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New campaign encourages people to shop in Estevan By David Willberg dwillberg@estevanmercury.ca
A new campaign aims to promote all that Estevan’s businesses have to offer for both residents and visitors alike. Robert Godfrey from the Lemon Wedge Marketing and Laurel Buck from A&A Jewellery promoted the Shop Estevan initiative to Estevan city council on Monday night. Numerous local business owners joined them in the council chambers to show their support. Shop Estevan will aim to promote the unique local experiences and shopping opportunities available in Estevan. Godfrey noted that many local retailers have heard customers say they didn’t know they could purchase certain items in Estevan. These local businesses also offer the personalized customer service not found in bigger centres. “It ’s so personalized and unique,” said Godfrey. Shop Estevan is an initiative of the Downtown Business Association, of which Buck is currently the president, but it extends beyond downtown companies to the Estevan Shoppers Mall, the commercial businesses in east Estevan and more. The cost for a business to participate is $500. “ This is a ne w way to promote retail business in Estevan,” said Godfrey. “We’re going to have some exclusive opportunities for our Shop Estevan members to be part of strategic promotions that will be built for promoting shopping locally.” The initiative will start
Laurel Buck and Robert Godfrey spoke to Estevan city council on Monday night to promote a new Shop Estevan campaign. with retail and food services businesses, and the committee has discussed how it can be expanded in the future to non-profit organizations, and other businesses outside of retail and food services. Godfrey pointed out it has two goals. The first is to promote Estevan as a shopping hub to the small towns and villages surrounding the Energy City, as well as to American visitors once restrictions for non-essential travel are lifted. “The dollar, obviously, is big in our favour right now for promoting to people that are in the United States, and those are really great visitors when we talk outside of the community, because
these are people that may want to come for a longer visit, take advantage of the hotels and take advantage of the restaurants in the community,” said Godfrey. For a lot of people outside of Estevan, they might be inclined to go to Regina to shop, but much of what you can purchase in Regina can be found here. The other component of Shop Estevan will be within the community, so that people know what can be done locally at competitive prices and with the small-town community service. “We have people working in the shops here that can really tailor your expe-
rience and find everything that you need just for you,” said Godfery. A Shop Estevan website will be launched Oct. 1, and an app could be created in the future. Banners will be placed around town promoted Shop Estevan, and businesses will have decals to promote their participation. There will also be QR codes on storefront windows that people can scan. Peter Sereggela, owner of the Tower Café, 1124 Social House and Willy’s The Tap House, added their goal is to involve the entire city, and he hopes to see promotional efforts throughout Estevan. Godfrey said they will
need some support from the city. The committee asked for $20,000, which the city approved through matching grants to help with the start-up costs. And they also asked city council for support through Tourism Estevan and the city’s economic development office. Once they had their opportunity to speak about the initiative and ask questions, council members were quick to voice their support. Councillor Greg Hoffort said this would have been a good initiative during boom times, but now it’s even more important. “It ’s helping us help ourselves, and the business community in Estevan is
legendary for the support they give to everything that goes on in this community,” said Hoffort. Councillor Shelly Veroba recalled that when she first moved here, she worked at the Estevan Fine Foods, which was owned by the late Dennis George, and he was a big advocate of shopping locally. “I hope that every community that’s within driving distance of Estevan buys into it,” said Veroba. C o u n c i l l o r Tr e v o r Knibbs called it one of the best ideas that he’s seen in a long time, and Councillor Travis Frank added he’s pleased to be part of it through his business.
Estevan is seeing a great improvement in water quality By Ana Bykhovskaia abykhovskaia@estevanmercury.ca
It's been over a month since Estevan started receiving raw water from Rafferty Dam instead of Boundary. The water intake project that was completed this summer allowed the community to switch to a new source and thus benefit from better quality water. The Mercury talked to Shane Bucsis, water and wastewater manager with the City of Estevan, about
the first weeks of operation of the new line. "We've seen the difference in water quality. The hardness has dropped substantially in the city water. All organics are a lot lower, the minerals in the water are a lot lower. So all in all it's proving to be very good," Bucsis said. For the customers, these changes would mean that the water is a lot softer, so it now takes less salt. Their fixtures and house appliances that use water should
now last longer. Bucsis also noticed that the new water doesn't have the aftertaste and thus tastes better. There was a minor hiccup during the first days of operation, however, the staff successfully overcame it. "Initially when we switched over we didn't have proper chemicals in here to treat it. We did a whole bunch of testing beforehand and we thought we did (have the chemicals). And it was one of the things
that you find out when you go online,” said Bucsis. “We still provided very safe drinking water, it was just the efficiency of providing that water that decreased.” They got the proper chemical in within a week and a half, and ever since it’s been going well. “Our potable water quality has improved immensely. I am happy to say that we are well below the trihalomethane (THM) guidelines,” Bucsis said.
The latest water testing results showed that the water THMs were at 69.1 microgram/l (ug/l) as opposed to 147.5 ug/l from the water sample from Boundary for the same period. Bucsis said that once Estevan gets into winter months, this differential will be reduced even more. All other minerals, chemicals and organics are coming in at least half or lower than what they were on the Boundary Dam water source. A2 »ESTEVAN
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Long-time resident Ray Walton wants to be mayor By David Willberg dwillberg@estevanmercury.ca
A life-long resident of Estevan is gunning for the mayor’s office in his first time running for Estevan city council. Ray Walton filed his nomination papers for mayor last Wednesday, opposing two-term incumbent Roy Ludwig, who had already filed. Walton’s carrying the slogan of Rebuilding Community Trust, which he said reflects his belief that people can expect he will do the best job possible for them. Walton said Estevan needs a change at the helm of council. “I think the incumbent has had many years to say and do what he thought was best, and that it was time for someone else to have an opportunity and new ideas on where are we and where are we going,” said Walton. His interest lies in being mayor rather than being a
councillor. “I believe the mayor, working with council and through council, has a lot to offer, and I realize that council is a very important part of the system and will have a lot to say and a lot to do,” said Walton. Walton ran for the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool at one time, and he was the Benson representative for the former Estevan Rural School Board back when his kids were in school, and he farmed and owned land in the Benson area; at the time, he was still living in Estevan. He has also been part of different boards in the community. Walton said he believes in the importance of small businesses, and in jobs in the energy sector. “I believe that to have a community, you have to get involved, and it’s time for everyone in town not to depend on the province and not to depend on the federal
government for handouts,” said Walton. “We have to take things into our own hands, and do some of the things that we need to do.” Walton is a trained mediator and has financial mediation certificates – a background that he believes would serve him well on council. While there are things that he would like to see accomplished as a community, Walton doesn’t have a platform on what should or shouldn’t be done. “I think that’s where the mediation part comes in, is council plays a very large role in what direction we take. A mayor is probably more of a guidance, or suggests to council that maybe this will work or won’t work.” He’s also looking forward to working with the people at city hall, and he said that if he’s elected, everyone would have the opportunity to speak with him. “ We need people to
make a community function to fill the rink, to go to restaurants. You can have the best roads in the world, but if nobody’s driving on them, because there’s nobody in town, then it’s irrelevant.” If he can improve Estevan’s way of life, and can bring more jobs to the community, then Walton would be satisfied. “We’re going head-on into a wall. And there’s going to be issues I want to sit down and talk about, and that’s SaskPower and that’s the mines, that’s the oilfield, the hospital and the nursing home.” Estevan needs a new regional nursing home. The community tasked with raising the funds met its goal in early 2015. He hears people say that the provincial government has to offer its blessing, and he wants to know why there has been a delay of more than five years. “My mother spent a few years there. The staff is
Ray Walton wonderful. The building is not. She was treated so well by the staff, but they only can work with what’s given to them. Our seniors are a very important part of our community. They looked after us, and I think it’s time we looked after them in the best way we can.”
The biggest thing he hears when walking around the city and visiting with store owners is that they have lost trust in the system. “I think I’ll be walking and driving around town, visiting businesses and people, and I’ ll be a very visible mayor,” said Walton.
Estevan water is now soft and tastes better « A1For example, haloacetic acid was at 0.0261 ug/l as opposed to 0.0810 ug/l at Boundary; conductivity was at 839 uS/l as opposed to 1605 uS/l. Total hardness was at 230 calcium carbonate compared to 468 at Boundary. Calcium was at 56 milligrams per litre (mg/l) and at Boundary it was 86 mg/l; magnesium was 33 mg/l and used to be at 61 mg/l, sodium was 74 mg/l as opposed to 205 mg/l, sulphate was 174 mg/l as
opposed to 571.9 mg/l. And total dissolved solids were at 659 mg/l as opposed to 1315 mg/l at Boundary. Bucsis added that now they are working with a full pumphouse, which is somewhat new to them since before it was a gravity-fed system, so it's been a bit of a learning curve. In the meanwhile, the community kept receiving its water without any noticeable issues. "It's more of operational
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stuff that we've been dealing with. For the water that goes out and what people notice, there haven't been any interruptions to them whatsoever, which is very good." In August, more than 223.7 million litres of water were treated and more than 191.6 million litres were pumped into the distribution system. There were no plant upsets and all regulated parameters were below government regulations. Bucsis said that all he's been hearing from the community was that everybody was pretty happy about the new water, they like the taste better and realize that they are not using as much shampoo or using too much shampoo. He was grateful for the help, patience and support they received while working on the water intake project. "Thanks everyone for helping out with the project, being patient with it," said Bucsis. Earlier last week, one of the settling ponds located beside the water treatment
The switch to Rafferty Dam as Estevan’s primary water source has made a big difference. File photo plant had residuals removed for the second time. About 168,000 kilograms of byproduct, which equates to
about 15 large school buses or 110 mid-size cars, were removed. Prior to this, it would have been pumped into the
Souris River. The video of the process can be found at the City of Estevan Facebook page.
