Candace Derksen

2024 saw Altona Town Council make plenty of strides on its newly minted strategic plan. 

According to a year-end interview with Mayor Harv Schroeder, there was particular focus placed on the group's priority area of Practicing Good Environmental Stewardship. 

This includes moving ahead to establish an Urban Forestry Management Plan which will provide both strategic and operational next steps for the Town of Altona.

"We're hoping we can implement it in 2025, but it's a long-term plan, a twenty-year plan," explained Schroeder. 

The Town of Altona and Municipality of Rhineland continue to wait for the Province to approve a traffic study they feel could help resolve the Highway 30 access management issue.

A 10-year-old boy has died following snowmobile crash Sunday evening on a private property just north of Rosebank in the R.M. of Thompson.
    
According to RCMP, the boy was operating a snowmobile with a group of family members when he side-swiped a fence, losing control of the snowmobile and colliding with a tree. Police say he was wearing a helmet and other safety equipment at the time of the crash.
    
The boy was brought to hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries.
    

Family and friends are mourning the loss of philanthropist and entrepreneur, John Buhler.

Originally from Morden, Buhler purchased Standard Gas Engine Works in 1969 and renamed it Farm King Limited. By 1994, it had grown into a farm equipment empire that would eventually become Buhler Industries.

Not only was John a visionary entrepreneur, but he, along with his wife Bonnie, was also among Manitoba's most generous philanthropists.

In 2011, he said, “I’m a dreamer. From dreams, you get ideas, and from ideas you set goals. Goals need to be visualized.” 

A memorial playground is starting to take shape, honouring the five lives taken in February's tragic homicides in Carman.
    
Six local groups have banded together to refurbish a facility in the northwest corner of town as a tribute to Amanda Clearwater, her three young children and teenage niece.

The countdown is on till Christmas, and 22 per cent of respondents to a recent PembinaValleyOnline poll said they were still scrambling to find gift ideas.

After running short staffed for most of the year, the Altona Police Service is back to full strength.
    
Hired in July, Constables Brent Krahn and Xerxes Tabunar have now completed their recruit training and graduated from the Saskatchewan Police College on December 13th. This brings the department back up to its full contingent of five constables, one corporal, one sergeant and one chief. 

Indications are for potential near-normal to below-normal spring runoff across Manitoba basins next year.

However, the extent of spring runoff is largely dependent on precipitation throughout the winter and spring and snowmelt conditions. The 2025 spring flood outlook will be released in the later weeks of February and March.

Lisa Lehmann says she was surprised and honoured to hear Premier Wab Kinew had selected her for the King Charles III Coronation Medal. 

Initially a founder and board member of Carman Wellness Connections, Lehman was most recently hired as the group's Coordinator. It is her dedication to making life better for the area's most vulnerable community members through this organization that earned her this recent recognition.

After nearly two decades leading the Western School Division (WSD) as Superintendent, Stephen Ross will be retiring next year. 

"Stephen's been a cornerstone of our division. He's been an incredible leader. I think he brought a genuine care and genuine interest for education to the position," said Darcy Wolfe, Chair of the Board of Trustees. 

According to Wolfe, Ross is the longest-serving school division superintendent in Manitoba and believes WSD has been incredibly fortunate to have his leadership during times of growth and change.