This is our second-to-last issue of this production cycle, but in some ways, it’s also the last of its kind for this year. We’re wrapping up our regular season just as the infamous second winter (aka “spring”) slowly releases its hold on our city, as the sun continues its explorations further into the evening, and courses start to wrap up here on campus. 

Our final issue, The Urban Issue, comes out next week and will carry you through exam season and whatever puddles we’ll have left when the last bits of snow melt away. This issue follows its own template and will be packed full of insightful coverage about our city and the people in it (though in a sense that’s what we’ve done these last 25 issues), and it’s slightly more focused. 

In a similar vein to our online-only issue in February, we have a little more space to play, to research and to write for The Urban Issue. We’re not publishing exclusively in sections, like arts and news. Rather than having one longer feature and many more short pieces, most pieces for The Urban Issue have a more generous word count. In non-newspaper speak, we have more longer stories, more in-depth coverage across a similar range of topics. 

We’ve got a super special Whose House lined up for you (no spoilers here!), as well as stories on the phenomenon of the Winnipeg social, cool offbeat weird hobby groups and an examination of public benches in the Exchange. And more, of course, but you’ll have to wait for next week for that. This issue will be hanging out on newsstands until our Summer Festival Guide lands in June, so we’re working hard to make it super special and full of content to tide you over. 

But enough teasing. Here’s a nice fresh batch of stories for you to read right now – we’re talking about Leisure Cruise (the band), stone soup, selfies, learning in the North End and building supportive communities around missing people. 

– Anastasia Chipelski

Published in Volume 70, Number 24 of The Uniter (March 17, 2016)