Charities share Christmas cheer
businesses and individuals.
The Rotary Club of Lloydminster is dialed into the spirit of giving with Christmas approaching.
Mem bers were treated to a presentation about The Goat’s Christmas Wish by the radio station’s general manager, Evan Degenhardt, at the club’s Monday lunch meeting.
“This season it’s more important than ever that we bring a little joy and we spread some love during the holiday season,” said Degenhardt.
“The Goat’s Christmas Wish has been doing that for over 20 years.”
Degenhardt was introduced by Stephanie Munro, chief executive officer of the Lloydminster Region Health Foundation, who said it’s important during the holidays to do positive things.
“There’s always something great we can offer, so Evan is here to speak about how The Goat’s Christmas Wish came to be and a little bit about what they do in the community and the impact they have,” said Munro.
The timing was perfect as Degenhardt noted the first wish package was delivered on Monday morning with the remainder going out by Dec. 20.
“We were able to raise $50,000 in cash and product this year and that’s going to needy families in the area,” said Degenhardt.
“We surprise the families on their doorsteps and capture the moments to share with everyone.”
Since 2001, the Christmas Wish team has presented more than 160 unique wish packages and more than $1 million in funds and products donated by local
“The families that we go and meet, we start the conversation by saying ‘Hey, have you heard of the Goat’s Christmas Wish?’ and nine out of 10 families said ‘yes we have’,” said Degenhardt “T hat shows the impact it has had the last two decades and change.”
Aaron Buckingham was on hand to help explain how the Christmas Wish kicked off to help an area family make their house wheelchair accessible.
“That first wish started off with about four community businesses to raise about $5,000 to not only build a new wheelchair ramp but to lower cupboards for the person who had a stroke— they couldn’t walk,” said Buckingham.
“We put it on the air and said we were doing this project and it turned into about $15,000 not in money but in trades that stepped up and did all the work.”
Degenhardt says from that start to 2024 the program has evolved in a number of ways.
“We at The Goat take great pride in this but it’s actually not really ours anyway, it’s the community of Lloydminster’s,” he said.
“We continue to do that to support people who might not have a voice and be so downtrodden they don’t know where to turn. It’s immediate human needs met at a critical time of the year.”
The celebration of gift giving extended to a Rotary donation of $5,000 to the Lloydminster Native Friendship Centre, toward the cost of renovating their kitchen.
In addition, Rotarians anonymously gifted a Paul Harris Fellowship in memorium to Rotarian Glenn Fagan who died
Geoff Lee Meridian Source
Evan Degenhardt, general manager of 106.1 The Goat, is excited to roll out this year’s Christmas Wish program to support less fortunate people in Lloydminster this week.
last summer.
Charlene Rowein told the gathering Glenn is deserving of the award for sharing the values of Rotary Founder Harris. Rowein presented Glenn’s wife Karen with a fellowship certificate and medal in Glenn’s name, plus $1,000 for legacy funding.
“It is through this gift Glenn will be honoured today for his exceptional service to Rotary and will continue to carry on Rotary Foundation’s work of worldwide education and humanitarian projects and programs,” said Rowein.
“W hat a wonderful way to honour and remember Glenn.”
GEOFF LEE STAFF WRITER
Britannia shop fire results in $1.2M in damage
A fire broke out late Tuesday (Dec. 10) night, destroying the RM of Britannia’s maintenance shop and equipment causing $1.2M in damage.
Crews fought the flames for hours before extinguishing the fire by the following morning. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
The Britannia Fire Department shared details about their response.
“We were called out to the fire at midnight last night,” stated the department on Dec. 11. “Crews arrived on scene with two tanker units, a pumper unit, an aerial unit, and a command vehicle.”
The fire had already been burning for some time before firefighters were notified.
“We worked to protect nearby buildings and bring the fire under control,” they explained. “Crews
cleared the scene at 6 a.m. Thankfully, no one was injured.”
Bryson Leganchuk, chief administrative officer for the RM of Britannia, confirmed the incident destroyed the nearly 2,000 sq. ft. shop.
“The building, constructed in 1966, was used for equipment storage,” Leganchuk said. “It was appraised at $250,000.”
The incident also destroyed four vehicles:
-A 2020 Western Star semi snowplow truck
-A 2019 Western Star semi with a sander unit
-A 2025 Peterbilt semi
-A 2022 Dodge half-ton truck
“The total equipment loss is estimated at $1.2 million,” Leganchuk stated.
Meanwhile, despite the loss, snow and ice removal will continue.
“We are renting a semi snowplow truck to resume
salt and sanding operations by Dec. 13,” Leganchuk said. He thanked neighbouring municipalities for their support.
“We appreciate the help offered by RM of Frenchman Butte and the County of Vermillion (River) to continue with snow and ice removal operations in the meantime,” he said. “We would also like to thank the RM of Britannia fire department for their response to the fire.”
The RM of Britannia is insured for the damages.
“We are working with insurance providers to recover and return to normal operations,” Leganchuk said.
He says there shouldn’t be a noticeable change for residents when it comes to local snow removal.
“Currently, we are using other equipment for snow removal. There shouldn’t be any noticeable changes for residents,” said Leganchuk.
DAN GRAY STAFF WRITER ..................................
Coutesy Facebook - Cyrus Reid
Lloydminster sees busy 2024
It’s been a busy 2024 for the City of Lloydminster with plenty of highs and lows.
Lloydminster Mayor, Gerald Aalbers, says one of the biggest events for the city happened this past summer.
“The Saskatchewan Summer Games was a huge highlight,” said Aalbers.
It took many years for the event to finally come to fruition.
“The Summer Games, as an example, were cancelled in 2020, it never happened. We tried in 2021 and council at that time said let’s reapply and see if we have that opportunity to lead to 2024,” said Aalbers.
He says getting to 2024 and hosting the Games after it was cancelled was a big opportunity for Lloydminster. Aalbers said it was a chance to showcase the city to the Province of Saskatchewan.
“The upgrades to our venues, seeing the number of people from Saskatchewan that came to Lloyd and beach volleyball. I understand we’re now on the beach volleyball circuit because we’ve got such great facilities, it just took a community to come together,” he said. “The contractors, the summer Games committee, the city and volunteers. People want to come back and do beach volleyball in particular.”
Council faced many challenges this year, including the passing of a long-time member.
“The passing of Coun. Glenn Fagnan certainly challenged us quite a bit, losing a member of council of seven and a half years,” said Aalbers.
Fagnan passed away at the age of 65 in June. He was a Rotarian for more than 30 years and served two terms on council.
The passing of a councillor was not the only challenge they faced as it was also a transition year.
“I think council faced the challenge this year, it was a transition year, so it’s our fourth year of our mandate,” explained Aalbers.
This year was an election year for the municipality with residents taking to the polls in November to vote for the new council.
Council made a decision ahead of time to present the budget to the outgoing council.
He says the budget was presented ahead of the election to ensure transparency and everyone got the chance to have the full scope of city spending.
“That first budget is always a tough one, the more information you can get in time to digest it, speak to people about it and seek input, it was good. I think that was a challenge for being in that election year,” said Aalbers.
The new council saw three incumbents return and three newlyelected councillors join the table.
For Aalbe rs, a highlight of the year was the number of events the city managed to pull off.
“I think the number of events that we hosted, the Summer Games, the heavy oil show went off without a hitch. A lot of great events, two sets of chuckwagon races, the fair went off,” he said.
With the new year right around the corner, the city will have plenty to prepare for in the upcoming year with projects wrapping up and meetings ahead.
CHRISTIAN APOSTOLOVSKI STAFF WRITER
Source File Photo
Coun. Michele Charles Gustafson gets sworn in inside Lloydminster council chambers. Source File Photo
Council talks curling club agreement
Administration has worked with the city to create a new five year agreement lasting until 2029.
The City of Lloydminster is looking to continue their agreement with the Lloydminster Curling Club.
The club’s five-year agreement has expired. Before 2019, the Lloydminster Golf & Curling Centre (LGCC) was operated through the Lloydminster Facilities Corporation. After the dissolution of the Lloydminster Facilities Corporation, the City created an agreement with the Lloydminster Curling Club to continue operation of the facility.
