Former Zappa drummer bringing his big kit to town

Flood mitigation project in neighbouring Interlake First Nations underway

The federal and provincial governments are moving ahead with a $61.1-million flood mitigation project aimed at protecting hundreds of homes and critical infrastructure in Peguis First Nation and neighbouring Fisher River Cree Nation.

The first phase of the long-term initiative will see clay dikes constructed to protect central Peguis and up to 500 vulnerable homes across both communities, along with road improvements to maintain access during flooding.

Federal Indigenous Services Minister Mandy Gull-Masty and Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Lisa Naylor announced Wednesday that work is underway, with Ottawa reimbursing eligible provincial costs through its Emergency Management Assistance Program.

The province previously approved $15.9 million last spring for emergency flood protection and road repairs in both communities, which have faced repeated flooding and evacuations.

Inappropriate late-night texts to students costs teachers their jobs

Manitoba’s independent teacher commissioner has cancelled two certificates this month because of inappropriate late-night messaging with minors.

Rich get richer as NDP policy shifts leave opponents in dust

Last week, Finance Minister Adrien Sala made two announcements that showed why the NDP will remain the party to beat in the next provincial election.

Breaking bread, building bridges

Last Friday, as the setting sun shone into the high windows of Shaarey Zedek Synagogue, Cantor Leslie Emery opened a pair of sliding brass doors at the front of the sanctuary to reveal six scrolls wrapped in coverings embroidered with Hebrew letters.

Five of the scrolls contain the complete Torah — the first five books of the Hebrew Bible — handwritten with a quill and ink on parchment. Some of the scrolls are more than 100 years old.

The congregation reads aloud from these scrolls several times a week.

“When we read the stories of the Bible, when we read the stories of the prophets, when we observe Jewish holidays, we’re actually recounting the history of our ancestors,” Emery said.

Campaign blunder: Klein features wrong city in election video

A paid ad from mayoral candidate Kevin Klein on his commitment to Winnipeg has been pulled after commenters noticed one small error: the footage used in the ad was actually of Edmonton.

Theatre preview: pointy-eared actors to stage Shakespeare tragedy in Goblin:Macbeth

Although they star in an upcoming local production of the Scottish Play, goblin thespians Wug, Kragva and Moog left it to director Rebecca Northan to handle publicity and interviews.

Were they also scared to utter the real title — saying “Macbeth” inside a theatre is believed to be bad luck — aloud?

“The goblins don’t know anything about our superstitions,” says Northan, an actor-writer-improv artist who last season performed and directed Murder-on-the-Lake, an immersive murder-mystery, for the Shaw Festival.

Northan, who co-created Goblin:Macbeth with Bruce Horak and Ellis Lalonde, can’t speak for her folkloric co-workers, but says the Halloweenish trio were inspired to mount the show after being impressed by Shakespeare’s firm grasp on the realm of fantasy.