Man Charged With Assaulting Police Officer In Portage

A man is charged with assaulting a police officer following an incident in Portage la Prairie earlier in the week.

On Tuesday, March 30th, RCMP received a report that a man was in breach of court order by being in contact with another person.

Police say they attended the home on Duke Avenue and found the man in violation of court-imposed conditions.

According to RCMP, the man fled from officers when they tried to place him under arrest and an officer was assaulted in the process of making the arrest, receiving minor injuries.

Police say the man continued to be violent and aggressive once at the detachment.

37-year-old Michael Bernardin from Portage la Prairie faces charges of resisting arrest, assaulting a police officer, breaking and entering, and failing to comply with an undertaking.

He is scheduled to appear in court and police continue to investigate

Details: Contributed by 730 CKDM; Published: Apr 1, 2021 - 11:30 am

The mother who took her two-year-old son from a supervised visit has been charged by the Winnipeg Police.

An Amber Alert was issued just after 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday when it was determined that she was likely leaving Winnipeg. And just over an hour later, the woman turned herself in at the RCMP detachment in Amaranth.

The mother has been charged with abduction.

Details: Contributed by Darnell Duff; Published: Apr 1, 2021 - 5:48 am

Here's a list of testing sites in the Prairie Mountain Health region. Many are operating with adjusted hours over the Easter Weekend.

The testing site in Dauphin (301 Main Street N) is closed Friday, April 2 and will reopen Monday, April 5 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The regular hours are from 9:00 am - 3:00 pm Monday to Friday (closed for one hour at lunch)

The testing site in Swan River (621 Main Street) is closed Friday, April 2nd. Its regular hours are Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The Keystone Centre & Van Horne Ave testing sites in Brandon will remain open over Easter Weekend.

The testing site in Neepawa (342 Mountain Avenue) is closed Friday, April 2nd and Easter Monday, April 5th. The regular hours are Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays 12:30 p.m. to 3 p.m.

The testing site in Russell (447 Main Street, North) is closed Friday, April 2nd. The regular hours are Monday to Friday, 12:30 p.m. to 3 p.m.

The testing site in Camperville (Camperville Primary Health Care Centre) is open Monday to Thursday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

For more information on getting tested for COVID-19 in Prairie Mountain Health, click here.

Details: Contributed by 730 CKDM; Published: Mar 31, 2021 - 5:05 pm

The province is spending $50 million to address a backlog of surgeries and procedures.

Manitoba premier Brian Pallister announced the funding on Wednesday afternoon, and said this major investment will address wait times for priority procedures and services, as well as hip, knee and cataract procedures.

Pallister also called on the federal government to “come to the table as a true, reliable funding partner on health care” in the face of “ever-increasing health-care wait times in this country.”

More details on this new funding will be announced following the release of Budget 2021.

(The story title has been corrected to show the correct funding amount)

Details: Contributed by 730 CKDM; Published: Mar 31, 2021 - 3:35 pm

On Wednesday health officials in Manitoba announced 71 new cases of COVID-19 and 17 variants of concern.

There was one death reported, a man in his 80s from the Winnipeg health region.

Today’s new non-variant COVID-19 cases are in the following health districts:
• two cases in the Interlake–Eastern health region
• 24 cases in the Northern health region
• two cases in the Prairie Mountain Health region
• five cases in the Southern Health–Santé Sud health region
• 38 cases in the Winnipeg health region

Today’s new variant cases are in the following health districts:
• four cases in the Southern Health–Santé Sud health region; and
• 13 cases in the Winnipeg health region

There have been a total of 34,122 cases of COVID-19 identified in the province, and 935 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic.

There are 1,181 active cases and 32,006 individuals who have recovered from COVID-19.

The total number of confirmed variant of concern cases of B.1.1.7 is 232, the total number of variant of concern cases of B.1.351 is 120, and the total number of variant of concern cases that have not been categorized is 15, bringing the total number of confirmed variant of concern cases to 267.

