Estevan Mercury 20240320

By David Willberg

A petition is calling for a referendum on the Fourth Street revitalization project that was approved by Estevan city council on March 11.

The petition, launched by the Concerned Citizens Estevan Sk group on March 13, calls for a halt to the project, which would occur in the 1100 and 1200 blocks of Fourth Street, and to stop city tax increases. Members of the Concerned Citizens group attended the March 11 meeting.

Signatories must be 18 years of age and residents of the city, and they can only sign once. In order for a referendum to happen, the petition needs the support of at least 10 per cent of Estevan’s residents. With 10,851 people in the city, according to the 2021 census, that would mean at least 1,085 signatures.

Voters of Estevan should decide whether the downtown revitalization project should proceed, according to the petition.

The federal government is funding $7.5 million of the project’s cost through the Canada Coal Transition Initiative offered by Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan). The city will pay $1.5 million for underground improvements on the two blocks.

It’s the first of eight possible phases.

Alan Dougherty, the co-owner of the Orpheum Theatre on Fourth Street, has been collecting signatures for the Concerned Citizens. He said the petition generated 100 signatures in the first five hours. Then he took it to Westmoreland Mining LLC on March 14 and collected 31 more.

“Piles of people don’t agree with it. I personally have a lot of issues with it,” said Dougherty, who claims that nobody

Warren Morrical will become the deputy chief with the Estevan Police Service, as of March 31, replacing the retiring Murray Cowan.

The announcement was made during the latest meeting of the Estevan board of police commissioners on March 12.

“I’m happy to say that we’ve reached an agreement, and our future Deputy Chief Morrical accepted the new role and will be promoted on the 31st of

from the city came to the Orpheum to talk to him about the project.

Dougherty suggested pouring concrete instead of placing paving stones due to the difficulty in shovelling snow.

He also wanted to know if there is money set aside for businesses that will lose income or could be closed when the work is taking place on Fourth Street this summer. He predicted the Orpheum would have to close during the project.

Dougherty questioned whether the project would generate economic development, and doubts it will remain on budget. If the budget is exceeded, then he expects the city would turn to taxpayers.

Tammy Fredrickson, who co-owns

they opened it to local sergeants. “We have an expression of interest, which will be closed at the end of this month. We want to see how many apply, and then we’ll see how we evaluate and go forward.”

Morrical grew up in Alberta. He graduated from the University of Alberta in 1997 with a degree in mining engineering. Morrical joined EPS in 2008 after leaving the mining industry.

Parkway Service on Fifth Street, has had the petition at the business since it was launched. She said improvements are needed in downtown Estevan, but she said areas beyond Fourth Street need attention.

“That money needs to be used for infrastructure. I understand that. It should be spread out where needed, throughout the downtown business area. We’ve got bad roads, we’ve got bad sidewalks,” said Fredrickson.

Dougherty and Fredrickson said they are not members of the Concerned Citizens, nor are they part of the Downtown Business Association, but Fredrickson said Parkway is part of the Estevan Chamber of Commerce.

“We’re not trying to push anybody

that you need to believe what I believe. One way or the other, we want people to get informed and get involved. Whatever your decision may be, please stand by that decision,” she said.

Business Improvement District chairman Barry O’Handley and Estevan Downtown Business Association (DBA) chairwoman Laurel Buck have reaffirmed their support for Phase 1 of the downtown project.

“If someone came to your house and told you, you could renovate the front of your house and fully landscape your yard for 15 per cent of the cost, you wouldn’t need to speak to your financial advisor to know that’s a great deal,” said O’Handley. “Of course, you would do it.” A2 » CITY

Concerns have once again been raised on the Fourth Street revitalization project. File photo

Estevan experiences rise in crimes against property

The Estevan Police Service has seen a 75 per cent increase in crimes against property in the first two months of 2024 when compared to the same period a year earlier. According to figures released at the March 12 meeting of the Estevan board of police commissioners, members dealt with 63 such crimes up to Feb. 29, as opposed to just 36 last year.

February saw more calls of this type as well, with 34 versus 19 in 2023. Included in the total were 13 mischief/wilful damage acts and as many thefts under $5,000, as well as four thefts of motor vehicles, three residential break and enters and one business break and enter.

In the first two months of the year, there were 24 thefts under $5,000, 23 mischief/ wilful damage calls, nine thefts of motor vehicles, and four residential, two business and one other break and enter.

While there has been a significant increase in thefts of motor vehicles (just one vehicle was stolen in the first two months of 2023), Police Chief Rich Lowen said there are no patterns, as in four cases vehicles were taken without consent, and other cases oc-

curred in different locations with no coinciding suspects involved or any other similar trends.

The same goes for thefts under $5,000, which went up from 13 in the first two months a year earlier, he said.

