Regional News-Optimist April 11, 2024

Exposing downtown N. B’ford’s underbelly

By Lisa Joy & Miguel Fenrich SASKTODAY.ca /Editor News-Optimist

Battleford is a “free for all” with gang members “doing whatever they want,” says a local couple who wants to see change.

The pair, who own a building downtown, spoke to SaskToday on the condition of anonymity out of fear of retaliation.

“Sadly, we see this as a failure of public policies. This is not a perception of crime. This is the reality of crime in North Battleford.

“We worry about the renters who are renting our building. We are extremely concerned because every time we’ve seen an increase in gang tagging, we see a surge in gang violence, drive-by shootings, and murders in the spring and summer.”

They said they had no idea what they were getting into when they bought a building in North Battleford.

“All we saw was great outdoors, the opportunity with the [ski] hill nearby and the river. It just looked beautiful.”

They quickly learned, however, about the street gang problem in the city. In fact, they were soon able to identify the different gangs by the colours they wore.

“At first we thought it was strange. Everyone’s dressed in black and white, or there’s a red colour, and we’re going ‘why are these colours so prevalent? Is it a fashion?’”

Fear, violence and graffiti downtown

The gang activity they say they witness downtown includes everything from drug deals to violence. They see discarded needles, intoxicated people passed out in vehicles, and sex trade workers walking down the middle of 104th Street trying to stop cars.

They also say they were the last ones to see 37-year-old James Barbaric alive on Aug. 15, 2023.

“We were sitting in the front, we were just wanting to have some beers. It was a nice, warm night. I think, actually, it was raining for a little bit. But it was warm enough, and we were having some beers, and [Barbaric] was screaming down 100 street. It looked like someone had sprayed his face with Mace or something. We called it in. Supposedly, the RCMP went and first responders came and tried to help him, but he didn’t want any help.”

The next day, Battlefords RCMP found Barbaric deceased in a vacant house on 1402 - 102nd Street in North Battleford. The couple said the police canvassed the area, asking who had seen him. RCMP Major Crimes is investigating his death as a homicide.

“I think they found him in one of the abandoned houses, but that’s all we know.”

The couple’s fear goes beyond what they have seen happen to others.

“In 2008 someone threatened to burn our house down. I’m scared.”

Now, they no longer take walks in the city after dark.

“It has become fear for our safety because I don’t know what’s going to happen.”

They say the street gang graffiti has taken over the downtown area.

The city says they’re dealing with the graffiti problem and partnered with the local Canadian Mental Health Association. Each year, when property orders for graffiti clean-up are issued by Community Safety Officers, residents and commercial

Continued on Page 2

Exposing downtown N. B’ford’s underbelly

Continued from Front property owners are given information about the city’s graffiti program.

“The City of North Battleford allocates part of its CEPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design) budget to pay for paint and painting supplies in order to cover up graffiti on properties which have been defaced,” the City of North Battleford told the Battlefords NewsOptimist.

“The painting is then completed by CMHA staff and clients as part of this partnership. This program is free of charge. Should a city facility or property be vandalized with graffiti, the city is also issued property orders from Community Safety Officers so that the appropriate city department can ensure the graffiti is removed in a timely fashion.”

The city said it’s the property owners’ responsibility to maintain community standards by removing graffiti from their buildings in a timely manner once they’re aware of its presence.

and would like to see more police patrols downtown to show gang members they’re being watched.

“The gangsters, the criminals, should not be feeling safe. We should be feeling safe.”

Battlefords RCMP Commander, Inspector Jesse Gilbert, said they go where they’re called.

“I would love to say that we have enough members that we’re doing a lot of proactive work, but that’s just not the case. The members tend to go where the calls are, which actually is downtown, in some of the areas where we have higher levels of calls.”

There are more calls to the downtown area because that’s where a lot of homeless people congregate to access services in most cities, he told the Battlefords News-Optimist.

“When you look at the downtown, there are more services here, things are easily accessible. It’s just a natural place for people who don’t have housing, or having issues, to be located.

The couple also say there needs to be a change in the city’s attitude when people call them complaining about gang-related issues, and their concerns taken seriously.

“I think they are ignoring it. I think they’re hoping it’ll either go away, or people will get tired of complaining. They seem to want to sweep everything under a rug.”

The City of North Battleford, however, said they take all public complaints seriously and encourage citizens who have had negative experiences with staff to report the incidents to the head of the department.

Need more sense of community

The couple said the city’s efforts to build community aren’t working, pointing out that in areas other than the affluent neighbourhoods, there’s no existing community to build on.

“You need to make that community before it becomes better.”

The city says they view each neighbourhood as “equitable priorities” and create opportunities for participation for all residents regardless of socioeconomic status.

“It should be noted that city events are also not exclusive to residents of North Battleford – all attendees are welcomed, given the city’s location as a recreational hub for the entire region.”

More police patrols needed downtown

The couple also believes the problem is with the enforcement strategy

are going in and burning houses down,” said Gilbert.

But he did note that some of the abandoned units in North Battleford are being used by people who have drug addictions, and most of the drugs are connected to the organized crime groups in the area.

“So theoretically, I guess you could say that it’s connected to the gangs, if the people were buying the drugs or going to these abandoned properties to use then and fires are starting.”

Solving gang violence a bigger issue say RCMP, city

In the end, it will take more than the RCMP on its own to solve this issue because organized crime groups have connections from Prince Albert to Saskatoon to Alberta, says Gilbert. Some strategies range from the Gang Task Force, the Crime Reduction Teams, and the Warrant Enforcement Team.

Likewise, the city said the gangs within the Battlefords aren’t local.

“In residential areas, there’s not really any great spots for anyone who is homeless to congregate, and there are no services, food, [or] bathrooms,” he added.

The couple, however, believes there are more police and enforcement patrols in what they described as the “nicer areas” of North Battleford.

Gilbert said that’s just likely due to officers in the area going home for lunch in marked vehicles.

The city says they are working on the gang problem and were a strong supporter for the creation of the RCMP Crime Reduction Team (CRT) in North Battleford. There are now two RCMP CRT units supported by the province.

Since the creation of the Gang Task Force Unit, a lot of drugs and illegal firearms have been removed from the community, says the city. In fact, 2019–23 statistics show that firearms-related offences have decreased by 58 per cent in North Battleford.

Recognizing that gangrelated activities also occur outside the city limits, the city still provides funding for the gang unit knowing its officers may be deployed to other communities in the region to combat gang violence. Are fires connected to gang activity?

The couple said there have been a lot of building fires in North Battleford recently, and were concerned they may be connected to gang activity. The RCMP, however, say they aren’t.

“We don’t have any evidence that gang members

“Gangs operating in this area travel between multiple municipalities in Saskatchewan, throughout various Canadian provinces, and sometimes, are tied to international organizations. Particularly susceptible to increased gang activity are hub communities, like our community, which is situated on a major highway.”

The RCMP admits it struggles to deal with street gangs in North Battleford.

“I would say overall, it’s an issue,” said Gilbert. “I don’t think it’s an issue for most people in the city. But it’s definitely a problem.”

Not giving up on North Battleford

The couple has put down roots in North Battleford and say giving up isn’t an option.

“I feel frustrated, and I feel a bit like we’re not getting a response, or no one’s hearing us. But on the other hand, I think we can’t give up. We can’t just put our hands up.

“We have a vested interest in the community because we do have a building here. We thought about selling, but I guess you can call me stubborn. We’re not going to be intimidated into doing anything. It’s just not in our character.”

“We will just continue to make sure our renters are OK. We’ll make sure our building is OK. If we can’t change the city, well at least we can change our block. That’s all we can do.”

Editor’s note: The City of North Battleford have told the News-Optimist they have received no recent direct concerns about gang violence in North Battleford.

Behind the Headlines

By Miguel Fenrich Editor

Can reconciliation end Indigenous street gangs?

Robert Henry, a professor from the University of Saskatchewan who specializes in Indigenous gangs in Saskatchewan, feels that reconciliation is a problematic term. Firstly, because there is a lack of true action being done to end systems of ongoing colonialism — also noted in BRCC’s recent anti-racism training — but also due to the lack of positive reconciliation cropping up across Canada and the province.

He feels that reconciliation focuses too much on what Indigenous people need to do and solve and not enough on what settlers need to do — meaning that reconciliation, an

often-empty word — is not living up to the promise of bridging settler and Indigenous communities together.

“But here’s the thing, when we look at colonialism, you’re using it as a past tense. Colonialism is ongoing, it’s still happening today,” he told the News-Optimist.

“And we can see that in the way in which Indigenous peoples are [over]represented across justice spaces. Over-incarceration, what I would call hyper-incarceration of Indigenous bodies, there are higher rates of trauma-related issues and addiction issues.

“You have high rates of violence onto indigenous bodies,” he said, adding “It’s higher than anyone else.”

Henry explained that

the driving force behind colonization was and is violence and that gang involvement among Indigenous people is just another example from the effects of colonialism.

“If two boys are fighting on a playground in one area of North Battleford in a higher socio-economic hierarchy, primarily white coded ... that’s boys being boys. But if that’s two Indigenous kids in lower socio-economic areas, that is going to be perceived very differently,” he said, noting that prejudice also affects what is considered gang violence in communities.

