Mural celebrates St. James’ 100th anniversary

E-scooter knocks senior onto sidewalk as he gets off bus

A Winnipeg man was thrown onto the pavement and injured after being struck by an electric scooter after stepping off a Winnipeg Transit bus Monday afternoon, an incident he hopes will push the city to take a closer look at sidewalk safety.

Outreach group addresses safety concerns over Osborne Village drop-in centre

An outreach organization at the centre of growing concerns over safety in Osborne Village says it is taking steps to improve conditions around its drop-in centre and reaffirming its commitment to the neighbourhood.

“We recognize the concerns raised about the activity around our… drop-in site and understand the importance of maintaining a safe and welcoming neighbourhood for everyone including residents, families, local businesses and the people who access our services,” 1JustCity, which operates the drop-in Oak Table, said in a statement issued late Wednesday.

The organization said it is increasing staff presence, conducting regular patrols, expanding outreach efforts and extending Oak Table’s hours to provide more supervised indoor space, meals and access to supports, while continuing to monitor the surrounding neighbourhood and encourage respectful use of public spaces.

The province is also providing the organization with $500,000 to expand Oak Table’s hours and launch a new outreach team.

Sweet sendoff for apprentice jockey

Three outside smoothies and a crunchy ride up the rail in the $40,000 Frank Arnason Sire Stakes on Tuesday vaulted apprentice jockey Ciera Pruitt into the top 10 at Assiniboia Downs for the first time this year.

The crunch came first. And she won’t be here much longer.

Pruitt led all jockeys on the week with four victories, the first coming aboard Manitoba-bred Bromeo in the 39th running of the Frank Arnason, for her mother, trainer Lise Pruitt. Bromeo and Pruitt duelled from the inside throughout and prevailed after a long, tight drive up the rail to take home the $24,000 winner’s share of the purse for longtime owner/breeder Barry Arnason.

“I just got really lucky, honestly,” said Pruitt. “Everything kind of fell into my hands. God was looking after me this week and it all worked out in my favour.”

Animal rescue groups shaken by advocate’s death

A week after an animal rescue volunteer died doing what she loved at Sandy Bay First Nation, the charity she dedicated herself to has paused rescues as groups rally to prevent another mauling.

Winnipeg’s Amanda Nobiss, 37, was found dead July 17 after police were contacted by a friend trying to locate her. She often visited the community 180 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg to save animals.

Several “aggressive dogs” were found near where Nobiss’s body was located, Manitoba First Nation Police Service has said. It did not respond Friday when asked for an update on its investigation into her death.

“What happened is the most tragic, heartbreaking thing that could have possibly happened,” said Chelsea Kork, president of K9 Advocacy Manitoba, the charity Nobiss volunteered with.

Firefighter accused of violating protection order jailed for past harassment

A Winnipeg firefighter accused of violating a protection order this week has been jailed two times in the past decade for criminally harassing two different women, court records show.

In each case, Christopher Goethals was allowed to return to his job with the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service.

Goethals, 59, was arrested July 21 after breaching a protection order requiring he not come within 200 metres of a named protected person, police said.

Police allege Goethals was in full uniform and on “modified duties” driving a WFPS fleet vehicle at the time of the offence.

Mural celebrates St. James’ 100th anniversary

Winnipeggers heading west on Portage Avenue might notice a new and vibrant sight as they cross into the St. James community, where local organizers have unveiled a new mural commemorating the area’s 100th anniversary.