When Brett Boschman heard Donald Trump was entering the race to become the next US president, he was surprised. "I didn't know what to think at first," he explained. "He's a reality TV star, so I thought it was wild he was running." Some friends heard what Trump was saying during the Republican nomination campaign, and Brett started to see how Trump might win. The Brandon resident Googled the odds of winning the Presidential election, and found out PlayNow.com was accepting bets on the race. "I thought it was super cool this was offered in Manitoba," he explained. Brett wagered on Trump to win with odds of 7.50 to 1 on April 7, 2016, and after more research Brett put more down on Trump later in the week. As Trump won the Republican nomination and the race intensified, Brett was watching the action closely. "Betting makes it more fun. I would rather watch a sporting event or any event that way. It makes you a lot more invested," he explained.  The night of the election, Brett was watching TV with friends. "They all knew I bet on Trump. I was cheering for Florida and when he took that, that's when I was certain I had won. "The odds were still 5.5 to 1, and I decided to put a bit more down." Brett explained with a grin. He was lucky he did! In all, Brett walked away with $25,858 in winnings after the election closed.  

A 21-year old male from Carberry faces numerous charges after RCMP pulled over a vehicle on Saturday morning for speeding. The vehicle, a 2012 Dodge Ram, was clocked doing 196 km/h on the Trans-Canada Highway, about 25 kilometres east of Brandon. RCMP found open liquor in the vehicle, and the driver's blood alcohol level was twice the legal limit. The incident happened around 2:20 am.. A 24-year-old man from The Pas, MB, who was a passenger in the vehicle, was charged with consuming liquor in a public place.

A 34 year old Brandon male has been arrested for Assault with a Weapon x 3, Forcible Confinement, Uttering Threats following as the results of an ongoing investigation. Police say the accused had thrown a vase at the victim, cutting her leg in the process. The victim suffered bruising and cuts which had previously been treated. In addition to having a vase tossed in her direction, the victim was also struck with a phone charger, and barricaded in their apartment so she was not able to exit. Domestic Assault While Naked A fight outside of a west home home in has lead to the arrest of a 30 year old Brandon man. Saturday morning Police say they received a report of a man and woman fighting and upon arrival they observed a naked male trying to choke the victim. The victim did not want any medical assistance and the accused now has an April court date.  

Big-box Giant, Costco, has announced that they will be raising membership rates for the first time since 2011. Gold Star Membership will increase from $55 to $60 per year; and their Executive Membership will jump from $110 to $120 per year. Costco generates about 72% of its operating income from membership fees. The fee increases will impact around 35 million members, roughly half of them Executive Members. The price increase will affect customers in both Canada and the United States starting June 1, 2017. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});  

Manitoba Public Insurance Media Release Manitoba Public Insurance and its ratepayers saved $31.6 million from 2012 to 2015 thanks to successful anti-fraud efforts by the public auto insurer. March is Fraud Prevention Month and this year marks the 13th anniversary of the annual education and awareness campaign that encourages Canadians to recognize, reject and report fraud. Manitoba Public Insurance fully supports this initiative and is dedicated to keeping automobile insurance rates as low as possible by combating insurance fraud. Suspicious claims are handled by Manitoba Public Insurance’s Special Investigation Unit, which is comprised primarily of retired police officers who investigate about 3,000 claims yearly. "These financial savings ($31.6 million in four years), is based on a reconciliation of money recovered and fraudulent claims denied," said Ward Keith, vice-president, Loss Prevention and Communications, Manitoba Public Insurance. "These fraud savings directly benefit insurance rate payers, and result from a dedicated focus on investigating potential fraudulent claims that may involve vehicle fires, hit and run claims or staged collisions.” (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});   In addition to the efforts of its investigators, Manitoba Public Insurance also has an excellent working relationship with police agencies. The Corporation also operates a dedicated TIPS Line, which is a valuable source of information for SIU investigators. “The bottom line is that insurance fraud costs everyone so we encourage all Manitobans to come forward through our TIPS Line and report suspected auto insurance fraud and speak out against this kind of illegal behaviour,” said Keith. “All calls are anonymous.” Manitoba Public Insurance’s TIPS Line is: 985-8477 or toll-free 1-877-985-8477. Keith explained that Manitoba Public Insurance continually reviews its anti-fraud strategies, specifically aimed at keeping step with fraudsters. Insurance fraud – automobile, home or health care – costs Canadians more than $3 billion a year in premiums, according to the Insurance Bureau of Canada. Organizations around the world lose an estimated five per cent of their annual revenues to fraud, according to a survey of fraud experts conducted by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE).