News briefs for August 15, 2019

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have yet to lose a game at IG Field this season.

The Blue and Gold defeated the B.C. Lions 32-16 on Thursday night to improve to 7-2 on the year and 5-0 at home. With the loss, the Lions fell to 1-8.

Bombers quarterback Matt Nichols was 10/12 with 179 yards, a touchdown pass and an interception before leaving the game in the fourth quarter after a sack with an injury to his throwing arm.

Winnipeg Jets forward Kyle Connor is discovering just how tough the world of professional golf can be.

The 22-year-old high scoring winger is 14-over par through his first six holes of the Player’s Cup at Southwood Golf & Country Club this afternoon. That is dead last in the field of 156 players. 

Connor was granted a sponsor’s exemption with the idea of bringing some additional fans to the tournament, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary. And he is indeed being followed by a large gallery of spectators on the course.

He was under no illusion he could hang with the Mackenzie Tour – PGA Tour Canada pros, but was hoping to better teammate the scores of 87-86 posted by teammate Mark Scheifele in the event last year.

Derek Chang, a native of Dallas, is the clubhouse leader after shooting an 8-under 64 on Thursday.

The Manitoba Moose announced on Thursday the team has re-signed defenceman Charles-David Beaudoin on a one-year contract. 

The 25-year-old from Drummondville, Que., appeared in 57 games with the Moose last season and had one goal and six assists. Beaudoin, who will be entering his third season with the Moose after making his AHL debut with the Binghamton Senators in 2016-17, has two goals and 15 assists in 99 career AHL games.
 

A 20-year-old Winnipeg man is facing several charges after fleeing from police Wednesday afternoon.

At around 1 p.m., police began tailing a stolen vehicle in the Talbot-Grey area. After they flipped on their sirens, the vehicle drove up a curb and sped away, driving through stop signs.

The vehicle crashed into an SUV driven by a family near Raleigh Street and Chalmers Avenue. The family — a couple and their five-year-old daughter — didn’t need medical attention.

The driver of the stolen vehicle took off on foot before police nabbed him on the 400 block of Harbison Avenue West. A knife and a small bag of meth was found in the vehicle.

Brendan James Neufeld was treated at a hospital for injuries from the crash and  has been charged with failure to comply with probation order, dangerous operation of a conveyance, flight while pursued by peace officer, possession of a weapon, scheduled substance (methamphetamine) and property obtained by crime over $5,000.

Winnipeg Police Service arrested a man early Wednesday morning in response to a break & enter at a locked construction site in Chevrier. 

Around 4:05 a.m., police, along with a canine unit, arrested a man at a locked construction site in the 1800 block of Pembina Highway.

Break-in tools and a small amount of meth was found.
 
Jeffrey Alexander Sholdra, a 43-year-old from Winnipeg, is believed to have stolen copper wiring and piping from the construction site before being spotted by a private security guard. The stolen material was recovered.

Sholdra, has been charged with break and enter with intent, possession of break-in tools and possession of scheduled substance.
 
He was detained in custody.

Dauphin RCMP are investigating into how a prisoner escaped from Manitoba Corrections Officers Wednesday night.

Around 11:40 pm, RCMP received a report that Dustin Joseph Racette, a 34-year-old male from Dauphin, assaulted then ran from corrections officers as he was being treated at the Dauphin hospital.

An immediate search of the area failed to locate Racette. Police believe he may have been picked up in a nearby waiting vehicle.
 
Racette is described as 5’9”, 210 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes.  He was last seen wearing grey sweat pants and a grey sweat shirt.
 
A warrant for Racette’s arrest has been issued, as he is charged with escaping lawful custody, assault with a weapon, and assaulting a police officer with a weapon.

RCMP is warning the public to not approach Racette as he may become violent.
 
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Dauphin RCMP at (204) 622-5020, call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477, or submit a secure tip online at www.manitobacrimestoppers.com.

Derek Chang has raced out to an early lead at the Player’s Cup golf tournament. 

The 29-year-old from Dallas, Texas shot a blistering eight-under 64 on Thursday morning at Southwood Golf & Country Club, which is hosting the 100th-anniversary of the Mackenzie Tour – PGA Tour Canada event.