An issue he noted, is also the difference in how gang violence is measured, adding that groups across Saskatchewan use different metrics to

Continued on Page 11

When asked if gang violence — specifically Indigenous street gangs — are an issue in North Battleford, RCMP Inspector for the Battlefords detachment, Jesse Gilbert said it depends on the context. Typically, he noted, the violence among gangs is often just that, between gang members.

“It certainly impacts the people who are living in the areas where that offense [has happened] … if there was a shooting that affects everyone who’s living around that area. But is the gang violence an impact to everybody in the city? Probably not,” he said, noting that it can raise fear which does impact the community.

What’s very difficult, Gilbert noted — as he had said with measuring the Crime Severity Index — is that their statistics don’t label violent crimes gang or non-gang-related.

“And our major crime [statistics are] the exact same way. If there’s a homicide, because it may occur between two gang members, or shooting might occur between two gang members. But there’s a lot of interpersonal relationships there as well.”

“If there’s a significant other involved that was between two people, then that could cause the violence and not necessarily the gang activity itself. So that’s typically why we don’t collect [gangviolence related statistics] and come out and say, X amount of these offenses are gang related offenses. Gilbert also clarified the role of other gangs in North Battlefords.

“Indigenous street gangs would be the number one [gang in North Battleford.]”

Gang Task Force deconstructed

If you time travel back to 2019, before Gilbert had left other areas of western Canada and arrived in North Battleford, Gilbert

told the News-Optimist that 2019 seemed to be, statistically, the city’s most violent year. This is evidenced by over 66 discharge firearms, he noted.

“There’s some really negative media from that time. And I think at that time, there was a realization between the detachment and the city that something else had to be done, it couldn’t just be left to detachment members to respond to calls when they happen, there had to be some more proactive element to investigating these types of offenses,” he said.

What followed was a purely city-funded Gang Task Force, in which some members from the municipal RCMP positions (which the city pays for) were sectioned into the force tasked solely in trying to dismantle crimes related to gang violence before they result in a call to the RCMP.

“Their mandate is to proactively go after … anything related to gang activity. So, drugs are a big … [or] stolen vehicles, the firearms are a huge one for us. Because obviously, that’s one of the higher more risky offenses.

“So that’s one of their mandates is just to be more proactive, don’t wait until something happens to try to intervene.”

The work of the Gang Task Force is evidenced in success that Gilbert shared with the News-Optimist on April 3. Successes ranging from the 13 search warrant executions in 2022 that collected over $100,000, 179,200 illegal cigarettes, and kilograms of illicit drugs and cutting agents worth approximately $1.2 million.

In 2023, Gang Task Force investigations have led to more than 60 people being charged, the recovery of 20 stolen vehicles, and executing 12 search warrants along with again seizing drugs and cash.

Even the RCMP’s successful reduction in vehicle thefts — down 27 per cent in five years — which he said are connected a lot to

gang activity is overshadowed by the annual release of the Crime Severity Index (CSI) and crimes like shootings and homicides that get more media coverage.

“We will never really know what it is we’re preventing,” he said, noting despite the successes noted above, that firearm [offences] has ticked up again in recent years, though not up to 2019 levels.

“Had [the gun, drug, and vehicles seizures] not have happened, could the numbers be significantly worse than they are right now? I personally believe that they’ve prevented some [violence] but I can’t say based on statistics that they have, because I don’t know, I can’t tell you that that gun seized in that vehicle or that house would have been used in an offense.

“You can see maybe the numbers are staying steady. But could they have been higher? Could they have been lower? And then if one of those programs are removed. If you do see a spike, then potentially that was related to the program, that [is] not in place.

“But I mean … it’s the preventative stuff [that is] really, really hard to measure.”

The reduction in violent crime since 2019 could also not be about the Gang Task Force, with a few prolific offenders leaving the community for a period of time, coupled with productive work and enforcement.

“We could never say ‘100 per cent of [a reduction] is related to policing. There’s always going to be other factors involved.”

But in the end, it seems it will take more than the RCMP to solve gang violence in the Battlefords.

Can the RCMP police people out street gangs?

One of the biggest challenges in dealing with gang violence is trying to solve the issues that lead people to join gangs.

“There’s not a lot of people who kind of grow

Continued on Page 5

By Miguel Fenrich

Some say Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is destroying Canada along with the rest of the World Health Organization Cabal, others claim that the Premier of Saskatchewan is paid off by for-profit-industry magnates, and some say the impending election in the US between President Biden and Trump is a fight between destruction and peace.

Anger seems to reign on social media. But why do we let our outrage die there?

Despite how the majority of non-local decisions affect us in vaguely esoteric ways (like the federal government’s decision to repeal the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, whether the provincial government opens up shop at the Saskatchewan Revenue Agency, or who is doing what in Ukraine) most people let themselves get really worked up about provincial, federal and international politics.

And before everyone gets too bothered, a disclaimer.

Sure, provincial, federal and international governments are bound to affect us in some ways. For example: PST on home renovations or the cost of Carbon Tax. But rarely do we panic about the state of current, local government that is almost certainly bound to affect us in our everyday lives rather than once a year when we file taxes or take a vacation to Mexico with the kids.

In covering council for the better part of two years, only twice if my memory serves me was a fellow citizen in attendance solely to keep an eye on local politics, (outside the scope of fellow reporters.) Rarely do we see fiery concerns and attacks leveled at locally elected politicians over the increase of the Mill Rate or where the newly constructed pool will be.

Instead, we spend our time leveling concerns and rotten tomatoes at people who we wouldn’t recognize on the street. Do you know who the Minister of SaskBuilds and Procurement is? But when our neighbours, distant relatives, friends, or acquaintances have the fortune to serve as councillors — locally elected politicians — we tend to keep our mouths shut.

And is our uneasy silence — often coming out as gripping around kitchens and coffee shop tables — a key to keeping our community stable or is it a more sinister version of ignoring what matters for the sake of keeping the peace?

While we can leave the social media vitriol behind us, what needs to stick around is the willingness to be critical. Honest, kind, polite (if that’s what the situation warrants) yes, but critical. Beyond critical, the community needs to be willing to take the time to look-closely at their local government rather than provincial, federal, or international governments.

Granted, that takes more time that scrolling on social media in the dark before bed.

But if we don’t, how else can we expect issues in our

community to be resolved. I certainly don’t expect (or want) to leave that in the hand of politicians outside our community. Perhaps, the best way to support what matters to us most, is by keeping our eyes, ears, and noses trained on our own issues first before trying to solve them in the rest of the world.

And while we don’t have to allow the anger that’s steadily growing online to keep ballooning, we can

take the principles that exist (honesty, a willingness to talk, holding government accountable) in the real world instead of keeping behind the online veneer we have on Twitter and Facebook.

If we do that, I think we’d see our community improve faster, if at all. But hey, it’s only a suggestion. Don’t shoot the messenger, or as some have put best, the reporter.

Dyscalculia

By R.H. Wood North Battleford

“There’s a hole in your bucket, dear Chrystia, dear Chrystia, a hole”.

Budget bonbons have been leaked deliberately unchecked daily. By budget day Ms. Freeland’s bucket will be empty except for the deficit which I’m afraid she will be required to announce and “wear” as they say. I predict that this allegoric song will be Chrystia’s swansong. Like her predecessor, the now forgotten Bill Morneau who preached restraint,

The

and the yet to be forgotten Jody Wilson-Raybould, Chrystia is doomed to

become the latest Trudeau cast-off casualty.

In the song Henry, i.e. Pierre Poilievre solved the bucket problem by chopping up straw i.e. social programs and taxation monies with his axe to plug the holes. Unfortunately, Pierre will find, as Henry did in the song, that you need the contents of a tax bucket to make his Axe the Tax schemes work.

The list of daily commitments of billions of dollars so far only covers housing and defence. The $8.1 billion over five years for defence still leaves the NATO obligation inadequate. The $73 billion over the next twenty years

is unexplained and we were given no indication whether or not this sum includes the already committed $30 billion to NORAD. The problem seems that Mr. T by his own admission is “disnumeric”, a diagnosis I cannot find anywhere. One has to suppose he suffers from dyscalculia, i.e. problems with small numbers. The difficulty is not with the billions he dishes out, but with the simple integers e.g. 2 or 7 or 13 or 14 or 73 which he places in front of the billions.

One less costly social program that is mooted is school lunches. I travelled to school by bus and consumed school meals

RCMP fail to attend wellness check

By Lisa Joy SASKTODAY.ca

An injured man was found at a home in the RMof Britannia around 5 p.m. April 3. He was taken to hospital with serious injuries and later died.

Police say Maidstone RCMP received a request to conduct a wellness check on the deceased man at approximately 7:14 a.m. April 3. A physical check was not completed. April 3, at approximate-

ly 7:14 a.m., the Maidstone RCMP received a call from an individual requesting a wellness check on a relative after having been informed that the relative, a 68-yearold man, was deceased. This call was dispatched to an on-call member of the detachment. At approximately 4:30 p.m., the man’s relative contacted RCMP again, to request an update on the wellness check, and at 4:39 p.m., the originally dispatched member departed the Maidstone detach-

ment.

At approximately 5:01 p.m., the RCMP received a call from another relative of the man, who had physically attended to the residence, reporting that the man was seriously injured but alive. RCMP attended to the residence shortly after this call and located the man. EMS was contacted and transported the man to hospital where he later died.

