Estevan Mercury 20230830

Check out the Local Vendors

businesses. Kidvertising special ads spread throughout the paper

Saskatchewan’s premier returned to Estevan to meet with people over barbecued burgers

B.C. inferno. Kelowna blaze through the eyes of ex-Estevan resident.

PAGE A3

Welcome to Estevan. Meet the art gallery’s new director/curator.

PAGE A6

By David Willberg

Saskatchewan Premier

Scott Moe returned to Estevan on Aug. 22 for his second visit in three months, but this visit was very different from the last one.

lations would not only impact the people and the economy of Estevan, but the province as a whole and other provinces.

said Saskatchewan needs to charge a carbon tax on emissions, and Moe said those emissions become part of the cost of power for Saskatchewan residents.

Senior living special. The latest from Hill View Manor and more.

PAGE A8

Moe was at the Dennis Moore Centennial Park for a meet-and-greet barbecue with the public. A large crowd turned out to have a rare chance to talk directly with Saskatchewan’s top elected official and ask him questions related to the community and the province.

Many of the questions were connected to the energy sector, and, more specifically, the future of coal-fired power generation in Estevan.

Celebrating the winner. Speedway crowns the 2023 track champions.

PAGE A18

The visit came less than two weeks after the federal government tabled the Clean Electricity Regulations, which the federal government touts as an important part of its plan to reach a netzero electricity grid by 2035.

Moe described it as “the latest in a long line of regulatory changes” from the federal government that create challenges for this province and others in Canada.

He predicted the regu -

“About 75-80 per cent of our usage power comes from natural gas or coal-fired power. Also, those clean electricity standards … would force us to remove significant assets from our power generation long before their life cycle has been reached,” he told a media scrum after the barbecue.

Moe said Saskatchewan’s ability to decide how it generates power for the people of the province is enshrined in the constitution, so Saskatchewan is going to make decisions in the best interest of affordable and reliable power rates, while reducing emissions in a way that won’t result in the doubling and tripling of power rates for homeowners and businesses.

“We had a good discussion here today with respect to the significant coal assets that we have in Estevan and how we are going to operate those. We had good input provided,” said Moe.

The Supreme Court has

WE

“We need to engage with the folks in Estevan, but also engage with the folks across Saskatchewan on how is best to run the life cycle of these assets out,” said Moe. “Will that be coal, coal-fired power out to the end of its life, which is out to the end of 2040, or would we have to potentially convert that to a gas-power plant at some point in that time period?”

There has been speculation of converting the coalfired Shand Power Station east of Estevan to a natural gas plant.

Small modular reactors (SMRs) remain in the discussion. The provincial government is looking at the technology, and Estevan is touted as one of the potential locations.

Saskatchewan doesn’t have a lot of additional hydroelectric capacity, but it does have 1,400-1,600 megawatts of transmission line capacity coming from the Energy City.

“We want to make sure that we’re utilizing all of that transmission capacity through the life cycle of the assets that we have, and also utilize it for decades in the future,” he said.

Many decisions have to be made when it comes to small modular reactors, including the number that will be constructed, but the

government is zeroing in on the location.

“Most of the discussion that I’ve heard is about utilizing the transmission capacity long-term in Estevan,” said Moe.

The provincial government has told the feds that the targets are unachievable and unaffordable.

Premier Scott Moe and Estevan MLA Lori Carr visited with local residents last week during a barbecue at the Dennis Moore Centennial Park. Photos by David Willberg

Wooden signs, knit blankets and so much more.

Premier Scott Moe answered questions from the media following the barbecue.

New murals, small and big, to appear in Estevan

By Ana Bykhovskaia and David Willberg

Estevan will soon see more murals of various kinds, styles and sizes appear on the streets.

Estevan city council awarded Gale Tytlandsvik with the Estevan Arts Council $10,000 for one big mural to be put up on the side of the Kessel Run Games store, located at the intersection of Fourth Street and 13th Avenue. This funding was an addition to another $10,000 allocated for various visual arts projects by the arts council this year.

The funding recently approved by the city will cover the expenses of vinyl printing and installation of a big, bright mural depicting the Estevan water tower – an image which might become one of Estevan's signatures.

"This design was developed by a person in town; he sent it over during [the call for] submissions. And everyone on our committee loved this. Experience the energy, we loved the idea," Tytlandsvik said in an interview with the Mercury and SaskToday.

The creator declined any compensation, but the cost of producing a 45 by 11-foot print, putting it on panels and installing it was still high, so Tytlandsvik ended up reaching out to the

city to ensure she could accomplish this project, while also progressing with several other beautification pieces this year.

Tytlandsvik made her initial pitch to council at the July 17 meeting, but it was tabled for more information on pricing. She brought forward a request at the Aug. 21 meeting, including a cost breakdown for what she wants. After a brief discussion, council approved the request.

Coun. Lindsay Clark said he saw great strides in Tytlandsvik's request, and added there is a balancing act between heeding the budget and making projects happen. He expressed support for what Tytlandsvik is doing in the community and made the motion for the $10,000 allocation.

"I would like to see council set aside a budget specifically for this type of public artistic beautification on a yearly basis," said Tytlandsvik, adding that the little bit that was done last year with several murals painted in the community has had an incredible response.

She is currently working with the artist, finalizing the piece, and hopes the big mural will be done and installed before the end of this year.

"That's the big project for this year," Tytlandsvik said.

With the approval of the separate budget for this unique mural, Tytlandsvik now can use funds allocated by the arts council to continue with other smaller projects, submitted by local artists. The funding will cover the production expenses, as well as artists' compensation.

The plan for this year includes two benches, the decoration of a power box and several murals.

The benches in the works are located in the eastern and western parts of Fourth Street.

Tytlandsvik hopes to have a piece by the Estevan Hearts and Hands Quilt Guild displayed on one

of them, and textile art by North Portal artists Sheila Farstad and Deby Arnold on the other.

This year will see colours hit other areas of the city as well.

A vinyl print of a painting by Rhonda Sandquist, depicting an antique car grill, is planned to be put on one of the buildings on Fifth Street, but the final decision hasn’t been made yet.

For one of the power boxes in town, Tytlandsvik is expecting a submission from talented young artist Sam Ellis.

"I think that whatever she comes up with will be cool and will appeal to the young

people," Tytlandsvik said.

It will be another vinyl print, as Tytlandsvik noted that the technology has UV protection and holds better in the long run. She is also confirming a location for one smaller mural to be painted by B.J. Zieger.

Tytlandsvik's smaller piece of work is also to be put on TD Bank.

"Hopefully, these all happen before the snow flies," Tytlandsvik said, adding she hopes the budget will cover all the expenses, but if not they can go into the next year's budget.

Another project currently in the works is a photo

mural Byron Fichter said he wants to donate to the city. The hope is to put it on the side of the Siever, Fonstad and Erdman building on Fourth Street.

Tytlandsvik also said that once projects are completed, they will create a map of all the art pieces in town.

They also have recently updated the exhibition at the Estevan Leisure Centre, which currently carries art pieces by local artist Ruth Langwieser.

During her presentation, Tytlandsvik was also seeking $25,000 from the city for a pheasant mural on the side of the Trout Building, which wasn't approved.

Premier had a busy schedule in the southeast

« A1 Wind and solar power are not sources of baseload power. So the province has to take a look at different options that it has at its disposal.

“Part of that is running

the life cycle of the assets that we currently have out to keep that power affordable. That being said, renewables do have a place through power purchase. They are fairly cheap when they’re spinning. So they can help drive the net cost of power down for families and industries here in the province.”

Moe’s last visit to Estevan was in May, when he met with elected officials from the City and RM of Estevan councils and other community leaders. That had been Moe’s first public appearance in Estevan since February 2020.

Most of his public appearances in Estevan since

becoming premier in January 2018 have been for meetings.

“When we’re not in session throughout the summer, there’s a lot that happens for MLAs, for ministers and for myself as well. What today is about and what we’re doing, or what we’re trying to do here, is to try to get out to constituencies across the province,” he said.

“I like coming down here,” he added a short time later. “SaskPower, in particular, has some significant decisions to make, maybe not over the course of the next number of months, but over the course of the next number of years, that will not only

have an impact on the folks in Estevan, but people across the province.”

Members of the Rotary Club of Estevan prepared and served the food during the barbecue.

Prior to arriving in Estevan, Moe was in Midale to visit with people in that town. Once the barbecue was finished, he was whisked away to Estevan Diversified Services, where he met with

participants and observed what happens at the EDS woodworking shop. Estevan MLA Lori Carr said she wanted to showcase their work because she believes it’s fantastic.

Then he went to Oungre for a tour of the Oungre Memorial Regional Park. For more photos of the premier’s visit, please visit our provincial news hub at SaskToday.ca

The Family of Helen Miller, would like to thank everyone for their heartfelt and overwhelming support at the passing of our mother, grandmother and great grandmother.

