Marketplace 2022-10-28

The downtown area received the attention of a group of Grade 8 students during Canora Community Cleanup. Teagan Jones dropped leaves into the bag held by classmates Jackson Palagian, left, and Chase Curtis, right.

Of course, there were plenty of leaves to take care of outside Canora Composite School, which was a job for this group of Grade 9 students. From left, were: Wyatt Wolkowski, Jordan Makowsky, Falyn Ostafie, Devon Paley, Kale Strelioff and Dustin Nielsen, teacher.

Canora Composite School students grab opportunity to help with Canora beautification

Courtesy of Canora Courier

Anyone who was driving along the streets of Canora during the morning of Oct. 20 probably saw hardworking groups of Canora Composite School students, seemingly around every corner, raking and bagging leaves.

Leona Kitchen, teacher, said the school wanted to take school time for the project dur-

ing Education Week, which ran from Oct. 17 to 21.

“This is a great way for our students to give back to the community, as well as take responsibility for making our community look great,” shared Kitchen. “We received very positive feedback from the residents. I know they enjoy seeing students out and about, doing good deeds for others.”

Among the comments the students heard from home-

owners who had their yards raked was, “This is wonderful what you guys are doing, it’s just what we needed. Thank you so much.”

Kitchen said in order to be as efficient as possible, the morning’s work was co-ordinated with the Town of Canora, as in the past.

“We ran an ad in The Canora Courier, and residents of Canora could call the Town

Office and request their yard to be cleaned. Then Brandi Zavislak, community development officer, relayed all the addresses to CCS and the students supplied the labour.”

After the requests from homeowners were looked after, the students still had time to do some more raking and bagging.

“So we decided to add Gateway Lodge, Cummings

Court, Park Place, Canora RCMP detachment, Main Street, and King George Park to our list,” reported Kitchen.

“All students in grades 5 to 12 participated in this Pay It Forward activity.”

“We are looking forward to next year, and are already thinking of different ways to get the word out, so more residents of Canora can take advantage of our Community Clean Up.”

Kamsack Hospital may soon begin process of re-opening

Courtesy of Kamsack Times

Within the next couple weeks, Kamsack area residents may be able to begin using the Kamsack Hospital as the facility they had been accustomed to have in the past.

A demonstration was held at the hospital on July 14 after it was learned that the provincial government had decided

to shut down all acute care beds at the Hospital and the emergency room would only operate from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., causing CUPE (Canadian Union of Public Employees) to say that “our health care system is fraying,”

Demonstrators had voiced their concerns and carried placards saying “Don’t shut us down. Help,” “Kamsack people and Indigenous people

matter,” and “Our health care matters. Keep our Hospital.”

Speaking at the demonstration were Everett Hindley, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and of Rural and Remote health, and Terry Dennis, CanoraPelly MLA, who pledged they would be “working hard” to “get the beds reopened.”

It was later learned that by Sept. 19, emergency services were being provided from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday to Friday, while x-ray services were provided by appointment only.

Asked last week if

she had received any additional information regarding the status of the Hospital, Kamsack Mayor Nancy Brunt said that all she knew was that “we are getting four (ALC) alternate level of care beds and one palliative bed on Nov. 6.”

“The SHA (Saskatchewan Health Authority) is planning to open four Alternate Level of Care (ALC) and one palliative care beds in the next month, contingent upon staffing levels and outbreak management in order to maintain safe and sustainable operation of those beds,” said a release from

James Winkel of SHA media relations. “Our goal remains to restore and stabilize services at the Kamsack Hospital as soon as human resource challenges can be adequately addressed.

“Similar to other locations provincially and nationally, staffing levels remain challenging so the SHA continues to work with many partners to recruit health professionals in many different disciplines to achieve sustainable care,” the release said.

“Assisting in this capacity is the Government of Saskatchewan’s recently announced

Health Human Resources Action Plan,” it said. “The plan helps address the staffing challenges that Kamsack and other communities across Saskatchewan are currently facing. As part of this action plan, the SHA hopes to recruit a number of permanent, full-time nursing staff from the Philippines.

“New, targeted incentives will also assist the SHA with recruitment from within Saskatchewan,” the release said. “We will continue to update residents on the bed openings as information becomes available.”

Tasty fare

It was a chance for a late fall barbecue as the Legacy Co-op Yorkton Home & Agro Centre held a member appreciation event Oct. 25, and event appreciated by those in attendance.

IN BRIEF Polonich succeeds Marianchuk as coach of Yorkton Terriers

The Yorkton Junior Terriers are celebrating 50 years in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League this season.

To mark the milestone Yorkton This Week is digging into its archives and pulling out a random Terrierrelated article from the past five decades of reporting on the team, and will be running one each week, just as it originally appeared.

This feature will appear weekly over the entire season in the pages of The Marketplace.

Week #6 comes from Feb. 4, 1987.

The winner of the Yorkton Terriers coaching derby is Dennis Polonich.

The former Detroit Red Wings player signed on as coach and general manager of the local junior hockey team Monday. The contract’s life is for the remaining 13 games of the Saskatchewan Amateur Junior Hockey League schedule, plus an additional two years.

At a media conference Monday, Polonich says he pushed for an extra two-year contract, because “I was not comfortable with two months. This would create undue pressure and strain. It’s tough when you have to reassess the position after only two months.”

Also, ‘it wasn’t worth moving my family” from Muskegon, Michigan for what could conceivably only work out to be a two-month job.

