Brandon Sun – Breaking News, Sports, Manitoba, Canada

Flood hits research centre fields

By Abiola Odutola 4 minute read Yesterday at 10:42 PM CDT

The recent flooding along the Assiniboine River damaged test fields and disrupted scientific work at the Brandon Research and Development Centre.

The flooding — which inundated lands around the centre at 2701 Grand Valley Rd. earlier this month — affected 390 acres of research test fields and breeding materials, an official said.

Floodwaters destroyed experimental barley and soybean plots, leaving a visible trail of damage as the river receded.

Some fields were completely submerged, while others marked the point where the floodwaters stopped short.

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Man charged with aggravated assault granted bail

By Tessa Adamski 1 minute read Preview

Man charged with aggravated assault granted bail

By Tessa Adamski 1 minute read Yesterday at 10:45 PM CDT

A 21-year-old man charged with aggravated assault was granted bail during a hearing in Brandon provincial court on Tuesday.

Judge Patrick Sullivan made the decision on Luke Mathison-Lindsay’s bail application following submissions from the Crown and the defence lawyer.

A publication ban prohibits the Sun from describing any evidence and submissions presented during the hearing, including the judge’s reason for his decision.

Trial dates have not been set for the matter.

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Yesterday at 10:45 PM CDT

Mosquito fogging slated for tonight in Brandon

By Alex Lambert 4 minute read Preview

Mosquito fogging slated for tonight in Brandon

By Alex Lambert 4 minute read Yesterday at 10:45 PM CDT

Mosquito fogging in Brandon will start at 9:30 p.m. tonight and last for about seven hours, weather permitting.

The city will not fog if it is raining, the temperature dips below 13 C or the wind speed is more than 16 kilometres an hour.

The Environment and Climate Change Canada forecast for Wednesday night was projecting a low of 18 C with a 60 per cent chance of showers, as of Tuesday afternoon.

If fogging is postponed due to weather, the public will be notified and the work will be rescheduled for the next suitable evening, the city said in a news release Tuesday.

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Yesterday at 10:45 PM CDT

WestJet, flight attendants sign wind-down plan ahead of possible strike

Christopher Reynolds, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Preview

WestJet, flight attendants sign wind-down plan ahead of possible strike

Christopher Reynolds, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Updated: 11:57 AM CDT

WestJet and the union representing some 4,400 flight attendants have agreed to an "operational wind-down" plan should a strike go ahead as soon as this Sunday.

With the clock ticking down, the two sides this week inked an agreement — shared with union members Tuesday and obtained by The Canadian Press — that lays out how to ground planes and get cabin crew back home in the event of a work stoppage.

Cabin crew working a flight when any job action kicks off would complete the trip to its destination. Those who can't immediately return to their home city would receive hotel accommodation for up to a week or a plane ride back to another Canadian city, "subject to seat availability," according to the deal.

The document underscores the looming possibility of a labour disruption, and comes after cabin crew at the Calgary-based airline voted 99 per cent in favour of a strike mandate in mid-July. Since then, bargaining teams in that city have conducted intense negotiations in hotel conference rooms on a new contract as a mandatory cooling-off period draws to a close.

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Updated: 11:57 AM CDT

Lifestyles

Aaron Au Ramirez, 13, left, and Maximo Au Ramirez, 10, are shown in this undated handout photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout - Allison Baker-Thiessen (Mandatory Credit)

Manitoba to install fencing in provincial park where two boys recently drowned

The Canadian Press 1 minute read Preview

Manitoba to install fencing in provincial park where two boys recently drowned

The Canadian Press 1 minute read Updated: 8:45 AM CDT

WINNIPEG - The Manitoba government says it will install fencing and other safety measures where two boys drowned earlier this month.

Brothers Aaron and Maximo Au Ramirez, aged 13 and 10 years old, were swept into fast-moving rapids that lead into Nutimik Lake.

Environment Minister Mike Moyes says planned updates to the site in Whiteshell Provincial Park also include building a fenced viewing area and updating signage installed in 2023.

The old sign was installed after 12-year-old Usaid Habib drowned at the site.

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Updated: 8:45 AM CDT

Local

The front doors of the Brandon courthouse on 11th Street. (Matt Goerzen/The Brandon Sun)

Girl pleads guilty to assaulting fellow student

By Tessa Adamski 4 minute read Preview

Girl pleads guilty to assaulting fellow student

By Tessa Adamski 4 minute read Yesterday at 10:44 PM CDT

A Vincent Massey High School student who admitted to attacking another girl in the hallway says she is taking responsibility for her wrongdoing.

The 15-year-old girl, who can’t be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, pleaded guilty to assault in Brandon provincial court on Tuesday.

