Another milestone has passed since Courtney Struble vanished without a trace. And while the Saskatchewan RCMP’s Historical Case Unit continues to search for her and follow up on tips from the public, the case remains open and unsolved.
July 9 marked the 20year anniversary of her disappearance. Courtney, who was 13 years old at the time, had been watching movies with friends at a veterinary clinic on the outskirts of the city. When the time came for her to go home at about 11:30 p.m., she declined a ride and opted to walk. e RCMP believes she made it safely back to Estevan. Her friends and family haven’t seen her since. ere have been tips and reported sightings of Courtney, but she has not been located, and the investigation and searches have been unable to nd her.
e RCMP, who is treating her disappearance as a homicide, believes her body is located in or around Estevan. In an email to the Mer-
cury and SaskToday, the RCMP says its Saskatchewan Historical Case Unit investigates all long-term missing persons cases, regardless of whether foul play is suspected.
“ e Saskatchewan RCMP Historical Case Unit continue to work with the Estevan Police Service to investigate Courtney’s disappearance, conducting interviews and following up on all credible information,” the RCMP said.
“As we mark the 20th anniversary of Courtney’s disappearance, the Saskatchewan RCMP would like to encourage anyone out there who may have information regarding Courtney’s whereabouts that it is never too late to come forward with it. If you know something, say something. No matter how much time has passed or how small the information may seem, it could be the piece that puts it all together.
“We do not give up on missing people and the Historical Case Unit will continue to investigate any new information received until Courtney is located.”
e Estevan Police Service handled the case
initially, and the Historical Case Unit took over the investigation a few years later. Courtney’s disappearance was initially treated as a runaway but eventually became a homicide.
ere has been no banking activity and her Saskatchewan Health Card has not been used, which the RCMP has previously said is not consistent with a girl who ran away from home or chose not to have contact with her family.
At the time of her disappearance, Courtney was 5’3” tall and weighed approximately 125 pounds. She had light brown hair, hazel eyes, a birthmark on the nape of her neck and a 1 1/2-inch scar on her left shin.
ere have been e orts to try to locate Courtney. In 2014, to mark the 10-year anniversary of her disappearance, the RCMP held a search for her, with aerial drones and ground-penetrating radar. A team of four Saskatchewan RCMP o cers searched for her along the Souris River.
en in 2022, the day after the anniversary of Courtney’s disappearance,
her image and information were featured on digital billboards and police social media channels as part of Project HOME (Help Our Missing Emerge), a province-wide, multi-jurisdictional campaign that aimed to bring attention to long-term missing person cases in Saskatchewan. Seven billboards were mounted in ve communities.
During Missing Persons Week earlier this year, Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers included Courtney’s photo and pro le among its social media posts. Her pro le can also be found on their website, and other law enforcement and missing persons’ sites. Locally, there is a Facebook page, Help us Find Courtney Janelle Struble, where members have shared their memories about Courtney, and have discussed the case and other missing persons cases in Saskatchewan and beyond. If you have any information, please contact your local police service. You can also submit information completely anonymously to Crime Stoppers via their website at saskcrimestoppers.com or by calling 1-800-222-8477.
Mainprize Regional Park celebrates Canada Day with their biggest parade
By Ana Bykhovskaia SaskToday.ca
Mainprize Regional Park
hosted a vibrant Canada Day celebration during the July long weekend, drawing large crowds and marking the occasion with a variety of events and activities.
“We had a huge, jampacked weekend of events,” said Michelle Walsh, general manager of Mainprize Regional Park. “We started it o with our annual
slow-pitch tournament, which we brought back this year.”
e festivities included a cabaret featuring Lone Rambler, a pancake breakfast, and a Family Fun Day highlighted by the park’s biggest parade ever.
“Generally, we have one or two classic cars. We had over nine classic cars, we had some horses, we had the RCMP this year, and the current numbers were bigger than ever. We had a
very successful long parade. It was, for sure, the biggest parade that Mainprize has ever seen,” Walsh added.
ey also ran campsite and cart decorating contests, with Chelsey Wall winning rst for setting up a Canada Day photo booth at her site, and Tara Porte winning the other competition for decorating her cart to look like one from the Flintstones cartoon.
Children enjoyed a bouncy castle on the beach and other activities, while the entire family could take part in outdoor games and enjoy free ice cream.
“We brought our friend I Scream Treats out from Estevan, and she helped us get that all out to everybody,” Walsh said. “We had hot dogs and chips for free until we ran out, which happened for the rst time ever.”
Numbers were a bit down on Canada Day due to it being on a Monday, but overall, the park experienced very high attendance, with the golf course and marina being really busy.
“Our golf course saw record numbers out on the green and our marina was busy, the beach was busy,” Walsh noted.
Despite some uctuations in day-trip attendance compared to the previous year, the overall turnout was strong.
“We had a really successful weekend, none of us are sad about the numbers we’ve seen through,” Walsh mentioned.
e celebrations concluded with a spectacular reworks show.
“We bring in Paradise Fireworks from Regina, and they always give us a
really good show,” Walsh said. “ is year, they ended with a heart and a smiley face design, which was a big hit.”
Walsh noted that they have a new group of volunteers – the Doctor Mainprize Foundation – who was instrumental in making the weekend a success.
In addition to the Canada Day events, the park is gearing up for a summer lled with activities.
“Next weekend, we
have our annual glow golf [July 5], then our Doctor Mainprize Foundation is hosting a cornhole tournament [July 6],” Walsh said. “We have a newly-sanded beach, a newly-groomed nature trail … with a scavenger hunt for kids, and of course, our golf course and shing spots.”
For more information on upcoming events at Mainprize Regional Park, visit their website or contact the park o ce.
Bienfait wins first MLB beautification competition
By Stephanie Zoer
Lampman wanted to have a friendly beauti cation competition, so they contacted Bienfait and Midale.
e rules were to clean up their towns and call it the MLB (Midale Lampman Bienfait) Beauti cation Competition. is was the rst time they had done anything like this, and all three communities were eager to be involved.
Originally the judging was to be on June 27, but due to a major storm, Midale and Bienfait asked for a delay as they had a multitude of branches to clean up.
In Midale, residents piled branches on the edge of their properties so the town’s public works crew could easily pick them up and dispose of them. It was
also to give the town more time to clean up leaves and other debris that was blown around.
e town encouraged its residents to help those who may have struggles and to o er help to others to get the jobs done. Midale residents were busy making their yards ready for the chance to be rst on the plaque.
Bienfait also had a great deal of branches to clean up. With two full-time public works people, they were busy. e two students were in charge of mowing and trimming.
e town’s residents placed their bulky items by the road and the public works crew hauled it away.
Assistant administrator Shelby Tylandsvik said this was extremely helpful in getting the back alleys cleaned and really boosted
the town’s appearance. It was also a wonderful time to hold this competition, as it was after the annual Canada Day celebration that draws a large crowd.
e delay also gave Lampman more time to spend cleaning up the town. Lampman was the host town and it had already been preparing for weeks. ey sent out letters to residents that had fallen behind on grass cutting and to remove unwanted items.
For a week Lampman o ered free drops at the land ll site. e town’s public works kept going right up until the arrival of the judges: Elias Jackson and Charlotte Hookenson from Kisbey and Sandra Wright from Arcola. ey drove to each town and went down each street to check out the communities thoroughly.
ey looked at the town signs and the tidiness of public properties, and checked if the empty and abandoned lots were kept
clean and the removal of abandoned vehicles.
e main street needed to look clean and welcoming, and so did the back alleys.
e three judges returned to Lampman. ey were joined by representatives from each town for lunch at the Harvest Café.
With the wind storm, the judges felt Midale and Bienfait had done a wonderful job on cleaning up and there was no evidence of the storm.
ey noted that the erapeutic Park in Lampman was certainly inviting, and they planned to return to visit it.
Suggestions to the towns were to clean up around power poles and have a council member greet them upon arrival at the town ofce.
It was not an easy decision for the judges, as they felt all three towns looked amazing, but in the end, they awarded the MLB
Lampman Mayor Jay Jones presented the plaque to Bienfait Mayor Ken Bonokoski.
Lampman administrator Glenda Johnston said no-
body loses in an event like this, as three communities are clean and the citizens were in good spirit. It is a very friendly competition and it can be a lot of fun. Bienfait will host next year’s MLB competition.
Souris-Moose Mountain
MP Robert Kitchen announced Monday he will not be seeking re-election in the next federal vote.
“It has been a great honour and privilege to serve the people of southeast Saskatchewan as their member of Parliament, and to represent them in Ottawa for the last decade,” said Kitchen,
who is a Conservative MP.
