We are only a few hours away from the 35^th annual Trout Challenge in Cranberry Portage with the Boat Parade, rules meeting and Penny Parade all  set to kick off the weekend activities tonight.

One of the organizers Wayde Roberts says things are looking really good for the fishing this weekend. " There is a shotgun start on Saturday and it looks like we have 41 boats and 82 fishers and there may be more. What happens is there will be the first start with the first 20 boats  that registered first will get to go. A few minutes later the second crew will go out and you go to your holes, find your spts and you fish all day and you are back by 4 or 4:30pm. You will need to take pictures of your fish and we will go over the proper way of measuring fish at our rules meeting. You just enter them on the Fish Donkey App, and we will find out the winners towards the end of Sunday."

You will be able to follow the leader board at the end of each day by clicking on the Fish Donkey App. Besides the fishing , there will be all kinds of events for you and the family to enjoy throughout the weekend with a full schedule of events on the Cranberry Portage Manitoba page on Facebook.

Chadwick Consulting Ltd. is working with the Government of Manitoba to develop a Labour Force Development Strategy for Northern Manitoba, and want to hear from people who live, work, study and are connected to the north.

This input is critical to helping shape how training and workforce opportunities can be strengthened across Northern Manitoba, including the issues that matter most to you.

To participate in the survey, scan the QR code or visit: surveymonkey.com/r/NorthernMBLabourforce .

If you have questions or would prefer to provide feedback in another way, please contact Chadwick Consulting Ltd. at info@chadwickconsulting.ca.

August is upon us and the Norva Centre in Flin Flon will be busy with lots of exhibits and projects for the public to view and sign up for.

Interim Gallery Manager Laura Bryson provides the details. " Right now we have Gerry Hamm's exhibition titled Art On The Borderline and it is on til August the 26th. This Saturday stop by and see us at the Cranberry Market and we will also be open at the centre from 10 to 4. You can come by and view the exhibition and art work by local artists.August the 12th we have a kid's workshop put on by our summer student for ages 7 to 12 from 1 to 2:30 where the kids will make Egg  Carton Animals. August the 13th we have Tanya Georgie teaching an Adult Felting Class which is new for Norva."

August the 19^th there will be a Caribou Tufting class being run by Theresa and Janelle Wride for anyone 16 and up and will cost $50.00 to take part in.

If you are interested in signing up for any of these events you can register by calling Norva at 204-687-4237 or stop by their Gallery at 177 Green Street.

Metis Nation Saskatchewan is going to be making their way to Denare Beach.

They will be in the community on Wednesday August the 12^th  between 10am and 3pm near the Water Treatment Plant.

They have a lot of activities planned including Fishing, Nature Walk and Scavenger Hunt, Voyageur Games, Metis Arts and Craft and Bannock Making.

Every child that comes out will also receive a Cultural Gift Bag.

You can register by scanning the QR code on the poster on the Village of  Denare Beach Facebook page.

The Pas RCMP are asking for the public’s assistance in locating Chad  Smith who is Wanted for charges stemming from an assault.

He is described as 6’0” tall, approximately 160 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes.

Smith is known to frequent Wanless and Young Point in addition to The Pas.

If you have any information on his whereabouts please contact The Pas RCMP detachment at 204-627-6204.

Just one  more day  before the 35^th annual Cranberry Trout Challenge kicks off tomorrow night with the Boat Parade, rules meeting and Penny Parade.

There will also be two days of fishing on beautiful  Lake Athapap, an Artisan Market, kids activities, return of the Cranberry Challenge, a Beach Volleyball Tournament and a lot of other great events.

More exciting news,  as the committee have announced another new event for the weekend  and Barb Bragg provides the details. " We have been thinking about this for some time and it is fianally going to happen. We have an 18 ft TIPI which is going to be erected on Thursday night in time for the Market on Saturday. It is going to be a visible sign of our appreciation of  the cultures we have here in Cranberry Portage. On Market day from 12 til 1, Granny Willow is going to have her puppets in the TIPI and will be providing stories and teachings."