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International bicyclist and writer shares his memories of Estevan on the way to the North Pole By Ana Bykhovskaia abykhovskaia@estevanmercury.ca
Destination North Pole. It sounds impressive and inspiring. And that's how Gary Wietgrefe named his book, which he wrote after covering 5,000 kilometres by bicycle, travelling from Pierre, S.D., to the North Pole. An American bicyclist, he was 65 years old when he decided that it was the time to saddle up his bike and make his long-time plan come true. On May 20, 2018, he left home, heading towards the North Pole, which is near Fairbanks, Alaska, where his nephew lives, hoping for a great adventure and planning to make it there on July 20 of that year. The Mercury talked to Wietgrefe about the trip and his memories about bicycling through the Estevan area. "About 10 years ago I was visiting with a guy as we were doing a bike tour, and I asked him what the most interesting bike ride was because he'd biked in several different places in several states. And he said when he biked with his brothers to Alaska," recalled Wietgrefe. Ever since then Wietgrefe knew that reaching the North Pole was something he wanted to do. Having family there also solidified his plan, however, life was busy with work, and then, after he retired, with travelling, so it wouldn’t happen for a few years. "We retired in 2012 and we just travelled. We biked a lot in quite a few different places in several countries, New Zealand, for example, a couple of times down there, Southern and Northern Ireland, Mexico, other places. In the wintertime, we tended to not bicycle. I haven't been on my bicycle for eight months," said Wietgrefe. Despite not bicycling for a while, when he decided to make it to the North Pole, he was still in good shape as he and his wife Patricia have been travelling to Mexico, where
Wietgrefe usually was active helping Canadians cleaning the trails and doing a lot of hiking. When Wietgrefe decided it was the time to go, he came to Patricia. "Luckily, my wife decided to drive and catch up with me in western Saskatchewan. After unloading my bike bags, she ventured ahead to find food and lodging." Wietgrefe said that Patricia had a very different adventure, in which she also got to explore the beautiful landscapes and historic views, but she was doing so at her own pace. He says the first 10 days of his trip, before he got into Saskatchewan, he had shorter days doing under 100 kilometres as it was more difficult to cycle. Estevan was a perfect geographic place for an overnight stay after crossing the border. Wietgrefe noted that he had a positive experience in Estevan. In his book he wrote, "Today, I had entered another country. Would I see differences? In currency, certainly. Other differences may be too subtle to distinguish, but I certainly was impressed with my first motel clerk and Canadian sixteen-year-old waitress." This statement came out of remarks in his journal which he made after going through Estevan and which said: "service is more appreciated when you do not expect it, its simple gesture was great to Estevan to Canadian hospitality." The endurance was built in the Prairies for the long, mountainous days in British Columbia and the Yukon. "Actually, my longest day was 267 kilometres from Weyburn to Davidson. Those two small wheels were carrying about 130 kilos," explained Wietgrefe. While the plains were an easier terrain, the winds were another challenge. When building the route, Wietgrefe decided he would follow the highways trying to keep it flat as far as he could, thus
going north first and then angling north-west through Saskatchewan. But while he was travelling along the highways the winds sometimes would be favourable, but other days they made it more difficult to bicycle. "I had a reservation in Regina, except for that I got up early because I missed the change in time zone, North Dakota to Saskatchewan, and I ended up in Regina by 10:30 in the morning. To me it was way too early, that's why with favourable winds I biked all the way over to Davidson." The 5,000 kilometre trip through the Dakotas, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, the Yukon and Alaska took Wietgrefe 121 kilometres and eight hours and three minutes per day for 40 days. He arrived at the North Pole three weeks earlier than expected. "Every morning I got up and I just couldn't wait to see what was next," recalled Wietgrefe. The emotions he had when he made it to the destination were hard to describe. "I tried to describe it in the book, but I've never been able to put it into words. Was it satisfaction? Yes … When I've seen the North Pole sign on the highway at the city limits it was just… I just kind of fell apart." When he made it to the destination, his Alaskan family was waiting for him with whistles and an official banner stating that he went through the finish line. "It was so emotional that it's hard to explain." Wietgrefe biked for personal satisfaction, so he had time for whatever life had for him along the way. Hundreds of inattentive drivers, mountain passes, dangerous bridges, black bears, grizzlies, wood bison, moose, and an occasional wolf provided daily challenges. He marked the changes in nature by continental divides. "Most people think of the continental divides as East-
When Gary Wietgrefe arrived at the North Pole his family including his grandnieces was meeting him to celebrate his achievement. Photo submitted
Gary Wietgrefe stayed in Estevan on his way to the North Pole from South Dakota. Photo submitted West, as the Rocky Mountains divide Canada, Rocky Mountains divide the U.S. But actually, when I started out I was in an area with drainage that goes to the Gulf of Mexico. When I crossed into North Dakota before I got to the Canadian border, the drainage went to eventually the Hudson Bay. When I got further up north it went to the Arctic, and once I got into Alaska, of course, it drains into the Pacific. So I went across four actual continental divides," said Wietgrefe. Wietgrefe also tried to stop at historical markers when he needed to take a break. As he said, "I lived to write about it." "Moving, let's say, at 20 km/h you appreciate nature much more. When you get
to … a rest stop or a café you are more relaxed, you are engaged more. There is no time limit ... I had no pressure. And that's what I appreciated about Canada. The Canadians, they basically took me in," said Wietgrefe. He recalled the situation at a gas station when he was pretty tired and a Canadian he met there while eating a sandwich invited him to have some rest at his camper for a day or two. "These are the things that made it personal but tied into the Canadian culture of the whole trip. It was wonderful." The blog and the journal Wietgrefe kept along the way after the end of the adventure fruited into a book, which
wasn't a part of the plan in the very beginning. But being a writer who published several other books, Wietgrefe ended up telling the story of this exciting, endearing, humorous, dangerous and sometimes quirky travel adventure in his new book Destination North Pole - 5,000 km by Bicycle. He finished the book while he and his wife isolated at a Black Hills cabin last spring. He recently took first place for amateur literary prose at the South Dakota State Fair. The book is for those wanting an armchair adventure through Canada from the Dakotas to the North Pole, Alaska. It is available for sale through Amazon and other online retailers.
Quilt a fundraiser for United Way The Hearts and Hands Quilting Guild has once again produced a quilt for the United Way Estevan’s telethon. The quilt, which is currently on display at Henders Drugs, was created by guild members Linda Jones, Eileen McKersie and Avis Dronsfield. It’s a black quilt with a variety of designs and patterns. “We had some blocks that were given to us, and then we added more blocks to it. We had some colours, and we went with the star design,” said Jones. It will be raffled off, and the winner will be announced during the telethon, which takes place Oct. 16-17. Jones is pleased with how the quilt turned out, and she hopes they sell a lot of tickets, because the money goes to a good cause. “We get satisfaction about knowing that we’ve done our part to donate to help others in this community,” she said. Many hours of work went into the quilt. Before the COVID-19 pandemic hit Saskatchewan, the guild’s members would meet ev-
This quilt, completed by members of the Hearts and Hands Quilting Guild for the United Way Estevan telethon, is currently hanging in Henders Drugs. ery Thursday, and the three members who worked on it were able to get the quilt done before the restrictions were in place. “Right after the United Way, we start planning for the next year’s quilt,” Jones
said.
Tickets are $2 each or three for $5, and can be purchased at Henders. Members have been selling tickets at the Farmer’s Market. They will be available during the telethon as well.
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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.
Sorry Chicken Little, the sky isn’t falling Residents of the southeast corner of the province deserve a lot of credit for the way in which they have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. When it hit, we altered our lives, cancelled events, closed down businesses, rescheduled vacations and moved to distance learning, even though there were few cases in the province in the initial days of COVID-19. We didn’t know how many cases we would have, but we knew there would be cases. Our efforts worked. Do you want to know why our numbers in the southeast have been relatively low? It’s not because concerns about COVID are overblown; the numbers that we’ve seen elsewhere, most notably in the U.S., are a testament to how dangerous this virus can be. Our numbers are low because we did our part. We’re not alone. For the most part, Saskatchewan residents have done a pretty good job in “stopping the spread.” Most of Saskatchewan’s cases can be traced to outbreaks up north and in communal living settings, which occurred because people foolishly
didn’t heed warnings. Even in the big centres of Saskatoon and Regina, case numbers have been lower than what most feared. But if you’ll indulge in a little self-congratulatory bragging, the southeast region has likely done a better job than anyone else in the province. The far northeast and far north-central areas have had fewer cases, but they’re sparsely populated. When the Ministry of Health finally started releasing more detailed information of COVID-19 cases, with breakdowns by 13 regions rather than six vast territories often the size of an Atlantic Canada province, it showed that, as of Aug. 4, we had 11 cases in nearly five months. Five of those 11 cases were active; most were in Weyburn’s zone. From there, we didn’t have a case in the southeast for more than a month. The first case for Southeast Zone 4, the zone that includes Estevan, wasn’t diagnosed until Sept. 17. (It should also be noted that Southeast Zone 4 is the fourth most populous zone in the prov-
ince, excluding Saskatoon and Regina, with more than 31,000 people. So to go more than six weeks without a case is stunning). We had four cases from Sept. 17-21, bringing our total for the entire southeast region to 18. We had to know that eventually we would see an uptick in cases, especially in Zone 4 given the population. This is likely the first time we’ve had four active cases in Zone 4 since the pandemic began. At the same time, just because we’ve had our largest increase in cases in a four-day span since this pandemic started doesn’t mean we should be paranoid about the virus. We shouldn’t take the Chicken Little approach, running around, screaming the sky is falling. This doesn’t mean we’re going to see an explosion in cases similar to what we saw in southwest Saskatchewan or the far northwest region. But it does serve as a reminder that we need to be smart. Don’t have a massive gathering of people with 50 people in a small indoor setting. Don’t have a big party in a local park with over a thousand people. Whenever pos-
sible, obey social distancing. Follow the arrows at grocery stores and other retail establishments. Don’t pretend you’re immune from this virus. And once Zone 4, and the southeast region, returns to zero active cases, we can’t fall into the trap of complacency. Don’t think providentially. It would be nice if the Saskatchewan Health Authority would disclose where these cases in Zone 4 are located, or at least if they’re from inside Estevan or outside of the city. That sort of communication has been lacking since the pandemic started. You’d hope that if these cases were connected, the government would disclose it. You’d certainly hope that if they were from a senior’s home or a school, that the government would announce it. And if these people have been to businesses, it will eventually come out. It’s not easy to hear that someone in our corner of the province has tested positive for COVID after so many weeks without a case, but it does remind us to be vigilant without being paranoid.
Live and learn. How I got to know Elon Musk A few days ago I was travelling through the Saskatchewan Prairies and listening to an audiobook about Elon Musk. This man, known all across the world for … actually for many great and unbelievable things, to me, was mainly associated with the U.S. and Silicon Valley. Can you imagine how surprised I was when I learned his grandfather Joshua Haldeman – a political economist, provincial and national professional leader and sportsman/adventurer, man's man who broke horses and organized one of Canada's first rodeos, who later flew his little plane from South Africa to Australia – moved to Herbert from Minnesota in 1907? He was a farmer, but the farm didn't survive the Great Depression, and then he turned to his other profession and became a successful chiropractor with 15 years of established practice in Regina. He met a Moose Jaw girl Winnifred Josephine Fletcher while studying in college in the Friendly City. They had five kids including Maye, Musk's mother, who was born in Regina. Before the book, I never really looked into Musk's biography and didn't know anything about his connection to Canada. It was pretty cool to know that he had a connection in the area, but that wasn't it for surprises for that day. While I was driving through the Swift Current area the book reached the part about Musk's personal experience in Canada, which started in Montreal but pretty soon brought him to Saskatchewan in search of family members. I was excited to learn that his pretty intriguing and interesting family had roots in Saskatchewan. So when I learned that before revolutionizing the global payment system, planning on occupying Mars and building electric cars, the 17-year-old Musk obtained Canadian citizenship and for some time could be found doing chores on his cousin's farm by Waldeck, a village east of Swift Current. All of a sudden I felt
Ana Bykhovskaia Twenty Lines About… really thrilled (I know it's silly, but I was driving through the area and almost felt like I connected with the history and got to know Musk better). Even though Musk's time in Saskatchewan didn't last very long, he got to celebrate his 18th birthday at the farm here while waiting for his mother and siblings to complete their paperwork and come to Canada from Pretoria, South Africa. (Musk was born and raised there after his grandfather moved his family there from Saskatchewan in 1950.) Once the family arrived, they moved to Ontario where Musk enrolled at Queen's University in Kingston. In a few years, he transferred to Pennsylvania, finishing his Canadian chapter. I was interested in learning more about a man who changed so much in the world as I know it, but this small connection to Saskatchewan heated up my interest even more. So I looked more into Musk's family, and it seemed that this brightness was in their genes. The way grandfather Haldeman was raising their children also had an impact. In an interview with Regina Leader-Post, Musk's uncle Scott said that his father firmly believed that there was nothing a Haldeman couldn't do. It seemed that Musk grew up with the same motto inside. Despite all the failures and hard times, he went through building the technological empire and attaining things that are usually done by states, he kept moving forward while keeping focus on his goals. Today Musk, the CEO of Tesla, the man behind SpaceX, the private commercial company
flying to space, is a very rich entrepreneur who started many projects all but in back rooms and pushed for his dreams despite everything. What makes him special? He has the potential to change history. He is a visionary, who sees broader and bigger than most people in the world. He starts his projects and builds businesses not to get rich or solve one particular problem, but to change the way things are and he proves that nothing is impossible. He started dreaming about alternative energy since the early years. By the time he came closer to building an electric car, these types of vehicles (which existed mainly in the shops of techno-geeks) were usually pretty ugly, had a short battery life and weren't convenient. Today's Tesla is a smart and convenient beauty that knows what you need better than you do. Musk's space ideas and experiments failed many times, but he believed it was possible, and now SpaceX serves its original mission making transportation to space cheaper (if you can use this word when we still talk about millions of dollars per trip) and working towards the colonization of Mars. It still sounds like something unreal, but keeping in mind Musk's other achievements, his temper and consistency I tend to believe that he'll get what he wants, changing the world even more. His ability to learn and his curiosity is something that impresses as well. His handson approach and knowledge help him push and develop his products to perfection. His solid self-belief is something that fascinates along with his intellectual capacities. He might have a lot of minuses as well, and not all his projects are completed or developed to capacity, but his ability to see the world from a different perspective and change it, paying attention to details is something that makes him unique.
