Local News Archives for 2020-09

Active Cases of COVID-19 in Manitoba Have Dropped Just Below Six Hundred Compared to 139 in Saskatchewan.

Manitoba Public Health reported 40 new cases of COVID-19 this afternoon.  31 of the cases are in the Winnipeg Health Region, four in Southern Health, two each in the Prairie Mountain and Interlake Eastern Health Regions and one in the eastern side of the Northern Health Region.  This brings the provincial total to 1993 with 599 cases active, 1374 individuals have recovered and 13 are in hospital with seven in intensive care.

             

Saskatchewan Health reported 14 new cases this afternoon. The new cases include eight in Saskatoon, two each in Central East and Regina zones and one each in the North East and Central West zones. Of the total 1913 reported cases 139 are considered active, 1750 people have recovered and nine are in hospital with one in intensive care in the North Central zone.

Who Will Save Your Town?

You can find answers to this question Monday afternoon at 5:30.  Community Futures Greenstone is presenting a virtual event with Becky McCray a small town entrepreneur as part of their Infusion Entrepreneurship Conference. McCray says you can save your town.  She explains it’s really not about people in a back room anymore who determine where your community is going, it’s really about what we do every day that makes our community the kind of place that we want it to be.  She notes if we act like the kind of people who help their neighbors when there’s a pandemic on then that’s the kind of community we have.

             

McCray adds you have to be open to new ideas, try the ideas and find one that will work well for you in the future.  You can check out her website www.saveyour.town.  To register for Monday’s virtual event contact admin@cfgreenstone.com or phone 204-687-6967.

September is Arthritis Awareness Month.

Roughly 228 thousand Manitobans have some type of arthritis according to Arthritis Research Canada.  The organization’s Scientific Director Dr. Diane Lacaille explains family history can play a role in a person developing arthritis but there are ways people can reduce their risk of being diagnosed with the joint disorder.  She says the big one is smoking as we know people who smoke are at increased risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis and some of the other inflammatory arthritis as well.  She adds the other one is periodontal disease and that’s gum disease as some of the bacteria that are responsible for periodontal disease seem to also be involved in rheumatoid arthritis.  She notes the other one is around maintaining a healthy body weight as this is important definitely for osteoarthritis because more weight puts more stress on the joints and when people lose weight it has been shown to reduce the progression of osteoarthritis over time.

               

Lacaille adds arthritis affects six million Canadians of all ages and women are more likely to be diagnosed with the disease.

Active Cases of COVID-19 Remain Over Six Hundred in Manitoba While Saskatchewan Reports Fewer New Cases.

Manitoba Public Health reported this afternoon 34 new cases of COVID-19 in the province.  26 of the cases are in the Winnipeg Health Region, five in Southern Health, two in Prairie Mountain Health Region and one on the eastern side of the Northern Health Region. That brings the total reported cases to 1953 with 606 active cases, 1327 individuals have recovered and 14 are in hospital with eight in intensive care.  Public Health Officials have declared the outbreaks over at the Assiniboine Centre at the Brandon Regional Health Centre.

             

Saskatchewan reported this afternoon seven new cases of COVID-19 with six in Regina zone and one in the Central East zone. The total reported cases stands at 1899 with 138 active, 1737 people have recovered and eight are in hospital.

 

Four Local Organizations Will Benefit From Grants.

Re Uz It accepts donations of gently used items they sell to support local groups and organizations.  Manager Kathy McCormick has presented cheques to four organizations totaling five thousand dollars in grants available this year.

             

The Flin Flon Curling Club received 15 hundred dollars for flooring for the foyer of the Curling Club, Flin Flon Guidance Nursery School 15 hundred to purchase art supplies for their children’s programs and cleaning supplies including for unforeseen cleaning due to COVID-19, Community Wellness Collective one thousand dollars to assist this new group in developing their community support programs and the Flin Flon Ski Club one thousand dollars for skis and boots for young kids in trying out their Junior Ski Program.

 

Awareness Can be Raised by Wearing an Orange Shirt.

Tomorrow is Orange Shirt Day which is an annual awareness day to honor Indigenous children who were sent to residential schools.  The Executive Director of the Orange Shirt Society Phyllis Webstad explains it’s important to commemorate Orange Shirt Day as Residential Schools operated in Canada from top to bottom left to right, there were Residential Schools and Day Schools all across Canada.  She says her story of losing her shirt was not unique, every survivor that attended those schools had their clothing taken away even though they may have taken a bath before they went they were still made to have a bath and given different clothes.  She added every survivor has a story and her story is a conversation starter to all aspects of Residential Schools across Canada.

             

Webstad encourages Canadians across the country to wear an orange shirt tomorrow to spread awareness and to honor residential school survivors.

 

New Cases of COVID-19 Numbers Remain Low in Saskatchewan as Testing Increases.

Over Saturday and Sunday Saskatchewan Health reported 34 new cases of COVID-19.  Sixteen were in Saskatoon, ten in Central East, six in Regina and one in North Central zones.  This afternoon they reported 14 new cases with 7 in Central East, three each in Regina and Saskatoon and one in the Far North West zone. Of the 1892 reported cases 149 are considered active, 1719 people have recovered and eight are in hospital.  Public Health continues to investigate recent cases in Yorkton with initial investigation suggesting the most recent cases may share a common source of exposure at a fitness facility.

             

They also note on Friday 2984 COVID-19 tests were performed which is the highest daily number of tests performed to date.

A 20th Death Related to COVID-19 Has Been Reported in Manitoba.

Over Saturday and Sunday Manitoba Public Health reported 116 new cases of COVID-19 with 92 of them in Winnipeg.  Two were on the eastern side of the Northern Health Region.  This Afternoon Dr. Brent Roussin reported 39 new cases bringing the total number of cases in Manitoba to 1919 and also reporting an additional death related to COVID-19, a man in his 70s from Prairie Mountain Health Region bringing the total number of deaths to 20.  He noted there are seven cases in Interlake East, seven in Northern Health Region, three in Southern Health and 22 cases in Winnipeg Health Region.

             

The seven cases in the Northern Health Region are connected to a family on the York Landing First Nation where the mother became infected during a medical trip to Winnipeg.

             

Of the total reported 618 cases are active, 1281 individuals have recovered, 13 are in hospital with seven in intensive care with deaths now at 20.

 

Voters Are Going to the Polls in Denare Beach and Creighton in Early November.

Nominations are now open for Mayor and six Council positions in the Village of Denare Beach. Nomination packages will be accepted until 4:30 on October 7th and can be picked up at the Village Office from 9 to 4:30 Monday to Friday.  A package for voting by mail can be picked up at the office as well, an advanced poll will be held October 27th and the regular Election Day poll will be held November 9th both in the Denareplex.

             

Nominations are also open for Mayor and six Council positions for the Town of Creighton with forms available at the Town Office until October 7th between 10 am and 2 pm.  Five positions are also open for Creighton School Division with one for a member of Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation. Nomination forms can be obtained by calling 306-688-5825 until October 7th.  Voting will take place at the Creighton Town Office with Advance Polls from 4 to 8 on October 27th and November 4th with the regular Election Day Poll on November 9th from 8 am to 8 pm.

The SPCA Continues to Focus on Fundraising This Year.

At the Flin Flon Creighton and Area SPCA 2019 annual meeting last week President Erica Husberg reported they had a much stronger year than 2018.  She noted they were able to keep their expenses down and saw an increase in their income categories with the exception of adoptions but all in all they had a 63 hundred dollar surplus of income versus a 53 thousand dollar loss the previous year.

             

Husberg reported on the painting of the shelter and the dedication ceremony to honor Debbie Ramsay who was responsible for starting the local SPCA with a plaque hanging at their newly build Catio.  She added they still need to concentrate on their fundraising.

             

Husberg thanked the Board members for their service with special mention of Secretary Shannon Thompson who has been on the Board since February 2009. They have three positions open on the Board.

             

Other items reported include during the year their intake was 32 dogs and 32 cats, a bear destroyed their shed and they had a great turnout when they did pet picture with Santa.

 

You Can Learn More About the Cottage Association at the Big Island Drive In.