“I look forward to continuing on in my role as MP until the next federal election in 2025, and would like to thank the constituents of SourisMoose Mountain who have shown me incredible support for the past 10 years.”
Kitchen worked as a chiropractor in Estevan before becoming an MP. He was
rst elected in 2015, capturing 70.14 per cent of the vote. He was re-elected in 2019 with 84.4 per cent support and in 2021 with 76.4 per cent.
He said last fall he planned to seek another term as Souris-Moose Mountain’s MP, but appears to have changed his mind. e next edition of the Mercury and the Carlyle Observer will have more on this story.
TaraPortewastheCanadaDaycartdecorationwinner.
Souris-MooseMountain MPRobertKitchen
| Wednesday, July 10, 2024 | www.SASKTODAY.ca
By David Willberg
Young people from ve 4-H clubs in the southeast were part of this year’s Estevan Rotary Regional 4-H Show and Sale, held from July 2-4 at the Estevan Exhibition grounds.
Achievement days were held for the Benson and Steelman 4-H clubs on Tuesday. Outram-Madigan and Browning clubs had their turn on Wednesday. ursday’s highlights included the regional show, awards presentations and the sale.
e Crossroads club also participated. eir achievement day was held previously.
Britt Fornwald of the Steelman 4-H Beef Club had this year’s grand champion steer. It weighed in at 1,520 pounds, and it sold for $7 per pound to Mid-City Plumbing and Heating.
Braxton Shier, also from the Steelman Club, had the reserve champion steer.
e 1,355-pound animal
sold for $8 per pound to Prairie Dawg Sales.
A total of 59 steers were sold at this year’s sale. District 1 4-H president Kirsten Fornwald said the average sale price was $5.36 per pound, which was up from last year, and she expressed her thanks to all of the buyers and bidders who showed their support for 4-H members.
“A huge shout out to the business community in Estevan and the surrounding area for always investing in and supporting these kids who sell their 4-H steers each year,” said Fornwald. e sale had a decline in prices in 2023, but this year’s sale exceeded the organizers’ expectations.
Prior to the start of the auction, Steelman 4-H club president Brenden Lischka announced the club’s 12 members would donate 1.5 per cent of their auction proceeds to the campaign to bring an MRI scanner to St. Joseph’s Hospital. e club vowed to match the amount.
Lischka noted the club was inspired by Jaycee Ross of the Outram-Madigan 4-H Beef Club, who sold his 4-H steer during the Energy City Ex. in June and raised more than $53,000 for the MRI fundraiser.
Kids from other clubs also donated proceeds from their steer sales to the MRI campaign.
Fornwald said all of the clubs do a good job of visiting businesses and inviting them to the sale. Public speaking and marketing themselves and their steers are all important parts of 4-H, and they gain skills they use throughout their lives.
“A big part of that is getting out and speaking to potential buyers and businesses, and inviting them to attend the sale and support the kids,” said Fornwald.
e award recipients were:
Grand champion British breed heifer: Rowyn Shier; Reserve champion British breed heifer: Lexus Zieglgansberger; Grand champion continental breed heifer: Montana Sernick; Reserve champion continental breed heifer: Britt Fornwald; Grand champion crossbreed heifer: Sierra Mantei; Reserve champion cross-breed heifer: Cooper Mantei; Grand champion female: Montana Sernick; Reserve champion female: Rowyn Shier; Champion yearling heifer: Montana Sernick; Reserve champion yearling heifer: Rowyn Shier; Best home-grown steer: Britt Fornwald; Team grooming: Steelman 4-H Club; Judging: Audree Jutras (cloverbud), Andrew Fleck (junior), Rowyn Shier (in-
Estevan area shows great support for 4-H sale
termediate and high overall judging), Casie Brokenshire (senior) and Sophie Fleck (high individual judge oral reasons); Showmanship: Ava Mann (junior), Brenna Fornwald (intermediate and overall) and Casie Brokenshire (senior); Grand aggregate buckles: Rowyn Shier; Group of ve steers: Steelman 4-H Club; 4-H Motto Award: Nevada Sernick; and Best-kept stalls: Benson 4-H Club.
All of the cloverbud members from the ve clubs were also saluted.
Fornwald said the kids put in a lot of time into preparing their steers over the course of the season. ey start their 4-H projects during the fall.
“It’s a lot of work from having them halter-broken, feeding – which is obviously a daily thing – and just all of the preparation and time that goes into getting their steer to the point where they showcase them in Estevan at the be-
ginning of July,” said Fornwald.
“ ere’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes, and when they come to town, that’s … the easy part. e work that they put in and the time that they put in at home is where the majority of it is done for it to be as successful as it is for all of these kids.”
Fornwald said the exhibition grounds and facilities were in beautiful shape for the clubs to use, and they were thankful for the association’s support.
Report from theLegislature
Saskatchewan’s population hasreached anotherall-time high,topping 1,230,000 forthe first time ever.Accordingtonew Statistics Canada population numbers, ourprovince hasgrown by 5,550 over thepastquarter andby30,503 people over thepastyear. A growingpopulationhelps to fuel ourstrongand growingeconomy.Saskatchewanled the nation formonth-over-monthgrowthinretailtrade with an 8.5per cent increase fromMarch to April2024, totaling $2.2 billion.The province also sawsignificant yearover-year growth with a5.6 percentincreaseoverApril 2023. This significanteconomic growthiscreatingmorejobsand opportunitiesfor thepeopleofour province
Growthacrossour economycontinues to encouragecompanies to invest here in Saskatchewan.Constructionhas nowbegun on theLouis DreyfusCompany’s peaprotein isolate production plantinYorkton.The newplant is expected to be operationalbythe end of 2025 andemployapproximately60peopleoncecompleted
As privatecompanies continue to make capitalinvestments in Saskatchewan,our governmentcontinues to invest in keyinfrastructurefor ourpeople. Thenew Breast HealthCentreinReginaisnow onestepclosertobeing areality,asthe demolition phase of construction begins at thesite. To support this majorenhancement to patienthealth, ourgovernmentisinvesting$3.6million this year forthe centre’s renovations, staffing and diagnostic equipment.
To furtherstrengthenaccess to health care services in Regina,the Urgent Care Centre is officially complete andopentothe public.Located at 1320 Albert Street,thisfacility willfunctionasanalternative to emergencydepartments forminor illnesses, injuries, and mental health andaddiction supportsthatare non-life-threatening butrequire treatmentbeforethe following day.
Investmentslikethese areonlypossibledue to thestrengthofSaskatchewan’seconomy, ledbykey sectorslikemining, agriculture, andoil andgas.While ourgovernment remains committed to protecting thesesectors,the federalgovernmentcontinues to attack keyeconomicsectors here in Saskatchewan
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The Saskatchewan Economic Impact AssessmentTribunalrecentlyreleasedits report on thefederal CleanElectricity Regulations(CER),and ourgovernmentannounced Saskatchewanwillnot be complyingwiththese regulationswhentheycomeintoeffect. Under theCER,Saskatchewan’seconomicgrowthwould be at least$7.1billion lower, the province wouldloseatleast 4,200 jobs,and therewould be an $8.1 billion negative effectonSaskatchewan’sexportsector.
Thereportoffersirrefutable,independent evidence that thesefederal regulationswill have asignificant impact on thecostofelectricity in Saskatchewan,aswellasour economyand ourway of life.Saskatchewancannotparticipate in federaleconomic harm to ourprovince.
Unfortunately, theCER is notthe only federalattack on Saskatchewan’s oiland gas sectorright now. UnderBillC-59, theTrudeau-NDP coalitionhas launched acensorship campaignagainst energy companies– theverycompanies that powernearlyeverything inour dailylives
Bill C-59 sendsthe wrongmessage.Weshouldbeproud of Canada’s industries andall they do forthe environment, sustainability,and energy security,and notbesilencedby afederal gagorder preventing anyone from sharingthatstory with theworld Weare currentlyconsidering alloptions to fightbackagainst Bill C-59, includingunder theSaskatchewanFirst Act. Ourgovernmentremains committed to telling theworld ourstory on astrong, sustainable Saskatchewan
As we continue this work to continue building and protecting astrongSaskatchewan, Ilookforward to hearing from you. Please feel free to reachout to my office at306-634-7311 or loricarrmla@sasktel.net
Administration Morgan Hodgens - mohodgens@glaciermedia.ca
EDITORIAL
Are cell phones needed in classrooms?
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We
e debate over whether cell phones are actually needed in schools has been growing in recent months, especially after the provincial governments in Ontario and Alberta passed legislation to have the devices banned from classrooms.
Saskatchewan has yet to follow suit, but Premier Scott Moe recently said it’s been discussed.
