7. He has been remanded in custody and returned to Manitoba pending court. 

At the RCMP press conference last Wednesday, RCMP S/Sgt. Sean Grunewald said More-Harrison was arrested in Nova Scotia earlier that day. He has been charged and is being returned to Manitoba for court.

Grunewald also said they believe Thibert, who lived at the residence, was the intended target, claiming all four individuals knew each other. He was pressed by media at the news conference over speculation the issue involved a dirt bike. Grunewald could not confirm the statements or a motive as it is an active investigation.

He added however that Wilson was killed for simply being at the residence when the suspects arrived.

“Melissa was living at another residence,” Grunewald said. “She just happened to be there.”

The Powerview RCMP and Victoria Beach Police continue to canvass the area for possible witnesses, surveillance camera footage and searching for any additional evidence that may assist this investigation. 

Grunewald said police believe there are people out there who know what happened. He encouraged anyone in the Victoria Beach or Traverse Bay area who heard or know something to come forward.

“We believe there are people out there who have information,” he said. “We hope that now, with two people in custody... hopefully they will do the right thing and come talk to us.”

Ukrainian Catholic church moved to new home at Lac du Bonnet Museum

By Rick McGregor

St. Anthony Petchersky Ukrainian Catholic Church was on the move last week as the almost 90-year old house of worship was driven to its new home at the Lac du Bonnet District Museum grounds on PR 502.

Hueston Carriers, working in conjunction with Reimer Building Movers, lifted, trailered and moved the church to the museum grounds on Oct. 22. Both Manitoba Hydro and Bell/MTS workers were required to cut power and lower wires to facilitate the move.

Historical Society president Terry Tottle said the main goal is to get the church back to its original condition. This involves removing the insulbrick currently covering the original yellow wood siding, keeping the pointed windows, the double doors and little window above the door, all traditional components of a Ukrainian church. As well, the octagonal tower and “onion dome” will also be restored and reinstalled. The original church pews and altar are still in place. Once done, it will be open during the summers for visitors to explore.

The history involving the church’s namesake goes back 1,000 years. St. Anthony Petchersky was born in 983 in Ljibeck, Ukraine and died in 1073. During his life, he moved to the famed monastic community on Mt. Athos in Greece for several years before moving back to Ukraine in Kiev.

Ukrainian settlers first arrived in Manitoba in the early 1900s and settled in the Brightstone area east of Morski Road on PR 317 on the John Stanko homestead. The Ukrainian Catholic church was built in 1937 on donated land and was built by volunteers using donated materials.

As the original Ukrainian settlers aged, they moved into town, and the new Parish of St. Anthony Petchersky was established in the Town of Lac du Bonnet by 1960. The church was then moved to a lot on Park Avenue in town.

Carol Larsen acquired the church in 1995 and had it moved to her property on PR 520. Marvin Hueston of Hueston Carriers moved the church at that time via PR 211 over the Pinawa bridge as the Lac du Bonnet bridge was too narrow. After her passing, Don Sikora, who grew up across the road from the church’s original location in Brightstone, purchased her property.

In early 2024, the late Gus Wruck, a long-time member of the Lac du Bonnet Historical Society, came up with the idea of moving the church to the museum site. The board agreed and started planning a budget for the move and fundraising to cover the costs. Sikora donated the church and helped with the moving process.

The RM of Lac du Bonnet building inspector had to inspect the church to confirm that it was sound enough to make the move again. During this move, a picture fell of the wall. Everything else arrived intact, a testament to the skill of the movers.

The original estimated budget for the move was about $10,000. Fundraising began in late May of 2024. Raffle tickets were sold and donations were received. Grants were also received from the Lac du Bonnet and District Charitable Foundation and the Lac du Bonnet Lions. In the end, $9,200 was raised

Two books about the Ukrainian history of the area also contributed a significant addition to that fundraising. One was a Latvian Heritage booklet published by the Historical Society and the second one was Generations: A Family History written by local historian Jeff Picknicki. Picknicki himself continued the trend of moving, spending time in Malta and Belgium before settling in the Republic of Georgia on the shores of the Black Sea in search of research for his book.
Tottle wanted to thank a number of people for their help with the move, including Marvin and Garrett Hueston, Reimer Building Movers, Manitoba Hydro, Bell/MTS, all the donors and Grant Hein who did a tremendous amount of work on the project. 

