March 8, 2024

Rapid City Community Complex celebrates 20th Annual Poker Derby

Submitted

By Dan and Kellea Quennelle

On Saturday, March 2, Rapid City Community Complex held their annual snowmobile poker derby. The snowfall earlier in the week allowed the committee to go ahead with the derby. The trail was slightly shorter this year, but riders enjoyed a 15-mile ride with free hot chocolate and cookies at a check point on the trail. A total of 148 poker hands were sold.

The first-place winner was Trevor Kitson who had the highest hand of the day, second was Bruce Bayes and the third was Toon Verbruggen.

New this year was the “Worst Hand” at the Rapid City Derby sponsored by Clark’s Septic Service. This prize was awarded to the lowest poker hand from all the riders in the derby,

the prize was split between Wayne Cleaver and Chad McVey.

The annual snowmobile raffle was sold out early in the day and the winner was drawn in the afternoon. This year the Community Complex raffle was for a 1979 Yamaha 250 Enticer. The winner was Nole Lobert from Dauphin, Manitoba. Visitors to the rink could enjoy a rink burger and purchase tickets to win one of the many prizes on the prize table. There were 41 prizes this year that could be won. Congratulations to all the winners and thank you to all of the local businesses and families who donated prizes.

The Rapid City Community Complex Board would like to thank all of the participants, property owners, trail markers and volunteers who helped to make this year’s event a success. The Board looks forward to seeing everyone at next year’s derby.

Snowmobiles were lining up for the ride on Saturday, March 2, for the Rapid City Poker Derby.

Retro Snowmobiles on display.

SUBMITTED PHOTOS

You have to be a cool-headed player to get the stones to curl just right

Submitted By

Penny Dickson

Hamiota Men’s and Ladies’ Curling Club enjoyed a successful bonspiel March 1 – 3, where seven ladies’ teams and nine men’s teams took to the ice. With the snow falling steadily on Sunday, there was still a great turn out.

The results were:

Ladies’ - 1st event – Anesha Heaman, Virden

- 2 nd event – Sharlene Clarke, Hamiota Men’s - 1st event – Mark Anderson, Brandon

- 2 nd event – Chris Bridges, Rivers

- 3rd event – Darren Ostash, Shoal Lake

Thanks to the curlers, volunteers, ice makers, sponsors and spectators for a great weekend.

Ladies first event winners Dawn Flannery, Morgan Rampton, Mandy Taylor and Anesha Heaman.

Men’s first event winners Mark Anderson, Ray Tomiak, Riley Willows, and Derwyn Hammond (missing from photo) .

Men’s second event winners Chris Bridges, Harvey Wood, Jeff White, and John Christensen.

Men’s third event winners Darren Ostash, Brent Zenchyshyn, Brett Griffin, and Baily Szwaluk.

Ladies second event winners Mrya Gregory, Sharlene Clarke, and Jaina Clarke (three generations). Missing from photo, Jen and Ally Andreychuk.

SUBMITTED PHOTOS

FAITHFULLY YOURS

Neil StrohScheiN

KiNgdomS iN coNflict, Part i

Never, in all of human history, has the world seen such a conflict. It wasn’t a military battle. No swords were unsheathed. No spears were thrown. No lives were lost. No property was confiscated or burned to the ground. But on this day, 2000 years ago, in Jerusalem, the religious and cultural home of the ancient Israelites, one segment of the population was dancing in the streets; but the tension elsewhere was so thick you could cut it with a knife.

The celebration honored Jesus of Nazareth. On this day, the common people gave him an enthusiastic welcome. He came into the city riding on a donkey’s colt, just as the ancient prophets had predicted. No trumpet blasts announced his arrival. None were needed. The roar of the crowd let everyone know he was coming. No army accompanied him. No body guards kept people from getting close to him. Again, none were needed. Jesus wanted to be among the people as much as they wanted him to be among them.

This huge outpouring of support angered the priests and their associates who were looking on from their balconies high above the outer courtyard of the Jewish temple. They had already passed judgment on Jesus. To them, he was a heretic, a fake, a fraud, a false Messiah. He didn’t do what, in their view, a Messiah was supposed to do. He didn’t recruit an army. He didn’t

reveal any plans to expel the Roman authorities from Jerusalem and establish a kingdom in which he, as king, would be subject to them.

But on this day, at the end of his ride, he marched into the temple property and threw out the merchants selling sacrificial animals at inflated prices; and the money changers who traded common currency for “temple shekels” at exorbitant rates of exchange. That was the last straw. These religious leaders looked at each other and said: “Jesus is one of our people. If we don’t get rid of him, the Romans will; and then they will come after us.”

