Earlier this week, the Manitoba Government announced an investment in community safety by providing homeowners and small business owners with a 300-dollar rebate.

Homeowners and small businesses can take advantage of the rebate on security cameras, alarm systems, motion detectors, reinforced doors or windows, anti-graffiti film, paints, security gates, pull-down protection shutters, and permanent security fencing. 

It was noted that ongoing fees or security service subscriptions are not eligible for the rebate.

Purchases made after September 1st of last year are eligible to receive the rebate.

The Manitoba Government says the applications will be available this June, and the process for evaluation will be done on a first-come, first-serve basis.

The memory of the Gateway Hotel burning down in The Pas in 2017 is etched in the minds of many.

Dennis Gabriel Charlette happened to be at the Gateway Hotel when the fire broke out and played a big part in evacuating people from the building, ensuring their safety.

In recognition of his selflessness in a perilous situation, he was one of three people awarded the insignia of the Governor General's Commendation for Bravery, a pin commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Decorations for Bravery Program.

Established in 1993 to expand the Decoration for Bravery Program, the pin symbolizes Canada's appreciation for acts of significance and valour.

The Storytellers Film Festival kicks off tonight at The Pas Regional Library.

This is the 11th year the festival has run, and a variety of films produced all over the province will be on display.

Some of these films look at Manitoba Hydro’s devastating effects on South Indian Lake, Harry Tootoo, an esteemed Inuit elder from Churchill, and a conversation about racism between a White Canadian and a former member of the OCN, the late George Constant.

The Manitoba Indigenous Tuberculosis History Project will also show the first in a five-part film series that provides insights into indigenous patients who entered TB hospitals and sanatoriums and never returned.

The screenings start tonight at 6 pm. It is free to attend, and refreshments will be available.

Reports of improperly discarded sharps in the community have kept the bear clan patrol busy since the snow started to melt, and they are reminding everyone of the dangers that revolve around them.

Needles or syringes can be contaminated with human blood, body fluid or other infectious material.

Over the last few weeks, these items have been found in school yards, parks, along walking paths, and other areas of the town, many of which were uncapped and contaminated.

If you find any of these lying around, you can contact the Bear Clan patrol by phone at 204-978-0567 or on Facebook to have them removed safely.

They also ask that you educate your children and make them aware of what to do if they encounter any.

Volunteers are needed in the community to help support older adults with active living.

The Northern Health region will help host a program to train new volunteers next month.

The Program is called "stepping up with confidence." Russell Thorn with the Northern Health Region discusses peer leaders.

"As a peer leader, you're going to learn about regular physical activity for healthy aging.  That's important.  You're going to learn how proper ways to show exercises to older adults."

"You also help learn about how to prepare a class and all the things that are involved in leading a class also aim active aging in Manitoba.  They'll support you and your volunteer efforts."

The Program is free; volunteers will be provided with a manual and resources to help you guide a class, and insurance is also covered for liability costs.

The class runs in person and virtually, and the training will start in May; contact the NHR to register.

Tonight and tomorrow, theatre 53 will continue with performances of "Drinking Habits."

The Show premiered last night at the Westminster United Church, and tickets for tonight and tomorrow's Shows are already sold out.

Lorna Lee, with the group, tells us what we can expect from the show.

"Well, it's a farce by Tom Smith and ironically it's about some nuns in a convent that are secretly brewing wine to sell so they can keep their convent doors open.  And it's, it's just something that, you know, there's secrets, there's twists and everything and it just, it's going to leave the audience laughing out loud, really excited about that."

 The Show was initially planned for production in 2020 but was shut down due to the pandemic.

Since then, casting changes have been made.

Planning and practising for the Show take about a year, and following it, the group will take a short break during the summer before preparations for next year's Show begin in the fall.

The Pas Guest List Inc. is working towards revitalization in the community.

Here, the group’s president, Alexis Yankee, tells us what the group is:

"We were founded back in 2022 we are a social artistic group within The Pas area.  Our main focus is on raising funds for arts and culture within the tri-community area.  We aim to promote arts and culture and curate meaningful experiences for our guests."

Last year, the first 2 of many art installations were placed along the walking path between the UCN and Snack Land.

There is a goal to raise 20 murals over the next ten years.

