Estevan Mercury 20230426

Administrative Professionals

Day special.

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Talented young potter

Legacy project. Beautiful donation by Torquay bar in memory of late owner.

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Thanks for the support. Midale Rink sees another successful fundraiser.

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Estevan Renewable Energy Park project explained at open house at the college

Senior Living special. Latest news from Creighton Lodge and Hill View Manor.

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By Ana Bykhovskaia

Low Carbon Eco2 Energy representatives out of London, UK, were among those at the Southeast College’s Estevan campus Monday evening to talk to residents about the renewable energy park projects.

Big time winners. Estevan Extreme Volleyball teams bring home gold and silver from provincials.

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The UK company is proposing two new straw residue and waste wood-fuelled biomass facilities in Estevan and Clavet, which is located near Saskatoon. The proposed projects will generate 45 megawatts (MW) of renewable electricity, as well as green heat. According to the company’s data, each facility could be able to save 58,500 tonnes of CO2 on an annual basis, which results in over 98 per cent emissions avoidance when compared to the reported 2020 Saskatchewan energy mix.

The local plant is to be known as the Estevan Renewable Energy Park or the biomass facility, and the Low Carbon Eco2 Energy representatives were sharing information about the project, answering people’s questions and collecting feedback for future reference as they move forward.

Also present were Regina representatives of Hatch, a global multidisciplinary management, engineering and development consultancy firm.

In the Energy City, Low Carbon Eco2 Energy is currently considering a location within city limits on a 25-acre site northeast of the intersection of Kensington Avenue and King Street. Estevan land development services manager Richard Neufeld said the city has approved the development and

Estevan residents attended the open house at Southeast College’s Estevan campus Monday night to learn more about the proposed Estevan Renewable Energy Park.

now Low Carbon Eco2 Energy can take further steps. With Hatch’s help, which Low Carbon Eco2 Energy

Where can you find the Estevan Mercury?

contracted to do some work locally, they are currently going through permitting process. The company rep noted

that they like the location and the city has been very supportive.

Jude Naka works on his pottery project Saturday afternoon at the Estevan Arts Council’s craft room inside the Estevan Leisure Centre. A pottery class was held for young people, giving them the chance to work on their skills and create something lasting. Another session was held on Sunday.

Photo by David Willberg

By Ana Bykhovskaia and David Willberg

Winter had one last blast in store for the city of Estevan and southeast Saskatchewan last week, bringing wet, heavy snow and strong winds to the area.

The storm struck early on April 19 and lasted until the following day. It forced the city to mobilize snowremoval crews, and it also resulted in power outages and closed highways.

City of Estevan crews were out Wednesday morning to clear emergency routes.

Norm Mack, roads and drainage manager with the City of Estevan’s public works division, said there wasn’t that much snow accu-

mulated in the first few hours when the first crews were out, but as the weather event progressed, more equipment was required.

The city crews didn’t require a full-blown snow removal effort from the storm because the dump sites were muddy, and the sun would take care of the snow quickly since it’s mid-April. The snow was windrowed into the middle of the streets in some areas of the community to melt there.

“It won’t be our regular snow removal, because of the time of year we’re not hauling, so … we’re hopeful that the sunshine and warmer temperatures look after it in a few days.”

Prior to the storm, city

crews had already started with spring operations, had sweepers out and ensured the drainage systems were cleared.

Snow removal crews were back out early Thursday morning.

Mack and others with the city asked people to stay home if they didn’t need to go out.

While the moisture is hard to track, Estevan received 23.9 millimeters of water equivalent between rain and melted snow on April 19. An additional 3.1 millimeter came to Estevan the following day.

Environment Canada issued a special weather statement in the afternoon of April 16, advising people in southern Saskatchewan about the potential impact of a pending Colorado low. The advisory was modified to a winter storm watch the following day, and the winter storm warning was issued for southeast Saskatchewan the afternoon of April 18.

The snow melt began on April 21, and by April 24, much of the snow was gone from the community. Windrows in the middle of the streets had diminished greatly in size.

The storm caused havoc

on highways throughout southeast Saskatchewan.

Travel was not recommended on highways in the Estevan area early on April 19.

Conditions were upgraded to winter conditions exist briefly that morning, but the do not travel advisories returned a short time later, and the highways were eventually closed.

Virtually every highway in the southeast was closed at some point on April 19 or 20.

The Saskatchewan RCMP twice issued advisories on April 19, asking mo-

torists to stay off the roads in southeast Saskatchewan.

They noted that they received 50 calls in a one-hour span related to highway conditions, although a lot of the calls were connected to conditions on the Trans-Canada Highway.

SaskPower spokesman

Scott McGregor said crews had to respond to a couple of power outages that came in at around 10:30 p.m. on April 19. One was in the Wauchope area and the other was around Alida.

The Wauchope outage

was restored at 12:30 p.m. the following day, and the Alida outage was back at 1:35 p.m.

“Weather conditions hampered SaskPower crews’ ability to restore these outages the evening of the 19th,” said McGregor.

The Wauchope outage impacted 165 customers, and the Alida outage affected 84, McGregor said.

There were other outages in the southeast corner of the province area throughout the day on April 20, but McGregor said these were resolved quickly.

45-MW biomass facility would create many jobs

The two facilities will become the first ones in Canada for the Low Carbon Eco2 Energy. They set eyes on Saskatchewan as they believe the province is well placed for a large-scale biomass industry, with an abundance of agricultural residue and waste wood from existing industry, as well as ambitious energy transition plans. The latest also affected their choice of Estevan as one of their preferred locations.

The Canadian biomass facilities will be based on the design of a 38-MW strawfired biomass power station developed by Eco2 in Sleaford, England, but will be adapted to the Canadian climate, supply chain and standards and upgraded with new technological advancement.

As current federal regulations require all conventional coal-fired power stations to be closed by 2030, the company says the project will help to ensure energy security for the province, contribute to the decarbonization of the electricity grid, and also bring significant investment and new jobs to the province.

The development timeline for the projects is largely dependent on federal funding progress, but once shovel ready, the facilities will likely take three to four years to build.

The projects are expected to create construction and long-term economic opportunities in the areas, including employment and training, local feedstock procurement, contracting and educational partnerships. The feedstock used provides an additional revenue stream to farmers and existing industries because it does not compete for land use or food production.

Each proposed project is expected to generate over 400 jobs – 250 during construction, and 150 ongoing roles at the facilities or within the supply chain. The numbers are based on U.K. facilities and may change to suit Canadian requirements as the development and construction process evolves, the company noted.

A biomass facility uses organic feedstock to produce electricity and heat. A biomass facility could be fuelled by a range of organic feedstock types and the proposed facility will be fuelled by straw residue and waste wood. They expect the facilities to process straw of varying types and grades, which will make up the majority of the feedstock, and waste wood from the forestry and commercial industry, diverting waste from beehive burners and/or landfill.

The fuel mix at each facil-

SALES POSITION

The Estevan Mercury is seeking a creative and personable sales representative.

Experience preferred but will train the right candidate. If you have the following qualities and skills, please send your resume in confidence to Pat Pasloski, Sales Manager @ ppasloski@ estevanmercury.ca:

• commitment to customer service

• dedicated and enthusiastic attitude

• strong communication skills

• highly motivated self-starter

• good time management and organizational skills

• focused with an eye for detail

• must be a team player

This position offers a good compensation package with a benefit plan.

ity will depend on local availability. They will not use wood that has been felled for the sole purpose of use as biomass and they do not require wood pellets.

The straw they procure is expected to come from a 50-kilometre radius of the facilities. Where applicable, the waste wood feedstock basin will be wider to account for location of forestry mills.

The boiler at the facilities is designed to be flexible with feedstock input, so it can utilize many different types of straw and agricultural residue supporting crop rotation. The facility will be able to utilize wheat, barley and oats. They are also currently testing the viability of using canola and flax straw. Alternative fuels also being tested include oat hulls, corn stover and grasses.

The plant handling system requires Hesston square bales in a four-foot-by-three-foot or four-foot-by-four-foot configurations, with additional length and density requirements. On-site, there planned to be three to five days worth of fuel stored, with an average of three months of additional feedstock in an off-site strategic storage depot.

While combustion of biomass releases carbon dioxide (CO2), the organic material used as feedstock will have

captured almost the same amount of CO2 through photosynthesis while growing as it releases when combusted, making biomass a carbonneutral energy source. For carbon emission calculation and reporting purposes. This is widely known as biogenic carbon, meaning the CO2 does not add to the earth’s overall atmospheric carbon level due to the cyclical process of carbon abatement and release.

This is different from fossil carbon or non-biogenic carbon. released when combusting oil, coal and gas, which increases the earth’s overall atmospheric carbon level by releasing CO2 that would otherwise have been stored geologically long-term.

The flue gas produced from biomass combustion is cleaned to a very high standard before being released into the atmosphere. The facilities adhere to strict air quality standards. The main product released from the flue will be biogenic CO2 and steam from the moisture in the fuel.

The company says there are very small amounts of other emissions, including nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, hydrogen chloride and particulate matter, which are all at levels

well below those dangerous to human health or wildlife and are monitored continuously to ensure that they meet the strict limits set by environmental authorities. There will be minimal impacts in terms of noise, odour and light pollution, they added. Indirectly, carbon emissions are incurred through the transport of fuel to the site. The company noted that these are small when compared to alternative sources of baseload power generation, but they are the largest source of emissions associated with the facility. They say they are committed to reducing direct processing emissions and indirect transport emissions where possible; in the short term through effective procurement strategies and in the long term through renewable technologies such as biofuels and electric vehicles. Even with transport emissions, biomass remains a much more sustainable alternative than coal and gas.

They also plan on designing the facility with the ability to retrofit carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology once operational.

The turbine is a steampowered generator, and it uses water on a daily basis. However, the company notes that this is a small quantity com-

pared to most industrial users as it’s around 50 tonnes or just over 30,000 gallons of water per day as compared to 30 million gallons of water a day used by an equivalent of output coal plant, according to Sandia National Laboratories.

The company aims at making its facilities as fully circular as possible, with a small amount of ash being the primary by-product of the facility. Some of it can be used as fertilizer in agriculture, with the remainder being used as aggregate in construction. The consulting company representative said there is an existing market for the by-product, and Neufeld pointed out that it also creates the potential for synergies and further industrial development in the area. Low Carbon Eco2 Energy is a joint venture between two UK-headquartered, renewable energy developers – Low Carbon and Eco2. Low Carbon is an independent power producer with operations across Europe and North America, and Eco2 is a renewables developer and asset manager, founded in 2002.

The team has experience in developing biomass projects and associated supply chains, having previously developed many projects in the U.K., including the first straw-powered biomass plant.

Zaya found not guilty of assault

A verdict has been handed down in the case of a Saskatchewan RCMP officer who was charged with assault.

Const. Dani Zaya was found not guilty of the charge in Carlyle Provincial Court on April 14.

Zaya was charged with one count of assault with a weapon, namely pepper spray, under the Criminal Code following an investigation.

Zaya’s case went to trial in January. A judge adjourned the matter to April for a decision.

According to the Saskatchewan RCMP, on Oct. 31, 2020, officers from the Carlyle detachment stopped a vehicle in Arcola to conduct an Alcohol and Gaming Regulations Act investigation. The RCMP says one of the occupants of the vehicle, an adult male, was arrested by Zaya during the course of the investigation. During the interaction with the adult male, Zaya used pepper spray.

A complaint was made to Carlyle RCMP in relation to this incident on Nov. 18, 2020. An investigation occurred, and after consultation with Crown prosecution, Zaya was arrested and charged on June 23, 2021, and released on conditions. He was suspended with pay. No further information has been made available on the matter.

While residential roads, such as McLeod Avenue, were left a slushy mess, the city didn’t have to undertake a full-blown snow clearing effort.

The snow was perfect for making snowmen and other structures.

Tabs in memory of Barley’s Bar owner to help Pasqua Hospital’s cancer centre

By Ana Bykhovskaia

Anyone who’s ever been to Barley’s Bar in Torquay knows that not a single can tab ends up in the regular recycling bag there.

Brian Leifso, who ran the bar alongside his wife Faythe Eastwood since 2010, started the habit of taking the tabs off their beer or pop cans many years ago, and got many regulars hooked on doing the same. He originally wanted to give the collected aluminum to the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital, which was being built at the time. But he didn’t get a chance to complete the project.

After Leifso passed away last November following a long battle with cancer, Eastwood decided she wanted to finish off what Leifso started.

She wasn’t able to donate the tabs to the children’s hospital, but with the help of Don Cowan of Estevan, she ended up giving tabs to the Pasqua Hospital’s cancer centre in Regina.

By April 14, when Cowan came to pick up the donation, the Barley’s Bar owners, staff, customers and several people in the Torquay area had collected 11 20-litre jars, which equalled 189.5 pounds. One pound is about 1,127-1,430 tabs, according to various Ronald McDonald House and Tabs for Wheelchairs websites. It takes about 50 pounds to purchase one wheelchair, as Cowan was told at the Pasqua Hospital.

That means that the Barley’s Bar donation initiated by Leifso, which came as a huge surprise for the centre, may help cover the expenses

of almost four wheelchairs or other equipment needs the centre may have.

Cowan has been collecting can tabs from about 85100 people in the southeast and a few people further away, and taking them to the hospital for about 12 years.

The tabs he brought in on April 19, which included those from Barley’s Bar along with those he picked up from other contributors, came out to 420 pounds and turned out to be the biggest onetime donation the hospital has received from anybody, including organizations, or so he’s been told.

