Brandon Police Service Media Release In ongoing investigative efforts to target those involved in sexual exploitation, Police arrested two individuals as part of the same investigation of obtaining Sexual Services for Consideration. On March 28th2018, Police entered into the investigation after receiving information that a 15-year-old female youth was the victim of a sexual assault. Through the course of the investigation, Officers learned that an 18-year-old female from Brandon arranged a sexual liaison between the youth and an adult male. On March 27th2018, police arrested the 18-year-old female suspect for Obtaining Sexual Services for Consideration and Receiving Material Benefit for Sexual Services. The suspect received financial gain for her role in organizing the arrangement. On April 5th 2018, Police arrested a 69-year-old man from Virden Manitoba for Sexual Assault, Sexual Interference and Obtaining Sexual Services for Consideration. Both suspects in this investigation have been released from custody and are scheduled to appear in Court in May.

Brandon Police Service Media Release During the course of a Police investigation, officers learned that a male rented a room at a Motel in the 800 Block of Middleton Avenue and was possibly in possession of Firearms. At approximately 4:55 p.m., the male was observed leaving the Motel and was taken into custody. While officers were arresting the male, a .22 calibre handgun fell out of the waistband of the male suspect. The handgun was not loaded but found to be stolen. A search of the suspect located two baggies of cocaine and $450 cash. Investigators learned that a female was still occupying the Motel room and she was called out of the room and taken into custody. A Search Warrant was executed on the Motel room and Police recovered a loaded .22 calibre rifle, ammunition, approximately 5 grams of cocaine and drug trafficking related paraphernalia. The 23-year-old male suspect from Brandon was arrested for Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking Cocaine, Possession of Proceeds of Crime, Unauthorized Possession of Firearms, Carry a Concealed Weapon, Unsafe Storage of Firearm & Ammunition and Possession of a Weapon Obtained by Crime. The male was held in custody and is scheduled to appear in Court on Friday. The 20-year-old female from Brandon was found to have an outstanding Warrant of Arrest for Breach of Probation. She was held in custody and also scheduled to appear in Court on Friday.

An organization looking to open a thrift store this summer is currently looking for donation drop-offs to help fund their 16 bed Brandon Women's Centre.  The Brandon Women's Centre opened in late 2016 and is located a few miles northwest of Brandon.  The staff working at the new store will be Teen Challenge residents, or employees, and proceeds from sales at the thrift shop are earmarked to support the Brandon Women's Centre.   The Adult & Teen Challenge Super Thrift store will be accepting donation drop offs every Monday and Saturday from 9:00am-5:00pm at their store which is located at 127-7th Street (former location of The Brick) in Brandon, MB.

At around 4:40pm Wednesday afternoon, BFES and BPS attended the intersection of 11th St and Princess Ave for a two-vehicle collision. It appears as though a dark coloured SUV t-boned the lighter coloured vehicle. Sand was deployed underneath the dark coloured SUV to soak up leaking fluids from the vehicle. Nobody was transported to hospital as a result of this crash.

Three classes of Grade 7/8 students at George Fitton School accepted the challenge put forward by Nutrien to answer the question:   “What can you do to improve your watershed?”   The students worked diligently over the course of six weeks, researching and collecting information on watersheds, listening to guest speakers, speaking with custodians and principals, and making phone calls to businesses and other schools within the community of Brandon.   On Thursday, March 22nd, in celebration of the hard work observed from all three classrooms, the students were treated to a Breakfast Party followed by a gallery walk where all submitted proposals were on display.   Following the Breakfast Party, Mrs. Watier, Mrs. Seitter & Ms. Robinson thanked the students for all of their hard work and efforts to protect our watershed, and announced that out of 280 submissions, George Fitton School merited TWO placements in the 10 finalist positions! Our finalists are as follows: *Phoenix Stevens, Braden Patey, and Andres Rincon Cuadrado for their proposal titled “Watershed Fest”; and *Lyam Haslen and Carson Rice for their proposal titled “#saveourwatershed”   In addition to our two finalists, Rooney Gopaul’s project “Habitat Fragmentation” was selected for implementation as well! Although Rooney did not place, the judges admired his “enthusiasm, the way that [he] had already reached out and made connections” in the community. Rooney has partnered with the Brandon Riverbank Discovery Centre to reduce habitat fragmentation by building bird houses for the establishment of a Purple Martin Colony on the Assiniboine River!   What Happens Next? The two groups of students are now invited to present their proposals to a panel of judges at Oak Hammock Marsh on April 28th for the final round of the contest! CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE INVOLVED!