John Chua admits he was a little disappointed when his wife, Jhoana, woke him up early in the morning on January 23 to tell him someone in Winnipeg had brought home a massive $60 million LOTTO MAX jackpot. “I was jealous of whoever won…not knowing it was me,” he recalled with a laugh. John, who regularly picks up tickets on behalf of his family, started buying them online with PlayNow.com in November when retail sales of lottery tickets in Manitoba were restricted as part of public health orders to slow the spread of COVID-19. Ticket sales of retail have since re-started in most of the province with changes to public health orders. When John blearily checked his PlayNow.com account early the morning after the January 20 LOTTO MAX draw, he says he didn’t see anything to indicate his ticket was a winner. Then later that day he received an email from PlayNow.com , and everything changed. “I thought it might be a Free Play or something. But it said $60 million – I was confused, so I checked on PlayNow.com when I got home,” he explained. “And there it was; I didn’t see it earlier in the morning.” John – who is sharing the win with his wife Jhoana Chua, mother Angie Chua, and uncle Ben Lagman – did actually win two Free Plays…along with a $60,000,020 prize; the largest lottery jackpot ever awarded in Manitoba and the biggest payout ever in Canada from a ticket bought online. The group matched all seven winning numbers for the draw – 26, 37, 42, 44, 46, 49 and 50. “He always plays jokes – he’s a joker, so I didn’t believe it,” Angie recalled her son telling her their family was about to be multi-millionaires. “I believe now that it’s real,” she continued as the family filled out the paperwork to claim their prize. “Now we’re not just dreaming anymore.” John, who noted that even though his family’s lottery dreams have come true he’ll probably keep playing – “It’s a lot of fun,” he chuckled – credits options like PlayNow.com , lottery subscriptions , and remote ordering and pickup of lottery tickets as being important to allow players to keep playing when sales at retail were temporarily suspended. “A lot of people weren’t able to get tickets because they weren’t able to buy at the store, so being able to do it online was great,” he said. “I’ve told myself ‘if you’re not going to buy a ticket, you’re not going to win,’” he noted. “People talk about what they’d do if they win the lottery, but that won’t happen unless you buy a ticket.” The group isn’t sure exactly what they’ll do with their winnings yet, but one purchase John says he and his wife will be making soon is a home for their growing family. “I wasn’t really expecting anything – I was hoping for just a little to put toward a house,” explained John. “There’s a lot of things that come to mind – but I’m going to take my time. I want to be wise. We’ve got kids and need to think for our future. I just want to take the time and do the smart thing.” “It’s a huge blessing,” added Angie. “We’re all very thankful – we just needed a little bit and we got a lot.” PlayNow.com winners receive a courtesy email after any win, including instructions on how to claim the prize. Lotto Spot! retail lottery sales have now re-opened across Manitoba, with the exception of some areas in the North. Congratulations John, Jhoana, Angie and Ben! Wishing you all the best! (WCLC / HANDOUT))

Manitoba Conservation and Climate will again offer free entry to provincial parks throughout the month of February so Manitobans and visitors can take advantage of the many winter activities available in the parks. Vehicle permits are not required in any provincial park in February, but Snopasses are still required for snowmobiles using groomed trails in the parks. As well, entrance fees still apply in national parks. There are groomed trails in provincial parks across Manitoba for a variety of activities including cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, fat biking, snowshoeing and hiking. Paint Lake, Spruce Woods and Turtle Mountain provincial parks also offer outdoor skating areas, hockey rinks and toboggan hills. Trail grooming reports are updated online every Thursday throughout the winter. Manitobans are encouraged to check trail conditions and weather forecasts to plan their outdoor adventures before visiting parks. Maps of winter trails and updated reports can be found at www.manitobaparks.com. Trail users are reminded to use only the trails designated for their activities, to keep dogs on leashes and to practise ‘Leave No Trace’. Provincial parks have seen a significant increase in use this winter as safe outdoor places for Manitobans to get physical exercise and fresh air. While being outdoors and active in nature is important for physical and mental health, COVID-19 public health orders must be followed including steps such as physical distancing from anyone not in your household. Crowds and busy trails can be avoided by visiting parks during non-peak times such as early weekend mornings and weekdays. Information on COVID-19 restrictions in provincial parks is available at www.manitobaparks.com.  Park interpreters are offering weekly online events and webinars this winter for Manitobans to learn and discover provincial parks safely at home. Highlights for the month of February include:• learn cross-country ski techniques Wednesday, Feb. 3;• a Parks After Dark presentation on eclipses with the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada Sunday, Feb. 7;• skijoring and kick-sledding demonstrations Wednesday, Feb. 17;• a presentation on the owls of Manitoba Saturday, Feb 20; and• a behind-the-scenes tour of the Whiteshell Fish Hatchery Saturday, Feb. 27. More information on these events and other upcoming programs can be found under the events tab on the Manitoba Parks Facebook page at www.facebook.com/MBGovParks and online at www.manitobaparks.com. Teachers can also book free virtual school programs throughout the winter season to bring parks into their classrooms. For more information on winter activities and interpretive programs in provincial parks, email parkinterpretation@gov.mb.ca or visit www.manitobaparks.com. Manitobans can also stay up to date with provincial park news, activities and events by following the Twitter channel at www.twitter.com/MBGovParks and liking the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/MBGovParks. (Province of MB News Release)