Cowan said people accepting his delivery at Pasqua Hospital were ecstatic about it, and he felt proud of everyone who saves tabs to donate to the hospital. Throughout his years of doing it, he has delivered 2,287 lbs of tabs so far.

In the interview with the Mercury, Eastwood shared that for many people, collecting tabs turned into a habit that extended beyond the bar walls.

“We had a few people bring small bags of tabs in every so often. And speaking of that, when I’m walking through the parking lot and I see a tab on the ground, I have to lean down and pick it up and put it in my pocket,” Eastwood said with a laugh.

ute to his life and celebrate the kind of man he was.

“I just wanted him to get credit for the tabs,” Eastwood said.

A Saskatchewan man, Leifso was born in Assiniboia and spent his young years in the Crane Valley area. Throughout his life he lived in Alberta, B.C. and even in the U.S. before returning to his home province and then moving from Moose Jaw and making Torquay his home.

He drove trucks and hauled water to oil rigs, ran a bar in Comox on Vancouver Island, and tried many other jobs. He was keen on gardening and had a genuine interest in compost teas. He started a greenhouse in their backyard and had many plants in and around the eatery all year round.

The family took over the bar in 2010, and since then many things have changed and developed. As Leifso was a cowboy in his heart, the building got some western spirit and style to it. It also acquired an outdoor extension with a stage and a deck. Before the pandemic, the bar would have bands visiting quite often with some coming in for just one day and others performing for two nights in a row.

pounds.

She said she wanted to bring this project started by Leifso to fruition after his passing as a way to pay a trib-

EMS enhancements

communities

An increase of $8.8 million in annual funding in the 2023-24 provincial budget will support Emergency Medical Services (EMS) improvements for 31 Saskatchewan communities.

The money will add rural and remote ground ambulance staff, expand community paramedicine, address wage parity issues, and provide more operational funding for contracted EMS operators and communication upgrades.

“EMS providers in Saskatchewan communities are on the frontlines of patient care, and our government is committed to supporting this critical priority area with

funding for additional paramedics, ambulances and other essential resources,” Rural and Remote Health Minister Everett Hindley said.

“This year’s investment is part of a multi-year commitment to stabilize emergency services and modernize the system to improve overall response times, patient care and patient flow through the system as well as addressing offload delays.”

The funding increase of $8.8 million includes over $3.5 million to support the addition of 33 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions in 27 Saskatchewan communities.

In the southeast, funding was announced for Carnduff, Stoughton, Filmore, Radville and Weyburn. Saskatchewan Health Authority ambulance services in Carnduff, Radville and Weyburn, as well as not-for-profit ambulance services in Stoughton and Fillmore, will see increases in paid hours to staff current ambulance resources eight hours a day /16 hours on call.

Estevan this year will be among the five communities in rural and northern Saskatchewan to benefit from a $739,000 increase that will expand the community paramedicine program, further enhancing the available

The bar was also rebuilt inside and has constantly been getting more and more unique and personalized décor such as oil rig and other signs, pictures and more.

Brian Leifso and Faythe Eastwood started collecting can tabs many years ago and their donation eventually went to Pasqua Hospital in Regina, where it will help cover the cost of almost four wheelchairs or any other equipment needed. Photo courtesy of Faythe Eastwood

“He wanted things to be nice, he wanted people to be comfortable and relaxed, and we get lots of comments on the bar. People are happy with it,” Eastwood shared.

For several years Leifso was involved with Goodwater’s Bird Doggin Classic – a non-profit yearly event that raises money to release and restock pheasants. He would also get involved with other projects, fundraisers and events in and around Torquay. Many people would

stop by to visit with him, as Leifso was very sociable, a good host and a good friend.

“The Sunday before he passed away, we had two goose hunters here. And when they came home that Sunday night, they were telling me they stopped at the hospital and saw Brian and they said, ‘We had such a good visit with him. He was joking. And we really had a good visit,’” Eastwood shared.

“He was good. He was a nice man. I still miss him.”

community supports. This funding includes an additional 3.75 full-time equivalent community paramedicine positions that will be distributed across a number of ground ambulance services in the province.

“The additional funding provided by the Government of Saskatchewan is another positive step to advancing our vital Emergency Medical Services throughout the province,” said John Ash, the Saskatchewan Health Authority vice-president of provincial clinical and support services. “Our EMS staff will be better supported and equipped to provide

the best possible care to the people of Saskatchewan. Patients, especially those in rural areas, will have a more stabilized EMS service and quicker access to our healthcare teams.”

Contracted EMS providers across the province will receive a $2.6 million increase in wage parity funding to assist with recruitment and retention measures by ensuring wages remain competitive.

Other key investments include $866,000 to support a two per cent grant increase for contracted ambulance operators across the province to mitigate rising operational

pressures; and over $1 million to support EMS communications equipment and technology upgrades.

“Paramedic Services

Chiefs of Saskatchewan is pleased with the announcement in the provincial budget,” said president Steven Skoworodko. “The investment of $8.8 million dollars is a strong commitment to addressing ongoing crucial needs of ambulance services and paramedics in the province. We look forward to ongoing dialogue with the Ministry of Health as well as the SHA to ensure the best patient care is brought to the residents of Saskatchewan.”

Photo courtesy of Dolly Chartrand

Staff

Sales Manager

Pat Pasloski - ppasloski@estevanmercury.ca

Sales Assistant

Christine Jones - cjones@estevanmercury.ca

Editor David Willberg - dwillberg@estevanmercury.ca

Editorial Staff

Ana Bykhovskaia - abykhovskaia@estevanmercury.ca

Production Manager

Ana Villarreal - avillarreal@estevanmercury.ca

Production

Morgan Hodgens - mohodgens@estevanmercury.ca

Laura Kish - laura.kish63@gmail.com

Administration

Vaila Lindenbach - admin@estevanmercury.ca

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EDITORIAL

Sometimes, we’re in for a bumpy ride

Each year, CAA Saskatchewan holds its worst roads contest.

It’s a chance for people to submit their choice(s) for the worst municipal roads and highways in Saskatchewan. They can submit their reviled stretch of road, include a few photos, and see how it compares to deteriorating counterparts in the province.

In some ways, it turns into a bit of a punchline. We get to make wisecracks about the worst routes in the province and how horrible they are. We also get that dose of reality about how things could be worse.

You might not be happy with that 15-kilometre segment of highway that you have to drive every day, but other roads are worse.

This campaign is also a source of awareness. It’s a constant reminder that there is always so much work to do on highways in Saskatchewan. Some highways have appeared multiple times or in consecutive years, much to the chagrin of motorists.

In southeast Saskatchewan, we have several highways in need of attention. One of them, Highway 13 near Redvers, was in second spot in Week 2. It’s not a surprise that it would appear; after all, it’s adjacent to a bustling town and Highway 13 serves as an important link between Saskatchewan and Manitoba. There are a lot of people who can vouch for the fact that it needs attention.

It’s not the only one in this region that would merit a spot in the top 10.

Highway 47 from Estevan to Stoughton needs attention. It’s needed to be resurfaced for a few years now. You would think it would be a high-priority highway because of the amount of traffic and the number of heavy trucks, but it continues to be overlooked.

Highway 18 from Estevan to Outram is in bad shape. The Roche Percee Access Road is likely in the worst shape of any asphalt roads in the region. While it really needs attention, it’s likely getting ignored because it doesn’t have much traffic.

(It’s hard to imagine 10 roads in worse shape than the one that runs to scenic Roche Percee).

The Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure has done a pretty good job on many of our highways down here. They have put a lot of money into Highway 39, ranging from resurfacing to upkeep to installing passing lanes (even if passing lanes weren’t our first choice down here).

They have put money into parts of Highway 13 east of Stoughton (even if the area around Redvers needs attention) and Highway 18 from Estevan to the Manitoba border.

But there are other areas that need work.

And we should be at the top of the priority list. After all, if it wasn’t for the revenues generated by the oil and gas sector in the southeast, the government wouldn’t have been able to return to surplus budgets faster than it projected.

The contest has evolved over the years. At one time, it was just highways that were on the list. Now municipal roads are included. You have to wonder how closely municipalities follow the results. (If municipal roads were included in 2013, Souris Avenue North/Highway 47 from King Street to city limits would have been a favourite to win.

Road repairs can be tough for some municipalities, especially small towns and villages. They don’t have access to the resources of the provincial government and larger centres, and resurfacing Main Street and other arterial roads can be expensive. And if it’s public that one of their main roads is deteriorating, that’s not exactly good news for trying to draw visitors from elsewhere. Still, perhaps it’s time to separate the contest into two components. One for the highways, and the other for the municipal roads. That way, a few more of each get their turn in this dubious spotlight. But it is a contest that is well worth following.

Chicken or egg dilemma of media world

Some of you might have noticed posts from SaskToday’s Crime, Cops and Court section popping up on Mercury’s Facebook page and thus on your feed at the end of every day.

Some even turn to our provincial news hub on a regular basis by now not only for Estevan news, but for your news needs in general and also to learn the latest from our most read section.

Crimes, cops and court indeed sees the most traffic on average. Of course, a huge part of this success is due to work by Lisa Joy, a very talented court reporter, an international and national award-winning journalist (and also a licensed private investigator in Alberta), who currently covers what is often pretty unbelievable acts by criminal minds in the north-central part of the province for SaskToday. (If you haven’t read her articles, please do so, she is indeed amazing). But there is also another component to this section’s popularity.

Back in my university years, one of the professors told us future journalists what was formulated as the rule of three Ss. Quoting some guru of journalism, he said that the popularity of media lies upon the three pillars – sex, death and sensation (which all start with an S in the Russian language).

These three components will always attract attention and guarantee a wide circulation, no matter where you are and who you are writing for.

Sex is pretty obvious; anything related to it, be it a scandal or an advice section, instantly catches attention. By death he meant any kinds of accidents, catastrophes, armed conflicts, and any other risks to people’s lives. Sensation is an approach to serving information. Be it a unique provocative leak, stipulation about a hot topic, or something that makes the reader feel scared, sensations cater to

Ana Bykhovskaia

Twenty Lines

About…

people’s emotions. Sensations are a go-to for tabloids, which in general bank on all three components, as well as for many social media channels and influencers.

Even if something is an obvious fiction, people still click on it and read it, yielding millions of views and room for making good money through advertisement.

Throughout my years in journalism, working for different media, along with many of my colleagues, I kept trying to swing away from the domination of these topics. We tried writing more positive news and digging for feel-good stories, we put all our talents into talking about something outside sex, sensations and death.

And while there was a response to that, when it came to news, the bad ones always took over the readership. So as a journalist seeking readership growth, you have to pay more attention to all the negative episodes. And then all of a sudden, it looks like the world around has gone unhinged and everything is indeed really bad.

I get that vibe from my grandma. With pain in her voice, she tells me about how scary the world became. There are floods in some regions, and fires in other ones, there are wars and mass shootings, violent outbreaks during protests in some countries and disease outbreaks in others. That’s all she gets from news broadcasts.

That’s where I hit my professional “the chicken or the egg” dilemma. Are there more issues in the world on average, or does it feel like it because that’s all people want to hear? Believe me, there are not that many

journalists that sincerely appreciate writing about all the negative news. Most reporters would prefer to look into other topics and story ideas more often than they get to. But we often feel that that’s what the readers want, so we end up writing more about crimes and accidents.

Getting back to SaskToday, we are still a young and ambitious project. Nearly two years ago, several smaller websites, which were producing news about our local communities, merged into one provincial news hub. Reporters and editors are still working on the ground, covering community news of all kinds. Just like me and Dave, there are journalists in Weyburn, Yorkton, Outlook, North Battleford as well as Regina and Saskatoon and other locations across Saskatchewan, who are working in their respective communities and then upload everything we do onto SaskToday.ca.

We are still looking for our own development path, and while we have a very wide range of news regularly updated on our website, our “three S” turned into the “three C” with news from police departments, court houses and about any kind of crimes attracting the most attention.

When looking through our feed, even I sometimes start feeling that Saskatchewan seems to be pretty dangerous. But is the province indeed getting unhinged, or are more crimes, cops and court news produced and distributed because people prefer to read them over other topics? Even with about 15 years in journalism, I still don’t have an answer. But before you blame media for fearmongering, check what you and those around you read and click on the most.

And yes, to stay up to date on Saskatchewan’s “three Cs” and all other provincial news (we put a lot of work into ensuring all the positives make it out there as well), stay with us and keep reading SaskToday.ca.

I can put money on what?

David Willberg Willberg’s World

Gambling has long been a part of sports.

The bond is inseparable in one of my favourite sports, horse racing. I went to Hastings Park in Vancouver to watch thoroughbred racing for the first time when I was 13. I picked a couple of winners that day and was hooked.

If you purchase the right program for that day’s races, they’ll give you everything you needed to know for each race. With my ability to crunch numbers quickly, and with my keen memory, I found horse racing to be perfect for me.

I’ve also been pretty good at hockey pools over the years, providing tips to others since I was a teen.

I’ve made some crazy bets over the years. Some have paid off. Others have not. As I’ve grown older and become more responsible with my cash, I’ve cut back on my gambling expenses, although I still enjoy betting on the horses and I’m still in a couple of pools. (The baseball pool I’m in, the Estevan Jubilee Baseball Pool, just had its 38th annual auction on Sunday).

So maybe I don’t have any credibility when it comes to criticizing the abundance of gambling promotion during modern broadcasts. But it is frustrating to have it rammed down your throat ad nauseum.

Watch a sports highlight show. They’ll talk about all of the odds for the games that night. Watch Hockey Night in Canada. They’ll discuss the odds set by some online gambling website. It’s not just about who wins; you can bet on everything from the over-under to a host of novelty items.

