Regional News-Optimist April 30, 2020

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75 Years On - Honouring HMCS Battleford

Will be an economic benefit

By John Cairns Staff Reporter

North Battleford is going ahead with underground pipe and asphalt replacement work for 2020 in the face of COVID-19.

Council voted to award the underground utilities contract for their 2020 Capital Works Projects at their Monday council meeting. The winning bid went to Sanburn Construction Ltd. of Battleford, whose price came in at $1,144,676.51.

That low bid bested those of Unicon Pipeline Ltd. of North Battleford

Sports Console hockey Page 10

News

City votes to annex Page 3

Special

HMCS Battleford Pages 6, 7

and Rusway Construction Ltd. of Lloydminster.

Their winning bid came in 28 per cent under the $1.6 million that was budgeted, and the bid for the 100th Street portion of the work alone came in 47 per cent below budget, at $398,063 compared to $750,000.

The schedule of projects includes the 100th Street rehab from 12th to 14th Ave., the 95th Street rehab from 15th to 16th Ave., 110th Street from 8th to 9th Ave., 101st Street from 19th to 20th Ave., the improvements to Carlton Trail, work at Waste Water Treatment Plant Septage Receiving Station and the Hydrant Replacement Program.

There was some discussion expressed at Monday’s meeting about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic situation on the work for this year.

Councillor Kelli Hawtin suggested pushing back the decision to the next meeting, noting a number of businesses had to shut down due to COVID-19.

She suggested consulting with them further before a decision was made.

Mayor Ryan Bater pointed to the economic benefit of proceeding with the work.

“Most cities in Saskatchewan are planning to

do their summer construction schedule,” said Bater.

“It’s generally viewed as a very strong way to inject some activity in the local economy as well.”

He also said this work was necessary work, and echoed the sentiment of other councillors that the pricing was simply too good for council to turn down.

“The pricing that we’ve been presented tonight might not be the pricing that’s received for next year,” said Bater.

He also said he had spoken to people in the business community and noted there were “a lot of voices wanting to see the city do what it can for the local economy in terms of construction and generating what business activity it can.”

Councillor Greg Lightfoot was in favour of going ahead with a decision Monday. He said that if the 100th Street work was removed from the contract following consultations with businesses, “this would have to be repriced,” he said. He worried that would put the companies putting bids in “into a real bind.”

In the end council moved ahead with awarding the contract at the meeting.

With a contribution inside from a poet/songwriter who is marking the 75th anniversary of the end of the Battle of the Atlantic with commemorative poems featuring Canadian Royal Canadian warships, we honour the HMCS Battleford in this issue. The file photo above features Bernadette Leslie, manager of the Fred Light Museum in Battleford, Lt (N) Shane Gautron, veteran Kay Rawlings, and Pvt (N) Smart with a plaque showcasing the history of the HMCS Battleford. The plaque was bequeathed to the museum in honour of the Canadian Navy’s centennial in 2010. Rawlings, who has since passed away, had donated a number of artifacts from the HMCS Battleford, the ship on which her husband had served. She is wearing her original uniform. See inside for more. Photo by Jayne Foster

Sask. to re-open gradually

By John Cairns Staff Reporter

Premier Scott Moe and Saskatchewan’s Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Saqib Shahab unveiled the Re-Open Saskatchewan plan last week, with Phase One to begin May 4.

As Premier Moe said in a province-wide address it

will be a five-phase reopening based on a methodical and phased approach.

Gathering restrictions will remain for the first phase, and the long-term restrictions currently in place on travel, long-term care homes and others will remain in place until the final phase. Moe they will carefully moni-

tor transmission and other factors and will adjust the plan as required.

“As we move through this reopening process we will continue testing and we will continue contact tracing, and we will keep a very close eye on the numbers, while always remembering that these are not just numbers, they are Continued on Page 3

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Rotary Club celebrates 100 years Submitted April, 26 marked the 100th Anniversary of Rotary Club of The Battlefords.

Rotary has a long history with the Battlefords, and the inaugural executive of 1920 includes many notable family names that are still part of this community: Pres. - Paul F. Lanz (ag implement dealer); V.P. - Dr. L.A.C Panton; Treas. - J.H. Healy (freight agent); and Sec. S. Bunting (banker).

Throughout the past 100 years, Rotary has remained dedicated to being a community builder in the Battlefords through many

noteworthy initiatives, resulting from their fundraising events and community donations. Outlined below is a sampling of some of the projects the club has supported or initiated: • Scholarship program that offers $3,000 in scholarships to high schools in North Battleford, as well as post-secondary to North West Regional College • Significant donation towards the construction of the new Boys and Girls Club building in North Battleford • Construction of the Herb Sparrow Rotary’s Splash Park and Playground adjacent to the Boys and Girls Club

• Construction of the Rotary Skate Park adjacent the Civic Centre • Construction and maintenance of Rotary Park by Battlefords Chamber of Commerce building • Significant donation to the Battlefords Humane Society Building Fund • Platinum Sponsor for the 2018 Saskatchewan Winter Games held in the Battlefords • Significant donation to the New Beginnings – Saskatchewan Hospital Capital Campaign • Construction and maintenance of the King Hill lookout over the North Saskatchewan River valley • Donation of $100,000

towards the creation of Rotary Plaza and procurement of a landmark clock at the CUplex • Donations and volunteer support of BUH Foundation • Received the Saskatchewan Premier’s Service Club Award in recognition of their demonstration of selflessness and contributions to the strength of Saskatchewan in 2019 • In March, 2020 in response to the Covid-19 pandemic affecting the Battlefords, Rotary introduced a new community proposal to support the emerging food needs of our community: $3,000 per

month for the next three months will be allocated to the Battlefords Boys and Girls Club bagged lunch program; and $5,000 per month for the next three months will be allocated to the Battlefords District Food and Resource Centre for food supplies.

The remaining $26,000 will be distributed as needs arise, with board consultation.

Rotary Club of The Battlefords also continues their support of many of the community programs in the Battlefords, volunteering their time throughout the year, and plan on doing so for the next 100 years.

Glenda Rye, current president of Rotary Club of the Battlefords says, “I and my husband Jarvis are honoured and proud to be a part of this worthwhile organization and all that it achieves on a daily basis and throughout the past 100 years.

Not only is our club a great example of being a community builder, it is also a ‘fun’ club and we look forward to our weekly meetings and fundraising events.”

If you wish to know more about becoming involved with Rotary Club of The Battlefords please contact Secretary Keri Payne at 306-480-6980.

Cairns on Cinema

May 2020 will be an eerie time for movie fans

By John Cairns Staff Reporter

Welcome to May at the movie theatres. Normally it is around this time that I come out with my annual Summer Blockbuster predictions with the traditional start of the season that runs through Labour Day. Of course, those plans are in the trash due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The cinemas remain slammed shut across North America and the situation remains

muddled to say the least, as we do not know when or whether the cinemas will reopen in full.

Already there are some moves by the U.S. states to open up, most notoriously in the state of Georgia where the governor threw open the entire economy including all of the state’s movie theatres — despite plenty of COVID-19 cases still in the state.

A lot of chains like AMC say they are going to stay shut, despite these

pronouncements, and no wonder. Besides the fact that the pandemic is still raging in a lot of places, the reality is there is little for these chains to show. All the blockbuster releases scheduled for around now have been pushed back.

If you really want to pin me down on whether you’ll see cinemas re-open, I’m going out on a limb to say yes, cinemas will re-open at some point this summer, but likely at no more than 50 per cent capacCity of North Battleford (Official)

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Council Meeting City of North Battleford Council will be held Monday, May 11, 2020 commencing at 6:15 p.m.

Visit www.cityofnb.ca and click on the Council Meeting item under news for ways to watch/listen to the Council meeting.

Any questions or concerns, please contact the Director of Legislative Services - 306-445-1719 North Battleford City Hall is closed to the public, effective Monday, March 23, 2020. During this indefinite closure, employees at City Hall will continue their usual work and general inquiries can be made by calling 306-445-1700.

Due to COVID-19 all Leisure Facilities are closed indefinitely.

Please be advised that all playgrounds are closed to the public.

Local community groups looking for assistance can contact localsupport@cityofnb.ca Thank you for your understanding during this global pandemic.

Online Payments: Pay your Parking Tickets, Taxes, Utility Bill, Accounts Receivable and Criminal Record Checks online at www.cityofnb.ca/paynow Unable to make online payments? Mail payments to PO Box 460, North Battleford, S9A 2Y6 or in the drop box at City Hall at the door by the corner of 13th Ave & 101st Street.

Building Permits and Business Licenses can still be purchased and discussed while City Hall is closed to the Public, please call 306-445-1700.

The Waste Management Facility is still open to the public for regular use and is operating on temporary hours, closing at 5:00 pm.

AVOID CROWDS AND SOCIAL DISTANCE COVID-19 Information Avoid misinformation, rumours and bad information by getting the most accurate and up-to-date information from the Government of Saskatchewan about the COVID-19 virus.

Please visit www.saskatchewan.ca/covid19

ity. Of course, if there is a “second wave” of the virus in the fall, cinemas could end up closing again. We are clearly not going to be back to normal for a while.

Obviously, predicting box office gross numbers is impossible in this environment. The only thing you can predict with certainty is that the numbers for summer 2020 are going to be bad to the point of non-existent. For movies scheduled for summer release dates, they could end up pushed back again due to new COVID-19 developments.

Instead, I think the best thing to do is provide some sort of update on what is happening with the blockbuster movies that were

expected to dominate this summer-that-never-was, which have been postponed to later release dates: Black Widow, the Marvel movie slated for May 1 starring Scarlett Johansson, is now slated for release on Nov. 6.

The Personal History of David Copperfield, slated for May 8, pushed back to a date TBD. Spiral: From the Book of Saw, slated for May 15, will now be released at a new date to be determined.

F9 The Fast Saga, slated for May 22, is now coming out on April 9, 2021.

Wonder Woman 1984, slated for June 5, now is due out a couple of months later on Aug. 14.

Soul, a Disney-Pixar re-

While Lakeland Library Branches are closed, we’re open virtually to serve the community.

Programming is always free!

Check out the North Battleford Library YouTube Channel or Facebook Page for programming: Kids Programming · Kids Interactive Storytimes: Wednesday & Fridays at 11 am · Dinostories – Thursdays at 3 pm · Boredom Busters Tuesdays at 3 pm · Kids Book Club Mondays at 3 pm Adult Programming · Trivia Tuesday Live every week at 7 pm · Poetry club every Saturday at 2 pm · Guess our “Blast from the Past” on Sundays at 3 pm · Can Learn Library – new tutorials every Friday at 7 pm Resources You can access for free with your library card: · OverDrive/Libby App – eBooks, Audiobooks · Hoopla – Bringing you books, movies, full music albums, audiobooks and more · PressReader – Get full issues of thousands of top newspapers and magazines just as they appear in print. · Flipster : Digital magazines · TumbleBook Library –Picture Books and Kids Videos · Novelist Plus – Book Recommendations · And many more!

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lease slated for June 19, is now due out Nov. 20.

Top Gun: Maverick, slated for June 24, now comes out Dec. 23.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife, slated for July 10, now is pushed back to March 5, 2021.

Tenet, from Christopher Nolan, slated for July 17, is as of now still scheduled to go at this time. We will see if this date still holds.

There is some speculation out there that it might get bumped to an August release.

Jungle Cruise, featuring Dwayne Johnson, which was slated for July 24, is now due out July 30, 2021.

That clears out most of the big releases from the summer of 2020. What we are left with are a lot of “limited” releases and efforts that may be rolled out on digital instead of in cinemas. According to the release schedule posted on Box Office Mojo, out on the May 1 weekend are The Wretched and Dream Horse; on May 8 it is Spaceship Earth (a documentary about Biosphere 2), How to Build a Girl (based on Caitlin Moran’s novel), Valley Girl (which is a musical comedy), and the one so-called wide release of the bunch, The High Note starring Dakota Johnson.

These may be good movies, but are not what you would consider “summer blockbusters.” To be honest, I don’t know where you are going to find a cinema that plays these movies given all the closures, so look for these titles on digital platforms.

This is shaping up as a surreal and sad summer for movie fans who love to escape to an airconditioned venue for entertainment.

But with this wretched COVID-19 pandemic that whole plan is up in smoke.

Even if these cinemas do open by July, there isn’t likely to be much to see for a while. It is shaping up to be a long, hot summer, in every way.

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The Battlefords, Thursday, April 30, 2020 - Page 3

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Sask. Hospital site annexation to proceed

By John Cairns Staff Reporter

The City of North Battleford is going ahead with a boundary alteration that will allow them to annex 350 acres around the Saskatchewan Hospital site.

The portion of land in question was set aside as a Crown colony years ago and was never incorporated into the city limits. The land is currently located in the Rural Municipality of North Battleford, and the intention is to alter the boundary with the R.M. so that this portion of land can be incorporated into the city.

According to a city memo, most of the land consists of the previous hospital site, while the remainder is River Valley land that is unsuitable for development. A major reason for the annexation is because several city assets are within the area including the F.E. Holliday water treatment plant, the city’s boat launch, as well as the

During Monday’s council meeting on the Zoom platform, council voted to proceed with the annexation of 350 acres of land around the Saskatchewan Hospital site that currently sit outside city limits. Screenshots by John Cairns

city’s reservoirs.

No budget impact is anticipated by the annexation. The city has been in contact with the R.M. of North Battleford regarding the land in question; it’s expected they will vote on the annexation as well at one of their upcoming meetings.

An application would then need to be submitted

to the province to proceed.

That application process is expected to take place over the next year.

City Planner Ryan Mackrell told council on Monday there is still considerable process they must go through, including notifying property owners, having a public hearing, and then looking at how this land would be treated

under the city’s zoning bylaw and official community plan once it comes into their boundary.

“The province wants all that done ahead of time so they know what we’re doing,” said Mackrell.

The intention is for the boundary alteration to ultimately take effect Aug. 1, 2021, after the census is done.

Saskatchewan to re-open economy gradually Continued from Page 1 people and they are Saskatchewan people,” Moe said.

The re-opening will be gradual, happening over several weeks.

“Over the next several weeks, restrictions will be gradually lifted, adding more types of businesses to the allowable businesses list, meaning they can reopen if they so choose,” Moe said. “All businesses and public venues will be required to continue following good physical distancing and cleanliness practices to protect both their employees as well as their customers. And customers will be expected to follow physical distancing rules, and most importantly to stay home if you are feeling unwell at all.”

