Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - September 5, 2025, Winnipeg, Manitoba FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2025 B2 ● WINNIPEGFREEPRESS.COM NEWS I CITY / WORLD MAN CHARGED WITH STEALING $10K IN MEAT A MAN is charged with stealing more than $10,000 of meat across the city this spring and summer. The Winnipeg Police Service was contacted about 11 shoplifting incidents between April 19 and June 11. Investigators determined a man had stolen more than $3,000 worth of merchandise — mostly meat. After obtaining three warrants, police arrested a 32-year-old man on the 300 block of Atlantic Avenue on June 21. He was charged with 11 counts of theft under $5,000, and other offences. The man was detained in custody and then released. The WPS investigated another 20 shoplifting incidents involving more than $7,000 in meat between June 30 and last Sunday. Police arrested the same man on the same block Sunday. He was charged with more counts of theft under $5,000 and was again detained in custody. Insp. Jen McKinnon said at an unrelated news conference Wednesday that meat is among the items most frequently targeted in retail thefts in Winnipeg. “Meat, for our grocery stores, is a huge commodity that’s being stolen, and it’s being offloaded,” she said, referencing ongoing investigations, including the arrest police announced Thursday. DRIVER HITS TWO WITH VEHICLE: WPS A 30-YEAR-OLD man is facing a slate of charges after police say he ran over two men following a drunken argument Wednesday night. Officers were sent to the first 100 block of Atlas Crescent at about 11:30 p.m., the Winnipeg Police Service said in a news release Thursday. Investigators learned the suspect had met up with the men earlier and began drinking alcohol, the WPS said. “The men began to argue, which escalated to the point where the suspect got into his vehicle and sped toward them, hitting the other two men before fleeing the scene,” police said. “Officers located the suspect a short distance away, and he was subsequently arrested.” One of the victims suffered serious injuries. He was taken to hospital in unstable condition and later upgraded to stable. The second victim suffered minor injuries and was taken to hospital in stable condition, police said. The suspect is facing eight charges con- nected to the incident, including for impaired driving and aggravated assault. He was released on an undertaking. IN BRIEF Two charged after illegal gun seen in Sandy Bay First Nation TWO men are facing charges after an incident involving an illegal gun in Sandy Bay First Nation last month. The Manitoba First Nations Police Service was contacted shortly before 3 p.m. on Aug. 22 about a man with a sawed-off shotgun outside a home. The man fled on a utility terrain vehicle, which officers later spotted in a field. The driver fled, and officers followed the UTV until it became stuck when the driver tried to enter the bush, the MFNPS said in a news release Thursday. Police arrested two people, and two others fled on foot. Officers arrested one person in the bush a short time later. Police found several guns in a shed the fourth person was seen in. The 34-year-old man — the one allegedly armed with a gun earlier — was later arrested and charged with several of- fences. A 48-year-old man who is facing charges was released on an undertak- ing. The two other people were released without being charged. In a separate gun incident that mor- ning, shortly before 10:30 a.m., MFNPS officers were contacted about a pickup truck stuck in the ditch on Lagoon Road in Sandy Bay. When officers arrived, a man near the vehicle started walking away, a re- lease said. Police found a homemade gun next to the man’s bag, and officers seized am- munition and gun parts. The MFNPS learned the truck had been stolen from the Municipality of North Norfolk two days earlier. A 31-year-old man is facing charges and was detained in custody. fpcity@freepress.mb.ca St. Norbert Arts Centre applies for outdoor liquor area S T. Norbert Arts Centre is seek- ing permission to more easily al- low food and alcohol outdoors but traffic concerns threaten to get in the way. The arts centre is asking the city to let it establish an “outdoor dining/drinking area” at a fenced-in, 11,400-square-foot space on its property. Presently, the centre must apply to the province for an occasional liquor permit each time it holds events where alcohol is offered in the space, which is not considered a patio by city defin- itions. “(The outside space is) not something that would be open every day. It’s only to extend the indoor liquor permit to the outdoors at an event, whether it’s a wedding or a music event or celebration of life,” said Wendy Bloomfield, board secretary for the arts centre. A city report notes the organization already holds a liquor licence for its heritage building and attached gazebos. Bloomfield said the centre hosts about 20 events that it obtains an in- dividual liquor permit for each year, which