Lois C. Henderson, a Brandon resident and author, has launched a first novel entitled ‘Harley’s Bootstraps’. This work of fiction about loneliness, connection, and survival takes place in Brandon, Twin Lakes Beach and Winnipeg, and chronicles how three young women, wounded in different ways, form friendships, and become an unlikely family. Against all odds and their own inclinations, they help one another negotiate relationships, disappointments, losses, and brave reimaginings, and emerge as strong, independent, and loving women. “Writing Harley’s Bootstraps was a rewarding process, and I’m thrilled to announce that it is now available for purchase on Amazon,” said Henderson. “Any readers with a tie to Manitoba, whether they’ve visited or call the province home, may recognize many of the characters’ locations throughout the novel.” Kirkus Reviews describes this novel as a perceptive, tender, and affirmative tale about women repairing old hurts and forging new bonds. “Henderson’s poignant narrative is engrossing and optimistic, depicting the inner lives of her characters with savvy precision. Her language is incisively descriptive. The themes of healing and forgiveness are expanded to include the redemption of even the most unlikely characters.” –Kirkus Reviews A publication by Friesen Press, hard copies of the novel can be purchased on the Friesen Press website at: https://books.friesenpress.com/store/title/119734000132614826 Digital copies can be purchased for Kindle on Amazon.ca at: https://www.amazon.ca/Harleys-Bootstraps-Lois-C-Henderson-ebook/dp/B08BW3LPBG/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=lois+c.+henderson&qid=1594908531&sr=8-1 About Lois C. Henderson Lois Henderson expertly wields her life experience, from her career as a senior executive in the mining industry, volunteering in her community and agency mentorship programs, and as a mother to three daughters and four stepdaughters, to craft this first novel, Harley’s Bootstraps. Her intimate knowledge surrounding the importance and power of female relationships is evident throughout this powerful tale and convincingly informs the dominant themes of the narrative. In 2016, Ms. Henderson won a coveted, six-month Sheldon Oberman writing mentorship through the Manitoba Writer’s Guild, which allowed her to work with a successful Manitoba author. She lives in Brandon, Manitoba, Canada with her husband Dave, and her dog Archie. (submitted)

Jared is the President & CEO of the Jacobson & Griener Group of Companies. In addition to attending Brandon University, Bachelor of Business Administration, he is also a licensed Realtor. When not at the office, Jared enjoys managing and coaching minor hockey, traveling and golfing. Your dream golfing foursome includes yourself and these 3 people: Jaxon                     (VBJ 4) Jared                     (VBJ 3) Jack                        (VBJ JR) Grandpa Jake          (VBJ) We never got to do that as my Grandpa passed away a while ago prior to Jaxon being born, but it would’ve been very cool to have four generations on the tee.  If you asked me to pick a course I would say either Pebble Beach, Cypress Point or Augusta National. Three movies everyone should have in their movie library: Anchor Man, Old School, Dumb and Dumber What animal would be most terrifying if it could speak: Probably Great white shark or a Black Mamba, actually the Black Mamba because just like in real life people are terrified of snakes. What's your fast food guilty pleasure: Wendy’s, Buffalo Wild Wings, Jimmy Johns What is your greatest strength as a business person: Finding Acquisitions, Following through, Finding solutions A place you've never been but would love to visit: A nice beach for my wife as I avoid those trips and always pick golf locations, probably would still have to have a golf course though.  I can’t sit still so I need to have something to do after an hour of sitting. The NHL would like to schedule an NHL exhibition game in Brandon, what two teams would you like to see hit the ice: Winnipeg vs Las Vegas – bring in the local flare on both sides with the Manitoba team and past players and Manitoba GM. How do you relax after a hard day at the office: I like to cook so I usually fire up the Traeger with some sort of meat dish, drink a nice glass of wine, go in the hot tub, then watch a good Netflix show. What was the last TV-show you binge watched: Ozarks/Ray Donovan If you owned the Wheat Kings would you change the name and why: I would never change the name or branding………you can’t change history, it has value. Worst business decision you have made: I don’t look at past business decisions this way as to best or worst.  Everybody knows in private business you have to take risks and part of that is some not working out and learning from it, never making the same mistake twice and most importantly finding solutions to turn bad ones around so they are good again. Best business decision you have made: As per above I don’t look at decisions this way but a huge opportunity I have been fortunate enough to be a part of is mentoring under my dad and having the opportunity to take over the family business at a young age.  My dad is still around the office grinding it out to this day and enjoys it.  He s a great role model. Palm Springs your favorite trip: Without a doubt. Will Jaxon (son) be a better hockey player than you: He already is!!!!! Robin and I are super proud of his accomplishments and dedication to training but most importantly being a humble person and a good teammate.  We are also very proud of our daughter Halle for her strength and dedication to English Riding as she is very talented and never gets credit.  