The five phases are as follows, as outlined in a news release from the province.

Phase One begins May 4. On that day medical services such as dentistry, optometry, physical therapy, opticians, podiatry, occupational therapy and chiropractic treatment will

be allowed to re-open. All medical service providers will be required to take precautionary measures.

With the weather warming up people will want to spend more time outdoors, and “that’s a good thing as long as it’s done safely,” said Moe. A number of outdoor recreational activities will be allowable with precautionary measures, including fishing and boat launches starting May 4, golfing with strict physical distancing guidelines starting on May 15, and on June 1 for the operation of parks and campgrounds under clear guidelines. Camping areas will be operating at 50 percent capacity so every other camping spot will be empty, and until further notice will be restricted to Saskatchewan residents only.

Physical distancing and other requirements remain, and size restrictions of public and private gatherings will remain at a maximum of 10 people.

Phase Two begins May 19, and will include the re-opening on that date of retail businesses and se-

lect personal services that were previously restricted.

These include clothing stores, shoe stores, flower shops, sporting goods stores and electronics stores. Personal services allowed will include hairdressers, barber shops, massage therapists and acupuncturists.

A full list of those businesses and services deemed allowable is included in the plan, and they must follow protocols and physical distancing measures to protect custimers and employees. Size restrictions of gatherings will remain at a maximum of 10 people.

Dates are not set for the subsequent phases, which Moe said will be decided in the weeks ahead based on careful monitoring and the impact of the first two phases.

Phase Three will include re-opening of remaining personal services, with re-opening of restaurant-type facilities at 50 per cent capacity, licensed establishments and childcare facilities. There will be capacity limits, such

as limits to 50 per cent of regular capacity for restaurants and licensed establishments. Again, all businesses and customers must maintain physical distancing practices, guidelines and recommendations.

Other than in those allowable businesses, the size of public and private gatherings will increase to a 15 person maximum.

Phase Four, also at a date to be determined, will be implemented following an evaluation of transmission patterns of COVID-19. This will include the re-opening of indoor and outdoor recreation and entertainment facilities including theatres, casinos, and museums. The size of public and private gatherings will increase to a maximum of 30 people.

Phase Five will be implemented after an evaluation of transmission patterns of COVID-19 and the preceding four phases, and will include consideration of lifting long-term restrictions. Moe said this would be considered many weeks down the road.

Moe acknowledged that

some might say it was too soon to consider reopening. But he pointed to the many retail stores that had remained open which had implemented new practices and ensured physical distancing.

“We have not seen major outbreaks that have started at Saskatchewan businesses. We have flattened the curve, even as these businesses have remained open over the last number of months.”

According to their news release, as restrictions are lifted, the government as well as chief medical health officer Dr. Saqib Shahab will be monitoring daily numbers of cases and other indicators, which will inform decisions regarding the pace at which the restrictions can be lifted or put back in place if required. Moe said they would monitor their case numbers each and every day and adjust their plan accordingly as required.

Moe also emphasized that several long-term measures and restrictions will remain in place for the foreseeable future. Staying

in place are: the State of Emergency; recommendations against non-essential international and interprovincial travel; the mandatory 14-day self-isolation following international travel, exposure to COVID-19, or a positive COVID-19 test; restrictions on public gatherings; and the restrictions at long-term care homes.

The full Re-Open Saskatchewan plan is available at www.saskatchewan.ca/ COVID19.

“This needs to be primarily about keeping Saskatchewan residents safe, but it also is focused on finding that right path, finding the path on how we can open up some sectors of the economy that have not been allowed to be opened up over the last number of weeks and allow people to get back to work. So the results during phase one and phase two will ultimately determine the dates for future phases, so I don’t think it’s a time yet to comment on large public gatherings, we just don’t have the information at this point.”

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Page 4 - The Battlefords, Thursday, April 30, 2020

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Share your view!

Phone: 306-445-7261 Fax: 306-445-3223 Email: newsoptimist.news@sasktel.net

Letter

Old St. Vital Church should come down

The commentaries offered on this editorial page are intended to provide thought-provoking material for our readers.

Contributors’ articles, cartoons or letters do not necessarily reflect the opinion of any Regional News-Optimist staff.

Dear Editor Eighty-four plus years ago I was born to the St. Vital parish. My church life has been and still is in the St. Vital parish. I received all of my sacraments at the St. Vital Roman Catholic Church including marriage. My husband was buried there, my children received their sacraments there, and two of my great grandchildren have been baptized there as well.

I live in the area between the old and the new St. Vital Roman Catholic Church. I walk by and stop at the old church and I know the old church is beyond repair. The taxpayers cannot and must not in any way pay for any restoration. Those who want and/or think the old church can be restored should assume responsibility for any and all costs.

I personally would like the old church demolished.

The markers with history could be moved to the Fred Light Museum. The church bell is already there. A commemorative of some sort could be placed on the site.

This is of personal interest to me. I often refer to myself as “St. Vital’s Old Relic.”

Respectfully, Rosie Graw Battleford

Letter

Feeling grateful during COVID-19

Dear Editor A salute to all the Battleford businesses who are taking care of everyone by delivering groceries, medications, hardware supplies, take-out food and other goods.

Thank you everyone for supporting our community businesses.

To the RCMP, all health-care workers, a big thank you. Appreciation also to all organizations such as Legion, Lions, Masonic Lodge and Shriners who help our community unconditionally.

Thank you also to Battleford Furniture.

Thank you everyone for helping us through this time of isolation. A huge thank to our faithful people who are out nearly ever day picking up garbage in the town of Battleford. It makes a difference and we appreciate you.

To all essential services that make this difficult time work for everyone, thank you.

Helen Laycock

T H E B AT T L E F O R D S

Letters to the editor are welcomed by the Regional News-Optimist. All letters, including those which are faxed or emailed, must be signed and bear the address and telephone number of the writer. The name of the writer will be published. Letters are subject to editing. Personal attacks will not be printed. Letters will be rejected if they contain libelous statements or are unsigned.

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Letter

When will this craziness end?

Dear Editor Here I am, sitting at home in isolation like everyone else, no place to go for coffee and wondering when this craziness is going to end.

Every day, Justin Trudeau is on the news promising money he doesn’t have and we probably can’t get. If you do get it, he will want it back. Then he is followed by medical people in shiny new suits, fear mongering that if we get this coronavirus we will die. For those people it’s their day in the sun and it appears they don’t want it to end anytime soon.

The people I feel sorry for are those in the nursing homes. They are trapped like fish in a barrel. The seniors did not get on a plane and go for a vacation.

The seniors did not bring the virus home, spreading it near and far. Then for awhile the workers in the seniors’ homes could not wear masks. There were none to be found. Our illustrious prime minister had sent hundreds of thousands of masks to Chin and elsewhere when the outbreaks were happening, which made a tremendous shortage in Canada. Now the workers in senior homes finally have masks. This is the same as closing the barn door after the horse has escaped. Lord love a billy goat,

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We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada. Nous reconnaissons l’appui financier du gouvernement du Canada.

sure lucky we didn’t use up any common sense there.

The problem is the planes. Every farm boys knows if you operate a tractor with a cab and air conditions, if you have the air conditioning blowing on your face you are going to get sick. Most people know nothing about circulating air. The first thing they do when they get on a plane is set the fan to blow right on their face. It is recycled air, man. If someone on the plane has a bug and they cough or sneeze, very soon that bug comes recycling along and blows right in your face. Then they wonder why they are sick. Duh. We can self isolate until the cows come home and still not fix the problem. The problem is in the airplanes.

That virus didn’t come for Wuhan, China by itself. It travelled in a human. Number one, stop sick people from getting on plants. Maybe everyone on the plane should wear masks. Number two, get a better air filter system in the planes so innocent people don’t get infected when riding on a plane.

Better yet, just stay home.

Victor Hult Lloydminster, Alta.

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The Battlefords, Thursday, April 30, 2020 - Page 5

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It’s time to cut those twist ties in half Ok, Baby Boomers, confession time. Have you ever, hopefully not out loud, made fun of a mother, mother-in-law or aunt for her frugal ways?

You know, the saving and reusing of sour cream and yogurt containers, cutting up used envelopes for notepaper, rewashing plastic bags? Oh, admit it. Some of us have been disdainful. Admonishing them, either silently or aloud, for cluttering up their lives.

This is likely less true of those on the leading edge of the Boomer generation. They actually knew “want.” Those of us who came later, lived such lives of privilege we could scarcely comprehend a world in

Observations from

Isolation

By Becky Doig

which we couldn’t obtain anything and everything we wanted.

I’m at the tail end of the Boomers, and I know the attitudes I’ve held are a result of that privilege.

As a young person, I grew up in less than opulent conditions. At one time

my main goal in life was to live where there was a flush toilet. Now I have four. Be careful what you wish for. Other than those early years, I’ve lived most of my life in what I consider the lap of luxury.

Enter COVID-19.

I’m not sure what the

outcome of Canada’s situation will be, but I expect many things will change. That attitude of privilege will not prevail and we will likely look more closely at the “reuse” concept before we “recycle” in the future.

It’s creeping into my approach to everyday life. Do you find yourself adding some water to your favourite shower gel, realizing it could go a whole lot farther that way and still do the same job? Are you conscious of how much toothpaste you use, or lament the one-use aspect of dental floss?

I recommend not doing a Google search of shortages in the wake of COVID-19. It won’t be a good mental health break.

Good times

By Helen Row Toewes

“Happy birthday,” my friend Gwen trilled, bending to place a bouquet of flowers on the step last week, in kind observance of my advancing age.

As we exchanged a few furtive words—from a safe distance—I thought about how much I miss visitors. Mind you, it’s not like I get a lot of them.

Out here in the sticks the majority of people at my door are either hopelessly lost, pressing faith-based literature into my hand or selling aerial photographs.

However, while I do have the occasional friend drop by to share a meal, and enjoy preparing big family dinners, I must admit they’ve not all gone well.

The first example was no party, but the meal left quite an impression. When my husband and I set up our first home we hired a

backhoe operator. He did a fine job, so when lunchtime rolled around I called him in to take a break.

I’d taken care to prepare a tasty home-cooked meal, and he leaned back comfortably in his chair to pick his teeth with the edge of a folded napkin and relax, before loading up his equipment to leave.

That’s why, after receiving his bill in the mail, charging us for an hour of overtime (the hour he’d spent lounging at my kitchen table) I was—disgruntled to say the least.

Never again will I PAY someone time and a half to eat my cooking.

Another memorable meal opens on a table laden with food. Joining us was a couple we knew, but not well. Certainly we had no prior knowledge of the gargantuan appetite lurking beneath the pleasant smile and quiet man-

ners of the man. We soon learned. Systematically he began to build a volcano on his dinner plate.

First he laid a solid, one inch foundation of mashed potatoes across the length and breadth of the dish, smoothing it evenly with a spoon and hunkering low to squint at it assessingly, thus ensuring a level work surface.

Next he dealt half a sliced turkey across its width; extending to the outer reaches of the platform.

Then he artfully arranged

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further layers of carrots, peas and stuffing; each one separate unto itself and ending just inside the outer ring. It now towered a good three inches into the air and vaguely resembled the great pyramids of Egypt. Finally, with infinite care he placed a large dollop of cranberry sauce at the summit of this mountain-scape, before all was smothered with

But, life could possibly become interesting.

But do consider the challenges ahead as a jumping off point to make amends to our elders.

Even if we didn’t voice our derision of their propensity to cut twist ties in half, or hoard vast quantities of plastic containers, we can quietly say in our minds, “We were too blind to follow your lead.”

But that doesn’t mean a new mindset is without pitfalls. A friend reached out to ask if I still had my share of the sourdough bread starter she had cultivated. She had kept back her half and stored it in a thoughtfully in a reused cottage cheese container. Reading the best-by date on the

container, she discarded the “cottage cheese,” because she had neglected to label it “sourdough.”

She also proved her head isn’t totally in the game, as in our possiblyaltered universe she should have discarded the contents and rewashed the container. This is a woman who says she spent many a weekend of her youth washing and drying plastic bags for reuse. She’s not even really “new” to the game.

Obviously it’s going to be an interesting head twister for some of us.

She was able to rebuild on the starter I had left, but there’s a cautionary tale in there. If you’re going to repurpose, keep the Sharpie close by.

a pitcher of gravy that spilled down the sides like molten lava and pooled thickly on the tablecloth below.

“Sorry about that,” he said, following my eyes.

My husband and I sat agape at this spectacle; all movement and discussion had ceased. Clearly though, his wife was wellused to the experience and impatiently waited for my husband to finish with the potato bowl he had absentmindedly picked up. As he dug his spoon into what was left of the decimated vegetable, I kicked him smartly under the table in an effort to bring him back to his senses, and not take what remained.

“OW!” he yelled. “Why are you kicking ME?” Why indeed, I thought sadly, as a series of empty bowls made their way back to my hand. Yes, while I miss entertaining friends and family during this time of isolation I can always look back and remember—the good times.

Helen has lived on the family farm near Marshall much of her life.

She works as a writer, EA and bus driver for her local school. This, along with her love of the Canadian prairies, travel and all things humorous, is what she draws from to write these tales. To order Prairie Wool, go to Amazon.ca

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Page 6 - The Battlefords, Thursday, April 30, 2020

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The flow of history

By Garth Ukrainetz

World history is like a river. Most times a river flows quite normally, but from time to time a river swells and causes floods and chaos. So it was during World War II. The rise of Adolph Hitler was a viciously strong and rising current that swept away everything in its path. Germany got caught up in Hitler’s voracious torrent, and “Hitler’s river” eventually flowed out of control and flooded the world. WWII was indeed “Hitler’s flood.”

The Battle of the Atlantic, the longest battle of WWII, officially ended

May 8,1945. In total, over 70,000 Allied souls perished, including 4,500 Canadians, with many thousands more severely wounded. The Battle of the Atlantic was a long and costly “war within a war” and was of monumental importance to the Allied victory of WWII and the defeat of Hitler.

For the most part, the Battle of the Atlantic was Hitler’s attempt to stop Canada and the United States from shipping war supplies over to the United Kingdom. The Atlantic Ocean was the supply line to the UK and the Western Front of WWII. Hitler tried everything he could

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‘HMCS Battleford’

By Garth Paul Ukrainetz

Poet Laureate of the Blackmud Creek

Garth Ukrainetz’s poem mentions fish from the North Saskatchewan River. Here he is with his prized Northern Pike. “I’ve fished the North Saskatchewan river many times over the last 40 years, and that’s why I set up the first verse the way I did,” he says.

