Former sitcom actress dies in rehab

First wave of eligible students snap up more than 18,000 free annual Winnipeg Transit passes

More than 18,000 free Winnipeg Transit passes have been handed out to Grade 11 and 12 students so far as part of a provincial pilot program, the NDP government announced Thursday.

Schools started distributing annual youth passes (valid until Aug. 31, 2027) to those students this week, with children in grades 6 to 10 next in line as part of a staggered rollout.

“This youth pass can be used to get to school, to get to work, to visit your friends and, really, anything that you want to do,” Education Minister Tracy Schmidt told reporters at Grant Park High School Thursday.

City of Winnipeg spokesman David Driedger said 60,000 passes have been sent to schools. Winnipeg Transit initially planned for about 30,000 passes.

Cancelling court erodes access to justice — just ask Matt Wiebe

Back in May 2023, when the NDP was in opposition and Matt Wiebe was just an earnest justice critic, he had harsh words for the Progressive Conservative government when provincial circuit court sessions were being cancelled.

Premier tells grieving parents site of fatal collision under review

Premier Wab Kinew promised to pursue safety improvements at an Interlake intersection when he spoke to parents of some of the four teens who died in a crash at the site on the Labour Day weekend.

The collision at Highway 8 and Provincial Road 229, just west of Winnipeg Beach, prompted a review by Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure, which is standard after a fatal crash, while some of the victims’ families and community leaders publicly called for changes.

“When you see the loss of these beautiful young lives, any parent, any Manitoban feels a sense of loss. On behalf of the whole province, I send my condolences to these families,” Kinew said in Winnipeg Wednesday.

“I did so directly earlier today, and I heard some of the parents’ suggestions for how we could make this safer for everybody. I committed to them that we’re going to take those actions — both stuff we can do relatively quickly and some longer-term fixes, as well.”

U of M students call for ban on far-right group

Some University of Manitoba students are calling on their school to ban a far-right group from campus after posters promoting mass deportations were found during the summer break.

More than 50 people rallied on Wednesday, the first day of classes, to make known their concerns about a group called the Dominion Society of Canada.

The protest was organized after a supporter of the self-described nationalist group posted a video over the Labour Day weekend that shows him putting up flyers in Fort Garry.

“Canada is a really beautiful country and I have been welcomed here by a lot of beautiful people and it’s been amazing, but when I see harmful rhetoric online and now, on campus, it gives me a lot of anxiety,” said Ela Ancheta, an arts major at U of M.

Paranoid and high, man kills dad, takes photos of body, calls 911

Paranoid and sleep-deprived after a night of smoking crack, Donato Pellettieri stabbed his 64-year-old father 27 times, called 911 and waited outside their Maryland Avenue residence until police arrived minutes later and arrested him for murder, court was told Thursday.

“Paranoia led him to believe this was a kill-or-be-killed situation,” Crown attorney Joel Refvik told Court of King’s Bench Justice Ken Champagne. “This is an individual who, but for his drug use and paranoia, likely would not have killed his father.”

The 39-year-old pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for the July 2021 killing of Salvatore Pellettieri and was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for at least 10 years.

The resolution of his case was delayed by long periods in which he was mentally unfit to stand trial, and changed lawyers and awaited reports to determine whether he should be found not criminally responsible for his actions.

First Manitoban to win national senior’s title within reach for White, Fanning

Who doesn’t love a good comeback story?

Todd Fanning, one of the most decorated golfers in Manitoba history, is attempting to author one heck of a compelling tale at his home course this week.

After falling a whopping 10 strokes off the lead at one point in the opening 18 holes of the Canadian Men’s Senior Championship, Fanning has roared back to life and heads into Friday’s fourth and final round at Niakwa Country Club with a puncher’s chance.

He followed up Tuesday’s six-over 78 — a performance he told the Free Press was “kind of embarrassing” — with rounds of 71 and 70 on Wednesday and Thursday. That has him at three-over for the event, five shots out of first place.