As total costs will end up being almost double the original budgeted amount due to unforeseen expenses, the Historical Society is still accepting donations through a GoFundMe set up on their website at www.ldbhistorical.ca

By Tony Zerucha

The RM of Springfield defeated its proposed indemnity bylaw on Oct. 14 after one councillor reversed his vote from first reading and another one did not attend the meeting.

A gap between the indemnity and council expense bylaws led Manitoba’s Auditor General to rule that council members amassed $3,000 in ineligible expenses in 2022.

On Aug. 28, the Auditor General released a 34-page report to Manitoba’s Legislative Assembly that analyzed seven municipalities. It also suggests improvements for provincial oversight of municipalities.
The investigation into Springfield takes up a half-page of the report. Auditor

General staff reviewed the expense reports of council members from January through October, a period concluding with the 2022 municipal election. They compared those reports to RM of Springfield Bylaw 19-02, which governed council indemnities at the time. That bylaw has since been replaced by Bylaw 23-02. Such bylaws are regularly updated.

On Aug. 29, the RM of Springfield released a statement confirming that, according to Indemnity Bylaw 19-02, only time spent in business, and not travel, was claimable. However, councils for several years have been operating under a Council Expense Policy that states, “council members are entitled to be compensated for travel time to and from the authorized event at the per diem rate as set within the council rates and allowance bylaw.”

“While the expense policy has been implemented and followed in practice, the formal update to the indemnity bylaw has not yet been completed,” the Springfield statement read. “We recognize the importance of consistency between policy and legislation, and we are actively working toward harmonizing the indemnity bylaw with the current expense policy.”

The proposed new indemnity bylaw stated the basic annual council indemnity rise from $36,720 to $37,454.40; it rises by two per cent in 2026 (The mayor is paid $10,000 more). An addition sees council members compensated for travel time to and from authorized municipal business functions.

The draft council expense policy also includes language allowing compensation for travel to and from authorized functions. Daily maximums for meals rise from $70 to $100. Council members pay $10 per month towards meals provided for on-site meetings.

First reading for the indemnity bylaw passed 4-1 on Sept. 16, with Coun. Mark Miller opposed. Miller said he campaigned on not accepting increases. Coun. Andy Kuczynski pledged to give his increases to the Springfield Food Bank.
On Oct. 14, Miller said politicians voting on their own salaries is a conflict of interest. Coun. Glen Fuhl said he is fine with allowing councillors to opt out of any increases and agreed with Miller that an outside body should make salary decisions.

Therrien said he is also fine with an opt-out provision, but added that fair compensation is needed to attract people to public service.

“We also have to attract people into the RM to serve as councillors,” Therrien said, adding he will opt into the increase. “We have to attract younger people, so our salaries must be maintaining the cost of living, which is a lot more than two per cent.”

That led to a spirited discussion on who should decide council salary levels. Several times during the discussion, Therrien and Draper had to admonish citizens in the gallery for interrupting the meeting.

Coun. Melinda Warren did not attend the meeting. Kuczynski changed his vote to vote against the indemnity bylaw. The final vote was 2-2. Tied votes are considered defeated.

That leaves Springfield to start over.

“We have to look at what changes we can make to comply with the Auditor General’s report,” CAO Colleen Draper said.

The Lac du Bonnet and District Charitable Foundation encourages residents from Lac du Bonnet and surrounding area to make a gift to the LDB Foundation as part of the Endow Manitoba’s Giving Challenge, from Nov. 10-16.

The Giving Challenge is a major fund-raiser for the Lac du Bonnet & District Community Foundation. All donations received during this event go directly to the LDB Foundation to help build the Foundation’s Endowment Fund. The interest generated from the fund is used to support local community projects that help make Lac du Bonnet and area a more caring and vibrant community today and tomorrow.

The LDB Foundation is pleased to announce that once again, a very generous group of local philanthropists have come forward to finance a Challenge Group Fund. This fund will be used during the Giving Challenge week to encourage donations by matching them dollar for dollar. Last year, the stretch from this group added an additional $16,600 to our fund-raising efforts.

In addition, The Winnipeg Foundation and the Province of Manitoba are committed to the growth of community foundations across Manitoba, by providing a combined 5:2 stretch on the first $10,000 raised. That means a $10 donation could potentially be stretched to $14.

