Regional News-Optimist January 5, 2023

Everybody Has a Story

Civilian-led police review body officially operational

By Ryan Kiedrowsky SASKTODAY.ca

After almost two years since its formation, The Police (Serious Incident Response Team) Amendment Act, 2021 officially came into force on Jan. 1.

SIRT members are tasked with investigating incidents where serious injury or death have occurred while in police custody; as a result of officer actions; or where sexual assault and interpersonal violence involving police are alleged to have occurred.

“These changes will allow the SIRT to engage in any serious incident involving police, from initiating a full investigation to reviewing, overseeing, assisting or delegating one,” Minister of Justice and At-

torney General Bronwyn Eyre said. “The Act coming into force completes the transition to a civilian-led, independent police oversight body and brings Saskatchewan’s police oversight regime into line with most other Canadian jurisdictions.”

The entity was initially created back in April, 2021, with a goal of being fully functional by fall of that year. Staffing challenges due to COVID-19 extended that deadline, but SIRT has since been operating in a limited capacity. One example includes the investigation into the death of Myles Sanderson - the man responsible for mass a stabbing in the James Smith Cree Nation and the community of Weldon. Sanderson died while in police custody, and SIRT is working with the Saskatoon Continued on Page 4

City has cleared priority streets, now focuses on residential snow removal

Don’t shovel snow onto the street

SASKTODAY.ca

City of North Battleford roadway crews have been removing snow from the streets following a major snow event over the Christmas holidays and are to the point where they can prioritize residential streets, according to a release issued Tuesday.

Crews were out Christmas Day and Boxing Day clearing collector roads and have been working since according to priority.

“The focus this week will be snow removal in residential areas,” stated Waterworks and Roadways Supervisor Joe Gagne.

Crews are also working to clear snow from bus stops, fire hydrants and school zones.

Plows will be clearing around illegally parked vehicles, according to the city’s release. To avoid any inconvenience and parking penalties, the city asks drivers to obey restricted parking signs.

The city asks that the public assist crews in removing snow from their neighbourhood and avoid receiving a parking ticket by observing the following:

• Remove your vehicles from the street during your on-street parking restriction day;

• Place recycling and trash bins out only during your pickup days;

• Do not shovel snow onto the street.

The city points out that sometimes intersections are closed during snow removal and blockades are set up to prevent accidents. Drivers must respect street closures and find alternate routes as it is not safe to pass plows, graders, and sanding trucks.

Drivers are also reminded to reduce their driving speeds and to adjust to winter driving conditions to ensure the safety of drivers, pedestrians and snow removal crews.

The city also reminds property owners they are responsible for removing snow from sidewalks adjacent to their property. Residential properties have 48 hours to remove snow after a snowfall.

If you have had someone remove snow from your sidewalk, driveway or steps, please help recognize them for their kind work by nominating them as a Snow Angel. You can nominate your Snow Angel by sending their name, address, and a description of what they did to City of North Battleford, PO Box 460, North Battleford SK S9A 2Y6.

Leon Ochs playing at Topline’s 2022 New Year Dance. This one-man band is coming up on his 40th anniversary of entertaining as a group of one. See the story on Page 7. | Photo by Miguel Fenrich

Three arrested for theft of delivery truck

SASKTODAY.ca

Three men have been charged after the theft of a delivery truck in North Battleford.

On Dec. 28, at approximately 5:30 p.m., say Battlefords RCMP, they received a report of a robbery on the 1400 block of 109th Street.

RCMP say their investigation determined two males approached a delivery driver who was parked

in a vehicle. They threatened the driver with a firearm, forced them out of the vehicle, then stole it. The driver did not report any physical injuries.

Officers responded and began patrolling for the suspects. Later that evening, officers from the Battlefords Gang Task Force located the stolen vehicle parked behind a residence on the 1200 block of 108th Street in North Battleford.

The vehicle left the residence, but got stuck in the snow in an alley. Officers approached the three male occupants, who were trying to dig out the vehicle, but they fled on foot.

Two were arrested after a brief foot chase, say RCMP, and the third was located at a nearby residence. An illegally-modified firearm was also located and seized in the residence during a search the occupants consented to.

The three accused were also arrested on outstanding warrants from Battlefords RCMP.

Battlefords RCMP’s Gang Task Force, Battlefords Municipal General Investigation Section and Battlefords Forensic Identification Services assisted in this investigation.

“Battlefords RCMP will

not tolerate violence toward citizens of our community. This was a frightening incident and I am thankful no one was injured,” says Insp. Jesse Gilbert, Officer in Charge of Battlefords RCMP. “I’m proud of the swift response by the officers of our detachment and our Battlefords Gang Task Force, which resulted in the arrest of three suspects just a short time later.”

Battlefords RCMP continues to investigate and asks that anyone who witnessed or has information about this incident call their local RCMP detachment by dialling 310RCMP. Information can also be submitted anonymously by contacting Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or www.saskcrimestoppers.com.

SASKTODAY.ca’s top stories of 2022: $500 affordability cheques

SASKTODAY.ca Staff

SASKTODAY.ca —

Three out of SASKTODAY.ca’s four most-read stories for 2022 are a good indication Saskatchewan residents have been preoccupied with their pocketbooks.

Three $500 affordability tax credit cheque stories together got more attention than any other story on the website. The three stories were:

• $500 affordability cheques still coming, province says, dated Oct. 18, by John Cairns, SASKTODAY.ca;

• They’re here! $500 affordability cheques have begun arriving, dated Nov. 10, by SASKTODAY.ca Staff; and

• Have you got your $500 affordability cheque yet?, dated Nov. 17, by John Cairns, SASKTODAY.ca.

These three stories were number one, two and four, respectively. The announcement that cheques were coming was made by Premier Scott Moe in August, leaving the public constantly curious as to when they could be expected.

Our fifth most-read story was also about government payouts:

• Expecting a double GST rebate? Not just yet,

dated Oct. 5, by John Cairns, SASKTODAY.ca.

As with the affordability tax credit cheques, the reading public was eager to find out when they would be receiving those long-awaited funds.

Number three and Number 6 were indicative of some of the angst the pandemic had created amongst the population. In third place was: • Sask. woman dies allegedly after COVID booster: Daughter in shock, dated Sept. 22, by Lisa Joy, SASKTODAY.ca.

This story was one of the top-read stories for days on end, bumped out of the top spots only when the $500 cheque stories captured the public’s attention. It continues to be in the top 25 frequently to this date.

Again reflecting the public’s frustration with the pandemic, number six was:

• ‘It’s time’: Moe says COVID-19 restrictions on freedoms will soon end in Saskatchewan, dated Feb. 3, by The Canadian Press.

As in most years, our top stories also included crime, cop and court stories (prompting us to create a dedicated category for these popular stories. Following are top stories seven, eight, nine:

• It was a ‘torture cham-

ber, says judge in Lloydminster court, dated Jan. 14, by Lisa Joy, SASKTODAY.ca;

• Crime Stoppers: Four on wanted list; dated May 27, SASKTODAY staff;

• Why was the Saskatchewan premier’s Silverado impounded in B.C., and why no charges? Dated March 14, by John Cairns, SASKTODAY.ca.

With some more about government money, crime, controversy and catastrophe, here are the top stories in 10th through 20th place:

• Sask. Family of four to receive $1,101 in climate payment, dated Sept. 19, by SASKTODAY staff;

• Estevan man arrested for alleged sexual assault and more, dated May 14, by Estevan Mercury staff;

• Printer glitch holds up $500 affordability cheques, dated Nov. 30, by SASKTODAY.ca staff;

• Premier Scott Moe announces $500 Affordability Tax Credit, dated Aug 22, by John Cairns, SASKTODAY.ca;

• Marcus Ray steps down from leadership of freedom movement, dated Aug. 3, by Lisa Joy, SASKTODAY.ca;

• Treasuring the final tear of a loved one, dated Sept. 27, 2018, an opinion piece by Ken Rolheiser;

Continued on Page 6

Commentary

Government bingeing on alcohol tax hikes in 2023

By Franco Terrazzano Canadian Taxpayers Federation

With sky-high inflation, climbing interest rates and carbon tax hikes, you could be forgiven for drinking. But Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is rubbing margarita salt in the wound by using high inflation to binge on higher alcohol taxes.

In 2023, the Trudeau government is increasing the taxes you pay every time you buy a bottle of wine, a case of beer or a mickey of rum by 6.3 per cent.

But even a 6.3 per cent tax hike downplays the total tax burden you pay every time you visit the liquor store. Taxes already account for about half of the price of beer, 65 per cent of the price of wine and more than three quarters of the price of spirits.

You could spend about $125 if you pick up two bottles of wine, a 24-pack of beer and a 26-ounce bottle of whisky. You’re paying more than $76 of that tab just in taxes.

In fact, Canadians pay so much tax that picking up a case of beer on the way to the New Year’s Eve party in Prince Edward Island would cost you more in taxes than the total retail price of a case of beer in 25 American states.

While Canadians are paying higher taxes, Americans are enjoying tax cuts. From 2017 to 2019, federal beer taxes went up $34 million for large brewers in Canada while going down $31 million south of the border.

The feds have been bingeing on alcohol tax hikes since the 2017 budget. That year, the Trudeau government introduced an automatic tax hike escalator. That means the federal excise tax automatically increases with inflation every year on April 1. With inflation having reached a nearly 40-year high, Canadians are facing a sky-high tax hike of 6.3 per cent in 2023.

When the escalator tax was first introduced in 2017 there wasn’t much of a fuss because inflation was lower. But even small tax hikes can become big bills over time. After the 2023 tax hike, the federal government’s alcohol excise taxes will have increased 18.4 per cent because of the automatic annual tax hike that was first imposed in 2017.

That’s what is so pernicious about Trudeau’s alcohol escalator tax. At first you don’t really notice it, but every

year the tax burden goes up just a little bit. And in less than a decade, the tax hike is already more than 18 per cent.

Jean-Baptiste Colbert was France’s finance minister in the 17th century. Colbert said the job of the tax man is “plucking the goose as to obtain the largest possible amount of feathers with the smallest possible amount of hissing.” You’re the goose. And politicians are using the alcohol escalator tax hoping you don’t notice all the plucking and hiss back.

