Yesterday Emergency Measures Minister Steve Ashton announced that the Government of Manitoba was finally, finally going to get weather radios into 1580 locations such as care homes, schools and municipal offices across the province.
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/breakingnews/Province-expands-Weatheradio-coverage-48947806.html#comments
Longtime listeners will recall that in 2007, Spirited Kenny started asking serious questions about the 10 year delay in establishing a national weather-warning system. Until the alternative media began pressuring elected officials such as MP Steven Fletcher, the public safety aspect was secondary to the inertia of bureaucrats. So a tip of the hat to Kenny for his work on the file, that served to embarass the NDP government into finally tasking meaningful action.
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Yesterday we featured a personal story of a victim of a violent unprovoked mugging on May 30th. Kevin Bracken called in after we read his email, and the ensuing conversation about his view of the approach being taken by Police Chief McCaskill and the NDP towards violent goons - like the 2 juveniles who jumped him with an adult accomplice in Westwood -- shows the deep effects on real people, of what Crimestat lists as "robbery non-commercial".
His story will be featured on Global-TV tonight when Meera Bahadoosingh interviews Kevin Bracken at 6 PM. Here is the email we read from him about his fateful late-night walk home:
Hey Marty
I just called the studio, not realising you were already overtime today. I have a story that I do not think has been reported, and probably won't be.
On Saturday, May 30 and into early Sunday morning, 2 aboriginal youths (16 years old) and one aboriginal adult went on a bit of a crime spree in the west St-James area. They stole from a 7-11 and mugged a few pedestrians, claiming they had a gun. I can only speculate that it was around this time the police were called, and several (I was told 6) squad cars began patrolling the area.
Sometime after stealing from the Sev and pretending to have a gun, they picked up a 2x3 board and decided it would be easier to do things that way.
I had the misfortune of straying across these youths paths, in the Westwood neighbourhood, not far from Rouge Road. I was walking home from Salisbury house with a female friend, when I saw someone approaching me from behind.
I had been at the bar and was rather friendly, and greeted what I thought was another pedestrian enjoying a similar drunken walk home. Out of nowhere, he sucker punched me. I backed up and was hit again in the face. My female friend ran (thankfully) and got away. I had fallen to the ground and put up my arms to cover my face. It was at this point I realised I was up against 3 men, not just 1. I pulled twenty dollars out of my pocket, which was all I had and offered it to them. They took it but continued to strike me on the ground. I cannot recall if it was fists, feet or lumber that was coming down on me but my injuries imply the latter. I grabbed my wallet to see if I had anything else to give them, all the while being hit. I had nothing. At some point they left me laying, bleeding on the ground.
I don't know how long it lasted for or when they left; it's all rather blurry now. I lay in shock in the wet grass for what seemed like a few minutes, spitting out blood, but it could have been much shorter/longer. I don't think i lost consciousness.
I searched for my wallet for a few minutes before giving up and walking home. Its only about a four minute trek.
I was very calm, surprisingly, as I have never even been in a real fight before (although I wouldn't call this a fight). I was going to call the police non-emergency line because I didn't think it was an emergency, but couldn't find the number in my current state so I called 911, after calling my friends to let them know I had been jumped. They showed up quickly and insisted on bringing me to the hospital. I didn't think it was that urgent but complied. I was bleeding from various wounds on my face, although you would be hard pressed to determine exactly where the cuts were, my whole face was so bloody.
The Grace Hospital ER treated me well, fortunately it wasn't very busy. The constables arrived before the doctor did and I gave my statement. The doctor arrived half-way through so I finished my statement underneath a sheet while my head was being stitched up. I was relieved to learn that the guys had been caught, my call to 911 had given them enough info for the 6 squad cars to track them down. All in all my injuries were relatively minor, I received 6 stitches in the forehead, have a cut on my right cheek, a loose tooth, a fat lip, several cuts inside my mouth and of course a big shiner. No serious head trauma or even broken ribs.
I would be interested in talking to you more about this incident, I am a big fan of the show and have e-mailed and called in a few times. Included in this e-mail is a picture of me when I got home from the hospital, for your benefit (obviously the listeners will have to use their imaginations). Just so you know, I look quite a bit better now, but the picture was taken after I had been cleaned up so I initially looked even worse.
If you want to contact me before airing this e-mail or discussing the story, that is great, I check my e-mail often... Feel free to show my picture around the studio, its good for a little shock value.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Regards
Kevin Bracken
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Today we'll follow up on the Bracken story, with a Facebook note from a media personality who has a LOT to say about how dangerous downtown Winnipeg is.
It's a real eye-opener.
Also, live reports from Bob Axford and blogger Graham Hnatiuk about the Active Transportation Open House at Red River College; and an in-depth look a challenge to Premier Doer's refusal to call a public inquiry into the NDP 99 Election scam from Professor Bryan Schwartz in today's Free Press.
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Starting next Monday night, the sound of The Great Canadian Talk Show will be heard on commercial radio with CJOB! Marty Gold hosts the NightHawk show, sitting in for Geoff Currier at 9 PM weeknights, starting on Monday, June 29th, through July 10th.
We'll kick things off with a very special guest on the first show - Winnipeg Mayor Sam Katz, in studio, for a full hour, on the Superstation with Marty Gold, next Monday at 9 PM.
