The Wrap: Theft and hunger in West Broadway, stuck on a hot plane, road woes and Jasper fire
Plus: a tour of the chicken fingers of downtown Winnipeg

Businesses in Winnipeg’s West Broadway neighbourhood are coming up with creative solutions to combat theft and hunger.

Nicole Buffie looks at restaurants and shops in the inner-city area that are trying to help vulnerable patrons and also reduce instances of theft and erratic behaviour.

Meanwhile, associations and organizations representing the area are calling on governments to provide more support.

Mack Mroz was on a fully booked plane that was supposed to fly from Las Vegas to Winnipeg earlier this week — but instead she was left sweltering on the tarmac for hours in temperatures over 40 C before her flight was eventually cancelled.

During the hours of sitting on the plane, passengers were told they had to stay seated with their seatbelts on and no one could go to the washroom, Mroz said.

Kevin Rollason reports on her “vacation of H E double hockey sticks.”

People who live and work along a scarred provincial road in the Interlake are tired of facing an anxiety-inducing drive every time they use the “dangerous” route.

Provincial Road 234 — a 92-kilometre, two-lane stretch on the west side of Lake Winnipeg — turns into “mud and slop” when it rains heavily and is deeply rutted and bumpy when dry, motorists say.

Chris Kitching talks to area residents, the provincial infrastructure department, and Manitoba’s premier about the sorry state of some roads around Manitoba.

Preliminary reports indicate a third and perhaps up to half of the structures in the Jasper townsite have been destroyed, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said Thursday.

Images and video surfacing on social media depict blocks of homes and businesses burned to charred foundations and vehicles torched to the hubcaps.

About 20,000 park visitors and the 5,000 residents of the Jasper municipality had to flee on a moment’s notice Monday night ahead of two wildfires that cut off road access everywhere but west to British Columbia. A day later they were directed to loop back to Alberta as British Columbia, dealing with its own fires, did not have the capacity to assist.

July 27 is National Chicken Finger Day, an annual festivity dedicated to the crispy, flavourful victual that has become a staple in fast-food outlets and fine-dining establishments alike.

David Sanderson takes a tour of downtown and the surrounding area and learns the ubiquitous dish — presented with Winnipeg-centric honey-dill sauce, naturally — is more popular than ever in local kitchens.