COLUMN: The Carillon Flashback November 28, 2002 – Straw burner slashes barn heating costs

The owner of a Landmark-area poultry farm expects a new $150,000 heating system will easily be worth the investment.

Ron Penner of Primrose Farm anticipates the Rama Biomass Gasifier, which uses waste straw as heating fuel, to save $60,000 in heating costs annually.

A three million British Thermal Unit (BTU) per hour heating system developed by Vidir Biomass Inc. of Arborg was unveiled in a grand opening ceremony at the farm.

On hand for the occasion was Industry and Trade Minister MaryAnn Mihychuk, who pointed out the newly developed heating system takes advantage of a readily available resource in the form of waste straw. In the process, it eliminates the straw without the need for farmers to burn it in the field.

Hanover Soccer Club’s MMSL seasons off to slow start

The Hanover Kickers haven’t had much luck to start their Manitoba Major Soccer League Division 1 season.

Home games on June 2 and 9 were both cancelled due to lightning, with a 1-0 lead against Bonivital 2 eliminated due to the weather.

“Better that it happens early in the season so you have chances to re-schedule than late in the season when everybody is wanting to move on with life,” Kickers manager Brian Froese said, noting the make-up games have already been set.

“It’s good to see the league is really on top it this year.”

Bethesda becomes one of four hospitals in the province to get specialized device to help patients breathe, swallow

Bethesda Regional Health Centre is one of four hospitals in the province to have a specialized device that helps patients to breathe, swallow and prevent illness.

On Tuesday, speech and language pathologist (SLP) Camryn Turton demonstrated the device and said it was a “game changer.”

“This is a total game changer (at Bethesda) and it makes me excited for the future,” she said.

The FEES System, fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing system, is the gold standard along with fluoroscopy. FEES uses an endoscope that is about five millimetres wide with a camera and light at the tip, to enter the throat through the patient’s nose stopping at the vocal cords, to see how the patient swallows. The procedure is done with patients who have difficulty swallowing or breathing due to illness, injury, or weak throat muscles.

SPORTS FLASHBACK 2002: Vita soccer team beats the odds

There are celebrations this week at Vita’s Shevchenko School as the Sabres claimed the Provincial Rural High School Boys’ Provincial Soccer Championship last weekend at St Laurent.

Shevchenko lost the provincial final to Zone 4 rival Garden Valley of Winkler last fall in Winkler, and went through a so-so regular season this year, compiling a 3-2-3 (W/L/D) record in league play, finishing in sixth place overall.

It was in the zone playoffs the Sabres found their mark. In the quarterfinals, Shevchenko got by Altona 1-0, as Kris Driedger scored the winner in overtime. This set the stage for the semi-final match-up against the defending champions and heavily favored squad from Winkler. With only 125 students from grades 9-12 at Shevchenko, Garden Valley has a decided advantage with 950 students.

Undaunted, Shevchenko battled the powerful Zodiacs from Winkler to a 1-1 draw after regulation, with Tim Thiessen scoring for the Sabres. Fifteen minutes of extra time didn’t settle it and the game was decided on penalty kicks, as Shevchenko outscored Garden Valley 3-2. Penalty kick goal scorers for Vita were Brad Waldner, Jeff Penner and Italian exchange student Alessandro Bondavalli.

AS I SEE IT COLUMN: The Stanley Cup finals were a nightmare for the Jets

For a Winnipeg Jets organization facing a lot of challenges after a really bad season, the recently completed Stanley Cup finals were horrible for the Jets in terms of lost opportunities.

Between seeing all the Manitobans playing high-profile roles with both the Las Vegas Knights and the Carolina Hurricanes, and watching Nikolaj Ehlers’s huge smile after all the playoff goals he scored and realizing we got nothing for him in a trade, Jets fans are left to ponder the agonizing question “what could have been?”

NIKOLAJ EHLERSAfter a season where the Jets struggled mightily to score goals, the loss of Ehlers turned out to be a way bigger issue than most thought when he first signed with the Canes.

Ehlers’ desire to leave calls into question how he was handled during his time with the Jets. He wanted to play on the first line and he wanted to play on the first power play unit. He wanted to play for a team where he would get those opportunities and compete for a cup.

DANKOCHIK’S DRAFTINGS: Charity hockey game a blast

The Premier Portable Buildings vs Lumberzone charity hockey game nearly came out of nowhere for me.

I was looking forward to it to be sure, but until I was sitting in the Southeast Event Centre actually taking it in, it didn’t hit me how cool the event was.

It didn’t really click until I saw Luke Mistelbacher absolutely dominating on a line with South East Manitoba Hockey League stars Brendan Harms and Braden Purtill. As a certified senior hockey aficionado, I didn’t put together the game was basically an SEMHL all-star game with some young gun ringers and former pros.

As soon as I saw that, I was hooked, and realized that hockey had been missing this sort of thing. Reading back in The Carillon archives and talking to Wes Keating (and reading his excellent book on the history of the Hanover-Tache Hockey League), it’s obvious all-star games for leagues were a mainstay when senior hockey was more of a thing.

Local MJHL players announce USports commitments

A pair of local Manitoba Junior Hockey League standouts will continue their playing careers at the USports level.

Lorette’s Thomas Phillips will be heading to York University and St Jean’s Sebastian Hicks will be suiting up for Western University.