“In essence, we’re leasing out the facility to the curling club and letting them operate it with some responsibilities on both parts,” said Lloydminster Mayor Gerald Aalbers.
The new agreement outlines the responsibilities undertaken by the curling club and the City of Lloydminster. As part of the agreement, a small cost recovery is included seeing the club pay a small amount to the city for maintenance every year.
“The curling club has, after the change, used the facility, the city’s paid for the maintenance with zero dollars coming to the city. What’s being proposed in the new contract is a small cost recovery by the city from the curling club.”
The fate of the curling club building is still unknown as the city continues their building evaluations.
“That will be coming back to administration as they continue to do building evaluations,” said Aalbers. “I don’t believe it’s in the current ten-year budget, that would change if some-thing drastically happened to the building.”
“Like anything else, every building has a lifespan and that will be
determined as building evaluations are continuously done,” he said.
The Lloydminster Golf and Curling Centre has seen lengthy closures recently beginning on Nov. 20 due to an asbestos disturbance.
Air testing revealed asbestos levels above allowable limits leading to the Nov. 20 closure.
The building finally re-opened to the public on Dec. 2 but the upper level once again saw a closure Dec. 12. Testing revealed elevated readings of asbestos-containing materials in a mechanical room leading to the upper-level closure.
Council entered into a five-year agreement with the club at the Dec. 16 meeting of council.
AND HAPPY NEW YEAR
AND HAPPY NEW YEAR
Connect with Louis de Kock at RE/MAX of Lloydminster on Cell at 780-808-1358
5726 - 44 Street, Lloydminster, AB
Rotary donates to Native Friendship Centre kitchen reno
$58,000.
The Lloydminster Native Friendship Centre is one step closer to upgrading its kitchen thanks to a $5,000 donation from the Rotary Club of Lloydminster.
Deborah Munroe, executive director of Friendship Centre, spoke about the project and thanked Rotary at the club’s Monday luncheon meeting
“Our insurance has mandated us to update our kitchen,” explained Munroe with an estimated cost of
“We need to switch it from residential to commercial. We have to get new stoves. Currently, we have two gas stoves.”
Munroe says the cost includes a mandatory fire suppression system in the kitchen along with the purchase of two new stoves and an air exhaust system.
“We appreciate your donation so much. It’s going to help us get to where we need to be, so we at the Friendship Centre thank you for that,” said Munroe.
CHRISTIAN APOSTOLOVSKI STAFF WRITER
GEOFF LEE STAFF WRITER
Geoff Lee Meridian Source Rotary Club of Lloydminster president, Tara Shirtliffe (left), presented Deborah Munroe, executive director of the Lloydminster Native Friendship Centre, with a donation of $5,000 on Dec. 16 toward the cost of renovating the organization’s kitchen to commercial standards.
Source File Photo
Wool works for over 30 years
DAN GRAY STAFF WRITER
Sheepskin Loft in Lloydminster celebrated their 30th anniversary of providing anything wool in the border city. The wool connoisseurs started their decades-old business with a simple idea.
“My aunt had a store in Kelowna, British Columbia, called Sheepskin Boutique,” said Colena Weimer, owner of Sheepskin Loft. “She asked me if I would like to open one in Lloydminster. Since it’s much colder here, she thought it would do really well.”
In November 1994, Weimer opened a small seasonal store in the LloydMall featuring wool products.
“It was so fun being in the middle of all the hustle and bustle of Christmas,” recalled Weimer. “People loved our unique, natural products. They are so beneficial and different from anything else.”
The first two years were busy as the store was a popular stop for Christmas shoppers. Then, in 1996, Weimer opened a year-round store for a brief period. She found a small space beside Cliff Rose For Clothes, but that didn’t last long.
“We moved to 49 Ave. in 1997, but we knew we needed more space,” she said.
In 2002, Weimer made another move with her store. She purchased an acreage about 20 minutes northeast of Lloydminster. There, she built a garage with an 800-square-foot loft on top.
“Finally, we had a year-round location. It was exciting to meet so many people and help them with their purchases,” she said.
For six years, Sheepskin Loft operated from the country location. The business grew, and Weimer set up at many local Christmas craft shows as well. The business, however, had to change again in 2010.
“An incredible opportunity came up to open a year-round location in Lloydminster,” reminisced Weimer. “We’ve been in the same location ever since.”
In 2023, Sheepskin Loft expanded, again, adding 1,400 sq. ft. to the store.
“The support we’ve had over the years has been amazing,” she said. “We’re so grateful to the community for helping us grow.”
But it hasn’t always been smooth sailing. One of the hardest moments came during the COVID19 pandemic.
“It was really sad when we had to close,” Weimer said. “It was uncertain and tough, but we didn’t give up.”
Thanks to their online presence, they were able to stay connected with customers.
Looking back over the past 30 years, Weimer reflects on how much Sheepskin Loft has grown. The business began with a small selection of sheepskin and wool slippers and expanded to include many new products.
“We’ve added many brands and products to our store over the years,” she said. “We want to continue supporting local artisans and carry their products. The goal is to keep giving back to our customers who have been with us from the start.”
next level with the online store,” Weimer said. Looking forward, the mother and daughter duo hope Sheepskin Loft will continue to grow.
“It’s been an incredible journey,” said Weimer. “It’s hard to believe it’s been 30 years. We started with mostly slippers, and now we offer so much more. I hope we can keep supporting local artisans and continue to give back to our loyal customers.”
Sheepskin Loft’s success is built on the dedication and hard work of Weimer and her family. The community’s support of wool has been key to their long-lasting success.
“Thank you for supporting us for so long,” said Weimer.
With 30 years under their belt, Sheepskin Loft shows no signs of slowing down.
A big part of Sheepskin Loft’s success is family support. Weimer’s daughter, Kaleen Bell, joined the business in 2017. She was instrumental in launching the online store and growing the busi ness with technology and social media.
“Kaleen is the key troubleshooter in our busi ness. She’s so dedicated and has been essential to our growth,” Weimer said.
Her son, James Greenhough, has also been involved over the years, creating websites and helping with trade shows.
“James helped with the kiosk and worked on websites, but Kaleen really took things to the
LCSD thankful for great 2024
ing together was great.”
The Lloydminster Catholic School Division (LCSD) recently reflected on 2024’s successes and shared hopes for the future.
According to McCarthy one of the year’s key highlights was the completion of Father Gorman Park, an accessible playground built through strong community partnerships.
“All the community support that was provided and gifted to our school to see an accessible playground built in that area of the city,” McCarthy said. “Just the partnerships that come out of people work -
The division also maintained financial stability throughout the year. It credits collaboration with provincial partners and community organizations for its standing.
McCarthy says the school board has many individuals who volunteer their time, and he’s thankful for them. He says they make the school experience better on so many levels.
“Parent councils that have been so instrumental, whether it be at St. Joe’s or, St. Mary’s, and Fa-ther Gorman and all of the places where, we’re building parks and improving facilities and building programs
that are really valued by students,”he said.
He also recognized the volunteer coaches.
“We don’t get to run nine basketball teams and provincial champion football teams and all of the volleyball that we saw this fall, and even the spring sports, without all the kind of volunteerism that permeates our community.”
As the division looks forward to 2025, McCarthy spoke about LCSD’s continued growth, which now serves more than 3,000 students.
“We’re hopeful we might see further expansion in some of our schools and classrooms,” he said.
The board also hosts numerous exchange students from around the
world. For some this will be their first Christmas and first time experiencing winter.
“Enjoy the snow ... and the warmth of our community,” suggested McCarthy.
The year ends with a few Christmas celebrations and masses across the board.
His final message celebrated the community’s spirit of giving.
“Thank you for all the charity and hope...and to the more than 1,500 families in 36 countries joining us through live streams.”
With a successful year behind them, the Lloydminster Catholic School Division is set to continue its tradition of excellence and community building.
Father Gorman welcomes Indigenous storyteller
Winter tails from the surrounding area were recently shared at a local school.
Students at Father Gorman Community School had a visit from former teacher and Indigenous storyteller Brent Dillon. He shared winter tales filled with lessons and cultural teachings.
