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A Manitoba judge says she needs more time to determine the sentence for a youth who killed and dismembered his own father.  The judge in the case said she won’t say when she’ll pass sentence on the now 19 year old man, who plead guilty to first degree murder.  Back in 2009, the teen hit his 49 year old father in the head with a hammer and stabbed him to death in their Charleswood home.  He then cut up his father’s body and drove to a location north of Lake St. Martin to dump the remains.

A 48 year old man is in critical condition after trying to stop 2 males from attacking his 18 year old daughter with a baseball bat.  Cops say a group of people were in a yard when they were approached by the suspects.  After a brief conversation, one of them swung the bat and hit the young woman.  The father tried to step in but was badly beaten.  2-15 year old boys have now been charged with aggravated assault and assault with a weapon.

If you’re planning on filling up this morning before heading to the lake this weekend….get ready to pay more.  The price of gas is up today…just in time for the weekend.  The price of regular gas jumped up from 1.14 a litre to 1.20 a litre at most station’s around town.

The good news?  Hurricane Irene has lost some of her punch this morning.  The bad news?  The storm is still taking aim at the east coast of the U.S.  Irene has now been downgraded to a Category 2 hurricane…but that’s still strong enough to deliver 175 klick winds and a ton of rain.  The storm’s eye is expected to make landfall tomorrow in North Carolina, then barrel up the coast through Washington, New York and Boston.  The Canadian Hurricane Center presidents Irene will affect Atlantic Canada and parts of Quebec by late Sunday and into Monday.

Machinegun fire continues this morning in Libya’s chaotic capital of Tripoli, where rebels continue to battle forces loyal to Moammar Gadhafi.  The whereabouts of the longtime dictator remain unknown, 3 days after rebels overran his compound.  The rebels by the way, have now put a 2 million dollar price tag on Gadhafi’s head.

Jack Layton has returned to the spot where his career in politics really began.  Last night, the body of the NDP leader arrived at Toronto City Hall, where Layton was a councilor in the 1980’s.  His flag draped casket will lie in repose today and tomorrow morning.  Layton’s state funeral will take place in Toronto tomorrow afternoon.

Forecasters predict up to 65 million people will feel the effects of Hurricane Irene over the next 3 days.  The eye of the now downgraded Category 2 hurricane, is expected to make landfall in North Carolina tomorrow, then plow its way up the U.S. east coast.  Heavy damage is feared in cities like Washington, Baltimore, Philly, New York and Boston.  On top of her 175 kilometer an hour winds…Irene is also bringing massive rain.  In fact forecasters say some 250 millimeters could get dumped in areas.

It’s been a month since 33 year old Nancy Swenty disappeared and friends and family are now pleading for help from the public.  Swenty was last seen back on July 27^th at her home in Fisher Branch.  Her pickup truck was found abandoned 4 days later….and there was no sign of her.  This weekend another search will take place…and, if you can help you’re asked to meet at the Fisher Branch rink at 10 a.m. tomorrow.  RCMP also remind the public that if you know anything about this disappearance you’re asked to call them or crime stoppers.

Strong winds yesterday created significant increases in water levels around parts of Lake Manitoba.  Levels were up .7 feet before receding.  Waves also pounded the shoreline in several areas, like Delta Beach.  But the province says it’s too early to say if there’s been much damage as a result.  Winds are forecast to be high again today and tomorrow though.

Rotting food and strong winds are attracting hungry polar bears to the wreckage of that deadly Arctic plane crash.  Along with the passengers and crew, the chartered plane coming from Yellowknife was carrying more than 2 thousand kilos of food when it crashed into a hillside near the Resolute airport last weekend.  12 people died, and only 3 people survived.  One of those who passed away was Winnipegger Martin Bergmann.

That farmer who caused quite the kerfuffle when he walked into the Portage la Prairie RCMP detachment with a live grenade…says he thought it was a dud.  Idzerd Boersma was tilling his garden when he heard a clunk and thought he had hit a rock.  But when he stepped off his tractor to pick it up, he realized it was a grenade.  He picked it up, put in the cup holder of his truck and drove the RCMP detachment.  Well as we told you yesterday, the detachment was immediately evacuated and the RCMP had to call in the military to deal with it.  Boersma by the way says he’s learned his lesson…if ever finds something like that again…he’ll just leave it alone and call authorities.