Photo by Duane Franklin

to destroy the Atlantic supply line, and his most deadly weapons of ocean war were his torpedo laden U-boat submarines. During the first few years, Hitler was winning the Battle of the Atlantic.

The U-boats were sinking Allied ships faster than they could be built. During that time Canada was ferociously building ships in every available shipbuilding dock in the country.

Canada built so many ships during WWII that eventually we amassed the third largest operating navy in the world.

HMCS Battleford was a Corvette class warship, a 200-foot long vessel with five guns and a crew of about 90 men. She was built from start to finish in Collingwood, Ont., in only six months. Her

A photo of a kitty inside the barrel of the 4” gun on the HMCS Battleford prompted Garth Ukrainetz to immortalize the cat in the poem.

warship duty was to protect convoys of merchant cargo ships along the shipping routes in the Atlantic Ocean. Battleford’s big “claim to fame” was fighting off a series of massive U-boat attacks on convoy ONS-154 that started the day after Christmas, in 1942. This particular convoy (ONS 154) turned out to be the hardest hit convoy of the whole Battle of the Atlantic.

Allied intelligence warned Battleford’s convoy that there were at least 100 U-boats in the Atlantic Ocean and about 50 of them were on the hunt in the middle of the ocean, the area where the convoy was about to sail through.

Up until then the convoy had sailed against gale force winds and had used up almost all their fuel oil. The night before, the convoy had been attacked

by U-boats and had lost four merchant ships. The convoy was running low on fuel in the middle of a U-boat infested ocean … it was a recipe for disaster.

It was at this time that the Commander of the convoy gave his famous speech to his nervous and tired men down in the mess deck: “You joined the Navy for a reason, and that reason has arrived. The subs are gathering around us now and tonight there will be ten to fifteen of them.

Continued on Page 7

Where the winding Battle River Meets the North Saskatchewan There’s a Mooneye in the moonlight And a Goldeye in the sun Flowing water always moving Forceful current, swift and strong Very hard to swim against it If you do, you won’t last long With Hitler making speeches Of the mesmerizing kind He deceives and tricks the people Iron fist he holds behind And before the Germans know it They are captured in his grip Squeezing out the truth and freedom Nazi’s vile dictatorship Meanwhile back in Canada On Lake Huron’s sunny shore Folks were hard at work and building For our nation was at war Hasty warship dedication Soda bottle on a chord With a swing a sweet explosion HMCS Battleford A little kitty in the big gun As the Battleford sailed on Back and forth across Atlantic Guarding merchant ships along Bringing war supplies for Churchill British cities bombed and burned The Canucks have come to rescue Fighting Hitler in return Her crew of young Canadians From the cities and the farms Bravely facing mortal danger With their hopeful youthful charms Risking life and limb for freedom For the truth they make a stand Fighting back against a tyrant And his wicked iron hand So Hitler sent the U-boats To attack the convoy routes Many merchant ships were sinking As the Nazi shined his boots But the brave men never faltered They just fought with all their might And HMCS Battleford On the darkness shined the light A Shepherd’s pie for Christmas With the wolf packs closing in And Battleford so low on fuel The fight will soon begin Canadians vs U-boats They’re outnumbered 4 to 1 Our heroes fighting back the subs As convoy makes a run “Don’t expect to be an old man” With torpedoes striking fast The merchant ships were sinking down This night could be their last The star shells shining brightly On the waves a flaming boil And Battleford survived the fight “Praise God and pass the oil”

By May of ‘45 With Europe left in total mess There was ruin, there was ruble No more Hitler or SS To North Battleford returning Back to Canada she sailed And the nation cheered victorious Truth and liberty prevailed Where the winding Battle River Meets the North Saskatchewan There’s a Mooneye in the moonlight And a Goldeye in the sun Flowing water always moving Forceful current, swift and strong Very hard to swim against it If you do, you won’t last long ----------------------------------------Copyright 2020 Garth Paul Ukrainetz

In celebration and remembrance of the 75th Anniversary of the end of The Battle of the Atlantic and WWII 1945 - 2020

“Lest We Forget”

Regional News-Optimist

The Battlefords, Thursday, April 30, 2020 - Page 7

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of the Battlefords MARKETING YOUR PROPERTY TO THE WORLD

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Kay Rawlings of Chilliwack, B.C. (second from left) and family members attending a 2009 ceremony in which Battleford was presented with a special plaque from the Canadian Navy, stand in front of the Fred Light Museum display of artifacts from HMCHS Battleford formerly belonging to her late husband Bill Rawlings.

Left to right are daughter Victoria Larson, Kay Rawlings, son-in-law Paul Rowat and daughter Pat Rowat. Photo by Jayne Foster

Battleford’s naval connection Staff As a prelude to its centennial year, the Canadian Naval Centennial project has launched an initiative to honour over 320 cities and towns whose names have been shared with Canadian warships and submarines since 1910.

The Navy held an event in Battleford early in 2010 at which a naval representative made a presentation on behalf of the Navy. Battleford is on the list because of the HMCS Battleford.

The HMCS Battleford was a 950-ton Flower-class corvette escort ship. Its keel was laid by Collingwood Shipyard Ltd. on Sept. 30, 1941, one of the first escort vessels to be built for the Royal Canadian Navy.

With the pennant K 165, it was commissioned in 1941.

At a ceremony in 2009, 86-year-old Kay Rawlings of Chilliwack, B.C. donated artifacts, including

The flow of history Continued from Page 6 The going will be rough but I know you are up to it.

After all, we don’t all expect to be old men.”

– Lieutenant Commander Guy Windeyer (HMCS St Laurent) Shortly after Commander Windeyer’s speech, the convoy was viciously attacked by a quarter of all the U-boats in the Atlantic Ocean. Twenty-five pouncing U-boats struck suddenly and violently with torpedoes firing and machine guns blazing. It was the most ferocious attack in the history of the Battle of the Atlantic. Ten merchant ships were torpedoed and sunk within four hours. More than 600 shocked men were now in the water, some drowned, and some burned to death as the oil from the sinking ships caught fire on top of the water. Fortunately, about 500 men were quickly rescued from the ocean as the U-boats retreated momentarily. One hundred men perished. HMCS Battleford picked up her share of the stricken men.

The U-boats would attack mercilessly like a pack of wolves and then quickly

a wool ship’s flag, from the HMCS Battleford to the Fred Light Museum.

Among the donated items was the uniform of her beloved late husband, Bill Rawlings, a seaman who served on the Flower-class corvette during the Second World War. The ship’s bell has been here since 1950, in the custody of the Royal Canadian Legion Battleford Branch 9.

The HMCS Battleford was 62.5 meters long, 10 meters wide and 3.5 meters long. It could carry a crew of 85 and travel at 16 knots.

It was armed with one four-inch gun and close range weapons, two depth charge throwers, two depth charge rails and 40 depth charges for anti-submarine attack.

It served as the HMCS Battleford until it was decommissioned in 1945. It was sold and became the Venezuelan Libertad in 1946. It was lost April 12,

1949.

A total of 267 of its type were commissioned for use by the Allied navies as anti-submarine convoys escorts during the Second World War. History has credited the Flower-class corvettes with participating in the sinking of 47 German and four Italian submarines. Thirtysix ships in the class were lost due to enemy action, with 22 torpedoed by Uboats, five mined and four sunk by enemy aircraft.

Others were lost by collision with Allied warships and merchant ships.

They were based on a whaler design, simple and seaworthy, but uncomfortable and often overcrowded. They were considered wretched, but highly seaworthy.

HMCS is the abbreviation of “Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship” or “His Majesty’s Canadian Ship,” depending on the sex of the head of state.

retreat to regroup in order to make another surprise strike the next night. This was how things went for five days in a row. Some attacks were deadly, but during other attacks the six Canadian warship defenders managed to fight off the enemy with no losses . At one point in the fighting, HMCS Battleford charged bravely towards four U-boats at once, her Battleford guns blazing and her depth charges exploding underwater, and all the while she was almost completely out of fuel oil! If Battleford had run out of oil she certainly would have been sunk by a torpedo.

During a lull in the Uboat attacks, Commander Windeyer sent a bible verse message from Psalm 119 to Allied Command in England to show that he had faith that God was on their side during these enemy attacks. Miraculously, after five days of fighting, and all the torpedoes exploding everywhere, all the machine gun bullets flying all over the place, and all the depth charges blowing up the ocean … not a single scratch was to be found on HMCS Battleford nor n the five other Canadian war-

ship escorts! It was a miracle for the Royal Canadian Navy. Even though 14 merchant ships were sunk during the convoy, the vast majority of the merchant marines were rescued from their sinking ships. The outcome could have been much worse considering the attacking U-boats outnumbered the Canadian warships four to one.

Yes, the people of the Battlefords should be very proud of the brave fighting spirit of their warship.

HMCS Battleford and crew did their part to fight Hitler’s tyranny, and for that we can all be grateful and proud Canadians. Thank you to all Canadians who worked hard and fought hard in WWII. I hope my poem helps keep the legacy of HMCS Battleford alive, for we never should forget the heroes who fought for our freedom.

Garth Ukrainetz, selfproclaimed Poet Laureate of the Blackmud Creek, was born in Saskatchewan and now lives in Alberta.

A writer of songs and poetry, he has written poems about a number of Canadian warships, including the HMCS Battleford.

Kayla Petersen

Wally Lorenz

Brett Payne

Owner / Broker

Owner / REALTOR®

Owner / Branch Manager

Elaine Elder

Dorothy Lehman

Shawna Schira-Kroeker REALTOR®

REALTOR®

REALTOR®

4

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Location is key! This 3+1 bedroom home is located in Battleford on quiet Riverbend Cres. in a great family neighborhood. With over 1300 sq ft there is plenty of room and no work to be done! This home is move in ready! Newer flooring, renovated kitchen with a moveable island and garden doors to the deck , separate dining room, 3 bathrooms, bright living room with a gas fireplace and large downstairs family room! Master bedroom features a walk in closet and 3 pc ensuite. The mature yard is fully landscaped with UGSS and a double car garage with direct entry. This house is a must see so call today!

KAYLA PETERSEN MLS®SK800325 $379,900

Farm, RM of Spiritwood No. 496 1,824 sq. ft.

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Nicole Lovell

Owner/ REALTOR®

REALTOR®

Shane Murdoch

Randall Cote

REALTOR®/Assoc. Broker

REALTOR®/Assoc. Broker

2308 Henderson Drive, North Battleford

261 Riverbend Crescent, Battleford 1,347 sq. ft.

Marlene Kotchorek

1,229 sq. ft.

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Stylish and affordable! This gorgeous open concept home in Fairview Heights features 1,229 sq. feet, 4 bedrooms (laundry/craft room in lower level could be converted back to fifth bedroom) and 3 baths in total. Vaulted ceiling on the main floor kitchen, living room and dining room area gives the home a very spacious feel. Two gas fireplaces (one up and one down) keep the home cozy in the cooler months. You will enjoy the large master suite complete with 3 piece ensuite and large closet. Direct access to the double attached, heated garage. The yard features UGSS, front and back and is mostly fenced. The garden boxes are great for growing a small garden and fruit trees and bushes for some fresh eating! All appliances are included. This home has it all, space, elegance and location. Come and see for yourself!

MARLENE KOTCHOREK MLS®SK798413

$389,900

1311 99th Street, North Battleford

1,365 sq. ft.

3,

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Take a look at this home quarter only minutes west of Spiritwood Sask. This Property offers an 1824 square foot family home. On the main level you will find a large bright kitchen, massive living room, master bedroom with ensuite, a four piece bath, a second bedroom, and an office/ bedroom. The lower level offers the utility room with water treatment equipment, two bedrooms, family room, and a two piece bath. Outside you will find the wood burner that helps to heat the house, there is also additional oil and electric forced air heat. a 33 x 44 barn/ shop with 220 volt power, a garage, insulated chicken coop, and a storage building. Most of the outbuildings have power. This property would make and ideal hobby farm with fences and dugouts in place. Spiritwood offers most amenities and a K-12 school. Call today for more info.

Affordable character home! This 1365 square foot one and half story home has been well maintained and features a nice main floor layout and sunroom. The second floor includes three bedrooms and a full four piece bathroom. The basement is functional and includes family room, laundry area. Lots of renos and upgrades. Located on a private, well treed, 50x 120 ft. lot, check out the backyard retreat! Single detached garage with a heated shop. Includes fridge, stove, washer and dryer.

Call now for your personal viewing!

RM of Canwood

1412 104th Street, North Battleford

$272,000

SHANE MURDOCH/ELAINE ELDER MLS®SK797465

1,700 sq. ft.

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1,100 sq. ft.

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Check out this 40 acre parcel located 17 km northwest of Shellbrook Sask in the RM of Canwood. This property would make an excellent family acreage with room for horses and a creek running through it. This roomy home offers a bright kitchen dining area, large living room, large master bedroom, a 4 piece bath, and main floor laundry. All appliances are included. The upper level has two bedrooms with walk-in closets and a room with access to a future balcony area. Outside you will find a 24 x 42 triple garage with heat in one bay, a 19 x 29 workshop, and a 14 x 20 cabin. There is school bus service and Shellbrook offers a K-12 school. Call today for more info

SHANE MURDOCH/ELAINE ELDER MLS®SK805058 $239,900

4

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Very well cared for home on a quiet street. This home located on 93 Street has been very well maintained. Main floor features a large living room, spacious kitchen, dining area, main bath and 3 bedrooms. Lower level there is an oversized rec room, another bedroom, laundry room and utility room. This home has had many up-grades in recent years. Some of the windows have been replaced. Both the furnace and water heater have been replaced. For an added bonus it has a 20x24 detached garage It has central air conditioning and central vac. Fridge, stove, washer, dryer, dishwasher include.

This home shows pride in ownership everywhere you look. It is surrounded by both Catholic and Public schools. Take a close look before it is too late.

BRETT PAYNE

MLS®SK785132

$174,900

207 4th Street E, Wilkie 1,320 sq. ft.

3

$219,900

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Great starter home at 1412-104th Street North Battleford, SK having 1 bedroom and full bath on main, a bedroom and open area on second level and one bedroom and 3 pc bath on lower level. Large dinning room off kitchen and a roomy back yard deck off kitchen area. Upgrades include the furnace, water heater and shingles. Back yard is fenced and has a garden shed. Give us a call for a viewing.