Dillon explained the significance of these stories during winter. He said as the days got shorter when he was a child, these stories would be shared as there was less for them to do. They would get together as a large group and the elders would start to speak of these tales.
“In the past, when snow covered the ground, our people would share these stories,” he said. “there’s a moral to each one.”
Father Gorman’s principal, Scott Young, emphasized the value of having Indigenous voices in the school.
“It’s always nice to have outside visitors to our school,” he said.
“Brent is a fantastic speaker with a wealth of knowledge to share.”
The timing of Dillon’s visit was important, too.
“It lines up with the weather,” Young said. “Winter is here, and we’re also exploring Advent. This is the perfect time to include an Indigenous element.”
When asked about his approach, Dillon shared he just sees how it’s going and adapts.
“I did not come with a piece of paper. I’ll see what interests the students and go that route.” His goal is for the students to “enjoy the stories and grasp the story’s moral.”
Having Dillon visit helps students connect to Indigenous culture in a meaningful way stated Young.
“He’s a wonderful speaker, and the kids benefit from hearing his stories,” said Young.
DAN GRAY STAFF WRITER
Dan Gray Meridian Source
Former teacher and Indigenous storyteller Brent Dillon speaks with students at Father Gorman Community School.
DAN GRAY STAFF WRITER
Source File Photo
ASIRT concludes Vermilion Hospital shooting investigation
The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) has completed an investigation into a nonfatal RCMP officer-involved shooting in Vermilion.
On March 1, 2023, a male from Lloydminster, called 911 because he was anxious and paranoid. He was apprehended under the Mental Health Act and brought to the Vermilion Health Centre (VHC).
Just after 10 p.m. that night, the male re-entered the hospital after having a smoke outside, still accompanied by the RCMP officer. The male still had a cigarette in his mouth and a civilian witness told him he could not come in with a lit cigarette, placing her hand on his shoulder. The male pushed her hand away and threw the cigarette into the entryway.
He then walked to a fire extinguisher cabinet and began opening it. The RCMP officer attempted to close the cabinet, but the male was able to take the large metal fire extinguisher out. He backed up a few steps and appeared to put it down before picking it up again. The officer told him throughout the incident to put the extinguisher down.
The male moved quickly toward the RCMP officer who drew his handgun.
“The male hit the officer with the fire extinguisher in a slow swing or push at 10:04 p.m.,” said the ASIRT report on the incident.
A civilian was still nearby during the altercation and the officer pushed the male back. He then raised the fire extinguisher again, pushing it at the officer’s head. The RCMP officer managed to deflect the fire extinguisher, taking steps back with his handgun still raised. The male again took aim at the officer’s head.
The officer managed to deflect the fire extinguisher again before the male moved in for another attempt.
The RCMP officer fired his handgun. The fire extinguisher missed the officer’s head and he fired his handgun again.
“The male fell to the ground to the left of the officer. Witnesses described hearing three shots in a short amount of time. Just before the male fell, the VHC camera angle obscured the officer’s handgun such that a third shot during this time would not have been visible. After the male fell to the ground, the officer’s handgun was visible and no shots were fired,” noted the report.
obtained police radio communications as part of the investigation.
They ultimately concluded the officer’s actions fell within the defence provided in section 34 of the Criminal Code, which outlines the use or threat of force, finding no reasonable ground to believe an offence was committed. The report states there was little the officer could do in this situation besides
captured at the scene by the first witness officer captured an officer saying, “Give me your other hand” twice.
“Officers handcuffed the male at 10:07 p.m. The male said, “I want to die” and “shoot me again” at this time, as captured on audio recordings,” stated the report.
Medical staff began to treat the male. He was airlifted to an Edmonton hospital for further treatment.
Over a month after the event on April 21, 2023, ASIRT investigators interviewed the male.
“The male said he had consumed alcohol and an amount of cocaine that he described as “too much” on the day of the incident. He admitted to hallucinations and delusions throughout the incident. While at the VHC, he came to believe his wife and kids were also there and someone was going to do something bad to them. After he came back from a cigarette, he grabbed a fire extinguisher to protect himself. The male said he was not trying to swing it at the officer but instead was trying to keep the officer away because of how close he was to him,” stated the report.
His medical records were released showing injuries to his bladder, pancreas, colon, dia phragm, kidney, chest cavity, small intestine, stomach with median nerve injury, and one rib. The male was in intensive care after he arrived and had many surgeries.
A statement was also taken from the RCMP offi cer involved in the incident.
The officer described going back inside follow ing the male’s cigarette where he then grabbed a fire extinguisher from a cabinet and began trying to hit the officer with it. The officer told him to drop it and the male responded by telling him to shoot him. The officer then drew his handgun.
GRACE UNITED CHURCH
“The officer was aware of other people around him, including civilian witness, so he tried to manoeuvre to reduce the risk of shooting someone else. The male tried to hit him with the fire extinguisher again and told him to shoot him again. The officer feared the male would kill or disarm him. When the male went to try to strike him again, the officer fired three shots at the male,” stated the ASIRT report.
Investigators seized the officer’s firearm to have it analyzed by an Edmonton Police Service analyst. Investigators also attended the scene and
Additional officers arrived at the scene. Audio
CHRISTIAN APOSTOLOVSKI STAFF WRITER
Surveillance video screenshot
Council reviews bench policy
changes that could be made.
Lloydminster council is considering changes to a bench policy.
The bench dedication program policy allows community members the opportunity to recognize friends, family members or important events. This also helps contribute to beautifying Lloyd’s green spaces.
The document is regularly reviewed every few years and administration identified a few
The removal of part of the policy which says the dedication plaque is not intended to serve as a memorial marker with birth or death dates not allowed on it.
“We do have the customer or resident paying for the plaque, it really doesn’t impact us one way or another if there’s a date of decease or date of birth on there,” said Jordan Newton, manager, parks and green spaces.
“As well as from a personal note I did have to meet with a family who lost a
loved one, I know the family, and it is hard to tell the family in that circumstance that they can’t really use it as a memorial marker.”
The other section includes a rewording of what is being paid for.
“It is really hard to calculate what the cost of a bench will be, graffiti, administrative costs, even costs for me to meet with the family shouldn’t be included that’s why I propose that it’s just the cost of the bench and plaque,” said Newton.
Lloydminster Mayor Gerald Aal -
bers asked for clarity surrounding Section 4.2.3 of the document, which states text is subject to approval by the city.
“Does it fall to the city manager, does it fall to you as the manager, does it fall to executive managers, just wondering about the process and who would have that call,” asked Aalbers. “If the call is made and somebody doesn’t like it where does it go?”
Newton said it would be himself looking at it, the city manager is also able to look at it at any time. He said they would take the document back to look for consistent wording within other policies and bylaws.
Discussion also revolved around the issue of no logos being permitted on plaques. This pertained specifically to service clubs in town that may want to put their logos on a plaque.
“We can reword that, logos of any kind are at administrations discretion or the city’s discretion we could always have that,” said Newton. He said on applications or in the department-specific procedures they could clarify no advertising on the benches. The plaque size, font and design specifications will be determined by the City. Text is subject to approval by the City.
The item has been accepted as information and will return to a future council meeting for approval.
CHRISTIAN APOSTOLOVSKI STAFF WRITER
Adobe Stock Photo
Food prices expected to rise in 2025
Food prices in Canada continue to rise, with the 2025 Canada’s Food Price Report (CFPR) forecasting an overall increase of 3 per cent to 5 per cent. The average family of four will spend $16,833.67 on food this year, up to $801.56 more than last year. While food inflation slowed in 2024, affordability remains a pressing concern for Canadians.
“This year marks the 15th edition of Canada’s Food Price Report,” explains Kelleen Wiseman, academic director at the University of British Columbia. “It’s a vital resource that highlights the factors shaping our food systems and impacting food prices.”
Professor Stuart Smyth from the University of Saskatchewan attributes rising costs to several key factors.
“The rise in beef prices is due to
lower herd sizes in Canada, less supply means higher prices,” he explains. On the vegetable side, a weakened Canadian dollar is to blame.
