Artists wanted for WCA show

Artists who share a deep connection with Wasagaming Community Arts (WCA), the Deep Artist Residency or the scenic beauty of Clear Lake are invited to make submissions for the centre’s fourth show of the 2025 season. This exhibition, which will take place from Aug. 15 to Sept. 13, will serve as a heartfelt tribute to five-and-a-half decades of creative expression, celebrating the vibrant artistic legacy that has flourished within the community.

The selection process will involve a juried panel of members of the WCA board.

Established in 1970 and situated on Treaty 2 Territory, WCA celebrates artistic expression and the land’s profound Indigenous heritage. Its name, “Wasagaming,” derived from the Anishinaabe word for “Clear Water,” is a lasting homage to the community’s cultural and natural richness.

WCA’s public art gallery, situated at 110 Wasagaming Dr., and open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., invites visitors to explore diverse artistic perspectives. Committed to showcasing exceptional Canadian and international talent, the gallery offers an ever-evolving space for connection and discovery. WCA’s curated exhibitions and programs seek to inspire a sense of wonder and reflection.

Hooked on Ice Fishing

As winter begins to tighten its icy grip on the prairies, the local ice fishing community is chomping at the bit, eagerly awaiting the arrival of safe ice to set up their beloved shacks. While some seasoned anglers have already ventured onto the early ice with spud bars in hand, others, like the Kowalyk family, are patiently waiting for the ice to reach a safe 30 to 40 centimetres thick in order to support both trucks and shacks. For this family of avid ice anglers, the season is about much more than the catch — it’s about creating lasting memories.

Melyssa Kowalyk, who credits her husband Rory for introducing her to ice fishing, described it as “a fun way to get outside in the winter and get the kids involved.” Their ice adventures include everything from building snow forts to riding snowmobiles and sleds, all while teaching their children the ins and outs of fishing.

“We always look forward to ice fishing season,” she said. “It really is the whole family out there.”

The Kowalyk’s story is part of a broader trend that has recently transformed ice fishing. Once seen as a male-dominated activity, over the last several years it has become a family-friendly sport, with women taking to the ice in growing numbers.

Oilers overly reliant on their two superstars

It’s a good-news, bad-news scenario that Edmonton Oilers have the two highest-scoring teammates in the National Hockey League.

The good news is that Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid are a threat to score almost every time they’re on the ice, but the bad news is that the team’s secondary scoring beyond the two superstars is scarce.

Memo to NHL coaches: Figure out a way to stop, or slow down, Draisaitl and McDavid, and you’re more than likely to stop the Oilers.

Recent NHL stats show that while goal production from the top two scorers on each team in the NHL represents, on average, 28.5 per cent of a team’s offensive output, the figure is a league-high and unhealthy 40.2 per cent for the Oilers.

Rooting Pierson’s future

In the far corner of southwest Manitoba a row of young trees stands as a testament to the vision, determination and collaborative spirit of the Pierson Parks and Community Rejuvenation Board. Spearheaded by dedicated community members like Deborah Forsyth, the project isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s about revitalizing a town, reconnecting with nature and ensuring a lasting legacy for future generations.

A Vision Born from an Empty Space

The idea for the tree-planting initiative grew from the physical and emotional void the community said it felt after the removal of Pierson’s grain elevators in 2021. All that remained was a stretch of barren land exposed to the relentless north wind.

“The empty space felt like it was missing something important,” said Forsyth, a member of the rejuvenation board. “The grain elevators were such a central part of Pierson’s identity, and their absence left an openness.”

Golf putting the brakes on ball flight distance

The world of professional golf is set to undergo a major transformation within the next two years, as the two major governing bodies — the United States Golf Association and the Royal and Ancient — have decided to go ahead with ‘rolling back’ the golf ball.

Nothing in cast in stone about the rollback, but USGA CEO Mike Whan says the change will be made starting in 2028. After myriad studies, the two golf bodies came to the conclusion that the ever-increasing distance today’s best players were getting off the tee was relegating some of the world’s best courses to ‘pitch and putts’. Cameron Champ led the PGA Tour in driving distance in 2024 at 322.8 yards. Rory McIlroy was second at 320.2 and the top 102 golfers managed to exceed, on average, the 300-yard mark. Throw in a good downwind on some long par-5s and some of the longer hitters would be looking at a pitching wedge or less for their second shots.

The change is coming, according to the governing bodies, but details have yet to be worked out. Golf ball manufacturers are not totally on board, and debate rages about whether the golf ball rollback will apply to the overall game — pros and amateurs alike — or whether there will be two types of balls: The rolled-back pro version and the still-explosive amateur kind.

Most of today’s best golf courses were built decades ago, when a long-hitting golfer might pound out a 270-yard drive. Today, some of those courses have become obsolete because of the tremendous distances the world’s best golfers are realizing. Of course, better fitness and athleticism has led to the distance explosion, too, but those in charge of the game’s direction feel that rolling back the golf ball would be the best course of action to bring top-notch skill back into the game.

KILLARNEY

A live band, unlimited tasty tacos and great prizes made for an uplifting party night fundraiser.

And the tidy sum raised from the Fiesta Casino Night event made it a night to remember, said Susan Nafziger, executive director of Roots of Early Learning in Killarney.

