Mohawks beat Wild in OT, again
    For the second game in a row, the Mitchell Mohawks used overtime to defeat the Red River Wild in the Carillon Senior Hockey League quarter-finals. The Mohawks now lead the best of five affair 2-0. In the opener Saturday night in Mitchell it was Travis Martens that got the extra time winner. Last night in St Jean the Mohawks prevailed 5-4 in overtime. Game three in the series goes Thursday at 8:00 p.m. in Mitchell. St Malo and Niverville, currently tied 1-1, hit the ice with game three in their series tonight at 8:00 p.m. in Niverville. Ste Anne has already moved on to the semis as they have swept the Steinbach Huskies three straight.  Feb. 22/12
Snow day!
    Schools were closed throughout the southeast Tuesday after a winter storm dumped about 18cm of snow overnight, which meant a great day of sledding at L.A. Barkman Park for Pam Koeuth and her kids Khearra, 5, and Khean, 7. Scattered flurries are expected to continue falling until the weekend, and motorists are advised to use caution as it will take the rest of the week for snow crews to finish cleaning up the mess left by mother nature.  Feb. 21/12





Theft and vandalism at community hall
   Steinbach RCMP are looking for information regarding an incident last weekend at Friedensfeld Community Hall. Police believe as many as three suspects gained entry to the building between 9 a.m. on Feb. 17 and 9 a.m. Feb. 18. The suspects damaged interior walls, counters, and appliances. A set of billiard balls, triangle, and pool cues are missing.
    Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact Steinbach RCMP at 326-1234 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or www.manitobacrimestoppers.com or text “TIPMAN” plus your message to Crimes (274637).Feb. 21/12
Aces sweep Huskies in CSHL playoffs
    The defending champion Steinbach Huskies have been ousted from the Carillon Senior Hockey League quarter-finals as they were swept three straight by the last place Ste Anne Aces. Steinbach, which led the league through much of the first half of the season, struggled in the second half, eventually losing first place to the La Broquerie Habs in the final game of the regular season. The Aces then took it to the Huskies in the opening round of the play-offs as they won 3-0, 7-2 and 5-3 to move on to the semis. In the other match-ups, St Malo and Niverville are tied at one game apiece with game three going Wednesday in Niverville; and Mitchell leads Red River 1-0 following their 4-3 overtime victory in game one. That series resumes tonight in St Jean. Feb. 21/12
Pistons sputter on final road trip
    The Steinbach Pistons took it on the chin in their final two road games of the season this past weekend as they were crushed 13-3 Friday in Portage and 9-3 Saturday in Winnipeg at the hands of the Saints. The Pistons had only 13 skaters in both games. Steinbach's record stands at 15-39-6 going into the final two games of the season for the Pistons, which will be played at home in Steinbach this weekend. The Pistons will host the Winnipeg Saints Friday at 7:30 p.m. then will close out the season Sunday at 7:00 p.m. as Steinbach entertains the Selkirk Steelers. Feb. 21/12

Joie de vivre in La Broquerie
    Bonhomme Baudry plays a metis melody for dozens of young voyageurs at Hotel La Broquerie on Louis Riel Day. Kids learned a little voyageur history while singing and dancing at the official Festival du Voyageur trading post, the only one outside of Winnipeg.
Robber flees with cash from Steinbach store
    RCMP are looking for a suspect after a convenience store in Steinbach was robbed Friday night.
    It is reported a man entered 1st Choice Convenience Store on Main Street at around 11 p.m. on Feb. 17 and demanded employees “put the money in a bag.” Employees turned over an undisclosed amount of money and the suspect fled the store. Police report there were no injuries in the incident.
    The suspect was described as wearing designer blue jeans with white distress marks on the legs, running shoes, a large two-tone black and grey jacket with a hood pulled over his head, and wearing large sunglasses. The man appeared to be in his late 30’s or early 40’s, Caucasian, 5’7” or 5’8” in height with a slim build.
    Police were told the suspect may have fled the scene in a four door champagne/gold coloured car with a spoiler on the rear of the vehicle.
