weyburnreview
Vol.114 No. 31 - Weyburn, Saskatchewan Wednesday, July 31, 2024 - 12 Pages
Silver Seals compete
Weyburn Silver Seals hosted semi-finals last weekend, with
Fire destroys Long Creek Saloon in Radville
The community of Radville has suffered the loss of a major historic structure, the Long Creek Saloon on Main Street in a fire on Sunday night. Fire crews were called to the scene around 12:30 a.m. on Sunday, and worked through the night but were not able to save the bar or the restaurant next door.
The lone occupant of the building, who lived and worked at the saloon, was able to escape unharmed, but he lost everything in the fire.
In 2022 fire destroyed the town hall – they only recently rebuilt that structure and officially opened it – now an iconic bar and restaurant in the community are gone.
A gofundme page has been set up for Aryan Sharma, as well as a trust fund at Radville’s Radius Credit Union, to help him out. It served as one of the longest running establishments in the area. No injuries were reported – and the cause of the fire is now being investigated.
Midale to be busy with Bull Bash, Pioneer Echoes on long weekend
By David Willberg
In recent years, Midale has become synonymous with activities for the Saskatchewan Day long weekend.
The community will once again have a host of events lined up from Aug. 2-4, starting with the Midale Rodeo Association’s 16th annual Bull Bash on Friday, Aug. 2. Then the Souris Valley Antique Association (SVAA) will have its 58th annual Pioneer Echoes weekend on Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 3 and 4.
For the bull bash on Aug. 2, gates open at the Midale rodeo grounds at 5 p.m., and there will be beer gardens and four food booths.
The bull bash will begin at 7 p.m. Mutton busting and wild pony rides are also scheduled. At 9:30 p.m., there will be an adults-only cabaret featuring Crossroads.
Committee member Adam Carlson said the event typically attracts a large crowd, with over 1,000 people attending last year. Spectators are treated to a highly-competitive event put on by Crossfire Bull Riding productions. The athletes are part of Bull Riders Canada and it is dually-approved by the Canadian Cowboys’ Association.
“We have lots of riders coming from all over, mostly Saskatchewan and Manitoba guys,” said Carlson.
Aaron Roy, a wellknown bull rider from Yellow Grass, is expected to compete. Some riders from Brazil are also expected to be in Midale. The top six riders who enter the short go will be auctioned off in a Calcutta for later in the evening.
“Everyone enjoys coming to our facility. Our facility has grown every year
and we’re doing more additions to it to make it better each year,” said Carlson. “Hopefully it brings the competitors and the fans, and they enjoy it with the upgrades that we’re doing to make it enjoyable for everyone, and a safe environment as well.”
Carlson said they’re very happy with the support of the sponsors and the volunteers, as the association wouldn’t be able to host these events without them.
The Pioneer Echoes will kick off at 7 a.m. on Aug. 3 and 4 with a pancake breakfast at Midale’s downtown museum on Main Street.
There will be a ranch rodeo and food booths at the rodeo grounds at 10 a.m. on Aug. 3. Carlson said events will include ranch sorting and loading, calf branding, doctoring, wild cow milking and a bonus event. A chicken scramble will take place for kids. Teams are still being accepted. More information can be found on the Midale Rodeo Association’s Facebook page.
The heritage village will open at 11 a.m. both days, with a flea market, a blacksmithing demonstration and other activities happening well into the afternoon.
A thresherman’s concession booth also opens at 11 a.m. each day. Beer gardens start at 1 p.m. on Aug. 3 and 11 a.m. on Aug. 4. The antique tractor parade will be at 2 p.m. each day, and a live threshing demonstration will follow.
The Truco Trick Riders perform at 5 p.m. on Aug. 3, and Crossrooads will play at a cabaret at 8 p.m. that night.
Aug. 4 will also feature a barrel racing jackpot at 8 a.m. and team roping at noon, both of which are organized by the rodeo association, and a church service
Cake Boss Day
SE College summer College for Kids programs continue.
Blaze destroys Long Creek Saloon
A fire destroyed the iconic Long Creek Saloon on the Main Street of Radville on Sunday evening. The lone occupant of the building was able to escape unharmed, but he lost everything in the fire, and a trust fund account has been set up to help him out, at the Radius Credit Union in Radville.
Area residents to hold meeting to oppose wind turbines
A meeting of Weyburn and area residents concerned about the wind turbines proposed by Enbridge for the RMs of Weyburn and Griffin will be held today, July 31, in advance of a council meeting for the RM of Weyburn.
Originally set for Cecilia’s, the venue was changed to McKenna Hall, from 7-9 p.m., due to the number of people interested in attending. There will be water available for the meeting.
Enbridge recently held an open house about the proposed wind turbines, with up to 100 residents crammed into a meeting room at the Ramada Hotel on July 17, many of them very upset about the proposal.
Enbridge is hoping to build 46 wind turbines on farm land just southeast of Weyburn, with the aim to produce 200 megawatts of power for the provincial power grid.
The open house turned
into a meeting where residents raised many concerns and issues about wind turbines with the Enbridge representatives, and it was clear many people are deeply upset about the development, saying outright they don’t want the turbines looming over their properties in the RM.
One resident, Kim Brady, stood on a chair and was able to get the discussions quieted down to enable the questions to be asked.
He will be the moderator for the public meeting today, as organizers look for any good points they can present against the proposed development, and to represent them at the RM council meeting on Aug. 14. At that meeting, Enbridge is seeking, among other things, a reduction in the setback for the turbines from 1,000 metres to 750 metres, a point many residents questioned Enbridge on at the July 17 meeting.
made chef’s hats and aprons before decorating cupcakes, which were
College.
Photo – courtesy Brenna Broughton
Sharing secrets on decorating cupcakes Ava Dela Cruz, left, and Rogue Cameron shared their secrets together for making the best decorations of their cupcakes, in the College for Kids program on Thursday. The class had a “Cake Boss” theme for the day, and
then judged by the staff at Southeast
Photo – Greg Nikkel, SaskToday.ca
Making the magic happen Children’s entertainer and magician Danny Kazam encouraged his young audience to send their best vibes to making the large colouring book come out all right, during a magic show he put on at the Weyburn Public Library on Wednesday morning. His performance was a part of the library’s summer reading program.
Police
investigate
The Weyburn Police Service (WPS) responded to 112 calls for service during the period of July 2228, resulting in a total of 12 charges. Although several criminal matters remain under investigation, no criminal charges were laid during the week as all 12 charges were laid under the Traffic Safety Act (TSA).
On Tuesday, a witness reported that a semi-trailer unit broke the railway crossing arms on Highway 13 near Highway 39. The witness indicated that the driver may not have noticed as it did not stop. The semi-trailer unit was not located.
On Monday, officers responded to a residence to assist removing an unwanted guest. Officers spoke to the
broken railway crossing arms
unwanted individual who complied and left without incident.
Also on Monday, officers responded to a medical facility to assist staff with an unruly individual who was causing a disturbance. The individual refused to leave the facility and was ultimately taken into custody and released a short time later without any charges resulting.
On Wednesday, officers on patrol noticed a male driver who appeared to be using his phone. A traffic stop was conducted and the driver was found to have a suspended driver’s license. The male was charged accordingly under the Traffic Safety Act.
