Meridian Source - August 8, 2024 by Meridian Source

Heritage Day opens door to past

APOSTOLOVSKI STAFF WRITER

The large white door facing 47 Ave. opens revealing a warehouse full of artifacts from Lloydminster.

At the free Heritage Day event at Weaver Heritage Park in Lloydminster, these artifacts were on full display for all residents.

The Lloydminster Museum and Archives opened the doors letting residents browse the various artifacts. The museum has also been hosting tours of the warehouse which began last year. Staff continued bringing residents in this year to see the various relics of the past.

“We started it last year, we

cation we downsized significantly, so we don’t have the amount of display space that we used to have. We’re trying to cycle out display, make sure that artifacts and items aren’t on display indefinitely,” said Natalie Clysdale, manager, Lloydminster Museum and Archives.

Clysdale says the museum cycles out the display so the various pieces aren’t always out all the time which could lead to them being damaged.

“What we do is, most of the items are in storage and in the Lloydminster Museum and Archives we circulate the col lection anywhere from four months to a couple of years. Our permanent heritage gal lery will have items for a few years, whereas our tempo

something for everyone to enjoy.

“We have print machines, wagons, cars, typewriters all the way down to teacups, carpentry supplies, cobbler equipment we have an iron

“This is one of three storage spaces for our museum collection, this is by far the largest and houses most of the heritage collection.”

Within the warehouse,

The warehouse is home to a variety of items and Clysdale says there’s

Clysdale says this is only one of the storages the museum uses.

CHRISTIAN

Christian Apostolovski Photos

Blast from past displayed at museum

According to Clysdale, the warehouse has something for everyone.

“There’s typically something for everyone. We have old oil rigs out in the yard, original homesteads for a lot of the founding families of Lloydminster,” she said. “If you

A variety of items are on display for residents to enjoy. Christian Apostolovski Meridian Source Photos

like medical history or medical equipment, there’s something here for you, and people sometimes just like to go through and look at the antiques.”

Residents who weren’t able to attend Heritage Day can still enjoy a guided tour. The museum has two

more dates, Aug. 10 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. and Aug. 21 from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Museum staff guide you through the warehouse, telling stories of highlighted objects, and teach about the museum’s collecting practices. Children under 12 must

be accompanied by an adult. People can register online at recreation.lloydminster.ca/COL/public/category/browse/WHP_WAREHOUSE. Those attending the tours are reminded that closed-toed shoes are required inside of the warehouse.

Heritage Day fun in Lloydminster

CHRISTIAN APOSTOLOVSKI STAFF WRITER

Heritage Day went ahead in Lloydminster, bringing residents to Weaver Heritage Park for

family fun.

The event, hosted by the Barr Colony Heritage Society, Richard Larsen Barr Colony Foundation and Lloydminster Museum and Archives, drew large crowds on Aug. 5.

The event started with a pancake breakfast at 8:30 a.m., running until 10 a.m. under a tent on the south side of Weaver Heritage Park. Rain was steadily coming down during the pancake breakfast before stopping to allow for some activities around the park.

“The artifact warehouse is where we store artifacts that aren’t on display in the museum. Most people know we have a fairly small permanent gallery, so we’re not able to display a lot of our artifacts all at once. We have a warehouse where the artifacts are kept, it’s like a storage warehouse,” said Berth Bernard, Heritage Day organizer.

The artifact warehouse was one of many events that residents could enjoy. There was axe throwing, lawn games, archery, the tractor display, crafts such as candle making and live music.

Christian Apoostoloski Meridian Source Young Angus takes in Heritage Day activities at Weaver Heritage Park on Monday. Angus and his brother, Teàrlach, (not pictured) tried their hands at rope making.

Lloyd to step up for Fox run

Signs will be popping up soon to promote the Terry

Fox Run in Lloydminster at Bud Miller All Seasons Park on Sept. 15. That’s the word from run

committee member, Jim McArdle who has been handing out posters, wristbands and stick-on tattoos to mark

the 44th anniversary of Fox’s Marathon of Hope in support of cancer research.

He’s also urging businesses to jump on board the national Team 44 bandwagon to raise more money in advance of this year’s run.

“You can get a team together at work, register and collect pledges to reach your goal of $44,” said McArdle on the Terry Fox Run Lloydminster Facebook page.

“Local firefighters raised $4,126 last year putting them in the #2 spot in Saskatchewan and Manitoba.”

He says businesses can also make a donation to a team or person registered to take part in the run in Lloydminster or reach out to the organizing committee to donate bottles of water or other items.

Registration takes place at

Alberta Day of caring raises more than $1.5

A province-wide fundraiser has brought in over $1.5 million to support wildfire relief in Jasper.

The Alberta Day of Caring was on July 31 and aimed to bring in money to help individuals and families impacted by the recent wildfires in Alberta. The event raised more than $674,000.

Every dollar donated would then see a match from the federal and provincial governments.

Monetary donations were made to the Canadian Red Cross and will be used to assist those impacted in Jasper and other affected areas in Alberta with immediate and ongoing relief.

This includes financial assistance, support to evacuees and the communities hosting them, recovery and

resilience in response to the wildfires. The money will also support community preparedness and risk reduction for future disaster events in Alberta.

“The Canadian Red Cross is committed to assisting people impacted by the devastating fires in Alberta,” said Canadian Red Cross President and CEO Conrad Sauvé.

“We encourage everyone living in Jasper (during) the evacuation to register with the Red Cross. We are here to help, and financial assis -

Sask limits phones in classrooms

Lloydminster students can expect less screen time as the Saskatchewan Government has banned cellphones in K-12 schools throughout the province.

The new mandate takes effect for the 2024/25 school year and will impact schools in Lloydminster as the city is under Saskatchewan education.

“Technology has its place, but too often, cell phones are taking students’ attention away from what they should be learning,” said Education Minister Jeremy Cockrill.

“This new policy will allow students

to be more engaged with their teachers and focused on learning the skills and knowledge they need to reach their potential.”

The new measures apply to all kindergarten to Grade 12 schools in the province. Teachers can seek an exemption from administration to allow cellphone use when needed for instructional purposes.

There will be additional exemptions for students who require ongoing use of mobile devices as accommodations for medical or specific learning needs.

With the announcement, Saskatchewan joins other provinces with initiatives to limit or restrict internet-connected devices in schools for fall 2024.

tance is available. People impacted by these fires (can) count on the Red Cross to be there during their recovery in the weeks and months ahead.”

9 a.m. with the 2.5 kilometre or 5km run/walk starting at 10 a.m. outside the PSM Park Centre.

This year’s run motto is No Matter What in recognition of Fox’s determination to fight cancer.

Fox lost his right leg to cancer in 1977 and embarked on his cross-country Marathon of Hope in 1980 to fund a cure for cancer.

He was forced to stop his run outside of Thunder Bay, Ont. as cancer had appeared in his lungs. Fox died on June 28, 1981, at the age of 22.

