On June 7, Henders Drugs will donate 10% of their front store sales to the Radiothon! *some exceptions apply
Problems with your Affinity card?
Credit union explains what caused issues.
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By David Willberg
Time to spread kindness. United Way Estevan hosts their Day of Caring.
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The Estevan Comprehensive School will have a new principal when the 2023-24 school year begins in September.
ECS announced Monday morning via Facebook that Nathan Johnson would be joining the senior leadership team of the South East Cornerstone Public School Division, serving as the superintendent of human resources. This position will replace the deputy director of human resources and infrastructure, which was held by former Estevan resident Gord Husband.
Congratulations!
Lampman and Midale schools and communities celebrate classes of 2023.
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Johnson will start his new duties on Aug. 1.
“Special thanks to Nathan for his 18 years of dedicated service at ECS.
Your leadership and commitment to the students and staff of ECS was truly exemplary,” said the Facebook post.
Johnson started his career as a teacher at ECS in 2005. In 2013, he joined the administration team as a vice-principal, and was promoted to the role of principal in 2020 after the retirement of Pat Jeannot.
Johnson admitted it was a difficult decision to leave ECS. He noted there was an opportunity for a superintendent position at Cornerstone last year that he decided not to seek.
“After lots of reflection, I felt this was the time to throw my name into the candidate pool and was lucky enough to be hired,” Johnson told the Mercury.
The Estevan woman who died in a motorcycle crash in North Dakota on May 28 is being remembered for her enjoyment of being around people and a desire to live life to the fullest.
Great weekend. Annual OTS Golf Tournament recognizes this year’s champions.
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Leigh-Ann Tessier, 43, was killed and her 42-year-old husband Darrel was seriously injured when the motorcycle they were riding was struck by a pick-up truck east of Fortuna. Both Tessiers were wearing helmets when the collision occurred.
Leigh-Ann Tessier’s mother Sandra McGillicky said her daughter “had a zest for life” and an approach to “live life to the fullest”.
“And that she did,” said McGillicky in an email to the Mercury.
Off to a big start.
Kid’s Kollege wraps up another fun year of preschool education.
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Whether it was riding a motorcycle or travelling in a vehicle, McGillicky said Tessier loved exploring back roads, looking for old, abandoned buildings and farmhouses, stopping to take pictures, and wondering about who had lived there at one time and what their lives were like.
Those who were friends with Tessier on Facebook saw the couple’s adventures. People who went to her home saw a collage of travel photos.
“She loved to smile, and
when she did, she lit up the darkest corners of a room,” said McGillicky. “She loved to dance as there were many videos of her dancing and singing, which she didn’t do well, but she did it anyway. She loved to dress up for any occasion. She was all about the clothes, the jewelry and the wild hair colours.”
Tessier would talk to anyone, about anything, but travelling was her favourite subject.
“Her and Darrel loved to travel, especially into Montana, Wyoming, North and South Dakota, with the Black Hills being her favourite place, and she always said that someday they would buy a house in Deadwood and live there.
“She was drawn to the Black Hills and over the years spent a lot of time there, making tons of friends that were more like her family than they were her friends.”
She had a tattoo on her arm that read: “I figure if a girl wants to be a legend, she should just go ahead & be one.” McGillicky said her daughter became a legend.
Tessier worked at the Southern Plains Co-op in Estevan for 18 years, and McGillicky said her daughter loved seeing customers coming in,
smiling at them, talking with them and asking them how their day was going.
“She truly was a beautiful, bright shining star,” McGillicky said.
Darrel Tessier has been receiving care at Sanford Medical Center in Fargo, N.D., where he is still being treated for his injuries.
Lisa Johnson, a friend of the Tessiers, started a GoFundMe campaign for Darrel. She noted he has been fighting “courageously” since the accident, and he has had surgeries to fix or remove the damaged parts of his body. He will require lots of therapy.
“Please help in any way. He is a strong trooper and life will
forever change for him, but we can all help with donations to ease the medical bills,” Johnson wrote.
As of Saturday afternoon, the campaign had raised $9,845, with 60 donors providing support. The goal is $20,000.
The Southern Plains Coop said in a Facebook post that her death left the staff “all deeply shaken and mourning her loss”.
Tessier was an integral part of their grocery store team since she started working for the co-op.
“She was a bright and shining light, a huge Rider fan and loved to dress up for any occasion or holiday,” the co-op said.
The co-op is planning to do something as a legacy to honour her time with the co-op and the impact she made.
McGillicky said memories remind us that nothing lasts forever, that people can be happy one moment and sad the next
“Time is precious and should not be wasted,” she said.
The incident remains under investigation by the North Dakota State Highway Patrol, and charges against the pickup truck driver are pending.
Some Estevan Affinity Credit Union credit card holders have been having stressful times when it comes to banking lately.
Affinity Credit Union has recently gone through a major systematic shift.
The financial institution said they started preparing for the change well in advance, but there were still difficulties once it began, which affected about 10 per cent of their clients, according to their data.
The switch to a different system occurred on April 21, and the problems are still being resolved. Some of the Mercury’s readers shared that it took a very long time before they received their new cards; for others, cards would get locked when they were travelling, and they couldn’t get them to work again as some of their personal data was missing in the system. Other issues included wrong names on the cards, changes in other personal details, cards failing to work every other time and more.
Affinity Credit Union chief banking officer Richard Schwan said the bank takes full responsibility for all the problems their clients experience with their new credit cards. They appreciate the patience and say they are supposed to get close to 100 per cent of clients successfully transferred to the new system by the end of this week.
“It’s affecting probably 10 per cent of our active credit card holders with Affinity Credit Union, and the communications have been going out to card holders, and to all members at Affinity Credit Union,” Schwan said. “I sincerely apologize to both the affected card holders, as well as to our staff who have been dealing with the calls from, understandably, frustrated members.”
With over 30,000 Affinity Credit Union credit
cards, the disruption has affected about 3,000 clients. While the switch is finished for about 90 per cent of active users, Affinity is still working to resolve the issues for many of its members.
“We’ve identified an issue with a number of cardholders, which, when resolved, will get us closer to 100 per cent of activation. And this was just discovered in the last week or so,” Schwan said on June 2.
The issue affected clients all over the province banking in Affinity’s 55 advice centres, and the bank has been working since April in an effort to locate and resolve all the issues.
“We have a huge sense of pride at Affinity with the level of service and the value we provide to members in the Estevan community and across the 55 different advice centres that we operate across the province. So, this clearly fell short.”
Schwan said the situation that occurred in April of this year has roots stemming from the past. For a long time, credit unions across the country partnered with a company called Credit Union Electronic Transaction Services (CUETS), which facilitated their credit card operations. It provided good service at the time, Schwan said, until it was acquired by the MBNA Canada Bank in 2007. Schwan said, “from that point, the service really deteriorated.”
“The root of the problem was that CUETS owned and controlled all aspects of the credit card experience. They approved members coming in, they provided card options they believed were important or not important, and they serviced the cards when there were issues,” Schwan explained.
“So basically, the card portfolio was owned and controlled by CUETS, but simply branded by each respective credit union … When
the banks took ownership of CUETS, the service that we and the members were accustomed to really deteriorated.”
The contract with CUETS expired in 2018, and credit unions converted to Collabria, establishing a new five-year agreement, Schwan said, and while some members were happy with their new Affinity MasterCard, through competitive analysis, they found that their members were missing out on some enhanced options provided by other credit card carriers.
“Because Affinity didn’t control and didn’t own the portfolio of cards, we couldn’t control the level of service nor the experience our members deserved,” Schwan said.
So, two years before the contract with Collabria was expiring, Affinity started exploring other options, Schwan said, and the choice was between maintaining the relationship with Collabria or purchasing the whole credit card portfolio so that Affinity can control the end-to-end experience.
“The two-year review included a real intensive request for proposal process, and it concluded that we would purchase the portfolio so that we can control and add a better experience to our members,” Schwan explained.
They then developed an extensive project and roadmap to work through the three phases before converting from Calabria to the new credit card platform, including configuration, conversion and launch. They dedicated about 18 months to working through the plan and testing. However, the contract with Collabria provided a lot of limitations on when and how Affinity could convert to the new platform, Schwan said, including restrictions on when the bank could activate the new cards. And that’s where problems began.
“We weren’t allowed to
A switch to new Affinity
Credit Union credit cards went flawless for most of their clientele this spring, but about 10 per cent of people using their services across the province have been having a range of problems since the end of April.
activate new cards until April 21. And also equally problematic is that the existing Collabria cards would be cancelled on that same day. So, we knew there were going to be some issues on April 21. How do you get the message out to all the existing card holders that your card is dropping, and your new card has to be activated on that same day?” Schwan shared.
“Now, if that wasn’t a challenge in itself, we had a whole another set of unexpected challenges, and this is where it’s getting into those 10 per cent of active card holders that are experiencing the problem today.”
At the time of launch, Affinity discovered that as the data was getting moved from a processing system called Fiserv to the new one –TSYS – a lot of information wasn’t transferred properly.
“There were data conversion issues moving from Fiserv to TSYS, simple things that didn’t transfer over properly from certain accounts were province codes, like an SK for Saskatchewan was an NS for Nova Scotia. It’s
not that the cards went anywhere, it just created all kinds of problems in producing the cards and getting cards mailed out.
“Somehow country codes were lost in translation. All our credit members are in Saskatchewan, but the country code was missing in a lot of these files, so the card producer couldn’t mail these cards out. This was far beyond any of the testing. We couldn’t have anticipated some of these challenges that we were going to experience moving from one processing system to another,” Schwan said.
He noted that they have a strong team of skilled IT and engineers, and they’ve done many conversions from system to system when they had credit unions merging with Affinity, but have never faced anything like this.
Once the problems and affected card users were pinpointed, Affinity Credit Union reissued two tranches of new cards. The rush orders are currently being delivered to corresponding advice centres including Estevan.
“We’re going to have our staff at Estevan advice centre calling the members to say, we have your card, sincerely apologize, here’s how you get activated, do you want me to drop it off ? Or do you want to come into the branch to pick it up?” Schwan explained what is to happen for affected clients, supposedly this week.
“While the current issues are isolated to that small number of card holders, it is an all-hands-on-deck approach to ensure that we resolve the issues and we’re committed to ensuring that every single one of the cardholders’ issues that we’re hearing from is resolved.
“As an executive with Affinity, I take complete responsibility for this. We can’t blame it on a processing system, or a conversion, or a new partner that we brought in, or the company producing the
cards … This is an Affinity issue. This is an Affinity error.
“At the same time, we have back-office staff that have been working tirelessly, sometimes around the clock on this conversion. We also have our frontline staff in our contact and advice centres who’ve been nothing short of amazing, very patient with understandably frustrated members. Most members have been patient and most have an understanding, but obviously, frustrations are wearing on people.
“So I can’t reiterate enough. I have to apologize to both the affected members and also to our employees who have been working tirelessly to get through these issues.
“We do beg a bit more patience from those that are still affected by the problems. But if anyone needs some help, want to know where their card is or the problems that they’re having, call into our advice centres or our contact centres, they’re extremely well experienced and such genuinely caring people,” Schwan.
