Moose Jaw Express, December 25th, 2024

Page 1


Health foundation seeks help to raise funds for two new pediatric hospital beds

Aaron Walker - Moose Jaw Express

This holiday season, the Moose Jaw Health Foundation (MJHF) is inviting the community to make a difference by supporting its Buy-a-Bed Campaign.

The initiative aims to raise funds for two specialized pediatric beds at the Dr. F.H. Wigmore Regional Hospital that will offer young patients a space that’s designed for healing and comfort.

The campaign is already underway and will conclude when enough funds are raised to purchase the two beds, each valued at $9,500.

“The hospital can be a bit of a scary place for children, especially over the holidays,” said Kelly McElree, director of the MJHF. “A new bed provides a safe, comfortable environment that will foster better healing for our hospital’s youngest patients.

“Christmas is a time of giving, and we’re hoping to give the hospital the gift of two new beds so they can help our community’s youngest patients.”

The new hospital beds are specifically designed for children with their comfort and care in mind, McElree explained. Their design incorporates ease-of-use interfaces that allow health care professionals to adjust them easily and with minimal discomfort to the patient.

This thoughtful design benefits both the children in care and the staff who provide it, thereby helping to support a quicker recovery so children can get home and return to “just being kids.”

“Over the course of time, these beds are used hundreds and hundreds of times,” McElree said. “And they wear out, and they need to be replaced throughout the hospital. We want to highlight that need with replacement beds in the pediatrics unit.”

The addition of these new beds may not be possible without the support of the MJHF. The foundation is the hospital’s official charitable organization and organizes all fundraising projects in support of it.

“We do a lot of lobbying as well for equipment and services at this hospital, but without the foundation and the community’s support, those new beds would not be a reality here,” McElree said.

“Moose Jaw is very fortunate to have a very, very generous community,” he added. “We’re very appreciative of all donations that we receive. Every dollar helps, and all those donations that do come into the foundation stay in our community to help patients

at our hospital.”

Now that the Canada Post strike action has concluded, the MJHF will resume its planned mail campaign and residents can expect to see direct mail letter requests in the following days or weeks.

The easiest way to contribute to the Buy-a-Bed Campaign is to donate through the foundation’s website, MJHF.org. You can also visit the foundation’s office, which is located at the Dr. F.H. Wigmore Regional Hospital at 55 Diefenbaker Drive. For more details call 306-694-0373.

The Moose Jaw Health Foundation is asking for support as it campaigns to raise funds for two new pediatric beds at the Dr. F.H. Wigmore Regional Hospital. Photo by: Moose Jaw Health Foundation

‘Momentous day’ as new SaskPower plant opens near Moose Jaw

After nearly four years of construction, SaskPower officially opened its 370-megawatt Great Plains Power Station (GPPS), with the new plant expected to power nearly 370,000 additional homes in the province.

Orange-clad SaskPower employees joined local and provincial dignitaries on Dec. 17 to celebrate the venue’s opening, which officially began operating the night before. The 43.2-hectare (108.13-acre) site is a combined cycle plant that is powered by natural gas and steam generators and has an expected lifecycle of 25 years.

“This is a momentous day for the City of Moose Jaw,” Mayor James Murdock told the Moose Jaw Express/MooseJawToday.com, highlighting how 45 months of construction was finally finished.

The fact SaskPower constructed the plant in the region shows that it wanted to have a presence and be part of the community, while the building was essentially now a landmark, he continued.

Murdock commended previous city councils for having the vision to develop the agri-food industrial park close to the city. That proximity likely benefited the more than 600 tradesmen who helped build the plant during peak construction in July 2023 since they would have had a short — but safe — commute.

Before the ceremony began, SaskPower confirmed to the Express that the power plant is the main anchor tenant in the agri-food industrial park. When asked about that, Murdock said he foresaw future activity happening in that area based on ongoing conversations with developers.

“When you see a large entity like SaskPower say that (its) presence is here, that gets other companies’ attention. And I think there could be some spinoffs here,” he continued, adding wryly that he couldn’t yet reveal what was happening there.

Tim McLeod, MLA for Moose Jaw North and minister of justice and attorney general and minister of corrections and public safety, said he was thrilled with the plant’s opening.

“It’s an exciting day. Having a facility like this in our backyard here in Moose Jaw certainly means a lot to us,” he said. “But, having another 370 megawatts (MW) of reliable baseload power for the province is (also) a big deal.”

McLeod reiterated the provincial government’s position that it was more concerned with providing reliable and affordable power than meeting any federally regulated environmental targets. He noted that the Sask. Party would continue to deliver results and take responsible actions while looking out for residents’ best interests.

Meanwhile, the provincial government’s population growth target for 2030

Jason G. Antonio - MooseJawToday.com

is 1.4 million people, and it is progressing toward that number since the current population is 1.23 million, he added. Therefore, the Sask. Party’s goal is to diversify its power sources and ensure it has plenty of power generation for the future — which the GPPS should provide until 2050.

Rupen Pandya, president/CEO of SaskPower, was also excited since “it is not every day” that the corporation commissioned a brand-new venue that would provide reliable baseload power.

The plant’s energy production will provide power across Saskatchewan and

contribute to the grid’s total output of 5,400 megawatts while supporting a more resilient grid, he said. Furthermore, the Crown corporation’s strategy is to use a mix of power-generating assets, such as wind, solar, oil and gas, which also mitigates cost increases in some assets.

“… we at SaskPower hedge the price of natural gas, so we afford contracts in gas, and we try to ensure that we are stabilizing the price of gas at an acceptable price,” Pandya remarked.

Using natural gas is critical to help

SaskPower transition away from coal as it moves toward the 2050s, considering it is committed to decarbonizing its electricity sources within 26 years, he said. Moreover, using that fuel also enables SaskPower to integrate renewables such as wind and solar.

The president/CEO noted that SaskPower expects baseload power to reach 13,000 MW and 15,000 MW by 2050, which means it must look at other sources of “dispatchable” power that can address the province’s needs. Therefore, depending upon the circumstances, it may look at constructing more than one nuclear-related small modular reactor to enhance that power mix.

Pandya praised Moose Jaw — including past mayors and councils — for being “an incredible community” partner with which to work during the past four years. SaskPower was “thrilled to be part” of the community and that so many tradespeople contributed to the plant’s construction; 14 per cent of the workforce was from The Friendly City.

“This is an important location for a power plant. It’s on our major transmission grids connecting the Chinook Power Station (in Swift Current) west-east across the province of Saskatchewan,” he added. “This contributes power directly into the grid going both east-west and north.”

Darcy Wagner, managing director with Burns and McDonnell, the main project contractor, told the crowd that the company “was deeply committed” to safety during construction, which resulted in zero lost-time injuries. Moreover, it constructed the plant during the coronavirus pandemic and overcame those obstacles — and more — to deliver the plant on time.

“I’m grateful for this partnership and what it’s achieved so far … ,” he added. “It’s a privilege to work together, and we look forward to the next chapter of innovation and success.”

Dignitaries and guests join SaskPower president/CEO Rupen Pandya (centre) for the ribbon cutting. Photo by Jason G. Antonio
A view of the Great Plains Power Station looking north. Photo by Jason G. Antonio
Moose Jaw North MLA Tim McLeod brings greetings on behalf of the government. Photo by Jason G. Antonio
Rupen Pandya, president/CEO of SaskPower, speaks during the ceremony.
Photo by Jason G. Antonio
Darcy Wagner, managing director with main project contractor Burns and McDonnell, brings greetings on behalf of the company. Photo by Jason G. Antonio
Rows of hard hats and safety vests line a table in preparation for tours of the new plant. Photo by Jason G. Antonio

Thank

Wishing you and yours a warm and happy holiday season!

Raymond

Gale Toews Financial Advisor

Gale Toews Private Wealth Management of Raymond James Ltd.

602 – 1st Ave NW, Moose Jaw, SK S6H 3M6

306-693-4430

gale.toews@raymondjames.ca

www.raymondjames.ca/GaleToewsPrivateWealthManagement

SaskPower gives inside look at new area power plant

With SaskPower’s Great Plains Power Station (GPPS) now fully operational, presented below are facts, figures and other interesting data about the venue.

The plant is a 370-megawatt (MW) combined cycle venue — it can power almost 10 cities like Moose Jaw — with two generators that each send power to the grid.

One generator is natural gas-fired that combusts compressed air and natural gas, which drives a turbine and generator and sends power to the grid. The second generator uses steam, where after hot gas drives the natural gas generator, the heat makes steam to turn another turbine and another generator.

The plant has an anticipated life cycle of 25 years, has a footprint of 43.2 hectares (108.13 acres), has a smokestack 52 metres (170 feet) high, took 45 months to complete from March 2021 to December 2024 and required more than 600 workers — 70 per cent were from Saskatchewan, while 14 per cent were from the Moose Jaw area — during peak construction in July 2023.

Those workers contributed more than 2.9 million hours of labour.

Moreover, the value of participation from over 300 Saskatchewan businesses was $267 million, while the value of Aboriginal-owned business participation was $49 million.

Meanwhile, 25 full-time employees will operate the plant, with the venue contributing an extra $60 million in revenue for the province.

Site construction cleared or excavated 26,000 cubic metres of material and required 8,800 metric tons of gravel, 1,400

Jason G. Antonio - MooseJawToday.com

piles, 11,200 cubic metres of concrete, 3,400 metric tons of steel, over 20 kilometres of piping, 200 kilometres of cables and 40,000 structural bolts.

Water treatment plant

The water treatment plant is designed to process 7.7 cubic metres per hour (34 gallons per minute) of service water and create demineralized water for the steam cycle. The treatment includes two ultrafiltration units, two reverse osmosis units and four mixed-bed de-ionizers to produce high-quality demineralized water so plaque build-up does not occur.

Also, the power station uses less than one per cent of Moose Jaw’s average annual water consumption.

Steam turbine and generator

The 118-MW air-cooled Siemens generator runs between two steam turbine sections, with a high-pressure turbine produc-

ing 7,116 revolutions per minute (RPM) and an intermediate pressure/low-pressure turbine directly coupled at 3,600 RPM.

Gas turbine and generator

The Siemens-built gas turbine consumes 64,756 cubic metres per hour of natural gas and uses more gas in one hour than 26 homes use in a year. This piece connects to a generator that rotates at 3,600 RPM and produces 265 MW down to -12 C.

Furthermore, the gas turbine and generator weigh roughly 500,000 kilograms, which is the same weight — according to SaskPower — as 50 Mac the Moose statues.

Emergency diesel generator

The plant has a Cummins emergency diesel generator with 1,470 horsepower that produces 1,250 kilowatts, with the generator providing essential emergency power when the grid experiences a power loss.

The engine — a cast-iron V16 engine block with 50.3-litre displacement — will

start automatically and power emergency lighting and critical equipment to ensure they are shut down in a safe and controlled manner without damaging the equipment.

Switching station

The Great Plains switching station connects the plant to the grid and includes high-voltage breakers, isolating switches, voltage and current measurement devices, and solid aluminum tube conducts.

The switching station produces 230,000 volts, while the Hitachi Energy-manufactured breakers are 253,000 volts/2,000 amperes/60 hertz and the Mindcore Technologies-manufactured isolating switches have the same values.

Heat recovery steam generator

This generator is 34 metres (110 feet) tall and is a triple-wide, triple-pressure reheat design that produces high-pressure steam at 16,486 kilopascals (kPA) and 568 C, intermediate-pressure steam at 4,186 kPA and 565 C and low-pressure steam at 714 kPa and 312 C.

Furthermore, some sections of the steam piping wall are 2.8 centimetres thick.

Boiler feed pump

The two Japanese-manufactured Torishima boiler feed pumps produce 2,250 KW/3,020 horsepower and pressures up to 20,500 kPa, with the total flow from each pump at 4,200 litres per minute.

In comparison, an average household uses 32,000 litres of water per month, which means it would take one feed pump only two hours to fill the Temple Gardens Mineral Spa pool. And now you know!

Plant overview
Project manager Ken Wakelam gives a tour of the main electrical building, which contains the gas turbine and generator. Photo by Jason G. Antonio
One of three outside water tanks. This one is used to fight fires. Photo by Jason G. Antonio
The steam turbine and generator system. Photo by Jason G. Antonio
A worker keeps his eyes on his many screens with its many data, inside the administration building’s control room. Photo by Jason G. Antonio
Ken Wakelam, project manager with SaskPower, gives a tour of the water treatment plant. Photo by Jason G. Antonio
The stack, which is 110 feet tall. Photo by Jason G. Antonio
Power lines with the switching station, which connects the plant to the electrical grid. Photo by Jason G. Antonio

Editor’s Note

You know what I saw recently that I really liked and haven’t seen for years if ever living in Moose Jaw?

I saw something that literally was a revelation in response that happened before an expected big event.

Proactive thinking in advance with numerous city wide notifications put out by the new Moose Jaw city administration/City Hall mayor and council notified residents of what and where to expect snow clearance in the expectation of a bis snow event.

City Hall mayor and council revolutionized how Moose Jaw is attempting to deal with situations as they arise and not after-the-fact as has been the status quo for years.

I was not anywhere close to the situation at hand but certainly appreciated the new improved version of correspondence and proactive response to the expected huge snowfall expected that would probably leave residents in a tither for days to come.

If it was in recent months, God only knows when the snow pack would be cleared or even expected to be cleared enough to travese the roads in a somewhat passable manner.

For anyone with somewhat of any brain capacity, one would realize that every street cannot be cleared immediately but as prioritized. At least we are now in the know and not guessing as to when we may be able to to move from point A to point B. This is certainly a ‘plus’ in my books.

Here’s looking to reaching new heights in citizen expectation of what our city administration can do for the community and here’s hoping that individuals will give credit where credit is due.

As for most individuals in Moose Jaw, it was a sad day when the Burger Barn closed in Wakamow Valley. Although we didn’t frequent the spot regularly, we always thought it was a great place to take our young grandkids to play and at the same time enjoy lunch on a warm summer’s day. Well, thanks to new owners now, we can again do so this summer. I don’t know what it is about eating a burger in the great outdoors that makes it so delicious…it comes in a close second to my remembrances of having a burger at the rink in small town Saskatchewan during a hockey game or curling bonspiel. Nothing like it!

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.

Send your letters to the editor to: joan@moosejawexpress.com

All columns, letters to the editor and editorials are solely the personal opinions of the writers themselves and not necessarily the opinions of The Moose Jaw Express. The contents of this publication are the property of the Moose Jaw Express. Reproduction of any of the contents of this publication, including, but without limiting the generality of the following: photographs, artwork and graphic designs, is strictly prohibited.

There shall be no reproduction without the express written consent of the publisher. All ads in the Moose Jaw Express are published in good faith without verification. The Moose Jaw Express reserves the right to refuse, classify, revise or censor any ads for any reason in its sole discretion. This paper may include inaccuracies or errors.

The Moose Jaw Express does not under any circumstances accept responsibility for the accuracy or otherwise of any ads or messages in any of the publications editions. The Moose Jaw Express specifically disclaims all and any liability to advertisers and readers of any kind for loss or damage of any nature what-so-ever and however arising, whether due to inaccuracy, error, omission or any other cause.

All users are advised to check ad and message details carefully before entering into any agreement of any kind and before disclosing personal information. If in doubt, please take legal advice.

