Estevan Mercury 20200819 by Estevan Mercury

HENDERS DRUGS

CELEBRATE THE MILESTONES WITH A CARD FROM HENDERS.

1220 4th Street, Estevan 306-634-3666

Birthdays • Anniversaries • Retirements

Mon. - Fri. 9am-9pm

Funny • Romantic • Serious • Heartfelt

Sat. 9am-6pm Sun. & Holidays 12pm-4pm

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2020

Doing the scooter twist

Reintroducing McGriddles!

Sausage ‘N Egg McGriddle Bacon ‘N Egg McGriddle Sausage McGriddle

HELP US REACH OUR GOAL OF $20,000!

William Smith worked on his scooter stunts Sunday afternoon at the Estevan Skate Park. The weather made it a perfect afternoon for youths to be at the park to work on their moves with their skateboards, scooters and bicycles. Photo by David Willberg

Ladouceur pleased with strides that have occured against impaired driving but Ladouceur noted there are times when it won’t happen. He believes reducing While there is still a lot impaired driving has been of work remaining, Estevan a community effort. Since Police Chief Paul Ladouceur a community summit was is pleased with the steps that held in Estevan in Februhave been made in combatting ary 2018, an Estevan chapter for Mothers Against Drunk impaired driving. Monthly crime figures Drivers has been created, and for June and July released at the organization placed signs last Wednesday’s meeting of in the community marking the Estevan board of police where impaired drivers have commissioners showed that been caught, creating public there was just one charge for awareness. The EPS met with impaired driving by alcohol in local licensed establishments June, and just one charge for to get them on board with the fight against impaired driving, impaired driving by drug. Eleven charges for im- and officers held high-visibility paired driving by alcohol and check stops in the community. “We’ve been on social one charge for impaired driving by drug were issued in July, but media, talking about the issues the total of 12 is down from the around impaired driving. So I 25 that were issued in July 2019. think that, combined with the “We said eventually we new legislation that has the are going to get those numbers mandatory roadside screening, down, and we have to start where an officer doesn’t need doing more, and we have been reasonable suspicion, but can doing more,” said Ladouceur. stop any driver at any time, Usually a charge for driv- and request a breath sample, ing while over .08 will also carry has created a greater deterrent,” a charge for impaired driving, said Ladouceur. People are seeing the re-

By David Willberg

dwillberg@estevanmercury.ca

A portion of proceeds will be donated to St. Joseph's Hospital Foundation

VOTED ESTEVAN’S BEST COFFEE 2020

mcdestevan

sults of what happens if they choose to drive while impaired. “I’m cautious, though, because we’ve seen dips. Things can evenflow. One of the things that we’re really watching is we’ve seen this decline, but is that a COVID decline? So in other words, are we seeing the numbers drop because there weren’t a whole lot of bars open? And guess what? People weren’t allowed to get together, so guess what? Most people are probably drinking at home and not getting behind the wheel.” Still, the drop in cases in June occurred during the first month in which restaurants and licensed establishments were able to open again. But Ladouceur wonders how eager people are to get back to their favourite establishment, and he pointed out these establishments aren’t allowed to be at full capacity. “What we want to see is what does this look like postCOVID? And do we see these numbers continue to go down? We’re … cautiously optimistic … to see the numbers decline, but we also know there could

Police Chief Paul Ladouceur at 2018 summit against impaired driving, is pleased with the steps that have been made in combatting the issue. File photo be other factors at play.” Ladouceur wants to believe that there are other factors at play than just the pandemic, and that people are finally getting the message that impaired driving takes lives and causes injury. If that’s not the case, the EPS still has a lot of work remaining. The EPS has held road-

side checks since the pandemic started in March. Early on, when there was a lot of uncertainty, the EPS directed its officers to only have interactions with the public when necessary until it could sort how to handle policing in a pandemic. “We weren’t stopping vehicles for very minor incidents. We weren’t unnecessarily A2 » FIFTY-TWO

F O R D R I CI N G EP E Y O W L ON NO EMP

I CE AL PR IN T OT TM E NT S^ ADJ U S D LI M IT E F -1 5 0 ed

0 0 0 , 6 1 020

V GET O

ele c t EW 2 ures s O N A No pt io n al f e at wit h

FIND OUT MORE AT FINDYOURFORD.CA

Senchuk Ford Sales Ltd.

118 Souris Ave. N., Estevan 306-634-3696 www.senchuk.com

A2 August 26, 2020

www.estevanmercury.ca

Sask. Health Authority forces Superslides to close One of the most popular attractions in southeast Saskatchewan has been forced to shut down, and a date for reopening has yet to be established. The Kenosee Superslides were closed by the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) before the start of their morning session on Friday. In a video posted to the business’ YouTube page, Jan Armstrong from the Superslides said they received a letter from the Saskatchewan Health Authority on Thursday evening, informing them of the decision. The health authority said the slides were unsafe to use. Armstrong said this is unwarranted, and based on the opinion of one person, rather than an expert or waterslide specialist. “Our park was one of the safest water parks in Canada last year. The numbers prove it. And yet they’re telling us our slides are unsafe,” said Armstrong, who apologized repeatedly during the video. In an update post and video on the Superslides Facebook page on Saturday, Armstrong said they would remain closed for the week-

The popular Kenosee Superslides have been forced to close, for the time being, by the Saskatchewan Health Authority. Photo by Kelly Johnson of the Carlyle Observer end. Government offices are closed during the weekend and there's nothing the Superslides could do until this week. As of the Mercury’s press time, the Superslides were not open to the public. Armstrong said they would keep the public up-

dated of any developments and he thanked them for all of the support, as it has helped them get through a tough time. He also said tickets for this weekend would be refunded. Doug Dahl, who works in community engagement

and communications with the SHA, said it has cancelled the operational licence for the Superslides. He added the notice outlines the public health and safety reasons for the decision, as well information about appealing the decision. Dahl would not divulge

CCS facility had its best month of the year in July The carbon capture and storage (CCS) facility at SaskPower’s Boundary Dam Power Station had its best month of the year in July. The facility captured 75,503 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) last month. The average daily capture rate was 2,435 tonnes per day, with a peak one-day capture of 2,627 tonnes. It’s the highest amount of CO2 captured for the CCS facility in 2020, and the highest figure for CO2 captured since July 2019. The CCS facility was online for 99.8 per cent of the month, coming offline for 1 1/2 hours when a booster fan temporarily stopped due to water cooling issues. Unit 3 at Boundary Dam produced an average of about 110 megawatts of power per day. A total of 397,220 tonnes of carbon dioxide have been captured through CCS in the first seven months of the year. Nearly 3.48 million tonnes of CO2 have been prevented from entering the Earth’s atmosphere since the facility went online in October 2014.

further details about the SHA’s decision. The park’s owners say they will do what it takes to get the park open again. A petition has been launched on the change. org website, named Save the Kenosee Superslides. As of Tuesday morning, it had

collected more than 4,500 signatures. The attraction opened in late July. Their opening was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since reopening, they have enacted stringent cleaning protocols and have followed crowd size restrictions.

Fifty-two charges for impared driving in 2020 « A1 engaging with people, you might say, until we could establish some safety protocols and make sure our members were safe and the public was safe, because transmission could go both ways.” As the province has started to reopen, and the EPS has introduced some safety procedures, officers have been stopping vehicles more frequently. In the first seven months of 2020, there have been 52 charges for impaired driving by alcohol and 11 for impairment by drug, compared to 71 for impairment by alcohol and 13 for impairment by drug through July 31, 2019. “So how many impaired drivers are out there? That’s the thing we have to be mindful of. We have to be careful with statistics, because those are the

impaired drivers we’re catching. Does that mean there’s the potential for more to be out there? Of course there is,” said Ladouceur. “I’d like to believe we catch every impaired driver every time, but that’s not realistic. So I think there’s still a concern and a focus that needs to be paid attention to when it comes to impaired driving, but as long as the numbers are declining, you’ve got a happy chief.” Police have been dealing with impaired driving long before Ladouceur has been in policing, and he expects the discussion will continue in an effort to find ways to continue to combat the issue. And so while progress appears to have been made locally, their is still a lot of work remaining in the community.

Have you downloaded the Southern Plain Co-op app yet?!

WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? The apps gets you: Special Offers • Coupons • Digital Flyer • Simple Grocery List • Recipes • And More!

is Tuesday, September 18.

Get ready to support 3 local charities, and fill your vehicle on the 18th! Find it on the app store under Co-op CRS!

Going camping? Entertaining? Stocking up the pantry? Pick up your groceries, ice, beer, wine & spirits, all in 1 stop at the Coop!

ESTEVAN • CARLYLE • OXBOW • ALAMEDA • GAINSBOROUGH

Your LocaL Hearing impaired Hearing SpeciaLiSt

Landon Woodruff

Community

Wednesday, August 26, 2020

Full Hearing Tests

Hearing Aids And Repairs 60 Day Trial Period

Batteries And Assistive Listening Devices

Third Party Billing

1-306-634-0193 #130-1175 Nicholson Road dunlophearing@gmail.com

Significant donations made to Southeast Search and Rescue as gratitude to community in memory of Zane Olson By Ana Bykhovskaia abykhovskaia@estevanmercury.ca

It was getting dark and Zane Olson had yet to answer several texts sent to ask how much longer he would be before heading home. Finally, a phone call that went straight to voice mail prompted his wife Sherry to head out to their land. Upon driving onto their property, Sherry knew that something was terribly wrong. The shop doors were partially open and, even though by now it was pitch-black dark, the lights were not on inside the shop. And, their dog Odin, a German shepherd and constant companion to Zane, was nowhere to be seen. After calling the dog and searching the shop for any sign of Zane, Sherry called on some friends to help her begin searching the land. “I thought, ‘Am I going to need to call (Southeast Saskatchewan Search and Rescue, SESKSAR)? And the very first search they do is for one of their own members?” recalled Sherry Olson. Sherr y and Zane joined a young volunteer search and rescue organization forming in the southeast corner of the province on its day one last year. When the future president of what’s now known as SESK SAR, Katia Bigney, put the word out to bring together people who were willing to donate their time and energy and get trained to ensure that if one day someone in the area goes missing, everything is done to find them, the family decided to become a part of it. Unfortunately, quite soon Sherry personally got to experience the need for SESK SAR. “For the first time, I was put in a situation that I hope no one ever gets in. But I thought if he is lost at the hills, I’m not going to leave him

there all night, I’m going to call for help. Maybe he is just hurt, and the time is of the essence.” It turned out that it wasn’t the case this time. Zane Olson was found dead that same night. He died a sudden death due to natural reasons. The German shepherd, true to his name, was found near Zane and guarding his master. “Fortunately, we found him. We didn’t have to call everybody, but it really brought the reality home of how important it is to have something like (SESK SAR),” said Sherry. “The reality of the training and what we are doing just hit me.” The emotions Sherry experienced in the first moments reminded her how important and valuable SESK SAR was. And when the time came to decide on the recipient of the donations in lieu of flowers, she and their children agreed on SESK SAR. About 20 people directed their donations to the southeast search and rescue group in memory of Zane Olson since April. But further events made Sherry take it further. Sherry and Zane met in high school. Very different, but at the same time so alike in their priority for the family, passion for music, fun, dancing and their faith. Sherry, a person who could see herself living in New York, and Zane, who felt the best escaping in northern Saskatchewan, siding with nature, hunting and enjoying the wilds. They moved to the Energy City from Edmonton 13 years ago. It happened during the boom years, and at first Sherry didn’t have warm feelings towards Estevan as a lot of people were just passing through what was a really busy city, not caring and not making it feel welcoming and even safe sometimes. When a sudden death took

