Officers responded quickly after cougar was reportedly spotted in south Estevan
By David Willberg
Police and conservation o cers in Estevan responded quickly after a cougar was spotted in southwest part of the city.
In a news release on the EPS website, the police said it received a report on June 26 at 6:55 p.m. of a cougar walking along the pathway in and around the 1600-block of ird Street and down in the valley. Two conservation o cers and an EPS o cer spent about 90 minutes searching for the animal.
In a follow-up post to its Facebook page, the EPS said they were investigating the report in the valley west of the 1600-block of Fourth Street.
“While there is no immediate danger to the public, residents are asked to remain cautious about the possibility of a cougar in the area,” the EPS said at the time.
O cers were unable to locate or con rm the cougar sighting, and no further sightings were reported to police or conservation ofcers.
Conservation o cer Jordan Kreutzer said the caller’s description was
“very spot-on”, but the case remains uncon rmed because they couldn’t nd a track or sighting of the big cat.
Cougar sightings are not common but not unheard of, either, he said. e last con rmed instance was in the summer of 2022, when one of the animals was spotted on a camera southwest of the city.
“Cougars are a natural part of our landscape down here. Cougars, along with other wildlife, use our river valleys as natural corridors. So, we have the Souris River valley and we have the valley that runs through town, and they often just pass through it on their way hunting deer or other small game,” Kreutzer said in an interview with the Mercury and SaskToday.
ere have been reports of sightings since 2022, he said, but all were unconrmed or false.
Kreutzer stressed the woman who called about the cougar did the right thing. She immediately called the police to say that she saw a cougar. e EPS then noti ed conservation o cers and they responded in a timely fashion. e caller was able to get out
of the area without a “human-wildlife con ict” taking place.
Cougars and other large wildlife are shyer and warier of humans than many might think, he said. If they encounter a cougar, Kreutzer encouraged people to make themselves look large, and create lots of noise when hiking and walking. Should someone see a cougar, they shouldn’t run.
“ ere’s a natural predator-prey instinct. Walk away backwards, slowly, while making noise and making yourself seem bigger,” said Kreutzer.
He compared it to a domestic animal, such as a dog or a cat. If you run or throw a toy, then it becomes a game to the animal and instincts kick in.
EPS Deputy Police Chief Warren Morrical said the local police receives reports of moose and deer in town from time to time, and depending on the nature of the occurrence, members will attend to con rm that there is no public safety concerns, to escort the animal out of town if it’s on the outskirts, or contact conservation ofcers to come in and take
“As I recall, a number of years ago we tranquilized a small moose that was actually in a backyard, and would have done more damage if we tried to just allow it to get itself out. We do work in conjunction with conservation o cers quite often when there are animals reported in town,” said Morrical. He echoed Kreutzer’s statement that the woman who led the report handled the situation properly by calling the authorities.
“We can con rm public safety is upheld, we can
identify if … in fact is it a cougar or a large cat type of thing, and identify if there’s any way that we need to intercede to ensure that the animal is kept safe and the public is kept safe as well.” If someone has an encounter with aggressive wildlife, Kreutzer encouraged them to call the Turn-in Poachers line at 1-800-667-7561. If there’s an immediate risk to public safety, people can also call 911. Other reports about nuisance wildlife can be directed to the Ministry of Environment’s general inquiry line at 1-800-5674224.
SaskPower talks SMRs at southeast open houses
By David Willberg
Southeast Saskatchewan residents learned more about the SMR project proposed for the Estevan area during a series of SaskPower engagement sessions.
In addition to events held at the Days Inn Estevan on June 25 and 26, engagements were also held in Oxbow on June 25, Torquay on June 26, and Midale and Weyburn on June 27. SaskPower representatives explained the project and answered questions from the public.
A series of placards were set up in each location, explaining the current and future power needs for Saskatchewan, why it is looking at SMRs, the timelines for project approval and construction, the potential locations for the Estevan area, how the SMR would operate and the safety measures, including what is done with the waste.
Travis Sandeski, a public
engagement consultant for SaskPower, said they had about 30 people attend the gatherings in Estevan, with the evening session attracting more visitors. Attendance was low for the Oxbow meeting, and Sandeski believes it was partly due to timing since it happened during the day, and partly because Grant Devine Lake near Alameda is no longer viewed as a potential site.
Sandeski said the Crown corporation had been to Oxbow previously to discuss the project, and SaskPower was encouraged to return and update citizens.
“ at area around Oxbow and Alameda was at one time circled on the map saying ‘Hey, we want to nd a site here’, and now all our sites are in the other area [around Estevan],” said Sandeski.
People who attended the sessions in Estevan wanted to know about timelines and employment, including when SaskPower is expect-
ed to select its preferred site for Estevan. ey also want to know when construction would begin and when the SMR would start producing power.
A lot of people are curious about the technical aspects of the project, Sandeski said, but SaskPower didn’t receive as many ques-
tions about that side. Still, some people ask how waste is managed and how this project will impact water.
“We went out with some of these boards and information quite a bit in the past year, and so those questions are trailing now. At this time last year, we had a lot of questions about how
is that water used, is it going through the reactor, is it radioactive. And today we get a lot less questions.”
It might be because people have educated themselves about the project, or it might be because SaskPower has answered questions previously on operations.
Premier Scott Moe re-
vealed in late May that Saskatchewan’s rst SMR – if the project goes ahead – would be located in the Estevan area. Locations on Boundary Dam and Rafferty Dam are being considered for the project.
e o cial site is expected to be selected in early 2025. e federal regulatory approval process can then begin, and a decision on whether the project will go ahead is not expected until 2029, and Sandeski said they received some questions about why it will take so long.
e SMR is not expected to be operational until 2034.
“People look at that chart, and it looks like a long ways out, and I know some people look at that chart and it looks … reasonably aggressive, I like to say. But most people are like, hurry up,” said Sandeski.
e plant, which would generate at least 300 megawatts of power, would employ more than 150 people.
Survey shows slightly lower trust levels but remains strong support for Estevan Police Service
By David Willberg
e latest public survey on the Estevan Police Service shows there is still a lot of trust and support for the municipal policing service, but numbers are lower than four years earlier.
e report, Community Perceptions of EPS, was released at the June 24 meeting of Estevan city council. Funded by the EPS and carried out by the University of Regina, it included telephone surveys of 251 Estevan residents between Sept. 6 and Oct. 5, 2023.
e report notes the decrease must be considered in the context of national and international matters.
“Public perceptions of most social institutions diminished following the COVID-19 pandemic, with the police particularly impacted with the high-publicity George Floyd incident,” the report states.
“Although public perceptions of police have rebounded in some locations, in many, the public ratings have not returned to pre-pandemic levels.”
All measures of trust and con dence remain high, the report states, with average scores mostly exceeding four on a ve-point scale, with a ve typically for a strongly agree response, and a one for strongly disagree.
Among the highlights:
• e average score for the EPS’s visibility in the community was 4.44, with 86.1 per cent strongly agreeing or agreeing, and nobody strongly disagreeing. e average score in 2019 was 4.56;
•More than 18 per cent said the visibility of the EPS in their neighbourhood had increased, 78.2 per cent thought it had stayed the same and 3.7 per cent thought it had decreased;
• e EPS had an average score of 4.16 for demonstrating professionalism in its work, down from a 4.37 in 2019;
• e average score was 4.08 when people were asked if the Estevan Police Service is an organization with integrity and honesty, down from 4.39;
• e EPS had an average score of 4.52 from people
when asked if they would have con dence in calling 911 for police assistance;
•When asked if the EPS understanding the issues a ecting the community, the EPS received a score of 4.14, down from 4.3.
•Only 38.8 per cent of respondents said they had contact with the EPS in the previous 12 months from when the survey was conducted, down from 41.7 per cent in 2019.
• e EPS received a score of 4.25 in terms of satisfaction on how they dealt with the public.
•An estimated 85.8 per cent of people said they had not been a victim of crime in the past two years.
• e EPS received a score of 3.91 in terms of public satisfaction with the police response, down from 4.0 in 2019.
•One number that did improve was a score of 3.96 when people were asked how safe they view Estevan, up from 3.88 in 2019.
e survey also looked at people’s priorities, such as tra c enforcement, impaired driving, drugs, police
funding and even the presence of a school resource o cer.
Police Chief Rich Lowen said he was pleased with the survey results due to the challenges facing policing since 2019.
“When we’re in the four out of ves, that’s a fantastic place to be in terms of our policing abilities,” said Lowen.
He believes the perception of Estevan policing is very good in the community.
“We knew that, without the survey. We knew the support we had. e survey really backs up what we knew, so it was nice to see.”
