Portage

Meals in the Fields for 2024 is complete, with 7 deliveries to 7 hardworking producers.

The Kent Family-owned Tim Hortons provided coffee, breakfast sandwiches and pastries, and the CFRY Crew, along with our fantastic partners, made each delivery.

From the first delivery, Dean Toews of Triple Star Manufacturing weighs in on the importance of local farmers.

“They're definitely the backbone of our business, and we appreciate being able to keep our business in the community and helping those that are close to us.” 

The Portage Terriers iced a more veteran lineup in their third preseason game, with the lineup getting close to being solidified for the

After 20 minutes, both teams battled to a dead-even 0-0 score. Neepawa led in shots, but Terrier netminder Jacob Armstrong made a couple of dandy saves to keep the Titans off the board. The Terriers would kill off a 5-on-3 powerplay in the late going of the period to preserve the tie.

The Central Plains RCMP handed out a pair of driving-under-the-influence charges, as detailed in their weekly report. 

On September 3 at 9:53 a.m., Amaranth RCMP received a report of a possible impaired driver on Road 104 North near Amaranth.

 The officer attended and located a vehicle with a flat tire and a 23-year-old female in the driver’s seat. According to the report, the driver showed signs of impairment and was asked to provide a breath sample on a Roadside Screening Device. The result was a fail. 

The rain and cool conditions didn't keep over 100 attendees off the course at the Portage Golf Club for the Portage Terriers' fifth annual Geno Romanow Par Three Challenge.

Terriers Marketing Director Cody Buhler says that despite the weather, the event went very well.

"I think the rain to start, and pretty much throughout, put a bit of a damper on spirits, but for the most part actually, everybody overall was having a lot of fun, had a good time and tried to make the best of it."

Buhler notes that sponsors always play a massive role in this tournament.

The Central Plains RCMP weekly report for the period between September 2 and September 8, covering Portage la Prairie, Treherne, Amaranth, and the surrounding Rural Municipalities, has been released.

The detachment reported 337 calls for service over the 7-day period, an increase from the previous week. Traffic violations were significant, with 137 Highway Traffic Act offences reported, alongside 2 vehicle collisions and 5 impaired drivers.

Crimes against property included 21 thefts, 3 thefts of motor vehicles, 6 break and enters, and 16 incidents of mischief.

Labour talks between Air Canada and its pilots are approaching a midnight deadline, when either side could trigger the start of a shutdown for Canada's largest airline.

After more than 14 months of negotiations, starting Sunday the two sides will be in a position to provide 72-hour notice of a strike or lockout that could disrupt travel for the more than 100,000 passengers who fly the airline daily.

In the days leading up to the deadline, the two sides have said they remain far apart on the central question of pay.

The Portage Terriers got a hat-trick out of Evan Lachimea in their last game against the Neepawa Titans on Wednesday, September 11, but expect that they'll have some reinforcements coming into the team's next game.

Portage will face off with Neepawa for the second time this preseason on Saturday, September 14, at Stride Place. Portage and Neepawa have met in the preseason several times over the course of the last few seasons, and Portage, in the previous three exhibition schedules, has a record of 5-1 (W-L), as well as taking the 'W' in their first preseason matchup this year.

The River Road Co-op Gas Bar in Portage la Prairie has added a unique feature since this past July. Brett Forzley, Gas Bar Manager, explains that they purchased the section of land north of their location and expanded their parking lot and drive lane for the car wash. The far northeast corner is now designed as a picnic and leisure area.

Here's a look at some of this week's top news photos as selected by editors.

As September progresses, farmers are preparing for the fall and the Autumn Equinox on September 22. Geoffrey Bennet, from Bennet Farms in Saint Claude, is involved in dairy, beef and grain production.

He says the summer was quite eventful, with so much rain in the spring.

"It's been a decent year overall. Hay crops have been really good, but the grain crops have been touch and go."