Terriers’ president Gene Krepakevich says the executive had only intended to hire a coach for the remainder of the season, “but after assessing the situation, we realized the need for stability.”

After receiving 17 applications by letter and 10 queries by phone, the Terriers’ executive decided to shortlist the candidates down to four names. One of the four didn’t show up for personal reasons, so only three people were interviewed for the job, which became open when interim coach Barry Marianchuk

50 YEARS

Looking back at the Yorkton Terriers

announced he would be stepping down from his position.

Marianchuk, who took over from the fired Norm Johnston in January, will stay on as director of player personnel and will help Polonich get familiar with the team.

Polonich arrived in Yorkton Thursday to prepare a presentation and had an interview with the executive Saturday.

“I was sitting on pins and needles” until asked if he wanted the job.

Polonich, originally from Foam Lake, was available for the job because he finished off his 14-year professional hockey career with the Muskegon Lumberjacks in December and wanted to get into coaching.

“My kids will get shoes now,” jokes Polonich.

But taking over the Terriers is no joking matter. Polonich watched the team practice Monday afternoon and figured out the line combinations and defence pairings.

“I can’t wait to start,” he says. “There’s a lot of ground to cover.”

Items high on the agenda include assessing the players and team as a whole. Other things include “getting to know the players one-on-one” and preparing the team to get ready to “peak for the playoffs.”

On a more long-term basis, Polonich wants to learn about the administrative end of the organization, along with establishing a good rapport with “every-

Don’t

one,” including people in the community, the AAA Mallers hockey team, minor sports and hockey teams in the surrounding area.

Over the last few years, there has been “a lot of turmoil” in the Terriers’ organization and the team has developed the nickname of “dial-a-coach,” says Polonich.

“I want to build stability and trust” in the organization.

Polonich doesn’t look at the job as a stepping stone. I want to become entrenched in the community.”

Although he has no actual coaching experience, Polonich ran a hockey school at Yorkton for 10 years and was a captain or assistant captain on most teams he has been on, so was responsible for running practices over the years.

Discipline and coaching strategies “will come naturally.”

But discipline in hockey has changed he says. “The Hitler style has gone – you can’t crack the whip all the time.”

During his career, Polonich was known for his hard work and aggressive play.

“I did what it took to win at the pro level, but the game has changed,” he says. “And I think my style changed as a player.”

He is still strongly in favour of good work habits and hard work, but is not enthralled with unnecessary roughness and fights.

“Aggressive individuals are important for the team, but they have to control this aggression,” he adds.

As well, “players are not on my team for their own personal satisfaction,” but for the team.

Polonich says he thinks the fourth-place Terriers “have decent talent.” And the players have done “remarkably well” considering the number of coaches they have had this year.

Preeceville resident turns century old

Courtesy of Preeceville Progress

Melvin Stone of Preeceville turned a century old surrounded by many family and friends on Oct. 14 at the Preeceville Personal Care Home.

He was born and raised in Montreal and after the Second World War he meet the love of his life Doris, and the couple settled down and raised four children. The couple was married 73 years before her passing.

The couple stayed in Montreal for a while before they moved to Dartmouth to be closer to their son for a few years.

In retirement, the couple moved to Preeceville in 2006 to be near their daughter.

When his wife’s health started to fail, the couple moved into the Preeceville Personal Care Home located in Sturgis. When his wife passed away and the home in Sturgis closed its doors, he was moved to Preeceville, were he is currently residing.

Melvin enlisted in the Royal Canadian Navy as a decoder, and served for three years before he was discharged.

“As a decoder for the Navy, I had an important job of decoding mes-

sage before they could be sent to the ground troops,” said Stone. “Many of the messages were very difficult to decode and I was provided with some training but learned the trade quickly. I was never deployed to the ships and did what they asked me to do.” he said.

Stone spent some time as a commissioner in the Navy stationed in Halifax for a brief time before he was discharged.

“Granddad remains in good health both physically and mentally and is very spry for his age,” said his granddaughter Katherine Vandle of Yorkton.

Melvin Stone, right, celebrated his 100th birthday surrounded by family and his granddaughter Katherine Vandle was one of those who helped him celebrate.

EDITORIAL

Calgary pair rep Canada at 6v6 lacrosse event

For those of us who are lacrosse fans – if you like sports you really should give the game a long look – a lot of recent attention has been on the newest version 6v6.

The 6v6 game is something quite new, an amalgamation of sorts taking much from the box game, adding the pace of basketball, playing it on a smaller outdoor field, all in the hopes of gaining favour with the Summer Olympics committee to add 6v6 lacrosse to its roster of medal sports.

The game was given a trial run this summer at the World Games in Birmingham, Ala., and the women’s side was recently highlighted by the maiden voyage of World Lacrosse Super

Sixes event.

The women’s event held in early October saw Canada win four games and lose one throughout the weekend, building upon the success of the team who won gold at the World Games in July.

Canada defeated the Haudenosaunee 17-4 in the gold medal game.

The Canadian roster included a pair of Albertans Milana Zizakovic and Alex Matsuoka.

Matsuoka said the Super Sixes experience was a great one.

“It was super awesome, a great series,” the midfielder currently playing midfield with the University of Oregon Ducks.

“It was amazing,”

echoed Zizakovic, who plays with Towson in the NCAA. “It was just a super opportunity that I was able to go play that weekend.”

Matsuoka said just getting to wear the Team Canada jersey makes an event special for an athlete, and of course winning only enhances such as experience.

So how do girls from Alberta become nation-

CALVIN DANIELS Sports

al level athletes in field lacrosse?

