Alberta to partially fund facility to test geothermal drilling techniques

Mayoralty candidate Vogiatzakis decries war of words

A mayoral candidate took aim at personal insults among two of his competitors Friday, stressing the election campaign should focus on city issues instead.

“I’m really embarrassed by the mayoral candidates slinging mud at each other. We should be more professional … I don’t think we need to bring up people’s past or garbage that they’ve been involved in. I think this needs to be about the City of Winnipeg and what we’re going to do for the City of Winnipeg,” Mike Vogiatzakis said at a press conference Friday.

He confirmed he was referring specifically to skirmishes between Scott Gillingham, who is seeking re-election as mayor, and Kevin Klein, a former city councillor and provincial cabinet minister who registered for the race this week.

Within a few hours of Klein’s Tuesday announcement that he would enter the mayoral contest, Gillingham issued a statement labelling Klein “toxic,” a “Caribbean political fixer” for Peter Nygard and a supporter of U.S. President Donald Trump.

Man who pleaded guilty to killing three cats dies before sentencing

A Winnipeg man awaiting sentencing after admitting he strangled three cats to death and dumped two of their carcasses under a city bridge, has died, the Free Press has learned.

Randy Jensen, 25, pleaded guilty on May 13 to one count of wilfully causing injury or suffering to animals in connection to the 2024 killings.

He was scheduled to be sentenced in January.

“That’s not something that anybody wanted,” said Kristy Zamonsky, founder of Project Artemis Animal Advocates. “We were all hoping for justice through the courts.”

Alberta to partially fund facility to test geothermal drilling techniques

The Alberta government is helping fund what it says is Canada's first test site for geothermal energy drilling techniques.

Environment Minister Rebecca Schulz says the province will spend $750,000 to help fund a feasibility study on the project.

The study, led by Calgary-based Eavor Technlogies, is to help identify a site and lay the groundwork for initial planning stages.

Eavor CEO John Redfern says the facility would give Canadian geothermal developers a place to test their technology at home rather than have to work in the United States or elsewhere.

Mayoral candidate Gillingham vows building boom; Vogiatzakis, Woodstock promise improved safety

Scott Gillingham promised several new steps to help get more homes and businesses built in Winnipeg Friday, if re-elected as mayor, amid other pledges from his competition.

Wonderful wines to help welcome autumn

As we creep ever closer to fall, many wine drinkers will start to think about popping corks (or screwcaps, as it were) on wines that suit cooler temperatures.

But summer’s not quite done yet. Here are six new and/or notable wines ideal for sipping as we make the transition from warmer weather into the first hints of autumn…

Wines of the weekThe Willm NV Blanc de Noirs Crémant d’Alsace Brut (Alsace, France — $28.99, Liquor Marts and beyond) is a French bubbly made from the Pinot Noir grape in the traditional method (secondary fermentation, which creates the bubbles, happens in the bottle rather than in tanks before bottling).

It’s pale gold with a hint of pink, and on the nose offers ripe cherry, cranberry, bread dough and strawberry compote notes. On the palate it’s light-bodied and mainly dry, with an almost-wild herbal component coming with the strawberry, tart peach, cranberry, raspberry and bread dough flavours.