News Optimist July 4 by Battlefords News Optimist

News

Husky updates NB on oil cleanup

North Battlefording for the first time

First responder training

Graduates

Sports

First Person Exploits

By Josh Greschner

Tough loss for Trappers

10 Gardening

Fresh herbs at JPII

6 Check us out online at

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Volume 109 No. 48

North Battleford, Sask.

Tuesday, July 4, 2017

Coming Through

There was something for everyone Saturday as Fort Battleford marked our nation’s 150th anniversary during Canada Day. Among the events that took place during the day were dog agility demonstrations, farrier demos, First Nation dancers performances, a cannon and rifle demo, wagon rides, a petting zoo, archery, carnival games and a disc golf tournament. A fireworks display rounded out the festivities. See more in Thursday’s Regional Optimist. Photo by Lucas Punkari

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Kolby Heidt accepts his graduation certificate from Jim Shevchuk of Living Sky School Division. Heidt plans on entering the trades but said the training will help him with volunteer firefighting. Photos by Josh Greschner

City Manager Jim Puffalt shakes the hands of the graduating class.

Twenty-two students graduate from emergency services responder training By Josh Greschner Staff Reporter

On the green concrete among the fire trucks at the North Battleford fire hall, 22 students graduated from the first phase of Emergency Services Responder Training. Some of the students could be working at the hall in the near future. Emergency Services Responder Training is a program in which students are offered, through classroom work and hands-on training, an introduction to public safety careers, such as firefighting, policing and paramedic work. Classes began this past school year and are two hours a day Monday to Friday. The training program consists of three phases,

and Monday’s ceremony marked the completion of the first phase. Students willing to continue will do so as they progress through high school. The graduation ceremony began with comments by City Manager Jim Puffalt, who also read greetings from Mayor Ryan Bater. Puffalt said the program’s goal was to make participating students be like team members. “We’re excited that we were able to get behind this program and find a way to make this work,” Puffalt said. “You probably don’t know all the work we had to do behind the scenes to make this happen. It was a lot, but it was well worth it to come today and see all your smiling faces here.”

Duane McKay, commissioner and executive director of emergency management and fire safety in Saskatchewan, was also attendance. He offered comments on how the program can strengthen students’ ties to the community and country. “You will stand taller, straighter, you’ll have more confidence, you’ll be wellprepared to enter into any of these services,” McKay said. Headrick then presented certificates to program sponsors, and Jim Shevchuk of Living Sky Division and Carlo Hansen, principal of John Paul II Collegiate, presented certificates to the graduating students. Kolby Heidt graduated from phase one. He said he plans to pursue the trades after graduating, but that

the program was nonetheless useful. “I’ll definitely keep with this and do volunteer fire service,” Heidt said. Kolby’s father Ernie praised the program’s thoroughness. “I think it’s a well put together program that doesn’t

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the RCMP, while PierreWeenie is considering “anything in emergency services.” “We’ve done so many workbooks, but we’ve done so many practical things too,” Arshad said. “It was a really good time.”

Big numbers for bike rodeos Staff Some big numbers have been reported for the RCMP Bike Rodeos that took place earlier in June in both Battleford and North Battleford. According to the RCMP, 230 kids took part in the Battleford bike rodeo event that took place June 13 at Battleford Arena, and 250 took part in North Battleford on June

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16 at the Civic Centre. Students from Grades 1 through 6 participated in the bike rodeos, which focused on road safety as well as proper use of bicycles and helmets. There were 12 particularly happy participants who were lucky winners of the draw that took place. Six students from Battleford and six students from North Battleford received

as prizes a certificate to pick up a new bicycle with a helmet. The prizes were donated by local organizations. Partners involved in putting together the bike rodeo included Battlefords RCMP, North Battleford Fire, Battleford Fire, North Battleford Community Safety Officers, Boys and Girls Club and Concern for Youth.

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just cover one little thing,” Ernie said. Heidt said he’s looking forward to phase two. “It’ll be a challenge but definitely worth the time.” Ayesha Arshad and Savannah Pierre-Weenie also graduated from phase one. Arshad plans on going into

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A cat received medical treatment on the scene after a residential structure fire in the Riverview area early Saturday morning. The homeowner posted online that his cat Rosie was alone in the house and

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the firefighters got her out and paramedics on site treated her. The North Battleford Fire Department says they responded to the fire shortly before 1 a.m. Saturday on 100th Street in Riverview. Two engines, one chief unit and 11 firefighters arrived on the scene to find smoke venting from the basement. The occupants had evacuated the property and raised the alarm. The fire was quickly brought under control, says NBFD. EMS, SaskPower and SaskEnergy attended the incident and helped make the scene safe. NBFD says there were no civilian or firefighter injuries, however one cat received medical treatment on the scene and survived its ordeal. The origin of the fire is under investigation. Damage is estimated at $20,000.

Tuesday, July 4, 2017 - PAGE 3

Husky cleanup update: ‘No exceedances’ Oil-sniffing canines new innovation in assessment By John Cairns Staff Reporter

With the one-year anniversary of the oil spill into the North Saskatchewan River fast approaching, officials with Husky Energy were before city council Monday to provide a cleanup update. The presentation by Chris Meloche, senior manager with Husky Energy out of Calgary, focused on the ongoing remediation efforts to clean up the river and the shoreline after the release of 225 cubic meters

of oil from their pipeline near Maidstone. He noted 60 per cent of the leak was contained on land, with 40 per cent of the volume entering the river. Cleanup activities commenced immediately and continued until October of last year when cold weather intervened; it resumed again in the spring. On Sept. 16, the Water Security Agency allowed for the treating of water again from the North Saskatchewan River. Monitoring of conditions and sampling through the ice

continued throughout the winter. The main piece of news he had to share was about the ongoing testing done on the North Saskatchewan River. Over 5,200 water samples and over 1,300 sediment samples were collected in 2016, with Husky working with third-party experts as well as the Water Security Agency and Ministry of the Environment. Husky was looking for oil not only in the river system but also at the bottom of the river in the sediment sam-

ples, Meloche said. According to figures Meloche provided, there have been “no exceedences” of Canadian drinking water guidelines since Oct. 5, 2016, based on the water samples. The other activity going on is shoreline cleanup assessment. Among the innovating things used last year was the use of oil-sniffing canines. “They’re amazing to watch, they have an amazing detection ability,” Meloche said. Continued on Page 5

Chris Meloche of Husky provides an update on the ongoing cleanup efforts following the oil spill into the North Saskatchewan River last July. Photo by John Cairns