“We import so much produce from the southern U.S., and the falling value of the dollar makes it more expensive,” Smyth said.
Global conditions also play a role.
“Unpredictable weather events like droughts and floods reduce crop volumes and raise prices,” Smyth noted.
Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University notes geopolitical impacts, including Donald Trump’s re-election in the U.S.
“His policies may widen the gap in agri-food trading and deepen Canada’s reliance on the U.S.,” Charlebois warned.
The affordability crisis has left millions struggling. Statistics Canada reported that 22.9 per cent of households in the ten provinces experi -
enced food insecurity in 2023, affecting 8.7 million people, including 2.1 million children. Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island saw the highest rates, at 28.9 per cent and 28.6 per cent, respectively.
Food Banks Canada recorded two million visits in 2023, a 90 per cent increase compared to 2019. Younger
Canadians are hit hardest, with 40 per cent of Gen Z using savings or borrowing to buy food, compared to just 20 per cent of Boomers.
“Food insecurity has severe health implications,” Wiseman emphasized. “It’s linked to chronic illness, heart disease, and poor oral health.”
Canadians are responding to soaring costs. In May 2024, a consumer boycott of Loblaws aimed to protest corporate grocery greed.
The Grocery Code of Conduct, introduced in 2024, aims to boost competition and give smaller grocers a stronger voice. Major players like Loblaws and Sobeys have signed on. “Oversight will be critical to its success,” notes Evan Fraser, director of the Arrell Food Institute at the University of Guelph.
Fraser believes Canada is making strides toward resilience.
“The findings of this report show a gradual slowing of inflation and reflect Canada’s efforts to increase resilience in the face of cascading crises,” he said.
The CFPR 2025 forecasts categoryspecific increases:
Despite some stabilization, affordability remains a challenge, especially in Canada’s North. The CFPR omits projections for Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut, where data gaps persist.
“These regions face the most severe food affordability challenges in the country,” Smyth acknowledged.
Looking forward, Smyth predicts food price increases will normalize to 3 per cent to 5 per cent, barring significant global disruptions. However, he warns that tariffs or trade conflicts could send prices soaring.
Canadians continue to adapt, from buying in bulk to relying on loyalty programs. As Wiseman puts it, “With affordability being a top concern, the CFPR enables more informed decision-making in an era of economic and environmental challenges.”
For now, the report urges policymakers, producers, and consumers to work together in tackling Canada’s growing food affordability crisis.
Council provides clarification on cellphone policy
CHRISTIAN APOSTOLOVSKI STAFF WRITER
The City of Lloydminster updated a policy following a review requesting more clarity.
“
Committee did the review and recommended what’s being compensated, again this change is a wording change that just needed some clarification.
The Council Remuneration Policy provides a document that enables uniform and transparent practises for the remuneration of council.
This covers everything from council salaries to benefits and cell phones.
The update council heard at the Nov. 25 meeting revolved around updating wording for clarity regarding cellphones. The recommendation was made following a review of the policy.
“Within the policy it allows the city manager to put together a committee of three members of the public so that was done back in March, April 2024 with the goal of having it done prior
to the election so that when the election happened everyone was aware of the compensation package that was available for both mayor and council,” said Dion Pollard, Lloydminster city manager.
“Committee did the review and recommended what’s being compensated, again this change is a wording change that just needed some clarification,” he said.
The policy was last amended and approved in April 2024. The update to the wording reads as follows:
“Members of Council and the Mayor may either utilize a City-issued cellphone in accordance with the Cellular Device Program or receive a monthly allowance of $55 ($25 per pay period, based on 26 pay periods annually).”
Council passed the motion to update the wording.
DAN GRAY STAFF WRITER
Adobe Stock Photo
Thursday, December 19, 2024
Viewpoint
Leave it to Weaver: What a year it’s been
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Editor Taylor Weaver taylor@meridiansource.ca
EDITOR TAYLOR WEAVER
Since the next two print editions of the Meridian Source will be dedicated to year-inreview content, I thought I’d take a moment to reflect on the year that was.
A LOT has happened on the border in the past 12 months, and we were with you every step of the way.
July, and the timing couldn’t have been better.
Since their start dates, the Source has covered multiple fatal plane crashes, a triple murder, provincial and municipal elections, a visit from Alberta and Saskatchewan’s health ministers, the unhoused issue and the possibility of a new men’s shelter, and followed-up on too many RCMP press releases to count.
It’s been a hell of a year and those were just the cliff notes.
quite a bit together at the Source
T here’s been staffing changes at the Source over the last decade, but Geoff and I have been the constant. At one point it was just the two of us running the editorial department. The guy is an absolute beast of a community journalist and I’ll miss his headlines in the paper.
Staff Writer Geoff Lee geoff@meridiansource.ca
Staff Writer Christian Apostolovski christian@meridiansource.ca
Staff Writer Dan Gray dan.gray@meridiansource.ca
Marketing Consultant Andrea Allen andrea@meridiansource.ca
Marketing Consultant Bailey Keebaugh bailey@meridiansource.ca
Marketing Consultant Mikayla Flint mikayla@meridiansource.ca
Publisher: Reid Keebaugh
Production Manager: Amanda Richard
Distribution: distribution@meridiansource.ca
CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING admin@meridiansource.ca
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
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From the Lakeland College Rustlers women’s basketball and volleyball teams winning national championships to the college firing its long-standing women’s basketball coach, we were there.
The Source went through some staffing changes this year with the addition of Christian and Dan. Both have been welcomed additions to the team and bring their own set of expertise.
Christian and Dan starte d with the Source at the start of
Another big change for the Source was beefing up our online presence.
Do you like what you’re reading in our weekly print editions?
The content found in print is a fraction of what’s being produced by our team. Check out meridiansource.ca for so much more!
Geoff Lee will officially be soaking up some well-deserved retirement as of roughly 2 p.m. on Dec. 20.
Geoff and I have been through
I’m sure I’ll see lots of Geoff during workouts at the Servus Sports Centre, but there’s no way he’s getting me clipped into a road bike in head-to-toe spandex.
The Source is excited about the changes seen this year and can’t wait to see what headlines 2025 brings.
Enjoy the next two weeks of our year in review and be sure to keep checking our website for local happenings throughout the Christmas break.
We at the Source hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday before getting back to work in the new year.
See you all next year!
ASK THE EXPERTS
A baby bottle today could lead to problems tomorrow
When a child cries, it’s natural to want to comfort the child and stop their crying. Some parents try to soothe their children by giving them a bottle or a pacifier dipped in a sweet liquid. The child may stop crying; however, this practice often leads to future dental problems.
Children can develop a dental problem called baby bottle tooth decay. This is caused by sugar (carbohydrates) in the liquids in bottles clinging to the teeth for long periods, while bacteria in the mouth uses this sugar to attack the teeth.
The first signs of decay may be dull, white spots or lines on the teeth. Even though the baby teeth will be replaced by permanent ones, it is important to look after the baby teeth to ensure healthy gums and teeth, and proper positioning of the
permanent teeth. Healthy baby teeth are also very important for nutrition and proper speech development.
To prevent baby bottle tooth decay, never allow the child to fall asleep with a bottle or sippy-cup containing milk, formula, juice, or anything other than water. After feedings, wipe the baby’s gums with a clean damp cloth or gauze pad. Parents should start brushing a child’s teeth as soon as the first D. M. D. tooth appears. Parents are encouraged to wean their children by their first birthday and start offering the child a cup.
If you suspect your child may have baby bottle tooth decay, see your dentist right away. If you have concerns about your child’s teeth or need advice on preventing a baby bottle tooth decay, ask your dentist.
Dr. Raegan Eliasson, Dr. Nekky Jamal, Dr. Erik Johnson, Dr. Gary Nahirney, Dr. Josh Rae, Dr. Rhys Herman
Thursday, December 19, 2024
MERIDIAN SOURCE
Leeway from Lloyd: Thanks for the ride, Lloyd
With just 24 hours before I retire, it would be remiss if I forgot to thank all of the wonderful people I have met since my first day at the Meridian Source in Oct. 2015.