Phone: 306.694.1322 Fax: 888.241.5291 468 High St. W., Moose Jaw SK S6H 1T3 www.mjvexpress.com

Publisher: Robert Ritchie - rob@mjvexpress.com

Editor: Joan Ritchie -joan@moosejawexpress.com

Sales: Wanda Hallborg - mjexpress7@sasktel.net David Klatt - david@moosejawexpress.com Kevin Ogle - kevin@saskpromo.com

Thank you to all the contributing writers, without your time and support, the paper would not look the same. Send your stories, events and pictures to: joan@moosejawexpress.com

Editor: Joan Ritchie

Reporters: Aaron Walker

Chateau St. Michael residents spread Christmas cheer with clothing drive

Submitted

Chateau St. Michael’s wanted to spread some Christmas cheer this season, so it recently set up a donation box for the staff, residents, and families to donate to those less fortunate.

The care home accepted clothing, mitts, toques, scarves, blankets, and other items, while it received a great response and was happy to deliver the clothing to Willow Lodge.

In front, from left, are residents Gill, Janet, Bernice and Lorne.

Chateau St. Michael’s would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Residents at Points West Living donate warm winter clothing to Square One

This holiday season, staff, and residents at Points West Crossing in Moose Jaw set up a Christmas tree and tried something new as residents came together over the past month to knit, sew, and purchase winter scarves, toques, and mitts for charity.

The campaign started in November and the team at Square One Community Inc. stopped by to pick up two full boxes of the charitable donations on Dec. 18.

“We decided to do it so that we could give some kind of donation back to the community, and the residents thought that a donation tree was a fabulous idea,” said Jenn Montgomery, the general manager at Points West Crossing Moose Jaw.

All donations from the Points West campaign were forwarded to Square One Community Inc. for distribution to those most in need throughout the community. This included numerous clothing items ranging in size from children’s to adult.

“We chose Square One because it’s something that we had never donated to before, and we like to make sure that we keep it fair,” Montgomery said.

After the tree was set up in the home for around a month, Montgomery said it ended up being “completely full” of warm winter clothing donations. “There was nowhere (else) to hang anything,” she said. “We started putting stuff on the bottom. The residents were just so generous.”

Montgomery wished to conclude with a message of thanks for those who donated to the campaign and for the work done each day by Square One Community Inc. “I would like to say thank you to the folks at Square One for the wonderful work they do and the support they give to the most vulnerable members of the community,” she said.

“We wish you all the best this holiday season and a happy New Year from all of us here at Points West Living Moose Jaw,” Montgomery concluded.

Points West Living is located at 917 Bradley Street and can be reached at 306-693-3777. To learn more about the retirement residence visit PointsWestLivingSK.ca or follow ‘Points West Living Moose Jaw’ on Facebook.

For more information about Square One Community Inc. visit SquareOneHousingMooseJaw.com or call 306631-9340.

One male pronounced dead after late night fire at Capone’s Hideaway Motel

Aaron Walker - Moose Jaw Express

The Moose Jaw Police Service (MJPS) has issued an update for the structure fire that occurred at the Capone’s Hideaway Motel on Friday, Dec. 13.

The MJPS has confirmed that the individual who was rushed to hospital with fire-related injuries, identified as a 27-year-old male, succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at a Regina hospital on Saturday, Dec. 14.

No further injuries have been reported following the incident.

The incident remains under police investigation in conjunction with the Saskatchewan Coroners Office, Moose Jaw Fire Department, and the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency.

No further comments have been issued at this time.

Regular Contributors: Jason Antonio Randy Palmer Joyce Walter Ron Walter John Kreutzwieser Patricia Hanbidge MLA North Tim McLeod Richard Dowson Nick Kossovan

Anyone with further information about the incident is asked to contact the Moose Jaw Police Service at 306694-7600 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222TIPS (8477).

In the back, from left, are Bonita, Chateau St. Michael’s director of care, Jack, a resident, and Krista, the activity co-ordinator.
Photos submitted
Chateau St. Michael’s collected winter clothing as a part of a Christmas fundraiser, with all the items going to Willow Lodge. Photo submitted
Aaron Walker - Moose Jaw Express
The Christmas tree at Points West Living Moose Jaw just before it was boxed up and donated to Square One Community Inc. on Dec. 18. Photo by: Square One Community Inc. Moose Jaw/Facebook
The aftermath of the Dec. 13 fire at the Capone’s Hideaway Motel. Photo by: Original photo credit unconfirmed/Facebook

Moose Jaw artist thrilled that piece honouring power station

Moose Jaw artist Patti Lewis is thrilled that a painting she created to honour SaskPower’s new Great Plains Power Station has been officially unveiled.

The Crown corporation held a grand opening at the 370-megawatt plant — located southeast of Moose Jaw — on Dec. 17, with nearly 100 dignitaries and workers in attendance. Lewis’ four-foot by sixfoot artwork was revealed at the end of the ceremony, with the piece a mix of blues, whites, greens, yellows and browns.

“The original unveiling was supposed to be in August, so I’ve been on pins and needles since then to have the date finalized,” said Lewis. “(So) yeah, I was very excited to be part of it and (to have been) asked to be part of it.”

A consulting company contacted Lewis in May after seeing her website, with the consultant discussing what she could create and the potential commission price. Once those issues were settled, the consultant sent the information to SaskPower for approval, which gave the green light — she started painting in June — and told her to be finished by July 31. However, there were delays, and the official unveiling didn’t occur until now.

“So it took about 30 painting hours to finish,” the artist said.

SaskPower sent some photos of the power station to Lewis for inspiration, although she decided to visit the site herself. After attending a sale in Wakamow Valley, she and her husband Daniel — who takes photographs for her — drove to the venue and snapped some photos. She then realized that the artwork needed to have the power plant’s large stack in it.

“And then, of course, the background at that time … was all brown. So, you can’t just do a big grey building. You have to have some colour,” she said.

Saskatchewan is known for its canola, so Lewis painted a large yellow band across the middle of the artwork. Furthermore, she included a small band of purple to represent flax, while she added trees in the background to represent a windbreak. With a chuckle, Lewis added that she used “lots of brushes” to create the painting, while she almost used a full bottle of green and three different shades of blues. Lewis has been painting for almost 30 years, starting out using books to learn and then taking lessons to grow her skills. In the 1990s, she took a drawing course because she wanted help with perspective

in her creations, while she then took a watercolour course in the 2000s. While Lewis uses watercolour for most of her work, “oddly enough,” she noted that the SaskPower-commissioned mural was made with acrylic because it works better for larger pieces.

Lewis’ next goal is to continue to grow her business, Patti Lewis Art, and work her way into retail spaces so she can sell her paintings that way. She noted that her biggest sellers are coasters — they’ve been “selling great guns all over the place” — that feature four-inch vinyl stickers on ceramic tiles.

The artist also hopes to continue completing commissions that people ask her to do.

After the ceremony, Mayor James Murdock and SaskPower president/CEO Rupen Pandya both praised the vibrant artwork.

“I love seeing the painting that Miss Lewis completed. That is so striking, especially with the beautiful yellow canola in it,” said Murdock.

Said Pandya, “Every generating asset that is built in the province of Saskatchewan has a commissioning piece, and that is just a beautiful work of art, so we’re super proud to have that hanging in the facility … in the main building in the control room.”

For more information, visit www.pattilewisart.com.

Artist Patti Lewis stands on stage with her painting after its unveiling. Her artwork is called “Powering the Prairies.” Photo by Jason G. Antonio

Beloved vet Dr. Janzen remembered with custom pet-themed Christmas ornaments

This December 23rd marks one full year since the passing of Dr. Jeremy Janzen, a beloved veterinarian remembered for his love of animals and his knack for solving complex veterinary cases. To honour his memory, the Moose Jaw Humane Society (MJHS) is offering limited-edition, petthemed Christmas ornaments in his name. The ornaments are available now for purchase and all proceeds will support veterinary care for cats and dogs facing challenging medical conditions — animals who would have continued to be his patients to this day.

“So, on Dec. 23, it marks one year since Dr. Janzen’s passing. He worked really closely with the Humane Society, SCRAPS, and any avid cat lover, really,” announced Melissa Livingston, the shelter manager at the MJHS. “These ornaments are basically honouring his memory.”

As of Dec. 18, there were five catthemed and two dog-themed ornaments remaining for purchase.

The idea for the memorial ornaments was the brainchild of Dr. Janzen’s former colleagues at the Moose Jaw Animal Clinic.

“They just really felt that he needed to be honoured,” Livingston explained. “They were, during this time, feeling the loss of him. So, they reached out to Eric Fawcett from Fawcett’s Design and… asked if he’d be up for the challenge of making these wonderful Christmas orna-

ments for people to purchase and donate in Jeremy’s name.”

Fawcett, whose company makes custom 3D printings and designs, gladly accepted the challenge.

Even though Dr. Janzen had a special place in his heart for cats, his passion for animals extended to all species and the ornaments come in two variants: one is a “woof” ornament for dog lovers and the other is a “meow” ornament for cat lovers.

If all 30 ornaments sell this holiday season, the shelter will raise $1,500 worth of free veterinary expenses to supplement its live-saving work. This, Livingston confirmed, is about the equivalent of spaying or neutering six cats or running a medical checkup on 14 cats.

Further, when Dr. Janzen’s mother was cleaning out his apartment, his colleagues reached out to her asking if they could hold onto his Christmas tree. This,

Aaron Walker - Moose Jaw Express

The Conexus Credit Union is warning residents about an ongoing scam where fraudsters are calling and texting Saskatchewan phone numbers and pretending to be representatives of Conexus.

Throughout the month of December, Conexus has observed a rise in fraudulent calls and messages — a trend that often intensifies during the holiday season. At these times, scams that involve individuals impersonating financial institutions tend to become more commonplace.

To protect yourself from fraudulent activity this holiday season, Conexus has provided a few suspicious scenarios to look out for:

• Unexpected calls: If you are not expecting a call from your credit union, this could be one indication of suspicious activity. If you’re uncertain — and before contacting police — it’s best practice to hang up and either visit your local branch in person or call the Conexus Member Contact Centre at 1-800-667-7477 to confirm whether the call is legitimate.

• Too much information: Conexus does not ask for your banking credentials

including your password or even a temporary, one-time password. Hang up immediately if someone asks for these details.

• Text message transactions: Conexus does not conduct banking transactions through text messages.

• Suspicious links: Be wary of links contained in text messages or emails. A seemingly normal URL could be part of a phishing scam, especially if the message contains suspicious requests (such as asking for a password, SIN, or other sensitive information) or has spelling errors. If

you’re in doubt, go directly to the source rather than clicking on the link.

• Scare tactics: Fraudsters commonly use scare tactics to create a sense of urgency. If the call, text, or email that you receive appears to be creating a sense of undue urgency and panic, it’s likely a scam.

The Conexus Credit Union has offered several tips to proactively protect yourself and loved ones from fraud:

• Set up security alerts: These can be set up for your bank account and, in the event of suspicious account activity, you will be notified via text or email message. If you require help setting up a security alert for your account, contact your local credit union branch.

• Create a strong password: It’s important to create a strong, long-string password that is not easy to guess. It’s always a good idea to include a mixture of numbers, capital, and lower-case letters. It’s advisable to never re-use old passwords so that one compromised password does not affect all of your secure accounts.

• Don’t search for Conexus on a search engine: It’s advisable to initially

Livingston explained, was because of his love for the season — he was affectionately known as “Mr. Christmas” after all.

“He loved Christmas, but he was grumpy half the year and you would never know it,” Livingston said as she recalled his memory with a smile. “So when they were cleaning out Jeremy’s place, the girls asked… if they could keep his tree and have it set up at the Moose Jaw Animal Clinic in his memory. And (his mother) did honour that.

“We would like to thank everybody for remembering Jeremy and, if you ever say his name, remember his kindness and remember his love for animals,” Livingston concluded.

Ornaments can be purchased now at the MJHS with a $50 donation to the shelter. At the end of the season, you can either take it home for your Christmas tree or donate it back to the shelter to be repurchased the following year.

The Moose Jaw Animal Clinic is located at 1855 Caribou Street West and can be reached at 306-692-3622. For more information visit MJAnimalClinic.com.

The Moose Jaw Humane Society is located at 1755 Stadacona Street West and can be reached at 306-692-1517 or MJHS.ca. You can also follow the shelter on Facebook at ‘Moose Jaw Humane Society.’

access the site directly through the address bar on your browser, save the link as a bookmark, and access the site by that bookmark in the future. Alternatively, it’s safe to type www.conexus.ca directly into your browser’s address bar each time you visit the site.

• Spread the word: Share this information with friends and family to help protect them.

If you or someone you know has been the victim of a scam, it’s important to report the incident to the Moose Jaw Police Service and to the Conexus Credit Union as soon as possible.

The Moose Jaw Police Service can be reached at 306-694-7600. Alternatively, crimes of a non-urgent nature can be reported through an online crime reporting form at MJPolice.ca/Report.

The Conexus Credit Union is located at 80 High Street West in Moose Jaw and can be reached at toll-free at 1-800-6677477.

You can find additional fraud advisory resources by visiting Conexus.ca/Security/Fraud-Advisory.

350 head Commercial Dispersal, more - Happy New Year!

- No Auction

- Dispersals, Bred Heifers / Cows

Aaron Walker - Moose Jaw Express
One of the two pet-themed Christmas ornaments available for purchase now at the Moose Jaw Humane Society in honour of Dr. Jeremy Janzen. Photo by: Moose Jaw Humane Society/Facebook
One of the two pet-themed Christmas ornaments available for purchase now at the Moose Jaw Humane Society in honour of Dr. Jeremy Janzen. Photo by: Moose Jaw Humane Society/Facebook
The Conexus Credit Union is warning Sask. residents about an increase in fraudulent activity this month. Photo by: Aaron Walker

Hot Pressure Washers!!

Reflective Moments

’Twas a few weeks before Christmas and all through this house the most action forthcoming came from the computer mouse.

We flicked it and moved it, banged it and pushed it back and forth trying with diligence to prepare a family letter, and another to send north.

With postal workers taking a break and courier costs too high to contemplate, it was like being stranded on a desert isle, with no chance of keeping the date.

With gifts still to buy and entertainment plans to make and delete, it seemed like this 2024 Christmas would be a season of defeat.

But wait just a minute, this pioneer stock came through in the end, and we figured out how much to buy and how much we could spend.

Gifts will be wrapped and when relatives travel, their luggage will grow to include boxes for family, but please don’t leave them in the snow.

We learned about parties and events via e-mail and some by telephone, and we wore silly sweaters and antlers we should have left at home.

Friends were greeted and stories of the past 12 months exchanged, while munching on cookies and tarts, no one thinking of pounds being gained.

We rummaged through mounds of frozen fowl looking for individual parts, like turkey necks, and thighs, some legs and even the hearts.

Hands lingered on a duck or a tiny hen but the price tag frightened us away, meaning it could be beef or pork or sardines on the looming festive day.

Police warn residents to remain vigilant about potential grandparent/parent scam

Aaron Walker - Moose Jaw Express

As the holiday season unfolds, the Moose Jaw Police Service (MJPS) is advising the public to remain vigilant about a potential recirculation of the “grandparent/parent scam,” a phone-based scam operation that involves a scammer who pretends to be a grandchild or other family member who has been arrested or is in danger.

Although the MJPS has not received any local reports of this scam in recent weeks, the service is reminding residents to remain cautious as the scam has been known to resurface during the holiday season.

