Canadian Olympic gold medalist Sami Jo Small was on hand Friday at Portage Collegiate Institute where she gave students an inspiring talk about lighting the fire within.[...]

The Portage Community Revitilization Corporation will be holding an information session Nov. 12 at 6:30 p.m. at the Portage Regional Library for the upcoming Neighbourhood Safety Audit.[...]

Join a club near you. In 4-H clubs the focus is on fun, friends and learning cool new skills. 4-H is an international youth and volunteer organization that helps develop well-rounded, responsible and independent youth from eight to 21 years old.[...]

A Central Plains aboriginal youth will be running with the torch bearers as part of a relay for a leg of the tour in the Portage la Prairie area for the Vancouver 2010 Olympics.[...]

The Central Plains Midget AAA Capitals girls had a gruelling game Oct. 30 against defending league champions Pembina Valley Hawks with only 12 skaters in the lineup, dropping the match 7-3.[...]

This week, Jessica Toews of the MacGregor Mustangs girls volleyball team is the Tri-Star Rural High School Athlete of the Week. Toews is the captain of the team and is in Grade 12 at MacGregor Collegiate.[...]

rswystun@cpheraldleader.com[...]

Loreen Amann of Austin has been presented with this year's Manitoba Council on Aging Recognition Award. "I didn't know anything about it!" recalled Amann about finding out she was one of eight Manitobas to win the award.[...]

The cellphone and smoking in vehicles legislation is coming into effect soon. MPI has provided some information on this. These new sections have been enacted, but have not yet been proclaimed. This means they are technically law, but not enforceable yet.[...]

Gladstone's annual Moonlight Madness happens next Friday, Nov. 13, and residents across the Central Plains region are encouraged to attend the event and check out what's hip in Happy Rock.[...]

Ken Smith has a new lease on life, and according to him, it is nothing short of a miracle.[...]

So many people hold close to their hearts the traumatic story of April Raintree, a book that was published to great acclaim in 1983. "In Search of April Raintree" explores the story of two Métis sisters as they struggle with loss, identity and racism.[...]

There are people of Ukrainian descent in pretty well every community in Canada, but are there any pioneers left? Danny Evanishen has been searching for them since 1991, in order to record their stories.[...]

The Gladstone Lakers Senior A hockey team got the season off to the right start with a decisive 5-1 victory over Crystal City last weekend. The club had previously defeated Stonewall in an exhibition match and is gearing up for the home opener Saturday night.[...]

A disappointing finish at the Manitoba Provincial Rural High School Soccer Championships didn't put a damper on the excellent season put together by the MacGregor Collegiate Institute Mustangs boys' soccer team.[...]

While the duck and geese season is just ending, there have been some various reports of hunting participation numbers as being either up or down, in the Central Plains region. Bill Lavallee, head guide at Sports Afield Lodge near St.[...]

A few new changes have been made to hunting regulations for the 2009 season, including one that's been in the works for a number of years to give hunters even more opportunities to get out.[...]

Sometimes miracles do happen. Sheila Knox, Portage la Prairie area co-ordinator for Operation Christmas Child (OCC), related the story of one recent miracle that involved an OCC shoebox.[...]

Editor's note: Over the past several weeks, the Central Plains Herald-Leader has hosted a festival of cultures that are represented in this region. This week's stop is Ireland, England and Scotland.[...]

abrown@cpheraldleader.com[...]