Free Press Head Start for Aug. 17

Good morning!

In the U.S., Republican Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney, an outspoken adversary of former president Donald Trump, lost a primary to her Trump-endorsed opponent Harriet Hageman by a roughly 30-point margin. With Cheney’s loss, Republicans who voted to impeach Trump continue to disappear from the party.

Taiwan and China are each holding military excercises amid tensions between the two; Taiwan, a self-governing island, is viewed by China as a breakaway province to be annexed by force if necessary.

And in the U.K., a London court heard a crossbow-armed man told police, before he was arrested on the grounds of Windsor Castle in December 2021, “I am here to kill the Queen.” He was charged under the Treason Act, among other offences.

— David Fuller

Today’s weather

Your forecast: Sunny with increasing cloudiness this afternoon and a chance of showers. Expected high is 27 C with a low of 18.

Today’s must-read

The policy of Manitoba’s College of Physicians and Surgeons to defer its own investigations into allegations of sexual misconduct while a police probe is ongoing is being called “outrageous” and is further evidence an independent review is needed into the regulatory body, critics say. Katrina Clarke has the story.

The College of Physicians and Surgeons head office (John Woods / Winnipeg Free Press files)

On this date

On Aug. 17, 1943: The Winnipeg Free Press reported that Allied forces took Messina, the last remaining Axis base in Sicily, 39 days after the first island landing of British, Canadian and U.S. forces. Meanwhile, British warships pumped more than 1,000 shells into the mainland town of Port Scalea, and U.S. planes bombed Axis airdromes in southern Italy. Britain began clearing non-residents from its barricaded coastal areas as conviction grew throughout the country that the hour was near for a strong blow against Nazi-occupied Europe. The aura of mystery grew about the events of the Quebec conference between British prime minister Winston Churchill, U.S. president Franklin Roosevelt and Canadian prime minister William Lyon Mackenzie King. Search our archives for more here.

Today’s front page

Get the full story: Read today’s e-edition of the Free Press.

Top news

Dylan Robertson:

Big harvest for some, not for others

Decade after Harper’s government dissolved Canadian Wheat Board, it’s still not clear if it helped or hurt farmers Read More

Dean Pritchard:

Internet predator who sought break handed longer sentence

Manitoba’s highest court has added three years to a convicted child sex predator’s five-year prison sentence, rejecting his claim his “cognitive deficits” reduced his responsibility for his crimes. Read More

Maggie Macintosh:

French, immersion learners take hit in math, reading

The limits of immersive language instruction throughout the COVID-19 pandemic appear to be behind Manitoba’s latest achievement data, given scores show drops in the number of français and French immersion students meeting grade-level expectations in math and reading. Read More

New in Sports

Mike McIntyre:

Scheifele happy to be back, eager to get season in full swing

Mark Scheifele insists there’s no hard feelings between himself and the Winnipeg Jets. And the club’s top centre, who sounded like a guy ready for a change of scenery at the end of last season, says he’s coming to training camp next month with a positive outlook on the future. Read More

Joshua Frey-Sam:

Double the pressure

Braxton Kuntz deals with irregular heartbeat as well as high-stakes putts Read More

Niigaan Sinclair:

Lacrosse likely headed back to Olympics; some of world’s best players may not be

Team Canada defeated Team Haudenosaunee 16-9 on Sunday in the final of the World Junior Lacrosse Championships, held all last week in Winnipeg. Read More

New in Arts and Entertainment

Jen Zoratti:

Anchor’s away

Longtime CTV News fixture Lisa LaFlamme’s abrupt firing smacks of ageism and sexism Read More

AV Kitching:

Frozen fundraising treat has a flavour that can’t be beet

Vinegar, sour cream and beets… not typical dessert ingredients and yet this trinity has found its way into a frozen treat, courtesy of the folks at The Ace Burpee Show and local business Pop Cart. Read More

Ben Waldman:

Young filmmakers have 2 days to tell a story

Time-crunch festival challenges, inspires Read More

New in Business

Martin Cash:

A winning pitch

Startup TNT’s expansion to Manitoba aims to connect angel investors with various companies Read More

Martin Cash:

Modha ‘super honoured’ to recieve Ignite Award

The Young Associates, the younger members of the organization that supports students and faculty at the Asper School of Business at the University of Manitoba, is launching a new event called Ignite, specifically targeted at new students. Read More

Fresh opinions

Editorial:

Improved bike infrastructure lacks connections

The main problem with Winnipeg’s active transportation network isn’t so much a shortage of bicycle routes throughout the city – it’s the lack of connectivity between them. Read More

Tom Brodbeck:

Penny-pinching Tories have money to make deadly stretch of highway safer

Whatever the Manitoba government’s excuse is for not twinning the final stretch of the Trans-Canada Highway to the Ontario border, it’s not for a lack of money. Read More

Jeff Hamilton:

Bombers’ Liegghio on a short leash

Kicker’s performance one of the lowlights in a CFL week packed with highlights Read More

Head Start