Brandon student found with machete

A 15-year-old boy was discovered to have a Machete stored in his backpack at a Brandon school.

Brandon Police Services attended and assisted with the discovery and confiscation of the weapon.

The boy was later released to a guardian and will appear in court on April 16th for a charge of weapons possessions.

Details: Contributed by Jeff Henson; Published: Jan 23, 2024 - 12:18 pm

A two-year practical nursing diploma is the first program being offered through the newly opened Neepawa Training centre.

Premier Wab Kinew and Advanced Education and Training Minister Renee Cable were on hand Monday for the official opening of the centre, which was developed by the Town of Neepawa as a rural training hub for generating more skilled workers for the region.

Assiniboine Community College is partnering with the training centre to offer the RN diploma program, which will have a total of 25 seats.

Upon completion of the program, the participants will have the requirements needed to become licensed practical nurses in the province.

The province says the opening of this training centre and the addition of this nursing program will help address rural healthcare staffing shortages.

Details: Contributed by Jeff Henson; Published: Jan 23, 2024 - 12:15 pm

A 56-year-old Dauphin man faces numerous charges following a traffic stop in the city Friday night.

RCMP pulled over a vehicle around 7:30 that evening, with the situation eventually leading to a search of the suspect vehicle.

That search turned up a variety of drugs, including 18 grams of cocaine, 80 oxycodone pills, and other prescription pills, as well as cash, a knife, and drug paraphernalia.

Among the charges laid against Lorne MacKinnon were multiple counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking, several accounts of failure to comply, Weapons charges, and 2 charges under the Highway Traffic Act.

He remains in custody.

Details: Contributed by Jeff Henson; Published: Jan 23, 2024 - 10:15 am

Immigrate Parkland Officially Launched its site this weekend, accelerating its efforts to bring more skilled laborers to the parkland.

Immigration and Labor Minister Mayala Marcelino was in attendance, and she was impressed by the parkland's collaborative efforts on this project, as several municipalities and organizations are working to make this happen.

"I think this is going to be a wonderful opportunity for the region and it's also going to be a wonderful opportunity for the families that are coming in. So it's a win-win situation for both sets. We're really excited that you guys are going to be able to do it together, the different municipalities. The province is here to support you."

Martijn Van Luijn, Dauphin's economic development manager wants to reach out to businesses looking to get involved in this project

"Reach out to us, we're looking for those employers. If you're out there, thinking you want to work with foreign skilled workers, having a need for certain skills contact us."

If you're looking to get involved in this program, you can find all the information on the brand new website, immigrateparkland.ca

Details: Contributed by Michael Brossart; Published: Jan 22, 2024 - 4:37 pm

An arrest has been made after a home invasion in Swan River.

on January 13th, shortly before 4:30 pm, Police received reports of an injured female at her home on 6th Ave in the town.

An investigation determined that the female had been home alone with her infant.

The two were sleeping when the back door to the residence was breached and a male known to the female entered the home.

He proceeded to assault the female and threaten her with a firearm. The male then took money, possessions, and keys to a vehicle, and he fled the residence.

Police issued a warrant for Alex Ames, 22, of Swan River and On January 19, 2024, Ames was arrested at a residence in Swan River.

He is charged with Assault with a Weapon, Break and Enter with Intent, Robbery with a Firearm, Unauthorized Possession of a Restricted Firearm, Robbery with a Firearm, Unauthorized Possession of a Restricted Firearm, Possession of Weapon Contrary to Court Order, Mischief Under $5000, Fail to Comply with Undertaking x2.

Ames remains in custody, and The investigation continues.

Details: Contributed by Michael Brossart; Published: Jan 22, 2024 - 2:56 pm

It was a busy Saturday in the City of Dauphin, as the ribbon was officially cut at the new NDP office of Minister Ron Kostyshyn.

Dozens of people stopped by the office in the rail museum in the heart of Dauphin.

Minister Kostyshyn is delighted to have his office open and available to the public.

"It's definetly exciting, and an opportunity to have a place that's central so people in the constituency and around the area can have a place to get together and have discussions. It is a necessity, and as an MLA, I look forward to serving the Dauphin constituency for a number of years."

The day was commemorated with cake, coffee, and conversation.

Details: Contributed by Michael Brossart; Published: Jan 22, 2024 - 1:42 pm

The province has announced it is now accepting applications for the 2024-25 Manitoba Accessibility Fund.

It will offer grants up to 50 thousand dollars to projects that improve accessibility and remove barriers for Manitobans living with disabilities.

Eligible organizations must have been in operation for one year prior to applying and can include registered charities, universities, colleges and school divisions, non-profit organizations, municipalities, and local authorities such as planning districts and northern affairs community councils.

Applications must fulfill one of three objectives, which include raising awareness about the prevention and removal of barriers, developing tools and training to support legislated standards compliance, and removing barriers to information and communications.

February 16th is the application deadline for the Manitoba Accessibility Fund, which is managed by The Winnipeg Foundation and was launched in 2021 with an initial $ 20 million investment.

Since 2021, the program has supported increased compliance with the Accessibility for Manitobans Act through $1.6 million worth of funding for 72 projects across the province.

Details: Contributed by Jeff Henson; Published: Jan 22, 2024 - 12:31 pm

A Waywayseecappo woman arrested in connection with the death of a man on the First Nation last summer was back in court last week.

Early on the morning of July 5th, police were called to a home, where they found a seriously injured 23-year-old man.

He was eventually pronounced dead at the scene.

25-year-old Talisa Brandon was charged and is due back in Brandon court on February 12th.

Details: Contributed by Jeff Henson; Published: Jan 22, 2024 - 12:21 pm

February 20th is the next court date for a Sandy Bay First Nation woman charged in relation to a death on the reserve.

26-year-old Fantasia Prince faces one count of second-degree murder.

On June 29th of last year, Manitoba First Nations Police were called to a home on a report of an injured female.

When they arrived they found the body of a 24-year-old woman.

Details: Contributed by Jeff Henson; Published: Jan 22, 2024 - 12:20 pm

An apartment complex was destroyed by fire over the weekend.

Winnipegosis Fire Department was called about the blaze just after 1 pm on Saturday.

When they arrived they found the fire burning in one of the lower apartments, and with the assistance of RCMP evacuated the remaining residents in the complex, as well as nearby homes as a precaution as the fire quickly spread throughout the building.

Crews from the neighbouring Fork River and Meadow Portage fire departments were called in to help, as was some heavy equipment from the Mossey River Municipality in order to knock down the building to assist with fire extinguishing efforts,

Crews were on the scene until around 8:25 that evening putting out hot spots.

No injuries were reported.

The building is a complete loss, and the investigation into the cause is continuing, although it is believed the fire was accidental in nature.