           

The North of 54 Cottage Association is holding their annual general meeting Wednesday night at the Big Island Drive In Theatre.  President Richard Dansereau says the executive decided the location is the best way to hold the meeting following COVID-19 guidelines.  He explains people will be able to listen to the audio through their car radio like a normal Drive In movie would be, they’ll be able to see the executive on the big screen, questions will be phoned in to a phone number and they’ll use a hands free phone so the audio will go out over the car speakers and questions and that type of thing will be handled that way.

             

The meeting starts at 7:30 Wednesday night.   An email is being sent to Association members so they will be aware of how business will be handled and there will be popcorn, coffee and tea courtesy of the Big Island Drive In.

 

Guidelines for Fall Activities Are Out In Saskatchewan.

Saskatchewan Health reported this afternoon 11 new cases of COVID-19 bringing the total reported to 1846 cases.  There are three new cases each in Saskatoon and North Central zones and one each in the North West, Central East, Regina and South East zones with one location pending.  Of the 1846 cases reported 123 are considered active, 1699 people have recovered and eight are in hospital.

             

The Re-Open Saskatchewan Plan has been updated for fall activities.  In addition to information to prepare for a safe Halloween they also provide direction on how to safely celebrate Thanksgiving and fall or fowl suppers as well as safely honoring Remembrance Day.  Find these online at www.saskatchewan.ca/re-open.

Covid Restrictions Have Been Expanded in the Winnipeg Region.

Manitoba Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Brent Roussin announced 54new cases of COVID-19 in the province this afternoon and that brings the total number of cases in Manitoba to 1764.  He reported there are two from the Prairie Health Region, two cases from Interlake Eastern Health Region, two cases from the Northern Health Region, four cases from Southern Health Region and 44 cases in the Winnipeg Health Region.

             

487 cases are active, 1258 individuals have recovered and 13 are in hospital with six in intensive care.  The two cases reported in the Northern Region are on the eastern side of the Region.

             

Public Health officials are elevating the Pandemic Response Level for the Winnipeg Metropolitan Region to Restricted or orange.  As of Monday and for the next four weeks masks will be mandatory there in all indoor public places and public gathering will be restricted to ten indoors and outdoors.

 

 

You Can Share Your Favorite Winter Scenes.

The City of Flin Flon is looking for your favorite winter photos as part of their The Water and The Wild Winter Photo Contest.  Community Engagement Manager Nathaniel Boucher asks you to submit photos of the Flin Flon, Creighton, Denare Beach area like landscape photography or photos of friends and family just something that they can use to build up a stockpile of winter photos to use in tourism and marketing initiatives as well as future graphics for posters and events things of that nature.  He notes they have quite a bit of stockpile of summer photos but they’re looking to build up those winter photos as well because we know we have four great season in Flin Flon and they want to express all those seasons.

             

You can submit your photos to info@flinflon.ca or to their Facebook page by October 1st.  You could win a Water and The Wild themed prize courtesy of Community Futures Greenstone.

You Can Shop For Food Products Harvested From Our Northern Forests Tomorrow.

The Communities Economic Development Fund and Look North are presenting a Northern Harvesters Market in Flin Flon tomorrow.  Look North Natural Resources Officer Saraj Thethy says at the Ross Lake Market they’re going to have a selection of non-timber forest products so that’s including some teas, honey and syrup all produced by northern Manitoba producers so they have some Rocky Lake Birch Syrup, products from Arctic Gold Honey and Forbes Forest Products along with some Manitoba Pickerel that CEDF will be bringing down.

             

The Northern Harvesters Market runs from 11:30 to 4:30 tomorrow at the Ross Lake Market Garden.

 

A COVID-19 Fine Has Been Issued in Saskatchewan.

Saskatchewan Health reported this afternoon five new cases of COVID-19.  Two of the cases are in the Saskatoon zone and one each in Central West, Regina and South Central zones.  That brings the total number of cases reported to 1835, 130 are considered active, 1681 people have recovered and eight people are in hospital.

             

They also note public health officials are seeing increasing transmission rates particularly as a result of public and private gatherings.  Not following public health orders can lead to fines of 2 thousand dollars for individuals and 10 thousand for corporations plus a victim charge.  A 2 thousand dollar fine has been issued to an individual following public health’s review of their contact investigation that determined the individual did not self isolate when symptomatic.

 

A 19th Death Related to COVID-19 Has Been Reported in Manitoba.

Manitoba Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Brent Roussin announced this afternoon 37 new cases of COVID-19.  He reported a 19th death related to COVID-19 which is a female in her 90s in the Winnipeg Health Region and this is linked to the outbreak at the Parkview Place Personal Care Home.  He adds there is one new case in the Prairie Mountain Health Region, four cases in the Interlake Eastern Health Region, two cases in Southern Health and 30 cases in the Winnipeg Health Region.  There are 449 active cases, 1243 individuals have recovered and 11 people are in hospital six of which are in intensive care.

             

Roussin noted the total number of reported cases in the province is now 1711.

Flin Flon Voters Will Go to the Polls to Elect a City Councillor.

Five Candidates have filed papers to fill one seat on City Council in a by-election being held on October 28th.  They are Gatlin Church, Carrie Hume, Barry Kreller, Angela Simpson and Tom Therien.  The term will run from November 2020 to November 2022.

             

All eleven polls for voting will be located in Flin Flon City Hall Council Chambers on October 28th open from 8 am to 8 pm and advance voting will also be at City Hall Council Chambers October 22nd from 8 to 8.  A mobile voting station will be set up on Election Day at the Northern Lights Manor, Flin Flon General Hospital, Rotary Court, Legion Housing and Hemlock Housing.  Voting by mail can take place by contacting the Senior Election Official through City Hall no later than three days before Election Day.

             

COVID-19 safety measures recommended by Public Health will be in place at the polling stations.

An Annual Fund Raising Art Exhibit Officially Gets Underway Tonight.

The NorVa Centre is holding the grand opening of their Square Foot Art Exhibition and Auction tonight.  Their Fund Raising Chair Cindy McLean explains the NorVa Centre annually holds their Square afoot Auction and it’s a fantastic event that supports the Centre as well as the artists.  She points out viewing and bidding on the art will start tonight during their grand opening from 7 to 9 so come down and have a look at the art and the bidding will continue right up until October 18th.  She adds they have over 80 pieces of art available for bidding and this year they also welcome phone in bids to NorVa Centre at 687-4237 and watch their Facebook page for regular highlights of all available pieces or come down to NorVa anytime between tonight and October 18th to have a look at the art.

             

The Grand Opening is at 7 tonight at the NorVa Centre at 177 Green Street and COVID-19 precautions are in effect.

The Flin Flon School Board Heard How Well Students Have Adjusted to Back to School.

Superintendent Tammy Ballantyne reports she recently had the opportunity to tour all schools and was very impressed at what she saw.  Staff and students seem to have adjusted well to the new normal.  Ruth Betts spent this first week of school getting students back to a safe routine practicing proper hand washing and mask wearing.  Yesterday the grade fives participated in the socially distanced Terry Fox walk supporting Terry and the fight against cancer.  Students in McIsaac are also adjusting well to the new routines and expectations.  The French Immersion students have kept up their language skills over the summer break and the music and band teachers are utilizing an online program called Music Play which they are enjoying.  The McIsaac Student Council will hold their meetings virtually.

             

Board Chair Murray Skeavington advised parents to visit your child’s school website, their Facebook pages and the Divisions website for complete school updates.  The Board continues to discuss extra-curricular activities and asked for patience as the year has just gotten underway and they are still in the process of making sure everything is running smoothly.

 

The Number of New Covid-19 Cases Continues to Grow in Southern Manitoba While New Cases are Low in Saskatchewan.

Manitoba Public Health reported this afternoon 42 new cases of COVID-19.  30 of the cases are in the Winnipeg Health Region, six in Southern Health, three in Prairie Mountain Health, two in the Interlake Eastern Health and one in Northern Health Region.  Three schools in the south have confirmed cases including Gladstone Elementary, St. Maurice and Emerson Schools.  These are considered low risk and the infections were not acquired at school. The provincial total of reported cases is now 1674 with 418 active, 1239 individuals have recovered and 11 are in hospital.

