Estevan Mercury 20230809

Midale’s big weekend. Street dance, show and shine, threshing and more.

PAGES A2 and 3

Hanging on for dear life

PAGE A12

Virtual physician program now in place for Oxbow’s emergency room

By David Willberg

The Saskatchewan Health authority (SHA) has launched a new virtual physician (VP) program at the Galloway Health Centre in Oxbow.

The program, which took effect Aug. 1, is part of an overall strategy for stabilizing emergency services in Oxbow, and only applies to the emergency room.

The SHA says the VP program provides nursing staff remote access to a physician using the existing infrastructure of HealthLine 811, when no local physician is available to provide emergency department coverage in Oxbow. This will help maintain emergency services, the SHA says, while recruitment continues to

achieve a full complement of physician resources in the community.

“When a patient presents to the emergency room, the nurse that’s on duty will conduct their assessment and do their triage for the acuity of the patient, like they would do at any other time,” said Sheena Grimes, the director of primary health care for the southeast region, in an interview with the Mercury.

“Once the nurse has completed the assessment, they will call the virtual physician through the 811 infrastructure, and they will provide that assessment to the physician, and the physician will then provide their orders and recommendations to follow through with that patient.”

At this time, the use of the virtual physician program is for the emergency room only, and not for the Oxbow Family Medicine Clinic. Grimes pointed out there are opportunities for the physicians to utilize virtual appointments with their clinics, but that would be through a separate program.

If somebody has a regular appointment in Oxbow, they would not go through the VP program, she said.

“They still have the ability to book those regular, day-to-day appointments through the Oxbow Family Medicine Clinic, and there are two physicians that are currently providing services there,” said Grimes.

Two physicians departed Oxbow earlier this year. A new physician started in at

the clinic on July 17 who is a recent graduate of the Saskatchewan International Physician Practice Assessment. Further recruitment efforts are underway for the town, and a candidate is expected to start in Oxbow in the fall.

“My expectation is that person should be on the ground by November,” said Grimes.

The loss of the two physicians “sparked interest” for Oxbow to be part of the VP project.

“It’s just an opportunity, looking at the community that lost two physicians, having to stabilize those ER services, so that it’s not a full disruption, but we can provide some services to the community,” she said.

Aaron Roy of Yellow Grass was among the entrants in the Midale Rodeo Committee’s Bull Bash Friday night. Roy was among the competitors who successfully held on for eight seconds, and was rewarded with a score of 81.5 for his efforts. For more on the event, please see page A13.

Looking

Arts Council announces concert

By Lisa Joy of SaskToday.ca and David Willberg

The former leader of the now-defunct Canadian Nationalist Party is being held in custody after he was arrested in connection with two separate incidents in Saskatoon.  Travis Patron, who hails from Redvers, is charged with two counts of impersonating a peace officer, one count of criminal harassment, and two counts of failing to comply with court-ordered conditions. He appeared in Saskatoon court Thursday.

Patron was remanded into custody and is scheduled to appear again on Aug. 9 for a show-cause hearing.

Saskatoon police say they were called to a hotel in the 600-block of Spadina Crescent at about 8:50 a.m. on July 29, following a disturbance involving a man impersonating a peace officer.

When police arrived, they say they learned a man had approached a woman and her child, identified himself as a police officer, and accused her of abduction. The woman went into the hotel with her child to get help and the man followed her inside, causing the disturbance. Bystanders intervened and the man fled on foot.

A few days later, at about 2 p.m. on Aug. 1, a man approached a woman in the 70-block of Campus Drive, identified himself as a peace

officer and offered to escort her through the area. The woman declined and the man left.

Through video evidence and their investigation, police were able to identify the man and confirmed he was responsible for both incidents. Police went to an address in the 200-block of Fifth Avenue North on Aug. 2 and arrested Patron without incident.

His arrest came hours after the University of Saskatchewan sent out a campus-wide warning about someone allegedly trespassing on university property and posing as a staff member. The university posted a photo of the man, claiming the individual was Patron.

Staff and students were advised to report any sightings of

Patron on campus to Protective Services. An image captured by a surveillance camera, provided by the university, showed the man with a cleanshaven head and beard.

Patron was the original leader of the Canadian Nationalist Party. He was a candidate for the party in the 2019 federal election in the Souris-Moose Mountain constituency, and finished last in the six-candidate field.

The party has since been deregistered by Elections Canada for failing to maintain a membership of at least 250.

Shortly after the 2019 federal election, he was charged with two counts of aggravated assault, assault causing bodily harm and breach of probation, after attacking two women in

Regina. He was convicted of both counts of assault causing bodily harm and given concurrent 18-month sentences, although he only had to serve one day in prison because he was credited for time served.

Also in February 2021, he was charged by Carlyle RCMP for wilful promotion of hate to an identifiable group which was Jewish people, after Patron posted an online video titled Beware the Parasitic Tribe.

He was convicted on Oct.

5, 2022, by a jury in Court of King’s Bench in Estevan. Three weeks later, he was sentenced to a year in prison and a year probation. Due to credit for time served, he did not serve the full year in prison.

His appeal of the convic-

Travis Patron

Midale street dance attracted over 1,000 people

By David Willberg

A street dance was held in Midale Aug. 5 for the first time in 20 years, and the community turned out in droves.

An estimated crowd of 1,200-1,400 people gathered on Main Street for the bash, which was one of a number of activities to be held in the town during the Saskatchewan Day long weekend. The event started late in the afternoon and continued well into the night.

Kyle Hoium, who was the chairman of the street dance

organizing committee, called it a “phenomenal” event that exceeded their expectations.

“My target was that if we got 500-600 people here, I thought it would be great,” said Hoium.

By comparison, Midale has 510 residents, according to the 2021 federal census, so the estimated turnout was more-than double the town’s population.

Hoium couldn’t pinpoint a reason why the crowd was so large, but the absence of such an event for so long might have been a factor.

“There was a lot of people who came in,” said Hoium.

“We tied it in with the bull bash. I’ve heard that the bull bash was probably their best ever on Friday, just between the gate [admission] and the cabaret. We made a weekend of it here in town, and it really exceeded our expectations.”

Entertainment was courtesy of The Johner Brothers featuring the Johner Boys, who hail from the Midale area. Also performing was Weyburn’s Brayden King, who has family in Midale and was fresh from his top55 finish on American Idol. Micah Walbaum, who is a talented young singer from Forget, also performed.

“We had really good entertainers, and there was a local flair to the entertainers,” said Hoium.

He wanted to make sure there were local performers who could help make the event a success.

Richy Roy from Weyburn was the DJ for the event.

When the idea for the

street dance was first tossed around, Hoium said they should do it for the community. So a number of organizations were involved and will benefit, including Midale Swimming Pool, the Harry O Memorial Arena, the day care, the rodeo committee and the fire department.

Midale’s minor hockey association made $3,300 through a barbecue, while the antique association, which organized their Pioneer Echoes Week-

end on Saturday and Sunday, had a 50-50 that generated $2,500.

“When we’re into something like this, it’s got to be for everybody,” said Hoium.

While he was the event committee chairman, Hoium said a ton of people put in a lot of hours and helped with organizing the street dance.

“Our community has really come together, and really did a good job.”

Hoium noted there were

City hires new roads and drainage manager

The City of Estevan has announced the hiring of its new public works’ roads and drainage manager.

Hayley DeConinck has been promoted from her role as a foreman to the manager’s role. She replaces Norm Mack, who retired at the end of June after 7 1/2 years as the manager, and 36 years of employment with the city.

In an email to the Mercury, DeConinck said she has been employed with the City of Estevan for 13 years, during which time she has always worked in the roads and drainage division.

“I started out as a labourer, then moved onto truck driver, then an equipment operator and have spent the past six years as the roads and

drainage foreman,” she said.

“During my time with the City of Estevan, I had the opportunity to work closely with Norm Mack and learned everything I could before he retired. He shared a wealth of knowledge with me, in order for me to be successful in my new role and allow for a smooth transition.”

The city has an excel-

lent roads and drainage crew, she said, and she really enjoys working with them and looks forward to the future.

“Although I am enjoying my new role, some of my favourite areas while working in this division have been snow removal while running equipment to clear streets and blowing snow,” she said. DeConinck said she

likely people at the events on the weekend who likely hadn’t been in Midale for 20 years.

It was also a well-behaved crowd, and Hoium said they had no issues during the event.

For more photos of this event and other activities in Midale during the Saskatchewan Day long weekend, please visit our provincial news hub at www. sasktoday.ca

looks forward to working with the residents of Estevan in the years to come and hopes to continue to make improvements to the city in a positive direction.

For current articles and breaking news on the City of Estevan and Estevan city council, be sure to check out our provincial news hub at www.sasktoday.ca

Redvers emergency room returns to normal hours

During the time when Oxbow was down to one physician, the ER was open from 7:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m., thanks to the efforts of the one medical doctor. Now there is some service available in the evening, Grimes said.

Oxbow is the second location selected to pilot the VP program. Porcupine Plain launched its program in late June and has since fully resumed its emergency department services.

