To mitigate the transmission of COVID-19, all kindergarten to Grade 12 schools in Winnipeg and Brandon, as well as the Garden Valley and Red River Valley school divisions, will remain in remote learning until the end of the school year, with the ability to reopen to small groups as of June 14, Education Minister Cliff Cullen announced today. “Extending remote learning as recommended by public health will protect students, families, teachers and staff as our COVID-19 case counts remain high and our health-care system is still under tremendous strain,” said Cullen. “We know the value of face-to-face instruction, and limited use for small groups of students will allow students and teachers to end the year on a stronger footing.” The minister noted that unless otherwise directed by public health, kindergarten to Grade 12 schools in remote learning in these communities and divisions will be able to schedule opportunities for teachers to meet in person with small groups of five to six students. Beginning June 14, kindergarten to Grade 12 students learning remotely from home can be invited to schools during scheduled times for in-person support, clinical support, assessments and transition planning. Schools will be required to follow public health guidance including:• determining capacity limits to ensure two metres of physical distancing;• maintaining cohorts;• where possible, limiting the amount of time students spend in the facility;• maintaining physical distancing of at least two metres;• wearing masks, except while seated; and• limiting gatherings between students. “While our case counts are starting to move in the right direction, test positivity rates and the number of cases in hospital and ICU are still too high to broadly reopen schools in certain parts of the province,” said Dr. Brent Roussin, Manitoba’s chief provincial public health officer. “These changes will allow schools in remote learning to work with students and assess their progress while ensuring large numbers of people aren’t gathering.” All other schools that have moved to remote learning based on individual assessment by public health officials will be assessed by public health before they reopen. For schools remaining open in other parts of Manitoba, the following public health measures remain in place:• schools with multiple cases (outside of same household cases) will be moved proactively to remote learning as per existing guidance;• school officials can require students and/or staff who are showing symptoms to stay home for 10 days and encourage them to seek testing and household members without symptoms should also self-isolate (quarantine) until the sick individual’s test result is received;• all extra-curricular activities, organized sports and off-site activities are suspended, except for physically distanced walks/runs in the local community;• no indoor singing and no indoor use of wind instruments are allowed; and• all other public health measures remain in effect. The minister noted that schools wishing to host modified graduation ceremonies must adhere to the public health orders and guidelines in effect at the time the ceremonies take place. For more information on the current public health orders and COVID-19 in Manitoba, visit www.manitoba.ca/COVID19.

Brandon, MB – City of Brandon Parks & Recreation Services is advising residents that the City of Brandon Outdoor Aquatic Facilities are scheduled to open as follows:  ·       Kinsmen Pool on Tuesday, June 15, 2021  ·       Spray Parks on Monday, June 21, 2021  City of Brandon Parks & Recreation staff are in the process of hiring and training staff for these areas, as well as ensuring all facilities are operational for the opening dates.  Extreme Heat Prevention Tips   With the warmer temperatures this weekend, the City of Brandon is reminding residents to stay aware, stay cool, and take care of yourself and others.  Stay Aware And Be Prepared    ·       Keep up to date with our local weather forecast and alerts so you know when to take extra care  ·       Stay hydrated – drink plenty of cool liquids, especially water. If you are hungry, fruits and vegetable are a great option with high water content  Stay Cool And Keep Out Of The Sun   ·       Plan outdoor activities for cooler parts of the day   ·       If you are outdoors during the hottest part of the day, shade yourself from the sun with an umbrella or a wide-brimmed hat with lots of ventilation (to allow the sweat on your head to evaporate)  ·       Wear loose-fitting, breathable, light-coloured clothing, and remember to wear sunscreen to limit ultra-violet (UV) ray exposure  ·       If there is no air-conditioning available, spend time in cool places like shaded areas.   ·       Take a cool bath or shower  ·       Avoid using your oven or other appliances that could heat your home more  ·       Limit physical activities during the hotter parts of the day or exercise in an air-conditioned place   Take Care Of Yourself And Others  ·       Check on family members, neighbours, and friends—especially older adults and those with chronic conditions. Consider regular virtual visits due to the current COVID-19 Public Health Orders.   ·       Never leave pets alone in a closed vehicle  For more tips, please visit the following websites:  ·       City of Brandon - Emergency Preparedness  ·       Emergency Measures Organization | Province of Manitoba  ·       Extreme heat: heat waves - Canada.ca 

