PembinaValley

A paleontologist based at the University of Manitoba (U of M) has confirmed a significant fossil discovery that reshapes how scientists understand early fish evolution.

Melina Jobbins, a postdoctoral fellow with the university, says the Interlake discovery traces back to the 1990s, when researchers from the U of M and Manitoba Museum uncovered fragments of a mysterious fish near Lundar.

Funeral For:  Herman Friesen 
Funeral Date: August 12, 2025 
Herman Friesen, 91, of Winnipeg passed away Thursday, July 31st at St. Boniface Hospital. He is survived by 1 daughter, 1 son, and their families. He was predeceased by his wife Elizabeth, and 4 brothers. 
The funeral service for Herman Friesen will be held Tuesday, August 12th at 11am at Braeside Evangelical Mennonite Church, 1011 Munroe Avenue, with burial at Kildonan Presbyterian Cemetery. 
Viewing will be at the church prior to the service. 
Donations may be made to MCC. 

Canada's 2025 wildfire season is now the second-worst on record.

The latest figures posted by the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre suggest the fires have torn through 72,000 square kilometres, an area roughly the size of New Brunswick.

That surpasses the next worst season in 1989 and is about half the area burned during the record-setting 2023 season, according to a federal database of wildfire seasons dating back to 1972.

Ottawa is hiking entry-level pay for Canadian Armed Forces privates by 20 per cent for the regular force and 13 per cent for reservists, Prime Minister Mark Carney said at CFB Trenton on Friday.

That means the annual salary for a new recruit will go from $43,368 to $52,044.

Other military members will also receive pay raises, with smaller increases for higher ranks — part of a broader plan to boost recruitment and operational readiness. The new pay hikes will be retroactive to April 1 of this year.

As wildfires continue to burn in northern Manitoba, our local fire departments continue to send volunteer fire fighters to help out.
    
However, that could change in the coming weeks and months, according to Greg Zimmerman, Coordinator of the Pembina Triangle Mutual Aid District. 

The sculpture garden at Altona's Gallery in the Park has grown by one piece due to the generosity of Friesens. The business's sponsorship led to the unveiling of Equilibre Oblique by Quebec artist Philippe Pallafray during Thursday evening's second season Friends of the Gallery opening gala.

This is the first sculpture to be added to the grounds since Elena Bulatova's Cubic-Rubik in June 2022.

In the Pembina Valley, keeping track of rain totals is a group effort. Every time the clouds gather, a dedicated group of PembinaValleyOnline rainwatchers take to their gauges to submit their numbers. 

It’s a practice that shows an enthusiasm for weather and helps gather data for gardeners, farmers, and outdoorspeople. 

It’s also a way to build community surrounding a topic that often sits at the centre of daily life and daily conversations.  

The Manitoba Museum might have one of the largest collections of Hudson’s Bay artifacts, but its CEO isn't bitter the defunct retailer's crown jewel isn’t destined for her institution.

There will soon be a new home for the 355-year-old royal charter that birthed the Bay, giving it extraordinary control over a vast swath of unceded lands — and enormous influence over settlers' early relations with Indigenous Peoples.

The South Central Regional Library’s (SCRL) Morden branch brought the community together for a summer highlight on Thursday, August 7th, with a movie night under the stars at the Stardust Drive-In. 

SCRL Morden Branch Administrator Gail Hildebrand was pleased with the evening