Tacit tactics help keep granny somewhat sober

Banned drunk driver in crash charged with getting behind wheel again

A Winnipeg man who served time for drunkenly slamming a minivan into an off-duty police officer riding a motorcycle in 2023 is accused of getting behind the wheel, despite court orders.

Braedon Lee Gordon, 25, is charged with one count of driving while prohibited for an incident on March 2. His next court date is later this month.

Dan Léveillé, a veteran Winnipeg Police Service constable who was left with life-altering injuries in the June 14, 2023, collision, said he was not surprised to learn of the new charge.

“This is just another one of those stories, where a habitual, repeat offender is charged for the same offence. After having served time, his behaviour continues,” said Léveillé.

Time’s up on smartwatches in class: education minister

Manitoba’s education minister wants to make clear the new ban on cellphones in classrooms across the province is all-encompassing and applies to more than just handsets.

“You can’t be having a smartwatch that’s cell-enabled in a classroom. It’s no different than a phone,” Education Minister Nello Altomare told the Free Press.

“That’s a personal device that can cause a distraction and it doesn’t belong in a classroom, unless of course it monitors your glucose level.”

Over the summer break, the NDP government announced a sweeping phone ban in elementary schools and stricter rules that only give Grade 9-12 students access to devices during breaks. Exemptions are being made to accommodate medical and inclusion-related needs.

RRC to replace president next year

From July 29: The board of Red River College won’t renew president and CEO Paul Vogt’s contract when it expires next year, saying it “wants to go in a different direction.” Critics of the decision say they fear it’s politically motivated and one called it “the worst personnel decision at a Canadian college, maybe ever.”

Creative training has kept Keegan in top shape

When COVID-19 forced the closure of gyms in Alaska, Keegan Messing got creative.

The Canadian figure skater hoisted the batteries out of two cars, and used the 36-pound car parts as weights. His chainsaw was the perfect replacement for a lighter weight, at around 20 pounds.

"I was holding two (car) batteries doing one-legged squats in my living room, or doing (a) vertical leap and actually hitting my head on the ceiling," Messing said with a laugh. "I just think it's funny."

Canadian figure skaters have been grounded since the global pandemic forced cancellation of the world championships last March. Despite the unique hurdles in this bizarre abbreviated season, Messing said he's in great shape ahead of next week's world championships in Stockholm.

Just four players wearing Jets jerseys in October 2011 are still with the team

The anticipation. The hype. The excitement. And, at long last, the return. Oh, what a magical moment that was.

We take you back to Oct. 9, 2011, when the Winnipeg Jets faced off against the Montreal Canadiens at Bell MTS Place. It was the first time an NHL puck was dropped in the regular season around these parts since April 28, 1996 — a span of 5,642 days, for those keeping track at home.

History shows the bleu blanc et rouge crashed the homecoming party with a convincing 5-1 victory, but the result didn't dampen the fact that the best hockey league in the world was finally back where it belonged.

"I got picked up on waivers from the Coyotes three days before the first game. The minute I touched down in Winnipeg you could feel the excitement in the city. I remember walking to the rink and the streets were packed with fans ready to welcome the NHL back to Winnipeg. Easily the loudest crowd I have ever been a part of and although we lost, I was lucky enough to be on the ice for the first goal and all I remember is the roar of the crowd. That will sit with me forever," ex-forward Brett MacLean told the Free Press this week as we caught up with a few members of that squad.

Manitoba in ‘desperate need’ of COVID testing equipment

Some Manitoba laboratories are in danger of running out of a critical component needed to process COVID-19 tests as soon as this weekend, as the province ramps up testing amid a global supply crunch.

On Wednesday, Shared Health reached out to University of Manitoba scientists to make an urgent appeal for filtered plastic pipette tips used in processing COVID-19 tests. The tips, which come in different sizes, are placed on devices used to draw up tiny amounts of liquid sample. Without them, COVID-19 tests cannot be processed.

In an email to University of Manitoba colleagues obtained by the Free Press, U of M assistant professor Dr. Philippe Lagace-Wiens, a medical microbiologist with Shared Health's Diagnostic Services, wrote that Shared Health is now in "desperate need" of filtered pipette tips used for PCR testing, and asked if U of M labs had some to spare.