On the Night Table: Darlene MacDonald

Foster mom pleads guilty to assault that left six-year-old-girl paralyzed

A Winnipeg foster mother has admitted to violently assaulting her ill foster daughter and leaving her paralyzed after the girl resisted the woman’s efforts to provide her with medication, a court has heard.

Marilyn Keno, 26, pleaded guilty Friday to one count of aggravated assault.

Keno remains in custody and will be sentenced at a later date following the completion of a court-ordered pre-sentence report.

The maximum sentence for aggravated assault is 14 years in prison. Crown attorney Alanna Littman and defence lawyer Jeremy Kostiuk did not disclose what sentences they will be recommending.

West Kildonan Industrial residents call for speed bumps after child hit by truck

Residents in the West Kildonan Industrial neighbourhood are calling on the city to install speed bumps in their area after a child was hit and dragged by a vehicle Thursday.

Katelyn Bemister lives near the area where the child — who was hospitalized as a result of the incident and has been upgraded to stable condition — was struck. She says people frequently speed in the area.

“They’re going really fast, and they’re not really paying attention at all to the pedestrians in the area,” says Bemister.

In video supplied to the Free Press by a resident, the child can be seen riding a bike down a sidewalk along the 500 block of North Point Boulevard.

Men’s recovery home dedicated to ‘homeless hero’ Faron Hall’s memory

Faron Hall never got the chance to begin recovery. Once heralded as Winnipeg’s “homeless hero” after twice plunging into the Red River to save strangers from drowning, Hall told St. Boniface Street Links executive director Marion Willis shortly before his death in 2014 that he wanted help for his alcoholism.

Get out and about, have a sip at local beer, wine events

Beer and wine fans in Winnipeg can enjoy the dog days of summer and the first days of fall with a bumper crop of events coming in the next month that are sure to please most palates.

On Monday, the Manitoba chapter of the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers (CAPS) presents the Rosé the Night Away event on the rooftop of the Metropolitan Entertainment Centre (281 Donald St.) from 7-9 p.m.

A range of pink wines will be available to taste alongside small bites. Tickets are $42 for CAPS members and $55 for non-members and are available at wfp.to/iRV.

On Saturday, Aug. 22, the Winnipeg Beer Festival returns, with more than 20 producers pouring samples, including core pours and small-batch brews at Le Patio 340 (340 Provencher Blvd.).

On the Night Table: Darlene MacDonald

Darlene MacDonaldManitoba children's advocate

"I'm an enthusiastic reader, and my night table often features multiple books I have on the go. My tastes tend to be a blend of historical fiction, classics and thrillers, with a dose of foodie thrown in for balance and for pairing with a great wine. I just finished reading Lawrence Hill's The Book of Negroes. Eleven-year old Aminata's story of survival, bravery, and determination captivated me as I followed her from childhood to womanhood, and from freedom to slavery to activist. Hill's strong skills as a storyteller paint an incredible image of one child's life that stands as a broader comment on history, family, and the resilience of the human spirit. I'm also re-reading Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird to reacquaint myself with the key characters so I can start on Lee's recent Go Set a Watchman.