Schwan noted that the affected clients will not be responsible for any charges that they wouldn’t have other wise been responsible for, if there happens to be such a situation once new cards arrive. He noted that they are also “going to provide a bit of a sweetener as a token of apology,” but the decision on what it will look like hasn’t been made yet.
The new card will also provide many benefits to their clients, including faster processing times for various operations, more flexible services available at local advice centres or through online banking, more payment options and an enhanced reward program.
“It’ll rival the best card on the market. It’s not just as good. It’s better, there are more benefits to the reward program than what any of the best rival cards [have],” Schwan said.
The Estevan Police Association (EPA) has brought back an event in an effort to raise funds for the community.
The Max-Fun Colour Run is a five-kilometre runwalk that will occur on June 11 at Woodlawn Regional Park. Participants will be doused with different colours at stations inside the park. People can register until the night before, and anybody who registers now will get a swag bag but not a t-shirt,
as the shirt order has been placed already.
The event will start at 10:30 a.m.
“There will be five stations with a different colour at each station, and there will be a group of volunteers there who will douse the people as they go through the stations,” said Sgt. Kevin Reed, who is the president of the association.
The EPS hasn’t been able to have the event since 2019, and they’re looking forward
to offering a fun activity for the community.
“When we first started [hosting this] in 2019, it was our intention just to have another event in the community in the summer for people to get out, and continue to do it every year,” said Reed.
He hopes there is an appetite in the community to have this event happen once again.
Fifty-one people had registered as of Monday morning. People can register at www.runningroom.com.
The association hasn’t decided on where the funds will be directed. It has supported a couple of initiatives in recent years, such as a bursary for a high school student who will be studying social justice, and it has backed youth curling at the Power Dodge Curling Centre.
The last colour run in 2019 raised $1,700 for Southeast Saskatchewan Search and Rescue, and the EPA hopes they can surpass that total this year.
In the new human resources role, employee support will be a big part of Johnson’s job. He is going to have a hand in recruitment and retention of employees, and he’ll have a large part in the hiring process at this time of year for all of the schools in the division.
“I’ve been lucky enough to have that opportunity on a fairly large scale at ECS, but it’s just going to get that much bigger with the whole school division involved,” said Johnson. “I’m looking forward to it, and it’s always a challenge to
put the pieces of the puzzle together.”
He believes his time as a principal and a vice-principal will help him in the job.
“When the job came open and I read the job description, it sounded a lot like what I do at ECS for a lot of my time. That management role and being able to work through the different agreements, whether it’s the teachers’ LINC [local implementation negotiating committee] agreement or the two unions
that we have at our school, SEIU [Service Employees International Union] and CUPE [Canadian Union of Public Employees].
“I’ll have a large part in interpretation of those agreements and working with different staff as far as different leaves, and over my 10 years in the office at ECS, I’ve had a large opportunity to get good at that.”
He wouldn’t have applied for the job if it wasn’t in the southeast. He will commute
to the Cornerstone head office in Weyburn, but he doesn’t view it as a “ridiculous” daily drive, and he and his family have no intention of leaving Estevan.
His wife Kristy is the principal at Hillcrest School and he said their kids love going to school in Estevan.
“If it was any further than that, I don’t think it would have been an option to apply for the position, but it means a lot that it’s something I could do within the southeast,” said Johnson.
Johnson’s tenure as principal hasn’t always been easy. He was hired for the principal’s job 2 1/2 weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic’s arrival in Saskatchewan forced widespread restrictions. ECS and other schools ended in-person learning in March 2020 for that school year.
When in-person learning resumed in September 2020, there was a host of restrictions that impacted the school on a daily basis. It wasn’t until the winter of 2022 that the school returned to normal.
“That was definitely some challenging waters to get through, but I really feel that our staff banded together and did a great job of getting through that. Now that we’re coming out the other side, I think we’re making some good steps to decide what school’s supposed to look like.”
He’s proud of the resiliency shown by the students, too.
He’s also pleased with how the school handled a string of violent incidents at ECS earlier in the winter, and how ECS was able to come together with community partners and different agencies to decide the next steps. He felt the school had community support for increased safety in the building and the students responded well.
“I’m really proud of how things turned around since where we were at in February,” said Johnson.
A replacement for Johnson has not been named. The deadline to apply was on Monday and Johnson is confident his replacement could be named before the end of the school year.
By Ana Bykhovskaia
Estevan came together to get some work done in time for summer.
The United Way Estevan Day of Caring took place Wednesday all across the city and in the surrounding area. This year, the organization received just under 60 projects, which included window washing, grass cutting, gardening and planting, indoor and outdoor cleaning, painting and more. To meet those needs, the United Way had just under 150 volunteers to accomplish the tasks, which allowed for a good workload ratio.
“We were able to have people assigned for all of the projects, so that was good,” said Shelly Veroba, who co-chairs the Day of Caring committee alongside Wendy Gustafson. “We also had the SRC students [from the Estevan Comprehensive School] come out, they were down helping out with the Humane Society.”
She noted that almost every business in town was involved with the Day of Caring in some way. Some businesses would send individuals or groups to help, others donated supplies and/or equipment for the
day or for lunch. Private people also signed up to do projects.
When all applications were in, the event committee strategically matched volunteers to projects so that, first, the day would flow and all projects would get done, and second, people volunteering would also have a good time.
“We have a lot of great companies that will send out staff … And we have a lot of companies that have been with us for a long time,” Veroba said
“It’s such a great community event because it really brings a lot of businesses out to help, and people sign up by themselves, too, and we’ll put them with people they’ve never met before, and by the end of the day, they’re just fantastic friends because they’re getting to know each other.”
The weather went from perfect to a bit too hot, to thunderstorm warnings with rainfalls and tornado funnel sightings, but that didn’t stop dedicated volunteers, and the day altogether went great.
“It has been awesome. It was a little bit warm in the morning, but truthfully, not too bad,” Veroba said.
Volunteers were tasked
with a lot of bigger projects this year, including work at the Estevan Bible Camp, Estevan Humane Society, Creighton Lodge, Estevan Regional Nursing Home, St. Joseph’s Hospital and others. The medium-sized ones included the Estevan Day Care as well as a few at residences.
“We have a few of our regular ladies that are widows, and they like to have us come once a year to help with their annual yard work, getting their yards started. So, it’s been a really good time,” she said.
Veroba noted that due to the rain, painting and staining projects were under question for the day, but they would get done eventually when the weather co-operates. But the absolute majority of their tasks were checkmarked by the end of the day, leaving many people happy.
The residents of Trinity Tower reached out to the Mercury to forward their gratitude to volunteers that came out and did all their indoor and outdoor spring projects.
“The residents of Trinity Tower wish to say thank you to the volunteers from various businesses who helped us on the United Way Day of Caring on Wednesday. The help is so much appreciated by our residents,” they said in a message.
Veroba said the people she had a chance to visit with were also very happy and grateful for the help they received from others that day.
“Everybody that I did talk to was extremely happy for all the help volunteers with the Day of Caring gave them,” Veroba said.
Sunshine baskets – a feature that was introduced during the pandemic, when projects weren’t possible, and included the delivery of a basket with various small gifts and an optional visitation – were also a big hit.
“The sunshine baskets were a huge success again this year, we had over 25.
And this year, a lot of people were interested not only in the sunshine basket but also in the visits that go with it. They were very happy to have the sunshine basket and extremely happy to have someone to visit with,” Veroba said.
Some people applied for a basket and a project. In those cases, the United Way would send a group of people, some of whom were more inclined towards doing physical work, while others would visit. The volunteers’ age ranged from 15 to 75, so there was a perfect match for everyone.
“We find something for
everyone to do. Age is not a factor in whether or not you can help at Day of Caring, we always try and find something,” Veroba said.
Another important part of the Day of Caring was the lunch at the Alliance Church. The meal, organized with support from local businesses, brought together volunteers and
Rubberstone
people who applied to have projects done. “With the barbecue, we invite volunteers and the people who put projects in, so they’re able to also join us and then they join with the volunteers and they all eat together, get to know each other. It’s a really great feeling when you’re down here,” Veroba said.
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The Alberta election is over and the United Conservative Party has been elected to a second straight term as government.
And while it would be a stretch to call the result a “miracle on the Prairies”, as Alberta Premier Danielle Smith suggested on election night once her victory was known, she did manage to snag an electoral victory when it appeared the Alberta New Democratic Party would topple the UCP and form government for the second time in three elections.
It was stunning to see the NDP campaign as frontrunners. After all, this is Alberta. Home of Peter Lougheed and Ralph Klein. The province where Carnduff ’s Ernest Manning was the premier. The province that voted for a right-ofcentre party for 80 years provincially and typically votes conservative in federal elections.
Now that Alberta’s primary rightwing parties have merged, it was supposed to make it much more difficult for the NDP to get elected in Alberta. Yet the NDP was favoured, and they still won 38 of 87 seats, 15 more than in 2019.
With the NDP favoured to dominate in Edmonton, and the UCP the party of choice in rural Alberta, it came down to who would win in Calgary. The conservatives picked up enough seats in Cow-
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town to win, which really shouldn’t be a surprise.
The election has obvious implications for Saskatchewan. Alberta is our neighbour to the west, and in recent years it has felt like they are our political kindred spirits. We share a lot of similarities in terms of our economic catalysts.
We both have an abundance of oil, we both have a strong agricultural base, we both have a strong work ethic and we both seemingly hate the carbon tax that’s been forced on us by the federal government.
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe will retain one of his allies in Smith when it comes to fighting the federal government. He undoubtedly finds it easier to work with Smith than NDP leader Rachel Notley, whose philosophies are more closely aligned with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Smith says she wants to have a reset on her relationship with the federal government, but she has also said she would invoke the province’s Sovereignty Act over the federal government’s onerous emissions targets. You have to wonder if Smith can have a good relationship with the feds, and if she can, how long it will last.
Smith and Moe have both been saying a lot when it comes to having greater provincial autonomy. We’ve seen a num-
Did you plant your garden on the long weekend in May?
If you did, the results should be showing by now with little sprouts breaking the ground to catch the rays of sunshine.
For years, I did not understand why my mom would soak some of her seeds the night before planting, but I understand now.
This will help the seeds to germinate quicker and use less water to get them started.
I have wondered over the years why people do not have a garden, as fresh produce is good for you and is so inexpensive.
Excuses I have heard include: they are so much work; I do not have the space, nor do I have the time; and I hate pulling weeds. Yes, they are excuses to me.
There are many who hate gardening. I will admit, it is not the greatest job, but the end results are amazing. Weeds, we all hate them and can do without. Seriously what is a thistle good for?
I have learned to plant my rows close. Yes, at the beginning it is a little tough with the rototiller, but once plants begin to grow, it keeps the weeds down. Each day I will clean a few rows and it becomes easier than trying to weed the whole garden at one time.
Stephanie Zoer
Just a few words
Space, I am lucky to have the space at our home, but we did not always have the space to plant a garden.
Flower beds turned into vegetable gardens. I still had a few flowers for colour, but onions, beets and carrots were planted in between.
Planters were filled with tomatoes, and we even did potatoes that way, and they turned out great.
Time can be a factor, or is it? Ten minutes a day can easily clean a few rows. When my kids were young, they helped with the garden, but not to the point they hated it. My daughter still loves to garden and has her own small space for one.
A person makes the time for the things they enjoy, but to me a garden is something that is important. This feeds one’s family with wholesome food.
