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Free Press Head Start for Dec. 31

Good morning.

Nurses are reluctant to leave patients, even when they’re feeling threatened, and can’t bank on getting much support from their supervisors in difficult situations. Carol Sanders reports.

Although the city’s first baby born in the new year used to mean a flurry of public attention and sometimes donations or gifts to the lucky family, that isn’t the case these days. Nicole Buffie has the story.

A note for readers: there will be no Head Start tomorrow, New Year’s Day; Head Start will return Jan. 2.

— David Fuller

 

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Your forecast

Periods of light snow, with wind from the northwest at 30 km/h gusting to 50. Temperature falling to -8 C this afternoon, wind chill near -17.


Environment Canada’s use of Celsius turns 50 years old in 2025. It was the catalyst of a lengthy national metric conversion that abruptly ended a decade after it began. The Canadian Press has more here.

A Toronto shopper studies metric packaging on pet food in Toronto in 1976. Environment Canada's use of Celsius turns 50 years old in 2025. (The Canadian Press files)

A Toronto shopper studies metric packaging on pet food in Toronto in 1976. Environment Canada’s use of Celsius turns 50 years old in 2025. (The Canadian Press files)

What’s happening today

The Winnipeg Jets face the Colorado Avalanche at the Ball Arena, starting at 7 p.m. Ken Wiebe has the story on the Jets’ 3-0 shutout over the Nashville Predators on Monday and will be covering tonight’s game in Denver. To get the inside scoop on the Jets every game day, you can subscribe to our Warm-Up newsletter.

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) celebrates his shutout against the Nashville Predators with Neal Pionk (4) on Monday. (Fred Greenslade / The Canadian Press)

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) celebrates his shutout against the Nashville Predators with Neal Pionk (4) on Monday. (Fred Greenslade / The Canadian Press)

Tonight is New Year’s Eve, a moment for celebration and, for many, reflection as we head into 2025. Today’s editorial offers this advice: “The best, the absolute best you can do is to make this place a better place for someone else, even if it’s someone you don’t know and never will. The best you can do is to give something back. The best you can do is to hold your tongue when the finest of hurtful ripostes so dearly wants to spring forth and wound. The best you can do is to look up, instead of down.” Read the full story here.


Shrugging Doctor Beverage Company is offering wine flights on New Year’s Eve. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Free Press files)

Shrugging Doctor Beverage Company is offering wine flights on New Year’s Eve. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Free Press files)

And for a roundup of special events celebrating the New Year, see What’s Up.

Today’s must-read

Health, Seniors and Long-term Care Minister Uzoma Asagwara draws from a deep, decades-old connection to personal care homes as the NDP government tries to live up to its promise to fix health care and help every Manitoban grow old with dignity.

The former university basketball star says it’s a tall order that can be met through teamwork, commitment and restoring relationships that suffered under the previous Progressive Conservative government.

A year into the NDP’s mandate, the 40-year-old registered psychiatric nurse spoke to the Free Press about the job, the need for an independent seniors advocate, the overuse of antipsychotics drugs in personal care homes, improving standards of care and the shortage of care home beds. Carol Sanders has the story.

Minister of Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care Uzoma Asagwara (Mike Deal / Free Press)

Minister of Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care Uzoma Asagwara (Mike Deal / Free Press)

On the bright side

When visitors walk into Cheryl Pelletier’s house, the first thing they’ll probably notice is a large framed photo, featuring the Winnipeg woman’s family and Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter, hanging proudly on a wall.

It’s one of the keepsakes Pelletier has displayed since the former U.S. president and first lady helped build her Habitat for Humanity home in July 1993.

“It was all work that day,” said Pelletier, who reflected on her brief time with the couple in the wake of Jimmy Carter’s death Sunday. “He was a really nice person, and I really liked him and his wife. They were like normal people.” Chris Kitching has more here.