One of them, a priest (in fact, the high priest that year) named Caiphas, put it this way. Looking at the other members of the temple’s ruling council, he said: “You know nothing at all. It is better for one man to die for the people than for the whole nation to be destroyed.” (John 11:50) As later events would prove, Caiphas would be the one who “knew nothing at all;” because what he predicted was precisely what Jesus would do.

Two kingdoms emerge from this story. One was a religious empire, with multiple levels of leadership, established rituals, litanies, customs, beliefs and hundreds of rules which every adherent was expected to know and obey. All other authorities were to be subject to them and obey their decrees. But there was no love in what these people did. Their goal was simple-do whatever it takes to cling to power and get more of it.

The other kingdom had just one king-Jesus. He had no hierarchy, no staff, no seat of government and only one rule: “Love and serve others as I have loved and served you.”

But on this day, the people have no idea of how

From last weeks front page

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Word Bank

1.bronze2.mixed3.open4.future

5.rural6.front7.bright8.court 9.row10.silver11.river12.basketball

much loving and servicing them will cost Jesus. They will soon find out; and so will we as we follow Jesus to the Garden of Gethsemane, where two foes that have been at war since the beginning of time will face each other in a battle of wits-with Jesus caught in the middle.

Rapid City Community ChuRCh JESUS

Sundays 10 a.m.

Children’s Church during the message Bible Study – Thursdays 7:30 p.m.

IS LORD

Join us Sundays at 10:30 a.m.

447 Edward Street ~ 204-328-7882

THE HAMIOTA DISTRICT HEALTH CENTRE FOUNDATION INC. BURSARY FUND

Applications are now being accepted for the Hamiota District Health Centre Foundation Inc. $1000.00 bursary for Gr. 12 students planning to enroll in post-secondary education medical field. Application and eligibility requirements available at high school career counselors or by email to bennett2@goinet.ca or vwilson@inetwireless.ca

Deadline: Mar 31, 2024

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By Chad Carpenter

Let’s evaluate where we are headed

We are constantly bombarded with government “commandments” that make little sense. Actually, they aren’t commandments, but they are strong suggestions backed up with a mixture of propaganda and incentives.

Of particular note are electric cars. They sound wonderful, most look pretty and they make so much sense.

No they don’t make sense except for very short-run travel and isolated circumstances. Electric cars or trucks don’t make sense, at least not yet, for long distance travel, for remote locations and for heavy hauling. Some day, likely yes, but EVs don’t work for our area if you are planning long drives. Some electric cars can make it from Winnipeg to Brandon and back on one charge, but it’s dicey.

I went online and asked how long it take to re-charge an electric vehicle. Here’s the answer I got: “The time it takes to charge an electric car can be as little as 30 minutes or more than 12 hours. This depends on the size of the battery and the speed of the charging point. A typical electric car (60kWh battery) takes just under 8 hours to charge from empty-to-full with a 7kW charging point.”

Then I asked, ‘how much does it cost to re-charge an electric vehicle?’

Here’s that answer: “The cost of fast charging an electric car depends on several factors, including the type of charging station, the cost of electricity in your area, and the capacity of your electric cars battery. On average, fast charging an electric car can cost between $10 and $50, depending on the aforementioned factors.”

Manitobans can get a $5,000 federal rebate when buying an EV. I resent that fact very much. Why

Ken Waddell Right in the Centre

should I be forced to pay for a rebate on an EV. In addition, to replace an EV battery costs between $5,000 and $20,000 after 100,000 miles of use.

The government will argue that we are saving the planet with electric cars. I doubt that as it costs valuable money and energy to generate electricity. The extra mining costs for minerals going into batteries is significant and has deep environmental and social effects.

As we have sadly come to realize, governments go off on tangents and when people don’t buy in easily, the government applies incentives, regulations and laws to force the issue. EVs are a classic case of a government tangent that one day may work out but if and when it does, the adoption should make economic sense, not just be badgered by a sense of political destiny.

I have also pondered why countries, especially the USA, are so fixated with landing people on the moon. I didn’t think it was a good idea 50 years ago and I think it’s a worse idea now. We have so many issues begging for solutions in our world, not the least of which is keeping nations from killing each other. Spending time, money, resources and political will on getting people on the moon seems a total waste. Perhaps we should send the politicians on a one way trip to the moon and see how they feel about that.

People will argue that a lot of research has come out of the space program and that is true. We now have better communications and better plastics, but how much has that really benefitted our world? Do we really need to have instant communications anywhere on the planet and every person’s eyes glued to a cell phone? And speaking of better plastics, how much more plastic does the planet need? Oh yes, it’s made from oil, so if we have electric cars, we can have more oil to make more plastics so we can fill more landfills.

Hmm?? How is that working out for us?

