Westman Communications Group (WCG) announced today its annual #ConnectingWestman Tour is returning after a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19 health restrictions. The Tour will be kicking off on June 16 and will end on September 8, 2022. The last time WCG held the #ConnectingWestman Tour was back in 2019, which was also the first year it took place. The 2019 Tour was a smashing success, and WCG looks to bring that momentum back. “The #ConnectingWestman Tour is an initiative that raises funds together with the community to benefit a local cause and is something that we knew we wanted to make an annual event,” said Marketing Manager, Courtney Baxter. “The success of our first Tour in 2019 proved that this was something our communities really enjoyed and that we could carry on for years to come.” WCG staff will hit the highway this summer making four community stops. The Tour will kick off in Minnedosa on June 16 before heading to Dauphin on July 21, Neepawa on August 25, and wrapping up in Roblin on September 8. “We are proud to support local and make an impact in the communities we serve,” explained Baxter. “Being able to go to different communities each year with the #ConnectingWestman Tour makes us feel more connected to our members, and the local fundraising causes that matter to them.” WCG, WCGtv, Westman Communications Business Solutions, 94.7 STAR FM, and Q Country 91.5 FM will be hosting barbeques, which support local charities and organizations, as well as open houses to allow community members to preview WCG communication services and ask questions. WCGtv will be touring the community and capturing all the action of the day. The 2019 #ConnectingWestman Tour took WCG to Killarney, Russell, and Virden. With the support of those communities, a total of over $15,000 was raised for local charities, including the Killarney – Turtle Mountain Fire Department, the Russell Airport & Flying Club, and the Virden Spray Park. To keep up to date on the 2022 #ConnectingWestman Tour, follow WCG on social media or head to westmancom.com/connectingwestman-tour.

The annual Brandon Home and Leisure Show returns to Brandon this weekend at the Keystone Centre (UCT Pavilion and The Manitoba Room). The event is the perfect opportunity to get some great advice, design ideas and view the wide array of products/services from the nearly 200 exhibitors expected to be on-hand. These exhibitors will be showcasing the many services they offer from home building, contracting, home furnishings, design, kitchen & bath, outdoor leisure products, renovations, landscaping, equipment rentals and more! This year's show is certain to offer a wonderful experience for its many thousands of visitors. Friday April 8th – 1:00 pm – 9:00 pm Saturday April 9th – 10:00 am – 8:00 pm Sunday April 10th – 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm

City of Brandon’s Development Services is bringing back the Temporary Sidewalk / On-Street Patio program, which allows food and beverage establishments to set up patios on City property, with no fee payable to the City of Brandon. In addition, the City is prepared to offer the required safety signs for on-street patios at no cost to the applicant. To apply, business owners must produce a site plan, proof of insurance, and a signed declaration, which is included in the application. Compliance with health, liquor and fire regulations will also be required. If alcohol is being served, a barrier / fence surrounding the patio is required. Patios are already permitted on private property, with no fees to the City. For more information, please visit City of Brandon - Temporary Patios On City Property, email planning@brandon.ca, or call 204-729-2110. (City of Brandon PSA)

The Rotary Spring Break Book Sale begins tomorrow, inside the Imperial Ballroom, at the Victoria Inn. The sale features over 75,000 books for sale (cash only) over the 3-day period. Books are priced to clear: regular soft covers are $2, hard covers are $4 and most children’s books are priced at $1 each. Admission is free and customers are asked to bring their own reusable shopping bags. All funds raised from the sale of the books support the Rotary Club of Brandon's Community Projects in Brandon & Westman. Masks and distancing is recommended. Doors open at 9am every day. Thursday, March 31st: 9am-8pm Friday, April 1st: 9am-8pm Saturday, April 2nd: 9am-2pm only   The Fall Book Sale tales place September 8-10, 2022.

Today, Westman Communications Group (WCG) announced that they are investing $1.4 million for significant network infrastructure upgrades. These upgrades enable faster speeds and increased network resiliency while supporting future residential and business growth and higher bandwidth demands of devices and applications. The project has started and is scheduled for completion before the end of 2022. WCG is continuously looking for ways to improve customer experience, as they understand the need for more speed and increased reliability is growing across the region. Their goal is to be proactively ahead of this growth to provide the best Internet and streaming TV experience to their members across all their service offerings. Once the upgrade is complete, WCG will have the opportunity to offer their members speeds up to 1 Gigabit across all their communities. “WCG is proud to offer advanced communication services to over 50 communities across Manitoba,” said Dave Baxter, President and CEO of Westman Communications Group. “The popularity of remote work, video streaming, and online gaming continues to grow. These infrastructure upgrades will ensure WCG members enjoy the high-quality experience they deserve and expect long into the future.” WCG will notify members of any planned service interruptions associated with the infrastructure upgrade; however, their goal is to keep them to a minimum. To easily monitor service interruptions, visit https://support.westmancom.com/service.php. WCG will release updates as the project progresses and upon completion. (submitted)