Good morning!
No teenage wasteland: We begin the first Friday of June with a homegrown success story. Two months ago, Kyle Jagassar opened the second location of his growing business, Matrix Mobile, which specializes in cellphone and computer repairs, and phone and accessory sales. He’s up to seven staff members, and he’s already tinkering with a plan to expand into Calgary, Vancouver and Toronto. Not bad for a 17-year-old Winnipeg kid who still has to squeeze high school graduation into his busy schedule later this month. READ MORE
Your forecast: If you’re seeing this on a mobile device, we encourage you to finish reading Head Start and then get outdoors. It’s a spectacular morning for a walk or bike ride, but you better make it soon. Environment Canada says we’re in for showers late this morning and into the afternoon, with a high temperature of 20 C today. Expect clouds and a 30 per cent chance of rain tonight. On Saturday, we begin a nice streak of spring weather, with a mix of sun and cloud and a high of 23 C. And there’s nothing but sunshine for several days after that, with temperatures ranging from 20 C to 23 C Sunday through Tuesday.
In case you missed it
SUPPLIEDJackie Healey was attacked at the Behavioural Health Foundation male youth facility in Selkirk on May 29.
Losing sight: Two teen suspects in an attack that badly injured two women working at the Behavioural Health Foundation near Selkirk last weekend had their cases remanded following brief appearances in court Thursday, the same day one of the victims learned the attack would leave her permanently blind in one eye. The pair is accused of launching a prolonged attack against Jackie Healey, a 23-year-old Red River College student on work placement, and a support worker at the Selkirk facility Sunday night. The two women were allegedly beaten with a baseball bat and pool balls stuffed in a sock. Healey gave the sad news about her permanent loss of vision on social media earlier Thursday, following an examination by an eye specialist. Both teens remain in custody at the Manitoba Youth Centre. Their names can’t be published under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. READ MORE
Restraining order: The wife of former Brandon MLA Drew Caldwell has obtained a protection order against him following allegations of verbal abuse, threats and stalking. Caldwell held a seat in the Legislature since 1999 and was most recently the municipal government minister before losing his seat to Progressive Conservative candidate Len Isleifson in the April 19 provincial election. In her protection order application, Caldwell’s wife alleges the defeat “left (him) completely at sea.” The judge granted the protection order in late May. It bans Caldwell from being within 200 metres of his wife’s property or place of work. Efforts by the Free Press were made to contact Caldwell for his comments, without success. READ MORE
Rebuilding a city: Residents aren’t the only ones coming back to Fort McMurray this week. Construction workers and cleanup companies are joining them as they begin the process of rebuilding the northern Alberta city. One construction company estimates the cleanup of fire damage and subsequent rebuilding will take at least two years. READ MORE
Up next
RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESSPrime Minister Justin Trudeau (left) is interviewed at the Winnipeg Free Press News Café by Free Press Editor Paul Samyn with students from Children of the Earth High School in the audience on Thursday.
Trudeau takes podium: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau leads off the Federation of Canadian Municipalities 2016 annual conference this morning with the keynote speech to the more than 1,500 mayors and councillors from across the country who are in Winnipeg for the event. The talk is slated for 9:30 a.m. at the RBC Convention Centre. On Sunday, NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair (10:30 a.m.) and Green Party Leader Elizabeth May (2:15 p.m.) will address the municipal leaders. Trudeau spoke in an exclusive interview at the Free Press News Café Thursday night.
Community cleanup: Winnipeg Police Service Chief Devon Clunis will be at the Ukrainian Labour Temple, 591 Pritchard Ave., today at 12:30 p.m. to share information about the community initiative, Restore Our Core. It’s an effort to identify and address issues in the neighbourhoods of William Whyte, Dufferin and Turtle Mountain this weekend. As part of the plan, teams of Winnipeggers will be out today and Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., taking part in a community cleanup.
Up the creek: FortWhyte Alive is the place to paddle on Sunday. Mountain Equipment Co-op has organized the Winnipeg Paddlefest, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., which features a bunch of free events celebrating padding for the whole family. There will be skills clinics for those into kayaking and canoeing, plus great advice on gear, trip-planning, and paddling routes.
Around the water cooler
John Woods / The Canadian PressManitoba’s interim NDP leader Flor Marcelino speaks to media after the provincial budget is read in the Manitoba Legislature in Winnipeg, Tuesday.
Case closed or not?: So, Manitoba’s health minister, Kelvin Goertzen, says he has asked Health Canada to investigate interim NDP Leader Flor Marcelino for importing and distributing a form of natural medicine call guyabano which, she claims, has helped cure cancer in some people. And Health Canada maintains it, indeed, has opened a file. But Marcelino said late Thursday claiming someone at the health agency has assured her there’s no cause for concern and the case is closed. READ MORE
Review of pesticides ban: The Tory government will review provincial laws that ban the use of cosmetic pesticides. Sustainable Development Minister Cathy Cox offered few details of what the review would entail — only that one would occur — and that’s left some wondering if the PCs would strengthen the ban or cancel it altogether. The pesticide ban, which came into effect last year, is blamed by some for causing an unsightly explosion of dandelions in Winnipeg this spring. READ MORE
A golden opener: LeBron James had 23 points, a dozen rebounds and nine assists but it wasn’t nearly enough as his Cleveland Cavaliers were hammered 104-89 by the Golden State Warriors in Game 1 of the best-of-seven NBA championship series. The teams are meeting in the final for the second straight season. A year ago, the Warriors closed out the series in six games. Game 2 of the 2015-16 championship goes Sunday in Oakland. READ MORE
Trending now
#BandFilms: Who wouldn’t want to kick back and listen to — er, watch — movies such as “Dial R.E.M. for Murder,” “Pretty In Pink Floyd,” “Things to Do in John Denver When You’re Dead,” or “No Country for Old Men Without Hats”?
On this date
On June 3, 1963: The Winnipeg Free Press reported that in Montreal, eight people suspected of being members of the Front de Liberation Québecois had been arrested. Crowds gathered in Vatican City in an informal vigil for the dying Pope John. Maclean’s magazine announced they were dropping a regular column by Pierre Berton, in part due to his article “Let’s Stop Hoaxing the Kids About Sex.” In Winnipeg, a 43-year-old man told court that the reason he had robbed The Nut House store was that “it was so easy the last times I stuck up the place.” The robber, who stole $255.20 from the store that last time, was sentenced to four years in prison after pleading guilty.
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