Westman

A powerful earthquake has struck Myanmar, claiming the lives of more than 2,000 people and leaving countless others struggling to rebuild their lives. 

Annie Loewen, interim director for disaster response at Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) Canada, says the organization has been programming in Myanmar since 1996. 

Funeral For: Getruda Loewen
Funeral Date: April 3, 2025 
Getruda Loewen, 75, of Lowe farm formerly of Mexico passed away Saturday, March 30th at Altona Memorial Health Centre 
She is survived by her husband Wilhelm Loewen Penner, 2 sons, 2 sisters and their families she was predeceased by 2 grandchildren,1 sister and 2 brothers. 
The funeral service for Getruda Loewen will be held Thursday, 2pm at Reinland Mennonite Church, Altona with burial being held at Schoenthal Cemetery. 

Many workers in Manitoba are set to see a slight increase in their wages this fall.

The Manitoba government says the minimum wage is to go up by 20 cents to $16 an hour.

The increase is to take effect on Oct. 1.

Manitoba's minimum wage is updated annually and tied to inflation.

The government says the latest increase reflects the province's 2024 inflation rate of 1.1 per cent.

The federal minimum wage for employees in the federally regulated private sector is $17.75.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 31, 2025.

Assiniboine College’s Practical Nursing program is preparing to welcome new students in two growing Manitoba communities, with intakes announced for Steinbach in September 2025 and Neepawa in January 2027.

Liberal Leader Mark Carney promised Monday to get the federal government back into the business of home building, while Pierre Poilievre's Conservatives pitched a national energy corridor to fast-track approval of key infrastructure.

The New Democrats rolled out their own national project — a promise to help retrofit 3.3 million homes and pay for it by cutting supports for big oil and gas companies. 

For the Municipality of Killarney-Turtle Mountain 2025 is a reassessment year with an average assessment increase across the municipality of 16.1%. The highest impact is on agricultural properties with an increase of 27%.  Residential properties saw an increase of 8.8%.

"However, after deliberations and back-and-forth discussions, we were able to decrease our mill rate and fully offset that increase," shares Mayor Janice Smith. "As a result, our rate payers will not experience a significant increase."

Manitoba farmer Tyler Fulton is the new President of the Canadian Cattle Association. The Birtle area cattle producer moved into the role during the organization's recent annual meeting in Ottawa.

"Well, I'm excited," shared Fulton. "I'm a little tentative just given the political environment and the geopolitical environment and the reliance on trade. Overall, I feel well prepared, well supported, and so in that sense I'm excited to take on the challenge, and do my best to just represent cattle producers across the country with all the sectors covered off."

“I called for my dad, and he came and looked, and it was like a scene out of a horror movie.” 

This is what Cohen Hildebrand said of the day his recovery from a routine tonsil and adenoid surgery suddenly went awry in the most unpredictable way. 

It’s a sequence of events etched into not only his memory, but also his family's.  

MONDAY, MARCH 31ST

MJHL
Playoffs - Quarter-Finals - Best of 7
Game 6
Steinbach 2 at Portage 3
Portage wins series 4-2

Playoffs - Quarter-Finals - Best of 7
Game 6
Winkler 3 at Niverville 2
Winkler wins series 4-2

MLB
Washington 2 at Toronto  5

Manitoba Labour and Immigration is notifying Manitobans the provincial minimum wage will increase by 20 cents to $16, effective Oct. 1.

Updated annually, Manitoba’s minimum wage is regulated through the Employment Standards Code. This year’s increase of 20 cents per hour raised the minimum wage to $16 from $15.80. This adjustment reflects Manitoba’s 2024 inflation rate of 1.1 per cent, rounded up to the nearest five cents.