An update to an earlier published story. The East End Community Centre rink, under the iconic Brandon water tower, is now open for public skating. There are areas for pleasure skating and designated areas for hockey sticks and pucks.  East End Community Centre rink, Green Acres Community Centre is also now open for the season. Lights come on at dusk and the facility is open until 8:30pm daily. Covid-19 restrictions prevent the warm up areas, canteen and washrooms from opening at this time.  Green Acres Community Centre Skaters must wear masks, are not to gather in groups and are asked to maintain proper social distancing.  Dogs are not permitted on the ice or on Community Centre properties at any time.  Community Centre rinks are run by volunteers and to volunteer or learn more, contact the Community Centres. (edited) Green Acres Community Centre

Source: Brandon Police Service Media Release On December 26, 2020, police received a report of an assault which occurred in the 200 block of 8th street shortly after 4:00 pm. The male suspect was observed by witnesses punching, kicking and biting the victim. The male left the area but was later located and arrested shortly before 10:00 pm. The 34-year-old male was also found to be in breach of his release order. He was lodged at Brandon Police Service and will appear in court today on charges of Assault and Fail to Comply with Release order. The victim of the assault did not sustain any injuries that required medical attention

Source: Brandon Police Service Media ReleaseOn December 26, 2020, police received a report of a Break and Enter to a garage in the 700 block of 8th street. Suspects are believed to have entered the garage sometime on the evening of December 25. Stolen was some change from a vehicle within the garage, a Bluetooth charger, 2 stereo equalizers and a GPS unit. Anyone with information regarding this Break and Enter is encouraged to contact Brandon Police Service. On December 26, 2020, police received a report of a Break and Enter to a second garage. This one on Wedgewood Place. Suspects were believed to have entered the garage sometime overnight. Stolen was a black and white, Trek 850 mountain bike, which was discovered nearby. Anyone with information regarding this Break and Enter is encouraged to contact Brandon Police Service.

Source: Brandon Police Service Media Release A break and enter occurred in the 700 block of 33rd Street East on Wednesday morning.  A door to the building was forced and various tools and lunchroom appliances were stolen.  This incident is still under investigation.

The Manitoba government has reached a new agreement with the Manitoba Association of Health Care Providers (MAHCP) to provide compensation to staff redeployed or reassigned to priority areas as part of the province's response to COVID-19, Manitoba, Health, Seniors and Active Living Minister Cameron Friesen announced today. “Health-care workers have been at the forefront of Manitoba’s response to the pandemic, showing unrelenting dedication and commitment to patients in hospital and in the community as well as those Manitobans living in personal care homes,” said Friesen. “This agreement recognizes the efforts and sacrifices of staff whose personal and professional lives may be disrupted by a change in their work that is made necessary by the demands of COVID-19.” The agreement identifies personal care homes, intensive care units (ICUs) and dedicated COVID-19 units throughout the province as “priority areas” and enable health-care employers to make changes to work assignments, work locations, schedules, shift patterns and/or hours of work. Redeployment and reassignment are used to respond to increased patient volumes in COVID-19 units or ICUs and to ensure sufficient staffing in PCHs to meet the changing resident care demands resulting from COVID-19. Affected staff will receive an allowance for each disruption to their normal work schedule or location that is associated with a reassignment or redeployment to any of the identified “priority” health care settings. The agreement also provides a COVID-19 northern allowance, which includes travel reimbursement and compensation for staff redeployed to the north. The allowance also extends to staff already working in Manitoba’s north that are reassigned or redeployed to pick up additional shifts elsewhere in the Northern Health Region. In the case of any reassignment or redeployment, each individual health care worker’s training and skill level will be taken into account, as well as the region in which they work. Staff will be assigned according to skillset and area of greatest need and are provided with appropriate training and orientation to their new work environment and team. They are also provided with the necessary personal protective equipment for the setting for which they work. The MAHCP agreement follows a similar agreement signed earlier this month between the Manitoba government and the Manitoba Nurses Union. Similar agreements have also been signed with the Manitoba Government Employees Union and the Canadian Union of Public Employees. The Manitoba government has previously announced a provincial Caregiver Wage Support Program which tops up hourly wages for those eligible workers providing direct patient or residential care in Personal Care Homes. All agreements are in place for the duration of the pandemic response. (Province of MB News Release)