In the early morning hours of Thursday, officers
responded to a noise complaint. The caller could hear lots of yelling and thought a domestic dispute or assault may be occurring. Officers attended and found the occupants to be intoxicated and loud but no physical assault or other criminal activity. The occupants were warned to keep the noise level down. Officers were called back to the same location a short time later to remove an unwanted guest. The intoxicated male was arrested and held in custody until he was sober and released without charge.
Also early on Thursday morning, a report of a suspicious person resulted in an adult male being located and arrested on three outstanding warrants. The warrants
were executed and the male was released on conditions in front of a Justice of the Peace.
The Weyburn Police also responded to a variety of other calls including alarms, domestic disturbances, suspicious persons or vehicles, mental health concerns, requests to check on an individual’s well-being, harassing communications, and calls relating to animals, parking, or other bylaw concerns.
*Anyone with information regarding one of these matters, or any other matter of a criminal nature, is encouraged to contact the Weyburn Police Service at (306) 848-3250, the local RCMP Detachment at 310-RCMP (7267), or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
Continued from front in the heritage village at 11 a.m.
The Midale Classy Car Show and Shine will be at noon on Main Street on Aug. 4.
New for this year is a people mover that will be used to take people from the heritage village to the activities downtown.
“If you’re coming to town and you’re worried about different events happening throughout the town and how to get there, we have the means of transportation that will be running throughout the weekend,” said Ryan Swenson with the SVAA.
The idea was brought to the committee’s attention, and Swenson said it fit well with what they were trying to do.
“We’ve had a lot of people bring up the fact that it’s hard
to see everything, when, especially with our side of things, we’re spread out between Main Street Midale and the sport grounds.”
Swenson believes having the events on the August long weekend has worked out well in recent years. With harvest approaching, it’s good timing with the threshing demonstration.
“It actually started out in a field just outside of town. They had a group of guys that just threshed a little piece of land, and it’s grown into what it has today. It’s always been a harvest type of thing,” said Swenson.
The events happening during the August long weekend also have a good economic spinoff for Midale, with many people coming into the community.
“It benefits the entire town,” said Swenson.
Weyburn has a low Crime Severity Index in 2023
Weyburn has the lowest Crime Severity Index (CSI) of all cities in Saskatchewan with a municipal police service.
The Crime Severity Index measures police-reported crimes, and reflects the relative seriousness of the offences. The index also tracks the severity of crimes, to see if certain crimes are up or down in a given community.
The index has an overall crime severity index, and separate indexes for violent and non-violent crimes, so police departments can keep track of which types of crimes are on the increase or are decreasing.
The Crime Severity Index was released nation-wide last week by Statistics Canada, and compares the crime stats from the police departments in 330 communities across Canada with a population over 10,000.
Of all 12 Saskatchewan communities included in the CSI, only two have a lower Violent Crime Severity Index than Weyburn, Humboldt and Warman.
The cities of North Battle-
ford and Prince Albert top the charts for crime severity overall, and particularly for violent crimes, for the entire province.
Weyburn’s Violent Crime Severity Index for 2023 is the lowest it has been over the past five years (2019-2023).
The Non-Violent Crime Severity Index is up from the previous year, but several individuals were identified as being responsible for multiple property crimes, and a concentrated enforcement effort was successful in bringing those individuals before the court.
Violent crimes include robbery, sexual assault level 1, assault level 2, assault level 1 and uttering threats to a person. Non-violent crimes include disturbing the peace, minor thefts, mischief and fraud.
One of the factors used to determine the seriousness of a crime are sentencing data from the courts, and these weights are revised every five years to reflect recent sentencing practices, and to account for any new Criminal Code offences.
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Photo – Greg Nikkel, SaskToday.ca
Sask United Party leader big on responsibility, accountability
By Greg Nikkel, SaskToday.ca
The leader for the new Saskatchewan United Party, Jon Hromek, is hoping his party will be an alternative conservative choice for voters, and laid out his vision that will bring back responsibility and accountability to provincial politics.
He spoke at a town hall meeting in Weyburn on Thursday evening at McKenna Hall, and took several questions about his policies on energy, education and health care, among other issues.
The party plans to have a candidate in the WeyburnBengough riding in the fall election, but the candidate has not yet been selected by the riding association.
Some of the points of the party’s platform will include completely eliminating the gas tax, and lowering the PST by three per cent, both in a bid to make finances easier for families, as well as a revamping of the province’s education system to give more autonomy back to local school divisions.
“We want to reduce the financial burden on families, and make everyday essentials more affordable, and stimulate the economy in the province. With responsibility comes a duty to steward taxpayers’ dollars wisely. We must demand efficiency, accountability and transparency with the management of
public funds,” said Hromek, who pointed out that spending by the Sask Party is “out of control”, and said it is not what a small-c conservative government would do.
He added the party also pledges to make health care more universally accessible by all residents, and will have a combination of public and private facilities rather than putting millions of dollars into administration and new facilities, with a Saskatchewan integrated health care system that gives every person access to world-class medical care.
In fielding questions from the audience, he was asked what he will do about the federal requirements for net zero emissions, including a demand to shut down all coal-fired power generation stations.
As a petroleum engineer by trade, Hromek said net zero is something that exists on spread sheets, not in reality.
“The crux of net zero is to create an understanding that carbon dioxide is a pollutant. They had to change the definition of CO2 to being a pollutant. CO2 is not a pollutant, it’s plant food. Net zero will kill agriculture and the resource sector. Basically, without CO2, you die,” said Hromek, noting his government would challenge the federal government on this just as they were challenged on their contention that plastic is toxic. This claim was
Conservative
By Greg Nikkel, SaskToday.ca
Two candidates are lined up for voting in SourisMoose Mountain, Steven Bonk and Mike Strachan, for the right to represent the Progressive Conservatives in the next federal election, likely to come in 2025.
Voting will take place on Friday and Saturday, Aug. 9 and 10, in three locations in the riding: Moosomin on Aug. 9, Estevan in the morning of Aug. 10, and finally in Weyburn at the Legion Hall, with the final vote count to be announced on the evening of Aug. 10.
The first candidate to declare he wanted to run as candidate was Bonk, the MLA for Moosomin, and just before the deadline expired, Strachan filed his papers for what may be a controversial candidate selection.
Strachan has been the mayor of Torquay since 2009, and feels the riding should be represented by someone who knows the riding and isn’t parachuted in as a candidate.
Current MP Robert Kitchen had said late last year he would run for another term, but then he announced he would not run again on July 8, just before Bonk declared he would run to represent Souris-Moose Mountain.
In declaring his intentions, Bonk noted he was cocaptain of party leader Pierre Poilievre’s Saskatchewan team during the leadership race, and said, “It’s crucial that we have a strong consistent voice advocating for our province at the federal level to ensure our interests are effectively represented in Ottawa.”
In an interview on Monday, Strachan said it’s been a challenge getting his name and message to members who are eligible to vote for who they want to be the candidate for this riding, “but it’s been a good challenge, because if you win, these could the people who vote for you in the next federal election.”
In talking with members, Strachan said some of the big issues people raise with him include the capital gains
thrown out by the Supreme Court of Canada, and Hromek feels that the fight over CO2 can be approached in the same way.
“Net zero is not going to happen for Saskatchewan, it can’t. We are going to attack on the crux of it,” he said.
He noted the Saskatchewan Party instituted the Output-based Performance Standard on large emitters of CO2, and from this the government has collected some $500 million just this year alone. Hromek said Premier Moe, in the meantime, is going after the federal government for a mere $25 million for collecting carbon tax on natural gas use, while taking in $500 million.
