Candace Derksen

"We're incredibly grateful for it," says Morris Mayor Scott Crick following last week's news that the community is finally getting a new daycare with added capacity. 

After being overlooked in the initial announcement back in November, the town has now been included in Phase 2 of the expanded federal/provincial ready-to-move daycare project initiative. Government will provide a modular facility with an additional 104 childcare spaces in the community.

2023 budget deliberations are progressing well for the Municipality of Rhineland. That from Reeve Don Wiebe.

"The L.U.D. budgets are basically completed," said Wiebe, noting Council and administration is just waiting on the 2021 audit and final accounting for 2022 before solidifying the 2023 budget. 

"The Finance committee is now looking at all expenditures and new budget allocations," he added.

All of this, noted Wiebe, is in preparation for the Municipality's public budget consultation scheduled for March 22nd at 10 a.m. at Council Chambers in Altona.

The final tally is in, and the 2023 Asham U18 Men’s and Women’s Curling Championship is one of the most profitable in the event's history, according to the Altona Curling Club which hosted the event at the end of December. In a news release, the Club noted the event turned out a profit of just over $20,000.

A grassroots group is looking to reduce the environmental footprint of Altona's largest public facility, the Millennium Exhibition Centre. 

The Earth Team, made up of five local citizens, is conducting a green building audit in the second of a three-phase, three-year federal program that is providing about $60,000 to the community for climate action.

The MLA for Borderland has some new responsibilities with the governing Progressive Conservatives.

In this week's Cabinet shuffle, Premier Heather Stefanson named Josh Guenter Legislative Assistant to the Finance minister, Deputy Caucus Whip, and a member of the Public Accounts Committee. He was also re-appointed to the Treasury Board.

The CEO for the Pembina Valley Water Co-op (PVWC) says the province's funding announcement for waste water and water treatment projects is a great opportunity for the municipally-owned organization.

As part of an $850-million support package unveiled by the Manitoba government to help Manitobans make ends meet, relieve pressures on the health-care system and assist as communities and industries recover from the pandemic, the province announced a $100 million investment into waste water and water treatment facilities in Manitoba. 

Pembina Valley RCMP is warning the public and local businesses of a rise in counterfeit $100 bills in the region.
    
Just this month, businesses in both Carman and Winkler were among a handful to report receiving the fake money. 
    

2022 was another record-breaking year for Friesens Corporation. According to a year-end report, the Altona-based print and packaging manufacturer broke records for revenue, profits, and the number of employees, led by incredible results from its core business, the Book Division. 

CEO, Chad Friesen, attributed this continued success to several factors, some dating back several years. That includes investments of over $40,000,000 in equipment, expanded facilities, and new technology.

Premier Heather Stefanson has rejigged her Cabinet, in part, to fill portfolios left by departing MLAs such as Cameron Friesen.

Eileen Clarke becomes minister of Indigenous reconciliation and northern relations.

Like many households and businesses, the City of Winkler has been unable to escape the added pressures of inflation. Council and administration are busing crossing the I's and dotting the T's on the City's proposed financial plan for 2023. 

"Everything that we do is significantly more expensive than last year," explained Mayor Henry Siemens. As a result, he says they've been trying to mitigate that impact to the best of their ability while crunching the numbers. "Without robbing from Peter to pay Paul. We can't steal from the future to make this year work," he added.