Portage

If you were driving around Crescent Road over the weekend and saw the crowds of people walking around the East half of the road, you may have wondered what all those folks might have been doing.

Well, wonder no more. 

Over the weekend, a crowd of around 500 people gathered for the annual conference put on the Fifth Avenue and River Road Gospel Halls.

Meetings were held at the MNP Building on Saturday and Sunday, with meals served at the River Road Gospel Hall for lunch and supper.

The Fort la Reine Museum welcomed families for its first-ever Father’s Day event on Saturday, turning its usual tranquil grounds into a lively hub of activity. In a partnership with United Way West Central Manitoba, everything from games to gift-giving was available and there was something for everyone to enjoy. Cindy McDonald, the museum’s community outreach coordinator, calls the event a strong success. 

There’s something about live music under open skies that makes summer in Portage la Prairie extra special, and organizers behind Concerts in the Park are making sure that tradition continues.

Luanne Anderson is one of four core organizers behind the free event series, which takes place every second Thursday evening at the Ukrainian Connection Bandstand in Island Park.

Canada’s Code of Practice for Care and Handling of Pigs is up for review, a process expected to be compete by 2028

Canada’s national pig code is getting an update.

‘We’ve launched the code of practice with the National Farm Animal Care Council,” said Stephen Heckbert, executive director of the Canadian Pork Council.

The Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Pigs will be guided by the development process set out by the National Farm Animal Care Council (NFACC), the spearheading body for Canada’s various livestock codes.

A 67-year-old man is dead following a vehicle-pedestrian collision early this morning near Headingley.

RCMP say the incident happened around 3:00 a.m., when a westbound pickup truck struck a pedestrian walking along Highway 1 near McGuckin Road.

The man, described by police as a transient, was pronounced dead at the scene.

A construction-related road closure in Portage la Prairie has officially come to an end.

2nd Street Southwest, from Saskatchewan Avenue West to the back lane behind it, is now open to traffic once again.

The road was originally closed on June 4 and was expected to reopen by June 9. However, the closure was extended, with the city later announcing it would remain in effect until the end of the day on June 20.

Reopening comes earlier than expected

That timeline has since shifted, and the city confirms the street is now fully accessible to drivers.

MONDAY, JUNE 16TH

Manitoba Junior Baseball League
Carillon Sultans 8 Pembina Valley Orioles 6

NBA
Championship Finals - Best of 7
Game 5
Oklahoma City 120 Indiana 109
Oklahoma City leads series 3-2

TUESDAY, JUNE 17TH

Vibrant colours, rich flavours, and the sounds of celebration filled Prairie Fusion Arts and Entertainment this past Saturday, June 14th, as the local community gathered for Nigerian Cultural Day.

Hosted by the Association of Nigerians in Portage la Prairie, the afternoon event showcased Nigeria's diverse heritage through presentations, traditional attire, and a feast of cultural foods, highlighting surprising overlaps with Indigenous traditions.

Manitoba Progressive Conservative MLA Jodie Byram says the spring legislative session brought meaningful progress for her party, including new leadership and bipartisan wins.

Byram, who represents the Agassiz constituency, notes, “Obby Khan is bringing some renewed energy, and coming forward with a great vision to rebuild the party.”

Key bills passed with PC support

Among the spring session’s notable legislation, Byram points to Bill 47, the Fair Trade in Canada Act, which received unanimous support.

Long Plain First Nation near Portage la Prairie began a Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) scan of its former residential school site yesterday (Monday) morning, seeking answers about potential unmarked graves and human remains.

The work, coordinated by the First Nation's Lands Department, aims to uncover the truth about what occurred at the school during its 60-year operation.