After reaching the victim by phone, the scammer immediately indicates that they need money and states that a lawyer, police officer, or judge will contact them with further details. This initial call is also used by the scammer to obtain useful information for the second portion of the call.

Once the scammer has obtained enough information, a second scammer will impersonate a lawyer, police officer, or judge and instruct the victim to withdraw a large amount of money and await further instructions.

It is important to note that the MJPS, lawyers, judges, and jails do not make personal calls of this nature requesting money. Further, if the caller is requesting payment via methods that are hard to trace — including gift cards or Bitcoin — then it’s a scam.

If you become suspicious of the call, it’s advisable to reach out to your grandchild or other members of the family to verify the claims or requests that were made during the call. This should be done before giving out any personal information or answering further calls.

In previous police investigations, scammers have been known to go to the victim’s house to collect payment in person or have instructed the victim to deposit large sums of money into a Bitcoin ATM.

If someone asks to come to your house to collect payment, then it’s a scam.

The MJPS is reminding the public not to provide any personal information including bank account information, passwords, your home address, or your Social Insurance Number (SIN) over the phone.

As well, police are encouraging families and friend groups consisting of older and/or vulnerable adults to openly discuss the scam and make sure it’s familiar in order to prevent further victimization.

If you or someone you know has fallen victim to a scam such as this, please contact the Moose Jaw Police Service at 306-694-7600. To submit an anonymous tip, Moose Jaw Crime Stoppers can be reached toll-free at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or online at SaskCrimeStoppers. com.

You can also download a mobile app recommended by the MJPS called P3 Global Intel at P3Tips.com. The app can be used to anonymously submit a tip about crimes of this nature that will be shared with Crime Stoppers, law enforcement entities, schools, and large corporations around the world.

The MJPS is offering additional scam prevention tips through its social media channels, including ‘Moose Jaw Police Service’ on Facebook and ‘moosejawpolice’ on Instagram. For more information on scams and attempted fraud, visit the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at AntiFraudCentre-CentreAntiFraude.ca.

Now listen just a minute: are those footsteps I hear running across the roof? Yes, it is pesky squirrels and not the presence of a reindeer’s tiny hooves.

Christmas is close and there’s still so much to prepare and to do, but wishes will be shared with you and with you and with you.

Merry Christmas to everyone; hope the new year will be pleasin’. Be kind, be happy, and don’t forget the real reason for the season.

My so-called poetry will never be considered for a red ribbon, but each year it is challenging fun to come up with rhyming information to encapsule the weeks before Christmas.

Despite the lack of poetic prowess, my wishes for a Merry Christmas are sin-

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.

cere and offered with thankfulness that we have family and good friends in our lives who share our trials, tribulations and successful endeavors.

Before the season ends, we will travel the city to see the many homes that have been decorated with thousands of lights and Christmas scenes. What imagination and dedication goes into these yearly displays. A trip through the lighted wonderland of Wakamow is also on our list of things to do.

In my favourite Hallmark movies, there is usually an ice-skating scene or a busy toboggan hill. Oh how I wish those activities were also on our holiday to-experience list. I fear they are now only spectator sports viewed from a safe distance. Broken bones might result if we indulge in childish fantasies.

And so, as Tiny Tim would say, “God bless us, every one.”

Joyce Walter can be reached at ronjoy@ sasktel.net

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

From The Kitchen

After-Christmas left-overs utilized in different ways

There is no need to throw out the left-overs from the immense Christmas dinner that has been enjoyed by everyone who pulled their chairs up to the festive table.

Hot turkey sandwiches, cold turkey or ham sandwiches, turkey pot pie or turkey soup are some of the ways to enjoy the remnants of the meal.

This week’s recipes offer two ideas for different ways to use fine-tasting holidays leftovers — and one that turns away from turkey or ham.

• • • MASHED POTATO PUFFS

3 cups chilled mashed potatoes

1 large egg

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 cup chopped chives

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. garlic powder salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese for rolling Grease mini muffin pan cups with cooking spray or butter. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Mix potatoes, egg, cheddar cheese, flour, gar-

lic powder, chives and salt and pepper.

Roll into 1 inch balls and roll in parmesan cheese. Place in prepared muffin tins and gently press down.

Bake 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and crisp. Cool slightly before removing from pan. Serve warm with sour cream or other favourite dipping sauce.

EASY HAM OR TURKEY BAKE

1 1/2 cups frozen broccoli

1/4 cup cream of mushroom soup

1/4 cup cheddar cheese soup

1/4 cup milk

3/4 cup cooked turkey or ham cut into small chunks

1/2 cup Bisquick mix

1/3 cup milk

Spray a microwave safe casserole with cooking spray. Mix broccoli, soups, 1/4 cup milk and meat choice. Microwave on high for 5 minutes. Stir and then transfer mixture to an oven-safe large casserole dish.

In a small bowl, stir Bisquick mix and 1/3 cup

Prairie South board reappoints 11 directors to oversee annual bursary fund

Prairie South School Division (PSSD) has reappointed 11 directors to a committee that manages a bursary fund carried over from the former Moose Jaw school division.

During their December board meeting, trustees voted to have Jeff Feeley, Mary Jukes, Al Kessler, Aline Kirk, Pam Ludwar, Doreen Majeran, Darcy Dumont, Amanda Olson, George Patterson, Ron Purdy and Greg Veillard serve on the Moose Jaw School District No. 1 Bursary Fund Inc. for 2025.

According to a board report, the fund is a separate legal entity that the former Moose Jaw School Division No. 1 established to collect and invest money donated to provide scholarships to deserving students. PSSD’s board of education is now the sole member of the fund and must appoint directors.

The bursary fund has registered the business name Prairie South Schools Bursary Fund so it can be seen as more than just a City of Moose Jaw fund. The money held in trust by the school division for scholarships has been transferred to the bursary fund.

It is important to understand, said the report, that the transfer of funds does not change anything for any indi vidual scholarship except where the money is housed and accounted for and the interest return it earns.

The report did not mention how much money is in the fund, although Purdy noted that Prairie South — through the account — distributes almost $80,000 annually to stu dents attending a post-secondary institution.

Tenders

From Nov. 1 to 30, the division gave out two tenders:

milk with a whisk until smooth. Pour evenly over the soup mixture. In a preheated 425 degrees F oven, bake casserole, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes or until crust is a light golden brown. Let stand five minutes before serving.

• • • EGG BURGER

1 tsp. butter

1 egg salt and pepper to taste

1 slice processed cheese

1 hamburger bun, heated or toasted

Melt butter in frying pan. Break egg into the pan. With a pancake turner, break yolk and mix with the egg white. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. When egg is set turn over and cook other side. Place slice of cheese on one side of the warm bun. Top with cooked egg and other half of bun. Serve with ketchup or salsa dip.

Joyce Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel. net

• $285,000 to NH Elevators to modernize the elevator at A.E. Peacock Collegiate

• $137,000 to Powerland, which will supply a storage array for the division’s digital data; this will be a fouryear support subscription, while the storage array will be in the division office basement

Purdy noted that it should take NH Elevators about 250 days to complete the modernization project and that it will likely be finished by next summer.

Trustee appointments

PRAIRIE SOUTH SCHOOL DIVISION

THE NEXT PSSD BOARD MEETING IS TUESDAY, JAN 7, 2025

Wilson also appointed trustee Brett Hagan as Prairie South’s representative on the Saskatchewan High Schools Athletic Association (SSHSA) for the 2024-25 year. Meanwhile, trustee Shawn Davidson was recently acclaimed as the president of the SSBA for two years — he had served as vice-president — while trustee Robert Bachmann was re-elected as the southern constituency representative on the executive. These nominations occurred during the SSBA’s fall general assembly from Dec. 1 to 3 in Regina.

carbon tax expenses concern PSSD trustee

Prairie South School Division paid over $300,000 in carbon tax expenses on its utility consumption last year, a number that jumps to almost $500,000 when including diesel, propane and gasoline.

Board trustees received the 2023-24 buildings accountability report during their December meeting, with the document showing that the division’s carbon tax expenses were roughly $320,000 on its electrical and natural gas usage. The former represented about 25 per cent of the carbon tax and the latter represented roughly 75 per cent.

In comparison, that number was roughly $250,000 in 2022-23, approximately $220,000 in 2021-22, roughly $160,000 in 2020-21 and almost $100,000 in 2019-20.

Meanwhile, in 2023-24, Prairie South consumed just over four million kilowatt hours (KWH) of electricity for a total cost of roughly $1.15 million, the report said. Also, the division consumed roughly 1,760,000 cubic metres of natural gas for a total cost of approximately $605,000.

A.E. Peacock Collegiate consumed the most electricity per day at just under 2,000 kilowatt hours, while Riverview Collegiate consumed the most natural gas per day at just over 300 cubic metres, the document added.

Trustee Patrick Boyle said his “favourite graph” in the report was about the carbon tax, pointing out that that expense has been “skyrocketing” since the federal government first introduced it — with most of that money for natural gas usage. Furthermore, he noted that the carbon tax would increase by 20 per cent in 2025 and force the division to pay more.

The trustee then asked division administration whether Prairie South was recovering any of that money through rebate programs.

Jason G. Antonio - MooseJawToday.com

Darren Baiton, buildings manager, replied that the federal government had a climate incentive plan in the program’s first year, which returned the money to organizations for infrastructure investments.

“We haven’t seen any incentive plans back to us in the last four years. … in facilities, we’re spending $300,000 a year,” he continued. “Overall, if you take diesel, propane and fuel, we’re at $500,000 a year.”

In reply, Boyle said the division could be using that money to hire more teachers. He noted that — based on the trend line — that expense was growing bigger annually, which he thought was “scary.”

School capacity and usage rates

The buildings report also contained information about enrolment numbers and the usage/capacity rate for

each school.

King George School had enrolment figures of 385 full-time equivalent (FTE) students and a usage/capacity rate of 107 per cent, while Sunningdale School had an enrolment of 432 FTEs and usage/capacity of 106 per cent.

Conversely, Riverview Collegiate had 114 FTE students and a usage/capacity of 22 per cent. However, the report noted that the Ministry of Education has designated that venue a “small school of necessity.”

The high usage/capacity rate of some urban and rural schools concerned trustee Lew Young, who noted that Sunningdale was once at 112-per-cent capacity, which allowed the division to acquire portable classrooms to alleviate the pressure.

He then asked whether King George and Sunningdale were eligible for government-funded portables.

The division office submits portable applications annually for any schools over 100 per cent, but Regina and Saskatoon usually receive most units because of “a bulge” in students they have, said Baiton.

“I think it’s a provincial problem that’s (happening) faster than the province can build schools,” he remarked.

The buildings manager added that Sunningdale’s library could be reduced by 20 per cent and the extra space could be turned into a classroom.

Young also pointed out that the joint-use school on South Hill would be at capacity within one to two years after opening, which was typical of most joint-use buildings across Saskatchewan when they opened. With Moose Jaw growing, he thought the board would have to determine how to remedy that problem.

The next PSSD board meeting is Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025.

A graph showing how much in carbon tax expenses Prairie South has paid since 2019. Photo courtesy Prairie South School Division

Moose Jaw’s Catholic division honours partners during luncheon

Holy Trinity Catholic School Division honoured its community partners during a luncheon on Dec. 17, with a children’s choir from St. Agnes School serenading people with several Christmas songs.

Nearly 90 guests and dignitaries from Moose Jaw, Shaunavon and Swift Current attended the event at Church of Our Lady Parish, where they heard about the division’s scores in reading, writing and math, the board’s strategic plan, the organization’s faith-based activities and highlights from all schools during the past year.

Emily Heisler, a teacher at St. Agnes and the school’s choir director, said it took plenty of practice for the luncheon performance, although the group was lucky because it was also preparing for a Christmas mass at St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church. So, the students sang some of their mass songs during the luncheon.

Holy Trinity has had a school choir sing before the start of its Christmas luncheons during the past few years, but this was the first time St. Agnes had performed, which

PSSD

Trustees with Prairie South School Division are receiving a bump in pay this year over last year, with the average remuneration increase for duties and activities jumping by over $40 per month.

Regular members will receive $1,474.08 per month this year compared to $1,431.17 per month last year, an increase of $42.91, a board report shows.

Furthermore, the vice-chair will earn $1,556.08 per month, compared to $1,510.75 per month last year, which is a bump of $45.33, while the board chair will receive $1,638 per month this year versus $1,590.33 per month last year, an increase of $47.67.

These three increases average an extra $45.30 per month or $543.64 per year.

Trustees approved their pay increase — and other reimbursement-related topics — during a recent organizational meeting.

Chair and vice-chair

During the meeting, trustees voted unanimously to reappoint Giselle Wilson as the board chairwoman and Darcy Pryor as the board vice-chairwoman.

Wilson is the trustee for subdivision 4 and covers the communities of Bengough, Coronach and Rockglen. Pryor is the trustee for subdivision 1 and covers the communities of Central Butte, Chaplin, Craik, Eyebrow, Mortlach and Huron Colony.

Missed meetings

Similar to last year, this year trustees may miss up to four half-days from regular board meetings or committee of the whole (COW) meetings without losing pay. However, if they miss more than four half-days, they will lose $150 for every half-day meeting missed thereafter.

The exception is for rescheduled meetings after the board approves the yearly agenda.

Out-of-division activities

Similar to last year, this year trustees will be paid $30 per hour to attend out-of-division functions, meetings and other non-PSSD events. This includes in-person attendance and virtual meetings.

This hourly rate will be up to $200 per day for members, $225 per day for the vice-chair and $250 per day for the board chair.

Members will also be allowed to submit a minimum charge of one hour for any meeting attended unless another organization — such as their employer — compensates them for attending that function.

Travel time

Remuneration for travel time will be 30 cents per kilometre, while mileage will be 53 cents per kilome-

Jason G. Antonio - MooseJawToday.com

was a thrilling moment for the students.

“They were all excited. They got to come and perform for some of their old teachers as well,” Heisler said.

The choir director noted that she was in her school choir as a student, so it has been exciting for her to see the students’ reactions when they perform in public. While it can be nerve-wracking, they have been practising — “Joy to the World” is their favourite tune — and have set their minds on succeeding.

Heisler added that after the choir’s Christmas mass performance, students will focus on singing during weekly masses at St. Joe’s.

Ward Strueby, director of education, said after the luncheon that the event went well, while it was great to thank the organizations that support Holy Trinity and its students during the year. The goal is to build up the event so more partners attend.

“It was a wonderful turnout. We’re up from last year (as) we had about 70 come out (in 2023),” he continued.

“So, hopefully, next year we crack that 100-mark because there are a lot of good people supporting us.”

Strueby celebrated the fact that representatives from Catholic churches in Shaunavon and Swift Current also attended, including members of the Catholic Women’s League, the Knights of Columbus and parish secretaries. He hoped that more reps from those communities would attend next year to build those partnerships.

Meanwhile, the education director noted that the division started the luncheon tradition three years ago, which involved having every principal or vice-principal attend and speak about the top things happening in their schools.

“And we asked for some feedback after it’s done, and that’s what the community partners said they liked, (that) they like to hear from each of the schools,” Strueby said.

With a smile, he added, “For me, too, it’s great because then I don’t fill that time, and it’s nice for them to share what they’re doing. And a lot of the feedback the schools gave (was) based upon what’s happening in our buildings, which is awesome.”

tre, which is a jump of three cents, the board report said. Trustees and division staff can claim mileage when they use their vehicles for work responsibilities.