With a provincial election is just around the corner, a veteran NDP member says during this time of grieving over the death of Jack Layton, no one wants to think how his passing might impact the politics of the campaign.  But, Bill Blaikie, who is not running for re-election, says everyone involved will be inspired to work a little harder in tribute to Layton. 

Well thousands of people have paid their last respects to the late Jack Layton and more are expected to do so today on Parliament Hill.  The Opposition NDP leader, who died Monday of cancer at 61, is lying in state in the House of Commons foyer, where public visitation will resume this morning.  Layton will be given a 15 gun salute on the Hill this afternoon before his casket is driven to Toronto ahead of Saturday’s state funeral.

So far there are no reports of any deaths in the Bahamas, where Hurricane Irene is roaring across the entire island chain as a Category 3 storm.  Forecasters fear Irene could become a monster Cat 4 storm later today.  And it’s still too early to predict exactly where she’ll make landfall in the U.S.  Most computer models say it could be anywhere from North Carolina to New York.

Phone tekkies have something to get excited about.  The I-phone 5 is expected to be unveiled in the next couple of months.  And this morning, Research in Motion is rolling out a new music sharing service for BlackBerry customers who use the smartphone’s popular instant messenger.  The company says BBM Music is a cloud based service that allows those using BlackBerry messenger, to access and share music.  A trial of the service begins today in this country as well as the U.S. and the U.K.

From North Carolina to the shores of New England, officials are calculating what they need to do if Irene becomes the first major hurricane to hit the East Coast in 7 years.  They’re scrambling to inspect bridges, dusting off evacuation plans and trying to figure out where to move people.  Irene could hit North Carolina in the next couple of days….but it could also strike further up the east coast and slam places like Virginia and New York.

Apple C.E.O. Steve Jobs has called it quits.  The man behind the iPhone, the iPod, iPad and more, resigned yesterday.  Jobs has struggled with health issues in recent years, including pancreatic cancer. 

Florida authorities say Casey Anthony has reported to begin her one year probation for last year’s check-fraud convictions.  The state’s corrections department says she came in sometime last night, but didn’t say where.  Anthony has of course been out of sight, amid death threats since her acquittal last month of killing her 2 year old daughter Caylee.

Okay so imagine this…..you’re out tilling the ground and you find what’s believed to be a live hand grenade !  Well it happened.  The Mounties say a 43 year old man from the R.M. of Portage la Prairie came into the detachment yesterday with the grenade.  RCMP immediately evacuated the building.  Police called members of the 17 Wing Explosive Disposal Flight, who came from the city and took the rusty, old device.

City police say a man was injured in a fight outside a Winnipeg soup kitchen.  Witnesses say the fight began yesterday morning when a volunteer threw loaves of bread on the ground outside the Agape Table soup kitchen.  Then, someone started throwing hot coffee, and then a mug, into the face of one man, who was taken to hospital. 

It’s been an incredible summer in southern Manitoba….and yesterday it continued.  We hit an incredible 37 degrees above, melting the old record of 36.7 set way back in 1952.  But the heat hasn’t been welcome everywhere.  The sizzling temps this summer and little rain, have not only browned lawns and sent air conditioners into overdrive, but it’s even damaged foundations of some homes in the city.  One contractor says you can prevent that problem from happening by literally watering your foundation in the hot weather.

The province has issued wind alerts for the north and sound basins of Lake Winnipeg.  Winds speeds are expected to gust to almost 70 klicks an hour by this morning.  Officials say that can raise water levels on shore by as much as a meter….so property owners are being advised to take precautions.

Starting today, Canadians will get the chance to pay their last respects to Jack Layton by walking by his closed casket on Parliament Hill.  His body will lie in state in the foyer outside the House of Commons today and tomorrow.  A state funeral will then be held in Toronto on Saturday afternoon.  Layton sadly passed away from cancer on Monday at the age of 61.

He’s free to go.  Dominique Strauss-Kahn should get his passport back today and is cleared to leave the U.S.  Yesterday, a Manhattan judge dropped all of the sexual assault charges against the Frenchman and former head of the International Monetary Fund.  Prosecutors say they could no longer trust the hotel maid who accused him of attacking her.

Moammar Gadhafi is out of sight….but certainly not silent.  In the latest speech aired today by local t.v., the besieged dictator has called on the residents of the Libyan capital to free Tripoli from the devils who have overrun it.  Libyan rebels still can’t claim victory, even after storming Gadhafi’s Tripoli compound yesterday.  Gadhafi and his powerful sons are still unaccounted for and gunbattles are still raging across the capital.

