Brandon’s new First Street Bridge, featuring two twin-lane spans, is now fully open to traffic, Infrastructure Minister Ron Schuler announced today. “We thank the people of Brandon and motorists for their co-operation over the past 26 months as builders removed the aging structures and constructed a new four-lane separated span bridge,” said Schuler. Completed about a year ago, the northbound section was demolished and rebuilt first.  Work on the southbound side followed and was recently completed. The bridge includes sidewalks on both sides. Minor site clean-up may take place in the early summer of 2018. Another major provincial redevelopment in Brandon is the PTH 10 Daly Overpass project. An open house to discuss design options will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 12, from 6-8 p.m. at the Victoria Inn, 3550 Victoria Ave. Plans for the new overpass feature two separate structures, each with two lanes, similar to the 18th Street Bridge and the First Street Bridge.  This project would replace the aging three-lane bridge. For the most recent information on road conditions or highway safety, visit www.manitoba511.ca, call 511 or follow the Twitter account for road closures at www.twitter.com/MBGovRoads.  A Manitoba 511 app is now available for download from the Manitoba Residents’ Portal at http://residents.gov.mb.ca/apps/511.html.

Brandon Police Service Media Release At approximately 5:00 p.m., Police and Fire members responded to a fire coming from a residence in the 1000 Block of 6th Street. The fire was extinguished by BFES however, significant damage was sustained. Investigators from BPS, BFES and the OFC continue to investigate to determine the cause of the fire. A lone occupant of the residence was able to exit safely. There were no injuries reported.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Manitoba's Facebook Page The Manitoba RCMP officially launched its 2017 Holiday Checkstop program on December 1, and after the first weekend, it is clear that Manitobans are still choosing to drive impaired. Over the December 1 to 3 weekend, 21 people were charged with Impaired Driving and six alcohol related tiered suspensions were issued. “It’s only week one of our Checkstop and we’re already seeing high numbers of intoxicated drivers behind the wheel. Be assured that our officers will be out in full force over the holidays to stop and arrest any driver that decides to drive impaired,” said Inspecto Ed Moreland, Officer in Charge of Manitoba RCMP Traffic Services. “We need Manitobans to plan ahead for a safe ride home to avoid serious, and even fatal, consequences.” During the 2016 Holiday Checkstop program, which runs each year from December 1 to January 1, 122 people were charged with an Impaired Driving Offence and there were 60 alcohol or drug related tiered suspensions. A total of 46 people lost their lives due to impaired driving last year, three of them during the holiday season. To date in 2017, we have seen 76 people killed and another 166 seriously injured in motor vehicle collisions. Approximately 30 per cent of these deaths and injuries involved impaired driving. “In the past decade, there has not been a single year when someone has not died on our road during the holiday,” said Insp. Moreland. “One more death is too many.” Don’t be a statistic. Buckle up, driver sober, put your phone down and drive for the conditions.

Manitoba Sustainable Development advises the emerald ash borer (EAB) has been found in Winnipeg. This highly destructive forest-pest is a wood-boring beetle that has been found in Quebec and part of Ontario, as well as throughout the eastern United States, and has now been found in Winnipeg.  The EAB attacks and kills all species of ash trees, and is most commonly spread through the movement of firewood. The province has been working closely with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA, which regulates EAB in Canada and the city of Winnipeg.  Additional survey and surveillance measures are planned, as the partners work together to determine the extent of the invasion and what the most appropriate next steps are. Manitobans are encouraged to help prevent the spread of EAB: don’t move firewood, burn firewood where it has been purchased, plant a variety of tree species to increase diversity, learn how to identify an ash tree, and learn how to identify the signs and symptoms of EAB.

Brandon, MB – The City of Brandon’s Information Technology Department is pleased to announce that the latest update of its new “My City” app for Apple devices now includes push notification technology designed to send alerts directly to a user’s device in the event of an emergency. The updated “My City” app is now available for free download to iPhones and iPads via the Apple App Store by simply searching for “Brandon My City.” Designed to be used by the Brandon Police Service and other City of Brandon Emergency Response personnel only when a situation dictates it, the “My City” app’s new emergency push notification feature will send a notification from the City of Brandon directly to a user’s iPhone or iPad. The user can then simply tap the notification and open the app for more details. Within this new alert system, such emergency notifications pushed to the app will be simultaneously published to all City-affiliated websites, where non-Apple device users will be able to access the information. In addition, the alerts will be fed from the City of Brandon’s open data portal, http://opengov.brandon.ca, which will allow community developers and news organizations to tap into the information for timely use on respective websites and apps. “If an emergency unfolds, it is critical for the City of Brandon to be able to spread the information as quickly and as widely as possible,” notes City of Brandon Director of Information Technology Todd Burton. “With users of our ‘My City’ app now able to receive direct emergency notifications, along with the ability for community developers to leverage such important information on their own platforms, we are hopeful our proactive efforts will improve our efforts to inform our community when it most counts.” Other new features within the latest “My City” app update include native support of iPads, an improved display when using the City of Brandon’s interactive Snow Map, as well as access to the City of Brandon’s online “Report an Issue” web form. The app also allows users to view upcoming community events, access City of Brandon public notices, use the “My Community” portal to view and register for various rec programs, courses & facility bookings, launch Google Transit to plan a trip with Brandon Transit, access the City of Brandon’s YouTube channel, view Brandon City Council Meeting Agendas and Minutes and seek Brandon Municipal Airport information. App users are always encouraged to provide feedback on features they would like to see added into future builds of the app by submitting their comments within the app’s feedback form.