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SPORTS FLASHBACK 1983: Pacers win bronze at Jr. fastball nationals

Wes Keating 3 minute read 5:00 PM CDT

The Steinbach A&W Pacers made good use of their second straight opportunity to represent Manitoba in the junior men’s national fastball championship, moving up the ladder to third place from their seventh-place finish of a year ago.

The Pacers travelled to Summerside, PEI and after a full week of competition, had a 6-2 record, with only Nova Scotia and Ontario proving to be better teams.

The Pacers opened play in the national championships with an extra-inning 4-1 win over Prince Edward Island, scoring three runs in the top of the eighth inning.

Steinbach then ran their record to 2-0, with a 10-inning victory over Alberta, highlighted by Randy Dutiaume’s solo home run that sent the game into extra innings. Jacques Levesque scored the winning run in that game, when he singled to lead off the 10th inning.

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AS I SEE IT COLUMN: Good riddance Connor Hellebuyck

James Loewen 4 minute read Preview

AS I SEE IT COLUMN: Good riddance Connor Hellebuyck

James Loewen 4 minute read 12:00 PM CDT

So Connor Hellebuyck, a goaltender known for spectacular regular season play and embarrassingly horrific post season play, finally went public with his demand to be traded from the Winnipeg Jets.

Nobody should lament the loss of a goaltender who has continually broken the hearts of Jets fans for many, many years.

Let’s leave aside the whole idea of him dishonouring the contract he willingly signed three years ago, when he promised Winnipeggers, Manitobans, the franchise, Jets fans and his teammates that he would play in Winnipeg for eight more years. He’s an American prima donna who clearly has no integrity and no desire to live up to the terms he negotiated and to which he signed his name.

We’ll leave his selfish, American entitlement on the shelf and discuss his trade request solely through the prism of his play on the ice.

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12:00 PM CDT

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COLUMN: Grey Matters – Why recollecting is important

Gary Dyck 4 minute read 11:51 AM CDT

“The hard truth is that the most basic aspect of our humanity is not our determination, our talents, or whatever we accomplished during last year’s resolutions. We are united by our fragility. We all need shelter because we are soft and mushy and irritable in the elements—and we will need so much more than a bank loan because, sooner or later, we are left exposed.” – Kate Bowler

When I was executive director at Mennonite Heritage Village (MHV), I had two types of people asking me about leaving a legacy. “What is the best way to leave a legacy?,” asked the first camp, while others asked, “Should we even try to leave a legacy? Isn’t that prideful?”

If it is about our individual efforts and heroics, then I would agree that sounds prideful. Further, it is extremely rare that a person carves out a legacy that lasts beyond one or two generations (why even try so hard, for something so fleeting). However, if we build into a communal legacy, it becomes much more certain to last as it will then be carried by the group to the next generation. Finally, if the focus of the legacy is on how God has helped our family, clan and people in the recent past and over the centuries while acknowledging our human shortfalls it fulfills what we see written throughout the Scriptures (see below).

Done well, there are several benefits in recollecting and commemorating our past:

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Sundown Gymkhana supports victims of child abuse

Greg Vandermeulen 4 minute read Preview

Sundown Gymkhana supports victims of child abuse

Greg Vandermeulen 4 minute read 8:35 AM CDT

The 22nd annual Sundown Gymkhana was another success, not just for organizers and the horse-loving public but for a non-profit that has a mission of helping children.

The Guardians of the Children makes it their mission to recognize and react to child abuse and educate the public to do the same, to serve as advocates to provide strength and stability to families in crisis, and to answer the prayer of an abused child or teen for courage, support, and protection.

For the third year, they have been the charitable organization that the gymkhana event helps promote and support.

Carla Campbell, one of the event’s organizers, said they were pleased with how the two-day event on Aug. 29 and 30 went.

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8:35 AM CDT

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Hellebuyck demands trade from Jets

2 minute read Preview

Hellebuyck demands trade from Jets

2 minute read Yesterday at 12:00 PM CDT

Steinbach-based player agent Ray Petkau ended months of speculation Aug. 27, releasing a statement from Connor Hellebuyck confirming the goaltender had requested a trade after the end fo the season.

