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Assiniboine College recently announced that the Parkland Campus in Dauphin will soon be home to a very unique Construction Trades program, that was designed with student flexibility in mind. 

Carol Stewart, Parkland Campus Director, said their "Mini Trades" will greatly expand the skillset of any students who attend. 

"We call them mini trades because they're typically about three weeks long, and learners can choose from drywall installation and finishing, painting, interior finishing, exterior finishing, and concrete forming, they can be taken on their own or they can be combined with others, giving people the flexibility to build the skills they want," said Stewart. 

With both the level of flexibility and the low commitment of a three week program, Stewart expects the programs to draw a wide variety of students, from those looking to enter the trades, to homeowners looking to improve their renovation skills. 

"So a big advantage of having the smaller, bite size programs is that each course stands on its own, so people can register for just one, or they can take several over time, it really depends on their interest, their schedule and their budget, and then they can build their skills as they go," said Stewart. 

Assiniboine College offers similar short-length programs with standlone courses, most often at their more remote campuses. They've been planning to add this program to the Parkland campus for a while now, because they've seen how Dauphin has grown and changed in recent years, and wants to help residents grow and change with it. But recent events have shown just how important a program like this is. 

"We've been planning some courses for quite some time in order to bring them here, but the recent flooding in our region has also highlighted how valuable renovation skills can be...the first courses begin on October 5th and run through the fall, and then we have some in the spring as well. Registration is open now," said Stewart. 

Assiniboine College's new Construction Trades program is a great way to expand your renovation and construction skillset. For more details, including costs and schedules, click here to visit their website. 

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Environment Canada's long-range weather forecast is predicting a warmer than average rest of the summer, with high temps continuing into the start of harvest. But the good news: not as much rain as the Parkland has been getting. 

Janelle Gurgley, Meteorologist with Environment Canada, said though it won't be that much warmer in the big picture, it'll be noticeable. 

"Looking at our long range models, we are suggesting that it's going to be a warmer than average remainder of the summer, and even going into fall, as it does cover July, August, and the month of September...as for precipitation, there's not really a good signal, so it likely will be around normal. Normal for Dauphin I know, and for much of the Parkland, would be maybe around sixty millimetres for a month," said Gurgley. 

Gurgley also said to take their long range forecast with a grain of salt. It's very difficult to reliably forecast the weather that far in advance. 

"For one picture to cover three months is very hard to do, and maybe over the span of three months it does average out to be correct, but of course we can see significant events on one day, and then not for the remainder of the ninety days," said Gurgley. 

Recent weather in the Parkland can only be described as severe on both ends of the spectrum, from thunderstorms to heat waves. Gurgley said now that we're entering a time of year when crops are growing rapidly, and putting off lots of moisture into the air, that has the potential to make any storms a bit worse. 

"All that evapotranspiration, transpiring off of plants, is adding moisture to the air, which is adding fuel to your thunderstorms. So when the conditions are right, it makes for more powerful and severe thunderstorms," said Gurgley. 

At a glance: the rest of the summer here in the Parkland won't see as much rain as earlier in the year, but the temperatures will be a little bit hotter than normal. 

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The Municipality of Roblin, using powers under their State of Local Emergency, are ordering residents to not allow their sump pumps to discharge into the Municipal Sanitary Sewer System, directly or indirectly. 

Robert Misko, Head of Council for the Municipality of Roblin, said even though a good amount of the overland flooding has subsided in the area, there's still a large amount of groundwater their systems are dealing with. Roblin's Lift Station is still under near constant stress. 

"1:00, 2:00 in the morning, when there's basically no water usage, and we can tell because there's not much coming out of our treatment plant, our lift station can just keep up. So we still, we're getting a lot of water coming in at night, then in the mornings when people get up and they start to do all of the things that they do, the lift station starts to get overwhelmed again, and we've got to get vac trucks in to keep up with it," said Misko. 

Earlier in the month as part of their initial response to flooding, the Municipality of Roblin declared a State of Local Emergency, and asked residents to start reducing water use where possible. Misko said the Municipality is still needing residents to help ease the system's strain and reduce water where they can. That might include not using dishwashers or washing machines. 

"This is what we need to do until we get to the point that we're not seeing the need to have to do supplemental pumping at our lift station," said Misko. 

Click here to see the Municipality of Roblin's Facebook post on the announcement. The order will remain in effect until it's either rescinded by Council, or the State of Local Emergency expires. 

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In a news release, Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure gave more information about the Manitoba Flood Recovery Program for those affected by flooding between June 6th and July 1st. 

They say the Emergency Management Organization will be using a Rapid Residential Assessment Model, or RRAM, for damage assessments, and is designed to speed up the process of getting homeowners back in their basements. 

"The model calculates an initial assistance payment based on factors such as water depth, basement size, room type, level of finishing and restoration needs. It also includes emergency work costs such as water extraction, removal of damaged materials and disposal," read part of the news release. 