Cell phones have become a double-edged sword as they evolve, not just in the classroom but for society as a whole. ey can be a valuable tool because they keep us in contact with those around us. ey can be used by students for research during school hours. If used right, cell phones could be a real asset in the classroom.
But they can also be a distraction. For teachers, their jobs become even more difcult when students have their heads buried in their phones.
Parents will text their child in non-emergency situations during class times, even though they know when breaks occur.
And the students text back and forth with their friends, often regarding trivial matters.
Now you could argue that the students could be allowed to use their phones only
for research purposes while in the classroom. But we know what would happen: some of the kids would try to sneak a message o to their friends, which would lead others to try and do the same, and suddenly we’re back to the same mess we currently have.
We’re better o just not allowing cell phones in the classroom.
For those of us who are of a certain age, if we ventured into a classroom now, we’d have a hard time grasping it at rst. ere are so many changes that have occurred in the 21st century alone. ese didn’t happen overnight; they’ve been gradual. And they’re going to continue to occur. Virtual classrooms – a concept that seemed unthinkable 35 years ago – and distance learning will continue to become more common, but most students will still spend most of their time in the classroom.
During classes, the students’ focus needs to be on the teacher and education, and not on where they’re going for lunch or where they’ll hang out after school.
And it’s not like the students are in the classroom all day. ose in elementary school have a morning and afternoon recess as well as a lunch break, while high school students have a break between
classes which would allow them to catch up on their messages. If there’s an emergency, then call the o ce, leave a message with the person at the front desk, and it will be relayed to the student. It was a system that worked just ne for decades. ( e discussion of whether a child under the age of 10 should have a cellular phone is a debate for another time).
Fifteen years ago, some people were up in arms that governments were passing legislation to ban distracted driving. Now, many would have a hard time believing that you could legally pick up your phone and send a text message or answer a call while driving. (Advancements in technology have allowed us to continue to access our phones while behind the wheel).
When was the last time you actually heard somebody complain about distracted driving laws, other than from people who were stupid enough to text and drive? Granted, there’s a big di erence between texting and driving, and using a cellular phone while in the classroom.
If we ever do have phones banned from the classroom, it won’t take long to adjust, and in due time, we’ll wonder why it took so long to enact this law in the rst place.
Start planning the parade route
e Saskatchewan Roughriders are 4-0 to start the CFL season. e last time they started 4-0 was in 2013. I don’t think I need to tell you what happened that year. Even people who are new to the province know what the Riders did in 2013. Some learn about the 2013 Riders immediately after they learn their address, their phone number and the location of the closest grocery store.
(If there was a handbook on everything you need to know about Saskatchewan, there would be a chapter dedicated to the Riders’ Grey Cup win at home in 2013. You’d also have a chapter on the 114-year history of the Riders and another on the other three Grey Cup wins. But 2013 would get its own chapter).
So, you can forgive Rider fans for having visions of 2013 dancing in their heads after this year’s 4-0 start. Forget the fact that the Riders started 3-1 last year, only to lose their last seven games and nish 6-12; or that they were 4-1 two years ago, only to nish, you guessed it, 6-12 after losing their last seven games.
I can con dently say this year is going to be di erent for the Green and White. After all, 4-0 is very di erent from 4-1 or 3-1, right? ere’s a new coach this year in Corey Mace. ey’re better on the o ensive line (granted, they couldn’t be any worse than the human turnstiles that dotted the line the last two years).
e strong start just feels more sustainable, even if one win was against the Edmonton Elks and two were against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, neither of whom are exactly powerhouses this year.
David Willberg
Willberg’s World
e win over the Toronto Argonauts was impressive, especially when you consider the Riders did it with a back-up quarterback making his rst CFL start.
We’ll see how the Riders do when they visit the B.C. Lions on July 13 and visit the defending Grey Cup champions, the Montreal Alouettes, on July 25. ose game will be the true early litmus tests for the Riders, the games to show how much work really needs to be done.
I’ve long poked fun at Rider fans for su ering from premature evaluation syndrome. ey get too excited over a win and too down over a loss. Granted, it’s an 18-game season so there isn’t as much margin of error as in, say, Major League Baseball, which plays a 162-game season.
If the Riders win a couple games in a row, even if it’s against lesser teams, many of their faithful will start planning a parade route. If they lose a couple games in a row, then it’s time to re the coaches and start a complete rebuild. (I heard both sentiments in 2013).
Do I think the Riders are a better team this year than the past couple of seasons? Absolutely. ey nally have an o ensive line that looks credible. ey look like a team that can win the battles on the lines on a nightly basis. And while quarterback Trevor Harris is currently hurt, at least he won’t have to run for his life on a
nightly basis when he returns. With the talent the Riders have on the o ensive side on the ball, and with Mario Alford (?) returning kicks, they have a team that is entertaining to watch. People can shell out their hard-earned money for Rider tickets for reasons other than just “let’s go to support the team”. And Mace has made a big di erence as coach. His predecessor, Craig Dickenson, is a really good coach, but you could tell by the end of last year that his time with the club was coming to a merciful end.
e CFL’s West Division isn’t exactly a powerhouse this year, either. e Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ run of success appears to be coming to an end.
e Calgary Stampeders are no longer a powerhouse. And the Elks have a knack for costly mistakes at the worst possible time.
A home playo game and an appearance in the West Division Final are realistic expectations. As in any other sport, sometimes it takes time to build a winner. Yes, we’ve seen teams go from non-playo squads to the Grey Cup game, and even a Grey Cup championship, in a year. But most of the time, you have to su er that playo defeat in the division semi nal or the nal before getting into the championship game the following year. Winning a postseason game for just the second time since 2017 would be an important step forward for the Riders core this year.
So don’t get too down on the team if the Riders aren’t playing in the Grey Cup on Nov. 17 in Vancouver.
Estevan teens proud of vehicle detailing business
By David Willberg
It’s summer in southeast Saskatchewan, and for Blake Andrist and Kolten Isaacs, their thoughts have turned to their business.
Andrist and Isaacs, who are both entering Grade 12 at the Estevan Comprehensive School, launched Detailing on Demand in August 2023. ey had such a good response last year that they knew they wanted to bring it back for 2024.
“We had a couple of weeks where it was constant details, so it was really awesome,” Andrist said in an interview with the Mercury and SaskToday.
ey didn’t have a lot time to run the business last summer before the start of the 2023-24 school year and the onset of cooler temperatures, but people were supportive. Once the high school basketball season started up, most of their free time was occupied.
ey had a couple of challenges last year, too. Isaacs was the only one who had a driver’s licence, and they were working out of a small vehicle. When An-
drist secured his licence in December, he purchased a pick-up truck, which has made it much easier to travel to job sites.
“We’re mobile, so we have everything [we need] out of the back of a truck, and we come right to the client,” said Isaacs.
ey opened up shop for 2024 in early April. e response has been great this year, Isaacs said, and they have added a lot of clients.
“We’ve had more business in the past couple of weeks than we’ve ever had,” said Isaacs.
Andrist and Isaacs provide a full slate of detailing services, including vacuuming, wiping down vehicle surfaces, shampooing the seats and carpet, and tackling interior and even exterior detailing, although the exterior work isn’t as popular.
“We steam everything out, so that makes it easier to clean,” said Andrist. ey both have jobs outside of their business, but now that it’s summer, they can tackle a couple of projects each day. ey work on vehicles together, and An-
Midale Oilmen’s Tournament an important fundraiser
e Midale Oilmen’s Association is looking forward to its annual golf tournament on July 19 at Mainprize Golf Course.
drist said that helps because they’re in constant communication and they bring a lot of fun to the job.
ey didn’t see anybody in Estevan who was providing these services, so they thought they would give it a try. eir family connections helped them get going, meet clients and secure equipment.
ey discussed a few other businesses ideas, such as lawn care, home cleaning, and gutter and window cleaning, but opted for detailing.
“We just thought everybody has a vehicle, all vehicles are going to get dirty, and everybody loves a clean car,” said Isaacs.
Both have a keen interest in vehicles, and they know a lot of people in the city who are proud of their cars and trucks and want them to look good.
“So far we haven’t had any complaints or any issues with any clients for the quality of the job,” said Isaacs.
In the winter, Andrist said they don’t have the shop space needed to be open. And they’re busy with school and sports.
ey love being able to operate the business on their own time and to watch it grow.
“You cane take a lot more pride in it, because they better you do, the better it becomes, the more you grow,” said Isaacs. “ e job itself,
it’s nice to help people, it’s a really satisfying job to take the car from dirty to looking brand new, and the reactions we get from people after make it worth it.”
Andrist added he loves the idea of owning his own business and being his own boss.