Saskatchewan RCMP

Major Crimes, with assistance from North Battleford

20-day jury trial delayed

By Lisa Joy SASKTODAY.ca

A 20-day jury trial that was scheduled to start in Battleford Court of King’s Bench Monday for two men accused of kidnapping and killing Edward [Ted] Geddes back in April 2011 has been adjourned. A new date will be set.

Robert [Bob] Wesley Pich, now 61, and John Robert Gregoire, now 72, are charged with first-degree murder and kidnapping with a firearm. In addition, Pich is also charged with careless use of a fire-

arm, while Gregoire faces an additional charge of indecently interfering with human remains. Pich and Gregoire were arrested in February 2022 after an almost year-long investigation by Saskatchewan RCMP Historical Case Unit and RCMP Major Crime Unit. Ted Geddes was 64-years-old when he was last seen in April 2011 in the Baldwinton area. Police had gone to Geddes’ home in Baldwinton with an arrest warrant in an unrelated incident, and they found his dog dead in the entrance

Behind the Headlines

Street gangs explained WoodPile

Continued from Page 3 up and say, ‘that is my goal, I want to be in a gang.’ Gangs offer something to people who are missing something,” he said.

If a gang is providing [housing, food, money, etc.] then those basic necessities override any other feelings that you might have about the gang, Gilbert added.

“So, if you’re going to target it only with enforcement, you’re never going to address the people who lack that stuff, you’re always going to have people feeding back in to that lifestyle, because you have people with those needs that have to be addressed.

“And even with enforcement, I mean, people

can go away for a certain amount of time. Correctional centers are not great environments for eliminating gang activity. A lot of people say … they came out with better connections after being in jail. So even sending people away isn’t the way to resolve it.

“It’s a Bandaid in a way.” People are struggling to buy groceries, afford housing, and don’t have access to mental health services, he said, noting that without solving those problems, gang violence will continue. Referring to volunteer agencies that provide meals, try to get kids off the streets, or ex-gang members who open pro-

way. Police say the dog’s death wasn’t from natural causes. At the time, Geddes was wanted for theft over $5,000 stemming from an offence in April 2011 in nearby Neilburg. After a nearly monthlong search, police found human remains on private land in a rural area approximately three kilometres southwest of Baldwinton in mid-October 2022. RCMP say the person located is believed to be Edward [Ted] Geddes. RCMP have never confirmed that the remains were that of Geddes.

Forensic Identification Services, are investigating the circumstances surrounding the male’s death in collaboration with the Saskatchewan Coroners Service.

A SIRT team was deployed to Maidstone. SIRT’s investigation will examine the conduct of police during this incident. The RCMP will maintain conduct of the investigation into the circumstances of the man’s death.

A final report will be issued to the public within 90 days of the investigation ending.

grams, he said there are a lot of examples of successful initiatives.

“Policing is great. But at the end of the day, a lot of times policing comes in at the end. And if we’re only dealing with a person, once they’ve gotten into the gang, once they become entrenched, and once they … do a drive by shooting, then we’ve missed that entire opportunity to divert them.

“If you’re catching them, at that end, it becomes even harder to get them off that path. So, we kind of need a combination of the preventative stuff, the intervention stuff when people are at risk, and then the enforcement piece.”

for years. Rice, tapioca or sago puddings stand out in my memory as being quite enjoyable despite resembling frog spawn. What is next for children - haircuts and shoe polishing? Where have all the birds gone? My feeders are full and the bird houses are empty – there is no housing shortage back there. We are told that this country needs 3,500,000 new dwellings by 2030. In Scotland after the war “prefab” houses appeared in our village. These were modest in size but totally adequate for couples and small families and were greatly appreciated. Being cheaply built with asbestos external wall sheeting they have all been replaced. In the cities the housing shortage was answered by ugly high rise apartment blocks which proved totally unsatisfactory for large families and nonownership care. Most have also been replaced. Independent satellite townships have proved to be a good answer despite the cost. There is no need for this country to reinvent the wheel – Scotland has the answers.

Eclipse day was especially memorable with Mr. T prancing around on the roof of Parliament instead of being inside addressing the carefully, cunningly crafted budget leak of the day.

SJHL Hall of Fame inductees finalized for June event

By Sherri Solomko Freelance Reporter

The Battlefords North Stars are hosting the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League Hall of Fame weekend, June 21-22.

Two stories in the North Battleford Regional News Optimist and SASKTODAY.ca outlined the first six inductees selected for this ceremony. 2 Battlefords families to be inducted to SJHL Hall of Fame.SASKTODAY.ca and Four more inductees to SJHL Hall of Fame from North Stars. - SASKTODAY.ca .

The remaining six inductees are finalized for these induction ceremonies coming up in the Battlefords.

The 2016-17 Battlefords North Stars team will be inducted. They ended the regular season with a 48-91 record, posting a total of 223 goals for and only 103 goals against, which set the SJHL record for fewest goals against in a season.

This team finished first in the league heading into playoffs that year where they put up a 12-0 record to sweep all rounds against Weyburn, Estevan and Flin Flon. This achievement had only occurred two times prior in SJHL history, up until this point, with the most recent being 35 years ago. The second championship in North Stars history was won with this remarkable team.

Several members of this 2016-17 team lead the league in points as well as Cody Spagrud was named the SJHL Defenceman of that year. Goaltending was another highlight as the duo of Taryn Kotchorek

and Joel Gryzbowski finished first and second in every goaltending stat in the league that season.

Travis Clayton is another inductee named from the North Stars, who joined the team in 1992, playing until 1997. Clayton played a total of 208 games earning 397 points. A pro career followed with the CHL and IHL from 1997-2001 where Clayton amassed 1013 points in 913 games, before transitioning to coach. His most recent job was in the AJHL. Three other well-known individuals honoured at this June 2024 induction ceremony are Drew Bagnall, Todd McLellan and Kelly McCrimmon.

Bagnall started his North Stars career in 2000 where he played until 2003. From the SJHL he played four years with St. Lawrence University followed by five years in the minor leagues. At the age of 27, Bagnall made his

NHL debut playing for the Minnesota Wild, and primarily played captain as the Wild’s affiliate AHL, Houston Aeros. Bagnall left the Wild organization in 2013 spending his time in the Buffalo Sabres organization with the Rochester Americans, serving as captain. He announced his retirement in August of 2015.

Todd McLellan is a well-known hockey personality, once affiliated with the Battlefords North Stars, serving as their coach in 1994, migrating to the WHL Swift Current Broncos. While with the Broncos he earned WHL Executive of the Year in 1997 and Coach of the Year in 2000.

Following his WHL experience he transitioned to the NHL beginning with the Minnesota Wild and several teams in the IHL and AHL before returning to NHL coaching duties, He won his first Stanley Cup with the Detroit Red

Solving the Puzzle

Wings in 2007-08 season. He earned several accolades in the NHL. Before coaching he played in the WHL, MHL and AHL along with a short stint in Europe

Another recognizable name from the Battlefords North Stars inductees to the SJHL Hall of Fame is Kelly McCrimmon. McCrimmon spent his first years of coaching junior hockey in the SJHL, serving with the North Battleford North Stars for two seasons. McCrimmon also has a long WHL and NHL resume including winning a Stanley Cup as general manager for the Las Vegas Golden Knights in the 2023-24 season.

Tickets are now on sale for this exciting event being held in the Battlefords on June 22 weekend and include weekend packages of golf and banquet as well as individual banquet tickets.

24042BS1

Travis Clayton with North Stars president Kyle Kellgren. | Photos courtesy Battlefords North Stars

The North West Hockey Development Association donated $50,000 to the North Stars to support their 2023-24 season. In the photo are NWHDA secretary Cora Bird, treasurer Don Hydukewich and president Gord Brown with vice-president of the North Stars, Mitch Hawtin.

Battlefords North Stars 2016-17 Team: treasurer of the North Stars Kara Rosen, Jared Blacquiere, Connor Manegre, Kendall Fransoo, Connor Sych and Logan Nachtegaele.

On March 25, the North Battleford Public Library Adult Book Club welcomed local author Lisa Adair to discuss her mystery novel ‘The Puzzle Box’ and the soon-expected release of the next book in the series. | Photo submitted

Sask. ready for early and busy fire season

By John Cairns SASKTODAY.ca

The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency provided their update Monday, April 8 on their spring and summer operational outlook, and the indication is an earlier than usual wildfire season is anticipated.

“it’s of no surprise that Saskatchewan received below average precipitation this past winter,” said SPSA President Marlo Pritchard as he provided the risk outlook. He said that at this time the province is anticipating areas of drought, lower water tables and higher temperatures. That means several areas of the province are at higher risk of grassfires this spring before greenup.

Pritchard added that

going into the summer months Saskatchewan is likely to experience La Niña, which will persist into the fall and winter. Typically this brings cooler and weather conditions but that is not always the case. To address the spring conditions, the agency is preparing for an earlier than usual wildfire season. Steve Roberts, vice-president of operations, said because of the conditions they were seeing going in the spring, they brought their air crews and ground crews on earlier. “Ground crews are already in training as are air crews. The result will be we have trained personnel and aircraft available about two weeks earlier than we did this time last year,” said Roberts.