WALLY LORENZ MLS®SK784886

$99,000

202 2nd Ave, Medstead

1521 93rd Street, North Battleford 1,140 sq. ft.

SHANE MURDOCH/ELAINE ELDER MLS®SK802913

3

2,128 sq. ft.

4

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Double lot, partially fenced family home located in the village of Medstead. Home features 4BD, 2BA, attached single garage, home has had many upgrades done over the years, new hot water tank in 2015, fence in 2016, dining room windows replaced, all flooring (except 1 bedroom, kitchen and 1 bathroom) have been replaced, shingles, and exterior paint completed in the summer of 2018. Panel board has been removed in most of the house and replaced with drywall, all plugs and light switches replaced, appliances replaced in 2016. Outdoor space offers you plenty of room for your family to enjoy the outdoors with a mature yard and garden area. Ample outdoor storage with two storage sheds, and an insulated double detached garage. Medstead is a great community to raise your family with all the amenities some including a K-12 school, grocery store, Innovation Credit Union, butcher shop, Cavalier Agro, Boyds garage and many more. Medstead is located just 20 min to Glaslyn, 30 min to Spiritwood, and 50 min to North Battleford making this a great location for any commuting family. A short drive away you will find many lakes for fishing, swimming and boating. Little Loon Regional Park and 9-hole golf course is just 15 min away.

SHAWNA SCHIRA-KROEKER

MLS®SK786376

$119,900

2191 95th Street, North Battleford 1

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MLS®SK773746 $69,900

MLS®SK799490 $229,000

NICOLE LOVELL 306-753-7337

DOROTHY LEHMAN 306-441-7782

506 3rd Street W, Wilkie

8998 16th Avenue, North Battleford

1,680 sq. ft.

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1,714 sq. ft.

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MLS®SK797842 $99,000

MLS®SK805198 $310,000

NICOLE LOVELL 306-753-7337

DOROTHY LEHMAN 306-441-7782

Page 8 - The Battlefords, Thursday, April 30, 2020

Regional News-Optimist

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Battleford pizza-donair establishment opens in face of COVID-19 isolation

By John Cairns Staff Reporter

What is it like to finally open a pizza establishment, only for the COVID-19 pandemic to hit?

Folks at Buster’s Pizza, Donair and Pasta know that experience all too well.

After pushing back their opening a couple of months, they finally opened for business in their Battleford Crossing location on March 12.

Unfortunately that was also the day Saskatchewan reported its first COVID-19 case.

“A couple of days later the restrictions started,” remembers Jarvik Patel of Buster’s Pizza Donair and Pasta.

By the following week, a State of Emergency was declared. The restrictions on restaurants imposed forced all establishments to become take-out and delivery only.

“We had to shut down the dining room”, said Patel, a measure taken in addition to curbside pickup, social distancing and additional sanitizing they were already doing.

It couldn’t have been a more challenging time to start a new business in the

Battlefords, let alone one in the hard-hit hospitality sector.

But Patel reports the response from Battlefords and area customers has been good, despite the challenges.

“It was a tricky opening for us, one that was not expected. But it did go through as we expected in terms of the response of the community.”

Buster’s Pizza, Donair and Pasta saw an opportunity to set up in Battleford, due to a lack of existing pizza establishments in the town compared to north of the river in North Battleford.

The Battleford location is the first one in Saskatchewan for the chain, which started in Edmonton in 2001 and now has 24 locations, all but one of them in Alberta.

Patel was familiar with Battleford because of family members who lived there already, who brought up the idea of a pizza place for Battleford.

According to Patel, they said “our town needs a good pizza place. Every time we need to place an order we need to go to North Battleford, which is a ten minute drive.”

Another advantage is that in the pizza business, the lifeblood of pizza establishments is takeout and delivery, so they were better able to adjust that way to the emergency restrictions.

It was “better for everybody at this time to stay home during this unprecedented time,” said Patel.

All deliveries are free right now, he said.

The pandemic situation meant some hiring challenges initially, primarily due to the fears of people about going outside. But Patel said they were able to get up to 80-90 percent of their staffing needs, with six staff on site plus another three or four delivery drivers.

An initial challenge was dealing with the restrictions on hours of operation under the state of emergency. Usually they open until midnight, but with the emergency Patel said they scaled it back until 9 p.m., which was not ideal because much of their business comes during the late nights.

They have since been able to stay open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, but even that is limited, said Patel. Their hope is to even-

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tually extend their hours to midnight on weekdays and to 1 a.m. on weekends.

“When things get back to normal, I expect there will be a new normal,” Patel said. He hopes the business can get more involved in the community with the various organizations and facilities by that point.

Overall, Patel is optimistic about the opportunities in Battleford. In addition to pizza, he pointed to the popularity of the Donair part of the business, which Patel expects will be popular with customers in the summer months and during camping time once restrictions are lifted.

The chain is also hoping to expand beyond Battleford to more locations in Saskatchewan. “We’ll see how things unfold when things get back to normal,” Patel said.

Buster’s Pizza Donair and Pasta in Battleford opened in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Photo submitted

NBCHS teachers recognized for contributions Submitted In recognition of National Volunteer Week in Canada, April 19-24, and on behalf of Skills/Compétences Canada, two North Battleford Comprehensive teachers, Rob Wall and James Halushka were recognized and acknowledged for the work and contributions made while each served as a National Technical Committee Member.

The work of volunteers is essential to Skills/Compétences Canada’s development in achieving its mission of actively promoting careers in the skilled trades and technologies to youth in Canada.

Sk i l ls/Comp ét enc es Canada thanked Wall and Halushka for contributing their time and energy towards this mission.

Rob Wall

James Halushka

Unfortunately, faced with these exceptional circumstances Skills/Compétences Canada will not be permitted to host their National Competition in Vancouver this year, but they still felt that it was important to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of the individuals who play

a critical role in the project development process for these competitions.

Sk i l ls /Comp ét enc es Canada and North Battleford Comprehensive High School commends Wall and Halushka for their contribution and commitment to the skills movement in Canada.

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A home on 5th Avenue East in Unity displays a message of support for essential workers during this COVID-19 crisis. Photo courtesy Morag Riddell. Submitted

by Sherri Solomko

Regional News-Optimist

The Battlefords, Thursday, April 30, 2020 - Page 9

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Our Biggest Mother’s Day Photo Challenge!

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Page 10 - The Battlefords, Thursday, April 30, 2020

Regional News-Optimist

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Mars Jupiter and Saturn line up in early May The moon begins this month just past first quarter, and is at full phase May 7. This will put a damper on the Eta Aquariid meteor shower May 6 and 7, overpowering all but the brightest meteors.

By May 12, Jupiter and Saturn are within two or three degrees of the moon in the morning pre-dawn sky.

Mars is at a close three degrees May 14.

May 24, Venus, Mercury, and the minor planet Vesta are all close by our satellite. Vesta is occulted for viewers in North America, except the west and north coasts of British Columbia. An

S

askatchewan Skies

By James Edgar

occultation like this can be an exciting event, watching the solar system in motion, as the moon overtakes the tiny object and moves in front for about an hour.

Then the minor planet appears on the sunlit side of the moon as the occultation ends. The difficult part is the time of

day – the event occurs in full daylight.

Mercury is coming out from behind the sun for the first half of the month, shining low in the west at twilight May 12 and gradually moving up (east) to pass by Venus May 22.

This apparition presents a good opportunity to spot

the speedy planet as the ecliptic is almost vertical for viewers in the Northern Hemisphere. Use Venus as your guide in the nights leading up to May 24, when the moon joins in, to get a feel for Mercury’s appearance.

Venus has been shining high in the west through April, and on May 13, begins its downward trek to inferior conjunction in early June. The bright planet joins up with the moon and Mercury, as mentioned above, May 24.

Mars is a morning object, along with Jupiter and Saturn. Early risers can catch all three nakedeye planets in a row about

4 a.m. in the early part of May. Neptune is in there, too, but not without optical assistance. Watch for the moon May 14. The Red Planet appears gradually larger as it nears Earth, so astrophotographers are taking advantage of this time to capture impressive detailed images.

Jupiter shares the morning sky with Mars and Saturn, rising around 3 a.m., just ahead of Saturn.

The moon glides by the two large planets May 12, then goes by Mars May 14.

The same can be said about Saturn as was stated above for Jupiter, they are that close in the sky, leading up to an extreme

event Dec. 21, when Jupiter and Saturn are 0.1 degrees apart – a rare event.

Uranus is too close to the sun to be seen until late in the month.

Neptune rises just about at sunup, so a difficult object for viewing.

James Edgar has had an interest in the night sky all his life. He joined the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada in 2000, was national president for two terms, is now the editor of the Observer’s Handbook, and production manager of the bi-monthly RASC Journal. The IAU named asteroid 1995 XC5 “(22421) Jamesedgar” in his honour.

sports The North Stars salute the fans following their 5-4 overtime victory over Nipawin Monday in their SJHL Canalta Cup simulation.

Screenshot by John Cairns, image courtesy SJHL and EA Sports.

Online resource cheerleaders will totally ‘flip’ for

OT winner propels Stars in #SJCanaltaSim

By John Cairns Staff Reporter

A tense series ended in dramatic fashion Monday night as the Battlefords North Stars took Game Seven of their first-round series against Nipawin Hawks in the SJHL’s Canalta Cup simulation on PlayStation4.

It was Elijah LoonStewardson’s overtime goal that broke a 4-4 tie in overtime Monday to win the series. For Loon-Stewardson, the goal completed a hat trick performance which earned him the number one star.

The fact that Nipawin had pushed the series to a game seven was a story in itself. The heavily favoured North Stars had taken a 3-0 series lead, but Nipawin came back to tie the series as the Stars roster struggled in adjusting to the new “EA Sports” simulated-game format in the last three games.

Rust might have been

another factor. The Stars and Hawks had not been in action since their March 11 game in Nipawin. The series resumed with game five on Friday, which the Hawks won 6-2. Game six was won by Nipawin 6-2 to force the dramatic seventh game.

The return of the North Stars to playoff action has been greeted by the largest attendances in North Battleford Civic Centre history for the last two games, with crowds estimated at over 17,000.

Folks, we are simply having fun here, we know the games are not for real.

In a news release last week, the SJHL stated the “motivation for this venture is to provide SJHL fans, and hockey fans in general, with the ability to watch the game simulations and provide entertainment during these uncertain times.”

You can follow the North Stars’ games in the #SJCanaltaSim at https:// www.twitch.tv/sjhlhockey.

Coach Sahil. This photo was taken in a rare moment of quiet and calm between his intense schedule of coaching, writing, podcasting, and consulting, and most recently launching an online training platform called Cheer School at Home.

Photo courtesy of Coach Sahil

By Rhea Good This is my second article in a series profiling some prominent personalities in Canadian Allstar Cheerleading. Today I’ll be covering Coach Sahil who is the founder of TumblingCoach.com and the companion facebook page -- Addicted To Tum-

Words of

Cheer

bling. These resources are dedicated to helping cheerleaders, acro athletes and coaches master

the art of doing flips in a safe and effective manner.

Personally, I have been a subscriber to Coach Sahil’s Tumbling Tips Newsletter since March 2013. Beyond giving exceptionally articulate and precise analysis for tumbling skills, he also offers insights into attitude, motivation, and mental toughness.

He has also done some amazing podcast interviews with other WorldRenowned Coaches that are worth a listen (he even interviewed an Olympian from Britain!)

Beyond creating valuable online resources for all acrobatic athletes, Coach Sahil has coached all over the world (Australia, USA, Switzerland, UK, Columbia) to help athletes and coaches maximize their potential by implementing his cuttingedge training techniques and drills.

Coach Sahil visited the Battlefords in August 2019 where he did 2 days of coaching at Cheer Legacy. One day was spent with athletes and the other with coaching staff.

Not only did everyone make great progress, but the work ethic and culture inside Cheer Legacy was something that especially stood out to Coach Sahil.

It’s one of the main reasons he said he would love to come back.

While Coach Sahil has spent most of his career being an independent coach, it was only a matter of time before he put his own stake in the ground. In 2018, he became the proud co-owner of CheerCore Inc. based in Ontario Canada. Later that season, his team “24k” won the Canadian Finals Championships in their division.

Coach Sahil’s career is testimony of the power of putting a little hustle in your step while helping others. While he definitely specializes in power tumbling and high-performance sport nutrition, he has also developed a massive online following due to perseverance and delivering consistent, high-quality content which appeals to aspiring acrobatic athletes and coaches alike.

Re-Open Saskatchewan Our Re-Open Saskatchewan plan introduces five phases to methodically, gradually, and cautiously re-open businesses and services across Saskatchewan beginning May 4th, 2020. Residents of Saskatchewan should remain diligent in maintaining physical distancing and practicing good hygiene. For information regarding the latest COVID-19 updates and to read the full Re-Open Saskatchewan Plan, visit www.saskatchewan.ca/COVID19 Hon. Scott Moe, Premier

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The Battlefords, Thursday, April 30, 2020 - Page 11

Gearing up for gardening and yard work

By Sherri Solomko Correspondent

In the old normal, we would be excitedly sharing our enthusiasm for spring and all of the wonderful things upcoming in May, including outdoor and planting activity. Our new normal, while it still may include outdoors, is more limited while we maintain social distancing protocols.

Thankfully our greenhouse was deemed an essential service, but you will need to check their Facebook page or call them for details. Gardening will be more important than ever this year, folks, as we have seen the demand for produce in our stores resulting in some shortfalls.

The Unity quilters raffled off a quilt they created earning a remarkable $5,000 and splitting the funds between the Unity

U

nity News

food bank and the Unity hospital auxiliary.

Loraas has reported some issues with people putting non-recycle material in their blue bins, contaminating the whole load, which had to be taken to a landfill. Even with normal recycling options closed, like Sarcan, the Unity community resource centre and the regular diabetes truck, please be mindful of what is garbage and what is recyclable. We have just passed Earth Day, so are reminded to care for our Earth by keeping recyclables out of our garbage and limit use of plastic products.

Unity businesses are

thankful to their community for “going with the flow” on new business practises during this COVID crisis.

The Chamber of Commerce continues to provide updated details on support programs and resources to those businesses. Support those businesses that can still serve people even if through closed doors. Remember, these same business supports your community year round so let’s continue to support them in return.

The Unity museum is encouraging people to keep a “time capsule” of their pandemic experience to keep this history for years to come. Contact the museum by phone or through their Facebook page to learn how you can contribute to this project.

