Homecoming with inspiration. Tech leader visits Estevan to talk about innovations.
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How one man made a difference. SaskPower retiree’s tradition highlights community spirit.
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It does exist!
One of the Tesla’s latest inventions makes stops in the Energy City.
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Latest from the fields. Agri News special shares some updates from the southeast corner.
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Book release.
Local emerging author shares her experience with going through grief.
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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2024
By David Willberg
Southeast TechHub executive director Gord More believes the Innovation Conference for Economic Development (ICED) in Rural Areas was an opportunity to promote what is happening in the Estevan area and elsewhere, while building connections.
e event was held at the Southeast College’s Estevan campus from Sept. 10-12. Approximately 140 people gathered to listen about the innovative measures that are enhancing rural communities.
“I’m very proud of how well it came o ,” said More.
“We got a lot of people from outside of Saskatchewan … and outside of our country to come here and look at us as innovators. And also, we got the opportunity to really connect with those people.”
More said he wanted people to hear about the Energy City for the rst time, and learn more about Estevan and come to this “neat community of innovators in rural Canada.”
“ at de nitely happened,” said More.
People came from as far away as the U.K. for the convention.
As for his long-term goal of creating more jobs in Estevan – whether they come from outside the city or from within the community by inspiring local people – that won’t be determined for a while. But he hopes those who came to the city will leave saying Estevan is open for business.
Aaron Pilkington, a Republican in the Arkansas House of Representatives, suggested Estevan could become a sister community with his hometown of Clarksville, Ark. e U.S. Centre for Rural Innovation has a network of rural communities in the U.S. that More has been working and talking with, because he believes Estevan has more in common with rural communities in many U.S. states than some big Canadian cities.
“ ere’s so much of what we can work with together and learn information from,” said More.
He was also pleased to see members of the provincial and federal government present, as More has been lobbying both levels of government. ey were able to hear what TechHub has been o ering for solutions to the challenges facing the Estevan area. He
GordonMore,picturedspeakingattheconference,wasthrilledwith theattendanceandtheideasthatwereshared.
was also pleased to hear from other rural communities who have succeeded when facing similar situations.
“Whether they’re an organization representing a group of individual rural communities, or actual individual rural communities, they’re all saying the same things, and that being that our younger generation wants to do technology and computer
jobs. ey [believe] they have to leave our community to get the education to get the training, and then they think there’s nothing there once they leave … they think there’s nothing back at home for these skill sets,” said More.
Some communities have started to solve this problem, More said.
e conference kicked o on Sept. 10 with three presentations. A represen-
tative of the Cowessess First Nations discussed how innovative partnerships create meaningful opportunities. Former Estevan resident Andrew Wahba talked about how to address labour gaps through expanding innovation and technology sectors. And there was a presentation on making parts for the supply chain for small modular reactors.
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By David Willberg
e Bienfait Memorial Arena Board believes the venue could be the primary third ice surface for Estevan.
Board member Bill Mann appeared before Estevan city council on Sept. 9 to suggest that Bienfait’s rink, which is owned by the Town of Bienfait, become Estevan’s primary third ice surface. Secretary Daniyale Woolsey and recreation director Sara Yoner were also present. His request came the same night in which council approved the wording of the question for a non-binding plebiscite on the potential for a third ice surface in Estevan; the vote will occur during the Nov. 13 civic election. Since the closure of the Civic Auditorium in 2017
and the venue’s demolition a few months later, Mann said the Bienfait arena board has seen a lot of use by minor hockey and other recreational groups from Estevan.
“A lot of our revenue comes from those streams, so we thought it’s only logical that in lieu of the City of Estevan undertaking a consideration for … $10$15 million on another facility to meet their needs, and we have a service sitting 10 minutes away in the town of Bienfait, it could be, with a little bit of an investment, upgraded quite well to meet the needs of the city.”
Mann noted the Bienfait arena committee has received an engineered budgetary assessment for facility upgrades. He concedes the rink is not the
most attractive and the structure over the ice surface isn’t in a good state, but they have plans for changes.
“What we really want to do is make that facility strong and good. Comfortable. So that when people are being sent to Bienfait with their kids, they feel like they’re in a good surrounding,” said Mann.
e existing “arch rib” shell above the ice surface would be torn down and replaced with a straight wall structure that is the same 120-foot width as the lobby. Mann noted the existing arch above the ice is approximately 90 feet wide. It is hoped the work can be completed in the o season.
By making the area above the ice surface wider, it would allow them to add
seating and dressing rooms on the east side, he said.
“We have a really good lobby for people to view the ice surface from, with good theatre seating, three rows deep in there,” Mann told the Mercury and SaskToday. “But we don’t have good seating … around the ice surface.”
Mann said the mere structure expansion is estimated to cost $1.212 million, but more costs need to be assessed.
“If we decide to proceed with the initiative, rough estimates at this time lead us to believe our total developmental costs to be slightly over $2 million,” said Mann. e Bienfait Memorial Arena Committee has also upgraded the refrigeration plant, thanks to the support of businesses and municipalities, leaving it in what Mann called “very reliable working condition” for many years, and he believes the concrete slab is in good shape. LED lighting has been installed in recent years and that work will continue.
Bienfait’s arena recently purchased the boards from the former Frobisher rink. ey are about 10 years old, and were funded by the NHL. Glass and rubber matting were also secured. e lobby was expanded and renovated nearly 20 years ago. e committee has reached out to the RMs of Coal elds and Estevan, and the Town of Bienfait, for their insight into whether this is a good idea. All three have voiced support, Mann said.
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“We all know communities, when they lose major infrastructure, like a skating rink, a school, a hospital, a grain elevator, all these things diminish your ability to succeed as a community,” said Mann.
He said Bienfait doesn’t want to jump in front of neighbouring communities, such as Lampman and Torquay that also have arena users from Estevan, and Mann said if the city of Estevan wants to still support neighbouring communities, then they can.
Yoner pointed out Estevan Minor Hockey is charged $100 per hour for ice time.
Members of council expressed interest in the partnership but didn’t outright support it. Coun. Travis Frank said the timing of the request is great because the plebiscite is coming and the third ice surface will be a conversation piece for the next council. He was also
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pleased to see talk of collaboration between neighbouring communities. Coun. Kirsten Walliser said she believes the city can play a role in helping Bienfait identify other groups that could bene t from the facility, including lacrosse, gure skating, broomball and public skating. She would like to see the city help bring those user groups together as the conversation moves forward. “ ere are a lot of user groups that don’t feel like their needs are currently captured within the city of Estevan,” she said.
Mann believes there is more support in Bienfait to work collaboratively with Estevan than there was 10 years ago.
He added he was “very happy” with the response from council and “encouraged” by the feedback.
“I thought there would be more resistance, but it was also positive feedback that I sensed,” said Mann.
e second day was the busiest. Christian Boyle with the Saskatchewan Indigenous Economic Development Network spoke of positive energy to build community. Ryan Gustafson and Tania Hlohovsky Andrist with the Centre of Sustainable Innovation at the college’s Estevan campus spoke of the college’s computer science program, the app that was created for networking at the conference and the welcome robot constructed by the students.
It was really rewarding to see the robot working, More said, and the app worked without a hitch. He thought the app created some really good networking connections.
“Hearing from those who were attending, saying ‘I’ve never experienced such a neat connection app or software app,’ that was really good,” said More.
Up next was More, who spoke of rural innovation for economic development, Jesse Wiebe of Startup TNT re ected on building an investment community, and Greg Gosnell of GenH2 talked about the opportunities for hydrogen in energy.
A highlight of the event was that night, when former Estevan resident Je Sandquist returned home to participate in a question-and-answer session with former Saskatchewan radio host John Gormley, titled Big Tech Un-
plugged. Additional tickets were sold to the public for the dinner.
ursday’s speakers included Pilkington, who discussed how the state has reformed its process to invite new industry and create a pro-business environment. Nick Poels from the Centre on Rural Innovation shared his thoughts on building community innovation. Gwen Machnee spoke on applied research and what it takes. e nal speaker was Ednali Fertuck-Zehavi, who talked about turning dreams into reality.
More said the conference would return next year, although it would be just two days instead of three, and planning will begin soon.
A person was at large for approximately 30 minutes on Friday afternoon after escaping from police custody in Estevan.
According to a news release from the Saskatchewan RCMP, at approximately 12:30 p.m., the individual escaped from Estevan RCMP custody.
e individual, who had been at St. Joseph’s Hospital, was located, apprehended and brought back
into custody.
In its report for Sept. 13, the Estevan Police Service said its K9 unit assisted the Estevan RCMP members in locating the man. He was tracked by the police service dog and was located hiding in a backyard shed in the Pleasantdale area.
According to the EPS, he was unco-operative but was taken into custody by the K9 unit, resulting in what the EPS said were
minor injuries to his lower extremities.
e investigation into the incident is ongoing and the RCMP said it will provide further information when it’s available, although no new information had been provided by the RCMP as of the Mercury’s press time.
Pleasantdale School, Westview School and Sacred Heart School/École Sacré Coeur all went into
hold and secure brie y on Friday afternoon.
According to the South East Cornerstone Public School Division, the exterior doors for Pleasantdale were locked for 15 minutes “as a result of working with our police partners out of an abundance of caution to maintain a safe learning environment for students and sta .
“At no time were any students in danger. We
work closely with our partners to ensure a safe and caring learning environment exists at all times,” the school division said.
As for Westview, the school division said the school locked its front door for approximately 10 minutes due to the possible safety concern in the Pleasantdale area.
“ is was done out of an abundance of caution.
ere was no risk to stu-
dents or sta . All other exterior doors are locked during the school day.” According to a message sent to Sacred Heart parents, once the school became aware of the situation, sta members were immediately noti ed. Students and sta were free to move around inside the school through the duration of the hold and secure; at no time were students in danger.
A pedestrian is dead after an incident with a train in Midale.
According to a news release from CPKC Rail, “a train made contact with a person” near the intersection of secondary road 606 and Railway Avenue in Midale. e Saskatchewan RCMP issued a news release early Saturday. e Weyburn/Fillmore RCMP detachment was reporting that several streets/railway crossings
in the Midale area were blocked due to what the RCMP said was a collision. e a ected areas include crossings at SK-606 and SK-702. ere was no identi ed risk
to the public, and the noti cation was to advise motorists that crossings would be blocked for an unknown amount of time and detours would be needed. e RCMP said there would
be an increased police presence in the community regarding the investigation.
CPKC Rail said there was no derailment in Midale and the scene was cleared at 4:45 a.m.
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By Ana Bykhovskaia SaskToday.ca
Returning to his hometown of Estevan for the inaugural ICED Rural Conference on Sept. 11, Je Sandquist – a tech industry leader with a career spanning top roles at Microsoft, Twitter and now Automattic, the company behind WordPress – delivered a compelling presentation titled Big Tech Unplugged. His talk, which explored his journey from the Estevan area to the top tiers of global technology and o ered a look at current tech tendencies, ended with a standing ovation.
