Police HQ inquiry report, arson trial, election ad, CFB Wainwright fire, Jets’ Stevenson
Plus: Autumn leaves! So pretty!

Good evening. Here’s a look at what our newsroom has been working on:

'Nothing that happened on the HQ project happened by accident'

Joyanne Pursaga:

Katz ‘violated public trust,’ Sheegl lacked ‘moral compass,’ police HQ inquiry commissioner concludes

Former mayor, chief administrative officer engaged in unethical behaviour in awarding contract to construction company that overcharged city by more than $40 million

Scott Billeck:

Prosecutions branch reviewing new evidence from police HQ public inquiry

The Manitoba Prosecution Service is examining whether evidence presented during the inquiry could change previous decisions not to lay charges in the scandal-plagued project.

Dan Lett:

Surprising announcement opens door slightly for accountability in police HQ saga

Early Monday afternoon, it looked as if former Mayor Sam Katz, former chief administrative officer Phil Sheegl and contractor Armik Babakhanians were going to finally and successfully escape the long arm of the law for their roles in the Winnipeg Police Service headquarters scandal.

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'The building was engulfed in flames'

Dean Pritchard:

Accused used fuel-filled bottle to set blaze that killed two, court hears

Married couple living in suite above North End church slain in 2024 fire

'Everything’s really shoestring'

Malak Abas:

Campaign blunder: Klein features wrong city in election video

A paid ad from mayoral candidate Kevin Klein on his commitment to Winnipeg has been pulled after commenters noticed one small error: the footage used in the ad was actually of Edmonton.

More on the civic election

Matthew Frank: Mayoral hopeful Woodstock promises to fast-track approvals for Indigenous-led projects

Malak Abas: Rematch one year in the making in Elmwood-East Kildonan

Malak Abas: Four councillor candidates vie for wide-open Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry ward

Free Press staff: How to vote in Winnipeg’s municipal election

Gabrielle Piché: Klein would redirect money to fix derelict arenas

'United in grief'

Bill Graveland and David Baxter, The Canadian Press:

‘Heartbreaking’: Wainwright mourns after fire during military training claims lives

WAINWRIGHT - Residents of the town of Wainwright, Alta.

The Canadian Press:

Lives lived: About the 4 soldiers killed in fast-moving fire at CFB Wainwright in Alberta

WAINWRIGHT - Four Armed Forces members were killed when a fast-moving fire overwhelmed soldiers during a training exercise at CFB Wainwright, southeast of Edmonton, on Saturday.

'It’s OK to not be OK'

Mike McIntyre:

‘You lean on other people and get back to feeling like yourself’

Stevenson credits therapeutic side of hockey in learning to live with mother’s suicide

News Quiz

Test your knowledge of recent local news with our weekly quiz.

The Week That Was: Oct. 11 to Oct. 17

This week's news quiz topics include: Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, family doctors, Connor Hellebuyck, food desert and more.

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Local

Maggie Macintosh: Inappropriate late-night texts to students costs teachers their jobs

Chris Kitching: Grifols plasma collection centre reopens

Dean Pritchard: Dozens, if not hundreds, of wounds inflicted on man, murder trial told

Morgan Modjeski: Brandon senior hockey player files suit against opponent, league, Hockey Manitoba over serious injuries, lost income

Morgan Modjeski: Mayoral candidates focus on public safety at Indigenous forum

Kelly-Anne Riess: Winnipeg soldiers help search and rescue efforts in Wainwright

Morgan Modjeski: Victim frustrated after Winnipeg man who shot her in face sentenced to 7 1/2 years behind bars

Joyanne Pursaga: Police HQ report ‘outrageous’: Kinew

Scott Billeck: ‘Canada is the best.’ Kinew applauds separatists’ failure in Alberta

Scott Billeck: Policy change gives Manitoba renters a break from proposed hikes

Opinion

Free Press: Letters, Oct. 21

Alison Conrad: Trees, birds and climate change matter in this election

Pam Frampton: Katie Zacharia and the telling of lies

Editorial: MPI gambles with low rate request

Steven Fletcher: Bring Power Smart home

Tom Brodbeck: Separation is dead, now Canada must unite

Tory McNally: New chapter for Yellowquill University College

Joel Schlesinger: Increasingly cited financial term, ‘nut,’ is worth knowing, says best-selling author

Laura Rance-Unger: Diesel bill adds to cost-price squeeze on farm

David McLaughlin: Carney’s ‘counterweight’ summit strategy

Arts & Life

Ben Waldman: Flourishing improv fest ready to make the ‘Peg laugh

Maureen Scurfield: You’re facing double trouble with infatuation

Ben Waldman: Pointy-eared actors to stage Shakespeare tragedy

Denise Duguay: Spinning yarns into comedy, chaos and hope

Georgia Nicols: Today’s horoscope

Marieke Glorieux-Stryckman, The Canadian Press: Researcher who became sick after pesticide exposure asks government to follow science