Here’s something kinda interesting…..Halifax researchers say they’ve calculated a new estimate for the number of different species living on Earth.  And, it’s pretty large.  In results published yesterday, scientists say the number of species worldwide is about 8.7 million.  That’s considerably more than the current known total of 1.2 million animals, plants, fungi and other organisms.  If these Canadian scientists are correct, it does mean that 86 per cent of the species in the world have yet to be discovered.

If you have plans on flying east in the next few days…listen up!  Hurricane Irene is threatening to become the most powerful storm to hit the East Coast in 7 years.  Forecasters say the storm is likely going to strengthen to a category 4 by the time it makes landfall….most likely in North Carolina this weekend.  Experts also say the storm could blow into eastern Canada sometime between late Sunday and early Tuesday.

Some folks on the U.S. East Coast say when yesterday’s earthquake hit….right away their thoughts were of an explosion or terror attack.  Even the White House and the Capitol building were evacuated.  The 5.8 magnitude quake was centered in Virginia, where it shattered windows and wrecked grocery stores.  Many Canadians also felt yesterday’s tremor from southwestern Ontario all the way to eastern New Brunswick.

L.A. police are investigating a threatening letter sent to late night t.v. host Craig Ferguson.  The letter contained a white powder…which fortunately turned out to be harmless.  2 people at CBS television city where the show is filmed, did have to be held in temporary isolation….until officials realized the powder was nothing to worry about.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper is paying tribute to Martin Bergmann.  He’s the Winnipeg-based director of the country’s Polar Continental Shelf Project in Nunavut.  As we told you yesterday, Bergmann died in a plane crash in Nunavut on the weekend that also killed 12 other people.  Harper says Bergmann spent his life in pursuit of sharing the importance and relevance of the Arctic through science.

A medium security prison in the province was put on partial lockdown yesterday, this after 100 inmates refused to return to their cells.  Guy Langlois, assistant warder at Stony Mtn., said the standoff started when the convicts took control of their range, using desks as barricades.  The incident ended after 3 hours of negotiation…and there were no injuries or damage to the jail.

Manitobans are being invited to sign a book of condolences at the legislature for Jack Layton.  The federal NDP leader died yesterday after battling cancer for a 2^nd time.  Premier Greg Selinger remembered Layton as a man of great conviction…who overcame many challenges in his political and personal life.

A Winnipeg bantamweight is about to get his shot at fame on reality t.v.  Roland Delorme is one of 32 fighters in the case of season 14 of “The Ultimate Fighter.”  The 27 year old Delorme is affiliated with the Winnipeg Academy of MMA.  This season by the way will be the last on Spike t.v., before the UFC kicks off a brand new agreement with Fox.

NDP leader Jack Layton will be honored with a state funeral in his hometown of Toronto this weekend.  The honor is usually reserved only for Prime Ministers, Governors General, or sitting cabinet ministers.  But Prime Minister Harper has dumped tradition and extended the offer to Layton’s partner, Olivia Chow…and she has accepted. 

The county coroner says this month’s stage collapse at the Indiana State Fair has now claimed 7 lives.  A 24 year old young woman who suffered massive head injuries has died. 

So does PC mean personal computer, or political correctness?  And what about Amazon?  Does it mean online shopping or the South American jungle?  This year’s Beloit College, “Mindset List” contains 75 items meant to remind college profs, that cultural references familiar to them might draw blank stares from freshmen born mostly in 1993.  As an example…O.J. Simpson has been searching for his wife’s killer ever since these students were in diapers…and Ferris Bueller could be their father !

Well the Canadian economy is about to get a boost in the next couple of weeks.  A new survey says Canadians will spend an average of 319 dollars on back to school purchases this year.  It says consumers expect to pay 25 to 40 bucks for things like pencils, notebooks and binders…and between 210 and 260 dollars on clothes.  The back to school shopping season trails only Christmas as the most important of the year.

The whereabouts of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi remains a mystery, but 2 of his sons who rebels had claimed were in custody…are free.  Gadhafi’s once heir apparent, Sayf al-Islam, turned up today at a Tripoli hotel, vowing to reporters that the battle wasn’t over.  A U.S. official says however, that 90 per cent of the capital is now under rebel control.  Prime Minister Harper meantime has welcomed the news that Gadhafi’s 42 year rule appears to be nearing its end.

Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner’s family just keeps on growing.  Reps for both actors say they’re expecting their 3^rd child and are thrilled.  Affleck and Garner, who are both 39, already have 2 daughters.

A Winnipeg based man, well respected in Arctic science circles, is among the death from a weekend jet crash in Nunavut.  Martin Bergmann was the director of the country’s Polar Continental Shelf Project in Resolute.  RCMP say 12 people were killed and 3 others injured when the First Air 737 crashed in Resolute this weekend.

A 17 year old city girl is facing a manslaughter charge after a social event between 2 families turned deadly this weekend.  Cops say they believe a domestic dispute escalated when family members intervened, and many in the group armed themselves with weapons.  During the incident, police say 2 people collided in their vehicles and subsequently hit 3 pedestrians.  A 40 year old man died, while 2 others are still in hospital.

A 30 year old man is facing charges this after police say he used a green laser pointer at the Winnipeg police helicopter.  Cops say the chopper was searching for fleeing suspects at the time.  The pilot had to take evasive action due to the beam, which police said hit the helicopter 4 separate times.  The did get their man though and he’s now been charged with assault with a weapons, and projection of a bright light source at an aircraft.

Residents of the southwestern Ontario town of Goderich will be picking up the pieces today…this after a devastating tornado that left one person dead.  The twister came packing winds of 300 kilometers an hour…making it Ontario’s most powerful tornado in over a decade.  A state of emergency is now in effect in the town, where the town’s center is also off limits because there’s so much damage.

Time is quickly running out for Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi.  Rebels are now said to control 95 per cent of the capital of Tripoli, with the remainder in the hands of Gadhafi’s forces.  Gadhafi, who’s been Libya’s dictator for 42 years, appears to be in hiding.  NATO says its air patrols will also continue until all Gadhafi loyalists surrender.

Hard to believe but, gold is up again after ending last week at a record high.  The precious metal gained more than 35 dollars this morning, and is now trading at just under 1888 dollars U.S. an ounce.

There are signs prosecutors in New York are about to drop charges against Dominique Strauss-Kahn.  The former head of the International Monetary Fund, is accused of sexually assaulting a Manhattan hotel maid…charges he denies.  Sources say prosecutors will likely drop the charges today, citing a lack of evidence as well as doubts about the maid’s credibility.

The financial week is off to a negative start in Asia, amid signs the global economy is really beginning to slow down.  In Tokyo today, the Nikkei index is down 91 points and in Hong Kong it’s even worse.  The Hang Seng Index is down 277 points.  This follows 4 per cent drops suffered last week by Toronto’s TSX and the Dow Jones in New York.

You know that freaky Burger King mascot….the King?  Well after years of both print and t.v. ads…some of them a little creepy….the King is gonna be retired.  The fast food company, has suffered declining sales, and is rolling out a new ad campaign which apparently will focus on its burgers only.

Sad story here.  A 5 year old girl found walking alone near a busy city intersection, went unclaimed by her parents or guardians for almost a full day after police picked her up.  A passerby called officers after spotting the child alone Wednesday morning.  Several hours later someone called police to let them know where they could find the child’s parents.  Child and Family Services says the girl is safe, but won’t say if she’s back at home or now in care.

The City says it isn’t barking up the wrong tree with its new zero tolerance policy on dog licensing.  Starting next month, owners of dogs more than 6 months of age, who are not licensed, will be facing a hefty 250 dollar fine. And further, if an unlicensed dog is impounded, the owner is responsible for paying boarding and impound fees.  Dog licenses cost 27 bucks a year for a spayed or neutered animal, and 62 dollars for others.

An award winning Winnipeg Scout leader charged with sexually assaulting a teen, also worked with 2 city school divisions.  Stuart Garrett Young was an educational assistant at Vincent Massey Collegiate recently and also worked for the Winnipeg One school division.  As we told you yesterday, Young is charged with sexually assaulting a teen, that cops say he knew through Venturer Scouts. 

A full house is expected at tomorrow’s funeral in southern Alberta for Winnipeg Jets forward Rick Rippen.  His agent says a public service will be held at an arena near Crowsnest Pass, where Rippen grew up and lived.  Sadly the 27 year old was found dead in his home on Monday, in a case that police have classified as not suspicious.  According to several reports, Rippen had been suffering from depression for the past 10 years.

