On the night table

Woman pleads guilty to beating teens, injecting them with drugs

Two teens who thought they found temporary harbour in a stranger’s apartment after they missed their late-night bus home were instead terrorized, beaten and injected with methamphetamine against their will, a court has heard.

Search continues for brothers feared drowned at Nutimik Lake

Search-and-rescue crews continued efforts Monday to locate two boys who are presumed drowned after falling into fast-moving rapids at Nutimik Lake on the weekend, as community members and Manitoba Parks begin conversations about preventing future tragedies.

The boys, identified as brothers Aaron Au Ramirez, 13, and Maximo Au Ramirez, 10, were visiting Whiteshell Provincial Park with their father and some friends when they entered the water near the Sturgeon Falls Trail Saturday afternoon.

Lac du Bonnet RCMP received a report of a possible drowning at about 12:40 p.m. Police, along with local emergency responders, searched the shoreline and waterways but were unable to find the boys, RCMP said in a news release.

The Manitoba RCMP Underwater Recovery Team and the Hutterian Emergency Aquatic Response Team were later deployed to assist with the search.

Student of the Prairie

In Andrian Makhnachov’s first nine days as a Winnipegger, he immersed himself in the city’s most distinctive delights. He went to the Goldeyes’ Ukrainian Night, toured the Manitoba Museum and cheered the Sea Bears at Canada Life Centre.

He sampled boxes of treats from local institutions such as Baked Expectations and Oh Doughnuts. He tried pickerel for the first time, and even a Jeanne’s Cake. (His diplomatic verdict on the city’s most intensely debated dessert: “I think it’s a very interesting experience … maybe there’s some special way I should eat it and it’s going to be better.”)

Still, the rising social media star encountered a few challenges. When Makhnachov first planned his move here from Regina, he’d picked an apartment in the Exchange District, not realizing there were few grocery stores within walking distance. For now, he’s making do with Giant Tiger.

For all the ups and downs, there is no doubt in the Ukrainian-Canadian’s mind that he made the right decision to move his life, and his burgeoning influencer career, to Winnipeg.

Big spike in catalytic converter thefts

Harvey Tschetter didn’t know someone was under his SUV when he was roused by the sounds of a power saw cutting metal and took a look around the vehicle outside his North Kildonan condo.

After finding nothing untoward and going back inside, he heard repeated hammer strikes and saw a vehicle idling next to his Mitsubishi RVR, which he’d purchased two days earlier. Someone was trying to steal the SUV’s catalytic converter.

“I ran out there and I screamed at them, ‘What the F do you think you’re doing?’ They crawled out from under my car, held the hammer up like, don’t come near me, and drove off,” Tschetter said of the June 8 incident. “It was 5 a.m. and completely light out. I can’t believe how brazen they were. They showed no fear.”

The incident happened amid a sharp year-over-year increase in reports of catalytic converter thefts or attempted thefts to Manitoba Public Insurance, after record highs in 2021 and 2022 led to increased enforcement, provincial anti-theft legislation and a period of significant decline.

Plan being developed to tackle drug use, homelessness near church

Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham says a plan is in the works to address growing concerns over drug use and homelessness around an Osborne Village church after complaints from a nearby daycare, residents and businesses.

Gillingham said his senior adviser on homelessness, Jarred Baker, met with people in the area on Friday and was expected to provide a report later Monday outlining what was discussed and potential next steps.

Craig Wynands, executive director of 1JustCity, confirmed someone from the city met with Oak Table’s site lead, Thomas van der Krogt. Wynands also said he met Monday with officials from Augustine Centre and SPLASH Child Care.

“We discussed safety measures and increasing staff presence around the premises of the building,” he said. “1JustCity will be hiring additional staff to patrol the property regularly during the day.”

Safe-walks program around downtown venues to launch after pleas from WSO performers

The city will provide safe walks and patrols will be increased around downtown arts venues in response to performers and staff feeling unsafe while working in the inner city.

The safety measures are part of the new Performing Arts Wayfinder Program, which will use $100,000 in funding from the mayor’s office for two additional Downtown Community Safety Partnership staff members to focus on safe walks and patrols for performers, audience members and staff.

The program is scheduled to begin in September and run through June 2027.

The initiative comes after members of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra reached out to Mayor Scott Gillingham in a letter outlining their concerns about safety for musicians, other staff and their patrons.