In addition, their Type Two crews are also being recalled early in the event of spring fire conditions. Their start up date is April 7. The ground crews are in their second week of training right now and should be ready next week to do response activity as required.

Roberts said they plan to bring on the same number of permanent seasonal staff firefighters and the same number of Type Two crews as well. He said they always have the capacity to bring on Type Three firefighters in augmented roles as the situation requires; that is what they did in 2023. They have 220 Type One firefighters and 410 Type Two firefighters available.

The SPSA emergency

Charge stayed in Tiki Laverdiere murder

By Lisa Joy SASKTODAY.ca

A new charge against a woman who was convicted in Tiki Laverdiere’s murder have been stayed.

In May 2020, Takakenew was sentenced to 18 months in jail on a charge of accessory after the fact to Laverdiere’s murder. After she was released, she was charged by Cut Knife RCMP with stealing a 2019 Hyundai in the R. M. of Cut Knife in July 2023.

A trial on the theft

charge was scheduled in North Battleford Provincial Court for April 3, but the trial didn’t proceed. Instead, the charge was stayed on April 1.

Mavis Takakenew is one of 10 people who were charged in Tiki Laverdiere’s murder in 2019. Her son, Samuel Takakenew, was sentenced in December 2021, to time served on a charge of accessory to murder in Laverdiere’s death. After being released, Samuel Takaknew, was arrested in September 2022 and

charged with break and enter into a home in North Battleford. In January, he was given a nine-month Conditional sentence order to be served in the community and placed on probation.

Samuel Takakenew breached that conditional sentence order and the Crown took no action and the matter was concluded.

There is still a publication ban on all the details in Tiki Laverdiere’s homicide case because there is one person left to stand trial.

response team, which provides all hazard response, have been readily available as they operate year-round.

Ultimately, said Roberts, what will generate the response in the activity will be the number of fires in the next two months. “Those fires will be man caused primarily, so our actual result of how much fire, areas burnt and communities evacuated is 100 percent reliant on people being careful with fire and not causing fires that should be avoided in early spring conditions until lightning arises.” Pritchard said about half the wildfires in any given year are started by humans, with lightning causing the other half. In the early part of spring, they typically do not see lightning, so the fires are most likely human caused. As a result, people are urged to take precautions and be aware of fire bans.

Currently, as of April 8, there are no wildfires burning in the province of Saskatchewan.

Last year, the wildfire season started very early in Saskatchewan, with major wildfires erupting in north Saskatchewan soon after officials provided their initial spring and summer outlook for 2023 last April.

As for water condi-

tions, Shawn Jaques of the Water Security Agency reported on those throughout the province. He said a relatively warm winter in the southern part of the province meant they experienced some runoff in the beginning of March, which extended into mid March. With last week’s rapid thaw, they saw the runoff resume in many parts of the province.

The current snowpack is ranging from low to well below normal, and as below normal conditions persist this could result in water supply issues in 2024, especially in the agricultural significant western region.

The additional snow over southern Saskatchewan at the end of March did improve the water supply conditions in areas

where storage is not full and they expect there will be some additional runoff north of the slopes of Cypress Hills, where more water is needed. Conditions are similar to last year, but still well below average. Lake Diefenbaker is higher than normal for this time of year as a result of an aggressive water management plan and a warm winter not requiring a lot of hydro power production. With a low snow pack in the mountains, it’s not expected to fill but they will have sufficient water to meet demands this year.

Water supply will continue to be monitored closely. The reservoirs are in good shape, according to Water Security Agency, with wells being full or nearly full this spring.

The April 8, welcome and initiation ceremony for the Royal Canadian Legion Battleford Branch No. 9. (Back row) Ruth Trudeau Sgt at Arms - Secretary, Robert Tannahill - 2nd Vice President, Esther Stolar - Past President, Paula Zadko – President, Tim Popp - 1st Vice President and Edward Stolar - Treasurer. (Front row) Brian Picard, Marlene Picard and Verna Collins. | Photo submitted

A breast self-exam (BSE) is a screening method that involves women observing and touching their own breasts to detect any signs of change. It doesn’t replace a professional examination but can help with early cancer detection. Here’s how to do a BSE.

WHEN

It’s best to do a BSE immediately following your period because your breasts are the most supple at this time. It’s normal to have small bumps or tenderness when examining your breasts before your period. However, make sure to note any persistent or recent changes.

HOW

Start by visually examining your breasts in front of a mirror. Observe yourself in

several positions, like with your arms at your side and raised above your head. Make sure you can see your breasts from all angles. Then, use your fingers to gently feel every inch of your breasts.

WHAT

Pay particular attention to changes in the size or shape of your breasts and the appearance of visible or palpable lumps. Take note if your skin has thickened, changed colour or is red and inflamed. Also, look to see if your nipple has changed in appearance or is deviating and if you notice spontaneous discharge or persistent eczema.

If you notice any of these changes or find something else that seems unusual, immediately report it to your doctor.

What you need to know about mammograms

Breast cancer is more common in older women. Therefore, once you turn 50, you should get a mammogram every two years. If you’re approaching this age, here’s more information about this screening exam.

Simply put, a mammogram is an X-ray of the breast tissue. It provides detailed images from different angles to detect cancer. The procedure usually takes less than a minute and involves placing both breasts between two plastic plates. Clear images can be taken with minimal X-ray exposure when the breasts are flattened.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?

Although mammograms can be slightly painful because the breasts are being com-

pressed, it decreases the mortality rate of breast cancer by detecting it early. Although not infallible, mammograms remain the most reliable method of determining if someone has breast cancer.

HOW TO PREPARE

Avoid applying lotion or other products to your skin. Wear a shirt that’s easy to remove and don’t wear any jewelry. You can reduce discomfort by scheduling your mammogram for after your period. Reducing your consumption of caffeinated foods or drinks the week before your appointment may also help. Ask your doctor if you can take painkillers. For more information, visit cancer.ca.

Provincial Budget | 2024-2025

This record budget will increase volumes and allow patients to access the most effective and leading edge oncology drugs, therapies and treatments. This budget also sees investments to deliver timely and quality cancer care services for Saskatchewan women such as breast cancer care and screening initiatives, ongoing ovarian cancer research and enhanced gynecological cancer therapy. $248.9 million for the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency

Art Notes

Beginnings and endings

By Jean Dunn Battlefords

“Great is the art of beginning, but greater is the art of ending.” Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

As artists go, we have lots of beginnings just sitting around, waiting to be finished. To start there needs to be a plan.

“The beginning is the most important part of the work.” Plato

Sometimes we cover up endings to create a new beginning. The new piece might gain textures with the excess paint build up, or letting the under paint show through, often gaining character.

“Celebrate endings for they precede new beginnings.” Jonathon Lockwood Huie.

Ultimately, we are aiming for the

ending, a happy one indeed.

We have some art activities coming up:

An Art Symphony has its third annual show at the Comfort Inn from April 19 to 21. It features the art of Faye Erickson, Grace Gerein, Kathy Smith, Lorraine Voegeli and Jean Dunn.

The Battlefords Art Club will have its second Summer Sizzler show on July 11 and 12 at the Chapel Gallery. The art club will have many art pieces to show off!

Mark your calendars for some excitement and bring some friends.

On Tuesday’s, the art club creates in the basement of the Don Ross Centre, door number two. Come on down to view, you’re always welcome.

Festival Fanfare Festival opens Monday

By Kelly Waters Battlefords Kiwanis Music Festival

The 2024 annual Battlefords Kiwanis Music Festival opens Monday, April 15 at 9 a.m. at the North Battleford City Kinsmen Band Hall with 10 years and under small ensembles. The morning will continue with small ensembles and duets.

Afternoon classes, starting 12:45 p.m., feature brass instrument soloists and duets. The evening, starting at 6:30 p.m., features the North Battleford City Kinsmen Bands youth and adult bands. Tuesday will continue at the Band Hall with school ensembles and young soloists. Band classes run through Friday, April 19. Strings classes are also during this week at the Band Hall Wednesday, April 17 at 7 p.m.

The adjudicator for the week is Mark Tse. Dr. Tse is an assistant professor of Instrumental Music Education at the University of Saskatchewan. He conducts the University Symphony Orchestra and is an

Assessment roll open at Kinsmen Band Hall

By Miguel Fenrich Editor

The City of North Battleford has informed residents that they can now access the 2024 Assessment Roll from now until April 22. During this time, any person who wishes to appeal their Saskatchewan Assessment Management Agency (SAMA) property valuation may do so.

The city noted that appeals may only be filed during this timeframe. “The city’s external as-

instructor of conducting, instrumental music teaching in secondary schools, and guitar pedagogy.

Vocal classes begin at 9 a.m. Monday, April 22 in the Third Avenue United Church’s Logie Hall with spoken word classes. The afternoon continues at 1 p.m. in the church’s sanctuary beginning with a Canadian repertoire soloist in the nine years and under category, Cecily Pfeifer performing “Spring is Singing in the Garden” by W.H. Anderson. Following her performance are additional Canadian repertoire classes for various ages along with other solo vocal classes including sacred repertoire.