Mark Kennedy, The Associated Press: Christina Applegate says her doctor told her she was misdiagnosed with MS

Adithi Ramakrishnan, The Associated Press: Meet the researchers leaving the US because of Trump’s funding cuts and politicization of science

Ben Sigurdson: Author Emily St. John Mandel’s Exit Party a story of hope in dark times

The Associated Press: The Orionid meteor shower is coming. Here’s how and when to watch

Business

Gabrielle Piché: Manitoba Women in Trades Conference groundwork prepped

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

Christopher Reynolds, The Canadian Press: ‘We’re not hurting them’: Trump walks back threat to ban Bombardier sales in U.S.

Craig Lord, The Canadian Press: Liberals will table 2026 federal budget on Nov. 5, finance minister says

The Canadian Press: S&P/TSX composite rises on broad gains, U.S. stock markets see mixed results

Aaron Epp: Medical supplies, equipment distribution firm unpacks new, larger local hub

Free Press staff: Buhler Versatile completes Atlas Group acquisition

Stéphane Rolland, The Canadian Press: Quebec’s strategic maple syrup reserve running dry amid high demand

Aaron Epp: State Industries, StateMix, StateCraft: trio of Winnipeg firms under one roof, one mantra

The Canadian Press: S&P/TSX composite index down nearly 250 points, U.S. markets mixed

Sports

Ken Wiebe: Jets out of tune against Blues

Taylor Allen: Playoff run for Bombers would mean longer stretch away for some

Joshua Frey-Sam: Wesmen setter Tristan Arnold ready to meet the challenge

Ken Wiebe: Barron brothers clash for eighth NHL dogfight

John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press: Raptors try to ignore expectations ahead of promising 2026-27 season

Stephen Wade, The Associated Press: Infantino set to take his FIFA reelection campaign to Japan to court Asian soccer federations

Rob Maaddi, The Associated Press: Small-ball Rays and their low payroll are four wins from their first World Series title

Joshua Frey-Sam: Fust sisters reunite as Bisons’ campaign gets set for tip-off

Ken Wiebe: Waters remain murky in uncharted Hellebuyck trade request territory

Ken Wiebe: Yager ready to fly with the Jets

Canada

Jack Farrell, The Canadian Press: Maple leaf love: Albertans vote strongly to stay in Canada

Catherine Morrison, The Canadian Press: Federal ministers defend major projects bill at House committee meeting

Anja Karadeglija, The Canadian Press: U.S. won’t drop digital issues in trade talks: former negotiator

Anja Karadeglija, The Canadian Press: News publishers launch copyright suit against AI company Anthropic in Ontario

Darryl Greer, The Canadian Press: B.C. judge rules ‘faint hope’ parole ban for some killers breaches section of Charter

Sarah Ritchie, The Canadian Press: ‘Felt like the right time’: Former broadcaster Pamela Wallin resigns from Senate

The Canadian Press: Beluga rescued from closed Ontario park dies in California

World

Samya Kullab And Barry Hatton, The Associated Press: Zelenskyy says Ukraine got no early warning from partners as Russia hits the power grid again

The Associated Press: Ukraine launches more than 1,000 drones at Russia as spat between Trump and Zelenskyy continues

Teresa Medrano And Suman Naishadham, The Associated Press: From France to Albania, social unrest is setting Europe’s streets ablaze

Will Weissert, The Associated Press: Analysis: Trump says he’s a great dealmaker. His record says otherwise

Samy Magdy, The Associated Press: Houthi rebels strike a government military camp in southern Yemen, killing at least 53 fighters

Rod Mcguirk And Charlotte Graham-mclay, The Associated Press: Australian prime minister says lawmaker critically injured by car is ‘no accident’

Koral Saeed, The Associated Press: Israeli police arrest 10 following weekend attacks by settlers on journalist and diplomats

Colleen Barry And Trisha Thomas, The Associated Press: Pope Leo tells faithful in St. Peter’s Square he will gradually resume duties after cancer surgery

The Associated Press: Typhoon Champi strengthens to Category 5 but moves away from land; Trudy weakens

One last thing...

Holly Ramer, The Associated Press:

New England’s having an ‘elite’ year, but there’s fall foliage elsewhere, too

“I’ve been doing this for almost 20 years, and this is the best I’ve seen of New England in that time,” says 'Leaf Daddy' Kyle Cotner.

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