Wake Up Winnipeg - Episode 86

Wake Up Winnipeg - Episode 86

Hosted Live/Produced/Recorded by: Andru Valpy, Natty Somers.

Air Date: 07/22/2011 6:00 PM on UMFM 101.5 FM
Free Podcast Download Location: iTunes.
Web: http://wakeupwinnipeg.com/
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Rebroadcast: 07/27/2011 on CJUM 101.5 UMFM - 6:30 AM

This week Natty and I got around to playing the two remaining interviews they had conducted while at the 2011 Winnipeg Folk Festival.  But before we focused on those interviews, we started off with this weeks news listings.

The Winnipeg Police Service responded to an incident near the corner of St Mary's Road and Essex Avenue at 2:00 Thursday morning where they say a man armed with a knife was suspected of robbing a Duffy's taxi cab in Winnipeg's Old St. Vital neighborhood.

Police say a confrontation took place and as a result a firearm discharge occurred striking the suspect. The suspect was transported to the hospital in critical condition. He has since been updated to stable condition.

The investigation is continuing by members of the Homicide Unit, and no additional information was available as of press time.

Stats Canada released a report this week stating that the national crime rate continued its 20 year decline last year, dropping a total amount of five percent from 2009-2010, hitting the lowest levels seen since 1973.

The report also indicated that the national homicide rate was the lowest since 1966.

The statistics agency said the overall police-reported crime rate is still following a long-term downward curve, despite the alarm bells from the Harper government over the need for tough-on-crime legislation.

The majority of the decline was attributed to drops in the numbers of property crimes, such as car theft, theft under 5,000, mischief and break-ins.

But there were also fewer homicides, attempted murders, serious assaults and robberies.

Police reported just over 437,000 violent incidents in 2010, about 7,200 fewer than in the previous year. Violent crimes accounted for just over 20 per cent of offenses.

The decline in crime severity in 2010 was seen virtually across the country, except for increases in Newfoundland and Labrador, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

Alberta and British Columbia showed the largest declines in crime in 2010. The overall crime rate fell by six per cent in both provinces. The crime severity index also fell in both.

The volume and severity of crime fell or remained stable in 2010 across most all major communities, including the 10 largest cities.

City Councilors had their last council meetings on Wednesday as they prepared for a summer break.

During The 3.5 hour meeting councilors signed off on a variety of issues, including the spending of 28 million dollars to turn the former Canada Post Building on Graham Avenue into the new Police Headquarters.

The total estimated costs for the renovations amount to 155 million dollars, with an additional 30 million dollars for the actual purchase of the building.

Councilors also voted 16-0 for the approval of a new hotel and restaurant at the Alexander Docks on Waterfront Drive, and the approval of a $660,000 heritage grant to preserve the façade of the Mitchell Copp Building on Portage Avenue where a high end luxury hotel and office building is to be built.

Downtown metered parking rate increases were also approved as were new measures for enforcing rules surrounding unlicensed dogs.

During a question and answer period, Mayor Sam Katz said there are 60 acres of previously undisclosed parking space available at the University of Manitoba campus for Winnipeg Blue Bombers fans once the new stadium opens.

Katz later told reporters the land in question is not yet paved.

This meeting of council was also the last one for St. Vital Councilor Gord Stevees who is quitting council to run as a Progressive Conservative candidate in the fall federal election.

In his final duty as councilor, Steeves introduced a motion which would allow for Taxi Drivers to park in front of fire hydrants, to wait for customers provided that the driver never leaves the vehicle unattended.

The motion will be considered in September when council reconvenes.

Winnipegger's had a sigh of relief on Thursday as temperatures returned to normal seasonal highs

Throughout most of the week the city of Winnipeg was under a humidex warning, with temperatures reaching 34.4 degrees which felt like 43 degrees after factoring in humidex.

The heat wave was part of a national 'heat dome' which is a hot, unmoving high pressure area that had settled over central parts of Canada, pushing the jet stream well to the north which kept cooler weather out says Environment Canada senior climatologist Dave Phillips.

Temperatures today reached 23 degrees with rain scheduled tomorrow and a high of 19 degrees throughout Saturday.

The temperature is expected to rise again next week with highs averaging between 26 and 31.

Wrapping up headlines this week, The Winnipeg Free Press announced that the Winnipeg Jets have reached a deal on a new broadcast agreement with TSN and Bell Media.

With this announcement it is expected that NHL in Winnipeg will now be televised nationally on TSN and broadcast on TSN Radio.

Bell Media, who presently owns 99.9 Bob FM and Fab 94.3, is expected to bring live jets coverage to Sports Talk 1290, a specialized sports channel broadcasting on 1290 AM in Winnipeg and streaming online.

An announcement is expected to be made in the days to follow but additional details on the agreement are not being made public.

After news and event listings we moved forward with the remaining interviews from the Winnipeg Folk Festival.

During this episode we had a chance to sit down with Tom Fun Orchestra and learn a little more about their origins. The band shared an interesting story about how they came up with the name of the band, which could also serve as a warning to bands to be cautious on coming up with a band name...because the name sticks forever.

Wrapping up our 2011 Folk Festival coverage, we finished this weeks episode with a live interview with local band Imaginary Cities who were participating in their very first folk festival.

During the interview, we learned how Imaginary Cities were formed after a chance meeting at The Cavern, a local Winnipeg venue.

The 2011 Wake Up Winnipeg Folk Fest interviews will be posted in full length in iTunes within the upcoming days. Be sure to subscribe in iTunes to receive automatic updates and download previous episodes.

Finally ending off this weeks show we featured "The Word Of The Day" which was verklempt, which means: choked with emotion. We presented it in true Wake Up Winnipeg fashion. 

Join us next week as we kick off the 2011 Folklorama season and continue to wake you up to events and news happening within your city.

Until then,

-Av