The York Lions lost out on Niverville captain Adam Vigfusson after he got the call to go to St Cloud State in the NCAA. The Gimli product had previously committed to York.

It seems the Lions wanted some Niverville flair on their roster no matter what and called up the defenseman following Vigfusson’s departure.

MJHL announces 2026/2027 schedule

The start of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League season is just 91 days away, with the league announcing their full schedule for the year last week.

The defending league champion Niverville Nighthawks will be in action on Sept. 18, the opening night of the season as they host the Winnipeg Monarchs and celebrate their Turnbull Cup and Centennial Cup victories.

Winkler and Steinbach will renew their rivalry on the opening weekend, playing on back-to-back nights, with Steinbach’s home opener Sept. 19. The final regular season game of the year will be March 14.

The Pistons’ promotional schedule will be released in the middle of summer.

Sultans push past Pembina Valley in double-header

The Carillon Sultans managed to erase a shocking stumble last weekend, winning three games in three days to push themselves to the top of the Manitoba Junior Baseball League Standings.

The Altona Bisons put together one of the most shocking results of the MJBL season, defeating the first-place Sultans 11-10 June 10 for their first win of the season.

The Bisons have a minus-92 run difference so far this season, but managed to squeak out a narrow victory over championship favourites Carillon. The Sultans bounced back with a 16-4 victory over Altona June 12, then swept the Pembina Valley Orioles in a double-header at A.D. Penner Park June 14.

Fans were treated to a pair of entertaining games between the Orioles and Sultans. Carillon erased a 4-1 deficit in the late innings of the opening game of the double header, and managed a 1-0 walk-off victory later in the day.

1946 – 2026 Watching Steinbach Grow: Community projects catch eye of The Carillon camera

When it came to construction of new businesses, old businesses turned over to new owners, old businesses launching expansions, or any of the other dozens of projects on the go at all times in Steinbach, there was never a slow week for Carillon photographers.

Major projects, like a new hospital addition, the building of a new school, seniors’ retirement home, an auto dealership, or a new mall warranted a sod turning picture at the beginning of the project, lots of construction pictures during the project and the bringing out of the scissors for an official ribbon cutting when construction was completed.

And so it was that the progress of Steinbach from a tiny village to a major city has been captured by photographers at The Carillon, in slow motion so-to-speak.

And if a picture is worth a thousand words, the stories about the people involved was always good for a few thousand more. Since its very beginning in 1946, this weekly newspaper has made every effort to provide coverage not only of big events but also day-to-day happenings, and interesting articles about the people who made those things happen.

Hanover trustees pass motion to delegitimize mature minor designation

Trustees of the Hanover School Division have voted unanimously to move forward on creating a policy that would see parents exercising their control over their children’s health care and counselling in schools, even if they are mature minors.

During the school board meeting last week, trustee Cheryl Froese presented the motion to the board, where she stated a mature minor is like having a “cheeseless cheeseburger.”

“The words mature and minor go together about as well as a cheeseless cheeseburger in my mind,” Froese told the board.

“There is a privilege of being a minor. But to say that a minor can be mature enough to make health-care decisions, either physically or mentally, without a parent or legal guardian is absurd.”

Carillon Sports Second Shots: June 11th edition

Featuring photos from a lightning-cancelled Hanover Kickers game June 2, a Carillon Sultans Winnipeg Senior Baseball League game June 4, action from the MHSAA provincial soccer championships June 5/6 and an MJBL double-header June 7 between Carillon and St Boniface.

Transit plan delayed due to lack of city support

A lack of support by Steinbach city council has hurt advocates of Link Transit, who say fundraising and grant opportunities are being lost as a result.

Link Transit issued a press release highlighting the new logo for the proposed transit service for Steinbach, a result of a local contest.

The winning entry, designed by Vorobiov Roman, features the familiar Main Street clock tower with an image of a transit van.

But with a mission of providing reliable and affordable transit services to the residents of Steinbach, the organization said they’re missing the bus when it comes to grant opportunities due to city inaction.

Manitoba Trails Day marks Mennonite milestone at Niverville’s Hespeler Park

Ernie Braun can barely contain his excitement as he stands under the newly erected pergola located at the south entrance of Niverville’s Hespeler Park. Marking the Peace Trail waypoint of what was once the well-traveled Crow Wing Trail and the junction for several historically significant features, the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the interpretation kiosk attracted a noticeable crowd with several dignitaries on June 6.

Well ahead of the scheduled 11 a.m. opening ceremony, Braun set up the MC’s table for the head of the Manitoba Mennonite Historical Society, Ed Krahn, and garnished it with his own miniature Mennonite baby manger. The piece is hand made in the style and tradition of Mennonites who traveled the trail with just such stable-inspired furnishings, although today it swaddles programs and commemorative pens for the ceremony.

Manitoba’s annual Trails Day takes place on the first Saturday of June and helps celebrate the rich history of rural communities like Niverville, while also encouraging people to engage in the outdoors and practice active lifestyles.

This year’s Trail Day was notably special for the community of Niverville, and in particular for those who celebrate their Mennonite roots. The commissioning of the kiosk not only marks the historical significance of the Peace Trail but, as showcased through several information plaques mounted in the pergola, also denotes the history of the Mennonite people settling in this area.