Op-Ed A5
David Willberg Willberg’s World
Time to elevate (or end) the conversation There’s something about social media that just seems to bring out the worst in some people. They’ll be good, affable, reasonable people who seem like the people you’d like to be around while having a big plate of chicken wings and a pint of beer. Some of them are fairly bright, and have a university degree or some sort of postsecondary education. But stick them in front of a computer, with a Facebook or Twitter account, where they don’t have to meet with you face to face, and they turn into a completely different person, a keyboard warrior, a social media loser or someone who you don’t want to be around. Worst of all are those who refuse to use their real name. Want to use a maiden name or a nickname within the context of your real name? Go for it. But the people who you’re talking with deserve to know who you really are. Actually the worst ones are those who use burner accounts – fake accounts that exist only because the users don’t want their comments traced back to them. Recently a Peaceful Freedom Rally was held at Torgeson Park in Estevan. It drew more than 120 people. I won’t get into what I thought of the overall message of this event; that’s not the point of this column. I will say there were some very good speakers who effectively conveyed their message, and there were a couple of speakers who gave critics of the rally all sorts of ammunition. But a photo album afterwards, posted to the Mercury’s Facebook page, drew over 200 comments. And it didn’t seem like anyone was intent on having a logical discussion. (For some, staying on topic was also difficult). Here’s the kicker: most of the comments were made within hours of the event, on a beautiful Saturday afternoon and evening, when people should be thinking of other things to do than getting into a protracted debate on social media. We’re not going to have many nice nights left this year. We certainly aren’t going to have many nice weekend nights left. On a nice Saturday night, or a nice night in general, I can think of many things I’d rather do than debate someone on social media, particularly someone who doesn’t have what it takes to use their own name. That list of things I’d rather do includes properly positioning myself on my patio chair so that I’m standing on my head, and allowing the blood to rush to my head until I pass out. In the winter, I can still think of things I’d rather do than get into an argument on social media, including the afore-mentioned standing on my head until I pass out. And yes, that includes a day in which it’s -30 C outside in the middle of January. (If you’ve been hoping to bait me into an argument on social media, this should explain to you why it doesn’t happen). Some people are fools. They’re going to be losers on social media, and they’re not going to be any better in real life. Fortunately, they represent a very small fraction of this community, and they represent a very small fraction of society. There’s an old adage: “Never argue with a fool, onlookers may not be able to tell the difference.” But sadly, there are some who become fools when social media is involved. Legend has it that this was said by Mark Twain, but I can’t conclusively prove this. But it has certainly proved to be prophetic, and it definitely applies to the social media generation. It’s time to expect better from our discourse. Don’t speak in generalities or superlatives. Make smart, rational, informed statements. Think about how statements will reflect on ourselves, our families, our employers and our community. Yes, there are certain worldviews and philosophies that deserve to be ridiculed, such as those who cling to racist beliefs. But on most issues, you can find good, hearty, reasonable arguments on both sides that elevate the conversation. One day, before too long, hopefully we can sit down and have good face-to-face debates over good food and drink, listen to each other’s perspective, and, at the end, shake hands and agree to disagree and look forward to doing it again. (We can probably do it now, except for the shaking hands part). But regardless of whether it’s face to face, or through a computer, let’s do our best to elevate the conversation.
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Estevan woman appeals against mandatory masks in schools Stacey Wempe appeared before the South East Cornerstone Public School Division’s board Sept. 16 to lodge an appeal against mandatory mask use in the school system. Stating she was not an anti-mask advocate, Wempe said she based this appeal on her history within the medical field, specifically dental, where masks are used regularly. She said that even with the wearing of more efficient medical masks, medical practitioners still come down with infectious diseases. She said it is accepted fact that “masks don’t necessarily prevent disease. It’s just not true that if you wear a mask you won’t get a virus,” she said. She said further studies indicate the current virus transmissions in children are low, and she feared harassment by teachers towards students who are reluctant to don the masks could escalate. She also spoke of special needs students being particularly vulnerable to the negative factors of the mask wearing edicts. “Decisions are being made based on fear,” she told the trustees, while wearing a mask along with all the trustees and administrators in attendance. “The kids are saying it’s all political and they feel miserable,” she said, referring to the masking regulations currently in effect in all 38 SECPSD schools. Pointing to a petition she said had been signed by over 2,500 people that questioned the credibility of the
provincial health ministry that is just now mandating masks, “Can you expect children to wear masks all day? They say they feel like they’re in a prison camp,” she said. Wempe went on to state again she wasn’t anti-mask, but simply anti mandatory masking and felt that with that mandate, the population felt threatened and within the school systems, a large part of communication is non-verbal, which is difficult when the face is partially covered. “I have a different perspective maybe, but getting advice from one doctor is not ideal,” she said. “I’ve been there and I wasn’t going to enter into the debate but with mainstream media not picking up I went online and got 5,600 views.” Wempe went on to say she feared a mass paranoia will grip the citizens and she said, “We are failing the children. It’s time for some logic. I would rather be an advocate than be silent and using masks is not protecting others,” she said. “I’m just a messenger, but this needed to be brought forward.” Later, in an exchange with trustee Elwood White, Wempe said COVID was “here to stay, it’s not going anywhere and there is fear mongering among the population so we need to have a different approach. We have to work together and parents were not brought into the discussions. I say read the studies.” White noted he saw her passion, but “governments
Stacey Wempe appeared before the South East Cornerstone Public School Division’s board last week to speak against mandatory masks in schools. Photo submitted world-wide are recommending masks. So what do you see as a solution?” Wempe said she feared a false sense of security with masks. “There needs to be a choice. Where is the end game? Is this going to go on forever? How is learning going to be impacted?” White said he felt it was best to “err on the side of caution.” Estevan trustee Shari Sutter, who joined the meeting online from her home, said, “masks do not harm students. I have talked with Japanese students who have worn them for various reasons over the years with no harsh responses.” Wempe concluded her
presentation by stating that, “each one of us will have personal issues. I have been to China where the air is awful, so I know about that too. But masks here (under current circumstances) can cause anxiety, so what is the end game?” Board chair woman Audrey Trombley thanked Wempe for her presentation and said the board would get back to her with a formal reply. Later after the meeting adjourned, Trombley said the reply would probably happen following an early October in-camera board session that would allow the trustees to further discuss the matter and come up with an appropriate response.
Estevan likely to have two new trustees on Cornerstone board Estevan will likely need to select two new members to serve on the 10-member board of trustees for the South East Cornerstone Public School Division. Incumbents Shari Sutter and Jim Vermeersch have stated they will not be seeking re-election as Estevan representatives at the conclusion of their terms. One other Cornerstone trustee, Harold Laich, has also issued a statement noting he will not be seeking a return to the public division’s boardroom. All the other trustees in the division have indicated they will seek re-approval from the public in the areas they currently represent, with the exception of Elwood White who represents electors on the western side of the sprawling school division. A trustee for the past two terms, he said he was still undecided. For Vermeersch, it may not be a goodbye to the board. “I feel I can’t act as a representative for Estevan since I no longer live there. I know technically, I still could, but I feel it just wouldn’t be right. But I may
seek the nomination for Harold’s seat seeing as how he is leaving and I now live in that area (Kenosee Lake) that he has represented.” Laich informed the media that he no longer resides in the Subdivision 2 region, which includes Arcola, Carlyle, Manor, Wawota, Maryfield and Parkland, so his reasoning for stepping down from that post was the same as Vermeersch’s in Estevan. He said it didn’t feel right to try to represent an area in which he no longer lived or worked in. He has served on the board for the past 11 years, including one term as chairman. Sutter, who is completing her first term as an Estevan representative, said work-related duties in the community as well as on their Bienfait-area farm make it difficult to give the time it requires to represent the city fairly. “Perhaps in another four years, I can, but right now I just don’t want to do half a job. It’s not fair to the board or to Cornerstone staffers,” Sutter said. With nominations due to be filed by Oct. 7, there is currently one can-
p r e b m e t Se $ THE
didate who has filed for Estevan. Eric McCrimmon has filed a nomination form as a candidate for one of the two Estevan seats on the 10-member board. Weyburn representatives Melanie Sorenson and Brandon Tichkowsky said they will be seeking a return to the Cornerstone boardroom from their electors, as will Jim Henderson in Subdivision 3, which includes Redvers, Carnduff and Carievale. Kevin Keating will be looking for a return to the boardroom as well as a representative for the Bienfait, Lampman, Alameda and Oxbow area, which is Subdivision 4, while Carol Flynn, the veteran board member and vice-chairwoman, once again wishes to represent Subdivision 1 – Rocanville, Moosomin et al. Current chairwoman, and also a veteran board member, Audrey Trombley is seeking re-election in Subdivision 5 as a representative for the Stoughton, Midale, Macoun and Fillmore schools. The school board elections are held in concert with the municipal council elections. Election date is Nov. 9.
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Arts Council still hopes to have activity this season All Estevan Arts Council concerts, including the Koncerts for Kids series, have been cancelled for the 2020-21 season. The announcement was made late in the summer, following the decision made by the Organization of Saskatchewan Arts Councils (OSAC), a governing body for arts councils across the province that helps local organizations bring in the concerts to their communities. “They decided to cancel the whole year because we just don’t know if we ever get (to bring) the concerts back. And why should we keep these artists waiting for the last minute to see if they can come? So the decision was made by the OSAC that they would cancel.
And now with OSAC we are trying to find other concerts that we can (arrange),” said Wilma Mantei, the president of the Estevan Arts Council. The Estevan Arts Council supported OSAC's decision since they also felt that they couldn't leave the artists waiting. Mantei pointed out that with current regulations they only would be able to organize a small-scale concert, and they might look into it closer to Christmas. The new format wouldn't work for all artists, but Mantei said that there are a few performers, mostly local, who are willing to have a concert even if it's just a small audience. “We have nothing in the lineup yet. We are looking at a few
local Saskatchewan performers that might want to come and that’s what OSAC will help us with,” said Mantei. “But we still have to find the venue.” The Missoula Children’s Theatre that would have been in Estevan around this time of the year through Koncerts for Kids was cancelled along with the annual adjudicated art show. There aren't going to be any workshops this year either. Mantei said that the pottery club has started getting together again, but due to COVID-related regulations, they have to plan every meeting so there is a limited amount of people in the room. “We haven’t done any other classes yet,” said Mantei.
