Province better prepared for fire season: NDP

The provincial government says it is more prepared to deal with this year’s wildfire season — though it doesn’t expect 2026 to be as busy as last year.

Cabinet ministers Lisa Naylor and Ian Bushie gave a summary of the interim after-action review of the 2025 wildfire season in Brandon on Tuesday, highlighting improvements for the coming season.

The review is helping to shape this year’s wildfire response, Naylor, the minister responsible for the Emergency Management Organization, said at a news conference at the Keystone Centre during the first day of the Association of Manitoba Municipalities convention.

Naylor said last year’s wildfire season “tested Manitobans like never before.”

Rossburn home destroyed as fire spreads from garage

A Rossburn home was “a complete loss” following a weekend blaze, the community’s fire chief says.

The Rossburn Fire Department received a report of a house fire on Cloverdale Avenue at around 12:45 a.m. on Saturday.

Rossburn fire Chief Kelly Slon said the fire started in the garage, which was attached to the home, and quickly consumed the entire residence.

“(It was) a complete loss,” Slon told the Sun. “After fighting it for over an hour, we had to call it off.”

Three-year sentence for robbing taxi driver

A provincial court judge sentenced a Brandon man to more than three years behind bars on Tuesday after he got into an argument with a taxi driver and stole his cab.

Nicholas Wanbdiska, 45, had pleaded guilty to robbery along with failing to attend court and two counts of breaching his release order.

On Feb. 8, 2024, Wanbdiska got into an argument with a taxi driver in front of the Canad Inns in Brandon and “struck” him, court heard.

Crown attorney Caroline Lacey said the comments Wanbdiska made to the driver had a “racial undertone.”

City greenlights transit master plan

The City of Brandon approved its transit master plan at Monday evening’s council meeting.

The plan, to be implemented in three phases, will create seven completely new bus routes, move from one to three transit hubs, increase evening bus services and extend operating hours on Sunday.

Council unanimously approved the changes, which have gone through years of prior engagement with the public and Watt Consulting Group.

Brandon Mayor Jeff Fawcett said he was glad to see the plan approved, but noted that small changes could still be coming.

Police investigating spate of weekend break-ins, thefts

The Brandon Police Service is investigating break-ins that took place at two businesses and a construction site over the weekend.

On Monday, BPS received three reports of break and enters.

A business on the 900 block of 18th Street was reportedly broken into between 4:30 p.m. on Friday and 8 a.m. on Monday, during which cash had been stolen, BPS said in a news release on Tuesday.

In another incident, someone entered a construction site on the 100 block of 26th Street between Friday and 6 a.m. Monday. A trailer on the site had been broken into, and several items were stolen, police said.

Shakespeare comedy gets modern makeover

Two theatre groups in Westman are teaming up for the first time to present a modernized reinterpretation of William Shakespeare’s romantic comedy “Twelfth Night” that hits the spotlight this week.

About 30 cast members unite Brandon University’s theatre students with performers from the Assiniboine Theatre Company at the Western Manitoba Centennial Auditorium from Thursday to Saturday.

BU drama instructor Rochelle Douris, the play’s director, said it has been a positive experience working with the theatre company, which reached out to her last year for a collaboration.

Douris said she hopes this is only the beginning of more partnerships between theatre groups in the city.

Man, 21, arrested in connection with tire slashings

Brandon police have arrested a 21-year-old man in connection with a spree of tire slashings in the city’s south end last month.

Members of the Brandon Police Service arrested Tristan McKay last Thursday and charged him with mischief over $5,000 and resisting arrest, the city’s chief of police, Tyler Bates, said in an emailed statement on Monday.

On March 11, dozens of south-end residents woke up to find their vehicle tires slashed. Bates said 85 vehicles were affected.

Police previously said several vehicles had also been rummaged through during the same time frame.

Making music

Country artist Lee Brice performed for over 3,500 fans at Assiniboine Credit Union Place in Brandon on Sunday evening as part of his Sunriser Tour. He was joined by Grace Tyler and Bret Kissel who performed ahead of Brice.

» Photos by Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun

Young vocalists shine at national competition

Aemilia Moser has won the 49th Eckhardt-Gramatté National Music Competition, held April 17-18 at Brandon University’s School of Music.

The Toronto-based soprano took first place in the prestigious competition, which carries a total prize package valued at $11,000, including a $6,000 cash award and a Cross-Canada Winner’s Tour scheduled for October and November 2026.

“I felt really good about my feat … but looking at the singers I was sharing the stage with, I really didn’t expect that,” she told the Sun. “It means that the work I put in was worth it, and now I get to take this program that I’m really proud of and share it across Canada.”

Kendra Dyck, based in the Niagara region, placed second and received $2,500, while Camille Labonté of Toronto finished third and earned $1,500. Each of the six finalists also received $1,000.