Kylee Bailey

This year, 2,128 students are walking the halls of Border Land School Division (BLSD). The number is almost exactly what the division anticipated.   

“We are only two students off of where we predicted we would be, which is great because staff is based on our predictions,” says Superintendent Krista Curry.  

No one wants to think about the catastrophic effect that subzero temperatures can have on those who aren’t properly equipped for the cold.  
Even so, this conversation was at the forefront of an important “humanitarian” information session that took place on October 10th in Pembina, N.D. 

For the first time, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Integrated Border Enforcement Team (IBET) and the United States Border Patrol’s Grand Forks Sector held an information session jointly to educate the public on the dangers of crossing the border illegally — especially during the winter months when frigid temperatures and inclement weather can cause a tragic loss of human life.

For the past century and a half, generations of Friesens, Penners, Reimers, Klassens, Hildebrands, Wiebes, Giesbrechts, and Neufelds (to name a few) have called this area home. It's no secret that Mennonites have left an indelible mark on Southern Manitoba with their agricultural prowess and a culture that strives to place humility at its core. 

In the past few decades, there has been a shift in how we think about plants and garden planning. Native species — especially those that encourage bees, butterflies, and other insects to visit — have become more popular to plant. In the same vein, interest in foraging has grown. Because of both economic factors and a general desire to reconnect with nature, the idea of collecting food or therapeutic items from the land around us is an enticing one.

A southern Manitoba community near Winkler has found itself with cases of chickenpox (the varicella virus) on its hands. For Dr. Mahmoud Khodaveisi, the medical officer for Southern Health-Santé Sud, the developing situation has the potential to grow into something more concerning, but at the moment, the data does not support the presence of an outbreak.

It likely doesn’t come as a surprise that Canadian Blood Services always has an urgent necessity of replenishing its stock of blood and stem cells, but perhaps it is lesser known that donations from certain demographics are particularly vital.

Brett Lawrence is the community development manager with Canadian Blood Services.

Picture this: Instead of sweeping canola, wheat, and corn fields as far as the eye can see in Southern Manitoba, the landscape is one of ancient waters teeming with marine life, including squids, vegetation, and large aquatic reptiles. This is what the area looked like during the Cretaceous period. Thanks to a local fossil tour, for the first time in Manitoba’s history, we can add the shark to our image of this region long ago. 
 

As temperatures rise again, extra caution is required in various contexts. One such concern is the higher likelihood of grass or crop fires developing.  

Chris Lemky, Chief of Carman Dufferin Fire Department, says the department has already responded to a grass fire this month.  

“It appears that it started in some mowed grass on the roadside and spread into a homeowner’s alfalfa field,” he says. “Thankfully, the homeowners were there, caught it fairly quickly, and were able to extinguish most of the fire before we got there, so it didn't spread too far.” 

A number of local artists will be taking to the stage this weekend at the Manitoba Stampede and Exhibition in Morris. 

Tim Lewis is co-chairman of the event. He notes the Manitoba Stampede is building a reputation in the world of country music. 

"We partnered up with the MCMA (Manitoba Country Music Association) to find entertainment this year," he says. "We actually got an award last year as the country music event of the year. We worked with them to find the best entertainers that we could for our show."