Trudeau’s alcohol escalator tax is fundamentally undemocratic. If politicians think Canadians aren’t

paying enough tax, then they should have the spine to at least vote on the tax hike. But your Member of Parliament doesn’t vote on this tax hike. Through the escalator tax, the Trudeau government uses inflation to covertly increase its tax take every year on April 1.

There’s one thing that will stop the Trudeau government from using the undemocratic alcohol escalator tax to take more money from you: people noticing. The feds have binged enough on alcohol taxes. It’s time for Canadians to tell the government that it’s cut off.

Franco Terrazzano is the Federal Director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation

Civilian-led police review body officially operational

Continued from Page 1

Police Service during the investigation of his death.

Another example from Oct. 2022 sought the Regina Police Service along with SIRT to investigate an officer-involved shooting in Saskatoon.

“The people of Saskatchewan rightly hold their police officers to a high standard,” said Public Complaints Commission Executive Director Greg Gudelot.

Gudelot is originally from Saskatchewan, but

also spent four years as assistant executive director of the Alberta SIRT program. Previously a lawyer in Alberta, Gudelot worked as Crown prosecutor and as a defence counsel.

“A fully-operational SIRT ensures that serious

incidents involving Saskatchewan police will be investigated through an independent and transparent process designed to ensure a fair and high-quality investigation for all those involved,” he said.

SIRT investigations in

this province will cover municipal police officers, RCMP, and special constables such as Highway Traffic Patrol and Conservation officers. Under legislation, SIRT must also include Indigenous representation by appoint-

ing First Nations or Métis community liaison officers for matters involving people of such ancestry. Transparency is an important factor for SIRT, and summaries of investigations will be published online for public consumption.

Watergate Bay

Encrypted Message

By R.H. Wood North Battleford

Christmas ends for us when the last vestige of turkey pot pie or “casserole” if we have visitors is consumed. It is a testament to ingrained post-war culinary frugality. Attention now turns to resolutions for the new year- this refers to intent not to how one is going to resolve life’s problems.

The

WoodPile

The choice this year for me is again between abstemiousness or strict abstinence. Of these op-

tions the former provides a modicum of latitude and is recommended. For many 2023 will not be an easy year due to inflation, taxation and interest rate increases. The hidden annual federal inflationlinked (April 1) tax levy on alcohol should be an incentive for many to abstain. Fast food outlets provide clear in-store and online information on the caloric value of hamburgers etc. It is my suggestion that gas, liquor and other retail vendors should at all times clearly display prices and full tax levels to aid consumer choice, understanding and aware-

ness.

Much media excitement has arisen over Canada’s exponential progress into space with the launch of a student-made satellite which will whizz over Halifax four times a day. This odd-looking object about the size of a squashed shoe box was launched into space by a NASA rocket. It will circle the earth for about a year taking photos and measurements of who knows what until it either burns up or knocks a hole in something.

It is sad of course that Her Majesty and emeritus Pope Benedict have

passed away, but this was of course inevitable. Both were heads of worldwide churches, something the media singularly fails to point out. Their lives spanned two centuries of incredible progress for mankind, yet peace does not reign, and it seems it never will.

Reliable Amazon royally screwed up our Christmas order by sending in lieu a box containing 1,000 small very delicate wooden forks which they did not wish returned but suggested we pass on to a good cause. We will keep a few and donate the rest to the local hockey

2022 was a busy year of provincial news

By John Cairns SASKTODAY.ca

It’s fair to say few years produced as many major news stories in Saskatchewan than 2022 did.

A national protest, war and humanitarian crisis, a horrific mass murder, and many other stories erupted throughout the year. It made for a busy year for SASKTODAY.ca staff covering the multitude of breaking news stories throughout the year.

We have compiled following list of just a few of the major stories making headlines in Saskatchewan during 2022.

Freedom Convoy

The biggest story of the year in Canada, according to Canadian Press, was the Freedom Convoy protests in Ottawa.

Drivers made their way from across the country in their semi trucks to converge on Ottawa for several days of protests in opposition to new COVID-19 mandates imposed on truckers by the federal government.

Early on, Saskatchewan saw considerable activity as trucks rolled through the province in January as part of the protest, including in locations such as North Battleford, Saskatoon and Regina.

The entire convoy proved controversial, culminating in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoking the Emergencies Act in February.

Samwel Uko inquest

This spring, Regina was the location for the inquest into the death of Samwel Uko, who died on May 21, 2020 at Wascana Lake after twice seeking admission earlier in the day to Regina General Hospital to try to address his mental health challenges.

Following a week of testimony a coroner’s jury returned 20 recommendations, including for cultural diversity training and reassessment of interview questions and processes to incorporate diversity, mental health and biases.

Ukraine refugees

A major global story in 2022 was the inva-

sion of Ukraine, by Russia, prompting a major humanitarian crisis with Ukraine citizens fleeing the country for safety.

Saskatchewan was part of a major effort to welcome Ukrainian refugees. The first Boeing 787 flight from Warsaw, Poland bringing 230 Ukrainians to Saskatchewan landed in Regina in July. Among those on that first flight lending support to the refugees was Kim Phuc Phan Thi, who is known worldwide as the “Napalm Girl.”

The province also organized temporary accommodations as well as a one stop shop location to help Ukraine residents set up bank accounts and obtain such things as health cards and driver’s licenses so they could settle in the province. More humanitarian flights landed throughout the year, including in Saskatoon for the first time in November.

New federal Conservative leader 2022 was a year of political turmoil, particularly among Canada’s Conservatives. The Conservative federal caucus voted to dump leader Erin O’Toole, ushering in a leadership race dominated by Pierre Poilievre whose campaign included rallies in Regina and Saskatoon.

During his Saskatoon visit, Poilievre recorded a video at the statue depicting a young John Diefenbaker selling a newspaper to Prime Minister Wilfrid Laurier, and pointed out that both Prime Ministers shared a love of freedom.

Saskatchewan was a focus of other campaigns as well including those of Jean Charest, Leslyn Lewis, and Scott Aitchison, all of whom paid visits to the province. Poilievre easily won the Conservative leadership on the first ballot in September.

Frank Young search

A major story in the spring of 2022 was the intensive search effort for Frank Young, a five year old boy who went missing from Red Earth Cree Nation on April 19. The search involved the RCMP, local search parties and

volunteers as well as other First Nations.

But the effort ended in tragedy, as Young was found deceased in the Carrot River in July.

Lawsuit over abuse at Christian Centre Academy

Another major story that erupted during the summer were relevations of historic abuse at the former Christian Centre Academy, now Legacy Christian Academy in Saskatoon.

Several former students accused the school of engaging in paddling, exorcisms and other abuse. A class action lawsuit was filed in the fall. The province would soon appoint provincial administrators and tighten regulations to provide greater oversight of qualified independent schools.

Mass murder on James Smith Cree Nation

Perhaps the biggest story of the year to happen in Saskatchewan took place on the Labour Day weekend, when a stabbing rampage took place on James Smith Cree Nation and at Weldon, Saskatchewan.

The focus of the RCMP investigation turned to finding and capturing Myles Sanderson, who police later determined to have committed the killings of 11 people on Sept. 4 including his brother, Damien Sanderson.

Myles Sanderson was captured on Sept. 7 near Rosthern, but he died in police custody. It was later determined he died of a selfinflicted drug overdose.

Death of Queen Elizabeth II

Just one day following the events surrounding the capture and death of Myles Sanderson came word of the passing of Queen Elizabeth II at Balmoral, Scotland on Sept. 8.

Notable as a last act by the Queen was a statement of condolence she had issued the day before to the victims of the James Smith tragedy.

The Queen’s death touched off a period of mourning in Saskatchewan and around the world. In Saskatchewan a ceremony was held at Government

House to proclaim King Charles III as the new sovereign. A provincial memorial service for the Queen was held in Regina on Sept. 19. The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee portrait, which was on loan to Government House to commemorate her Platinum Jubilee year, was draped in black following her death. Saskatchewan welcomes fans to the Grey Cup

It was not all bad news in Saskatchewan in 2022. The end of COVID-era pandemic restrictions meant the return of major events and gatherings throughout the year, including the Federation of

Canadian Municipalities convention in Regina during the spring.

Perhaps the biggest event of them all was the Grey Cup, with the Festival as well as the game itself happening in the week leading to Nov. 20. In the big game, the Toronto Argonauts upset the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 24-23 at Mosaic Stadium.

Sunwing chaos

2022 ended on a sour note for Saskatchewan travelers, who had hoped to finally have some fun in the sun after two years of Covid travel restrictions and disruptions.

Instead, it ended up be-

concessions for poutine and French fry epicures. It seems that in some ways we are going backwards – wooden knives and forks, impossible (for me) to manage chopsticks, paper bags, cardboard clips and fish and chips in newspaper etc. While the elimination of single-use plastics is laudable it will create inconveniences and an increase in daily living costs. Some green notions and modern wokeness are not really my idea of progress - can I be abstained, please?

Perhaps the wooden forks were a personal encrypted conservation message.

ing a whole year of disruptions at the nation’s airports, with reports earlier in the year of long lineups and pileups of luggage at the major airports. There were also major delays reported at passport offices.

The disruptions hit Saskatchewan directly in December, with news that Sunwing had suspended its direct flights from Saskatoon and Regina through Feb. 3, amid reports of stranded Sunwing passengers in destinations including Mexico. A number of Saskatchewan residents began 2023 scrambling to figure out how to get home.

SASKTODAY.ca’s top stories of 2022

Continued From Page 3

• Hanson Farm auction, biggest in history sets new benchmark for land prices for southeast Sask., dated Jan. 27, by Anastasiia Bukhovskaia, Estevan Mercury;

• RCMP call off boat, aerial search for missing Saskatchewan boy after two months, dated June 21, by The Canadian Press;

• Video and photos: CP Rail; provides update on train derailment and fire near Macoun, dated Dec. 1, buy David Willberg, Estevan Mercury;

• Lloydminster man charged with murder after woman found dead, infant injured, dated Dec. 26, by SASKTODAY.ca staff; and

• Man who ordered hit in drug feud dies before being prosecuted, dated Jan. 6, by Lisa Joy, SASKTODAY.ca.

