Local favourite. Andrew Wahba returns home to Estevan, talks technology.
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Party of the Summer. Find out more about the upcoming DBA Street Dance on PAGE A5
Agri News. Learn about what’s happening in the ag sector.
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Tee time. Estevan women’s OTS Golf Tournament is approaching.
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Well-deserved.
Local volunteer earns great honour from softball association.
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WEDNESDAY, JULY 17, 2024 READ IT ONLINE AT
TheintersectionofFourthStreetand12thAvenueinEstevanhasbeendugupwhileworkoccurs.
By David Willberg
e wet weather in the Estevan area earlier in the spring and summer has caused some delays for the downtown revitalization project in 1100 and 1200 blocks of Fourth Street, but progress is occurring with the project.
In an email to the Mercury and SaskToday, Associate Engineering and ASL Paving said weather has caused about two weeks of delays.
“We are projecting to be done this year still, but that will depend on the weather holding, as well as other factors such as supply of materials, which can be impacted by a number of items,” they said.
In the latest update on the project posted to the city’s website on July 11, it was noted that underground sewer, storm and water mains, and the services to buildings, are the main scopes currently. e work has progressed past the intersection of Fourth Street and 12th Avenue, and there will be work in the 1100 and 1200 blocks of Fourth Street in July.
ASL Paving was engaged for the work as the general contractor, with Turnbull Excavating acting as their underground utilities subcontractor. e underground work started at the intersection of Fourth Street and
11th Avenue earlier in the spring, and has been moving westward.
“Sidewalks remain open with the exception of where service connections are needed to interrupt the access temporarily,” the report states. “Fencing is installed and detours are in place. Back alleys are currently operating as two-way, and functioning, but may be transitioned to one-way later in the project if needed,” the update states.
Front and back access for the Wicklow Centre are still open.
Roadway asphalt has been removed where work has commenced on the 1100-block of Fourth Street. e asphalt on the 1200-block will be progressively removed as the work shifts further west. Aggregates have been salvaged where possible.
Sanitary sewer mains and services have been replaced with new lines from the intersection of Fourth Street and 11th Avenue, up to the intersection of Fourth and 12th. Storm sewer mains have been replaced, with new lines from the intersection of Fourth Street and 11th Avenue, up to approximately the front doors of the Tower Café.
Temporary water services to buildings have been installed, chlorinated, tested and con rmed to be work-
ing for the entire project. New isolation valves are installed and are functioning. Mains and services have been replaced, with new lines from the intersection of Fourth and 11th up to the intersection of Fourth and 12th where they are currently working.
Removals of existing light poles on the 1100 and 1200 block of Fourth has been completed. Strategic lights have been left operating at the Orpheum eatre to allow for lighting of evening shows.
ASL and Associated Engineering say they have had regular communication with the businesses and the Downtown Business Association, and the business owners remain very positive about the project.
“We understand that having road access removed could impact businesses, but this was communicated early in the project and the businesses have been very positive to date. We have dealt with issues as they arise, and everyone has been very helpful and great to work with.”
One change has been made to the scope of the project, with the removal of electric vehicle chargers, but it is hoped they could be reinstated if an accessibility grant application is successful.
According to information posted on the city’s website,
water and sewer mains and services are to be replaced, and the roadway base and sidewalks are to be completed in July for the 1100-block of Fourth Street. Landscaping, roadway paving and electrical work are to be completed in August.
For the 1200-block of Fourth Street, water and sewer mains and services are to be replaced in August, and the roadway base is to be nished. Sidewalks and electrical are slated for a September completion.
Landscaping and roadway paving would happen in October.
As for site nishings, furniture, light poles, asphalt, line painting, and clean up and demobilization would happen in October.
As was noted in May, contamination was discovered at the intersection of Fourth Street and 11th Avenue as part of another project, and the contamination has been excavated and hauled to an approved disposal facility through the other project.
Initial drilling results found some indication of contamination at the intersection of Fourth Street and 13th Avenue, but not above levels of concern. Associated Engineering has been monitoring the contamination removal work, and will evaluate the area to see if any action needs to be taken.
By David Willberg
Souris-Moose Moun-
tain MP Robert Kitchen is re ecting fondly on his time as the riding’s MP. Kitchen announced on July 8 that he will not seek another term in the role in the next federal election, expected to happen in 2025. Kitchen was rst elected to the post in 2015, and was re-elected in 2019 and 2021.
He will remain the MP until the next election.
Kitchen stated last fall that he planned to seek re-election, but he said that was when he thought there could be an election in late 2023 or sometime in 2024. Now he anticipates Canadians won’t go to the polls until the next scheduled date in the fall of 2025, at the earliest.
“When we win that next election, then that’s another four years down the road,” Kitchen said in an interview with the Mercury and SaskToday.
Spending time with his family also factored into
his decision.
“I have deprived my family, over the past 10 years, of so much, from having the opportunity to be there for my wife, who is my best friend, from my kids and my grandkids,” said an emotional Kitchen. When his children played a sport, Kitchen stressed the importance of being committed until the season was nished. en they could decide if they wanted to continue the next year.
“But in between there, if your friends are going south for a winter vacation, you’re still playing hockey. You’re still gure skating. And that’s something I believe in. And I wouldn’t want to turn around … halfway through the next election, or after the election, and say I want to leave,” said Kitchen. e party has already started the nomination process, so even if a snap election were to be triggered before the end of this year, Kitchen said he wouldn’t be running.
Serving as the MP had a lot of highs and a lot of lows, Kitchen said. He was hoping to eventually sit on the government side of the House of Commons, but he will wind up being an opposition MP for his entire tenure. It was tough
deciding to retire considering the Tories currently hold a large lead in the polls.
“It was a decision that I’m comfortable with, and it was the right decision,” said Kitchen.
As for the highs, the
election victories were memorable. He had the highest percentage of the vote in Canada in 2021 at 76.4 per cent and the second-highest in 2019 at 84.4 per cent. Winning the rst election in 2015 was also exciting.
He said he was always eager to talk to his constituents, but it was tough when he couldn’t see them face to face during the restrictions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Souris-Moose Mountain is a massive riding at 43,000 square kilometres, and it’s only going to get bigger for the next election.
“We have our coal miners. We have our SaskPower workers. We have our energy workers. We have our oil and gas workers. We have our agriculture in our faming and we have our ranchers. We have potash,” said Kitchen.
“And then we have so many communities with so many small businesses that provide such a great service to this area, and I have wanted and enjoyed
that opportunity to try to do my best to keep that population and that base here,” said Kitchen. Kitchen believes it will be important for the new Tory candidate to be someone who lives within the riding. He faced parachute candidates for the Liberals in each of his three elections, and also had to go against someone from the NDP who didn’t live in the constituency. ose who live in the riding have a rm grasp about its needs.
“I’ve made it my e ort to get out to every community as often as I can, and that’s often [going to be] a huge toll … on the family, and it will be a huge impact on them, by having to put on all of those miles, and getting out to talk and learn from people, so that they’re learning something new every day. at’s something I’ve always believed in, that I needed to learn something new everyday.”
Further updates on the nomination race can be found on our provincial news hub at sasktoday.ca.
It didn’t take long for candidates to emerge in the race to be the Conservative Party of Canada’s candidate for Souris-Moose Mountain in the next federal election.
Steven Bonk, who has been the MLA for the Moosomin constituency since 2016, announced his desire to seek the nomination July 8 – the same day that incumbent SourisMoose Mountain MP Robert Kitchen revealed he would not seek re-election in the next federal vote.
Two days after Bonk’s declaration, Torquay Mayor Michael Strachan did the same.
Bonk said he was excited to be seeking the nomination for Souris-Moose Mountain in the next federal election.
“I was proud to be co-captain of Pierre Poilievre’s Saskatchewan team during his leadership race. His vision and commitment to conservative principles resonate deeply with the values we hold here in Saskatchewan. I am thrilled at the opportunity
to join his team and help replace Justin Trudeau with a prime minister that is a champion for Saskatchewan,” said Bonk in a press release.
He noted that he will not be seeking re-election in the provincial election to be held this fall.
Bonk feels the province is well-represented by Premier Scott Moe and the Saskatchewan Party, who he says have been dedicated to addressing the needs and priorities of residents.
“However, it’s also crucial that we have a strong, consistent voice advocating for our province at the federal level to ensure our interests are e ectively represented in Ottawa,” he said.
“Now, I humbly ask for the continued trust and support of the people in southeastern Saskatchewan so that I may represent and advocate for you in Ottawa.
I am committed to being a strong voice for our region, ensuring that our needs are not only heard but prioritized at the federal level.
“I also want to extend my heartfelt thanks to Dr.
Robert Kitchen for his exemplary service to the constituents of Souris-Moose Mountain. He has consistently served with honor and integrity, always prioritizing the best interests of our province and nation,” Bonk said.
He was elected as the MLA for Moosomin in 2016 and was re-elected in 2020. He lived in Europe for nearly a decade, where he was the managing director of livestock-based enterprises and worked as a management consultant to help companies grow and solve strategic chal-
lenges with the transition to a free-market economy, particularly in post-Soviet countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
He speaks several languages, facilitating his participation with international roundtable panels.
As for Strachan, with more than a decade serving the people of Torquay, he said he has a proven track record of being what he called “a strong, common-sense local leader”.
“Having been asked to run by residents and business leaders in the riding, I am pleased to announce my
candidacy for the riding of Souris-Moose Mountain,” Strachan said. “Together we can build a stronger, more common sense-focused and fairer Canada for everyone.”
In addition to serving as mayor of Torquay, Strachan is on the board of directors of the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.
“As a municipal leader, I understand that common sense is key to bringing home solutions that work for everyone,” Strachan said.
