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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2020

In what was a year unlike any other in history, there were plenty of intriguing stories to share From city projects to fundraisers, celebrations to elections, and economic development to a pandemic, there was a lot that happened in Estevan in the past 12 months.

Here are our choices for the top 10 stories of the year: 1. COVID’s impact: Nobody can deny the impact that COVID had on life in southeast Saskatchewan or around the world.

While there were concerns about the virus early in the year, those concerns exploded on March 11, when a member of the Utah Jazz basketball team tested positive.

Professional sports leagues suspended their seasons at that point, and within days, a virtual lockdown across the continent had occurred.

It seemed like the pandemic touched every aspect of our lives in some way over the next nine months, affecting both physical and mental health, the econony, education, government and so much more.

But there were plenty of positives that emerged locally due to the pandemic, with people showing support for health care workers and first responders. Others did what they could to help others.

2. Economic development: The previous item leads into this one. While economic development has been a point of emphasis for the City of Es-

tevan and other communities for a number of years, there was an even greater emphasis in 2020.

We saw several exciting developments amid the tough times. The Estevan Shoppers Mall became the Estevan Market Mall, and also announced a renovation that would modernize the building and bring in a food court.

A couple of intriguing projects were announced as well. One was a polygeneration facility through a partnership with the City of Estevan, Buffalo Potash and the Ocean Man First Nation.

The facility will be an industrial complex consisting of separate, yet integrated modules that will use southern Saskatchewan’s coal, potash, natural and inert gases, brines and other raw materials to make high-quality synthetic fuel, generate power through co-generation, and other value-added products such as potassium-based fertilizer, hydrogen syngas, battery materials, and pitch for carbon fibre.

The other came in midDecember, when Tomahawk Energy, whose CEO is longtime southeast Saskatchewan entrepreneur Derrick Big Eagle, announced that it was looking to bring an indoor agriculture facility to Estevan.

(See Page 3 story for more on this project).

The city announced in

March that Richard Sadick had been hired as the coal transition co-ordinator, and in November, it revealed it had hired Doug Griffiths of 13 Ways Inc. to develop a strategy and action plan that identifies new economic opportunities and how best to attract businesses and new residents to the city. Griffiths, the author of 13 Ways to Kill Your Community, was in Estevan and November, and was impressed with what he saw from the community.

3. Coal transition: Estevan was dealt a stiff blow in February, when Westmoreland Mining LLC announced that it was laying off up to 25 people from its Estevan mine site.

Ultimately 23 people would lose their jobs, including some who took early retirement or voluntary layoffs.

The company cited coal sales that have been impacted by the availability of lowpriced natural gas, as well as the imposition of carbon taxes as reasons for the layoffs.

Ironically, nine days after the announcement, Premier Scott Moe was in Estevan for the signing of the Coal Transition Fund, a $10 million investment of which Estevan will receive $8 million over a three-year span.

The $8 million given to Estevan from the province is part of a $10 million commitment from the province. The

The 2020 ECS graduation day was filled with happiness, as grads, their families and the City of Estevan were celebrating their achievements other $2 million will be sent to Coronach, home of the Poplar River Power Station.

The city will have to allocate some of its $8 million to the RM of Estevan, the Town of Bienfait and other affected municipalities.

4. Grad Cruise: Perhaps there was no better example of rethinking an event during pandemic times than the Grad Cruise that was held in Estevan on June 12.

The pandemic forced the cancellation of the 2020 grad ceremony at the Estevan Comprehensive School, and it appeared that the Class of

Addictions treatment and recovery services returned to St. Joseph’s Hospital in the fall.

2020 would be left without a celebration. That’s when Mike Keating, whose son Jamison was among this year’s grads, stepped in with an idea based on a classic activity.

A Grad Cruise was held through the streets of Estevan.

It started at the site of the Derrick Motor Inn and made its way down Fourth Street, 13th Avenue/Souris Avenue North and Isabelle Street before making a loop back to the hotel.

“The biggest thing was getting people on board with what I envisioned. And what happened (on Friday) was a million times bigger than my vision,” Keating said at the time.

The community was in the spirit of the occasion. Business that were along the streets of the cruise were decorated for the occasion, with supportive messages for the grads. Many residences were decorated, too.

Signs with the grads’ photos lined Souris Avenue North.

And a large crowd lined the parade route to salute the grads, who honked horns on their vehicles.

As an added tribute to the class of 2020, there will be a sculpture constructed in Torgeson Park.

5. Civic election: Voters were back at the polls for the civic election on Nov. 9.

Elections were held in many Saskatchewan urban and rural municipalities, including the

City of Estevan.

Roy Ludwig was returned to a third term as Estevan’s mayor, defeating Ray Walton.

Ludwig received 1,632 of the 2,314 votes cast, or about 70.5 per cent of the popular vote, while Walton took 682.

Diversity and new faces were the story of the councillor race. Shelly Veroba and Travis Frank, the two incumbent councillors in the field, were both re-elected. They were joined on council by newcomers Rebecca Foord, Lindsay Clark, Kirsten Walliser and Tony Sernick.

There are three female members of council for the first time since 2009, and three of the councillors – Foord, Frank and Walliser – are under the age of 35.

“I look forward to working with the new council,” Ludwig said on election night.

“I think they’re a bright bunch of local people that will do their very best. They have their hearts in the right place, along with a couple of veterans, Shelly and Travis.”

Due to the pandemic, the city had a mail-in ballot for the first time, and a drive-thru polling station at the Estevan Fire Rescue Service building that proved to be popular. The pandemic did reduce the availability of the advanced poll, and kept the city from having special polling stations.

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Reasons to celebrate in the second half of 2020

« A1 Terry Keating was acclaimed as reeve. Elected were Lorne Jahn (Division 1), Kevin Daoust (Division 3) and Ramona Dukart (Division 5).

Elections in Divisions 2, 4 and 6 will be held in 2022.

6. Addictions Treatment Centre Returns: An addictions recovery centre returned to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Estevan in 2020 after an absence of 23 years.

The provincial government announced the facility would be returning to Estevan when it released spending estimates in March.

The 20-bed inpatient treatment centre specializes in crystal meth, with 15 of the

beds dedicated to meth, and the remaining five beds for other drug addictions. Patients are coming from throughout the province.

There are also four beds for pre-treatment and six for post-treatment.

The treatment of addictions was a fixture at St. Joseph’s for many years, first at the hospital’s old location on First Street and then at its present home on Nicholson Road.

The service was discontinued in Estevan by the former New Democratic Party government in 1997.

The treatment centre is in the same part of the hospital as it was before.

Roy Ludwig was elected to a third term as Estevan’s mayor in November.

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A grand opening ceremony was held Sept. 10, and it officially opened in late September. The centre is now full with fully-trained counsellors.

St. Joseph’s partnered with Cedar’s at Cobble Hill on the centre, which has a lecture area, a lounge and a kitchen where patients can get snacks any time of the day.

7. Provincial election results: It was a busy fall for elections in Saskatchewan. The provincial election was first, happening Oct. 26.

The Saskatchewan Party was elected to a fourth straight term as a majority government, capturing 48 of the seats in the Saskatchewan Legislature. The New Democratic Party, once viewed as Saskatchewan’s natural governing party, won 13 to remain the official opposition.

The Sask. Party also captured at least 60 per cent of the popular vote for the third straight election.

It was the first election victory for Scott Moe as premier.

In the Estevan constituency, Lori Carr of the Saskatchewan Party captured 4,409 of the 7,090 votes cast, or 62.43 per cent of the popular vote to earn a second term as MLA. Her share of the vote was the lowest for a Sask. Party candidate since Doreen Eagles received 51.32 per cent in 2003.

Carr’s drop in support can be attributed to the sudden rise of the Buffalo Party (formerly WExit Saskatchewan), which was founded earlier in the year.

WExit’s Estevan candidate, Phil Zajac, finished second locally with 1,713 votes, or 24.26 per cent. He had more votes than any other Buffalo Party candidate.

The United Way Estevan’s telethon in October was one of a number of successful fundraisers to happen late in the year.

Two weeks after the election, Carr was named the new minister of social services.

The provincial election was contested during the pandemic, which resulted in considerable change to the way in which candidates campaigned.

8. A generous region: The pandemic left many unemployed, and cut into the hours of others. Many fundraisers in the initial weeks of the pandemic had to be called off.

But some were able to proceed later in the year, and thanks to some adjustments and adaptations, they were able to succeed.

The United Way of Estevan held its annual telethon in October, but many changes were needed for the fundraiser to happen, with limitations on the number of people allowed in the main hall and the small hall. Many of the entertainers performed virtually.

In the end, it raised $347,711, more than the goal of $320,000.

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The Rotary Club of Estevan took its popular Lobsterfest and revamped it into Lobsterfest to Go, with 1,000 people taking home a fresh, whole Atlantic lobster. Normally the event would draw about 800 to Affinity Place.

The St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation raised more than $101,040 in its Radiothon for Life in September, and it held its Festival of Trees, with the theme of There’s No Place Like Home, in the fall. Several different activities raised money for the foundation.

With the pandemic restrictions extending into the new year, it’s expected that fundraisers will continue to adapt to raise money and support the community.

9. A powerful explosion: It was the explosion that rocked Estevan.

Emergency crews were called to fires and explosions at the Regens Metals yard in southeast Estevan on April 8.

When they arrived on the scene, they found a fire was occurring, and they learned that explosions had occurred shortly before they arrived.

One worker suffered burns to his face due to the explosion. The individual was transported to hospital for assessment and treatment, and was released about an hour later. None of the other workers were injured, according to Fire Chief Dale Feser, who viewed it as fortunate that just one person was injured.

“I don’t think we could have asked for a better situation considering the events that unfolded,” Feser said at the time.

Footage of the explosion

was captured by Connor Barnstable, who works at Precision Machining about 200 yards to the west of Regens Metals. He filmed two of the explosions that occurred before fire crews arrived and posted them to his Facebook page. The videos went viral on social media.

10. Water intake project complete: Estevan’s primary water source officially switched over from Boundary Dam to Rafferty Dam on Aug. 10, and residents noticed an immediate improvement in the water.

The day had been a long time coming. It wasn’t always an easy process; the city had to rework the tenders for the project early on, and there were challenges during the construction process.

But a celebration was held in July and the switch-over occurred in August.

Not only has the water quality improved, with fewer trihalomethanes, but the water is not as hard as it used to be, which will reduce wear and tear on water heaters, faucets and plumbing.

Water testing results showed that the water THMs were at 69.1 micrograms/l (ug/l) for Rafferty, as opposed to 147.5 ug/l from Boundary.

This differential is expected to grow even more in the winter months.

All other minerals, chemicals and organics are coming in at least half or lower than what they were for the Boundary Dam water source.

The city received support from the provincial and federal governments through the Provincial-Territorial Infrastructure Component – National and Regional Projects Program.

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Year in review: Main events on Estevan's calendar in 2020 This year was indeed a different one. While the pandemic was already starting in China at the beginning of 2020, there weren't many signs of it on this side of the ocean.

Estevan started a very different year in a pretty traditional manner, with a busy January and February community calendar resonating with those from years before.

At the start of the year, the Energy City was looking forward to a pretty loaded year, with a four-day fair and rodeo on the same weekend for the first time this century, the Saskatchewan Parks and Recreation Association provincial convention, events such as the Rafferty Rumble and so much more.

The spread of the COVID-19 virus put a pause on most of the planned activities, however, the year still turned out pretty busy.

We’ve summarized Estevan's main highlights and significant events of 2020.

January The first baby to be born at St. Joseph's Hospital this decade arrived Jan. 6 at 11:10 a.m. Chloe, Scott and sister Macy celebrated the arrival of Willa June Curtis.

Also in early January, Murray GM Estevan and Royal Canadian Legion Estevan branch presented the keys for a 2019 Chevy Silverado 4x4 to Kiley Bouchard, who won the Legion's truck raffle for 2019.

Alameda's McKenzie Warriner and accompanist Danielle Guina showcased their talents at a concert in Estevan on Jan. 5.

Business kept going at the Energy City as well. It was announced in early January that Westmoreland Mining and the over 300 of the Estevan mine employees, members of the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) Local 7606, reached a new four-year collective bargaining agreement.

Woodlawn Regional Park's Souris River campground was well lit for more than three weeks in the latter half of December and early January, thanks to the third annual Festival of Lights.

January was also pretty special for the Wheeler family who appeared on Family Feud Canada, just months after a reunion brought together Kelly Wheeler, Pam Currie and Teresa Smyth with their twin brothers Scott and Todd Marasse.

The twins that were put up for adoption about 50 years ago found their family thanks to technology and later partook in the new TV show.

Saskatchewan's drilling rig fleet went back to work with a bang

Jan. 6, with Rig Locator (riglocator. ca) reporting 57 rigs making hole by that afternoon.

The Habitat for Humanity second home in the Estevan area, constructed for Holly Boreski and Chris Lewis' family was finished and the couple happily moved in.

Dr. Kimberley Amirault-Ryan was the speaker for the fifth annual Independent Well Servicing Safety Stand Down, held at Estevan's Southeast College campus on Jan. 16.

A traffic stop led to two people being arrested on drug-related charges on Jan. 16. A total of 151.9 grams of meth and a small amount of marijuana were seized, along with other drug related supplies.

The suspects were charged with possession of the drugs, possession for the purpose of trafficking and possession of a weapon dangerous to the public.

The Living Room Live concert series brought a great performance, with violinist Gregory Lewis and pianist Paul Williamson entertaining residents on Jan. 18 in the Creighton Lodge lounge.

The Estevan Kinette Club continued its quest to help find a cure for cystic fibrosis (CF) during its annual Princess and Superhero Ball on Jan. 19 at the Southeast College's Estevan campus. A total of 109 spirits attended the event.

In mid-January, a generous donation was made on behalf of Brent and Charlene Frehlick to support both the maternity department and the day hospital program at St. Joseph's Hospital.

The future of the Estevan Comprehensive School (ECS) was brought up for discussion and a master plan for future Estevan schools was rolled out for public consumption. The first objective was to see program offerings continue at ECS, but the school’s utilization rate must improve for renovations at the 50-year-old school to occur.

Saskatchewan's geothermal electricity power generation project was heavy into its winter drilling program, with two wells done by January and three more planned before the breakup. One of those well broke their own record for the deepest well in Saskatchewan, at 3,632 metres of true vertical depth.

The Estevan Art Gallery and Museum (EAGM) hosted an opening night reception on Jan. 24 for two new shows: Sheltered by Janet Shaw-Russell, and Ligaments and Ligatures by Karina Bergmans.

The Optimist Club of Arcola held its 27th annual Snowmobile Rally on Jan. 25, attracting snow-

mobile enthusiasts who were eager to raise funds for worthy causes.

About 220 riders participated, and the club gave out more than $10,000 in prizes.

Also in January, the Mercury shared the story of Bert ter Hart, a former Estevan resident, who now lives in B.C., and who ended up being the first person from this continent to complete a singlehanded, unassisted, non-stop, eastabout circumnavigation via the five Southern Great Capes using only traditional, non-electronic navigational tools. A significant environmental outreach program was also part of his voyage. He returned home mid-July after spending 267 days at sea.

A collision on Highway 47 north of Benson on Jan. 29 resulted in two people suffering injuries. The collision involved a tractor-trailer unit and a vacuum truck.

The Estevan Police Association's Magic Variety Show that took place on Jan. 30 was once again a blast. The attendance was on par with last year and it seemed that the community really enjoyed the event.

February St. Joseph's Hospital announced that two new physicians were arriving in the community. Dr. Navjot Pannu and Dr. Nihar Desai both started their family medicine practice at St. Joseph's Hospital on Feb. 1.

Dr. Karen Bodemer joined the Galloway Health Centre in Oxbow.

Her arrival brought the total number of physicians in Oxbow to three.

Estevan firefighters practised the hands-on approach to rescuing people from a crashed bus in early February. A written-off school bus was butchered to ensure that members of the Estevan Fire Rescue Service members are ready to act if the worst nightmare comes to reality and a major accident involving a school bus occurs in the area.