Continuing in the sanctuary at 7 p.m., are recital solo pieces. Vocal classes continue through Wednesday, April 24. For those of you who look forward to musical theatre classes, mark your calendars for Tuesday, April 23 starting 7 p.m. in Logie Hall as well as Wednesday April 24 starting 1 p.m. Guest vocal adjudicator, Ron de Jager, is a native of Nova Scotia

sessor conducts revaluations of properties based on a four-year cycle. The city is currently in its last year of the 2019 revaluation assessments,” said the city in an April 5 statement.

“Therefore, 2024 property values are reflective of the market conditions as of Jan. 1, 2019. Next year will be another revaluation year.”

Residents who would like more information to have the following four options: The city will host Open

and a teacher at Briercrest College.

Dovetailing the completion of vocal classes on Wednesday, April 24, are piano classes which open in Logie Hall at 7 p.m. with Cedric Prince’s rendition of “O Canada” in the Canadian National Anthem Class for 14 years and under. This performance is followed by recital pieces and Canadian repertoire. Piano classes run through the afternoon of Saturday, April 27. Adjudicator Sharon Rodney was born and raised in Yorkton. She moved to Martensville in 2018 where she established a piano studio. The gala awards, being held at the Dekker Centre, is Tuesday, April 30 at 7 pm. Performances at the gala are highlights from the festival chosen by the adjudicators. Tickets are $10 for seniors and $15 for adults. Children under 18 years of age are free. Donors, sponsors, performers and volunteers are also free. Tickets for the gala may be purchased through the Dekker Centre or at the door.

House sessions on April 11 and April 12 at the Don Ross Centre; however, these sessions are by appointment only. Appointments can be virtual or in person; residents may review their property assessments on SAMA’s website; residents who would like to discuss their assessment can contact SAMA directly; residents can request property assessments at city hall. It is encouraged that residents make an appointment with the city’s Tax Clerk beforehand.

The start of some art from Battleford Art Club members; an example of Faye Erikson’s work that will be on display at the Comfort Inn April 19 to 21. | Photos submitted.

Legislation may end teacher dispute: Cockrill

By John Cairns SASKTODAY.ca

With Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation members expanding to work-torule job action this week across the province, details have emerged about the efforts from the province last week towards trying to get both sides back to bargaining.

Education Minister Jeremy Cockrill confirmed to reporters one new development in the back-and-forth discussions between the government and STF: that the province had proposed to put their offer of an accountability framework into provincial legislation.

“Obviously in our discussions with STF leadership last week, we did float the idea of putting the accountability framework in legislation, to require boards to do that,” said Cockrill.

“And again, my ongoing discussions with school boards around the province — many school boards already have a framework for accountability or have a mechanism for accountability to work with their local teachers already. Really, what the MOU that we put forward a couple of

weeks ago to the STF was really to formalize that and make that consistent across the 27 school divisions.”

Cockrill also spoke of the accusations from STF that the government’s pledges on the accountability framework amounted to nothing more than a ‘pinky promise’. He made it known he thought putting it into legislation showed the government was serious.

“I’ve heard the phrase ‘pinky-promise’ and ‘pinky-swear,’ and obviously when you put something into the Education Act that becomes law. So that was our effort to show that we are serious about the accountability framework, school divisions are serious about the accountability framework. That was an option we wanted to put out there.”

Cockrill added they were open to ongoing discussions with STF and with the Saskatchewan School Boards Association on “how to entrench accountability into the system.”

In speaking to reporters, Cockrill also seemed open to the possibility of having the accountability framework included in the language of a collective agreement.

Behind the Headlines

“We’ve made some progress on that. Obviously, an offer to put it into legislation is a significant step. And again, even down the road I’m not necessarily closed off to the idea of the accountability framework being in a contract, potentially.”

But Cockrill made it known that would not be the case when it came to the multiyear funding agreement made with the Saskatchewan School Boards Association.

He expressed concerns to reporters about “having the multiyear funding agreement, with the STF who were not even a signatory, in the contract. I don’t think that’s a right way to go about it.”

As an example, he pointed to the existing multi-year funding agreement currently in place in Advanced Education with post-secondary institutions in the province. Cockrill pointed out that those agreements weren’t signed by both post-secondary institutions and by the unions that represent their employees.

“My concern is with really having the multi-year funding agreement signed

Indigenous gangs

Continued from Page 3

determine what violence involves gangs.

And despite gang violence being a near-constant topic of conversation in the Battlefords while they grapple with discussions surrounding crime, how can it be solved? The problem with that question, Henry says, stems from a misunderstanding of how gangs work. He said there is an idea that Indigenous street gangs are driven predominantly by Indigenous people seeking community, an idea that is not true.

“The idea that indigenous youth are joining gangs as a sense of belonging, [is] not really the case … [the] reality is that most of the gang members are joining gangs that their families already belong to,” he said.

“The first three reasons [Indigenous people join street gangs] are money, power, and respect. So, if you’re going to be looking at … how to deal with Indigenous street gangs, how do we make sure that indigenous people youth primarily feel that they have power?”

At the end of the day, Henry said that solving those systemic traumas and overbearing colonialism that still linger are key end the struggles affecting Indigenous people in Canada, Saskatchewan and North Battleford.

“Until we ... do these

large-scale interventions we’re never going to tackle the issue because it’s going to be piecing [things] together.”

Candid interview with gang member Rodney Nataucappo, a former Indigenous gang member himself, told the News-Optimist in a 2023 interview that Indigenous gang violence almost always stems from addictions.

“The biggest reason [people join gangs] that I see in First Nations communities and places that are connected to First Nations … gang members get something out of the gang membership that they never got at home,” Nataucappo said.

This is a theme going back to the 1960s and 70s when, Nataucappo noted, alcohol consumption began to increase on his reserve in Saskatchewan. It was used to cope with weak family structures and mental health struggles, he said. Now, families are three or four generations deep into gang involvement.

“But if you think about ... the communities around North Battleford ... it gives you an idea of how far that’s been going and where it kind of started.

So, the addiction and abuse and trauma, and then how many generations that trickled down to now.” Nataucappo mentioned

in a provincially collective bargained agreement. That’s a problem for government.”

Speaking to reporters Monday, Opposition Education Critic Matt Love remained skeptical that the government can resolve this labour dispute with teachers.

“Teachers want to be in the classroom. Students want to be in the classroom, parents want to be there. We’ve got a minister that needs to get out of the way,” Love said.

“The fact is this has been the longest job action in Saskatchewan history when it comes to teachers. And we have a minister who has a believability problem, continu-

ally presents facts to the public that are simply not true, and teachers are out there, I think, working for better conditions in our classrooms because this government has failed to provide those conditions.”

As for the province offering to put the accountability framework into legislation, Love was also skeptical of the idea.

“I think that this government needs to be held accountable for what they say in an election year. So we’ve had round after round — in election years they make big promises and then they fail to follow through on those after an election. Teachers especially know this to be true. They were here in

Nature is Awesome

2020 when they did this, in 2016 and 2017 when they did this and 2012 and 2013 when they did this. This is the track record this minister needs to own, and they simply can’t be trusted to follow through on their commitments. And this minister is committing to put this into legislation — I’m not sure that would satisfy the level of accountability that frankly we need to hold this minister and the Sask Party government to provide for the supports our classrooms need.”

When pressed on his last point, Love pointed out that “we have legislation that dictates election dates, and it’s still up to the government whether they follow through on that.”

that people in Indigenous communities dealing with social issues like drug addiction, mental health struggles, and rashes of youth suicide are affected in untold ways because they see no better future — making it less about crime and more about healing First Nation people to move forward together.

“And if you think about all the social issues that affect communities, that creates a perfect breeding ground for violence and for gang membership and for all that stuff,” he said, explaining this example is one possible scenario of many.

Stan Tu’inukuafe of STR8-UP in Saskatoon — a group which helps former members leave gang life behind — interviewed over the phone along with Nataucappo, said that although reconciliation is good for getting people to work together, he wonders if there are enough resources to provide support for people struggling with addictions.

“I would hope that people will want to address the issues outside of reconciliation, but maybe, you know, sometimes we get into these buzzwords, like, during those time periods of reconciliation, I would hope that that is enough.

“I think it needs more than just bringing people together,” he said.

With its black mask and bid, this portly Bohemian Waxwing is ready to dine! Design all around! | Photo and text by Jim McLane

Previewing Hours: 9 AM - 6 PM Starting April 20

LOCATION: From the Highway #17 & Highway #14 junction at Macklin go 6.4 km on Highway #17, then go 1.6 km west on Twp. Rd #400, then go north 1 km.

2007 NEW HOLLAND TG245 MFWD tractor, 4,554 hours, 248 hp. engine, 18F/4R full powershift transmission, 520/85R46 duals, 480/70R34 fronts, big 1000 pto., 4 hydraulics, diff lock, front fenders, front weights, outer rear wheel weights, deluxe cab, deluxe seat, left side & right side mirrors, buddy seat, excellent condition.

TILLAGE & SEEDING

2004 BOURGAULT 5710 Series II 40 ft. air drill w/ 2006 Bourgault 6350 TBT 3 compartment 350 bushel tank, 10” spacing, double shoot, 3” Dutch openers, 4” steel capped packers, dual fans, monitor, Leading Series hitch.

2009 MASSEY FERGUSON 9435 25 ft. swather with MF 5200 draper header & UII pickup reel with plastic fingers, 2,442 engine hours, gauge wheels, adjustable axle, header angle tilt, header height indicator, high header lift kit, single knife, 18.4-28 fronts, new batteries.

