This past Sunday , Manitoba First Nation Police Service members were alerted to a deceased male inside a residence in Opaskwayak Cree Nation (OCN).

An autopsy confirmed the death to be a homicide.

The investigation determined that three individuals were socializing with the deceased when an altercation broke out and the 34-year-old male victim was shot.

A 27-year-old male, Wyatt Campbell, was arrested  in Moose Lake without incident and charged with 2^nd degree murder. Wyatt has been remanded in custody until his court appearance.

Officers from The Pas RCMP Forensic Identification Services, Police Dog Services, Moose Lake RCMP, and Manitoba First Nation Police Service assisted in the investigation.

Manitoba Major Crime Services continues to investigate.

Cranberry is preparing for their last Artisan Market of the summer taking place on Saturday September the 6^th at the Cranberry Portage Museum grounds.

Barb Bragg tells us it will be another action packed afternoon. " As always we will be enjoying great live music, this time provided by Rockcut so it is going to be a fabulous time. Food is going to be available with proceeds to our local Trails Association who keep our trails fantastick both Summer and Winter. Of course then is our vendors and we have 58 so far coming from all over Northern Manitoba as well as several from Swan River and area. We have a number from Northern and Southern  Saskatchewan, so they are coming from all over the place."

It takes place between 11 and 3 and you can see a list of all the vendors on their facebook page or by going to cranberryportage.net.

The Flin Flon Alliance Church is getting ready to host their Super Tuesday Bible courses once again this fall starting in early September.

Pastor Claude Marais explains how the courses will work. " Super Tuesday is all about the Alpha course and answering all the questions that everyone has about Christiananity.  We also have a bible study which is the Acts of the Apostles which is a very interesting look into the actual starting of the Christian church after the ascension of Jesus. It works through the book of Acts highlighting all the work the Apostles did in planting churches and spreading the Gospel."

The courses will start September the 16^th and begins with a supper at 6pm, the classes at 7, dessert at 8:30 and the evening will wrap up at 9pm. For more information you can go to the Alliance Church facebook page or call 204-687-8498.

For any of the Snow Lake evacuees who have just arrived home , Community Futures Greenstone is providing Emergency Business Relief loans to assist with your  ongoing recovery.

Through this program they are offering loans for working capital up to $25,00.00 per business. 0% interest for 6 months as well as no payments for up to 7 months for a 36 month term.

Contact Greenstone for all the details at 204-687-6967 or admin@cfgreenstone.com.

Starting Today, a large section of 3rd Avenue will be closed between the Hundred Stairs/Callahan Lane and Ross Street in order to install pipe lining into the storm sewer.

The section of road will be closed throughout the long weekend, and will re-open mid-week.

Residents driving in the area can detour via Hill Street, Fourth Avenue, and Ross Street, or via Highway #10.

The storm sewer upgrade will help reduce drainage complications, extending the life of the sewer drain and reducing the work needed to keep it maintained over the long term.

Once the storm sewer is upgraded, they  can begin re-paving!

Today will be your last chance to come out and take part in the Fun Days On Main Street events which have been happening all summer.

Community Futures Greenstone has teamed up with the Neighborhood Revitalization Committee to host  these events for kids in our community and Greenstone’s Becky Cianflone is hoping they will get a good turn out for the final time this summer.

" We are going to have some planting, dirt and some pots and kids will be able to take a plant home with them. It looks like the weather is going to be pretty good today as well so we may also have some water balloons and some fun to cool folks off. Today is going to be our last event for the summer with our Fun Days On Main project through the Flin Flon  Neighborhood Revitalization."

The event will take place between 4 and 7pm today at Pioneer Square and is free for kids of all ages.

September the 30^th is Truth and Reconciliation Day also known as Orange Shirt day,  when the country recognizes and honours the children who never returned home and the survivors of residential schools.

There will be a special ceremony in Flin Flon to mark Truth and Reconciliation day with the unveiling of a piece of Memorial Art.

Steve Lytwin is the chair of Flin Flon’s Indigenous Reconciliation Committee and provides more details on this  special event. " We are going to gather before noon and leave from  Angel Avenue just outside the Friendship Centre at noon. We are going to do a walk from Angel Avenue on to Main Street and make our way to Pioneer Square. Then once we get to Pioneer Square we will have a little ceremony and we will have some special guests, a prayer, some traditional dancers and some drum songs and then we will unveil this project which has been several years in the making."

The Flin Flon Reconciliation committee continues to look for different ways to build reconciliation in all the different communities in the Flin Flon area and look forward to having the entire community come out to recognize this event.

The Flin Flon Trout Festival has another event that they have rescheduled , the ever popular Fish Fry which will now take place on Friday September the 5^th.

Greg Kritzer from the Volunteer Committee is happy that they were still able to organize this event. " We are very excited about still being able to put this event on as were nervous it wasn't going to happen but we have been able to pull everything together. We have got the band On Alert coming out to play and Chicken Chef has stepped up big to help us host again. We are going to have that same outdoor music festival  theme, cheap drinks, Corn Hole tournament going on and just trying to get the communities together after a tough summer."