Lowen said the EPS al-
ways has to remain aware of all of the categories, and is doing to retain the public’s trust. Before his tenure as Estevan police chief ends on Aug. 31, Lowen would like to sit down with the new police chief – if one is hired – and go over the numbers and let his replacement take the EPS into the future. He believes it helps that these numbers have come out during the search for a new chief.
e data is also bene cial for the police board.
“ at’s the whole purpose of this survey is to give them a road map of what the people are looking for in the community, and from
that end, I think the survey has served its purpose, and I think we’re going to have to continue in the future doing surveys to make sure we listen to the people.” If a survey would have been carried out every year since 2019, Lowen said it would have been interesting to see the numbers. He believes the survey should happen every second year.
“I know there’s a cost established to doing surveys. e University of Regina does a fantastic job of it. It’s a good, consistent measure if you’re measuring against the same parameters every two years. It just gives you a good indicator on the circumstances of that time.”
Cornerstone board approves 2024-25 budget
e overview budget numbers for the South East Cornerstone Public School Division (SECPSD) appear promising but when it comes to operations and actual cash situations, not so much.
Shelley Toth, the SECPSD’s chief nancial o cer and superintendent of division services, submitted the 2024-25 budget to the board of trustees for their approval on June 19 during their regular open meeting.
Total revenue is antici-
pated to be $126.3 million while operating expenditures should come in at $122.1 million she said.
Capital expenditures, including a $10 million assignment for a new school plan in Carlyle, are part of the process she added.
e majority of the expenses go toward teachers and administrative and other support sta ers which amount to 1,105.83 fulltime equivalent positions.
e Public Sector Accounting Board standards met with this budget, shows
a surplus of $4,200,783 for the next school year that includes the $10 million grant for the new school with costs not expensed until the construction is complete and then amortized over a period of 50 years.
On the actual operations side though, Toth highlighted the expected cash de cit being $2,743,766 for the next school year signalling another year of diminishing surplus that is expected to leave the division with an accumulated surplus of $14.30 million, down substantially from the peak available surplus that was registered as $32.30 million in the 201617 school year. e surplus has been steadily declining annually since the 2018-19
academic year she noted.
During the budget review for the bene t of the board members, Toth pointed out that provincial grants still amount to the lion’s share of the income with $109.5 million or 87 per cent of the total revenue coming from that source since the government took over the collection of school taxes.
Besides the $10 million set aside for the new school in Carlyle, another $2.7 million in revenue is school generated while another one percent or $1.2 million arrives from tuition paid for students from outside the division’s boundaries. Another $2.8 million is derived from a variety of sources.
On the expense side of
the ledger, Toth said $88.2 million, or 72 per cent, is spent on salaries and benets, as expected with another $26.1 million devoted to the purchase of goods and services, making up about 21 per cent. Another $7.2 million is assigned to amortization requirements and just $500,000 is used to service debt.
Toth pointed out that Cornerstone has 506.10 full-time teaching positions to ll along with about 600 non-teaching positions.
On the teaching side of the equations, she noted there was an increase of 4.23 classroom teachers in the division’s system along with an increase of just under 15 (FTE) educational assistants.
Other notable capital purchases will include new school buses for $1.5 million and another $1.4 million for computer hardware and equipment for ve schools that require refreshed network equipment and access point upgrades, Toth said. Further on the capital expenditures side, Toth said the purchase of furniture and other equipment will come with a cost of $301,00 and another $110,000 will be spent on eet vehicle replacements and another $30,000 for the completion of a relocatable classroom at Assiniboia Park elementary school in Weyburn. e motion to accept the budget was passed unopposed.
TravisSandeski
By David Willberg
e inaugural Coal Creek Music Festival in Bienfait attracted hundreds of people, thanks to the diversity of the music and the talent of the performers.
e event was held Sunday in the area between the Bienfait Memorial Arena and the Bienfait Curling Rink. A project of the Southeast Saskatchewan Economic Partnership –which involves the Town of Bienfait and the RMs of Estevan and Coal elds – the festival o ered nearly nine hours of music, with each act getting the chance to showcase their talents by playing numerous songs. Most of the music was their original works.
“I think it was an incredible success,” said Trevor Keating with SSEP. “We had … more people than we expected, with hundreds of online ticket sales, and just in the last week, hundreds of in-person ticket sales, plus a lot of people just showed up the day of, which is what we expected.
“It’s always a little nerve-wracking when you’re trying to do something brand new. You don’t really know what to expect.”
According to Keating, all of the bands really enjoyed themselves and they want to be back next year. And when talking to people that were in the crowd, he could see everybody was having a great time.
“It was pretty cool with the kids dancing in front of the stage,” said Keating.
e festival kicked o with music courtesy of Aaron Karpinka and then Kara Golemba. ey were added to the schedule in the days leading up to the festival and Keating thought they did well.
A couple of local favourites then had their turn.
e rst was North Portal-based folk duo Last Birds, comprised of husband-and-wife tandem Mike Davis and Lindsay Arnold. ey recently won the award for Alternative Country Album of the Year at the Saskatchewan
Country Music Associa-
tion Awards.
Up next was Regina-based pop group Library Voices. Four of their six performers are originally from Estevan.
Music fans were then treated to sets by Mariel Buckley, Brayden King, and Munro & Patrick.
Each had a band with them. King, who hails from Weyburn, gained fame last year after his success on American Idol.
e festival concluded with a performance by headliners Brad Johner and the Johner Boys.
Brad’s brother Ken was supposed to be part of the show, but he was in Victoria, B.C., for a wedding the day before the festival, and his ight back to Saskatchewan on WestJet was cancelled.
Even though Ken wasn’t there, Keating said it was great to see the other family members.
“Brad’s kids are incredible artists now, and it was a lot of fun to see them,” said Keating.
Keating noted that when he spoke with Michael Dawson – the former Estevan resident who is now in charge of the Western Canadian Music Alliance and Break Out West Festival – it was agreed they needed to have southeast Saskatchewan musicians, and to have everyone from Saskatchewan.
Food booths were set up throughout the event,
and bouncy castles at a nearby area kept children active. e vendors were happy with the event as well, Keating said.
e initial funding for the event was through the Municipal Coal Transition Assistance Program to create a regional tourism event, and Keating believes it was a great success. He hopes it can happen annually.
“If the artists are happy, and they tell their friends who are artists about the festival, then it’s easier to book … names next year,” he said.
Keating credited Bienfait Mayor Ken Bonokoski, the Bienfait Curling Club, Bill Mann and the Bienfait Memorial Arena and Lemon Wedge Marketing for their contributions in making the event a success.
Celebrating Canada Day, Bienfait style
e community of Bienfait was once again a hub for Canada Day celebrations this year.
Numerous activities were held throughout the day, starting with a pancake breakfast at the Bienfait Memorial Arena, with the Southern Plains Co-op supplying the food.
e annual parade was once again one of the big draws for the day. People from Estevan and other southeast Saskatchewan communities ocked to Bienfait. A long lineup of vehicles was seen entering the town on Highways 39 and 18.
e parade featured a variety of oats and vehicles from businesses, organiza-
tions and other entities eager to wish Canada a happy 157th birthday. Some people opted to ride horses while others walked the parade route.
Children eagerly waited for candy and other treats to be tossed by parade participants.
Prizes were handed out in a couple of categories. For top business oat, Busy Bee Day Care was the winner, followed by Reliance Oil eld Services and Steam-Est Industries. For the non-pro t category, the Bienfait branch of the Royal Canadian Legion nished rst. e Bienfait Swimming Pool was second and the Shriners were third.
After the parade, chil-
dren’s activities happened, including a cakewalk, bouncy castles and a rock-climbing wall. e Bienfait Coalelds Museum was open.
e Garden Party supplied live music on the front lawn of the Bienfait branch of the Royal Canadian Legion, and the Bienfait Lions Bingo was also at the legion.
A toonie swim was held at the Bienfait Swimming Pool, and the Firemen faced the Farmers in their annual softball showdown.
Other highlights included a house-decorating contest and an online 50/50.
e festivities wrapped up with the annual reworks display, which again brought in people from throughout the southeast.
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When someone arrives in a position of leadership, one of the objectives should always be to leave the job in a better position than when they found it.
In the case of Rich Lowen – the outgoing chief of police in Estevan – he should honestly be able to say the Estevan Police Service is in a better state now than when he arrived in the fall of 2021. Most people would likely agree with that statement.
e challenges facing the Estevan Police Service before Lowen’s arrival were well documented, not only in the Mercury but in a report released in October 2022 that was critical of the EPS’s workplace culture and more. It should be noted the report ended on an upbeat note thanks to Lowen’s e orts in his rst few months in the city, along with changes that took place with the Estevan board of police commissioners.