The RRAM only covers building resotration costs, as damaged household contents are assessed separately. The Province says those assessments are meant to reflect the average replacement cost of essential and basic items, not the original purchase price or premium replacements. Appliances are reimbursed on invoices, up to program maximums. 

"The programs focus on helping Manitobans recover essential living conditions. The programs do not cover luxury or non-essential items such as decorative landscaping, outdoor furniture, decks, antiques or collector’s items," read part of the news release. 

Furnaces, hot water tanks, and water treatment systems may also be eligible for assistance, as they may be considered building components. Structural and site repairs caused by flooding may also be included in coverage. 

According to the Province, "Under the Manitoba Flood Recovery Program, individual claims assistance is capped at $3 million, minus the deductable, up to the cost of repairs or the assessed value of the property, whichever is lower. A deductible of $2,500 or 20% of the eligible assistance amount, whichever is great, applies to all claims, and is deducted from the approved payment amount." Put simply: Maximum assistance is $3 million, up to the total cost of repairs, or your assessed property value, whichever is lower. Your deductible is either $2,500, or 20% of your eligible assitance amount, whichever is more. 

For example, if you have $100,000 of eligible damage, 20% of that is $20,000, so the Province would cover $80,000. If your repairs cost $400,000, but the property's assessed value is $350,000, the 20% deductible is removed from the lower amount, being $350,000. The Province would cover $280,000 meaning you'd have a deductible of $70,000. 

The Province says most eligible Manitobans have already received the initial $500 payment, designed to be way to get things started a bit quicker. They encourage applicants to submit necessary information, including pictures, invoices, receipts, and estimates as soon as possible. They expect RRAM payments to start being sent out within a few weeks. Click here for more details about the Manitoba Flood Recovery Program. 

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Over the weekend, Manitoba RCMP responded to several fatalities across the province, including two within the Parkland. 

RCMP say on July 18th, around 3:40 AM, an 18 year old Dauphin man died, following a single vehicle collision on Highway 20. They believe the driver may have lost control while rounding a corner, and went into the ditch. 

Additionally, RCMP say a 16 year old male from Virden died after a collision in Oak Lake, in the RM of Sifton. RCMP believe the youth was riding a dirt bike with friends when he struck an unmarked guy-wire. 

RCMP Spokesperson Melanie Roussel said the death of any young person is a tragedy that devastates families, friends, and entire communities. They want to remind Manitobans to follow the rules of the road, and to make sure you wear a seat belt. 

They also want to remind off-road vehicle users to always tell someone where you're going, and when you expect to be back, it's best to ride in groups, and to always wear a helmet. 

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Last year, Darrell Inkster organized an event in collaboration with the Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum in Brandon, which saw several of their old WWII era trainers spend the day in the City of Sunshine. 

This year, they'll be back again, and Inkster expects the event to be an even bigger hit than last year: they're bringing a new plane. 

"I've been in touch with the Brandon Museum for quite a few years and got this idea last year to do this, and we went ahead full bore, and it was very successful, we had a lot of people show up, no complaints, everything went pretty good other than the weather," said Inkster. 

The Museum has acquired a Boeing-Stearman Model 75, called the Kaydet. It's an open-cockpit biplane, that had more than 10,000 units produced to train allied WWII pilots. The Kaydet will make an appearance at this year's event, along with iconic trainers and planes from last year, including the famous North American Harvard. 

"They're second world war era, they're trainers, some of which were stationed here at Dauphin when the Commonwealth Training Airport was going here...[the Harvard is] the main attraction, I went up in it myself last year, and yeah, that big girl is going to be here for sure," said Inkster. 

Working with the Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum on the event has been a breeze for Inkster. He said all he's had to do is let people know the event will be taking place. 

"They've got it all planned out pretty good at their end, I just have to give them a place to land, and look after getting people in, and feed everybody, and it's just like a big picnic sort of thing, that's what we're looking to do again," said Inkster. 

After last year's event, Inkster donated just north of $800 to Dauphin's Air Cadet Squadron, the 50 LCol Barker VC Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron. They'll be helping out again with the event this year, and Inkster plans to donate any profits to the Squadron again. The event is set for August 23rd. 

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Assiniboine College's Parkland Campus in Dauphin is set to offer a new Construction Trades program. 

The program is ideal for students wanting to bolster their understanding of minor home renovations and home improvement. 

"Designed to meet learners where they are, the program is divided into five standalone, hands-on courses, each running approximately three weeks. Participants can register for a single area of interest or combine multiple courses to broaden their skillset, creating a learning experience tailored to their individual learning goals," read part of Assiniboine College's news release. 

Jim DeGraeve, Acting Dean of Trades at Assiniboine College, said the program's flexibility was a great way to get a more diverse group of people interested in the program, not just students graduating high school. 