Herb Sutton receives provincial recognition By John Cairns Staff Reporter

Members of administration had some news to share about Herb Sutton at last Monday night’s city council meeting. City Manager Jim Puffalt reported that earlier that day Sutton received the Premier’s Award for Excellence in the Public Service. Puffalt said it was in recognition for not only his efforts in North Battleford but also his work involvement in the aftermath of a tragic shooting in La Loche. “Great congratulations to Mr. Sutton, he does a tremendous job for us, he does a tremendous job for the province,” said Puffalt. Mayor Ryan Bater called it “very well deserved.” There was also the usual business of presenting the monthly monitoring reports and Sutton had a few items he wanted to focus on: Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) Review

Committee: Sutton reported the group continues to collect surveys and get feedback from the community, thanks to the community engagement barbecues held during the month. Four of them were scheduled and although the last one in Centennial Park was called off due to inclement weather, the other three saw “excellent turnout,” said Sutton. There were upwards of 200 people at each of them. It was a way to promote Leisure Services programs and “build a sense of community throughout the community,” said Sutton. From a CPTED standpoint, it was an opportunity to engage with the public on the initiative to formalize neighbourhoods and there were surveys available for residents to fill out. Sutton reported they had great conversations with the public on the issue, but added that “people are much more open to talking to us than actually completing the survey.” Still, they have 250 sur-

veys completed – which Sutton admits is not as many as hoped, yet the feedback has been positive. Sutton also noted CPTED will be starting work this summer on implementing recommendations from the safety audit that was done, with more lighting being put up. Also, more murals are going up in the downtown, a continuation of the Art Alley project. Emergency Services Responder Training: Sutton reported the graduation celebration took place earlier that day with 23 graduates, saying that number “exceeded our expectations.” The partners are now looking ahead to next year’s program. A meeting was scheduled for the next day with all the partners, and despite the financial challenges faced by everyone at the moment, Sutton said there was interest in finding enough resources to offer two levels: the 10 level and the 20 level. He indicated that may mean approaching city council

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for support at some point. SAGE Phase 2 proposal: Efforts continue to lobby government officials towards implementation and funding of their Stage 2 proposal, which to date has not yet received resources from the federal government. On a related note, Sutton says its been confirmed that North Battleford has been approved for a new program through Public Safety Canada called “Federal, Provincial, Territorial Collaborative Approach,” and will be one of 10 communities involved in that. This is the new program designed for the communities that participated in the Moving Towards a Stronger Future program that SAGE was involved in before. SAGE have also been invited to apply for new federal funding available through Urban Programming for Indigenous Peoples. They have been asked to revise their proposal and submit it, and they are cur-

rently working on that application. There also needs to be “demonstrable support from the indigenous com-

Herb Sutton provides his monthly monitoring report to city council Monday night last week. Photo by John Cairns

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PAGE 4 - Tuesday, July 4, 2017

Private health care isn’t the problem, While some patients may be it’s part of the solution able to wait for treatment By Bacchus Barua

Economist / The Fraser Institute

VANCOUVER, B.C. /Troy Media/ - Recent news reports about private payments for medically-necessary procedures in British Columbia tell an important story about a group of desperate people who are being oppressed by those in power. But based on headlines castigating “double-dipping” doctors conducting “illegal” activities, one might mistakenly think that physicians are the antagonists in the story. The real oppressor, however, is the government whose laws have led to a system where patients who need medical treatment must wait in pain and are denied the opportunity to transparently seek alternatives in their own country. What motivates patients to use their own money for health-care services from private clinics when a “free” public alternative is available? Long waits for treatment in the public system. In 2016, the Fraser Institute estimated that patients could expect to wait 20 weeks between referral from a general practitioner to treatment - the longest wait in the history of the survey and more than twice as long as in 1993, when the first national estimates were produced. In fact, for some specialties the wait is much longer. For example, patients could expect to wait 46.9 weeks for neurosurgery, 38 weeks for orthopaedic surgery and 28.5 week for ophthalmological procedures. While some patients may be able to wait for treatment without suffering adverse consequences, many others may be in pain, unable to work or live full lives. It’s no

wonder some chose to seek alternatives even when fully aware that private treatment for medically necessary procedures is discouraged by provincial and federal governments. Why do these waits exist and what can be done about them? They exist because the government can’t fund enough services to keep up with demand. Consequently, medical services are rationed through waiting lists. And, unfortunately, government policy prevents the situation from improving by discouraging the private sector from helping expand supply, and by prohibiting co-payments and user fees, which could help temper demand. Of course, whenever these types of reforms are suggested, opponents claim that they’re incompatible with universal health care. But in reality, Canadian restrictions on cost-sharing and private health care have little to do with the concept of universality. A quick glance at other more successful universal health-care systems such as Switzerland, the Netherlands, Germany and Australia reveal that the private sector is a common ally in the delivery of universal care, and co-payments are a common expectation of patients (with exemptions and limits for vulnerable populations). Notably, these countries spend roughly the same as we do (Switzerland more, Australia less) but have shorter wait times. And yet, many journalists and politicians ignore this and simply vilify physicians who provide care for patients who’ve been left to wait, suffer and sometimes wither and die in the public system. Worse, threats to crack down on private care will harm patients who will have fewer options for recourse.

without suffering adverse consequences, many others may be in pain, unable to work or live full lives

This is not a story of evil physicians taking advantage of patients. It’s one of a public system that has failed patients, trapped by government policy and forced to seek treatment on their own, regardless of what provincial and federal policy-makers allow. It’s high time policy-makers realize that the very policies they use to “protect” our universal health-care system are ensuring its failure. Bacchus Barua is an economist at the Fraser Institute. www.troymedia.com

Last week’s News-Optimist online poll: The City of North Battleford is bringing in a special mill rate targeted at vacant commercial buildings downtown and in the commercial corridor. What is your reaction? • About time! They should pay more taxes! 33% • This won’t solve any problems – they’ll just avoid paying taxes. 9% • This will drive away even more business. 14% • They should go further and raise taxes on vacant residential buildings. 17% • Tear these buildings down instead! 27%

This week’s News-Optimist online poll: What did you do on Canada Day? • Attended a local celebration. • Fired up the barbecue and celebrated in the backyard. • Went to the lake. • Did yard work. • Visited friends. • Had to work.