A garden saves so much on the grocery bill, and with the rising costs of everything, every little bit helps.
Over the years, we have found that our tomatoes do best on the east side of the house and peas love the cool soil
ber of measures pass in Saskatchewan in recent months that reflect a Saskatchewan government that is tired of federal meddling and perceived eastern bias.
Smith’s first few months as premier were far from easy, as she inherited the mess left over by former premier Jason Kenney, and had to deal with consequences from mistakes that she made before and during her term as premier.
Alberta has had a real leadership vacuum for some time. Since Klein’s reign as the 12th premier of the province came to an end in late 2006, there have been seven premiers, one of whom was an interim leader.
Kenney and the late Jim Prentice were supposed to be the leaders who would guide conservatives in Alberta through multiple elections. Prentice lost the 2015 election to the NDP. Kenney bungled his way through 3 1/2 years at the helm of the province.
Alberta is a province that is begging for stability in leadership. It says a lot about Smith and the bumpy road from her time as premier that the NDP was ahead in public opinion polls.
The jury remains out on whether Smith is the one to be the leader that Alberta conservatives have been waiting for. If she isn’t, then the UCP in Alberta likely won’t be able to snag another election victory from the jaws of defeat in 2027.
and can be planted as soon as the frost is out of the ground. Carrots and beets also enjoy cooler weather and only need six hours of sun.
I was fortunate to have my mom teach me how to can and preserve vegetables, and my daughter is taught the same values. I still learn from others as there are always new ways to do things.
I love the feeling of having my freezer and canning shelves filled with food that I prepared. No additives, which is also healthy.
When I have what I need for my family, I give the rest away.
Nothing annoys me more than when people let their garden go to waste, when there are people who will gladly take it. I have my people that I give to.
I love to give my produce to people that actually use it, and do not let it rot in their fridge. After all I could just let it rot in my garden and it would be good for the soil.
I frankly think it is rude to do this, as I worked to grow this food and so did many other people who give their garden produce away.
So, the question is, did you plant your garden this year? If you have not done so yet, you still have time, as I planted mine as late as June 15 to enjoy the goodness of fresh homegrown produce.
It’s hard to believe for some, but it hasn’t been that long since Estevan would have a circus visit.
Typically, the local Shrine club would be the ones promoting the event. For generations of people, the first time they ever heard of the Shriners was through a circus, which brought talented performers and exotic animals they wouldn’t see elsewhere
We would get other travelling circuses, too. But since I’ve been here, the Shrine Circus was the most common.
And while the event provided lots of entertainment for families, the circuses were also an important fundraiser for the Shriner’s Hospital for Children. (A number of local youths have gone to the Shriner’s Hospital in Montreal over the years for surgery, treatment or checkup from a medical expert).
I can still remember seeing elephants, big cats and other animals perform in Estevan during my early years in the Energy City. These are animals that used to be staples of travelling shows, but are unlikely to be seen now.
Estevan still had a circus in 2016, but it had horse and rider performances rather than elephants and lions.
The Southeast Shrine Club ventured back into the entertainment realm Saturday with a visit by the Global FMX freestyle motocross and snowmobile riders at Affinity Place. It was entertaining.
It’s clearly geared more towards children than adults, but you didn’t have to be under the age of 13 to recognize the talents of the riders and the risk associated with their stunts. One small mistake and they would be at risk of a serious injury.
The crowd seemed to be generally appreciative of the show.
It would have been nice to see a larger crowd, but it can be hard to convince people to go inside an arena and spend 90 minutes watching a stunt show in summer, especially when it’s a beautiful Saturday on the first weekend in June.
It’s the sort of thing that might have been better suited to an outdoor performance in the rodeo arena at the Estevan Exhibition grounds, or another area with lots of room to navigate.
And it was something that we hadn’t seen here before.
(It’s too bad that the Wet ‘N’ Wild show had to be cancelled, because it would have meant additional entertainment for the kids and another way to raise funds for the Shriners).
I have fond memories of circuses, whether it be the Shriners or another group. When I was a kid, they were great entertainment. I don’t have a problem with circuses, although you could see the elephants weren’t exactly thrilled to be used for the entertainment of others. Those big, majestic animals do deserve better than being used for rides.
And I don’t fault the Shriners for finding other ways to entertain local families than circuses, because they aren’t as popular or accepted as they used to be.
I never saw protesters outside of the Civic Auditorium or Affinity Place when it came time for the circus to come to town, but I knew it was an issue in other, larger centres. Those people believe it’s time for circuses with animals to be a thing of the past.
And if the circus provider isn’t going to be able to perform in larger centres, then they won’t be touring, because there isn’t enough money in the smaller venues.
If the Shriners try to bring more entertainment, hopefully, it’s well supported. I don’t know if I would bring back Global FMX for a while, because it’s fresh in people’s minds. But if they can bring something in that entertains families, gives people something to do and creates awareness of their hospitals, then that’s great.
For the younger ones who have never seen a circus and might not know what a circus is, hopefully, they enjoyed the Global FMX. For the older kids who have been to a circus, hopefully, they found this entertaining.
And hopefully, adults who still like the circus, and who reminisce about going to such an event, could find enjoyment in this show.
Just because the days of the circuses are coming to an end doesn’t mean the Shriners can’t find ways to raise funds for their hospitals.
A picture of a black bear that was spotted on the outskirts of Carnduff was recently posted on Facebook by Adrienne HendersonGardiner.
She wrote on her page that she spotted the cinnamon-coloured bear on May 30, and the picture shows that the sighting occurred close to dusk. The animal was captured moving through an open space towards trees.
Matthew Tokaruk, the black bear biologist with the Ministry of the Environment, said that while the southeast doesn’t see too many black bears’ appearances, it’s also not too uncommon to see them within a 100-kilometre radius from the Moose Mountains or southern Qu’Appelle Valley.
“This time of year, black bears are wandering, especially younger individuals that are dispersing and looking for new home range areas. [Carnduff ] is within 100 kilometres from Moose Mountain country, so it’s not terribly far from where we do have more black bears regularly. So along drainages or treed areas, it’s certainly possible this time of the year to bump into bears in the southeast part of the province. It’s not common, but it’s not overly surprising, either,” Tokaruk said.
He noted that younger bears are looking for a habitat to meet their needs, and open farmland doesn’t make for a good home for them. While it’s still possible, he
said the chances are this bear has already moved on from the area. He also stated that while fires in the northern part of the province would have resulted in some wildlife migration within that area, they wouldn’t cause mass migration to the southeastern corner of the province.
Saskatchewan is a bear country, with brown, cinnamon, blonde and black bears habitating the province, mainly its forestry regions. When they are on the move, they are sneaky, Tokaruk said. They would travel at night or use cover, so coming across one, especially in the southeast, is pretty rare. Encountering a dangerous situation with a black bear is even more rare.
But Tokaruk said there are several rules to follow to ensure everyone makes it out safe. First of all, he said, people should never feed bears.
“In fact, we have a regulation that prohibits feeding bears now, unless under a hunting or trapping license. So don’t feed bears. Don’t approach bears or bears with cubs. And if you encounter a bear, it’s just going to be a quick glimpse, and that bear is moving the other way down the trail, away from you, that’s what’s going to happen almost all of the time,” Tokaruk explained.
“Stay calm, don’t run. And if that bear does remain in your path, make a wide detour and back away, don’t look directly at the bear. Move towards some cover. And again, in most cases that bear is moving away from you, but
if it isn’t and is staying where it is, maybe there’s a food source there. So you want to move towards some cover like your vehicle or nearby building or just something to break the line of sight.
“Don’t climb a tree. Black bears are excellent climbers. And if a situation progresses, and again, this is unlikely, but if a bear is not leaving the area and starts following you, drop your backpack perhaps, or a hat, or a jacket, just something to distract the bear. That’s when you want to have your bear spray out and be prepared to use it.”
Since black bears don’t wander into the southeast too often, people are not used to carrying bear sprays here. But Tokaruk said bear sprays are highly recommended to have when people go hiking in Moose Mountain Provincial Park, the Qu’Appelle Valley or along Saskatchewan rivers, where there is an established bear population.
“Don’t be afraid to use that bear spray if a bear is approaching. This situation with a bear approaching is very, very uncommon. But in the exceptionally rare case where a black bear is threatening to contact or attack, do defend yourself. Do not play dead. These are black bears, not grizzly bears, so defend yourself. But I do want to stress how rare that situation really is.”
He said the ministry hears about black bear encounters in southeast Saskatchewan about once a year. Conservation officers may hear about them a bit more
often, and those are usually reports of sightings.
“It’s not necessarily a problem bear, just a bear wandering. But it’s open country down there, so they can be quite visible,” Tokaruk said.
He added that another important part of the equation with bear safety is attractive management. A lot can be done to protect ourselves as well as bears by just managing attractives in our yards, campsites and when we’re out hiking.
“That really comes down to managing food sources and things that smell like food,” Tokaruk said.
He reminded people that to ensure bears don’t end up anywhere close by, they should keep garbage bins in until the morning of collection, wash recyclables, keep pet food inside, remove seed and hummingbird feeders for the time when bears may be around, clean barbecues well, and don’t add fish or meat to compost piles.
“Bears are highly foodmotivated animals. They’re very much driven by their stomachs. If there isn’t food in an area, they’re going to continue on,” Tokaruk said.
He asked people to follow those bear safety tips.
If there’s a situation with a nuisance animal, you can call the Ministry of Environment’s general inquiry line at 1-800-567-4224. If there’s an aggressive encounter with wildlife, you can call their tip line at 1-800-667-7561. If there’s an imminent risk to human safety, which is very rare, call 911.
Conner Piche and Kylie Phillipchuk won the Spirit of ECS Awards for Grade 12 at the school’s awards night on May 31. The school saluted student achievement in a variety of areas during the event at the cafetorium. Awards were presented for success in the classroom and for contributions to extracurricular activities. Many scholarships were handed out to Grade 12 students as well. Most of those scholarships are sponsored by individuals, businesses and organizations in the community. For a full list of the award recipients, you can visit our provincial news hub at www.sasktoday.ca. Photo by James Dobos
A6
A long-time business in Estevan is seeing a new beginning and is already providing customers with more options for a great experience.
Suds Zone Car Wash
(formerly Fast Truck Auto Care), located on Fourth Street, received a facelift and functionality makeover lately, and is welcoming the community to its official grand opening, slated for June 14-16.
The changes for the business began when local entrepreneur David Dzeryk, who owns Great Canadian Oil Change in Estevan and has some other local investments, and his family took over the car wash in late 2022. The upgraded car wash is now offering clients a unique option to make their car care experience more time and moneyefficient, thanks to the ideas Dzeryk was able to bring to Estevan.
“There was a number of improvements that we’ve done to the carwash since taking it over only six months ago,” Dzeryk said in the interview with the Mercury. “There were some mechanical changes: we’ve improved the temperatures throughout the building, we’ve increased the pressure and we’ve come up with a new cleaning process called the foaming pre-soak. And that truly makes the carwash touchless, and it completely
eliminates the need for having to use a brush on your car.”
Foaming pre-soak is a combination of products that gets applied to a vehicle, and it goes on like shaving cream, Dzeryk explained. By the time a client makes it around a vehicle applying the foam, it already agitates the dirt at the starting point and then everywhere else and holds it in suspension. It works so well that, “You can see the dirt come right off the vehicle,” Dzeryk said.