There’s always been extra options for people to bet on besides the winner and the loser. In football, people have long been able to bet on the spread. It wasn’t just who would win, but it was whether the favourite would win by a specified number of points.

It’s been a part of sports for as long as I’ve been alive. But you weren’t bombarded by it like you are now.

In horse racing, there are all sorts of different wagers you can place. It’s not just about putting money on the horse you think will win. You can bet on everything from who you think will finish second and third, to who you think will be the top four finishers in the race, to the winners of six straight races.

The more complicated the bet, the less likely you’ll succeed, but the greater the payout.

But I would cringe if I started to see wagers on who would have the lead at the quarter pole, what the winning time of the race would be or who would be the leading jockey for the day.

When I watch a marquee horse race, like the Kentucky Derby or the Queen’s Plate, they’ll constantly discuss the current odds to win, but they’ll keep discussion on exotic wagers to a minimum.

I have no problem with these gambling sites offering some form of sponsorship to a program. We live in a capitalist society. If a sports gambling website wants to sponsor a segment, or if they want to advertise during a commercial break, that’s fine.

There has to be a happy medium. There has to be a way in which these sites can promote their product, give people different opportunities for wagers and successfully run a business without a constant bombardment.

The announcers will sit there and encourage people to “know their limit, and play within it”, but they will do so while running through all sorts of options for people’s wagers.

It’s reached the point now where it’s become such a large part of the broadcast that you can’t ignore it. You can’t just decide to change the channel when they talk about the wagers. To tune out the gambling discussion is to shun the game itself.

I love my sports. I enjoy gambling. It can add a little something extra to the game or the event, and give you that little something extra to root for, even when the game is out of reach.

A fantasy sports pool can give you reason to care about a game that you would normally ignore.

But what we’re hearing now has taken things too far. And something needs to be done.

The editor:

I am writing this letter with mixed emotions about the strike that started on April 19 affecting approximately 155,000 members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada.

These are people I am proud to call my colleagues. These are people with families, with mortgages, with rent, with utility bills, with car payments, with grocery bills and with taxes to pay, just like everyone else in this country.

They are people that work hard to assist fellow Canadians access programs and benefits that the government provides and offers. They ensure you receive your child tax benefit, they process your tax refunds, they ensure you receive your EI payments when you lose your job through no fault of your own or receive EI when you are sick, they guide and assist you to apply for your Canada pension and oldage security when that time comes in your life.

These workers are there for the stressful, sometimes life-changing moments. They are also there for the happy moments like when you need a passport to take that first trip to see the world or travel to reunite with family. They process many applications and documents that assist in wel-

coming newcomers to this beautiful country. All these employees stepped up and worked many hours and days to ensure Canadians could receive payments during the pandemic when they were not able to work. These workers adapted and changed their home in order to keep working to be there for Canadians during a very stressful and fearful time. A time of so much uncertainty.

It was a time when Canadians needed these workers to be there to put their minds at ease, knowing they could still be financially supported to put food on the table, keep the lights on in their home and whatever other expenses they were facing.

So now it saddens me that when these workers need their employers to be there for them, by providing fair wages to assist them with the rising costs of living due to inflation, they are being told that they are being unreasonable.

I am one of these workers. I worked in the front office of Service Canada for many years and during the pandemic. I was passionate about helping my clients when they entered the office. I am still passionate about helping Canadians. I was very grateful that I had the opportunity to work

from home during the pandemic to continue helping Canadians.

I had the privilege of being one of the first people to work on a call centre that was established and designated for the Indigenous and vulnerable sectors of Canada. It came to fruition during the pandemic to ensure everyone had access to the federal benefits.

We returned to the office to continue helping Canadians and newcomers when everything started opening up again. Things weren’t the same; change was everywhere. We continued to adapt to new procedures, new policy and new legislation. The pandemic brought new opportunities for many workers, myself included.

It brought a role that allowed me to work remotely with many wonderful caring and compassionate people from across Canada. Many people were hired during and after the pandemic to meet the everchanging demands.

Working remotely allowed and continues to allow many talented, skilled and experienced people work in jobs that may not have been possible before the pandemic. The returning to the office initiative is not feasible for some of these workers as they are over 400 kilometres away from a main office. This

runs the risk of losing some highly trained and passionate workers.

If people cannot report to an office but can still efficiently and effectively work from home, then why would you want to risk losing that highly-trained and skilled employee just to hire someone closer to an office with no training? This would incur more cost having to train someone new instead of keeping someone who has valuable training and is considered an asset.

Another issue most people don’t realize with the return to the office situation is that some offices do not have enough space to house all the people who were hired during the pandemic to assist with the influx of work.

Working from home for some is an integral part in continuing to provide service to our fellow Canadians and newcomers of this country.

As I stated earlier, I am filled with mixed emotion today. I am extremely proud to be Canadian. I am also saddened and disappointed that a fair agreement cannot be met to support the workers that went the extra mile and continue to go that extra mile for all the people of Canada.

Connie Gibson Bienfait

An Estevan physician has been charged with allegedly breaching the conditions of his undertaking by the provincial College of Physicians and Surgeons.

The college states Dr. Mehdi Horri was charged on April 14 “with unprofessional conduct for having a professional encounter with a female patient without a female practice monitor present, as required by his undertaking, and for failing to immediately report the breach of his undertaking to the college.”

Horri’s licence was not suspended for the breach, and his profile for the college says he is on the registrar.

The charge has not been proven. The College of

Physicians and Surgeons’ website says a hearing into the matter is pending.

The physician, who has been practising in Estevan since 2012, was suspended for several weeks during the winter. His licence was reinstated on Feb. 27, but he was limited to providing services within his clinic. He is not allowed to perform any procedures that require suturing or the use of a scalpel.

He also agreed to have a chaperone present through the entirety of any interactions with female patients, and at the time, measures were put in place to ensure it happens. When he was reinstated, there was an ongoing investigation involving Horri, as complaints were

levied against him by two patients.

The need for him to have a chaperone present when seeing a female

patient stems from when his licence was revoked in 2017 and 2018, following a relationship with a former patient in Ontario.

Mercury admin is to wrap up 40+ year career

By Ana Bykhovskaia

Always friendly, knowledgeable and with a good joke to brighten a day, for the past seven years Vaila Lindenbach has been welcoming and assisting people coming in or calling the Estevan Mercury office.

She’s also known to the community through her administrative work for several oil industry businesses. After an admin career of over 40 years, Lindenbach has announced she will be retiring later this year.

April 26 is the Administrative Professionals’ Day, and as a part of our special promotion the Mercury is celebrating Lindenbach’s work and the upcoming conclusion of her long and successful career.

Lindenbach was born and raised at a farm by Moosomin, and she moved to Regina after graduation.

Her path to the administrative field started in the distribution department at the Plains Health Centre in Regina, from where she then moved into the admin role in the records department. After about 10 years in health care, she decided to take time off to care for her family.

Lindenbach got back into an admin role in the late ’80s, and after doing some temporary jobs she started working for SaskOil, which was the beginning of what turned out to be a long journey in the oil and gas industry. She took some

in-house courses, but most things she learned on the job.

After a few more years working in Regina, Lindenbach transferred to Estevan in 1993.

“I worked in operations and safety admin for a number of years and all through different changes when different companies bought them out,” Lindenbach said.

“And then eventually I got into [working] with PennWest, where I flipped over into accounts payable and I really enjoyed that; it was a different learning curve.”

Her admin career dates back to 1981 and saw her doing and mastering many different tasks and jobs. When the last oil and gas company she worked for sold to another one out of Weyburn, after a brief break, Lindenbach changed fields but not the profession. She worked for some time for Stream-Flo and then in 2016 she joined the Mercury team.

“What I did for work and the support I provided to people was the same, but it was a different industry [from oil and gas],” Lindenbach shared. “I didn’t change the field because I do like helping others, my colleagues within the industry, and that satisfaction from being a good helper and supporter kept me going.”

At the Mercury, Lindenbach also took over the management of the team of carriers, which currently

counts 24 people that deliver the paper to our readers every week.

A lot of things have changed throughout Lindenbach’s career, especially in technology and the computer side of work, but for her, it wasn’t hard to adapt, she said. When she just started, she would work on a computer terminal, which gradually transitioned into a PC, and the programs were changing and developing as well. Filing changed and developed towards going paperless, but she noted that if you have a good knowledge of the system, it doesn’t matter how you do it.

People changed a bit as well, and the approach to work is reshaping. Her work week was switched to 3 1/2 days in recent years, and she had to readjust how she does things, but she noted the same is happening in many other fields.

“I think people are learning to do the job that they normally did in a 9-5 or 8-4:30 days faster. You get better at doing it. Maybe it is the accessibility of the computers and being able to bring that all in and get it done, I’m not certain,” Lindenbach shared her thoughts. “Even from when I started in 2016, what we do today, it’s changed, we’ve adapted to be more efficient.”

After retiring, Lindenbach and her husband Lloyd plan to move back to Regina to be closer to family, and she already has a potential

plan to make her transition to retirement a bit easier.

“My daughter does bookkeeping for companies, so she said, ‘Mom, maybe you will be able to do that,’” Lindenbach shared with a laugh. “I don’t know yet, I’ll probably be too busy unpacking boxes.” She said that while she is looking forward to retirement, she enjoyed her work and there will be things that she will miss.

“What I’m going to

miss is the people that I’ve worked with. And it’s been a lot,” Lindenbach said, noting that throughout her career she’s met, worked with and helped hundreds and probably over a thousand people.

She also noted that her work was something that kept her going through difficult times when she was battling serious diseases.

“The stress can be there, but if you can get up and go, make sure you’re do-

ing something every day. It helps,” Lindenbach said. “If you give up on it, then you are done. But if you keep going, work through the struggles, then you come out better. I mean, you’re probably going to have days where you don’t want to get up and go to work, but [it keeps your spirit up] … And all the careers in the industries that I’ve been in, we’ve had a lot of fun. You have to get serious, but you have to have fun, too.”

Ludwig pleased with this year’s SUMA convention

Members of Estevan city council were kept busy at the annual convention for the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA), held in Saskatoon from April 13-16.

Mayor Roy Ludwig said all seven members of Estevan city council attended this year’s gathering.

Homelessness, drug addiction and mental health were among the big topics at this year’s convention. Ludwig said it’s problematic throughout the province, and not just in the large cities and in communities the size of Estevan.

“We’re looking to the province to work with us, and to collaborate with us, to take care of some of those large issues,” said Ludwig.

Also discussed was the date for the next civic election. The municipalities lost their traditional election date in October when the provincial government decided to have their vote in October 2020. The municipal election was pushed back two weeks, creating confusion among voters. Some communities had to further delay their votes due to a winter storm that hit on election day in November 2020.

According to Ludwig, SUMA has made four requests to change the election date.

“We’ve been after this ever since the province took our date in October,” said Ludwig.

The next civic election is

scheduled for November of next year.

“All we can do is continue to request, but they probably won’t be allowing us to do that [change the date] because we’ve already asked four times,” said Ludwig.

Twelve resolutions were debated at the convention, with 11 receiving support from the delegates.

One called on the Ministry of Finance to immediately reinstate a PST exemption on municipal construction projects.

In another motion, SUMA delegates also voted in favour of increasing Saskatchewan Income Support rates to meet the basic cost of living, to restore direct rent and utilities payments

to all that need them, and to develop more supportive housing options for those deemed hard to house due to mental health and addictions.

Also approved was a resolution where SUMA advocated the provincial minister of finance remove the PST on event tickets, which was discussed by council a few weeks before the convention.

One resolution with provincial and federal implications called for SUMA to advocate the provincial and federal governments to provide additional relief to municipalities due to the effects of the carbon tax, either through municipal revenue sharing or some other measure.

Another one grants municipalities, especially resort villages, the option of allowing golf carts to be operated on municipal roads.

The only defeated motion called for a one-year grace period after a general election, where if a mayor or councillor steps down during that time, the candidate with the next-highest number of votes would be acclaimed to the position.

Ludwig noted that some members went to SUMA a day early to attend the educational sessions that were held, and some left a day early to get back to Estevan before the April 19 snowstorm hit. Coun. Tony Sernick stuck around for the final day of the convention and represented the city

at the bearpit session with provincial cabinet ministers.

“He did bring up the issue on where we’re at with power, and in 2030 with the federal government mandating the end of [conventional] coal [electricity],” said Ludwig.

The city wants to get the federal government, the provincial government and SaskPower together with the workers from Westmoreland Mining LLC and SaskPower to collaborate on what can be done.

Ludwig said council always looks forward to going to events like the convention. The networking is great, and they get the chance to share problems with like-minded communities and look for opportunities to come up with solutions.

Vaila Lindenbach has worked as an administrative professional in Saskatchewan for over 40 years.

By Ana Bykhovskaia

Many people turned up to support the heart of the Midale community.

The 28th annual M.O.R.E. (Midale Organization for Recreational Expansion) 2000 Inc. fundraising auction on April 15 at the Harry ‘O Memorial Arena saw a lot of people participating, and it brought over $108,000 for the Midale Rink.

Midale recreation board chairwoman Marnell Eagles said they were very excited to see the support.

“The fundraiser was a huge success. We had a sold-out crowd of 300 on Saturday night and a huge attendance. We had youth to adults to seniors that came out and great sponsorships. It was a huge success for us that night,” Eagles said.

She noted that through the years they’ve been happy to have Midale, Macoun and Halbrite steadily supporting their fundraisers with participation, sponsorships and donations.

