Environment Canada issues thunderstorm warnings, watches in B.C., Alberta

The true costs of your pet — for everyone

Pets are a problem, but few will discuss the downsides of pet ownership.

Quaker movement fuelled by a fierce sense of social justice

A few weeks ago, the erstwhile punk-rock-poet John Samson Fellows taught an auditorium full of people how to fold a paper cup.

With each fold, he explained that origami is an activity he likes to do with people who are incarcerated.

“It can be really empowering to make something with your hands in that environment,” he explained over the rustle of fingers creasing paper.

Samson Fellows is perhaps best known as the former frontman for the indie-rock band the Weakerthans and the author of an anthem beloved in his hometown for its self-deprecating refrain: “I hate Winnipeg.”

Family hopes police alert will bring missing woman home

The family of Ashley Arason has made a desperate plea for her to come home.

The 41-year-old last had contact with her family on April 6, 2019, which was her 34th birthday.

“I’ve got a place for her,” said her older sister, Pamela Arason, through tears on Thursday. “She has a place to go, a home to come to.”

On Thursday, Winnipeg Police Service renewed the call for help from the public to solve the missing person case.

Leon’s Getting Larger and their tours are getting longer

Emo music was never just a phase for Nikola Boticki.

“It was people just saying the things I was feeling,” says the 26-year-old vocalist and guitarist. “Growing up, it’s kind of like, ‘I feel that way but I’m not going to say that out loud,’ so it was nice to hear someone say it.”

Boticki got into the punk subgenre near the end of his angsty high school years and his appreciation only grew while in isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The music inspired him to form his own emo band, Leon’s Getting Larger, with friends Luke Penner (vocals/drums) and Noah St Hilaire (bass).

Police resuming drug-enforcement crackdown, working with outreach community

Winnipeg police are relaunching a drug enforcement campaign in some neighbourhoods Friday after they say a 10-day sweep led to more than 100 arrests and a drop in reported crime earlier this summer.

Police said the renewed initiative, targeting open drug use and trafficking, will continue into November with an outreach-first approach and a partnership with a coalition of community groups in response to criticism of the initial campaign.

“While there was a great deal of support for the enforcement actions we undertook to address public safety issues, there was also criticism about the lack of collaboration,” Winnipeg Police Service Chief Gene Bowers told reporters.

“At that time, I acknowledged that community organizations should have been part of our efforts. Hence, we’re here today.”

Making new friends at Winkler Bible Camp

The anticipation is at an all time high for Patricia Shaiye as she awaits for her son and daughter to return from camp this week.

Shaiye, mother of three, recently immigrated from Nigeria with her family to pursue an education in business analysis.

Just this week she sent her two oldest — 13-year-old Frederick and 12-year-old Divine — off to Winkler Bible Camp, something she was only able to afford due to the Sunshine Fund.

“A relative introduced me to the Winkler Bible Camp and, in the process of filling out the form, I noticed the fee for camp,” Shaiye said in a telephone interview earlier this week. “I mentioned to her that I couldn’t afford the whole amount.”