Lowen was tasked with rebuilding morale, regaining the community’s trust in the Estevan police and creating an overall better police force. He succeeded. When faced with an unthinkable situation last November involving not just a murder but the shooting of a police o cer, Lowen handled it well.
Being a police chief is not an easy job. For starters, it’s a high-pro le job in a community, whether you’re in a small city like Estevan or a large centre like Regina or Saskatoon. You’re never really o duty and you could
be forced to handle a di cult situation on a moment’s notice – sometimes when you should be sleeping or enjoying family time. Naysayers are everywhere.
You have to be e ective at budgeting, you have to build relationships inside and outside of the community, you need to have to have the backs of the members but you also have to hold them accountable when necessary.
Were mistakes made during his tenure? Of course. Does he want some mulligans? De nitely. No law enforcement agency is perfect. But Lowen can look back on his time in Estevan and think he generally did a pretty good job.
e Estevan board of police commissioners now nds itself in a position they likely didn’t expect: trying to nd Lowen’s replacement less than three years after he arrived. e mandate should be to hire someone who has similar attributes. ose people don’t grow on trees. Only a select few ocers get to become a chief; even fewer prove to be e ective.
ere might have been some temptation to wait until after the next civic election to hire Lowen’s replacement; after all, we’re only a few months away from the vote, and we know there will be a new mayor after Nov. 13. Some might make the case it should be the new police board that hires a new chief.
But Lowen’s last day is Aug. 31. e next civic election is Nov. 13. From there, it would likely take a few months to hire and bring in a new police chief. And you could potentially have one or two new members on the police board.
ey will have a lot to learn as it is, as being on the police board is the closest thing to being on city council. e new members don’t need to have hiring a new police chief added to their learning curve. e new chief will face challenges. e recent community survey shows that trust and satisfaction with the police is lower than in 2019, although it’s still at a pretty good level. We have challenges facing our community, from never-ending issues like drugs and impaired driving, to a spike in thefts and mischief incidents in the rst half of this year.
e thefts under $5,000 might not seem like much, but those are the crimes that force people to lock doors and feel a little more nervous.
ere is also a segment of the community that would like to see the number of o cers reduced considerably.
It’s going to be interesting to see who is hired to be the next chief, and how that person will look to place their stamp on the EPS while still juggling all of the tasks associated with the job.
Are those indeed the best choices Americans have?
One doesn’t have to be an expert in American politics to notice that something is seriously wrong there.
e current American president came out looking sad after the rst public debate held June 27 at CNN headquarters in Atlanta, with no public present. (Some assumed the lack of a live audience only worsened the performances). While his opponent was pronounced the winner in this round, both presidential contenders gave me Spanish shame (second-hand embarrassment) way more times than I’d expect following a political event of this level.
Going into the candidates’ rst face-o , there were no doubts that former U.S. president Donald Trump, 78, and President Joe Biden, 81, are in their prime shape for the job. But those 90 minutes, which felt too surreal at times, made people all over the world ask – are those indeed the best options Americans have for their leader?
‘WTF’: Panicked Dems start looking for alternatives to Biden (Politico).
‘A reality show’: World reacts to TrumpBiden debate (BBC).
‘ at was painful’: Van Jones reacts to Biden’s debate performance (CNN).
‘Was the debate the beginning of the end of Joe Biden’s presidency?’ ( e New Yorker).
ose are just a few of many headlines re ecting on the debate.
As one American gentleman put it, the candidates looked like two dinosaurs, who lost points way too often, requiring moderators to try bringing them back (which didn’t help much), and pointed ngers at each other, with no ability to persuasively back their claims.
e debate underscored the grow-
Ana Bykhovskaia
Twenty Lines About…
ing chasm between rhetoric and reality in American politics. Trump’s attacks were often personal and incendiary (even though he managed to avoid talking about Biden’s age except for one time), aiming to paint Biden as weak and ine ective. His claims, frequently unsubstantiated, were designed to evoke an emotional response from his supporters and those undecided.
Biden, on the other hand, sought to present himself as a steady hand in turbulent times. His responses, often lacking energy and clarity, aimed to appeal to stability. Sometimes he blamed Trump for the country’s failures and other times he tried to underline his achievements. However, in his reasoning, he regularly drifted away from the topic.
Biden’s performance only strengthened the fears of many voters who consider the Democrat too old to be the country’s president. at was con rmed by undecided voters watching the debates as part of focus groups, many of whom left the event seriously concerned about his condition.
Trump, who is often criticized for radicalism, seemed like he tried to stick to more or less moderate positions and position himself as a centrist.
One of the weirdest moments was a word battle over which one of these notso-young men was in better shape, which ended with Trump’s suggestion, “Let’s not act like children,” followed by Biden’s re-
sponse, “You are a child.”
While Biden put on a muted performance, Trump traditionally seemed aggressive and also not shy on false and misleading claims.
CNN’s analysis counted over thirty false statements from Trump—against at least nine for Biden. However, much more often the candidates’ statements were simply empty. And that, I felt, was the biggest problem – how can the candidates a ord to be so empty-worded at this stage of the campaign? Or are they simply not capable anymore?
However, I feel the American situation goes along with the political tendencies observed in other countries. I believe there is a major crisis on the global political stage. With a fast-spinning life, people want fast solutions, but I don’t think anyone has found a way to quickly turn the world around and make it better in no time. As a result, far-right parties claim more seats, populists win more votes, and the green agenda fades away after decades of growth under the pressure of other urgent matters.
It seems that Democrats are not planning on changing their candidate following the debate (at least yet), and it seems that, come November, many Americans might nd themselves in zugzwang—a situation found in chess and other turn-based games wherein a player has to make a move, but whatever move they make will only worsen their position.
As we celebrated Canada’s birthday this week, I felt that no matter when the election comes here, so far, we are in better shape than our neighbors. However, their political crisis will a ect Canada in many ways whether we want it or not.
EDITORIAL
Long Creek Railroad receives prestigious award
By Ana Bykhovskaia SaskToday.ca
Long Creek Railroad has been recognized with the prestigious Northern Short Line Growth Award, highlighting its exceptional growth and service in the rail industry.
e award was presented during the annual Business Development Conference hosted by CPKC – Canadian Pacific, Kansas City Southern in Kansas City on May 7. “ is is the rst time that Long Creek Railroad was recognized for this award,” said Adriaan Lievaart, president of the Long Creek Railroad Company board. “Long Creek Railroad was singled out as being exceptional in the growth area ... It’s a prestigious award to be picked from that many companies.”
e Short Line Growth Award acknowledges the remarkable increase in the number of cars that went on and o the line, a key indicator of growth for the Long Creek Railroad.
“Our growth was up 30
per cent last year,” Lievaart noted. “More local area farmers are shipping grain by rail, the oil activity has rebounded in the last while, there’s more activity on the frac sand side of it. And then also possibly, the reason that we were really busy was potential strikes. And people aren’t trained. So we had a little more storage of potash trains.”
e event in Kansas City brought together approximately 40 other short lines from both the United States and Canada.
“CP Rail has always had an event once a year where they get together with all the people that they do business with,” Lievaart explained. “Usually, it’s in Calgary, but this year, because CP merged with Kansas City Southern, they had their annual event in Kansas City.”
Tara Struthers, Long Creek Railroad’s business development manager, attended the event and accepted the award on behalf of the company.
“She participated in the meetings and the events they had there,” Lievaart said. e recognition from
PhotocourtesyofTaraStruthers
portation for the rst and last mile of goods,” Lievaart stated. “Sometimes there can be very lengthy dry spells, and you have to keep everything maintained and safe.” Lievaart expressed pride in the company’s achievements and the hard work of its sta .
“It’s exciting to receive this recognition. As president, and I know the board agrees, we are quite proud of our sta ,” he said. e near future looks promising for Long Creek Railroad, with the growth trend continuing, Lievaart said.
“It seems to be remaining fairly busy,” Lievaart observed. “It all depends on what kind of a year we have in the grain industry and if the oil activity continues.” e award serves as a testament to the dedication and hard work of the Long Creek Railroad team.
“We’re providing trans-
CPKC underscores the signi cant role that Long Creek Railroad plays in the transportation of goods in the region.
“ is is just a ne example of how if you put your nose to the grindstone, you can make things happen,” Lievaart remarked.
Council approves changes to cemetery bylaw
Estevan city council gave second and third readings to a new cemetery bylaw during the June 24 meeting.
e changes are expected to address a few things that are lacking in the current document, and provide clari cation for funeral homes. It will also address some issues with headstones.
First reading was given on June 10, and no concerns were brought forward since then.
Council approved a request from Josh Biggs to have a invite-only block party on Hawkes Bay on Aug. 17. e event would include bouncy castles on the street, live bands and more.
e request called for the city to donate use of the stage to help promote the event, but council decided the stage should still be rented. Party organizers would have paid for the
structure’s transportation and setup.
