The city is making sandbags readily available to residents, but before you start panicking, it’s only for precautionary measures.

City crews will begin opening curb inlets, catch basins and culverts on the weekend. Snow, ice accumulations and debris will also be removed from ditches to assist the water run-off. Residents can contact 311 to request the services be performed around their property if necessary.

Where damage to dwellings due to water run-off is imminent, homeowners are asked to contact 311 to help expedite crews to these locations.

Sandbags will be available for residents needing to protect their property from spring melting. Pickup is available between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. daily at 1220 Pacific Avenue, 849 Ravelston Avenue West and 1539 Waverley Street. Identification showing proof of Winnipeg residency will be required. For emergencies, sandbags are available outside the normal hours by contacting 311.

Citizens are urged to check sump pumps and backwater valves on an on-going basis.

After a whirlwind experience at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games — including a gold medal win in men’s skeleton — Manitoba boy Jon Montgomery is returning home.

The 31-year-old athlete/car salesman/auctioneer will be the guest of honour at a community celebration in his hometown of Russell, Manitoba on Sunday, March 14 beginning at 1:30 p.m. A parade and barbeque has been planned, and numerous dignitaries are also expected to attend. Speaking of the barbeque … organizers say 25 buffet stations will be available! Mmmm.

Winnipeg fans will get a chance to meet the gold medallist on Friday afternoon when he lands at James Richardson International Airport. Montgomery will be arriving at approximately 2:45 p.m. on Air Canada Flight 263 at Gate A.

Posted by Tyler Sutherland

New research out of Sydney, Australia suggests your weight may depend on your “sixth” taste — fat.

Deakin University researchers found people can identify fat as the sixth taste among the other five; sweet, sour, salty, bitter and protein-rich. Those with more sensitivity on their tongues were less likely to consume more fatty foods. Those who couldn’t taste the fat were more likely to eat more, therefore becoming overweight.

While the research in Australia was conducted on humans, similar fat taste tests were done on animals in the United States.

Researchers also found the taste threshold for fat varies from person to person. Their next task is to find out why some people are sensitive to fats, while others are not.

The results of the study are published in the latest issue of the British Journal of Nutrition.

On an unrelated note, the cheese pizza on the right looks too tempting. Take it away.

– With files from Reuters

Several businesses inside the Portage la Prairie Mall were broken into at about 7:00 a.m. on Wednesday.

RCMP say thieves made off with merchandise of an undisclosed value.

No damage estimate is available.

The investigation is continuing and anyone with information is asked to contact Manitoba Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

Canadians will have a chance to ask Prime Minister Stephen Harper questions this morning after he delivers his response to the Speech from the Throne. Beginning at 9:45 a.m. CT, the public can visit YouTube.com/talkcanada to view the live stream and submit questions via video or text, and vote on their favourites.

It’s a partnership between Google-owned YouTube, and the Canadian government, similar to U.S. President Barack Obama’s recent online interview.

Prime Minister Harper will answer a selection of the top-voted questions in a YouTube interview on Tuesday, March 16 at 6 p.m. CT.

No word if the PM’s next step into the social media world will include Chatroulette.

To help stop child sexual exploitation in Manitoba, the province has announced a planned partnership with the Manitoba Hotel Association.

“We’re working with the hospitality industry and putting abusers on notice that people aren’t going to look the other way when they bring these young victims into hotels,” said Family Services and Consumer Affairs Minister Gord Mackintosh. “We all have a role to play and want to be sure everyone has their eyes open to this problem. These children need our help every day.”

Hotel staff will be trained to spot situations where children could be sexually exploited and report them. Further details on the campaign — which takes after a similar successful one in Alberta — will be announced in April.

The launch of this initiative comes as Stop Child Sexual Exploitation Awareness Week is set to wrap up on Sunday. A public forum in Winnipeg called “Dear John: It’s Rape, Not a Date,” will be held at a later date. A number of public meetings offering insight and education are also planned for Brandon, Dauphin, Portage la Prairie and Winnipeg.

The province and the 250-member association are co-funding the campaign.

Handout photo

Manitoba Bison hockey player Caitlin MacDonald is racking up the honours lately, with another one handed her way Wednesday.

The 17-year-old defenceman was named 2009-10 CIS Women’s Hockey Rookie of the Year and First Team All-Canadian. It’s the first time in Bison history that both honours have been awarded to a single player.

“Caitlin has had a tremendous first year in CIS and has made the transition from high school to university a seamless one,” said Bison women’s hockey head coach Jon Rempel. “Her ability to skate the game as well as shoot the puck with velocity and accuracy are impressive for a first-year player. Along with her natural offensive ability, Caitlin has worked very hard to make herself a better all around defensive player, a factor that has helped her overall game develop at a rapid pace.”

MacDonald was also named to Team Canada’s Women’s Hockey Under-18 Team earlier this month.

ChrisD.ca photo

The key to not having your vehicle stolen is in the first two words of this sentence. Manitoba Public Insurance is reminding vehicle owners to not leave their keys in their ignition, or in other parts of their vehicle. Nearly 300 immobilizer-equipped vehicles were stolen in 2009 in Manitoba because the keys were left inside, the public insurer said in a news release on Wednesday.