Grimes noted it was the

SHA who identified Oxbow as an appropriate location for the VP pilot. Then there was consultation with local groups and staff to identify potential problems and concerns before it was implemented.

“Over the first two days, there have been minimal [numbers of] patients who have presented,” said Grimes.

The SHA says it is working closely with Oxbow community leaders to mitigate any short-term disruptions due to staffing challenges over

the summer months, in addition to the launch of the VP program.

When the program is put in place, the SHA hopes it is a temporary measure to stabilize the ER services, but they don’t have a definitive timeline for when it would be completed.

“The SHA is committed to building health-care provider capacity in order to stabilize emergency services and minimize service disruptions,” said Brenda Schwann, vice-presi-

dent of integrated rural health for the Saskatchewan Health Authority. “Innovative initiatives such as the VP program bridge staffing or physician coverage gaps while adequate resources are recruited to maintain safe, sustainable and accessible emergency care.”

Those who aren’t comfortable with a virtual physician appointment in the emergency room will have to visit one of the neighbouring clinics: St. Joseph’s Hospital in Estevan, the Arcola Health Centre

or the Redvers Health Centre.

The Redvers Health Centre is once again available for around-the-clock ER services, effective Aug. 4. It had been on 12-hour days since May 8.

“Redvers has been fortunate enough to be able to recruit some additional physi-

cians and well as some locum services,” said Grimes.

For nearly three months, emergency and acute care services were only available Monday to Friday, from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. No emergency and acute care services were available on weekends and after 8 p.m. on weekdays.

Correction

In the Aug. 2 edition of the Mercury, it was noted that Vince and Bev Burkholder were involved with the tent revival event happening in Estevan. This is incorrect. While the Burkholders are supporters of the event, they are not involved. Also, Madison and Dylan Desrosiers are the hosts for the event. The Mercury apologizes for any inconvenience this might have caused.

SIMPLY A GREAT

Hayley DeConinck is the new manager of the public works’ roads and drainage division.

Photo courtesy of Jacquelyn Massey-Rounds

The Johner Brothers featuring the Johner Boys performed during the street dance.

More than 1,000 people attended the street dance in Midale on Saturday.

Photos by Richy Roy

Wednesday, August 9, 2023

Pioneer Echoes weekend in Midale celebrated farming and harvesting from a long-ago era

By David Willberg

The Souris Valley Antique Association held its annual celebration of farming history during the Saskatchewan Day long weekend, and people turned out in droves for the event.

The Pioneer Echoes activities were held Saturday and Sunday at the heritage village in Midale. Committee chairman Ryan Swenson estimated they had the highest attendance in a number of years, with approximately 600-700 people present.

“There was a lot going on this year, between the rodeo [bull bash] and the street dance. The street dance brought in a pile of people this year,” said Swenson. “I think it benefitted all of the organizations in town.”

It was great to see so many people in the community during the long weekend, he said. A lot of people at the Pioneer Echoes hadn’t been there before or they hadn’t attended in a lot of years.

“It seems every year

there’s different people that come up to us and they say ‘We had no idea that this is going on here, and this is the first we’ve ever heard of this,’” said Swenson. “Mind you, we’ve been doing this for close to 60 years now, but there’s always new people, which is good.”

He thought it also helped that the temperatures were warm and the weather was beautiful that weekend.

A number of activities were held both days. The buildings within the village were open, so people could watch the blacksmithing demonstration, enjoy the fried bread that was prepared in one of the buildings or look for bargains at the flea market.

Each afternoon, dozens of antique tractors and other pieces of old-time farm equipment rolled through the pioneer village.

“The parades went really well,” said Swenson. “We had a bunch of tractors brought in from out of town. A couple from Estevan, a couple from Weyburn. A lot of local ones, too.”

They do their best to ensure everything is operational in time for the weekend, but there were a few mechanical issues that arose during the parade.

Threshing demonstrations happened following the parade each day, allow-

ing people to witness the old-fashioned technique.

“We had a few minor issues with our threshing machine, but after working the kinks out, everything seemed to work pretty well,” said Swenson.

Live music was played each day, and a church service happened Sunday.

The committee will start planning for 2024 in the next few weeks, and will then really begin to prepare in late May or

early June. A committee of about 15 people helps make the Pioneer Echoes weekend happen each year. If anybody wants to get involved with the organization, Swenson said the association is always looking for new members. For more photos of this event and the other activities in Midale happening during the Saskatchewan Day long weekend, please visit our provincial news hub at sasktoday.ca

Number of entries doubled for Midale’s car show

By David Willberg

The Classy Car Show made its return to Midale Sunday, and many people turned out to view the antique automobiles that were on display on Main Street.

Event organizer Scott Stabenow said they had 59 vehicles show up, which was more-than double the 29 they had in 2022. The number of participants surpassed their expectations.

“We had another good interjection of new cars that came into the show this year, that we haven’t seen before. It’s always great to see that, get to know some new people,” said Stabenow.

He believes the increase is due to added publicity for all that was going on in the town during the long weekend, with the Midale Rodeo Association’s Bull Bash and Cabaret, the Souris Valley Antique Association’s Pioneer Echoes activities, and the return of a street dance. The organizers of those events are always sure to promote the car show.

Scott Zieglgansberger of Roche Percee was the winner of the People’s Choice Award. He brought a Ford Mustang to the show.

Exhibitors came from as far away as Carlyle and Coronach, and lots were from Midale and other nearby communities.

There was also a good diversity of vehicles this year, he said, with classic vehicles from the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s to go

along with more modern vehicles. They even had a dirt-track race car for people to view.

“There was a bunch

of beautiful cars from all through the years,” said Stabenow.

For additional photos of the event and other ac-

tivities in Midale during the August long weekend, please visit our provincial news hub at www.sasktoday.ca

Volunteers fed forkfuls of wheat into the Case 22-36 threshing machine during Midale’s Pioneer Echoes Weekend. Photos by Greg Nikkel of the Weyburn Review

Dozens of antique vehicles could be found at the Midale Classy Car Show. Photo courtesy of Scott Stabenow

A long line of tractors made its way through the heritage village.

Keith McGregor, age 94, and his grandson Glen drove the lead tractor for the antique tractor parade.

Daniel Rein and his daughter Peyton piloted a tractor during the parade.

Staff

Sales Manager Christine Jones - cjones@estevanmercury.ca

Editor David Willberg - dwillberg@estevanmercury.ca

Editorial Staff

Ana Bykhovskaia - abykhovskaia@estevanmercury.ca

Production Manager

Ana Villarreal - avillarreal@estevanmercury.ca

Production Morgan Hodgens - mohodgens@estevanmercury.ca

Laura Kish - laura.kish63@gmail.com

Administration Vaila Lindenbach - admin@estevanmercury.ca

Contact us:

(306) 634-2654

68 Souris Avenue N. Estevan, SK S4A 2M3 www.estevanmercury.ca

@Estevan_Mercury facebook.com/EstevanMercury

Subscription Rates:

In Saskatchewan - $105

In Canada - $126

Published weekly by Prairie Newspaper Group Limited Partnership, 68 Souris Avenue N., Estevan, SK S4A 2M3. The Estevan Mercury is owned and operated by Prairie Newspaper Group Limited Partnership, a subsidiary of Glacier Media Inc. Advertising rates are available upon request and are subject to change without notice.

Conditions of editorial and advertising content:

The Estevan Mercury attempts to be accurate in Editorial and Advertising content; however, no guarantee is given or implied.The Estevan Mercury reserves the right to revise or reject any or all editorial and advertising content as the newspaper’s principals see fit. The Estevan Mercury will not be responsible for more than one incorrect insertion of an advertisement, and is not responsible for errors in advertisements except for the space occupied by such errors.

The Estevan Mercury will not be responsible for manuscripts, photographs, negatives and other related material that may be submitted for possible publication.

All of the Estevan Mercury’s content is protected by Canadian Copyright laws. Reviews and similar mention of material in this newspaper is granted on the provision thatThe Estevan Mercury receives credit. Otherwise, any reproduction without the permission of the publisher is prohibited. Advertisers purchase space and circulation only. Rights to any advertisement produced by The Estevan Mercury, including artwork, typography, photos, etc., remain the property of this newspaper. Advertisements or parts thereof may not be reproduced or assigned without the consent of the publisher.

EDITORIAL

No quick fix looming for health-care

Virtual physicians for emergency rooms represent the latest concept to be introduced to the southeast as a way to grapple with the ongoing physician and nurse shortage.

The Saskatchewan Health Authority announced last week that it would be implementing the virtual physician pilot project at the Galloway Health Centre in Oxbow, making Oxbow just the second community to experience this initiative.

A lack of physicians was cited as the reason. Oxbow lost a couple of beloved and dedicated physicians earlier this year. And while one replacement has started practising there already and another is hopefully on the way later this year, Oxbow still finds itself in need of help.

Rather than closing the emergency room entirely, the SHA has opted for virtual physicians.

