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Winnipeg Free Press
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
Orchestral expressions
Back in 2004, the front page of the Free Press Arts & Life section (then called Entertainment) ran a glowing tribute by Morley Walker to one of the most august careers in Manitoba's arts sector. Rita Menzies was retiring. Some expected she'd make more time for favourite pursuits — cooking, travel, family, opera, art— especially after such an eventful finale to a long career. The year before, Menzies — who'd been with the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra for 24 years as its first general manager — had been tapped to take the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra's reins in an interim capacity. Jeannette Menzies photo Rita Menzies on a trip to Reykjavik, Iceland. On the face of it, the move may have seemed improbable. The WSO was 10 times the size of the MCO and had a $3-million deficit. But Menzies' reputation — her crack command of budgets and structures, coupled with a soft, deft touch for people and politics — preceded her. 'There were a lot of highfalutin people who came in and absolutely burned out within a month,' recalls violinist and WSO concertmaster Karl Stobbe. 'I really have to give (Rita) credit for saving the WSO in a time when people were not sure it could be saved.' Amazingly, the WSO finished its 2003-4 season with a considerable surplus. Walker playfully cast aspersions on her resolve to retire after this success: 'Oh, did she not tell you? She has accepted an honorarium to run the Agassiz Summer Chamber Music Festival in June … But in July, she plans to take it easy. Honest.' What's that saying about best-laid plans? Before long, the retiree was the annual fest's director, a role she held for a full 11 years. She also returned as the WSO's interim executive director in 2006 and served as Agassiz's board president until her death in June at 83, after a short battle with cancer. 'How fitting that Rita worked in the frontline of Winnipeg's arts community until a few weeks before her passing — she was always keen to contribute and to help others,' says Agassiz artistic director Paul Marleyn. 'She developed (Agassiz) and she worked every day — her famous and proudly Mennonite work ethic. Rita had extraordinary values, values about which she never preached.' Jennifer Menzies Photo At Ponemah Beach, Menzies and granddaughter Olivia work on art projects. Menzies took up drawing and watercolour painting in retirement. Rita Menzies' career charts the rise of a certain type of pillar in Manitoba's arts and cultural life. The late 1960s and early 1970s were a coming-of-age for Canadian culture, with the government using the Centennial to invest heavily in the sector. However, the path to the MCO's emergence was often far from smooth. For seven lively years, the MCO (founded in 1972) was administered as a volunteer-driven passion project, operating out of insurance manager Bill Stewart's office. 'Maybe I was paying more time to the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra than I was to my business,' says Stewart with a chuckle. 'It became apparent … that we would have to get some kind of administrative help.' MCO's early history is hard to separate from Westminster United Church — a stronghold of a broadly liberal Protestantism, known for its deep love of classical music. Its congregation criss-crossed with MCO's audience and with its beautiful acoustics and central location, the church eventually became the organization's primary venue. It had a celebrated organist in Don Menzies, who held the post from 1966 until 2022. Just down the road, his wife Rita — born in Kitchener, Ont., in 1942 — taught math and English at Kelvin High School. She was also an accomplished organist and her musical passion was about to make its way to the centre of things. Jeannette Menzies photo Menzies (right) with her husband Don in France. Though technically retired, Menzies ran the Agassiz Summer Chamber Music Festival for eleven years. By the late 1970s the MCO was operating out of another makeshift office. The hum of a typewriter — clattering out accounting reports, marketing plans and musician contracts — filled the basement. 'I have vivid memories of a filing cabinet and card table propped up in the laundry room,' recalls Jeannette Menzies, a Canadian diplomat, former ambassador to Iceland and Rita's daughter. 'We loved having her around when we were young and hearing the sounds of classical music at home.' But for Menzies, juggling a young family — which included daughters Tanis and Jennifer as well as Jeannette – was only half of it. As well having suddenly traded in English lit for budget sheets, Menzies had to learn and quickly master the art of balancing those budgets. 'She told me once that the first thing she did every morning was read the entire business section of the Winnipeg Free Press,' says Stobbe, who got to know Menzies in the 1990s while playing with the MCO. JOE BRYKSA/FREE PRESS In 2003, Menzies (right) moved from the MCO to the struggling WSO as Interim Director, seen here in 2004 with violinist Claudine St Arnauld. Potential funders, donors and board members — Menzies was, by all accounts, always on the hunt for allies and resources to better the organizations she led. With its footing now secure, the MCO could find a proper office and finally start delegating. By the 1990s, the orchestra had hired Elise Anderson as its office manager, Jon Snidal as its designer and systems manager and violinist Boyd MacKenzie as its concert manager. 