Retired Saskatchewan radio host John Gormley facilitated the event, guiding the conversation through Sandquist’s anecdotes about Estevan, the evolution of the tech industry and his experience in that world.
Sandquist grew up in the Estevan area, working in the oilpatch during summers, and his connection to the community runs deep. In his heartfelt talk, he highlighted how his hometown shaped him, o ering a unique perspective on the growing role rural communities can play in the tech world.
“I am who I am because I grew up here,” Sandquist
shared with emotion in an interview with the Mercury and SaskToday ahead of the presentation. “ ere are so many people from around this area who do amazing things, demonstrating resilience, persistence and grit. at’s what I grew up around.”
He noted the format of an on-stage interview he chose for the event was inspired by sportsmen’s dinners he experienced growing up in Estevan. He always hoped he’d one day do something similar, sharing stories that people won’t hear anywhere else and providing his perspective di erently.
His stories about Estevan drew applause from the audience during the presentation, reinforcing the bond he maintains with his hometown despite his global success.
Sandquist emphasized that in today’s digital age, young people don’t need to leave rural Saskatchewan to achieve success in the tech world.
“You don’t have to go away now,” he told the crowd. “You can build that next great thing right here.”
He recounted his own move to the U.S. in 1997, joining Microsoft at a time when such relocations were necessary for career advancement in tech. But the industry has changed.
“ e tech industry is getting older. e World Wide Web could run for president. Software as a service, the way we deliver software, could run for Congress. e iPhone is old enough to vote. And what I think you’re going to see, in the industry of technology, is how there are going to be a number of big tech players. Two, it’s going to be companies that integrate tech, like Walmart is a technology company now. ree, it’s going to be a cottage industry, small companies that are two to three people in size that are upwards going to be the next billion-dollar companies,” Sandquist said.
“You can start a company with a friend or on a laptop from here, without leaving home,” he advised He further stressed how small companies, even those starting with just a few people, could become the tech leaders of the future. ese innovations, particularly in elds like agriculture and energy, are likely to spring not from Silicon Valley but from places like Estevan, where local expertise in industries like power gen-
eration could play a critical role.
He noted Estevan’s expertise in power is well-positioned to help solve one of tech’s biggest problems – power generation for articial intelligence and cloud computing.
“Start building tech literacy, start building the next generation, retain the talent and don’t export it. Keep it at home,” he advised rural communities, as they are trying to leverage technology for economic growth.
Addressing the rural business needs, he said, “Know the story of what you want to become in your business. I don’t believe tech is an answer to all problems. I’m very pragmatic about it. But what I would tell people is that tech could be how you di erentiate in your company. ere’s a lot of fear and sometimes rightfully so. Fear of losing jobs, fear of what is going to happen or fear of change.
“But if you look at a number of di erent things pragmatically, even those around Copilots and Chat GPTs, I think they’re going to make us more produc-
tive. I don’t think they’re going to take away our jobs. I think they’re going to create opportunities for folks. So how do you want to embrace that in your business? And I’d say don’t resist technology. … Be literate about it.
“And for businesses, the world is your market,” he added, underlining the lack of connectivity as one of the main challenges rural areas are facing, which needs to be addressed to achieve success. He also pointed out the need to embrace all kinds of skills and talents in rural areas and capitalize on them.
“If you look at the companies that are going to succeed moving forward, they’re going to be very pragmatically run. ey’re not going to carry a lot of debt. ere are no longer zero interest rates. ey’re going to apply some innovation, and it’s going to be applied technology. And I do really think that the pragmatic view of growing up in a rural area really will help people build great companies over time,” Sandquist said.
For Sandquist, coming back to Estevan was more than just a nostalgic visit – it was a chance to give back and inspire others. His return for this event marked his rst visit in two years, and his re ections on the town and its people resonated deeply.
“ is community has always supported itself,” he said, citing local e orts such as fundraising for the MRI machine at St. Joseph’s Hospital as an example of Estevan’s resilience and independence.
While sharing his experiences in the tech industry, he reminded the audience of the fundamental values he learned in Estevan.
“ e small-town sensibility, resilience and pragmatism I learned here have served me well throughout my career,” he said.
While Sandquist shed light on the big tech world, his message to Estevan was profound: the next wave of tech innovation can start anywhere, and young people in rural areas don’t need to look elsewhere for opportunity. ey can build it all from home. Globaltechleader
AssociationofSaskatchewan (C.A.S.).Hehas been Vice Presidentofthe C.A.S. forthe
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You’ll nd calls for nominations in this week’s edition of the Mercury. Urban and rural municipalities alike are seeking candidates.
In Estevan, nomination papers can already be picked up from city hall. City council’s nal meeting before the election will be Sept. 23. People can start submitting their nomination papers the following day; the deadline is Oct. 9 at 4 p.m.
We’re pretty con dent there will be enough interest in the mayor’s seat and the six councillor positions to force an election for both. It’s just a question of how many we’ll have. (Four years ago, there were two mayoral and 11 councillor candidates, and some good people were among those defeated).
As we’ve stated before, municipal councils are the bedrock of democracy, especially in smaller communities. We have a mayor and six councillors in Estevan and in many other municipalities, both urban and rural. In Estevan, there’s a very good chance you know our mayor and/or at least one councillor. We don’t have the ward system for councillor like you see in Regina and Saskatoon, and that’s the way to go in smaller communities.
On the other hand, the person who will
be elected as the MLA for Estevan-Big Muddy in next month’s provincial election will have a large area to cover. Estevan’s the biggest centre, but the riding’s territory is still pretty big. And our federal constituency, Souris-Moose Mountain, will be nearly the size of P.E.I. after changes to the constituency take e ect in the next federal election.
Being on a municipal council is not easy and it’s not for everyone. In Estevan, members of Estevan city council have to dedicate hours a week to their duties. eir duties extend well beyond the open council meeting and the subsequent committee meeting that occur once or twice a month; they sit on numerous committees that meet regularly.
And since they’re known in the community, they’re constantly approached by members of the community. A nice family dinner at a local restaurant can be interrupted by someone who doesn’t have enough common sense to know when to stay away.
e challenges of being on council have grown in the past 15-20 years due to keyboard warriors who think they can say what they want on social media, and often won’t put their name to it.
If you think a plebiscite on a third ice surface for Estevan means we’re de nitely going to get a new arena, then maybe
council isn’t for you. If you have a penchant for believing everything you read on social media, or if you think Facebook is the best avenue to express your thoughts, then maybe you shouldn’t be running for council.
But there are a lot of people who would be very capable candidates, who would generate interest in the race and would bring a lot to council chambers if they’re elected.
It’s not just city, town and village councils that will be decided during the civic election. ere will be votes for RM reeves, and councillors for divisions 1, 3 and 5 (and for any other vacancies). e RM council plays a role that is every bit as important as an urban council.
Also to be decided will be school division trustees. It’s been a long time since we’ve seen an election for South East Cornerstone Public and Holy Family Roman Catholic Separate School Divisions in Estevan, at least during a regular election. It would be nice to have a local vote for one or both of these boards, because that would help build engagement. e next few weeks are going to be really interesting. ere’s rumours of who will run. And there will be nomination papers led from people who weren’t necessarily on the public’s radar. It’s the joys of election season.
There’s nothing wrong with a plebiscite
After sitting on the backburner of public discourse for much of this term for Estevan city council and a good portion of the last term, discussion is ramping up on whether to build a third indoor ice surface in the city. ere was a lot of talk earlier this year during discussions about renovating the Power Dodge Arena. And the chatter will grow now that there is going to be a non-binding plebiscite as part of the civic election, scheduled for Nov. 13. e idea of the plebiscite, brought forward by Coun. Tony Sernick, makes sense. Frankly, a public vote probably should have happened four years ago during the previous civic election, even if this four-year wait gave everyone a chance to evaluate life with two arenas after the permanent closure of the Civic Auditorium in 2017.
e city has turned to plebiscites before during elections. Many of you will remember in 2014, when there was talk of the Little Pine First Nations building a casino in Estevan. e city held a public vote during a spring by-election, the public rejected it (resoundingly so, too) and the concept was abandoned.
Less than two years earlier, in the 2012 civic election, there was a vote on whether to lower the speed limit to 40 kilometres per hour in residential areas. It was passed, but with narrow approval, and the strongest support for reduced speeds was from residents of seniors’ homes and those who needed a mobile poll; a lot of those people don’t drive. And so city council of the day opted for the status quo.
A plebiscite is a simple way to gauge public support on an issue. It’s not a referendum, which is binding. And by having
David Willberg Willberg’s World
it on election day, the costs are minimal. It’s not like the city is doing this midway through the term. And a vote on a third rink is going to create additional interest in the civic election.
I wouldn’t be surprised if some people will have a greater interest in the results of the plebiscite than the results of the councillor or mayoral races.
If the plebiscite results are close, then the next city council will have a tough decision to make. If it’s a narrow yes, that doesn’t necessarily mean we’re getting a third arena. If it’s a narrow victory for the no side, that doesn’t mean the concept is dead.
If people vote yes in resounding fashion, then you’re likely going to hear a lot of discussion about a third ice surface in the next few years.
ere have been calls to have a more detailed question, by including such information as cost, but the question is supposed to be simple.
ere’s more for voters to think about, too. e Bienfait Memorial Arena Board appeared at the Sept. 9 meeting of city council with a request to have the City of Estevan and the Town of Bienfait collaborate on renovations to the Bienfait Memorial Arena, with the goal of making the venerable rink the primary third ice surface in Estevan.
A partnership between Estevan and Bi-
enfait would provide some scal relief for both sides, and would extend the life of a much-needed amenity in Bienfait. Regardless of the results of the plebiscite, this is an arrangement worthy of a prolonged investigation for city council. But if you support the Bienfait partnership, a yes vote would make sense. I can see the bene ts of a third rink. It makes it easier for scheduling ice time. Not only are families forced to travel to Bienfait right now, but they have to go to rinks in communities like Midale, Lampman, Torquay and Alameda. at’s a long drive, especially in the winter. At the same time, this is not the easiest time in our community’s history, and a brand-new third rink would be expensive. e city has expressed an ambitious desire to be free of long-term debt by the end of this decade; a third rink would scuttle those plans, unless someone were to come forward with big bucks.
Do we want a third rink or a eldhouse? at’s another question to be asked. I don’t think we can have both.
And this isn’t an easy time to launch a fundraising campaign. Not only are a lot of people facing nancial challenges, but the MRI for Estevan campaign is well underway and the new nursing home committee will have to raise more money from the community. (I would hope we all think an MRI for St. Joseph’s Hospital and a new nursing home are higher priorities than a third ice surface).
