News briefs for Tuesday, October 3, 2023

Steinbach Green party candidate drops out

7:48 AM

The Green Party of Manitoba candidate for Steinbach has “withdrawn” from Tuesday’s election.

Elections Manitoba made the announcement the morning of the election.

Any votes cast for Gabrielle Simard-Nadeau during advance voting or on election day will be counted as rejected.

“Notices of the withdrawal will be posted at all polling places in the electoral division,” Elections Manitoba said in a news release.

Missing Selkirk woman found safe: RCMP

9:13 AM

A Selkirk woman who had been missing since mid-August has been found safe.

Sanije Elizabeth Sefa, 30, was reported missing to the Selkirk RCMP detachment on Sept. 22, after family hadn’t seen or heard from her since mid-August.

RCMP said on Monday that she was likely in Winnipeg. On Tuesday morning, Mounties said she had been located.

Polls open for provincial election

9:50 AM

Polls have opened for Tuesday’s provincial election.

The polls opened at 8 a.m. and will remain open until 8 p.m.

Information on how to vote is available on Election Manitoba’s website.

Holiday concerts coming to Burt this winter

11:07 AM

Fred-Heads, rejoice! Winnipeg children’s entertainer Fred Penner is bringing his Cat’s Meow band to the Burton Cummings Theatre on Sunday, Dec. 17, for a Concert for the Season. The Juno-winning performer, beloved by generations, will dole out the memories with such hits as The Cat Came Back and Sandwiches. Tickets start at $29.50 plus fees and go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. at ticketmaster.ca.

Offering fewer singalongs but more flexibility, the cast of Cirque Musica also has a show for the season with Holiday Wonderland, coming to the Burt on Friday, Nov. 17. The circus troupe includes acrobats and aerialists performing daring, dazzling feats to a soundtrack of seasonal favourites. Tickets go on sale at ticketmaster.ca on Friday at 10 a.m.; prices start at $39.50 plus fees.

Missing teen located safely: police

11:12 AM

A 15-year-old girl who went missing from St. Vital Monday morning has been safely located, police said in a news release Tuesday.

Julfidan Rahmani, who goes by Juli, was last seen at about 9:15 a.m. yesterday at Fermor Avenue and St. Mary’s Road, police said.

No charges after men injured in arrests

1:15 PM

The Independent Investigation Unit has ruled there are no reasonable grounds to support charges against police officers in connection with separate incidents that happened years ago.

The Winnipeg Police Service told the IIU that officers were pursuing a man regarding a domestic assault early on Sept. 7, 2021. He fled a Mathers Avenue home and was found on Waverley Street when he sustained an orbital fracture in a struggle during his arrest, the IIU said.

The other incident happened on the night of Oct. 19, 2019. Winnipeg police officers approached a man wanted on several warrants in the area of 393 Portage Ave.

The man fled and used bear spray on officers three times during a foot chase, the IIU said.

He was arrested in the area of Ellice Avenue and McMicken Street. The man was transported to Health Sciences Centre for treatment of a fractured skull and lacerations.

The civilian director found no reasonable grounds to support any charges against the officers involved in either incident and said Tuesday that the matters are “now closed.”

Sea Bears add two more awards

1:39 PM

The Winnipeg Sea Bears added another pair of awards to their trophy case on Tuesday.

The pro basketball club was named the Canadian Elite Basketball League’s franchise of the year after finishing tied for the second-best regular season record (12-8) and setting multiple attendance records in its inaugural season.

The Sea Bears set attendance records for a single game (10,580) in the play-in round of the playoffs, a regular season game (8,230) in the regular season finale and for a full season, with 65,609 fans coming out over 11 games.

Sea Bears president Jason Smith also won the league’s Team Executive of the Year award, assembling a staff and roster that included the CEBL’s most valuable player (Teddy Allen), sixth man of the year (Jelani Watson-Gayle), U Sports player of the year (Simon Hildebrant) and coach of the year (Mike Taylor).

“This is truly an award for our city,” Smith said of the club’s Franchise of the Year award. “Our amazing fanbase has come together and created something special in Winnipeg. We continue to be blown away by their support and are committed to creating wonderful experiences for them on and off the court for years to come.”

Man killed in head-on crash on Highway 7

2:42 PM

A man was killed and a woman is in critical condition after a head-on crash on Highway 7 on Sunday night.

The collision happened just south of the intersection with Provincial Road 229 at about 10 p.m.

RCMP said a southbound vehicle being driven by a 35-year-old man from Carvel, Alta., crossed over the centre line and collided head-on with a northbound vehicle driven by a 40-year-old Winnipeg woman.

The man was pronounced deceased on scene. The woman was flown to a Winnipeg hospital, where she remained in critical condition Tuesday afternoon, RCMP said.

Vehicle crashes into two houses, man dies

3:00 PM

A man crashed his vehicle into two houses at the intersection of Rothesay Street and Gilmore Avenue while suffering a medical event early Tuesday.

The single-vehicle crash happened at about 2:30 a.m., the Winnipeg Police Service said.

The 63-year-old driver “is believed to have experienced a medical event while operating his vehicle,” the WPS said.

He was transported to hospital in critical condition and later died from the medical event, the WPS said.

No one in the houses was injured, the WPS said. No investigation is pending.