On August 20, 2025, at 1:30 pm, The Pas RCMP received a report of suspicious activity in Wanless. A vehicle was observed in the community, going from place to place, that did not appear familiar.

 

Officers attended the area and began patrols to locate the vehicle. As officers were travelling into Wanless, the vehicle was observed leaving a local business. A traffic stop was initiated on Highway 10 N, just outside the community.

 

There were four occupants within the vehicle. The driver, a 26-year-old male from Winnipeg, and his passenger, a 21-year-old male from Québec, were arrested immediately for having outstanding warrants out for their arrest. The two other passengers were released on scene.

 

Further investigation led officers to ask for the assistance of Police Service Dog Phlex and his handler to conduct a walk around the vehicle. Phlex was able to confirm the presence of drugs inside. A search of the vehicle led to the discovery of over 200 grams of cocaine with an estimated community street value of $40,000.

 

The driver, Keanu Oliveira, and his passenger, Jonathan Henry, have been charged with Possession for the purpose of trafficking cocaine and they have been remanded into custody.

 

The Pas RCMP continue to investigate

If you haven’t been to the Thompson Public Library lately, consider dropping by.

Throughout September, anyone signing up for a library card is entered in the draw for a Starbucks gift card.

Alannah McGrath, programmer at the Library, shares some of the benefits of having a library card.

“So all card carrying members can check out any of our materials; this of course includes books, audio books, board games, movies and a great selection of graphic novels for both adults and children. We also have lots of services that are open to all community members regardless if you do have a membership or not.”

Other services open to community members with or without a card, includes computer access, the rental of the basement for birthday parties or meetings, and participation in other activities.

The library is also launching some new clubs this fall, including a True Crime Podcast discussion group, a gaming club and crochet club.

For more on what’s happening at the library this fall, catch Thompson Today this afternoon at 12:40 and 5:10.

Westwood Elementary School students will spend another school year divided between two other local schools.

Kindergarten to Grade 5 students will remain at Burntwood School while Grades 6 to 8 will occupy a wing at Juniper School again.

Once again, there will be bus service for those who rode it last year.

According to a rep with the School District of Mystery Lake, there is a waitlist for any seats that become available.  Priority for those seats will be given to students living furthest from the school.

Presently, the district is now in the design phase for the new Westwood school and consultations with stakeholders are planned soon.

There is currently no time line for when construction might begin.

On August 18, 2025, Manitoba East District Crime Reduction Enforcement Support Team (CREST) began an investigation of cocaine trafficking at a residence on Highway 6, in Fairford.

 

Further investigation led CREST to immediately apply for a search warrant for the residence.

 

On August 22, 2025, CREST and the Gypsumville RCMP executed the search warrant. There was nobody at the residence at the time.

 

Drugs were found in many hidden compartments throughout the residence. RCMP also seized a rifle that had a loaded extended magazine, brass knuckles and air guns that were made to look like handguns.

 

The resident of the property, Brandi Woodhouse, a 34-year-old female from Fairford, is wanted on an unendorsed warrant for:

 

• Possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking
• Unsafe storage of a firearm
• Unauthorised possession of a prohibited weapon x 2
• Possession of weapon for dangerous purposes
• Possession of prohibited firearm with ammunition
• Unauthorised possession of a firearm

 

If anyone has any information on the whereabouts of Brandi Woodhouse, they are asked to contact the Gypsumville RCMP Detachment at 204-659-2682, call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477, or submit a secure tip online at www.manitobacrimestoppers.com.

 

CREST, in collaboration with the Gypsumville RCMP, continue to investigate.

 

Pictures attached of Brandi Woodhouse and items seized

If you’re looking for an opportunity to get back to nature but need a helping hand, consider a visit to the Boreal Discovery Centre.

Geoff Greenfield, a board member with the B-D-C, has details on what it offers the public.

“The Boreal Discovery Centre is a place for Thompsonites and people from the surrounding communities to come and learn about all things related to the boreal forest; the plants, the animals, interact with some of our displays, enjoy a campfire and generally just get involved with the outdoors.”

