Margaret Barbour Collegiate Institute (MBCI) had two teams that travelled to soccer zones last week to play against four teams to see who would advance to provincials.
“Soccer zones were held on October 2 and 3, 2026, in Flin Flon,” said MBCI Soccer Coach Monte Koshel. “There were teams from Norway House, Flin Flon, Cross Lake, Thompson, as well as us in attendance.”
The MBCI Spartan Boys’ Soccer Team had a real fight to the finish on the field as they clawed their way back from a loss in the first round.
“The boys played Flin Flon first and lost,” said Koshel. “That put them in the consolation bracket, which meant they had to win every game after to make it to the finals. They then played Norway House, Cross Lake and a nail-biter against Flin Flon again to make it to the final. The win over Flin Flon went into penalty shots after a tie.

Last Saturday, The Pas Fire Department (TPFD) hosted its annual open house with a BBQ. All proceeds from this BBQ will be donated to the Manitoba Fallen Firefighters Foundation, which helps honour and remember the firefighters around the province who have given the ultimate sacrifice.
This event also gave the fire department a chance to help educate the public on what they do and about fire prevention.
“To effectively protect your home, establish habits like charging all devices on hard, flat surfaces away from soft furnishings and staying in the kitchen whenever food is actively cooking,” said TPFD Fire Chief Byron Shangraw. “You should also maintain at least three feet of clear space around all heating appliances, including space heaters, furnaces, and wood stoves. Finally, design a home emergency escape plan with two exits per room and a dedicated outdoor meeting spot, making sure to practice it with your household at least twice each year.”

The Board of Directors of the Northern Manitoba Trappers’ Festival (NMTF) are ushering in the 80th year of Trappers’ Festival with the release of this year's logo. The logo is unique and vastly different from logos of years past. According to NMTF Chairperson Lorie Stevenson, for years the NMTF logo has been created by Honorary Trapper Riel Berard.
“Reil has been a strong supporter of the festival and as an artist and naturalist, has brought to life Trapper imagery every year in a creative and fun way,” said Stevenson. “We are very thankful for the work Riel has done each year on our iconic logo.
Berard has been creating the logo for NMTF since 1973 and was bestowed the title of Honourary Trapper title in 1975.
“For 53 years we have had our logo created by Riel and each and every year he produced a logo that reflected some aspect of the NMTF and northern living,” said Stevenson. “He is a remarkable artist and we are thankful that he chose to keep creating our logos.

A Sandy Bay First Nation man is in custody in connection with a recent kidnapping on Ebb and Flow First Nation.
In the late morning of Oct. 1, Ste. Rose du Lac RCMP received a report of an assault that had occurred on Ebb and Flow First Nation.
Officers and paramedics located a 28-year-old man, who had been assaulted and had several cuts to his body. The victim was taken to hospital for treatment of his injuries.
Officers subsequently learned the victim had been at a residence when a second man entered and began assaulting him with multiple weapons.
The victim was then restrained and was thrown in the back of a truck. He was assaulted again before eventually escaping when he jumped out of the moving truck.
At approximately 1:30 p.m., RCMP located the truck driving on Lake Road Southeast and pulled it over. The driver was arrested without incident.
While searching the vehicle, officers found weapons that matched those used in the assault.
William Richard, 44, was charged with assault causing bodily harm, kidnapping without firearm, unauthorized possession of a prohibited weapon, assault with weapon, forcible confinement, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, and failing to comply with an undertaking condition.
The investigation continues.
• • •
Police are looking for help identifying the suspect in an armed robbery, which occured at a retail business on the 100-block of Main Street South in Dauphin, Oct. 8.
Responding officers learned a man walked into the store wearing all black, with his face covered and carrying a knife. The suspect walked straight to the cash register, took the till and walked out.
No one was injured.
RCMP are investigating, with assistance from the Manitoba RCMP West District General Investigation Section (GIS).
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Dauphin RCMP at 204-622-5050, Crime Stoppers toll-free at 1-800-222-8477, or to submit a secure tip online at www.manitobacrimestoppers.com.