Visit www.newsoptimist.ca Follow Battlefords News-Optimist on Facebook and BfordsNewsOpt on Twitter

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A community newspaper published Tuesdays Owned & Operated by The Prairie Newspaper Group LP a division of GVIC Communications Corp. 892 104th Street, North Battleford, Saskatchewan S9A 1M9 (Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to the above) Telephone: 306-445-7261 – Fax: 306-445-3223 Email: newsoptimist.news@sasktel.net Personal Delivery Charge — Out of Town $44.29 Plus GST.

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Tuesday, July 4, 2017 - PAGE 5

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Husky cleanup update Continued from Page 3 Even with a small drop of oil buried under the sediment, the dogs can pick up on it, he said. A total of 134 km of shoreline has been cleaned up, mostly by manual labour. There was also a focus on the ecosystem and the fish populations as well, and over 8,000 fish were collected and tested. For 2017, water testing is continuing and samples are collected every two weeks all the way along the river up to Prince Albert. There continues to be “no exceedences” in water quality, he said. As well, sediment samples continue to be collected and there continues to be no exceedences from those, either. The samples from North Battleford were non-detectable for any petroleum or hydrocarbons, he said.

As for shoreline activity, cleanup work continues with the use of four teams of dogs. Those efforts turned up some small, isolated pieces of oil material on vegetation on Finlayson Island that would have been swept in during the high water in August. There were also pieces of wood found with sporadic staining of oil. Those were all picked up by the oil-sniffing dogs, and removed. More cleanup work will continue to go on in July and August, and additional assessment will go on as well. Husky has also been using submerged oil detection devices called SODS, which look like pom-poms but are submerged in the river and are designed to stick to any submerged oil. Those had been used last year and had detected oil, but oil is not being de-

tected this year. “We are not seeing oil suspended or moving through the water column,” Meloche said. He indicated Husky continues to be in close contact with officials with the City of North Battleford including City Manager Jim Puffalt and Director of Utility Services Stewart Schafer. “We appreciate the collaborative working relationship we’ve had with the City of North Battleford,” said Meloche. Husky has based its cleanup operations this summer out of the Don Ross Centre in North Battleford, and they have used the airport as well as the boat launch location as well. Meloche expressed appreciation for the availability of those facilities, saying it’s “really turned out well.”

Council notes: June 26 Here are some additional notes from the June 26 meeting of city council: Auditors from Holm Raiche Oberg presented the draft of the independent auditor’s report into the consolidated financial statements of the City of North Battleford. According to their opinion, the statements “present fairly, in all material aspects, the consolidated financial position of the City of North Battleford” as of Dec. 31. The draft audited financial statements will need to be adopted and approved by council for submission to the province, and that resolution will be presented at the July meeting. The City of North Battleford has agreed on the wording of a letter to go to the federal government supporting door-to-door mail delivery. The letter supports a request from the Canadian Union of Postal Workers that was presented at the previous meeting. A resolution to submit that correspondence to Judy Foote, minister of public services and procurement, carried unanimously. Council also passed a resolution to waive criminal record checks fees for the 2018 Saskatchewan Winter Games. That follows a recommendation passed by Planning Committee the previous week. Finally, council decided to lease a Cat Land-

fill Crawler for the waste management facility at an annual lease amount of $84,532.20. At the conclusion of the meeting Mayor Ryan Bater thanked Director of Finance David Gillan for his service to the city. Gillan’s final day on the job was June 30. Also, on the

occasion of Canada’s 150th anniversary, the mayor wished residents a safe Canada Day. Council now moves to its summer schedule for July and August with one regular meeting scheduled for each month. The next regular council meeting is – JC July 17.

Members of Hein Financial Group including Brian Hein (second from right) presented Carey Tollefson (right) with a big cheque for the Battlefords Union Hospital in the amount of $10,000. The money will go towards the foundation’s ENT - Ear, Nose and Throat campaign. Photo by John Cairns

By John Cairns Staff Reporter

Hein Financial Group of North Battleford decided to celebrate their 50th anniversary with a big donation to the Battlefords Union Hospital Foundation. At their anniversary event at the Dekker Centre on Thursday night, Brian Hein and the rest of the staff handed a $10,000 cheque to Carey Tollefson, board member for the BUH Foundation and also a longtime friend of Hein. Tollefson says the money is going towards the foundation’s ENT campaign - “Ears, Nose and Throat.” North Battleford has just acquired a new ears-nose-and-throat specialist doctor, and the hospital has been seeking to upgrade its equipment and instruments for their operating room there to deal with those ailments. The BUH Foundation’s commitment to Prairie North Health Region is $380,000 towards that cause; the $10,000 dona-

tion goes directly towards that. The campaign has gone well so far; it is about twothirds of the way towards reaching their target, and much of the equipment is in place now. “We’re extremely grateful to Brian, and Hein Financial,” said Tollefson. “This is another donation that they’ve made to various causes that we’ve needed money for over the years.” Hein said BUH Foundation was chosen for the donation because they are a “great organization in this community. They need the money for the facilities that they put together for everybody in the community and I can’t think of a better use of our money.” It is also in keeping with their longstanding tradition of giving back to organizations in the community. The night was a special one for Hein Financial Group, which offers financial, retirement and estate planning services. Not surprisingly, staff members, including many

from as far away as Calgary, were on hand for the event. But it was an evening the firm primarily wanted to share with their clients. “The clients are the ones that make us. You’re only as good as your clients are, and we’ve got a great group of clients so we’re happy to have them here,” said Greg Lightfoot, financial advisor with Hein Financial and a North Battleford city councillor. The night also featured speaker Doug Towill, senior vice-president of CI Investments, who gave an informative and at times humorous presentation on the “success equation.” There was also plenty of nostalgia. A collage of photos and newspaper articles lined a wall in the Dekker Centre highlighting the firm’s growth and many changes from its beginnings under Brian’s father, Dick Hein, a halfcentury ago. “We’ve been around for 50 years in this community, and time goes by very quickly,” Brian Hein said.