First elected as mayor of Torquay in 2009, Strachan said he has worked alongside all levels of government, including rural municipalities, provincial MLAs and federal MPs to ensure that southern Saskatchewan received its fair share of investment and support from all levels of government.
Strachan has worked in the coal mines in the Estevan area for much of his adult life.
“Our energy industry
is the envy of the world,” he said. “We need to send a clear message to Ottawa that there is no such thing as a just transition. e workers in Saskatchewan’s energy industry are some of the hardest working people. If selected as the candidate for the Conservative Party of Canada, I will not forget about the hard-working men and women in our energy industry who work around the clock to ensure Canada has access to the safest and most reliable energy.”
In his announcement, Strachan acknowledged Kitchen for his e orts.
“Dr. Robert Kitchen has been a strong supporter of local needs and issues over the last 10 years. His strong advocacy for not only our region but Saskatchewan as a whole will be missed. I hope to continue the great work he has done on behalf of the people of Saskatchewan,” Strachan said. Strachan also ran for the Tory nomination in SourisMoose Mountain for the 2015 election, but he and ve others lost to Kitchen.
Reagan Martin, a recent graduate of the Midale Central School, has received a $4,000 Youth Leadership Award from Conexus Credit Union.
He was one of six students from around the province to receive the scholarship.
According to information on the Conexus Credit Union website, Martin demonstrated leadership by being an active volunteer for many
community events and causes, such as assisting with the Midale rodeo and events at Midale’s Harry O Memorial Arena; by volunteering as a mentor for minor hockey; and by being an active member and mentoring younger members in the Cymri 4-H Beef Club.
“I take huge pride in the community I was raised in and look forward to spending many years to come, helping
our little community thrive,” he said.
In applying for this leadership award, his nominators said, “Reagan consistently demonstrates an impressive work ethic, dedication and a positive attitude. When Reagan is around, he can make a bad day good and a good day better.”
He will be attending Saskatchewan Polytechnic’s Saskatoon campus for the school’s welding
program, and after completing the course, his goal is to have a career in that eld in some fashion, with possible options including pipeline, mining or custom welding.
e Conexus awards are allocated to graduating high school students from across the province who are making a positive impact in their communities through their leadership and volunteerism.
By David Willberg
Andrew Wahba’s interests took him around the world before bringing him back to Saskatchewan, and he remains grateful he is from Estevan.
Wahba returned to his hometown on ursday night to deliver his speech, From Estevan to the World: Global Career Building with Local Roots, during an Innovation Conversation at the Southeast College’s Estevan campus. Approximately 30 people were in attendance, including students from a computer science program at the college. e Innovation Conversation series is a partnership between the college and the Southeast TechHub.
Wahba, who is the CEO of Variable Hub Software and the executive director of Tech Career Bridge, said it was nice to come back to Estevan and see some familiar faces, and he is pleased to see the focus on innovation currently happening in the Energy City. He comes home regularly, as he is in Regina, he still has some family in the Estevan area and his wife is from North Portal.
He explained how he wound up working in the technology world, but the focus was on his two current ventures.
“Variable Hub is a software platform that’s in the governance space, and it’s used for multi-stakeholder compliance. And then on the other side is Tech Career Bridge. at was more of a focus because it’s a project that we’re doing down in Estevan, to try
to help people in career transitions and to look at di erent opportunities that could be out there for them that align with their skills and competencies and interests, and then providing them with personalized pathways for upscaling.”
He’ll spend six months teaming with the Southeast Saskatchewan Economic Partnership on career transitions through Tech Career Bridge. He talked about the process, the technology in use, how they’re incorporating arti cial intelligence into that process and associated highs and lows.
“It started just as this idea of how could we connect newcomers to jobs in tech spaces in Regina, but only recently have we really been leaning into using AI to do that, and it’s been catching speed quite quickly because it’s a really e ective tool to help people nd jobs and understand their competencies and skills better,” he said.
Tech Career Bridge is a non-pro t organization that was launched about 18 months, and Variable Hub is a company about seven years old that Wahba joined just over two years ago.
Wahba said he has a lot of friends from Estevan in the tech sector that he has remained in contact with, including some who are now in Regina.
“ ere are so many Estevan ties, and it comes up a lot in the community and even from other people in Regina, they’ll remark on how many people are from Estevan and the di erent
AndrewWahbareturnedhometoEstevantospeakat thelatestInnovationConversationattheSoutheast College.PhotobyTaniaHlohovskyAndrist
things that they’re doing,” said Wahba.
ose people have been instrumental in changes he has made in his career. Wes Jickling is one of those people who, like Wahba, has lived and worked abroad; Jickling was at one time the CEO of Innovation Saskatchewan. Steve Dawson is somebody that Wahba has turned to for tech-related questions, and James Turner from Midale introduced Wahba to another opportunity from a business perspective.
Wahba said he has embraced new challenges and seen them as opportunities. He spent time travelling and working in international development and always wanted to try
something new.
“Tech is a place where it’s very challenging to be successful, and you have to be resilient and persistent, and maybe a bit crazy, but I really enjoy it,” he said with a laugh.
Tania Hlohovsky Andrist, the executive director of innovation and applied research at the college, said Wahba has been well travelled and his experiences have translated into the technology sector.
“Andrew was very inspirational to our computer science students who were in attendance last night, and he framed it as a story of a personal journey that led him to where he is today,” said Hlohovsky Andrist.
e St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation has paid tribute to an Estevan couple for their immense generosity.
A grand opening was held July 9 at the hospital for Tom and Irma’s Café , honouring the life and philanthropy of the late Tom and Irma Tro menko . Foundation executive director Lori Gervais spoke at the dedication and then cake was served.
“ ey were regulars here and they were very familiar faces to all of us here at the hospital,” said Gervais. “I started in 2018 and they were here almost every day for lunch, so we had quite an opportunity to sit and visit and hear about their travels. ey visited with sta , and we had others come in and have lunch with them as well.”
Once or twice a year, Tom and Irma stopped by with a donation to the hospital foundation. Gervais described them as friendly, generous and passionate about local health care, and they always wanted to have their donation go where it was needed the most.
Tom and Irma Tromenko passed away within a few months of each
other in 2020. After their deaths, it was revealed they left estate donations to a number of causes, including the foundation, the St. Joseph’s Healthcare Auxiliary, the new Estevan Regional Nursing Home Committee and the Hospitals of Regina Foundation.
In 2021, they were posthumously recognized with an Outstanding Legacy Philanthropy Award by the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) South Saskatchewan chapter.
e Tro menko s were married for 47 years. ey travelled to more than 50 countries around the world, but always called Estevan home and were proud supporters of the community.
A dedication inside Tom and Irma’s Café pays tribute to the couple and has Irma’s hand-written letters and photos of their travels. A map of the world shows countries they visited, and their bio states they enjoyed 100 river and 500 ocean cruise days.
“ ey were very unassuming people and the most generous people I’ve ever met,” said Gervais.
Tom and Irma’s family were very supportive of having the cafeteria named after the couple, Gervais said.
“We wanted to specically share their story, and for sta , everyone was used to Tom and Irma being around and I feel like this way they are still there.”
Gervais said naming
the cafeteria after the Tromenko s was a perfect way to honour the couple because it was where you could nd them. While Irma spent some time living in the hospital’s longterm care unit, most of their hospital meals came while they were living in the community. Gervais noted that be-
fore the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a lot of people who came for lunch at the hospital. Several upgrades were completed at the cafeteria through the Tro menko s’ support, including painting, replacing ceiling tiles, adding the dedication wall, and adding new covers for the chairs. ey were cos-
metic changes, but they helped improve the appearance of the eating area.
“People are very appreciative, and I think just having the story of Tom and Irma on the wall, even people who aren’t aware can spend some time and really see why it’s called Tom and Irma’s Café,” said Gervais.
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e recent announcement by Robert Kitchen that he would not seek another term as Souris-Moose Mountain’s MP likely came as a surprise to many, but maybe it shouldn’t have.
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Kitchen has held the role since 2015, and said last fall that he would seek another term as MP.
You can forgive many people for asking what gives, but when you take a step back and look at the full picture, you understand why Kitchen is retiring from politics.
For starters, he’s not a young man. If the next election were to happen next fall as scheduled, and if the elected government serves a full four-year term, then Kitchen would be our MP for another ve years. And as Kitchen stated in an interview, he has always emphasized the need to nish what you start – an admirable attitude we wish more people had these days. He wouldn’t want to retire midway through the term.
It would be another ve years of travelling from Estevan to Ottawa on a weekly basis for most of the year. at’s another ve years of long days with little time o . Say what you will about our elected o cials in Ottawa, but when you’re an MP, you won’t have many weeks in which you work 40 hours or less, and you are never really able to take a break from the work, at least not in this day and age.
Souris-Moose Mountain isn’t an easy riding to represent, either. It’s a several-hour
drive from the northeast corner in the Moosomin-Rocanville area to the southwest area around Coronach.
And if Kitchen were to successfully run again, and if the following election didn’t happen until 2029, it would mean another ve years away from his family. At a time when he friends would be enjoying the fruits from their years of hard work, Kitchen would be staring those long days in Ottawa in the face, and doing it while away from his wife, children and grandchildren.
Kitchen has been an e ective advocate for our constituency since he was rst elected in 2015. Often his thoughts have fallen on deaf ears in Ottawa, the Tories have been in opposition to a Liberal government with harmful policies towards the mining and the oil and gas sectors. And frankly, most in the Liberal government don’t know the rst thing about rural life and agriculture, unless they found it on the internet.
It’s still important for an MP to bring forward the views and the needs of the constituency, even if the government doesn’t want to hear them.
You have to think Kitchen was excited about the prospect of being in government rather than opposition, thanks to the strong possibility of the Tories knocking o the Liberals in the next election, but even the chance to be in government wasn’t enough to get him to stick around.