“We’ve been very fortunate, in the area that we live in, to have these kinds of people that always think

first of the rink and the value that the community rink has to this area,” Eagles said.

The night of the fundraiser started with a presentation of the board and contractors that are working for the community rink. The supper, provided by Tammy’s Homestyle Cooking, was followed by an auction which lasted until about 10:30 p.m. They held silent, live and Dutch auctions with a $5,000 Room by Room gift certificate as the first prize, $2,500 in Milwaukee Tools from Southern Bolt Supplies as second and a $1,000 travel voucher from CAA for third. Eagles said they had many various items donated locally for the auctions, and they also held several games throughout the night. All funds raised during that night will go back into the rink.

“We were very pleased with the turnout and the outcome,” Eagles said.

The rink has some major projects that are on the way, and the board will decide how to better utilize the raised funds during their next meeting. Eagles noted that they put money

into the livelihood and longevity of the rink as well as into the services that they provide.

The Midale Rink has a very active curling committee and a hockey ice surface that is 100 per cent booked up from fall through spring. They have committees and organizations that use the

rink spaces for meetings.

The rink is also hosting the local library and until recently, when the Midale fire department acquired a new fire hall, they used to be a home for the local emergency services and the main go-to place for Midale, Macoun and Halbrite area residents during emer-

gencies. The Midale Rink also has a kitchen, serving meals on regular basis and being utilized for events.

“We are 100 per cent community based, and we welcome all those things from craft sales to monthly meetings of anyone from 4-H to our minor hockey leagues, or the women’s

league, we have all of those [organizations] that are accessing the rink at any time,” Eagles said.

“It really is the heart of our community. Several years ago, when our main chiller went down and we couldn’t make ice, we had a fundraiser and we raised enough money to purchase a brand new chiller, which at that time was around $110,000. People joined in donating at that time because they call it the heart of the community.

“ Without the rink going, where else were people going to go … So, we have to keep it alive and keep it well maintained, because it is just so greatly needed in the community.”

On behalf of the board, Eagles also thanked everyone involved and contributing to the fundraiser.

“We’re very thankful and appreciative of all the people that came out that night to help us raise the money to keep our doors open, keep our lights on and to continue to provide the services that we have been so fortunate to be able to do in the last 28 years of this M.O.R.E. auction,” Eagles said.

Police make arrest after vehicle stolen in Estevan

One person has been arrested after members of the Estevan Police Service received a report of a vehicle theft on April 21.

The vehicle was eventually located near Gainsborough and a 21-year-old Estevan man was arrested and charged with theft of a motor vehicle.

He will be released from custody on conditions.

In other recent police news, officers received a request on April 19 to perform a welfare check on an Estevan male. Members attended to his residence and were able to make contact

How

with him. No further services were required.

Police received a complaint that an individual was pushing snow from their property onto a road. Members attended and warned the individual about the bylaw.

Officers were called to a motor vehicle collision in east Estevan. There were no injuries but one of the vehicles suffered enough damage that it required a tow truck. The matter is still under investigation.

Police received a report of a missing person on April 21. The individual

was later located and it was determined he had a courtimposed curfew. He was arrested for breaching his conditions and later released. Officers received a call on April 22 about a break and enter to an apartment in northwest Estevan. Officers executed a search warrant on a residence and arrested a male and a female. Members seized several items from the residence that are believed to be connected. The male from the residence is also on a no-contact order, was held in custody and appeared in court on April 24. The female

was released without charge until forensic investigators have had time to examine the property seized.

Police were called to the northwest side of Estevan for a report of a vehicle that was blocking a driveway. The vehicle was ticketed and towed so the property owners could leave for work.

Members received a report of a theft and uttering threats. The matter is under investigation.

Officers received a report of a male who was breaching his release conditions. Charges are pending against the suspect.

Police arrested an Estevan female during a traffic stop, as she was found to be in the vehicle with a person with whom she has a nocontact condition. She was charged and released.

Officers were called to a central Estevan apartment building for a report of mischief. Someone poured an unknown liquid on the floor. The building was evacuated and fire crews attended to clear the building. Tenants were allowed to return to their suites a short time later.

The matter is still under investigation.

Police received a complaint April 23 regarding two neighbours having a dispute. Members initially attended, spoke to the parties involved and mediated a resolution. Police then received further complaints and information about previous interactions. The matter is still being investigated.

Members caught a motor vehicle being operated at 144 kilometres per hour in an 80 km/h zone. The female driver was issued a speeding ticket for $955 and her vehicle was impounded for seven days.

to safely use GPS systems while driving

It wasn’t too long ago that drivers pulled into service stations and rest stops to pick up maps to help them find their way.

But nowadays vehicle GPS units have rendered paper maps and atlases somewhat obsolete. GPS systems are now so advanced that many even help drivers avoid traffic and/or toll roads.

Navigation systems can be used from smartphones or technology built into cars. GPS systems are convenient and often very accurate. But drivers run the risk of accident anytime their attention is diverted from the road, even during momentary glances at GPS devices.

How can drivers safely use navigation systems while operating a vehicle?

The following tips can help.

•Set the address destination and plot the course while the vehicle is parked.

A GPS should not be tinkered with while driving. If new directions are needed, or if you need a look ahead at the route, pull over to do so safely.

•Engage vocal guidance. Allow the navigation system to speak directions to you so you can keep your eyes on the road as much as possible.

•Familiarize yourself with the route prior to your trip. GPS systems are not infallible, so you should have a basic understanding of where you are go-

ing even if you plan to use GPS. This way you can anticipate turns or highway exits before the alerts and stay attuned to the traffic ahead. Navigation systems may sometimes direct drivers down the wrong side of one-way streets, so common sense should always prevail.

•Know how to operate the device before driving. Learning the tools and features of the device while the car is in motion

is a recipe for an accident. Instead, learn how to use it before hitting the road so you can engage the screen or navigation system as minimally as possible while on the move.

•Enlist the help of a copilot. Ask a passenger to take charge and help with directions so you can keep your eyes on the road. GPS navigation systems come in handy, but they should always be used with safety in mind.

A GPS can be a source of distraction behind the wheel.

Photo by Nico De Pasquale Photography / Moment / Getty Images

The M.O.R.E. annual fundraiser for the Midale Rink attracted about 300 people and helped raise $108,000. Photo courtesy of Marnell Eagles

Exhibition’s Ladies Night Out provided great entertainment and raised funds for needed upgrade

The Ladies Night Out fundraiser hosted by the Estevan Exhibition Association on Saturday at the exhibition hall proved to be an entertaining night for those in attendance.

Christa Kurtz, who organized the event alongside Lindsay Collins, said everyone had “so much fun”. Approximately 175 people were in attendance, and another 20 volunteers were present.

“I’m so happy with the feedback we’ve gotten, and [I loved] just watching everybody having a great time,” said Kurtz.

The theme for the evening was Wild Wild West, so most of the crowd showed up dressed in their western wear.

Supper was catered by Elephant Ears Emporium.

After supper, spectators engaged in a couple of games. One was a Splash and Dash bar-

rel race, in which participants tried to ride a hobby horse around several barrels in the shortest time possible. The other was a hula hoop contest.

Then the main entertainment for the night, Banger Bingo, took to the stage. The game hosts would give a Bingo letter and number to the crowd, and play a related song.

“I had actually seen them before, and that’s why we booked them,” said Kurtz. “They were just so much fun and great energy, and the music they played was just awesome.”

A lot of the songs were popular tunes that Kurtz said created a lot of nostalgia. The women sang along as they filled out a Bingo card.

People enjoyed the food, the entertainment, and were happy with the efforts of the volunteers, Kurtz said.

The Ladies Night Out was held to raise money for an air conditioning

system in the exhibition association’s hall, which was renovated a few years

ago. Kurtz doesn’t have an estimate for how much money was raised, but the event did bring in enough money for the needed addition.

CCS at Boundary Dam captured 857,178 tonnes of CO2 in a 12-month span for best performance yet

SaskPower has released the latest quarterly report for the carbon capture and storage (CCS) facility at the Boundary Dam Power Station.

During the first quarter of 2023 (Jan. 1-Mar. 31), the CCS facility was avail-

able 93 per cent of the time, capturing 226,184 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2).

March 31 marked the end of the 2022-23 fiscal year. The total capture of 857,178

DRILLING REPORT

tonnes of CO2 between Apr. 1, 2022, and Mar. 31, 2023, represents the strongest-ever fiscal year performance for the facility since operations began in October 2014. When online in the first quarter, the facility had a daily average capture rate of 2,688 tonnes, with a peak one-day capture of 2,873.8 tonnes. This resulted in an emissions intensity of 354 tonnes of CO2 per gigawatt hour (MWh), which is within the current federal carbon tax threshold of 549 tonnes of CO2/MWh. Unit 3 was available 97 per cent of the time for the first quarter of the year. SaskPower’s acid plant also had an extremely strong fiscal year, according to the Crown corporation. A total of 5,200 tonnes of sulfuric acid was produced, which is more than double any previous year. In the first quarter of this year, 1,412.3 tonnes were produced. Since the CCS facility came online in October 2014, a total of 5,227,891 tonnes of CO2 have been kept from entering the Earth’s atmosphere.

The silent auction table had plenty of items for the audience.

By David Willberg

Food, auctions and games helped raise funds Saturday for the Creighton Lodge Trust Committee.

A total of 350 people filled the Power Dodge Curling Centre on Saturday night for the benefit. According to lodge manager Shelly Veroba, the number of people present was a record for a lodge fundraiser, as was the final fiscal tally. It’s believed approximately $60,000 was raised for the committee, which is looking to expand the lodge’s kitchen.

“It all … came together smoothly, but mostly because we had such amazing volunteers,” said Veroba. “Our trust committee is one of the hardest-working boards I’ve ever worked with. And everybody didn’t stop until all of the work was done.”

Veroba said they wanted to have 350 people this year. A few of the supporters who have come to past events opted to supply cash donations this year instead of attending.

James Trobert from the Creighton Lodge Trust Committee brought greetings, and then A Little Taste of Heaven Catering served the meal. They prepared roast beef and a chicken roma with garlic mashed potatoes, vegetables, salads and dessert. A live auction took place after supper. Ten prizes were available, generating an estimated $20,450. Jason LeBlanc was the auctioneer. Veroba noted that LeBlanc declared the first item a choice, so the successful bidder could pick the item that they wanted. Josh Biggs of Top Torq paid $4,000, and he opted for

$2,500 in Southern Plains Co-op gift cards.

“Everything went above value, so it was really good to see people out there, supporting us and putting their hand up and having a great time, too. A lot of our prizes weren’t the $10,000 or $15,000-type prizes, they were more in the $1,500$3,000 range, so it opened up the playing field for a lot of different people to get in on the auction.”

Then Richy and Preston Roy with Big Time Game Shows in Weyburn took to the stage with their Survey Says competition. Audience members submitted their names to participate, and if it was drawn, they would go on stage and try to guess the most common answers to a question. Answers often generated a lot of laughs.

“They came loaded with new questions,” said Veroba. “They were recommended

to us by Marnell Eagles, a trust committee member. She had seen them in the past, and so we went to the TS&M Woodlawn Golf Course when they had them to check it out and we were impressed with them.”

Several games of Survey Says were played.

Veroba noted that Estevan city councillors Lindsay Clark and Tony Sernick dressed up as Mounties and brought out the Survey Says trophy to the stage. “They were both good sports and took the roles very seriously,” said Veroba. “No prizes were won for playing the game; only the glory for taking home the trophy.”

Numerous door prizes were also available during the evening. Sponsors donated items, and others made a donation that allowed the committee to purchase items from local businesses.

Suzanne Gibson, who is a home-care nurse in the community, won the 50-50 draw, which Veroba was happy to see because Gibson has spent years caring for the lodge residents.

Bee Line Taxi provided a safe ride home service for people who attended the event.

The money will go towards a kitchen expansion at the lodge. The facility is suitable for the current

Study shows education budget leaving a

By Greg Nikkel of the Weyburn Review

Details of a study on the budget for the kindergarten to Grade 12 education system in Saskatchewan showed what the trustees had already been told, that it’s inadequate for their needs for the next school year.

Chief financial officer Georgia Hanwell gave the presentation on the spring provincial budget details, with the study provided by the Saskatchewan Association of School Business Officials.

She noted that on paper, there was an increase in the budget of 2.5 per cent for operating grants, but after taking out what has already been given to school divisions for the increase in enrolment ($13.9 million), the increase is actually only 0.7 per cent.

“It also falls short because it does not cover the inflation increase, and doesn’t provide for the teacher salary increases,” she said, noting once the salaries are negotiated, with increases in benefits and other costs to local boards, “those increases are going to be much more than 0.7 per cent. They’re

not allowing funds to reflect the inflation costs, so school districts are looking at funding for the mandate on class size composition.”

It was noted that the new online school system, now to be taken over by the province, will also come out of the funding increase in the budget, with $23 million set aside to help set that up.

“We don’t get a break on power or energy, paper or products or anything,” added director of education Gwen Keith, noting that the new teachers’ contracts have not yet been negotiated.

“There is no increase for the teachers until that is signed. Even then, the government does not pay for all of the costs around the salary increase,” she said. “It’s the message that becomes part of what the school divisions are saying and what the ministry is saying.”

In other school board business, Keith noted that there was originally supposed to be details on the provincial education plan at the SSBA spring assembly, but no concrete details were provided there.

“The bottom line is, the plan for next year is still being worked on. The teams are creating their action

plans, but we can’t wait because we won’t get it in time to do our own planning,” said Keith.

