This morning
Fleeing fires: Evacuees from forest fires threatening three remote First Nations in northern Manitoba are being flown to Winnipeg. About 2,000 of the 3,700 residents from the Island Lake communities were expected to arrive by Wednesday night, and the RBC Convention Centre is being used as a temporary shelter. Alexandra Paul reports. READ MORE
Your forecast: The final day of August will be mainly sunny, but hazy, with a high of 28 C and wind from the south at 40 km/h gusting to 60 around noon.
In case you missed it
IMPACT WRESTLINGWinnipeg-born Holly Letkeman, who goes by the name Rosemary.
Wrestling match gets real: A Winnipeg-born wrestler was injured last weekend when an opponent at a major event in Mexico apparently went off-script. Many say Sexy Star could be blacklisted from the wresting world for what they consider a deliberate attempt to injure Holly Letkeman, who started wrestling professionally in 2008 and currently fights under the name Rosemary. Ryan Thorpe reports. READ MORE
Let the bites begin: Le Burger Week, which starts Friday, has nearly twice as many participating restaurants as last year. Daniel Gurevich of Charcoal Collaborative, a lifestyle blog, says word of mouth and vendors who have embraced the friendly competition have made the meaty event a big deal. Erin Lebar reports. READ MORE
Great season for grains: Even after a very dry summer, many farmers are expecting at least above-average crops at harvest time, particularly for cereal grains and oilseeds. “It’s a crop of a lifetime,” said Chuck Fossay, who farms north of Starbuck. Martin Cash reports. READ MORE
Up next
PHIL HOSSACK / WINNIPEG FREE PRESSCoun. Janice Lukes stands in front of a Thatcher Drive house used as an illegal rooming house, holding a report on the issue that will be released this morning.
Rooming house report: A report by Coun. Janice Lukes says a shortage of affordable housing and increased student enrolment has created a “life-and-death” situation in Fort Richmond and University Heights. The report, which is being released this morning, states there may be more than 150 illegal rooming houses in those communities. Ryan Thorpe reports. READ MORE
Ode to summer games: A mural commemorating the athletes of the Canada Summer Games will be unveiled this morning at 10 a.m. at 966 Portage Ave. Painted by local artist Charlie Johnson of C5 Artworks and titled In the Zone, it replaces a Pan Am Games mural.
Around the water cooler
Ruth Bonneville / Winnipeg Free Press FilesSchool zone traffic signs on Lakewood Blvd.
School zone season: Reduced speed zones in school zones resume Friday, even though students don’t start attending classes until next week. City police gave out 2,484 tickets on last year’s Labour Day weekend, when most drivers were still in summer-holiday driving mode, Gordon Sinclair Jr. writes in his latest column. He has a suggestion for how to end the confusion. READ MORE
Playoff push: Winnipeg Jets captain Blake Wheeler says the team has enough talent to make the playoffs for only the second time since the franchise moved here. “It’s gotta be this year — it just has to be,” the veteran right-winger said Wednesday after an informal workout at the Bell MTS Iceplex. Jason Bell reports. READ MORE
Trending now
PAUL DALY / THE CANADIAN PRESSDon and Marge Gorman of Conception Bay South were the winners of $2.6 million.
#ChasetheAce: The long-running lottery jackpot, in which no ticket won for 44 weeks, finally went to a couple from Conception Bay South, N.L. Their winnings: a cool $2.6 million. READ MORE
On this date
On Aug. 31, 1935: The Winnipeg Free Press reported that Belgians mourned the late Queen Astrid, whose body lay in state in Brussels. Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia deeded half his territory to Anglo-American interests for development, in an attempt to forestall Italian incursions into his country. In Manitoba, the city of St. Boniface delayed discussions on whether to link up its sewer infrastructure with that of greater Winnipeg. READ MORE
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