    The suspect may have been waiting in the parked car for a few minutes prior to the robbery.
    Police are asking for public assistance in locating the suspect. Contact Steinbach RCMP at 326-4452 or CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-8477. Information can also be sent to www.manitobacrimestoppers.com or text “TIPMAN” plus your message to Crimes (274637). Feb. 20/12
Info sought on break and enter at Grunthal pits
    On the night of Jan. 20 St-Pierre-Jolys RCMP received a report of a break and enter at the Nelson River gravel pits south of Grunthal in the RM of Hanover. Investigation indicates the suspects cut the locks on the gates to gain entry. Oil pails and copper wire were stolen from the site with an estimated value of $13,200. 
    Anyone with information regarding this theft is asked to contact the St-Pierre-Jolys RCMP at 204-433-7908 or their local police agency. People can also call Manitoba Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477(TIPS) or SUBMIT a secure tip online at www.manitobacrimestoppers.com ( http://www.manitobacrimestoppers.com/ ) (http://www.manitobacrimestoppers.com/) or TEXT: TIPMAN plus your message to CRIMES (274637).
Feb. 17/12
Man sentenced for trying to evade police in SRSS parking lot
    Gerald Blair tried speeding away from police through a red light and then hid behind a van parked in the Steinbach Regional Secondary School parking lot during the lunch hour on Nov. 25. He has been in custody at Milner Ridge since then, and will be spending more time there after being sentenced to nine months minus time served for among other things flight from police, operating a motor vehicle while disqualified, and dangerously operating a motor vehicle.
    Blair also pleaded guilty to fraud for taking an ATV from a La Broquerie shop in March after claiming to have bought it, which he did not. Blair broke his curfew in August, forged a cheque taken from a vehicle he was working on at an auto repair shop in May, and lied about his identity to police who knew who he was when questioned about a drag racing incident in August. Feb. 16/12
Final vote in House to end long-gun registry
    Provencher MP Vic Toews, long an opponent of the long gun registry, stood with his colleagues on Wednesday for the final vote on Bill C-19 which ended the Long Gun Registry Act. The vote passed 159 to 30 with two NDP members voting with the government.
    Passed by the previous Liberal government in the wake of the 1989 massacre of female engineering students in Montreal, the registry required Canadians to register their rifles and shotguns.
    "Ending the long gun registry has been a priority for our government," stated Toews. "Today’s vote marks an important achievement, as we fulfill the promise we made to Canadians to eliminate the long gun registry once and for all."
    Counting and tracking every long gun in Canada has been costly and has placed undue burdens on law-abiding gun owners, such as farmers and duck hunters, rather than those who use firearms illegally, according to Toews.
    Toews, the minister of public safety, said the government is taking the necessary steps to ensure gun control is focused on fighting crime, keeping firearms out of the hands of criminals and minimizing burdens on law-abiding gun owners.
    While ending the Long-Gun Registry Act removes the need to hold a registration certificate for non-restricted firearms, it does not change the requirement for all individuals to hold a licence to possess a firearm, undergo a background check and pass the Canadian Firearms Safety Course.
    The bill now goes before the Senate, where the Conservatives also hold a majority, for debate and a final vote expected sometime in March or early April. Feb. 16/12
Feb. 16/12
Car collides with school bus
    Slippery roads are being seen as the cause for a number of traffic collisions this morning across the province. One of the collisions involved a school bus on Provincial Road 210, around one mile east of St Adolphe. St Pierre-Jolys RCMP responded to the crash at 8:30 a.m. Investigators report that a school bus was stopped with its lights flashing and stop sign activated when it was struck from behind by a passenger sedan with a lone occupant.
    It is reported there were six children on the bus at the time, and two children were about to board the bus. No injuries were reported.
    The driver of the car has been charged under the Highway Traffic Act.
    RCMP urge motorists to use extreme caution and reduce speed during winter driving conditions, and be aware of emergency vehicles and school bus warning lights. Feb. 16/11
Petitioning for more Personal Care Home beds in Steinbach
    A petition is being circulated in Steinbach and area; names are collected in support of more personal care home beds in the city.