It’s the latest story we’ve heard about this recurring problem. There just aren’t enough doctors and nurses out there. It’s an incredibly demanding job. It’s mentally draining. It can mean long hours. The training and the education can be extensive, especially if you’re an aspiring doctor. And if the slightest thing goes wrong, someone’s going to yap about it.

We’ve grappled with doctor and nurse shortages here for decades. It’s a problem that pre-dates the stress of the COVID-19 pandemic, although COVID certainly exacerbated the issue, especially when some people insisted on protesting in front of hospitals.

It pre-dates social media, although it doesn’t help that people who have the slightest gripe with the health-care system will take to rant and rave platforms and other social media sites, and the administrators enable them by allowing them to post anonymously or under assumed names.

There’s no easy solution. But it is time for better communication from SHA.

When there is a looming “interruption to services”, the SHA needs to get it out to the community as quickly as possible, through a news release to media in the area, through social media posts and through communication with area officials.

Fortunately, they did that with the Oxbow virtual physician announcement.

But there have been other times in which the communication has been lacking. Regardless of whether it’s a one-night interruption, a reduction in services or an indefinite interruption, the public needs to know, because so many of the visits to health facilities are unforeseen.

At the same time, the SHA needs to tell the public when services resume, so that people know when something is available again and can make decisions accordingly. The return of around-the-clock services at the Redvers Health Centre emergency room was only disclosed in an interview with the Mercury last week.

You’d think that when services resume, SHA would want to promote it as much as possible.

The opposition NDP tries to paint this as a government issue. It is not. It’s an everywhere issue. We’d be in the same position we are now if the NDP was in power.

It’s an easy message for the NDP to spread and one that resonates with a lot of people, but before blaming Scott Moe and the Saskatchewan Party for the current mess, we have to ask ourselves: how would the NDP change things.

There’s a lack of qualified health-care professionals everywhere. It’s not just a St. Joseph’s Hospital in Estevan thing or a Saskatchewan Health Authority thing. There are communities far larger than Estevan that are going through similar pains. We’ve been able to attract physicians to Estevan in the past, but keeping them has been another challenge. And while it’s easy to think we’re the only ones in this situation and it’s because of a local problem, it’s not. And while we can come up with recruitment strategies to try to keep the talent that we have, it’s tough to keep physicians when you’re competing with virtually every other community in the country.

The provincial government can talk about recruiting trips to the Philippines and other countries to bring in skilled, trained medical workers, but this represents just a small piece of a very large puzzle. Until someone comes up with a silverbullet solution to train more professionals in Canada while bringing in others from abroad, we’re going to be faced with the same problems.

Good things just a breath away

There are times when my senses immediately put me in a summer mindset.

The sound of water lapping up on the shore or a family restaurant during the breakfast rush; the taste of my favourite flavour of ice cream or a juicy burger fresh off the grill; and the smell of coconut sunscreen or smoke from a roaring campfire. Those are based on things I associate with summer –water, restaurants in popular locations, great food, the beach and camping.

One early morning last week I was walking past freshly-laid mulch and was instantly reminded of a beautiful campground in the Okanagan Valley where we holidayed many times growing up. The aroma helped me recapture memories of beach days, board games around the picnic table, tossing logs onto campfires, trips to the Tastee-Freez after picking up groceries, and pails full of fresh cherries right off the tree. All that from a simple whiff of something aromatic in the great outdoors.

It’s odd really, come to think of it. Those experiences typically made up a short vacation period, or days here and there. The majority of the summer is, in many ways, remarkably similar to the rest of the year. But there’s just something about those summer moments that heighten the senses and indeed, the memories.

Since most of the committees and organizations I volunteer with don’t meet in July and August, I typically approach these two months with rather grandiose ideas. I have free evenings, so, oh, the things I will get done. Yes, there is still the job each day but

Shelley Luedtke

without some of the extras going on I anticipate summer with the thought that I am going to have time to do so much. Projects awaiting my attention are now the priority. It’s going to be so good to complete it all.

I’m halfway through those two aspirational months so it’s fair to ask the question: how are things going? To be honest, not well at all. Granted, our summer didn’t begin the way we expected. Nonetheless, I have been thinking about that list of projects and looking to the month ahead and I get tired. Too much has yet to be done and I don’t know where the hours, let alone the energy, is going to come from.

I was comparing notes with someone who, like me, hasn’t worked on what he hoped before we start meeting again in September. I valiantly declared I still wanted to tackle it in August. He was far more realistic, and honest, indicating he likely wouldn’t do it in the coming weeks either. I will admit, same with me. There are too many other things I want to do, wonderful things, things I can only

do in the summer so why wouldn’t I do those instead?

We should focus on taking time to soak in all the good stuff. We need to give ourselves permission to sit outside and listen to the birds, to dip our toes in the lake, to take a nap in a lawn chair, or enjoy an unhurried visit on the deck. Life will be better when we do.

Of course not everyone can approach summer like that. Work and life for many gets extra busy during the summer months. It is their bread and butter and there isn’t a thought to sit, dip, nap or visit. Their opportunity comes at another time of the year hopefully, when they can take their moments.

But the important thing is that at some point we take time to do just that. Too many people have bought into a mindset that they need to be on the go all the time. But in the process of doing so much, they are missing out on so much more.

Don’t let it slip away without appreciating all that summer offers. Or autumn or winter or spring for that matter. When you can, and where you can, give a gift to yourself and be reminded that our bodies need rest, our minds need downtime and our souls need quiet. Whether you do that from a beach chair feeling the breeze on your face or on a ski lift inhaling fresh mountain air, be sure to embrace the experience. Take a deep breath and let the aromas stir the imagination. Then, and this is the important step, give yourself time to take it all in. That’s my outlook.

news feed says

David Willberg Willberg’s World

I came home Monday afternoon after covering another great edition of the TS&M Woodlawn Golf Course’s FrameTech Classic, and started working on a couple of online articles.

I quickly checked the Mercury’s Facebook page and saw a message “No posts to show” where normally our Facebook posts would appear.

On my personal Facebook account, where Mercury news articles would appear, the message is “This content isn’t available in Canada”. Click on it, and you’ll get taken to a Facebook link that shows all sorts of propaganda on why the article can’t be viewed any longer.

Once I saw the “no posts to show” message, I knew what it meant. Facebook had randomly selected me to be among those who can’t view news from Canadian sources. There were others who could still view our articles; the amount of activity on the Mercury’s Facebook page for the FrameTech Classic and the many events in Midale on the weekend served as evidence.

I’m not the first to lose access to Canadian news content. I won’t be the last. I can still view sports articles from TSN and Sportsnet, but not news. Whether it’s a small-town outlet like the Carlyle Observer, or a big-city publication like Vancouver is Awesome, or our provincial news hub, SaskToday.ca, there are no posts to show.

And barring some form of a last-second agreement, at some point soon, we’ll all be in the same boat. If you want to find news through Meta’s Facebook or Instagram platforms, or if you want to find news on Google, you’ll be out of luck.

These platforms have reacted negatively to the federal government’s Online News Act, which forces tech companies to pay news outlets for their content that appears on their platforms. Rather than comply or negotiate, these big U.S. companies have decided to turn out the lights on Canadian news providers.

Here at the Mercury, we’ve long taken pride in our social media presence through Facebook. We have approximately 9,000 likes and nearly 9,300 followers – impressive numbers for a market of this size.

What troubles me about losing Facebook is thes public safety factor. If there’s a missing person, an increased police presence, a highway closure or a storm, then we often stop what we’re doing, post it online and reach people immediately. Now that missing person report won’t get to as many people as quickly.

Yes, it’s great we’ve been able to share event articles and photo albums, sometimes while the event is happening. But the most important thing that we can post and share is a missing person report.

The loss of legitimate Canadian news is also going to favour the false news sites that prey upon those who will believe anything that fits their worldview.

So what can you do? I’d like to say cancel your Facebook and Instagram accounts, but that probably won’t happen. Use a different search engine? Google is so synonymous with searches that it’s become a verb almost as much as a proper noun.

You’ll still be able to find our stories on X (formerly known as Twitter), but we recognize that it has become a diminishing return in the social media world, and its decline has been accelerated ever since Elon Musk became its owner.

It means visiting www.sasktoday.ca will be more important than ever. Or go directly to the Mercury’s section at www.sasktoday.ca/ south/estevan-mercury for a local emphasis, although then you’ll miss out on all of the great articles from across the province that can be found on SaskToday.

Check back a few times a day. And subscribe to our newsletters. SaskToday’s goes out five times a week. The Mercury has one, too, with a local emphasis.

You’re still going to find the high-quality content that you’re used to. It’s still going to be updated repeatedly. Just because we don’t have Facebook prompting you to go there doesn’t mean we’re not there any longer.

I’m not sure how long this is going to last. Australia went through a similar situation a few years ago. It lasted two weeks. I’d like to think that this have a similar outcome, but the more I think about it, the more I realize that’s likely wishful thinking.

The news existed before Facebook. Online news existed before Google. This will serve as a reminder of how over-dependent we are on certain platforms.

But we’re not going anywhere, even if it’s not as simple to find us as it used to be.

Arts Council announces schedule for concert series

The Estevan Arts Council (EAC) has announced the schedule for its 2023-24 Estevan Concert Series.

