WestCentral

The acting chief of a Manitoba First Nation is facing sexual assault charges following an investigation by Saskatchewan RCMP.

Donald Smoke, 53, currently the acting chief of Dakota Plains First Nation, located southwest of Portage la Prairie, has been charged with two counts of sexual assault in connection with an incident reported to police in June 2024.

According to RCMP, investigators determined the alleged offences occurred in February 2024 in Kindersley, Sask. The victims are both adult women.

The Kindersley Jr. Klippers are keeping busy to begin the offseason. After adding a goaltender to their system last week, the Klippers focused stayed on keeping pucks out of the net with the addition of towering defenseman Jordan Lafleur from Alberta.

Saskatchewan recorded 570,000 calls in 2024 involving 911 phone operators, whether it be taking the call, dispatching the information, or working together to assist technicians across the province.

The professionals are being celebrated through Public Safety Telecommunicators Week April 13-19.

The West Central Crisis and Family Support Center is inviting the community to come together for an evening of music, fun, and meaningful impact on April 19. Held at the Major Centennial Hall, this annual fundraiser kicks off at 5:30 p.m. and promises an exciting lineup of live music, door prizes, a silent auction, and refreshments. Tickets are $45 and available at the door.

Biggar RCMP had their hands full over the past week looking at their April 14 report.

Related Stories:

• 300 gallons of diesel stolen from locomotive near Biggar

The fuel theft above may have started the report, but the headline call didn't come until two days later on April 9 when a suspicious vehicle was reported lurking around Main Street in Biggar.

Canadians got a break on inflation in March as gas prices fell and a slowdown in travel to the United States helped cool airfare costs, Statistics Canada said Tuesday.

The annual rate of inflation slowed to 2.3 per cent last month, down from 2.6 per cent in February. A poll provided by LSEG Data & Analytics ahead of Tuesday’s release had expected yearly inflation to hold steady month-to-month.

StatCan said gas prices fell 1.6 per cent year-over-year in March, coming off a hike of 5.1 per cent in February.

The Biggar RCMP are on the lookout for a fuel thief.

At 4:30 AM on April 7, it was reported that 300 gallons of diesel fuel was stolen from a locomotive, located west of Biggar near the access of Oban Road and Highway #14.

Only mentioning one suspect, the thief brought equipment to cut a cable lock off the gas tank to the locomotive and proceeded to fill up a separate tank for 30 to 40 minutes. While on the premises, the thief also located and stole two trail cameras sitting near the train.

Country 104 and Classic Hits Radio has the latest News from the Oil Patch every Tuesday and Thursday morning at 7:40 AM brought to you by Good to Go Kindersley.

It was cake and celebration at the Legion Community Hall in Cabri on Thursday. 

The Town of Cabri and the Dr. Noble Irwin Regional Healthcare Foundation were cutting the ribbon on the installation of a new digital X-ray machine. 

This new machine cost the community a total of $262,000 and is installed at the Prairie Health Centre in Cabri. The bulk of that money was fundraised by the Cabri Union Hospital Auxiliary. 

President of the Auxiliary, Colleen Wallis, helped organize this idea after it was brought forward in 2017.