“So when I say we’re going to cut the gas tax, guess what money we’re going to use? We’re going to give it back to the people. If you’re going to go after Trudeau, that’s how you do it,” he said.
Asked how he would handle wind and solar power projects, Hromek provided some statistics about how costly and inefficient these power sources are. If coal plant were retrofitted to run on natural gas instead of coal, it would cost around $900,000 per megawatt produced.
By comparison, solar panels cost about $2.7 million per megawatt, and wind power costs the equivalent of $3 million per megawatt, when calculating in that they
candidate should
tax for farmers, the carbon tax, affordability for living expenses, and for those who work in the oil industry, the coming regulations on methane emissions.
He’s also heard concerns from Estevan and Coronach workers in the coal mines about the uncertain future in those communities.
“People are really worried about what’s coming in the next five to 10 years,” he said.
For a huge riding like Souris-Moose Mountain, that covers some 56,000 square kilometres, he said, “If we can’t find somebody who lives in the riding, there’s a problem. I do live in the riding, and I’ve worked in oil and gas and at the coal mine. We need someone who understands this riding and returns phone calls.”
Strachan said his experience in municipal politics showed him the importance of connecting with those you represent, and always returns phone calls, even when he knows it might be a tough conversation to have.
“At other levels of government, you have road blocks and red tape. My phone number is public for anyone to contact me. If I am elected, I still expect to be able to return phone calls,” he said.
As someone who is raising a family here, he also knows what it’s like paying for groceries or sports , noting the costs are “crazy” high right now. He noted one of his sons wants to buy a house in the riding, and
don’t operate all of the time.
“It’s just not efficient, it just doesn’t make sense,” he said, adding that relying on intermittent sources of power like these makes the power grid unstable, as Alberta has found out after committing large scale to solar and wind power. Small modular nuclear reactors aren’t any better, noting that the GE Hitachi reactor that SaskPower has committed to will cost about $17 million per megawatt of power produced, and this may take some 20 or 25 years to get built and put online to the power grid.
Asked by Leslie Richards what sort of policies the party has around education, she wondered if a voucher system could work for families like hers where the children are home-schooled.
“That hasn’t been fleshed out yet. We’re looking holistically at education first. We want to go back to where school divisions have more power, with more discretion on funds,” he said, noting local boards know better what the needs are for their families.
For example, where issues like class complexity is a real thing in urban schools, a rural school division is more interested in getting teachers to come out to their communities to teach, he said. “We would give school divisions more power and more autonomy and authority on funds to an extent. Saskatchewan is
‘know
doesn’t know if he can afford to do that right now.
The format for each of the three meetings will be the same, starting with speeches from the two candidates, then a period of voting, which has to be done in person.
too diverse – what works in Weyburn and Estevan might not work in La Ronge. We need to give more autonomy back to the regions.”
An audience member asked what they have been hearing from people about the Sask Party, and whether vote splitting would be an issue in going up against the NDP.
Hromek pointed out the NDP’s core of support is in urban ridings in Regina and Saskatoon, while the Sask Party’s core is in rural ridings. The Sask United plan of attack will be to go after the NDP in the urban centres, and after the Sask Party in the rural areas. The leader pointed out that the level of support for the Saskatchewan is 65-per-cent-plus, so their
foray into rural ridings would not cause a split enough for the NDP to make a difference.
As for what they’ve been seeing the Sask Party do, he pointed out that just between 2019 to 2024, the government has increased spending on salaries and benefits alone by 23 per cent. Since coming to power in 2007 until 2024, they have increased the size of government by 37 per cent, mainly in middle and upper management, but not on the front lines.
“A conservative government doesn’t do that. They’re all about the delivery of services, about efficiency and a smaller government. We’re not seeing that, we’re seeing out-of-control spending,” said Hromek.
Sask. United leader speaks Jon Hromek, the leader of the new Saskatchewan United Party, made a point to the audience at McKenna Hall on Thursday evening. The leader laid out some of the platform points of the party for the fall provincial election, and took questions from the audience about their stance on a variety of issues.
riding’, voting on August 9-10
In Moosomin at the Legion, the speeches will start at 4:30 p.m., with voting from 5 to 7 p.m. In Estevan, the meeting will be at the Wylie Mitchell building, with speeches at 9:30 a.m. and voting from 10 to noon, then the scene shifts to Wey-
burn at the Legion Hall.
Speeches will be at 3:30 p.m., and voting is from 4 to 6 p.m., with the final results from all of the voting to be announced after that time.
Strachan pointed out that the Assiniboia area is now a part of the riding, so party members in that area will need to take in one of the three meetings. If there are any Assiniboia area residents who wouldn’t be able to make that trip, he said they can contact him and he will try to make arrangements to enable voting to take place.
Art class paints figurines
Art program coordinator Olha Matiusheva smiled as she looked over the painting activities of a class of youth at the Collaborative Studio on Wednesday evening. This was part of the Mental Health program based at the Weyburn Comprehensive School, which set up a series of free art classes through the summer months.
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Photo – Greg Nikkel, SaskToday.ca
City partners with Pickleball Weyburn for permanent courts
The City of Weyburn announced a new partnership with Pickleball Weyburn, to add four pickleball courts at the outdoor rink behind the Credit Union Spark Centre.
This collaboration, achieved at no cost to the city, will provide a permanent space for pickleball enthusiasts to enjoy the sport and help foster its growth in the community.
“We are thrilled to support
Pickleball Weyburn in establishing these courts. This partnership not only provides a fantastic recreational opportunity for our residents, but also demonstrates the power of community collaboration,” said Andrew Crowe, Leisure Director for the City of Weyburn. “We look forward to seeing the sport of pickleball grow in Weyburn.” Pickleball Weyburn raised
the necessary funds to create four pickleball courts using high-quality sport court paint and seasonal affixed nets.
This initiative ensures Weyburn residents have access to well-maintained courts throughout the summer months.
“We are incredibly proud to have created a permanent home for pickleball in Weyburn. This project is a testament to the dedication and
enthusiasm of our members and the support of our community. We hope this encourages more people to take up the sport recreationally or competitively in Weyburn,” said Bob Maurer of Pickleball Weyburn.
To celebrate the opening of the new courts, a grand opening event will be held today, July 31, at 6 p.m. The event will include a community barbecue, with all
Diving in for the race
Silver Seals swimmer Jacob Gill, at the top in the red trunks, dove in to start the boys 13-14 100-metre butterfly race, for which he won first place. This was part of the south semifinals, in preparation for the provincials to be held this weekend in Swift Current.
Swimming the butterfly stroke
Weyburn Silver Seals swimmer and coach Rumina Edgerton swam in the 100-metre butterfly event for girls 18 and over, at the south semi-finals hosted by Weyburn on Saturday at the Leisure Centre. The Silver Seals won a total of 61 medals at this event, in preparation for provincials this weekend in Swift Current.
Photos – Greg Nikkel, SaskToday.ca
of 7-5, with six of the runs scored in the first inning.
proceeds going back to Pickleball Weyburn, and an opportunity for community members to try out the new pickleball court.
Paddles and balls will be available, just bring your running shoes. To book pickleball courts, visit the website at weyburn.ca.
Team South East finishes with 20 medals at Summer Games
Team South East finished with a flourish at the 2024 Saskatchewan Summer Games in Lloydminster.
