Japanese fans bid farewell to beloved panda pair before their return to China

Slain chef’s family infuriated by stayed charges

The family of a Ste. Anne chef who died after an altercation at a party says they are angry a manslaughter charge has been stayed against a 46-year-old man.

MPI leadership not fooling anyone by forcing PUB’s hand

It is not a question you will hear raised at Public Utilities Board hearings into Autopac rates, but you can bet it’s the one on most people’s minds.

When will the NDP government step in and repair leadership at Manitoba Public Insurance? For the third year in a row, MPI has limped into PUB hearings like a badly damaged vehicle that should have been written off years ago.

This week, the Crown corporation’s chief actuary admitted the 2.38-per-cent increase requested for the 2027-28 fiscal year was too low, in part because of the impact of last summer’s multiple hailstorms and the premiums MPI pays for re-insurance that protects the public insurer from surges in claims costs.

Chief actuary Cara Low said the rate application was not updated because of “uncertainty.” That is sort of like a firefighter complaining about not being able to do the job because there was too much smoke and flame.

Possibility of Hellebuyck’s return grows each day as pay slips away

CHICAGO — Buckle up, folks. The next plot twist in the ongoing soap opera between the Winnipeg Jets and Connor Hellebuyck could be a doozy.

Let’s start with a few cold, hard facts. Or, if you prefer: “Previously on As the Hellebuyck Turns…”

The franchise goaltender, with five years remaining on a contract extension he willingly signed with Winnipeg in 2023, refused to report to training camp last month as he awaits word on a trade request made at the end of last season. He’s the first NHL player in more than a quarter century to essentially go on strike.

The Jets are under no obligation to move Hellebuyck, but have indicated they would try to accommodate him if another team meets their needs. General manager Kevin Cheveldayoff has made it clear he needs to “get this right” and wants a haul for a three-time Vezina Trophy winner and one-time Hart Trophy recipient.

Convicted harasser accused of targeting old, new victims, including judge

Agnieszka Ciochon-Newton, who was sentenced to six years in prison for mercilessly harassing two people she believed had wronged her, as well as other crimes, wasted no time when her sentence ended to launch fresh attacks on victims new and old, including the judge who convicted her, court documents allege.

The 58-year-old former nurse was arrested last month after Winnipeg police “became aware that (Ciochon-Newton) was engaging in aggressive and harassing behaviours again, starting almost immediately upon the expiry of her parole conditions” on May 13, Det. Sgt Kylie Case wrote in search warrant documents obtained by the Free Press.

Ciochon-Newton is charged with seven counts of criminal harassment, two counts of uttering threats and one count each of fraud, breaking and entering, attempting to obstruct justice, intimidation of a justice official, mischief and defamatory libel. She remains in custody.

Search warrant documents say provincial court Judge Keith Eyrikson learned in late August that Ciochon-Newton had emailed CBC Manitoba days earlier and threatened him.