News briefs for Friday, July 28, 2023

Fire crews extinguish two blazes

9:08 AM

Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service crews extinguished two house fires late Thursday and early Friday.

The first was in a vacant, two-storey house on the 400 block of Dufferin Avenue, where firefighters responded at 8:54 p.m. Thursday. They found smoke coming from the house but got inside, managing to get the fire under control by 9:28 p.m., the fire department said. Firefighters responded to another fire in the house last Sunday, WFPS said.

Then firefighters were called to a single-family home on the first block of Rochester Avenue in the Fort Richmond area at 2:09 a.m. Friday, where residents had fled the flames prior to crews arriving. Firefighters saw smoke and flames coming from the house and went inside, getting the blaze under control by 3:12 a.m., WFPS said.

No one was hurt in the Fort Richmond fire, and the city emergency social services workers got residents a place to stay temporarily.

The fire department said preliminary observations suggest the fire was sparked by a cigarette butt.

Former U of M Bison, Wog swims in third straight final at World Aquatic Championships

10:31 AM

Kelsey Wog once again showed she’s among the best waterbugs in the world Friday.

The 24-year-old Regina product, who now resides in Winnipeg, swam in the women’s 200-metre breaststroke final at the World Aquatic Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, finishing eighth with a time of 2:25.21.

It marked the third year in a row that Wog qualified for the final race in the 200m breaststroke at the world championships.

Wog, who attended Vincent Massey in high school, was a standout for the University of Manitoba Bisons’ women’s swim team from 2016-22.

Liberals release health platform

11:28 AM

Manitoba Liberal leader Dougald Lamont pledged to expand medical school seats, provide pay raises to doctors and nurses and focus on prevention.

Lamont unveiled the party’s four-pronged health-care platform Friday, promising to ensure each Manitoban has a family doctor.

A fully costed platform hasn’t been released. Lamont said that will happen at a later date.

Coun. Orlikow announces temporary leave from council

12:07 PM

Coun. John Orlikow is taking a temporary leave from city council, citing unspecified physical health concerns.

In a written statement Friday, Orlikow said the changes will include “stepping aside” from his executive policy committee post and other roles.

The councillor noted his office will remain open, with his executive assistant and “additional staff” hired to serve residents.

Orlikow noted he looks forward to” returning soon.”

In a news release, Mayor Scott Gillingham wished Orlikow well and named a new leader for the community services committee.

“Evan Duncan will join EPC, taking on the chair of community services (committee),” he said. “Duncan was elected in October 2022, and prior to that had several years of experience in the youth justice field, which I think will serve him well in this new role.”

Attempted murder charge for woman accused of stabbing 6-year-old boy

1:06 PM

Winnipeg police have charged a woman in her 20s with attempted murder, after a six-year-old boy was stabbed Wednesday.

The victim was rushed to hospital in critical condition and later upgraded to stable following the attack, which happened at about noon in the Burrows/Central area of the city, said police.

The boy and the suspect know each other.

The woman was also charged with aggravated assault and possession of a weapon.

NDP promises medical campus expansion

1:55 PM

Manitoba NDP leader Wab Kinew promised an $80 million to $150 million expansion of the University of Manitoba’s Bannatyne campus for medical students as part of the party’s health-care platform.

Kinew said construction of a new building on the campus near Health Sciences Centre would be a “top priority” if the NDP is elected this fall.

Kinew made the announcement this afternoon as the first promise of the NDP’s health-care platform. He said the complete, fully costed platform will be released at a later date.

Girl, 12, suffers gunshot wound at remote cabin

2:11 PM

A 12-year-old girl was airlifted to a Winnipeg hospital after suffering a gunshot wound at a remote cabin in northern Manitoba.

RCMP said the girl, who is from Pukatawagan, Man., suffered serious injuries in Wednesday’s incident on Burntwood Lake.

Two family members went to the Burntwood Lake Lodge to call for help.

Paramedics and police, who are investigating the circumstances, travelled by helicopter and boat to reach the injured girl.

RCMP search for mom, kid in parental abduction case

3:15 PM

St-Pierre-Jolys RCMP are searching for a mom and her three-year-old daughter in a parental abduction case.

RCMP say they were told of a custody dispute between the mom, Holly Malleck, 35, and the father on July 7, and began investigating.

“Officers… determined that Malleck has taken custody of the child with intent to deprive the father of his parental rights,” Mounties said in a news release on Friday.

Crown prosecutors authorized an arrest warrant, but RCMP say they have no reason to believe the girl, Amelia Deonaraine, is in danger.

The mom is 5-3 about 200 lbs with red hair and brown eyes, but her appearance may have changed. The girl is 3-2 and about 35 lbs with brown hair and brown eyes.

Mounties ask anyone with information on their whereabouts to call the St-Pierre-Jolys detachment at 204-433-7433 or local police.