Matsuoka said the women’s game is starting to emerge in this country.

“It’s definitely growing a lot more in Canada,” she said, adding that having two Albertans on the team “. . . shows lacrosse is growing out west as well.”

In Matsuoka’s case lacrosse is sort of a family thing.

“I have an older brother who played lacrosse,” she said, adding it was sort of a natural thing to eventually try it herself. “It was just time for me to pick up a stick.”

Initially Matsuoka learned lacrosse indoors in the tight confines of that version of the game, but eventually transitioned to the women’s game, which she admitted is a lot different in terms of rules than the men’s field game.

“There’s a lot more finesse,” she said, adding she also thinks women need better stick skills because of the pockets on their sticks.

Admitting it can be confusing for viewers, Matsuoka noted that is one thing 6v6 attempts to do, to bring the men’s and women’s versions closer to being the same.

Zizakovic also began playing box lacrosse. She said she had been playing ringette when the team decided to make the switch to indoor lacrosse.

“It was a very big leap,” she said, but one she also found she enjoyed, eventually evolving her game to play field.

The early exposure to the box game makes sixes a comfortable option for Zizakovic.

“It’s so cool how both games (box and field) mix . . . It’s a perfect union of both versions of lacrosse put together,” she said.

Matsuoka said she has liked her introduction to 6v6 lacrosse.

“I think sixes offers players a totally different

Youth take in curling clinic in Yorkton

By Calvin Daniels Staff Writer

When it comes to attracting youth to sport it’s important they get introduced young.

And that was exactly the hope of two days of clinics for youth held at the Yorkton Curling Club Sunday and Monday.

On Sunday 64 youth – a full roster -- participated in a clinic geared toward those who already had at least a basic understanding of the sport, and had an interest in refining their skills. It was geared toward youth Grade 6-12, although it was not a school event.

Then on Monday, a ‘learnto-curl’ session, which is more geared to beginners, with little, or no experience on the ice.

There were 32 schools in the area which had been contacted to have students involved in the Monday sessions, which included on-ice and off sessions, with more than 80 taking place, a number reduced by the weather

conditions.

“We’re trying to get kids back to curling,” offered Dave Baron one of the local organizers in a recent Yorkton This Week story about the clinics.

Saskatchewan curler Kirk Muyres, who was part of the 2011 Canadian Junior Curling Championship team, was one of the instructors. He said just seeing so many young players out on the ice was gratifying.

“It’s great they are here and you want them to have some fun,” he said, adding that’s the first step, having youth having fun, learning the techniques of the game, sweeping, sliding and throwing rocks.

“You want them excited about the sport. That’s so important.”

Muyres said everyone – youth included – have so many recreational options these days, ranging across a long list of sports, but also dance, video games and more, and that’s a good thing. In fact, he said he believes youth should try many things, explor-

ing until they find what they truly enjoy.

Of course Muyres said he also believes curling has a lot to offer in terms of being something youth embrace.

Curling can take you to the highest levels, playing professionally around the world, he said.

“If you work really hard there’s the opportunity to be great,” said Muyres.

It can put you into provincial play where you can be the ‘local hero’.

Or, it can just be a life-long sport enjoyed at the local club level, added Muyres.

“Anybody can play the sport,” said Muyres, adding in comparison to other sports curling is even a reasonably priced option.

Of course the next step is to keep the youth attending the clinics involved with curling.

To that end CurlSask has a new initiative this year, a “series of U15 Triples Spiels designed to support young curlers love of

the game and provide the opportunity to practice their skills, and meet curlers from across Saskatchewan.”

Triples Curling is a new discipline that has been developed by Curling Canada. As its name suggests, curlers compete in teams of three when playing ‘Triples’. All ends consist of six shots per team, with each player throwing two of those shots.

Triples games consist of three ‘sets’ of two ends each. Each set can be seen as a two-end ‘minigame’, with each team playing with the hammer for one of these ends and without the hammer for the other.

One of the unique features of the Triples discipline is that curlers are required to play a different position (i.e., lead, middle, and skip) for each set of the game.

Yorkton hosts one of the U15 events Nov. 5 and 6.

These spiels assist in the preparation for those playing in the U15 Triples Cup.

experience,” she said. “Honestly it’s more exciting to play . . . It’s definitely a different experience.”

But, sixes has its own character to adapt too as well, starting with a backand-forth show resulting in lots of goals.

“You definitely have to get in the mindset you won’t be able to stop every play on offence,” said Matsuoka, likening it much more to basketball in that regard.

For Zizakovic sixes is emerging as her favoured version of lacrosse.

“I would say 6v6. I just think it’s so much fun,” she said, adding a large part of that is no faceoffs after goals so players have to get back on defence immediately.

“It took some getting used to to keep playing, but it keeps you very involved in the game. I really like that aspect.”

Admitting it is likely because she learned the indoor game first, Matsuoka said she too actually likes sixes more than field right now.

“It’s super exciting –super fun,” she said, adding because players play at both ends of the field it really keeps players engaged and broadens the skill set they need to succeed.

Super Sixes will return next October in Oshawa, Ont.

Calgary pair rep Canada at 6v6 lacrosse event Calgary pair rep Canada at 6v6 lacrosse event.

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Publisher/ Advertising Manager: John Bauman

Editor: Calvin Daniels

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Classified Sales: Casey Shields Phone: 306-782-2465 Fax: 306-786-1898 e-mail: editorial@yorkton thisweek.com

20 Third Avenue North, Yorkton, S3N 1B9

Photos courtesy Lacrosse Canada Alex Matsuoka Milana Zizakovic

Sahli hoping for 2021 repeat at this year’s PBR event

By Calvin Daniels Staff Writer

When the Mazergroup PBR event takes over the Westland Insurance Arena next week Ashton Sahli will be looking to repeat his 2021 event win.

