Collection of photos of the damage caused by Friday's storm that left as many as 4,600 people losing power.  Manitoba Hydro is saying that as of 2 hours ago "All customers restored in Killarney/Westman as of 7 p.m. with exemption of several customers in Rock Lake area."

A 24-year old Brandon woman allegedly kicked a Brandon Police Officer during an arrest on Friday evening.  Police say they received a report of an intoxicated person walking in front of vehicles in the 1100 block of Braecrest Dr, located the woman, and in the process of being arrested the suspect became combative kicking one of the arresting officers.  The officer did not sustain any injuries in the incident.  The suspect was already under a condition to abstain from the consumption of alcohol and was detained overnight for a court appearance today.

Construction was well underway this week to convert a former parking lot at 6th Street and Princess Avenue into a multipurpose green space for downtown. The space is located on the east side of the A.R. McDiarmid Civic Complex, just outside the City of Brandon’s Youth Centre. The completed project will have a community garden, an area to socialize and a recreational area including an outdoor basketball court.

MGEU Release Yesterday, members of Westman Lab - Local 351, who provide vital diagnostic work in the Brandon region, voted to ratify the employer’s final offer — but only because the government’s Bill 28 left them with little choice. The final offer includes wage increases of 0%, 0%, .75% and 1%, and no other monetary increases. “After more than three years without a new contract, these members feel betrayed by their employer and by their government,” said MGEU President Michelle Gawronsky. “They were offered about five percent less than all other diagnostic employees in the province due to the government’s recent wage restraint legislation. They call it the Public Services Sustainability Act, but this move will do nothing but harm diagnostic services in the region.” Unlike other Diagnostic Services of Manitoba employees in the last few years, members of Local 351 will also see no increase in their shift premiums. Local 351 members are deeply concerned that such disparities in compensation will make it more difficult than ever to find qualified staff willing to work at Westman Lab. “The reality is, recruiting and retaining skilled and experienced lab technologists in Brandon just got infinitely harder,” Gawronsky said. “For more than twenty years, our Regional Health Authorities have been working to standardize compensation in our labs to prevent this very problem. People should be paid the same wage for the same work. This is a big step backwards.” Along with other Manitoba unions, the MGEU will be launching a constitutional challenge of Bill 28. Overturning this heavy-handed legislation would be a critical step in our ongoing fight for wage parity at Westman Lab. “This government ran on a commitment to protect and invest in public services and the workers who provide them,” Gawronsky said. “By not treating these 120 members with respect and fairness, they are putting a vital service at risk in Westman.”

 Brandon School Division is excited to announce that two of our K-8 schools have been selected as regional finalists in our Province for the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Challenge! As our students work on real-world projects to help us better our schools and communities, this initiative is inspiring them and getting them closer than ever to STEM subjects. STEM is a term that refers to curriculum based on the idea of educating students in four specific disciplines:  Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics. During the months of March through April, Teachers from across the country entered the contest by answering questions related to showing how STEM can be applied to help improve their school and local community. George Fitton School and Meadows School submitted entries during Phase 1 and are moving on to the next round, in hopes of winning up to $50,000 in Samsung Tech for their classrooms! Phase 2 of the challenge will have the 150 Regional Finalists produce and submit a video, based on their application, demonstrating how STEM can be applied to help improve their school and local community. Our students were eager to take on this challenge, as they understand the global applications of solving problems within their schools and communities using STEM. Regional Winners will be announced on Monday, June 19, 2017. Click here to view the official media release from Samsung Electronics Canada Inc.