Nickel Belt News
Volume 58 Number 11
Friday, March 16, 2018
Thompson, Manitoba
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Volume 62 • Issue 30
Strong thunderstorms knock out Thompson power, pelt Paint Lake with egg-sized hailstones BY IAN GRAHAM
EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET
fairly sparse population in the north and the distance between weather observation stations, which makes hail falling in areas where it isn’t observed or recorded more likely. It could also be a case of people being unaware that they can report such weather events to Environment Canada. Although they don’t seem small when you’re in the middle of them, thunderstorms are relatively compact weather events, Hasell said, which can affect one part of a community and leave another nearby part untouched. Hail that occurs within thunderstorms is generally around the edges of the updraft, where air is pushing upwards, and cover an even smaller area. “The hail swathe associated to a storm is relatively narrow,” she said. The stronger a thunderstorm is, the stronger its updraft, which can keep ice crystals suspended up higher and for longer, giving them more opportunity to bump into other ice crystals or water droplets and increase in size. “They can grow to be really quite large,” said Hasell. “The stronger the updraft, the larger the hail.”
Book a way to preserve and pass on memories of growing up in Churchill
Strong thunderstorms throughout Northern Manitoba on Aug. 8 resulted in numerous overlapping power outages in the Thompson area from the afternoon to late evening as well as vehicle- and property-damaging hail in the Paint Lake area. Monday’s storm activity included a series of thunder and lightning events throughout central and Northern Manitoba, with the most significant storms occurring in the Thompson, Paint Lake and Grand Rapids areas, says Natalie Hasell, a meteorologist with Environment Canada, which received reports after the storms of egg-sized hail, which is associated with a severe thunderstorm. “Hail is part of every thunderstorm,” she said. Manitoba Hydro says, at the peak of the power outages, up to 120 customers at a time in Thompson were without power, with the last customers having electricity restored by about 10:30 p.m. The power outages were attributed to high winds by Hydro corporate communications director Scott Pow-
Thompson Citizen photos courtesy of Chelsea Dawn Photos taken by a Paint Lake resident show the size of hailstones that fell in the area during a series of Northern Manitoba thunderstorms on Aug. 8. ell, who characterized the outages as “decentralized,” which means they resulted from several distinct events, which could include tree lines contacting power lines or power lines contacting each other. “They weren’t all off the same feeder,” he said. Powell couldn’t confirm reports of lighting striking a power pole in the Thompson area around the time of the first power outages but said
that, if it did, it would have been a secondary cause of power outages rather than a primary one. Out at Paint Lake, Chelsea Dawn took photos of hailstones about three inches across, which she posted in the Thompson Talk Facebook group. “The storm was pretty intense and sudden,” said Dawn. “My family was definitely a bit shaken up. There was lots of stuff fly-
ing around and then the sudden large hail started falling. When we saw the size of it we were in amazement of how large it was because we’ve never seen anything like it.” Two of her family’s vehicles and some other items on their property were damaged by the hail, said Dawn, who was born in Thompson and has lived here all her life. “I definitely never ex-
perienced anything like this here,” Dawn told the Thompson Citizen. Hasell couldn’t confirm whether or not hail of this size is more unusual in the north compared to the southern parts of Manitoba, but said thunderstorms and severe thunderstorms are common in Northern Manitoba. Part of the reason there may be fewer observations of hail large enough to damage vehicles could be the
No charges recommended for Thompson RCMP officer who shot a man last October: police watchdog No other police officers do so, his continued behavwere in the area at the time iour only elevated the risks to The non-fatal police shoot- the man was shot in the stom- the general public and myself ing of a man in Thompson’s ach, but the IIU spoke to nine and a line had to be drawn to Eastwood neighbourhood civilian witnesses, several stop his behaviour and take Nickel Belt News photo by Ian Graham last October was justified and of whom said in their state- control of the situation.” Addictions Foundation of Manitoba northern director Gisele deMeulles has written a book about her experiences growing up, mostly in Churchill. there is no basis for crimin- ments that they saw a knife The first officer to arrive al to be laid against in the hand of that the man who on the scene theright?’ shoot- was not a very safe thing swallow when people say BYcharges IAN GRAHAM For all the harsh weather to write things you have ‘Oh, I’m just after as bad, the RCMP officer involved, was shot. ing, who was the only EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET and to do but I jumped at it. I that Churchill residents and the dangers of polar to figure out. It’s pretty clear I have all these storiesother Manitoba’s police watchdog The Iofficer who fired the Ipolice thatthem the IIU Though she’s now written when get through.” need officer to capture for thought that was exciting should just find somewhere bears, deMeulles said if it announced Aug. was in the an my interviewed, said she really found until the plane landed and easier to live. a book about her9.experien- shot DeMeulles saidarea she on wrote grandchildren had been viable she would Independent Inves- unrelated matter when he filletingthey knifewill on the cesThe growing up in Churchill, her book, titled Whispers in abecause beground lost if they started throwing the “To say, ‘Those people have moved back to Churchtigation UnitFoundation of Manitoba notified of anfrom intoxithe shooting victim that fuel off and I realized, ‘Holy choose to live there. They ill in a heartbeat. Addictions of was the Wind: Stories the near I don’t.” probe into the shooting found