Let’s take a break from this foolishness and realize that while we have enough food in the world for now, we can’t always get it to where it’s needed. Distribution may be hampered by price, wars or other issues but we still have hungry people in the world. Hunger still stalks some of our lands.

We can have 100s of different kinds of toothpaste, facial creams and weight loss drugs but no cure yet for cancer and many other diseases. We are Hell-bent to get electric cars and going to the moon but there are much greater needs begging to be addressed. Food distribution, disease control, housing, drug addiction all rank higher in my books than electric cars or going to the moon. Let me know what you think

Rita Friesen Homebodies

Boils… Carbuncles

This could also be entitled ‘knowing when not to laugh’, but let me explain. I was having coffee with a friend, and as is quite common when you reach a certain age, the topic examined in detail was our health care system. We are thankful for every health care provider, try to understand why on occasion there are lengthy waits, and remember the old days. They were not always the ‘good old days’. We spoke of the years gone by when doctors made house calls, often to deliver a baby. We spoke of folks relying on home remedies more often than going to a doctor. Whereas I don’t recommend biting on a clove for a toothache, or placing a tea bag or poultice on a boil, those methods did seem to work. And those two are easy examples, never mind the application of coal oil to body parts!

It was the reference to the boils that triggered the don’t laugh memory. My father was an excellent person, an above average teacher, but a mediocre farmer. The move to the farm as an independent was challenging. The barn of the property was half log structure and half timber construction. The old part didn’t have partitions, no real door and with a low ceiling to start with, it was half filled with old manure. Not ideal, but a shelter for the sheep. There was the winter day that dad engaged my help in catching a ewe, in the old barn, among the frozen clods, and him with a boil the size of an orange right below his knee. See where this is heading? As dad leaped and plunged at the racing sheep, me blocking the escape route, he lunged and missed and landed directly on the inflamed knee. Even now, as I write this, a little smile slips out. It was, to a teenager who didn’t want to be working the sheep, hilarious. Oh, it wasn’t funny but it sure looked like it was. There was that moment, when you don’t dare make eye contact lest emotion betray you. And just like that I was back to being a good daughter, ensuring that he got up and got to the house safely. Needless to say, the boil no longer needed draining…

Fast forward twenty years and I was married to Ed, who worked in hospitals between harvest and seeding, loving both occupations. He had been troubled as a youth with boils and had learned that for him, eating a cup or three of raisins cured the infection. When Ed shared this information with my dad, he was sceptical , but I learned later that he had tried it, with success.

On the plus side, eating raisins, even in abundance, isn’t detrimental to one’s overall health. A handy little book ‘Wives’ Tales and Elbow Grease’ compiled by the Anemone Rebekah Lodge, offers remedies like- “for arthritis- break two eggs and place in a jar. Shake up. Then add 1 cup vinegar and 1 cup turpentine. Shake well. Set on kitchen cupboard. Shake bottle each time you pass by- very often for a week. Rub on joints that are aching.” Yikes!

Lon Schwartz (Chief of Police)

Rivers Police Service

Police attended to a report of an injured deer on the roadway. The deer was gravely injured and was dispatched.

At Rivers High School, police investigated a verbal altercation between two students. Allegations of veiled threats were reported by one student; the situation is being monitored.

The RCMP requested RPS assistance in locating an elderly man with dementia who was reportedly lost on Highway 25. Despite patrols, the individual could not be located.

A Rivers resident reported suspicious behaviour of a vehicle repeatedly entering their driveway and passing through the back alley. Police conducted patrols but were unable to locate the vehicle.

A found Driver’s License was turned in to police and subsequently returned to the owner.

Emergency services were dispatched to a garage fire. All individuals were evacuated safely, but some items were lost. The Fire Chief reported no suspicious activity surrounding the fire.

The RCMP on Victoria Vancouver Island collaborated with RPS to investigate a substantial fraud case originating in Rivers, which has revealed multiple incidents across the country connected to the same fraudsters.

Police issued a ticket to a female driver observed talking on her cell phone while driving on Highway 250.

A Manitoba driver was ticketed $364 for speeding (124 km/h in a 100 km/h zone) after passing a marked patrol vehicle.

Warnings for illegal parking/stopping and cell phone use while driving were issued during school zone patrols.

Police responded to a report of an irate male punching a vehicle on the highway. The individual was frustrated but not aggressive when located by police.

Assistance was provided in a potential domestic violence situation, guiding individuals through the process of initiating a protection order through the Brandon courts.

Police responded to a report of a suicidal male, but the complaint was unsubstantiated upon investigation.

A speeding vehicle near Highway 250 was reported, but police patrols were unable to locate it.

Emergency services were dispatched to a vehicle vs. deer collision on Highway 25. The occupants were examined by EMS and found to have no injuries. The deer was deceased.

