The long awaited opening of Taco Time in Brandon, located beside Domino's Pizza on 18th St, is just around the corner. New owners Alpesh and Mitul Patel tell bdnmb.ca they are looking at opening prior to the 8th of April. Alpesh and Mitul Patel are very excited about the possibilities which exist inside the community, the growing population of Brandon, and the reception that they have received to date . They also feel like they can offer a reasonable price point to the wide array of items off the Taco Time Menu. Hours of operation for the time being will be 11 am – 9 pm Monday to Sunday. Taco Time Menu

Brandon Police Service Special Release: Rising River Levels The Brandon Police Service would like to inform the public that due to rising river levels, citizens are reminded to stay away from the Assiniboine River. The City of Brandon has released that public access has been closed to low lying recreational areas including Dinsdale Park and Queen Elizabeth Park with access to the walking bridge at the Riverbank Discovery Centre affected. Please avoid these areas and obey the barricades and signage that are in place. The rising river combined with fast flowing water and ice is a very dangerous area. Citizens who endanger themselves by not obeying the barricades and signage not only put potential risk to themselves but also to Emergency Personal who may have to save them. Updates to the spring melt and rising river levels can be found by visiting the City of Brandon’s website at http://www.brandon.ca.

At 4:30 pm today the Assiniboine River level was 1171.83 feet above sea level measured at First Street. This is within a couple of inches of the level at which the river is considered over-bank. Levels in the Shellmouth Reservoir continue to rise rapidly. In response to this the outflow will be increased which will result in downstream levels also increasing. According to the Manitoba Hydrologic Forecast Centre the first peak is likely to arrive sometime between April 10 - 17th. The current estimate is now 1176.80 feet above sea level measured at First Street. This is a level where the plug would be added to the dike at the Grand Valley Road (Provincial Road #459). Ice on the river has begun to break up and in the next day or two will begin to move with the current. This increases the risk of ice damming which may lead to a sudden but short term rise in river levels. In preparation for this developing situation, the City has been sealing manholes, readying pumps, preparing to close outfalls, monitoring the situation and generally getting ready. On April 2, Sioux Valley Dakota Nation declared a State of Local Emergency due to flooding and evacuated some residents. The Red Cross report that they have registered 25 people and relocated them to Brandon

Brandon Police have arrested a 24-year old Brandon male on several charges including Forcible Confinement, ACBH, Sexual Assault and Assault following an incident on Saturday. Police say the male had held his girlfriend in his apartment for three days, assaulted her numerous times, resulting in some bruising and other injuries to a previously broken limb. The victim eventually was able to escape and went to a friends, where she called police. She went to receive medical treatment while the suspect is to appear in court on the above mentioned charges.

After a week filled with high stakes sporting events, youth cattle shows, agricultural education and community coming together, the 2017 Royal Manitoba Winter Fair is over for another year. Ron Kristjansson, General Manager at the Provincial Exhibition reported 112,000 visits over the 6-day event. “Seeing an overall weekly attendance increase for the third Royal Manitoba Winter Fair in a row, is incredibly satisfying.” said Kristjansson. “The efforts of our incredible staff and volunteers have accomplished our goal of hosting a successful world-class event for athletes and our community. “The mission of the Provincial Exhibition and all of our events is to educate youth about the importance of agriculture,” said Kathy Cleaver, President of the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba. “The Royal Manitoba Winter Fair gives thousands of kids and families a chance to touch, feel and experience agriculture. Our communities are changing and with more families living off the farm, our events have become even more relevant than ever.” Follow the Provincial Exhibition on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for information on their next event, the Manitoba Summer Fair coming up June 7 –11, 2017 at the Keystone Centre in Brandon, MB.