News briefs for Friday, March 17, 2023

Crews fight three fires

8:38 AM

Crews battled three residential fires Thursday.

Firefighters were sent to a fire at a home in the 100 block of Traverse Avenue at 10:42 a.m. They declared the fire under control at 11:01 a.m. No one was inside at the time, the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service said Thursday night.

Fire crews were sent to a home in the 2000 block of Manitoba Avenue at 4:33 p.m. and declared the fire under control five minutes later. Paramedics assessed one patient at the scene.

Early Thursday, crews spent an hour working to extinguish a fire in a bungalow in the first 100 block of Westdale Place.

The causes of the fires are under investigation.

Annual winter parking ban lifted

11:18 AM

The City of Winnipeg’s annual winter route parking ban has been lifted.

No other winter parking bans are in effect, the city said in a news release late Thursday morning.

Spiring stepping down as head of EDW

12:17 PM

Dayna Spiring is stepping down as CEO of Economic Development Winnipeg after seven years at the helm.

As the head of the organization that promotes both tourism and economic development for the city as well as foreign investment and talent attraction she was instrumental in Winnipeg being named the world’s “Most Intelligent Community” twice; leading the successful bid to host the 2025 Grey Cup; expanding flight connectivity including direct flights to Los Angeles; and launching a new place brand, Winnipeg — Made from what’s real.

Bill Parrish Jr., EDW board chair and chairman, Parrish & Heimbecker Ltd., said, “We are very grateful to Dayna for all that she has accomplished at EDW and for her tremendous leadership. We know that her determination, commitment to excellence, and vision for this city will be very difficult to replace.”

The board has engaged People First HR Services to find her successor and Spiring will continue in her role until later this summer.

One arrest after Sagkeeng man dies

12:22 PM

A man has been arrested after a man died in a home on Tipi Road in Sagkeeng First Nation Thursday afternoon.

Powerview RCMP responded to an assault report at the home at around 3:45 p.m., where they found a 42-year-old man from Sagkeeng First Nation, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

A 38-year-old man who was at the home has been arrested and remains in police custody. RCMP provided no details on charges laid but are investigating the incident as a homicide.

One arrested, two still at large in Dauphin assaults

2:37 PM

One suspect has been arrested and two remain at large following reports of assaults in Dauphin Monday.

RCMP say a 45-year-old woman from Pine Creek First Nation was left with life-threatening injuries in the Tim Hortons on Main Street South in Dauphin. She was sent to hospital and later transferred to Winnipeg in critical condition.

A 66-year-old man from Dauphin was also assaulted and found by RCMP a short distance away. He was sent to hospital and is in stable condition.

On Thursday, RCMP announced that warrants were issued for three suspects believed to be involved: Fred Parenteau, 37, from Dauphin, Samuel Flatfoot, 24, from Pine Creek First Nation and Kathleen Flatfoot, 49, from Pine Creek First Nation.

Parenteau has since been arrested and charged with robbery and two counts of aggravated assault.

Kathleen and Samuel Flatfoot remain at large. Anyone with information on their whereabouts should call Dauphin RCMP at 204-622-5050, Manitoba Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477 or submit a secure tip online at manitobacrimestoppers.com.

Teen charged with indecent acts

3:46 PM

A teen has been charged with committing an indecent act in front of two children working as school safety patrollers.

Winnipeg police said on Friday a 17-year-old has been charged with three counts of indecent exposure to a person under the age of 16.

Police said officers went to the 200 block of Church Avenue on Wednesday after being told the driver of a vehicle had committed an indecent act in front of the two school patrollers at about 1:24 p.m.

The car was spotted about an hour later and the driver was arrested.

Officers later learned the suspect had committed an indecent act in front of another pre-teen walking in the 400 block of Church Avenue shortly before the other incident.

The child abuse unit is continuing to investigate.

Traffic stop becomes car chase in RM of Rosser, drugs, weapons seized

4:44 PM

A spike belt was deployed to stop a vehicle with three people in the rural municipality of Rosser who now face drug and weapons charges Wednesday.

Stonewall RCMP attempted to stop a vehicle on Highway 7, but it fled toward Winnipeg. More officers were called in, and a spike belt was set up, which destroyed all four tires. The driver attempted to keep driving the vehicle, but it rolled when he attempted to make a sharp turn.

The occupants, three adults, were taken to hospital with minor injuries. Seized from the vehicle was around 100 grams of methamphetamine, a loaded firearm with the serial number filed off, brass knuckles, a knife and bear spray.

Only one of the occupants, the driver, was arrested. Eric Moar, 28, from the RM of Rockwood, faces multiple charges including flight from police, dangerous operation of a vehicle, unauthorized weapon possession and possession for the purpose of trafficking.

All quiet on the COVID-19 front

5:11 PM

The latest COVID-19 report for the week of March 5-11 was similar to the previous week, with the number of cases and test positivity rate nearly the same while the number of COVID-19-associated hospital admissions decreased.

There were no hospital or ICU admissions or deaths associated with COVID-19 during that week, the provincial government report stated.

However, 59 hospital admissions, nine ICU admissions and four additional deaths were added to the log for previous weeks.

Wastewater surveillance data up to March 7 indicated sustained activity of COVID-19 in Winnipeg and Brandon at lower levels compared to the fall of 2022.

As of March 11, 77.8 per cent of all Manitoba residents have received at least two doses of COVID-19 vaccines. Additionally, 20.7 per cent have received at least one dose of bivalent vaccine.