Then between 1 and 2pm they invite anyone who would like to join them to come in and help create some Sage Bundles that will go inside the TIPI. This will be a new feature throughout Cranberry’s summer at the Museum grounds.

If you are thinking about registering a fire-arm there will be another Possession and Acquisition two  day training course coming up in September.

Ryan Gray is the Instructor and he explains the course outline. " The purpose is just to familiarize people with firearm safety and what is involved with it. Taking the course will allow you to purchase, sell and inherit firearms and the ammunition that go's with it."

The course will take place on Friday and Saturday September the 11^th and 12^th at the Creighton Community Hall. The course fee is $175.00 and there are only 10 spots available.

You can register by contacting Ryan at 204-687-3163 or kanvasback5253@gmail.com.

Last Friday,  Flin Flon RCMP attended to a female who had walked into the detachment after an apparent assault.

The victim told police she was walking home from a convenience store when she was attacked and then provided details and a description about the male suspect.

The 32-year-old female was treated for her injuries by officers until EMS arrived.

Patrols were immediately conducted and information was received the suspect was at a residence on Hapnot Street.

Upon their arrival, the suspect was seen running from the home, a short foot chase ensued, and the suspect was arrested without further incident.

Taylor Robinson, 22, from Flin Flon was charged with the following:

• Assault causing bodily harm

• Resist/obstruct peace officer

He was remanded into custody.

Heading into August there is  lots happening at the Flin Flon Public Library including their TD Summer Reading Club every Wednesday.

Library Administrator Lisa Slugoski has more. " So this Wednesday we have TD Summer Reading Club's Splash In Event. We still have registration available and you can register by e-mailing ffplyouthintern@gmail.com. It includes stories, crafts and kid's get a snack. Then starting on August 5th we have Swampy Adventures, August the 12th we have Mermaids In Magic, August the 19th it is Puddle Jumpers and coming up on August the 26th will be our wrap up and that is a Pirate Teasure Hunt."

Slugoski would also like you to apply for the Library’s Libby App, which is an App that comes free with your Library Card that will give you access to over 56,000  digital titles. These are E- Books and E-Audio Books available 24-7. There is automatic returns and no late fees.

Find out more by going to the Library website at flinflonpubliclibrary.org and fill out the online membership form under info.

 Flin Flon’s big music gathering, Blue Berry Jam will kick off one week from this Friday  at the Flin Flon Camp Ground up by the Station  Museum.

One of the biggest challenges  in hosting this event is making sure there are enough volunteers,  and Elly Spencer tells us they are still looking to fill a lot of spots. " We do need volunteers and we need volunteers in practically every area. We need people at the gate, the Wine Bar, the Beer Bar and folks to help keep all the visitors to Blue Berry Jam safe. So we need folks who will be Event Staff and who will help out with Security. We do have Security Guards coming in but we need people to help out with that. We just want to make sure that everyone is safe throughout the Jam."

Another area that Spencer says they will need help with is the setting up and tearing down, including the Thursday before and the Monday after the Jam. There will be tents that need to be set up all over the Camp Ground and then taken down once the event is over.

If you are interested in volunteering this year you can go online to the Blue Berry Jam website at flinflonblueberryjam.ca. You can also contact Elly Spencer at 431-746-4880.

On July 25^th , Cross Lake RCMP were notified of a 36-year-old missing female.

Dixie Richard, 36, was last seen on July 18^th  in Winnipeg, after she arrived in the city for an appointment. No one has heard from her since, and it is unknown if she made it to her appointment.

Police believe she is still in Winnipeg.

Her family and RCMP are concerned for her wellbeing.

Dixie is described as 5’1” tall with a thin build and long black hair. She was last seen wearing a black tank top, black leggings, black Nikes and carrying a black cross body bag. She also may be wearing a baseball cap.

