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Thursday, March 26, 2020
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Staff Reporter
COVID-19 restrictions may be in effect around the world and in Saskatchewan, but a number of local people are expressing concerns that Battlefords residents aren’t taking the virus seriously enough. The News-Optimist has fielded a number of calls from concerned residents over the last few days. The concern expressed is
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that their fellow residents in and around the Battlefords are showing a lack of concern, and that it will lead to a COVID-19 outbreak in the Battlefords. One individual who works at a local store phoned to express concerns that her co-workers were not doing the extra cleaning and sanitizing that they were supposed to do. She also expressed concerns that customers weren’t taking it seriously, especially young people who were out of school due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She said they would high-five one another inside the store, not doing any “socialdistancing”, and were treating their time off of school as a “vacation.” “We’re going to be full-blown 5,000 cases in North Battleford in two weeks,” she said. Another local businessman, who had shut down his businesses and sent workers home in response to the pandemic, also expressed concerns about what he is seeing. He noted the liquor stores were still full, despite calls for people to stay at home for two weeks. “What are you doing going out to the liquor
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Concerns people aren’t taking COVID-19 seriously in the B’fords By John Cairns
board?” he said of the public reaction. “You don’t have to be out right now.” It was his belief that government needed to step up and bring in much tougher measures to crack down on the number of people still going out and about. “The federal government needs to override everybody and tell everybody we’re on lockdown,” he said. He also said that not taking these measures will cost business in the long run. “Every day we waste not shutting our doors is going to cost us four in the end,” he said. The News-Optimist has also fielded phone calls and emails about the recent Red Pheasant band election, which proceeded Friday while the province was under the state of emergency. The band leadership as well as the chief electoral officer came under criticism for going ahead with the vote, according to the calls and messages we received at the newsroom. “They’re not listening to what’s going on in the news,” said one band member, who expressed concerns about the numbers of people who would be gathered for the vote.
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Battlefords residents are showing they have heart by making and displaying hearts on windows, doors and hedges. The idea is to give children an opportunity to participate in a neighbourhood heart hunt. See story on Page 2. See more photos at www.newsoptimist.ca. Photo by Averil Hall
Giant Tiger closing By John Cairns Staff Reporter
Less than a year after arriving in North Battleford, Giant Tiger is pulling out of the city. The North West Company Inc. confirmed in an email to the News-Optimist that they are closing. The company’s vice-president for sales and operations Scott McKay stated they will be closing their North Battleford Giant Tiger location by no later than Nov. 1 of this year. The reasons have to do with the recent announce-
ment that the North West Company Inc. had entered an agreement to sell 34 of its Giant Tiger stores to Giant Tiger Stores Limited. The North West Company expects a pre-tax gain of $20 to $24 million from the sale. Of the remaining 12 Giant Tiger locations, the North West Company will retain five northern locations, convert one Giant Tiger in Prince Albert to a Valu-Lots clearance centre, and close the remaining six stores, including North Battleford. McKay said in a state-
ment that the new agreement with Giant Tiger Stores Ltd. “creates the conditions for mutual success going forward.” He also stated Giant Tiger Stores Ltd.’s “proven capability as a leading Canadian-owned discount retailer, including their ability to successfully franchise stores, will enable these locations to reach their full performance potential.” The news deals a major setback to the downtown revitalization efforts of North Battleford City Hall. Giant Tiger opened Continued on Page 3
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