News briefs for Tuesday, December 13, 2022

The polls have opened for the provincial byelection in Kirkfield Park.

Polling places in the provincial riding opened at 8 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.

The byelection was called on Nov. 15, setting the date as Dec. 13. Kirkfield Park has been without an MLA since June, when former PC cabinet minister Scott Fielding resigned to take a consulting job in the private sector.

Four candidates are running in the west Winnipeg constituency: former city councillor Kevin Klein (PC), CancerCare Manitoba nurse Rhonda Nichol (Liberal), juvenile corrections officer Logan Oxenham (New Democrat), and semi-retired information technology professional Dennis Bayomi (Green Party).

The first bivalent boosters for kids five to 11 are expected to be rolled out just before Christmas, and appointment booking is set to begin tomorrow morning.

The provincial government is advising parents and guardians to book vaccine appointments for Dec. 23 or later, because the bivalent COVID-19 booster is expected to become available in Manitoba during the week of Dec. 19.

Vaccine supply is being delivered to the province this week and will subsequently be shipped to vaccine sites, the provincial government announced Tuesday.

“Parents and caregivers of children aged five to 11 who would like to make an appointment for a bivalent booster dose can begin doing so tomorrow at 9 a.m. using the online booking tool or by contacting the vaccine call centre at (toll-free) 1-844-626-8222 (1-844-MAN-VACC). Medical clinics and pharmacies can also be contacted directly for appointments,” the government stated.

The booster targets the Omicron strain of COVID-19 as well as the original strain of the virus. The bivalent dose for this age group was approved by Health Canada late last week.

The Winnipeg Jets have claimed forward Karson Kuhlman off waivers from the Seattle Kraken.

The 27-year-old Minnesota product has played 114 NHL games with Boston and Seattle, scoring 10 goals and adding 16 assists.

He had one goal and two helpers in 14 games with the Kraken this year.

Kuhlman should feel right at home in the Winnipeg dressing room. He was previously teammates with Neal Pionk, Dylan Samberg, Dominic Toninato and the University of Minnesota-Duluth. The Jets also have Minnesotans Blake Wheeler and Nate Schmidt on the roster.

Kuhlman is on a one-year deal making US $825,000. He is a right-shooting centre and winger who stands 5’10 and weighs 184 lbs.