Rainbow Stage producing three shows next summer

Walmart fire in St. Vital investigated as arson

A fire at a Walmart at St. Vital Centre on Monday evening is being investigated as an arson, Winnipeg police say.

The fire forced the evacuation and closure of the retail store after it broke out just after 7 p.m.

“We are doing everything we can to assist Walmart during this difficult time for their team and our community who is impacted by Walmart’s temporary store closure,” said St. Vital Centre general manager Kevin Waterman. “Ultimately, and what is most important, is that all staff and visitors at Walmart last night were able to evacuate safely.”

Waterman confirmed Walmart is still closed, and encouraged customers to continue watching Walmart and the mall’s social media accounts for updates on the reopening.

Struggling retailer Toys ‘R’ Us to shutter Transcona store

Playtime is almost over at the Toys “R” Us store in Winnipeg’s Transcona neighbourhood.

Signs hanging in the front windows indicate the longtime big-box chain outlet is closing. “All stock reduced” and “Everything must go” at the store, which has stood at 1560 Regent Ave. W. for more than 36 years. Even the fixtures are for sale.

An employee at the store declined to comment on Monday, directing the Free Press to Toys “R” Us Canada Ltd.’s head office. The company did not respond to interview requests.

Signage at the store does not specify when it will close for good.

Imperialist crusades: 21st-century style

In the 11th century and lasting into the 13th, the papacy launched a series of at least eight military campaigns we now refer to as the Crusades, or Holy Wars. They were an imperialistic call to arms for Christians to retake Jerusalem, which was at the time under Muslim rule.

Spiritual rewards for participation were implied, and other incentives offered, to dull the extra taxation demanded to fund the campaigns. Over time, the “crusades” morphed to become massacres of not only Muslims but also Jews and Christian dissidents — in other words, any enemies of the papacy. If today’s news sounds like déjà vu all over again, it probably should.

The stories keep repeating themselves in many forms. We now know that two 20th century world wars, global in scope, were caused by imperialistic ambitions, changes in the balance of international powers and corresponding arms races. The first was attributed to the assassination of the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne by a Bosnian Serb, a kind of “regime change” initiative. The second resulted from rising tensions between Allied and Axis powers, triggered by the rise of European fascism and Japanese militarism. The human toll of both was unimaginable.

In the First World War, 15 to 22 million people, including soldiers and civilians, were killed and another 23 million were wounded. These numbers do not account for those otherwise affected — victims of chemical warfare whose compromised health shortened their lives; of the subsequent Spanish flu epidemic amplified by the displacement of peoples; others who died from other diseases caused by war conditions; and those who were malnourished or starved. Nor do they account for the ongoing trauma and resentments passed on intergenerationally to this day.

Today’s horoscope

MOON ALERT: Avoid shopping (except food and gas) and important decisions from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. today. After that, the moon moves from Aries into Taurus.

ARIES (March 21-April 19)

Keep your digs tidy and your fridge stocked because relatives and people from your past might be camped on your doorstep. This could be due to family reunions, visitors or guests. This is a good time to tackle home repairs that have needed your attention.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20)

‘Easy decision for me:’ longtime city councillor Chambers not seeking re-election

Coun. Markus Chambers has announced will not run for a third term on city council, instead stepping away to spend more time with his family.

On Tuesday, Chambers told reporters he won’t seek re-election in the St. Norbert-Seine River ward.

“This has actually been an easy decision for me. My family is growing. My son has announced that my wife and I will be grandparents in December. And other priorities … have emerged that require my undivided attention,” he said.

The councillor said health concerns played a key role in his decision, as his wife has battled cancer for two years.

Cleanup ‘staggering’ as severe storm slams Whiteshell, Kenora

Chainsaws buzzed around Darren James on Tuesday while seasonal residents cleaned up and assessed damage from a severe storm that hit part of Whiteshell Provincial Park one day earlier.