Candace Derksen

The new MLA for Midland is eager to get to work and is excited to advocate for a positive vision for the constituency.
    
Progressive Conservative, Lauren Stone, scored over half of the 9,001 votes cast in the constituency in Tuesday's election with 6,228 votes. 

"I'm so excited and you know, just really incredibly honoured to the voters of Midland for placing their trust and their faith in me as their MLA," said Stone in a post-election interview. 

2023/24 student enrollment in the Border Land School Division (BLSD) is spot-on with predictions, so far. 
    
Expectations heading into the year pegged enrollment at 2,076.

Superintendent, Krista Curry, reported at the board's last meeting that BLSD had registered 2,076.5 full time equivalent students. Because kindergarten students attend classes part-time, each is considered a half time equivalent. 

Southern Health has confirmed the emergency department at Morris General Hospital will remain closed until further notice. The department was temporarily closed on September 1st following the sudden death of Dr. Anna Kolakowski to ensure the most pressing primary care needs were met. 

Southern Health-Sante Sud has confirmed the emergency department at Morris General Hospital will remain closed until further notice. The department was temporarily closed on September 1st following the sudden death of Dr. Anna Kolakowski to ensure the most pressing primary care needs were met. 

A Boil Water Advisory has been issued for a portion of the Morris Regional Public Water System under the Pembina Valley Water Co-op. The advisory is effective immediately.

According to the public notice sent to PembinaValleyOnline and all affected municipalities, routine monitoring indicated that treated water leaving the micro-filtration process didn’t meet regulatory standards. However, it must enter the distribution system. The Boil Water Advisory has been issued to ensure public health protection.

Affected areas are:

Town of Morris

Manitoba RCMP has confirmed the identities of the three people involved in Saturday's early morning murder-suicide in the R.M. of Morris. 

According to RCMP, 32-year-old Olaf Kolakowski shot and killed his 65-year-old mother, Dr. Anna Kolakowski, a physician at Morris General Hospital. Before turning the gun on himself, police say Olaf shot and injured his 59-year-old father, Mariusz Kolakowski. Mariusz was treated on scene for non-life-threatening injuries. 

The Reeve for the R.M. of Morris is urging motorists to use caution as they make their way through the municipality this summer. 

A set of stop lights has gone up at the intersection of PTH 75 and PR 205 as crews forge ahead with reconstruction of Highway 75's southbound lanes. 

Three action-packed days have kicked off in Morris with the Manitoba Stampede and Exhibition underway for another year!

Things got underway Thursday evening with a local celebration hosted by the Morris and District Chamber of Commerce. The Morris Fire Department hosted a bud, spud and steak dinner on the stampede grounds followed local business exhibitions and wrapped up with evening stage entertainment. 

The fun continues all weekend with activities for the whole family happening from dawn till dusk. 

Statistics Canada has revised the 2021 Census population and dwelling counts for the Town of Altona.
    
Council filed a dispute when the initial data was released last year and pegged the town's five-year growth at a mere 1.31%, and a population of 4,267 - an increase of only 55 people over five years. 

"Looking at the growth in the housing sector and across the community from 2016 to 2021, those numbers didn't line up with expectations and what we were seeing as far as growth," explained Mayor Harv Schroeder.

RCMP have arrested and charged a second person in relation to a string of bank robberies that happened this past winter. 
    
A 27-year-old man from the RM of Lac du Bonnet has been charged with one count of Robbery for his involvement in the heist in Lowe Farm on November 14th. He has been released from custody and is scheduled to appear in court in Emerson on September 14th.