Superintendent Terry Jordens noted the school board’s strategic plan is the best place for the school division to start in regards to the next school year.

“Maybe in June we can give you an update, but there is no guarantee on how much we’ll have,” said Keith, noting they may or may not get some information at a meeting set for May 2.

Meanwhile, at the spring assembly, discussion on budget advocacy was a hot topic for the school boards, said Keith, as was the status of independent schools. There has apparently been a request from some independent school to be associate members of the SSBA, so there was a lot of discussion about whether they should have access to SSBA services and resources, such as legal services.

Also, four Holy Family trustees will be going to the national Catholic School Boards Association meeting this year, and a part of it will be taking funds raised through the Toonies for Tuition campaign.

As board chairman Bru-

no Tuchscherer explained, this is a fundraiser to help out the Catholic schools in provinces where tuition is not paid for as it is here in Saskatchewan.

“I think this is something we should be doing, having a

project like this. I don’t think parishes realize we are one of the few provinces that are totally funded for Catholic education,” he said. “I think there’s a need for supporting other provinces.”

As a member of the

number of residents, but since the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a growing number of people looking to eat in the dining room. Individuals on the lodge’s waiting list and seniors living in their own homes might need meals delivered to their homes, Veroba said, so the lodge wants to expand in the back and construct a hallway to attach the buildings. Veroba noted the concept has been tried elsewhere, and has worked out well, and she is confident it would allow the lodge to meet the needs of residents and of seniors in the community.

Knights of Columbus, Tuchscherer noted the local council has taken it on as a project, providing a $2,000 donation to the campaign. There is a deadline of May 23 to provide funds for the Toonies for Tuition.

City of Estevan

WHEREAS

Recognition of the inherent dignity of each member of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in a society

WHEREAS lack of respect for human life has historically resulted in acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind,

WHEREAS all human life, is sacred and anything which violates this principal indicates lack of respect for human life within our society.

WHEREAS it is essential to renew in society the inherent value of each human life, and thereby disarm the attacks made upon it, BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED: I, Roy Ludwig, Mayor of the City of Estevan do hereby proclaim the month of April 2023 to be Respect for Life Month in the City of Estevan and I urge all citizens to take notice of the special events for awareness at this time.

Roy Ludwig Mayor

Councillors Lindsay Clark, left, and Tony Sernick donned RCMP uniforms and brought in the Survey Says trophy.

Richy Roy led Survey Says players through games on Saturday night.

Walk to make Cystic Fibrosis History returns

By Ana Bykhovskaia

The date is set, the route is chosen, and the registration is underway for 2023 Walk to Make Cystic Fibrosis

(CF)

History in Estevan.

The ninth Estevan walk, raising funds for CF research as well as awareness about the disease, will take place May 28 at Woodlawn Regional Park.

According to the Cystic Fibrosis Canada website, CF is the most common fatal genetic disease affecting Canadian children and young adults. At present, there is no cure. CF causes various effects on the body, but mainly affects the digestive system and lungs. The degree of cystic fibrosis severity differs from person to person, how-

ever, the persistence and ongoing infection in the lungs, with destruction of lungs and loss of lung function, will eventually lead to death in the majority of people with CF.

May is CF awareness month, and this year’s theme is #FurtherForAll Canadians living with cystic fibrosis.

“This common goal that we have for going further for all is just meaning that our job isn’t finished until all people with cystic fibrosis have access to treatment and advances in the latest research,” said Estevan’s CF walk organizer Kasey McIntyre, whose son Liam is living with CF. “We’ve come a long way, and there’s been a lot of innovations along the way. But there’s a lot to

do yet. And we don’t want to forget anyone. And the best way to do that is to register [for the walk], fundraise and donate.”

May is Celiac Awareness Month.

Celiac disease is a serious autoimmune disease that occurs in genetically predisposed people where the ingestion of gluten leads to damage in the small intestine. It is estimated to affect 1 in 100 people worldwide.

Ask our educated, knowledgeable staff about our gluten free options today!

Tuesday, May 2, 2023

On Regular Priced Items

*some exceptions may apply*

Planning for the Estevan event, which will take place on the same day as other walks for CF across Canada, started in February and things are coming together well. Registrations were down from the previous year as of mid-April, and McIntyre said they hope to see more people joining come May once the weather becomes friendlier. While people can register at any time, signing up in advance helps the organizers.

“Knowing how many people are coming helps a lot with planning for what to do, so we can have their registration bags. When people register, they get a registration bag, full of various things from people around Estevan that have donated to registered participants. We know how many things to get for the raffle after the walk or for the barbecue even when ev-

erybody comes back after the walk,” McIntyre said. “But I’m sure registrations will come in, it’ll just take some time yet.”

The walk will start at Rotary Hall at Woodlawn park (there is a $10 fee to enter the park). Registration will begin at 8 a.m., and breakfast will be served along the way. Opening ceremonies with speeches by walk organizers and dignitaries will be closer to 10 a.m. The walk will kick off at 10-10:30 a.m. Participants will be offered an option to walk for two or four kilometres through park trails. Dogs on a leash are welcome on the day of the walk. The barbecue lunch donated by Clifton’s No Frills will be served at no charge to participants after the walk. The closing ceremonies will be at about 1:30 p.m. McIntyre noted that they are hoping to also have some en-

tertainment for kids for when they get back from the walk, like face painting and tattoos.

Registration is by donation with no set fee. Pledge forms are back, and people can download them as well as registration forms from the Walk to Make Cystic Fibrosis History Estevan Facebook page and collect pledges in advance.

“They can go around and collect pledges, and that can be their way of getting funds as well. And once you register, you can put a link on Facebook, that you’re donating, so people that don’t live here locally, can also donate to you,” McIntyre said.

May will also see a number of local CF fundraisers. Ron Dunville is to hold a bottle drive that will go until June 11. People can call or text 306-421-4353 to arrange for pickup or delivery. McIntyre’s son Liam, with some of his friends and family members, plan for a city-wide lemonade stand, which they are hoping to do May 6. Team McIntyre Family and Friends are planning on holding a barbecue at the Southern Plains Co-op’s grocery store in Estevan; the details haven’t been finalized yet. Watch for other fundraisers throughout May for the event and also let McIntyre know if you are hosting one. She can be contacted through Walk to Make Cystic Fibrosis History Estevan Facebook page. To register for the walk, people can go to walk.cysticfibrosis.ca.

Fire crews respond to potential structure fi

res and odd smell

Estevan firefighters were called to three potential emergencies last week. Fortunately, none of the incidents turned out to be serious.

Crews were dispatched to the central area of the city for a report of a possible structure fire on April 17 at about 7 p.m. No fire was noted at the time of arrival. Upon investigation, firefighters found that one of the condos in the building was having issues with a dryer, said Este-

van Fire Chief Rick Davies. Crews investigated and inspected to ensure everything was fine in the building and then returned to the station.

On April 22 at about 12.45 p.m., crews were dispatched to another possible structure fire in the northcentral part of the city. Firefighters responded, investigated and confirmed that no fire and no emergency was happening. They talked to the tenants of that build-

ing and then returned to the station.

April 23 at about 1:30 a.m., crews responded to a call from a building in the central part of Estevan where a noxious odour was reported. Upon arrival, members found a chemical spilled in the hallway of the building that was giving off noxious fumes. Firefighters ventilated the building, assisted with spill clean up and made sure everything was safe.

23052SC0

23043aa1

Kasey McIntyre, middle, and her father and supporter Ron Dunville, left, presented a special cystic fibrosis hat to their champion Liam McIntyre, who is living with the disease, during last year’s Walk to make CF History. File photo

SENIOR LIVING

A11

Creighton Lodge to bring in Cycling Without Age

By Ana Bykhovskaia

Creighton Lodge is starting a Cycling Without Age Canada chapter in Estevan this summer.

The organization’s vision is for every Canadian to have the opportunity to feel the wind in their hair from cycling, so Creighton Lodge decided to join the movement and is currently purchasing a special bicycle that will allow volunteers to take seniors out for rides to enjoy the outdoors.

“A couple of years ago, we started looking at it through a conversation with a lady that came into Creighton Lodge and mentioned how great it would be for the seniors to be able to get out on some kind of a bicycle program,” shared lodge manager Shelly Veroba.

“So, we looked for bicycles more set for seniors, and then we came across this, which is Cycling Without Age.”

She said about 98 per cent of residents were supportive of the idea, and a few said that it wasn’t their

thing. Once the lodge found an option that would allow their seniors to go on bicycle rides, they started working on funding for the project. It took some time while they were looking into grants, and recently through the RM of Estevan, they received $3,000 in funding through the Sask. Lotteries Community Grant Program.

Combined with the United Way Estevan member agency funding for this year, it made their dream a reality, allowing them to cover the expenses of purchasing, shipping and putting together a just-under $10,000 machine.

The special bicycle should be in Estevan in May, and then the lodge will start looking for volunteers willing to spend some time riding around the community with seniors. Veroba said they hope to have the program up and running as of June 1.

“I’m really excited about this program,” she said.

“It’ll be used more for recreational, and we will plan a safe route so that the seniors

can get out and go for a ride in our community, check out the neighbourhoods without putting them into a high-traffic area. We want to make sure it’s safe for the seniors. We’ll try and look for areas without many hills, probably more in the Pleasantdale area.”

The bicycle is built so that one volunteer would be paddling a passenger cabin in the front with enough room for up to two people. The bike comes with a batterypowered motor to help the paddler out a bit if needed.

By purchasing a bicycle, Creighton Lodge is starting a local chapter of Cycling Without Age Canada. They will connect with the global network and join it as an affiliate. The closest chapter currently is in Saskatoon, and Veroba said they will reach out for some tips and advice. And then if it goes well in Estevan, other senior facilities or group homes in the area might want to join.

“It’s just something very interesting and different for the seniors to be able to do to get out and enjoy the sun-

shine without risk of fall,” Veroba said.

Both peddlers and passengers will need to fill out forms, have waivers signed and read handbooks, so everyone understands the safety rules of the bike, and follows loading and unloading protocol. Volunteers will also need to provide a criminal record check. Veroba noted they hope to have participants fill out feedback forms afterwards as well so they could learn from it and improve as they move forward.

“After each ride, I think we’ll get everyone to fill out how the ride went, if there was any pros or cons or deficiencies or things that were wonderful. Especially if someone finds a really great site that they would like to stop and see, like community gardens or somebody’s yard that is really decorated nice or has flowers growing,” Veroba explained.

The lodge already had a few family members who said they’d like to join and take their loved ones for

rides this summer. If anybody’s interested in volunteering as a cyclist for this program and taking seniors for rides, they can sign up and Veroba said it won’t be a long process to get them up to speed. To get on the list as a driver, people can call Veroba at 306-634-4154 or send an email to creightonlodge@sasktel.net.

Veroba also thanked Sask. Lotteries grant program and the United Way Estevan for helping them fund this project.

Easter egg hunt was popular at Hill View Manor

By Jeannette Betteridge

Hill View Manor has had a lot of activities happening in April.

In keeping with Easter, there was an Easter egg hunt. A prize was given to the resident who found the most eggs.

The residents needed to look inside the eggs as there were some small treats related to Easter hidden inside. Some eggs contained nothing.

The Easter egg hunt was won by Anne J., who collected a total of 30 eggs. It can become a little competitive for all residents who take part. What a great time.

Other activities for the month have been daily Bingos, exercises three to four times per week to help with fitness, card games, movies, crokinole, bowling, a bean bag toss, Yahtzee and shuffleboard. We also had shared read times, which is a group activity we do a couple of

times a week for anyone who might be a little visually impaired or maybe just wants to listen to the short stories. The last Friday of the month is loonie Bingo, followed by wine and cheese or fruit juice for anyone not wanting wine.

Outings this month have been to Walmart and Fired-

Up Grill for lunch. We also go to Make Music with Friends; this is a favourite outing. The music is wonderful and enjoyed by all who attend.

In April we celebrate three birthdays: Millie C. has her 96th birthday, Dave S. turns 73 and Bob S. is 68. Happy birthday to all.

Entertainment this month has been from the Caragana Ramblers, Wilma and Val, Keith and Gary, Lisa Kuntz, the Szakacs Family and Susan Shepard.

In an update to our March article, our St. Patrick’s Day coin hunt winner was Sylvester M. Congratulations.

Creighton Lodge is acquiring a special bicycle for its residents and the community to spend more time outdoors. Photos sourced from Cycling Without Age Canada website

A12

Estevan volleyball teams win gold and silver

It was a great weekend for the Estevan Extreme volleyball program at the provincial championships in Saskatoon.

The Extreme under-14 (14U) male volleyball team won the provincial title for the second straight year, going 7-0 and losing just one set. They won all four games in the round robin by 2-0 scores, defeating the Lloydminster Rustlers – Temple (25-16, 25-10), the Battlefords Thunder (25-14, 25-13), the Swift Current Jr. Sundogs (25-11, 28-26) and the Saskatoon Huskies Elite (25-14, 25-14).

Their toughest game was the playoff crossover game against the other top seed, Saskatoon’s Huskies Premier, as the Extreme won 2-1 (20-25, 25-17, 16-14).

The Extreme recovered to win in straight sets against the Yorkton Bongos Green (25-16, 25-11) in the semifinal and the

Regina Volleyball Club Green (25-16, 25-5) in the final.

Coach Brighton Such said the team did a great job of executing their game plan and playing what they like to call “Extreme volleyball”, which is focusing on the first contact, having a good serve and making good passes.

“I think the boys just did a really good job of sticking to our game plan, whether we were winning or losing during the sets, and that helped us come out on top this weekend,” said Such.