It took about three months to fine-tune the old car wash, and it’s been running at a very productive level ever since, he noted. The feedback has been very good, as the technology is efficient and also unique to the area, so the car count has gone up dramatically.
“There’s no carwash certainly here in town and none that I know of in southern Saskatchewan that has this type of product,” Dzeryk said. “Originally, this process has been only endorsed in tunnel car washes. When you enter a tunnel car wash, there’s this big thick cloud of foam that gets spit onto your car. And it’s always been there, but it’s never been put into a wand wash application. So, the results of putting it into a wand wash application have been remarkable. It eats away road grime, it gets rid of bugs, and it actually saves you time in the long run.”
He’s seen a similar tech-
nology starting as a trend in the U.S., but never in Canada. Walking into the situation, he knew what he wanted and was looking for ways to get there. So he took all the information he had to Flawless Sales & Services in Estevan and they helped him to get the end results he envisioned for the business.
Suds Zone Car Wash also provides all other services any other car wash has.
“Clients can still use any process they like. We have
all of the options that all car washes have, but they were fine-tuned to be improved over the previous system. In the previous system, they had far too many suppliers. Right now, I carry a family of products that work together. Rather than having one product from one company, another product from another, and they kind of fight each other when they’re trying to clean your vehicle, when you have a family of products, they not
only work well together but over time, they decrease the amount of time that you spend cleaning your car.”
He said that the upgraded facility in general offers an enhanced experience for the customers.
“Our bays are cleaner than our competitors. They’re brighter. We have automatic doors, so you don’t have to get out of your vehicle to come in. We have indicator lights on the outside of each bay, so you know which bay
to line up at that is empty. In the winter, when it’s cold, you don’t have to open the doors, they just automatically open and close. And we do have a small retail facility in the carwash that allows you to purchase detailing and car cleaning products. We have polishes, cleaners, windshield washer fluid, air fresheners, shammies and a whole plethora of car-related items,” Dzeryk said.
He is also currently working on the new payment system, which, once they get it in, will be installed in every bay and will work with any form of tap payments.
The business has six employees including Dzeryk, who splits his time between this and other businesses.
Born in Alberta, Dzeryk has a background in electronics but has been a business owner for many years. He and his wife, who is originally from Manitoba met in Estevan through work and eventually made Estevan home over 15 years ago.
The Suds Zone Car Wash grand opening days will offer customers many great opportunities and gifts, including free car washes, product discounts, free coffee and donuts, as well as live demos of the improved wash system. The ribboncutting ceremony will take place at noon on June 14.
Suds Zone Car Wash is located at 238 Fourth Street. It’s open seven days a week including holidays from 8 a.m.-10 p.m.
The Southern Plains Co-op celebrated what was another record-setting year
during the annual general meeting on May 30. Audited financial statements for the fiscal year ending on Jan. 31 showed
the co-op had nearly $111.29 million in sales last year, which was the best year ever and a substantial increase from the old re-
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cord of $86.09 million set in 2021-22.
Board president Scott Keinlen said the increase in sales is largely due to the sale of crop inputs – fertilizer, chemical and supplies – at the new agro centre located on the Estevan truck bypass.
“The year 2022 saw the return of pre-pandemic norms,” said Keinlen. “Fuel sales held steady while our fuel litres did increase marginally. Fuel inflation did increase our sales dollars.”
The convenience stores had a good year, Keinlen said, and the new liquor store in Carlyle - located at the site of the convenience store in the town – has proven to be a great addition to the fleet of retail services, thanks to strong sales since opening in May 2022.
General manager Brian Enns noted the co-op should surpass the $2 billion mark in lifetime sales in the next two years.
“I often wonder if the founding members of this co-op would have dreamt that their initiative in 1946 would have realized this kind of success, both in longevity and growth,” said Enns.
The cost of sales was nearly $96.63 million, leaving the co-op with a gross margin of $14.66 million.
Operating and administrative expenses were $15.4 million and when coupled with $282,799 in net interest, the co-op had a $457,790 loss from operations.
The Federated Co-op Ltd. loyalty program brought in $1.68 million in revenues, and patronage refunds were $2.83 million.
Final net savings were more than $3.98 million.
The co-op will have a $1.87 million patronage allocation to members. It
also invested $161,000 into the communities it serves through donations and member engagement activities.
Keinlen noted the co-op currently has 215 staff members, a number that continues to grow, but it also has approximately 20 job vacancies.
Enns said 2022 was a historical year for the co-op, not just because of the records that were set, but due to the opening of the liquor store in Carlyle and the agro centre in Estevan.
“This first-in-class facility was built at a time when agriculture is and continues to be a large economic driver in our trading area. This is an exciting venture for the retail, and a facility our members and customers can be very proud of, and has the potential to be a major player of ours.”
The past year also saw the installation of electronic shelving at all three food store locations that they hope to expand to liquor stores and convenience stores in the near future. Enns believes they give a clean and
professional image for retail.
Over the past five years, the co-op has invested nearly $60 million in its different communities. Keinlen said the co-op is on track to begin construction on a new food store in Carlyle, with the groundwork for the project set to begin this summer. Enns added the current building and equipment have reached their end-of-life expectancy, and members in Carlyle have been waiting for the new store, which will encompass nearly 20,000 square feet.
“We hope to start construction in July or August of this year and open in April of 2024. This is another major undertaking, but it’s one of the last replacement buildings that is required for our organization,” said Enns.
A few dozen people attended the meeting at the Royal Canadian Legion’s Estevan branch. A question period at the meeting allowed members to ask about various issues. One of them was regarding the renovation earlier this year that saw a change in location for many products.
Enns noted they wanted to expand their bakery, so they removed one aisle from the store and had to move some things around.
The co-op also had its election of board members.
Lynn Hewitt and Linda Thauberger-Smith were re-elected to another term. Richard Ruetz decided to not seek another term after nine years of service and will be replaced by Marcia Greenwood.
Keinlen, Frances Boutin and David Murray will have their terms expire next year, and Connie Hagel, Rhonda Huish and James Lainton’s terms wrap up in 2025.
Lampman School is getting closer to celebrating the achievements of its 2023 graduates.
The school has a diverse group of 15 students graduating on June 10.
“It has been a great year,” said principal Annmarie Rosner, adding that the students got to experience a normal grad year before leaving the school. “It was a typical year, it was a busy year. Lots of learning, lots of course selection, lots of sports.”
Graduating from Lampman School this year are Sarah Morris, Jared Mcbride, Amelia Genaille, Arianne Raflores, Arvy Lacson, Brendan Lockerby, Cody Veroba, Dexter Saxon, Hallie McGillicky, Hudson Carson, Jay Cee Ferber, Joseph Fleck, Joshua Fleck, Kristin Johnson and Madison Garton.
Rosner said this group of students shined in many capacities the past year. The school’s three mixed sports teams, which included Grade 10-12 students, went to provincials for sports.
“We went to senior girls’ volleyball provincials, we went to and won gold for the mixed curling provincials. And we went for senior girls’ doubles badminton provincials. Sports were busy this year,” Rosner said. “And the volleyball girls ended up winning the sportsmanship award, which was a selected award based on … sportsmanship throughout the season and
the tournament. So that was a really big celebration.”
While the senior boys’ volleyball team, also composed of Grades 10-12 students, didn’t go to provincials, they still had a successful season.
Besides sports, the school had Grade 12s, among others, on their student representative council, and “their leadership and dedica-
tion to [the] school will be missed,” Rosner said.
“They had a successful year of planning wholeschool events, promoting a positive school culture and fundraising,” she added. The back-to-normal school year will wrap up with a beautiful back-tonormal graduation.
Their theme this year is
A Journey of 1,000 Miles Begins with a Single Step,
and decorations will be in Lampman School Grizzlies’ colours – forest green, black and silver. During the ceremony, traditionally, the bios from the parents will be read as each graduate enters the stage, and students will give their parents or caregivers a rose. There will be a principal’s message, a tribute to the parents and reply, and a guest speaker. The ceremony will
come to an end after handing out the diplomas.
The Lampman grads fundraising committee also purchased banners for each graduate and they are currently posted along Highway 361 by the school, thanks to a couple of parents. Rosner noted that while this tradition was started as one of the very few ways to celebrate graduates during the pandemic restrictions, it carried so much value that they decided to keep it moving forward.
Rosner said grads are excited for their next chapter, whatever it brings them.
“Some are attending post-secondary school, some are entering the workforce, and some are travelling,” Rosner said.
She added that the staff is excited for the students as well and wishes them the best in their endeavours.
“Grad day is always such a great day in our school and community, and our Lampman School staff wishes the class of 2023 the best as they begin their journey outside of school,” Rosner said.
In preparation for the new season, Warm Welcome Kitchen is starting a fundraiser to ensure they have the means to pay for their suppers, which are free to anyone in the community.
To raise some money, they decided to run their grocery dash raffle once again, with three prizes available up for grabs.
The first prize will be a two-minute grocery dash at Sobeys. The second prize
is a $500 Sobeys gift card, and the third prize is a $250 Sobeys gift card.
The tickets are available for sale through board members or over e-transfer. Tickets are $10 each and will be for sale until 5 p.m. on Nov. 2.
“Without this type of fundraising we can’t run the kitchen,” said Warm Welcome Kitchen president Wendy Godfrey.
“With rising costs, more and more people rely on
the kitchen to help stretch their food dollars. But the rising costs are also affecting us, as the cost of providing the meals increases.”
Warm Welcome Kitchen’s 2023-24 season will begin the first week of October with full, hot meals served twice a week at designated locations. Anyone is welcome to come in, enjoy a hot supper and socialize at no cost.
The draw for the gro-
cery dash will take place on Nov. 2, shortly after the closure of the sales.
For more information or to arrange for a ticket purchase, people can contact the board through the Facebook page for Warm Welcome Kitchen, Estevan. Payment can be made by cash, cheque or e-transfer to warmwelcomekitchen@ gmail.com. People are asked to include their name and number in the comment section of the e-transfers.
McLeod Avenue
The City of Estevan is undertaking construction for the Watermain replacement. The affected area includes all of Mcleod Avenue.
Property access and parking restrictions are to occur. This work will commence June 5, 2023 and will take approximately eight (8) weeks to complete (subject to weather) City of Estevan will perform this work within the current Bylaw regulations and specifications.
Safety
Construction site could be dangerous. If you have children, please ask them to keep a safe distance from the site. We will take every precaution to ensure public safety, but we need your assistance to constrain the natural curiosity of younger children. Please DO NOT attempt to go close to areas affected.
Theft or Vandalism
If you see any act of vandalism, theft or anyone suspiciously tampering with equipment, signage or barricades, please contact 306-634-1800, or after hours call Police.
Questions and Concerns
The City of Estevan, Engineering Services apologize for any inconveniences that this work may cause.
Thank you in advance for your cooperation and patience. If you have any question or concerns, please call at 634-1800 or approach the supervisor or foreman on site.
- Helen Keller
By Ana Bykhovskaia
Midale Central School is wishing farewell to its five outstanding graduates this year.
The students completed their back-to-normal school year with potentially the highest academic performance Midale’s school has ever had.