Zane Olson and his companion, German shepherd Odin. Photo submitted Zane away, Sherry said it felt like the entire community stepped forward and made her feel as if she was “wrapped in a blanket of love.” And it literally was a blanket, a blanket with their pictures, which she received from Zane’s niece. And it was a patchwork quilt from a friend and endless messages and calls, flowers and pies left at the doorsteps, cards and all other means of support people could find. Without a word, her neighbours were mowing the lawn, and all these months friends and people who sometimes she hardly knew or didn’t know at all but whose lives were touched by Zane were finding all possible ways to show that they care. “I love the people of Estevan and it wasn’t my first feeling when I arrived. But it is now,” said Sherry. “This experience has shown me how great the original members, if you can say it that way, of Estevan are. They are just beautiful people. The ones that’ve put down their roots, they are not here just to take and leave. And that’s why I thought

I had to do something.” Sherry started thinking of the best way to say thank you to the community that supported her throughout these difficult times. And she decided to donate $10,000 to SESK SAR, helping the organization to get geared up and ready for a call if one day it comes, and in this way supporting and caring about the community that's become her home. “That occurred to me that this would be a perfect way. I really changed my tune about Estevan.” It was her way to thank people around and also to pay tribute to Zane as a member of SESK SAR and as a person. “I genuinely want to thank the community for the support that I’ve received. And I feel that it’s a way of giving back,” said Sherry. She added that whatever Zane did “he did wholeheartedly,” and SESK SAR was an important part of his life. “He was a very communityminded person, a good person, he cared." Throughout this hard time, Sherry heard from many people from all over the world, saying what a “solid man” Zane was. In many cases, she didn’t even know that he helped or did something for those people. “I had business people that we were affiliated with call and say, ‘Is it true what I heard?’ And they were crying. That’s the kind of person he was, he affected everybody that he associated with whether it was on a personal or professional level. He just genuinely cared about people and he was just a good soul … Anyone who knew him would say the same. He was just as real as they come.” Zane will always be remembered by the SESK SAR, the Estevan community and many people

he affected. The donations made by the community and by Sherry and Zane’s family will help the search and rescue organization to purchase the equipment necessary to be ready to respond to a call, if someone ever goes missing anywhere from the Manitoba border to the Weyburn area and from the U.S. border all the way to the Carlyle area. Sherry added that with the person Zane was, he would never want this donation to be about him. “He wouldn’t want it to be about him, he wouldn’t. That’s also who he was. He would want it to be for the reason SESK SAR came to be … He would want it to be a tribute to the selfless hours, others are putting into it and this is the way we can help them do their job.” Bigney said the money is intended to go towards purchasing the much-needed incident command centre equipment. “S outheast S askatchewan Search and Rescue chapter would like to extend a very sincere and heartfelt thank you. We are very grateful to the Olson family for their extremely generous donation,” said Bigney. “We greatly miss Zane and all he contributed to the chapter, his volunteer work and contributions during the committee meetings.” Bigney added that SESK SAR will be placing a plaque on the incident command trailer, thanking the Olson family for their contribution to the organization. Thank you cards will also be sent out to the community members who made donations in Zane’s memory. SESK SAR now has 19 trained members and is raising money and putting all needed equipment for search and rescue operations together to be ready to serve the communities in the southeast when the need comes.

Legion to apply for federal support due to pandemic The Estevan branch of the Royal Canadian Legion has decided to apply for federal support due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, but president Jim (Frosty) Forrest is quick to point out the legion is in much better shape financially now than three years ago, when it had to appeal to the community for financial support and make changes to its operations. The legion’s membership held a meeting Friday night, and decided to apply for the Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA), which provides interest-free loans of up to $40,000 to small businesses and not-for-profits. The legion will apply for the full $40,000, with the money going to branch operations. If they repay the balance of the loan on or before Dec. 31, 2022, the feds will forgive 25 per cent, up to $10,000. “We got approval to apply for this, and set money aside to pay it back when the term is up, and take advantage of the money we’d get from it,” said Forrest.

CEBA is a good program for the legion, he said. The organization hasn’t been able to do any hall rentals or banquets, or host any concerts, which normally create some revenues. Their club room was closed until recently, but it has to operate under provincial guidelines for social distancing and other measures. Business has been slow, because some aren’t eager to go out on a regular basis. The shuffleboard and pool tables within the club room are open. Now that they can have 30-person gatherings, the hall can be rented out again. The legion was the site of a blood donor clinic for the Canadian Blood Services recently, which was good for the legion. Forrest said the legion is doing all right financially. They face expenses that never go away, regardless of whether their venues are open. But they aren’t staring at the same financial hardships they encountered in August 2017,

when they made an urgent plea to the community for support. “We’ve made such terrific gains, and it’s just through the hard work of our members. They’ve worked at making sure the legion remains here and remains viable, and we’ve been very successful.” The legion’s annual truck raffle, which helps offset some of their costs, is currently underway. Ticket sales have done well, but they’re behind this time last year due to a late start. An early bird draw is coming up on Sept. 5. And the legion also has its poppy campaign sales in the fall. Forrest said the legion always enjoys tremendous support for the sales, and he believes it’s the most important thing a legion can do throughout the year, because the money is used to support veterans. The legion will be making donations in the coming weeks to a number of organizations that support veterans, using the money from previous poppy campaigns.

The Estevan branch of the Royal Canadian Legion is seeking federal funding. File photo

Stock up on toner & ink

FIVE STAR BINDERS IN STOCK!

and

SAVE % 20 with the

1217 4th Street, Estevan, SK TOLL FREE: 888-936-2222 or

306-634-3613

Editorial

Wednesday, August 26, 2020

Staff SERVING CANADA’S SUNSHINE CAPITAL Publisher / Marketing Specialist

Deanna Tarnes - dtarnes@estevanmercury.ca

Editor

David Willberg - dwillberg@estevanmercury.ca

Editorial Staff: Ana Bykhovskaia - abykhovskaia@estevanmercury.ca

Production:

Ana Villarreal - avillarreal@estevanmercury.ca

Administration:

Vaila Lindenbach - vlindenbach@estevanmercury.ca Fay Bonthoux - fbonthoux@estevanmercury.ca

EDITORIAL

Volume 115 Issue 21 Contact us: (306) 634-2654 68 Souris Avenue N. Estevan, SK S4A 2M3 www.estevanmercury.ca @Estevan_Mercury facebook.com/EstevanMercury

Subscription Rates:

In Saskatchewan - $80.75 In Canada - $90.75

Member Canadian Community Newspapers Association. Member Saskatchewan Weekly Newspapers Association. Audited by Alliance for Audited Media.

Published weekly by Prairie Newspaper Group Limited Partnership, 68 Souris Avenue N., Estevan, SK S4A 2M3.The Estevan Mercury is owned and operated by Prairie Newspaper Group Limited Partnership, a subsidiary of Glacier Media Inc. Advertising rates are available upon request and are subject to change without notice. Conditions of editorial and advertising content: The Estevan Mercury attempts to be accurate in Editorial and Advertising content; however, no guarantee is given or implied. The Estevan Mercury reserves the right to revise or reject any or all editorial and advertising content as the newspaper’s principals see fit. The Estevan Mercury will not be responsible for more than one incorrect insertion of an advertisement, and is not responsible for errors in advertisements except for the space occupied by such errors. The Estevan Mercury will not be responsible for manuscripts, photographs, negatives and other related material that may be submitted for possible publication. All of the Estevan Mercury’s content is protected by Canadian Copyright laws. Reviews and similar mention of material in this newspaper is granted on the provision that The Estevan Mercury receives credit. Otherwise, any reproduction without the permission of the publisher is prohibited. Advertisers purchase space and circulation only. Rights to any advertisement produced by The Estevan Mercury, including artwork, typography, photos, etc., remain the property of this newspaper. Advertisements or parts thereof may not be reproduced or assigned without the consent of the publisher. We acknowledge financial support of the Government of Canada. Nous reconnaissons l'appui financier du gouvernement du Canada.

Uncertainty remains regarding back to school One of the great challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic has been planning for a return to school. This is obviously not just a Saskatchewan thing. This is an issue in every province and territory in the country, for the governments, the school boards and the individual schools. And most jurisdictions have been retooling their plans as the start of the school year approaches. But in Saskatchewan, it seems like there’s been a lot of changes, modifications and spin. When the province unveilled its back to school plan earlier this summer, it was panned in a lot of circles. Not just by opposition New Democratic Party and the unions who side with the party, but by average citizens living in rural communities who tend to vote Sask. Party en masse. In the days after the initial plan was released, the government was issuing a news release almost every day, trying to explain individual components in a move that likely came across as spin doctoring to a lot of people. And now they’ve released an amended plan that shuffles a lot of responsibility with the school divisions, which isn’t exactly winning people over. No matter what the government does on this front, they’re not going to make everybody happy. In fact, it’s unlikely that you’ll have a plan in which someone will agree with every point. You’re going to have contention with

masks, class sizes, lunch service, extracurricular activities, entering and exiting classrooms, school bus routes. And there are so many issues that have to be resolved. How do you provide education to special needs students and those who require extra attention? How do you ensure that students who are immune-compromised get the education that they need and deserve? This is going to be a very fluid situation. There’s likely going to be a lot of changes happening between now and the start of the school year on Sept. 8, and throughout the school year. The government, though, likely could have done a better job with its initial plan, so that it wouldn’t have had to be amended so much in the first place. People aren’t happy that the government has offloaded a lot of responsibility to the school divisions, although there is some justification for it. Not all divisions in the province are in areas that have been as hard-hit as others. We’re lucky in the southeast. We’ve had 11 diagnosed cases of COVID-19 in the 5 1/2 months since the virus was first diagnosed in this province. Only a couple of regions have had fewer cases; they’re in the far north. But other regions have had a much higher caseload, and their school divisions need to be mindful when they make their back to school plans. If we see a surge in the southeast that

forces changes to the schools, that shouldn’t force changes to operations in other school divisions. And if there’s a surge in multiple areas of the province, like we saw in Saskatchewan earlier this summer, that shouldn’t mean other divisions should have to change their protocols. Kids need to be in classes this fall. The online and virtual classes that we saw in the final three months of the school year were great so that children were learning something, and so that they had some interaction with their teachers. And it’s great that the technology has advanced to the point where online learning is possible. But it wasn’t the same as actually being there in the classroom for six hours a day and having homework each night. And they obviously missed out on extracurricular activities and school sports and clubs and all of the other great things that enrich the school experience. A full year outside of the classroom would be very detrimental for children. You hope they’ll be able to get a full school year in. You definitely hope that at some point during the school year, a vaccine will be found for COVID-19, that it will be mobilized so that we can return to business as normal. But there also needs to be all sorts of plans in place in case we have a surge in COVID-19 cases in this province.

