Source: Brandon Police Service Media Release On January 26, 2021, police received a complaint of the theft of a laptop computer and backpack from a taxicab. An investigation led police to an address in the 3500 block of Centennial Blvd. At approximately 3:00 pm, police obtained a search warrant and located the stolen items inside. The 21-year-old female responsible was arrested and will appear in court on April 22, 2021 on a charge of Theft Under $5000.

Source: Brandon Police Service Media Release A 39-year-old Brandon Male has been charged with Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking, Possession of Proceeds of Crime, and Possession of Property Obtained by Crime.  He was found to be in possession of a vehicle, which had been reported, stolen.  While being arrested it was found that he had a quantity of Meth on his person and a significant amount of cash.  He has been released to appear in court April 8th.

Source: Brandon Police Service Media Release On January 23, 2021 at approx. 11:06 pm police and fire were called to the 600 blk 18th St. for a structure fire. Upon arrival there was noticeable smoke coming from the vacant building. BFES determined that a mattress had been set on fire by unknown suspect(s). The fire was put out with only minor structural damage. The owner was advised, he secured the building. There are no suspects at this time. While officers were controlling traffic at the fire scene, two subjects were observed in the back lane near the structure. Police attempted to identify the male and he became belligerent and uncooperative. A second officer went over to assist and the female punched that officer. Both suspects were arrested. The male, a 42 year old from Brandon was release after several hours. The female, a 27 year old from Brandon, was charged with assaulting a Police Officer and released to appear in court on March 29, 2021.

Each year the MASRC honours athletes, coaches, and volunteers who demonstrate great determination, leadership, and giving back to their community. This year their annual awards celebrated a decade of achievement and the award recipients were chosen by following a set of guidelines and were selected through the Award/Scholarship Selection Committee. Manitoba Indigenous Male Volunteer of the Decade - Faron Asham (Métis - Brandon, MB) Faron Asham is no stranger to being recognized in the sport world. In 2018 Faron was inducted into the Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame. In 2017, Faron coached Team Manitoba to a silver medal at the 2017 Canada Summer Games, which was the highest placement for a Manitoba baseball team on a Canada Games podium in 32 years. He has been involved in amateur baseball for over 25 years and wore many volunteer hats. Mostly serving as a coach, he also served as league president and an executive member for various communities. As a highly knowledgeable and organized volunteer, Faron has experienced coaching success at every level of play in Manitoba and has been a leader in coaching development and mentorship across the province. He has coached at Manitoba Games, Western Canada Games, Canada Games and theNational Aboriginal Indigenous Games. Faron has served on executive committees in many leagues for over 30 years. He served as President for Brandon Minor for ten years during which time they were asked to take over Simplot Park. Faron was instrumental and put in countless hours in changing over the existing softball diamonds into hardball diamonds, adding infields, bullpens, batting cages and upgraded equipment as needed. The park opened in 2004 and was overseen by Faron for 11 years until 2015. Faron is the Baseball Manitoba Vice-President of Coaching Development, and as a Baseball Manitoba NCCP Facilitator and Evaluator,he organizes and instructs well over 20 coach clinics a year in various communities all over the province. It is volunteers like Faron Asham that keep sport alive in our communities and for that we are honoured to award Faron with the ​Indigenous Male Volunteer of the Decade Award​.(MasrcManitoba Media Release)

The Manitoba government is investing an additional $50 million in school capital funding above the Budget 2020 commitment of $160 million for total funding of $210 million in kindergarten to Grade 12 school capital projects across the province, Education Minister Cliff Cullen and Central Services Minister Reg Helwer announced today. “Manitoba’s ongoing investment in school infrastructure must continue during the COVID-19 pandemic for the longevity of our schools and to improve accessibility for all students, while maintaining safe and secure school environments for quality education and to support our government’s pledge to protect Manitobans,” said Cullen. “These projects will provide structural repairs, roof replacements, new mechanical systems and accessibility upgrades in kindergarten to Grade 12 schools throughout the province, while also furthering our 20 New Schools Guarantee.” This includes over $76 million in continuing investment in multi-year projects that are already underway and over $61 million for major capital projects. The province has set aside more than $24 million for seven land acquisition projects for future school sites including two projects in the Brandon School Division. The Brandon projects include a future kindergarten to Grade 8 school and a Division scolaire franco-manitobaine (DSFM) kindergarten to Grade 12 school.  Other projects include:• a future kindergarten to Grade 8 school in the Sage Creek neighbourhood of Louis Riel School Division;• a future kindergarten to Grade 8 school site in the Devonsire Park area of the River East Transcona School Division;• a future kindergarten to Grade 8 school in the West St. Paul area of the Seven Oaks School Division and a second future kindergarten to Grade 8 project in Precinct G; and• a future kindergarten to Grade 8 school in the Waverley West–Bridgwater Lakes area of the Pembina Trails School Division. Other investments will include:• $10 million for access projects such as elevators, wheel chair lifts and grooming room improvements for students that require additional support;• $21 million for mechanical systems such as boilers and ventilation systems;• $16 million for roof replacements; • $16 million for structural project such as foundations, walls and historic entrance stonework; and• $8 million for bulk builds of new modular classrooms to be ready when needed. “It is important for government to maintain and improve school buildings in a timely and cost-effective way to best fulfil the needs of students and teachers,” said Helwer. “These are substantial capital projects requiring careful planning, design, procurement and the management of construction contracts.” Projects are planned to be completed within a timeframe of six to 24 months following the award of tenders and start of construction, Helwer said, adding that at this time, the province is on track to fulfil its 20 New Schools Guarantee. Six schools are open and in use, two are going to tender in the spring of this year and four will start design in 2021-22. The remaining eight are expected to be designed and completed ahead of the original 10-year commitment, he added. The province has completed a number of new schools since September 2020 including:• Ecolé Templeton School in Seven Oaks School Division – kindergarten to Grade 5 for 450 students, with 114 licensed child-care spaces including school-age spaces;• East Elmwood Concordia in DSFM kindergarten and Grade 1 (initial enrolment) with a small child-care area. The school will be expanded to 350 students when King’s School is relocated and the division takes over the full building in 2022. The child-care opened with 31 licensed spaces including school-age spaces;• Waterford Springs School in Winnipeg School Division – kindergarten to Grade 8 for 600 students, with 74 child-care spaces; and• Maryland Park School in Brandon School Division – kindergarten to Grade 8 for 450 students and 112 licensed child-care spaces. “Our government is committed to continuing to deliver on our 20 New Schools Guarantee, and these new school sites, alongside the schools now completed for neighbourhoods in Brandon and Winnipeg, demonstrate that we know how critical these schools are to local communities,” said Cullen.