Portage

Grand Chief Cathy Merrick of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs will lie in state at the Manitoba legislature following her sudden passing last week.

Premier Wab Kinew announced the honour during a news conference on Saturday, where Indigenous leaders paid tribute to Merrick's legacy.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau may be bracing for an earful from his caucus when Liberal MPs gather in Nanaimo, B.C. today to plot their strategy for the coming election year.

It will be the first time he faces them as a group since MPs departed Ottawa in the spring.

Still stinging from a devastating byelection loss earlier this summer, the caucus is now also reeling from news that their national campaign director has resigned and the party can no longer count on the NDP to stave off an early election.

The Portage Pitbulls had a great crowd turn up for their annual homecoming. Multiple games ran over the course of September 8, with the U14, U12 and U10 teams taking the field.

Luke Irwin, Head Coach of the U14 team and President of the Portage Pitbulls Football Club, describes some of the particular parts of the event.

Local real estate is a topic of conversation that occurs in many families, and with that comes conversations about the market in the area. Warren Neufeld, a former president of the Brandon Real Estate Board and broker with Royal LePage Portage Realty, says this year has been very similar to 2023, with one significant difference.

Orange Everywhere is the newest initiative aimed at raising awareness in Portage la Prairie about Truth and Reconciliation. This unique program encourages businesses and homes to display orange shirts in their windows.

Lauren McKay, the Indigenous Community Coordinator for the Portage Community Revitalization Corporation, explains that storefront windows along Saskatchewan Avenue will feature orange shirts painted by Indigenous artists.

The Winnipeg Goldeyes (2-1) are advancing to the second round of the Miles Wolff Cup Playoffs after a 10-3 victory over the Sioux Falls Canaries in the deciding third game of the West Division Series at Blue Cross Park Saturday evening.
 
Box Score
 

The PCI Trojans baseball program is hosting its annual tryouts between September 10 and 19, with several dates open. Coach Jay Dewis says they'll have a few spots open to fill for the season when it kicks off next spring.

"We graduated four players from our 2024 team; all four filled prominent roles for our team. That leaves some big shoes to fill. We have 11 players that are eligible to return in 2025. That's how high school sports work for everybody though - you ask your younger players to step into bigger roles each season."

The Pine Creek School Division is launching several changes for the new school year, designed to enhance both student learning and staff development. Superintendent for the division, Sandra Meilleur, shared the latest updates. 
 

Saturday’s 26-21 victory over the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the annual Banjo Bowl in front of another capacity crowd of 32,343 at Princess Auto Stadium had so many savoury layers to it.

Most important: not only is it a fifth straight ‘W’ to improve the club’s record to 7-6 – the first time over .500 this season – it keeps them atop the West Division, tied with the B.C. Lions but with a tiebreaker already secured. The Riders, meanwhile, are now 5-7-1 after a 5-1 start to their season.

The Portage la Prairie Bear Clan remains steadfast in its commitment to strengthening community connections and eagerly envisions advancements as we approach 2025.

Coordinator Randy Lilley took on his role with the organization just under a year ago and says he has relished being a part of a great group of people.