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Brandon School Division Supt. Jon Zilkey presents the report on the 2026 graduation rate to the board of trustees Monday evening. A total of 671 students graduated in June, the second-largest graduating class recorded in the division. (Photos by Abiola Odutola/The Brandon Sun)

Grad numbers down, but still second highest

Abiola Odutola 3 minute read 2:01 AM EST

A total of 671 Brandon School Division students graduated in June — and while that’s a decline from the 726 who graduated in 2025, it’s still the second-largest graduating class recorded in the division.

The numbers, which were presented to the board of trustees Monday evening, include all graduates, including those who took more or less than four years to finish high school.

The 2026 statistics include 488 students who completed high school within four years, 33 who took five years, 10 who took six years, nine who took seven years, and three who graduated early. Another 128 had transferred into the division after beginning their high school education elsewhere.

The report from administration showed that the four-year graduation rate for the 2022 cohort, which began with 695 Grade 9 students, was 80 per cent — slightly below the 83.3 per cent recorded for the 2021 cohort, Supt. Jon Zilkey told the board.

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Local

Veterans stand in a line facing the flags they carry in and out of Assiniboine Credit Union Place for the Remembrance Day ceremony at Keystone Centre in Brandon on Wednesday. (Photos by Rylee Gerrard/The Brandon Sun)

Brandon honours fallen, those in uniform

Rylee Gerrard 3 minute read Preview

Brandon honours fallen, those in uniform

Rylee Gerrard 3 minute read Yesterday at 10:06 PM EST

As silence fell over the arena and heads were bowed in respect, hundreds of Westman residents adorned with bright red poppies spent their Wednesday morning reflecting on the past and honouring Canadians in active service.

The annual Remembrance Day ceremony in Brandon was held at Assiniboine Credit Union Place inside the Keystone Centre and organized by Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 3.

This year marks the centennial celebration for the Royal Canadian Legion — which was recognized nationally in July — and next month marks the 100th anniversary of the Brandon legion branch.

Brandon legion past president Cindy Stumme, who was this year’s keynote speaker, said for her, “remembrance is personal.”

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Yesterday at 10:06 PM EST

Local

Trucking firm linked to fatal crash appeals licence suspension

2 minute read Yesterday at 10:05 PM EST

WINNIPEG — A Winnipeg trucking company has filed an appeal with Manitoba’s Licence Suspension Appeal Board after being shut down by the provincial government last month.

7Star Ltd. denied allegations that the company was affiliated with a separate firm that was banned earlier.

A provincial spokesperson said last week a Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure investigation found “credible evidence” to support a tip that a company was affiliated with Conquer Transport. The province did not disclose the evidence.

Conquer Transport was banned by the Manitoba government in 2021 for safety violations, and then resurfaced in Alberta as Conquer Transportation.

Local

Agriculture Minister and Dauphin MLA Ron Kostyshyn, Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara and Premier Wab Kinew are framed by a CT machine at Dauphin Regional Health Centre while getting a tour of the progress in restoring services to the hospital on Tuesday. (Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun)

Dauphin hospital services continue to be restored

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Dauphin hospital services continue to be restored

2 minute read Yesterday at 10:02 PM EST

Premier Wab Kinew and Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara touted ongoing restoration work at the Dauphin Regional Health Centre on Tuesday during a tour of the facility that was forced to close on July 1 after extreme flood damage.

The most recent service restored in Dauphin is a renal dialysis unit that is temporarily operating out of the Dauphin Community Health Services building.

Renovations at the Grandview Health Centre were recently completed as well, adding a temporary chemotherapy treatment area closer to Dauphin, with “patients beginning treatment this fall,” the province said in a news release on Tuesday.

In the next few weeks at the Dauphin hospital, “accessible washrooms serving the emergency department are expected to open,” the release said.

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Yesterday at 10:02 PM EST

Local

Kinew is joined by other dignitaries for a sod-turning ceremony for the Dauphin Centre for Justice on Tuesday.

Kinew breaks ground on $142M justice centre

Alex Lambert 3 minute read Preview

Kinew breaks ground on $142M justice centre

Alex Lambert 3 minute read Yesterday at 10:02 PM EST

DAUPHIN — Provincial officials broke ground on the new Dauphin jail Tuesday afternoon.

The Dauphin Centre for Justice will have 100 beds for inmates and provide about 80 jobs once operational.

“This is going to keep communities safer, it’s going to put tons of Manitobans to work and it’s going to replace the Dauphin jail that was closed by the previous government,” Premier Wab Kinew said at a press conference attended by about 50 people on the site of the future facility in the Dauphin Business Park.

The groundbreaking aligns with the NDP’s 2023 campaign promise to open a new correctional facility, after the former Progressive Conservative government closed the Dauphin Correctional Centre in 2020 because of aging infrastructure.

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Yesterday at 10:02 PM EST

Local

Brandon Mayor Jeff Fawcett (second from left) presents a promotion certificate to Brandon Public Safety Communication Centre supervisor Melanie Johnston (centre) during the service’s award and promotion ceremony on Tuesday afternoon at the fire hall, while City of Brandon manager Dave Wardrop (left), Municipal and Northern Relations Minister Glen Simard (second from right) and fire Chief Terry Parlow look on. (Abiola Odutola/The Brandon Sun)

Fire service honours staff, marks promotions

Abiola Odutola 5 minute read Preview

Fire service honours staff, marks promotions

Abiola Odutola 5 minute read Yesterday at 10:01 PM EST

Brandon Fire and Emergency Services recognized the dedication and service of its employees, presenting awards, promotions and service badges during a ceremony at the fire hall on Tuesday.

