News briefs for June 19, 2020

Late today, public health officials announced another two cases of COVID-19 have been identified in the Southern Health region.
 
The man and a woman are both in their 50s. One of them attended JT’s Store and Diner (40 Penner Dr.) in Blumenort on June 10 at approximately 6 p.m. The individual was symptomatic at the time, public health officials said.

They said they are sharing this information to ensure people are aware and know to seek testing if symptoms develop. Manitobans are reminded to stay home if they feel ill, even if they are only feeling a little unwell. 

The Canadian Museum for Human Rights has issued a public apology after the museum admitted Thursday that its employees had conducted tours for student groups that excluded LGBTTQ+ content for two years, starting in 2015.

"This practice was wrong and was ended," the statment reads. "This practice is contrary to the Museum’s mandate, and contrary to everything we stand for as a museum for human rights."

Several former CMHR employees told the Free Press Thursday they had given tours with LGBTTQ+ content censored at the request of local schools.

The CMHR will be "implementing a number of specific initiatives to improve the inclusion of LGBTQ2+ perspectives in all our operations," according to the release, and more information will be released in the coming days.

The province says it will provide more than $675,000 over three years to a youth-led mental health and addictions prevention program.

The funding will support PAX Dream Makers, a youth engagement and leadership program to provide two years of training and engagement for 88 youth from northern First Nations, Rolling River and other school divisions.

Program participants and their adult mentors attend four gatherings over the course of 24 months. Teams are brought together from different schools, allowing youth from different communities to foster relationships and learn from one another.

Youth who complete the program become PAX Dream Makers and mentor children and youth in their schools and communities, the province said in a press release. 

The public is being asked to help locate a 17-year-old girl last seen on June 9 in the West End of Winnipeg.

Police describe Noreen Osborne as five-foot-six with a thin build, auburn shoulder-length hair and Indigenous. 

Police say they are concerned for the teenager’s well-being and are asking anyone with information regarding Osborne’s location to contact the missing persons unit at 204-986-6250.

On Monday, Edmonton Street between Ellice Avenue and Qu’Appelle Avenue will be closed for building construction and maintenance work. 

From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., vehicle traffic in both directions will be blocked and sidewalk access will be restricted on the west side of Edmonton Street. 

The Winnipeg Airports Authority eliminated 35 jobs from its workforce, leading to 28 layoffs of both unionized and non-unionized employees.

With air traffic reduced almost entirely, and revenues dwindling, WAA spokesperson Tyler MacAfee said the changes were tough to make, but necessary for the authority to stay sustainable. Prior to the layoffs, the WAA employed 150 people.

Of the 28 layoffs, eight are permanent, and 16 affect employees who are members of U.C.T.E Local 50600. The unionized employees laid off received recall notices, saying that if in the next year the position is re-implemented, they’ll receive priority for rehiring. Seven positions that were currently vacant were eliminated.

Non-union staff have also taken pay cuts ranging from 16 to 50 per cent.

Police tape surrounds the McDonald’s on Sherbrook Street and Portage Avenue as Winnipeg Police Services investigate a serious assault, Global News reports.

Numerous cruisers surround the parking lot, where a trail of blood can be seen on a nearby sidewalk, according to reports.

At an unrelated press conference Friday morning, Winnipeg Police spokesperson Rob Carver said police had no further information to report at the time. 

Garry Street between Ellice and Portage avenues will be temporarily closed to traffic on Sunday between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. to allow for construction and maintenance work on a building in the area. 

The closure will include traffic lanes, bicycle lanes and both east and west sidewalks.

For Transit re-route and schedule information, go to winnipegtransit.com

The Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service responded to a house and vehicle fire within several blocks of each other in the North End on Thursday and Friday. 

Crews arrived on scene of a fire at a home in the 500 block of Alfred Avenue just after 8 a.m. on Friday. Firefighters found thick smoke coming from the one-and-a-half storey house and launched an offensive attack. It was under control by 8:24 a.m.

There were no occupants in the home at the time and an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the fire. 

On Thursday at 10:41 p.m., fire crews responded to a vehicle that was on fire in the 700 block of College Avenue. Flames had spread to the adjacent garage and fence but the fire was quickly brought under control. 

No injuries were reported and the cause is under investigation. 

Public health officials say one new case of COVID-19, a male in his 40s, has been identified in Manitoba. A press release did not release details about the case, or if it is connected to any cases reported earlier. The total number of lab-confirmed positive and probable positive cases in Manitoba is 309. 

There are now nine active cases, none of which are in hospital. So far, 293 people have recovered and seven died. 

An additional 626 laboratory tests were performed Thursday bringing the total number of tests performed since early February to 56,317. 
 

Part of Manitoba’s COVID-19 response plan for homeless people involves improving access to medication that reverses the effects of an opioid drug overdose, the province announced Friday. 

The department of health, seniors and active living is spending $200,000 to double the number of available naloxone kits and allow people who need them to get two at a time in an effort to reduce travel to places that distribute naloxone kits and maintain social distancing. 

There were more than 1,315 kits sent to distribution sites in the first three months of this year, the provincial government said in a news release.

The province announced highway construction projects are underway, including $50 million this year on Highway 75 between Winnipeg and the U.S. border.

Projects currently underway include:

• reconstruction of the northbound lanes from the United States border to Provincial Road 243;
• intersection improvements at PR 243 including reconstructing PR 200 east of PTH 75; culvert replacement at Kronsgart Drain, 5.9 kilometres south of the junction of PTH 23;
• concrete repair projects at various southbound lane locations; and
• concrete reconstruction in the northbound lanes from 6.6 km north of PTH 14 to 800 metres south of the junction at PTH 23. 

Pilots flying the Winnipeg Police Service helicopter helped lead fire crews to an unreported blaze at a house on William Avenue early Friday morning. 

During a routine AIR1 patrol over the Centennial neighbourhood, the officers noticed the blaze at a multi-storey home in the 500 block of William Avenue at approximately 2:50 a.m. 

In an aerial video released by police, flames can be seen coming from the upper levels house and several people are in the yard appear to be trying to communicate with others inside the home. 

The fire had not yet been reported to the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service. Several police units arrived on the scene and used fire extinguishers to help six residents get out of the house safely before fire crews arrived. No injuries were reported. 

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

The Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba is investigating after Brandon Police Service officers used a bean bag round to subdue a citizen.

On June 11, officers responded to a report that a man was causing a disturbance at a home in Brandon. When BPS arrived on scene they found a 51-year-old man behaving erratically outside of the residence, according to a media release from the IIU. 

Officers used a bean bag round, which is described as a "less lethal firearm" in the release, to subdue and arrest the man.  He suffered a laceration on his leg and was transported to hospital, where he was treated and released into custody. 

Brandon Police reported the incident to the IIU on June 12. An investigation is mandatory because the matter involved the use of a firearm that caused an injury. 

Winnipeg residents will be able to visit City Hall and meet with councillors beginning June 22. 

The City of Winnipeg will begin allowing members of the public back into the building at 510 Main St. to appear as a delegation for meetings and to visit elected officials by appointment.

The building was closed to the public owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. The city will continue to offer remote delegations to those who prefer to not attend City Hall.

Social distancing guidelines, enhanced cleaning, and meeting room capacity of 25 people will be in place. 

Some municipal services will also be restored on June 22, including weddings at City Hall, reopening of the city clerk’s desk and the city archives.