With nearly half the 156-player field finished their opening round, Chang enjoys a two-stroke advantage over a trio of golfers, including Canadians Riley Wheeldon and Michael Belle.

Josh Neufeld (+6 through 14 holes) and Derrik Goodwin (+10 through 14 holes) were the lone Manitobans to tee off this morning.

The afternoon tee times are just getting underway. Winnipeg Jets forward Kyle Connor, who is playing on a sponsor’s exemption, begins play at 2:30 p.m.

Manitobans Devon Schade, Travis Fredborg, Bret Thompson and Austin Dobrescu will also hit the links this afternoon.

The field will be cut down to the top 60 (and ties) following Friday’s second round.

– Mike McIntyre

Think you have what it takes to be a Big Brother Canada houseguest? Freshen up those headshots and press record — casting is now open for Season 8 of the popular reality show. 

Interested applicants are asked to submit a photo and a short video explaining why they would make a good roommate and how they plan to win Big Brother Canada. To qualify, candidates must be 19 years of age by Feb. 1, 2020 and applications must be received by Nov. 15, 2019. 

The show will also be conducting a cross-country casting tour. Details will be posted at bigbrothercanada.ca later this summer. 

The reality competition is the Canadian spin-off of the international Big Brother franchise, which sees contestants locked in a house and cut-off from the outside world. They are constantly monitored and must compete in weekly challenges and evictions. The last houseguest standing wins a cash prize. 

The eighth season of Big Brother Canada will air on Global next year.

For another year, the Canadian Football League and its nine member clubs have released a portion of each team’s negotiation lists, making public 10 of a possible 45 names.

Negotiation lists are a list of players that a team has secured the right to sign a future CFL contract, and they include players currently playing for Div. I colleges in the U.S., as well as in the NFL. Players can be added, removed or traded from lists at any time.

Blue Bombers that have been revealed on previous lists – since 2018 CFL winter meetings, teams are required to reveal a list of 10 players twice a year – that are currently playing in the CFL are receivers/returners Lucky Whitehead and Janarion Grant, as well as halfback Marcus Sayles and quarterback Chris Streveler.

Here is the list of the Bombers’ 10 players revealed Thursday:

The Progressive Conservative party is promising to speed up school construction by adding 13 new ones over the next decade.

Eight of the 13 new schools would be built in Winnipeg.

PC leader Brian Pallister could not immediately say how many schools would be built over the next four years.

The total number of new schools in the province will rise to 20 when the seven schools already in planning or under construction are included, he noted.

The Louise Bridge will be closed for maintenance for two weeks starting Monday.

The bridge, which spans the Red River, connects Higgins Avenue to Stadacona Street. Both northbound and southbound traffic will be blocked, the city said.

Pedestrians will be able to cross the bridge on the east sidewalk.

The closure will begin Aug. 19 at 6 a.m. and end Sept. 2 at 6 a.m. 

The city recommends motorists use alternative routes such as Provencher Boulevard and Redwood Avenue.

The City of Winnipeg was prompted to test water quality for residents who have lead water pipes after the federal government reduced the allowable level of lead in drinking water. 

A letter was sent out to residents with potentially affected lead water pipes and invited them to submit a water sample for free testing. 

The sampling quickly reached its 200-participant capacity. 

According to the city’s website, approximately 87 per cent of homes don’t have lead pipes, but homes built before the mid-1950s may have lead pipes. 

Since March, the maximum allowable level of lead in drinking water is 0.005 milligrams per litre.

In June 2000, the city began adding orthophosphate to the water supply to control lead levels. The chemical forms a protective coating in pipes which helps reduce corrosion that can add lead to the water supply. 

Winnipeg Blue Bombers fans with rumbling stomachs and roaring horns can now tackle the Walby Burger during their stadium visits. 

Announced over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers Twitter account, the Walby burger features six burger patties, six chicken tenders, six hotdogs, six pieces of bacon and all of the fixings. 

Named after former Blue Bombers offensive tackle Chris Walby, the burger sells for $45 plus tax and will be available Thursday night when the Blue Bombers host the B.C. Lions. 

Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m.