The new normal? I sure hope not…
But I'm prepared to make an exception this year for one big reason — the damn smoke that has become a staple of everyday life lately.
It's impossible to ignore, especially when you consider the massive swath of damage and despair impacting folks from communities across the province.
Even just stepping outside these days feels like a dangerous game, with not a whole lot of 'fresh air' to be found.
Smoke obscures the downtown Winnipeg skyline as seen from Westview Park. (Mike Deal / Free Press)
I'm a relatively healthy 50-year-old with no chronic conditions, and it's taking a toll. I don't think my eyes and nose have stopped running since spring. I've had more headaches over the past few months than in the previous 10 years combined, and I often feel nauseous if I spend extended periods in the not-so-great outdoors.
A round of golf on a smoky day? I'll be feeling that for a while. A long walk through my favourite river trail? That's suddenly not so appealing anymore.
I can't even begin to imagine what this is like for people with compromised health.
Thankfully, it looks like some relief is in sight — at least in the short term — with plenty of rain in the forecast to follow what's already fallen earlier this week.
But that's likely just a temporary Band-Aid on what has become a massive wound — one that's now impacting professional and amateur sports, outdoor theatre, festivals, and so much more.
Our sports intern, Zoe Pierce, just wrote a terrific feature on this issue — one that has me very worried about what the future holds.
That's why I'm not ashamed to say I'm counting down the days until the hot weather goes on hiatus and we start to feel a chill in the air. Hopefully it's air that's a whole lot easier to breathe.
Smoke hangs over neighbourhoods in south Winnipeg as seen from Pembina Highway. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Free Press files)
OK, that's enough doom-and-gloom for one newsletter. On to some happier thoughts:
🏒 Another reason to get excited about what's coming? We're now just six weeks away from the start of Winnipeg Jets training camp.
Colleague Ken Wiebe and I had a great meeting this week with our sports editor, Grace Paizen, to brainstorm coverage plans. As always, we'll be following the team at home and on the road — one of the few newspapers in North America still doing that.
✈️ And this year brings a major bonus: we're taking our show all the way to Milan, where the NHL will be on full display at the Winter Olympics.
I'll be there for the duration, along with what I expect will be several Jets players and plenty of Manitobans on both the men's and women's hockey teams. I can't wait.
✉️ Speaking of the Jets, Ken and I are working on our latest monthly mailbag. Got a question? Hit 'reply' to this email and fire away. The August edition drops Sunday on our website.
⚾ Three games. 63 hits. 45 runs. Safe to say the Toronto Blue Jays enjoyed their visit to Denver this week.
As much fun as it was to watch three blowout wins, I genuinely pity the fans of the Colorado Rockies, who are being forced to endure one of the worst teams in MLB history. With a 30-84 record and a -316 run differential, it's nothing short of a joke. Talk about a Rocky Mountain mismatch.
Advertisement
Why this ad?
🏋️♀️Bravo to Winnipeg's Sydney Michalyshen, who just finished 21st in the world at the 2025 CrossFit Games in New York.
She was the only Manitoban, and one of just three Canadians, to qualify for the final stage of competition. ICYMI, here's my recent feature on her accomplishments.
🏇 The 77th Manitoba Derby was one for the ages — a 'you have to see it to believe it' race on Monday night that resulted in four different objections and the eventual disqualification of the runaway favourite who had seemingly cruised to victory.
I've been watching horse racing for most of my life, and that was one of the most reckless rides I've ever seen by jockey Rasheed Hughes on board Take Charge Tom. It's a minor miracle that all the horses and humans remained upright given the way he cut across traffic and caused a dangerous chain reaction.
Special kudos to jockey Ciera Pruitt, the 22-year-old rookie from Winnipeg, who calmly steered War Is Hell out of danger despite the fact Take Charge Tom clipped his heels. That could have been a tragedy on the track.
Pruitt — the second-generation rider I wrote about earlier this summer — continues to impress in so many ways. This was her Derby debut — one of only five local jockeys to get a mount in the race with all the others being imports — and it definitely won't be her last.
🎵 Last but not least: a happy opening to the talented cast and crew of Frozen , which begins tonight at Rainbow Stage.
My nephew is part of the production, and I know they're all going to break legs with their performances, which run through Aug. 24.