Here’s hoping this finds you all safe, healthy and socially distanced. Until next week ...

Oh Deer! This kind creature decided to come with their relatives to check in on the neighbours along 3rd Ave East bordering Hwy 21 in Unity. Photo submitted

John Arcand Fiddle Fest cancels 2020 festival Submitted

For the past 22 years, the John Arcand Fiddle

Fest has been a wonderful gathering of artistic talents and it has been such a pleasure each year to bring

Finding hope in the light at the end of the tunnel

By Elaine Woloshyn Correspondent

We’re into week seven of COVID-19 restrictions and there is a light at the end. Businesses will be slowly opening. The economy will be thriving someday, our premier says, and hopefully that will be soon.

Uncharged territory does not have to be as scary as what we think.

Two and a half years ago Mullingar retired farmers Ken and Barbara Sorensen (Nee Scott) relocated to a senior housing complex in Rosetown. Last week he became a resident in long-term care in Elrose, while awaiting a bed in Rosetown. Because of COVID-19, Barb cannot even visit her husband.

Ken enjoyed entertaining in various musical bands as a guitar player and vocalist. We are wishing Ken all the best in his new surroundings as Barb could no longer handle his everyday needs. Their daughter Ashley, husband Clint and four children live nearby.

Former Mayfair School teacher, Ruth Martin, has turned another year older and this is a special number for her. Ruth and husband Lawrence farmed many years northwest of Mayfair and she taught school full time while raising five children. They moved to a condo in Saskatoon eight or nine years

ago where she celebrated her 90th birthday April 27.

My third child, Rayn, purchased their farm had has never looked back.

The Mayfair School reunion that was scheduled for August long weekend has been postponed to next summer 2021. Wade Lafreniere, the main organizer, has posted this latest update on Facebook. Those who have already paid can request their money back.

This just means we will all be anoter year older when taking in the weekend celebration. For some, older age does not curtail the partying.

Rick and Pam Lamontagne’s third oldest daughter has recently moved to Dawson City, B.C. for employment.

Morgan completed Animal Sciences Technology and Agriculture Business diplomas at Lakeland College in Vermilion, Alta. She loves working with animals, something she discovered visiting her Grandma Shirley’s farm.

Shirley is my neighbour.

At every opportunity, Morgan was working with cattle. She is definitely a “farm girl” at heart and ambitious.

together music, dance, culture and art enthusiasts from across Western Canada, to facilitate, participate and spectate.

We are sad to announce that because of health and safety regulations due to COVID-19, the Board of Directors has decided to cancel our 23rd Annual

festival scheduled for Aug. 6-8. It is a hard decision, but the health and safety of our patrons, artists, staff, volunteers and all involved has to be our priority.

Our hearts go out to the many artists and artisans who have had their sole means of income come to an abrupt halt. An artist

posted on Facebook they are waiting as patiently as possible to be able to walk onto stage and say “how you all doing out there tonight?” WOW…isn’t that the truth! Please do with you can to help them out as we navigate through these challenging times.

We are exploring online

options to mark our 23rd year but at this time we are not sure what that will look like. Please continue to watch our Facebook page and our website for more notifications.

Until we can musically meet again – stay safe …

Page 12 - The Battlefords, Thursday, April 30, 2020

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Huge ice floes piled up along the North Saskatchewan River banks, beside and in front of the ferry, following an ice jam earlier in the day.

This is the ice that just about came right onto the road at Paynton Ferry south of Meota. Photos by Lorna Pearson

Left is an old church along the way from Meota to Paynton Ferry that is still used on occasion for funerals. The name and dates are inscribed on a sign, right. There is also a cemetery in the same yard with names of district pioneers and is interesting to visit.

The stone pillars are still holding the gate up and the grass is cut.

M

eota News

Spring thaw had pumps working overtime

By Lorna Pearson Correspondent

How we appreciate the warmer days. One can sit outside and hear the birds singing away, telling us they are happy, too. I think most of the summer birds are back, except the hummingbirds, who won’t come for a month or so.

The pumps have been

taken in for now, but there was one on every street for a while last week. When the village was developing through the years, ditches and culverts were a rare thing. This year we know that was not the way to go and steps should be taken to rectify the problems.

The transfer site at Meota is open Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m., accepting

bagged garbage only.

It is interesting to watch the ice situation on the lake, as the sun shines and it melts away. The Lions could not host their golf cart drop this year because of restrictions on handling money and all the rules about distancing and so on. It will likely be back on track next year.

Hand sanitizer is ex-

tremely flammable, so if you’re working around the barbecue or a gas stove, wash with soap and water.

It’s safer.

A lady south of Meota has a supply of jigsaw puzzles that she would part with, if anyone is still looking for some. Her number is 306-441-3773.

News from the golf course is that they will open May 15. Tee times will be obligatory, no walk-ons. Power carts can be rented, but no pull carts or golf clubs can be rented.

The driving range is closed until further notice. More details concerning food and beverages and other restrictions will be listed next issue. Stan will be in the club house May1 and can take membership

calls. Their board meeting is Monday evening when they will finalize details on rates and restrictions that will affect the operating procedures.

Driving on Sunday I saw something new. One cabin owner was impatient to be rid of the snow on the lakeside of his property and was hauling snow in a wheelbarrow from the front of his lot, to the back and dumping it where the sun could take care of it.

Jackfish Creek is running well and the fish will be taking advantage of that to get to their spawning grounds. The crocuses are out, a sure sign of spring.

There are a lot of people spending more time than usual at their summer homes, especially with the

children out of school.

Another new idea I spotted in a show from the Yukon was an outdoor toilet seat covered with a sheet of compressed fibreglass. It surely wouldn’t be as cold as bare wood.

The topic of the day is flooding, as the weather turned warm so quickly the water had no time to get away, resulting in ice jams on the rivers. The flood situation at Fort McMurray is ongoing as I send in this Sunday evening. Their only bridge, over the Athabasca River, that is usually 40 feet above the water is almost under water tonight. Some areas are under a state of emergency and are evacuated while other areas are on alert to evacuate.

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The Battlefords, Thursday, April 30, 2020 - Page 13

The art of incorporating sculptures in the garden Sculptors have been creating works destined to embellish gardens for centuries.

Sculptures, when properly integrated in well thought-out landscaping, have the power to make your yard look majestic. When it comes to incorporating sculptures in your landscaping, there are certain basic rules to follow.

First off, avoid over crowding the space.

Sculptures will inevitably draw attention, meaning that they’ll become the focal point of your garden. Unless you have a particularly vast yard, stick to a single piece. If you really want to have several, position them so only one is visible at a time.

IDEAL PLANTS

Choose flowers and other plants that contrast in colour with your sculpture. If the sculpture is white, try planting deep blue hostas at its feet; if it’s dark, choose white, yellow or light pink flowers for maximum impact.

Avoid plants that are overly bulky or invasive — anything that could steal the spotlight from your

sculpture. You wouldn’t want to get stuck having to trim a shrub every month to reveal your artwork. A rock garden at the base of the sculpture is another visually interesting option.

Before installing a sculpture in your yard, visit a garden centre near you to find everything you’ll need to highlight your piece.

Add life to your garden with birdhouses Are you a fan of gardening and birdwatching?

Then why not combine your two hobbies by incorporating birdhouses into your landscaping? Here are a few tips for creating a garden filled with colourful blooms and the chirps of winged creatures all summer long.

SPECIES TO CHARM

First off, determine which types of bird you’d like to attract. To avoid disappointment, find out which birds typically frequent your area.

Next, go get some quality birdhouses from your local gardening centre or hardware store. Ask a salesperson to help you choose the best models

for the types of bird you’re looking to attract. You’ll need to consider the size of the entrance and the available nesting space inside of the birdhouse.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR Choose birdhouses with the following features: • Mould-resistant materials (cedar wood is an excellent choice)

• A design that allows optimal ventilation and drainage • A roof that juts out a few centimetres over the entrance • A door that allows easy access to the inside for cleaning • A look that’s harmonious with the rest of your landscaping

If you’re handy and would like to make your own birdhouses, you can find tons o step-by-step guides online and in bookstores. Grab your tools and get building!

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Page 14 - The Battlefords, Thursday, April 30, 2020

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Four easy-to-grow outdoor plants Are you a gardening novice looking for some easy-to-grow plant varieties to get started with?

Here are a few foolproof options for you to try this summer.

1. MARIGOLDS Deep golden yellow marigolds grow easily and require little maintenance: all you’ll need to do is remove wilted flowers as they appear and water when the weather gets really hot. Their pungent smell acts as a natural repellent

against aphids, among other pests.

2. TUBEROUS BEGONIAS Tuberous begonias grow to be about 30 centimetres tall and wide.

These bulb plants grow in full sun or partial shade, in fresh, well-drained soil.

They come in all sorts of shapes and colours, from yellow to pink to bright red and even white.

3. COSMOS These large flowers are perfect for flowerbeds.

They bloom throughout the summer and attract butterflies. Plant them in full sun and don’t over water, as they prefer a drier soil. Using compost is not recommended for cosmos, which would become too big and require a tutor.

Water them with fertilizerenriched water once the surface of the soil is dry.

Ready to get your hands dirty? For surefire success in the garden, ask the experts at your local plant nursery or garden centre for advice.

4. GERANIUMS Colourful and easy to care for, geraniums only require a little bit of effort. You’ll need to regularly remove wilted flowers and yellow leaves to stimulate healthy growth.

In addition to being easy to grow, marigolds act as a repellent against certain insects like aphids.

Beautify your pathways with groundcover plants Stone and pavement pathways look great in the garden — until weeds invade the space between the tiles, that is. To prevent undesirable species from taking over your landscape, use your favourite groundcover plants.

These low-growing varieties thrive in tight spaces, making them perfect for filling the gaps between pathway tiles.

Over time, they’ll spread out to create a magnificent green carpeting that winds between the stones,

preventing weeds from taking root. What’s more, groundcover plants confer a wild, natural look to footpaths.

What to plant Use groundcover plants to green up the gaps in your pavement. Creeping and lemongrass thyme varieties are excellent choices — their violet and pink flowers will add a touch of colour to your garden.

Heath pearlwort with its tiny white flowers is also a good choice, as is Corsican mint.

Choose your plants according to their sunlight needs. If your pathway is in the shade, you could go with a variety of Dichondra repens, a perennial that tolerates foot traffic well. It will quickly create a carpet of tiny green foliage between your tiles.

All you’ll have to do is let nature follow its course.

If you’d like to find out more about groundcover plants, visit your local gardening centre or plant nursery to speak with an expert.

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The Battlefords, Thursday, April 30, 2020 - Page 15

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Three golden rules for garden walkways Walkways can serve several purposes in the garden: they let you move around freely throughout the different parts of the yard; they confer visual structure to the overall landscape; and they constitute an essential aesthetic component. Follow these three rules to make your walkways both beautiful and functional.

1. ADEQUATE WIDTH Your main walkway

(the one leading to your front door) should be at least 1.5 metres wide to allow people to cross paths without difficulty.

For secondary walkways, a width between 80 centimetres and 1.2 metres is sufficient for foot traffic and wheelbarrows.

2. HARMONIOUS MATERIALS Brick, gravel, natural stone — there are all kinds of materials in

all shapes and sizes you could use for your walkway. To make the right choice, consider not only your budget but also the style of your home and your garden. Concrete, for instance, is perfect for an urban garden, while natural stone is ideal for a more rural landscape.

3. A SOLID BASE For stable, durable walkways, dig up the ground, put down a geo-

textile tarp to prevent weed growth, and then add a layer of sand before laying down your covering of choice. Your walkways should ideally sit slightly below grass level to make it easier to mow the lawn. They should also be built on a slight incline to prevent water accumulation. Furthermore, make sure that the surface you choose isn’t too smooth to prevent falls.

Lawn care: 3 reasons to leave it to the pros Are you tired of spending your weekends taking care of your lawn? If so, hiring a professional may be the solution. Here are three great reasons to use a landscaping service.

1. You won’t need any equipment If you hire a contractor to take care of your lawn and garden, you won’t need to maintain a lawn mower, sharpen hedge trimmers or shop for fertilizer. In fact, you won’t need lawn care tools at all. This will save you the hassle and expense of buying, storing and maintaining them.

2. You’ll have more free time Did you know that many people spend the equivalent of a week each

summer taking care of their lawn and garden? If you hire a professional, your landscaping contract can include everything from mowing the grass and pruning the hedges to watering and weeding your garden. With fewer chores, you can spend your time doing the things you enjoy.

3. You’ll avoid unpleasant

surprises If there’s a problem with your lawn, plants or trees, your landscaping contractor will know exactly what to do. A professional can identify and resolve issues involving pests, watering, fertilization and more. This will save you the time and effort of trying to figure it out on your own.

This summer, trust your lawn care to a professional.

Your yard will be beautiful and well-maintained, thereby increasing the value of your home and enhancing your enjoyment of the property.

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Regional News-Optimist

Canadian farmers need real help now

COVID-19 makes it painfully obvious that agriculture is largely misunderstood by the urban-centric Trudeau government

By Dr. Sylvain Charlebois

We always needed farmers. Now, with COVID-19, they need us. Farming needs real help, right now.

Plenty of attention has been given to the foreign workers program in recent weeks. The federal government and the provinces have done the best they could to mitigate the situation.

But that was just the beginning. For farmers, the worst is yet to come.

Livestock is good place to start.

To date, at least seven Canadian meat processing plants have shut down due to at least one employee contracting COVID-19. More should be expected.

In some cases, plants had to be idle for 14 days for thorough disinfection. Closures can be disruptive to the entire supply chain. But the ones being affected most are farmers.

Bloomberg recently reported that thousands of pigs have been euthanized over the last few weeks and more are likely to suffer that fate. Some reports suggest more than 90,000 pigs are likely to be disposed of by farmers, who have no other option.

That’s just awful.

Shutdowns and slowdowns at several processing plants have created unmanageable backlogs. In hog production, there’s little or no wiggle room. When an animal is ready to be harvested, it needs to go or else costs go up. Or the quality of the product can be severally compromised and the animal might not comply with the market specifications rigorously imposed by processors and grocers.

Cattle ranchers in Western Canada are also being affected by meat processing woes. The production cycle is more forgiving with beef, but the industry went into this crisis with a significant backlog spanning many parts of the country. COVID-19 just made things worse.

Keeping animals too long in feedlots increases costs for cattle producers. And livestock producers are receiving much less money for their products.

