News briefs for Thursday, July 17, 2025

HSC screening visitors for measles

4:56 PM

Health Sciences Centre said Thursday it has introduced active screening for all visitors in certain areas to help prevent the spread of measles.

The measures are in place at Women’s Hospital, Children’s Hospital, the neonatal intensive care unit and ambulatory care clinics.

“Entry may be restricted if there is a risk of measles. Screening may be expanded to other areas of the hospital as needed,” HSC said.

“Temporary visiting restrictions are also in place for some areas within the hospital. Visiting restrictions apply to designated caregivers and general visitors.”

More information is available on HSC’s website.

As of Saturday, there have been 146 confirmed measles cases and eight probable cases in Manitoba since February.

The province warned of three more potential measles exposures Wednesday. The sites are in Roland and Winkler, and at Boundary Trails Health Centre, which is located between Winkler and Morden. More information is available here.

Cybertruck defaced during Winnipeg Folk Festival

2:31 PM

RCMP are searching for the person who wrote a profanity on a Tesla Cybertruck with a marker during the Winnipeg Folk Festival.

Oakbank RCMP received a complaint about the incident late Monday morning. The vehicle was parked at Birds Hill Provincial Park during the event, RCMP said in a news release Thursday. The music festival started July 10 and ended Sunday.

An RCMP spokeswoman would not say what the obscenity was but clarified two words, which were not political or racial in nature, were written on the driver’s side back panel.

Police said they are seeking to identify a female suspect. They released two images and asked anyone with information about the suspect to contact Oakbank RCMP at 204-444-3847, or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or online.

Myles Bennett — the general manager of Nott Autocorp, which sells and services Tesla vehicles — said it was “brutal that happened to (an) owner of (a) Cybertruck.

“We have not (been) hearing a ton about issues with Tesla owners. I have a few buddies with them, and I have asked, but they’re left alone,” he said.

Four charged with murder in Magnus Avenue homicide 

1:55 PM

Four men have been charged with second-degree murder after a slaying on Magnus Avenue this winter.

The men were arrested between July 7 and Wednesday for the killing of 35-year-old Matthew Robert Pelletier, who formerly lived in Winnipeg.

Derek Donald Franklin, 43, is also charged with possession of a weapon and breaching a release order. Clinton William Wirffel, 40, is also charged with two counts of breaching a release order.

Eric Jade Wirffel, 40, and Charlie Bronson Keeper, 37, face only the murder charges.

All four men have criminal records.

Pelletier was found dead in a home on the afternoon of Feb. 25.

Sex offender expected to live in Winnipeg

11:09 AM

Police are alerting the public about the release of a sex offender considered a high risk to reoffend against adolescent and younger boys.

Glen Gregory Tyler Pozniak, 43, left Stony Mountain Institution through statutory release Thursday after serving most of his sentence for sexual exploitation, sexual interference and other offences, the Winnipeg Police Service said in a news release.

He was given a 13-year sentence in September 2015, resulting in an 11-year sentence after accounting for time served.

He was expected to live in Winnipeg. Police said vigilante actions against Pozniak will not be tolerated.

Main Street duplex burns again

10:48 AM

Fire broke out at a Main Street duplex for the second time in two weeks early Thursday.

Crews were sent to the vacant building on the 1000 block at 12:17 a.m. and used an aerial ladder, among other methods, to battle the blaze. They declared the fire under control at 1:24 a.m.

The building was also damaged in a fire on the morning of July 4. People lived in the building, which was expected to be a total loss after the first fire, at the time.

Both fires are under investigation.

Murder charge laid in Teulon slaying

9:44 AM

A man arrested for a fatal shooting in Teulon is now charged with second-degree murder and intimidation of a justice system participant.

Traverse Bay resident Donavin Skogan, 24, was charged with those offences Wednesday after being charged Monday with “numerous firearms related and driving offences.”

The justice system participant is a witness in the homicide investigation, RCMP spokeswoman Cpl. Melanie Roussel said Thursday.

She declined to comment further when asked what led to the slaying and whether Skogan is believed to have known the homicide victim.

Skogan pleaded guilty to fleeing from police, dangerous driving and assaulting a peace officer with a weapon in December 2019 after an incident that April. He was sentenced to a few months of jail and 18 months of probation, and given a 10-year order banning him from possessing weapons and a five-year driving ban.

Stonewall RCMP were sent to a home on 7th Avenue Southeast in Teulon at 10:40 p.m. Sunday and found a 37-year-old man who had suffered life-threatening injuries. He was transported to hospital and later pronounced dead.

A patrolling officer spotted a vehicle believed to have been involved in this slaying and tried it. The pursuit ended when the vehicle drove into a cornfield, RCMP said Monday.

Police eventually arrested the lone person in the vehicle and seized a gun.

Investigators are not searching for any other suspects, RCMP said Monday.