Assiniboine’s Prairie Innovation Centre for Sustainable Agriculture is welcoming a $125,000 donation from Crane Steel Structures, a well-known Brandon and Westman business leader. “We couldn’t be prouder and more excited to play a role in bringing the Prairie Innovation Centre to life in Brandon,” said PJ Crane of Crane Steel Structures. “Agriculture is such a huge part of Westman and it’s where Crane Steel Structures got its start as a company more than 40 years ago. Some of our best people have come through Assiniboine Community College’s programs and knowing that this Centre will provide opportunities for generations to come is very rewarding.” The Prairie Innovation Centre is Assiniboine’s vision for the future of agriculture in Manitoba, and will address industry and economic needs in this important sector. The Centre, which aims to expand seats in agriculture-related programming from 300 to more than 800, will be located at Assiniboine’s North Hill campus in Brandon. “The Prairie Innovation Centre is Assiniboine’s response to a growing labour market need in agriculture. It’s necessary to ensure this important sector achieves its full economic potential, and we know that Brandon and Westman is the right home for the Centre,” said Mark Frison, President of Assiniboine. “It’s good for the agriculture sector and it’s good for the community. We’re thrilled that Crane Steel Structures sees that and has come aboard with their support. Community and business leaders are crucial in bringing this project to life.” The Westman landscape is dotted with Crane Steel buildings—the company has played a role in some of the largest commercial buildings in Westman. Crane Steel Structures founder, Paul Crane, was a recent recipient of an Assiniboine Honorary Diploma in 2020. He served as a member and then chair of the Assiniboine Board of Governors in the 1990s, and later as the president for the Assiniboine Foundation (’99 – ’02). (ACC News)

Source: BPS News Release On April 12, 2022, shortly after 11:00 am, police received a report of a home invasion, which occurred at a residence in the 000 block of Willowdale Cres at approximately 5:00 am that morning. Investigation revealed that a female and two males forced their way into the home and demanded drugs and money from the two occupants.  The occupants were threatened with a knife and struck several times with a shovel, before the suspects stole a watch, cell phones, a smart TV and a Bluetooth speaker.  The suspects then fled the residence. Shortly before 5:00 pm, police stopped a vehicle at 5th street and Princess Ave.  The 19-year-old female occupant was as identified as a suspect from the home invasion and she was arrested.  In her possession was the stolen TV and the Bluetooth Speaker.  The female suspect was lodged at Brandon Police Service and will appear in court today on charges of Break, Enter and Commit Robbery, Assault X2 and Utter Threats. The driver of the vehicle stop initially provided police with a false name.  Investigation revealed his identity, and the fact that he was wanted on outstanding charges.  The 30-year-old male was arrested and lodged at Brandon Police Service.  He will appear in court today on a new charge of Public Mischief, and warrant charges of Reckless Discharge Firearm, Unauthorized Possession Firearm. Police continue to investigate the home invasion.  The victims did not require medical attention following the assaults.

We have been following the weather models for the forecasted major blizzard over the next three days.  While this weather system has been characterized as potentially the worst in decades, we have been monitoring weather information sources to gain a greater understanding of the impact on the Brandon area. When faced with significant weather-related challenges, the Division has the following four potential responses: Rural bus routes cancelled (based on the condition of rural roads) Closure of rural schools (based on the condition of highways) Early dismissal (based on changing weather conditions during the day) School closures While we anticipate that road conditions will still allow for schools to be open early Wednesday morning, all forecasts are pointing to the deterioration of conditions during the morning and throughout the day.  We anticipate that, at best, we would need to have an early dismissal during the school day tomorrow.  This would create safety concerns for students who walk home as well as concerns for students who depend on alternate transportation to get home.  Additionally, an early dismissal does not provide families sufficient time for their planning. Based on the uniqueness of this weather system and safety concerns associated with a likely early dismissal, Brandon School Division Schools will be closed on Wednesday April 13th. It is our hope that the timing of this announcement provides parents the necessary time to prepare.  We have not had a closure of all schools in Brandon for a very long time and this decision is not made lightly. Thursday is a Professional Development Day (K-8) and Parent Teacher Interview Day (9-12).  Plans concerning Parent Teacher Interviews will be communicated to parents from their respective schools.

