Good morning!
MB finances ugly, Tories say: Let’s begin on a bit of a downer. Manitoba’s brand new premier maintains there’s no way to sugarcoat the current state of the province’s finances. Premier Brian Pallister says Manitobans should expect a provincial budget in a little over two weeks — once the new administration has a better understanding of where things stand. But he said Wednesday the financial situation the Tories are inheriting from the NDP is “definitely worse than what we thought.” READ MORE
Your forecast: Showers and cooler temperatures today and Friday should help ease the volatile wildfire situation in eastern Manitoba. In the Whiteshell area, showers are expected both days, with a high of just 6 C today, an overnight low of -1 C and a high Friday of just 4 C. Conditions will be similar in the Bereseford Lake area, located in Nopiming Provincial Park, where a large wildfire continues to rage. Meanwhile, in Winnipeg, there’s a 70 per cent chance of showers this morning and a daytime high of just 7 C. The overnight low is -1 C and there’s even a chance of early morning flurries on a cool, wet Friday. However, we can then look forward to at least five straight days of sunshine, with temperatures climbing from 10 C Saturday to 21 C by Wednesday.
In case you missed it
Ohio Department of Agriculture / Associated Press filesAn adult emerald ash borer.
Trees and bugs: Winnipeg’s top tree expert, Martha Barwinsky, said emerald ash trees are being counted this week, ahead of the arrival of the emerald ash borer beetle. Homeowners are asked to not move firewood and to report suspect ash trees by contacting the city’s forestry branch or calling 311. Meanwhile crews will start Sunday evening with a spray control program for forest tent caterpillars, weather permitting. And the city reports there are very few mosquitoes so far this spring. READ MORE
Sprinklers save cottages: Three cottages on Nora Lake are still standing because of rooftop sprinkler systems set up by Manitoba conservation officers. Only one cottage sustained some charring from the fire that swept over a small island on the lake Monday night. Nora is located just north of Caddy Lake in Whiteshell Provincial Park. READ MORE
Ghomeshi’s admission: Ex-CBC radio bigshot Jian Ghomeshi apologized publicly Wednesday to a former colleague who had accused him of sexually assaulting her at work, but the woman pulled no punches in her assessment of his admission that he “crossed boundaries inappropriately.” Outside court, Kathryn Borel, 36, who asked the court to lift a publication ban on her identity, dismissed his apology and slammed CBC for enabling his “lewd and offensive behaviour.” READ MORE
Up next
Living tribute: Lt.-Gov. Janice Filmon will plant a first-of-its-kind Manitoba red maple tree at Government House at 11 a.m. today to kick off the Lieutenant Governor’s Tree Project. This new project recognizes award recipients and those who have contributed to the overall quality of life in Manitoba through their volunteerism and other good works. The special tree has been developed through crossbreeding and hardiness trials over two decades, and will be planted throughout the province.
Around the water cooler
CPGeorge Zimmerman: charged again
Despicable decision: Florida man George Zimmerman is auctioning off the gun he used to kill a teenager in February 2012, touting it as “your opportunity to own a piece of American history.” Zimmerman, a neighbourhood watchman, was cleared two years ago of the death of Trayvon Martin, an unarmed African American teen, but the case sparked protests and a national debate in the U.S. about race relations. He listed the firearm on GunBroker.com, with bidding scheduled to begin this morning.
An unusual gift: Fire evacuees from Fort McMurray have been offered meals, clothing, places to stay and now a free lap dance. An Edmonton strip club is waiving its $9 entry fee and offering one $30 lap dance to any customers from the evacuated city in northern Alberta. READ MORE
Trending now
FELIPE DANA / THE ASSOCIATED PRESSA guard stands outside the Planalto Palace during sunrise in Brasilia, Brazil, Thursday. Brazil’s Senate voted Thursday to impeach President Dilma Rousseff after a months-long fight that laid raw the country’s fury over corruption and economic decay.
Dilma Rousseff: Brazil’s senate has voted to impeach President Dilma Rousseff, who faces allegations that she illegally manipulated public finances prior to her 2014 re-election. She will be suspended from the presidency and will face a trial.
Max Scherver: Washington’s ace on the mound, Max Scherzer, tied the Major League Baseball record of 20 strikeouts in a nine-inning game Wednesday night, pitching a complete game as the Nationals defeated the Detroit Tigers 3-2. Scherzer tied the previous nine-inning mark of 20 shared by a trio of tremendous hurlers, Roger Clemens, Kerry Wood and Randy Johnson.
On this date
On May 12, 1911: The Manitoba Free Press reported that the University of Manitoba would spend $20,000 on the improvement and beautifying of its new site in Tuxedo Park. The health committee of the Winnipeg city council decided to make a strong plea for a new city hall on sanitary grounds. Mexico’s provisional government became established with the naming of a cabinet by provisional president Francisco J. Madero, Jr. In Massachusetts, raging forest fires caused $75 million worth of damage.
|
