News briefs for Wednesday, August 7, 2024

Residential building burns a third time

4:59 PM

A former residence on Maryland Street was damaged by fire for the third time since 2022 on Wednesday.

Firefighters were sent to the vacant, two-storey, multi-family building on the 400 block of Maryland at 3:17 p.m. Crews declared the fire under control at 3:32 p.m.

The building was damaged in earlier fires in July 2023 and — when it was still occupied — January 2022.

Federal, provincial governments announce new child-care spaces

4:46 PM

The federal and provincial governments announced Wednesday that 950 new child-care spaces will be created in Manitoba.

The number includes more than 200 spaces at three newly opened facilities in Lorette, St. Adolphe and Stony Mountain. It also includes more than 300 expansion spaces opened through new startup and operating grants, and a commitment to create another 400 expansion spaces in existing facilities through the Child Care Renovation Expansion Grant.

The two governments previously distributed more than $3.4 million to child-care centres through the grant. Going forward, the grant will award more than $14.5 million to 14 facilities to create the additional 400 spaces for children under age 7.

Suspect sought in Selkirk robbery

2:39 PM

RCMP are searching for a suspect after a man was hit in the head from behind and robbed of a large sum of money in Selkirk on Tuesday afternoon.

Police said in a news release that the man was robbed near a business on Main Street shortly before 3 p.m.

Witnesses described the suspect as male, with a slim build. He was wearing a silver hat or jacket.

Selkirk RCMP are asking anyone with information about the robbery to call 204-482-1222.

Man stole from same grocery store nine times: police

1:52 PM

A man is facing theft charges after he repeatedly stole items from the same grocery store.

Police said the man stole a total of about $1,000 in merchandise from the store in the first 100 block of Reenders Drive between February and July.

The man allegedly stole about $200 worth of items from a grocery store in the 3300 block of Portage Avenue on Tuesday.

The Winnipeg Police Service’s major crimes unit was providing deterrence in the area as part of the ongoing retail theft initiative. Officers arrested a suspect with help from store loss-prevention officers. Police linked the man to the nine incidents of theft at the Reenders Drive store.

A 43-year-old Winnipeg man has been charged with 10 counts of theft under $5,000. Two warrants had been issued for the man for a total of three counts of failing to appear in court. He was detained in custody.

Musical Stomp coming to Winnipeg

12:07 PM

The percussive musical Stomp is crashing into Winnipeg next April for a three-performance run at the Centennial Concert Hall.

After debuting in an earlier incarnation at the 1991 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Stomp – created by Luke Cresswell and Steve McNicholas – had its New York premiere in 1994 at the Orpheum Theatre, becoming an award-winning, hugely successful institution thanks to its orchestra of garbage cans, hubcaps and Zippo lighters. In January 2023, the New York production closed after over 11,000 performances.

The Winnipeg shows (Apr. 17-19) are part of a North American tour produced by Broadway Across Canada, organized to mark the 30th anniversary of the show’s first New York production.

Group tickets for 10 or more patrons are available now at centennialconcerthall.com, with single tickets available for purchase starting in November.

Man attacks Ebb and Flow’s gas supply with pickaxe

11:48 AM

A man is facing charges after a suspect with a pickaxe struck the tanks holding Ebb and Flow First Nation’s gas supply.

Ste. Rose du Lac RCMP were called about a man hitting the large gas tanks at about 11:25 p.m. Monday. The tanks were checked, and no spillage was detected.

Police said Wednesday that officers found a 32-year-old community resident walking on Highway 278 while armed with a pickaxe. A razor blade was found in the male’s mouth.

He is facing charges of possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose and mischief and was released from custody.

Vehicle collisions on Highway 6 kill three

8:51 AM

A head-on crash between an SUV and a minivan and an ensuing crash afterward killed three and injured six on Highway 6 Monday.

RCMP say an SUV crossed the centre line on Highway 6, approximately 40 kilometres south of Grand Rapids, and hit a minivan operating as a handivan head-on at around 3:45 p.m. The driver of the SUV, a 23-year-old man from Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation, and two passengers had non-life-threatening injuries. The front seat passenger, a 23-year-old woman from Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation, was pronounced dead on scene.

The driver of the minivan, a 54-year-old man from Winnipeg, and one of his passengers had non-life-threatening injuries, but the front seat passenger, a 42-year-old woman from Mosakahiken Cree Nation, was taken to the Grand Rapids Nursing Station, where she died of her injuries.

The highway was closed from around 4 to 11 p.m. An SUV heading north on the highway wouldn’t start when the road re-opened because of a drained battery. At approximately 11:30 p.m., a pickup truck arrived to assist the SUV and pulled up behind it.

A van pulling a loaded trailer heading northbound hit the back of the pickup truck, which then hit the SUV, which  hit two of the vehicle’s occupants, who were standing outside.

A 33-year-old man from The Pas died at the scene. A 36-year-old man from The Pas sustained non-life-threatening injuries.

No charges have been laid and the investigation continues.