Meanwhile, division administration told trustees that the provincial government sets its per-kilometre rate at 57.24 cents.

Ron Purdy, business superintendent, told the board that the three-cent increase would result in tens of thou sands of dollars extra in expenses for the division.

In response, trustee Shawn Davidson said, “We’re moving closer to the provincial rate (but) three cents from where we were is not an insignificant cost to the division.”

Professional development

Trustees will receive an annual allowance for professional development of $4,500 per member, with any unused money carried forward into a new school year.

The funds can cover all trustee PD activity expenses, except for public section executive meetings, Saskatchewan High School Athletic Association meetings, Saskatchewan School Boards Association fall assembly and AGM and board chairs’ council meetings.

Mileage and travel costs will be calculated assuming trustees depart from or near Moose Jaw, the report added.

Meal repayment

This year, trustees will be reimbursed for meal expenses at $16 for breakfast, $23 for lunch and $31 for supper.

In comparison, provincial employees with SGEU, CUPE and Local 600 can claim in-province meal rates of $16 for breakfast, $23 for lunch and $31 for supper, while out of province, they can claim $20 for breakfast, $25 for lunch and $35 for supper.

“… the cost (for meals) has definitely gone up. $10 for breakfast is not a lot, so we’re suggesting the provincial rate,” said Purdy.

Parking

The parking expense rate for trustees and division staff is $5 daily without a receipt or “actual reasonable costs” with a receipt, according to a board report.

Accommodation

Trustees and division staff can claim accommodation expenses when required and when not otherwise covered. This year’s rate is “actual reasonable costs” supported by receipts, or $35 per night in a private residence outside the home.

Board spokesperson

Often, Prairie South requires a spokesperson to communicate to the media or answer public inquiries, the board report said.

PRAIRIE SOUTH SCHOOL DIVISION

Cheque signing authority

For this school year, the board chairwoman, vice-chairwoman, and the superintendent of business or director of education will be the cheque-signing authorities for the division.

Borrowing

The board voted unanimously to reaffirm its $15-million operating line of credit (LOC) with the Bank of Montreal; the current agreement expires on Jan. 31, 2028.

Maintaining an operating LOC is a risk-management strategy, and while the division has not accessed that money for several years, having it in place ensures the smooth operation of PSSD if there is ever a revenue disruption, a board report said.

Meeting schedule

This year’s regular public board meetings — on the first Tuesday of the month — will occur on Jan. 7, Feb. 4, March 4, April 1, May 6 and June 3.

Choir director Emily Heisler leads the students during the tune “Joy to the World.” Photo by Jason G. Antonio
Guests dig into a hearty Christmas lunch of turkey, meatballs and other tasty dishes. Photo by Jason G. Antonio
Principals from Holy Trinity Catholic School Division — including Vanier principal Kelvin Anderson and vice-principal Gillian Muench (centre) — give updates about interesting activities in their schools.
Photo by Jason G. Antonio

CITY HALL COUNCIL NOTES

THE NEXT REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING IS MONDAY, JAN. 13, 2025. City hall is ensuring that all necessary paperwork is updated so that the City of Moose Jaw can continue to receive funding through the provincial government’s municipal revenue-sharing grant program.

The provincial government has provided this grant — which comprises about one-fifth of Moose Jaw’s revenues — to Saskatchewan municipalities for years. During the 2018-19 fiscal year, the Ministry of Government Relations began reviewing the program, a city council report explained. The main changes to the program were:

• Funding would be based on 0.75 of one percentage point of the provincial sales tax (PST) from the second preceding year

• Funding percentages would remain roughly the same but would be rounded to one decimal point

• Since 2019-20, targeted sector support of $1.5 million

Jason G. Antonio - MooseJawToday.com

from municipal revenue sharing has been allocated to support programs, projects and initiatives directed at good governance, legislative compliance and increased inter-municipal and regional co-operation

• Municipalities must attest to their compliance with a set of legislative provisions to remain eligible

The six eligibility requirements include providing an audited financial statement, waterworks reporting (if applicable), education property tax returns (being in good standing), council procedures bylaw document, an employee code of conduct statement, and council members’ public disclosure statements.

If municipalities do not meet all six requirements or submit their declarations before the closing date in January, their municipal revenue sharing grant for 2024 may be withheld until all requirements are met, the report said.

Jason G. Antonio - MooseJawToday.com

They will have to take the necessary steps to meet all the requirements and notify the ministry that this has been completed before funding is released.

Total grants from the province made up 20.82 per cent of the City of Moose Jaw’s revenues — or $11.4 million — in the 2024 budget. However, these figures for 2025 are not yet known because council has not yet discussed or approved next year’s budget.

Moose Jaw received almost $7.9 million in municipal revenue-sharing funding in 2024, while city administration expects to receive $8,414,419 in 2025.

During its Dec. 16 regular meeting, council voted unanimously to submit all the necessary documents and have the director of financial services sign the declaration of eligibility and submit it to the Ministry of Government Relations.

City’s new pothole repair machines can operate year-round

City administration plans to purchase two machines to help repair potholes, with that equipment capable of filling those pesky divots even during the winter.

During its Dec. 16 regular meeting, city council voted unanimously to purchase a KM T-2 asphalt recycler machine from Acheson, Alta.-based Industrial Machine Inc. for $102,890 as part of a sole-source contract. Moreover, it approved $30,000 for a KM International KM

Annual General Meeting

DATE: ursday, January 9th, 2025 TIME: 7 PM

PLACE: Grant Hall, Banquet Hall

401 Main Street North, Moose Jaw

RM of ELMSTHORPE #100 PUBLIC NOTICE

Public notice is hereby given that the Council of the RM of Elmsthorpe No. 100 intends to amend Zoning Bylaw No. 262-24 under The Planning and Development Act, 2007 (the Act) to comply with the conditions of approval from Community Planning, Government Relations in their letter dated September 27,2024.

Intent

The minimum setback from residential uses to oil and gas or other mineral resource operations is proposed to be reduced from the existing minimum 500 metres, to a minimum 125 metres or 500 metres where Hydrogen Sul de (H2S) gas is present. This change is being made to be more consistent with The Oil and Gas Conservation Regulations, 2012. Furthermore, the RM is changing the wording of a section regarding performing routine inspections on mineral resource operations as a condition of development permit approval while also ensuring that development permit applicants are aware of their right to appeal the Zoning Bylaw in accordance with Section 219 of The Act

A ected Land

All land within the RM boundaries.

Public Inspection

Any person may inspect the bylaws at the RM o ce during regular o ce hours Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 4:00pm.

Public Hearing

Council will hold a public hearing on January 15th, 2025 at 10:00 am to hear any person or group that wants to comment on the proposed bylaws. Council will also consider any comment that are received in writing at the o ce or emailed to rm.100@sasktel.net in advance of the hearing.

Issued in the Village of Avonlea this 12th day of December, 2024.

2-18X infrared heater that administration would acquire through requests for quotes.

Also, administration must establish and communicate measurable performance indicators for pothole and excavation repairs by May 1 and must report the results of those indicators and efforts to recycle asphalt by Q4 2025.

Both machines will be funded through the sale of other equipment.

Potholes, potholes, potholes

City crews fill 5,000 to 8,000 potholes annually, and while they complete this work year-round, they are limited by snow cover on roads and the availability of hot-mix asphalt, a council report said.

In 2024, crews filled more than 5,100 potholes, completed 86 excavations and other significant repairs, and performed limited rehabilitation on the Thunderbird Viaduct, the report continued. Crews used 1,822 tonnes of hot-mix asphalt during this year’s construction season, while from January to April, they filled — albeit temporarily — 1,083 potholes using 250 tonnes of cold mix.

The machines

An asphalt recycler heats and remixes recycled or reclaimed milled asphalt, allowing crews to apply the material on roads, and with the unit trailer-pulled, crews can take it to sites and deliver 3.6 tonnes per hour when fully operational, the report said.

This machine would allow the city to produce asphalt for $24 per tonne instead of $145 per tonne, produce asphalt to reflect scheduling and quantity needs year-round and reuse recycled material.

In 2024, the city used 2,072 tonnes of hot- and coldmix asphalt for roughly $300,440. Meanwhile, it retained roughly 10,000 tonnes of milled and reclaimed asphalt from road renewal projects that it can use in the future.

Meanwhile, an infrared heater quickly and safely heats existing asphalt, resulting in hot, reworkable, dry and clean asphalt that ensures the new asphalt can adhere to the pavement down to 5 C, the document continued.

“Reheating existing asphalt will minimize the need for new material and significantly improve the quality of work that roadways can deliver,” the report added.

Administration comments

“Basically, we’re running our own mobile (heating)

plant … . We’re able to create our own supply. That can be fed from the recycler direct to the ground or from the recycler to our pothole trucks,” said Bevan Harlton, director of operations. “And — barring snow — (we’re) closing off that six-month period where we don’t have the plant online.”

Harlton agreed that using an infrared heater made it easier to apply stronger, longer-lasting patches that could be applied earlier in the year.

Meanwhile, staff would undergo significant training to use it safely since this was new equipment. However, Harlton was unsure whether the machine could be used on the Thunderbird Viaduct because it weighed 9,950 pounds, while the bridge had a 10-ton limit.

Council’s comments

Coun. Dawn Luhning questioned the number of potholes crews filled this year, whether city hall knew if those repairs were effective and whether it was following up on complaints generated throughout the year. In light of the number of potholes filled, she also expressed frustration about an attempt she made in June 2023 — but failed to pass — to have the city hire a contractor to repair more of the pavement divots.

Harlton replied that the municipality hired a contractor this year to provide supplementary road repairs.

“With ratepayers, it doesn’t matter what caused the hole in the road. They want it fixed,” he said. “So that’s something we will continue into next year.”

Harlton added that his department could bring forward a report about how it assesses roads and key performance indicators (KPIs) used to repair roads.

Coun. Chris Warren appreciated that administration was using new technology to enhance service levels and was using recyclable material, considering residents were “super interested in road repairs.” He also appreciated hearing that administration may use KPIs to prioritize where repairs occur, how many potholes are filled annually, the amount of tonnage used and repair timelines.

“We all know some of the benefits (using KPIs for road repairs),” he said, such as communicating priorities to staff and citizens, measuring results, identifying challenges, gaps or successes and using data to make better decisions.

Jason G. Antonio - MooseJawToday.com

All city council members now know the boards, committees and commissions on which they will serve during the next few years as part of their responsibilities to connect with the community.

During the Dec. 16 regular council meeting, the following appointments were made starting immediately and ending in 2025, 2026 or 2028, and/or until a successor is appointed:

• Mayor James Murdock to the youth advisory committee from Jan. 1, 2025 to June 30, 2025, and the investment committee from Jan. 1, 2025, to Nov. 30, 2028

31, 2025

• Coun. Heather Eby to the community cleanup committee, heritage advisory committee, public art committee and Moose Jaw Public Library board from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2025, and the Palliser Regional Library board from Jan. 1, 2025, to Dec. 31, 2026

• Coun. Patrick Boyle to the Downtown Moose Jaw Association, Tourism Moose Jaw and Board of Police Commissioners from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2025, and to the investment committee from Jan. 1, 2025, to Nov. 30, 2028

Signed:_______________________________

Jaimie Paranuik, Administrator, RM #100 Phone: 306-868-2221 Email: rm.100@sasktel.net

• Coun. Jamey Logan to the accessible community advisory committee, the public works, infrastructure and environment advisory committee, the Moose Jaw River Watershed Stewards, the Humane Society, the Board of Police Commissioners and the South Central Transportation Committee from Jan. 1 to Dec. 1, 2025

• Coun. Dawn Luhning to the investment committee from Jan. 1, 2025, to Nov. 30, 2028, and the Exhibition Association board from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2025

• Coun. Christ Warren to the Moose Jaw Centre for the Arts (formerly the Cultural Centre), the Moose Jaw Museum and Art Gallery and the Wakamow Valley Authority from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2025 Moose

• Coun. Carla Delaurier to the parks, recreation and facilities advisory committee and the Community-Based Coalition of Moose Jaw from Jan. 1 to Dec.

CITY HALL COUNCIL NOTES

THE NEXT REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING IS MONDAY, JAN. 13, 2025.

City council has updated its winter maintenance policy, which — among other changes — will see three new streets added to priority 2 clearing routes and an enhanced focus on customer service.

During its Dec. 16 executive committee meeting, council approved several recommendations:

• No. 1: Adopting an improved communications plan and adding Thunderbird Viaduct, Fourth Avenue Southwest from Lillooet Street to Home Street, and the north end of First Avenue Northwest as priority 2 snow clearing and hauling routes

• No. 2: Rejecting all other changes that city administration suggested

• No. 3: Having administration establish and communicate key performance indicators (KPIs) for all priorities outlined in the winter maintenance policy

• No. 4: Ordering administration to take immediate actions to meet the commitments in the policy

• No. 5: Having administration report on the results of the 2024-25 winter maintenance priorities and KPIs to executive committee in September 2025

• No. 6: Ordering administration to report to the executive committee in September 2025 on options to implement an enhanced winter maintenance policy, with some options including prioritizing roads, considering environmental conditions and snow accumulations that would trigger clearing activities, plowing roads, plowing sidewalks, plowing alleys, applying ice control on roads, removing snow on roads and from around schools, timelines for activity completions, flood mitigation measures during snow melting periods, and developing KPIs for all priorities Council voted on each recommendation separately and adopted them all unanimously, except for No. 2, as

Council’s updated snow clearing policy keeps focus on customer service

Coun. Dawn Luhning was opposed to that recommendation.

These recommendations will become official when council approves the executive committee minutes during a future regular meeting.

Proposed changes

During the meeting, administration presented possible changes that came from a special council meeting council on Nov. 28 to discuss the winter maintenance policy, a council report said. This was in response to two consecutive snowstorms with above-average precipitation that month that “tested the capabilities” of city hall’s existing resources.

Of the proposed changes, notable ones included not clearing on-street parking stalls or removing windrows from in front of driveways so crews could work more quickly.

Council discussion

Coun. Chris Warren, who introduced the motions, said council was “in this together” with providing good service to residents. However, he wanted council to review the policy “more holistically” so the community could see that it was improving snow maintenance efforts.

The multi-part motion contained many items, but Warren noted that he focused on a few items that administration suggested so everyone could see immediate enhancements with existing equipment. Moreover, he wanted council to adhere to the policy that a previous council adopted in 2019.

“Back in 2019, we did increase the budget (by roughly $300,000) to ensure we had the dollars and resources to meet those conditions in the policy,” he said. “Four years later, I would expect we can do that.”

The KPIs would help council and administration

when reviewing snow-clearing results in the fall to ensure the city met clearance timelines, what it needed to address winter conditions and where gaps existed, said Warren.

“I can appreciate adding three locations to the priority map will impact (clearing) timelines, but I would expect to see results and conversations around that … next year,” he added. “And I fully expect that if adding locations increases timelines, and if we want to meet those timelines, then we’ll need to add resources.”

In response, city manager Maryse Carmichael said it was unlikely that Moose Jaw had had back-to-back blizzards since 2019 or similar snow accumulation levels. She pointed out that city hall was unable to fulfill the policy’s snow-clearance timelines because it couldn’t respond on time.

Coun. Heather Eby liked how the recommendations took a measured approach to changing the policy and hoped to see changes in the future. Furthermore, she also appreciated the 2019 policy since people noticed a difference in snow-clearing services.