Kitchen has said he’ll remain the MP until the end of this term, but the Tories aren’t wasting time in nding their candidate for Souris-Moose Mountain for the next federal election. A couple of people – Moosomin MLA Steven Bonk and Torquay Mayor Mike Strachan – have announced their intention of replacing Kitchen. Bonk’s announcement drew more attention in the provincial media because he’s a sitting MLA, but those in the southeast can also vouch for Strachan’s e ectiveness as a mayor and a politician. Anyone who enters the race will need to be prepared to ght hard for the nomination. After all, this riding has traditionally voted for right-wing candidates. Since the modern riding of Souris-Moose Mountain was created in 1988, just one non-conservative candidate, the late Bernie Collins with the Liberals in 1993, has won this riding. And Collins’ victory was also the closest in the riding’s history at about 500 votes.
When Kitchen rst became an MP, his toughest ght was for the nomination in 2014, and not the actual election. It’s why this nomination will be such an interesting process. And the victor would not only be the favourite to win this riding in the next election, but could be part of the government, creating opportunities for this riding that don’t exist with the current federal Liberals.
It was a shocking scene.
Former U.S. president Donald Trump was grazed by a bullet around his ear during an assassination attempt at a Trump presidential campaign stop on Saturday. You could hear people screaming as more shots rang out. Later, a bloodied Trump de antly walked away from the scene.
Two people, including the shooter, were killed in the incident. Two more were injured.
ere have been lots of discussions on a variety of topics since the incident, including how the shooter found himself in a position to re on Trump, but there’s one thing all sound-minded people should agree on: violence and threats against politicians need to come to an end.
I’m not a Trump fan. I’m not a fan of current U.S. President Joe Biden, either. I join those who question how a country like the U.S. – the most powerful nation on the planet, with a population of more than 330 million – can deliver those two as the candidates for president for the second straight election. If I had a vote for president, I’d be researching extensively on third-party candidates.
But Trump didn’t deserve to be shot at, nor does he deserve to be threatened. Biden doesn’t deserve it, either. Nor does any legitimately-elected o cial at any level in Canada or the U.S. or anywhere else.
It’s becoming more di cult to be an elected o cial, regardless of whether it’s the president of the U.S., the prime minister of Canada, the leader of an opposition party, an MP, MLA, governor, senator, mayor, reeve, councillor, school board trustee or anyone else.
Violence against politicians is nothing
David Willberg Willberg’s World
new. ey’ve been victims of assassination attempts – both failed and successful – for centuries. But ask those who have been around for a long time, and they’ll tell you the abuse and the threats are getting worse and more frequent.
Social media – and certain people who use these platforms – deserve much of the blame. Some people think they can post anything on Facebook, X, Tik Tok and elsewhere with impunity. ey used some fabricated identity rather than attaching their real name to their comments.
For them, it’s not just about criticism or trying to get a response. With the means they have to direct comments at people, they will make threats and libelous and slanderous comments.
(Social media platforms haven’t exactly done much to deter this kind of embarrassing behaviour).
e sorts of comments that used to be kept to the privacy of someone’s home, a phone call or possibly co ee row are now being aired in public.
It’s not just elected o cials that are getting the brunt of the abuse. eir families, their sta members and other employees are being targeted with false and abusive statements.
Some people will chant to have someone locked up for the heinous crime of disagreeing with them, while others want to have the
government overthrown and have someone they like in power. Again, this isn’t how democracy works.
Taking it one step further, we’ve also seen instances in which people have boycotted a business, or stopped supporting a non-pro t, because of the involvement of an elected ocial. Granted, there are some truly egregious decisions that might require a boycott (such as a criminal action or an abuse of power) but often the boycott will be, again, because of the crime of disagreement.
We’ve also seen instances in which an elected o cial has been banned from a business because the owner doesn’t agree with a decision.
None of these are healthy actions. I want to see talented, forward-thinking people running for elected positions. If an entrepreneur thinks being on council will negatively a ect their business, it might deter that person from running. If someone thinks being on a school board might result in insults or even threats against their family, they might not run.
Perhaps the current polarized political climate in the U.S. is a factor in why Trump and Biden are the best the Republicans and the Democrats, respectively, can give us. ere’s always room for disagreement, debate and constructive criticism in politics and democracy. e ability to disagree is vital to society. But it needs to happen in a thoughtful, informed fashion.
A lot of what we hear now is very troubling.
And when we see shots red at a presidential candidate, it reminds us of how dangerous it can be for someone who wants to run for o ce.
| Wednesday, July 17, 2024 |
One of the most popular events of the year in Estevan is set to make its return.
e Estevan Downtown Business Association’s (DBA) Street Dance – selected as the Most Popular Event of the Year in the Estevan Mercury’s Readers’ Choice Best of Estevan Awards – will happen on July 20 at the Estevan Leisure Centre’s parking lot. Saskatchewan country music singer Lisa Moen will be the entertainment.
A change of location was necessary this year due to the downtown revitalization project happening in the 1100 and 1200 blocks of Fourth Street.
“We wanted, rst and foremost, to make sure that we could have this event once again, so we were really happy we were able to nd a place,” said Robert Godfrey with Lemon Wedge Marketing.
Godfrey noted the area has su cient parking and it will still be a central location.
Street Dance will have a similar setup to previous years when it was held in the Tower Café parking lot and the 1100-block of Fourth. is year the stage will be set up on the north side of the leisure centre parking lot and face south.
e bar will be on the western fence at the edge of the parking lot. e entrance to the event will be on the eastern side. Picnic tables will be set up in the middle.
Godfrey predicted the concert stage and the other amenities shouldn’t interfere with people who want to use the Estevan Leisure Centre on July 20 and 21, since about half of the parking lot will be used.
“ e area is only taking up just a portion of the parking lot, so when we
were planning to move it to A nity Place, we did measurements of the existing space on Fourth Street, and did measurements at the A nity Place parking lot.” e available square footage is a little more than what they had on Fourth Street.
He described Moen as an “incredibly talented musician” from the Saskatoon area who has played some big shows, such as Country under. She has hosted pre-concert parties and opened for big names like the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. She won the 2019 Saskatchewan Country Music Association’s Person of the Year Award.
“I think people are really going to like her mix of country, pop and rock music,” said Godfrey.
While trying to select the performer for this year’s Street Dance, Godfrey said they reviewed a
lot of videos from her live shows, and he described her as a party-starter who has a lot of energy on stage, and comes with a full band.
“ ey connect really well and they put on one heck of a show,” said Godfrey.
Godfrey said they could still use a few more volunteers to help with working in the bar or with cleanup. Details can be found on the Downtown Business Association Facebook page.
Tickets are available at Henders Drugs in downtown Estevan. For the rst time, tickets can be purchased online at tickets.downtownestevan.ca. Godfrey is con dent they will have 1,000 to 1,500 people in attendance.
Funds raised during street dance go to the Downtown Business Association and the events and initiatives it o ers throughout the year.
Grants totaling more than $1.3 million have been awarded to 55 projects that will improve tra c safety in 49 communities across Saskatchewan.
e grants are coming from the Provincial Tra c Safety Fund and will fund projects that focus on different aspects of tra c and pedestrian safety. Provincial Tra c Safety Fund grants range from $1,148 to $100,000.
In the southeast, the Town of Arcola received $18,402 for improving trafc safety and visibility; the RM of Browning received $7,023 for intersection awareness; and the Town of Redvers received $28,280 for a speed radar project.
Provincial Tra c Safety Fund grants are awarded to communities twice a year, using proceeds from photo speed enforcement. With this latest round of grants, $11.5 million has been pro-
vided through the Provincial Tra c Safety Fund since its establishment in 2019.
Applications are currently being accepted for the next round of funding. e deadline is Sept. 30. Eligible tra c safety initiatives must focus on speeding, impaired driving, distracted driving, aggressive driving, vulnerable road users, medically-at-risk drivers, occupant protection and intersection safety.
Applications are reviewed by a committee made up of representatives from the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association, the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities, the Prince Albert Grand Council, the Saskatchewan Association of Chiefs of Police, the Ministry of Justice, SGI, and the Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure.
Infrastructure across the province will bene t from
signi cant improvements, thanks to the combined investment of more than $327.8 million from the federal and provincial governments.
SaskPower’s distributed generation enablement project will result in new power lines and improvements to substations to enable new generation projects, including wind and solar facilities. is work will help enable low- and non-emitting power generation in the province.
Among the bene ciaries
will be the RM of Cambria, the Village of Halbrite and the City of Estevan. e federal government is kicking in $9.1 million, while the municipalities will provide a combined $9.1 million.
Also, there will be $35 million from each of the provincial and federal governments to the Town of Alameda for tailwater mitigation on Grant Devine Lake. It will result in replacing a downstream ow restriction from the lake’s spillway to pass beyond the Canadian Paci c
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Railway crossing, as well as designing and constructing of a temporary new embankment for the installation of a bridge across the valley.
e Village of Kenosee Lake will receive $390,000 from each level of government for Moose Mountain Provincial Park Wastewater treatment upgrades. It will assess sewage disposal and treatment needs, identify upgrade options, and conrm the nal approach for the sewage lagoon improvements.
e Town of Stoughton and the RM of Tecumseh received support for a main water line replacement and truck ll station. It will replace the supply main with a new expanded one. e new main will supply a raw water truck ll station, which will be used for agriculture and livestock, and to support emergency response.
e federal commitment is $1,241,040, the provincial share is $1,034,097 and the municipal amount is $827,463.
•Light
•Staining
•Deck
•Skidsteerwork.
•Auger
By Stephanie Zoer
Inga Hill has lived in the Stoughton area all her life, beginning on a farm 19 kilometres west of Stoughton with her parents Kristjan and Royal Bjarnason.
