Portage Online Newsroom

Update:

The man accused of firing multiple gunshots into a Rosser home has turned himself in, according to Manitoba RCMP.

On June 2, 2025, Kale Johnson, 37, of Powerview-Pine Falls, surrendered to Stonewall RCMP and has since been remanded in custody.

The charges against him are extensive and include possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, unauthorized possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm in a motor vehicle, and discharging a firearm with intent.

Much needed rainfall has arrived across Southern Manitoba, and for some locations the last 24 hours is the first accumulating precipitation (more than trace to a millimeter) in three to four weeks.

"As a moisture filled low pressure system pushed northward out of the Dakotas yesterday, several rounds of showers and embedded thunderstorms moved across the region mid to late Thursday afternoon, before general rainfall began early in the evening," explained CMOS Accredited Weathercaster Chris Sumner.

Over three days, Manitoba RCMP officers in Nisichawayasihk, Portage la Prairie and Swan River were kept busy executing search warrants at a number of residences.

On March 20, as part of a weapons investigation, Nelson House RCMP, with the assistance of the Manitoba RCMP Emergency Response Team (ERT), arrested a youth at a residence in the community without incident. Cocaine, an imitation firearm, and cash were all seized. The man is facing charges under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA) as well as the Criminal Code of Canada.

On Sunday, March 17th, just after 3:00 a.m., a Portage la Prairie RCMP officer was making patrols and located a vehicle that did not have a valid registration. 

The officer conducted a traffic stop with the vehicle on Saskatchewan Avenue West near 24th Street. 

Police checks on the 24-year-old driver, a man from Long Plain First Nation, indicated that he did not hold a valid driver’s licence. 

The officer observed an open can of liquor in the vehicle and asked the driver to provide breath samples on a Roadside Screening Device. The result was a warning. 

The Leadership of Dakota Tipi First Nation(DTFN) has released a statement, letting the public know they are in a "State of Emergency" due to the effects of drug trafficking in the community.

The Leadership of Dakota Tipi states that over the past 18 months they have been aggressive in combating the drug trade inside the community. 

The Chief and Council urged the Provincial Government to allocate resources to aid in mitigating the crimes committed and to form a Portage Area Task Force on Drugs. They also request the Federal Minister to support them in this situation.

On Monday, February 26, at around 5:40 p.m., Portage la Prairie RCMP responded to a report of a firearm being discharged at a business located in the 1200 block of Saskatchewan Avenue in Portage la Prairie.

Officers arrived and learned that two men entered the store and began arguing with a third man already inside.

The two suspects then exited the store and one of them discharged a firearm into the door.

An extremely successful Scotties Tournament of Hearts at Morden's Access Event Centre is over. Host Committee Chair Ernie Epp says the week was fantastic and was quick to point to the volunteers, and the work they did, as the reason for that success.

"I am humbled with how they looked after the fans that came out here, the way they looked after the players, the way they looked after the sponsors," he shared. "All I have heard is positive comments from all of those individuals... it's great."

David Meeches has won the election to be the next Chief of Long Plain First Nation, returning to the post after his tenure ended in 2013.

Kyra Wilson, the previous Chief, was not on the ballot, causing controversy within the Long Plain Administration, read more on this topic here.

Candidates for Chief:

David Meeches 519
Marcia Assiniboine 255
Chris Yellowquill 53

To make a pancake smile, butter it up. To make a Portage la Prairie resident smile, offer free pancakes.

From 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. Friday, a free pancake breakfast will be presented to anyone in the community who wants to stop by the Salvation Army.

Kyle Adamski, owner of Sirius Security, contacted the Salvation Army to offer the idea, which the food bank couldn't refuse. 

Emergency services responded to a reported collision Wednesday afternoon between a half-ton truck and a fuel carrier near MacGregor.

The rear axle of the fuel truck was damaged due to the crash, and witnesses say the half-ton was heavily damaged after the impact. The condition of the fuel truck driver is unknown while the driver of the half-ton, an 18-year-old female, was taken to the Portage General Hospital with undetermined injuries.

The contents from the damaged fuel truck had to be transferred to another. 

No further information is available at this time.