Special thanks to the Regional Nursing Home who looked after her so specially for so many years. Halls Funeral Home, for going out of their way to satisfy us in everyway. Connie Wheeler for making the service so very personal, special and spiritual. CWL, Mom's wishes to have them there, excellent job. Sherisse Shindel for the beautiful job doing the readings. Teresa Frenandez - the special reading for believers. Dustin Hall for singing, terrific job. Pallbearers - Thank you.

I want to thank all my special friends for coming, your support will be remembered forever. Family who came from such a long ways, they stated that they wouldn't have missed it for the world.

Dr. Christie and Randy Miller - taking the initiative and serving everyone for the best steaks everyone has ever had tasted. Microtel Hotel - excellent service and serving us all with a smile and expertise. Flowers - Ashley, Jessica, Axel and Olingorgeous cross, roses and hydrangeas.

Helen Wock & Family, Larry & Sheila, Doris & Brian, Isadore, Maryanne & Family, Peter & Doreen Ignatiuk, Nick & Jeanette Partyka, Lile Grywacheski, Thank you.

A very special Thank You to our precious brother, Harry Miller Jr. for doing all the planning and paying for Mom's funeral.

Mom will be so very proud to see how much everyone carred and loved her at her passing.

This wall will soon become Estevan's signature, thanks to a local artist, work by Gale Tytlandsvik and the support from the city and the Estevan Arts Council.

Members of the Rotary Club of Estevan prepared the burgers and hotdogs. Delaney

Former Estevan resident Kim Barnstable nearly loses house in Kelowna blaze

By Ana Bykhovskaia

The flames were on the west side of the Okanagan Lake and their neighbourhood in Kelowna was smoky, but still safe, when former Estevan resident Kim Barnstable, who was in Red Deer at the time, hung up after talking to his wife Karen at around 10:30 a.m. on Aug. 17.

"When I spoke with her, even though this fire was huge and very daunting, it was on the other side of the lake, so I just signed off with her and said, 'Are you okay?' She said, 'Yeah, the fire's on the other side of the lake. It's huge, but I feel safe, probably won't sleep very well,'" Kim shared in an interview with the Mercury and SaskToday. Five minutes later, the phone rang again. It was one of their neighbours.

"He said, 'Is your wife home?' And I said, 'Yeah.' He says, 'You have to get her out of here right now because the fire's crossed the lake,'" Kim recalled.

Okanagan Lake is big, but temperatures that were in the high 30s C that week dried up a lot of fuel, and a really strong wind on the Thursday was picking up ambers and blowing them from the west side across and over to Kelowna. One landed below the Barnstables' house in a subdivision sitting on top of the hill.

Having recent experiences with fires earlier this summer and before, the Barnstables, like many others in Kelowna, were "semi-ready" to leave their homes in a hurry in case of emergency. However, Kim noted that people are always less ready than they should be.

"These things happen in a hurry. You don't have much time. You really got to be ready to move and move quickly," Kim said. "We've

been on a fire evacuation alert before, maybe five years ago. So, it makes you realize, okay, I want to be prepared. Having said that, you're never as prepared as you should be.

"There are certain things like photo albums, your passports, your computers, those things you want to try and get into your vehicle as quickly as you can. Insurance papers. Clothing is secondary, but you try and get the things that you really need.

"We have a lot of people in the area that have those at the ready somewhere close, where it's a grab-and-go. So, we were semi-prepared, but I think you always think you have a little more time than what we had, which was literally minutes."

Karen started packing up some essentials, but the fire appeared to be moving faster than one could have expected.

"My neighbour phoned again and said, 'You have to get her out now, this fire is climbing the hill. It's going to be here in no time.' And at this point, we still hadn't had any evacuation notice, that's how quickly this thing was moving. So, I phoned her back and said, 'Look, don't look for anything else. Just get in your vehicle and go.' And while I was talking to her, a policeman at the door said, 'You have to move now. Don't take any more time.

I can't stress the urgency of you leaving right now,'" Kim recollected.

Karen got out of the house, got in a vehicle and tried leaving the area. However, with everyone being in the same situation, the traffic was too heavy to be able to evacuate quickly.

"It was bumper to bumper, and you could see this fire coming over the hill and cresting and coming down. As she was driving out, it

was to the left side of the car to the point where my other neighbour told his wife, 'If this gets much closer, we're just going to get out and run.'"

As everyone was leaving and trying to coordinate their actions, the cell reception was bad as well, Kim said, which added to the stress level.

Eventually, Karen was able to make it to their son's place in a safe area of Kelowna, and Kim drove back the next morning after a sleepless night of worrying, feeling "totally helpless" and wondering what was left of their place.

"I met tons of cars lined up leaving the Okanagan. By the time we got into Kelowna, it was Friday [Aug. 18] afternoon," Kim said. "And Friday night, I went out to look, as close as I could, and saw a number of fires just underneath where we live, to the point where it was very disheartening. I was thinking we've maybe lost our house at that point."

The Barnstables couldn't see it yet, but the firefighters were able to hold the line.

Neighbours with surveillance cameras shared that they could see firefighters in their backyards and on their patios, pushing the flames back away from the development.

"The firefighters did an amazing job, they basically just dug in and stood there and fought the flames back. There's been a response from I think 40-some fire departments that have come to the aid," Kim said.

"It was crazy.

"We're into Wednesday now [Aug. 23]. We still haven't got back to our home. We are confident that our house is still standing, but we have no idea when we're going to get back or what we'll find when we get back. The firemen put sprinklers on the houses and did some things to mitigate the fire. At this point, I don't know when we're going to get back, hopefully, it's soon. But we are in a good position because my son's place is not that far away, and we're able to move around. We just can't get home."

The Barnstables are among those who were able

to stay in Kelowna, but the city was nearly half-abandoned over these days of emergency, Kim said.

"Saturday and Sunday here, the smoke was so dense and just choking everybody down, and it seemed very eerie. Okanagan, Kelowna in the summer are very busy. It was not busy at all. Some of the restaurants were closed. Some of the coffee shops were closed. Very little traffic in town. It was an atmosphere of everybody having that fear of not knowing what was next," Kim shared.

"We felt like the fires were fairly much under control at that time. But when the smoke is so thick, you can't really tell what's happening. So, today being Wednesday [Aug. 23], things have calmed down and are a little more normal. The skies have cleared up. We had some rain last night so the visibility now is better. And everybody feels a little more confident and comfortable, but there's still a lot of people that aren't back to their homes."

The family was allowed to go back to their home later

on Aug. 24, and Kim noted they still were “amazed that the firefighters were able to keep our homes from burning.” Firefighters and fire trucks are still patrolling the area.

He was scheduled to fly out to Saskatchewan on Aug. 24 to help his family in Estevan with harvest. The flight was pushed to Aug. 25, and Kim is currently in Macoun.

He said they've had many check-up calls from people in B.C. and southeast Saskatchewan throughout this time and were grateful for the support.

"We have had overwhelming support, interest and concern from friends here and back in the Estevan area. I know other people who have properties here and live here that used to be in the Estevan area. And it's been very comforting to have everybody reach out," Kim said.

"We're happy to tell everybody, we're safe. These raging wildfires and this one in particular are definitely something that you don't want to go through very often."

Alex 6 Years Ezra 7 Years

This photo was taken from the base of the hill, where Kim Barnstable's house is located in Kelowna, looking across the lake at the fire on the west side at night on Aug. 17. This was taken just before the fire jumped across the lake to the Kelowna side. Photos courtesy of Kim Barnstable

The picture was taken immediately after the fire jumped the lake from the west side on the left Kelowna side on the right.

A closer picture of the fire as it spreads up towards Barnstable's house, which is at the top of that hill hidden and to the right behind the tree in the foreground.

An ariel view of the development after the fire was put out with Kim Barnstable’s house circled red. The darker areas were consumed by the fire, which basically surrounded the neighbourhood.

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

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

Summer

The summer of 2023 sped by quickly and it won't be long before fall is staring us in the face.

It's not that summer is shorter than any other season, it just seems to fly by faster than the rest. August is nearly finished and the Labour Day long weekend is almost here. The schools will be back in session the day after Labour Day. The days are getting shorter, the evening temperatures are cooler – even when we have a hot late-August day – and before we know it, the leaves will have turned colour and the tree branches will be barren.

We apologize in advance if any of you find this depressing. But that doesn't mean the fun is over.

We're still going to be treated to some pretty nice days in September, if past years are any indication. Some will argue September is among their favourite months of the year. We typically don't receive a lot of rain. The days are warm but not too hot. The temperatures are more comfortable in the evening. We still have more hours of daylight than darkness for most of the month. And we're treated to the beauty of the fall colours.

finished

We can still golf, fish, boat and go for long walks on the city's pathway program. Those who are a little more adventurous will still go camping after Labour Day.

Now that the schools are getting ready to be open again, people will be back from their summer holidays. More events will be happening in the community. It's going to start right away, too, with such annual favourites as the 25th annual Ride for Ronald McDonald House and the Estevan Humane Society's Duck Derby on Sept. 10 – two fundraisers that always generate a lot of interest and support from the community.