The great start in the round robin helped eliminate early-tournament jitters when facing some of the best teams in the province, he said.

Then they had the adversity in the first playoff game.

“It was definitely challenging, because it was the other top-ranked team

in the tournament in that game, so for us to come out on top in that game –

the Huskies they are a really good team, they’re well coached – … was definitely a positive that we were able to keep the energy going throughout the rest of that tournament, and are provincial champs,” said Such.

The Extreme entered the tournament ranked No. 1 and the Huskies were second. They knew they would have to go through the Huskies to repeat as champions.

Members of the U17 female team were Amarra Pine, Ariadne Nagel, Ava Laevens, Breanna Fichter, Brooklyn Light, Cammy Henry, Camryn Westling, Izzy Semenuik, Karina Hhorteland, Zoey Thompson, coach Jeff Erickson and assistant coach Chanda Henry

Several players have been part of both teams: Cameron Milbrandt, Broden Henry, Bennett Walliser, Adeon Sullivan, Kris Phillips and Aidan Turner. Such praised the athletic ability of everyone on the team.

which Esterhazy won 2-0 (25-21, 25-14).

The Extreme also had two teams competing in the U14 female division.

“The boys had an awesome season. They were super committed. They were like sponges with anything that me or my assistant coach Mike [Fisher] threw at them. They were able to absorb it and take it and learn from it. The growth that we saw over the season was awesome, and I think that definitely contributed to us being provincial champions,” said Such.

“They are just raw athletes. They have the drive, the determination. They’re not just boys who are good volleyball players, they’re good baseball players, they’re good basketball players. They’re good at everything.”

The Extreme 17U female team won the silver medal in Division 2. They went 3-1 in their pool to finish first. Then they defeated the Wakaw Warriors 2-1 in the first playoff game and Saskatoon’s JCVC Red 2-1 (28-26, 16-25, 15-10) in the semifinal to advance to the gold medal game against the Esterhazy Heat,

The U14 Black finished first in their pool with a record of 3-1, with two of their wins and the loss coming in three sets, to put them against the Lloydminster Rustlers in the first playoff matchup.

Estevan lost that one but recovered to finish fifth, defeating the Queen City Volleyball Club White in their final game.

The 14U Red team finished second in their pool as well with a record of 2-1, but then lost in the first playoff matchup against the Lloydminster Momentum Red.

Estevan recovered to defeat the JCVC Shockwave 2-1, but fell to the Meadow Lake Heat in two straight sets to finish sixth.

Estevan legion hosts provincial 8-ball tournaments

A team of Estevan billiards players has won the Royal Canadian Legion’s 8-ball championship for Saskatchewan. The Estevan legion

branch hosted the team provincial tournament on Friday and Saturday. The team comprised of captain Chris Wright, with Dennis Ramos, Edwin Arce-

nas, Jesus Gonzales and Melissa Donison, came out on top with 55 points from their games.

They will advance to the dominion champion-

ship in Innisfail, Alta., later this year.

A total of five teams entered provincials. The entry of Doug Cairns, Burt Blondeau, Burva Connor

and Steven Valentine finished with 47 points. Leonard Grube, Willie Forrest, Jim (Frosty) Forrest and Duane Hunt had 38 points.

The 8-ball doubles provincial tournament occurred Sunday, and the tournament was won by Blondeau and Connor.

Members of the U14 male team that won the gold medal were Adeon Sullivan, Aidan Turner, Bennett Walliser, Broden Henry, Cameron Milbrandt, Chayse Zohner, Jayden Durr, Kris Phillips, Logan Kolenz, Nathan Gardiner and Ryden Summers. Head coach is Bryton Such and assistant coach is Mike Fisher. Photos courtesy of Kristin Dupuis

From left, Estevan branch sports chairman John Greenhough, provincial command sports representative and District 1 commander Ray Coderre, and provincial champions Chris Wright, Dennis Ramos, Edwin Arcenas, Jesus Gonzales and Melissa Donison. Photo courtesy of Jim (Frosty) Forrest

From left, Willie Forrest presented the 8-ball doubles championship trophy to Burva Connor and Burt Blondeau. Photo courtesy of Burva Connor

Carter Beck hopes this season will be a memorable one.

Beck, who hails from Carnduff, is entering his final season of eligibility in minor baseball. Last year was certainly one to remember, as he was named the top player in the Saskatchewan Premier Baseball League’s U18 AAA circuit.

Last season, Beck had a .470 batting average, an .585 on-base percentage, 31 runs, 24 runs batted in and 73 total bases in 24 games played for the Southeast Performance Pump U18 AAA Twins.

He also helped Team Saskatchewan win the bronze medal at the 2022 Canada Summer Games in Niagara. Beck will be back with the Twins this season, and looks forward to helping them improve on last season, when they were one of the top teams in the league and made it to the provincial semifinal.

“I just hope we have a re-

By Ana Bykhovskaia

Check your gear out and get ready, the Coal Country Run is right around the corner.

The fun running/walking/bicycling event, which is also a big fundraiser for the Fresh Air Fitness outdoor gym, is slated for May 13 at Woodlawn Regional Park.

The event offers five and 10-kilometre run and walk options, as well as a 20K bicycle ride through the Estevan pathway system. Runners and walkers will head out at 10 a.m. on the day of the event, and the cyclists will start at 11:30 a.m. A kids’ mini mile will head out right after that.

“It’s the most fun part of the whole race to come out and watch the little kids. It’s not quite a mile, I don’t even think it’s close to a mile. But the kids love it. And we’ve got a few costumes that are going to be out running around, so the kids would really enjoy it,” said Peggy Rohatyn, who operates Fresh Air Fitness alongside Debby Knight.

ally good year as a team and try to win provincials; that would be my goal for this year,” said Beck.

He’s entering this season with confidence, but he also recognizes that a lot of players haven’t done as well in their third season of U18 ball as they did in their second.

“I think we should be really good this season. We have eight third-year [players], which is a lot, but we have some second years that could step up big for us from last year, and we have some decent first years as well,” he said.

Beck knows all of the second and third-year players, and he has dealt with a lot of the newcomers to the team through helping his father coach last year.

“They’re all good kids and pretty good players, too,” said Beck.

Beck played hockey with the Estevan Apex U18 AA Bruins during the winter months. He also spent a lot

of time in the gym in Glen Ewen for exercise and started practising a few weeks ago. Beck hopes he can parlay

his performance at the minor baseball level into success in post-secondary baseball. He has already committed

to play for the University of Mary in Bismarck, N.D., an NCAA Division 2 program, starting in September. He

said the university recruited him, and it helped that they are coached by Tanner Spencer, who is from Craik.

“It seems like they have a nice facility and everything, and even though it’s in Bismarck and it’s kind of cold, they head down south to play.”

They spend nearly two months playing road games in warmer climates.

He initially wanted to go somewhere further away than Bismarck that would be in a warmer area, but he also didn’t want to take the junior college route, which has been common for a lot of players from Saskatchewan.

“I decided to go for a D2 [division 2] school right out of high school, and it’s close to home,” said Beck.

The University of Mary has been getting better every year, and the coach is taking them in the right direction, and Beck hopes he can help them continue on an upward path

While there are first, second and third place prizes awarded in all disciplines in different categories, Rohatyn noted that people don’t have to compete if they don’t want to. The organizers time participants just because some people want to know their results. E-bikes are welcome as well, but they are not part of the competition.

The run will be followed by a barbecue lunch. There will also be an information expo on site on May 12 from 5-7 p.m. and on May 13 from 9 a.m.-noon at Rotary Hall. Rohatyn noted that it is great for local organizations and groups’ promotion.

“If there’s an organization or any kind of sports event or something you want to promote, it’s free for the vendors. Because runners don’t go down there with a lot of money usually because they are running, it’s more of an information [opportunity]. So, if you want to get information out there, hand out pamphlets, this is a good place to do it,”

Rohatyn explained, adding

that vendors can join until May 10.

Estevan Bowl, along with Henders Drugs and the Fresh Air Fitness Garage Sale, put several prizes together for an online auction that will take place on the Coal Country Run Facebook group, starting May 1 and closing May 7.

Fresh Air Fitness Garage Sale will also have a table of items available to take for donation at the event on May 13.

“We’re not going to monitor the table or anything like that. If you see something you want, you donate whatever you feel, and if it’s something you really need and you can’t donate that’s fine too,” Rohatyn explained.

Rohatyn noted that they are still looking for some volunteers to help on the day of the event. No experience is needed, and if anybody is

interested in volunteering, participating as a vendor or has more questions, they can reach out to organizers through the Fresh Air Fitness Facebook page.

The registration for the Kids Mini Mile fee is $10

and will happen the day of the event, yet Rohatyn asked that if people know in advance their kids will be participating, to let organizers know kids’ names so they would have their race packages ready.

To Our Beautif Trina

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No preesesent n can a be e giveven annd thhat a ’s reaeal

Bu But th t er ere’ e s a woorl r d of love e insiide d thi h s spec e

Eaach h memmor or y is shihini n ng g briighght t an a d trreasuur

The adult participation fee is reduced to $25 until May 1 to make it a bit more affordable for participants, and then it will go to the regular $40. Registration is done through runningroom. com, at Henders Drugs or through Knight or Rohatyn.

Henders Drugs is the sponsor of the event and the volunteers, and Southern Plains Co-op sponsors the mini mile and lunch. All money raised will go to Fresh Air Fitness and will be used for outdoor gym maintenance as well as some new projects at the facility. This year they are looking into building a disc golf course and another canoe launch on the other side of the bridge. Rohatyn added that if people have ideas of what they would like to see added to the outdoor gym, to let them know.

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Carnduff ’s Carter Beck, left, was named the top player in Saskatchewan U18 AAA baseball last season. File photo

The community’s Coal Country Run will take place at Woodlawn Regional Park on May 13. File photo

By David Willberg

The community of Bienfait recently had a big reason to celebrate.

MNP presented a cheque for $16,500 to the Bienfait Memorial Arena, allowing the arena to finish paying off the ice plant replacement that occurred last year. It cost about $200,000, including the equipment and labour.

Amanda Pukas with the arena said the old ice plant dated back to the 1960s. The unit suffered “multiple failures” in January 2022 that cost more than $60,000 to repair, she said. A decision was made at that time that they couldn’t continue to pay for repairs to the aging equipment.

“We needed to work towards getting something,” said Pukas.

The arena started applying for grants. The first one was for $100,000 from Tundra Oil & Gas through the Richardson Foundation. Pukas noted the RM of Coalfield helped the arena

The Estevan Police Service has released a collection of data and statistics from the first three months of 2023.

Figures were posted on the EPS website on April 17.

The agency said in a business plan released last fall that it

work with Tundra for the money.

After the support from Tundra, they decided to proceed with the replacement project last summer so that the work could be done before the start of the 2022-23 ice sports season. Then they sought out the remaining $100,000.

“We became very fortunate with everyone giving to us,” said Pukas. “We attended lots of meetings, applied for lots of grants, and were fortunate to receive grants.”

In addition to MNP and Tundra, the RM supplied $5,000, the Steel Reef Infrastructure Corp. provided $25,000, and Affinity Credit Union donated $50,000. A three-on-three hockey tournament raised about $15,000.

The MNP contribution put them over the $200,000 mark, and Pukas said it would help them with future needs.

The Town of Bienfait was also very supportive, she said. The committee went to the town for assistance

was going to start providing figures on a quarterly basis that are related to the priorities from the document.

Some of the numbers are found in the crime statistics that are released at the monthly meetings of the

after the initial ice plant issues, because they don’t have $60,000. The town helped with covering some of the costs of the repairs.

The new ice plant has not

Estevan board of police commissioners, but others are now available for the first time.

Under the category of a traffic strategy for a safe community, officers have participated in 12 targeted traffic enforcement operations in the first three months of this year, the EPS said. Included were three high-visibility check stops at which time 635 vehicles were checked. Police were called to 15 motor vehicle collisions, with eight of them coming in March.

In terms of their illicit drug strategy, 11 arrests occurred under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act

caused any problems since it was installed.

“If anything, I’ve noticed our power bills have gone down a bit, too,” said Pukas.

“At times we were running in

(CDSA), and an estimated $76,661 in drugs and property were seized.

As for what it called an intelligence-led crime response, the EPS had 119 compliance and conditions checks on known offenders, attended 115 special events and community engagements, had 35 hours of foot patrols and received four Crime Stoppers tips.

Seventeen per cent of reported criminal incidents resulted in charges.

In terms of having a healthy organization, in terms of enhanced training and professionalism, the report states officers attended

excess of $5,000 a month for power. Our operating costs are quite high, too, so we’re running a little bit more energy efficiently, and it’s benefited us in multiple ways.”

13 external training courses and conferences, three internal training courses, dedicated 1,440 hours to training and participated in three combined service training events.

When it comes to enhanced workplace wellness, the EPS had 140 staff training hours on health and wellness. Twenty-nine participated in a fitness program and five are in a financial wellness program.

The document calls for a reduction in the number of mental health crises. There were had 55 total calls for service for mental health emergencies, and the police

She said there was a lot of concern that they wouldn’t be able to get the ice plant up and running again after the initial breakdown.

“That would have been probably the end of us for the rest of the year (2021-22), which would have been a lot for our three house teams to have nowhere to play,” said Pukas. “Obviously we’re used as Estevan Minor Hockey’s third arena, so we’re very booked full time, and we have rec. hockey.”

They had also lost about $25,000 in revenue due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the 2020-21 season.

