Bartley Kives

@bkives.bsky.social

Reporter. Author. Hiker. Paddler. Eater.

How much are the Avs paying Cale Makar over eight years? A smidge more than $163 million USD, which is enough to pay for a private island in Florida, customize a nearly new Boeing 767 or cover the production budget for Project Hail Mary.

Breaking News: Ratko Mladic, the Bosnian Serb general during the Balkan wars of the 1990s who was convicted in the killing of 8,000 Muslims at Srebrenica, Europe’s deadliest massacre since World War II, has died. He was 83.

Ratko Mladic, Murderous ‘Butcher of Bosnia,’ Dies at 83

A general during the Balkan wars of the 1990s, he was convicted in the killing of some 8,000 Muslims at Srebrenica, Europe’s deadliest massacre since World War II.

nyti.ms

Analysis, and a very cold take at that: Canadian political leaders and the populace at large have caught up in August 2026 to the political reality of January 2025.

Lake Winnipeg is down to a smidge above 714 feet above sea level, a foot below the top of its recommended operating range as well as its 2026 peak in July. Hot, dry weather across the drainage basin in July and August likely* is the main factor. *I am not a hydrologist.

With a little over five weeks to go until the registration/nomination deadline, two incumbent Winnipeg councilors are running unopposed: • Evan Duncan in Charleswood-Tuxedo-Westwood • Cindy Gilroy in Daniel McIntyre

I’m at city hall. A public hearing before East Kildonan-Transcona community committee was supposed to start at 9:30 a.m. Coun. Wyatt, who was charged three more times this week by police, is not present. There is quorum as Couns. Browaty and Durand-Wood are here. Meeting must start by 10 a.m.

This is our climate change reality. BC is at the sharp end of the climate change spear in terms of fire in Canada. Graph below shows annual area burned in BC 1950-2026. Top 6 years have been since 2017 and BC has experienced more area burned during 2017-2026(red) as compared to 1950-2026 (green).

Annual area burned in BC 1950-2026. Recent years are ciffc data

Very hot and dry weather in July has blunted the benefit of heavy June rains for Manitoba Hydro. Lake Winnipeg’s water level is dropping again after peaking at the top of Hydro’s recommended operating range the last week of July. It’s down three inches since then.