The annual Terry Fox Run keeps that mission going and allows anyone, any age, from anywhere, with any ability to support his goal.

million

Donations to the 2024 Alberta Wildfires Appeal are matched by the Government of Alberta and the Government of Canada until Aug. 24.

GEOFF LEE STAFF WRITER

Source File Photo

CHRISTIAN APOSTOLOVSKI STAFF WRITER

Historical turnaround for Lloyd Upgrader

that enable us to further enhance reliability at the asset,” said McKenzie.

eral wildfires recently across northern Alberta with some near its oilsands sites including Sunrise near Fort McMurray.

“With the recent rainfall and firefighting efforts we’re in a better place,” said McKenzie. “We have now returned all our staff to the Sunrise site and all of our assets continue to operate at normal rates.”

Cenovus has also announced it achieved its new debt target of $4 billion in July and is now moving to return 100 per cent of excess free funds flow to its shareholders.

“It really sets the stage for continued growth in our shareholder returns over time,” said McKenzie.

planned turnaround at Christina Lake in September.

In the second quarter, Cenovus also loaded its first vessels at the Westridge Marine Terminal following the successful startup of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion (TMX).

During the question period, McKenzie said the construction, commissioning and running of the TMX pipeline is a great day for Canadians when asked to describe the impact of TMX on the industry and Alberta and if it’s worthwhile to Canadian taxpayers being well over budget.

TMX was completed in the quarter at an estimated cost of $34 billion.

The recent Cenovus Energy turnaround at the Lloydminster Upgrader was one for the history books.

It was the first topic noted by Cenovus president and CEO Jon McKenzie during a second-quarter conference call on Aug. 1.

“We completed the largest turnaround in the history of the Lloydminster Upgrader,” said McKenzie.

The Upgrader has since completed its ramp-up to normal rates and is operating steadily following the turnaround from the first week in May to the first week in July.

“In addition to regulatory maintenance during the turnaround, we also implemented seven large projects at around $50 million of capital spend

“It includes advancing the automation of our systems.”

McKenzie noted the turnaround was completed with approximately one million man-hours in a peak mobilized workforce of about 3,200 contractors.

“Our planned 49-day turnaround was done with no incidents,” he said.

“Safety and operational execution of the turnaround was outstanding amid some of the weather-related delays that impacted productivity and the schedule by about a week and elevated the overall cost.”

The Lloydminster refinery results in the quarter were also impacted by the turnaround at the Upgrader.

Cenovus has been dealing with sev-

COUNTY HIGHLIGHTS

The County of Vermilion River main office will be undergoing a renovation beginning early Fall 2024. The main office will not be accessible to the public during the renovation and will be moving temporarily to the CVR Public Works Yard at 505040 HWY 897 at the end of August. To keep up to date on information about the renovation project please follow us on social media or visit our website.

Photo Contest ”Animal Encounters” Join the County for our fifth annual photo contest! This year our calendar theme is “Animal Encounters”. To enter the contest, email photos along with the photo permission form on our website to photocontest@county24.com. Winning photos will be featured in the 2025 “Animal Encounters” calendar. Contest ends August 23, 2024.

Tax Payment Deadline is October 1, 2024. If you have not received your Assessment and Tax Notice, please contact our office to ensure your Alberta Land Title address matches your mailing address.

PROTECTIVE SERVICES:

Volunteer Firefighter Recruitment: If you are interested in volunteering with one of our stations (Blackfoot, Clandonald, Dewberry, Islay, Kitscoty, Marwayne or Paradise Valley), please contact the County at fire@county24.com

PLANNING & COMMUNITY SERVICES:

Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) funding application deadline is September 30, 2024. Please contact the Community Development Coordinator if your non-profit is interested in applying for 2025 funding.

AGRICULTURE & ENVIRONMENT:

ALUS Wetland Adventure Days: ALUS will be back with their Wetland Adventure Days at Hazeldine Campground on August 13 and Lindsay Evans Park on August 14. Drop in anytime between 4- 7 pm to explore and have some fun learning about the critters you can find in a wetland. These adventures are sure to be a lot of fun for the whole family!

AAAF Memorial Bursary: The Association of Alberta Agriculture Fieldmen Northeast Region will award two $1,000 bursaries to students enrolled in a College or University Agricultural Environmental Science program. Eligibility requirements and applications can be found on the County website. Deadline for applications is September 1, 2024.

Cenovus’ upstream business continued to deliver strong operating results in the quarter with production of over 800,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boe/d) in line with the prior quarter.

“Production for the first half of 2024 continues to trend at the higher end of our guidance range,” said McKenzie.

The company expects to exit 2024 well above 800,000 boe/d following a

“Admittedly, it was over budget and it was more expensive than it needed to be,” said McKenzie.

“That being said, this will generate a huge amount of revenue for Canadians in the form of royalties and tax dollars that go towards the public purse and in my view will increase the standard of living for all Canadians, so the short, medium and long term this is a great asset for Canada and is an important piece of infrastructure for the country.”

Bonnyville beefs up cybersecurity

CHRISTIAN APOSTOLOVSKI STAFF WRITER

The Town of Bonnyville is increasing cyber security after approving more funding for an IT upgrade.

The motion was brought forward during a July 29 special meeting of council.

According to the agenda, town administration is requesting the acceleration of the IT upgrades for 2025, “in light of current concerns regarding cyber security attack events occurring in other municipalities.”

The project aims to move the town away from conventional practises and be in line with current server design and future production needs.

The upgrades will improve disaster and recovery capabilities and cyber security protection.

“Council recognizes staying

ahead of evolving threats demands a proactive approach to safeguard data integrity and protect against breaches,” said Town of Bonnyville Mayor Elisa Brosseau.

“By allocating the appropriate budget now will allow administration to prepare and update technology to update our systems, a crucial step for cybersecurity.”

According to administration, the upgrades will offer better protection of all stored data from ransomware and malware attacks. The upgrades will also allow for full disaster recovery with the ability to be up and running in less than a day.

Council moved and passed the motion to approve funding for $250,000 to be allocated from the administration capital reserve and the general capital reserve to complete the IT Infrastructure Upgrade Project in 2024.

PUBLIC NOTICE

Planning and Development Department Take

GEOFF LEE STAFF WRITER

Source File Photo

Sandy Beach market goes big

The Sandy Beach Summer Market held its biggest market yet this past weekend.

The market opened to the public on Aug. 4 with a variety of vendors set up for business.

“This one has 70 plus vendors, art, craft type of market, we have everything from handmade jewellery to different types of art, fresh fruit, sauces, foods, clothes all kinds of different things,” said event organizer and Sandy Beach regional park board chairman Howard Mehain.

There was live music throughout the event from the likes of, Terry Brisbourne, Kenny Mac, RBG Trio, The Sandy Beach Boys and Makenna Gallagher.

The market took place from 10 to 4 with the day wrapping up with prize draws and a 50/50 draw.

