Environment Canada has issued a Heat Warning for Brandon. A hot, humid air mass has moved into southern Manitoba, and Humidex values could reach 40. The most humid weather is expected on Friday, but relief will be on the way Saturday as a cold front moves in and temperatures will return to more seasonal through the weekend.
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It’s another dry summer for farmers in southwest Manitoba, large areas are below 50% of normal precipitation. Manitoba Agriculture says in the past week, there have been varying amounts of rain with Neepawa getting the most. The agency says while it’s drier than normal for much of the south, it’s nowhere near extreme.
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A crash on Highway 10 north of Swan River on Tuesday reportedly claimed the lives of a Winnipeg musician and his partner. Indie pop band ‘Royal Canoe’ says bass player Brendan Berg died along with Olivia Michalczuk. RCMP say a southbound vehicle crossed the centre-line and collided with a parked car facing north. Two men in the southbound vehicle remain in hospital.
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At the start of the year, Manitoba was way below the average for fatal highway crashes, but all that has changed. The Mounties say there have been 32 this year compared to 23 at the same time last year. Police say factors for the rise in collisions include passing when it’s unsafe, distracted driving and lack of seatbelt use.
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The former head of Manitoba Hydro, Jay Grewal, was paid just over $881,000 last year, despite being dismissed six weeks into the year. Hydro says she was paid out according to the terms of her contract. Appointed by the former Conservative government, Grewal’s idea of independent producers supplying power to Manitoba clashed with the incoming NDP government’s policy that any new energy sources should be publicly owned. Once the NDP replaced Hydro’s board, they parted ways with Grewal.
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Another round of GST rebates are going out this week, and since July kicks off a new benefit year, the amounts are getting a bit of a boost – both federally and provincially. With a provincial top-up – an individual in Manitoba could be eligible for as much as $533, and up to $680 per couple. The payments every three months are to help lower and modest-income Canadians offset some of the taxes they pay.
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8 new measles cases were confirmed in Manitoba during the last week of June. The province says this brings the total number of confirmed measles infections to 116 so far this year. To combat the spread, Manitoba has expanded eligibility for vaccines.
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New research published in the journal ‘Nature Medicine’ says there is really no safe amount of processed meat to eat. Researchers analyzed data from more than 60 previous studies and found there is a connection between processed meats and the risk of major diseases like cancer and Type 2 diabetes.
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A 138-year-old company, best known for its canned fruits and vegetables, has filed for bankruptcy and is looking for a buyer. Del Monte Foods got its start in 1886 and built its famous cannery in San Francisco in 1907. The company says its faced challenges that include consumers cutting back on spending, and a growing shift toward spending on private labels.
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U.S. President Donald Trump toured ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ on Tuesday, his controversial immigration detention facility in the Florida Everglades. He praised it as a model for future nationwide facilities aimed at accelerating deportations. Critics say it’s an ‘inhumane makeshift prison camp’. The Florida Republican Party, meanwhile, is selling gator-themed clothing and beer koozies.
