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Sunday’s forecast for strong winds could have upset some people, but it definitely brought some good news for those who know the ropes of kiteboarding. Ryan Lang, along with a few other kiters, had their wings out at the Boundary Dam beach. The sport is probably one of the best in a sense of keeping distance, had its adopts catching airflows and enjoying the freedom of flight on a sunny afternoon. Photo by Anastasiia Bykhovskaia

City hasn’t had to reopen budget yet

By David Willberg dwillberg@estevanmercury.ca

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The City of Estevan has not been forced to reopen its budget as of yet due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mayor Roy Ludwig told the Mercury on Monday night that city manager Jeff Ward and city treasurer Trudy Firth keep council updated about the city’s financial picture on a weekly basis.

However, Ludwig expects there will have to be some spending cutbacks, especially on capital projects for this year.

“At this point, we’re still watching very carefully. It’s still early yet.

A lot of our work is done mid-spring and summer, so we’ll be able to have a better handle on this probably in the next few weeks on any changes that we’re going to look at,” the mayor said.

The water intake project, which is shifting the city’s primary water source from Boundary Dam to Rafferty Dam, is definitely still going to proceed. (For more on the intake project, please see Page A12). He

also expects the resurfacing of Souris Avenue South from Fourth Street to Perkins Street to go ahead.

Tasks that are contracted out, such as paving, will still happen. It will also be important to have work that local businesses can complete whenever possible.

There would be other projects that could be on the chopping block.

Council might also look at trimming some of their long-term debt repayments. The city has been reducing its long-term debt by about $2 million per year over the previous few years. But council could decide to reduce the debt by $1 million this year, or keep it at the same level.

The mayor vowed the city wouldn’t have a property tax increase this year.

“Any savings, any moneys that we need will come out of the existing budget,” said Ludwig.

The city has previously granted a two-month deferral on property taxes to those who have lost their job or some of their income because of COVID-19. And they’re losing money on fees and services, such as

leisure centre passes, facility rentals and more.

Ludwig pointed out the city’s overall financial picture is in pretty good shape, which has helped them weather this storm. They had cash in the bank before the COVID-19 pandemic, and their net debt has slowly been in decline.

“We’ve been working diligently over the past two terms on paying down debt, so we’ve gone from some $47 million in net debt to under $20 (million). So we’re pretty proud of that fact. And now in the harder times, that will stand us in good stead.”

As for other fronts, it’s now been more than a month since the city closed non-essential buildings, including the Estevan Leisure Centre and its amenities, such as Affinity Place, to the public. City Hall is also closed to the public, although services via the telephone are still available.

Ludwig is hopeful that they will learn more when the provincial government reveals their plans to reopen the economy.

Mayor Roy Ludwig But the mayor wouldn’t be surprised if the leisure centre is among the last amenities to open up again, because it’s a place where people gather.

In the meantime, city staff members have been catching up on needed painting and repairs at the leisure centre.

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A2 April 22, 2020

Hospital continues to meet patients’ needs While the COVID-19 pandemic has meant some changes for St. Joseph’s Hospital, in other ways, it has been business as usual.

The hospital was declared a non-COVID hospital earlier this month by the Saskatchewan Health Authority, as part of the modelling plans for the pandemic that included best-case scenarios and worst-case scenarios.

“We are still treating inpatients, treating emergency patients,” said St. Joseph’s Hospital CEO Greg Hoffort.

The hospital has treatment areas related to che-

motherapy, renal dialysis and obstetrics that meet the needs of the vulnerable, setting it apart from other hospitals in the southeast. Those are services that can’t stop in the midst of what’s happening, so St. Joseph’s has to do all they can to keep vulnerable patients safe as well.

As a non-COVID hospital, St. Joseph’s is making preparations in case they do encounter cases of the virus.

“What is different about being the non-COVID hospital is we still are preparing ourselves in case a surge ever comes, a spike in patients related to the COVID-19

outbreak. And though many patients will be directed to a COVID hospital, the potential is for other non-COVID patients to be directed to us.”

The hospital can’t wait for its first case of COVID-19 to start preparing. They have made some changes in their operations, with an even greater emphasis on cleaning, and they have been screening people who come into the hospital to ensure visitors have an emergent or care issue to be there.

“We’re going to accept all emergent patients and all patients in need of our care, just like we are today. The

hospital is not locked up to patients in need of care that can’t be provided in a clinic or that can’t wait.”

Some patients who visit might not know they have the disease when they come in, which is why the hospital is taking the precautions.

“It is quite a challenge, in general, for the health authority that we’re in daily discussions with, and for the hospitals, individually, to prepare for what we hope doesn’t happen, but we have to be ready for it,” Hoffort said.

He believes the actions of the provincial government and the Saskatchewan

Ministry of Health, and the diligence of the public, have resulted in comparatively lower numbers in Saskatchewan versus other jurisdictions.

Not only has St. Joseph’s not encountered a diagnosed case, but the number of cases for southern Saskatchewan has remained stable at 15 for most of April. Patients are being tested at the hospital and at a remote location in the community, and Saskatchewan continues to be among the national leaders in per capita testing for the disease.

In the meantime, Hoffort urges people to exercise common sense and to re-

member the rules in place.

There isn’t an option for staff to stay home, and there isn’t an option for St. Joe’s to stop offering services.

“There are, as always, patients in need of our emergency department. There are inpatients right now at St. Joseph’s Hospital in need of our care in our medical unit. There are patients in ICU when they need to be, in addition to dialysis and chemotherapy and emergent lab tests and emergent x-ray tests.”

And they have to be mindful of the needs of the residents of the special care home as well.

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ESTEVAN CARLYLE OXBOW ALAMEDA GAINSBOROUGH

Fire department asks public to use extreme caution when burning anything

By Ana Bykhovskaia abykhovskaia@estevanmercury.ca

Spring is here, the weather is getting warmer and warmer and the summer season is just around the corner. Many ranchers and farmers in the Estevan area start cleaning up their yards and fields, and a lot of the debris usually gets burned during this time of the year.

While there are currently no fire bans in the Estevan area, Fire Chief Dale Feser suggested a number of steps and precautions that should always be in place when residents are planning to burn anything. “(People) are going to start to prepare their property, whether it be some controlled burns of some sloughs, dugouts or possibly burning off some crops still standing in the fields that they cannot get off and take them to market,” pointed out Feser.

“We just want to make sure that everybody is exercising extreme caution when they are doing this.”

It’s recommended to do burns in low wind conditions below 20 kilometres per hour. People also should take into consideration the wind direction, temperature routes and humidity.

“Keep reviewing our websites. The federal site is indicating that it’s extremely dry already

and they are not indicating any moisture coming in the near future here,” said Feser.

Whenever anyone is conducting a controlled burn, they should ensure that there are enough people on site and sufficient water resources are on hand.

People should also call the controlled burn line at 1-866-404-4911 and report the details of the planned burn, including the location, time of burn, expected duration and contact information.

“That way we won’t have any unnecessary firetrucks show up at the location if it is a controlled burn,” said Feser. “But if it looks like it’s getting out of control, don’t hesitate to call 911.”

Fire departments are monitoring the situation, but they are also trying not to limit the farmers by putting fire bans on as producers have to get the land ready.

“We want to be sensitive to farming and ranching consumers and marketers out there because they do have to get some crop off there or burn the crop off to prepare the field for the next season of seeding. There is a little bit of a delicate balance here, as we are trying to go with a fairly aggressive public education campaign on this, so we can have everybody do this safely without any large fires occurring, any damage to property or injuries, or death out there.”

Employees have been busy « A1 in time where we will have to revisit that situation … as far as manpower requirements.”

Some repairs that have been completed were needed for a while. The equipment in a crawlspace beneath the RM of Estevan Aquatic Centre has been changed out.

“It’s given us the opportunity to get caught up, where otherwise it’s hard to get caught up, because in some cases this equipment is running 24-7,” said Ludwig.

The RM of Estevan Aquatic Centre usually goes through a shutdown in the fall. But the projects for the shutdown were fast-tracked this year so that the pool will be ready once it can be opened again.

Some of the crews who have been working inside have shifted outdoors and are now working in the parks.

The city has not had to lay off any of its full-time or part-time permanent staff as of yet, but they haven’t been drawing on their casual workers.

“Because of the fact that everybody’s working hard, keeping up maintenance on our buildings … we haven’t had to look too closely (at layoffs for permanent staff ), but the longer this goes on, obviously, even in the next week or the next few days, we have to continually look at our manpower requirements and make sure that the work is there for our people,” he said.

Fewer summer students will be hired this year as well.

While there are subsidies available from the government, and they do believe in having summer students so the young people can pay

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for their university tuition, the city will have to cut back.

“I know that in the crack filling and in the parks, some of that summer staff is absolutely needed,” said Ludwig.

If they would have had seven or eight summer students on crack filling or pothole filling in the past, they might only have four this year.

Ludwig said most residents have handled the past six weeks very well. He’s pleased to see people have adopted social distancing, and he’s encouraged by stories of neighbours helping each other out.

“Our community has helped out in such a large way, because to beat this pandemic, everyone has to work together, and we see our community doing an awesome job.”

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Local resident is looking for history books to keep her large family tree project growing

By Ana Bykhovskaia abykhovskaia@estevanmercury.ca

Elaine Walton started working on her family tree a few years ago when she came across a historical website. After thorough research and many discoveries, the tree grew to 1,947 family members with the roots now going as far back as the year 1724.

Later, due to lack of time, Walton's project was put on pause. But the current quarantine made her pull the books back out again and continue on bringing historical pieces together.

“It was in the spring of 2018. There was a free trial at MyHeritage that you could go on, I think I saw it on Facebook. I had some information (about the family history), so I put it in and it seemed like it was really good,” Walton said, recalling the days of the beginning of her project.

Her maiden name is Miller, so she continued with researching her family after the first month; she also had a lot of information about her husband’s family, so she started working on that.

“I had some pictures from his aunt and different relatives. One of his cousins has started a little book and kept track of some of that stuff, so I put all that in. And when I put

stuff in, I could get more, back further dates, earlier dates. So I found it quite interesting,” said Walton.

That summer she decided instead of just doing a tree, to do a scrapbook to be able to add notes and put pictures in. One step led to another, and the family decided to go and look for graves to illustrate the project with some pictures.

“I started out with (my husband’s) family first. His great-grandparents came (to Saskatchewan) from Ontario. We found a grave, and it was out by Benson, a little graveyard, there were only five graves in it and they had fenced it off. But the weeds were taller than the fence, we couldn’t even see what was there. So we spent that summer cleaning it up and fixing the grave so I could get decent pictures,” said Walton.

She continued exploring graveyards in the area, and she made pictures of all the graves of her husband’s great aunts on down. And then she turned towards her own history. “ M y d a d ’s f a m ily came from Russia and they homesteaded here.

That would be probably my great-grandfather. I knew where he was buried, and the whole family was there, but the grandmother wasn’t there,” recalled Walton.

She went to the Estevan Public Library to read more about local history, and they helped her a lot by bringing in the needed books, which helped her to trace her grandmother’s grave in Odessa.

“One Sunday, we went up there and we walked the graveyard until we found her grave. It was really exciting,” said Walton.

She assumes that her grandmother went to Odessa after her grandfather had died because one of her daughters lived there. But Walton hasn’t been able to locate where they went from there and find other relatives on that side yet.

Last summer turned out to be quite busy, so the project didn't see much progress. All materials were put aside until recently when the COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine allowed more spare time and Walton decided to use it to keep her project going and growing. This time she wanted to focus more on her father’s side of the family and the local connections she has.

S he col lected a lot of information about the Millers' side, but she doesn’t have many pictures of her ancestors because her dad’s mother died when he was really young. She said she plans to try finding

some through relatives and has been also using libraries in the area to rent the books. But going further Walton realized that for the sake of her research she’d need to have those books in her possession full-time. “ The more you get into it, the more people you know you are related to. So I then want to try to read up on them,” said Walton.

While some of her ancestors lived and are living in other countries such as Germany, the U.S., Russia and others, many of the relatives were spread over southeast Saskatchewan and now Walton is looking for more information about them.

“My dad’s family way back then, those people had 13-14 children. S o it’s been a lot of work. As you go back and see some of the girls and guys who they married, it just opens up. I figured out a lot of people who I didn’t even know I was related to here in Estevan. It’s been really exciting,” said Walton.

If anyone has any history books from Torquay, Tribune, Goodwater, Alameda, Lampman or other smaller local communities that they are willing to give away or sell to help the historical project grow, they can contact Walton at 306-636-2121.

Elaine Walton’s father’s side of the family came from Russia and homesteaded in Alameda.

Photo submitted

Over the past few years, Walton found several family graves in Saskatchewan. Photo submitted

One of the rare pictures of the Millers' side of the family. Photo submitted

The scrapbook on the Walton family history.

Photo submitted

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Editorial

Wednesday, April 22, 2020

A4

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EDITORIAL

Coming together during the tough times Volume 116 Issue 52 Contact us: (306) 634-2654 68 Souris Avenue N. Estevan, SK S4A 2M3 www.estevanmercury.ca @Estevan_Mercury facebook.com/EstevanMercury

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One of the things that we’ve seen during the past six weeks, time after time, is that adversity has brought out the best in many of us.

Sure, we’ve had to shake our heads at the wackos and the keyboard warriors who post conspiracy theories, lies and false rumours during this pandemic. We’ve rolled our eyes at those who verbally attack people with articulate, dissenting views.

But for the most part, people have been sensible, and they’ve been generous with helping others.

Those of us in Saskatchewan saw it firsthand two years ago following the Humboldt Broncos bus tragedy, when we all came together to help a grieving community and the many people affected by that tragedy.

And now we’re witnessing it again following the murderous rampage by one person in Nova Scotia on the weekend.