“Money goes to the market itself to make improvements, we bought a new stage for the entertainment area,” said Mehain.

He says the market is unique as it draws vendors from farther away from Lloydminster.

Explore all of what Lloydminster has to offer with the Fall Guide. Lloydminster.ca/Guides

LIVE HISTORY PRESENTS “A KNOCK AT THE DOOR”

AUG 10 • 10 AM TO 12:15 PM, 1:30 TO 3:45 PM • AGES 11+ • $30

This is an immersive, theatrical performance, followed by a Historical Magic Workshop! 780-874-3720

Lloydminster.ca/LMAPrograms

ARTIFACT WAREHOUSE TOURS

AUG 10 • 1 PM •

Take a guided tour with museum staff, explore artifacts, and learn about collecting practices. 780-874-3720

NIGHT

AUG 8 • 8 PM • FREE

Join us at the Amphitheatre for a double feature starting at 8 p.m.! This event is weather dependent.

AUG

COURSE, DRIVING RANGE

OPEN DAILY • ALL AGES

Enjoy the greens or practice your swing at the driving range! 306-825-5494

LGCC.ca 2024 FALL GUIDE REGISTRATION IS OPEN

CHRISTIAN APOSTOLOVSKI STAFF WRITER

Christian Apostolovski Photos

PRESLEY JOHNSTON JUNIOR STAFF WRITER

Lloydminster and Vermillion for Equity (LVE) is making a commu -

LVE creating cookbook for a cause

nity cookbook and welcomes everyone to get involved, including politicians, business owners, and the unhoused community.

They also want to include memories and stories tied to the recipes.

Brittney Falcon Bouchard is a volunteer and board member who helps with operations and coordination for the organization.

“We really want this to be a community project to network and get everybody involved, regardless of their walk of life,” said Bouchard.

The LVE Street Team serves the unhoused community and provides mutual aid through various services.

“We serve mainly the unhoused community, but also anyone in the community who needs assistance through mutual aid,” said Bouchard.

The foundation started in 2020 by handing out water bottles and has grown to provide hot meals, harm reduction, hygiene items, clothing and showers twice a week.

“The funds will go towards food that we buy to cook the meals and hygiene items. We generally get clothing donated, but socks and underwear are big items that we generally must buy too,” said Bouchard.

The cookbook is a fundraiser to

support their community efforts, including buying food, hygiene items, and other supplies.

“We also want to get as many recipes from as many different cultures as well to show the vast variety of our community,” said Bouchard.

The project aims to collect recipes by Aug. 26 and complete the cookbook before Christmas.

The preferred method to send in recipes would be to email them to Brittney at brittney@lvefoundation.com or message the LVE Facebook Page facebook.com/lloydminstervermilionforequityevents.

One person, two collisions, seven charges

situation and Sgt. Eric Black responded with this statement:

A male is facing seven charges after RCMP received several calls about his driving on July 29 in Lloydminster. A social media post led us to reaching out to the RCMP regarding the

“On July 29, 2024, at approximately 4 p.m. Lloydminster RCMP began receiving several complaints of a black Dodge Journey being driven erratically and running through red

lights in the city.

The driver, who was the only occupant, went through a red light near Holy Rosary School and almost caused a collision. He stopped near the school, confronted the other driver and then drove into that vehicle while the

occupants were on the phone to police.

The male suspect driver fled when police approached, driving off the road onto a lawn to get away. RCMP members did not pursue due to the increased risk to public safety.

Lloydminster plainclothes members using unmarked police vehicles set up containment. Thanks to help from the public more calls

of erratic driving were received.

The male (then) crashed into a vehicle at the intersection of 51 St. and 55 Ave. before police closed in, which was reported by the other driver.

This second crash disabled the suspect’s vehicle and the male ran away from the collision.

Police searched the nowabandoned suspect vehicle and found two edged

weapons (knives) that would have been within reach of the driver.

The Lloydminster Police Dog Service (PDS) officer was called to assist. Additional calls from the public helped locate and track the male as he ran through neighbourhoods. At approximately 4:30 p.m. the male was arrested near Pioneer Lodge.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

DAN GRAY STAFF WRITER

Combatting dangerous trees in Lloyd

DAN GRAY STAFF WRITER

A recent windstorm brought down some trees in Lloydminster and prompted an outpouring of support for a single mother on the west end. Whether it be a chokecherry, box elder, poplars or something a little rarer like an oak, all trees can become a problem given the right circumstances.

Cody Reeves, the City of Lloydminster’s parks and recreation supervisor, said at times, it’s easy to see when trees need checking.

“If you see signs of rot at the bottom of your trees, you might want to get it checked out,” said Reeves. “With the dry weather and dry ground, the ground won’t hold a tree up as easily.”

Royal Tree Service was one of the companies to respond to the downed tree near Bud Miller All Seasons

Park when the social media call went out for help. Owner, Dallas Kappel, believes trees are a masterpiece of mother nature, but still need some attention from time to time.

“If you see peeling or chipped bark, noticeable cracks in the trunk or limbs or twigs without any buds on the end of them, it’s time to call a professional,” said Kappel. “It doesn’t mean we have to chop your tree down, your tree may be saved with proper care and fertilizer.”

Other ways to tell your tree could be in trouble include:

– If the layer underneath the bark is dry and brown

– Decay producing fungus is visible near the ground

– Hanging branches in the upper crown

“Dead or decaying trees may not appear to be a threat to your property,” said Kappel. “Significant damage can occur as they can weigh

upwards of 4,000 pounds, it’s important to have a professional come out and deal with the tree to prevent injury.”

If you have a downed tree pre -

Fire ban lifted for MD of Bonnyville

CHRISTIAN APOSTOLOVSKI

The Bonnyville Regional Fire Authority has lifted the fire ban for the Municipal District of Bonnyville.

The ban was lifted as of 1 p.m. July 30 for the municipal district, Summer Villages of Bonnyville Beach, Pelican Narrows and the Village of Glendon.

venting travel on a roadway or sidewalk, you are advised to contact the city, otherwise, reach out to your local tree care professionals to assist in removal.

The ban was first put into effect on July 10. According to the Bonnyville Regional Fire Authorities’ website, all outdoor wood fires, including wood campfires on public land, private land, designated campgrounds, and backyard firepits were prohibited. As well as Barbeque charcoal briquettes, Fireworks and exploding targets.

Daily updates or changes regarding fire bans can be

Gruppo perfetto at the Cold Lake Air Show

team has been travelling across North America showing support for their allies.

The Source caught up with Colonnello Stefano Pietropaoli, Comandante North America Tour Aeronautica Militare, for a one-on-one interview about the team, their goals and experiences they’ve had so far. Due to the language barrier, we have cleaned up and paraphrased some of the Colonnello’s answers.

Q. What is it like for your team to be here in Canada, why are you here?

A. We are here for several reasons, the first one is the fact the Royal Canadian Air Force is celebrating its 100th anniversary.