Tickets can be picked up at the Tempo Gateway and all the money will be donated to the local fire departments from Flin Flon, Creighton, Denare Beach and Cranberry. The committee will be giving out free tickets to the fire fighters.

The Flin Flon Friendship Centre will be hosting their AGM tonight starting at 5:30 at their location at 57 Church street.

The agenda will include the review of minutes from 2024, Financial Report, Constitutional Amendments with elections for Board Of Director positions.

Food and refreshments will follow the meeting. This is open to any residents in Flin  Flon that have lived here for at least a 6 month period. You will need to be 18 years of age to vote at the meeting.

You can call 204-687-3900 if you need any further information.

You are invited to attend an open house today at the UCN Nursing building at 68 Main street in Flin Flon.

This will be a chance to find out more about the Health Care Aide program that UCN will be offering later this fall. The Dean for the Faculty of Health Cindy Woodhouse explains. " We are going to be talking about the Certified Health Care Aid program that we are going to be running from September til the beginning of February. Applications are still being accepted so it is a really good time to find out about the program and how anyone who is interested can apply. The program features flexible class room options as well. So for anyone who is already working as a uncertified health care aid,  we want to really explain how prior learning recognition is available to support the pathway to certification."

The Open House will go between 10am and 2pm today and you can come meet the instructional team, enjoy some refreshments, tour the new facility  and learn more about the program.

Last week Flin Flon Mayor George Fontaine, Deputy Mayor Alison Dallas Funk and Councillor Mike Slipp attended the Manitoba Cities Caucus meeting in Steinbach.

Councillor Mike Slipp says they had the opportunity to share and get ideas. 

" We get together and talk about issues and things that have happened both good and bad. We talked a lot about the fires and how it was handled and what we could do better and things like that. It was interesting because we got to hear from the  people on the receiving end of our evacuees, from Dauphin, Portage, Brandon and how they were affected by the fires. The fire is one thing but these people took our people in and also sent fire fighters up."

They also had a chance to talk about issues like fees for rec facilities and they had a chance to meet with Glenn Simard the Minister for Municipalities and Northern Affairs. The meeting was very productive and there will be a full report on the next City Beat program. 

This past Friday , The Pas RCMP received a report of a vehicle-pedestrian collision that occurred on Highway 60, located approximately 20 kilometres east of Highway 10.

Officers attended and located two vehicles as well as two deceased individuals on scene, a 29-year-old male and an 18-year-old female, both from Chemawawin Cree Nation. They were both pronounced deceased on scene.

The investigation has determined that a vehicle, being driven by a 30-year-old male from Chemawawin Cree Nation, was travelling eastbound on Highway 60 when it stopped on the side of the highway. The two deceased, who where passengers in this vehicle, exited and began walking eastbound with the vehicle following them.

Another vehicle, being driven by a 64-year-old male from The Pas, was travelling westbound on Highway 60 and failed to see the two walking on the highway and collided with them.

The two vehicles remained on scene and contacted police.


The Pas RCMP, with assistance of the RCMP Criminal Collision Investigation Team and a Forensic Collision Reconstructionist, continue to investigate.

Many Faces Education Centre is getting ready for another school year and will be taking new  registration’s for the fall.

Registration will start on Wednesday September the 3^rd at 9:30 am in the Many Faces gym right behind Hapnot Collegiate.

Regular classes will start on Thursday September the 4^th . Night school will start September the 9^th which will be Tuesday and Wednesday night’s  between 6 and 8:30 pm.

Don’t forget to bring your health card and certificate.

Kids will get one more chance to enjoy Toddlers In The Park today at the Creighton Spray Park.

Rec Director Lindsay Shirran invites the kids to come out for the final time this summer.  " Today will be our final Toddlers In The Park and we will be reading the Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carl and it a very good family friendly book for everyone. We will have a great time celebrating the final one of the year and we will have story time, colouring sheets, swiming, some snacks and we get to spend time together."  

This will take place between 11 and 12 and is only a dollar to attend. This is a great event for pre school kids and their parents.

You are invited to Pioneer Square tomorrow to recognize International Overdose Awareness Day.

Christa McIntire on behalf of the Play It Safer Network tells us what the day is all about. " International Overdose Awareness Day is celebrated each year and we are coming together to remember without stigma,  those who have died from overdose and recognize the grief of family and friends left behind. The theme this year  is One Big Family Driven By Hope. This theme reminds us by building connection and compassion , we can move from awareness to action and save lives. We can come together as one big family to take action on overdose."

It will take place between 1 and 2 :30 and you are invited to come out for a barbecue, entertainment and information and sharing. This event is open to the entire community.

The most recent City Beat show aired this past Thursday on CFAR and Councillor Bill Hanson was in studio to chat about the recent upgrades to Flin Flon’s roads.

Councillor Hanson also commented on the new transit bus which will start to operate in September. " Well we just received our new Transit Bus and for the first time ever it has a wheelchair ramp, so we can accomodate people with disabilities. It is here and is currently being inspected and saftied. We are also starting some really impactful improvements to our Transit Infrastructure as well. We are putting up a bunch of new sidewalks, a bunch of new shelters and there will be a new sidewalk going from the Candy Bar East going up the hill. We will be putting in a new stop right by MTS on the corner where the bus stop is now, but there is going to be an actual shelter there."