“With training camp approaching, I felt it was important to publicly confirm my request,” Hellebuyck said in the statement.

“My position has not changed and and I believe moving on is the best path forward for me and my family.”

The goaltender signed an seven-year extension with an average salary of $8.5 million in 2023 with the Winnipeg Jets. That contract included a full no trade clause but TSN Hockey insider Chris Johnston reported Hellebuyck has a large list of teams he would accept a trade to.

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Yesterday at 12:00 PM CDT

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Mamma Mia! Here they go again!

Svjetlana Mlinarevic 1 minute read Preview

Mamma Mia! Here they go again!

Svjetlana Mlinarevic 1 minute read Yesterday at 11:53 AM CDT

Artista Academy is at it again as it has opened auditions for its production of Mamma Mia!

The Lumina production is open to performers in Grades 9 to 12 to audition for major and minor roles as well as the chorus in this production set in Greece to the music of 70s iconic band ABBA.

“It is a great honour to bring Mamma Mia! to the stage,” wrote artistic director Gabriela Gallo, founder of Artista Academy, in a press release. “This wonderful musical is a celebration of love, friendship, family, and the joy of life brought together through the unforgettable music of ABBA.”

Gallo is looking for a dynamic and diverse company of performers who can bring the story to life with energy, heart, and plenty of personality. Singers, actors, and dancers are encouraged to audition.

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Yesterday at 11:53 AM CDT

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COLUMN: Village News – September moments you won’t want to miss

Jaysa Thiessen 6 minute read Preview

COLUMN: Village News – September moments you won’t want to miss

Jaysa Thiessen 6 minute read Yesterday at 8:26 AM CDT

September at the Mennonite Heritage Village is both a celebration of the wonderful summer season we have had and the launch of our amazing fall and winter programming that is yet to come. Our event calendar for September is full of fascinating events for people of all interests and all ages. Memory-making at MHV isn’t relegated to the summer months – come make some wonderful memories at MHV this fall.

Fall on the Farm – Sept. 7

Our Fall on the Farm festival is an excellent way to get one last taste of summer while also participating in classic fall activities. We’ve got an amazing lineup of fall themed activities including fresh corn on the cob, a seed-saving demonstration, a hog butchering demonstration and a pork auction. Alongside this, we are excited to host cultural performances and cultural food vendors in the Peter Barkman Summer Pavilion. Of course, what would an MHV event be without our classic pioneer demonstrations? It’s such an honour for us to be able to keep history alive through demonstrations and interpretation. If you’ve always wanted to see a threshing machine in action, a blacksmith working in the forge, or a printer working on a 1909 printing press, step back in time and come to the village.

We will also be hosting our first ever Old Tyme Parade at 12:30 p.m. on Sept. 7 as a part of our Fall on the Farm programming. This parade will feature our amazing volunteers dressed up in costume, the steam engine, a team of horses, and some other fun features. The parade will run down the Main Street of the Mennonite Heritage Village. Fall on the Farm is a great way to celebrate the last weekend of summer and the start of fall and we hope to see you there.

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Yesterday at 8:26 AM CDT

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Honk challenge celebrates truckers

Greg Vandermeulen 1 minute read Friday, Sep. 4, 2026

A Morris insurance company is continuing a local tradition to honour truckers and make National Trucking Week one to be celebrated.

Rempel Insurance is hosting a honk challenge on Sept. 11.

From 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., the special event takes place outside Rempel Insurance.

“Come hock, cheer, and thank our incredible truck drivers,” they said in a Facebook post advertising the event. “Let’s fill the street with noise and appreciation.”

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Providence athletics set for campus return

Cassidy Dankochik 4 minute read Preview

Providence athletics set for campus return

Cassidy Dankochik 4 minute read Friday, Sep. 4, 2026

Manitoba Colleges Athletic Conference volleyball and basketball action is returning to Otterburne.