Last year Sahli rode to an 83 Friday night, then added an 82 Saturday for an aggregate score of 165 the best of the event, a half point better than Jordan Hansen.

“Last year went really good for me,” the Red Deer-based rider told Yorkton This Week in a recent interview.

The win was certainly a memorable one for the 22-year-old Sahli who was in his first year competing on PBR in 2021.

“It was my first PBR win,” he said.

So does a win at an event one year really influence how a rider approaches the same venue the following year?

Sahli said you try to use it to build off, but ultimately every night out is different.

“The bulls have no idea what you’ve done or who’ve you stayed on before,” he said.

So Sahli just tries for a consistent approach at every event.

“I just want to do my job,” he said.

That said, when a rider is having success, or is being bucked off, it can snowball both ways.

“I find it a really streaky sport,” said Sahli, adding dealing with the ups and downs is just part of bull riding.

For Sahli that means trying not to get too high, or low before climbing into the chute.

“I like to keep myself calm, to trust in myself that I can do it,” he said.

Smile cookies bring in the dough

By Calvin Daniels Staff Writer

Yorkton obviously had an appetite for cookies, and for helping raise funds.

Through Tim Horton’s Smile Cookie promotion where proceeds from every Smile Cookie support charities and community groups, the Brayden Ottenbreit Close Cuts for Cancer initiative received $10,759.

The local Smile Cookie program has been raising funds for five years, and Greg Ottenbreit said the 2022 amount is the highest.

“It’s totally incredible,” said Leone Ottenbreit, who added this year they were directly involved helping bake and decorate the hundreds of cookies sold locally.

The amount raised also officially pushed the fundraising effort of the Brayden Ottenbreit Close Cuts for

Cancer over $1 million through the 25 years since its inception.

“It is amazing,” said Leone Ottenbreit, adding the amount is thanks to the many partners they have worked with over the years. “. . .We’re so thankful for the community support.”

Mauricio Gomez, owner of Tim Horton’s in Yorkton is one of those partners. He said the cookie sales were a good way of helping the local community.

“It’s a very good opportunity to help the people suffering from cancer,” he said, adding they are “very happy to partner” on an effort that is such a positive one in the community.

The current fundraiser for Close Cuts is the Angels Among Us campaign where people can order angels, nativity scenes and new this year, nativity addons: three wise men and/or two sheep, which can all be ordered via Facebook.

The approach was working early this season too with a first place finish in Calgary in July on day two of the Cody Snyder Charity Bull Bustin, and seconds in Kinsella and at Czar Lake both in Alberta.

“This season was the first we could go every weekend since COVID,” he said. “. . . I had a really strong start this season.”

But, then a hip injury occurred and Sahli said he’s still dealing with that.

“It’s just one of those things. You just have to put it out of your mind

for the eight seconds it takes,” he said.

Sahli added it helps that the PBR sports medicine team does such a good job helping riders be ready, even while dealing with some nagging injuries.

“The sport wouldn’t be where it is without them,” he said.

Of course riding bulls is rather familiar to Sahli in spite of his young age.

“From a really young age I grew up around it,” he said, adding his father rode bulls, and he and his brothers were riding

steers from a young age. Sahli said it was a case of his dad leading him to ride, but was simply something he found he loved doing.

“He (Dad) never pushed in that direction,” he said, adding as a youngster he played hockey and lacrosse too.

But, it was steer wrestling Sahli liked best. Now Sahli will look toward Yorkton and hope the bulls are kind.

“I just have to go out there and ride all the bulls like I have to do at every event,” he said.

the Parkland Area

Ashton Sahli

Greg and Leonne Ottenbreit accept the cookie Smile donation to Close Cuts from Vishal Sharma and Mauricio from Tim Horton’s in Yorkton.

Meeple Guild hosting gaming events

So our humble little Meeple Guild group –we figured we needed a catchy name one day long ago – held its first game’s night at the Yorkton Public Library.

To be honest we weren’t sure what to expect in terms of response and would not have been surprised had no one showed night one, but there were people, and that is outstanding.

A lady in her eighties just looking for an evening activity was there and played crokinole for the first time in her life. How incredible to introduce her to one of the best board games ever created – yes that is my very biased opinion.

And there were youngsters too,

That was gratifying considering we tend to think of youngsters only

being interested in sitting in front of a computer playing video games. Now there is nothing wrong with video games. In fact, one can list a lot of worse activities to be involved with, but we happen to have a soft spot for board games –the tactile feel of physically moving pieces around a board, and the face-to-face connection of sharing a game table.

That one of the young players spoke of enjoying classics such as Go and chess was an added bonus for an abstract strategy fan such as yours truly. I rather look forward to introducing him to Alice chess and Othello and Hive and Lines of Action and Abalone and, well a lot of games come to mind.

Of course that is now our challenge in the

weeks ahead, matching games to the interests of those who show up Tuesday evenings at the library.

The games have to fit the venue in the sense they can’t be onerous to teach, nor too long to play given it is a time-limited evening.

We can’t just ask either because there are so many games players may never have heard of they might enjoy – for example Through the

Desert comes to mind.

And, it may be that a game some may want to try we don’t have in our collection.

But, fear not we have quite a few, even great older games such as cribbage, and Mexican Train dominoes.

