Good morning!
Very busy indeed: Beavers are moving inland in the Interlake region, flooding farm fields with their dams and destroying roads. Residents say they haven’t seen beavers in the area in generations, and cattle producer David Gall says the province should hire a full-time trapper. “They’re like rats, and they keep populating.” Bill Redekop reports. READ MORE
Your forecast: It will be cloudy with a high of 15 C, well below the average high for today of 24 C. There’s a 60 per cent chance of showers, with wind from the northwest at 30 km/h, gusting to 50.
In case you missed it
RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES
Michelle McHale and her partner, Karen Phillips, hold hands as they lead thousands of supporters down the streets of Steinbach on their way to City Hall to celebrate Steinbach’s first Pride march last year. Their child was bullied in school for having two moms.
Families file complaint: Two families, and the Public Interest Law Centre, filed a complaint Thursday against the provincial government, saying the education department should set curriculum guidelines so all public schools are LGBTTQ*-inclusive. “It can’t be left to dealing with one school division at a time,” says lawyer Allison Fenske. Carol Sanders reports. READ MORE
System “failed” family: A man was sentenced to one year in jail Thursday for dangerous driving causing death. The family of the young pedestrian killed, Amy Gilbert, say the justice system “failed” them. An impaired driving charge against Shane Recksiedler was dropped because of lack of evidence. Katie May reports. READ MORE
Relying on reputation: The provincial government won’t be inspecting the damage on the railway line to Churchill. “We expect to get a reputable report,” Lee Spencer, assistant deputy minister for emergency measures, said Thursday of the firm hired by the line’s owner to assess the damage. The train route was shut down from north of Gillam to Churchill in May after extensive spring flooding. Nick Martin and Stefanie Lasuik report. READ MORE
Up next
MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS
Winnipeg Jets’ General Manager Kevin Cheveldayoff
Decision day: The first round of the NHL draft is taking place tonight at the United Center in Chicago. On Thursday, Winnipeg Jets General Manager Kevin Cheveldayoff says he had many conversations with the Vegas Golden Knights before reaching a deal to protect defenceman Toby Engstrom, who was eligible in the expansion draft. “We grinded a long period of time and ultimately never came to a final deal until very late in the process,” Cheveldayoff says. Jason Bell reports. READ MORE
Carrying a torch: The Canada Summer Games torch relay starts today in Steinbach and ends in Winnipeg on July 26. The torch will journey more than 3,500 kilometres during the course of the relay through Manitoba and northwestern Ontario. Ten to 20 torchbearers in rural communities and 50 torchbearers in Winnipeg will each carry the torch for 200 metres.
Around the water cooler
RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS
Former Sears employees Edna and Norm Pohl have fond memories of working for the company and are sad to see it close. The Pohls make their way into the Garden City Sears store Thursday afternoon.
Store struggles: Sears Canada announced Thursday it’s closing its Garden City mall location and 58 others across the country, the latest in the list of retail casualties. Murray McNeill and Scott Emmerson spoke with business experts and shoppers on the changing landscape of the industry. READ MORE
Trending now
#AHCA: Trending as the U.S. Senate released its version of the American Health Care Act Thursday, which reduces many U.S. citizens’ medical coverage and provides tax cuts to the extremely wealthy. The legislation, which has received no public hearings, was met with widespread criticism and protest. READ MORE
On this date
On June 23, 1958: The Winnipeg Free Press reported that Manitoba premier Douglas Campbell announced he would resign, and called on the lieutenant governor to invite Conservative leader Duff Roblin to form government, after Campbell declined an overture from the CCF to partner with Campbell’s Liberals to partner in governing. Winnipeg’s famed Wolseley tree was doomed, according to the province’s horticulturist, after the tree was attacked by three university students with a crowbar and two saws; the tree’s bark had been stripped such that it could not survive. The youths were arrested by police and charged with wilful damage, and they pleaded guilty. READ MORE
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