Career Connections Inc. is excited to announce a brand new Vocational Development Program that will be opening its doors in early August. The program which is funded through the Province of Manitoba’s Community Living disABILITY Services will provide hands on training to individuals in Brandon who live with an intellectual disability to help them gain the skills required to find employment in our community. The program is new to Manitoba and Tracy Williams, Career Connections Executive Director tells us that it is a program you have to see to fully understand. It covers areas such as business/marketing, computer technology, consumer/service, construction/industrial and processing/production. With this system we are able to give individuals hands on training. For example one exercise has them wrap plastic hamburgers in wrap just as they would at any fast food restaurant. Or in the construction area, they will learn how to make a book rack, right from measuring and cutting the wood, to the staining of the finished product. There are over 200 jobs that can be taught, step by step, to ensure that participants can acquire the skills required to find work, doing something they enjoy and are good at. Career Connections believes that everyone has the right to work in their community and hopes that by providing this much needed skill development that the employers here in Westman will utilize their services to help fill the labour shortages that many face. For more information please contact Tracy Williams, Executive Director at 204-728-9594 or twilliams@cciwestman.ca.

Source:  Brandon Police Service Media Release On July 24th, 2018 members from the Regina Provincial General Investigation Section and Brandon Police Service, arrested four suspects in Brandon, without incident, in relation to a kidnapping investigation that originated in Swift Current, Saskatchewan. At approximately 10:00 p.m., on June 13th, 2018 the Swift Current Municipal RCMP received a complaint of a kidnapping that occurred earlier in the day. The victim was reportedly forced into a vehicle by two adult males while in Swift Current and driven to Brandon. The victim, a 42-year-old Brandon man, was eventually able to escape from a residence in Brandon and made his way to Swift Current. The four suspects, three men from Brandon and one from Neepawa, appeared in Court in Brandon on Wednesday and are expected to be returned to Swift Current, SK to appear in court there. This investigation remains ongoing with assistance from Brandon Police Service and Swift Current Municipal RCMP.

The Matt Calvert Charity Shootout Golf Tournament earlier today presented a cheque to KidSport Westman for $42,176.18.  The money was raised at the second annual golf tournament on June 28, 2018. Kidsport is a national charity that provides athletes, under the age of 18, with financial support toward organized sports they otherwise would not be able to participate in without assistance.

Source:  Brandon Police Service Media Release At 12:45 AM hour, a 911 call was received of a structure fire at 752-6th Street, a multi-family dwelling. The fire was believed to have started in the basement; however, flames were seen in the roof as well. Brandon Fire & Emergency Services attended to the fire and extinguished it. Neighbors were temporarily evacuated until the fire could be contained and streets were blocked off during the action. Office of the Fire Commissioner personnel attended to the scene to assess and investigate the cause. At this time, it is believed to be accidental in nature and may be related to smoking material.

Local real estate agent Tyler Plante and former teammate Matt Calvert of the Colorado Avalanche had way too much time on their hands when they crafted up a TV Commercial for Pizza Express that has gone “viral” over the last week with over 10,000 views over various outlets.  The original commercial from the movie Happy Gimore can be see here. Play their version below. According to Plante, he is shocked to some degree with the feedback.   “When you deal with a guy like Matty who is well known and something like this will turn heads” said Plante.    “Good to see people handle the lighter side of this by being a low budget operation...we had so much fun and laughs with this” he added.