It also didn’t take very long for me to realize Lloyd is one of the most generous communities I have worked in throughout my career. It would be impossible to count all the good news stories I wrote about people and organizations donating money or raising funds for various causes. As a journalist in Lloydminster, I still find it
amazing how easy it is to contact some government officials who actually return calls.
When I worked at home for Pipeline News, I once got a phone call from the Ministry of Highways after I requested some information for stories I was doing on energy transportation corridors. I got a call back from someone I wasn’t expecting who identified himself as Jim Rater, Minister of Highways!
No where else in Canada would that ever happen except in Saskatchewan where some ministers are not shielded by bureaucratic roadblocks. Officials in Lloyd have been pretty receptive to interviews as well.
Looking back, I would have to say the most important thing I have learned as a reporter at the Source is the impact of a community newspa -
Chris’ A-Z: Mr. Do it all
Being named Mr. Lloydminster is quite an accomplishment.
In my delving back in time I discovered Archie Miller was given that title.
Initially, I thought to myself, maybe I could be Mr. Lloydminster ... how much could Miller have done? Well, it turns out, he did basically everything.
He was part of the Fish and Game Association, the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation, the Lloydminster Chamber of Commerce, and Lloydminster Elks Lodge. He was also made an honorary chief of the Onion Lake Band where he was given the title, Chief Big Bear. He received the Queen’s Silver Medal and was inducted into the Kinsmen Hall of Fame. He worked as a storekeeper, fur buyer, and farmer and spent most of his life as a Sunlife Assurance Rep.
To top it all off, he learned to speak Cree while working for the
per in a small city like ours.
No where else will you see a photo of every local high school grad, for example, let alone stories and photos of people of all ages you know in the news.
A lot of weekly papers in small communities are doing very well because of the familiarity factor of local news and ad coverage.
The Source also has a website to cross promote stories and ads to cover all the bases locally. Shop locally applies to the Source too, so everyone here is banking on your continued support in 2025.
My thanks go out to the Source for hiring me and giving me the freedom to cover just about anything and everything without having to punch a clock— but my time here is up.
Dominion Land Survey in 1912 north of Meadow Lake. He even spent lots of time as a timekeeper at hockey games. People described Miller as, “always having a cheerful smile.” He was Lloydminster’s ambassador of goodwill. Miller arrived in Lloyd at the same time as the colonists and has been involved in basically everything the city has to offer, cementing his place as the definitive Mr. Lloydminster.
With the news of Miller’s endless accomplishments, I will pursue a new title instead, Mr. Storyteller
Gray Matters: Thoughts on perspective
I recently gained perspective during my first trip to the Canadian Rockies. I’d love to say my first descriptive words were inspirational and deep. Nope, upon first impression, I uttered, “These are insane.” Then, I got to thinking.
Part of our trip took us through Jasper. We spoke with some locals who lost their homes in the wildfires last summer. Although they were staying somewhere else in town at the moment, they were effectively homeless.
Approximately 800 homes were destroyed in Jasper. That is a lot of unhoused people, through no fault of their own. It puts some of the little things we complain about daily into perspective.
Standing beside a large tree, only to see the same size tree as a dot thousands of feet up the mountain, adds perspective. Ultimately, our thoughts, feelings, issues, and illnesses are small things on a grand scale. We are but one of billions of people in this world, each having our own issues. The last piece of perspective before our two-week hiatus comes in the form of retirement. For over 40 years, Geoff has brought coverage to stories big and small to readers across Canada.
Geoff has his own unique style, painstakingly carved out through decades of informing people. His level of caring for his stories, professionalism and creativity are things younger journalists can only aspire to be going forward.
I can speak for the rest of the edi -
– Lloydminster. Unfortunately, I don’t have a multiple-paragraph list of items I’ve accomplished, it would likely fit into a single sentence.
The title may not be as snazzy as Miller’s, but it’s far more achievable. Of course, I haven’t cemented myself in the position, there are plenty of amazing storytellers and media figures in Lloydminster that are also in the running for this newly made-up title.
I think getting the opportunity to tell stories is cool, too. Maybe one day I’ll have something named after me, like a sandwich shop, or café.
torial team here when I say we will miss his perspective on our community. We know we have some big shoes to fill.
Merry Christmas. I hope you have a great holiday season, and I look forward to bringing you more news in 2025.
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
Cards, games, food, meetings, live music
Intro to Square Dancing
Modern square dancing lessons are being offered every Wednesday from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at 5115 - 49 Ave. Walk to the beat of music by following simple instructions from the caller. Come alone or bring a friend. Wear whatever is comfortable. First evening is FREE. For more info, contact 780-872-2493 or visit SquareDanceLloydArea.com
Bingo at the Moose Lodge
Bingo will be held every Monday and Wednesday, except holidays, at Moose Lodge 5213 57 St., Lloydminster. Doors open at 5 p.m. with games starting at 7 p.m. Must be at least 18 to play.
Christmas in Song
Come out to Grace United Church, 4708 50 Ave., on Dec. 21 for Christmas in Song , a concert by Karen Fawcett, Michelle Andres and Kim Drury. The show is at 7 p.m. Tickets are $30 and are available at the church or at the door.
Special Alcurve Community Hall Potluck
The Alcurve Community Hall is hosting a special potluck dinner on Dec. 22. Dinner is at 5:30
Photo Enforcement Locations For December 20 - January 3
27 St. - 52 Ave. Messum Park
39 St. - Holy Rosary School
Hwy 16 - 66 Ave.
59 Ave. - 29 St. Bud Miller Park
65 Ave. - 35 St. - ST. Thomas School
Hwy 16 - 80 Ave.
23 St. - 54 Ave.
Hwy 16 - 62 Ave.
59 Ave. - 23 St.
15 St. - 52B Ave.
25 St. - 57A Ave. College Dr.
31 St. - Bishop Lloyd School
39 St. - Holy Rosary School
65 Ave. - 35 St. St. Thomas School
23 St. - 54 Ave.
p.m. and a special guest in red and white will be welcomed at 7:30 p.m. Please bring a wrapped gift for your child with their first and last name and From Santa on the tag. Questions? Call Kay at 780-808-6783 for details.
Christmas on the Farm
You’re invited to the Marwayne Community Hall’s holiday party! The party starts at 9 p.m. on Dec. 27 and will take place at the Marwayne Ag Society’s community hall. Tickets are $20 at the door, 14 and under get in for free. There will be a DJ, midnight lunch and drinks. Let’s celebrate the season together!
New Year’s Eve Dance
The Lloydminster Moose Lodge, 5213 57 St., is hosting a New Year’s Eve Dance on Dec. 31. Doors open at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25 for adults, $10 for youth 15-17 and under 14 is free. Price includes snacks, a late lunch and party favours. Cash bar. Music by 1st Class Entertainment. To arrange tickets, call 780-875-7919 or 877-8073251.
New Year’s Eve Dance
The Legacy Centre is hosting a New Year’s Eve Dance on Dec. 31. Doors open and cocktails at 7:30 p.m. Lunch served at 10 p.m. Dance in the new year to the tunes of The Plaiders from Red Deer. Advance tickets only! Cost is $35/member or $40 for non members. Everyone is welcome! The Legecy Centre will be closed the week of Christmas, so purchase your tickets early. They will be open on Dec. 30/31 for tickets if they aren’t sold out. Call the Legacy Centre office at
780-875-4584 for more details.
Alcurve Hall New Year’s Eve Dance
The Alcurve Hall is hosting a New Year’s Eve Dance on Dec. 31 from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. Attendees must be 18 years old to attend. Music by the Prairie Dogs, midnight lunch will be beef on a bun. Pre-purchased tickets are $35 or $40 at the door. Contact Debbie at 780-808-0015, Kay at 780-808-6783, or Maureen at 780-808-0260 for more details.
Robbie Burns Nite
The Edgerton & District Historical Society is sponsoring the 35th Annual Robbie Burns Nite at the Edgerton Agricultural Hall on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. Happy Hour and Silent Auction begin at 5:30 p.m., and supper at 6:30 p.m. with a ceilidh to follow. Tickets are available at the Edgerton Village Office at 780-755-3933 or Toys and Treasures, Wainwright at 780-842-3903 or at the door. Adults are $30 and children 12 and under are $5. Contact Jessica at 780-542-1482 or Louise at 780-755-2189 for more info.
