Good morning!
Your forecast: Going to the Grey Cup? Well, save your support for either Edmonton or Ottawa until Sunday, because today the team of weather specialists at Environment Canada deserves a thunderous cheer. Sunday’s forecast features a clear, sunny sky with a high of 1 C by mid day and an overnight low of just -8 C. That puts the temperature at about 0 C or just below freezing for the 5 p.m. kickoff – more than tolerable. Today, expect a mainly cloudy day with a 30 per cent chance of light snow and a high of -8 C. The wind picks up on a sunny Friday, and the daytime high is -6 C, while Saturday looks to be sunny and -4 C.
In case you missed it
MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESSOscar and Cesia Abramowitch are celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary. The couple were married in a German concentration camp and moved to Winnipeg after the war.
All they need is love: Oscar Abramowitch and Cesia Gold were married on Nov. 27, 1945 in Bergen-Belsen, only months after the former Nazi concentration camp had been liberated. Originally from Poland, the couple now lives in Winnipeg, in a home they have owned for fifty years. on Friday, Oscar and Cesia celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary. READ MORE
Investigating homicide rates: A new Statistics Canada report shows Manitoba has the highest rate of homicide involving indigenous victims among all 10 provinces. For the first time, the agency tracked the number of aboriginal people who were victims of homicide across the country. They were nine times more likely to be killed by homicide than non-indigenous Manitobans. Last year, 29 aboriginal people were victims of homicide compared to 15 non-aboriginal people. Overall, Manitoba had the highest homicide rate of any province for the eighth straight year.
Murderer gets life: One of the convicted killers from 2014 was sentenced Wednesday. Kyle Hunter, 25, of Winnipeg was given a life sentence after admitting to the gruesome murder of his girlfriend with a butcher knife in September 2014 and an attack on a police officer. He pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and aggravated assault. His life sentence carries with no chance of parole for at least 15 years as part of a joint-recommendation from lawyers. Janelle Jirasek, 24, suffered more than 100 knife wounds throughout her body after Hunter suddenly attacked her inside their Hill Street home. READ MORE
Up next
BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESSThe CFL Grey Cup arrives at the Manitoba Legislature by Red River Cart.
Grey Cup parties: For people who feel inclined to loosen up and get down at football-week festivities (such as tonight’s big country-music hootenanny with Dallas Smith, Aaron Pritchett and Leanne Pearson at the RBC Convention Centre, 7:30 p.m.), let Free Press entertainment writer Erin Lebar be your party pathfinder. She reports today on all the whoop-it-up action, and she’s also created a nifty, interactive, digital map that gives details of where to find fun. READ MORE
New huts announced today: A delightfully exotic aspect of winter in Winnipeg is the display of warming huts that adorn the river trails at The Forks. Each is a creative, one-of-a-kind structure chosen from a global competition, and appreciated by the tens of thousands of people who use them to warm up while skating or walking the trails. Today at 10:30 a.m., plans for the newest winning designs will be announced at a press conference.
Black Friday: More than a few Manitobans will check the driving conditions for Highway 59 this morning as they consider overnighting in a U.S. city to be there, with credit cards in hand, for Black Friday deals. Or maybe not. Many Manitoba shoppers wonder if it’s worth it, considering the low Canadian dollar (75 cents U.S.), the cost of the travel, and the fact many Manitoba businesses now offer special deals on Black Friday to stay competitive and keep Manitoba dollars in Manitoba. Free Press business writer Marty Cash has details.
Around the water cooler
Counting the homeless: Winnipeg’s first-ever street census of homeless people, conducted on Oct. 25 and released Wednesday, revealed there were at least 1,727 homeless people in Winnipeg. The voluntary census showed more than 75 per cent of those identify as indigenous and almost 50 per cent have been in foster care or group homes. The census, called a point-in-time count, showed 132 were unsheltered, 343 were in emergency shelters, 361 were in transitional housing, and 300 at friends/family/strangers. The rest were in motels, transitional housing or couch surfing. READ MORE
Santa’s got the Cup: The Grey Cup Festival Santa Claus Parade goes at 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Thousands of Winnipeggers are expected to line downtown streets to welcome Santa Claus and the Grey Cup, the trophy presented to the winner of the CFL championship slated for Sunday at Investors Group Field. This year’s parade features Santa’s Block Parties hosted by local businesses and organizations along the parade route. Block parties begin at 3:30 p.m. There will also be fireworks displays along the route.
Jets dumped in D.C.: Far too many defensive breakdowns and some sub-par goaltending cost the Winnipeg Jets big time in a 5-3 loss to the host Washington Capitals on Wednesday night. The Capitals, led by super sniper Alex Ovechkin – who scored his 11th goal of the year – were allowed a pile of quality chances by the Jets, who need to be much more responsible Friday afternoon in Minnesota against the Wild and Saturday night in Denver against the Colorado Avalanche.
Trending now
Bruce Bumstead/Brandon SunManitoba political leaders, Rana Bokhari, Brian Pallister and Premier Greg Selling squared off at the Association of Manitoba Municipalities convention during an all-parties debate on Wednesday afternoon.
#mbpoli: The hashtag all but disappeared after the Oct. 19 federal election but it’s re-emerging as the Manitoba election campaign slowly begins. On Wednesday night, the province’s three main political leaders — Premier Greg Selinger of the NDP, Progressive Conservative Brian Pallister and Liberal Rana Bokhari — traded insults and accusations at a debate in Brandon.
Happy Thanksgiving: It appears the Twitter world – yes, even Winnipeg and the rest of Canada — is embracing the U.S. holiday. Many of our neighbours to the south will be lounging in the PJs watching NFL football today, preparing to spend their hard-earned money on Black Friday.
On this date
On Nov. 26, 1963: The Winnipeg Free Press reported that the FBI and Texas authorities were investigating the assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy and the murder of his alleged assassin. The funeral for the late president was held in Washington, D.C.; Kennedy’s son John Kennedy Jr. was photographed saluting his father’s casket. In Canada the federal government was open to negotiating a completely new system of tax-sharing with the provincial governments. Manitoba Premier Duff Roblin wanted and additional $154 million to go to the provinces from Ottawa, of which he expected Manitoba to get one-tenth.
|