The groups will host a fundraising event on Thursday, April 25th, featuring a dinner provided by UCN’s culinary department and a show by the Buzz Brass Band.

Tickets to the dinner and cocktail service have already sold out, but for those interested in seeing the band, complimentary tickets will be available for free at the door. A silver collection will also be taken.

Cocktail and dinner service will start at 6 pm, and the Show will follow at 7:45.

Funds from the event will be put towards the next mural along the walking path.

The Pas Skate Club is hosting a year-end review this weekend.

Sherry Hunter, with the club, tells us what to expect when seeing the youth skating at the event.

"The show starts at one o'clock on Sunday.  And our theme this year is at the movies.  So we're going to have some classic songs from movies like James Bond, Top Gun, Rocky, and even Dirty Dancing.  

"Of course, I had to throw in the Barbie movie.  Got to have music from there.  Everyone's favorite Harry Potter as well.  And then some kids classics like some Disney music and even Pokemon."

The Show will be held at the Roy H Johnston Arena on Sunday afternoon and will feature skaters from the Parent and Me program, the Can Skate program, and the Can Star program, which will feature 17 skaters.

All the figure skaters will be doing singles programs and a group program featuring everyone.

Concessions will be available, and a silver plate collection will happen at the door.

Flowers will also be available for sale at the event.

A fire broke out at the historic Lido Theater Building on Edwards Avenue on Monday in the early morning hours.

The Pas Fire Department was dispatched to the location at 4:38, and upon arrival, heavy smoke was observed billowing from the building.

The building was unoccupied at the time, which allowed the fire to go on for some time before it was detected.

It was around 10 am that the fire department was able to have the fire under control.

Following that, the team remained on the scene for a period of time to continue extinguishing flare-ups and keeping hot spots under control.

No injuries have been reported, and at this point, the fire remains under investigation.

The Chamber of Commerce is gearing up for the annual Trade Show and Sale, which will be held at Roy H. Johnston from May 9th to the 11th.

This year, to encourage vendors to get involved, they will be given free entry and stay at the Ag-Grounds during the event for trailers, equipment, and camping, but booking must be made in advance.

The theme for this year's show is Unleashing Creativity: Where Art Meets Innovation, and local performer Greg Personius will act as the event MC and Host.

Registration can be done now online at ThePasOCNChamber.ca.

RCMP in The Pas is asking for assistance in locating an unknown male who was involved in a stabbing on March 23rd at an apartment complex on Dufferin Street.

On this date, at approximately 7 am, officers reported to an injured male on Cudmore Crescent and found him with a non-life-threatening stab wound.

He was taken to hospital in stable condition and notified officers of the stabbing that had occurred at the apartment complex.

It was there that the suspect approached the victim, and the incident ensued.

Surveillance footage provided officers with an image of the suspect, which can be found on the Manitoba RCMP Facebook page or at thepasonline.com.

Anyone with information regarding the incident or the suspect is asked to contact RCMP or leave a secure tip online at ManitobaCrimeStoppers.com.

A revival project is in the works to bring life back to the Lido Theater.

The theatre opened its doors in 1929 before officially closing in 2019; the building has stood vacant since then.

The town has now acquired the facility, and measures are being taken to restore the historic venue.

Mayor Andre Murphy shares some details about the project.

"We've allotted the $50,000 in our budget or up to $50,000 to really get it all cleaned up.  And when I say cleaned up is just sort of get it so that we can get inside the building and have others have a look and see if there's actual a plan.

"I just want to make sure everybody is aware that the town is not dumping hundreds of thousands of dollars into the theatre at this time.  You know, we're really trying to see what what if possible, is required and, you know, and make sure that we make an informed decision for our community members."

The Pas Community Renewal Corporation and the Pas Guest List Inc. will work together on the project.

The team says they hope to complete the project in three years.

The Beatrice Wilson Health Center is ramping up for the spring meltdown by reminding the community of the dangers of improperly disposed sharps.

Injuries and blood-borne infections can result from contact, which is why it’s important to talk to children.

The OHA will accept sharps appropriately stored in any hard plastic container and enter those who bring them in for a chance to win a monthly giveaway.

Listen to CJAR on Thursdays at 1:15 for weekly updates from the Opaskwayak Health Authority.