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An amateur tries North Battlefording My experiences North Battlefording for the first time have been pleasant so far This is usually a segment where overworked and underpaid News-Optimist staff write about doing something for the first time. For the first time ever, I’ve spent the past month North Battlefording. If you check the Oxford (Ontario) Dictionary of HalfBaked Canadianisms, the definition, word for word, of North Battlefording is this: Doing things relevant to North Battleford. If you check that dictionary, you’ll also find verbs like Edmontoning and Saskatooning. Edmontoning means different things to different people, but my experience has been with college-age kids. You wouldn’t be Edmontoning if you didn’t drink beer in the River Valley. You wouldn’t be Edmontoning if you didn’t, at least once in a while, say how much Edmonton sucks, because, you know, there aren’t enough bike lanes or everybody in the vegan community knows each other. Or if you work in the food service industry, Edmontoning involves talking about how Oilers players passing through where you worked were kind of rude (goodbye Mr. Eberle). Edmontoning places a lot of importance on what is and isn’t socially acceptable, but for some reason it’s still not socially unacceptable to talk about a playoff series that happened 11 years ago. Before Edmontoning, I Vonda’d for 14 years. Vondaing involves doing things related to Vonda, Saskatchewan, like going to senior hockey games or volunteering for the fire department or hunting gophers. Vonda is a town of 330ish people northeast of Saskatoon. Moving from Vonda to Edmonton was a shock. The amount of people threw me off. Neighbours weren’t all that neighbourly and few people want to chat on the bus. I didn’t feel looked after in the city and there were so many people whose lives you can’t play a part in at all. Small town perks like knowing the cop giving you a ticket, and having a chance of talking him out of it, were few and far between. But as time wore on, Edmontoning became second nature. I drank IPAs and became a ruthless driver and avoided West Ed except for the movie theatres. I could wear white sneakers and not get ripped apart like a pig at a pig roast. Before North Battlefording, I Edmontoned for a long time. Gas and parking were expensive, and purchasing power wasn’t great, and there was employment here, so I headed on down. My experiences North Battlefording for the first time have been pleasant so far. Looking the place up a month ago, I came across a documentary about crime in the city, so I was kind of apprehensive. A lot of people I’ve talked to aren’t too concerned about the crime. They advise locking your doors and taking it as it comes. One immediately noticeable difference between North Battlefording and Edmontoning is the amount of historic buildings kicking around here. Edmonton has a habit of tearing them down and regretting it later. But it seems like in North Town, every second or third building is historic. That some people want to tear them down is understandable. There’s the large amounts of money required to maintain them, but not only that, keeping the buildings for the sake of historical preservation ignores the prairie utilitarianism that, at least to some extent, makes North Battlefording what it is. At different points in history, city planners and

residents have done whatever has made the most sense at their respective times, whatever “making sense” means to them. Historical preservation is different now than what it used to be, but when it came time, wood structures that made up forts were razed in favor of brick buildings. Change is necessary to the process of living in a city. Ironically, leave it to the prairie city (especially Edmonton, but also that new art gallery in Saskatoon) to go out of their way to show the opposite attitude to what

got them to where they are in the first place. Historical preservation for its own sake, especially when a finite amount of local tax money is involved, is rightfully a hard sell. Also, one of the most uniquely prairie things to do is watch the local grain elevator get demolished, usually after a struggle between people who want to preserve it and people who want it gone. So maybe a community-building event could be leveling some of these old buildings, if enough people were interested in doing so. On the other hand, the benefits of historical buildings are obvious, not in the least because they show that the city mattered to a time we can only imagine, to people who died 100 years ago, and a great deal of people since (like the Battleford Post Office). It’s never a bad thing to be reminded of one’s own ephemerality. I should mention that Edmontoning involves making presumptions based on meager evidence and shooting off your opinions. On a less controversial note, good old-fashioned North Battlefording involves throwing your GPS out the window because the city is easily navigable. Traffic lights aren’t everywhere to tell you what to do, you actually have to pay attention with other drivers at four-way stops and look them in the face. Then you think to yourself, where have I seen you before? Wal-Mart! One exciting thing about living here for me is that some people around here recognize my last name and know my relatives. My parents grew up in the Macklin area and this is one of the hubs people from rural areas gravitate toward. A few times now I’ve gotten, “Are you related to the so-and-so’s who live in so-and-so?” Probably. It’s kind of thrilling compared to the anonymity of the city. Wilkie, Kerrobert and Unity aren’t weird, dusty towns my dad said not great things about because he had hockey rivalries with them. They’re real places with real people who I owe money to already. Probably the most refreshing thing about North Battlefording so far has been that I’m not the only one on the block with a Riders license plate. Take my word for it, Rider fans on enemy soil, when they pass each other on the road, wave to each other like bikers do when they drive by other bikers. It’s not necessarily hard being a Riders fan in Edmonton, it’s more annoying. Bandwagon Eskimos fans jab you, but when the Eskimos start stinking like Icelandic fermented ammonia shark, it’s less accepting responsibility for liking a bad team, and more saying “I never liked them anyway.” Which for a lot of people, is probably true. Maybe the real Eskimo fans are all hanging out where Esmerelda’s used to be, but I haven’t met very many. After a month in town, the most satisfying thing about North Battlefording has been that it’s a comfortable middle between a city and a small town, and that it has features of both. Suburbs often brag about their “city life, with a small town feel,” but you can tell the strength of a community by the turn out at local barbecues and breakfasts. Covering barbecues and breakfasts is my job, and so far I can say turn out here has been pretty good. As far as the whole North Town vs. Battleford thing goes, I’ve yet to see anything escalate to the ridiculous proportions that the made-up Edmonton vs. Calgary thing is. But it doesn’t seem like we’re amalgamating anytime soon.

Rotarians Clean Up

Submitted – A recent Tuesday night found a group of Rotarians at Rotary Park at the Chamber of Commerce site. The local Rotary Club established the park for use by travellers and the general public over 25 years ago. Each spring, Rotarians don work clothes, equip themselves with rakes, lawn mowers, tree trimmers and lots of enthusiasm. Several hours later the park is transformed and welcoming. A barbeque and camaraderie is a most satisfying reward. Hardworking Rotarians are Albert Lowe, Archie Robinson, Mike Ritchie, Lil Robinson (guest worker), Ben Christensen, Marlene McDonald, Albert Headrick, Mike Hoffman, Terry Blanchette, Rachelle O’Keefe, Wayne Ray, Warren Williams, president, and wife Cindy, Dan McEachern, Jason Russell, Rod Forman, Jean Walker and Keri Payne. Rotarians-in-training were Dakota Williams, Kaitlyn Forman and Nolan OKeefe.

