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1946 – 2026 Watching Steinbach Grow – Downtown mall sold to Westfair Foods

Wes Keating 3 minute read 2:55 PM CDT

OCTOBER 13, 1997—After 33 years of working overtime in the grocery business, Wally Penner will be taking some extra time off, a few days before his youngest daughter gets married.

The wedding just happens to be planned for the week Westfair Foods will take over as new owners of Economy Supermarket and Shoppers Plaza, Oct. 23.

Penner, who came to Steinbach from Winkler as a meat cutter at age 18, said he has no immediate plans for his retirement. He and his wife, Sylvia, will be staying in Steinbach where they have raised their family, the community they have called home for the past 33 years.

The store, which now occupies 18,000 square feet of a 32,000 sq. ft. mall, has gone through many changes over the years, Penner said.

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DSFM schools duke it out for Zone 13 softball championship

Cassidy Dankochik 3 minute read Preview

DSFM schools duke it out for Zone 13 softball championship

Cassidy Dankochik 3 minute read 12:00 PM CDT

Throughout the Zone 13 Softball championships, Collège Régional Gabrielle-Roy and École Saint-Joachim schools had a competitive advantage. They were able to shout instructions to their players in French to keep their cards close to their chest.

That wasn’t the case in the final, as St Joachim defeated Gab-Roy 10-6 to claim the Zone 13 softball championships. Four Division scolaire franco-manitobaine schools were represented in the final, with Les Roys teaming up to field a co-op team with Pointe-des-Chênes and the Braves playing alongside Réal-Bérard.

“It’s the first time in probably 20 years two DSFM teams were in the finals in Zone 13,” St Joachim head coach Pat Tetreault said after the game.

“Hats off to their team, and I’m proud of my bunch for stepping up. Two little schools competing against some pretty big schools and we’re not done.”

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12:00 PM CDT

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COLUMN: Arts and Culture – Check out the K.R. Barkman Concerts in the Park

Steinbach Arts Council 3 minute read 11:46 AM CDT

The Steinbach Arts Council’s favorite free outdoor tradition is back! The 2026 K.R. Barkman Concerts in the Park series brings performing arts to the gazebo every week through June 17.

Concerts begin at 6:30 pm at KR Barkman Park (Main Street, southeast of the fire hall). Grab your lawn chairs or a blanket and enjoy live performances at the park!

2026 concert schedule

May 20 – Southern Sound, 4given Quartet, New Covenant Quartet

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COLUMN: On Parliament Hill – Extortion: A growing problem

Ted Falk, MP for Provencher 4 minute read 8:32 AM CDT

Growing up in Canada, extortion was not a crime I often heard about. Today, however, it is appearing frequently in Canadian news and police reports. Extortion is defined as “the act of obtaining money, property, or services through coercion, violence, or threats.” Usually, the criminal offense employs intimidation tactics forcing the individual(s) to do something against their will.

According to Surrey Police in British Columbia, there has been a staggering 2,400 percent increase in extortion during the first three months of 2026, and a 300 percent increase in shots fired year over year.

That’s why this past weekend, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre was in Surrey addressing growing public concerns about crime in Canada. Across B.C., violent crime has risen by nearly 50 percent, sexual assaults have increased 95 percent, and extortion has skyrocketed 481 percent in the last decade. However, the growing challenge isn’t unique to Surrey. Since 2015, Canada has experienced a 55 percent increase in violent crime and a 330 percent surge in extortion.

In his statement, Mr. Poilievre referred to the Liberal “catch-and-release” legislation. He stated that “Liberal bill C-75 weakened bail by telling police and judges to release accused criminals at the earliest opportunity and under the least restrictive conditions. Bill C-5 reduced sentences for serious crimes including drug trafficking, extortion with a firearm, and robbery with a firearm.”

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LGBTQ+ survey the first of its kind in the province looks at state of queer community

Svjetlana Mlinarevic 8 minute read Preview

LGBTQ+ survey the first of its kind in the province looks at state of queer community

Svjetlana Mlinarevic 8 minute read Yesterday at 11:08 PM CDT

Two recently released surveys found the majority of polled Manitobans are largely supportive of the LGBTQ+ community, but findings show there is still more to do to bring about inclusion and acceptance.

Rainbow Resource Centre’s landmark, The State of LGBTQ+ Communities in Manitoba, surveys are the first of their kind in the province to look at how queer people experience community, safety, inclusion, and allyship.

Wanting to see how many queer and queer-adjacent (people who are very close to someone who is part of the queer community) people there are in the province, Rainbow polled Manitobans and found the population to be sitting at about 250,000, yet only about 5,000 were being serviced by Rainbow annually.

“We thought, ‘Wow, where’s the rest of them? What is it that we need to offer to ensure that the queer community is thriving and not just surviving?’ And so that kind of got us thinking about how do we ask that question and all of the other questions we want to know about. So, the seed of this survey was to really figure out what do queer folks need to thrive instead of just survive,” said Rainbow executive director Noreen Mian.