Why aren’t there any names? The 21st century lynching So often after the Mercury publishes another article on a drug bust or other crimes, be it impaired driving or any other serious type of offence, instantly the comments and messages start piling up. “Why aren’t there any names?”“Good to know, why weren’t the offenders named?”“Names please.” And so on, and so forth. Sometimes the readers inquire politely, other times it seems that they are mad beforehand and almost blame the media for not releasing the names. I see these types of inquiries in any media allowing to comment on their content. Why do we sometimes publish the information about offenders and other times we don’t? After another tidal wave, I decided to dedicate a bit of time and break it down. So when you read an article about the criminal offence committed by someone whose name is not mentioned in the story, there might be a few reasons for that. First of all, if any kind of criminal charges are pressed, but haven’t been taken to court yet, hardly ever will the law enforcement agencies, which become the source of information for media in those situations, release the names. Why one may ask. Because we are still living in a free country where section 11(d) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms states, "Any person charged with an offence has the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty, according to law in a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal.” And even when the case may seem pretty obvious, this rule works and no one’s reputation and life should be destroyed for the sake of one’s curiosity. Back in 2018, the police started releasing

Ana Bykhovskaia Twenty Lines About… names of individuals charged with impaired driving. The hope was that the offenders’ fame would make the communities report them if they attempt to drive while their licence was suspended. Besides, this move could have helped law enforcement agencies to crack down on impaired driving, which remains a significant problem all across the country. However, in most cases, the results of such reports looked more like a public naming and shaming act. And even though the individuals were charged with impaired driving, not necessarily were they were proven guilty after all. But the damage was done. That said, the Canadian justice system is an open process and the name of any adult charged with a crime is a part of public record, so it can appear in the stories when the case is taken to court. But unless our reporter is present at the court hearing, we may not know the names. Besides, even when the offenders have been proven guilty, sometimes identity can’t be released if it will compromise the identity of the victim or witnesses, which often can be a case in smaller communities like Estevan. In such cases, the identity isn’t released by the source of the information – the court, police, RCMP, etc. So nobody except the parties involved knows it. But the question I feel pulsing in my head every time I see people inquiring about the names

is why. Why do you need to know the names? If it’s your neighbour or someone you know are you going to go trash them? Are you going to spit in their face when you meet them in the store or on the street? Are you going to throw a rock at them? Or is it just the curiosity and the itching need to shame and blame someone? You might feel threatened assuming there is an offender living in the community, but in such cases the law enforcement does all they can (and I guess more than citizens can) to protect everybody and proceeds with restriction measures accordingly. We have the court system to hear the case, analyze, hold the scales even and sentence. And if they are proven guilty, the court is to decide on the sentence and punishment. Others can’t do any of that themselves, otherwise, there is a good chance they will end up in that same courtroom next. The bottom line, we all make mistakes and we pay for them. Through centuries we created a system to judge and punish ourselves for our mistakes thus protecting the society from offenders. I’m not sure if there is a way to say if the release of names of individuals charged with impaired driving helps the police to fight the significant and widespread problem on its own. If it does, it’s definitely worth it. But in other cases, isn’t it a better idea to leave the judging up to the court? And maybe instead check out your own garden in case it’s not that perfect and may take some attention before it gets worse? Because often what I see happening in the virtual world looks pretty much like lynching, just 21-century style. Of course, no one dies, just the reputation. But sometimes it might seem even worse.

Op-Ed A5

David Willberg Willberg’s World

Waiting to see who’s the boss The federal Conservative Party was supposed to have its new leader on June 27, but their leadership convention was delayed by about eight weeks due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The convention happened Sunday, and when it did, there was a delay of more than four hours before announcing who the new leader was. The four-hour wait wasn’t an afterthought. It overshadowed the victory of Erin O’Toole, it meant that many in Eastern Canada were already asleep when O’Toole won, and it gave the party’s critics plenty of ammunition and fodder for jokes online. The initial results were to be announced at 6 p.m. Saskatchewan time Sunday night. That’s good, I thought. I can catch the results announcement while preparing supper, and then switch over to hockey. Then the Tories announced there would be a delay with the results. For whatever reason, I kept switching back and forth between hockey and politics. After a couple of hours, I wondered what would last longer: the overtime between the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Tampa Bay Lightning to start the Stanley Cup playoffs, or the delay for the first ballot results in the Tory leadership race. The five overtimes in the Tampa-Columbus went longer, but not by much. The Tories kept pushing the announcement back. At one point it was going to be 8 p.m. in Saskatchewan. Then it was going to be 9 p.m. Then they said 9:42 p.m. I guess they didn’t believe results could be ready for 9:38 p.m. Of course, they missed the 9:42 p.m. deadline. The Tories want to talk about the incompetence of the Liberals, how they’ve botched certain aspects of the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Well, people will question how the Tories can be trusted with our country when they can’t even get the ballot counting at their own convention right. Ultimately, Erin O’Toole won the leadership. He’ll face the challenges any new leader encounters: getting his name out there to the masses, bridging gaps with his opponents and their supporters, and, in his case, trying to decide the best time to topple Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal minority government. He ran with the slogan of “True Blue,” pushing Conservative ideals, which was smart. Now he has to find a way to sway undecided voters, or the “small c” conservatives who sway back and forth between the Tories and Liberals. You would hope that he would have enough to defeat Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the polls, and send the scandal-ridden Trudeau Liberals to the ranks of opposition. But if Trudeau resigns and is replaced by the far more qualified Christia Freeland as the Liberal leader between now and when an election is called, then O’Toole’s job of becoming prime minister will be much tougher. Perhaps O’Toole’s biggest strike is that he finished third in the 2017 Tory leadership race, behind Scheer and Maxime Bernier, neither of whom were viewed by the masses as prime minister material. His biggest asset is that he was the best candidate in the field to build bridges. He was the candidate most likely to draw both the “small c” conservatives and the strong social conservatives. And we saw on the night of the leadership vote that he had good, steady support from across the country, although he didn’t dominate in any particular region. And he’s a relatively fresh face. He’s been an MP for eight years. He’s not one of these guys who’s been around forever, with past mistakes that the opposition can use against him. That was one of the problems with Peter MacKay, the runnerup in the leadership race. Had he won, the Liberals and the other political parties would have had MacKay’s past blunders as fodder. The night also capped the emergence of Leslyn Lewis, who finished third. She may have been the biggest story of the leadership race. And while her strong social conservative values likely would have made a Lewis-led Tory party difficult to elect, with her intellect and public speaking skills, there’s no doubt she would be an excellent addition to the Tory caucus, if she wants it. One last note: the delays in the convention weren’t the worst part of the evening for me. That would have been the Vancouver Canucks playoff game against the Vegas Golden Knights. I had more reasons to cheer, and fewer reasons to curse, while watching the convention.

Delivering the Gold Standard in real estate & property management services

LYNN CHIPLEY, Broker/Owner Cell 306.421.0100

1339 Fourth St., Estevan, SK S4A 0X1 Office 306.634.1020 lynn.chipley@c21.ca www.century21.ca/lynn.chipley

Wednesday, August 26, 2020

Each office is independently owned and operated.

Habitat for Humanity celebrated their newest homeowners in Estevan, the Boreski/Lewis family

The ribbon was cut to celebrate the Boreski/Lewis family’s possession of the new house, built as a part of Habitat Homeownership Program. A small crowd gathered in front of a newly built house on Sillers Street in Estevan last Monday to celebrate the completion of the Habitat for Humanity Estevan-Regina chapter’s newest house, and to cut a ribbon to welcome the new homeowners into their house. The chapter representatives, dignitaries, volunteers and sponsors came together to officially welcome the Boreski/ Lewis family into their new home. While the construction was completed at the end of last year, allowing Chris and Holly and their children, Zach, Darien, James and Savanna to move in on New Year’s Eve, the official key ceremony was pushed back due to the pandemic. “We are excited to be in Estevan today to celebrate with Chris, Holly and their children! They have worked hard to purchase their new home and we are proud of our partnership with this family,” said Kelly Holmes-Binns, CEO of Habitat for Humanity Regina. “The Habitat for Humanity Regina-Estevan chapter committee has done an amazing job of bringing people together – sponsors, donors and volunteers – to empower this family on their journey to homeownership. We would like to express our gratitude for the support of the community – you have made this day possible for the Boreski/Lewis family.” The ceremony was attended by Souris-Moose Mountain MP Robert Kitchen, Estevan MLA and Government Relations Minister Lori Carr, Mayor Roy Ludwig and several people in one way or another involved with the project. “Chris and Holly have

dreamed of having a safe, decent and affordable home, but needed a helping hand, not a hand-out, to achieve this dream. We all know the importance of having a home. A home brings stability to the family. It’s a place where we make memories, chart our kids’ growth on a doorframe, entertain family and friends or just simply put our feet up after a long day of work,” said Carr in her speech. “I’m pleased that this home is a joint effort between Habitat for Humanity, Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation, Saskatchewan Housing Corporation and community, partners and volunteers.” Construction of the house began in late July 2019. Most of the house was completed last year, and volunteers still worked hard alongside the family this spring to finish up the siding and landscaping after the family moved in. “The week of Christmas was the busiest,” recalled Holly Boreski. “Doug (Barnstable) worked long hours with Chris to get us into our home. I learned Habitat isn't just about homeownership, it also helps build relationships and so much more. The last six months in our home have been amazing a dream come true. Leaving that trailer was a blessing and I thank God for the help of Habitat for Humanity.” The Boreski/Lewis family has purchased their new home at fair-market value through the Habitat Homeownership Program and will pay a zerodown payment, interest free mortgage that is set at 25 per cent of their gross annual income. Building this home was made possible through $65,000

in funding through the federal and provincial governments and $10,000 from the City of Estevan. Besides, the permit costs were waived, and the lot was discounted by another $10,000. The chapter also received generous in-kind and monetary donations from numerous local businesses and individuals. Thanks to the generosity of the community, through cash donations and volunteer hours, Estevan has provided another homeownership opportunity to a hardworking, low-income family. “We appreciate all the hard work that Estevan Habitat for Humanity along with our community volunteers have accomplished. One of the most important things that families can have is shelter, although we take this for granted, many people do not have this privilege. I would like to thank our federal and provincial partners; without their help this success story would not be possible,” said Ludwig. Ludwig added that volunteers are the backbone of any community, and Estevan, in his opinion, has the greatest volunteers in the entire country. “Thank you to our donors of funds and gifts-in-kind even during an economic downturn in the southeast. Your participation in funding this build allowed us to get the Boreski/ Lewis family moved into their new home at the end of 2019. Fundraising, though impacted significantly by COVID-19, will be an ongoing process to prepare for our future builds. Watch for opportunities in the days and months ahead to support the Habitat ReginaEstevan chapter,” said Doug Barnstable, who is the chapter

chairperson. During the ceremony, he also acknowledged the volunteers who’ve spent hundreds of hours at the sight alongside the family that had to put in 400 hours as a part of the program. Boreski recalled their experience with participating in the program, raising money for it and building their future house as something very special. “The time spent on the build was simply amazing.They (Habitat volunteers) treated me like family, teaching me new things and being so patient with me. I appreciate them all for all their hours,” said Boreski. And while it was a real construction process that took time, effort and dedication, Chris Lewis said that this was a unique chance for them, and he would recommend anyone who thinks that becoming a homeowner is impossible for them to consider participating in Habitat for Humanity’s future projects. “Just being involved personally with building everything, just watching it progressing, it didn’t really feel like we bought the house and moved in. It was already home before we even moved in just because of the fact that we were hands-on and so heavily involved with everything right from the start to the end,” said Lewis. “I honestly would recommend it to anybody. If you don’t think that homeownership is a possibility, it is. You just have to turn around and put the work in …That’s been very lifechanging for all of us.” Lewis added that looking forward he definitely plans to step forward and support Habitat for Humanity when the time comes for their next project.

