Sister’s sneaky move calls for some real unpacking

Grim outlook for airport authority

The Winnipeg Airports Authority revealed a particularly grim outlook of their consolidated financial statements at their annual public meeting Thursday morning.

A year marred by COVID-19, executive members from the airports authority said urgent support is needed from the federal government to save them from their dire future beyond the pandemic, outlining the many ways in which Ottawa has failed regional airports like Winnipeg's so far.

Nicole Stefaniuk, vice-president of finance and administration, said 2020 was the worst year in the airport's history — mostly because passengers typically make up about 90 per cent of airport revenue and because almost 80 per cent of costs are fixed items the authority has to continue paying (such as utilities, personnel employment and taxes).

Passenger traffic fell from an average of 12,300 travellers per day to less than 250 people on a good day for Winnipeg's airport — a symptom of mandated lockdowns, border closures and travel restrictions across Canada.

Bringing home a Fish

There’s no place like home.

But what exactly does that mean for members of the Winnipeg Goldeyes, who typically find themselves hundreds or even thousands of miles away from family and friends between May and September, trying to keep their baseball careers alive while living on shoestring budgets?

For some, home is a modest downtown hotel room or small apartment typically shared with a teammate or two. For others, there’s a more personal touch — one that truly connects them to the community they happen to be playing in.

Welcome to the world of billets, a longstanding tradition in this market that dates back to when the Fish first took flight back in 1994. They are a unique and valuable tool for the American Association organization and its players, with a dedicated group of local baseball fans who open their doors and roll out the welcome mat year after year.

First Inuk GG sparks hope for new relationship

More than five years after he refused to intervene in a young man’s death by suicide in High Park, then lied about being on another call, a Toronto police officer has been demoted in rank for two years for his “serious” misconduct.

Kripps headlines Canada's bobsled team for Beijing

After piloting his two-man sled to glory at the Pyeongchang Olympics, Justin Kripps turned his attention to perfecting his four-man driving.

Kripps headlines Canada's 18-member bobsled team for the Beijing Games, and the defending two-man champion is hoping to climb the medal podium twice this time around.

"I've traditionally had more success in the two-man, and so I wanted to get the four-man up to speed and we've definitely done that and had a lot of success over the last four years. I'm really excited about the four-man in Beijing," Kripps said from Konigssee, Germany, where the Canadian team is in a holding camp before travelling to Beijing.

Cynthia Appiah and Christine de Bruin headline the talented women's bobsled team, announced Thursday. Olympic veterans Jane Channell of Calgary and Mirela Rahneva of Ottawa and rookie Blake Enzie of Calgary are Canada's three skeleton athletes.

Comfort, creativity battle COVID stress in art class

It was only fitting the panels on which students were tasked with painting comforting messages in Brody McQueen’s Grade 12 art class this term were customized to be six-feet tall.

“Be the reason someone feels heard,” states the board made by McQueen and his project partner, Shakira Rampersad.

Among phrases on the other panels, which will all be hung up in Winnipeg’s Maples Collegiate in the new year, were “Take a break” and “Good things are coming.”

One of visual arts teacher Stacey Abramson’s many therapeutic projects, the 1970s-style panels provided high school seniors an opportunity to brainstorm validating phrases that do not perpetuate toxic positivity — otherwise known as pretending everything is OK when it is not.

Teen in former police vehicle menaces car enthusiasts’ event, earns home visit, warning from WPS

A 17-year-old who attached red and blue flashing lights to the back window of a former police vehicle Sunday night got a visit from real city officers Monday who gave him a warning, as well as a $174 ticket for having illegally tinted windows.

The Winnipeg Police Service was advised on Monday of a video circulating online that showed a white Ford Explorer with the flashing in its rear window in a parking lot on Sage Creek Boulevard Sunday night.

Investigators were able to identify the vehicle’s owner.

The teen said he did it on a dare from his friends.