Following are top-read stories 21 through 50:

• Good news: $500 tax credit cheques coming starting Nov. 14, dated Nov. 2;

• Turtleford RCMP seek missing 48-year-old woman, Nov. 27;

• Update: Five-year-old Frank Young found de-

ceased in river, July 10;

• Protests planned at police stations across country, July 31;

• Updated: Nine-hour stand-off in Estevan comes to a peaceful end; individual taken into custody, Feb. 8;

• Highway Hotline now showing road closures all over Saskatchewan, Jan. 31;

• Man who had ‘torture chamber’ in basement gets light jail sentence, April 15;

• Kurt Miller charged in another large drug bust, Dec. 5;

• 15 basic physics concepts to help you understand our world, Nov. 13;

• Update: Dangerous person alert, 10 dead, 15 wounded;

• Fire breaks out at Forget’s Happy Nun Café, Dec. 15;

• Thunderchild F.N. woman survives ride with ‘The Truck Stop Killer’, Oct. 23;

• Updated: N.B. residents charged in $55M drug trafficking, money laundering, organized crime bust, Sept. 29;

• Cougar caught on camera during the day southwest of Estevan, Aug. 22;

• Couple preserves ghost town in southwestern Saskatchewan, Aug. 19;

• Missing: RCMP looking for 38-year-old Assiniboia man, July 23;

• Protesters could be lured into violence warns counter-terrorism expert, Aug. 5;

• Cat café to open in Saskatoon, March 12;

• Missing: RCMP look for 16 year old last seen in Balgonie, Aug. 4;

• Tribune man goes missing during blizzard on Monday night, Feb. 1;

• Battleford man charged with assault after video goes viral, July 20;

• Cabin owners evicted from Suffern Lake Regional Park, May 30;

• Good morning, Battlefords!;

• RCMP: Tons of canola stolen in RM of Rudy, Jan. 6;

• Winners of $1 million lottery ticket unveiled, Oct. 14;

• Saskatchewan ending COVID-19 passport, lifting mask requirement, Feb. 8;

• Megan Gallagher homicide: Who are the eight accused?, Oct. 2; and

• Saskatoon resident wins $200,000 instant prize, Dec. 28.

Everybody has a story One-man band, Leon Ochs, has music in his soul

By Miguel Fenrich Staff Reporter

Music is a part of Leon Och’s soul, and it always has been.

He hears music in everything, down to a knock on the door, a skid of feet on the dance floor or people putting their cups down. He’ll make music by rapping his knuckles when he knocks on a door.

When Ochs was young, his family would visit friends and family in their neighbourhood near Landis to play cards, eat, drink, sing and play music.

“Our whole community was musical. We always had family get-togethers, and everyone played, sang, or did something. I would say weekly,” Ochs said.

Though these are some of his earliest memories, there is still a photo of a younger Ochs playing the banjo at four.

Music was to his father, Bernard, like it is to Ochs, and music also lived inside his soul. People came over every night when he was little, at a time when his Mom was sick.

“It (music) was always there. Always.”

Music was his passion, his calling, and a constant presence in his life. And for some reason, it came easier to him than it did his other siblings.

“My brother was in Grade 6 taking music lessons in school, and he’d come home and show me the notes on the guitar. And away I went. I’d play those chords like crazy, and the rest is history.”

The music in his soul

To Ochs, music is everywhere.

“Everything is musical, everything you touch, everything you do. And you know what? I never pay attention to it either … hearing all those noises at night? There are songs in there!

“When I hear a song on the radio, I don’t even know what it says. I hear every band, everything they’ve played, all the music and notes, but I haven’t got a clue what the lyrics are.”

When his wife, Audrey, says, “well, that’s a horrible song. Did you hear what they said?” he hears nothing. But he can tell you what the bass player was doing, how the guitar player worked with him, and what would happen next.

When Ochs was younger, his father was a member of the Little Prairie Band.

“They practiced every night at somebody’s house, and it was always a party. Shortly after, in my early teens, maybe 14, or 15, their drummer quit on them one weekend.”

A neighbour and band member asked a young

Ochs if he could play the drums.

“I grabbed a couple of knives out of the drawer and an ice cream pail, and I was keeping time with them, knocking along and they were clicking and clacking, having a great time.

“This was on Tuesday. On Wednesday, Dad took me out of school, went to Saskatoon and bought a set of drums.”

That’s when he began drumming with the Little Prairie Band, and he did that for five years until 1983.

Starting the one-man band

In 1983, he saw a oneman band for the first time.

“He was doing it all by himself. His feet were going on some pedals, and he was singing, and he had these little disco lights and I said, ‘this is pretty cool. He’s doing all this by himself.’

“So I went home — at that time, I had a Teenie Genie mini organ — and I thought to myself, ‘If I peel off my socks and stick my big toe up there, I can change chords while I play the guitar.’ But my toe was too fat, and I hit two keys at the same time.”

Ochs took a coat hanger, wrapped it around his knee, and it’s the same coat hanger he uses to this day to change the chords after he taught himself.

At this point, he was so shy he’d never play in front of people.

“If I heard someone or noise in the house, I was done. I quit. Shut it off.”

But one day, while playing in the basement, he was playing too loud, and someone came in with a bunch of friends. They didn’t make a noise, but they listened for ages to him playing in the basement.

Finally, they came down and told him how good he was and that he had to play in front of people. Afterwards, they went down to the Landis hotel and spoke to the owner at the time.

“I was in the bar every other night like we did back then,” Ochs said, adding that he was cornered one night and was asked to “come give it a try.”

“I was too shy, but big Jeff Ochs would come along and play bass with me.”

With Jeff, Ochs had the confidence to play, and they continued this for a few weeks, going to a few local bars.

“One night, we’re booked to play in the hotel in Tramping Lake. I stopped in to pick up Jeff, and he’s sitting on the couch in his shorts, having a beer, and watching the TV.

“I ain’t going,” he said.

“What do you mean

we’re not going? We’re playing tonight,” Ochs responded.

“I ain’t going.”

Ochs left and played in Tramping Lake by himself.

“‘Well, I don’t need him,’ I thoug. From that day on, it was a one-man band. That was in ‘83, so this July will be 40 years.”

Singing across Saskatchewan

During his 40 years of playing solo music in dance halls, venues and parties, he often tried other gigs or gimmicks when times were tough.

“I tried other bands over the years, played gospel music and always returned to solo playing. It’s just simpler, bands are tough life because the four or five of you have to get along and you’re always together. It’s worse than a marriage,” Ochs said, laughing.

And his passion for music wasn’t simplified when his children were young and he was travelling to play.

It was hard because he had a passion for music and thought he had to be in a band because he couldn’t make it on his own. So he’d be with these men gone practising for three nights and gone playing for two,” His wife, Audrey, said.

“We don’t have a lot of people in our neighbourhood for help, so I was getting on the roof, poking the sewer trap, calving, all while raising children. But it’s what he had to do. It’s not my thing, it’s his thing.”

And Ochs passed his musical talents on to his children, with all of them able to sing and play different instruments. They even painted the chords on the organ for their son, who played with his father and grandfather briefly before he decided it wasn’t cool and chose not to pursue music as a career.

But his kids are shy like he was.

And the rest is history

Ochs is in his element while playing at his old country dances across Saskatchewan and western Canada. He always stays positive, knowing he sets the mood for the night.

“I never go half-assed. If there are 20 people, it’s my best. If there are 140 people, it’s my best,” he said.

“There is a story for every dance,” ranging from a man’s dentures shooting across the room while he was doing the polka, a woman acting like a bouncer and dragging a fighting couple out of the hall by their ears or flying panties and bras.

And despite playing for almost 40 years and having music inside of him, he’s never considered himself a good musician.

“I don’t consider myself a good musician, but I get

away with it. I know a few chords and a few simple songs. ‘You Are My Sunshine’ is a trademark now. If I don’t play it, I get heck. People want repetition. People don’t want new.”

During his 40 years, he struggled to even get recognized as a musician.

“People didn’t believe in one-man bands. I had to really struggle to get accepted and known. I played in a lot of bars. I think they picture a one-man band with every gimmick under

the sun and a car horn on the side.”

Sitting on the stage, Ochs can see everything. When people enter dance halls, they’re already bouncing and tapping their feet while standing in the coat room.

“Beat is the most important thin. I listen. I study people. Honestly, I’m a people pleaser, I watch them, and I want to know how they work. I want them to enjoy themselves.”

And despite reaching

retirement age, he doesn’t think he’ll ever stop.

“I’d like to say it, but I know I’ll play until I can’t anymore. People won’t let me retire. They won’t. It’s a part of us. It’s our life. People always bug me, asking how Audrey put up with it, but she doesn’t know anything different.”

Music is intertwined with his soul, if not a part of it. Leon Ochs is all music.

“It’s everything for us.”

Leon Ochs playing at Topline’s 2022 New Year Dance. | Photo by Miguel Fenrich

Photographer captures grain elevator images as they fade away on the prairies

By Nicole Goldsworthy Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Humboldt Journal

Tim Lockhart has made it his passion to photograph as many prairie grain elevators as he can find.

Lockhart was born and raised in Alberta and his dad was a manager at an Old Dutch potato chip plant. When he travelled with his father he gained a

passion for grain elevators as each small town they pulled into had one.

About two and half years ago, he saw how many were rapidly being torn down. What every small town in Saskatchewan had was slowly vanishing.

Lockhart decided to start documenting as many as he could find throughout the prairie provinces. To date, he has taken pic-

Speakers Series

tures of 465 elevators in the three prairie provinces — 275 of them in Saskatchewan alone — with 25 still to document.

Once Lockhart started to document all of the elevators, he created a Facebook page called, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba Grain Elevators, which has just under 9,000 followers. Some of the pictures that have been taken to conserve the history behind

each elevator have almost 85,000 likes.

Lockhart names his top Saskatchewan elevators in no particular order as the Clemencaeu, Veregin, White Fox, Nut Mountain and Gronlid elevators.

He mentions that these are all very rare as two of them are old red Sask Wheat Pool elevators and another being a Federal.

Some communities have gotten creative in

saving these elevators that seem to be fading out of Saskatchewan history. Some have turned them into studios for bands to play, museums, tea houses and libraries. Many have been purchased privately and some have been renovated so that they are still useable grain elevators.

Lockhart found out that the oldest elevator in Canada was located at

Elva (1897) and made the journey to see this elevator shortly before it burned down.

Lockhart says he is happy to see so many elevator enthusiasts use his page as a means of sharing photos and history behind each elevator — a great resource for anyone interested in learning and seeing all the different types of elevators on the prairies.