The B-D-C also promotes food sustainability, as well, by giving away the vegetables they grow in their garden at their Fall Fest event.

They also rent 4 foot by 8 foot raised bed gardens for just $50 for the season for those looking to grow their own vegetables.

Learn more about the BDC and hear the details about the upcoming Fall Fest event on September 20th. Tune in to Thompson Today at 12:40 and 5:10 this afternoon.

Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakinak launched their Traditional Healer Program in 2018.

Manager of the Program, Shyanna Lynxleg, explains its purpose.

“The need for our people to have healing that represents their culture and their Indigenaity and all of their ceremonies. It’s very critical to an Indigenous person to have their ceremonies when they are looking for healing or looking for ceremony. It’s part of their culture and part of who they are.”

This Friday and Saturday,  MKO’s Traditional Healer Program is hosting a gathering called “Uplifting the Spirit of the Land and the Language.”

Both days feature a variety of indigenous teachings including how to gather food, hunting practices, language, drumming and soapstone carving.

Activities begin at 9 am each day and there’s no cost to attend.

For more on the gathering, tune in to Thompson Today this afternoon at 12:40 and 5:10.

As with many large construction projects, delays can be expected.

That’s the situation with Thompson’s new Airport Terminal Building which had a tentative opening date in September.

According to the Thompson Regional Airport Authority CEO and President, Curtis Ross, the new building is behind schedule due to slippage in the construction scheduling and delays of some of the larger infrastructure items.

Some exterior work on the terminal building is behind schedule, which is impacting and delaying civil works tie ins and paving around the new building.

The new apron is currently being paved and one new taxiway is near preparation for paving.

Ross said the while the building will likely be turned over to the Airport Authority by mid-December, consultations with airport tenants and the operations teams indicate an opening date in mid-January to give everyone a chance to test all the systems in place.

On August 22, 2025, at 11:50 pm, The Pas RCMP received a report of a vehicle-pedestrian collision that occurred on Highway 60, located approximately 20 kilometres east of Highway 10.

Officers attended and located two vehicles as well as two deceased individuals on scene, a 29-year-old male and an 18-year-old female, both from Chemawawin Cree Nation. They were both pronounced deceased on scene.

The investigation has determined that a vehicle, being driven by a 30-year-old male from Chemawawin Cree Nation, was travelling eastbound on Highway 60 when it stopped on the side of the highway. The two deceased, who where passengers in this vehicle, exited and began walking eastbound with the vehicle following them.

Another vehicle, being driven by a 64-year-old male from The Pas, was travelling westbound on Highway 60 and failed to see the two walking on the highway and collided with them.

The two vehicles remained on scene and contacted police.

No other injuries were reported and speed and alcohol are not believed to be factors in the collision.

The Pas RCMP, with assistance of the RCMP Criminal Collision Investigation Team and a Forensic Collision Reconstructionist, continue to investigate.

McDonald’s Canada’s youth soccer programs are wrapping up for the summer.

McDonald’s franchisee, Ouzzy Traore, and his restaurant team support the program here in Thompson.

He said it’s one way they are engaged with the community and he’s proud of how the program has grown.

McDonald’s franchisees have been supporting youth sports since 2011.

Here in Thompson, they have partnered with U-11 soccer teams, providing necessary equipment, including jerseys, socks, shorts and more.

This year, there were 400 players from junior level to U-18 in Thompson involved.

The first reading of an amended by-law regulating the sale and use of Fireworks took place at the Regular Meeting of Council on Monday.

The intent of the changes to this by-law is to address concerns such as ensuring fireworks companies and technicians are licensed and they adhere to fire safety practices, among others.

Mayor Colleen Smook has more.

“Part of the desire for the change comes from wanting to ensure that commercial fireworks show operators have insurance to cover any damages that the shows could potentially cost rather than having that cost fall to the City.”

