Brandon, MB – The City of Brandon’s Public Works Department wishes to remind residents that, as per City of Brandon Traffic By-law No. 5463, trees and shrubs originating on private property are the sole responsibility of the property owner and should be trimmed so as to not create obstructions for pedestrians or vehicles in back lanes or on right-of-ways. Specifically, all branches are required to be trimmed back to the property line, up to a height of 14 feet, thus minimizing potential damage to City equipment and ensuring the safety of workers and the general public. As per the above noted by-law, the City of Brandon will deliver letters to properties where private trees or shrubs are currently encroaching onto sidewalks, streets and back lanes in such a way to cause damage to City of Brandon Sanitation equipment or potentially cause harm to the general public. Property owners/occupants who disregard this request for by-law compliance will be subject to a fine. Property owners who remain in non-compliance after 14 calendar days will then be subject to a process by which the City moves forward with trimming the offending tree or shrub, the cost of which will be added to the property’s municipal tax bill. In the event the encroachment is considered to be an immediate concern, City crews will trim branches enough to provide unimpeded access for City equipment. Immediate maintenance will be done at no cost to the property owner/occupant; however, subsequent monitoring and/or additional trimming will be the responsibility of the property owner/occupant. The City of Brandon’s Public Works Department wishes to stress that property owners can work with them to avoid issues of non-compliance by regularly trimming any trees and shrubs on their property that have the potential to create a public hazard. A reminder for all residents that in accordance with Manitoba Conservation tree pruning guidelines, elm trees specifically are not to be trimmed until after July 31st annually. For more information about the City of Brandon’s tree trimming and pruning program, call the City of Brandon’s Public Works information line at 204-729-2285. The City of Brandon thanks all property owners in advance for their cooperation in keeping the community’s back lanes and right-of-ways safe for all.

Source:Brandon Police Service Media Release Over the past couple of days, packages containing edible fruit gummy jelly bombs have been found in and around local school grounds. This product is made with cannabis extract and may contain traces of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), which is a crystalline compound, the main active ingredient in cannabis. With Halloween around the corner, when we may not be as cogizant about candies, and the new Cannabis legislation in place, Brandon Police Service is asking the public to be aware of these discarded packages and contact BPS if any are found. These packages, and any contents, should be kept out of the reach of children

Jennifer Bone becomes the third female Chief in Sioux Valley Dakota Nation history. The results were as follows: Jennifer Bone - 420 votes Vince Tacan - 225 votes Tacan was the Chief of Sioux Valley for the past 8 years. Council elections will happen next week in Sioux Valley. Past female Chiefs were Kathy Whitecloud and Donna Elk.

Manitoba Finance’s Taxation Special Investigations Unit (SIU) seized 10,412 contraband cigarettes, 19,024 grams of sheesha product containing illegal tobacco, $10,689 in cash and impounded a Manitoba registered vehicle following a recent enforcement blitz. A total of 11 individuals and four businesses were found selling, or in possession of, illegal tobacco products that were not marked for Manitoba tax purposes.  They now face charges under The Manitoba Tobacco Tax Act and The Tax Administration and Miscellaneous Taxes Act. Manitoba stood to lose more than $8,300 in tax revenue if these products had been sold.  If convicted, the individuals face fines between $1,000 and $10,000 and/or up to six months imprisonment.  In addition, they may face a triple tax penalty. The province urges anyone who has information on contraband tobacco to contact their local police department, call the Manitoba Finance Special Investigations Unit at 204-945-1137, email smuggling_manitoba@rcmp-grc.gc.ca or call Manitoba Crime Stoppers (toll-free) at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

On Monday and Tuesday, October 22nd and 23rd, the traffic signals on Victoria Avenue at 8th , 9th, and 10th Street intersections will be undergoing upgrades performed by Manitoba Transportation and Government Services. During the upgrades, the traffic signals will be shut down completely and Police will be on scene to direct traffic. On Monday October 22nd, the intersection of 8th Street and Victoria Avenue will be shut down between 11:00am – 12:00pm for approximately four hours. On Tuesday October 23rd, the intersection of 9th Street and Victoria Avenue will be shut down at 9:00am for approximately four hours. Once the intersection of 9th Street and Victoria Avenue is back up and running, the intersection of 10th Street and Victoria Avenue will be shut down. With the intersections being shut down for approximately four hours, the upgrades may be completed more quickly or require more time to complete. Brandon Police Service are asking, if possible, motorists take an alternate route to avoid these areas. We appreciate everyone’s anticipated cooperation and patience during this process.