Wake Up Winnipeg - Epsiode 87

Wake Up Winnipeg - Episode 87

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

Air Date: 07/29/2011 6:00 PM on UMFM 101.5 FM
Free Podcast Download Location: iTunes.
Web: http://wakeupwinnipeg.com/
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Rebroadcast: 08/02/2011 on CJUM 101.5 UMFM - 6:30 AM

This week we were joined by Amanda Reahume a internationally known artist who will be playing at  Winnipeg's park theater on August 11th.

Before we brought her onto the show, Natty and I discussed news and entertainment headlines.

In local news this week:

Residents in the Fort Rouge are of Winnipeg are in a state of shock this week as yet another fire broke out in the 800 Block Of Hector Bay. Winnipeg police say this is now the 20th fire that they've responded two in the last three months.


The recent fire was the first to see casualties as a family dog and two cats fell victim to the flames. Tuesday's fire destroyed a house and a garage and damaged four other properties, causing an estimated $274,000 dollars worth of damage.

Winnipeg Police have confirmed that though there are a lot of similarities between the fires, they are not prepared to link any of the fires together.

Meanwhile, police officials are asking the public to be on the look out for any unusual behavior or any unusual persons at the scenes of fires, and are also looking at the possibility of having Police Cadets patrol the area.

River Heights/East Fort Garry City Councillor Jenny Gerbasi will be holding a community meeting at the Earl Grey Community Centre on Wednesday August 10th from 7:00-9:00 pm and has invited the Winnipeg Police Service and the Arson Task Force to attend. The meeting will be held to provide tips on what residents can do to reduce arson and other crimes in their neighborhood.

More information can be found at Councillor Gerbasi's website at www.jennygerbasi.ca.

The Winnipeg Police service is continuing their investigations. Those with information regarding the fires are ask to call crime stoppers at 786-8477

Following up with a story we reported to you last week on Wake Up Winnipeg, The Winnipeg Police service issued an update yesterday with regards to the officer involved shooting that took place last week in Winnipeg's Old St. Vital Neighborhood.

As previously reported, Winnipeg Police Service responded to the area of St. Mary's road and Guay Avenue for a report of a commercial robbery of a 31 year old cab driver by a male suspect armed with a knife.

Two responding uniform members with 12 and 13 years of service located the suspect at which time a confrontation occurred striking the suspect.

As a result of their investigation, Police arrested 27 year old John Junior Charlette on Thursday July 26th 2011 and charged him with a variety of offenses including assault with a weapon, assault a peace officer, and two outstanding arrest warrants.

The suspect was initially taken to the hospital in critical condition, but was since upgraded to stable condition and has been detained at the Winnipeg Remand Centre.

The Winnipeg Airports Authority issued their second quarter results yesterday showing a 1.4 percent decrease in passengers traveling through the Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson Airport terminal during their secured quarter which ended in June.

The report indicates that 812,000 passengers came through the airport from April to June 30th, which was a difference of 11,360 people compared to this time last year.

Total operating revenues were reported at 19.6 million dollars for the second quarter of 2011 which were equal to the same three month period in 2010.

A 6.6 percent decrease in operating revenues brought the net income to 8.8 million dollars for the second quarter, which was a increase of 7.6 million dollars in the second quarter of 2010.

In national news, The CN Tower unveiled it's latest attraction this week.

Standing 356 meters above the ground the new EdgeWalk attraction let's brave individuals walk hands free along a 1.5 metere-wide ledge around the top of the CN Towers main pod.

The experience costs 175 dollars and lats a total of 90 minutes with the walk itself lasting between 20 to 30 minutes. Trained guides lead the walkers in group of six to eight.

Those who are daring enough to go to the top will be scanned with hand-held metal detectors, and given breathalyzer tests before venturing out.

In Music news this week, Amy Jade Winehouse was found dead in her apartment this week at the age of 27.

The official cause of her death is still unknown at this time.  Toxicology results are expected to be released in 4-6 weeks.

Fans and artists began leaving cards with well wishes and flowers at her London home only hours after she was found by a bodyguard. Those close to Winehouse attended her funeral on the 26th of July.

Winehouse was known for her extra large bee-hive hair do, over the top eye make up, rockabilly style and raspy soulful voice.

She was in the middle of recording her third album, when she passed away. Joining the likes of Kurt Cobain, Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin, and Jimmy Hendrix in the Forever 27 Club.