The global pandemic has severally affected the futures markets. Prices for lean hogs have been at a 20-year low for a while. Feeder cattle values are also extremely depressed. In general, major economic downturns force consumers around the world to eat less meat.

And the problems aren’t just in the livestock sector.

As a result of restaurants closing and the entire food service sector constricting, several commodities are being affected.

The mushroom industry is a good example. The sector generates almost half of its revenues from restaurants. Mushroom growers in Canada are losing $400,000 a week and, as of yet, there are no COVID-19-related programs from government that can help them. Many other groups are affected by the pandemic or will be sooner or later.

The United States government recently provided close to $19 billion to its farmers to offset the negative affects of COVID-19.

In Canada, programs such as AgriStability and AgriRecovery are inadequate or irrelevant when it comes to dealing with COVID-19.

Agriculture is largely misunderstood in Ottawa and COVID-19 makes it painfully obvious. At its core, this is an urban-centric government and its policies reflect that.

Most COVID-19 programs implemented by the federal government are needed to help keep the economy going. And the government has repeatedly said the agri-food sector is essential, but it’s difficult to find any evidence.

Obviously, all commodities have different production cycles and varying needs. Each sector will likely require custom-made attention at specific times of the year. Ag-

riculture is about seasons, planning and strategy to offset elements that farmers can’t control. They come to accept that nature and market conditions can never be measured or predictable.

But COVID-19 has its own unpredictable, cruel agenda. As we’re trying to stay safe and remain protected from its wrath, farmers are being impacted. The need for emergency funding is just as palpable as it is in any sector impacted by the crisis.

From a food security perspective, the stakes for Canada are extremely high. Canada typically loses from five to seven per cent of its farms every year. COVID-19 could double that loss this year – perhaps more.

Emergency funding is required for farmers to offset losses.

And farmers need help to protect their workforce and adapt to COVID-19 measures. That should include extra housing and appropriate transportation.

Agriculture is the foundation of Canada’s entire economy. Unfortunately, that fact has largely been forgotten during this crisis.

The federal government has looked at most issues through a public health lens since this crisis began and that has been important.

For example, last week as many provinces desperately looked for ways to get young Canadians out in the field to help farmers, Ottawa provided funding to students so they can stay home and do nothing. That only made farm worker recruitment more difficult.

Physical distancing is something farmers have done for centuries, so the risks of students contracting COVID-19 while working on a farm are extremely low. This is a missed opportunity.

If the federal government continues on its current path, economic recovery will be challenging, especially in agriculture.

Let’s hope real help for our farmers comes soon.

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is senior director of the agrifood analytics lab and a professor in food distribution and policy at Dalhousie University. troymedia.com

Time for MPs to take a pay cut: Taxpayers Federation

By Aaron Wudruck

As we struggle to contain COVID-19, virtually everyone is paying the price while the economy faces an unprecedented storm. Many members of Parliament are sharing in that sacrifice by donating their automatic pay raise to charity. The rest need to not only follow that

Boys & Girls Clubs of The Battlefords

example, but go one step further by taking a pay cut.

Nearly six million Canadians have already applied for either employment insurance or the temporary income replacement. The Trudeau government — with the consent of all the opposition parties — has already passed legislation authorizing more than $180 billion to help families and businesses cope during this unprecedented emergency.

With no clear sense of when we might be able to return to even semi-normal life, it’s difficult to accurately predict just how big the tab for emergency measures will

May at the Club

• As with many others around the world, operations look very different for us right now. We have suspended ALL REGULAR PROGRAMMING AND SERVICES until further notice.

• During these difficult times, there is one way we continue to support our members and families- a Pandemic Support Service.

• Our Pandemic Support Service is available to ALL REGISTERED MEMBERS and is a first come, first served service. Starting May 4th, our Pandemic Support Service is going MOBILE 3 days/week!

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T H E B AT T L E F O R D S

• Thanks to the support of North Battleford Hyundai, Boys & Girls Club Staff will be delivering meals/snacks and essential items on Mondays and Fridays from 12pm-3pm.

• Thanks to a partnership with easyhome, our local easyhome store staff will be delivering on Wednesdays.

• On Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1pm-3pm, you’ll find us at the Club and our members can come and receive one bagged meal/snack on a “takeout” basis. This service is available by using the gymnasium doors on the south side of our building.

• Not yet a member? We’ll sign you up on the spot so no child is left unfed!

• Precautions are in place following WHO and Saskatchewan Public Health guidelines.

• We are doing our part to flatten the curve while ensuring our members and families have the support they need during this uncertain time!

• This service would not be possible without the dedicated support of our Supper Program donors and generous community members, so THANK YOU! • For more information on our services as well as ways to donate, please contact the office at 306-445-002 or info@ bgcb.ca.

• Although some of our Office Staff remain working at the Club, we are closed to the public. So please continue to call us or email us!

• Also, continue to watch our Facebook page (Boys & Girls Clubs of The Battlefords) and website (www. battlefordsboysandgirlsclub.ca) for more updates.

• Don’t forget to stay home, wash your hands and SMILE!

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get. And given that there are potentially thousands of lives at stake, it’s understandable that concrete deficit calculations will have to wait.

But as taboo as it might be to observe, there is still no ignoring the elephant in the room: this crisis is very, very expensive. That’s why it’s important for our MPs to get ahead of the inevitable fiscal challenges ahead and vote to cut their own paycheques. For both practical and symbolic reasons, Canadians need to know that the people in charge are willing to make sacrifices themselves, before asking the rest of us to endure even more pain.

Consider the enormity of the task. The Parliamentary Budget Officer projects next year’s federal deficit will be $184 billion, seven times larger than it was predicted to be just two months ago, and that analysis assumes that there will be no additional spending measures forthcoming.

Eventually, all of the measures will have to be paid for and that will require many painful choices. It won’t happen overnight, but over time, the public sector will be forced to endure salary cuts, reduced staffing levels or both. Pet spending projects and nice-to-have programs will take a backseat to core government services. Prospective tax measures designed to recoup government revenues decimated by the dormant economy will have to be balanced against the risk of trampling on the recovery.

Many Canadians who have seen their paycheques shrink through no fault of their own fairly wonder why MPs should be immune from this predicament. Many MPs already understand this, which is why nearly half of them have voluntarily agreed to donate their annual pay increase this year. They know full well that taking a pay hike during this crisis looks bad, especially when they are already earning $178,900, which is triple the average Canadian household income of $59,800.

While it’s good to see MPs donating those pay raises to charity, they need to go further. Most Canadians aren’t merely forgoing raises. Most Canadians are struggling with sharp drops in their income and savings and millions are out of work. MPs need to take a pay cut.

The sooner they lead by example to show both the bureaucracy and taxpayers that our leaders are willing to share in the pain of this sobering new reality, the better placed they will be to make the case for necessary reductions elsewhere.

Around the world, many politicians seem to understand this. Hong Kong’s leader is taking a 10 per cent pay cut. New Zealand’s prime minister cut her own pay, along with her entire cabinet and top bureaucrats, by 20 per cent for the next six months. In Japan and India, politicians are cutting their salaries by 20 and 30 per cent, respectively, for at least the next year.

Canadian politicians would do well to follow suit.

Aaron Wudrick is federal director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation

T H E B AT T L E F O R D S

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The Battlefords, Thursday, April 30, 2020 - Page 17

Second Front

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Holy Family School focuses on Positive Vibes Submitted

For many, maintaining positivity during physical and social distancing can be difficult. Holy Family school students and staff want to help lift everyone’s spirits so they have

been posting pictures for first responders, healthcare workers, and others in our community on their school Facebook page.

Gratitude has the power to bring greater positivity to one’s life. The Positive Vibes Project focuses on

encouraging students to be grateful and give the best of themselves to others.

By practicing and encouraging gratitude and positivity, other virtues such as charity, fortitude, faith, and hope are developed.

As a result, students develop greater strength and resilience in order to persist through the changes they are experiencing.

In addition, the project has helped teachers and students to feel connected and maintain a sense of

community in the absence of being able to gather and meet daily.

Positive Vibes photos and posts on the school Facebook page enables students to see that their friends are well and happy,

that their teachers continue to care and connect, and that everything, in time, will be all right.

Follow Holy Family School on Facebook to get your daily dose of positivity!

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Page 18 - The Battlefords, Thursday, April 30, 2020

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OBITUARIES VALLIERE: It is with great sadness the family of Joseph Louis Raymond Valliere announce his passing on Monday, April 20, 2020.

Survived by his wife, Marie; son, Paul (Gail); daughter-inlaw, Janet Valliere; grandchildren: Michelle (Ryan Brown) Valliere, Derek (Brandi) Coleman, Crystal (Cory) Coleman; greatgrandchildren: Ashley & Payton Valliere, James, Braden & Hailey Coleman, Christopher, Asha & Brodie Coleman. Predeceased by his sons: Dennis & Doug Valliere; daughter, Linda Coleman; grandson, Christepher Valliere. A Service of Celebration & Thanksgiving will be held at a later date. Donations can be sent to Alzheimers Society of Saskatchewan, 301-2550-12th Avenue, Regina, SK S4P 3X. Condolences can be sent to www.eternalmemoriesfuneral.ca Arrangements are entrusted to Robert MacKay of Battlefords Funeral Service (306-446-4200).

SALZL: Anthony Salzl of Paradise Hill passed away on Sunday, April 19, 2020 at the age of 90 years. Anthony Salzl was born to Joseph and Frances Salzl (Hardes) on June 25, 1929 and raised on the homestead 8 miles north of Paradise Hill. He was the tenth of eleven siblings and the only surviving member of his family. In 1952, he married Shirley Chouinard and raised 5 children with her, Marcia, Keray, Cecilia, Laura and Keith. Though Anthony was fiercely proud and independent, he was very humble. He instilled a strong work ethic in his family, as well as honesty and integrity. He was a quiet man, and showed his love by his actions rather than words or gestures. He was a talented musician and loved playing his accordion and violin with friends and relatives. The outdoors were his playground, from biking around town to quadding in the bush, snowmobiling, fishing, camping and just going for Sunday drives with Shirley. A lot of the time there was a weiner roast involved as he loved campfires and hotdogs. He was predeceased by: Shirley, his wife of 61 years, whom he was ready to meet again in heaven; also Gracie, Roman, and August Germaine. He leaves to mourn his passing: his daughter, Marcia, and her children Sheldon and Travis and his daughters Cohen and Erin; his son, Keray (Lynne) and their children, Scott (Kassie) and children Taylor, Madison, Darienne, and Brooklyn, Brent(friend Michelle) and children Rory and Danika, Dean (Jackie) and children Trey, Drew, Quinn, and Lee (fiancé, Candace); his daughter, Cecilia (Ron) and their children, Christopher(Cynthia) and children Gianna, Isaiah and Nora, Nicole, Stephan and Carolyn; his daughter, Laura and her son Liam (friend Anela); his son, Keith (Carrie) and their daughters Rylynn and Rhiannon; his sisters-in-law Lucille Salzl, Lyla Salzl and Jane Salzl, and numerous nieces and nephews. There was a private Mass of Christian Burial on April 24, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. in the Paradise Hill Catholic Church. Father Tru Le officiated, Keith Salzl, Carrie Salzl, Cecilia Germaine, Ron Germaine, Keray Salzl, and Lynne Salzl were the pallbearers. Sirii Miller provided the music, Lynne Salzl read the eulogy, Carrie Salzl, and Ron Germaine were the readers, Ron Germaine read the intentions, and Renee Hammer did the livestreaming of the service for all those who were unable to attend. Interment in the St. John’s Catholic Cemetery followed the service. Memorial donations may be made to the Paradise Hill Care Home, or to the St. Walburg Health Complex.

CARD OF THANKS Anthony’s family would like to sincerely thank all those who called, sent flowers, texts, facebook messages, cards, and tributes on Our Lady of Sorrows facebook page and Marshall’s website. This was so appreciated in this time of social distancing. Again, thank you to the staff of the Paradise Hill Care Home, Maidstone Pine Island Lodge & St. Walburg Health Complex. Anthony appreciated all of you and we thank you for your compassionate care. Thank you Fr. Tru for you kind words and Sirii Miller and Renee Hammer for your part in making the funeral mass beautiful and helping us reach so many people.

Also thank you to all who joined in the procession to lay Anthony to rest. Your presence at the cemetery was very much appreciated. Thank you to Marshall’s Funeral Home for helping us through this difficult time.

Keray & Lynne Salzl Keith & Carrie Salzl Cecilia & Ron Germaine Marcia Elliott & Laura Salzl __________________________________________________

NASH: Brenda Joan Nash passed away peacefully on April 6th, 2020 in the care of the staff of River Heights Lodge in North Battleford, with the voices of her closest family to comfort her after a year-long battle with terminal cancer. Brenda’s kindness and love for her family were unmatched, as was her devotion to her friends and faith community. Left to cherish her memory are her loving family: her children Elise Pallagi and Carolyn (Bradley) Zygarlicki; their father Imre Pallagi; her mother Bernadine Theresa Nash; her sisters Gwendolyn and Lynn; her brother Bernard (Bev); and numerous nieces and nephews. Brenda was predeceased by her father Lloyd Thompson Nash and infant sister Carol. Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, a memorial service to celebrate Brenda’s life will take place at a later date with her loved ones and faith community at Hope Mennonite Fellowship, North Battleford, in accordance with her wishes. All of her loved ones are welcome to attend when circumstances allow us to have a service. Anyone with memories or photographs to share may contact Elise Pallagi by email: elisepallagi@gmail.com. Funeral Arrangements have been entrusted to Martine de Bussac of Sallows and McDonald Funeral home. Donations in lieu of flowers can be made to the Canadian Diabetes Association, 917A Albert St, Regina SK S4R 2P6 or to the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency 200-4545 Parliament Ave, Regina SK S4W 0G3.

