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CBC
31-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Conor Kerr, Ashley Tate and Thomas King among winners of 2025 Crime Writers of Canada Awards
Conor Kerr, Ashley Tate and Thomas King are among the winners of the 2025 Crime Writers of Canada Awards of Excellence in Canadian Crime Writing. The annual awards, created by the Crime Writers of Canada in 1984, uplift the best in mystery, crime, suspense fiction and crime nonfiction by Canadian authors. Kerr won the $1,000 best crime novel award for Prairie Edge, which was shortlisted for both the 2024 Giller Prize and the 2024 Atwood Gibson fiction prize. In Prairie Edge, Isidore (Ezzy) Desjarlais and Grey Ginther live together in Grey's uncle's trailer, passing their time with cribbage and cheap beer. Grey is cynical of what she feels is a lazy and performative activist culture, while Ezzy is simply devoted to his distant cousin. So when Grey concocts a scheme to set a herd of bison loose in downtown Edmonton, Ezzy is along for the ride — one that has devastating, fatal consequences. How an escaped Albertan bison herd inspired Conor Kerr's latest novel about resisting colonial structures Kerr is a Métis/Ukrainian writer who has lived in a number of prairie towns and cities, including Saskatoon. He now lives in Edmonton. A 2022 CBC Books writer to watch, his previous works include the novels Old Gods and Avenue of Champions, which was longlisted for the 2022 Scotiabank Giller Prize, and won the ReLit award the same year. Kerr currently teaches creative writing at the University of Alberta. Tate won the $1,000 prize for best first crime novel for Twenty-Seven Minutes. Twenty-Seven Minutes tells the story of a small town haunted by the death of its golden girl in a tragic accident 10 years earlier. For years, people have wondered why it took her brother 27 minutes to call for help after the car accident. Now, he's bursting with a secret to tell — but he's not the only one with something to hide. Tate is a Toronto writer and editor. Twenty-Seven Minutes is her debut novel. King won the $500 Whodunit Award for Best Traditional Mystery for Black Ice. In Black Ice, Thumps Dreadfulwater has been appointed deputy sheriff and is in over his head. The usual cases of Chinook would be enough to keep him busy, but when ninja assassin Cisco Cruz comes back to town, he finds himself deep in an elaborate web of lies and plots by the evil collective known as Black Ice. If he wants to keep Chinook safe, he'll have to untangle them. Thomas King's new novel imagines how we'd react if aliens paid us a visit — read an excerpt now King is a Canadian American writer of Cherokee and Greek ancestry. His books include Truth & Bright Water; Green Grass, Running Water, which was on Canada Reads in 2004; The Inconvenient Indian, which was on Canada Reads in 2015; and The Back of the Turtle, which won the Governor General's Literary Award for fiction in 2014. He also writes the DreadfulWater mystery series. Talaga's The Knowing tied for best nonfiction crime writing award with Out of Darkness by Denise Chong. The complete list of winners is as follows:
Associated Press
30-05-2025
- Climate
- Associated Press
Prairie Canadian city virtually deserted, thousands more evacuees expected as fires rage
WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — The Canadian prairie city of Flin Flon was virtually deserted and more evacuees were expected, Manitoba's premier said Friday, as wildfires raged in the province. Premier Wab Kinew told a news conference that the mayor, councilors, health-care staff and other officials have had to depart Flin Flon, a city of 5,000 people. 'The only folks remaining on the ground are firefighters and folks in the office of the fire commissioner and RCMP, who are there to battle the blaze,' Kinew said. 'We do expect some very, very challenging conditions in Flin Flon and in the surrounding community.' He added: 'Pray for rain.' The evacuees are among 17,000 people reported so far to have left their homes due to a number of wildfires burning in remote regions from Manitoba's northwest to the southeast. Kinew said as the fires grow, thousands more evacuees can be expected and that communities like Winnipeg, Thompson and The Pas have already stepped up to help provide food and shelter. He said he spoke with some evacuees in Winnipeg. '(It's) very scary, very tiring, long days for people who've been on the road and in the air to find their way to safety,' he said. Kinew said outside help has arrived, including 125 firefighters from the United States. He said Canadian Armed Forces personnel are flying out evacuees from the Mathias Colomb Cree Nation, north of Flin Flon. Kinew said the airport near Mathias Colomb, also known as Pukatawagan, has not been damaged by the fire. Earlier on Friday, Flin Flon Mayor George Fontaine said fierce winds were threatening to breach the city limits and begin burning structures in the city located nearly 400 miles (645 kilometers) northwest of the provincial capital of Winnipeg. All residents, along with 1,000 more in the surrounding area, have had to leave. 'Unless we get one heck of a boost, (the fire) is projected to take chunks out of our town and surrounding areas,' Fontaine said. 'It's looking very ugly right now. 'We're begging for air support (to help douse the fire). It's really crucial,' he said. Winnipeg has opened up public buildings for evacuees as it deals with hotels already crammed with other fire refugees, vacationers, business people and conventiongoers. The province declared a province-wide state of emergency this week to help various levels of government coordinate a response. The fire menacing Flin Flon began Monday near Creighton, Saskatchewan, and quickly jumped the boundary into Manitoba. Crews have struggled to contain it. Water bombers have been intermittently grounded due to heavy smoke and a drone incursion. The 1,200 or so residents of Creighton have also been ordered out, many of whom have gone to nearby Nipawin, Saskatchewan. In total, more than 8,000 people have fled wildfires in Saskatchewan. Steve Roberts from the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency told reporters Friday that winds have pushed wildfires significant distances. Canada's wildfire season runs from May through September. Its worst-ever wildfire season was in 2023. It choked much of North America with dangerous smoke for months.