Still, the journey of promoting board games, building a more vibrant community is going to be fun, and maybe it’ll catch on in other communities too.

Come on down and let’s play some board games.

Our little guild is going

to take another step to promote board gaming too.

We recognize the library is not the perfect locale for every game, so we are going to be at Tapps Sports Lounge & Grill every second Sunday with some Blood Bowl fantasy football boards on the table for some Orc versus Norse and Skaven versus Lizard Men action. The venue will allow a bit more animation in play – within reason of course – and the ability to enjoy a refreshment in the process.

The afternoons will be very informal so grab your board and team if you have them and join us.

Never played Blood Bowl – well Google away – then pop down and we’ll let you give it a try.

There are a number of fine fantasy football games, but among them Blood Bowl is the granddaddy, remaining highly entertaining.

This could be such a blast, so come check it out.

Trevor Lyons studies his Blood Bowl ream at Tapps Sports Lounge & Grill.

USask researcher aims for strategies

A University of Saskatchewan (USask) researcher with a focus on human rights and access to justice has been awarded $140,000 for a project that aims to find alternatives to child and youth evictions in Canada.

Sarah Buhler, associate professor at USask’s College of Law, received the research grant from Making the Shift, an organization that funds research to prevent and end youth homelessness in Canada. It is co-led by the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness and A Way Home Canada.

“Our project really focuses on the law and the legal system, and ways that we might be able to prevent evictions of youth, because evictions are one cause of homelessness,” Buhler said.

She said the project, titled Building a Human Rights and Youth-Centred

Approach to Eviction Law and Practice, is national in scope and still in its formative stages. It is being done in collaboration with two national housing rights organizations: the National Right to Housing Network and the Canadian Centre for Housing Rights.

The project will end up capturing both youth, aged up to 24 living on their own, and those children and youth who are part of a family unit dealing with eviction, she said.

“We’re going to be looking at the concept of the best interest of the child and the human rights of children and youth, so it’s going to end up capturing children, youth and families,” Buhler said.

“If we can find strategies to reduce evictions of youth, we are going to also prevent evictions of other people.”

In Canada, children and youth

experience eviction from rental housing at higher rates than most other age groups, Buhler said. Research shows that youth often are not aware of how the legal process works, or their rights, she said.

“If they get an eviction notice, they often will simply move out rather than thinking about whether they have other options.”

Eviction is particularly damaging for youth because of its long-term consequences, increasing their risks of getting embroiled in the legal system or other problematic areas, she said.

Eviction into homelessness also violates international human rights law, yet Canadian eviction laws do not reflect human rights obligations or account for the unique experiences and vul-

nerabilities of youth. Instead, tribunals established to resolve landlord-tenant disputes too often resort to evictions, rather than exploring other options, she said.

Buhler said many landlords would rather not resort to eviction, so working with them on eviction-prevention programs is important.

When the project is up and running, it will include national workshops involving youth, service providers, and advocates.

“Our focus is going to be specifically on the law and the legal system and looking at actual eviction proceedings and thinking about what are the principles, and how can adjudicators think more about the circumstances and the rights of youth.”

Submitted

Wakaw poachers suspended, fined $16,960

A routine hunter compliance check last fall began an investigation that uncovered a family’s pattern of unethical hunting practices and offences committed over the last 10 years.

The case concluded on July 12 in Wakaw Provincial Court, when four individuals pleaded guilty to a total of 18 counts of various wildlife infractions. Donna Balone, Miles Balone, Travis Balone and Nicole Forcier received combined fines of $16,960 and hunting suspensions ranging from one to three years.

On November 21, 2021, a Saskatoon conservation officer on a hunting patrol stopped Travis Balone and Nicole Forcier near Wakaw. The

officer found that Travis Balone was unlawfully carrying and hunting with Nicole Forcier’s white-tailed deer seal.

The investigation then led to the pair’s residence, where the officer found two trophy white-tailed deer skulls that had been taken earlier in the season. Both had seals attached, one belonging to Travis Balone and the other to Donna Balone, his mother. The officer seized the skull with Travis Balone’s seal immediately, as Nicole Forcier admitted to shooting it. The other skull was seized later when it was confirmed that it was Travis Balone who shot the deer before placing his mother’s seal on it.

Over the next several

months, the investigation revealed other offences:

In 2014, Miles Balone shot a trophy bull moose without a licence. Later, Nicole Forcier allowed him to attach her draw moose seals to the animal.

Nicole Forcier purchased white-tailed deer licences and entered the Big Game Draw since 2012, despite not receiving her hunter education/ firearm safety certificate until November 2016.

On November 20, 2021, Travis Balone hunted a trophy white-tailed buck with help from Miles Balone, his father. He failed to field dress and tag the deer and continued to hunt, later attaching Donna Balone’s game seal to the animal.

Travis Balone and

Ukrainian citizens set to arrive in Saskatchewan

This evening approximately 200 people will arrive in Regina on the third of five humanitarian flights carrying Ukraine citizens to Saskatchewan.

Upon their arrival to Regina, a settlement reception centre will be available and will include on-site personnel to answer questions and issue Saskatchewan health cards, assist with the setup of bank accounts, provide information about housing, employment, education, income assistance, community supports and more. All recent newcomers are welcome to visit the reception centre.

“The people and busi-

nesses of Saskatchewan are once again prepared to welcome these refugees to our province and our communities,”

Immigration and Career Training Minister Jeremy Harrison said. “We expect they will settle across the province, just as we have experienced with the first two flights, and we are proud to offer them a sense of safety and security, something they have been missing for some time.”

