Rural Roundup – June 24, 2015

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 24/06/2015 (4012 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

• The RM of Yellowhead will hold a meeting June 29 with property owners around Shoal Lake who have signified their opposition to a higher level of water in the lake with the hope of arriving at a compromise.

The lake water is at its lowest level in years because Manitoba Conservation and Water Stewardship has denied authorizing the municipality to keep levels at 1,795.9 feet above sea level. Water is continuously running out of the dam structure at the south end, and will continue to do so until the RM gets a licence to raise the dam.

The lake is an economic driver and increased amounts of algae and dead fish have been reported.

“In order to obtain a Water Rights Licence authorizing the municipality to raise the structure and associated lake levels, written consent from the affected landowners is required,” said Barb Kingdon, a water resources officer with Manitoba Conservation and Water Stewardship.

» Crossroads This Week

• Russell’s Cody Shwaluk played volleyball and softball at Lake Region State College this year, which was one of the most challenging of her life.

Shwaluk found success on the court, diamond and in the classroom at the Devils Lake college, but dealt with adversity with the loss of her brother, Tyler.

“This young lady has overcome a lot of challenges in the past year; however, she has never deviated from who she was when I first met her,” LRSC head volleyball coach Brigitte Freschette said. “She is reliable, ethical, and a great person that young people should look up to.”

The 5-foot-10 multi-sport athlete finished third on her volleyball team in hitting percentage and played first base and outfield for the softball team.

» Crossroads This Week

• Bret ‘The Hitman’ Hart will headline the annual sportsman’s dinner in Minnedosa on Oct. 24.

Bret, one of eight sons born to the late Stu Hart, was born into a family of wrestlers.

The Canadian wrestler, who won every major championship in the WWE and WCW, was the first man to receive back-to-back No. 1 rankings in Pro Wrestling Illustrated magazine’s annual ranking of the top 500 wrestlers in the world.

Former Philadelphia Flyer great Reggie Leach will also speak at the banquet.

» Crossroads This Week

• Three students from Mather — Taylor Isham, Kenah Coutu and Bradley McLeod — graduated from Pilot Mound Collegiate this year, with ceremonies taking place June 19.

In Cartwright, seven students — Daniel Kamstra, Dylan Livingstone, Sydney Marchant, Kurlin McKibbin, Von Mullin, Violet Strokes and Alex Sudermann — graduated from Cartwright Community Independent School.

» Southern Manitoba Review

• Kevin Newton is trading in his many titles —principal, teacher, coach, referee and bus driver — and moving on to the next chapter of his life after retiring from Glenboro School following 12 years in the role of principal.

“I am not sure exactly what I will do with my retirement, except that I will take more time for my family,” Newton said. “I will always be a Glenboro Panther. I am so proud to have been part of this school and community.”

» The Gazette

• Morgan Ramsay, a Grade 9 student at Rivers Collegiate, finished first in the 100-metre and 200-metre races at an invitational meet in Selkirk recently.

Her success catapulted her to the provincial track and field meet at the University of Manitoba in June, where she had the fastest time of the 56 competitors in her first run of 12.95. In the finals of the 100-metre, she finished second.

Ramsay qualified for the finals in the 200-metres as well.

» Rivers Banner

• Twenty-three Neepawa and Area Collegiate Institute track and field athletes qualified for the provincial championship in Winnipeg in June.

“Over 9,000 students participate in high school track and field province wide and about 1,500 advance to this championship,” coach Bryce Koscielny said.

“At this competition, you get the chance to compete against the best in the province and see exactly where you fit in. For those who did well, it gives them a sense of satisfaction, regardless if you were first, fifth or 20th.”

Logan Young finished third in the 3,000-metre run.

» Neepawa Banner

• Minnedosa artist Karen May had her artwork featured at the Timeless Design Art Show and Sale in Souris recently.

May is new to the art scene and has been learning from Kathleen Lagasse.

“I can’t say enough about how much fun I’ve had while learning all the techniques and tips that she’s shared with me,” May said about her teacher. “I would encourage anyone that’s ever thought about trying it out to get into Kathleen’s class and experience it first hand.”

» Minnedosa Tribune

• Cassandra Serle has been selected to take part in CurlMantioba’s Junior High Performance Curling program.

Serle, a Grade 12 student at Nellie McClung Collegiate, was invited by Connie Laliberte to participate.

Serle has been curling for nine years and was a member of the Singers curling team, which won zones this year and competed at provincials in The Pas. She also plays on the high school fastpitch team that won their zones.

She has also been awarded a CurlMantioba scholarship in the amount of $1,500.

» The Western Canadian

• Tom Yandeau was inducted in the Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame at Morden on June 7.

Yandeau, a switch-hitting first baseman, clubbed 247 home runs, stole 189 bases and had a career .440 average with the Plumas Pirates in the 32 years he played.

Plumas’s ‘Mr. Baseball’ has coached and managed numerous leagues and regional teams for the MidWest and Santa Clara leagues since retiring.

» Carberry News

• Cartwright farmer Jack Pawich, 90, is still passionate about the seeds he sows each spring.

“I just love working the land,” he said, about sowing his 70th crop on the farm he was raised on, which is now operated by his son Randy. “It gets in your blood.”

In his early years, Pawich worked down south to support his farming addiction and even met Elvis Presley.

In March, 1957, Pawich was working at a gas station in North Hollywood when Elvis stopped to fill his Cadillac.

“He gave me a $20 tip,” Pawich said.

» Manitoba Co-operator

• If it wasn’t for the fact a young Pte. Williams Simms opted to get his First World War dog tags engraved into metal, it’s unlikely the eight members of the 78th Battalion —the Winnipeg grenadiers — would ever have been identified.

In 2006, 14-year-old Fabien Demeusere unearthed some old ammunition in his backyard in Hallu, France, about 120 kilometres north of Paris.

In the same yard, the bodies of eight First World War soldiers were found buried in a shallow grave.

Using DNA testing, the Department of National Defence determined one of the bodies belonged to Simms of Russell.

In May, his family travelled to France for a proper military burial.

Simms and his brother Alexander are listed on the town’s cenotaph.

» Russell Banner

• Eunice Buhler has set her sights on restoring and re-purposing the 1915 Heritage House on the Ag Grounds in Killarney.

She wants to save the 100-year-old building, which has fallen into disrepair, from likely demolition and turn it into a vibrant arst centre for the area.

“I’m not a very public person, but for some reason I’m passionate about this,” Buhler said. “It would take a lot of work, but if other people are passionate, too, and enthusiastic, it will fly.”

Buhler’s daughter Trina, an architecture technologist who has worked on a number of building restorations with Parks Canada, has seen the house and is impressed with its structure.

» Killarney Guide

• Sawyer Chase was named Goose Lake High’s athlete of the year at the school’s annual awards banquet.

Chase was a multi-sport athlete who played basketball, badminton, volleyball and track and field.

Sawyer graduated this year and thanks his coaches and mother “for always being there.”

» Roblin Review