News briefs for Monday, October 24, 2022

Workers at a French-language daycare centre in St. Vital are returning to work today after going on strike for a month.

Early childhood educators at Les Tournesols, which cares for 150 children, had been without a new contract since October 2021. They went on strike on Sept. 23. A new five-year agreement is retroactive to April.

“The union was able to resist significant concessions to benefits, including vacation and sick leave,” the Manitoba Government and General Employees’ Union said in a news release Sunday night. “Members will also be receiving considerable wage increases.”

Children will return on the centre on Tuesday.

RRC Polytech’s Notre Dame Avenue campus is closed until noon because of a Manitoba Hydro power outage.

All on-campus classes and services at the campus are cancelled, the college said this morning.

All of the college’s other campuses remain open.

Rick Forney has managed his last game for the Winnipeg Goldeyes.

Forney, the 17-year skipper, informed the club of his decision to resign after accepting a field manager position with York Revolution of the Atlantic League.

Forney, who first joined the club as a pitcher in 1997, spent 26 years in total with the Fish, tallying an 887-753 (.541) regular season record, 13 winning seasons, 10 playoff berths and a record three American Association championships.

“Winnipeg became our second home and embraced us fully with love and open arms,” Forney wrote in a message to the organization and fan base. “The summers spent together with our extended Winnipeg family hold memories that we will forever cherish!”

The Goldeyes organization announced it has already begun an extensive search for its next manager.

There was a scary incident at the Winnipeg Jets morning skate media availability.

Head coach Rick Bowness, speaking at the podium, was clearly in some distress and had to cut short his chat with reporters ahead of tonight’s game against St. Louis. It was being broadcast live on social media channels by the club.

Team officials say the 67-year-old, who is coming off a week-long battle with COVID, was suffering from dizzy spells and is being checked out by doctors.

His status for the game tonight is not clear.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers returned to work on Monday after having a bye last week.

Veteran receivers Drew Wolitarsky and Greg Ellingson are participating after missing several weeks due to injury.

The Bombers close out the regular season on Friday with a meeting with the BC Lions at IG Field.

A man is charged with second-degree murder after a killing in Garden Hill First Nation.

The 40-year-old male victim was found dead in the water on Thursday afternoon.

Four men have been arrested. Terry Monias, 26, has been charged with second-degree murder. Three men — Lester McDougall, 36, Thurston Wood, 21, and Kerwin Keno, 19 — have been charged with being an accessory after the fact.

A 56-year-old man is dead after a hit-and-run at the intersection of Keewatin Street and Notre Dame Avenue early this morning.

The man was hit sometime between 2:30 a.m. and 3 a.m. and taken to the hospital in critical condition. He later died of his injuries, the Winnipeg Police Service said.

Police are searching for a white or light-coloured SUV they believe may be involved.

Keewatin remains closed to southbound traffic at the intersection, while Notre Dame is closed to eastbound traffic. Eastbound traffic is being rerouted, but officers hope to clear the scene and open the roadway to traffic soon, the WPS said.

The man is the fifth person to die in hit-and-run and reckless driving collisions on Winnipeg streets this month.

A Portage la Prairie man has been charged after an employee at a local business heard someone stuck in the building’s vent system.

Portage la Prairie RCMP said on Monday that when an employee went to work on Oct. 21 at about 8:30 a.m., they could hear someone crying for help in a vent on the ceiling of the business.

RCMP said firefighters were able to free the suspect from the vent.

RCMP said the suspect had broken open a roof top vent grill before getting stuck in the vent.

A 30-year-old man has been charged with break and enter and mischief over $5,000. The man has been released from custody.

 

Manitoba has a new Lieutenant-Governor.

Former Winnipeg South Centre Member of Parliament Anita Neville was sworn in during a ceremony at the Manitoba Legislature on Monday afternoon.

Neville, 80, is the province’s 26th vice-regal. She takes over the role from Janice Filmon, who served as representative of the Crown in Manitoba since June 19, 2015.

Neville took the oath of office, administered by Manitoba Court of Appeal Chief Justice Richard Chartier, in front of lawmakers and a full gallery of visitors and guests.

Her appointment was announced by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Aug. 15.

A Vancouver man trapped on a balcony because of a locked door has been charged with drug trafficking after police found drugs while rescuing him.

Winnipeg police said on Monday officers went to a building in the 300 block of Stradbrook Street after a neighbour saw a man stuck on a balcony on Saturday at about 11 p.m.

The 20-year-old suspect gave officers the door code to get into the suite and that’s when they saw drugs and cash out in plain view in the vacation rental suite.

Police seized about $42,000 worth of Fentanyl, $21,520 of Fentanyl pills, $7,200 worth of cocaine, and about $25,000 in cash.

The 20-year-old man has been detained in custody.

A man riding a bicycle while wearing a backpack with a hatchet attached is facing drug and weapons charges.

The Winnipeg Police Service said officers saw the man in the area of Notre Dame Avenue and Midland Street at about 6 a.m. Saturday. Police said they seized two hatchets, a large knife and about 276 grams of methamphetamine from a 34-year-old man.

He was arrested and is facing six charges.

Three men are dead after one of them fell into the Churchill River at a remote fishing cabin near Leaf Rapids.

The incident happened at about 10:55 p.m. Friday.

RCMP said three men were on the dock when one fell into the water. The other two went into the water to help, but all began to struggle. Other people pulled two of the men to shore. One died at the scene, while the other was given first aid but later died.

The RCMP’s underwater recovery team found the third man on Sunday.

RCMP said the men — aged 49, 51 and 54 — were from O-Pipon-Na-Piwin Cree Nation.

RCMP are asking for the public’s help in finding a Thompson man missing for more than a week.

George Patrick Fortin, 51, was last seen at his residence on Ashley Place on Oct. 14. He was reported missing on Oct. 19.

Fortin is described as 5-4 in height, weighing 200 lbs., with grey hair, a beard, and brown eyes. He is believed to be wearing a bush-style jacket, hat, and carrying a backpack, and police say he could be in The Pas.

Anyone with information is asked to call RCMP at 204-677-6909/6911, Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477, or leave a secure tip online at www.manitobacrimestoppers.com.