“The graduating class has done very well academically and has had a lot of really interesting interactions with the rest of our kids as mentors in our school,” said principal Cathy Harvey. “They are probably one of the highest academic performing classes that we had. The lowest academic average among them is a 96.”
Graduating Midale Central School this year are Jennifer Wiebe, Rhea Sturgeon, Jaylyn Prawdzik, Rebecca Bleasdale and Hannah Mercer. And not only are they smart and talented, but they are also ambitious, Harvey said, as they wouldn’t accept an easy way out for any assignments or tests, and would keep working for the highest results and marks possible.
All graduates have also mentored others within the
school and outside it in the community.
“They’re involved with our younger students, helping them to be academically successful and socially successful as well,” Harvey said. The graduation day is June 9, starting at 6 p.m. at
the school. The ceremony will be followed by social visiting with cake and coffee, after which the grads will head off to their party.
Grads picked vintage as their theme this year.
“Over the course of the year, they’ve taken pictures
of the grad group, doing different things that are traditionally done through school with a Polaroid. And they’re going to blow those Polaroids up and put them everywhere for decorations. And everything will have that vintage look to it. So
it’ll be a very classy grad setup,” Harvey explained.
Teacher Jade Bloor will be a guest speaker for the ceremony. Harvey said graduates are looking forward to what the future has for them.
“They are excited about moving on to their careers and what they’re going to do following school,” Harvey said. “A couple of them are going to take a gap year, and then plan on pursuing post-secondary after that. And when you hold an average that high, it’s probably good to take a rest,” said Harvey.
“One of our students has been accepted into SaskPolytech, she’s going into mechanics, which is awesome for girls to be pursuing trades. That’s a highlight for us. And then we have another grad that is attending the U of R. She’s pursuing a career as a psychologist, looking at forensic psychology specifically and has received multiple scholarships already.”
The school is wishing their graduates success in any field they will choose.
“We’re really excited for this group of grads to come through,” she added.
“On behalf of our staff, it’s been a pleasure to teach this class. They have left a very meaningful impact in our building. And although we’re going to miss them, we’re excited for where the future will take them.”
To
Carr, MLA
Constituency Office
306.634.7311
loricarrmla@sasktel.net
Carter Beck, a Grade 12 from the Carnduff Education Complex, came home with a gold medal in the senior boys’ tetrathlon, and athletes from the Estevan Comprehensive School impressed at the event.
The tetrathlon has four different components: the 100-metre dash, the 800 metres, the long jump and the shot put.
Elecs track-and-field coach Kelly Phillipchuk said Beck practised a lot in Estevan, and Phillipchuk was excited to see Beck win the gold medal.
Beck was first in the shot put with a toss of 13.56 metres, third in the 100 metres with a time of 12 seconds, fourth in the 800 metres at two minutes and 12.87 seconds, and eighth in the long jump with a distance of 5.8 metres.
He finished with a total of 2,587 points, 68 more than Oakland Flodell of Clavet.
“Carter’s a great kid. He practised so much at our school,” said Philipchuk. “He’d drive in after school
The Brewers were a perfect 4-0 on the weekend.
Their first game was the lone close contest, a 4-2 win over the Saskatoon Blue Jays Saturday afternoon.
The Brewers scored two runs in each of the fifth and sixth innings; the deuce in the sixth broke a 2-2 tie.
Logan Skuce had two hits, a run batted in (RBI) and scored once.
Jacob Mayer went the distance on the mound, allowing three hits and one earned run in seven innings.
The next game was a 2011 slugfest victory over the Blue Jays. Saskatoon scored eight in the third to lead 11-
Carter Beck of Carnduff won a gold medal in the tetrathlon at the recent track and field provincial competition.
and use our track, and you knew good things were going to happen for him.”
Carter Onrait, a Grade 11 at ECS, finished eighth in the senior boys’ tetrathlon. “It’s a great event,” said Phillipchuk. “So, you’re picking an all-round athlete. Then they only win one event based on their points combined.”
Onrait was fifth in the
4, but the Brewers responded with 16 unanswered runs over the next four innings
Hunter Siever had four RBIs and Mathias Fornwald scored four times as part of a balanced Brewers’ attack.
Ty Hoste came on in relief and allowed just two runs in five innings.
Sunday saw the Brewers pick up two mercy wins over the Muenster Red Sox. The first was an 18-6 victory in five innings, a game in which Muenster scored four times in the first. The Brewers had seven in the fifth to put the game away.
Jayden Kuchinka had two hits, including a home run, three runs and three RBIs, while Skuce had two runs, two RBIs and three hits.
100 metres with a time of 12.06 seconds, seventh in the boys’ 800 metres with a time of 2:14.34 seconds, eighth in the shot put with a toss of 10.74 metres, and 13th in the long jump with a distance of 5.4 metres.
“He’s only a first-year senior, so he’ll be coming back again next year. He had a good finish for a first-year senior … and I’m
Justin Linthicum shook off the slow start on the mound and went five innings.
The other win over Muenster was a 22-4 romp in 4 1/2 innings, a game the Brewers led 22-1 after three. Hoste had four runs, three RBIs and three hits, while Hayden Terrett had three runs, three hits and five RBIs. The Brewers belted out six doubles. Strudwick went four innings on the mound to get the win.
The Estevan U11 AA Brewers are continuing to dominate play in Baseball Regina, as they went 4-0 on the weekend to improve their record to 11-0.
The Brewers crushed the Regina Blue Jays 17-4 and
looking forward to seeing what he does next year,” said Phillipchuk.
Other ECS athletes who had top-20 finishes were:
• Sydney Brooks was 11th in the intermediate girls’ discus throw with a distance of 22.69 metres;
• Truman Ciepliski was ninth in the intermediate boys’ 200 metres with a time of 24.89 seconds;
22-2 on Saturday, and the White Butte Broncos Black 18-1 and 14-3 on Sunday.
Nash Cameron gave the Brewers a lift in their opening game of the weekend with a three-run home run in the first inning and added another in the second. Jacobi Hlavka also had a home run in the contest.
Starting pitcher Dane Johnson didn’t allow a hit in three innings before exiting the game.
Johnson drove in five runs for the Brewers, including a grand slam in the fifth inning, in the second game on Saturday.
Preston Siever started for the Brewers and went five innings, allowing three hits and one run while striking out nine.
In the first game on Sun-
• Lila Hale was 15th in the intermediate girls’ high jump with a distance of 1.35 metres;
• Justin Linthicum was eighth in the senior boys’ long jump with a leap of 5.9 metres;
• Cowan Ludtke was 13th in the intermediate boys’ high jump with a leap of 1.65 metres;
• Randi Milbrandt was
day, Hlavka had six RBIs, including a grand-slam home run. Aiden Ruf started and lasted two innings, striking out six on the day.
In the second win over White Butte, Cameron hit a home run.
Hlavka was on the mound and gave up two runs but no hits in two innings of work. The Brewers noted he was presented the jacket for being the MVP of the weekend.
•••
The Estevan U13 AA Brewers also went 4-0 on the weekend, winning 17-1 and 22-9 Saturday at the Davidson Cardinals, and 27-6 and 16-6 Sunday against the White Butte Broncos.
In a post on their Facebook page, the Brewers said
10th in the junior girls’ discus throw with a distance of 23.25 metres and 18th in the 80-metre hurdles with a time of 15.35 seconds; and
• Kelsey Mullaney was 20th in the intermediate girls’ 400-metre preliminary round with a time of 1:10.02.
Also competing were Mullaney in the intermediate girls’ shot put (8.99 metres); Linthicum in senior boys’ triple jump (10.93 metres); Phillip Gellner in junior boys’ 3,000 metres (12:32.30); Jenna Knibbs in junior girls’ 80-metre hurdles (17.59 seconds); and Logan Nielsen in junior boys’ 100-metre hurdles (21.01 seconds).
Phillipchuk said they didn’t have a lot of Grade 11 and 12 students this year, as the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted their numbers. They have some good athletes in Grades 9 and 10, and they’re looking forward to future results.
Numbers were down for junior and senior girls in particular, and he noticed a similar problem at crosscountry provincials.
The next edition of the Carlyle Observer will have more on Beck’s performance. You can find the article on our provincial news hub at sasktoday.ca.
some strong pitching from the bullpen and some nice hits brought them out on top for Saturday, while solid base running, quality at bats and power hitting were the difference Sunday. Their record stands at 9-1.
•••
The Estevan U15 AA Brewers had a 9-9 tie and an 11-2 win against the Moose Jaw Canucks on Sunday to improve their record to 5-2-1.
In the first game, the Brewers scored five runs in the third inning, answering a five-spot for the Canucks, with Broden Henry having a two-run single. Tanner Gillespie and Logan Kolenz each had two hits.
Southeast Twins continue to roll in league play
The Twins started with a 5-2 win over the Sask. Five Giants on Saturday. The Twins scored all five of their runs in the fifth inning to overcome a 2-0 deficit. Peyton Balon had a two-run single, while Ty Fehrenbach had a run and two hits.
Sutter Balog went six innings, allowing three hits
and striking out eight to get the win, while Keaton Husband allowed a hit in one inning of relief.
A second game with the Giants was rained out and will be made up at a later date.
The Twins split games against the East Central Red Sox Sunday, losing 5-2 but recovering to win 13-7. Carter Beck had three hits in the loss to the Red Sox.
Callum Hollinger and Sam Mallory were on the mound, with Hollinger going 5 1/3 innings.
The next game saw the Twins trail 6-1 through three, but then they fought their way back and won with seven runs in the seventh inning. Beck had four hits, including a home run, and Mallory hit a grandslam home run in the seventh.
Dax Brown allowed one
run in two innings of relief.
•••
The South East U15 AAA A’s went 0-4 on the weekend, losing 19-0 and 17-7 to the Saskatoon Brewers on Saturday and 9-4 and 3-2 to the Saskatoon Astros on Sunday.
Saskatoon scored 14 runs in the second inning of the first game, and the game was called after 4 1/2 innings through the mercy rule.
In the second game, the A’s scored six in the second inning for a 6-1 lead, but Saskatoon responded with eight in the third.
Jordan Frey had two runs and a hit.
Sunday saw the Twins fall 9-4 and 3-2 to the Astros.
The A’s scored twice in the fourth and seventh innings of the first game. Jaxon Kuchinka and Rylan Ohnander each had a run, a base hit and an RBI for the A’s.
Don’t Cuss! Call US 306-634-7101 601 - 5th St. • Estevan, SK Friday, June 9 Gates open at 5 - Races at 7 SHAND POWER STATION ACCESS ROAD ESTEVAN, SK FEEL THE ENERGY! Tickets at Murray GM or at the gate See the Season Schedule and details on our FB page
Tristan Brownridge went the distance for the A’s. Only two of the nine runs he gave up were earned.
The A’s scored twice in the fifth inning of their game against the Astros to make the game interesting.
Caden Dorrance and Luke Holman scored the runs for the A’s.
Holman gave up five hits and three runs with eight strikeouts in six innings.
It might be late spring, but there is still some hockey being played.
Several hockey players from the Estevan area played at the North Amer-
ican Hockey Classic’s female division from May 26-28. The event brought in players from as far away as California. Among the locals, Mad-
elyn Stead, Zyla Hammett and Abigail Jutras were on the Saskatchewan Grrrowl’s entry for 2013-born players that won the gold medal. Hammett finished with two goals and seven points in five games, Jutras had three goals and four points in five games, and Stead was held pointless in four games but played both forward and defence.
