Mystery surrounds shuttering of Bouchée Boucher eatery

Cleanup ‘staggering’ as severe storm slams Whiteshell, Kenora

Chainsaws buzzed around Darren James on Tuesday while seasonal residents cleaned up and assessed damage from a severe storm that hit part of Whiteshell Provincial Park one day earlier.

Paramedic petition fails to change folk fest first aid procedures

Paramedics will not be stationed at Winnipeg Folk Festival this year despite a petition calling on the summer festival to enhance its on-site medical services.

Winnipeg high school football coach subject of hazing investigation

Manitoba’s independent teacher commissioner is investigating the head coach of the Grant Park Pirates football program amid allegations of team hazing.

The AAAA varsity team is at the centre of a probe into allegations student-athletes who played for Doug Kovacs during the 2025-26 school year drew blood while carrying out a locker room ritual.

Multiple sources confirmed Kovacs was put on leave from Grant Park High School in the spring in response to a complaint about his coaching style.

“There’s a lot of different red flags here,” said one parent of a football player who was recently contacted about the case by the office of commissioner Noni Classen.

Apartment fire that sent 8 to hospital was drug related, tenants say

A fire that tore through a Manitoba Housing building on Furby Street early Thursday, sending eight people to hospital and displacing tenants, started in a suite known for drug use, multiple residents told the Free Press.

“We’re kind of joking around that hopefully it’d be great if the rest of the building found out that it was his suite that now has everybody displaced,” said one resident, who has lived in the apartment for 15 years.

Another tenant, who has lived in the complex for 26 years, said concerns about the suite had been reported before, but added “nothing ever gets done.”

“It’s very different now,” he said. “We used to have an on-site caretaker, someone was guarding the place. We have nothing now. It went downhill in the 2010s, when they took the caretaker away. There used to be no problems here.”

City considers million-dollar chop to tree planting program

The City of Winnipeg is one step away from chopping $1.2 million from its tree planting program to fill a separate budget gap.

The Manitoba government recently directed the city to spend an additional $1.236 million of its provincial “strategic infrastructure basket” funding on the Assiniboine Park Conservancy Journey to Churchill Exhibit, according to a city finance report.

Finance officials recommend the city fill that budget gap by transferring the same amount from the urban forest tree planting budget, which council’s executive policy committee voted in favour of Tuesday.

A local tree protection group said any funding loss would hurt an already ailing city canopy.

Walmart fire in St. Vital investigated as arson

A fire at a Walmart at St. Vital Centre on Monday evening is being investigated as an arson, Winnipeg police say.

The fire forced the evacuation and closure of the retail store after it broke out just after 7 p.m.

“We are doing everything we can to assist Walmart during this difficult time for their team and our community who is impacted by Walmart’s temporary store closure,” said St. Vital Centre general manager Kevin Waterman. “Ultimately, and what is most important, is that all staff and visitors at Walmart last night were able to evacuate safely.”

Waterman confirmed Walmart is still closed, and encouraged customers to continue watching Walmart and the mall’s social media accounts for updates on the reopening.