“This is really the best time to support the Lac du Bonnet and District Charitable Foundation,” says Janice Leroux, president of the LDB Foundation. “We certainly appreciate donations at any time but giving between Nov. 10-16 means extra support due to the donation matching from our partners. It is always so heart-warming to see the community get behind this event!” 
There are many ways that donations can be made during the Giving Challenge. Online gifts can be made securely on the LDB Foundation website at www.lacdubonnetfoundation.ca by clicking “Donate Now”. In person donations can be made by visiting the LDB Foundation booth at the Lac du Bonnet Christmas Craft Sale on Nov. 15.

Donations can also be mailed to the Lac du Bonnet and District Charitable Foundation at Box 744, Lac du Bonnet, Manitoba R0E 1A0. All cheques should be made out to the Lac du Bonnet and District Charitable Foundation and dated between Nov. 10-16.

The Lac du Bonnet Foundation Board would like to thank donors for their very generous support in past years and are looking forward to a successful campaign that will benefit the community of Lac du Bonnet and surrounding area now and well into the future.

Please contact Leroux at info@lacdubonnetfoundation.ca should you have any questions.

75 copies of popular cookbook available for Christmas

By Mark T. Buss

More copies of the wildly popular Memories of Depot Lunch fundraising cookbook for East Gate Lodge are available at the personal care home and The Clipper just in time for Christmas.

In 2019, Mel Zabrocki collected the most popular recipes from her time as the proprietor of the ‘Old Bus Depot’ lunch counter and restaurant on Park Avenue and put them into print in a book titled Memories of Depot Lunch. The 200-page book covers virtually all the menu items she used to whip up from her small kitchen over an almost 40-year career.

All proceeds from Memories of Depot Lunch are earmarked for the resident council account at East Gate Lodge in Beausejour – a facility dear to her heart and one where she volunteers her time regularly.

With an original printing of 250 copies through The Clipper in December 2019, the books were sold out in less than three days. A second and third printing of a combined 500 copies likewise sold out in short order, including another 100 in 2022.

Wanting to offer the cook book again for this Christmas, 75 copies of a fifth printing were recently delivered to East Gate Lodge at 646 James Ave. and are being sold at the personal care home and at The Clipper office located at 27 Third Street South in Beausejour. The books are $25 and cash only.

By Mark T. Buss

Could your grocery cart use a little boost?

Clipper Publishing is hosting a month-long Shop & Haul readership contest where winners will receive a $100 grocery gift certificate and a Shop Local produce bag to carry the items home.

Every week in the month of November, a grocery item will be hidden in the pages of The Clipper. Jot down the week, page number, grocery item graphic you found, your contact information and circle your grocery store of choice. Fill in all four weeks on your Shop & Haul clip out ballot (found  in The Clipper on Oct. 30 and Nov. 6). 

Drop off the completed ballots Dec. 1-6 at one of the following locations: Beausejour Co-op, Oakbank Co-op, Dancyt’s LdB or Campbell’s LdB, or at The Clipper offices in Lac du Bonnet (74 Second Street) and Beausejour (27 Third Street South).

Four draws will be made Dec. 8. Each winners will receive one $100 gift certificate for their store of choice and a reusable shopping bag. Each environmentally friendly tote bag is 16x13.25x7.5 inches and made of heavy duty jute material. They are easy to clean and water proof (in light rain) as they are laminated inside with a LDPE liner. 

The bags are very strong and can be reused for groceries, gardening or shopping. Cushioned handles makes it easier to carry heavy loads, with winners getting their choice of handle length – standard grocery 16-inch or over the shoulder 23-inch.

The bags will also be screen printed with with the Lac du Bonnet Clipper and Clipper Weekly logos.

For questions or for more information, email admin@clipper or call 204-268-4700.

By Andrea Geary

Lac du Bonnet firefighters are playing the role of Santa’s helpers for another year.

Until Nov. 17, they are accepting financial donations for their annual Santa for Seniors project. The money raised is used to buy Christmas gifts for the Lac du Bonnet Personal Care Home’s 30 residents.

“This has been going on since before COVID – about seven years,” said Santa for Seniors organizer Sheyanna Augustine, who is also a member of the Lac du Bonnet fire department.