Barricades will be provided free of charge.
While discussing the South East Transportation Planning Committee’s most recent meeting, Coun. Lindsay Clark noted that the tender is out for the refurbishment of Highway 18 from west of Estevan to Oungre, and the three kilometres closest to Estevan were not included. He believes it’s in better shape than some other a ected portions, but he’s concerned that with the tra c that will be on the road for construction of a new solar power facility west of the city will cause the route close to Estevan to further deteriorate.
He said it should be added to the resurfacing next year. Resurfacing is expected to occur in 2025.
Council approved an amended credit card policy for city employees who are granted and assigned a corporate credit card. e conditions govern the responsible use of, and procedures for, credit cards belonging to the City of Estevan.
Credit cards are issued to the mayor, city manager, treasurer, police chief, re chief and city clerk, with a total authorized credit limit of $70,000 between the six departments.
e policy governs limits and conditions of use, monthly statements, cardholder responsibilities, monitoring, disputed transactions, renewals and termination of employment.
Council approved a dwelling to be moved to 522 First Street. e home has been located at a business on Kensington Avenue.
Land development ser-
Fire crews deal with accident, dumpster fire
e Estevan Fire Rescue Service had members out responding to several calls lately.
On June 24 at about 12:40 p.m., crews were dispatched to a two-vehicle collision in northeast Estevan. Fire ghters assisted at the scene. e incident was reported as minor in nature and no injuries were reported.
Fire specialists were requested for a service investigation, regarding a re alarm system out at a property on the south end of the city in the morning on June 25. Fire ghters investigated and didn’t nd any issues occurring.
On June 26, at around 4 p.m., crews were alerted to an outside re occurring on the west side
of the city. Fire ghters investigated and determined that there was a dumpster re occurring. Crews extinguished the re without incident.
Later that evening at about 11:40 p.m., they were also dispatched for a medical assistance call in northwest Estevan. Crew responded and helped at the location.
vices manager Richard Neufeld said they want to avoid situations in which the building doesn’t t the neighbourhood. Windows will be added to the side facing the street of this new home.
Neufeld noted he did not receive any negative feedback about the project from the neighbourhood.
Council approved an updated agreement for the Fas Gas pole sign at 942 Fourth Street.
As part of the recent change of ownership, the new owner wants the pact with the city to be updated. e company will continue to pay $150 per year for the city land where the sign is located.
Neufeld noted the existing pole sign has been located on the property for at least two decades.
Display sheds will be allowed at 206 Fourth Street, which is currently a vacant lot.
Neufeld wrote a business was set up without a business licence or development permit. He added this was the result of enforcement action on the city’s part. When the display bylaw was created, Neufeld said the city likely never imagined these types of buildings would be placed for sale. Neufeld said the sheds are not unsightly and he believes they’re better than a vacant property, so he voiced support.
EAGM welcomes two new exhibitions, museum is open
Two new exhibits are on display at the Estevan Art Gallery and Museum.
Brick by Brick: Absence & Presence by Heidi McKenzie, featured in Gallery 1, and Atim Maskikhiy, curated by Jordan Woodsworth, toured by the Organization of Saskatchewan Arts Councils (OSAC) in Gallery 2, opened on June 21 and will be on display until Aug. 23.
In her artist statement about the exhibit, McKenzie says “I was inspired by my father’s telling of his experience in the 1950s in Hamilton, Ontario, while touring the former I-XL Brick & Tile factory in Medicine Hat during my residency in 2019 at the Shaw Centre for International Ceramics (part of Medalta in the Historic Clay District).
“My father and his brother were two of ve persons of colour on campus. During the summer, he and his brother worked in the furnaces at Stelco in Hamilton. ey were brick masons, assigned to the hottest temperature job. ey worked alongside workers of African descent.
“What struck me, and continues to haunt me, is the fact that the white foremen openly assumed that the darker your skin,
“My father, Joseph McKenzie (1930-2016), was born and raised in Trinidad, under British colonial rule. My father was a very dark-skinned man of Indian descent. He came to Canada in 1953 to study at McMaster University. Canada pre-1968, exercised a whites-only immigration policy.
the more heat you could withstand. is inquiry propelled the questions I explore in Brick by Brick: Absence vs Presence,” McKenzie concluded.
Atim Maskikhiy, ‘dog medicine’ in Cree, presents works of 17 artists local to the La Ronge tri-community area in northern Saskatchewan.
e multimedia pieces represent the artists’ interpretations of the dog-human relationship as expressed through preliminary ndings of a community-driven re-
search project conducted in the community. is unique marriage of art and science allows knowledge translation to a broader audience than what is typical of peer-reviewed research.
Highlighting the need for improved access to animal health and welfare services in northern, remote and Indigenous communities everywhere, this gallery represents a call to action for systemic change at the human-dog interface. rough their works, the artists con rm
that dog-human bonds are highly valued and often critical to human life and well-being in the north, and current approaches to ‘ xing’ dog problems in communities without regular access to care ignore important contributors at the root of the issue.
is exhibition is curated by Dr. Jordan Woodsworth, director, Northern engagement and community outreach with Western College of Veterinary Medicine. e artists featured in this exhibition are Andrea Cowan, Caron
Dubnick, Donna Langhorne, Hilary Johnstone,
Jasmine Grondin and Wendy Cleveland. e North West Mounted Police Museum, located next to the EAGM, is now open for the summer as well. e EAGM hours of operation are Monday to Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Estevan playparks are ready for summer excitement
e playpark season is now underway in Estevan. Rusty Duce, Hillcrest, Hillside and Churchill parks will all o er many events and activities this summer. While the rst three parks are fully operational, Churchill was still seeing playground structure construction happening at the end of June. is summer’s Estevan playpark schedule includes many fun themes like
Jungle Adventure, Music Madness, Space Invaders, Under the Big Top, Going for Gold, Pirates World, Fairytale Fun and Rocking Rodeo.
Regular programming will start on July 3, with a night swim at Hillside Park, and run through Aug. 23, with activities Monday to Friday most weeks. is year’s schedule includes night swims and Saturday swims that cycle between
the di erent paddling pool locations. ere also will be four slip and slides at Royal Heights Veterans Memorial Park from 4-7 p.m. throughout July and August.
e daily schedule for playparks will be crafts, games and activities from 10:30 a.m. to noon, and the paddling pools will be open from 1-5 p.m.
On July 18, the playparks will host their annual
pancake breakfast at Churchill Park from 10 a.m.noon. e Pirates & Plunder Party will be on Aug. 7 at Hillside Park, from 5-8 p.m. and will include a barbecue and lots of planned pirate-themed fun.
In the meantime, the construction at Churchill Park is nearing completion. According to the information provided by Jacquelyn Massey-Rounds, marketing and communications
manager with the city, “ e newly built playground structure at Churchill park will hopefully, weather dependent, be able to open [end of June].”
“We ask that the community keep an eye on our social media pages for an o cial announcement,” Massey-Rounds said.
e play structure at Churchill underwent multiple public engagements to address issues for chil-
dren with disabilities and alternate learning needs, and the city said it is happy to be installing a structure that has accessible elements for multiple age groups. e new structure also includes three new shaded four-seat tables. e park also had a new changeroom building put into place. Also, the major renovation of the paddling pool was completed in 2022.