The winning photo will recieve photo printed & framed from Art Concepts Custom Framing! - Enter your favourite summer photo with a brief description to dtarnes@estevanmercury.ca - Deadline to submit photos is August 31 @ 5pm. - Winner will be chosen by public vote on estevanmercury.ca

kfc.ca • 306-634-4747

A6 August 26, 2020

www.estevanmercury.ca

Robert Kitchen: O’Toole’s victory was great news Souris-Moose Mountain MP Robert Kitchen is delighted with the result of the Conservative Party of Canada’s leadership race. Erin O’Toole, who represents the Ontario riding of Durham, was elected as the party’s new leader Sunday night, defeating former Progressive Conservative leader Peter MacKay of Nova Scotia on the third ballot. Newcomer Leslyn Lewis of Ontario was third, and another Ontario MP, Derek Sloan, was fourth. Kitchen has long been a supporter of O’Toole’s. He backed O’Toole’s leadership bid in 2017, when O’Toole finished third, and he supported O’Toole this time around. “He brings a lot to the table. He’s an extremely knowledgeable, understanding and articulate man who can express the values of Canadians. He stands up for Canada. He’s done that in his career, and he’s portrayed that in the House of Commons,” said Kitchen. The local MP believes O’Toole expresses values of family and handling adversity,

and he also understands issues facing the west. “I have spent a lot of time talking to him about things, in particular here in the riding on the carbon capture and storage, and the value of that information and knowledge and how we need to utilize that,” said Kitchen. O’Toole also spent 10 years in the Royal Canadian Air Force, creating a bit of a common bond with Kitchen, whose father was a major general in the Canadian Armed Forces. “What it has provided for Erin is an understanding of command structure, and how to do things and get things done. But Erin also not only brings that to the table, he also brings some compassionate understanding of things, and I think that bodes well in his leadership style.” Kitchen was impressed with the campaign run by Lewis, who was less than 2,000 votes behind O’Toole and MacKay when Lewis was eliminated on the second ballot. “She came out of nowhere. When you look at the outcome of voting last night, she did extremely well and she sowed some

great things for her.” Lewis has said she would be running for the Conservatives in the next federal election, and Kitchen looks forward to meeting her as a candidate. The tabulating of votes was dogged by a technological issue Sunday night that delayed the annouwncement of the first ballot result by more than four hours. It made for a long night, but Kitchen doesn’t believe the problem will affect the perception of the party. “We need technology, we need to advance and so sometimes things go wrong,” he said. What he found ironic was that the network he was watching had continual breakdowns of their audio and video technology, but there was no mention of it. Now that the Tories have a leader in place, Kitchen expects O’Toole will concentrate on getting his team in place. There will be a caucus meeting soon to discuss how they will move forward under O’Toole’s leadership. The throne speech next month will be the first opportunity to try to bring down the government. The Bloc Quebe-

Drewitz School of Dance (Estevan) Celebrating 38 years of Professional Dance Instruction in the Estevan Community & Area (Pre-school through to Major Levels)

Held at: 1037 2nd Street, Estevan Directed by: Lorie-Gay Drewitz-Gallaway, A.R.A.D.

(Director, Teacher, Choreographer, Examiner, Adjudicator) • Registered Ballet Teacher with the Royal Academy of Dancing • Tap and Jazz Examiner for the Canadian Dance Teacher’s Assoc., Sask. Branch • Ballet Examiner for the Canadian Dance Teacher’s Assoc., Sask. Branch • Member and Associate of the Royal Academy of Dancing, London, England • Member of the Canadian Dance Teacher’s Assoc., Sask. Branch (Stage & Ballet) • A.D.A.P.T. Syllabus Teacher in Tap & Jazz (Brian Foley) • Member of the Scottish Dance Teacher’s Alliance, Highland Branch • Member of Dance Masters of America, Inc. • Stage Consultant C.D.T.A. National Board (1999-2002) • Honourary Member C.D.T.A. 2002/ A.D.A.P.T. 2005 • National C.D.T.A. Jazz Rep. (National Board 2006) • National C.D.T.A. Ballet Syllabus Rep. (2019) • Associate C.D.T.A. Acro Dance.

Classes Offered In * Ballet * Tap * Jazz * Musical Theatre * Highland * Lyrical Hip Hop * Acro Dance and Special Courses - Ladies Tap and Ballet (Examinations, Workshops, Special Concerts, Annual Recital)

New Student Registration:

Wednesday, August 26, 2020 1:00 - 6:00 p.m. For further information call 306-634-6973 www.drewitzschoolofdance.com Your child’s safety is our highest priority and All COVID-19 RULES APPLY.

cois has said previously that it will introduce a confidence vote in Parliament this fall. “The prime minister prorogued government, and his argument was to have a speech from the throne, but reality was he could have prorogued Parliament two or three days before that speech from the throne. Why did he do it a month and a half earlier? Because he wanted to kill the WE scandal investigations that were happening in committee, because there was more and more information that was coming out.” Trudeau needs to go, Kitchen said, and O’Toole needs to be given a shot at running the country.

Souris-Moose Mountain MP Robert Kitchen. File photo

Police remained busy through the end of July The Estevan Police Service has seen a decrease in the number of calls in the first seven months of the year, but they have remained busy. According to numbers released at the Aug. 19 meeting of the Estevan board of police commissioners, the EPS has had 5,042 infractions and calls for service through July 31, compared to 5,183 for the first seven months of 2019. It’s a reversal of a trend seen in the first six months of the year, when the EPS was typically busier than in 2019. From Jan. 1 to June 30 of this year, the EPS had 4,061 calls for service, compared to 3,898 in 2019. But it is notable the EPS had nearly 1,300 calls for service in July 2019 alone. Police Chief Paul Ladouceur pointed out that crimes against the person were up 22 per cent for the first seven months of the year, from 69 to 84. Sixty-eight crimes against the person this year were assaults. Police also handled nine sexual crimes and seven assaults causing bodily harm. “There’s not a great enough variance over a long-term period to say that’s attributed to anything specific,” said Ladouceur. Crimes against property were up nine per cent from 173 to 188. Mischief and wilful damage complaints have increased from 67 to 94 this year. “Some of those were attributed to multiple incidents were oil was spilled on properties and eggs were thrown by a group of people,” he said. Drug trafficking was up from 12 to 13

charges, and drug possession charges rose from 12 to 15 in the first seven months of the year. • • • The July report for Spec. Constable Morgan Prentice, who is the city’s bylaw officer, showed that she had 157 occurrences in July. Ninety-three of them were for unkempt property inspections. She also had 28 parking violations and 11 animalrelated calls. Ladouceur noted that Prentice tended to 304 unkempt property calls in the first seven months, compared to 191 a year earlier, and she has been getting out and notifying people if their properties are believed to be in substandard shape. “We’ve put an emphasis moving forward on alleyways and civic addresses being placed in alleyways on fences. If you have an … alleyway, then you’re required to have numbers on the back of your fence.” The rationale, he said is for responding emergency crews, who might access a building via the alley. If police are dealing with a barricaded or unco-operative subject, they might have to surround a residence, and would access the building via the alley. People have also been asking questions about swimming pools, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic with people spending more time at home. Ladouceur said it’s important for people to be mindful of pool safety, regardless of the size of the pool.

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

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Message From

Public notice is hereby given that the Council of the City of Estevan, pursuant to Section 24 of the Planning and Development Act, 2007 and the City of Estevan Community Engagement Policy Bylaw No. 2020-2027 will consider adoption of Off-Site Development Levy Bylaw No. 2020-2030.

The Mayor

Please adhere to the provincial guideline under the Safe School Plan.

FITNESS FITNESS SCHEDULE

ESTEVAN LEISURE CENTRE - 2020 ESTEVAN LEISURE CENTRE - 2020

SCHEDULE

To discuss the proposed bylaw in detail, please contact Land Development Services to arrange for an appointment.

EFFECTIVE - AUGUST 4 - 31, 2020

Sunday - AUGUST 4Monday EFFECTIVE - 31, 2020 Sunday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

6:10 am - 6:50 am

SPIN

GRIT

SPIN

9:10 am - 10:00 am

9:10 am - 9:50 am

9:10 am - 10:00 am

9:10 am - 9:50 am

SPIN

GRIT

SPIN

9:10 am - 9:50 am

SPIN

POWER BLAST

SPIN

CORE BARRE ABOVE CORE 9:10 am -BARRE 10:15 am ABOVE

9:10 am - 10:15 am

SPIN

9:10 am - 10:00 am

9:10 am - 9:50 am

9:10 am - 10:00 am

SPIN

FOAM ROLLER

POWER BLAST

CARDIO BLAST

AFTERNOON / EVENING POWER BLAST CARDIO BLAST POWER BLAST

CARDIO BLAST

POWER BLAST

1:10 pm - 2:00 pm

SPIN

5:30 pm - 6:10 pm

WEIGHT ROOM

5:30 pm - 6:10 pm

OPEN

WEIGHT ROOM OPEN

SPIN

OPEN

9:00 am - 9:00 pm

6:00 am - 9:00 pm

9:00 am - 9:00 pm

6:00 am - 9:00 pm

OPEN

6:00 am - 9:00 pm

9:00 am - 9:00 pm

6:00 am - 9:00 pm

9:00 am - 9:00 pm

OPEN

September 21, 2020

Location:

Council Chambers, City Hall

Time:

6:00 PM

The Bylaw may be viewed at City Hall during regular office hours or viewed online at www. Estevan.ca.

SPIN

OPEN

Date:

City Clerk, cityclerk@estevan.ca City Hall, 1102 – Fourth Street, Estevan, S4A 0W7

CARDIO BLAST POWER BLAST

SPIN

OPEN

11:10 am - 11:50 am

AFTERNOON / EVENING

Prior to further consideration of this Bylaw, a public hearing will be held:

The public hearing is your opportunity to make presentations directly to Council. Those unable to attend may submit written comments to the City Clerk.

FOAM ROLLER

11:10 am - 12:00 pm

1:10 pm - 2:00 pm

GRIT

11:10 am - 11:50 am

11:10 am - 12:00 pm

1:10 pm - 2:00 pm

GRIT

9:10 am - 9:50 am

The intent of the Bylaw is to provide a framework to recover capital costs for municipal services and facilities through new development within the City of Estevan. The Bylaw may be accessed through the City Clerk’s office or by contacting Land Development Services.

OPEN

Must be 16 years of age to participate in fitness classes and have a completed Par-Q Questionnaire prior to participating in classes. The questionnaire lets our fitness instructors determine abilities and needs of each participant. Must be 16 years of age to participate in fitness classes and have a completed Par-Q Questionnaire prior to participating in classes. The questionnaire lets our fitness instructors determine abilities and needs of each participant.

Business A7

Each office independently owned and operated

IT TAKES MORE THAN A SIGN!