It was Hill’s mother who got her involved in the Stoughton Agricultural Society fair at the age of eight, bringing in garden produce and baking, while her father brought in grain for the fair.
Hill was incredibly involved in farm life and when she was old enough to marry, she and her husband Carman Hill bought a farm in 1959 southwest of Stoughton.
Hill raised her three sons, Earl, Bradley, and Harvey on this section of land, and now over 65 years later has slowed down in farming, as her son Harvey took over the work.
To add to this group, they have nine grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren. eir farm was considered a mixed farm as they had cattle, chickens and planted di erent grains, and harvested their own hay.
Hill knows all about the farm and helped wherever she was needed, whether it was driving equipment or bringing meals out to the elds.
rough this, she raised her boys and had a large vegetable garden. To this day, she does the books for the farm.
One time, while she was at an event, the Ministry of Agriculture recruitment team was on hand and had a booth looking for volunteers to do a weekly crop report.
Hill was asked if she might be willing to try this and she thought why not, since she lived on a farm
Fromleft,IngaHillreceivesher25yearsofcrop reportingawardfromAgricultureMinister
PhotobyEarlHill
and drove past many elds lled with di erent crops.
On June 18 at Regina’s Atlas Hotel, a service award ceremony and luncheon were held to honour 20 volunteers for years of service.
Hill received her 25
DavidMarit
years of service award from Saskatchewan Agriculture Minister David Marit for her crop reporting.
“I love the farm life and everything that has to do with it,” said Hill.
Over the 25 years, Hill has placed 1,300 calls,
with one call each Tuesday during the season. She hopes to remain a crop reporter for another ve years.
Hill was very honoured to receive this recognition and has enjoyed the job.
ere is a certain way that crop reporting needs to be completed, and it includes a form that is lled out weekly.
Rainfall is measured through a gauge and topsoil moisture is measured with a special stick that is inserted into the ground.
Crop development for cereal grains is measured from the rst seedling, which is the rst left to appear until the fth leaf. After this the ag leaf appears and is the last leaf to show up before the crop goes into head.
Spring cereal, ax, canola/mustard and pulse crops are recorded similarly, and hay crops are also evaluated. Presently they
are slightly behind due to the rain and cooler weather.
Crops are evaluated on their conditions as dryness, moisture and height. Last year was a terrible year for crops, said Hill, as it was so dry.
If a person sees her parked on the side of the road and walking a short distance into a eld, she is working on her report.
At the age of 86, Hill is a busy woman. She has volunteered for the Stoughton Ag. Society for many years and is the treasurer, and helps at the New Hope Pioneer Lodge with activities, as her husband is a resident there. She loves to bake and often bakes goods for silent auctions at the lodge or for other events. She admits that she is slower now, and is getting tired, but she enjoys her life and plans to continue as long as health will allow.
By David Willberg
e hail storm that pelted the Estevan area in late June resulted in a lot of calls to Municipal Hail Insurance (MHI) from farmers who sustained damage to their crops.
MHI chief executive ofcer Rodney Schoettler said this year is the busiest they have been for this time of year in the past ve years. As of ursday morning, MHI had 1,632 claims submitted from across the province. ose numbers would not re ect any calls stemming from a series of storms that struck the southeast corner of the province on Sunday.
e bulk of the claims for MHI came on June 23 and 24, when hail blasted the Estevan area during the overnight hours. Of the 925 claims for those two days, approximately 350, or roughly 37 per cent, were from the Estevan reporting area, which includes RMs 1-5 and 31-35.
“If you look at our o ce, because of the way we handle claims and the service we provide, we probably get 200 phone calls per day, so we have a bit of a team here, like a call centre, that we let people le claims by telephone,” said Schoettler. “We accept claims by fax and we accept claims by email, but we still get a lot of phone calls.”
It takes about seven to 10 days to get the claim ready to go to an adjuster, who then heads out to the eld.
“It’s probably going to take them 14 days to get those claims adjusted,” said Schoettler.
e highest volume of claims was in the area from Estevan to Midale.
“What I say is abnormal … is the volume of hail we got in that area,” said Schoettler. “It hit that area a little harder than we’d be expecting.”
In a normal year, MHI would receive roughly 800 claims by the end of June. is year there were 1,200, and hundreds more have come forward in July.
Farmers have been purchasing more coverage per acre this year, he said, which places more pressure on the dollar value. Instead of buying $300 per acre, they’re going with $400 per acre, and he added a lot of companies have reached their capacity limits.
“It’s been an industry where it’s ourishing right now, I’d say. ere’s been a lot of demand for our product, which is a good thing, and then we’ve had a lot of early storms,” said Schoettler.
TheEstevanareawashit hardbyahailstorm inlateJune. Photosubmitted
He believes producers are buying more coverage due to rising input costs and the expense associated with growing the crop. Farmers will also think about whether they have a good or a bad crop. “June had a lot of moisture in it, so that crop has a lot more potential than last year when it was a bit drier, so they’re going to insure it for a little more. So, when people make a decision to buy hail insurance, the rst thing [they ask] is what does it cost me to grow it, and then what does my opportunity cost based on how good of a crop I have?” e late-June storm caused considerable damage in the city of Estevan as well as the hail struck homes and vehicles with the large hail.
Estevan city council gave rst reading to a bylaw for a new daycare in the city during council’s meeting on Monday night.
e proposed facility would be located on three undeveloped residential lots on Wellock Road. Second and third reading would be needed before the day care can proceed. Mayor Roy Ludwig said the city de nitely needs another day care.
In a report to council, land development services manager Richard Neufeld wrote that zoning would also include a consolidation of the three lots into a single parcel.
“After a preliminary technical assessment of the project, land development services and city engineering are con dent that the proposed development can be serviced with road access and utilities without any adverse impacts on adjoining lands,” Neufeld wrote.
“ is topic will be more closely examined during the development permit process. Detailed design plans are expected in later July of this year.”
e city received the conceptual design for the building’s exterior on Monday. Neufeld said the drawings could be included for public consultations.
“ e design we have is for the external part of the building,” Neufeld said. “It doesn’t include the parking lot. It doesn’t include landscaping or anything like that.”
Neufeld noted the bylaw is prepared in a manner that requires a development permit for a day care to be issued. If council determines after consideration that a day care is not appropriate in this location, the rezoning bylaw would automatically fail and the land would remain residential.
“ is allows for a thorough evaluation of servicing requirements as well as other land use considerations during the development permit process.
Second and third reading would occur at a future meeting. Neufeld noted a public hearing would also be needed.
Council also approved the relocation of the potable water ll station.
A report from Shane Bucsis, the city’s former manager of water and wastewater services, said the RM of Estevan plans to repair a bridge in poor condition that is west of the water treatment plant, but the RM asked the city to move the water treatment plant to reduce the wear and tear on the bridge.
“With considerations for increased tra c, large demand for water in a single location and a pressure drop when trucks are lling, city administration has looked at alternate locations that would have limited negative impact to residences, businesses or city operations,” Bucsis wrote.
“ e location that meets all these quali cations is north of the Highway 18 lift station on the service road. e roadway is already constructed for heavy trafc with the ability to easily construct a turnaround area, and hydrant leads o the Wellock ll line to eliminate pressure drops within the city when the station is in use.”
Ludwig said this is something the city and the RM have been talking about for over a year and he believes it makes sense. He described this as a win-win for council and the RM. Coun. Kirsten Walliser wanted to know if there was a risk if this were to be deferred until the 2025 budget deliberations, since this was an unbudgeted expense. Ludwig said it wouldn’t happen until next year, and with the current condition of the bridge, it would be best to happen now.
A building with footings and new electrical service would need to be constructed, and the current hydrant and installation of new piping. e city would then be able to transfer all the controls of the current ll station to the new location. e projected cost was $50,000.
e current water division manager, Matt Angell, noted the city is looking at other options. e building that was proposed would likely take a month to contructs, but now that they’re looking at tying into a pre-existing building, it would likely take a couple of weeks and save money.
Ludwig said it’s a good idea because it would shorten the timeline and reduce the cost.
Walliser voted against the motion.
Angell also led his monthly water quality report for the rst time. He noted the city treated more than 131 million litres of water and pumped nearly 125 million litres into the distribution system for the month. ere were no plant upsets and all regulated parameters for drinking water were met.
In June, the city had a Water Security Agency inspection at the wastewater plant and collection system. ere were no operational issues to note, Angell said, and everything was in good working order.
“We have one longstanding de ciency with
the amount of storm and sanitary sewer lines we have crossed in the city. We have a plan to address it and have applied for federal funding to complete the project.” e water security o -
e Government of Saskatchewan’s rst subsurface mineral public o ering of the 2024-25 scal year, held on July 8, generated $5,935,425 in revenue, thanks to interest in lithium’s potential. Of the 18 subsurface permits posted for this o ering, 16 received acceptable bids covering 39,650.88 hectares. e permits, which are prospective for lithium, are located primarily in southeast Saskatchewan.
Synergy Land Services Ltd. spent $3,928,901 to acquire 11 permits covering a total of 29,292.46 hectares. e permits are between
Stoughton, Arcola and Lampman.
e highest bid also went to Synergy Land Services Ltd., which o ered $976,229 for a 7,413.52-hectare block northeast of Lampman.
Millennium Land Ltd. bid $1,974,126 to acquire four permits for a total of 9,061.05 hectares between Stoughton and Arcola.
In west-central Saskatchewan, NRG LandSolutions Inc. bid $32,397 to acquire one permit southeast of Kerrobert, encompassing 1,297.37 hectares.
