Get ready for a jump in your hydro bill. Manitoba hydro has been given permission to hike electricity rates by 2.9 per cent. The increase will go into effect on April 1st. But, the Public Utilities Board also ordered that if this increase is later found out to unjustified, it’ll look at ordering a refund to customers.
The family of a homeless man who died during a 34 hour wait in a city emergency room, is now calling on the province to hold a public inquiry. Brian Sinclair’s family joined other aboriginal groups who say an inquest into the man’s death isn’t enough. But, Attorney General, Andrew Swan says an inquiry isn’t necessary since the inquest will touch on those issues and ask some really tough questions.
Little piece of history went up in flames yesterday. Fire has destroyed what’s believed to be the oldest remaining wooden elevator on the Prairies. The structure in Fleming, near the Manitoba-Saskatchewan border, burned up yesterday. RCMP say the fire is suspicious. The elevator by the way, opened up in 1895.
So, want to head somewhere reallllyy romantic this Valentine’s weekend? Well, hop in the car and head west. Online retailer, Amazon.ca has determined that Saskatoon is the most romantic city in the entire country. The company bases its conclusion on sales of bodice ripping novels, books on sex and relationships and what else…but…sales of Michael Buble c.d.’s. Winnipeg by the way did finish in the top 10 for romantic cities….we came in 9th.
So, Toyota isn’t the only Japanese car company with quality problems these days. Honda is adding 437 thousand vehicles to its 15 month global recall for faulty air bags. Apparently, the inflator can deploy with too much pressure. The latest expansion of the Honda recall includes 41 thousand cars in this country.
Actor Louis Gossett Junior is being treated for prostate cancer. The 73 year old says the disease was caught early and he expects to make a full recovery. Gossett won an Oscar for best supporting actor back in 1983, for “An Officer and a Gentleman.”
Well, compared to what the north-eastern part of the U.S. has had this winter…we’ve gotten off pretty darn good here in the Peg. It’s possible that Philly and Washington could both break annual snowfall records by tonight. Forecasters say a storm coming today could dump another 30 plus c.m. of snow by tonight in those areas……which is not welcome news since the same region is still recovering from last weekend’s massive blizzard.
There are more light sweaters and sunglasses being seen around Vancouver this week than parkas and earmuffs. Temps are hovering around the 10 degree mark this week, as the snowless B.C. city gets ready for Friday’s start of the 2010 Olympic games.
Sad story to tell you about this morning. The Discovery Channel says the captain of one of the fishing vessels on the “Deadliest Catch” has died. Captain Phil Harris of the ship, “Cornelia Marie,” suffered what the family says was a massive stroke at the end of January, while crab fishing in Alaska. He was flown to Anchorage for surgery, but died just a couple of days ago.
There will soon be a new movie channel dedicated to women. Corus Entertainment says it’ll start the new channel on March 1st which will show movies aimed at women between the ages of 25 and 54. The company says there’s a lot of potential for a channel devoted to women’s movies….which some critics call “chick flicks.”
At least one criminologist is scratching his head over the case of Colonel Russell Williams. Mark Safarik, a former FBI profiler says, it’s unusual for charges of murder and sexual assault to be laid against a 46 year old man with no prior record. Williams, the former top commander of CFB Trenton, Ontario, is charged with 2 counts of 1st degree murder and 2 counts of sexual assault. Police also think there may be other women that Williams assaulted over the years…and their investigation continues.