But there are people on both sides of the issue who are very passionate about it. It’s not my job to tell you how to vote. But it is my duty to encourage you to vote.
e Government of Saskatchewan has provided funding for three more o cers with the Estevan Police Service.
e announcement was made on Sept. 11 at the Estevan Police Service building. e money is on top of four positions the province has committed to previously in Estevan.
“ e Estevan Police Service appreciates its partnership with the Government of Saskatchewan,” Estevan Police Chief Jamie Blunden said. “To ensure the safety of our community, e ective policing requires collaboration beyond law enforcement alone.
“ is support from the government will signicantly enhance safety in Estevan. e allocation of resources for three new front-line o cers, as well as contributions to the Saskatchewan Police College, reinforces the dedication to ensure a safer community and province. e Estevan police board of commis-
sioners and our executive team are eager to engage in discussions regarding the implementation of these additional personnel within our police service.”
e additions will leave the EPS with 29 o cers, including the three executive positions: Blunden, Deputy Chief Warren Morrical and an administrative sergeant position that has been rotating among EPS members; Sgt. Braden Lonsberry currently occupies the role.
Blunden said the EPS has not determined the roles for the three new ofcers.
“We’re going to look at some of the di erent areas that we need to bolster up,” said Blunden. “ e Deputy Chief Warren Morrical and I have been talking and there’s certainly some areas that we’ve identi ed that we can look at bolstering up.”
Mental health and addictions are one facet that the EPS wants to look at with the drug issues fac-
ing the community. e EPS has the police and crisis team (PACT), but it only has one o cer. ey are looking at schools and community engagement.
e EPS had a community liaison o cer at one time, but that position hasn’t been lled for a few years.
Boosting the front lines is another option, and the EPS has talked about a drug o cer.
“So, there’s a whole variety of di erent areas that we’re looking at, and after consultation and making sure that the stakeholders involved have some input, then we’ll make those decisions. We have a pretty good idea of where we want to go, but we don’t make decisions in a vacuum; we want to consult with everybody.”
e school divisions, the Ministry of Health and others need to be consulted, he said.
Once the members are in place, the funding will kick in.
Fromleft,DeputyPoliceChiefWarrenMorrical,policeboardmemberand Coun.RebeccaFoord,EstevanMLALoriCarr,MinisterofCorrections,Policing andPublicSafetyPaulMerriman,MayorRoyLudwig,policeboardmember atlargeRobertaDeRosierandPoliceChiefJamieBlunden
“Everybody throughout the province is going to be looking at hiring o cers, so it’s about your recruitment piece, and it’s about having those members available to start class at a certain time,” Blunden said.
e Government of Saskatchewan recently announced $17.1 million in new funding for a multi-ministry approach
to safe neighbourhoods by adding more police ofcers, training new ocers and introducing new enforcement tools, while working to ensure social supports are in place and accessible.
“Investments in police services, including the Estevan Police Service, more o cers for safer communities and neighbourhoods, and doubling the number of recruits trained at the police college, are important for ensuring the safety and security of communities and neighbourhoods across Saskatchewan,” said Paul Merriman, Minister of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety. “ is is, and will always be, a priority for the Government of Saskatchewan.”
e Estevan Police Service continues to see a decrease in overall call volumes in 2024, but crimes against property and crimes against the person are up for the year.
Statistics released during Wednesday’s meeting of the Estevan board of police commissioners show the EPS has had 4,939 calls for service through Aug. 31, which is a 12.8 per cent drop from 5,661 for the rst eight months of 2023. e total calls for August were also down, from 728 in 2023 to 619 in 2024.
ere were 17 crimes against the person for August, up from eight for the same month a year ago. Last month saw 11 assaults, ve sexual crimes and one assault causing bodily harm.
So far this year, the EPS has had 118 crimes against
the person, with 82 assaults, 23 sexual crimes and nine assaults causing bodily harm accounting for the bulk of the activity. ere were 105 crimes against the person through Aug. 31, 2023. Chief Jamie Blunden said the increase in assaults causing bodily harm, from four to nine, is something they’re monitoring. He wants to know if these are domestics or for another reason. ere were 36 crimes against property in August, down from 42 for the same month last year. Twenty thefts under $5,000 occurred last month. ere were also eight mischief/ willful damage complaints and two thefts over $5,000 reported. Five break and enters occurred, with three at residences, one at a business and one listed as other.
Blunden noted the thefts
of motor vehicles are up substantially from seven a year earlier.
“A lot of those charges that you see that are up are as the result of taking an auto without the owner’s consent,” said Blunden.
Member at large Roberta DeRosier asked if they could designate the vehicle thefts that re ect taking without consent. Blunden replied that when the EPS is going to talk about something more in-depth, he said he would nd out more information.
So far this year, there have been 301 crimes against property, led by 164 thefts under $5,000, 86 mischief/ willful damage complaints, 21 thefts of a motor vehicle and 19 residential break and enters. A total of 260 crimes against property were reported in the rst three
months of last year.
e report showed two tra cking occurrences under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act through the drug busts that occurred. ere was one for tra cking and one for production in August 2023.
EPS numbers show 12 occurrences for tra cking and eight for possession so far this year, compared to 29 (17 for tra cking and 12 for possession) for the same time a year ago.
Eleven Criminal Code tra c violations were laid, with seven for impaired or exceed-related o ences and four for dangerous driving and other. ere were
26 such charges in August 2023, including 24 for impaired or exceed.
So far this year, there have been 85 charges for Criminal Code tra c, including 56 for impaired /exceed-related o ences, 16 for impairment by drug and 13 for dangerous driving and other.
e ve-year average for the EPS, through Aug. 31, is 5,511 calls for service, with 13 occurrences through the CDSA, 62.2 for Criminal Code tra c violations, 113 for crimes against property and 21 for crimes against the person.
e meeting was the rst for Braden Lonsberry
as the acting administrative sergeant, a role that is part of the EPS executive team alongside Blunden and Deputy Chief Warren Morrical. e EPS is alternating the role among sergeants for four months to give them experience. Sgt. Tyler McMillen was the previous administrative sergeant.
“I think it’s proven very e ective, and then it gives the management team a better idea when … that opening has to be lled,” said Mayor Roy Ludwig, who is the chair of the police board. It was also the rst police board meeting for Blunden as chief. He started with the city on Sept. 3.
By David Willberg
e delegates who attended the Innovation Conference for Economic Development (ICED) in Rural Areas were able to hear the story of one small community’s ability to overcome challenges and grow.
Aaron Pilkington, a Republican who is in his fourth term in the Arkansas House of Representatives, spoke on Sept. 12 at the Southeast College’s Estevan campus. Hailing from Clarksville, he re ected on how the town has grown from 7,719 people, according to the 2000 U.S. Census, to an estimated population of 9,743 in 2018.
He pointed out Arkansas is known as a poor, rural southern state, and in the Arkansas Delta River Valley, where Clarksville is located, there were challenges with an under-educated workforce, and a declining and aging population. He told the crowd that
to change the culture of a community, people have to start with themselves and do what’s necessary.
Pilkington said the efforts in Clarksville started with building up the workforce in the schools and community college.
Starting with high school sophomores, students were encouraged to get certi cation each year so they would have three when they graduated. Industries are located in the area, but employers need people who could do the work.
“Train them, and also show them how much money they can make,” said Pilkington. “For a 14-year-old, if you told them they could make x amount of money without having to go to four years of college and taking out all of that debt, it was a really attractive program.”
Businesses stepped forward with equipment donations for the students, and community colleges also came on board.
AaronPilkingtonwas oneoftheguestspeakers attheinnovation conferenceinEstevan.
ere has been a greater focus on science, technology, engineering and math in education, he said, and the Arkansas government has increased teacher salaries and funding for education. Health-care facilities have academies within them so they can provide on-the-job training.
Hiring institutions have worked on data centres and renewable energy programs. Clarksville was one of the rst broadband cities in the state. It owns its own utilities and the community does a lot of progressive things.
“All of these things came about because we were training our workforce, and now with the data centre, we are training them, and even before it is built, we’re working with our local university so they have programs,” he said.
When the data centre is built in two years, people will be ready to work.
e town has worked hard to improve and rebuild various community hubs. It went through a downtown revitalization project, and built a stage downtown for family nights and concerts.
“One of the things when we’re recruiting new physicians and we’re recruiting other people, we want to make sure we bring them by
there, come in and see that life happening,” said Pilkington.
If you go to Clarksville on a Friday night, it’s a destination with bars, an entertainment district and things happening because investments were made into community hubs, he said. When people move to town, they want to know what their kids can do, too.
Clarksville might not be able to bring in a big-name act for a concert, but they can have a bluegrass band that o ers people something to do while spending time downtown.
Arkansas is also known for being overly regulated, but in Clarksville, they want to get people to work. It means fewer restrictions for licences, less red tape and promotion of downtowns.
ey have also encouraged people to share their “pain points” – the issues that create challenges for development. ese could be the lack of third-party
services or the size of the town’s airport.
ey also asked former residents why they left, and promoted the town’s advantages, such as a ordable childcare and real estate.
“How do we sell ourselves to other communities, and how do we also say … how great it is to live here?” he said.
ey also looked at how they can meet childcare needs because it is a big seller for people moving there. It’s so expensive in other states that it’s more a ordable for many women to stay home and not return to the workforce.
Pilkinton said Clarksville is now in the “What’s next” phase. e community has a progressive new mayor, a young economic development o cer and more. Now the challenge has shifted to keeping up with the demand because of interest in the area it tries to become a jewel of the Delta River Valley.
Estevan city council has approved the key dates and some other important details for the upcoming civic election.
Voters in Estevan and other municipalities in the province are scheduled to go to the polls on Nov. 13. Ad-
vanced polls will be at city hall on Oct. 29 and 30 from 4:30-7 p.m., and on Nov. 2 from 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at the Estevan re hall; it will be a drive-thru poll. City clerk Judy Pilloud is the returning o cer and deputy city clerk Josh Shit-
ta-Bey is the associate returning o cer. Nominations are now available at the city clerk’s o ce. ey can be dropped o starting on Sept. 24. e deadline to submit a nomination is Oct. 9 at 4 p.m. and the then candidates will
have 24 hours to withdraw.
On election day, the city will have one polling station at the Estevan Church of God. ere will also be two drive-thru polling stations on Nov. 13, at the re hall on the north side of the city and Sudz Zone on the south.
Pilloud noted that previously established mobile polls will be available at St. Joseph’s Hospital or care homes as advance polls; or as mail-in ballot options with consultation of the facility administrators. Should citizens in the hospital require a ballot on election day, a mail-in ballot can be picked
up by a designated returning o cer at 4:30 p.m.
Electoral information has been added through a link to the city’s website and will be updated as the election draws near. Election workers are still needed, Pilloud said in her report.
