Portage

Central Plains youth hockey teams made a major statement over the weekend at the Brandon Source for Sports AAA Hockey Challenge, with both the Chiefs and the Capitals returning home with hardware and high praise from their coaches.

The Central Plains Chiefs 2016 squad, led by co-head coach Ryan Ozunko, claimed the championship title in the 2016 Gold Division, finishing the weekend with an impressive 4-1 record.

"The boys came out very good, winning the championship game on Sunday against the Brandon Stealth Wolves."

Portage la Prairie MLA Jeff Bereza presented the King's Medal last week to Angela Roulette, executive director of the Women of Mother Earth Network. It's a support group that focuses on women's wellness and raising awareness for related issues. 

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is promising that a government led by him would use the notwithstanding clause to override Charter rights to implement his tough-on-crime agenda — something no prime minister has ever done.

Poilievre was campaigning in Montreal on Monday, where he announced he would pass a law to allow judges to impose consecutive life sentences in cases of multiple murders. The Supreme Court of Canada ruled in 2022 that imposing consecutive life sentences violates an offender's Charter rights.

Some of the bills now before the Manitoba legislature will have to wait until the fall to be passed into law.

The Opposition Progressive Conservatives have exercised their right under legislature rules to hold back five bills for further debate beyond the summer break.

One bill would forbid liquor licences in urban convenience stores and gas stations — a move the Tories say will affect small businesses and customer choice in the few locations where such licences have been issued.

Students in Portage schools had a chance to meet some of their heroes and get more than just an autograph over the last several months, as members of the team immersed themselves in the community by working at the schools.

From veterans to rookies, with Terriers took part in various classes across multiple schools in the city. 

École Arthur Meighen had Tristan Gravenor and Adam Belzil working in their classes, as Belzil spent most of his time with the younger grades, and Gravenor worked largely with the Grade 8 class.

The Manitoba government says it is repatriating energy by not renewing two hydroelectric export contracts to Minnesota.

Premier Wab Kinew says the contracts are set to expire at the end of this month and amount to 500 megawatts of power that will now be available for Canada.

Kinew says 50 megawatts of power will be set aside to go toward the potential development of a transmission line that would connect parts of Nunavut to Manitoba's grid.

The Portage Terriers will look to extend their season tonight, by tying their second round series against the Dauphin Kings.

Portage won the last contest by a 3-0 score, with Mitchell Kathler recording his first shutout of the playoffs. 

Scoring leader Cam Bullinger led the way in the game with a pair of points, and the team will likely need more production from their top performers to knot up the series.

A win in tonight's game would see Game 7 go down at Stride Place on Wednesday, April 16 with puck drop at 7:30 p.m.

As spring thaw reshapes Manitoba’s fields, local farmers like Carl Stewart of Stewart Brothers Farms are balancing cautious optimism with challenges posed by weather delays and newly implemented tariffs. Recently, Stewart shared insights into the region’s agricultural outlook amid fluctuating conditions and evolving trade policies.

“The ditches are starting to open up, the water is starting to flow,” Stewart says. “The forecast is hit and miss between lots of rain and no rain, so fingers crossed for some favorable spring conditions here.”

Royal Canadian Legion Branch 65 member Bob Oldford announces $6,450 raised in under a month for downtown Portage la Prairie’s cenotaph expansion at Veterans Memorial Park. The project aims to enhance the memorial site near City Hall, with half the funds needed locally.

“We have raised $6,450 towards the cenotaph”

Oldford says the Legion hopes to start groundwork once frost clears. Donations can be made at City Hall with tax receipts issued. “It would be nice to raise it all locally,” he adds, noting pending grant applications to war memorial groups.

You can call in to ask host Carla Hrycyna all of your gardening questions live every Saturday morning starting at 9:15am: 1-800-374-3315