Last week, members of the Pas Fire Department participated in basic ice water rescue training in preparation for the spring meltdown.

Changing conditions means ice can quickly open, so appropriate caution is necessary when going out on the ice.

This weekend, the 60th annual fireman's ball is at the Royal Canadian Legion.

The event runs from 5:30 to 2 am and includes a supper and dance.

The goal is to raise funds for the Pas Fire Association to continue providing services and equipment upgrades.

Tickets can be purchased from any firefighter or by contacting the Association.

On March 23rd, Amaranth RCMP Reported a two-vehicle collision on Highway 50 north of Gladstone.

It was determined that a vehicle travelling southward entered the northbound lane, resulting in the crash.

The driver of the northbound vehicle, a 35-year-old woman from Sandy Bay, was pronounced dead on the scene; her passenger, a 36-year-old from Langruth, was transported to hospital with serious injuries. 

The driver of the southbound vehicle, a 19-year-old from The Pas, was transported to the hospital and later passed away from injuries; his 2-year-old passenger was properly secured in a car seat and sustained minor injuries, later released from the hospital.

Investigations continue.

The Pas Regional Library will be hosting Green Time tomorrow.

The event targets young gardeners who want to start early this spring.

The children will paint planters, start seeds, and learn about plant care.

Programs are running for the ages 3 to 6 and 7 to 12.

The event runs tomorrow from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. for the younger group and from 1 to 2 p.m. for the older group.

Adults are required to stay with children during the event.

The Library also runs an artist’s trading card club, makers circle, wool club, storytime, games nights and more.

The 2024 Northern Arts and Food Workshop starts today.

The UCN in the Pas will host the Workshop, giving creators in the north a network, building a creative community, and boosting northern Manitoba's creative and food sectors.

Local artist Greg Personius will MC the event and accompany Kenneth Henderson, Caitlin Armstrong, Jared and Medow Hynes, and others.

Today, the event will host a development session geared towards northern artists, and Tuesday and Wednesday will host the main conference.

There will be a variety of breakout sessions running during the event that will help with skill building, resource gathering, knowledge, techniques and support. 

To learn more about the Workshop and apply, go to UCN dot CA Slash N-A-W.you can find a full schedule of events at creative Manitoba dot ca

The Northern Juried Art Show is running this weekend, featuring artwork from all over Manitoba.

The show will feature artwork from all over Northern Manitoba, coming from as far as Churchill.

The Event is running at the UCN all weekend long.

Elma Dean, event coordinator for the Northern Juried Art Show, talks about this year’s entries.

"There's 100 and 45 pieces of art.  45 adults and 24 youths have entered and it ranges from painting and sculpture to fiber arts and beading.  And our jurors have made their decisions who the winners are."

An opening reception was held last night to honour the winners and welcome the jurors and everyone who submitted art.

The show is free to attend today from 9 to 8, tomorrow from 10 to 3, and Sunday from 1 to 3, but a silver collection will be taken at the door.

Earlier this week, the UCN was named one of the top 25 employers in the province in the annual competition that named Canada's top 100 employers.

The UCN strives to make all its facilities in Manitoba grow and thrive.

A big part of that is thanks to the staff and educators involved with the facility.

March is also nutrition month, and the UCN offers a state-of-the-art facility for those interested in the field.

Rob Gemmil, Culinary Arts Director with the UCN, talks about the program they offer.

"You just go to the front office or call into the school.  I usually take students for a day.  If they're really keen, just come and spend the day with us in the kitchen.  I'll throw an apron and hat on you and I'll put you to work.  It's that simple.  We have a good program.  I have great staff.  So those kinds of things are well taken care of."

You can learn more at ucn.ca for potential students interested in enrolling.

The Young People's Elders Gathering is an extension of the Truth and Reconciliation Conference that UCN has hosted for the last seven years. 

The event runs today and tomorrow at the legion in Thompson, bringing together young people and elders to share their experiences and work towards healing as a community.

Karl Laubmann, cultural coordinator with the UCN, has more.

"The young people's elders gathering.  It's called stoking the embers connecting Generations.  The whole purpose behind a conference is to start developing reconciliation for our young people in Northern Manitoba to carry the message forward and how they can go about being part of that."