Josh LeBlanc

REALTOR® (PART-TIME)

306-421-6778

Wednesday, August 26, 2020

www.joshleblanc.ca

Jenny Joans has you covered for any occasion and mood Estevan fashion boutique Jenny Joans is gearing up towards fall. While there are still quite a few summer pieces available, store owner Jennifer Pettitt has already started bringing in the prefall collection as the store is back to almost normal after the pandemic interruption. “It’s going really well heading into the new season,” said Pettitt. There are some things people could wear right now and carry forward into the next season. Pettitt said the latest trends turned more towards at-home, lounging, cross-over hybrid and comfortable styles. They see a lot of mixed lounge and workstyle items being popular among different brands this year. Traditionally going into fall, cozy sweaters be-

come a big thing as well. “As far as shapes, we are seeing a lot of oversized pieces, lots of volume, lots of ‘stolen from the men’s closet’ type of pieces,” said Pettitt. And colours seem to be all over the place this year. Pettitt noted that they are seeing a lot of retro 1990s looks and tie-dye trends. “ Tie-dyes are still a thing, we still see a lot of it being carried forward into fall,” said Pettitt. Buffalo-c hec k wool shirt-style pieces have been really popular with the customers lately. The highwaisted denim was also of an interest of those keeping hand on the fashion pulse. The buying processes have taken a bit of a different turn due to the pandemic. Pettitt said that with

Jenny Joans fashion store is located at 1225 Fourth Street, Estevan.

no fashion shows and no international travelling, now they work more closely with each individual vendor and there is more one-on-one buying. They are still doing a bit of travelling within the province trying to bring the unique items to the Estevan consumers, but a lot of stocking is also taking place online. Despite the continuous pause in the global fashion industry, Pettitt said they are still finding ways to see all the new lines. “It ’s going to be OK … It’s amazing to see all the ways people have come up with even during the pandemic.” The store is already looking towards the 2021 seasons, which will bring new ideas and styles. Pettitt said that they have some exciting col- Jennifer Pettitt, left, and Danille Shroeder are pictured showing some of the trendy and cozy fall pieces available at the store. lections coming out that will be “more like a Jenny Joans private label collec- out the door with a 50 per available through the online distance. They limit the tion (customers) are going cent discount on all summer store. Not only it is popular number of people inside as a different way of shop- the building and direct the to see coming into late fall.” items including footwear. At the same time, the ping, but for many people, traffic. The staff also steamThe Jenny Joans vintage or the retro collection and new arrivals are here, and it's the way to save the time sanitiz es or quarantines they would need to spend in all items after each indiother exiting launches are the selection is impressive. While the store is back the store. vidual, so people can try on planned to take place in the to its normal hours and “A lot of customers whatever they want without near future. They will also have new they even increased the seem to take advantage of worrying, which helps Jenny Joans keep the fun element lines and trendy accessories number of staff, their online that and take a pre-shop.” That helps to avoid of the in-person shopping. coming in, including fancy store still operates full time, masks by one of the vendors serving customers all across crowds at the store, and Pet- Returns are also accepted. Canada and the U.S. Pettitt titt said that the customers And all surfaces are saniand more. Currently, Jenny Joans said that they have about have been doing really well tized regularly to ensure the is pushing the summer stock 95 per cent of their stock when it comes to keeping safety of customers and staff.

Holy Family releases back to school figures The Holy Family Roman Catholic Separate School Division has released more information as it prepares for the return of in-person learning in classrooms on Sept. 8. The division says it is diligently working towards ensuring a safe learning and

working environment. Holy Family recently surveyed its families, asking them what their plans were for their children in the new school year. Parents were asked to choose from the following options: classroom instruction with pandemic safety protocols in place,

classroom instruction with medical accommodation, homeschooling and online learning Ninety-four per cent of respondents are choosing to send their child(ren) back to the classroom. Four and a half per cent of respondents are choosing to send

their child(ren) back to the classroom, but will require an accommodation. Also, 2.2 per cent of respondents plan on homeschooling their child(ren) and 4.3 per cent of respondents are requesting online learning for their child(ren) For online learning,

Holy Family said it will be by parent application and will require significant parent support and supervision. Please call 306-842-7025 for details. “Much work, preparation and training is going into meeting all the safety and academic needs of our

students,” Holy Family said in a news release. The Ministry of Education required all school divisions to submit a return to school plan. Holy Family’s can be viewed on its website. School specific plans need to be shared with families no later than Aug. 26.

Energy

• Gasoline • Diesel • Bulk Fuel • Propane • Fuel Tanks & Pumps • Lubricants & Grease • Lubrication Storage & Equipment Solutions • DEF • Solvent www.girardbulk.ca • (306) 637-4370

Wednesday, August 26, 2020

Girard Bulk show support for addictions treatment Girard Bulk Service has made a donation towards an important new healthcare facility in southeast Saskatchewan that is expected to be open later this year. The business, with support from its parent company Suncor Energy as well as Petro-Canada, presented $5,000 to the St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation last week. The money will be designated to help fund the all new addictions recovery centre, under construction at St. Joseph’s Hospital. “We are so grateful for the support that we have received from Girard Bulk Service. This donation will be a huge help as we work towards opening the new addiction recovery centre

at our hospital,” said foundation executive director Breanne Van De Woestyne. “We were approached by representatives from Girard Bulk and they wanted to help our hospital in any way they could. They were excited to be able to make a donation that will directly support this new department.” Jim Ludwig from Girard Bulk said they thought it would be good to support the hospital foundation because it helps the entire southeast corner of the province. Girard Bulk also has locations throughout the southeast region. “ We tend to spread things around as much as we can. I can’t remember

the last time that we would have supported the hospital directly, but we’ve done lots of donations to STARS and other pieces of the health community,” said Ludwig. This was the first donation to the addictions recovery centre, and it was something Girard Bulk wanted to be part of. “I think it’s important, especially with COVID and people needing support. It was just a way of getting that support, no matter what it was.” St. Joseph’s Hospital announced the addition of a new Addiction Recovery Centre earlier this year. The doors to the new department are set to open this fall.

Breanne Van de Woestyne with the St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation accepted a cheque for $5,000 from Yolita Stead and Jim Ludwig from Girard Bulk Service. Photo submitted

Cottage sales up due to COVID-19, but not everywhere By Brian Zinchuk, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter If you can’t go anywhere

due to the COVID-19 pandemic, you might as well find a cottage and spend some time there. That seems to be the con-

clusion many people in Saskatchewan have come to this year, as cottage sales have risen dramatically in this province, according to the Saskatchewan Realtors Association. Its CEO, Jason Yochim, said on Aug. 10 that in the first seven months of 2020, only January and April saw a decline in sales. “Every other month saw an increase year-over-year for that month in sales, with the greatest increase being in June with a 102 per cent increase in transactions in cottage country.” “That’s 101 transactions in June of recreational property in the province,” he added. Last year, June saw 50. Asked if he had seen a spike like that previously, Yochim said, “No, it's quite impressive actually. We did anticipate post-restrictions from COVID that we would see a significant increase in activity. We had low interest rates, we had low inventory levels, and pent up demand for COVID.

CANADA’S

FINANCIAL

CANADA’S #1 PLAN FOR EMPLOYEE BENEFITS CHAMBERPLAN.CA REYNOLD BERT CORY CASEMORE 403B 9TH AVENUE, ESTEVAN, SK S4A 2V4 PH: (306) 634-7979 TOLL FREE: (877) 770-0948 INFO@SPECTRAFINANCIAL.CA

FREE

MILWAUKEE TOOLS

And a lot of people were needing to either find a larger space for maybe a home with an office or something like that, because they're working from home. “And certainly, when it comes to recreational properties, you have people that are saying look, I can't travel outside the country. I'm not comfortable travelling interprovincially. What are my options? And people are buying RVs, buying boats and jet skis, but they're also buying recreational property and probably looking at it as an investment as well.” He added, “People have different levels of comfort, I guess, for social distancing and so forth. And the cottage is an opportunity to provide yourself a little more distancing away from maybe an urban

• • • • • Serving Southeast Saskatchewan for 38 years • • •

centre, and especially if you can work from home, what better place to be? You have your family there and they can get out and do things, not driving you crazy in the house, and you can get your work done.” These trends have been echoed by several realtors across Saskatchewan, but not all saw the same results. North of Carlyle, the lake country includes Kenosee, Moose Mountain Provincial Park and White Bear. Ray Boutin, broker with Performance Realty of Carlyle, deals with Kenosee and Moose Mountain Provincial Park properties. He said, “There’s real action, real interest. I think COVID has created a desire for resort property. “People are realizing that it’s a staycation scenario.

CRANES & TRUCKING

All types of hoisting-tip heights to 350’ 15 – 245 Ton Mobile & R.T. Cranes 27 – 45 Ton Pickers 15 Ton Carrydeck - 3.2 Ton Mini Crawler Tractor Trailer Units Pile Drivers, Telehandler Office Trailer Rentals Manbaskets & Concrete Buckets

RECEIVE YOUR CHOICE

FREE

18 $

449

M18™ REDLITHIUM HIGH OUTPUT™ XC8.0 Starter Kit (48-59-1880RC)

M18™ Brushless M18 FUEL™ 4-1/2” / M18™ D-Handle 5” Grinder, Paddle 7-1/4” Circular Saw (Bare Tool) Jig Saw (Bare Switch No-Lock (2631-20) Tool) (2737-20) (Bare Tool) (2780-20)

RECEIVE YOUR CHOICE

FREE

Frontier Place, Estevan

306-634-5555

www.skyliftservices.com

THE ESTEVAN MERCURY DRILLING REPORT We specialize in moving drilling rigs and other oil rig related equipment.

225

M12™ REDLITHIUM™ XC4.0 Starter Kit (48-59-2442SP)

BUY THIS

M12™ Compact Inflator (Bare Tool) (2475-20)

M12™ Cordless 3/8” Ratchet (Bare Tool) (2457-20)

M12™ 3/8” Crown Stapler (Bare Tool) (2447-20)

M12™ High Performance Jig Saw (Bare Tool)

Carnduff, SK

(2445-20)

RECEIVE YOUR CHOICE

FREE

They’re moving forward to make themselves comfortable in a staycation scenario.” Boutin also said, “For one thing, Kenosee, and particularly Moose Mountain Provincial Park has always held its own in terms of value. And we are finding pricing is creeping up, as there’s more demand. Then you get into scenarios where there are multiple offers on the same property and that starts moving the prices up.” He said some properties are going for above list price, some at list price and some below. Sellers are still taking offers, he noted. Leanne Sorenson’s Red Roof Realty Inc. is based at Kenosee. She focuses on property at Kenosee, Moose Mountain Provincial Park and White Bear. From her perspective, Sorenson said, “They are really similar to last year. We always have quite a high buyer demand for cottages. Some sales might have sold quicker than normal, in a few days, and for list price.” She hasn’t seen sales above list price this year. “I would say maybe people were willing to pay a little bit more. We saw prices go up in the cottage market, but not in year-round properties.” “It’s been busy, but I don’t know if it’s strictly related to COVID. Some of the lakes you couldn’t get into, so the demand went really quickly in July. Sorenson added, “There’s less people out here. There’s less tourists.” Travel restrictions meant White Bear had barricades until June. But she says that wasn’t a factor on sales.