Back row- Paul Chabot (Coach), Niko Palmer, JP Chabot, Koen Klotz, Elijah Klotz (Coach), Mitch Meyer (Coach)
Front row- Jaxton Meyer, Weston Hengen, Fox Kendal, Hannah Vanstone
JUNIOR RALLY CAP ESTEVAN TEAM 3
Coaches: Kelly & Jody Vatamaniuck
Team: Wyatt Vatamaniuck, Emmett Vatamaniuck, Maddux Friess, Ezra Benning, Miller Casemore, Hudson Tetreault, Ben Samson
JUNIOR RALLY CAP ESTEVAN TEAM 4
Back Row: Brandon Frank (Coach), Joel Moriarty (Coach)
Front Row: Hudson Heppell, Weston Frank, Nash Moriarty, Madison Miiller, Hudson Rezansoff, Hannah Paradis, Hayden Church
Salute to ESTEVAN MINOR BASEBALL
11U CERTIFIED ENERGY
11U DART SERVICES BREWERS
SENIOR RALLY CAP ESTEVAN TEAM YELLOW
Back Row: Greg La Rose (Coach), Adam Himmelspach (Coach)
Front Row: Ezekiel Jackson, Drey Benning, Cooper Himmelspach, William Ciepliski, Braylon Gagon, Griffey La Rose, Nile Bealieu Missing: Leo Cozman, Patrick Johnson
SENIOR RALL CAP ESTEVAN TEAM GREEN Elijah Klotz (Coach), Scarlett Miller, Bryce Lalonde, Bodhi Lesy, Sawyer Simpson, Max Meili, Sawyer Klotz, Wells Dzuba, Zach Dzuba (Coach) Missing- Nate Hale, Krew Campbell
SENIOR RALY CAP ESTEVAN TEAM PURPLE
Back Row: Katherine Kawecki (Head Coach), Kristian Beaudry, Tripp Davies, Grayson Weber, Henry Bouchard, Rylan Frank, Madden Matthies, Daylen Gagnon, Ross Bouchard (Asst Coach)
Front Row: Sophie Kawecki, Sadie Pennington
SENIOR RALLY CAP ESTEVAN TEAM NAVY Back Row: Curtis Westling (Asst Coach), Matt Farris (Coach) Front Row: Harrison Eskra, Jackson Farris, Hunter Ludwig, Theodore Truman, Kersey Wilson, Kaleb Swayze, Hickson Stefan, Hudson Ludwig, Rogan Westling
11U AAA ESTEVAN BREWERS
Back row: Matt Schell (Asst Coach), Ryan Siever (Head Coach), Nathan Johnson (Asst Coach), Daylen Babyak (Asst Coach)
Middle Row: Dane Johnson, Marek Kosior, Cyrus Schell, Mason Lesy, Jackson Enns, Jacobi Hlavka, Payton Molstad Front Row: Jace Caouette, Sawyer Vargo, Preston Siever, Dylan Kennedy (AP), Alex Lemieux, Noah Bloomfield
11U MURRAY GM BREWERS
Back row Coach Tom Moffat, Amarrah Paul-Norbeck, Zander Tetzlaff, Slade Lesy, Stetsyn Bomberak, Parker Moffat, Braylon Christensen, Coach Leah Monteyne. Front Row: Bauer Blanchette, Christian Mayer, Bennett Kowal, Koholton Snider, Kalen Aspinall
Back Row: Dustin Tangjerd (Coach), Riley Brown (Coach), Tytan Romanow, Declan Gallagher, Joesph Hozjan, Hunter Nicholson, Kane Massier, Kersey Willis, Parker Cameron (Coach)
Front Row: Nash Cameron, Carson Caouette, Tayson Tangjerd, Penn Tytlandsvik, Colby Gress, Ripyn Brown. Missing: Scott Nicholson (Coach)
Estevan U15 AA Brewers complete perfect regular season
e Estevan U15 AA Brewers wrapped up the regular season with four wins in ve games to nish with a perfect 18-0 record in Baseball Regina play.
e rst game was an 18-5 victory over the Weyburn Beavers at Mel Murray Cactus Park last Wednesday. Quintin Sliva went 3-for-4, including a solo home run, Broden Henry had a two-run homer and Chayse Zohner hit a two-run double that keyed an eight-run second inning.
Spencer Skuce pitched all ve innings for Estevan, giving up ve runs, four of them earned.
Estevan then swept road games against the Regina White Sox on Saturday, winning 11-10 and 15-5.
In the rst game, Estevan led 11-4 in the seventh inning, but gave up six runs in the bottom of the frame which made the game interesting.
Starting pitcher Nathan Gardiner gave up four runs (one earned) over three innings.
In the second game, Sliva
went 3-for-3, while Skuce had a three-run double as part of a ve-run rst inning and nished with four RBIs.
Estevan wrapped up the regular season with a 13-10 win over the Lumsden Cubs on Sunday. Starter Cort Barber gave up two runs in four innings pitched. Logan Kolenz and Henry each had two hits and two RBIs.
e South East U18
AAA Twins had a perfect 4-0 record on the weekend in Saskatchewan Premier Baseball League action.
eir closest game was a 1-0 win over the Parkland Expos on Saturday. Ty Fehrenbach drove in Chase Himmelspach in the third inning for the lone run of the game.
Keaton Husband gave up three hits and struck out ve in a complete-game victory.
e next game was a 12-1 win over the Expos. e Twins scored two in the sixth and ve in the seventh to pull away.
Conner Kerr went 2-for2 and scored four times, and
Draven Brown had three hits and three RBIs. Himmelspach picked up the win by giving up one hit and one run in ve innings. en on Sunday, the Twins defeated the White Butte Broncos 9-3 and 118. e rst game was tied at 3-3 after seven stanzas, but the Twins put up six in the eighth inning, thanks in large part to a grand slam home run in the eighth by Kade Phillips.
Kerr gave up three runs in seven innings. e second game also
went to extra innings and this time the Twins outscored the Broncos 4-1 in the eighth. Brown had two hits and four RBIs.
Tyson Hardy gave up two runs and struck out ve in 3 1/3 innings of relief.
Up next for the Twins will be a game at the Regina Wolfpack on June 4, and then home games against the Regina Athletics on July 6 at 1 and 4 p.m., and against the Expos on July 9 at 6 p.m.
e Estevan U13 AAA
Salute to ESTEVAN MINOR BASEBALL
Brewers went 3-2 at a tournament in Minot from June 28-30.
ey opened with a 3-0 win on Friday against the Devils Lake Firebirds on Friday. e following day, they won 18-12 over the White Butte Broncos and lost 10-0 to the Minot Aces.
Estevan won 10-5 over the Bismarck Americans but lost 10-7 to the Aces Sunday to close out the tournament.
e Brewers no-hit the Firebirds during Friday’s game. Nash Cameron start-
ed the game for Estevan, pitching 3 1/3 innings, and Tayson Tangjerd pitched 1 2/3 innings of relief.
•••
e Estevan U11 AAA Brewers went 2-1-1 on the weekend.
On Saturday, they swept the Regina Athletics, winning 10-9 and 20-10. en they had a 13-13 tie and a 13-9 loss to the Yorkton Cardinals on Sunday.
e Brewers will close out the regular season by hosting the Regina White Sox on July 6 at noon and 3 p.m.
Back
Fornwald, Jacob
Jayden Kuchinka, Hayden Terrett, Jaxon Kuchinka Front Row: Nick Mayer (Head Coach), Blake Andrist, Sutter Baily, Axton Martin, Reese Copeland, Ryker Wall, Jeff Kuchinka (Asst Coach)
18U AA ESTEVAN BREWERS
Row: Lincoln Spencer, Tayson Dietze, Kristopher Phillips, Mathias
Mayer,
18U ESTEVAN BLAZERS 1
Team: Dayton Fraser, Carter Williamson, Jacob Dietze, Kash McConnell, William Duncan, Tanner Gilliesppie, Jayden Keating, Kashton Casemore, Josh Herleta, Ashton Kleinsasse, Logan Nielsen Coaches: Adrian Fraser, Duane Gillieseppe, Tracey McConnell
18U ESTEVAN BLAZERS 2
Coach Dave Lozinsky, Coben Gibson, Jeff Porter, Keagan Farden, Keith Daae, Coach Kory Farden, Vance Stovin, Kieran Farden, Pierce Lozinsky, Jaken Willock, Missing: Liam Kent, Aiden McKenzie, Easton Gibson
18U AAA TWINS
Roster: Samuel Mallory, Ty Fehrenbach, Keaton Husband, Conner Kerr, Kade Phillips, Eli Hansen, Daxtyn Brown, Chase Himmelspach, Draven Naviaux, Rylan Ohnander, Ryker Harrison, Tristan Brownridge, Luke Holman, Tyson Hardy, Caden Dorrance
Estevan man cheered for his Oilers in Game 7
While millions of Canadians were watching Game 7 of the Stanley Cup nal between the Edmonton Oilers and the host Florida Panthers, one die-hard, lifelong Oilers’ fan from Estevan was actually at the game.
Josh Biggs ew to Florida with some friends from Saskatchewan to attend the game at the Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, just outside of Miami. And while the Oilers lost the deciding game of the nal 2-1 to the Panthers, it was still a great experience.
Biggs went to Game 3 of this year’s nal with some friends in Edmonton he
hadn’t seen since high school. While watching Game 5 at home, he decided to purchase tickets for Game 7 through the resale market.
“I knew I would regret it for a long time if the Oilers won it and I wasn’t there to watch Game 7,” said Biggs. Biggs was born in 1984, the same year the Oilers won their rst of ve Stanley Cups. He has remained a steadfast supporter through lean years that started in the early 1990s. He purchased season tickets for the 200506 season, and was at an Oilers’ home game during the 2006 Stanley Cup nal.
He remained a season ticket holder until 2018; Edmonton made the playo s just twice from 2005-06 to 2017-18.
“I had season tickets through a lot of the bad years,” he recalled. Biggs and his pals were far from the only Oilers’ fans in
attendance. e expectation was that Oilers’ fans would account for anywhere from ve to 50 per cent of the crowd; he believes 25-30 per
cent of the fans were cheering for the Canadian team.