Hanson also talked about other upgrades around  the community including the city workers fixing water leaks, painting curbs and are looking forward to the tv show Still Standing coming to Flin Flon in early  September. You can listen to this past week’s entire show at flinflononline.com.

University College Of The North is going to be offering a Health Care Aid certificate program this Fall in Flin Flon.

Admission requirements include being a grade 12 graduate or a mature student 19 years of age or older will  also be able to  do an academic assessment for admission.

Transcripts can be submitted to UCN, Box 3000, The Pas Manitoba, R9A-1M7 or e-mailed to admissions@ucn.ca.

For more information you can go to any UCN centre or reach out to thominuk@ucn.ca or call 431-363-1338.

Cranberry Portage wants to recognize the efforts of their firefighters this past summer and have planned a fundraiser for September.

The CP Wildfire Fundraising Committee are hosting a Backdraft Brats and Beer Fundraiser and Barb Bragg says they want to show their appreciation. " Well you know all of us here in Cranberry Portage are so grateful to our fire department,  who was ready if necessary when the fires were happening back in May and June. We just wanted to do something to show our appreciation and raise some funds for some of the equipment that would of been helpful if we had it in place this tim around."

It will take place at the Cranberry Portage Heritage Museum on Saturday September the 20^th between 3 and 8pm. There will be lots of live entertainment, beer garden, food vendors, homemade sausage competition and much more.

You are asked to purchase tickets ahead of time by e-mailing cpwildfire2024@gmail.com or by calling 204-472-3044. Tickets are $20.00.

Community Futures Greenstone and the Flin Flon Neighborhood Revitalization Corporation  will once again be holding Fun Days On Main today at the Flin Flon Public Library.

Today it is going to be Storybook Sidewalk  and Greenstone’s  Becky Cianflone  tells us they have lots planned for the kids." We are going to have a variety of children books available and we will have some folks that can read with community members if they would like that. We will also have some activities and games to do and as always we include a free snack with activities. You can just show up , we want people to come out and enjoy the outdoors and Main Street of our community, now that we are having some smoke free weather."

It happens between 4 and 7 today and is free and open to kids of all ages.

Karen Mackinnon and Lorne Moorhead representing the Flin Flon Aqua Centre Volunteer Committee were at the meeting to draw the winners from the Senior Challenge.

This was started over a year ago and the draws had to be rescheduled this past Tuesday due to the wildfire in June. Congratulations to the winners Nora Fontaine who received a print donated by Randy Whitbread, Dianne Stadnick who won the quilt from Northstar Quilt Guild and Lizzy Kennedy was the lucky winner of a year pool pass from the City Of Flin Flon. A total of $12,635.00 was donated.

The City gave first reading on a bylaw to authorize the borrowing of money for the design and construction of the new Aqua Centre. The City will continue to look for more grants and fundraising ideas.

Construction on roads has started with Maple Leaf Construction who are paving many roads throughout the community and work will start soon on new sidewalks and shelters for the new city bus which will hit the streets in September.

The City is also waiting for reimbursement of around 2 million dollars to help offset the costs of the wildfire from the Disaster Financial Assistance Fund, MB Wildfire and the Office Of The Fire  Commissionaire.

The people of Denare Beach gathered together in the community for a press conference this past Monday as they continue to reach out to the Provincial  government for support and answers as to their handling of the Wolf Fire that ravaged through the community in June.

Among those in attendance were Carla Beck the Provincial leader of the NDP and Jordan McPhail the MLA for Cumberland.

Local resident Dustin Trumbley who was a victim of the fire losing his home, garage and business spoke at the press conference  and says they are still waiting for answers.

" The wildfire victims need to stand up and take a stand to get accountabillity from the Premier Scott Moe, Tim McCloud, and the SPSA. There are so many questions that need answers from very hurt people right now and people that are not doing good mentally right now. We just want to ask questions and I don't think we are angry we are just hurt and we want to know what happened and why it happened. We want to know why we were left to burn because that is literally how we all feel and we don't matter. "

Trumbley went on to say that the village has banded together and appreciate the support from everyone in the area and  they will continue to send out e-mails and call out the Provincial Government until they show up and take some accountability.

Due to the wildfires in Flin Flon and area back in May and June, the Flin Flon Friendship Centre has rescheduled National Indigenous People’s Day to this Saturday August the 23^rd.

Joe Anne Pelletier the Friendship Centre’s Events and Program Coordinator would like to see the entire community come out to celebrate this special day.  

" We wanted the community to still be able to ebrace and enjoy  Indigenous culture and it's beauty. We have partnered with Flin Flon  City Bus as well as Ruth Betts to provide free transportation throughout the event. We have also partnered with Creighton Rec and the splash pad will be free of charge and open as there will be Kareoke as an activity as well. The Northern Prairie Dancers will be performing in Flin Flon for the first time ever and we will continue with our free barbecue and cake."

Other activities include food vendors,Indigenous market, story-telling and teachings,a penny parade and 50/50. It takes place this Saturday at the Creighton School Grounds between 1 and 8pm.

The Town of Creighton will be hosting a community barbecue to show appreciation to everyone in the community who has gone out of their way to keep everyone alive and safe after a very difficult summer.