Michael Garland Crawford, age 47, of Williston, N.D., was charged with possession of child pornography and importation of child pornography under the Criminal Code, after trying to enter Canada at the Oungre border crossing. He made his first court appearance Feb. 4 in Weyburn, declined his right to legal counsel and proceeded to plead guilty to importing child pornography.

Crawford was sentenced to one year in jail for the charge.

The first 19 trained Southeast Saskatchewan Search and Rescue (SESK SAR) volunteers received their ID cards. The chapter was

The Southeast Saskatchewan Search and Rescue (SESKSAR) was activated and the first 19 trained volunteers received their ID cards.

Brody Wyatt, Chrystal Wyatt, Averi Wyatt and Lola Haselhan attended the Princess and Superhero Ball. activated and since that time can be deployed during real searches.

Alison Taylor, who hails from Carievale, was part of the Prairie Women on Snowmobiles (PWOS) Mission 2020, the 20th annual journey that took participants on a six-day whirlwind journey throughout much of the province.

It started Feb. 2 and wrapped up Feb. 7 in Humboldt. Mission 2020 raised $98,273.10 for breast cancer research and equipment.

Chris Funk, also known as the Wonderist, performed at the ECS on Feb. 7. Almost 400 people attended his magic show.

Three hard-working people were saluted for their contributions to life in Redvers through the Economic Development Committee's Business and Community Awards.

Tricia Pickard was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award, Patricia Miller won the Business Person of the Year Award and Michelle Jensen captured the Above and Beyond Award.

A massive fire on the north side of Estevan consumed a garage and two vehicles parked in front of it at night, but could have become even a greater tragedy if not for a conscious resident who followed her instincts, woke up the residents and called 911.

Mayor of Estevan Roy Ludwig along with the city manager Jeff Ward and Councillors Shelly Veroba, Travis Frank and Denis Moore were in Regina early February to take part in the Municipalities of Saskatchewan (former SUMA) convention, discussing crime, drugs and healthcare.

Quota International of Estevan, the organization that for decades was organizing the Women of Today Awards, announced that they were going to share the honour of running this influential event with the Estevan chapter of Special Olympics Saskatchewan. The event was later cancelled due to the pandemic.

The Estevan Wildlife Federation (EWF) recognized the accomplishments of people in fishing and hunting during the past year during the organization's annual awards on Feb. 8 at the Wylie-Mitchell building. A large crowd turned out for the event. For the first time, the EWF recognized those who finished second and third, in addition to the individuals who finished first in the different categories.

Estevan Humane Society's Whiskers and Wine Gala on Feb. 8 attracted about 175 people to the Estevan Exhibition Association's

building, where they enjoyed a night with a supper, entertainment and an auction. Live entertainment was courtesy of Joel Henderson, aka Poor Nameless Boy, and local folk trio Hook and Nail.

As a part of the Aboriginal Storytelling Month hosted by the Southeast Regional Library and Library Services for Saskatchewan Aboriginal Peoples, Michele Amy, Dale McArthur and Pierre Tinant visited Pleasantdale School on Feb. 10.

Community Future Sunrise, based in Weyburn, brought in Doug Griffiths to talk about dealing with change and coal transition strategy.

He was later hired by the City of Estevan and Economic Development Board to assist with the coal transition.

For the first time in its history, Estevan Fire Rescue Service held an awards supper on Feb. 15. Promotions, awards for 10, 15, 20, 30 and 40 years of service, provincial and federal long service awards along with special recognitions by the Estevan Firefighters Association were handed out during that festive night.

Three Saskatchewan comedians made the crowd laugh to tears.

Yuk Yuk's Stand Up Comedy Show brought by the Orpheum Theatre attracted a lot of people on Valentine's Day. The red serges were out, boots polished and arms offered on Valentine's Day. For the first time in 14 years, the Estevan RCMP held a ball, which saw participation from most of the surrounding detachments. The event acted as a fundraiser for Southeast Regional Victim Services.

Estevan Arts Council, Estevan Art Gallery and Museum and Souris Valley Museum hosted winter break camps for kids of different ages and interests.

Special Constable Morgan Prentice started as the bylaw enforcement officer job in midFebruary, and spent time learning the different bylaws, how to enforce them and how to work with the people.

A local man made many people's childhood winter dream a reality. Alan Smelt along with his kids built a real igloo in his backyard.

Feb. 16-22 was proclaimed as Kin Canada Week. A flag-raising took place Feb. 20 in front of city hall, one of many flag-raisings to happen across the country that day in honour of Kin Canada's 100th birthday.

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Editorial

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EDITORIAL

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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

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We acknowledge financial support of the Government of Canada. Nous reconnaissons l'appui financier du gouvernement du Canada.

There’s still plenty to do this season Provincial health orders that came into effect or were extended on Dec. 17 limited what we could do during the Christmas holidays and into 2021.

If you were hoping to watch a hockey game early next year, forget it. Those restrictions continue until mid-January, so don’t expect to see a Bruins, a Big Six or a minor hockey game, or any other team sports games, until then. And even then it might be a long shot.

Boxing Day shopping became a little more difficult now that stores are limited to 50 per cent capacity, and 25 per cent for the larger stores. If you wanted to go to a casino during the holidays, forget about it.

There were no Christmas assemblies this year in the schools, although most schools used the talents of staff and students alike to come up with a creative and entertaining way to finish the pre-Christmas portion of the school year.

Gatherings for Christmas might have been the biggest source of frustration, especially since people could meet for dinner and drinks at a local restaurant, but they were very limited in the number of people they could have in their household.

And most people were spending Christmas holidays at home, rather than out of province.

But that doesn’t mean you can’t find ways to enjoy the Christmas holidays.

One of the best ideas for this area at

Christmas time in recent years has been the Woodlawn Regional Park’s Festival of Lights.

It started small in 2017, with just a handful of businesses and organizations setting up their Christmas displays inside the park’s main campground along the Souris River.

The frigid temperatures didn’t help much that first year, either. There was an extreme cold warning for about a week.

But those who ventured down to the park marvelled at the displays, and it has grown each year since. This year is expected to be a recordsetter, and when you consider the number of displays, and the size of the area where they’re located, it’s the perfect event with social distancing in mind.

A cool idea that Tourism Estevan introduced last month is the Backroads of Estevan Audio Tour. If you’ve ever wanted to know about some of the cool history with our area – some of those hidden gems that won’t be in your guidebooks – then this is a great option.

It’s the sort of activity that’s great for families on a quiet Sunday afternoon, or during the Christmas break. It might not be the perfect activity the day after a large dump of snow, especially if you’re driving a small car, but snow obviously wasn’t a factor the first few days of the Christmas break.

The beautiful weather we did have in the first three weeks of December limited the amount of time we could spend on public

outdoor rinks – there are three of them in Estevan – and on the tobogganing hills. The latter activity was obviously a no-go, with very little snow on the ground.

But now that the rinks are open, we can get out and enjoy a skate. For kids looking to keep their hockey skills sharp, they’re a great option.

And on those nice winter days in which the temperature is above zero and the winds are calm, we can go for a walk in the neighbourhood.

So there are options for us to enjoy beyond binge watching the latest hit series on Netflix, or watching endless episodes of cable TV marathons.

The Christmas holiday is typically a time for us to take a break. Not only are the schools shut down for two weeks, but many businesses are closed, too. There usually aren’t many events happening; after all, who would want to plan a big gathering when so many people are out of town, or when our focus isn’t on special events?

Now that so many are staying close to home this Christmas season, there won’t be a big event to go to, such as the Estevan Bruins annual New Year’s home and home with the Weyburn Red Wings that would attract around 1,300 people.

Hopefully everyone is enjoying this Christmas season. It’s a tough one, especially this year. But there are still a few things out there for us to enjoy.

2020: A year to remember or a year to forget?

A number that is associated with perfect vision definitely didn't play out in people's favour this time.

What started pretty good, soon turned into quite a bit of a mess and as we were learning more about the new enemy we are facing, instead of clarity we had a year of severe uncertainty.

This year was different, to say the least. I keep joking that I don't want this year to be added to my age since I hardly used it. Nevertheless, this for sure was one of the most intense years that I've witnessed, with rapid changes, unprecedented measures, tough circumstances and a lot of things to learn and absorb, both good and bad.

So while we are saying bye to 2020, let's look back for a moment.

Without any doubts, I want to leave quite a few things and experiences in the past. I wish it was as easy as just flipping the calendar to the new year, and the pandemic would be over, with all that mess left in the calendar to be tossed.

We were separated. Besides, frustration raised anxiety even in the calmest people. The insecurity and instability provoked by the pandemic resulted in a rise in aggression, depression, addictions and general apathy.

We definitely missed out on a good half a year with family and friends. And while the technology made it a bit more bearable, it still wasn't the same. And it for sure was tough on older people, many of whom don't follow the news much and didn't really have a clue why all of a sudden their loved ones abandoned them.

Our world travellers' curiosity hit the wall.

A few brave people still sneaked around the world and enjoyed the surrealistic experience of empty streets of Rome, London or New York.

Instead of being a gesture of politeness, minutes dedicated to loved ones turned into real gems.

People became more accustomed to technologies. We saved millions of hours of our lives Twenty Lines on useless travel for meetings, instead of doing it About… virtually from the comfort of our homes.

The kindness, community spirit and support But even for them, the number of trips was way were through the roof, with numerous fundraisdown in comparison to regular years. ers overpassing their previous results and endless Obviously, an enormous pressure was put on initiatives arising to demonstrate that we care the economies all over the world, which we will about each other. have to deal with for probably five, if not 10 years.

We once again proved that where there is On top of that, combined, Estevan residents a will, there is a way. Our ingenuity was unprecalone probably gained a few tonnes of extra edented, so was 2020. And the fact that there weight over the past nine months, just sitting are numerous vaccines already available in the at home. world only proves how far we progressed in our But as weird as 2020 was, it wouldn't be fair development. to say that it was absolutely bad. It brought up a We re-evaluated many things and learned lot of creativity, with people coming up with a lot what was pure consumption and what actually of new stuff, from a new vocabulary (lockdown, was meaningful (like sports or hugs). I feel, that social distance, self-isolation) to ear-savers, to for many of us this year was a learning curve all kinds of virtual activities, and of course the eventually leading towards more conscious new vaccines. consumption.

Our accessories collections got widened Yes, for many of us, 2020 ranked as one of by some fancy pieces, such as masks, cute hand- the most challenging years of our careers, our sanitizer holders and other special COVID attire. personal lives and even our health.

A lot of our houses saw some renovations But while we may really want to forget all happening, and public facilities became so spar- the problems that this messy year brought, I'd kling clean as they've probably never been before. say it wouldn't be the smartest move. Instead, Outside already being people's best friends, we should try sorting out our values, outline dogs turned into valuable, essential entities, and learned lessons and celebrate the accomplishdog owners enjoyed the privilege of spending ments. Many of us may have some spare time quality meaningful time walking them. now, and it's a great opportunity to reflect on the 2020 also generated a lot of good things challenges we faced and bank on the strengths and tendencies. that these challenges brought up in us.

Many Canadians spent their vacations So if you ask me if 2020 was good or bad, discovering the beauty of their own country.

I'd say that it was definitely a year to learn from.

Ana Bykhovskaia

Delivering the Gold Standard in real estate & property management services

Op-Ed

LYNN CHIPLEY, Broker/Owner Cell 306.421.0100

Wednesday, December 30, 2020

A5

David Willberg Willberg’s World

We’re all looking forward to 2021 Most years, I’ve penned an opinion piece of why I’m looking forward to the following year.

It’ll have the reasons you’d expect. Coming events.

Fundraisers. Hockey games. Cool stories. Maybe an election. And it ends with the prediction that we’ll deliver a high-quality product to your front doorstep every week that will keep you informed of everything happening in the city.

Well, when I look back on my reasons to look forward to 2020, there wasn’t much that actually materialized. I don’t have to explain why.

Sure we had provincial and civic elections, and some cool things happened early in the year. A favourite moment of mine came early in the year, when an opinion piece brought the provincial tourism ambassador, the Saskatchewanderer, to Estevan for three days, allowing her to experience what Estevan has to offer in the winter.

Of course, I was on holidays when she visited.

And we once again showed what a generous group of people we are down here.

But as a whole, this year looked nothing like I thought it would.

I can go into an elaborate list of reasons why I’m looking forward to 2021, or I can give you one reason that we’re all looking forward to next year: the end of pandemic restrictions.

Nobody wants to still be in the position we’re in now in 12 months time. If you do, then I question your mindset.

Nobody wants to be in a situation in which hundreds of Canadians, and thousands of people around the world, are dying every day because of this virus. Nobody wants to hear about quarantines, “non-essential” business closures, self-isolation and mandatory masks ever again.

We want to see our businesses open again and we want to see businesses return to more normal operations.

We want those in health care to return to more normal work (if such a thing exists for doctors and nurses), and we want teachers to teach students in the classroom, without having to worry about a return to online learning.

We’re all suffering from COVID fatigue and COVID frustration to different degrees right now. The challenge is trying to keep it from becoming COVID rebellion.

I’m not sure how long it’s going to take for us to get back to a sense of normal, where we can shop without masks and meet up with our friends and pack Affinity Place for a hockey game or a community event. It’s not going to be early in 2021, but if these vaccines do what they’re supposed to do (I’m cautiously optimistic), then hopefully we can have some fun again in the second half of the year.

I don’t know if we’ll be fully back to normal by the end of 2021, but I’m confident that we’ll be closer to that normal than we are now.

Yes, there have been a lot of positives that have come out of this year, ranging from the generosity of some people amid such trying times, to the adaptation of some businesses so they could continue operating, to the efforts of the public to thank front-line healthcare workers and others who have worked tirelessly since early March.

But as a whole I join the chorus that says so long to 2020. Hopefully the next nine years of this decade are better than the first one.

I have other reasons for looking forward to 2021.

I’m looking forward to the continued efforts of Estevan’s economic development committee and seeing their work rewarded. I’m looking forward to seeing what our new city council does in its first year together. I’m looking forward to new businesses coming to Estevan, and showing confidence in Estevan and its people.

I’m looking forward to the generosity of the people of this city showing through once again at the fundraisers that improve the lives of so many in the community.

I’m looking forward to actually being here should the Saskatchewanderer pay this city a visit again. (You can consider this an invitation to the next ‘Wanderer to come here).

Oh, and one more thing. You can once again look forward to 52 editions of the Mercury, filled with the variety of news from the community throughout the year.

(And daily updates on www.estevanmercury.ca of what is happening in the community).

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

Each office is independently owned and operated.

Evolution Growers plans indoor agriculture facility for Estevan

By Brian Zinchuk, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Long before a global pandemic made food security a widespread issue, with empty shelves across the country, Derrick Big Eagle was working on a new food-growing development for Estevan.

Now the combination of Estevan facing a transition away from coal-fired power generation, ever-increasing carbon taxes in the coming years raising transportation costs, and economic opportunity have come together to make the business case for producing vegetables in Saskatchewan’s sunshine capital.

A serial entrepreneur, Big Eagle announced his latest venture, Evolution Growers. It will start with a $20 to $30 million, 200,000 square foot “indoor agricultural facility” to be located just east of the Estevan Comprehensive School. A new sign went up on the site Wednesday morning.

To put that 200,000 square feet to scale, Estevan’s Walmart is a little over 100,000 square feet in area. And that’s for the first phase, according to Big Eagle. The intention is to expand further down the road.

Big Eagle generall y refrains from calling it a “greenhouse,” saying, “There's going to be a little bit more of technology and robotics.”

Part of the research included going to the Netherlands as part of a federal government trade mission. Several City of Estevan officials also took part. That trade mission provided an opportunity to see the latest in growing technology, which Big Eagle plans to incorporate.

Evolution Growers will be a subsidiary of Tomahawk Energy Services, a private, locally-owned firm with Big Eagle as CEO. Exactly which crops would be grown is yet to be determined, but Big Eagle did reference vegetables and produce, to be decided in the near future.