The second half of the Games wrapped up on Saturday after competition in several sports. The closing ceremonies were held in the evening.
Team South East finished with 20 medals – six gold, three silver and 11 bronze. Fifteen of the medals came in the second half of the Games. Sports held in the second half were athletics, baseball, male and female basketball, female soccer, beach volleyball and triathlon.
In swimming, the Team SE boys team won bronze in the 4X50m free relay, a team which included Jacob Gill of Weyburn, along with swimmers from Rocanville and White City.
Tace Odima of Weyburn finished ninth in the 110m hurdles and 300m hurdles.
Chase Himmelspach of Carlyle won the gold medal in the male javelin toss. He also finished seventh in the long jump.
Carlyle’s Dane Peterson won bronze in the male shot put. He also finished 11th in the javelin and 12th in the discus.
Team South East also won silver in the male athletics sprint medley and bronze in the female 4x100-metre relay.
All of Team South East’s gold and silver medals came in athletics. Also finishing seventh was the female soccer team, which included Abby Coderre, Abigail Hall, Kierra Goudy and Nella Hall, all of Stoughton.
The Team South East mission staff includes Joni Hagen and Jacquie Van De Woestyne, co-chefs de mission; as well as Tara-Leigh Heslip, Vickie Procyk, Kathy Erickson, Dan Heslip, Tina Clay, Dallas Cossar, Laurie Colhoun and Jodie Wall.
The first half featured archery, canoe-kayak, golf, male soccer, female softball, Special Olympics bocce ball, swimming, tennis, and male and female volleyball.
Weyburn Beavers win one, lose two
over weekend
The Weyburn Beavers posted a 7-5 win at home over the Medicine Hat Mavericks on Friday night, then hit the road where they lost 6-4 to the Swift Current 57s and 154 to the Regina Red Sox on Saturday and Sunday.
In the home win, the Beavers treated the fans to six runs scored in the first inning of play, with doubles hit by Ryan Muizelaar (and setting a record), Ian Heck and River Smith.
Scoring RBIs on the night were Robert Gurney (two), Smith (two), Halen Otte, Brayden Mayencourt and Dallas Cummins.
Jordan Bauer was the winning pitcher with the save going to Devin Costa. Bauer was on the mound for five innings, allowing nine hits and three runs, and getting one strike-out.
Ethan Webster pitched for three innings, allowing three hits and two runs and getting six strike-outs, and Costa pitched for the last inning, allowing no hits or runs and getting two strike-outs.
In Swift Current, Ryan Dauphinee had two RBIs and Gurney hit a double.
The losing pitcher was Brett Paterson, who threw for five and two-thirds
innings, and Mathieu Rocheleau pitched for the balance of the game. Paterson allowed 10 hits and six runs, and got four strike-outs, and Rocheleau allowed two hits and no runs, and got three strikeouts.
In Regina, Otte hit a home run and had two RBIs, while Smith also had an RBI. Joe Hart was tagged with the loss on the mound, pitching for the first inning, allowing one hit and no runs. Mayencourt came on for three innings and allowed nine hits and nine runs, getting one strike-out; Otte pitched for three innings, allowing seven hits and six runs, and getting one strike-out; and Smith pitched the last inning, with no hits and no runs, and getting one strike-out.
Coming up is the last week of regular season play in the WCBL for the Beavers. Tonight, July 31, they are in Regina, Thursday they travel to Swift Current, and on Friday and Saturday they play in Moose Jaw, with a trip back to Regina on Sunday.
The last regular season game is at home on Monday, Aug. 5, as they host Regina.
Safe at third base
Weyburn Beavers player Ryan Muizelaar made it safely to third base, during their game against the Medicine Hat Mavericks on Friday night at Tom Laing Park. Muizelaar had just set a record for doubles, as the Beavers downed the Mavericks by a score
Photo – Greg Nikkel, SaskToday.ca
editorial opinion & review
The push for wind and solar power
An oil pipeline company, Enbridge, wants to set up 46 huge wind turbines in the Weyburn area with the goal of producing 200 megawatts of power, to sell to SaskPower for the province’s power grid.
This proposal has alarmed many residents in the RM of Weyburn and Griffin, who confronted Enbridge officials as they felt they were blindsided by the proposal, and in particular, the locations of the 46 turbines.
To follow up on that open house hosted by Enbridge, which turned into a meeting where questions and concerns were raised, a local “No Weyburn Windmills” group has been formed by the area residents, and are holding a meeting on July 31 at McKenna Hall to plan for the upcoming council meeting for the RM of Weyburn on Aug. 14.
If we could back up for a moment, we should consider why these turbines, and solar panel farms, are being set up on our valuable farm land in the first place.
It goes back to the unreasonable and ridiculous requirement of the federal Liberals to reduce or shut down the coal-fired power generators SaskPower currently uses to produce our electricity in Estevan and Coronach. They demand that these should be phased out by 2035, which is completely unreasonable and unfair to the province, and actually an impossible task to do.
Something has to replace our source of electricity for the power grid, and this is why the appearance of wind and solar farms are coming up all over the place.
The difficulty is, of course, that these are not especially good for the environment, but they are supposedly being proposed to help the environment. What they will do is endanger a whole lot of birds, create noise and sight pollution for the residents who live near them, and will not be a reliable source of power for the province.
Of even more concern is, they will not produce anywhere near enough power to replace the current generation of power we get from the Boundary Dam or Coronach. There are measures in place to make these power generation stations as environmentally friendly as possible, but for the Liberals, nothing short of gutting the province will do for them, as they openly seek to kill the oil and gas industry as well, in spite of this country’s need for it, and the need around the world.
All of this has led to the push for so-called “green” alternatives for power sources. So, if these turbines are stopped for the Weyburn area, they will just appear somewhere else.
What Saskatchewan should be wary of is ending up like our neighbours to the West, as Alberta put too much reliance on wind and solar and ended up in a power crisis. This is not something we need in Saskatchewan, but reliable sources of power, like we already have.
— Greg Nikkel
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The ‘Summer’ Games are on
The Summer Olympic Games in Paris are now on, as most everyone who is awake would be aware of by now, and for Canadians, it’s the “Summer of Summer” in the swimming pool.
I had been out in the summer sun on Saturday, photographing our local swimmers with the Silver Seals speed swimming club taking part in the provincial south semi-finals.
Our swimmers did very well, winning 61 medals in preparation for the provincial swim meet this weekend in Swift Current.
After watching and photographing our young swimmers in their races, I watched the Olympics in the evening and was pleased to see the first medal for our country was by a swimmer, Summer McIntosh.
She went on to win her first gold medal on Monday, and this amazing 17-year-old still has four more events to compete in (as of this writing, that is).
Summer was interviewed after her gold medal win, and I was amazed at how very mature and level-headed she was in her comments, and in her approach to her sport. One of the show hosts read a quote by her, where she basically said,
By Greg Nikkel
“Just hold on, I’m not done yet …” as she has more races to swim in yet.
This was a girl who went through some traumatic moments in her family’s life at the age of 14, and here at 17, the commentators were noting she is very tough mentally and emotionally, and is taking the pressure in a very mature way.
Another young lady, about a decade older than her, by the name of Simone Biles of the U.S., was also showing herself to be very together and mature in her amazing performances.
