Portage

As farmers continue their seeding operations, the latest crop report brings a mix of optimism and caution. 

Crop Extension Specialist Tyce Masich says at this point 72 per cent of the provincial crop is now planted; that's an increase of 23 per cent from last week. 

He notes it's a smaller increase than the week before, largely due to rain delays in parts of the south and east regions of the province. 

The Provincial Road 227 bridge over Willowbend Creek, located approximately 2.8 kilometers east of Highway 16, is undergoing a full replacement, resulting in significant detours for local and regional traffic.

According to Kyle Hamilton, Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) of the Rural Municipality of Portage la Prairie, “"The structure has passed its life span, [the province] would just be replacing it as part of their normal capital improvement projects."

The Commandos Motorcycle Club’s Portage la Prairie chapter hosted its annual Show N’ Shine on May 10th at the McMunn & Yates Building Supplies store. Sunshine, a strong local turnout, and the steady rumble of motorcycles set the tone for a lively afternoon, raising thousands of dollars for veterans’ organizations locally and nationally.

Brent Cranston, vice president of the Commandos Motorcycle Club chapter in Portage, says the group’s mission is to support fellow veterans across Canada.

A national education conference held in Winnipeg last week showcased not only the voices of Canada’s top education leaders, but also the work of a rising local artist from Portage la Prairie.

Erin Mauws, vice-principal at Yellowquill School and a member of the Canadian Association of Principals (CAP) planning team, helped bring the conference to life, along with the creative vision of local artist Kae Maud, who designed the official conference T-shirt.

"CAP was a national conference for anyone across Canada who wanted to talk about education," said Mauws.

The union representing about 55,000 Canada Post employees said the latest offers from the postal service "fall short" with hours to go until a looming strike deadline.

Canada Post meanwhile said Thursday it's already seeing mail volumes decline ahead of another possible labour disruption and is pushing for an urgent resolution.

Spokesperson Lisa Liu said Canada Post hasn't yet received a response from the union about its proposals issued a day earlier.

The postal service is ready to resume bargaining "as soon as possible" with a mediator at the table, she said.

A collision between a semi-trailer and an SUV claimed the life of an 18-year-old Stonewall man yesterday evening.

The incident occurred around 5:10 p.m. on May 21 on Highway 8 at the intersection of Highway 67 in the RM of St. Andrews.

According to the RCMP, a semi-trailer traveling southbound on Highway 8 collided with an SUV as it crossed the intersection westbound.

A section of 1st Street SW in Portage la Prairie is closed Thursday, May 22 due to an urgent watermain repair.

The closure and related water service disruption are expected to last through the day, with work underway to restore both by tonight.

Road closure in effect

Traffic is currently blocked on 1st Street SW between Dufferin Avenue W and Crescent Road W.

Barricades are in place and drivers are being asked to detour around the area to avoid delays.

City crews are on scene managing the repair and monitoring road conditions as work progresses.

The Winnipeg Goldeyes (6-6) erupted for seven runs in the bottom of the third inning en route to an 11-6 victory over the Milwaukee Milkmen (4-6) on a pleasant Wednesday evening at Blue Cross Park. The win marks the Goldeyes’ third straight, bringing them back to .500 on the season.
 
Milwaukee opened the scoring early, as Micker Adolfo delivered run-scoring single in the top of the first to give the visitors a 1-0 edge. Winnipeg responded in the bottom of the second when Gustavo Sosa lined a single up the middle to score Tanner O’Tremba and tie the game at 1-1.

Residents in parts of Manitoba are being warned to take precautions as wildfire smoke from Nopiming Provincial Park drifts into nearby communities, significantly affecting air quality and visibility.

Environment Canada and Manitoba Health have issued a special air quality statement for parts of the Interlake covering the R.M. of Woodlands, including Warren and Lake Francis, the R.M. of St. Laurent, and the R.M. of Rockwood, including Teulon, Stonewall, and Stony Mountain.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 21ST

NHL
Playoffs - Best of 7
Western Conference Finals
Game 1
Dallas 6 Edmonton 3
Dallas leads series 1-0

AAAA Varsity Girls Soccer
Portage Collegiate Saints 2 Pembina Trails Collegiate Trail Hawks 0