“ ere were times when you’d look out and that’s all you’d see is Oilers fans, whether it’s on the concourse or walking into the game.” e Oilers’ loss in Game 7 was a letdown, but it was still a close 2-1 game. Florida played well and didn’t surrender a lot of opportunities, and Biggs said it was great hearing the Canadian fans sing O Canada.
“To see the environment and to just see the cup presented, it was probably a once-in-a-lifetime [opportunity],” said Biggs.
Sask government claims oil and gas emissions are lower
e provincial government says Saskatchewan’s upstream oil and gas sector continues to signi cantly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, achieving a 67 per cent reduction in 2023 levels compared to 2015, according to the 2023 Oil and Gas Emissions Management Regulations Annual Report, released on June 27.
“ e oil and gas industry in our province is making substantial investments that are clearly translating into real-world reductions,” Energy and Resources Minister Jim Reiter said. “ ese reductions are guided by our
made-in-Saskatchewan approach to reducing emissions, which is having a signi cant impact when it comes to hitting our targets.”
e annual report found that provincial emissions from reported venting and aring at upstream oil facilities in 2023 totalled 3.6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (Mt CO2e), which is a 67 per cent reduction from 2015 levels and a six per cent decline from 2022. Methane emissions alone from reported venting and aring activities reduced by 72 per cent from 2015 levels. is is the fourth con-
secutive year of reductions.
e government said 2015 is the benchmark year against which the report measures the emissions reduction achieved annually to 2025 under e Oil and Gas Emissions Management Regulations (OGEMR), introduced in 2019.
Venting emissions releases methane, a potent GHG, to the atmosphere, while aring burns these gases, which generates carbon dioxide but greatly reduces the methane content.
e government says multiple activities continue to contribute to provincial
emissions reductions, including the further installation of enclosed combustion equipment at oil wells and facilities that were routinely venting gas, and using vented gas on site as fuel for a bene cial industry-related purpose.
To reduce red tape and avoid duplicative provincial regulations, the OGEMR was amended in early 2024 to focus emissions reduction e orts on venting activities alone. e amendment was made retroactive to Jan. 1, 2023. Flaring emissions are now covered entirely by the Ministry of Environment’s Output-Based Performance
Twenty-eight tickets handed out during Estevan traffic blitz
e Estevan Police Service hosted a one-day Selective Tra c Enforcement Project (STEP) blitz on June 26. EPS members had assistance from municipal police in Weyburn, Regina, Saskatoon and Prince Albert, plus the CPKC Rail Police Service, Saskatchewan Highway Patrol, RCMP Combined Tra c Services Saskatchewan (CTSS) and SGI Tra c Safety Community Outreach.
According to a press release from the EPS, the focus of the project was to improve tra c safety, address observed tra c o ences and identify vehicle de ciencies under the Saskatchewan Vehicle Equipment Regulations Act.
A total of 171 vehicles were directed into project locations. Twenty-eight tickets were issued under the Tra c Safety Act, with o ences including use of cellular communication devices while driving; intersection-related o ences such as failing to stop at a red light or at a stop sign; failure to wear seat belt; and failure to comply with vehicle equipment regulations, such as window tint and inadequate mud aps.
Seventy-nine written warnings were issued for various vehicle equipment regulation o ences, such as excessively-cracked windshields or inoperable lights. Fifteen vehicle inspection notices were issued under the Vehicle Equipment Regulations Act. Sixty-six mandatory alcohol screening demands were made; all motorists passed.
A pair of 72-hour driver’s licence suspensions and a 21day driver’s licence suspension were issued in relation to cannabis consumption. ree vehicle impoundments related to cannabis consumption. ree car seats were provided to motorists that had children seated in expired seats.
In other recent police news, the EPS responded to a two-vehicle collision at King Street and Arthur Avenue on June 24. No injuries were reported and a vehicle was towed from the scene. One of the drivers was charged under the Tra c Safety Act.
A complaint was received regarding an individual riding a dirt bike on the west side of Estevan. e person is known to police and when a tra c stop was attempted, the driver ed from the scene. No pursuit was initiated. e matter remains under investigation and charges are pending.
Police are investigating a report of a stolen cellphone.
A complaint of attempted fraud was received. e victim was contacted by someone posing as a representative of a credit card company. It was determined that the caller was not a legitimate representative of the company. No loss occurred through this attempt, and the credit card company was noti ed. Police received a report of an individual entering a residence while the homeowners
were asleep on June 26. e homeowners woke up and the individual ed. Police are asking anyone that might live in the 1000, 1100, 1200 and 1300 blocks of ird, Second and First Streets with exterior cameras to review footage between the hours of 1 and 2 a.m. on June 26. Anyone with information is asked to contact the EPS at 306-6344767.
Members arrested a person on June 27 following a bicycle theft. In a post on social media, the EPS said it was looking to identify the male suspect in the theft. e bicycle was stolen on June 26 between noon and 12:30 p.m. in the 1400-block of Nicholson Road.
Police were dispatched for a break and enter in progress at a residence in the Hillside area on June 27. Members attended and were advised the suspects left prior to police arrival. e matter remains under investigation.
Police were dispatched to a residence for a report of an assault. A 15-year-old male was arrested and charged, and will appear in court at
CRANES & TRUCKING
a later date.
e EPS arrested a male on June 29 on two counts of assault and one count of assault causing bodily harm. He was released on conditions with a future court date.
Police received a report of a dog biting a person in north Estevan. A statement was obtained from the victim. e matter is under investigation.
A 21-day driving suspension and a seven-day vehicle impound were issued to a 56-year-old Estevan woman after a tra c stop in the east end. No further details were immediately released.
Police issued a threeday driving suspension and three-day vehicle impound to a 43-year-old Estevan man, after he tested positive on an oral uid device for a controlled substance during a tra c stop in the downtown area.
Standards Program.
e annual report monitors progress in implementing OGEMR with the intent to reduce
GHG emissions from the upstream oil and gas sector by 40-45 per cent by 2025 compared to 2015 levels – a reduction equivalent to 4.5 Mt CO2e.
CLASSIFIEDS
As recently as the 1950s, having a baby was a risky proposition. One in 30 births ended badly until an anesthesiologist named Virginia Apgar developed a system to rate how newborns were doing. She focused on ve key areas (appearance, pulse, respiration, the re ex action or grimace, and activity or muscle tone). She encouraged doctors and nurses to rate each child on a scale of zero to three for each quality. A score of 10 or more meant the baby was healthy; four or lower indicated that the baby needed immediate intervention. While numerous other medical advances have occurred over the years, all agree that Apgar’s rating system had a huge im-
pact. Her scoring system is still used today, and the mortality rate has improved to one in every 500 births.
Virginia Apgar did not introduce anything new. Her system simply helped the medical personnel assess what they were dealing with and see what was in front of them.
I have often thought that it would be helpful for us to have a spiritual Apgar Score. Not a test. Rather a reminder
Tim Pippus
of the Estevan Church of
would help us see the blessings that promote spiritual health, strength and vitality. Maybe this little verse would point us in the right direction. Hebrews 3:1 says, “ erefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, x your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest”. I like this verse because it underlines three gifts that we share. First, it describes us:
we are holy brothers and sisters. In other words, we are a family. Second, it gives us a purpose and a goal for which to live; we have a heavenly calling. Our life is about more than just here and now. ird, it gives us something to do: set your thoughts on Jesus. ese blessings are not new, but they are important. ey can give us hope. ey can direct our thoughts and help our decision-making. ey can rearrange our priorities so that we are shaped like Christ.
Success does not always come by discovering something new. As Virginia Apgar demonstrated, sometimes we simply need to focus on what is right in front of us.
Leo David Pelletier
Robert Willock
City Hall: 1102 4th Street
8amto4:30 pm |(306) 634-1800
LeisureOffice: 701Souris Avenue
8amto4:30pm| (306) 634-1880
Mayor’sMessage
The Souris Valley Theatre is holdingtwo shows this year Greased July 8-19, 2024 and Jail House Rock Aug 5–16, 2024. Please getout and enjoythe music andthe acting.
CONSTRUCTION BULLETIN
The City of Estevan is undertaking construction forthe Watermain replacement.
The affected area includesFirst street between Souris Avenue andeighth Avenue,aswell as 8th avenue between First street and ValleyStreet
Propertyaccess andparkingrestrictionsare to occur. This work willcommence May 27, 2024 and will take approximately eight(8) weekstocomplete (subject to weather)
City of Estevan will perform this work within the current Bylaw regulations and specifications
Safety
Construction site couldbedangerous.Ifyou have children, pleaseask them to keep asafe distance from the site.Wewill take everyprecautiontoensure public safety, but we need your assistancetoconstrainthe natural curiosity of younger children. Please DO NOTattempt to goclose to areas affected.