As of our press time, we’re still learning more about this tragedy. Eighteen people were killed by the gunman, but that number is expected to rise, thanks to the number of crime scenes involved. It seems like some people were known to the killer, while other victims were completely random.

And we’re finding out more about the victims – a veteran member of the RCMP, two corrections officers, two nurses, a teacher, a volunteer

firefighter and others.

It shattered the idyllic and peaceful smalltown tranquility that has long enveloped these rural Nova Scotia communities. While there’s a big difference between rural life in Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan, they share common bonds.

People choose to live in these communities because of their small size but their ability to provide the basic amenities we need. We love the peacefulness. We love the lack of traffic and we love the bonds that exist – bonds that are lost as a community grows in size.

This incident reminds us all that the odds of such a tragedy are remote, or almost non-existent, but they can happen. It’s the biggest massacre of its kind in the history of the country. But the odds of it happening there were as good as they were here.

This isn’t just a big-city issue.

We just have to hope it never happens again in our lifetime.

This tragedy has had a unifying element.

There was the viral video of the hero’s welcome for an RCMP officer who was injured by the shooter. People lined the streets of a small Nova Scotia community and applauded while a police escort helped bring the officer home to his family.

There have been the tributes to the victims, some by those who knew them, but others by

those who didn’t and only wanted to find a way to share their sympathy. In a province like Nova Scotia, where music is such a big part of their lifestyles, music has helped bring healing.

It’s particularly tough at this time for the families and friends of the victims. Due to COVID-19 and the restrictions on crowd sizes and the need to social distance, there won’t be the funerals, the celebrations of life, the chances for people to gather and say good-bye to a loved one – not for a while yet.

They’ll get a chance to gather eventually.

There are tough questions that need to be asked about what happened, and if something could have been done differently to have warned people about what was happening after the initial shootings.

We should be focused on remembering the victims for who they were and what they meant to their family and friends. We should not be trying to remember the shooter.

But we also know that this tragedy will bring out the best in most people, through acts of care, compassion and sympathy.

We’ve been seeing it across the country in the past few weeks since COVID-19 became a reality to all of us.

It’s just tough when one tragedy is compounded by another.

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The Saskatchewan government announced on April 14 a number of measures to help out the oil industry in this province. It’s suffering under a colossal collapse in oil prices, driven first by a global oil price war, compounded multiple times over by the unfathomable decline in oil demand.

As a result, the sector is in bad shape, and despite promises from federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau to help out the oil sector several weeks before, nothing had yet come out until later in the week.

When it did April 17, the federal government promised $1.7 billion for Alberta, Saskatchewan and British Columbia to clean up orphaned and inactive wells, and another $750 million for methane mitigation (which includes Newfoundland and Labrador).

The provincial government had been patiently waiting for the feds, but decided it was time to announce its own measures. I spoke to Energy and Resources Minister Bronwyn Eyre about this at length, a few hours after the province’s announcement, and again following the federal announcement.

On the $400 million the federal government is providing for abandoning wells, Eyre said: “Clearly, the service sector was calling for this as a lifeline, so this will be helpful, of course. I did think, however, that it was unfortunate impression that was left by the prime minister in his announcement—that dirty wells somehow spot the landscape.That isn’t the case in Saskatchewan.

We have a very good record. Last year, Saskatchewan producers completed a record number of abandonments, up 240 per cent since 2016. They took advantage of new regulations and cleaned up wells, despite the downturn. Unfortunately, there was much more downturn to come.”

Eyre said more federal financial relief is needed. “The only problem with focusing on ‘end of life’ wells is that you don’t focus on wells that are currently in life, in production, and the jobs related to that. We are currently analyzing the federal package, and reviewing what else may be required.”

For example, according to the province,

From the Top of the Pile BRIAN ZINCHUK details are still vague following the federal announcement, about the amount in loans that will actually flow to small and medium sized oil companies. Morneau did suggest that more measures were also to come for both medium and larger companies.

Thus, we wait.

In terms of the provincial relief package, one thing was clear throughout the numerous measures the province is taking: there is a clear and consistent theme, the theme of time. Time to deal, time to cope, time to report, time to breathe.

Eyre agreed with that sentiment, in anticipation, at the time, of the federal announcement. “I think that’s right,” she said. “We don’t know how much time is going to be necessary. So absolutely, that’s a theme.”

Another thing is clear – Saskatchewan’s oilpatch needs help. It’s being hit really hard.

While her numbers were preliminary when we spoke, she said, “Going into May, we could easily be down 20 to 30 per cent: 100,000 to 150,000 barrels per day.”

If it were not for COVID-19 and its other economic impacts, that little bit of information alone should be leading headlines across this province for weeks.

That is huge. Consider that late last year, Saskatchewan was producing around 481,000 barrels per day. That much production being shut in is proportionally greater than the cuts OPEC+ announced a few days before. It’s also likely in tune with the drop in oil demand occurring right now.

So the government is basically giving the oilpatch time. There’s an extension on full compliance with Directive PNG017 to April 1, 2021.

Directive PNG076, the Enhanced Production Audit Program, has similarly been pushed back

to the same date.

On reporting, there is an expectation that industry will “make reasonable attempts to meet its reporting obligations,” but they will be suspending penalties for most reporting noncompliance. Once things get back to normal, there will be a two-month grace period, basically to get caught up.

This relief on reporting also applies to well data, incidents, volumetric and valuation, and enhanced production.

The province is deferring all low risk regulatory inspections that are not incident related.

Similarly, field regulatory monitoring programs are also being deferred where there is no risk to the environment. Inspection deadlines are being extended, but where there’s immediate health and safety risks, these need to be addressed immediately, according to the backgrounder supplied by the ministry.

One of the key items is that the Oil and Gas Administrative Levy will be reduced by 50 per cent his fiscal year, with the remaining balance deferred until October 1, 2020.

As well, Crown leases that were due to expire are being extended by one year. This takes pressure off producers to drill or lose it. That makes sense in that the first few months of a well are its most productive, and drilling with prices as low as they are, they would essentially be throwing that production away. And I would note, the province, correspondingly, would be throwing away any royalties on that production as well.

“This will give them a little bit of breathing time to raise capital and to hang onto what they’ve got, so they can assess things on the other end of this in terms of properties and priority lands they want to then focus on,” Eyre said.

“We’re still looking at other things, but these are things we could do, now, which would help, we hope, in a specific, tangible way to address efficiencies and some immediate cash flow relief.”

The province had to do something for the oilpatch, and these measures were a start.

Brian Zinchuk can be reached at brian. zinchuk@sasktel.net

Op-Ed A5

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Ana Bykhovskaia Twenty Lines About…

Are you turning into a panda too right now?

A grown panda, on average, eats for about 12 hours a day every day.

It coincides with the average eating time of a grown human during the quarantine. That’s why we call it pandemic.

I recently found myself actually turning into a panda.

Since I’ve lately been following the same feeding habits (I wish I would also have passion for chewing bamboo instead of snacking on all types of munchies I could find at home), I also started growing into the same scale as these cutest bears.

Besides, worrying about something all the time I developed pretty black circles around my eyes, while my skin turned somewhat white from staying at home.

I’ve always been one of the clumsiest people I’ve known, but apparently I still had room for perfection. Over the last few weeks, trying to get my thoughts away from the global changes, I’ve watched so many animal videos, that now my natural habits are pretty close to fluffy cubs and sometimes to raccoons.

My hands that were dry and harsh for as long as I can remember now, with constant washing, have completely turned into bear paws. I realized that pandas might not be big fans of colourful nails, so I coloured my three-inch-long gel claws black. No one will tell that one day it was a human hand anymore.

Besides, I think I almost unlearned how to talk. Apologies to my respondents, I know it’s getting more and more difficult to understand the words behind this panda language, so I sincerely appreciate that you still manage to answer my questions. I still know how to think though, and I’m still reading, so the transformation is not completed yet.

I guess when I see nice fluffy fur growing on me I should know that I made it to the final stage. But sometimes I forget to look in the mirror, and the husband cannot see the changes (it’s a special spell that’s put on spouses during a marriage ceremony. Often, once it’s broken, the marriages break in flinders). When you don’t talk to people in person anymore, there is a chance to miss this crucial point. So if I ask you for an interview and you hear roaring over the phone, please say “Hi, panda!” Even if it doesn’t help to stop the transformation, at least the word ‘panda’ makes people smile.

But joking apart, what I'm trying to say is that the quarantine has posed some possibly funny, but still serious challenges on most of us.

From the survival perspective, what we are going through is not a war, where people die and live like they are already dead, where the uncertainty is nowhere close to what we are experiencing now just because not only the quality of life but the very notion of life is under question every minute. (You don’t like not knowing what’s going to happen to your job tomorrow? Try imagining that you don’t know what’s going to happen to your kid’s life the next moment.)

It’s not the Dirty Thirties crisis, at least not yet, it’s not as scary as a nuclear explosion, and not as destructive as most natural disasters.

So some of us have been through worse, but it doesn't make the current problems less real and important.

We are trying to make fun of our new habits but laughing is just one of our defence mechanisms. We are shaming each other for seeing problems in staying at home, stocking and overstocking supplies, finding it difficult to maintain healthy eating habits or exercise.

We are neglecting the lack of socialization. Yes, we definitely should follow the rules and stay home, but it doesn’t mean that such social animals as humans can in one day overcome the built-in need for the community. We try to keep ourselves away from worrying too much for a future that for most people is still way too blurry to seriously try to plan anything. We have overcome starvation, but even before the quarantine excess weight became another serious enemy humanity was facing. And now that enemy, along with lack of natural motion and focused exercising, is just gaining power.

We are prisoners of our houses and thus of our own minds. And yes, this is not as bad as a war, but if we all come out of it as pandas, it will mean that the pandemic kicked us back as bad as a war.

One day our grandkids will ask us to talk about the Great Pandemic. I guess my story will be about overcoming my inner panda. (Hello, the yoga mat!)

Writer is just asking questions The editor: Canadians are on record as being an unselfish collection of residents inhabiting one of the globe’s premier democracies.

But selfish is different from selfsufficiency.

With all the global attention focused on COVID-19, the virus that will go down in infamy, we, as self-respecting Canadians, have to ask ourselves a few questions regarding self-sufficiency.

In the new world order, we have to be concerned about how our PM, Sunny Ways – the Sequel, reacts to the authoritarian leader just to the south of us, President Donnie Deflector. The problems don’t end at Donnie; they include deals that are being made with other foreign dictators and maladjusted rulers of regimes also in the midst of the virus battle.

So how self-sufficient are we now?

How self-sufficient will we be? You can look at it from a Saskatchewan or overall Canadian perspective. Doesn’t matter.

What are our basic requirements and do we have the ability to supply and apply them ourselves without having to do hardcore deals with other governments and people who we might rather not have to do business with on a regular basis?

There may be long-range problems on the horizon, such as electricity. Yes, I said electricity. Can we and do we produce our own, in our backyard?

So far, it seems we do. But we are producing it using traditional fuels and methods. We use our water for hydro electricity, coal, gas and some nuclear, most of it Saskatchewan or Canadian made. Our generators are made in Canada, or can be made in Canada. That’s a fact.

How about the future?

Are the wind generators and solar panels being manufactured in Canada? Are all the materials used in their construction coming from Canada? I’m guessing no.

Does this mean we are relaxing our selfsufficiency scales? Are we confident that someone else can and will build and run our electrical grids?

How about oil and gas, two other necessities, at least for the next few decades? We have them in ample supply, but have great difficulty in sharing them efficiently. Two-thirds of Canada’s population currently relies on foreign sources to fill those energy needs. In other words, it’s something we could do, but we refuse to do it thanks to internal politics.

How about water, one of life’s necessities?

We still have plenty, but there have been rumblings lately that folks such as Donnie Deflector want to purchase a lot of Canada’s clean water. When will the ask become a demand? The minute we start selling and/or sending this vital resource to a previously unnatural and foreign location, we open a big gate of hurt. Do you see a future world in which British Columbia water is shipped or pipelined south to feed the parched deserts of California? Temporary solutions have a habit of becoming permanent.

Let’s wander over to the vehicle dealerships.

Could Canada ever manufacture cars, pick-ups and semi-trucks using only Canadian materials and expertise? Or, do we remain beholden to the United States on that file too?

Computers?

Can we build them using our own resources and materials, or has China already captured that entire cycle of materials and manufacturing capabilities? Of course I include cell phones in that question.

Food processing?

There is still hope, but generally speaking, even though we are a huge agrarian society, we appear to be anxious to pass the processing end of the game on to others, not in Canada, who insist they can do it

more cheaply and efficiently. How good are they? How safe?

How about pharmaceuticals?

I understand 90 per cent of our current general pharmaceutical materials are from China. I expect we do some processing and checking here … but really? Are the pharmaceutical companies that insular and dominant?

It appears that all we can really hope for in the current world order is that a certain degree of Canadian safety standards will prevail to protect us, at least on general terms.

Currency is another power point we have to consider.

The American dollar is used as a global benchmark currency. This allows the U.S. to rack up over $24 trillion in debt with no one offering a whimper of protest or a call on the loans.

The Canadian dollar, on the other hand, is, again, the country cousin to the American dollar and it slides up and down rapidly. An additional $200 billion debt load sends our Parliamentary gurus into a “circle the wagons”mode as we await repercussions.

I won’t even enter into the military preparedness file, it’s self-evident that it’s not self sufficient, not by a long shot.

So, how about our post COVID-19 world?

Following the easing of most of the current rules surrounding COVID-19, I’m wondering what the new world order will offer as the fresh global realities surface.

What will be the new standards for health and happiness? What will our expectations be? What should they be? Will we have less or more to say on the world stage? What will Canada’s influence, status and self-sufficiency ratios be in the future global arrangement?

Just asking.

Norm Park Estevan

Have you heard about social distancing?