Ice sports season is coming soon. The ice has been in at Affinity Place for several weeks. The Estevan Bruins and the Estevan U18 AAA Bears both have their training camps this week. Exhibition games begin soon, and the regular seasons will begin before we know it.

Outside of school resuming and the leaves changing colour, there might not be a bigger sign that fall has arrived in Canada than the start of hockey season.

While it can be difficult to predict how a U18 AAA team might do, fans of the junior A Bruins have lots of reasons to be excited this

year) (remove bracket here).

Once the Bruins and the Bears open their campaigns, it won't be long before the other teams start play. Our arenas will have lots of activity on a nightly basis.

If hockey season is here, then it means the Estevan Skating Club's members will be on the ice, too. The process of installing the ice at the Power Dodge Curling Centre will start within a few weeks.

(If you're looking for a couple of good programs to be part of this fall, city-wide registration on Aug. 30 is a good place to start. It's not just sports organizations that will be present, and you'll be able to find programs for kids and adults).

Once Labour Day is in the rear-view mirror, many in the southeast will look forward to hunting season, whether it be big game or birds.

Yes, we have it in the back of our mind that within a few weeks, it will be dark before 7 p.m., and the first snowfall of the year will likely hit within the next couple of months. But there are still a lot of good times to be had.

And enjoy the fun that is coming, because we're all going to be yearning for the days of summer before we know it.

Saying good-bye to driving wasn't easy

I've known for some time that the day was inevitable – the day I'd drive for possibly the last time.

I drove my car, a 2007 Pontiac G5, to the Mercury's parking lot on Aug. 6 so I could sell it. I figured it would be easier to sell sitting out in front of the office than in my condo building parking lot. The car was sold last week.

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

It's not going to be replaced. And that's for the better.

Back in the summer of 2004, I was diagnosed with an eyesight condition called retinitis pigmentosa, a rare condition which affects the retinas and causes a host of vision-related issues, including peripheral vision, night vision, depth perception and colour differentiation, such as trying to detect something light on a light background.

There is no cure for RP at this time, although some diligent, hard-working and brilliant people continue to look for breakthroughs. We know a lot more about conditions that affect the front of the eyes than the back.

this newspaper. Advertisements or parts thereof may not be reproduced or assigned without the consent of the publisher.

When I look back, I could see the indicators from an early age that something wasn't right. I've always struggled to follow the dark scenes in movies. I had a hard time seeing white chalk on a blackboard in school, and I've always needed someone to watch my golf ball and help me find it when golfing.

Shortly after my diagnosis, we sought out a second opinion that said I didn't have RP; rather, my retinas weren't fully developed. They wouldn't get better, but they wouldn't get worse. A third appointment in B.C. in 2019 confirmed the RP.

I've noticed my eyesight gradually getting worse. There hasn't been a marked decline in sight from one year to the next, but over 19 years, those slight decreases on a year-to-year basis add up.

I did lose my licence for about 4 1/2 months

in the summer and fall of 2004. My family and I fought like hell to get it back, with multiple appeals, including a hearing in Regina, and those efforts were rewarded in December of that year, but with a daytime-only restriction, which I requested, since my eyesight at night was not at the level that would be safe to drive. Obviously, it wasn't a big deal during the spring and summer months, but in the fall and winter, the opportunities for driving were very limited.

In recent years I've only been able to drive within Estevan city limits.

I've known for a couple of years now that the day would come in which I would have to surrender my licence. I haven't felt comfortable behind the wheel for some time. I have been paranoid about getting in an accident and injuring somebody.

Even the day I drove my car to the office and parked it there, it was a Sunday at 7 a.m. during a long weekend, when few would be on the road.

From my perspective, it was better for me to make the decision to stop driving, rather than having SGI or the courts make that decision for me, because if they did, it's likely because something happened that forced a decision.

Yes, there have been advancements in vehicle technology in the past few years that have helped make driving safer, such as back-up cameras, lane assist and even warning signals of a potential collision, but those only go so far. Ultimately it's still incumbent on the motorist to be able to drive safely, at least until the fully-autonomous vehicles

hit the market. I don't know if I'll ever be able to drive again. I hope that at some point, there'll be a cure for the RP, not just so people like me can regain some independence, but so that kids and adults who have the more severe strains of RP can see the face of a loved one.

Thankfully there are people working tirelessly to find that cure.

I'm grateful for the people who have offered support over the past 19 years, by providing a ride, especially on a frigid winter night after an Estevan Bruins' game, or a little helping hand when absolutely necessary, and I'm thankful for the support that will continue into the future.

I'm also grateful for the company I work for, Glacier Media, which has been very understanding about my disability since I became a Glacier employee in the fall of 2005.

The integrated pathway and sidewalk project in Estevan has also been a big help, as it has made Estevan a much easier and safer community for pedestrians to navigate, especially along Kensington Avenue.

I miss driving. I've missed driving at night for the past 19 years. I've particularly missed driving outside of Estevan the past few years. It's not just the ability to drive to events in rural communities and interact with people in those towns and villages, but it's the chance to jump in my car and go for a long drive in the country on a weekend off. Losing a licence, even a restricted one, is a lifestyle change.

For those who are able to drive, I hope you don't take it for granted. I hope you understand that it is a privilege, and you need to respect the safety of others, including pedestrians, when behind the wheel. As for me, I'll be fine, regardless of if, or when, I get to drive again.

is nearly over, but that doesn't mean the fun is

David Willberg Willberg’s World

Don’t go unnoticed

Imagine you decided to put up a big and festive supper, let’s say a Christmas party. There will be many steps to success.

You start planning ahead, find a theme and decide on the things that would make it special. You order bits and pieces of décor or maybe special treats. You clean and organize the house and then decorate it. You put up a tree, make it look beautiful and ensure the lights complete the atmosphere.

You also have to plan the meal itself. You decide on the menu, list your ingredients, and then shop for groceries and drinks. Maybe, you want to cook something new and fancy, so you look it up or call your grandma for that very special dish recipe. Or maybe, you even hire someone to cater or just serve your event, because you want to make sure it’s absolutely amazing and everyone gets to relax and indulge in that atmosphere of celebration that you’ve put so much effort into.

The day comes, it’s time to put the final touches. The music is playing and the twinkly lights are on. You are beautifully dressed and in anticipation.

And then the time comes, but no one shows up. Even though you thought through every puzzle piece of this beautiful night, you left out one important thing – the invitations. Because after putting a lot of effort into creating something special, you decided that it wasn’t necessary to let people know that it was happening. Ridiculous, right?

But I’ve seen too many such situations. Not with guests of course, because when it comes to parties no one would think that people are supposed to learn about it themselves, but in daily life, in

Second Roche Percee Family Fun Day celebrates the community

The Roche Percee Recreation Site and Campground's board invited the community for its second annual Commemorative Family Fun Day at the park on Aug. 26.

A warm and sunny day at the park featured tractor hay rides and yard games, candy kabobs, treats and hotdogs, sparkle tattoos and a fishing game. New for this year was a splash field.

"This year, we built a giant splash pad. It's a shallow pool, four-six inches deep, large area, 24 by 44. It was just the large area full of shallow water to run around, splash and play, and keep cool in the sun," explained Thomas Howard, who is the president of the Roche Percee Recreation Site and Campground board.

"We didn't go with the bouncy castles this year, but not saying that we won't bring them back. We're just trying to mix things up. We don't want to do the same thing every year, we don't want it to get boring," he added.

About 160-170 people attended the Family Fun Day in the park, located by Highway 39 in the Roche Percee area. Some of them were there for the first event

last year, others were regular campground users, and some were new this year.

Howard noted that it took a few months of planning and then a few weeks of active work for about six volunteers to put this free event together. They wanted to do something for the people in the area and felt that organizing a family day in the park would serve their goal.

"The park is run on a volunteer basis and the board is charitable non-profit. And this is one of the ways that we are able to give back a little bit to the community as an appreciation for the yearly services," Howard said.

He said that this season they've seen higher use of their campground and they keep working on improvements.

"This season was good. The campground was busier this season than it's been in the past. We keep getting more interest in seasonal sites, so we're filling up at a definite steady pace. And it all goes into helping our future developments," Howard said.

"This year, we developed a couple more campsites that are available for rent."

The campground has 15 campsites and three picnic

sites, and the board plans to keep growing its offering.

Howard added that they were grateful for the support for their event and to everyone who came out, and they look forward to continuing to serve the southeast.

"It was a good time had by all who came out and enjoyed the afternoon,"

Howard said. "And I want to say thanks to a couple of local businesses that helped us out, Southern Plains Coop for providing the food, Weatherford for providing the barbecue to cook said food, and Steam-Est Industries for helping us out with porta potties and providing water for the splash pad."

Fire crews respond to power line smoke, alarms during the past week

Estevan firefighters were called to several alarms and what looked like a power line fire last week.

On Aug. 27, the crews were dispatched to the eastern part of Estevan for a power line that was smoking. SaskPower specialists were

on scene when firefighters arrived. Estevan Deputy Fire Chief Kyle Luc said it was determined that the Estevan fire department was not required, and they returned to the station.