Another addition is a $500 permit fee, which includes a site inspection per event.

As a reminder, those who discharge fireworks in the City without appropriate permits and inspections could face fines of one-thousand dollars.

This fine was already in the by-law, but hadn’t been included in the Fee and Fine Schedule.

Back-to-school or back-to-work.

Either one is the perfect moment to build some activity into your day, whether you choose to walk, bike or skateboard to your destination.

Bruce Krentz, Health Promotion Coordinator with the Northern Health Region explains the benefits here.

“It’s such an easy way to add some physical activity into your life but it’s also a mental health booster! Walking outside boosts your mood, it increases serotonin levels, it makes adults and children happier, a little bit more relaxed and it reduces your stress.”

Younger students can also benefit by feeling more aware of their surroundings and community when they walk to school.

Krentz shared that the travel time to school - whether you walk or drive there - is an opportunity to have some social time with friends or your family members.

Help protect your child’s vision by limiting their screen time.

New data from the Canadian Ophthalmological Society says concern for how screen time is impacting children’s vision is on the rise, increasing from 54 per cent in 2024 to 82 per cent this year.

Dr. Stephanie Dotchin, a pediatric ophthalmologist has more on the cumulative effects of kids’ use of phones, tablets, computers and televisions.

“So if you look in some of the studies, they suggest that we are seeing more near sightedness overall and they estimate that by 2050, two thirds of the Canadian population for children under the age of 18 will be nearsighted or myopic.”  

Dotchin recommends the 20-20-20 rule for any time we are using screens at our jobs or doing school work.

It means that for every 20 minutes of screen time, you should look away for 20 seconds at an object that’s 20 feet away.  This will help relieve strain on your eyes.

For more on the C-O-S survey results, catch Thompson Today this afternoon at 12:40 and 5:10.

The Connections Club House at the Canadian Mental Health Association is geared to help its clients live with confidence.

Stephanie Hysert with the CMHA has more.

“So the programs key achievements include life skills development where participants gain essential skills to enhance their daily functioning and overall wellbeing. One on one support to address unique needs and challenges while personal growth initiatives promote confidence, self esteem and purpose.”

Hysert said they have multiple cooking sessions per month to promote socialization, team work and healthy habits.

The CMHA also encourages social interaction and community engagement such as bowling, going for coffee, and through regular game days.

To become a Connections Club House member, call 204-677-6055 to set up an intake or just drop by 43 Fox Bay during work hours.

On August 17, 2025, at 2:20 pm, Cross Lake RCMP received a report of a missing 37-year-old man from an address located on Sawmill in Pimicikamak Cree Nation.

Geoffrey Kolomaya has not been heard from by his family since August 4 and has not returned home. Information has been received that he was last seen in the community on or around August 10.

He is described as 5’9”, 180 lbs with very short black hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a black jacket, black pants, a green and brown graphic t-shirt, hat and black steel toe work boots.

If you have any information on his whereabouts, please call the Cross Lake RCMP at at 204-676-2600, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477, or secure tip online at www.manitobacrimestoppers.com.

On August 16, 2025, at 5:40 pm Cross Lake RCMP responded to a report of a shooting at a residence located in Pimicikamak Cree Nation.

Officers were advised that a 13-year-old male had been shot and was transported to the Nursing Station where he was pronounced deceased.

The death is being treated as a homicide.

A 17-year-old male was arrested on scene and a firearm was seized.

RCMP are not searching for additional suspects.

Cross Lake RCMP, along with RCMP Major Crimes Services and Forensic Identification Services, continue to investigate.

On August 16, 2025, at 12:10 pm, Thompson Rural RCMP responded to a report of partial skeletal remains found on the shoreline near the community of Tataskweyak Cree Nation.

Officers attended and were advised that, due to low water levels on the lake, partial skeletal remains were visible in the sand.

The investigation into the origins of these skeletal remains and their age, believed to be historical, will continue with the assistance of an anthropologist.

Thompson Rural RCMP continue to investigate.

