🏗️ Downtown Brandon Housing Project Breaks Ground
A new housing development officially broke ground in downtown Brandon Wednesday through a partnership between the City of Brandon and the federal government.
Westman Premier Homes president Evan Keller says the project on Pacific Avenue will deliver 72 new housing units and is expected to be completed by fall 2027.
🚧 Richmond Avenue Reconstruction Nearing Finish Line
Brandon’s $5.97-million Richmond Avenue reconstruction project remains on schedule for completion by the end of the summer.
Construction crews continue working between 2nd Street and 18th Street, with motorists advised to expect delays in both eastbound and westbound lanes as work progresses. Businesses along the corridor remain accessible despite ongoing traffic disruptions.
🌊 AIS Blitz Finds Compliance Concerns at Border
Nearly one in four watercraft failed inspection during the latest aquatic invasive species enforcement blitz at the Manitoba-Ontario border.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada reports that 120 of 502 watercraft inspected were not properly cleaned, drained or dried. Inspectors also discovered one vessel carrying visible zebra mussels, highlighting continued concerns about the spread of invasive species in Manitoba waterways.
📞 Province-Wide 911 Outage Sparks Calls for Safeguards
A severed fibre line caused a province-wide 911 outage Wednesday, knocking Brandon’s emergency dispatch centre offline.
Brandon Police Service alerted the public shortly after 1 p.m., with emergency call service restored by approximately 4 p.m. Provincial leaders are now calling for stronger network redundancies and safeguards to prevent future disruptions.
🩸 Canadian Blood Services Calls for Donors
Canadian Blood Services says its blood inventory has fallen by nearly 20 per cent since June 1 and is urging Canadians to book appointments.
The agency says all blood types are needed and appointment bookings remain below expectations across the country. Approximately 18,000 donations each week are required to meet hospital demand nationwide.
🎨 Town Centre Storefronts Becoming Art Gallery
Several vacant storefronts at Brandon’s Town Centre will soon be transformed into a public art gallery.
Beginning August 6, the exhibit will feature more than 45 works from 15 Westman artists, bringing new life to unused commercial spaces while showcasing local talent.
🎪 Events & Entertainment
🤠 Rodeo Action Comes to Brandon Tonight
Waywayseecappo Gas Bar Brandon hosts its Rodeo and Customer Appreciation Days tonight, featuring Manitoba’s highest Canadian Cowboys Association semi-pro payout.
The 7 p.m. show includes bronc riding, bull riding, steer wrestling and peewee events, along with food trucks, children’s activities and beer gardens.
🐎 Manitoba Threshermen’s Reunion & Stampede Continues
History comes alive today at the Manitoba Threshermen’s Reunion and Stampede with pioneer demonstrations, steam engines and more than 45 heritage attractions.
Gates open at 9 a.m. The semi-pro rodeo begins at 7:30 p.m., followed by entertainment from Johnny Dietrich and Prairieline.
🎤 Open Mic Night Moves to Rideau Park
Brandon Parks and Recreation has relocated tonight’s Open Mic Night from the Discovery Centre because of flooding concerns.
The free event begins at 6:30 p.m. at Rideau Park and welcomes musicians, comedians, poets and performers of all kinds.
🎸 Music in the Park Returns to Virden and Kenton
Virden’s Music in the Park series welcomes Revival to Victoria Park tonight at 7 p.m. A Legion barbecue starts at 6:15 p.m., with the event moving indoors to the Legion Hall if weather becomes an issue.
Meanwhile, music fans in Kenton can catch The Struggle at the community bandstand beginning at 7 p.m. The evening also includes an open mic session, with attendees encouraged to bring lawn chairs and bug spray.
🛢️ Manitoba Open to West-East Pipeline Proposal
Premier Wab Kinew says Manitoba is open to a proposed pipeline connecting Alberta and Ontario, provided Indigenous governments are involved in the process and environmental and labour concerns are addressed.
The proposed route would pass through Saskatchewan and Manitoba, although no company has formally committed to the project.
🚔 Airsoft Handgun Incident Leads to Charges
A Winnipeg man is facing multiple weapons-related charges after RCMP received reports of a driver waving what appeared to be a handgun through a vehicle sunroof on the Trans-Canada Highway.
Portage RCMP arrested the 25-year-old, who was allegedly carrying an airsoft handgun. He is scheduled to appear in court in September.
🏀 WNBA Examining Online Harassment Protections
WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert has met with player representatives to discuss stronger protections against online harassment.
The discussion follows recent concerns raised by Las Vegas Aces star Chelsea Gray, who publicly shared a racist message she received online. The sender was later identified and dismissed from his job.
💻 EU Hands Google Another Billion-Dollar Antitrust Fine
The European Union has fined Google $1 billion for allegedly using Google Play and its search engine to favour its own services over competitors.
The latest penalty is part of the EU’s ongoing effort to regulate major technology companies and follows Google’s unsuccessful appeal of a separate $4.5-billion antitrust fine related to Android.