She added that the sewing club was forced to wrap up their year earlier in spring due to the pandemic and they were eager to finish the pieces they started working on over half a year ago. However, with no access to the Estevan Comprehensive School's sewing room, where they used to work, that doesn't seem like something that might happen soon. But despite all the challenges this year brought, Mantei said that they still hope to have at least some activity this season. “We will get back into things soon here, but as for starting classes, I don't think so." The Energy City Film Circuit, a division of the arts council that
brings Canadian and international independent films to the community, is off the schedule as well. Mantei wasn’t sure when they could start, because they get the films from the Toronto International Film Festival organization. The 2019-20 concert season was cut short due to the pandemic. Mantei said they offered to reimburse all subscribers for the two concerts that were cancelled, but most people chose to just donate the money to the arts council. The Estevan Arts Council’s annual general meeting will take place on Oct. 14 at 7 p.m. at the Estevan Leisure Centre’s art room. It is open for the public to attend either in person or through Zoom.
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
The Mayor
Message From
United Way 44th annual telethon is October 16, 2020, please support our local charities
The Estevan Police Service is seeking applications for the position of Police Constable. The Estevan Police Service offers a competitive salary and benefit package along with ongoing professional development and a range of career opportunities. Currently serving and trained Canadian police officers are encouraged to apply. All other candidates must possess the minimum qualifications: • • • • • •
• • •
18 years of age Grade 12 Diploma or equivalent Excellent physical condition is essential Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident (Landed Immigrant) Valid driver’s license (unrestricted for a minimum of one year) and good driving record Good moral character. Recent illegal drug use and/or other criminal activity, either detected or undetected by police, will result in a deferral. No criminal convictions or pending criminal charges before the Courts (copy of Pardon required). Exemplary employment record Excellent communication skills, both written and oral Computer skills
For more information on the requirements, selection process, and the application package, please visit our website, www.estevanpolice.ca (Employment Opportunities). You will also need to complete the Personal Disclosure Form. Please return completed package including an up-to-date resume in a sealed envelope to: Chief of Police - Estevan Police Service - 301-11th Ave. - Estevan, Sask.- S4A 1C7 We thank you for your interest in the Estevan Police Service. Only successful candidates will be contacted. No phone calls, please. Closing date is October 15, 2020.
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PLEASE NOTE - Due to the pandemic-related protocols registration has moved to a PRE-Registration process. Users must pre-register online or by calling the Information Desk. Patrons will be screened upon arrival and asked a few questions as per the Operational Health and Safety Guidelines. Space between workout stations have either ncreased or a machine has been put into 'not in use.' Drinking fountains and change rooms will be closed. Memberships that were bought previously were put on hold; the days remaining on memberships have been applied to your accounts starting June 8th, 2020. If you need a new membership, please either book online at www.estevan.ca or call the Information Desk for contactless payment.
AQUATIC SCHEDULE MONDAY LANE SWIM 6:00 AM - 6:45 AM LANE SWIM 7:00 AM - 7:45 AM LANE SWIM 8;00 AM - 8:45 AM AQUA AWE/AIS 9:15AM - 10:00 AM LANE SWIM 12:15 PM -1:00 PM LANE SWIM 1:15 PM - 2:00 PM SURF & SWIM 3:00 PM - 3:45 PM SWIM LESSONS 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM MERMAIDS 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM LANE SWIM 9:00 PM - 9:45 PM
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EFFECTIVE - SEPTEMBER 14 - 20 2020
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Best friends open new businesses to help others Kelsey Byers and Marissa Tisdale are best friends who have decided to open businesses of their own, in the same building, in an effort to help others. They had the grand opening for their businesses Saturday morning, with friends and family in attendance. Byers operates Hometown Healing while Tisdale runs Wandering Wellness and Harmony. The businesses opened back in June. Both are graduates of the Estevan Comprehensive School who then went to the Western College of Remedial Massage Therapies in Regina. “It started out that we both wanted to plant roots in our community, and this opportunity came up during the pandemic, so we decided there’s no time like now,” Byers told the Mercury. They’re also friends with John Breakey, who owns the building, a structure that is more than 100 years old and located in the 200-block of 12th Avenue. Byers and Tisdale worked hard to remodel the building and to improve the landscaping, creating what Tisdale called “a healing sanctuary.” “It was easier to do two separate businesses,” said Tisdale. “We have two separate entrances, we share the
building, we’re on two separate sides of the building.” Wandering Wellness offers multi-person yoga classes, private yoga sessions, tai and remedial massage, and reiki and tai reflexology, and is moving into virtual classes. Hometown Healing’s services include remedial massage therapy, myofascial release, tai foot reflexology, reiki healing sessions and grounding meditations. Tisdale said they want to support the next generation of practitioners as they go to school, become registered massage therapists and look for future opportunities. Both look forward to supporting local businesses. It takes two years to become a registered massage therapist, and those services have been in demand. “I would teach yoga in high school and teach them about other opportunities of education,” said Tisdale. “If you’re not wanting to do university, we’d talk about all the post-secondary options that you have.” Their motto is “Your dreams don’t work unless you do.” Clients have responded very favourably to the services at both businesses. “Despite overwhelming circumstances, we’ve done
From left, building owner John Breakey, Hometown Healing owner Kelsey Byers, Wandering Wellness and Harmony owner Marissa Tisdale, and Mayor Roy Ludwig participate in the ribbon cutting celebration. really well,” said Byers. “The community is really craving healing at a time like this. And so I’m just so happy we can offer that to our community. They trust us and support us as well.” They believe this wouldn’t have been possible without each other, their goals and vision, and the support of their loved ones. “We both grew up here
Rotary finds a way to host Lobsterfest The Rotary Club of Estevan has found a way to have its biggest fundraiser of the year. The service group will have a Lobsterfest to go on Oct. 3. But instead of having upwards of 800 people fill Affinity Place to enjoy a fresh, whole, Atlantic lobster and a steak, which happens every June, the club will have supporters pick up their lobster via a drive-thru. Dr. Amanda Olsen, who is the club’s president this year, said tickets sales have blown their expectations away. They thought they would sell 400 tickets, but they have already sold 800. “We don’t really have a set maximum. We can take orders up to the week before,” said Olsen. Tickets are $30 each, and the deadline to purchase a ticket is Sept. 26. The tickets are good for a pre-cooked, chilled, 1 1/2-pound lobster, delivered from the East Coast the day before. “It is just chilled," said Olsen. “I’ve been told by a few people from the east coast that’s actually how they’re eating them is chilled. But we will have instructions on a couple of ways to heat them up.” Lobster pickup occurs Oct. 3 from 1-3 p.m. in front of the Power Dodge Curling
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Centre. People who don’t have access to a vehicle can make other arrangements to pick up their lobster. Olsen said the club missed not being able to host their lobsterfest this year, and they were discussing whether to have a fundraiser this fall, since they also couldn’t have their annual Golf Ball Drop fundraiser, held in tandem with the Weyburn Rotarians. “A Rotary Club in Manitoba held a very successful Lobsterfest drive-thru, and it sparked our ideas, and it got us really excited about being able to do something fun for the community while still raising the funds for the Rotary Club.” People say they’re going to have their own versions of lobsterfest at home, which will see them purchase steaks and more to go with the seafood. “One of the best things I’ve found was that we actually had a lady from the east coast give us a call. It’s the first time in 15 years she hasn’t been able to go home, and so she’s exited to have this piece of home come to her.” Proceeds will be directed to Rotary’s projects in the community. Tickets can be purchase from any Rotarian, by sending a message on Facebook or by emailing rotary. estevan@gmail.com.
International Prayer & Fasting from September 23 - November 1. SUBSCRIBE to 40daysforlife.com CHANGING HEARTS AND MINDS Join the 40 Days for Life campaign today. Sign up for breaking news, devotionals, and prayers from 40 Days for Life. Knowing that “with God, all things are possible,” people of faith and conscience unite in 40 days of prayer and fasting. Find us on Facebook
as well,” said Byers. “This is our hometown community. We’re both two local women who went to high school
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Cutting up drilling rigs heartbreaking for Big Eagle By Brian Zinchuk, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Derrick Big Eagle couldn’t go see what was left of the drilling rigs he had built, as several were scrapped in recent weeks in the former Eagle Drilling Services yard in Carlyle. Some of the eight former Eagle rigs were among the 10 Saskatchewan-based rigs Ensign Energy recently scrapped. Those yellow rigs sat, along with several orange former Totem Drilling rigs, in the Carlyle yard for the last five years, unmoving, as the oil downturn that took hold in the summer of 2014 dramatically curtailed drilling demand. Five were cut up and hauled away from the Carlyle yard. Another was cut up in place northwest of Stoughton, three more at Carnduff, and the final one in Waskada, Man. Some of those were not originally Eagle or Totem rigs, but rather former Trinidad Drilling and Ensign rigs, as reflected by the paint schemes in the piles of chopped up scrap. The first Eagle rigs were built in 2005, the eighth was completed in 2010, and the rigs that were cut up haven’t moved since 2015. That means that some of those rigs had just five to 10 years usage. In December, 2018, Ensign Energy delisted 17 rigs from the Canadian Association of Oilwell Drilling Contractors (CAODC). In August and September, 10 rigs that had been based in Saskatchewan were torn apart for scrap. Daily Oil Bulletin reported at the time that 14 telescoping doubles were part of those 17 rigs, and the most recent one delisted was built in 2011. B i g E a g l e, f o u n d e r of Eagle Drilling, called it “heartbreaking,” saying, “I actually didn't even go watch it. It broke my heart so badly because when I built those rigs I thought that they were going to be 40-year rigs. “I didn't even go look at the pile of scrap or nothing. Everybody’s saying to me, ‘Hey, they're cutting your rigs up over there, you know that?’ I heard about it, but it is what it is,” he said. Eagle Drilling fired up
Five drilling rig derricks were lined up, ready to be scrapped, in the former Eagle Drilling yard in Carlyle. Photo by Brian Zinchuk, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter in 2005, and by the time it sold to CanElson Drilling in 2010, there were eight brightly painted rigs. The office was adorned with aerial photos of several of them working in close proximity to each other during the height of the Bakken boom. Asked what a life expectancy of a drilling rig would typically be, Big Eagle pointed to old Simmons rigs that were “as old as the hills” before they were finally retired and cut up. “They were older than I am,” he said, “and they were definitely not built to the quality that the Eagle rigs were built on. “I put thicker walls on mine, thicker flooring, better quality metal, to make sure that they’d last. I wanted my goal to be that my grandkids’ kids would be able to look out in the field and say, ‘Hey, that’s
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one of grandpa’s rigs.’ “I wanted them to last a long time, so we put a lot of extra effort into it.” Ensign Energy did not respond to a request for comment. Regarding what Ensign’s possible motivation might be, Big Eagle said, “I guess that’s market share, and eliminating opportunities for anybody else to get into the market.” “Nobody is going to get any money to build a $9 or $10 million drilling rig right now. Nobody's going to fund that. So everybody's going to be looking for the used stuff. And if the used stuff is all gone, then that means that there's no more competitors for them.” With little used inventory available, it forces competitors to go to new equipment, nearly all of which will
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require raising significant funds. “And nobody’s going to give them any money,” Big Eagle said. “So, from a market share perspective of looking at Ensign and Precision, that was a right move. They eliminated the opportunity from any competitors. So in the long run, it's worth it for them.” For Dennis Day, president of Fast Trucking Service, a Carnduff-based rig moving company, each rig cut up means a customer lost. “It’s tough,” he said. Fast Trucking, in an effort to clean up its own yard, hauled out 1,039,000 pounds of scrap in July alone, in addition to the work Ensign did in their yard. More scrapping has been done since. The iron Fast Trucking cut up was largely
much older than what Ensign was cutting up. But Fast did actually buy six older jackknife rigs that Precision Drilling was going to chop up. “Some of them will get cut up. Some I’ll keep. And will I ever sell them? I hope so, but probably not,” Day said. “It’s just a gamble, right?” Asked for comment, the Ministry of Energy and Resources emailed the following statement: “Drilling rigs are depreciating capital assets with finite life spans. As drilling rigs age, technology and modernization may make rigs obsolete or render normal repairs and upkeep too costly to remain operate. A decision is then made on whether to upgrade/ retire/store/sell the drilling
Fuel Good Day raised almost $3,000 for SESK SAR Fuel Good Day was back again this year. On Sept. 15, Estevan’s co-op gas bars were holding the traditional fundraiser. For every litre of fuel purchased on that day at one of the Estevan’s co-op gas stations, the Federated Co-operatives Ltd. donated five cents and the Southern Plains Co-op donated another five cents to the Cornerstone Family Youth. In Estevan fuel sales at the co-op gas stations generated $2,877.80 in donations to search and rescue group. Identical events were happening at the co-op’s Estevan and Oxbow locations. Part of the proceeds from fuel sales in Estevan go to the Southeast Saskatchewan Search and Rescue (SESK SAR), and funds raised in Oxbow go to the Oxbow Emergency Support. The Fuel Good Day in Carlyle raised a total of $1,654.50 that will help the local organization. In Oxbow the total raised for the emergency support group was $806.50. “It’s a good run. The li-
Noelle Gress at the co-op gas bar on Fourth Street was helping customers on Fuel Good Day on Sept. 15. tres were strong. They were up from our day-to-day litres were, so we had a good day for
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Drilling Licenses 7 new licenses issued to Monday, September 14 164411...................................................... Crescent Point Hz........................................ 1-1-8-10 163596...................................................... Crescent Point Hz.................................... 16-10-11-6
151169.................................................. Highrock Resources Vt.................................... 8-23-6-7 165674.................................................... Vermilion Energy Hz.................................... 4-23-6-34 164769........................................................... Astra Oil Vt........................................... 10-14-7-8
Rig Report 148918 Precision................................ Crescent Point...............................................14-32-8-5 160646 Precision................................ Crescent Point.................................................4-18-7-9 161618 Precision................................ Crescent Point ................................................4-18-7-9 163885 Stampede.................................Arguga Res....................................................6-1-7-10 151567 Horizon...................................Crecent Point................................................16-33-7-7
everybody,” said Carol McKay, who is the human resources manager for the co-op.