Lithium is one of the 27 critical minerals that occur in Saskatchewan that will
JobTitle: IS&T Field Support Analyst
Location: Estevan, SK
Closing Date: August 5, 2024
AboutKingston Midstream:
If you aspiretobeacollaborative member of adynamic, growing organization, look no further than Kingston Midstream! At Kingston, we are driven to create value everyday.Our Guiding Principles arethe foundation to ourculture:Weare lear ning andimproving, we careabout people and relationship, we areproblem solvers and decision makers, we arecollaborators, we are accountable. We know our employeesare the primary drivers behind our growthand success and we rewardtheir commitment by offering opportunities for development, advancement, and acomprehensive and competitive benefits and compensation package
Job Overview
We arecurrentlyrecruiting for an IS&T Field Support Analyst to join our collaborative and diverse End User Support team. Reporting to the Lead, EndUserSupport,the successful candidate will provide operationalsupport to KingstonMidstream’scorporate, field and SCADA/ICS environments. This field support role will be exposed to all facets and functions of IT operations and will be responsible for supporting end user computing devices, meeting room technologies, Microsoft 365 services, servers, networks,ITsecurity andfield communications.
Position Responsibilities
•Develop and maintain credible and effective working relationshipsthat demonstrate an understanding of business problems, IT strategies, issuesand priorities.
•Install, configure, maintain, troubleshoot and support desktop hardware,softwareand critical technology including field communications.
•Performon-siteand/or remoteanalysis, diagnosis, and resolution of complex technology problems; recommend and implement corrective solutions.
• Administerand provide supporttoMicrosoft 365 services, including SharePoint,Teams and InTune.
•Partner with the Infrastructure, Control Center Operations and vendors to support SCADA/ICS Environment.
•Provide IT training to end-users;ensuresuccessful use of ITequipment
• Createand/or facilitate documenting business/technical processes and support documentation.
•Follow and promoteITstandards, policies and procedures.
•Support criticalservices through24x7on-call rotation.
•Travel to field sites within SE Saskatchewan and Manitoba, including remote rural field sites and SCADA/ICS environments.
Working Conditions Working conditions outside of normal office requirements:
•Repeated Mobility Requirementsincluding: bending, lifting, crouching/kneeling, climb stairs.
•Lifting Requirements: ability to lift computer equipment up to 50 lbs.
•Driving Requirements: ability to travel on highway and gravelroadstosupport rural sites.
Skillsand Qualifications
•Post-secondary degree or diplomainComputer Scienceorrelated IT discipline.
• Minimum 5years of industry experience in ITSystems, support,deployment,and associated functions.
• Proven client computing experience, including desktops, laptops, tablets, multifunction devices.
•Working knowledge of Windows operating systemand Microsoft365 with afocus on SharePoint Online, Teams, and OneDrive
•Working knowledge of networking concepts,protocols andservices including routing, switching, TCP/IP,MPLS, VLAN, DNS, DHCP,VPN.
•Experience supportingfieldoperations and communications, specifically PLC, SCADA/ICS, radio andwireless communications.
•Proven experience documenting business requirements, system design, test cases, production changes, along with developing end-usertraining andreference materials.
•Effective verbal and written communicator; with the ability to communicatewith individuals at all levels of technical and non-technicalskills.
•Works well under pressure, time constraints with the ability to prioritize competing priorities.
•Demonstrated ability to self-manage,self-motivate with eager ness to lear n.
• Thrive working in ahigh performing, team-oriented, dynamic andevolving IT team environment
•Possess valid drivers’ license andaclean drivers’ abstract.
We thank all interested candidates; however,only qualified candidates will be contacted, please submit your cover letter and resume on our Careers page www.kingstonmidstream.com/careers.
play a key role in the province achieving the goals set out in Saskatchewan’s Critical Minerals Strategy. Several rms are actively pursuing lithium exploration and pro-
Gail Skikevitch spent nearly 20 years working on Hirsch: A Community History – a new book that documents the community’s history and celebrates those who have called the former Jewish colony home.
Skikevitch started working on the project in 2005 after a reunion for Bienfait Weldon School, held as part of the Saskatchewan centennial celebrations. e Hirsch book went to print in early May, and since it was released, Skikevitch said it has had a great response.
“People were writing history books at that time [in 2005]. It was a popular project. But nothing had been done about Hirsch,” she said in an interview with the Mercury and SaskToday.
After taking a break for a few years to tend to family matters, Skikevitch decided she should nish the project, because if she didn’t, it likely wouldn’t happen. She started calling and interviewing people again, and continued her work until the book was published.
e nished product is just over 1,000 pages, which might seem like a lot for what is now a hamlet, but Skikevitch noted
Hirsch was once a thriving town that was bigger than Estevan.
“I was concerned in the beginning that I wouldn’t have enough information, and of course because a lot of the people in that generation had passed away, I couldn’t get in touch with them anymore,” she said.
Half of the book is about the history of the area, touching on similar topics as most community history books. e second half features stories of the di erent families. She also spoke with people who still live in the community, and Skikevitch said their stories are important.
“ ere is much, much more that I would have liked to have put in. I would have liked to have had more people doing research on those topics, but that was a bit of a challenge because I’m not living in the community,” said Skikevitch, who now resides in Ontario.
“While you can use the internet and email and so on to do almost anything these days, I think it makes a di erence when you can connect rst-hand with people in the community, and that way I might have been able to get more in-
GailSkikevitchholdsacopyoftherecently-released bookHirsch:ACommunityHistory. PhotocourtesyofGailSkikevitch
formation about di erent things, although then it probably would have had to have been put into two books, and that would have been another story altogether,” said Skikevitch.
She was familiar with Hirsch’s history and its deep Jewish roots before embarking on the project, but she still learned a lot during her research. She was particularly interested in how the schools were set up, and how the Hirsch school was struggling be-
cause it had di erent locations.
“In the beginning, the school areas were mapped out, but then, depending on the population, those schools may or may not have been lled,” said Skikevitch, who went to a two-room school in Hirsch when it was new.
When she read the Frobisher history book, the Hirsch school was briefly mentioned. Skikevitch went to the archives in Regina, and found letters by a
rabbi who was instrumental in getting a school moved into Hirsch.
She also pointed out there was also a discussion among the Jewish people in the area who had to travel further to get to school, whether it be walking or by horse.
ose she talked to, particularly from the older generation, found the history book refreshed their memories about things they did in their childhood and people they knew.
“One of the goals of the history book committee is to enable that generation to have that opportunity, because unfortunately many of them now have passed away, and so they need to pass this information onto their children,” said Skikevitch.
People wanted to know about their families’ roots, even if they are no longer in the area.
Skikevitch wrapped up her research on the book about a year ago. She had been trying to update information, such as if someone passed away.
“I realized I really had to stop doing that, because you’ll never nish then, because things are continually being updated.”
Some people died between when she stopped compiling data and when the book was released.
“I wanted it to be as updated as possible, and maybe someone will write a second book,” said Skikevitch, who suggested a second installment should be completed by someone who lives in the community.
“It could be an ongoing project.”
She thanked everyone who agreed to share their story and be part of the project, and who recognize the value of a history book for a community.
“Even when the work was sort of overwhelming, it made it worthwhile in the end,” she said.
Skikevitch said it’s one of the largest history books that Friesen Printers has published. e company has completed a lot over the years, including the Estevan history book, A Tale that is Told.
Most of the copies of the Hirsch book have been distributed through Friesen. She has the balance of the copies, so if someone wants to purchase the book, they can email her at hirschbookforgs@ gmail.com
By Jeannette Betteridge
Residents at Hill View Manor have had lots of reasons to enjoy the summer.
June entertainment was courtesy of the Szakacs Family and Maggie, while the Caragana Ramblers, Wilma and Val, and Keith and Gary will perform in both June and July.
Father’s Day was in June,
so the fathers and grandfathers from the home went to the Souris Valley Museum on June 14. ey enjoyed exploring and viewing the historical items that were on display. Some family members joined the outing. ank you to the museum for the co ee and cookies.
e SMILE Services Parade that kicked o the
Energy City Ex. was once again enjoyed by residents. Some watched it from the big windows inside and others were outside.
We went out to Walmart for shopping and Fired up Grill for lunch on June 20. We also went to the TS&M Woodlawn Golf Course on July 9. is is always very much enjoyed by the residents who attend. Resi-
dents were taken out on carts, and lunch followed the tour.
Our ice cream social for both months is another event that the residents and sta enjoy very much. We had two birthdays in June. Henry Lischka celebrated his 95th birthday, while Ed Fischer turned 87.
Four residents have a birthday in July: Arnold Zimmerman (91), Mary Mack (94), and Mervin Wolgram and Winona Raiwet (88 for both). Happy birthday to all.
Many activities were
planned for June and July for the residents. e rst Wednesday of the month was Catholic mass, followed by the Trinity Lutheran communion in the afternoon. e rst ursday of the month was the residents’ meeting, in which they give feedback on what is going on. e Gospel Chapel comes the third Sunday of the month. Non-denominational devotions for the residents are held Wednesdays in the late afternoon.
We also enjoy exercises, Bingo, card games, indoor
curling, a large dice game, crokinole, bean bag toss and various board games, to list a few.
e Estevan Public Library book exchange is on the second Tuesday of the month.
e last Friday of the month is loonie Bingo, followed by wine and cheese, or fruit punch for anyone not wanting wine. We also said farewell to one of our residents, Millie Culbertson, who passed away at age 97. She will always be remembered for her unforgettable smile.
e Village of Roche Percee has been forced to nd a temporary home after a re damaged its permanent building.
Mayor Jay Riedel said residents spotted the re at around 6 a.m. on July 5. e re didn’t cause a lot of damage, but the village o ce was based out of an ATCO trailer, so the structure will likely have to be replaced.
“ e North Portal and the Portal Fire Department responded, and they ascertained that it was due to lightning strikes from the storm the night before,” said Riedel.
