My perspective - It could have been better

By Kate Jackman-Atkinson

The Neepawa Banner

Last week was an eventful week here in Neepawa, and not the good kind of eventful.  On Wednesday night, a fire levelled the Neepawa Home Hardware building, taking with it one of the town’s major retailers, the homes of eight people and the jobs of 13 people. Our friends and neighbours woke up Thursday morning without a home and without a job.

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Right in the centre - Succession planning important

By Ken Waddell

The Neepawa Banner

In commercial business and in the Ag community, there’s been a lot of talk about succession planning for many years. In its simplest terms, what will happen to a farm or a business when one of the key people dies, becomes disabled or moves on to some other career. In farming and other business enterprises, it can be a fairly simple process. Unless there’s is a succession plan, the assets get thrown up for sale or auction and are scattered among the remaining players in the industry. This scene has played out hundreds of thousands of times across our land. Its especially apparent in rural western Canada. Farms are much bigger than they used to be, businesses are much bigger too and as a direct result, many communities, have disappeared.

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Homebodies - I wish I could say the firsts are getting better

By Rita Friesen

My first solitary road trip in a long time. Didn’t go far, out to Carman to see family. Drove only in daylight hours. Sent quick messages to caring loved ones letting them know when I departed and when I arrived. Found myself formulating the thoughts I used to articulate, and then wondering what to do with them. Quick to spot the changes in the countryside and slow to realise there really was/is no one with whom to share these discoveries. 

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Faithfully Yours - More than just giving candy up

By Neil Strohschein

A mother of two pre-teens, so the story goes, prepared a beautiful Shrove Tuesday meal of pancakes, sausages and fresh fruit for her family. As they were eating, she said to her children: “Tomorrow is first day of Lent, and this year we are giving up candy and ice cream.” Her oldest son looked at her and said: “Aww, Mom! We give them up every night after 8 p.m. Why do we have to give them up during the day as well?” 

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My perspective - We need viable solutions

By Kate Jackman-Atkinson

The Neepawa Banner

In Manitoba, health care never seems to be far from our minds. We worry about care, we worry about timely access, we worry about costs. Health also figures prominently in the provincial government’s priorities.

Read more: My perspective - We need viable solutions