    MLA Kelvin Goertzen created the petition and plans to bring it to the legislature with hopes of persuading the provincial government to recognize the need in Steinbach and to act on it.
    “It’s pretty sad that a community the size of Steinbach doesn’t have enough personal care home beds,” Goertzen said.
    Bill Lepp was in Goertzen’s Steinbach office this week to pick up a petition and get it filled with names. Lepp shared his story with The Carillon. His wife, Aggie, is now in a personal care home in Vita even though her preference would be to live in Steinbach, closer to her husband.
    “Aggie bemoans the fact that after 65 years of marriage, we have to be separated,” he said. “So I deal with that on a daily basis, trying to placate the situation.”
    The elderly woman has experienced challenges with walking during the past few years and a wheelchair became a necessary part of her daily life.
    “Last October, it got to the point where I couldn’t help her at home anymore,” explained her husband. He found some relief at Resthaven through the respite program. However, there was no space for the woman to move in permanently.
    “We were told St. Adolphe had a bed for her,” said Lepp. “So family members and I went and checked it out and we said “No way.” The facility was not acceptable, and that’s an understatement. But the service we understood was very good, and we are not disputing that.
    “If the humane society would house their animals in a facility that age, it would be national news and there would be real thorough coverage.”
    A few weeks ago, Lepp heard there was a bed for his wife at the personal care home in Vita and that is where she now resides. The elderly man makes the drive from Steinbach to Vita every day to see his wife. He is thankful weather conditions have allowed him to make the daily trips.
    “It’s not a nice situation. I feel somebody along the way has dropped the ball.”
    Bill Lepp (left) receives a petition from MLA Kelvin Goertzen to put pressure on the province for more personal care home beds in Steinbach. Petitions are available at Goertzen’s office.
Feb. 16/11
Suicide is not the answer, students are told
    Five schools in region are getting “Out of the Blue” this year with the second annual suicide prevention campaign.
    Out of the Blue targets high school students, businesses, individuals and community groups of all sorts in the South Eastman region. The objective is to get people talking about mental health, mental illness and suicide prevention through various activities.
    This year’s campaign was launched Wednesday morning at Niverville Collegiate.
    One of the guest speakers shared a powerful, personal story with staff and students. She gave The Carillon permission to publish her story.
    Hello, my name is Kassie. I am a 4th year nursing student at the University of Manitoba. I am currently in my community clinical rotation and chose to work with Out of the Blue to raise awareness for mental illness and suicide prevention. This subject is very close to my heart because my life as I knew it changed two years ago.
    My brother, Tyler, took his life on Oct. 4, 2009. He was 24 years old, had a girlfriend, a good job, and great friends. He lived at home with my parents, so they saw him everyday. We have no idea what kind of pain he was going through, or it he had been struggling with a mental illness for a while (and we consider ourselves to be a close family). He only told one person that he had a plan to kill himself, and unfortunately that person didn’t know how to react to his impulse.
    My initial shock was unbearable. My boyfriend and I speculated the entire drive to my parents about why Tyler would take his own life, and what happened to lead him to that act of desperation.
    Kassie's complete story is published in this week's edition of The Carillon newspaper.
    Students released 100 blue balloons (environmentally friendly balloons) to kick of Out of the Blue. Feb. 16/11
Clippers eliminate 59ers
    Eric Huberdeau scored the winner in overtime as the Niverville Clippers downed the St Pierre 59ers 4-3 Wednesday in Niverville to wrap up their Hanover Tache Junior Hockey League preliminary series in two straight. Niverville will now face the pennant-winning Steinbach Huskies in the best of five quarter-finals. Game one in that series is tentatively scheduled for Friday in Steinbach. Check the HTJHL website to confirm. Cedric Gauthier scored twice for the 59ers in the first period to take a 2-0 lead at the break. But Jesse Davy scored three goals for the Clippers over the final two periods, setting the stage for the overtime win. Mitchell also swept La Broquerie two straight in the other preliminary series featuring the bottom four teams in the loop. Feb. 16/11
Road restrictions to be eased this spring
    Operators of heavy trucks will see a shorter period of spring road restrictions this year as a result of changes to provincial policy. Restrictions are placed on many roads each spring on truck weight limits as the roadbed is not as strong during the spring and would be damaged by heavy loads.