“I do feel terrible about what I did. I should not have done it. She’s a good person and she never deserved that,” the teen said.

Brandon police were called to the school around 2:30 p.m. on Feb. 9 for a report of a student who had attacked another 15-year-old student.

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Yesterday at 10:44 PM CDT

Local

Longtime ‘Manitoba most wanted’ suspect arrested in city

1 minute read Preview

Longtime ‘Manitoba most wanted’ suspect arrested in city

1 minute read Yesterday at 10:41 PM CDT

A 28-year-old man who’s been on Manitoba’s most wanted list for more than six months was arrested Monday in Brandon.

Evan Dolan Bear is facing multiple charges, including three counts of possessing drugs for the purpose of trafficking, assault causing bodily harm and possessing property obtained by crime over $5,000.

He was arrested around 11:45 a.m. without incident after the Manitoba First Nations Police Service crime reduction and enforcement unit received information that he may have been seen at a hotel in Brandon the night before.

Investigators initiated surveillance efforts and identified the suspect at the location. The Brandon Police Service was called in and assisted in the operation.

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Yesterday at 10:41 PM CDT

Business

A Via Rail train heading to Toronto is seen at the Dorval station Tuesday, June 25, 2019 in Montreal. The federal government is spending $1.6 billion to replace Via Rail's aging fleet of locomotives. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz

Feds to spend $1.9B to replace Via Rail locomotive fleet, build plant

Nick Murray, The Canadian Press 3 minute read Preview

Feds to spend $1.9B to replace Via Rail locomotive fleet, build plant

Nick Murray, The Canadian Press 3 minute read Updated: 11:32 AM CDT

OTTAWA - The federal government says it plans to spend $1.6 billion to replace 45 of Via Rail's aging locomotives and another $357 million to build a new assembly plant and maintenance facility.

"Locomotive assembly is returning to Canada," Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon said Wednesday at a news conference in Montreal, where the plant will be built.

Ottawa says the trains will be built by Switzerland-based Stadler. The first nine are to be built in Spain, while the remaining 36 will be built in Canada after Canadian workers learn how to assemble them from their Spanish counterparts.

The locomotives are expected to be the first hybrid trains in North America.

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Updated: 11:32 AM CDT

Lifestyles

Police say autopsy on Manitoba animal rescue worker indicates death by dog attack

The Canadian Press 1 minute read Preview

Police say autopsy on Manitoba animal rescue worker indicates death by dog attack

The Canadian Press 1 minute read Updated: 8:45 AM CDT

WINNIPEG - Police in Manitoba say an autopsy on a 37-year-old animal rescue worker shows injuries consistent with a dog attack.

The Manitoba First Nations Police Service says Amanda Nobiss was killed in Sandy Bay Ojibway First Nation earlier this month while trying to pick up puppies from a residence.

They say in a news release that she went alone.

The resident wasn't home, and the owner's dogs attacked her.

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Updated: 8:45 AM CDT

Local

Canadian accused of espionage in Belgium to remain in detention: prosecutor’s office

Jim Bronskill, The Canadian Press 1 minute read Preview

Canadian accused of espionage in Belgium to remain in detention: prosecutor’s office

Jim Bronskill, The Canadian Press 1 minute read Updated: 8:45 AM CDT

OTTAWA - A Canadian facing espionage charges in Belgium will remain in custody for the time being.

Following a closed-door hearing Tuesday, the Belgian federal prosecutor's office said the suspect would continue to be held in pretrial detention.

The prosecutor's office announced Saturday that "a Canadian national of Chinese origin" had been arrested on charges of espionage and participation in a criminal organization.

The suspect, who has not been publicly named, worked as an intern at NATO's Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe in Mons, Belgium.

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Updated: 8:45 AM CDT

Local

The new Canadian passport is unveiled at an event at the Ottawa International Airport in Ottawa on Wednesday, May 10, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Federal government launches expanded online passport renewal service

David Baxter, The Canadian Press 1 minute read Preview

Federal government launches expanded online passport renewal service

David Baxter, The Canadian Press 1 minute read Updated: 8:44 AM CDT

OTTAWA - Immigration Minister Lena Diab says that, starting today, online passport renewal is open to all eligible Canadian adults.

To qualify, applicants must have an address in Canada, be older than 16 when they got their last passport, and must have received it within the last 15 years, among other criteria.

Applicants will still need to get a passport photo taken by a commercial photographer and submit a digital copy when applying online.

Online passport renewals have been an option for some passport holders for few years but the most recent version of the service had a daily cap of 2,000 applications.

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Updated: 8:44 AM CDT