Robyn Wiebe

There's a sense of anticipation on the horizon for the Canadian Fossil Discovery Centre (CFDC) heading into a new year. With 2022 visitor numbers higher than pre-pandemic attendance, without dig tours running last year, Executive Director Adolfo Cuetara anticipates a good year in 2023. 

Dig Tours will be back in a big way.  

Pembina Valley Mental Health Week brought Certified Life Coach Anita Froese into the Morning Show studios to talk about how the mentorship relationship can improve someone's mental health.

Froese, whose blog is the Fortified Wife, works to strengthen women in body, mind, & soul, According to her social media she about marriage & mindset, family & faith.

Many Hands Resource Centre (MHRC), Morden's Food Bank located at 500 Stephen Street Community Centre, has a new Executive Director at the helm, Mariyam Tsygankova. 

MHRC Board Chair Daniel Klauke said the board is excited to have Tsygankova on the team, noting now, there is someone operating on a day-to-day basis, providing leadership. He added, the board members are volunteers and don't have as much time to push the organization's agenda forward as this role will do. 

Recently, the City of Morden gifted Western School Division (WSD) with 2.6 acres of land next to the new school site, west of Morden, on Parkhill Drive. This gift was a partnership between the city and school division to build a full-sized soccer field and eight lane running track. 

WSD Trustee David Guenther, who sits on the Facilities Development Committee (FDC), said fundraising has begun. 

When Sara Pauls gave a stray dog shelter, and a warm place to stay for a night, she never imagined the story about to unfold.   

A dog showed up at her home in the country, and due to the fact she has five cats inside, she put out a heated blanket on her deck outside for the abandoned dog to sleep for the night. Pauls noted, although the dog slept, she did not settle. 

The next day, the dog was gone for a bit down the road, and while Pauls was out for a little while, she received a text from her family, the dog had returned, with a smaller puppy.  

A new Travel Manitoba slogan was launched on Monday, January 9th at the Manitoba Tourism Summit at the RBC Convention Centre in Winnipeg, kicking off a new ad campaign to draw people to the province to take in all it has to offer. "Canada's heart is calling." replaces the previous slogan, "Canada's heart... beats."  

Canadian Fossil Discovery Centre (CFDC) Executive Director Adolfo Cuetara said with Manitoba boasting the centre of the country, the slogan is to reflect one of the many attractions the province. 

Morden Police Service has hired a new constable to replace a vacancy left when the Inspector position was created in 2021, moving then, Sargeant Sean Aune into the role, followed by then, Constable Scott Edwards moving into the role of Sargeant.

Chief Brad Neduzak made the announcement.  

A request to rezone a parcel of land on Victoria Street, the extension of Thornhill Street East of the First Street intersection, has been unanimously defeated. 

The motion put to the floor by Councilor Nancy Penner at the December 30th council meeting read: 

"BE IT RESOLVED that Council of the City of Morden give 2nd reading to By-law No. 15-2022, being a by-law to rezone Lot 2, Plan 59638 & Lot 6, Plan 2020 in the City of Morden." 

Alex and Anna Gadaiev arrived in Canada on the last plane to leave Ukraine for Canada almost 11 months ago. Their family has started a new life in Morden, Man., and Alex and his daughter Maiia shared their thoughts on their first Julian Calendar Christmas in Canada. 

In places like Ukraine, many people still follow the old Julian Calendar for religious holidays, including the Catholic and Orthodox churches.

Alex explained there were some adjustments they needed to make.  

Like many looking back on 2022, MLA for Midland Blaine Pedersen stated the most notable part of 2022 was the eventful Winter and Spring start to the year, coming out of a drought situation, with lots of snow and storms, leading into overland flooding in Spring, he remarked, from which they are still rebuilding.

He noted another big impact on people over the year.