He credited the town residents who noticed the re, which enabled the village to take measures to keep the re at bay while waiting for the re department to arrive. Fire crews arrived within 30 minutes, which is a good response time considering the distance and the time of day.
Operations are temporarily set up in the Roche Percee Recreation Hall. ere has been work taking place within the building, and Riedel said it’s perfect for the village to use. e village council meets once a month and the administrator is in the building a few hours each week.
He hopes the situation can be resolved within a couple of months and they can get a new trailer moved in fairly quickly.
“We could cover the hole in the side of the building with two sheets of plywood. It was basically right at the bathroom area. ey think it [the lightning] might have hit the vent and travelled through somehow, and got into the bathroom area.” e village’s computers and paper documents were saved.
City Hall: 1102 4th Street
8amto4:30 pm |(306) 634-1800
LeisureOffice: 701Souris Avenue
8amto4:30pm| (306) 634-1880
DowntownBusinessAssociationStreet
Danceiscoming Saturday,July20, 2024, at the LeisureServices parking lot. Pleasecome outfor afantastic night.
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
•Experienceworking with avolunteerboard
Superior oral and writtenskills
• Advanced leadership, interpersonal& organizational abilities
• Proficiencyincomputer software
•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 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
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.
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.
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
e Estevan Fire Res-
cue Service was called to a couple of carbon monoxide calls last week.
e rst one was July 8 at 6 a.m. at a residence in north Estevan. Fire crews detected moderate levels of CO, so SaskEnergy was asked to attend the scene. Upon further investigation, the source was deter-
mined to be exhaust from a vehicle running in a garage.
“No illnesses or injuries were reported from that incident,” said Fire Chief Rick Davies.
en on July 12, re crews were called to a commercial CO alarm in the eastern part of the city. Fire ghters investigated and detected moderate levels of the gas. SaskEnergy again provided assistance. e source was from vehicle maintenance being performed in a shop, and no illnesses or injuries were reported.
areas served by the re department. Last week the provincial government announced a re ban for all crown-owned lands and provincial parks, but it does not apply to private land.
Davies also stressed a widespread re ban is currently not in e ect in the
“Currently the city of Estevan does not have an active re ban on, and the EFRS has not had any discussions or con rmations
that there are any active re bans on for the surrounding RMs,” said Davies.
e re index map from the Government of Saskatchewan shows the re risk for the Estevan area is uctuating between moderate and high. Davies said he hasn’t seen it in the extreme level this summer.
“With the heat, everything is starting to dry out, but we haven’t seen any issues to make us concerned as of yet,” said Davies. “We always monitor daily through the summer so we’ll continue to monitor, and if anything ever changes, we’ll de nitely make some announcements.”
e Estevan Oil eld Technical Society’s (OTS) Oilwomen’s Golf Tournament continues to see a resurgence in popularity.
e fun event will take place on July 19 at the TS&M Woodlawn Golf Course, with a shotgun start at 10:30 a.m. e tournament has a Texas scramble format. A chicken supper will be served afterwards, and there will be a variety of prizes, watering holes on the course and more.
“ is year we did ask for teams to try to be OTS-related … so to be oilwomen. We also opened it up to oil wives just to generate, again, a little bit more interest from the females in the sector,” said committee member Tanya George. Teams can also add one or two women from outside the sector, as long as those women support oil and gas.
People can register on as individuals or teams.
Last year’s tournament was opened to women from outside of the patch for the rst time, and it paid o , as the number of entrants swelled from 58 in 2022 to more than 120. As of Sunday afternoon, 130 golfers were registered for this year’s tournament.
“I think it’s because we’re opening it up to others, so we’re opening it up to oil wives, which in the past, it was pretty strict, it had to be oilwomen only. So last year we opened it up to oil wives, and then when we were nding that people were still having a hard time making teams, it opened it up to non-oil eld employed women,” George said. is year most of the registered players are connected to the patch.
George said fun is a big
TheEstevanOilfieldTechnicalSocietyʼs(OTS)OilwomenʼsGolfTournamentremainsapopularsocialevent.Filephoto
part of the tournament’s success. ere will be random draws for the rst
and second prizes among the teams that submitted a scorecard.
e tournament also has a strong social component.
“Once they come out and golf, they realize just how much fun it is – and that it is just for fun, it isn’t competitive in any way, shape or form, because a lot of these women have never golfed before, or only golf once a year, and that would be in this tournament,” said George.
e tournament is also a fundraiser. Each year the women’s OTS sells 50/50 and ra e tickets for prizes
that are largely donated. All proceeds raised from those activities will be donated to a local charity. Last year they raised just over $4,000, which was bumped up to $5,000, for the Southeast College’s scholarship program. A cheque presentation to the college will occur the day of the tournament. e bene ciary for the 2024 tournament will be announced on July 19, and the cheque will be presented next year.
Twenty-one teams were in Estevan for the Softball Saskatchewan U13 AA B provincial championship, held from Friday to Sunday at the Jody Waloshin Softball Diamonds.
Lots of softball action was happening all three days. Twenty-one games were played each of Friday and Saturday, and playo s happened Sunday. e Swift Current Sonic defeated the Parkland Predators 7-4 in the nal.
Estevan was represented in the tournament by the Elite, a team comprised of players from Estevan’s house league teams. ey went 2-2 in the tournament and came
within a win of making it to Sunday’s playo s.
“We battled in there every game. ey played well and they showed up for every game. ey knew they wanted to win and put on a show for the hometown crowd,” said head coach Brad Zukewich.
He was particularly impressed with the team’s pitching and baserunning during provincials. ey also managed some hits against really good pitchers they hadn’t faced before.
Estevan opened provincials with an 11-9 victory over the Carlyle-based Southeast Supernovas, which boast players from
throughout the southeast corner. e Novas had a 3-1 lead at one point, but Estevan rallied with ve runs in each of the fourth and fth innings.
“We played them before and we knew it was going to be close. It’s always good when you beat a local team, especially a game in provincials, and we knew once we beat them we had a shot of making the playo s,” said Zukewich.
Estevan opened the scoring in its next game against the Saskatoon Hustlers when Brynn Hubick singled in a run, but lost 7-1. e Hustlers scored ve times in the fourth inning.
Madison Zukewich allowed two runs, one of them unearned, and struck out ve in two innings pitched. e Elite played twice on Saturday. e rst game was a 13-4 victory over the Meadow Lake Sox, a game Estevan trailed 3-0 in the rst inning. Everleigh Blanchette had an insidethe-park home run, and Danae Schlamp hit a two-run double.
en Estevan lost 11-9 to the Regina Royals Rockers in their nal game. Even if Estevan would have won the game, they would have missed out on the playo s. Estevan would have tied the
Hustlers and Saskatoon’s Twin City Angels Queens for rst place at 3-1, but the Elite would have lost the tie-breaker because they fell to the Hustlers and didn’t play the Queens.
Estevan fell behind 10-2 at one point against the Rockers in the second inning, but fought back to make it close.
“We played that game to have fun. We put other people in di erent positions and changed everything up for their last game together,” said Brad Zukewich.
Estevan was in a sixteam pool, while the other three pools had ve squads.
Zukewich was pleased with how the Elite handled being the host team. Not only were they busy on the diamonds with four games
in two days, but they had other duties between games.
“I think they handled it very well. ere were a lot of kids around and a lot of them aren’t used to seeing that many [people at games] in Estevan. ey talked to a lot of the friends they knew, and they were pretty busy with running around and selling 50-50 tickets and everything else,” said Zukewich.
He also praised Estevan Minor Softball and all of their volunteers for their work in making the tournament happen.
“I’ve been a part of 10-15 provincials, and I would say this was the best one that I’ve been a part of or at,” said Zukewich.
Every little detail was covered, including having
water coolers at diamonds, maintaining the elds, having good food at the concession and more.
e Supernovas went 2-2 at provincials. After their opening loss to the Elite, they recovered to defeat the Queens 4-3. ey lost 13-6 to the Saskatoon Hustlers on Saturday, but responded with a 12-6 win over Meadow Lake.
Swift Current was the class of the tournament all weekend. ey went 4-0 in the round robin and outscored their opponents 582. en they defeated the Neudorf Red Sox 12-0 in the quarter- nal and the Queens 8-1 in the semi nal round.
e Hustlers knocked o the Queens 13-6 in the bronze medal game.
By David Willberg
Estevan Minor Softball used Friday’s opening ceremonies for the provincial U13 B championship to pay tribute to a long-time and passionate volunteer. e organization’s facility in northwest Estevan will now be known as the Jody Waloshin Softball Diamonds, in honour of Waloshin, who has dedicated more than 15 years of his life to the sport. e crowd, comprised of local people and individuals from across the province, gave Waloshin an ovation when Softball Saskatchewan executive director Guy Jacobson made the announcement.
Jacobson recapped Waloshin’s many contributions to the sport in the Estevan area. Waloshin is a two-time provincial champion as a coach, and in 2021 was recognized as the Softball Saskatchewan Coach of the Year. During the 15 years Waloshin has spent on the Estevan Minor Softball board, he has organized teams and leagues, and has been a leader in the development of Estevan softball’s program.
“[Jody has been] a main support and mentor for many coaches and many board members involved
with Estevan Minor Softball,” said Jacobson. “On top of this, I know, in talking to Jody and others today, he has put in thousands of volunteer hours to help maintain and improve these diamonds – including the buildings, dugouts and sheds – and renovations to the canteen.”
He has been the District 1 director for Softball Saskatchewan for a number of years and does a fantastic job as a volunteer on the board, Jacobson said.
“It’s a big commitment, being down in Estevan, with meetings all in Saskatoon and Regina, and ve or six times a year we get together,” said Jacobson.
