News briefs for Tuesday, January 28, 2025

Jets beat Habs 4-1 for fourth straight win

8:46 PM

MONTREAL – The Winnipeg Jets downed the Montreal Canadiens 4-1 on Tuesday for their fourth straight victory.

Kyle Connor scored twice while Mark Scheifele and Rasmus Kupari (into an empty net) had the others. Gabe Vilardi recorded two assists, while Connor Hellebuyck stopped 24 of 25 shots he faced.

Winnipeg improves to 35-14-3 on the season, good for first place in both the Central Division and Western Conference.

They’ll continue a three-game road trip on Thursday night in Boston.

Two arrested in Riverton shooting

3:18 PM

Two people are facing charges after a man shot at a pickup truck with people parked inside outside Riverton’s arena.

Gimli RCMP were sent to the town at about 12:30 a.m. on Jan. 22. Officers were told while headed there that a victim had left the scene and was headed towards Gimli. Officers met up with him on Highway 8.

The 27-year-old man driving the truck, a resident of the Municipality of Bifrost-Riverton, was not injured. The lone passenger, a 22-year-old woman, was also not hurt.

The man said he parked outside the hockey arena when a suspect approached and fired a gun, striking both the driver’s side and rear windows of the truck before fleeing.

A 30-year-old Riverton man who knows both the people in the truck was arrested at a home south of Riverton.

Police investigated and determined the woman in the truck was also involved in the shooting. The man and woman are facing weapons and other charges. Both were released from custody.

Eradicating zebra mussels from Clear Lake ‘not feasible’

3:01 PM

Parks Canada now says eradicating zebra mussels from Clear Lake in Riding Mountain National Park “is not feasible.”

The federal government agency said in a news release posted online Tuesday that the determination was made after consulting with the provincial government, leading scientific and international experts, and Indigenous advisers.

Parks Canada plans to allow watercraft on the lake later this year under a “one boat, one lake” aquatic invasive species prevention program. This program will be similar to the one implemented in 2023, the release said.

The public will be invited to provide input on how this year’s program will be applied. Parks Canada representatives will be set up near the skating rink behind the visitor centre from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

The discovery of hundreds of live juvenile zebra mussels attached to docks and other infrastructure near the east end of the lake this fall indicated the mussels are not isolated to the Boat Cove area. The mussels had previously been found in that area, and an underwater containment curtain was installed and removed weeks later.

Free entry to provincial parks in February

2:21 PM

Entry to provincial parks is free next month.

Vehicle permits are not required in February, but Snopasses are still required for snowmobiles using designated trails.

Manitoba Winter Trails Day will be celebrated for the first time on Feb. 8. Park interpreters are available that day for a guided snowshoe trek at Birds Hill and at Spruce Woods for a guided hike on the Epinette trail.

Portage la Prairie man charged with stealing grader

1:24 PM

A man who was believed to be under the influence of a drug has been charged after someone stole a municipal grader and crashed it through a fence.

RCMP were called about the theft from the City of Portage la Prairie’s public works garage at 9:40 a.m. Officers went there and saw the grader had gone through a chain-link fence. A suspect was still within the fenced compound, near the machine.

Police said the 29-year-old Portage man refused to comply with officers and resisted arrest.

He was taken to the local RCMP detachment and, after an altercation with officers and emergency personnel, was transported to hospital. He had suffered a non-life-threatening injury, police said.

The man was treated and released from hospital and taken into custody on charges of driving while impaired, theft of a motor vehicle, mischief over $5,000 and two counts of assault on a police officer.

Bela Fleck headlining 2025 Jazz Festival

11:08 AM

American banjo virtuoso Bela Fleck will kick off the Winnipeg International Jazz Festival on June 17 at 7:30 p.m. at the Burton Cummings Theatre.

The 18-time Grammy winner will be joined by his unconventional trio mates, Edmar Castaneda on harp and Antonio Sanchez on drums, for an evening of original, collaboratively written music.

Tickets, which range from $61 to $94, go on sale Wednesday, Jan. 29, at 10 a.m. via Ticketsmaster.ca. More headliners for the festival will be announced; it runs June 17-22.

Birdtail Sioux First Nation man charged with sex crimes

11:03 AM

A Birdtail Sioux First Nation man has been charged with sex crimes after police were told he was in a sexual relationship with a teenage girl.

The Manitoba First Nations Police received a complaint about the 27-year-old man on Sept. 18. Investigators determined the man started a relationship with the 14-year-old girl through messages. They eventually had sexual relations, police said.

Police searched the man’s home, seized “numerous electronic devices” and arrested him, the MFNPS said in a news release Tuesday.

The man is charged with three counts each of sexual assault and sexual interference, a single count of luring a child by telephone and seven counts of breach of a prohibition order. He has since been released from custody.

“The accused will not be named to protect the identity of the victim,” the MFNPS said.

Man arrested with airsoft gun

10:52 AM

A Winnipeg man has been charged with carrying a concealed weapon after he was seen at a restaurant with a replica gun.

Police were sent to the area of the 1900 block of Main Street at 11:45 a.m. Monday and arrested a man with an unloaded airsoft gun a short distance away.

Officers learned a man had been loitering at a restaurant when he was approached by staff members and asked to leave. A staff member reportedly saw a gun inside the suspect’s jacket and called police, and the suspect left.

The 27-year-old man arrested was released from police custody.

Robbery victim dragged into building, stabbed

10:43 AM

A man was dragged inside an apartment complex, robbed, assaulted and stabbed after being asked for a cigarette Monday evening.

Police were sent to the complex on the 700 block of Simcoe Street at about 7 p.m. and found a 36-year-old man who had been stabbed “in the upper body.” He was transported to hospital in unstable condition and later upgraded to stable.

Police said Tuesday the man was walking down Simcoe when he was approached by two unknown females asking for a cigarette. The victim tried to oblige, but three unknown males ran out of the complex and forced him inside.

The man was able to flee and contacted police.

Police asked anyone with information about the robbery to contact the major crimes unit at 204-986-6219, or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 204-786-8477 (TIPS) or online.