In this week’s headlines, 21 asylum seekers cross into Emerson, Manitoba, in a single evening, Thunderbird House struggles to stay open, the man formerly known as Vincent Li is granted an absolute discharge, and more.

Missing Persons Alert

UPDATE: Holly Siemens has been found.

Poverty & Community Outreach

• Winnipeg musicians tune up for fundraiser to help give kids a chance to play: CBC
• United Way launching 211 website to connect people with services: CBC
• New website the place to go for help in Manitoba: Winnipeg Free Press
• Shelter from the storm: Winnipeg Free Press
• Pop up shelters popping up around Winnipeg saving lives on a cold winters night:APTN

Refugees & Race

• Winnipeg grocer wants fresh food to combat hate for newcomers: CBC
• ‘I’m in Winnipeg and I like it’: Newcomer youth meet to talk job skills, challenges:CBC
• 21 asylum seekers crossed into Manitoba Saturday: reeve: CBC
• Somali asylum seekers en route to Canada caught, turned back by U.S. border officials: CBC
• Many Somalis in Minnesota ‘willing to take the risk’ to sneak into Canada: CBC
• Manitoba NDP joins call to end controversial Canada-U.S. Safe Third Country Agreement: CBC
• The long road to refuge: Once across the border, a mountain of paperwork for asylum seekers: CBC
• ‘Busiest night yet‘ for asylum seekers: Winnipeg Free Press
• Refugees keen on crossing into Manitoba: Winnipeg Free Press
• Desperate journey: CBC
• ‘We’re willing to step up,’ says Emerson reeve after emergency meeting: CBC
• ‘Informal’ network helping refuge seekers get to Manitoba, U.S. officials say: CBC
• ‘This is right off the scale’: Border town seeks help after spike in refugees: CBC
• 22 refugees entered Manitoba near Emerson border over the weekend: CBC
• Calls grow to end unsafe crossings: Winnipeg Free Press
• ‘This is the end of my life,’ refugee thought: Winnipeg Free Press
• Border town desperate for help as refugees pour in: Winnipeg Free Press
• Local leaders put plans in place for refugees, resources: Winnipeg Free Press
• Gov’t sponsorship of Yazidi refugees may focus on sex slaves, child soldiers:Winnipeg Free Press

Environment

Health

• PCs refuse to release review: NDP: Winnipeg Free Press
• Winnipeg improv show to raise funds for beloved actor following stroke: CBC
• ‘Fill up with loving food’: Painted plates promote positive message for people living with HIV: CBC
• ‘We’ll help them get to yes’: CancerCare Foundation hopeful despite huge funding cut: CBC
• Abortion pill Mifegymiso months away from coming to Manitoba: CBC
• Manitoba Tories scrap over $1B in health-care infrastructure projects: CBC,Winnipeg Free Press
• Review of health care in Manitoba recommends massive changes: CBC, Winnipeg Free Press
• Goertzen asks CancerCare to ‘re-imagine’ now-dead $300M facility: Winnipeg Free Press
• Canadian agency’s blood pressure up after donor rules change: Winnipeg Free Press
• The poignant wishes of a brave young girl: Winnipeg Free Press
• eHealth conference in Winnipeg hopes to expand communication in isolated communities: APTN
• A little girl from Manitoba has a big vision for her home community: APTN

Indigenous

• Investigator’s report suggests Lake St. Martin ballots sold for up to $300: CBC
• Manitoba chief loses cousin to suicide while in Ottawa to discuss crisis: CBC
• MKO Grand Chief calls on Ottawa to take action against suicide crisis on Manitoba First Nations: CBC
• Thunderbird House fights to keep doors open amid financial woes: CBC
• New home to replace rat-infested Sandy Bay trailer delayed: CBC
• Sandy Bay First Nation family wondering if council will pour foundation for new home: APTN
• Indigenous people say racism-tainted drive-by violence all too common: CBC
• Young St. Theresa Point hockey players bring NHL dreams to Winnipeg: CBC
• Ottawa about ready to name Manitoba treaty commissioner: Winnipeg Free Press
• ‘An unreal feeling’: Peguis musician William Prince nominated for 2 Juno Awards: CBC
• Debt-ridden First Nations group to give audit of ex-chief to RCMP: Winnipeg Free Press
• Riel walking stick part of Manitoba Museum’s new exhibit: Winnipeg Free Press

