War brewing between African Mafia and B-Side Gang, court hears

The African Mafia has been putting out hit contracts on rival gang members responsible for nearly beating to death an innocent Sudanese man in West Broadway in 2009, the Winnipeg Sun reported. Defence lawyer Jodi Ostapiw told Judge Dale Schille of the contracts on March 12 during the sentencing of 22-year-old Justin Kirstein. Kirstein, a former B-Side member, was one of six who beat the 19-year-old victim so bad he suffered a major brain injury. The B-Side members believed the man, who was not named, to be a rival drug dealer, according to the Sun. The man had no gang connections and now requires lifelong medical care. Ostapiw told court the African Mafia has put a price on Kirstein’s head and his co-accused, which included William Edward Moar, who was shot to death inside Johnny G’s on Main Street in mid-February. Police say they have not found links between Moar’s death and the 2009 beating.

Winnipeg bidding to host Canada Summer Games

City council’s executive policy committee has rubber-stamped a $3-million plan to upgrade recreational facilities in Winnipeg in a bid to host the Canada Summer Games in 2017, the Winnipeg Free Press reported. Mayor Sam Katz put forth the motion on March 13, which calls on the provincial and federal governments to also contribute $3 million in capital funding to the upgrades. According to Hubert Mesman, who is heading the bid committee, the event will attract 4,500 athletes across Canada and bring up to 20,000 visitors from outside provinces. Halifax, which held the bi-annual sport event in 2011, saw $130 million in economic benefits, Katz told the committee. Winnipeg has until April 6 to submit its bid, which has yet to be approved by council. The host city will be announced at the end of April. The games will be held this year in Sherbrooke, Que. Prince George, B.C., will host the games in 2015.

Feds moving to demolish ELA site buildings

Ottawa is beginning to move on demolishing some cabins at the Experimental Lakes Area, the Winnipeg Free Press reported. Demolition work on five cabins began last week, causing some scientists in the program to worry the government is backing away from negotiations with organizations to take over the research area, a series of 58 lakes in Lake of the Woods. The government said it will no longer fund the ELA, which received $2 million a year, beyond March 31. The ELA has operated for the last four decades and has led to many scientific discoveries that have directed public policy. The government said it was negotiating with private groups to take over the program, but no agreements have been reached. Over the last decade, Ottawa has spent $3.5 million on ELA buildings, including $850,000 for three new labs as part of the Economic Action Plan in 2009, the Free Press reported.

Published in Volume 67, Number 24 of The Uniter (March 21, 2013)