Jennifer Wood with the National Center for Truth and Reconciliation will present today, and breakout sessions will run this afternoon featuring a "fireside chat" with Brady Keeper, economic reconciliation, and health and wellness.

Tomorrow's sessions will include a "fireside chat" with JR LaRose and Ken Bighetty, which will be a continuation of today's sessions.

Learn more about the event at UCN.ca/events.

OCN CFS is hosting a youth gathering starting today and running till Thursday at the Veterans Hall.

The event will host many inspirational speakers, including indigenous actors, artists, entertainers, and motivational speakers.

Halliday said the session is running to gain input from the youth and provide information about this law.

The team hosting the event values youth input highly, and they are encouraging all OCN youth to attend.

Mayor Andre Murphy says the town is addressing the problem of improperly disposing of sharps in the community.

"So we had another meeting yesterday and this group has been meeting monthly now for the last, oh, I would say six months or so more or less monthly, and we're coming up with them.  They're coming up with more plans on how to deal with Sharps in our community, making sure that people understand the hazards of sharps."

There will be an education event in April to help address the issue.

The town is also working on community safety, and there have been collaborations with the OCN.

The interview process for the community safety officer position the town has been actively trying to fill is now underway.

The next council meeting will be on March 25th.

The final budget presentation will be on April 17th.

Getting Better Together is running here in the community, and the Northern Health Region is encouraging health-conscious habits for those with chronic health issues.

The program is coordinated by the Wellness Institute out of the 7 Oaks General Hospital in Winnipeg and implemented in the north by The Northern Health Region.

Russell Thorne, Community Health Developer with the NRHA, says the program is designed to help manage chronic health conditions.

"The Get Better Together program is designed for individuals with any type of ongoing health issues.  It can be from arthritis, asthma, cancer, stroke, heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure.  Basically, you're looking at any ongoing health issue that a person is dealing with."

During the six-week program, participants will discuss various topics, including physical activity, healthy eating, stress-reducing techniques, pain and fatigue management, communication skills, problem-solving, medication use, and working with healthcare teams.

The program starts on Wednesday, March 27th, at The Pas Primary Health Care Centre and will run till May 1st.

The class is free and will run from 6:30 to 9 pm.

Tansi,

Last month saw the return of the 77^th Annual Northern Manitoba Trappers’ Festival as hundreds gathered in The Pas for this year’s festivities. The warmer weather did not stop us from enjoying our outstanding food, rich traditions, and each other’s company. I commend everyone who participated in this year’s festivities and let their spirit soar in 2024!

This year I was honoured to be joined by my NDP colleges Glen Simard, Diljeet Brar, Logan Oxenham, and Rochelle Schott, each of whom expressed deep gratitude for our northern hospitality. It was a great opportunity for my fellow MLAs to learn about Northern Manitoba and to celebrate alongside us. The Torchlight Parade was particularly fantastic with its elaborate floats, wide smiles, and joyful cheers.

Our team also spent time with students, staff and faculty at University College of the North, learning about the unique strengths of our programs and exploring opportunities for further collaboration with the province.

I am proud of our community. It is an honour to represent you in our provincial government. Every year Trapper’s Festival reminds me of how much we have so much to offer our fellow Manitobans.

If you have any concerns or questions, feel free to reach out to my office by emailing amanda.lathlin@yourmanitoba.ca or calling us at 1-204-623-2034.

The Pas Community Renewal Corporation hosts weekly makers' circle events at the center.

It's designed to allow everyone to work on various projects in a quiet and mature setting.

Holly Lajamb, Event Coordinator with The TPCRC, teaches a variety of beading at the event and always welcomes others to join in.

She said one thing that led to the creation of the circle was that others were asking for advice on their projects, which she is always happy to share.

"It started out with just kind of a beading circle and it went from there,  it's just a drop in session.  Everyone is welcome.  If you’re 12 and under, bring an adult. "

"You can drop in at any time on Saturdays between 11 and 1.  We have water and tea and we have a good visit and you can bring whatever project you're working on."

You can share your advice, expertise, or encouragement with others at the event, and everyone is encouraged to do the same.

Anyone working on any artistic project can join the makers' circle from 11 to 1 pm on Saturdays.