Portage

When lightning strikes, it's rare to see it happen a second time. But that's precisely what happened to goaltender Hampton Slukynsky this hockey season.

After winning a gold medal at the International Ice Hockey Federation's World Junior Championship in January, Slukynsky, along with his teammates at Western Michigan University, took home the National Collegiate Athletic Association's National Championship trophy.

Slukynsky says it means a lot to be able to accomplish the feat.

Eric Rennie, manager of Protocol Services at Ontario’s Legislative Assembly, has been recognized with the King Charles III Coronation Medal for his nonpartisan contributions to provincial governance. The Portage la Prairie native, who grew up attending Prince Charles School and PCI, now oversees public events and educational programs at Queen’s Park. 

The Manitoba government  announced $512,500 in funding Wednesday to bolster fire protection services in two Interlake municipalities. The Rural Municipality (RM) of St. Laurent will receive $472,500 for a new fire truck, while Winnipeg Beach gets $40,000 for a specialized truck for its rescue boat. The grants fall under the province’s  $42-million Manitoba Growth, Renewal and Opportunity (GRO) program.

The federal Liberals and NDP both released their costed campaign platforms Saturday as Elections Canada reported record turnout in the first day of advanced polls.

Nearly two million people showed up to cast a ballot on Friday, the first of four days for advanced voting in the federal election.

Elections Canada said in a social media post it will be making adjustments over the coming days to handle the high traffic after many voters were met with long lineups at polling stations.

The Winnipeg Jets used a third-period surge to earn a 5–3 win over the St. Louis Blues and take a 1–0 lead in their opening-round playoff series.

The Blues opened the scoring on the power play, with Robert Thomas converting at 9:31 of the first.

A Portage la Prairie couple has received the Burgess Shield Award from the Manitoba Good Roads Association, a provincial honour recognizing excellence in community beautification among towns with populations over 7,500. 

Rose and Keith Park were presented the award at the association’s annual banquet this past Monday. Their home, tucked in the south-central side of the city, caught the attention of local officials thanks to its carefully maintained gardens and unique outdoor spaces. 

Portage Collegiate Institute (PCI) has installed updated exterior signs reflecting its dual English-French immersion programming, says Principal Lawrence McKenzie. The Prince Charles building now features bilingual identifiers to emphasize the school’s role as one of Manitoba’s few dual-track high schools. 

Student advocacy drives signage update 

McKenzie notes that French immersion students raised concerns about the lack of French language representation on school signage during a 2022 presentation to the Portage la Prairie School Division board. 

Portage Collegiate Institute (PCI) Grade 12 students are buzzing with stories and laughter as they reflect on their recent 10-day trip to Italy and Greece. Led by teacher Angela Mills, the group of 44 students explored ancient ruins, indulged in Mediterranean cuisine, and navigated unexpected travel challenges during their spring break adventure, returning with lifelong memories and newfound resilience.

A multi-agency drug investigation has led to the arrest of two women from Baldur, with one being charged with a number of drug related offences.

The case was prompted last year when members of Swan Lake First Nation voiced concerns to the Manitoba First Nations Police Service (MFNPS) about the drug activity in the community. Members from the Swan Lake detachment, along with the MFNPS Criminal Investigation Unit (CIU), initiated the investigation. The RCMP's Manitoba Integrated Law Enforcement Team (MILET) also assisted.

The Rural Municipality (RM) of St. Laurent is pursuing provincial grants to modernize its Old Town Hall and establish a trilingual library offering French, English, and Michif services. Reeve Richard Chartrand says the projects aim to improve accessibility and cultural inclusivity for residents.