“We look for monetary donations. We buy the residents certain gifts that they need,” she said.

Augustine said the gifts are typically useful items and the care centre staff help with planning the purchases.

Manitoba Kinsmen and Access Credit Union make annual donations.

Augustine said the money raised usually totals about $1,200.

Augustine and other fire department members are collecting financial donations at the Shop LDB craft sale at the Lac du Bonnet community centre on Nov. 15 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

“We’ll have a table set up at the door.”

Some local businesses also contribute gift items. All gifts are wrapped and given along with personalized cards. Augustine said the fire fighters work with care centre staff to select a suitable date for the gift delivery but it’s usually in early December.

She said the work involved in the project pays off when residents receive their gifts.

“The smiles on their faces are amazing.”

To make a donation, call or text Augustine at 204-799-4053.

Individuals searching for unique and creative holiday gifts should make tracks for the Beausejour Annual Xmas Craft Show and Sale at the Brokenhead River Community Hall Nov. 7 and 8.

The event is North Eastman’s ‘one stop’ holiday shopping extravaganza. From lawn and garden ornaments to nick-knacks for the home; to special gift sets and kitchen aids, items can be found at the craft show.
Since its inception over 30-plus years ago, the members of the Beausejour Xmas Craft Show committee have been working hard planning and organizing each event as proceeds raised are given back to the community.  

In the past, the group has made donations to East Gate Lodge, the Beausejour and District Hospital, KidSport, Brokenhead Outreach for Seniors and many others as well as renovations to the hall.

The holiday shopping event annually brings in over 1,500 participants, who make purchases from as many as 55 vendors.
Chef In the House will be supplying food services and providing hot meals at the event.

Doors will be open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Nov. 7 and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Nov. 8. Admission is $2. Children under the age of 12 are admitted free of charge.
– Staff

By Mark T. Buss

Community Futures Winnipeg River is pleased to welcome Allie DePaulo as their new community economic development coordinator. 

DePaulo has a passion for building supportive communities. Whether in the workplace or her own neighbourhood, she believes deeply in the power of people to empower, enrich and keep each other connected.
As a dynamic leader with over two decades of experience working with entrepreneurs and local community groups,  DePaulo brings a wealth of insight and hands-on knowledge to her role as CED coordinator at Community Futures. Her commitment to empowering local groups and experience in presenting and educating on how to grow an idea, makes her a valuable asset to the organization and the region it serves. 

DePaulo is a long-time resident of the RM of Springfield and is a strong advocate for rural initiatives that strengthen communities and make them a place that people want to live, work and play. 

Individuals looking for strategic planning for an organization or guidance on a community-based project can reach DePaulo at depaulo@cfwr.mb.ca or call 204-345-2514 or 204-345-8691 to connect and collaborate.

By Andrea Geary

Arts and cultural events can foster community spirit, boost tourism and benefit the local economy – all reasons behind the Brokenhead River Arts Council’s formation.
Artists, musicians, creators of all types and everyone who enjoys the arts is invited to a launch party on Nov. 2 from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Beausejour Sportsplex’s multi-purpose room. At the launch, the council’s inaugural board of directors will be elected. Local performers will also be featured.

Duane Versluis is on the council’s creation committee and said the group has worked for over a year towards officially establishing the Brokenhead River Arts Council.

“We’re building from the start,” he said. “There’s a lot of folks in our community who do arts.”

Versluis added the annual Beauhead Arts Fest’s five successful years is proof of the creativity existing in the area as well as the community’s willingness to support arts and culture.

The creation committee members have completed the formal documentation required to form an arts council. Versluis said they also recently met with the Town of Beausejour and RM of Brokenhead councils to share information on the arts council’s progress.

“They’re very excited that this is happening,” he said.

Part of the arts council’s mandate is to provide inclusivity for individuals and partner with other local organizations. Versluis said this means working to reduce financial and physical barriers that could prevent people from accessing arts and cultural programs and events.

“We definitely want to engage the youth,” he said. “We’re trying to cast a wide net.”
Grace Myers, a Grade 11 student at École Edward Schreyer School, is excited about the arts council. She’s been drawing and painting since a young age and looks forward to future arts programming through the council.

“I think it’ll open more doors. I’m hoping more artists will get involved in our community,” she said. “It might help people to meet other artists and bring people in the community together.”