Police conducted a wellbeing check on a small child found outside in cold weather, who was subsequently taken to the hospital. Child and Family Services were notified for follow-up.

A Manitoba motorist was warned for speeding and failing to stop for police.

Warnings were issued for illegal stopping/parking and failing to produce a driver’s license during morning traffic monitoring at the Elementary School.

A hit & run accident was reported with damages, but no

suspects were identified.

Rivers residents were directed to Brandon courts for a Protection Order stemming from a domestic issue.

An unregistered vehicle was stopped, and the driver was issued tickets for no insurance and driving an unregistered vehicle.

A speeding warning was issued during a morning patrol near the Elementary School.

A speeding vehicle was ticketed $403 for exceeding the speed limit (127 km/h in a 100 km/h zone).

A motorist failed to yield to an emergency vehicle with its lights on, resulting in a $298 fine.

Police responded to a parked vehicle in the provincial park and found an individual taking their dog for an extended walk.

Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes

Ingredients:

Pastry Cream Filling:

3 large egg yolks, at room temperature

1/4 cup white sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 pinch nutmeg

2 tbsps flour

1 cup half-and-half cream

2 tbsps unsalted butter

1-1/2 tsps vanilla extract

1/3 cup very cold heavy whipping cream

Directions

Cupcakes:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/2 tsps baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup half-and-half cream

6 tbsps unsalted butter

2 t sps vanilla extract

1/4 tsp almond extract

3 l arge egg whites, at room temperature

2 l arge eggs

1 1/2 cups white sugar

1) Prepare the pastry cream: Whisk together egg yolks, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 tsp salt, and pinch of nutmeg. Add in 2 tbsps of flour and mix until thoroughly combined.

2) Place 1 cup half-and-half in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat until just beginning to simmer, about 5 mins, then remove from heat. While whisking constantly, carefully and slowly pour hot half-and-half into egg yolk mixture a little at a time, whisking until it is all thoroughly mixed. Pour mixture back into the saucepan and place over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until mixture has thickened, 2 - 3 mins. Remove from heat and add in 1 tbsp butter; mix until thoroughly melted and mixed. Add in remaining 1 tbsp butter and 1-1/2 tsps vanilla, and mix until combined.

Frosting:

10 ounces dark chocolate chips

2 tbsps light corn syrup

3/4 cup heavy cream

3) Place a fine mesh strainer over a mixing bowl. Pour pastry cream into the strainer and press through using a spatula to remove any lumps. Cover with plastic wrap, making sure the wrap is in contact with the surface of the pastry cream. Refrigerate until completely chilled, 1 to 2 hours.

4) Place 1/3 cup heavy cream into a bowl, and whip until stiff peaks form. Remove pastry cream from the refrigerator; remove plastic wrap. Fold whipped cream into pastry cream until combined. Cover and keep chilled until ready to use.

5) Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line 2 regular 12-cup cupcake pans with liners.

6) In a large bowl, sift together 1-1/2 cups flour, baking powder, and 3/4 tsp salt. Set aside. Bring 3/4 cup half-and-half, 6 tbsps butter, 1 1/2 tsps vanilla, and 1/4 tsp almond extract to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium low-heat. Turn off heat; keep warm.

7) Beat egg whites, whole eggs, and 1-1/2 cups sugar until light and airy, 5 mins. With mixer running on low speed, slowly pour heated half-and-half mixture into the egg mixture until combined. Add in half of the dry ingredients; mix until just combined. Add in remaining dry ingredients; mix until combined, with very few lumps. Batter will be thin.

8) Working somewhat quickly, divide batter evenly between the 2 prepared cupcake pans, filling each cupcake liner just over half full.

9) Bake cupcakes in the preheated oven until golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean, 30mins. Allow cupcakes to cool in pan for 5mins, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

10) Use a cupcake corer or paring knife to remove the center of the cupcakes. Save the top of the cored pieces to use as a ‘cap’ for the filling, cutting away any extra.

11) Fill a piping bag with the pastry cream. Pipe filling into each cored cupcake. Place cupcake ‘cap’ over the top of the filling.

12) To make frosting, place chocolate chips, corn syrup, and 3/4 cup heavy cream into a microwave safe bowl. Microwave mixture at 50% power in 30 second intervals, until melted, 1-1/2 mins. Cool chocolate until thickened to a spreadable consistency, 7 mins. Frost each filled cupcake with the chocolate frosting.

13) Keep cupcakes stored in the refrigerator until ready to eat. Bring back to room temperature before serving. The chocolate frosting will harden up substantially in the fridge and is best served at room temperature.