This was in contrast to the previous Olympics, where she could not handle all the pressure that the American media love to pour on anyone who has talent. This time, she determined she is not doing any interviews with media, but is concentrating solely on her gymnastics performances. I say good on her, and good on our Canadian Summer girl too, and I hope both of them will have an amazing time in Paris.
Just a note on the opening ceremonies, some of it was just weird, some of it was offensive, but the ultimate moment was provided by Canadian singer Celine Dion, singing from the Eiffel Tower at the finish of the ceremonies — amazing!
Are you on holiday and about to go to the beach? You’re in luck! Whether at home or abroad, you’re sure to have lots of fun. Here are a few activity ideas perfect for spending hours of fun in the sand.
SPORTS If the beach isn’t too crowded and you can access courts, you can play games like Frisbee, disc golf, Finnish bowling or volleyball.
WATER GAMES Put on your goggles and check out what’s under the water, splash around with your friends or pretend to be a dolphin or mermaid. Remember to stay close to the shore and that a responsible adult is always present and keeping a watchful eye on you.
Hot, dry conditions reducing yields for southeast area crops
Sunflowers: a versatile native crop
By Greg Nikkel, SaskToday.ca
The southeast region continues to experience hot, dry conditions this week, which is quickening crop development and contributing to deteriorating crop conditions, especially in areas where lower rainfall amounts have been received.
in general in the Weyburn area, and that has expanded to most of southern Saskatchewan,” he added.
REGULATE WATER
the practice of combining trees and shrubs traditional crops and livestock, has emerged as an sustainable farming strategy. Here’s how this approach boosts agricultural productivity environmental conservation.
Producers are hoping for rainfall soon to help reduce the impact of the heat on their crop yields, aid hayland regrowth and improve pasture lands currently supporting livestock.
BIODIVERSITY vegetation in agroforestry systems provides various plants, animals and microorganisms, balanced ecosystem. This biodiversity helps and diseases naturally, reducing reliance pesticides and promoting healthier soils.
There was no reported rainfall in the southeast region this week, and some producers are reporting that crops have turned so fast some may start harvest operations by next week.
SOIL HEALTH shrubs improve soil health and fertility by organic matter through their leaves, branchsystems. This organic matter improves soil water retention and nutrient cycling, increasand reducing erosion.
Weyburn area farmer Dale Paslawski said soil conditions in his fields are extremely dry right now.
“We could actually stand a little rain right now. Lentil harvest is going to start shortly, probably in a couple of days there’ll be some desiccating going on,” he said, noting he will have to do some custom spraying on yellow peas.
“Swathing and desiccating of lentils will start in a day or two as soil moisture is depleted on all the fields
HOLD CARBON
Topsoil moisture conditions continue to drop each week, with cropland moisture levels rated as one per cent surplus, 52 per cent adequate, 41 per cent short and six per cent very short. Hayland topsoil moisture is rated as 46 per cent adequate, 46 per cent short and eight per cent very short. Pasture topsoil moisture is rated as 40 per cent adequate, 51 per cent short and nine per cent very short.
He added that lentils will be the “star” of harvest with good yields, and “all other crops will have a yield deficit after an excellent start to the growing season. The excessive heat and lack of rain has probably erased 25 per cent of
The presence of trees helps regulate water cycles by reducing runoff and enhancing water infiltration. This mitigates the risk of floods and droughts and improves water quality. Trees also play a crucial role in preventing soil erosion, maintaining the landscape’s integrity and protecting nearby bodies of water.
Trees absorb and store carbon dioxide, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and helping offset the impact of agricultural activities. As global concerns about climate change intensify, the role of agroforestry in sequestering carbon becomes increasingly significant.
our yields, but there will be some producers that will still have a certain field that will yield okay.”
Sunflowers have long been admired for their radiant beauty. However, beyond their esthetic appeal, these native plants play a crucial role in agriculture and biodiversity. Originating in North America, sunflowers have become a global crop, valued for their versatility and numerous applications.
Haying has been slow in the southeast region, with 27 per cent of the crop now cut, and 46 per cent baled or put up as silage.
THEY FEED THE WORLD
Hay quality remains high, with a rating of 20 per cent excellent, 64 per cent good and 16 per cent as fair. Operations have been slow due to the hot, dry weather, increasing the risk of equipment and field fires.
In agriculture, sunflowers are prized for their oil-rich seeds, a nutritious snack and a source of high-quality cooking oil. The oil extracted from sunflower seeds is low in saturated fats and rich in polyunsaturated fats, making it a heart-healthy option. Additionally, sunflower meal, a byproduct of oil extraction, is a valuable protein-rich livestock feed.
THEY CLEAN THE SOIL Sunflowers contribute to sustainable farming practices
as they can extract toxins and heavy metals from the soil, a process known as phytoremediation. This makes them effective in soil cleanup and restoration. Sunflowers cleaned the soil after the Chornobyl disaster in Ukraine and Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. THEY PROMOTE HEALTHY ECOSYSTEMS
Crop damage continues to be caused by heat, lack of moisture, gophers, grasshoppers and aphids. Producers have or will be close to completing fungicide applications as the window for application has closed for many crops.
Sunflowers also support biodiversity. Their large, vibrant blooms attract pollinators such as bees and butterflies, promoting healthy ecosystems. Additionally, their abundant seeds serve as a food source for birds and small mammals.
Whether gracing landscapes with their golden hues or contributing to agricultural and environmental sustainability, sunflowers are a crucial native crop.
As you can see, farmers can reap multiple benefits by integrating trees and shrubs into traditional agricultural practices.
Crop conditions continue to decline in the southeast from the heat, and dry growing conditions. Crops such as wheat, durum, barley, canola and lentils are rated to be in fair to good condition, but if the weather does not improve, there will be a further increase in crops rated as poor or very poor.
Paslawski said of his crops, “I have some canola looking good, and some is starting to fall back hard from the heat blast. Our durum seems to be the best, and other crops in the area like wheat are holding up okay. Later-seeded crops are in trouble due to drought conditions.”
Canola and crude oil from same land
A number of pumpjacks dot this
of
large field
flowering canola, located near the Weyburn Oil Field southeast of Weyburn, extracting crude oil while the plants will produce canola oil.
Photo – Greg Nikkel, SaskToday.ca
AGRICULTURE - living in tune with nature
Beef experts share lessons learned from three years of drought
By John Greig
Prairie beef farmers were forced to find new feed sources, learn new processes and make difficult decisions in managing their feed inventories in the past few years.
Beef farmers struggled through three intensive years of drought — in many cases after experiencing several dry years. Rains arrived this year.
“Early spring rains created grass that we haven’t seen for three to five years, maybe even up to seven years in some parts of the province. And because of that the pressure is alleviated,” said Kurtis Reid, who sells Masterfeeds products
in Saskatchewan, at Ag In Motion.
Last year was the toughest of the drought as livestock reacted to several years of challenged rations, and there were even fewer options to find quality feed.
There were higher rates of beef cows who did not conceive in 2023, which is attributed to the third year of drought.
Measuring feed quality, making longer term plans for pasture, and focusing on costs and forage supplies before a drought shows up are some of the lessons passed on in interviews during Ag In Motion.
When feed supplies and quality are lower, it’s critical
Cattle graze in local pasture
Part of a herd of cattle gathered near the corner of this pasture located north of Goodwater, as they sought the best grass for grazing.
to know what you have, said Natasha Wilkie, livestock and feed extension specialists with Saskatchewan Agriculture. Feed tests, which are available through Saskatchewan Agriculture, are the first place to start.
