American actor praises burgers at VJ’s Drive Inn

American actor Blake Anderson gave a glowing shoutout to VJ’s Drive Inn on a recent episode of the This Is Important podcast.

While difficult stories dominated news feeds, caring and community were everywhere this year

Good news, everyone — 2025 wasn’t all bad!

Yes, plenty of horrific events transpired at home and abroad over the past 12 months — environmental disasters, humanitarian crises, economic uncertainty, political unrest, war.

But there were also many, many moments of human compassion.

If the goal of journalism is to shine a light on darkness, news organizations also need to cast a spotlight on lightness. Otherwise, we’re only telling one side of an exceedingly bleak story.

These stars shone their last in 2025

Three former teachers turned politicians, a movie-production magnet, a hotelier, a seniors advocate and a restaurant critic are among the prominent Manitobans who died in 2025.

Jake Epp was a high school teacher before entering politics.

Epp, who was 85 when he died on July 5, was teaching history in Steinbach before throwing his hat into politics.

He was first elected as a city councillor in Steinbach before being elected the Progressive Conservative MP for Provencher in 1972. During the Mulroney government he was appointed health minister, minister of Indian affairs and northern development and energy minister — the first Mennonite in the federal cabinet. Epp, as health minister, was instrumental in Winnipeg becoming the site of the country’s first Level 4 Containment Laboratory, while also initiating anti-smoking legislation, including no smoking during air flights.

Family from the Democratic Republic of Congo navigates chilly firsts alongside IRCOM supports

All Clever Ganza wants to do this winter is build a snowman.

He’s not yet had the chance, as it hasn’t been the right kind of snow — although to the eight-year-old, all snow is snow.

It’s his second winter in Winnipeg after arriving in Canada with his parents and younger brother Travor, 5, in December 2024.

Clever has acclimatized pretty quickly.

Filipino-style fried-chicken biz off to a sizzling start

Before we begin, John Tadeo wants to make it abundantly clear that Popoy’s, the tag he and his girlfriend Patricia Santiago settled on for their Filipino-style fried-chicken biz, isn’t a play on an international fried-chicken chain that bears the name of a certain, spinach-loving sailor-man.

When Tadeo was a youngster growing up in the Philippines, his paternal grandmother never called him anything but Popoy, a derivative of Popo, which is Tagalog for little boy or child. His parents continue to address him by that term of affection to this day, so last winter, when he and Santiago were tossing around potential names for their fledgling enterprise, they agreed Popoy’s Golden Chicken had a better ring to it than John’s or Patricia’s.

“I guess if somebody associated with Popeyes (Louisiana Kitchen) ever tells us we can’t call ourselves (Popoy’s), we’d probably just change it to Poy’s,” Tadeo says, standing next to Santiago in the commercial kitchen at Riverview Community Centre, where they accept pickup orders on a regular basis, usually every other weekend.

“But since Popoy is my name, I’m not sure what argument they’d have.”

Music ’N’ Mavens plans biggest season yet with addition of evening shows

It’s a full season of songs and speakers for Music ’N’ Mavens.

The annual series of concerts and lectures features 19 programs from Jan. 6 to March 26, including the debut of After Dark, a four-concert evening series.

Karla Berbrayer, Music ’N’ Mavens’ founding producer, says the evening concert series responds to popular demand, which has steadily climbed after a few rocky post-pandemic seasons.

“It’s just been quite remarkable. I mean, the biggest complaint we get is, ‘I can’t get tickets,’” she says.

Clear Lake a snow-go zone with new pavilion

Wagasaming reels in the tourists in summer, but these days, its winter offerings are on the agenda. A large snow structure is being erected in the town site to enhance the recreational area in the cold season and host events such as a fashion show.

Building Blocks, Crumbling Foundation: Child Care in Crisis

A six-part investigation into the state of child care in Manitoba, examining the underlying issues that put kids and families at risk.

Landmarks: Exploring unique and iconic Winnipeg locations

Landmarks is a monthly feature in which columnist Alison Gillmor explores unique and iconic Winnipeg buildings and locations.

Made you look: From tiny beads to sweeping statements, 2025’s art exhibitions had an impact

Winnipeg’s art galleries, large and small, played host to a ton of exciting, groundbreaking and thought-provoking exhibitions in 2025.

Top TV titles in 2025 kept us glued to our screens

Whether you like mind-bending sci-fi, high-stakes medical drama, thoughtful animation or deeply horny hockey romance, television in 2025 had something for all tastes. The Free Press arts team weighs in with their favourites from a variety of streaming services.