'Find(ing) good people. That was a real strength of hers,' says Vicki Young, Menzies' successor at the MCO. 'To bring on people like Elise and Jon and Boyd — I think is pretty incredible.' All of them are still associated with the MCO in some way, while today a new generation of staff and musicians carries the torch, including Sean McManus, executive director since 2023. The original team supported the orchestra through a showing at the Winter Olympics in Calgary, tours across the world and countless commissions of new Canadian music. Supplied Menzies was an accomplished organist, which can be traced back to her early practice sessions at the family piano. The MCO was also earning a rep as a solid stop for famous touring soloists, with Joshua Bell, Marc-André Hamelin and Liona Boyd all sharing the stage with the orchestra in those years. When Young assumed the MCO's reins in 2003, she had a rarity in her hands: a classical ensemble with loyal employees and musicians, a consistent streak of balanced budgets and a deeply engaged, supportive audience base. '(Rita) was always thinking ahead and setting a really good foundation for what was to come,' says Young. Over the next 20 years, the MCO saw a continued streak of balanced budgets, more growth and further professionalization of its board, touring and movement towards more multicultural priorities. It benefited not just from Menzies' foundation but something more ineffable. Menzies was valedictorian at her Grade 12 graduation. Veteran staff will tell you about a cultural throughline at the MCO — a democratic ethos with a strong, trusted leader acting as first among equals — that they trace back to Menzies. 'She was described as kind of having a calming effect on an organization,' says her daughter Jeannette. 'I saw her as a trailblazer. But I think my mom would probably be mortified (to hear that) because she really would give equal credit to Jon, Elise and others.' Though Menzies' so-called retirement was packed with Agassiz commitments and volunteer work, her tireless sense of industry found rhythm in the pastimes she loved most. She was known as an extraordinary cook and a lifelong learner, picking up watercolour painting in retirement. As a consummate hostess and longtime member of the Westminster Concert Organ Series Committee (founded by her husband in 1989 and running until the pandemic), she prepared many dinners for guest organists and the receptions following concerts. The couple sometimes oriented their many trips across the world around performance opportunities for Don and made regular pilgrimages to the Ottawa area to see their granddaughters, Grace and Olivia Kennedy. 'Behind everything was Rita's love of life, her family, music, the arts, of people and of the Winnipeg community,' says Marleyn. Menzies with her daughters Tanis, Jeannette and Jennifer. 'She avoided the stage and public attention, yet somehow quietly lead her workplaces with elegance, industry, effectiveness … Rita gave us all such a magnificent example of what the qualities of honesty, kindness, hard work and love can achieve.' Conrad SweatmanReporter Conrad Sweatman is an arts reporter and feature writer. Before joining the Free Press full-time in 2024, he worked in the U.K. and Canadian cultural sectors, freelanced for outlets including The Walrus, VICE and Prairie Fire. Read more about Conrad. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Winnipeg Free Press
7 days ago
- Health
- Winnipeg Free Press
Colorado's measles outbreak is over, and the weekly US case count continues to diminish
Health officials in Colorado say the state's measles outbreak is over, and the U.S. added just 10 confirmed cases nationally in the last week. Wednesday's national case count stood at 1,319, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Earlier this month, the U.S. passed the total count for 2019, when the country almost lost its status of having eliminated measles. A vast majority of this year's cases are from Texas, where a major outbreak raged through the late winter and spring. Other states with active outbreaks — which the CDC defines as three or more related cases — include Arizona, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Utah. There have been three deaths in the U.S. this year, and all were unvaccinated: two elementary school-aged children in West Texas and an adult in New Mexico. North America has three other large outbreaks. The longest, in Ontario, Canada, has resulted in 2,276 cases from mid-October through July 15. The province logged its first death June 5 in a baby who got congenital measles but also had other preexisting conditions. Another outbreak in Alberta, Canada, has sickened 1,472 as of Tuesday. And the Mexican state of Chihuahua had 3,296 measles cases and 10 deaths as of Tuesday, according to data from the state health ministry. Measles is caused by a highly contagious virus that's airborne and spreads easily when an infected person breathes, sneezes or coughs. It is preventable through vaccines and has been considered eliminated from the U.S. since 2000. How many measles cases are there in Texas? Texas did not add any cases in the last week, coming in at 762 measles cases Tuesday across 36 counties, most of them in West Texas. Throughout the outbreak, 99 people have been hospitalized. State health officials estimated less than 1% of cases — fewer than 10 — were actively infectious as of Tuesday. Statewide, only Lamar County has ongoing measles transmission, officials said. In total, though, more than half of Texas' cases (414) have been in Gaines County, where the virus started spreading