Free expert lectures can be accessed online

SASKTODAY.ca

The Sustainability Speakers Series is hosted by the Saskatoon Public Library in partnership with the Saskatchewan Environmental Society.

These free events are in the Meeting Room in the basement of Frances Morrison Central Library (311 - 23rd St. E). The events start at 7:00 p.m. and end at about 8:30 p.m. These are in-person events. Recordings of the presentations are posted on the internet

several days after the event.

“Xeriscape: Low Water, Low-maintenance Gardening” is the topic Tuesday, Jan. 24. The principles of xeriscape (design ideas that conserve water, soil improvement, efficient irrigation, reducing conventional lawn areas and mulching) and the best of the hundreds of hardy and drought tolerant plants for prairie gardens will be described by Sara Williams.

A presentation Tuesday, Feb. 28 is titled “Greening

the Saskatchewan Electrical Grid.” To meet the challenge of the climate crisis, Saskatchewan must change how it produces electricity to greatly reduce greenhouse gas emissions is the message of Dr. Brett Dolter from the Department of Economics at the University of Regina, who will discuss costs of various options.

“Implementing Regina’s Waste Plan” is the topic Tuesday, March 28. In 2011, Regina’s city council

adopted Waste Plan Regina and set a residential waste diversion target of 65 per cent by 2020 and approved service levels for the nonresidential sectors. Janet Aird and Derek Adam will look at the city of Regina’s waste programming in the last few years as well as progress towards achieving the residential diversion target, other results and next steps for residential and non-residential sectors.

Tuesday, April 18, Glenn Wright, who farms near

Saskatoon, will present “Sustainable Food Production: A Farmer’s Opinion.” Wright will share insights about growing crops in a more sustainable way. He has used alternative energy in his farming and has converted a truck to an electric vehicle. Wright will also touch on legal aspects of international loss and damage due to climate change.

“Our Trees in a Changing Climate: When has spring sprung?” is the topic Tuesday, May 16. In Sas-

katchewan, climate change is resulting in the biggest changes in the winter and spring months. For trees coming out of their winter dormancy period these changes play havoc with their natural rhythms, since they do not know when winter has ended and spring has started. Dr. Colin Laroque of the University of Saskatchewan will describe how climate change is affecting Saskatchewan’s trees.

The first two photos depict the elevator at Clemenceau. Another view of the Clemenceau elevator. Far right is the elevator at Gronlid. | Photos by Tim Lockhart

Topsy-turvy year at the Sask. legislature

By John Cairns SASKTODAY.ca

2022 was a year full of surprises at the Saskatchewan legislature.

The year saw the provincial government move into surplus territory in the provincial budget, but it was also a year of challenges in health care, education and in federalprovincial jurisdictional issues. The opposition parties also had a challenging year, with one party facing a unique challenge simply by starting up in 2022.

Athabasca byelection shakes up provincial politics

The big story early in 2022 was the shock result of the Athabasca byelection when Jim Lemaigre of the Sask Party won the longtime NDP stronghold that was vacated due to MLA Buckley Belanger’s unsuccessful bid in federal politics.

The result had immediate political reverberations as NDP leader Ryan Meili decided to step down, prompting a leadership race that was decided shortly after the spring sitting was concluded.

New leader for NDP

In June, Regina Lakeview MLA Carla Beck was elected leader of the New Democrats, easily defeating Saskatoon lawyer Kaitlyn Harvey on the first ballot. Beck became the first female leader of the provincial NDP in its history. The new leader promptly headed out on a tour of Saskatchewan communities during the summer months to get feedback on what issues were important to Saskatchewan residents. Her party received a boost

prior to the fall sitting, when Nathaniel Teed won the Meewasin byelection in September to replace Meili.

Emergence of Sask United Party

The expulsion of Saskatchewan Rivers MLA Nadine Wilson from the Sask Party caucus continued to reverberate at the legislature in 2022, as it was learned that she was among those seeking to form a new political party.

By the end of the fall sitting the new Saskatchewan United Party had been formed and officially registered, and included in its ranks supporters opposed to vaccine mandates. Wilson would sit as the party’s first MLA, but it was not without controversy as Sask Party members called on her to resign her seat and run in a byelection.

Funding for the film/TV sector

The 2022-23 provincial budget had a pleasant surprise for those in the film, TV and digital industries. It was announced the Creative Saskatchewan production grant was being boosted up from $2 million to $10 million, providing a boost for film and television projects in the province. Among the major projects announced in 2022 was the action series King of Killers which was due to start shooting at the Regina John Hopkins soundstage in the fall.

Balanced budget

While the spring budget forecast a deficit, strong resource revenues - prompted in large measure by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine - led to a forecast of a $1.04 billion surplus for 2022-23.

It was announced during Finance Minister Donna Harpauer’s first quarter fiscal update.

$500 cheques

During that fiscal update, it was announced affordability relief was coming to the province’s residents in the form of $500 Saskatchewan Affordability Tax Credit cheques to all those over the age of 18. The province began mailing out those cheques in November and those are now all in the mail, except for those late filers who will receive their cheques later.

Harpauer’s charter to North Battleford

It was not all good news for the finance minister in 2022. Shortly after the spring budget, Harpauer landed in hot water over an almost-$8000 charter flight to North Battleford for a post budget luncheon appearance with the Chamber of Commerce. Harpauer later defended taking the charter flight by saying she would not drive when she was exhausted.

Health care challenges

A major issue at the legislature in 2022 where are the healthcare disruptions seen in communities like Assiniboia, Kamsack, North Battleford and Meadow Lake. Issues ranged from doctor and nurse shortages to bed and ER closures.

In September, Health Minister Paul Merriman announced the province’s four point action plan to recruit, train, incentivize and retain health care personnel.

The plan was to invest $60 million over the coming years to add upwards of 1,000 healthcare workers, although a provincial

auditor’s report released later that year indicated that 2,200 health professions were needed.

White Paper and Sask First Act

One of the major announcements from Premier Scott Moe in 2022 happened in North Battleford in October with the release of the government’s white paper “Drawing the Line,” which outlines how the province plans to respond to federal intrusions into the provinces jurisdiction. In that paper numbers were released which estimated federal policies would cost Saskatchewan $111 billion — a figure disputed by some economists.

That was followed at the start of the new session of the Legislature by the introduction of Bill 88 - the Saskatchewan First Act, which outlined the province’s autonomy and exclusive jurisdiction over natural resources. The legislation drew fire some critics such as the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations who claimed it would infringe on their treaty rights.

Cabinet shuffle

The Saskatchewan First Act was introduced by the new Minister of Justice and Attorney General Bronwyn Eyre, one of the

most prominent names involved in a cabinet shuffle by Premier Moe in the spring of 2022.

Some other names in that shuffle included Jim Reiter taking over from Eyre as Energy Minister, Gord Wyant to Advanced Education, Jeremy Cockrill promoted to Highways, Dana Skoropad to Environment, Gene Makowsky to Social Services and Lori Carr to SaskBuilds and the SLGA.

Colin Thatcher at the Leg

The opening of the new fall session of the legislature proved exceptionally controversial in 2022, not least of which because of a controversial invite to the Speech from the Throne.

Convicted murderer Colin Thatcher was there at the invitation of MLA Lyle Stewart. The furore that resulted from Thatcher’s appearance, prompted an apology from Premier Moe and the stripping of Stewart’s duties as Legislative Secretary to the Premier.

Controversy over Qualified Independent Schools

Another furore at the legislature erupted over provincial funding to qualified independent schools, in the wake of an abuse scandal and lawsuit

involving Legacy Christian Academy. Opposition critic Matt Love roasted the government in Question Period over a biology textbook from the school, that claimed that humans walked alongside dinosaurs. However, Education Minister Dustin Duncan insisted the schools were expected to follow the provincial curriculum.

New marshals service

Another of a major stories from the fall sitting was the focus on lawenforcement measures, including formation of the Saskatchewan Marshals Service. The plan is for the service to be fully operational by 2026 and consist of 70 officers based out of Prince Albert, who will be available to provide support for the RCMP and municipal police forces across Saskatchewan.

SLGA selling off last liquor stores

Finally, 2022 saw the announcement in the Throne Speech that the province would be digesting its final 34 SLGA stores, putting those licenses up for private bid. That process is expected to happen in early 2023. In the meantime, 2022 ended with big clearance sales happening of products at the remaining SLGA liquor stores.

Winter Camping

Campers are reminded that campsites, including Camp-Easy sites, can be reserved online at Buffalo Pound, Cypress Hills, Duck Mountain, Echo Valley and Pike Lake Provincial Parks until March 15. Camp-Easy sites are $80 and can also be booked ahead of time online. To book or to purchase a park entry permit visit: parks.saskatchewan.ca.

Ryan Domotor, MLA for Cut Knife-Turtleford domotor.mla@sasktel.net 306-893-2619

Festival Fanfare

Hon. Jeremy Cockrill, MLA for The Battlefords office@jeremycockrill.ca 306-445-5195

Hon. Scott Moe, Premier, MLA for Rosthern-Shellbrook scottmoe.mla@sasktel.net 306-747-3422

Deadline for music festival entries is Jan. 14

By Kelly Waters Battlefords Kiwanis Music Festival

The deadline for entries in the 2023 Battlefords Kiwanis Music Festival is quickly approaching. Entries are to be submitted by Saturday, Jan. 14. Entry forms can be found online by searching “Battlefords Kiwanis Music Festival” and clicking on the “music festival suite” link.

The syllabus and festival “rules and regulations” can be found online on the Saskatchewan Music Festival Association (SMFA) website. Note that there are now a variety of non-competitive classes for those who seek the educational aspect and experience of performing for an expert adjudicator without partic-

Art Notes

ipating in the competitive aspect. Additionally, there is the option to participate in classes that include workshopping in each area of musical discipline.

The areas of musical discipline for the festival include vocal singing, musical theatre, spoken word, choral, piano, organ, guitar, strings, woodwind instrument, brass instrument, percussion and band ensemble. Expanding inclusivity for styles of music, there are now “World Music” classes on an instrument of choice that may include popular forms of non-European classical (Chinese guzheng, Indian raga, Tibetan chant), Eastern European folk (Balkan, Bulgarian), Nordic folk, Latin, and Indonesian. In non-competitive classes,

no mark is assigned.