    "Manitoba is a major trade route and our recent upgrades to highways and bridges are now helping trucking firms, industries and farmers reduce hauling costs so they can operate more efficiently," Infrastructure and Transportation Minister Steve Ashton said in announcing the changes on Wednesday.
    The new policy will take changing weather conditions into account in determining when spring road restrictions must be put in place, instead of using pre-set start and end dates. A new formula to calculate thawing of the roads has been determined and if weather conditions allow this spring, road restrictions could be in place as early as March 11, but will not last more than 56 days. This maximum total of days the roads may be restricted is down from the 70 days of past years. Also, to allow better planning for truck operators, they will be provided three days’ notice of the start and end of the restrictions, up from the current practice of two days.
    "Year after year, Manitoba municipalities see a marked increase in heavy truck traffic on municipal roads during the spring weight restriction period," said Doug Dobrowolski, president of the Association of Manitoba Municipalities (AMM).
    Major routes such as the Trans-Canada Highway and PTHs 2, 6, portions of 12, 16 and 75 continue to be able to accommodate the heaviest truck loads year round.
    The latest information on spring road restrictions is available at www.gov.mb.ca/mit/srr and up-to-date details on Manitoba's road conditions are available any time toll-free at 511, at www.mb511.ca or by following the new Twitter account @MBGovRoads.
Feb. 15/12
Mohawks advance to quarters
    The Mitchell Mohawks downed the La Broquerie Habs 12-3 last night to sweep their best of three preliminary series two straight and now move on to take on the Lorette Comets in the Hanover Tache Junior Hockey League quarter-finals. The other preliminary series continues tonight in Niverville as the Clippers host St. Pierre. Niverville leads that series 1-0 after a 7-2 victory in game one. The deciding game, if necessary, goes Thursday night in St Pierre. The winner will advance to take on the pennant-winning Steinbach Huskies in the HTJHL quarters.  Feb. 15/11
Storm spotters needed for Steinbach
    Steinbach’s Storm Ready team is preparing for another season of watching the sky in search of severe weather indicators. The teams have been created for this year but there are still a few vacancies, said coordinator Denis Vassart. Amy Ginn and Bob Ticknor are two of the team captains, standing with the new Storm Ready banner that just arrived in Steinbach. They are hoping to get the teams finalized in the next couple of weeks.
    “Spotters need to live in Steinbach or within a 10 kilometre radius of the city,” said Vassart. He is looking for up to six more people to join this spring. Each team will be “on call” for one week every month between May and September.
    Spotters logged the amount of time spent last year watching the sky and radar, totaling 114.75 hours. The busiest times were at the start of May, the first half of June, and the first half of July.
    While the warm, dry weather was enjoyed by many people in southern Manitoba, Vassart admitted storm spotters are hoping for a busier season this year with more storm systems to track.
    There will be a weather forecasting training session on Feb. 22 and Vassart would like to have new volunteers start the training process as soon as possible. Questions and comments can be emailed to dvassart@steinbach.ca. Feb. 14/12
Providence freezes tuition, boosts student bursaries
    Providence University College hopes to make itself more affordable this fall by freezing tuition and increasing financial assistance for qualified new and returning students.
    "Our hope is that this undergraduate tuition freeze will allow more students to consider Providence to be a viable alternative as they consider university education," Bob Wiebe, vice-president for educational marketing, said.
    In addition to the tuition freeze, the school also announced three new financial incentives. Tuition bursaries will be given to all new students who qualify based on their high school marks as well as to returning students based on their grade point average. The third component of the assistance package is for students in residence at the Otterburne campus. They will be offered bursaries starting this fall.