The City of Brandon is preparing for a potential major spring snowstorm as Environment Canada has issued a Winter Storm Watch for the City of Brandon and surrounding areas. This spring blizzard may bring widespread snowfall accumulations of 30 – 50 cm accompanied by northerly winds gusting 70 – 90 km/h. Emergency Response Control Group The Emergency Response Control Group, which includes representatives from all city departments, has been monitoring this spring snowstorm since its early notification late last week. Emergency plans have been reviewed, equipment preparedness is being completed and personnel availability has taken place in anticipation of this event. Snow Clearing Operations With the anticipated extreme snowfall, the City’s Streets & Roads Section is preparing its winter snow equipment to respond to the storm. During the storm, the emphasis will be on maintaining limited passage on some of the major city streets, and ensuring equipment is on alert to assist emergency services personnel to navigate snow-bound streets. If white-out conditions become prevalent, snow plowing operations may be suspended until visibility improves. Please note, sidewalks and walking paths will not be maintained during this time. After the majority of the storm has passed, the Streets & Roads Section will begin a full snow event and will activate both the snow map and text functionality. City streets will be cleared in priority order, which is based on the classification and volume of traffic, starting with the P1A route. Due to the magnitude of the accumulation expected with the storm, it may cause delays in plowing. To respond to the expected magnitude of the storm the City is reaching out to contractors for assistance. During any snow event, the City of Brandon appreciates your cooperation and patience. Residents can call 204-729-2285 to report an emergency concern. Refuse & Recycle Collection Schedule Due to the anticipated extreme snowfall, there is a strong possibility of delayed or postponed service on one or more days through this storm. Regular collection is scheduled to be picked up on Tuesday. If further days are impacted, the City will notify the public of the affected areas. If your collection schedule is postponed, please do not leave your bin out in order to minimize the impact on snow clearing operations. In addition, due to the significant wind gusting anticipated, the Eastview Landfill may also close on short notice to ensure materials are not littered due to the wind. Residents and Commercial businesses/contractors should follow social media and/or listen to the local radio station for up-to-date information on this potential closure of service during the storm. The start of the Green Cart Program will be delayed until April 26th. If inclement weather conditions persist, the program could be delayed until May. Emergency Preparedness  With this spring snowstorm, the Brandon Emergency Support Team (B.E.S.T.) is reminding residents to be prepared and update supplies in their emergency supply kit. This may include drinking water, food, medicine, a first-aid kit, a flashlight with extra batteries, battery operated radio and a fully charged cell phone. These supplies should last a minimum of 72hrs. Environment Canada has advised that travel will become increasingly difficult as the day progresses Wednesday, with widespread highway closures a near-certainty. By Wednesday evening even travel within communities may become impossible as the heavy snow and strong winds continue... and more of the same is expected on Thursday. Travel is not recommended as this storm has the potential to be the worst blizzard in decades. If you are going to travel, please ensure to have an emergency car kit in the vehicle. For more helpful information on emergency preparedness, please visit brandon.ca/emerg and check out the BEST Quick Reference Book. Regular updates will be provided to the community throughout this spring storm. Please stay tuned to the City of Brandon’s website and social media accounts. (City of Brandon PSA)

Adult & Teen Challenge of Central Canada in Brandon was faced with a hefty and unexpected surprise on Friday morning. The south structural wall of their building at 127 7th Street is in urgent need of remediation and repairs at an estimate of $100,000. The deficiencies were discovered earlier this week by a contractor installing a new HVAC system to serve the building, including the Community Office under construction in the lower level. The full extent of the issue was confirmed by an engineer today. If not corrected, the construction of the community office will not be completed and the additional programs to support individuals in the community impacted by addictions will not take place. Once construction on the community office is complete, counselling, Ready Now Recovery small groups, Family/Loved One support groups will be offered or expanded for anyone in Brandon and area to access at no charge. Adult & Teen Challenge serves people impacted by addiction. In the Brandon area, they have a 20-bed home for women to take part in their long-term, live-in discipleship program just outside of the city, with additional graduate housing for mothers reuniting with their children. The main floor of the building at 127 7th Street is currently utilized as a SuperThrift location which provides funding to operate the Brandon programs and vocational training needed for the program participants. Aaron & Tara Murray, both graduates of Adult & Teen Challenge programs, moved to Brandon five years ago to help start up the Brandon SuperThrift location. Aaron, originally from Binscarth, MB, struggled with alcohol before going to Adult & Teen Challenge in Winnipeg. Tara grew up in Mississippi, and reached out to Adult & Teen Challenge in Florida after her addiction to alcohol, and pain killers nearly took her life. They now serve the ministry as Development Director and Program Director respectively, helping others like Angela & Alba (pictured below) find freedom from addiction through the program. (submitted)