2004 WESTERN STAR tri-drive grain truck w/ 24 ft. like new steel box & Harsh dual hoist, 1,222,078 km, recently overhauled 525 hp. Cat, 18 spd. manual, like new tires, remote for hoist & chute, roll tarp, new batteries, recent $40,000 eng. work order. GVWR = 70,000 lbs., VG condition.

2012 MASSEY FERGUSON 9560 combine w/ MF 4200 14 ft. SwathMaster p/u header, 2,337 engine hours, 1,692 separator hours, 350 bushel power fold bin extension, 24 ft. unloading auger, MAV chopper, electric adjust chaffer & sieve, adjustable steering axle, deluxe seat, beacon, hydro., 520/85R42 duals, 750/65R26 rears.

2005 FREIGHTLINER t/a grain truck w/ 19 ft. steel box & hoist, 1,125,594 km, automatic, 450 hp. Mercedes Benz, roll tarp, cloth seats.

GRAIN AUGERS

2018 WESTFIELD MKX100-73 mech. swing auger, 10” 73 ft., dual auger hopper flighting.

2017 BRANDT 842 grain auger w/ hyd. mover & Kohler Pro 27 hp. motor, 8” 42 ft. 2010 WHEATHEART SA 1071 mech. swing grain auger, 10” 71 ft., dual auger hopper flighting. WESTFIELD W70-41 pto. grain auger, 7”, 41 ft. MISCELLANEOUS

GRAIN VAC

SPRAYER

BOURGAULT Centurion II 84 ft. p/t sprayer, 20” nozzle spacing, dual nozzle bodies, 800 gallon poly tank, 1000 pto pump, monitor, adjustable axle, 16.5L-16.1SL front tires.

FUEL TANK

HAYBUSTER Rock-EZE L106 rock windrower / rock picker. POWER JET 350,000 BTU diesel hot water pressure washer mounted on trailer w/ wand, hose & 500 gal. poly tank, 15 hp. gas motor. FREEFORM ±2100 gal. poly tank Blanchard t/a implement trailer w/ 500 gallon galvanized water tank, 3 like new tires.

GLASS,RITAJOY Ritawasbornin SaskatoononOctober7,1960,to parentsJoyceandJackGlass.She camebacktoherhomesinDalmeny andthefarmwithherbigbrotherDan, bigsistersJoanandMarilyn,and grandfatherCecilGlass.Uncles, aunties,andcousinslivednearby.It wasevidentthatRitalovedthefarm andherfamily.Shehadahousein Dalmeny,butthefarmwasher freedom.MovingtoNorthBattlefordat 8,shecontinuedwithschooland excelledinmusicandtakingcareof herbabybrother.Alwaysinvolvedin herlocalchurch,afterhighschool graduation,RitaattendedNipawin BibleInstitute,whereshecontinuedto growinherfaithandmusicalabilities.Herloveoffarming continued,andshereturnedfull-time,workingatthefarmand servingatthenearbychurchinMayfairafterfinishingatNBI.An avidsportsfan,shefollowedcurling,theOlympics,theEdmonton OilersandtheSaskatchewanRoughriders.MovingtoSaskatoon wasahardchoiceforher,andshereturnedtothefarmasoften aspossible,hostingmanyfamilygatheringsassherenovatedthe familyfarmhouseandyard.ShecametoloveherfamiliesatTeen ChallengeandRiverbendChurchofGod.Rita'sfriendsdeserve specialrecognition.Ritamadeandkeptstrong,dearfriends.Ifyou werefriendswithRita,youknewit.Shedidnotenterinto relationshipslightly,andshecherishedeachoneofthem.Rita passedfromthisworldtoHeavenonApril4,2024.Aharddayfor us,aGREATDAYforher.AMemorialServiceforRitawillbeheld onMonday,April15,2024,at2:00pmattheRiverbendChurchof God.Towatchthelivestreamandtoleavecondolences,please gotoRita'sobituaryatwww.dalmenyfuneralhome.ca.Inlieuof flowers,donationsmaybemadetoTeenChallenge Saskatchewan.ArrangementsentrustedtoDalmenyFuneral Home,306-254-2022.

MILLER: Mr. Ewald Miller of Rabbit Lake, SK passed away peacefully on Friday, April 5, 2024 at the Battlefords Union Hospital at the age of 94 years. Ewald was born on the family farm near Glenbush, SK to Fred and Martha (Zimmer) Miller on October 15, 1929. He grew up on the farm east of Glenbush with his sister Elsie and they both attended school at Artichoke. Growing up he helped his dad on the farm, was an avid outdoorsman, particularly loved hunting and trapping. He had a passion for music and formed a five-piece orchestra, which performed at many functions in Rabbit Lake and district. As a very young man he bought his first business which eventually led to numerous business ventures which included Massey Harris (Ferguson) and Miller Motors. On August 17, 1956 Ewald married Marian Ogburn. They had been friends for many years, and brought together by their love of music. In February of 1962, Gerry was born followed by Mark in November of 1974. The following years consisted of running to family business at Miller Motors, playing in the orchestra, farming and raising their boys. In 1977, the family moved into North Battleford. Ewald continued to farm sharing the operation with his son, Gerry until he retired. The winters were shortened with a 3 month stay in their home in Yuma, Arizona each year until 2020. Ewald’s retirement included many hours of sharing stories and jokes with his family and friends. He was very good at making people laugh! He moved to River Heights Lodge in 2022, and resided there until being hospitalized in March 2024. Ewald is survived by his loving wife, Marian of 67 years; his children: Gerry (Colleen) and Mark (Lori); his six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren; as well as nieces, nephews, relatives and friends. He was predeceased by his parents: Fred & Martha Miller; in-laws: Jim & Lisbeth Ogburn; sister, Elsie Fenner; brothers-in-law: Oscar Fenner, Jim and Roy Ogburn; sisters-in-law: Ann and JeanneArc Ogburn and nephew, Alan Fenner. A Celebration of Life Service will take place on Monday, April 15, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. held at the Rabbit Lake Community Hall with Pastor Sheldon Gattinger officiating. Luncheon and Fellowship will follow the Service. Memorial donations in memory of Mr. Ewald Miller can be directed to the Rose Gill Lodge Po Box 157 Rabbit Lake, SK S0M 2L0 or Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan 301-2550-12th Avenue Regina, SK S4P 3X1. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Eternal Memories Funeral Service & Crematorium – Elle Dell Funeral Director.

NOTICE OF PREPARATION OF ASSESSMENT ROLL

R.M. of Round Hill No. 467

Public notice is hereby given that the assessment roll for the R.M. of Round Hill No. 467 for the year 2024 has been prepared and is open to at the office of the assessor from 8:30 am to noon and 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm Monday through Friday, April 12th, 2024 to May 13th, 2024

A Bylaw pursuant to section 214 of The Municipalities Act has been passed and the assessment notices have been mailed as required.

Any person who wishes to appeal his or her assessment is required to submit his or her notice of appeal accompanied by $100.00 for each assessment being appealed, within 30 days after the date of mailing of the notice to: Secretary of the Board of Revision, Western Municipal Consulting LTD. Box 149 Meota, SK S0M 1X0 by the 13th day of May 2024.

Dated at Rabbit Lake, Saskatchewan this 12th day of April 2024

Christina Moore Assessor

PUBLIC NOTICE

RM of Mervin No. 499 Public Notice Zoning Bylaw Amendment

Public Notice is hereby given that the Council of the Rural Municipality (RM) of Mervin No. 499 intends to adopt a bylaw under the Planning and Development Act, 2007 (PDA), to amend Bylaw No. 94-4, known as the Zoning Bylaw (ZB).

INTENT: The proposed amendment would introduce “car wash establishments” as a discretionary use in the RC – Resort Commercial District.

AFFECTED LAND: Land currently zoned RC – Resort Commercial District.

REASON: The RM has received a request to develop a car wash within the RC – Resort Commercial District; said use is not currently provided for within this District. Application has been made to amend the ZB to include the use. The use of “car wash establishments” is proposed to be added to the District as a matter that requires discretionary approval by Council, would be subject to compliance with any zoning regulation, and would have to satisfy the evaluation criteria employed by Council to consider the use as suitable in the particular context.

PUBLIC INSPECTION: Any person may inspect the bylaw at the RM of Mervin No. 499 office between 9:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. excluding statutory holidays. Copies will be available to the public at a cost, by emailing the contact below, or on the RM’s website. Copies of the proposed amendment are available for viewing here: https://rmofmervin.ca/planning_development/ planning_development_public_notification.html.

PUBLIC HEARING: Council will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, April 23, 2024 at 1:00 PM in the RM office located at 211 Main St. in the Town of Turtleford to hear any person or group that wants to comment on the proposed amendment; a digital participation component will be available to the public. Council will consider written and emailed comments at the meeting, along with in-person and digital representations. The deadline for receipt of comments, and requests for online representation must be received by the RM office or its Planner by Friday, April 19, 2024. For additional information, please contact the administrator at (306) 845-2045 or rm499@rmofmervin.com. Box 130 Turtleford, SK S0M 2Y0.

Issued at the Town of Turtleford this 26th day of March, 2024.