Creighton Rec Director Lindsay Shirran has the details. " We are lucky to be working with the Flin Flon Rotary Club, so they will be there serving. They will be making up their delicious homemade fries and we will have hamburgers, hotdogs and cup-cakes. Other things going on include  the spray pool's last day open so there will be music by DJ Dray, the concession will be open, face painting and bubbles."

It takes place between 5 and 7pm and it is a free, so make sure you bring the entire family for a community celebration.

Town of Snow Lake – Re-Entry Update

Snow Lake Council met Monday  afternoon with the Manitoba Wildfire Service (MWS) and Manitoba Emergency Management Organization (EMO) to review the current wildfire situation.

Based on MWS recommendation, Council has rescinded the mandatory evacuation order effective for this  Friday August 22, at 8:00 A.M.

As residents return home, the Town has implemented the following measures to support re-entry:

Waste and Garbage Services: Free tipping at the Snow Lake landfill will be available for two weeks, from August 25 to September 7.

Manitoba Wildfire Service (MWS) has informed the Town there will be increased vehicle activity by MWS in the coming weeks. Please take caution when encountering these wildfire crews on the roads. There also may be smoke plumes visible which MWS will be monitoring closely.

A Welcome Centre will be established at the Community Hall to provide resources and assistance for returning residents.

The Centre will operate on

- Friday August 22 from 12:00 P.M to 7:00 P.M

- Saturday and Sunday August 23 and 24 from 10:00 A.M to 7:00 P.M.

Resources such as mental health supports, Red Cross, Service Canada, and social assistance will be available for all community members. A food bank will be available at the welcome centre to those in need as supplies last.

The Town thanks all residents for their patience and resilience during this evacuation. They  look forward to welcoming everyone safely back to the community.

The Royal Canadian Legion in Flin Flon,  local branch 73  will be holding their annual Fish Fry  early in September.

This is one of their biggest fundraisers of the year and Bob Penner tells us they have a great evening planned. " The meat draw is going to start around 4pm,4:30 in that area,  pretty much the normal time. We will have the meat draw, perfume draw and supper will start at 6:30. The Usual Suspects will wrap up the evening with our entertainment."

 The Fish Fry will take place on Saturday September the 6^th  and tickets are $30.00 and can be purchased at the Legion Lounge. 90 tickets will  need to be sold by this Saturday August the 23^rd for the event to go ahead.

If you are an Indigenous student in Saskatchewan pursuing a post secondary education, Northlands College may have something that may interest you.

They want to give you a chance to receive $1,000.00 towards your studies with the SIGA Indigenous Scholarship Awards Program.

45 scholarships will be available and is open to all programs including Business, Law, Communications, Project Management, Social Work, Gaming and Culinary Arts.

The deadline to apply is August the 24^th and you will need to submit a resume and a letter of reference and you can apply by clicking on the link on the Northlands College Facebook page.

The Saskatchewan Government and General Employees Union were in Denare Beach on Thursday to make a cheque presentation towards the Denare Beach Fire Department to  help with costs due to the wildfire.

Tracy Sauer the President from SGEU says it is important to let the people of Denare Beach know that there is support from other parts of the province. 

" Well as SGEU, we represent members  right across Saskatchewan and many of them are rural and remote members as well. We have members here and one of our goals and missions in our union is to support community. When we see areas that need help we want to be there to help them."

The cheque presentation was for $10,000.00 and SGEU serves members right across Saskatchewan with members in both Creighton and Denare Beach who work in education, health and conservation.

This past Saturday, Pelican Narrows RCMP responded to a report of an 18-year-old male from Pelican Narrows who was seriously injured (by firearm) on Kaskew Crescent . He was transported to the local health clinic by members of the public and pronounced deceased shortly after. An autopsy will take place  in Saskatoon later today.

Saskatchewan RCMP Major Crimes, supported by RCMP Historical Case Unit police officers, continue to investigate with the assistance of Pelican Narrows RCMP and RCMP Forensic Identification Section.

Investigators do not believe there is an increased safety risk at this time. Should this change, they  will notify the public immediately.

If anyone has information or tips to share about this investigation, they should call 310-RCMP (7267) or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 if you wish to remain anonymous.

The Flin Flon Trout Festival will be hosting a Fish Fry which was supposed to take place in June but had to be rescheduled due to the wildfire.

The new date is Friday September the 5^th and Trout Festival President Dianne Russell is excited that they got to reschedule this long time Trout Festival event. " We are thrilled and my thoughts are yay and the Fish Fry team has made this happen and have made all the calls and rescheduled and it is going to take place on September the 5th. One of the reasons it is so exciting,  is the community needs this celebration and we want to offer something. We are also going to be giving all the profits to our local firefighters from Denare to Cranberry and in between and everybody is excited about it."

It will take place in the Chicken Chef parking lot and will feature the band On Alert, plus a Corn Hole tournament, 50/50 , food and merchandise.

Tickets available at the Tempo Gateway .

The City of Flin Flon is ready to start their summer paving projects and are a few weeks behind due to the wildfire evacuation.

Crews from Maple Leaf Construction will be starting road milling work on Monday in preparation for re-paving.

