Candace Derksen

A trio of local organizations will get a share of $260,000 through the province's Community Celebrations Program launched Arts, Culture and Sport in Community (ACSC) Fund. In total, the Manitoba government is supporting 59 community events across the province.

It was a night of celebration and recognition Saturday as the community gathered to mark the 100th anniversary of Altona/Rhineland Emergency Services (ARES). The department brought back an old favourite, a fire fighter’s ball, to celebrate the occasion.

Leading up to the event, current member, Daryl Rempel, researched the history of the department, and he explains how it all started a century ago.

Veteran Border Land School Division (BLSD) trustee, Patty Wiebe, has been named the new Board Chair. 

Wiebe, who is now in her fifth term and has served as Vice Chair for many of those years, went uncontested for the top job last week at the Board’s inaugural meeting following the October 26th election. 

“I was very pleased that I was acclaimed. It was very nice to have the support of the entire Board,” she said, noting she had stated her intentions to seek the role at an earlier, informal meeting between the trustees. “I thought I would take a try at it.”

While the October municipal election resulted in a full council for the Town of Altona, one seat around the table remains vacant. 
    
The search is on for a youth representative.

"A quarter of our community under the age of 19, and we want to make sure that we are hearing those voices in our decision making," explained Mayor Harv Schroeder. 

Having a youth rep on Council has been a 20-year tradition in Altona, and Schroeder says they want to keep it going. 

Members of Altona's new town council are settling into the new term. 
    
Council held its inaugural meeting this week under the leadership of new Mayor, Harv Schroeder.

"I'm very excited to be working with the next Council," said Schroeder, adding some great questions were asked during that meeting. 

Southern Health-Sante Sud is providing more information regarding ongoing human resource challenges within the Altona community medical group that continue to affect emergency department services at the local hospital.
    
The health region confirmed at the end of October that a plan to resume emergency services 12 hours a day, 7 days a week at the Altona Community Memorial Health Centre by October 31st would not be the case.

The Altona & District Chamber of Commerce and SEED are forming a new partnership, creating a one-stop-shop for businesses that is focused on attracting, growing, and retaining businesses within the Town of Altona and Municipality of Rhineland. 
    
The process has begun to reorganize the Chamber's structure and relocate it to the SEED office, where it will be overseen by SEED's economic development officer, Stephanie Harris. 

Kal Smith, President of the Altona and District Chamber of Commerce, said there was no trigger point that spawned the move. 

The R.M. of Dufferin's new Reeve says he was excited and ready to take on the challenge of the job upon hearing he'd been elected to the post in last week's municipal election. Earning 351 votes, Cor Lodder defeated incumbent George Gray who garnered 264 votes. 

"I was, first of all, humbled that the residents decided to give me an opportunity, and now I have to honour that call and work hard to provide good, positive results for the municipality and anybody else that's affected by it," said Lodder.

It will be Lauren Stone's name on the ballot representing the Progressive Conservatives in Midland in the 2023 provincial election. 
    
Stone won the party's nomination on Saturday, beating out two other candidates - Doug Dobrowolski and Shannon Martin. 

"I was just so excited and honoured for the members of Midland putting their trust in me to represent the party," said Stone following her win, adding she is excited to build on the momentum she gained during the nomination campaign.

The Municipality of Rhineland's proposed expanded Special Services bylaw for the L.U.D. of Gretna is back up for debate, two years after Council put it on the backburner.

Recommended by the L.U.D. committee in 2019, Council tabled the proposal in early 2020 following a plea from Mennonite Collegiate Institute to hold off on any changes for two years, citing the private Christian school wasn't prepared to absorb the financial hardships the levy would impose.