If anyone has any information on the whereabouts of Dixie, please contact the Cross Lake RCMP at 204-676-2600.

The Public Works crew will be repairing another water leak on East Whitney street and replacing an additional fire hydrant in the Trailer Court.

They will also begin painting crosswalks in the community , starting in the Uptown area and  the school zones to improve visibility and pedestrian safety ahead of the upcoming  school season.

Ground utility work will begin between the Primary Health building and Flin Flon Community Hall. This work is part of the underground water and sewer infrastructure required for the new RCMP Detachment under construction.

Construction of the new Pine Avenue Bridge Replacement project is expected to begin in August. The City will continue to provide updates as we get closer to the projects start date.

Continue to follow all the updates and details at cityofflinflon.ca or the City’s Facebook page.  

The Village of Denare Beach has announced their By-Election Day for Mayor which  has been set for September the 2^nd.

A new Mayor needs to be elected to fill the vacancy of long time Mayor Carl Lentowicz who passed away in February. Carl had been the Mayor in Denare Beach since 1997.

Nomination Day is tomorrow Wednesday July 29^th.

The criteria to run is being at least 18 years of age on the day of the election, is a Canadian Citizen at the time of the election, has lived in Saskatchewan for at least 6 months immediately preceding the date which he/she submitted the nomination paper. The person seeking nomination will also have to of lived in the Municipality for at least 3 consecutive months,  immediately preceding the date on which he/she has submitted their nomination paper.

The Nomination Packages  are available for pick up at the Denare Beach Village Ofice for anyone wishing to run for Mayor.

Hudbay Minerals has become the inaugural top-tier sponsor of this year’s Central Canada Mineral Exploration Convention, or CCMEC.

The company is the first to support the convention’s new highest sponsorship level, known as Au79Rush, recognizing Hudbay’s long-standing mining heritage and commitment to the region.

Vale and Rodren Drilling have also signed on as sponsors at other newly created levels.

Convention organizers say the sponsorship highlights growing confidence in the event, which brings together industry leaders, Indigenous partners, governments and suppliers.

CCMEC takes place November 2nd and 3rd in Winnipeg, with organizers reporting trade show booths are already 70 per cent sold.

There are going to be some special guests at the Creighton Spray Pool tomorrow afternoon for Party In The Park.

Creighton Rec Director Lindsay Shirran tells us who will be showing up. " It will be a special Water and Boat Safety edition. We will be happy to welcome an RCMP Constable who will be on site to share some water and boat safety information. He will also have some hand-outs and he will have some great Water Safety Awareness  prizes available. He will also be there to show you a proper fit for Life Jackets and things like that. We will also have our  music and sound from DJ Drey from Amisk Sounds."

There will also be games, face painting, bubbles and prizes. The event is free and takes place between 1 and 3:30pm. Creighton Rec is happy to partner up with the RCMP to provide information to the public.

The Town of The Pas, Rural Municipality of Kelsey (including Cranberry Portage and Wanless), Town of Swan River, City of Flin Flon, and Town of Snow Lake have developed the Northwest Manitoba Immigration Initiative (NWMII) under the guidance of the Province of Manitoba. The objective of this Initiative is to retain, recruit and select skilled workers to help meet both the immediate and long-term labour market needs of the region.

Applicants will be selected based on their skills and alignment with the labour market demands of local employers. While participants are welcome to live and work in any of the participating communities, the program’s goal is to strengthen the regional workforce as a whole.

It is important to note that if an applicant qualifies and receives a Community Letter of Endorsement, this letter serves only as a recommendation. The NWMII program does not have the authority to approve applications. All decisions regarding invitations to apply and possible nominations are made solely by the Province of Manitoba.

The first intake is open now and will close  July 31^st.

The biggest weekend of the year is set to hit Cranberry this Saturday  with their 35^th annual Trout Challenge on beautiful Lake Athapap.