The milling will result in road closures and detours over the next few days in the following areas:

* Third Avenue, near Rotary Park
* Third Avenue Hill
* Ross Street Hill (from 36 to 82 Ross Street)
* Green Street (between the intersections of Steventon and Phelan)
* Half of Anderson Street

Once milling is completed, the roads will be opened until paving operations begin, but motorists will need to drive with caution on the rough surfaces and asphalt drop-offs.

MAYOR BRUCE FIDDLER TOLD COUNCIL HE WILL BE AWAY IN NIPAWIN TODAY FOR THE NORTH NORTH EAST TRANSPORTATION MEETING THEN ON MONDAY HE WILL BE IN LaRONGE FOR THE LEADERS SUMMIT, THEN OFF TO REGINA TO ATTEND THE SUMA MAYORS SCHOOL AUGUST 21 AND 22nd AND SAID HE SHOULD HAVE A PRETTY GOOD REPORT FOR THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING.

COUNCIL PASSED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE QUOTE FROM KOZAR CONSTRUCTION TO REPLACE AND EXPAND THE CEMENT IN FRONT OF THE SPORTEX. 

COUNCIL RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE REMINDER REQUESTING THE TOWN PARTICIPATE IN THE SCHOOL BUS SAFETY FEATURE AS THEY DID LAST YEAR. A MOTION WAS PASSED TO ONCE AGAIN PURCHASE A SPOT IN THE CAMPAIGN TO KICK OFF THE SCHOOL YEAR AT A COST OF $25 DOLLARS.

COUNCIL ALSO RECEIVED A REQUEST FROM THE FLIN FLON BOMBERS FOR SPONSORSHIP FOR THE UPCOMING SEASON. THE REQUEST WAS REFERRED FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION.

COUNCIL PASSED A MOTION TO DONATE A HOODIE TO THE CRANBERRY PORTAGE WINTER FESTIVAL COMING UP IN FEBRUARY.

Despite a late start this summer due to the evacuation,  the Norva Centre in Flin Flon have recovered well with a lot of programs and classes the last couple of months.

There is still one more event you can sign up for this summer as we hear more from Gallery Manager Megan Dupas.  "  We have a traditional Caribou Hair Tufting workshop that is coming up on Tuesday August the 19th from 6 to 8:30pm. You can learn to tuft a pin using Caribou hair with Teresa and Jenelle  Wride. It is a beginner friendly workshop for ages 16 and up."

You can sign up for this course by calling 204-687-4237 or send an e-mail to norvacentre@gmail.com.

You are invited to come out for a free barbecue this weekend and get a chance to socialize and find out more about Northern Growing Abilities in our area.

Board member Deb Odegaard would like to see you there.  " Well this event is for the whole community , anybody who is interested in good food and some live music, games and some door prizes. Bring your family and friends and come out and have a good time. This is a way our organization can give back to the community."

It takes place this Sunday at the Rotary Wheel between 1 and 4pm.

Here is the latest on the Snow Lake fire situation updated earlier today on the Town of Snow Lake Facebook page.

Rain has been falling in Snow Lake since approximately 3:00 a.m. today, assisting ongoing firefighting efforts. In town, crews are working to remove ground-based sprinkler systems and value protection units as part of demobilization activities.

Updated information regarding remote ice shacks:

Herb Lake – Ice shacks on the east side of the lake have been lost.

McLeod Lake – Ice shacks on the south side remain standing; those further down the lake near the first jump over have been lost.

Squall Lake – No information available at this time.

Further updates will be provided as new information becomes available.

Residents from Creighton and Denare Beach gathered together at the Creighton Community Hall this past Tuesday for a Town Hall meeting to discuss progress with the wildfires.

Buckley Belanger the MP for Desnethe Missinippi Churchill River was in town to answer questions and hear concerns from the people of this area directly.

Belanger says it is important that his office works with the Provincial Government and Municipality to get the answers and support that they need.

" I think that people want to be heard and we have heard it time and time again that they want the Province to come to Creighton, Denare Beach as they have a lot of questions. I certainly saw evidence at the meeting tonight that they are very respectful and very strong in their positions. Ultimately I think the message from the people of Creighton and Denare Beach is that they have gone through so much , at the very least they should be heard. It is important that they get their message through."

They are looking for a local liaison  from Denare Beach and Creighton  to work with Buckley’s office in Ottawa and any questions or concerns can be sent to buckleybelanger@gmail.com.

Adult and Teen Challenge in Flin Flon are preparing for one of their biggest fundraisers of the year, the annual Rubber Duck Race on Saturday September the 6^th at the Wallace street bridge starting with a barbecue at noon and  the race at 1pm.

Development Director Kandie Lagore tells us where this year’s proceeds will be going. " We just wanted to say that we are extremely thankful for everyone that has already purchased tickets and some people are buying tickets for their families and friends for gifts. We appreciate the support in helping us sell out the event. As you probably know our centre burned down with the Wolf fire and the proceeds from this will help us with our restart. We have plans not just to have a residence for our students but to open a Thrift store."

Tickets are $40.00 each and can be purchased at the Gateway, Northern Rainbow’s End and Alexander’s. You can also get tickets online by scanning the QR code on the poster which is located all over town. Great prizes will be awarded once again including a 2025 Polaris Ranger 750 valued at $16,000.00 for first place.