The Grrrowl went 5-0 during the tournament and beat the Manitoba Junior Freeze 6-1 in the final.
Baya Summers and Bree Poelen won the gold for the 2011-born players with the Grrrowl team that went 5-0 and defeated the Manitoba Junior Ice 2-1 in the final. Poelen had five goals and an assist for the Grrrowl, while Summers backstopped the Grrrowl in goal.
Chelsea Madsen and Haven Bourassa won the gold medal on the Grrrowl’s team for 2010-born athletes. They went 5-0 in the tournament and defeated the Minnesota Machine 4-3 in the final.
Madsen had five goals and eight points in five games, while Bourassa had three goals and five points in five games.
In the division for 2008born talent, Julia Durr and Kiera Barker won the bronze medal with the Huskies Prospects. Durr led the team in scoring with five goals and three assists, while Barker played goal and backstopped the Huskies, who went 3-1-1 in the tournament, defeating the Wheatland Wild 4-1 in the final game.
Brae Wolensky was on the 2014 Southeast Scouts, who finished third. She
finished with three goals and two assists for five points in five games. The Scouts were 3-1-
Teams from Penta Completions Estevan Minor Football went 2-1 Sunday against the Moosomin Little Generals at the Dr. Dean Chow Memorial Field.
The first game saw the Estevan U14 Choilers – comprised of players from the Estevan Coldwell Banker Choice Real Estate U12 Chargers and the Estevan Lions Club U14
Oilers – defeat Moosomin 25-7.
Hugh Ross finished with two interceptions for touchdowns, one that was 30 yards and the other for 60 yards. Ross also had an 87-yard touchdown run.
Casey Kitz’s five-yard run was the other score.
The Choilers’ defence forced five turnovers.
The Estevan Kinette Club Viragos female squad
lost 28-0. Ava Salmiinen rushed for a number of first downs. Some players played both sides of the ball.
The final game saw the Estevan U18 Bolts male team win 46-6. Xander Shane had three touchdowns, Kahlifa Elshine scored twice and Cheyton Fornwald added a major.
Truman Cipliski returned an interception for a touchdown as well.
Thursday was a busy day for the Estevan Bruins.
It started with the announcement the club has hired Drew Kocur as the club’s new assistant coach. Kocur will take over the role vacated by Phil Fife, who accepted the head coach/GM position with the Amherst Ramblers of the Maritime Hockey League back in May.
Kocur, a 27-year-old from Regina, joins the Bruins after leading the Pilot Butte Storm to the 2022-23 championship in the Prairie Junior Hockey League junior B league. Kocur was also named the PJHL’s coach of the year.
“We are very excited to be adding Drew Kocur to our coaching staff this season. Drew brings championship experience to our organization and he knows
what it takes to win,” said Bruins head coach and GM Jason Tatarnic.
“You truly understand what it takes to win after you achieve that goal. Our goal as an organization is advancement for our players but also for our coaches. Drew is motivated to become a head coach one day and those are the type of people we want to surround ourselves with.
“With a new staff member comes new ideas and I am really looking forward to working with Drew. His main focus will be working with the defencemen, special team responsibilities and will be involved in all of our skill development programs such as the Breakfast with the Bruins Program.”
“We’re really excited to welcome Drew to the Bruins family,” added president
Josh Biggs. “In speaking with him over the past couple of weeks, I’ve been really impressed with his experience and focus on skills development as well as his desire to work with local
The accolades continue to roll in for young Carnduff rodeo star Hayden Bigney.
Bigney, a Grade 12 student at the Carnduff Education Complex, has qualified for the 75th annual National High School Finals Rodeo in Gillette, Wyo., from July 16-22. Bigney will be entered in team roping and steer wrestling.
Bigney competed at the Saskatchewan high school rodeo finals held in Maple Creek in late May. He was voted as Cowboy of the Year by his peers and he won the all-around cowboy championship. Bigney was also the boys’ cutting champion and received the Noel Marshall Memorial Scholarship and the Chad Worral Memorial Scholarship.
Bigney has been in the provincial high school rodeo association for seven years and will graduate from high school this
year. He is going to attend Dawson Community College in Glendive, Mont., on a rodeo scholarship.
Featuring more than 1,700 contestants from 44 states, five Canadian provinces, Australia, Mexico and New Zealand, the National High School Finals Rodeo is the world’s largest rodeo. In addition to competing for more than $150,000 in prizes and over $150,000 in added money, NHSFR contestants will also be competing for more than $375,000 in college scholarships and the chance to be named an NHSFR World Champion.
To earn this title, contestants must finish in the top 20, based on their combined times/scores in the first two rounds, to advance to the final round.
World champions will then be determined based on their three-round combined times/scores.
minor hockey players. He’ll be a great addition to the Bruins and our city. Welcome to Estevan, Drew.”
Thursday also marked the SJHL draft. The Bruins selected one player in the draft for 2007-born talent, and two more 2008-born draft.
In the 2007 draft, the Bruins selected Wyatt Bouvier of Saskatoon with the 55th pick. Bouvier went 1-13 with a 4.51 goals against average and a .858 save percentage last season with the Yorkton U18 AAA Maulers.
The previous season, he backstopped the Saskatoon Bandits to a Saskatchewan U15 AA Hockey League title.
Estevan passed on its selection for the sixth round.
They also selected two players in the 2008-born player draft. The first was
Gunner Moore, a forward from Carievale who led the Estevan TS&M U15 AA Bruins in scoring last season with 28 goals and 56 points in 29 games. He has committed to play for the Estevan Steelhaus U18 AAA Bears next season.
The other pick was Brock Kolibab, a 2008born forward who played with the Saskatoon Stallions U15 AA program. He had 21 goals and 40 points in 19 games last season.
The Bruins also announced a trade Thursday, sending their secondround pick in Thursday’s
draft for 2007-born talent and a player-development fee to the Kindersley Klippers for Liam Bell. Bell, a 2003-born defenceman from Saskatoon, has played two seasons in the SJHL with the Nipawin Hawks and the Klippers. Last season with Kindersley, he had three goals, 12 points and 57 penalty minutes in 42 games. “Bell defends well, he is very steady in the defensive zone and his mobility allows him to join the rush,” said Tatarnic. “We are very excited to have Liam joining us this season.”
Nolan
Rohatyn
has won the Estevan Oilfield Technical Society’s (OTS) Oilmen’s Golf Tournament for the third time, and the first time since 2013.
Rohatyn shot a 2-underpar 70 on Sunday to win the event’s championship flight by one stroke over Anthony Melle. Mark Spencer was third with a 72 and James Gordon was fourth at 73.
It’s Rohatyn’s third title overall, as he also won it in 2009.
Rohatyn started Sunday’s round off with three straight birdies, giving him an early boost of confidence.
“Spencer and Stovin, both guys I golfed with, they each birdied a couple of holes, so I had to get off to a big start just in case I had a bad hole out there. I think I bogeyed six, but it’s always fun getting off to a good start,” said Rohatyn.
Melle tied Rohatyn late in Sunday’s round. However, Melle bogeyed the 18th hole, while Rohatyn managed a par to win.
“I had a good group today. I had a good battle with Mark Spencer coming down the stretch. It was a good group to golf with and fun,” said Rohatyn, who was in a separate group from Melle.
Rohatyn said he hit his driver well during the day and made a couple of good par putts when necessary. And he was thrilled with the condition of the course.
“The greens were very nice,” he said. “You could make putts on them. They ran smooth. I think they’re doing a great job down here thus far, and I’m looking forward to a good season,” said Rohatyn, who has only played four rounds this year, including the two at this year’s OTS.
“I don’t golf as much as I used to, but when it comes to a competition, I try my best,” said Rohatyn.
He played his opening round on Friday, and completed it just before a strong thunderstorm rolled through the city. Rohatyn said he always likes to play on Friday.
The social element of this year’s tournament was great,
too, he said. He saw some people he hadn’t seen in a while, including some from Calgary, and others he hadn’t seen before.
The OTS tournament had 18-hole and 36-hole competitions. Those who were entered in the 18-hole event played a round on Friday or Saturday to determine the overall winner and flight champions.
Taysen Holt shot a 70 to win the 18-hole championship flight by two strokes over Brad Hannem. Nick Ehret was third at 73.
The golfers in the 36-hole tournament played 18 on Friday or Saturday to determine which flight they were in.
A second 18-hole round on Sunday determined the overall tournament champion and the winners of each flight.
Payden Benning had the low score in the first round of the 36-hole tournament with a 5-under-par 67. Rohatyn was second in Round 1 with a 70.
Other flight winners in the 36-hole tournament were Jayson Fenwick in the first flight with a 76; Jim Larter, second
The Hanson family is proceeding with another big sale.
Connor Kirby Trucking Ltd., owned in partnership by Kirby Hanson and his stepson Dustin Stepp, is up for unreserved public auction, slated for June 22. A timed auction starts on June 19.
Hanson started this business as a general oilfield hauling company back in 2007, and Stepp joined as a partner in 2014. Since then, they went from three employees and two winch trucks, up to 12 employees and 10 trucks at one point, Stepp said.
With winch trucks and gravel trailers, as well as other various equipment and gravel crushing pits, the company would serve the needs of the oilpatch when it came to moving rigs and hauling gravel, sand, clay, etc.
“We grew really fast just to try to keep up with the pipelines,” Stepp said.
However, with the oilfield having some activity but not being overly busy, things have changed for the company as well.
“We haven’t been overly busy lately. We like to have six or seven rigs to look after, and we had just three for quite a while,” Stepp said “And then with the gravel and sand we’ve been steady, but just not making enough money. We keep getting underbid on jobs. And we don’t want to keep doing what we’re doing for little to no money.”
The decision was made to sell off the equipment, and the preparations for the auction started. Even though Hanson has been retired for about a year since the family sold the farm at what appeared to be the biggest farm auction in Ritchie Bros. history anywhere in the world, he’s been actively involved with getting everything ready for this sale lately.
After the previous positive experience with the company, the family turned to Ritchie Bros. once again and for the past several months, they all have been working towards the auction.
“This is a pretty substantial sale of this kind for southeastern Saskatchewan,” said Brandon Luc., industrial territory
manager with Ritchie Bros, who is working with the family on the sale.
“And the quality of the equipment and the care the Hanson family takes of their equipment is something unusual. A lot of people care about their equipment, but these guys really go the whole way to make sure that it’s in good condition.”
Luc added Ritchie Bros. Auctioneering was glad the family chose them once again for their needs. The auctioneering company has global outreach, and they expect interest from all over the world,
as the equipment can be easily shipped to buyers.
“The land is where it is, you can’t move that piece of land, where their equipment is, especially some of the crushing gear and other stuff, can be transported across the world, which opens up a bigger area,” Luc noted.
“We’ll see bidders from all over the world at Connor Kirby [Trucking] sale just based on the equipment that they have there.”
Connor Kirby Trucking’s yard and gravel pits are located along Highway 35, a few kilometres south of Oun-
flight, 83; Neil Unger, third, 85; and Greg Lahn, fourth, 100.
