Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 12/9/2010 (3957 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
TIM SMITH/BRANDON SUN
In Brandon, Dan Aykroyd holds Tricia Bone's son's piggybank before autographing it.
Realtor running for mayor
A Winnipeg real estate agent is the latest person to throw his hat in the ring to be the city's next mayor.
Brad Gross, an agent with Royal LePage, filed his papers on Friday at city hall.
Gross joins incumbent Sam Katz and five other candidates: Judy Wasylycia-Leis, Ed Ackerman, Rav Gill, Avery Petrowski and Nancy Thomas.
Gross registered to run for the city council byelection in River Heights-Fort Garry in 2009, but after he failed to submit complete nomination papers, his name did not appear on the ballot.
$10-M Métis business fund set up
THE province and the Manitoba Métis Federation unveiled a new $10-million economic development fund Saturday aimed at helping Métis entrepreneurs set up shop.
The new fund, which will be managed jointly by the Manitoba government and the MMF, will provide up to $500,000 in equity investment to Métis entrepreneurs and existing and new businesses in the Métis community.
"This fund will establish a much-needed access to capital for our people," MMF president David Chartrand said in a release. "Manitoba's Métis will be able to create enterprises that contribute to job creation and economic growth."
Applications to the fund will be judged on "viability through sound business planning," according to the release.
All revenue generated by the self-sustaining fund will be reinvested in the fund to grow its supply of capital for investment in other Métis-owned enterprises, officials said.
The province and the MMF have yet to develop the corporate entity and select a board of directors for the new fund.
Aykroyd promotes his spirits firm
DAN Aykroyd's "Gratitude Tour" passed through Winnipeg Saturday. The actor and musician is driving across Canada to thank liquor agencies, distributors and consumers for patronizing the Aykroyd family of wines, Crystal Head vodka and Patron tequila.
The star of The Blues Brothers and a pair of Ghostbusters movies said he's an active participant in the wines and spirits business, as he believes in using celebrity status to please people.
"I've put experiences in people's ears, I've put experiences in people's eyes and minds, but I haven't put experiences on people's tongues until I got into this business. This is a tangible, material taste I put on people's tongues," he said.
As the owner of the Aykroyd brand and licence and a part-owner in Diamond Estates, which distributes all three beverages, he said he has a vested interested in ensuring the quality of what goes into the bottle as well as the price.
Aykroyd said much of his time will soon be taken up by Ghostbusters III, which begins shooting next spring.
Stabbed over a cigarette
A 54-year-old man was stabbed multiple times after refusing to give a cigarette to a stranger Friday night, police say.
The man was walking in the area of Flora Avenue and McKenzie Street around 10:15 p.m. when police say two unknown males approached him, one asking for a cigarette.
The man declined, and the subsequent conversation turned into a fight in which the 54-year-old was stabbed a number of times in the upper body.
The suspects fled and the victim was able to walk to a nearby business, where emergency crews and police were notified of the attack.
The man was taken to hospital in unstable condition but has since been upgraded to stable.
Police are continuing their investigation.