Branden Crowe has been the voice of the Brandon Wheat Kings since the 2016/17 season. Prior to calling Wheat King games, he was the Marketing Director & play by play voice for the MJHL’s Virden Oil Capitals. You can find him on Twitter here. First job: My first job was a grocery clerk at B&E Shop Easy in Boissevain, MB. Nickname: Crowebar Best tilt you've witnessed to date while covering the Wheat Kings: Back in 2017, Dmitri Osipov fought Tim Vanstone of the Raiders... Ozzy is a very large man and his fist landed right on the button about a half dozen times... The fans at Westoba Place were going bananas!  Three apps you cannot live without: Reddit, Instagram, Twitter The single best day on the calendar each year: Opening day in the Major League's If you were trying out for Canadian Idol what would be your go to song: Runnin Outta Moonlight - Randy Hauser Favourite sports movie of all time: The Mighty Ducks Trilogy Your dream golfing foursome includes yourself and these three people: Mike Lamb, Tiger Woods, Brooke Henderson What current member of the Wheat Kings roster would make the best color commentator on one of your broadcasts: That's EASY!! Caiden Daley. He has the biggest personality in the room and has told me he would like to join me in the booth when his career is over!  Outside Brandon, the WHL's most passionate fans live in this city: Prince Albert. They are the most vocal fans in the league. I regularly have to turn off my ice mics because the things they are yelling at the refs are not appropriate for radio!  Apart from loved ones, what’s your most treasured possession: A train conductors hat that my grandfather got me from White Pass in the Yukon when I was born. I have the logo from the hat tattooed on my arm as well. Who was your childhood celebrity crush: Elisha Cuthbert... Shes also my adulthood celebrity crush!  Best piece of advice you have been given: "When you first start dating a girl... Take her out for wings. If shes too shy to eat those wings in front of you, shes not the one."  I took my wife for wings on our third date... She had honey garlic sauce from ear to ear within minutes... We were married a year later!!! It was great advice! haha What is your favorite indulgence: I have a serious soda addiction... There is nothing better than a Pepsi on ice. However, its a habit i'm desperately trying to kick! You can only dance to one song for the rest of your life, what is it: Whitney Houston - I Wanna Dance With Somebody  What TV show would you most like to a cameo appearance in: Chicago Fire or Parks and Recreation What’s the one thing you haven’t done yet that you would love to do: I would love to audition for a game show... Jeopardy or Wheel of Fortune! Favourite restaurant to dine at while on a road trip: We eat really well on the road so this is tough.... But I would say Joey's in Edmonton or Peters Drive Inn in Calgary. You’ve got friends visiting Brandon for the first time, where are you taking them: Joe Beeverz for Poutine! My buddy from Nashville was up last summer and we took him for poutine.. He was still talking about how great it was when I saw him last month. If you suddenly became a master at woodworking, what would you make: My uncle built a log home from scratch and that has always fascinated me. I think I would be one of those guys on the show Timberkings and build log cabins for people! 

For immediate release: Winnipeg, April 11, 2019 – The Assiniboine Park Zoo is thrilled to announce the debut of a new attraction coming to the Zoo this spring. Stingray Beach, an aquatic exhibit located in a new rotating exhibit gallery, will be home to cownose and southern stingrays. Included with regular Zoo admission, the new exhibit will officially open at 12:00 pm on Thursday, May 16 in advance of the Victoria Day long weekend. “Stingray Beach will offer Zoo visitors a unique opportunity to enjoy an up-close and interactive experience with these amazing marine animals,” said Dr. Chris Enright, Director of Veterinary Services and Animal Welfare, Assiniboine Park Zoo. “This will be an exciting addition for Zoo visitors and gives us the opportunity to expand our conservation messaging to include the health of our oceans and aquatic wildlife.” Stingray Beach will be located in a new indoor venue designed to house temporary exhibits. The stingrays will be housed in a shallow 1,300 square foot pool. Visitors will have the opportunity to touch the stingrays. Rays are typically docile creatures and seem to enjoy human interaction, though the animals always have the choice to swim away if they don’t want contact. An optional feeding experience will be offered three times daily for an additional cost. Windows along the sides of the pool offer underwater views of the rays. Rays are an ancient group of fish that includes stingrays, skates, electric rays, guitarfish, sawfish and sharks. They can be found all over the world in salt and freshwater. At least onequarter of ray species are threatened with extinction. Cownose rays (Rhinoptera bonasus) get their name from their unique forehead, which resembles the nose of a cow. They can migrate long distances in large groups of up to thousands of individuals. Southern rays (Hypanusamericanus) have flat, diamond-shaped bodies. They uncover prey by blowing water out through their mouth and flapping their "wings" over the sand. In order to ensure an optimal living environment for the rays, the new exhibit features a sophisticated, state-of-the-art water filtration system with multiple redundancies and 100% backup power that will provide constant monitoring and precise control over water temperature, oxygenation and chemistry. The exhibit also has its own veterinary facilities, so that the Zoo’s veterinary team can conduct regular check-ups and provide specialized care for the rays as required. Assiniboine Park Zoo is open daily from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Please visit the Zoo website for more information. Courtesy: Assiniboine Park Conservancy News Release