A total of 280 golfers were entered. They also enjoy a steak supper Saturday night at the Power Dodge Curling Centre.
gre. Auction sites are open for equipment inspection before auction day. The gravel crushing operation is located on four quarters of land. Stepp noted that the land is not being sold. They are currently reclaiming it, so it can be rented out and used for farming.
The leftover gravel will be up for sale after the auction until it’s all gone, Stepp said.
The entire auction will be done online.
The bidding items and auction details can be found at the Ritchie Bros website under Connor Kirby Trucking Ltd.
CERTIFIED SEED
WHEAT
AAC GOODWIN
GO EARLY, PINTAIL
OATS
AC JUNIPER, AC MORGAN
AC MUSTANG, DERBY
CDC SO1 SUPER OAT BARLEY
AB STANDSWELL, CERVEZA, CDC AUSTENSON, CDC MAVERICK, SUNDRE PEAS
VERY EARLY YELLOW, FORAGE PEAS, POLISH
CANOLA,
Canada Post has had to push its Stamp Out Hunger food drive – the annual community-wide initiative, spearheaded by employees to help refill the Estevan Salvation Army food bank’s shelves – until the fall.
The drive took place in the fall until a few years ago when it was decided to move it to the early summer due to the food bank’s need for support ahead of a very busy season, said director of ministry Ronza Reynard.
She noted that “In the fall there always seemed to be multiple food drives happening in town to benefit the food bank, and through conversation with Canada Post they suggested moving it to June [back then].”
However, this year Canada Post was not able to have all their staff available to ensure the food fundraiser would go smoothly, so it was decided to postpone it.
While the event was rescheduled this year, the food bank’s needs ahead of summer are still there.
The Salvation Army tried running a food drive on their own in their building before, but Reynard said without the help of other organizations, it wasn’t as successful.
“If a food drive is done somewhere where there is high traffic, that works better,” she explained.
So, to ensure they have enough resources to keep supporting their patrons,
Co. Inc.
Fax: 306-769-8844
brydenconstruct@ xplornet.ca www. brydenconstruction andtransport.ca
the Salvation Army is turning to the community.
“We hope people will continue to support us throughout the summer months with either food drop-offs or monetary assistance,” Reynard said in an email to the Mercury. “With kids being out of school for those summer months, it does add extra costs to families that struggle when the kids are in school and even more so when they are out of school.
“We continue to see more and more people coming to the food bank as the cost of everything increases what seems like daily. People are just having a hard time making ends meet. We do appreciate all the support that our community does for us, whether that be by food donations, food drives or monetary donations.”
The Estevan Salvation Army’s food bank supports 235-260 people on
a monthly basis, and that number is growing steadily.
Reynard said that their stocks are currently a little low and the Salvation Army is hoping to place an order soon to start filling them for the summer. The most needed items include peanut butter, cereal, beans, soup, soup crackers, canned meat, rice, spaghetti/macaroni, pancake mix and syrup. The Salvation Army also accepts monetary donations, which helps them buy needed groceries.
“Either way [monetary donations or food drop-offs] works for us; it depends on the donor, if they want a tax receipt then a monetary donation is best,” Reynard said.
Because they are so busy, an appointment is necessary to apply for support from the food bank. So, if someone needs food, please call 306-634-2074 and book an appointment.
The Salvation Army is a
Christian church and charity with a focus on personal holiness and social service.
They have several ministry programs that meet the spiritual, emotional, physical and practical needs of the people of Estevan and the area. Outside of the food bank, services include their church, thrift store, emergency disaster services, shelter assistance, outreach assistance to the homeless and camping programs.
They currently have a number of camping opportunities available, including Adventure Camp for kids ages seven to 12, happening July 17-21; Teen Camp for kids ages 13-17 taking place July 24-28, and a Moms and Kids Camp for kids from newborn to 12 years old and their mothers happening on Aug. 8-11. All camps have subsidies available. People can call the ministry’s office for more information.
Members of the Estevan Police Service received 91 calls for service over the weekend.
Calls included several reports of thefts from local businesses, a disturbance outside a local school, and complaints of suspicious persons in industrial and residential areas.
The EPS thanks the public for calling when they see persons or vehicles that appear suspicious or out of the ordinary.
Officers arrested a 23-year-old Estevan man for theft under $5,000 and resisting arrest after he was
noted to be intoxicated in the downtown area. He was lodged in cells until sober and will appear in court in July to answer to the charges.
Police arrested a 44-yearold Estevan individual for theft under $5,000 after a complaint of shoplifting at a local grocery store. The person was released on conditions to not return to the business and will appear in court at a later date to answer to the charges.
Members responded to a complaint of an assault at a restaurant in the downtown area on Saturday evening.
The matter is still under investigation at this time.
Members arrested two individuals for breaching the terms of their conditional sentence orders on the weekend. Both will appear in court to answer to the new charges at a later date.
The EPS is investigating a theft that occurred at a local business Friday. Police received a report of the incident. Surveillance video was provided to members and the suspect was identified.
Members are investigating an incident in which a vehicle almost struck a pedestrian who was crossing
the street at a crosswalk. The matter is under investigation.
Police received several calls regarding broken tree branches and flooded storm drains following a storm. City of Estevan public works employees were contacted and they were out to clean up the community. A brief but powerful storm Friday brought heavy rains and wind gusts that exceeded 90 kilometres per hour. A 72-hour driver’s licence suspension was issued to an individual and his vehicle was impounded for three days after he failed a roadside screening device test for drugs.
Members of Global FMX showcased their abilities for people in the Estevan area during a pair of performances Saturday at Affinity Place.
Five freestyle motocross riders and two freestyle snowmobile performers entertained the audience with their jumps. One of the dirt-bike riders was just nine years old.
The Wa-Wa Temple Southeast Shrine Club brought Global FMX to Estevan as a fundraiser for the Shriner’s Hospital
for Children in Montreal, which has assisted families from the Estevan area in the past.
Riders would zip into the arena, ride up a ramp and soar through the air, often performing tricks while midair, and then land in designated areas to the delight of the audience.
The snowmobiles were modified to be ridden on the ramps and arena surfaces.
The first half of the show saw them perform a stunt that they drew from
a hat. After an intermission, each of the riders performed three stunts.
A Wet ‘N’ Wild show was supposed to be in the forecourt of the Estevan Leisure Centre on Saturday as well, but they called Saturday morning to say their truck had broken down and they wouldn’t make it to Estevan.
Gene Davis with the Southeast Shrine Club said the show was great, but he was disappointed with the attendance, especially considering the calibre of the
performers. A total of 328 people attended the first performance and 292 were present for the second.
The Shriners provided a ticket to every student age 14 and under in Estevan, so a lot of those tickets weren’t used.
Still, Davis reported that those who attended were happy with what they saw.
“The younger people all thought it was a very good show,” said Davis.
It was a beautiful day to be outside, so Davis sus-
pects some people weren’t keen on being indoors.
“The Wet ‘N’ Wild show that was supposed to be out front is a waterpark thing for kids that would have been perfect,” he said.
He noted the air conditioning was not working in the arena, either, and it was difficult to hear the event’s MC. Davis doesn’t know how much money was raised for the hospital, but he said they would be in the black for the day. The event had a number of corporate
sponsors. And he believes they succeeded in creating awareness for the hospitals.
Some small vehicles were also on display in the forecourt, including a miniature ambulance with its lights flashing and siren going.
The Shrine Club used to bring a circus to town every second year. Davis said they’re always looking at something for entertainment, but it would have to be oriented towards children because they look after kids through the hospital.
St. Joseph’s Hospital has been limited in the obstetrical services it can provide to the community.
In an email to the Mercury, Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) spokes-
man James Winkel said St. Joseph’s is currently able to provide patients with lowrisk obstetrical services. Patients are assessed upon arrival, and if their delivery is deemed to not be low
The Rural Municipality of Cymri No. 36 Municipal By-Election 2023
PUBLIC NOTICE is hereby given that:
(1) An Advance Poll will be held for the election of: Councillor for Division No. 5
(2) The Advance Poll will take place on Monday, the 21st day of June 2023 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
nd day of June, 2023.
risk, they are transferred to an alternate hospital able to provide the required services.
“Low-risk deliveries would not include any surgical interventions, such as C-sections,” Winkel wrote.
The partial resumption of obstetrical services occurred last month. A disruption began in April due to what the SHA termed
Sarah Leck
as staffing and recruitment challenges.
Winkel noted St. Joseph’s Hospital is also experiencing a temporary disruption of close-observational services due to ongoing staffing challenges.
“Close observational beds are for higher acuity patients who require increased level of staffing to manage and assess before
The Rural Municipality of Cymri No. 36 Municipal By-Election 2023
PUBLIC NOTICE is hereby given that:
(1) A vote will be held for the election of: Councillor for Division No. 5
(2) The vote will take place on Wednesday the 5th day of July 2023, 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the
determining if they require transfer to a higher level of care, such as ICU [intensive care unit] in a larger facility,” Winkel said.
The SHA continues to work towards a full resumption of all obstetrical and close observational services in Estevan.
A date for full obstetrical and close observational services to resume will be determined once the SHA is able to recruit additional qualified staff allowing us to provide safe and sustainable care.
“The SHA is constantly working on recruitment
Tenders will be received by SaskPower for the sale of hay. The successful bidder will be required to cut, bale, and remove bales by 2023 September 01. There will be one cutting only, and it must be completed by 2023 August 15.
Several parcels of land are included, mainly located southwest of Boundary Dam Power Station. Two lots are southeast of Boundary Dam Reservoir. Bids will be lump sum for each parcel. Prints showing the lot numbers and their extent are available from the guardhouse at Shand Power Station.
For further details contact Louise Schnare at (306) 637-4259.
Written tenders contained in a sealed envelope marked HAY TENDER on the outside will be received until 4:00 p.m., Thursday, June 22, 2023, c/o Louise Schnare, Shand Power Station, Box 1310, Estevan, S4A 2K9.
Highest or any tender will not necessarily be accepted.
Payment terms: cheque within 5 working days of bid acceptance by SaskPower.
Note 1
SaskPower does not guarantee any tendered hay to be free of noxious weeds or poisonous plants and is not responsible for any damage caused by insects or other wildlife.
Note 2
The bidder shall ensure that they operate with due consideration for the condition of the property and conditions).
Note 3.
Bales still on the ground after 2023 September 01 will be assessed a fee of 50¢ per bale per month, payable in advance.
(3) I will declare the result of the voting at the on Thursday the 6th day of July 2023, at the hour of 10:00 a.m. nd day of June, 2023.
Sarah Leck
Public Notice
Rural Municipality of Estevan No. 5
Notice of Intent to Amend Zoning Bylaw
Pursuant to Section 207 of The Planning and Development Act, 2007, the Council of the Rural Municipality of Estevan No.5, hereby gives notice of its intention to amend Zoning Bylaw 5-2014 as follows:
Bylaw 2023-06 Map Change:
Map Change: To rezone Blk S, Plan 95R11209 within NW 13-2-8 W2M from Agricultural Resource District (AR) to General Industrial District (IND1) as indicated outlined in bold on the map.
Intent: To rezone land legally described as: Blk S, Plan 95R11209 Ext 0 within NW 13-2-8 W2M from Agricultural Resource District (AR) to General Industrial District (IND1).