Shiloh Bronken CAO

RM

of Mervin No. 499

battlefords humane society

I’m a two year old Shepherd cross that just loves to cuddle! If you want a loyal and handsome man in your life, then look no further! He has been in the shelter for 120 days!

2 years 11 months Male. He has spent 275 days at the shelter! I am a staff favourite and I love to please people. I am a happy and loving dog, who is always excited to greet people, and just want some love. Hi

battlefordshumanesociety.com

Notice of Preparation of Assessment Roll

R.M. of Meota No. 468

Notice is hereby given that the assessment roll for the Rural Municipality of Meota No. 468 for the year 2024 has been prepared and is open to inspection at the office of the Assessor of the municipality, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. CST, Monday to Friday inclusive, except Statutory holidays, until May 22, 2024.

A bylaw pursuant to Section 214 of The Municipalities Act has been passed and the assessment notices have been mailed as required.

Any person who wishes to appeal his or her assessment is required to submit his or her notice of appeal accompanied by the prescribed fee for each assessment being appealed, within 30 days after the date of mailing of the notice to:

Secretary of the Board of Revision Western Municipal Consulting Box 149

Sask. S0M 1X0

Dated at Meota,

JOB OPENING

Lots of variety in this position! We will train.

• Filling propane cylinders

• Chainsaw and small motor repair

• Maintaining rental equipment

• General cleaning and building maintenance

• Mechanical experience is an asset but not a requirement

Drivers licence is required

Apply in person with resume to:

83 Railway Ave. North Battleford, SK.

Phone: 306-445-3534

SEASONAL MAINTENANCE EMPLOYEE

The Rural Municipality of Reford No. 379 is now accepting applications for a seasonal maintenance employee. Duties include but are not limited to: blading, snow removal, mowing, road maintenance, installing culverts and signs, equipment maintenance and repairs. Successful applicants will be required to: clean and lubricate equipment and refill equipment tanks, conduct pre-operational checks on equipment, operate computer-controlled equipment, operate heavy equipment, operate two-way radios and other communication equipment, perform minor repairs to equipment, secure special attachments to equipment and must have a valid driver’s license.

A competitive salary will be paid in accordance with qualifications and experience. Applications marked “Seasonal Maintenance” will be received, in confidence. Please list experience and salary expectations.

Applications will be reviewed as received and the position will be filled once a suitable candidate has been retained.

Please submit your resumes early.

We thank all applicants for your interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

RM of Reford No. 379 Box 100

Wilkie, SK S0K 4W0

Phone: (306) 843-2342

Email: administrator@rmofreford.com

Sask. has a superior chance of surviving a zombie apocalypse

SASKTODAY.ca

A new study has revealed the best and worst places to survive the apocalypse in Canada.

The study shows that the Northwest Territories have the best chances of survival in a zombie apocalypse. Saskatchewan is the sixth safest province to live within, in the event of an apocalypse.

Research by CasinosHunter analyzed various

metrics, including availability of water, population density, army presence, hospitals, availability of weapons and supermarkets, to assess which places in Canada would provide you with the best chance of survival!

The Northwest Territories have the best chance of survival with a score of 78.57. When people during a real zombie apocalypse are able to infect other people with a single bite

Labourer Position Available Delmas Saskatchewan

• Looking for an individual that is a team player

• Mechanically inclined

• Driver's License

(Heavy endorsement would be an asset)

• Some welding skills are required

• Willing to travel with crew week days

CALL 306 445-5562 or email resume to info@evertightanchors.ca

FULL TIME REGISTERED PHARMACY TECHNICIANS

Work Location: Positions available in North Battleford, Cut Knife, Maidstone and Turtleford, Sk

Applicants must be registered and licensed with the Saskatchewan College of Pharmacy Professionals (SCPP)

Responsibilities:

To assist in filling prescriptions, under a pharmacist's supervision, as provided by the regulations of the Saskatchewan College of Pharmacists and Legacy RX Canada Policies.

Responsible for general housekeeping duties, and the general appearance of the pharmacy area.

To be familiar with all merchandise carried as well as to be aware of new products pertaining to the pharmaceutical and retail pharmacy industry. Assist with checking and adjusting customer complaints within the established policies of Legacy RX Canada.

Deliver injections, dispensing medications, mixing of compounds, including methadone.

To assist with the monitoring of inventory (receiving and selling)

To provide prompt, courteous, friendly, and caring service to customers. When required, to assist in the safekeeping of all cash handled in the department. Other tasks as assigned.

QUALIFICATION: Must possess a current Pharmacy Technician Certificate from a recognized provincial education institution.

Pharmacy Technician - in Saskatchewan -: 1 year (required)

French not required

Job Type: Full-time

Above average wages, signing bonus, and full benefit package.

Salary: Up to $40.00 per hour

Benefits: Dental care, Extended health care, On-site parking

Schedule: Monday to Friday

Expected hours: No more than 40 per week

Supplemental pay types: Overtime pay, Signing bonus

Please email tfpharma@hotmail.com

(like in The Walking Dead series), or by breathing in the infected spores (like in The Last of Us game), escaping large cities is only logical. Therefore, the first important factor in surviving the apocalypse when assessing the safety of a location is population density. The northwest territories have one of the lowest population densities of only 0.04 per km2. This area also has a lot of hospitals per 100,000 of the population (46.15). This is important as hospitals will have access to medication and equipment that could help you survive in the event of an outbreak.

Nunavut is the second safest province to live in with a survival score of 70.65. Nunavut has the most grocery stores per 100,000 of the population (116). Over time, it will be beneficial to produce your own food; however, in the beginning, grocery stores will be the best places to find food and drink. This province also has a high percentage of fresh water, which will be key for not just drinking but for farming and growing your own crops, especially as food supplies start to dwindle.

Yukon is the third best province to live in to increase your chances of survival. Weapons and other means of self-defence are key elements to consider when trying to survive. Yukon has the most gun registrations per 100,000 of the population, with 7,716. This indicates that residents would be armed and ready to defend against enemies, increasing the odds of survival. Yukon also has

a very low population density of 0.09 per km2 making it a safe choice to see out the apocalypse in.

Ontario is the fourth best place to live in the event of a zombie apocalypse. Ontario has the largest army presence, which means when the military is deployed, you are likely to have the most protection. Also, army bases make excellent safe zones. Ontario has a much larger population than the three provinces above which means a higher population density.

However, Ontario also has plenty of access to fresh water (17 per cent fresh water per km2) which will be one of the scarcest resources, yet one of the most important.

The fifth-safest province is Manitoba. This province has nine military bases which is a good indication that an area will be protected. There are also 42 grocery stores per 100,000 of the population which will help people survive in the early stages of a pandemic.

Saskatchewan is the sixth safest province to live within, in the event of an apocalypse. This province has the second-highest number of gun registrations per 100,000 with 5,242.

Quebec is the seventh best province to live in to survive an apocalypse. This province has the second-highest number of army bases (12) providing safety and security for residents. This province also has the highest percentage of fresh water per km2 with 19.9 per cent.

Resort Village of Cochin Summer Student Employment

The Resort Village of Cochin is looking for four (4) Summer Student employees over the age of 18, who will perform various maintenance duties and report directly to the Maintenance Foreman.

SKILLS

• Willingness to learn

• Possess organizational / interpersonal skills

• Communicate with residents in a friendly manner

• Work in a team environment

• Ability to work with minimal supervision in a safety-focused environment

• Ability to work in all weather conditions

DUTIES

• Knowledge and handling of tools and equipment

• Periods of strenuous physical work

• Operate and maintain equipment

• Ensure that health and safety is the number one priority by complying with all safe work practices, policies, and processes at all times

REQUIREMENTS

• Valid class 5 Driver’s License (Driver’s Abstract required);

• Possess safety footwear; and

• Ability to lift 25 lbs regularly throughout the day

Successful candidates are ideally available from May to the end of August.

Hours of work: Monday to Friday 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

For more information, contact 306-386-2333. Forward resume / letter of application in confidence to: cochinadmin@sasktel.net; or Box 160, Cochin, SK S0M 0L0; or in person at Resort Village of Cochin office at 1006 Highway 4 North.

Closing Date: May 1, 2024

Richard hosting a bunnock tourney April 21-22

By Elaine Woloshyn Correspondent

Many exciting events are popping up in and around our area. The Rabbit Lake Bar and Convenience Store has added a good supply of meats for sale. Well-known Saskatoon business Prairie Meats is the supplier. Barbecue season is here so a tasty steak on a barbecue is a sure sign of warm weather.

A come-and-go art and quilt show is scheduled for Monday, April 15 at Rabbit Lake’s library from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Come view the beautiful quilts, art done by the seniors and other projects that were crafted at their local library during winter. Refreshments will be served.

Medstead Library is hosting a fun movie named “Wonka” Friday, April 18 in the hall. It is suggested to bring blankets and pil-

lows to sit on while watching this comedy. The movie starts at 6:30 p.m. and there will be a concession for snacks.

Maymont is again having a 5:30 p.m. potluck supper in their hall April 26. They promise an exciting evening for the whole family including cards, games, a 50/50 draw and raffles. Donations are to be taken at the door.

Registration deadline for a bunnock tournament at Richard curling rink is this Friday, April 12. The tournament is April 21 and 22. Please call at Glen Rafuse 306-480-9445 or Pat Rafuse at 306-441-0412. This game is played in teams of four with players being 10 years of age and older.

