News briefs for Tuesday, December 16, 2025

Cheer board issues call for drivers

7:33 PM

The Christmas Cheer Board has put out a call for volunteer drivers.

More than 5,000 hampers have yet to be delivered to families in need, it said Tuesday evening.

“Anyone with a vehicle who is willing to spare some time can drop by the warehouse at 133 Paramount Rd. (north of Inkster Boulevard and Keewatin Street) to help with deliveries,” the cheer board email said.

The warehouse is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Friday and on the weekend from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Volunteers don’t have to register. They can show up to receive three to five hampers for delivery.

Child walking to school offered candy, ride: police

4:54 PM

A student walking to school was approached by two masked men who offered candy and a ride Tuesday, the child told a school staff member.

The school contacted the Winnipeg Police Service, who said in a news release that the incident happened on the 600 block of Beverley Street at about 1 p.m.

Two men wearing face masks and black clothing reportedly got out of what was described as a white van before approaching the child, who ran to the school, the release said.

The WPS asked anyone with relevant video to contact its child abuse unit at 204-986-3296 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 204-786-8477 (TIPS).

Province announces new Hydro board chairman

4:17 PM

The Manitoba government has appointed a new chairman to Manitoba Hydro’s board of directors in the wake of a resignation.

Ben Graham resigned abruptly last week, the Free Press reported Sunday. The province said in a news release Tuesday that James Wilson, who had been vice-chairman, will replace Graham, becoming the first Indigenous person to lead the Crown corporation’s board.

Nicole Chabot, who was already on Hydro’s board of directors, is now vice-chairwoman.

The province also announced new appointments to Efficiency Manitoba’s board. Duane Nicol was named chairman, replacing Jeanette Montufar. Cindy Choy was named vice-chairwoman. Leilani Esteban Villarba has been appointed as a new member of that board.

Prison guard faces sex assault charge involving another inmate

2:31 PM

A Stony Mountain prison guard is facing an additional sexual assault charge after an earlier alleged incident involving another inmate at a Winnipeg hospital.

The man was first arrested on July 16 after city police received separate reports from two inmates. The first of those two incidents happened in December 2024, when an inmate was receiving medical treatment overnight, the Winnipeg Police Service said at the time.

“When one of the officers temporarily left the room, the man was sexually assaulted with a weapon by the other correctional officer. He was injured but did not report the incident until a later date,” a release said.

Police said this summer that a similar incident involving another inmate happened in January 2025 but did not involve a weapon.

The Correctional Service of Canada said in July that it was aware the guard had been arrested and had “taken appropriate measures.”

On Tuesday, police said an earlier similar incident involving a third inmate that allegedly happened in January 2024 had been reported to them.

The man, 37, was arrested again on Dec. 10 after he turned himself in to officers. He was again released on an undertaking.

In total, the guard is facing two counts of sexual assault and one of sexual assault with a weapon, a WPS spokeswoman said.

Man charged with sex assault of teens he met online

2:10 PM

An 18-year-old man has been charged after police say he lured and sexually assaulted two teenage girls he met online.

Police said the man, who identified himself on the internet as Winnipeg Stunna, wpgstunna, Ajay and AJ, lured a teen girl to his home on Sept. 14 after several weeks of communication online. The girl was sexually assaulted there, the Winnipeg Police Service said in a news release Tuesday.

Alvin (AJ) Richard was arrested and charged on Sept. 28 with sexual assault, sexual interference and luring a person under 14 years of age by means of telecommunication, the WPS said.

Investigators seized Richard’s phone, and he was released with conditions related to the use of electronic devices and social media. Police said they found evidence on the phone that a second teen had been sexually assaulted.

Richard was charged on Dec. 3 with sexual assault, sexual interference, luring a person under 14 years of age by means of telecommunication and failing to comply with a release order. He was remanded into custody.

Police said anyone with information about Richard to call the child abuse unit at 204-986-3296 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 204-786-8477 (TIPS).

