Assault with a Weapon On December 26, 2023, at approximately 6:30 pm, police responded to a report of an assault in the 1500 block of 18th street.  Investigation revealed that a male suspect assaulted another male with a knife.  The victim was treated in the hospital for a minor injury. Police located and arrested the 22-year-old male suspect at approximately 6:45 pm near 9th street and Maryland Ave.  He was later released to appear in court on March 7, 2024, on charges of Assault with a Weapon, Assault Cause Bodily Harm and Possess Weapon. Assault with a Weapon On December 26, 2023, at approximately 8:00 am, police responded to a report of a domestic assault at a residence.  The female victim was transported to the hospital via ambulance to be treated and released for injuries caused by the 28-year-old male suspect, including minor injuries caused by an edged weapon.  Police arrested the suspect at the residence.  He was lodged at Brandon Police Service and will appear in court today on charges of Assault X3, Assault with a Weapon, Uttering Threats and Fail to Comply with Undertaking.

At 10:02 am, a vehicle stop was done in the 300 block of 10th St. The 2012 Kia had previously been reported stolen and the two occupants were taken into custody for possession of stolen property. The 20 year old female passenger was later released for court. The 30 year old male driver of the vehicle was found to be in possession of a number of drug related materials including 3 cell phones, a scale a small quantity of meth and cocaine and a small amount of cash. He was also breaching his Undertaking and he was held to appear in court in the morning.

On the afternoon of 2023-12-21, police received a report of a suspicious individual that had stolen mail packages consisting of a smart phone, tablet and virtual reality gaming system.  Police responded to the area and identified a 40-year-old male and 28-year-old female as being responsible for the thefts.  Police recovered the phone and tablet from the suspects, however the VR system is still outstanding.  The male has been released from police custody with conditions to appear in court 2024-02-29 for the charge of Theft of Mail.  A check of police records for the female revealed a warrant for previously failing to attend court.  The co-accused female has been lodged at BPS to appear in court 2023-12-22 for her warrant and new charge of Theft of Mail. The public is reminded that additional Grinch like offences may still occur during this time of the year and that extra precautions should be taken when storing gifts in your vehicle or receiving packages at home.

Brandon Riverbank received a major boost in the form of a $100,000 donation from the family of the late Keay Dobson-Golletz, which will go towards the Sawatzky Sculpture Gardens. The new year will see placement of the first life-size bronze sculpture works of Manitoba born and world-renowned artist, Peter Sawatzky. Riverbank is already home to two of Mr. Sawatzky’s pieces, the “Tranquility” Blue Herons as well as the “Doe and Fawn.” The ultimate goal is to add 14 more pieces that will stretch in a park-like setting from the Riverbank Discovery Centre to the corner of 18th Street and Kirkcaldy Drive. Peter Sawatzky Sculpture Garden Project | Riverbank Discovery Centre Keay was extremely passionate about the possibility of a world-class sculpture garden being located in our city and on the Riverbank grounds. She made it her mission to make these sculptures a reality and she involved herself early on during the initial planning stages. Keay worked tirelessly for this project as a fundraiser, as a design consultant, as a grant writer and as an advocate to all levels of government. She was actively involved in this project right up until her passing in May of this year. “Keay worked with the Riverbank Discovery Centre board for a decade before she collaborated within a committee on the world class project of the Peter Sawatzky Sculpture Park,” said Richard Golletz. “The project represents a beautiful commitment to nature and animals, a sharing space for families to stay active, play and learn, and a way to give back to a city that had given our family so much. The sculpture park will provide our city with an exquisite artistic statement to be enjoyed for generations. It is my honor to provide funds for the project in memory of Keay.” “The idea of the Peter Sawatzky Sculpture Garden encapsulated much of what our friend Keay represented,” said Brandon Mayor Jeff Fawcett. “It is art in a language everyone understands, it is outside, it is in a natural greenspace setting, and most important, it is of no cost to anyone to enjoy, any time of year, any time of day. This contribution from Richard connects Keay to the city, and the outdoors that she loved, for perpetuity. Thank you for sharing this with our community.” “It was shortly after the announcement of the Peter Sawatzky Sculpture Garden at the Riverbank Discovery Centre in Brandon that I first met Keay”, said Peter Sawatzky. “Her enthusiasm for this sculpture garden was incredible. I’ve never met anyone who dedicated themselves so wholly to a project like this. Keay worked hard and tirelessly to promote this project and she was a joy to work with. Her knowledge and insights into the design of the garden were extremely helpful in creating the final layout. When this garden is finally complete, I will look back and say that without the work of Keay Dobson-Golletz, this sculpture garden might not have been completed. I honour her STRENGTH and DEDICATION.” Landscape planning is currently underway for the gardens and the placement of the first pieces will occur in 2024. Riverbank staff and the Peter Sawatzky Sculpture Gardens team will work closely with the Golletz family to ensure that Keay’s contributions will be recognized as a permanent part of the sculptures park.  

Weeks after settling a strike with a fair deal for Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) workers and ratepayers, Manitobans can expect more affordable auto insurance following a ruling this morning by the Public Utilities Board (PUB), Justice Minister Matt Wiebe, minister responsible for MPI, announced today. “Today’s announcement is a win for Manitobans trying to make ends meet,” said Wiebe. “This is one of the toughest economies we’ve seen in recent memory. People are feeling the pressure, particularly through the holiday season, and our government is pleased to see the board take steps toward making life more affordable for families.” The PUB ordered a five per cent decrease to the rates for compulsory auto insurance premiums in 2024-25, which will take effect April 1, 2024. Wiebe echoed the PUB’s concerns related to the overall costs of Project Nova, which is estimated to cost more than $290 million. “Under the previous government, we saw serious issues at MPI related to Project Nova,” said Wiebe. “We are trying to protect ratepayers from paying the price for their mismanagement. Our government and the new board at MPI will always fight to keep rates as low as possible so people can keep more money in their pockets.” The PUB’s notice of decision is available at http://pubmanitoba.ca/v1/contact-us/media/pubs/2021-2025-nr/nr-mpi-2024-rates.pdf.