If the demand remains, they believe this is the type of business that they could do in the summer while
attending post-secondary education. ere is a lot of opportunity for growth and potential, Andrist said. Inquiries for business can be sent to Detailing on Demand’s Facebook and Instagram pages, or by messaging Andrist at 306-421-7377.
“Estevan is a great community for supporting young businesses, and we really appreciate it,” said Andrist.
It is an 18-hole two-person scramble, with an alternate-shot “horse race” involving the top ve teams to wrap up the day. e tournament is open to all men that want to attend, but one person on the team has to be employed in the oil industry. All entries are subject to the oilmen’s board’s approval. e entry fee is $160 per person, including a cart. Registration will start at 8:30 a.m. and a shotgun start will be at 10:30 a.m.
extra supper tickets available for $40 each; holein-one sponsored holes; and a putting competition during the round.
Among the other highlights will be free beer and food holes; a barbecue supper after the round, with
All proceeds from this tournament go back into the community. Last year the tournament raised approximately $12,000, which was donated back to the community rink, school and day care.
Bucket List Summer
1. Souris Valley Museum hasmany campsrunning throughout the summermonths foryour children. With campsfor ages 3to12, ranging from ColourfulCampto Planet Protectors to Invention StationWeek,every child will be entertained. Spots arelimited and registration is required. Please follow them on Facebook forupdates or phone (306) 6345543 or email: info@sourisvalleymuseum.ca.
2. TheCityofEstevan willbeflipping pancakes at Churchill Park on July 18thfrom10:00am to 12:00pm Join us in celebratingour wonderfulcommunity in Estevan! Enjoya delicious breakfast,meetour playparkleaders, andcool off withsomeswimming fun(no crafts or activities).
3. Oxbow,Saskatchewan will be theplace to be on August10, 2024, forthe BowValleyJamboree. This family-friendlyfestivalwill providethe musicaltalents of:Kilted Wind, Teagan Littlechief &BandeN.O.Dee, theWalbaums, Ryan Keowan, theBromatics, the UnCoolas andSix Days till Sunday.Freechildren’s activities areprovided throughout theday,along with beer gardens and food vendorsfor theadults Admission is $50for adults (19+), students13-18 $25, and childrenunder 12 arefree. Formoreinformation findusonFacebook and Instagram
4. Join us foranafternoon of entertainment, refreshments, anddaintiesatthe Souris Valley Museum on August14, 2024, from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pmfor theirSenior Social.$2/Senior 2082 Highway #39 West.For more information call (306) 634-5543
5. Fedora+ Bloom Events has created“The Emporium” to bringSaskatchewansomeofthe cutest andmostcreativemarkets you’ve ever shopped with. Each vendor washandpickedand carefully considered to bringyou adiverse market full of businesses in all categories: apparel,accessories, swim andsuds, pets and littles,fresh foodies and beverages,beautyand aesthetics, self-careand more.Inviteyour friends and family to join us at theBeefeater PlazaonAugust17th from 10:00am to 5:00pm.Children10and under are free, tickets are$5online(www.eventbrite.com), or $10atthe door.**A portion of alladmission proceeds will be donated to theEstevan EarlyYears and Family Resource Centre.ComeShop,Sip and Splurge.
6. Find out more about what activities and events have beenplanned at theEstevan Public Youth Centre.Visit theepyc. ca or findthem on Facebook
Race,withentertainment by MASCARA! $20 cover charge at thegate, with beer gardens opening at 7:30 pm and Mascara playingfrom9:30pm to 1:00am 8. TheDowntownBusinessAssociationisexcitedto announcethe return of theirmarquee event,Street Dance, on Saturday,July20th. The2024 edition of theStreet Dancefeatures headliner,LisaMoen and will be hostedinthe parking lotatAffinityPlace Tickets areavailableatHendersDrugs for$30 or at thegatefor $40. Gatesopen at 9:00pm, and this is a 19+ event
9. Join SoutheastTechhub foranInnovation Conversation with Andrew Wahba, an Estevan nativenow residing in Regina, will discuss creating personalized pathwaysand identifying transferable skills to foster meaningful career growth and success. Don’tmissout on this inspiringevent on July 11 from 6:30pm to 8:00pm at Southeast College, 532 BourquinRd, Estevan. Reserveyour free ticket through Eventbrite.com.
10. Lookingforward to watching some action-packed baseballand softballthissummer. TheCityofEstevan is hosting theU13 SoftballProvincialChampionship at theEstevan Minor SoftballDiamonds on July 12 to 14, the11U and 15U Provincial TournamentsonJuly 19 to 21, and 13U Provincial Tournament on July 26 to 28 at MelMurrayCactusPark, andthe 18U Provincial Tournament also that weekend but at theLynnPrime Park.Thesetournamentsare an important opportunity forthe localyouthbaseballand softballplayers as well as playersfromall over Saskatchewan to play some competitivebaseball.
11. Cruise around thecitytosee allthe beautiful newmurals, don’tforget to take your camera to try amateur photography
12. Rent acanoe, kayak, or paddleboat this summer at WoodlawnRegional Park,and setsaildownthe calmingSouris River.
13. Glidearound the skateboardparkwith your skateboard, bike,or scooter.Itisthe ideal place to show off skills in this concrete parkthat includes arange of jump elements that arebotha challenge and athrill forall users.
greenhouseand seedling. Best timestovisit areJulytoSeptember and JanuarytoApril. The Shand Greenhousehas grownand distributed over 12.5millionseedlings to date. Various groups environmental agenciesand our customersplant our seedlings eachyear.Toursmustbearranged in advanceand canbescheduled Monday to Friday 8:00am to 4:30pm (excluding holidays) and Saturday and Sunday,timevaries. Pleasecall(306) 634-9771 to book
17. Make asplashthissummerbyvisitingone of the city’s splash parks forfun forthe wholefamily!Royal HeightsVeterans Memorial Park,PadwickPark, and DennisMooreCentennial Park eachoffera unique splash padexperiencewithseasonal washrooms available.
18. Cool off on thesehot and humid summerdays downatBoundaryDam Beach. Perfectofa day with thefamily with thesandy beach, beautiful scenery, and beachvolleyballcourts
19. Visitany of theCity’sfour playparks this summer season! With themes such as Goingfor Gold,Pirates Worldand FairytaleFun kids will havefun with games and activities from 10:30am-12pm and swimming from 1-5pm,Monday to Friday except statutoryholidays. Visitthem onlineatestevan.ca forthe full playpark scheduleand locations!
20. Getout fora walk!Withmorethan 13 kilometres of walkingpaths,withwashroomsand parking along theway,itmakes forthe perfect summeractivity! Either do thefullloop around Estevanorworkaway at different sections throughout theseason. Drop in to theVisitor Information Centre to pick up your walking pathmap today!
21. Enjoythe scenicatmospherewithyour poochat theDog Park locatedbyWoodlawnRegional Park’s main entrance. Your furbaby and youwill enjoy some qualitytimetogether
7. Theplace to Party in theParkwill be at WoodlawnRegional Park on Saturday, August4.This19+ event will startafter theFrametech Classic/Dave PriceMemorialHorse
14. Checkout theall theRegional Parksin theareabyborrowing aParkPassfromyour locallibrary forfreeentry to allthe Saskatchewan Regional Parks. Check outsoutheastlibrary.cafor more information.
15. Follow“The Mercury” Facebook page forall up-to-datenews, sports scores, events, and everything that happens in and around thesoutheast.
16. Getanup-close look at our theShand
River Jamm attracts over 1,200 people
For the rst time since 2017, a River Jamm concert was held at the Hidden Valley Golf and RV Resort, and it proved to be a big hit with the public.
More than 1,240 tickets were sold for River Jamm 24 on Friday night at Hidden Valley’s driving range. Many volunteers also attended the show. e Knights of Columbus in Estevan brought the fundraiser to the tourist attraction.
Hidden Valley owner Brad Dutton said the last River Jamm was held in 2017 as part of the Dutton family’s 20th anniversary of owning the campground and golf course, so there was some experience with having a big event on their property. is one was “bigger, better and with a lot more help”, he said. e weather co-operated and the Knights of Columbus did a lot of the work.
“ at’s some of the best volunteerism that I’ve seen, and it just speaks of community,” said Dutton.
Cover band Snake Oil was the featured entertainment, while SJS was the opening act. Dutton said they provided great entertainment, and people in the campground a couple hundred yards away could hear the music.
“ ey’re as much entertainers as they are a cover band,” said Dutton. e event exceeded Dutton’s expectations.
