Wednesday Winnipeg Comedy Festival lineup

Selkirk physiotherapist Pachal looks to finish strong at Natural Strongman Worlds

Over 250 competitors from 20 countries will descend on Paisley, Scotland, this week for the Natural Strongman Worlds. There the athletes will meet personal goals, test their endurance over a multiple-day event, and a winner from both the men’s and women’s division will be crowned the fittest of them all.

Selkirk’s own Tom Pachal will be competing in the under 80-kilogram weight class. Pachal has been surrounded by the fitness lifestyle his whole career, multitasking as a physiotherapist and owning the Iron Image Barbell Club in Selkirk.

“I’m very involved in the health, wellness, fitness, (and) rehabilitation community. I love being an overall active person and helping others,” Pachal said.

Starting off as a power lifter, Pachal was excited to transition over to the Strongman competitions, something that was less repetitive and more unpredictable.

City rescinds Balmoral Street property owner’s order to clean up encampment

A West Broadway landlord is off the hook for clearing a large riverbank encampment after the City of Winnipeg rescinded an order threatening to stick him with the cleanup bill.

Marvin Sharp, CEO of Astroid Management Ltd., which operates the Pen-Eve Apartments at 35 Balmoral St., said he received a call from the city Tuesday letting him know the order has been cancelled.

In a statement from the city, an official said the order was shelved due to an existing and active easement on the property.

“We have been communicating with the property owner throughout this process and they have been informed of this development,” a spokesperson said.

Somali refugee admits he helped to smuggle African migrants into Manitoba for money

A Somali refugee who was twice caught by RCMP assisting in the smuggling of desperate African migrants into Manitoba during the frigid winter — including while out on bail, months after he was first arrested with eight foreign nationals in his vehicle — has admitted he did so for money.

Planned Elmwood Hub project combines 115 mixed-income housing units, social supports, programs

A long-awaited project will aim to add 115 new homes in Elmwood, with on-site social programs to support some of its more vulnerable residents.

Pre-owned sets seller Romo’s Bricks seeks to click with Winnipeg’s Lego community

There’s no mortar in sight but there are certainly thousands of bricks at a new brick-and-mortar store in Winnipeg catering to Lego enthusiasts.

Ashton Romaniuk and Madison Froome opened Romo’s Bricks in late spring. Located at 955 Milt Stegall Dr., in the same building as CanCentral Sports Cards & Memorabilia, the store specializes in selling pre-owned Lego sets, minifigures and other Lego-related products.

“It’s something we’re both passionate about,” Froome said.

To stock the store, she and Romaniuk spent $50,000 on four large Lego collections, purchased from local collectors. Romaniuk estimates that since the store opened on June 2, inventory has grown to $250,000 worth of Lego.