One of the most significant costs for indoor agriculture is heating. Usually this is done with natural gas, but Big Eagle says they intend on using geothermal. He, personally, has had geothermal heat in his house for 26 years now.

“I believe geothermal is a way of the future. Has it be determined yet?

No it hasn’t,” he said of their final heating decision. “I think, with my involvement in oil and gas over the last 36 years, and being a strong part of that, I think there’s opportunities to be influential in helping out with figuring out the geothermal process.

And that’s what we’re going to do, as a First Nations company; we’re going to help with this and bring what we can to the table for the planet to use. And I hope to be able to capitalize on that at the greenhouse, not only with heating and cooling, but also with electricity.”

Solar power is also being considered. Big Eagle said they would have a “negative carbon footprint.”

As a backup heat source and for supplemental heating when necessary, he said they are looking at using captured natural gas from local oil production that would otherwise be flared.

The land to be developed is currently city-owned land. “They city has set aside enough land for us to grow

The proposed site for a new indoor agriculture facility is across the street from Estevan Comprehensive School. Handout photo these facilities exponentially,” Big Eagle said.

How much land is still in discussions, according to Ward, who said it was in early stages. He noted that this was developed with the previous council, and the newly elected council will make final decisions.

Ward said, “The city is very excited about any economic development opportunities that can come to the area.

We’re always excited for new and innovative ideas, and working to bring investment and employment to the area, especially with local partners like Derrick, who’s a name in the area.”

Big Eagle said, “The way I look at this is, is it's unfortunate for our coal and our power plants and what we have there. And I think it's pretty much become a reality,” he said. Having played hockey as a kid in Estevan, and operating a business in the community, he calls it his “second hometown.”

Big Eagle said there are families who, for generations, have worked in coal mining or power production, and that opportunity may not be there for their children. This venture may provide opportunities to stay in Estevan.

“So if we can help with the transition by creating an avenue for new jobs in a potential different sector, to make Estevan more of a diversified economy, then you know what, they don't have to lose their houses and they don't have to take a loss on them, and move somewhere else and uproot generations of families that have been living in Estevan, as it's been.”

As for the type of jobs created, and whether that would be the typical type of work associated with greenhouses, he said, “If you're not better than your competition and it's just pricing. So we're going to be better.”

“As far as the construction process and everything, it should be up to anywhere between 100 and 200 people.

And then after, when it's built and up and running, it should be close to 50 to 100 people that will be employed, just for that part of the greenhouse.”

He added that there would be numerous opportunities in spinoffs, like transportation, packaging and distribution.

The intention is to break ground in spring 2021 and hopefully the first phase will be built by early 2022.

One of the common themes in economic development is the concept of “clusters,” where the development of several companies in an area that do essentially the same thing or similar, related work, creates a local hub of knowledge, workforce and abilities. In addition to this project, the Deep Earth Energy Production Corp. (DEEP) geothermal project south of Torquay is also talking of greenhouses as a secondary development to their power generation primary work. In this case, DEEP is looking at using surplus heat leftover from electrical power production to heat greenhouses at a greatly reduced cost. Asked if the Evolution Growers and DEEP could mean the start of a greenhouse cluster for Estevan, both Big Eagle and Ward spoke in favour of the idea.

Big Eagle said, “We welcome that.

Something has to start it off and make that initial plunge. And we’re there, with it.”

“With the food insecurity issues, the carbon footprint and the coal transition that is possibly going to slow the city down, we acknowledge all that.

And I think this indoor agricultural facility, helps cure all those issues,” Big Eagle concluded.

kids speak What is your New Year’s resolution?

Kayden Dodd

Age: 13

“I want to exercise more.”

Kegan Littlefield

Age: 13

“To try to help lots of people and be kind.”

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A6 December 30, 2020

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Plenty of activites in February and early March « A3 Members of the Estevan Kinsmen and Kinette Clubs showed the community they cared during the annual national Day of KINdness on Feb. 22. Twelve Kin club members and seven youth volunteers partook in activities.

Saskatchewan's travelling tourism ambassador made Estevan her first stop on her 2020 tour of the province. Leah Mertz – who was selected to be the 'Wanderer for 2020 – visited the Mercury office first and later had a whirlwind tour of the city and the surrounding area that came to an end on Feb. 22. She decided to come to Estevan following a newspaper editorial earlier in the month that invited her to visit Estevan.

With a little over two weeks left before the inevitable shutdown for spring breakup, 60 drilling rigs were making hole on Feb. 26, according to Rig Locator.

On the last days of February, as a result of the investigation, 21-year-old Chase Jordan Velestuk was charged with one count of possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking and trafficking in cocaine, and two charges each of possession of a weapon for a purpose dangerous to the public and breach of a firearms probation.

The ECS celebrated the grand reveal of its reconciliation garden, named Ahopa Intchagink'ta in late February. Located in the school's courtyard, the permanent display

features murals, displays, plants native to this area and other tributes to Indigenous people designed to promote reconciliation.

March: Volunteers for Wexit Saskatchewan, a movement advocating for Western independence, were collecting signatures in Estevan and all across the province in early March to register a new political party. They needed at least 2,500 people to demonstrate their support in writing, which they received.

The City of Estevan released the findings of a recent socio-economic assessment that studies the impact of shutting down Units 4 and 5 at the Boundary Dam Power Station.

The research suggested that among other factors, a total of 150 direct jobs and 350 jobs would be lost.

On March 4, the EPS was called to the ECS to a report of a possible threat. According to Police Chief Paul Ladouceur, some concerning comments were left on one of the computers at the school. Although the note was from last year and just happened to be seen by a student, it was quickly shared via social media, causing questions and fear. No real danger was found.

Del Block, who served as a member of the EPS from 1976-2014, with the last five years of his tenure coming when he was the chief of police, died March 6 following a

lengthy battle with cancer.

Estevan Kinsmen and Kinettes added $6,000 to Telemiracle's total. The 20-hour fundraiser, which ran March 7-8 at the Conexus Arts Centre in Regina, raised $5,523,472 for the Kinsmen Telemiracle Foundation, which supports the medical needs of the people of Saskatchewan.

The EPS announced an independent investigation would take place following an incident that involved two of its members on March 8. Members of the EPS were involved in the physical arrest of a male in the area of Sixth Street and 13th Avenue. The situation escalated quickly, resulting in officers using force on the individual. As of press time, results of the independent investigation had not been announced.

The EAGM was one of several locations across the province to host a concert on March 7 in honour of International Women's Day. Four talented female Saskatchewan musicians, Karissa Hoffart, Brady Kwochka, Annie MacLeod and Eli Barsi, took to the stage with pop, country, folk and rock programs.

Even though Mother Nature wasn't kind to the Estevan Snowmobile Club last winter, not allowing them to groom any trails or have a season, the End of Season Party still happened. It took place on March 7 at the Estevan Exhibition Hall.

The Envision Counselling and Support

Centre announced it expanded their walk-in counselling services to Oxbow. This service was made possible thanks to a collaboration with Family Services Saskatchewan, and an investment from the Government of Saskatchewan.

Estevan Police Service (EPS) reported the drug-intelligence unit conducted a cocaine trafficking investigation on an Estevan man. Cocaine, cell phones, digital scales, $570 and other items used for the sale and distribution of cocaine were seized. Jake Thomas Charles, 24, has been charged with allegedly trafficking cocaine and possession for the purpose of trafficking cocaine under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, and possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000 contrary to the Criminal Code of Canada.

Starting mid-March most events started being cancelled due to the fast-spreading novel coronavirus. Saskatchewan reported its first presumptive positive case on March 12, with more and more coming in the days to follow. On March 18 the province announced a state of emergency, classes in schools were suspended March 20, and later switched to a virtual format. The same happened to many businesses and organizations. All in-person events were quickly cancelled. Saskatchewan reported its first two deaths from COVID-19 A7 »PANDEMIC

Don’t drink and drive Don’t text and drive Don’t do drugs and drive

E V I R AR VE ALI

You have everything to lose Getting behind the wheel after consuming drugs or alcohol can have dire conse­quences. Here are five things you may lose as a result of this choice.

1. Your licence One potential penalty for driving under the influence is that your licence may get revoked. In some regions, first-time offenders are prohibited from driving for a period ranging from several months to a year.

2. Your money In addition to getting fined for the infraction, you’ll need to pay for a lawyer. You can also expect to spend more on car insurance for many years to come.

Additional expenses may be involved too. Depending on the circumstances, you may have to settle up with a victim or pay into a compensation fund. You may also need to pay for a breath alcohol ignition interlock device.

3. Your clean criminal record If you’re found guilty of driving under the influence, you’ll end up with a criminal record, which could complicate many facets of your life, from landing a job to travelling.

4. Your job If your job requires you to operate a vehicle (for example, if you’re a trucker, delivery person or taxi driver)

you may be forced to leave it.

This may also be the case if your employer demands that you have a clean criminal record.

5. Your life Impaired driving heightens your risk of being in an accident, and if you add poor road conditions to the equation, it could make matters worse. If you get into a car crash, you could be seriously injured or killed, or you could injure or kill your passengers or other road users.

If you plan to consume drugs or alcohol, make sure you have a safe way to get home. Call a taxi, hire an Uber or catch a ride with a friend.

Driving under the influence puts lives at risk The dangers associated with impaired driving are well known. Nevertheless, every holiday season, countless drivers get behind the wheel either exhausted or under the influence of alcohol, medication or illicit drugs, putting the lives of others at risk as well as their own.

Are you planning on hitting the bar at your holiday shindig? There’s nothing wrong with having fun, as long as you don’t get behind the wheel afterward!

Public transportation, taxis, designated

drivers — there are many ways to get home safe and sound without driving your personal vehicle. Other sensible solutions include staying the night or renting a room at a nearby hotel.

Beware!

Like extreme fatigue, alcohol, illegal drugs, and medication affect a person’s cognitive functions and compromise their ability to drive. In addition to clouding one’s judgment, these substances impair a person’s concentration, coordination and reaction time.

Offering occupational health & safety services to SE SK.

Lori Carr, MLA

Drug & Alcohol Testing • Certified Specimen Collector/DNA Collection • Dot Compliance Services • Fitness To Work Testing & RN Medicals • PFT/Spirometry • Respiratory (Maskfit) Testing • Audiometric & Hearing Conservation

Estevan Constituency Office

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Don’t Drink & Drive But If You Choose To.......

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SHELTER #200 Hwy. 18 West, Estevan, SK

306-634-7255

306.634.5555 | WWW.SKYLIFTSERVICES.COM PLEASE DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE

DR. ROBERT KITCHEN MP 1-866-249-4697

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IT TAKES MORE THAN A SIGN!

Josh LeBlanc

REALTOR® (PART-TIME)

306-421-6778

Wednesday, December 30, 2020

A7

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Pandemic hit hard in March; public responded well Warm Welcome Kitchen adapted its program to keep serving the community.

Instead of having sit-down suppers twice a week, it had a service in which people could drive up, pick up a prepared meal, take it home and cook it. The kitchen also extended its season to the end of June.

Estevan's Larissa Smeltzer was one of five Social Work Champions from across the province being recognized in honour of Saskatchewan's Social Work Week from March 16-22.

Even though there was still some snow on the ground, Estevan Fire Rescue Service members were already called to the first wildland fire. It occurred on Mach 20 south of Hitchcock and was a result of burning particles flying out of a burn barrel. Firefighters were able to quickly bring it under control.

EPS has arrested two people, Bernadette Gunn, a 50-year-old woman from Fleming, and Carl Larochelle, a 48-year-old man from Regina, in connection with a drug bust.

St. Mary's School Grade 8 students and staff came up with a heart-warming community project. They made and sent out cards and letters for healthcare workers and seniors in the community.

Two houses in Lampman were severely damaged by a fire on March 24, as the fire spread from one house

« A6 on March 28.

The City of Estevan announced the closure of the Estevan Leisure Centre and other non-essential services and facilities due to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic on March 16.

The 61st Carnduff and District Music and Arts Festival was one of the events that went almost as scheduled right before the changes began. And while the highlights concert and the awards night were cancelled at the last minute, young artists had a full week to demonstrate their talents.

In mid-March, Trinity Tower residents along with hundreds of other Estevanites, started putting hearts and positive messages on their windows in support of the community's essential workers.

City council tabled a report on requests for proposals for a third arena. A total of 15 submissions came in for the arena, which parks and facilities manager Rod March said gave council a very good breadth of information to consider, but all further decisions were left up to the new council.

Council also approved two bylaws on March 16. The first was the taxi bylaw, which regulates taxi cabs in the community. The other bylaw was a fees for services document, which establishes the rates for a variety of services in the community.

to another. There were no injuries, and the two individual occupants, one from each house, were able to get out in time.

The ECS announced its new principal for the 202021 school year at the end of March. Nathan Johnson, who was the vice-principal at the time, was hired for the job.

He replaced Pat Jeannot, who was retiring at the end of the 2019-20 school year.

The City of Estevan announced it had hired Rick Sadick as the new coal transition community coordinator.

W hile ever yone was required to stay six feet away from each other, the Town of Oxbow came up with a suggestion to safely shake things up a bit in an oldfashioned way. The town invited the community to come for cruise night on March 27, which turned out really well.

Starr Mercer Photography in Oxbow and Lacie Paige Photography in Estevan were part of the Front Steps Project that captured local families in a simple but natural setting. They booked appointments for people to stand on the front step of their home and captured family pictures.

April: People of different ages and different walks of life gathered by St. Joseph's Hospital one night in early April.

Over a dozen vehicles put

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their hazard lights on and started slowly circulating around the parking lot, led

by EPS vehicles. This flashmob was organized by a community member to thank the health care workers for everything they do during these times.

The South East Cornerstone Public School Division (SECPSD) and the Holy Family Roman Catholic Separate School Division (HFRCSSD) had to retool their educational plans due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

After a pause, both school divisions started partially delivering the supplemental learning in online and offline formats, which continued until the end of the school year.

The United Way Estevan initiated the Days of Caring – a letter-writing campaign aimed to support seniors in the community. Letters were sent to the Estevan Regional Nursing Home, St. Joseph's Hospital's long-term care, Creighton Lodge and Hill-

Hundreds of hearts could be seen on houses and businesses all across Estevan this spring. view Manor.

The EPS came with a new community engagement initiative to help kids whose birthdays take place during the COVID-19 pandemic.

They would go to the house of the birthday boy or girl, and drive by while honking their horns, and with their sirens and lights activated.

Other emergency services joined the initiative and

brought a lot of happiness to Estevan's kids throughout the lockdown months. The initiative was also offered for seniors celebrating a milestone birthday.

The disciplinary council of the Saskatchewan College of Physicians and Surgeons suspended local physician Dr. Mehdi Horri of the Estevan Medical Group for A8 » PEOPLE

DOING BUSINESS IN ESTEVAN

2020 Economic Development Year in Review 2020 had a lot of challenges for individuals, organizations and businesses alike.

As such, it was more important than ever for the board of Estevan Economic Development to continue their work to support the local economy. Despite the challenges 2020 brought forth, there were a number of positives for the Energy City. From the work to make Estevan a rural tech hub, to being recognized as an innovative community by ICF, and the announcements of new business opportunities in the city, there was a lot to be thankful for in 2020.

One of the most exciting accomplishments, was the official opening of Estevan’s business incubator, Southeast Business Startup. Southeast Business Startup is the result of over a year of hard work, planning and execution. Since opening in June 22, 2020, Southeast Business Startup has provided support to local entrepreneurs by providing a co-working space, grant writing support, business incubator, and resource center. The reception to Southeast Business Startup has been good so far, and the future is destined to hold great things for this program.

