News briefs for Thursday, November 3, 2022

Southwood’s Rhonda Orr and Braxton Kuntz of Breezy Bend are the province’s amateur golfers of the year in 2022, Golf Manitoba announced Wednesday.

It is the fourth time that Orr, 61, has been recognized as Manitoba’s top female golf, having previously won in 2016, 2018 and 2019.

The 18-year-old Kuntz earned top male golfer honours for the second consecutive year.

Manitoba recorded an increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths last week.

There were 116 hospitalizations, including seven ICU admissions, and 11 deaths associated with COVID-19 last week.

The province’s weekly epidemiological report, published today for the week of Oct. 23 to 29, indicates an increase in overall hospitalizations and a decrease in ICU admissions. There were 100 hospitalizations the previous week, including 16 ICU admissions. Eight deaths were recorded the previous week.

There was also an increase in the number of Manitobans being tested for COVID via lab-confirmed PCR tests, and the resulting provincial test positivity rate has also increased to 28.7 per cent. It was 24 per cent from Oct. 16 to 22, compared to 29.6 per cent the previous week.

The full report is posted here: https://www.gov.mb.ca/health/publichealth/surveillance/covid-19/index.html

The Winnipeg Jets will be without forward Morgan Barron for four to five weeks as he undergoes wrist surgery on Friday.

Barron, 23, has one goal and four assists in nine games this year.

Dominic Toninato will take his spot in the lineup as the Jets host the Montreal Canadiens at Canada Life Centre tonight.

Puck drop is 7 pm.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers hoped to play host to the Grey Cup in 2024, but will now have to set their sights on a later date — possibly as early as 2025.

On Thursday, the CFL awarded the BC Lions, the city of Vancouver and the province of British Columbia the championship game in 2024. Winnipeg had also put in a bid for the game, which included a $5.5-million investment from the provincial government.

That money will now be used to persuade the CFL to choose the Bombers for the 2025 Grey Cup.