The series will kick off with a performance by Diyet and the Love Soldiers on Oct. 25 at 7;30 p.m. at the Royal Canadian Legion’s Estevan branch. The concert series’ promotional poster says Diyet and the Love Soldiers features an Indigenous singer-songwriter from the Yukon who blends alternative country, folk, roots and traditional music with her native southern Tutchone language and stories.

The remaining concerts will be in 2024, starting with Prairie Debut presents Buzz Brass on Jan. 15 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Paul’s United Church. They are described as a Canadian brass quintet that offers a dynamic performance of classical works reinterpreted through trumpet, horn and trombone.

“I think all of the students who are in band should go there. Their performances, they really make it fun and comedic, but also show how good they are,” said EAC president Wilma Mantei, who added people of all ages will enjoy the show.

The Andrew Collins Trio will be on March 5 at the legion at 7:30 p.m. Also featuring Mike Mezzatesta and James McEleney, Collins showcases a range of styles and instruments on stage.

Piano Heist will be March 9 at Trinity Lu-

theran Church at 7 p.m. The duo presents everything from classical piano pieces to boogie woogie and romantic ballads. Mantei said they want to show how the piano remains an incredible instrument.

Jack Garton will be March 22 at the legion at 7:30 p.m. The poster says he performs a breadth of music that spans the intimate, bombastic, funny, skillful and profound.

Finally, Saskatchewan musician Jake Vaadeland and the Sturgeon River Boys will be in Estevan on April 23 at the legion at 7:30 p.m. Vaadeland is described

as a self-taught multi-instrumentalist and songwriter, with a traditional sound and unique style that blends bluegrass and 50s rockabilly.

Vaadeland has been on Telemiracle in the past, and often wears exotic clothes for his performances.

“I think it’s a pretty great series,” said Mantei. “We have a lot of variety.”

The EAC heard all of these acts at the showcase for the Organization of Saskatchewan Arts Councils, and the performers were excellent.

“All of the arts councils in Saskatchewan meet … and it’s a three-day event …

and we hear these 15 acts, and if we like them, we get to meet with them in person and talk with them in person. And when you talk with them, you get to know the person, and whether you like the way they think and act and talk.”

A season subscription is $125 for adults and $50 for students ages six to 18. Those include six concert tickets.

“If they buy the series, they’re getting six concerts for under $25 apiece,” said Mantei.

People can decide how they want to use their tickets, so they can use one for each show or they can use up all six at once.

They also want to see young people come and enjoy the music.

A patron’s pass is $275, and includes 12 concert tickets and a $25 donation receipt.

Advance tickets are $30 each and can be purchased at Henders Drugs. Tickets at the door are $35. A student ticket is $10.

Mantei said they haven’t had as many people in attendance for the concert series since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, so they didn’t go with top-end acts, but the EAC believes the shows for 202324 will be entertaining.

And she expects the legion and the churches that will host the performances will all be great venues.

goofball. My favourite things to do is playing fetch and tug of war. I’m also a big fan of the snow! The staff at the shelter say I’m a good learner, and will thrive with someone who can help me reach my full potential. With proper introduction I

We’re not going anywhere, despite what your

Jake Vaadeland and the Sturgeon River Boys will perform through the Estevan Concert Series this year.

Photo courtesy of Sherri Solomko of the Unity-Wilkie Press Herald

Estevan-area residents were treated to some scenery in the skies on Wednesday night. A thunderstorm struck east of the city, but those who live in Estevan still enjoyed the beautiful and unique colours

A6

CUSTOM BLINDS

Southeast photographer celebrating Cancer Warriors

By David Willberg

Kennedy Tessier has been paying tribute to those who are fighting cancer through her Cancer Warriors project.

Tessier, who owns This Moment Photography in Arcola, said she wants to empower people who need it the most while bringing awareness to the fight against cancer. Each of the participants has their pho-

to taken and shares their story through a video.

When she started, her focus was on breast cancer. In each of the first two years, she had eight participants. This year she wanted to also have ovarian cancer fighters, and had a couple of women lined up, but they had to back out to focus on treatment and Tessier didn’t want to push them to hard.

Next year she hopes to expand the Cancer Warriors photos to men and women who have had cancer.

She’s found it’s been hard to get people in the southeast to reflect. It was also difficult listening to these people talk about having their support system, she said, because she found she wasn’t there to support her father when he had cancer, as she was pregnant at the time.

“He really didn’t want to scare me,” she said. “It was more of my mom being a support system [for him].”

Tessier’s father died in 2019 due to a rare form of cancer, and an aunt passed away the following year. She started the project in 2021 in an effort to encourage others to be proactive on checking and making sure they can catch anything of concern before it becomes worse.

Tessier said she is working on getting a foundation up and running in her father’s name.

The people who have participated in the Cancer Warriors project have given outstanding reviews. They couldn’t believe it was put together so quickly.

“It made them feel amazing being able to tell their story, and having it put everywhere has been an … eyeopener to people, too,” said Tessier.

Sometimes the questions are tough, but the people who participate want others to know what they have been through.

“I feel like a lot of people don’t understand the treatments. At first I didn’t understand with my dad’s treatments, because I wasn’t there all of the time.”

She has also worked with many local businesses who provide gifts to the women who participate in Cancer Warriors. These people have provided items that help them look and

feel better about themselves, and have helped put smiles on faces.

“I’m glad I had a lot of people that could help to give items that will help you feel good,” said Tessier.

She plans to organize Cancer Warriors again next year to give people to share their stories and bring awareness to their fight. And after a friend went through pregnancy loss, she wants to create an opportunity for people to share their experiences on that front and create awareness. Eventually she would like to branch out into mental health awareness.

Diyet & The

Prairie Debut Buzz Brass

January 15, 2024 7:30 pm St Paul’s United Church

Jack Garton

March 22, 2024

7:30 pm

Estevan Royal Canadian Legion

Andrew Collins Trio March 5, 2024 7:30 pm

Estevan Royal Canadian Legion

Jake Vaadeland & The Sturgeon River Boys

April 23, 2024

7:30 pm

Estevan Royal Canadian Legion

For information about the Estevan Concert Series or for wanting to volunteer, contact Wilma @ (306) 461-8656 or email estevanartscounsil@sasktel.net Advance

Faith Norton, Alysha Keith, Gaylene Galenzoski and Christel Salamon were among this year’s participants in the Cancer Warriors project. Photos by Kennedy Tessier

Keith is among the participants in the

Geologist receives grant for lithium research

University of Regina geologist Dr. Leslie Robbins has received a $60,000 Natural Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) Alliance grant to find ways to sustainably explore for lithium in Western Canada.

During this project. Robbins will work with EMP Metals, an early-entry lithium exploration and development company that is contributing their expertise and $30,000 over two years to the project.

Lithium, a soft, silverywhite alkali metal, is required in batteries that can be used in electronics, electric vehicles and renewable energy storage. While production traditionally comes from ore deposits in countries like Australia and China, or shallow groundwaters from South America, there is also the possibility of recovering it from brines (salty waters) deep in the subsurface of Western Canada.

“Lithium is a great option to help provide clean and renewable energy technologies – and demand for it is anticipated to increase substantially in the coming years,” said Robbins, an assistant professor in the university’s Faculty of Science. “There’s been a lot of momentum in Western Canada to extract lithium from subsurface brines.

“However, our understanding of this process is in its infancy, and there’s a lack of a predictive framework to find the locations of these lithium deposits in subsurface brines. Working with EMP Metals Corp, my project will help advance this work.”

“EMP is pleased to support the research being done by Dr. Robbins and his team. We believe that Western Canada, and in particular southeastern Saskatchewan, has huge reserves of lithium and we are

dedicated, as a company, to responsibly developing these reserves through to production, building value for our shareholders and Canadians as a whole,” said EMP Metals Corp. CEO Rob Gamley.

Lithium occurs naturally as a component of the dissolved solids in these deep brines. This project will focus on tracing the source of lithium in these subsurface waters within the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin – a 1.4 million square kilometre area in Western Canada that includes southwestern Manitoba, southern Saskatchewan, Alberta, northeastern British Columbia, and the southwest corner of the Northwest Territories.

Robbins says the project addresses a significant need within Canada – understanding the source of lithium, a critical step in establishing a domestic supply of the metal.

An announcement has been made on lithium exploration.

“While this particular project is currently focused on the southern Saskatchewan area, we hope that the team’s results will be able to guide exploration

for lithium in subsurface brines throughout Western Canada and in other large sedimentary basins,” says Robbins. Robbins said a sustain-

able source of lithium will be essential for Canada to meet its climate goals and help mitigate the ways that humans are contributing to climate change.

Address signs now available for the RM of Estevan

RM of Estevan residents have been dropping by the municipality’s office and picking up their new civic address signs.

Keri Lukye, who works in accounts receivable for the RM and headed up this project, said they were very busy last week. People have been eagerly awaiting the chance to pick up the signs.

“There is about 450 of them [to be picked up],” said Lukye.

In the first few days, about

20-25 signs were distributed, she said.