“All of these thefts were preventable,” said Donna Roed, manager of Manitoba Public Insurance’s auto crime prevention unit. “While an approved immobilizer is the most effective way to theft-proof a vehicle, vehicle owners need to be proactive and protect their keys. These protected vehicles cannot be stolen without the keys and thieves look for opportunities to obtain them.”

Another 114 vehicles were stolen when the owners had their keys swiped from either a purse, jacket, or left at a party/bar.

Posted by Sarah Klein

A 48-year-old man from the Inwood area was pronounced dead at the scene of a single vehicle collision Tuesday.

RCMP say the crash happened at about 9:15 p.m. on PR 229 at Road 2E approximately 5 kms east of Inwood, Manitoba when the 1995 Dodge pickup he was driving lost control. Police say the vehicle went off the road, hit an approach and rolled.

Road and weather conditions did not play a role in the accident. RCMP say the deceased was not wearing a seatbelt, forcing him to be ejected from the vehicle.

Posted by Sarah Klein

It won’t cost you to enter a provincial park again this year, the province announced Wednesday. That was just one highlight from the information released on the upcoming 2010 park season. In preparation for the warmer weather, the Manitoba government has made improvements to park infrastructure and facilities.

Some of the improvements include:

• 20 new full-service campsites at Rivers Provincial Park campground;
• 65 new campsites, some with electrical connections and others with water and electricity, at Wellman Lake campground in Duck Mountain Provincial Park;
• new shower facilities at Birds Hill, Childs Lake, Nutimik Lake and Wellman Lake; and
• resurfaced bike trails at Birds Hill Provincial Park.

The rate it will cost you to camp has increased slightly from last year. Nightly camping fees increase to $9.45 to $24.15 from the previous range of $8.40 to $22.05. Seasonal rates will increase to $330.75 to $925.58 from the previous rates of $299.25 to $835.28, based on services and the type of site. Despite the increase, Conservation Minister Bill Blaikie said Manitoba has the lowest camping rates in the country.

Northern campgrounds, and those at Grand Beach, Lundar and St. Ambroise will open on the May long weekend — a liquor-free weekend at all campgrounds. Most other campgrounds open the week before the May long weekend.

2009 was a record year for the Parks Reservation System, Blaikie also said. 62,043 reservations were made last camping season. Campers can begin making reservations for 2010 beginning April 5 at 7:30 a.m. at ManitobaParks.com, 1-800-214-6497 (toll-free) or 945-6784 in Winnipeg.

It’s the one day a year you can take your animal with you for a night out on the town. “Viva Paws Vegas” is a fundraiser in support of the Winnipeg Humane Society on Thursday, April 8 at the Fairmont Winnipeg.

Dubbed “Yappy Hour,” pet owners are encouraged to come with or without their furry friend for an evening of cocktails and dancing. Prizes will be awarded for best costume, and a trip for two to Las Vegas will be given away to one lucky attendee.

If you want to set your pooch up with a companion, there will even be a muttrimony wedding chapel. Yep, you read that correctly.

Beau, Tom and Frazier from 99.9 BOB FM will host the evening, which runs from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Tickets are $50 through the WHS. Call 982-2041 or visit WinnipegHumaneSociety.ca. Dogs are free.

The Assiniboine Credit Union River Trail may have closed last week, but organizers are still talking about it.

The Forks has released a list of the top 25 facts surrounding the record-breaking frozen ice rink.

1. Number of days ACURT was open — 65
2. Distance of ACURT (in km) for 2009-2010 — 6
3. Number of hours worked on creating and maintaining the ACURT — 3000
4. Estimated number of skaters on the ACURT — 450,000
5. Estimated number of skate blades cutting into the ice — 900,000
6. Number of Warming Huts in the new exposition — 5
7. Amount of graffiti and tagging on the Warming Huts — 0 (Way to Go Winnipeg!)
8. Number of rogue Warming Huts — 1
9. Number of Eagles skating the trail — 1
10. Number of kilometres driven by the veggie Zamboni — 600
11. Litres of waste vegetable oil used in the veggie Zamboni — 400
12. Top speed achieved (in km) while drag racing the veggie Zamboni — 80
13. Number of feet ACU President Al Morin drove the veggie Zamboni — 19
14. Number of extreme mushers traveling from Churchill, MB, to The Forks — 1
15. Number of old time hockey games played at Forks port — 70
16. Number of Christmas trees used to decorate the ACURT — 750
17. Number of hockey pucks found on the ACURT — 140
18. Total career goals of former NHL players who played in the Port — 594
19. Number of curling games played at The Forks Historic Port — 76
20. Number of River Trailers re-enacting Sidney Crosby’s goal after the Gold Medal Game — 250
21. Number of kilometres ridden in Ice Bike Race — 2000
22. Ounces of  hot chocolate served in Voyageur forts — 12,400
23. Number of pairs of skates rented at The Forks Market — 3500
24. Number of gallons of river water used to flood trail — 320,000
25. Number of gallons of coffee drank by ACURT Crew — 320,000

ChrisD.ca photo