The Brandon Police Service is seeking the public’s assistance in locating this person who is “WANTED BY POLICE”:  Evan DICKHOUT FOR Breach of Release Order. On January 2nd, 2024, Police conducted a curfew check for Evan DICKHOUT as he was bound by a court order to abide by a daily curfew. DICKHOUT was not at his residence and was therefore in breach of his court order. Evan DICKHOUT’s whereabouts are unknown at this time, please contact Brandon crime stoppers with any information. ***************** If you have any information as to the whereabouts of this person or anyone else “Wanted by Police” you are asked to contact Brandon Crime Stoppers @ 204-727-TIPS (8477), www.brandoncrimestoppers.com or by texting BCSTIP+your message to CRIMES (274637). Crime Stoppers does not subscribe to Call Display. Your call is not recorded and your identity will remain anonymous. Crime Stoppers will pay up to $2000.00 cash for information that leads to the solution of a crime. ****************************************************************** CRIME OF THE WEEK for January 20th, 2024 The Brandon Police Service is seeking the public’s assistance in solving a; On January 10th, 2024, two thieves, a male and female were captured on video surveillance stealing over $300 in merchandise from a business located in the 900 block of 19th Street North.

On January 17th, 2024 Brandon Police received over 30 calls from residents reporting the grandparent scam. Similar calls where the caller pretends to be the grandchild and was in an accident and needs money for bail.  A few callers pretended to be a lawyer for the grandchild and offered to help make arrangements to get the money to assist their grandchild.  Only one complaiant reported sending $9000 in bit coin currency. This matter is under investigation. Please hang up on these scam artists and DO NOT GIVE ANYONE OR SEND ANYONE MONEY!!!

On January 16th a 35-year-old male was arrested for assault with a weapon, uttering threats and failing to comply with his release order. On January 10th, 2024 police were called to a business in the 1000 block of 18th street for a male causing a disturbance who had pulled a knife and threatened staff. He fled before police arrived but was later identified on video surveillance. He will appear in court on January 17th, 2024.

The Keystone Agricultural and Recreational Centre Inc. (Keystone Centre) Board of Directors are pleased to announce the promotion of Connie Lawrence to the position of CEO & general manager. Starting her journey with the Keystone Centre in 2015 as the assistant sales manager, Lawrence has exemplified strong leadership, and dedication to the continued success of the Keystone Centre. Her outstanding performance and tireless commitment saw her quickly rise to V.P. of sales, and assistant general manager, a position which she has held since 2019, overseeing all event operation at the Keystone Centre. Lawrence’s wealth of experience within the industry makes her the perfect candidate to guide the Keystone Centre to continued success. As CEO & general manager, Connie Lawrence, who has been the acting general manager since October of 2023, will continue to strengthen the Keystone Centre’s reputation as a premier destination for sports, entertainment, and events, driving the Centre’s growth and helping foster the Centre’s relationship with Brandon and the entire community of Western Manitoba. “I am excited to embark on this journey as the new CEO & GM of the Keystone Centre,” says Lawrence, Keystone Centre’s newly hired CEO and general manager. “This is an important organization that has been a cornerstone of this community, bringing people together and fostering economic growth for the region. I look forward to working closely with the talented team at the Keystone Centre, community partners, and stakeholders to build upon the Centre’s legacy to create a bright future for the facility.” Prior to joining the Keystone Centre, Lawrence was a small business owner, and assisted in the operation of her family farm in Fleming, Saskatchewan. In addition to her role as Keystone Centre CEO & general manager, Lawrence is a mother, and grandmother. “We feel very fortunate that we have somebody as qualified and well-experienced as Connie Lawrence elevated into the role of CEO/GM. She is well-qualified, has a wonderful resume, and has come up through our organization,” says Keystone Centre Board Chair Bruce Luebke. “Connie has shown great dedication to the Keystone Centre and its stakeholders during her tenure with us. She is a great fit to be our next CEO/GM and lead us through an important time as we navigate the financial stability of the Keystone Centre both short and long term.” In addition to a growing events calendar, the Keystone Centre currently has a lot of projects on its plate, including the Dehumidification/Cooling and seat replacement projects to be completed in the summer of 2024, as well as a Master Site Plan that will give insight into the long-term plans for the Keystone Centre grounds.

Transformational gift to propel the future of agricultural education in the Edwards School Manitoba Ag Days kicked off in a big way. A $10 million donation has just put the planned Prairie Innovation Centre for Sustainable Agriculture closer to reality. This donation, from a philanthropist who wishes to remain anonymous for the time being, plays a pivotal role in the next steps for the marquee project for the newly minted Russ Edwards School of Agriculture and Environment at Assiniboine Community College. The campaign started with a $10 million community fundraising goal in 2019, which the college increased to $15 million and then $20 million, inspired both by sector enthusiasm and a resulting expanded scope for the project. The Province of Manitoba has also made significant commitments, including $10 million for detailed final design last year at Ag Days, a much needed 216 seat early learning centre as part of the project, and a $60 million commitment in the election. The college continues to seek an investment from the Government of Canada to complete the funding package. The project is important to the vitality of Manitoba’s most important economic sector. “With one in three agriculture jobs expected to go unfilled by 2029, the time for the Prairie Innovation Centre is now, to ensure we can meet those needs as they emerge,” said Mark Frison, President at Assiniboine. “And there’s no time more fitting to announce this substantial donation than on the eve of Manitoba Ag Days, when the presence and important of the ag sector will be felt all week long here in Brandon.” Along with expanded programming and increased capacity for applied research, the Prairie Innovation Centre will provide a venue where producers, industry, researchers, government and students can come together, solve problems and share ideas. “Our government is thrilled to work with Assiniboine Community College to expand the delivery of high-quality education that will see students graduate into in-demand, family-supporting careers in agriculture, benefiting our entire province,” said Renée Cable, Minister of Advanced Education and Training. The Prairie Innovation Centre is a one-of-a-kind Canadian college project that will bring together collaborative learning spaces, applied research labs, multipurpose spaces and amenities that will serve both industry and the college community. By creating an enhanced agricultural training capacity, the Centre will enable the agriculture sector to continue to be a strong contributor to the Canadian and Manitoban economies. “The Prairie Innovation Centre campaign has seen strong, steady support, which has shown us at every turn that this community, region and province needs this project. We know it will be a game-changer for agricultural education and industry advancement,” said Tim Hore, Dean, Russ Edwards School. “A donation of this magnitude validates that important work of faculty and staff, and reflects how our graduates are viewed by the sector.”