Candace Derksen

Five years of fund raising and planning came to head Tuesday morning as children were welcomed into the new Kiddie Sunshine Daycare facility in Altona for the first time. 
    
Before opening day, parents and stakeholders in the project were given a tour of the state-of-the-art centre. PembinaValleyOnline was invited to tag along.

Two people were arrested and charged with mischief after taking a round of Ding Dong Ditch too far in Winkler.
    
According to the Winkler Police Service, three boys attempted to kick in the door of a home on Paramount Drive, causing damage.
    
Through investigation, police were able to determine the identity of the three, two of whom were arrested and charged with mischief.
    
The third was issued a verbal caution.

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew says this week's tentative deal reached with thousands health care support staff is good news for patients.
    
Set to strike Tuesday, CUPE and MGEU bargaining teams agreed to the deal at 4:25 that morning.

A new arrangement between the RPGA and MSTW planning districts aims to provide a more consistent, professional approach to development in the area. 
    
The RPGA is now out-sourcing all building inspections to the MSTW. 

27 teams went head-to-head in the 3rd annual Mark Hamm Memorial 3-on-3 basketball tournament Saturday in Winkler.

According to co-organizer, Walter Giesbrecht, there were 15 teams in the 19+ men's division, 6 teams registered in the 19+ women's division and 6 teams in the 14U boy's division. 

"We would love, in future years, to have more teams like maybe 14U girl's, 16U girl's or 16U boy's," he added.

Giesbrecht is also involved with the Winkler Basketball, as was Mark Hamm prior to his passing.  

A wide swath of new artwork is on display at Altona's Gallery in the Park. The second season launched Thursday and features artists April Friesen, Josee Voth, Pearl Krahn and Tim Froese.

We caught up with April Friesen on opening night, where the artist described her art of making something out of nothing to create the tapestry exhibit titled, Threat Intention.

One person was assessed for smoke inhalation following an early morning fire at an apartment complex in Altona on Saturday.

Dan Defer, Chief of the Altona Police Service, said the call came in around 2 a.m. to the Elmwood Apartments where a stove was reported to be on fire. 

According to Defer, residents of the complex self-evacuated from the building. 

Greg Zimmerman, Chief for Altona/Rhineland Emergency Services, added the building manager had pulled the unconscious occupant from the apartment suite where the stove fire was located, outside. 

A grassroots group is looking for a few extra sets of eyes and ears to help launch a crime prevention effort in the Town of Carman and the R.M. of Dufferin.
    
Monica Halbesma, Carman-Dufferin Fire Department's public education safety coordinator, says they've been approved to start a Citizens on Patrol Program (COPP).

"Unfortunately, our community has been experiencing some vandalism and car thefts," she explained.

Adolfo Cuetara's excitement is palpable as he describes a new effort the Canadian Fossil Discovery Centre (CFDC) is undertaking this year. 

In 2023, Thornhill area farmer, David Lumgair, donated an 18-acre parcel of land to the museum, and Cuetara says staff have been hard at work cleaning it up and marking what they thing will be good spots to start digging.

"God is good," said Janet Hildebrand as she and her family survey the damage left by a tornado that whipped through the Darlingford area Wednesday evening.

"This morning, everything feels a little bit surreal and boxed in, because all of the big trees are down around the house," she explained. 

Hildebrand lives about 9 miles west of Morden, near Darlingford. She had just sat down to dinner with her son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter when Alert Ready sounded, issuing a Tornado Warning.