Justice

• No connection between Candace Derksen’s killing and teen found in boxcar, officer testifies: CBC
• Court hears testimony from woman who claims abduction similar to Candace Derksen: Winnipeg Free Press
• Grant retrial: Teen’s slaying, boxcar incident not related, officer testifies: Winnipeg Free Press
• DNA results that led to Grant conviction ‘scientifically corrupt,’ says professor: Winnipeg Free Press, CBC
• DNA evidence linking accused killer to Candace Derksen can’t be trusted: defence
  expert: Winnipeg Free Press
• Homicide charges too difficult to prove in Andrea Giesbrecht case, experts say: CBC
• Andrea Giesbrecht‘s lawyer Greg Brodsky: Winnipeg Free Press
• Andrea Giesbrecht, found guilty in dead-infants case, awaits sentencing: Winnipeg Free Press
• Dan the Magic Man pleads guilty to 2 counts of child pornography: CBC, Winnipeg Free Press
• 3 attacks in 30 minutes: A victim’s warning for women in downtown Winnipeg: CBC
• No charges recommended against officers in deadly Winnipeg police shooting: CBC
• Police ‘justified’ in shooting driver who led officers on city chase: Winnipeg Free Press
• Man arrested after string of downtown assaults: Winnipeg Free Press
• Police issue safety warning after downtown assaults: Winnipeg Free Press
• Police ask for public’s help in two North End homicide investigations: Winnipeg Free Press
• Police looking for suspect in sex assault on teen girl: Winnipeg Free Press
• Teen facing upgraded murder charge in first homicide of 2017: Winnipeg Free Press
• Girl beaten under CFS care now permanent ward: Winnipeg Free Press

• Vince Li, man who beheaded passenger on Greyhound bus, given absolute discharge: CBC
• Vince Li could get absolute discharge: CBC, Winnipeg Free Press
• Vince Li granted absolute discharge by Criminal Code Review Board: Winnipeg Free Press
• Review board told Baker’s treatment straightforward: Winnipeg Free Press
• ‘Model patient’ or ‘potential risk?’ Review board considers absolute discharge in Vince Li case: Winnipeg Free Press
• Will Baker — formerly known as Vince Li — leaves court: Winnipeg Free Press
• Victim’s family disappointed by Vince Li’s discharge: CBC

Politics

• Protesters rally for electoral reform, saying Trudeau reneged on election promise: CBC
• Company suing city after being ordered to dig up pipe for leak that turned out to be on city property: CBC
• Union leaders say Pallister pushing ahead with civil service cuts: CBC
• ‘We were shocked’: 11 property owners may have to pay $1.6M in improvement fees: CBC
• ‘101 on impact fees’: Councillor to host meeting to explain growth fees: CBC
• Lawyer set to become city’s first integrity commissioner: Winnipeg Free Press
• Kinew won’t run for federal NDP leadership: Winnipeg Free Press
• Sleepless, seething farmers feeling bullied, bulldozed by Bipole: Winnipeg Free Press
• Inquest may tell us what police refuse to say: Winnipeg Free Press
• Taxpayers lobby, NDP in lockstep over money for Hydro: Winnipeg Free Press,Winnipeg Free Press
• Mayor to bring call for police HQ inquiry to committee next week: Winnipeg Free Press
• MLA ponders political options after expulsion by NDP: Winnipeg Free Press

• Browaty’s spot as police board chair safe for now, Bowman says: CBC
• What about Bowman’s blunder?: Winnipeg Free Press
• Police board to weigh Browaty’s fate: Winnipeg Free Press
• Mayor accepts Browaty’s resignation, looks for new police board chair: Winnipeg Free Press
• Mayor plans to meet with Browaty before making police board decision: Winnipeg Free Press
• Aboriginal council president says Browaty should stay on police board: Winnipeg Free Press
• Jeff Browaty resigns as chair of Winnipeg Police Board: CBC

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