A two-metre distance between people is slowly becoming a new normal in the human world, but things remain old for animals. These two gophers were spotted hanging out in the same hole on a nice sunny afternoon, celebrating the end of winter and happily squeaking to warn their big and probably already growing families about an approaching scary photographer. Photo by Anastasiia Bykhovskaia

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Deep Earth’s winter drilling and testing complete Deep Earth Energy Production Corp. (DEEP) announced last week that the 2019-20 winter drilling and testing program are complete.

DEEP drilled four new wells to further define the geothermal field reservoir parameters and test 3D seismic and airborne geophysical data. These are the deepest wells ever drilled in Saskatchewan.

The first of these new wells were previously announced on Jan. 20 (Border-02A and Border-02B).

Both were directionally drilled towards the southwest from Border-01. Border-02B was drilled from the same well bore as Border02A as a whipstock that enabled the acquisition of additional data between Border-01 and Border02A. Border-03 was directionally drilled towards the northwest from Border-01. Border-04 is a vertical well, drilled from a new surface lease located southwest of the previous wells to test recently acquired 3D seismic data and high resolution airborne magnetic data.

Drilling contracts were awarded to Saskatchewan-based Panther Drilling Corporation and Albertabased Horizon Drilling for a combined total of 115 rig days.

Independent Well Servicing of Estevan performed all the service rig completions work.

The total amount of new hole drilled (minus above the Border-

02B whipstock) was 12,279 metres.

There were 185 metres of core cut and 10 drill stem flow tests (including two misruns). The intermediate section of the wells were cased with a 177.8-millimetre (seven-inch) casing.

The results of the winter drilling and testing program have demonstrated that the geothermal reservoir is multi-zonal. Fluid contributions in the field are sourced from both a fracture system as well as a sedimentary resource.

Zonal testing and assessment will continue after spring break-up to determine the relative contributions on both a localized and regional basis.

This testing will include a combination of flowing and injectivity tests.

Once the relative zonal contributions are determined, reservoir data will be incorporated into a full-scale simulation model to determine optimal well spacing and additional follow up drilling will be planned for later in the year. All reservoir data will also be used to optimize the final surface power facility design.

DEEP has significantly increased its subsurface rights position with a large expansion of a lease of space agreement. The original two blocks (covering 4,883 hectares or about 19 sections) leased from the Province of Saskatchewan have now been expanded to an extensive

Deep Earth Energy Production had a successful winter drilling season for its geothermal project in southeast Saskatchewan. File photo 39,120-hectare (about 151-section) block, contained in one new lease.

This lease provides the rights to the geothermal resource from the top of the Winnipeg Formation to the Precambrian basement.

DEEP would like to acknowledge the continued support from Natural Resources Canada for the funding announced in 2019 and for their ongoing support in the

development of Canada’s first geothermal power project. This federal funding is providing employment opportunities in a sector hard hit by job losses by redeploying world-class oilfield expertise on a renewable energy project for the first time in Canada.

New opportunities created from this geothermal power project, such as heating for greenhouses and

aquaculture fish farming, would be a welcome economic addition to the province.

The Government of Saskatchewan has continued to support the geothermal project as well.

“This clean energy project will help demonstrate provincial energy innovation and achieve the goal of reducing emissions,” DEEP said in a news release.

Papers have come together to keep you informed The top two sources for news and information in southeast Saskatchewan have come together for the next few weeks to continue offering a quality product to the public.

Starting on April 22, the Estevan Mercury and Southeast Lifestyles will be temporarily merging. They will continue to be published as one until the challenges associated with COVID-19 start to alleviate.

“We are committed to delivering a quality product on a weekly basis, filled with lots of great local and regional content,” said Deanna Tarnes, the publisher and sales manager for Estevan Mercury Publications.

The Estevan Mercury and Southeast Lifestyles will be delivered to homes in Estevan on

Wednesdays and to rural readers on Fridays.

The content that people are used to seeing in the Mercury will remain, while features that people come to expect from Lifestyles, such as Cheers and Jeers, the Flashback and columnists, will also find their way into the Mercury.

Monthly specials such as Car Care, Agri News and Senior Living will also be in the new-look publication.

“We’re not going to be losing any form of content or any form of features, we’re just bringing it to you in one package instead of two,” she said.

Tarnes believes people will understand the steps that the Mercury and Lifestyles are taking.

“We operate 100 per cent on advertising

revenue. In light of these times, with businesses having to adjust their hours of operation, what they can offer and with some businesses that are closed, it is very much affecting our ads and affecting our revenue. These are the steps that we have to take to continue to bring you the news for free.”

Additional stories can be found at the Mercury and Lifestyles website, www.estevanmercury.ca, which averages close to 10,000 page views per day.

Tarnes noted that since she became publisher of both papers in September, she has been working to revamp the fleet of products offered through Estevan Mercury Publications.

It started earlier this year, when Newsbreak was

20045ge0

renamed Hello Estevan, with a fresh new look.

The changes were very well received.

Lifestyles was the next publication on their list.

“If you live in a rural community where you get Lifestyles, if there’s anything you’d like to see in our new product that we’ll be relaunching, we’re always looking for more regional content and more regional advertisers,” she said. “What can we offer you to help your community more?”

If you have a business and you have questions about marketing during these challenging times, please call Deanna Tarnes at 306-634-2654, or email her at dtarnes@ estevanmercury.ca.

Energy

Wednesday, April 22, 2020

A7

Lampman’s Hutt’s Trucking expanded their own safety training into its own division for others

By Brian Zinchuk brian.zinchuk@sasktel.net

Hutt’s Trucking in Lampman expanded its organic safety training into its own sideline division, and in doing so, is providing some significant outof-the-box offerings.

Desmond Bilsky looks after Hutt’s Trucking Ltd.’s safety training division. He’s been doing it for 2 1/2 years.

He used to work with Grimes Sales and Service for 10 years, Flying G at Kisbey for two years and then the RM of Brock, driving a grader for a year to get out of the oilpatch.

But soon he was back, talking to Travis Hutt about coming to work for him Over those years he initially worked as a truck driver, operating a winch truck and

then he got his picker ticket, too, before shifting into safety training.

Having that field experience makes a big difference when doing safety training, as he’s able to give examples of the right way and the wrong way to do things.

They found that getting the instructor qualifications made sense for Hutt’s Trucking, and then it made sense to start offering courses to other people.

“Then we expanded and expanded and got into all the courses now,” he said. “We started with Red Cross first aid.”

It took a while to get the H2S Alive instruction, because Energy Safety Canada, formerly Enform, was on a hiatus with instructors. They

That plastic bar in the middle of the bandage is used to apply much more pressure to a traumatic bleeding wound.

got several courses through one company like confined space, fall protection and power mobile equipment like skid steer, forklift and elevated platform.

“We don’t teach anybody how to operate that. We teach the safe operation,” Bilsky explained. Examples include three points of contact and pre-use inspection.

They switched providers for those courses after going over customer feedback. Now they can tailor their courses more specifically to their clients’ needs. “Generic training is okay, but specific training is better,” he said.

As an example, he noted, “We’re doing some fall protection training. A lot of the stuff has gone to man basket work.

Very little is horizontal lifeline work. Before we switched, if I had asked to take out horizontal lifeline, but add man basket, that would have been a ‘no.’”

Now they spend more time on basket work, because that’s what pickers do a lot of in the oilpatch.

In addition to the aforementioned classes, Hutt’s offers global ground disturbance, safety and supervision from Worksafe Saskatchewan, fire extinguisher, and one day workshops on dispute management and stress management, among

other topics.

He’s an instructor for psychological first aid, but that class requires two instructors as it is a heavy day. It deals with day-to-day stress and dealing with emergencies. This is different from mental health first aid, which deals primarily with diagnosed mental health disorders.

Self-care plans are an important part of psychological first aid, so that when things go bad, you have coping mechanisms, as well as pointing people in the right direction to get help.

This will be offered down the road when they can find another instructor to help out.

Recently Bilsky has been offering a new community program for free that came from the United States called “Stop the Bleed.” It arose from the high number of traumas, especially school shootings, in that country. It’s an hourlong presentation on how to effectively use a newer form of bandage and tourniquet to stop deadly bleeding.

To that end, the program encourages the usage of an “Israeli bandage.” It looks like a large trauma bandage, but includes a stiff piece known as a compression bar. It acts as a fulcrum to apply much

Desmond Bilsky demonstrates how to apply an Israeli bandage to stop deadly bleeding. harder pressure than one can do otherwise.

If companies want presentations on Stop the Bleed, Hutt’s Trucking has been doing it on a cost-recovery basis.

“This course might make a difference in your life,” he said.

It wasn’t an easy certifica-

Premier responds to federal support for oil and gas industry Premier Scott Moe has responded to the supports for the oil and gas sector announced by the federal government earlier on Friday.

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and gas wells in our province, and today’s announcement from the federal government is a positive step that will put workers back on the job in our oil and gas industry,” said Moe. Paired with an additional investment in methane reduc-

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Details shared with the government to this point have been limited, he said, and the government has not been made aware of whether this is an initial step of supporting the energy industry,

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“With liquidity being a daily risk to energy companies, federal funding must start flowing immediately.”

The premier said the Government of Saskatchewan will continue engaging with the federal government to garner more information on the measures, and to continue advocating for this vital industry that supports jobs and families not only in Saskatchewan, but across Canada.

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Wednesday, April 22, 2020

A8

Dismissal from the Estevan Bruins was unexpected, but not a surprise for Chris Lewgood

By David Willberg dwillberg@estevanmercury.ca

Chris Lewgood says he wasn’t surprised that he was dismissed by the Estevan Bruins last week.

The club announced on April 15 that Lewgood had been “relieved of his duties” after serving as the head coach and general manager since 2013. The move came more than a month after the 2020 Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) playoffs were halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“As a coach, you have to be prepared for those sorts of things. I was lucky enough to be here with the team for seven years, and that’s a long time,” Lewgood told the Mercury. “At some point, you’re going to fall out of favour with enough people and these sorts of things are going to happen.”

He felt there were questions about the direction of the team throughout the past season, and it wasn’t an easy season on a lot of fronts.

But he remains proud of his accomplishments in Estevan. The Bruins made the playoffs each season he was here, the club hosted the 2016 Western Canada Cup, won three straight division titles from 2016-17 to 2018-19, made it to the league semifinal each year from 2017-19 and reached the league final in 2018 – their first appearance since 1999.

“This certainly doesn’t take away from what came before. I think the team’s in a very good place right now. I think the Estevan Bruins are going to have a lot of success over the next couple of years, and I’m certainly proud of my share in helping them get to that point,” he said.

But he was also quick to point out that a lot of people

The Estevan Bruins announced last week that Chris Lewgood, standing, second from right, was no longer with the team. File photo played a role in the team’s success over the last few seasons.

The run to the Canalta Cup final in 2018, when they lost in Game 7 to the Nipawin Hawks, is one of the highlights from his time here.

“Certainly the teamwork that came from our group in 2017-18 that ended in Game 7 of the league championship series was a highlight, and the comeback in the quarterfinals last year against the Humboldt Broncos was a highlight,” said Lewgood.

Estevan rallied from a 3-1 series deficit to beat Humboldt in that series.

Game 7 was played in front of a sold out crowd in Estevan.

He was also proud to see former Bruin defenceman Nolan Nicholas win the Senior CLASS (Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School) Award for NCAA Division 1 hockey earlier this month, and was pleased to watch the develop-

ment of so many players over the years.

He was looking forward to coaching the group of players that are returning for next season and seeing the work of the club’s scouting staff pay dividends.

“There’s going to be a lot of good days ahead for the Estevan Bruins, and it would have been nice to be a part of it, but those individuals, I’ll be rooting for those guys and the team to have success going forward,” he said.

President Cory Prokop said this was a unanimous decision by the team’s executive based on budgetary issues and relationships with the business community and sponsors. While the relationship between Lewgood and the business community was generally pretty good during his tenure, the club had a sense in the last little while that it was changing.

“We just wanted to get

out in front of it and make sure that we were positioned properly for the coming seasons from a sponsorship perspective,” said Prokop.

The COVID-19 pandemic played a role in their decision, but there was already a sense among the board that something had to be done.

“The fact that our local business community is going to be struggling that much more in the coming months just made it even more apparent to us that it was time for a change,” Prokop said.

He expects that most junior A clubs across Canada are going to be hurting due to the pandemic. The Bruins paid off their long-term debt thanks to the financial success of the 2016 Western Canada Cup in Estevan, but now they’re feeling the pinch of being unable to sell season ticket packages and sponsorships.

“We’ll be accessing some of these government programs

that have been announced in the last few weeks,” said Prokop.

They also haven’t been able to collect on their accounts receivable.

On-ice performance, player development and recruitment weren’t a factor in the executive’s decision. The Bruins finished sixth overall, but overcame a slow start to finish with an 18-6-1 record after the Christmas break – the best mark in the league, even though they had a young team.

“We fully expected that with a younger team, we’d have a little tougher start.

As we moved through to the second half the season, the team went on a really good tear and made some serious improvements record-wise,” Prokop said.

Twenty players are eligible to return from this year’s team, and the club is also building towards the 2021-22

season, when they will host the Centennial Cup national junior A tournament.

Lewgood said he’s not sure what’s next. He said that he and his family will take time to decide their next course. He’d love to coach again, but it has to be the right opportunity and the right fit for both him and his family.

“I certainly enjoy coaching as a career, but it’s not the only way to make a living and I’m certainly mindful of that.”

Lewgood signed a new four-year contract after the 2019-20 season. Prokop said the amount that Lewgood was due over the next three seasons wasn’t a factor in the executive’s decision.

A search to find Lewgood’s replacement is underway. Some applications have already been received. Prokop hopes a new head coach and general manager could be hired next month.

Trackside Motocross facility open for local riders The Trackside Motocross Association is open for its members to ride and to practice, but it won’t be holding races for a while yet.

