Winnipeg folk fest honours DiFranco

BRANDON — A CT-scanner is expected to be operational in Dauphin next week after the city’s hospital closed in early July.

The unit, which is being set up on the grounds of the Dauphin Regional Health Centre, will be in use as of Sept. 23, Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara said Wednesday.

“We were originally told it was going to take many months to have CT up and running … We said that timeline was unacceptable,” Asagwara said.

Dauphin’s emergency department reopened on Sept. 7. The facility was forced to close on July 1 due to significant flooding in its basement that damaged mechanical and electrical systems throughout the building.

THE Winnipeg Folk Festival has named folk singer Ani DiFranco the winner of its annual Artistic Achievement Award.

The 43-year-old American singer-songwriter, who will be honoured at the festival's gala fundraiser Nov. 22, joins previous winners Sarah Harmer, Leon Redbone, Loreena McKennitt and Billy Bragg. Since 2004, the organization has bestowed the award on a past festival performer who has made exceptional contributions to folk music and the community.

The feminist icon first appeared at the festival in 1992, when her message-driven folk songs first began to inspire and empower her audience. DiFranco is an advocate for social and environmental sustainability and steers her business with those values.

"It is an honour to be recognized with such esteemed company," said DiFranco, in a press release. "I am happy to inspire new artists to be in control of their careers and make responsible choices when running their business."

Technology respecting electricity generation, storage and grid management is rapidly advancing and displacing gas-fired peaker plants. New battery storage systems are more efficient and less costly, smooth grid flow and are non-polluting. Texas, California and Australia are replacing gas turbine peaker plants with more effective storage batteries.

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Premier Wab Kinew noted that a final decision to build a new turbine power plant in Brandon has not been made. I hope he’s correct, for if Manitoba Hydro already made the decision and entered binding financial obligations with GE Vernova, the PUB’s role was superfluous.

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