Versluis said people who live outside Beausejour and the RM of Brokenhead are welcome to attend the launch party. 

“It’s a celebration.”

As well as electing a board, volunteers will be invited to join sub-committees.

By Brian Adolph

Harkening back to the jump-blues era of the 1940s, the Misery Mountain Boys got toes tapping and folks dancing at the Pinawa Community Centre on Oct. 24 with their fresh take on the precursor to rock ’n’ roll.

Drawing from the recently released Somebody Stole My Peaches as well as two previous albums, the Edmonton-based quartet ran through two sets of playful, high-energy swing. Singer, songwriter, and guitarist Steven Genevich – who penned most of the tunes – clearly likes to have fun. Exploring themes from hanging with the Tofino hippies in Mackenzie Beach Campground to the trials of rural plumbing in Haul Your Bath Water and his own obsession with fruit juice in Gimme the Juice, Genevich often had the crowd in stitches with his stories and lyrics.

Backing Genevich was an all-star band comprised of Joe Semple (clarinet and sax), Jon Guenter (drums) and Keith Rempel (bass, backing vocals). Semple, a veteran who cut his musical teeth with the Royal Canadian Artillery Band, dazzled the audience with his virtuosity on the “liquorice stick,” while Guenter and Rempel kept it swinging with tight brushwork and punchy walking bass lines. Rempel, a highly regarded bass player in the Canadian music scene, is also known for his blog Blind Dad, where he recounts the challenges and joys of being a visually impaired father.
The Misery Mountain Boys are a top-shelf example of a retro-cool roots group keeping jump-blues and gypsy jazz music alive.

The Eastern Manitoba Concert Association’s next show will be Don Amero Christmas on Nov. 28 in Pinawa.

By Rick McGregor

Lac du Bonnet’s Black Bear Golf Club has new owners.

The Gould family have owned the popular golf course and restaurant for 25 years, but Allan Gould and his wife, Jacquie Morris have decided it is time to retire. The family has owned property on Lee River since the early 1960s. Allan’s father purchased another large piece of land in 1967 and sub-divided that land in 1982 and began selling lots on which the cottages and homes between the golf course and Lee River now sit. 

The other section of the land, across the road from those lots remained vacant until 1990 when the Goulds started the process of planning and building a nine-hole golf course. The course was completed in 2000 with the first golfers teeing off in July 2000. Over the next two years, the building that now serves as the pro shop and restaurant was constructed.

Mike and Shauna Angers have had a cottage on Lee River since 2003, and their kids learned to golf at Black Bear. Originally from Neepawa, the Angers describe themselves as a sporting family with golf and hockey being big with the family. Theu daughter Logan currently plays for the Ottawa Charge in the PWHL.

Though they have no experience in running either a golf course or a restaurant, they have been members of a number of courses over the years and consider themselves “foodies.” Their oldest son Jesse is a chef in Winnipeg.

Mike expects the transition to be relatively seamless. Younger son Drew and his girlfriend Shay Hiebert got an early start with both of them working at the course during the past golf season. They are currently looking to buy a place in the Lee River area and will take very active roles in running the business. The Angers also mentioned that the business currently has very good employees that they plan to keep on, utilizing their experience. The Goulds have also agreed to stick around for the first while to offer assistance.

The Angers do not plan on making any significant changes to either the  golf course or the restaurant at least in the first year. 

“Starting a business like this from scratch is no easy task and Allan and Jacquie have done a great job,” Mike said. “We may make a few tweaks but we’re happy with how it’s been running.”

When asked about a highlight of their time at Black Bear, Allan didn’t hesitate. 
“We are members of the National Golf Course Owners Association of Canada (NGCOA),” he said. “They have a ‘Best Story in Canada’ contest every year and our ‘Deliver to The River’ concept won third place the year that we came up with that idea.” 

The Angers plan to continue that service.

Shauna mentioned that they also plan to continue with popular specialty nights like Pickerel Wednesdays. She then added that they hope to expand that to include occasional special features with son Jesse bringing his culinary skills to the tables periodically.

The official date of the transfer of ownership is Jan. 15, 2026. The Angers are looking forward to this new family adventure.

By Tony Zerucha

The Beausejour Comets started slowly but finished strong in a 5-1 win over the North Winnipeg Satelites on Oct. 21. 