President Bryce Friess said the facility is for local riders only. They want to prevent people from making unnecessary trips due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We’re trying to remind people just to ride easy. We don’t want to plug any hospitals up with injuries (from overaggressive riding),” said track president Bryce Friess.

Local racers are those from Estevan and the neighbouring communities. Trackside is part of the South Corner Racing Circuit, which also includes sites in Alameda, Carlyle and Weyburn, but the association is asking riders

from those communities to ride at home.

Friess believes up to 10 riders have been using the facility on a good night.

“Everybody works on different schedules with their timing of when they go out there,” he said.

It means that the facility has been able to meet social distancing requirements for the riders who are out there to practice or to get a good ride in. The track is long and winding, and their grounds are also large.

“We have a big pit area, and we encourage everybody to stay that two metres apart,” he said.

Riders are pleased to have a site where they can still ride their bikes and appreciate the facility, which is

in good shape.

“The winter wasn’t too hard on it, and all of the jumps are still in good condition. We just could use a little bit of rain here to make the soil a little nicer, but it will come in time.”

The South Corner Racing Circuit (SCRC) has delayed the start of its season. The first programs were scheduled to happen in early May in Alameda, and Estevan was supposed to have its first race of the season May 23, but those were postponed.

Trackside is in talks with the SCRC about the race.

Another program is scheduled to happen in Estevan Aug. 15, and Friess is hopeful that it will be able to proceed.

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see how restrictions on public gatherings play out, they have to get the blessing of their insurance company to have

races again.

“Without insurance, I don’t want to hold a race,” said Friess.

If a local member wants to use the track facility, they are asked to contact Friess to make an arrangement.

The Trackside Motocross Association won’t be having races at its facility for a while, but it is open for local riders to practice. File photo

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April 22, 2020 A9

Pandemic opens new perspectives for Hook & Nail

By Ana Bykhovskaia abykhovskaia@estevanmercury.ca

What can be a torture for some people, may open new horizons for others.

Artists in self-isolation all around the world started exploring the new opportunities life might have opened for them.

The Mercury talked to the members of the popular local folk trio Hook & Nail that, like others, got separated by the distancing recommendations, which in their case meant that Lindsay Arnold and Mike Davis, who are a family, and Jeff Michel, couldn’t be altogether to rehearse or create. All of Hook & Nail’s current gigs were also put on pause or cancelled.

“Music-wise it’s definitely changed a lot. We can’t perform live, we had to cancel some gigs and cancel a big trip out to Halifax and Prince Edward Island,” said Arnold.

Earlier this year, the band was nominated for

a Canadian Folk Music Award as the New/Emerging Artist(s) of the Year. They were planning to perform in Halifax and then go to Charlottetown for the ceremony.

The global pandemic ruined these plans, and the awards presentation instead was done online.

“We had fun with it,” said Arnold. “Mike and I got dressed up and I had a little piece of red velvet, red carpet.”

Michel was also watching the ceremony from the comfort of his home.

“I was on my couch with a cat on my lap. It was interesting. It was definitely not like being at the awards show. It was obviously a very different format,” recalled Michel.

W hile Hook & Nail didn’t receive the award, Arnold was more disappointed that the three of them weren’t able to celebrate the nomination and the ceremony together.

“I do miss our band

During the quarantine Jeff Michel is dedicating more time to his solo record. Photo submitted

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member Jeff and seeing him in person. It’s not the same having a phone conversation or texting,” said Arnold, noting that they usually used to gather at least once a week.

“I’m looking forward if things get lifted, then maybe we can get back together if even only six feet apart,” said Michel laughing.

Arnold also pointed out that the main thing quarantine changed for all of them is public performances, but that also became a source of inspiration for her.

“What I’ve really been inspired by is how quickly artists and musicians were to change in how they interacted with their audience.

Almost immediately we saw the increase in live streams from home and they just started approaching it differently,” Arnold said.

None of the trio has had the chance to do a live stream from home yet, but they said that they are hoping to do so eventually, even though it is a totally different type of connection with the audience. However, the live performances still remain the dearest.

“It’s folk music, which is really about telling a story and interacting with the audience. I know personally I look forward to when we can be in front of a live audience,” said Arnold.

And Michel added that even the band rehearsals are a totally different experience that he also misses.

Hook & Nail currently can’t work together, so for the time being the musicians turned towards their solo projects. Thus, Arnold and Davis have been focusing on their other folk project, Last Bird, doing some writing, while Michel dedicated more time writing for his

Mike Davis and Lindsay Arnold have been working on Last Bird lately.

Photo submitted individual project “We did a home recording and produced a video release … We are just trying to do what we can to keep the music flowing,” said Arnold.

“I’ve been taking a step back and trying to work on some solo music. I’ve done a solo record that I’m hoping to keep working on for the rest of this year … I’ve had a number of songs that I’ve been working on for the last probably four or five years, and then things kind of got put on hold when we started to write the Hook & Nail record. So now I’ve got some time … We’ll see if it ends up coming out in 2020 or a little bit later,” said Michel.

He also said that big world-shaking changes usually find their way either into his lyrics or music, which has already been reflected in his new record.

Thank You for all that you do, we appreciate you!

Kristie Madse n 1129 - 4th Street, Estevan, SK (306) 634-7567

“In the last couple of weeks ... I was feeling a little bit frustrated seeing how people are having difficulties working from home, there is connection issues or things like that, maybe there are more people in your house at the same time… I wrote a song called The Working From Home Blues. It’s a light-hearted attempt at keeping some perspective during Canada’s strange times,” said Michel.

All three musicians also have other jobs that they kept going with during these days, but Michel noted that the absence of other distractions opened room for more creativity.

“When you are at home, if you’ve got not a lot of stuff left to do, one of the things that you can always do is pick up a guitar or wander into the basement and work on the

song,” said Michel.

“As creative people, we always have more than one project on the go,” said Arnold. “Because we are not performing in public, there is a lot more time for writing songs. Maybe one of the benefits is that you can focus on some different aspects of your creative process,” said Arnold.

Both Michel and Arnold noted that they had a great run with Hook & Nail, and in the future, if there will be more performing opportunities they will be happy to continue as a band, but in the meantime, the quarantine pushed them towards focusing more on their solo projects and they’ve been enjoying that opportunity.

“Maybe it’s just good timing for us to have that time to work on these projects,” said Arnold.

THANK YOU TO MY ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM, ROSALIE STORY & SUSAN COLBOW, FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.

LORI CARR, MLA ESTEVAN CONSTITUENCY OFFICE 306.634.7311 LORICARRMLA@SASKTEL.NET

NOTICE OF PREPARATION OF ASSESSMENT ROLL RURAL MUNICIPALITY OF CYMRI NO. 36

Dustin Sands Sales Manager

Mike Keating Sales Consultant

306.421.3669

306.461.6457

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Notice is hereby given that the assessment roll for the Rural Municipality of Cymri No. 36 for the year 2020 has been prepared and is open to inspection from, 8:30 a.m. to noon and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on the following days: Monday to Friday, April 24th, 2020 to May 25th, 2020.

Due to Corvid-19 the office of the Assessor is closed to the Public; anyone wishing to review assessed properties, please call the office at (306)458-2244 or email to rmcymri@sasktel.net to arrange for an appointment to review assessed properties.

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

Any person who wishes to appeal against his or her assessment is required to file his or her notice of appeal, accompanied by a $50.00 appeal fee which will be returned if the appeal is successful, with: The Assessor, R. M. of Cymri No. 36, Box 238, Midale, Sk. S0C 1S0, by the 25th day of May, 2020.

Dated this 24th day of April, 2020.

Corner of 4th & Souris

Sarah Leck Assessor

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A10 April 22, 2020

April 22, 2020 A11

WE ARE HERE STILL WORKING FOR YOU!

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461 Devonian Street, Estevan MLS SK788685

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347 Petterson Drive, Estevan MLS SK779414

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931 4th Street, Estevan MLS SK804112

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102 Perry Crescent

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404 304 Petterson Drive, Estevan MLS SK797125

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1526 3rd Street, Estevan MLS SK774140

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812 Spencer Street, Carnduff MLS SK802940

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285 Symons Bay, Estevan MLS SK799795

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319 Archibald Street, Midale MLS SK797889

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1622 Grundeen Crescent, Estevan MLS SK781863

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277 Duncan Road, Estevan MLS SK803602

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1533 4th Street, Estevan SK790862

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170 Monroe Street, Macoun MLS SK803830

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2130 Larter Road, Estevan MLS SK799629

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300 18 HighWay W, Estevan MLS SK777221

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326 4th Street, Estevan MLS SK792468

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1283 Veterans Crescent, Estevan MLS SK803143

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118 Perry Crescent, Estevan MLS SK788892

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926 3rd Street, Estevan MLS SK793658

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102 408 Heritage Drive, Estevan MLS SK798731

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2128 Larter Road, Estevan MLS SK799633

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Deeray Acreage, Estevan Rm No. 5 MLS SK799543

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206 4th Street, Estevan MLS SK795384

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330 4th Street, Estevan MLS SK792465

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201 408 Heritage Drive, Estevan MLS SK795297

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89 HighWay 39, Estevan MLS SK791270

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204 Souris Avenue N, Estevan MLS SK801091

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2014 Nicholson Road, Estevan

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717 4th Street, Estevan MLS SK774121

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1330 8th Street, Estevan MLS SK799239

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808 Hastings Place, Estevan MLS SK797598

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361 O’Connor Avenue, Macoun MLS SK793535

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528 First Street, North Portal MLS SK767884

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Mehler Acreage, Estevan Rm No. 5 MLS SK803380

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1888 Wellock Road, Estevan MLS SK776454

2044 Nicholson Road, Estevan MLS SK802923

1326 Lynd Crescent, Estevan MLS SK798965

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MLS SK785715

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MLS SK801389

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822 Isabelle Street, Estevan MLS SK800743

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29 Royal Heights, Estevan MLS SK788018

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1725 1st Street, Estevan MLS SK797357

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302 Young Street, Bienfait MLS SK804100

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101 308 Petterson Drive, Estevan MLS SK777804

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1138 3rd Street, Estevan MLS SK799086

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1382 Nicholson Road, Estevan MLS SK803667

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119 Perry Crescent, Estevan MLS SK780120

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310 3rd Avenue E, Lampman MLS SK776591

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A12 April 22, 2020

Estevan Humane Society’s bottle drive receives a positive response: adoptions have been rising

By Ana Bykhovskaia abykhovskaia@estevanmercury.ca

While many people are staying home during the pandemic, for the Estevan Humane Society these times weren't all that quiet. While their adoption and foster rates went up significantly, they still have many animals to take care of and the need for resources remains as well.

The fundraisers are currently on pause, so the shelter announced a bottle/can collection. Not only will it help them to feed the animals and take care of the medical bills, but it will also allow people to declutter their houses while SARCAN is closed.

“We are asking that people do drop them off at the shelter,” said shelter president Angela Prette. “GFL Environmental has donated some large bins for us to collect the bottles and cans in at the shelter. This will help us minimize handling by our staff and also provides us with a place to store them all.”

She added that if someone is unable to bring the donations over, they would pick it up.

“We don’t want to turn anything away right now, because we rely so heavily on fundraisers and community donations just to stay running. The medical costs, the cost of upkeeping everything, that hasn’t changed.

Our intake stats are still the same, still on par, so we still

rely really heavily on that financial aspect,” said Prette.

Usually, during this time of the year, the shelter is fully engaged in getting ready for the Dr. Howard Memorial Dog Jog, collecting pledges at the schools and fundraising in the community. The board hasn’t made a decision about rescheduling the dog jog yet, but the big part of the fundraiser that involved school children is obviously not happening this spring.

So while they are still in need of support, the nonkill shelter operators tried to think of something that many people could do.

“This is just something that I had as an idea looking at my own recyclables stacking up here, trying to think of something that could bring in some money and that wouldn’t maybe hurt too badly. I know it’s not the same right now and it’s not going to be, people won’t be able to donate as much,” explained Prette, adding that they will always be happy to accept the bottle and can donations, which can be dropped off at the shelter or at SARCAN when it opens again with a tag to the Estevan Humane Society.

Another donation that the shelter is always happy to accept is Canadian Tire money. They are always in need of supplies such as bleach, extra-large garbage bags and dish soap. The spring traditionally brings in an increase

Special containers are set at the Estevan Humane Society for people to drop off their can and bottle donations. in kittens, so they need good quality kitten kibble and kitten milk replacement.

Prette also said that there were Iams coupons for a free bag of cat or dog food that many people have recently received in the mail.

Those, who would prefer to donate it, are asked to cash them in first and donate the food, because the humane society is only allowed to bring in one coupon at a time. If someone is willing to make a donation, they should call the shelter to schedule a drop-off.

The bottle drive an-

nouncement was made a week ago, and Prette said that so far the amount they’ve gotten in “has been unreal.”

The adoptions and foster rates have been quite impressive as well lately. Over the last month, they adopted out 11 cats and nine dogs. “ Nine dogs, that is huge,” said Prette. “Just to compare in February we had seven cats and one dog.”

Usually, the shelter does see an increase in adoption during this time of the year, but Prette believes that the pandemic also played its role.

“People are being home

more and are more able to take care of animals,” said Prette.

Even though it’s always exciting for shelters to see more animals going to their new homes, they always do a thorough assessment of all applications to ensure that when the situation changes those animals won’t find themselves at the shelter doors again.

“Pet owners can say that it’s good for mental health, it can release stress. It’s really great for people right now, but they do have to think long term. When this is all

done, are they still going to be able to take care of the pet? And that’s something that we are asking as well.

We want to make sure they are going to the right home, to the forever home,” said Prette.

As of last Friday, there were seven dogs and 24 cats available to be adopted. All animals available for adoption can be viewed on the shelter’s Facebook page in two separate photo albums.