KAHL: Lyle Kahl 06/27/1939 - 04/12/2020 With sadness we announce that Lyle passed peacefully at the age of 80. Lyle was born in Saskatchewan and moved to Edmonton where he and Donna had their 4 children before coming to Victoria in 1971. He was a school teacher before he was elected as a Member of the BC Provincial Legislature for the Esquimalt-Port Renfrew riding from 1975-1979 and then a long career as a Realtor retiring in 2018. He leaves behind Donna, his loving wife of almost 60 years, who he met when they were children in Medsted SK, Nikkii (Tom), Jackie (Greg), Jason and Chris and his grandchildren Katie, Stewart, Graham, Brandon and Fraser Lyle lived a life to be proud of, he was kind, generous, funny, honest and did his best to help anyone who needed it. He will be missed by many. __________________________________________________

IN MEMORIAM

Thank you for your donations in memory of Louise Fortier, ...................................................Edam Walter T. Nelson, ............................... North Battleford Al Gotto, ............................................ North Battleford David W. Shury,................................. North Battleford Charlotte Lahti, ........................................... Battleford Dr. Iain Weston, ................................ North Battleford

WIEST: Eliane (Eileen) November 26, 1925 – North Battleford, Saskatchewan April 18, 2020 – Calgary, Alberta Eliane (Eileen) Marie Therese Wiest, beloved wife of the late Frank Wiest, passed away Saturday, April 18, 2020 at Wentworth Manor in Calgary at the age of 94.

Eileen was born on November 26, 1925 in North Battleford, SK, to Rene and Mathilde Magosse. She grew up alongside Elsie, Gerald and Conrad on the family farm near Cochin, SK, which created lifelong memories and wonderful stories that her children cherish. Eileen is survived by sons, Gerry (Lorraine) of Courtenay, BC, and Reg (Eva) of Calgary; daughters, Bernadine (Gary) of Medicine Hat, Annette of Edmonton and Michelle (Tom) of Long Grove, IL, USA; ten grandchildren and nine greatgrandchildren. On the farm, Eileen developed a love of all animals and especially enjoyed horseback riding and fishing on Murray Lake. Later, she worked at Prince’s retail store in Battleford, SK, where she met Frank, the love of her life. They were married for fifty-eight years, from June 8, 1950 to January 2009 when Frank passed away. They worked together to raise their five children on Moosomin First Nation where Frank was the school principal. Later they moved to Battleford, North Battleford and Calgary. Eileen and Frank were devout Catholics.

They were a wonderful example of commitment to each other, family and faith. Eileen was a resilient, strong woman who cared for her family with love, delicious meals and a meticulous home.

She was an accomplished seamstress who took great pride creating everything from a daughter’s wedding dress to patching a garment. Later in life, she enjoyed many visits with her grandchildren, relaxing many parental rules which delighted the children. In 2001, Frank and Eileen moved to Calgary to be closer to family. The past 9 years, Eileen was cared for at Wentworth Manor. Special thanks to her physician, Dr. Mary Jane Shankel, and the staff at Wentworth Manor. Funeral Mass will be celebrated Thursday, April 23, 2020 at St. Bonaventure Catholic Church in Calgary with her grandchildren and greatgrandchildren as honourary pallbearers.

Condolences, memories and photos may be shared and viewed on Eileen’s obituary at www.McInnisandHolloway.com. In living memory of Eileen Wiest, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McINNIS & HOLLOWAY FUNERAL HOMES, Fish Creek, 14441 BANNISTER ROAD SE, CALGARY, AB, T2X 3J3, Telephone: 403- 256-9575.

Jessie Smith, .............................................. Battleford Terrence Wasko, ............................... North Battleford Wendy Gansauge, ........................... North Battleford Dean Williams, .................................. North Battleford

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LIVESTOCK For Sale: Purebred registered yearling Charolais Bulls. yearling and two year old Phone Larry at 306-883-2169, or 306-883-7979 evenings. Spiritwood, SK. Simmental Bulls for sale - yearling bulls, full blood and pure bred, strong and sound. Ready to go into the pasture and work. Contact Cindon Farms at 1-306-441-8679 or by email grcmcave@gmail.com

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Mom, Dad, Jane, Mitch, Nico, Andi and Hayes NOTICES / NOMINATIONS Advertisements and statements contained herein are the sole responsibility of the persons or entities that post the advertisement, and the Saskatchewan Weekly Newspaper Association and membership do not make any warranty as to the accuracy, completeness, truthfulness or reliability of such advertisements. For greater information on advertising conditions, please consult the Association’s Blanket Advertising Conditions on our website at www.swna.com.

The Disability Tax Credit allows for $2,500 yearly tax credit and $20,000 Lump sum refund.

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Early onE PoliSH Canola FEED & SEED SEED OATS WANTED. Lu oats AC GEHL. Contact Lyle at 306468-2918 or text 306-747-5939.

mastinseeds.com 403-556-2609

FORAGE SEED FOR SALE: Organic & conventional: Sweet Clover, Alfalfa, Red Clover, Smooth Brome, Meadow Brome, Crested Wheatgrass, Timothy, etc.

Star City, SK. Birch Rose Acres Ltd. 306-921-9942

SERVICES FOR HIRE Will do rototilling at reasonable rates. Call 441-7579

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HORSES & TACK Will buy all classes of horses. 306329-4382.

LIVESTOCK Black and Red Angus Yearling and 2 yr. old Bulls on moderate growing Ration. Performance Info available. - Adrian or Brian and Elaine Edwards Valleyhills Angus Glaslyn, SK. Phone: (306)4410946 or (306)342-4407

DUPLEXES FOR RENT 2 Bedroom duplex for rent. Fridge, stove, washer, and dryer. $900-$1100 per month. references required. 441-1596 or 441-6728 (no texts)

NOTICES / NOMINATIONS

NOTICE OF PREPARATION OF ASSESSMENT ROLL R.M. of Round Hill No. 467 Public notice is hereby given that the assessment roll for the R.M. of Round Hill No. 467 for the year 2020 has been prepared and is open to inspection by appointment only in the office of the assessor from 8:30 am to noon and 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm Tuesday through Friday, April 30th, 2020 to May 29th, 2020.

A Bylaw pursuant to section 214 of The Municipalities Act has been passed and the assessment notices have been sent as required.

Any person who wishes to appeal against his or her assessment is required to file his or her notice of appeal, accompanied by a $100.00 appeal fee which will be returned if the appeal is successful, with: The Assessor, R.M. of Round Hill No. 467, Box 9, Rabbit Lake, SK., S0M 2L0 by 29th day of May, 2020.

Dated this 30th day of April, 2020 Christina Moore Assessor Given the changing conditions with the development of COVID-19 in our community, to protect the health of staff and rate payers, communications regarding Assessment Appeals will be conducted through electronic methods to limit in-person meetings. Should direct interaction be required, it will be done in accordance with directives of the public health agencies.

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The Battlefords, Thursday, April 30, 2020 - Page 19

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NOTICE OF PREPARATION OF ASSESSMENT ROLL R.M. of Buffalo No. 409

Notice is hereby given that the assessment roll for the Rural Municipality of Buffalo No. 409 for 2020 has been prepared and is open to inspection, by appointment, in the office of the Assessor from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on the following days: Monday to Friday, May 1, 2020 to June 29, 2020

Due to COVID-19 precautions, the assessment roll is only available for inspection by appointment. Please call 306-843-2342 to set up an appointment.

A bylaw pursuant to Section 214 of The Municipalities Act has been passed and the assessment notices have been sent as required.

Any person who wishes to appeal against his or her assessment is required to file his or her notice of appeal with: The Assessor, R.M. of Buffalo Box 100 Wilkie, SK S0K 4W0 by the 29th day of June, 2020.

Dated this 1st day of May, 2020 Sherry Huber, Assessor

Notice of Preparation of Assessment Roll R.M. of Medstead No. 497

HAY/BALES FOR SALE Round and Square Bales: 200 Round greenfeed oat bales; 100 Round oat staw bales; 300 Round wheat staw bales; 300 small square pure alfalfa bales and 500 small square wheat straw bales.

Phone or text 306-291-9395 Langham, SK.

NOTICES / NOMINATIONS

NOTICE OF PREPARATION OF ASSESSMENT ROLL Rural Municipality of Blaine Lake #434

Notice is hereby given that the Assessment Roll for the Rural Municipality of Blaine Lake #434 for the year 2020 has been prepared and is open to inspection in the office of the assessor from May 01, 2020 to June 30 2020, and can be viewed Mondays through Thursdays from 9:00am to 12:00pm and from 1:00pm to 4:00pm.

A Bylaw pursuant to section 214 of The Municipalities Act has been passed and the assessment notices have been sent as required.

Any person who wishes to appeal against his or her assessment or classification is required to file his or her notice of appeal, accompanied by a $25.00 appeal fee which will be returned if the appeal is successful to The Assessor, RM of Blaine Lake #434, PO Box 38, 118 Main Street, Blaine Lake, SK, S0J 0J0, by the 30th of June 2020.

Please note that given the changing conditions with the COVID-19 virus, to protect the ratepayers and municipal staff, communications regarding assessment information and appeals will be conducted through electronic means, to limit person to person contact.

Should direct interaction be required, it will be done in accordance with directives of the Public Health Agencies. Please contact the office if you have any questions: email rm434@sasktel.net or call (306)497-2282.

Dated at Blaine Lake, Saskatchewan this 1st day of May, 2020.

Jennifer Gutknecht (Assessor)

Notice is hereby given that the assessment roll for the R.M. of Medstead No. 497 for the year 2020 has been prepared and is open to inspection in the office of the assessor from 8:30 a.m. to Noon and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on the following days: Monday to Friday, May 1st, 2020 to June 30th, 2020.

A bylaw pursuant to Section 214 of The Municipalities Act has been passed and the assessment notices have been sent as required.

Any person who wishes to appeal against his or her assessment is required to file his or her notice of appeal, accompanied by a $50.00 appeal fee which will be returned if the appeal is successful with: The Assessor, Rural Municipality of Medstead No. 497, P.O. Box 12, Medstead, Saskatchewan, S0M 1W0, by the 30th day of June, 2020.

Due to COVID-19, the RM Office is closed to the public. Communications regarding Assessment Appeals may be made by phone call or email.

Should in person interaction be required, it will be done in accordance with Public Health.

Dated this 30th day of April, 2020.

Christin Egeland Assessor

www.newsoptimist.ca 892-104th Street | North Battleford | 306-445-7261 T H E B AT T L E F O R D S

Regional News-Optimist

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news-optimist Serving the Battlefords since 1908

Page 20 - The Battlefords, Thursday, April 30, 2020

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

TENDERS

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES Heavy Duty Mechanics, Heavy Equipment Operators and 1A Drivers required: Late model, clean CAT, JD equip: winch, dump, gravel trucks and trailers. Both camp and shop locations; R & B provided.

Wage negotiable.

Clean drivers abstract a must.

Send resume and work references to: Bryden Construction Box 100, Arborfield, Sk. S0E 0A0; Fax: 306-769-8844 Email: brydenconstruct@ xplornet.ca www. brydenconstruction andtransport.ca

NOTICES / NOMINATIONS

Resort Village of Metinota

ASSESSMENT ROLL Notice is hereby given that the assessment roll for the Resort Village of Metinota for the year of 2020 has been prepared and is open to inspection in the office of the assessor from 7pm to 9pm Monday thru Thursday and from 9 am to 12 pm on Saturdays from May 1, 2020 to June 29, 2020.

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CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

RM of Medstead No. 497 2020 Gravel – Load & Haul Tender

Town of Hafford Has positions for Summer Students

The RM of Medstead No. 497 is accepting tenders for the loading/hauling of approximately 17,500 yards of crushed gravel from two different pits located within this RM to various roads in the municipality.

The Town of Hafford is accepting applications for Three (3) temporary personnel positions. The applicants must be a student who is continuing their education in 2020.

Tenders must include: $ per cubic yard per mile for hauling gravel, $ per cubic yard for loading gravel, any additional surcharges or mobilization charges, equipment listing, expected start and completion dates, Sask. WCB current letter of good standing, and proof of current liability insurance.

There will be no public opening.

The lowest or any tender may not necessarily be accepted and the Municipality reserves the right to reject any and all tenders. Tenders will be accepted until May 7th, 2020 at 4:00 p.m. and reviewed at the regular council meeting on May 8th, 2020. Incomplete tenders will not be accepted.

Tenders must clearly state “RM 497 – 2020 Gravel Hauling Tender” and be submitted to: RM of Medstead No. 497 Box 12, Medstead, SK S0M 1W0 Phone: (306) 342-4609 Fax: (306) 342-2067 Email: rm497@sasktel.net

The position will involve operation of maintenance equipment and general public works duties.

BOOK CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING

This is a full time position Monday- Friday, 9:00AM-5:00PM, Starting Mid May 2020.

A bylaw pursuant to section 214 of has been passed and the assessment notices have been sent as required.

Applicants are invited to submit a cover letter and a detailed resume including work-related references by Thursday, May 12, 2020 to: Town of Hafford Box 220 Hafford, SK S0J 1A0 Fax: (306) 549-2338 Email: town.administrator@hafford.ca Only those candidates chosen for an interview will be contacted

Of the Battlefords

Is now accepting applications for a FULL TIME PERMANENT Advertising Clerk/ Receptionist!

CALL 306-445-7261

Any person who wishes to appeal against his or her assessment is required to file his or her notice of appeal with: The Assessor, Resort Village of Metinota, PO Box 47, Meota SK, S0M1X0 by the 29th day of June 2020.

The successful candidate must be self motivated, have office experience, creative skills, social media skills, be personable, have excellent communication and proficiency skills, customer service experience and be able to meet deadlines.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

Dated this 30th day of April, 2020.

This position focuses on but not limited to marketing properties, the office and agents via newspapers, social media networking, and great customer service. You will be creating newspaper ads, mail drops, posts on social media, working with our website, as well as any other advertising needs, following real estate guidelines. You will also be required to: answer phones, input listings, filing duties, and other general office duties as needed.

Carmen Menssa Assessor

TOWN OF MAIDSTONE

Driver Education Contractor Northwest School Division No. 203 is requesting tenders from Driver Education Contractors for a three (3) year term with a possibility of a 2-year extension, those being 2020/21, 2021/22, and 2022/23, for approximately 380 students (actual contract will be based on actual student count each school year) in the following communities:

Notice is hereby given that the 2020 Assessment Roll for the Town of Maidstone has been prepared and is open for inspection at the Town Office by appointment between April 24, 2020 and June 24, 2020. Please call 306-893-2373 to make an appointment.

• North - Meadow Lake (2 Schools), Loon Lake, Goodsoil, and Pierceland • Central - Paradise Hill, Turtleford, Glaslyn, Edam, and St. Walburg • South - Lashburn, Marshall, Hillmond, Neilburg, and Maidstone Please refer to Sasktenders.ca for further details and competition #.

A Bylaw pursuant to section 214 of The Municipalities Act has been passed and the assessment notices have been sent as required.