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165440...................................................... Crescent Point Hz.................................... 14-20-1-13 165555..................................................Highrock Resources Hz.................................... 8-23-6-7
unit. Normally, rigs that are current and are still capable of operating are not retired or scrapped. “Unfortunately, in the current oil market environment, decisions to retire a drilling rig instead of spending the capital to upgrade, repair, or store the rig are made. “The Government of Saskatchewan is optimistic that rebounding oil prices and demand will be key drivers in growing production and spurring investment in new drilling. The province is actively engaging with industry stakeholders on scoping potential new initiatives to help accelerate new investment and grow employment in the oil and gas sector as the industry continues to recover.”
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Hospital foundation fundraiser surpasses $100,000 mark By Ana Bykhovskaia abykhovskaia@estevanmercury.ca
An important fundraiser for the St. Joseph's Hospital Foundation was once again a big success this year. The annual Radiothon for Life, held last Wednesday, raised $101,040 for the new addictions treatment centre at the hospital. The fundraiser ran from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. People called in their pledges, made donations online through the hospital foundation's website and dropped them off at the radio station's parking lot. Businesses and organizations also made donations as part of the campaign. St. Joseph's Hospital Foundation executive director Breanne Van De Woestyne said that the total exceeded their expectations. "The total was way over what we expected. We weren't really sure what to expect going into it just because the economy right now is a little different and a world is going through a new phase, so we really didn't know and we didn't go in with much of an expectation either. We were really thankful for anything that came through," said Van De Woestyne. "We just wanted to see how it went. And when that final total climbed up to the $100,000 mark it was an incredible feeling for volunteers and the staff that were there. We ex-
ceeded what we had expected by tens of thousands of dollars. It shows the support our community shows for local healthcare and for that addiction centre." She added that not only they received a lot of support from businesses and organizations, but they also saw an increase in donations from individuals. "The amount of support that we did get from individuals throughout the community (was great), and some people had some incredible stories of different experiences with addictions so they wanted to really support this cause too. So it was really neat to get some new donors this year from an individual standpoint and just to see that support coming through. Whether it was a smaller donation or a bigger donation it all goes to that big number." In the end, the hospital foundation was overwhelmed with the community support they saw. "It was an amazing day that showed how much our community truly supports local healthcare and our new addiction centre coming and opening this fall," said Van De Woestyne. The new format brought in a few obstacles but in general, the fundraiser went well. "Radiothon went very, very well. Obviously, we had a few obstacles that we had to overcome and postponing
it because of COVID-19 (was also a challenge), but to be able to still host it this year was huge for us as a foundation. It's obviously a major fundraiser," said Van de Woestyne. The fundraiser couldn't be held at the hospital this year due to COVID-19 restrictions. Van De Woestyne said that it was a learning curve for them as there were a lot of new things to work through. "With the restrictions in place, we did have to do it outside, socially distancing throughout the day with our volunteers and staff, really limiting the interactions that we did receive throughout the day. But people are really adapting to the new avenues of supporting us. "Online donations were four times higher than last year and it was really great to see." Van De Woestyne said that the biggest challenge for them was postponing the event that is usually held in spring. "We waited until the fall so we could really understand the regulations in place and have everything really prepared before we went in and had that major fundraiser." The St. Joseph's Hospital Foundation had committed $80,000 for the new addiction centre opening in Estevan. Since they raised more, the rest of the funds will be used towards purchasing the needed equipment.
St. Joseph's Hospital Foundation executive director Breanne Van De Woestyne. File photo "The additional money will be used in other areas of the hospital with the approved equipment that we have on our wish list this year." The event also put the spotlight on the hospital, its staff, its services and patients who receive care at St. Joseph's throughout the year. The hospital foundation was sincerely grateful to the community for all the support they received. "A big thank you to all of the
southeast Saskatchewan whether you are a business owner or a community member that helped us that day through donating, through stopping by and saying ‘hi,’ through volunteering. It was just a huge day that had a lot of people working behind the scenes and we want to make sure that everyone knows how grateful we are as a foundation that we were able to raise so much money for a very, very important cause," said Van De Woestyne.
Drewitz School of Dance keeps teaching young dancers By Ana Bykhovskaia abykhovskaia@estevanmercury.ca
Drewitz School of Dance started their new year in August after a long and precise process of communicating and arranging everything so that students could proceed with classes safely. Studio owner LorieGay Drewitz-Gallaway said that professional dance organizations across Canada and around the world had to come up with a safe reopening plan. The work began in the middle of April. A lot of advice came from European and English schools, which experienced the pandemic earlier and harder than what Estevan saw at the same time. The Canadian School of Dance also helped a lot by sharing the experiences of Canadian organizations, which varied depending on
the region. The collective work allowed them to come up with a good understanding and a plan of the reopening process. The Drewitz School of Dance reopened on Aug. 17 for in-person classes at the studio with the students. "All the physical distancing rules were in place for as far as temperature checks, COVID form waivers, sanitizing stations. It was all set up already," said Drewitz-Gallaway. The staff is wearing masks for teaching and working at the desk, which Drewitz-Gallaway said is pretty hard and they have to practise some breathing exercises and take breaks. Students dance without any facial covers at this time. The waiting area of the studio is closed to the public and registering takes place by appointment only. "These rules are still
Lorie-Gay Drewitz-Gallaway and her assistant teacher Hunter Hildebrand along with other staff have to wear masks at all times at the studio. Photo submitted
Students are distanced during the classes and are practising within their six-foot squares. Photo submitted ever-changing and we take our direction from the health organization and the government ruling," said DrewitzGallaway, adding that they are fortunate in comparison to their colleagues in Europe, which is experiencing the second wave of the pandemic and where dance schools have a lot more regulations to follow, often including mandatory masks for students. The situation is monitored daily and DrewitzGallaway participates in regular Z oom meetings with other organizations co-ordinating their effort to keep everyone safe and still dancing. Despite all the challenges the most important was that children could finally get back to practising. "The children are loving it. The rules took a little bit of getting used to them for parents and students, but they understand," said Drewitz-Gallaway. Unlike a lot of other recreational or community-organized activities, the Drewitz School of Dance is a professional organization and has to follow the performing arts and small business rules, which at times differ from others.
To keep distance between students, DrewitzGallaway had to decrease the size of classes. She could have up to 24 people in the studio but chose to limit it to 22 to ensure there is enough room. So classes are down a bit. American students also can't attend the in-person classes due to border closure, so they were taking classes in a different format. "Those are the only children right now who have ever done any online classes, I did that during the pandemic. Children can learn mentally during the online classes, but physically to get their stamina, mobility and flexibility, all that back, you need to be doing it physically," said Drewitz-Gallaway. Drewitz School of Dance is slowly opening up with more classes including ladies and some pre-school coming back as the fall progresses. “I'm a firm believer that we need to take this slow and see how it goes." The fall also brought some good news for Drewitz-Gallaway personally as the Royal Academy of Dance granted her the life membership. And even though they can’t hold any big events now,
she felt very excited. “That was a high point for me this month,” said Drewitz-Gallaway. All the exams are set up for the year. Highland exam will take place at the studio with Drewitz-Gallaway playing the music, and the examiner joining online from Scotland. "We have a whole new set of rulings for ballet, tap, jazz, highland all the different exams that are all set up some via Zoom. The Canadian Dance Teachers' ones will be held at the studio because they have rules where the examiner sits, she wears a mask, children are back far enough," said Drewitz-Gallaway. While the exam plans are pretty clear, when it comes to performances and workshops there is not much clarity. " We a re j u s t go i n g monthly and keeping our fingers crossed, but no one can project what the future will bring. And right now we just have to have faith that everyone will abide by the rules, not just to keep dancing but for everyone's safety." Usually, students have one or two events a month where they could show their
skills, talents and progress, and while this year most of the events are cancelled and others can't allow for big crowds, Drewitz-Gallaway said that they are set up to participate and perform in different formats like via submitting a recorded performance or Zooming in. "When the children are blocked off in their little personal dance stage in the studio I always say to them, 'I want you to feel like you are on stage because you are going to be back on stage, we just don't know when.' And you have to keep that faith going with them," said Drewitz-Gallaway. She added that even though the year will look different, they are still very thankful that they got to go ahead and proceed with inperson classes. " We a r e a l l g o i n g t h ro u g h u n p re c e d e n t e d times, and we still have to live each day to the fullest and be grateful for what we have in our lives. If the children are grateful for that dance starting up that makes me and my staff very happy because anything we can do for them right now is important to us," DrewitzGallaway said.