Singles Cribbage Tournament
The Lloydminster Moose Lodge is hosting a singles cribbage tournament on Jan. 19 from 1-4:30 p.m. Entry fee is $20, 10 games guaranteed with prizes awarded to the top finishers. Must register by Jan. 16. For more information or to register, contact Bruce at 780-522-6972.
- Have something you’d like listed in our community calendar? Email it to taylor@meridiansource.ca
Tim Hortons restaurants in Lloydminster are celebrating a successful Holiday Smile Cookie campaign after raising $15,998.30 from Nov. 14 to 18. Half of the proceeds went to the Lloydminster Focus Society and half to the Tim Hortons Children Foundation. Pictured are reps from Tim Hortons locations in Lloyd and the Focus Society.
Geoff Lee Meridian Source
Lakeland hosts Indigenous holiday market
An inaugural Indigenous Makers’ Market at Lakeland College checked a lot of boxes for organizers and Indigenous and Métis vendors.
The event, held recently at the Lloyd campus was led by Lakeland’s Indigenous Student Council and attracted about 30 vendors from all parts of Saskatchewan and Alberta.
“We’re doing it to try to raffle off tickets to be able to go to a cultural camp,” said Kaphie Flammond, secretary of the council representing Indigenous students from the Lloyd and Vermilion campuses.
The market was also an opportunity for vendors to showcase their culture and to be able to get some clientele as well for their small businesses.
“We really want to support our Indigenous vendors. We want to shop Indigenous this Christmas holiday, so all of our vendors are Indigenous,” added Jazman Gartner.
She’s the Indigenous navigator for Indigenous Support Services at Lakeland.
“So we have a lot of different things. We have beading; we have ribbon skirts. We have tiny moccasins that hang in your window. We kind of have it all this year,” said Gartner.
Ribbon skirts for babies to adults are what entrepreneurs and cousins, Samantha Burton and Nicole Pritchard make for clients at their, It’s Sew You business.
“We specialize mostly in children’s ribbon skirts. We feel every child
should have a ribbon skirt to showcase their culture,” said Burton who is from Red Pheasant First Nation.
She and Pritchard, who hails from James Smith Cree Nation, see their sewing as a side hustle. Burton is a homemaker with three kids and Pritchard is an education assistant who works with children.
“We come up with ideas, buy the fabric and make them all by hand,” explained Burton.
Pritchard notes It’s Sew You started when her daughter felt sad she didn’t have a ribbon skirt.
“For Christmas two years ago, my cousin taught me to sew and we decided every girl should have a skirt, so we started making children’s skirts trying to be as low a cost as we can,” said Pritchard.
“We also do regalia as my daughter learned to dance, but basically, we want kids to be in touch with their culture.”
In Indigenous culture, a ribbon skirt is representative of Mother Earth and it helps women be closer to Her.
Ethengaye Yu’ Chu Asiye is the dene name of Jennifer Laroque’s small business she came to promote in Lloydminster.
“It’s an Indigenous event and I thought ‘Wow, I haven’t been to Lloydminster in a couple of years with my small business’ so I may as well set up,” Larocque explained.
“My stuff consists of scrunchies, fleece headbands and clothing. I have a few suppliers and a few collaborations.”
Bonnyville library sees increased patronage
CHRISTIAN APOSTOLOVSKI STAFF WRITER
The Town of Bonnyville heard from the local library regarding its 2025 budget.
At the Dec. 10 regular council meeting, new library manager, Jill Tercier, outlined the facility’s budget for next year.
The town’s portion of the library’s 2025 budget is $143,537.37, an increase of 1 per cent over the previous year, out of an overall operating budget of $426,097.85.
Membership at the library saw a large increase in 2023.
“Our memberships in 2023 were 1,665 patrons, 567 of those patrons were new,” said Tercier. “There was just under 40,000 circulations for print materials.”
On top of the print materials circulated, just over 10,000 non-print items were also checked out.
During the presentation, Tercier outlined the plans for next year.
“For 2025 plans, of course we want to continue to provide a safe and inclusive space for everyone,”
Larocque is originally from the Fond Du Lac Denesuline First Nation in Treaty 8 territory in Sask. She has turned her business into a family affair from her home base in Warman.
“My n iece makes lanyards, my brother makes necklaces and beaded rings and I make the ribbon wear,” she explained.
Her goal at the makers’ market was to expand her customer base and add people to her Facebook page.
Madison Penner from Lloydminster
and Sasha Moise from Muskowekwan N.E. of Regina are the entrepreneurs behind Prairie Princess.
“I do beaded earrings pin earrings; I do all kinds of different earrings sometimes beaded lanyards, but Sasha does more of a traditional style with hers,” said Penner.
For Moise that means working a lot with shells and beads.
“I work on bones and sinew and stuff like that and I make a lot of medallions—colours for fire and snow and Indigenous patterns,” she said.
she said. “By listening to the wants and needs of our community, targeting programming to our wants and needs, collaborating with our community partners, promoting literacy for all people of all ages and levels.”
Coun. Byron Johnson thanked the library for everything they do.
“I just want to say thank you for everything you and your staff do, all the neat programming that you read that pops up on social media and that. From story walks to compost kits and teaching about composting, I think you still have a telescope there. It really exposes the youth to a lot of different things and it’s all free. Just keep up the great work,” said Johnson.
Town of Bonnyville Mayor Elisa Brosseau also spoke to the importance of what the library does.
“Five hundred new memberships says a lot, says a lot for how important public libraries are for a community,” said Brosseau.
The Bonnyville Library is a member of the Northern Lights Library System.
GEOFF LEE STAFF WRITER
Geoff Lee Meridian Source
Breann Decoteau and Kristin Mesenchuk found the perfect Indigenous Christmas gift at the Indigenous Makers’ Market at Lakeland College on Dec. 5. The Mexica Medicinal Shop in Edmonton was selling a lot of Indigenous bracelets.
Cenovus reports 2025 capital budget
805,000 to 845,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boe/d).
continued operations, with an additional $1.4 billion to $1.8 billion directed towards upstream growth projects.
“We’re entering the final year of a three-year investment cycle, which will drive planned production growth of 150,000 boe/d by the end of 2028 and enable significant expansion of free funds flow.
“We’re entering the final year of a three-year investment cycle, which will drive planned production growth of 150,000 boe/d by the end of 2028 and enable significant expansion of free funds flow.”
Total downstream crude throughput in 2025 is forecasted to range from 650,000 to 685,000 boe/d representing a 4 per cent gain from 2024 levels.
Cenovus plans to invest $2.7 billion to $2.8 billion on its oil sand assets including plans for development drilling of conventional oil in the Lloydminster area.
Cenovus Energy expects to spend $4.6 billion to $5 billion on capital investments in 2025 and increase upstream production by 4 per cent.
The company released its new spending plan on Dec. 12 with an upstream production target between
Overall downstream crude unit utilization is expected to be range between 90-95 per cent.
Cenovus said capital investment in 2025 will include about $3.2 billion of sustaining capital to maintain base production and support
“Cenovus will deliver important milestones on our major growth projects in 2025, including achieving first oil from Narrows Lake, installation of the West White Rose offshore facilities and commencement of drilling, and preparations for first steam at the Foster Creek optimization project,” said president and CEO Jon McKenzie.
The company also expects to spend between $350 million and $400 million on its conventional assets mainly to maintain production with a limited amount directed to production growth.
One of Cenovus’s operated refineries will undergo a turnaround in the second quarter of 2025 among other planned maintenance activities in the spring and fall.
24123GE1
GEOFF LEE STAFF WRITER
Source File Photo. We can’t wait for it to be green again, too!
Raiders coach wins prestigious award
Holy Rosary High School’s head football coach, Vince Orieux, has been awarded the North East Zone Award of Merit.
The recognition celebrates his 27 years of dedication to coaching and teaching young athletes.