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Yesterday at 11:08 PM CDT

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COLUMN: Grey Matters – The love around us

Gary Dyck 3 minute read Yesterday at 8:56 PM CDT

“Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.” Romans 12:15

Welcome to a two-part series with two powerful stories. Last week we looked at how there is more pain around us and we should be ready to ‘mourn with those who mourn.’ This week we look at how there is more love for us to rejoice in than we realize. Such knowledge should soften our hearts and attitudes as we go about our day. I received the following story from fellow chaplain Gary Blaine in his book I am Here for You:

“The story is told of the little girl who was busy wrapping a large box, about the size of a liquor box. The eight year old was using gold wrapping paper. She was almost finished when her father came home from work. He looked at her project and exclaimed, “What are you doing? Don’t you realize how expensive gold wrapping paper is? How can you be so wasteful?” He stormed off to his study.

The next morning at breakfast the father was drinking his coffee and reading the newspaper. He was a little embarrassed about his profusion of anger the night before when his daughter approached him. She presented him with the box wrapped in gold paper. “Here, Daddy, this is a gift for you.”

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New exhibit launched at MHV gala

Greg Vandermeulen 3 minute read Preview

New exhibit launched at MHV gala

Greg Vandermeulen 3 minute read Yesterday at 5:02 PM CDT

Attendees that were part of a full house gathered for the Mennonite Heritage Village gala on May 22 had their first look at a brand-new exhibit.

Titled Mennonite Medicine: Cures + Curiosities – 1800 to 1850, the exhibit was a long time coming for senior curator Garth Doerksen.

He told the crowd that they began working on this a year ago and were determined not to make the topics so broad that they couldn’t be explored and instead focus on specific topics.

“Distilling those topics that are carved down to about 125 words on a panel is a significant challenge,” he said. “Every word matters.”

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Yesterday at 5:02 PM CDT

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SRSS win Zone 13 baseball banner in dramatic fashion

Cassidy Dankochik 3 minute read Preview

SRSS win Zone 13 baseball banner in dramatic fashion

Cassidy Dankochik 3 minute read Yesterday at 5:00 PM CDT

Since the 2018 season, the Steinbach Regional Secondary School Sabres have dominated the Zone 13 baseball diamonds. The Sabres have yet to lose a game in either the league or the championship tournament, en route to banner win after banner win.

The team got their toughest test in years this season, but managed to overcome the Saint-Joachim Braves to win the final 6-5, thanks to a walk-off single from Grade 9 student Kyler Verestiuk.

“Every year is exciting but when you win in walk-off fashion, it’s obviously a little different,” Brandt said.

“That was a fun moment.”

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Yesterday at 5:00 PM CDT

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1946 – 2026 Watching Steinbach Grow – Downtown shopping centre sold again

Wes Keating 2 minute read Preview

1946 – 2026 Watching Steinbach Grow – Downtown shopping centre sold again

Wes Keating 2 minute read Yesterday at 2:53 PM CDT

JULY 6, 1977—The Steinbach Shopping Centre, reportedly sold a month ago, has been sold again. At the same time, Stylerite Foods of Steinbach is taking over the Family Fare Foods supermarket under a new name.

The complex changeover took effect Monday and reduces the number of major food stores in town to two.

Under terms of this latest transaction, the shopping centre has been purchased from Merchants Consolidated and several local investors, who bought the complex from Jedman Investments a few weeks ago.

New owners of the 35,000 sq. ft. centre are Ernie Dyck of Steinbach, Max Gladstone of Winnipeg and Winkler, A.L. Friesen of Winkler and another Winnipeg associate. Friesen is a brother to Stylerite Foods manager Harry Friesen of Steinbach and operates a large grocery outlet in Winkler. Each of the new owners holds a 25 percent share.

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Yesterday at 2:53 PM CDT

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Carillon Sultans off to hot start in MJBL and fundraising

Cassidy Dankochik 2 minute read Preview

Carillon Sultans off to hot start in MJBL and fundraising

Cassidy Dankochik 2 minute read Yesterday at 12:00 PM CDT

The back-to-back Manitoba Junior Baseball League champions Carillon Sultans are back on the field, preparing for another memorable season.

The team is 5-0 to start the year. They earned the right to represent the province at nationals in Windsor, Ont. with their 2025 championship win. The team got a head start on fundraising last season, but are still looking for support.

They’re hosting a trivia night at St Adolphe Community Club June 5 to support their fundraising efforts. The cost is $240 per team.

Head coach Don Meilleur, who has taken over for Rick Penner this season, said the team was also planning on doing another raffle this season, with tickets to go on sale soon.

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Yesterday at 12:00 PM CDT

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Feds reject Steinbach Airport push for U.S. air traffic

Matthew Frank 5 minute read Preview

Feds reject Steinbach Airport push for U.S. air traffic

Matthew Frank 5 minute read Yesterday at 11:42 AM CDT

Federal border officials have rejected Steinbach’s request last month to turn its airport into a port of entry and accept aircraft directly flying from the United States.

The Canada Border Services Agency denied the city’s application on April 27 to get the designation, according to Steinbach officials. The nearest aircraft ports of entry to Steinbach are in Winkler and Winnipeg.