Another big announcement that came from Estevan Economic Development was the announcement of a potential poly generation facility. If proven feasible, this project could provide a number of jobs to the local economy. The facility would use the existing resources in the area including coal, potash, and inert gases to create a number of products from fertilizer to hydrogen syngas, battery materials and much more. This exciting partnership is a collaboration with Buffalo Potash Corp, Government of Saskatchewan, Ocean Man First Nation, and the City of Estevan. Currently the team working on this project is working on the proof of concept to determine what the next steps will be to develop this facility.

The most recent announcement from Estevan Economic Development, has been the hiring of Doug Griffiths and his team from 13 Ways Inc. 13 Ways conducts a detailed study of the community to determine a roadmap for how to improve our city, and attain long-term success for the economy and our residents. Doug made his first trip to Estevan in mid-November and will be making several other visits in the coming months to continue their analysis. Other cities and towns that have worked with Doug and his team have had great success with the 13 Ways program and we are excited to see all that this can do for the City of Estevan.

So, when you look back on 2020 it was a year of highs and lows. It was a year of hardship, it was a year of change, it was a year of uncertainty. Through all of this, the community as it always does, was able to band together to support one another. By supporting our local economy, we have supported the businesses that provide valuable services, employment opportunities, and community support. In the end we will come out on top, with a stronger economy and stronger community!

Here’s to 2021 and everything it has to offer to our city!

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People showed their generosity during the pandemic « A7 four months starting April 4 for unprofessional conduct.

The city hired its business resource centre manager, Jeff Taylor, whose duties include operating Estevan's new business incubator. The incubator has also found its home, occupying part of the Spectra Financial

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The Oxbow Arts and Cultural Committee has been offering open mic sessions for more than a year, giving talented musicians in the southeast a chance to showcase their talents.

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The COVID-19 pandemic has put a stop to those nights for the time being, so instead, the committee took to Facebook in early April to offer what was billed as an Evening of Music.

Southeast College staff members identified a number of personal protective equipment (PPE) items that are part of the practical nursing and continuing care assistant programs at their Weyburn campus. And arrangements were made to transport the PPE materials into Regina to the drop-off location.

A house fire on April 8 down at the West Valley Village left residents homeless, but brought the community together, with many people supporting the family that experienced the emergency.

The sound of bagpipe music echoed through central Estevan for a few minutes on Easter Sunday, as Angela Clements and a few other local bagpipers performed Amazing Grace in front of the Royal Canadian Legion's Estevan branch.

Residents of the Valley View Heritage building in south-central Estevan paid

tribute to local first responders on April 9. The majority of the residents in the senior citizens' facility gathered on the walkway in front of the building to clang pots and pans while local law enforcement personnel drove by in their police vehicles.

For Bienfait artist and photographer Deanna Brown, self-isolation brought some inspiration and motivated her to try new techniques, which led to a new series of art.

The pandemic also opened new perspectives for local folk trio Hook & Nail. The three of them couldn't meet to rehearse and instead focused on separate projects. Lindsay Arnold and Mike Davis, who are a family, were spending more time on music for Last Birds, and Jeff Michel dedicated more time to his solo creations.

Deep Earth Energy Production Corp. (DEEP) announced mid-April that the 2019-20 winter drilling and testing program were completed. DEEP drilled four new wells to further define the geothermal field reservoir parameters and test 3D seismic and airborne geophysical data.

The EPS arrested two people on alleged drugs and weapons charges on April 18.

Members conducted a traffic stop on Highway 39 on the west side of the city and a significant amount of contraband methamphetamines and cash along with other suspicious items were located inside the vehicle.

Estevan received a significant historical monument back on April 22. A group of United

Mine Workers of America (UMWA) Local 7606 members gathered by the courthouse in the morning to ensure that the renovated coal car could be installed without an issue.

The top two sources for news and information in southeast Saskatchewan came together. Starting on April 22, the Estevan Mercury and Southeast Lifestyles merged into one paper that covers the southeast corner of the province.

A new physician arrived in Estevan in April. Dr. Germin Attia commenced her practice in the Energy City. Attia is based out of the Primacy Medical Clinic.

Fast Trucking Service found a way to support the employees that they had to lay off during these challenging times.

The long-time Carnduff-based trucking company purchased $50,000 in grocery gift cards and provided those to laid-off employees to help throughout the first couple of weeks.

A workplace incident in Estevan left one person dead.

Emergency services from Estevan responded to an incident at Regens Metals on April 26.

Roger Huber, 74, died due to injuries sustained in the incident. A few days later, a touching tribute to Huber occurred outside the city, as friends and family gathered to watch from their vehicles as the Roger 1 service rig was fired up and raised.

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Adele Belanger was among the Valley View Heritage residents who eagerly offered a tribute to the EPS in April tion, the EPS has announced charges against four adults, all from Estevan. Two men and two women have been charged for alleged drug trafficking offences.

Saskatchewan started slowly re-opening in early May, which allowed many organizations across the province to get going. The Re-open Saskatchewan Plan started May 5, with professional services companies among those allowed to begin serving clients.

The staff of Pleasantdale School came up with a safe way to greet most of their kids and also to show them how much they mean to them.

On May 5 a colourful fleet of decorated staff vehicles went around the neighbourhood.

The Estevan Exhibition Association's board of directors announced on May 5 the cancellation of the 2020 Energy City Ex, which would have been the first year with the fair and rodeo on the same weekend.

Robert Godfrey was doing his part to keep people entertained during the days of COVID-19. He came up with the idea for Kuarantine Karaoke, which attracted a lot of attention for his Facebook video posts.

The EPS ran a successful virtual torch run, raising $5,000 for Special Olympics athletes. The fundraiser culminated with Chief Paul Ladouceur and Fire Chief Dale Feser spending several hours in one of the EPS' prison cells and asking the community to bail them out by donating to a great cause.

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Tributes were held in the city in the spring « A8 Estevan pulled out a cruise night on May 9, with many people bringing their vehicles of all makes and models to circle around the Energy City.

The expansion of the EPS building started moving forward as Estevan city council approved a $2,159,000 tender from Quorex Construction May 11, following a recommendation from the Estevan board of police commissioners.

Construction of the building is ongoing, and is expected to be finished early next year. The city used $1.6 million from the Municipal Economic Enhancement Program for the project.

In mid-May friends of Iris Curriel, who passed away to cancer in January, installed a bench at Woodlawn Regional Park trails, where they all used to run together, in her memory.

The southeast region was well represented during the Saskatchewan Country Music Association (SCMA) Awards on May 16.

Former Estevan resident Chris Henderson won the award for the Top Male Artist of the Year. Micah Walbaum of Forget was announced as the winner of the SCMA's Youth Development Bursary. The Happy Nun Café in Forget was selected as the top music venue.

The Prairie Dog Drive-In Theatre in Carlyle has stood the test of time, becoming one of only a few drive-in movie theatres remaining in Saskatchewan. In mid-May it opened and celebrated its 40th anniversary.

Sacred Heart School/École Sacré Coeur and St. Mary's School went above and beyond to help their students and families to have a joyful and exciting Catholic Education week. Besides numerous virtual activities held throughout the week, school staff drove around Estevan, passing by their students' homes and greeting families on May 21 – World Catholic Education Day. Mayor Roy Ludwig and Estevan city council unveiled the new name of the renovated Centennial Park on May 22. The greenspace, located at the corner of Smith

Street and Souris Avenue North, was officially called Dennis Moore Centennial Park. It proved to be popular with its spray park and various play structures.

SECPSD announced some staff shifts for Estevan's two schools. Cheri Haberstock was made the principal of Spruce Ridge School. She moved into the job at the start of September, replacing Doug Stallard, who was retiring after four years in the role, and 38 years as an educator and administrator in southeast Saskatchewan.

The Envision Counselling and Support Centre announced a new program named Bridging the Distance, which reaches out to seniors in the southeast region.

Estevan Farmer’s Market sales started up for another year on May 23, a week later than normal.

Markets occurred in the Estevan Shoppers’ Mall’s parking lot.

Acute care and emergency room admissions were temporarily suspended at the Galloway Health Centre in Oxbow, as well as the Arcola Health Centre, due to a decision of the Ministry of Health. The move took effect on May 21. The services reopened a few weeks later.

The organizers of the Rafferty Rumble announced that they had cancelled the event, which was slated to happen from July 24-26.

The Rumble was resurrected in 2019, and proved to be a big success.

The Estevan Kinsmen and Kinette Clubs, along with clubs from across the country, had a virtual Walk for CF on May 31.

June: Regional parks in southeast Saskatchewan started camping season with a number of restrictions in place on June 1. Most restrictions were later eased.

As the province continued with its Re-Open Saskatchewan Plan, the City of Estevan started carefully re-opening its public facilities, including the Leisure Centre, City Hall and others.

Tyler Miiller, who lives in Estevan, spotted a black bear about 10 kilometres west of Highway 47,

just north of the 705 grid road, on June 1.

Estevan resident Katie Bell returned home after working on the COVID front lines at a busy Boston hospital. She reflected on the challenges of working at the hospital during a surge of COVID cases in the northeast, but also some of the good things that occurred.

L ampman nurse Cassidy Siebert also shared her experience working during the COVID-19 outbreak in La Loche.

Estevan area residents rallied against racism and police brutality on June 7 during a peaceful Black Lives Matter protest on Fourth Street. An estimated crowd of 150-200 people gathered in central Estevan for the event.

A successful Alameda Regional 4-H Sale was held as an online-only auction on June 13.

Pleasantdale School's annual art show was held in June. This year it was conducted virtually and turned out very well, attracting about 200 viewers.

Work began on Highway 47 South from Perkins Street to the U.S. border. The project was completed before the end of the summer.

Some current and former residents of Macoun took action to counteract vandalism that had occurred in the village's cemetery.

Twenty-two people gathered to clean up the damage, which happened in separate incidents in May. Music lovers enjoyed a Saskatchewan first in Lampman on June 13. A drive-in concert featured Saskatchewan country music singer Justin LaBrash and his band True North. Over 200 people safely enjoyed the event.

A veteran member of the EPS, Const. Jay Pierson, diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), won an appeal at the Saskatchewan Queen’s Court Bench to receive benefits.

The council of the RM of Estevan approved a 17 per cent reduction (from 1.00 to 0.83) in its mill rate factor, applicable to all commercial properties within the

RM for 2020.

Both the Oxbow Chase the Ace weekly pot and the final jackpot were won by Oxbow residents.

The winner claimed over $23,000 on June 17, and the board was able to raise about $40,000 since September 2019.

The Hearts and Hands Quilt Guild of Estevan found a way to a quilt show on June 20. More than 100 quilts were on display along Heritage Drive for what they called a Stroll Along Quilt Show.

The St. Joseph's Hospital Foundation announced a letterwriting campaign, We Care for Long-Term Care, to support the 38 people who reside in the hospital's long-term care ward.

The Carnduff Education Complex turned to digital avenues to salute its graduating class of 2020.

The grad celebration was delivered through a video, which they put on a thumb drive and presented to students through the mail.

The Oxbow Prairie Horizons School also has found ways to pay tribute to its graduates and had banners created for all of 35 graduates in the community, with individual grad photos of the kids.

The Hillcrest School breakfast program said farewell to Pat Steinke, a person who was behind the program, alongside others, for nearly 10 years.

July: Canada Day celebrations across the country had a different look this year, but many communities in the southeast and throughout Canada were still able to have something to mark this country's 153rd birthday.

The City of Estevan set off fireworks at the Estevan Exhibition Grounds on July 1. The start of the fireworks show was delayed by a thunderstorm just before dusk, but many people still enjoyed the show from their homes, or from vehicles parked at the exhibition grounds.

An Estevan team joined the Big Canada Run, which is a virtual team run across the country covering 8,000 kilometres. They

accomplished the group challenge, covering the distance representing a route from St. John's, N.L., to Victoria, B.C., on Oct. 11.

Estevan's Orpheum Theatre became one of the three businesses in Saskatchewan and one of 62 from across Canada to receive a grant from the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and Salesforce.

The residents of the Bow Valley Villa in Oxbow have been working together for quite a few months to help the less fortunate.

And by July, they completed several handmade, durable, soft and waterresistant mats for homeless people.

While many local organizations opted for virtual camps over the summer, the Estevan Bible Camp had activities at their site in Woodlawn Regional Park in the form of day camps.

Saskatchewan’s oil drilling stopped completely in mid-July, and oil production was down 28.2 per cent.

A new physician arrived in Estevan in early July. Dr. Rania Eldin established her practice in the Primary Medical Clinic.

The EAGM had Belinda Harrow, Monique Martin, Zoe Schneider and Regan Lanning come together to have their art at Woodlawn Regional Park in an outdoor art installation named Inside Out. The exhibit opened on July 20.

An Estevan woman gained attention for an effort to pay tribute to Canada’s veterans. Marlys Collins posed in front of the Estevan Soldiers’ Tree monument for the Canadian Remembrance Torch initiative, a virtual project that encouraged people across the country to pose in an area meaningful to them while holding a torch, real or otherwise, in honour of the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in 2020.

Residents of Lampman and the surrounding area came together July 25 to provide a unique celebration for Lampman School’s graduating class. The town held a graduation parade for the 13 students who comprised the Class of 2020.

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Fall brought a return to school for kids 15 at the Estevan branch of the Royal Canadian Legion. The solemn ceremony was attended by several special guests.

A small crowd gathered in front of a newly built house on Sillers Street in Estevan Aug. 17 to officially celebrate the completion of the Habitat for Humanity Estevan-Regina chapter’s second house.

The Estevan Public Library greeted its new branch manager. Jason Radshaw came to the Energy City from the Niagara region in Ontario in early August.

The Kenosee Superslides were August: Marie Calder’s quest to find closed by the Saskatchewan Health family members from all 21 people Authority on Aug. 21. The health who died in a plane crash south of authority said the slides were unsafe to Estevan nearly 75 years ago came to use. The slides were allowed to reopen an end with all of them being located on Aug. 25.

Arcola resident Emily Ellis’ short

by August. Calder is working on a book, Together Forever in the Clouds. film Lemon made it into the EdinA tornado that was observed burgh Short Film Festival.

The Estevan Bible Camp’s Corn west of Estevan on Aug. 4, captured lots of attention from storm chasers Cob Junction made its return in late and those who are fascinated by severe August, attracting many residents. weather and was given a preliminary It opened several weeks earlier than normal. rating of EF0.

A new physician arrived in EsSeptember tevan to work at St. Joseph’s Hospital.

Fire crews were called out to a Dr. Daniel Garcia started his practice in early August with the South East combine and a subsequent field fire occurring southwest of the city in Medical Group.

Estevan city council approved the Outram area on Sept. 1. There a bylaw on Aug. 10 to allow mail-in were no injuries, but combine was a total loss. ballots for the 2020 civic election.

Estevan kids went back to A controlled burn went out of control in one of the industrial yards. school on Sept 8. While there were Thick black smoke spreading over Es- COVID-related measures in place, tevan on Aug. 14 could be seen from students were excited to get back to miles away. Fire crews dispatched to in-person education.

Speeches, a march, signs and the location successfully extinguished the fire with the assistance of the supportive applause were all part of a Peaceful Freedom Rally held employees.

The South Saskatchewan Regi- in Estevan on Sept. 12 at Torgeson ment colours were re-dedicated Aug. Park. About 120 people gathered « A8 Estevan area residents gathered in front of the Estevan Court House July 30 to send a message that more needs to be done to stop child exploitation and abuse. The Energy City was one of many communities to host a Save the Children demonstration with about 30 people participating.

SARCAN set a record in July.

The local depot recycled 1,314,488 empty cans, bottles and milk jugs, which might be the busiest month SARCAN has ever had in Estevan.

for the demonstration. Southeast College received significant funding for its newest heavy equipment operator program. The provincial transitioning funding committee for economic development directed $100,000 towards the program, set to start in April or May 2021. The announcement was made at the college Sept. 10.

The Orpheum Theatre in Estevan opened again on Sept. 11, after being closed since early in the pandemic. The theatre was limited with the number of people who could attend, and with delays to films due to the pandemic.