We’ve done this before, we (The Italian Air Force) are one year older than the Royal Canadian Air Force, so we did celebrate our anniversary, our 100th anniversary last year.

For that reason, the Royal Canadian Air Force Chief of Staff, General Kenny, invited the Italian Air Force to be a part of a celebration.

from the air?

A. Canada is probably the most beautiful country in the world, because it’s still (the) same as it was years and years ago. So, the surrounding area is fantastic, the colours are totally different than in other countries because of lack of air pollution.

The other countries like this, they have a lot of big cities, a lot of pollution, so looking from the sky, Canada is a beautiful country.

about the performance and the team.

A perfect group or “gruppo perfetto” in Italian, was 7,600 kilometres from home over the July 20 weekend.

From Rivolto Air Base to smokedin 4-Wing Cold Lake, Frecce Tricolori of the Italian Air Force arrived on this leg of their North American Tour.

Although the conditions drastically restricted their ability to perform more than a few flypasts, the

The second reason is that we do love Canadians. There is a good partnership, friendship, and international collaboration. And because last year, we were seeing a lot of all Italians (at home). This year, we know their (are) Italians all around the world. We know Canada has almost three and a half million Italians living here.

Q. What is it like seeing Canada

ARTIFACT WAREHOUSE TOUR

Have you ever wondered where museum artifacts live when they aren’t on display? Or how they’re stored? Perhaps you’ve been wanting to hear some of the stories that don’t always make it into exhibitions?

Q. How has the reception been here in Canada?

A. The hospitality we received was fantastic, way, way above our expectations. All the people were so friendly to us, not just Italians, especially Canadians. They are taking care of everything, taking care of us like good friends.

The last question we asked was

A. We use the MB-399, a 40-yearold Italian-manufactured trainer. It’s a really good training-performance aircraft. We took a block of these aircraft because they are light, jet-powered, high-performance aircraft and made this show so all the people can see the technology of the Italians. We have the Guinness World Record for having a 10-aircraft formation, the only one in the world. We split into different sections, we have a solo pilot, and for 26 minutes, we show the world everything we can do. We show a continuous river of spectacular (aerobatic) displays in that time.

Their last stop in Canada was Aug. 1, 2024, when they flew over Toronto. They return home by the beginning of September.

DAN GRAY STAFF WRITER

Dan Gray Meridian Source

Above: Colonnello Stefano Pietropaoli, Comandante North America Tour Aeronautica Militare at the 2024 Cold Lake Airshow. Top Right: Frecce Tricolori leaves their signature smoke above a smoke filled Cold Lake Airshow – Courtesy Aeronautica Militare – Frecce Tricolori.

One dead following Moose Lake search

DAN GRAY STAFF WRITER

Bonnyville RCMP have confirmed one individual is dead after falling off a Sea-Doo near Bonnyville.

At approximately noon on Aug. 4, emergency services including the Bonnyville RCMP were alerted to a possible drowning on Moose Lake near Township Road 612 in the MD

of Bonnyville.

Early reports received stated a pair of individuals operating Seadoo’s in the area fell off and one male had not resurfaced, he was not wearing a life jacket. Initial searches were conducted and not successful in locating the individual.

The following day Bonnyville RCMP with help from Alberta Search and Rescue, an RCMP K9

and drone and an underwater search team located the individual under the water. The 32-year-old Edmonton resident was transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and an autopsy will be performed while the investigation continues.

The RCMP wish to express our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the deceased.

Saskatoon man charged after ramming multiple police vehicles

An individual from Saskatoon is facing numerous charges after a fuel theft led to ramming police vehicles.

According to RCMP, at around 5:40 p.m. on Aug. 4, they responded to a fuel theft from a business in Kindersley, Sask.

After an investigation, it was determined a truck filled with diesel left without paying. They also determined the truck in question was stolen in Calgary on July 29.

The vehicle was then reported at a separate business in Kindersley later in the day.

As officers responded and attempted to block the truck, the suspect proceeded to ram

two police vehicles, causing serious damage to both, no injuries were reported in the vehicles. The truck fled the scene and was not located immediately.

A continued investigation by the Kindersley RCMP revealed a 26-year-old male from Saskatoon was responsible and a warrant for his arrest was issued.

He’s been charged with the following:

– two counts, assault police officer with a weapon, Section 270(1)(b), Criminal Code.

– one count, operate a motor vehicle in a manner dangerous to the public, Section 320.13(1), Criminal Code.

– one count, fail to stop for peace officer, Section 320.17, Criminal Code.

– one count, fail to stop at an accident, Section 320.16(1), Criminal Code.

– one count, fail to comply with release order condition, Section 145(5)(a), Criminal Code.

– one count, possession of the proceeds of crime under $5,000, Section 355(b), Criminal Code.

He was arrested by the Hanna RCMP after an unrelated incident.

He remains in custody and

Kindersley RCMP is working to extend the warrant into Alberta. Therefore, his court date on the charges from Kindersley RCMP is pending. The Forensic Identification Unit is helping in this ongoing investigation.

DAN GRAY STAFF WRITER

Source File Photo

Photo courtesy of the Kindersley RCMP

PAGE 10

Thursday, August 8, 2024

MERIDIAN SOURCE

Viewpoint

Leave it to Weaver: Infectious negativity

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The MERIDIAN SOURCE is published once a week, on Thursday. All material printed in the Meridian Source is copyright and may not be copied or reproduced without the express permission of the publisher. The Meridian Source reserves the right to refuse publication of any advertising or editorial material at its discretion. Columns and letters are the expressed view of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Meridian Source.

Editor Taylor Weaver taylor@meridiansource.ca

EDITOR

TAYLOR WEAVER

Yawning is contagious like negativity is infectious, especially when about posts on social media.

“Facebook is the toilet of the internet,” is an expression I’ve used for years, and as of late, that statement has never been so accurate. Whether it’s misleading information or comments on local community groups, the negativity on Facebook is infectious.

banned news from being shared on its platform ... but we all know social networks weren’t a happy place before the dark days of Facebook news.

Some users still haven’t figured out news can’t be shared on Facebook, and the “news” they’re reading online is often embellished or completely made up.

Take Algerian Olympic boxer Imane Khelif, for example.

lete in question was transgender. Shortly after, my Facebook feed was filled with articles about this transgender boxer, and of course, everyone was sharing the stories. It turned out that Khelif wasn’t transgender. She’s simply a slugger with testosterone levels rivalling some male athletes.

It’s also worth pointing out that being transgender in Algeria is illegal, and identifying as such is prohibited. Don’t believe me? Google it.