People eligible to be a candidate must be at least 18 years old on election day and a Canadian citizen. ey must also have resided in the municipality for at least three consecutive months immediately prior to the date the nomination paper is submitted, and have lived in Saskatchewan for at least six consecutive months before the nomination paper is submitted. Public disclosure is required at the time the nomination papers are dropped o and will be attached and posted with the nomination. Not only must voters be at least 18 years old and a Canadian citizen on election day, as well as a resident of Saskatchewan for at least the last six months before Nov. 13, they must be a resident of the city for at least three months, or they must be an owner of assessable land for at least three months immediately preceding the day of the election.
Notice of Call for Nominations
PUBLIC NOTICE is hereby given that nominations of candidates for the office of:
Board Member: South East Cornerstone School Division No. 209
Subdivision Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6
will be received by the undersigned on the 9th day of October, 2024 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m at the Board Office, 80A–18th Street N.E., Weyburn AND during regular business hours from September 16, 2024 to October 8, 2024, at the Board Office, 80A–18th Street N.E., Weyburn.
Nomination forms may be obtained at the following locations:
The Board Website: www.secpsd.ca
The Board Office at 80A–18th Street N.E., Weyburn
Dated this 16th day of September, 2024.
By Ana Bykhovskaia SaskToday.ca
A group of former SaskPower employees made a special trip to Estevan on Sept. 5 to visit their longtime colleague, 93-year-old Ben Anderson.
Anderson, who retired in 1993 as operations manager at the Poplar River Power Station in Coronach, has been the driving force behind annual visits with SaskPower co-workers and then reunions of SaskPower retirees for three decades.
Anderson’s tradition of gathering his former co-workers began shortly after his retirement, when his family moved to Estevan, but he visited the power station every year, bringing chocolates for the sta .
“He would drive back to Poplar River every year before Christmas, bringing boxes of chocolates for the operating sta and for everyone in the shop. He would leave a box of chocolates and have a little visit with everybody. He’d come to the canteen at dinnertime, and they would visit around with him,” recalled Donna Ross, a former colleague who’s been helping
to organize the annual gatherings. “Ben came to Poplar River every year for a visit.”
As the years passed and more people Anderson used to work with also retired, the annual get-togethers became more organized, with Ross helping to set up lunch gatherings in Coronach for the team.
Last year, at age 92, Anderson was driven by a former employee to attend the lunch that was moved to the plant’s canteen due to a power outage in parts of town, which allowed the retirees to tour the facility. is year, however, his family felt the journey would be too long. In response, the former co-workers decided to bring the reunion to him.
“When I rst retired, I’d drive back there myself, and I’d spend half the day over there with them. And that’s the way it went. And then, well, I’m getting pretty old, so they decided they’d come this way,” Anderson shared.
“ at was all the guys from Coronach coming. To me, it was just really, really nice, because a lot of them really remembered when I was down there, too. We had a real good lunch and
FormerSaskPowerPoplarRiverPowerStationandmineemployeescametoEstevaninearlySeptembertovisit theironeoftheirown,BenAnderson.Upforavisitwere,backrow,fromleft,GarnerMitchell, DougMarit,
StuartStone, RonPowell, BobTurczynandAlKlesse.Middlerow,SheilaMitchell, SteveRevering, MorrisKuski, MelHarknessandKeithAdam.Nextrow,EdPlumb, AngPlumb, MikeBenoit, RonMattandJoyceKlesse Frontrow,standingareDougSeidelandCathySeidel, SharonAdams, BenAnderson, JimAchtymichuk, DarcyWrightandDonnaRoss.PhotoscourtesyofDonnaRoss.
everything,” he said with emotions after the gathering.
Ross noted how signi cant these gatherings have been for many people involved through the decades.
“He meant a lot to people at Poplar River. He moved away, but he’d come back every year, and that told us that we were im-
, StuartStoneandGregReaves.Frontrow,TerrySamchyk, LarryKabrud, BenAnderson, EarlWillford, MorrisKuskiandDonnaRoss
The2018visit.Backrow,fromleft,MorrisKuski, MikeHovorka, GregReaves, RonPowell, GarnetDustan, PatHarknessandDougSeidel.Middlerow, MarleneHovorka VivianKabrud LarryKabrud EarlWillford, BenAndersonandCathySeidel Frontrow,BevDustan, LeanneKuskiandDonnaRoss
portant enough to him, because out of all the people that went through Poplar River, Ben was the only one, in my recollection, that ever come back every year. … is time, we wanted to return the favour,” she said.
Twenty-four retirees, including former plant managers, engineers and clerical sta , came from di erent parts of Saskatchewan to see Anderson.
“Two fellows drove all the way from Saskatoon to be there,” said Ross, noting that some of the people present worked with Anderson in the 1980s.
“It’s quite a phenomenal relationship that he has with all of us,” she noted. e event was lled with fond memories and shared stories.
“ e camaraderie we had there was amazing,” said Ross. “People look forward to seeing Ben every year.”
She noted that Anderson was deeply touched by the love and care of his former colleagues.
“When I took Ben back to his room, he was just so truly grateful,” said Ross. “He said to me, ‘ is is absolutely incredible that this many people would come to see an old [guy] like me.’ And I said to him, ‘Ben, you have to remember, these people come because you mean a lot to them and that you made us feel important when every year you came back to see us.’ He was just so, so grateful and every year he is. He just can’t believe it. But the truth of the matter is that he’s the man who actually created that, and people love to come back,
In2023,BenAnderson,secondfromtheright,wasable tovisithisformerco-workersinCoronachandtourthe plantwhereheworkedfor17years.LarryandVivian Kabrud, AndersonandDaltonGiblett,theplant manageratPRPS,werevisiting.
get together, visit with him and visit with each other. It’s really wonderful.”
For those in attendance, the gathering was not just a reunion but a testament to
the profound impact Anderson had on their lives.
“ at’s the kind of difference one man can make in the lives of many,” Ross re ected.
It looks like a spaceship; it feels like a spaceship, but it does exist and it was spotted on Saskatchewan roads.
Texas resident Jomaro Kindred, the owner of a Tesla Cybertruck, made a stop in Estevan on his way from Dallas to Regina last Friday and another in the Energy City on his way back Tuesday. e Tesla supercharger at the Estevan Market Mall allowed him a quick recharge, as well as a bit of a break and a visit to a community he said he wouldn’t know about if not for the convenient electric vehicle pitstop.
Kindred noted that Teslas create a trip route based on charging stations available. With very few supercharging stations in North Dakota, Estevan was the best and only option for his needs in this part of the continent.
Kindred, who is an artist and a video game creator, said Tesla’s electric truck feels like a video game. Being very new, it attracts a lot of attention with both positive and negative reactions. People come over wherever he goes to ask questions and to see the cosmic vehicle.
While Cybertrucks are brand new for this region, Kindred said he started seeing them in his area, as the company started delivering after a ve-year wait. He’s had his vehicle for about a month and has been enjoying its features, e ciency, power and the conversations it starts. He noted many people don’t like the unique “low poly”* design of the Cybertruck at rst sight, but he likes talking to those who approach him about the vehicle and challenging that initial reaction.
Kindred said the truck has about 500 kilometres between the charges, and it takes anywhere from 20 minutes to about an hour to charge it, depending on how full the battery needs to be. His vehicle is also equipped with Starlink internet, so he can be online and work from anywhere he goes.
After charging his Cybertruck and spending some time in the Energy City, Kindred was heading back into the U.S. with the next charging stop planned at Bismarck, N.D.
*Originating from the world of 3D computer graphics, low poly art refers to a technique where complex objects are created using a minimal number of polygons. e result is a visually-striking composition that combines simplicity and sophistication.
JomaroKindredofTexastookhisTeslaCybertrucktoRegina,makingstops inEstevantocharge,andattractingquiteabitofattentionasavehicle ofthiskindhasn’tbeenspottedintheareabefore.
By Ana Bykhovskaia SaskToday.ca
North Portal country-folk duo Last Birds, featuring Mike Davis and Lindsay Arnold, announced their October Moon Tour.
e tour will include showcases at two major Canadian music conferences: Breakout West in Saskatoon on Sept. 25-29 and Folk Music Ontario in Mississauga from Oct. 3-6. “ ese are great opportunities to perform for music industry people, for the folks that are responsible for booking festivals, so we’re really excited to have two major Canadian conferences this year,” said Arnold. ey will then have solo
LastBirdsOctoberMoonTourwillfeature MikeDavisandLindsayArnoldperformingin Saskatchewan,AlbertaandOntario.
concerts, rst in Alberta, where they will be performing at venues in Red Deer (Oct. 16) and Calgary (Oct. 17). After that, the southeast’s beloved duo will come to their home province for concerts in Saskatoon (Oct. 19) and Regina (Oct. 24).
“It’s a di erent length of performance. Your conference performances are short, you play your strongest material or what you think is your strongest material only, and you got to hit it hard and fast in order to get people’s attention,” Arnold explained. “With the performances that are just us, these are longer. We can take the time to tell a little bit more about the song, share stories, have that on-stage banter that we really like.”
“It’s a little less stressful,” Davis added.
e October Moon Tour will be the rst time Last Birds has performed in Alberta.
“ is tour is long overdue. We can’t wait to play for our friends to the west of us,” says Arnold. She noted that book-
The eternal roots, they started to grow
The making of importance, destined to show
As time opened doors, the connection was found
The lesson in life provided fertile ground.
Who governs our life, we’ll never really know
The fruits of our labour destined truly will show
Broken or strong as the ages have passed
It’s our choice to accept or refuse the task
We are the farmers that planted the field
Right or wrong, we must always accept the yield.
Form H [Section 66 of the Act]
Village of Gainsborough Notice of Call for Nominations
PUBLIC NOTICE is hereby given that nominations for the candidates for the office of:
Mayor: Village of Gainsborough
Councillor(s): Village of Gainsborough Number to be elected: Four (4)
Will be received by the undersigned on the 9th day of October, 2024, from 9:00am to 4:00pm at the Municipal Office, 403 Railway Ave., Gainsborough, SK, and during regular office hours from September 19th to October 8th, 2024, at the Municipal Office.
Nomination forms may be obtained from the Municipal Office.
Dated this 18th day of September, 2024 Stacey Johnson, Returning Officer
ing is tricky, as artists send out a lot of emails, trying to make connections, and their e orts to arrange for performances in Alberta nally paid o .
“We’re really excited to be going to Alberta for the rst time,” she said.
e tour will wrap up with a special show at the Mac Murray eatre in Arcola on Oct. 26.
“We’re capping the tour o with our show at the Arcola theatre. We’ve been there before. It’s a really awesome little venue. But this one will be lmed,” Davis said.
e concert will be recorded by Bamboo Shoots and will air on SaskTel MaxTV local on-demand at a later date.