“It’s been a lot over the last three years, so it’s definitely a good feeling to know that it’s paid for, it’s done and we’re in good condition to keep up and running, and no headaches to be worried about,” said Pukas.

Now that the ice plant has been paid for, Pukas said they can start looking at some of the other things that need to be done for the arena.

and crisis team (PACT) was deployed 40 times. PACT has made 19 referrals to external agencies and had 26 client follow-ups. There were 45 well-being checks conducted. Finally, when it comes to having an efficient service and fiscal accountability, the EPS received $112,200 in government funding for positions in the first quarter, and the police used 19.7 per cent of its overall budget, compared to the 24.7 per cent forecasted. The EPS noted it also has 203 officers per 100,000 people, second in the province behind Prince Albert, which has 229.

Pictured are, from left, Patrick Dupuis with MNP, Jesse Juneau and Daniyale Woolsey with the Bienfait Memorial Arena, and Daryl and Lila Donovan with MNP.

Photo courtesy of Daniyale Woolsey

CLASSIFIEDS

FARMLAND WANTED

I am currently PURCHASING single to large blocks of land.

NO FEES OR COMMISSIONS

In Loving Memory of Jennie Deren March 24, 1931- April 28, 2013

To our dear angel in heaven

We just want you to know

That you are always in our thoughts

And how We love you so

We know you are in God’s care

That’s how it should be

But when We get to heaven

He will give you back to me

Sadly missed and forever loved by June, Paul, Donna, Bill, Lil, Linda, Delmar, Joy and families

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

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

OBITUARIES FOR SALE

WILLIAM JAMES “JIM” PENNY

1927 - 2023

William James “Jim” Penny, formerly of Lethbridge, passed away peacefully and surrounded by family, into the arms of our Lord on Tuesday, April 18, 2023 at Rockyview Hospital in Calgary.

Jim was predeceased by his loving wife of over 66 years, Hazel Brovold Penny; son Dr. Foster James Penny (Joan, also deceased); infant granddaughter Shannen Lee Pattenden; parents Jim Penny and Mabel Foster Penny; in laws Peter Brovold and Anna Dravland Brovold; three sisters Pat Robb (Ian), Elaine Taylor (Mac) and Ana Johnson (Warren), as well as Hazel’s ten brothers and sisters.

Jim is survived by his daughter Aarol Lee Penny Pattenden (Ken); granddaughter Andrea Penny; grandson Brodie James Pattenden; granddaughter Chelsea Bailey Pattenden Korstrom (Jamie); great grandson Henrik Foster Korstrom and his great granddaughter Harlow Penny Korstrom.

Jim’s was a life well lived as a Christian, a loving husband, an amazing father and grandfather and an excellent son, brother and friend. He has left an indelible mark on all of our hearts and his family was blessed by his love and presence.

A Funeral Service was held at 11:30am on Tuesday, April 25, 2023 at ST. ANDREWS PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, 1818 - 5 Avenue South, Lethbridge, Alberta with Reverend Daniel Surya, officiating.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Jim’s name may be made to the Alzheimer Society, Diabetes Association or to the ALS Society.

Henry J. Peters

1930 - 2022

Henry passed away peacefully with his daughters, Pat and Kathy, by his side on Thursday, November 17, 2022 at St. Joseph’s Hospital, Estevan, SK at the age of 92 years.

Marylou Clauson April 20, 2018

5 years since you tragically went away.

Miss you more everyday. Keith

Suzanne ( Daniels ) Ronceray

February 25, 1966April 26, 2009

Brittany Ronceray

March 28, 1990April 26, 2009

In loving memory of our Special Angels

Wonderful memories woven in gold. These are the memories we tenderly hold. Deep in our hearts your memory is kept

To love, to cherish and never forget.

Just as you were you will always be.

Lovingly remembered by:

Mom and Dad (Grandpa and Grandma) Daniels, Kyle and Mackenzie Ronceray, Karen, Kerry, Keith, Stacia, Krista Goudy, David Daniels

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Advertisements and statements contained herein are the sole responsibility of the persons or entities that post the advertisement, and the Saskatchewan Weekly Newspaper Association and membership do not make any warranty as to the accuracy, completeness, truthfulness, or reliability of such advertisements. For greater information on advertising conditions, please consult the Association’s Blanket Advertising Conditions on our website at www.swna.com.

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REQUIRED IMMEDIATELY: Person to COOK & CLEAN for heavy construction camp this spring with possibility of year round. Spring location:

Must have valid driver’s licence and safe food and handling ticket. Send resume and work references to:

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Born in the Netherlands in 1930, Henry was the first of nine children for Johannes (John) and Everdina Peters. Henry enjoyed learning new things and singing in the church choir. Both became lifelong passions after he started school at age seven and joined choir a year later.

Growing up during World War II had a profound impact on Henry’s life. During the German occupation, he did not have much and learned to ‘make do’, building his own radio and modifying an abandoned army motorcycle.

After graduating from electrical trade school, Henry made his way to Canada in the spring of 1952 and was immediately hired by an Estevan-area farmer. When his employer decided to get the farmhouse wired, the two came into town and Henry first met “Rusty” Duce. He showed Rusty his electrical credentials, was offered a job and the rest is history. Henry worked for Duce Electric from 1953 until retiring in 1995, including several years as a partner in the company.

Resourceful and self-reliant, he flourished in the electrical trade both personally and professionally. Henry met his future wife Pauline Tarnes while wiring the family’s farm and they married in 1955. They purchased a lot in Estevan, began building their home (now a garage) and welcomed two daughters, Patricia and Kathy. With a growing family in the early 1960’s, he built the house that would be his lifelong home.

By 1972, Henry had played a lead role in developing the phase converter and was heading up the Willett Manufacturing division of A.C. Duce, overseeing the building of control panels and rotadynes which remain integral to the oilfield industry.

Henry loved to travel - mostly by car - and appreciated the many things to experience between destinations, especially nature and birds. He often drove to the west coast to see family, where the climate reminded him of the Netherlands.

In 1971, Pauline took ill and battled cancer until 1983. Henry married Marianne in 1985, who passed away in 2006.

Henry remained an active member of the church choir until just before COVID. His first trip back to his homeland in 1984 was planned around attending his 50-year choir reunion. Henry was thrilled to return and once again sing with and enjoy the company of his boyhood choir friends.

He liked meeting people and was always fixing something for them or pointing them in the right direction. With projects constantly on the go, he was fondly referred to as the “Flying Dutchman”.

Henry will be lovingly remembered by his daughters, Pat Redekop and Kathy Keating (Glen Kirby) and only granddaughter Nevada Kirby (Brodie Gill); siblings, John, Gerry, Aleida, Mary, Dorothy, and Frank; brothers/sisters-in-law, Margaret Peters, Anna Peters, Mary Morgan, Joe and Jan Tarnes, Richard and Betty-Anne Tarnes, Anne Johner, Dorothy Fornwald, Marjorie Heidinger, Bonna Tarnes, Margaret and Dale Norris and Judy Tarnes; as well as many nieces and nephews.

Henry was predeceased by his parents, Johanne (John) and Everdina Peters; spouses, Pauline (Tarnes) and Marianne (Aube); siblings, Ted, Tony, and Frank (infant brother); brothers/sisters-in-law, Kay Peters, Frank Johner, John and Bernice Bespflug, Stanley Fornwald, Joe Heidinger, Albert Tarnes and Dennis Tarnes.

Henry’s family wishes to thank the following for their care and support: Unit A of St. Joseph’s Hospital; Lisa Abbott and nursing staff of Sun Country Health; Dr. Chhabra and Staff of Primacy Medical Centre; Pastor Sharon Kane and members of Trinity Lutheran Church; neighbors, friends, and family - especially Kevin and Dale Curtis, Rene Gervais, Duane Conrad, Susan and Ray Moser, Hank Lievaart and Jo-Anne Gorgerat.

Henry’s memorial service will be held on Thursday, May 4, 2023 at Trinity Lutheran Church, 738 2nd Street Estevan, SK at 2:00 pm with Pastor Sharon Kane officiating. The interment will be held immediately following the service at the Souris Valley Memorial Garden, Estevan. A light lunch will be served.

A live stream of the Memorial Service will be available via livestream which is available for 90 days following the service. Please visit Henry’s tribute page at www.hallfuneralservices.ca for the livestream details.

In lieu of flowers, please make memorial donations to the Cancer Foundation of Saskatchewan (designate Allan Blair Cancer Centre), 200 - 4545 Parliament Ave, Regina, SK S4W 0G3 or online at cancerfoundationsask.ca, in memory of Henry.

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

Erna Mamie Pullam (Leach)

June 9, 1931 - April 11, 2023

With deep gratitude for her life, Erna’s family circled her bed in the wee hours of the morning April 11, 2023, as she slipped from this life and flew onward.

Erna’s life was truly a gift to so many. She was deeply cherished. She made a difference. Her passion was people and caring for people.

Erna was born in Sunny Corner, New Brunswick and grew up in St. John, NB. Following High School graduation, she worked for a year at the bank to save enough money to enter nursing school in St. John. She nursed and taught nursing in St. John, NB and Toronto, ON. She did post graduate work at the University of Toronto to prepare her to teach nursing and to be a missionary abroad. She chose not to go abroad at the last minute and instead married a United Church theology student at the University of Toronto - Eric Gregory Pullam. Eric and Erna married June 24, 1961, in St. John, NB. Following their honeymoon they drove to their first pastoral charge - Hudson Bay, SK. While in Hudson Bay for five years their three children, Ruth, Jennifer, and Gregory were born. Eric and Erna subsequently served in Prince Albert SK, Estevan SK, Glenboro MB, and Swan River, MB., before retiring to Estevan and then Moose Jaw, SK. Erna worked in partnership with Eric in ministry. She was dearly loved by young and old alike and had a passion for youth ministry. Erna also loved her nursing. Nursing was a calling for Erna, not a career.

Erna will be remembered for her fabulous sense of humor, her loving, inclusive, and giving energy. Her nephew wrote: “She was a delight: earnest, empathetic, strong, and deeply loving. She will always be the cheerful, vital, can-do force of nature” . Erna was a wonderful Nana. Always there whether you needed a hug, a laugh, support, or a shoulder to cry on. She delighted in spending time with her grandchildren and cherished each and everyone. She was a source of strength and unconditional love for her grandchildren. “She is dearly missed”. Erna’s last two years were spent in Marcie’s Private Care Home (House) in Moose Jaw. Where she loved and was loved in return. There is no better final home than Marcies.

Erna is survived by Daughter Ruth Pullam (Sony Ahluwalia) and their child Raj Ahluwalia Pullam; Daughter Jennifer Marcotte (Warren Marcotte) and their children Bryce Marcotte (Emma Maelde), and Sarah Graham (Lucas Graham); Son E. Gregory Pullam (Sintra Lewis) and their child Aden Pullam. Erna is also survived by her younger sister Kay Richardson (David Richardson); her sister-in-law Joan Sneddon (Pullam) and numerous nephews and nieces.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Marcie Care Home 1221 4th Ave NW, Moose Jaw, SK, S6H 3X6, or E-Transfer to info@marcieprivatecarehome.com. The dedication and dignity with which people in this home are cared for deeply enriches their quality of life. We are deeply grateful to all of Mom’s caregivers and want to honor your often unacknowledged and frequent grief inherent in your work.

A celebration of life will take place on May 6th, 2023, at Minto United Church Reception Hall at 2:00 PM. Della Ferguson will officiate. In living memory of Erna, a memorial planting will be made by W.J. Jones & Son Ltd. Please sign the memorial register at website: www.jonesparkview.com (Obituaries).

Chrystine Dacey- Funeral Director Keep

The lights were spectacular

NOTICE OF PREPARATION OF ASSESSMENT ROLL R.M. of Benson No. 35

Notice is hereby given that the assessment roll for the R.M. of Benson No. 35 for the year 2023 has been prepared and is Noon and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., on the following days: Monday to The Municipalities Act has been passed and the assessment notices have been sent

or potential appeal may contact the assessor at the R.M. of appeal, accompanied by a $50 appeal fee which will be

th day of May, 2023.

th day of April, 2023.

NOTICE

Notice to Creditors

In the estate of Harry Edward Neumann, late of Estevan, Saskatchewan, deceased. All claims against the above estate, duly verified by statutory declaration and with particulars and valuation of security held, if any, must be sent to the undersigned before the 17th of May, 2023. Bridges & Company LLP

1329 Third Street Estevan, SK S4A 0S1 Solicitors for the Executors

NOTICE

The Tax Enforcement Act

KEVIN THEODORE JENNINGS

TAKE NOTICE that the Town of Bienfait intends to be registered as owner under the above Act of the land described as LOT 8-BLK/PAR 13-PLAN AC6017 EXT 0, Title No. 103535074.

Chantel Walsh Assessor

The Tax Enforcement Act

LORRELLE MAY WELLS

TAKE NOTICE that the Town of Bienfait intends to be registered as owner under the above Act of the land described as LOT 7-BLK/PAR 15-PLAN AC6017 EXT 0, Title No. 143517540. The municipality claims title to the land by virtue of an interest based on the tax lien registered against the existing title to the land in the Land Titles Registry as Interest Number 192962302 and you are required to TAKE NOTICE that unless you contest the claim of the municipality or redeem the land pursuant to the provisions of the above Act within six months from the service of this notice on you and, subject to the further provisions of The Tax Enforcement Act the applicant and you will thereafter be forever estopped and debarred from setting up any claim to, or in respect of, the land. The amount required to redeem the land may be ascertained on application to the Clerk, Treasurer or Administrator of the municipality. For any questions about the tax enforcement process please contact Taxervice at 1-877-734-3113.