On August 2^nd , Thompson RCMP officers were on patrol near Thompson Drive when they were flagged down by individuals on the street who appeared panicked.

Police were informed that a male had been stabbed behind a business on Thompson Drive and had serious life-threatening injuries.

Police attended immediately and provided first aid while waiting for emergency medical services to respond.

The 26-year-old male was transported to hospital with serious injuries but has since been upgraded to stable condition.

Thompson RCMP is requesting help to identify two males and one female who may have information about this incident.

The RCMP is asking anyone with information to please call Thompson RCMP at 204-843-2691 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477 or submit a secure tip online at www.manitobacrimestoppers.com.

We have just over a month remaining in the Trout Festival month long fishing derby which was extended due to the wildfire around Flin Flon at the end of May and into June.

The Trout Festival’s Dianne Russell tells us things are going well despite the late start. " We are pretty excited we got to extend it because it was pretty hard for us to lose everything for that whole month of evacuation . We wanted to do something positive and this is just one of the events that has been rescheduled. I encourage everyone if you are going out fishing stop by one of our locations and grab a quick ticket and then you can enter your fish and maybe win some cash. This makes it more fun too, and we appreciate you for supporting this event." 

$15,00.00 is up for grabs for first place in the Trout, Northern Pike and Walleye categories. There will be a chance to win lots of other prizes to. Don’t forget you can fish any lake on both the Manitoba and Saskatchewan side north of the 54^th parallel.

Fishing Kits are available at the Gateway, Creighton Recreation Tourism Office, Rubi’s Outdoors and T and D Amisk and you can submit photos of your fish by September the 14^th by going to troutfestival.com.

The Women’s Resource Centre In Flin Flon is going to be hosting a Self-Care Work Shop later this week.

One of the councillor’s Hope Liebert who is organizing the event welcomes everyone in the community to come out and participate. " It is going to be a little presentation and self care activity to follow.  There will be a door prize as well and is good for anyone, all ages."

It will take place on Friday between 1 and 2:30 pm at the Women’s Resource Centre at 35 Main Street. You can sign up by calling 204-681-3105.

The smoke couldn’t keep the Flin Flon faithful  away from another successful Blueberry Jam Music gathering this past weekend at the Flin Flon Tourist Bureau.

Crystal Kolt says the community can hold their heads high once again.

" Well,  overall thoughts were it was fabulous, attendance was as good if not better than last year, the weather held up and musicians were incredible. People were here from as far away as Ireland and we attracted a lot of visitors and it was really miraculous." 

Over 9000 wrist bands were handed out over the three days and just under 3000 people gathered in the Blueberry Patch on Saturday night. Jordan Tost was the 50/50 winner taking home half of the $29,565.00 jackpot and Cassidy Alexander won the Calm Air draw for a $15,00.00 gift certificate.

There is going to be a special Town Hall meeting tonight at the Creighton Community Hall starting tonight at 6.

Liberal MP, Buckley Belanger  for Desnethe Missinippi Churchill River will be on hand to answer questions and talk about any concerns you may have in this riding.

Constituency Assistant Devin Berzatchez tells us they look forward to meeting and engaging with people in our area. " We just want to engage with people , we have had a busy summer with fires and we want to hear people out. We want to engage with constituents on some of the suggestions or ideas they have and to listen to some of the problems they have been having."

This is open to anyone who would like to come out,  and it is a great opportunity to ask questions and get information directly from Buckley at this Town Hall.

Here is the latest on the Snow Lake fire situation as efforts continued to battle the blaze through the weekend.

Local crews continued their monitoring and suppression efforts overnight along 395 and in the 3 zone. Overall, these areas remained fairly quiet yesterday, allowing crews to move more deeply to secure established control lines.

Some rain did fall in town late last night. Today the forecasted high temperature is 23C and there is a 60% chance of showers. After today, the forecasted high temperatures for the days ahead are all lower, with none of them reaching above 20C.

Crews from Strilkiwski and MB Hydro continue to work together to drive a road into the area where hydro infrastructure has been damaged northwest of town. Originally estimated to take 5 days, this road work should be completed later this afternoon, 3 days after it began. Once the area has been reached, MB Hydro crews can do a full assessment of the damage so that repairs can begin.

If you are a caring helper or professional,  the Flin Flon Creighton Senior Support Services would like to hear from you. They are in need of people to assist seniors in our community with daily tasks.

Newly appointed Senior Resource Coordinator Cindy McLean explains what they are looking for. " Well, what we are is for individuals who can help seniors to basically maintain their independance and help them stay in their homes. We are looking for people who would be interested in driving them to appointments , grocery shopping, helping them with some yard work, raking,shovelling snow,any yard work like that. Minor home repairs, hair dressing in their homes and anything like that. Basic help that senior's might be needing."

If you are interested in applying for a position by calling Cindy at 431-346-1060, send an e-mail to ffcseniorresource111@outlook.com plus send a message to their facebook page. You can also stop by and see Cindy at the homecare office downstairs Monday through Friday 8am to 1pm.