“This is a better way for us go at it instead of making a bunch of changes in the winter that people were not going to appreciate,” she added.

Coun. Carla Delaurier expressed concern about how the city went into winter without having the equipment it required to clear snow. She thought council needed to review the resources it was providing departments so they could be successful.

Luhning said she disagreed with rejecting all of administration’s other recommendations since council needed to consider all changes if it wanted to see snow-clearing activities improve. Moreover, she thought the city could conduct a pilot project of leaving windrows on some streets and seeing how that worked.

Former councillors Froese, Blanc and Robinson honoured with plaques

City council has recognized three former city councillors for their time, efforts and contributions to help build up Moose Jaw and make life better for residents.

At the start of council’s Dec. 16 regular meeting, Mayor James Murdock honoured Crystal Froese, Doug Blanc and Kim Robinson by presenting them with their former desk nameplates that had been put into a frame.

Froese and Blanc were on hand to receive their framed nameplates, while Robinson did not attend.

“Your contributions have helped shape our community and we are grateful for your commitment and leadership. Thank you for your service to our city,” Murdock said.

Froese, Blanc and Robinson were defeated during the 2024 municipal election in November.

Blanc — looking to secure his second term as a councillor — came in eighth place with 2,232 votes.

Froese and Robinson both ran for the mayor’s chair and lost to Murdock. Froese finished second in that race with 1,439 votes, while Robinson received 494 ballots. Others who also ran and lost in the mayor’s race were incumbent mayor Clive Tolley with 601 votes and Mike Simpkins with 571 votes.

Froese had sat on council for several terms, while Robinson — like Blanc — first joined council as a councillor during the 2020 municipal election.

Roughly 32 per cent of eligible voters — or about one in three people — turned out for this year’s municipal election in Moose Jaw, which was an increase of almost 10 per cent compared to 2020.

The total number of ballots cast was 8,761, with 21 ballots blank voted and 134 ballots over voted, leaving

Jason G. Antonio - MooseJawToday.com

8,606 legitimate ballots. The municipality had estimated there were 27,264 eligible voters this year.

Therefore, based on the total number of ballots cast, 32.14 per cent of all eligible voters participated in the 2024 civic election.

According to data from city hall, this year’s voter turnout is the second lowest in the past five municipal elections.

In 2020, 22.4 per cent of the electorate voted; 41 per cent cast a ballot in 2016; 38 per cent voted in 2012; 39.6 per cent cast a ballot in 2009; and 42.5 per cent voted in 2006.

Meanwhile, 3,061 voters cast ballots during the ad-

vance polls that city hall held a week before the 2024 election. This is 987 more than in 2020 and 1,837 more than in 2016.

Mayor James Murdock presents former city councillor Crystal Froese with a framed nameplate from her council table position in honour of her service to residents. Photo by Jason G. Antonio
Mayor James Murdock presents former city councillor Doug Blanc with a framed nameplate from his council table position in honour of his service to residents. Photo by Jason G. Antonio

CITY HALL COUNCIL NOTES

THE NEXT REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING IS MONDAY, JAN. 13, 2025. Drugs, homelessness, the downtown, potholes and crime are some issues on residents’ minds, according to results from a survey that city hall conducted as part of its 2025 budget preparations.

The “Priorities and Potential Survey” was open from Sept. 9 to 29 and received 700 responses — about 2.1 per cent of Moose Jaw’s population — which was 235 more responses than last year, according to a Dec. 16 city council report.

In 2023, 465 people responded to the survey, while 396 responded in 2022 and 476 responded in 2021.

Based on the demographic questions, the “typical” survey respondent was female, over age 35, had lived in Moose Jaw for more than 15 years, worked full time, was a non-business owner, had income over $100,000 and had no children, the report said.

Quality of life

When asked to rate their overall quality of life today, 52.07 per cent of respondents expressed a satisfactory opinion — excellent, good or fair — of living in Moose Jaw, the data showed. However, 41.34 per cent said life could be better and 6.58 per cent said life was terrible.

During the past three years, 29.99 per cent said life had improved greatly, slightly improved or stayed the same, while 67.58 per cent said life had become slightly worse or much worse.

Satisfaction with city services

The categories of services that respondents were most pleased with — from fair to good to excellent — were:

• Parks and recreation venues and programming: 80.06 per cent and 80.23 per cent, respectively

• Permitting and licensing: 76.27

• Website and city app: 75.94 per cent

• Accessibility: 74.85 per cent

• Waste/recycling collection: 68.05 per cent

• Green space maintenance/beautification: 61.66 per cent

• Bylaw services: 60.54 per cent

• Water and sewer: 56.61 per cent

• Transportation: 56.23 per cent

• Customer service: 55.98 per cent

• Road repair/maintenance: 18.03 per cent; 81.97 per

PUBLIC NOTICE

Public notice is hereby given that the Council of the TOWN OF PENSE intends to adopt a bylaw under The Planning and Development Act, 2007 to amend Bylaw No. 2/2023 known as the Zoning Bylaw.

INTENT

The proposed bylaw will add clarity to site development regulations for duplexes and semi-detached dwellings

AFFECTED LAND

The a ected land is all Districts that permit Duplexes or Semi-Detached dwellings within the legal municipal boundaries of the Town of Pense.

REASON

The reason for the amendment is to provide for clarity to minimum and maximum site area development regulations for duplexes and semi-detached dwellings and to accommodate preexisting duplexes and semi-detached dwelling units that require separate title.

PUBLIC INSPECTION

Any person may inspect the bylaw at the municipal o ce at 243 Brunswick Street Pense, SK between 9:00 am to 4:00 PM on M, T, T, F, excluding statutory holidays. Copies are available at cost.

PUBLIC HEARING

Council will hold a public hearing on January 15, 2025, at 7:00 PM at Town Council Chambers, 243 Brunswick Street Pense, SK to hear any person or group that wants to comment on the proposed bylaw. Council will also consider written comments received at the hearing or delivered to the undersigned at the municipal o ce before the hearing.

Issued at the Town of Pense this December 12, 2024

Jennifer Lendvay Administrator

Drugs, homelessness, potholes, crime some main issues for residents, survey says

cent of people said this area was poor or below average

Overall, when asked how satisfied people were with the total quality of services they receive, 35.82 per cent were positive, 17.05 per cent were neutral, and 47.13 per cent were negative, the report said.

Ranked questions

A new feature in this year’s survey was city hall asked people to rank questions from 1 to 7 about affordability, housing, safety and accessibility.

Results showed that 38 per cent were satisfied with the affordability of living here, 48 per cent were satisfied with their housing situation, 34 per cent were satisfied that Moose Jaw was safe and 42 per cent said Moose Jaw was accessible.

On a deeper level, 86 per cent of people said they had not experienced challenges accessing city venues, while only five per cent — or 38 people — said they had concerns with city hall’s limited in-person hours.

Craig Hemingway, acting director of strategic growth, told council that city administration likely won’t use the new ranking questions next year because very few people moved the on-screen ranking slider. Instead, there were likely more effective ways to ask those questions in the future.

Communications

With communications about services and programs, 326 people said they were very satisfied, satisfied or somewhat satisfied, 190 were neither satisfied or dissatisfied, while 177 were somewhat dissatisfied, dissatisfied or very dissatisfied, the report said.

Furthermore, respondents’ preferred methods of receiving information were social media, the city website, the city app, the mail, the radio, email, the newspaper and other media.

Customer service

Most people who contacted the city phoned, used the city app, visited in person, used another method, emailed, or sent mail, the report said.

Furthermore, 434 people were pleased with the level of service they received, while 230 were displeased.

What people liked most — from fair to good to excellent — about the customer service they received was

the courtesy (75.16 per cent), knowledge (70.18 per cent), helpfulness (63.76 per cent), easy ability to reach the correct department/person (60.83 per cent), timely response (58.94 per cent) and ability to resolve issues (55.54 per cent).

Coun. Dawn Luhning said she knows people who want to contact city hall but lack the technology, while she thought it was interesting that more people called than used the app. She hoped administration could develop a central location for telephone calls so callers weren’t “tossed around from department to department” looking for help.

In response, Hemingway said the highest age demographic to answer the survey was people over age 65, which may explain why more people call than use the app.

Open-ended questions

The survey also asked respondents open-ended questions that let them give written responses, with a “word cloud” visually representing the most common words and phrases.

The topics focusing on quality of life during the past three years, why people feel unsafe, what safety initiative(s) would have a positive effect, the top three issues the city must address, the topics people have called city hall about, the ability to access a building, the most important issue facing Moose Jaw, an initiative or policy to grow the economy and one change to improve quality of life.

Coun. Heather Eby noted that drugs, drug addicts, homelessness, the downtown and Crescent Park were common themes among most word cloud creations. Therefore, during its 2025 budget discussions, council should provide resources to support places like the downtown since many people care about it.

City manager Maryse Carmichael said the responses received this year were similar to last year, while it was helpful to read comments about the areas where residents thought the city could do better.

Carmichael was particularly pleased that only 38 people had issues with city hall’s in-person hours.

City jumps ahead 50 spots in Globe and Mail’s ‘most livable cities’ ranking

Aaron Walker - Moose Jaw Express

The City of Moose Jaw jumped ahead by 50 spots in the Globe and Mail’s latest official ranking of Canada’s most livable cities in 2024.

In its second annual report, the Globe and Mail ranked Moose Jaw at 76 out of 448 listed communities. Moose Jaw was also listed as the third most livable city in the province behind Saskatoon and Regina as of Dec. 12.

“Moose Javians should feel proud about our improved ranking,” announced Mayor James Murdock.

“No city is perfect, but it’s always enlightening to see where we stand when compared to other municipalities. There’s a reason we tell people outside of Moose Jaw that they can ‘Get a Life’ here, and our council and administration are committed to making ‘Canada’s Most Notorious City’ even more livable for all.”

The Globe and Mail’s ranking system is based on an analysis of 50 variables across 10 categories including economy, housing, demographics, health care, safety, education, community, amenities, transportation, and climate.

The Globe and Mail report was first launched in 2023 with the goal of helping its readers discover communities where they are most likely to thrive.

This year’s second iteration of the report included a consideration of climate change effects — brought on by feedback from more than 300 of the publication’s readers — and explored data from Environment and Climate Change Canada to evaluate both current and future conditions expected to unfold over the next 25 years.

Additionally, the consideration of museum and art gallery availability was considered in this year’s report because of similar public feedback.

The latest report credited Moose Jaw’s improved ranking — now up from spot 126 in 2023 — to several factors including higher employment rates and ongoing improvements in areas that include safety, housing, and amenities.

In a highlight of sub-category rankings, the same report also named Moose Jaw as the 13th best city in Canada to raise a family.

By comparison, the top three most livable cities on the list include North Vancouver, B.C. at number one, West Vancouver, B.C. at number two, and Victoria, B.C. at number three, with Regina at number five and Saskatoon at number six.

The full report is available for paid Globe and Mail subscribers at TheGlobeAndMail.com.

Salvation Army’s Teddy Bear Toss raises 1,764 stuffies for children this Christmas

This year’s Teddy Bear Toss tradition held by the Salvation Army in Moose Jaw concluded on a high note with both a Moose Jaw Warrior’s victory and a wonderful evening in support of children this holiday season.

The Teddy Bear Toss brought in 1,764 stuffies and an additional 970 items ranging from socks to baseball caps and assorted clothing on Dec. 6.

“It was a wonderful event,” announced Major Byron Kean, the corps officer of the Salvation Army in Moose Jaw. And yes, the Moose Jaw Warriors did end up winning the night’s game as Rilen Kovacevic scored his second goal of the night to win it 4 — 3 against the Regina Pats in overtime with just 1:31 left on the clock. The win ended Moose Jaw’s fivegame losing streak to improve the team’s record to 7 — 19 — 3 — 1.

All said, the cleanup took around 20 minutes to completely clear the ice and involved three double cab pickup trucks and filled a five-ton truck around three quarters of the way full “from the front to the back.”

“It was a huge, huge event for us, and we want to say thank you to the Warriors organization for arranging that and supporting us in that endeavor,” he said.

“It just provides a lot of comfort to

With its previously stated goal of raising $10,000 already surpassed, the Moose Jaw Express is expanding its 10th annual Salvation Army Christmas stocking campaign skyward and hopes to reach $15,00ae0 before the campaign concludes on Dec. 31.

As of Dec. 19, the current Christmas stocking campaign that Moose Jaw Express initiated after the Times Herald went defunk is sitting at around $12,000, with the campaign still in effect until the end of the month.

a lot of families when you get that many toys and you’re able to bring joy to children’s lives on Christmas morning.”

Now that these cuddly donations have been processed, they’ll be distributed to local families in need and to other local organizations that support children’s causes.

Kean said the Salvation Army also reaches out to support other organizations in need during the holiday season including the Moose Jaw Multicultural Council.

“We did drop off some (of the stuffies) to the hospital for the pediatric ward, just to let them know that we are thinking about them at Christmas time and to

provide them with support,” Major Kean added.

The bulk of the stuffies will go toward the Salvation Army’s own Christmas hamper campaign which is currently underway.

“Just to say it again, thank you to the Moose Jaw Warriors Hockey Club, the fans, and the community for supporting us in that endeavour. We truly, truly appreciate it,” he concluded.

The Salvation Army Thrift Store is located at 175 First Avenue Northeast and can be reached at 306-692-5899.

For more information visit SalvationArmyMooseJaw.ca or ‘The Salvation Army in Moose Jaw’ on Facebook.

PUBLIC NOTICE

Notice

“We’re roughly 80 per cent of the way to our (new) goal for this year,” announced Major Byron Kean, the corps officer for the Salvation Army in Moose Jaw.

The yearly stocking fund raises money for the good works done by the Salvation Army and, as a local non-profit organization with ongoing community involvement throughout the year, there’s always a need for a little additional support.

“Again, we can’t say thank you enough for the tremendous support that we receive all around from all organizations and groups in the city of Moose Jaw,” Major Kean said.

“From the Rotary Club… to (the Moose Jaw Express), and to other organizations and businesses with Canadian Tire in particular for hosting the toy drive this year… we’re so appreciative for all the support that the community gave.”

To participate, residents can bring a cheque or cash donation to the Moose Jaw Express office or phone in a donation with a credit card. All donations go to the Salvation Army. Each donation is documented and the Salvation Army will issue charitable tax receipts to each donor who requests one.

One hundred per cent of proceeds collected by the Express will be forwarded to the Salvation Army.

The Moose Jaw Express office is located at 468 High Street West and is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. For more information or to inquire about

call

Volunteers help clean up the last remaining teddy bears after the Teddy Bear Toss at the Moose Jaw Events Centre on Dec. 6. Photo by: The Salvation Army in Moose Jaw
One of the three fully stocked pickup trucks that hauled stuffies from the Teddy Bear Toss after the Warriors game on Dec. 6. Photo by: The Salvation Army in Moose Jaw

Hallmark Christmas movies cause pleasant bickering

Those Hallmark Movies at Christmas have been a matter of contention in our house for years.

My partner/wife loves this form of escapism where everything turns delightful at the end.

On the other hand Yours Truly finds them too predictable with simple repeated shallow plots for most of them.

The series of standard plots vary little with the successful career girl coming home from the big city for Christmas and falling in love during five days with a local guy she perhaps once dated.

Or the plot twists with a successful fellow coming home for Christmas and falling in love with an old school friend.