“Because I had not done something on a scale like this before, I didn’t really know what to expect. I felt con dent that we would have 600-700 people buying tickets, but over 1,200, I think, is a home run. It’s a long drive,” said Dutton.
e crowd was well behaved and there weren’t
any ghts reported. anks to the size of the driving range area, it didn’t appear that the spectator area was as crowded as the volume of ticket sales indicated.
Setup for the concert began a few days before the concert and the Knights of Columbus took care of the cleanup on July 6.
“It took four days to set up and four hours to tear it down,” said Dutton. anks to the support for River Jamm, Dutton said the return of the event is “on the radar” for next year. A lot of people have been telling him they want to see a River Jamm 25. If he has the same help, venue and time, Dutton believes it could happen, and he would gladly work with the Knights of Columbus again. “An event like this takes such a large amount of volunteers and philanthropy to knock it out. You have to have a charitable group to make it a real success,” said Dutton.
Grand knight Kim Skjonsby believes it was the most successful fundraiser in the history of the local
Knights of Columbus.
“It turned out to be a fantastic event. We had excellent, excellent sponsorship. I can’t speak enough about it. It was just fantastic. e community, the number of businesses that stepped up – knights and non-knights that helped out – there was very good volunteer participation.”
Everything went smoothly the night of the River Jamm, Skjonsby said. He praised Dutton for all of the work put into making the event possible, and thanked everyone else who volunteered, donated and sponsored the concert.
e local Knights of Columbus chapter has long had a charity appeal, and that will continue this year, but in recent years, the service group has been shifting its fundraising focus to other events. ey support youth sports, music, education, Bible camps and more. ey also back St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church and the Community Hamper Association.
“We prefer that our money stays local in our
community. ere are lots people that need the help here, lots of groups, lots of youth,” said Skjonsby.
Skjonsby had not seen Snake Oil before, and he thought it was an “awesome” show.
22. Grab your lunchto-go and spend your lunch hour enjoyingthe Garden on 4th.
23. Checkout CityWideRegistrationonAugust28 from5:30pm to 7:30pm forall sports,community,and social groups. Don’tforget thedeadlines register for EstevanMinor Hockey, and EstevanMinor Football are coming up.
24. Don’tforget Sunday,July21isNational Ice Cream Day. Visitone or allofthe icecream shops in town
25. Find theHidden Swinging Bridge near Roche Percee, and whileyou aredownthere,tour the stunning RochePerceerocks formations
26. Head out to theEstevan Farmers Market on Saturday mornings to supportall thelocal vendors.
27. Grab afrisbee and challenge your friends to a gameofdiscgolfatTorgeson Park
28. Have aneighbourhood blockparty this summer withthe City of Estevan’snew BlockParty Kits!It’s greatway to get together with your neighboursand maybe meet some new people. Formoreinformation, pleasegotoestevan.ca or contactthe Estevan Leisure Centre at 306-634-1888.
29. Volunteer that theEstevan Humane Society and take theiradorablefurry residentsfor awalk.
30. Souris ValleyTheatre has to amazingplays going on this summer, Greased from July 8to 12 and July 15 to 19, and Jail HouseRockfrom August5 to 9and August 12 to 16. Youwill not be disappointed. Visitwww so ur is va lle yt heat re .c om formoreinformation and get your tickets at Henders Drugs
is July 13 and 14. BoundaryDam Reservoiristhe onlyplace to go to tryyour hand at catching the Largemouth bass. Duetothe nearby power plant,the waterismuchwarmer, whichiswhy theLargemouth bassthrives
32. Funand action is around everycorner at the EstevanMotor Speedway.FollowtheirFacebook page forracedates and upcomingevents.
33. Jump into summerfun at thebouncepillow at RoyalHeightsVeterans Memorial Park!Open seasonally from MaytoOctober,the bouncepillow is conveniently locatednear theparkequipment and serves as theperfect location fora picnic duringaday out!
31. Free Fishing Weekend in Saskatchewan
34. Bike,run, or take aleisurely stroll through Preddy Trails at WoodlawnRegional Park 35. TheEstevan Mercuryisexcitedtoannounce the1st Annual EstevanWideYardSaleonAugust 24. Clean out and declutteryour closets, garages and basementstostart sortingyour sale items. Seeour ad formore information. Let your unused itemsbecomes someone else new treasure!
City Hall: 1102 4th Street
8amto4:30 pm |(306) 634-1800
LeisureOffice: 701Souris Avenue
8amto4:30pm| (306) 634-1880
Mayor’sMessage
Comeout to Innovation Conversation withAndrewWahbaatSoutheastRegional College on July 11, 2024 @6:30 -FromEstevan to the World: Global Career Building with Local Roots. AlsoBoundary Damishostingamovie night on July 12, 2024 on the stage. ThemovieisShrek.
City of Estevan Chief of Police
TheEstevanPolice Servicerequiresa strong, experiencedleader to guidethe force through aperiod of rapid growth in theCityofEstevan, locatedinthe South East corner of Saskatchewan. ThePoliceChiefwill lead ahighquality well-resourced, and thoroughlytrained team of officerswhile enjoyinga good relationship with the PoliceBoard andAssociation. Thesefactors assist in managingthe many challenges presentwitharapidly growing economy.
Requirements
•Bachelor of Administrationorother formalized Managementand Administrative Trainingoralternatively,candidateswitha combination of policesupervisory/management experience andprofessional training Candidatesshould have aproventrack record in managing forefficiency and effectivenesstobring about changeina municipaland unionized environment. Candidatesshould be familiar with theprocesses involved in reporting to aPolice Board or Commission, andpossessexperiencein dealing with themediaaswellasworkingwithgovernment structures
•Ten years progressiveManagement &Leadershipexperience
•Extensiveknowledge &experiencewithcommunity-based policing Tothriveinthis environment, youwill have adesiretomakeadifference. Be part of ourprospering community andchallenging work environment while still maintaining astrong work /lifebalance.
TheCity of Estevanoffers acompetitive salary and an outstandingbenefits package.
Interestedcandidatesare invited to apply, in writing,includinga coverletter, resume and threecurrent references on or beforeJuly31, 2024
For furtherinformation, please contact: SaazianaazMalik, Human ResourcesGeneralist 1102-4th Street Estevan, SK S4A0W7 Ph: (306) 634-1841 apply@estevan.ca
Wethank all applicants fortheir interest,however, only thoseselectedfor further considerationwill be contacted
2024 PROPERTY TAXNOTICES
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 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
Mailto: 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 transaction by the 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 Tax Levies
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 monthlyinstallments making budgetingeasier withnoaddedfees or penalties.Monthly withdrawals aremadeonthe first banking 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.
CONSTRUCTION BULLETIN
TheCity of Estevanisundertaking construction forthe Watermain replacement. Theaffected area includesFirststreetbetween SourisAvenue and eighth Avenue,aswellas8th avenue between First street and ValleyStreet. Propertyaccessand parkingrestrictions aretooccur
This work will commenceMay 27,2024and will take approximately eight (8) weekstocomplete (subject to weather)
City of Estevan will perform this work within the current Bylawregulations and specifications.
Safety
Constructionsitecould be dangerous. If youhavechildren, please ask them to keep asafedistancefromthe site. We will takeevery precaution to ensure public safety,but we need your assistancetoconstrain the natural curiosityof younger children. Please DO NOTattempt to go close to areas affected.
TheftorVandalism
If yousee anyact of vandalism, theft or anyone suspiciously tampering with equipment, signageorbarricades, please contact306-634-1800,orafter hours call Police.
Questions andConcerns
TheCity of Estevan, Engineering Services apologizefor anyinconveniences thatthiswork maycause
Thank youinadvancefor your cooperation and patience. If youhaveany questionorconcerns,please call at 634-1800 or approach the supervisor or foreman on site.
POLICE CONSTABLE
The EstevanPolice Serviceisseeking applications forthe position of Police
Constable TheEstevan PoliceServiceoffers acompetitivesalary and benefits package ongoing professional development, and arange of career opportunities. Currently servingand trained Canadianpoliceofficersare encouraged to apply
All candidatesmustpossessminimum qualifications,including the following:
•18years of age
•Grade 12 Diploma or equivalent
•Excellent physical conditionand health with no medical conditions that would prohibit your ability to safely completerecruit training and perform all aspects of policework
•Canadian citizen, landedimmigrant,orhaveapermanent residencyat the time of application
•Valid driver ’s license (unrestricted fora minimum of one year) and good driving record
•Good moral character
•Exemplary employment record Excellent communication skills, both written and oral
•Computer skills
Formoreinformationonthe requirements, selection process, and the applicationpackage,please visit ourwebsite, www.estevanpolice.ca
(Employment Opportunities). Afully completed PersonalDisclosureForm must accompanyeachapplication. Pleasesubmit completed packages, including an up-to-date resume,inasealed envelope to: Chief of Police EstevanPoliceService 301-11th Ave. Estevan, Sask. S4A 1C7
Thank youfor your interestinthe EstevanPoliceService.
