News briefs for Friday, March 24, 2023

Canada beats Turkey at World Women’s Curling Championship

7:26 AM

Canada is moving closer to the playoffs at the 2023 World Women’s Curling Championship, following a crucial victory early this morning in Sweden.

Kerri Einarson of Gimli downed Turkey’s Dilsat Yildiz 10-4 in eight ends to start the last day of round-robin play.

Einarson, third Val Sweeting, second Shannon Birchard and lead Briane Harris improved their record to 7-4 with the win. They finish up against Denmark at 8 a.m.

As many as eight of the 13 competing teams are still alive for the six playoff spots.

Manitoba Avenue bungalow to be torn down after fires: WFPS

9:13 AM

The Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service has ordered a vacant home in the William Whyte neighbourhood be demolished after a fire Thursday evening.

Fire crews were called to the bungalow on the 300 block of Manitoba Avenue just before 8 p.m. and found smoke billowing from the building, the fire service said Friday.

They got inside and extinguished the flames within about 10 minutes. Firefighters searched the structure and found no one inside.

The home had been damaged by a fire in February this year, WFPS said, and crews determined the building’s structural integrity was compromised. WFPS is making arrangements for the demolition, the service said.

Sea Bears make Okafor latest signing

9:52 AM

The expansion Winnipeg Sea Bears have signed guard Michael Okafor in preparation for the 2023 Canadian Elite Basketball League season.

The 6-foot-4 guard is the third addition to the club’s roster.

Okafor joins the Bears after spending his rookie pro season with the CEBL title-winning Hamilton Honey Badgers. The Lakehead University grad appeared in 15 games, averaging 17.5 minutes and 5.5 points.

RCC Polytech, Assiniboine College union members vote in favour of strike

10:15 AM

Manitoba Government and General Employees’ Union members working at Red River College Polytechnic and Assiniboine Community College voted in favour of strike action Thursday night.

“We received a strong strike mandate from our members,” MGEU spokesperson Jodee Mason said by phone Friday.

Mason could not reveal the per cent of members who voted in support.

The mandate does not necessarily mean a strike will happen, but gives the union the authority to take action amid negotiations.

The union represents roughly 1,900 members at the two post-secondary schools and is calling for increased wages.

The parties returned to the bargaining table at 10 a.m.

Negotiations began in October 2021.

Einarson loses to Denmark, clinches playoff spot

11:11 AM

Canada’s Kerri Einarson has finished the World Women’s Curling Championship round robin with a 7-5 record.

After starting Friday with a 10-4 decision over Turkey’s Dilsat Yildiz, the Gimli skip dropped an 11-5 result to Denmark’s Madeleine Dupont.

A victory over Denmark would’ve earned Einarson the No. 2 seed and a bye to the semi-final, but with the loss, Canada’s place in the playoff picture has yet to be decided. Switzerland has clinched first place with an undefeated record, but the order of the other five playoff teams — Canada, Sweden, Italy, Norway and Japan — won’t be decided until after this afternoon’s final round robin draw.

The United States, Germany, Korea, Turkey, Denmark, Scotland, and New Zealand have all been eliminated.

The first round of playoffs take place tomorrow at 4 a.m. CT. The semifinals are at 10 a.m. CT.

IIU investigating after Chemawawin woman dies in RCMP custody

11:19 AM

The province’s police watchdog is investigating after a Chemawawin Cree Nation woman died in RCMP custody.

The Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba said on Friday a woman who police say was intoxicated was arrested at the reserve on March 22 at about 7:40 p.m.

When RCMP checked the woman’s cell at around 10 a.m. the next day, she was found unresponsive and CPR was started immediately.

The IIU said it is investigating the incident and a civilian monitor has been requested from the Manitoba Police Commission.

Man slain in Pauingassi First Nation

1:40 PM

RCMP are investigating a man’s death in Pauingassi First Nation as a homicide.

The man, 36, was found found inside his home at about 5:55 a.m. Friday, RCMP said.

Pauingassi is approximately 280 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg.

Winnipeg man found dead after vehicle got stuck on rural road

2:53 PM

A Winnipeg man was found dead likely due to exposure outside his vehicle in the RM of Montcalm Thursday morning.

Morris RCMP were called to the scene on Provincial Road 246, near Road 13N, at about 8:15 a.m., where they found a vehicle stuck in the snow and the 78-year-old man’s body, Mounties said.

RCMP said the man’s cause of death has not yet been determined, but there are indications he might have succumbed to the elements when he wandered from his vehicle after it got stuck.

Morris Mounties and the provincial Office of the Chief Medical Examiner are still investigating.

Einarson set to play Japan in first round of playoffs

4:12 PM

The round robin at the World Women’s Curling Championship in Sandviken, Sweden wrapped up Friday afternoon with Canada’s Kerri Einarson finishing in third place.

Einarson will now meet Sasuki Fujisawa of Japan in the first round of playoffs tomorrow at 4 a.m. CT with the winner advancing to the semifinals. Satsuki beat Einarson 6-5 on Thursday.

The other first round match-up will see Italy taking on Sweden. As the top two seeds, Switzerland (12-0) and Norway (8-4) have byes to the semis (10 a.m. CT).

Einarson finished the 12-game round robin with a 7-5 record after going 1-1 on Friday. She started the day with a 10-4 decision over Turkey’s Dilsat Yildiz before losing 11-5  to Denmark’s Madeleine Dupont. If Einarson had beaten Dupont, the Gimli skip would’ve been the No. 2 seed.

Hellebuyck to start, Samberg to play in L.A.

4:30 PM

Connor Hellebuyck will guard the crease when Winnipeg takes on the Kings in Los Angeles on Saturday afternoon, Jets head coach Rick Bowness confirmed today after practice in El Segunda, Calif.

The Jets (41-29-3) will be looking to extend their current winning streak to three-games, however, the Kings (41-20-10) have eight victories and a pair of shootout defeats in their last 10 outings.

Winnipeg began a three-game California trip with a 3-2 triumph over the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday night. Adam Lowry scored the decisive marker midway through the third period.

Dylan Samberg will return to the lineup, replacing Kyle Capobianco on the blue line, Bowness added.