There are 63 people in the hospital with COVID-19 and 83 people in hospital with COVID-19 who are no longer infectious but continue to require care, for a total of 146 hospitalizations.

There are 12 people in intensive care units with active COVID-19 and 16 people with COVID-19 who are no longer infectious but continue to require critical care, for a total of 28 ICU patients.

According to the province’s data, there are active cases of COVID-19 in the following Parkland health districts: Dauphin (0), Riding Mountain (1), Duck Mountain (1), Porcupine Mountain (28), Asessippi (3). Brandon has 1 active cases.

In the Interlake, the Eriksdale/Ashern health district has no active cases of COVID-19. Fisher/Peguis health district has Five active cases.

Details: Contributed by Trillian Reynoldson; Published: Mar 31, 2021 - 1:06 pm

Three drivers who were caught speeding on Friday were all coming from a party in Clear Lake the night before, according to RCMP.

On March 26^th at around 7a.m. RCMP stopped a vehicle that was travelling at 133km/h in a 100km/h zone on Highway 16 near Neepawa.

On Mar 26, at around 7 am, #rcmpmb stopped 3 speeding vehicles within an hour. All 3 vehicles were coming from Clear Lake, where they attended a party the night before. All 3 drivers were found to have alcohol in their system & were charged accordingly. https://t.co/aO9uolu423
— RCMP Manitoba (@rcmpmb) March 31, 2021

The 24-year-old driver was issued a $482 speeding ticket, a $113 fine for driving impaired, and a 24-hour license suspension.

Shortly after, the same RCMP officer came across a vehicle travelling east on Highway 16 near Minnedosa, going 177 km/h in a 100 km/h zone.

A second vehicle was following dangerously close behind the first at 176 km/h.

The driver of the first vehicle, a 20-year-old man only had a learners license, meaning he’s required to have a supervising driver in the front seat with him at all times. The driver failed a roadside breath test and was arrested.

He was charged with Impaired Operation of a vehicle, operating a vehicle with a Blood Alcohol Concentration equal to or over 0.08, and Dangerous Operation of a vehicle.

The driver of the second vehicle, a 21-year-old man, didn’t have a valid driver’s license. He was also given a roadside breath test, and his blood-alcohol level was between 0.05 – 0.079. He was charged $1,045 for speeding, $298 for driving without a valid driver’s license, and $113 for an unlicensed driver operating a motor vehicle while having alcohol in his blood.

He was issued a 15-day license suspension a Serious Offence Notice to report to MPI within 5 days for a license review, and his vehicle was impounded for 3 days. He was also issued.

Unit Commander for the North West Traffic Services, Sergeant Mark Hume says this incident should serve as a reminder that a few hours of sleep after a night of drinking doesn’t mean it’s safe to drive.

Details: Contributed by Trillian Reynoldson; Published: Mar 31, 2021 - 11:55 am

A 51-year-old man is facing multiple charges after Russell RCMP responded to a report of a disturbance at a local business on Main Street in Inglis on March 24.

When officers arrived on the scene, they learned that the male entered the business without a mask, and when he was reminded that masks are mandatory at this time, he proceeded to get angry and belligerent.

The 51-year-old began banging his fists on the counter and against the plastic partition, where the employee was standing. He would leave the store for a few minutes before returning where he continued being belligerent.

Officers located the suspect a short time later at his own place of business where he was yelling, swearing, and being belligerent towards officers, and he was arrested.

He faces charges of mischief, Causing a Disturbance along with Failing to wear a Mask x2 ($298) and Failing to wear a mask in his own business ($5,000). He's scheduled to appear in court on June 23, 2021.

Details: Contributed by Darnell Duff; Published: Mar 31, 2021 - 11:32 am

An amber alert has issued by Winnipeg Police on Tuesday night for a two-year-old boy has been called off.

The Winnipeg Police Service issued the alert shortly after 8:00 p.m. Tuesday evening.

Police now say the boy's mother turned herself into the RCMP in Amaranth.