costs around $700 annually. “It’s really just the convenience and not having to spend the money all the time. (We’re a) non-profit organization maintaining a heritage building. Money is tight,” said Bloomfield. The St. Norbert Arts Centre is locat- ed at 100 Ruines du Monastere in the carriage building of a former Trappist monastery. Its structure was built in 1912 and is protected from demolition due to a municipal heritage designation. While the city’s director of planning, property and development approved a variance to allow the change for five years, four residents are appealing the decision. Those who appealed could not be reached for comment by deadline Thursday. In letters to city council’s appeal committee, they expressed concern that high-speed driving along Ruines du Monastere could be exacerbated by allowing drinking outdoors. Bloomfield noted the centre is locat- ed near the Trappist Monastery Prov- incial Heritage Park and Southwood Golf Course, so it’s difficult to pinpoint the origin of traffic. She doesn’t expect the number of events, or related traffic, would change if the city variance is granted. “The traffic would be the same wheth- er we have this or not. If we don’t have it, we’re still going to apply for (liquor permits) individually,” said Bloomfield. The outdoor area where drinks are allowed through temporary permits is also monitored and enclosed during events, she said. “Nobody has complained to us. I know that there is an appeal now, which we were kind of surprised (by),” said Bloomfield. City council’s appeal committee is scheduled to cast a final vote on the matter on Sept. 10. joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca X: @joyanne_pursaga JOYANNE PURSAGA The St. Norbert Arts Centre is located at 100 Ruines du Monastere in the carriage building of a former Trappist monastery. Trump will seek Department of War rebrand for Pentagon WASHINGTON — U.S. President Don- ald Trump plans to sign an executive order today to rebrand the Department of Defence as the Department of War, his latest effort to project an image of toughness for America’s military. The Republican president can’t for- mally change the name without legis- lation, which his administration would request from Congress. In the meantime, Trump will author- ize the Pentagon to use “secondary titles” so the department can go by its original name. The plans were disclosed by a White House official, who requested anonym- ity ahead of the public announcement, and detailed in a White House fact sheet. The Department of War was created in 1789, the same year that the U.S. Con- stitution took effect. It was renamed by law in 1947, two years after the end of the Second World War. Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth posted “DEPARTMENT OF WAR” on social media after the executive order was in- itially reported by Fox News. Trump and Hegseth have long talked about changing the name, and Hegseth even created a social media poll on the topic in March. Since then, he has hinted that his title as defence secretary may not be permanent at multiple public events, in- cluding a speech at Fort Benning, Ga., on Thursday. He told an auditorium full of soldiers that it “may be a slightly dif- ferent title tomorrow.” In August, Trump told reporters that “everybody likes that we had an unbelievable history of victory when it was Department of War. Then we changed it to Department of Defence.” When confronted with the possibility that making the name change would require an act of Congress, Trump told reporters that “we’re just going to do it.” “I’m sure Congress will go along if we need that,” he added. The move is the latest in a long line of cultural changes Hegseth has made to the Pentagon since taking office at the beginning of the year. Early in his tenure, Hegseth pushed hard to eliminate what he saw as the impacts of “woke culture” on the mil- itary by not only ridding the depart- ment of diversity programs but scrub- bing libraries and websites of material deemed to be divisive. The result was the removal and review of hundreds of books in the military academies, which ended up including titles on the Holocaust and a Maya Angelou memoir. It also re- sulted in the removal off thousands of websites honouring contributions by women and minority groups. “I think the president and the secre- tary have been very clear on this — that anybody that says in the Department of Defence that diversity is our strength is, is frankly, incorrect,” Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell told reporters in March. Hegseth has also presided over the removal of all transgender troops from the military following an executive or- der from Trump through a process that some have described as “dehumaniz- ing” or “open cruelty.” — The Associated Press MARK SCHIEFELBEIN / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES U.S. President Donald Trump (left) and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth. New Ebola outbreak