Editor’s note: Three individuals have entered the race to replace outgoing mayor David Bosiak in the city of Dauphin.
The Herald offered the candidates an opportiunity to introduce themselves and answer some questions over the next three weeks prior to election day.
Following are the responses received from Keith Durston and Steve Sobering. A third candidate, Carter Taylor-Luke, had not provided a response prior to press time.
Keith Durston
My name is Keith Durston. I was born and raised in Dauphin.
I’ve lived here most of my life. I did live in the Northwest Territories for a number of years. I have been a plumber and HVAC person for approximately 50 years.
Upon my return to Dauphin I built a successful plumbing, heating, and hot tub business.
Having run a private business I know you must work for the people in order to run a successful business. I am used to being on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. I believe being a mayor and representative of the people of the City of Dauphin is a 24/7 job.
The major issue with the City of Dauphin is the stagnation of development. New and proper economic development would lower taxes and grow the population, leaving resource monies for policing, crime prevention, infrastructure maintenance, and development.
Working with a multifaceted approval the city can do it all.
From my experience importance of working with provincial government and utilizing working with local organizations.
If successful I will contact the provincial government for work on a bypass from the Vermillion River to Edwards Creek. This could prevent future flooding in the City of Dauphin.
Steve Sobering
Community service has been at the core of my life. My parents ran a funeral business when I was growing up and I pitched in from an early age by cutting grass, cleaning bathrooms, vacuuming and watching them work with families at difficult times.
I helped them volunteer with the Lions’ Club, their church community and the Chamber of Commerce. I saw by their example that to have a successful business you first need to contribute to building a successful community.
Perhaps not surprisingly, most of my career has been in funeral service and then, due to an interest in environment and energy reduction, a new career in energy efficiency. The opportunity to work with people to save money through energy efficiency really met my goal to have a career with meaning and purpose. During those years, while my wife Melanie and I were raising our children here in Dauphin I also went back to school and earned a Master’s Degree in business.
I have built community in Dauphin through volunteering. There is a vibrant group of progressive thinkers in this city working towards making Dauphin a great place to live. I have recognized, over time, that you can’t wait for someone else to fix things. You just need to roll up your sleeves and build the community you want to live in. As a past president of the Dauphin Rotary Club, I am proud to have helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars to contribute towards projects including the recreation centre and cinema. I was also one of the organizers of Manitoba MudRun, which raised several hundred thousand dollars to help build the Northgate Trail development.
I sit on two boards right now - Fusion Credit Union and Efficiency Manitoba. Participating on boards is just one more way to contribute to the community and I have learned a great deal about governance and the role boards play. This has served me well the last four years as a councillor at the City of Dauphin.
Dauphin is an amazing community and we enjoy living here. I am committed to working hard to address any challenges our community faces head on while simultaneously pursuing opportunities.
What is the major issue for council to consider?
There are many issues that the City must address. The needs and challenges of people struggling with drugs, mental illness or a lack of housing have become a central conversation. People sometimes feel unsafe on our streets. The city works closely with partners at community mental health, MMF, the Friendship Centre, and the RCMP to address these issues. This is a difficult topic and a clear priority for council, at the same time we still have many other responsibilities that we must continue working on at the same time.
To move the city forward, we need to attract talented people, skilled tradespeople, professionals and others to keep the city vibrant. There are vacancies in every sector that need filling. There is opportunity here. In this high cost of living time, Dauphin has the potential to be a very desirable place for families to move to.
While we try to fix problems, the city must also focus on longer term priorities. We must build the community we want while we are living in it. This is an exciting time for Dauphin. We are seeing historic investment in apartment blocks, the justice centre, hotels and more. The community has its chance on Oct. 28 to put the right team in place at the right time. Please vote.