Theft or Vandalism
If yousee any act of vandalism, theft or anyone suspiciously tampering with equipment, signage or barricades, pleasecontact 306-634-1800, or afterhours call Police
Questions and Concerns
TheCity of Estevan, EngineeringServicesapologizefor any inconveniences thatthiswork maycause. Thank youinadvance for your cooperation and patience Ifyou haveany questionorconcerns,pleasecall at 6341800 or approachthe supervisororforeman on site.
Notices 2024 Property TaxNotices were mailed out Monday, June 17,2024. Please contact CityHall if youdid not receiveyour propertytax noticeorneed to update mailing /contact information
2024 Taxesare due: July 31, 2024
Penalties areaccumulative, appliedthe 1stofeach month starting August1,2024 as follows: August.5%, September 1%,October1.5%, November 2.5%, December 3.5% Arrears Penalty of 10%will be addedtoall outstanding amountsonJanuary 1, 2025
Payment Options: •Inperson at City Hall, Open Mondaythrough Friday, 8:00am –4:30pm Payments accepted by Cash, Cheque or Debit
•Mail to:1102FourthStreet, Estevan, SK S4A 0W7
•City Hall Drop Box–locatedatmain entranceatCity Hall. Cheques only please
•Payment can also be made on-line /oratyour financial institution.
•Pay via credit cardthrough athird-party serviceprovider called Plastiq. Customers using this servicewill be charged a2.5%servicefee per transactionbythe provider. To payvia Plastiq please visit their websiteatwww.plastiq.com youwill need acredit cardaswell as the 12 digit roll number (don’t include the decimal, but use all the numbers)thatisfound onthe topright hand portion of your NoticeofProperty TaxLevies
Interested in pre-paying your taxes monthly?
TheCity of Estevanoffers (TIPPS) tax installment paymentplan service.
TIPPS allows property owners to pre-paytheir property tax bill in 12 monthly installments making budgeting easier with no added fees or penalties.
Monthly withdrawals aremade on thefirstbanking dayofeach month.
TIPPS applications forms areavailable at City Hall or by visiting ourwebsite at www.estevan.ca
Thebesttimetostart would be August 1, 2024,toprepayfor 2025.
Contact City Hall 306-634-1800 formoreinformation.
Biggest kick-off to summer bash yet at family centre
e Estevan Early Years Family Resource Centre (EEYFRC) hosted its annual Kick-O to Summer Family Party on June 26, drawing a crowd of about 400 attendees. e event, held at the EEYFRC, featured a variety of activities and attractions for families.
“Honestly, it couldn’t have gone any better,” said Sydney Wanner, executive director of EEYFRC. “We had around 400 people come out. e Estevan Humane Society was there and sold out of taco-ina-bag. e youth centre [Estevan Public Youth Centre] was able to sell a lot of their frozen treats, and the Souris Valley Museum sold cotton candy, which was a huge hit.”
is year’s event marked the third annual summer party and saw the highest attendance to date.
“It was even better attended than last year. We couldn’t have asked for a better turnout,” Wanner added.
e party included a petting zoo, face painting and a visit from a local EMT with an ambulance, allowing children to explore and learn in a less intimidating setting.
“He just let the kids climb in, making it a little less scary experience, so that was awesome,” Wanner said.
e event also featured various outdoor games and indoor activities. RBC representatives were also out to help and support the centre’s initiatives.
“We had a bunch of outside games and activities inside the centre as well,” Wanner noted. “We were also lucky enough to have RBC come out and help us, and they gave us a donation after, so it was a great day.”
e Kick-O to Summer Family Party catered to a wide range of ages from babies to older kids.
“It’s very age-friendly,” Wanner noted.
e annual party serves as both a thank you to the families who participate in EEYFRC programs and an opportunity to engage the community.
“We love having big, free events like this for our families. A lot of families aren’t able to come during the day all the time, so we just wanted to give back to them a little bit,” Wanner explained.
e positive feedback from the community was overwhelming.
“A lot of the families came up to us and thanked us for doing all these events for them,” Wanner shared. “And we love doing it.”
Wanner also thanked the community and the collaborating organizations.
“ ank you so much to the community for the support they give us all the time, and to the other organizations for coming out. We’re incredibly lucky to be a part of such a supportive community.”
Estevan breastfeeding support group provides help
e La Leche League Canada Estevan breastfeeding support group is o ering free resources and support for new mothers.
Led by Jennifer Juneau, Hannah McClement and Trex Eden, the group meets the rst ursday of every month at the Estevan Ear-
ly Years Family Resource Centre, providing a space for mothers to share experiences and receive guidance on breastfeeding.
“We started this group to create a supportive environment where mothers can feel comfortable and con dent about breastfeeding,” said Juneau. “It’s really informal, just moms sitting around talking about breastfeeding, the challenges that are coming up, and how they’re dealing with them. And then we have a leader, facilitating the conversation, keeping it on track to a topic.
ing support group is open to all mothers, and the leaders encourage anyone seeking support to attend a meeting.
“Whether you’re a new mother or have been breastfeeding for a while, there’s a place for you here,” said Juneau.
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“And it’s not just for people that are having problems or for people who have a question, it’s also for moms to support other moms. Even a mom who’s having a beautiful breastfeeding journey and has no issues or anything, I want those moms to come to them [the meetings]. I want them to share their experiences and be a support for other moms,” Juneau added.
e group also provides a range of resources, including publications, books and online and lending libraries.
“Instead of Googling, just ask a leader. [ at way] you don’t have to sift through all the information to nd the right information for your situation,” Juneau advised.
e group discusses a wide range of topics from prenatal colostrum harvesting, positioning and latching, to mastitis, low milk supply, nipple pain, starting solids, weaning and any topic in between.
In addition to the support group, Juneau leads the Estevan breastfeeding essentials prenatal class, which aims to prepare expectant mothers for breastfeeding.
“ e prenatal class covers everything from the basics of breastfeeding to more advanced topics like pumping and storage,” Juneau explained. “We want mothers to feel prepared and empowered.”
e next prenatal class is July 6. e support group leaders also provide oneon-one help and resources
for mothers facing speci c issues.
“If a mom has a problem or a question, they can reach out to any of us three,” said Juneau. “We can provide them with information and direct them to resources.”
Despite the resources available, the group leaders have noticed a decrease in participation.
“We haven’t had many calls this year,” Juneau mentioned. “We really want to encourage more moms to reach out and use the support that’s available.” e Estevan breastfeed-
e support group is a non-pro t organization, and they accept donations to keep their initiatives going.
For more information about the Estevan breastfeeding support group or the Estevan breastfeeding essentials prenatal class, contact Juneau at 306-421-5884 or visit their websites at www. lllc.ca/estevan and www.lllc. ca/estevan-prenatal. La Leche League Canada is a registered charity that provides peer support for pregnant women/parents, new moms/parents and beyond.
“We are parents like you who have breastfed or chestfed our own children and now volunteer to support others to reach their goals. As volunteer leaders, we are accredited within La Leche League Canada after a detailed training program and have access to current scienti c and legal information to help support others,” says the description on the LLLC website.
Softball talent on display at Estevan tournament SPORTS
Softball players from throughout Saskatchewan had the opportunity to showcase their talents to college scouts during the third annual Energy City Exposure from June 28-30 at the Pleasantdale Softball Diamonds.
Five teams were entered, including the Southeast Sun Devils U17 squad. ey played a round robin, and while scores were tracked, the emphasis was on players showcasing their skills for scouts, so there wasn’t a tournament champion.
e Sun Devils opened with an 11-0 loss to Saskatoon’s Twin City Angels on Saturday, but recovered to win 13-1 over the Lumsden U15 Cubs. e Sun Devils played the Regina Saints to a scoreless tie on Sunday, and then lost 9-3 to the Lumsden U17 Cubs.
“It turned out to be a really good weekend,” said tournament organizer Morgan Walter. “It was everything we could have asked for and more.”
All of the teams that came thoroughly enjoyed themselves, Walter said.
ere was a lot of good feedback from parents, college coaches and the teams.
“ e calibre of softball was actually really good. We had ve very competitive teams. I saw lots of improvements, not just in the players but in the whole team aspect as
well,” she said.
“We had lots of good competitive games. rough seven innings, we had some games that were tied 0-0 – really good pitching games.”
Scouts were impressed with how the tournament was run, the talent on the eld, and how the teams and their families conducted themselves away from the softball diamonds.
“ e scouts had lots of players coming up to them and interacting with them, asking them questions about their school, and I
think overall the college coaches were just really, really impressed with the personalities of some of the players that we had,”
Walter said.
