The Wrap: Residential school search, park slaying sentencing, a vet celebrates 100
Plus: a steam locomotive just slightly younger than that vet is chugging its way to Winnipeg

Good evening. Here’s a look at what our newsroom has been working on today:

'You wonder how many missing children are there?'

Pimicikamak Cree Nation in northern Manitoba says ground-penetrating radar has found 187 anomalies at the site of a former residential school.

Chief David Monias says more work is needed to determine whether some of the anomalies may be unmarked burial sites.

The St. Joseph’s Residential School, managed by the Roman Catholic Church, operated in the community from 1912 to 1969, and housed children from across northern Manitoba.

Kevin Rollason:

Search for Pimicikamak graves finds 187 anomalies

A search for potential residential school burial sites at a northern Manitoba First Nation has found 187 anomalies — both where the school used to be and in other places used by the facility, which wa... Read More

'These are not the actions of someone in shock'

Courts reporter Dean Pritchard was back in a city courtroom for the second day of a sentencing hearing for two teens who lured a Winnipeg man to his death at Assiniboine Park.

The now 18-year-old woman and her 19-year-old male co-accused pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the 2022 killing of Paul Enns, who was found dead in the backseat of his car.

Prosecutors argued the male accused should be sentenced as an adult to life in prison with no chance of parole for at least seven years, saying he offered conflicting explanations for the killing following his arrest.

Yesterday the court heard about the background of the woman, for whom lawyers are seeking a maximum youth sentence of seven years custody and community supervision.

Dean Pritchard:

Teen blamed ‘kissing disease’ for fatal attack

Mono cited in Assiniboine Park slaying Read More

Dean Pritchard:

Teen killer who lured victim to park has ‘a lot of potential,’ sentencing hearing told

A teen who helped lure a Winnipeg man to his death at Assiniboine Park was manipulated to take part in the crime by her “puppeteer” boyfriend, a court was told Tuesday. Read More

'It’s very, very humbling'

RCAF veteran Richard Earl celebrated his 100th birthday Wednesday with friends, family, Manitoba’s premier — and a flyover by a Royal Canadian Air Force C-130 Hercules.

Newsroom intern Matthew Frank attended the party.

Matthew Frank:

100 reasons to celebrate

Second World War veteran honoured with fly-by as he reaches century milestone Read More

'It’s a pretty big deal to some people'

The Final Spike Steam Tour, featuring the historic 4-6-4 Hudson-type steam locomotive, chugs its way into Winnipeg on Saturday.

Affectionately known as “The Empress,” the 2816 locomotive was built in December 1930 and operated in Eastern Canada for nearly 30 years before retirement. It later served as a steam-powered ambassador for Canadian Pacific but was placed in storage in 2012.

After a decade of slumber, the 2816 has been meticulously restored by a dedicated team of railroaders and is once again travelling the rails, arriving in Winnipeg this weekend.

Thandi Vera:

Full steam ahead

Historic restored locomotive back on the rails Read More