Earlier last week, on Aug. 22, firefighters also re-

sponded to a residential fire alarm that went off in north Estevan. An investigation determined it was cookingrelated and no help from the Estevan Fire Rescue was required.

On Aug. 23, fire crews attended to a commercial fire

alarm, also in north Estevan. It was quickly determined that the alarm was false and caused by a water leak, and no actions were required. For breaking news from the Estevan Fire Rescue Service, please visit our provincial news hub at SaskToday.ca

Kid-vertising returns to celebrate young people's creativity and local businesses

The Estevan Mercury is proud to present one of our favourite editions of the year.

This week’s paper is our annual Kid-vertising special, featuring the artistic talents of local youths and the support and services offered by local businesses and organizations. The ads can be found throughout this week’s edition of the Mercury.

More than 30 budding young artists and local businesses participated in this year's promotion. The young people designed ads promot-

ing the businesses.

The Mercury issued an appeal for children who love to draw and wanted to participate. The artists dropped by the office and picked up the name of their designated business, completed the artwork and then brought the ad back to the Mercury's office.

The artwork will not only be displayed in this week’s Mercury, but it will find its way onto the refrigerators and display boards of local parents, grandparents and other family members

for a long time to come, providing extra value to the participating businesses.

The submissions can also be found on our provincial news hub at SaskToday.ca.

Estevan Mercury sales manager Christine Jones said the drawings this year were very cute and well done.

"We really have some budding artists in the community," she said.

Every company that participated is very happy to be involved, including some new businesses that hadn’t taken

part in the past.

"I know that some businesses even frame and hang their Kid-vertising ads in their business for their customers to see," she said.

So many kids wanted to take part in this promotion, and Jones said it was great to see the excitement and response.

Jones thanked the artists who entered and the businesses that participate in Kid-vertising. The Mercury looks forward to bringing this feature back again next year.

Emily Metrike enjoyed a candy kabob and other treats and activities during the second annual Roche Percee Recreation Site and Campground Commemorative Family Fun Day. Photo courtesy of Alena Kilasova

Estevan Art Gallery welcomes new director/curator

New to the community, new to the organization, but definitely not new to the field.

Starting Aug. 9, Tye Dandridge-Evancio took over the position of director/curator with the Estevan Art Gallery and Museum, bringing in much experience and talent.

An artist and an art curator, Dandridge-Evancio came to Estevan from Morden, Man., where he worked as the program, exhibitions and outreach co-ordinator for the Pembina Hills Arts Council.

The Mercury and SaskToday spoke to DandridgeEvancio shortly after he came to Estevan.

"It's been really nice; I've been really enjoying getting settled into the town. Everyone's been very nice, very patient, very supportive, very open and excited, which is honestly more than I could have hoped for," DandridgeEvancio said.

"It's really been wonderful, and I've been really pleased with what I've seen in the facility, but also in the community. There's clearly a very vibrant and passionate arts community out here with the Arts Council, the Art Gallery and Museum, and the

murals. There's lots going on, and I'm very excited to delve in and get to know everyone," he added.

Dandridge-Evancio also praised Estevan's pathways and the beauty of some areas he already had a chance to enjoy.

He earned his bachelor of fine arts from the University of Lethbridge and an master's of fine arts from the University of Regina. When in Lethbridge, he participated in a student-run exhibition and took a lot of curatorial art classes, learning all about putting together arts events. That experience inspired Dandridge-Evancio to apply and get a position with Wasagaming Community Arts in Clear Lake and Riding Mountain National Park in Manitoba, which he held for five years.

"It was seasonal, but we would do a show every three weeks … It was hectic, but it was a lot of fun and it was super worth it. I learned a lot of valuable experience during my time there," DandridgeEvancio shared.

After completing his master's in 2021, he started looking for a place where he could practise his knowledge,

and a position at Pembina Hills Arts Council was the answer to his call.

"Another really wonderful experience with a community that was super passionate about the arts, and I got to do a lot of different programming and different exhibitions that I'd never in a million years done before," DandridgeEvancio said, noting that wearing many hats helped him grow as a professional.

"Art these days can be and should be so much more than just a show. There are workshops, artists' talks, different events that expose people to art and even give them a chance to make art themselves. [Having many responsibilities] gave me an arsenal of [options] that I can offer to artists to help them get their work out into the community."

When an opening in Estevan came up, he decided to try to secure a job that would allow him to do what he likes the most full-time, and he was successful.

"I'm super passionate about art and art curation and working with artists fulltime. So, I've had my ear to the pavement and I heard

Drewitz School of Dance

Celebrating over 40 years of Professional Dance Instruction in the Estevan Community & Area

(Pre-school through to Major Levels)

Held at: 1037 2nd Street, Estevan

Directed by: Lorie-Gay Drewitz-Gallaway, A.R.A.D. (Director, Teacher, Choreographer, Examiner, Adjudicator)

• Registered Ballet Teacher with the Royal Academy of Dancing

• Tap and Jazz Examiner for the Canadian Dance Teacher’s Assoc., Sask. Branch

about Estevan. And honestly, when I looked up the gallery, I was like, 'Holy cow, this is a really nice place,'" DandridgeEvancio recalled.

He said his transition to Estevan went very smoothly as the board was very supportive and former director/ curator Amber Andersen had everything well-organized.

"You never know what to expect when you're entering a new environment; everyone's different and everyone's idea of organization is different. But the board was really helpful. Karly [Garnier, education, outreach and programming co-ordinator] has also been super supportive every step of the way. And I also was able to meet with Amber, and it honestly was just like a weight off my shoulders, because obviously there's stuff for me to do as well, but they definitely have set me up for success, and I'm very grateful for that," Dandridge-Evancio shared.

"They don't have to do that at all, but they did because they care about the gallery and they also care about continuing to offer such excellent programming. So, it definitely has made it possible for me to focus now on what shows we're going to be getting in 2025-26, further down the line."

Dandridge-Evancio is

Kase 8 Years Teal 10 Years

also an artist. In his personal art practice, he frequently works with various forms of print media, such as Linocut and Pochoir printmaking, as well as traditional media including gouache watercolour.

He said that while he enjoys creating, he enjoys working with other artists just as much, trying to understand their art and finding ways to open it up to a broader audience. Dandridge-Evancio is passionate about supporting and promoting fellow artists in sharing their artistic vision

with the world. He enjoys long walks on the beach, obsessing over whether artwork installation is level or not, and fried chicken, and said he is excited about his new journey.

"I'm really excited to be out here. Estevan is a really beautiful community. I know I've got big shoes to fill with Amber, but I'm determined and excited to be able to continue the history of excellent programming that's been offered here," DandridgeEvancio said.

David 11 Years

Skylar

9 Years

Tye Dandridge-Evancio has joined the Estevan Art Gallery and Museum as their new director/curator. Photo courtesy of Karly Garnier

City to receive funding through transit program

Estevan Minor Hockey announces rebranding plan

divisions will be the Estevan Bears. The U15 and U18 divisions will be the Estevan Bruins.

“We are asking for sponsorship of each team in each division to help offset the cost of replacing the entire stock of jerseys,” the EMHA said in a news release.

The change applies only to house-league teams. It does not affect the age representative teams, or the squads comprised of house league players competing at provincials.

For example, the U18 AAA team will still be known as the Estevan Bears, while the U13 and U11 AA teams will be the Estevan Bruins.

This upcoming season, the U9 division is the focus for the EMHA. The organization says it will have six or seven teams named the Estevan Bears, and each team will also carry the name of their respective sponsors.

Other divisions will fol-

low suit in the coming years.

The EMHA is asking for $1,000 per year for four years for the sponsorship. In return, a business name will be printed into the name bar on the back of the jersey. The sponsor will also receive the advertising for a fifth year at no additional cost. After five years the sponsorship would be up for renewal.

Businesses, organizations and even individuals can be a sponsor.

The EMHA says it understands and appreciates the hard work required for businesses to be able to contribute towards programs.

“Your generosity is not taken for granted. We thank you for considering our organization,” the news release said.

For coverage of Estevan Minor Hockey teams and tournaments throughout the season, be sure to check out our provincial news hub at SaskToday.ca

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

By John Cairns of SaskToday.ca

Money is coming from the province to prepare for small modular reactor (SMR) development for Saskatchewan.

The Crown Investments Corporation (CIC) is providing $479,000 to the Saskatchewan Industrial and Mining Suppliers Association (SIMSA) and its partners. According to the province’s news release, the funding is going to prepare local companies for future participation in provincial, national and global SMR development.

SIMSA is a non-profit organization representing more than 300 Saskatchewan-based suppliers of the industrial, mining and energy sectors.

This is a two-year agreement, which the province states will support an SMR supply chain specialist position with SIMSA. It will also help engage the First Nations Power Authority for its help in exploring Indigenous economic opportunities. This will also allow Organization of Canadian Nuclear Industries (OCNI) to deliver the Ready4SMR program, which will develop local suppliers, including Indigenous-owned companies.

