CLIMATE GLIMPSE: Here’s what you need to see and know today

South Winnipeg neighbourhood will be first to go geothermal

A new neighbourhood in south Winnipeg will be Manitoba’s first to use a shared, large-scale geothermal system to heat and cool hundreds of homes over coming decades.

The province is giving up to $4 million to the developers of Southwood Circle, just north of the University of Manitoba’s Fort Garry campus, for a district geothermal system as part of the NDP’s goal to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

“It means a whole neighbourhood can tap into geothermal, which means low-carbon heating and cooling for at least 1,000 homes,” Premier Wab Kinew said at a news conference Wednesday.

Geothermal systems, equipped with pumps and pipes, use underground temperatures to heat and cool one or more buildings. Proponents point to long-term energy and cost savings compared with conventional heating and cooling systems.

Wiseman leans on pro experience

Todd Wiseman knows what pressure feels like in a sporting arena.

The Port Moody, B.C. resident faced it every summer across an eight-year playing career as a defensive back in the Canadian Football League with the B.C. Lions, Toronto Argonauts and Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

Wiseman, who switched from knocking down passes to knocking down birdies after the 1994 season, is feeling a different kind of weight this week in the Canadian senior men’s championship at Niakwa Country Club, but has managed it well through two rounds.

Wiseman turned in a rather clean three-under 69 on Wednesday, his two bogeys outweighed by five birdies, to grab a share of the lead in the 55-plus national event. Wiseman tied a single-round tournament low to share the 36-hole lead with Winnipegger David White and America’s top-ranked senior amateur Bryan Hoops.

Bumps in the road as students collect free bus passes

Alexis Enns left her guidance counsellor’s office empty-handed, but no less excited about starting Grade 12 — even though she still didn’t know how she would get there or her timetable — on Tuesday.

Leadership turnover at Hydro not a concern: Kinew

Premier Wab Kinew addressed the recent departure of Manitoba Hydro CEO Allan Danroth for the first time Wednesday, saying he’s not worried about turnover at the top of the province’s Crown jewel.

“I wish Mr. Danroth well,” Kinew said when asked about the resignation of the CEO hired just two years ago.

“I guess this is my first time addressing his departure, so I do want to thank him for his time with the Crown utility,” the premier said at an unrelated event. Danroth, who quit for personal reasons, replaced Jay Grewal, who was fired after the NDP formed government.

Kinew was asked if he has concerns about having a steady hand at the wheel of the province’s power company.

CLIMATE GLIMPSE: Here’s what you need to see and know today

Amid misery, humans find a way to cope — as seen in this image of flooding following heavy monsoon rains in Kathmandu, Nepal. Associated Press photographer Niranjan Shrestha made this picture of a man putting his child on a plastic vessel to play on Tuesday in the spreading waters of the Bagmati River.

Meanwhile, in South Korea on Tuesday, tens of thousands of Scouts were arriving at inland cities after a tropical storm prompted the government to evacuate the World Scout Jamboree. Tropical Storm Khanun's path toward the Korean Peninsula raised alarms about the scouts' coastal campsite in Saemangeum, where last week's high heat had already required treatment for more than 100 people at the event. The evacuation involved some 37,000 Scouts from 156 countries, shifting them to university dormitories, government and corporate training centers and hotels inland to continue cultural events and activities.

Here’s what else is happening related to extreme weather and the climate right now:

—The European climate monitoring organization made it official Tuesday: July 2023 was Earth's hottest month on record by a wide margin. Copernicus Climate Change Service said the global average of 16.95 degrees Celsius (62.51 Fahrenheit) was one-third of a degree Celsius higher than the previous record set in 2019.

Winkler-based internet provider delivering high-speed service to 30 rural and First Nations Manitoba communities

Valley Fiber says it is undertaking one of its largest fibre optic projects and is building infrastructure that will deliver internet to 10,000 homes and businesses in rural and First Nations communities across Manitoba.

“These communities will now have access to the fastest internet network in Manitoba, and it will power their lives and their business,” Ryan Klassen, chief executive officer of the Winkler-based internet provider, said Tuesday from Fisher River Cree Nation.

The province has granted Valley Fiber use of two of its underused cables on the existing Manitoba Hydro fibre optic network for up to 20 years as part of the project, which will connect nearly 30 communities — including Buffalo Point, Hollow Water, Black River and Peguis First Nations, along with Fisher River and Fox Lake Cree Nations — to high-speed internet.

Construction should be finished by 2027.