Winnipeg Free Press
16-05-2025
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Province puts up $120M for Brandon college's innovation centre
BRANDON — The Manitoba government will provide $60 million in capital funding and a further $60 million in bridge financing to support Assiniboine College's new Prairie Innovation Centre for Sustainable Agriculture, which will expand workforce training, the premier announced Thursday. 'This is an amazing project — a big reward for us,' said Kinew, who made the announcement at a luncheon at the Keystone Centre, attended by 550 business leaders. 'The ag industry is the backbone of our economy here in Manitoba … This is a really solid investment for us.' Submitted photo An artist's rendering of the main entrance to Assiniboine College's new Prairie Innovation Centre for Sustainable Agriculture which will receive $60 million in capital funding and a further $60 million in bridge financing from the Manitoba government. Kinew said the centre will help grow the agriculture industry, not only in Westman, but the entire province. 'When you're dealing with the threat of tariffs to the south and the tariffs from China, we can't be cutting and slashing — you've got to be investing to keep people working,' said Kinew. 'The Prairie Innovation Centre, to me, is one of the best ways when we talk about investing in this core part of our economy, the ag industry.' Of the $60 million in capital funding, $40 million is earmarked for the Prairie Innovation Centre and $20 million will be used for a new 216-spot child-care centre inside the development. 'It's a game changer,' said Assiniboine College president Mark Frison after the announcement. Frison donated $50,000 of his money to the centre in November 2021. He said the centre will enable the college to bring in specialized programs, some of which aren't common on the Prairies. 'We're very excited about the prospect of those new programs.' They include chemical process technology and food science technology, which he said are especially important in Manitoba. Frison said the centre should be able to teach 800 students once completed in June 2028, up from the 300 students who are enrolled in agriculture-related programs at the college. He said because the province is providing $60 million in bridge financing, the college will be able to start finding contractors 'within weeks' and start construction toward the end of the year. Brandon Mayor Jeff Fawcett applauded the investment. 'It's great news. The enhancing and strengthening of any of our core industries in the city, including (the college)… benefits all of us,' said Fawcett. 'A strong college gives more opportunity for people to work, more opportunity for people to go to school. Agriculture is sort of the hub of where we are,' he said. He said the inclusion of a daycare will also be a big help to the community. Fawcett said he wants the federal government to do its share, which he said has been lagging. 'The province has always been in, the feds, as the premier said, have been a bit slow,' said Fawcett. 'We will continue to look for that federal money.' Kinew also called on Ottawa to help fund the centre. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Kinew originally pledged the $60-million contribution from the province during the 2023 election campaign. The college first announced the new centre in January 2021, describing it at the time as a 'vision for the future of agriculture in Manitoba.' The previous Progressive Conservative government, under premier Heather Stefanson, announced $10 million for the centre in January 2023, which paid for planning, assessing future programs and building supporting infrastructure. Donors include local philanthropists Gord and Diane Peters, who donated $10 million; Sunrise Credit Union, which chipped in $1 million; accounting firm MNP handed over $1 million; the RBC Foundation earmarked $700,000; the Anthony Matlashewski Charitable Foundation donated $500,000; Scotiabank gave $125,000; and the Manitoba Crop Alliance donated $100,000. — Brandon Sun
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Horseracing veterinarian now faces charges from pharmacy board
(Photo courtesy of Prairie Meadows Casino, Racetrack and Hotel) An Iowa-licensed veterinarian who has faced multiple sanctions in the past is now facing disciplinary action from the Iowa Board of Pharmacy. Veterinarian Bradley Gordon of Altoona is charged by the Board of Pharmacy with failing to ensure physical security controls for controlled substances, failing to maintain accountability of controlled substances and related records, and failing to ensure inventory records included the drug strengths and dosages. He's also charged with failing to follow the rules for maintaining a perpetual inventory system for all Schedule II controlled substances, failing to ensure accountability of Schedule III through Schedule V controlled substances, failing to comply with the rules for disposing controlled substances, failing to create and maintain complete and accurate records, and committing acts that would render their Controlled Substances Act registration 'inconsistent with the public interest.