Robyn Wiebe

Last year's spring flood damage in the RM of Stanley has come a long way with a few more areas left to repair. 

Reeve Ike Friesen explains. 

"We have 248 sites that have been repaired. There are 26 sites still remaining to be fixed. Four of those require engineering, and we do expect those to be completed in 2023. So overall, I think we've done really well." 

He continued to explain areas still left to repair and the changes being made as they move forward. 

The Morden Corn and Apple Festival is back again this year and longtime Morden resident, Tammy Duncan and her high school friend Tara Ritchie have rolled up their sleeves to step into the leadership as Co-Chairs for the Morden Corn and Apple Festival Parade Committee. 

Duncan announced the great news. 

Last month, the Morden Chamber Of Commerce Board of Directors took time to develop a strategic plan to guide their steps for the next few years.

Executive Director Clare Agnew explained the process.

"What we looked at first was what we've been doing, and what's working well, and how things have changed for us and the community, the business community for sure, since the pandemic. And moving forward, how that might look a little different? The facilitator helped us review what has worked in the past and then also helped us to focus on moving forward."

February 2nd started off like any other day at Janzen's Paint and Decorating in Winkler until an employee came to Director Sandy Demke to tell her the lights in the building had started to flicker. Demke says they turned the breaker on and off and they stopped flickering for a bit, and then the battery backups started to beep. That is when they called in an electrician to see what was wrong. 

February 2nd started off like any other day at Janzen's Paint and Decorating Ltd (JPDL) in Winkler, until an employee came to JPDL Director Sandy Demke to tell her the lights in the building started flickering. According to Demke, they turned the breaker off and on, and they stopped flickering for a bit, and then the battery backups started to beep. That's when they called an electrician to see what was wrong. 

It has been a year since Russia waged a full-scale war on Ukraine. Maria Diiun came to Canada in May of 2022.  She started her story noting it’s been a year since their peaceful lives, hopes and dreams and plans for the future were destroyed. 

In November, Western School Division (WSD) applied for additional funding through The Manitoba Education Intensive Newcomer Support Project Grant to support the large influx of newcomer students to the division.

Assistant Superintendent Marianne Fenn explained, the division has seen 150 newcomer students since September, with 70 of them coming from Ukraine.  

Five years ago, Elaine Burton-Saindon took over the position as Coordinator for the Pembina Valley Local Immigration Partnership (PVLIP). At that time, three core priorities were identified that local newcomers really wanted PVLIP to focus on:  What is a welcoming and inclusive community? How do we communicate with cultures? And, how are newcomers impacted by their transition? The last question focuses on a mental health priority. 

One year ago, Ukrainians woke up to the sounds of bombs falling on the capital city of Kyiv as Russia launched a full-scale invasion on its neighbour.  Since then, Morden's Yevgeniya Tatarenko, who is a member of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, has not stopped raising money and supplies to send aid home to her country, where her mother still lives. 

She looked back on the year that unfolded since then. 

Close to thirty people turned out at 500 Stephen Street Community Centre in Morden last Wednesday to talk about the concern of homelessness in the region. The meeting was organized by Many Hands Resource Centre (MHRC) which has seen the need first hand.