Country star Diffie dead from virus; folk legend Prine in critical condition

Blue Bombers hope improved ball security sign of better things to come

It’s not like Cam Lawson was an unwilling participant in the impromptu game of hot potato, he just wasn’t expecting Davis Alexander to toss the ball in his general direction.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers defensive lineman was chasing down the Montreal Alouettes quarterback early in the third quarter of Friday’s 44-28 victory and was locked in on throwing a thunderous hit as Alexander scrambled outside the pocket.

“I wanted to light him up, but he (threw) it right at me and I was like ‘Oh my God,’” Lawson said after the Bombers returned to the practice field on Tuesday. “I almost had it, but it slid off my arm as I turned. It was really weird. I’ve watched (the replay) 100 times.”

Lawson remains in disbelief over the sequence of events that followed, which included multiple players and multiple body parts making contact with the football before Bombers linebacker Tony Jones finally scooped it up for a fumble recovery.

Naked man dies after jolt from police Taser

A Transcona man says he was lucky to be awake early Sunday when, shortly after 4 a.m., a stranger smashed through his screen door and kicked in the front door of his home.

“It’s all I can think about, like what if I was sleeping?” said the man, whom the Free Press is not naming to protect his identity. “Being awake gave me just a couple of extra seconds to deal with him before he got his whole body in.”

He was sitting on his couch when he heard the glass shatter and saw someone trying to force his way inside.

“Glass flew in and this guy — he was a big guy — tried to climb through the screen door,” the man said. “I hopped off the couch and just remember screaming for help. Well, of course it’s four in the morning, so nobody’s going to help, right? I wasn’t thinking straight.”

Provencher Park eyed for new aquatic centre

Provencher Park may be the next site for a new aquatic centre.

Country star Diffie dead from virus; folk legend Prine in critical condition

Country singer Joe Diffie, who was scheduled to perform at this summer’s Dauphin’s Countryfest, died Sunday in Nashville. On Friday, Diffie announced he had tested positive for COVID-19. He was 61.

“It is with a heavy heart we announce that Joe Diffie has passed away due to complications from COVID-19,” Dauphin’s Countryfest posted on its Facebook page Sunday night. “This virus is very real and we hope that everyone is taking it as serious as it is. Stay safe everyone.”

Diffie, an Oklahoma native who was known for hits such as Pickup Man and John Deere Greene, had five No. 1 singles in the 1990s and was a member of the Grand Ole Opry for more than 25 years.

It was also announced Sunday that John Prine, who was signed on to be a headliner at this year’s Winnipeg Folk Festival, is in critical condition due to COVID-19.

Province accused of meddling in Dynacare contract dispute as strike deadline looms

The union for hundreds of Dynacare lab employees in Manitoba has accused the provincial government of interfering in contract talks ahead of next week’s strike deadline.

The Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals, which bargains on behalf of 350 lab workers at two dozen Dynacare outlets in Winnipeg, Brandon, and surrounding communities, said Tuesday that the labour board has been asked to review the need for an essential services agreement.

Dynacare and the union agreed in March that Dynacare services are not deemed essential under provincial law, and do not need to continue if a strike is held, MAHCP president Jason Linklater said Tuesday. The union, whose collective agreement with the private company expired March 31, said the NDP government was informed the two sides had agreed no essential services agreement was needed.

After contract negotiations broke down, and a strike deadline of 6 a.m. Sept. 8 was set, physicians and health-care advocates warned that patient care will suffer if the strike goes ahead because Dynacare provides nearly all medical lab services in Manitoba.