Brandon Riverbank Inc. is pleased to announce the organization will once again be selling rain barrels, in partnership with Rainbarrel.ca. Orders are being accepted from now until June 12 with the pick-up day scheduled for June 22 at the Riverbank Discovery Centre from 11 am-7 pm. The barrels are being sold for $85 each ($10 from each sale will go towards Brandon Riverbank Inc. in an effort to raise funds for the Assiniboine River Corridor Master Plan.) Rain barrels capture and store rain water collected from roofs through downspouts. They provide chlorine-free and fluoride-free water which is ideal for flowers, vegetables, lawns, shrubs and trees. Collected water has a number of other uses including washing cars, cleaning floors, laundry and more. These many uses can provide cost savings and conservation opportunities for every homeowner, especially those who pay to have water trucked in, use a well or have a water meter installed. Purchasers have a choice of colours and each rain barrel available through Brandon Riverbank Inc. comes equipped with all the parts you need to set up your barrel. These environmentally-friendly products were once used to transport fruits and vegetables and have been refurbished and repurposed to offer years of reliable service as rain barrels. Brandon Riverbank Inc. is a non-profit, charitable organization that is responsible for the care and development of the Assiniboine River Corridor throughout our community. In June 2016, Brandon Riverbank Inc. and the City of Brandon approved the ‘Back to the River’ Master Plan – a 20-year document that guides the use and planning of this special greenspace that winds its way through our city. Many projects, large and small, will come to fruition as a result of the Master Plan and significant funding and community support will be required as we recreate Brandon’s ‘Central Park’. This is a perfect initiative for our organization to pursue, as it promotes water conservation, healthy river systems and environmental stewardship. Orders are now being accepted until JUNE 12th at https://rainbarrel.ca/riverbank/.

Source: Brandon Police Service Media Release On June 1, 2021 shortly after midnight, police responded to a report of a fight involving multiple individuals in the 900 block of Rosser Ave.  As police arrived on scene, suspects fled.  One suspect, a 28-year-old male, was observed hiding behind a dumpster.  As police approached him, he discarded a machete into the dumpster.  The suspect was arrested, but during the course of his arrest, a 16-year-old male, attempted to prevent police from effecting the arrest by interfering.  He too was arrested and lodged at Brandon Police Service due to his intoxication level. The 28-year-old male will appear in court today on charged of Possession of a Weapon and Fail to Comply with Release Order, as he was to abstain from possessing weapons.  The 16-year-old male will be released when sober to appear in court on August 31, 2021 on a charge of Obstruct Peace Officer.

Manitoba 4-H Council Inc. is offering four scholarships, with a total value of $42,500, towards continuing education. These are available to current and former 4-H Manitoba members who must be between 18 and 30 years of age as of December 31, 2021, and have been enrolled in the program for a minimum of five years. “We are pleased to be able to offer these new scholarships, not only to current 4-H members, but also to alumni who either deferred post-secondary education right after school or those looking to return to further studies,” said Candace Tolton, President of Manitoba 4-H Council. “We very much appreciate the investment made by the Manitoba government which will fund these annual awards.” With over 100 years of youth development experience, the 4-H Program facilitates personal growth and enhances leadership skills which enable youth to become empowered community leaders. 4-H members of today are tomorrow’s future leaders. These new 4-H scholarships will allow our members and alumni to continue to develop the leadership skills they nurtured in their early years to help grow our communities and country. Manitoba Agriculture and Resource Development Minister Blaine Pedersen said, “The Manitoba Government recognizes the value the 4-H program provides for our youth all across Manitoba and we are pleased to invest $1 million to an endowment fund for long term support for scholarships.” 4-H Manitoba is proud to award the 2021 scholarships in honour and recognition of four of their longest serving leaders: Fleurette Geirnaert of Mariapolis-Baldur 4-H Club – 48 years (deceased)Rona Kamfoly of Ethelbert 4-H Club – 47 yearsRose Taylor of Rorketon 4-H Variety Club – 45 yearsMargaret Buydens of Bruxelles 4-H Crew – 44 years To apply, students must write an essay on how their education will enable them to take a future leadership role in agriculture, environmental sustainability or their community as a whole. Then, they must submit this, together with a summary of their 4-H and community involvement and career plans to the 4-H office in Brandon, either by email or Canada Post. A short-list of applicants will be selected for interview. Application forms are available for download at https://4h.mb.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/4-H-Manitoba-Leaders-of-Tomorrow-Scholarship-Fund-Application_2021.pdf The application deadline is July 16, 2021. The winners will be announced September 30, 2021 (submitted)