Before I even start this story many of you may ask WHAT IS PICKLEBALL? ( from Wikipedia ) Pickleball is a racket or paddle sport in which two players (singles) or four players (doubles) use a smooth-faced paddle to hit a perforated, hollow plastic ball over a 34-inch-high (0.86 m) net until one side is unable to return the ball or commits a rule infraction. Pickleball is played indoors and outdoors. It was invented in 1965 as a children's backyard game in the United States, on Bainbridge Island in Washington state. In 2022, pickleball was named the official state sport of Washington.[1] Local investors plus people from Saskatchewan have come up with an idea of having a large building downtown that will feature 14 Pickleball Courts.   One of the owners is Brandon based Concept Homes. The City of Brandon gifted the landed to help drive and revitalise downtown with this idea. (photo credit Travis Young) Location will be on Pacific Avenue from 13th - 15th street, Expected opening will be September 2025.    

The latest new service to come to Brandon and Westman is Clear Choice Home Services whom will design a custom XMAS light display for you and then take everything down after the holidays. Costs are roughly $7.00 - $12.00 a foot.   Price can still vary depending on design and what lights you require. With that price you get our lights, install, in-season maintenance, takedown and storage. According to Tate Foster it’s a 100% hands of approach for the client.  We also have started offering permanent light installation, which is quite a bit more expensive just due to the product itself.   Clear Choice are also much more reasonably priced compared to our competitors as our product does not require an electrician unless it is over 200 feet of permanent lights. We have two carpenters on our team one of them being myself that do amazing jobs with our permanent lights. For the average Christmas light install it’s around two hours. Clear Choice will use commercial grade ultra bright LEDs for our Christmas lights, which allows us to custom cut them to fit your homes and the designs you want. This is the third year doing the service and so far business about and business is brisk. More information contact, Tate Foster at 204-573-9604 or by email clearchoicemb@gmail.com To request a quote - clearchoicemb.com  

Assault On November 22nd a Loss Prevention Officer at a store in Corral Centre reported being assaulted by a female he was attempting to get stolen merchandise back from. A 30-year-old female who had previously been banned from the store had come in and attempted to steal. On November 24th she was located by police in the 600 block of Princess Avenue and was arrested. She was later released on an Undertaking with a court date of February 3rd, 2025. Breach of Peace On November 24th at 8:05AM police were called twice to a disturbance at a motel in the 1200 block of 1st North. Upon attending the second time a 49-year-old woman who was the primary cause of the issues was arrested, held in detention cells and will be released when calms down and cooperative.

Resist Arrest / Obstruct Peace Officer / Operation of a Conveyance While Prohibited / Operation While Impaired / Operation Exceeding 80mgs% On November 21st at 9:40PM police responded to a report of a suspected impaired driver. The driver reportedly was swerving and nearly hit another vehicle while on his phone. Police stopped the driver near the 200 block of Cornwallis Avenue, where he resisted arrest, by gripping the steering wheel and refusing to exit the vehicle while attempting to bite officer’s hands. He would not provide his name. The 34-year-old male was recently charged with Impaired Driving and Flight from Police. Breath samples came in at 180mgs%, 160mgs%.  Vehicle was towed and male was arrested, held in detention cells and will attend court on Friday, November 22nd, 2024.   Operation While Impaired / Operation Exceeding 80 mgs% / Possession of a Weapon / CDSA Possession of Cocaine On November 21st at 11:21PM a vehicle stop was conducted in the 1400 block of Rosser Avenue. The driver displayed signs of impairment and breath samples came in at 120mgs%. Upon arrest he was found to be in possession of cocaine and plastic knuckles. The 34-year-old male was released to a sober family member on an Appearance Notice with a court date of February 13th, 2025.

Assiniboine College, in partnership with Cape Breton University (CBU), will be once again offering the Masters in Business Administration (MBA) in Community Economic Development (CED) program in Brandon, with classes to start in January 2025. A public information session for prospective students is being held November 30th at 12:00 p.m. at the Victoria Ave. East Campus. Ahead of this, the college will host a public lecture from one of the MBA faculty, Dr. Darryl Moore, “Creative Thinking: Tapping into Your Innovation”, starting at 11 a.m. “Offering education that provides career advancement opportunities and unique learning possibilities is a big part of our efforts in the Peters School, and we are thrilled to be continuing this wonderful partnership with CBU,” said Terry Burgess, Dean, Peters School of Business. “This upcoming lecture and information session will provide those who may be interested in the program a great glimpse into what it’s all about.” With the first intake in 2018, the MBA in CED has proved to be a successful opportunity for students to attain credentials while working. Classes are delivered on campus during weekends, with the program taking 26 months to complete. This MBA will appeal to those wanting to make a difference in their organizations and communities, especially those working in community organizations, the public sector, social enterprises, and entrepreneurial businesses. It is suitable for business and non-business degree holders. Non-degree applicants with extensive managerial experience may also be considered. “At its core, the MBA in Community Economic Development is for people who want to make a difference where they live and work. Here, we teach lessons that inspire students to make a positive change wherever they go,” said Barrie Riome, Director, MBA program, Shannon School of Business, Cape Breton University. CBU offers its unique MBA degree in six cities across Canada and online: Edmonton, Warman, Brandon, Toronto, Kingston, and Sydney, with a long track record delivering the program outside the CBU main campus. Those interested in more information about the MBA Program at Assiniboine College can attend a program info session on November 30 at 12:00 p.m. at the Victoria Ave. East campus, and are also encouraged to join the lecture happening immediately prior at 11:00 a.m. Space is limited, so visit: https://assiniboine.net/mba for more information!