Ewe cannot baa-lieve how fluffy these lambs are Visiting the Lakeside Sheep Farm means you can find out

By Jessica Coulter Rivers Banner

How would you like to feed a baby lamb? It is an ewe-nique experience. All you need to do is visit the Hunter sheep farm located at drive #71142 Rd 117 N, just 12 kilometres northeast outside of Rivers.

Ann and Colin Hunter moved to Manitoba from Wales 20 years ago with their children Katie, Chase and Joseph. They had a sheep farm back home and decided to do the same here. The farm has seen its ups and downs over the years. The flock has grown, been downsized, and then grown again. They now have close to 450 sheep, including pure bred Southdown sheep and commercial flock is Ile de France.

Southdown sheep, originated in the South Downs of Sussex County England. Their numbers have declined in recent years, and they are now considered a rare breed. Southdown are known for their docility, quickly becoming handtame, and seeming to enjoy human company more than other breeds of sheep.

The Ile de France is a large, smooth-bodied, polled mutton sheep. It produces strong white wool of acceptable quality, free from coloured fibres. They originated in the Ile de France.

Ann and Colin wish to invite families to come out and meet the sheep. Weekends from noon until 1pm and weekdays 6 until 7pm people are invited to come down and visit with the lambs

and their ewes and see all the hard work that goes into raising these adorable animals. The best part about going at those times, is that it is time to feed the baby bottle lambs and they are very happy to see you.

There is a big warning that must be given to all that wish to venture out to this farm just outside of Rivers. You will be subjected to a cuteness overload. If you would like to be subjected to all this cuteness, give Ann a call at 204-724-4463, and make an appointment to visit, $10 per person.

Manitoba Canola Growers elects 2024/25 executive

Submitted

Manitoba Canola Growers

The Manitoba Canola Growers Association (MCGA) held their reorganizational meeting today following the Annual General Meeting and elected a new executive for the 2024/25 year. Warren Ellis from Wawanesa was elected president, Jackie Dudgeon-MacDonald from Darlingford was acclaimed as vice president, Nicolea Dow from Portage la Prairie was acclaimed as secretary and has also taken on the role of treasurer. Chuck Fossay has also been acclaimed in a newly established executive position of Past President.

“The directors and staff of the MCGA work very hard for the benefit of its grower members,” says Warren Ellis, incoming President of MCGA. “I am pleased to be allowed to chair this talented and hardworking group.”

“We have a fantastic group of farmers leading our organization in 2024 with ideas already coming forward that build on the great work of our past board,” says Delaney Ross Burtnack, executive director, MCGA. “I look forward to seeing the vision of the new MCGA board come to life as they get settled in their roles, and exploring new ways to engage our farmer members to help guide that vision,”

For more information, please visit www.canolagrowers.com.

PHOTOS BY JESSICA COULTER

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Bob the dog is protecting his flock.

Time to feed the bottle lambs.

Garden Lore

Submitted

By Patricia Hanbidge

Winter is a wonderful time to reflect….and what better topic to reflect upon than gardening! Gardening is an inexact science which has been surrounded by habits, traditions, folklore and superstition. However, if you look closely you will see much wisdom intertwined throughout the lore.

This year, 2024 is a Leap Year, which gives us one extra day for gardening gain. Forget that it is the middle of winter and make the most of that extra 24-hour period. It is interesting that February is the only month of the Leap Year but also the “love” month and there is a legend revolving about that extra 29th day. It is said that in Ireland, St. Brigid suggested to St. Patrick that every fourth year, it would be a good idea for women to propose instead of the men! St. Patrick thought it was a perfectly splendid idea but then when she did propose, he refused her proposal. Hmmmm, perhaps we should spend that extra time on gardening gain rather than love!

bean would find wealth, those finding the half-peeled bean would have a comfortable life while the poor souls who found the fully peeled beans would be poor forever.

Basil is a herb that is associated with purification, love and money. Each season if you wish to be wealthy you need to place a piece of basil in each of the four corners of your home to bring wealth. In Tudor times, basil would be placed on the windowsills by young maidens to indicate they were looking for a suitor. Those men who are given a gift of basil will fall in love with the giver of that gift.

When odd things happen in the garden it is often associated with a tale. The lowly bean has been the subject of many tales throughout the years. If within a row of green beans one plant bears white beans it means that there will be a death in the family. However, during a leap year it is thought that the bean would grow upside down. On Midsummer’s Eve, three beans would be prepared in different ways and hidden. Those who found the untouched

Mushrooms of course were not passed by. In ancient times it was believed that thunder and lightning engendered the mushroom. Edible mushrooms were considered food for the Gods in Ancient Greece and I am sure they must have been portabella mushrooms fried in freshly churned butter. Fairy rings were of course caused by the paths of dancing fairies and if you were lucky, and found one beside your house you would have good fortune!