The province says it is advancing development of zero-emission SMRs as part of the Saskatchewan Growth Plan's 30 Goals for 2030.

In June 2022, SaskPower announced the selection of GE-Hitachi BWRX-300 SMR as the preferred technology for initial grid-scale deployment in Saskatchewan, which is the same model selected by Ontario Power Corporation for their Darlington New Nuclear Project.

The government has stated that it is looking at the Estevan area or Lake Diefenbaker for the initial location of the SMRs.

"Programming and resources made available through this funding are crucial to moving toward building a nuclear industry in Saskatchewan," said Don Morgan, the Minister of the Crown Investments Corporation, a statement.

"Our province has a long successful history of nuclear research and development, and we are a worldclass supplier of high-quality uranium ore. Advancing Saskatchewan's SMR supply chains will unlock economic and job potential for communities near and far, including our rural, northern and remote regions, and Indigenous communities."

"SIMSA is excited to work with CIC to build additional resources to enhance the development of qualified nuclear manufacturing and construction companies in our province," said Eric Anderson, executive director of SIMSA in a statement.

"One crucial component of this work is the recruitment of an SMR supply chain specialist. The specialist has outstanding nuclear and supply chain experience and knows the current market elements. This position will be an invaluable asset to advance SMR development in Saskatchewan."

"We are proud to partner with CIC, SIMSA and OCNI to advance economic reconciliation with Indigenous-owned businesses," said Guy Lonechild, president and CEO, First Nations Power Authority, in a statement. "FNPA will establish a new database to build nuclear capacity and track certifications both provincially and nationally."

"The Organization of Canadian Nuclear Industries is proud to be working in Saskatchewan with SIMSA and FNPA to implement our Ready4SMR program," said Bill Walker, president and CEO of OCNI, in a statement. "We'd also like to acknowledge and thank the

Crown Investments Corporation of Saskatchewan for their contribution in making this project possible.

"Canada is leading the world in the deployment of small modular reactors and we're excited to see Saskatchewan planning for SMRs as part of their clean energy mix. Our role is to build a pan-Canadian supply chain that gives provinces like Saskatchewan an opportunity for economic development as your already thriving supplier base considers joining the Canadian nuclear industry."

For updates from the energy sector and the provincial government throughout the week, please visit our provincial news hub at SaskToday.ca

Storms brought heavy rain, but no tornado

Some areas of southeast Saskatchewan were hit hard by a late-summer storm on Aug. 23.

Environment Canada issued a tornado warning for the RMs of Coalfields, Enniskillen, Moose Creek and Mount Pleasant, and all of the towns and villages within those RMs, due to the risk

of thunderstorms spawning a tornado. Damaging winds, large hail and locally intense rainfall were all possible due to the weather system. Photos posted to the Town of Alameda's Facebook page showed that trees were knocked down due to the weather, while other areas were under water.

Severe thunderstorm warnings were also issued for a number of RMs in the southeast, and severe thunderstorm watches were

issued for Estevan, Weyburn and other communities, although those warnings were lifted within a couple of hours.

Artists rendering of the small modular reactors that could be built in Estevan. File photo

The Estevan Comprehensive School's class of 2003 celebrated its 20-year reunion in mid-August, with funds raised through their event going to the Estevan Public Youth Centre.

They presented a cheque for over $2,100 to EPYC Dungeons and Dragons volunteer Meg Elliott on Aug. 25.

Graduates said supporting EPYC was an easy choice for them.

"It just seemed like a good match, because we didn't have anything like that," said one of 2003 graduates Elicia Krupka. EPYC executive director Adam Elliott said the money will help them keep the doors open and the lights on as they continue reaching out to the youth in Estevan and the surrounding area, especially as they go into the new school year.

"We will be starting two new groups this school year,"

Adam said. "A destress sesh where kids can come and destress from the week of school. The other will be for the parents of teenagers to come together and talk about the rewards and challenges of raising teens. We're looking forward to another great school year and this money will go to help with that, so I cannot thank you enough for this donation."

To raise money, 2003 graduates organized an auction and a raffle with local businesses donating items. Besides, several grads helped save some costs. Amanda Mack with Coldwell Banker Choice Real Estate covered the expenses of the Estevan Kinsmen Club organizing a casino night as part of the entertainment, so funds collected from participants were redirected towards fundraising efforts.

Also, graduates Dillon and Elicia Krupka donated the use of The Black

Grasshopper Pub and Eatery, and Tasha Symons' family provided The Plaza for the second night.

About 60 2003 graduates partook in the reunion with some travelling from as far as Calgary.

The EPYC also hosted a car wash fundraiser on Aug. 24, with many young leaders helping residents get their rides clean for a donation.

Estevan MLA Lori Carr and Estevan Fire Rescue Service members were on location supporting youths. A Cherry on Top Ice Cream's truck also donated a portion of their proceeds from the event to the centre.

With the beginning of the new school year, the EPYC will see some other changes. They will be moving their Dungeons and Dragons sessions from the weekend to mid-week so that more youths can partake. They are also hoping to start an outreach program in

Estevan

accepted a cheque from

Lampman and have drop-in sessions available there every so often to engage more kids and attract them to the centre in the future. The EPYC will continue

with their youth leadership program and many other activities available through the centre throughout the week.

"We've seen friendships forged over the summer.

That's been really nice to see. And it's been a really positive experience," said Meg.

To learn more about EPYC go to their website at theepyc.ca.

Bonnor to go to trial for June firearms arrest

One of the three people to be charged in connection with an incident at the Willow Park Greens Trailer Park in south Estevan earlier this year is going to stand trial next year.

Jody Bonnor made an appearance on Aug. 21 in Estevan Provincial Court. He is charged

with two counts of possessing a firearm knowing it was obtained by the commission of an offence in Canada; and one count each of possessing a firearm without a licence, possessing a firearm while prohibited from doing so, and assault.

The alleged assault occurred at

the police station after he was arrested and involved a staff member of the Estevan Police Service. He will be on trial on March 21, 2024, for assault, and March 25 for the other four charges.

Another person charged in connection with the incident, Stacey Jackson, was in court on

Monday as well. She is charged with two counts of possessing a firearm knowing it was obtained by the commission of an offence in Canada.

Her next court appearance will be Sept. 11 in Estevan.

The charges stem from a large police presence seen in the trailer

park on June 27. A search warrant was executed by members of the Estevan Police Service. sNone of the charges have been proven in court. For coverage of court in Estevan and elsewhere in the province, please visit our provincial news hub at SaskToday.ca.

Public Youth Centre Dungeons and Dragons volunteer Meg Elliott

2003 Estevan graduates Elicia Krupka Angela Prette Amanda Mack and Jane Howard.

By Jeannette Betteridge

July and August were

a bit slower at Hill View Manor due to people being away for summer holidays.

The gardens are starting to be harvested, the apples are ready for picking, and the flowers have been blooming beautifully this summer.

Activities for July have included exercises four times per week to help us stay fit, daily Bingo, card games, movies, crokinole, bowling, bean bag toss, washers, Yahtzee and shuffleboard.

We had our ice cream social in July and August. This is loved by all of the residents and it was very yummy to say the least.

Shared Read is a group activity we do for anyone who might be visually impaired or maybe just wants to listen to the short stories being read.

The last Friday of the month is loonie Bingo, followed by wine and cheese or fruit juice for anyone not wanting wine.

Outings in July and

August were to EB’s Dining for lunch and Walmart. In August we went to Eddie Webster's for lunch and Walmart. We went to the TS&M Woodlawn Golf Course for lunch and cart rides. This is always a very nice outing. The residents enjoy the view from hole No. 6, which is beautiful.

In July, we took a group of our residents to Ranchers and Rustlers 2 at the Souris Valley Theatre for a matinee. This was an absolutely fan -

tastic show and was enjoyed very much by the group who went.

The Estevan Public Library has been coming to do crafts twice a month in July and August. It's been lots of fun. Thank you so much to the library, as this is an excellent program.

In July, we had five birthdays: Ivadelle G. celebrated her 92nd birthday, Mary M. her 93rd birthday, Hank L. his 90th birthday, Winona R. her 87th birthday

and Mervin W. his 87th birthday.

In August we have two birthdays: Marianne H. celebrates her 87th birthday and Vivian L. her 92nd birthday. Happy birthday to all.

Entertainment for July

Globally-recognized pianists and former Estevan residents took audiences on a musical tour around the globe. Rachel and Audrey Andrist were back in Estevan and presented the community with open piano concerts at Hill View Manor and Creighton Lodge on Aug. 24. The public was treated to beautiful shorter pieces by French composers Gabriel Fauré and Claude Debussy; German composers Johann Sebastian and Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach; Austrian Franz Schubert; Spanish composer Enrique Granados; and Americans Jerome Kern, Margaret Bonds, Keith Jarrett, George Gershwin and Scott Joplin.

and August was courtesy of Maggie, the Caragana Ramblers, Wilma and Val, and Keith and Gary.