The Parkland Rangers played some of their best hockey of the young Manitoba U18 AAA Hockey League season, but the wins are still proving to be elusive.
Parkland lost, 4-1, to the Winnipeg Bruins, Friday, before getting swept in a doubleheader with the Interlake Lightning, 6-3, Saturday night, and 6-2, Sunday afternoon.
This came on the heels of a pair of losses to the Pembina Valley Hawks, 7-2, Oct. 3, and 9-1, Oct. 4.
All games were in Dauphin.
Rangers head coach Landon Russell felt the team’s compete level was better on the weekend, adding it was the best its been all year against the Bruins.
“It put faith in the group. That group showed what they can do. They can win on any night if they want to work. And that’s the thing. There’s still going to be mistakes in a hockey game. We, obviously, have got to clean those up, but for a majority of the weekend, I was happy with our compete level and how we actually came out and worked for a majority of the game,” he said.
In a sign of things to hopefully come, the offence got on the scoreboard, with six different players hitting the scoresheet.
“The offence is there. It’s good to see guys get their scoring back. Obviously, it’s going to come. We’re still waiting on a couple guys to break out. But it’s going to happen. It’s still early,” Russell said.
Even if the results weren’t there this weekend, Russell feels the effort will give the team confidence going forward.
“In the eyes of the coaching staff, it puts a lot of belief. The results weren’t there, but the process is getting better. We’re focused on the process. The results will come after that,” he said.
“I hope the group takes it as we’re taking that next step. We’re still climbing the mountain. It’s still early.”
While the Rangers got tougher in the corners of the defensive zone, there are still areas the team has to work on.
“It’s a big change going against bigger, faster, stronger guys. But our guys are capable of it. I thought when we were really effective in the D zone, we were winning our stick battles. We were winning races. That’s just what it takes. It’s every shift, every night. That’s how it’s going to have to be,” Russell said.
Parkland’s nine-game home stand comes to an end next weekend when the Rangers host the only other winless team, the Kenora Thistles, Friday and Saturday, at 7:30 p.m., both nights.
Saturday’s game is the annual Hockey Fights Cancer Night, with all proceeds going to Parkland hospital cancer wards.
There will be a $10,000 shoot to score, as well as three large raffle prize packages and a 50-50.
“It will be a great weekend for us. It’s going to be a good test, but it’s a test that we’re able to step up and be ready for,” Russell said.
“Obviously, it’s a big night with the Hockey Fights Cancer Night. It’s going to be loud in the rink and hopefully, it will get this bench going.”

With points in their last five games, the Dauphin Kings are one of the hottest teams in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League.
The week began with a 4-3 overtime loss to the Winkler Flyers, Tuesday in Winkler.
On Friday, Quentin Fisk had the only goal in the shootout to lift the Kings to a 5-4 victory over the Neepawa Titans in Neepawa.
Then Brady Green had a goal and and two assists, Fisk scored twice and Tate Barnaby made 33 saves to help the Kings beat the Steinbach Pistons, 3-2, Saturday in Steinbach.
Kings head coach and general manager Bryan Kromm feels the team is starting to play the type of hockey he envisioned.
“It was nice to see that transpire over the weekend,” he said.
There was some controversy over Winkler’s winning goal in overtime, last Tuesday, as the puck was clearly kicked in.
But Kromm stated the MJHL adopted the Western Hockey League rule where a player can direct the puck into the goal as long as the puck is outside the crease.
“When I go back and watch the video, obviously, it’s tough to tell. But there’s also no review on those plays either, so in real time, it’s up to the refs to make that call,” he said.
“That’s the call they made and that’s what happened on that night.”
The power play has started clicking, going seven for 23, a 30.4 per cent rate.
Kromm admitted he put special teams on the back burner to focus on the team’s five-on-five play.
“So we slowly started to work in some special teams now and, obviously, we can see the results there,” he said.
For the most part, the Kings have also been staying out of the penalty box, giving up just 17 power play chances to the opposition, allowing just two goals against during the points streak.
“I think there were a couple calls that were deserved. I think we can control our sticks a little bit better. Some tripping and slashing calls. But other than that, we’ve been pretty disciplined that way,” Kromm said.
Saturday’s game in Steinbach saw a crowd of 2,023 take in the action, the second largest of the season.
Games in front of such crowds are easy to get up for Kromm said,
“It was definitely a fun atmosphere and a good experience for our group,” he added.
Kromm made a deal to acquire goaltender Adam Courchesne from the Virden Oil Capitals in exchange for a player development fee.
The 18-year-old played one game for Virden this season, beating the Pistons, 7-5, Sept. 26.
Kromm said the deal was made with an eye towards next season.
“More about protecting some of our assets. With Tate being so young, there’s a chance that he moves on to a higher level, so I just needed to find a piece for next season,” he said.
The Kings have three games this week, beginning, Wednesday, when they visit the Oil Capitals at 7:30 p.m.
On Friday, Dauphin returns to Winkler for a rematch with the Flyers, also at 7:30 p.m.
The Kings then return home, Sunday, to host Virden at 4 p.m.
Kings court: With eight goals on the season, forward Quentin Fisk is tied with Virden’s Tyson Draper and Swan Valley’s Trace Langan for second in goals scored, one behind league leader Matthew O’Sullivan. Tate Barnaby’s shutout streak was snapped, Saturday, when Rohan Gueverra scored at the 9:11 mark of the first period. The streak lasted 178:38, almost three full games. Barnaby still leads the league with a 0.93 GAA and .966 save percentage.