"These courses offer a flexible way for people to gain practical, hands-on experience in specific areas of construction...we are excited to offer these programs as an entry point, or as a way for potential students to gain relevant industry knowledge that they can look to build on in their careers or at home," said DeGraeve in the news release. 

The program starts on October 5th, and all three-week blocks of study are now open for registration. For more information about the program, including costs and timelines, click here to visit the Assiniboine College website. 

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Wildfire smoke from several out of control wildfires in northeastern Saskatchewan and northern Manitoba is expected to drift down towards the Parkland this afternoon and tomorrow morning. 

Weather radar shows the smoke is expected to start rolling in around 4:00 PM, and will remain with varying intensity over the next few days. The worst air quality is expected on Tuesday around 10:00 AM. 

Environment Canada's closest Air Quality Health Index measuring station is Brandon, which shows a projected "4 - Moderate Risk" AQHI level for Tuesday. 

According to Environment Canada, at a Moderate Risk AQHI, you should consider reducing or rescheduling intensive outdoor activities if you're experiencing symptoms, and there is no need to modify outdoor activities unless you experience symptoms like coughing or throat irritation. 

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Saddle Up Ste. Rose has been a labour of love: a community focused group with the goal of bringing premier equestrian events to the heart of Ste. Rose. Their hard work has made that dream one step closer to reality. They get set to host their first MBRA Sanctioned Barrel Racing Series, with the first event today. 

Ashley Vandepoele, Saddle Up Ste. Rose Committee Member, said it'll be a fun day for everyone involved, from racers, to organizers, and even cheering spectators. 

"We've been sanctioned by [the Manitoba Barrel Racing Association] to be able to host these, we're going to be running a little bit of a series, and we're excited that the ground is ready to go in town, and we are able to do that...so it is really fast paced, it is a wonderful equine event that definitely shows the athleticism of both the rider and the horse, and it is fast paced, we're looking at some times of 16, 17, 18 seconds," said Vandepoele. 

There is a $20 entry fee for open and youth divisions, and $10 for PeeWee. There will also be payouts in each of the three divisions. To register, get in touch with Saddle Up Ste. Rose via their Facebook page, and keep in mind you must have a valid MBRA card, which you'll need to show. 

If you're not an MBRA member and still want to race, you're in luck: Vandepoele said they'll be having Toonie Runs, as a way to get the community even more involved, and give younger and beginner racers a chance to get some real-world practice. 

"They are a sanctioned event, which means that the competitors who are coming down to take part in the event have a chance at going to finals later on in the fall, and so these runs count toward those. They have to have so many runs in, in order to qualify for finals, so this gives them a chance to do that...so we're offering toonie runs as well. So anyone who wants to come down and be able to just come and do a barrel run for fun, they can throw their name in the hat, they won't be looking at winning a part of the pot, there won't be prize money for them, but they can come and get some practice, which is also really great. So if you've got a young horse that you're just getting going on a pattern, it's a good opportunity," said Vandepoele. 

They're set to host more MBRA Sanction Barrel Races in the future, but for now they're seeing where this one goes. Vandepoele said admission is free, and this event will focus mostly on the races, though there will also be a 50/50. For future events, spectators could see other things including food and vendors, but those plans aren't set. 

Vandepoele said she hopes lots of the community shows up to support the racers. Warm ups start at 6:30 PM tonight, and the races kick off at 7:00 PM. 

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Late last week, Ste. Rose Municipality started to mail out Community Impact Assessment Forms to residents. 

The Municipality is starting to collect information through this assessment so they better understand the number of farm, residential, and business properties that have been impacted by recent flooding, and to get a better picture of the severity of damages. 

Ste. Rose Municipality asks residents to fill out this form by 4:00 PM on July 24th, either via email, fax, mail, or in-person. The form includes describing the type of damage your property received, an estimated value of damages, and descriptions of damages. 

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You're not the only one who has a mosquito problem: increased standing water has led to an invasion of mosquitoes across the region, even prompting the City of Dauphin to detail some of their mosquito control measures. 

The City of Dauphin says though fogging looks like an obvious solution to the problem, it would only be a temporary solution. Fogging only targets flying adult mosquitoes, and does not affect eggs or larvae developing in standing water, which is the main problem. 

Dauphin Recreation Services normally conducts mosquito larviciding for the City to target hotspots before they're an issue. They completed some of their larviciding before the flood, but the massive increase in standing water has reduced the effectiveness of those treatments by creating uncountable new breeding sites for mosquitoes. 

The City says fogging is not an ideal solution because it involves pesticides, which can seriously damage beneficial insects, like butterflies and bees. It also requires very careful management of areas where residents request no fogging. 

Though, there is some good news: these mosquitoes are consiered nuisance mosquiotes, meaning they're a different species than ones that carry serious diseases including the West Nile virus. The City asks that residents help reduce mosquito breeding by eliminating standing water where they can, and to protect themselves by using bug spray and wearing long clothes when spending time outdoors. 

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