Parsley is unfortunately associated with death and misfortune. If you are cooking with parsley and you happen to be in love, then you will for sure be in for a spell of bad luck. Babies were thought to be discovered in parsley beds and maidens in distress could solve their problem by chewing parsley each day for a period of three weeks.

The folklore tied to the garden is endless. It is always entertaining but also if you look closely will often find that it will also contain at least some rather useful information.

Hanbidge is the Lead Horticulturist with Orchid Horticulture. Find us at www.orchidhort.com.

Westman Juried Art Show 2024

Call For Entries

Submitted

Mid-West Arts Council

The Arts West Council and Hamiota Mid-West Art Club invite regional amateur and emerging artists to participate in the 45th Annual Westman Juried Art Show which takes place on April 28 at the Kenton Community Hall.

Categories include painting, drawing, mixed media, scratch art, 2D fibre art and silkscreen.

Entries from youth (11-19 years) and adult artists are welcome. All entries receive juror critiques and are exhibited at the public reception. Jurors will select 20 works for the Arts West Travelling Gallery which will tour the Region over the next year.

Entry deadline is April 17.

Complete information and entry forms are available at www. artswestcouncil.ca,

2023 Juried Show Youth (1419) Award winner

Education and early childhood learning minister invites students to help shape Manitoba schools

minister. Previous student advisors helped influence initiatives in remote learning, anti-racism and mental health, among others.

Education Department Accepting 2024-25 Applications for Student Advisory Council: Altomare

The Manitoba government is inviting students aged 14 to 18 to apply for the 2024-25 Student Advisory Council and offer their insights on how to best shape Manitoba schools for the future, Education and Early Childhood Learning Minister Nello Altomare announced today.

“Manitoba students are at the heart of our education system,” said Altomare. “Including youth perspectives in the educational decision-making process helps improve student well-being, boosts educational success and keeps government in tune with issues that matter to the next generation of leaders.”

Student Advisory Council members collaborate with stakeholders across the education sector on current and emerging issues affecting students and contribute valuable insights that create positive change at the provincial level. The council helps youth develop leadership and advocacy skills, build networks and work as part of a team, noted the

“Being on the Student Advisory Council is an honour,” said Namirembe Afatsawo, a three-year Student Advisory Council member. “As a northern resident, I feel grateful to have the opportunity to advocate for the region. I believe that those directly affected by something should be given the opportunity to provide their insight. When it comes to education, this does not just include teachers and principals, but it also includes students. This is why having a council such as this in place is significant.”

The rich diversity of Manitoba’s students will be represented by the 32-youth elected to join the 2024-25 Student Advisory Council for a one-year term beginning in August, noted the minister. Current council members who continue to meet the eligibility criteria can apply for a second term. The deadline for applications is April 5.

For more information on the Student Advisory Council, visit: https://edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/action_plan/studentadvisorycouncil.html.

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SPORTS

Hamiota-Rivers U18 Jetskies

By Jessica Coulter Rivers Banner

The Hamiota-Rivers U18 Jetskies headed to the provincials March 1 – 3 in Glenboro. After some tough games over the weekend the Jetskies played for Bronze at 10am in Glenboro against Grand Plains. They were successful and brought home the bronze medals.

Congratulations to the U18 Jetskies on defeating Grand Plains to bring home Bronze. Well done ladies. #1 Austyn Peters Goalie, #5 Prestyn Phinney Forward, #7 Karas Munz Defence, #8 Alyshia McKinnon Forward, #9 Calle Peters Forward, #10 Ashlynn Cripps Defense, #11 Ffion Devonald Forward, #13 Brooke Facey Forward, #14 Elle McLean Defense, #16 Alyssa Kirk Forward, #17 Ky Solomon Forward, #18 Haily Johns Defense, #19 Taylor Lawn Forward, #21 Mya McDonald Defense, #22 Kaileigh Knight Defense, #24 Tristin McTavish Forward.

West Division SemiFinals, game five Virden Oil Kings vs Rivers Jets

Submitted Rivers Banner

Game four was played Thursday, February 29 in Rivers, and the puck dropped at 8:30pm. The Virden Oil Kings forced a fifth and deciding game in the West Semifinal with a 6-3 win over Rivers on Thursday night. Riley Boles, Brody Smith and Brock Paddock each scored for the Jets. While Joben Smith added a pair of assists.

Do or die winner take all Monday night, March 4 at 8pm in Virden. Puck dropped at 8:30pm. The Virden Oil Kings took the win with a score of 5 – 2 over the Rivers Jets in the fifth and deciding game of the THHL Western Semi Final. The Rivers Jets season has come to an end. Kale Bomback and Riley Boles scored in the loss, while Riley Lamb stopped 40 of 45 shots. A lot of positives in year two with great fan support, and some great hockey. The Rivers Jets are looking forward to the future of senior hockey in Rivers.