She is very supportive of her brother, never complains about how much hockey travel we do and always fits her training in around the hockey travel to make it work for our family. Word on the street is you were a closet fan of One Tree Hill: Yikes, Just googled it…..I have no idea what that show is about, you must have mistaken me with Landon Trotter on that one…lol Which soccer player makes the most money in the world: I was going to guess David Beckham or Messi as I don’t watch soccer can’t sit still that long, I sometimes catch a game in the extra minutes as those minutes are usually exciting. What is Cher’s last name: Not relevant….she goes by Cher that s all anyone needs to know What are the Vegas Odds of you winning the Tamarack this year: I enjoy the week off of work and the golf.  The course is always in great shape at that time of year and it’s a fun week to see all the fellow competitors.  As to my golf game it will come down to how much golf I get in over the next month before the tourney as I haven’t been playing that much only in my golf league on Thursdays this year due to work and organizing hockey for kids during the pandemic.  I enjoy being competitive in the mix and if it works out it works out.  It’ll be great to take some time off given the situation out there and I am just happy for the committee that so far the tournament is a go as long as Manitoba stays safe.  It takes a ton of work to run that tournament and adjust it this year so I appreciate everything our committee is doing.  Is Steve McMillan or Jason Roblin your most valuable employee: They are both 100% solid. No complaints. What would be the first thing you would do as Mayor of Brandon: I don’t fit the bill for politics.  It doesn’t fit my personality or patience meter. 

Home is where the heart is – that is the sentiment Travel Manitoba wants all Manitobans to embrace this summer with a new campaign and contest to create local tourism ambassadors. With the green light for Manitobans to travel safely between communities throughout the province and the reopening of parks, campgrounds, restaurants, museums and other attractions, Manitobans are in a great position to rediscover what they love about the province while supporting the local economy. “Manitoba’s experiences, whether they are wild, rural or urban, remind us that home is where the heart is,” said Travel Manitoba President and CEO, Colin Ferguson. “We are encouraging locals to show Manitoba some love this summer by safely exploring new – and returning to favourite – destinations around the province.” As part of the campaign, partly funded through a partnership with Destination Canada, Travel Manitoba is launching a contest that asks how locals are showing Manitoba some love. Entrants can tell Travel Manitoba where in the province they are travelling this summer and winners could receive up to $500 to offset their travel costs simply by sharing their experiences on their social networks – no need to be a professional photographer or influencer. See contest details and entry form (open until 5 pm CST Friday, June 26). “Manitobans have a great opportunity to safely explore their own province this summer,” said Honourable Ralph Eichler, Minister of Economic Development and Training. “I encourage all Manitobans to support local restaurants and businesses and become tourists in our own backyard. Experience first-hand that home is where the heart is.” Manitobans are reminded to explore their own province while being COVID Careful – maintain physical distancing, stay home when sick, wash hands frequently and opt for pick-up services when visiting local restaurants and businesses. This new campaign is a shift in focus for the organization that just last year was celebrating being named one of Lonely Planet’s top 10 regions in the world to visit in 2019. “Our international profile certainly got a boost,” said Ferguson of last year’s designation. “But Manitobans travelling within Manitoba have always been – and will continue to be – vital to Manitoba’s tourism industry.” Pre-pandemic, tourism contributed $1.6 billion to Manitoba’s economy, with 85% of visitation and 58% of expenditures coming from Manitobans travelling within the province. Estimates indicate that tourism spending will decrease between 25-60% in 2020, and between 6,800 to 11,600 jobs could be lost. The reopening of many tourism attractions, accommodations and parks means Manitobans can safely enjoy their summer by being COVID Careful while supporting the small and medium-sized businesses that make up the majority of the tourism industry. (submitted)

It’s fair to say that for the vast majority of people living in developed countries, the Internet has become as much of a staple in their daily lives as that morning cup of coffee or daily commute. And as technology continues to innovate, it seems that more and more of our time on earth is spent plugged in to the Information Superhighway. The world wide web is both a necessary part of modern daily life and a distraction from it too, but far from simply using it for the sake of it, it can also become a powerful tool for our own development and growth. If you’re looking for ideas on productive things to do this summer, here are four suggestions to get you started. Study The Internet is pretty close to containing most of the modern-day knowledge that we humans possess, so you can think of it as one giant learning portal that you can access any time of the day, 7 days a week. One of the greatest opportunities that being so connected in this way offers us is the chance to study and learn brand new skills. Here in 2020, it’s possible to access an immeasurable amount of online resources, from digital higher education courses with major educational institutions, right the way through to one or two hour lectures on any topic you can think of. If you’re thinking of adding another skill to your