Portage

A quiet rural property in the RM of Glenella-Lansdowne turned into a crime scene early Wednesday morning, and RCMP are now working to track down the masked intruders responsible.

Neepawa RCMP respond to the call around 1:05 a.m. on June 19 after a report of a home invasion.

Officers say two masked suspects forced their way into a house, only to be confronted by the armed homeowner.

The confrontation prompted the intruders to flee the scene, but not before one of them fired a gun into the side of the home.

The PCI Trojans boys soccer team has wrapped up an undefeated season with a 1-0 win over the Oak Park Raiders, securing the WWAC Tier 2 Varsity AAAA Championship on June 12.

A fitting finish for graduating seniors

Grade 12 students Cade Friesen and Owen Kristoff have both been with the program for four years and say the win capped off their high school careers perfectly.

“We've gone to the championship twice, my Grade 9 and 10 year, and then last year we had some problems... so we didn't go to championship,” Kristoff says.

Portage la Prairie is growing, and the latest building reports show that momentum is not only continuing, but expanding beyond the city limits. City Councillor Preston Meier, who chairs the City Planning and Economic Development Committee, says the local planning district takes a big-picture approach.

“Our planning district is regional. It encompasses not only the city of Portage la Prairie, but the RM as well," Meier explains.

A family-focused event hosted by the St. François Xavier Community Club is set to return Saturday, June 21, with highlights that include a helicopter flyby and landing, a variety of emergency and farm vehicles for children to explore, and a barbecue hosted by the local reeve. 

A key concern in the RM of Cartier centres on pedestrian safety along a busy stretch of road in the Lido Plage area, where there are currently no sidewalks. 

Reeve Christa Vann Mitchell outlines that the municipality is looking to build a path to connect the community to the Grand Trunk Trail, improving safety for residents walking toward Headingley along the highway. 

Hometown hero, Jonathan Toews, is coming home. 

Toews, the former captain of the Chicago Blackhawks, hasn't been on the ice since the 2022-23 season as he dealt with Chronic Immune Response Syndrome. His final game with the Blackhawks was on April 14, 2023, and he hasn't played since. 

Late last year, Toews went on a healing journey in India where he underwent a detox, in hopes of getting his syndrome under control. 

THURSDAY, JUNE 19TH

NBA
Championship Finals - Best of 7
Game 6
Indiana 108 Oklahoma City 91
Series tied 3-3

American Association Baseball
Winnipeg Goldeyes 8 Sioux Falls Canaries 7

MLB
Arizona 9 Toronto 5

FRIDAY, JUNE 20TH

A perfect day on the greens translated into a record-breaking fundraiser for local youth programs as the Youth for Christ (YFC) Golf Tournament teed off last weekend at the Delahunt Golf and Country Club in Treherne, Manitoba.

Nine teams participated in the event, enjoying beautiful weather and fellowship while raising crucial support for YFC's ministries in Portage la Prairie, Carberry, and McGregor.

After a transformative year leading the Oakville Early Learning Centre from its opening in June 2024 to a thriving childcare centre, Executive Director Cindy Curry is stepping down, handing the reins to Assistant Director Emily Hillier.

Curry, who helped establish the centre's foundation, is leaving to take on a new role as a full-time instructor at University College of the North in The Pas, Manitoba.

Two teens from northern Manitoba communities were arrested on mischief charges earlier last week.

Just after 5 p.m. on Monday, June 9, 2025, officers with the Portage la Prairie RCMP responded to reports of mischief along the walking path near 20th Street NW, where fresh spray‑paint markings had appeared on nearby property.

Guided by descriptions from witnesses, police located two youths a short distance from the scene, each in possession of spray‑paint cans. Neither resisted when officers moved in.