             

Meanwhile Saskatchewan Health reported six new cases this afternoon with three in Regina, two in Saskatoon and one in Central West zone.  That brings the total reported cases to 1830 with 133 active, 1673 people have recovered and nine are in hospital.  They also note the number of active cases in communal living settings is now very low.

Community Outreach and Keeping Community Events Supported Were Goals Set Out at an Annual Meeting.

The Flin Flon Neighborhood Revitalization Corporation held their annual meeting Monday night.  Chair Mark Kolt reported their main focus in 2019-20 was in the areas of homelessness including involvement with the Everyone Deserves a Home housing group and the Friendship Centers DIY Tenant Education Project. The Corporation approved ten of the eleven Small Grant applications submitted this year with a total of just over 29 thousand dollars approved but only just over 23 thousand was actually spent.

             

The Small Grants supported Culture Days, the Main ART-ery Street Festival and Banner Project, the Trout Festival, the NorVa Visting Artist Exhibition, Blueberry Jam Music Gathering and Culture Days.  The Corporation also supported downtown revitalization projects, the Flowers on Main Street Project and Women’s Safe Haven Renovations.                                        

             

 Kolt noted they are planning to do more community outreach and working to find ways to address community priorities in a way that is consistent with slowing the spread of the pandemic with input from the community.

A New Leader Will Work to Transform Health in Northern Manitoba.

 Keewatinohk Inniniw Minoayawin or KIM Inc. has announced the appointment of Dr. Barry Lavallee as CEO.

In place as Medical Advisor since May 2019, Dr. Lavallee provided much needed clinical and systems expertise at a time when Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak was taking significant steps towards the establishment of a new northern First Nations led health transformation entity. KIM was established by the MKO Chiefs Task Force on Health during their Assembly on Health in January of 2020.                     

 

Chief Larson Anderson of Norway House Cree Nation and Chair of KIM’s Chiefs Task Force on Health stated

 this appointment solidifies our ambition to become leaders in Health Transformation for the north. We trust him to set in motion what we know is needed – First Nations community led health transformation.                       

 

 Dr. Barry Lavallee responded  by noting he is pleased to accept the opportunity to make a long-term positive impact on the health and well-being of First Nations citizens living in Northern Manitoba.

 

COVID-19 Case Numbers Continue to Grow in Winnipeg While Saskatchewan Also Prepares for the Flu Season.

Manitoba Public Health reported this afternoon 24 new cases of COVID-19 in the province.  20 of these cases are in the Winnipeg Health Region and two each in the Interlake Eastern and Southern Health Regions.  Total cases reported are at 1632 with 380 active, 1234 individuals have recovered and eight are in hospital with two in intensive care.  In Winnipeg there are now 20 confirmed cases in the John Pritchard School cluster and one at College Louis Riel and two are linked to Maplewood Manor in Southern Health.          

              

Saskatchewan Health reported ten new cases this afternoon with six in Saskatoon, two in Regina and one each in the Far East and Central West zones. Of the 1,824 reported cases 146 are considered active, 1,654 people have recovered and nine are in hospital. Two of the new cases reported in the Saskatoon area are associated with the workplace outbreak previously identified at Brandt Industries.

                As well with influenza season around the corner the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health has purchased 36.5 percent more vaccine than last year to meet the anticipated increase in demand with residents 65 and over receiving the high dose vaccine at no cost in personal care and long term care homes starting in mid-October.

Students in Our Area Will Have Support in Preventing the Spread of COVID-19.

Associate Dealer Ranjit Soman reports Canadian Tire Flin Flon is supporting kids and schools in Flin Flon and surrounding communities.  He explains they are hoping this donation actually helps more kids to attend classrooms and not missing the social aspect of school instruction so they basically are donating about 360 liters of sanitizers to nine schools around our community so the schools in Flin Flon, Creighton, Cranberry Portage as well as Cormorant and Moose Lake.

             

Overall 40 liters of sanitizer will be donated to each of the nine schools.

Flin Flon Joins Other Manitoba Schools in Receiving Support to Ensure Safe and Healthy Learning Environments.

Manitoba Education Minister Kelvin Goertzen has announced the province has shared with school divisions details about the per-pupil money flowing from the Safe Schools funding. Flin Flon School Division with 987 students will receive just over 152 thousand dollars for the 2020-21 school year.

             

Of the 52 million dollars made available 21 million is estimated for mask and personal protective equipment, 32 million for school divisions and independent schools to access a per-pupil maximum and 8 million to address serious and urgent health and safety measures over and above the school division allocation. The focused funding will also be used to directly support schools, teachers and students with enhanced cleaning and sanitization including more supplies and custodian staff, increased bus transportation capacity, technology related costs and ensuring substitute teachers are available.

Indications are Travel Led to an Increase in COVID-19 Cases in the Saskatoon Zone.

Saskatchewan Health reported 11 new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday and 20 on Sunday.  The largest numbers were in the Regina zone with 15 and Saskatoon zone which reported 10 related to the workplace out break previously identified as Brandt Industries with indications these are related to out of province travel        They reported seven new cases this afternoon with five in the Saskatoon zone and one each in the Regina and South East zones.  The total reported cases stands at 1814 with 145 considered active, 1645 people have recovered and ten are in hospital.

             

You are reminded that in Saskatchewan there can be very serious consequences for not following Public Health Orders such as limiting gatherings to 30 people with two meter spacing including fines that may be two thousand dollars for individuals and ten thousand for corporations plus a victim charge.

Two More Deaths Related to COVID-19 Have Been Reported in Manitoba.

Manitoba Public Health reported 18 new cases of COVID-19 Saturday and 29 Sunday.  36 of these cases were in the Winnipeg Health Region.

             

This afternoon Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Brent Roussin reported 22 new cases bringing the total number of cases to 1608.  He announced a 17th and 18th death related to COVID-19 a man in his 80s from Southern Health and a female in her 80s from Prairie Mountain Health. He adds there’s one new case in Prairie Mountain Health, three in Southern Health and 16 in the Winnipeg Health Region.

             

Of the 1608 reported case 363 are considered active, 1227 people have recovered and eight people are in hospital with two in intensive care.

 

You Will Have to Find a Safe Way to Get Home Over the Coming Holiday Season.

Operation Red Nose in ten Manitoba Communities including Flin Flon will not operate its safe ride service this year.  In Flin Flon its run by the Rotary Club with their Committee Chair Ted Hewitt who explains with the current public health situation and the logistics necessary to provide the safety of their volunteers and clients they decided not to offer the service.  He says the Rotary Club has enjoyed offering Operation Red Nose for the past 20 plus years providing a free and confidential ride home for their clients noting all proceeds during this time in excess of 200 thousand dollars have been donated to local organizations dedicated to youth and amateur sports.  He adds it is their intention to re-visit the public health situation next year and hopefully Operation Red Nose can be safely provided.

             

Operation Red Nose invites you to always plan for a safe way to get home in all circumstances by calling a friend, a relative, a cab or by designating a sober driver.

 

Local Schools Will See Improved Lighting.

Federal Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson has announced payments to schools under the Climate Action Incentive Fund.  The government is providing 12 million dollars to fund 164 projects that will help schools save money, reduce energy costs and enable them to take part in Canada’s climate plan.

             

From the fund Creighton School Division is receiving 133 thousand dollars and Flin Flon School Division just over 57 thousand dollars.  Both Divisions will put the money towards the cost of upgrading to more energy efficient LED lighting.

             

The Minister explained this funding comes from the proceeds of the federal carbon pollution pricing system which invests in projects that reduce carbon pollution, save money and create good green jobs.  It was launched in May 2019 and returns carbon pollution pricing proceeds to the jurisdiction where they were collected.

Member of Parliament Niki Ashton has Outlined her Priorities for a New Parliament.

