A good turn for the good book

No more trashing paper coffee cups

Mahalia Lepage and Joshua Bassman know their way around a recycling bin.

They try to take reusable cups when they go to their local coffee shop, and even volunteered with Folk Fest’s “enviro crew” last weekend. A large part of that job, they said, was informing guests about which items were recyclable.

The one item that stood out was paper coffee cups.

They weren’t considered recyclable until Wednesday — when Winnipeg recycling organizations announced paper cups can be thrown into blue bins around the province, effective immediately.

Man armed with ‘edged weapon’ dies after dispute in Linden Woods home

The family of a 42-year-old Winnipeg man shot and killed by police in Linden Woods on Monday night says the incident raises troubling questions about how officers respond to people in mental-health crisis.

“Their reaction to mental health is my concern,” said the man’s sister-in-law, Erica Smith, who spoke outside her brother-in-law’s Avon Gate home on Tuesday. She said her brother-in-law struggled with his mental health.

“It didn’t have to end like this,” she said, fighting back tears. “It could have ended differently.”

Police said officers encountered the man armed with an “edged weapon” at the home when they arrived shortly before 10:30 p.m.

Police mum about final report on 10-day drug crackdown

Winnipeg police will not say whether results of the controversial 10-day crackdown on open drug use and drug trafficking that ended this month will be made public.

On Wednesday, Winnipeg Police Service said officials are still deciding whether or not to release the overall outcome of the operation, which took place from June 24 to July 3.

“We are reviewing both operational outcomes and community impacts, including valuable feedback provided by stakeholders. No final decisions have been made regarding reporting, future activities, or the release of results,” wrote Const. Dani McKinnon, in an email.

Mayor Scott Gillingham said the decision on whether to release the data is up to police, noting city council doesn’t have the power to direct law enforcement operations.

Report calls for schools to add more ‘sensory rooms’

Manitoba schools are being urged to set up more “sensory rooms” and use the spaces — which can feature mood lighting, flexible seating and fidget toys — to address growing concerns about student outbursts and related injuries.

A new report from the Manitoba Federation of Labour is renewing calls to better protect educational assistants, teachers and other public-sector employees.

One of its 10 recommendations, published on Monday, focuses on tackling overcrowding in community facilities and establishing “safe spaces in schools to respond to violence.”

“It’s become the norm: kids having meltdowns that require you have to evacuate the classroom,” said Jane Allison, an educational assistant in Winnipeg.

Jets mailbag: Breaking down the club’s off-season moves

One player seemingly can’t wait to get here. The other is looking for an exit route. Not surprisingly, these two Winnipeg Jets were featured prominently this month in our Free Press mailbag.

Today’s horoscope

MOON ALERT: Avoid shopping (except food and gas) and important decisions after 5 p.m. The moon is in Leo.

ARIES (March 21-April 19)

An unusual idea or an unexpected event might take you into an entirely new headspace. You might entertain the notion of a new kind of future for yourself — something more romantic or more spiritual/touchy-feely (call it whatever you like) — than you had previously thought.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20)