“ is is the rst time SaskTel MaxTV will have one recorded in Arcola,” Arnold said.
“ ey were very excited to come out to a rural location to do the lming. And it’s great for the Mac
Form H [Section 66 of the Act]
Village of Carievale Notice of Call for Nominations
PUBLIC NOTICE is hereby given that nominations for the candidates for the office of:
Mayor: Village of Carievale
Councillor(s): Village of Carievale Number to be elected: Four (4)
Will be received by the undersigned on the 9th day of October, 2024, from 9:00am to 4:00pm at the Municipal Office, 403 Railway Ave., Gainsborough, SK, and during regular office hours from September 19th to October 8th, 2024, at the Municipal Office.
Nomination forms may be obtained from the Municipal Office.
Dated this 18th day of September, 2024 Lynda Minshull, Returning Officer
Murray eatre in Arcola. ey’re excited about it, too. ey did such a great job on their renovations and it’s awesome to see it put to use for things like this,” Davis added, noting that it will be a live concert with an audience at the theatre.
e tour follows a summer of playing some of Saskatchewan’s biggest music festivals, including Saskatoon’s SaskTel Jazz Fest, Bengough’s Gateway Festival, as well as Bienfait’s rst Coal Creek Festival. e duo also celebrated winning a Saskatchewan Country Music Association Award for Alternative Country Album of the Year back in June.
e upcoming tour supports Last Birds’ self-produced LP, Endless Turn of Day into Night, released in October 2023. But the duo noted the guests can expect some new compositions as well.
“We actually just
wrapped up a bunch of writing. We got a SaskArts independent artist grant to support some songwriting this summer. So, we’ve been busy writing songs as well, and we have new material,” Arnold said. “We’ll be playing a few of our new ones.”
Using their Prairie hometown as a backdrop, Davis and Arnold weave together rural legends and current-day experiences to form a modern Prairie gothic. Keeping instrumentation minimal, Last Birds’ live shows focus on a two voices-two guitars approach reminiscent of early country folk music. e simplicity of the songs is counterbalanced by Davis’ intricate guitar solos and the couple’s close vocal harmonies.
For more information about any of the Last Birds’ upcoming shows and to buy tickets for the Arcola concert, visit their website at lastbirds.com.
Form H [Section 66 of the Act]
Rural Municipality of Argyle No 1 2024 Elections Notice of Call for Nominations
PUBLIC NOTICE is hereby given that nominations for the candidates for the office of: Reeve, Councillor for Division No 1, Councillor for Division No 3, Councillor for Division No 5.
Will be received by the undersigned on the 9th day of October, 2024, from 9:00am to 4:00pm at the Municipal Office, 403 Railway Ave. Gainsborough SK and during regular office hours from September 19th to October 8th, 2024, at the Municipal Office.
Nomination forms may be obtained from the Municipal Office.
Dated this 18th day of September, 2024 Erin McMillen, Returning Officer
A9
By Stephanie Zoer
Farming for the Future had incredible support from farmers and the Carlyle community in getting the durum wheat crop o the eld last week.
ere was a lot of commotion on Sept. 4, as six combines, three grain carts and seven semis took on the 150 acres east of Precision Ag.
“We are deeply grateful to Trevor and Nickie Doty for their generous donation of 150 acres of land,” said David Lemieux. “Additionally, we are thankful to Shane and Ashley Valentine for the donation of 90 acres of canola.”
is is the second annual harvest for the project, and the team is pleased with the outpouring of help and donations to keep this project running so smoothly.
Lemieux said the success is due in large part to the generosity of those who donate their time, resources and services. Joey Brady of Brady Farms has been the lead farmer, and his tireless dedication has been crucial to the project’s success. As a small crowd gathered in the eld, the combines red up, preparing for the rst rounds.
E. Bourassa and Sons loaned the use of a 9.9 New Holland combine with a 50-foot header, which led the pack of combines.
Mitch Weber and Crew from Weber Farms, Joey Brady and his team from Brady Farms, and Mike Brown with his crew from Iron Creek Farms also donated their time and combines to get this land harvested before rain.
“Precision Ag had been instrumental with planning and providing essential donations throughout the year,” said Lemieux.
It is a team e ort to get eld work done, and these farmers ensured that with a smooth and e cient op-
eration. Also on site was a tractor on tracks with a disc. At this time of year, res are much higher in the elds, as combines tend to get hot. e disc is there for safety reasons, in case of a re.
With the high winds on this day, a re could get out of hand quickly, and the disc creates a barrier between the re and the rest of the eld or farms that might be close. ese farmers also donated three grain carts and tractors to haul the cargo to the waiting semis.
Ten semis donated by Dunn Transport, Weber Farms, Brady Farms, Iron Creek Farms, Greening Farms, 3J Farms and Blake Slykhuis lined the eld as they awaited their durum wheat to be transported to Ceres Global Ag Corp.
Durum wheat is the main ingredient in all pastas and is a needed commodity by many retailers.
High school students had the opportunity to observe and learn rsthand the importance of farming practices, while Rylan Wier from Weir’s Catering provided the hard-working farmers a meal in the eld.
is year’s durum harvest yielded 12,324 bushels of crops, and the project raised more than $110,000. e canola planted at Shane and Ashely Val-
It was a sight to be seen when six combines harvested the
project.PhotobyStephanieZoer
entine’s farm will be harvested in the middle of September, providing the weather remains co-operative.
According to Lemieux, the durum harvest was just completed when rain came in, so the timing was perfect.
“We are already looking ahead and planning for next year’s project,” said Lemieux. “ e committee continues to work diligently to build upon this year’s success.”
“ ank you to everyone who contributed and supported this initiative,” said Lemieux. “Your e orts and generosity are making a signi cant impact on our community and the future of farming.”
Ross and his 4-Hfundraising steer,which supported the new MRI machine forSt. Joseph’s Hospital in Estevan, so they donated aportionof their steer sales to the MRI campaign.
Lischka hasbeen involved with judging, clipping andgrooming demonstrations with theclub.
By Ana Bykhovskaia SaskToday.ca
A proposed hydrogen hub project for Estevan, initially introduced by Southeast TechHub’s executive director Gordon More in March, was discussed during the rst ICED Rural conference in Estevan last week through the scope of global potential and appetite for hydrogen fuel.
e project envisions converting Estevan lignite coal into hydrogen, leveraging the area’s rich coal resources. Estevan’s lignite, a mineral-rich biomass, will serve as the feedstock for biogenous hydrogen production. e process promises net-zero carbon emissions, power by renewable energy and advanced turbine power generation, highly pro table e uent liquid hydrogen and maximization of federal investment tax credits, according to early project details.
Greg Gosnell, CEO of GenH2, a leading U.S. company in the hydrogen infrastructure space, highlighted the potential for hydrogen during his presentation at the conference on Sept. 11.
“Ultimately, hydrogen is the most prevalent molecule
in the universe. It’s never going to run out,” Gosnell said.
However, he also emphasized the challenges, noting that “it’s going to be expensive to start a new worldwide energy infrastructure.” Gosnell spoke about the hydrogen opportunity –global projections and an addressable market in North America. He also touched on the case for liquid hydrogen versus gaseous hydrogen; the basics of hydrogen liquefaction; the need for and economic impact of hydrogen loss during evaporation; large-scale projects – engineering, construction, operations, etc.; and consortium – key players and roles.
He wrapped up his Hydrogen Principia - Biomass to Hydrogen to Energy presentation by underlining that the Estevan project is a great opportunity.
“Estevan is in a position to take a leadership role in the global clean energy initiative,” Gosnell said in his presentation.
“An opportunity to supply a signi cant amount of clean energy for industrial and mobility applications. An opportunity to make a material contribution to the achievement of net-ze-
ro carbon emissions targets. An opportunity for meaningful collaboration between public and private industry. An opportunity for e ective repurposing of regional attributes: natural and human resources, infrastructure and capital.” ere are two parts to the proposed Estevan Hydrogen Hub, which are gasication of coal to hydrogen,
attheICEDRuralConferenceonSept.11inEstevan.
and the transportation and storage of the produced hydrogen.
e coal-to-hydrogen project, if realized, could inject over US $2.4 billion into the Estevan area and generate more than 200 direct and indirect high-paying jobs, according to the project description. Once operational, it is expected to produce and export around
US $775 million worth of biogenous liquid hydrogen annually. e hub would also involve a partnership for hydrogen storage and transportation infrastructure. e partners in this venture are applying decades of experience gained through work with the U.S. Departments of Defense and Energy and NASA to mass-produce hy-
drogen technology solutions. e project is being negotiated, and no rm promises have been made. ough the project is still in its early stages, Gosnell in his presentation was optimistic about its potential. More announcements are expected in the near future. For more on the project, visit the Southeast TechHub’s website.
Estevan city council approved a community emergency evacuation plan for public events during the Sept. 9 meeting.
Safety co-ordinator Helen Fornwald said the issue was raised after the Energy City Ex. in mid-June, when a severe thunderstorm rumbled through the area during an outdoor cabaret. Fornwald said the weather created the possibility of people evacuating to a safe location.
e plan was developed with the Estevan Fire Rescue Service, Estevan Police Service and the emergency measures organization co-ordinator. Fornwald said it is designed to assist community event organizers in building their own plan in
preparing for a large-scale emergency or disaster.
“ is applies to events utilizing city facilities or outdoor spaces, city-sponsored events and/or events where the plan would involve city facilities for events consisting of 100 people or more,” she wrote.
It not only applies to extreme weather, but also res and explosions; chemical spills; radiological accidents and toxic gas leaks; civil disturbances and moments of unrest; and event-site violence resulting in bodily harm, trauma, and destruction of property that can put others at risk.
Prior to the start of a community event, Fornwald said there should be a muster point location, emergen-
PUBLIC NOTICE is hereby given that nominations of candidates for the office(s) of:
Mayor: Town of Lampman
Councillor: Town of Lampman
Form H [Section 66 of the Act]
RURAL MUNICIPALITY OF ESTEVAN NO. 5
PUBLIC NOTICE is hereby given tha t nom ina ti on s of candidates for the offices of:
Reeve, Councillor for Division No. 1, Councillor for Division No. 3, Councillor for Division No. 5.
Will be received by the undersigned on the 9 th day of October, 2024 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Municipal Office, #1 – 322 4th Street, Estevan, Saskatchewan and; during regular business hours on September 18th until nomination day, October 9th, 2024.
Nomina tion forms may be obtained from the municipal office or at www.rmestevan.ca
Dated this 18th day of September, 2024. Michelle Dickie, Returning Office
cy contact information, the correct re extinguisher for the event site, an accessible AED unit, an evacuation map with emergency exits readily available to the public, and a procedure for shelter in place.
e EMO co-ordinator would con rm with the reception centre manager on the location of the evacuation site and entrance procedures, and the Estevan Police Service would take the lead on evacuation of the public with assistance from the Estevan Fire Rescue Service. If needed, the RCMP would assist if possible.
