Some interesting things from the last 7 - 10 days Pizza Express has had a major change to their menu. Includes the following Italian Hero Pizza; house dressing base, ham, salami, mozzarella, onions, banana peppers, tomato, pepperoni and the Carnivore Pizza: meat sauce, ground beef, pepperoni, mozzarella, Italian sausage, bacon Keystone Centre has announced PBR is back on May 23rd and 24th. In the past this has been sold out. For many people sad news as Peavey Mart will close. Following the recently announced closures of 22 stores in Ontario and Nova Scotia, Peavey Mart released a statement on Facebook on January 28 that they will now begin store closing sales at all remaining locations across Canada. Former WWE Superstar Tatanka will be holding a meet and greet at this year's Dakota Nation Winterfest on Saturday, February 1 from 11am-4pm. darryl@bdnmb.ca

Harvest Manitoba is thrilled to announce the expansion of its Meals2Go student nutrition program to the community of Brandon, Manitoba. Starting this week, Betty Gibson and King George schools will be the first two Brandon schools to join the Meals2Go program. This milestone marks a historic expansion for the Meals2Go program, which provides essential weekend and summer meals to students. With the addition of Brandon schools, the program now supports nearly 5,000 students each week across 15 schools, including locations in Winnipeg, Opaskwayak Cree Nation, and Brandon. “The smiles on the faces of students, parents and teachers when we deliver the kits at our Meals2Go schools each week is the best reward,” said Mika Peterson, Harvest Manitoba’s Director of Community Programs. “It is wonderful to be able to bring this important program to even more kids this year.” Earlier this year, Harvest Manitoba began consultation with school divisions to identify schools with the highest needs for Meals2Go expansion. New support from Manitoba Education & Early Childhood Learning, along with expanded donor support from the K&P Talbot Community Fund, has allowed the addition of 2500 new students to be served weekly starting this year. “Harvest Manitoba has always been about more than just hampers; we’re about hope,” said Harvest Manitoba’s President & CEO Vince Barletta. “Programs like Meals2Go are an important part of our mission to help young children and families thrive and have the best chance for a future without food insecurity.” The Meals2Go program started in 2018 as Breakfast2Go, and it has continued to grow every year to meet the growing need for improved nutrition among K-8 students in Manitoba. This program, delivered by Harvest Manitoba, provides weekend nutrition kits to students in participating schools each Friday afternoon during the school year. These kits contain nutritious food items, including milk, yogurt, fresh fruit, granola bars and cereal. Harvest Manitoba also delivers Meals2Go programming during the summer months with pop-up locations outside school locals.  

In 2025, Parks Canada plans to permit watercraft on Clear Lake under a "one boat, one lake" aquatic invasive species prevention program. This program will be similar to the one implemented in 2023. The public will be invited to provide input on how the 2025 program will be applied. The discovery of hundreds of live juvenile zebra mussels attached to docks and infrastructure near the east end of Clear Lake in the fall of 2024 indicated that zebra mussels are not isolated to the Boat Cove area of the lake, where they had previously been found and where the containment curtain had been installed. This discovery prompted a review of management actions. With input and advice from Indigenous advisors, the Province of Manitoba, and leading scientific and international experts, Parks Canada has determined that eradicating zebra mussels from Clear Lake in Riding Mountain National Park is not feasible. Zebra mussels are a real and significant threat to Clear Lake and downstream waterbodies. These waterbodies flow through five First Nations, are important for agriculture, industry, and recreation, and provide drinking water for tens of thousands of people. Parks Canada is committed to managing the impacts of zebra mussels on the natural environment and to the vitality of the local tourism economy. Parks Canada representatives will be set-up near the skating rink behind the Visitor Centre on February 1 and 2 from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM. Come contribute your input to the 2025 AIS Prevention Program during the Winter Adventure Weekend. The information collected will be used to inform the management of Clear Lake’s aquatic invasive species prevention program for 2025. There is also an opportunity to provide input through an online questionnaire available until February 28, 2025 through this link: https://parks-parcs.simplesurvey.com/f/s/Clear-Lake-Riding-Mountain-2024 For more information and updates about zebra mussels, boating and aquatic invasive species prevention in Riding Mountain National Park visit: https://parks.canada.ca/pn-np/mb/riding/activ/moto-boat Source Riding Mountain National Park Bulletin