306-482-3244

www.fasttruckingservice.com MOVING THE OIL & GAS INDUSTRY IN SASKATCHEWAN

Drilling Licenses 329 M12 FUEL™ 2-Tool Combo Kit: 1/2” Hammer Drill and 1/4” Hex Impact Driver $

(2598-22)

M12 FUEL™ 3/8” Ratchet (Bare Tool)

M12™ Cordless Multi-Tool (Bare Tool)

M12™ Compact Inflator (Bare Tool)

M12 FUEL™ HACKZALL® Recip Saw (Bare Tool)

M12™ Cordless Rotary Tool (Bare Tool)

(2557-20)

(2426-20)

(2475-20)

(2520-20)

(2460-20)

WHILE QUANTITIES LAST. EXPIRES AUGUST 31 2020. ERRORS SUBJECT TO CORRECTION.

More than just Nuts & Bolts! (306) 634-5778 • 410 5th Avenue, Estevan • southernbolt.ca

6 new licenses issued to Monday, August 24 163953......................................................... Crescent Point Hz......................................................3-28-1-13 161595......................................................... Crescent Point Hz......................................................2-18-1-14 161642......................................................... Crescent Point Hz......................................................2-13-1-15 161666........................................................ Crescent Point Hz......................................................2-13-1-14 162259......................................................... Crescent Point Hz......................................................16-34-8-7 163390...................................................... Middle Petroleums Vt...................................................16-32-4-2

Rig Report No rig activity to report.

www.estevanmercury.ca

August 26, 2020 A9

Henders Drugs keeps doing what they know how to do: looking after people‘s medical needs Regardless of the time or the circumstance, people are going to have a need for their local pharmacist. Henders Drugs, located on Fourth Street in Estevan, can vouch for that reality. They’ve been open throughout the year, making sure that they’re meeting customers’ pharmaceutical needs. But they’ve also been busy with their other offerings inside the store. Larry Preddy, a pharmacist who owns the business alongside Allen Miller, said they haven’t been filling as many prescriptions for colds and other ailments, but they have still been active with their regular business. “Pharmacists are quite accessible in the healthcare field, in that you can come in and talk to us or

phone and talk to us, pretty much any time you want. A lot of other medical professionals, you can’t do that,” said Preddy. But Henders isn’t just a pharmacy. They have a myriad of health and beauty products, giftware and other items to satisfy their visitors. “Surprisingly, we’re selling a whole pile of sandals for this year, for some reason,” said Preddy. “Our PPE (personal protective equipment), I’ve noticed that we’re selling a lot of masks. Getting supplies of disposal gloves has been a real challenge. We just got some in today, but they’ve been really stuff to get a hold of.” He’s not sure why sandals are selling so well, other than they’re a really good product made by Oofos. At first hand sanitizer was hard

to come by, but now they have an abundance of it. “I do notice that there’s probably not as much browsing traffic as we used to have pre-COVID. I think people are respecting the fact that you go out when necessary, and be careful,” said Preddy. Peggy Rohatyn, who manages the storefront area, said they continue to have a lot of local shoppers. She has also seen an increase in the demand for sandals, but she noted they have had sales for the efforts of local artists. Pickles from Auntie M’s Garden Market, birdhouses by Doug McLeod, art from local artists and other local items have sold well. Preddy praised Rohatyn for her work in getting a lot of local

Oofos sandals have been a top seller at Henders Drugs this summer.

ESTEVAN MOTORS

Family Owned Since 1937 Great Products....Great Service Our Sales Team is dedicated to your satisfaction

Dustin Sands Sales Manager

306.421.3669

Mike Keating Sales Consultant

306.461.6457

Weekdays 8 am - 5:30 pm | Saturdays 9 am - 3 pm

Corner of 4th & Souris

artwork in the store. “We’re trying to promote the work of local people and sell a lot of that stuff through our store,” said Preddy. Allergy medicines are also popular at this time of year, and even though the Saskatchewan Roughriders won’t be playing this year, Rohatyn said their merchandise continues to sell. Walkers and knee braces are among other items that can be found at Henders. “We’ve been doing lots of deliveries to people,” said Rohatyn. At this time, they believe it’s important to support local businesses and people as much as possible. “I think one thing COVID has done is increase people’s awareness of

the importance of local,” said Preddy. “If you don’t support local, you don’t have it. And at times like this, when travelling is hard, if you don’t have it, what are you going to do?” The employees have done a good job of handling the challenges of the past few months. Plexiglas guards have been installed, and social distancing is a priority in the store. They ask people to use hand sanitizer when entering the business. Henders tries to limit contact within the six-foot radius of people, while respecting customers’ needs. And people have continued to support Henders Drugs, which they really appreciate. They have a lot of new customers, but they also have a lot of long-term clients who know they can trust Henders Drugs.

The pharmacy at Henders Drugs has knowledgeable, hard-working pharmacists eager to help customers.

A10 August 26, 2020

www.estevanmercury.ca

Senior Living

A monthly supplement

Alzheimer Society now supports more people virtually By Ana Bykhovskaia abykhovskaia@estevanmercury.ca

The pandemic brought in a lot of changes for everyone. For the Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan, the inability to meet in person opened up more opportunities as they moved most of their resources over to the virtual world and started providing support online. “We couldn’t meet with our clients in person, but we still wanted to provide support to people with dementia and their families. So we opted for Zoom,” said Jennifer Froese, the first link co-ordinator with the Sun Country Resource Centre Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan. “The Alzheimer Society hasn’t closed at all during the pandemic. We were all working from home. Dementia hasn’t stopped. We still want to sup-

port clients in meaningful ways. We had to take that moment to pause and think about how we can serve our clients in ways that were going to be the best for them.” They started trying the virtual support system in early June with Coffee and Chat meetings. These are informal online gatherings for people with dementia and their care partners. Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan staff and peers usually meet for a coffee or tea and just check on each other. Shortly after that, support groups started setting up as well. Froese noted that now that the summer is almost over they are getting back into the swing and are hoping to see more people taking advantage of the online support system. The new format allows patrons from distant places to access the services, which means

that support groups now can cover the entire province. Froese noted that some of the groups weren’t open to people in rural communities, as they were set in bigger centres. “I really feel that for us in our rural communities it definitely opened up the support groups and some other programs we are running like Minds in Motion, which is a physical activity group, plus they have a social aspect of it. That was only open in Regina, Saskatoon and Prince Albert. But now our rural communities can join. So I’m really excited for us,” said Froese. There are five support groups that are now held over Zoom and draw members from all across the province. “It’s nice to meet other people with dementia or their family members from across the province. The journeys are different,” said Froese.

The groups are kept relatively small and intimate, but there is always room for new participants. People are asked to register for support groups at least a day or two prior to the meetings. The caregiver support group is for someone who is caring for someone with dementia living in the community or in a care facility. The group meets first Wednesday of the month from 9:30-11:30 a.m. For more information and to register contact Arianna at abooth@ alzheimer.sk.ca. The frontal temporal dementia spousal group is for spouses that are supporting their partners who have been diagnosed with frontal temporal dementia or a variant of FTD. The group meets the fourth Wednesday of the month from 4:30–6 p.m. Sandwich Club is a group

for caregivers who are caring for someone with dementia while balancing a family and career. The group meets every second Tuesday of the month from 4:30-6 p.m. For more information on these two groups and to register contact is Connie at csnider@alzheimer.sk.ca. Early stage support group is a group for people with dementia in the early stages of the disease. This group provides a place for people with dementia to come together and connect with others. They meet the third Wednesday of the month from 10:30-11:30 a.m. The young carers group is for people between the ages of 20-45 who are looking to meet others who are providing support to a parent or grandparent with dementia. Group meets every second Thursday of the month from 4:30-6 p.m. For more information on the above two

groups and to register contact is Alice at agermann@alzheimer. sk.ca. Outside the formal support groups, the Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan continues with the Coffee and Chat virtual meets. “That’s a more informal group to have some fun and talk about whatever is brought up. A lot of it is really Saskatchewan. We talked about the harvest and Saskatoon berries,” said Froese. This group meets every Friday from 10:30-11:30 a.m. To registered people can contact Carlie at cjudge@alzheimer. sk.ca. All registrations also can also be done over the phone or on the website at https://alzheimer.ca/en/sk. If anyone with a diagnosis or without one has questions, they can call Froese at 306-842-2273 or email her at suncountry@alzheimer.sk.ca.

Cottage has been owned by local family for over 100 years A family recently gathered to celebrate more than 100 years of cottage ownership in the southeast region. The cottage was built in 1917 by Lou and Ann Faber, and was later owned by Melvin and Miriam Faber. It now belongs to Laverne and Betty Ann Faber, and Mary Lou and Tim Fogarty. Fourteen of the 18 grandchildren of Lou and Ann Faber were able to attend the occasion that marked more than a century of ownership. They were able to enjoy each other’s company and Trinity Tower has been proudly serving the community of Estevan by providing a friendly, senior living community for over 30 years! Suites are now available to accommodate your individual needs through a one bedroom and den life lease with guaranteed buy-back or government subsidized rentals.

737 - 2nd St., Estevan, SK

share a lot of memories and tales from days gone by. The family includes the children of the late Matt and Gretta Faber (Frank Faber, Lorraine Pho and Cheryl Parker), the late John and Doris Faber (Carol Griffin, Reg Faber, Brian Faber, Dale Faber and Shauna Lazar), and the late Melvin and Miriam Faber (Lynda Wilson, Allen Faber, Susan Worral, Laverne Faber, Paul Faber, Louis Faber, Joanne Unruh, Kathy Parisienne, Mary Lou Fogarty and Danny Faber).

Gathering for the group photo were, back row, from left, Brian Faber, Allen Faber, Frank Faber, Cheryl Parker, Reg Faber and Lynda Wilson. Middle row, Laverne Faber, Dale Faber, Louis Faber and Susan Worral. Front row, Joanne Unruh, Danny Faber, Mary Lou Fogarty and Kathy Parisienne. Missing are Lorraine Pho, Carol Griffin, Paul Faber and Shauna Lazar. Photo submitted

Seniors Suites

Trinity Tower Celebrating over 30 Years!

Locally owned & operated Call 306-634-7307 for further details or to book your personal tour.

OrlOwski law Office PrOfessiOnal cOrP. Stephen J. Orlowski, B.Ed., LL.B.

Ready to help you with their expertise for all your legal needs Branch offices at:

Redvers - Carlsen Bldg. Wednesday P.M. Phone: 306-452-3377

Industrial Testing Hearing Protection Batteries

#5 - 418 Kensington Avenue, Estevan, SK (Across from Walmart) Jacquie Mvula M.S., R. Aud. (306) 636-EARS (3277) ∙ www.suncountryhearing.com Monday - Thursday 9:00 - 4:00 • Walk-Ins & Same-Day Appointments Welcome

Feel Safe In Your Bathroom

Carnduff - Carnduff Agencies Bldg. Thursday P.M. Phone: 306-482-4077

HENDERS DRUGS 1220 4th Street, Estevan 306-634-3666 Mon. - Fri. 9am-9pm Sat. 9am-6pm Sun. & Holidays 12pm-4pm

Summer Sale

Be ready for school!

Laptops, desktops, printers & more!