The Prairie Winds Motorcycle Club hosted their 22nd annual Ronald McDonald House Motorcycle Ride Sept. 13, with about 130 participants riding to Stoughton and raising approximately $7,500 for the Ronald McDonald House in Saskatoon.

Beloved chainsaw sculpture artist Darren Jones was back in the Energy City in September and October, bringing more art into the community. He worked on a new monument attracting attention to contemporary soldiers and also created a number of art pieces for different community members.

The southeast finally started seeing an increase in drilling activity. Saskatchewan’s active drilling rig count spent the third week of September hovering around 10 working rigs working, according to Rig Locator.

The federal government announced an additional $5.8 million in funding through the Canada Coal Transition Initiative (CCTI) for Estevan and other communities affected by the transition away

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The village of Macoun paid tribute to a man who was a big part of the community for many years during the Denis Kuntz Memorial Day on Sept. 26. A parade, a softball tournament, a 50-50 draw, a raffle and other attractions were part of the day. Kuntz died in 2019.

October: The Estevan RCMP and the EPS were investigating vandalism incidents that occurred in and around the city in late September and early October. Several spots at the Chow Field football practice facility along with other sites and road signs were damaged by vandals.

The Estevan Public Library opened its doors to the public on

Oct. 1 after a long, but productive break. The library completed renovations and developed new COVIDconscious protocols.

Pro-Life Estevan and Area participated in a life chain in front of the Estevan Court House on Oct. 4. About 20 people carried signs expressing their opposition to abortion and promoting the value of adoption.

An Estevan teacher was recognized on the federal level for her professionalism. Christa Walton of Sacred Heart School/École Sacré Coeur was awarded a Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence (Certificate of Achievement) on Oct. 5.

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The local sports scene wasn’t COVID-proof in 2020, but there were still many highlights The sports scene in southeast Saskatchewan started like any other in 2020, with plenty happening in the first two months. Then COVID-19 hit, scuttling many events and changing others. Still, there were plenty of highlights this year. Here’s a look back at the many happenings.

January: -The Estevan Bruins returned to the ice after the Christmas break by winning their first five games. It would be one of three five-game winning streaks that the Bruins would have in the post-Christmas portion of the schedule.

-The Estevan novice Canucks were the class of the Weyburn Novice Super Tournament Jan. 4 and 5. Estevan went 4-0 in the tournament, and outscored their opponents 42-8.

-The Estevan Curling Club announced on Jan. 3 that it would host the 2021 CurlSask Viterra Scotties Tournament of Hearts provincial women’s curling competition and the SaskTel Tankard men’s provincial tournament at Affinity Place. The events were to happen back-to-back from Jan. 29-Feb. 7, and bring 12 women’s and 12 men’s teams to Estevan.

It was announced on Dec. 2 that the events would not be happening in Estevan due to the restrictions associated with COVID-19.

-The Estevan Minor Hockey Association’s (EMHA) annual atom tournament attracted 12 teams to the Estevan area from Jan. 10-12. The Estevan Kings won the A event consolation final with a 3-2 victory over the Assiniboia Rebels.

The other two Estevan teams played in the C event final, with the Estevan Predators blanking the Estevan Leafs 3-0.

-Former Estevan resident Dawn Bird (née Hirsch) was part of the Peace Country Canadians entry that won women’s hockey gold at the 2020 Winter World Masters Games in Austria on Jan. 12. Bird, who now resides in Fort St. John, B.C., joined a team of athletes from the Peace River region in northeast B.C. and northwest Alberta. Peace Country defeated Austria’s EC Icemice Telfs – Tiroler Madln 5-2 in the gold medal game. Bird started playing hockey when she was living in the Estevan area.

-The Estevan midget A Bruins opened their 2020 season by winning a tournament in Grand Forks, N.D. Estevan went 3-0-1 in the tournament, and defeated Watford City 4-3 in the final.

-The Estevan Sharks water polo program hosted a threedivision tournament at the RM of Estevan Aquatic Centre on Jan. 19.Teams from Regina and Weyburn came to compete with Estevan in the atom girls, atom

boys and mini age divisions, and games were held throughout the day.

-The Estevan Eclipse Downhole Solutions U18 AAA Bears announced on Jan. 21 that they had turned to a familiar face in the community to be their first head coach and general manager. Jeff Smith, who had been an associate coach with the Estevan Bruins since January 2018, was hired for the job. He officially joined the Bears once the Bruins season was over. Smith won a Memorial Cup with the Red Deer Rebels, and played professional hockey in North America and Europe.

-Midale’s Keely Shaw finished fourth in the individual pursuit at the Para-Cycling Track World Championships in Milton, Ont., in late January.

She qualified in third spot and raced for a bronze medal. Shaw missed competing for the gold medal by seventh-tenths of a second. Shaw broke her Canadian record by 3 1/2 seconds while in Milton. She would later win the SaskSport Female Athlete of the Year Award. Shaw hopes to represent Canada at the upcoming Paralympic Summer Games in Tokyo.

-Fifteen members of the Estevan Mermaids synchronized swim club competed at the Sandra Roberts national stream provincial championship at the Lawson Aquatic Centre in Regina on Nov. 25 and 26.

-The Rae Ann Williamson rink came up just one win short of the playoffs at the Viterra Scotties Tournament of Hearts provincial women’s curling championship in Melville on Jan. 22-26. The Williamson rink, which also boasted third Alexandra Meyer, second Chantel Martin, lead Amanda Kuzyk and coach Darcey Huyghebaert, had a 3-3 record at the tournament, and defeated some of the top teams in the province. Shalon Fleming’s entry, which also featured third Candace Newkirk, second

The McLeod Series between the Estevan Comprehensive School Elecs and the Weyburn Comprehensive School Eagles was held in February.

Sherrilee Orsted, lead Jasmine Kerr and coach Bob Doerr, went 1-3.

-Oxbow’s Chaelynn Kitz’s was the lead on the Sherry Anderson rink that reached the final at the Scotties, and she won the Marj Mitchell Sportsmanship Award at the tournament.

Mitchell hailed from the Glen Ewen area, and in 1980, skipped the first Canadian entry to win gold at the women’s world curling championships.

-The Redvers Rockets clinched first place in the Big Six Hockey League’s regular season standings and finished the season with a 17-1 record.

The Rockets won 16 straight games, with most wins coming in convincing fashion. Carnduff was second at 14-2-2.

-Chase Gedak, a forward with the Estevan Apex U18 AA Bruins, was praising the care he received after he suffered a severe cut from a skate blade

during a home game on Jan. 25 against the Swift Current Broncos. Gedak suffered a wrist injury that included some cut tendons. The injury required about three hours of surgery in Regina. He thanked the quick response of team trainer Richard Winton and Bruins trainer Dylan Lafrentz and the staff at St. Joseph’s Hospital and the hospital in Regina.

-The Estevan Motor Speedway announced on Jan. 30 it would host a weekend doubleheader July 11 and 12 to open the Dakota Classic Modified Tour. The speedway has hosted double-headers for the tour in the past, but not on a weekend. Also, it was to be the first time the tour has opened with back-to-back races at the same track on a weekend. The speedway called it the biggest event in their history, but it was later cancelled due to COVID.

February: -The Estevan Minor Hockey Association hosted its annual peewee house tournament from Jan. 31-Feb. 2.

Sixteen teams from all across the southern Saskatchewan entered. The Estevan PTW Panthers won the B final over the Prairie Storm Lightning, while the Estevan McGillicky Thunder won the B-side bronze medal game over the Estevan Tower Wolves.

-The Estevan novice

Golden Knights hockey team won the Midale Mustangs tournament in early February. Estevan went 5-0 during the tournament, defeating the Weyburn Coyotes 9-5 in the final.

-The Estevan Comprehensive School (ECS) Elecs junior boys basketball team had one of their strongest showings of the season during their annual home tournament Feb. 7 and 8. The Elecs went A12 »SPORT

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Sport seasons came to sudden end in March « A11 2-1 on the weekend, defeating the Fillmore Falcons and the Moose Jaw Peacock Toilers, but losing to the Moose Jaw Vanier Vikings.

Outram’s Marci LeBlanc found a great way to put the exclamation mark on her scoring title in the Saskatchewan Female Hockey League’s midget AA division.

LeBlanc had a hat trick in the South East Aaron Well Servicing midget AA Goldwings 5-2 victory over the Northeast Aces at the Harry O Memorial Arena in Midale.

LeBlanc, who was in her final season of minor hockey, finished with 40 points, and led the league in goals with 22.

-The Estevan Comprehensive School Elecs cheer team remained the Best of the West, as they took top spot in the intermediate Grade 9-12 scholastic division, and they also earned the overall highest mark in the scholastic division for a cheer and dance competition Feb. 8 in Regina. It was the fourth straight year ECS has won their division at Best of the West. The Elecs finished with a score of 90.20 points, 2.5 more than Regina’s Thom Collegiate Trojans.

-The Estevan Comprehensive School (ECS) Elecs senior boys and girls basketball teams came up just short in the annual McLeod Series games with the Weyburn Comprehensive School Eagles. Each team won twice in the series, so

it came down to point different, which Weyburn won 314-312.

The Elecs senior girls won both of their games with Weyburn, but the senior boys dropped both games.

-The Estevan Bruins clinched a playoff spot with a 5-4 overtime victory over the Flin Flon Bombers on Feb. 21. Estevan led the game 4-1 in the third period, but Flin Flon rallied to tie the game.

Isaiah Thomas scored midway through the overtime period to lift the Bruins to victory.

-Two members of the Estevan Bruins were announced as finalists for the SJHL awards.

Devan Harrison was named as the Viterra Division’s nominee for the SJHL’s best defenceman, and forward Griffin AshamMoroz is the division’s finalist for the top rookie.

-Numerous local youth football players were part of the Sask. Selects football program that travelled to San Antonio, Texas, for the annual Pigskin Classic football tournament in February, and one local player was part of a team that won it all.

Running back Cooper Pukas was on the 10-and-under (10U) team that took top spot for the second consecutive year.

Two other teams with local content played in tournament finals, and three players from the Estevan Comprehensive School Elecs were part of the Selects varsity team.

-The Estevan Bruins re-

vamped their biggest fundraiser of the year into a medieval feast, and it proved to be a hit. The event attracted about 350 people, who enjoyed a large meal, auctions and entertainment from comedy duo Don’t Mind Us. Traditionally the Bruins held a Sportsman’s Dinner for a fundraiser.

-The Estevan Comprehensive School Elecs mixed curling team went 1-2 at regionals in Whitewood. Estevan defeated Balgonie’s Greenal High School, but they lost to Regina’s LeBoldus High School and O’Neill High School.

-The Estevan Comprehensive School (ECS) Elecs senior girls basketball team claimed bronze in 10th Victor Elias Memorial Shoot for a Cure Invitational basketball tournament that was held at the school’s gymnasium Feb. 28-29. Not only was it a chance for the Elecs to showcase their abilities, but the tournament is a fundraiser for the fight against cancer. Prior to the opening game between ECS and the Lumsden Angels, the previous years’ tournaments beneficiaries or their relatives were invited to come out to participate. All proceeds from the tournament were directed to Bill Mann and his cancer fight. The Elecs defeated Weyburn 74-67 in the bronze medal game.

March: -Members of the Estevan Mermaids artistic swimming club travelled to Saskatoon on

Feb. 29 and March 1 for the Diane Lemon Invitational Figure and Routine Meet. Fourteen local athletes attended.

-Two youth members with Estevan Bowl came home with provincial championships at the Youth Bowling Council’s (YBC) 10-pin provincial championship at Eastview Bowl in Saskatoon on March 1. Danyck Belanger took top spot in the junior boys singles event and Mariah Pho finished first in the senior girls singles competition.

-Estevan’s Wyatt Haux was part of the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology Trojans team that won the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference basketball championship in early March. Haux, who plays centre and shooting guard on the team, has been a part of the last two championships.

Nationals were cancelled due to COVID-19.

-Sanctions imposed by the Saskatchewan Teachers Federation resulted in the cancellation of one of the top youth sporting events in the province – the Hoopla provincial high school basketball tournament.

The announcement was made March 11.

-The COVID-19 pandemic brought a sudden end to the local winter sports season on March 12. The Estevan Bruins were in the midst of their SJHL quarter-final series with the Melfort Mustangs; Melfort was up 3-1 in the best-of-seven battle. The Bruins were en route to Melfort on March 12 for

What a year 2020 has been.

Wishing you good health, good fortune and good times ahead!

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As we look back on another year, we would like to thank our loyal customers and friends.

Happy New Year!

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We have seen some difficult times, but we have also seen a tremendous amount of community spirit, strength, and support for the most vulnerable in our province.

The Cheap Seats podcast was launched during the pandemic, and entertained local fans.

Game 5 when they found out the game had been postponed; the following day, Hockey Canada cancelled all hockey league seasons.

The Big Six Hockey League was also called off, with Redvers and Carnduff ready to play in the final.

The Estevan Curling Club was hosting the master men’s and women’s curling provincials. Teams were on the ice for the third draw of the event when they learned the event had been shelved. It was cancelled the following day.

The Estevan Strippers were forced to cancel their annual Molson Spring Bust tournament slated for early April.

The tournament is the largest recreation hockey tournament in the province, and boasts 40 teams. Cabarets served as big fundraisers for a number of community projects.

-The Estevan Sharks water polo club wrapped up their season with their first-ever awards night March 13 at the Beefeater Plaza. The Sharks, who have teams in several different age groups, handed out awards in a variety of categories.

Happy New Year!

Thank you to all of our friends and customers!

Wishing everyone a peaceful and blessed 2021!

As I work with my colleagues in the legislature, I am committed to being your voice for Southeast Saskatchewan moving forward.

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The awards were handed out after provincials were cancelled due to concerns over the COVID-19 virus. The awards night was scheduled before provincials were called off.

-Just days after their season ended, the Bruins handed out their year-end awards.

Alameda’s Jayden Davis was the big winner, as he took home five awards, including the regular season MVP and the top scorer honours, while goaltender Keenan Rancier was selected as the playoff MVP. Davis would later commit to play hockey for the University of Regina Cougars.

-Estevan Bruins secondyear defenceman Kade McMillen, who hails from Carievale, was named the winner of the RBC Community Ambassador Award for the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL).

He earned $1,000 to donate to the South East Cornerstone Public School Division. He has been heavily involved in the community throughout his time with the Bruins.

-A talented softball player from Estevan committed to A13»ACTIVITY

www.estevanmercury.ca

December 30, 2020 A13

Activity picked up again in the summer « A12 play for the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) Trojans. Taylor Haux, who largely plays third base and catcher, will play for the Trojans while studying nursing at Mount Royal University in Calgary. They play against programs in Alberta, as well as the University of Regina and the University of Saskatchewan.

Sarah Dacuycuy, who played basketball at the Estevan Comprehensive School, committed to play at Lakeland College at Lloydminster in September. Dacuycuy was sold on the school after going to Lloydminster, touring the school and playing side by side with the school’s Rustlers program.

April: -A former captain of the Estevan Bruins won a prestigious award in the U.S. Defenceman Nolan Nicholas, who played four seasons with the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) Seawolves, was selected as the 2019-20 Senior CLASS Award winner for NCAA Division 1 men’s hockey. The award, chosen by a nationwide vote of Division 1 men’s hockey coaches, national hockey media and fans, is given annually to an outstanding senior studentathlete.

-The Estevan Bruins announced on April 15 that they had relieved Chris Lewgood of his duties as the team’s head coach and general manager.

Lewgood, who had held the role since the spring of 2013, enjoyed considerable success at the helm of the team, guiding them to the league final in 2018 and the semifinals in 2017 and 2019.

But the club felt it was time to

move in a different direction amid concern with the team’s finances.

-The provincial government announced details of its Reopen Saskatchewan Plan on April 23, and as part of it, golf courses were given the green light to open on May 15. The move was greeted by the TS&M Woodlawn Golf Club and the Hidden Valley Golf and RV Resort, despite the restrictions that would be in place. Some of those restrictions were eased before the season began.