A somewhat typical story I often hear is that people have a hard time leaving Brandon and if they do they seem to return...kind of like the new marketing sell line for the city “ Brandon Brings You Back”. 27 year old Tia Smith (pictured above-L) from Brandon took a huge leap of faith several years ago and moved to Vancouver to study Interior Design.  Tia has always been on the cutting edge and now has the ability to use her skills in Vancouver and abroad.When did you leave Brandon and why did you choose Vancouver? I left Brandon in 2012 and moved to Vancouver to get my Bachelor of Interior Design. I had always been a fan of the west coast growing up so after graduating high school I selected a school here to pursue my career as a designer. Let’s talk about Jute Design. First of all why that name, and is this your business or do you have partners? My business partner, Jill Propoerzi and I started Jute Design & Management in 2016 when we saw an opportunity to create a design-build firm here in Vancouver. Offering both these services allows us to provide a cohesive package with seamless execution. We find that having one point of contact benefits our clients and has aided in our success. Our business model led us to choosing the name Jute. Jute is composed of multiple different natural fibers, once combined they create a strong, versatile material.   When you click on your website the list of services you offer is very impressive and one would assume that Vancouver is a competitive market in your industry. Do you find this to be true?  Yes, Vancouver's design industry is relatively competitive - We believe that the key is to find your niche and build strong relationships within it. There are plenty of very talented firms in Vancouver, and we are excited to be a part of the growing industry here.  Does your age give you an advantage when bidding on jobs and projects? Vancouver has a lot of young entrepreneurs and professionals who we believe see the value in working together. The design and construction industry is still very male dominated, and with our female team we strive to break boundaries, hire more female trades and continue to make a name for ourselves here.  On your social media I notice some very cool, trendy couches etc. Are you able to source those products and then ship them anywhere? Yes we can. We love to keep updated on the local and global trends for furniture and lighting. We have a team with extensive experience in furniture and textile selection and are always excited when we can show off our knowledge.  For anyone that is looking to hire you what is the best way to contact your firm? You can reach us through our website www.jutedesign.ca or send us an email info@jutedesign.ca

Come out and enjoy this night with your family at our Drive-in Service on New Year's Eve!Let’s end 2020 strong with faith and joy as we gather (in our vehicles) to celebrate the goodness of God. You will enjoy songs of worship and hear an inspiring message from Pastor Ben Karuhije, that will send you into 2021 with hope. And best of all, we’ll be together! This is event is free and open to all. *Due to the current public health orders, each vehicle can only contain people from one household. Thank you! -Quote from Pastor Ben Karuhije:“As a church, we love being part of the community of the city of Brandon. Like everyone else in our city, we have felt the burdens of 2020, and we want to help people start 2021 with hope and faith. Typically we host one or two public events every year, outside of our regular services, to contribute to the welfare and progress of our city. Last year we hosted an event for business leaders called “Leadercast", as well as our annual "Christmas at the Centennial” production. Even though we couldn’t hold large events this year, we are grateful for the opportunity to gather in vehicles- and hopefully our New Year’s Drive-In Service will be a source of joy and optimism for our city. No matter what you believe, I believe this event will fill you with hope!"

Brandonites are eager to get outdoors and stay active in this mild weather but the shortage of available ice rinks in the City has left people scrambling. While the City run skating oval is not officially open, dozens of skaters are beyond the barricade each day and night, navigating the cracked and rough ice. The uneven surface, with exposed rocks and bubbles is not ideal for pleasure skating. The area itself, however, is a very popular attraction thanks to the beautiful holiday light display hosted by Manitoba Hydro each year.  Some Community Centres including Valleyview (on Whillier Drive) did recently open for public skating and are quite busy. Warm up shacks and washroom facilities are not open due to Covid-19 restrictions. Others centres, like Green Acres, have not yet opened. Posted today on the Green Acres Community Centre Facebook page was an update on the delay citing recent vandalism and equipment breakdown as the reasons for not yet being open to the public.  With few alternatives for public skating, and all indoor hockey leagues on pause, homeowners have turned to building backyard rinks for their own personal use.  Local builder, Rona, and the Brandon Wheat Kings have co-hosted and sponsored a contest for backyard rinks. Dozens of entries can be seen on their social media pages. The contest hashtag is #ronarink.  The local East Side Mario’s franchise is also hosting a backyard rink contest. Entries can be submitted to their Facebook page by December 31st.