The primary beneficiary of this effort will be emergency services, as it will be easier for them to locate a residence.

“Sask. Public Safety Agency has been co-ordinating this through the RMs throughout the province, in order to better provide emergency services, whether it be fire or police or EMS,” said Lukye.

“If there are four houses on a quarter-section parcel, how

are crews supposed to know which residence it is without an identified access point?”

She predicted it would take minutes off of their response time, which would make a big difference.

The signs, which have the address and the range road, are supposed to be placed at a laneway or an access point so that they’re visible for approaching vehicles. Lukye said they shouldn’t be on the front of the house.

“They’re given one sign, but it’s double sided, so you’ll be able to see it coming from either direction,” said Lukye.

The RM has received a lot of interest about the project. Some were asking when this would actually proceed.

“There were quite a few people that were very enthusiastic about having an address sign, just for emergency service purposes only,” she said.

If anybody is unable to install the sign themselves, they

need to let the RM know and the RM will make arrangements on their behalf.

The RM has also had good feedback from protective services agencies and EMS crews. Lukye said she would be meeting with the emergency measures organization in September to provide a rundown on how the addresses work.

She also provided a map with the Estevan Fire Rescue Service, and they found it quite helpful.

RCMP investigating theft from oilfield site

The Carnduff RCMP is requesting the public’s assistance to identify individuals who were involved in a break, enter and theft at Saturn Oil and Gas’ facility in the RM of Mount Pleasant on July 5.

The information was posted on Aug. 3. Anyone with information about the individuals or vehicles is asked to click the Contact Us button on the Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers’ Facebook page or call 1-800-222-8477 to leave an anonymous tip. If a tip leads to an arrest or charge, you might be eligible for a reward of up to $2,000.

•••

A recent case of impaired boating in southeast Saskatchewan was highlighted in the Saskatchewan RCMP’s weekly report, released on July 31.

The RCMP noted that on July 22, members with the Saskatchewan RCMP Combined Traffic Services Saskatchewan, as well as con-

servation officers with the Provincial Protective Services Branch, conducted a proactive patrol on Boundary Dam.

They observed a houseboat with numerous occupants, and as a result of an investigation, charged the operator, who hails from Carlyle, with impaired operation of a vessel.

“Sometimes we feel like a broken record, but some drivers are still not getting the message that impaired driving is dangerous,” said Sgt. Ian Amundsen from Saskatchewan RCMP Traffic Services.

•••

It was also a busy week for members of the Estevan Police Service.

Police received a request to keep the peace on July 31 while an individual obtained their possessions from a residence in the central part of the city. Officers attended and there were no issues.

Officers were called to a

CRANES

request to assist with removing an unwanted house guest. Members attended and assisted with removing the individual and keeping the peace while they obtained their belongings.

A scam was reported on Aug. 1 that involved the fraudster requesting a large sum of money in order to release a prize. The public is advised to be aware of this and other scams that are occurring daily and to not provide anyone with personal or financial information.

A motor vehicle collision occurred in north Estevan on Wednesday after a vehicle swerved to avoid a deer. The vehicle entered the centre meridian and collided with a concrete planter, which caused extensive damage to both the vehicle and the

planter. The driver was not injured.

Police were dispatched to an altercation at a north Estevan establishment. The involved intoxicated male had already left on foot before police arrived, and was soon found and transported to his residence, where he was left in the care of a family member.

Members of the EPS handled 89 calls for service from the evening of Aug. 4 to the morning of Aug. 7.

Officers are investigating a couple of sexual assaults that were reported. The two incidents aren’t related and the EPS is in the early stages of gathering information.

A number of calls were related to mental health. The EPS was able to connect people with services during the weekend.

Police issued a number of tickets for speeding and intersection-related offences.

Officers carried out a number of pro-active traffic stops in which breath samples were obtained. Nobody who was checked was impaired.

The EPS received a call during the Aug. 6 night shift that two people had entered a vacant residence in south Estevan. Officers arrived and located them within the residence. The two people were informed they weren’t welcome, warned about tres-

“It’s hard to keep it up to date, just because people are changing and moving, and new houses are being built, but it gives them a rough idea of who’s where if they need to find them,” said Lukye. She will also provide a map for the Estevan EMS, the Estevan Police Service and the Estevan RCMP. People can pick up the signs during regular business hours, which would be 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday.

passing in the future and released without charges. Another trespassing incident came up in which three people were walking on the CP Rail tracks. They were located and warned about the dangers of being on the tracks, especially at night. Members continue to handle calls for attempted frauds and scams. All were extortion attempts in which people were ordered to send money or the scammers would release personal information. The EPS is not aware of anyone who lost money.

Photo by Kinga Krzeminska / Moment / Getty Images

Literacy Group continues to leave positive impact

The Estevan Area Literacy Group (EALG) continues to have a variety of programs that it uses to help further people’s English skills.

Nature Smarts is a popular effort every summer, and the Battle of the Books returned this year for the first time since 2019. It gives youths from local schools a chance to test their knowledge and memory of novels.

But the EALG also has Learn and Soar for ages three to five, and a family language circle with the Southeast College for newcomer families.

“We work with the schools, which is really important,” said co-ordinator Grace Caputo. “I’m going to be starting to go to the schools in the fall and spring and do some reading clubs.

“Our programs are really great. They’re important. They’re educational and they’re fun. And we range

with children in ages from three to 17, and we work with adults and families.”

Caputo is the EALG’s lone year-round employee, and the organization also has staff members hired for the summer months.

The literacy group’s primary funder is the United Way Estevan, as the EALG is a member agency. They also have support from the Community Initiatives Fund and the Estevan Lions Club. Fundraisers occur during the year, and the organization receives a number of grants.

Caputo said the EALG gets a lot of positive feedback about their programs.

“We’re very fortunate that because of those funders, the programs we offer are free so there’s no charge for the individuals that are participating in them, which is really valuable for those individuals who require those services,” she said.

The literacy group is currently in the midst of its annual Nature Smarts program. Kids ages four to 12 attend. They average about 100 children a week, and the youths have the option of coming in the mornings or afternoons from Mondays through Thursdays, and they can come anywhere from once a week to once a day.

“We have different activities that support each of those age groups,” said Margaret Duncan, who is part of the Nature Smarts team. “We have seven weeks that it runs for, and we have a different theme that goes for each week.”

Thanks to an arrangement with the Saskatchewan Writers Guild, local author Marie Donais Calder read to the kids on Aug. 2. She shared from one of her children’s books and discussed her other projects: the Other Side series of books about her father’s experiences after

the Second World War, and her efforts to commemorate the plane crash of 1946 south of Estevan that killed 21 members of the Royal Canadian Air Force. A technologist from the Shand Greenhouse came in, and a geologist will speak to the kids about dinosaurs.

“We’re really fortunate to have the support of the community when offering programs,” said Duncan. Their year-end party will be on Aug. 24.

The kids seem to be enjoying the activities, according to Duncan and Caputo. They have been consistent with their numbers, and they can

MAYOR’S MESSAGE

see progress in the kids through Nature Smarts. “We’re getting to the point where some of our kiddos are starting to age out, and they’re wanting to come back and volunteer,” said Duncan.

Once Nature Smarts wraps up, they will be resuming with their programs in the schools in the fall.

We are excited to announce the popular Beach Bash is coming up on August 11, 2023 at Boundary Dam, please set this date in your calendar and look forward to having an enjoyable time.

Local author Marie Donais Calder read to young people through the Estevan Area Literacy Group’s Nature Smarts program on Aug. 2. Photo courtesy of Grace Caputo

Bow Valley J a m b o r e e

There will be plenty of great musical talent on display during this year’s Bow Valley Jamboree (BVJ23) on Aug. 12 at the Bow Valley Park south of Oxbow.

The day-long festival features musical performances, artisans, food, beer gardens, children’s activities, crafts and more, all in a familyfriendly atmosphere.

It offers professional performers the opportunity to present their music to new audiences, while vendors and artisans display and sell their unique products.

Opening the festival will be Kilted Wind from 1:301:50 p.m. The southeast Saskatchewan pipers and drum band has performed in previous years, bringing upbeat energy and Celtic spirit to the festival.

Up next will be Dusty Rain from 1:50-2:50 p.m.

It’s a classic rock band from Oxbow, Alameda and Estevan, with Blair Wilson on bass guitar, Dennis Freitag on guitar and vocals, Rob Wilson on drums, Kirsten Tanghe on keyboard, and Vince Parker and Gord Young with vocals and rhythms on guitar.

Winsome Kind will perform from 3-3:45 p.m. The husband-and-wife duo has

links to Oxbow and has been together for over a decade. They deliver memorable melodies, harmonies and lyrics. They will be returning after a hiatus of a few years.

Jake Vaadeland and the Sturgeon River Boys will be on the stage from 4-5 p.m. New to the Jamboree this year, Vaadeland is a selftaught multi-instrumentalist and songwriter who showcases a traditional yet unique style that combines bluegrass and 1950s rockabilly. He has won numerous awards during his career.

