The Wrap: Aviation services, St. Boniface beds, university hoops and the rewards and challenges of playing Carole King

Good evening. Here’s a look at what our newsroom has been working on today:

'This is a way to save money'

While in opposition, the NDP criticized the former Progressive Conservative government for privatizing provincial air services. As recently as April, NDP leader Wab Kinew challenged the PCs to “reverse course” and called the privatization of air ambulances wrong.

Now, it appears the Kinew government is aiming to continue contracting medical flights to the private sector.

The province is soliciting air carriers to fly scheduled and on-demand charter planes for the government and other public sector organizations, including Shared Health, which oversees the delivery of health services.

Danielle Da Silva:

NDP changes course on medical air charters after subjecting Tories to turbulence before election

The Kinew government is clearing the runway to continue contracting medical flights to the private sector after slamming the Progressive Conservatives for privatizing provincial air services. The p... Read More

Three Savour Manitoba magazine covers promoting a food, drink, and lifestyle publication.

'This goes some way to... building back the capacity that’s been stripped out of the system'

St. Boniface Hospital will be getting 36 new acute-care beds, Premier Wab Kinew and Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara announced Wednesday afternoon.

It’s hoped that adding inpatient beds will help ease waiting times in emergency rooms.

“There are many days where virtually all of the beds in the emergency department are occupied by patients who’ve already been seen and asessed and who require admission to hospital but their movement to the wards can’t occur for hours or in some cases, days,” said the hospital’s ER medical director.

“The inability to move patients is, in my experience the No. 1 reason that wait times are excessive.”

Carol Sanders:

More beds for St. Boniface Hospital in bid to reduce ER strain

In the St. Boniface Hospital emergency room, the wait time was more than 13 hours. In the building’s atrium, Premier Wab Kinew and Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara were promising to add 36 medicine beds... Read More

'Good things have been happening'

All three of Manitoba’s universities will be legitimate threats to capture the Canada West basketball conference title when the top 12 regular-season finishers convene at Investors Group Athletic Centre for the Canada West playoff tournament, Feb. 21—25.

The nation’s No.1-ranked squad, the Victoria Vikes, hold top spot in the conference with a 7-1 record, followed closely by the No. 6 Manitoba Bisons at 10-2, the Regina Cougars at 8-2, and four clubs — Brandon Bobcats, Calgary Dinos, No. 4 UBC Thunderbirds and the No. 9 Winnipeg Wesmen — dead even at 8-4.

Mike Sawatzky reports.

Mike Sawatzky:

Manitoba universities legitimate Canada West hoops contenders

Scan the Canada West university men’s basketball standings and you are likely to be drawn to one conclusion. All three of the province’s schools will be legitimate threats to capture the conference... Read More

'It’s a story of self-love, self-actualization and self-worth'

It’s Carole King’s world, and Tess Benger has been living in it for the better part of a year.

The Toronto-born actor was chosen by the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre and Montreal’s Segal Centre from a national casting call to portray King in a co-production of Beautiful, a musical based on the performer’s career and personal life.

Last week, Benger slipped out of rehearsals to chat with the Free Press about the challenges and rewards of playing a member of pop-music royalty.

Ben Waldman:

Natural woman

Carole King musical a tapestry of emotions Read More