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- Contributed by Isaac Wihak
MPI has noticed an increase in the number of Manitobans reporting auto insurance fraud.
MPI media relations coordinator Brian Smiley says reporting fraud saves Manitoban’s money.
“We know that fraud costs our customers about 50 dollars.”
So far this year, MPI has received 290 calls resulting in 52 investigations.
Smiley says insurance fraud takes on a number of forms.
One of the most common fraud cases is when someone gets injured in a motor-vehicle related accident, and are receiving income replacement cheques from MPI, but then go back to work without telling MPI.
Another situation occurs when someone gets injured in a motor-vehicle related accident and decides they don’t want to go back to work, so they try to extend their time off to keep receiving income replacement cheques. When these situations are discovered, the claimants are terminated from their benefits or criminal charges will be laid.
If you call the tips-line it’s anonymous. That number is 204-985-8477 or toll-free 1-877-985-8477.
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- Contributed by Isaac Wihak
A great way to showcase your work is coming up this summer. On Saturday, August 10th, the inaugural Neepawa Film Festival will take place at the Roxy Theatre in Neepawa.
The deadline to submit a movie is Friday, July 12th, and qualifying is simple, according to festival Chair, James Willis:
"Basically, as long as you have a connection to an area within a radius of a hundred kilometres of Neepawa. The connection can be that 'I have lived there, I have worked there, my wife lives there.' It's really just to promote the local filmmaker."
Willis also says any age movie-maker can enter, and that movies submitted must be family-friendly.
The festival is also looking for support from businesses. They can sponsor the festival outright, or a certain movie category. There will also be a ticket available that will get you into every session during the film festival, and that type of ticket is available for sponsorship, as well.
Willis also noted that Neepawa's Community Access Television Station (NAC TV) will broadcast the movies shown at the festival.
The Neepawa Film Festival is put on thanks to a coordinated effort from The Roxy Theatre, NAC TV, and ArtsForward. For more information on the festival, and how to submit your work, go to the festival's website.
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- Contributed by Alec Woolston
The Main Street Revitalization Project in Russell has received a boost from a grant.
The Main Street Open Air Museum has had a 10 thousand dollar grant approved under the Heritage Grants Program.
The money will allow Russell to install panels on each of the arches, creating an open-air museum.
The panels will have themes including cultural diversity of the area, agriculture, community history, local history, and the natural surroundings of the area.
There’ll be QR codes on the panels that will lead to videos, stories, scenes, and photos that go along with the arch’s theme.
The plan is for the Open Air Museum to be completed in the fall.
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The RCMP are warning the public about 35-year-old Arnold Edward Bourassa of Easterville.
He may be in possession of a shotgun and is considered armed and dangerous.
Bourassa’s currently wanted on two warrants for multiple offences including pointing a firearm, careless use of a firearm, using a firearm in the commission of an offence and more.
He may be Thompson, Easterville, Grand Rapids or the surrounding areas.
If you see Arnold Bourassa don’t approach him and call 911.
If you have any information please call Thompson RCMP at 204-677-6909, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477, or submit a secure tip online at www.manitobacrimestoppers.com.
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- Contributed by Isaac Wihak
Manitoba First Nations Police have a man in custody after an armed robbery, which led to a standoff with police, happened at a gas bar on Sunday on Sandy Bay First Nation.
After fleeing the gas bar with cash and cigarettes, the suspect barricaded himself in a home nearby which was located by police.
As MFNP members contained the area, a gunshot was heard coming from the residence. The RCMP Emergency Response Team was then deployed to the scene.
As they approached the home, the suspect ran from the back of the house and was apprehended by a K9 unit after a short pursuit on foot.
23-year-old Kevin Lawrence James RICHARD of Sandy Bay First Nation faces charges of theft while armed with a weapon, intent to commit robbery while masked, carrying a weapon for the purpose of committing an offence, possessing ammunition, and resisting arrest.
He will appear in Portage provincial court to answer to the charges.
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- Contributed by Alec Woolston
R-C-M-P say a 21-year-old man has been charged following the stabbing of a First Nations police officer.
The officer and a suspect were both injured during an arrest outside the Waywayseecappo First Nation.
Police say at the 29-year-old officer was stabbed multiple times, fired his weapon, and one of the suspects was wounded.
The seven-year police veteran was treated in hospital and released.
Matthew Benn has been charged with attempted murder and remains in custody.
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- Contributed by Alec Woolston
Premier Brian Pallister is preparing for a general election even though he hasn’t officially called one yet.
In a press conference Tuesday, Pallister said that he will restrict government advertising; a move essentially puts a voluntary pre-election blackout period into effect.
This announcement comes a day after he thanked MLA’s not planning on running for re-election for their service. Pallister refused to narrow down a possible election date.
If the Premier intended on following the fixed election date of October 6th, 2020, he would be required to impose a 90-day blackout period where, by law, the province could not advertise or publish information on its activities. Pallister said the clerk of the executive council will ensure any communication coming from the government will not be biased.
Even though he has imposed the media blackout, Pallister promised he would meet with media on a near-weekly basis, adding that his ministers would be available as well.
The legally mandated blackout period does not apply if the fixed election date is ignored and the vote is held on a different day, which is what Pallister plans. The premier said the advertising restriction is a measure of fairness.
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- Contributed by Josh Sigurdson
Syphilis rates are on the rise in Manitoba and the Parkland.
Dr Amy Frykoda with PMH says homosexual intercourse was a part of the rise in syphilis rates in early years but recently, it’s heterosexual transmission that’s rising.
Early on, syphilis can cause a rash on the palms of the hands and bottom of the feet, fever, muscle pain, and fatigue.
Syphilis can cause painful sores, or in progressed cases, damage to internal organs or even death.
In Manitoba, there were 800 cases of syphilis last year, while 10 years ago there were 7.
In the Prairie Mountain Health Region, syphilis rates have gone from 3 in 2014 up to 30 in 2018. Congenital syphilis, which is passed from a pregnant mother to the baby hadn’t been seen in almost 50 years when it occurred in 2015 and last year in Manitoba there were 10 cases.
Frykoda says syphilis is likely to spread if someone has multiple sex partners, uses injection drugs, if they are homeless, or involved in sex work.
Frykoda encourages people to get checked because syphilis is treatable and curable with the right antibiotics.
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- Contributed by Isaac Wihak
Manitoba has announced it’ll make the pill, Mifegymiso, available free of charge and without a prescription.
The pill, which helps prevent pregnancies from continuing, has already been available free of charge in Winnipeg and Brandon but was around 300 dollars for a two-pill treatment in other areas of the province.
So, it's been difficult to access for those in rural and northern communities.
Manitoba is the second last province to sign on to support universal access to the pill.
There isn’t a timeline for universal access in Manitoba but the provincial government will be looking to other provinces that have made Mifegymiso available.
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- Contributed by Isaac Wihak
The Manitoba Summer Fair kicks off tomorrow.
Ron Kristjansson, general manager of the provincial exhibition of Manitoba, says they have new entertainment in the line-up NorthFIRE Circus, the West Coast Lumberjacks and some musical performers, including Manitoba talent such as, The Roulette Band from Sandy Bay First Nation, and Whiskey River from Brandon, Dirt Road Pilots and Prairie Whiskey will be playing as well.
There will be a human foosball game that Kristjansson is looking forward to as well.
There’ll be stuff for the farmers such as a horse show, ag education displays, and farm animals to check out.
Kristjansson is looking forward most to the excitement of the families that come through the doors and the fair food.
If you'd like to check out everything else the Brandon Summer Fair has to offer click here.
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