Nickel Belt News Volume Volume 58 60 Number • Issue 1211
Friday, March20, 16,2020 2018 Friday, March
Thompson, Manitoba Thompson, Manitoba
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Thompson RCMP seeking information about what man found unresponsive near Juniper Park March 8 was doing in preceding hours Thompson RCMP are seeking information about the location and activities of a 21-year-old Gods River man who died after being found in a wooded area near Juniper Park on the morning of March 8. Preston Yellowback is believed to have been at a house party on Juniper Drive between 2:15 a.m. and 3 a.m., hours before being found unresponsive by Thompson RCMP responding to a
report of a man in distress near Spruce Road around 9:30 a.m. March 8. Officers began resuscitative efforts on Yellowback until paramedics arrived. He was then taken to Thompson General Hospital for medical attention and died there that evening. Yellowback’s death was investigated by Thompson RCMP, the RCMP “D” Division Major Crime Unit, the Manitoba North District Forensic Identifica-
tion Section and Police Dog Services as well as the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Thompson RCMP are asking anyone with information about where Yellowback was or what he was doing March 8 to call the detachment at 204-677-6909 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477. Tips can also be submitted online at www. manitobacrimestoppers.com.
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RCMP photo Preston Yellowback, 21, from Gods River, was found unresponsive near Juniper Park March 8 and later died in hospital. Thompson RCMP are seeking information about what he was doing in the hours before he was found.
Thompson hotels experiencing significant drop in business due to COVID-19 pandemic stronger chemicals with peroxide that will kill bacteria Hotels in Thompson are and viruses in 45 seconds. We experiencing a significant are also giving our workers drop in business and taking personal protective equipadditional health and safety ment (PPE), especially our precautions following news cleaners, because they are of the first several COVID-19 the most vulnerable. We don’t cases in Manitoba. As of know if the guests are sneezMarch 18, 17 people had ing on the bedding, so PPE is tested positive for COVID-19 mandatory.” in the province. Buffet breakfasts have Ethel Timbang, manager of also been modified in order the Best Western in Thompto protect guests, explained son, has seen a massive drop Timbang. in business, and is deploying “So the buffet breakfast is health and safety measures to not recommended right now,” protect staff from infection. she said. “There will be por“We are down to 20 per tion control. We are also offercent occupancy,” she said. ing breakfast sandwiches. All “We still have guests, but are sealed. These are areas that not expecting this kind of ocThompson Citizen photo by James Snell could potentially spread the cupancy in March, because The Best Western Hotel and other Thompson hotels have seen business drop in the wake of the first positive test for the virus.” usually we are busy in the first COVID-19 virus in Manitoba, which was announced last week. Bedford said the Quality quarter of the year. We are Inn has closed its breakfast normally at 85 per cent. We she said. “The situation is March and April are canAlicia Bedford at the Qual- cent. That’s a huge hit for us.” room. will reduce our workforce for changing day by day. We celled,” he explained. “But ity Inn said she has experioffer a hot Timbang has taken major Nickel Belt“Normally News photowe by Ian Graham what the operation dictates.” buffet,” she explained. “It’s don’t know from one day to we are not laying anyone enced many cancellations. steps to protect customers and Addictions Foundation of Manitoba northern director Gisele deMeulles has written a book about her experiences growing up, mostly in Churchill. Donna Bennett of the Mys- the next how this will affect off. Staff are staying with us. now just going to be a pre“We are seeing shortened staff from COVID-19. tery Lake Hotel said pandemic to bagged BY IAN GRAHAM For all the harshbreakfast. weather write things that you have ‘Oh, just as right?’ not very“We’ve safe thing when people say stays,” sheasaid. gone swallow “We have upgraded our packaged us.” We’reI’m hoping thatbad, things will was fears have hit her business to Ramandeep We have closed our EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET I have these and to figure out. It’s pretty do in but I jumped at defit. I that Churchill residents the dangers offitness polar Singhclear of pick upall soon. It stories all depends down occupancy most cleaning chemical,” she ex- and hard. centre. deMeulles Our housekeeping Though she’s now written Thompson’s when I get through.” to capture them like for thought that was exciting should find somewhere said if is it Best Value Inn & Ionneed the other businesses initely with this. [Normally] plained.just “Before we were bears, “Our about occupancy is 30 per Suites goingbeen to beviable by request only, a book her experienDeMeulles said are shealmost wrote my grandchildren really thetoplane live. she would says “sales contractors coming in, and until Monday Fridaylanded we areand be- easier using atochemical that would had centgrowing right now, dropping to her and shortened hours for our ces up in Churchill, theyand willwhether be lost or if they throwing the kill“To say,or‘Those moved back to Churchdeadbook, now.”titled Whispers in because conferences tweenstarted 90 and 100 per cent full. a virus bacteriapeople in 10 have three per cent next week,” staff.” Addictions Foundation of the“All Wind: from the fuel andwe I realized, ‘Holy live we there. They ill in a heartbeat. don’t.” the Stories reservations for Inot schools are open.” Rightoffnow are at 74 per choose minutes.toNow are using BY JAMES SNELL