With classes set to start in just over two weeks, Special Constable Rob Cleveland dropped by 102.9 CHTM with some tips on safety and behaviour.

Students are advised to keep to sidewalks when on the way to school wherever possible and to cross at crosswalks or at the street corners.

Drivers are advised that 30-kilometre speed limits in school zones go into effect on September 1st and run through to June 30th.  The exception is by R.D. Parker Collegiate, where the limit is 50-kilometres an hour.

Cleveland also advises against distracted driving.

“Our drivers are also being distracted being on their cellphones even though they try to hide it. That could potentially lead to injury and accidents happening. A fine of $672 for the first time around and you lose your license for three days, after that it’s ten days and double the fine.”

As well, he warns students against being distracted by their phones while walking.

He says they should be aware of what’s happening around them for their own safety.

For the full interview catch Thompson Today at 12:40 and 5:10.

Some city residents question the need to clear trees from the back of homes in the Juniper area as part of the City’s fire mitigation plan.

On City Beat last Thursday, Mayor Colleen Smook said the decision to remove the trees were made in consultation with experts on wildfires and urban interface fires.

These are scenarios where vegetation and homes mingle and meet.

Smook comments further here.

“If one did have trees right up to the back of their home, that could put an entire street or even neighbourhood at risk. I understand that people are upset about losing their trees around their homes but that action was for the best of the entire city.”

Responding to concerns that this action has reduced property values in the area, Smook said she didn’t believe having more fire protection would impact those values.

One of the Breast Check vans is back in northern Manitoba.

Bruce Krentz, Health Promotion Coordinator with the Northern Health Region shares where it currently is and where it’s heading.

“The breast check van is back in Northern Manitoba and moving around a little bit. The mobile clinic is up in Giliam from August 19th to August 21st, in The Pas till the 27th and OCN, they are going to be over there from September 2nd to 5th."

Breast cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in Manitoba women.

Screening mammograms can find breast cancer early, when there may be more treatment options and a better chance of a cure.

Most women age 50 to 74 should have a screening mammogram every 2 years.

The two Breast Check vans in Manitoba were introduced in 2011 and travel to nearly 90 rural and northern communities on a rotating basis.

A woman from a northern First Nation and her partner are raising awareness for mental health and addictions in Northern Manitoba.

Samantha Powderhorn from the Sayisi Dene First Nation at Tadoule Lake and her partner, Luther Alexander, are embarking on a walk from Thompson to Winnipeg on their HOPE journey.

HOPE stands for Healing Overcomes Past Experiences and is a message of courage, healing, and change.

Keewatin Tribal Council invites the community to the Opening Ceremony of the HOPE journey today at 6 pm.

It takes place at 111 Cree Road, the former Doug’s Source for Sports building.

The ceremony will feature an opening prayer, Dene drummers, and special words from Samantha herself.

Come out and support Samantha and Luther as this meaningful journey begins.

On August 14, 2025, at 2:55 am, officers from the Cross Lake RCMP Detachment, who were out on patrol in the community, were flagged down and advised of a single-vehicle rollover that occurred at the corner of Main Road and Halcrow.

Officers attended to the scene and located the vehicle with two occupants, a 20-year-old female driver and a 30-year-old male passenger. The driver was pronounced deceased on scene whereas the passenger was assessed by EMS and released on scene. Both were wearing seatbelts.

Cross Lake RCMP, with assistance of a Forensic Collision Reconstructionist and the Criminal Collision Investigation Team, continue to investigate.

As firefighters continue working to protect the City of Thompson from the wildfires here in the north, some protection measures are in a holding pattern.

Value protection equipment including sprinklers and hoses have been earmarked for certain areas and buildings.

On yesterday’s wildfire update, Mayor Colleen Smook shared how those were chosen.

“The two main criterias were the critical infrastructure and whether it was in an area that would likely be in the path of Fire 61 at the start and if it were to start approaching the city, then it started to be more important to make sure that we were having breaks no matter which direction the fire was coming from.”