There are no walk-ins, so if someone considers adopting or fostering, they should first contact the humane society.

City making progress on water intake project The City of Estevan’s water intake project continues to make progress, and should be complete before the end of the spring.

The intake project will shift the city’s primary water source from Boundary Dam to Rafferty Dam, which is expected to result in cleaner water and reduce the amount of trihalomethanes in the water. Shane Bucsis, the manager of the city’s water division, said they have been meeting projected milestones for the environmental side. There haven’t been issues with workers coming in to tackle the project.

“With the pandemic going on, the company has taken quite an aggressive stance with how to deal with employees that are shifting in from other provinces, and they haven’t found any issues whatsoever getting work done,” said Bucsis.

Some items have been on back order because of suppliers have been on reduced hours, including large valves that tie into the SaskPower line. One valve had to be custom-built in Europe, it didn’t

arrive until late last week thanks to the railway blockades in February and the onset of the pandemic across Canada in March.

But they are still nearing completion of Phase 3, which includes the remaining pipework from the intake to the SaskPower line being used for the project, and all the associated connections. Pressure testing still needs to be completed.

“The intake itself has been installed in the reservoir and the divers have completed all of the work and made all of the connections,” Bucsis said.

The wet well, which connects the intake to the pumps, has been completed, and now they are constructing the pump house building.

Mechanical and electrical tasks will begin soon.

Some of the environmental cleanup has wrapped up as well.

Bucsis said the city is still shooting for June to switch over the city’s primary water source from Boundary Dam to Rafferty Dam, but that will be dependent on COVID-19. The city has to have

The water intake project at Rafferty Dam continues to move towards completion despite some challenges. Photo by Brian Zinchuk the project completed by the end of 2020, and even if it weren’t finished by the end of this year due to the pandemic, Bucsis said the funding parties are quite flexible for project completions.

“The fact that we have so much of the project completed, if we get held up for something that’s completely out of our control, they’re quite open to that,”

said Bucsis.

As for whether the city will be able to have a ceremony to mark the completion of the project and the switchover of the primary water source, Bucsis said something will have to take place. How it would look and how restrictions would affect a celebration aren’t yet known.

It could also happen later this year once restrictions are eased.

Thank You

Your professionalism in providing us with administrative support is greatly appreciated.

Nicole M Erica C orris ollumb

Thank You

Thank You

Your professionalism in providing us with administrative support is greatly appreciated.

1123 - 4th Street Estevan, SK · 306.634.7331 www.sfe-cpa.ca

U-

This project has been something Bucsis has been working on since he arrived in Estevan in 2017.

He looks forward to Estevan having a source of drinking water that is better tasting and of better quality, and will also be easier to treat.

Once the intake project is finished, Boundary Dam will be available as a back-up water source in case Rafferty’s water can’t be used.

inen Kara Thre chenko Patti Mow ittelson Daralee K

Your professionalism and dedication are greatly appreciated and valued.

Eileen L Natali ingelbach • Th e Duka eresa B rt • B eck Crysta renda Dumo H ntel a ncoc Pa Shaun ula Mohagen k a Stock -D • Jack erby ie Hinr ichsen

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April 22, 2020 A13

Local beauty professional and entrepreneur celebrates 35 years in the industry; still loves her work

By Ana Bykhovskaia abykhovskaia@estevanmercury.ca

Thirty-five years ago, on April 19, Shelly Mack graduated college and started a new chapter of her life, that turned out to be really successful, not only for her, but for the Estevan community as well.

Her story of hairstyling and beauty specialist started in Moose Jaw, where she managed to graduate from a one-year program in a matter of eight months.

“I worked very hard to be done,” said Mack. “I worked hard and I actually had a job in Moose Jaw and I had one (in Estevan) to do on a chair-rental basis. And my husband was (in Estevan) at the time, so I came back and I had my career here ever since.”

Now, 35 years later, when Mack is running two local businesses, Platinum Hair Design and Mack’s Reflections Hair Studio, it’s hard to imagine that at some point this talented professional and successful businesswoman was considering a totally different career choice.

“I actually wanted to be a nurse, and when I went into checking to go to be a nurse, I needed chemistry and I didn’t have chemistry, I had biology. I really enjoyed being in cosmetology at the (Estevan) Comprehensive School, so I chose that route and would not change it for anything. I absolutely love it,” said Mack.

The school in Moose Jaw awarded her with Most Likely to Succeed, an award that turned into a prophecy.

For five years Mack worked as a hairstylist

renting a chair. And then a new opportunity turned up.

“I approached the guy that I was working for one day because I knew he was having some issues, I approached him on purchasing it,” recalled Mack.

That happened 30 years ago. And even though she never worked for someone, becoming a business owner brought in more opportunities for creativity and growth. Currently, in one salon, they do total esthetics from hair to waxing, pedicures, manicures and facials.

In the other one, they also have a tanning bed. Between the two shops they have every service available including piercing, but Mack constantly keeps searching for more ideas.

“I’m always looking to expand … I’m always trying different things.”

Throughout these years many small businesses rose and fell, but Mack has been able to navigate through Estevan’s booms and busts.

She says hard work and long hours, dedication, readiness to go above and beyond, and love for the job helped her get where she is now.

“Loving what you do, hard work and always educating is the key to success. Truth to that. I wake up every morning looking forward to seeing all my clients that day, if that isn't loving your job, then I don't know what is,” said Mack.

Besides, she noted that communicating with other professionals, keeping up with a trend, bringing in new products and tools, upkeeping and renovating the salons and staying involved in the community are also important points to running a successful

business in this industry.

Making clients feel good is Mack’s favourite part and her biggest achievement.

And in return, happy clients often become like a family to her.

“You become so close to your clients you go see their baby after it's born, you go to their dance recital, go see them play sports, do their hair for years then do their kids for grad, their wedding and they invite you to attend these events, you go to their funeral, it's a whole life circle that we spend our life with them, at least I definitely have,” said Mack.

She has clients that come every two weeks and others who only need appointments once every half a year, but every single time they come in her chair it makes her happy.

While the official graduation happened for Mack three and a half decades ago, in reality, she’s never stopped learning.

“Education doesn’t stop. I just went two years ago for colour masters in Toronto,” said Mack.

All these years she has also been participating in different courses, classes and programs in different countries including Mexico, Dominican and others. She has also been on a lot of online courses brought by their distributors and high-end stylists from all around the world.

To stay on top of the recent trends and techniques, and keep being the best Mack always tries to bring education to her staff as well. Throughout these years she’s hired and worked side by side with many people, and managing the staff and keeping her employees

Shelly Mack is celebrating 35 years in hairstyling and beauty industry. Photo submitted happy is a big and sometimes challenging part of her job.

To celebrate the milestone Mack had planned to run 35 days of giveaways and deals, which was postponed due to COVID-19.

Just recently the community voted Mack’s Reflections the Best of Estevan in waxing, manicure/pedicure and body piercing categories in the contest brought by the Estevan Mercury Publications in March.

United Way receives $50,000 for food program The United Way Estevan announced Monday that it has received a grant for $50,000 from the South Saskatchewan Community Foundation.

This funding will help to address food insecurity by providing groceries to 100 local families every other week during the next 10 weeks. The project is named Feed Estevan, and will be for residents of the Energy City and rural communities close

to the community.

The foundation approved this emergency response fund “to provide financial support to the community in south Saskatchewan where a need has been identified related to COVID-19,” the United Way said in a news release.

The Estevan Community Hamper Association and the Salvation Army will select families most in need of this assistance. The association and the United Way 20044SS0

will then team up to implement this project. There will not be an application process.

“This is certainly due to the food insecurity as a result of the COVID-19,” said

United Way Estevan board president Melanie Graham.

If anyone is interested in donating, they can contact the United Way Estevan at admin@unitedwayestevan. com or go to its website at unitedwayestevan.com. All funds received will go directly to food costs to help enhance or extend this Feed Estevan project.

“This is an unprecedented time for all of us as the world responds to the impact

Thank You Your professionalism is providing us with administrative support is greatly appreciated.

of COVID-19. The receiving of this grant from the South Saskatchewan Community Foundation is greatly appreciated and will assist Estevan families in this time of need.”

United Way Estevan acknowledges the financial support of the Emergency Response Fund for Community Needs at the South Saskatchewan Community Foundation. The foundation is a public entity serving the people of south Saskatch-

ewan.

It builds permanently endowed charitable funds for the changing needs and opportunities of the community and provides grants to eligible charitable organizations in culture, health, education, the environment, recreation and social service sectors. You can find more information on the South Saskatchewan Community Foundation on its website at https://sscf.ca/.

Thank You

Your professionalism in providing us with administrative support is greatly appreciated.

Courtney Rowley Lisa Petterson Doris Trobert Paulette Denouden

306-634-2616

1217 - 4th Street, Estevan, SK Toll Free (888) 936-2222 Mon - Fri : 8am - 6pm, Sat : 9am - 3pm

PROCLAMATION DAY OF MOURNING

From left to right - Ashley Johnson, Mayor Roy Ludwig, Garry Malaryk WHEREAS:

Every year, more than 1,000 Canadian workers are killed on the job.

AND WHEREAS: Thousands more are permanently disabled.

AND WHEREAS: Hundreds of thousands are injured.

AND WHEREAS: Thousands of others die from cancer, lung disease, and other ailments caused by exposure to toxic substances at their workplaces.

AND WHEREAS: April 28 of each year has been chosen by the Canadian Labour Congress as: - a Day of Mourning for these victims of workplace accidents and disease; - a day to remember the maximum sacrifice they have been forced to make in order to earn a living; - a day to renew approaches to governments for tougher occupational health and safety standards, and more effective Compensation; - a day to rededicate ourselves to the goal of making Canada’s workplace safer.

AND WHEREAS: April 28 was proclaimed a “Day of Mourning” by an Act of Parliament on February 1st 1991.

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED: I, Roy Ludwig, Mayor of the City of Estevan do hereby proclaim April 28, 2020 to be Day of Mourning in recognition of workers killed, injured or disabled on the job and in issuing this proclamation, ask our citizens to recognize the day.

Mayor Roy Ludwig

A14 April 22, 2020

HELP REDUCE THE SPREAD OF COVID-19 TAKE STEPS TO REDUCE THE SPREAD OF THE CORONAVIRUS DISEASE (COVID-19) :

Follow the advice of your local public health authority.

Try not to touch your eyes, nose or mouth.

Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

SYMPTOMS Symptoms of COVID-19 may be very mild or more serious and may take up to 14 days to appear after exposure to the virus.

Cough and sneeze into your sleeve and not your hands.

DIFFICULTY BREATHING

Stay home as much as possible and if you need to leave the house practice physical distancing (approximately 2 m).

IF YOU HAVE SYMPTOMS

Isolate at home to avoid spreading illness to others.

Avoid visits with older adults, or those with medical conditions.

They are at higher risk of developing serious illness.

Call ahead before you visit a health care professional or call your local public health authority.

If your symptoms get worse, contact your health care provider or public health authority right away and follow their instructions.

FEVER (greater or equal to 38 °C)

COUGH

Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.

FOR INFORMATION ON COVID-19 : 1-833-784-4397

canada.ca/coronavirus

April 22, 2020 A15

Council used technology to hold April meeting Estevan city council used technology so it could have its monthly meeting Monday night.

Mayor Roy Ludwig, city manager Jeff Ward and city clerk Judy Pilloud were in council chambers, and observing social distancing. The remaining members of council participated from their homes through Zoom.

The meeting was broadcasted on YouTube and on the city’s website.

Ludwig said he was pleased with how council members adapted. He’s confident the same system will be employed for the next meeting on May 13, unless the provincial government eases restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

He doesn’t believe there

were any kinks that needed to be worked out, either.

• • • Council decided not to create a tax levy to support the STARS Air Ambulance.

STARS sent a request to council for funding last month, but it was tabled. Other communities have received the same request, but none have approved a levy.

City manager Jeff Ward noted those were similar-sized cities.

While council members appreciate the works that STARS does in the province, given the financial situation facing the community, they believe this is not the time for a new tax.

• • • The monthly cart report for Green for Life Environ-

ment showed a total of 3,162 recycling carts were emptied fin March, with a total weight of 20,900 tonnes, or 6.60 kilograms per cart.

As for trash carts, 11,021 carts were emptied, with a total weight of 168,840 kilograms or 15.31 kilograms per cart.

• • • A letter from the Ministry of Education said the education portion of property tax for 2020 will be unchanged from 2019. The education portion has remained stable for several years.

• • • A sponsorship request from Josh LeBlanc with the Rafferty Rumble was tabled to a future meeting. LeBlanc said they hope to have the event this summer, and they have

some sponsors on board, but others have said no.

Ludwig said it would be best to wait to see the government’s plan for reopening the province before making a decision.

• • • The city awarded the annual dust control tender to Fort Distributors for $.33 per litre, with a total cost of $108,900. Dust control is used on a number of gravel roads within the city’s boundaries.

Some roads require only one application annually while others require two, because they have more vehicle traffic.

The city uses a magnesium chloride-based product which is also employed by the RM of Estevan.

• • • Council approved some

changes to the annual spring Operation Clean Sweep, which was scheduled to happen from May 11-18.

A free landfill weekend, slated from May 15-18, will proceed.

A household hazardous waste event at the GFL facility on Bourquin Road was slated for May 16, but it had to be postponed. With current regulations preventing gatherings of more than 10 people, the city decided to postpone it, because they thought it would exceed the limit.

Also slated for that week was the door to door pickup of yard refuse by city staff. In consultation with the city’s safety officer, it was deemed employee contact with garbage and yard refuse was not safe.

The city hopes a large

cleanup event can happen in the fall.

• • • Two building permits worth $205,700 were issued in March, bringing the total for the year to six permits worth $287,400. Both permits were under the miscellaneous category.