The 2023 festival is scheduled to run from March 13 to 25. This annual local festival provides an a venue for music students to showcase their talent and access feedback from top-quality guest adjudicators who are experts in their field. It’s an event filled with inspiration and celebration for young musicians in our area. Festival entry fees are solo $15, duet/trio/small ensemble $15 and band/choir/large ensemble $30. The late registration fee is $25 per participant; see the online entry forms for more details.

To be eligible for an award or scholarship, a participant must be 19 years of age or younger, have lived in or studied

in the Battlefords and district for a minimum of six months prior to the festival, or be furthering their education elsewhere but still supported by parents living in the Battlefords and district. Other students are welcome for adjudication and recommendation to the provincial and national level competitions.

The online entry system, MusicFestivalSuite. com, or MFS, software allows committee volunteers to maximize their efforts in scheduling and planning the festival while keeping personal information exceptionally secure. As MFS requires users to create a profile, it also gives teachers, parents, accompanists and students the ability to interact with their registrations long af-

ter they’ve been submitted. Paying for all registrations at once is possible through PayPal, whether you have an account with them or not. All aspects of the information can be accessed from any device with internet connectivity, whether it is a computer or mobile phone. The teacher and student profiles you set last year are saved in the MFS system. If you need to refresh your memory about how to use the website, you can go to www.musicfestivalsuite.com, where you can peruse the festival participants section for how to use the software.

Volunteers are always needed and welcome. If you have an interest in volunteering, there are tasks ranging from small to more involved. There are

also numerous opportunities to support the festival in way of sponsorship and awards if you or your business are interested. Please don’t hesitate to reach out and see where your time, skills or resources might be of most help. Correspondence can be directed by email to the committee secretary Chinley Hinacay at chinleyhinacay@nbckband.com or to Box 1301, North Battleford, S9A 3L8.

“Rock n’ roll came from the slaves singing gospel in the fields. Their lives were hell and they used music to lift out of it, to take them away. That’s what rock n’ roll should do — take you to a better place. We carry the flame for all to see, the fire and passion of what we can be.” – Meatloaf (1968 – 2021)

Dabbling in AI art doesn’t replace a paintbrush

By Faye Erickson Battlefords Art Club

Hope everyone had a peaceful holiday and wishing everyone the best in the new year.

Since it is the new year, I am pondering the future of art. With all of the technological advances in the digital world, where are we going? Several colleagues in the local art world have been dabbling with AI (artificial intelligence) art. We all know about filters and photo enhancements. A fellow art club member uses a drawing pen on her tablet and can create/enhance her image. You can download programs on your computers that will ask you to type in what type of art you want to create. The computer will search and gather images from digital land for you to

choose. You can choose to have the computer genie to put paint brush strokes on it. I even tried this, I chose space as my topic and paint brush strokes. I attached the image for you. It was rudimentary in the AI world, but you can see the possibilities.

I am sure there will be a next level of A1 coming in the future. There are copyright issues surrounding this when people claim it as their art. It has to be unique to the creator, demonstrate scarcity and have some sort of indivisibility.

I do not understand all the complexities of this. This can make selling AI art tricky to say the least.

I then asked myself, is my paint brush obsolete? The Van Gogh show featured his art work unaltered but on a spectacular digital format. It was like

standing in the middle of his moving paintings. It was like a marrying of art history with modern technology, I think I will keep my paint brush for a while!

Below is Finlayson Island by Faye Erickson. At right, an example of AI art by Faye Erickson. | Photos submitted

Author Miguel A. Fenrich launching paranormal horror novel

SASKTODAY.ca

According to a Supernova Press media release, local author Miguel A. Fenrich is anticipating the release of his second novel, What Lies in the Valley, on Friday, Jan. 13.

Supernova Press and the North Battleford Public Library are hosting a free, public book launch for the novel on Jan. Friday 13, in the auditorium of the library at 5 p.m., with refreshments to be served.

The description of the novel from the press release reads, “In the isolation of the Foxtail Valley sits the ancestral home of the McMillian family. Dust floats in the hallways, and wind cannot sway it. The windows

twinkle on cloudy days, the foundation doesn’t crack, and nothing can seemingly force the house to follow the laws of nature. Whispers say a tall shadowy man stands in the attic, and only a high-pitched ringing can be heard when he speaks.

“Klara’s grandparents burned alive on Christmas eve. Her father vanished with their fortune and his mistress. A shadowed, child-stealing creature, the Watcher, stole Klara’s youngest brother. Klara’s family, plagued by misfortune and horror, flee to Canada, where their house in the Foxtail Valley waits for them.”

Following on the heels of his first novel, Blue, which pictured a dystopian

world where people with blue eyes are discriminated against, W hat Lies in the Valley is a psychological paranormal horror novel set in the late-1920s and chronicles Klara’s battle for survival against the forces that torment her family, testing the limits of the human mind.

Miguel A. Fenrich is a Saskatchewan novelist, business owner, and reporter. He is currently serving on the boards of SaskBooks and the Saskatchewan Writer’s Guild.

His publishing company, Supernova Press, is Saskatchewan’s newest fiction genre publishing company, which is based out of the Battlefords. The company is expecting to publish two novels in 2023 and

is anticipating the upcoming launch of What Lies in the Valley.

For more information,

visit Supernova Press’s Facebook page at www. facebook.com/supernovapress

Miguel A. Fenrich

Famed Turtle Lake Monster legend is turning 100 – at least – in 2023

Dear Editor

Over the past year or two I’ve been doing some research on the Turtle Lake Monster (North of Glaslyn / Livelong.

According to my research, the earliest “recorded” encounter with the Turtle Lake Monster occurred in 1923. (See John Kirk’s book “In the Domain of the Lake Monsters - The Search for Denizens of the Deep,” page 195). First Nations oral tradition may predate this encounter but this puts the legend of the Turtle Lake Monster at 100 years of age (at least) in 2023.

As youth, my brother Dave and I were graced with a sighting of the TLM in early August of 1985 in the bay of Kopp’s Cove. It has thus been a fascination of mine ever since. We were out in a Sportspal canoe with a four horsepower engine, and we saw what we thought was half a telephone or power pole bobbing gently out in the bay. The water was absolutely calm and still that particular evening (quite a rarity on this sizable lake). We had a rope and an engine, so we thought we’d go and tow the log out of harm’s way

for fellow boaters. As we approached the object, we realized it wasn’t a log but rather a smooth dark fish-like creature, perhaps seven to 10 feet in length. It was lounging quietly, not particularly moving much. Dave remembers seeing a dorsal fin.

Having heard the TLM legend for many years as kids, Dave and I knew exactly what it was and rather than waiting to see what the creature did next, we raced back to shore to tell our parents and yank them down to the beach.

They were up at the cabin making supper. By the time we returned with parents in tow, the creature was gone.

The prevailing theory is that the TLM is (or was) a river sturgeon (or perhaps a group of up to three sturgeon); and this lines up nicely with what we saw. Additionally, the Turtle River drains into the North Saskatchewan River, so sturgeon in the lake isn’t really a stretch. River sturgeon can live 100 years or more, which lines up nicely with the sightings we have

on record. With that said however, other personal encounters with the creature describe its morphology in several forms. Until someone pulls concrete evidence out of the lake, this creature must therefore be considered a cryptid — a creature as of yet unclassified by science — which is what makes this such an interesting topic to discuss and research.

Many newspaper articles have been published on the TLM over the years (I have located about 30 so far), with the pinnacle of writing seeming to be in the late 1970s to mid ‘80s. Since then, whether due to audience fragmentation or fewer or no new sightings, stories have subsided somewhat.

As I age, I realize we need to make sure the stories of our provincial monster are kept alive for future generations. I started collecting books, stories and newspaper articles on the TLM as a hobby. If anyone has family stories to share, I’’d love to hear them. I have a Facebook page/interest group dedicated to the monster and I can be reached there.

Additionally, for anyone interested, an article was recently published on our experience in Prairies North Magazine (summer 2022 edition), and another article printed in Folklore Magazine (fall 2022 edition) published by Sask History and Folklore Society.

North Battleford:

Battleford:

British Columbia has Ogopogo, Saskatchewan has the Turtle Lake Monster. Let’s make an effort to keep our monster legend alive for future generations. It’s part of our provincial heritage and can easily be lost to time. Not only does it make great campfire chatter, but it’s just plain good for Saskatchewan tourism as an added bonus. Let’s make sure we don’t lose our Saskatchewan monster to time.

Rob Grosse Saskatoon,

Sask.

Ensuring the legend lives on; Sharing family history and the story of the TLM with my son and daughters in 2020. | Photo submitted

Turtle Lake is well-known for its monster. | Photo submitted

Rob and his brother Dave, fort building at Turtle Lake | Photo submitted

COMBRES: It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Lyle B. Combres on November 20th, 2022 in Sylvan Lake Alta. Formerly of North Battleford Sask. He will be greatly missed by his family and friends.