Saskatchewan is proud to partner with humanitarian organizations Open Arms and Solidaire on a third flight. On August 12, Premier Scott Moe joined representatives from Solidaire and Open

Arms to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU). The MOU is a pledge by the three parties to partner on five humanitarian flights into Saskatchewan by March 31, 2023.

Information about programs and services, available to Ukrainian newcomers can be accessed by: phone Tollfree at 1-833-613-0485 via email at ukrainesupport@gov.sk.ca online at www.saskatchewan.ca/ residents/saskatchewansupports-ukraine

The invasion of Ukraine by the Russian army has forced millions of Ukrainian people to flee their country in search of safety. With the arrival of this flight, more than 2,000 displaced Ukrainians have arrived in Saskatchewan since the conflict began.

Donna Balone falsified their hunter harvest survey records.

All parties involved provided false or misleading information to the officer throughout the investigation.

If you suspect wildlife, fisheries, forestry or environmental violations, please call Saskatchewan’s toll-free Turn In Poachers and Polluters (TIPP) line at 1-800-667-7561 or call

#5555 from a SaskTel cellular device. Violations can also be reported online at saskatchewan. ca/tipp. You may be eligible for cash rewards from the SaskTip Reward Program.

Forever Remembered, Forever Loved

John

Popowich

Jan.

Prairie Man

Days lived, steps taken, miles well-travelled

Homesteads built and horses tamed

A strong man’s will, never unraveled

Behind a brown Mercury from city to lake Travelling roads he once built Hugging yellow lines, hesitating for a break

Generations multiplies to five

A son and four daughters

A wife helping them all to strive

A Prairie man’s journey well fought

With a century around the sun Never asking for naught

Nature his friend, a camper his home Fish from a lake, grain from the land

No worries now, with freedom to roam

new friends, and meeting ones from old

Reconnecting with those gone to soon Telling stories yet to be told

As the winds of the western prairies gust The wheat grows, and the canola sways, In the Heavens above, you trek in wonderlust

With a sly smile and teasing laugh Your new adventure in the stars above Captured by our hearts in a photograph

Rural Municipality of Orkney No. 244 Municipal Elections 2022

NOTICE OF ADVANCE VOTING

PUBLIC NOTICE is hereby given that the R.M. of Orkney No. 244 will be holding advance voting for the election of Division Councilor for: Division No. 2, 4 and 6. Advance voting will take place on Friday, the 28th day of October, 2022 between the hours of 11:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.

Advance Voting for Division Councilors 2 and 4 will take place at the R.M Office at 137 George Avenue, Collacott, R.M. of Orkney No. 244, SK.

Advance Voting for Division Councilor 6 will take place at the R.M. of Orkney No. 244 Shop located in Orcadia, SK. Dated at Yorkton, SK. this 7th day of October, 2022.

Rural Municipality of Orkney No. 244 Municipal Elections 2022

NOTICE OF VOTE

PUBLIC NOTICE is hereby given that:

1. A vote will be held for the election of a Councilor for Division No. 2, Division No. 4 and Division No. 6.

2. The vote will take place on Wednesday, the 9th day of November 2022 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. at:

DIVISION No. 2, POLL AT Municipal Office, 137 George Avenue, Collacott, RM of Orkney No. 244

DIVISION No. 4, POLL AT Municipal Office, 137 George Avenue, Collacott, RM of Orkney No. 244

DIVISION No. 6, POLL AT the R.M. of Orkney No. 244 Shop in Orcadia, SK,

3. I will declare the results of the voting at the R.M. office at 137 George Avenue, Collacott, R.M. of Orkney No. 244 on Thursday, the 10th day of November 2022 at the hour of 10:00 a.m

Dated at Yorkton, SK this 6th day of October, 2022

Bridgette MacDonald Returning Officer

Memoriam

Bridgette MacDonald Returning Officer

FLAX STRAW buncher. Asking $2500. Call 306-563-6303

FOR SALE 150 Angus - Simmental Cross Bred Heifers (Red Angus Series) Contact - Richard Krauss 306-547-7822

STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP

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GOOD’S USED TRACTOR PARTS (204) 564-2528 or

Harvest all but complete in province

Harvest is virtually complete across Saskatchewan as dry weather through much of September and October allowed producers to effectively harvest their crops without major weather delays.

Harvest started early for many producers in the southwest and west-central regions after another dry growing season.

Late seeding dates and weekly precipitation during the flowering and seed filling stages delayed harvest in the eastern and northern parts of the province until the latter half of August but resulted in higher yield potential.

However, the weather remained dry, and producers were able to gain momentum with their harvest and get all their crop in without any major issues.

East-Central Saskatchewan:

• Crop District 5 –Melville, Yorkton, Cupar, Kamsack, Foam Lake,

Preeceville and Kelvington areas

• Crop District 6A –Lumsden, Craik, Watrous and Clavet areas

There was good harvest progress over the past week, even with shortened days due to heavy fog and dewy mornings delaying producer starts until the early afternoon.

Harvest progress has reached 81 per cent just ahead of the five-year average of 76 per cent.

Producers are predicting that harvest will be wrapped up in about a week to ten days as long as the weather holds out and no rainfall is received.

The majority of crop left to combine is canola and producers are reporting that yields have improved greatly in some areas when compared to last year.

There were only trace amounts of rainfall reported this past week, most moisture came from the early morning fog and dew.

