Leons Headlines Oct 20: Alberta voters reject pursuing separation from Canada, with 76.4% voting to remain in the country, 23.6% supporting a binding referendum; results on 9 other ballot questions are below.
-Mail-in ballots were a huge part of the vote—about 519,000, helping push early voting to 1.36 million ballots, or 43% of the roughly 3.15M eligible voters.
-Unseasonably warm in the Westman region will help farmers finishing harvest this week, with a forecast high of 18°C today against a normal of around 9°C for late October.
-Prairie farm equipment dealer AgWest, which operates 8 locations including Brandon, has entered creditor protection over financial difficulties, with BMO seeking an extension to January 2027 while a court-supervised sale or refinancing process proceeds as operations continue.
-MB plans to build a $100M overpass & 2 roundabouts at the Trans-Canada Highway & Hwy 5 intersection near Carberry, with 3yrs of construction to begin in fall 2027.
-Brandon advance voting surges to a 12yr high, with 1325 ballots cast in 2 days; Thursday is the final advance poll.
-Rivers-area Acres of Hope completed its 28th-year soybean harvest, bringing in 155 acres of donated crops to raise funds for global hunger relief through the Canadian Foodgrains Bank.
-MB is suing to legally claim nearly $957K in cash & a $70K watch already seized from two ON men outside Brandon, because police can temporarily confiscate suspected crime proceeds but the province must prove a legal right to keep them permanently.
-Manitobans are stepping up to donate blood following the deadly CFB Wainwright fire that killed 4 and injured dozens.
-Kendra Kay will perform a public fundraising concert May 7, 2027, kicking off 4-H Manitoba’s annual Provincial Rally.
-Jets visit St. Louis tonight to face the Blues.
The Office Space Guy died at 78. Richard Riehle, the veteran character actor known for playing the manager in Office Space, has died at age 78. With a career spanning decades, he appeared in hundreds of TV shows and movies, becoming one of Hollywood’s most recognizable familiar faces.
This is not AI, this is France. Burning. France is once again making headlines with dramatic scenes of fires and destruction. The footage shows just how intense things can get when unrest erupts on the streets.
Canadian found guilty of assaulting a flamingo at the Flamingo. A Canadian tourist in Las Vegas has been found guilty of assaulting a flamingo at the famous Flamingo hotel and casino for removing it from it’s enclosure while he was intoxicated. The bizarre incident could have serious consequences, given the resort’s iconic birds and their protected status.
Affordable housing solved with Boxabl? A company called Boxabl is pitching foldable, factory-built homes that can be transported and set up on-site. The concept promises a faster, potentially more affordable way to get a home delivered right to your property.
Donnie Wahlberg plane incident in Vegas. New Kids on the Block star Donnie Wahlberg reportedly experienced a plane-related incident in Las Vegas while travelling to Toronto. The situation attracted attention as details emerged about what happened during the trip.
Facebook Marketplace seller given counterfeit cash. A Facebook Marketplace seller discovered that the cash received during a transaction was counterfeit. The incident is a reminder that even local, in-person sales can leave sellers out of pocket if they don’t check the money.
Woman cries for three hours on a 10-hour flight. A woman reportedly spent three hours crying during a 10-hour flight after another passenger refused to switch seats so she could sit beside her husband. The story has sparked debate over whether couples should expect other passengers to accommodate their seating preferences.
Guy makes $2 million in seven weeks with a pumpkin farm. A pumpkin farm entrepreneur reportedly generated $2 million in just seven weeks by turning a patch of land into a seasonal attraction. It’s a reminder that a creative business idea can turn a short autumn season into a major money-maker.
