Candace Derksen

"It was a ton of sacrifice." That from Sergeant Chris Flook with the Morden Police Service who says officers spent hours outside of their regular shifts to bring Project Terminus to a conclusion.

The four-month investigation, which included the Winkler Police Service as well, yielded 11 arrests and the seizure of illicit drugs, firearms, cash and other drug paraphernalia between December 1, 2024, and March 31, 2025.

11 people have been charged in months-long Joint Force Operation (JFO) police have dubbed Project Terminus.
    
The Morden and Winkler police services investigation began in December, and on January 24th the project team charged two people after seizing meth, a replica firearm and a large amount of Canadian currency following a traffic stop.
    
Another stop two days later resulted in one person being charged with possession of a controlled substance.
    

Two people have been charged with Assault after a pair of separate incidents in Altona last week. 

According to the Altona Police Service's latest activities report, the first call came on Tuesday when officers responded to a reported fight in the parking lot of the local mall. After collecting statements from both parties, police charged a 27-year-old man with Assault. He was later released on conditions, including not to communicate with the victim. 

Being active together was the motivation for Kendall Funk-Wieler when he started the A-Town Runners in September 2022. 
    
The group meets every Saturday morning at 9 a.m. at TCE - rain, shine or snow! - for a lap or two around Altona.

New safety features have been installed in an effort to increase visibility at the intersection of PR201 and PTH306. 
    
Motorists are now warned of the upcoming intersection by red flashing lights that have been mounted atop the stop signs at the east and west sides of the crossing. This, according to Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure (MTI), is just one of the new safety measures planned following a review of the intersection shortly after a fatal two-vehicle collision in November that claimed the life of a mom and her young daughter.
    

Another year is in the books for the Altona Police Service (APS) and Police Chief Dan Defer is ready to slap the cuffs on the challenges of 2024.

Overall, Defer says the last year was a good one, but admitted that returning the department to a full complement of officers took up a lot of time and required patience. Two constables left the team earlier in the year and that, noted Defer, left the team with two options on how to move forward. 

It'll be $15.9 million in spending for the Municipality of Rhineland in 2025/26.
    
According to Reeve Don Wiebe, any increases are due to growing operating costs and the Municipality's first installment in a 10-year funding commitment to the Pembina Valley Water Co-op.

"Our operating costs are up over five per cent," he explained. 

The best of the best has once again been singled out and selected for the Altona & District Chamber of Commerce annual awards.

The Business Excellence Award for companies with eleven (11) employees or more is proudly awarded to Bunge. 

Kevin Larson is the People’s Party of Canada candidate in Portage‑Lisgar this federal election.

The nephew of former Reform Party MP, Deborah Grey, answered questions on tariffs, local infrastructure, immigration, and the influence his aunt has had on his political perspective.

Tariffs and trade

Q: “The top of a lot of folks’ minds is tariffs. What is your, and the People’s Party’s, stance right now in terms of where you stand on the whole tariff issue with the US?”

Some exciting news from the Premier regarding water treatment capacity in the Pembina Valley.

Sharing with the public for the first time during the latest episode of the Premier's Report, Wab Kinew announced his government has set aside another $2.5 million dollars for a planned expansion to the Pembina Valley Water Co-op's Letellier treatment plant. He shared the news after there was some initial disappointment locally for what appeared to be a lack of support for the effort in the Manitoba Government's latest budge, despite years of lobbying.