Up next will be JJ Voss

from 5:15-6:30 p.m. Another new face to the Jamboree, Voss has released three albums and one single, garnering numerous award nominations from the Saskatchewan Country Music Association and the West Coast Music Association. Voss has built an authentic and professional career rooted in the soil of the working class.

Soul Sensation, featuring Munro and Patrick, will perform from 6:45-8:15 p.m. With the Motown, soul, R and B, and disco hits from the ‘60s, ‘70s and early

‘80s, Soul Sensation has been described as the “Vegas show band of the prairies” by the American Federation of Musicians Local 533. The band features a group of seasoned and polished musicians. They will be followed by The New Montagues from 8:30-10 p.m. They bring a nine-piece, multiple awardwinning band. With a horn section, guitars, vocals and high-energy songs, they play some of the biggest hits of all time for the crowd.

Karissa Hoffort will wrap up the festival with a two-

hour performance from 10:15 p.m.-12:15 a.m. A newcomer to the jamboree, she has performed on many big stages and opened for well-known artists across the country. She is set to release a new album that she will showcase at the Bow Valley Jamboree.

The festival set an attendance record last year of 900 spectators of all ages.

“With this year’s talented and diverse musical line up, BVJ23 will be another day you won’t want to miss,” the festival said in a news release.

Surrounding the stage is a variety of vendors and artisans. Food options will include the Oxbow & District Lions Club’s roast beef supper, Filipino foods, The Reach Café’s beverages, Southeast Shrine Club hotdogs and burgers, and Get in My Belly tacos, brisket, donuts and more. Food trucks will surround the stage.

Interspersed among these food vendors are artisans such as Cora’s Creations, Fabled Acres Flower Farm, Kaiya’s Pupcakery, Moonemis Creations, Just Bread, Off the Rails Pottery Studio, Something Sweet by Fadiah, Charlotte Hauck Pottery, and Kristyn Mayer and Tessa Havelange jewelry and natural products.

For the second year, an artist booth will also be highlighted, showcasing many artists from the area.

To create a family friendly atmosphere, children’s activities such as face painting, a bouncy castle, a rock-climbing wall, musical instruments and games are available at specific times throughout the afternoon. As well, a selfie wall, new to the Jamboree, offers participants a chance to win tickets to the 2024 festival

The Town of Oxbow is encouraging people to come to the town for the weekend of Aug. 11 and 12.

The Bow Valley Jamboree is Aug. 12 and it is always a popular event, but before the opening act takes to the stage, there will be a couple of events in the town.

The first will be a family pool party on Aug. 11, starting at 5:30 p.m. at the Oxbow Swimming Pool.

A supper will be served at 5:30 p.m. and then the band

Winsome Kind will begin at 7 p.m. Admission will be by donation, with proceeds going back into the pool.

Community development officer Treena Mohrbutter said it will be a great evening for people of all ages.

Winsome Kind will also be performing in the jamboree on Aug. 12.

Then the following morning, prior to the jamboree, there will be a show and shine from 9 a.m. to noon on Main Street, with a variety of

classic vehicles on display. A charity barbecue will be held for the cemetery gazebo.

“We’re trying to make it into a weekend event so that people can come and stay and have more things to do on the Friday night and the Saturday morning before the jamboree starts,” said Mohrbutter.

The town has been working closely with the jamboree committee on activities to make sure there is no conflict on the times for the events.

Bow Valley Jamboree

“They’re the ones who got us the band as well,” Mohrbutter said. Mohrbutter noted the town and the Southern Plains Co-op’s Oxbow location have also been sponsoring block parties in the community this summer, which have allowed people to get to know their neighbours and get out and have fun with each other. Activities are dropped off for the participants

A large crowd attended the Bow Valley Jamboree in 2022. File photo

You’re going to lose access to local news on Facebook and Google.

Dear readers,

Your access to local, provincial and national news is going to be revoked on Google, Facebook and Instagram.

And it’s not because of anything we’ve done.

Recently, Canada passed the Online News Act, also known as Bill C-18, which has led to a standoff between the government, Google and Meta — the parent company behind Facebook and Instagram.

Both Google and Meta have said they plan to cut ties with the news industry in Canada as a result.

This means Meta will block the posting and sharing of our news articles on Facebook and Instagram. Google will also remove links to our sites and articles in Google News, Discover and search results. They’ll also cancel significant content licensing agreements already in place with our parent company, Glacier Media.

Undoubtedly, this will have a huge impact not solely on us but, more importantly, on people like yourself who may use these platforms to discover what’s happening in your community and to get context to events happening in your own backyard.

We’re not planning on going anywhere, but here’s how you can help:

1. Sign up for our free daily newsletter by scanning the QR code. (And encourage your family and friends to do the same.)

2. Follow us on Twitter.

3. Bookmark our website as the homepage on your devices.

4. If you own/operate a local business, consider supporting local by placing ads with 100% Canadian-owned media outlets, like us.

With your help, more people will be able to get their local news from a trusted source. In today’s age of misinformation, that’s more important than ever.

Thank you. We appreciate you.

Sincerely,

The Estevan Mercury team

Thank You

Thank You to the City of Estevan for putting on a great day of celebration with The Stanley Cup, the Estevan Co-op for the BBQ, Murray GM for the vehicle, the Days Inn and the Reiger Family for their amazing support.

SEED & FEED

WE BUY DAMAGED GRAIN HEATED... LIGHT BUGS... TOUGH

MIXED GRAIN SPRING THRASHED WHEAT... OATS PEAS... BARLEY CANOLA... FLAX

“ON FARM PICKUP” WESTCAN FEED & GRAIN 1-877-250-5252

QUEEN CITY

ANTIQUE & VINTAGE MARKET

FRIDAY, SEPT. 8

12 NOON - 8 PM

SATURDAY, SEPT. 9

10 AM - 4 PM

CALLIE CURLING CLUB

2225 SANDRA

SCHMIRLER WAY, REGINA

ADMISSION $6

ANTIQUES, VINTAGE & COLLECTIBLES FROM ACROSS THE PRAIRIES 306-552-8528

QUEENCITYVINTAGE1 @GMAIL COM

FB @QUEENCITYVIN TAGEMARKET

Thank you goes out to Family, Friends and the community for their awesome support. It was an amazing day!! Brayden Pachal and Family Private mortgage lender. All real estate types considered. No credit checks done. Deal direct with lender and get quick approval. Toll free 1-866-405-1228 www. firstandsecondmortgages.ca

LAND FOR SALE

PINTAIL WINTER WHEAT

EXTREMELY HARDY HIGH YIELDING

HEALTH

AGRICULTURE

Integrity Post Frame Buildings

SINCE 2008

Built with Concrete Posts Barns, Shops, Riding Arenas, Machine Sheds and More sales@ Integritybuilt.com

1-866-974-7678

www. integritybuilt.com

AWNLESS. EXCELLENT VARIETY FOR FORAGE OR FEED GRAIN PRODUCTION

LOW INPUTS HIGH PROFITS

In SK call or text 306-229-9517

In AB call 403-556-2609 or text 403-994-2609 mastinseeds.com

Advertisements and statements contained herein are the sole responsibility of the persons or entities that post the advertisement, and the Saskatchewan Weekly Newspaper Association and membership do not make any warranty as to the accuracy, completeness, truthfulness, or reliability of such advertisements. For greater information on advertising conditions, please consult the Association’s Blanket Advertising Conditions on our website at www.swna.com.

Find QUALIFIED, LOCAL EMPLOYEES, using the strength of community newspapers! Visit www. swna.com or call 306-649-1405 to find out how!

PROVINCE-WIDE

For the third consecutive year Carline Muffler captured the playoff championship of the Estevan Commercial Softball league in August 1990 at Cossette Park. Front row, from left, Jody Heidinger, Kathy Aspinall, Gary Moroz, Laura Ehrmantraut, Susan Colbow and Devin Aspinall (bat boy). Back row, Darryl Aspinall, Ken McClement, Harold Helm, Gary Whitman, Bruce Ward, Dennis Klassen, Brent Lietz and Barry Aspinall

EPS releases enforcement numbers for the second quarter

Recently-released information from the Estevan Police Service shows it is continuing to make progress on a number of fronts.

As part of the EPS’s strategic plan, it has committed to releasing numbers on multiple fronts. Quarterly reports are posted on the EPS’s website.

In terms creating a safe community, the traffic safety strategy shows there were 10 targeted traffic enforcement operations in the second quarter. A total of 648 traffic enforcement charges were laid in the second quarter through platoon officers and members of the Combined Traffic Services of Saskatchewan. That figure includes 83 issued during a selective traffic enforcement program blitz in June.

There were 500 charges in the first quarter.

Wanted old advertising: Dealership signs, service station, gas pumps, globes, oil cans, Red Indian, White Rose, Buffalo, Husky, Ford, GM, Dodge, Tire signs, Coke, Pepsi etc. Call 306-221-5908

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

HEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATORS & LABOURERS WANTED

For all heavy equipment:

ie. dozers, excavators, scrapers etc.

Camp/R & B provided.

Competitive wages. Valid drivers license req’d.