in a close-knit, undervaccinated Mennonite community. The April 3 death in Texas was an 8-year-old child, according to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Local health officials said the child did not have underlying health conditions and died of 'what the child's doctor described as measles pulmonary failure.' A unvaccinated child with no underlying conditions died of measles in Texas in late February; Kennedy said the child was 6. How many measles cases are there in New Mexico? New Mexico also stayed steady at 95 measles cases on Tuesday. Lea County has seen the most with 67, but Lea and six other counties no longer have active measles spread, officials said Tuesday. An outbreak of 14 cases tied to a jail in Luna County remains active. An unvaccinated adult died of measles-related illness March 6. The person did not seek medical care. Seven people have been hospitalized since the state's outbreak started. How many cases are there in Oklahoma? Oklahoma held steady a third week at 17 confirmed and three probable cases. The state health department is not releasing which counties have cases, but no counties have recent public exposures. How many cases are there in Arizona? Arizona has four cases in Navajo County. They are linked to a single source, the county health department said June 9. All four were unvaccinated and had a history of recent international travel. How many cases are there in Georgia? Georgia has an outbreak of three cases in metro Atlanta, with the most recent infection confirmed June 18. The state has confirmed six total cases in 2025. The remaining three are part of an unrelated outbreak from January. How many cases are there in Iowa? Iowa announced another measles case on Tuesday, bringing the state's total to eight in 2025. The state health department said the new case isn't linked to others in the state, and occurred in a person who was fully vaccinated. An outbreak in eastern Johnson County involves four cases in members of the same household. How many cases are there in Kansas? Kansas was steady this week with 90 cases across 11 counties in the southwestern part of the state, with eight hospitalizations. All but three of the cases are connected, and most are in Gray County. How many measles cases are there in Kentucky? Kentucky has 13 cases this year. Central Kentucky's outbreak rose to nine cases as of July 8. The cases are in Fayette County, which includes Lexington, and neighboring Woodford County. How many cases are there in Michigan? The state has had 18 cases total in 2025; eight are linked to outbreaks. In northern Michigan, Grand Traverse County has an outbreak of four cases as of Wednesday. An earlier outbreak of four cases in Montcalm County was declared over on June 2. How many cases are there in Missouri? Missouri stayed steady with seven cases as of Wednesday. Five cases are in southwestern Cedar County, and four of those are members of the same family. The fifth case is still under investigation, according to county health director Victoria Barker. How many cases are there in Montana? Montana added two measles cases this week for a total of 27. Cascade County confirmed its first case. Seventeen were in Gallatin County, which is where the first cases showed up — Montana's first in 35 years. Flathead County has two cases, Yellowstone County had three and Hill County had four cases. There are outbreaks in neighboring North Dakota and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan. How many cases are there in Utah? Utah's measles case count rose by one to 11 as of Tuesday. At least three of the cases are linked, the state health department said last week. State epidemiologist Dr. Leisha Nolen has said there are at least three different measles clusters in the state. Where else is measles showing up in the U.S.? Measles cases also have been reported this year in Alaska, Arkansas, California, District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Wyoming. Earlier outbreaks in Illinois, Indiana, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Tennessee are over. Cases and outbreaks in the U.S. are frequently traced to someone who caught the disease abroad. The CDC said in May that more than twice as many measles have come from outside of the U.S. compared to May of last year. Most of those are in unvaccinated Americans returning home. What do you need to know about the MMR vaccine? The best way to avoid measles is to get the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine. The first shot is recommended for children between 12 and 15 months old and the second between 4 and 6 years old. Getting another MMR shot as an adult is harmless if there are concerns about waning immunity, the CDC says. People who have documentation of receiving a live measles vaccine in the 1960s don't need to be revaccinated, but people who were immunized before 1968 with an ineffective vaccine made from 'killed' virus should be revaccinated with at least one dose, the agency said. People who have documentation that they had measles are immune and those born before 1957 generally don't need the shots because so many children got measles back then that they have 'presumptive immunity.' Measles has a harder time spreading through communities with high vaccination rates — above 95% — due to 'herd immunity.' But childhood vaccination rates have declined nationwide since the pandemic and more parents are claiming religious or personal conscience waivers to exempt their kids from required shots. What are the symptoms of measles? Measles first infects the respiratory tract, then spreads throughout the body, causing a high fever, runny nose, cough, red, watery eyes and a rash. The rash generally appears three to five days after the first symptoms, beginning as flat red spots on the face and then spreading downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs and feet. When the rash appears, the fever may spike over 104 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the CDC. Most kids will recover from measles, but infection can lead to dangerous complications such as pneumonia, blindness, brain swelling and death. How can you treat measles? There's no specific treatment for measles, so doctors generally try to alleviate symptoms, prevent complications and keep patients comfortable. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