May: -The Estevan Eclipse Downhole Solutions U18 AAA Bears hockey club announced May 1 the first 12 recruits for their inaugural season. Some of those players already had experience at the U18 (formerly known as midget) level, while others were in U15 (bantam) leagues last season. The pandemic prevented the Bears from having a spring camp, but they were still pleased with the talent they brought in.

-The sanctioned summer speed swimming meets in Saskatchewan were cancelled on May 2 following an online meeting. The Estevan Golden Eels Swim Club has been the dominant program in Saskatchewan for most of the decade, winning the last five provincial titles.

-The Estevan Bruins announced on May 6 they had hired Jason Tatarnic as the new head coach and general manager. Tatarnic has compiled a 470172-14-16 record, primarily with the Woodstock Slammers of the Maritime Hockey League and the Chilliwack Chiefs of the

Thanks for being such great customers. We wish you the best!

B.C. Hockey League. With Tatarnic serving as the head coach, the Slammers reached the 2012 national final, back when it was known as the RBC Cup, and they won league titles 2006, 2008, 2010 and 2012. With the Chiefs, they reached the league final in 2016 and 2017, and he assembled the Chiefs team that won the national title in 2018.

-Golf season opened on May 15, just in time for the Victoria Day long weekend.

Courses were busy on the long weekend thanks to the nice weather, and remained busy throughout the year, as golfers were eager to get out and enjoy an activity that was viewed as COVID-friendly.

-Local sports fans and friends Layne Wolos, Dustin Wilson, Marcus Friess and Jeff Pratt launched The Cheap Seats podcast in May, a weekly one-hour show that covers a variety of sports topics with insight, banter and quick wit.

The podcast became popular in the community, picked up a number of sponsors and offered giveaways.

-The Estevan Motor Speedway opened up to drivers May 23 for its annual Test and Tune practice session. The speedway held three different two-hour practices. Each driver was allowed to bring a pit crew member.

June: -The Regina Thunder junior football team announced on June 1 that two students graduating from the Estevan Comprehensive School (ECS) Elecs – wide receiver Nigel Mack and linebacker Brennen Stubel – would be joining their

team for the 2020 season. Also added to the team was veteran Canadian Junior Football League player Troy Leptich, who graduated from ECS in 2018, and played for the Winnipeg Rifles.

-The Estevan Bruins turned to a local product for their first pick in the 2020 Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League Draft on June 5. Forward Carson Birnie of Arcola was chosen in the first round, seventh overall. Birnie spent the 2019-20 season with the Regina Monarchs bantam AA program, where he had 28 goals and 67 points in 29 games. He is currently a member of the U18 Bears.

The Bruins also announced the hiring of Phil Fife as an assistant coach, joining Aren Miller as an assistant coach and Dylan Lafrentz as the team’s trainer.

-Preston Brodziak announced he would join the Long Island University Sharks program in New York, an NCAA Division 1 program.

This season is the first for the Sharks in men’s hockey. The campus is located in Brookville, which is about 40 kilometres east of New York City.

-The Estevan Motor Speedway held its first-ever pay per view-only event, named the Lockdown Showdown, on June 13. The track was closed to the public for the event, and the only way to watch was on a dirt track racing network. Fortyeight drivers from Canada raced in the five different classes.

Shelley Sargent, who is the superintendent of schools for the South East Cornerstone

Make way for 2021! ! r a e Y w e N y p p Ha RM OF

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The Estevan Motor Speedway held race programs during the summer months Public School Division, was selected to receive the Saskatchewan High Schools Athletic Association’s (SHSAA) service award for the South East region. Each year, the SHSAA presents awards at its annual general meeting, and each district selects an award winner to be honoured. Sargent was the southeast recipient.

-The Estevan Youth Soccer Association’s board of directors decided in late June that it would have to cancel its outdoor season. The association said countless hours were spent evaluating many different scenarios, but the board could not find feasible options to run the league this summer while ensuring the protection of all players, coaches, volunteers and fans.

July: -The 2020 Saskota Baseball League season opened in early July. The senior men’s baseball league features teams throughout the southeast region, and while teams were limited in the number of spectators they could accommodate, fans found ways to watch their favourite

teams play.

-James Knibbs, who graduated from the Estevan Comprehensive School (ECS) in June, committed to play for the Simon Fraser University (SFU) Clan, a National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) Division 2 program that plays in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference. Knibbs is the first athlete from Penta Completions Estevan Minor Football and the ECS Elecs football team to sign with an NCAA club.

-Estevan’s Jayden Dudas finished second in the junior men’s event at the Saskatchewan Junior Golf Championships at the Elmwood Golf Club in Swift Current in July.

Competing out of the TS&M Woodlawn Golf Club, Dudas finished with a three-round total of 5-over-par 221, eight strokes behind champion Josh Nagy of Saskatoon. Dudas had the low score of the second round at 71.

The Southeast U18 AAA Twins opened the 2020 season with a pair of losses July 12 to the Regina White Sox at Lynn A14 » GOLF

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Golf and the speedway created excitment « A13 Prime Park. The Twins dropped the first game 17-2 and the second 5-2.

-The Estevan Motor Speedway was able to have fans in attendance for the first time in 2020 for programs on July 18 and 19.

There were 150 spectators in the stands each night, along with some fans who watched from their vehicles behind a fenced-in area. The audience was treated to some pretty entertaining racing each night, as there were nearly 70 racers spread out between the five classes.

August: -The Estevan Motor Speedway gave its fans another doubleheader during the Saskatchewan Day long weekend, with approximately 75 vehicles entered between the six classes each night.

Late models made appearances both nights for what was billed as the Western Canadian Late Model Nationals. Drivers from throughout the Prairie provinces were at the track. Shane Edginton of Winnipeg won the late model division both nights.

-Austin Dobrescu’s return to the TS&M Woodlawn Golf Course was a triumphant one. Dobrescu, a former Estevan resident who moved to Brandon, Man., with his family in 2013, won the men’s event of the Frametech Classic at Woodlawn from Aug. 1-3. He fired a 9-under-par 63 in the opening round, and then held on to win the tournament with a three-round total of 211, finishing two strokes ahead of Estevan’s Jayden Dudas.

Dobrescu also won the Dave

Price Memorial Horse Race that featured the 12 golfers in the classic’s championship flight. Mike Ross won the senior men’s event, while Bernadette wright took the women’s division.

-Jace Carlisle’s final golf event as a junior proved to be a memorable one. Carlisle was the victor at the RE/Max Blue Chip Realty Classic that was held at the TS&M Wood lawn Golf Course Aug. 6 and 7. The event was Estevan’s stop on the Maple Leaf Junior Golf tour. He defeated fellow Estevan golfer Chase Gedak and Saskatoon’s Josh Nagy in a two-hole playoff. All three golfers shot a 2-under-par 142 over two rounds.

-The Estevan Kinette Club Viragos U18 started practising for the upcoming season. The Viragos played under the Penta Completions Estevan Minor Football banner and featured young women in Grades 7-12. The club was coached by Shanelle Rioux, who played minor and high school football in Estevan and has also been part of the Regina Riot women’s tackle football team.

-The Trackside Motocross Association hosted two days of racing on Aug. 15 and 16 at their facility southeast of Estevan. More than 100 riders converged on the track for the competition, with 11 divisions offered. Points were awarded based on finish, with up to 50 points available each day. The races in Estevan marked the fourth and fifth stops for the South Corner Racing Circuit this year.

Other programs were held in

Carlyle, Alameda, Weyburn and Assiniboia.

-The Carlyle Cardinals swept the Estevan Tap House Wolves in two straight games to win the Saskota Baseball League title. Estevan and Carlyle were the top two teams in the league this season. Carlyle took Game 1 of the final 6-1 on Aug. 17 at Lynn Prime Park in Estevan, and then won Game 2 9-6 the following night at Lions Park in Carlyle. The championship was the first for the Cardinals since 2016.

Normally the league holds its championship tournament in a weekend in late July, but that wasn’t possible this year due to COVID restrictions, so it held a multi-week playoff in August.

-The U18 AAA Bears were finally able to watch their top prospects during the club’s inaugural fall camp from Aug. 21-23 at Affinity Place. More than 40 players were divided into three separate teams, and participated in on-ice sessions, fitness testing and other activities.

The camp concluded with an intersquad game.

-The Southeast U18 AAA Twins and the Estevan U18 AA Brewers baseball teams saw their seasons came to an end, but both teams made considerable strides.

The Twins were defeated 7-6 by the Regina White Sox in the South Division semifinal in Regina, while the Brewers lost 7-6 to the Weyburn Beavers in the South Division final. Weyburn was the only team to beat the Brewers this year.

-Five drivers from

southeast Saskatchewan were the track champions for the Estevan Motor Speedway this year. Estevan’s Kody Scholpp (modifieds), Chris Hortness (stock cars) and Ryder Raynard (slingshots), Lampman’s Leevi Runge (sport mods) and Torquay’s Conner Hansen (hobby stocks) were crowned as the champions following the Aug. 29 program. Hansen won the closest division, as the top four drivers in the hobby stock class were separated by 14 points.

-Local tennis players had the opportunity to work on their skills on Aug. 29 and 30 as part of a clinic that was held at the tennis courts at the Estevan Leisure Centre.

Sessions on the first day saw 13 kids between the ages six to 12, six adult beginner players and 14 intermediate adult players work on their skills.

The clinic was a partnership between the Estevan Tennis Club and Tennis Saskatchewan.

September: The Estevan Bruins began an extended training camp on Sept. 9, even though, at the time, they didn’t know when their season would begin. They were skating daily at Affinity Place to get ready.

-The Estevan Oilfield Technical Society (OTS) held a successful Oilmen’s golf event on Sept. 11 at the TS&M Woodlawn Golf Course, but the format was different from previous years.

A total of 179 golfers entered. Normally it would be played over three days in June, with 18-hole and 36-

The Estevan Eclipse Downhole Solutions U18 AAA Bears dedicated their dressing room to the memory of the late Ron Areshenkoff, who was a big part of the community. hole champions crowned, but due to COVID-19, it was just a one-day showdown in September. Rick Hallberg of Weyburn was the winner with a 3-under-par 69.

-Estevan’s Aaron Turnbull captured the prestigious 92-lap John Seitz Memorial Late Model Race on Sept. 12 in Grand Forks, N.D., and pocketed US$9,200 for his efforts. Turnbull became the first driver to win the race in back to back years. About 50 late model drivers were competing. Normally there would be a healthy contingent of Canadian drivers, but due to the closure of the Canada-U.S. border to nonessential traffic, Turnbull was the only racer from Canada.

He was in the U.S. for his business before the race, and self-isolated for two weeks after the win.

-One of the top junior golf events in Estevan each year was held Sept. 13 at the TS&M Woodlawn Golf Course. The 37th drew 38 teams, with entries in several divisions.

-T h e S a s k a t c h e w a n Roughriders recognized an Estevan man as one of their SaskTel Everyday Heroes.

Kevin Sutter was saluted for his efforts to go above and beyond. Sutter has been travelling through Alberta and Saskatchewan during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure that everyone has safe drinking water, and that water and wastewater plants are running. Sutter retired from his job as the manager of the City of Estevan’s water division in 2017, following a lengthy career.

-The Estevan Motor Speedway wrapped up its 2020 season by hosting its annual Enduro race on Sept.

18. 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.

-Wyatt Haux, a graduate of the Estevan Lacrosse Association who plays the transition position on the A15 »SOME

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

A Message From The Mayor On behalf of Council & Staff, may you have a Happy, Prosperous, Healthy New Year.

The City of Estevan, Parks Department invites your company to submit a sealed quote to SUPPLY AND DELIVER OF FLOWERS for our flower beds within the City of Estevan for the spring planting of 2021. The opening of the quote will take place on January 14, 2021 at 1:30 CST to a zoom meeting due to Covid-19 restrictions.

Substitution need to be listed in the final quote. If no specific type or color is indicated please use the best type suited for that location.

Criteria: Delivery Date of Tuesday May 25, 2021 at 9:00 am at the City of Estevan Maintenance Yard.

Unloading of product is the responsibility of the Company.

Flowers to be in Full Bloom by June 15, 2021.

Warranty must include, at the time of arrival the plants must be sturdy, healthy and have flowering buds or have started to bloom.

Any weak plants that die in the first two weeks must be replaced.

In the quote please Include: Price of Flowers.

If the greenhouse doesn’t carry the exact species or type of flower, please indicated the type or species it will replace. So new color or species can be changed in the planting diagrams.

Shipping and Handling. If shipping is not available, please indicate that in your quote price.

Warranty.

Quotes must be submitted in writing to City Hall no later than January 14, 2021 at 1:30 pm CST. Mailing Address: City of Estevan, 1102 4th Street, Estevan, SK, S4A 0W7 - Attn: Shannon Wanner – 2021 Flower Quote For more information and list of flowers please contact: Shannon Wanner,

QUOTE REQUIREMENT

Parks Foreperson, 306-634-1833, Parks.foreman@estevan.ca

Bylaw

Please help keep our sidewalks safe so all citizens can enjoy a safe walk assage

Bylaw 2016-1963 The occupier of property in the City of Estevan shall remove any snow, ice or other obstruction from the public sidewalk adjacent to such property within twenty-four (24) hours of the time such snow, ice or other obstruction appears on such public sidewalk.

RECREATION SCHEDULE EFFECTIVE - DECEMBER 23, 2020 JANUARY 31, 2021 WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 30 LANE SWIM 6:00 AM - 6:45 AM 7:00 AM - 7:45 AM • 8:00 AM - 8:45 AM A.I.S. 9:15 AM - 10:00 AM SURF & SWIM 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM LANE SWIM 12:15 PM - 1:00 PM FAMILY SWIM 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM LANE SWIM 6:00 PM - 6:45 PM FAMILY SWIM 7:15 PM - 9:00 PM WEIGHT ROOM 6:00 AM - 9:00 PM FITNESS SCHEDULE CORE BARRE ABOVE 9:10 AM - 10:15 AM FOAM ROLLER 10:30 AM - 11:15 AM SPIN 5:30 PM - 6:10 PM SKATING SCHEDULE PARENT & TOT SKATE 11:15 AM - 12:00 PM FAMILY SKATE 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM THURSDAY DECEMBER 31 LANE SWIM 6:00 AM - 6:45 AM 7:00 AM - 7:45 AM • 8:00 AM - 8:45 AM A.I.S. 9:15 AM - 10:00 AM SURF & SWIM 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM LANE SWIM 12:15 PM - 1:00 PM FAMILY SWIM 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM 3:45 PM - 5:00 PM WEIGHT ROOM 6:00 AM - 5:00 PM FITNESS SCHEDULE SPIN 9:10 AM - 9:50 AM • SPIN 10:15 AM - 10:55 AM

FRIDAY JANUARY 1 LANE SWIM 12:15 PM - 1:00 PM FAMILY SWIM 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM 3:45 PM - 5:00 PM WEIGHT ROOM 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM SKATING SCHEDULE PARENT & TOT SKATE 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM FAMILY SKATE 3:00 PM - 4:15 PM SATURDAY JANUARY 2 LANE SWIM 12:15 PM - 1:00 PM FAMILY SWIM 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM LANE SWIM 6:00 PM - 6:45 PM FAMILY SWIM 7:15 PM - 9:00 PM WEIGHT ROOM 9:00 AM - 9:00 PM SUNDAY JANUARY 3 LANE SWIM 12:15 PM - 1:00 PM FAMILY SWIM 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM LANE SWIM 6:00 PM - 6:45 PM FAMILY SWIM 7:15 PM - 9:00 PM WEIGHT ROOM 9:00 AM - 9:00 PM FITNESS SCHEDULE SPIN 9:10 AM - 9:50 AM • SPIN 10:10 AM - 10:50 AM

At time of printing (December 18) this was the schedule.

This may be altered if there is a change with Covid-19 restrictions.

For up to date schedule changes, go to www.estevan.ca.

Don’t see what you are looking for? Do you have an idea for something we should try?