BURGESS: Dorothy Lillian Burgess was born January 15, 1935, the oldest of three daughters born to Ernest and Liela Burgess. They lived in the Daysville area. Their neighbours were the Bert Burgess, Jim Conacher and Ivan Sandwick Families. There were Sunday visits to Uncle Bert and Aunt Cora’s farm where they would play ball and have homemade ice cream. Sometimes the kids would take tobacco from Bert’s can and roll smokes, Dorothy’s dad caught her and gave her a good spanking. Growing up on the farm there were many chores to do but there was also a lot of fun. In the wintertime her dad would take the box off the sleigh and she would lie on the runners and chase the horse over the snow ridges, making the sleigh fly up over the ridges. Her mom would fancy up the house, the floor in the house was rubber roofing so she would paint it and then took half a potato, dabbed it in paint and dotted it on the floor. Dorothy attended Daysville School. These were great times also, playing ball and attending the school picnics. When Dorothy was 15, she started work during the summers for the John Erickson family; $40 per month and every second weekend off. In 1950 the family moved into Mervin and she finished her schooling there. Her teacher was Mr. Jack Funk. . Dorothy devoted her life to serving Jehovah, on July 17, 1948 she was baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Her mom would take her three girls by horse and buggy and go to either the Helen and Adolf Bruggen Cate’s or Bill and Nellie DeStraker’s for the meetings because there was no Kingdom Hall near them. She was very happy when the Kingdom Hall was built in Mervin a very short distance from her house on land donated by her father. Dorothy was the happiest when she was talking to people about God’s Kingdom. On July 16, 1953 Dorothy married Alex Gory from the St. Walburg area. He had come to work for her dad a couple years prior. Together they built a loving home and family of five children. In the summertime the family would make trips to Brightsand Lake for a day on the beach or load up the boat and head off to Steel Narrows or Loon Lake fishing. For a time, mom had a milk cow and also raised New Zealand white rabbits. We would go and cut the hay in the ditches along the highway for feed. Mom always had a large garden, putting away vegetables that we enjoyed all winter long. One day Dad came home with a huge glass greenhouse, this was really great, no more putting the plastic on in the spring and taking it off in the fall. Dad and mom set up part of it and so began the many abundant tomato and cucumber crops that were shared with family and friends. In early 2016 Dorothy became a resident of the Long-Term Care Facility at the Riverside Health Complex, where she resided until her passing on December 19th, 2022 Dorothy is predeceased by: her husband, Alex; her parents Ernest and Liela Burgess, her sister and brother-in-law Irene and Alex McCullough, her daughter-in-law Donna; her aunts, Mildred Emil and Harriet Huggins, her uncle Russell Hansen. Her mother and father-inlaw, Florence and Valentine Gory. Dorothy is survived by her children: RoseMarie (Russell) Cook; Clinton Gory; Darrel (Rose Lynn) Gory, Lillian (Mervin) McGowan, Barry (Wendy) Gory. Grandchildren: Desiree Gory, Jillian (Travis) Sharko, Alysha (Jordy) Molella; Spenser (Kristen) McGowan, Curtis (Amanda) McGowan; and her great-grandchildren, Dominic Simon, Oliver and Eberlee Sharko, Aiden and Zoey McGowan, Emma and Jax McGowan. Her sister Helen (Jim) Bowbyes. Her sister-in-law Mary Koenders. Her brothers-in-law, Tom (Marie) Gory, and Joseph (Agnes) Gory, and numerous nieces and nephews. The Memorial Service for Dorothy was held on Saturday, December 24, 2022, at 2:00 p.m. with Mr. Bryce Smith leading the service. Leif Johnson and Shane Messal were the ushers. Inurnment in the Mervin Cemetery took place prior to the service.

CARD OF THANKS

We wish to express our appreciation to all sharing in our loss today. Your prayers, deeds of kindness, and attendance at the service are all greatly appreciated and will always be remembered. ~The Gory Family~

WICKSTRAND:

Ms. Jeannette Wickstrand passed away peacefully Wednesday, December 14, 2022 at the age of 85 years. A Celebration of Jeannette’s life was held on Thursday, December 29, 2022 at the Garden Chapel – 1332 100st North Battleford, SK with Reverend Jo-Ann Hills as celebrant. Left to cherish Jeannette’s memory are her sons and their families: Blair (Debbie) – Jonathan & Tereasa; Gordon (Lisa) –Meghan & Kaitlin; Merle (Shona) – Zackari; brother, Louis Lawrence Beatch (Lucie); many other nieces & nephews. She was predeceased by her husband, Leonard Curtis Wickstrand; brothers & sisters: Elmer Robert Beatch (survived by his wife, Susan), Henry Joseph Beatch, Claire Marcelle Haubrich & Julie Louis Nijman; parents: Louis Edward Beatch & Albertine Mary Beatch. Memorial donations in memory of Jeannette may be made to the Battlefords Union Hospital Foundation - Po Box 1358 North Battleford, SK S9A 3L8. Funeral Arrangements have been entrusted to Eternal Memories Funeral Service and Crematorium – Vanessa Macnab Funeral Director.

WEBER: Mr. Dennis Weber beloved husband of Mrs. Debbie Miller of North Battleford, SK passed away at the Battlefords Union Hospital on Wednesday, December 28, 2022 at the age of 73 years. A Celebration of Life Service for Dennis will be held Thursday, January 5, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. at the Dekker Centre – 1 -623 Carlton Trail, North Battleford, SK. Dennis was born in Meadow Lake, SK. He was the youngest of 7 born to Alphonse and Susan. As a toddler, Dennis was an early riser and would escape the house to visit the neighbours for breakfast. Susan eventually tied him up so he would stay put. Greig Lake and the Weber cabin held a special place in his heart. When Dennis was 19, the Meadow Lake School Division hired him to teach middle years math and science. Susan was a teacher in the division and the directors felt she could supervise him. The gig lasted one year. Not sure who fared the worst; Susan, Dennis or the students. Dennis worked with Public Works Canada in the Northwest Territories and various National Parks in western provinces. In 1977 he received a diploma in Civil Engineering Technology from NAIT. In 1978 he married Debbie Miller. Their daughters, Kali and Shea, were born in Canmore, AB. In 1990 the family moved to North Battleford where Dennis was employed by Ducks Unlimited. Dennis was working in Fort McMurray when he retired in 2015. The men in the Weber family were avid golfers. They played the Lambs Navy tournament when they got together, and the stories they told were legendary! Dennis and his girls spent many weekends skiing at Table Mountain. He was a member of the Kinsmen and K40 clubs. Since 2012, Dennis and Debbie have spent their summers at their camper in Stoney Creek Campground near Turtle Lake. He was the Pontoon Captain and loved to take the boat on the lake with his fishing buddies Gary, Randy and Brent. The friendships formed meant the world to him, as did 11 am happy hour, 3 pm happy hour and 5 pm happy hour. ‘Is it happy hour yet?’ Dennis looked forward to vacations in Mexico with the Davis family. The sun, sand, sea and great food plus the laidback lifestyle were right up his alley. Dennis loved animals. Spike, Sneaky, Clyde Monster, KT, QT, Ripper, Tica, Ralphie, Gingie, Squishy and Marcus experienced that love. Everyone who knew Dennis came to enjoy his grumpy humour. Dennis will be dearly missed by his loving family: his wife of 44 years, Debbie; their children: Kali and Shea (Mike Wharton); sister, Laureen Hanson; brothers: Peter Weber (Francis), Norman Weber (Nicole) and Dave Weber (Mildred); brother-in-law, Stu Miller (Annette); sister-in-law, Karol Miller (Bill Steele). He was predeceased by his father, Alphonse Weber; mother, Susan Weber; sisters: Louise Rivard, Connie Arcand; brother-in-law, Ole Hansen; father-in-law, Lyle Miller; mother-in-law, Kristie Miller. Memorial donations in memory of Mr. Dennis Weber can be directed to the Battlefords Humane Society Po Box 645 North Battleford, SK S9A 2Y7 We will be inviting people to share memories of Dennis during the celebration of his life. If you want to share a memory of Dennis and would rather not read it at the celebration, please email your message to kali.r.weber@gmail.com Condolences for the family can be made at www.eternalmemoriesfuneral.ca Arrangements have been entrusted to Eternal Memories Funeral Service & Crematorium – Elle Dell Funeral Director.

FRIEDRICH: Itiswithgreat sadnessthefamilyannounces thepassingofHelgaErna FriedrichonMonday,December 19,2022,attheageof79,in Penticton,BC.ACelebrationof Lifewillbeheldinthespringof 2023inPenticton,BC,followed byanintermentattheNorth BattlefordCemeteryatalater date.

Hermemorywillbeforever cherishedbyhersurviving childrenandspouses,Heidi (Terry)WildofPenticton,BC, ErikaFriedrichofKelowna,BC, Andy(Janey)FriedrichofNorth Battleford,SKandMarty(Angie) FriedrichofBattleford,SK;herfivegrandchildren,RossMcGibbon (TaylorPeterson)ofQuesnel,BC,RodMcGibbonofQuesnel,BC, Hayden(Jesse)FriedrichofNorthBattleford,SK,ColtonFriedrich ofKelowna,BC,andColbyFriedrichofBattleford,SK;hergreatgrandaughterAinsleyMcGibbon;andherbelovedcousinHolgar (Peggy)MauschofSaskatoon,SK.

Helgawaspredeceasedbyherlovinghusband,Hermann Friedrich(1990);parentsHerta(Ernst)Kinner(2001)andGerhard F.Ernst(1971);brotherHaroldErnst(1977);andgranddaughter MeganFriedrich(2017).

HelgawasborninHamburg,Germany,in1943and,attheageof 12,movedtoNorthBattleford,SK,whereshemettheloveofher life,Hermann.HelgaworkedattheCityofNorthBattlefordinthe utilitydepartmentandthenattheNorthBattlefordFireDepartment untilsheretiredandsettledinPenticton,BC,in1994,whereshe liveduntilherpassing.

Helgahadmanylovesinherlifeespeciallystartingwithherpets, gardening,cooking,andGermanmusic,butnothingcamecloseto theloveshehadforallthepeopleinherlife.Sheespeciallyhad thissparkleinhereyewhentalkingabouthergrandchildrenRoss, Rod,Hayden,Megan,ColtonandColby.

Averyspecialthankyougoesouttoallofherfriendsand neighboursintheRedWingdevelopmentwhereshelived.

WILSON: Wilson, James (Jim) December 17, 1929November 1, 2022 Jim Wilson passed away at River Heights Lodge in North Battleford, Sk. on November 1, 2022. He is sadly missed by his niece Kristina Weir and great nephews Jake and Jim of North Battleford, as well as various nieces, nephews and cousins in Scotland and Australia. Jim was predeceased by his beloved wife Donna as well as their respective parents and siblings. Jim was born in Motherwell, Scotland then emigrated to Canada in 1958, settling in Toronto. He married Donna Muirhead in 1961 and they relocated to Saskatoon, where they would spend most of their married life. Jim went back to school and eventually became an archeologist with the Saskatchewan Research Council and Donna worked as a lab technician at the University of Saskatchewan. They loved to read, cook, garden, travel and meet new people. They were unable to have children so they often “adopted” students, friends and acquaintances from other provinces and countries! They also loved dogs and had two Cairn Terriers over the course of their marriage; dog walking was an important daily ritual! They looked after Donna’s parents and helped out elderly friends and neighbours as well. Jim and Donna both took early retirement in the late 1980’s and moved to Parksville, Vancouver Island, where they lived for approximately 9 years. When Donna was diagnosed with dementia they returned to Saskatoon and she passed away in 2005 at Sunnyside Adventist Care Home. After a few years Jim moved to Biggar to help care for his youngest sister, who’d been diagnosed with a terminal illness. Just as he had been with his wife, Jim was a kind and dedicated caregiver, allowing Ina to spend her last years at home. When Ina died in 2013, Jim stayed in Biggar. When his own health started to decline a few years later, he relocated to North Battleford to be near his remaining Canadian family. Jim was a wonderful son, brother, husband, uncle, friend, neighbour and employee. He loved his life in Canada and the opportunities that it opened up for him and of course he loved Donna and the life they built together. The family are extremely grateful to all of the medical staff and caregivers who provided care to Jim over the years, in Saskatoon, Biggar and the Battlefords, especially through the pandemic! Special thanks to Battlefords Home Care, River Heights Lodge and Pat Ford. Funeral Service will be held Saturday, January 7, 2023 at 3:00 p.m. at the Edwards Family Centre in Saskatoon, SK. Interment will be held at a later date. Memorial donations in memory of Mr. James Wilson can be directed to the Alzheimer’s Society or the CNIB – Guide Dog Program. Condolences for the family can be made at www.eternalmemoriesfuneral.ca Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Eternal Memories Funeral Service & Crematorium – Vanessa Macnab Funeral Director.

