Shannon Dueck

Manitoba's top doctor says COVID-19 and influenza are circulating at low levels right now in our province.
    
Chief Provincial Public Health Officer Dr. Brent Roussin says we can expect increased circulation of respiratory viruses as the season moves on. He notes Manitobans can take important steps to help protect themselves, their families and their community. This should include good handwashing, coughing and sneezing into your sleeve and staying home when sick.

The Member of Parliament for Provencher is back to Ottawa this week as the House of Commons resumed sitting on Monday.

Ted Falk says he had the opportunity to attend many community festivals and events this summer and says constituents all have the same concern right now. 

"The cost of living is something that's top of mind for everybody; the price of groceries, the cost of housing, the price of gas, everything," notes Falk. "We can trace it all back to the Liberal's carbon tax and the ever-increasing tax burden that they are putting on Canadians."

A retired farming couple from Pansy is now harvesting vegetables grown this year in their community garden. 

Melvin Kachur and his wife Helen say they have a garden that is about two-and-a-half acres in size. This year they grew potatoes, corn, tomatoes, beans, raspberries and strawberries, thanks to some large donations from seed companies and potato growers. The goal is to donate the goods to local food banks at the end of the season.

Beginning next month, students in Division Scolaire Franco-Manitobaine (DSFM) schools will no longer be allowed to use cell phones while in the classroom.

Division Superintendent Alain Laberge says they noticed during the pandemic that more and more students had cell phones. Yet, he says these phones were not being used for teaching purposes, but rather as a means of socializing and playing games. 

Beginning next month, students in Division Scolaire Franco-Manitobaine (DSFM) schools will no longer be allowed to use cell phones while in the classroom.

Division Superintendent Alain Laberge says they noticed during the pandemic that more and more students had cell phones. Yet, he says these phones were not being used for teaching purposes, but rather as a means of socializing and playing games. 

The Hanover School Division (HSD) says it is helping those who witnessed the serious collision in Steinbach Monday morning.

At approximately 8:30 am, an HSD school bus was involved in a serious collision involving a pedestrian. The incident took place near the bus loop at Steinbach Regional Secondary School. According to HSD, the scene was quickly managed by RCMP and paramedics. 

A child was airlifted to hospital following a collision in Steinbach, Man., on Monday morning.

At approximately 8:45 a.m., Steinbach RCMP responded to a collision involving a school bus and a pedestrian near the Steinbach Regional Secondary School bus loop. 

STARS air ambulance was dispatched to the scene. A STARS spokesperson says a young girl was transported to the Children's Hospital in Winnipeg in critical condition. Police say the victim is six years old and lives in the area of the collision. 

The Managing Editor for The Old Farmer's Almanac says we can expect "an old-fashioned winter" this year. 

The 232nd edition of the Almanac has just been released, and Jack Burnett says they are calling for a winter whiteout for nearly all of Canada. 

"I've done this for many, many years and I've seen many, many of our forecasts and I've never seen so much white on a map of Canada in my entire life," admits Burnett.

RCMP have provided more details on Monday's crash near Richer.

Steinbach RCMP responded to the two-vehicle collision along the Trans Canada Highway at approximately 12:30 p.m.

According to police, a truck pulling a trailer collided with an SUV pulling a camper trailer.

Police believe the truck pulling the trailer side-swiped the SUV. 

RCMP say all occupants in the SUV were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The driver of the truck was not injured.

The Senior Climatologist for Environment Canada says they are calling for a fall in southern Manitoba that is warmer than normal.

September 1st is the start of meteorological fall. David Phillips says there is a very good chance that September will produce a hotter day than what was felt on any day in either July or August. 

Environment Canada is currently calling for Saturday to reach 34 degrees in Southern Manitoba.