Some of the facilities that were included initially were Mystery Mountain Winter Park, the horse stables, and the Thompson Golf Club.

The industrial area near the train station was also a priority because it was closest to the eastern flank of the fire and the many fuel tanks there would be endangered if the fire jumped the Burntwood River.

Special Olympics athletes for the Nor-Man region have been handing in award-winning performances over the past couple years.

Marlene Enberg, the Regional Leader for Special Olympics Nor-Man region here in Thompson, elaborates on the team’s successes.

“We sent 12 athletes to the Special Olympics Summer Games in Winnipeg in June. Each one of our athletes won a medal, some won once, some won more than that. Our bus on the way home was weighed down by all those medals. We are very, very proud of our athletes. The athletes that we took range from the age of 10 to 23.”

Enberg has been involved with the local team for about 10 years and says they are looking for more volunteers to help with coaching and fund raising.

They also hope to attract more athletes to the team.

You can visit the Special Olympics table at the Health and Leisure Mart on September 5th and 6th at the TRCC to sign up as a volunteer or an athlete.

Learn more about the local team.  Catch Thompson Today this afternoon at 12:40 and 5:10.

Lost identification cards or the lack of identification altogether makes it hard to navigate the world.

Whether it’s getting a bank account or applying for your Canada Pension or Old Age Security, we all need identification to be able to access these services.

Yesterday, at the Eastwood Splash Park, the Northern Health Region held an I.D. fair to help people sign up for health cards and birth certificates.

Bruce Krentz, Health Promotions Coordinator for the Northern Health Region shares details about other clinics.

“We are also doing one on August the 15th out at the Paint Lake beach, that one from 1 o’clock to 4 o’clock. On August the 19th, we’ll be in Ilford at the Health Centre from 10:15 to 2:30 and we are going to catch Thicket Portage too on August 21st from 10:15 to 2:30.”

The NHR public health nurses have been involved with I.D. fairs here in the north for the past couple of years.

Immunizations and STI screenings will also be available at the I.D. fairs.

For more details go to the Northern Health Region facebook page and website.

The murder of Kerri Ann Brown in October 1986 here in Thompson remains unsolved.

But Kerri Ann is not forgotten.

Next Tuesday, former Thompson resident and author Kathy Ricard will share her soon-to-be released novel titled “The Deafening Sound of Sorrow” at the Thompson Public Library.

It’s a story Ricard, as one of Kerri Ann’s friends, attempted to write years ago but didn’t because the crime hadn’t been solved and in her mind, had no ending.

She explains how the book came to be this time.

“So I ended up taking out that old banker’s box in my closet and re-looking at the story I had written in my twenties and decided to refocus the whole book on Kerri herself and the friends that she surrounded herself with who ended up being a testament to who she was.”

Ricard said she became friends with Kerri Ann in the summer before her death and wanted to remember her from that time, rather than as the victim of one of Manitoba’s oldest cold cases.

Ricard will be at the Library this Tuesday from 5 to 7 pm.

Catch the interview with Ricard this afternoon at 12:40 and 5:10 this afternoon on Thompson Today.

On August 2, 2025, at 11:18 pm, Thompson RCMP officers were on patrol near Thompson Drive when they were flagged down by individuals on the street who appeared panicked.

 

Police were informed that a male had been stabbed behind a business on Thompson Drive and had serious life-threatening injuries.

 

Police attended immediately and provided first aid while waiting for emergency medical services to respond.

 

The 26-year-old male was transported to hospital with serious injuries but has since been upgraded to stable condition.

 

Thompson RCMP is requesting help to identify two males and one female who may have information about this incident.

 

The RCMP is asking anyone with information to please call Thompson RCMP at 204-843-2691 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477 or submit a secure tip online at www.manitobacrimestoppers.com.

Manitoba’s wildfire season has set records for the area of land decimated by the fires.

But the number of evacuees being helped by the Red Cross is also unprecedented.