Almost always there is a skating scene with one person unable to skate well and other supporting. There are standard scenes with the Christmas tree hunt, decorating trees and making Christmas cookies.

One shouldn’t forget the daughter trying to save the family store or bakery from closure or a big bad developer’s plans.

This year one of the first Hallmarks Christmas movies had a different theme — two young people from different cultures were getting married and nearly broke up when

the parents argued over family Christmas traditions.

The parents just had to cut the apron strings and let go of some adopted traditions.

But the one movie that really caught my attention was the Sugar Plum Twist, a movie featuring a fairy called Sue Garplum who made the greatest Christmas for a family of four.

The mother wanted her own version of a perfect Christmas and to re-connect the family. Her husband was always working, the son was bullied at school, and the daughter wanted, of all things, to be a musician.

While Sue Garplum made everything turn out okay as all Hallmark movies end she also twisted the knife on the simple Hallmark movie plots.

In numerous scenes she remarked “that would make a Hallmark movie,” while grinning slyly.

This movie was making fun of the Hallmark repetitive simple plots mostly filmed in Canada

A sub plot on Sugar Plum Twists revived an old Hallmark plot about the young woman struggling to keep the old family resorts open facing off with the big city developer, eventually swooning in love with him.

In the end they always fall in love and compromise,

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.

keeping the old resort open along with a new one.

By this time my readers may wonder how I know so much about these movies I dislike. I watch them with my partner/wife because I like hanging out with her.

We saw a news item the other night pointing out that Netflix has adopted the successful Hallmark formula with one big difference. The Netflix “Hallmarks” are a bit raunchy and less discreet about showing male muscular chests, cleavage and skin.

Not being a public cable network Netflix can do what it wants. Look for nudity next year.

Hope you have a good Christmas and the best in 2O25. May your life be like a Hallmark movie.

Ron Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net

Santa and Blue Whale Financial bring Christmas dinner to St. Agnes School

The week before Christmas break ended on a high note for students at St. Anges School as the team at Blue Whale Financial treated them to a festive holiday dinner and invited a special guest on Dec. 18.

“Every year for the past 10 years we have picked a community school to take a hot turkey lunch for Christmas and give back to the community and to the kids,” announced Kelly Binner, an advisor with Blue Whale Financial.

“It just means the world to us that we’re able to do this, and that the schools embrace us… To see the looks on the faces of the kids when they get their dinner and when they see Santa — that’s what means the most to us.”

The tradition began when a teacher at Empire School shared how some of her students were unable to enjoy a traditional Christmas dinner. Moved by this, the company started the program to ensure every child could experience the joy of a festive holiday meal.

The company selects one alternating school from the Holy Trinity Catholic School Division and Prairie South School

Division to host the event, with Empire School being the last selection in 2023.

Once students lined up and received their meals, excitement filled the air when Santa arrived and greeted them with high fives before handing out water bottles with his team.

Justin Clewis, the principal at St. Agnes, said he was more than happy to accept the offer when Blue Whale asked if he’d host the event this year. “How do you say no to that?” he said.

The dinner, Clewis said, was the perfect way to cap off the week for students at St. Agnes. The school celebrated a full week starting with a school luncheon on Dec. 16 where 33 members of the school’s choir delivered a heartfelt performance. On Dec. 17, Larry and Dianne Hellings visited the school to set up their Christmas store — after an earlier visit to Prince Arthur School on Dec. 12 — allowing students to shop for and wrap Christmas gifts right in the school’s gymnasium.

“They (the Hellings) deserve an awful lot of recognition… (for) what they do,”

Clewis added.

After the feast, the school held its Christmas concert later that evening to wrap up the week.

“We’ve got the Christmas spirit in full effect,” Clewis said. “It’s been a great week.”

The meal was provided courtesy of Super Meats Catering and Safeway provided the marble cake for dessert. “They do a fantastic job, and we couldn’t do it without them,” Binner said about the catering business.

“Our management team came out from Regina to be with us today… because it means so much to us to be able to do this for our community,” she said. “I’m really thankful that everybody is so giving at this time of year, and (we) leave with a tear in our eyes every year.”

Clewis added a message of thanks for the team at Blue Whale Financial. “These kids are definitely an appreciative group,” he said. “And yeah, we can’t thank Blue Whale Financial enough.”

Blue Whale Financial has been a proud member of the community for over 20 years and operates with the mission of giving back. Blue Whale supported the Moose Jaw Hospital Foundation when the new Dr. F.H. Wigmore Regional Hospital was being built, and has supported Hunger in Moose Jaw, the Red Cross, and the YMCA.

For more information call 306-6933088, visit Web.Sunlife.ca/Blue-WhaleFinancial-Solutions-Inc, or follow ‘Blue Whale Financial Solutions Inc.’ on Facebook.

Aaron Walker - Moose Jaw Express
Members of the Blue Whale Financial team serve Christmas dinner to students at St. Agnes School on Dec. 18. Photo by: Aaron Walker
Santa visits students at St. Agnes School on Dec. 18. Photo by: Aaron Walker
Santa visits students at St. Agnes School on Dec. 18. Photo by: Aaron Walker
Staff from Blue Whale Financial Solutions Inc. served food to students at St. Agnes School as part of its annual Christmas lunch program. Justin Clewis, the principal of St. Agnes, is on the right. Photo by: Blue Whale Financial Solutions Inc.
Santa visits students at St. Agnes School on Dec. 18. Photo by: Aaron Walker
Santa visits students at St. Agnes School on Dec. 18. Photo by: Aaron Walker

Newly independent South Hill Gas station renews vow to keep prices low

One South Hill gas station has made the decision to go independent so that it can continue to offer the best possible price of fuel for its customers this December.

The South Hill Esso — now known as South Hill Gas — has been owned by co-owners Mohammed Malik and Abdul for three years now and the decision to go independent was finalized on Dec. 16.

“We just love local, and that’s one of the basic reasons why we decided to be independent,” announced Abdul, one of the gas station’s co-owners. “And it’s because we are independent that we will be able to put all those things (including lower gas prices) in proper shape.”

South Hill Gas maintains a diverse staff of around six employees and will continue to maintain its usual range of products and services including fuel, automotive products, snacks, and — free coffee with every visit, of course.

“We want to maintain the prices (that our customers are used to) so people with-

in… and outside the community who are coming to get gas from us are happy,” he said.

“When they are happy, we are also happy, and we want to be extremely local and be part of the community.”

Abdul said the decision to go independent wasn’t met with any hard feelings on behalf of the Esso brand or Moose Jaw’s former local franchisees. “It was just a mutual agreement with both of us, and it went on perfectly,” he explained.

One possible concern among the gas station’s regular customers is whether or not they can continue to collect or use their Esso reward points at the newly independent location.

“We don’t deal with points, but when you look at the difference in the prices at our gas station, you get a lot of money back,” he noted. “Let me give you an instance: if you buy $100 worth of gas from us, you might get up to, like, $7 back. You can’t get that amount back in points.

“If there’s any way to drop (the price of gas) down from what we’re selling at now, we’re going to do that,” he added. “That, I want to assure you.”

The location’s gas prices are apparently so low on average that some critics claim the new owners are selling a diluted or low-grade fuel product. Abdul responded to the claim stating that he doesn’t sell “fake gas” and pointed out that tampering with the fuel product is against the law.

The station’s lower gas prices don’t mean lower quality. They offer the same high-quality fuel as before, but as an independent business they can now adjust profits and budgets more flexibly than franchises.

Abdul denies going independent due to pricing demands or limitations from Esso, but some customers maintain that he went independent to do the right thing and keep prices affordable.

The newly independent business is also seeking a partner for a unique career

opportunity to help reopen its onsite automotive shop. Although they cannot offer automotive services at this time, Abdul hopes to resume services with the right individual.

“If I find someone who is qualified to do that kind of stuff, and then at the same time is highly committed to his own and to our business, then fine — we should sit down,” Abdul confirmed.

In the meantime, everyone’s welcome to stop by to fuel up and have a free cup of coffee.

“Merry Christmas to our customers, and a Happy New Year,” Abdul said. “We love them, and we’re happy having them. We have free coffee too,” he happily added.

South Hill Gas is located at 405 Ninth Avenue Southwest and can be reached at 306-692-7212. The store is open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays and from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekends.

New Christmas tree campaign donates 16 fully decorated trees for families this holiday season

In the spirit of the season, two local businesses came together to collect and donate 16 fully decorated trees for families who would otherwise not have had the chance to set one up in their home this Christmas.

The project, called “Christmas Trees for Families in Need,” was the brainchild of Laurie Hysuick, owner of Mitny Refillery, and Kari Hamilton, owner of Hamilton Ag Bookkeeping.

These trees were first requested in mid-late October and — although the original plan called for all trees to be donated by Nov. 15 and distributed by Nov. 25 — the campaign was extended slightly with all trees fully distributed by Dec. 6.

“We had a really good response,” announced Kari Hamilton, owner of Hamilton Ag Bookkeeping, after reviewing the results of the charitable campaign’s first year.

The project collected new or gently used artificial trees and decorations to provide a fully decorated tree to families who might not otherwise be able to afford one this Christmas. Volunteers decorated the donated trees at the old train station where Mitny Refillery is located and the duo worked closely with the Moose Jaw Police Service, schools, and churches to ensure the trees were delivered to deserving families.

Once completely decorated and ready

to go, Hamilton and Hysuick reached out to local elementary schools, the Moose Jaw Transition House, and similar organizations so they could be distributed to deserving families.

Local businesses were invited to help support the project and, in exchange for any donations, they received recognition for their act of generosity.

The idea for the project came after Hysuick and Hamilton learned about a successful analogue campaign in Swift Current that saw a reasonable amount of success. “She (the lady in Swift Current) does like 15 trees, and it’s well received… that’s kind of where we got the idea from,” Hamilton said.

Due to the project being a new enterprise, the two ladies found themselves doing most of the work by themselves with one volunteer happily providing assistance. The task involved setting up each of the 16 trees, fully decorating them, and distributing them to schools and local organizations as needed.

“Christmas trees are kind of big — I forgot about that,” Hamilton said with a laugh as she recalled the somewhat tedious — albeit wholesome — tree preparation this fall.

The campaign did originally put a call out for local businesses to get involved in the campaign, but Hamilton noted that the

vast majority of campaign participants were ordinary citizens. Two exceptions were the Moose Jaw Events Centre and Bre’s Boutique in Swift Current — the owner of which is originally from Moose Jaw and continues to maintain lots of contacts and work in the community — who each donated a fully decorated tree.

With a successful first run now completed, Hamilton said she’s on board with the idea of running the Christmas tree

campaign again in 2025.

Hamilton Ag Bookkeeping is located at 109 Dahlia Crescent and can be reached at 306-690-7112. For more information visit HamiltonAgBooks.com. Mitny Refillery is located inside Moose Jaw’s old downtown train station at 5 Manitoba Street East and can be reached at 306-694-6330. For more information, visit MitnyRefillery.ca.

Aaron Walker - Moose Jaw Express
Kari Hamilton (pictured) stands at the entrance to Mitny Refillery with numerous Christmas tree donations that she and Laurie Hysuick collected for deserving families this year. Photo by: Kari Hamilton/Facebook

Toilers Senior Boys Take Round One Versus Cyclones

The temperature was falling outside but Central Collegiate’s gym was the exact opposite as the hottest rivalry in the Moose Jaw city basketball league was boiling over.

And after the final buzzer and the smoke had cleared the Peacock Toilers senior boys basketball team had defeated the Central Cyclones 74 - 65.

It was a highly talented and wellcoached Toilers team that saw the Cyclones fall short Cyclones head coach Barry Seaborn said.

The game started out in a flurry and it was the matter of inches and missed rebounds which saw the Toilers take the First Quarter lead 22 - 17.

The Cyclones battled back in the Second Quarter eating into the Toilers lead. The score at Half Time was Toilers 36 and Cyclones 35.

The Toilers had a slight change in momentum in the Third Quarter in aggressive physical play and more than often control of the backboard.

Additionally the Cyclones missed passes in a couple of the set plays they had practiced on.

The score at the quarter’s end was Toilers 50 and Cyclones 46.

The Final Score was Toilers 74 and Cyclones 64.

Seaborn said the outcome of the game left a lot to be desired with the Cyclones in some areas needing work at practice.

Over the Christmas break he’s hoping in getting some practice in to work on deficiencies which came up during the game last Tuesday.

The Cyclones had adopted a strate-

gy to keep Toilers’ Makungu Mutabazi in check by assigning a player to stick close to him at all times - irregardless of what was happening on the court.

The strategy helped to keep Mutabazi in check but it also allowed the rest of the Toilers’ talent to make a major impact.

“There is more than one player on the team,” Toilers head coach Troy Setter said.

“Central did a great job on Makungu. We knew they were going to D him up really good but we had other guys out there making the plays they needed to make,” Setter said.

“They know what Makungu brings but we have other guys that are willing to step up this year and that’s what we need,” he said. “We need a team to win we don’t need one player to win.”

Setter said the game lived up to its hype and the overflow crowd that came to the Central’s “Pack the Gym” night.

“It’s a typical Central and Peacock game. Both teams battled hard. It was right from the start both teams were giving her,” he said.

About the win Setter said “it definitely feels better going out on a win rather than a loss at the break.”

Setter said it was the Toilers defence that turned the game in their favour.

“Central is a high octane team. They can score a lot of points. They missed some shots they are going to make the next time we play…we know our work is cut out for us (the next time we meet).”

“We know the defensive effort we have put in has got to be better the next time we meet,” he said.

The Toilers are developing well and the coaching staff is happy Setter said.

“The boys have bought into everything we taught them. They are working hard and that’s all we wanted. As long as they keep up that we’re happy,” he said.

https://www.mjindependent.com/ sports/2024/12/17/27cfqbqs883x3n83ljkxp51b93rad8

Cyclones Use Size And Long Bench To Defeat Toilers

Dominant starters that weren’t afraid to push around their size saw the Central Cyclones senior girls basketball team defeat the Peacock Toilers 63 - 43 last Tuesday evening.

The win helps maintain the Cyclones unbeaten record to to 2 - 0 while the Toilers fall to 0 - 2 as the season takes its Christmas break.

As part of the “Pack The Gym Night” the Cyclones had a moderate overflow crowd for the game.

The First Quarter saw the Cyclones take an 18 - 10 lead over the Toilers.

The Cyclones starting roster were able to move the ball up the court efficiently.

Standouts in moving the ball up court were Ellah Flanagan, Shaylan Constable and Addie Simpson.

The push for baskets, battling for rebounds and layups was taken on by the Cyclones Mykenzie Shymko.

The Second Quarter saw the Cyclones take a 36 - 18 lead over the Toilers at the ten minute break.

The Third Quarter saw the Cyclones take a 50 - 35 lead over the Toilers.

The Final Score was Cyclones 63 and the Toilers 43.

For the Toilers - who are already running a short bench - the loss of two players to injuries plus fouls taken by key players were a major factor in their game. Fatigue.

“I think we had kind of a busy last two weeks and we are a bit tired. We have a couple of injuries that would really help us be a bit better this time (out),” grade twelve player Mattaya Coupland said.

“We got into a bit of a foul trouble in the first half so some of our biggest scorers couldn’t be out on the floor for a bit so it all added up,” Coupland said.

The Christmas break is welcomed she said to allow the team to get healthy.

“I think next time we will give them more of a run for their money after Christmas when we get all of our players back,” she said.