Huskies are in the

semi-finals

By Jessica Coulter Rivers Banner

On Wednesday, February 28, the Huskies played M/E Chancellors in the quarter finals best of three. The Huskies defeated the Chancellors with a score of 4 - 0.

On Friday, March 1, the Huskies and Chancellors faced-off again for game two of the quarter finals. The Huskies won again with a score of 6 – 3 closing the quarter finals. A third game was not played.

The Huskies are headed to the semi finals. They will now compete against the Vincent Massey Vikings in the semi finals best of three. Vincent Massey Vikings are currently second in the division. First game was Wednesday, March 6 in Brandon. Game two is Friday, March 8 in Hamiota. Game three has not been determined.

Rivers U11 C Hockey Provincials 2024

By Jessica Coulter Rivers Banner

The Rivers U11 Jets hosted the U11 C Hockey Provincials 2024 the weekend of March 1-3.

McCreary Mustangs captured the U11 “C” Rural Provincial Hockey Championship.

McCreary defeated the hometown Rivers Jets in the championship game. The game was played on Sunday, March 3, at 2:30pm. Calder Hazlewood was “Player of the Game” for McCreary and Bentley Quane was “Player of the Game” for Rivers. There were twelve great raffle prizes to be won donated to the weekend event.

“Thank you to all the volunteers, referees, organizers, and fans for a fantastic weekend of hockey,” says Aaron Tycoles, event organizer.

Charles Marvin, #14 Maverick Peters, #15 Evan Klassen,

Smith, #17 Kolby Henderson, #18 Ryan Brown, #19 Jace Waldner, #20 Drayson Elliott, Head Coach Carson Smith, Assistant Coach Kurtis Quane, Assistant Coach Doug

Rivers U15 Jets win silver

Submitted

By Crystal Bourdin

On Friday, March 1, the U15 Rivers Jets headed East to partake in the U15 A Provincials in St. Agathe hosted by the Niverville Clippers. There were 8 teams in total that came out to play. Pool gold consisted of Portage Terriers, Niverville Clippers, Brandon Wheatkings and Rivers Jets. Pool black consisted of Springfield Icehawks, Peguis Warriors, Flin Flon Bombers and the Dauphin Kings.

In the round robin on Friday, the Niverville Clip -

pers took the Portage Terriers 4-0, the Rivers Jets with Kayden Elliot between the pipes beat Brandon Wheatkings 3-2, Springfield Ice hawks 10-2 over the Peguis Warriors, Flin Flon Bombers tied Dauphin Kings 2-2 and the Rivers Jets with Schoonbaert in net took a 5-1 victory over the Niverville Clippers.

On Saturday, March 2, Springfield handed Flin Flon a 4-1 loss, Peguis was defeated 15-2 by Dauphin, the Jets with Elliot in net won 5-0 over Portage, Niverville beat Brandon 4-2, Dauphin handed Springfield 6-1 loss, and Flin Flon went on to beat

Peguis 7-5.

This wrapped up the round robin, with the Dauphin Kings in first place and Springfield Icehawks in second place in the black pool. The Rivers Jets held first place and Niverville Clippers held second place in the gold pool.

On Friday and Saturday night the Jets and their families stayed in Steinbach at the Roadhouse 52 Inn, had team meals, team bonding games and down time.

On Sunday, March 3, semi finals first place Jets took on second place Icehawks. The Jets battled through penalties and injured players but pushed through all of that for a 4-2 win. The Kings in first took on second place Clippers with the Kings winning 4-1.

In the consolation final Brandon Wheatkings out played the Flin Flon Bombers 5-1. Bronze Medal final Springfield Icehawks against Niverville Clippers ended with Niverville winning the bronze medal 2-0.

Gold medal final hosted the Dauphin Kings and the Rivers Jets. The Rivers Jets proving to everyone and maybe even a few of themselves that the smalltown house league team was in the right place to play against all the tiered A teams. The Jets showed what dedication, hard work and perseverance can do.

They went in with the attitude that they can earn this gold with Kayden Elliot in net. Unfortunately, they fell just shy of this. The Jets bench was short even with two AP’s Sawyer Lepp and Jace Woloski. They had one player on suspension, one injured and a whole lot of exhausted legs out there. Even through all that, they made Dauphin work hard for their 4-2 win over Rivers.

Congratulation Rivers Jets for working and playing your hearts out. Second place in the province in the A side is nothing to hang your heads about.