Some local news and developments over the past 10 days 1 - The former location for Kam Lung on Park Ave will have some major changes coming soon. BDNMB.CA will have the exclusive when we can disclose all details. 2 - Pizza Express have sold their Winnipeg location to local owners. 3 - Leon's Furniture has also sold to local group of owners no names disclosed at this time. 4 - Dollarama (Shoppers Mall) will be closed for renovations until February 1st. 5 - Papa John's on 18th Street has been sold last week. Be well more bits and bites coming soon darryl@bdnmb.ca

(CNW Group/McDonald's Canada) The two faces of the National Hockey League are teaming up with McDonald’s for an epic “showdown” and launch of new limited-time menu items. In a new ad, Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers hit the ice for a challenge to win a Big Mac, showcasing their skills and creativity, and even some competitive banter. In today's rendition, Matthews and McDavid gear up for a friendly rivalry, as they play each other for a Big Mac. In a special made-for-Quebec version of the ad, P.K. Subban joins in on the fun – chirping from the side lines. This generation's Showdown will extend beyond the ice with a limited-time Showdown menu lineup inspired by Canada's favourite game and its biggest stars. Will Canadian hockey fans prefer a classic taste and choose the Big Mac®-David or perhaps something a little adventurous like the Smoky Quarter Papi? Fans can pledge their support to #97 or #34 with their McDonald's order. Guests can watch the Showdown here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0C2k3LVbvmE&feature=youtu.be To kick off this power play, the Showdown menu roster includes: The Big Mac-David (Double Big Mac): Four 100% Canadian beef patties, special sauce, crisp lettuce, processed cheese, pickles, and onions, all stacked on a toasted sesame seed bun. A bold burger that leads the way, just like #97 on the ice. The Smoky Quarter Papi (Smoky BBQ Quarter Pounder): A 100% Canadian quarter pound* beef patty topped with smoky BBQ sauce, hickory-smoked bacon strips, crispy onions, pickles and two slices of processed cheese served on a toasted sesame bun. A powerhouse of flavour that brings the same fire as #34 on game day.*Before cooking. Spicy Junior Chirpy (Spicy Buffalo Junior Chicken): Made with Canadian-raised crispy seasoned chicken, topped with crunchy shredded lettuce, spicy buffalo sauce, and mayo-style sauce, all on a toasty bun. A fiery flavour that's bound to get the chirps going. The Hat Trick (Triple Cheeseburger): Three slices of processed cheese with three juicy, 100% Canadian beef patties, pickles, onions, ketchup, and mustard on a freshly toasted bun. A triple play of flavour for those who crave more. Power Play Poutine (Spicy Maple and Bacon Poutine): Rich gravy, melty cheese curds, spicy maple drizzle, and crispy hickory-smoked bacon on top of our World Famous Fries™. This perfect balance of sweet and spicy lights the lamp with every bite. Celly Sundae: Celebrate every bite with creamy vanilla soft serve topped with your choice of hot fudge or caramel sauce and finished with popping candy that adds a burst of excitement, just like the perfect post-goal celly on the ice. The puck drops on January 7 for the Showdown menu at participating McDonald's restaurants across Canada for a limited time. Guests can get in on the action by visiting their local McDonald's restaurant, ordering ahead using the McDonald's app, or via McDelivery®. "In the spirit of the game that unites us all, we are excited to partner with some of today's most exciting hockey stars," said Alyssa Buetikofer, Chief Marketing Officer at McDonald's Canada. "Our new Showdown menu is a tribute to the love Canadians have for hockey and McDonald's. We've combined the thrill of the game with our iconic menu items to create a lineup that's sure to score with our guests. This is more than just a meal—it's an experience that brings the excitement of a hockey showdown right to your table. We can't wait for our fans to get a taste of the action!"