• • • Council gave second and third readings to the dangerous goods bylaw, which will govern the transportation of dangerous goods throughout the city. The dangerous goods route will be the same as the truck route, and there will be penalties for those carrying dangerous goods who unnecessarily stray from the route.

This is the first time Estevan has had a dangerous goods bylaw.

EPS arrests two; seizes drugs, cash and weapons The Estevan Police Service (EPS) arrested two people on alleged drugs and weapons charges Saturday afternoon.

Just after 5:30 p.m., members of the EPS conducted a traffic stop on Highway 39 on the west side of the city. A significant amount of contraband methamphetamines and cash were located inside the vehicle.

Several rounds of ammunition, a machete, scales, charged needles and other items used for the sale and distribution of illegal contraband were also seized. In addition, other stolen property was located in the vehicle.

Deputy Police Chief Murray Cowan said the drug bust wasn’t a result of an investigation. But this wasn’t a random traffic stop, either.

“We were acting on some information, and that’s what led to the traffic stop,” said Cowan.

The amount of drugs and

cash seized were not disclosed but Cowan said the drugs were significant.

“A lot of the drugs were already … divided up into individual packets. The needles … are charged. They had meth in them … they sell the needle that way so that people just take the needle and shoot up with it.”

Other items, such as scales, were allegedly there to promote the sale of the drugs, Cowan said.

The amount of cash was not as significant as what the police initially thought.

Two males, both from Estevan, were arrested. Cowan noted they were known to police previously.

Cameron St. Laurent, a 33-year-old man, has been charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking of a controlled substance and trafficking a controlled substance (methamphetamine) under the Controlled Drugs and Sub-

stances Act; and possession of a weapon dangerous to the public, possession of property obtained by crime and possession of a weapon while prohibited from doing so under the Criminal Code.

Noah Levick, a 19-yearold man, has been charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking of a controlled substance and trafficking a controlled substance (methamphetamine), possession of a weapon dangerous to the public and possession of property obtained by crime He has also been charged with failing to comply with a condition of an undertaking.

The vehicle they were operating has been seized as offence related property.

Both were remanded into custody and will make their next court appearance April 23.

The matter remains under investigation.

Drugs, cash and weapons were seized in a drug bust Saturday in Estevan.

Photo submitted

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If you would like prayer or just someone to talk to, please phone the Estevan Gospel Chapel at 634-3761

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A16 April 22, 2020

New Alliance Church pastor enjoying Estevan The new senior pastor of the Estevan Alliance Church certainly picked an interesting time to come to the community.

Craig Hollands started on the job on April 1. He said he and his wife Amy have really enjoyed the community thus far, even though they haven’t been able to experience all that Estevan has to offer due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

But Estevan made a positive impression on them when they came here for the first time in December.

“We thought ‘This is definitely a city we could make home,” said Hollands.

He started a week and a half before Easter Sunday, which would normally be one of the church’s biggest services of the year. This year, though, he was trying to figure out how to do an Easter Sunday service online.

The technology was difficult at times, but the service turned out great.

“That was our second week of live streaming, so we had some hiccups

that we had to learn from. It was a memorable service from that point of view,” he said.

As for Good Friday, Estevan Alliance participated in an inter-church service organized by Living Hope Community Church, in which Hollands pre-recorded a brief video that was incorporated into a longer video and posted to YouTube.

When he took the job in Estevan a few months ago, Hollands never imagined he’d spend so much time with the church’s tech people to figure out live streaming and cameras for his first services here.

The congregation members have been great to deal with. They have been calling to talk to him, and the church has hearts plastered on their windows.

“We’ve had people dropping stuff off on the doorstep and ringing the doorbell, and then as people have been getting my contact information, I’ve been getting emails and phone calls.

Everybody’s been saying the same thing: we look forward to meeting you

Wait and see Words of Worth their focus – the restoration of an earthly kingdom. In our language, Jesus replied: “I’m not telling you, that’s not your responsibility. You wait here until you are empowered to do my work.”

After their conversation, the miracle of ascension to Heaven took place. They stood and watched in wonder, then to endorse the credibility of what they’d just observed, two angels assured them it was Jesus. I can only imagine the range of emotions they experienced.

These are the words that challenged and blessed me; I trust they will do the same for you.

“And He said to them. It is not for you to know the times or seasons…but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you shall be witnesses to me….” (Acts 1) As we wait to see how this whole scenario plays out, let’s allow God to endow us with power to serve Him while we wait and see.

Your professionalism in providing us with administrative support is greatly appreciated

The Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) are encouraging local residents to light a candle in honour of the annual Day of Mourning on April 28.

Traditionally the labour committee holds a brief Day of Mourning service at the coal car at the corner of Souris Avenue South and Fourth Street. (The coal car has been temporarily removed from the site for a restoration project).

But due to crowd restrictions stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, the traditional Estevan ceremony has been cancelled. The CLC has recommended that people post tributes online.

“They want everybody to light a candle that day to honour the fallen who gave their lives up in the workplace,” said local resident Garr y Malar yk with the United Mine Workers of America Local 7606.

They are also encouraging front-line workers to take an individual or a group photo and post it on social media with a hashtag such

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Alden Hagel Financial Security Advisor Investment Representative

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We would like to thank all of the administrative staff at the City of Estevan for the wonderful work they do in helping daily operations and the success of the City.

We appreciate you and are lucky to have you.

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workplace-related fatalities last year. Sixteen of them were from asbestos exposure.

Among those who died on the job was Mark Biglin of Kenosee Lake, a 38-yearold rig manager for Aaron Well Servicing who died in August after he was struck by equipment at a worksite near Stoughton.

Thank you

You have stepped up when we needed you, and go above and beyond.

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Each year during the ceremony, a member of the local labour committee will read out the roll of honour – the list of Saskatchewan workers who died in workplace accidents the previous year. A candle will be lit for each one, and a wreath will be laid in front of the coal car.

Saskatchewan had 36

Administrative Team, Vaila Lindenbach & Fay Bonthoux.

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as Stop the Pandemic or Safety First.

The UMWA Local will also have something online to mark the day.

The local service has often had small crowds, but the weather has often failed to co-operate. Last year it snowed the day of the ceremony.

to our

445 4th Street, Estevan 306-634-2815 idealautobody.ca

FINANCIAL

People gather in Estevan each year for the annual Day of Mourning service.

File photo

THANK YOU

Debbie Wall

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Craig Hollands, pictured here with his wife Amy, is the new senior pastor of the Estevan Alliance Church. Photo submitted

Residents encouraged to light a candle for annual Day of Mourning

Linda Wegner

While living through this current pandemic, for me, and I’m sure for many of you, it’s the waiting and the not knowing that’s the hardest part.

Reading the Scriptures this morning I realized that the disciples faced a similar dilemma. No, they weren’t battling COVID-19 but they were reeling under the predicament they didn’t expect to happen.

They’d left their occupations and the approval of others and now Jesus was dead. He said He’d come back but when and how? That day between death and resurrection seemed unending.

During the 40 days after His resurrection, Jesus appeared to His followers on a number of occasions but for some, even that didn’t clear up their many questions. During the last recorded earthly event, the apostles had gathered together and they asked Him: “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”

My first observation is

in person, but we’re glad you’re here.”

Even though church buildings might not be open to the public, churches are still looking to love and care for people, just in different ways.

This is the fifth church that Hollands has served in during his 30-year career. He began in ministry shortly after marrying Amy, and worked at two churches in B.C. before coming to Saskatchewan.

Estevan is his third church in Saskatchewan, after Carrot River and Prince Albert.

Hollands said he has a love for people that he brings to the job. He has also handled a variety of duties, including preaching, music, children’s ministry and administration during his career.

“Really, my overall passion is a love for Jesus and helping others to experience and love Jesus,” he said.

And he believes that getting to know people, building relationships and caring for them is the best way to share his faith with others.

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Classifieds

Wednesday, April 22, 2020

A17

In MeMorIaM

In loving memory of a dear husband, dad, grandpa and great grandpa, Raymond Daae, who passed away April 23, 2019 One year ago we said goodbye, And you were lifted up on high.

Oh, how we’ve missed you all these days, Your laughter and your caring ways.

To hear your voice and your song, With your old guitar we sang along.

We remember you with thankfulness.

A gift from God, we are truly blessed.

Our family chain is broken, nothing seems the same, But as God calls us one by one, the chain will link again.

Always in our hearts and forever loved, Verna, Wayne, Blair, Brenda, Patricia, Darwin and families

In MeMorIaM

Rhonda Lou Anne Wick May 10, 1972 - April 18, 1992 Life Has Changed We are facing a time in our lives that we are not ready for.

No one is sure if there is a lesson to be learned.

Could it be we were all so busy we forgot what was really important?

Who knew the world could just stop one day with no time to prepare.

If you have ever lost a child or someone very special, it can be very much the same.

We felt like the world stopped 28 years ago, April 18, 1992.

It takes years for the heartache to subside but it never truly goes away.

In time the sun starts to peak through the stormy clouds.

Rhonda, we still miss you as much today as the day you left us.

We hang on to the wonderful memories and with faith,knowing we will all be together one day.

Love You Always, Miss You Forever Mom, Dad, Trena, Derek,Hudsyn & Joseph

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In Loving Memory of Jennie Deren March 24, 1931- April 28, 2013 Mom, did the sun shine brighter, or was the sky a deeper blue Or was it just a different world when we shared our lives with you.

Forever is a long time This we know is true But that’s how long our broken hearts Will love and yearn for you.

Sadly missed and forever loved

by June, Paul, Donna, Bill, Lil, Linda, Delmar, Joy and families

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Adver tisements 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.

Joan M Cook Who passed away April 26, 2009 You gave us many things in life Gifts both great and small But most of all you gave us love The greatest gift of all.

Love: Your Family

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Bridges & Company LLP 1329 Third Street Estevan, SK S4A 0S1 Solicitors for the Executor

The Estevan Art Gallery and Museum (EAGM) has turned to the Internet in an effort to continue offering some programming.

Amber Andersen, the director-curator of the EAGM, said that in an effort to keep people aware of activities they can do, the EAGM has been posting crafts families can do at home.

“There are different activities that are craft and artbased,” said Andersen.

Karly Garnier, the gallery’s programmer, recently shared activities that were Easter-oriented that gave people an idea of what they could do with supplies at home.

“The idea is to try to showcase things that we think people will have that they do with their kids while at home,” said Andersen.

Easter-themed activities proved to be very popular with the public.

The EAGM has also looked at ways to have programs in an altered format using social media to keep people connected. A group like the South Sask. Photo Club has been using Facebook for photo scavenger hunts.

The EAGM is also going to be showcasing the works from their current collection, which includes a large collection of Andrew King printing blocks, prints and travel trunks. In the 1930's, Andrew King's business, Enterprise Show Print, was the only full-time show poster printing plant in Canada. He later moved to Estevan and renamed the business King Show Print, and continued to produce posters to sell nationally and internationally.

King was the owner of the Estevan Mercury from 1944-1958.

“We have quite a substantial collection of AnCareer OppOrtunities Heavy Duty Mechanics, Heavy Equipment Operators and 1A Drivers required: Late model, clean CAT, JD equip: winch, dump, gravel trucks and trailers. Both camp and shop locations; R & B provided.

Wage negotiable.

Clean drivers abstract a must.

In the estate of Jack Patrick McKnight, late of Estevan, Saskatchewan, deceased.

All claims against the above estate, duly verified by statutory declaration and with particulars and valuation of security held, if any, must be sent to the undersigned before the 13th day of May, 2020.

Art gallery now offers online programming

Send resume and work references to: Bryden Construction Box 100, Arborfield, Sk. S0E 0A0; Fax: 306-769-8844 Email: brydenconstruct@ xplornet.ca www. brydenconstruction andtransport.ca

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P. 306-634-3631 • F. (306) 634-6901 • www.kohalyelash.com

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306.634.7311 loricarrmla@sasktel.net

People have been exploring their creative side through online programs offered by the Estevan Art Gallery and Museum. Photo submitted drew King, the actual wood blocks that he would have used to print, and then the actual prints and posters themselves,” Andersen said.

They can also showcase contemporary artwork from local artists and displays from the North West Mounted Police Museum.

Another option would be to post photos of some of the works that they still have in their galleries, so that people can maintain a connection to visual literacy. The current exhibits were supposed to come down March 20, just after the pandemic came to Saskatchewan, but the EAGM couldn’t remove them while obeying the twometre social distancing requirements.

Andersen might perform a curatorial walkthrough so that if some people missed attending the shows, they can still get some insight into the exhibition and the artwork that is up.

Exhibits that were supposed to be at the EAGM in April and May were postponed.

“We are trying to see which shows can be maintained and where they can maybe be moved to, or can they be moved to the future,” said Andersen.

Monique Martin was supposed to be at the EAGM at this time, but has been rescheduled until the end of the year.

Andersen has been in contact with the artists who were supposed to exhibit their works starting in early June. A decision hasn’t been made about those exhibits.

The artists have been very understanding during the pandemic.

“They know what is going on. This is not a surprise to them. The hope and the desire is that we can move things around and keep them on the schedule as much as possible.”

A18 April 22, 2020 Obituaries Marguerite Bezaire 1924 - 2020

Flashback – April 24, 2002

Rita (Lafond) Bezaire passed away peacefully in her home in Estevan, Saskatchewan, surrounded by family on Thursday, April 9, 2020 at the age of 95.

Rita leaves to mourn her children, Jeannette Eddolls of Prince Albert, SK, Dianne Mantei of High River, AB, Neal (Norma) Bezaire of Estevan, Maureen (John) Gillen of Golden, BC, Lillian Purdy (John Porritt) of Picton, ON, Yvonne (Brent) Harris of Okotoks, AB and Fran Bezaire (Vincenzo Reda) of Calgary, AB.; and her grandchildren: Colleen (Andrew) Potter and Cameron Eddolls, Doug, Rachelle (Blair Lawson), Jason and Shannon Mantei, Michael and Chris Bezaire, Ryan (Natasha) and Steven Gillen, Morgan Purdy and Chad Himmelspach; and ten greatgrandchildren.