Hearing Tests Hearing Aids Ear Wax Removal Hearing Aid Repairs

Bath Mats • Toilet Seats • Shower Seats • Hand Rails

1215 - 5th Street, Estevan Phone: 306-634-3353 • Fax: 306-634-7714 • orlowski.law@sasktel.net Arcola - Arcola Agencies Bldg. Wednesday A.M. Phone: 306-455-2277

Your Ears Deserve An Audiologist

SAVE SEPTEMBER 16, 2020 FROM 6AM - 6PM

ONLINE AUCTION

Check out our awesome prizes at www.sjhf.org

30% OFF

Dermaplaning and Miracle 10 Peel! Reduce the appearance of redness, sun damage, fine lines/wrinkles, sensitive skin condition, dullness/ dehydration, acne scars AND exfoliates and removes peach fuzz for smooth flawless skin and makeup application. All in a pain-free, zerodowntime safe treatment!

(opens September 1st)

221 4th St, Estevan 306-636-2055 www.dmsservices.ca

• Hear from our staff and patients • Donate to a lifesaving cause • Support the medical services we offer right here at home

DONATE TODAY AT WWW.SJHF.ORG

#300-1236 5th St, Estevan (306) 634-2225 • estevanlaser.com Beauty is being comfortable and confident in your own skin.

Sports A11

5TH STREET AUTOBODY Don’t Cuss! Call US

306-634-7101

601 - 5th St. • Estevan, SK

Wednesday, August 26, 2020

Young players impress at inaugural Bears camp Members of the Eclipse Downhole Solutions Estevan U18 AAA Bears hockey club were finally able to showcase their skills for the organization’s leadership team on the weekend. The club held its inaugural fall camp from Friday to Sunday at Affinity Place. More than 40 players were divided into three separate teams, and participated in on-ice sessions, fitness testing and other activities. “With all of the rules and regulations and restrictions that had to be put in place, it went very smoothly,” said Bears head coach and general manager Jeff Smith. “For being a first-year camp, there were a couple of hiccups, which is to be expected, but … once the hockey started, it went nice and smooth.” Many of the players had great camps, he said. Some grew a few inches and put on weight in the offseason. “I was surprised with the talent level and the speed and the tenacity of these kids. They want to make the team and they want to make a good impression, so it’s been a really good

A black and white intrasquad matchup wrapped up the Estevan Bears inaugural fall camp. show,” said Smith. Goaltender Jackson Miller of Estevan, defenceman Hunter Weber of Saskatoon, and forwards Turner McMillen of Carievale and Cooper Chisholm of Weyburn were among the standouts at camp, Smith said. All four players have at least a year of U18 hockey experience. “They’ve set the bar for these

young kids and they’ve shown them what it takes to be in this league and everything else,” said Smith. “It’s good to show that our core group of guys have really stepped up.” Smith noted there were four U15 players who stood out at camp, and he’d like to have them on the Bears roster for this season, but he can’t. And there are some talented

players in their first year of U18 hockey who look ready to play for the Bears. “Some of these kids have been a little bit better than what was expected, but overall I was surprised by all of them … just to see how they can compete at that level,” said Smith. The weekend culminated in the Ron Areshenkoff Memorial Black and White intrasquad contest, in which the players in camp were separated into two teams. Team White rallied from a 3-0 deficit in the second period to win 5-4 in overtime. McMillen, Dallen Oxelgren, Rylan Erb and Chaz Sylvestre scored for Black. Hunter Kannok-Leipert had two goals for Team White. Chisholm, Tucker Buhay and Zayden Sadlemyer had the other Team White goals. Smith said the club wanted to find a way to honour Areshenkoff and let kids know about his contributions to hockey in the community. So they named Sunday afternoon’s contest after him, and they have also named the dressing room after Areshenkoff.

The Rotary Club of Estevan has sponsored the dressing room, so it was fitting to name it after Areshenkoff, who was a long-time Rotarian. He also chaired Estevan’s new arena fundraising dinners from 2007-2011 that raised more than $1 million for Affinity Place. “We just want to show our support and honour him in this way,” said Smith. The club had to make some adjustments the week of camp. They had hoped to have nearly 90 kids participating, but that number had to be cut by about 50 per cent. And then they were told they couldn’t have members of the public at on-ice sessions, which was disappointing for those who were looking forward to seeing players for the first time. Earlier this year, they had to cancel their inaugural spring camp when venues were closed due to COVID-19. A decision hasn’t been made on when the 2020-21 season will start. The players will go home for a couple of weeks, and then they will return to Estevan for the first day of school on Sept. 8.

Cardinals are champions of the Saskota Baseball League The Estevan Tap House Wolves and the Carlyle Cardinals were the top teams in the Saskota Baseball League all season, and ultimately the league final came down to those two squads. The Cardinals, who were the second-seeded team in the league’s revamped playoffs, swept the top-ranked Wolves in two straight in the best of three final to win the Jack Harbourne Memorial Trophy. Carlyle took Game 1 6-1 on Aug. 17 at Lynn Prime Park in Estevan, and then won Game 2 9-6 the following night at Lions Park in Carlyle. The championship was the first for the Cardinals since 2016. P l a ye r - c o a c h B re n t McLean said the Cardinals had strong pitching and good team defence throughout the year. They added top pitcher, Kody Rock, who has professional baseball experience, and a few U18 players whose minor baseball season was cancelled due to COVID-19, but everyone else has played for the Cardinals in the past. McL ean wasn’t surprised to see the Cardinals facing the Wolves in the playoffs. “ I would have been shocked if they weren’t in

the final … so I was pretty sure that we’d face them if we got there,” said McLean. The Wolves and the Cardinals were tied for the top record in the league during the regular season at 8-1-1, but the Wolves were awarded the top seed on a tie-breaker because they won the lone regular season meeting between the two teams – a 15-10, come from behind decision in Estevan in late July. Both teams had perfect 4-0 records in the playoffs entering the final. The Wolves swept their crosstown rivals, the Southeast Firebirds, in the first round, and then they did the same to the Oxbow Chiefs in the semifinals. The Cardinals, meanwhile, swept the Kipling Royals and the 2019 champions, the Carnduff Astros, en route to the final. Normally the league would have the bulk of its playoffs contested during the Harbourne tournament at Kenosee Lake in July, but that didn’t happen this year, because of crowd restrictions associated with COVID-19. “We liked it (the new playoff ),” said McLean. “It was something different. Ever since I’ve started playing, we’ve always had the

The Carlyle Cardinals won the Saskota Baseball League’s title last week by sweeping the Estevan Tap House Wolves. Photo by Kelly Johnson of the Carlyle Observer Harbourne Tournament, and there was good and bad with that. We certainly enjoyed the format this year, and the result ended up being good for us, so we certainly can’t complain.” He expects there will be some discussions at the league level about the format

and whether to keep using it in the future. Also for this season, the league had just a 10game regular season that was played in a month. Normally it would be closer to 20 games, spread out over a two-month span. “We got going, and we

played two or three games every week. It took seven weeks for the whole season (including the playoffs) to take place, so it was pretty quick. It felt like we played lots of ball in the short time we did.” Crowds were excellent throughout the league during

the season, too, he said. McLean admits he had pretty much written off having a season, so it was a pleasant surprise to be able to play in 2020. “I think it was good for the community, and all of the communities that are part of the league,” he said.

Woodlawn crowns its club champions for 2020 The TS&M Woodlawn Golf Course crowned its club champions Sunday afternoon following a two-day golf event. Forty-eight golfers were entered this year, with nearly half, 23, coming in the senior men’s division. The event had champions in both the gross (actual score) and net (handicap-weighted score)

categories for senior men’s and women’s divisions, and a champion for the men’s net score and junior boys’ score. Scott Blackstock was the gross winner in the senior men’s championship flight by shooting a 3-over-par 147 (73-74). Mike Ross was second at 150 (71-79) and James Gordon was third at 151 (74-77).

Jim Ehrmantraut won the first flight with a 160 (84-76). In the senior men’s net division, Garth Dacey finished first with a two-round total of 5-under-par 139 (69-70), after factoring in his handicap, two strokes better than Chris Babyak’s 141 (6873). Terry Rohatyn was third at 142 (68-74).

Dawn Ramstead was the winner of both the women’s gross and net events. She had the low score of the weekend among the women with a 180 (93-87), three strokes better than Ashley Gallaway’s 183 (88-95). Linda Murphy was third at 185 (91-94). As for the women’s net, Ramstead won with a two-

round total of 2-over par 146 (76-70), five strokes better than Michelle Fenwick’s 151 (78-73) and nine strokes ahead of Lori Krupka’s 155 (73-82). Brian Morrissey won the men’s net event with a two-round total of 141 (6873), which was one stroke ahead of Jeremiah Schroeder’s 142 (74-68).

Tony Sernick won the first flight with a 149 (7574). Koen Turner won the junior boys’ event with a tworound total of 158. He shot an 84 in the first round and a 74 in the second. Connor Spencer was second with a 159 (80-79) and Jadyn Sinclair was third at 183 (95-88).

VEHICLE MAKING NOISE? DENT TO FIX? • Auto Collision, Body Repair and Painting, SGI Accredited Elite Bodyshop • Factory Scheduled Maintenance • Tune Ups & Oil Changes • Servicing all makes & models. • SGI Appraisals • Courtesy Vehicles Available

118 Souris Ave. N. Estevan 306-634-3696 | www.senchuk.com

Offering free pick up and delivery of your vehicle!

A12 August 26, 2020

www.estevanmercury.ca

Motocross offered plenty of action in Estevan The Trackside Motocross Association hosted two days of racing on Aug. 15 and 16 at their facility southeast of Estevan. More than 100 riders converged on the track for the competition, with 11 divisions offered. Points were awarded based on finish, with up to 50 points available each day. The races in Estevan marked the fourth and fifth stops for the South Corner Racing Circuit this year. There will be a total of nine programs this year, with stops in Carlyle, Assiniboia, Alameda and Weyburn in addition to those in Estevan. Points standings after the two days of racing in Estevan are as follows: • Travis King leads the A class with 250 points, the highest total possible after five programs, while Cole Hagel is second with 194. King and Hagel are also 1-2 in the youth class, with King sitting at 250 points, and Hagel at 185. • Dylan Hoing has 240 points to lead the B class, 50 more than Jordan Weber’s

Riders in the vet class raced earlier this month at the Trackside Motocross Association’s grounds near Estevan. Photo by Riding the Wind Photos. 190 points. Honig is in first place in the two-stroke class with 244 points, followed by Weber with 201 points. • Trey Griffin leads the C class with 225 points, followed by Logan Puhlmann with 198 points.

• Rocky Beauchesue is the leader in the vet class with 238 points, and Randy Franke is second with 204. • Kate Lees is first in the women’s division with 245 points, while Lauren Puhlmann sits second with

216 points. • Marcus Quigley leads the super mini division with 226 points, and Lauren Puhlmann sits second with 207. Quigley is also in first in the 85 cc class with 231 points, while Lauren Puhl-

mann is second with 205. • Deegan LeMoine leads the 65 cc class with 214 points, four more than Grayson Pr yde, who has 210. • Royce Milford is in top spot in the 50 cc with

215 points, followed by Eli Hickey in second with 197 points. • Lexie Fonstad is first in the small wheel beginner division with 242 points, followed by Connor Ryan with 160.

