News briefs for Friday, May 29, 2026

Westwood residents asked to reduce power

7:36 PM

Manitoba Hydro is asking residents in Winnipeg’s Westwood neighbourhood to pull back on power usage as it does maintenance work in the area.

Approximately 1,400 customers — between Westwood Drive and Bedson Street, from Portage Avenue to the Assiniboine River — are being asked to turn down their AC and not use appliances like laundry machines and electric vehicle chargers before 10 p.m., said a Manitoba Hydro news release late Friday evening.

Restrictions are in place over the weekend and into next week as the Crown makes capacity upgrades to the Cavalier substation which serves the community. Officials acknowledged the timing is less than ideal, apologizing to area residents, and stressing the request is temporary.

Environment Canada is currently forecasting extreme heat over the weekend, with highs expected to reach 30 C, feeling like 33 C with the humidex, on Saturday and a high of 30 C on Sunday.

War hero honoured in highway renaming

2:37 PM

A section of Highway 10 will be renamed after a Dauphin-born war hero, the province announced Friday.

Lt.-Col. William G. (Billy) Barker, a First World War fighter pilot, was credited with 50 aerial victories and is the most decorated military member in Commonwealth history.

Signs marking the renaming of the highway, between Dauphin and the north boundary of Riding Mountain National Park, were unveiled at a ceremony at the Dauphin airport, which also bears Barker’s name, a Friday news release from the province stated.

“This tribute stands as a reminder of the deep respect Manitobans hold for those who served and the importance of preserving their stories for generations to come,” Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Lisa Naylor said in the release.

Barker was born on a farm near Dauphin and enlisted in the Canadian Mounted Rifles in 1914 and later transferred to the Royal Flying Corps.

He was awarded the Victoria Cross, the Distinguished Service Order, the Military Cross as well as medals from the Italian and French militaries.

He died in a plane crash near Ottawa in 1930. He was 35.

Two teens arrested in ‘retaliatory’ Pukatawagan shooting

12:47 PM

RCMP have arrested two teens in what they call a “retaliatory” shooting in Mathias Colomb Cree Nation.

On Tuesday RCMP received a report of shots fired toward a home in the community, located about 819 km northwest of Winnipeg. No one was hurt.

Two teens, a 14-year-old boy and a 17-year-old boy, were taken into custody as a result. Mounties later connected the incident to a shooting that happened 45 minutes earlier, in which a 17-year-old boy and a 21-year old man were shot while driving on a quad through the community. The pair were flown to Winnipeg for treatment.

All suspects involved in the two shootings have been arrested, RCMP said in a news release Friday.

4-H cleanup on highways Saturday

11:25 AM

The province is warning motorists to be cautious as highway cleanup begins Saturday morning.

The annual Manitoba 4-H Highway Cleanup initiative sees participants from the youth program pick up litter on highways and roadsides.

The 4-H members will be wearing high visibility vests and cleanup areas will be marked with signage, a Friday release from Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure stated.

There will be increased foot traffic on highways from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and motorists are reminded to keep a safe distance from workers and slow down.

High-risk sex offender to be released in Winnipeg

9:15 AM

City police issued a public warning Friday about the release of a convicted sex offender who is expected to live in Winnipeg.

Marinus Willemse, 59, was released from custody Thursday. He is considered a high risk to reoffend in a sexual or sexually violent manner against women, boys and girls, WPS said in a news release.

The release included a lengthy accounting of Willemse’s criminal history, which dates back to 1989 when he received a 10-year sentence for robbery, kidnapping and sexual assault with a weapon.

In 2001, he was sentenced to 20 years in custody for a 1999 crime spree that saw him lure and expose himself to two young girls and then threaten to kill another child with a knife. Three days later, he robbed a video store, tying up a lone female clerk and threatening to shoot her.

Throughout his life, Willemse has served three federal sentences and each time he has be rearrested within one month, WPS said.

Among other conditions, he is prohibited from attending public parks and swimming areas where youth are present. He cannot work or volunteer with children.