Ashton notes there will be a new Throne Speech this week and a new and very different Parliament because of COVID-19.  She says they have to deal with the fact that COVID-19 is on the rise again and here in Manitoba there has been an increase in the number of cases including cases in First Nations Communities as well as across Canada and many other jurisdictions throughout the world. She adds they have to continue to focus on limiting the spread of the virus, making testing available and continuing to provide the economic supports needed. Ashton also notes they need to focus on rebuilding our economy, on economic development and on jobs.
             

She concludes as they return to Parliament she will be watching not only the Throne speech but most importantly the budget to see if this minority government is listening and acting on these keys issues.

 

 

There Are Concerns Over the Number of COVID-19 Cases in Winnipeg While Saskatchewan Residents can Access a New App.

Manitoba Public Health Officials reported this afternoon 40 new cases of COVID-19 in the province. 29 of the cases are in the Winnipeg Health Region, four each in Prairie Mountain and Interlake Eastern Regions and three in the Southern Health Region.  That brings the total number of reported cases to 1540 with 325 active and 1199 recovered.

             

They note the concerning increase in the number of cases in Winnipeg adding recent success in Prairie Mountain Health shows that focusing on the fundamentals can reduce the transmission of COVID-19 and urge residents and visitors to Winnipeg of focus on those fundamentals including staying home when sick, hand washing and physical distancing.

             

Saskatchewan reported 19 new cases of COVID-19 this afternoon with 12 in the Saskatoon area, 4 in the Regina and 3 in the Central West zones.  That brings the total to 1776 reported cases, 113 are considered active and 1639 people have recovered.

             

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe advises people in the province can now receive one time keys from their Health Authorities to use with COVID Alert which is Canada’s COVID-19 exposure notification app.  The app helps notify users if they may have been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.

 

You Can Come Out and Discuss Local Issues.

The Flin Flon Neighborhood Revitalization Corporation is holding their annual meeting Monday night.  Executive Director Laurence Gillespie invites you to come out as they review the past year, future plans and hold the election of officers hoping to get more people interested in filling those roles.  But he adds the real thing is with the pandemic it’s really forced them to reconsider a lot of their long term programs and activities and there’s a lot of stress on trying to preserve capacity in Flin Flon to do things that will help keep a lot of activities that we’ve cherished over the years going but perhaps in a different form so they really want to get an idea from people as to what they would like them to do in the COVID area and how they can address these capacity maintenance issues that are really becoming quite prominent right now.

             

The meeting is being held at 7 Monday evening in Council chambers at City Hall or you can join them on Zoom by contacting Laurence at 204-687-6972 in advance of the meeting.

 

The New Co-op Store Had a Successful First Full Year.

General Manager Tom Therien told the 75th annual meeting of the North of 53 Co-op Wednesday night 2019 was another banner year sales wise for the Co-op. He noted for the first time in their history sales exceeded 31 million dollars including 22.6 million in food sales in the first full year for their new food store.   He told those attending the Co-op will experience a few lean years as they transition from an old aging to a new modern food store reporting 2019 resulted in a local loss of 1.2 million dollars primarily as a result of high depreciation costs and interest on the outstanding loan needed.  Therien noted as a result of their local loss and smaller than expected patronage refund from Federated Cooperatives Limited due to drastically reduced petroleum sales they were left with a net savings after tax of just over 177 thousand dollars which they elected to allocate once again to their reserves only.

             

Board President Dave Kendall reported this year there were openings for two positions for three year terms on the Board which were filled by acclamation by the incumbents Erhart Dzuibak and Del Ward in the spring when the annual meeting is usually held.

 

Saskatchewan is Enforcing the Size of Social Gatherings.

Saskatchewan Health reported this afternoon seven new cases of COVID-19.  There are four new cases in Saskatoon, two in the South East and one in the South West zones.  That brings the provincial total of reported cases to 1757, 109 are considered active, 1624 people have recovered and five are in hospital.

             

A two thousand dollar fine has been issued to the organizer of a large social gathering in a private household in Saskatoon.  This gathering had approximately 47 people in attendance contravening the gathering size limit of 30 people in the Public Health Order.  This gathering led to 21 identified cases of COVID-19 to date with contact tracing continuing.

 

Reported COVID-19 Cases in Manitoba Have Hit 15 Hundred.

Manitoba Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Brent Roussin announced this afternoon 11 new cases of COVID-19 in the province.  Eight of the new cases were in the Winnipeg Health Region, two in the Southern Health Region and one in the Prairie Mountain Health Region.  None of the new Winnipeg cases are linked to John Pritchard School where cases were reported earlier this week.  The total reported cases is now 15 hundred with 293 active, 1191 individuals have recovered and ten are in hospital with two in intensive care.

             

Roussin also reminds you masks are strongly recommended but not required and public gatherings will be limited to 50 people indoors and 100 outdoors but they will continue to monitor all regions with increased cases closely to determine if additional restrictions are necessary.

 

You Can Support Cancer Research Sunday.

The annual Terry Fox Run is being held Sunday.  Because of COVID-19 it will be done virtually across the country to keep people safe.  Terry’s brother Fred encourages you to continue Terry’s dream by walking, running or biking on Sunday.  He explains one of the things that Terry said is anything is possible if you try and that’s what they have been trying to do as an organization in the last six months in planning for the virtual run and asking Canadians as they get out there this Sunday and register for the Terry Fox Run at terryfox.org, create their own fund raising page, make a donation to cancer research, try your best just like Terry did to work towards eradicating cancer which was Terry’s goal from the beginning in 1980.

             

You can also support local Terry Fox events at that website that are registered for Ecole McIsaac School. Ruth Betts Community School, Creighton Community School and Hapnot Collegiate.  This is the 40th anniversary of the Terry Fox Marathon of Hope.  Since then the Foundation has raised over 800 million dollars for Cancer Research.

A New Online Safety Campaign Was Recently Launched for Parents and Youth.

The new online safety campaign was launched by the Canadian Centre for Child Protection supported with provincial funding. It urges families to talk to their teens and tweens about the risks of online activities such as live streaming, online gaming and live chatting.  Manitoba Families Minister Heather Stefanson notes with more young people spending time online than ever before during the COVID-19 pandemic digital safety is more important than ever.  The Cybertip.ca tipline has seen a more than an 80 percent increase in online child exploitation reported in recent months.

             

The campaign includes television, print, digital and social media tools, with additional information and resources available at www.protectkidsonline.ca , a website that provides tips on what parents can do to keep kids safe online along with age appropriate points to talk about with teens and tweens.  Free online safety lessons have also been developed for teachers and families with students in grades three to eight on how to identify and respond to unsafe situations online which can be accessed at www.protectchildren.ca/order.

 

The Number of COVID-19 Cases From a Saskatchewan Gathering Continues to grow.

Saskatchewan Health reported this afternoon ten new cases of COVID-19.  The new cases include 7 in the Saskatoon zone and one each in the North East and Regina Zones with one case location pending.  That brings the provincial total of reported cases to 1751.  To date there are now 21 cases linked to a social gathering in Saskatoon initially reported on September 13th with contact tracing continuing. Of the total cases 107 are considered active, 1620 people have recovered and four are in hospital in Saskatoon.  They also note investigations completed so far indicate 32 of the 107 current cases are from communal living settings.

A New Case of COVID-19 Reported on The Eastern Side of the Northern Health Region May Be in Winnipeg.

Manitoba Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Brent Roussin reported 23 new cases of COVID-19 in the province this afternoon bringing the total reported to 1489.  He added they had two cases in the Interlake Eastern Health Region, one case in the Northern Health Region and 20 cases in the Winnipeg Health Region.  There are 283 active cases, 1190 individuals have recovered and there are nine people in hospital three of which are in intensive care.  He pointed out preliminary investigation indicated the two Interlake Eastern cases are close contacts of a known case and the others are still under investigation.

             

Preliminary investigation indicates the person reported to have COVID in the Northern Health Region may actually be in Winnipeg and six of the new cases are connected to John Pritchard School in Winnipeg where some groups of students have been switched to remote learning.

 

Students Need More Transportation.

At their meeting last night Flin Flon City Council heard from a delegation on the need for increased city bus service in peak hours for students.  This is due to the School Division having to reduce the number of students bused due to COVID-19 public health regulations as well as some students had used city buses in the past. The number of students able to ride the city bus is limited due to the need for social distancing so they suggested a second bus at peak times.

