Brandon, MB. – Youth in Philanthropy (YIP) students from Crocus Plains High School, Elton Collegiate and Vincent Massey High School will be distributing grants totaling $10,000 to 20 local charities on Giving Tuesday May 5 th , 2020. The YIP grant presentation evening was to take place on Tuesday May 5th, hosted by the Elton Collegiate YIP students. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 situation, BACF had to cancel this year’s granting evening. All grant recipients will receive their grant money via mail. The YIP program is a BACF program designed to introduce motivated youth to philanthropy and local community development. This program gives the students a hands-on experience working as a team and with local charitable organizations to help our communities thrive. Each September, schools form their YIP committees. Each committee receives grant monies from BACF and the United Way of Brandon & District, to grant to charities in our community. The students research charities that meet the BACF granting criteria and learn more about what those charities do by visiting them and interviewing people who work there. “The students really get a sense of what non-profit organization are about and how important these grants can be to their programs,” states Laura Kempthorne, Executive Director of BACF “These students are incredible. They take their role of decision making very seriously, making sure their grant will make animpact for the organization they choose. I hope their experience with the YIP program inspires them throughout their lives.” Over the past 16 years, YIP students have awarded $157,000.00 in grants to numerous organizationsthroughout Brandon and the Westman area. For a listing of 2020 YIP grant recipients visit www.bacf.ca. (submitted)

On Sunday, a 36-year-old male driver, from Calgary, was arrested and taken into custody following a traffic stop by officers with the Manitoba RCMP Roving Traffic unit that uncovered 350 cases of illegal tobacco, containing 3,500,000 cigarettes. Police say the vehicle was traveling westbound on Highway 1, approximately two kilometres east of Brandon at the time. “We believe that this is one of the largest seizures of illegal tobacco from a traffic stop in Canada,” said Staff Sergeant Kyle McFadyen of the Manitoba RCMP’s Traffic Services. “It really speaks to the importance of the Manitoba RCMP’s Roving Traffic Unit. This unit is comprised of officers with specialized training who work to identify potential criminals travelling on our roadways. The officers do this work as they conduct Highway Traffic Act enforcement” from today's Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Manitoba's Facebook statement. If convicted, the driver could face a mandatory triple tax penalty of over $3,000,000.00 under the Tax Administration and Miscellaneous Taxes Act. According to police, the investigation continues.

Brandon Riverbank Inc. is pleased to announce that construction of the new Westman Dreams For Kids Accessible Playground has begun as of today. The new playground, which includes equipment designed for kids with mobility issues and autism, will be built near the current playground on Riverbank grounds. Construction is expected to take two weeks (depending on weather). Meanwhile, the East Wetland Restoration Project is also set to begin soon. Flood waters in the past have damaged the wetland and the restoration project will provide a much-needed facelift to the area. (submitted)

The Brandon School Division and the Province have come to terms with Aviva Insurance Company of Canada (Aviva), surety holder of the bonds for Maryland Park School. Aviva has hired Penn-Co Construction Canada (2003) Ltd. to complete the construction of the school. Maryland Park School is slated to open January 2021. To ensure continuity and the least disruption for students moving into the new school next January, students will stay in their currently assigned schools. Maryland Park School staff will be distributed to those schools to provide instruction and support. Families who have registered their children for Maryland Park School for the 2020–2021 school year will not need to complete any additional registration form(s) as those students will be assigned to their current catchment area school. Families who have not registered for Maryland Park School will need to contact their current catchment area school to complete their registrations. The implementation plan to address student programming will be communicated directly with families by the Principal of Maryland Park School. Further details will be released as it becomes available. (Brandon School Division Media Release)

A large number of both vehicles and spectators turned out to participate and witness the Brandon and Area Car Enthusiasts cruise held earlier this afternoon. Vehicles traveled along three different routes in the city, in support of all essential workers.