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Council supported the RM of Estevan’s request to
the provincial Tra c Safety Fund to have a street light installed at the southwest corner of the intersection of Range Road 2081 and Township Road 25 to address safety concerns with the dark intersection. ere would be no cost to the city.
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A six-foot high fence for a property in the 400-block of Fourth Street will be allowed to remain. e maximum height, according to the city’s bylaw, is four feet.
In his report to council, land development services manager Richard Neufeld said the current zoning bylaw allows for an over-height fence through a development permit. Any applica-
tion of this type is assessed on its merits.
Neufeld said the developer has stated that he was unaware of the current height limitations as there are other fences on Fourth Street with a height of six feet in the front yard.
e developer has submitted a letter along with the permit application.
Neufeld noted that at one time, there wasn’t a limit on how tall a front-yard fence could be.
Mayor Roy Ludwig said when someone builds a fence, they should get a permit. In this case, the applicant explained why they wanted a higher fence.
In approving the request,
privacy concerns were cited as an appropriate criteria for the additional height. *** ree building permits worth $486,500 were issued in August, bringing the total for the year to 26 permits worth $6,366,301. All three permits for August were classi ed as miscellaneous. *** Council gave second and third readings to an amended borrowing bylaw. e city will borrow an additional $500,000 to cover costs associated with the downtown revitalization project, bringing the borrowing for this year to $2.6 million. e city’s long-term debt will increase by $500,000 in 2024.
A fourth candidate has joined the eld for the Estevan-Big Muddy constituency in the upcoming provincial election.
e Saskatchewan United Party (SUP) announced on its website last week that Andrew Cey would be its candidate.
e party was founded in 2022, and this marks the rst time the SUP has had a candidate in this riding.
In his bio on the party’s website, it was noted that Cey currently manages a wood elevator handling organic grains, and he enjoys working with farmers and truckers from all across the Prairies. After receiv-
ing a diploma in agriculture from the University of Saskatchewan in 1990, Cey has worked all across small-town Saskatchewan.
“He is thankful for his 32-year career in agriculture, learning from others, and having a chance to mentor those working with him,” his bio states.
“Andrew has been blessed with having been able to homeschool and successfully raise ve children and is now enjoying nine grandchildren. Andrew has devoted his spare time to volunteering at summer Bible camps, various volunteer re departments, and local service club
branches, as well as volunteering to help farmers overseas get established.
Dated this 18th day of September 2024. Sarah Leck, Returning Officer Appendix C FORM H [Section 66 of the Act] Notice of Call for Nominations for The Town of Lampman
Incumbent MLA Lori Carr of the Saskatchewan Party, Phil Zajac of the Bu alo Party and Billy Patterson of the Green Party are the other candidates in Estevan Big-Muddy.
According to its website, the SUP had 21 candidates as of Monday afternoon. e provincial election is slated to occur on or before Oct. 28.
“He looks forward to working to steward and use the abundant resources that our province has been gifted with for the bene t of the people of Saskatchewan, and to bring back the values that Saskatchewan was built on, namely truth, freedom and justice.” Cey could not be reached for comment.
Rural Municipality of Cymri No 36
PUBLIC NOTICE is hereby given that nominations of candidates for the offices of: Reeve
Councillor, Division No 1
Councillor, Division No 3
Councillor, Division No 5
will be received by the undersigned on the 9th day of October, 2024, from 9:00 a.m to 4:00 p.m. at the Municipal Office, 234 Main Street, Midale, SK and during regular business hours from September 18th, 2024 to October 8th, 2024, at the Municipal Office, 234 Main Street, Midale, SK
Nomination forms may be obtained from the Municipal Office
By David Willberg
Stacey Grimes Wempe is looking to help people navigate through grief with her rst book, A Million Times We Cry. e southeast Saskatchewan author’s memoir, published by Forefront Books, was released Sept. 10, which would have been her brother Clinton Grimes’ 50th birthday. He died in a collision in 1997, and the book re ects on how Stacey Grimes Wempe handled the tragedy and other tough times.
“People have been getting a hold of me and saying they really loved the book,” said Grimes Wempe in an interview with the Mercury and SaskToday. “ ey also said that it was like they were a passenger in my story.”
ey also felt like they weren’t alone in their grief when reading her story.
But it’s also a look back at her life and her family’s history. Her book includes pictures dating back to when her grandfather and great-grandfather were young. Photos tell the story of her parents and their families, and there are photos of Grimes Wempe and her husband Keith Wempe that date back to when they were in high school.
Writing the book left her feeling vulnerable and
it was a di cult process, she said. At one point, Grimes Wempe reconnected with her brother’s girlfriend Marsha and heard, for the rst time, about what happened the night he died.
“We talked for about two hours about that night. I wanted to keep it out; I didn’t want to think about what happened and I didn’t want to ask. So, she told me what happened. I talk to her quite a bit now.”
She was in Clint’s life for a short period of time, and she was only 17 when the accident happened, but Grimes Wempe said her brother was very happy with their relationship.
“She was the same age as my daughter Katie in 2021, so I talk about how I didn’t really deal with my grief around her very well, because I was blaming and I was angry and everything like that, but how can you be angry at a 17-year-old that was looking for help?”
Grimes Wempe is glad they have been able to reconnect.
e book also talks about how Grimes Wempe went through post-partum depression and other trying times.
“You get really vulnerable. But it was very healing. I didn’t realize writing was so healing,” she said. Even if you’re not going
through grief, if you persevere and nd the right help by hiring the right person through a counsellor or a life coach, you can make it through and know you’re not alone.
“I think now with social media and everything, people feel that they’re not alone, and feel that [other] people do understand,” said Grimes Wempe.
Since the book came out, people have reached out to her on social media or have texted her to say thanks. A lot of the positive feedback has come from people in the southeast, but she has also received positive feedback from total strangers who don’t live in the region.
“I think it really all around captures what I went through in the 27 years, that I wrote from,” said Grimes Wempe.
At one point after its release, A Million Times We Cry was No. 1 on the Amazon bestseller list for grief-related books, and was still No. 4 on Saturday.
Grimes Wempe said it was a regret of her late father Mel Grimes – an accomplished businessman and philanthropist – that he never wrote a book. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Grimes-Wempe hired a ghost writer from Victoria, B.C. ey never met, but they collaborated on the book.
“It took four years, but it was well worth it. Not only is it a memoir, but there are life-coaching questions at the end of the book that are thought-provoking. I think I captured my story, and I … always say to have a journal at the end, because there’s some really good questions at the end of the book about life and grief,” said Grimes Wempe, who owns Support You Life Coaching and Consulting.
Journaling is a great way to heal and chronicle feelings, she said. A Million Times We Cry is available online
e Estevan branch of the Royal Canadian Legion will celebrate National Legion Week by hosting an open house on Sept. 21 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Estevan legion president Jim (Frosty) Forrest said there will be a free barbecue lunch, and people can take a tour of the facility to see the clubroom and the displays for the South East Military Museum. Information tables will have details regarding membership, what the legion does in the community and its support for veterans.
through Amazon and Grimes Wempe said it is expected to be on Audible in October. It can also be purchased through Indigo Books. She will also have events at libraries and elsewhere where people can attend and purchase the book, and eventually, she hopes it will be at local businesses.
Grimes Wempe said she is grateful for the support from people in the community, including family, friends and the team at Scotsburn Dental. It’s been really nice when people have asked if she has nished her book or when it would be published.
“It’s like a family in Estevan and the surrounding communities, and I feel so honoured and so supported in our community. I don’t know what I would do without our community,” she said.
“People can have a look,” Forrest said. “People who have never been to the legion can come and see what we have to o er. We’ll have good information on hall rentals and banquets, and we’re going to try to get people familiar with the legion in our town.” Legion members will be on hand to answer questions about the organization and what it has available for the community for rentals and amenities.
wanted to have an event not just for the second-ever National Legion Week from Sept. 15-21, but to let people know about the branch.
e Wylie-Mitchell Air Cadets Squadron and the Estevan Army Cadet Corps will have tables set up to promote their e orts with young people. Forrest said these are two great programs. Forrest said the legion
PUBLIC NOTICE is hereby given by the Town of Midale that nominations of candidates for the offices of:
MAYOR, COUNCILLORS
Number of Councillors to be elected: 6 will be received by the undersigned on the 9th day of October 2024, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the municipal office, 233 Main Street, Midale, Sask., and during regular business hours on September 18, 2024 to October 9, 2024, at the Town of Midale office, 233 Main Street, Midale, Sask.
Nomination forms may be obtained from the Town of Midale office
Dated this 18th day of September 2024.
e Estevan legion currently has about 175 members. Forrest said the branch took a hit during the COVID-19 pandemic and some people never came back once its regular operations resumed. A lot of their members are older and each year the service group loses a few more people.
“We always need volunteers. We need some younger people to step up to ll in the spots for those people that maybe aren’t able to do as much anymore,” said Forrest.
TheRotaryClubofEstevanhosteditsannulGolfBallDropFundraiseronSunday. JasonLeBlanc’sgolfballmadeitintotheholefirst,whichbroughthim$2,500. Thesecondplaceand$1,500winnerwasMattStrawson.MichellaProkop’sball wasthirdresultingin$750incashfortheticketholder.TheRotaryClubplansto donateallnetproceedstowardstheSt.Joseph’sHospitalFoundation’sMRI campaign.ScreenshotsourcedfromtheRotaryClubofEstevan’sFacebookpage
Form H [Section 66 of the Act]
Notice of Call for Nominations
Dated this 18th day of September, 2024 Lindsay Davis, Returning Officer Appendix C FORM H [Section 66 of the Act] NOTICE OF CALL FOR NOMINATIONS
Dena Scott (Retur ning Officer)
PUBLIC NOTICE is hereby given that nominations for the candidate for the office(s) of:
Mayor: Village of North Portal Councillor: Village of North Portal Number to be Elected: 3
Will be received by the undersigned on the 9th day of October, 2024 from 9:00am to 4:00pm at the Village Office, 204 Park Ave, North Portal, Saskatchewan and; during regular business hours on September 18th to October 8th, 2024, at the Village Office, 204 Park Ave, North Portal, Saskatchewan Nomination forms may be obtained at the following location(s): 204 Park Ave, North Portal, Sk; on the website villageofnorthportal.ca/election or by email request at villagen@sasktel.net
Ahandfuloflocalchildrenattended Montreal’sShrinersHospitalfordiagnostic evaluation,andwereaccompanied ontheirtripbymothers. Frontrow,fromleft,MeganTurkandher motherBrenda; CalvinTarnes;AaronMurphy; andLawrenceFieber,whoisbeing heldbyDianaMcAllister Backrow,W.C.(Carroll)Cantlon,pastgrand firstprincipalofSaskatchewanGrandChapter ofRoyalArchMasons;BonnaTarnes; LindaMurphy;andCalMitchell,president oftheEstevanandDistrictShrinersClub.
