Apple TV Plus streaming service to cost $2 more per month in Canada

Is a better Winnipeg on the horizon?

Four Free Press columnists weigh in on the challenges ahead and how the city can become better.

A Canadian team lifting the Cup just one of several storylines to tee up NHL season

A weekly lap around the NHL by Free Press hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe

There’s no shortage of compelling storylines surrounding the Winnipeg Jets as they head into a new season.

How will the Connor Hellebuyck crease crisis get settled? Can 18-year-old Viggo Bjorck quickly become the next big thing? Was last year’s plunge in the standings an exception or the new normal? Is head coach Scott Arniel’s seat getting hot?

We’ll continue to be all over those questions, including a series of Jets previews coming your way next week. But it’s not just the local hockey happenings that have our attention here at Dump & Chase.

Flammable gas culprit of 2024 Transcona home explosion: police

Flammable gas is believed to be the cause of a 2024 house explosion in Transcona that damaged neighbouring homes and displaced residents.

“As a result of the investigation and upon Crown review, the explosion is believed to be an isolated incident,” Winnipeg Police Service Const. Dani McKinnon said in an email Friday afternoon.

“There are no public safety concerns connected to this incident, and no criminal charges have been laid.”

The sudden blast happened in a bungalow on Camrose Bay on June 26, 2024. It levelled the home and caused significant damage to 22 other houses. At the time, it was described as “catastrophic” by the fire chief at the scene.

No more Jets 1.0 or 2.0: League announces all eras of Winnipeg’s club to be merged

Mark Scheifele’s goal was always to chase down his mentor and former Barrie Colts head coach Dale Hawerchuk, no matter what the official record book said.

So when the NHL and the Winnipeg Jets announced on Thursday morning that they were consolidating the franchise history to include the 1.0 and 2.0 eras (including the Atlanta Thrashers chapter of the club), Scheifele was among those to give the move two thumbs up.

“Yeah, it clarifies it for you guys more, not as much (for) me,” said Scheifele. “It’s really cool to bring in the old Jets records, and especially Dale. Chasing him down was always on my mind. So, it’s cool to do it actually in the record books.”

Scheifele remains the franchise leader in games played (961) and he’s likely to eclipse Hawerchuk in goals (Scheifele has 372 to Hawerchuk’s 379) and points (Scheifele has 907 to Hawerchuk’s 929) this season. He now has Thomas Steen’s 553 assists in his sights after amassing 535 heading into 2026-27.

Blue Bombers whiff on their opportunities to put game away

In theory, Bryce Perkins has a simple job.

When it’s third and short, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers trot out the short-yardage quarterback, and all he has to do is plunge forward for a yard or two to make everyone on his sideline happy.

But on Friday night against the visiting Toronto Argonauts, he went above and beyond his job description.

The Bombers, down 24-21 with six minutes left, faced a third-and-one from their own end when Perkins found a hole and burst through it for a 76-yard touchdown to put the home team in front 28-24 late.

Nuit Blanche ready to wow in city’s core

For one night each September, downtown Winnipeg becomes an art gallery — an amusement park, even.

During Nuit Blanche, which takes place tonight, 3D projections spill across the Exchange District, The Forks and St. Boniface, and thousands flood the city core to take in live music, DJs and installations.

“There really isn’t anything like it. I know every promoter probably tells you that, but we are the only event that works at this scale in the fall,” says Nuit Blanche general manager Kurt Tittlemier.

“Culture Days Manitoba is run with the mission statement to make free, accessible artistic programming to all,” he adds, referring to the multi-week national festival, “and Nuit Blanche is our flagship event.”