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Maesa Fleck
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“Because the leaves on the tree are changing colour. ”
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THAT WAS THE
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Grandkids
kler at a time Jumping through summer one rainbow sprin This is my grandson enjoying the animals at the
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Thank you to everyone who sent in photos, we received so many fantastic pictures! We have chosen the 12 finalists that really captured this summer. Please watch our Facebook page, Estevan Mercury Publications, for the post to vote for your favorite. Click through the photo album, and love your favourite photo. The photo with the most reactions will win!
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Haux excited to join the Saskatchewan Rush Estevan’s Wyatt Haux has been a star in Saskatchewan lacrosse circles for a number of years. Now he’s part of Saskatchewan’s most prominent lacrosse organization. Haux, a graduate of the Estevan Lacrosse Association who plays the transition position on the lacrosse court, was selected in the sixth round, 92nd overall, by the Saskatchewan Rush in Thursday’s National Lacrosse League Draft. He’s excited to be part of Saskatchewan’s team, and a little relieved. He was the second-tolast player selected in the draft. “I was expecting to go a little bit higher in the draft, so when it was getting down to those final picks, I was quite a bit nervous,” he said. Haux was ranked 38th in the Stamper’s Top 50 draft rankings, which is a highly regarded pre-draft publication. And he was No. 26 in one of the mock drafts. So it left him thinking he might be selected
in the late second round or the early third round. But it’s also given him a little extra motivation to prove everybody wrong. “It motivates you to become a better player, and show them that they made a mistake on me,” said Haux. He joins an organization that has been one of the best in the league for years. Since the Rush relocated from Edmonton to Saskatoon in 2015, the club has won the league title in 2016 and 2018, and made it to the final in 2017. They were leading the league’s West Division when the season was halted due to COVID-19. The Saskatchewan club has also proven to be very popular with fans, as spectators drive from across the province to watch the Rush play in the Bridge City. The Rush had been speaking with the GM of the Saskatoon Swat junior club, where Haux had been playing. He was scheduled to move to St. Catha-
rines, Ont., this season, but those plans were also scrubbed due to the pandemic. He has an extra year of eligibility, and hopes to head to Ontario next summer. “I haven’t been playing much this offseason, but when I do play, it’s pretty much own ball or whatever I can get,” said Haux. He expects he’ll need to continue to work on his ballhandling skills and his pace of the game as he continues to get ready to move up in play. Haux is thankful to Estevan Lacrosse for not only the development he enjoyed as a player when he was in their system, but for helping him find his passion for the game. He is a former gold medallist for Team Canada at the World Junior Lacrosse Championships, and he was Canada’s captain in 2019. “This is where I found out I loved what I did and they tried to push me to try to play at the highest level I can,” he said.
Wyatt Haux, pictured from when he captained Team Canada at the World Junior Lacrosse Championships, has been selected by the Saskatchewan Rush in the National Lacrosse League Draft. File photo
Viragos female football team makes its debut S hanelle Rioux, the head coach for the Estevan Kinette Club U18 Viragos female football club, was pleased with the club’s effort in their first game, but she recognizes they have a lot of improvements to be made. The Viragos lost 56-0 to the Moosomin Generals Sunday afternoon at Woodlawn Athletic Park. “Being the first game, and all of the girls never playing before, we didn’t really know what to expect. We knew there was going to be some kinks to work out, and a lot of questions from all of the gir ls, so there’s nothing you can expect other than to hope for a successful game,” said Rioux. In the first half, there were a lot of learning moments, she said. The Viragos looked like a completely
different team in the second half, as they started piecing together what to do, how the game actually works and
the difference between game speed and practice speed. “I was quite impressed with how they pulled
The Estevan Power Dodge U10 Cudas football team held their annual jamboree Sunday afternoon. The Cudas and a team from Moose Jaw split their rosters in half. Then they played mini-games during the early afternoon at the Woodlawn Athletic Park. The focus was on fun and skill development rather than on the score. Teams had six players on the field at a time, and coaches could be in the huddles to help with calling plays. Estevan already attended a jamboree in Moose Jaw the previous weekend, and will have an intersquad game on Friday. Players will continue to work on their fundamentals for the rest of the season. • • • The Estevan Century 21 U12 Chargers were back
on the field last Wednesday in a 25-6 loss at home to the Weyburn Ravens. The Chargers were down 12-6 entering the fourth quarter, and gave up a couple of scores to the Ravens, making the score more lopsided than it should have been. But the game was much closer than the Chargers previous two encounters with Weyburn. Turner Peterson returned an interception for a touchdown to account for the Chargers points. Coach Matt Schell said the defence played hard and produced five turnovers. Offensively, the team moved the ball well, and had a good drive going late in the first half, but ran out of time. The Chargers are slated to face the Moose Jaw Spartans on Oct. 4 in Moose Jaw. • • • The Estevan Lions Club
U14 Oilers dropped a 46-12 decision Saturday against the Yorkton Gridders. Coach Paul Duncan said the Oilers had a better start than in their previous two games. Estevan kept it close in the first half, but then Yorkton pulled away in the second. The players became hesitant later in the game, and they weren’t as aggressive as they should have been. Yorkton led 21-6 at halftime. D uncan noted one touchdown came in the second quarter on a wonderful run by Tristan Tober, and the other came in the third on a catch and run by Dorian Sifton. The Oilers were slated to play again Tuesday night at the Weyburn Falcons. (Results were not available at press time).
Ella Schenher scrambles away from Moosomin defenders during the Viragos inaugural game on Sunday. through in the end,” said Rioux. Once the players found the knack for game speed,
Rioux said spectators could tell the Viragos were starting to have fun, and the score in the second half didn’t reflect how great they were playing. The defence had some “outstanding” moments, and Rioux expects they have found some players who will be very reliable. Their punter, who has some football experience, did a great job as well. But she sees room for improvement in all facets of the game, especially with a young team. The V iragos had 20 p l aye r s d re s s e d f o r t h e game, so they had more than enough for a unit on offence and a unit on defence, since the teams have nine players on the field at a time. Estevan had more players than Moosomin, but Moosomin
Estevan Cudas host U10 football jamboree
had advantages in both game experience and in age. “Most of our players are in Grade 9 or 10. It is for Grades 7-12, and I know the Moosomin team did have a bunch of Grade 12 girls, so I’m excited to see how we play in a couple of years when all of our girls are older, and the other teams are losing their older players,” said Rioux. The Viragos will face the Genrals again on Oct. 11 in Moosomin. And the Estevan team has games with the Yorkton Lady Gridders; the teams will play Oct. 4 in Yorkton and Oct. 25 in Estevan. She hopes they can play Regina and Melville before the season is over. “I’m super glad we have a season to give the girls,” said Rioux.
Nash Faber pulls away from a Moose Jaw defender during the U10 football jamboree Sunday in Estevan.
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September 23, 2020 A13
Bruins preparing for season, but no start date set The Estevan Bruins have spent the past two weeks getting ready for the 2020-21 SJHL season to start, even though they don’t have a starting date yet. The club began an extended training camp on Sept. 9. The number of players at camp has fluctuated, but the club is currently at 27 players, with 17 forwards, nine defencemen and two goaltenders. “Camp has been going really well,� said head coach
and general manager Jason Tatarnic. “I’m really happy with the pace and the competitiveness. Our young guys are looking really good, and I’m really pleased with our vets coming back.� Nine forwards and six defencemen from last year’s team are among those currently in camp. Several other players with junior A experience are with the team, and there are some talented rookies as well. “It ’s a fresh start for
everyone,� said Tatarnic. “It’s new for them, and they’ve bought into our mentality about how important work ethic is, so it’s been nice.� Defencemen Devan Harrison, Kade McMillen and Austin King-Cunningham, who are entering their final season of junior hockey, have all stood out, the coach said. Second-year defencemen Taylor Reich and Alex Von Sprecken, both local products, have also impressed.
Greg Wanner wins Estevan Motor Speedway’s Enduro race The Estevan Motor Speedway wrapped up its 2020 season by hosting its annual Enduro race on Saturday. Greg Wanner was the winner, as he was the first to complete the 150 laps within the 90-minute time limit. Danny James, who also completed all 150 laps, was second. Brad Pierson was third, Robin Salkeld was fourth and Dallas Wanner came in fifth. Boyd Schauermann was recognized for having the best-looking vehicle, and Levi Hirsch was the first driver eliminated. Fo r t y - t h re e e n t r i e s were received for this year’s Enduro. This year marked the second consecutive year in which the winner of the Enduro was able to complete all 150 laps before the time limit expired. In most years, the 90 minutes elapses before the 150 laps are finished.
Greg Wanner was the winner of the Enduro race at the Estevan Motor Speedway on Saturday. Photo by Byron Fichter Fotography.
ESTEVAN MOTORS ESTEVAN MOTORS
The other returning defenceman, Dayton Deics, has also looked good. The forward ranks have a nice blend of experienced and first-year players. Rookie forward Caelan Fitzpatrick, who still has a year of midget eligibility remaining, has had a terrific camp. “We talked to him in the summer to see if he wanted to play here, and he wasn’t sure. He came and skated with us last week for a couple of days, and we made the offer to him again, and he accepted. As a 17-year-old, he’s going to be really good,â€? said Tatarnic.  Defenceman O wen Simmons, who is just 16, has also had a terrific camp.Â
“He’s more poised than I thought he would be at this level. Really patient. For a 16-year-old, he’s going to be garnering some attention here from the schools.� As for the goaltenders, both are new this year in Eric Clark from B.C. and Emerik Demers out of Quebec.  For wards S am Gallant and Mason Beck, two prospects from Nova Scotia, have left the team and returned home.  Beck was the top scorer in the Maritime midget AAA hockey league last season. “It was a loss, but there’s enough talent here that it wasn’t a devastating blow,� said Tatarnic.
A date for the season to start has yet to be announced, even though other provinces have given junior A leagues the green light to prepare for the season to begin. If it’s going to be a while before camp starts, Tatarnic said they would likely take a break, but they would keep the players in town. “We’re following all of the protocols that are in place. They take their temperature when they come and they ‌ all have their own water bottles.â€? It’s good for their mental state to be here, it’s good for the physical side of things and it’s good for them to be active, he said.Â
Members of the Estevan Bruins have been skating every day as they prepare for the season to start.
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Cheers & Jeers
Wednesday, September 23, 2020
A14
Cheers Cheers to the businesses who are taking the worldwide pandemic seriously and are putting safety measures in place to protect their staff and customers. Cheers to SaskPower for the ongoing clean-up of the observation point at the Shand Power Station. It’s beginning to look cared for once again. Cheers to the Estevan Viragos on their debut game. Obviously it wasn’t the result they were hoping for, but they’ll get better and it’s great to see an opportunity for young female football players. Cheers to Wyatt Haux for the way in which he has represented Estevan in the lacrosse world. Hopefully one day we get to cheer for him with the Saskatchewan Rush. Cheers to the fundraisers that we’re starting to see in the community. They might not be what we expect or how we know them, but it’s great to see them happening to support projects in the community. Cheers to Stacey Wempe for taking the initiative and making a presentation to the Cornerstone school board. Good to see that somebody doesn’t think social media or coffee row are good enough to get their point across.