The Guardian
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
The Amateur to Happy Gilmore 2: the seven best film to watch on TV this week
Rami Malek lends his disquieting intensity to this surprisingly enjoyable spy thriller. He plays a mild-mannered CIA cryptographer sent on a bloodthirsty revenge quest after his wife is killed in a terrorist attack. What's fascinating about this film is that, had the lead been any other actor, it would have devolved into generic pulp. But Malek, in the hands of director James Hawes, really leans into the character's psychopathy. He has a dead-eyed stare throughout, the sort you'd usually expect to find on a film's antagonist. Sure, this is a globe-trotting Bourne-style romp, but you're never allowed to forget the ethical iffiness of, say, blowing someone up inside a swimming pool. Out now, Disney+ Based on the 2018 novel by Miriam Toews, which was in turn based on true events, Sarah Polley's Women Talking is startlingly unconventional. The story of a Mennonite community in remote Bolivia, whose women discover that they are being drugged and raped, Women Talking centres around the discussion of how they should react. Do they leave, do they fight back, or do they do nothing? With a world-beating cast (Rooney Mara, Jesse Buckley, Claire Foy and Frances McDormand), the film is light on action but will linger long after the credits roll. Tuesday 22 July, 11pm, BBC Two This 2020 Jane Austen adaptation was the directorial debut of photographer Autumn de Wilde, who brought all the experience of her old career to the table. The story of a wealthy woman who attempts to act as a matchmaker, with far-reaching consequences, has been told over and over again. What sets this version apart are the lively performances – from Anya Taylor-Joy, Josh O'Connor and Bill Nighy – and visuals that are modern enough to cut through all the period stuffiness. Wednesday 23 July, 11pm, BBC Two Well, this is a weird one. Tin Soldier is a film where Scott Eastwood attempts to infiltrate a cult and overthrow its leader. What makes it weird, however, is how heavily this is overshadowed by its supporting cast. Robert De Niro features in a typically underpowered late-stage role as a kind of military advisor. But even he recedes into the shadows next to Jamie Foxx, playing the aforementioned cult leader. He has huge hair. He has silly glasses. He has questionable facial hair. His name is The Bokushi. None of it makes any sense. It's sort of incredible. Wednesday 23 July, Prime Video Sign up to What's On Get the best TV reviews, news and features in your inbox every Monday after newsletter promotion Few recent films stumbled into cinemas as dead on arrival as Kraven the Hunter. Knocked by Sony's repeated duff attempts to create a universe of Spider-Man baddies, none of which actually featured Spider-Man, the film was so poorly anticipated that the director was reduced to begging people to give it a chance. The good news is that Kraven the Hunter is actually a good film. It's less silly than Madame Web and less wild than Morbius. Come expecting nothing more than a sturdy action film and you shouldn't leave disappointed. Friday 25 July, 10.50am, 8pm, Sky Cinema Premiere There is a huge portion of the world that treats Happy Gilmore like a foundational text. A 1996 sports comedy about a short-tempered ice hockey fanatic who finds a surprising affinity for golf, this is arguably the archetypal Adam Sandler performance; loud, profane, occasionally syrupy. Now, almost 30 years later, it's time for the sequel. Here, Gilmore is forced out of retirement to pay for his daughter's ballet school. Expect lots of shouting, a billion cameos and – most intriguing of all – a turn by Sandler's Uncut Gems director Benny Safdie. Friday 25 July, Netflix If you need to get acquainted with the man who'll lead James Bond into the future, this is a decent place to start. Denis Villeneuve's sequel to Ridley Scott's original is monumental in every way. It moves slowly but loudly, and every frame is a maximalist spectacle. Here Ryan Gosling plays a replicant who discovers that his kind are able to biologically replicate, leading him down a dark path that will take him to the fringes of society and make him question his own identity. If the next Bond is even a tenth as ambitious as this, we're in for a total treat. Friday 25 July, 11.25pm, BBC One
Ottawa Citizen
17-07-2025
- Health
- Ottawa Citizen
Ontario measles cases reach 2,276 as spread begins to wane