Local authority speaking.

North Battleford Library Lecture Theatre, January 26, 2023 6-9pm. Bring pen and paper for notes. Free admission. Come early to get a good seat.

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.

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UZELMAN: Dean Alexander Uzelman, passed away at

Health Complex,

Saskatchewan, December 28, 2022, at the age of 72 years. Dean is survived by: his loving wife, Glennys Uzelman; three children, Dione (Jeff) Kardynal, Dara (Kurtis) Uzelman-Muench and Stephen (Tammy) Uzelman; grandchildren, Kaden, Maryska, Tye, Victoria, Brooks and Zoe; siblings: Mel, Bob, Pete and Eileen; numerous nieces and nephews; and his Goodsoil family, Ken, Karen, Alice and Kelly. Dean is predeceased by: his parents, John and Helen Uzelman; brothers, Elmer and John; his in-laws Les and Mary Stephenson; John and Erica Gurski. Dean worked hard and played hard. Most precious to him were his wife, children and grandchildren. He loved family and friend time at the lake; boating, fishing and quadding, camping and winter ski trips. He was a great storyteller around a fire! In retirement, he loved his Arizona home, as well as the many new friendships he made on the pickleball courts in both AZ and at Livelong. He and Glennys made many memories traveling far and wide. He started his work life with the Sask. Wheat Pool and later moved to Oil and Gas Operations – working with Petro Canada (Macklin). Dean finished his career consulting in the Lloydminster, Edam area, retiring in 2013 and making Turtle Lake their permanent home. Dean met cancer head on, and fought so hard, but this was one battle he couldn’t succeed at. Thankfully, Dean’s family was there with him, and able to spend precious time with him throughout this journey. The family sincerely thanks everyone for the ongoing prayers and support over these past months. Special thanks to the healthcare teams, especially Turtleford Home Care and Riverside Health Complex staff. The compassionate care in our rural areas is to be commended! A Celebration of Life in memory of Dean will be held on May 27th, 2023 at Turtle Lake. Donations in memory of Dean may be made to Saskatchewan Cancer Foundation, Canadian Cancer Agency Research in Sarcoma and Lymphoma, Riverside Health Complex – Palliative Care, or Turtleford Home Care.

TUCK: Annie Leona passed away peacefully at 3:00 a.m. December 15, 2022 at the Battleford’s Union Hospital in the presence of her loving family. Annie was born in the Hillside Community to parents Bill and Nettie Dirksen in August of 1935 and spent much of the rest of her life on the farm in that community after marrying her husband of 72 years, Jim Tuck (deceased March 19, 2022). After retirement Jim and Annie moved to North Battleford. Their immediate extended family includes: Leona Kraft (Keith), Thelma Cey (George), Clifford Tuck (Josie), Jerry Tuck (Connie) and niece Amber Chmelnyk (Terry). Extended family includes eleven grand children, twenty five great-grand children and three great-great grandchildren. Annie is survived by her two loving sisters, Lorene Jacobson and Chris Omelchenko, sisters-in-law Ruth Dirksen and Willa Reinhart. She was predeceased by her only brother, Everett Dirksen. Annie’s immediate family will come together to celebrate her life. Condolences for the family can be left at www.eternalmemoriesfuneral.ca. Arrangements have been entrusted to Vanessa Macnab of Eternal Memories Funeral Service & Crematorium.

Card of Thanks

Our family will be eternally grateful for the wonderful, heartfelt and professional care and comfort our mom received in her final days from the doctors, nurses, aides and staff of the 3rd Floor Medical Unit at the Battlefords Union Hospital. Their service went well beyond our expectations and we want to thank them for the very special caring attention our mom received. In lieu of flowers the family request that a donation be made in Annie’s name, to the Battlefords Union Hospital 3rd Floor Medical and Palliative Care Unit in recognition of the excellent care she received while hospitalized for her final days with us.

WANTED: SASQUATCH SKULL!

Also BUYING ENTIRE COIN COLLECTIONS & old money! BUYING large quantities of SILVER. 999+ bullion, ALL sizes, ALL brands, bars, rounds, ingots, coins, sterling, silverware, pre-1968 coins +. BUYING ALL GOLD & SILVER coins, bars, unwanted jewelry, nuggets, dust, scrap +++

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SEARCHING FOR A GENTLEMAN BY THE NAME OF FLOYD “CURLY” GRAD.IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING HE SPENT A GOOD PORTION OF HIS LIFE WORKING IN THE AUTOBODY BUSINESS IN NORTH BATTLEFORD. IF THERE ARE ANY FRIENDS OR RELATIVES OF CURLY WHO CAN SHARE ANY INFORMATION THEN PLEASE CONTACT BRENT AT 403-816-4416 OR EMAIL bnmatheson@shaw.ca

Notice to Creditors

IN THE ESTATE OF JUHL SKJERRIS, THE ESTATE OF ROBERT SKJERRIS AND SKJERRIS INVESTMENTS LTD., LATE OF NORTH BATTLEFORD, SASKATCHEWAN, DECEASED

All claims against the above estates verified by statutory declaration and with particulars and valuation of security held, if any, must be sent to the Public Guardian and Trustee of Saskatchewan before the 5th day of February, 2023.

PUBLIC GUARDIAN AND TRUSTEE OF SASKATCHEWAN #100-1871 Smith Street REGINA SK S4P 4W4 ATTENTION: Karen Hanson Trust Officer

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NOTICE OF ADVANCE POLL

[Section 83 of the Act.]

Public notice is hereby given that an advanced poll has been granted for the election of:

Councillor Village of Speers and that voting will take place on Tuesday the 10th day of January, 2023 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the polling place listed below.

Polling Place: Village of Speers Office at Speers, Sask.

Dated at Speers, 5th day of January, 2023.

Madison Jackson, Returning Officer.

NOTICE OF POLL

[Section 83 of the Act.]

Public notice is hereby given that a poll has been granted for the election of:

Councillor Village of Speers and that voting will take place on Wednesday the 18th day of January, 2023 from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the polling place listed below, and that I will, at the Village of Speers office on the 19th day of January, 2023 at the hour of 10:00 a.m., declare the result of the election Polling Place: Village of Speers Office at Speers, Sask.

Dated at Speers, 5th day of January, 2023.

Madison Jackson, Returning Officer.

Riverside

Turtleford,

JANUARY at The Club

2023 is here and we are so excited for what’s in store for us this year! Last year was an amazingly fulfilling year for the Club and we hope it was too for all our members and their families. We are so excited to be starting the year with some exciting reminders of our upcoming programs and events happening this first month of 2023!

2023 Membership forms are now available at our office and online through www. bcgbattlefords.ca! Make sure to sign your kids up, all our special programs and events are FREE for ALL MEMBERS. To know more, visit our website.

EXCITING NEWS: We are so honored that we are nominated for the 2023 BOB Awards. You can find us in the Arts & Entertainment category under “Best Local Charity” and in the Local Goodness category under “Best Community Club/Organization”. We are encouraging everyone to vote on all the categories for this year’s BOB Awards. We are thankful for all of you who have voted for us. Please do vote for your favorite local businesses and let’s all show our support to each other as we enter this new year!

What’s Happening in January:

- January 3rd – 6th – First week of the year and we are back open for 4 non-school days! Programming runs at our Main Site from 7:30am to 5:30pm. Breakfast, lunch and an afternoon snack are provided at NO EXTRA COST! For more information, check out our website: www.bgcbattlefords.ca

- January 8th – Our Hockey Program begins with Coach Noel Kingwell at the Don Ross Arena. This program is FREE of charge to our members, registrations are full and closed. We can’t wait to see our hockey players each week on Sundays!

- January 18th & 25th – 2BBoys Program continues in partnership with Battlefords and Area Sexual Assault Centre. This is a registration-based program, free for all identifying male pre-teen and teen members. This is hosted at our Main Site.

- January 25th – Early Dismissal Day. All programming starts after class dismissal.

- January 30th – Non-School Day. Just a reminder that BGC Battlefords is open during non-school days at our Main Site from 7:30am – 5:30pm. Check out our website or Facebook page for more information and announcements: www.bgcbattlefords.ca

- DROP-IN PROGRAM: Become a member now! For all kids ages 5 to 14 years of age, operating Monday to Friday from class dismissal-8:30pm and Saturdays from 1:00pm-4:00pm. Nutritious snacks, supper and evening snacks are included at no extra charge. Visit our website (www.bgcbattlefords.ca) to register!

 Innovation Credit Union Saturday Program is every Saturday and will be running throughout this month. ICU Saturday Program is from 1:00-4:00pm (a hearty snack is provided). Membership forms can be found on our website at www.bgcbattlefords.ca. Can’t attend in person? Don’t forget to stop by the Club to pick up your ICU Saturday Program @ Home kit!

 Memberships are only $5, and this ensures that you have access to our Dropin Program and all Special Programs! Remember, Special Programs are FREE OF CHARGE for our members.

- Satellite Site Before & After School Programs are open Monday to Friday (excluding STAT Holidays). Available at Bready, EMBM (Before & After School Programs) and Holy Family Schools (After School Program) on school days. These programs are registration-based, fee-for-service. For more information, head on over to www.bgcbattlefords.ca

- Special Programs have started and are running throughout this school year!  2BBoys and Hockey Program – These program runs through January.

- For more information on our Special Programs, here’s our Special Programs page link: www.bgcbattlefords.ca/our-programs/special-programs/  Make sure to follow us on our social media platforms for special announcements for our Special Programs!

