Source:  Brandon Police Service Media Release An ongoing investigation from September 20th of a theft of a Google Pixel 2xl cell phone from BRHC has resulted in the arrest of a female suspect. Police viewed the surveillance video and identified the female suspect as the person responsible for the theft. Police located, arrested and released a 48yr old Brandon woman to appear in Court on December 13th.

Source: Brandon Police Service Media Release At approximately 1:40 a.m., Police stopped a vehicle in the 1500 Block of Pacific Avenue after determining that the vehicle registration was expired. The male driver of the vehicle was found to be in possession of a small bag of methamphetamine and a search of the vehicle recovered approximately 35 grams of methamphetamine and 10 grams of cocaine. The 19-year-old male driver of no fixed address and 30-year-old female passenger from Boissevain Manitoba were taken into Police custody. The male was arrested for Possession of Methamphetamine and Cocaine for the Purpose of Trafficking. He was lodged at the Brandon Correctional Center and is scheduled to appear in Court on Thursday. The female passenger of the vehicle was also arrested for Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking Methamphetamine and Cocaine. She was released to attend Court in December. The estimated street value of the seized drugs is approximately $5300.

BRANDON – Funding announced today by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) will help a Brandon University (BU) researcher’s work to create a better understanding of cancer, heart disease and stroke. Dr. Vincent Chen, an Assistant Professor in BU’s Department of Chemistry, is a recipient of an NSERC Discovery Grant, with a value of $165,000 over five years. Chen’s lab at BU specializes in the study of gap junction ion channels that are responsible for direct cell-to-cell communication. The proteins making up these channels regulate a number of cellular processes including growth, proliferation and migration, as well as cell death and survival. “This NSERC discovery grant will allow us to better understand the biochemical pathways of gap junctional intercellular communication, and how these channels are misregulated in diseases such as cancer, heart disease and stroke” Chen said. “By understanding how tissues of the brain and heart use gap junctions provides critically important avenues for us to identify new biomarkers and design novel therapeutic approaches to mitigate disease.” The Discovery Grant Program is NSERC’s largest funding program. The long-term funding allows researchers to explore new pathways in their research as they are discovered. Chen becomes BU’s 11th active NSERC Discovery Grant holder, joining Drs. Margaret Carrington (Physics and Astronomy), Mousumi Majumder (Biology), Eric Bushnell (Chemistry), Bryan Cassone (Biology), Michael Charette (Chemistry), David Greenwood (Biology), Christophe LeMoine (Biology), Bernadette Ardelli (Biology), Sarah Plosker (Mathematics and Computer Science) and Wendy Untereiner (Biology). “I am truly excited by the work being done by our faculty, and am delighted to see the quality of research being recognized by national funding agencies such as NSERC,” said Dr. Heather Duncan, BU’s Associate Vice-President of Research. “As teachers, our faculty members are making a real difference in the lives of our students each day. And, over time, research such as the work being done by Dr. Chen is building knowledge that will help countless others around the world.” Brandon University student Harald Grove is also benefitting from NSERC funding, through the Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarship-Master’s Award. A student in the Master of Science (Environmental and Life Sciences) program, Grove will receive $17,500 in funding over one year for his study of the effects of microRNAs on metabolism in the greater wax moth. Greater wax moths are valued in research because they can often be used as a stand-in for mammals in the study of microbial infections. “We take great pride in the research opportunities that we can present to students at Brandon University,” said Dr. Meir Serfaty, Acting Vice-President (Academic and Provost) at BU. “The growth of our graduate programs has opened doors for top-notch student research. “Building a strong portfolio of research here is going to help our students progress in their academic and professional careers, while giving them a strong foundation for great discoveries in the future.” As Dean of the Faculty of Science, Ardelli says that BU is proving that high-quality research can be done at smaller universities. “I am always proud of those in Science who are able to obtain Tri-Council funding,” Ardelli said. “While the funding is very competitive, students and faculty are successful, which speaks to our dedication and the great work that we do.”

Amendments to The Non-Smokers Health Protection and Vapour Product Act will allow medical cannabis users to medicate in some public places, Health, Seniors and Active Living Minster Cameron Friesen announced today. “Our government continues to be committed to prioritizing public health and safety as we ready our province for the federal legalization of cannabis sales and use,” said Friesen.  “However, we also recognize that some people need access to medication.  These amendments will allow us to accommodate medical cannabis users.” The amendments will provide exceptions to general public cannabis consumption restrictions to accommodate medical use.  These amendments come into force Oct. 17, the same day legalized non-medical cannabis becomes available. While the medical cannabis regime is still under the federal government’s jurisdiction, these amendments provide patients in Manitoba with clarity on where they may medicate in public, said Friesen. Changes to The Non-Smokers Health Protection and Vapour Products Act were made earlier this year in preparation for non-medical cannabis legalization.  The changes prohibit smoking and vaping non-medical cannabis in outdoor public places including: •    streets and sidewalks, •    parks and beaches, •    school grounds, •    restaurant patios and decks, •    the grounds of health-care facilities, and •    any additional places that may be specified by regulation. As a result of these amendments, medical cannabis users will now be permitted to smoke or vape medical cannabis in outdoor public places, except as follows: •    within eight metres of a building to which the public has access; •    on (or within eight metres of) a restaurant or bar patio or deck; •    at a stadium or outdoor entertainment venue, or within eight metres of those venues; •    in a wading pool, splash pad or water park, or within eight metres of those locations; •    in or within eight metres of a playground; •    on a public beach; and •    in bus shacks or other similar structures to which the public has access, or within eight metres of such structures. Beginning Oct. 17, the act will also be renamed to The Smoking and Vapour Products Control Act. For more information on cannabis in Manitoba, visit www.gov.mb.ca/cannabis/.

A two-vehicle collision sent one vehicle into the side of a house on the corner of 22nd St and Ottawa Ave late Tuesday morning. Brandon Fire and Emergency Services and Brandon Police Services responded to the collision, as well as Accel Towing and Transport. The vehicle that struck the house had to be towed away, while the other vehicle was able to be driven away. Thankfully nobody was injured in the crash.  Photos by Liam Pattison Photography.