Well amid some pretty big concerns for the global economy, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty will try to calm at least our markets this morning.  He’s due to appear with Bank of Canada Governor, Mark Carney, before a Commons finance committee to reassure Canadians about how well we’re doing.  Flaherty is expected to say that our economy is actually doing quite well, despite what’s happening to not only our neighbor’s to the south, but around the world.

Another crazy day on the markets….world-wide.  Asian markets took some big losses in overnight trading once again.  And yesterday, Toronto’s TSX and New York’s Dow Jones each plunged about 400 points…or more than 3 per cent.  Traders say the drops were sparked by more signs that the U.S. and European economies are slowing down.

For the 3^rd time since early July, a giant dust storm has enveloped Phoenix, creating dangerous driving conditions and delaying some flights.  Yesterday’s dust fest was created by a powerful thunderstorm.  Experts say the storms, also known in Arabic as haboobs, only happen in Arizona and the Sahara desert, as well as parts of the Middle East.

The price of oil is down again in overnight trading….and so far this week, it’s lost almost 5 per cent.  That’s putting downward pressure on our dollar, which lost another quarter of cent yesterday….to now sit at just over a dollar U.S.  In the last couple of weeks, the loonie has lost over 4 cents.

Big news for all you tekkies out there !  Hewlett-Packard is undergoing one of the biggest shakeups in its 72 year history.  HP says it’ll stop making tablet computers and smart-phones, within 2 months, and it’ll try to sell or spin off its PC business….the world’s largest. 

Up and up it goes…where it stops….well that’s pretty much anybody’s guess.  Thanks to major uncertainty in the markets, the price of gold soared yesterday.  It closed at a brand new record high of 1822 dollars U.S. an ounce.  And it’s up even more in overnight trading…now sitting at 1862 dollars an ounce.  Analysts say investors continue to use gold as a safe haven alternative to the markets.

Another weekend of detours for city drivers.  The Jubilee Overpass will be closed to traffic this weekend.  It’ll shut down at 7 tomorrow morning and will re-open Monday morning at 6 a.m.

A Winnipeg woman has admitted to fleeing the scene of a drunken car crash, leaving her 5 year old daughter behind in the damaged vehicle.  The 33 year old was sentenced yesterday to two years of supervised probation, a 2500 dollar fine, and a 2 year driving ban.  The woman had a blood alcohol level of more than double the legal limit when she sideswiped another vehicle, and then drove into a fence back in March of 2010. 

A couple of city daycare workers who taped a 3 year old boy to a chair have been found not guilty of assault.  The boy demanded his pants be changed because they were soiled, but when told he’d have to wait a minute, he picked up a chair and threw it towards a group of children.  2 workers told the boy he would be taped to the chair if his bad behaviour didn’t stop, but when he picked up another chair, they followed through on the threat.  The boy’s parents were notified of the incident, and they contacted police.

It’s been 3 weeks, and friends and relatives continue to search for a missing woman in the Interlake region.  Nancy Swenty was last seen on July 27^th at her Fisher Branch home.  Her truck was found on the 31^st in an abandoned farmyard near Fraserwood.  RCMP are also involved in the search.

A wildlife biologist says this province’s black bear problems can be solved without killing any more bears.  3 black bears have been shot and killed in the Grand Beach area in the last week alone.  But Lynn Rogers of the North American Bear Center in Minnesota has got some suggestions.  She says studies show putting food out for bears at designated sites…a practice known as diversionary feeding…can keep them away from populated areas.

Well in this age of e-mailing and texting, it likely won’t come as a big shock that the post office is handling fewer pieces of mail.  The Crown corporation says it processed 4.5 per cent fewer letters last year than the year before.  But despite the lower volumes, the post office says its annual profit jumped last year to 439 million dollars, about one and a half times what it made the year before.

The Vancouver police force says it’s being thorough in its investigation of June’s Stanley Cup riot for a reason.  Chief Jim Chu is brushing off those who compare his investigations to those in Britain and criticize his force for not laying one single charge as of yet.  British police have made more than 3 thousand arrests after last week’s mayhem, and charges have also been laid against a thousand of those people.  But Chu says Vancouver investigators are being meticulous with their probe….to make sure they get convictions.