And finally, wrapping up this weeks news The Winnipeg Blue Bombers took on the BC Lions at Canadinns stadium last night,

Though 29,533 fans were in attendance, the stadium was without beloved Coach Richard Harris who passed away from cardiac accurst after collapsing in his office on Tuesday July 26th at Candinns stadium.

Before kick-off The BC Lions and The Winnipeg Bombers went to middle field and shook hands, just before a moment of silence and a muted video of the coach played.

Players from both clubs were wearing RH on their helmets in honor of the coach.

Coach Harris passed away at the age of 63.

A public memorial service will be held on Sunday August 7th at Canadinns Stadium starting at 2:00 pm. Information on making Donations and flower arrangements can be found at the Winnipeg Blue Bombers website at bluebombers.com

After headlines this week, I had a chance to sit down and interview with Amanda  Rheaume who will be playing at the Park Theater on August 11th 2011.

I'm very happy to see Amanda return to Winnipeg. It's been about a year and a half since her last performance at Shannon's Irish Pub but you may have seen her making headlines across the country, and around the world.

She's played at festivals like NxNE, SXSW, not only that but she just got off the stage in Ottawa for the Ottawa Blues Festival and, as if that wern't enough, she just got back from Afghanistan where she took part in Canada Day Festivities.

She just released a new album called "Light of Another Day" which is available for purchase in iTunes.

Here is a portion of our interview with Miss Amanda Rheaume.

Andru Valpy: Hi Amanda, how are you doing today?
Amanda Rheaume: Good!

Av: Did I get all of that right? I mean you're such a busy girl it's hard to list all of your accomplishments there.

Ar: Yeah, you did, you got mostly everything there.

Av: How are you doing this evening?
Ar: I'm fantastic. It's a very hot night in Ottawa though. It's about 30 or so.

Av: You guys have had a lot of heat there recently, especially since the heat dome and everything right?
Ar: Yes!

Av: Bet your eager to get out here to Winnipeg where it's nice and cool.
Ar: Yeah! I am actually. I'm excited to get back to Winnipeg.

Av: You're coming here as part of the Maple Roots Tour, and you're going to be stopping at the Park Theater on Thursday August 11th, tell us a little more about what we can expect on that tour.

Ar: I'm going to be on tour with a gentleman named named Marc Charron. He's a singer song writer as well from the Ottawa area. Basically, we've created a sort of like a duo show where we back each-others songs up and learn each-others material and we're crossing this big great wide country together and we're bringing the show to The Park Theater. The coolest part about Marc and I is that he plays the drums. He plays the kick drum and the high hat with his other foot and plays guitar and sings, and I play guitar and sing, and play the harmonica and a foot tambourine and all that stuff so it's quite the spectral.

Av: I had a chance to see you here last year when you played at Shannon's Irish Pub and you bring with you this awesome kind of presence. It's going to be neat to see you and Marc team up and do everything together as a duo, it sounds like you have a lot of instruments there.

Ar: Yeah, it's going to be a lot of fun!

Av: Your also performing with another artist at The Park Theater on the 11th.

Ar: Yeah, Kim Oost. I met her through Don Amero, they tour together as well, and Don suggested that we do the show together. I'm super excited because I've only ever seen Kim with Don. I'm excited to see them switch it up cause I know Don will be playing the show and back Kim up so It's going to be pretty cool, a good exchange all around.  I love the park theater, I love it there!

Av: When's the last time you played The Park?

Ar: I played for Babes for Breast there a couple of years ago and I really loved it there and it was a wicked show!

For the full un-cut interview with Amanda, be sure to download, subscribe and listen to our Podcast for free in the iTunes Music Store.

Finally this week, we talked about the 2011 Folklorama festival which is taking place from July 31st through August 13th at various locations throughout Winnipeg.

Typically Folklorama has 400 thousand pavilion visits and in 2009, 442 thousand visits. Approximately 21% of visitors are from outside Winnipeg, traveling from as far as Australia, Korea, and Paraguay.

More than 3000 entertainers from 150 groups perform 1500 shows throughout the 2-week festival. About 600 thousand meals are served, and 1 million drinks are poured.

20 thousand volunteers participate in Folklorama annually. Its economic impact is close to 14.7 million dollars on Manitoba’s economy making Folklorama Winnipeg’s largest festival of the summer.

In 1991 Folklorama achieved the Guinness world record for the longest conga line with 1003 dancers.

Natty and I discussed our picks for this years festival, and reflected back on Folklorama's past.

On next week's episode Natty and I will discuss our findings for Week 1 of Folklorama.
In the mean time, you can always learn more by visiting http://www.folklorama.ca/

Until then,

-Av