Article content As the spread of measles slows in Ontario, health officials confirm there have been four cases in Ottawa — two of them related to what has been the largest outbreak in North America. Article content In its most recent weekly update, Public Health Ontario reported 32 new cases of measles over the past week, bringing the total measles cases in a massive multi-jurisdictional outbreak to 2,276. Some of those new cases were previously reported as having an unknown source of exposure but are now linked to the large outbreak. Article content Article content Article content The outbreak has been traced back to a Mennonite gathering in New Brunswick last fall, although the majority of cases have occurred in Ontario, primarily southwestern Ontario. Most of the spread has occurred since the beginning of the year. Article content Article content Ontario has also seen measles cases that are unrelated to the outbreak, including two confirmed in Ottawa last spring that were presumed to be related to international travel. Two other Ottawa cases have been linked to the massive outbreak in the province. Article content At the height of the outbreak in mid- to late-April, there were more than 200 new measles cases being reported weekly in Ontario. Article content Measles was considered eliminated in Canada in the late 1990s due to high vaccination rates. This year's outbreaks, including a large outbreak that is continuing to spread in Alberta, are threatening Canada's elimination status. Article content Article content There has been no general spread of measles in Ottawa beyond the four identified cases. Although real-time data is difficult to come by, health officials believe that reflects continuing high vaccination rates in the city. Article content Article content Public health officials in Ottawa have conducted painstaking surveillance on two cohorts of children and teens this year — those who are seven and 17 — using school immunization records. About 3,000 students were suspended because of out-of-date vaccination records. Article content By far, the majority of measles cases have been in southwestern Ontario, with a large and growing case count in the Algoma region as well. Article content Most of the infections have involved children or youth. The vast majority were not immunized. Article content There has been one death associated with the outbreak — of a premature infant who contracted measles in the womb. An additional eight infants were born with congenital measles. Measles landed 161 people in hospital and 12 in intensive care. Article content Symptoms of measles include fever, a red, blotchy rash, red watery eyes and a cough. Article content Two doses of measles-containing vaccine is considered safe and highly effective in preventing measles. Adults born in or after 1970 who may have only had one dose are encouraged to get a second dose, especially if they are travelling. Measles cases have been increasing globally.
The Herald Scotland
13-07-2025
- Health
- The Herald Scotland
Schumer demands RFK Jr. declare emergency over spiking measles cases
"You have walked our country into the nation's largest measles outbreak in 33 years," he added. Measles cases skyrocket, especially in unvaccinated A quarter century after measles were eradicated in the U.S., cases have skyrocketed this year, reaching 1,288 confirmed cases across 39 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Three people have died this year. Officials say almost nine in ten of the cases are spread across New Mexico and Texas, the site of a Mennonite community that became the initial hub of the outbreak earlier this year. Most cases - 65% - are in people 19 years old and younger, and the vast majority - 92% - are unvaccinated people. The outbreak has turned attention and heavy criticism from health experts towards Kennedy's vaccine skepticism and baseless claims that vaccines are dangerous and ineffective. Kennedy has said the measles vaccine weakens over time - a claim disputed by scientists - and that "we can't rely simply on the vaccine" to address the outbreak. He has also downplayed the measles outbreak, saying more focus should be turned on chronic diseases like diabetes and autism instead. In May, Kennedy directed the CDC to find new "scientific process" for treating measles and other diseases with drugs and vitamins. Although vaccines would still be recommended as the best way to prevent the disease, some "may choose not to vaccinate." More: Measles was eradicated in the US 25 years ago. This week, cases reached a new high. Kennedy fired all 17 members of a vaccine advisory last month, refilling it with some vaccine skeptics who have announced their first priority would be retooling vaccine recommendations for children. Kennedy's drastic cuts to department programs and slashing of thousands of workers at the department have sparked alarm from public health experts and outrage from Democratic lawmakers. Kennedy said in April he would sack 10,000 Health and Human Services employees as part of the Trump administration's efforts to downsize the federal workforce. Since then, the department has faced a myriad of legal challenges, most recently from top medical organizations over Kennedy dropping the COVID vaccine from the list of recommended shots for children and pregnant women. Schumer is the latest Democrat on Capitol Hill to upbraid Kennedy in recent days over the measles outbreak. "We have a record-breaking number of measles cases in America," Sen. Patty Murray, D-WA, wrote on X, accusing Kennedy of filling the vaccine panel with "unvetted vaccine skeptics." "Where is our public hearing on this crisis?" The measles vaccine is 97% effective at preventing the disease when administered in the recommended two doses, according to the CDC. Since the start of the COVID pandemic, when skepticism of vaccines surged, buoyed by online conspiracies and distrust of public health institutions, measles vaccinations have dropped across the nation.