             

Mayor Cal Huntley said they will have a consultation with the School Division because they have to be part of the solution and if it leads to increased costs they should share that with the city.

             

Councillor Tim Babcock reported he has reviewed the city plan regarding use of the Whitney Forum and it’s a good plan but will require the co-operation of the public to make it work so hopefully it can be brought forward soon.                                      

             

And Councillor Karen MacKinnon reported she contacted MPI regarding having driver testing in Flin Flon again.  It was cancelled due to COVID-19.  MPI stated they hope to bring testing here again within the next couple of months.

 

It Was Another Successful Year for Arts in Flin Flon.

The Flin Flon Arts Council held their annual meeting Monday night.  Board President Linda Eryou reported in spite of the disruption caused by the pandemic starting in March both the Flin Flon Arts Council and their member organizations have had a very busy year.  She mentioned the opportunity to welcome and host the Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba as well as the Governor General during Culture Days, many great performances and  the annual Arts and Crafts Sale in November.  Other performances had to be postponed or cancelled.  In February they hosted representatives of the Manitoba Arts Council, Canadian Heritage and the Canada Council for the Arts and in March continued their Inspiration Series Developing a Northern Vision.

             

Highlights were reported from their eleven standing committees and twelve organizations that fall under their umbrella. There are plans for the Christmas Arts and Crafts Sale and they hope to put on a Christmas and spring concert as well as hosting some touring performers. Unfortunately the Northern Lights Dance Academy had to be cancelled for this year.

             

There are two vacancies on their board and if you are interested you can contact the Arts Council.

 

New COVID-19 Cases are Still in the Double Digits in Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

Manitoba Public Health officials this afternoon identified 17 new cases of COVID-19 in the province.  Thirteen cases are in the Winnipeg Health Region including one in a school, two in the Southern Health Region and one each in the Interlake Eastern and Prairie Mountain Health Regions.  That brings the provincial total to 1466 reported cases, 269 are active, 1181 individuals have recovered and 12 people are in hospital with three in intensive care.

             

Saskatchewan health reported this afternoon ten new cases of COVID-19.  Eight of the new cases are in the Saskatoon zone and two in the Central East zone.  That brings their reported total to 1741 cases with 17 cases linked to a social gathering in Saskatoon.  Of the total 101 are considered active, 1616 people have recovered and four are in hospital.  Stills with health thousands of patients in Northern and Central Saskatchewan now have improved access to magnetic resonance imaging services.  Mayfair Diagnostics began delivering community based MRI services in mid-August and will provide a minimum of 45 hundred exams a year in Saskatoon.

 

A Faith Program for Young People Starts Thursday.

Impact Youth is being held Thursday nights at the Flin Flon Alliance Church. One of the organizers Kayla Kemp says it’s a program for youth 11 to 18 and it’s a place for youth to come and help find and learn to grow in their faith no matter what their background.  She explains a typical Thursday evening includes games, having a time of worship, a snack, watching a video or listening to a talk or testimony and then depending on the size they will break into groups and discuss the topic for the night and they always end the evening in prayer so praying for each other or those they know or the circumstances in the world.

             

Impact Youth is free and runs from 7 to 9 Thursday nights starting with an introduction this Thursday night at the Alliance Church at 237 Green Street.  For information call Kayla at 204-271-5357, Lia at 204-271-3738 or visit their Facebook page Impact Youth.

The Manitoba Government is Offering More Support for Businesses.

Manitoba Premier Brain Pallister has announced the extension of the Back to Work Wage Subsidy Program until the end of December.  He explains that’s going to support seasonal businesses that like to add people around the Christmas shopping time, it’s going to help businesses staff up for that holiday season retail and in addition they’re also expanding the program to allow companies to start up and there are companies starting up in Manitoba right now and if those companies are looking to add staff, hire people and help them get back to work they’re looking to help them.

             

Through the Back to Work initiative private sector and non-profit employers can receive up to 100 thousand dollars to subsidize 20 employees with up to 5 thousand dollars per employee hired since July 16.  Program details and the application link can be found attached to this story at www.flinflononline.com.

 

 

 

Link:    

www.gov.mb.ca/covid19/restartmb/btwmp.html.

                                                             

Saskatchewan Residents Are Reminded About Group Sizes.

Saskatchewan Health reported 21 new cases of COVID-19 Saturday and 17 Sunday with 19 in the Saskatoon, 15 in Central East, 2 in the South West, 1 in the Central West zones and one case location is pending. This afternoon they reported eight new cases with 6 in the Saskatoon zone and one each in the South West and South Central zones.  The total reported cases is now 1731 with 103 active, 1604 people have recovered and three are in hospital.

             

With several of the new cases linked to a specific gathering Saskatchewan residents are reminded that indoor and outdoor gatherings may have a maximum of 30 people provided there is enough space to maintain six feet or two meter separation between individuals who are not in the same household and for food service gatherings potlucks are discouraged and there should be no shared platters of food or shared buffet service.

 

A COVID-19 Case Reported in the Northern Health Region Has Been Changed.

Manitoba Public Health reported 17 new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday and 17 Sunday with 19 in the Winnipeg, 7 in Interlake Eastern, 5 in Southern and 3 in Prairie Mountain Health region.  Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Brent Roussin reported this afternoon 21 new cases bringing the total reported to 1449 with one case in the Interlake Eastern Health Region, 3 cases in the Southern Region and 17 cases in the Winnipeg Health Region.  He pointed out a change in their regional counts as following a detailed public health investigation one case announced on Sunday has been reassigned from the Northern Health Region to the Winnipeg Health Region.`   

             

Roussin noted cases are reported according to the address on your health card so if you have moved update your card.  He added 257 of the cases reported are active, 1176 have recovered and 12 people are in hospital.

You Can Support Creighton Community School With a Cookie.

Tim Hortons in Creighton is joining others across the country in their 24th annual Smile Cookie Campaign this week.  It raises money for 550 local charities, hospitals and community programs across Canada.  All this week Tim Hortons guests will be able to purchase signature chocolate chunk Smile Cookies decorated with blue eyes and a pink smile for a dollar plus applicable taxes and the full dollar will be donated by Tim Hortons restaurant owners.

             

Money raised at the Creighton Tim Hortons location today through Sunday will be donated to Creighton Community School so they will have students there helping to decorate cookies.

             

Tim Hortons reports the campaign is led by over 15 hundred restaurant owners across Canada and is one of many initiatives that allows them to give back to the communities in which they live and work.  Last year the Smile Cookie campaign raised a record 9.8 million dollars across Canada.

Member of Parliament Niki Ashton says Government Needs to be Held Accountable.

Ashton accuses the Prime Minister of proroguing Parliament in an attempt to deflect being held accountable in the current Parliament referring particularly to the WE scandal.  She says it is absolutely critical for MPs to make parliament work adding with all the need to focus on the recovery from the impact of the pandemic they need to be making a difference for Canadian people and that includes not having an unnecessary election.

             

Ashton notes the role of the Opposition is to hold the government accountable and put forward proposals such as a paid sick leave and improved supports for Canadians. She concludes as they head into the new Parliament their message will focus on the need for accountability and on solutions during this historic challenging time.

 

Active Cases of COVID-19 Continue to Drop In Manitoba While Saskatchewan Reports a Second Case in the Far North East Zone.

Manitoba Public Health announced this afternoon 15 new cases of COVID-19.  Eight of the cases were in the Winnipeg Health Region, four in the Prairie Mountain and three in the Southern Health Regions.  That brings the provinces total of reported cases to 1393, 287 cases are active, 1090 people have recovered and 12 are in hospital with four in intensive care.

             

Saskatchewan reported 13 new cases of COVID-19 this afternoon.  One each in the Far East and Regina zones, four in the Saskatoon zone and seven in Central East.  Of the reported 1688 cases 66 are considered active, 1598 people have recovered and two people are in hospital.

 

Callinex Mines Has Announced Two High Grade Discoveries Near Flin Flon.