Analysts say in a time of uncertainty, investing in gold seems as good as gold.  But one U.S. expert cautions people who want to cash in their gold jewelry.  Lou Grasso says ya gotta be aware of the quoted price per ounce.  He says some of the cash for gold outlets are paying sellers only 30 per cent of what the actual value of gold is.  By the way, gold closed yesterday 9 dollars higher, and is now just over 1791 dollars U.S. an ounce.

The California Supreme Court has refused to hear an appeal by rock music producer Phil Spector on his murder conviction.  Famous for his work with the Beatles and others, Spector was convicted of 2^nd degree murder in the shooting death of actress Lana Clarkson at his mansion in 2003.  As a result Spector is serving 19 years to life behind bars.

Commissioner Gary Bettman expects the NHL to review its substance abuse and behavioural health program, following the deaths of two players.  Winnipeg Jets forward Rick Rippen was found dead in his home this week, in a case that police say is non suspicious.  And Ex Rangers player Derek Boogard died back in May of an accidental mix of booze and painkillers.  Both players did spend time in the NHL’s special health program. 

Not sure how this is but….his publicist says Emmy winning actor Burt Reynolds is surprised by a foreclosure lawsuit on his home in Jupiter, Florida.  Merrill Lynch Credit claims Reynolds hasn’t made a mortgage payment since September and is seeking to foreclose on the home so that it  can collect 1.2 million dollars for the outstanding debt.

More than 250 residents worried about arson in their cit neighborhood attended a meeting last night.  A fire official told residents of St. James that there’ve been 10 garbage bin fires deliberately set in the last 10 days, and 6 of those spread and burned other properties.  Councillor Scott Fielding says people are scared and the meeting was to get people to work together to be the eyes and ears of police.

Corrections officials have locked down Stony Mountain this morning.  So far there’s no official word as to why the jail just outside of the city, is shut tight.  But officials say guards were to search the entire facility.  Stony Mountain is a federal prison which holds almost 600 medium security inmates.

Another day….another study which shows smoking causes more cancers than we know.  A new U.S. study has found the risk of a smoker getting bladder cancer, is about 4 times higher than for someone who has never smoked. 

We first told you about this one yesterday…..that 20 ton boulder which a Quebec man dumped on his ex wife’s front lawn, is now gone, but that doesn’t mean his slate is clean.  Police say the Crown is still deciding whether Dany Lariviere should be charged with mischief or harassment for his weekend stunt in the couple’s bitter divorce. 

Graphic warning labels on cigarette packages have been the law of the land for Canadian tobacco companies for more than a decade now.  But U.S. tobacco firms are fuming mad over Washington’s order that they do the same, and they want a judge to put a stop to it.  4 of America’s 5 biggest smoke companies, are actually suing the U.S. government over this…saying labels that include pictures of diseased lungs and the like, are unfair…especially they say when tobacco is a legal product.

They were there to see the fishies….but got a little more than they bargained for.  8 people have been injured by a lightning strike at SeaWorld’s Discovery Cove park in Orlando, Florida.  A park spokesperson says 8 were hurt yesterday, but fortunately none were hit directly and no one suffered life threatening injuries.

New Zealand’s favorite penguin visitor will soon be released into the sub-Antarctic ocean.  Happy Feet is booked on a research vessel set to sail on August 29^th.  The emperor penguin was found back on June 20^th, on a beach far from his Antarctic feeding grounds and was nursed back to health at a zoo.  The penguin had become sick from eating sand, which he probably mistook for snow.

Yoko Ono has posted an online video of her 1969 bed-in with John Lennon at Montreal’s Queen Elizabeth hotel.  She hopes it’ll inspire people to once again give peace a chance.  “Bed Peace,” was shot during a week long protest at the hotel.  It’s also when the former Beatle recorded “Give Peace A Chance,” which became an anthem of the anti-war movement.

The Winnipeg Jets assistant G.M. says forward Rick Rippen had been dealing with depression for at least 10 years.  Craig Heisinger says Rippen was scheduled to fly into the city on Sunday night….but never arrived.  The 27 year old was found dead Monday…..a death police say is not suspicious.  Heisinger says what’s so surprising is that it appeared that Rippen had gained the upper hand in his battle with depression this summer.

Another bear has been killed in Grand Beach.  Conservation officials say the bear was seen on the sand dunes right next to a children’s play structure yesterday afternoon.  Officials were called to the scene and shot the animal because they say it posed a safety risk.  This is now the 3^rd bear to be put down in Grand Beach since last Thursday.