Tuesday, July 4, 2017 - PAGE 7

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GRAY: Phyllis Viola Gray, age 91 years, passed away at her residence – Battlefords District Care Centre – on June 21, 2017. Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, July 8, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. from The Garden Chapel – Battlefords Funeral Service with Pastor Dan Glass officiating. Interment will follow at the City Of North Battleford Cemetery. In Lieu of flowers, donations are requested to The Battlefords Trade and Education Centre, 801-105th. St., North Battleford, SK S9A 1R3. Condolences can be sent to mail@battlefordsfuneralservice.com Arrangements are entrusted to Battlefords Funeral Service (306-446-4200)

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ROBERT MACKAY GEORGE HAEGEBAERT

__________________________________________________

KUNKEL - Our beloved father (Arthur Phillip Kunkel) was born Oct. 6, 1924 to Gus & Julia Kunkel. He grew up on a farm in Neudorf, Saskatchewan where he also spent his school years. Dad joined the Canadian Armed Forces in October 1943, serving in the Canadian Army until November 1945 after which time he went back to the family farm. In 1946 the family moved to the Coma Park area near Atwater, Saskatchewan where they continued to farm. In December 1948 dad married Josephine Agatha Zimmer. In 1949 his parents moved to Atwater and dad & his brother Curt took over the family farm. With a growing family and farming not being very profitable, he took a job at a mine in Wawa, Ontario in October 1957. Dad went ahead and mom followed by train later with their five small children. Approximately 4 years later in 1961, Dad found employment in construction at the potash mine in Esterhazy, Saskatchewan. We then moved back to the Atwater area, now a family of 8 as Dallas was born in Wawa. I still remember that long drive in Dad’s old Hudson. In 1962 Dad joined IMC Potash Mines as a mill operator and continued there until his retirement in 1989. Shortly after starting his new job, dad built a new house in Esterhazy. This was a significant lifestyle improvement for the entire family and times were much better than the lean years on the farm. In March 2010, tragedy struck in the form of cancer and Dad lost his beloved wife of 62 years. This was an agonizing loss for him, but being very resilient he carried on living in the same house until he was 89 years old. He finally sold the house in 2014 and moved to an apartment at Caleb Village in North Battleford close to his eldest son, Wayne. Two years later after major health issues he moved to a full care facility in North Battleford where he lived until his passing on June 18th. Predeceased by his wife Josephine; parents Gustav & Julia Kunkel; brothers George, Otto & Joe Bender; sisters Emma Annable & Margaret Adolph, and grandson Davis Lawrence Kunkel in infancy. He leaves to cherish his memory his daughter Sharon Fehr (Norm) of Fort Saskatchewan, AB; sons Wayne Kunkel (Josie) of North Battleford, SK; Lyle Kunkel (Wendy) of Salmon Arm, BC; Darcy Kunkel of Yarbo, SK; Carey Kunkel (Linda) of Meadow Lake, SK; Dallas Kunkel of Cochrane, AB. Grandchildren: Christopher Fehr, Cameron Fehr (Jennifer), Danette Kunkel Payne (Jason), Kellie Kunkel (Rudy), Matt Kunkel, Nathan Kunkel, Jason Kunkel (Jamie), Davis Kunkel, Amanda Kunkel (Jarred), Derek Kunkel, Jeremy Kunkel, step grandchildren, Melissa Welford (Mike), and sixteen great grandchildren. Also a sister, Gertie Johnson (Darrell), Curt Kunkel, Bill Kunkel (Elaine), sister-in-law Eleanor Bender, numerous nieces, nephews, relatives and friends. The funeral service was held on Monday, June 26th 2017 from the Yorkton Memorial Gardens Family Centre, Yorkton with Pastor Heike Toeller of St. Paul Lutheran Church officiating. The eulogy was given by Sharon Fehr & Cameron Fehr. Readers were Carey Kunkel, Linda Kunkel & Danette Kunkel Payne. Prayers were given by Nicholas, Kayleigh & Lena Payne. Pianist, Carla Laycock led in the hymns ‘How Great thou Art’, ‘What A Friend We Have in Jesus’, and ‘Amazing Grace’. Soloist, Jennifer Fehr sang ‘It Is Well With My Soul’. The interment took place in the Garden of Memories with son Wayne as the urnbearer. A reception followed in the Family Centre Reception Room. In memory of Arthur, memorials to the Battlefords Union Hospital Foundation would be appreciated by the family. The cremation care was entrusted to Eternal Memories Funeral Home, North Battleford, the funeral care was entrusted to Bailey’s Funeral Home, Yorkton. __________________________________________________

Ph.: 306-445-7265 / 306-445-7266

P.O. Box 806 North Battleford, SK S9A 2Z3

306-446-4200

PROVINCE-WIDE CLASSIFIEDS. Reach over 550,000 readers weekly. Call this newspaper NOW or 306-649.1405 for details.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Luxury Footcare Professional Nursing Footcare #1 - 9800 Territorial Drive (Co-op Mall) North Battleford, SK S9A 3W6

BEST TRAILER DEALS! ° 16’ Tandem Trailer $2800 ° 14’ SA ATV - $2370 ° 14’ 14K Dump - $9600 ° 20’ HD 14K Equip Hauler - $4950

AUCTIONS

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The Tractor Co. Osler, Sk 306-239-2262 www.tractorco.ca

Turn your inventory into CA$H! Trucks, Sprayers, Tractors, Trailers, Combines & More!

ANNOUNCEMENTS

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“Consignments Welcome” Call Ken Purdy (306) 250-0707 1-800-263-4193 www.McDougallBay.com PL# 331787

FOR SALE - MISC Advertisements and statements contained herein are the sole responsibility of the persons or entities that post the advertisement, and the Saskatchewan Weekly Newspaper Association and membership do not make any warranty as to the accuracy, completeness, truthfulness or reliability of such advertisements. For greater information on advertising conditions, please consult the Association’s Blanket Advertising Conditions on our website at www.swna.com.

REACH OVER 500,000 Saskatchewan Readers Each Week! Blanket Classifieds are carried in 72 community newspapers, which reach over 450 communities including 14 cities. P: 306-649-1405 E: classifieds@swna.com W: www.swna.com The Strength is in Community Newspapers!

SWANSON GRYBA & COMPANY

Chartered Professional Accountants 1282 - 101st Street North Battleford, Sask. Telephone 306-445-0488 Facsimile 306-446-3155 -PARTNERSGarth Swanson, CPA, CA Greg Gryba, CPA, CA

CHARTERED PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANTS

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Phone: 306-445-6234 Fax: 306-445-0245 PARTNERS

Suzanne L. Odishaw, CPA, CA Jacques la Cock, CPA, CA Derek Sieben, CPA, CA Stephen Mann, CPA, CA

Let Us Help You Keep Your Business Rolling! PLACE YOUR AD ON THIS PAGE

CALL 306-445-7261

Fax: 306-445-1977 Email: newsoptimist.sales@sasktel.net

FUNERAL SERVICES

Eternal Memories Funeral Service & Crematorium 2741 - 99th Street, North Battleford, SK 306-445-7570

Trevor Watts - Director/Owner

The Battlefords only Locally Owned Funeral Provider

“The only crematorium in the Battlefords area” Traditional Casket Burial and Cremation Services Serving Families with Dignity, Respect & Compassion Counsellor for Bronze and Granite Memorials Free pre-planning guides available, assistance with pre-planning services

www. eternalmemoriesfuneral.ca

THE

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PAGE 8 - Tuesday, July 4, 2017

FOR SALE - MISC Ranger boats - highest quality, strongest performing fiberglass fishing boats. Ranger aluminum and Ranger pontoons also available at Saskatchewanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exclusive dealer! Pallyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Saskatoon (306) 244-4469. Sun Dolphin 5 person pedal boat. Comes with 2 life jackets, pillows for front&back seats, tarp and a canopy. Used 4 times. Phone 306446-2002.