Staff Writer Geoff Lee geoff@meridiansource.ca

Staff Writer Christian Apostolovski christian@meridiansource.ca

Staff Writer Dan Gray dan.gray@meridiansource.ca

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

We welcome letters to the editor. Letters should be 500 words or less. A name and daytime phone number is required for verification. Priority will be given to letters exclusively written for the Meridian Source. We reserve the right to edit letters for clarity, brevity, spelling, grammar, punctuation and libel. Unsigned letters will not be published. Use of pseudonyms will only be allowed in special circumstances, at the discretion of the editor and the publisher, and only if the author’s identity is known to the editor. Publication of a letter does not imply endorsement by the Meridian Source. Send to taylor@meridiansource.ca

It would be easy to say this all started roughly a year ago when the Canadian government

There’s a lot of controversy surrounding Khelif following her win over Angela Carini in 46 seconds after the Italian threw in the towel. The Olympic match quickly turned into an online gender equality war. The digital world was convinced the ath -

I didn’t touch on a lot of the negativity I see on local Facebook pages, they’re getting worse by the day. Is the point to share valid information or make others feel like crap?

Chris’ A-Z: A powerful colour

I was sitting at a stop sign on my way to work, no more unusual than any other day. I

Word

Twas watching people fail to stop at the sign or brake far, too late. Now, normally, this would cause me to want to write about driver safety and education. This incident got me thinking about the stop sign and the colour red. How exactly did we come to

on the street ...

he idea is simple, and quite a bit of fun! We go out into the community and ask the same question to five random people.

We know it’s been a while, so we thought we’d send our summer intern out into the wild to see what Lloydminster residents think about back to school.

This week’s question ...

use this colour and why is it so important? Stop signs, sirens, stop signs there’s plenty of daily uses of the vibrant colour. According to some articles I came across red is the first colour that humans mastered.

Have a question you’d like answered by the community? Send it to presley@meridiansource.ca

Your question could be next!

What are your thoughts on back to school? Looking forward to it?

- Mark is sending his daughter Blake to kindergarten in the fall. Mark is excited for her even though it’s a big change he is more excited for her than himself.

- Blake is excited to go on fieldtrips and play with new friends! Blake’s mom, Dakota, says Blake needs to be entertained but she’s ready to learn and Dakota is really looking forward to it.

Yoshika

- Yoshika is looking forward to the last day of school. She says that she is pretty excited for her last year at Holy Rosary.

- Guillan is going to be in Grade 12 at Holy Rosary High School in the fall, but she is not excited for her senior year because she’s not ready to go to university yet.

- Emilie will also be a senior at Holy Rosary, and she is excited for it to be her last year. Emilie is looking forward to all the senior events and her classes.

- Ella is really excited for the senior events and school events, so she is more than ready for senior year! Ella

Mark

Dakota & Blake

Emilie

Guillan

PAGE 11

Thursday, August 8, 2024 MERIDIAN SOURCE

Opinion

Leeway from Lloyd: Olympics inspire all ages

I spent a lot of the long weekend watching the Paris Olympics and living vicariously through many athletes as the Olympics have always inspired me.

After watching the 1960 Rome Olympics on TV at age 11, I remember running around the block for three

weeks to get myself ready to compete on the world stage as a champion runner. I guess it wasn’t in my DNA however, as I quickly resorted to just being a kid chewing gum.

I think I also ran around the block for a week or two after the 1964 Games in Tokyo.

Fortunately, at age 75, I can still live vicariously through the Olympics. I tied a string around a tennis ball

and tossed it about 3 metres after watching 22-year-old Canadian Ethan Katzberg win the gold in the hammer throw on his first toss.

On my second throw, I set a PB of nearly 5m in my living room!

I’m not the only one out there who gets inspired from the Olympics as a lot of TV commercials depict kids doing stunts in their living rooms with their doting mom or dad in awe. It’s kind of

Gray Matters: Older than Archie

Older than Archie you ask? Let me explain.

I vividly remember growing up in small-town midwestern Ontario when the salesperson from Encyclopedia Brittanica stood in our living room selling my parents on their product. That set, after it arrived, was the

I presume it was easy to master as our blood is red, likely one of the first colours humans see.

Red also symbolizes power, love, passion, confidence, dominance, and attraction, all the trademarks of a mediocre Hallmark movie.

As I’ve just learned, red is also a personality type. I didn’t realize that colours were indicative of someone’s personality.

The colour red when associated with someone’s personality is a sign

main way my brother and I did research for school projects throughout grade school.

Then came the internet, or at least the backcountry early 90s version of dial-up.

Speed was measured in kb/second out there, but it was a window to information and people from around the world. It also meant no more party line with the neighbours next door and Yahoo, both literally and figuratively.

Yahoo wasn’t the first search engine

of them being outgoing and extroverted. It also holds significance in religion, the blood of Christ and the fires of hell were both red.

The red chakra, or the root, typically represents being grounded, however, reports of it’s true meaning are conflicting. In modern day, red is associated with love, the heart, blood and gang activity in some areas.

Having said all of that, stop at stop signs, Lloydminster, or I may end up down another rabbit hole learning about another colour.

like the proverbial kid shooting pucks in the basement and making it to the NHL. I also got pumped watching the women’s road race in cycling. Alison Jackson who was born and raised in Vermilion put in a good showing, finishing 19th and recovering from an illness a couple of days before the race on Aug. 4. She was about five minutes behind the winner.

She’s an example of a real athlete who puts in countless

in the world, most people would say Archie was (I still remember that too) but it was generally believed to be used by most people in the early 90s.

Yahoo was the search engine and landing page for many people. It had chat groups and the ability to make pages and interact with people all over the world.

Maybe this is my nostalgia running a little wild, but it also seemed to be a much nicer place than the

hours of training and loves every minute of it compared to “living room Olympians” like myself.

Sure I ran six marathons, three or four triathlons and lots of bike races, but it’s all been at a recreational level. You have to be born an athlete and love all of the hard work to get to the Olympics. Fortunately, I can still pretend.

I’m sure my final 5m tennis ball toss could be a world age group record for a lefty.

platforms of today.

I remember speaking with people from around the world on topics such as farming, Black-Footed ferrets and fishing just to name a few.

We played tanks, chess and other games, typed and read without fighting and posted without fear of the vitriol which seems to contaminate today’s internet.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

CHRIS’ A-Z FROM PAGE 10

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

The Meridian Source Calendar of Events is a free service provided for non-profit organizations located within our coverage area. All events are in chronological order, as space permits and at the editor’s discretion.

Passport to YLL

To place an event, email taylor@meridiansource.ca or fax

Cards, games, food, meetings and live music

Edgerton Museum

Heritage Day

Church Directory

The Edgerton & District Historical Society is pleased to host Museum Heritage Day on Aug. 10 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission and the pancake breakfast are free to attend. Events include brand burning, demonstrations, musical entertainment, a show and shine, an RCMP display, and horseshoe pits, as well as tons of fun for the kids. Food booths will be available.

The Reklaws live in P Hill

The Reklaws will be taking the stage at this year’s Paradise Hill Bash on Aug. 10. Tickets for Summer Bash are $75 and available on Eventbrite.

RCW Summer Meltdown

Get ready for the ultimate

ROAD RAGE FROM PAGE 6

summer party at Real Canadian Wrestling’s Summer Meltdown, taking place at Cheers Live on Aug. 29. Tickets are $22.63 and the show starts at 7 p.m.

