Portage

Three eighth-grade students from Yellowquill School have leveled up their esports reputation, clinching fourth place in the Manitoba School Esports Association Tournament for Brawlhalla—a dramatic improvement after a challenging 2023/2024 season. The team, coached by Myles Hrechka, battled through the competition on May 18–19 in Winnipeg, supported by tech sponsors Alienware, Dell, and Intel Gaming.

As the weather warms and snow begins to melt, the condition of gravel roads in the Rural Municipality (RM) of Portage la Prairie can become a challenge for drivers. Garth Asham, the councillor for Ward 1 and Deputy Reeve of the RM, is urging residents to be cautious as they travel these roads in the coming weeks.

"Up until now, our roads are in really good condition," Asham said. "But with the expected snowfall today and Friday, it's going to change the condition of our roads quite a bit. We just have to be prepared."

The end of the month is Monday, and it looks like the last few days of it may feature a return to winter like conditions.

Canadian police patrolling corners of the dark web are well aware of the commonly nefarious ways criminals exploit artificial intelligence. 

There's deepfake pornography. Voice impersonation. Romance scams that turn into financial fraud.

But recently there's been a new twist — criminals offering to "jailbreak" the very algorithms that form the architecture of AI's large language models, or LLMs, tearing down their safeguards so they can be retasked for criminal purposes.

Call it tech support for cybercriminals.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26TH

MJHL
Playoffs - Quarter-Finals - Best of 7
Game 4
Northern Manitoba 4 Neepawa 3 (Double Overtime)
Northern Manitoba leads series 3-1

Manitoba U15 AAA Female Hockey League
Finals - Best of 5
Eastman 3 Central Plains 2
series is tied at 1-1

Manitoba U18 AAA Hockey League
Finals - Best of 5
Game 3
WPG Wild 4 Brandon 3 (Overtime)
Wild win series 3-0

Liberal Leader Mark Carney is back in Ottawa today to deal with the fallout of new auto tariffs announced by U.S. President Donald Trump. 

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Carney said he was suspending his campaign plans for the day and would return to Ottawa to hold a meeting of the Canada-U.S. cabinet committee.

It's unclear when Carney will be back on the road to continue campaigning. 

Portage Collegiate Institute (PCI) Grade 12 students are buzzing with anticipation as they prepare for an upcoming class field trip to Italy and Greece. For many, the journey marks their first time visiting Europe, offering a chance to explore ancient architecture, savour Mediterranean cuisine, and immerse themselves in vibrant cultures before graduation.

Spring is here!

It's the season many have been waiting for, eagerly anticipating budding trees, blooming gardens, and the homecoming of some warmth-loving critters. But, while this time of year is held with open arms, there is reason for caution — especially as the ice melts.

"Roughly 30 per cent of drownings in Manitoba happen... between October and April," says Lynne Stefanchuk, the executive director of Lifesaving Society Manitoba. "There's always that danger around waterways in Manitoba."

Theft doesn't pay, as one Portage resident learned early last week.

On March 18, the Portage la Prairie RCMP responded to a report of a theft from a business located in the 2100 block of Saskatchewan Avenue West. When they arrived on the scene, officers learned the suspect had already left the area. However, police were provided with both a name and a photograph of the individual believed to be responsible.

The Manitoba Crop Alliance (MCA) has just awarded its 2024-25 bursaries to six deserving university students from across the province, supporting the future of agriculture in Manitoba.

Madison Kostal, the Research and Production Coordinator at MCA, took some time to share what went into the selection process and why these bursaries are so important for the next generation of Ag leaders.