‘No immediate risk’ from 2.5-million-litre effluent spill from B.C. fibreboard plant

Ladies and gentlemen of voting age, please turn your attention to the centre ring…

If there’s one thing that we in the news business wish for any election, it’s that the campaign is competitive and voters have multiple, viable options when it comes time to cast their ballots.

That is certainly what I wished for in this year’s Winnipeg mayoral election: a ballot with two or more competent candidates — including incumbent Scott Gillingham — that offered contrasting visions for the future of the city.

Unfortunately, this time we didn’t get competent or viable. Instead, we got a clown show stuffed with candidates for mayor who have demonstrated a stunning capacity for self-inflicted wounds.

It all started when mayoral candidates Kevin Klein and Mike Vogiatzakis both alleged they had been asked by each other’s campaign to step down to give the remaining candidate a better shot at defeating Gillingham.

Klein claims he was offered PC party position to exit 2022 mayoral race to help Gillingham win

Mayoral candidate Kevin Klein said he was offered a position with the provincial Tories if he pulled out of the 2022 mayoral race that saw then-city councillor Scott Gillingham defeat former mayor Glen Murray.

Canadian author Anne Carson wins literature Nobel for ‘bold and inventive’ works that blend genres

STOCKHOLM (AP) — Canadian poet, essayist and translator Anne Carson won the Nobel Prize in literature Thursday for “bold and inventive” works that fuse the classical and the modern and blur the boundaries of poetry and prose.

The Toronto-born Carson, 76, draws on themes from classical Greek and Roman literature, modern influences and personal experience for genre-blending works that have ranged from translations of ancient Greek poets to collaborations with dancers and musicians, including Laurie Anderson and Lou Reed.

The Swedish Academy that awards the prize said she won “for her bold and inventive oeuvre that, in playful dialogue with the classical tradition, has created new forms for contemporary literature.”

The permanent secretary of the academy said the author was in Iceland “listening to the wind” when the academy reached her to notify her of the honor.

What’s Up: Usama Siddiquee, Cory Doctorow and Petunia and the Vipers

Usama SiddiqueeWest End Cultural Centre, 586 Ellice Ave.Tonight, 8 p.m.Tickets are $46.75 at wecc.caUsama Siddiquee is everywhere right now.

The Bengali-American standup comedian/writer/actor was recently the runner-up on Kevin Hart’s Funny AF, a standup comedy competition reality series that debuted on Netflix earlier this year, where his high-energy delivery quickly established him as a fan favourite. He’s also in Best of the Best, the Netflix dance comedy that arrived on the streamer last month starring Priyanka Kedia, Hasan Minhaj and Maitreyi Ramakrishnan.

But Siddiquee’s no stranger to the small screen as an actor, appearing in Inventing Anna, And Just Like That…, Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens and Better Things.

He probably won’t play in such an intimate room as the WECC for long, so say you saw him when. Doors are at 7 p.m., and this show is all ages.

Jets goaltender quickly taking on folk hero status with hot start

Stuart Skinner is giving the hometown crowd plenty to cheer about.

The Winnipeg Jets new No. 1 netminder came up with another brilliant performance, making 32 saves — including several of the highlight-reel variety — to propel his team to a 3-2 victory over the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday night at Canada Life Centre.

With each save he makes and each win he records, Skinner is doing what he can to help turn the page on the Connor Hellebuyck era.

“I would say that they are big shoes to fill 100 per cent, but I’m not looking into the scenario of filling his shoes,” said Skinner, who lowered his goals-against average to 2.62 and raised his save percentage to .920 through three starts. “My job’s the same job as any other goalie in this league. So it’s a little bit of a difficult question for me to truly answer.”