She was predeceased by her husband Roger Bezaire (2014); parents Romulus Lafond and Jean (Donnelly) Lafond; her sister-in-law Germain (Lozeau) Lafond; brother Remus Lafond, grandson Quintin Purdy and her sister-in law Lillian (Mazur) Sherba.

Rita was born to Romulus and Jean (Donnelly) Lafond in St. Paul, Alberta. Rita began her teaching career in 1943 and kept in touch with some of her pupils for 60-plus years.

Rita met Roger Bezaire in St. Paul in 1947. They were married on July 12th of 1948. After a brief time in Hearst, Ontario Rita and Roger then returned to the farm at Torquay in 1951 and farmed there until 1996. They moved into Estevan in 1993. When Rita and Roger became empty-nesters, they became snowbirds for 17 years.

Sharp as a tack and a storyteller to the end, she often recalled funny and interesting anecdotes from her 95-plus years.

A Celebration of Life will be planned for a later date.

Those wishing to make a donation in Rita's memory may do so directly to a charity of their choice, or she would appreciate an act of kindness to a person in need.

Deb Heidinger with Hall Funeral Services, Estevan is assisting Rita’s family.

In Loving Memory Of Wanda Schoff 1962 - 2020 It is with the heaviest of hearts that Wanda's family announces her passing on Saturday, April 11, 2020. She passed away at St. Joseph's Hospital, Estevan, Sask. at the age of 57.

Wanda's legacy consists of her children: Amanda Schoff and Amber (Jess) Graham; her brothers: Bruce (Arleen) Schoff and Warren (Rhoda) Schoff & family; her sister-in-law Denise Schoff and her children: Jeremy Schoff, Alysha Schoff & family, and Jenelle Schoff.

She was predeceased by her parents: Joyce & Joe Schoff and her brother Blaise Schoff.

Mom had strong faith in Jesus and had a positive outlook on fighting her battle with cancer until the last day. She never stopped believing that her miracle would come. Maybe it did, just not the way we expected. She will be missed far more than she will know.

Micah 7:7-8 But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.

Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light.

A private family interment will take place at Souris Valley Memorial Gardens. We want to celebrate Mom's life with all her family and friends, but we cannot do so at this time. Arrangements for a memorial gathering will be made when we are once again able to do so.

In lieu of flowers, Wanda's family would be so appreciative of donations to Telemiracle in her memory. Donations can be made online at telemiracle.com or mailed to: 2217C Hanselman Crt., Saskatoon, Sask., S7L 6A8.

Dustin Hall with Hall Funeral Services, Estevan is assisting Wanda's family.

Jason Dean Howse 1973 - 2020 Jason Dean Howse, loving brother to four siblings and doting father to one daughter, passed away at the age of 46. In the late afternoon of Wednesday April 8th, 2020, Jason’s body grew tired and needed to rest and as he drew his last breath, he closed his eyes and asked God to take him home. Jason is survived by his daughter Justice; sister Laura Wallace and family; brother Steven Howse and family, sister Michelle Thiem and family; sister Lisa Dawson and family. He is preceded in death by his parents Ken and Wendy Boye, his uncles Johnny and Dave Sarasin, his grandmother Lyla Sarasin. Jason was born in Red Deer, Alberta in 1973. Born prematurely into this world, he came out kicking and screaming. At the time, he was the smallest of 4 siblings, but he had already proven to be a strong-willed little soul. Within a few years, Jason’s parents moved from his original home in Benalto, Alberta to Eckville, Alberta after his youngest sister Lisa, was born. As the second youngest child, Jason established to everyone that he was the most inquisitive out of all five. Even at an early age, Jason’s thirst for knowledge was unquenchable; he longed to know how things ticked. He took pride in taking objects apart only to put them back together again. He loved to know the ins and outs of all types of engines, gadgets, and gizmos, and that sometimes involved toxic chemicals and the fire department. Jason and his family moved to Red Deer in 1985 and he was enrolled in grade 7 at Westpark Junior High. He graduated from Lindsay Thurber Comprehensive High School in 1992. After high school he found employment with Big Sky Drilling as a floor/motor-hand for 3 years. As he gained knowledge, he gained confidence and soon moved to Saskatchewan. There, he started his career as an apprentice electrician working for Willett Manufacturing Ltd. and then soon after, joined the team at Sherritt International. During this time, he met and married Christina Eagles and together they began a new life together. A few years later, they added to their family and welcomed a beautiful baby girl named Justice Rose. As Jason’s career flourished, he became a Safety Advisor for Sherritt International.

At this time, he wanted to give back to his community and volunteered his time competing in mine rescue, often winning competitions as well as he volunteered as a firefighter/emergency services personnel. Before moving back to Alberta, after his mother Wendy passed away, Jason finished off his career as a Journeyman Maintenance Electrician for Westmoreland Coal Company. Jason was a friendly, motivated, loyal, and dedicated man who had the ambition to succeed in any given environment. He was excited to learn and loved to teach others; he was always up to the challenge in any circumstance he faced. He was kind, loving, adventurous, compassionate, resourceful and thoughtful to those who knew him. He would do what it took to lend a helping hand to those in need.

Jason was an outdoor enthusiast; he loved to go camping and fishing, he often challenged the law of gravity while dirt bike riding and quadding. He enjoyed flying radio-controlled airplanes, launching homemade rockets and he even tried his hand at skydiving and bungee jumping. Honestly, the times that he’d be at peace the most, was when he was riding his motorcycle. It was an absolute thrill for him to hit the throttle, breathe in the fresh air, soak in the sights and sounds and ultimately absorbing the magic of exploring new places. His humour was zany and he always seemed to have a sparkle of mischief in his eyes! He loved his family dearly, but above all else, he loved his daughter. From the time that she was born, she was his pride and joy. Wherever he is, whatever he is doing, he will always be close to her heart, in spirit. He will watch over her as he was not only her biggest fan, but her biggest protector. Unfortunately, due to the country’s Covid-19 pandemic situation, Jason’s Celebration of Life will be post-phoned until a later date when it is safe to do so. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Red Deer Hospice Society, 99 - Arnot Ave, Red Deer AB T4R 3S6 or a charity of donor’s choice. Condolences to Jason’s family may be emailed to meaningful@telus. net. Arrangements in care of Meaningful Memorials Funeral Service, serving Red Deer and all of Central Alberta. 587-876-4944

City to hold lifeguard training with online sessions The City of Estevan’s Leisure Services Division is preparing for the regular programming of aquatics once restrictions associated with COVID-19 are lifted, and to be ready, future lifeguards/instructors need to have proper training and credentials that are up to date.

“We are offering a revised water safety instructor course and first aid course that keeps the provincial restrictions in mind,” said program manager Erin Wilson.

“The water safety instructor course will be separated into two sections. In the first section, participants will complete a virtual meeting with the instructor and a 20-hour online module. The second section, once the pool is filled, will see the participants complete swimming components and four-hour practice teaching with a 25hour classroom setting.” “ We will also be offering a sectioned standard first aid CPR C blended

course. In the online section, participants can complete course information at their own pace. Once provincial restrictions are lifted a second section will take place that participants will complete a four to six-hour instructor-led practical classroom setting.”

Participants can register or find out more information on these courses by calling the information desk at 306-634-1888 or by emailing e.wilson@estevan.ca.

The medal winners from the Estevan Comprehensive School who were at the Skills Canada provincial competition are shown with staff members Kevin Reiter, Curtis Hack, Brian Wright and Kevin Hovdebo. Students from the school brought home many medals, including seven gold, and other students also had strong showings at Skills Canada, continuing a tradition of success.

Estevan police arrest one for impaired driving Members of the Estevan Police Service (EPS) made an arrest for impaired driving during the weekend.

Police arrested and charged an Estevan man for impaired driving and operating over .08 after a traffic stop in the downtown area.

He was lodged in cells until he was sober.

His drivers’ licence was suspended and the vehicle he was operating was towed. He will appear in court in July.

In other recent police news, two fraud complaints were reported to the EPS on April 14, in which a suspect emailed the complainants in an attempt to blackmail them into sending money. The fraudster threatened the release of personal information via social media if they did not receive a cash settlement.

The matter remains under investigation.

Another fraud was reported at a north central Estevan location that day. The suspect attempted to cash a stolen cheque. This matter also remains under investigation.

Police were dispatched to a central Estevan residence April 15 on the report of a male in possible distress. The male was spoken to upon police arrival and the matter was resolved without further incident.

Officers responded to another male in distress at a north central Estevan residence.

After further investigation, the male was transported to hospital by EMS for further assessment.

Police were dispatched to a north-central Estevan location April 16 on the report of a possible impaired driver. The 34-year-old Estevan woman was found to be sober, but was arrested as a result of an ongoing fraud investigation. She is scheduled to make her first court appearance on June 15 at 9:30 a.m. in Estevan Provincial Court.

Police arrested a 29-year-old Estevan man for violating conditions of his parole on April 17. He will be transported back to the Saskatchewan Penitentiary to serve the remainder of his sentence. He has also been charged with theft under $5,000 and possession of stolen property as a result of an April 15 shoplifting complaint at a retail store.

A motorist is facing several charges following a traffic stop in Estevan. Officers stopped a vehicle in the 800-block of First Street. A 65-year-old man has been charged with obstruction, driving while disqualified, possession of methamphetamine and possession of cocaine. The vehicle he was operating was also unregistered and has been impounded.

He will appear in Estevan Provincial Court in July to answer to the charges.

Saskatchewan was down to 74 active cases of COVID-19

By Jordan Stricker, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Chief medical health officer Dr. Saqib Shahab announced on Monday Saskatchewan is down to 74 active cases of COVID-19.

Shahab said during the daily update press conference it is important to recognize that due to the people of Saskatchewan’s efforts, the curve remains flat.

“We are managing to keep the curve flat and actually bend it downwards, so that is reassuring,” said Shahab.

“While that is very reassuring, it still means that we have to continue what we’ve been doing,” he added.

Shahab said residents can continue to enjoy the spring and summer weather coming to Saskatchewan, but to continue practising physical distancing to minimize continued transmission of the virus.

Shahab also said the province will continue to look at other activities that will be allowed in the province as the number of active cases continues to drop.

“I’m sure there will be

Dr. Saqib Shahab. Photo by Jordan Stricker some look at what other activities can be allowed that lets us enjoy summer and lets us participate in other economic activity,” said Shahab.

“We should understand that until such time that there is an effective vaccine or treatment, we will have to maintain physical distancing,” he added.

Shahab said the virus certainly has not gone away in Saskatchewan and will not for weeks or months. He added continuing to practise the habits that have kept the province’s numbers low is important until treatment or high levels of immunity have

been reached.

Four additional people have now recovered from the virus, bringing the total to 238, as of Monday afternoon.

There were four people in hospital. Of those cases, three are receiving inpatient care and one is in intensive care.

Of the 316 cases in the province, 134 are travel related, 132 are contacts or linked to mass gatherings, 30 have no known exposures and 20 are under investigation by local public health.

A total 24,412 COVID-19 tests had been performed in the province.

Cheers & Jeers

Wednesday, April 22, 2020

A19

Cheers Cheers to the medical staff at St. Joseph's Hospital who go over and above to care for patients. Whether it's over the phone or in person, they are always there to help.

Cheers to the Hospital Heroes ad that has been running each week. It’s great to see the hospital shining a spotlight on these dedicated employees on a weekly basis.

Cheers to the many encouraging heart-shaped messages placed on the windows of residents at Hill View Manor by a young lad and his mother earlier this month. It gave residents such a lift and encouragement.

Cheers to the organizers of events who have had the good sense to postpone, or, if necessary, cancel their activities. Hopefully they can make it work later in the year when a sense of normalcy has returned.

Cheers to those who have continued to support local businesses during this time. It’s important to continue to shop local during this time, rather than taking your money elsewhere.

Cheers to everybody who has taken the time to write a letter to a local senior citizen and brighten their day while they are locked in their homes.

Jeers Jeers to people who stop and text in the grocery store aisles, while people behind have to wait for them to move on. Please get your groceries and check your messages after you leave the store. The message won’t disappear.

Jeers to the Bruins dismissal of coach Chris Lewgood. Players liked playing for him and his on-ice results are some of the best for the Bruins in the last 20 years.

Jeers to wind chimes. They used to be found in cemeteries a lot, but because of the annoying factor they have mostly been banned. Please set the thing up inside your house with a fan.

Jeers to motorists who continue to run red lights. Just because there’s less traffic on the road due to the pandemic doesn’t mean you can ignore the rules of the road.

To submit a cheer or a jeer, please email it to dwillberg@estevanmercury.ca, or visit www.estevanmercury.ca.

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Drewitz students receive Royal Academy of Dance results Students from the Drewitz School of Dance in Estevan, under the direction of instructor Lorie-Gay Drewitz-Gallaway and assistant teacher Hunter Hildebrand, recently received their results from London.

The new Royal Academy of Dance marking system has been implemented in professional dance studios worldwide. The marking system and medals are awarded for each grade in bronze (pass), silver (merit) and gold (distinction).

With ballet being the fundamental discipline in dance, children are encouraged to participate in examinations that are an individual goal for them.

Students are strategically marked in all specified areas: technique, posture, musicality, presentation and character, and their dances are now graded. The standard required to pass is worldwide throughout all countries.

Examinations for this session were for students in grades primary to eight and fall and vocational exams.

This spring’s examiner was Anuschka Roes from Toronto. She is also head of teacher training at The National Ballet of Canada.