In August, we had the pleasure of having Rachel and Audrey Andrist come and do a special musical per -

formance here at Hill View. We would like to welcome a few new residents: Vivian L., Shirley P., Paul T., Arnold Z. and Marjorie S. We must also say goodbye to two of our residents, Marjorie D. and Alvin G.

Flashback

Wednesday, Aug. 29, 1979

Rotarians enjoyed an evening barbeque after their golf tournament in August 1979. From left are Joyce Beneteau, Norm Brosinksy, Ann Plicher, who was the Rotary exchange student from Australia, Earl Grant Jack Green Don Green Bob Kohaly K.R. Visvanathan and Dave Kelly Tom Harrison of Estevan, the championship trophy winner, was not available for the picture.

MAYOR’S MESSAGE

PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR CITY WIDE REGISTRATION ON AUGUST 30, 2023. SCHOOL WILL BE STARTING SOON; PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU ARE CAREFUL IN OUR SCHOOL ZONES AND KEEP OUR CHILDREN SAFE.

MEMBERS NEEDED!

CITY OF ESTEVAN DEVELOPMENT APPEALS BOARD

The City of Estevan is recruiting new candidate(s) for appointment to the City of Estevan Development Appeals Board (DAB). The DAB hears appeals on matters related to land use and building within the City. DAB decisions shape the community and affect the lives of developers, neighbours, citizens and businesses. It is important for the public to have confidence in the quality of these decisions and the decision-making process.

To be eligible, candidates shall be a minimum of 18 years of age and a resident of the City of Estevan. Applicants cannot be an employee of the City of Estevan. Appointments are for a period of two years.

Applicants are encouraged to submit a letter describing their experience on previous positions on boards and other organizations along with a willingness to serve their community. Other factors include a flexible meeting schedule to attend hearings as they arise (typically in evenings) and the ability to make decisions with fairness, objectivity and impartiality. Some familiarity with chairing a meeting and land use related bylaws would be an asset.

Deadline for applications is September 15, 2023 at 4:00 PM. Please mail or e-mail your application to: Judy Pilloud, City Clerk City of Estevan 1102,

SPORTS Don’t Cuss! Call US 306-634-7101 601 - 5th St. • Estevan, SK

The five track champions at the Estevan Motor Speedway for 2023 were decided during the final regular program of the season on Friday night.

A large crowd turned out to witness championship night. Chris Hortness of Estevan won the stock car title, Travis Hagen of Williston, N.D., claimed the modified championship, Kyle Satran of Minot, N.D. finished first for hobby stocks, Robby Rosselli of Minot took home the sport mod championship and Jacek Ashworth of Weyburn is the slingshot champion.

The most thrilling finish came in the stock car division, with Hortness winning both the feature race and the track championship in dramatic fashion.

Hortness entered championship night trailing Adam Goff of Minot, by one point in the overall standings. Hortness worked his way through the field, but partway through the feature, was assigned blame for a caution and dropped to last place.

He then worked his way up to third, and had an exciting three-way battle for the lead with Chase Davidson of Estevan and Kyle Scholpp of Lampman over the final laps.

Ultimately Hortness won the feature, with Davidson second and Scholpp third. Goff settled for fourth.

With the win, Hortness finished with 379 points, two more than Goff. Scholpp was third with 367.

Hortness also won the track championships in 2020 and 2022.

"It's tough every year, no matter who shows up, but we got the Americans coming back up again this year with Mad Mike [Hagen] and Adam, what a competitor [he is]," said Hortness.

After the race, an emotional Hortness dedicated the win to his mother, and said this one meant the most of all his championships.

"This is the highlight of 20 years [of racing]," Hortness said after the race.

Hortness was involved in an incident during his qualifying heat that saw Estevan's Ed Turnbull roll his car. Weyburn's Brendon LaBatte was also involved. All three managed to repair their vehicles in time for the feature.

Travis Hagen claimed top spot in the modified division with 384 points, 17 more than Steven Pfeifer of Minot.

Kody Scholpp of Estevan, who won the title the past three seasons, was third with 364.

Hagen was unable to race in Estevan the past three years due to border restrictions associated with the

COVID-19 pandemic. He won the modified championship in Estevan in 2019. He praised everyone from the track preparation crew for their work to create the best racing surface he had all year.

He believes consistency was vital to winning.

"I try to drive smart and try to make sure we're keeping up on the mechanicals on the car, so stuff's not breaking. There's a lot of sacrifice during the week and a lot of time," said Hagen.

Kody Scholpp won the feature, finishing ahead of Marcus Tomlinson from Minot. Hagen was third.

Satran won the hobby stock division with 338 points. He was seven points ahead of Estevan's Kayden Hjorteland. Torquay's Connor Hanson was third with 323 and Brennor Grinstead of Stanley, N.D., was fourth with 321.

Satran finished second in Friday's feature to dash any chance of a comeback by Hjorteland or any other driver. Landon Runge of Lampman won the feature. Max Beeter of Minot was third and Hanson was fourth.

Satran is currently ninth in the national IMCA hobby stock points race. The hobby stock feature had a number of cautions early, but the second half of the race was clean.

Chris Hortness, 17H, was the track champion in the stock car division this year.

Satran, who was racing in Estevan for the first time this year, said the fans and the atmosphere were amazing.

"The race track is phenomenal," he said. "You put a lot of hours and work into it, and you couldn't ask for much better. You have a great group of guys and fast cars and that makes for great racing."

Rosselli was a convincing winner of the sport mod class, finishing with 346 points, 43 more than Estevan's Ryder Raynard at 303. Keenan Glasser of Estevan was third with 301.

The sport mod feature was also plagued by yellow flags. Darren Medler of Mi -

not survived the carnage to win the feature. Rosselli was second and Brian Kentner of Boissevain, Man., was third. Rosselli said it was important to stay consistent during the season and avoid collisions.

"I enjoy coming up here.

I missed it during COVID. You can have a bad night and still leave in a good mood," Rosselli. "All you fans, we like seeing you up there, and [we like] everything that the Estevan Motor Speedway does to get us to come up here and race."

Ashworth won the slingshot class with 374 points, 15 more than Estevan's Eli Turnbull. Hudson Mann of Estevan was third

with 358. Mann finished first Friday for his first feature win in Estevan. Sawyer Gaudreau of Williston was second in the race and Ashworth was third. Ashworth won the championship in his final year in slingshots and he's looking forward to moving up to another class of racing. The speedway still has one race program remaining this season, the annual Enduro race on Sept. 16. The event will last for 90 minutes or 150 laps, whichever comes first, and features drivers from the southeast. The next edition of the Mercury will have more on the track championship night.

Robby Rosselli, 0, pictured here racing with Darren Medler, won the sport mod division.

Eli Turnbull, 21E, wound up facing the wrong direction in the slingshot qualifying heat. Turnbull was second in the slingshot class for the season.

Tournament wraps up summer basketball league

followed by Regina Master Bae and Estevan JS Truckmart. Tiongson Reyes was the MVP of the over-35 division.

The committees for the tournament were all volunteers from the Estevan Filipino Community, who dedicated all of their time and efforts to make this event a success. The tournament also had a number of sponsors.

In the master's division for those 35 and older, the Regina Amigos were the top team,

The committee wants to organize more sporting events in the future and is thinking about having leagues for basketball, volleyball and badminton.

Tuesday

Draw Date: September 9, 2023

a

68 Souris Ave N Estevan SK S4A 2M3 306 634 2654 COMMUNITY EVENTS Do you know a Non-Profit organization that has an Event or Fundraiser coming up? For more information contact Christine @ cjones@estevanmercury ca or (306) 634-2654 WARM WELCOME SHELTER Grocery Dash Draw Date: November 2 T e a m i n g u p w i t h S o b e y s E s t e v a n t o g i v e y o u a c h a n c e t o w i n a 2 m i n u t e s h o p p i n g s p r e e a t S o b e y s 2 n d p r i z e i s a $ 5 0 0 S o b e y s G i f t C a r t 3 r d p r i z e i s a $ 2 5 0 G i f t C a r d ! T i c k e t s a r e $ 1 0 e a c h a n d a v a i l a b l e f r o m a n

D u c k s S o l d S o l d o u t e v e r y y e a r s o i f y o u d l i k e t o g u a r a n t e e y o u r s e l f a t i c k e t m e s s a g e t h e F a c e b o o k p a g e a n y t i m e o r c a l l / t e x t (

Photos by David Willberg

The Estevan Basketballers wrapped up their 2023 summer league on Aug. 19 and 20 by hosting a basketball tournament at the Estevan Comprehensive School.

A total of nine teams competed between the two different divisions. In the open division, Estevan Care and Cole finished in top spot, followed by Estevan Sunlife and the Estevan Flamethrowers. John Gohann Andres was named the division's MVP.

t

Southeast Steelers win national women’s title

By David Willberg

The Southeast Steelers, a women's fast-pitch team based out of Carnduff, have captured their first-ever Softball Canada national title.

The Steelers posted a perfect 8-0 record and won the national title with a 1-0 victory over Ontario's Oakville Angels. The tournament ran from Aug. 16-20 and was held at Île-Perrot, Que.

