Shannon Dueck

A Sergeant with Manitoba RCMP says the number of crashes they respond to, where someone has died who was not wearing a seatbelt, keeps climbing year after year.

Sergeant Paul Manaigre says so far this year, 29 individuals have died who were not wearing a seatbelt. There were 27 for all of 2021, 27 for all of 2020 and 25 in 2019. 

A landmark in Rennie has burned to the ground. The Rennie Hotel was destroyed by fire early Thursday morning.

At 3:50 am, officers from the Whitemouth and Lac du Bonnet RCMP detachments were called to the hotel and post office as a fire was noted inside. Police say no injuries were reported. Both buildings were destroyed.

About one in five Manitobans has received a flu shot this year.

That is according to Dr. Davinder Singh, Medical Officer of Health for Southern Health. He says that is down from last year, which saw 28.6 per cent of Manitobans receive a flu shot. In a typical flu season prior to the pandemic, between 20 and 23 per cent of the population was getting vaccinated. 

About one in five Manitobans has received a flu shot this year.

That is according to Dr. Davinder Singh, Medical Officer of Health for Southern Health. He says that is down from last year, which saw 28.6 percent of Manitobans receive a flu shot. In a typical flu season prior to the pandemic, between 20 and 23 percent of the population was getting vaccinated. 

The Senior Climatologist with Environment Canada says the first two weeks of December will not be a sign of things to come this winter in southern Manitoba.

David Phillips released his winter weather outlook on Thursday, which is the first day of winter on the meteorological calendar. 

"I think it's really going to come and bite you deep and hard come next week and the week after," says Phillips, referring to the forecast for our part of the country.

It may look like winter outside today, after a few centimeters of snow Monday evening, but this week's forecast might have us forgetting what month we are in.

The normal high for the Pembina Valley this time of year is -4 degrees. According to Environment Canada, daytime highs across the region this week will stay warmer than that each day. In fact, beginning Tuesday, temperatures should hit zero degrees every day this week through Saturday. 

RCMP have provided more details and cleared the confusion surrounding a serious crash Monday involving three men from the southeast. 

According to police, the single-vehicle rollover happened at approximately 9 a.m. in the eastbound lanes of Highway 1, near Portage la Prairie. When officers arrived, Portage Fire Department and EMS were already on scene. 

An official opening was held Thursday afternoon for the rural rotating practical nursing site at Providence University College.

Manitoba Advanced Education, Skills and Immigration Minister Jon Reyes says the opening of this site, through Assiniboine Community College, will allow more students to become certified in this high-demand health care occupation. 

A fire hall in southern Manitoba will soon offer a safe site for any mother wanting to surrender their newborn child.

Susan Penner of Steinbach is the Executive Director for Life Culture Canada. She says the Landmark Fire Hall, in Landmark, Man., will become the first Hope's Cradle safe surrender site in all of Manitoba. Only one other site exists in Canada; that one opened last year in Strathmore, Alberta.

Our provincial government is attempting to crack down on violent offenders.

Premier Heather Stefanson announced Thursday morning an investment of more than $3 million in the Winnipeg Police Service, RCMP and other police agencies to create an integrated violent offender apprehension unit and strengthen intensive bail and probation supervision for serious, violent offenders.