Callinex Mines has announced the Rainbow discovery.  It comprises two high grade copper, gold, silver and zinc lenses at their Pine Bay Project 16 kilometers away from Flin Flon.  The Rainbow discovery intersected 2.96 meters of 3.09 percent copper. 0.75 grams per tonne gold, 13.35 grams per tonne silver, 1.88 percent zinc and a second interval of 4.31 meters of 4.12 percent copper, 0.22 grams per tonne gold, 2.21 grams per tonne silver and 0.06 percent zinc.

             

President Max Porterfield says the two high grade lenses discovered with subsequent borehole survey results suggest they are at the early stages of a substantial discovery in Manitoba.  He added the community of Flin Flon has been through a storm with a great deal of uncertainty about its future with the impending shut down of the Triple Seven Mine and they believe the Rainbow discovery has the potential to provide a bright future for Flin Flon and their shareholders.

 

Alpha Invites You to Join Them Next Week.

The Alpha Course is starting a new session at the Flin Flon Alliance Church Tuesday evening.  Pastor Reg Friesen says Alpha has a lot to offer.  He explains if you’ve ever wondered if there’s more to life than just the day to day the Alpha Course is a great way to discover there’s so much more to be experienced so they just want to invite folks to join them on Tuesday, September 15th at 7 pm.  He says the evening is going to be a lot of fun, a great time to find out more about Alpha, enjoy coffee and dessert, a little music and video introduction to the course.  He adds if you decide to do Alpha the film series starts the following Tuesday, each evening starting at 7 with coffee and dessert being served, there’s a short video, time to talk about things noting Alpha really does create a great environment where you can explore the Christian faith, ask questions and share points of view.

             

 Friesen adds they are set up to follow the health guidelines. To register or for more information you can call the Church at 204-687-8498.

 

Saskatchewan Health Reports Six News Cases of COVID-19.

They reported this afternoon the new cases are located in the Far North East, Saskatoon, Central West, Central East and Regina Zones with one each.  The location of the sixth case is pending.

            

That brings the total reported cases to 1676 with 59 considered active, 1593 people have recovered and one person is in hospital.

             

They also advise if a student or education staff receives a positive COVID-19 test result public health begins their contact investigation.  If an outbreak is declared all parents of that school will receive notification and the declaration will be posted online to www.saskatchewan.ca/covid19 under latest updates.

 

Masks Are Mandatory for older children in Manitoba Child Care Facilities.

Manitoba Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Brent Roussin announced 15 new cases of COVID-19 in the province this afternoon however a case was removed as it was determined to be from out of province and a second case was removed due to duplication so they have a net increase of 13 cases taking the lab confirmed cases to 1378 with two of those cases in the Interlake Eastern, two cases in Prairie Mountain Health, two in Southern Health and nine in the Winnipeg Health Region.  He noted they have 368 active cases and 1002 individuals have recovered from COVID-19.

             

Roussin added preliminary investigations indicate that several of the new cases are close contacts of known cases.  He also noted wearing a non-medical mask became mandatory for children aged nine and older attending child care facilities including home based child care as of September 8th and child care providers are also required to wear masks.

You Can Vote For Your Favorite Manitoba Art Work.

The annual Manitoba Rural and Northern Juried Art Show is underway online this year.  Marketing Coordinator for the Manitoba Arts Network Nicole Shimonek explains artists were asked to submit digital versions of their work. She says they had a call for submissions and they actually received over 120 submissions so from there they had a team of jurors select between eight and twelve from each region and the artists were notified that their art was selected and then they provided all the information needed for their online gallery.

             

You can now vote for your favorite art work from the six regions in the province including for local area artists in the Northern region online at www.artgallery.manitobaartsnetwork.ca until October 20th.

 

It Was a Smooth Back to School.

The Flin Flon School Board met this past Tuesday to discuss the latest school news.  Both Superintendent Tammy Ballantyne and Board Chair Murray Skeavington welcomed back students and staff as well as thanking the staff and custodians for all their preparation and efforts for the arrival of students this past Tuesday.  They report things will be quite different this year and it will take some time to adjust to the new normal.  Some of the current Trustees also have children attending class in the Division and they reported a smooth and organized arrival for classes Tuesday morning.

             

Nominations were held for Board Chair and Vice-Chair.  Trustee Murray Skeavington was again voted in as Board Chair for this year and Vice-Chair will be held by Trustee Leslie Fernandes.

 

The Premier says The Government Has Made Life More Affordable for Manitobans.

Premier Brian Pallister has reported Manitoba households are saving on average 812 dollars this year.  He says it’s because of measures taken by the provincial government in Budget 2020 and its COVID-19 response.  He stated all of these measures and dozens of others have helped save Manitobans more than 400 million dollars this year which is an average of 812 dollars per Manitoba household.  He adds when you combine this with all the work they’ve done since 2016 including the PST reduction of one percent they have saved the average Manitoba household more than 13 hundred dollars annually.

             

Along with the 2020 budget it factors in COVID-19 measures such as the Seniors Economic Recovery Credit, Risk Recognition Program, Manitoba Public Insurance Rebates, Disability Economic Support Program and the Manitoba Bursary Program.

 

Winnipeg Continues to See the Largest Increase in COVID-19 Numbers in Manitoba While Saskatchewan Communities Will See Increased COVID-19 Funding.

         

Manitoba Public Health announced 16 new cases of COVID-19 this afternoon.  14 of the new cases are in the Winnipeg Health region with one each in the Prairie Mountain and Southern Health regions. Preliminary investigations indicate that several of the Winnipeg cases are close contacts of known cases and are not linked to any current outbreaks.  That brings the provincial total of reported cases to 1365, 404 are active and 945 individuals have recovered.

             

 Saskatchewan Health reported only one new case this afternoon located in the Saskatoon zone.  Total cases reported are now 1670 with 59 considered active and 1587 people have recovered.

               Meanwhile the Saskatchewan government has announced their portion of the federal Safe Restart Canada Plan for municipal governments at approximately 70.32 million dollars will begin to be distributed immediately to all compliant Saskatchewan municipalities.  This funding will support efforts to protect health and safety, prepare for future waves of COVID-19 and facilitate the safe re-opening of economies.

 

Funding Applications are Now Being Accepted for Local Projects.

Re Uz It accepts donations of gently used items they sell to support local groups and organizations.  Manager Kathy McCormick says funding is now available.  She explains Re Uz It invites non-profit groups and organizations in Flin Flon and surrounding areas who may require a bit of financial assistance with a project to apply with them for a portion of five thousand dollars with the goal of assisting with several projects. She notes applications will be accepted until September 23rd in writing to Re Uz It, 359 Queen Street, Flin Flon, Manitoba R8A 0M8 and those chosen will be contacted.

             

Presentation of funds will take place September 26th at Re Uz It at 5 Cliff Lake Road.

             

Some of the groups Re Uz It has donated to in the past include the Flin Flon Army Cadets, the Flin Flon Creighton Aqua Doves, the Flin Flon Friendship Centre, the Flin Flon Aqua Centre Community Committee, the SPCA, Flin Flon Skating Club and Norman Community Services.

 

You Can Register and Find Out More About Several Local Groups Tomorrow at the Community Hall.

Flin Flon Parks and Recreation is again holding an event called Registration Under One Roof tomorrow.  Recreation Programmer Caitlin Bailey says people interested in registration or finding out more about local groups will be able to do so in one place. She explains lots of groups this year are doing online registrations so you can keep up with the groups on their Facebook page for information on that.  She adds at Under One Roof to sign up in person there will be the Flin Flon Skating Club, Northern Lights Dance Academy and they have some groups coming to share information and that will be the Border Explorers, the Hub, Toastmasters and Cadets.

             

Organization booth set up will be held tomorrow from 1 to 4:30 and it will open to the public tomorrow from 5 to 8 in the Flin Flon Community Hall.  They will be observing social distancing and limiting the space to 100 patrons at a time.

 

It Was a Significant Day in Our Schools.