The ceremony celebrated employees across the department, including firefighters, paramedics, dispatchers and chief officers, with 24 personnel receiving promotions and several others recognized for their years of service and contributions to the organization.

One of the highlights was the department’s first-ever employee of the year award to acting Lt. II Sean Klemick.

Klemick said he was surprised when his name was announced, particularly because he had helped design and create the award without knowing he would be its first recipient.

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Yesterday at 10:01 PM EST

Local

An RCMP collar tab pin is seen in Edmonton, Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson

No charges after man in mental health crisis bitten by police dog

Tessa Adamski 5 minute read Preview

No charges after man in mental health crisis bitten by police dog

Tessa Adamski 5 minute read Yesterday at 10:01 PM EST

Manitoba’s police watchdog is not pressing charges against RCMP officers involved in an incident in Dauphin last year when a man experiencing a mental health crisis suffered serious wounds from being bitten by a police dog.

The Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba sought advice from the province’s prosecution services, which said the standard to lay charges had not been met, a report from the IIU civilian director said on Monday.

The man sustained serious injuries during his arrest on June 3, 2025. He was admitted to a hospital for stitches of a “deep and triangular laceration” on his calf area and to treat other puncture wounds.

“Antibiotics were required by IV, and he was taken into the operating room to address the wound,” the IIU report said.

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Yesterday at 10:01 PM EST

Local

Shilo man charged with possessing 80,000 illegal cigarettes, cash

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Shilo man charged with possessing 80,000 illegal cigarettes, cash

1 minute read Yesterday at 9:59 PM EST

A man from Shilo is facing multiple charges after Mounties allege he had more than 80,000 illegal cigarettes and thousands of dollars in cash in his vehicle last week.

RCMP pulled over the 57-year-old driver, who was travelling west on the Trans-Canada Highway near Carberry, around 3 p.m. on Nov. 4, police said in a news release on Monday.

An officer noticed boxes of cigarettes inside his SUV — some of which were covered by a blanket in the back seat, the release said.

The RCMP arrested the driver without incident and searched the vehicle, uncovering more than 80,000 illegal cigarettes as well as nearly $10,000 in cash and a cellphone, police said.

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Yesterday at 9:59 PM EST

Local

The Brandon Police Service crest. (File)

Store robbed; break-in

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Store robbed; break-in

2 minute read Yesterday at 9:59 PM EST

STORE ROBBED, STAFF THREATENED

A 28-year-old man was held in custody on Monday after he allegedly robbed a Brandon store and threatened to shoot its employees.

Brandon police were called to the store on the 900 block of 18th Street North around 1 p.m. for a report of a man who had stolen items and threatened staff, police said in a news release on Tuesday.

The suspect fled the scene before police arrived.

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Yesterday at 9:59 PM EST

Lifestyles

Ron Newman visits the tombstone of Lt. Cmdr. Derek Micheal Brake at the National Military Cemetery at Beechwood Cemetery in Ottawa, on Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Keito Newman

The Latest: Canadians gather to mark Remembrance Day

The Canadian Press 8 minute read Preview

The Latest: Canadians gather to mark Remembrance Day

The Canadian Press 8 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 1:44 PM EST

OTTAWA - Canadians across the country are reflecting on the sacrifices and service of Canadian Armed Forces members today as they mark Remembrance Day.

This year is also the 25th anniversary of the start of the Afghanistan war in which 40,000 Canadians served. Veterans Affairs Canada says 158 Canadian Armed Forces members and seven Canadian civilians — a diplomat, four aid workers, a government contractor and a journalist — lost their lives while in Afghanistan.

This year's ceremonies take place just weeks after the tragic fire at Canadian Armed Forces Base Wainwright. Four soldiers were killed and dozens were injured when a wildfire suddenly overtook a training exercise.

All times are listed in Eastern Standard Time.

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Updated: Yesterday at 1:44 PM EST

Local

U.S. envoy Jared Kushner speaks at a briefing during U.S.-mediated talks between Russia and Ukraine, alongside U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, left, and Rustem Umerov, head of Ukraine's Foreign Intelligence Service, second from right, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Russia and Ukraine agree to a large prisoner exchange as talks end with no major breakthrough

Bassam Hatoum, The Associated Press 6 minute read Preview

Russia and Ukraine agree to a large prisoner exchange as talks end with no major breakthrough

Bassam Hatoum, The Associated Press 6 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 2:43 PM EST

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Russia and Ukraine agreed to a large exchange of prisoners of war, both sides said Wednesday as two days of U.S.-mediated talks concluded with no major breakthrough on ending Moscow's nearly 5-year-old full-scale invasion.

Hopes had been low for any significant development in the first meeting in nine months between the delegations. Russia and Ukraine have from time to time swapped POWs but have remained far apart in their demands for accepting a peace settlement.

U.S. officials say they are determined to revive Washington’s peace efforts that so far have failed to deliver significant results.

Along with postwar security guarantees for both countries, other key hurdles are the fate of Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory and what role European countries will play in an eventual settlement.

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Updated: Yesterday at 2:43 PM EST