Please contact the Recreation Program Manager at 306-634-1880. We would love to hear your ideas!

Schedule Subject to Change. Please visit www.estevan.ca for updates on closures and cancellations. Proper footwear and exercise wear is required to participate. Please note during school breaks, (Teachers Conventions, Spring Breaks and Christmas Breaks) Fitness, Aquatic Centre and arena schedules may vary.

Please visit our live schedules at www.estevan.ca

www.estevanmercury.ca

December 30, 2020 A15

Some sports briefly resumed in the fall « A14 lacrosse court, was selected in the sixth round, 92nd overall, by the Saskatchewan Rush in the Sept. 18 National Lacrosse League Draft. Haux was rated to go in the late second round or the early third round of the draft, but was the second-last player selected. A few days later, he signed with the Rush.

-The Estevan Kinette Club Viragos female football team lost 56-0 to the Moosomin Generals at Woodlawn Athletic Park in the Viragos first game. Coach Shanelle Rioux said she was pleased with the Viragos effort, but there was also room for improvement.

-Estevan city council committed $150,000 over the next two years for the city to be the top sponsor of the 2022 Centennial Cup national Junior A hockey championship, sponsored by Tim Hortons.The tournament will have an economic spinoff of about $3 million for Estevan, and the event requires corporate sponsorships of $200,000-$300,000. With the city’s support, it means the steering committee for the event can focus on ticket sales.

-The Estevan U18 AAA Bears new dressing room was dedicated Sept. 25 to the late Ron Areshenkoff, who was a part of the committee that helped bring the team to reality for the 2020-21 season, and a person who played an instrumental role in the fundraising for Affinity Place. He

was also heavily involved in the community. Having a new and fully equipped dressing room is essential for the team and a recruiting advantage. Each player has his own seat and there is one vacant spot in case the team needs to call up an affiliated player.

-Members of Estevan’s Trackside Motocross Association had a successful year while racing on the South Corner Racing Circuit. More than two dozen Trackside riders were part of the circuit this season.

The circuit was the only one to operate in Saskatchewan this summer.The season started July 11 and wrapped up Sept. 26.

Two young people from Estevan won championships in the circuit. Deegan LeMoine won the title in the 65cc division and Royce Milford was first in 50cc for the season.

-Local angler Brady Selk was the big winner of the inaugural Bass Battles competition out on Boundary Dam from Sept. 18-27. Competitors could fish as often as they wanted over the course of 10 days, and catch and record as many fish as they pleased, but it would be the cumulative size of the five longest fish that determined the winner. Selk finished first at 240.9 centimetres for his five longest bass. Selk also caught the most fish overall at 37, 11 more than Spencer’s 26, and had the most fish logged over 40 centimetres in length.

October:

-Audited financial statements released at the Estevan Bruins annual general meeting on Oct. 2 showed a difficult financial picture for the junior A hockey team, but according to new president George Sereggela, the situation is improving.

The statements were for the 2019-20 fiscal year that ended April 30. Among the notable improvements was that the team paid off its accounts payable in August, the first time it didn’t have accounts payable since Sereggela has been involved with the team.

-Members of the Estevan Gymnastics Club showcased their strength and emerged victorious in their inaugural showdown with players from the Estevan Bruins. Representatives of the two clubs went head to head Oct. 8 at the gymnastics club’s facility in a fundraiser. Bruins players were in first, and then the gymnasts had their turn. A Calcuttastyle fundraiser was offered for the various tests of strength involving the two clubs, and participants collected pledges for a sit-up-a-thon competition. The Bruins won just one competition.

-The S askatc he wan Hockey Association (SHA) released its return to play plan on Oct. 8. The comprehensive document said tournaments would not be allowed, and had guidelines on everything from league play to provincials to mask usage.

-The Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League announced on Oct. 16 that it would be allowed to begin play, starting with preseason games the following weekend and regular season games in early November. Estevan would go on to finish the preseason with a 3-1 record; all of the exhibition games were against the Weyburn Red Wings. The Bruins were limited to 150 fans for the games, and while they hoped capacity would be extended once the regular season began, they were still capped at 150.

November: The Estevan Bears had an eventful start to their history.

They played their first regular season game Nov. 1, which they lost 9-1 to the host Regina Pat Canadians. Carson Birnie of Arcola had the Bears lone goal – the first regular season goal in franchise history. On Nov. 6, they lost 3-2 in a shootout to the Swift Current Legionnaires, picking up their first point in regular season history.

The following week, they defeated the Yorkton Maulers 5-3 in Yorkton for their first win in franchise history, and two days later, they scored four times in the opening eight minutes of the first period to beat Yorkton 4-3 in their first-ever home game.

-The Estevan Bruins opened the 2020-21 regular season with a pair of games against the Melville Millionaires on Nov. 6 and 7. The Bru-

ins rallied from a 3-1 deficit in the third period to beat Melville 4-3 in the first game, but then dropped a 6-3 decision Saturday in the Black and Gold’s home opener at Affinity Place.

-The 2020 Big Six Hockey League season opened Nov. 6 and 7 with a series of games.The nine teams were divided into two divisions, with no games outside of the division. Teams in the west were the Bienfait Coalers, Midale Mustangs, Yellow Grass Wheat Kings and Arcola-Kisbey Combines, and those in the east were the Carlyle Cougars, Redvers Rockets, Carnduff Red Devils, Wawota Flyers and Kipling-Windthorst Oil Kings.

-The Estevan Motor Speedway held its annual general meeting on Nov. 15. The meeting allowed members to reflect on accomplishments, review financial statements and elect a new board. Aaron Turnbull is the new president, replacing Byron Fichter, who held the role for the past three years. Turnbull noted the track was in a better financial position in November than at the start of the year.

-Most local sports were paused on Nov. 25, after the provincial government put a halt on games for team sports.

The Estevan Bruins and the Big Six Hockey League’s season were paused until after Christmas. Minor hockey teams can continue practising, with only eight players on the ice at a time,

and observing social distancing.

The Estevan Curling Club’s leagues and kids program were shut down. Youth sports organizations that aren’t team sports can keep practising as well.

-Prior to the restrictions taking place, the Estevan sharks water polo club held their cohort showdown, with members divided into teams for games throughout the evening of Nov. 26.

- L a m p m a n’s M a r y Anne Veroba was elected to the Hockey Canada board of directors. Veroba is the lone Saskatchewan representative on the board. She was one of 20 individuals vying for five board spots.

-Oxbow’s Cordelia Patton, a Grade 12 student at the Oxbow Prairie Horizons School, committed to play volleyball with the University of Winnipeg Wesmen for the fall of 2021. She helped the Black Knights win a provincial title in 2019, and has also impressed in Oxbow’s club volleyball program.

December: -Hunter Eagles from the Estevan Comprehensive School’s football team committed to play for the University of Regina Rams football team, starting in 2021. Eagles will play defensive back for the Rams. He was named the top defensive player in the Moose Jaw High School Football League in 2019 in his Grade 11 year.

The Time Is Near…

Let’s Hear It for

2021!

Happy New Year!

As we count down to 2021, we’d like to share our thanks and best wishes with everyone who has been a part of our year.

We’ve really enjoyed spending time with you, and we hope the next twelve months bring you countless reasons to celebrate!

Wishing you your best year yet.

2021 Curtis & Staff

10 Cundall Dr, Estevan, SK 306.634.2030 • 1.800.667.6400 www.bgdenture.com

#130-1175 Nicholson Road, Estevan • 306-634-0193 • dunlophearing@gmail.com

! u o Y w e N , r a e Y New Have you been dreaming ABOUT OWNING YOUR BUSINESS and

BEING YOUR OWN BOSS?

Make it happen in 2021!

Southeast Business Start-Up is here to support you every step of the way.

- Consultation & Support - Business Planning - Co-Working Space - Resource Centre - Grant Writing Support Visit www.southe astbusinessstartu p.ca to learn more or st op in and see us in the

Thank you for trusting Century 21 Border Real Estate We look forward to delivering the gold standard in real estate in 2021.

Thanks to your support throughout the year, we have been able to make contributions to the St. Joseph's Festival of Trees, the Kinette PJ Program and the St. Giles Christmas Hamper Program.

Lynn Chipley

Roxanne Stevenson

Lorna Pylychaty

Dana Krienke

New Year!

(306) 634-1020 1339 Fourth Street www.southeastbusinessstartup.ca • (306) 634-3895 403-9th Ave (beside Affinity Credit Union)

Estevan, SK Each office independently owned & operated

Stephanie Serre

Classifieds

Wednesday, December 30, 2020

A16

Fall was busy time in town

Obituaries Lawerance Dewayne Godman On Sunday, December 13, 2020 Dewayne Godman, loving husband and father of nine children, passed away at the age of 85 years. Dewayne was born on July 31, 1935 on the farm near Torquay, SK to Henry and Thelma Godman. He had many physical jobs through his youth and found his career in the Coal Mines in Estevan, SK where he worked for 33 years. On August 15, 1956, he married Marie Eva Duff and they raised five daughters Cheryl (Greg) Sabiston, Charlene (Randy) Seeman, Debra (Scot) Robbins, Donelda Olney, Gaylene (Kevin) Bishop and one son Gary Godman. Dewayne had a passion for music, travel, woodworking and most of all countless hours and years on family history. Family was Dewayne’s heart and you could always feel that love regardless of near or far. Dewayne was predeceased by his children Donelda Olney, Deanne and Dianne Godman, and an infant son; his grandson Bradley Robbins; his parents Henry and Thelma Godman and siblings Reva Porowski, Verna Panteluk and Gail Szostak. Dewayne leaves behind to cherish his memory, his family as mentioned above as well as numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren; siblings Mildred Mehler, Delbert (Ruth) Godman, Louella Kroetch, Doreen Moody, Patricia (David) Ackrill, Len Szostak; as well as numerous nieces, nephews and extended family and friends. A private funeral service was held at Regina Funeral Home and Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Dewayne can be made to Garrity House through Clair Parker Homes, #403 2206 Dewdney Avenue, Regina, SK S4R 1H3. Family and friends are invited to view a recording of the service that was held, the online obituary and tributes page at www. reginafuneralhome.ca. Arrangements entrusted to Regina Funeral Home and Cemetery (306) 7898850.

In MeMorIaM

Feed & Seed

Feed & Seed

« A10 been open to the public since July 6, October marked the month when they finally got back to more traditional in-person programs and camps.

The Saskatchewan Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) Unit charged Vernon J. Zelionka, 45, of Redvers with child pornography offences, following an investigation that began in August into the online accessing of child pornography through file-sharing networks.

The Estevan Chamber of Commerce hosted two all-candidates’ forums in October for the upcoming provincial and civic elections.

Once a centre of attraction for the Estevan area and a home away from home for people from all across the country and further, the Derrick Motor Hotel was demolished.

The lengthy process of tearing down the beloved building started in late October.

The Last Birds folk duo released a debut single Worry About It, from their self-titled

EP on Oct. 16.

The Estevan Humane Society held their Duck Derby Oct. 18, which people could watch live online. For the first time, the shelter sold all the tickets.

Two house fires occurred in the Estevan area in late October. One of them south of Estevan consumed a house. The same week another fire completely destroyed a yard structure and damaged a house in Estevan.

All residents made it out safely.

The Saskatchewan Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) Unit arrested and charged two Estevan residents for child pornography offences on Oct. 21-22. The two cases are believed to be unrelated.

The Estevan Mercury won a pair of coveted honours, including the best front page and the best overall paper, at the Saskatchewan Weekly Newspaper Association’s awards, which were announced Oct. 28.

Local musician Jeff Michel kicked off a A17 » WEEKS

Career OppOrtunities Labourers Wanted:

In Memory of Our Sister 1957 - 2019 One year has passed since that day, Our Family circle was broken, A link gone from our chain, But though we’re parted for awhile We know we’ll meet again, Someday we hope to meet you Someday we know not when, We shall meet in a better land And never part again.

Merry Christmas Claire Cheers From: Joan and Bonnie

HealtH ServiceS HIP/KNEE Replacement?

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Duties inc, in part: pressure washing heavy equipment, trucks and trailers. Cleaning shops. Assisting where required. Heavy lifting involved.

Mechanical aptitude an asset; must be safety conscious and able to work around heavy equipment.

Must have a clean driver’s abstract.

Position located in Arborfield, Sk. Camp accommodation provided if necessary.

Announcements

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

Integrity Post Frame Buildings

Heavy Duty Mechanics 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.

Cutting your advertising budget when business is slow is like saying: "I'll throw some logs on the fire when it warms up in here!"

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

SINCE 2008

Built with Concrete Posts Barns, Shops, Riding Arenas, Machine Sheds and More sales@ Integritybuilt.com 1-866-974-7678 www. integritybuilt.com

Stay up to date

BREAKING NEWS WWW.ESTEVANMERCURY.CA

BUSINESS SERVICES LEGAL

AUDIOLOGIST

COMMERCIAL PRINTING

We are your Barristers & Solicitors

Paul Elash Q.C. Aaron Ludwig, B.Sc., LL.B. Genevieve Schrader, B. Mgt., J.D. Gainsborough: Thursday a.m.

Carnduff: Thursday p.m.

1312- 4th Street, Estevan, SK S4A 0X2

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

“Your ears deserve an audiologist” #5 - 418 Kensington Ave. (Across from Walmart)

306-636-EARS (3277)

JACQUIE MVULA M.S., R. Aud. Audiologist/Owner

www.suncountryhearing.com

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Brochures Business Cards Invoices Oilfield Ticket Books Envelopes

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Flyers Posters Menus Programs Labels

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Raffle Tickets Booklets Cheques whatever you need printed!

If you need it printed on paper, we can do it!

306-634-2654

www.estevanmercury.ca

December 30, 2020 A17

Weeks leading up to Christmas had lots to offer « A16 Oct. 7. The campaign focusenew album with single Just Another Winter that was released Oct. 30.

A member of the EPS, Const. Paul Chabot, was recognized for apprehending im-

paired drivers in 2019. He was presented with the Van De Vorst Family Award for Excellence in Prevention on Oct. 30.

Saskatchewan country and roots musician JJ Voss performed in Estevan at Art

CAREERS

SESAA Executive Director

The Southeast Saskatchewan Airshed Association Inc. (SESAA) is seeking applications for the position of Executive Director.

For a description of the duties involved please see below: The Executive Director will be Responsible to the SESAA Board of Directors: • Carry out all policies and directions of the Board.

• Execute the business affairs of the non profit association.

• Oversee the financial affairs of the association.

Collect fees, invoicing, banking, and financial statements, direct financial audits.

• Contract and manage technical contractors.

Develop contracts, execute and direct contractors.

Ensure operations government compliance of equipment, maintenance, inventory and spare part control.

Equipment selection and operations implementation.

Implement equipment replacement program.

Reporting of exceedances.

Reporting network compliance.

Equipment inventories.

Preventative maintenance.

Station documentation.

Station development, site selection and land acquisition • Assist the Board in the management of the air monitoring network.

Data management, QA/QC of data.

Data interpretation.

Data reporting, monthly and annually.

• Communications.

Reports, presentations, phone inquiries, website management.

Stakeholder relations, informing stakeholders, encouraging participation.

Office Management.

• Minute preparation, agendas, meeting preparations, manages office systems...computers, fax, copiers, modems, and internet

Interested applicants should submit their interest in writing to: Mr. Terry Gibson, SESAA Executive Director at tg4air@sasktel.net

SRI HOMES’ Estevan Facility SHELTER HOME SYSTEMS

Concepts Custom Framing.

November: After Halloween and into November, the COVID-19 related restrictions became tougher, with new safety measures and limitations were put in place.

Three significant fires occurred early November in the area. On Nov. 3 Estevan and Bienfait fire departments had to battle a wildland fire by Bienfait. The next night a fire destroyed one of the grain elevators in Torquay. The third fire consumed over 4,000 acres of land south of Frobisher and took a joint effort of 11 fire departments from Canada and the U.S. to put out.

