The Wrap: Eckhardt’s past questioned, smashed bus shelters, Hydro funding, big Bombers game, and Miracle on Mountain

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

'These allegations are alarming and disturbing'

Several Winnipeg institutions — including the universities of Winnipeg and Manitoba and the Winnipeg Art Gallery — have spaces named for Ferdinand Eckhardt, a Vienna-born art historian who directed the Winnipeg Art Gallery, or his wife, composer and musician Sophie-Carmen Eckhardt-Gramatté.

A new magazine article published today says Eckhardt has a Nazi past, including signing an oath of allegiance to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler in the 1930s and writing in journals that supported the Nazi regime.

Alan Small and Chris Kitching:

Legendary former WAG director Eckhardt accused of Nazi past

A prominent art historian and driving force behind the creation of the modern-day WAG-Qaumajuq has been accused of a Nazi past. A Canadian magazine article published Thursday details the life of Vi... Read More

Iced drink with lime on a wooden surface beside the Savour Manitoba magazine cover.

'It's cold standing out there'

City crews are scrambling to keep up with an unusually high rate of bus-shelter vandalism.

Glass has been broken in 294 bus shelters so far this year, some of them more than once.

More than 110 shelters were missing glass as of last week.

Joyanne Pursaga:

City crews having trouble keeping up with repairs to vandalized bus shelters

About a third of Winnipeg’s bus shelters have been vandalized so far this year, and crews are scrambling to keep up as winter weather increases the urgency for repairs. Broken glass affected 267 of... Read More

'We want those megawatts'

Premier Wab Kinew and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland announced a combined $475.6 million in joint funding for Manitoba Hydro this morning.

“The priority for Manitoba Hydro is cheap electricity for you, the people of Manitoba,” Kinew said at Hydro’s downtown Winnipeg headquarters. “It’s to combat global warming, it’s to create good jobs and it’s to advance reconciliation for the future of our province.”

About $314 million of the money will go towards replacing generating units nearing the end of their life at the century-old Pointe Du Bois hydro-electric power station.

Danielle Da Silva:

Ottawa, province contribute $476M for two major Hydro clean-electricity projects

Manitoba Hydro will be drawing on a surge of cash from the provincial and federal governments to fund two major upgrades and expansions of its electricity grid. Premier Wab Kinew and Deputy Prime M... Read More

Danielle Da Silva:

Kinew, Freeland quiet on carbon tax cut talk

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew and federal Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland claimed to be in lockstep during a joint press conference Thursday morning — with neither wanting to talk about a carbon tax e... Read More

'The most important game of the year'

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers welcome the B.C. Lions to town for the Western Final at IG Field Saturday.

It’s the second consecutive year the clubs will meet for a chance to punch their ticket to the Grey Cup, played next Sunday at Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton.

For the Bombers, a victory against the Lions would send them to a fourth straight Grey Cup, giving Winnipeg a shot at cementing itself as a dynasty with three league titles in four seasons.

For the Lions, getting past the Bombers would mark a significant moment for a franchise that hasn’t competed in a Grey Cup since winning on home soil back in 2011.

Jeff Hamilton:

Collaros, Oliveira key to Bombers success in Western Final

With the regular season in the rear-view mirror, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers road to the Grey Cup begins in earnest this weekend. The Bombers welcome the B.C. Lions to town for the Western Final at I... Read More

'Incredible people doing some wonderful work'

The annual Free Press Miracle on Mountain fundraiser, which takes donations from generous readers to help the Christmas Cheer Board of Winnipeg fill holiday food hampers for those who need them, is kicking off another year.

“The pressing need for the Christmas Cheer Board has already been front-page news in our paper and that’s why I hope our readers will again respond via our Miracle on Mountain,” said Free Press editor Paul Samyn.

Kevin Rollason:

Miracle on Mountain annual campaign seeks lofty goal

These are tough times for a lot of people. Grocery prices are soaring, the financial impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic are still being felt and food bank use has gone up dramatically. For many,... Read More