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Civic Election

Klein wants city-run, maintained ‘bridge’ space for homeless people

Malak Abas 3 minute read 12:39 PM CDT

Mayoral candidate Kevin Klein wants the city to pilot a 24-hour community space for homeless Winnipeggers.

Klein said the space — a building, piece of land or both — would provide washrooms, garbage-management facilities and on-site staff to assess visitors and direct them to housing or other supports.

City council recently rejected a similar proposal — a motion that would have directed the public service to identify potential designated encampment sites with public washrooms and garbage facilities was struck down in June — but Klein said his plan differs because it would include more resources.

“I will pursue a time-limited, professionally managed community, as a bridge to housing and treatment,” he told reporters at his campaign office Thursday morning.

Local

Man charged after pipe bomb found outside sex club

Morgan Modjeski 3 minute read Preview

Man charged after pipe bomb found outside sex club

Morgan Modjeski 3 minute read Updated: 1:57 PM CDT

A Winnipeg bathhouse owner says he’s worried about the safety of his staff and patrons after a lit pipe bomb was placed outside the business earlier this month.

Christopher Gregoire, 45, who recently took ownership of the former Aquarius Bath House (now AQ Sauna) at 457 Notre Dame Ave., said the pipe bomb was found outside the sex and lifestyles club in the early hours of Sept. 11 by a “heroic patron.”

“It was lit and it was about to blow and (the patron) threw it in the water and he put it out,” said Gregoire.

The incident comes after the venue was first targeted by a fire bomb on July 31, Gregoire said.

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Updated: 1:57 PM CDT

Local

Mayor introduces charter change motion to remove council members charged with crimes

Joyanne Pursaga 2 minute read Preview

Mayor introduces charter change motion to remove council members charged with crimes

Joyanne Pursaga 2 minute read 11:29 AM CDT

Mayor Scott Gillingham believes the province should allow a forced leave of absence to be imposed on any city council member charged with a criminal offence.

Gillingham introduced a new “notice of motion” at Thursday’s city council meeting that calls for the change, days after Transcona Coun. Russ Wyatt registered to run for re-election despite facing sexual assault charges.

Union leaders, the mayor and some councillors have publicly urged Wyatt to step aside from his council role to deal with the charges.

The mayor’s motion will be considered after the Oct. 28 municipal election.

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11:29 AM CDT

Health

Grifols says plasma donor safety was not compromised as it works to regain licence

The Canadian Press 2 minute read Preview

Grifols says plasma donor safety was not compromised as it works to regain licence

The Canadian Press 2 minute read Updated: 12:40 PM CDT

WINNIPEG - A for-profit company that oversees plasma collection says it is working with Health Canada on a reopening plan after the federal health agency suspended one its operating licences for a clinic in Winnipeg. 

Health Canada halted all collections at Grifols' Taylor Avenue location on Wednesday after it found compliance problems at the privately run clinic that pays for plasma donations. 

Grifols already suspended donation collections at all of its sites last month following reports of two people dying after donating at two separate Winnipeg locations. 

A Health Canada investigation found no link between the deaths of the plasma donors and the collection process, and Grifols says at no point was the safety of donors and patients compromised. 

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Updated: 12:40 PM CDT

Winnipeg Jets

No more Jets 1.0 or 2.0: League announces all eras of Winnipeg’s club to be merged

Ken Wiebe 2 minute read Preview

No more Jets 1.0 or 2.0: League announces all eras of Winnipeg’s club to be merged

Ken Wiebe 2 minute read 10:52 AM CDT

The Winnipeg Jets finally got their history back.

The NHL announced on Thursday morning that the 1.0 (1979 to 1996) and 2.0 (2011 to present) eras will now be merged, plus they will include the seasons spent as the Atlanta Thrashers (1999-2011).

The history of the now inactive Phoenix/Arizona Coyotes (1996 to 2024) will remain a separate entity.

“Today’s announcement is meaningful for our organization, our alumni and generations of Winnipeg Jets fans,” Jets executive chairman Mark Chipman said in a press release. “The Jets teams from 1979 to 1996 helped build an identity and tradition that we proudly carry forward today. For our fans, these players and these moments have always been part of the same Winnipeg Jets story, and we’re pleased that our official records will now reflect that.”

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10:52 AM CDT

Local

Firefighter admits to conditional sentence breach

Dean Pritchard 4 minute read Preview

Firefighter admits to conditional sentence breach

Dean Pritchard 4 minute read 2:01 AM CDT

A Winnipeg firefighter previously jailed for criminally harassing two different women has been released from custody after admitting to breaching a conditional sentence order.

Christopher Goethals, 59, was arrested July 21 after an alert from his ankle monitor six days earlier showed he had driven within 400 metres of the workplace of a former girlfriend he had been ordered to have no contact with.

Goethals pleaded guilty Wednesday to not being in possession of a copy of his conditional sentence order, a requirement of his sentence.

Crown attorney Amanda Heslop withdrew a breach charge related to Goethals’ electronic monitoring conditions and stayed a third charge of disobeying a court order.

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2:01 AM CDT

Opinion

Flyers, Monarchs look to bounce back after dropping opening-season bids

Cassidy Dankochik 5 minute read Preview

Flyers, Monarchs look to bounce back after dropping opening-season bids

Cassidy Dankochik 5 minute read 1:27 PM CDT

The Flyers are hoping to improve after an unusual down season by their standards in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League.

Winkler finished fourth in the East Division and were swept in the first round of the playoffs by Niverville.

Head coach and general manager Matt Melo is in his third season with the Flyers and anticipates his team growing throughout the year.

“We’re a young group, I think we’re a strong group, but certainly there’s lots to clean up,” Melo said following a pair of defeats to Steinbach this past weekend to open their season.

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1:27 PM CDT

Business

TIM SMITH / Brandon Sun files
                                Pumpjacks at work in a farm field near Waskada. Manitoba has roughly 4,000 wells currently producing oil and has quadrupled (to four) its number of inspectors in recent years.

Lonely orphan wells landscape

Province’s small oil, gas sector lists 31 ownerless sites — far cry from thousands in Alberta, Saskatchewan

Eva Wasney 7 minute read 7:00 AM CDT
Free Press Community Connect

Local

RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS
                                Dynamic photos of the Manitoba Hydro Building sign in front Hydro Building at 360 Portage Ave. See story on Hydro Board. March 21, 2018

Local

‘Extremely disappointed’: hunters being turned away near Bloodvein First Nation, Manitoba Wildlife Federation says

Nicole Buffie 4 minute read Preview

‘Extremely disappointed’: hunters being turned away near Bloodvein First Nation, Manitoba Wildlife Federation says

Nicole Buffie 4 minute read Yesterday at 6:18 PM CDT

The Manitoba Wildlife Federation says hunters are again being refused access to land near Bloodvein River First Nation, a year after leadership told court it would let them through.

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Yesterday at 6:18 PM CDT

Local

BRANDON — A western Manitoba potash producer could generate as much as $450 million in annual sales if it expands operations over the next five years under an ambitious mining plan touted by the provincial government.

Local

Relief, reproach from law school staff after disgraced ex-dean’s arrest in France

Maggie Macintosh 5 minute read Preview

Relief, reproach from law school staff after disgraced ex-dean’s arrest in France

Maggie Macintosh 5 minute read Yesterday at 5:43 PM CDT

The overseas arrest of a disgraced former law dean who defrauded the University of Manitoba out of more than $600,000 is being met both with relief and renewed frustration in the local legal community.

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Yesterday at 5:43 PM CDT

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