Details: Contributed by Tess Kovach; Published: Mar 30, 2021 - 8:29 pm

Manitobans will soon be able to book reservations for provincial campgrounds and cabins.

Bookings will begin on April 5^th with staggered dates.

The Manitoba parks reservation system will accept bookings in three phases:
• April 5th at 7 a.m. – campsite reservations open for the Birds Hill Provincial Park campground
• April 7th at 7 a.m. – campsite reservations open for the Winnipeg Beach, Betula Lake, Big Whiteshell, Brereton Lake, Caddy Lake, Falcon Beach, Falcon Lakeshore, Nutimik Lake, Opapiskaw, Otter Falls, West Hawk Lake and White Lake campgrounds
• April 12th at 7 a.m. – campsite reservations open for all remaining provincial park campgrounds

Phone lines to book a reservation will be open at 7 a.m. April 5^th. You can call centre services at 204-948-3333 (Winnipeg) or 888-482-2267 (toll-free).

Online reservations can be made here.

Campers are reminded that on top of current public health orders, travel is restricted north of the 53rd parallel, with exemptions for essential travel.

Manitobans may travel to a cottage, cabin, provincial park, campground, or hunting or fishing lodge in northern Manitoba as long as they aren’t showing any symptoms of COVID-19, travel directly to their destination, and limit the use of local services.

Details: Contributed by Tess Kovach; Published: Mar 30, 2021 - 1:59 pm

On Tuesday health officials in Manitoba announced 77 new cases of COVID-19, and 11 variants of concern.

No new deaths have been reported.

Today’s new non-variant COVID-19 cases are in the following health districts:
• one case in the Interlake–Eastern health region
• 27 cases in the Northern health region
• one case in the Prairie Mountain Health region
• five cases in the Southern Health–Santé Sud health region
• 43 cases in the Winnipeg health region

Today’s new variant cases are in the following health districts:
• one case in the Interlake–Eastern health region
• three cases in the Southern Health–Santé Sud health region; and
• seven cases in the Winnipeg health region

There have been a total of 34,052 cases of COVID-19 identified in the province, and 934 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic.

There are 1,197 active cases and 31,921 individuals who have recovered from COVID-19.

The total number of confirmed variant of concern cases of B.1.1.7 is 199, the total number of variant of concern cases of B.1.351 is 14, and the total number of variant of concern cases that have not been categorized is 37, bringing the total number of confirmed variant of concern cases to 250.

(The province is saying that yesterday’s bulletin showed an incorrect breakdown and total of variant cases because of a processing error. They also say that today’s numbers are correct as the error has been fixed.)

There are 64 people in the hospital with COVID-19 and 86 people in hospital with COVID-19 who are no longer infectious but continue to require care, for a total of 150 hospitalizations.

There are 13 people in intensive care units with active COVID-19 and 18 people with COVID-19 who are no longer infectious but continue to require critical care, for a total of 31 ICU patients

According to the province’s data, there are active cases of COVID-19 in the following Parkland health districts: Dauphin (0), Riding Mountain (1), Duck Mountain (1), Porcupine Mountain (30), Asessippi (3). Brandon has 1 active cases.

In the Interlake, the Eriksdale/Ashern health district has no active cases of COVID-19. Fisher/Peguis health district has seven active cases.

Details: Contributed by Trillian Reynoldson; Published: Mar 30, 2021 - 1:05 pm

COVID enforcement officials handed out 49 warnings and 38 tickets in Manitoba last week.

From March 22^nd to March 28^th, a total of $47,536 in fines was issued to Manitoba businesses and individuals.

There were 22 tickets issued to individuals for various offences, 13 for not wearing a mask in indoor public places, and two to Manitoba businesses.

15 of the fines issued to individuals were in relation to private gatherings that went against current health orders.

One $5,150 fine was issued for breaking the Federal Quarantine Act.

A total of 3,541 warnings and 1,120 tickets have been issued since April 2020, resulting in over $1.5 million in fines.