Two more 7-Eleven locations bite the dust

Outside of one of two 7-Eleven locations to abruptly close in the last three days, a small gathering forms Monday morning.

The store at Notre Dame Avenue and Arlington Street shut its doors a day early, despite signs on the windows listing its last day as Tuesday. Its lights had been turned off and shelves were stripped bare.

Customers who were turned away begin to discuss the closure amongst themselves outside of the building; when a manager walks out and is asked why the store is being closed, he says “no comment” before walking back inside.

Shoppers told the Free Press the location was a frequent spot for petty robbery and several said they had tried to intervene in incidents where staff were not able to stop thieves.

Siloam Mission, new CEO part ways

After several tumultuous months at the helm of Winnipeg’s largest homeless shelter, Siloam Mission’s chief executive officer is stepping down.

The move to part ways with Sonia Prevost-Derbecker comes as part of a “six-month organizational support plan and leadership transition” in response to challenges facing the charitable sector across Canada, a Monday news release said.

“This is a critical period of transition for Siloam,” board chair Tracey Silagy said in the release. “Like many charities across Canada, we are navigating rising costs, declining donations, increasing service demand, and an extremely challenging fundraising environment. The board has made the decision to move forward with focused organizational support efforts to ensure Siloam remains strong, sustainable, and able to serve the community for years to come.”

The plan includes tighter financial oversight, reviews of the organization’s structure and fundraising operations, a governance review, and leadership transition measures.

Guilty murder plea in kidnapping, extortion plot sends man to prison for life with no chance of parole for 15 years

Zeyad Shammo was tortured and beaten to death in a kidnapping-extortion plot that netted his captors a ransom of $900 and some crack cocaine.

Sonny Balemba, one of three men arrested in the September 2024 killing, was sentenced Monday to life in prison with no chance of parole for 15 years.

“The violence that was used against Mr. Shammo (was) extreme, prolonged and planned and appears to be strictly for a financial purpose,” said Court of King’s Bench Justice Shauna McCarthy.

“That is the worst kind of violence that the court can see, in my view. It’s not a crime of passion… it’s not for any reason other than to try and gain money.”

Man faces 89 charges after organized crime unit seizes guns, drugs

A man has been charged with 89 weapons and drug offences following a gun seizure earlier this month.

Winnipeg Police Service organized crime division Insp. Josh Ewatski said the investigation began in early May after it received reports of drug trafficking linked to a home in Winnipeg’s Central Park neighbourhood.

On May 7, officers executed a search warrant at a residence on the 300 block of Cumberland Avenue, where 21 loaded handguns were seized, as was a silencer, roughly 200 rounds of ammunition, 27 grams of cocaine, approximately $25,000 in cash, and a laptop and two cellphones.

Investigators also located evidence indicating that a gun had been fired from within the apartment suite and the round had struck a church across the street.

Social media, screen time bigger risks to kids than substance use, inactivity: Doctors Manitoba

Social media and excessive screen time pose a bigger health risk to youth than substance use and inactivity, say Manitoba doctors, who are throwing their support behind a ban proposed by the province.

Arlington Bridge into its final weeks

Crews will begin decommissioning the shuttered and deteriorating Arlington Bridge as soon as next week, but a potential replacement for the once-crucial traffic link isn’t expected for at least a few more years.

On Monday, council’s public works committee approved a $10-million contract for the first round of work to remove the old structure. The vote is final.

The Arlington Bridge opened to traffic in 1912 and closed suddenly on Nov. 21, 2023 due to structural concerns.

The two-lane Arlington span over the Canadian Pacific Railway (now Canadian Pacific Kansas City Railway) yards had been a critical link from the North End into central Winnipeg.