According to the Alberta Schools Athletic Association, Zone Award of Merit winners are individuals who impact high school students and sports across the province. They model good sportsmanship, support high school sports programs, and achieve outstanding success in volunteer work. Peers choose winners for their exceptional contributions to their zone.
Orieux, who began coaching in the 1990s, shared what he thought about winning the award.
“Coaches don’t do it for the recognition,” he said. “They do it for the
kids, to provide opportunities. But it’s nice to be recognized for the time and effort you put in.”
“The kids I coach now weren’t even born when I started. Some of the kids I coached early on are now coming back as coaches themselves. It’s neat to see everything come full circle,” said Oriuex reflecting on his career.
He also stressed the importance of mentoring some of those coaches.
“When you bring in young guys who aspire to be head coaches, you have to guide them,” said Orieux. “It’s about sharing knowledge, explaining why things are done, not just what to do. That way, they can carry it forward.”
Nigel McCarthy, director of the Lloydminster Catholic School Division, says Orieux’s influence doesn’t go unnoticed.
“Vince sets a standard for our community,” he said. “His coaching and mentorship leaves a lasting legacy.”
The nomination process for the award takes a lot of work, Orieux thanks everyone who worked to put it together.
“Ash(ley Fullerton) did a great job collecting background information and reaching out to others,” he said. “It means a lot to know people put in
that effort for me.”
Jeremy Blais, principal at Holy Rosary, also commended his head coach’s impact on the school and community.
“His dedication to developing athletes goes beyond the field. He creates an environment of sportsmanship, teamwork, and character development,” Blais said.
Student-athlete and senior quarterback, Matthew Fallscheer, shared his thoughts about learning from Orieux.
“Coach Orieux is an amazing coach,” he said. “He pushes us to our full potential and always holds us to a high standard.”
The Zone Award of Merit recognizes Orieux’s two decades of football.
“It’s an honour to have this recognition,” Orieux said. “It makes me feel really good about the contribution I’ve made. Coaching keeps me young and my competitive spirit alive.”
Orieux has no plans about hanging up his clipboard.
“I’ve never thought about being done,” he said. “I want to keep going and continue to make a difference.”
DAN GRAY STAFF WRITER
Dan Gray Meridian Source Photo
Photo
The Lloydminster Bobcats (16-10-1-3) put up 13 goals over the Calgary Canucks and Olds Grizzlys at home over the weekend.
The ‘Cats sit third in the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) north with 36 points. The Grande Prairie Storm (18-6-1-1) sit second with 38 points, and the Whitecourt Wolverines (20-6-11) are first with 42 points.
The ‘Cats beat Calgary 5-2 on Dec. 14 with
goals from Karter Radtke and Dylan Deets. Rookie Cooper Moore also marked a hat trick. Saturday’s 8-5 win over Olds saw goals from Daniel Zhou, Matthew Hikida, Kade Fendelet, Kaiden Wiltsie, Alessio Nardelli and Jaxan Hopko. Ben Costantino scored two goals on Dec. 14 in his second game as a Bobcat.
Rookie Cooper Moore continues to light up the league with 32 points in 25 games. Moore is currently third overall for points across the AJHL. At 5’7” and 145 lbs, Moore may not be the big -
‘CATS COME OUT ON TOP
gest guy on the ice, but the 18-year-old Red Deer native makes every shift count.
On the defensive side of the puck, rookie Dylan Deets sits seventh in the league standings with 13 points. Deets has three goals and 10 assists in 28 games this season.
Z ack Birch isn’t far behind at 12 points with two goals and 10 assists in 26 games.
The ‘Cats host the Whitecourt Wolverines at the Civic Centre on Dec. 18 for a 7 p.m. puck drop.
Team Canada West wins bronze
TAYLOR WEAVER EDITOR
Facebook Photo
Lloydminster Bobcats general manager Nigel Dube (centre) was all smiles after winning bronze with Team Canada West at the World Junior A Challenge in Camrose. Dube was the team’s director of hockey operations. Bobcats Zach Birch and Teague McAllister had the honour of playing in the tournament. McAllister is out of action for the foreseeable future with a shoulder injury.
Taylor Weaver Meridian Source Photo
U15 Lancers find success on road
CHRISTIAN APOSTOLOVSKI STAFF WRITER
The U15 AAA Lloydminster Lancers split a pair of weekend games finding success on the road while dropping a home game.
The weekend kicked off Dec. 14 with a home game at the Centennial Civic Centre against the Knights of Columbus (KC) Squires.
The game kicked off to a scoreless first period with each team putting 15 shots on net. It wouldn’t be long into the second when KC found the back of the net twice.
A few minutes after the Lancers would return the favour burying two within a minute of each other.
Unfortunately for the Lancers and the home crowd, KC put another one away before the second period ended. They buried one more powerplay goal in the third to best the Lancers 4-2.
The Lancers hit the road ready to take on the Fort Saskatchewan Rangers at the Dow Centennial Centre.
The visiting Lancers were ready as they scored twice in the first period of play. The Rangers were ready to answer back in the second tying the game two all.
With a few minutes left before the second period ends, the Lancers found the back of the net one more time giving them the lead heading into the last period.
The Lancers came out blazing scoring twice in under two minutes and putting in a third before the Rangers answered back. For good measure, the Lancers scored on a power play, sealing the deal with a 7-3 win.
Christian Apostolovski Meridian Source
Lancers drop pair to Storm at home
The U18 AAA Lloydminster Lancers dropped a pair of games to the Grand Peace Athletic Club (GPAC) Storm over the weekend.
The games kicked off Saturday (Dec. 14) as the Lancers welcomed the Storm to the Centennial Civic Centre.
GPAC kicked off the game hot scoring twice early in the first period to mark a 2-0 lead over the Lancers heading into the second period.
Lancers skaters kicked off the second period with a renewed ferocity scoring early in the second bringing the game to a one-goal game. GPAC quickly extended their lead again with another goal before being answered by the Lancers. A goal for each team before the end of the second brought the game to 4-3 GPAC heading into the third.
It was the third period where GPAC solidified the game with a statement five unanswered goals sealing the game with a 9-3 final.
The two teams had a quick turnaround Sunday (Dec. 15) hitting the ice for an 11:30 start.
It was the Lancers this time who came out swinging with a very early goal giving them a 1-0 lead in a slow first period. Lancers again saw an opportunity and took it going up 2-0 just a minute into the second period.
From here GPAC largely controlled the pace of the game finding the back of the net five times in the remaining 23 minutes of play.
The Lancers will look to bounce back Dec. 21 as they face the Leduc Oil Kings before returning home to take on the Fort Saskatchewan Rangers at the Civic.
CHRISTIAN APOSTOLOVSKI STAFF WRITER
Christian Apostolovski Meridian Source
Thursday, December 19, 2024
MERIDIAN SOURCE
Careers
Word on the beat: Investigation timelines
Something I’ve been asked on several occasions is why some investigations take so long. You may hear of an incident happening and then not hear anything about it for a long time. The answer is that investigations have many involved factors, resulting in them taking longer.
Injury collisions are a common incident many from the public think should be wrapped up quickly. I mean, after all, once everything is cleared, don’t the police have everything they need?
Many investigative steps take time, and as specialized units may be involved, gathering and processing the data and subsequent data can take months.
In the case of a collision, a collision specialist may attend the scene and take photos, 3D renderings, measurements, and possibly gather overhead photos and videos utilizing a drone.
If any suspected impairment is involved then this may require the engagement of a Drug Recognition Expert or a trained officer able to obtain breath samples for any alcohol content within drivers.
Emergency Medical Service personnel may have attended and taken drivers or passengers to a hospital for medical assessment and treatment. Vehicles involved may need mechanical inspections conducted on them and/or data retrieved from onboard systems. Depending on the specifics of the collision, court orders may be required to obtain this information.
These assisting people will have gathered information, documentation and possibly other records. Police are then required to get permission or court orders to obtain information held by non-RCMP entities. This takes time.
Even once information is obtained from these various sources, it needs to be analyzed and may need to be put into court documents for disclosure in a way that makes sense and tells the story. Other experts may review the data to provide subject matter expert reports which could be a doctor to speak on what the medical evidence means or a collision reconstructionist to explain how the collision played out.
