News briefs for Thursday, March 16, 2023

Three fires extinguished Wednesday night

9:01 AM

Crews were sent to three residential fires within minutes on Wednesday evening.

The first call was to a two-storey home in the 600 block of Young Street at 6:54 p.m. Firefighters declared the fire under control at 7:33 p.m. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

The second call was to a fire in a condominium in the first 100 block of Tim Sale Drive at 7:01 p.m. Crews declared the fire under control at 7:16 p.m. Damages were mostly contained to the suite where the fire started, the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service said in a news release Wednesday night.

“Preliminary observations suggest the cause of the fire was accidental and related to an item near a baseboard heater,” the WFP said.

The third call was to an apartment building in the 700 block of Consol Avenue at 7:09 p.m. The fire was already extinguished when firefighters arrived. Crews ventilated the building.

“Preliminary observation suggests the fire was accidental and related to cooking,” the WFP said.

Bungalow catches fire on Westdale Place

10:31 AM

A fire broke out in a bungalow in the 0-100 block of Westdale Place early Thursday.

Crews arrived on scene just after 3:26 a.m. and used an aerosol device that reduces fire temperatures to access the building. The fire was declared under control at 4:29 a.m.

There were no injuries and the cause is still being investigated.

Temporary road closure on Colony Street Friday

10:54 AM

Northbound Colony Street between Portage Avenue and Webb Place will be closed Friday at 6 p.m. until Sunday at 6 p.m., including the east sidewalk, for building construction.

Shot fired during store robbery on Watt Street

11:18 AM

A robber fired a gun at an employee while robbing a store on Watt Street on Wednesday night.

The Winnipeg Police Service said a man went into the store in the 200 block of Watt at about 9:25 p.m. 

After selecting some items, the man pointed a gun at a female employee while at the register and fired to her side, the WPS said. He stole an undisclosed amount of money and products and fled on foot.

The employee was not injured, the WPS said in a news release Thursday morning. 

The major crimes unit is asking anyone with information that might help investigators to call 204-986-6219 or Crime Stoppers at 204-786-8477 (TIPS).

Pierre-Luc Dubois out vs. Boston; Gagner done for year

12:32 PM

The Winnipeg Jets will be without Pierre-Luc Dubois for a fifth straight game when they face the Boston Bruins at Canada Life Centre tonight.

Dubois remains out with an undisclosed upper-body injury he sustained in a game against the San Jose Sharks back on Mar. 6. The Jets centre had missed three games with an unrelated injury prior to suffering another issue against the Sharks.

Jets head coach Rick Bowness also revealed that forward Sam Gagner is out for the season after undergoing the first of two hip surgeries. The second surgery is expected to be performed in the coming days.

Province lists spending to help seniors

12:34 PM

The province announced new and old spending for seniors programs as part of its seniors strategy Thursday. A government press release said that it spent $25,000 this fiscal year on age-friendly hubs run by the Manitoba Association of Senior Communities, which will also receive  $300,000 in ongoing funding starting in 2023-24. It will receive an additional $90,000 in funding to support professional development for approximately 70 organizations and over 100 resource co-ordinators across Manitoba.

The Support Services to Seniors program is receiving a $2.9 million increase for a total of $15 million in annual funding —  a 25 per cent increase.  Regional health authorities will receive an additional $500,000 to support seniors in navigating and identifying the various community senior services to best meet their needs.  A & O: Support Services for Older Adults Inc. is receiving $70,000 in 2022-23 and $100,000 in ongoing funding in 2023-24 for elder-abuse services in Manitoba.  The province is spending $600,000 in 2022-23 on 200,000 emergency response information kits placed on the fridge door to provide essential health-care information that first responders can access in an emergency.

Dauphin RCMP seek three suspects in serious assaults, robberies

2:31 PM

Dauphin RCMP have issued arrest warrants for three people accused of two serious assaults and robberies early Monday morning.

Mounties were first called to the Tim Hortons on Main Street South in Dauphin just after 5:30 a.m., where they found a 45-year-old woman from Pine Creek First Nation with life-threatening injuries, RCMP said. She’s in a Winnipeg hospital in critical condition.

Officers then found a 66-year-old man from Dauphin nearby, who had also been seriously assaulted. He’s in stable condition in hospital.

RCMP said they believe the two had been assaulted by three suspects: Samuel Flatfoot, 24 of Pine Creek, Kathleen Flatfoot, 49 of Pine Creek, and Fred Parenteau, 37 of Dauphin. All are charged with two counts each of aggravated assault and one count of robbery.

Mounties ask anyone who knows where the suspects are to call the Dauphin detachment at 204-622-5050 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.

Jacobs set to join Team Carruthers full-time

6:15 PM

Reid Carruthers is adding an Olympic gold medallist to his lineup.

Carruthers announced Thursday that Brad Jacobs will play third for the Manitoba-based team full-time next season.

Jacobs took a step back from four-person curling this year, but played third for Carruthers at a Grand Slam event in Camrose, Alta a few months back after Jason Gunnlaugson left the team in December.

Jacobs, a 37-year-old from Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., won Olympic gold in 2014. He also skipped Northern Ontario to a Brier title in 2013.

Jacobs will also play this season’s Players’ Championship Slam at the beginning of April in Toronto with Carruthers, as well as the Champions Cup to close out the Slam season.