Portage

For most people, when they make a donation with a chance at winning a prize, the potential payoff is an afterthought. The prize is helping out the group or people they are donating to.

This year, a record amount of donations were received for the 10th annual Brake for Breakfast event with Dino's Appliance and Mattress Centre and Sobey's Portage, along with a whole host of hourly matching partners. Shortly after the food and cash was delivered, the lucky winners were notified and the grand prize winners couldn't believe their luck.

First Nations chiefs have voted to reject a landmark $47.8-billion child welfare reform deal, reached in July with the Canadian government. 

At a special chiefs assembly in Calgary hosted by the Assembly of First Nations, 267 out of 414 chiefs voted against a resolution in support of the deal after a lengthy debate that at points was emotionally charged as they argued either for or against it.

Thursday, October 17th

WHSFL
Churchill 27 Portage Collegiate 22 (ends regular season)

MJHL
Winkler 4 Virden 1

MMJHL
St. Vital 8 Pembina Valley 4

In a heartfelt ceremony in Southport on Tuesday, the community unveiled two new plaques dedicated to the legacy of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP) just outside the Southport Aerospace Centre where they were mounted under a vintage Musketeer Trainer. This initiative, driven by local historian Hugh Arklie and supported by community leaders, aims to honour the contributions of aircrew trained during World War II.

Hugh Arklie, whose father was a fighter pilot during the war, shared his passion for preserving air force history.

Farm Credit Canada's mid-year report shows cultivated farmland values rose by an average of 5.5 per cent nationally for the first half of 2024.

Over the 12 months from July 2023 to June 2024, there was a 9.6 per cent increase, representing a slowdown compared to the previous 12-month period (January to December 2023).

FCC's Vice President and Chief Economist J.P. Gervais says for the second consecutive year, Saskatchewan recorded the highest average six-month increases at 7.4 per cent, Alberta was at 4.6 per cent, and Manitoba 3.9 per cent.

Russell RCMP are investigating a bizarre case involving the theft and shooting of six bison from a farm in the RM of Russell-Binscarth. The investigation eventually led to an arrest of a resident of Portage la Prairie.

The Canadian Grain Commission (CGC) is going to be reaching into its surplus for the first time in a while in order to cover its cost.

That comes as grain volumes are falling for Canada, and the commission needs more funds to keep up with their costs.

That's why they're dipping into their surplus, with Head Commissioner David Hunt explaining that came from their most recent financial review.

Earlier this month, traffic pylons and construction cones were removed from Saskatchewan Avenue as an almost 4-year project winds down. While the work isn't 100% complete, traffic is flowing normally once again much to the excitement of the businesses along the one and a half kilometer stretch of Portage's main thoroughfare.

City Hall is currently closed for renovations, with plans for completion by November. During this period the city says the public can visit them at the temporary office at 60 Saskatchewan Ave E (Community Safety Office), directly across from City Hall, where they have been operating since July 2. The temporary office will be open Monday to Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., where frontline staff will assist with in-person inquiries and services.

While the office location has changed, they're mailing address, email, and phone contacts remain the same. 

The Portage Pitbulls U14 squad narrowly defeated their opponents, the Eastman Raiders, in Steinbach on the weekend, in their playoff quarter final.

Head Coach Luke Irwin says it was nice to get back at a team who gave them trouble in the regular season.

"It was a rematch of one of our games that we played already this season, where we had a tight game against them, and ended up coming on the wrong side of a victory, so we knew it was going to be a tough game going in. It was kind of back-and-forth all game. Final score was 66-62, I believe, so it came down to the wire."