Other scouts watched the games online.
She saw some scouts having conversations with players during the weekend, but commitments can’t be announced for a while yet.
“We actually had quite a few of the Sun Devils that were talking with the coaches. I wasn’t involved in the conversations, so I
don’t know if that was just introducing themselves … or that it was a conversation in terms of the next steps for the recruiting process.”
No matter what the discussion was about, Walter thought it was a great opportunity for them to learn about a school and the softball program.
“I’m a rm believer that sometimes it’s not about all the skills you have, it’s about the people that you know and the connections that you make,” said Walter.
A supper and a panel discussion took place on Saturday night. Six college athletes answered questions for nearly two hours.
e athletes playing in the tournament approached the collegiate athletes afterwards to ask them more questions and have indepth conversations.
“ e day after the panel, we had parents coming up to all of us and just thanking the players that spoke, and saying how inspirational it was, and how they really enjoyed getting to listen to people who
have lived out the college dream.”
Walter and her sister Regan were among the panelists. Regan Walter, who played softball locally for years, is currently attending West Texas A&M on a softball scholarship, just like Morgan Walter did. Also on the panel was Lauren Nixon of Redvers, who was recruited from last year’s Energy City Exposure to play for Valley City State University in North Dakota. e tournament also carries a positive economic spino for the area, thanks to all of the players, coaches and family members in Estevan for three days, and the collegiate representatives who are in the community.
“We reached out to quite a few businesses prior to see if they had coupons or anything that they wanted to give our players, and I put together what we called swag bags with donations and coupons to try to support businesses within Estevan. We gave them out to all of the players and volunteers at our events.”
Visitors talked favourably about hotels where they stayed and restaurants where they ate, she said. Walter looks forward to the tournament happening again next year, and she hopes it can continue to grow.
Estevan Elite second in 24-team competition
e Estevan Elite provincial U15 softball team
nished second at a 24team tournament held in Moose Jaw from June 2123.
e Elite made it to the nal of the competition despite being the eighth seed in the playo s. Each of the six pool winners advanced to the playo s, as did two wildcard teams.
Estevan opened with a 10-0 win over the Regina Royals Rivals. en they fell 13-3 to the Moose Jaw Blazers, but recovered to win 11-3 over Saskatoon’s TCA Baht.
Estevan was plus-8 on run di erential, which helped them secure the No. 2 wildcard spot.
“Our actual goal, when we were going to this tournament, was to make playo s, to make it to Sunday [June 24], to make the top eight … so anything after that was a complete bonus,” said coach Shawn Madsen.
Estevan played the topranked team, the Moose Jaw
Gators, in the quarter- nal round, and won 7-5.
“So, the girls are absolutely pumped. ey feel good. Con dence is going up,” said Madsen.
Estevan’s next game was against the Blazers, and Estevan won 15-4, with the mercy rule being enforced after ve of seven scheduled innings.
Estevan lost 9-5 to the Moose Jaw Warriors in the A nal. Madsen noted the Warriors’ pitcher consistently throws 100 kilometres per hour from 40 feet out.
“I don’t even know if I can hit that [pitch] and here we are, trying to tell our girls to hit that,” said Madsen.
Yet Estevan led 3-0 after the rst inning. Madsen said the Elite had a great game, but the Warriors deserved to win.
e Estevan players’ condence changed after the rst game against the Blazers, he said. ey believed they could get hits o of the
“You could just see their con dence build at the plate at every at bat, and it just kept on going. ere was no fear at all. ey just got up to the plate, and they were ready and digging in,” said Madsen.
Estevan athlete wins provincial water polo honour
Former Estevan Sharks water polo athlete Jennika Linthicum earned the Water Polo Saskatchewan 15U Female Athlete of the Year honour at a recent awards banquet. She was selected for both the 15U and 17U teams with Water Polo Sask. out of Regina. She travelled with the 15U team to the Alberta Open in Calgary, and the Tournament of Courage in Coquitlam, B.C. ey went in to earn silver at the West-
ern Finals in Surrey, B.C. For 17U squad, she was part of the team for tournaments in Regina, Calgary and Edmonton, nishing the regular season with a 20-1-3 record. In April, Team Sask. hosted Western Finals in Saskatoon, where the team earned gold. ey went on to earn bronze at nationals in Montreal in May. Linthicum played well and had 15 goals in ve games at nationals.
e 15U team will nish their season by attending the Provincial National Championships in Montreal in July.
Presenting the award to her was another Sharks’ alumni, Rachel Tober.
Linthicum was recognized for her dedication and improvement throughout the season. She will attend the High School Excellence program with Water Polo Saskatchewan next year in Regina.
PhotocourtesyofCarolGraf
e Estevan entry was comprised of players from Estevan’s three U15 house league teams, with ve from the Storm, four from the under and three from the Tornadoes. Madsen said there is some really good softball talent in Estevan,
and the Elite has young, fast and versatile athletes, with six players who can hit and ve who can play catcher.
Estevan is 7-2 to start the year.
“We’re doing really good and the girls are playing great,” said Madsen. e Southeast Super Novas also competed at the tournament, going 1-2. ey started with a 7-3 loss to the Biggar Nationals, recovered to beat the Regina Royals Rebels 16-6 and lost 10-2 to the Gators.
Estevan bowler wins national 10-pin silver medal
A young Estevan bowler’s skills recently took her to a couple of competitions in British Columbia.
Kadence Kraushaar was part of the Saskatchewan entry that competed at the Youth Bowling Council (YBC) 10-pin and the Canadian Tenpin Federation’s national tournaments.
First was the YBC event in Kelowna, which she quali ed for by winning a provincial tournament in Estevan earlier this year. Competing in bantam girls, 12-year-old Kadence nished fth, with ve points on the strength of a 5-7 record. Players received a
point for each game they won.
In the girls combo component, Kadence and the provincial champions in the junior and senior events nished fourth as they bowled as a team against the representatives of the other provinces.
She also competed at the Canadian Tenpin Federation tournament in Richmond, B.C., which she quali ed for after winning a provincial tournament in Saskatoon. She went 4-2 to nish second.
In the team event, with Saskatchewan champions in the junior, intermediate
and senior levels, she was seventh. In the doubles, in which she teamed with the bantam boys’ champion, she came in sixth.
Kadence was the only Saskatchewan bowler to medal in Richmond.
Overall, she thought she did really well, but could have been better in Kelowna. ere were a lot of pretty good bowlers at the event.
“Her division looked like it was possibly the most competitive of them all.
e girls were all evenly matched,” said her father Clint.
Kadence has been bowling for three years. She took
up the sport because her sister and her cousin were playing.
“ ey were having fun, and I didn’t want to be left out,” said Kaydence. She enjoys the competitiveness of the game, but she is still able to have fun.
Kadence bowls twice a week for league play, but Clint noted she ramped up her practice schedule after she won provincials.
Estevan Bowl has helped her improve a lot, they said. Clint added the lanes are in really good shape and credited the bowling alley for allowing her to practise as often as she wanted.
e Estevan Oil eld Technical Society is getting ready for its next event of the year.
e OTS will host its third annual mixed scramble tournament on July 6 at the Hideout Golf Course at the Hidden Valley Golf and RV Resort. Up to 90 golfers can enter the nine-hole tournament, which is open to anyone who supports the oil and gas sector.
“We’ve been in around that 70-75 mark. We call 72 full. at’s eight people per hole for nine holes. But we can accommodate up
to 90 if we get a rush [of registrations]. If you walk up that day, we’ll take you,” said OTS president Tony Sernick.
e tournament is currently at three-quarters capacity.
ere will be a shotgun start at 2 p.m. Using a better-ball format, which is similar to a Texas scramble except with two people, everybody will tee o , and then the respective tandems head to their ball and pick whichever tee shot was better.
“It’s a little bit di erent
format where with normal golf you’d have four people per hole, and here you’ll have eight to 10 people per hole. It’s just a good little atmosphere on a nice little course.”
Once the tournament is over, supper and socializing will happen in a tented area at Hidden Valley known as the saloon. ey will serve a roast beef on a bun supper and the top three nishers will be recognized. Each hole will have such prizes as closest to the pin and longest putt.
Last year’s winning team, Chad and Erin Farr, recorded a 3-under-par 26 on
the executive-length course. e tournament started two years ago when Sernick was talking to the owners of Hidden Valley about trying to get a tournament at the Hideout. e response was better than expected in the rst year, and the OTS hopes the support remains so the tournament can continue.
Sernick noted there is a lot happening in the area that weekend, especially at Hidden Valley with the inaugural River Jamm outdoor concert, featuring music by Snake Oil and the SJS Band. at event is July 5 at 5 p.m.