Cheryl Pelletier sits at her kitchen table in 2017 with a board signed by Jimmy Carter and the crew working on her house. (Ruth Bonneville / Free Press files)

Cheryl Pelletier sits at her kitchen table in 2017 with a board signed by Jimmy Carter and the crew working on her house. (Ruth Bonneville / Free Press files)

On this date

On Dec. 31, 1934: The Winnipeg Free Press reported that in Moosehorn, Man., suicide and capture made for a tragic climax to a 100-mile police search for two suspects wanted in the $4,500 robbery of the Canadian Bank of Commerce in Ashern three days earlier. A posse led by RCMP officers surrounded a farm house where the two suspects were hiding; one turned his revolver on himself but the other submitted to authorities without a struggle, and $4,100 of stolen money was recovered at the scene. Read the rest of this day’s paper here. Search our archives for more here.

Today’s front page

Get the full story: Read today’s e-edition of the Free Press.

 
 

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Top news

Joyanne Pursaga:

Injunction granted to clear protesters at Lemay Forest

Planner alleges violence at site Read More

 

Matthew Frank:

Year after man shot, killed by police, family still waits for answers

One year after Winnipeg police shot and killed a Nigerian university student, his family says they are still looking for answers. The family of Afolabi Stephen Opaso, 19, who died Dec. 31, 2023, sa... Read More

 

Toni de Guzman:

Squires named CentreVenture CEO

A former provincial cabinet minister has been named the new chief executive officer of CentreVenture. Rochelle Squires will take over the role for the downtown development organization, an arm’s-le... Read More

 
 
 

New in Sports

Mike McIntyre:

Hellebuyck on verge of joining exclusive club

Connor Hellebuyck is on the cusp of joining an exclusive hockey club. The two-time Vezina Trophy winner recorded his 299th career win — and his 42nd career shutout — on Monday night against the Nas... Read More

 

Joshua Frey-Sam:

Lotts 1-1 after Day 1 of Canadian mixed doubles curling trials

Colton and Kadriana Lott’s margin for error will be slim at the Canadian mixed doubles curling trials this week, a lesson they learned on the first day of action. Read More

 

Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press:

‘Make our country proud’: Canada, U.S. set for New Year’s Eve clash at world juniors

OTTAWA - Canada was in big trouble on an important night. It was New Year's Eve at the 2009 world junior hockey championship. The United States had jumped out to a 3-0 lea... Read More

 
 

New in Arts and Entertainment

Ben Sigurdson:

Words from the heartland

Winnipeg authors’ works that won awards, resonated outside the province Read More

 

AV Kitching:

Organizing our organisms

Manitoba Museum zoology curator’s role focuses on interpreting info about our province’s animals Read More

 

Koralee Nickarz:

Casting some light on Manitoba’s little-seen big cats

You could be forgiven for not knowing that cougars make their home in Manitoba, since the big cats are so elusive, preferring to live in solitude and travelling at night. We don’t know how many cou... Read More

 
 

New in Business

Aaron Epp:

50 years, 4 generations, countless cakes: Gelyn’s shutters storefront

It’s been a slice, but Gelyn’s Wedding Lounge is closing its doors at 690 Ellice Ave. The family business, which specializes in cakes for all occasions, has operated in the purple two-storey buildi... Read More

 

Martin Cash:

Calgary company acquires Delta 9 Bio-Tech

No job losses at Winnipeg cannabis production facility expected in $3M purchase plan Read More

 
 

Fresh opinions

Paul Samyn:

Raising a glass to Free Press readers amid polarizing times

Free Press readers are the antidote to the threats posed by a polarized world. Read More

 

Tom Brodbeck:

Care home bed shortage key contributor to ER overcrowding, other health-care system woes

A shortage of personal care home beds not only causes long wait times for seniors seeking appropriate places to live, it also contributes to hospital overcrowding and emergency-room congestion. Lik... Read More

 

Melissa Martin:

Disarming, dedicated and so very decent

Conversation with then-fragile but formidable former U.S. president Jimmy Carter in 2017 leaves lifetime memory of genuine public servant Read More

 
 

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