A firearm, to be considered a firearm for court purposes, needs to be tested, and this involves more than just taking it out and shooting a bullet from it. Many of the firearms involved in offences are modified. The most common
modification is someone cutting off a barrel and/ or stock to shorten it. Now discharging the firearm becomes riskier to the shooter so a bunch of safety precautions need to be taken. We don’t have local facilities to do this.
Locating witnesses for statements, obtaining video recordings, DNA testing and video or photograph enhancements can also extend investigative timelines.
Fraud investigations may require international court orders to obtain information from internationally based companies or locate international witnesses and suspects. Often, obtaining Canadian financial records alone can take more than two months, and the results may spur more orders, which again could take more months.
All these investigative steps are only some that can contribute to extended investigations.
- Staff Sgt. Jerry Nutbown, is the NCO in charge of the Lloydminster RCMP detachtment’s General Investigation Section. Stay tuned for future articles from the Lloydminster RCMP.
Pesticide firm fined for unsafe practice
GEOFF LEE STAFF WRITER
A Kitscoty-based pesticide company has been sentenced to pay a $6,000 court penalty.
Caleco Enterprises Ltd., operating as S.C.A.T. Pest Control (SCAT) pleaded guilty to contravening environmental legislation in the Alberta Court of Justice in Vermilion on Dec. 9.
The court learned SCAT applied Temprid SC, a commercial Schedule 2 Pesticide for ants, inside Lakeland College’s Emergency Training Centre Building in Vermilion on Aug. 30, 2022 without following the requirements on the label.
These included making sure no
occupants were present during application, restricting re-entry to the building for six hours, properly ventilating the treated areas, providing information sheets to occupants and ensuring the correct dilution of the pesticide.
In Alberta, pesticides must be applied in a safe and effective manner that prevents negative impacts to human health and the environment. SCAT pleaded guilty to one count under the Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act. All remaining charges were withdrawn.
Caleco is a Saskatchewan corporation and registered in Alberta that operates as SCAT in east central Alberta.
Staff Sgt. JERRY NUTBROWN SPECIAL TO THE SOURCE
Source File Photo
ALBERTA FEED
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MEIER GUN AUCTION, Saturday, December 21 - 10 am, WetaskiwinSelling over 200 Rifles, Shot Guns, Antique Firearms, Ammunition, Scopes. Consign now. Free Pick-up. Call 780440-1860; www. meierauction.com.
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GET YOUR MESSAGE SEEN ACROSS Alberta. The Blanket Classifieds or Value Ads reach over 600,000 Alberta readers weekly. Two options starting at $269 or $799 to get your message out! Business changes, hiring, items for sale, cancellations, tenders, etc. People are increasingly staying home and rely on their local newspapers for information. KEEP people in the loop with over 75 Weekly Community Newspapers. Call THIS NEWSPAPER now or email classifieds@ awna.com for details. 1-800-282-6903, 780-434-8746 www. awna.com.
FIREARMS WANTED FOR OUR 2025 AUCTION PROGRAM: Rifles, Shotguns, Handguns, Antiques, Militaria, Collections, Estates, Single Items. For Auction, or Possible Purchase: Toll-Free 1-800-6942609, Email Us at sales@switzersauction.com or Visit Us @ www.switzersauction.com for Auction Dates & Details.
Why suffer employment/licensing loss? Travel/business opportunities? Be embarrassed? Think: Criminal Pardon. US entry waiver. Record purge. File destruction. Free consultation. 1-800347-2540. www. accesslegalmjf.com.
Private mortgage lender. All real estate types considered. No credit checks done. Deal direct with lender and get quick approval. Toll free 1-866-4051228 www.firstandsecondmortgages.ca
INDEPENDENT
ADULT LIVING apartments in Martensville, SK. Spend your retirement years in a community close to family/friends in the Saskatoon area that has large city services with small town safety and charm. More information at www. chateauvilla.ca, 306291-3686 or chateauvilla@sasktel.net
PROVINCE-WIDE CLASSIFIEDS. 48 local community newspapers, distributing to over 450 communities, including 14 cities. Reach over 550,000 readers weekly. Call 306- 649.1405 or visit www.swna. com for details.
BLANKET THE PROVINCE with a classified ad. Only $269/wk (based on 25 words or less). Reach almost 80 weekly newspapers. Call NOW for details. 1-800-2826903 ; www.awna. com; email classifieds@awna.com.
Bryden Construction & Transport Co. requires SHOP AND MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL to provide service/ maintenance on a variety of heavy equipment, trucks and trailers. Duties include routine maintenance and repairs; mechanical experience required; 1A license an asset; heavy equipment operating experience an asset. SHOP LABORER POSITIONS also available that involves cleaning the shop and equipment, assisting in the service/maintenance area, and general laborer duties. Clean driver’s abstract required. Job location is Arborfield, Sask. Room and board provided. Send resume with work references to: brydenconstruct@ xplornet.ca or fax 306-769-8844
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
December 9, 2024, at the age of 83. Leon was born on September 24, 1941, and spent much of the past 30 years in the city of Lloydminster.
Leon and his wife Diane were married for 54 years and raised three children. Leon dedicated his whole life to his daughter, Carmen, and his sons, Darren (Julie) and Bryan
(Patti). Leon’s children were a great source of pride of his life, and his devotion to them was embodied by his commitment and support for Carmen throughout her life.
He was also a doting grandfather to his grandchildren, Lacey, Caden, and Wyatt, who brought him immense joy and purpose.
Leon will be remembered for his kind heart, sharp wit, and gentle demeanor. His humor, and love for a “chat” left an indelible mark on all who knew him. Whether spending time with family or sharing a story, Leon’s presence was a gift.
He will be profoundly missed by his family, friends, and all who were fortunate enough to know him. His legacy of love and kindness will live on in the hearts of those he touched.
Rest in peace, Leon. Your love and spirit will forever remain with us.
MERRY CHRISTMAS IN HEAVEN Christmas is upon us once again. We miss you and the times we shared. You are all in our hearts and loved so much.
Carrie Dembicki December 25, 1992
William Dembicki February 24, 1994
Margaret Nichols December 7, 2004
James Nichols June 12, 2016
Stewart Gurnett February 11, 2016
Cindy Nichols January 2, 2020
Dean Nichols March 26, 2024
Forever loved by, Vernon, Norma, Doreen, Ernie, Linda, Jim, Dee, Gord and all of the Dembicki, Gurnett and Nichols families.
Brought to you by your Meridian Source Psychics December 15 - December 21
ARIES
You may feel a pull toward inner re ection this week.
Focus on self-care and setting personal boundaries. It’s a good time to clear the clutter, both physically and mentally, for a fresh start.
TAURUS
Social connections and friendships are highlighted. Networking could bring exciting opportunities, and collaborating with others may lead to new ideas.
GEMINI
Your career and public life take center stage. This is a great time to work on your long-term goals and make strategic moves toward success. Recognition or praise for your efforts could come your way.
CANCER Expand your horizons this week. Travel, learning, or exploring new philosophies could bring fresh insights. Stay open to new experiences and use them to broaden your perspective.
LEO This week, you’re focused on transformation. Whether it’s letting go of old habits or making a big change in your personal life, trust the process.
VIRGO Relationships—both personal and professional—are in focus. It’s a great time to partner up, whether for love or work. Open, honest communication will lead to deeper bonds and potential growth.
LIBRA Health, work, and daily routines are highlighted this week. It’s time to focus on improving
SCORPIO This
SAGITTARIUS Home and family matters are front and center. You may feel the urge to reconnect with loved ones or make your living space more comfortable.
CAPRICORN Communication is key this week. You’ll nd that your words have more impact than usual, so be mindful of how you express yourself. It’s a good time to connect with others and share your ideas.
AQUARIUS Finances and material security are your focus. It’s time to take a practical look at your money situation and make plans for future stability. Consider budgeting or making strategic investments.
PISCES It’s your week to shine, Pisces! Your con dence is on the rise, and you’re ready to take the lead. Personal growth and self-expression will come naturally. Don’t shy away from showing the world your talents.
