Portage

A school-wide lacrosse event held Friday, June 20, in Portage la Prairie marks the latest step in a growing effort to reconnect students with the sport's Indigenous roots and build momentum for a long-term school-based program.

Allan Patterson, vice-principal at La Verendrye School helped lead the initiative. He says his passion for lacrosse began when he was young and continued when he moved to Portage to play junior hockey.

Portage la Prairie’s Fun With Family Day Festival is back on the calendar for Saturday, August 30, and organizers say they’re going full steam ahead with plans for another large-scale celebration, but they’ll need a boost from the community to make it happen.

The event is run by Concerts on Request, a nonprofit that draws thousands each year to Our Farm Greenhouses just south of Portage.

President of the board Bhryden Doherty says last year’s festival brought out over 7,500 people.

Portage la Prairie RCMP say a tip led them to stolen property and three arrests earlier this month.

A report of a stolen e-bike came in on the morning of June 16 from a home on 20th Street Southwest. Officers searched the area but didn’t find the bike at the time.

The next day, police received a tip and went to a home on Countess Avenue. When they arrived, they say three men were in a garage—one of them dismantling the stolen e-bike and attaching the parts to another bike.

Canada's supply managed sector is breathing a sigh of relief with the passage of Bill C-202 which protects it from any further concessions in future trade talks.

An identical bill died on the order paper in the last session but this time moved quickly through Parliament and the Senate, before receiving Royal Assent last week.

The Dairy Farmers of Canada, Chicken Farmers of Canada, Egg Farmers of Canada, Turkey Farmers of Canada, and the Canadian Hatching Egg Producers issued a joint statement supporting the legislation. 

The Manitoba government has officially lifted the province-wide state of emergency declared in response to this spring’s wildfire crisis, citing improved conditions and the work of front-line responders.

Premier Wab Kinew and Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Lisa Naylor, Minister responsible for the Emergency Management Organization, announced today, noting that while the overall risk has eased, some local evacuations remain in effect.

Manitoba Major Crime Services and Powerview RCMP continue their investigation into the double homicide of a 29-year-old Winnipeg man and a 41-year-old Victoria Beach woman, following the discovery of their bodies on June 20 in Victoria Beach.

Since Friday morning, investigators from RCMP Major Crime Services, Forensic Identification Services, Powerview Detachment, and Victoria Beach Police have been at the scene, canvassing for witnesses, reviewing surveillance footage, and searching for evidence to assist the case.

For Portage la Prairie's Kale Sissons, crossing the finish line at the 2025 Manitoba Marathon marked the achievement of a longtime personal goal. The local runner, who had previously taken on shorter distances at the annual event, decided this year was the right time to level up. 

“I completed the Manitoba half marathon about three years ago, and before that, I'd done the 10K portion of the Manitoba marathon, but this is the first time I've done a full marathon,” says Sissons.

Drivers in Portage la Prairie are feeling the sting at the pump, with gas prices rising from 129.9 to 134.9 cents per litre at most stations over the past week.

Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis with GasBuddy, says the increase is part of a broader trend linked to rising tensions in the Middle East.

In a unique celebration of academic achievement, St. Claude School Complex is proud to honour not one but two valedictorians from its 2025 graduating class, Sydney Kiefer-Starling and Aiden Morisseau. Representing both the English and French streams of the school, the pair both had heartfelt reflections on their high school journeys on Friday as St. Claude celebrated their graduation, filled with challenges, unexpected victories, and unwavering support.

For Sydney Kiefer-Starling, being named valedictorian came as a shock.