Recently received results are as follows: Silver Gardiner, Keira Kessler, Gabriela MorenoAcosta, Ella Smyth and Natalie Currie received a distinction mark in the pri-

From left, Sydney Lainton, Payton Sernick, examiner Anuschka Roes, Tegan Mosle and Brooke Dzeryk. Photo submitted mary grade. Isabella Culham, Samantha Unite, Madison Z uke wich, Ty ler Z abel, Rowan Grimes, Sofia Carritt, Kayleigh Reed, Avianna Sacapon, Paris Irwin and Everleigh Blanchette had a merit score.

In Grade 1, Alivia Waldegger, Ava Mann, Gabrielle Deitz, Ayesha Duran, Taylor Ellis, Sophia Deitz, Aubree Drabek, Elizabeth Harmsworth, Lyric Beaulieu, Brooklyn Penney, Summer Petersen, Iris Elson and Kennady Poole had a merit result.

Payton Sernick, Brooke Dzeryk, Ella Duke, Marin Burnett, Cana Marsh, Sydney Lainton, Summer Gardiner, Tegan Mosley and Kelsie Wilson had merit results in Grade 2.

Merit results in Grade

3 went to Josie Hurren, Sydney Ross, Paige Petersen, Makenzie Onrait, Peyton Irwin, Layla Kitz, Charlotte Waldegger, Scarlett Mercer, Lindy Trobert and Mercedes Irwin. Elliana Wiebe, Sienna Kuntz, Alexis Paton, Kaitlyn Skuce and Audie-Rae Richardson had pass results.

In Grade 4, S ophia Fleck, Lindsay Mack, Kerison Burnett, Tyann Babyak, Samantha Carritt, Ekko Sanguin, Katelyn Conquergood, Sadie Smith, Hailey Taylor, Rowyn Siever and Hunter McNabb earned merit results.

Jayla Memory, Brooklynn Sullivan, Halle Adams, Alecia Wiebe and Alyssa Saccary earned a merit score in Grade 5, while Bryanna Morrow and Iciss L’Heureux had a pass result.

Merit results went to Marley Nashiem, Kate Schmidt and Kylie Armstrong in Grade 6.

Elsie Alexander and Jersey Long had merit results for Grade 7, while Shayla Gill, Madison Hrywkiw, Emily Phillips and Codie Lemcke were pass scores.

In vocational exam results, Br yn Lamontagne, Jersey Long and Kailey Kowalchuk had a merit score in intermediate, while Madison Hrywkiw received a pass grade.

Elsie Alexander and Brielle Wakely had a merit score in advanced foundation.

Hunter Hildebrand completed her RAD Ballet Teaching Certification through the University Of Durham in London.

Apartment residents forced to evacuate the building on Friday Friday night saw some Estevan residents leaving their apartments in a hurry due to a fire alarm.

The call came in at about 7 p.m. and the Estevan Fire Rescue Service crews were immediately dispatched to the scene. The commercial fire alarm went off in a three-storey apartment building in the central part of Estevan.

Estevan Fire Chief Dale Feser said there was no visible smoke or flame on

the exterior of the building, and most residents had successfully evacuated the complex and mustered outside prior to fire crews’ arrival.

“They were indicating that it was on the third floor,” said Feser.

Firefighters entered the building and checked it thoroughly. The firealarm panel was indicating that the problem was on the third level. There were no signs of smoke or flame inside

either. Fire crews checked the interiors using thermal imaging equipment, however, no heat was located within the walls.

“We did indeed find the detection device that had gone into alarm and had a faulty detection head. So the building was deemed safe, the fire alarm panel was reset and it was turned back over to the maintenance staff of the apartment complex,” said Feser.

When humans have been gone for too long…

Unlike many big communities around the world that have been posting pictures of abandoned streets, Estevan didn’t see a large amount of pedestrian traffic even prior to the pandemic. Here, the new lifestyle led to a different type of discovery when people, limited in travelling, started spending more time cruising around the area and exploring the hidden gems of the Energy City. This abandoned and somewhat apocalyptic view was captured on the southern side of the city.

Photo by Anastasiia Bykhovskaia

Thank You

Your professionalism in providing us with administrative support is greatly appreciated.

Debbie B Kim M risbois or Karen rissey Senchu k

Senchuk Ford Sales Ltd. 118 Souris Ave. N., Estevan | 306-634-3696 www.senchukford.com

To the

administrative team at

Thank You to RENEE SCHOLPP

we thank you for all that you do.

Carnduff, SK • 306-482-3244 www.fasttruckingservice.com

For all that you do

Highway 361 West (South Yard), P.O. Box 518, Lampman, SK, S0C 1N0

A20 April 22, 2020

Creighton Lodge residents remain grateful Submitted by Shelly Veroba

March came in like a lion and has continued to roar the entire month. It was supposed to leave like a lamb.

In our February column I had written a statement about watching the weather from your windows.

Little did I know that we would all be looking out our windows and watching the leaves blow by, longing to be with our loved ones no matter what the weather was like outside.

I could write this column so many different ways this month. I could write it and complain about not seeing our families, be angry about not having entertainment, tell you how scary it is to think about the COVID-19 virus entering our building, or express our fatigue of the entire subject matter.

But I would rather write about how grateful we all are at this moment.

Everyone at Creighton Lodge is grateful for the loving gestures that have been made towards us during this COVID crisis.

EB’s Dining treated us to a

premier luncheon. Dave and Diane Rosenbaum have always been good to the residents of Creighton Lodge.

We started our four-course meal with a choice of delicious Greek salad or coleslaw, followed by a delicious creamy red pepper soup (which they created especially for those of us that don’t like a lot of spice). Each bowl had homemade garlic croutons placed on top.

The main course was individual spinach quiche; it had a melt in your mouth crust that was unbelievable.

The meal was finished off with a homemade carrot cake, topped with cream cheese icing.

They sent us an extra one, which we froze and ate a few days later. Thank you so much for thinking of us. Your kindness is appreciated.

Lyle and Tracy Grube showed up with beautiful purple carnations, plus Tracy’s gym kids included red hearts they created, that had inspiring messages for us all. Lyle’s mom Mary Grube was a resident at Creighton Lodge up until 2015. By seeing Tracy at the lodge it brought back memories of how special Mary was and how much we miss her

words of wisdom.

Genco Asphalt Inc. treated us to a luncheon of Tower Café pizza.

We had ham, salami and mushroom, their delicious version of a Hawaiian pizza, and also a vegetarian for those of us watching our calorie intake.

Mozza sticks were included to help ensure we didn’t go hungry. There were even chicken finger dinners for those who don’t enjoy pizza. (We still love them even if they don’t like pizza). Thank you to the McClement family at Genco Asphalt.

Krista McClement organized the entire event for us and her efforts are appreciated. Speaking of Krista, she has also been providing us with a sheet of weekly “Who am I?“ riddles. Some of those riddles have us stumped and others we pat ourselves on the back for guessing as quickly as we do. We hand them out on Friday so it gives us something to talk about all weekend.

We have been receiving letters from people in our community for Days of Caring. One package even came from a great granddaughter who lives in Weyburn. The beautiful princess colouring page was very much appreciated by great grandma

Deloris Mehler.

Rhonda Pachal had all her children creating beautiful Easter crafts for us. (I think it was mostly the daycare kids, but a few looked like Brayden Pachal might have helped out). Thank you Rhonda and also to Kent Pachal who dropped them off.

We want to extend our deepest sympathies to Carol Block and family. Del Block passed away in March and will be forever remembered by all of us. Del was a councillor at the RM of Estevan No. 5, and was a part of the council in 2010 when the five RM’s took ownership of the lodge.

Del’s dad, Orville Block, also lived

at the lodge and has a special place in our hearts.

At the end of the day, we are grateful to have each other at the lodge. We have mastered the art of social distancing. We are OK with being six feet apart because we can still see each other and hear the sounds of our voices.

Nothing else matters if you have your health and people to love you. We can’t wait to hug all our loved ones, but for now we are doing our part to stay healthy. Thank you to everybody that is also doing their part to keep us healthy! You are all appreciated.

City Hall: 1102 4th Street 8 am to 4:30 pm | (306) 634-1800 Leisure Office: 701 Souris Avenue 8 am to 4:30 pm | (306) 634-1880

Message From

The Mayor

Our Covid 19 numbers are decreasing please continue to social distance and keep these numbers going down.

We can do this together!

2020 WATERMAIN FLUSHING SCHEDULE The City of Estevan will be flushing watermains to ensure good water quality for all users of City water. This work includes the turning of main water valves around the City, and flushing large quantities of water from various hydrants in each area. During this process you may notice a substantial drop in pressure, this will be brief. As well, discoloured water is possible during the days your area is scheduled for this work (see schedule below), please run a faucet for a few minutes until the water is clear again. Please contact City Hall at 634-1800 if issues persist. Thank you for your understanding during this important maintenance!

(1) Thursday, and Friday- May 28 and May 29 Area bounded by Perkins Street and Luscar Park on the North, Water Treatment Plant on the South, Woodlawn Ave on the West, and Hwy 47S Service Road on the East (Includes Luscar Park, City of Estevan Public Works yards, and businesses on Hwy 47S Service Road) (2) Monday – Friday- June 1-5 Area bounded by 6th Street on the North, Valley Street, 1st Street, and Westview Place on the South, Alice Road and Woodlawn Avenue on the West, and Souris Avenue on the East (includes Westview, Central, and downtown regions) (3 Monday- Friday June 8-12 Area bounded by 6th street on the North, McDonald Road and Perkins Street on the South, Souris Avenue on the West, and Kensington Ave on the East (includes the Eastend, Bay Meadows, and Valley view regions, and Jubilee Place) (4) Monday –Friday June 15-19 Area Bounded by City Cemetery on the North, King Street on the South, Sister Roddy Road on the West (formerly Woodlawn Avenue), and Souris Road (Hwy 47N) on the East (includes Dominion Heights, Pleasantdale, and Royal Heights regions, as well as Cundall Drive, Woodend Place, Chinook Bay and Hwy 47N Service Road) (5) Monday – Friday June 29-July 3 Area bounded by Spruce Drive and Princess Street on the North, King Street on the South, Souris Avenue on the West, and Kensington on the East (includes Hillside and Scotsburn regions) (6) Monday -Friday July 6-10 Area bounded by King Street on the North, CPR Railroad on the South, 14th Ave on the West, and Kensington on the East (includes 7th Street, 8th Street, 9th Street, Centennial, Trojan, and Soo Industrial regions) (7) Monday- Friday July 13-17 Area bounded by Kensington on the West, Sawyer Road on the East, North and South City Limits (includes Glen Peterson Industrial Park, East Industrial, Southeast Industrial regions, and properties along Hwy 39E Service Road)

MESSAGE FROM EMO COORDINATOR COVID-19 is a serious health threat, and the situation is evolving daily. In order to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19, everyone has a role to play. Social distancing measures are a way to minimize COVID-19 transmission in the community. This means minimizing close contact with others such as hand shaking, hugging, elbow bump and being within personal space of 2 meters during this outbreak. Your cooperation during this pandemic is critical.

Thank you.

FLUSHING PROGRAM Beginning Monday April 6,2020,and continuing to Friday, June 26,2020, the Water and wastewater Division will be carrying out Sanitary Sewer Main Flushing and Storm sewer Flushing, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. During the periods of jetting, residents and businesses are advised to securely cap basement floor drains. You may smell an odor in your home, this can be resolved by simply opening windows for a short period of time and running water to ensure all traps are full of water.

Storm sewer will have no effect on homes and business’.

2020 Program Area will encompass all streets North of 6th Street, and west of Souris Ave within City limits including: Morsky Drive Larter Road MacCready Bau Tedford Way Matte Court Jesse Bay Wellock Road Irvine Crescent Dieppe Crescent Victory Road Gibbs Road Mayfair Drive Mayfair Bay Cardinal Avenue

Barabash Bay Taisey Crescent Newcombe Drive Nicholson Road Wahlmeier Drive Boyer Avenue Mack Place Mather Crescent Dyer Road Pettigrew Road McCormick Crescent Grundeen Crescent Thorn Crescent Sinclair Bay

Hill Avenue Veterans Avenue Veterans Crescent Veterans Bay Kohaly Avenue Lynd Crescent Hudson Road Hillcrest Drive Hillcrest Bay Woodend Place Cundall Drive King Street Chinook Bay

UTILITIES AND TAXES DURING COVID 19 PANDEMIC To offer assistance and best service to citizens experiencing the effects of the economic impact due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the City is committed to providing increased flexibility and immediate short-term relief for your utility and property tax payments through the following: UTILITY SERVICES: The City will continue to bill for utility services as normal. However, to best serve the City’s customers in these extraordinary times, the City has made the following changes to current utility collections activities: Utility disconnections due to arrears will be suspended until September 1, 2020; Late payment charges will be suspended on all utility accounts until September 1, 2020; and We will continue to generate utility bills, reminders and other related notices for customers who are in arrears to keep them informed of their current situation.

These measures are aimed at providing financial relief for customers who may not be able to afford to pay their bills on time. By suspending late payment charges, utility customers will have the option to delay bill payments without putting themselves in additional financial hardship.

However, civic staff will continue to work with the City’s utility customers regarding payment arrangements so as not to leave them in a difficult financial situation in the future.

Delaying disconnections will help ensure that all homes have access to water, allowing for proper hand-washing and personal hygiene.

PROPERTY TAX: Your 2020 Property Tax notice will be delivered by the end of June, 2020.

To offer assistance and best service to citizens experiencing the effects of the economic impact due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the City is committed to providing increased flexibility and immediate short-term relief for your 2020 Property Tax payment.

On your notice, your 2020 Property Tax due date will still show as July 31, 2020.

HOWEVER: The City is extending a two-month grace period to provide you with additional time to pay your 2020 Property Tax. You will not incur any late payment penalties on your 2020 Property Tax if you pay the full amount due by September 30, 2020.

We would like to answer your property tax-related questions. We understand and will work with you.