LAND FOR SALE PrairieSky Royalty Ltd. is a publicly-traded company in Calgary that acquires oil & gas fee title and royalty interests at fair market value. To receive a cash offer, call 587293-4055 or visit www.prairiesky.com/Selling-Your-Royalties.

APARTMENTS/CONDOS FOR RENT Apartment for rent shared laundry, 306-445-3644

PLEASE NOTE:

New Phone Number

SENIORS AFFORDABLE HOUSING

New easy access 2 bedroom unit in a four-plex 6 appliances

876/month.

Must be 55+ and make under $44,500 per household.

Call Mel 306-490-7414

FARMLAND WANTED NO FEES OR COMMISSIONS! PURCHASING: SINGLE TO LARGE BLOCKS OF LAND. PREMIUM PRICES PAID WITH QUICK PAYMENT. Great References Available a total of 590 QUARTER SECTIONS SOLD across saskatchewan RENT BACK AVAILABLE Call DOUG 306-955-2266 saskfarms@shaw.ca

MOBILE/MANUFACTURED HOMES FOR SALE NEW 2017 MANUFACTURED HOMES starting under $90,000 delivered! A1 Homes Regina/Saskatoon - www.A1-Homes.ca Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest in-stock home selection, quick delivery, custom factory orders! Text/call 306-7002825.

BOARDWALKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S FALL 2017 SASKATOON STUDENT PACKAGE IS HERE! Move in now through Sept. 1st to receive up to 3 MONTHS FREE RENT and a $500 PREPAID GIFT CARD, or a $500 RENTAL CREDIT on your account. **Some conditions apply.**

Please call 306.700.3551 with Inquiries. HOUSES FOR RENT Available for Rent, 2 bedroom, W/D/F/S and dishwasher, utilities not included, references required. Call or text 306-480-1347 Serious inquiries only.

FEED & SEED

HEATED CANOLA WANTED!! - GREEN CANOLA - SPRING THRASHED - DAMAGED CANOLA FEED OATS WANTED!! - BARLEY, OATS, WHT - LIGHT OR TOUGH - SPRING THRASHED HEATED FLAX WANTED!! HEATED PEAS HEATED LENTILS "ON FARM PICKUP" Westcan Feed & Grain 1-877-250-5252

CANADIAN MANUFACTURED MODULAR HOMES -multi section, single section, lake houses, and duplex family units LARGE INVENTORY TO CHOOSE FROM OR FACTORY ORDER TO YOUR SPECIFICATIONS Selling and Servicing Across Western Canada for Over 40 Years! 1.800.249.3969 Check out our inventory at www.medallion-homes.ca Hwy 2 South Prince Albert

ROOMS

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AUTO MISCELLANEOUS Wrecking over 250 units... cars and trucks. Lots of trucks... Dodge... GMC... Ford... Imports... 1/2 ton to 3 tons... We ship anywhere... Call or text 306-821-0260. Lloydminster.

HORSES & TACK Will buy all classes of horses. 306329-4382.

CANADA BENEFIT GROUP - Attention Saskatchewan residents: Do you or someone you know suffer from a disability? Get up to $40,000 from the Canadian Government. Toll-free 1-888-511-2250 or www.canadabenefit.ca/free-assessment

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTION! Indemand career! Employers have work-at-home positions available. Get online training you need from an employer-trusted program. Visit: CareerStep.ca/MT or 1-855768-3362 to start training for your workat-home career today! Part Time Bartender Criminal Record Check required. Apply in person with resume to Royal Canadian Legion. 1352 100th Street, North Battleford

COOK WANTED

for 10-20 man road construction camp (current location Humboldt area); some cleaning required. Accommodations provided. Must have valid driverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s license; safe food handling ticket; and experience in a similar environment. Send resume and two work references to: Bryden Construction Fax: 306-769-8844 Email: brydenconstruct@ xplornet.ca www.brydenconstruction andtransport.ca

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

Full-Time Front Office Receptionist We require an accurate, detail oriented, quick learning individual capable of working independently as well as within a team environment under a variety of deadlines. Qualifications for this position are: â&#x20AC;¢ excellent communication and customer service skills â&#x20AC;¢ ability to multitask under pressure in a fast paced working environment â&#x20AC;¢ must be proficient in computers Responsibilities for this position include: â&#x20AC;¢ counter service taking ads and redirecting inquiries â&#x20AC;¢ billing - creating, reviewing and finalizing invoices â&#x20AC;¢ daily balancing â&#x20AC;¢ accepting and processing credit card payments by phone â&#x20AC;¢ customer service related phone calls â&#x20AC;¢ other duties as required The hours are Monday to Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. We are seeking to fill this position as soon as possible.

SUITES FOR RENT Suite For Rent 1 Bedroom, Shared Bath $400 a month Call 306-499-0329

Buying/Selling FEED GRAINS heated / damaged CANOLA/FLAX Top price paid FOB FARM

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

HEALTH SERVICES

FEED & SEED

Please bring in your resumÃ© with a cover letter, to Battlefords Publishing/News-Optimist, 892-104th Street, North Battleford or email to newsoptimist.admin@sasktel.net Attention: Joyce Wappel. Deadline for submission is July 6, 2017. No phone calls please.

Windsor Hotel Newly Renovated Rooms for Rent. Includes Kitchen, Bathroom and 1 Bedroom. No Pets, No Smoking. Call 306-937-2361

SERVICES FOR HIRE A-1 Service, Will shingle, Will build fences and decks, Do Painting, Install Metal Fascia Soffit, Renovations etc. Phone 306-445-8439 or 306-441-3690

Fences, Decks, Sheds, Home Renoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, Painting, Roofing, Shingles. 306-480-8199 306-481-2836

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NEED SOMETHING TO DO? We need Reliable NO ! WEEKENDS

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892 - 104th Street North Battleford, SK Ask for Chuck

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$ $ * & % "$ ( & %& $& '" (* ! ! " * ) & "$!" $& % %&$ & * ! "$ % ! #' &* "$!( !) $ % %% &% $ % '$$ & * & "$! %% ! % ' &% % ! &* $ !&

%' % % & &! $ $% % $ $ * !

