The Winnipeg Blue Bombers re-signed kick returner/receiver Janarion Grant to a one-year contract on Thursday.

Grant was scheduled to become a free agent Feb. 14.

Grant, a Rutgers University product, enters his fourth season in Winnipeg. Last season he became the  Bombers’ all-time leader in kick return touchdowns with seven. He also set a Grey Cup record with a 102-yard return touchdown in the championship loss to Toronto

Manitoba recorded no influenza hospitalizations last week as respiratory virus transmission declines.

Declining cases of flu and respiratory syncytial virus were noted in today's epidemiological report from the provincial government.

Weekly average test positivity rates for the week of Jan. 22 to 28 were 0.5 per cent for Influenza A, 0.2 per cent for Influenza B, and 5.7 per cent for RSV, according to the report, which noted ER visits associated with respiratory symptoms also declined.

Despite limited lab testing for COVID-19 in Manitoba, the province logged a 10.5 per cent test positivity rate for that week. No new COVID-19 deaths were recorded, but the province retroactively added 10 deaths to its COVID-19 death toll for this season.

There were six new COVID-19 hospitalizations between Jan. 22 to Jan. 28, and 11 hospitalizations were retroactively added for a total of 2,389 this season.

Provincial spending on the Newcomer Community Integration Support will increase in the next fiscal year, Immigration Minister Jon Reyes said on Friday.

The Manitoba government will spend $7.1 million on immigration settlement services in 2023-24, including $4 million for projects under the Newcomer Community Connections Stream, $3 million for the non-profit settlement agency Manitoba Start, and $100,000 for the Recognition Counts program.

"Expanding the settlement services available to newcomers empowers them to more fully and successfully integrate in their new communities sooner, which has been shown to bolster immigrant retention rates," Reyes said.

Project applications for the Newcomer Community Connections Stream program are now being accepted. Additional information about the program and how to apply is available at immigratemanitoba.com/ncis

A Manitoba task force to reduce red tape for physicians is set up and will produce a public report later this year, Health Minister Audrey Gordon announced today.

Manitoba is following Nova Scotia’s lead in identifying and cutting unnecessary paperwork that puts a heavy administrative burden on doctors. Doctors Manitoba is working closely with the province on the task force, President Dr. Candace Bradshaw said.

Earlier this week, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business published a report stating doctors across the country spend too much time filling out unnecessary forms and a 10 percent reduction in paperwork could allow doctors to conduct 177,000 additional patient visits a year in Manitoba.

A woman missing for almost a year may have been seen in Winnipeg recently.

Winnipeg police said on Friday it is investigating possible unconfirmed sightings of 31-year-old Ashlee Shingoose starting in November.

Police said because Shingoose’s hair may be shorter now. A new photograph of her has been released along with one previously put out last year.

Police said members of the St. Theresa First Nation are helping look for Shingoose in Winnipeg. She was last seen in the downtown area on March 11.

Shingoose is described as 5-5 in height, thin build, brown hair, and brown eyes.

Anyone with information about Shingoose is asked to call police at 204-986-6250.

Some residents in a 21-storey high-rise were forced to evacuate their homes Thursday afternoon after a fire triggered one of the building's automatic alarms.

Fire crews responded to the fire alarm around 12:14 p.m., the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service said in a release.

Upon arriving at the 185 Smith St location, firefighters discovered thick, black smoke pouring from one of the suites. Most of the residents on the affected floor had already evacuated, but crews searched to ensure others were not in danger. Nobody was injured, the WFPS said.

Some residents from other floors were able to shelter-in-place as firefighters brought the blaze under control. Most of the damage was contained to the suite where the fire originated, but several other areas in the building sustained smoke and water damage.

Damage estimates are not available, and the cause of the fire is under investigation.