- Do you have extra recyclables that need to go to Sarcan but do not want to stand in line? Consider donating your recyclables to BGC Battlefords. We have registered for Drop and GO service. Just enter our phone number (3064450002) and follow the directions to get your tags. It is quick and easy and goes to a great cause!

- As a reminder, our school year hours of operation are as follows:

o Office: Monday to Friday, 8:30am – 3:30pm

o Before School Programs: 7:30am – 8:30am (Bready & EMBM)

o After School Programs: Class dismissal – 5:30pm (Bready, EMBM & Holy Family)

o Drop-in Program (Main Site): Monday to Friday, class dismissal – 8:30pm and Saturdays, 1:00pm – 4:00pm

- Continue to watch our Facebook page (BGCBattlefords), Instagram @bgcbattlefords and website (www.bgcbattlefords.ca) for more updates.

Minor Hockey Day Jan. 21.

By Kathy Utri Correspondent

The Dec. 22 Regional News-Optimist never did arrive and unfortunately some newsworthy information was not delivered to our readers. There was a write-up covering Ratushniak “A Hollywood Christmas” concert with thank yous, Grace Church Christmas pageant with picture, Maidstone Museum lights and nativity scene display with thank you, information on Talance Kalmakoff fundraising, a wide variety of sports-related information provided by Kristin Becotte, as well as information on several upcoming events which are now over. There was a second writeup with pictures covering the local Canada Winter Games skiing team of which Talance Kalmakoff is a member.

FARM SERVICES

I was disappointed. I went online and the articles were published – our community just didn’t get to read them in the paper. In communication with newspaper staff, I was informed their regular delivery person is away until Jan. 16 and the temporary relief didn’t get the paper to us. They apologize and thank us for our patience. If any readers are interested in seeing what was published, I have the two pertinent articles and will gladly get them to you (by email or in person). Give me a call at 306-893-2799.

We were saddened to hear Bob Huxley passed away at home in Lloydminster Dec. 17 at the age of 65.

Condolences are extended to his son, Austin Huxley, siblings Dorinda (Bill) Fitzsimonds, Joanne Kissick, Marilyn (Don) Ferguson and Larry Huxley, and to other family and friends. A graveside service will be held at a later date.

School starts again Thursday, Jan. 5. Snowbanks are high, roads are slippery, and although they are cautioned to not play by the road, we all know “kids will be kids.” Drivers, please take it slow and watch carefully for children walking or playing at the side of the road.

Maidstone Youth Group is a fun, safe place for teens Grade 7 and older. They meet every Monday evening (except when there is no school). Melanie and Alex Pompu of Grace Community Church are

the leaders. They do a fun activity every week from sports to games to baking without recipes and many other events.

Last week I mentioned the Maidstone Ice Arena “Canadian Trip of the Month” fundraiser with tickets available from any board member. Thank you to Leanne for supplying names: Bailey Mosimann, Blair Ryan, Dave Speirs, Dawn Kinchen, Leanne Doud, Lisa Gerlinsky, Sam Dawson, Stephen Myer, Tracey Rempel, Travis Hutchison, Shawn Kraft and Miranda Zerr. Look for the poster around town and on Facebook “What’s Happening in Maidstone” for a description of each month’s prize. Be sure you have your ticket ($125 each) for this month’s Rocky Mountaineer Rail tour trip draw Jan. 9. (February is a Niagara Falls getaway.)

After a busy December, all is quiet at Maidstone Museum this month. In lieu of holding our “third Monday of the month” meeting, we’ll be having our “Christmas in January” supper and gift exchange at Pine Island Suites.

Maidstone Minor Hockey Day is on Saturday, Jan. 21, with all minor hockey teams being featured on the ice. Exciting hockey games including senior Jets and a few out-of-town teams, a food bank collection table, prize table and progressive 50/50 draw will make this a day to remember. Watch for the schedule next week.

Maidstone Curling Club says, “Let’s rock this!” They have a raffle to raise funds for upgrades and general maintenance. Tickets can be purchased from any member, call or text Melanie 780-808-0592, e-transfer to maidrockfund@gmail.com (be sure to include name and phone number). Only 2.000 tickets will be sold at $10 each with sales until Feb. 28 and the draw is on Friday, March 3 at 7 p.m.

Lashburn High School has announced their monthly online 50/50 draws to raise funds for tennis court renovation into a new outdoor learning space and recreation area. Prize each month is half of ticket sales ($10 each) up to a maximum of $25,000. The link is https://www.rafflebox.ca/ raffle/lashburnhigh which they’d like us to share to make this project a reality. You can check it out on their Facebook page. (submitted by Carmen Payne)

Upcoming events: Jan. 6 - Maidstone Senior Jets vs Turtleford at Maidstone 8 p.m. MST (7 p.m. CST); Jan. 9 - First draw for Maidstone Ice Arena “Canadian Trip of the Month” at town office at 3 p.m. MST; Maidstone Gully Multiple 4- H Club general meeting at Waseca Community Hall 7 p.m. MST; Jan. 21 - Minor Hockey Day at Maidstone Ice Arena.

SPONSORED BY CHERRY INSURANCE & REGIONAL NEWS-OPTIMIST

To love

It’s a new year, and I decided to approach the subject of love with some wise words from some notable folks. Max Lucado contends: “God loves you just as you are but too much to leave you that way.”

Laura Summer offers: “The capacity to love and be loved is the point of our human existence.” Mother Teresa warns: “If you judge people, you have no time to love them.” Andrew Murray asserts, “Our love to God is measured by our everyday fellowship with others and the love it displays.”

When it comes to a simple definition of love, theologian Karl Barth

eighbourly

Advice

By Raymond Maher www.accordingtoed.com

According to Ed raymaher085@gmail.com

gave this answer as a summary of his years of study of theology and church history: “Jesus loves me, this I know the Bible tells me so.”

In his Confessions, Augustine of Hippo defined what love looks like: “What does love look like? It has hands to help others. It has the feet to

hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men (people). That’s what love looks like.”

The Bible speaks of God as love and loving towards all sinners lost without His love in Jesus Christ, His Son.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world but save the world through him.” John 3: 16

Love is about God’s love for us and our love for God and each other.

The apostle John says, “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

“Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also

ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God, but if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is made complete in us.

“We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.” (Summary of 1 John 4:7-21)

My prayer for anyone reading this column is that you will live in faith, hope, and love in 2023, but the greatest of these, is

love. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 outlines how we go about loving one another in the year ahead:

“Love is patient; love is kind. It does not envy; it does not boast; it is not proud. It is not rude; it is not easily angered; it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”

Remember, God is love. In verses 4-8 above, replace the word love/it with God. God empowers us to become more loving towards one another if we recognize and welcome His help.

Pastor Melvin Bartley

Films offered at Do Drop In Jan. 16

By Lorna Pearson Correspondent

The fish shack hamlet is growing as more shelters move out onto the ice. The lake is rough so some transit problems are bound to occur. Some children were out at the boat launch area on the weekend, building snow forts and sliding, enjoying the nicer weather. We have had beautiful hoar frost now for three days.

Tom Shepherd, brother of Muriel Nachtegaele, of North Battleford, has passed away in Salmon Arm, B.C. the age of 98. He was my cousin and grew up in the Sandwith and Prince areas.

I enjoyed the video by Rick Zarowny entitled “Small City, Big Town” on my iPad. Well done.

Two films will be shown at the Do Drop In Jan. 16 at 1:30 p.m. Everyone is welcome to attend and donations are accepted. The 55-minute first film is titled “First We Eat.” This is the story of Susan Crocker who lives near Dawson City, Yukon. She proved to her reluctant husband and three skeptical teenagers that they could survive for

one year on food that could be hunted, fished, gathered or grown or raised locally. The second film, nine minutes, is “Nalujuk Night.” It is a close look at a Labrador Inuit tradition, which is a beloved annual event.

Canasta was played Dec. 30, at the Do Drop In, with four tables in play. Top score was by Albert Huys and Lillian Sorenco. Second were Janice Morton and Lorna Pearson and third were Eric Callbeck and Linda Ard. Top at the table of three was Arlene Walker. This was another nice social event with some treats on hand.

Watch your TV on Jan. 25 - 28, when 11-year-old Julia Shindle from Shellbrook figureskates with Prince Albert’s Stefan Lotz as they participate in the Skate Canada Challenge in Regina. They have been invited to compete in 2023 Canada Winter Games in Prince Edward Island from Feb. 27 to March 5. Julia recently enjoyed skating solo to a silver medal in Juvenile U12 single competition at Sask. CanadaSaskatchewan’s Sectional Championships.

By Sherri Solomko Correspondent

Happy new year.

School, community activities and things on the to-do calendar will now be part of our lives once again. School resumes Jan. 9. Rink activities saw a slow resumption between Christmas and New Year’s Day with the second half of the season now in play.

Did you enjoy feasting over Christmas? Why not consider a donation to your community food bank to help them replenish their shelves?

Presumably there were new things that entered your home from Christmas gift giving. The rule in our house growing up used to be one new thing in, two old things out. Why not consider doing a quick scan and/or purge and donating acceptable items to the local Unity Community Resource Centre or recycling electronic items at Sarcan. There are also Community Living and diabetes bins in Wilkie to drop off goods.

Is one of your New Year’s resolutions a healthier lifestyle? You’re in luck as Unity is fortunate to have many op-

tions available that include several gyms, fitness or wellness classes including yoga, indoor walking program each weekday at the rink, too. You can also float your stress away at What-the-Float and there are massage and spa options also in town. Perhaps Simply Swimming has an aquasize class that fits your schedule to take part in? Maybe it is spiritual renewal you are seeking? Check out one of your community churches for service times each Sunday. You might even just need a coffee date visit and there are several coffee shop options. Or pop into your local greenhouse for aroma therapy, and I bet they would also have something you are interested in like a new houseplant would help cure the January blues.

Need some pet therapy? Why not check out KC Rescue who holds regular open houses to see the cats up for adoption. These events are usually held each Wednesday but your best bet for firm dates is to check their Facebook page.

Unity Curling rink will be hosting both a junior cash spiel and a men’s open bonspiel this month.

Julia Shindle from Shellbrook figure skates with Prince Albert’s Stefan Lotz.

participate in the Skate Canada Challenge in Regina Jan. 25-28.

Photo submitted