Down 1-0 after 20 minutes, the Comets tied the game at 3:04 on Lavery Melsted’s second of the season. Maddex Long and Tanner Amos chipped in. Four minutes later, Melsted returned the favour when he and goalie Sawyer Abraham assisted on Long’s fifth of the season.

The goals kept coming, with Nikolas Bear adding his fourth at 11:30 and fifth at 19:02, the second a shorthanded tally. Job Peters earned the assist. Peters finished the scoring with a power-play marker late in the third to seal a 5-1 win.

When he wasn’t setting up goals, Abraham made 27 saves. The Comets took 32 shots at Satelite goalie Jordan Armstrong.

The Comets were hammered 10-2 by the Selkirk Fishermen on Oct. 26. Jaedys Dancyt set up both goals, which were scored by Vaughn Senebald and Tyler Nault. Abraham and Matt Cavanagh split time between the Comets’ pipes. Together, they faced 38 shots. The Comets fired 27 the other way.

Former Powerview-Sagkeeng Wild stars were key to the Fishermen’s win. Ashton Schroeder and Theo Courchene each had a goal and an assist, while Connor Bruyere earned an assist.

The Comets are tied for first place with the Fishermen and St. Malo Warriors with 15 points, though both opponents have games in hand. Those Warriors visit the Comets at 4 p.m. on Nov. 2.

By Tony Zerucha

The Springfield Winterhawks gained three of a possible four points as they opened their sophomore SEMHL season over the weekend.

The Winterhawks’ major off-season acquisition paid immediate dividends as the club opened the campaign with a 5-1 triumph over the Morden Bombers on Oct. 24.
Former Ste. Anne Ace Adam Hughesman scored twice in his Winterhawks debut. Hughesman, who finished second in league scoring last season with 53 points in 17 games, has three years of experience in the ECHL and additional time in European leagues. 

Winterhawk Trevor Weimer opened the scoring 2:41 into the game. Quinton Howden and newcomer Mathieu Moreira contributed assists. Another former Ace, Moreira potted nine goals in 10 games last season. The MJHL veteran played for the Selkirk Steelers and Winnipeg Blues.

Hughesman got into the act at 10:31. Daniel Giesbrecht and Keith Grondin added helpers. That 2-0 score held into intermission.

Grondin made it 3-0 midway through the second stanza. Curtis Rebeck earned the assist. Seven minutes later, Rebeck added another when he teamed up with Hughesman to set up Lamoureux’s first.

Hughesman made it 5-0 just 24 ticks into the third. Grondin and Owen Blocker made it happen. Morden’s Michael Hlady ruined Steve Christie’s shutout bid at 11:43. Christie faced 30 shots, while the Winterhawks sent 39 the other way.

On Oct. 26, the Winkler Royals staged a late comeback and defeated the Winterhawks 5-4 in overtime. 

The Royals started strong, amassing a 2-0 lead in the first period before Carter Barley connected at 19:04. Connor Barley set him up.

That momentum carried over into the second period, with the Winterhawks scoring three goals in a six-minute span early in the frame. Both Barleys and Connor Grunsten were the marksmen.

Winkler slowly came back. They added one later in the second period and tied it at 17:33 of the third, courtesy of Mike Heppner. Heppner was the hero 64 seconds into free hockey when he scored on the power play after Blocker was assessed a match penalty at the end of the third period.

Winkler’s Matthews Thiessen faced 51 shots, while Winterhawk Ashton Howarth saw 33.

The Winterhawks visit the Red River Wild on Nov. 1. The Wild boast several new players, including former St. Malo Warrior sniper Teagan Fillion and goalie Jayden Catellier, an ex-Eastman Select. The next Winterhawk home game is on Nov. 8 at 8 p.m. against the Warren Mercs.

Winterhawks’ general manager Steve Gault was busy adding to his team’s arsenal over the off-season. In addition to Hughesman and Moreira, Gault signed ex-Warren Merc Dexter Kuczek, who has 37 goals in 33 career SEMHL games. Kuczek, a four-year veteran of Lakehead University, has 77 career SEMHL points. He’s also a proven playoff performer with 13 goals and 12 assists in 18 contests.

East St. Paul’s Dobie Unrau brings 101 games of MJHL seasoning, mostly with the Swan Valley Stampeders, while Jacob Hofer adds a veteran presence.