Pam Fedack

As the calendar flipped to January 2022, Manitobans were still contending with some pandemic-related restrictions.
    
Manitoba Finance Minister, Cameron Friesen said it was a highlight to see people getting out and being engaged once those restrictions were lifted by his government last spring.

After two summers with pandemic-related restrictions, Friesen said the summer of 2022 had people doing many typical summer things.

If you've had a potted poinsettia before, but did not have the best of luck with it, you're likely not alone. 
    
Carla Hrycyna, Host of the Lawn and Garden Journal, says the plant, which grows naturally in Mexico, loves heat and can be difficult to care for once potted.

"There are people that can take their poinsettia from one season to the other. You will see that sometimes they will drop some leaves naturally on the bottom portion of it, but as we progress into the summer months, put that poinsettia outside."

There's a number of things you can do to keep your real Christmas tree looking lovely through the Christmas weekend.

Carla Hrycyna, Host of the Lawn and Garden Journal, says keeping your tree in a cooler location will help in extending its fresh look.

"Try and put your tree in a location away from heating vents, or even the cooler side of the living room. And if you do have a fire place, it's not optimal to put it in the room that has the fire place, or furthest away from the fire place."  

There's a number of things you can do to keep your real Christmas tree looking lovely through the Christmas weekend.

Carla Hrycyna, Host of the Lawn and Garden Journal, says keeping your tree in a cooler location will help in extending its fresh look.

"Try and put your tree in a location away from heating vents, or even the cooler side of the living room. And if you do have a fire place, it's not optimal to put it in the room that has the fire place, or furthest away from the fire place."  

With a number of possible retirements looming within the Winkler Police Department's officer ranks in the next handful of years, steps are being taken to ensure the force stays strong.

It's hoped a new agreement with the province will give residents in multiple areas of the RM of Stanley a quicker response to snow clearing.
    
The RM has entered into a snow clearing agreement with the Province, which will see Stanley being responsible for clearing a number of 600 series Provincial paved roads through the Villages of Reinfeld, Schanzenfeld, Chortitz, Friedensruh, Hochfeld, Blumenfeld, Osterwick and Thornhill.
    

During the 2021/2022 fiscal year, the STARS Air Ambulance flew 773 in our province, many of those missions were flown right here to the Pembina Valley.
    
Two representatives from STARS attended a recent RM of Stanley meeting to update council on STARS, and to thank them for their support.
    
The RM of Stanley provides $1.00/capita ($8,969) annually towards the non-profit organization.
    

Five firefighters from the Pembina Valley will receive training in the new year, specific to fighting fires at a landfill.

Winkler Fire Chief Richard Paetzold says landfill fires are not something they have responded to a lot in the past, but they've become more common in recent years. He notes the Winkler Fire Department (WFD) has responded to three fires at the SWAMP Landfill in the last couple of years, and none in the decade previous to that.

A number of weather systems have warranted RM of Stanley crews to roll out their snow-clearing equipment so far this winter.
    
According to CAO Dale Toews, after a snow event, Rural Crews will generally clear thoroughfares first and then move to arterial roads. Village crews start within the more populated areas and work away from those centres. 
    
Because of the danger associated with plowing snow, rural plows will not operate outside of daylight hours for visibility and safety reasons.
    

Winkler's mayor says the new child care capital initiative recently announced by the province is extremely innovative and unique.