No phone calls, please.Only successfulcandidateswill be contacted.
Theclosing date is September 3, 2024
More than 60 golfers compete in OTS mixed event
e Estevan Oil eld Technical Society (OTS) attracted more than 60 golfers for its third annual Mixed Tournament at the Hidden Valley Golf and RV Resort’s Hideout Golf Course.
Craig and Donna Regier shot a two-under-par 27 on the nine-hole, executive-length course to win the tournament for the second time in three years. ey won by three strokes over six teams who each shot a 30. A count back from the ninth hole was needed to decide who ofcially nished in the runner-up spots.
Keith and Dawn Ramstead came in second, while Jeremy and Tricia Mackenzie were third.
e tournament had a better-ball format, which is similar to a Texas scramble except there are two people instead of four. Everybody hit their tee shot, and then the respective tandems selected which tee shot was better.
With the number of golfers entered, there was six or eight golfers at each hole.
“ e course is always excellent down there,” said Estevan OTS president Tony Sernick. “Hidden Valley is just a true little gem that we have down there. It’s not a traditional course [length] in the sense that he [owner Brad Dutton] calls it more of an executive length course, but it just seems even for the
format, it’s perfect.
“It’s nice and short, and you can mingle with other groups. e holes are close together and it makes for a nice atmosphere.”
Some of the golfers are competitive and are vying for the title, he said, but the tournament is all about fun.
Once the tournament was over, supper was served and socializing occurred in a tented area at Hidden Valley known as the saloon. Prizes were handed out to the top three tandems, as well as to those who had the closest approach and longest putt on each hole.
Tournament champions received hand covers, but most of the entrants referred to them as oven mitts.
e tournament was open to anyone who supports the oil and gas industry.
Sernick noted the golfers were surrounded by thunderstorms at for about an hour, but they didn’t get much rain and they were able to continue playing despite the conditions, as the storm didn’t pass directly above them.
e River Jamm 24 bash was held at Hidden Valley the night before. Most of the golfers attended the event and so Sernick said they were a little slower on Saturday. Some of them suggested having the tournament the same day as the River Jamm, so they could play nine holes during the day and party at night.
Tech innovator Andrew Wahba returning home to lead Innovation Conversation in Estevan
By Ana Bykhovskaia SaskToday.ca
Estevan native Andrew Wahba, CEO of Variable Hub Software and executive director of Tech Career Bridge, will return to his hometown to lead an Innovation Conversation on July 11. e event, titled From Estevan to the World: Global Career Building with Local Roots, will be hosted by Southeast College and the Southeast Tech Hub.
“Andrew is so passionate about technology and innovation,” said Tania Hlohovsky Andrist, the lead o cer of applied research at the Southeast College’s Centre of Sustainable Innovation. “He brings a real
provincial outlook to innovation, and his current companies, Tech Career Bridge and Variable Hub Software are just absolutely on the cutting edge, using AI and interacting with people in a way that hasn’t been done before. It is so creative. It’s so innovative and really interesting. He’s a really good speaker as well.”
Wahba is involved in a local career and economic development project with the community, Hlohovsky Andrist said, and added that he will talk more about it at the event. She noted that his extensive experience in the innovation sector in Saskatchewan has established him as a leading gure in the tech community.
“Andrew himself has a really interesting career journey,” Hlohovsky Andrist said. “He’s done a few things and travelled quite a bit. … Now, they’re involving AI technology and some really innovative new tools to help people explore their career options.”
e event aims to connect local talent with global opportunities, showcasing how local people can build a successful career right here in Estevan while reaching out to the world.
e Innovation Conversation aims to inspire the local community and shed light on how AI and technology are revolutionizing the job market. “ is Innovation Conversation is not just for
people who are looking for work or trying to change careers. It’s for anyone who’s interested in how AI is changing the way that we interact with the world,” Hlohovsky Andrist said. “It will spark people’s imagination and help them understand how tech is impacting everyday life.”
e event will also serve as a launchpad for promoting the upcoming Innovation Conference for Economic Development in Rural Areas in September. Additionally, Southeast College and Southeast Tech Hub will use the occasion to sign a partnership agreement, committing to collaborative projects that enhance the region and align with their joint goals.
Estevan Concert Series shows announced
e Estevan Arts Council will be bringing seven talented acts to the Energy City for the 2024-25 Estevan Concert Series.
EAC president Wilma Mantei said they have an exciting and diverse lineup slated for this year. It will open with a concert by the Wardens on Oct. 25 at 7:30 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church. e group shares stories and songs from the land they’re protecting as Canadian national park wardens in the Rocky Mountains, blending folk, roots and western styles.
“ ey really have great stories to tell, and they do it in song,” said Mantei. “And they do it in video. ey have this huge … screen behind them, so while they’re singing, you just see what they’re going through, whether it’s a forest re or whether it’s a joyful thing or whether it’s the beauty of the mountains, it’s all there in visual e ect.”
Up next will be a show by Ryan McMahon on Nov. 16 at 7:30 p.m. at the Estevan branch of the Royal Canadian Legion. McMahon has been creating music for the past 25 years, and toured with Canadian rock groups throughout 2023.
Two weeks later, the arts council will have a special concert with the Barra MacNeils on Nov. 30 at 7:30 p.m. at the Estevan Comprehensive School. e group will bring their East Coast Christmas show to Estevan, drawing from ceilidhs, midnight masses and other festival music.
“With their captivating vocals, distinctive harmonies and extraordinary musicianship, the Barra MacNeils
inject new life and energy into the sights and sounds of Christmas, one moment a rousing chorus, then a hauntingly beautiful Gaelic ballad, the next a urry of foot-stomping, instrumentals,” states a brochure for the concert series.
Mantei said people can look forward to ddle music, dancing and wonderful harmonies.
e 2025 portion of the schedule kicks o on March 2 with a performance by the Prairie Sons at 2 p.m. at St. Paul’s United Church. ey draw inspiration from the vast Canadian west and celebrate their deep Prairie roots.
“ ey just have such a wonderful repertoire. eir energy and their enthusiasm for their music is just amazing, and it’s so nice,” Mantei said. “To see the Canadian landscape, the Prairie landscape through their music, they have a great vision.”
Susan Aglukark will perform on March 19 at 7:30 p.m. at the Estevan Comprehensive School. She is Canada’s rst Inuk Juno Award winner, having won four of them, and she has scooped up numerous other national honours for her musical skills.
Mantei said this will be one of the more well-known acts on this year’s schedule. Every Brilliant ing will be performed on April 1 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Paul’s United Church. Starring Sarah Robertson, the show revolves around a seven-year-old dealing with his mother’s depression by listing everything wonderful about life.
Mantei said the show is largely unscripted and it in-
corporates the audience into the show, and it weaves in humour for a serious topic.
e nal show will be Je Newman on May 1 at 7:30 p.m. at the Estevan Comprehensive School. e mentalist and magician will in uence people’s thoughts and predict what people will do before they know they’re doing it.
e EAC did not want to have any concerts in January of February next season to avoid the frigid temperatures often associated with those months. When they had a concert this past January, there were 40 people present due to the cold weather.
Early-bird pricing is in place until July 31 at $175 for seven tickets. From Aug. 1 until the date of the rst concert, they are $210 for the seven shows. ose who pur-
chase an early-bird ticket will be entered into a draw for a $50 basket.
“If you can’t [make it] you can pass them to other people,” said Mantei.
Tickets for six of the concerts can be used at any time, so someone could use one ticket at each show or six at one show. e Barra MacNeils concert is the exception, as it is a special attraction, but a ticket speci cally for that show is included in the package.
For an individual concert, tickets are $35 in advance and $40 at the door. Children enter for $10, and a parent accompanying a child pays $15.
Ticket packages can be purchased through the Estevan Arts Council’s o ce, which is open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
CRANES & TRUCKING
“By working together and by collaborating, we’re just so much stronger in the southeast, especially in this tech and innovation space,” Hlohovsky Andrist emphasized.
e Innovation Conversation will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Southeast College’s Estevan campus and will be available both in-person and via live stream. Attendees are encouraged to register through Southeast TechHub’s website. e event will include networking opportunities and refreshments.
For more information and to register, visit the Southeast TechHub’s website at estevanhub.ca.
Estevan getting ready to host softball provincials
e Pleasantdale Softball Diamonds will have lots of activity from July 12-14, as 21 teams will be competing at the Softball Saskatchewan U13 B Girls Championship.
