Westman

Funeral For:  Irene Schmidt 
Funeral Date: March 29, 2025 
Irene Schmidt, 75, of Morden passed away Wednesday, March 5th at Morden. She is survived by her children, Jeff (and his wife, Anna) and Jenny; her grandchildren, Jael, Jette, Josh, and Brigit; her brothers Waldemar, Harold, and Orlando; her sisters Irmie and Viola; her stepmother Charlotte Redekopp; and many nieces, nephews, and dear friends.Her mother, Anna Redekopp, her father Isaac Redekopp, and her husband Lothar Schmidt.

Funding from Research Manitoba is enabling a Brandon research team to commercially ready an innovative molecular-based diagnostics tool for rapid, economical and accurate detection of the most important soybean root and stem disease in the province, this through the recent awarding of the Innovation Proof-of-Concept Grant to Brandon University Professor of Biology, Dr. Bryan Cassone.

"This technology will assist in disease surveillance programs and allow producers to make informed management decisions on a yearly basis," shares Cassone.

Prime Minister Mark Carney said Tuesday that Ottawa will expand the Canadian Armed Forces’ presence in the Arctic and turn to Australia's over-the-horizon radar tech to monitor threats from adversaries such as China and Russia.

Carney also pledged $253 million in new funding for Indigenous reconciliation initiatives in the North.

They include $94 million to upgrade power plants in Nunavut and $20 million for a hydroelectricity project to help move northerners off diesel.

Every single plant, whether that be an economically important one or not, they're all host to a variety of different microorganisms that live in them and use them for their home and for nutrients. While some of these microorganisms have no impact on the plant health, some are detrimental to the plant.

Recently the Deloraine-Winchester Historical Society received the keys to their new home, thanks to the generosity of Deloraine resident, John Hasselfield.

Being gifted a building to call their own by John Hasselfield was something society member, Jan McClelland says was badly needed to store, and display, research papers and artifacts of those early settlement years of their area.  The new home for the historical society was the original MTS building built in the 1930's located between the library and the local theatre.

Prime Minister Mark Carney says United States President Donald Trump will have to stop his "disrespectful" comments about Canada before the two countries can have comprehensive bilateral conversations about trade and security.

"We've called out those comments. They're disrespectful, they're not helpful, and they need to stop," Carney said in response to a question regarding Trump's repeated remarks about Canada becoming the 51st state. 

"They will have to stop before we sit down and have a conversation about our broader partnership with the United States."

Manitoba drivers could soon face new rules for driving near snowplows, tow trucks and cyclists.

A bill put before the legislature Monday would require motorists to keep at least 30 metres behind a snowplow or other winter maintenance vehicles while following it on lower-speed roads. On roads with a speed limit of more than 80 kilometres an hour, the minimum distance would be 100 metres.

As the snow continues to melt across the prairies, farmers are gearing up for the busy seeding season. According to Ian Epp, agronomy specialist with the Canola Council of Canada, moisture levels across much of the region appear sufficient for crop germination. 

"It looks to me like we've had enough moisture throughout winter. Obviously, we always need more during the summer season, but there's enough out there to get us up and going. Some areas are better than others but in general things look pretty good heading into spring.” 

Mayor Jeff Fawcett and City Council are pleased to welcome Mr. Dave Wardrop to the City of Brandon as our next City Manager.

Media Release - City of Brandon

Dave Wardrop brings over 30 years of municipal leadership experience including overseeing numerous high-profile projects, operations, and organizations.

Most recently, Wardrop served as the Chief Administrative Officer for West St. Paul, Manitoba. His first official day with the City of Brandon is today, Mar. 17, 2025.

A second set of remains found in a Winnipeg-area landfill have been identified as Marcedes Myran, who died at the hands of a serial killer in 2022, RCMP said Monday.

The news comes after one set of remains found during a search of the Prairie Green landfill was confirmed earlier this month to belong to another victim, Morgan Harris.