Precise feed supplementation matters more in
By Janelle Rudolph, Western Producer
Any supplier should know their product inside and out. That includes cattle producers, said Brian Perillat, agribusiness specialist with More Than Just Feed, a group of feed and nutrition companies geared for the beef and dairy sector.
Beef prices are still enjoying highs mid-way through 2024.
“It’s good dollars in our pockets,” said Perillat, who is also a cattle producer. “But you always want to have more, or you want to keep more of it.”
More deliberate cattle marketing can help pad the producer’s bottom line, he said.
Perillat was speaking at a June field day at the University of Saskatchewan’s Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence.
“When you’re marketing calves, do you know how your calves
drought years, said Reid. “In the good years it doesn’t matter as much, but when you get into some of these tough years every per cent of wasted feed is just another per cent off the bottom line.”
Forage stands have suffered stress from a lack of moisture, and few of them
performed?” he asked. “Do you know how they perform down the supply chain? Because if you don’t know any of that, all you’re doing is selling your calves, you’re just giving them to the highest bidder. That’s not marketing your cattle or actually trying to extract the value that they bring to the next buyer.”
A producer can get a leg up as a seller by knowing their feed conversion rate, dressing percentage and the overall health of their cattle. At the same time, they don’t have to drown themselves in data. Each aspect is an independent variable, Perillat said, and getting a better handle on even one of those aspects can improve cost-to-profit ratios.
Good feed conversion can also be a selling point. If a farm produces cattle that are more efficient at turning feed to gain, those animals should be more
were successfully reseeded, said Roger Meyers from Union Forage. Regular reseeding was either unsuccessful due to the lack of soil moisture, or put off due to risk of poor establishment. That means there will be more older stands and the need to reseed will be compressed. Meyers suggested not leaving large tracts of land for reseeding at once, but rather to reseed smaller parts of grazing land on a more regular basis, as that can reduce risk of being caught with older stands during a drought.
attractive to anyone looking to finish that animal, he said.
Producers can often get that information from buyers or feedlots where they have taken their cattle in the past. Perillat said those buyers are often willing to share data because it’s in their interests to have producers optimize livestock.
Buyers typically assume an average feed efficiency of 6.5 or seven pounds of dry matter to one pound of gain. But if the producer knows a specific animal converts feed better, there’s a better chance that animal will make money for the buyer.
“You should be getting paid more for those good calves,” Perillat said. “Often that doesn’t happen in the supply chain, but you’re never going to get there if you don’t know how your calves do and if you don’t set them up properly.”
More information also helps when selling via electronic means.
“There are brokers, and those who are selling electronically and following those cattle through, who can give a lot of insight into these kinds of deals,” Perillat said.
“We’ve seen guys who did this and follow through, or (who) went and did ranch groups. Then the next year they were getting bids 10, 12 cents higher from the guy who bought their cattle last year, whereas everybody else is bidding average, because the buyer knew (the cattle) performed well.”
Electronic markets can also help producers take advantage of current market values, he noted. They can negotiate for fall delivery at current prices. Robust marketing and having key information available can grease the wheels of those deals.
You’rethe
Photo – Greg Nikkel, SaskToday.ca
Curious about the photographer
burrowing owls this summer
The arrival of summer signals the beginning of family vacations and road trips across the prairies. This also includes young Burrowing Owls, who are now starting to leave the nest and forage for themselves after weeks of being provided for by their parents.
The young owls are practicing their hunting and flying skills, and venturing out on their own to other burrows nearby.
“At dusk, the road surface tends to be warmer than surrounding grasslands, attracting many small insects and rodents,” explained Grace Pidborchynski, coordinator of Operation Burrowing Owl at Nature Saskatchewan.
“As a result, young owls are also attracted to the road and ditch when they begin searching for prey.”
This can lead to vehicle collisions as the owls will fly low to the ground in search of food. Motorists are asked to be alert and on the lookout for owls as they drive on highways and the many grid roads
that cross the province.
The Burrowing Owl population across the prairies has been steadily declining since the mid-80s, making the survival of each juvenile owl critical for the survival and growth of the species. Motorists can help reduce the risk of owl-vehicle collisions by slowing down near known or potential nest sites and being on the lookout for low-flying birds. Slowing down can also increase your chances of spotting this endangered owl!
Burrowing Owls are about nine inches tall, with mottled brown and white feathers, bushy white ‘eyebrows’, and long featherless legs. They are often found nesting in native prairie that has been well grazed, as the short grass helps them to spot predators.
Burrowing Owls nest in abandoned burrows excavated by badgers, ground squirrels, or other burrowing mammals. They are most often seen standing on their burrow, sitting
on nearby fence posts, or foraging in ditches.
Nature Saskatchewan has been involved with the conservation of the Burrowing Owl since 1987, relying on the help of landholders and the public. Operation Burrowing Owl partners with stewards across southern and central Saskatchewan and uses voluntary agreements to conserve the rapidly disappearing habitat required by the owls, as well as to monitor the Saskatchewan population.
The program works alongside steward practices, and the land continues to be used in a way that benefits the steward. If you see a Burrowing Owl, please give us a call on our toll-free HootLine, at 1-800-667-HOOT (4668) or email obo@naturesask.ca.
“You will be helping to monitor the population and aid with conservation efforts,” Pidborchynski said. All caller and program participant information is never shared without permission.
A single burrowing owl had a long look at a photographer, perched atop a fence post as it looked around for lunch ideas in the field below.
Photo – Ashley Vass
Burrowing owl babies
Photo – Tammy Thomas
AGRICULTURE - living in tune with nature
Ag in Motion had many field demos This is an overhead view of the Ag in Motion farm at Langham, Sask., where 607 exhibitors were on hand and close to 31,000 visitors took in the displays and demonstrations at the outdoor farm show held on July 16-18.
Ag in Motion highlights the best of western agriculture
Visitors packed the Ag in Motion’s 100-acre farm site they took in a taste of all that’s new and novel in prairie agriculture at the popular outdoor farm show in Langham, Sask., on July 16-18.
“As the show celebrated 10 years on Saskatchewan soil, it felt great to have the largest number of exhibitors showing off the incredible innovations that are part of western Can -
adian agriculture,” said Ag in Motion show director Rob O’Connor.
“The weather was great, and our partners and exhibitors certainly delivered an outstanding experience for the thousands of visitors we had over the three days of the show,” he added.
For the first time in the 10-year history of the show, exhibitor participation moved over 600 with
a total of 607 exhibitors this year. O’Connor noted that attendance was on par with previous years at 30,805 visitors over three days.
The Ag in Motion Innovations Program also had tremendous participation with 37 companies competing for an award in five categories, more than double the number of participating companies in previous years.
Sask. government researching water quality with ag tech
By Melissa Bezan
A new research project from Saskatchewan government is focusing on technology with ag tech company FarmSimple.
At the Livestock AgTech Happy Hour at Ag in Motion on July 16, Chelsey Siemens, a livestock and feed extension specialist with the province, said they are doing a research project through ADOPT (Agriculture Demonstration of Practices and Technology), looking at how FarmSimple can be used to monitor sulfate levels over the summer.
“Using the FarmSimple solutions for water monitoring, and adding on that total dissolved solid monitoring in order to keep an eye on that water quality throughout the summer,” Siemens said. “So that’s one of the things about total dissolved solids, especially sulfate, is that it often changes over the course of the summer.”