A Senior came forward  to the Flin Flon Aqua Centre Fundraising Committee a number of months ago , challenging all seniors in our community to donate  to the new swimming pool.

The Senior’s Challenge was created and  a draw was created for everyone who made a donation. The draw had  to be postponed due to the wildfires back in June  and will now happen at the next City Council meeting on Tuesday August the 19^th.  Karen MacKinnon explains what the prizes are . 

" It is the draw for the first ever annual  pool pass, so who ever wins can win that or It Takes A Village Quilt that was donated by the Northstar Quilt Guild. The third prize is a Randy Whitbread Print donated by Randy and Dianne Whitbread."

You can still make a donation right up until August the 18^th  by sending an e-mail to webuildweswim@gmail.com. Over ten thousand dollars has been donated so far.

The Saskatchewan Government and General Employees Union will be making their way to Northern Saskatchewan next week.

SGEU will be in Denare Beach on Thursday August the 14^th to make a cheque presentation to the Denare Beach Fire Fighters.

President Tracy Sauer says they are thinking about all those affected and want to help. " Our administration committee which is made up of Vice Presidents from different  sectors had a meeting,  and we just wanted to do something to help Denare Beach. Lots of our members are from across Saskatchewan and these fires have been affecting everybody. Especially our Northern neighbors and their families and we do represent the Wildland Firefighters and we know how much they are going through as well."

The cheque presentation will take place at 5:30 at the Denare Beach Firehall with a dinner planned for the firefighters and their families at 6:30 at the Creighton Community Hall.

The City of Flin Flon has lifted the fire ban and off road travel ban as of this past Wednesday.

Flin Flon Mayor George Fontaine  was at the CFAR studio shortly after the announcement was made and mentioned the things you still need  to keep in mind.

" People still need to be responsible and understand the risks. If you are travelling off road,  avoid tall grass if you can and make sure  your machine is in good working order. If you are having a fire in a fire pit make sure it is set up properly , that your lawn is mowed and your bushes are trimmed and all those clippings are raked up. We want people to enjoy the summer but fire season isn't over yet. Generally speaking, what ever you do, do it with caution."

There are no fires in the area that directly affect Flin Flon , if there ends up being a new fire of concern to the community information will be shared immediately. You will be able to access that through the Flin Flon social media channels and 102.9 CFAR.

For any information on the fire situation throughout Manitoba you can go to www.gov.mb.ca/wildfire.

Here is the latest on the Snow Lake fire from earlier this morning.

Crews made solid progress yesterday, continuing mop-up efforts in several areas. This work will continue today. Less than 1 mm of rain was recorded yesterday, and additional light rainfall is possible tonight, which would support ongoing suppression efforts.

Planning and coordination remain ongoing with Manitoba Wildfire, Manitoba EMO, and other external agencies to prepare for a safe, efficient re-entry process once the threat to the community has been reduced and it is safe to do so.

Further updates will be shared as conditions evolve.

The City of Flin Flon continues to update their Accessibility planning.

The Manager of Public Relations and Community Engagement Kacper Antoszewski tells us what the plan will include. "  It can include things like for example , like physical accessibility, where we can improve things like wheelchair ramps or access for people with mobility issues. It can also include things like the website and if you have a visual disability, is the website a friendly place to navigate."

Every two years the City of Flin Flon will update and compile information to help keep the community informed. The city has partnered up with Urban Systems and you can access the survey at ca.research.net/r/flinflon access.

The survey will close August the 14^th.

Wabowden RCMP and the Integrated Missing Persons Coordination Centre continue to follow up on any leads/tips in this investigation but thus far, have been unable to locate 40-year-old Travis Bittern.

Travis was last seen walking southbound on Highway 6 on June 27^th.  He was wearing a black t-shirt, blue plaid pajama pants and has a tattoo of a feather on his right arm.

The RCMP is asking anyone who was travelling on highway 6 near Wabowden on June 27^th, between 9:00 am and-9:45 am, and may have seen Travis to contact the Wabowden RCMP 204-689-2152, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477, or secure tip online at www.manitobacrimestoppers.com.

Flin Flon City Council met for the first time in August at City Council Chambers on Tuesday night.

A resident came to  the meeting and wanted to thank the city for fixing a water leak which was affecting some business’s on Main street. This has been an on going issue for the last couple of years and the city got on top of it and have solved the problem.

The resident also thanked City Council for keeping the community updated during the evacuation and said the city text alerts were very helpful.

The city is still waiting to hear back from the Provincial Assistance Disaster Fund to see if they can get reimbursed for all the costs that were incurred fighting the fires around the community. They expect to hear back in late August or early September.

Summer construction plans are going ahead and you can expect to see a lot happening in the next 30 days including paving, sidewalks,curbs and the new bus has arrived and will it the road in September.

Tenders have been set out to demolish the Flin Flon Hotel which may or may not happen this year due to finances. As long as the building is still standing , the city will listen for offers to purchase and re-develop.

 Mayor George Fontaine has declared September as Arthritis Awareness Month in Flin Flon.

Here is the latest on the Snow Lake Fire supplied by Manitoba Wildfire Service.

Another cool day yesterday across the Snow Lake fire complex allowed crews to make further progress.