Besides the fishing, there will be a lot of other events for you and the family to enjoy as we hear more from Barb Bragg.  " On Saturday there are all kinds of kid's games, casting contests, horshoe and crib tournaments put on by the local Metis Federation. We will also have Beach Volleyball and a Beer Garden from 12 to 8pm and a food vendor in the park both Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Of course on Saturday,  it is our last Artisan Market of the year and we already have 65 vendors registered and that is a home-made market. It happens from 11 to 3 on Saturday and it is going to be fantastick."

There will be lunch and  live music from the band All Fired Up. They are also trying something new for the Artisan Market with a shuttle organized from Flin Flon to Cranberry for the Artisan Market. This is for Senior’s who may not be able to access a car and drive to Cranberry.

On Holiday Monday they will also resurrect an old event, the Cranberry Portage Challenge which is a carrying of canoes over the Portage trail. It will be a  small canoe race then the Portage which is 2.3km. It will end at the park with some activities there for both youth and adults.

For more information on these events you can go to cranberryportagemanitoba on Facebook.

For the second straight year a group out of Laronge is bringing a Virtual Bible School to the Alliance Church in Flin Flon. This is open to kids between the ages of 5 and 13 and Pastor Claude Marais explains what will be happening over the 4 days.

" They will have approximately an hour of lessons and an hour of interaction and an hour of play. So it is for ages 5 to 13 and it is educational in every way. Even the interactions and the games they play are all educational."

Snacks and refreshments will be supplied to all the children who sign up and the theme of the school is  Armor Quest  which will focus in on God’s Protection.

It is free to attend but there  is a registration deadline of Friday July 31^st, with the school starting on August the 4^th. You can sign up by contacting the Flin Flon Alliance Church at 204-687-8498.

COUNCIL REPORTED RECEIVING A REQUEST FROM THE SASKATCHEWAN FEDERATION OF POLICE OFFICERS FOR SUPPORT OF THEIR EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL CRIME PREVENTION GUIDE THIS YEAR FOCUSING IN ON SUICIDE PREVENTION AWARENESS. COUNCIL SUPPORTED THE GUIDE LAST YEAR AND AGREED TO PURCHASE AN AD THIS YEAR AT A COST OF $225 DOLLARS.

A REQUEST WAS ALSO RECEIVED FROM DUFRESNE FURNITURE IN PRINCE ALBERT PROPOSING A COMMUNITY-FOCUSED SALES EVENT TO HELP FAMILIES IMPACTED BY LAST SUMMER'S WILDFIRES REFURNISH THEIR HOMES. MAYOR BRUCE FIDDLER SUGGESTED COUNCIL TABLE THE REQUEST FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION.

COUNCIL PASSED A MOTION TO SEND MAYOR BRUCE FIDDLER TO THE NORTHERN AND FIRST NATIONS ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION WITH MPS AND MINISTERS BEING HELD JULY 27th IN SASKATOON.

A MOTION WAS ALSO PASSED TO INCREASE THE CURRENT MINIMUM WAGE FOR SUMMER STUDENTS FROM $15.35 AND HOUR TO $16.00 AN HOUR.

On July 22^ND , at approximately 3:30 am, Flin Flon RCMP received a report of a break and enter in progress at a residence in Schist Lake.

Creighton RCMP officers were called in to assist. When they arrived on scene, they located shattered glass by a door that connects to the basement.

Police notified the female resident, who remained upstairs, that they were entering the home and found a male asleep in a bedroom downstairs.

The male was arrested without incident while the resident was not physically harmed.

A 41-year-old male from Flin Flon was charged with multiple offenses including Breaking and Entering With Intent and Mischief Under $5,000.00- Damage To Property.

The male was remanded into custody and Flin Flon RCMP continue to investigate.

Summer is in full swing and there is lots going on with the Flin Flon Arts Council as they are preparing for a busy August.

