OpenAI forms safety committee as it starts training latest artificial intelligence model

Empty desks: Advocates talk chronic school absenteeism

Concerned that school and government leaders are downplaying the state of student absenteeism, community organizers are strategizing to create urgency around who’s regularly missing class — and why — in Winnipeg.

The inaugural Youth at Risk in Winnipeg Symposium, held over the weekend at the Canadian Mennonite University, drew roughly 100 people to discuss barriers to attendance and brainstorm ways to remove them.

Nearly 20 years after he began calling attention to the issue, first as a volunteer with the Point Douglas Residents Committee, Sel Burrows gave an impassioned speech about the lack of political will to take meaningful action to help students from “dysfunctional homes.”

“I’ve dealt with nine cabinet ministers, Conservative and NDP, and five deputy ministers, and the issue has not gotten any better,” Burrows told teachers, reseachers and community support workers gathered Saturday on CMU’s Shaftesbury campus.

Disgraced ex-dean landed job at German university after fleeing Winnipeg

Before he was arrested in a posh Paris suburb, the disgraced dean of Manitoba’s only law school — who fled the country following a 2020 expense scandal — kept a low profile at a German university.

Waters remain murky in uncharted Hellebuyck trade request territory

ST. LOUIS — The thing about being in uncharted waters is that the answer to the next question isn’t always readily apparent either above or below the surface.

Winnipeg Jets head coach Scott Arniel has been doing his best to ensure the upcoming two-game road trip against Central Division opponents doesn’t include a three-ring circus. But with news coming over the weekend that the suspension for goalie Connor Hellebuyck is set to expire on Friday, the club has to prepare for the next step in that process.

The problem, as Arniel conceded during his session on Monday afternoon before the team departed for Missouri, is that some of the hypotheticals need to be eliminated from the equation before the proper response can be determined.

“When it comes to Helly’s scenario, honestly I don’t really have a lot of information,” said Arniel. “I know everybody knows (about) Friday. That’s all we know.”

Assini Group seeks to bring more mining opportunities to 10 participating First Nations

A group of Treaty 5 First Nations have partnered to boost their role in mineral development.

“People want jobs. People want to work. People want to make a living,” said Chemawawin Cree Nation Chief Clarence Easter. He’s also president of the Assini Group.

The company, which incorporated in 2015, encompasses 10 First Nations spanning northern Manitoba. The Assini Group hasn’t inked many deals with other firms.

However, as the provincial government aims to triple mining in five years, Assini Group leads are ramping up operations.

Salvation Army calls on Winnipeggers to donate merchandise as sales soar

The Salvation Army is taking donated merchandise from other regions to stock its Winnipeg thrift stores as increasing sales outpace local donations.

Retail activity at the charity’s eight Winnipeg locations grew more than 10 per cent year over year during several months, from January through April, and again in June.

Although local donations remain strong, they haven’t kept pace with demand, prompting the organization to supplement inventory with merchandise from elsewhere.

Ted Troughton, managing director of the Salvation Army’s thrift store operations, said rising living costs are bringing in new customers.

Jets out of tune against Blues

ST. LOUIS – The issue is no longer limited to secondary scoring for the Winnipeg Jets.

Although they continue to be far too reliant on the top line for production, the Jets have suddenly been limited to not enough goals in a more general sense.

The latest example was a 2-1 loss Tuesday to the St. Louis Blues at Enterprise Center.

The Jets battled hard in this Central Division duel, but they’ve scored 24 goals in nine games (2.67 goals per game) and have one victory during the past five games after a 3-0-1 start. One of those losses did come in overtime (1-3-1).