While most of the region received greater amounts of precipitation over the growing season than last year, after several weeks without a significant rain, producers have found their fields to be drying up very quickly. Cropland topsoil moisture is rated as one per cent surplus, 29 per cent adequate, 50 per cent short and 20 per cent very short.

Hay and pasture land topsoil moisture is rated as 25 per cent adequate, 52 per cent short and 23 per cent very short.

Yield estimates for the region show a large improvement over last year and many producers are extremely happy with the amount of grain they have in the bin.

Hard red spring wheat is estimated to yield 46 bu/ac, durum 40 bu/ac, flax 27 bu/ac, canola 39 bu/ac and lentils 1,361 lb/ ac. Hard red spring wheat was also reported to be graded as 72 per cent 1CW, 26 per cent 2CW, one per cent 3CW and one per cent 4CW/feed.

The majority of crop damage this week was due to wind, waterfowl and rain. Some of the crop is coming off tough and being placed into aeration bins or grain dryers.

Farmers are busy combining, harrowing, hauling grain, hauling bales and applying post-harvest herbicides.

Provincially

Now that harvest is almost complete in all regions of the province, producers would like to see some steady precipitation before the ground freezes and winter arrives.

Crop yields vary

throughout the province, depending heavily on the amount of moisture received throughout the season. Yields in the southwest and westcentral regions are once again below average, with some producers reporting slightly improved yields compared to last year. Yields in the eastern and northern regions were much improved and many producers are reporting yields higher than average. The largest impacts on yields this year were drought, gophers, grasshoppers, wind and drowned out crops in the spring.

Average yields are being estimated as 44 bushels per acre for hard red spring wheat, 31 bushels per acre for durum, 93 bushels per acre for oats, 64 bushels per acre for barley, 36 bushels per acre for canola, 34 bushels per acre for peas and 1,165 pounds per acre for lentils.

Quality ratings for all crops are largely in the top two grade categories for each respective crop. The largest contributors to downgrading were light kernel weights due to drought, insect damage, grain bleaching or discolouring from rain, and an increase in diseases such as ergot in cereal crops such as spring wheat and durum.

Moisture conditions are a concern for some producers, especially those who have struggled through the season with infrequent and minimal rainfalls. Even the regions that started the year with a surplus of moisture are now becoming very dry and producers are hoping for rain soon.

Significant precipitation will be needed this fall and over winter to replenish moisture levels in the soil and dugouts. Heading into winter, topsoil moisture on cropland is rated as 22 per cent adequate, 35 per cent short and 43 per cent very short. Hay and pasture land topsoil moisture is rated as 16 per cent adequate, 37 per cent short and 47 per cent very short.

Hay yields greatly improved across much of the province as higher amounts of precipitation allowed for early growth and rapid regrowth throughout the growing season. Hay land in the southwest and west-central struggled once again through drought-like conditions which resulted in less-than-optimal hay yields. Provincially, average hay yields on dry land are reported as 1.4 tons per acre (alfalfa), 1.4 tons per acre (alfalfa/brome and wild hay), 1.10 tons per acre (other tame hay) and 2 tons per acre (greenfeed). On irrigated land, the estimated average hay

yields are 2 tons per acre (alfalfa), 2.3 tons per acre (alfalfa/brome), 1.5 tons per acre (wild hay) and 3 tons per acre (greenfeed). Most of the hay going into winter is rated as fair to excellent, with only one per cent rated as poor.

Due to improved hay yields, winter feed supplies for livestock such as cattle have also improved.

Producers in the northern and eastern regions have indicated they will have surplus or adequate inventories of hay, straw, green feed and feed grain.

Producers in the southwest and west-central report they did not have the ability to replenish their feed stocks completely and are sourcing their feed from other parts of the province, with some purchasing hay from Alberta or Manitoba. For some producers, their feed inventory is too depleted and feed too costly to purchase, leading them to reduce their herd size to fit the feed they have available.

Water hauling was once again common for many areas of the province as dugouts, sloughs and other water bodies dried up and become unsafe for livestock.

Producers constantly tested water quality and were forced to move cattle off pastures that had unsafe water, putting increased pressure on already struggling grasslands. More rain and an above average snowfall this winter is needed to ensure that water quantity and quality is not an issue next year.

Without large amounts of rain in the latter half of August and through September, many soils in the province were too dry for proper germination of winter cereals and producers elected to not risk seeding winter wheat and fall rye. Across the province seeded acres of winter wheat fell an estimated 23 per cent while fall rye acres fell 17 per cent. Producers who did seed winter cereals have reported that the crop did not germinate well or at all.

Now that harvest is complete, farmers will be able to complete fall work such as fixing fences, moving cattle, hauling grain and bales, picking rocks and other miscellaneous field work. Farmers will continue to do their field work until the ground freezes or a big snowfall occurs.

This is the final Crop Report of the 2022 growing season.

A complete, printable version of the Crop Report is available online at https://www.saskatchewan.ca/crop-report.

Follow the 2022 Crop Report on Twitter at @ SKAgriculture.

Submitted

General

Raider Gridders move onto league final

By Calvin Daniels Staff Writer

The Yorkton Regional High School Raider Gridders are on their

Weyburn for the SHSAA South Rural League finals, but it was not an easy road to get there.

Yorkton hosted the Central Collegiate Cyclones Saturday, and at least for a half, the game was a nail-biter.

Yorkton scored two touchdowns early, but the Cyclones responded with three of their own, thanks to a couple of nice passing plays.