Manitoba Education Minister Kelvin Goertzen says a lot of people took part in preparing for back to school.  He praised teachers, administrators and staff for the work done to prepare the schools for the new school year and parents who prepared the students for going back.  Goertzen says there will be COVID in schools because there’s COVID in society.  He says he believes that Public Health and school officials are going to do a very good job when they find cases within the schools, reacting to those cases and isolating those cases ensuring they don’t spread more broadly.

             

Goertzen adds parents should feel confident in the back to school plan as it was developed in consultation and approved by Public Health officials who will recommend further measures if they are needed.

New Cases of COVID-19 in Saskatchewan Remain Low.

Saskatchewan Health reported seven new cases of COVID-19 this afternoon.  There were three in the Regina, two in North Central and one each in the Saskatoon and South Central Zones.  The total reported cases stands at 1669 with 58 considered active, 1587 people have recovered and one person is in hospital in intensive care in Saskatoon.

             

The Saskatchewan government has announced 51 million dollars in approved funding for classrooms with emergent, one-time expenses associated with a safe return to school.  Of that total 42 million comes from provincial funding and 10 million represents the remaining school division savings.  As a result of this funding a total of 443 custodial support, teachers and staff are expected to be hired.

 

A COVID-19 Case in the Northern Health Region is Now Listed As Unknown District.

On Sunday Manitoba Public Health Officials reported a case of COVID-19 in the Northern Health Region was in the Flin Flon, Snow Lake, Cranberry Portage Sherridon District.  It is now listed as unknown district although Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Brent Roussin says it is in this District and they did the typical contact investigation and there weren’t any concerning contacts and has no further details on the case.  He also released the latest provincial numbers this afternoon.  He reported 11 new cases of COVID-19 bringing the total cases in Manitoba to 1349.  There’s one case in the Interlake Eastern Health Region, two in Southern Health and eight cases in the Winnipeg Region.  He added there are 393 active cases, 940 individuals have recovered and 13 are in hospital with three in intensive care.

             

As students, teachers and staff return to school public health officials strongly encourage all Manitobans to return to the fundamentals to help stop the spread of COVID-19 including physically distancing when outside your household and if you can’t physically distance wear a mask.

 

Classic Cars Will Gather at Northland Ford Saturday.

The Northland Ford Flin Flon dealership invites classic car owners and the public to a classic car event Saturday.  Organizer Sales Consultant Jesse Madarash says they encourage classic car owners to bring them over.  He explains they’re doing kind of a cars and coffee style of thing, there’ll be no trophies or prizes, nothing like that, they just want to see everybody come out a bring their classic cars.  He notes there’s a lot of cars in town that people don’t see that often so they’re hoping to get a big turnout.  He adds it’s just kind of a come and go as you please kind of thing so they’re going to clear out the front lot and he and a couple of staff will be there to organize the vehicles and show them off.

             

The Classic Car Show runs from 11 to 3 Saturday at Northland Ford.

Flin Flon Womens Safe Haven Resource Services Continues to Support Women and Children in Our Community.

At their 22nd annual meeting Thursday night Board President Doreen Roman reported another successful year at the Women’s Resource Centre and with the Safe Haven.  She thanked the dedicated staff and all Board members for their support and expertise.  Programs and events over the year included support groups, public education, counseling, Domestic Violence Prevention Month, Candle Vigil, Take Back the Night, the Red Dress Project including youth again this year, International Women’s Week and several Fun Raising events.

             

Board members were returned by acclamation including Jason Kuras and Margaret Head Steppan for three years, Sheri Pearson, Mark Lucas and Doreen Roman for two years and Linda Eryou and new member Sophia Charuk for one year.  Katie Kawerski who has one year left on the Board was elected President, Mark Lucas Vice-President, Sophia Charuk Secretary and the Treasures position is open.  Long time Board and Executive member Shelly Craig was recognized for her years of service as she leaves the Board.

COVID-19 Has Come to the North in Manitoba While Saskatchewan Active Cases Remain Low.

Manitoba Public Health reported 50 new cases of COVID-19 over the weekend and 15 on Monday. One of the cases reported on Sunday was in the Northern Health Region a woman in her 60’s in the Flin Flon, Snow Lake, Cranberry Portage Sherridon District and the first case in the District since March. The largest number of cases reported over the three days was in the Winnipeg Health Region with a total of 34.  That brings the provincial total of reported cases to 1338 with 412 active, 910 recovered and 13 in hospital with three in intensive care.

             

Meanwhile Saskatchewan Health reported five new cases Saturday and eight on Sunday bringing their total to 1651 reported cases. There were six cases in Saskatoon, two each in South Central and Central East and one each in the North West, Regina and South East Zones. Of the total 48 are considered active, 1579 people have recovered and one person is in hospital in intensive care in Saskatoon.

 

Manitoba has a Video to Help Parents, Teachers and Early Childhood Educators While Saskatchewan COVID Numbers Remain Low.

Manitoba Health reported this afternoon nine new cases of COVID-19.  Six of the new cases are in the Winnipeg Health Region, two in the Southern Health Region and one in the Prairie Mountain Health Region.  Preliminary investigations indicate the two cases in the Southern region are not connected to cases at Bethesda Place.  The total number of reported cases now stands at 1273 with 422 active cases, 835 have recovered and 11 are in hospital with one in intensive care.

              The Manitoba government has released the Wear It Well animated video that will help teach younger children how to wear a non-medical mask and take steps to stop the spread of COVID-19.

 

              Meanwhile Saskatchewan reported four new cases of COVID-19 this afternoon, one each in the North Central, Central West, South West and South Central zones.  The total number of reported cases is now 1638 with 36 active, 1578 people have recovered and three are in hospital with one in intensive care in Saskatoon.

 

Video Link:

                                                             

www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/covid/index.html#public.

 

Local Guides Are Looking for Leaders and Members.

Flin Flon Girl Guides are preparing for another season of activities.  Jackie Hritzuk who has been involved in Girl Guides for over thirty years says they are looking for some leaders for Sparks, Brownies and Pathfinders and already have some girls registered in some of those with plans to start in late September.  She explains nationally Girl Guides of Canada has given them some guidelines to follow for the start up so until approximately the middle of October they will probably be doing meetings either outside or virtually and hopefully after that they will be able to start meeting in person again as the weather gets cooler.

             

She adds they will be at Under One Roof next week to pass out information and answer questions.  You can register for their programs at www.girlguides.ca and for information you can call Jackie at 204-680-9474.

 

 

A Summer Drill Program is Following Up on a High Grade Gold Discovery.

Rockcliff Metals Corporation has announced an affiliate of Kinross Gold Corporation has started a summer drill program on Rockcliffs Laguna Gold Property in Snow Lake.  The planned 5 to 6 thousand meter drill program will follow up on high grade gold assay results from the winter drill program.  Pursuant to the July 2018 option agreement Kinross may earn up to a 70 percent interest in Laguna and the Lucky Jack gold properties by spending 5.5 million dollars over the six year term of the option agreement.

             

Laguna is located in the Flin Flon Snow Lake Greenstone Belt and hosts the historic Rex-Laguna gold mine which was Manitoba’s first and highest grade former gold mine. Discovered in 1914 eventual gold mining from Laguna between 1936 and 1940 produced over 60 thousand ounces of gold with an average grade of 16.7 grams per tonne.

Saskatchewan Saw a Bit of a Jump in COVID-19 Cases Due to Travel.

Saskatchewan Health reported this afternoon ten new cases of COVID-19.  There were six new cases reported in the Saskatoon region, two in Central West and one each in North Central and South Central zones.  That brings the provincial total of reported cases to 1634. 36 of the cases are considered active, 1574 people have recovered and two are in hospital with one in intensive care.

             

They point out that all of Saskatoon’s current cases and several of the active cases in the rest of the province are directly related to out of province travel and remind you that non-essential interprovincial travel is not recommended at this time.

 

Manitoba Reports a 15th and 16th Death Related to COVID-19.

Manitoba Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Brent Roussin announced the latest COVID-19 numbers this afternoon.  He reported a 15th and 16th death related to COVID in the Southern Region and these are females with one in her 80s and one in their 90s and both are from the Steinbach Health District and were previously announced cases connected to a known outbreak at Bethesda Place.  He noted 20 new cases of the virus have been identified bringing the total of lab confirmed cases to 1264.

