Home strife could turn out to be a blessing

Open the gates: floodway put into operation in advance of fall storm

A large, unstable weather system is expected to dump 60 to 100 millimetres of rain on southern Manitoba over the next several days, necessitating the activation of the Red River Floodway in autumn for the first time.

The storm comes as fields throughout the Red River Valley are already soaked due to heavy rains.

As of 4 p.m. Wednesday, the Red River had reached 14.1 feet at James Avenue, the highest fall level recorded since at least 1971, from which time such data is readily available. In November 2010, the Red crested at 13.3 feet James.

The government issued a news release Tuesday evening warning the floodway may be activated Wednesday, after stating earlier the same day its operation was "not expected at this time." The floodway gates were to be raised at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Germany seeks to boost renewable energy, cut Russian imports

BERLIN (AP) — The German government unveiled a major package of reforms Wednesday to boost the production of renewable power, meet its climate goals and become independent of energy imports from hostile nations such as Russia.

The 600-page “Easter package” approved by Cabinet lays out ambitious goals for the expansion of offshore power and declares the installation of renewable energy to be of “overriding public interest” — a trump card meant to cut through Germany's often lengthy bureaucratic processes.

Europe's biggest economy aims to generate almost all of its electricity from renewable sources such as wind and solar by 2035 — more than doubling the current rate in 13 years. But the roll-out has slowed sharply in recent years due to complex rules and changes in feed-in subsidies.

"In sum, this package will lead to a significant increase in renewable energy,” Economy and Energy Minister Robert Habeck told reporters in Berlin.

Report slams Omnitrax in fatal derailment

A Hudson Bay Railway derailment south of Thompson which resulted in the death of a conductor occurred after the track was washed out because of high water levels due to heavy rain.

But the 44-page report released by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada on Thursday also condemned the railroad's former owner, Omnitrax, saying that in the months before the derailment, while the company still owned it, "because the rail line was for sale, much of the other infrastructure maintenance was being deferred.

"In general, HBR, under Omnitrax, performed only a minimum amount of maintenance to keep the remaining portion of the rail line open while remaining in regulatory compliance. With a reduced engineering force, the track infrastructure began to deteriorate."

The TSB also found Omnitrax's reduction of its beaver control program also left the track vulnerable to a washout, its emergency response plan didn't include anything about responding to a train derailment, and the plan had never been reviewed by the regulator.

For Harris, memories of mother guide bid for vice-president

NEW YORK - Speaking from the Senate floor for the first time, Kamala Harris expressed gratitude for a woman on whose shoulders she said she stood. In her autobiography, Harris interspersed the well-worn details of her resume with an extended ode to the one she calls “the reason for everything.” And taking the stage to announce her presidential candidacy , she framed it as a race grounded in the compassion and values of the person she credits for her fighting spirit.

Though more than a decade has passed since Shyamala Gopalan died, she remains a force in her daughter’s life as she takes a historic spot on the Democratic ticket besides former Vice-President Joe Biden. Those who know the California senator expect her campaign for the vice presidency to bring repeated mentions of the woman she calls her single greatest influence.

“She’s always told the same story,” said friend Mimi Silbert. “Kamala had one important role model, and it was her mother.”

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Troubadour of tears

Field Guide, for all his sad songs, is dressed exclusively in vibrant colours. His beanie is mustard yellow, his jacket and shirt are forest green, his Blundstones are burgundy. His short, scruffy beard is Spalding-ball orange.