Police are searching or a Winnipeg man who went missing after going swimming in Lake of the Woods area early Sunday morning.  His friends say he just simply disappeared.  So far, Ontario police are not releasing the name of the 28 year old…and the search continues.

An emergency town hall meeting is being held tonight for residents of a St. James neighborhood.  This after several suspicious fires in the area.  The meeting is being held inside the old Sturgeon Heights Community Center…right next door to where one of the fires happened last week.  Reps from the city’s arson task force and city police will also be at the meeting.  Up for discussion?  Ways property owners can minimize threats to their homes.

The Canadian Forces is possibly going back in time.  Reports say Defence Minister Peter MacKay will announce in Halifax today that the Forces air and maritime divisions will be rechristened as the Royal Canadian Navy and the Royal Canadian Air Force. 

Hard to believe its been that long….but….it’s been 8 years since mad cow disease was discovered in Alberta, triggering bans on Canadian beef imports around the world.  And our beef producers say they’re feeling the economic impact.  The Canadian Beef Export Federation says regaining lost markets has been the biggest challenge since the crisis back in 2003.  Right now Canadian beef is exported to some 74 countries….down from the more than 100 before mad cow hit.

Well we’re only weeks away from the so called “September epidemic,”….the time of year when kids are back in school and back in a cesspool of germs.  Studies show the first few weeks of school bring a boom in asthma attacks.  One doctor says back to school is the perfect storm of stress, germs and allergens.  But the worst culprit by far is the common cold, which causes 60 to 70 per cent of asthma attacks in kids.

Safety questions linger about this weekend’s deadly collapse of a concert stage at the Indiana state fair.  The fair re-opened yesterday with a memorial to honor the 5 people who died when a wind gust toppled the stage roof and metal scaffolding onto a crowd.  Officials haven’t said whether the stage and rigging were inspected before the show.

How’s this for divorce wars?  For her birthday, a Quebec woman got a big ole rock from her ex husband.  But it was far from a diamond.  Isabelle Provost’s ex, dumped a 20 ton boulder….with a pink ribbon on top…on her front lawn this weekend.  Her former husband owns an excavation company…and he used one of his own front end loaders to transport the rock through town to drop it off.  He says he’ll remove it when she stops harassing him.  Cops say the hubbie could now be facing charges.

Well this news is gonna please some people…..myself included !  T.L.C. is canceling “Kate plus 8.”  The reality t.v. show focusing on Kate Gosselin and her twin daughters and set of sextuplets was a weekly series….but ratings haven’t exactly been stellar so the network has decided to pull the show.

City police say they’ve now laid murder charges against a man, in connection with the death of Gina Swanson.  Swanson was found dead in a home on May 14^th.  Investigators say the 33 year old was assaulted, and died form injuries to the upper body.  26 year old Schuyler VanWissen was arrested on Friday in Toronto and has now been charged with 1^st degree murder and assault.

And yet another body found floating in the Red River this weekend.  RCMP say they’re investigating after the body was found Saturday afternoon north of the Lockport Dam.  Police say it does appear the body was a female, but they don’t know who she was, or how old.  An autopsy is currently being done to determine the cause of death.

Conservation officials say they’re concerned some people are intentionally breaking backcountry travel bans in the province’s east, that are meant to prevent forest fires.  So far, 29 charges for violating the restrictions have been laid. 

Former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak returned to a Cairo court this morning on a stretcher, for the next session of his trial.  Mubarak is charged with corruption and complicity in the killing of protesters during Egypt’s uprising last February. 

According to Gasbuddy.com, the average price of regular gas across the country is now just under 1.23 a litre.  That’s down over 2 cents from a week ago…and it’s thanks to the price of oil going down on world markets.

Did you see the video of this on the weekend?  Dozens of people remain in hospital after a spectacular accident which killed 5 people.  It happened Saturday night at the Indiana State Fair grounds, where a storm packing high winds caused a concert stage to collapse.  So far, 5 people have died…and over 40 others were seriously injured.  The governor of Indiana calls the wind burst a fluke.

When it’s summer in the northern hemisphere, it’s winter of course down south.  And parts of New Zealand are trying to cope with their heaviest snowfall in over 30 years.  Over 25 centimeters has fallen on some parts of the country….which is a pretty big deal for them.  Schools and airports are closed, and thousands of people are without power.