Jeers Jeers to the driver of a black pickup truck who ran a red light at the intersection of King Street and Kensington Avenue on Thursday, and didn’t even make an effort to stop. Driving behaviours like this cause serious accidents. Jeers to those who still haven’t learned about the risks of distracted driving. The $1,400 fine and vehicle impoundment for a second violation in a 12-month span aren’t enough of a deterrent for some people.
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Envision looking to bridge the distance with seniors in the region The Envision Counselling and Support Centre wants to help bridge the distance between people, through expanded services to provide more interaction for those who need it. Bridging the Distance, a program that was piloted in Estevan, has increased its delivery area to include rural areas and Weyburn within the service area of Envision. This program specifically offers support and connection for individuals 55 and over experiencing isolation in southeast Saskatchewan. If a family member or individual would like counselling, or just to talk, they can call the office to connect with a counsellor. To limit challenges, this program can be accessed from the comfort of your own home via telephone or video chat. “When people don’t have enough social connection, we have seen decreases in overall well-being as well as greater susceptibility to anxiety and depression,” said Christa Daku, executive director of Envision.
“With fall arriving, we recognize that there is a greater chance for isolation as the pandemic continues and anxiety around the future grows.” Common issues such as stress and mental health struggles are often intensified in silence and isolation. Such issues have been exaggerated by COVID-19 which has increased disconnection and barriers for those seeking support for these and similar issues. “This initiative will provide additional counselling support and connection to this vulnerable population, who are experiencing reduced quality of life during this crisis,” says Daku. “We want to help those struggling with stress, loneliness, mental health or other issues.” Bridging the Distance is an addition to regular programming at Envision Counselling and was made possible thanks to federal emergency funding, and to United Ways in Estevan and Regina. Changes from the piloted
program consist of intensifying communications to include newspaper and radio advertisements throughout the southeast to promote this program to as many people as possible in the fall and winter.
There will be elections for mayor and city councillor in the upcoming civic election in Estevan. Mayor Roy Ludwig has filed his nomination papers for a third term as mayor. He has been challenged by Ray Walton, who will be running for a role on council for the first time. Seven candidates have filed nomination papers for councillor. Incumbents Travis
Frank and Shelly Veroba have submitted their forms, as have first-time candidates Lindsay Clark, Rebecca Foord, Geoff Thiessen, Kirsten Walliser and Bernadette Wright. There are six councillor seats. The Rural Municipality of Estevan has elections for reeve, and for councillor in divisions 1, 3 and 5. Lorne Jahn, who is the incumbent councillor in
Division 1, will go up against Jeff Mack. Dennis Blackburn, the incumbent councillor in Division 3, has been challenged by Kevin Daoust. Mona Dukart has filed papers in Division 5. Nobody had filed papers for reeve as of Monday afternoon. School division elections will also be held this fall. Eric McCrimmon has filed to be one
“We are seeking to connect with all individuals, 55plus, who may be living alone or have no one else to talk to or to support them during this intense time of uncertainty,” said Daku.
More candidates file for civic election of two Estevan trustees for the South East Cornerstone Public School Division’s board. As for the Holy Family Roman Catholic Separate School Division, Karen Melle has filed to be one of the two Estevan representatives on that board. The deadline to submit the necessary forms is Oct. 7. The election will be held on Nov. 9.
Jeers to the lack of specifics from the Saskatchewan Health Authority regarding recent cases of COVID-19 in the southeast. We don’t need to know who it is, but we would like to know where the case was diagnosed in a zone with 31,000 people.
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To submit a cheer or a jeer, please email it to dwillberg@estevanmercury.ca, or visit www.estevanmercury.ca. For more information about the Alzheimer Society and our programs and services, visit www.alzheimer.ca/sk or call 1-800-263-3367.
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Wednesday, September 23, 2020
A15
In MeMorIaM
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Heavy Duty Mechanics, Heavy Equipment Operators and 1A Drivers required: Late model, clean CAT, JD equip: winch, dump, gravel trucks and trailers. Both camp and shop locations; R & B provided. Wage negotiable. Clean drivers abstract a must.
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EPS seeks information regarding theft Members of the Estevan Police Service (EPS) are seeking the public’s assistance with a theft that occurred early on Sept. 16. Police received a call from a local convenience store at approximately 1 a.m. that day. A white male entered the store and took several items, putting them in a backpack. When confronted by staff, the suspect ran from the scene. He is described as approximately 5’7” with a medium build and dark hair. He was wearing black pants, a plain grey bunny hug and a pink face mask. The backpack he was carrying had a camouflage pattern on it. Anyone with information is asked to call the Estevan Police Service at 306634-4767. In other recent police news, police received a call through the Report Impaired Drivers line Sept. 15. Mem-
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Students from Pleasantdale School were busy collecting cans and bottles in September 2002 and taking them to school. The cans and bottles were taken to SARCAN and the money raised was donated to the Terry Fox Run. The school donated $500 to the run, which was held on Sept. 15 that year. Among with students shown with teacher Sandra Norum, standing, from left, Ashley Chapman, Karlee Fessler, Brody Dreher, Edward Jensen and Tyson Price. Seated are Bryce Marcotte and Austin Orsted.
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Flashback – Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2002
Career OppOrtunities
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In Loving Memory of Romuald (Richard) Kawecki December 1, 1926 September 26, 2015 5 years have passed Time slips by and life goes on But from our hearts You’re never gone We think about you always And talk about you too We have so many memories But wish we still had you Lovingly Remembered Gregg & Peggy, Jordan & Katherine, Sophie, Brodie Chelsea & Mitchell, Jaxton
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bers located the vehicle and checked the driver, who provided a sample of his breath into the approved screening device and passed. Members received a report of individuals riding on the exterior of a motor vehicle. Police were unable to locate the vehicle but the matter is still under investigation. A vandalism report was received from a school in north Estevan on Sept. 16. Individuals used paint or a marker to write or draw on the outside walls of the school. No suspects have been identified at this time. Anyone with information is asked to call police. Members were called to a collision at an intersection Sept. 17. Police were dispatched to a two-vehicle collision at Fourth Street and 13th Avenue. Investigation revealed a southbound vehicle proceeded into the intersection and collided with an eastbound truck. No injuries were sustained but both vehicles had significant damage and were towed from the scene. The driver of the southbound vehicle has been charged under the Traffic Safety Act with proceeding before it was safe to do so. Two vehicles were reported to be driving erratically through a school zone. Vehicle descriptions were provided. Police caught up with the suspect vehicles and both drivers were warned about their driving actions. Police received two separate reports of criminal harassments on Sept. 18. One of the matters was resolved with an Estevan male being warned for his actions. The second criminal harassment complaint is still under investigation. Officers received a complaint of an assault that had
taken place. Members attended and located a male and female who had been involved. The male received medical attention at the scene. Both were arrested and lodged in cells until sober. The matter continues to be looked into. Po l i c e a r re s t e d a 51-year-old Estevan woman for outstanding warrants from Regina on Sept. 19. She was later released to appear in Regina Provincial Court to answer to the charges. Officers received a report of an assault that took place. Statements were obtained from the victim and the matter is still under investigation. According to a tweet from the EPS on Saturday, a driver was issued a $1,400 fine and their vehicle was impounded for seven days due to a second offence for distracted driving in a 12-month span. RCMP investigating theft complaints • • • The Carlyle RCMP is investigating a pair of recent thefts. Over the weekend there was a theft of a Black 2016 Suzuki LTA500 King Quad ATV from a worksite near Alida. The Carlyle RCMP is seeking public’s assistance with identifying the suspects. Another theft occurred sometime between 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 17 and 1 p.m. on Sept. 19. Suspect(s) broke into the Moose Mountain Leisure business in Carlyle. The culprit (s) cut the fence and stole a red 2020 Arctic Cat Alterra 700 with an estimated value of $12,000. Please contact the Carlyle RCMP Detachment at 306-453-6707 if you have any information regarding these thefts.
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A16 September 23, 2020
Clients thankful to have a local audiologist Sun Country Hearing has been open in Estevan for several years now, and the business’ clients are grateful to have such a company in the Energy City. Bill Kapiczowski is an Estevan resident who has had some hearing difficulties for several years. He went to a hearing clinic at St. Joseph’s Hospital, but they left the community. At that time, Kapiczowski was facing trips to Regina for his hearing appointments. “Then I happened to see in the Mercury the advertisement for Sun Country, and I figured I would give them a try,” said Kapiczowski. “I think it was a time when I needed new hearing aids; I think my other ones were worn out. So I tried them and it’s been nothing but a good experience with them.”
Kapiczowski has been a Sun Country client for about six years, which means he started shortly after they opened. In his case, Kapiczowski often has minor work that needs to be completed. He’ll go in for five or 10 minutes, and the staff will be excellent, very friendly, and accommodating and professional. Without the local clinic, he’d have a drive of more than two hours in each direction. Sun Country has done everything for him, from hearing tests, which happen every couple of years, to adjusting the hearing aids on the spot. “If I were to go in there today, and ask them to adjust my hearing aids, they would do that, and they provide all of the other services like batteries and maintenance for the hearing
Form H [Subsection 66 of the Act]
Notice of Call for Nominations PUBLIC NOTICE is hereby given that nominations of candidates for the office(s) of: Board Member: Holy Family Roman Catholic Separate School Division No.140 Number of elected: one (1) member for each Subdivision Nos. 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6 Will be received by the undersigned on the 7th day of October, 2020 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Weyburn School Division Board Office, and during regular business hours on September 22nd to October 6th, 2020, at the Weyburn School Division Board Office. Nomination forms may be obtained at the following location(s): The Board Website: www.holyfamilyrcssd.ca The Board Office at: Dominic Place #103-433 4th Street N.E., Weyburn
Sun Country Hearing’s office is located on Kensington Avenue in Estevan. File photo around for a long time to come. Gil Blackstock has been a client for about half a dozen years. Hearing aids have enhanced his life, because he can hear things he couldn’t previously. “You hear more of the conversation. You’re not always
aids,” he said. Having quality hearing has enhanced his life. Hearing aids won’t replace his original hearing, but they can pick up a lot, and obviously they’re much better than nothing. Kapiczowski hopes Sun Country Hearing will be
I can’t remember any time when music wasn’t a huge part of my life. Although she didn’t read music, I don’t think a day passed when Mom didn’t play the piano. We loved it. I loved it so much, in fact, that I followed in her footsteps; punishment for disobedience for me meant being banned from the piano for an hour or sometimes, an entire day. I was in my early 30s when I made the decision to take piano lessons. It was a thrilling experience, right down to my first recital where I performed with the others in my class. (The only difference was
Linda Wegner Words of Worth
that they were 25 years younger than I was.) To make a long story short, I completed Grade 10 of the Canadian Royal Conservatory of Music program and to this day, music fills at least a part of each day of my life. I never had intentions of becoming a performer but I
In the estate of George Michael Kovh, late of Estevan, SK, deceased. all claims against the above estate, duly verified by statutory declaration and with particulars and valuation of security held, if any, must be sent to the undersigned before September 30, 2020. Daniel Kovh executor of estate for George Kovh Po Box 25013 Parksville, BC v9P 2X2 email: kovhdan@gmail.com
Dated this 31st day of August, 2020. LISA WONSIAK RETURNING OFFICER
Snow Removal Tender 2020-2021 South East Cornerstone Public SD invites Tenders for Snow Removal at the following schools and shops:
invites you to join our Zoom
City of Estevan & Area Estevan Comprehensive Estevan Bus/Maintenance Shop Oxbow Prairie Horizons Spruce Ridge
Annual General Meeting Monday, September 28th, 2020 12:00 – 1:00 pm
Tendered amount shall be on a per hour basis Including a list of equipment to be used. Lowest or any tender not necessarily accepted. Preference may be given to applicant(s) within each area.
for the Zoom Link.