“We raised around $4,000 in profit,” she said. “We had double the attendance of last year, and our expenses were down. It was a really great turnout, and we had great support.”

Heartbreak once again for Bombers in Grey Cup

A baker’s dozen of sports questions, plus one, some of them penetrating, some of them just weird:

Will the Winnipeg Blue Bombers pass on next year’s Canadian Football League playoffs, saying ‘No thanks. The annual heartbreak in the Grey Cup game is just too much to bear.’?

After missing up to six weeks with a broken leg, will Alex Ovechkin score 27 more goals this year, giving him 895, one more than the all-time record held by Wayne Gretzky or will it take a few games next season for the Russian superstar to become No. 1?

If the Dodgers sign Juan Soto, adding him to a lineup featuring Ohtani, Freeman, Betts, etc., can Major League Baseball just give the current World Series champs a bye into the 2025 World Series?

Steppin’ Time’s Nutcracker Reimagined brings a modern twist to a festive classic

Steppin’ Time Dance Company is bringing a beloved tradition back to Brandon this holiday season with The Nutcracker Reimagined.

Held at the Western Manitoba Centennial Auditorium on Nov. 29 and 30, this unique adaptation will blend tap, jazz, hip-hop, acrobatics and contemporary dance with the classical ballet tradition.

The 80-strong ensemble, featuring performers from ages eight to 18, have created a musical dance play that unites creativity and enthusiasm to bring this timeless story to life with a fresh, modern flair.

Since its premiere in 1892 in Saint Petersburg, Russia, The Nutcracker, set to Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s iconic score, has become a holiday staple worldwide. It’s one of the most frequently performed ballets and an annual tradition for many families around the globe.

Bad bear behaviour leads to battle with the bees

By the time this article goes to press, the temperatures should be consistently below zero, and I may even be waxing my skis for the first outings of the season. I will also, with any luck, be able to take down our electric fence.

It was a summer of interesting bear behaviour around our house. I say “interesting,” but I really mean bad bear behaviour. Not that I am blaming the bears though (more on this later).

I’m not entirely sure where our nemeses hibernated, but it must have been close by as they started into their mischief very early in the spring. The first sign of trouble came when a mother bear and her yearling cub tried to break into the back shed where we store our garbage and old beehives.

While the back shed has held some interest for bears over the past years, it has been pretty easy to dissuade them from breaking in by placing a “bear board” in front of the door. If you’re not familiar with bear boards, they consist of a plank or piece of plywood with nails hammered into it. Placed with the sharp ends facing up, these spikey boards prevent bears from getting too close to the door, making it hard for them to break in.

Alpaca herd crucial for local business

Thanks to a herd of alpacas, a business just outside Brandon is able to sell socks, yarn and insoles made from the animal’s hair.

Circle O Alpacas in Alexander takes the fibre sheared from its alpacas and uses it to produce clothing like thermal socks, mitts and touques — all of which are available for sale online.

According to the farm’s website, the journey started in 2001 when the owners visited the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair in Brandon.

“We fell in love with alpacas,” the owners wrote, “and one herd sire and six breeding females later, we started a life with these wonderful gentle animals.”

Rural papers have a future in Manitoba

NEEPAWA – “In real estate, you hear the words ‘location, location, location,’” says Ken Waddell from his boardroom in Neepawa. “With a newspaper, it doesn’t matter what level of newspaper … it’s local, local, local. That’s what you have to have.”

Waddell runs a community newspaper in Neepawa with his wife Christine. While business is going well for their local paper, the same can’t be said for the entire journalism industry.

Signals of struggle have come repeatedly in the past few years. In 2023, Bell cut 1,300 media jobs across Canada, and Postmedia announced it would lay off 11% of its journalists. This year, the Saltwire chain of more than two dozen local newspapers in Atlantic Canada sold for $1 million and then posted 60 layoffs. The Black Press chain was also sold after reporting a loss of $57.6 million in its last fiscal year.

Talking about the struggles of the journalism today, Ken said a common problem is that some papers have forgotten the need to build relationships with their communities. It was a reoccurring answer this month as the Sun spoke with journalists from several local newspapers to hear their opinions on the state of the industry, their careers and the future.

Disconnecting on the Trans Canada Trail

Completing a Manitoba transit of the Trans Canada Trail (TCT) this fall was a welcome break from social media and the non-stop political news droning away on radio and TV.

Long-distance cycling is a meditative activity (as long as you’re not on a busy highway). You’re not thinking about your bills; you’re not fiddling with your phone.

Instead, your concern is the headwind or finding the path of least resistance on a gravel road. In theory, you have all the time in the world to reflect — but that might land you in the ditch.

A casual hiker, years ago I fell into this mountain bike mission to solo the TCT from the edge of the Whiteshell to the Saskatchewan border, taking it in easy to digest pieces summer after summer.

Rural Roundup — Nov. 7, 2024

Dauphin

The City of Dauphin is weighing its options under a new provincial government program supporting critical infrastructure.

Municipalities outside Winnipeg can apply for grant funding for up to 50 per cent of total eligible costs for capital projects.

“We are evaluating all the projects that we could apply for,” said city manager Sharla Griffiths. “There’s a new fire truck in the budget for 2025. That … is one of the big ticket items, just about $900,000. So if we can get a portion of that paid, that would be awesome. But we still have to evaluate all the other things that we want to consider.”