Shortly before 12:00am on Tuesday Brandon Fire and Emergency Services and Brandon Police Service responded to the 600 block of Van Horne Avenue for a structure fire. Flames could be seen coming from multiple holes in the roof of the multi-story house, and a large burn mark was visible on the west side of the building which stretched from the ground all the way up to the roof. The building appeared to have been previously boarded up, which may have posed challenges for fire crews. Brandon Fire utilized their Quint ladder truck for "master stream operations" and used the water stream to get water into the attic and upper floors of the house. Fire crews were on scene past 4:00am and were still spraying water into the building. No word on cause or if there were any injuries.

Source: Brandon Police Service Media Release On July 25, 2021, police responded to a report of a disturbance in a residence shortly after 10:00 pm.  An investigation in to the matter revealed that a 41-year-old male and a 22-year-old female forced their way into a residence on Basswood Bay and proceeded to assault the residents while attempting to steal cash.  Police arrested the two suspects at the residence.  One of the residents received injuries, but declined medical attention. Further investigation revealed that the suspects possessed an airsoft pistol during the robbery. The 41-year-old male suspect was to abide by a Release Order not to possess weapons or attend Brandon.  He was lodged at Brandon Police Service and will appear in court today on charges of Break and Enter and Commit, Armed Robbery, Assault with a Weapon, Forcible Confinement, and Fail to Comply with Release Order X2. The 22-year-old female suspect was found to be wanted on outstanding charges of Fail to Comply with Probation.  She was also lodged at Brandon Police Service and will appear in court on additional charges of Break and Enter and Commit, Armed Robbery, Assault with a Weapon, Forcible Confinement.

City of Brandon Parks & Recreation Services is excited to announce that the city is hosting several events to mark the official celebration of Manitoba’s 150th Anniversary. To celebrate this momentous occasion, the city is hosting a week-long celebration from September 19th to 25th, in partnership with Manitoba 150. Events include a drive-thru pancake breakfast, scavenger hunts, and a drive-in movie! Celebrate 150 Free Drive-Thru Pancake Breakfast Date: September 19th Time: 8:30 – 10:30 a.m. (or until supplies last) Location: TBD Celebrate 150 Scavenger Hunts Date: September 19th – 25th Time: Dawn to Dusk Location: TBD Celebrate 150 Drive-In Movie Date: September 25th Time: Dusk Movie: The Journey Home Location: Keystone Centre Parking Lot Celebrate 150 Pop-Up Performances In addition to this week-long celebration, the city is also thrilled to present an exciting spur-of-the-moment pop-up performance series. These performances will take place at various locations around the city, featuring local talent from Brandon and the Westman region. Watch for these short events in parks, green spaces, and bustling corners around the city throughout July, August, and September. For more information on these events, please visit City of Brandon - Celebrate 150. (City of Brandon PSA)

The Kiwanis Club of Brandon received a contribution to their accessible playground project at the Laurence and Louise community park this past week from Westoba Credit Union. This community space, identified by the city of Brandon as in greatest need, will be transformed into a  fully accessible park including separate junior and senior play areas, each with multiple types of play equipment including group and individual activities. “Investing in our community is a priority for us,” said Patti McEvoy, 1st & McTavish, Westoba Branch  Manager. “Our staff live and work here; it’s exciting to support this project and make use of the space when it’s complete.” Long term goals for the project feature an open play field, accessible pathways and more. “The plan  includes a toboggan and play hill for winter and summer activities, seniors’ corner with horseshoe pitch  and chess tables, family shelter, picnic areas, climbing area, and a community garden,” said Frank Thomas, Chair of the Kiwanis Club of Brandon Special Projects Committee. The Kiwanis Club of Brandon is a not-for-profit club under the international Kiwanis Club umbrella.” Our  motto is ‘Serving the Children of the World’, this project fills our need to support children, especially  those with challenges and the community at the same time,” said Thomas. Progress of the park is dependent on funding and will be completed in a phased approach. Priority is being given to the accessible equipment with equipment installation starting mid-August. (submitted)

The Manitoba government is providing $2 million to establish and operate a sobering centre in the city of Brandon, Justice Minister Cameron Friesen announced here today. “Sobering centres offer an effective alternative to police and hospital-based responses to public intoxication, while keeping Manitobans safe,” said Friesen. “The Brandon Sobering Centre will provide a safe setting for individuals needing short-term recovery, and support our government’s commitment to improving the health and wellness of all Manitobans.” The Brandon Sobering Centre will provide a 24-7 safe and secure environment for non-violent, publicly intoxicated individuals to stay while the effects of drugs and/or alcohol wear off. Public intoxication continues to be a significant health and safety issue in Brandon and the surrounding area. Currently, the Brandon Police Service responds to over 1,000 calls for service annually where drugs and alcohol are considered a factor in the event. These incidents place a significant burden on the health-care and justice systems. This funding builds on a partnership with the City of Brandon, and other stakeholders, to develop a community safety and well-being strategy, which includes a sobering centre, the minister noted. “The addition of a sobering centre for our area will provide a more appropriate and services-oriented approach to serving people dealing with addictions,” said Mayor Rick Chrest, City of Brandon. “This will be a benefit to those who require assistance and to our police service personnel who are on the front line rendering assistance to individuals experiencing public intoxication.” “We at the Brandon Police Service are thrilled to see this sobering center become a reality,” said Randy Lewis, deputy chief, Brandon Police Service. “We have been involved in discussions with community advocates and the provincial government for some time now, and it is safe to say that we support this initiative fully. We have long recognized that our cells were not the proper place for someone with a drug or alcohol addiction to sober up and the new sobering centre will provide the proper care to these individuals. I believe that this sobering center will enhance overall community safety by freeing up officer time, which will allow them to return to their duties more quickly where they can focus their efforts on criminal activity and targeting those that make a living from trafficking drugs.” Friesen noted the new sobering centre aligns with a number of key recommendations resulting from provincial reports and strategic initiatives, including Manitoba’s Policing and Public Safety Strategy, released in 2019, which calls for government to support law enforcement and community stakeholders to combat and reduce public intoxication and alleviate extraneous demands on police officers. The establishment of a sobering centre also supports the Canadian Mental Health Association action plan on the Brandon region. The Manitoba government continues to support law enforcement and community stakeholders in approaches to combat and reduce public intoxication and disorder, and has made significant investments in mental health and addictions services since October 2019, including more than $51.3 million in more than 34 projects and initiatives. (Province of MB News Release)