Providence College is planning on bringing athletics back to their campus on a full-time basis. For the past five seasons the college has hosted volleyball and basketball games at the Niverville Resource and Rec Centre.

Last season saw the return of futsal (a soccer-like sport played on a basketball court) to campus. Pilots soccer plays on fields in Otterburne (season opener Sept. 12).

Providence’s volleyball teams will make their return Oct. 23 and the basketball team will be in action Nov. 7.

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Friday, Sep. 4, 2026

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Stuartburn reeve seeking re-election, Gawronsky: ‘This isn’t a job for me. This is a passion.’

Svjetlana Mlinarevic 5 minute read Preview

Stuartburn reeve seeking re-election, Gawronsky: ‘This isn’t a job for me. This is a passion.’

Svjetlana Mlinarevic 5 minute read Friday, Sep. 4, 2026

RM of Stuartburn Reeve Michelle Gawronsky is running for re-election and she says there are projects she wants to see completed going forward and that being reeve is more than a job for her.

“This isn’t a job for me. This is a passion,” she said.

Gawronsky wants to run again because she said council is in the middle of getting work done that she wants to see come to completion, such as paving the roads so that semi-trailers can travel down them which will bring in business and with that tourism.

She said the re-paving of Highway 209 is complete and people can now travel over the bridge.

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Friday, Sep. 4, 2026

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COLUMN: Carillon Flashback August 17, 1983 – Elsie’s Tolstoi Hotel no longer ‘men-only’

Wes Keating 4 minute read Preview

COLUMN: Carillon Flashback August 17, 1983 – Elsie’s Tolstoi Hotel no longer ‘men-only’

Wes Keating 4 minute read Friday, Sep. 4, 2026

Another stronghold of traditional male dominance fell, as women’s liberation scored a long-awaited victory at the old Tolstoi Hotel.

Owner Elsie Kolodzinski invited friends, family and visitors to her hotel bar for a three-day “opening.” Although the small, homey facility has housed one of the province’s few remaining men-only beer parlors for the past 41 years, it was finally reintroduced as a mixed beverage room last Tuesday.

The historic, quaint and picturesque establishment, complete with its old-fashioned beer parlor, has been written up in numerous travel brochures and guides, newspapers and books. Elsie and Walter bought and moved into the hotel a year after they were married and have been operating it ever since.

Although Elsie experienced a difficult emotional and physical setback after her husband of 43 years died suddenly of a massive heart attack a few days before his 69th birthday, she has now decided to carry on the business with the help of friends and family.

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Friday, Sep. 4, 2026

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COLUMN: View from the Legislature – Nostalgia is not a plan

Kelvin Goertzen, MLA for Steinbach 4 minute read Friday, Sep. 4, 2026

For many years I had the honour of serving as the Canadian co-chair of the Midwest Canada-U.S. Relations Committee. During that time, I worked with hundreds of U.S. state senators and members of state legislatures. Whether on trade, security, tariffs or other cross border issues, I was always confident in the longstanding relationship that exists between our two great nations. That isn’t to say there weren’t challenges during my time on the committee. Challenges related to country-of-origin labelling, BSE disease and the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (which became CUSMA) were just some of the significant issues.

But through all those challenges it always felt that at the core of our discussions was a mutual desire to see the long-standing partnership between our two countries continue. And it was always described by elected officials on both sides of the border as a partnership, one where we built things together. Today it seems there is a desire for many American lawmakers to view Canada less as a partner in business and more as a competitor.

Those who know of my long-time involvement in the Canada-U.S. Relations Committee have asked me if I am surprised by the current state of relations between our two countries. And, truthfully, I am. Very. There is little that I experienced in my decade working with American and Canadian lawmakers that would have led be to believe that the relationship could deteriorate not only so much, but so quickly.