Zulu Challenge

The Zulu Challenge is coming to Bud Miller All Seasons Park on Sept. 8 from 10 a.m. to noon. This rare event will have 20 obstacles with 5 kilometres of trails. All dogs welcome. All dogs must have a harness, no collars. All owners must have a hands free leash ... reactive/protective dogs must have a muzzle at all times ... anything you cannot do you can go around. Google Lloydminster Zulu Race for more details. Registration for the race is $22.63.

bangles, coins.

Billy Bob Thornton & The Boxmasters at the Vic

He was identified and known to police as a prolific offender and who does not have a valid drivers license.

Sobriety tests were administered and the driver was found to be under poly-drug use (a Central Nervous System Depressant as well as a Central Nervous System Stimulant).

The type and quantity of drugs in the male’s system would not be known until forensic testing of bodily fluids has been completed.

The male refused to comply with further test -

Before Myspace, X (formally Twitter) and Facebook seemed to be a much more civilized exchange of information on something shiny and new to the millions who were just learning what www and https did, let alone hashtags and SEO.

Today, the job of the encyclopedia salesperson is obsolete as well as many others thanks to the internet.

You can Google, DuckDuckGo, Bing and yes, still Yahoo search your way around the internet, but it’s become a more danger -

Billy Bob Thornton & The Boxmasters are taking the stage at the Vic Juba Community Theatre on Sept. 16 for a 7:30 p.m. show as part of the Dr. H.A. McDonald Season. Tickets are $69 and are available online or at the theatre’s box office. See you there!

Madchild at Cheers Live Juno Award winner, Madchild, of Swollen Members fame, plays at Cheers Live on Sept. 26. Tickets available on Eventbrite.

Classified at the Lloyd Ex Canadian hip-hop artist Classified is taking the stage at the Lloyd Exhibition on Nov. 9. Show starts at 8 p.m., tickets are $50 and available on Eventbrite. Have something you’d like in our calendar? Email it to taylor@meridiansource.ca

ing and consequently faces additional charges. The male was interviewed and he stated he had driven from Edmonton to Lloydminster with no plan on what to do or who to meet.

The suspect will be facing charges of impaired operation, refusing to comply with a demand, dangerous operation of a vehicle, failing to stop after an accident, flight from police, possessing a weapon for a dangerous purpose, and, breaching a release order.

The suspect has been held in custody. His first court appearance is Aug. 1, 2024.”

ous place where you can’t have an opinion without it being wrong in someone’s eyes. I don’t know when or how the place where we can access more information than was ever in those encyclopedias, became such a hostile place, but maybe we can get back there someday.

My friend Greg, who’s also older than Archie, said it best while sharing a picture of his pack of dogs.

“This is the pack. They don’t understand the hatred. They don’t hate others if they are around a different breed. They

aren’t worried about silly things like genitalia and sexuality - they aren’t afraid of a Black Lab, and they don’t want to build a wall to keep away from chihuahuas,” bemused Greg.

“They may bark at a strange dog at first, but they welcome that dog into the pack after they get to know them. They aren’t scared of anything except the lack of treats and love … Maybe we should be more like the pack except maybe for that licking thing!!”

For those of us older than most search engines, how hard can that be?

OLDER THAN ARCHIE FROM PAGE 11

Twins win U13AA provincial title

The Twins win!

The Lloydminster U13AA Twins are provincials champions after defeating the Black Gold 47’s of Leduc 12-5 during Sunday’s tournament final.

Baseball Alberta U13AA provincials took over Driven Energy Legion Ball Park this past weekend with the finals taking place on Sunday at 5 p.m.

The Twins credit hard work and teamwork as key ingredients to this season’s success after going 3-1 during provincials.

The only game the Twins lost throughout the tournament was at the hands of the Black Gold 47’s, making Sunday’s win that much sweeter.

Twins’ pitcher Dayton Pedersen

was pleased with the weekend’s performance and said Saturday’s loss to the Black Gold 47’s was somewhat of a fluke.

“We had a slow start on Saturday and couldn’t crawl back, but today was better with four runs in the first inning,” he said, noting this was his third provincial title. “It was good.”

Pedersen spent the weekend on the mound until a jammed finger forced him to pass the gavel.

“I wasn’t getting off of that mound; I really didn’t want to leave the mound,” he said.

Coach Jeff Kuntz, who received a celebratory Gatorade shower while chatting with the Source , said Sunday’s win was a result of lots of hard work.

“It all came down to the teamwork

they put in, and they all got along so well with each other,” he said.

“We’re happy coming to the ballpark every day and getting better, and this was the outcome.”

For Kuntz, it was a great weekend with an even better end result.

“It was an excellent weekend, and a huge thank you to all of the parents and volunteers who helped put this one, especially the tournament manager, Melissa,” he Kuntz.

TAYLOR WEAVER EDITOR

Taylor Weaver Meridian Source Photos

Left: Maddox Turcotte tags out a Black Gold 47’s runner during Sunday-evening action at Driven Energy Legion Ball Park. Above: The U13AA Twins celebrate their provincial championship win on Sunday. Bottom: Twins pitcher Dayton Pedersen releases a rocket against the Black Gold 47’s of Leduc. Below: Coach Kuntz gets a Gatorade shower after the win.

Walker welcomed to baseball hall of fame

PRESLEY JOHNSTON

JUNIOR STAFF WRITER

Stacy Walker, a cornerstone of Lloydminster’s baseball scene, is being inducted into the Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame.

“Baseball has always been a passion of mine, and to receive an accolade like this is a huge honour and very

humbling,” said Walker, who will officially be inducted on Aug. 17 at a ceremony in Battleford, exactly one month after his 53rd birthday.

Walker’s life in baseball began in Colonsay, Sask. inspired by his grandfather, Johnny Folk, a former player for the Colonsay Monarchs.

In 1995, Walker moved to Lloydminster and joined the Lloydmin -

ster Meridian Twins of the North Saskatchewan River Baseball League (NSRBL) as a centerfielder. His speed, strategic base running, and defensive skills made him a standout player.

“I would like to thank the City of Lloydminster, the sponsors, volunteers, media, parents and spouses for building such a strong program, which should continue to flourish into the future,” said Walker, who now lives in Calgary.

By 1998, Walker had taken on the roles of player, head coach, and manager for the Twins. Under his leadership, the team won their first NSRBL title in 2000, marking the first championship for a Lloydminster men’s team in 50 years.

This victory was the beginning of success for the Twins, who under Walker’s guidance, won additional NSRBL titles in 2002, 2003, and 2004.

Walker’s influence extended beyond the NSRBL, and in 2002, he led the Twins to victory in the Senior AA Tier 2 Provincial Championship, earning the team the titles of Saskatchewan Baseball Team of the Year and Walker the Manager of the Year.