North cated male a knife. descriptions given cats, I was probably sitting should just leave,’ is quite Manitoba northern director - Lifeholding in Churchill for matched She also has a reputation “I miss the shoreline, I that alldeMeulles evidence supported IIU found that the officer by witnesses and that on a bomb.’” Gisele said writ- The a couple of reasons. as civilian a storyteller herself. simplistic. It’s quite disre- miss the rock, I miss the the that the man away from armed the“Iofficer whoafired his hisgun ing conclusion wasn’t something she backed “I just sort of the thought, had such varied Another thing that spectful. If we were in the polar bears even though who was shot was man in a zigzag pattern en- tory appeared be in tell shock and spurred her on was the same boat in another area they’re very dangerous and always thought she armed would you know what, thistohisand Itowould people Thompson Citizen photo courtesy of Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba with saying, a knife, do. a knife and that the sure tory, distance this stuffbetween that’s inthem my was stories and “He theyhad would go, hard times facing Churchill I think we would scream I really miss the Hudson A frame from a video of an Oct. 25, 2021 shooting by a Thompson RCMP officer shows the officer firedyouth the single shot and instructed wasnot like sixisfeet away, “In my I never head,repeatedly it’s going to be gone he ‘That’s true, it?’ I’d go, since the Hudson Bay Rail- about that so why don’t they Bay,” she says. “When I go moments before the officer shot a man who was approaching him with a knife in his hand. in order preserve his she and if the man write to drop the knife he wasit’s coming, kept gofelt goodtoat writing,” I don’t it down,” she ‘Yeah true.’ he They’d go, way suspended operations have the option to do that? back home, standing on the others’“But safety. before“My shooting oncegoin ‘You ing towards me,allI that, told him Thompson RCMP, man Icause serious death, Hudson Tessler said his conclusion said. when I moved said. didn’t do did north kids him are not of Gillam lastthe spring. think rightinjury now or they’re Bayinlooking out on shootingto occurred drop the knife, the said was not was feeling on a person they arepawns trying the that,bay, “allitthe evidence gathto The Thompson get into the ing stomach to get itand if I announcing don’t do it to you? You’ve got to drop be really “Itheused to sure be if a he really like they’re just gives you an around 2:45ofp.m. lastwork, Oct. via radio that shots but he wouldn’t and I holding knifecommunity or where it to if they areand acting in ered fromsense. all sources prothe school social andhis it’spolice something I’ve al- knife, old.’ I was like, ‘No, actually thrivingalarge in aarrest political game that’s incredible You feel so 25 that nearpoint the intersection of ways had been fired. my mom to Ihad shoot mayit’s have come from. down really self-defence of a rea-I small vides aand reliable at I had to write wanted didtoall thathim.” before I was and just dwindled sad forbecause them because you and feelsufficient great.” Princeton Drive Cor- do.InMy hismom’s voluntary The shot to “I seenathe video, I did not think sonable thatofthey may support the sole conclufor university andand realized, an statement elder and 27,’ andman theywho wentwas ‘What?’” such small population thebelief people ChurchNow for that she’s got nell Place and was captured to IIU investigators, the offiwas interviewed by IIU knife in mysays. hand … I in beingtoharmed. sion that theunder decision bybelt, [the ‘Holy, I’m not bad at this, she’s an artist, she’s got so now,”a deMeulles book her Looking back, some ofof have ill danger really of want thrive. one on video by twodeveloped residents many cer involved in the shooting ficers experiences while in Thompson to talk to the A use of force expert told deMeulles officer] to says shootshe [the man] right?’ I certainly wonderful stories be- those are things wanted Though she’s notofficer, there They’ve built their worlds may try of Forest ViewinSuites, also said, male had Hospital Oct. 27 any he had no reason to shoot the IIUHow thatwould the officer’s wasproduce necessary to prevent the a lot of skill university cause“The she always tellsbeen her General she might not doon again. longer, her parents and there. we feel to another. known as out Princeton opportunity to and“Itold was blacked me,”sister the man police. actions werecame consistent or death to himself and came of thereTowwith given storiesevery at Parks Canada in did them somehe pretty bizarre her andtold other family if someone to youwith and injury “I have another book or in ers, though theskill identity of Churchill drop the knife getalways on the stuff out after alcohol Under the Code said, what a‘I’m well-trained Canadian anyone the vicinity” and a very strong in my andand I’ve likeconsuming fuel hauls into the members sorry, you have to me,” sheinsays. “It’s a darker stillCriminal are. the person filmed ground andher, stop‘Please, doing what and didn’t remember thissaid in- of “My Canada, police officers policeyour officer would do in a story, that there were no grounds writing andwho confi denceone in hounded just high Arctic at -35,” cousin owns the leave home community more about personof videos ofI the shooting doing, for reasons A few later, on hardware have the right use force, similar situation. to justify anyand charges against mythewriting. write very he putwas it on tape,but I will write it cident. deMeulles. “Itdays didn’t dawn storetothere,” she and we’re going to displace al growth struggles. was determined. to me, he failed to Nov in anafter. interview witha including that which may you IIU civilian director Zane officer. clearnever and that’s it. It’s there. unknown for you because your story on me1,until That was says. somewhere else and all the Maybe in the next five years BY IAN GRAHAM
EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET
Some people say it’s kind of blunt or direct. I don’t tend
is going to be lost,’ and she’s never done it and I thought,
very dangerous thing to do. Being on a plane full of fuel
Because of that, deMeulles finds it hard to
your loved ones and your history is gone?’”
it’s something I’ll focus on doing.”