An author with family roots from the Valley is coming to the Swan River Library to promote her books. Patricia Hack is the author of two books: What Old Broads Know: Musings of life, grief, job and growing older (but not up) and What Old Broads Know: Volume 2 Older and Broader.
“My family roots in the Swan River Valley go back several generations through the Emmond, Lyons and Qualie families,” said Hack. “My father’s family were homesteaders in the Thunder Hill area near Benito, and we also had family connections around Durban. My grandparents and parents came from the Valley, and although I grew up in Saskatchewan, that part of Manitoba was always very much a part of my life.
“I spent every summer at nearby Madge Lake and made countless trips to Benito, Swan River and the surrounding area. Some of my happiest childhood memories are from there, including going to the Swan River Rodeo.”
Hack resides in Foam Lake, SK and is a retired principal. She has always loved writing but never had plans to be an author.
“My first book, What Old Broads Know, grew out of short pieces I was writing about aging, family, friendship, grief, marriage, widowhood and the humour in ordinary life,” said Hack. “It has come close to Canadian bestseller status, which is far beyond anything I ever expected.
“That led to my second book, What Old Broads Know: Older and Broader, which came out this summer and has also been very well received. Both books are collections of short, easy-to-read essays, some funny, some thoughtful and some a little more poignant. They are really about this stage of life and all the things we understand differently after we have lived a while.
“The books are primarily based on my own experiences and observations, but they certainly reflect the experiences of other women too,” said Hack. “I write about the things women talk about around kitchen tables: marriage, motherhood, friendship, aging, loss, family, changing bodies, changing roles and the absurdities of everyday life. Readers often tell me, ‘That’s exactly how I feel.’ The details may be mine, but the experiences are often very universal.
“I’m 71 now, widowed after a long and very happy marriage, a mother and grandmother, and I think all of those experiences find their way into my writing. One of the nicest surprises has been discovering how many younger readers connect with the books as well. I thought I was writing primarily for women my own age, but apparently some of the things old broads know are useful before you actually become one.”
Hack started off writing essays long before thinking about publishing them in a book. The loss of her husband led her on a path of needing to focus on something instead of grief and this led to publishing her first book.
“Some of the essays that eventually became What Old Broads Know had actually been sitting in my computer for years,” said Hack. “I had always written bits and pieces about life, family, aging and the things that amused or interested me, without necessarily thinking they would become a book. I lost my husband, Jim, in 2023, and in the early spring of 2025 I knew I needed a focus to pull myself out of sadness. I knew I would always live beside grief, but I couldn’t live in it. I began going through those old pieces, writing new ones and putting them together. Somewhere in that process, I realized I wasn’t just collecting essays anymore. I was writing a book.
“Grief was certainly one of the challenges. I had lost Jim after more than fifty years together and was still learning what life looked like without him. Some of the essays were easy and funny, while others took me into places that were still very tender. I wanted to be honest about loss without allowing grief to define the book.
“The actual writing of it came easy for me,” said Hack. “I have always loved words and stories. I discovered that I especially loved the essay form. I could take one small incident or observation and follow it wherever it led me. Finding humour in ordinary life also comes fairly naturally to me. The business side of becoming an author was a much steeper learning curve.”
When it came time to publish her first book, Hack decided to go into the publishing business on her own and learned all about the industry.
“I decided to self-publish and established my own imprint, Heart Press Canada,” said Hack. “Then I had to learn the publishing business as I went, including editing, formatting, printing, distribution and promotion. It has been quite an education. I quickly learned that writing a book and selling a book require two entirely different skill sets.”
After publishing her first book, Hack didn’t waste any time writing and publishing the second one.
“There wasn’t a long gap at all,” said Hack. “The response to What Old Broads Know was far beyond anything I had expected. Women began contacting me, coming to readings and telling me how much they related to the essays. At the same time, I discovered I wasn’t finished writing. I still had things I wanted to say and, apparently, quite a few things I wanted to laugh about. That led to What Old Broads Know: Older and Broader.
“The second book was easier in some ways because by then I knew what kind of writer I was. I had found my voice and I knew my readers. But I was also conscious that I didn’t want simply to repeat the first book. I wanted Older and Broader to explore some different territory while keeping the same mixture of humour, honesty and reflection that readers had responded to in the first book.”
Hack discovered that she loves piecing together a story out of everyday life events and stories that others have shared with her. She has found writing both of her books very rewarding and it has helped to inspire others who are going through similar things in life.
“I love taking something very ordinary and discovering there is a story in it,” said Hack. “I also love hearing from readers. Someone will come up after a reading and tell me that something I wrote made her laugh, reminded her of her mother, helped her through a loss or simply made her realize someone else feels exactly as she does. That connection with readers has probably been the greatest surprise and the greatest joy of the whole experience.”
Hack has been travelling all over Manitoba and Saskatchewan promoting her books. She will be at the Swan River Library on October 13, at 6 p.m. to share her books and have a meet-and-greet with readers.
“I’ve travelled to dozens of communities across Saskatchewan and into Manitoba for readings, speaking engagements, book signings and events,” said Hack. “My travels have taken me from Saskatoon south to Assiniboia and from communities near the Manitoba border across a good portion of Saskatchewan. I have spoken in libraries, galleries, community halls, shops, conferences and all sorts of gatherings. One of the nicest parts of this adventure has been visiting communities. The speaking part has grown and I’m doing some guest speaking at functions, conferences and even to staff in-services.
“Both books are available through Amazon and through a growing number of independent bookstores, gift shops and other retailers across Saskatchewan and Manitoba. In the Swan River area, they are available at the Handcraft Shop in Swan River, the Lucky Dollar in Benito, and Crave in Roblin also carries them. I also sell books personally at readings and speaking engagements.”