Tuesday, July 4, 2017 - PAGE 9

COMING EVENTS

Across PUZZLE NO. 757 1. BBs, e.g. 33.Aretha 10.Zilch 5. Brews Franklin hit 9. City on the Yamuna 11.Snow coaster River 36.Snare 19.Cut one’s 13. Earth 37.Bar molars 14. It doesn’t hold water 39.Trait carriers 15. Fused material for 21.Spiders’ glazes 41.Turn over structures 16. Auction cry quickly 17. Mandatory 22.Angel’s 42.Camp 19. ___ Grove Village, Ill. headgear 20. On the safe side, at sea helper, e.g. 23.Like some 21. Fragrant resin 43.Foal 22. Small wild fruit cheese 45.Prayer 25. Architectural projec25.Song tion concluder 27. Where the heart is 28.Commits 49.Brewery 28. Female sheep perjury beverage 30. “... ___ he drove out of sight” 29.Skilled 50.Prosecute 31. Advance, slangily 30.Army eatery 51.Wish 32. Characteristic carrier 34. Highlands hillside 35. Hidden 38. ___ line (major axis of Copyright © 2015, Penny Press an elliptical orbit) 41.ACROSS Apple variety 28.Take it find 42.1. Finger, in a way on the ____ Judge’s 55.Dogs and 45. Anger concern 31.Made holy cats 46. Anger, e.g. Signal assent 32.Clan 47.5. Forward 56.Fountain 3. Ineffectual person Dynasties that ruled 50. Ground cover 49.8. Combine Has ____ 29. 34.Turf 4. Aged North China from 220-265 52. A-list 51. Investigative agent ANSWER TO PUZZLE NO. 757 animals 35.Stags andat times 57.Young32.adult 5. Archer, Super-duper 53. Spoonful, say 54.12.Draft Addition symbol 6. Colony member 33. Moray, e.g. 55. Chitchat bucks 56.13.Hot Dearth temper 7. “The Three Faces of 34. Brute 57.14.Moderately “___ the fields we go” 38.Foot parts DOWN 36. Computer-generated 58. Actor Alastair 59. Elephant’s weight, 58. A person who with- ___” cold 1. Shy image (acronym) 39.Polite 8. Arid chap maybe draws from a church 9. Behind 37. Sweater style 2. Woodsman’s 60. Victorian, for one 60.15.Decade “Empedoclesunit on ___”40.Winding 10. Dirtier 38. Order between “ready” (Matthew Arnold poem) curves implement 16.Short-term job 11. _______ Maya and “fire” 61. Bad day for Caesar 41.Coin side as a cost 3. Caribbean, 17.Pine ____ 12. Absorbed, 39. Lead 62. Kind of ticket e.g. 40. Sonora shawls 44.Hobo 14. Flint 63.18.Alternate Brawl 18. ___ vera 43. Relating to 4 divides of 64.20.Got Bungle, the withbest “up” 4. Registers 46.MGM’s 20. Decrease a nucleus 65. “Trick” joint trademark 5. Close,44. once of 23. Nonpoetic writing To make poisonous 66. #1 spot 47.Glass part on the6.Roof” Adjust46.toMerlin, e.g. 21.Largest 24. “Fiddler Down role 47. Odd-numbered page surroundings mammal 1. Declare 48.Effortless 26. “Malcolm X” director 48. Assessing a lower value 2. Slang term for moneys

24.Close 52.Resting 26.Bald bird 53.Act like 27.Half of twenty 54.Detective’s

7. Unit of heat 8. Happen CAREER OPPORTUNITIES 9. Dates

WANTED

CROSSWORD PUZZLE ANSWERS USE AMERICAN SPELLING

Visit our website

www.newsoptimist.ca for more community events

Community Events Calendar ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS

Please call our 24 hour helpline at 306-446-6166 for support or information.

AL-ANON FAMILY GROUPS

If someone’s drinking troubles you attending Al-Anon Family Group provides understanding and support. Meetings Monday at 7:00 p.m. and Friday at 10:00 a.m. at the Zion Lutheran Church, corner of 15th Ave. & 108th Street. Contacts 306-937-7765, 306-937-7289 or 306-441-9324.

Wednesdays, June 28 - August 30

Pajama Tales - Join us for drop in story time for children & their families at the North Battleford Library from 6:30 - 7:00 p.m. Wear your pajamas and bring your favourite cuddly toy. Ages 2-5.

Wednesdays July 5, 12, 19 & 26

Pajama Tales - Join us for drop in story time for children & their families at the North Battleford Library. Wear your pajamas and bring your favourite cuddly toy. Wednesdays, 6:30-7:00 pm - Ages 2-5.

Fridays, July 7, 14, 21 & 28

Tales and More - come and enjoy 45 minutes of stories, rhymes and finger plays at the North Battleford Library. For ages 3 to 5 years. Fridays: 10:45-11:30 a.m.

Saturday, July 8

Green Screen Fun - Come and play with our new green screen and see yourself in ways you never imagined! All ages. Let us take some fun photos and email them to you. Fun and funky themed backgrounds available. Please DO NOT wear green. Photo Release Waivers must be signed. 2-3 pm.

Monday - Friday, July 10 – 14

Everyone between the ages of 4 – 12 are invited to Vacation Bible School at Battleford United Church, 52 – 4th Avenue West, Battleford from 9:00 a.m. 3:00 p.m. daily. Registration before or on July 10. Bring your lunch. Snacks are provided.

Monday - Saturday, July 10, 11, 14 & 15

Celebrating our 20th Anniversary - Summer School for the Solo Voice at Third Avenue United Church. Monday - Sing!...just ‘cuz - 7:00 p.m. Tuesday - Staff Recital - 7:00 p.m. Friday - Student Recital - 11:10 a.m. & 2:15 p.m. Friday - Musical Theatre Gala 7:00 p.m. Saturday - Ensemble Recital - 1:30 p.m.

Mondays, July 10, 17 & 24

Make Believe Mondays - Drop by the North Battleford library story room to have some independent imaginative play! Dress up costumes will be provided. 2-3 pm.