There is no denying it; we are a pet-owning nation! A recent poll by Ipsos stated that 35 per cent of Canadian households have a dog and another 38 per cent have a cat. I suspect the statistics here in Brandon are similar, so we are fortunate to have plenty of pet-friendly options when it comes to rental property in the city. If you are thinking of renting an apartment or purchasing a condominium, homeowners and renters should research the rules and regulations set out by the landlord, property owner or manager regarding pets, emotional support and service animals before signing a purchase or rental agreement. The Human Right Commission of Manitoba states that a service animal is an animal that is specifically trained to perform work or tasks directly related to a person’s physical or mental disability.  When determining if an animal is a service animal, landlords may ask for proof that the animal has had the training to support the disability. Those who own a service animal may have a certificate that will have the animals name on it, the type of training that was completed, as well as the organization that provided the training. Service animals have been specifically trained and have a serious job to do and therefore they are treated differently than a pet. Animals that provide comfort, companionship, and emotional support, but are not trained to assist with a person’s disability, are not service animals. They are considered a pet. If your four-legged, furry friend does not qualify as a service animal, there is good news. There are literally hundreds of pet-friendly apartments in Brandon and most allow cats or small dogs, plus other animals as well. All you have to do is meet the criteria for the pets as set by the property management company. If your animal meets the criteria, most properties ask for a pet deposit (normally an extra half month of rent to a maximum of a full month of rent) and you can live happily ever after with your fur baby. Keep in mind that some property management companies, as well as some of the condominium complexes within the city, do have restrictions on the size of the dogs. This is usually done to protect other tenants (those who do not own a pet) who may be frightened by large dogs when using the common areas of the complex.  The weight and size of dogs (mostly in terms of their claws) are often a factor to consider when it comes to wear and tear on the flooring. As laminate and vinyl plank flooring is so popular in a lot of new construction, property owners want to protect their investment from deep scratches of large dogs. If you are a pet owner like myself, it is important to be respectful, courteous and conscientious of the wear and tear and cleanliness of the property when it comes to care and maintenance of your pets. And, for goodness sake, always, always clean up after them!

The 2nd annual MADD Brandon & Area Strides For Change Colour Run will be held at the Brandon Riverbank Discovery Centre on Saturday, June 1. The cost is only $30 which includes the run, a t-shirt, and 1 dye packet. Children under 12 years old are free and additional packets and t-shirts (including children's) are also available for purchase. Other activities planned for the evening include kids activities, a BBQ and a yoga warm-up. Live music will be provided by Along for the Ride. For additional information, or to register, please visit their Facebook event page.

Occasionally we here at bdnmb.ca reference "Bearded Trevor" on some of our Facebook posts, as he has been known to lend us a hand or two when required. Quite often we are then asked "who is Bearded Trevor?".  Therefore, today we wanted to take the time to introduce you to Trevor Jahns.  Trevor is employed as a Business Development Representative at Westman Communications Group. He lives in Rivers with his lovely wife Jemma. Trevor was also the awesome host of the first ever Food Truck Warz video. First job: Shop helper at Redfern’s Farm Services in Rivers. Axe throwing or escape room: I haven’t been to either, but I would have to say escape room since I would rather do something where I have to think instead of physically doing something. Who was your childhood celebrity crush: Elisha Cuthbert What’s something you don’t know, but want to learn: I would like to learn how to DJ. Like actual DJing where you mix and scratch and not the new kind of DJing where you press a button on a laptop and fist pump to The Chainsmokers. What could you give a 30-minute presentation on with absolutely no preparation: The Frustration and Heartbreak of Being a Die Hard Minnesota Vikings Fan. What’s your go-to meal when cooking: My only cooking skill is BBQing, so it would have to be something on the BBQ. Either burgers, ribs or steak. You've got friends visiting Brandon for the first time, where are you taking them: Load them into a vehicle and drive 20 minutes north to Tempo Place Emporium in Rivers for some wings. Which of the following TV shows do you believe you have the best odds of winning: Survivor, Big Brother, The Voice, Guys Grocery Games, American Ninja Warrior, Project Runway, or Alone:  None of them, but I guess I had to pick one, it would be Big Brother because there is some sitting on the couch in a house just playing mind games with people. I would take that over any of those other ones. If you had a personal flag, what would be on it: Wow that’s a tough one. I would probably say it would be a Viking standing in a wrestling ring. The Viking would be wearing Jordan Retro 3 Cements. Then on the side of the ring would be the Christopher Nolan Dark Knight Trilogy Batman Logo. That’s probably too specific, but oh well that’s my flag. Three apps you cannot live without: Twitter, Apple Music and eBrandon. A film you’d watch again tonight: There are a few, but the main one that I can watch again and again and not get tired of is the Social Network You are a big wrestling fan. Name a coworker at Westman who would make the most convincing pro wrestler: It’s tough to say if anyone here has all the skills to be a good pro wrestler, but I think I would have to say Scott. Brandon's best lunch buffet: Shawarma Queen A place you’ve never been that you would like to visit: My honeymoon was supposed to be in New York City and we never got there, so it would have to there. How excited were you when you found you that DQ was opening a Grill & Chill in Brandon: On a scale of 1-10, it would have to be 11. What movie title best describes your life: Life is Beautiful What fictional place would you most like to go: Wakanda Your dream golfing foursome includes yourself and these three people: The Rock, Justin Timberlake and my Dad, because the thought of him golfing makes me laugh. Who’s your go to band or artist when you can’t decide on something to listen to: It usually depends on my mood, but an album that I can throw on and listen to anytime and enjoy is My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy by Kanye West You have the opportunity to interview Brandon mayor Rick Crest, what is the first question you would ask him: I know this guy Darryl who keeps saying how much he wants a Costco in Brandon, so on behalf of him, is there something you can do to bring a Costco to Brandon?