Deer Tick positively clean for Negativity

Cab companies hailed for improved Indigenous relations

Three taxi drivers have been fired and others suspended without pay since a zero-tolerance policy for mistreatment of Indigenous passengers was implemented by Winnipeg’s two largest cab companies.

Unicity Taxi and Duffy’s Taxi began working with the guidance of an Indigenous-led safety committee to improve driver-passenger interactions in 2022, including the filming of a series of training videos and building in-depth policies in response to passengers’ complaints.

At a Thursday event to recognize the action group, leaders from both companies said there’s been a sharp decline in the number of complaints.

Unicity Taxi manager Abhishek Tara said three of their drivers have been fired since they adopted the zero-tolerance policy, which commits to investigating complaints of harassment, violence, abusive language and racism against passengers. Each vehicle is equipped with video and audio surveillance that’s accessible only to police and the city’s vehicles for hire department.

Fringe foot traffic gives Exchange shops boost

This year’s edition of the Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival has brought a rise in customer numbers, businesses in the Exchange District say, noting more events like it would also improve the area’s safety.

The increased foot traffic that accompanies the annual downtown event has Más Coffee Co. logging roughly 50 extra customers per day — “a huge increase,” said coffee shop employee Jay Koensgen.

“We’ll have our regulars come in, of course, but since then, Fringe has definitely boosted it.”

Koensgen said he thinks it would make a huge difference for businesses in the area if events like Fringe happened more often. “It’s just good for like economical stuff, environment, community bringing everyone together for a common cause would be really good.”

Deer Tick positively clean for Negativity

In 2011, Providence, R.I., indie-rock act Deer Tick released Divine Providence -- a ragged, beer- and sweat-soaked collection of early Replacements-era rockers that captured the raw 'n' rowdy chaos of the band's live show.

The album was an ode to drinking hard and living harder: Let's All Go to the Bar became a modern pub anthem.

For frontman John McCauley, in particular, the party was non-stop, and it wasn't long before the booze, drugs and the grind of touring caught up with him, costing him both his health and his fiancée. On top of that, his father was jailed for conspiracy and tax fraud.

Instead of going down a path of self-destruction, McCauley dried out and channelled his emotions into writing. The result is Negativity, Deer Tick's fifth full-length album. If Divine Providence was an all-night rager, its successor represents the cold, sober light of morning. Dark, straight-faced and unflinchingly personal, the band's new album is arguably its most mature yet.

Photos reveal ‘pretty nasty’ scene inside flooded Dauphin hospital

Prairie Mountain has released 22 photos depicting the muddy mess in the Dauphin hospital left by floodwater last month that has shut down the regional facility for as long as a year.

Dauphin Mayor David Bosiak said he understands the photos were released in response to criticism from some who wonder why the hospital will be closed for as long as a year.

“(The public) needed to see the scale and the scope of the damage,” he said. “And the pictures that PMH released today, I think have really opened people’s eyes as to what’s gone on at the hospital.”

He said 80 people are working to clean the filthy facility in conditions that are “less than ideal.” Sections of the hospital still have no power and there’s no air circulation as a result.

West Broadway residents demand mayor take action on drug crisis

The laughter of children playing outside has been replaced by open drug use, vandalism and incidents of theft that have put residents of West Broadway on edge.