Route NB39

5th Ave., 99th Street 500 - 800 Blk. • 100th Street 500 - 800 Blk. • 101st Street 500 - 800 Blk 143 papers

Route NB40

102nd Street 500 - 700 Blk • 104th Street 500 - 600 Blk. • 105th Street 500 Blk. • 106th Street 500 Blk. 134 papers

Route 59

18th Street 200 Blk. • 19th Street 200 Blk. • 20th Street 200 Blk. • 3rd Ave. Cres. 301 - 399 Blk. 107 papers FOR MORE DETAILS CALL CHUCK Monday to Friday ~ 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

at 306-445-7261 OR Leave Message if after hours or weekends

892-104th Street, North Battleford, SK

306-445-7261

Thursday, July 13 & 27

Makerspace Play Date - Think & play with STEM and STEAM activities; build robots, create video games, explore circuits and more at the North Battleford Library! Alternating Thursdays, 4-5 pm Ages 5-12.

Saturdays, July 15, 29 & August 12

Canadian Creativity - Celebrate Canada by learning about different cultures and art styles & then create your own artwork at the North Battleford Library. 1-2 pm - Ages 6-12.

Tuesday, July 18

Books and Beyond Club - A book club for kids! Read any book based on our monthly theme & then discuss them & do some book related crafts. July’s theme is Canadian Stories & August’s theme is Canadian Authors. 4-5 pm. Ages 8-12.

Thursday, July 20

LEGO Club - Join our Kids’ Lego Club at the North Battleford Library where you can create, build, and use your imagination. Lego provided. 4-5 pm.

Saturday, July 22 & August 5

National Film Board Screenings - Enjoy uniquely Canadian short films celebrating our interesting history and culture. Escape the heat and cool off at the North Battleford Library movie theatre. 2 pm. All Ages.

Friday, July 28

Battlefords Pride Weekend 2017 - The Battlefords is having our first ever LGBTQA+ Pride! This will be an awesome weekend of fun activities and educational workshops that you won’t want to miss out on! A pride parade, Rainbow Dance, kick-off BBQ and other fun activities are planned! All activities will be family friendly and either free or low cost. For more info about Pride, check out www.battlefordsgsa.com. If you are a business/ organization and you would like to have a float in the Pride parade, or if you are interested in volunteering, please let us know! This section, which will appear weekly in Tuesday's News-Optimist and Thursday’s Regional Optimist, is provided free-of-charge to non-profit organizations. To list the Community Calendar please call News-Optimist at 306-445-7261 or fax the information to 306-445-3223. Please provide complete information including event, time, date and location. Although we will do our utmost to make sure your event appears in this section, News-Optimist does not guarantee all submissions will appear. Deadline for submissions is 5:00 p.m. Thursday prior for Tuesday's & Thursday’s publication.

PAGE 10 - Tuesday, July 4, 2017

Lucas Punkari

Sports Reporter

Phone: 306-445-7261 Fax: 306-445-3223

Email: newsoptimist.sports@sasktel.net

Sox top Trappers in high scoring contest By Lucas Punkari Sports Reporter

The Battleford Trappers 2017 campaign is a long way from being finished. However, their chance of making it in the North Saskatchewan River Baseball League playoffs came to an end at Beaver Lions Stadium Thursday night. A four-run outburst by the Meadow Lake Sox in the top of the sixth inning proved to be too much for the Trappers to overcome as they dropped a 12-8 affair and saw their record fall to 3-8 for the season. That setback officially put them out of the playoff picture, as with only three games left, their six wins would not be enough to overtake the four teams that currently occupy the wildcard spots in the NSRBL. “If you look at our record we lost a lot of close games but we’ve had a lot of these high scoring shootout games in the second half,” Trappers manager Michael Hudec said. “Our runs scored and against have been about even this year, but at this part of this season

Meadow Lake Sox shortstop Dylan Esau beats out a tag attempt by Battlefords Trappers third baseman Jared Schmidt during a North Saskatchewan River Baseball League game at Beaver Lions Stadium Thursday. Photo by Lucas Punkari

it’s about getting runs at the right time, and that’s proven costly for us on a few occasions.” Thursday’s setback came exactly a week after the Trappers roared back from a five-run deficit to force extra innings at home against the Lloydminster Twins, only to fall by an 14-11 score. “It’s pretty much the last team to score wins,” Hudec

said. “That game last week was one where errors hurt us, and tonight’s loss was one where we just ran out of arms on the pitching side of things at the end of the game. “We hit the ball well enough tonight to win, but we stranded a lot of runners on base. They were able to capitalize on their scoring chances and it shows in the final score.”

The Trappers still have an opportunity to finish their inaugural campaign in the NSRBL with a few wins. After visiting the 0-12 Midwest Expos Monday, they will hit the road again Wednesday to play the 4-7 St. Walburg Reds before hosting the Unity Cardinals at 7:30 p.m. in their regular season finale. “We have eight players

on our team that will be on the junior squad that will be at the provincials in Regina starting on July 21, and we’ll also have a number of guys that will be trying out for the select team that will be going to nationals in Ottawa in August,” Hudec said. “We might have a game here in town with a combination of the senior guys from the Beavers and Trappers going head-tohead with our junior team, but we are still working out a date for that and some other exhibition games.” Thursday’s road win was a massive one for the Sox, who wrapped up their regular season with a 7-7 record. With the North Battleford Beavers snapping a four-game losing streak and improving to 6-6-1 with a 12-1 romp over the Expos, the Sox remained tied for first place in the Albers Division. “This was a must-win game for us and we needed to get our bats going,” Sox third baseman Kevin Gerwing said. “It was a little bit of a tough night for us as we were missing a

few guys due to graduation, but we worked through it and got some key hits all through the lineup. “If the Beavers win their last game of the season (which takes Thursday when they’ll visit the 6-7 Mervin Flyers) they’ll win the Albers Division and we’ll be in the mix of the four wild card spots. With what we did tonight, I think we’re in better shape of getting a playoff berth, as it would have been really tricky if we had lost.” As of press time, the 11-1 Border City Blue Jays, the Cardinals and the 8-3-1 Standard Hill Lakers were the leaders in the Smithson, Colliar and Smith Divisions respectively. Joining the Sox in the wild card mix are the 7-5 Mackin Lakers, the 7-4-1 Lloydminster Twins and 7-5 Wilkie Brewers, who are the defending NSRBL champions. The Reds and Flyers still have a shot of getting in the playoffs, but they would have to win their remaining games and have some help. The regular season concludes Friday.

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