As of August 6th, the Red Cross has registered more than 31-thousand people from over 12-thousand households.

They have also secured more than 25-hundred hotel rooms for Manitoba evacuees.

Mayor Colleen Smook recognizes the challenge the Red Cross faces.

“With Thompson always on the verge of evacuation and us not wanting or able to take evacuees in town, that means they have more of a challenge to get people on to other communities where they are going to be safe.”   

Overall more than 800 Canadian Red Cross volunteers and employees have been mobilized to support the wildfire response in our province.

City Councillor Kathy Valentino is asking the federal government to kick in around 2-billion dollars to help municipalities across the country affected by wildfires.

In her role as Vice-President of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and President of the Association of Manitoba Municipalities, Valentino made the request in July for the feds to invest the money in infrastructure.

On Friday’s wildfire update, Mayor Colleen Smook provided examples of the type of infrastructure Valentino is talking about.

“Investing in equipment like the Value Protection Trailers, similar to the city’s that we just purchased, and to have them available around the country would also help to make sure that more important infrastructure and buildings can be protected. Funding for things like backup power generator, masks, or filtration systems could also reduce the effects of wildfire seasons and the resulting smoke for residents in fire prone areas.”

With wildfires burning out of control across the country, the need for municipalities to have this equipment is vital.

It’s particularly important for northern areas with limited road access and fire-fighting equipment and expertise.

Since 2023's wildfire season, the federal government has been studying the potential of creating a country-wide fire agency to deploy equipment and expertise as needed, but it hasn’t gone beyond that stage.

The change in the weather on Wednesday reduced fire behaviour in the Thompson Complex wildfires.

There was a sprinkling of rain on Fire 61, and Fire 5 by Cross Lake received about 15 millimetres of rain.

On City Beat yesterday, Mayor Colleen Smook shared details about the work of two local firefighters.

“Two of our Fire and Emergency Service’s auxiliary members, Charlie Hendren and Al Meston, left for Leaf Rapids yesterday to assist the wildfires in that community. They are travelling in the Thompson Fire and Emergency Service’s pick up equipped with two fire skids that Global Medic donated a few weeks ago.”

This is Meston’s second time accompanying one of the fire skids out of town to assist another northern community.

He also took one of the skids to Snow Lake and helped with value protection work there, wetting down structures to protect them from wind-driven embers.

Meston and his colleagues also helped protect the Snow Lake golf course as the fire crept close to its edges.

Heading back to school after a couple months away from books and assignments can result in what is known as “summer slide.”

Many students experience it and teachers will often spend the first two or three weeks on the return of classes in doing review and getting kids back up to speed.

Marti Ford, an Associate Dean of Indigenous Education and Assistant Professor at the University of Manitoba explains what summer slide is.

“Because kids are out of school for two months and they’re not getting the regular math and ELA instruction that they would get while they are in school. What happens is students forget, they forget about their math skills or they start to slide a little bit in their reading skills and reading comprehension.”

Ford said we can help our children avoid summer slide by encouraging them to use the skills they have learned during everyday activities.

Some examples include baking,  where fractions are often used; going to the grocery store and estimating the total cost of the items in the cart; playing board games or writing in a journal.

Hear more about summer slide and how to help your child with it. Catch Thompson Today  this afternoon at 12:40 and 5:10.

At 10:30pm, on August 1st, 2025, Gypsumville RCMP received a report that an armed male had broken into a residence on Lake St. Martin First Nation and had possibly taken two children.

 

Officers responded and learned that an adult female was at her home with five children as well as three other adults when a male, who was known to her, broke into the residence and began threatening everyone inside with a homemade weapon.

 

The four adults along with three children, all under the age of 12, were able to escape. Officers were advised that two very young children couldn’t be safely taken out of the home and remained inside with the armed male.

 

Officers entered the residence and searched the home for the suspect and the two children. They located a one-year-old infant sleeping safely, however, the armed male as well as a two-year-old infant were not in the home.