Due to the short bench and foul problems Coupland saw herself playing a large portion of the game where her fatigue was obvious at times.

“I worked hard and that is all that matters.”

The Toilers are a work in progress head co-coach Brendan Fedoski said.

“We’re always working. It’s early in the season yet. We came up through two really tough tournaments. We haven’t had a really good hard practice in a couple of weeks. So we’re looking forward towards a little bit of a break here,” Fedoski said.

“We are stuck with three injuries this week so this break is much needed,” he said.

Head coach Tanya McLean said, “(Everything went well) with how we played tonight for sure but there is always things to work on,; it’s great to get a win against Peacock always.

ing five had a good game. We did a good job tonight.”

While the Toilers may need the time afforded by the Christmas break to get healthy McLean said the break was not as welcomed by the Cyclones.

“We’ll take some time to do some practicing,” she said.

Fouls remain a problematic sore point for the Cyclones, she said.

https://www.mjindependent.com/ sports/2024/12/17/vggf1ed15t34oiw5jdbzp2b30l9hnl

“We have got a good team…our start-

Can you find the hidden words? They may be horizontal, vertical, diagonal, forwards or backwards.

Sudoku #5 - Challenging

ABOVE, ACTUAL, AUDIO, AWFUL, CALCULATION, CAPACITY DETRIMENTAL, ENTIRE, EVENT, FIRST, FLOWN, HELP, IMAGE, INSANE, INVOLVE, LAYER, MISTAKE, MONEY, MORON, NEURON, PHASE, PROFITABLE, QUOTA, RAPID, RESPONSIBLE, SEARCH, SOAR, SPOUT, TOPIC, TRIP, UPPER, WEIGHT, WORTH, WRONG

Fill in the blank squares so that each row, each column and each 3-by-3 block contain all of the digits 1 thru 9.

If you use logic you can solve the puzzle without guesswork. Need a little help? The hints page shows a logical order to solve the puzzle. Use it to identify the next square you should solve. Or use the answers page if you really get stuck.

ACROSS 1. Cheat 5. Quibbles 10. Scheme 14. Anagram of “Root” 15. Underway 16. 60 minutes 17. Primary 19. Thorny flower

Bowling target

Fragrance

Garbage

Disperse

Lift

Not him

Fragrant flower

Escapade

Balm ingredient

Be aware of

Heads (slang)

Noncommissioned officer

Guest inviters

46. Cut in thirds 50. Brown ermine

52. Monetary units of Serbia 54. Sheep sound 55. Boast 56. Instructions 58. Being 59. Bay window

Level

Cry of glee

Josh 63. Period of discounted prices DOWN 1. Stairs 2. Infant’s illness 3. Sporting venue

Mother 5. Any malignant growth

Not before

Horse color 8. Any likeness of individuals 9. Hog’s home

Sentence

Slackening

Depose 13. Tall woody plant

18. Aromatic compound

22. Not narrow

24. You (archaic)

26. Curve

28. Pig sound

29. Put ____ words

30. Any minute

31. Tins

32. Away from the wind

33. One-time charitable home

34. Happen

37. Suckling spot

38. Anagram of “Soak”

40. Superlative

41. Midsection

43. A small chin beard

44. Soothsayer

46. Anagram of “Stere”

47. Deadly virus

48. Artificial waterway

49. Flavor

50. Ragout

51. Nonsense

53. Diva’s solo

56. Tiny circle

57. Possibilities

205 WANTED

Seeking Born Again Christian Business partner with potential ownership in Second Hand and Flea- Market business. Male, Female or Family must be interested in Salvation, Healing and Deliverance Outreach Ministry . Serious enquiries only please. 306-684-1084, 5 pm- 8pm ONLY (because of scam calls) Ice fishing partner wanted. Please call 306692-0800.

I pay cash for unwanted firearms, ammunition, and other firearm related items. Also free pick up of unwanted yard, garden, and acreage equipment, chainsaws, atv’s, snowmobiles, ect. Call of text 306-641-4447.

210 SERVICES

Moving jobs done reasonably: appliances, furniture, dump runs. Call to do it all. $45.00 a load. 306-630-2268

Need work done? Contact Bill at 306-6302268 . Interior/exterior, renovations, formwork, framing, finishing, tiling, painting and all construction, roofing/siding- no job too big or small. Reasonable rates, 30 years experience.

Cleaner with 20 years experience, professional and bondable, please call Rebecca at 306-990-0387

Junk to the dump in and around Moose Jaw, $60 and up. Will pick up, move, haul, and de-

liver any appliances, tvs, furniture, or anything large in and around Moose Jaw, $45 and up. 45-gallon plastic barrels, great for rainwater, $20 each. 1000 Litre plastic totes - $60. Dry cut up firewood 10 - 14” lengths - Split wood$50/row, Not Split - $35/row, one row across truck box. 306-681-8749

160 MISCELLANEOUS

FOR SALE - Sunset Cemetery Last Supper Cremation Plot #212. Asking $1600, open to reasonable offers. Please call 306-693-2003. Collectibles For Sale – NASCAR 1:24 scale stock car models, plus hockey and football figurines. Call 306-631-7698.

135 TOOLS & EQUIPMENT

6 metal poles 14’ x 3” heavy wall steel only $100. each, it’s a steal of a deal. Call 306694-1322.

110 AUTO PARTS

Looking for running or rebuildable Volkswa-

gen air cooled 1300, 1500, or 1600 engine, must have dual port heads. Please call 306526-0016

Get ready for winter! Four Cooper Weather Master tires on rims. 235/55 R18. Rims are from 2013 Taurus. Asking $300 for all 4. Please call 306-692-3282.

190 PETS

Weimaraner puppies for sale. Call 306-6414315.

165 HOUSEHOLD

For sale: double mattress and box spring, $75 OBO, please call 306-631-6928.

for Worship Studies in Florida.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.

Herald

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing is an English Christmas carol from the collection Hymns and Sacred Poems (1739). It is based on Luke 2:13-14, “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased.’” Charles Wesley (1707-1788) wrote Hymn for Christmas Day with the opening lines, “Hark! How all the Welkin (meaning heaven) rings, ‘Glory to the King of Kings.’” George Whitefield (1714-1779) changed the lines to today’s familiar lyric, “Hark! The herald angels sing, ‘Glory to the new-born King.’”

In 1855, William Hayman Cummings adapted a tune from Felix Mendelssohn’s Festgesang (a non-religious cantata) to fit the lyrics of Wesley’s carol. Originally, Charles Wesley used the same tune as his Easter hymn, Christ the Lord is Risen Today

When herald was first used in English, in the

early 14th century, it referred to an official at a Middle Ages tournament for knights. The herald’s duties included making announcements and the marshaling of combatants. Later on, a herald described an officer with the status of ambassador, acting as official messenger between leaders, especially during wartime. Eventually, any messenger bringing official news was called a herald. A herald is also one that precedes or foreshadows someone or something. John the Baptist was a herald for the Christ. Swiftly moving darkening clouds are the heralds of a coming storm.

Herald came into English from the Old French word herault, borrowed from Germanic origins. Herald is a variation on the name Chariovalda, a 1st century leader of a Germanic tribe living in the lower Rhine area. Harold is the modern form of Chariovalda.

The verb herald can mean to announce, to greet with enthusiasm, to publicize, and to signal the approach of something or someone. Hot weather is often heralded by a shift of the wind in the summertime. Doctors in Australia are heralding a new drug for colon cancer. The technology heralded a new age of computer processor speed. The Princess Ball is a highly heralded event in Moose Jaw.

Forerunner, precursor, harbinger, and herald mean one that goes before or announces the coming of another person or thing.

Forerunner is applicable to anything that serves as a sign or presage. The blockade of the main port was a forerunner of the war.

Precursor applies to a person or thing paving the way for the success or accomplishment of another. John Lennon’s group, the Quarrymen, were the precursors of The Beatles.

Harbinger is one that figuratively proclaims or announces the coming or arrival of a notable event. Scoring two touchdowns in the first quarter was a harbinger of the Bill’s win Sunday night.

Optimist Donation

The Friendly City Optimist Club did their yearly donation of toys, games, ect. to the Pediatric Ward at the Dr. F.H. Wigmore Regional Hospital.

The Optimist Mote: “Friend of Youth” is the focus for their yearly project and donations.

Herald announces and proclaims a notable person or event. Sir Alexander Fleming was a herald of a new age of medicine with the discovery of penicillin. Hark! the herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King: peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!” Joyful, all ye nations, rise, join the triumph of the skies; with th’angelic hosts proclaim, “Christ is born in Bethlehem!”

Refrain: Hark! the herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King”

Christ, by highest heaven adored, Christ, the everlasting Lord, late in time behold him come, offspring of the Virgin’s womb: veiled in flesh the Godhead see; hail th’incarnate Deity, pleased with us in flesh to dwell, Jesus, our Immanuel. [Refrain]

Refrain: Hark! the herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King”

Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace! Hail the Sun of Righteousness! Light and life to all he brings, risen with healing in his wings. Mild he lays his glory by, born that we no more may die, born to raise us from the earth, born to give us second birth.

Refrain: Hark! the herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King”

Columnist John Kreutzwieser loves to research words and writes this weekly Word Wisdom column for Moose Jaw Express/MooseJawToday.com. He has an interest in the usage, origin, and relevance of words for society today. Greek and Latin form the basis of many words, with ancient Hebrew shedding light on word usage.

John would like to know if anyone has a sincere interest in a relevant word that he could possibly research for an upcoming column. If so, please send your requests to wordwisdom2021@gmail.com . Words will be selected according to relevance and research criteria. We cannot confirm that all words will be used.

Order of the Eastern Star Installation

Mizpah Chapter #1, Order of the Eastern Star, held their Installation of the 2025 officers, on December 2, 2024. The members continue to support a variety of provincial and local charities.

Our members come from Regina, Swift Current, Drinkwater, Assiniboia, and Moose Jaw.

(l-r back) Cheri Cowan, Barb Webb, Dianne Sanborn, Elain Haaf.

(l-r middle) Maxine Olmsted, Shirley Doherty, Andrea Klassen, Sue Butz, Lynne Moffatt, Amy Moffatt, Lloyd Pethick

(l-r front) Lynann Pethick, Gillian Moffatt, Cheryl Svab (Worthy Patron), Ray Moffatt, Margaret Tatarinoff.

-- Henny Youngman

Rev. Dr. John Kreutzwieser is a retired pastor from Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Moose Jaw, SK. He graduated with a doctorate degree in 2006 from the Robert Webber Institute
Pictured: (l-r) Judy Wicharuk (Nurse Manager); Maddox and Mom; Lynann Pethick (Club Chairperson and President); Bonnie Nelson (RN).
Pictured:

OPINION/COMMENTARY Healthcare Crisis in Saskatchewan – An AI Solution?

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.

There is a Crisis. People often can’t get a medical diagnosis in a timely manner.

Why? There are not enough Clinicians (Physicians and Nurse Practitioners).

Political Solution – hire more Clinicians. Problem –shortage of trained professionals.

Using Artificial Intelligence in one diagnostic area, Medical Imaging, will help.

What is Medical Imaging? “Medical imaging is a technique used to create visual representations of the interior of a body for clinical analysis and medical intervention. It plays a pivotal role in health care, enabling early disease detection, facilitating accurate diagnosis, guiding treatment procedures, and monitoring therapeutic outcomes for patients.” (Jacoby)

Let’s let Artificial Intelligence explain the significance of AI Medical Imaging

The following was ‘written’ by Artificial Intelligence “AI is making significant strides in the field of medical imaging, transforming how we diagnose and treat various health conditions. Here are some key points about its impact:

1 Enhanced Diagnostic Accuracy: AI algorithms can analyze medical images with incredible precision, often detecting patterns and anomalies that might be

missed by human eyes. This can lead to earlier and more accurate diagnoses.

2 Efficiency and Speed: AI can process vast amounts of imaging data much faster than traditional methods, reducing the time needed for diagnosis and allowing healthcare providers to handle larger workloads.

3 Personalized Treatment Plans: By analyzing patientspecific data, AI can help tailor treatment plans to individual needs, improving outcomes and patient satisfaction.

4 Cost Reduction: AI can help reduce healthcare costs by minimizing the need for repeat scans and improving the efficiency of diagnostic processes.

5 Challenges and Considerations: Despite its potential, AI in medical imaging also faces challenges, such as ensuring data quality and avoiding biases in AI models. Rigorous evaluation standards are essential to ensure reliable and accurate results.”

References: 1. www.ucsf.edu, 2. Yahoo Finance, 3. fas. org, 4. Tasnim News Agency

Additional References

A Jacoby, Dana, “The Evolution of Medical Imaging Technology: From X-Rays to AI”, the Vector Group

B Pinto-Coelho, Luis, “How Artificial Intelligence Is Shaping Medical Imaging Technology: A Survey of

Move Over Capone –There’s a New Moose Jaw’s Most Notorious

The World’s Richest Man – Elon Musk has stronger ties to Moose Jaw than any other Canadian City His Maternal Grandmother Grew Up in Moose Jaw –She Attended Central

Moose Jaw claims gangster Al Capone as it’s ‘most notorious’. Capone couldn’t hold a candle to Elon’s notoriety, his wealth, his investments, his arrogance, his rockets, and his adoration of Trump. Who hasn’t heard of Elon Musk? And his Maternal roots are in Moose Jaw!

Elon is the new ‘governmentefficiency wizard’. Since Trump won, they can’t get Elon out of Mar-a-lago.

Like him or not – Elon Musk is Notorious – and Moose Jaw can claim him as their own.

Elon’s maternal Grandmother, Wyn (Fletcher) Haldeman was born and raised in Moose Jaw. She attended Prince Arthur School. She took secretarial training at Central Collegiate, in the days before the construction of Peacock. Elon’s maternal Grandmother worked for the Moose Jaw Times Herald for ten years.

Elon’s maternal Grandfather, a chiropractor, was born in Minnesota and grew up in Herbert, Saskatchewan. The maternal grandfather’s mother, Elon’s Great Grandmother, was the first female Chiropractor in Canada and is buried in Swift Current.

Elon’s maternal Grandparents met in Regina. They were married at the Fletcher home at 911 Chestnut Avenue,

Innovations and Applications”, Bioengineering 2023 Dec 18;10(12):

Medical Imaging: Mammogram Credit: Unknown

Moose Jaw.

Elon’s maternal GreatGrandfather, his grandmother’s dad, operated a lathe and plaster business with his brother when he first arrived in Moose Jaw from England. Later, he opened Fletcher Insurance Agency in the Hammond building and ran it for 25-years.

Elon’s maternal Great Uncle, Elmer Loch, played hockey in Moose Jaw before signing with the Montreal Canadiens. Elmer’s wife was Elon’s Great Aunt; his Grandmother’s older sister.

Elon Musk’s mother was born in Regina.

Elon’s maternal Grandmother, ‘Wyn’ (Fletcher) Haldeman moved back to Canada from South Africa years ago and lived at Canmore, Alberta. She died in 2012 and is buried in Canmore.

Now the questions? Should Moose Jaw take some credit for ‘Notorious Elon’? Shouldn’t Elon replace Al Capone as Moose Jaw’s ‘most notorious’?