Jacobson noted Estevan Minor Softball is blessed to have several volunteers to look after scorekeeping, groundskeeping and the concession, among others duties.
Waloshin said he had no idea this recognition was coming, and he was “overwhelmed” and “very grateful” to be honoured.
“It’s not just me. ere’s many others before me, and just to get recognized, it’s great,” he said.
Waloshin’s commitment to softball started when his daughters were playing because he wanted to support what they enjoyed. When individuals needed some volunteers to support some
of the maintenance items or coaching, he stepped up, and it proved to be gratifying, he said.
“It’s a little bit di erent, of course, than baseball, but it’s a great sport, great for all individuals,” said Waloshin.
He expects he will remain involved with softball for a while yet. Waloshin said he still has a lot of projects that he is working on at the diamonds, and he will continue to help out with coach mentorship and player development.
Estevan Minor Softball also paid tribute to its past at the ceremonies when it announced it was naming Diamond 6 after Don Schroeder and Diamond 5
after Earl Minchin. President Wade St. Onge said the two put in “hundreds and hundreds” of volunteer hours with the diamonds.
“It’s just high time we start to recognize our builders and the people who came before and that we’re building on top of. Without them, we wouldn’t have this,” said St. Onge. Minchin coached house and provincial ball from 1990-1999 and was the head coach of the U12 provincial team that won the 1994 provincial B championship – the rst provincial title for an Estevan team since the 1970s. He also served as an umpire on the nights he was not coaching,
and was an o cial for some years after his coaching days were nished, usually on a volunteer basis; if teams insisted on paying him, he charged $5 per game.
Minchin also spent countless hours maintaining the ball diamonds, including raking, cutting grass, maintaining dugouts, completing repairs and more. He also took over the equipment manager role and overhauled the system, often storing items at his home.
Schroeder was the longest-serving volunteer in the history of Estevan Minor Softball, beginning as a coach in the 1980s and ending as an umpire in the 2010s. As a coach, Schroeder pioneered indoor winter training locally. It helped numerous teams win league championships on the various teams his three daughters played on. When the grounds were expanded, he was the primary volunteer who got Diamonds 4, 5 and 6 up and running. When he was not coaching or groundskeeping, he was helping out in some fashion as an umpire, a scorekeeper or something else.
Schroeder’s daughter Jacinta and Minchin’s daughter Amanda participated in the ceremonial opening pitch for the tournament.
e Young Guns remain on top in the annual battle of the generations at the TS&M Woodlawn Golf Course.
e Young Guns defeated the Old Boys 19 1/2-12 1/2 to win their third straight Memorial Golf Tournament, held at Woodlawn Saturday and Sunday. Using a format similar to the Ryder Cup – which pits top golfers from the U.S. and Europe – Woodlawn’s Memorial sees players compete in team and individual showdowns using a match play format. e Woodlawn Memorial has teams of 16 players
instead of 12, and all players compete in each of the three events.
e Young Guns jumped out to a big lead on Saturday, winning 5 1/2-2 1/2 in both best ball and alternate shot play for an 11-5 edge. en they won 8 1/2-7 1/2 in Sunday’s singles matches. Anthony Melle was the captain and Marcus Friess was the assistant captain of the victors. Other team members were Dustin Wilson, Reece Donovan, Taysen Holt, Scott Sykes, Brad Wilhelm, Kristian Kallis, Jace Carlisle, Erik McKersie, Chase Gedak,
e Estevan Golden Eels Swim Club welcomed swimmers from throughout southern Saskatchewan to the Estevan Leisure Centre’s swimming pool on Saturday.
A total of 144 athletes, including 37 from the Estevan club, competed in the meet. Seven clubs were in attendance. (Results of the meet were not immediately available).
Coach Erin Wilson described the event as a success.
“It was a new experience for some of our swimmers, and some of the ones that have been in and out of the pool more often were tested and were able to swim some new races,” said Wilson.
She believes the Eels have enjoyed a great start to the season. ey competed in Regina, Oxbow and Assiniboia already. Wilson described this as a re-
building year for the program, but other clubs in the province are in a similar boat.
“We’ve had a lot of new swimmers joining us in various ages, so it’s been fun for us to be able to give them that new speed swimming experience,” said Wilson.
Forty-seven swimmers are part of the club this year. e goal is to have the athletes compete at a meet, and everyone has made the e ort to compete in at least one event.
“We’ve had some very strong showings,” said Wilson. Members will travel to the south nal in Weyburn on July 27, and look to qualify for provincials in Swift Current Aug. 3 and 4. Some members have been selected to compete at the 2024 Saskatchewan Summer Games in Lloydminster from July 21-27.
Two Estevan baseball teams have won league titles in Baseball Regina.
e U11 AAA Brewers won their league championship by defeating the Swift Current 57s 14-3 on Sunday afternoon. e Estevan U15 AA Brewers, meanwhile, capped a perfect season in league play by defeating the White Butte Broncos 16-0 in their nal.
Both nals were played in Regina.
e U11 AAA Brewers went 4-0 on the weekend. ey opened the round robin with a 10-8 win over Swift Current. Jacobi Hlavka hit a grand slam home run in the third inning to pace the Brewers’ attack.
Mason Lesy pitched 1 2/3 innings of scoreless ball for Estevan in relief. He also had two hits.
e Brewers added two wins on Saturday, starting with an 11-10 victory over the Regina White Sox. Estevan had a six-run lead
TheEstevanU11AAAandU15AABrewersgatherforagroupphotoafterwinning theirrespectiveleaguetitles.PhotobyTannisKolenz
at one point in the fourth inning, and held o the White Sox for the win.
Dane Johnson hit a tworun double in a six-run third inning for Estevan. Hlavka didn’t allow a run in relief.
e other win was a 2421 decision over the Regina Wolfpack. Lesy went
2-for-4 and had ve runs batted in for Estevan.
e Brewers trailed Swift Current 3-1 after two innings in the nal, but scored six times in the top of the third to take a 7-3 lead. e onslaught was highlighted by a tworun single from Jackson Enns. Estevan added ve
runs in the top of the sixth, thanks to a three-run single by Lesy, who nished with four RBIs in the game.
Preston Siever started for Estevan and allowed ve hits and three runs over ve innings, striking out three and walking one. is is the second straight year Estevan’s U11
program has won a Baseball Regina title. Last year Estevan was tops at the AA level.
e U15 AA Brewers, meanwhile, went 5-0 during the weekend, and went 25-0 in Baseball Regina play between the regular season and the playo s. Estevan opened with an 18-4 win over the Swift Current 57s on Friday. Cort Barber had two hits and four RBIs, including a three-run double in the rst inning. Chayse Zohner hit a two-run home run. Aidan Turner tossed 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief.
Saturday saw the Brewers defeat the Davidson Cardinals 13-3 and the Regina Blue Jays 17-3. Spencer Skuce hit two home runs and drove in three for Estevan. Quintin Sliva also homered and had three RBIs. Barber gave up three runs in 3 2/3 innings while striking out six.
Chayse Zohner hit a two-run home run against
the Blue Jays, and Skuce went 2-for-2 with three RBIs.
Kale Kuchinka gave up two hits and three runs (one unearned) over 3 1/3 innings. He also contributed o ensively with three hits.
Estevan’s lone close game was a 13-8 decision over the Lumsden Cubs in the semi nal, a game that Estevan led 9-8 entering the seventh inning. Skuce drove in ve runs on three hits, highlighted by a grand slam home run in the fth inning.
Lumsden had a 4-0 lead after the fourth inning. Estevan wrapped up the title with a 16-0 win over the White Butte Broncos on Sunday. Zohner had four RBIs, including a three-run double. An eight-run second inning for Estevan put the game away early.
Broden Henry gave up four hits and zero runs over ve innings, striking out ve and walking one.
A busy summer for ball in Estevan is about to continue, as the Estevan Minor Baseball Association is getting ready to host a pair of provincial tournaments from July 19-21 at Mel Murray Cactus Park.
One competition is the 15U AA Tier 1 tournament, which will bring seven teams to the Energy City, and the other is the 11U Tier 2 B competition, which will boast nine teams. Estevan was supposed to host the U11 AA Tier 1 tournament as well, but it had to be relocated when the Estevan U11 Brewers were slotted into AAA provincials.
“We were awarded it
and everything was ready to go, but then Baseball Regina forced them [the Brewers] to go AAA, and we lost out,” said Mel Murray with Estevan Minor Baseball.
Estevan will have a host team in both the U11 Tier 2 B and the U15 AA events. e U15 team won the Baseball Regina league and playo titles, while the U11 team is comprised of players from the di erent house league teams. ey have had a couple of exhibition games to get ready for the tournament. Games in both tournaments will start at 11 a.m. on July 19. A round robin will happen on July 19 and
20 to decide who will advance to the playo s. Gold medal games are slated for
1 p.m. on July 21 for the U15 division, and 3:30 p.m. in the U11 division.
e U11 Brewers will play the Regina Athletics on July 19 at 2 p.m., the Sask Five Giants Steelers on July 20 at noon, and the Saskatoon Blue Jay Bombers on July 20 at 6 p.m.
e U15 AA Brewers will play the Sask Five Giants at 11 a.m. and the Prince Albert Royals at 2 p.m. on July 19.
Opening ceremonies for the two tournaments will be July 19 at 5:15 p.m.
e 1997 Estevan U15 AAA team that won the provincial championship and went on to nationals in North Bay, Ont., will
participate in throwing out the ceremonial rst pitch.
Mel Murray with Estevan Minor Baseball said preparations are coming together well. Volunteers have stepped forward to make the tournament happen.
“People are signing up to do the liming and scorekeeping, everything,” said Murray.
New shale has been applied to the ball diamonds. A work bee will be taking place on July 18 to set up the tent and complete any last-minute work on the diamonds.
