Portage

The Basement Theatre in Portage la Prairie has launched a new concert series in partnership with the music organization, Home Routes/Chemin Chez Nous tour circuit, and our local Whoop and Hollar Folk Festival, which supports emerging and established musicians. The series features local and Manitoba-based artists and offers them a professional stage experience with full sound and lighting.

Executive Director of Prairie Drama Academy Chris Kitchen outlines what's happening.

Last week, it was reported that new data from Food Banks Canada suggests more people than ever are facing the decision to use local food banks. An annual survey of food bank use in Canada was made and it was learned that more than two million visits in March of this year, which is nearly double the monthly visits five years ago in March of 2019.

Brenda Hammond, Salvation Army food bank operator says we're also seeing the same increase in numbers.

Roberta Kitson

It is with great sadness to announce the passing of Roberta Gay Kitson on October 31st, 2024, at the age of 69 peacefully with her husband Randall Hiebert by her side.

It is with great sadness that the family of Sylvia Evelyn Rawlings (nee Basaraba) of Portage la Prairie, announces her peaceful passing on Sunday, November 3, 2024 at the Gladstone Medical Centre at the age of 85.

The head of the United Nations refugee agency says it is wise of Canada to scale back the number of new refugees it plans to resettle if that helps stabilize the housing market and prevents backlash against newcomers.

Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, met with the prime minister in Ottawa on Monday.

His visit comes a little more than a week after the federal government announced plans to cut overall immigration levels by 20 per cent for 2025 — a cut that includes refugees and protected persons.

Millions of Americans are heading to the polls Tuesday as a chaotic presidential campaign reaches its peak in a deeply divided United States, where voters in only a handful of battleground states will choose the country’s path forward.

Vice-President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump have presented starkly different visions for America's future, but polling shows the two remain in a dead heat. 

Harvest is pretty much complete in the prairie provinces and we are entering the time of year when plans are starting for 2025. Over the next several months, many big events will be held from conferences to trade shows and more. Some of these events focus on woman and all they bring to the industry.

As the Manitoba Country Music Awards are just around the corner, those behind the scenes are grateful to see local artists take centre stage.

Miles Trach, president of the Manitoba Country Music Association, says they've been trying to give Manitoba artists this platform for over a decade. This eventually led to the inaugural Manitoba Country Music Awards in 2015.

"It started about 15 years ago when I joined the board," explains Trach. "We were very much trying to rebuild our country music community here in Manitoba."

You may have to be a little off to throw yourself intentionally into the path of five-and-a-half-ounce block of vulcanized rubber. But Mitchell Kathler and Ryan Velan have somehow found a love for it, playing one of the toughest positions in all of sports.

The goalie duo for the Portage Terriers have been key parts of the eight-game win streak the Dogs find themselves on, with great performances each game. Velan came to the team after an injury in training camp, and says he feels good about getting his team in a position to win each game.

Operation Christmas Child 2024 has been underway for about a month, with the local Sobeys handing out over 200 boxes, along with some distributed by Dollarama, the Portage Regional Library, Homestead Co-op, and Solomon's Home Garden Gift.

Carla Hemingway, Community Relations Coordinator for Operation Christmas Child, shares an update.