    "We understand that many university-bound students want a Christ-centred education, but it is beyond their economic reach," said Dr David Johnson, the school’s provost. "We want to increase the accessibility of a values-laden higher education for these students. Part of our goal is also to create a more vibrant campus community, so we have determined to give residence bursaries to all returning full-time students."
    These rebates put residence costs at Providence well below rental market prices, Johnson said.
Feb. 14/12
Mohawks lead junior prelims
    Tim Thiessen had two goals and two assists and Cody Penner and Troy Funk also netted two each as the Mitchell Mohawks downed the La Broquerie Habs 10-4 Monday night in the opening game of the best of three preliminary series in the Hanover Tache Junior Hockey League. The bottom four teams in the league are playing off, with the winners advancing to the best of five quarter-finals. Niverville leads the other series 1-0 with a 7-2 victory over St Pierre Sunday night. Game two in the Mitchell-La Broquerie series goes Tuesday night in Mitchell and then again Thursday in Mitchell if necessary. The other series continues Wednesday in Niverville and then Thursday in St Pierre if necessary. Feb. 14/11
Landmark school gets cash to expand garden
    Twenty schools, including Landmark Elementary School, from across Manitoba will each receive a $1,000 provincial grant to fund hands-on projects that help students develop knowledge and experience. In Landmark, the school’s Grow to Give program will expand its recycling/composting initiative from the previous year by building and operating a greenhouse on the school yard.
    The grant program is designed to helps students in planning and problem solving provide hands-on learning through interactions with the larger community from the local to the international level. The 20 schools receiving grants include nine from rural Manitoba, one from northern Manitoba and 10 from Winnipeg.
    Since the program began in 2004, grants totalling $130,000 have been provided to public and funded independent schools across Manitoba.
Feb. 13/12
$100,000 EXTRA winners in Grunthal, Steinbach
    Checking LOTTO MAX tickets just kept getting better and better for David Hildebrand of Grunthal. The first ticket he checked won a Free Play, the second, $10 and the third won a cool $100,000 on EXTRA. David had a hard time believing all the zeros right in front of his eyes!
    "I thought maybe $1,000 but no, $100,000, recalled Hildebrand. "I was very happy. In all my life, I’ve never won anything special. I was actually surprised it happened." David plans to use his winnings to take a vacation. He purchased his $6 winning ticket for the Dec.23 draw at Oaklane Grocery in Grunthal.
    Just a week later,  Melvin Friesen of Steinbach bought a ticket for the same lottery at Shoppers Drug Mart in Steinbach only to find he had won $100,000. But he took it all in stride. Friesen said he will help a local church, buy a vehicle and go on a trip.
Feb. 13/12
Habs double Huskies in winner take all
    First place, and a bye in the opening round of the Carillon Senior Hockey League play-offs was on the line Sunday night in Steinbach. But it was the La Broquerie Habs that spoiled the party for the hometwon Huskies as the Hab prevailed 4-2 to finish one point ahead of the Huskies and Mitchell Mohawks in the final standings. Steinbach takes second as they had more wins than the Mohawks. A pair of veteran players led the Habs in the win over the Huskies. Captain Michel Normandeau scored twice and set up a third and Neal Stoesz made 39 saves on the persistent Huskies. Teddy Laing scored both Steinbach goals. Although dates have not yet been set, the CSHL play-offs will get underway this week with the opening round being a best of five series. Feb. 13/11
Huskies take HTJHL pennant
    The Steinbach Huskies won the Hanover Tache Junior Hockey League pennant on the weekend, despite a 2-1 loss to Beausejour Sunday afternoon in the final game of the regular season. Steinbach, Lorette and Grunthal all finished deadlocked with 45 points but the Huskies were awarded first on a tie-breaking formula while Lorette takes second. The bottom four teams in the league are playing a best of three preliminary series, and those two winners advance to the HTJHL quarter-finals. One of those series got underway Sunday as Niverville beat St. Pierre 7-2. Mitchell and La Broquerie will open the other mini-series tonight in La Broquerie. Feb. 13/12