A group of organizers and musicians are hard at work to give locals a new way to bring in the new year. On December 31, the Heritage Centre’s main ballroom will play host to an all-out rock and roll-style social headlined by three award-winning talents and their bands: JR Charron, Catie St. Germain, and the Department of Human Resources, frontlined by Trevor Lux.

Communities in southeast Manitoba offer plenty of amenities and events all year round

For the first time in 80 years, Manitoba realized a higher growth rate than the national average. The recent census indicates that the province has the third strongest population growth rate in the country at 5.8 percent, behind our prairie neighbours of Saskatchewan (6.3 percent) and Alberta (11.6 percent).

Quality residential developers have set down roots in the region, offering homebuyers an abundance of choice.

Throughout 2016, Niverville saw a rise in break-ins, stolen vehicles, and people rummaging through homeowners’ vehicles at night. What has truly caused a stir, though, was a machete assault at a home in Niverville just days into the new year. 

If all the white stuff covering Niverville streets this past December had you seeing red, you’re not alone. Snow-clearing, or the lack thereof, has been a big topic of discussion this winter with some claiming the town hasn’t been quick or thorough enough to clean the streets after recent snowfalls. 

In late January, Providence hired a new professor to join its Psychology faculty. Brianne Collins, who currently teaches at Ambrose University in Calgary, will begin her new position on July 1.

Niverville’s town council has a lot on its plate for 2017, including important decisions about policing, Main Street traffic, and multiplex funding. These are reported elsewhere in this edition of The Citizen. Council is also moving forward on plans to extend the business park. 

The Friends of the Plex are hosting a number of fundraising opportunities for the coming month, and beyond.

Manitoba’s Health Minister, the Honourable Kelvin Goertzen, made a visit to Niverville Collegiate on January 19 to meet with the school’s SWAT (Students Working Against Tobacco) team. The students had arranged booths in the gym for the annual health fair, each booth dedicated to exploring the dangers of smoking in creative ways.