He continued to play a vital role in the team’s success through the 2007 season and made a notable return as the starting centerfielder in 2017 at the Provincial Championships in Unity, Sask.

“We always had our eye on the prize. We worked on every aspect of our game, played the game the right way and played for each other. We loved being at the diamond together no matter what year or what team it was,” said Walker.

In addition to his achievements with the Twins, Walker dedicated his time to coaching youth baseball. From 2008 to 2012, he coached his sons’ teams to six Provincial Championship titles, and in 2010, they won the Western Canadian National Championship. His daughter was also impacted by his coaching, winning Alberta Softball Provincial titles in 2014 and 2015.

“I built all my teams with the same formula. Take the talent and build discipline and ruthless work ethic to be better,” he said.

“All the teams I was a part of had two mottos burnt into their baseball brains. 1: We played the game the right way. We respect everyone and fear no one! 2: Chemistry wins championships,” said Walker.

Walker’s induction into the Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame is a testament to his dedication, leadership, and the impact he has had on baseball in Lloydminster and beyond.

Tickets are still on sale to attend the induction, if you are interested in attending call 306-446-1983 or email saskbaseballmuseum@sasktel.net

Supplied Photo

Stacy Walker was all smiles after winning the NSRBL title with the Lloydminster Twins in 2000 in Mervin, Sask. This was the first of many championship titles for the team.

U15 excitement builds as nationals approach

A Thursday night practice is held as intently as any other with Nationals on the horizon for the U15 Lloydminster Liners.

Softball Canada is convening the tournament in Chateauguay and ÎlePerrot, Que., a suburb southwest of Montreal from Aug. 14 – 18.

Karsyn Woytiuk, who pitches, plays first base and some outfield for the team, explains how this level is differ-

ent than others she’s played in before.

“The biggest thing going into U15 was probably the difference in hitting and thinking about the game more as a pitcher,” said Woytiuk. “The level of hitters is higher this year.”

“

I

hope we all have an unforgettable experience in Montreal, I also hope to experience poutine while I’m there.

She’s looking forward to going to Montreal with her teammates after a long summer of practice and competition all over western Canada.

Teammate Tayrn Miskiw is credited for being the spark plug of the team and bringing up the energy on the diamond. Her teammates rely on her to cheer extra loud and pick them up when they are down. She’s excited to be going to the Nationals.

“I hope we all have an unforgettable experience in Montreal, I also hope to experience poutine while I’m there,” said Miskiw.

Coach Donnie Atkinson believes they have as good a shot as any if they play the way they have been.

“The girls have earned the right to go, they’ve put in the work since March. They get better at practises which is where we put in all the

hard work,” said Atkinson. “They’ve earned the right to play with the nation’s best.”

The team has over two dozen sponsors in the community and has felt the support along the way to get to this level.

“It’s incredible to see the community get behind a team like this. It’s got to go all the way across the country, and everyone’s jumped in,” said Atkinson. “(From) Bottle drive, bake sale, barbecue, everyone’s just jumped into support to see these girls

go to their first Nationals.”

Woytiuk echoes her coach’s sentiments and has these words for those who have helped her along the way.

“I want to say thank you for all your help to improve, which has been huge this year. All the practicing at home and all the practicing on the diamond, off the diamond has helped. Huge. So I want to say thank you for that.”

Stay with the Meridian Source for updates on how the team is doing in Montreal.

Talk about the weather, your crops, your animals, and how you’re really doing. Sharing your thoughts can be as easy as chatting about the weather.

DAN GRAY STAFF WRITER

Dan Gray Meridian Source Photos

Left: Eridani Dougay participated in infield drills on Aug. 1 at Driven Energy Legion Ball Park. Above: Members of the U15 Liners practice at Legion ballpark.

Mount Joy trails on the map

Mount Joy Snow Resort is now topof-mind as a great place for runners, mountain bikers and hikers to train and explore year-round.

More than 40 people discovered this during a successful trail awareness run and barbecue at the facility on the evening of July 31.

The group included first-time visitor, Savauna Green, who sometimes runs with the Lloydminster Runners Club.

“I’ve run with all this group before and everyone’s talked about how great it is, I thought I’d join,” she said while enjoying the surroundings.

“It looks great. I’m actually excited to do the trails tonight.”

Mount Joy board secretary, Sheldon Gallagher called the event a firstof-its-kind informal summer run day.

“It’s more about getting people out and knowing that Mount Joy is here and what we have to offer,” he said.

“We’re pretty excited to see this many people and lots of new faces.

This is awesome.”

Gallagher and other volunteers spent the last three days mowing and trimming and getting the trails so everyone gets a really good experience.

“These trails are incredible,” said Mackenzie Brown, a regular trail user and ultra marathoner.

“There’s enough “vert” and steep sections that you can train for any race in North America out here.”

Brown is currently using the trails to gear up for the upcoming Black Spur 54-km Ultra in Kimberly (B.C.) and the Lost Soul Ultra 100 km in Lethbridge.

He says the Mount Joy trail network has something for everybody.

“For bikers, there’s some stuff that’s not too steep. Tonight, I brought poles because I’m doing some of the hard sections and there’s some technical downhills, single track —it’s kind of got it all,” said Brown.

“Out here you can hike, run and also a lot of guys come out here to mountain bike.”

Brown is a season trail pass holder who was thrilled to see so many more people turn up to give the trails a try.

“This is great. The passes out here go to support Mount Joy, so the more people we can get out here using the trails and buying passes, it keeps this hill alive,” said Brown.

“This event is incredible, a great way to get people out to experience what Mount Joy has to off to offer in the summer.”

Brian Stevenson is another trail pass holder who uses the trail network a few times a week, mainly for running, but also as a base for Nordic ski training on his skate roller skis on the pavement.

“I come out here sometimes during the week and for sure, most weekends. It’s great. It’s the best place to get elevation around Lloyd,” he said.

As for the trail conditions this year, he says they’re good.

“If we could just get rid of the cows we’d be golden.”

The event was sponsored by Brad Hoffman, who owns the 4th Merid -

ian Brewing Co. with his wife, Helen, and is a frequent user of Mount Joy’s trails.

“I ride my mountain bike through here a lot. It’s awesome. It’s a hidden gem most people don’t know about,” he said.

Hoffman was also selling some beer, seltzer and chelada, which he says is a like a beer and clamato, to support the resort.

“The proceeds go back to Mount Joy so they can pay for their insurance to be open all year round instead of just the winter,” said Hoffman.

“I’m glad to be here— one of my favourite places in Lloyd.”

Mount Joy is located 20 minutes south of Lloydminster on Range Road 20.

GEOFF LEE STAFF WRITER

Geoff Lee Meridian Source Photos

HIRING LICENSED PRACTICAL NURSES

The Vermilion Valley Lodge (a contracted service provider for Alberta Health Services - AHS) is seeking dedicated Licensed Practical Nurses to join our team in our newly created temporary capacity CCH Type B DSL4 (10 beds) located in Vermilion, AB. The ideal candidate will have a passion for patient care, possess strong clinical skills, and be able to work effectively in a fast-paced environment.