Prolific shoplifting suspect nabbed: Winnipeg police

1:15 PM

A man accused of committing several thefts at Winnipeg stores since August has been arrested.

Winnipeg Police Service property crime investigators first began looking at a string of thefts from multiple locations of a retailer in the summer. Officers linked the man to several thefts.

The first was at a Portage Avenue store downtown on July 16, in which $672 worth of goods were pilfered.

Between July 23 and Oct. 17, police said, the same man stole $3,600 worth of items from the same shop on the 1500 block of Regent Avenue West five times.

Similarly, police said, the man stole about $2,330 worth of goods from another Regent Avenue West store seven times between Aug. 1 and Aug. 26. The thefts were caught on security cameras.

Officers arrested a man at a home on the 1500 block of Logan Avenue on Sunday morning. He was charged with 13 counts of theft under $5,000 and held in custody.

Jazz festival announces headliners

12:40 PM

Set for June 16-26, the Winnipeg International Jazz Festival will welcome the Miles Electric Band (June 21 at the Burton Cummings Theatre) and the Jason Marsalis Quartet (June 19 at the Desautels Concert Hall) among its headlining acts.

Founded by Grammy-winning drummer Vince Wilburn Jr., the Miles Electric Band pays homage to jazz legend Miles Davis, who would have turned 100 in 2026. The group features former members of his band, including Darryl Jones, Marc Cary, Munyugo Jackson and Antoine Roney, with guest DJ Logic on turntables.

Drummer/vibrophonist Jason Marsalis, the youngest son of late pianist Ellis Marsalis Jr., will celebrate the work of Lionel Hampton with his band: clarinetist Joe Goldberg, pianist Kris Tokarski and drummer Gerald T. Watkins.

Tickets are on sale at jazzwinnipeg.com.

Bombers extend Kramdi

12:04 PM

Canadian defensive back Redha Kramdi has agreed to a two-year contract extension with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

Kramdi was scheduled to become a free agent in February.

He returns in 2026 for his sixth year in Winnipeg following an impressive 2025 campaign in which he finished with 47 defensive tackles, two more on special teams, a forced fumble and his first career interception.

Police stop 22 impaired drivers in second week of checkstop campaign

11:22 AM

The Winnipeg Police Service stopped 547 vehicles during the second week of its annual holiday checkstop campaign.

Twenty-two of the drivers stopped between Dec. 8 and Sunday were under the influence of alcohol or drugs, the WPS said in a news release Tuesday. Five were given an immediate roadside prohibition for failing a breathalyzer, one failed a drug-screening test and 16 were given a warning based on their blood-alcohol level.

Every driver stopped at a checkstop is required to provide a breath sample, while drug-screening equipment will be used to check for cannabis impairment, the WPS said. RCMP helped out with checkstop enforcement on Saturday.

The campaign will continue until New Year’s Day.

Fire guts unit in vacant Portage Avenue commercial building

10:07 AM

Fire gutted a unit in a vacant commercial building on Portage Avenue early Tuesday.

Crews were sent to the building, which is composed of four units, shortly before 5:25 a.m.

Firefighters fought the blaze in the unit at 943 Portage Ave., on the west side of the building, from outside and declared it under control shortly before 6:15 a.m.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Kane Brown, Bailey Zimmerman headlining Country Thunder

8:41 AM

The lineup for this year’s Country Thunder concert event at Princess Auto Stadium was announced this morning and features mega-selling U.S. singer-songwriter Kane Brown (Heaven, What Ifs) and viral social media star Bailey Zimmerman (Fall in Love).

The show, which will also include American outlaw country act Koe Wetzel and Canadian singer-songwriter Robyn Ottolini (F-150) is set for Friday, July 3.

Country Thunder is a production of the Winnipeg Football Club and True North Sports and Entertainment. Last year’s two-day event also included a Rockin’ Thunder concert with classic-rock acts.

Tickets go on sale Friday, Dec. 19, at Ticketmaster.ca. Prices have yet to be announced, but will include VIP options, standing and seated, which provide front-of-stage viewing along with upgraded amenities.