JAMES@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET
Manitoba northern director North - Life in Churchill for She also has a reputation Gisele deMeulles said writ- a couple of reasons. as a storyteller herself. ing wasn’t something she “I just sort of thought, “I had such a varied hisalways thought she would you know what, this his- tory and I would tell people do. tory, this stuff that’s in my stories and they would go, “In my youth I never head, it’s going to be gone ‘That’s not true, is it?’ I’d go, felt good at writing,” she if I don’t write it down,” she ‘Yeah it’s true.’ They’d go, said. “But when I moved said. “My kids are not go- ‘You didn’t do all that, did to Thompson to get into ing to get it if I don’t do it you? You’ve got to be really the school of social work, and it’s something I’ve al- old.’ I was like, ‘No, actually at that point I had to write ways wanted my mom to I did all that before I was forThe university realized, do.toMy and they purposeand of this column is let mom’s you, an -19.elder We and intend27,’ to keep you went fully‘What?’” updated ‘Holy, I’m not bad we at this, she’s artist, 24/7 she’s on gotour so website: Looking back, some of our readers, know recognize theanchalwww.thompsoncitright?’ that I certainly developed many wonderful stories be- those experiences are things lenges the current COVID-19 pandemic izen.net a of skill cause she alwaysIttells herintention she might not do again. is lot creating forinalluniversity of us. is our to print and deliver and out of there with very stories at Parksour Canada in “I the did outlets some pretty bizarre Wecame are taking this issue seriously newspapers to that remain a very strong in my Churchill and open I’ve always stuff fuel hauls and remain 100 skill per cent committed to servin the City of like Thompson andinto to the writing and confi in hounded her, ‘Please, high Arctic at -35,” said ing the needs of ourdence community during this outlying just communities. Our papers will carry my writing. write very personnel put it on are tape, Iup-to-date will write it deMeulles. “It didn’tasdawn difficult time. IOur editorial COVID-19 information well clear and that’s(by it. It’s there. you with becauseasyour storynews. on me after. That was a fully engaged phone and for email) all other Ouruntil delivery personnel Some peoplenews say it’s kind of and is going to be lost,’ and she’s very dangerous to do. community happenings particuhave been asked to be speciallything diligent in blunt events or direct. tendaround never done it and I thought, Being on a plane fuel larly andI don’t changes COVID providing social distancing for full ourofread-
cats, I was probably sitting should just leave,’ is quite “I miss the shoreline, I on a bomb.’” simplistic. It’s quite disre- miss the rock, I miss the Another thing that spectful. If we were in the polar bears even though spurred her on was the same boat in another area they’re very dangerous and hard times facing Churchill I think we would scream I really miss the Hudson since the Hudson Bay Rail- about that so why don’t they Bay,” she says. “When I go way suspended operations have the option to do that? back home, standing on the north of Gillam last spring. I think right now they’re Hudson Bay looking out on “It used to be a really feeling like they’re pawns the bay, it just gives you an thriving large community in a political game and that’s incredible sense. You feel so and it’s just dwindled down really sad for them because I small and you feel great.” to such a small population peopleoffice. of Churchshe’s box got ers. Please respect their wishthink for the social We will beNow placingthat a newspaper now,” deMeulles says. onedoor book under belt, ill really wantoutside to thrive. distancing as well. our front which willher remain Though not to there built their worlds deMeulles says she may try We haveshe’s decided createThey’ve work from stocked with papers. any longer, her parents weour feel to produce another. home solutions for alland of ourthere. staff. How This would It is sincere hope that all of you reher sister if someone to you and “I have another book in will affectand our other abilityfamily to provide personalcamemain safe and healthy during this outbreak said,offering ‘I’m sorry,of you have to me,” she practice says. “It’spersonal a darker members service at still our are. office. We are now COVID-19. Please “My cousin the leave homehygiene, community story, moredistancing, about personrestricted access owns to employees only. your Please maintain social and hardware store there,” she and we’re goingself-quarantine to displace with al growth call ahead to make arrangements if you wish the veryand firststruggles. symptoms says. somewhere elsematch and allthose Maybe in virus. the next five years to visit one or more of our staffyou as many of that of this Because of the that, and youryouit’s I’ll focus on them will be taking work your fromloved homeones Wishing all something well, deMeulles fiand ndswill it hard to available historyatisthe gone?’” doing.” opportunity not be Lynn Taylor, Publisher
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