The Jets are now on to their third and final round in the playoffs for the league title against Roblin. Game 1 is in Rivers Friday, March 8 at 7pm. Please come pack the rink and cheer on the Rivers U15 Jets who are working to earn league title for the second year in a row.

PHOTOS BY CRYSTAL BOURDIN

SUBMITTED

#1 Ashton Huston, #2 Kasen Vandenham, #4 Waylon Diamond, #5 Rowen Beaule, #6 Luke Campbell, #9 Bentley Quane, #10 Madden Ratz, #11 Santiago Rivas, #12 Callie Sonnenberg, #13

#16, Easton

Sonnenberg

Bentley Quane was “Player of the Game” for the final championship game.

Top: U15 Jets take Silver in provincials. #1 Cameron Schoonbaert, #3 Corbin Munz, #4 Jesse Bourdin, #5 Clay Munz, #6 Jillian Schoonbaert, #7 Nathan Hillis, #8 Stella Roulette, #10 Chase Airey, #11 Samuels Rivas, #12 David Waldner, #15 Duncan McLean, #16 Kirk Bayes, #17 Aaron Roles, #18 Coby Burt, #19 Rynan Taylor, #33 Kayden Elliot, Head Coach Jamie Brown, Assistant Coach Richard Hillis, Safety Crystal Bourdin Manager Marnie McLean and Manager Wendi Burt.

Right: Jets celebrating their first win at the end of the first game of the A provincials defeating the Brandon Wheatkings 3 - 2.

By Cam Dahl, GM Manitoba Pork Council

I did not come up with the line “hard to be green while in the red”, but I wish I had. It is a succinct phrase describing one of the most challenging policy aspects of sustainability. It is difficult, or even impossible, to change farming practices aimed at improving environmental sustainability when experiencing negative margins. The idea applies to every business.

Even though this policy truism seems obvious, it is not always recognized by governments. Governments most frequent policy tool is regulation. Imposing costly restrictions and penalties on businesses is often the default action. It should not be.

Take the carbon tax for example. The stated policy objective is to reduce carbon emissions by discouraging the use of fossil fuels. This may work when the use of fossil fuels is a discretionary expense, but heating a hog barn in winter is not discretionary. For hog farmers, energy costs are the second highest operating expense after feed. At a time when farmers’ margins are written in red ink, the carbon tax is making it more expensive to raise pigs. This is antithetical to the policy objective of reducing greenhouse gas emissions because farmers are more likely to take on innovative business practices when their operation is profitable. The carbon tax has become a barrier to adoption of innovation that could improve environmental sustainability.

The carbon tax is also making Canadian hog farmers less competitive internationally. Manitoba exports 90% of the pigs raised in the province every year, either as live animals exported to the United States or as packages of

Hard to be green while in the red

pork exported around the world. Canadian farmers are competing against producers in other countries who do not face the added cost of the carbon tax. The reduction in our competitiveness impacts jobs in both urban and rural areas, which in Manitoba equals 22,000 jobs across the province, and discourages investment in every link of the industry’s value chain.

So, to summarize, when applied to the energy requirements for raising pigs, the carbon tax does not achieve its policy goals and it inhibits the adoption of alternative business practices that may improve sustainability, all while decreasing the competitiveness of Canadian farmers in world markets.

The cost and ineffectiveness of the carbon tax when applied to farming operations was recognized by the Member of Parliament (MP) who introduced bill C-234, An Act to Amend the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act. This legislation, which is supported by a majority of MPs, would remove the carbon tax from essential agricultural operations like heating a barn in winter. Unfortunately, the Senate has disagreed and amended the legislation, removing the reference to barn heating. How much will this change cost Canadian farmers? The Parliamentary Budget Officer estimates this cost to be $910 million annually.

There is a better way. Not all government policy object-

ives need to be met using a regulatory hammer as is being done with the carbon tax. Instead, governments should be adopting an incentive-based approach. The alternative policy approach is one that is rooted in collaboration with farmers and accepting that financial sustainability for producers must be at the foundation of any strategy.

The collaborative approach may not appear to be the easy path to take for those who are charged with implementing government policy. Canada is a large, diverse country, and innovative practices that drive fiscal and environmental sustainability in Quebec or the Maritimes or British Columbia may not work on the Prairies. There must be enough flexibility in approach to account for differences in climate, soils, and ecosystems across Canada. Provincial and local governments need to be engaged when determining which new practices and technology will work in a specific region. While this may sound messy and complicated when compared to a one-size-fits-all regulation, in the long run, incentives and collaboration, instead of costly regulations, will deliver meaningful results.

The federal carbon tax is set to increase again on April 1st. If this happens Canadian farmers will be a little less competitive internationally and see a little bit more red ink on the bottom line. It does not have to be this way.