In this week’s headlines, dozens of restaurants stop serving straws, the police ask for help on a number of cases, U of M students get worried, and more.

Missing Persons Alert

Scott Hadath

The family of a Winnipeg man who has been missing since Monday is desperate to find their loved one who disappeared after getting off work. “We’re very distraught right now,” Robert Hadath told CBC Thursday.His brother Scott Hadath has been missing since Monday afternoon when he got off work around 3 p.m. from his job at Canadian Tire on Fermor Avenue. Winnipeg police and Manitoba RCMP are now searching for the missing 39-year-old.

“This is just not something that you’d expect from Scott,” his brother said. “It’s just out of character for him, so we have no idea what to think at this point.” He’s very reliable.” Hadath, who lives with his mother in the Windsor Park area of Winnipeg, said family started to get worried after his brother didn’t show up for work on Tuesday and they couldn’t get in touch with him on his cellphone.
“Generally if he would go out, he would go out maybe for a couple hours, right, and then he’d be back,” Hadath said. Hadath said friends and family have searched everywhere they can think Scott might be, including the Whiteshell area, where his family owns a cabin, and are desperate to find him. “It’s quite the emotional roller-coaster,” he said. Scott Hadath is described as 5-foot-10 with a heavy build, a beard and hazel eyes.

ScottHadath is believed to be driving a 2015 black Mini Cooper with Manitoba licence plate HJB 662. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to call the Winnipeg missing persons unit at 204-986-6250.

Star Alicia Thomas
The Winnipeg Police Service is asking for the public’s help in finding Star Alicia Thomas.

The 17-year-old girl was last seen in the West End area of Winnipeg on the evening of June 16. She also went missing earlier this year, in May, and was found a couple of weeks later.

Thomas is described as being five feet tall with a thin build, shoulder-length black hair and brown eyes. Anyone with any information regarding her whereabouts is asked to contact the Missing Persons Unit at 204-986-6250.

Poverty & Community Outreach

• Summer building spree to yield 12 mini homes in Long Plain First Nation: CBC
• ‘It’s pretty desperate’: Winnipeg daycare destroyed by fire: CBC
• Councillors seek an end to bullying: Winnipeg Free Press
• Family fair offers warm welcome for immigrants, refugees, Indigenous people new to Winnipeg: CBC
• Fake claims of connection to burned daycare speak to ‘desperate’ need for spots: chair: CBC
• Above and beyond, meet the 22 year old Winnipeg man who shared his community money award with the Bear Clan patrol: APTN News

Disability & Accessibility

• Letter calls on minister to include education in accessibility legislation: CBC

Refugees & Race

• Manitoba, 2036: Statistics Canada projects a more diverse province in the future:CBC
• Winnipeg man wants answers after being refused entry to the U.S.: CBC
• Groups ask Federal Court to strike down Safe Third Country deal with the U.S.:CBC
• Safe Third Country challenge gives hope to asylum seekers: Winnipeg Free Press
• Asylum seeker’s three-year trek ends in tragedy: Winnipeg Free Press
• Water safety course for newcomers not in plans for province: Winnipeg Free Press
• A first July 1 to remember: Winnipeg Free Press

Environment

• Racking up frustration: Winnipeg cyclist finds some ‘bike-friendly’ buses don’t have racks: CBC
• Winnipeg lobbies province for wastewater licence change that would send more pollution to lake: CBC
• City wants province to amend sewage plant licence to save $30M: Winnipeg Free Press
• Hydro bill begone! Couple harnesses sun in big way: Winnipeg Free Press
• Want to save the planet? Start by saying no to the plastic straw: CBC, Winnipeg Free Press

Health

• Manitoba man on his 3rd heart has lots of love for organ donors: CBC
• Misericordia eye care centre to remain open 24/7: CBC, Winnipeg Free Press
• Rural Manitoba mother stunned by 64-minute wait for paramedics: CBC
• Most disagree with ER closures: poll: Winnipeg Free Press

Indigenous

• Missing and murdered inquiry commissioner tries to quell concerns over staff resignations: CBC
• ‘It needs a restart’: Manitoba chief calls on MMIW inquiry head to resign: CBC,Winnipeg Free Press
• Inquiry forges ahead despite growing criticism: Winnipeg Free Press
• ‘We finally found one another’: Man sent to New Zealand in Sixties Scoop connects with Winnipeg family: CBC
• Manitoba elder offers to restore damaged petroform at Whiteshell Park: CBC
• Neechi Commons in dire straits: Winnipeg Free Press
• For some, watching Canada 150 celebrations hurts: Winnipeg Free Press
• Construction begins on Freedom Road to Shoal Lake 40: APTN News

Justice

• Winnipeg man wants answers after nearly drowning at YMCA pool: CBC
• Former Sears employees worry about lost severance, possible reduced pension: CBC
• Face to face with his father’s killer: Winnipeg Free Press

• Teen sought in connection with killing in North End Winnipeg: CBC
• Police ask for public’s help finding homicide suspect:  Winnipeg Free Press
• Police seek witnesses to stabbings at Canada Day block party:  Winnipeg Free Press

• Andrea Giesbrecht, who disposed of babies in storage locker, in court for sentencing submissions: CBC, Winnipeg Free Press
• 4th person charged in connection with killing in Winnipeg’s North End: CBC
• 5th arrest made in Father’s Day shooting death of dad: CBC,  Winnipeg Free Press
• Court allows publication of slaying suspect’s name, photo:  Winnipeg Free Press
• Winnipeg mom fires her lawyer in child abduction case, asks judge to delay trial: Winnipeg Free Press
• Suspect arrested in attempted abduction of North End girl:  Winnipeg Free Press
• Court upholds sexual assault conviction of woman with HIV who had unprotected sex:  Winnipeg Free Press

Politics

• U of M students worried about possible faculty strike as bargaining hasn’t begun:CBC
• U of M students want guarantee in wake of last year’s strike, new wage control bill:Winnipeg Free Press

• Manitoba public-sector unions launch court challenge over wage freezes: steveCBC, Winnipeg Free Press
• Pallister’s habit of secrecy ramps up fear factor: Winnipeg Free Press
• Strategic jobs targeted in health cuts: Winnipeg Free Press

• Down but not out, MLA fighting for rule change: Winnipeg Free Press
• Riding association to weigh supporting MLA Fletcher: Winnipeg Free Press
• Ousted PC backbencher Steven Fletcher plans legal challenge for right to cross the floor: CBC

• Could Manitoba non-profits benefit from private backers?: CBC
• Province looking for consultant to set up social impact bonds program: CBC, Winnipeg Free Press

• City wants greater oversight of board of revision: Winnipeg Free Press

• Northern rail company estimates Churchill line can be fixed for $2M: CBC
• Churchill, Man., weighs risk of climate change on future of port, railway: CBC

Cultural

• ‘We were hurt a bit, and horrified’: Filipino resident in Neepawa reacts to racist graffiti: CBC, Winnipeg Free Press

Check out our human rights calendar for upcoming events!

The summer is always a little bit less busy, as people take time to enjoy the outdoors and relax – but stay tuned to our calendar! We’ll keep looking for events to add in the coming weeks! 🙂