“We didn’t expect it.

didn’t think they could throw the ball like they did,” said Raider Gridder coach Roby Sharpe. “But, when we got to the half it was a chess match.”

A late Raider Gridder TD in the first half sent the teams to the halftime break deadlocked at 21 apiece.

The offences remained sharp in the second half,

in particular Yorkton’s.

Moose Jaw added 13 for a respectable 34-point effort on the day, but it was far from enough Saturday.

The Gridders rolled up 39 second half points for a 60-34 win.

Yorkton coach Roby Sharpe said the game sort of played out as they had anticipated.

“It was kind of our game plan the whole way. We wanted to run the ball,” he said. “The idea was just to grind them and wear them down.”

With that in mind Yorkton rushed for 193 yards in the first half, and then added 172 in the second half for 365 on the afternoon.

The Raider Gridders threw for 179 yards, including 92 in the opening half.

And in the second half when they started seeing Moose Jaw defenders with their hands on hips after plays, Sharpe said they knew their plan was working.

“We just started running the ball at them more and they didn’t handle it,” he said.

It helped too that the Raiders scored early in the second half, then jumped on a kick-off return fumble and took that in for a major too.

The two majors in a span of about four minutes really swung momentum in favour of Yorkton.

Weyburn earned its berth in the final blitzing Moose Jaw’s Albert E. Peacock Collegiate Tornadoes 43-13 in their semi final contest.

The final will be a rematch of the 2021 final, a game Weyburn won.

The teams met earlier this season though, and Yorkton won.

So how do the Raider Gridders repeat the early regular season success?

“We played them once. We know how to beat them,” said Sharpe, not elaborating greatly on the game plan, although he hinted it may be run heavy.

“If you want to play high school football in

Saskatchewan you’ve got to be able to run the football,” he said, adding that

is particularly true as the season moves into the playoffs late in October

and into November when the weather can be cold and snow is a possibility.

City invests in new online platform

By Calvin Daniels Staff Writer

The City of Yorkton is set to invest in a new community engagement platform.

“City Council previously directed Administration to implement new ways to help inform and engage our community with decisions related to City projects, plans and programs,” related Jody MacDonald, Marketing Coordinator with the city at the regular meeting of Yorkton Council.

Work has been ongoing, said MacDonald.

“In 2020, we revealed the City’s website redesign, which provided several new options for ratepayers and clients to make online submissions. These included modules that allows the public to pay for utilities and City services online by credit card, to submit community events to our online community calendar, to subscribe to our News and Notices, to

submit complaints with supporting photos, and for business license holders, to post details and photos of their business to our online Business Directory. We have also used our online form builder to conduct surveys and to carry out contests,” she said.

“We have additionally increased social media activity through Facebook and Instagram, and more recently implemented the Voyent Alert app, which provides residents with notices for emergencies, vehicle accidents, water service disruptions and tempor-

ary street closures.”

But, it was felt more still needed to be done, offered MacDonald.

“Even though we have increased our community engagement through our website and social media, we were still missing an effective way to keep the public informed while also allowing them to communicate and engage with us on the progress of specific projects. So in the spring of 2022, staff reviewed a variety of engagement strategies, tools and techniques utilized by other municipalities,” she said.

The search was nar-

rowed down to one community engagement platform, Bang The Table EngagementHQ. Bang

The Table already works with over 900 municipalities and government agencies across Canada and the United States, providing an allin-one digital engagement platform that collects and connects community feedback.

Bang The Table has been successfully used by other Saskatchewan cities such as Regina, Lloydminster, and Swift Current, said MacDonald.

MacDonald said the new platform “will pro-

vide both City and neighbouring residents, as well as local business owners, an online forum for engagement activities including polls, surveys, discussion forums, idea boards, and more.

‘Shape Your City’ seamlessly connects to the City website, establishing a convenient touchpoint for information, feedback and updates on current and upcoming City projects, plans, programs and contests. This tool will allow public information meetings to be held online and will generally augment our existing engagement practices (such as committee meetings, mail outs, etc.).”

The platform is supposed to improve communication from the City to residents.

“The goal of ‘Shape Your City’ is to provide a respectful space for residents to interact with each other and increase the depth and breadth of public involvement in City processes. With the convenience and flexibility of the platform, we hope to increase participation rates in our public engagement process, and to include the voices of those who may have been missing from the conversation,” said MacDonald.

“Shape Your City will also help staff to provide clear and effective reporting to Council regarding community feedback on key issues and projects, affording Council the opportunity to make decisions with a better understanding of community implications. Input from the community can be tailored to the

needs of the project and all the feedback submitted through the platform is constantly monitored by Bang The Table and City of Yorkton admins to ensure inappropriate or objectionable comments are removed quickly.”

Projects submitted through ‘Shape Your City’ are considered live documents that will continuously be updated by the project management team, while the projects are in progress. Once complete, the project page will be archived and live on the site for public reference.

The ‘Shape Your City’ platform carries an annual cost of approximately $12,000 and is funded from the existing operating budget.

Mayor Mitch Hippsley said the current Council has been very focused on better community communication because too often there is “misinformation” floating around. He said the new platform “makes it so easy,” to get the correct information out to people.

Councillors Dustin Brears and Quinn Haider said the platform is another example of efforts to better communicate with residents.

Coun, Darcy Zaharia said in looking at a budget survey already on the platform it proved to be “very informative,” adding it’s important “to keep our citizens more updated on what’s happening.”

Council was unanimous in supporting the new platform which is accessible through the city’s webpage.

Jody MacDonald,

A strong run game helped Yorkton win Saturday.