Brandon, MB – As the City of Brandon continues to monitor the COVID-19 pandemic in Manitoba and enact its own precautionary measures, Brandon City Council will be considering a number of possibilities relating to how property owners may be able to defer payment of 2020 property taxes. While taxes are normally due June 30th of each year, Mayor Rick Chrest says City Council recognizes that the community is in the midst of an extraordinary financial situation. “Given that many residents have either been laid off or currently have reduced incomes, and given the fact that many businesses have either closed their doors or had their cash flows significantly impacted, I’ve asked City administration to develop potential strategies and options for temporary deferment of tax payments,” Chrest says. “This is an unprecedented situation, and Council will want to consider all avenues to help our citizens and businesses weather this.” City of Brandon administration is now working on options for Council’s consideration as soon as possible, with the public to be apprised if any such program will be made available. Information on the City of Brandon’s COVID-19 response can be found at http://www.brandon.ca/covid-19-updates. General enquiries relating to municipal services can be directed to the City of Brandon Enquiry Line at 204-729-2186 during regular business hours or can be submitted online at http://www.brandon.ca/contact-us. (City of Brandon Media Release)

Last Wednesday around 12:45pm, a massive 28 inch walleye was caught (then later released) on Pelican Lake by Owen Lockhart. He tells bdnmb.ca that he never got the exact weight but he estimates the fish weighed between 12-15 pounds. Lockhart tries to get out fishing as much as possible, almost everyday this year. On the day of the catch he was on the lake at 8:00am. Witnesses to the catch were two of his buddies: Tanner Riddle and Justin Kelbert. He believes that Pelican Lake is bouncing back and becoming a great fishery once again, adding that it will stay that way if people follow the limits and slot size, and release the big breeding fish.

Source: Brandon Police Service Media Release On March 23, 2020, shortly after midnight, police conducted a traffic stop in the 600 block of Rosser Ave. The vehicle was full of passengers. A 44-year-old male suspect within the vehicle was to have no contact with one of the other passengers. Upon his arrest, he was found to be in possession of a large knife. He was lodged at Brandon Correctional Centre and will appear in court today on charges of Fail to Comply with Undertaking and Possession of Weapon. A 32-year-old male passenger was also found to be in possession of a knife. He was arrested and the knife seized. He will appear in court at a later date. A third passenger received a fine under the Liquor Cannabis Gaming Control Act for Carry Liquor in a vehicle.

Source: Brandon Police Service Media Release On March 19, 2020, shortly before 5:00 pm, police received a report of an intoxicated male at a business in the 900 block of Middleton Ave. The male was naked in the laundry room of the business, while washing his clothes. The 54-year-old male had nowhere to go, and no one to care for him while intoxicated, so he was arrested and lodged at Brandon Correctional Centre until sober. Once his laundry cycle was complete, employees from the business turned his clothes over to police, so that they could be reunited with the owner.

Brandon Police Service's Tactical Response Unit was seen operating in the area of the 300 block of Maryland Ave late Friday afternoon. Vehicle and pedestrian traffic along Maryland Ave between 1st St. and the 400 block of Maryland Ave was completely shut down, as the Tactical Response Unit appeared to be operating in the area of Cornell Bay and Maryland Ave. Brandon Police Service released this statement on their social medias: "We would like to ask the public to avoid the area of the 300 block of Maryland Ave while our members conduct an investigation. We are unable to provide further information at this time." This message was followed by an "all clear" about 2 hours later. It is unclear the specifics of the police situation at this time.