Here's hoping the weather cooperates and keeps the air quality manageable so folks can enjoy the show under the fabulous outdoor dome.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Winnipeg Free Press
2 days ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Free Press Head Start for Aug. 8, 2025
Mainly cloudy, with a 60 per cent chance of showers or thunderstorms early this morning and a 60 per cent chance of showers late this afternoon. Risk of a thunderstorm late this afternoon. Widespread smoke. An air quality warning is in effect for the City of Winnipeg. High 25 C. Humidex 33. UV index 7 or high. Much of Manitoba had the worst air quality in Canada Thursday, as researchers warn the long-term effects of the smog are not yet fully realized. Nicole Buffie has more here. Smoke hangs over the Red River as people walk the River Trail at The Forks on Thursday. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Free Press files) What's happening today The Run It Back Alumni Basketball Tournament, now in its third year, has already seen plenty of success, bringing together players from the graduating classes of 2022 all the way back to 1999 to face off against old rivals. This year, 16 teams will make their way to the Duckworth Centre downtown, starting today at 5:30 p.m. and continuing until Aug. 10, to compete in the tournament. For the full schedule, click here. Calvin Diaz (left) and Joseph Medrano, organizers of the third annual Run It Back high school alumni basketball tournament (Supplied) Advance polls in a historic federal byelection for Alberta's Battle River-Crowfoot open today. For the first time ever, Elections Canada says voters must fill out a blank ballot. The agency lists a record 214 candidates running in the rural riding, with voting day on Aug. 18. The Canadian Press reports. Today's must-read Winnipeg's police chief vowed Thursday to regain the public's trust after announcing a veteran officer — already accused of criminal wrongdoing last year — has been charged with more than a dozen new offences, including drug dealing while on duty and sharing a photo of a half-naked dead woman. Winnipeg Police Service professional standards investigators re-arrested Const. Elston Bostock, 48, on Wednesday, and took him to the city remand centre, where he remains locked up. Bostock was removed from his duties as a police officer — a job he's held for 22 years — last fall. 'These are very serious allegations which go directly against the values of the Winnipeg Police Service, tarnishing our reputation and eroding the public's confidence,' Chief Gene Bowers told a Thursday news conference, calling it a 'very sad day for the service.' Erik Pindera has the story. WPS Police Chief Gene Bowers (Ruth Bonneville / Free Press) On the bright side The Hubble Space Telescope has captured the best picture yet of a high-speed comet visiting our solar system from another star. NASA and the European Space Agency released the latest photos Thursday. Discovered last month by a telescope in Chile, the comet known as 3I-Atlas is only the third known interstellar object to pass our way and poses no threat to Earth. The Associated Press reports. An image captured by Hubble of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS on July 21 (NASA/European Space Agency via The Associated Press) On this date On Aug. 8, 1962: The Winnipeg Free Press reported Manitoba Pool Elevators would build a meat packing plant in Brandon at a cost of $1.5 million to $2 million, replacing the Brandon Packers plant, which the pool bought a year earlier for $180,000. Scotland Yard detectives combed Britain for U.S. Nazi leader George Lincoln Rockwell while angry protests grew over his presence in Britain. Read the rest of this day's paper here. Search our archives for more here. Today's front page Get the full story: Read today's e-edition of the Free Press .
Winnipeg Free Press
3 days ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
The new normal? I sure hope not…
I've never been one to wish away summer. It's far too short and typically goes by far too fast around here. But I'm prepared to make an exception this year for one big reason — the damn smoke that has become a staple of everyday life lately. It's impossible to ignore, especially when you consider the massive swath of damage and despair impacting folks from communities across the province. Even just stepping outside these days feels like a dangerous game, with not a whole lot of 'fresh air' to be found. Smoke obscures the downtown Winnipeg skyline as seen from Westview Park. (Mike Deal / Free Press) I'm a relatively healthy 50-year-old with no chronic conditions, and it's taking a toll. I don't think my eyes and nose have stopped running since spring. I've had more headaches over the past few months than in the previous 10 years combined, and I often feel nauseous if I spend extended periods in the not-so-great outdoors. A round of golf on a smoky day? I'll be feeling that for a while. A long walk through my favourite river trail? That's suddenly not so appealing anymore. I can't even begin to imagine what this is like for people with compromised health. Thankfully, it looks like some relief is in sight — at least in the short term — with plenty of rain in the forecast to follow what's already fallen earlier this week. But that's likely just a temporary Band-Aid on what has become a massive wound — one that's now impacting professional and amateur sports, outdoor theatre, festivals, and so much more. Our sports intern, Zoe Pierce, just wrote a terrific feature on this issue — one that has me very worried about what the future holds. That's why I'm not ashamed to say I'm counting down the days until the hot weather goes on hiatus and we start to feel a chill in the air. Hopefully it's air that's a whole lot easier to breathe. Smoke hangs over neighbourhoods in south Winnipeg as seen from Pembina Highway. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Free Press files) OK, that's enough doom-and-gloom for one newsletter. On to some happier thoughts: 🏒 Another reason to get excited about what's coming? We're now just six weeks away from the start of Winnipeg Jets training camp. Colleague Ken Wiebe and I had a great meeting this week with our sports editor, Grace Paizen, to brainstorm coverage plans. As always, we'll be following the team at home and on the road — one of the few newspapers in North America still doing that. ✈️ And this year brings a major bonus: we're taking our show all the way to Milan, where the NHL will be on full display at the Winter Olympics. I'll be there for the duration, along with what I expect will be several Jets players and plenty of Manitobans on both the men's and women's hockey teams. I can't wait. ✉️ Speaking of the Jets, Ken and I are working on our latest monthly mailbag. Got a question? Hit 'reply' to this email and fire away. The August edition drops Sunday on our website. ⚾ Three games. 63 hits. 45 runs. Safe to say the Toronto Blue Jays enjoyed their visit to Denver this week. As much fun as it was to watch three blowout wins, I genuinely pity the fans of the Colorado Rockies, who are being forced to endure one of the worst teams in MLB history. With a 30-84 record and a -316 run differential, it's nothing short of a joke. Talk about a Rocky Mountain mismatch. Advertisement Why this ad? 🏋️♀️Bravo to Winnipeg's Sydney Michalyshen, who just finished 21st in the world at the 2025 CrossFit Games in New York. She was the only Manitoban, and one of just three Canadians, to qualify for the final stage of competition. ICYMI, here's my recent feature on her accomplishments. 🏇 The 77th Manitoba Derby was one for the ages — a 'you have to see it to believe it' race on Monday night that resulted in four different objections and the eventual disqualification of the runaway favourite who had seemingly cruised to victory. I've been watching horse racing for most of my life, and that was one of the most reckless rides I've ever seen by jockey Rasheed Hughes on board Take Charge Tom. It's a minor miracle that all the horses and humans remained upright given the way he cut across traffic and caused a dangerous chain reaction. Special kudos to jockey Ciera Pruitt, the 22-year-old rookie from Winnipeg, who calmly steered War Is Hell out of danger despite the fact Take Charge Tom clipped his heels. That could have been a tragedy on the track. Pruitt — the second-generation rider I wrote about earlier this summer — continues to impress in so many ways. This was her Derby debut — one of only five local jockeys to get a mount in the race with all the others being imports — and it definitely won't be her last. 🎵 Last but not least: a happy opening to the talented cast and crew of Frozen , which begins tonight at Rainbow Stage. My nephew is part of the production, and I know they're all going to break legs with their performances, which run through Aug. 24. Here's hoping the weather cooperates and keeps the air quality manageable so folks can enjoy the show under the fabulous outdoor dome.
Winnipeg Free Press
3 days ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Free Press Head Start for Aug. 7, 2025
Sunny, with increasing cloudiness this afternoon. Local smoke. High 29 C. Humidex 34. UV index 7 or high. Winnipeg has blazed its way to its smokiest year on record — and there are still nearly three months remaining in the wildfire season. The city had recorded 306 smoke hours as of Tuesday, compared with 304 in 1961. Kevin Rollason has more here. Winnipeg recorded its smokiest month ever, with 189 smoke hours in July. (Mike Deal / Free Press files) What's happening today Today at 2 p.m., take a stroll and learn some local history at Poverty and Prosperity: A Walk Down Early 1900s Broadway beginning at The Forks. Tickets are $15 and can be found here (as well as additional dates and times for the tour). This walk takes history-hungry visitors on a trek from the Alloway Arch at The Forks to Dalnavert Museum (61 Carleton St.), the former home of Sir Hugh John Macdonald. Today's must-read For the first time in her 50-plus years in Thompson, Mayor Colleen Smook is hearing residents ask when winter is coming, even though there's still plenty of summer left. Some wildfires in northern Manitoba may not be extinguished until snow begins falling later this year, if higher temperatures and dry conditions continue, she said. 'This could go on until we get some decent snowfall and colder temperatures,' Smook told the Free Press Wednesday. Chris Kitching has the story. Thompson Mayor Colleen Smook is hoping for significant rainfall, and no lightning strikes, in the coming days. (Ruth Bonneville / Free Press files) On the bright side Housing advocates say the province needs more social-housing projects to address the homelessness crisis in Manitoba. Construction on a 23-unit apartment building at 480 Young St. was underway Wednesday. The aim is to house up to 40 homeless and at-risk individuals and families by the end of 2025. Ontario-based charity Raising the Roof bought the derelict property in November and began renovations in May. It's the second project the non-profit has undertaken in Winnipeg. Nicole Buffie has more here. Leslie Bellingham, director of strategic partnerships and initiatives for Raising the Roof (Ruth Bonneville / Free Press) On this date On Aug. 7, 1952: The Winnipeg Free Press reported Manitoba premier D.L. Campell called a last-minute meeting between Winnipeg mayor Garnet Coulter and union leader Leon Mitchell as well as the provincial minister of labour to avert a strike by civic workers. Four children died near Gladstone after a sandy cave they had been playing in collapsed. A U.S. embargo against Canadian meat and cattle owing to an outbreak of hoof-and-mouth disease looked unlikely to be lifted until 1953. Read the rest of this day's paper here. Search our archives for more here. Today's front page Get the full story: Read today's e-edition of the Free Press .