Questions regarding clarification of the tender requirements may be directed via email or telephone to:

Please submit your application on or before May 11th, 2020 to

Michelle Pickett michelle.pickett@nwsd.ca (306) 236-5614

Any person who wishes to appeal their assessment or classification is required to file A Notice of Appeal with The Assessor of the Board of Revision, Box 328, Lashburn SK S0M 1H0 by 3 pm on June 24, 2020.

Kayla Petersen Broker/Manager/Owner Kmb@sasktel.net 306-446-8800

Tenders will be open until May 13th, 2020 by 4:30pm. Please forward tender responses via email to:

Dated this 24th day of April, 2020.

Attention: Michelle Pickett, Finance Systems Manager Northwest School Division No. 203 525-5th Street West MEADOW LAKE, SK S9X 1B4 Email: michelle.pickett@nwsd.ca

Elaine Knowlson Assessor/Administrator

NOTICE OF PREPARATION OF ASSESSMENT ROLL 2020 RURAL MUNICIPALITY OF BATTLE RIVER #438

newsoptimist.ca

your news all the time and online

Financial thinkers wanted.

NOTICE is hereby given that the Assessment Roll for the Rural Municipality of Battle River #438 for 2020 has been prepared and is open for inspection at the office of the Assessor from 10 am to 4 pm, Tuesdays from May 1st to June 30th. A Bylaw pursuant to Section 214 of The Municipalities Act has been passed and the Assessment Notices sent as required.

We’re looking for fresh customer service talent to join our team.

We create an exceptional experience for members and potential members both face to face and online/mobile.

Any Person who wishes to appeal his or her assessment is required to send by mail The Notice of Appeal, accompanied by a $50.00 fee for each assessment being appealed, by June 30th, 2020.

Visit the careers section of our website to view full details on any of our positions. innovationcu.ca Innovation Credit Union offers

T H E B AT T L E F O R D S

TO: The Assessor, R.M. of Battle River #438, Box 159, Battleford, Sask. S0M 0E0.

Dated this 1st Day of May, 2020 Betty Johnson Assessor

Qualifications Needed Grade 12 Education Excellent Oral & Written Communication Skills Knowledge of Computers & Microsoft Office Programs Social Media Savvy Experience with Graphic Design

Regional

NEWS-OPTIMIST Serving the Battlefords since 1908

• Competitive wages • Comprehensive benefit program • Matched company pension of 7% • Attractive variable incentive program • Career advancement • Financial education support • Learning on work time • Fast paced exciting environment

Regional News-Optimist

The Battlefords, Thursday, April 30, 2020 - Page 21

WHO DOES IT? w w w. n ew s o p t i m i s t . c a

Professional Directory

AGRICULTURE PARTS

New, re-roofing & roof repair

Todd Patterson Owner/Operator

AGRA PARTS PLUS WRECKING

Patterson roofing

Jeff Schommer

Where we always try to be the lowest price and best value.

- Guaranteed Workmanship -

306-481-4892 schommshandymanrenos@yahoo.com

3 miles N.W. on Hwy. 16, 2 1/2 miles west on Sunshine Road

Have a "To-Do" List?

We Will Take Care of it!

CONCRETE CONTRACTOR

GENERAL CONTRACTOR

306-445-6769

ROOFING CONTRACTOR

J&D Roofing

General Contractor

“Quality “Quality that that doesn’t doesn’t cost, cost, itit pays” pays”

• New Construction • Renovations

DAVE KONOPELSKI 306-344-7424 Meota, Sk. davekono@sasktel.net

306.441.1980 306.445.3144

TRAINED INSTALLER

CUSTOM FLOATING

306-441-5123

devanobe@gmail.com www.dreamrealtysk.com

This Job Calls for a Pro.

YARD CLEAN UP • • • • •

60 Foot Bucket Truck Expert Tree Removal Stump Grinding 18 yrs experience Fully Insured • Free Estimates

Big Mike’s Contracting

Call 306-446-2283 • Cell 306-441-7570 bigmikescontracting@hotmail.com

REALTOR

Ltd.

Janaya Pollard REALTOR®

ELECTRIC CONTRACTOR

SENIOR

TREE SERVICES

Ag Services • Solar • Residential Commercial • Maintenance

306-441-8727

ESTIMATES 306-937-2083 DISCOUNT FREE ESTIMATES Call Dion or Pat 937-2083 AVAILABLE

Call DionFREE or Pat

REALTOR

Ltd.

ELECTRIC CONTRACTOR

Insurance Claims Locally Owned & Welcome Operated Rooftop Snow WCB ESTIMATES •Removal Fully InsuredAvailable FREE

Licenced/Insured WCB A263327

Realtor®

Fertilizer I Herbicides I Micro Nutrience I Broadcast Seeding CALL FOR RATES AND BOOKINGS DAVID KONOPLESKI 306-344-7424 • davekono@sasktel.net • Box 139, Meota, SK S0M 1X0

Serving the Battlefords & Area...Locally Owned & Operated SERVING THE AREA...

“Quality thatBATTLEFORDS doesn’t cost,& it pays” Locally owned306-937-2083 & operated Dion BelRose Licensed, WCB Coverage • Fully Insured

djshynkaruk@gmail.com

Devan Oborowsky

PRESCRIPTION APPLICATION 45’ BELT CONVEYER

Phone: 306-445-8439 Cell: 306-441-3690

FREE Estimates & Senior Discounts

Derrick Shynkaruk

• ICF Basements • Grade Beams • Heated Slabs • Flatwork • Concrete Cutting • Backhoe Services/Trenching • Septic Tanks

Kevin Ryhorchuk

DEADLINE FOR THURSDAY EDITION IS MONDAY BY 4:00 PM

ROOFING CONTRACTOR

GENERAL CONTRACTOR

Bob Frolek's

• Older Tractors • Combines • Swathers • Balers & Tillage • Other Ag Related Equipment

Look for the RIGHT business for the JOB

306-441-4162 janayapollard@gmail.com www.dreamrealtysk.com

REALTOR

TREE SERVICES

Raymond Oleshko Tree Services

• Tree Removal

• Trimming & Pruning • Stump Grinding • Fully Insured

PHONE 306-481-4465

TREE SERVICES

Jamie Turuk

Journeyman Electrician

306.441.4465

turuk.electric@gmail.com

TURUK ELECTRIC Battleford, SK

• Residential • Commercial • Rural • Service • Free Estimates AVAILABLE EVENINGS & WEEKENDS

Ltd.

Kaley Knight REALTOR®

306-386-7832

kaleyeknight@gmail.com www.dreamrealtysk.com

ESTHETICIAN

To Book FIND OUT HOW TO REACH Your Space Now Pedicures Manicures Facials

Esthetics By Sharon

Over 26,000 Body Waxingreaders Lash/Brow Tinting plus Gift 69,324 Certificates Available unique visitors online Sharon Colliar

FOR ONLY $39306-441-7737 /week 2030 Foley Drive North Battleford, Sask

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ask for Candace, Katasha or Maureen

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(Liability Insurance)

Page 22 - The Battlefords, Thursday, April 30, 2020

Regional News-Optimist

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Often it is a case of both good news and bad news I told Ed, my old neighbour in Saskatchewan, that I filled my car up yesterday with gas at 87 cents per liter here in Chilliwack, B.C. I assured Ed that for us, that is a meagre price per litre.

Our low price did not impress Ed, and he told me that I should change to an electric car.

Ed did agree with me that cheap gas isn’t as rewarding right now when we have to stay home and wash our hands often and not touch our faces at all.

This staying home time is not all bad, as a call from my dentist’s office today cancelled my appointment for this week.

Once again, I have

N

eighbourly Advice

According to Ed

By Raymond Maher

www.accordingtoed.com

revraymaher@accesscomm.ca escaped a meeting with my dentist by the skin of my teeth. Presently he is still seeing emergency patients only because of COVID-19.

I’m not disappointed my dentist appointment is postponed to the end of May. It is not a case of sour grapes for me. There

is no gnashing of my teeth in anger over the delay in seeing my dentist.

Ed claims the secret of his fine white teeth is that he faithfully chews wooden toothpicks. For those who scoff, Ed says to think about the fine teeth of a beaver. I was not going to argue with

him, as he does have good white teeth, and he does chew more than his share of toothpicks.

For those of us who do go to the dentist, it is good that someone is willing to put their fingers in our mouths. We need the one who will deal with our cavities and remove the teeth that need to come out.

The bad news for us is the pain of a toothache.

Yes, needles, drilling, picking, prying, filling, root canals and crowns all can be less than pleasant, but they are meant to help us.

Going to the dentist is good for us. After the dentist has addressed

our teeth problems, we may forget how his work benefited us. Too often, we appreciate the dentist only when we have a toothache.

A toothache means we do not have everything under control. We like to think that everything can be corrected or cured. It is a time for us to stay home and be safe, but we cannot deny death is on a worldwide crusade to claim many more lives than usual.

It is a time that life has become a mystery that shifts and evolves around from day to day. We do normal life best and resent not knowing what is around the next corner.

Many of the Psalms were

written when there was death and danger at every turn, and there was no evidence that life would return to normal soon.

Psalm 130 is worthy of study.

This palm asks for mercy from God, “Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.”

It acknowledges our sinfulness and our forgiveness before God, “With You God, there is forgiveness.”

It speaks of waiting for God to redeem those that hope in Him because of His unfailing love. “My soul waits for the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love and full redemption.”

Amen.

Worship Together Spend some quality family time together. Worship at the church of your choice.

Our community has a number of churches and a variety of denominations for you & your family.

(RC) St. Joseph Calasanctius Parish 1942 - 98th Street, North Battleford, SK S9A 0N4

TerriTorial Drive alliance church

306-446-1695

PASTOR: Rev. Phinh Do

DAILY: Tues., Wed., Thurs. & Fri. - 9 a.m. unless otherwise noted WEEKEND MASS TIMES: Saturdays - 7:30 p.m. Sundays - 9:00 a.m. & 11:00 a.m.

St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church

ANGLICAN PARISH

306-445-5901

St. George’s Anglican Church - 9:30 a.m.

1401 - 98th Street, North Battleford, SK

SUNDAY SERVICES Rev. Trevor Malyon

Reverend George Yando Sunday Services 10:30 AM Everyone Welcome

191 - 24th Street West, Battleford, SK

St. Paul’s Anglican Church - 11:00 a.m.

1302 - 99th Street, North Battleford, SK

Hope Mennonite Fellowship

Battlefords Grace Community Church

1291 - 109th Street, North Battleford

SUNDAY - 11:00 a.m. - Worship Service

Pastor: Bill Hall

Pastor Gerhard Luitjens & Abel & Sonya Zabaleta (Mission Partners)

191 - 24th Street W., Battleford, Sk. 306-937-7575

WORSHIP SERVICES - 11 a.m. Sunday

Church Phone 306-445-4181

Everyone Welcome

Living Water Ministry

Sr. Pastor Brian Arcand Pastor Anand George Phone: 306-445-3803 Cell: 306-441-9385 Fax: 306-445-4385

All Saints Ukrainian Catholic Parish 902 - 108th Street, North Battleford ALL LITURGICAL SERVICES ARE TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED. CALL MARUSIA AT 306-445-8369 RE ONLINE SERVICES

Battleford United Church 52 - 4th Avenue West Battleford, SK

306-937-3177 Rev. Gayle Wensley

SUNDAY SERVICES 11:00 a.m.

Third Avenue United Church Rev. Dexter van Dyke Sunday Worship, Youth Groups and Bible Study Groups are cancelled until further notice.

Everyone Welcome www.thirdavenueunitedchurchnb.ca Email: thirdaveunited@sasktel.net

Battlefords Cowboy Church Services 1st & 3rd Thursday of each Month

Battleford Legion Hall 7:00 p.m.

PASTOR - Rick Martin

1371 - 103rd Street (Use East Door)

LIVING FAITH CHAPEL

1372 102nd St 306-445-3009

ROMAN CATHOLIC ST. VITAL’S Phone 306-937-7340 PASTOR - Fr. Sebastian Kunnath

Maidstone/Paynton United Church of Canada Phone: 306-285-3823 Contact: Don Retzlaff

Services: First & Third Sunday 10:30 a.m.

Church & CE Wing: 306-893-2611 For booking the Wing: 306-893-4729

Sunday Services 10:30 am Various Weekly Programs www.livingfaithchapel.ca

Battlefords Seventh-Day Adventist Church

11 - 18th Street, Battleford, SK

Saturday Evening Mass - 5:00 p.m.

Sunday Mass - 10:30 a.m.

Sunday Evening Service 7:00 p.m.

Bible Study Wednesday 7:30 p.m.

1702 - 106th Street, North Battleford

Come Join Us Sundays at 11:00 am Loving God Growing Together Serving Others Phone Church: 306-445-4818 Fax: 306-445-8895 Email: tbcnb@sasktel.net www.trinitybaptistchurch.ca

Pastor James Kwon

Corner 16th Ave. & 93rd Street, North Battleford

Phone 306-445-9096

Saturday Services Bible Study - 10:00 a.m.

Worship Service - 11:00 a.m.

Regional News-Optimist

The Battlefords, Thursday, April 30, 2020 - Page 23

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Dear Valued Readers, Now, more than ever, we need your support.

Ever since the COVID-19 crisis hit, our advertisers have been affected. Our restaurants have had to close, events have been cancelled or are on hold, and a large number of businesses - big and small - are just barely holding on.

Some of our advertisers have been able to continue running ads and we thank the realtors, furniture stores, grocery stores, restaurants with take out service and other businesses and organizations that have continued to advertise with us. We’re heartened by businesses that have chosen to run a “Heart of Thanks” ad celebrating locals and recognizing others.

But we cannot rely solely on our advertisers anymore, nor can we sustain these losses.

Imagine what it would be like if The Battlefords News Optimist didn’t exist. Local journalism is at stake.

And yet we continue to work harder than ever to keep delivering readers the information they need about the community each and every day online and in print.

Our team desperately wants to keep the presses running every Thursday.

So please consider pledging your support. Take pride in the fact you’ve made a contribution every time you open your front door on a Thursday, or pick up your copy from the neighborhood box, or when you visit www.newsoptimist.ca to see the current local and international news.

T H E B AT T L E F O R D S

Our future depends on it.

Gordon Brewerton, Publisher

Regional

news-optimist Serving the Battlefords since 1908

Local journalism needs your support We are navigating a daunting, unprecedented time and our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates you need to keep safe and informed.

Now more than ever, we need your support.

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Page 24 - The Battlefords, Thursday, April 30, 2020

Regional News-Optimist

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