Source: Brandon Police Service Media Release At 7:30 p.m., Police responded to a report from a Taxi company that a female had damaged the vehicle by breaking the door. The female suspect was located in the 900 Block of Victoria Avenue and arrested for Mischief to Property and also found to have a Warrant of Arrest for Breach of Probation and Fail to Attend Court. The 20-year-old from Sioux Valley First Nation, Manitoba was lodged at the Correctional Center to be released when sober with a Court appearance scheduled for September.

Manitoba entrepreneurs with ideas for new foods or alcoholic beverages are invited to enter the 12th annual Great Manitoba Food Fight (GMFF), Agriculture Minister Ralph Eichler announced today. “The Great Manitoba Food Fight showcases innovators in the food and beverage industry, while continuing to grow the sector in our province,” said Eichler. “In the past four years, 15 jobs have been created as a result of this event, positively impacting local economies.” The GMFF is an annual event that supports small and medium-sized agri-processors in Manitoba and helps to accelerate the rate of commercialization and growth in the food and beverage sector. In addition to pitching their product to a panel of judges, participants must submit an application form that outlines how they would commercialize their new product. Ten applicants will be selected to compete in the food portion of the competition, and three will be selected for the alcoholic beverage competition. Judges will select gold, silver and bronze winners in the food category, and a single winner in the alcoholic beverage competition. The GMFF is sponsored by the Manitoba government, in partnership with De Luca’s Specialty Foods Store and Food and Beverage Manitoba. The competition will be held on Sept. 19 at De Luca’s, 950 Portage Ave. The entry fee is $50 and a valid processing permit is required. The application deadline is Sept. 3. Applications that are not accepted for this competition will have their entry fees returned. To apply for the Great Manitoba Food Fight or for more information, visit www.gmff.ca or call 204-841-4084.

Winnipeg, Manitoba – Today the corporation previously referred to as 10552763 Canada Corporation, a partnership of Avana Canada Inc. of Ontario, Fisher River Cree Nation of Manitoba, Chippewas of the Thames of Ontario, of MediPharm Labs Inc. of Ontario, and retailer Native Roots Dispensary announced its name as “Garden Variety,” along with plans to open four stores in Manitoba. One of four organizations awarded licenses to operate retail cannabis stores in the province, the corporation has remained quiet until now about activities and development efforts while conducting intensive research and market analysis before selecting its name, design and retail strategy. “We took time to learn what Canadians and especially Manitobans were looking for in a retail cannabis experience and developed the Garden Variety with the specific aim of aligning with those needs,” said Ryan Brown, CEO of Garden Variety and Native Roots. “We know from our operational experiences with Native Roots over the past nine years in the US that we must start by asking the right questions of our customers rather than assume we know what they want. Garden Variety is the result of that investigation, and its concepts and design are inviting, comfortable and anything but ordinary.”   As the only current Canadian company with existing expertise in operating adult-use retail cannabis dispensaries, Garden Variety has developed strategic plans for store development in four locations including two in Winnipeg, one in Brandon and one in Thompson. The Manitoba Growth, Enterprise & Trade (GET) authority has reviewed the proposed locations and found them permissible.   Plans include build-out and design elements to ensure a welcoming, relaxed environment for customers seeking a variety of shopping experiences as well as an online purchase and home delivery process. “A great deal of thought and research was done prior to the development of the plans,” said Zubin Jasavala, President and CEO, Avana Canada Inc. “Garden Variety will be comfortable for our customers, break down barriers that might intimidate people from exploration and bring a bit of everyday magic to the experience of shopping for cannabis.” Fisher River Cree Nation Chief, David Crate remarked, “Each of the Garden Variety partners brings something special to the table, which makes the company stronger as a whole. We are excited to bring both our perspectives as Manitobans and as an Indigenous nation to this partnership.” Garden Variety will open two Winnipeg stores within the year, launching Brandon and Thompson locations in 2019. Capitalizing on the successful Native Roots experience in Colorado, Garden Variety is taking a conservative approach, building a strong operational foundation with a focus on Manitoba locations. The privately funded corporation, has invested resources in advance strategic development to avoid common mistakes with lessons already learned in Colorado, and get things right from the start. “We are thrilled to be part of such a talented and experienced team, building a world-class organization from the beginning,” said Pat McCutcheon, President and CEO, MediPharm Labs Inc. Mike Deleary, Executive Administrator for the Chippewas on the Thames Nation, agreed adding, “We see this as the beginning of a long-lasting relationship that will bring valuable resources to our Nation as we look ahead to the future.”

Source:  Brandon Police Service Media Release At approximately 7:24 p.m., Police received a call from a witness after a vehicle was seen swerving all over the road, almost hitting some kids in the process. The suspect driver was then seen exiting the vehicle with a beer in his hand. Police attended to the area, located and arrested the male for impaired driving. He was transported to Police Station where the two breath samples he provided exceeded the legal limit. The 42-year-old Brandon man was charged with Impaired Driving and Drive Over 80 mg%. He was lodged at the Correctional Centre to be released later with a scheduled Court date in September

Source: Brandon Police Service Media Release At approximately 630 p.m. Monday evening Brandon Police arrested 2 males as result of a stabbing that took place on July 22nd. Just after 1 p.m. on Sunday July 22nd, Police responded to a residence in the Zero Hundred Block of 14th Street North after receiving a 911 call of a stabbing at this location. A 25-year-old male from the Sioux Valley First Nation Reserve in Manitoba was transported to the Brandon Regional Health Centre with a stab wound to the chest. The investigation revealed that the male suspects attended the residence to confront the victim and during the argument he was stabbed in the chest with a knife. A 28-year-old from Brandon has subsequently been charged with Attempted Murder, Aggravated Assault, Possess Weapon for a Dangerous Purpose and Two counts of Utter Threats. The second male, a 24-year-old also from Brandon, has been charged with Aggravated Assault. Both have been lodged at the Brandon Correctional Centre and will appear in Court today. The male victim remains in hospital.