FarmSimple was founded in 2018 and makes a water monitoring system that allows you to remotely check the water level and control critical equipment in your watering system. FarmSimple has won multiple awards for its technology, including at Canadian Western Agribition’s Animal Agtech Awards.
“We’re getting early alerts on conductivity measurements of that
water. In the future, the idea would be to catch water before it goes bad, to allow them to take the lab tests to confirm,” Katlin Lang, Co-founder of FarmSimple, said at the Ag in Motion event.
Siemens said that sulfate poisoning is a large concern when it comes to water quality. She said when sulfate levels are too high, they can bind up trace minerals and can sometimes lead to polio in livestock.
She said an issue with sulfates is when cattle are consuming feed with higher sulfate levels, such as brassicas, turnips, rad -
ishes, or kochia. This can also happen with nitrates, leading to nitrate poisoning.
“I’m sure we’ve all heard about nitrate poisoning from forages,” Siemens said. “But we often have to watch out, especially if we have elevated nitrate in our forages and elevated nitrate in the water. Those two can combine together and cause nitrate poisoning in our ruminant livestock.”
Siemens said that while there are handheld monitors and testing strips, producers should get their water tested at least once a year.
“This growth tells me that the farm show is on point with delivering a unique experience for our farm audience,” said O’Connor. “It’s exciting for our team to see the positive feedback expressed throughout the show from our partners and farm attendees.”
O’Connor said Ag in Motion Ride-and-Drives is another expanding area at the show. This year, there were three dedicated areas where farmers took featured equipment for a test drive. Farmers could
choose from 17 different machines, including compact loaders, skid steers, tractors and sprayers.
“Farmers want to see equipment working in the field, and the chance to take it for a spin is even better,” said O’Connor.
“What’s unique about Ag in Motion is the ability to offer big wide-open spaces for large equipment to operate.”
Western Canada’s largest outdoor farm expo is drawing international interest as well. Ag in Motion saw over 230 dele-
gates attend the show and an international reception, with guests from Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Ethiopia, South Africa, Germany, France, Pakistan, the United States and more. International visitors reported it was a fantastic chance to see up close the best that Canadian agriculture has to offer.
“We are proud to lead such a well-attended event where we can bring people together to share their enthusiasm about this industry every year,” said O’Connor.
Photo – courtesy Ag in Motion
Blake Koeckeritz
Blake Herbert Koeckeritz late of Midale SK passed away on July 13, 2024 at the age of 88 years He was predeceased by his parents Herbert and Eva Koeckeritz; and his wife Myrna (2017); brothers: Morris, Larry, Cordell and Clark; sisters: Bertha Wright Verna Szoradi Winona Kenderdine and Dawn Grant; and brothers-inlaw Harley and Dale Ironside Blake is survived by his daughter Deanna and his son Brian (Corinne); grandchildren: Tyler Wyatt Brianne Brandon (Maddey) and Jayden Koeckeritz He is also survived by 4 great-grandchildren: Averi-Ann Brody Rylan Wyatt and Aspen Koeckeritz; his sisters-in-law, Jean Regel and Doreen Koeckeritz; as well as numerous nieces and nephews Blake Herbert Koeckeritz was the last of 9 children born to Herb and Eva Koeckeritz on March 28, 1936 at Atler, SK Blake grew up in Ebor Manitoba He married Myrna (Ironside) in 1960 and they had 2 children Deanna and Brian Blake worked for Regent Drilling for many years followed by Saskatchewan Oil and Gulf Oil before starting his own consulting company Simko Consulting Blake enjoyed curling both as a participant and spectator He loved fishing and participated in many tournaments He liked golf and even has a hole in one from the Elks course in Calgary He spent many evenings and mornings playing cards A lot of time in the summer was spent tending to the garden Visitation was held on Thursday July 18 2024 at 9:00 a m to 12:30
SMALL ESTATE SALE
For the late David (Butch) Moffat Saturday, August 3, 2024 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. 109 Forget St., Stoughton Located behind the Moffat Residence
208 Assiniboia Avenue ITEMS FOR SALE:
• FISHING GEAR
• HUNTING GEAR
• TRAPPING GEAR
• TOOLS
• MISCELLANEIOUS ITEMS
ALL PRICES & SALES ARE FINAL!
or reliabilit y of such adver tisements For greater infor mation on adver tising conditions, please consult the Association s Blanket Adver tising Conditions on our website at www swna com
Performing at the potluck Pat Acton performed a number of instrumental tunes on his guitar, before singing a couple of songs, as a part of the live entertainment for the “Stronger Together” community potluck held on Saturday at the Knox Hall.
Provincial fire ban lifted
Due to recent rainfall and cooler weather, the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) rescinded the provincial fire ban as of Friday.
Buying/Selling FEED GRAINS heated / damaged CANOLA/FLAX Top price paid FOB FARM Wester n Commodities 877-695-6461 Visit our website @ www.wester ncommodities.ca
HEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATORS
Motor scrapers, dozers, excavators, rock trucks, packers; wide range of machines.
Lots of work all season. Camp/R & B provided. Competitive wages. Valid drivers license req’d. Send resume and work references to: Bryden Construction and Transport Co. Inc. Box 100, Arborfield, SK S0E 0A0; Fax: 306-769-8844 Email: brydenconstruct@ xplornet.ca www. brydenconstruction andtransport.ca
PROPERTY FOR SALE BY TENDER In Ogema, SK Lot 20, Block 15, Plan BA1993 113 Frederick Street, Ogema, SK Tender close August 9, 2024 at 4:00 p.m. Highest, or any tender, will not necessarily be accepted. For More Information Contact Town of Ogema 204 Main Street Ogema, Sask Phone: (306) 459-9000 Email: admin@ogema.ca
Kindly join us for Ruth Alexander's Celebration of Life Tea Saturday, August 17th from 2-5 Weybur n Free Methodist Church 133 - 14th Street Weybur n, SK
The fire ban was lifted on all Crown lands, provincial parks, provincial recreation sites located north of the provincial forest boundary, along with the Northern Saskatchewan Administration District. The public is
reminded that provincial parks, municipalities and RMs may still have their own local fire ban, restriction or advisory in place.
Municipalities and provincial parks should continue to monitor local conditions and implement fire bans or burning restrictions as required.
“After this weather system passes and hazards increase, the public is re-
minded to remain attentive to preventing new wildfires while enjoying our provincial forests,” SPSA VicePresident of Operations Steve Roberts said. Anyone who spots a wildfire can call 1-800-6679660 or dial 9-1-1. The latest fire risk maps, fire prevention tips and an interactive fire ban map can be found at saskpublicsafety.ca.
Making a fan is an exciting summer project, especially when it’s hot! Here’s how to make a cockade fan, which has a pretty round shape when opened.
MATERIALS
Gather the following materials:
• 1 sheet of paper
• Scissors
Glue (hot glue or glue stick)
DIRECTIONS
Follow these steps to create your very own fan:
Step 1: Fold the sheet of paper in half.
Step 2: Cut the paper along the fold. You’ll end up with two rectangles.
Step 3: Create an accordion with each rectangle, making the folds approximately one centimetre apart.
Step 4: Using glue, join the two accordions to form one very long one. Let dry before moving on to the next step.
Step 5: Flatten your accordion completely, then fold it in the centre to make a V shape.
