Courtesty:  Keystone Centre News Release  BRANDON, MB –The first 10 shows of the “Marianas Trench and the Last Crusade” tour set to begin on November 1st in Prince George, BC have been postponed due to an illness within the band. The Brandon, MB concert at Westman Communications Group Place on November 12, 2016 has been rescheduled to February 2, 2017. Tickets for the original concert date will be honoured on the rescheduled date. “No one is more disappointed about this than I am,” says frontman Josh Ramsay. “Unfortunately, we must postpone some of our upcoming tour dates. My throat infection and resulting scar tissue is serious enough that my doctor's diagnosis was for me to not sing a note until the New Year. However, I can't handle this forcing me to cancel a second tour in a row completely, so I've chosen to postpone the first half of the tour to give my voice a little extra time to recuperate. With enough vocal rest and medicine, I should be back in fighting shape in no time. Hope to see you all soon!” About the Keystone Centre: The non-profit Keystone Centre strives to be the premier service oriented, multi-functional, community minded facility in Manitoba, hosting sporting and entertainment events, fairs and agricultural exhibitions, conferences and conventions, clubs and community activities. To learn more about the Keystone Centre visit www.keystonecentre.com.   Neil Thomson General Manager Keystone Centre (204) 726-3506

A common topic of conversation among residents of Brandon quite often is that there is really nothing cool, or unique, when your looking to furnish, accessorize, or decorate your home or business. Jenny and Patrick, from One and Only Design Studio, located at 130 – 10th Street have perhaps filled that void for the residents of Brandon and Western Manitoba. When you first walk into their studio for a minute you don’t feel like you are in Brandon, but rather a very cool and trendy shop in downtown Vancouver. As an added bonus when parading through the store admiring the merchandise you can purchase a coffee or a drink, from their in house coffee shop.     Jenny says their goal is to service and furnish hotels from all over Western Canada, as well local business’s. Brandon and Westman residents are more than welcome to come into the store to see their high quality selection of lighting, couches, chairs, artwork, and accessories. Jenny told BDNMB.CA that some of their hotel clients from Alberta and BC will fly to Brandon to see their inventory. Patrick said that they will often source their most of their inventory from top designers in China and then be able to sell basically direct to their customers. Of note, Jenny and Patrick, own and operate Barney’s on the Trans Canada. Thank you to Anita Haigh for the tip on this story.    

Brandon resident, Victor St Pierre-Laviolette, who now plays football for the Regina Thunder took home several awards at the Thunders' 2016 Teams Award Night. Victor was named the Outstanding Offensive Back, Outstanding Offensive Player, and the Jim Wong Memorial MVP Award winner. He had previously been named the leagues Outstanding Offensive Back as well as an all Canadian running back in the CJFL. In 9 games he averaged 113.3 yards per game, scored 8 touchdowns and averaged 8.5 yards per carry in leading the Thunder to a 5-4 record. His 1020 rushing yards was enough to lead the league. The 5'9”, 178 pound running back is a Crocus Plains graduate and got his start playing football with the Plainsmen. The Regina Thunder compete in the Prairie Football Conference, a 6-team league featuring teams from all three Prairie Provinces. The PFC is a member of the Canadian Junior Football League and participates in national championships with two other conferences, based out of Ontario and British Columbia.  

At BDNMB.CA we want to support and promote locally owned and operated businesses, as well as those offering unique and imaginative services. Josee Twerdoski feels she has tapped into a necessary service for those people who own pets. Josee’s Pet and House Sitting service is now available to Brandon residents. Josee offers various services from basic dog walking, to house sitting, to staying with your dogs or pets overnight. Some pets find it very stressful to go to kennels, and would rather stay in their homes where they feel safe and comfortable, and this is where Josee comes in. Also, if your pet requires medication Josee can handle that task for you while you are away. Her service allows you to go away with peace of mind knowing that your pets and your house are in good hands in your absence. Her prices are as follows: House Sitting – Pet Sitting for 24 hours - $75.00 Dog Walking - $25.00 For more information you can checkout her Facebook page.  

Here are 10 tips for capitalizing on Black Friday travel deals. 1) Dust off your credit card and be prepared to book. Deals are snapped up quickly. Wait a day or two and you'll miss out. 2) Know your travel dates and think into the future. Consider booking your Spring Break vacation now. 3) Take time to research. At the very minimum, read recent Trip Advisor reviews before committing your hard earned money. It's no bargain, if the hotel's a dump. 4) When booking hotel reservations, book through their official site. If your plans change, the chain will generally modify the reservation without hassle. 3rd party sites can be nothing but grief when trying to modify a bargain booking. 5) Don't be discouraged if you don't find a Black Friday deal you love. On-line travel deals continue on through Cyber Monday. 6) Follow your favourite brands on Twitter. Like Marriott Hotels? Holiday Inns? Then follow them and be among the first to know about their offers. 7) Read the fine print. Some hotel bargains require full pre-payment. 8) Look back at last year's offers. This will help you predict the deals and give you time to research in advance. For example, Hyatt Hotels offered 25% off bookings, up to a year in advance. 9) Book a repeat visit. Take the stress out of a picking a new destination on short notice, or gambling on a bargain. Instead choose a tried and true favourite. You already know you love it, so if you see a price you can live with, then it's an easy winner. 10. Find a hot deal, but you have to pass? Well, pass it on too! Share your finds with your friends. Maybe it's the right deal for someone else. You're always invited to stop by SheTalksTravel.com. The latest travel deals are posted there, including a bargain to Varadero, Cuba at just $655! (Hotel, flights, taxes and tropical drinks included.)