Members of the Estevan Police Service arrested three people on Sept. 13.
O cers attended the Westview area of the city to investigate a report of a disturbance. On arrival, members arrested an Estevan man and two Regina men for causing a disturbance and public intoxication. One of the men was also arrested on warrants out of Regina. e three were lodged in cells to be released when sober.
Police have laid a charge against a young person for uttering threats. e incident occurred on Sept. 6, when a separate youth had been charged with assault. e young person will have a future court date. at same day, members received a report of a bicycle that was stolen from outside the courthouse.
O cers also dealt with
a report of a theft from a business in the downtown area. A tip jar was stolen from the counter. Video surveillance was provided and the suspect is known to police. e matter remains under investigation. Members responded to a report of a man causing a disturbance at St. Joseph’s Hospital. He was arrested and lodged in cells for the night. He was to be released on Sept. 10 and was to face a charge of uttering threats. No further information was immediately available.
A theft and mischief were reported the same day. e complainant and suspect are known to each other. e matter is under investigation.
A 20-year-old woman was located and arrested for being intoxicated in public. She was held in
custody overnight for her safety.
e EPS received a report of a motor vehicle collision on Sept. 10 that was determined to be non-reportable. Members assisted in exchanging driver information so motorists could follow up with SGI.
A complaint was lodged regarding allegations that an individual breached conditions of a non-contact order. Statements were obtained and were to be forwarded to the agency of jurisdiction as the subject of the complaint does not live in Estevan.
An unidenti ed person was reported to be going through yards and possibly vehicles in the 1500-block of ird Street. Members conducted vehicle and foot patrols but were unable to locate the suspect.
Police received a report of an intoxicated woman near a business in the Hillside area on Sept. 13. Ofcers attended and learned she was at the business to receive services and wasn’t intoxicated or causing problems.
A second similar report was received of a woman acting strangely on a boulevard on Souris Avenue North. Members attended and determined it was the same woman. She was spoken to by police and sent on her way.
e EPS responded to a report of an Estevan man reaching out to an individual with whom he has a court-ordered no-contact provision. e matter is under investigation.
struck by a vehicle. e accident report was completed and referred to SGI.
A driver was reported to be yelling and threatening others from the window of a company vehicle. e company was contacted and identi ed the driver to police, and the business was permitted to deal with the circumstances as a workplace issue.
e EPS received a report of a disoriented man in south Estevan Sept. 15. Police and Estevan EMS attended and the man was subsequently transported to St. Joseph’s Hospital for assessment.
A complaint of an assault was received the same day. e matter remains under investigation.
Street. e suspect was known to the complainant and through the investigation, the matter was resolved without criminal charges being laid. O cers dealt with a report of a dog sounding to be in distress in an apartment. Based on the noise from the animal and concern for the residents, members entered the apartment to ensure the well-being of anyone located within. e dog was subsequently found and taken to the humane society where she was later retrieved by her owner.
e EPS received a report of an individual being scammed through Facebook Marketplace on Sept. 14. Police remind people to be cautious and to check into posts related to items for sale prior to e-transferring deposits or money to purchase anything.
“It is a good idea to review the seller’s pro le and look for irregularities, such as very few posts, very few friends, etc.,” the EPS says.
Police received a report of a railway stop arm being
Police responded to several complaints from neighbours, alleging criminal harassment by each other. e matter remains under investigation.
Police responded to 57 occurrences from Sept. 13-15, including multiple driving complaints, disturbances and ghts, an assault and allegations of criminal harassment.
e EPS received a report of a break and enter to a residence in the 800-block of King
Members attended to a call for service in the Trojan area involving a man experiencing a mental health crisis. Police mediated the situation and ensured the individual had access to mental health and addictions support services.
EPS received a report of a man removing owers and a large piece of plywood from the cemetery. e suspect left the scene prior to the members’ arrival, but he was reported to be riding a white bicycle and wearing a black hat. e items were found discarded in the vicinity of the cemetery.
Members of the Estevan Fire Rescue Service were dispatched to a commercial re alarm in the northwest area of the city on Sept. 9 just after 4 p.m.
With most crews dis-
patched to a grass re south of the city, a duty o cer responded and investigated, and con rmed an emergency was not occurring. e alarm system had been accidentally ac-
tivated, so the crews were stood down.
On Sept. 11 at about 2 p.m., crews responded to a residential carbon monoxide alarm in the northeast area. Zero carbon monoxide levels were detected throughout the home, so re ghters determined that the alarm was potentially due to a faulty detector or issues in the alarm system, and the homeowner was advised to look into it.
Crews were dispatched to a commercial re alarm in the northwest area of the city on Sept. 14 at about 9.30 a.m. ey soon con rmed an emergency was not occurring, and the alarm was due to accidental activation.
On Sept. 15 at about 11.40 p.m., the EFRS was dispatched to a commercial re alarm in the northeast area. Crews responded and investigated, con rming no emergency was occurring. e alarm was due to a cooking-related incident, but to reset the re alarm, crews had to ventilate the area due to excessive smoke accumulation.
Members were also busy on Sept. 14, rst participating in the Special Olympic Baseball Games, and then attending the Enduro Race to provide service if needed at the Estevan Motor Speedway.
almost 62 years, Marcel Boire; Greg Boire; Grandson Ryan Boire and his son Haven); Granddaughter Amanda Wur tz (Andy) and their children: Brayden, Tailynn and Dillon; Wanda Boire; Granddaughters: Natasha Wishar t and her son Aver y and Vanessa (Bill) Komar nicki and their son Eli; Grandson Johnathon (Jordyn) Wishar t and their daughter Aubree; Nicole (Clinton) Gibbons; Granddaughter Racquelle (Br yson) Quilliams; Grandson Reagan Gibbons She is also sur vived by her siblings: Bever ly Gr imes Doreen Humphr ies and Frank (Judy) Eaton in-laws: Gilber t & Elaine Boire as well as numerous nieces and nephews She was predeceased by her parents: Jack & Mildred Eaton; sisters: Shir ley (Ross) LeBlanc and Sybil (Bob) Fr ijouf; brothersin-law: Gar y Gr imes and Ron Humphr ies; sister-in-law Mar ian (Joe) Veeder ; and parents-in-law: Joseph and Cecile Boire
A Memor ial Ser vice was held in Evelyn s honour, on Monday, September 9 2024 at 2:00 p m at Faith Lutheran Church Lampman Sask with Rev Sharon Kane officiating A time of lunch and fellowship followed at the Royal Canadian Legion in Lampman Inur nment in the Columbar ium at the Estevan Cit y Cemeter y will take place at a later date
Those wishing to pay tr ibute to Evelyn via a donation in her memor y may do so directly to STARS Air Ambulance 2640 Air por t Road, Regina, SK S4W 1A3 or online at https://stars ca/ or Choose Life Ministr y Box 426 Car nduff SK S0C 0S0 or online at https://www chooselifeministr y ca/ Hall Funeral Ser vices in Estevan provided care to the Boire family - Dustin Hall Funeral Director
James "Jim" Thomas Stark
James “Jim” Thomas Star k beloved husband of Mar ian Star k of Medicine Hat for mer ly of Estevan Saskatchewan, passed away on Tuesday September 3 2024, at the age of 86 years He also leaves to cher ish his memor y three children Gordon (Kelly) Star k, Barbara (Lance) Wanner and Heather (Joey) Scherger ; three grandchildren, Scott Wanner, Lakon Star k (Todd Gonzola) and Alanah (Jarrod) St yre; great grandchildren Cayden and Jensen; sisters-in-law Helen Star k Cindy Ulmer Timlen and Cathy (Gene) Smith; brother-in-law Mor ley Dr yden as well as numerous nieces and nephews He was predeceased by his parents Mathilda and Thomas Star k one son Gregor y Star k his brother George sisters Mar ion (Paul) Dor nian Ber tha (Fay) Whitman, Irene (Raymond) Orser and Marjor ie Dr yden; his mother-and father-in-law Grace and Ar thur Ulmer and brother-inlaw Perr y Ulmer Jim was bor n and raised in Estevan where he also began a career with Graham Constr uction at the age of 16 Jim retired when he was 66 after 50 years of ser vice with Graham Many buildings and projects in southeast Saskatchewan were constr ucted under Jim s guidance Jim also enjoyed hunting fishing and boating in his younger years as well as a good game of Norwegian Whist After he retired, Jim took up baking pies and apple dumplings which were a favour ite for many Jim was also known for his barbecuing skills
Diane Olson
The family wishes to announce that their loving wife mother grandmother and aunt, Diane Olson passed away peacefully at the Estevan Regional Nursing Home on Saturday September 7, 2024 at the age of 84 years Diane was preceded in death by her son Joel Olson; parents, Myr tle and Gordon Quinn; sister Wanda Latter and brother Jim Quinn She leaves her loving husband of 65 years, Kenneth Olson; daughters, Doni (Jerr y) Seipp and Lisa (Doug) Greening and sister Ber va Huber Nanny will be forever loved by her grandchildren Quinn (Kr isten) Seipp, Barrett (Steve) Perr y, Stefan (Zoe Wagner) Seipp, Jillian Greening and Seth Greening and great grandchildren, Camdyn Seipp Par ker Seipp Henr y Perr y and George Perr y as well as numerous nieces nephews and fr iends
Those wishing to pay tr ibute to Diane via a donation may do so directly to the Estevan New Nursing Home 1201 2nd Street Estevan SK S4A 0M1 or St Joseph’s Hospital Foundation (designate MRI), 1176 Nicholson Rd , Estevan, SK S4A
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By Ana Bykhovskaia SaskToday.ca
Woodlawn Regional Park was the site of what’s hoped will be a new page in local activism history.
Estevan’s rst-ever three-kilometre Brain Boogie Walk, held at the Fresh Air Fitness area on Saturday, was aimed to raise awareness and funds for the Saskatchewan Brain Injury Association (SBIA). Forty-three participants enjoyed a morning of light exercise and a chance to support an important cause.
“ is association is all about providing awareness and the prevention of brain injuries. ere are more and more survivors in our province every day. Brain injuries happen in sports, car accidents, slips and falls, and intimate personal violence every day. e retreats are informative and educational for survivors,” said the event description.
e event was spearheaded by local resident and brain injury survivor
Jennifer Kuchinka. Over a decade ago, Kuchinka sustained a brain injury after being struck by a semi-truck, an experience she chronicled in her 2014 book, When the Truck Hit. She said organizing the Brain Boogie Walk felt like a natural step in giving back to the organization that supports others.