CV then get on websites like Coursera and Thinkific for top quality professional development, which in many cases is free or low cost. Dreaming of one day becoming multilingual? Why not start today with resources like Duolingo or Busuu. Maybe you don’t have the time to commit to a formal course or programme, but that doesn't mean you still won’t be able to learn something new from your hours browsing thanks to virtual encyclopedias and digital libraries. Get healthy There was one a time where if you really wanted to get into fantastic physical shape, and take care of your mental wellbeing at the same time, you’d have to fork out for a gym membership, join an athletics club, or make regular trips to a dance or fitness studio etc. Thanks to the internet, your living room can now become all three. Sure, nothing will ever compare to the social interaction of training with a group of other like-minded people, or working 1 to 1 in real life with trainer or teacher, but if you’re stuck at home an find yourself drifting about online, put the time to good use and take a movement class, or download some healthy recipes for the week. Specialist platforms like Alo Moves, Pilates Anytime and Dancio offer classes on a subscription basis, but many offer a free trial first, and there's plenty of free health and fitness content to be found on YouTube thanks to accounts like Athlean-X, Yoga with Adrienne, and FitnessBlender. Start a Vlog Blogging is so 2010! These days, the focus is on Vlogging. If you have something to say, whether that’s about a personal interest or maybe even your professional occupation, vlogging is a great way to get your thoughts and ideas out there, and possibly even open up conversations with people all over the world. Getting started with vlogging needn't be difficult. All you need is yourself, a mobile phone with a camera, some music or props to add interest, and an interesting topic to vlog about. There are plenty of free to use platforms where you can share your vlogs too, YouTube is still the most popular, followed by Facebook and even Instagram thanks to its recent TV feature. Build your own app Ok, so not everybody wants to put themselves out there to the world via vlogging, but if you’ve got some great ideas, you can bring them to life by getting to grips with building your own apps. You don’t need to be an expert level coder, or even have any experience of it with the wealth of app building software and platforms that are now available. Tools like Mobile Roadie, AppMakr, and The App Builder, remove the complexity from developing iOS and Android apps and make it something that is accessible to everyone. Who knows, maybe you’ll end up building the next big thing in mobile, or find yourself developing a new career in app development or coding. And guess what? Yes, the internet offers plenty of free and inexpensive coding resources to help you learn, too.

Online slots are a game that has taken the iGaming industry by storm. There are numerous possible ways to explain their worldwide presence across all online casino platforms. The online gambling industry has gone through so many changes throughout the years. Ever since the first online slot game was introduced, this game has come a long way. The primary goal of any online casino is to satisfy its players by providing them with the best games. In collaboration with top-notch software providers, these platforms now offer an unimaginable selection of casino games, especially slots. So, what makes them so popular? Let’s find out! Easy to Play Unlike some casino games that require strategy, like blackjack or poker, online slots are a game that can be played by anyone. They don’t belong to the group of the so-called games of skill. Slots are the easiest way for a player to begin their online casino journey. Once you cover the basics of an online slot game, you can start exploring the undiscovered riches that online slots have to offer. However, one thing will always remain the same — you can never predict the outcome of a slot game. If you’d like to try it out, we recommend Microgaming’s Mega Moolah that can be played here. Fun & Safe We believe that there is no theme online slots haven’t based a game on. And because of their versatility, they are suitable for players with different preferences. No matter if you’re a fan of fantasy & fiction, you enjoy travelling through time and exploring ancient civilizations, or you simply prefer the classic fruit machines, you will find a game you’ll love. Another thing we consider crucial in the iGaming industry is that all online platforms put the safety of players first. Any reputable and trustworthy online casino operates with RNG — a random number generator. This algorithm is what makes every slot game’s outcome the unpredictable one. If you choose to play in a licensed and regulated online casino that cooperates with well-known software providers, you can relax and enjoy the game because no online slot game you come across can be rigged. The Odds of Winning Big Are Better Than in the Land-Based Casinos Apart from the fact that the choice of online slots can’t be compared to the one available in land-based casinos, another advantage is that online slots have a higher RTP — return to player. If you gained some experience with online slots, you would start to investigate the RTP and choose the games with a higher percentage. In land-based casinos, you can come across games that have an RTP of just 85%, which is something we’ve never seen in online slots. In conclusion, online slots have gained so much popularity due to the fact that you can play them comfortably from your home, try out a vast selection of different online slots and, last but not least, the payout rates are so much higher compared to other casino games.