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After two years of waiting, the 66th Manitoba Threshermen's Reunion and Stampede has come and gone in Austin. The event finished last Sunday after starting on Thursday. Along the way, there were vintage cars and plenty of tractors and steam engines.

Colin Farquhar, an attendee, said his favourite part of the weekend was getting to see friends who he hadn't got a chance to see in a couple of years.

A tornado touched down in the town of Teulon yesterday.

Storm chasers rushed to the scene to get the best shots of the tornado as it touched down at 6:37 p.m.

A tornado warning was also issued for Victoria Beach, Powerview-Pine Falls, Grand Beach, and Beausejour, but no tornadoes have been reported.

The City of Portage la Prairie announced today via Twitter that its water main flushing program is seeing some unexpected challenges. 

The sixth week of the eight-week program (Royal Rd to Westco Dr north side of tracks) was expected to start on July 31st and conclude on August 5th. However, according to the manager of public works, Brian Taylor, those dates are now voided with the unusual amount of sewer breaks in Portage in the last week and a half. 

Amaranth RCMP are searching for a stolen all-terrain vehicle after it was stolen last Sunday.

According to the police report, the RCMP received a call that an all-terrain vehicle was missing from a residence in the RM of Alonsa on July 24th.

The vehicle is a 2019 grey Polaris Ranger side by side with licence plate # 7F805.

The Polaris Ranger was reportedly taken sometime during the three days before July 24th.

Anyone with information about this event is asked to call the Amaranth RCMP.

PortageOnline hit the streets to see what citizens were up to for the long weekend in the Central Plains.

Darlene Foucault, an Albertan with a cottage at Delta Beach, shares her family's plans while in the city for the weekend.

"We love coming out to Portage and going to the Portage Island and the Splash Park."

Darlene notes that her family was slightly disappointed that the berry picking season is pretty well over, adding that they did get a chance to pick raspberries at Mayfair Farms but wish the season was just a little longer.

Manitoba Health is reporting the province’s first confirmed human case of West Nile virus this season, a female in her 60s who lives in the Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority.

Additionally, a pool of culex tarsalis mosquitoes carrying West Nile virus has been collected in Brandon. 

This is the second positive pool to date.

The risk of exposure to West Nile virus is currently low, but likely to increase in the coming weeks, as the highest risk period is historically in late July and early August. 

RCMP Major Crime Services investigators have determined that the human remains found at a residence in Oakville, Manitoba, late last year are those of a previous female resident of the home.

Her death was not reported to authorities. There is no evidence to suggest criminality was involved in her death. Police report the investigation is now complete.

Two youths from Portage la Prairie were arrested and charged last Saturday after a break-in took place in the RM of Portage.

Police say the incident took place on July 23rd, when Portage la Prairie RCMP received a report that a Break and Enter occurred at a location on Highway #26.

The suspects broke into a building and made off with several firearms.

During the course of  the investigation, two youths were identified, located and arrested.

A 17-year old young man from Portage la Prairie is charged with;  

Portage la Prairie RCMP received a call of a disturbance at a business in the 2200 block of Saskatchewan Avenue West in the city, leading to a Winnipeg man being charged with multiple offences.

According to Police, the incident occurred on July 18th, just before 8:30 pm. When Portage RCMP officers arrived on the scene, the suspect became combative with the officers and flashed a weapon. Police then reportedly gained control of the 24-year-old man from Winnipeg, placing him under arrest.

Austin's Threshermen's Reunion & Stampede will be rocking and rolling starting today, Thursday, July 29th, going until Sunday, July 31st.

Angie Klym, president of the Manitoba Agricultural Museum, shares there is much excitement in the air for the first Reunion & Stampede since the pandemic.