A magnificent display of autumn abundance can be found at the home of Nelson and Cindy Chess in Swan River. A wonderful variety of pumpkins and gourds, lovingly grown and harvested by Chess, has been arranged into a colourful seasonal showcase for all to enjoy. With vibrant shades of orange, yellow, green and white, this impressive display captures the beauty of the harvest season and offers a delightful reminder of autumn’s charm in the Swan Valley. 

NEW CLASS! Fitness Centre First Steps: Equipment 101 Come join us on Wednesday, October 21st from 7:15-8:15 pm at the Fusion Fitness Centre, located on the east side of the Russell Memorial Multiplex. Instructor Marianne Aumais, will teach you how to properly use the fitness equipment and you will leave with a sample workout. Build confi­dence, learn proper form, and start your fitness jour­ney! The cost is $15 and you can register by email­ing the recreation office: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

NEW CLASS! Mat Pilates! Wednesday, October 28th from 7:15-8:00 pm upstairs in the Bunge Room at the Russell Memorial Multiplex (Main St. entrance). All levels wel­come, mats & equipment provided, no registration necessary! $10 drop-in fee.

HIIT Power Lunch! Tuesdays & Thursdays from 12:15-12:45 pm. A 30-minute, high intensity interval training for busy people that need to get their movement in during the day. Options for all fit­ness levels. No registra­tion necessary, $10 drop-in fee. Located upstairs in the Bunge Room at the Russell Memorial Multiplex (Main St entrance).

Pick Your Pace Boot Camp! Mondays and Wednesdays from 9:30-10:15 am. A high energy mix of cardio & strength training that is appropriate for everyone! No registra­tion necessary, $10 drop-in fee, located upstairs in the Bunge Room.

Adults & Tots Open Gym Time is back! For grown-ups and their littles age 7 and under to come play and socialize. The gym will be open for play on: Wednesdays from 1-3 pm on Oct 14, 21, 28 and Thursdays from 9:30-11:30 am on Oct 15, 22, 29 FREE!

There is still time to reg­ister for Gym Kids! Come swing, balance, jump, climb, roll and bounce with us! Classes run for 8 weeks, cost is $75. Email the recreation office for more details or to register! This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

There is FREE Public Skating on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30-10:30 am at the Russell Memorial Multiplex.

FREE Indoor Walking will start again at the George P. Buleziuk Hall (106 Shell River Ave. S. in Russell) November 9th on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 8:30 am-12 noon. Clean, indoor shoes required.

FREE Pickleball in Binscarth at the school on Mondays from 7-9pm starting on October 19! We provide all equipment needed, clean, indoor shoes required.