Passing lane projects, in-

FARMLAND FOR SALE Offers will be accepted for the purchase of the following farmland: South East 16-3-9 W2M, Extension 8 (149.31 acres). The land does not include the acreage on this quarter section.

Oilfield surface lease on the land which pays $3,800.00 annual rent. Offers for the land can be with or without this lease.

The highest or any offer will not necessarily be accepted.

Offers should be sent to Billesberger Law Firm, 1017 — 3rd Street, Estevan, Saskatchewan, S4A 0R4 together with a cheque payable to the law firm for 5% of the tender price.

Tenders are to be submitted by January 8, 2020.

PRODUCTION WORKERS

• • •

Call fordetails details Call forCall details about about our our for about our Call for details about our

• Assembling and installing modular components Send, fax, e-mail or drop off resume to:

E

S

SHELTER

• •

•

• •

•

• •

•

* References required

HILLSIDE CONDOMINIUMS HILLSIDE CONDOMINIUMS HILLSIDE CONDOMINIUMS HILLSIDE CONDOMINIUMS 306-634-6030 • thirsch@sasktel.net 306-634-6030 • thirsch@sasktel.net

Box 845 #200 Hwy. 18 West, Estevan, SK S4A 2A7 Fax: 306-634-7597 jobs.shelter@gmail.com www.shelterhomes.ca

306-634-6030••thirsch@sasktel.net thirsch@sasktel.net 306-634-6030

Tuesday, January 5, 2021 @ 7pm Taylorton Room, Days Inn Estevan

Email David at editor@estevanmercury.ca

•• •

References required **no dogs allowed allowed MOVE-IN INCENTIVE* no dogs *no nodogs dogsallowed allowed MOVE-IN INCENTIVE MOVE-IN INCENTIVE * MOVE-IN INCENTIVE

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Have an event coming up?

paired Driver Caught Here” sign campaign, received a national award as a volunteer of the year on Dec. 4.

The Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission recognized the winners of the 20th annual Apprenticeship Awards on Dec. 4, and one of the top honours went to a long-time employee of the local mines Kelly Avery, who died in January at the age of 62.

The annual Fill the Trucks Toy Drive at Canadian Tire proved to be a big success and helped the Estevan Community Hamper Association and their Angel Tree program, which saw a significant increase in patrons this year.

The fourth annual Festival of Lights at Woodlawn Regional Park kicked off the new season on Dec. 18.

Saskatchewan started getting the first shipments of vaccine for COVID-19 in mid-December. While Christmas looked pretty different this year, the community tripled the effort decorating to bring in the holiday spirit, making Estevan look festive and great in December.

Central air • Central air • Washer / Dryer Washer / Dryer • Washer /Dryer Dryer Washer /required *• References * References required •

Check us out on us facebook Check usout out on on facebook facebook Check Check us out on facebook

Duties include:

M

A Manitoba man died in truck fire east of Estevan at night on Nov. 18.

The EAGM has opened two new exhibitions on Nov. 20 with three Saskatchewan artists, Monique Martin, Cheryl Andrist and Wolseley’s Marilynn Malo, showcasing their artwork.

The Estevan Kinsmen Club started its annual Christmas tree sales on Nov. 23, and almost 200 were sold out by early December.

Gage Goetz was recognized for his commitment to philanthropy. He was among the recipients of the National Philanthropy Day Outstanding Youth Philanthropist Award.

December: The St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation’s Festival of Trees took place during the fall in a new format, and wrapped up Dec. 11. Events included office Christmas parties, corporate advertising packages, an online 50/50 raffle, Christmas tea parties, an online silent auction and family activities to do at home leading up to Christmas.

Estevan’s Mothers Against Drunk Driving leader Connie Hagel, who started the “Im-

FridgeFridge &Fridge stove &stove stove &&stove 1 AND 2 BEDROOM Fridge 1 AND 2 BEDROOM 1 AND 2 BEDROOM Dishwasher 1 AND 2 BEDROOM Dishwasher Dishwasher Dishwasher Microwave APARTMENTS AVAILABLE Microwave APARTMENTS AVAILABLE Microwave APARTMENTS AVAILABLE Microwave APARTMENTS AVAILABLE Central air air Central

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O

Estevan Market Mall will be a modern, comfortable and attractive centre.

APARTMENTS FOR RENT APARTMENTS FOR RENT APARTMENTS FOR RENT APARTMENTS FOR RENT

is currently accepting applications for

H

cluding Highway 39, wrapped up for winter mid-November with just a few sets of passing lanes left to complete next year.

The Estevan branch of the Royal Canadian Legion held a Remembrance Day service on Nov. 11 at the cenotaph near the Estevan Court House with a limited amount of people in attendance. People were encouraged to watch the service online.

Estevan’s Larry Preddy was recognized as regional parks volunteer of the year on the provincial level, thanks to his many contributions to Woodlawn Regional Park.

Santa and Mrs. Claus made their way through Midale on Nov. 14 during the annual Santa Claus Parade in the town.

FOR LEASE 6TH STREET

Due to existing restrictions on the size of public gatherings, we ask that you RSVP by January 4 to enable us to make appropriate arrangements.

RSVP info: 306.421.3377 or emfmort@gmail.com

1112 Sq. Ft.

1 & 2 Bedroom Available

1629 Sq. Ft.

3130 Sq. Ft.

SOUTH EAST CORNERSTONE PUBLIC SCHOOL DIVISION NO. 209

PROPERTY SALE TENDER South East Cornerstone Public School Division is offering for sale through public tender the following properties: 1. Weyburn Transportation Shop, located at 1320 Railway Avenue, Weyburn Saskatchewan. Legal description of property is; Lots 5 & 6, Block 1, Plan AP302 2. Kelso Property, located within the Municipality of Walpole No. 92. Legal description of the property is; Block A, Pt NE 32-11-33w1, Kelso, Saskatchewan 3. Midale Teacherage, located at 617 College Avenue, Midale, Saskatchewan.

Legal description of the property is; Lots 4 & 5, Blk/Par 14 - Plan# FP 5416 4. Bienfait Teacherage, located at 301 Walsh Street, Bienfait, Saskatchewan.

Legal description of the property is; Lot 10, Blk5 - Plan# 51574

SCOTSBURN SQUARE

Sealed tenders are to be clearly marked 'SECPSD Property Bid' and will be received by the undersigned until 2:00 p.m., CST on Thursday, January 14, 2021.

The School Division wishes to inform bidders of the following conditions: • Tenders will be reviewed on each parcel separately.

• Properties will be sold as is.

• The Board of Education reserves the right to reject any or all tenders received and the highest or any tender will not necessarily be accepted.

• The provisions of The Education Act, 1995 regarding disposal of real and personal property will be strictly adhered to.

Further information is available by contacting: Andy K. Dobson Manager of Facilities & Transportation South East Cornerstone Public School Division No. 209 80A - 18th Street NE, Weyburn, SK S4H 2W4 Phone: (306) 848-0080, andy.dobson@secpsd.ca

2033 Sq. Ft.

6735 Sq. Ft. Can be made smaller into 3 separate bays.

Holdings inc.

Contact Treena thirsch@sasktel.net • 306-634-6030 • 306-421-0252

A18 December 30, 2020

CNRL supports Hillcrest School Hillcrest School community liaison Sara Pippus, left, accepts a cheque for $10,000 from Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. (CNRL) field administrator Brandi Foord. The money will be directed to the Hillcrest Community Program in support of local families. Canadian Natural has been a part of this community for many years, and the company believes it has always been important to show its support to employees and contractors, and the people of this community. CNRL is proud to work with local communities where they do business, funding projects that improve the quality of life for those living in and around the area.

SaskPower joins action plan The Government of Canada has released the national Small Modular Reactor (SMR) Action Plan, including a chapter from SaskPower.

The plan outlines the progress and ongoing efforts to develop and deploy SMRs across the country. It includes more than 100 chapters from stakeholders across Canada outlining their plans and actions in support of SMR deployment.

In its chapter, SaskPower shares its plan to bring forward a recommendation to proceed with SMR planning phase work in 2021. This work would be required to enable deployment of small modular reactors in Saskatchewan in the early to mid-2030’s.

SMR development is a

key objective in the province’s 10-year growth plan, with the potential to create a nuclear industry in the province.

“The development of small modular reactors in Saskatchewan provides an exciting and unique opportunity for power generation in our province,” said Don Morgan, Minister responsible for SaskPower.

“SMRs have the potential to provide stable, secure base load power while reducing our emissions.”

Saskatchewan is collaborating with the provinces of Ontario and New Brunswick to develop and deploy SMR technology that will generate electricity free of greenhouse gas emissions and help support economic growth.

SaskPower is also look-

ing at options like interconnections with neighbouring jurisdictions, increased carbon capture and storage technology, renewables and other low or zero emission power sources.

“SaskPower is evaluating the full range of power sources to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and continue to provide reliable, cost-effective power to our customers,” said Mike Marsh, SaskPower president and CEO. “We are looking forward to working with and learning from other utilities across Canada like Ontario Power Generation as they advance their first-ofits-kind SMR project.”

If the recommendation to begin the SMR planning phases receives all necessary approvals.

We have enjoyed our working relationship over the past year and are excited by what lies ahead.

Happy New Year!

Grimes

Happy ! r a e Y w e N As we ring in the New Year, we celebrate our good fortune, including the friendship and support of kind customers like you.

We look forward to seeing you again soon, and we wish you a safe, happy and healthy New Year!

306-634-5555 www.skyliftservices.com

It’s a New Year and a new chance to say thanks for your business!

We appreciate your support.

Happy New Year!

Sales & Service.

Email: grimessales@sasktel.net Ph: 306-487-2525

“Your Communications Experts” 1254 7th St. Estevan, SK | 306-634-9994

OPEN NOimW S I e P rogra !

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Register at www.southeastcollege.org Call: 1-866-999-7372

Wishing you a safe, healthy & happy 2021.

12 DAYS OF DONATIONS Day 1 - Intensive Care Unit at St. Joseph’s Hospital Day 2 - Estevan Humane Society Day 3 - Angel Tree Day 4 - Salvation Army Food Bank w/ Sobeys Day 5 - United Way Day 6 - Salvation Army Clothing Day 7 - Envision Counselling & Support Day 8 - Estevan Regional Nursing Home Day 9 - Creighton Lodge Day 10 - Hillcrest Breakfast Club Day 11 - Smile Services Inc. Day 12- Estevan Family Resource Centre

Thank You.

Because you chose to shop locally with us, we were able to give back to so many great causes in our community.

Shop in store or online at frankandfrankies.com

1227 4th Street • 306-634-2423

Thanks for shopping in our mom’s store!

• Men’s & Women’s Clothing • Fragrance Footwear • PJ’s • Socks & Underwear • Sunglasses • Toques, Scarves, Mitts • Yeti Mugs • Buck Naked Bath Products • Coal & Canary Candles • 22 Fresh Hoodies for the family

1227 4th Street, Estevan 306-634-2423 Shop online at frankandfrankies.com

Seriously GREAT flooring.

Cheers & Jeers

Wednesday, December 30, 2020

A19

Cheers

Seriously GREAT flooring people.

306-634-5588 104 - Hwy. 47 S. Estevan, SK

www.floorstoreestevan.ca

306-453-2519 Bay #1 - Hwy. 13 Carlyle, SK

Flashback – Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2000

Cheers to the Bienfait Fire Department for offering their afternoon with Santa. Photos with Santa and a chance to skate with him made for a great time.

Cheers to Tim Pippus’ column in the Estevan Mercury. You don’t have to be a member of his church to find his words helpful and encouraging to people during this time.

Cheers to St. Giles Anglican Church for playing the bells during the Christmas season. It gives us hope, peace and joy in these sad times we are in right now.

Cheers to the Woodlawn Regional Park for the fourth annual Festival of Lights. It’s great to have something to do during the Christmas season, and the displays look terrific.

Cheers to Eddie Webster’s. The effort to keep the menu always fun and fresh is by far the best in town. They have also shown extra effort to keep people engaged in the take-home kits they offer.

Cheers to an honest gentleman. An disabled individual recently purchased an item and the honest gentleman offered to pick up any groceries while he was out. Very trusting young gentleman.

Please everyone be kind.

Cheers to the Estevan Mercury and Tourism Estevan for the Twinkle Tour Scavenger Hunt. It was a lot of fun to drive through the city and try to find all of the decorations.

Jeers Jeers to the people who complain about the farmers burning flax straw. Just remember who is growing your food.

Jeers to those who allow their vehicles to run for prolonged periods of time in the morning. You don’t have to let it run for 40 minutes for it to be warm when you enter, and your neighbours don’t want it running for 40 minutes at 6 a.m., either.

Jeers to the new provincial restrictions that came into effect on Dec. 25 and hindered retailers on Boxing Day. They couldn’t have waited one moe week to limit the number of people allowed in small businesses?

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

Winners of the seniors/ladies’ mixed curling bonspiel in the end of December 2000 was this rink skipped by Roland Marcotte. From left, Bob Toombs, Caroline Salaway, Walt Avery and Marcotte. The foursome downed the Glenn Broadhead team in the final.

My best Christmas gift I’m sitting at my computer, searching my mind and heart for a topic for this pre-Christmas article. The usual things that I’ve written about are in my files since my first article was published in Saskatchewan newspapers nearly 28 years ago; but as always, I long to write something fresh and meaningful each week.

Ah, here it is: lately ladies from our church meet on Wednesday evenings via Zoom and this week our topic of discussion centered on the best Christmas you can ever remember. For me the answer came quickly; it was December 1992. We

Linda Wegner Words of Worth lived in Stoughton and just a couple of weeks earlier I’d had major cancer surgery.

Prior to that invasion into my body, I’d been warned that the results may or may not be positive.

Thank God, they were positive and I’m still here to prove it but even that was overshadowed by an

Happy New Year!

event that took place on Dec. 5. I was sitting in our son and his wife’s living room and she gently laid their firstborn child/my firstborn grandchild in my arms. I still haven’t forgotten the joy of that moment. It still moves me to tears.

Another thing I recall about that event was good

news. I wasn’t allowed to change diapers in case I got infection. That wasn’t bad at all.

There’ve been few things as wonderful to me than the birth and growth of our sons and their children. Thinking on that brings me full circle to Christmas because that’s what the season is really about – God sending His son in order to facilitate the reunion between us, the embattled children of earth, and the heavenly Father who loves us supremely. No wonder it’s called a season of joy.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son…”

Happy New Year!

Crescent Point is proud to be part of your community.

Dream big and make the best of 2021.

BILLESBERGER LAW FIRM 1017 Third Street • (306) 637-3710 crescentpointenergy.com

Happy New Year We appreciate your support!

High Pressure Spot Free Rinse • 9 Car Bays • 2 Truck Bays Computerized Timers • Loonies & Toonies Self Serve Water Dispenser

Serving Estevan for 40 years!

Wishing you a most merry Christmas and a very happy New Year!

Thanks for giving us so much to celebrate this year. We owe our success to great friends and customers like you!

Estevan, SK

128 Souris Avenue N. Estevan, SK

| 306-634-8255

(306)634-8737

Carnduff, SK

306-482-3244 May God’s blessings and Christ’s love be upon you and yours this coming New Year! Thank you for your past patronage and looking forward to serving you in 2021!

Happy New Year!

Ph: 306-634-3900 www.chamneycrushing.ca

A20 December 30, 2020

www.estevanmercury.ca

from the

Estevan Market Mall!

Thank you for your support in 2020.

We appreciate your understanding of the restrictions, and appreciate you choosing to shop with us.

We are so excited for 2021, and all of the changes we have planned.

Wishing you all the best is 2021.

• Ardene • Dollarama • Eclipse • Marks • Money Mart • Nutters • Peavey Mart • Pet Valu • Sask Liquor

• SaskTel • Sobeys • SportChek • Star Gift • Studio C Fitness • The Brick • The Source • Tim Horton’s • Warehouse One Follow us on Facebook for updates on hours and restrictions.

400 King Street, Estevan, SK 306-634-2444