POSITION REPSONSIBILITIES:

· Provide hands-on/physical care, alongside Health Care Aides, to residents according to the Care Plan and facility policies and procedures.

· Medication administration and supervision.

· Report changes in resident conditions as well as any other pertinent information to the appropriate decision makers in a timely manner.

· Assist in the monitoring of staff assigned to carry out the care plan, including supervising, coaching, and supporting

· Ensure resident care is delivered in a way that maintains resident dignity, privacy, and acknowledges independence, spirituality, and individuality.

QUALIFICATIONS

· Certiﬁcate from a recognized LPN program, along with current active registration with the CLPNA in good standing.

· A satisfactory Criminal Reference Check and Vulnerable Sector Check issued in the past 90 days.

· Ability to work collaboratively in a multidisciplinary team environment.

· This is a physically demanding position and requires hand, arm and shoulder dexterity, sensory ability, lifting to a maximum of approximately ﬁfty-ﬁve (55) pounds, walking, standing, bending, reaching, and frequent movement. Join our team of healthcare professionals dedicated to delivering high-quality patient-centered care.

Apply now to make a difference in the lives of those we serve! Send resumes to carrie.kohlruss@vdhf.ca

Careers

Agriculture changes look to reverse age trend

The Government of Alberta is announcing changes to the Next Generation Loan program with the aim of reversing a decline in young and middleaged agriculture producers.

According to the provincial government, the number of farmers over 55 has increased.

“By updating and expanding the Next Generation Loan program, young and young-at-heart Albertans will have fewer barriers when entering Alberta’s agriculture industry. Increasing new and returning entrants to agriculture will ensure the sector continues to be a healthy and important contributor to Alberta’s economy,” said RJ Sigurdson, minister of agriculture and irrigation.

In a press release, officials say, “Alberta’s government understands producers need stable sources of capital to manage and grow their operations and help them weather economic challenges.”

They say expanding eligibility and updating the terms for the loan program, it will make it easier for producers to enter or re-enter the agriculture industry.

With this update to the program, producers of any age entering or returning to farm -

PERMANENT FULL - TIME EMPLOYMENT

Beneﬁts

Requirements

The Lloydminster Metis Housing Group Inc. is seeking a Maintenance Man to work within the city of Lloydminster. This is a permanent full-time position. The Maintenance Man will be responsible for and not limited to: working with a staff of 4 others, daily maintenance workorders, assisting the Senior Maintenance Man with the identiﬁcation of preventative maintenance, reporting to the Manager and Senior Maintenance Man, other maintenance tasks as required.

An educational background in construction and or related work experience required. Preference will be given to those qualiﬁed applicants who are Metis or have knowledge of the Metis culture. A valid driver's license is required. Start Date - September 16th

Salary commensurate with education and experience. Salary required must be stated on resume. Resumes must include three references.

Submit resumes to:

Housing Manager

Lloydminsier Metis Housing Group Inc.

3201-45 Avenue

Lloydminster, Sk. S9V 1W2

ing will be eligible for a one per cent interest rate incentive, while before it was only available to those under 40.

Applicants now also only require 20 per cent ownership in a farming operation while before they needed to own 25 per cent.

Other changes include:

- Producers may receive an interest rate incentive on their total lifetime loan principal up to $1.5 million, an increase from the previous $1 million.

- Eligible borrowers can make “interest-only” payments on their loans for up to five years, up from the current two years.

These changes take effect Sept. 1, interested producers can talk to their local Agriculture Financial Services Corporation.

Future Indigenous pilots benefit from funding

On Aug. 1, Dan Vandal, federal minister for PrairiesCan, and Athabasca MLA Jim Lemaigre, on behalf of Saskatchewan Immigration and Career Training Minister Jeremy Harrison, announced a joint investment of $1,006,500 to assist the Ya’ thi Néné Land and Resource Office in delivering commercial pilot training to Indigenous residents of Northern Saskatchewan.

The project, called the Dziret’ái Pilot Training Program, will provide skills and academic upgrading to 15 student applicants, 10 of whom will be selected to enter the professional pilot training program to start in January 2025. Students who complete the two-year program will be guaranteed jobs with Rise Air as First Officers.

The investments from PrairiesCan ($631,500) and the Saskatchewan Ministry of Immigration and Career Training ($375,000) will leverage industry cash and inkind contributions and funding from Prince Albert Grand Council ($315,000), Cameco ($200,000), Orano Canada ($50,000), SSR Mining ($50,000), Rise Air ($690,000) and Ya’ thi Néné ($100,000).

“Air transportation is essential for connecting remote and northern communities and supporting our growing economy,” said Harrison.

“With growing demand of airline pilots there is a critical need to support the training and development of pilots. We are proud to invest in this pathway for local Indigenous pilots from the Athabasca region to serve their communities and facilitate economic growth in our province.”

CHRISTIAN APOSTOLOVSKI STAFF WRITER

Shutterstock Photo

MERIDIAN SOURCE STAFF

Shutterstock Photo

PAGE 20

Thursday, August 8, 2024

MERIDIAN SOURCE

306-825-5111

admin@meridansource.ca

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Email: brydenconstruct@ xplornet.ca www. brydenconstruction andtransport.ca

Love hunting?

Come work full time outdoors this fall with Highland Outfitters as a hunting guide. Great tips $$$! Email your resume to: highlandoutfitters@gmail.com

FIREARMS WANTED FOR OUR 2024 AUCTION PROGRAM: Rifles, Shotguns, Handguns, Antiques, Militaria, Collections, Estates, Single Items. For Auction, or Possible Purchase: Toll-Free 1-800694-2609, Email Us at sales@switzersauction.com or Visit Us @ www. switzersauction.com.

LAND WANTED

FARMLAND WANTED

I am currently PURCHASING single to large blocks of land. NO FEES OR COMMISSIONS

Saskatchewan born and raised, I know 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

HEALTH

HIP/KNEE RE PLACEMENT

Other medical conditions causing TROUBLE WALK ING or DRESSING?

The Disability Tax Credit allows for $3,000 yearly tax credit and $30,000 lump sum refund. Take advantage of this offer. Apply NOW; quickest refund Nationwide: Expert help.

Celebrations Happy Birthday

1-844-4535372

HOROSCOPE MOVIE SHOWTIMES

and be sure to put yourself rst sometimes.

SCORPIO

A sticky situation has been put off long enough. You will soon have the courage to address it. Take a deep breath and have an honest conversation.

SAGITTARIUS

If you are being offered any form of gift this week be sure to receive it without any guilt. You owe nothing in return but to be expressive with gratitude.

CAPRICORN

With it being a busy and hectic week for you be sure to maintain good sleep and energy levels and this will be an extremely positive week for you.

LEO

VIRGO

to take life one day at a time. This turning point in your life will be for the better. Be sure to remain calm.