             

457 cases are active and 791 individuals have recovered.

             

Roussin also reminds Manitobans of the travel restrictions to the north adding there are exceptions including health reasons, for work, residents returning home and those travelling directly to a campground or lodge. Details will be posted at www.manitoba.ca/covd19.

 

Flin Flon City Council Continues to Push for New Pool Funding and Input on Travel Restrictions.

At their meeting Tuesday night Council received a letter from Joy Tetlock resigning as Chair of the Aqua Centre Fund Raising Committee due to her work and personal commitments.  In her letter she noted the importance of the water safety programs the pool offers.  Mayor Cal Huntley thanked her for work on the committee.  He said he and Council have been approached by people with the same feelings that the pool is an important facility calling it an essential service.  He said they have a project that is ready to go but there is a delay in announcing grants from the provincial and federal governments as they deal with COVID-19.  He added they submitted a good proposal and looks forward to good news about the grants and moving forward as soon as funding is approved.

            

  Huntley also stated there are a lot of questions to be answered by the province on the re-introduction of travel restrictions to the north.  He said there should be more consultation with northern communities before this type of decision is made and they will be meeting with ministers to educate them on the north and the effect travel restrictions have on our businesses.

Manitoba is Providing More Back to School Information.

The Manitoba government has prepared information for students, parents and educators as they prepare for a safe return to the classroom. Education Minister Kelvin Goertzen says they have developed a Restoring Safe Schools information package to help address the most frequently asked questions and areas of concern. He explains now on the education website www.edu.gov.mb.ca there is now a series of resources that are provided in an easy to digest format for parents and others to get some of the answers they need.  He notes there still of course will be questions and interactions with individuals schools and school divisions as there is every year.

             

The information includes a Parent Guide, Mask Users Guide, Easy References for Parents to the Pandemic Response Notification System, COVID-19 Screening Questions and COVID-19 in Schools and Early Learning and Child Care Centres.  Printed versions will be available where appropriate with information updated as required throughout the year.

Two Care Homes in Winnipeg Report COVID-19 Cases While Saskatchewan Discourages Interprovincial travel.

Manitoba Public Health reported this afternoon 13 new cases of COVID-19 have been identified. However one case identified on August 30th was removed as it was determined to be from out of province.  Eight cases are in the Prairie Mountain Health region, four in the Winnipeg Health region and one in Southern Health.

             

Case investigations indicate two previously identified cases in health care workers in Winnipeg Region are linked to recent outbreaks with one in Fred Douglas Lodge and one at Beacon Hill Lodge Long Term Care Home.  While the risk is assessed as low they have initiated outbreak protocols in an abundance of caution.

             

Reported cases in Manitoba now total 1244 with 454 active and 776 recovered.

 

            

  Saskatchewan Health reported this afternoon two new cases one each in the NorthWest and South Central Zones.  The total reported cases is 1624 with 29 active and 1571 people have recovered.  While Saskatchewan numbers are low and other western provinces are experiencing increased transmission they have cases linked to interprovincial travel. Public Health advises while essential interprovincial travel has always been permitted unnecessary trips should be avoided at this time.

 

Flin Flon Will Be Going to the Polls Late Next Month.

At their meeting last night Flin Flon City Council reported voters will be going to the polls October 28th to elect a City Councilor. It will be for a term running from November 2020 to October 2022. Candidate registration will take place at City Hall during regular business hours from 1 to 4 pm starting today until September 22nd.  To obtain a registration form contact Senior Election Official Katy Anderson at 204-687 -3935 or Chief Administrative Officer Glenna Daschuk at 204-681-7503.

             

Measures recommended by the province to hold a byelection will be followed with all voting done at City Hall on October 28th from 8am to 8pm with four stations properly spaced, hand sanitizers, wearing masks recommended and six foot distancing.  Mail in voting can take place by applying to the Senior Election Official no later than three days before the byelection.

Its Time to Enter Your Local Art Work.

Entries are now being taken for the Square Foot Art Exhibition and Auction coming up at the Norva Centre.  The Centre’s Cindy McLean says this is their annual fund raiser and the exhibition invites everyone regardless of your age or talent to participate and create their own art.  She explains you can pick up your 12 by 12 canvas at Norva for a 25 dollar registration fee and any additional canvases are 5 dollars and the deadline for that will be September 15th.  She notes the actual square foot exhibition grand opening will be held on September 24th at 7 pm complete with wine and cheese so they invite the public to come down and have a look at the art that will be displayed there and the live auction of actually selling the art will take place Sunday October 18th.

             

McLean adds they are also holding a raffle for a 36 by 36 painting by local artist Jerry Hamm with tickets at Norva at 177 Green Street, from any Norva member or online at norvaonlineraffle@gmail.com.

 

One Person Died and Five Were Injured in an Accident Near Pelican Narrows.

At approximately 8:45 Saturday night Pelican Narrows RCMP responded to the report of a single vehicle accident at approximately kilometer 16 on Highway 135 towards Pelican Narrows. The SUV was carrying seven occupants.

A 28-year-old female front passenger was ejected from the vehicle and was declared deceased on scene by EMS. Five other occupants sustained varying levels of injuries and were taken to hospital in Pelican Narrows or Flin Flon for treatment. 

The driver of the vehicle, a 22-year-old female, left the scene, but was later located at a clinic in Pelican Narrows. She was arrested for impaired operation causing death.

An RCMP Collision Reconstructionist and the Saskatchewan Coroner’s Service also attended the scene.

A Change Has Been Made in the Manitoba School Bus Mask Policy.

Manitoba Public Health announced this afternoon 18 new cases of COVID-19.  Seven cases are in the Prairie Mountain health region, nine in the Winnipeg health region and two in the Southern health region.  That brings the total number of reported cases to 1232, 459 cases are active and759 individuals have recovered.

             

Public Health also reported masks will be required on all school buses as passengers may be in close proximity for extended periods of time with no ability to physically distance from each other.  This is a change from previous requirements which only applied to grade four and above. It includes drivers, students and any other passengers on the bus. As well all visitors arriving at health care facilities are now required to wear a non-medical mask.

             

Saskatchewan reported this afternoon three new cases of COVID-19.  There was one in the North Central zone, one in the Saskatoon zone and the location of the third case is pending. That brings the total number of reported cases to 1622 with 31 considered active, 1567 people have recovered and three are in hospital.  To date almost 141 thousand COVID-19 tests have been performed in Saskatchewan.

 

Seniors Have Benefited From a Radio Contest.

Arctic Radio and CFAR held the contest 100 Grand in Your Hand over the summer.  Manager Dianne Russell explains sponsorship was collected to support a needed area of our community.  She says they had a great opportunity with this contest this year to be able to raise money for a local group so they looked around and made some calls and they found out that the quality of living for seniors in town is sometimes a little bit down on the totem pole for funding and with what’s going on with COVID and everything they thought it might be a really good fix so the Northern Health Foundation and their two local care homes were very excited to be able to have them raise money for recreation programs for seniors in the community.

             

Russell adds through major sponsorship from Hudbay and collective sponsorship from over 25 local businesses CFAR was able to deliver two one thousand dollar cheques to be used at Northern Light Manor and the Personal Care Home.

A free digital therapy program is being offered in Manitoba through a partnership of the provincial government and Morneau Shepell.

Abiliti-C-B-T allows the user to connect with a professional therapist who is trained to help patients deal with pandemic challenges, information overload, and stress management.

                

Morneau Shepell’s President of Health and Productivity Solutions Nigel Branker explains  as schools open back up parents and teachers may experience stressors as students prepare for in-class learning. He says there are a multitude of stressors that parents and teachers are facing at this time from increased uncertainty and increased demand while already dealing with a general decline in mental health over a challenging summer and it just becomes one of the things to add to their list of concerns that can be overwhelming, so everything from children in the classroom whether you’re a parent worried about the health and wellbeing of you own children and how it’s going to affect your health or whether you’re a teacher feeling that additional sense of responsibility for taking care of the students in your classroom.

People interested in the program can learn more by visiting www.manitoba.ca/covid19.

 

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