Step 6: Using string, tie a knot in the hollow of the V and cut off the protruding ends.
Step 7: Glue the centre parts of the accordion together to “close” the V. Let dry.
Step 8: Glue a popsicle stick to each side of the fan in the outer folds. Let dry.
Step 9: Unfold the fan to form a large circle. In other words, the V becomes an O, and the two popsicle sticks touch.
Step 10: Tie the popsicle sticks together with a rubber band or ribbon to finish your cockade fan!
Feel free to customize your fan by drawing designs on the paper or applying small stickers, for example. You can also paint the popsicle sticks!
Photo – Greg Nikkel, SaskToday.ca
11 community &lifestyles
Weyburn area groups receive charitable gaming grants
Lotteries and Gaming Saskatchewan (LGS) provided $1.16 million in charitable gaming grants in the first quarter of 2024-25, benefiting more than 750 groups and organizations across the province, including a number in the Weyburn and surrounding region.
A total of $24,824 was paid to Weyburn groups and organizations, including the following.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Weyburn received $1,054; Hockey Weyburn Inc. received $385; the Weyburn branch of the Royal Canadian Legion received $1,045; the U13AA Southeast Young Fellow Gold Wings received $828; the U15 Weyburn Dodge Wings received $412; the Weyburn U18 AA JHC Wings received $985; and the Weyburn and District Junior Hockey Association received $17,987.
The Weyburn Oilwomen Association received $1,175; the Weyburn Wildlife Federation received $707.50, and the Weyburn Wrestling Club received $243.75. Elsewhere in the area, the Milestone Minor Hockey Association received $739, and the Milestone Skating Club received $943.25.
The Radville Community Grown Childcare Inc. received $1,170.80, and the Radville Minor Hockey Association got $1,217. In Yellow Grass, the U15 Radville Nats received $668.53, and the Yellow Grass Volun -
teer Fire Dept. received $586.88.
Based in Creelman, the Montmartre U9 Ice Dogs received $158.75. The Gladmar Recreation board received $886.91, and the Khedive Heritage Recreation Club received $925.70.
“These grants are one of the ways our government ensures that the proceeds from gaming go back to Saskatchewan communities,” Minister Responsible for LGS Laura Ross said. “The grants support hundreds of charitable and nonprofit groups throughout Saskatchewan, including those focused on amateur sport, culture, the arts, animal rescue, service clubs and much more.”
These quarterly grants are paid to groups and organizations in good standing that conduct licensed charitable gaming activities such as bingos, raffles, break-open ticket sales, Texas hold ‘em poker tournaments and Monte Carlo events. The grants are equal to 25 per cent of the net revenue raised by each charitable event, up to a maximum of $100,000 per group or organization annually.
The charities don’t have to apply to LGS for the grants. Instead, the amount of each grant paid by LGS to each charity is calculated by the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority (SLGA) based on financial reports and other information submitted by the group or organization.
Winners of ‘Cake Boss’ day
Participants in the College for Kids summer program had a “Cake Boss” day on Thursday, where they made chef’s hats, aprons, and decorated cupcakes which were judged by staff of Southeast College. The winners are, from left, in first place, Atrisa Farhadi; in second, Loudin Relucio; and in third, Ava
Province to provide funds for food banks of Saskatchewan
The Government of Saskatchewan is providing $2 million over the next two years to Food Banks of Saskatchewan to help Saskatchewan families and food banks with high food costs.
“Saskatchewan continues to be one of the most affordable places in Canada to live, work and raise a family,” Social Services Minister Gene Makowsky said. “Since the provincial budget was announced in March, the cost of food has continued to increase. This funding to Food Banks of Saskatchewan is an additional affordability measure from our government to help families and individuals manage rising daily living costs due to inflation.”
Food Banks of Saskatchewan will receive a $1 million grant in August, and another $1 million grant in 2025-26. The Ministry of Social Services is partnering with Food Banks of Saskatchewan to distribute the funding to agencies based on the population and average food bank usage of the communities they serve.
“Saskatchewan Food Banks have had their busiest year yet, making it challenging to build up sufficient food reserves,” Food Banks of Saskatchewan Executive Director Michael Kincade said. “Inflation continues to accelerate, seriously impacting hunger and food insecurity, not only with low-income households, but even those in higher income brackets. With de-
Sask Highway Patrol holds Operation Safe Driver Week
Saskatchewan Highway Patrol (SHP) completed Operation Safe Driver Week on July 7-13. During the week, members employed heightened traffic enforcement strategies and were in contact with 344 drivers throughout the province.
They issued 235 tickets for infractions that included speeding, unregistered vehicles, seatbelts, failing to stop at a stop sign, suspension from driving, overweight commercial vehicles and cargo securement violations. There were also 12 roadside suspensions issued for drug and alcohol usage.
“The Saskatchewan
Highway Patrol is committed to keeping our roads safe for everyone, and their hard work shines through initiatives like this,” Corrections, Policing and Public Safety Minister Paul Merriman said. “We want every single person to make it home safely, and Operation Safe Driver Week is a key part of teaching drivers how to look out for themselves and each other on the road.”
As part of the campaign, the SHP completed 238 inspections with commercial vehicles, with 43 per cent passing inspections. An additional 40 per cent were removed from the roads
with the remaining 17 per cent requiring attention before they returned to the road after completing their current trip.
Operation Safe Driver Week is acknowledged annually by law enforcement agencies across North America and is coordinated by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA). The campaign’s goal is to encourage and improve safe driving behaviours of private vehicle operators and commercial vehicle drivers through education, traffic enforcement and interactions with law enforcement. It was launched by
CVSA in 2007, in partnership with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, law enforcement and industry.
“We will continue to enforce legislation, policies and agreements and educate the public about keeping our roads safe,” Provincial CVSA Coordinator SHP Sergeant Mathew Austin said. “We need everyone to do their part on the roads to ensure we can all arrive at our destinations safely.”
While the campaign is over, drivers are reminded to be cautious on the roads wherever they are travelling this long weekend.
mand increasing and donations decreasing, this help comes at a critical time to help us feed our friends, neighbours, and families.”
This additional $2 mil-
measures delivered in the 2024-25 Provincial Budget that are already helping low-income families and individuals.
Creelman Fair dog show winners
The Creelman Fair’s dog show was held on Saturday morning on the fair grounds, emceed by host Morgan Allan.
The following are the winners in the various categories.
For Best Tricks, first place went to Reeve and Rogan Allan with Kasey; second, Quinn Kosior with Sako; and in third place, Mike Revet with Cooper.
A new category, introduced for this Fair, was the “Cutest Dog” category. First place went to Quinn Kosior with Sako; second was Emily Horner with Bentley; and in third, Josh Slykuis with Conner.
The Best Overall dogs (the category that wins the trophy) were as follows: in first place, Reeve and Rogan Allan with Kasey; second was Emily Horner with Bentley; and third was Mike Revet with Cooper.
For the Fastest Dog (in the race held at the end of the dog show), first place went to Quinn Kosior with Sako; second was Reeve and Rogan Allan with Kasey; and in third, Emily Horner with Bentley.
Dela Cruz.
Calvary Baptist accesses
From left are
Runne, interim pastor Doug Loden, Souris-Moose Mountain MP Robert Kitchen, and Cathie Loden.
Photo – Greg Nikkel, SaskToday.ca
Photo – Greg Nikkel, SaskToday.ca