"It feels pretty surreal right now," said coach Darren Hubbard in an email to the Observer and SaskToday. ca. "I feel great for these ladies that put so much of their time and effort into the game and this team. I couldn’t be more proud of the way they carry themselves on and off the field.

"They play hard, respect the game, and have a lot of fun while doing it. They are a really tight-knit group. it’s a special group. They really did deserve the gold."

The Steelers have been competing at the national level since 2018. They made the jump to nationals after winning back-to-back Western Canadian championships in 2016 and 2017.

In their first two years at nationals, they finished

fourth. The 2020 and 2021 tournaments were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the tournament returned in 2022. The Steelers finished second, thanks to a 2-1 loss to an Alberta team in the final.

As for this year, the Steelers punched their ticket to nationals after defeating teams from Saskatoon and Regina in provincials.

"We knew we had a

team that was very capable of winning it right from the beginning of summer," said Hubbard. "We had come up just short last year, and felt we had improved enough that we had a real good chance to make that next step this year.

"Our bench was extraordinarily deep. The toughest part of the whole week was knowing you could only put nine players on the field. We

had four ladies on the bench who would have started every game for all the other teams there."

The Steelers went 6-0 in the round-robin portion of the tournament. They had a team batting average of just over .400 and an earned-run average (ERA) of 0.58. And they outscored their opponents 44-4.

In their first playoff game, the Steelers faced

Team Quebec in the battle of the top two teams in the round robin, and the southeast entry won 3-2 to advance to the final. The Steelers won the game on a double play in which centre-fielder Karmen Twordik caught a long fly ball and then fired the ball to the third baseman, who applied the tag to an advancing runner for the final out. In the final, the only run came in the bottom of

the first in which Twordik scored on a single by Alexis Lucyshyn.

Lucyshyn pitched all seven innings for the Steelers and shut down Oakville, allowing just three hits over seven innings for the win. She was also named top player of the playoff round, as she gave up one earned run over 14 innings with nine strikeouts and an ERA of 0.29.

"Our entire pitching staff was excellent," said Hubbard. "Carmen Hughes, Alexis Lucyshyn and Brook Melnychuk dominated hitters all week long. In the eight games played, they gave up a total of four earned runs." The defence was terrific, too, Hubbard said. It was led by Lyndsay Koscielski, who Hubbard said made some amazing plays at shortstop all week long. Twordik and Kim Vibert were strong in the outfield. Deanna Gerrard caught seven of eight games. Michelle Kukurudza and Katie Hengen had a platoon at second base.

Lucyshyn was named to the tournament all-star team as a pitcher. Twordik was selected as a top outfield, Gerrard was picked as top hitter and Kim Vibert was named tournament MVP.

The Southeast Steelers, based out of Carnduff, have captured their first-ever national title at the Softball Canada women's championship Ile-Perrot, Que. Photo courtesy of the Southeast Steelers

| Wednesday, August 30, 2023 | SASKTODAY.ca

Obituaries

Delores C. Butler 1949 - 2023

Delores Bulter passed away at the Pasqua Hospital in Regina, SK on Friday, July 14.

Delores’ memory will be forever cherished by her daughters: Melanie (Mark) Tribiger, and Janelle (Trevor) Luddington; granddaughters, Isla Tribiger, and Willow Luddington and grandson Burton Luddington; and honourary son Brent (Raelene) Fieber. She will also be lovingly remembered by her brothers and sisters: Anna Marie (Ken) Baker, Anton (Loretta) Bonokoski, Audrey Garrioch, Jerome (Bev) Bonokoski, Jeanette (Robert) Badley, Barb (Randy) Clauson, Bernice (Kevin) Bloor, Neil Bonokoski, Norma (Dave) Romanoski, Della (Rod) Kupper, Laura Erick, Angela Muir, and Duane (Dunia) Bonokoski, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

Delores was predeceased by her husband Rodney Butler, and daughter Lana Diane Butler; Parents Mary (McNeil) and Isidor Bonokoski, and brothers Ron Bonokoski and Daniel Bonokoski, brothers-in-law Allen Tenold and Richard Garrioch, sister-in-law Susan Bonokoski, and nephew Arlen Clauson; Parents-in-law Lillian (Dixon) and Horace Butler, brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law Roy (Stella) Butler, Phyllis (Lawrence) Bloor and Audrey (Cecil) Parks. Delores was born in Estevan, SK and grew up in Torquay, SK along with her 15 brothers and sisters. Being third oldest, Delores often helped with childcare as she got older and even took a year off of high-school to help with the children when her mother experienced a difficult pregnancy. She returned to high-school and graduated before marrying Rodney on her 19th birthday in 1968. The pair moved to Frontier, SK in 1969 and it was while living there that they tragically lost their first daughter, Lana in 1970. 1972 saw the couple move back to Torquay where they owned and operated Bonnie’s Café. The café brought her many fun times and fond memories with her siblings as many of them worked there along-side her and Rod. Never one to shy away from a challenge, she moved to Estevan with Rod and they opened DelRod’s Fin and Feather in 1976. The pet shop was where Delores first met Brent Fieber, who became like a son to her. Delores always enjoyed connecting with people and she was able to do that for many years as a cashier at Safeway and Fine Foods. Delores and Rod welcomed Melanie in 1983 and Janelle completed their family in 1987. Delores began working the midnight shift at Estevan Telephone Answering Service in 1992. While the night shift isn’t for everyone it allowed her to help out at the girls’ school and be there when they got home from school. Family was extremely important to Delores and when the time came that her mother, Mary, could no longer manage living on her own, Delores did not hesitate to open her home and cared for Mary there until a move to the nursing home was necessary. Delores then decided that since her children were getting older and she was home during the day that she would offer childcare in her home. This brought many families into her life and she cherished the relationships she built with those children and their families.

Delores was a hardworking and caring person and she instilled those qualities in her daughters by her own example. She was always willing to lend a hand to those in need and was even known to invite people spending Christmas alone to spend it with her family. She was also a very strong and determined person often lived with chronic pain, but doing it with a smile on her face. She was the type of person who made people feel at ease. She was easy to talk to and was an excellent listener. She was a loving Gramma to Isla and Ma-maw to Burton and Willow. She enjoyed spending time with Isla and she would spend as much time as she could at Janelle’s house enjoying her time with Burton and Willow. Burton loved snuggling on the couch with Ma-maw.

She will be dearly missed and we can’t imagine our lives without her

The Celebration of Life for Delores will take place on Thursday, August 31, 2023 at 10:00 a.m at the Gazebo at Boundry Damn with Sandy Dalziel officiating. The lunch will be held at the Days InnTaylorton Room following the service. The private family Interment will be held at the Green Acres Cemetery, Weyburn, SK.

Please visit Delores’s tribute page at www.hallfuneralservices.ca for the livestream details. A video recording will also be available for 90 days following.

When arriving at the gate at Boundry Dam please let them know you will be attending the funeral as the admission to the park will be waived.

Memorial donations may be made to the Kinsmen Telemiracle Foundation https://telemiracle.com in memory of Delores.

Hall Funeral Services in Estevan is caring for Delores’s family - Yvonne Clark, Funeral Director.

Derrell Wayne Densley

1948 - 2023

Derrell’s family sadly announces his passing in Estevan, Sask. on August 19, 2023, just days shy of his 75th birthday.

Derrell’s memory will be forever cherished by his wife of 52 years, Gwen (Ward); daughter Dawn Densley and grandchildren: Colton Schell and Makenna Schell (Teagan Trobert); daughter Tara (Tim) Katsantonis and grandchildren: Brayden and Kaylynn Katsantonis; brother Gary (Marlene) Densley; sister Dianne (Scott) Connors; sister-in-law Marilyn Luginbuhl; brother-in-law Brian (Diane) Ward, as well as numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Derrell was predeceased by his parents: Walter & Lillian (Larsen) Densley; parents-in-law: Ed & Annette (Bourquin) Ward; sister Jo Anne Perry and brother-in-law David Luginbuhl.

A Memorial Service for Derrell was held on Thursday, August 24, 2023 at 1:00 p.m. at Hall Funeral Services, Estevan, with Shirley Petterson officiating. Interment followed in the Estevan City Cemetery, after which a luncheon was held in the Club Room at the Royal Canadian Legion, Estevan. Hall Funeral Services in Estevan provided care to the Densley family - Dustin Hall, Funeral Director. When arriving at the gate at Boundry Dam please let them know you will be attending the funeral as the admission to the park will be waived. Memorial donations may be made to the Kinsmen Telemiracle Foundation https://telemiracle.com in memory of Delores.

Hall Funeral Services in Estevan is caring for Delores’s family - Yvonne Clark, Funeral Director.

Velma Georgina Durand

1942 - 2023

Velma’s family sadly announces her passing in Regina, Sask. on August 10, 2023 at the age of 80.

