Good morning!
Your forecast: That windshield brush is beginning to feel like an extension of our bodies, as it seems every morning we’re greeted by snow-covered vehicles. Today was no different, although the light snow that fell overnight ended in most parts of the city by about 5 a.m. There’s still a 30 per cent chance of flurries later today, and the daytime high is a comfortable -9 C. For Saturday, expect a cloudy day, with a 40 per cent chance of snow and an almost balmy 0 C, while Sunday drops to -6 C with a strong breeze and a chance of blowing snow. So, keep that brush handy.
In case you missed it
Bruce Bumstead/Brandon SunSummer employee Chris Sitko assembles new composting bins at the Eastview Landfill in Brandon.
Possible sewer/water bill increase: Homeowners could be paying an additional $55-$100 annually on their sewer and water bills if a plan for curbside organic pickup goes ahead, Winnipeg councillors heard Thursday in a closed-door meeting where some details and costs were outlined. Homeowners are already charged $56 annually for the curbside waste and recycling pick-up. READ MORE
Animal cruelty charge: A 24-year-old man faces animal cruelty charges, just weeks after being released from prison for the killing of his abusive father. Lawyers are now asking the court to assess the man’s mental health and whether or not he can be held criminally responsible for the alleged acts, committed in late January. No details of the new chargers were provided. Six years ago, the man killed his father inside their Charleswood home. READ MORE
Defending their crown: The Reid Carruthers foursome from West St. Paul, which won the 2015 provincial men’s curling championship, was named the top seed for this year’s event. The Viterra Championship goes Feb. 10-14 at the Selkirk Recreation Complex. Mike McEwen’s team from Winnipeg is ranked second, while the third seed is the William Lyburn team. READ MORE
Up next
Hurricane warning: The Winnipeg Jets are at home tonight at the MTS Centre hosting the Carolina Hurricanes. The Hurricanes have won seven of their last 11 games, although they lost to Calgary on Wednesday. The Jets, meanwhile, have lost four of their five games, and hopes for a playoff berth are fading. In fact, after Thursday’s NHL action, the Jets (22-25-3) are just two points ahead of Columbus for dead last in the NHL.
First Friday: The chic side of Winnipeg is on full display this evening, as it is on the first Friday of every month. That’s when artists in the Exchange district invite the public into their personal studios and galleries to fist-bump and set free their inner bohemians. Downtown cafés are also open late because, of course, artistic encounters are best fuelled by plenty of espresso.
Around the water cooler
Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free PressJoseph Meconse, 74, was kicked out of the Portage Place Mall’s food court for loitering last Friday. The Sayisi Dene elder, military veteran and Order of Manitoba recipient hasn’t let the issue keep him away from his usual spot in the food court.
Apology to elder Meconse: Portage Place mall officially apologized to Joe Meconse, a respected aboriginal elder and a decorated veteran who was told to leave the mall last weekend just as he was about to eat a meal. Security alleged he had overstayed the 30-minute maximum in the food court area. READ MORE
Habitats protected: The non-profit Nature Conservancy of Canada, Canada’s largest land conservancy foundation, announced Thursday it bought the Ethier Sandhills in the Oak Lake area of southwestern Manitoba, a 315-acre property home to rare plants and animals. READ MORE
Taz Stuart not running: Less than a month into the job, Taz Stuart has stepped down as interim leader of the Manitoba Party and won’t be running in the April 19 election. The former city entomologist confirmed to the Free Press on Thursday that he is just waiting for the paperwork to clear. READ MORE
Trending now
#imagineportageandmain: Winnipeggers are thinking — and tweeting — about what the city’s iconic intersection could be, following the open discussion organized by the Downtown Winnipeg BIZ, featuring Times Square expert Tim Tompkins from New York City.
#indigimedia: Speakers including Sheila North-Wilson, Billy-Ray Belcourt, Michael Champagne and Andrea Landry took part in Red Rising Magazine and The Uniter’s IndigiMedia series Thursday night, looking at indigenous voices in the media.
On this date
On Feb. 5, 1955: The Winnipeg Free Press reported that Pierre Mendes-France, the 20th premier in France since the war, had been overthrown in a vote of confidence; at issue was the French treatment of its protectorates in North Africa. In Manitoba, a schedule of increased phone rates was being studied by the provincial cabinet. In Winnipeg, a crowded, driverless trolley bus rolled through an intersection and rammed a second trolley bus, resulting in injuries that sent eight passengers to hospital.
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