Queen’s image an iconic symbol with myriad meanings

US jobless claims drop; still at 847,000 as pandemic rages

WASHINGTON - The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell but remained at a historically high 847,000 last week, a sign that layoffs keep coming as the coronavirus pandemic continues to rage.

Last week’s claims dropped by 67,000, from 914,000 the week before, the Labor Department said Thursday. Before the virus hit the United States hard last March, weekly applications for jobless aid had never topped 700,000.

Tempering last week's bigger-than-expected drop in claims: The four-week moving average — which smooths out week to week gyrations — rose by more than 16,000 last week to 868,000, highest since September.

Overall, nearly 4.8 million Americans received traditional state unemployment benefits the week of Jan. 16. That is down from nearly 5 million the week before and far below a staggering peak of nearly 25 million in May when the virus brought economic activity to a near halt. The drop suggests that some of the unemployed are finding new jobs and that others have exhausted state benefits.

Kelly Taylor

Kelly Taylor is a Winnipeg Free Press copy editor and award-winning automotive journalist. He's been a member of the Automobile Journalists' Association of Canada since 2001.

Roundup of Olympic gold medals from Tuesday, Feb. 8

BEIJING (AP) — A roundup of gold medals from Tuesday, Feb. 8, at the Beijing Games:

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ALPINE SKIING

MEN'S SUPER-G

Beausejour biz has a bit of everything and a lot of buzz

BEAUSEJOUR — Andrea Swain, co-owner of Pennyweight Market, a combination bulk food outlet, ice cream parlour and good, old-fashioned general store situated in Beausejour, laughingly opines that one of the challenges of launching a new venture in a small community such as theirs is that “everybody in town knows your business.”

Among the benefits? That’s easy, she says: everybody in town knows your business.

Not long after they acquired the space four summers ago, rumours abounded as to what it was going to be when it reopened, Swain continues, seated next to her associates Kimberley Friesen and Laurie McLean, inside their cute-as-a-button shop at 802 Park Ave. The previous owner had been around for more than 20 years, and ice cream and milk shakes were two of her main drawing cards, so there was some concern — OK, a lot — on the part of the high school students down the street that the three of them were going to turn it into a (here she lowers her voice to a whisper) health-food store.

Friesen, who, like Swain, grew up in Beausejour, located 45 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg, was at a neighbourhood pool party in July 2017, a few weeks before Pennyweight’s grand opening. She recalls being peppered with questions, including one from a 10-year-old girl splashing about in the shallow end who was under the impression the former locale’s beloved “candy island” was about to become a thing of the past. The second Friesen told the youngster not to worry, that the colourful array of gummies, licorice and chocolates wasn’t going anywhere, she came bounding out of the pool to give her a big, albeit wet, hug.

Indigenous leaders meet with Governor General during first official visit to Manitoba

Three Indigenous leaders were encouraged after discussing reconciliation and the need to confront residential school denialism with Gov. Gen. Louise Arbour, while she began her first official visit to Manitoba Wednesday.

Arbour had a private meeting with Grand Chief Garrison Settee of Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak, which represents northern First Nations, Manitoba Inuit Association CEO Gayle Gruben and Manitoba Métis Federation cabinet minister Will Goodon at the legislature.

“The message is clear that truth and reconciliation is part of something that we, as all of Canada and the world, need to understand. It is not something that just ends,” Gruben said after the meeting.

“I am a residential school survivor, so I did inform (Arbour) that there are a lot of deniers, but there’s also a lot of people who support us.”

Scheifele’s scoring ‘drought’ ends with pair of assists in win over Avs

Mark Scheifele insisted he wasn’t worried.

But make no mistake: When a prolific point producer coming off a career-best offensive season puts up zeroes in his first three games, people are going to start talking.

Is this an ominous sign, some fans wondered? Is Father Time starting to catch up, others pondered?

Let the record show the so-called drought officially ended on Wednesday night in a big way when Scheifele assisted on Cole Perfetti’s second-period goal, then set up Kyle Connor’s dramatic game-winner with 60 seconds left in regulation.