Time away from belligerent brother a good move

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.

Under-fire Olympic composer steps down over past bullying

Stock surges and setbacks for the week ending July 16, 2021.

Weed control increasingly important part of harvest

We often think of harvest as an annual “rush,” but in reality, it moves at more of a rhythmic pace, especially when the sun is shining, the fields are ripe, and the equipment is running smoothly.

Operators and machinery steadily grind away at the unharvested crops, moving from field to field as needed. Grain carts and trucks roll back and forth, hauling the grain into storage, often sidling up to the moving combine so it can unload on the fly.

Of course, the equipment needs servicing, and the people need food, but every operation has a system that minimizes the downtime and maximizes the effort. So far this season, Manitoba farmers are running ahead of the five-year average for harvest progress.

However, a brief reference in the latest crop report urges producers to break up that synchronicity and pause to closely examine patches of weeds in their fields before they push them through with the combine.

School divisions to argue against paying property taxes on buildings

A fall court date has been set for Winnipeg school divisions to argue why they should not have to pay municipal property taxes on any of their buildings — not just elementary, junior high and high schools.

Under Manitoba’s Municipal Assessment Act, properties that are “used for a public school” should be exempt from taxation to a maximum exemption of 4.047 hectares.

Divisions claim that all of their non-school facilities, ranging from bus depots to education resource centres, contribute to schooling. The City of Winnipeg, however, only wants to provide exceptions to active schools.

“Schools are very different today. There’s a lot happening in the schools, in terms of all aspects of the mental, emotional, physical well-being of children,” said Mark Newman, the lawyer representing all six metro-area divisions: Winnipeg, Seven Oaks, River East Transcona, Pembina Trails, St. James-Assiniboia, and Louis Riel.

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