Please email all tenders by September 29, 2020 to: Michelle VanDeSype, Administrative Assistant South East Cornerstone Public SD #209 80A – 18th Street N.E. Weyburn, SK S4H 2W4 michelle.vandesype@secpsd.ca
If interested in becoming involved as a board member please contact
Debbie @ 306 -634-9554
ESTEVAN
BRUINS
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Thursday, October 1st @ 7:00pm
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guessing about what they’re saying and stuff like that,” said Blackstock. It’s great to have a clinic like Sun Country Hearing in Estevan, so he doesn’t have to make trips to Regina. “Down here, they know you. They know who you are. You walk in, it’s much friendlier. It’s great having them here. Whenever I need anything, I just give them a call. They can fit me in or else sometimes I just pop in. The service is fantastic.” When he goes to a restaurant drive-thru, not only does he hear the intercom clearer, but he can hear the scratching of the window when it goes up and down. Not only is Sun Country Hearing the place where he purchases his hearing aids and his batteries, and gets a
checkup on his hearing, but he can get cleaning products for the hearing aids, wax guards and have ear wax removed. The staff has connected his phone’s Bluetooth to his hearing aids. “It’s great service. They call you by your name. They know who you are,” he said. “Whenever I need something or have questions or have a problem, they fix me up there right away. I don’t have to travel to Regina, which costs a fortune these days in fuel.” Sun Country Hearing has locations in Estevan and Yorkton. In addition to meeting the needs of customers, they are active in the community, and they recently held their annual fundraising barbecue, raising $1,000 for the Estevan Family Resource Centre between support from the community and matching the donations.
From just seven notes
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Please note that Calls for Nomination for school board members to represent the subdivisions within the City of Estevan and the City of Weyburn are done in conjunction with those municipalities. If you require further information, please contact the City of Weyburn or the City of Estevan.
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am delighted to be able to play for church services and for entertainment in our local nursing homes. Although I admit I’m not into a lot of “modern music”, I truly enjoy a wide range of artists and artistic styles. Be it performances of Chopin, Gaither, Ravel, Schumann,
Randy Travis and countless others, including even me, the thing I find most intriguing is that we all use just seven notes. Chords, tempos, structure, accidentals, semitones or any other combinations are obviously different but they’re all constructed from just seven notes. Life at best is like that: We have little or no control over the circumstances that come our way but we do have the option as to how we use them to create the songs of our life. “…through the night I sing his songs and pray to God who gives me life” – Psalm 42:8.
NOTICE TO CREDITORS In the estate of Faye Marilyn Prommer, late of Glen Ewen, Saskatchewan, deceased. All claims against the above estate, duly verified by statutory declaration and with particulars and valuation of security held, if any, must be sent to the undersigned before the 7th of October, 2020. Bridges & Company LLP 1329 Third Street, Estevan, SK S4A 0S1 Solicitors for the Executors
(Section 66 of the Act) NOTICE OF CALL FOR NOMINATIONS RURAL MUNICIPALITY OF BENSON NO. 35 Public notice is hereby given that nominations of candidates for the offices of: Reeve: Rural Municipality of Benson No. 35; Councillor: Rural Municipality of Benson No. 35, Division No. 1. Number to be Elected: 1; Councillor: Rural Municipality of Benson No. 35, Division No. 3. Number to be Elected: 1; Councillor: Rural Municipality of Benson No. 35, Division No. 5. Number to be Elected: 1; will be received by the undersigned on the 7th day of October, 2020, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., at the municipal office at 370 – 1st Avenue, Benson, Saskatchewan, and during regular business hours on September 16 to October 7, 2020, at the municipal office at 370 – 1st Avenue, Benson, Saskatchewan. Nomination forms may be obtained at the following location: 370 – 1st Avenue, Benson, Saskatchewan. Dated this 8th day of September, 2020. Chantel Walsh, Returning Officer
South East Cornerstone Public School Division No. 209 SCHOOL COMMUNITY COUNCILS PUBLIC CALL FOR NOMINATIONS AND
NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGS South East Cornerstone Public School Division schools will be holding their School Community Council Annual General Meetings and Elections. All meetings will be held via Microsoft Teams. For more information regarding dates times for the school in your area please visit our website at www.secpsd.ca or contact your school administration. Success and achievement for every student in every school.
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September 23, 2020 A17
EFRS called to two field fires and a deck fire over the weekend By Ana Bykhovskaia
abykhovskaia@estevanmercury.ca
Estevan’s fire department had a very active end of the week, with two field fires, a deck fire and other calls. On Saturday at about 6 p.m., the Estevan Fire Rescue Service (EFRS) members were called to a hayfield fire occurring about 10 kilometres south of Estevan, east of the 703 grid road. Upon arrival, firefighters found the local landowners trying to control the fire. Round bales were laying in the field, so fire crews overhauled the bales and ensured complete extinguishment. "A flare stack had ignited some of the vegetation at the base of the flare stack and set the hayfield on fire," said Estevan Fire Chief Dale Feser. Saturday winds weren't as bad as what the Estevan area experienced on Sunday, but firefighters still had to make sure that there were no
signs of fire remaining before they returned to the station. Sunday saw fire crews responding to another field fire that occurred about 10 kilometres west of Estevan on Highway 18. The medium-sized fire could have turned into a real catastrophe with the winds. "We didn't want to hesitate, because it appeared to be threatening a ranch so we enlisted mutual aid with the Torquay Fire Department," said Feser. "We want to thank them for coming out and assisting us and making sure that there were adequate water resources there.” He also praised the local farmers and ranchers who once again pulled it together, brought their heavy equipment out, and did their best to minimize the damage and prevent the fire from spreading. Firefighters successfully brought the fire under control and extinguished it with no loss of property or
any danger to livestock. This fire was a result of a controlled burn that occurred days before. The landowner did their best to put the controlled burn out, burring it with dirt but it appeared to not be enough. "Due to extremely high wind conditions, some of the fire must have been still smouldering underneath the dirt. (The wind) spread the ambers to the neighbouring field that had stubling and a little bit of crop that was still there. But again, very minimal damage considering what could have happened with the extreme wind conditions," said Feser. The fire resulted in reduced visibility on the highway. Feser reminded the drivers that if they come across a similar situation they should adjust their speed. Most of the drivers reacted properly to the situation and reduced their speed, but a few motorists still
preferred to speed through the smoke. The same day at about 7 p.m., firefighters were dispatched to an outdoor deck fire at a residence in northeast Estevan. When crews arrived, the homeowners had almost extinguished the fire. The fire was a result of careless discarding of a cigarette butt. It started in a planter and spread to the deck. Feser said that there was a large planter, in which the smoking material was discarded. Potting soil high in nitrates started on fire and burned quite vigorously. "At one point there were five-foot flames that were shooting up from the particular peat moss and the wooden deck." Crews ensured the final extinguishment of the fire. Fe s e r t h a n k e d t h e homeowners for calling 911 quickly and keeping the fire at bay with the help of a garden hose up until their arrival. The strong winds in
this case also could have resulted in a disaster, but Feser noted that the exterior of the house was finished with a non-combustible stucco finish, which saved it from catching on fire. However, the proper discarding of smoking material is key to preventing this type of issue. "You definitely want to make sure that you are using proper ashcans and ashtrays when you are discarding smoking materials and even if you have a larger pale you still want to make sure that you are adding some water periodically," said Feser. Earlier last week, at about 4 p.m. on Thursday the firefighters were dispatched to the residential fire alarm occurring in north-central Estevan. No smoke or flame could be seen from the outside of the house. Crews contacted the homeowner, who was on the phone with the monitoring agency trying to troubleshoot the system. A faulty
detection device was the cause. Crews stood down and returned to the station. Friday morning at about 9:30 a.m. fire crews were called out to an unknown outdoor fire just outside the city limits on Highway 39 west. Crews arrived on scene to find a controlled burn occurring. The company that was conducting the burn was in the process of reporting it. Feser reminded people to make the necessary calls before starting the burn. Fr iday af ternoon at about 5:30 p.m., firefighters were called to a commercial fire alarm that went off in the central area of Estevan. There were no signs of a fire occurring from the exterior of the building. The business owner was on location trying to troubleshoot the system. A faulty detection device resulted in the call. The crews turned the scene back to the business owner and returned to the station.
Estevan police had only seven impaired and exceed-related driving charges in August the same individuals. There were four charges of possession of controlled drugs or substances this August as opposed to six similar cases and another case of trafficking in August 2019. The year to date statistics of Controlled Drug and Substance Act violations remained on par with the last year with 31 cases in total. No one was charged for violating the Cannabis Act in August or in the first eight months of 2020. Calls overall were down 2.5 per cent, which Ladouceur attributed to the general decrease in activity due to the
pandemic.
• • • Special Constable Morgan Prentice, who is the bylaw enforcement officer, was busy throughout August with 28 animal calls, 13 parking violations, two calls related to cat traps, 109 unkempt property inspections, one summons and five other bylaw enforcement calls. For the first eight months of the year, the bylaw enforcement officer dealt with 192 parking violations, as opposed to 156 last year. She also conducted 506 unkempt property inspections as opposed to 217 up to the end of August 2019.
In comparison to the same period in 2019, there was a significant decrease in animal calls (108 this year versus 235 last year), parking complaints (40 vs. 144) and other bylaw
issues (23 vs. 92). Ladouceur praised the bylaw enforcement officer for her work and focus on unkempt properties. He also noted that some individuals recently paid
their ticket with bills covered with abusive expressions towards the police, which he categorized as "highly unprofessional" and said that the situation will be followed up.
CROSSWORD ANSWER
Crime statistics were discussed during the latest Estevan board of police commissioners meeting. For the first eight months of the year, the number of impaired/exceedrelated driving violations went down 26 per cent, from 81 in the first eight months of 2019 to 60 this year. No drivers were charged for impaired by drug driving, but there were three cases of dangerous driving. In total, Criminal Code traffic violations have gone down 28 per cent on a year to date basis, with only 79 offences this year as opposed to 110 violations over the first eight months last year. "We are on track and we started seeing a positive impact from all our work related to impaired driving," Chief Paul Ladouceur said. Crimes against the person went up 16 per cent, from 79 last year to 92 this year. But August in particular saw a slight decrease in this type of crime with nine cases in total as opposed to 12 cases in August 2019. Five assaults, one assault causing bodily harm and three sexual crimes were reported this past August in Estevan. There was also a slight increase of seven per cent in crimes against property on a year to date basis, from 213 cases last year to 228 this year. However, in this case, again August 2020 saw lower numbers than what it was a year ago. There were 38 crimes against property, including three residential break and enters, two thefts over $5,000, 16 thefts under $5,000 and 17 cases of mischief/willful damage. For the first eight months of the year, the number of mischief cases went up from 87 to 112 this year. Ladouceur explained that some of the crimes against property were committed by
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