Police HQ contractor pays $28M in city settlement

The main contractor for the Winnipeg Police Service headquarters project has finally paid a $28-million settlement for fraud and construction deficiency lawsuits.

Caspian Projects paid the amount to the City of Winnipeg’s external lawyers Friday, officials confirmed during the final day of the public inquiry that’s looking into the headquarters project.

“The conclusion of the inquiry, and also the receipt of these funds, is something that will, hopefully, … bring some satisfaction to the citizens that this is now over,” said Joseph Dunford, the city’s chief administrative officer.

The headquarters project at 245 Smith St. was rife with problems, including a ballooning budget and delays. The building opened in June 2016 at a cost of $214 million, well above its original $135-million price tag. An external audit found the project had been severely mismanaged.

City in hot water with West End businesses over leak

West End business owners say the city left them high and dry by shutting off their water for days and keeping them in the dark while a leak was being investigated.

Sea Bears feast on River Lions

It was a magical night at Canada Life Centre — both as the theme night, and for the roaring crowd of 6,700. Fans had much to cheer about as the Sea Bears recorded the third win of the season, downing the Niagara River Lions 97-71.

The club remains unbeaten at home so far this season.

From the tip-off, the Sea Bears’ physicality seemed to overwhelm the defending CEBL champions, earning five steals and holding the River Lions to under 30 per cent from the field in the first quarter.

Winnipeg recorded 38 points in the opening frame, shooting 58.3 per cent the field. Teddy Allen’s three first quarter assists led a total of nine for the Sea Bears, who recorded nine points off of turnovers.

Daycare loses playground structure in brazen overnight theft

HEADINGLEY — Children at a Montessori school in Headingley were set to enjoy one of the first warm days of the season, but when owner Angie Izzard arrived to open the facility Friday morning, she discovered it had been targeted in a bizarre overnight burglary.

Somebody rammed a vehicle through a chain link fence surrounding Guiding Minds Montessori playground and stole a wooden play structure.

Izzard said it appears the structure was cut free from its supports with a saw before being hauled away.

“How? How could this happen? Who? Why? I’m just shocked,” she said, adding that an assortment of other children’s toys were also missing.

Conference at UN to review nuclear nonproliferation treaty fails to reach agreement

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — A four-week United Nations conference reviewing the treaty to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons ended Friday without agreement as the United States and Iran sparred over Iran's nuclear program.

Vietnam's U.N. Ambassador Do Hung Viet, who chaired the conference, announced that there was no consensus among the 191 parties to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty on even a watered-down final document.

He told a news conference later that “no one blocked consensus.” But he said “a very important reason” for the failure to reach an outcome was a provision in the final draft that said Iran “can never seek, develop or acquire any nuclear weapons.”

It was the third failure in a row at a conference reviewing the NPT, considered the cornerstone of global nonproliferation and disarmament. At the last treaty review in August 2022, Russia blocked agreement on a final document over its February 2022 invasion of Ukraine and references to Moscow’s occupation of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Europe’s largest.

Hermanos raises curtain on new chapter

A longstanding Winnipeg eatery is moving to a space attached to the Centennial Concert Hall that has been closed since the 1990s.

Hermanos will move from the historic Ashdown Warehouse, at 179 Bannatyne Ave., to the long-shuttered restaurant space at the concert venue, to cater to the theatre crowd, its owners told the Free Press Friday.

“This is our opportunity to expand and ensure the long-term success of the family business,” Noel Bernier, co-owner of Hermanos, said Friday.

Bernier announced this month the South American steakhouse would close after 17 years. He promised it would reopen in the east Exchange District.

Five Winnipeg Blue Bombers players to watch as pre-season kicks off

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers play their first tune-up on Saturday when they meet the Saskatchewan Roughriders at Griffiths Stadium in Saskatoon.

‘Prevention and protection’: police set to return to buses, stops

Undercover and uniformed police officers are returning to Winnipeg Transit buses this weekend.

The Winnipeg Police Service, citing the success of the fall pilot project, announced Friday that regular patrols will resume monitoring activity on and around buses, stops and transit hubs.

“Everyone — riders, operators, and transit staff — deserves to feel safe. Violent and disruptive conduct will not be tolerated,” police said in a news release.

It described the initiative as one “rooted in prevention and protection.”

Pappas Greek Food and Steak closes after three decades of serving Winnipeg

Customers at Pappas Greek Food and Steak were served a side of gratitude with their meals on Friday, as the long-running Winnipeg restaurant marked its last day in business.

Owners Bob and Maria Papasotiriou are retiring after more than 30 years of operating the eatery, located at the corner of Roblin Boulevard and Elmhurst Road in the Charleswood neighbourhood.

“People walked in, they celebrated around our tables — birthdays, special occasions — and memories were created. So it’s not like a business anymore. This is home,” Maria said before lunch service.

“I want to express our deep appreciation for everybody who came through our doors and made our dream a success. They filled our hearts with a lot of joy.”

‘Deliberate decision’: man gets five-year prison sentence after fatal beating

A 24-year-old Winnipeg man has been sentenced to five years in prison for his part in a fatal two-on-one attack on a victim already incapacitated by a beating the two offenders meted out minutes earlier.

Jrayden Monias, 24, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the Feb. 7, 2024, killing of 19-year-old River Harper inside his Assiniboine Avenue high-rise apartment building.

“The evidence suggests Mr. Monias played a significant role in the violence visited upon Mr. Harper and in particular that the second assault occurred after a deliberate decision to return to the suite,” said provincial court Judge Victoria Cornick.

Defence lawyer John Corona had recommended Monias be sentenced to four years in prison, the same sentence handed to co-accused Jadar Morrison earlier this year.

Number of new measles cases trending down in Manitoba

Manitoba’s number of new confirmed measles cases is trending downward, but it’s still difficult to predict when the outbreak could end, a top public health official told the Free Press Friday.