Latest news with #PrairieGreen
CBC
a day ago
- CBC
Winnipeg police chief says he advocated for landfill search for remains of murdered women
Winnipeg police Chief Gene Bowers says he advocated for a landfill search when of the police service was deliberating whether to conduct excavations to locate the remains of two First Nations women murdered by a serial killer. Bowers, who was sworn in as police chief in March, said Friday that when he served as deputy chief in charge of investigations for the Winnipeg Police Service, he spoke in favour of searching the Prairie Green landfill north of Winnipeg for the remains of Marcedes Myran and Morgan Harris. Myran, 26, and Harris, 39, were originally from Long Plain First Nation, west of Winnipeg. They were among four First Nations women murdered by serial killer Jeremy Skibicki in early 2022. The police service opted not to conduct a search at Prairie Green after investigators concluded in 2022 that the remains of the two women were transported to the privately run landfill. The remains of both Harris and Myran were located in the landfill in March 2025, following a search commissioned by the provincial NDP government. In response to a question about his role in the decision making about the search, Bowers said he always supported it. "There was a voice at the table that thought that we should search," he said, clarifying he was that voice. "There were other things to consider regarding that. Obviously, that wasn't what occurred, but the service as a whole has always been supportive of a humanitarian search for the remains, and that is something that I've been involved with." Skibicki was convicted in July 2024 of four counts of first-degree murder in the killings of Myran, Harris, Rebecca Contois — a 24-year-old member of O-Chi-Chak-Ko-Sipi First Nation — and a then unidentified woman known as Mashkode Bizhiki'ikwe, or Buffalo Woman. She has since been identified as Ashlee Shingoose, a 30-year-old from St. Theresa Point Anisininew Nation. Bowers succeeded former Winnipeg police chief Danny Smyth, who retired from the police service in 2024. Smyth has not responded to requests for comment since the remains of Myran and Harris were located in March. Bowers said he is committed to advancing reconciliation in Winnipeg and is in the process of hiring an external consultant to advise the police service on reconciliation and other issues related to cultural sensitivities. Bowers said he has a consultant in mind for the job, but the paperwork has not been signed and he cannot divulge a budget for the sole-sourced contract. Bowers said among other tasks, the consultant will assist the service with collecting race-based data involving police interactions. Social activists have requested the police collect this data, especially when it pertains to the use of force.
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Yahoo
Albino squirrel drives attention to SF golf course
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO)—It's the week of the Masters, which has many people focused on the golf stars. However, something else has become the celebrity at a Sioux Falls golf course. Spring has sprung at Prairie Green Golf Course in Sioux Falls. While practicing your swing, you'll probably notice some critters sharing the space. 'This summer, we will have Prairie Green Audubon International certified, which is a big deal. So, basically what that means is, we have to document all the wildlife that's on the course, anything we bring in, building habitats for them and such. So, we've got a lot of different critters out on the golf course,' Sioux Falls Golf general manager Cat Clark said. Documents shed light on pair of shootings & wounded Police officer Earlier this season, someone noticed a special guest at the golf course– an albino squirrel, who has since been named Q-tip by the Sioux Falls Park and Rec Department. Up until Tuesday, Prairie Green Head PGA Professional Chris Lane didn't know if he quite believed that Q-tip existed. 'Without seeing it, no, I didn't believe it. Everybody's been talking about it. But I never seen him,' Lane said. That was until Wednesday when he saw the white squirrel firsthand and took these photos. 'We were just getting ready for the morning. I just happened to look, to the west here a little bit and over the driving range and thought it was a shopping bag blowing across the driving range there, and it stopped a couple times,' Lane said. 'So I just figured out that that had to be him. So I cruised over there with a golf cart to see if I could get a little bit closer look. And sure enough, it was him.' We decided to go out and search for Q-tip ourselves, and the little critter made an appearance. It seemed that he was as curious of us, as we were of him. While Q-tip has proven to be elusive, you might just be able to catch a glimpse while you're on the course. 'It's 1 in 100,000 as the chances of a white squirrel. So, you know, it's just one more white thing to chase out here other than a golf ball, right? So, you know, it's cool. We'll keep him happy and healthy here on the course as long as he likes to stay. And, hopefully, he brings us some good luck out here, too,' Clark said. In order to catch a glimpse of Q-tip, you do need to be golfing there. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
