Nova Scotia schools cancel international student trips as coronavirus precaution

EPC votes to award $115-M sewage plant upgrade development contract to Canadian arm of U.S.-based company

The Canadian branch of a U.S. company is one vote away from winning a $115-million North End sewage treatment plant upgrade contract Winnipeg’s mayor expects will produce many local jobs.

Council’s executive policy committee voted to award the development phase agreement for the third and final portion of the $3.1-billion upgrade project to Kiewit Construction Services, pending final city council approval.

The company is a branch of Kiewit Canada Group, whose parent company is located in Omaha, Neb., according to its website.

While there has been a renewed push for governments to buy local in and beyond Winnipeg, Mayor Scott Gillingham said this contract should prove very beneficial to the city’s economy.

Olympian Beckie Scott helping kids through sports

Olympic champion Beckie Scott never imagined herself running a non-profit after retiring from competitive cross-country skiing.

As Canada's most-decorated cross-country skier, she simply knew firsthand the power and value that sports hold.

“I have the lived feel of coming out on the other side of sport with life feel and skill sets and connections to opportunities I would never have access to otherwise," said Scott, who has a gold medal from the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City and a silver from the 2006 Turin Games.

"I just think it’s such a beautiful platform to share, especially or particularly with young people who are marginalized or vulnerable.”

CBC series digs into Cold War hockey showdown

Fifty years ago today, Winnipeg played a part in one of Canada’s greatest cultural touchstones.

Current, former civic employees say misconduct rampant, malingering culture entrenched

Allegations of widespread misconduct among inspectors in Winnipeg’s planning, property and development department may be just the tip of the iceberg, as whistleblowers are stepping forward to sound the alarm about problems that extend elsewhere in the municipal workforce.

Two people — the Free Press has agreed not to name them— are speaking out about their experiences working in three departments under the public works umbrella during the past decade. One is a current employee and the other twice worked as a summer contractor for the city.

They describe a culture of short, lackadaisical workdays peppered with frequent, lengthy coffee breaks and extended lunches, and one where fireable offences — including sleeping, drinking alcohol on the job and theft or misuse of equipment — are rife.

“I’m sure that you know, and the majority of people know, what we actually do. It goes beyond the planning, property and development department... I’m really tired of not feeling productive. I just want to do a good job and feel good about my day,” said the current employee.

Sweeney’s sexist U.S. gambling-site ad isn’t the real problem

Until very recently, there was no reason to connect actress and model Sydney Sweeney with online sports betting. But the degrees separating these two culture trends evaporated in short order this week.

Sweeney, a pop culture icon who is a source of endless speculation in political circles, made a big splash with a provocative advertising campaign for Novig, a new-generation sports gambling site in the United States. In a promotional video, Sweeney appears largely nude, with strategically placed sports equipment and her long, blonde hair providing just enough cover to keep from being classified as pornography.

“Think you know sports?” Sweeney says seductively in the opening of the video, with two footballs hiding her breasts. “Prove it.”

Novig is a “peer-to-peer” gambling app that allows people south of the border to bet against each other on the outcomes of professional sports, as opposed to betting against “the house,” as is the case with traditional sports books. And it just so happens that Sweeney, either from a direct investment or as payment for her participation in the ad campaign, is now an equity partner in Novig.

Gerdau recycling workers on strike

Workers behind recycling operations for Selkirk’s steel mill walked off the job last week, calling for higher wages.

Unionized members voted to strike July 23, with a 92 per cent mandate. Months of bargaining hasn’t produced a new deal, said United Steelworkers Local 8740. The union represents 78 members striking at Gerdau AmeriSteel Manitoba Metals recycling plant.

“We’re not being recognized for the amount of work we’ve been doing,” Andrew Sealey, acting president of the local, said Thursday. “The mill is a sensational beast … We’ve got to feed her all the time, and she’s always hungry.”

The scrap metal inspected and unloaded at the recycling facility is used in steel mill operations.