Send resume and work references to:

Bryden Construction and Transport Co. Inc.

Fax: 306-769-8844

brydenconstruct@ xplornet.ca

www. brydenconstruction andtransport.ca

Seven impaired driving charges were laid in the

second quarter, and there were eight charges for a low blood alcohol content or for cannabis use in the second quarter.

Two high-visibility check stops occurred from April 1-June 30, with 239 vehicles inspected.

The EPS responded to 20 collisions in the second quarter. The number peaked at nine in May.

In terms of its illicit drug strategy, the EPS had just two arrests under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act during the second quarter, down from 11 for the first three months of the year. The seized drugs and property had an estimated value of $15,043, down sharply from $76,661 in the first quarter.

A total of 105.3 grams of drugs were seized, all of it cocaine.

The EPS reports that 32 per cent of incidents re-

ported from April 1-June 30 resulted in criminal charges, up from 17 per cent in the first quarter.

The EPS performed 146 compliance and conditions checks on known offenders, attended 93 special events or community events, spent 59 hours on foot patrol and received 15 tips through Crime Stoppers.

In terms of having a healthy organization, officers attended seven external training courses and conferences and five internal courses. Members dedicated 1,488 hours to training. Two combined service training events were attended with partner agencies.

As for the EPS’s goal for enhanced workplace wellness, 29 members were part of the EPS fitness program and six were in the financial wellness initiative.

The EPS had 61 total calls for service for mental

health emergencies, down from 55 in the first quarter; 52 deployments for the Police and Crisis Team (PACT), up from 40 in the first quarter; 15 PACT referrals to external agencies, down from 19 in the opening quarter; 33 client follow-ups, compared to 26; and 27 wellbeing checks versus 45.

In terms of budget accountability, the EPS used 49.3 per cent of its budget in the first six months of the year. The EPS has received $112,200 in government funding for positions in the second quarter.

The EPS has 203 officers per 100,000 population, which is the second-highest in the province behind Prince Albert with 229.

For ongoing coverage and breaking news related to the Estevan Police Service, please visit our provincial news hub at www. sasktoday.ca

Estevan fi re crews had two calls in roughly two hours

It was a busy midday for members of the Estevan Fire Rescue Service on Wednesday.

Just before 11 a.m. that morning, firefighters responded to a commercial fire alarm in the northwest side of the city. Fire Chief Rick Davies said they responded and the alarm was due to contractors working

on the alarm system. There were no issues and the fire department’s assistance was not required.

Just after 1 p.m. that day, the department was called to a commercial carbon monoxide alarm in west Estevan.

“We did find CO readings in the office portion of that business. Crews ven-

tilated it and assisted the employees on site to try to figure out the cause,” said Davies.

Nobody required medical assistance due to the CO.

Firefighters were also called to a vehicle fire on the truck bypass, near the junction of Highway 39 and the Shand Access Road.

COMING EVENTS WANTED

“It was a tractor-trailer unit,” said Davies. “There was a fire on the trailer side of the unit. The crews extinguished it. There was minor damage to the trailer, and no injuries to report.”

For updates and breaking news from the Estevan Fire Rescue Service, you can visit our provincial news hub at sasktoday.ca

A12

Carlisle, Hallberg and Wheeler win their divisions at Woodlawn’s FrameTech Classic

By David Willberg

Jace Carlisle says winning the FrameTech Classic is right up there with the biggest triumphs he’s ever had in golf.

Carlisle shot a 2-underpar 70 in Monday’s third and final round to win the men’s championship flight at the tournament, which is held annually at the TS&M Woodlawn Golf Course during the Saskatchewan Day long weekend.

“It means a lot to win on my home course, and I’ve got a lot of support from everybody at the club, so it means a lot to win this one and put it on the resumé,” said Carlisle, who has been golfing at Woodlawn since he was three years old.

He finished with a threeround total of 208 (70-6870), which was 8-under-par, leaving him two strokes better than Darien Herlick, who finished at 210 (71-6871).

Shawn McNall, Carson Harcourt and Chase Gedak finished tied for third at 211. Gedak was the leader after the first two rounds, but had a 74 on Monday.

Carlisle said he hit the ball really well and enjoyed good success with his driver. He also made some good wedge shots to give him a chance at making some birdies.

“You have to make birdies to win,” said Carlisle.

In Monday’s final round, Carlisle and Gedak were in the final group. The two won provincial high school golf titles together when they were at the Estevan Comprehensive School.

“It just makes it easier on you,” said Gedak. “It just feels like you’re out there, playing another Monday round of golf with the boys. It keeps your mind not on golf. You’re chatting on the tee boxes and after you hit.”

The two have traded wins over the years, but Carlisle now has a 1-0 advantage over Gedak for FrameTech Classic wins.

Carlisle competed at the Saskatchewan Men’s Amateur earlier this summer and is getting ready to play at the Kenosee Classic at Golf Kenosee from Aug. 18-20. And he’s been working at the golf course and practising whenever possible.

He’s looking forward to his senior year at Post University in Connecticut.

Carlisle praised the course conditions and everyone involved with the course for creating such an enjoyable weekend.

“Everybody just did an unreal job. This is one of my favourite events of the summer, so if you haven’t played Woodlawn yet, you have to come and play Woodlawn,” said Carlisle.

Daryl Donovan, who won the men’s championship flight the past two years, won the first flight this year with a three-round total of 214. Other flight winners were Tyler Mryglod, second, 226; Brycen Odgers, third, 234; Ryan Larter, fourth, 240; Jeremiah Schroeder, fifth, 245; and Wayne Chernoff, sixth, 261.

Meanwhile, Rick Hallberg continued his dominance of the senior men’s division, finishing with a three-round total of 7-under-par 209 (67-73-69) to win by 18 strokes over Rob Peloquin, who had a 228. It’s the third straight title for Hallberg, who had the only rounds under par in the senior men’s division this year.

Trevor Gessner was third with a 232 and Terry Rohatyn was fourth with a 234.

Dan Severson won the senior men’s first flight with a 244 and Kent Pachal won the second flight with a 256.

For the second straight year, Paige Wheeler won the women’s title. Wheeler shot an 85 in Monday’s final round to finish with a three-day total of 256 and win the tournament by 13 strokes over Roxanne Willerth. Rachel Harms was third at 271 and Taylor Wheeler came fourth with a 274.

Willerth, who is also a former champion, shot an

Estevan female football players compete at nationals

Athletes from the Estevan Kinette Club U18 Viragos were in Ottawa in late July for the Football Canada U18 National Female Championship.

Hailey Tangjerd and Ava Salminen were part of Team Saskatchewan at the event. Aurora McCutcheon was on the Indigenous Football Canada entry, which competed at the event for the first time and had players from across the country.

Rylee Briscoe was selected for Saskatchewan’s practice team but didn’t see game action.

Saskatchewan opened

with a 48-6 loss against Team Alberta on July 23 in a rematch of last year’s gold-medal game.

Tangjerd recorded two tackles in the game. Salminen had three yards rushing on one carry.

Their next contest was a 63-29 defeat against Quebec on July 26.

Tangjerd had three tackles in the game, and also had a punt return, while Salminen had one tackle.

Slotted into a consolation final, Saskatchewan fell 24-16 to Ontario Red on July 29.

Alberta and Quebec competed in a gold-medal

game at the tournament.

As for the Indigenous Football Canada Entry, they opened with a 70-0 loss to Ontario Black on July 23, then lost 53-0 to Manitoba three days later and 41-0 to New Brunswick on July 29 to close out the tournament.

McCutcheon went 2-for-13 for 10 yards passing in the first game, and rushed four times.

In the second game, she completed three of six passes for 44 yards, and had carried the ball seven times.

(Individual stats for the games on the final day were not available).

WOODLAWN REGIONAL PARK Sask Express Reel Music The Sequel Tour August 16 @ 6:30pm Woodlawn Boundary Dam Sask Express will be taking over the Boundary Stage with their Reel Music The Sequel Tour. Admission is by donation. Bring your lawn chair.

87 in the first round to hold a one-stroke lead over Paige Wheeler. The top seven golfers were separated by eight strokes. But Paige Wheeler took the lead with an 83 in the second round for a five-stroke lead, and added to her advantage with an 85 in the third round.

The FrameTech Classic also featured the annual Dave Price Memorial Horse Race on Sunday afternoon on the course’s back nine.

It features the 12 golfers who are part of the men’s championship flight in the classic. Joining Carlisle, Herlick, Harcourt, McNall and Gedak were Mitchell Matichuk, Dallas Lequyer, Ryan Stovin, Nolan Rohatyn, David Buttner, Taysen Holt and Jay Thiessen.

The two golfers with the highest scores on each of the first two holes were eliminated, leaving eight golfers remaining. Then the player with the highest score on each of the next seven holes was also finished, leaving only one golfer remaining.

Harcourt defeated Holt on the 18th hole to win and

was presented with a prize by the Price family.

A large crowd gathered on Woodlawn’s back nine to follow the horse race.

