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BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS Winnipeg resident Jonathan Williams holds a copy of the Free Press following the ceremony. His grandfather Allan Williams was an infrantry soldier with the Royal Winnipeg Rifles during the Commonwealth invasion of Normandy, France on D-Day June 6, 1944 and is featured (wearing helmet with vegetation camouflage on it) on the front page of section 49.8 of the Free Press Saturday, June 1, 2024.

‘Felt like I should be here,’ grandson of D-Day vet says of ceremony

Katrina Clarke 3 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 5:41 PM CDT

Allan Williams looks stoic in the photo. His eyes are fixed on some unknown point, and his square jaw is clenched.

He was going into battle. His boat was approaching Juno beach.

On Saturday, Allan’s grandson Jonathan Williams remembered his grandfather’s sacrifice 80 years later at a D-Day remembrance event at Vimy Ridge Memorial Park.

“I just felt like I should be here today,” Jonathan, who looks strikingly like his grandfather, said. “I feel compelled to carry his story on.”

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Man, 29, in critical condition after being hit by train

Free Press staff 1 minute read Preview

Man, 29, in critical condition after being hit by train

Free Press staff 1 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 11:06 AM CDT

A 29-year-old man was taken to hospital in critical condition after he was hit by a freight train Friday.

The Winnipeg Police Service said Saturday morning that an initial investigation indicates the man was walking along the tracks near Peguis Street and Concordia Avenue East when he was struck by a westbound train at about 4:55 p.m.

Police spokesperson Const. Jason Michalyshen said the man was in critical condition with “serious upper body injuries” as of Friday evening, but he did not have an update on his condition Saturday.

The man was alone, and police are unsure why he was on the tracks, Michalyshen said.

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Updated: Yesterday at 11:06 AM CDT

Edmonton Oilers fall short against poise of experienced Florida Panthers, drop Game 1 of Cup final

Alanis Thames, The Associated Press 4 minute read Preview

Edmonton Oilers fall short against poise of experienced Florida Panthers, drop Game 1 of Cup final

Alanis Thames, The Associated Press 4 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 11:21 PM CDT

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final was an eye-opener for the Edmonton Oilers.

Unlike the Florida Panthers — who got a taste of the final just a year ago — only a handful of Oilers players have ever experienced Game 1 of a championship series: The energy. The pressure. The intensity.

It showed, and in Edmonton's first Cup final game since 2006, the Oilers had plenty of opportunities but could not finish, falling 3-0 to the poised and stifling Panthers in Game 1.

“Game 1’s of series are always unique because you don’t know what to expect," Oilers left wing Zach Hyman said. "You hear everything about what the team does. You watch video. But you haven’t played them for months. As the series settles in, you are pretty well aware of what works, what doesn’t work.”

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Updated: Yesterday at 11:21 PM CDT

Edmonton Oilers left wing Zach Hyman (18) loses his helmet as a scuffle breaks out during the second period of Game 1 of the team's NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals against the Florida Panthers, Saturday, June 8, 2024, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

Another day, another record for Massey’s De Smet

Zoe Pierce 4 minute read Preview

Another day, another record for Massey’s De Smet

Zoe Pierce 4 minute read Yesterday at 5:11 PM CDT

Annika De Smet had another record-breaking day at the Manitoba High School Provincial Track and Field Championships.

On Saturday, the Grade 10 Vincent Massey Collegiate student shattered the junior varsity girls 3,000-metre provincial record by almost 18 seconds.

With a time of 9:54.67, De Smet lapped most of her competitors.

The previous record was established by Sarah-Ann Brault of College Louis Riel, who clocked a time of 10:12.05 in 2005.

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Yesterday at 5:11 PM CDT

JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS FILES
Annika De Smet capped a record-breaking meet with a provincial record in the junior varsity girls 3,000 metres Saturday.

Sharp drop in publicly funded physio assessments

Malak Abas 5 minute read Preview

Sharp drop in publicly funded physio assessments

Malak Abas 5 minute read Yesterday at 11:34 AM CDT

Publicly funded physiotherapist assessments in Winnipeg have dropped more than 85 per cent since cost-cutting consolidated outpatient services to one hospital department, from eight, in 2017.

A report by the University of Manitoba found there were 18,261 physio assessments from January 2016 to shortly before the change in November 2017. There were only 6,715 assessments from December 2017 to December 2022.

The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority moved adult outpatient physiotherapy and occupational therapy out of public practice to the private sector in 2017, leaving only one clinic, in the Health Sciences Centre, public.

At the time, it was labelled as an effort to save money; it was unclear how access to service would be affected. It was done a year after the Progressive Conservatives were elected on a campaign to reduce the provincial deficit, which was driven by burgeoning health-care costs.

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Yesterday at 11:34 AM CDT

Reservations at fancy Winnipeg restaurants may require advance credit card info

Gabrielle Piché 5 minute read Preview

Reservations at fancy Winnipeg restaurants may require advance credit card info

Gabrielle Piché 5 minute read Friday, Jun. 7, 2024

At some local eateries, a reservation now requires a credit card.

Take one of the Fairmont Winnipeg’s fine-dining experiences: customers wanting to watch an animated chef projected on their tables “cook” — and eat a corresponding meal — must pay a $20 security deposit.