Kevin Culy is the umpire in chief for this zone, Murray said, and the tour-
nament will use a lot of local umpires that have been training under him.
Murray expects the baseball will be pretty good during the tournament. e U15 AA tournament should be really good, and he predicted the U11 teams should be evenly matched.
He predicted the tournament would provide a boost for the local economy. Hotel rooms are booked throughout the city, and not only will the players for the di erent teams be coming to Estevan, but their family members will also be in the city.
“Some teams are taking 20 rooms. It really helps the hotels. It’s going to help the restaurants, gas stations, convenience stores, and it shows. We’ve been doing the program, and the support we get … from all of the companies, Estevan’s always been fantastic.”
Anita Fleck
Anita Fleck late of Estevan SK passed away on Wednesday July 3 2024 at St Joseph’s Special Care Home at the age of 78 years Anita is sur vived by her loving husband of 62 years Johnny Fleck and will be missed by their children (Ron) Bazin and their children, Chr istine, Thomas (Natalie), Michael , Damarcelle Bazin and Janaille (Darcey) Ekencrantz ; Fleck and her children Kate Jaikob and Kolton; (Mike) Romanyk and their children Kelsey and Josh; as well as Anita s great grandchildren Wren Farr is and Kipling Bazin and Jaxson and Liam Ekencrantz Anita also leaves fond memor ies with her siblings Gerard (Eva) Belanger Yvon Belanger, Annette Ehr mantraut and Rose-Anne (Nor man) Johner ; in-laws, Rose Weinrauch, Otillia Thiedig, Louise Fleck, Ellen Fleck, Bill Johnson and Ted Riese as well as numerous nieces and nephews She was greeted in Heaven by her son Allan Fleck; parents Yvonne and Gerard Belanger ; parents-in-law, Jacob and Veronica Fleck; siblings Cecile (Jules) Lamber t Ger maine (Don) Car lson Louis (Adele) Belanger Paul Belanger Pauline (Marcel) Laverdiere Yvonne Riese Louise Johnson and in-laws Viola Belanger Linda Belanger Joe Ehr mantraut Raphael (Kathar ina Grebenyuk) Fleck Barbara Br ittner Joseph Fleck Jacob Fleck, Nick Weinrauch and Fred Thiedig
A Prayer Ser vice was held on Fr iday July 12 2024 at 7:00 p m at Hall Funeral Ser vices Funeral Mass was held on Saturday, July 13, 2024 at 11:00
a m at St John the Baptist R C Church with Rev Thuy Nguyen presiding Inter ment followed at the Estevan Cit y Cemeter y The family would like to thank Dr Prabhu the compassionate St Joseph’s Hospital Long Ter m Care and Spir itual Care staff and family and fr iends for their all their care and suppor t dur ing this difficult time
Those wishing to pay tr ibute to Anita via a donation in her memor y may do so directly to the Canadian Cancer Societ y, 1910 McInt yre St Regina SK S4P 2R3 Hall Funeral Ser vices in Estevan is car ing for the Fleck family –Deb Heidinger, Funeral Director
Dorothy Eva Bridges (Nee Turner)
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our mother grandmother and great grandmother on June 25th 2024 at the age of 99 Mom, the second of three children was bor n in Toronto on August 4, 1924 to Austin and Dor is Tur ner Mom met Dad (Jack) while he was on leave from the ar my in Borden and visiting his aunt and uncle in Toronto They were marr ied March 31 1945 Mom and Dad arr ived in Govan on Januar y 1, 1946 stepping off the train as the New Year ’s celebrations were underway Dad passed away November 20 2000 and Mom continued to live in Govan until 2004 when she moved to Estevan to be closer to family Mom will be sadly missed and lovingly remembered by her five children: Donna (George) Ferguson of Ver non Barr y (Bonnie) Br idges of Estevan, Wendy (Greg) Suchan of Estevan, Kevin (May) Br idges of Brooks Kenneth (Ver na) Br idges of Winnipeg 28 grandchildren 22 great grandchildren as well as numerous nieces nephews and a stepsister Mom had a life well lived and had finished all of her projects with the exception of one She was ver y involved in the planning of her 100th Bir thday Par t y and was looking forward to celebrating the Big Day with family and fr iends on August 4, 2024 A funeral ser vice will be held in Govan Communit y Hall (school gymnasium) on August 5th 2024 at 2:00 pm reception to follow Inur nment at Govan Cemeter y Donations may be made to: Grace Hospice at William Booth Special Care Home 50 Angus Road Regina SK S4R 8P6 Arrangements entr usted to Conley Funeral Home, Strasbourg, SK 1-306-725-4000 In Memoriam
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Local police handled a number of calls recently regarding motorists travelling well above the speed limit.
According to the Estevan Police Service, a vehicle was observed to be travelling at a high rate of speed on the Estevan truck route. e vehicle was stopped and a $680 ticket was issued to the driver for going 147 kilometres per hour in a 100 km/h zone.
Also, according to a post on the Estevan Police Service’s X account, an EPS member of the Combined Tra c Services of Saskatchewan issued a summary o ence ticket on July 9 to a driver travelling at 152 km/h just south of Stoughton, where the speed limit is 100 km/h. e driver was given an $820 ne.
A member made two separate tra c stops in which the o ending drivers were travelling over 90 km/h in a 50 zone. Both were charged under the Tra c Safety Act and could face nes for more than $570.
In other recent police news, police received a report July 9 of an attempted fraud at a local business. e matter remains under investigation.
O cers received a complaint of an attempted cart theft from a downtown charitable organization.
e individual was followed by an employee and left the cart behind when eeing on foot. e cart was recovered and a description of the suspect was provided to police. e matter remains under investigation.
e EPS received a complaint of an individual uttering threats to harm the victims’ family. rough an investigation, it was determined the suspect was at a
location in Regina. e Regina Police Service assisted in arresting the male. He was subsequently charged and released to speak to the matter in provincial court at a later date.
According to the July 10 report, a possible online investment fraud is being investigated after an individual made several large money transfers and was subsequently unable to contact the online business.
e matter remains under investigation.
e EPS is investigating a reported theft of recycling from a residential property in southeast Estevan.
EPS members of the Combined Tra c Services of Saskatchewan conducted a tra c stop on a vehicle on Highway 47 north of Estevan, which resulted in the male driver failing a mandatory alcohol screening test and subsequently providing breath samples with a result of .07. e driver was issued a 60-day driver’s licence suspension and his vehicle was impounded for three days.
Police were called to a report on July 11 of a male entering a vacant home in the downtown area. Ocers located and arrested a 61-year-old man from Estevan for being unlawfully in a dwelling and possessing illegal tobacco. He was released on an undertaking with a future court date.
Police received a report on July 12 of a collision in which a cyclist was struck by a vehicle. O cers investigated and identi ed the vehicle and driver involved, but have not been able to locate the cyclist, as he rode away. It was determined through investigation that the cyclist fell o his bike. Police would still like to speak to cyclist and ask that he call the EPS. Members received a re-
port of mischief to a business on Fourth Street. e matter is under investigation.
Police received a report of theft of money from the complainant’s account. e victim was contacted and downloaded an app to his phone that gave the thief access to his bank accounts. e matter is being investigated. O cers received a report of a motor vehicle cutting o a group of cyclists. Police spoke with the vehicle operator.
Police are investigating a number of incidents from July 13, including criminal harassment and bullying, a stolen bicycle, and a person not abiding by their release conditions.
A 33-year-old Weyburn man was arrested and charged for impaired driving at 7:30 a.m. on July 14. He was released for court at a later date. Following a recent investigation, a 30-year-old Estevan woman was arrested and charged with theft under $5,000. She will also have a future court appearance.
A 22-year-old Estevan man was arrested and released on outstanding warrants, and will appear in court in the future.
Police received a report of a vehicle damaging a railway stop arm and leaving the scene. O cers identi ed the individual and charged him under the Tra c Safety Act for failing to report damage to a property owner. e EPS attended to a complaint of a male causing a disturbance at a residence in south Estevan. e individual left the scene prior to police arrival but a statement was obtained from the homeowner and the matter is under investigation.
ough Peter and Judas’ nights started similarly, they ended completely differently.
On the night of the Passover feast, Judas betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. After Jesus was arrested, Judas had a change of heart and Matthew 27:3 tells us that he was “seized with remorse”. On that same night, Peter saw Jesus arrested and, though he had said that he would die for Jesus (Matthew 26:35), Peter denied knowing him three separate times (Matthew 26:69-74). When he realized his failure, he went outside and wept bitterly (verse 75).
Judas and Peter were the same in that they both failed and felt remorse for their actions. e di erence comes in how they reacted to their failure. Judas, tragically, went away and hanged himself (Matthew 27:5).
Peter, on the other hand, continued to spend time with the other followers of Jesus. erefore, he was among the rst people to
hear about and see the empty tomb on resurrection Sunday (Luke 24:12). He was in the room when Jesus appeared to them that evening (John 20:1923).
Jesus encouraged him (John 21) and Peter went on to preach the rst gospel sermon (Acts 2), become one of the early leaders in the church, and write two books of the New Testament. Why did Judas’ and Peter’s lives turn out so di erently? Certainly, the answer has nothing to do with performance. Both failed miserably and wished that they could undo what they had done. e answer must lie in the fact that one saw hope and the other did not. Peter held onto whatever
Tim
of the Estevan Church of Christ
little belief he still had, while Judas assumed there was nothing to see but his failure.
Peter’s story is not about how a great man recovered from failure. Peter’s story is about how God graciously gave him a chance to start over. Had he been able to nd that same hope, maybe Judas’ story would have ended di erently too.
As Charles Spurgeon said, “God saves the ungodly, not because they are good, but because He is good”. at is good news for all of us.
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
