On Friday, October 6, Your Grocery People (YGP) in Niverville celebrated their official grand opening with a community event that saw more than 2,000 people check out the store’s new state-of-the-art features—and enjoy free pork on a bun, a kids bouncy castle, door-crasher deals, draws for $5,000 in free groceries, Jets tickets, and more.

Merrick Sandulak has been a volunteer firefighter in Niverville for three years and has lived in town since 2000. After graduating from high school, he worked as a welder for three years.

Just how much does the average citizen know about their community fire department? We frequently see fire trucks and ambulances at the scenes of accidents and fires, but who are these first responders? Well, the ones wearing white helmets are chiefs and deputy chiefs, and the blue helmets are worn by medical staff, readily distinguishable from the regular black helmets.

Tara Fehr approached her interview with a smile and a sweeping statement: “I feel this department has given me so much more than I could ever give back.”

After a short time in government, we see the age of accountability and austerity entering the halls on Broadway as Premier Pallister and his government strive to right the good ship Manitoba. While it’s beyond debate that the ship was listing and likely had a few holes in the hull, it’s debatable as to whether it was really in imminent danger of sinking or whether this is simply politics at work.

It’s harvest time and we are hopeful that this season’s yield is a profitable one. Farmers are working day and night to gather their crops while avid gardeners busily preserve the fruits and vegetables they have grown.

A recent United Nations report states that one of every 113 persons on our planet is a refugee, is seeking asylum, or has been displaced. Over 65 million people find themselves in one of these categories. The evening news brings the reality into our homes with images of kids in tattered clothes, adults carrying worn suitcases, and families living in the kind of emergency shelters we might use for a weekend campout.

As September rolls around, many women get back into their routines. Summer is over, and if you’re a mom like me, school has begun and extracurricular activities take up many evenings. It can be hard to find time for fitness, which is why I work out early in the morning.

Almost everyone has heard of synchronized swimming—swimmers performing a synchronized dance routine in the water—but what about synchronized skating? Starting this year, Niverville has its own synchronized skating program.

School is officially back in full swing. For the next ten months, your children will be bringing home copious amounts of permission slips, homework assignments, and reading material. Many children will also be bringing home lice. While some school years are worse than others, lice in the early school years is a dreaded reality.