Portage

The Winnipeg Goldeyes (1-1) won their first game of the 2025 season Friday evening with a 6-4 decision over the Cleburne Railroaders at La Moderna Field.
 
Box Score
 

The Association of Manitoba Municipalities (AMM) warns rural crime rates in the province’s Prairie regions are 400 per cent higher than the national average, citing limited police resources and repeat offenders as key challenges. Statistics Canada data confirms the trend, with front-line policing strained by RCMP staff shortages and burnout.

Calls for bail reform and accountability

AMM President Kathy Valentino notes rural communities face disproportionate risks due to inadequate enforcement. 

Indigenous groups in Canada say they want to see Pope Leo XIV continue the reconciliation work started by his predecessor, the late Pope Francis.

Francis was recognized as an ally of Canada's Indigenous Peoples and was known for advancing reconciliation efforts and apologizing — both in the Vatican and in Canada — for the Catholic Church's role in widespread abuses at residential schools.

His visit to Canada in 2022 was described as a "penitential pilgrimage" as Francis insisted on meeting with Indigenous survivors of residential schools and hearing their stories.

Alberta Sugar Beet Growers and Rogers Sugar have reached a new 5-year agreement.

The new supply agreement was announced in a press release on Friday.

Roger's Taber location is the only sugar beet processing facility in Canada. Established almost 75 years ago, the Taber facility is supported by approximately 200 Southern Alberta farm families, which supply the refinery with sugar beets. 

According to the ASBG website, those farms harvest about 900,000 tonnes of sugar beets annually, which are turned into 125,000 tonnes of sugar or nearly 2 million cups!

Last week’s Smile Cookie campaign proved to be a heartwarming success for the Family Resource Centre (FRC) in Portage la Prairie. With dozens of classroom visits and more than $24,400 raised, the week brought together fun, learning, and strong community support.

Peter Thiessen, program director at the FRC, delivered cookies to 17 classrooms and daycare groups over the week. 

"The busiest was Friday afternoon. I was pretty busy from 12:45 until 3:00 PM. So that was a full afternoon, but I had such a good time."

Jill Verwey, President of Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP), emphasized the power of grassroots leadership and community engagement during a speech to the Rotary Club of Portage la Prairie this past Tuesday.

Lack of progress means time is growing short to get a successfull crop into the ground in Southern Alberta.

Contract negotiations are dragging on for Alberta sugar beet producers.

It’s already early May, and Alberta Sugar Beet Growers and Rogers Sugar, the sole sugar-beet processing plant left in Canada, still haven’t hammered out a deal.

Jennifer Crowson, executive director with the Alberta Sugar Beet Growers, cautioned the Western Producer in an email that she was limited in what she can share, other than that they are still in active negotiations.

The Winnipeg Jets responded with urgency in Game 2 of their second-round playoff series, taking an early lead and maintaining control throughout a 4–0 win over the Dallas Stars to even the series at one game apiece.

The Jets played much more like the Jets of the regular season, and that goes for Connor Hellebuyck as well. He would end up stopping 21 shots on his way to a shutout. It's his fourth playoff shutout of his career, and his first since 2021. Hellebuyck now has a record of 18-1-1 in the last 20 home games.

The RM of Cartier has issued a level yellow burn ban, temporarily prohibiting open air burning and the use of fireworks throughout the municipality.

The restriction, which remains in place until meaningful rainfall is received, comes as the region faces persistent dry conditions and high winds.

What level yellow means

Fire Chief Dan Bouchard says the current fire risk level means only certain types of burning are allowed.

The Manitoba RCMP arrested two individuals this month for arson linked to wildfires caused by illegal burns during provincewide fire restrictions. Police warn they will enforce burning bans “strictly” to protect public safety as dry conditions persist.

Two arson cases linked to controlled burns

On May 7, a 55-year-old man from Lake Manitoba First Nation was charged after a controlled burn spread uncontrollably, igniting a 200-acre wildfire. The same day, a 46-year-old Fort Alexander man faced arson charges when his controlled burn damaged a home and destroyed a shed.