Boy, 14, charged in violent crime spree in city

A 14-year-old boy is facing more than a dozen charges, including breaches of a sentence, after he allegedly went on a spree of break-ins, thefts and assaults over a six-week span.

Police said the teen was arrested after he allegedly broke into a shopping mall on the 500 block of Sterling Lyon Parkway early Saturday, at about midnight.

Two glass entry doors and glass at two stores were smashed, resulting in more than $22,000 in damage, and about $3,500 in merchandise was stolen.

A suspect, who was arrested while walking near Corydon Avenue and Carpathia Road about two hours later, was then linked to four other incidents, including violent robberies.

Manitoba specialty licence plates way to raise awareness and cash

It’s a way to drive home the message.

Manitoba’s specialty licence plate program, which gives organizations the chance to display their brand one vehicle at a time, also raises money, which is especially important for smaller groups or causes that often lack publicity and have difficulty fundraising.

While it’s no surprise the Winnipeg Jets and Blue Bombers teams have the highest number of plates on the road, Basketball Manitoba’s plate has been a boon for the organization.

“It’s … exposure for the sport, just people being able to show their love for the game in a different way that we would normally not have the chance to, on their vehicle,” Adam Wedlake, executive director of Basketball Manitoba, said. “And (it’s) a way to raise some funds well.”

Osborne Village non-profit committed to helping people

Its name may have changed, but an Osborne Village non-profit is still committed to helping people in need. The Laurel Centre was rebranded as Heartwood Healing Centre in 2022 following a vision and strategic planning process. The organization helps individuals who have survived childhood sexual abuse. The re-branding reflects Heartwood’s growth from an organization aimed at helping women to one that serves all Manitobans. BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS Katie Inverarity said she feels a sense of responsibility to volunteer. She likes building relationships with like-minded people who work together to make Winnipeg better. It takes its name from the […]

WestJet’s winter schedule for Winnipeg grows by a third

WestJet will increase its Winnipeg winter schedule by more than one third compared with the same time last year, the airline announced Monday.

WestJet said it is boosting its schedule by 36 per cent compared with last winter. The increase includes new routes to Montreal, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and San Jose del Cabo, a resort city on Mexico’s Baja California peninsula.

“This significant increase in flights will not only enhance our connectivity but also strengthen the local economy by providing more opportunities for everyone who lives and works here,” Nick Hays, Winnipeg Airports Authority president and CEO, said in a news release.

The new hot spot routes were announced in May. The airline announced in April that it will begin offering daily year-round flights from Winnipeg to Montreal and Ottawa, and seasonal flights to Nashville.

Small Mercies reopening a big hit in Osborne Village

What would have been the final chapter for a local café has instead brought fresh coffee and flowers back to Osborne Village.

Small Mercies, a café and boutique, reopened its doors on July 3 after being closed for more than a year after a fire tore through the building.

“It sounds cheesy, but I didn’t want to give up on this,” said Arden Coy, co-owner of Small Mercies. “I really wanted to stick it out for people to come back and enjoy again.”

Early on June 3, 2023, Coy received a call that smoke was detected in the café. She raced to the building, peeling out of her driveway with tires screeching.

Province rejects sewage project extension

The Manitoba government has denied a city request for a two-year extension on the deadline to complete a massive sewage plant upgrade, saying the work is urgently needed to reduce water pollution.

Manitoba Environment Minister Tracy Schmidt said algae-promoting nutrients that leave the north end sewage treatment plant and end up in Lake Winnipeg threaten tourism, fisheries and the livelihood of First Nations that depend on the lake.

“The lake is in serious trouble. We are seeing algal blooms, toxic algal blooms. There’s no more time to wait. The time is now. Lake Winnipeg, and all of our waterways in Manitoba, are a priority for this government,” Schmidt said.

The plant upgrade is Winnipeg’s most expensive infrastructure project yet and aims to increase sewage treatment capacity and greatly reduce the amount of algae-promoting nitrogen and phosphorus that flows out of the plant.