The horse race is held each year in memory of

Price, who died in 2015. He was an avid golfer and a big supporter of the horse race. For stories and photos from Woodlawn, be sure to check out our provincial news hub at www.sasktoday.ca

BIENFAIT SWIMMING POOL

Movie Night at the Pool Finding Nemo Friday, August 11 @ 8pm-11pm First 100 people in the door will be FREE courtesy of Southern Plains Co-op. $10/person thereafter up to pool capacity. There will also be some FREE Co-op snacks too and concession will be available.

FROBISHER THRESHERMAN'S

DAY - Sunday, Aug 13th 8am - 10:30amPancake Breakfast at the Museum 1pm - Parade Begins

Saturdays @ 8:30am to 1:00pm Estevan Market Mall Parking Lot

Prairie Toons Orchard & Bakery, Harvest Gold Market Garden, Auntie M's Garden Market, Just Bread, Box H Farms, Dunbar Greenhouses, Timber Dog Treats, Creations by Corrina, Tupperware and so much more. There is something for everyone!

Jace Carlisle won the men’s division at this year’s FrameTech Classic at the TS&M Woodlawn Golf Course.

Photo by David Willberg

From left, Hailey Tangjerd, Ava Salminen, Rylee Briscoe and Aurora McCutcheon were selected for the national women’s U18 football championships in Ottawa.

Photo courtesy of Kevin Mortenson

From left, Taylor Wheeler, Paige Wheeler, Roxanne Willerth and Rachel Harms were in the top four of the women’s division. Photo courtesy of Amanda Minchin

Dave Price Memorial Horse Race winner Carson Harcourt with members of the Price family: Taunia Turnbull, left, Laureen Price and Tyson Price Photo courtesy of Taunia Turnbull

Twenty-one bull riders showcased their skills for a large crowd as part of the annual Bull Bash and Cabaret Friday night in Midale.

Midale Rodeo Committee president Adam Carlson said they attracted close to 1,000 spectators for the extravaganza. He reported the stands were full and a lot of people were standing to watch the show.

Bull Riders Canada sanctioned the event, with Crossfire Bull Riding serving as the production company. A lot of talented athletes from Saskatchewan were entered, he said, including Aaron Roy of Yellow Grass, who has competed at top bull-riding events in North America.

Weston Davidson finished first in the opening round by staying on a bull for a full eight seconds and earning a score of 82.5. Stefan Tonita was second at 82 and Roy was third at 81.5. Grady Young (78), Gage Hillis (76), Eric O’Flynn

the only one of the seven to last for eight seconds. In all, he won approximately $5,900 on the night between the first round and the Calcutta.

“He was very happy, and he walked out with a bronze plaque for winning it,” said Carlson.

The bulls had a great showing on the night, too.

“There were lots of bulls that they could ride in that long run [the first round] and get good scores,” said Carlson. “They were nice, tight bulls. They were really well put together. And then the short go was definitely a really rank pen, and that’s why we only had one guy stay on.”

The crowd seemed to have a great time during the event, and Carlson said they received lots of positive feedback.

Mutton busting was held Friday night as well. Children tried to ride sheep for as long as possible.

More than 200 people attended the cabaret that fol-

lowed. The band Switch performed, keeping the crowd moving into the night. Carlson reported that many of the revellers remained until the cabaret’s conclusion.

The rodeo committee keeps part of the proceeds, as they always have upgrades they need to make to the facility and items they want to purchase.

“We also try to give back to a bunch of the little organizations around in the community as well,” said Carlson. “There’s a preschool and a swimming pool and things like that.”

The committee also had team roping demonstration and other activities during the Pioneer Echoes activities organized by the Souris Valley Antique Association on Saturday and Sunday, attracting competitors and spectators.

For additional photos of the event and the other activities in Midale, please visit our provincial news hub at www.sasktoday.ca

Southeast A’s win provincial baseball championship

The Southeast A’s, who play most of their games out of Alameda, have captured a provincial championship.

The A’s defeated the Regina Athletics 13-1 Sunday afternoon in Moose Jaw to win the Baseball Saskatchewan U15 AAA Tier 2 title. The A’s were the class of the tournament, posting a perfect 5-0 record and outscoring their opponents 67-27.

In the opener, the A’s and the White Butte Broncos were tied 3-3 entering the bottom of the fourth inning, but the A’s scored nine runs in the fourth and added two in the fifth to invoke the mercy rule. Jaxon Kuchinka had a double and four runs batted in (RBIs), while Seth Franklin scored three times.

Luke Holman pitched all five innings, allowing three runs and striking out five.

The next game was the toughest, a 9-7, extra-inning win over the Regina Wolfpack. The A’s rallied from a 4-1 deficit through four innings, eventually took a 5-4 lead but gave up a tying run in the bottom of the seventh. Then they outscored the Wolfpack 4-2 in the extra frame.

Nathan Gardiner had a run, two hits and an RBI for the A’s, who accumulated 10 stolen bases in the win.

Tyson Hardy and Tristan Brownridge shared the pitching duties. Hardy struck out 12 batters in five innings.

Next, the A’s and the Regina Athletics were tied at 4-4 entering the bottom of the fourth, but then the southeast entry took over with six in the fourth and two in the fifth.

Kuchinka and Holman each had three runs, two hits and an RBI, while Hardy had two hits and four RBIs.

The final round-robin game was a 16-7 win over the Moose Jaw Canucks. The A’s scored seven in the fourth and five in the sixth, and they belted out 24 hits, with nine players getting at least two hits in a balanced attack. Hardy once again had four RBIs, and Holman and Kuchinka had three runs each.

Reese Copeland started and went six innings for the A’s.

The Southeast A’s needed just 4 1/2 innings to defeat the Athletics in the provincial final, thanks to four runs in the third inning and eight in the fourth. Holman had two runs two hits and three RBIs while Caden Dorrance added two runs, two hits and two RBIs.

Brownridge and Dorrance combined to allow three hits in five innings.

Coach Trent Dorrance said the players pitched

very well during the weekend, with the starters going deep in each game and the relievers providing near-perfect performances.

The team batting average was .416 for the weekend, with everyone contributing to the lofty

figure. Dorrance noted they were second in batting average and runs this season.

The Southeast A’s were the top-ranked team in Tier 2 at provincials. They finished ninth in the Saskatchewan Premier Baseball League’s regular sea-

son with a 12-16 mark, finishing one game out of a playoff spot. The top eight

(74) and Wyatt Milgate (65) also held on successfully.

Davidson won about $800 for finishing first. The seven riders were

then auctioned off in a Calcutta and another round of riding occurred. Tonita was

Marshall Senger was sent flying during the Bull Bash in Midale on Friday night.

Photo by Greg Nikkel of the Weyburn Review

teams went to Tier 1 provincials and the other five were in Tier 2.

The Southeast A’s gather for a group photo after winning the provincial championship. Photo by Trent Dorrance

Bears looking for billets for next season

The Estevan U18 AAA Bears are looking for billet parents for the 2023-24 season.

Leah Moriarty, who is the Bears’ billet coordinator, said she and her husband have had a player stay at their place since the Bears’ inaugural campaign in 2020-21. It’s been a great experience for her entire family.

“We have had two boys come to our house at different times, and they have been the best billets we could ever ask for,” said Moriarty.

She recalls that her husband was helping out with the Bears when the team was getting off the ground, and told her he had short-listed them to be billets. Moriarty said she knew what that meant – a Bear would be staying at their place.

At the time, they had a two-year-old and a nine-month-old living in a small house, but it proved to be a great decision.

“One of the things that I enjoy most about

being a billet is the relationship that the boys have with our children. They are phenomenal big brothers. They lend a helping hand in the house when needed. Whenever they need to do something, you can expect them to do it.”

The bonds forged with the players extends beyond their time with the team. They still see their first billet player, Kelton Pyne, on a regular basis, as they have watched him skate with the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League.

As for the second player, if he’s back with the Bears this year, the Moriartys hope he will stay in their home again. The family spent time with him during their summer vacation.

Moriarty also noted that Vegas Golden

Knights defenceman Brayden Pachal, who brought the Stanley Cup to Estevan on July 29, had his billets from Victoria, B.C., and Prince Albert come to Estevan for Pachal’s day with the cup.

“That’s how strong of a relationship a billet will build with his billet family. It remains forever,” said Moriarty.

A young player will fill a void that a family didn’t know they have. Parents hear the cheers during a mini-sticks game, and they see the look on the younger kids’ faces when with their billet brother.

“They’re great role models for young hockey players in the household to grow the love of their game, and they want to be like them,” said Moriarty.

Billet families also play an important role for the organization, she said. Without billet families, players don’t have the opportunity to pursue their dreams of playing hockey at a higher level. Most of the players on the Bears have had to move away from home at a young age to pursue their hockey dreams.

Moriarty said empty-nest couples also serve as billet parents. Many feel the need to take in a player once their own kids have left home.

The Bears need about five more families for next season, and 19 in total for this year. The club provides billet fees to help cover the cost of having an extra body in the home for the duration of a hockey season.

The team has strict rules as well, with curfews, academic requirements and attendance. Players are kept busy with classes, practices, games, team functions, workouts and more