“The show won’t be nice if the room is empty,” noted Mikhael Almari, Fairmont Winnipeg’s food and beverage director.

The special dinner — which is called “Le petit chef” — is an outlier among the Fairmont Winnipeg’s food offerings. Normally, the hotel doesn’t ask for payment pre-restaurant visit.

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Friday, Jun. 7, 2024

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS
The Fairmont, which is celebrating its 50-year anniversary celebrations, in Winnipeg on Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021. For Eva Wasney story. Winnipeg Free Press 2021.

Opinion

There are ways to reduce recidivism; more time behind bars isn’t among them Dan Lett 5 minute read Friday, Jun. 7, 2024
Bylaw allows city to seize derelict properties — but it refuses Tom Brodbeck 4 minute read Friday, Jun. 7, 2024
Every viewing habit offers its own kind of pleasure Alison Gillmor 5 minute read Friday, Jun. 7, 2024

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MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS A view of downtown Winnipeg from the roof of 7 Evergreen Place. 240202 - Friday, February 02, 2024.

City seeks return of 1980s Core Area Initiative

New plan outlines bold vision for beleaguered downtown

Kevin Rollason 5 minute read Friday, Jun. 7, 2024

Mike Sudoma / Free Press
A cycling advocate holds up a sign criticizing unsafe streets during a sit-in to mark a fatal vehicle-cyclist collision Thursday.

Angry cyclists shut down scene of fatal collision

Erik Pindera 4 minute read Friday, Jun. 7, 2024

MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS
Ray St. Germain and his wife Glory pose for a photo with musicians Al Simmons (left) and Fred Penner (right) during the honorary renaming of St. Michael Road in St. Vital.

Pride of place

Ray St. Germain’s childhood street renamed in Manitoba musician’s honour

Ben Waldman 6 minute read Friday, Jun. 7, 2024

Four-month-old project targeting troubled youth cut violent crime, police say

Joyanne Pursaga 4 minute read Preview

Four-month-old project targeting troubled youth cut violent crime, police say

Joyanne Pursaga 4 minute read Friday, Jun. 7, 2024

The Winnipeg Police Service says a new project has triggered a sharp decrease in arrests among specific youths who were repeatedly involved in violent crime.

The ongoing Project Surge will attempt to secure social supports to set them on a different path.

The effort, which began March 7, was a response to an escalation in random acts of violence committed by young offenders.

“The results of the project are significant,” WPS Supt. Dave Dalal told a Winnipeg Police Board meeting Friday. “Our focused attention has resulted in a 50 per cent decrease in these youth being involved in violent crime since we started.”

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Friday, Jun. 7, 2024

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Admitted serial killer Jeremy Skibicki says he is a ‘gentle’ man who doesn’t like hurting people.

Admitted serial killer says he isn’t haunted by guilt

Psychiatrist’s report delves into Jeremy Skibicki’s mindset

Dean Pritchard 4 minute read Friday, Jun. 7, 2024

Retention, recruitment office expected to attract even more public nurses: health minister

Carol Sanders 4 minute read Preview

Retention, recruitment office expected to attract even more public nurses: health minister

Carol Sanders 4 minute read Friday, Jun. 7, 2024

Manitoba’s nurse float pool that aims to draw them away from private agencies and back to the public system with more flexibility and work-life balance is having some success.

Since the provincial nursing float pool launched in 2022, it has hired 160 nurses with more than two-thirds (69 per cent) from private agencies, Shared Health says. Of those, 144 are casual nurses and 16 work full time. New applications are coming in daily.

Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara expects it to get much bigger once the new health-care retention and recruitment office announced in April is up and running. The goal of the new government office is to help Manitoba meet its hiring target of 1,000 new health-care workers — including 210 nurses — in the public system this year.

“We’re just, really, getting started,” said Michele Lane, provincial lead for the health-care retention and recruitment office that has a dozen staff so far working at different sites in the province.

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Friday, Jun. 7, 2024

Mike Sudoma/Free Press
Michele Lane, provincial lead for the health-care retention and recruitment office, has been mandated to retain and recruit 100 doctors, 90 paramedics and 600 health-care aides this year.

Officers working OT to fight retail crime wave, but burnout a risk, police board told

Joyanne Pursaga 4 minute read Preview

Officers working OT to fight retail crime wave, but burnout a risk, police board told

Joyanne Pursaga 4 minute read Friday, Jun. 7, 2024

Winnipeg Police Service officers will be working overtime shifts in an effort to address surging retail crime, but the measure is not a long-term solution, city officials were told Friday.

WPS Chief Danny Smyth said the increased police presence in The Exchange, West End and Osborne Village starts Saturday and will continue until the end of the month, conducting targeted retail crime enforcement and ramping up community engagement.

But a personnel shortage means the approach is not sustainable, Smyth told the Winnipeg Police Board.

“A lot of our resources are being pulled away from regular duties to deal with public order now… I want to acknowledge our members here because this is overtime. They are giving up their own time to come in and try to serve the community in a way that we can’t sustain long-term,” he said.

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Friday, Jun. 7, 2024