“I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all you are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity.” 1 Timothy 2:1–2

“Seek the peace and prosperity of the city you are in.” Jeremiah 29:7

As July opens before us, warm with light and long with days, let us intentionally step into it with hope - seeking to live it well.

July begins with celebration. Canada Day arrives like a song of gratitude - flags lifted, laughter shared, neighbors gathered. We find ourselves outdoors again with friends - around the barbecue, the fire and the lake (or the flicker of the TV if Canada is still in the World Cup). July invites us to be together.

Abibliophobia is a humorous term for a fear of running out of reading material. To prevent you from experiencing abibliophobia this summer, here is my annual list of great reads to enjoy in July and August.

Two of my favourite authors released new books in June. Both are beautifully written stories that look at family relationships. Whistler by Ann Patchett explores how a car accident in a woman’s childhood impacted her whole life and her relationship with her stepfather. Elizabeth Strout’s latest novel, The Things We Never Say, reminds us that, even in the closest families, most people have secrets, doubts and burdens they can’t share with those they love.

There’s been a flurry of popular books recently that have older women as their protagonists. We may think, as people age, their lives get lonelier and less rich and meaningful. But just the opposite thing happens to Sybil, a retired law clerk in the novel The Correspondent by Virginia Evans, and Veronica, a former real estate investor in the book How The Penguins Saved Veronica. For Sybil, it is her correspondence with all kinds of interesting people that brings about a major life change, and in Veronica’s case, it is her interest in a penguin research facility in Antarctica.

I like to feature local authors in my annual summer reading roundup. David Bergen, a Niverville native, released his twelfth novel this year. It’s a bit of a departure from his other books, although his ability to stir emotion and suspense with his spare, unembellished style is still fully present. Days of Feasting and Rejoicing, set in Thailand, has mouth-watering descriptions of food. The authors’ detailed account of murder and its cover-up is spine-tingling! I was riveted by Children Like Us, Métis physician Brittany Penner’s memoir about her childhood in Steinbach. The title refers to Indigenous children who were adopted or fostered by white families.

If you have ever taken the “behind the scenes” tour of the Manitoba legislature, the one that takes you to the roof of the building and up near the Golden Boy, you may have noticed a strange display. After climbing the first enclosed spiral staircase that takes you to the roof level of the building, the first thing you saw, until recently, was a folding table that had heavy pieces of brick and ornaments displayed on it.

These were prominent pieces of the building that had fallen off over the years and were strategically placed to remind those who saw them, that the 100-year-old structure was in need of significant repair. The Manitoba legislature is among the most beautiful legislatures in Canada (I would rank it at the top), but like everything, it needs to be maintained. While some interior work had been done in recent decades, I was glad when the former Progressive Conservative government announced that it had created a restoration fund that dedicated $10 million per year for 10 years to restore the buildings exterior and interior. I was also very glad that it was not a political issue and had widespread support. After all, you either fix the building, or you end up having to tear it down and build something else. And all agreed that the Manitoba Legislature should be maintained for generations to come.

Which brings us to the current state of 24 Sussex Drive. For 75 years, this has been the Ottawa residence of the prime minister. Yet, the last prime minister to occupy it was Stephen Harper. Following his tenure, it was declared unsafe to reside in due to mould, asbestos and lead contamination. It was also seen as having electrical and security deficiencies. To be clear, the current state of 24 Sussex is not a finger-pointing exercise. All political parties can take some responsibility for not seeing the need to maintain the official residence of Canada’s prime minister. As a G7 country, it should be a place of some national pride, but also a working residence that is fit to host other world leaders and help conduct the business of the nation. But it is far from that now, needing tens of millions of dollars in repairs.

So what to do with it? Should Canadians love it or list it?

The Municipality of Emerson-Franklin was one of four communities to benefit from a June provincial announcement of funding for four already completed projects.

Emerson-Franklin was given $1.4 million to go towards the municipality’s $2.8 million sewer and water renewals project. That project renewed 1,150 metres of sewer main and 250 metres of water main, including new hydrants, valves, manholes and service connections in Emerson.

That was nearly a third of the total announced funding of $4.3 million.

The largest funding amount of $1.67 million was given to the RM of St Francois Xavier for their rural water pipeline extension of 22,435 metres and 20 new rural service connections.

The victim of a fatal single vehicle collision is believed to have spent hours in the wreckage before police responded.

That’s because the SUV, which rolled after entering the ditch on Highway 405 near Lorette, was not noticed by other motorists.

St Pierre-Jolys RCMP said they received the report of the collision at 6:45 a.m. on June 28.

The vehicle was so severely damaged that police say they searched the area for the driver before returning to the wreck and finding him still in the SUV.

A Steinbach woman involved in a single-vehicle crash on June 14, 2024 was given a four-month conditional sentence, a two-year driving prohibition and $3,500 fine for “a series of bad decisions” at a court date on June 19.

Miriam Stoll, who is pregnant with her next child, appeared before Judge Stacey Cawley to receive the sentence for her guilty plea. Stoll, who was supported by her pastor and several members of her prayer group was visibly distraught and expressed her deep shame and remorse to the court for her actions.

The single-vehicle crash occurred as Stoll was travelling northbound on Highway 12, at speeds the police estimate to have been between 134 and 154 km/h, when her infant daughter began to fuss in the back seat and she lost control of the vehicle as she tried to comfort the child while she drove.

The crash, which had multiple witnesses, sent Stoll and her vehicle into the right-hand ditch and then rolled the vehicle back over the highway and into the left-hand ditch, coming to a stop on the vehicle’s roof. Bystanders recovered the infant found lying on the interior ceiling and cut Stoll from the smouldering wreckage.