News briefs for Thursday, May 4, 2023

Kidnapped woman found safe: RCMP

9:44 AM

A Chemawawin Cree Nation woman who RCMP alleged was kidnapped on Monday has been found safe, Mounties said Thursday.

RCMP said it was reported that Veronica Walker, 25, was taken against her will from a home in the community at about 2:30 a.m. Monday by a man she knew.

RCMP alleged the suspect, Warren George, 39, forced her into a truck. They believed he was headed to Winnipeg, where city police arrested him on a warrant for kidnapping, assault and break and enter on Wednesday, RCMP said.

Walker remained missing until Thursday. Chemawawin Cree Nation is about 460 kilometres north of Winnipeg, near Easterville.

Rapper 50 Cent to play Canada Life Centre Sept. 13

12:39 PM

American rapper Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson will take the stage at Canada Life Centre on Wednesday, Sept. 13 as part of his world tour, dubbed The Final Lap.

The tour will celebrate the 20th anniversary of 50 Cent’s debut breakthrough album Get Rich or Die Tryin’, which was produced by Dr. Dre and Eminem and features hits such as In da Club and 21 Questions.

In addition to many of his hits, 50 Cent will be performing “select tracks that have not been performed live in decades,” according to a press release.

The Canada Life Centre show will also feature special guest Busta Rhymes as well as Jeremih.

Tickets go on sale Friday, May 12 at 10 a.m. via Ticketmaster; a fan presale will take place Wednesday, May 10 for “verified fans” who sign up here.

Police search for missing Long Plain teen

2:40 PM

Law enforcement are searching for a teen girl who was last seen at her foster placement home in Long Plain First Nation in late April.

The Manitoba First Nations Police Service said Kali Laporte, 17, was last seen at the home in the evening of April 18. She was reported missing to police on Tuesday.

Police said they are unsure of her whereabouts but she is known to frequent Portage la Prairie, Winnipeg and Waywayseecappo First Nation.

She’s Indigenous, 4-11 and about 100 lbs, with very short brown hair and brown eyes. She typically wears a hat. Police ask anyone with information on where she is to call the Long Plain detachment at 204-252-4480.

Volunteers, fire department searching for missing Split Lake woman

3:14 PM

Community volunteers and the local fire department are searching for a missing woman from Split Lake last seen a week ago.

RCMP said Catherine Dumas, 42, was reported missing to the Thompson detachment on Wednesday, but had last been seen in Split Lake on April 27 at about 6 a.m.

Mounties believe she’s “disoriented” and are concerned for her wellbeing. She’s 5-7, 175 lbs with black hair and brown eyes. RCMP said she’s known to frequent Thompson as well as Split Lake.

RCMP ask anyone with information to call the Thompson detachment at 204-778-3050 or 204-677-6911, or Crime stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.

Bombers sign Sergio Castillo to one-year deal

4:04 PM

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have signed Sergio Castillo to a one-year contract, the CFL club announced late Thursday afternoon.

The veteran kicker returns to Winnipeg just one season after helping lead the Bombers to the second of back-to-back championships in 2021. Castillo was a perfect 5-for-5 on field goals and made his lone one-point convert attempt in a 33-25 win over the host Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the 108th Grey Cup.

The 32 year old signed with the Edmonton Elks for the 2022 campaign, converting 37 of 44 field-goal attempts and 26 of 29 one-point converts, while averaging 38.5 yards on eight punts. Castillo was released by the Elks just hours before signing with the Bombers and only 10 days before CFL training camps officially open.

Castillo joins a trio of place kickers currently on Winnipeg’s roster, a group that also includes incumbent Marc Liegghio and American kicker Chandler Staton, who signed as a free agent after a standout college senior season at Appalachian State, where he nailed 20-of-21 field-goal attempts and all 57 of his extra-point tries.