Candace Derksen

A $1,000 cheque from the Altona Elks will go a long way in helping the Rhineland and Area Foodbank meet demand.

Members Guy and Colleen Mullen presented the money, from the Manitoba Elks Foundation, to foodbank lead, Ang Stoesz, on Wednesday evening. 

Lori Penner is being remembered as an amazing person who cared deeply about community, and for people and family.

Among many things, Penner was a well-known columnist and reporter for community newspapers, first in the Altona area then branching out and sharing her stories with publications across Manitoba, dedicating her talents and passion to telling peoples' stories. She passed away Wednesday night after suffering a hemorrhagic stroke on Sunday afternoon. She was 59 years old. 

Thanks to a keen sense, a scammer did not get the best of one potential local victim recently.
    
Last week Tuesday, the complainant reported to Altona police that they'd gotten a phone call from someone they didn't know, claiming to be the police. The scammer also said they had the person's child, and the complainant could hear a child screaming and crying in the background.
    
Then the scammer demanded money and, apparently, became very aggressive. That's when the complainant recognized the call as a scam and hung up.
    

It was an emotional day as family and friends of Eli Jashyn were among the crowd that celebrated the grand opening of the multi-sport court in Morris last week. 
    
Incorporated into the new facility is a bench in memory of Eli, who passed away from cancer in 2022 at the age of 15. He would have graduated high school with his peers this past week.

150 people came out in support of Team Terry Fox last week at the Deleau/Sifton Centennial Park. It was one of the stops on the team's month-long cross-country challenge called, Ride of Hope 2025, biking from Vancouver, B.C. to St. John's, Newfoundland.
    
The riders were accompanied to the park by students from Souris and Hartney schools on their bikes, and emergency response vehicles from Oak Lake/Sifton, Hartney & Souris/Glenwood fire departments.

Crops seem to be in good shape at this point in the growing season, at least that's the case at Froese Enterprise in Reinfeld. 
    
Randy Froese says recent shots of rain have been very helpful in advancing the crop. 

"Corn is a little bit ahead of what it normally would be, which is nice. The canola is just starting to bloom (and) we're getting to the point where we'll be putting our fungicide applications on shortly. Dry beans are coming along very, very nicely, as well as soybeans."

As well, Froese says what rain we've had, has been timely.

A driver was taken off the road after an encounter with Altona police officers last week Friday.
    
According to authorities, officers spotted the motorist, who was known to be unlicensed, driving with a young child in the vehicle. Eventually, it was determined the driver had also consumed liquor before getting behind the wheel.
    
Police say the driver failed a roadside test and was issued an immediate roadside suspension, and their vehicle was towed. 

As is tradition each June, graduates of W.C. Miller Collegiate paraded down the streets of Altona Tuesday evening in celebration of their upcoming high school graduation.

The Class of 2025 will receive their diplomas during a ceremony on Thursday.

Related stories:

• A 'bittersweet' moment as grad approaches for W.C. Miller Valedictorian

Check out photos from Tuesday's parade below.

It looked like a scene straight out of a horror film and, despite the graphic result, a three-vehicle incident north of Altona on Wednesday afternoon ended with no injuries.

The chain reaction all started when a school bus heading north on Highway 30 slowed to turn right onto PR 201, explained Greg Zimmerman, Chief for Altona/Rhineland Emergency Services (ARES). 

Altona police are investigating after a shopper walked out of a local grocery store without paying last week Monday.
    
According to the report made to police, the suspect spoke to staff at the store in a distracting manner before leaving with a bag full of items.

He was observed driving away in a dodge pickup truck. Check out the photo below.