“I just felt it was a good event, so why couldn’t we have one here?” Kuchinka said, noting that Estevan’s strong community spirit, particularly in sports like hockey, made it a perfect location for the event.
“Brain injuries happen in sports lots... it’s so important to wear helmets,” she added, emphasizing the need for safety awareness.
e event saw signi cant support, both from provincial groups and local businesses, a number of which stepped in as sponsors.
“ e Souris Family
Pharmacy helped a lot, and so did Dr. Crook’s [Estevan] Dental, Billesberger Law, and Westmoreland Mining,” said Kuchinka.
“ e community has been very supportive with door prizes, too.”
One sponsor even reached out after reading her story in the Mercury, wanting to contribute to the association in her honour, she added.
e day’s activities started with a couple of speeches. Glenda James, executive director for the SBIA, opened the day in Estevan, followed by an address from Coun. Kirsten Walliser. After quick stretching exercises led by Kuchinka participants embarked on the walk. A ra e and lunch followed.
“Over the last four years, we’ve really put an increased focus on how we build a community that’s accessible for everyone. And I think having supports and programs and awareness like this is one of those steps,” said Walliser on behalf of the city.
Estevan’s inaugural Brain Boogie Walk wasn’t just about raising funds, but it was also about extending a sense of commu-
nity and understanding for those a ected by brain injuries in Estevan, Kuchinka said.
“We [through SBIA] have two retreats, one in Saskatoon and one in Regina, so we’re able to get together and we support each other. We have lots of laughs and good food, and that’s nding supports within each other, with each other,” Kuchinka said.
City Hall: 1102 4th Street
8amto4:30 pm |(306) 634-1800
LeisureOffice: 701 Souris Avenue
8amto4:30pm| (306) 634-1880
She also expressed her gratitude to the sponsors, media and participants involved.
Kuchinka hopes it will become an annual tradition in Estevan, helping to create greater awareness about brain injuries in the local community, and also raise funds for the SBIA. Kuchinka’s goal was to raise $2,000 for the SBIA. e actual total raised wasn’t immediately available.
Mayor’sMessage
Clean Sweep will be coming October18–20, 2024, withafreelandfill weekend.
Please use this time to clean up your yards for winter.
TheCouncil of the City of Estevanpursuant to theCitiesAct thatthe Council of theCity of Estevan, givesnoticeofits intention to implementa bylaw under the Cities ActSection 134 (1) to authorizethe borrowing of money.
On August19, 2024 meeting thefirstreadingofthe Bylaw2024-2086 was passed andthe final readings is expected to be on September 9, 2024 for implementation onceapprovedbyEstevanCity Council
Theproposed Bylaws 2024-2086may be inspected by anyperson in the City Clerk’sOffice, on the main levelofCityHall,between thehours of 9am and4 pm, MondaytoFriday.
Datedthis21st dayofAugust, 2024.
Judy Pilloud, CityClerk 11024th Street, Estevan, SK S4A 0W7
e Southeast U18 Estevan Kinette Club Viragos lost 49-37 to the Moosomin Generals at home on Saturday, but they still set a franchise record for points in a game.
Morgan Hase had four touchdowns on the day for the Viragos. Carly Herman and Aurora McCutcheon each had one score.
In a post on Facebook, Kevin Mortenson, one of the coaches for the Viragos, praised the team’s e ort, saying he has never been so proud of the team’s e ort in the second half.
“ is group is di erent and the coaches can see it in their eyes. ey want to stay in the ght. ey want to nish the game,” said Mortenson. “ ey want to leave the eld with their heads high.”
e Viragos’ previous record for points in a game was 14. eir next game will be on Sept. 21, when they host Melville starting at 5 p.m. at the Dana Quewezance Memorial Field at Woodlawn Athletic Park.
e Estevan Lions Club U14 Oilers dropped a close 29-24 decision against the Weyburn Falcons on Friday night at Woodlawn.
Coach Christian Pfeifer said the o ence played fairly well and he was pleased with the defensive e ort. But the Oilers gave up some big plays on special teams, which led to Weyburn scoring on two punt returns and one kicko return.
Quarterback Ryder Mantei, running back TJ ompson, and receivers Waylon Mantei and Liam Durr scored for Estevan.
“Even though we were down at some points in the game, they didn’t hang their heads and accept defeat, no matter what. ey didn’t give up, they didn’t show any quit in them, and they powered through and gave a really, really entertaining game for everybody. It was a lot of fun, and the kids, they didn’t give up,” said Pfeifer. e game was another good measuring stick of where the Oilers stand. Weyburn won the league
championship last year.
“Bouncing back from adversity is such a huge thing that a team needs to be able to do, and I’m pretty con dent that these guys are going to be able to get it done,” Pfeifer said.
Estevan (2-1) will host the Moose Jaw Raiders on Sept. 21 at 3 p.m. at Woodlawn. e Raiders are undefeated in league play.
***
e Estevan Power Dodge U12 Chargers fell 58-48 to the Weyburn Ravens on Friday night at Woodlawn.
Coach James Haagsman said the Chargers were able to get great o ence for the third straight game, but couldn’t hold their opponents defensively.
Running back Dexx Tendler had ve touchdowns on the day to pace the Chargers’ o ence. Fullback Hudson Peet scored his rst touchdown. Quarterback Casey Kitz also scored.
e Chargers’ next game is Sept. 22 when they host the Assiniboia Rockets at 4
p.m. at Woodlawn.
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e Estevan Comprehensive School Elecs football team fell 61-0 to the Moose Jaw Central Cyclones on Saturday at Woodlawn.
Coach Chris Bayerle said they corrected a few of the problems they encountered the previous week against Balgonie Greenall. Special teams, coached by Kyle iessen, played well, and the defence started to play better. e o ence made far fewer mistakes.
After the Elecs took away the interior running and passing lanes, Moose Jaw still ran the ball to the outside, which left the Elecs chasing. Bayerle said they look forward to adjusting and preparing for Yorkton next week. at game will be played Sept. 20 at 4 p.m. at Woodlawn.
By David Willberg
e preseason is over and the countdown is on for the Estevan Bruins’ rst game of the 2024-25 regular season.
e Bruins defeated the Weyburn Red Wings 3-2 in overtime on Saturday night at A nity Place to close the exhibition slate with a 1-4 record. Kaelen Whittingham scored 3:17 into the extra frame to lift the Bruins to victory.
Reed Gramlich and Rory Elson also scored for Estevan. Benjamin Polhill made 34 saves to get the win in goal.
Whittingham also had the Black and Gold’s lone goal Friday night in a 4-1 loss at Weyburn. Liam Hallet had 26 saves in that game.
Head coach and general manager Jason Tatarnic said he thought the club played well for most of the preseason, with two good games at the Aberdeen Wings of the North American Hockey League. ey had a strong start against Weyburn on Friday night as well, he said, and played well for 40 minutes. ey ran into penalty trouble on Saturday, but Tatarnic said the Bruins played really well at even strength.
“We’re a young team. We’re young compared to other years, but I like the direction we’re going. ere’s some players here that I’m excited about, and there’s some players that are going to have to learn to play at this level, and they’re going to be good players. It’s going to take time and patience, and we’re looking forward to working with them.”
Since the end of training camp, the Bruins have brought in several players, including Kent Moors and Ewan Renne, who played with the B.C. Hockey League’s Cowichan Valley Capitals and Langley Riverman, respectively, while forwards Luke Hogan and Jacob Peterson have been brought in from the Aberdeen Wings of the North American Hockey League (NAHL).
Defenceman Michael Carter, 20, acquired from the Lloydminster Bobcats of the Alberta league, has been competing and working hard. Young forwards Reed Gramlich of Arizona and Rorey Elson from Chatham, Ont., have looked good.
“We want to play a certain way, and I think we went after players we think can play that way, so we’re crossing our ngers
TheEstevanBruinsfacedtheWeyburnRedWingsinanSJHL preseasongameonSaturdaynight.
and hope they can.
e Bruins will open the regular season on Friday night when they host the Melville Millionaires, starting at 7 p.m. en they will visit Melville the following night.
e club has announced forward Cade Kennedy will be the club’s captain this season. Kennedy, acquired in a trade from the Yorkton Terriers midway through last season, is one
of four returning players from last year’s club. Whittingham, defenceman Owen Simmonds and forward Brady Wilson are also back.
Kennedy said it was an honour to be selected as a leader for the “historic” franchise. ere are lots of players on the team who are deserving to wear the captain’s C.
“I think I’m pretty positive with the guys on and
o the ice, and just trying to help them better themselves and myself. I feel like I work hard out there.”
Kennedy said he doesn’t feel added pressure as one of the few returning players. ey have a young, fast and hard-working group.
e players have meshed well together and are earning their spots on the team.
“Since Day 1, they’ve always been working hard,” said Kennedy. “I couldn’t
DallasWanner,left,receivescongratulationsfrom EstevanMotorSpeedwaypresidentBradPiersonafter winningthetrack’syear-endEnduroraceSaturday. Wannercompleted149lapstowintheEndurofor thesecondtimeinthreeyears.GregMillerwas secondwith145laps,RobertPickeringwasthird with139andJaredStorycameinfourthwith136. Thirty-eightentrieswerereceived.TheEndurolasts for150lapsor90minutes,whichevercomesfirst. PhotocourtesyofBradPierson
be prouder of them and I’m excited to see how the season goes.”
Tatarnic said Kennedy has been playing junior for a while, and he understands what the Bruins are trying to accomplish and how they have to do things.
“Right through training camp, he’s been a leader, so it was a pretty easy decision,” said Tatarnic. e team’s three alternate captains have yet to be announced.
As of Sunday afternoon, the Bruins had 28 players on the roster. Tatarnic said they still have some tough decisions before opening night.
In addition to the eight players who graduated from last year’s club, several other players aren’t back. Goaltender and local product Jackson Miller was dealt to the Swan Valley Stampeders of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League to complete the future considerations from the Bruins’ 2021 acquisition for forward Jamie Valentino.
Defenceman Holdin Getzlaf is now with Manitoba’s Niverville Nighthawks, and fellow blue-liner Jules Delepoulle has joined the Minnesota Mallards of the NAHL. Last year’s top scorer, forward Ilya Chmelevski, an American-Russian dual citizen, has signed to play pro with the Toros Neftekamsk of the All-Russian Hockey League, a step below the Kontinental Hockey League. Another skilled forward, Alex Papaspyropolous, is with the New Jersey Titans of the NAHL. Forward Gabriel Filion was dealt to the Humboldt Broncos. Carsyn Dyck, who was last year’s top rookie for the Bruins, is with the Portland Winterhawks of the Western Hockey League. Daniel Tokariwski was traded to Manitoba’s Virden Oil Capitals. Dillon Jackson decided to go to school. Forward Raine Hodge is awaiting a trade.
Home games start at 7:00pm unlessstated otherwise