I was fortunate to see two SpaceX satellites lately within one and a half weeks. The first was a takeoff from Lake Havasu,

Ariz. and the second was from Sacramento, Calif. The 400-foot rockets can be seen by the naked eye and send shock waves through the air as they accelerate skyward. The rockets travel faster than the speed of sound. Many of us snowbirds think this is a rare photo opportunity but the Americans, who witness it frequently, don’t get overly excited.

A neighbour sent a photograph of crocuses already on FaceBook. It seems as if every year it’s earlier. They seem to attract small insects that we do not notice while picking them. While admiring a beautiful bouquet sitting on the centre of a kitchen table the insects become visible.

Happy April, everyone. This is a time of new hope in the sunshine while many domestic and wild animals give birth. An exciting time for cattle ranchers.

RCMP arrest N. B’ford man; seize drugs

By Lisa Joy SASKTODAY.ca

A North Battleford man and Lloydminster woman have been arrested by Alberta RCMP following a traffic stop on Highway 16.

At about 6 p.m. on April 7, Vermillion, Alta., RCMP stopped a vehicle for littering while driving on the Yellowhead Highway in the County of Minburn.

During the traffic stop, police determined the driver didn’t have a driver’s licence and drugs were observed in the vehicle. This led to the arrest of the two occupants in the vehicle, Kevin Kahmahkotayo, 28,

of North Battleford, Sask., and Penny McCoy, 38, of Lloydminster. Officers searched the vehicle and found a significant amount of drugs, including more than 500 grams of cocaine.

“Not only are traffic stops effective at increasing police visibility and reducing aggressive driving, but they can also result in unexpected outcomes such as this,” said Sgt. Corey Buckingham, Vermilion RCMP Detachment Commander. “Excellent work by the members involved to transition from what was a simple provincial offence, into a significant

Nature is Awesome

drug investigation.”

Kahmahkotayo and McCoy were each charged with three counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking (cocaine, crack cocaine, and methamphetamine).

Kahmahkotayo was additionally charged with driving without a valid license.

McCoy and Kahmahkotayo were both held for Judicial Interim Release hearings, where both were released from custody. McCoy appears in Alberta Court of Justice in Vermilion on April 22, while Kahmahkotayo appears on May 6.

Baljennie News ‘n’ Views

By Dorothy M. Mills Correspondent

The Western Development Museum in North Battleford hosted a twoday conference with many First Nation people attending. Speakers addressed topics surrounding the historical events of 1885. Residential school gravesites at Delmas and The Ridge near Battleford were also discussed.

First Nations plan to erect a teepee at King Hill in North Battleford later this year.

The museum hosts a volunteer appreciation program April 18 featuring a meal, a slide presentation, games, trivia and door prizes. There will be a small fee for guests to attend. April 14 to 20 is National Volunteer Appreciation Week.

We all wish the best to Henrie Poirier as he has now moved to Battlefords Regional Care Centre. We will miss you at Battleford West Place.

Get well wishes to my sister Irene Greer after a few days in Battlefords Union Hospital following a fall at Don Ross Centre while doing some quilting. Irene still lives on the farm at Baljennie.

A satellite seen vividly at 7:30 p.m. April 7 from my trailer park in Yuma, Ariz. |

Photo by Elaine Woloshyn

This Blue Jay looks down on me as if to say, ‘what are you doing?’ Design all around! | Photo and text by Jim McLane.

Community supports Girl Guides recycling

By Kathy Utri Correspondent

Maidstone Sparks, Embers Guides and Rangers got together April 4 to sort refundable bottles and cans collected over the winter. Many hands made short work of it. Thank you to Maidstone and surrounding communities who donate to help the girls raise funds for their programs. They now have Girl Guide cookies available at Turtleford SARCAN.

Tara Banks won $369 in the weekly Chase the Ace draw at the Legion Club Room but the Ace of Spades eluded her so the jackpot rose to over

$8,000 at 28 cards. The 50/50 draw was also made with Rose James the lucky recipient of $1,477.50. The next 50/50 draw will be Saturday, April 27 during the cornhole tournament.

If you’re planning to be a contender in the cornhole games, get down to the club room soon to enter, or call them at 306-893-4048 or Bobbie 780-205-1446. Only the first 32 paid participants will be accepted. The fee is $50 per team.

Last week Doug and I were finally able to take advantage of the club room’s Wing Wednesday and those wings were the best we’ve ever had. You should get in there this month for

wings as the club room will close for the summer from April 29 until October.

Another first for me last week during the school break was to go bowling with three of my grandkids. Yes, I bowled for the first time in 15 years but believe me, it was not like the old days and the kids whipped me.

I think I’ll stick to chair yoga for exercise (free every Tuesday at the seniors’ centre at 2 p.m.). Remember other ongoing events at the centre: Monday afternoon cards/games, Tuesday morning coffee group, and Wednesday afternoon bingo – fun for everyone. League bowlers at

Maidstone Bowling Alley rolled out some good high singles in their games last week: Ladies’ Afternoon –Leanne Weston 217, Debbie Nosek 199, Inga Grimley 174; Golden Age – Denise Newton 239, Keith Milner 233, Pat Armstrong 222, Doreen Hope 217, Morris Coulthard 177; Business League – Jaydon Winter 277, Chris Zerr 225, Wes Bolig 221, Melissa Paton 214, Kyla Paton 214, Carley James 165.

Milleton Community Hall’s Spring Fling dance on April 6 didn’t have the turnout hoped for but was still lots of fun. Thank you to the Kin Club Maidstone for providing safe rides

home for guests. The next event at the hall will be an outdoor spring picnic in June (watch for posters). Maidstone Disc Golf League starts April 30, running Tuesday evenings at 7 p.m. The league is for all skill levels and ages (under 14 accompanied by parent or guardian) and is an entertaining evening of socializing, exercise and competition. Cost is $5 for drop-in, $20 for the year, under 18 and over 60 free. Thanks to sponsorship by Synergy Credit Union and Green Dragon Contracting, player league fees will go towards the new Top High School Student Prize of $400. To sign up, email

maidstone.disc.golf@ gmail.com or join their page on Facebook.

Reminders: Friday, April 12 - Deadline for Wilton Outdoor Soccer registration (in Lashburn but all welcome). RAMP link http://wiltonsoccerclub.rampregistrations.com/participant

Saturday, April 27Waseca 10th annual fish fry. Dine-in call Rodney 306-893-7422 or Ronald 306-903-

7772; drive-through call Jessica 780-870-4687. Tickets are $45; table of eight, $350. (Buffet, comedian, live auction, silent auction at 32auctions.com April 12-26.)

Meota and District News

Girls club wraps up season of activities

Anglican Church. | Photos submitted by Eric Callbeck

By Eric Callbeck Meota

Did we all survive the “All Fools Day?” Hopefully, the coming of spring was brought in with lighthearted humour and good grace. We can all recall practical “jokes” played on us or in retaliation. One of mine as a recipient was reintroducing daylight saving time and being an hour late for our kid’s school party.

As we welcome spring, we had the good fortune to welcome a day-old Hereford into this world. For us former farm people and former purebred Hereford people, it warmed my heart to see the attentive, caring mother looking after her young. There are times like this that we can be thankful for growing up in rural Canada.

The Meota Girls Club held their wind-up party at the Meota United Anglican Church. Many thanks and notes of appreciation to the leaders Susan Demchuck and Tanya Rowe Gansauge for their hours of giving and dedication in building and helping to guide these

young people. The girls celebrated with games, partying and watching a movie. The leaders would like to thank the United Anglican Church, the children’s parents and those who took the time to share their talents. The girls vary in age from nine to 14. A great party to rest a great cause until a new start in the fall. Go, girls.

Again we can say “go, Canada” as our men’s curling team does us honour. A win today against Scotland would put us into the championship game against Sweden. What dedication. We can definitely feel pride in their efforts.

We welcome home David Sharp from his prolonged ski/bridge holiday near Nelson. And yes, he took on the black runs (the most difficult), although as he admits “only when they were groomed.” A busy time, he admits as they didn’t miss many days skiing in the months they were away.

Activities for the week saw a tie between Barb Mitchel and Linda Killor-

an and Linda Ard and Eric Callbeck in bridge. Third were Bernard Gregoire and Vern Iverson. Last spots were a tie between Cletus Scherman and Cathi Williams and Anne Crozier and Catriona Winterholt. In Thursday bridge, David Sharpe and Vern Iverson were first. Second were Jean Lawes and Fraser Glen and third were Mary Phelps and Gerry Craig.

Gordon Klein topped Norwegian Whist. Second was Linda Ard and third was Charlie Horrell. Canasta: HF first place was won by Albert Huys and Gail Hilderman. In second were Janice Morton and Eric Callbeck. HKF first were Stella Rendle and Eileen Bru. Second were Linda Ard and Gwen Lacerte and third were Louise Doom and Marion Ottas.

Sweeping to the Top

Meota Girls Club wrapped up another season of fun and learning with activities at Meota United

The New Horizon Curling Club champs Jan. 9 to March 26, 2024. Skip - Brian Shutra, Third – Lorence Willness (holding the New Horizons Trophy), Second – Louie Uhrmann and Lead – Kathy O’Hanlon. | Photo submitted.