Portage

Under sunny skies and with cheers echoing across the field, students, teachers, and parents gathered for the much anticipated and annual city track meet. The event brought together schools from across the division to compete in many different track events. Each school bringing the top two athletes in boys' and girls' events from their respective school track days to compete for the titles in cities. 

Mitch Nelissen, one of the phys. ed. teachers from La Verendrye school, shared the upbeat tone of the day.

The Royal Canadian Legion Branch #110 in Gladstone will mark two significant milestones on June 7: the 90th anniversary of the branch and the 50th anniversary of its club room.

The celebration will begin at 11 a.m. and is open to the public. Among the guests will be Manitoba Lt.-Gov. Anita Neville, who is scheduled to arrive at 10:45 a.m. for a tour of the town and the surrounding rural area. Her visit will include a stop at the local food bank and lunch at a local bakery before she joins the main event at the Legion club room at 1 p.m.

The BeGrainSafe program is making significant strides in enhancing safety for farmers. rural firefighters and emergency responders across Canada. This initiative provides specialized training and equipment focused on grain entrapment rescues, a critical need in the agricultural sector.

Donald McCulloch

Peacefully on June 4, 2025, Donald “Don” McCulloch of Oakville, MB passed away at the Portage District General Hospital at the age of 96 years.

THURSDAY, JUNE 5TH

American Association Baseball
Kane County Cougars 2 Winnipeg Goldeyes 1

MLB
Toronto 9 Philadelphia 1

AAAA Varsity Boys Soccer
Portage Collegiate Trojans 2 Oak Park Raiders 2

Winnipeg Goldeyes right-hander Landen Bourassa (L, 2-3) turned in another outstanding effort Thursday night, tossing his second complete game of the season in a narrow 2-1 loss to the Kane County Cougars (11-13) at Blue Cross Park.
 
Bourassa, who leads the American Association with 41.2 innings pitched, surrendered just one earned run on five hits while striking out six and walking none. The Lethbridge, Alberta native continues to be a workhorse for the Goldeyes’ rotation.

The Liberal government has introduced legislation aimed at cutting down barriers to internal trade by recognizing provincial and territorial rules at the federal level.

Officials who briefed reporters this morning say the goal is to reduce the number of redundant standards across the country.

They say that, for example, a company that produces washing machines that meet a provincial energy efficiency standard won't have to meet a separate federal standard to sell outside that province.

In 2023, as Canada suffered through its worst-ever wildfire season, the federal government was looking at creating a national disaster response agency.

Two years later, the country is again facing another summer of wildfires. There is still no sign of such an agency, though governments are tapping the private sector to help with evacuations.

Ali Asgary, a York University professor of disaster and emergency management, said the work to establish a national agency is "unfortunately … not going as fast as our crises are going."

Farmers in Manitoba are wrapping up seeding ahead of schedule, and Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP) president Jill Verwey says things are looking positive so far this spring.

“I actually was in in southeastern Manitoba on Monday and seemingly the crops are on average really favourable,” notes Verwey, who also farms in the Portage area. “I think for the most part, producers are finishing up seeding and certainly heading right into the spring season.”

Robin Bourke, Settlement Worker at the Portage Learning and Literacy Centre, says they are thrilled to launch new community yoga classes at Island Park thanks to a recent grant.

"We did receive a grant, and Lynn Bereza is instructing yoga, and we invited the whole community," says Bourke.

The first session attracted 22 participants, and the program will continue through June with sessions every Wednesday and Friday at 2 p.m. at Island Park.