MITT to close, Transit archive, the sports gear gurus
Plus: a look at how lobbyists work Manitoba’s corridors of power

Chris Kitching:

‘It’s a miracle I’m here’

Barbecue explosion in Hawaii last winter left Winnipegger at death’s door; relearned to eat, walk after being thrown 30 feet Read More

Chris Kitching:

Tearing down Portage Place to build it up

‘Deconstruction’ project on time, on budget as developers dream of vibrant downtown Read More

Scott Billeck:

Five charged with extortion of core-area convenience stores

Police seek help to find two other suspects at large; immigrants were targeted, biz owner says Read More

Kevin Rollason:

Riding through history

Online database, city hall exhibit showcase photos of civic transit over the decades Read More

Julia-Simone Rutgers:

Playing the influence game

A deep dive into how lobbyists work Manitoba’s corridors of power Read More

Jeff Hamilton:

The case of the invisible teacher

Steinbach educator slipped through the system without proper credentials until sex-related charges surfaced Read More

Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe:

Jets mailbag: wild card talk, trade interest and breaking up the dream team

The questions were flying in fast and furious this month — emphasis on the furious part — as Free Press hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe opened up the monthly mailbag. Read More

Marsha McLeod:

AI chatbot drags X deeper into gutter

Politicians, victim advocates struggle to hold social media giants accountable for proliferation of misogynistic and child sexual abuse imagery Read More

Maggie Macintosh:

MITT to close, administration blames crackdown on international students

Some programs to move to RRC Polytech Read More

Maggie Macintosh:

RRC to grant staff bereavement leave for non-blood relations

Red River College Polytechnic employees can now take paid time off to mourn a non-blood relative who is akin to family to them. Union and post-secondary leaders celebrated that change, among others... Read More

Tyler Searle:

Building blocks: the history behind four historic downtown buildings set for redevelopment

Looking back on the histories of four vacant and underutilized historical properties now slated for residential development. Read More

Joyanne Pursaga:

Winnipeg traffic congestion crawls along to sixth worst in the country

Construction, delays, weather add 94 hours extra commuting time annually for drivers Read More

Joyanne Pursaga:

$88-M plan for downtown

Nearly 300 new housing units set for push to increase population Read More

Denise Duguay:

Muppets return, murder meets comedy and more

What’s old — careers, love, Muppets, childhood homes and friends — is new again in this new batch of viewing recommendations. ● Wonder Man Series premières all eight episodes today on Disney+ Ya... Read More

AV Kitching:

Brushes with greatness

Celebrating 75 years, Charleswood Art Group offers artists camaraderie, inspiration, instruction Read More

Tiago Resko:

Art born in dead of winter

Sculptor breaks ice with prehistoric creations — and tales of unexpected police visits Read More

Aaron Epp:

Local non-profit performance group Sisters of the Holy Rock in search for new artistic director

Wanted: A volunteer with musical talent who’s willing to dress like a nun and have some fun. Sisters of the Holy Rock, the non-profit performance group that helps Manitoba organizations raise funds... Read More

David Sanderson:

Gear gurus

When it comes to racking it, trio of sports equipment wizards can get you sorted Read More

Dan Lett:

Not clear if Ontarians enjoyed Kinew’s PR cocktail, but many don’t like the taste of Ford’s whisky sour

No. Tell me it’s not so. This couldn’t possibly have worked, could it? For most of the last month, Premier Wab Kinew has waged an all-out public-relations war to get Ontario Premier Doug Ford to ch... Read More

Tom Brodbeck:

Carney knows calling snap election would undermine promise to Canadians

There is a familiar Ottawa reflex that kicks in whenever a prime minister enjoys a bump in the polls: call an election before the mood changes. Read More

Melissa Martin:

It’s time for us to imagine the unimaginable

On a pleasant spring evening in April 2025, a Russian ballistic missile shrieked into the blue-collar Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih. It exploded directly over top of a playground, blasting shrapnel across a quiet residential neighbourhood and killing 23 people, including nine children. Read More

Jen Zoratti:

X is a cesspool of misogyny, so why is anyone still on it?

No one should be on X in 2026. Certainly not Canadian politicians, and yet, still they remain. Read More

Nina Dragicevic, The Canadian Press:

Think you can’t negotiate many of life’s daily expenses? Think again, experts say

There are discounts out there that you aren’t getting, because you aren’t asking. In an era of corporate retailers and online shopping, it might feel as if negotiation between seller ... Read More

Joel Schlesinger:

Canada’s gold mine (and much more)

Large land mass is rich in resources critical for AI, electrification, shifting geopolitics but mining additional profits from sector for your portfolio might be challenging Read More

Eva Wasney:

Bean there, eat that

Legumes a filling, cost-effective, tasty way to add protein to meals Read More

Ben Sigurdson:

Have a drink and pretend you’re at the beach

Around these parts, doomscrolling has come to mean opening the Environment Canada app and wincing at the seven-day forecast. On Dec. 20 I rounded up a half-dozen drinks to help beat the winter chil... Read More

What’s up

Free Press staff recommend things to do this week Read More

Ben Waldman:

Solo album built on collaboration

Dominique Adams doesn’t mind playing the waiting game. Many of the vignette-driven lyrics, gentle harmonies and mesmerizing vocal runs that populate the local songwriter’s debut record, To Keep, we... Read More

Ben Waldman:

Emotional baggage

Part with heirlooms? Why? Read More

Conrad Sweatman:

Lighter motifs

Singer exploring portrayals of Indigenous women in opera stresses need for joy, humour Read More

Jen Zoratti:

Shifting realities

Fragmentation of identities explored in updated work Read More

The Week That Was: Jan. 19 to Jan. 24

This week's news quiz topics include: Bitter cold, Jonathan Toews, mining, lobbying and more. Take the quiz