Robyn Wiebe/Terry Klippenstein

Enrollment numbers have increased for the current year in the Western School Division.    

Their numbers are up by 6 to 7 per cent according to Superintendent Stephen Ross, 

"It fluctuates always through September, but we're expecting more students to continue to move into the division throughout the fall here. Currently our middle school is bursting at the seams with 750 students. [Morden Collegiate Institute] is also at its largest capacity ever at 650. So, big schools, lots going on and we're looking forward to that new school opening up next fall."

Special Olympics Manitoba (SOM) has handed out the Rob Plunkett Law Enforcement Torch Run Award.

The honour recognizes a member who has contributed significantly to the development, awareness, and financial success of LETR programs in the province.

This year's winner is former Portage Terriers Captain and now Sergeant Scott Edwards with the Morden Police Service.

"It's not something you think about or it's not why you volunteer and do these types of things," said Edwards. 

Special Olympics Manitoba (SOM) has handed out the Rob Plunkett Law Enforcement Torch Run Award.

The honour recognizes a member who has contributed significantly to the development, awareness, and financial success of LETR programs in the province.

This year's winner is Sergeant Scott Edwards with Morden Police Service 

"It's not something you think about or it's not why you volunteer and do these types of things," said Edwards. 

The Morden police officer is quick to credit his colleagues in the department.

The winter storm that blew through southern Manitoba created such severe whiteout conditions that a number of motorists passing by the town of Manitou were forced to spend the night there.

La Riviere resident Joy Pauls spent the day in Manitou but was unable to head home that evening. With the local hotel completely booked with stranded travelers, a friend suggested to Pauls they house people overnight at the church where Pauls volunteers at Manitou Christian Fellowship. 

A struggling business, a missing cookie recipe and a handsome local baker. 

It's the perfect recipe for Hallmark Channel's newest holiday offering, A Christmas Cookie Catastrophe, coming out in November.

And once again, Hallmark decided that the town of Carman provided the perfect setting.

"We had the film crew here from Hallmark Movies! They made another Christmas movie in town, so we had Christmas in September!", said Suzy Keck, owner of Crazy Lady's Cafeteria. She was thrilled that her eatery will appear in the film. 

A struggling business, a missing cookie recipe and a handsome local baker. 

It's the perfect recipe for Hallmark Channel's newest holiday offering, A Christmas Cookie Catastrophe, coming out in November.

And once again, Hallmark decided that the town of Carman provided the perfect setting.

"We had the film crew here from Hallmark Movies! They made another Christmas movie in town, so we had Christmas in September!", said Suzy Keck, owner of Crazy Lady's Cafeteria. She was thrilled that her eatery will appear in the film. 

Some 75 students are getting ready to leave the halls of Altona's W.C. Miller Collegiate for good. Today is graduation day.

Co-valedictorians Samantha Bueckert and Rory Pilkington say they have mixed feelings.

"It's really exciting, said Bueckert. "It's a little bit scary too though."

Pilkington calls the experience very surreal.

"We've put a lot of time and years into our education and just the fact that it's all coming to an end now is very sad. Bittersweet though for sure."

The small group of grade twelve students graduating from Carman Collegiate belies the sense of energy and closeness that characterizes the Class of 2022. 

Quinn McLaren and Coltyn Plaitin, co-valedictorians for today's commencement ceremonies, describe their class as small, close, high energy and lots of fun. 

The two graduates look back on their secondary years.

The Manitoba government has introduced Bill 43 (Clare's Law) to give Manitobans access to an intimate partner's documented history of violence as well as access to supports. 

"Manitoba has some of the highest rates of intimate partner violence and family violence in Canada," said Families Minister Rochelle Squires, minister responsible for the status of women, in making the announcement. 

The City of Morden and the local Horticulture Society are calling all green thumbs to rally for a downtown planting blitz today from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Heather Fehr, a Lead Hand for the City's Parks and Urban Forestry department who helps deal with "everything green and growing", says they plan on filling some 40 planters and four flower beds at the main downtown intersection in the span of two hours.