Country star Diffie dead from virus; folk legend Prine in critical condition

Executive exodus continues at Shared Health with three recent departures

Manitoba’s provincial health authority is looking for its fourth chief financial officer since 2023 and additional replacements after the recent departures of three executives.

City inundated with thousands of complaints after launch of new transit system

Despite complaints from thousands of dissatisfied users, Winnipeg hasn't hit the brakes on the rollout of its new primary transit network. And it appears that ignoring the public response cost Winnipeg Transit millions of dollars in lost revenue and ridership.

Woman dies in River Heights house fire

A woman is dead after a fire destroyed part of a house in Winnipeg’s River Heights community.

Neighbour Russ Kolisnyk said he watched as fire crews battled the blaze at about 10:30 a.m. at 1076 Fleet Ave. Monday.

“They went into the back of the house with hoses, all of the other equipment, they were in their full gear,” the 61-year-old said. “Then we heard a person coming out and they came out the front door with her.”

A couple, believed to be in their 60s, lived in the home, another neighbour said.

Practice — and superstition — makes perfect

It seems the words routine and superstition blend together for the Winnipeg Goldeyes.

While the players have a set pre- and post-game timetable — whether or not they label all game-day routines as superstitions — it’s clear they have their own internal rules that must be followed.

For pitcher James Bradwell, though he believes he doesn’t have any crazy pre-game rituals that need to be upheld, he knows what works and sticks to it.

“I will always put my right sock on before my left, right cleat on before my left,” the North Vancouver product said, having only started these routines after joining the Fish.

Community rallies around family devastated by fire

Dennis Lafreniere and his wife didn’t expect to celebrate 27 years of marriage Thursday in a Selkirk hotel room while reeling from a recent house fire.

The couple and their two daughters lost their home last Sunday in a raging fire that left nothing behind, but overwhelming support from multiple communities has kept them afloat.

“It’s devastating when you don’t have any clothes, any medication, all of that stuff, and it’s just so overwhelming the next morning. It’s just nasty,” Lafreniere said.

Investigators suspect the fire was caused by a fridge, freezer and battery charger that were all plugged into the same electrical line that got overheated. The house, located on Highway 59 between Selkirk and Libau, is a farmhouse built in 1943, and investigators think worn-out electrical lines also contributed to the fire, said Lafreniere.

City’s landfill gas project hasn’t gained any steam after four years

Four years after the city started working on a proposal to convert potent landfill gases into renewable energy, a lack of buyers is being blamed for holding the project up.

In March 2022, city council directed staff to complete a deal with Integrated Gas Recovery Services, which would see Winnipeg become a raw landfill gas supplier and potentially earn millions of dollars of new revenue.

If city council approved the proposed contract, the reuse of landfill gas would then replace the city’s current practice of flaring — burning as it’s released — the vast majority of methane produced at Brady Road landfill.

However, the effort has faced a few different roadblocks since it began.