The port of entry application was under the federal CANPASS program, which allows low-risk, pre-aproved travellers from the U.S. to land in Canada at designated airports.

Steinbach administration filed the application in June 2025 on behalf of the Steinbach Flying Club, which operates the airport day-to-day, said Adam Thiessen, the city’s corporate services manager. The application was the first time the airport sought the designation.

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Yesterday at 11:42 AM CDT

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Feds looking for input for men and boys’ health strategy

Svjetlana Mlinarevic 6 minute read Yesterday at 8:30 AM CDT

The federal government has released a survey asking for input from people regarding the current state of men and boys’ mental and physical health with the goal of developing a national strategy. The initiative has researchers and advocates applauding the move, with one non-profit saying the situation with men’s health is at a crossroads and men are in crisis.

“Men are in a real crisis right now. (About) 4,000 men (are) disappearing in Canada every single year, that’s not a good state for society or the Canadian population as a whole,” said Kenton Boston, president and CEO of the Canadian Men’s Health Foundation (CMHF), who was elated that the federal government is taking this initiative, something it has already done for women and girls and has already created a strategy for them.

Last December, Minister of Health Marjorie Michel announced plans to launch a federal men’s health strategy in 2026 after participating in a men’s round table. In February of this year, the government released its men and boys’ survey.

“We invite everyone to join this conversation. Men, young adults, boys, partners, families, friends and communities can share their experiences and ideas,” stated a Health Canada spokesperson in an email.

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Spring Twist Off comes to Grunthal

Greg Vandermeulen 1 minute read Preview

Spring Twist Off comes to Grunthal

Greg Vandermeulen 1 minute read Sunday, May. 31, 2026

The first bull riding event of the season is coming to the Hanover Ag Exhibition Park in Grunthal.

Competitors will take on the eight-second challenge in the Keystone Agri-Motive Livestock Arena as part of the annual Spring Twist Off event.

Not only will the best bull riding be on display, but the event will also feature a barrel riding showdown.

The event will also conclude with the Party in the Dirt social featuring music by Big Show Productions.

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Sunday, May. 31, 2026

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Manitoba RCMP launch direct notification system pilot project

Matthew Frank 4 minute read Sunday, May. 31, 2026

Manitoba RCMP are launching a pilot project to test a new public-safety alert system that can send direct notifications to several communities, including three from the Southeast.

The new system will send alerts from local RCMP detachments by text messages, phone calls or email to residents who register for the optional program, using software from U.S.-based Rave Mobile Safety.

Starting on May 21, detachments in Norway House, Thompson, Dauphin, Winnipegosis, Beausejour and Oakbank, Morris and Emerson and Ste Rose will have access to the service. The pilot project will run for three months and be evaluated on whether to expand to all of Manitoba’s detachments.

The system will send alerts regarding public safety advisories, requests for public assistance, missing persons, traffic or road conditions, crime prevention and other community updates.

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SPORTS FLASHBACK 1995: La Broquerie teen excels at cricket

Wes Keating 4 minute read Preview

SPORTS FLASHBACK 1995: La Broquerie teen excels at cricket

Wes Keating 4 minute read Sunday, May. 31, 2026

Eighteen-year-old Andrew Amsden of La Broquerie is consumed with cricket, and for good reason. The 1995 graduate of the Steinbach Regional Secondary School, who emigrated to Canada from Britain with his family in 1989, spent the summer playing for Canada’s Under 19 National Cricket Team.

While Amsden’s classmates at the SRSS naturally are more familiar and more concerned with sports such as volleyball, basketball, hockey, baseball, or perhaps curling, Amsden is ensconced in cricket, and understandably so.

For the uninitiated, according to the dictionary, “cricket is a game played with a ball and solid wood bat by two sides of 11 players on a grass field centering on two wickets, each defended in turn by a batsman.”

The rules of cricket make it a complex game for the outsider.

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Sunday, May. 31, 2026

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Music heralds the onset of summer

Greg Vandermeulen 2 minute read Preview

Music heralds the onset of summer

Greg Vandermeulen 2 minute read Sunday, May. 31, 2026

The K.R. Barkman Concerts in the Park series is underway, and just like in past years, a wide variety of musical styles are on display during the twice weekly performances.

“This year’s schedule features seven performance dates, showcasing a mix of established community favourites and fresh, emerging voices,” the Steinbach Arts Council said in a press release. “The performer lineup reflects the wide range of talent within the Southeast, featuring genres from acapella vocal, country rock, southern gospel and classical instrumental to professional theatre.”

So far this season crowds have taken in Southern Sound, 4given Quartet, New Covenant Quartet, Matt Zimmerman and The Academy.

Upcoming concerts include the Southeast Brass Quintet on May 28, KW Duo and Looking Glass Theatre on June 3, Above Bass, Jon Stoesz and the Chammartin Family on June 9, the Darryl Marsch Band and Crossfire on June 11 and Jess & Janice and P-Noise on June 17.

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Sunday, May. 31, 2026

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