Velma will be lovingly remembered by her daughters: Michelle Durand (Edward Whitrow) and Debbie (Marty) Packard; grandson

Taylor Packard; granddaughter Tianna Packard (Tim Mitchell); great grandson Beauden Mitchell; sister Donna Rode; sister-in-law

Betty Blevins and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her parents: Albert & Elizabeth Blevins; brother Allan Blevins; brother-in-law Dalton Rode and nephew

Brian Rode.

If friends so desire, donations in Velma’s memory may be made to the Salvation Army, 1107 - 4th Street, Estevan, SK S4A 0W6. Hall Funeral Services in Estevan is caring for Velma’s familyDustin Hall, Funeral Director.

Coming EvEnts

EPS to conduct public survey

The Estevan Police Service is advising the public of an upcoming public survey, beginning on Sept. 6. The Community Perceptions of the Estevan Police survey is designed to gather feedback on several topics related to public perceptions of the EPS and crime in our city.

Prairie Research Associates will be gathering the survey data by randomly selecting Estevan residents’ phone numbers – both landlines and mobile phones – using postal code information. The callers conducting the survey will identify themselves as Prairie Research Associate employees.

Questions will relate to topics such as police effectiveness and responsiveness;

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

Sukanen Ship Museum Threshing Bee Saturday, Sept 9 & Sunday Sept. 10. Daily pancake breakfast, vehicle parades, threshing, ploughing, blacksmithing. Limited camping. 13 Km south of Moose Jaw on highway 2. Call 306-69336125. www.sukanenshpmuseum.ca

FARMLAND WANTED

Saskatchewan born and raised, I know farming and farmland and can help you every step of the way.

Doug Rue, for further information 306-716-2671 saskfarms@shaw.ca www.sellyourfarm land.com

Wanted

visibility and presence of police; fear of crime; and trust and confidence in police.

“The Estevan Police Service wants to reassure residents that this is a legitimate survey and part of the service’s ongoing commitment to gather public input in an objective manner. Participation in this survey is completely voluntary, but the Estevan Police Service encourages residents to take the opportunity to provide their feedback if contacted for this survey,” the EPS said in a news release.

Anyone working for the EPS or living with someone who currently works for the agency will be excluded.

Any member of the public who has concerns or questions about the survey may contact the EPS at 306634-4767 and their call will be directed appropriately.

The EPS thanks the public in advance for their time and input into police practices and processes. The results of the survey will be made public in early 2024 through a presentation to the Estevan board of police commissioners and at www.estevanpolice.ca.

Feed & Seed

For Sale - MiSc

Announces its 14th ANNUAL PUBLIC FARM SALE 810 Valley Road (Saskatoon, SK)

Friday Sept. 15th 9:00am - 5:00pm

Saturday Sept. 16th 9:00am - 4:00pm

TREES, SHRUBS & SHELTERBELTS

Construction underway on new Bienfait fire hall

The Bienfait Fire Department is getting closer to having a new building, as construction is now underway on the much-needed structure.

A sod-turning ceremony was held on July 10, with council members, firefighters and the construction firm in attendance. The building is located to the west of the old fire hall on Railway Avenue.

Town administrator Jessica Franklin said the current fire hall is undersized for the equipment that the town has, so it needs to be upgraded to ensure all equipment can be housed within the building. The current fire hall has two bays and it isn't large enough to accommodate all

of the department's present equipment, which includes two fire trucks, a wildland firefighting unit, a trailer and a side-by-side.

Once the new fire hall is constructed, everything will be housed inside.

"We have to rent storage for some of the trucks, which isn't ideal because it should all be housed together at the fire hall," said Franklin.

"During the summer months, we just keep it all stored outside, but during the winter we have to rent buildings to store them."

The steel for the building arrived earlier this month and Franklin predicted the building should be up before

the first snowfall. The hope is to have everything finished before the end of the year.

The town and the fire department have received a lot of positive feedback about the project, she said. Firefighters helped with the design of the building and are really excited to see the project completed.

The Town of Bienfait also received a grant from the Prairies Economic Development Canada program, which covered the $1.361 million cost of the build, saving the town from fundraising for the building. But they continue to raise funds for the trucks and the other equipment that the department needs.

Mayor Ken Bonokoski

is pleased with how construction is progressing on the fire hall and looks forward to seeing it completed.

"We definitely will find it a great asset," said Bonokoski.

The firefighters are excited to see this project happening, because they have seen

the need for a new building for a while.

"It will give the fire department more room for training … and it will be an asset for storing equipment and for training purposes," he said.

Once the new fire hall is finished, the current building

will be used for storage, as there is town equipment that could be indoors rather than outside.

The town has a joint fire suppression services agreement with the RM of Coalfields, and the two municipalities have been meeting about the new building.

EPS members made several arrests last week

Members of the Estevan Police Service were kept busy in the past week and made arrests for impaired driving, theft, parole violations and more.

Members arrested a 49-year-old Estevan man on Aug. 21 for driving while prohibited. He also had outstanding warrants for his arrest. He was processed and released to appear in court in November.

Police also received a report of individuals going through unlocked vehicles that night. The EPS attended after receiving the call but members were unable to locate anyone in the area. Police remind the pub-

lic that crimes of opportunity can be prevented by not leaving valuables in your vehicles and by locking them. Police ask for the public's assistance in reporting suspicious persons or activity.

Police received a call on Aug. 22 through the Report Impaired Drivers line, in relation to a vehicle that struck a parking barricade. Police located the vehicle and spoke to the driver. The driver was not impaired and the accident resulted in damage to the individual's vehicle. The motorist was refereed to SGI.

Police attended to a residential fire alarm. Members

Southeast Advocates for Employment Inc.

invites you to attend the Annual General Meeting

invites you to attend the Annual General Meeting

Wednesday September 13th, 2023 12:00 – 1:00 pm

Wednesday September 13th, 2023 12:00 – 1:00 pm

At the Western Star Suites & Hotel 303 Kensington Avenue, Estevan, SK

Lunch to follow R.S.V.P. • 306-634-9554 or e-mail: cafe.estevan@sasktel.net

If interested in becoming involved as a board member, please contact Debbie @ 306 -634-9554

At the Western Star Suites & Hotel 303 Kensington Avenue, Estevan, SK Lunch to follow R.S.V.P. (306) 634-9554 or e-mail: cafe.estevan@sasktel.net

determined nobody was home and the smoke was caused by food being overcooked on the stove. Police entered the residence and removed the food. The homeowner returned a short time later and was advised of the action taken.

Police arrested a 32-yearold Estevan man for violating conditions of his parole, which was suspended. He was to appear before his parole officer to determine if he will be returning to prison.

Officers apprehended an impaired driver on Aug. 25.

Police arrested and charged a 47-year-old Bienfait woman for

impaired driving. Her vehicle was seized and she will appear in court in October.

Police received a report of theft of property. The missing property was located and the matter is under investigation.

Police suspended a 24-year-old person's driver's licence for three days. Her vehicle was seized as well due to recent consumption of marijuana.

Police received a report of a theft from a local hotel room on Aug. 26. Members located the suspect and he was arrested and charged with theft under $5,000. He was released with a court date for later in the year.

THE ESTEVAN ELKS LODGE

Shifts are Weekdays, Evenings and Weekends.

Must have a current Serve It Right certificate or be willing to obtain one.

Please email resumes to elk.lodge113@sasktel.net

If interested in becoming involved as a board member, please contact Debbie @ 306 -634-9554

Vallyn 7 Years

A report came in of an individual uttering threats to a group of employees on a job site. The matter is still under investigation.

Police also received a report of an assault at a local hotel. The matter is being investigated.

A report was filed with police of an assault and mischief that occurred at a residence in the central part of the city. One female was arrested and charged

with mischief. She was lodged in cells and released with a court date in October.

Police received a report on Aug. 27 of an individual uttering threats to another person and attempting to damage the person's vehicle. The matter is under investigation. For updates from the EPS throughout the week, please visit our provincial news hub at SaskToday.ca.

Bentley 8 Years Rory 8 Years

Parker 8 Years

A ground-breaking ceremony for the new fire hall was held in July.

Photo courtesy of Jessica Franklin

Champions crowned in slow-pitch league

The Estevan Slow-Pitch League season came to an end this month with a couple of tournaments.

The league boasted 17 teams this year, with nine

David 8 Years

entered in the A circuit and eight more in the B loop. The A division is for the more competitive entries.

SmackaPitch defeated the Step Dads 33-17 in the

final to win the A division tournament, which was contested from Aug. 16-19 at Cossette Park in Woodlawn Regional Park.

It was their second

straight title and their fourth championship overall.

SmackaPitch went 2-1 in the round robin to finish second in their pool, as did the Step Dads. Each team

won their semifinal game to reach the final.

Meanwhile, the Backdoor Sliders won the B division for their first title in eight years.

They went 22-1 in the regular season, and then had a 4-0 record to win their group. The tournament was contested from Aug. 9-12.

Ethan 7 Years

SmackaPitch won the A division for the second straight year. Photo courtesy of Brendan Phillips

The Backdoor Sliders captured the B division for the first time. Photo courtesy of Michael Keating