Dated this 13th day of April, 2023.

Jessica Franklin, Treasurer Town of Bienfait

TAX ENFORCEMENT LIST

NOTICE

The Tax Enforcement Act

GORDON SHAWN WELLS

TAKE NOTICE that the Town of Bienfait intends to be registered as owner under the above Act of the land described as LOT 7-BLK/PAR 15-PLAN AC6017 EXT 0, Title No. 143517540.

The municipality claims title to the land by virtue of an interest based on the tax lien registered against the existing title to the land in the Land Titles Registry as Interest Number 192962302 and you are required to TAKE NOTICE that unless you contest the claim of the municipality or redeem the land pursuant to the provisions of the above Act within six months from the service of this notice on you and, subject to the further provisions of The Tax Enforcement Act the applicant and you will thereafter be forever estopped and debarred from setting up any claim to, or in respect of, the land.

The amount required to redeem the land may be ascertained on application to the Clerk, Treasurer or Administrator of the municipality. For any questions about the tax enforcement process please contact Taxervice at 1-877-734-3113.

Dated this 13th day of April, 2023.

Jessica Franklin, Treasurer Town of Bienfait

The municipality claims title to the land by virtue of an interest based on the tax lien registered against the existing title to the land in the Land Titles Registry as Interest Number 192962290 and you are required to TAKE NOTICE that unless you contest the claim of the municipality or redeem the land pursuant to the provisions of the above Act within six months from the service of this notice on you and, subject to the further provisions of The Tax Enforcement Act the applicant and you will thereafter be forever estopped and debarred from setting up any claim to, or in respect of, the land. The amount required to redeem the land may be ascertained on application to the Clerk, Treasurer or Administrator of the municipality. For any questions about the tax enforcement process please contact Taxervice at 1-877-734-3113.

Dated this 13th day of April, 2023.

Jessica Franklin, Treasurer Town of Bienfait

NOTICE

The Tax Enforcement Act

DARCY BLAKE VATAMANIUCK

TAKE NOTICE that the Town of Bienfait intends to be registered as owner under the above Act of the land described as LOT 16-BLK/PAR 5-PLAN S1574 EXT 0, Title No. 129648606.

The municipality claims title to the land by virtue of an interest based on the tax lien registered against the existing title to the land in the Land Titles Registry as Interest Number 192962234 and you are required to TAKE NOTICE that unless you contest the claim of the municipality or redeem the land pursuant to the provisions of the above Act within six months from the service of this notice on you and, subject to the further provisions of The Tax Enforcement Act the applicant and you will thereafter be forever estopped and debarred from setting up any claim to, or in respect of, the land.

The amount required to redeem the land may be ascertained on application to the Clerk, Treasurer or Administrator of the municipality. For any questions about the tax enforcement process please contact Taxervice at 1-877-734-3113.

Dated this 13th day of April, 2023.

Jessica Franklin, Treasurer Town of Bienfait

NOTICE

The Tax Enforcement Act

KEITH EARL BJORNDALEN

TAKE NOTICE that the Town of Bienfait intends to be registered as owner under the above Act of the land described as LOT 11-BLK/PAR 13-PLAN AC6017 EXT 0, Title No. 131333543.

The municipality claims title to the land by virtue of an interest based on the tax lien registered against the existing title to the land in the Land Titles Registry as Interest Number 192962267 and you are required to TAKE NOTICE that unless you contest the claim of the municipality or redeem the land pursuant to the provisions of the above Act within six months from the service of this notice on you and, subject to the further provisions of The Tax Enforcement Act the applicant and you will thereafter be forever estopped and debarred from setting up any claim to, or in respect of, the land. The amount required to redeem the land may be ascertained on application to the Clerk, Treasurer or Administrator of the municipality. For any questions about the tax enforcement process please contact Taxervice at 1-877-734-3113.

Dated this 13th day of April, 2023.

Jessica Franklin, Treasurer Town of Bienfait

Southeast Saskatchewan residents were treated to another dazzling display by the northern lights on Sunday night. Melina Shepley snapped this photo northeast of Estevan. It’s one of several instances this year in which a brilliant display has occurred in the region.

Estevan city council gave first reading to several bylaws related to property taxes during Monday night’s meeting.

The primary one was the property tax bylaw. It was noted during the meeting, after a question by Coun.

Kirsten Walliser, that there will not be an increase for the municipal portion of property taxes this year. City manager Jeff Ward said they are waiting for confirmation on the education portion of property tax.

Three other bylaws were also given first reading. The first is the library levy, which will generate $403,000 for the South East Region Library and local library oper-

ations. It amounts to more than $35.74 per capita. The money generated by the bylaw will cover the city’s commitment to the library this year.

A Business Improvement District (BID) Levy, which is the newest of the three charges, will be charged to each property, and will generate a total of $27,500 for BID.

Finally, the health levy will be assessed to generate approximately $102,000 for regional health care.

The bylaws will require second and third readings before being approved.

Also during the meeting, council approved the tender for road rehabilitations in the Hillcrest subdivision.

Genco Asphault was awarded the work for $751,412 to resurface Duncan Road’s east leg from Rooks Avenue to McDonald Road, and McLeod Avenue from Gallaway Street to McDonald Road.

The tender will include pulverizing and removing 50 millimetres of existing asphalt, preparing subgrade, and supplying and installing sub-base, base and asphalt primer tack coat asphalt.

All road pre-construction arrangements are to be completed prior the projected start date of July 19. City engineer Kiflom Weldeab said it is hoped the projected will be finished by the Aug. 31 completion

date, however, if more time is required due to weather or other events, the schedule will be adjusted accordingly.

Coun. Shelly Veroba noted the area is busy with an outdoor paddling pool and a school. The work is expected to be completed during summer vacation, but she is concerned what would happen if there is an overlap between the project and the start of the school year.

City manager Jeff Ward said there have been some supply-chain issues that have increased the budget a little bit for the project. They are finalizing the numbers for concrete and the city’s installation of wa-

ter mains. The total budget called for $1 million.

“If there is a significant variance on this, it will be brought back to council, but I don’t see this being an issue,” said Ward.

Council also gave the green light for the Estevan Car Club to have monthly show and shines at the site of the former Kal-Tire property at the intersection of Fifth Street and 13th Avenue.

The events will happen at 6 p.m. on the third Friday of each month, starting on May 19 and continuing until September.

The car club said it hopes to bring some more activity to the downtown area.

Coun. Lindsay Clark

noted the car club is a group of enthusiasts with a “common interest”.

“They’re just looking for a place, and I think it’s exactly what we’re looking to have downtown is people coming to the area. I think it will be a great opportunity for them as well as for our community to bring people there.”

Walliser and Coun. Travis Frank suggested have a sign prior to the event, reminding people that the site will be in use and it wouldn’t be available for parking. Frank added the demand for parking could be higher on Fridays.

Last year, the city purchased the land where KalTire was located. The building has since been torn down.

Carlyle District Lions fundraiser drew a big crowd

By Gord Paulley

It was a night to remember as the Carlyle District Lions Club held its 30th annual supper and auction after a three-year hiatus.

For the first time ever, the event was held at the Carlyle Sports Arena with nearly 400 people in attendance.

The audience was treated to a full course meal catered by Rylan and Cindy Weir of Manor. After Carlyle Mayor Jennifer Sedor welcomed the crowd, long-time Lions member Wayne Wilson was recognized for his 20 years as being the event committee chairman.

This year’s committee chairman was Tim Sedor who kept the event moving along at a steady pace. There were 15 live auction items on the docket and Larry Loughren of Lampman was the auctioneer. There were several new

and interesting items in the live auction. These included a framed autographed jersey from Toronto Maple Leafs’ great Darryl Sittler, two electric bikes, and an airplane trip for two to anywhere in the world, along with new travel luggage.

Long-time Lion Dennis Feduk provided a freshly baked pie for every month of the year and Lions’ Club member Duncan Brown offered a 90-minute airplane ride over Carlyle and surrounding area.

There were several silent auction items to bid on and over 100 raffle items. Carlyle resident Anita Delalleau won the $1,730 pot of gold draw.

“I have purchased 50/50 tickets for years and live at the Carlyle Sports Arena all winter long. This was my first pot of gold, ever. Thank you Carlyle Lions Club,” said Delalleau.

After the auction con-

cluded and all winners were announced, the audience enjoyed the music of the Steadies, a Saskatchewan band from Saskatoon.

“We are happy to be performing in Carlyle and wish to thank the Lions Club for inviting us. We truly hope everyone enjoyed our music,” said lead vocalist Earl Pereira.

Brad Cooper and his

wife Michelle are members of the supper and auction committee.

“It was a pleasure serving on this committee for the 2023 event,” said Brad. “Michelle and I have been Lions members for a year and a half after moving to the Carlyle area, so this was our first auction. We had so much fun. We have enjoyed

the opportunity to work with such an amazing group of people to impact our community in a positive way.

“If readers have ever considered joining the Lions, do it. It is a great way to meet new people and giving back to the community is incredibly rewarding.”

While net income figures from the auction were not

disclosed, from all accounts this year’s function was a record-setting event. Nearly all the proceeds will be redistributed to various organizations in Carlyle and district. Recipients and amounts will be announced in June.

“The new Lions supper and auction format exceeded our expectations in every way,” said Sedor. “The energy the community brought to the bidding carried throughout the evening and was capped off by an amazing performance from Saskatoon’s The Steadies.

“Our audience partied well into the early hours of the morning with the band playing three encores. Had we not shut down the sound, I am sure they would have played all night. As a Lions Club, we couldn’t be happier with the outcome. Looking forward to next year. Thanks to everyone for making this a great event.”

L-R: Vaila Lindenbach, Morgan Hodgens, Christine Jones

A large crowd turned out for the fundraiser Saturday night in Carlyle.

Photo by Dolores Young

By Greg Nikkel of the Weyburn Review

Two Estevan teachers were able to learn about future technology for educators while taking in a conference recently in New Orleans.

Kaitlyne Graham of Sa- cred Heart School/École

Sacré Coeur and Marla

Thompson from St. Mary’s School gave an online presentation to the board of trustees at the Holy Family Roman Catholic Separate School Division’s monthly meeting on April 18.

Thompson noted they attended a number of educational sessions each, and made sure they were all different to cover as much information as possible.

The trustees were told about new artificial intelligence (AI) programs available to educators, such as

one that will help students write poetry.

“It’s coming more into play in the world,” said Graham, before treating the trustees to a demonstration of the ChatGPT app to demonstrate how AI works.

After providing some basic facts, the app wrote approximately 200 words about the teachers’ presentation to the board about the conference.

“It’s a very interesting thing as you play around with it,” said Thompson, adding, “You have to be very clear about what you want. It’s useful when you want to save time to find pictures for a presentation.”

To encourage student engagement, there are programs like a book creator, which allows students to become authors of their own work, and to show what they can do.

Thompson also noted she

tried a digital escape room, a program that can be used for teaching a variety of things, including Canadian geography.

“It allowed me to have fun with it without burning myself out,” she said. “The first time I did it, it took a couple of hours, but the kids got through it and had fun. I sent it to their parents so they could see how well they could do.”

Graham talked about a workshop she took for a program called Canva.

“I can’t believe the amount of extra information I learned, even since coming back from the conference. It can be interactive and can make posters, timelines and a presentation,” she said.

Graham teaches French immersion to Grades 5 and 6 students, and noted with this program they were able to create mash up videos.

MAYOR’S MESSAGE

Nominees for 2003 Women of Today Awards were announced in advance mid-April. Nominated for Shirley Orsted Memorial Award were Shelagh Bangsund, Krystal Baxter, Katie Billesberger, Kassie Block, Melissa Davidson, Danielle Haselhan, Dominique Huriet, Nikita Jundt and Rene Pylypuk

This year Women of Distinction Awards ceremony, recognizing women from the Estevan area, will take place May 10.

“Kids from all over North America sent in their songs and memes to go with it,” she added, pointing out she was able to give students and parents a lot of information, and hopes to be using Canva in her classroom next year.

“They offer a teacher free use of Canva. You can submit assignments right on the program. It was amazing,” she said.

Another session she took was on “sketchnoting”, a new method for taking notes that even university students have been using.

As an example for her class, they watched Anne of Green Gables and read the book, and heard a podcast on it, with students using sketchnoting to take notes about it.

Another app was called “wakelet”, which is a new way to collect information and pictures about a topic

and keep them all in one place, similar to Pinterest. The example she showed was research and photos for a presentation by a student on turtles, which even included a video from National Geographic.

“We also went to hear keynote speakers, and spent a couple of hours between sessions to hear them,” said Thompson.

“I learned a new way to use quizzes and Google Earth,” added Graham. “These were extra things not in our sessions.”

The teachers also had some opportunities to sightsee around New Orleans and take in the music and food in different places. They also attended a basketball game.

“It was an amazing experience. I can’t believe how much I learned,” said Graham.

“It was like a breath of fresh air, with all sorts of things that we can try. It was a lot of fun to have that knowledge shared with me and with my colleagues. I really appreciated going,” added Thompson.

“I was really impressed with how you took what you learned and applied it in your classroom,” commented director of education Gwen Keith, noting that AI will be used extensively in the school division in the future. “This is transformative, making changes in all sorts of areas.”

Trustee Jerome Sidloski commented the information was inspiring and exciting, “and a little bit scary at the same time.”

“It’s exciting when we have people go to these conferences and bring that knowledge back,” said Keith.

spring is fast approaching, we would like to acknowledge the snow removal crews and all their efforts over the winter keeping our streets clear and safe.