Crews continued to work in and around Snow Lake, focusing on strengthening containment lines, and cleaning up fire extensions to the north and south of the community, particularly around Lalor Mine and the golf course. With favourable conditions, crews are taking full advantage of the weather to ensure values protection units are strategically placed ahead of the forecasted wind shift.

Fires 89, 90, 91, 92, and 93 were assessed yesterday and have been prioritised. An initial attack (IA) crew successfully actioned fire 93 yesterday, and work is continuing today. Fires 89 and 92 are expected to merge shortly and will be managed as one fire. Fire 90 has been identified as a priority, and IA crews are working on that today.

Last night, a tactical backburn was conducted on fire 89, aimed at reinforcing protection to the west and north. The operation had very good effect with no issues reported. Aerial resources continue to be utilised across the remaining fires where possible and where resource availability allows.

Looking ahead, the forecast continues to indicate stronger southerly winds today and into tomorrow. There is also a risk of thunderstorms, which could result in new lightning starts,  with rain in the  forecast in the coming days.They  expect the  northern fire edges to remain under continued pressure from these southerly winds over the next 48 hours.

August is here and it is going to be a busy month in Creighton with lots of events planned for the entire family.

Creighton Rec Director Lindsay Shirran shares the details. " Up coming on August the 23rd to coincide with Indigenous day  activities which will be taking place at the Creighton Ball Field. We will be having Karaoke  In The Park at the Spray Pool from 1 til 5pm and it is free. There will be dancing,face painting, swimming bubbles and prizes. Then the following week on August the 29th at the Creighton Hall from 6:30 to 9pm we are looking to get some Canadian spirit. We will have a Canada EH Family Dance and we will have DJ Dray doing the music, we will have  trivia, games , concession and we will have Shylo coming in and doing airbrush tatoos."

More information  can be found on the Creighton Recreation Culture and Tourism facebook page.  

The ultimate music gathering in Northern Manitoba and Saskatchewan, the  Blueberry Jam will hit the stage starting Friday at the Flin Flon Tourist Bureau.

The Flin Flon Arts Council’s Crystal Kolt says things are starting to come together.  " Everybody has stepped up and there is some people from our committee who had to step down because of the fire. Other people have stepped in and the community has  stepped in and we almost have all our volunteer spots. We still need some volunteers especially for Sunday , so call Elly Spencer or send an e-mail to flinflonblueberryjam@gmail.com."

The music starts Friday at 5pm and will continue right through Sunday and features lots of  local musicians from Flin Flon and area. For a complete list of this year’s musical acts and times or any other information you can go to blueberryjam.ca.

Here is the latest on the wildfire activity  around the town of  Snow Lake.

A release was issued by the community earlier today.

Crews continued mop-up operations along Highway 395 overnight, addressing flare-ups in the areas around New Brit and Purple Sandy. Suppression efforts remained steady, with patrols monitoring for new activity throughout the evening.

Looking ahead, cooler temperatures are forecasted for the coming days, with a chance of rain in the region. These conditions are expected to support firefighting efforts and provide some relief to crews working across the fire zones.

Further updates will be provided as today’s operations progress.

After having  it postponed due to the wildfires what has quickly become the SPCA’s signature event will be returning to town. The 2^nd  Annual SPCA Inflatable Costume Race Business Challenge will now take place on Saturday September 6, at 1pm at the Hapnot Collegiate Track.

You can still register to take part. SPCA manager Zelda Genaille let’s us know the best way to get signed up ." Of course everyone can sign up , we actually have a post on our facebook page. If you go to the comments section we actually have the sign up sheet there for your business. Just bring in the entry form to the shelter when you sign up."

13 entrants are already registered and there will be two different races this year, one for speed and one with the most style. Last year’s event rasied over $26,000

Deschambault Lake RCMP arrested Tyler Ballantyne back  on July 30^th in Deschambault Lake after an assault at a home.

As a result of further investigation into this incident, an adult female was arrested in Deschambault Lake on July 31^st.

21-year-old Summer Durocher of Deschambault Lake is charged with:

- one count, assault with weapon- one count, forcible confinement, - one count, robbery with violence and  one count, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose.

Deschambault Lake RCMP continue working to locate Earl Ballantyne. If you see him, do not approach him. Contact Deschambault Lake RCMP by dialling 310-RCMP. Information can also be submitted anonymously by contacting Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or www.saskcrimestoppers.com.

In The sprit of strength and resiliency - the 1^st Annual ‘Beaver- Palooza’ will take place this Sunday in Denare Beach.

One of the organizers, Tanner Brough, discusses the reasoning behind putting on a positive local event.

 “We’re looking just too kinda get the community together. Obviously this summer has been quite devastating to a lot of people in this community and...It gets everybody’s mind off something for a little bit of time. You know, moving forward, showing that things are gonna be alright down the road...celebrate just the community and the people we got in this region that have helped all summer and are ready to keep moving forward.”

The event goes from 3-11 on Sunday at the Main Beach Parking Lot. They’ll have a beer garden, music, and barbecue with proceeds going to Village of Denare Beach, plus a 50/50 in support of The Denare Beach Fire Dept. Rebuilding efforts. Everyone is invited to celebrate the summer and promote the North working together in the present and future.