in Congo suspected of causing 15 deaths DAKAR, Senegal — A new Ebola virus outbreak in Congo is suspect- ed of causing 15 deaths among 28 people with symptoms, the health ministry in the central African country said Thursday. It’s the 16th outbreak of Ebola in Congo, and Health Minister Sam- uel-Roger Kamba said the fatality rate, estimated at 53.6 per cent, showed the gravity of the situation. The confirmed case was of a 34-year-old pregnant woman in the locality of Boulapé, in southern Kasai province. Research on the suspected cases was ongoing. “To date, the provisional report shows 28 suspected cases and 15 deaths, including 14 in Boulapé and one in Mweka, as well as four health care workers,” Kamba said. The suspected cases and deaths presented symptoms such as fe- ver, vomiting, diarrhea and heavy bleeding. The World Health Organization said it dispatched its experts along- side Congo’s Rapid Response Team to Kasai province to strengthen disease surveillance, treatment and infection prevention and con- trol in health facilities. It is also delivering supplies in- cluding personal protective equip- ment, mobile laboratory equipment and medical supplies. Congo has a stockpile of treat- ments and of the Ervebo Ebola vac- cine, WHO said. “We’re acting with determination to rapidly halt the spread of the virus and protect communities,” said Dr. Mohamed Janabi, WHO regional director for Africa. The Ebola virus is highly con- tagious and can be contracted through bodily fluids such as vomit, blood or semen. The disease it causes is a rare but severe — and often fatal — illness in people. — The Associated Press Pope Leo and Vatican insist on two-state solution to end Gaza war during meeting with Israeli president ROME — Pope Leo XIV and his top diplomats told Israel’s president Thurs- day that a two-state solution was the “only way out of the war,” as the Vati- can called for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, the release of all hostages and entry of humanitarian aid to fam- ine-stricken Palestinians there. The Vatican issued an unusually de- tailed statement following Leo’s meet- ing with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who also met with the Vatican secre- tary of state Cardinal Pietro Parolin and foreign minister, Archbishop Paul Gallagher. Herzog, for his part, said he had asked Leo to meet with families of the hostages, and called for intensified international efforts to secure their re- lease. The audience marked the first by history’s first American pope with the Israeli head of state. Leo spoke by telephone with Israeli Prime Minis- ter Benjamin Netanyahu in July after an Israeli shell slammed into the only Catholic church in Gaza, killing three people and wounding the parish priest. The Vatican has tried to maintain its tradition of diplomatic neutrality throughout the war, calling for the re- turn of hostages while denouncing Is- rael’s attacks against civilians in Gaza. But both Pope Francis before, and Leo since his election in May, have voiced mounting outrage at Israel’s actions in Gaza, with the late pope call- ing for an investigation to determine if they constituted genocide. In its statement after the audience, the Vatican said that during the talks the Vatican conveyed hope “that ne- gotiations would resume promptly so that, with goodwill and courageous decisions, as well as the support of the international community, it would be possible to secure the release of all hos- tages, urgently achieve a permanent ceasefire, facilitate the safe entry of humanitarian aid into the most affect- ed areas, and ensure full respect for humanitarian law, as well as the legit- imate aspirations of both peoples.” It repeated the Holy See’s longstand- ing support for a Palestinian state. “Discussions focused on how to guarantee a future for the Palestinian people and peace and stability in the re- gion, with the Holy See reiterating the two-state solution as the only way out of the ongoing war,” it said. Herzog said Israel was striving “in every possible way” to bring the hos- tages home and was determined to work for “peace, tranquillity and stabil- ity” in the region. In a statement, Herzog’s office said he described Israel’s efforts to facilitate aid to Palestinians in Gaza, and said the talks also included discussions about the rise of antisemitism worldwide and the importance of protecting Christian minorities in the Middle East. “The very fact that Pope Leo XIV, who has only just begun his tenure, re- ceived the president of the state of Is- rael in the Vatican is a very important statement. It reflects the great signifi- cance of the relationship between the Holy See and the State of Israel, and of course with the Jewish people, and the importance of the very sensitive issues and challenges we experience today,” he said. Herzog’s role as Israeli president is largely ceremonial. A former Labour party leader, he has called for unity and compromise since taking office. — The Associated Press ;