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The board has not disclosed when or where the alleged violations took place, nor has it disclosed any of alleged actions that led to the charges being imposed. The board's statement of charges doesn't specify the nature of Gordon's profession, but board records show his controlled substance license is tied to his veterinary practice. A hearing on the matter is scheduled for June 25, 2025. State records indicate Gordon has faced licensing sanctions on several occasions: May 2003: The Board of Veterinary Medicine sent Gordon a letter concerning an alleged failure to adequately document and maintain medical records. July 2007: The Board of Veterinary Medicine sent Gordon a letter concerning an alleged failure to provide clients with medical records upon their request. May 2017: The Board of Veterinary Medicine entered into a settlement agreement with Gordon related to allegations involving a surgery that failed to meet state standards. That case resulted in his license being placed on probation for one year and the imposition of a $1,000 fine. 2022: Gordon was suspended by the Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino's board of stewards for allegedly violating regulations of both the state and the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority. The board of stewards subsequently concluded Gordon possessed chemical or biological substances that were not FDA approved; that he had administered thyroxine or thyroid hormones in horses; and that he had failed to maintain adequate records, had possessed expired drugs and had improperly stored controlled substances. The board of stewards fined Gordon $1,000 and suspended for two years his license to operate at the racetrack. Gordon appealed that decision and the board later agreed to reduce the suspension by nine months. 2023: The Board of Veterinary Medicine alleged it had received a complaint concerning Gordon's treatment of racehorses at Iowa's racetracks and that his actions may have violated state regulations. The board subsequently concluded Gordon possessed expired drugs and medications, failed to properly store and label controlled substances, failed to maintain the required log of controlled substances, and failed to complete accurate and legible medical records as required. According to the Board of Veterinary Medicine, Gordon admitted to each of the allegations. As a result, his veterinary license was placed on probation for one year beginning in March 2024, he was fined $1,000, and he was ordered to take online courses veterinary law and ethics, medical recordkeeping, and the legal requirements associated with medical records. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Likely ‘rabid' fox bites hiker 6 times in rare attack
SAN MARCOS, Texas (KXAN) – Michelle Danos, a Texas State University student, said she went to a lower Purgatory Creek trail Sunday evening to clear her head. 'I got off work, thought maybe I want to go on a hike,' she said. Fox reportedly attacks at least four in San Marcos, prompting rabies concerns She walked toward a field of blooming Prairie coneflowers when she heard rustling behind her. 'It was a fox,' Danos said. 'It just started walking towards me.' While it wasn't foaming at the mouth or charging at her, Danos said she knew something was off as it began approaching her. Foxes generally are elusive and keep to themselves. 'It got behind me and ended up biting my ankle,' she said. Danos tried running away, hitting it with rocks, and physically throwing the fox, but it kept returning to attack her. She finally escaped after throwing the fox into a cactus. She got bitten six times and lost her cellphone in the attack. 'I've had a lot of [rabies] shots,' she said. 'I have to get more tomorrow, and then seven days, and then 14 days. So it's a process.' The fox, which officials are pretty sure was rabid, bit several people on Sunday. Natasia Moore, an urban biologist with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, said fox attacks in Texas are exceedingly rare. 'It's not typical behavior,' Moore said. 'This [is] the first case of a fox attack in Texas that I know of to date.' Moore went with crews on Monday to the Purgatory Creek Natural Area to investigate the incident. Officials were interested in finding out if there was denning activity in the area, which could have been a cause for the aggression. 'In urban areas, if an animal is showing aggression, it can be because they are protecting a den site,' Moore said. 'We did not see any fox activity.' 'Unfortunately, [a rabies infection] is looking like the most likely scenario,' Moore continued. ' Raccoon in San Marcos tests positive for rabies, residents urged to vaccinate pets According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, rabies is 'a fatal but preventable viral disease' that can spread between people and animals through bites and scratches. The disease can cause severe brain disease and death if not treated before symptoms start. As of Tuesday evening, the fox had not been located. Officials told Nexstar's KXAN that if it has rabies, it likely will die soon, if not already dead. Pet owners should vaccinate their pets against rabies, which is essential in preventing the spread of the virus and is required by state law, the city said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