Becca Foord, a coach and board member with Estevan Minor Softball, said the games will start in the morning of July 12, and the games will continue until the gold-medal game in the afternoon of July 14.
e Estevan B Elite will be competing. e club is comprised of players from Estevan’s house league teams. “ ey signed up for house ball, and there were tryouts for provincials,” said Foord. “And so, the provincial team was picked and … then we
actually picked our house league [teams] so we didn’t accidentally stack a whole entire house team with provincial players. So, there was a mix of provincial players on all three U13 house ball teams.”
e Elite will open provincials by playing the Southeast SuperNovas at 8 a.m. and the Saskatoon Hustlers at 6:30 p.m. on July 12. en the following day, they will play the Meadow Lake Sox at noon and the Regina Royals Rockers at 6:30 p.m.
e 21 teams will be divided into pools with at least ve teams in each. One pool has six teams. e top two teams in each pool will advance to the championship round.
Quarter- nal games will start at 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. on July 14. e semi nal round is at 12:30 p.m., and the gold and bronze medal games are at 2:30 p.m.
“It’s going to be great softball. At our U13 house tournament, we had one kid – I’m going to brag because she’s on my team – but she hit the ball over the [out-
eld] fence in two separate games that weekend, which is absolutely unheard in U13. “ e calibre of this age group right now is absolutely unreal. We have so many great coaches across the province that have been helping these kids be the absolute best that they can be.” e opening ceremonies will include the teams
Salute to ESTEVAN MINOR SOFTBALL
marching in, speeches from dignitaries and a ceremonial rst pitch.
Foord said their biggest need is for volunteers to work at the front gate and in the concession, to help with scorekeeping, and to serve with grounds maintenance between the games, ensuring the diamonds are in good shape for the next games.
More information on volunteer registration can be found on the Signup Genius website.
Foord estimates they have about 200 volunteer shifts for the three days, and about 50 of them that have already been lled. is is the rst time Estevan has hosted a softball provincial tournament since 2018, and prior to that, Es-
tevan held provincials in 2015 and the Saskatchewan Summer Games softball in 2016.
“We’ve got some big shoes to ll from those tournaments, because those were really successful, but we’re really excited and it’s going to be a really great weekend,” said Foord. She said Estevan Minor Softball has a lot of sponsors that have stepped forward to support the tournament, and Foord predicts the tournament will have a considerable economic spino .
“I’m really looking forward to also seeing how much this impacts our community, because 21 teams with 13 or 14 kids, and all of their parents, is going to be huge for Estevan for a weekend.”
U19. Estevan Lightning Coaches (L to R): Wade St. Onge (head coach), Bruce Duncan
Back: Shyla Merritt, Jada Hermann, Reese Strachan, Kassidy Wallington, Ava Salminen, Sydney Ross, Tayla Gervais, Kyla Stang, Damaris Wollner
Front: Trinity Heleta, Rachel Duncan, Kylie Tyler, Jordan McLenahan, Kierra Frecon Missing: Ava Anderson, Kaydence Stephens
Back: Sarah MacAskill, Peyton McIntyre, Jada Johnson, Evie Lillico, Jill Rosengren, Gaby Ruf Front: Morgan Hase, Halle Lozinsky, Taylor Ellis, Lily Hlavka Missing: Ella Roche
e Estevan branch of the Royal Canadian Legion is running its annual truck rafe, a tradition aimed at raising funds to support community initiatives and veterans’ programs. e ticket sales are underway.
“ e sales are a bit slow this time of year,” said Jim (Frosty) Forrest, president of the Estevan branch No. 60. “We’d like to remind people that there are early bird draws coming up in early October, and to make sure you get your tickets prior to that.”
is year’s ra e o ers several impressive prizes, with the grand prize being a 2024 Ford F-150 4x4 XLT or $50,000 cash. e second prize winner
will take home $10,000 cash. ird prize is $5,000 in cash. Additionally, there will be ve early bird draws, each worth $1,000.
Participants can win multiple times.
“If you were to be drawn for an early bird prize, your ticket goes back in, so you’re still in there for all the other prizes,” Forrest explained.
A total of 2,500 tickets are available for purchase, an increase from previous years due to rising costs. Tickets are priced for $100 each at the legion o ce, at various community events throughout the summer and via e-transfer.
Forrest noted the ra e helps fund the legion’s charitable activities.
“It helps us with all the donations we do around town and so on. We support our seniors’ places and support veterans and their families.”
e nal draw will be held on Dec. 31, while the early bird draws are scheduled for Oct. 5.
“We encourage people to
support the legion, as we try to support the community and veterans and their families,” Forrest concluded. Supporters can purchase tickets by calling the Estevan legion o ce at 306-634-3135 or e-transfer to truck.ra e@ sasktel.net.
e Estevan Police Service says Mackenzie Holmes has been arrested.
In a news release issued July 3, the EPS reported Holmes had been located and apprehended the previous day by Fillmore RCMP. She was transported to the Estevan Police Service’s building and is facing charges of fraud under $5,000, committing an indictable o ence while wearing a mask, theft under $5,000, failing to comply with an undertaking, and possession of property obtained by crime.
Holmes made her rst appearance in provincial court in Carlyle on July 3, and was remanded into custody for a show-cause hearing on July 15 in Estevan.
e EPS issued a news release on June 20, asking for information on her whereabouts, and they thanked the public for their assistance and all of the tips that had been led.
In other recent police news, members attended a northwest Estevan residence July 1 for a report of an assault. A 43-yearold Estevan man was arrested upon police arrival and transported to the police station, where he was charged and released on
conditions. He is scheduled to make his rst appearance in Estevan Provincial Court in August.
Police received a report July 3 of a bicycle being stolen from outside a local business while the owner was inside shopping. e matter is still under investigation. Police remind the public not to leave their property unattended and insecure, as it creates a crime of opportunity.
O cers received a report of theft of mail on July 4. e complainant reported that their mail isn’t being forwarded from their previous address. e matter is under investigation.
Police received a report of theft of gas. An individual provided invalid government authorization for the purchase of fuel, but the validity wasn’t determined until after the customer left. e matter is under investigation.
Members conducted numerous tra c stops on July 5, and a total of 17 mandatory approved screening device demands were made. All drivers were found to be sober.
e River Jamm concert was held at the Hidden Valley Golf and RV Resort, and many spectators took advantage of the shuttle bus o ered.
Members were dispatched to the 500-block of 12th Avenue on July 6 to investigate a reported assault. A 21-year-old man from Estevan was located and eventually arrested under the Mental Health Act and for public intoxication. While being taken into custody, he was able to ee from o cers and was seen running near the railway tracks. Police service dog Max attended to assist with a search of the area. e man emerged from hiding and surrendered when he saw the police canine tracking him. He was taken into custody, lodged in cells until sober, and charged with uttering threats and resisting arrest. He was released and will appear in court in September to speak to those charges. Police conducted a trafc stop. A 23-year-old motorist from Saskatoon had a suspended licence. He was charged under the Tra c Safety Act and the vehicle was impounded.
Members conducted a tra c stop on a vehicle July 7 to check for sobriety, as the driver was all over the road. A standard eld sobriety test was conducted and the EPS said the driver performed poorly. e 16-year-old driver was
issued a 60-day driver’s licence suspension and the vehicle was impounded.
Police received a report of a stolen motor vehicle in the 1400-block of First Street. A statement was provided and that matter remains under investigation. O cers received a report of a theft from a vehicle in the 500-block of Bannatyne Avenue. Video surveillance was obtained and reviewed by police. A suspect was identi ed, and a 21-year-old man was located and arrested. He was lodged in cells and appeared before a justice on July 8.
Police were called to the 400-block of ird Street for a parking complaint. e matter remains under investigation. Members were dispatched to a report of a domestic disturbance. e victim left the scene prior to o cers arriving. Both parties were spoken to and the matter remains under investigation.
Police responded to a residence for a report of a disturbance. A neighbour heard a loud bang, saw a male walking through the yard and then leaving in a vehicle. Members attended and that matter remains under investigation.
Modified tour thrills big crowd at the speedway SPORTS
By David Willberg
Drivers from throughout North America were at the Estevan Motor Speedway on Monday night for the Dakota Classic Modi ed Tour, bringing plenty of excitement to the large crowd that gathered to watch the action.
Forty-eight modi ed drivers and 29 stock car drivers were entered, with Tom Berry Jr. of Marshalltown, Iowa, taking the modi ed feature, and Shelby Williams of Bonham, Texas, winning the stock car feature.
