Viewpoint

Leave it to Weaver: Lloyd drivers, ya’ll need to do better

in front of them.

5921-50 Avenue, Lloydminster, SK S9V 2A4 Phone: 306-825-5111

Toll Free: 1-800-327-3899 | Fax: 306-825-5147 meridiansource.ca

Mail: Box 2454, Lloydminster, SK S9V 1W5

Hours: 8AM to 5PM Monday to Friday

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

Staff Writer Geoff Lee geoff@meridiansource.ca

Staff Writer Jeannette Benoit Leipert jeannette@meridiansource.ca

Marketing Manager

Deanna Wandler deanna@meridiansource.ca

Marketing Consultant Ashley Miazga ashley@meridiansource.ca

Marketing Consultant Cory Harvie cory@meridiansource.ca

Publisher: Reid Keebaugh

Production Manager: Amanda Richard

Distribution: distribution@meridiansource.ca

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING admin@meridiansource.ca

NEWSPAPER DELIVERY

If you’ve missed a paper, to start or stop delivery, or for carrier applications, please call 306-825-5111 for information.

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 Unsigned letters will not be published.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

EDITOR TAYLOR WEAVER

It’s become glaringly obvious many of our fair city’s drivers either need a refresher on the rules of the road, or simply to keep their eyes on the bloody road!

I’ve had a number of very close calls with others drivers in the last two weeks … all of which could have been avoided if the other driver was paying attention to what’s

One example occurred on 49 Ave. a couple blocks south of the tracks. I was driving north on my way to work, when out of nowhere, a motorist parked outside a local business hits the gas and pulls into traffic without even looking.

Lucky for us, I was paying attention.

That incident shook me up a bit ... but this next one really threw me for a loop.

I was on my way to band practice last week and nearly found myself beached on the green space outside of Sheepskin Loft.

This second nearmiss took place at 57 Ave. and 43 St. I was travelling north on 57 Ave. and planned to turn west onto 43 St. As I approached the turn and starting making my way across the road, which I have the rightof-way for, the motorist waiting to turn left onto 57 Ave. starts moving into the intersection without even looking.

She was fixated on the set of lights ahead of her ... not the vehicle she came very close to hitting ... which was mine. It all happened in slow-motion ... I was steering right to avoid being hit, which is how I almost ended up on the grass. I haven’t had a close call like this in a while, and the craziest things about it was ... amid trying to avoid being hit, while I had both hands on the wheel, I couldn’t for the life of me find my horn!

CONTINUED ON PAGE 11

Border Banter with Benoit-Leipert: Harvest hustle and bustle

Driving home last week, I saw at least a few combines taking down crops in the Lloyd area.

It brought me back to when I was a kid, growing up on the farm. What a crucial time of year.

At one point, my family farmed over 5,000 acres, and although not huge compared to today’s farms, it was a lot for my parents to manage … along with back-toschool, after-school activities and so on.

I don’t know if there’s anyone who works harder than a farmer. It’s a day and night job that requires physical labour, mental focus, and during harvest, it can be extra stressful.

I remember bringing meals out to the field, especially when the guys were working on the home section. We’d go out, have a quick meal and say goodnight to dad. He was usually out well past our bedtimes.

They used those twoway radios to communicate when he was in the field, as this was in the 1990s, before smartphones. I learned a few choice words over that contraption, usually when there was a breakdown in the field.

I remember on the nights he would make it into the house before bedtime, he smelled of sweat, diesel and grain dust. The dust was especially bad when he had been harvesting barley. That stuff is the itchiest!

The best day of the year was the day all of the grain was harvested and put in the bins. I remember the sense of relief and happiness that followed. It was just amazing! My parents retired from farming in the early 2000s, but it’s in their blood. Both my mom and dad grew up on farms, and I feel very fortunate to have grown up on one, too.

I sincerely hope all of you hard-working farm families in Lloyd and area have a safe and fruitful harvest.

2017