PortageOnline Newsroom

Families looking for something fun and exciting to do this weekend are encouraged to check out one of Manitoba's provincial parks.
 
Building on the success of last year’s initiative, the Manitoba government is once again offering free entry to provincial parks for a whole week in mid-July, including Canada’s Parks Day weekend, so that visitors can take advantage of these parks.  

The RCMP have released their crime stats for May of this year, and Crimes against property were the only category that saw an increase.

The RCMP compares the number of calls received between this past May and May of 2021. They've noticed that, overall, the Manitoba West District, which includes Portage la Prairie, dropped from 4,596 calls to 3,872.

Crimes against property rose from 585 to 732 with the most notable increases being Theft over $5,000 jumping from 36 to 78 and Theft under $5,000 going from 132 to 189.

Stonewall RCMP has arrested two people after learning about a drone being used to smuggle drugs into the Stony Mountain Institution.

Police say on July 3rd, around 3:20 a.m., officers received a call about the drone, which was flying around and into SMI, as well as a suspicious vehicle being parked on a backroad near the prison. Multiple officers searched for the vehicle and eventually found it on Highway 7 near Provincial Road 321.

When officers approached the vehicle, they saw the drone in the back seat. The two men in the car were then arrested.

For the first time since 2019, the Portage Ex is back in full swing! 

Director of the fair board Clark Murray says it's nice to be making our way back to life before COVID. He talks about how long it takes to run an event like this.

"We start planning the fair here in the middle of the winter," explains Murray. "The setup and everything is a week-long ordeal."

Ukrainian newcomers to Portage la Prairie are in need of employment, and it's not easy with little to no English language ability in some cases. However, there are some employers that are helping out. 

Kelsey Filion Drozduk is the owner-operator of McDonald's in Portage and Neepawa. She says she's putting the word out there to help newcomers get work and attended a meeting a few weeks ago where some prospective new Portagers met at city hall to check out the city.

RCMP responded to a two-vehicle collision at the intersection of Highway 5 and Highway 2, in the RM of Glenboro-South Cypress on July 4 at about 7:50 p.m.

Initial investigation has determined that a vehicle travelling south on Highway 5 entered the intersection, and collided with a semi-truck and trailer going east on Highway 2.

The driver of the vehicle, a 91-year-old man, and the passenger an 86-year-old woman, both from the RM of Glenboro-South Cypress, were pronounced deceased at the scene.

A man from the Rural Municipality of Portage la Prairie along with two others from Winnipeg has been arrested following an assault with a firearm in Grand Marais.

Selkirk RCMP says on July 1st, around 12:20 p.m., they received the call detailing the assault happening at a business on Parkview Avenue.

The group of criminals attended the business, assaulted an employee, then threatened him and others with a firearm. The suspects then fled from the scene at high speeds and crashed into a nearby ditch.

Canada Day saw a memorable ceremony take place in Portage la Prairie. 

With Lieutenant Governor Janice Filmon, Mayor Irvine Ferris and MLA Ian Wishart in attendance, the City of Portage got to see the brand new Queens Platinum Jubilee Garden be unveiled last Friday.

Wishart talks about recognizing how long the Queen has been leading us in Canada.

"It is really great to have something to commemorate that. Of course, many years ago, she did come to Portage and attend the Trinity Church here, and so there's lots of history in the area."

An RCMP officer was approached near a place of business in the 2300-block of Sissons drive by a witness of a theft.

The officer was informed about a person who had just stolen items from the location. The incident took place at about 9:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 23, at the 2300-Block of Sissons Drive.

The witness immediately identified the woman who was then arrested without incident. The 34-year-old woman is charged with Theft Under $5,000.00. She was held in custody and appeared in court the next day. The items were returned to the business.

Portage RCMP received a report from MacGregor about a Break and Enter. The call came in just before midnight on Friday, June 24.

The break and enter took place at a business in the 100-block of Hampton Street in MacGregor. Officers attended and spoke to the property representative.

If anyone has any information about this incident, they are asked to call the Portage la Prairie RCMP at 204-857-4445. The RCMP are continuing to investigate.