PembinaValley

This year's wildfire season in Canada is shaping up to be the second-worst on record and federal officials are warning of a dangerous summer in parts of British Columbia.

Officials with several government departments held a technical briefing Thursday in Ottawa with an update on the state of multiple wildfires and its forecast for the coming months.

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew says some hotel owners in the province are not doing enough to help wildfire evacuees.

Kinew said on Thursday after touring some fire-hit areas that while a large majority of hotel operators have been great, some need to open up rooms as there are evacuees still sleeping in cots in emergency shelters.

About 21,000 people in Manitoba have had to evacuate including from Flin Flon, Pimicikamak Cree Nation and other areas.

For some time now, Menzies Medical Centre in Morden, while caring for the community, has also been actively working on recruitment to meet the area’s healthcare needs. 

Now, according to the organization’s executive director, Nicole Walske, the concerted efforts are paying off.  

Northland Parkway Collegiate’s Youth in Philanthropy wrapped up a year of meaningful community involvement through the program. Members said that the group, which has the students fundraise and donate to local charitable organizations, was both a rewarding challenge and an insightful look into the world of nonprofit work. 

“It is quite a lot of work, but it is really fun. We enjoy the process, and doing it with friends makes it much better,” said student Alsu Iktislyamova.  

It’s as Canadian as maple syrup, toques, and poutine… it’s the PV Cup!

We’ve taken the classic hockey pool and given it a Pembina Valley twist with the PV Cup Corporate Challenge. Sixteen local businesses were randomly assigned one of the 16 NHL playoff teams—and the last business standing wins the coveted PV Cup (and major bragging rights).

It’s been a wild ride through the playoffs, but now we’ve reached the Stanley Cup Final—and it’s Borderview Electric (Florida Panthers) vs. Morris Bigway Foods (Edmonton Oilers). Two businesses. Two teams. One Cup.

Longtime Winkler city councillor Marvin Plett was recently recognized by both the Association of Manitoba Municipalities (AMM) and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) for his dedicated service to municipal government. 

“I just received an award from the Association of Manitoba Municipalities for 25 years of service on council,” said Plett in an interview. In addition to that milestone, he has received recognition for serving on the FCM Board for 15 consecutive years, having been elected annually by Manitoba municipal delegates.  

Summer in Morden is shaping up to be jam-packed with fun, fitness, and fresh air, thanks to a full slate of programs from Morden Recreation. From lakeside paddle boarding to kids’ science camps, local residents of all ages have endless ways to stay active and connected this season.

“We do a lot because there’s a real community need for recreation, programming, and events,” says Brookelynn Wolfe, Recreation Programmer for the City of Morden.

The Altona and Area Family Resource Centre (AAFRC) is into their final month of programming before they take their usual Summer break, but they have packed June with a bunch of fun and activities that even carry over into the Summer!

Frost Fire Summer Theatre returns to the stage this weekend with a stirring production of The Last Five Years at the Walla Theater in Walhalla, North Dakota. This critically acclaimed musical by Jason Robert Brown offers a deeply emotional journey through love, heartbreak, and time — while also serving a powerful purpose: raising funds to help rebuild the beloved Frost Fire Theatre.

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew took to the air Thursday, touring and meeting with those dealing with scores of wildfires in his province, while in Saskatchewan thousands of fire evacuees were given the green light to go home.

“Just this morning, the premier was in Flin Flon meeting with the firefighters, the boots on the ground, including our American firefighters that are up there,” Natural Resources Minister Ian Bushie told a wildfire update news conference.