Local U18 baseball teams’ seasons come to an end The S outheast U18 AAA Twins baseball team and the Estevan U18 AA Brewers baseball teams saw their seasons came to the end last week, but both teams made considerable strides during the season. The Twins were defeated 7-6 by the Regina White Sox in the South Division semifinal Friday in Regina. The Twins scored four times in the top of the first inning, and had a 6-3 lead entering the bottom of the seventh and final inning, but gave up four to the White Sox, the top-ranked team in the south. “We were facing a very good pitcher in Sam Boldt, and we were on him. We scored … three or four runs in the first inning, and we controlled the play, we put

the ball in play, and we forced them to make a couple of errors, and we looked very confident early on,” said Twins coach Trent Dorrance. Jayke Smolinski and Kaiden Lyons pitched well, with Smolinski going three innings and Lyons lasting 3 1/3 innings. But the White Sox started to get to Lyons in the seventh. Rylan Erb and Bryson Anders came on in relief for the Twins in the final inning. Had they won the game, the Twins would have played the south final against the Regina Athletics, who were second in the south. The Twins beat the Athletics twice during the regular season. “We had a pretty good handle on the Athletics, so

we were pretty confident going into that game,” said Dorrance. The Twins started the season 1-5, but then went 7-5 down the stretch to make the playoffs. “In a short season, we’ve come pretty far,” said Dorrance. “The hitting has been the biggest advancement … on the team. The pitching was solid right from the start of the year to the end of the year. The hitting was the biggest uptick that I noticed. Our fielding was pretty good from the first game to the last game.” Ten of 13 players on the Twins are eligible to return next season, so they should have a strong team in 2021. Dorrance expects the club will add a few players from

the Estevan and Weyburn U18 AA teams, who had strong seasons, and some good prospects from the U15 ranks. The Brewers, meanwhile, went 2-1 in the postseason, defeating the Lumsden Cubs 5-2 last Wednesday and the Regina White Sox 4-3 the following day, before falling 7-6 to the Weyburn Beavers on Friday in the South final. Weyburn went on to win the league U18 AA title. Coach Tim Miller pointed out the Brewers were able to manufacture runs against strong pitching. “ That ’s the key with these single elimination games, is every team has one or two guys, even the bottom teams, and that kid (from Lumsden) pitched very well

against us, but we still managed to come out with the victory,” said Miller. And the Brewers were down 2-0 against the White Sox before rallying to win, scoring the winning run in the bottom of the sixth. Estevan had a 6-1 lead over Weyburn in the top of the third, but the Beavers, the only team to beat Estevan this season, chipped away at the lead, and scored the winner in the bottom of the seventh and final inning. Miller is still pleased that the Brewers finished second in the south division, and made it to the south final. Miller credited their pitching and defence for their success. “Our bats would come and go as the season went on, but our pitching and

defence were definitely very consistent for us this year,” said Miller. The Brewers only had three third-year players on the 12-man roster, so they should be strong next year. And this was just the second year for the U18 AA Brewers program. Some players might wind up playing with the Twins. “If we lose a couple to the Twins, we will still have a very strong team next year, and we’ve already talked about we have a good opportunity of possibly winning league and a provincial title next year. It’s heavy goals to set next year, but I think we’ll have a strong team with where we’ve come from last year to this year.”

REPORT FROM THE LEGISLATURE As summer starts to wind down, students, teachers and school staff are preparing to get back to the classroom. Of course, the COVID-19 pandemic has ensured that the coming school year will be unlike any other. The Government of Saskatchewan, alongside our Chief Medical Health Officer and education officials, are focused on providing more information, more time, more testing and more resources to ensure a safe return to school in September. Recently, it was announced that an additional $40 million will match and complement $40 million that school divisions have realized in savings, making for a total of $80 million available to divisions for a safe return to school. This funding will cover pandemic-related costs such as staffing and sanitation supplies, non-classroom options like distance learning to help ensure immunocompromised and medically fragile students, as well as the procurement of masks, PPE and other supplies. School-specific operation plans are being finalized, posted online and communicated to parents and students. Working within provincial guidelines

Lori Carr, MLA Estevan Constituency Office

and public health guidance provided in the Safe Schools Plan, school divisions are implementing initiatives like block scheduling, cohorting, and considerations for alternating school days. Additional staff to reduce class sizes in exceptional circumstances will also be considered. Students will not be returning to the classroom until Tuesday, September 8. This extra time will provide an opportunity for teachers and staff to return to schools across the province to get training on new protocols, properly reconfigure classrooms and, where possible, hold virtual meetings with parents to discuss new procedures. The province is also working toward daily testing capacity of 4,000 tests and will continue to offer universal testing for anyone who wants it. Regina and Saskatoon will be introducing drive-thru testing sites which will require only a health card, not a referral. All teachers and school staff are being encouraged to seek testing prior to returning to school and at frequent points throughout the school year. Priority access to testing will be established for teachers and school staff, with referrals available through 811.

306.634.7311

loricarrmla@sasktel.net

Targeted school testing is a key focus of expanded testing plans which include targeted monitoring, testing of students with parental consent, and priority testing for teachers and school staff. Participating schools will be selected based on a number of factors such as number of students in the school and if the community is experiencing a recent surge of new cases. In-school public health visits for routine childhood vaccinations will now include COVID-19 testing, where parental consent is granted. As part of the school specific plans, parents will receive detailed information that includes instructions about what to do if a child tests positive, and what a classroom and school would do to follow up and protect others. While there is uncertainty surrounding COVID-19, Saskatchewan’s Safe Schools Plan takes the necessary steps to ensure students, teachers and school staff can return to the classroom safely. You can learn more at Saskatchewan.ca. And as always, if you have questions or concerns, please contact my constituency office.

www.estevanmercury.ca

August 26, 2020 A13

Rotary kicks off valuable fundraiser for hospital foundation The Rotar y Club of Estevan kicked off the fundraising campaign for the St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation’s Radiothon for Life with a major donation of $14,000 last week. The fundraiser will take place Sept. 16 and will air on Golden West Radio’s three stations in Estevan. This year’s theme is “The Care you Need, Close to Home,” and will feature all of the services that St. Joseph’s Hospital offers in the community with the support of the hospital foundation. The 12-hour fundraiser will feature staff and patients of all of the different services and celebrate the support that made them possible for southeast Saskatchewan. Pro c e e d s f ro m t h i s year’s event will support the all-new addictions recovery centre in the hospital that is under construction and set to open this fall. “ We a r e i n c r e d i b l y thankful for the donation from The Rotary Club of Estevan to kick off our Radiothon for Life campaign. Our radiothon funds much-needed equipment for our hospital and with the help of these amazing community members, we

Rotary Club of Estevan president Amanda Olsen, left, presents a cheque to St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation executive director Breanne Van De Woestyne. Photo submitted are off to a great start,” said hospital foundation execu-

tive director Breanne Van De Woestyne.

D ue to COVID-19, the event will not be held

at St. Joseph’s Hospital as in previous years. Instead,

the foundation is strongly encouraging online donations through their website at www.sjhf.org or by calling in a pledge during the Radiothon. There will also be an outdoor drop-off area located at the radio station on event day for those that want to stop by with their donations in person. The annual barbecue will not be happening this year to ensure COVID-19 guidelines are followed. This year, there will also be a new online silent auction featuring local experiences, items and service packages. “ We w a n t e d t o t r y something new to create even more buzz and excitement for our radiothon and have been blown away by the support that we have received from local businesses in terms of the items that will be auctioned off,” said Van De Woestyne. The auction will launch on Sept. 1. The Radiothon for Life is an annual event hosted by St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation that has raised thousands of dollars to support the funding of medical equipment at St. Joseph’s Hospital.

Arcola woman cycling to support kids with cancer An Arcola woman has enjoyed excellent support as she continues to try to help children. Kari Blatchford is participating in the Great Cycling Challenge to support the SickKids Foundation, which assists children fighting cancer. She was able to pick her goal of how much she wants to raise, and how many kilometres she wants to cyc le. Blatchford has gone with 500 kilometres and $500. Not only has she eclipsed her fundraising goal, she had raised $1,824.58 as of Monday afternoon.

The Great Cycle Challenge was also the beneficiary of Tuesday’s Burgers for a Cause at Black Beard’s Restaurant. There is a history of cancer in her family, so that is why she wanted to raise funds for kids with cancer. “Right now, over 1,400 children are diagnosed with cancer every year, and it's the biggest killer of children from the disease in Canada,” she said for her profile on the Great Cycling Challenge page. Kids should be living life, not fighting for it. Blatchford loves to cycle and this challenge helps

motivate her to do more. Last year she had a bike for the first time, and she did 200 kilometres. The Great Cycle Challenge started in 2016, and after just four years, the event has grown to become one of the biggest cycling events across Canada. People of all ages, abilities and from every province across the country set themselves a personal riding goal and challenge themselves to pedal throughout August to fight childhood cancer.

Kari Blatchford of Arcola is participating in the Great Cycling Challenge. Photo submitted

for s Item Coffee and Chat

Weber Barbeques TOP QUALITY NATURAL GAS GRILLS DURABLE & EFFICIENT

YEARS Since 1967

166 Years Experience

JOHNSON PLUMBING & HEATING LTD.

1037 - 5th St., Estevan, SK

(306) 634-5172

s. Min less or

Garden Decor • Crystal Jewellery • Giftware

Thursday, August 27 @ 12:15 On Facebook LIVE

1226 - 4th Street, Estevan, SK 306.634.2215 • www.aajewellery.ca

YOUR ONE STOP PAMPER SHOP • Hair services • Manicures • Pedicures • Lash extensions • Eyebrow waxing/threading/henna • Massage • Tattooing • Piercing • Product • Gift certificates

ESTEVAN’S NEWEST, SYLISH SALON 901A 13th Avenue • 306-634-1900

For people with dementia and their care partners. Grab a cup of coffee or tea and join some of the Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan staff and peers online to say ‘hello’ and let us know how you are doing during the COVID-19 outbreak. Group meets every Friday from 10:30-11:30 am. To registered please contact Carlie - cjudge@alzheimer.sk.ca

This paper is proudly printed locally in Estevan.

306.634.9556

A14 August 26, 2020

www.estevanmercury.ca

Significant field fire near Estevan took four hours to bring under control

SOUTH EAST CORNERSTONE PUBLIC S.D. #209 2020 - 2021 SCHOOL BUS SCHEDULE Suggested Routes, Stops, Times & Bus #'s THESE ROUTES AND TIMES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE ***IF YOU ARE ELIGIBLE YOU MUST APPLY ONLINE FOR YOUR CHILD TO RIDE THE BUS*** THESE TIMES ARE APPROXIMATE TIMES PLEASE ARRIVE AT THE BUS STOP APPROX. 5 MINUTES PRIOR TO TIME LISTED *** Any questions please call Trevor at 306-421-0391 *** BUS 82-120

WESTVIEW ELEMENTARY - Driver Julie Milford

Route/Stop

Location

Time

Royal Heights Home Park

8:13

Valley Street & Coronation Street

8:18

Valley Street & 10th Avenue

8:20

1014 2nd Street

8:22 Arrive at Westview

BUS 82-119

8:25

DAYCARE - Driver Brandy Janecke

Route/Stop

Location

Estevan Daycare Cooperative

Hillcrest Early Learning Daycare

Time 8:16 8:24 Arrive at Hillcrest

8:25

Arrive at Westview

8:29

Arrive at Pleasantdale

8:36

Arrive at Spruce Ridge

8:45

BUS 82-220

SPRUCE RIDGE SCHOOL / COMP - Driver Bev Schmidt

Route/Stop

Location

Time

916 Drader Street