Berry was the class of the modi ed feature from the start. He passed pole-sitter Tyson Turnbull for the lead before he reached the end of the front straightaway on
the opening lap, and quickly built a lead of several seconds. When Berry encountered slower tra c midway through the race, he weaved his way through the drivers. ere weren’t any caution ags, either, to bring the eld together.
Ethan Braaksma of Newton, Iowa, was second, Justin O’Brien of West Union, Iowa, was third, and Shawn Strand of Mandan, N.D., came in fourth. Turnbull was the top local driver in sixth place. e other Estevan driver in the feature was Kody Scholpp, who won the Estevan stop on the tour last year. He nished 10th. e win was the ninth career victory for Berry on the tour. He tied Ricky ornton Jr. for the most
since 2006. He once swept the tour’s stops, but that was one of the years in which Estevan was excluded due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.
“It was pretty cool to get a win here, and I have a win on every track in the mod tour,” said Berry.
He was pleased to see the number of fans in attendance, and he was impressed with the track. While he was initially frustrated with the amount of water applied to the track before the modi ed feature, he believes it made for a better racing surface.
“I love the shaping of it [the track]; it ts my driving style,” said Berry. In the stock car feature, Williams held o Austin Brands of Boyden, Iowa,
in a thrilling nish. Brands mounted a last-ditch challenge for the win entering turn 4 on the nal lap, but drove over some of the small in eld tires and had to settle for second. e two drivers dueled for the lead throughout the race.
He said it’s always special to win on the tour. It was his rst-ever win in Estevan.
“ ere are so many good cars here … and the amount of talent here … is just unbelievable,” said Williams.
Cameron Starry of Corpus Christie, Texas, was third. Kyle Scholpp of Lampman was the top local driver in fourth. Gary Goudy Jr. of Stoughton won the hard-charger award, as he gained the most spots, 13, in the nal
standings. Goudy began the race last on the grid in 24th, and worked his way up to 11th.
Chase Davidson of Estevan moved up 12 spots from 19th to seventh. Eight drivers from southeast Saskatchewan started the stock car feature. Due to the number of drivers, both classes needed qualifying heats and B mains to nalize the elds. Top nishers in the heats advanced directly to the features, while others had to punch their ticket through the B mains.
Among those who didn’t make it to the modi ed feature were 2023 tour champion Tim Ward, Sunday night’s feature winner Kollin Hibdon, and local favourite Aaron Turnbull,
Alameda Fish Derby attracts many anglers
he 27th annual Alameda Fish Derby, sponsored by the Souris-Moose Creek Wildlife Federation, took place on Grant Devine Lake on June 27 and saw a lot of action. A catch-and-release jack- shing tournament, with prizes for the largest sh, attracted a total of 165 registered participants, with 134 adults and 31 youths shing on Saturday. A total of 30 sh were weighed.
“Overall it was a nice day with great weather,” said Skylar Antoniuk with the organizing committee. “ ank you to all of the sponsors, donors and volunteers who make this event possible.”
In the adult category, Kevin Frith came in rst with a sh weighing 7.71
pounds. Paul Skoczylas was second with 6.79 lbs weighed in. ird was Adriana Macil with a 6.33lb catch. Glenn Zimmerman came in fourth with a sh of 5.92 lbs. Steven Valentine was fth with 5.57 lbs weighed in. Heath Greening registered a sh weighing 5.35 lbs to claim the sixth spot. Dustin Opfergelt with a 5.34-lb catch was seventh, and Allan Wagner was eighth with a sh weighing 5.16 lbs. Frith also caught the longest sh, which measured 33 inches. e 2024 Alameda Fish Derby winners in the youth category were: Argeen Vanderweld, rst, with 4.3 lbs in sh weight; Bentley Demchuck, second weighing in a 4.12-lb sh; Rex Tello, third, with 3.71 lbs
recorded; Chase Gordon, fourth, registering a 3.4lb catch; Gri ey LaRose,
fth, at 1.64 lbs; and Casey McLean, sixth, bringing in a 1.28-pounder.
who nearly made it despite starting last for his B-main. During the third qualifying heat for the stock cars, several vehicles were involved in an incident that resulted in local racer Chris Hortness’ car rolling several times. Only ve of nine drivers nished the heat race. Estevan is the lone Saskatchewan stop on the tour. e others are in North Dakota. e rst program in Jamestown on Saturday was rained out. Other races are in Minot, Williston, Dickinson and Bismarck; the latter is July 11. e next programs at the Estevan Motor Speedway will be Riley Raynard Dirt Wars on July 20 and 21. e July 20 program will also be Kids’ Night.
e shing part was followed by supper and prize and cash presentations.
Funds raised through the event go to the Alameda Rec Board.
Twins had bizarre ending to home game
e South East U18
AAA Twins encountered a bizarre situation during Saturday’s home game at Lynn Prime Park against the Regina Athletics.
e Twins were down 9-7 in the bottom of the ninth, with one out and runners on second and third. e A’s had a player ejected from the game, and with no players left on their bench, the game was ruled as a forfeit win for the Twins. But the Saskatchewan Premier Baseball League’s rules allowed for the A’s to insert a player back into the game, so the contest will resume July 17 in Regina. en the two teams will meet for a regularly-scheduled game, also in Regina.
Chase Himmelspach nished with four hits, two runs and a run batted in (RBI).
Pitcher Tristan Brownridge didn’t give up a run in two innings of relief.
Earlier in the day, the Twins lost 7-2 to Regina. e Twins led 1-0 in the second, and the game was tied at 2-2
after four innings, but Regina pulled away with four in the fth. Eli Hansen had two of the Twins’ ve hits and scored both of their runs.
Starting pitcher Conner Kerr gave up two runs in four innings for the Twins.
e Twins’ other recent game was a 6-3 win over the Regina Wolfpack on ursday. Caden Dorrance had two hits, two runs and two RBIs to lead the Twins’ offensive attack.
Keaton Husband earned the win on the mound, as he gave up three runs in six innings and struck out ve.
e Twins were slated to visit the Parkland Expos on July 9. (Results were not available at press time). ey will visit the Saskatoon Cubs on July 13 for two games and the Saskatoon Giants the following day.
e Estevan U18 AA Brewers went 4-0 in their rst league games since June 19.
against the Saskatoon Blue Jays. e Brewers had all of the o ence they needed in the rst game with three in the third inning. Mathias Fornwald had a double and three RBIs for the Brewers.
Sutter Baily gave up seven hits and struck out 11 in a complete-game e ort.
e next game saw the Twins score seven in the rst and eight in the third. Ryker Wall scored ve times, and Kristopher Phillips had three hits, three RBIs and two runs. Axton Martin didn’t allow a run in three innings, and he struck out four.
en on Sunday, they defeated the Saskatoon A’s 8-4 and 9-5.
Jayden Kuchinka and Jacob Mayer each had a run, an RBI and three hits. Mayer also picked up the win on the mound, allowing four unearned runs and one hit while striking out 11 in six innings pitched. Estevan raced out to a 7-0 lead in the rst inning of the second game. Fornwald nished with two runs, two RBIs and a hit. He also pitched 4 2/3 innings in relief, giving up two earned runs and two unearned runs
while striking out eight.
e Brewers will visit the Regina Pacers on July 13. •••
e Estevan U15 AA Brewers put up a 4-1 record at a tournament in Melville on the weekend.
ey won twice on Friday, starting with a 12-2 victory against the North Regina Little League All-Stars. Broden Henry led the team with three RBIs, and started for Estevan on the mound and allowed one hit and one run over three innings.
e next game was a 7-6 win against the Macklin Lakers. Estevan was down 5-3 after four innings, but rallied with four runs in the sixth inning to take the lead.
Estevan then won twice on Saturday, defeating the East Central Dodgers 7-3 and the Saskatoon Cardinal Aces 12-9.
e Brewers scored three times in each of the rst and second innings against the Dodgers.
Spencer Skuce had two RBIs for Estevan and also
pitched in relief, not giving up a run. Kale Kuchinka had three hits and ve RBIs in the win over the Aces. Six of Saskatoon’s runs came in the third inning, which gave them a 7-6 advantage at one point, but Estevan recovered with six of their own in the fth. e Brewers su ered their rst loss of the season in league or tournament play in an 18-6 decision against the Saskatoon Braves 15 AA1 team Sunday in the quarter- nal round. Estevan had a 5-4 lead after ve innings, but Saskatoon erupted for eight in the sixth and six more in the seventh.
Cort Barber had two RBIs for the Brewers.
•••
e Estevan U11 AAA Brewers wrapped up their regular season by losing twice, 18-0 and 20-17, against the Regina White Sox on Saturday at Mel Murray Cactus Park. Estevan nished the regular season with a 9-10-3 record.