To be clear, in many ways the relationship between Americans and Canadians remains strong. This is demonstrated in many ways. One small example was the strong reception that the marching band from the University of North Dakota received at the Blue Bomber game this past week where they were performing at half time. Some worried that they might not be warmly received and yet Manitobans showed the class that one would expect.

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COLUMN: On Parliament Hill – No prayer allowed

Ted Falk, MP for Provencher 4 minute read Friday, Sep. 4, 2026

A relatively quiet government directive affecting the Canadian Armed Forces was issued in July 2026. Despite receiving little public fanfare, it deserves our attention.

The prime minister and the Liberal government are attacking faith—especially the Christian faith.

The policy directive intends to, “define the boundaries of appropriate language, actions, and symbols during military ceremonies and gatherings.” What that means in plain language is that in the name of inclusivity, “religious specific language” is excluded. An example of what language is now excluded is the word God.

The directive offers exceptions. Some liturgical references can be used for instruction and education. But that’s only for the purpose of understanding those traditions. The other exception is with Indigenous spiritual practices being inserted into public services for cultural and reconciliation purposes.

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Niverville holds climate action plan open house to get resident feedback

Svjetlana Mlinarevic 8 minute read Preview

Niverville holds climate action plan open house to get resident feedback

Svjetlana Mlinarevic 8 minute read Thursday, Sep. 3, 2026

The Town of Niverville held an open house last week to get input from residents to its proposed climate action plan, which shows residents how climate change will impact the town’s infrastructure and what might be done to address the affects of climate change.

Town manager of engineering Daniel Wiebe said grants from the federal government (Green Municipal Fund) and provincial government (Climate Action Fund) were used to hire consultants to create the plan.

“It was a great opportunity to further not only our asset management system, but also our climate resilience as well. We hired some consultants, they put this plan together for us just to show us where our assets may be at risk and what we can do about it,” said Wiebe.

The plan has been in the works since last fall when the town conducted a community climate survey, but director of communications and public relations Cyrus Reimer said council and administration have been discussing the impact of climate change on infrastructure for about two to three years. Wiebe said action was taken now because of funding.

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Thursday, Sep. 3, 2026

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Hanover councillor running for third term, says he’s committed

Svjetlana Mlinarevic 4 minute read Preview

Hanover councillor running for third term, says he’s committed

Svjetlana Mlinarevic 4 minute read Thursday, Sep. 3, 2026

Ward 1 Coun. Travis Doerksen is running for his third term on council and he said it was a fairly easy decision for him to make.

“I had support from my family and a lot of the ratepayers. So yeah, it was an easy decision for me. I’m running because I think there’s still a lot left to do in Hanover,” said Doerksen.

Some of the projects that this council has worked on that have been beneficial for Ward 1 have been the new rec centre in New Bothwell, a new outdoor rink and cover, and the establishment of the New Bothwell LUD, which is in its first term. Doerksen also noted there have been a lot of sidewalks and trees planted in New Bothwell as well that have benefited the community.

Projects that are currently in the works in the RM include the Grunthal Arena and the Red Seine Rat Wastewater Treatment plant just north of Niverville. What is really exciting for Doerksen in regards to Ward 1, and the RM as a whole, is drainage. He said the RM is currently working on a drainage master plan.

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Thursday, Sep. 3, 2026

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Icebreaker in Morris featured star-studded finals

4 minute read Preview

Icebreaker in Morris featured star-studded finals

4 minute read Thursday, Sep. 3, 2026

The action inside the Morris Curling Club was as hot as the weather last weekend, as the club hosted their annual Manitoba Curling Tour “Icebreaker Challenge” event, attracting teams with Olympic dreams.

The tournament drew some of the game’s rising stars, with 2026 world junior champions Team Hebert defeating fellow American rink Team Dunnam in the men’s final Aug. 30.

A four-point outburst in the third end after Dunnam’s final stone of the end slid to the back of the house was more than enough for the Eau Claire, Wisconsin based rink to take home top prize.

Hebert was aggressive from the beginning, throwing early guards in each end before the big breakthrough in the third.

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Thursday, Sep. 3, 2026

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