Interim Executive Director Jon Davis has more. " The Arts Council, we just hired a few new students to help out at the Emporium and now that we have some more people we are gearing up for the Blue Berry Jam. After that we are still in works for the Under Ground Opera, a outfit that comes in from Winnipeg. We have started the Summertime Serenade at Aurora Pine and Bistro. What that is, we get some grant funding to help support our local musicians."

The Summer Time Serenade will take place at the Aurora and Pine Bistro  on  Flin Flon’s Main Street every Thursday night throughout the Summer starting at 6pm.

For more information on what’s happening with the Arts Council you can stop by their office at the Flin Flon Community Hall, Monday through Friday 9am to 3:30pm. You can also go to their website at flinflonartscouncil.ca.

A male has been charged in relation to a shooting in La Ronge.

On July 18^th,  La Ronge RCMP received a report of a firearm discharge on Cook Crescent.

Investigation determined a vehicle approached a residential property. Several occupants exited the vehicle, and an altercation occurred between them and an individual at the property. During the altercation, a firearm was discharged, injuring a female who remained inside the vehicle. She was transported to hospital with injuries described as non-life-threatening in nature.

As a result of investigation, La Ronge RCMP arrested an adult male at the residence. Officers also located and seized a firearm near the property where the incident occurred.

In relation to this investigation, 36-year-old Jonah Ratt from La Ronge, is charged with multiple offenses including unauthorized possession of a firearm.

Jonah Ratt appeared in La Ronge Provincial Court on July 20^th.  He is scheduled to appear next on August 17^th.

Women across the North will have local access to breast cancer screening services this summer.

CancerCare Manitoba’s BreastCheck mobile screening clinic will be making stops in both Flin Flon and The Pas.

The clinic will be in Flin Flon from now to August 7th at the Flin Flon Primary Health Care Centre on North Avenue.

It will then travel to The Pas from August 10th to the 27th, offering appointments at The Pas Health Complex.

Women between the ages of 45 and 74 can book a screening appointment by calling 1-855-952-4325.

Health officials say regular mammograms are important because they can detect breast cancer early, sometimes before symptoms appear, improving treatment options and outcomes.

We are just a few days away from a musical  get together at the Creighton Pizza Parking Lot called Slice Of Rock.

One of the organizers,  Katie Keramydas is looking forward to sharing their parking lot with some aspiring musicians and holding this  event for the community. " This has been something we have talked about the last couple of years actually with Reagan from Rock-Kut. Different things came up and we wern't able to have this event til this year. So we are going to have a parking lot concert and tickets are $25.00 each and we are selling them at three different locations , the Orange Toad, the Hooter and Creighton's Pizza."

Tickets will also be available at the gate which will open up at 7:30 pm this Saturday. There will be a 50/50 with proceeds towards the Trout Festival. Proceeds from ticket sales will go towards Rock Kut to help replace some of their recording equipment which was lost in last summer’s fire in Denare Beach.

The featured bands will include Rock-Kut, Copperbelt  and Modern Rock, plus a delicious menu with lots of tasty treats.

Concerned citizens from Flin Flon, Creighton and Denare Beach held a peaceful march down Main Street on Tuesday night before making their way to City Hall to attend the City Council meeting.

These residents are concerned about the loitering and crimes being committed on Main Street and are looking to the Mayor and City Councillors for answers.

Mike Slipp spoke on behalf of the newly formed Community Safety Committee and mentioned how they were able to partner up with the Canadian Centre For Safer Communities who sent out a public survey.

Slipp said the results should be ready by October and then they will put a plan together. The City is looking to have a presence on Main Street and are looking to hire a couple of By- Law Officers and are open to any suggestions this group may have.

They are also looking to put up more cameras in the community.

Alison Dallas Funk is pleased with how the Infrastructure is going and commented about the new sidewalks on Main Street. They were able to get the funding from a 2.2  million dollar grant and will be adding more sidewalks by Rotary Park, the 100 stairs and over by the East Street Apartments.

Paving around town will also start soon and the work on the Pine Street Bridge will start in two weeks.