Reason: The R.M. received an application from a developer and rezoning of the parcel allows the appropriate zoning to accommodate the development of a General Industrial Type II – Metal Processing Facility with Private Rail Siding as a proposed permitted use in the General Industrial District (IND1).
Public Inspection: Any person may inspect the proposed bylaw at the R.M. of Estevan Mu Saskatchewan between 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. from Monday to Friday, excluding statutory holidays. Copies are available at cost.
Public Hearing: Council will hold a public hearing to receive submissions, written or verbal, on the proposed bylaw at 11:00 a.m. (local time) on Wednesday, June 28, 2023 in the Council Chambers of the R.M. of Estevan
Dated at Estevan, Saskatchewan this 31st day of May, 2023.
Michelle Dickie, Administrator/CAO
and retention initiatives to help address health workforce challenges. As part of the provincial government’s four-point Health Human Resources Action Plan to recruit, train, incentivize and retain over 1,000 more health-care workers in our province over the next few years, the SHA is committed to recruiting health-care workers from within the province, across Canada and internationally to help stabilize the healthcare workforce and provide quality care to the residents of Saskatchewan,” Winkel said.
PUBLIC NOTICE is hereby given that the Council of the R.M of Cymri No. 36 intends to adopt a bylaw under The Planning and Development Act, 2007 to amend Zoning Bylaw No. 2015-02, known as the Zoning Bylaw.
INTENT The proposed Zoning Bylaw amendment will:
• increase separation distances for intensive livestock operations where open liquid manure storage facilities are used or proposed;
• clarify separation distances for manure application apply to single residences;
• remove outdated references to intensive livestock operation provincial permitting processes and align to The Statements of Provincial Interest Regulations; and
• correct a numbering error.
AFFECTED LAND the affected lands include all the lands within the Agricultural District.
PUBLIC INSPECTION Any person may inspect the bylaw at the RM of Cymri No. 36 office located in Midale during regular office hours from 8:30a.m. to 12:00 noon and 1:00p.m. to 4:30p.m. Monday to Friday excluding holidays. Copies of the bylaw will be made available at cost.
PUBLIC HEARING Council will hold a public hearing for the Zoning Bylaw Amendment on June 12th, 2023 at 1:00 p.m. at the municipal office located at 234 Main Street in Midale, SK to hear any person or group that wants to comment on the proposed bylaw. Council will also consider written comments received at the hearing or delivered to the undersigned at the municipal office before the hearing.
Issued at the RM of Cymri No. 36 this 31st day of May, 2023.
Anglers spent two days out on the water May 27 and 28 for the Rafferty Dam Walleye Tournament.
A total of 25 two-person teams entered. They could weigh in up to five fish per day in the catchand-release competition.
The team of Cody and Richard Roland finished first with a two-day weight of 38.1 pounds. They sat sixth after the first round with a total of 17.26 pounds, but then had 20.84 pounds from their fish on the second
day, highlighted by a seven-pound catch. They finished nearly a pound ahead of Nate Smart and Kody Gallipeau, whose combined weight was 37.18 pounds. They had 18.92 pounds for the first day and 18.26 pounds on the second.
Lance Marcotte and Karen Soke sat third at 36.16 pounds, thanks to 18.84 pounds the first day and 17.32 pounds the second.
Paul Skoczylas and Rene Sehn were fourth at 34.82 pounds. They had a
combined weight of 18.28 pounds the first day and 16.44 pounds the second.
Dallas and Aaron Toles were fifth at 34.74 pounds. They weighed in 15.54 pounds of fish the first day and 19.2 pounds the second.
Ralph Smart and Kevin Tannahill were sixth. They led after the first day with a haul of 20.24 pounds, and then caught 14.48 pounds of fish on the second to finish at 34.72 pounds.
Jake Ziprick won the award for being the youngest entrant.
The Saskatchewan Water Security Agency hopes a couple of ongoing repair projects in southeast Saskatchewan can be completed by the end of this month.
The spillway bridges for Rafferty Dam and Grant Devine Lake are being resurfaced as part of $147 million worth of infrastructure and other investments across the province, according to Patrick Boyle, the executive director for communications and client service with the Water Security Agency.
The spillway bridges will be resurfaced, and the paved approaches will also be lengthened to reduce the amount of gravel being tracked onto the structure, since gravel can cause premature damage to the bridge decks.
Also being tackled are what Boyle called “minor repairs” to the girders and deck joints, and levelling of approach slabs to account
for settling since the reservoirs were originally constructed, said Boyle.
“Some other work will help improve safety features at both locations with guardrails,” said Boyle.
The bridges were originally paved as part of the construction in 1991, and Boyle said some routine inspection and maintenance identified the travelling surfaces needed some attention.
“It prevents potential damage to the underlying girders, ensuring a safe and continued operation of the structure,” said Boyle. “Although it might look like surface work, it’s quite important for us to ensure that, because you can’t have any part of that structure start to cause issues.”
Boyle believes this would be the largest upgrades since the two reservoirs were constructed.
He estimates that the spillway bridges should
be completed in late June, but that is dependent on weather. About half of the work is completed.
Boyle said detours are in place and have been communicated to the RMs.
“Some of the detours are longer, as are travel times, but the reservoirs and boat launches can still be accessed using the detours,” Boyle said.
Many people use the boat launch for Rafferty Dam by taking an access road from Highway 39 and across the spillway bridge. They can still reach the boat launch through Highway 18.
As for Grant Devine Lake, traffic is being rerouted along Highway 18 to an access point west of Oxbow.
Boyle said they hope the work on Grant Devine Lake can be completed prior to the annual Alameda Fishing Derby on Grant Devine Lake on June 24.
The Estevan Comprehensive School has endured the worst possible time to have its air-conditioning system break down.
The air conditioner failed last week when it was fired up for the first time this year, when the southeast region started experiencing some higher temperatures.
“The spring start-up did not go as planned. The unit is not usable at this point. They’ve ordered some parts to get it up and running, but they’re not here yet, and as such, we are suffering,” said principal Nathan Johnson.
The situation was exacerbated when a heat warning was issued for the Estevan area early Sunday, with the forecast calling for temperatures that exceed 30 C and humidex figures closer to 40 C. The warning was still in effect as of the Mercury’s press time. The temperatures are supposed to remain close to 30 C until the weekend.
The school addressed the situation on social media Sunday, after some comments were posted online. ECS noted the air conditioning was not turned off to save money or because it was more fiscally responsible. The chiller needed a new circuit board and fuses had been sourced and ordered, and Johnson said it sounds like they can be repaired with new parts.
“We appreciate the work of SECPSD [South East Cornerstone Public School Division] maintenance crews and exter-
nal contractors who continue to work hard to get this unit operational,” the school wrote.
Students were encouraged to bring a water bottle to ensure they stay hydrated. Staff will remain cognizant of the warm temperatures and will continue to plan activities and lessons that are appropriate for the warm conditions.
The school has tried to address the problems by purchasing fans and having them operate in as many classrooms as possible to create a little bit of air movement, but it’s not sufficient, Johnson said. When it cools down, they try to open up doors to get some cool air circulating in the evenings, but that hasn’t worked well, either, and the school doesn’t have a lot of windows.
As for reports that people at the school have suffered from heat stroke and
illness, Johnson said they haven’t had anybody report heat stroke to the office.
“There have been people who have decided that they don’t feel well, and as with any sickness, that’s a parent’s decision as to whether they will go home,” he said.
Other students have not attended classes as a pre-emptive measure due to the temperatures in the school.
The school is looking at the possibility of bringing in a portable air conditioner. Johnson wanted to know if it would be suitable for a building the size of ECS.
“It sounds like there are some options out there,” he said.
ECS did not look at cancelling classes because of the air-conditioner issue. In the meantime, they hope to keep the building as comfortable as possible until a solution is found.
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Last Wednesday brought numerous
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alerts,
Dupuis captured this impressive cloud south of the Boundary Dam Power Station at 11:06 a.m. The Estevan area later saw some pouring rains, which eased towards the end of the day. If you have a great photo, you’d like to share with us, email it to editor@estevanmercury.ca.
(Please include who took the photo, and when and where it was taken.)
Mandated through provincial legislation, Southeast College provides academic and skills training opportunities in response to regional and industry needs in the southeast corner of the province. Southeast College is proud to be the Trainer of Choice, serving approximately 8,000 learners and producing over 5,000 graduates students to learn where they live. We are looking for dynamic and like-minded people that will help contribute to our forward-thinking and innovative college going forward.
Southeast College is governed by a seven-person Board of Governors. Due to retirement, one position is currently vacant. The Board is looking for an expression of interest from individuals who might be willing to serve on our Board.
Whitewood, Indian Head, and surrounding areas including First Nations communities.
• Candidates will ideally have experience or interest in at least one of the following areas: Labour Relations, Legal, Financial, Risk Management, Operations/Technical, Business Management, Communications/Marketing, Previous leadership experience, Knowledge of current and emerging issues
Academic Sectors.
Diversity
• Southeast College recognizes diversity and therefore welcomes equal gender representation, representation from persons of Indigenous backgrounds, representation from visible minorities, representation from women in non-traditional roles, and representation from citizens with disabilities. An ideal governor will have an understanding of the needs of the southeast region, a commitment to post-secondary education and training, and the On average, a time commitment of two days per month is required
Send an email expressing your interest. A resume and cover letter should be submitted explaining your interest in this board position, summarizing your professional background, previous board experience if any, and why you
Please submit your submissions by June 23, 2023 by email.
Southeast College Box 1565, Weyburn, SK S4H 0T1
For further information contact Dr. Roy at vroy@southeastcollege.org
weather
but also some beautiful views.
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Amazing cloud on a stormy day
Another year of fun and learning has wrapped up for the Kids’ Kollege Nursery School in Estevan.
Owner and instructor Mandy Littlefield said it was another great year with the children. Twenty-one young people were registered this year, with the majority of them being four years old and the remaining at age three.
One group of three and four-year-olds would be there for Tuesday and Thursday mornings and the rest were present those days in
the afternoons. They met at the Estevan Alliance Church.
“Tuesdays are show-andtell days, so they typically come in and we have individual activities that each child does for a few minutes as they get settled in,” said Littlefield. “Then we would choose our leader for the day, and practise our colours, counting, ABCs, shapes and all of those things.”
A story time, craft session, playtime, a brief snack and colouring also happen. Most activities are held both days. Thursday would also have gym time, which Littlefield said is really popular.
Littlefield said they receive excellent feedback from parents, who say the youngsters really love coming.
“Every year we have a Pirate Treasure Hunt Day, and the kids really enjoy that, and then at the end of the year, we have a Teddy Bear Tea Party, where everyone dresses up kind of fancy, brings a favourite stuffed animal, and that’s usually
a highlight of the year,” she said.
The nursery school encourages the kids to do as much on their own as possible to help them prepare for kindergarten. They practise with scissors, glue and colouring, and they learn to take turns, share and play together while following a classroom routine.
The school year wrapped up with a graduation ceremony and celebration for three and four-year-olds on May 18 for both age groups. Littlefield said the children were really excited, as they were able to show off some of the different songs and things they have learned. Treats were served to the children, parents and grandparents. There was also lots of time to take photos and chat about how the year went.
“It’s exciting to see how the kids grow and change throughout the year and gain independence. Those four-year-olds turn five and get ready for kindergarten,” Littlefield said.