 

The investigation quickly led officers to a nearby residence where they located the missing two-year old child unharmed. The male suspect was not located.

 

A Warrant of arrest has been issued for: Allan Marsden, a 29-year-old male of Lake St. Martin First Nation. He is 6’ tall, 198 lbs, with black hair and brown eyes.

 

Allan Marsden faces the following charges in relation to this incident:

 

• Abduction of a person under 14
• Assault with a weapon x4
• Breaking and entering
• Mischief under $5000
• Fail to comply with a release order

 

Anyone who may have information on Allan Marsden’s location, is asked to call the Gypsumville RCMP at 204-659-2682, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477 or submit a secure tip online at www.manitobacrimestoppers.com.

Tree and brush clearing has more or less wrapped up around Thompson.

This work has been going on for weeks in order to provide fire breaks should Fire 50 breech the Burntwood River.

Mayor Colleen Smook is happy with the work that’s been done to prepare the city.

“I think the fact that the fire hasn’t come any closer has left us in a good position where a lot of the planning and preparation we need to do for a fire moving towards the City is underway. Also we’ve been able to lay the ground work for well organized evacuation if the situation changes and we are forced out of our community.”

On Monday, residents of Nisichiwaysihk Cree Nation were evacuated to Winnipeg through the Thompson Regional Airport.

Priority one individuals were evacuated Saturday, followed by a full community order on Sunday.

The concern was more about a potential highway closure cutting the community off from the rest of the province.

There are questions about why the City of Thompson isn’t evacuating people right now, despite continued air quality advisories and an uptick in action in our northern wildfires.

On Friday’s wildfire update here on 102.9 CHTM, Mayor Colleen Smook explained why this is the case.

“Simple answer is that evacuations are an all or nothing situation. There is either a mandatory evacuation or there isn’t. We don’t want to evacuate if we don’t have too because there is a lot of planning, work and expense to make that happen.”

She said it isn’t guaranteed that hotel rooms at our destinations will be available for evacuees within the target of three days.

Having people leave their work for an extended period would also cause hardships that the city is trying to avoid.

Smook added that if we had been evacuated when the wildfire took a turn for the worse a week after its start, we would have been out of the city for over three weeks at this point, with no return in sight.

It is not until a mandatory evacuation notice is called that the Red Cross begins taking registrations for evacuees and helps cover their costs while out of the community.

Shatter the silence.  Stop the violence.

That’s the theme for this year’s Take Back the Night Walk, organized by the Thompson Crisis Centre.

The first of these events took place back in England in 1877 to bring awareness to the danger and fear women felt when they had to walk anywhere alone.

It is now a worldwide event.

Mary Demare, Outreach worker with the Thompson Crisis Centre, shares the importance of the walk.

“Although almost 90% of sexual assaults are committed by someone the victim knows, we still believe the Take Back the Night walk is an important opportunity to support the survivors in our community and demand an end to sexual violence as well as all types of violence.”

The community is invited to join the walk and show their solidarity for the cause of stopping violence on our streets.

The walk takes place Thursday, September 25th and starts at 5 pm at the new Thompson Gas Bar Co-op.

For more on the event, listen to Thompson Today at 12:40 and 5:10.

Public intoxication and drinking has long been a cause for concern and complaints among many Thompson residents.

On City Beat yesterday, when asked what Thompson’s Community Safety Officers and RCMP detachment are doing to address the problem, Mayor Colleen Smook indicated that other emergencies take priority over what are considered “nuisance calls.”

However, she added that steps are being taken to work on the problem.

“We had an extra two percent increase this year and the middle rate is going to public safety initiatives. We’ve talked and it’s in the middle of establishing our four member RCMP crime suppression unit will directly work with the downtown situation.”

Smook added that the CSOs are available to take calls from 1 pm to 11 pm, seven days a week.

If you need to reach them, call 204-677-7916.

MKO is already working to establish a 24-hour Sobering Centre, which will provide extra services and alternate lodging to the RCMP cells.