Imagine – The Notorious Musk Burger or ‘Elon-grated Fries’ or Elon Rocket Highball?MJ Story Elon Most Notorious 20241101 02 file

As the Bentley Moose Jaw prepares for Santa’s arrival we are working hard decorating and preparing treats. The Management and Sta along with all the residents here at the Bentley Moose Jaw would like to wish everyone a Happy Holiday Season and the best in the upcoming New Year would

UPCOMING EVENTS IN MOOSE JAW

If you would like your notice or event added to this list, contact us at: joan@moosejawexpress.com

The Moose Jaw Art Guild Annual Art Show has officially opened at the MJMAG and will run until the first week of January. For information call 306-631-3148 or 306-692-6667.

Superannuated Teachers of Sask. Moose Jaw Branch LUNCHEON Meetings to Come at the Masonic Hall, Main Street @ 10:30 AM: Wed. Jan 15, 2025/Wed. March 19, 2025/ Wed. May 21, 2025

Lawn Bowling is a sport for all levels of ability. During winter, Moose Jaw Lawn Bowling club invites everyone to try it on the turf at Yara Centre now at @10am - Instruction & play (at your pace) will be available Tues & Thurs mornings@ 10am. For more info phone or text 306-630-8160 or visit www.moosejawlawnbowling. com

Moose Jaw Parkinsons Support Group meet at 1:30 p.m. on the last Monday of the following months: January, February, March, April and May. No meeting in December. Call or text 306 756 2819.

The Prairie Hearts Quilters Guild is held every 1st and 3rd Wednesday at 7 pm at St Andrews Church until May. Learning, comradery, fun challenges, quilting and Community Projects.

New Youth Pipe Band in Moose Jaw “The White Heather” for youth aged 8 to 12. Further information may be obtained by contacting Michelle Carline at mcarline@hotmail. com

The Moose Jaw Stamp Club will resume meeting on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month. The first meeting will be at 6:30pm, in Lindale School staff room, 1322 11th Avenue NW (north entrance). Phone 306693-5705 for information.

Moose Jaw Town N Country Square Dance Assoc. Winter 2024 Program on Monday nights from 7-9pm at St. Mary’s School, 720 – 5th Ave. SW. Dance in a square with family and friends. For information contact Valerie Wright at 306.691.0579. Beginners, singles or doubles welcome!

Scottish Country Dance Classes for all ages on Thursdays at 7pm at 510 Main St. N (T. Eaton Bldg). No partner required. Call Val @306.630.5790.

Nature Moose Jaw will hold their meetings on a once-a-month basis to take place on the third Friday of each month

Church of Our Lady Bingo takes place at the Church of Our Lady Community Centre, 566 Vaughan Street on Tuesday evenings. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. Bingo begins at 7:00 p.m.

Are you struggling with addictions? Do you know someone who is? Or do you want to learn more about overcoming addiction to help others?

Pastor Cory Havanka and his wife Brenda will be offering an in-person, small-group, course that will explore how to overcome addiction that is based on Biblical foundations. For questions - Call or text Cory at 306684-1464 or email

firmfoundationministries.inc@gmail. com Firm Foundation Ministries provides other services as well:-Bible study - Monday evenings at 630 p.m/ Prayer meetings - Wednesday evenings at 7 p.m/Pastoral counselling. Check Facebook or Instagram for updates on services, events, bible study notes and words from the Lord. Nar-Anon Meetings every Monday 7—8pm (Moose Jaw Nar-Anon Family Group) is a twelve-step program for relatives and friends affected by someone else’s drug use and is in-person at Moose Jaw Alliance Church, 14 Neslia Place. Come in Main Doors – Meeting Rm 103. Your anonymity and what you say at meetings will be carefully guarded.

TOASTMASTERS organization provides communication and leadership skill training that fosters confidence building, personal and professional development in a supportive environment. Moose Jaw is home to 2 clubs: TAP and Big Country.

TAP meets on line on Tuesdays@7. TAP club is transitioning to a resource for building environmental awareness.

BIG COUNTRY meets Wednesdays@7 at Saskpolytech & on zoom(hybrid). For information text 306-690-8739

TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) Weight Loss Support Group Meets at the Cosmo Senior Citizen’s Centre, 235 – 3rd Ave. N.E. The group meets every Wednesday morning. Weigh ins are 8-8:45 am. Meeting to follow. . scale weighs up to 350 pounds. Join for friendship and support on your weight loss journey. For more information go to www.tops.org

Moose Jaw Public Library (MJPL), 461 Langdon Cres. Phone 306.692.2787. Visit their website at https://www.moosejawlibrary.ca or visit ASK@MOOSEJAWLIBRARY.CA

Some library programs require registration by calling 306-692-8210 or emailing nsetter@moosejawlibrary.ca

DECEMBER 24, 25 & 26 – CLOSED; DECEMBER 31 - OPEN 9:30 AM TO 1 PM; JANUARY 1 – CLOSED

ADULT PROGRAMMING:

MAGIC THE GATHERING Drop-in program on Saturday, Dec 28 @2pm in Reading Room for ages 13+

HOME VIEWING FOR THE HOLIDAYS Cinematic works for the season Snuggle up by Kanopy’s Festive Fireplace this December and enjoy some jolly cinematic works. To access the merry movies all you need is your library card!

YOUTH PROGRAMMING:

DIGITAL D&D Fridays Time: 4:00 to 6:00 pm Location: MJPL Youth Discord Channel Ages: 16 to 25

Registration required Email youth@ mjlibrary.ca to inquire.

TEEN D&D: SPELL THIEVES

Tuesdays OR Thursdays until Dec 19 @6:30 pm in MJPL Theatre for 1216yrs. Registration required. HOOPLA Offbeat Christmas Looking for something different this holiday season? Check out hoopla’s Offbeat Christmas collection featuring quirky, scary, and unexpected stories.

MOVIE MATINEE Drop-in program on Saturday, December 28 @6:30pm in MJPL Theatre for all ages. Movie: Die Hard (14A)

CHILDREN’S PROGRAMMING :

DAYCARE STORYTIME Drop-in program on Thursdays @10:30 am in Children’s Program Room for 2-5 yrs and their caring daycare providers! No Storytime Dec 26 & Jan 2

PRESCHOOL STORYTIME Drop-in program Wednesdays @10:30 am in Children’s Program Room for 2-5yrs. No Storytime Dec 25 & Jan 1

LITERACY CALENDARS Download December Early Literacy Calendar for infants and pre-school children Download December Children’s Literacy Calendar for elementaryaged children

BABY STORYTIME Drop-in program on Tuesdays @10:30 am in Children’s Program Room for babies up to 2yrs and their caring adults! No Storytime Dec 24 & 31

ELF ON THE LIBRARY SHELF

Self-Guided Activity until December 31 during open hours in Children’s Department for ages up to 12yrs.

The Royal Canadian Legion –Branch 59 Moose Jaw, 268 High St W Moose Jaw Contact: 306-692-5453 Facebook @ ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION-Branch 59 Moose Jaw Instagram: @Royalcanadianlegion59

BINGO – Monday @ 6pm CRIBBAGE –Tuesday @ 1:30 pmPlease sign-in by 1pm MEAT DRAW & CHASE THE ACESaturday @ 3pm - Everyone welcome Legion Money Raffle Draw – Final Draw Dec 21 @1:30pm 3 Early Bird Draws Oct 5 @1:30pm for $1000each. 200 tickets available @$20each. 19+ to purchase tickets. Total retail prize $23,000. Tickets available at Legion. Call office at 306.692.5453 or 306.693.9688 to pay Visa or Mastercard.

Moose Jaw and District Seniors: For more information Call: 306694-4223 or Email: Email: mjsenior@ shaw.ca . The centre is now open Mon-Thurs 8am – 8pm.

Fitness Level & Indoor Walking Track open M-Thurs 8am-8pm and on Fri 8am-4pm

Wood working area – Mon- Fri 8am – 4pm

Timothy Eaton Cafe open Mon-Fri 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Cinnamon Buns on Thursday’s. Tuesday is pie day. Everyone is welcomed. Billiards daily 8a.m. – 4p.m.; Monday & Thursday evenings 4:30 – 8 p.m. Pickle Ball – Monday & Thursday mornings @ 9a.m/Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday afternoons @ 1 p.m./ Monday & Thursday evenings @ 7 p.m./ Weds pickleball @5pm Fitness- Chair/Low Impact Fitness Tuesdays 11:30 & Thursdays @ 1:00 p.m.

Cribbage – Wednesdays @ 1 p.m.; Whist – Tuesday @ 9:30am; Hand & Foot Card Game for Beginners

– Thursday @9:30 am.; Mah Jong

– Wednesday @1 p.m. Beginners is Monday @1pm; 500 Cards – Thursdays @ 1 p.m; Spades – Tuesday and Fridays 1pm ON HOLD

Full Body work out – Monday’s 10am

Scrabble – Monday’s at 1pm

Line Dancing – Tuesdays @ 10 a.m.

Intro to Line Dancing – Wednesday’s @ 11am

Art & Crafts – Monday, Tuesdays & Wednesdays @ 1 p.m.

Floor Shuffleboard – Tuesdays & Thursdays @ 1 p.m.

Paper Tole – Tuesdays @ 1 p.m.

Circle Dancing – Thursday 2:15pm

Nickle Bingo – Fridays @ 1 p.m.

Quilting – Every Friday 9am to 4pm

Lounge – Friday’s from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Jam Sessions – Friday’s 9 a.m.

Texas Hold’em - Thursday @ 6:30pm

Floor Curling – Wednesday and Fridays @1pm

Floor Curling – Wednesday and Fridays @1pm

New to the Centre is BINGO every

Monday at 1:30pm

Cosmo Senior Citizens’ Centre Weekly Activities – 235 3rd Ave. N.E. Phone 306.692.6072 or email cosmo@sasktel.net Check them out on Facebook.

Monday: 9:30am-Pickleball/1pmFloor Shuffleboard/7pm-Camera Club – only on the 2nd Monday of the month

Tuesday: 9:30am-Jam Session/1pmPickleball/7pm-Friendship Bridge/7pm-Beginners Only Pickleball

Wednesday: 8:30am-TOPS/8:30amPickleball/1pm-Floor Shuffleboard Thursday: 10am-Line Dance/1pmPickleball

Friday: 9:00am-Beginner Pickleball/1pm-Regular Pickleball

Saturday, December 21 - Cosmo Social Dance - Len Gadica, 7:30pm - 11:00pm. Cost - $15.00/person includes lunch.

Moose Jaw ANAVETS: Army, Navy & Air Force Veterans Unit #252 – 279 High St. W, Moose Jaw. 306.692.4412 or anaf252@ sasktel.net

Every Wednesday, open 12-6 pm, Smear – Starts at 1 pm

Every Thursday, open 12-7 pm, Smear – Starts at 1 pm, Crib starts Sept. 5th; registration at 1 pm; Crib starts at 1:30 pm. Bring a partner or sign up as a spare.

Every Friday, open 1-10 pm, drop in shuffleboard. Register at 1 pm. Play starts at 1:30 pm. Bring a partner. Drop in pool and darts. Register by 6:30 pm. Play starts at 7 pm. Bring a partner.

Every Saturday, open 1-7 pm. Meat draw starts at 4:30 pm, 10 meat draws, 4 free draws, gift card and 50/50. Everyone welcome. Hall rentals available – book now! Available now! 6th Annual 50/50 Tickets. $10/ticket. Only 1000 tickets sold. Could win up to $5000 if all tickets are sold. Draw date will be in December.

FRATERNAL ORDER OF EAGLES #3395

EVERY THURSDAY: Ladies Auxiliary “Meat Draw” – ticket sales start at 5:30 pm, draws start at 6:00 pm –Meat Draw, 50/50, “Chase the Ace” EVERY SUNDAY: Aerie “Meat Draw” – ticket sales start at 2:30 pm – Meat Draw, 50/50, Mystery Draw, “Chase the Ace”

MONDAY THRU SATURDAY –DROP IN POOL – 1:00 pm to 1:30 start time. Singles and Doubles. Partners draw from those attending to play.

FIRST AND THIRD SUNDAY – Aerie meeting – 11:30 am FIRST AND THIRD TUESDAY –Ladies Auxiliary meeting - 7:00 pm

DROP IN DARTS - Every Wednesday evening and continues until April, 2025 - $2.00 per person, draw for partners, starts at 7:00 pm. DROP IN CRIBBAGE - Every Monday evening and continues until April, 2025 - $2.00 per person, registration between 6:00 pm and 7:00 pm – play starts at 7:00 pm.

NEW YEARS EVE - Great Party time going on in the Eagles Club Lounge with Brandon & Company – bring in the new year right…..Watch for more details.

Western Development Museum; 50 Diefenbaker Drive, Moose Jaw. For more information, visit the museum’s website at WDM.ca/Moose-Jaw. Call 306-693-5989 or email ajones@ wdm.ca

After closing its doors in 2020, the muchloved Burger Cabin is reopening its doors for business after being purchased by two Moose Jaw residents and will offer the same classic menu favourites that locals have cherished for years starting next spring.

The Burger Cabin was purchased by Jamey Logan and his wife, Sheri, and is scheduled to reopen at a date to be announced in April 2025.

“Naturally, like everybody in Moose Jaw, I think we’ve been customers down there forever,” announced Jamey Logan, the seasonal restaurant’s new co-owner and also the owner of Strictly Fences and a second-term Moose Jaw city councillor.

“I always told the owners that when they were ready to sell, we would be willing to purchase,” he said. “And, luckily enough, they reached out to us when they were ready to retire.”

The purchase of the Burger Cabin has now been confirmed and was made through Ottawa Real Estate. After speaking with the restaurant’s former owners, Logan said they were happy to sell the rights to the business name as well, meaning that the popular haunt will still be known as the “Burger Cabin” in future.

The purchase, he explained, also came with the rights to the same recipes so all of the Burger Cabin’s popular menu items are set to return in 2025.

“We’ve been in the food industry off and on for years, and we may tweak a cou-

close permanently back in 2020.

Since then, the cabin has remained in good condition, and Logan said the former owners have done a great job maintaining the structure and applying a fresh coat of paint each season. Aside from some of the kitchen equipment that had been sold or is in need of replacement, everything remains as it once was.

During its history, the popular seasonal hangout has become a commonplace memory for Moose Jaw residents — and that’s something the Logans hope to con-

“For me, you go down there with your parents, or with your kids, and just having

the wildlife around… it’s just such a cool part of Wakamow and to be down there is just so peaceful,” he shared. “I think it brings out the best in everybody (and I want to keep that going).”

In the meantime, the Burger Cab-

in’s new owners plan to replace missing kitchen equipment, upgrade anything that requires it, and they plan to add new fryers and an ice cream machine. “It’s really going to be tip-top by the time we open,” Logan said.

Starting this spring, the cabin is expected to create another 20 to 25 casual summer jobs for summer students.

“The folks that had it before owned it for generations, and I don’t see us going anywhere,” Logan confirmed. “We’ve been waiting to buy that place for a long, long time, and I certainly don’t have any plans to get rid of it anytime soon.

“We’re going to keep it as it is and just tweak it to try and make it a little better — if that’s even possible,” he added.

Citing uncertainties about weather conditions, including the potential for spring flooding in the Wakamow Valley, Logan said he’s hesitant to name a specific opening date at this time.

The Burger Cabin does not yet have a newly revamped website or social media page, but this is in development and will be announced once confirmed. If you would like to reach out to Jamey or Sheri Logan in the meantime, please call 306631-7843 or email BurgerCabin2024@ sasktel.net.

The Burger Cabin will remain at its historic location at 355 River Drive.

(right)

Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.