Michael Blume

Ferdi Nelissen, Garth Asham, and their teammates were recently inducted into the Manitoba Softball Hall of Fame as members of two dominant squads: the 1983–85 Winnipeg Internationals and the 1987–89 Winnipeg Ashams. The recognition wasn’t just for individual feats, but for what they accomplished as a unit—winning provincial championships, representing Manitoba at nationals, and competing at ISC World Tournaments.

Nelissen brings the sport to life and makes you want to join a fastball team to garner memories, as he explains how that the honour meant more because it was shared. 

Dry conditions are creating mounting concern for Manitoba producers as rainfall totals in many areas fall well below the seasonal norm. According to provincial livestock and forage specialist Shawn Cabak, climate data shows a sharp contrast from last year, with major implications for forage yields and pasture health. 

A recent provincial survey has revealed widespread mineral shortfalls in pasture forages across Manitoba. That's from Shawn Cabak, Livestock and Forage Specialist with the Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation (MASC).

He notes the 2024 study, conducted by Manitoba Agriculture, examined a variety of grazing systems and forage types between late August and mid-September.

Copper and zinc levels were consistently low in forages across nearly all surveyed pastures.

We can expect summer fuel prices to remain relatively steady over the coming months, with average rates currently sitting between $1.35 and $1.37 per litre in Steinbach. 

The Association of Manitoba Municipalities (AMM) warns rural crime rates in the province’s Prairie regions are 400 per cent higher than the national average, citing limited police resources and repeat offenders as key challenges.

Statistics Canada data confirms the trend, with front-line policing strained by RCMP staff shortages and burnout.

Calls for bail reform and accountability

AMM President Kathy Valentino notes rural communities face disproportionate risks due to inadequate enforcement. 

Gas prices across Manitoba are seeing marginal movement this month, with only slight fluctuations of one or two cents per litre.

While wholesale prices have dipped from around 90 cents to just under 88 cents, Dan McTeague, president of Canadians for Affordable Energy, says the real shift is coming at the retail level, where stations are sacrificing their margins just to stay in the game. 

“Gas stations are often running at zero margin,” McTeague notes. “They're able to make it up on sales of diesel, premium, or even what they sell in stores.” 

Kathy Valentino, president of the Association of Manitoba Municipalities (AMM), says bail reform, infrastructure funding, and housing were the topics of the week at their recent spring convention. The event included discussions with provincial ministers, municipal leaders, and guest speakers, alongside sessions on topics ranging from code of conduct policies to mental health advocacy. 

Manitoba’s provincial and municipal leaders united at Tuesday's Association of Manitoba Municipalities Spring Convention to demand stricter federal bail reforms, citing preventable tragedies and systemic failures. The call follows high-profile cases like the killing of a young Portage la Prairie woman by a repeat offender released on bail.

Manitoba Agriculture farm management specialist Ben Hamm calls low enrollment in the federal AgriStability program a “missed opportunity” for livestock and crop producers. The income-based risk management tool, he argues, offers broader protection at lower costs than alternatives—yet only 20 per cent of eligible producers use it.

Southern Manitoba faces a mix of lingering snow and delayed warmth as April begins, with Environment Canada meteorologist Justin Shelley outlining a week of cooler temperatures and scattered flurries before potential double-digit highs arrive.

Unsettled pattern brings light snow

Shelley notes a "relatively unsettled pattern" dominates the forecast. "There aren’t any big systems of note," he says, "but a weak system on Tuesday could produce a couple of centimetres of snow." 

Flurries may persist through Friday, though accumulations remain minimal.