"There's also no relation between the occurrences. There was a theft from a vehicle, there were two of different Amazon packages [stolen], a theft of service from a taxi, one theft of fuel, three shoplifting [incidents] and random other ones. … Nothing that was specifically related that indicates any kind of concern," Lowen said.

As for the other Criminal Code statistics, there were nine crimes against the person in February, with six assaults and three sexual crimes, compared to 22 for February 2023.

So far this year, the EPS has had 26 crimes against the person, with 22 assaults, three sexual crimes and one robbery, which is down 13 per cent from 30 such charges in the first two months of last year.

There were just three charges under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act last month, all for trafficking, as compared to four for February 2023.

Five charges were laid under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act in the first two months of this year, with four for trafficking and one for possession, versus 14 a year earlier, which is a 64 per cent decline.

Eleven charges were laid for Criminal Code traffic violations last month, including nine for impaired/ exceed-related offences, one for dangerous driving or other and one for impaired by drug.

Firefighters respond to accident at the mall

Estevan Fire Rescue Service members dealt with several calls for service last week.

Crews were dispatched to a residential carbon monoxide (CO) alarm that went off in southwest Estevan on March 11 at about 3 p.m. The investigation didn't pick up any CO readings, so a faulty detection device

was deemed to be the cause. On March 13 at about 5 p.m., crews were dispatched to a two-vehicle collision at the Estevan Market Mall's parking lot. Incident command responded and quickly determined that their help wasn't required. Crews stood down, while the incident command assisted the Estevan Police Service in dealing

with the vehicles involved. A commercial fire alarm was triggered in a building in northeast Estevan at about 9 p.m. on March 15. Crews responded and investigated but did not find an emergency occurring or any reasons for the alarm. Firefighters assisted in resetting the alarm before clearing the scene.

Thirteen were laid in the same month last year.

So far this year, there have been 24 such violations – 18 for impaired/exceedrelated offences, two for impairment by drug and four for dangerous driving and other. There were 28 Criminal Code traffic violations in the first two months of 2023, which is a 14 per cent decrease on a year-to-date basis.

The EPS received 543 calls for service in February,

close to the 525 a year earlier. In the first two months of the year, they responded to 1,107 calls, as compared to 1,117, which is a one per cent decline.

Five-year averages for each category are 23.4 for crimes against the person, 42.8 for crimes against property, 18.4 for Criminal Code traffic violations and 8.2 for the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.

Also released was the February report for Spec.

Const. Anna Volmer, the city's bylaw enforcement officer. It showed 24 parking complaints, 16 parking violations, 14 animal-related calls, eight unkempt property inspections, nine other bylaw violations, and six taxi bylaw related calls.

So far this year she has had a total of 128 occurrences, with 60 parking-related issues, 24 animal calls, 22 unkempt property inspections and 13 other bylaw instances leading the list of her activities.

City defends Fourth Street project

« A1 Main Street is like the city’s house, he said. O’Handley added that if Estevan doesn’t accept the grant money, it would go to a different community, and the underground infrastructure needs to be replaced in the near future anyways.

DBA members recognize there will be disruptions to businesses during the construction, Buck said, but believe the long-term benefits, including an increase in patron traffic, better event

space, and a more desirable location for new businesses will far outweigh the shortterm disruption. “We’d like to thank the city for keeping us well informed and involved since discussions began a few years ago, and for offering to provide what assistance they can during the construction,” said Buck.

According to the Downtown Business Association, there are 38 businesses in the two blocks of Fourth

Street, including those in the Wicklow building.

Mayor Roy Ludwig and city manager Jeff Ward said there has been some misrepresentation out there, including the claims that taxes are going up due to the project.

“We understand that some people are being told there’s going to be a 20 per cent tax increase and increase to utility bills, and that’s simply not true,” said Ward. Ludwig noted that as soon as people are told that taxes are going up, they will oppose a project.

“There was a tax increase in the budget. It was not related to this project. We didn’t even know we were going to move forward with this project until later,” said Ward.

City council approved the 2024 budget on Jan. 22. It contained the two per cent property tax increase, the first community-wide hike in the mill rate since 2019.

“The cost of living continues to rise, so after four years of no tax [increases], council decided to go ahead with the two per cent,” said Ludwig.

According to a report released at the March 11 meeting, the city received approval for the federal funding on Feb. 29.

The city does not expect to pay down debt this year to ensure it has sufficient funds for this project and any other unexpected expenses that might come up this year.

The city also noted from November 2021-April 2022, there were six opportunities for public engagement, with three open houses and three public surveys. Businesses have agreed to a plan to strive to minimize any interruptions to their day-to-day business operations throughout construction.

The deadline to complete the work with federal funding is March 31, 2025.

Ludwig said he’s not surprised with the response by Concerned Citizens and others to the project, nor is he surprised that they launched a petition.

Earlier this year, Concerned Citizens released a video on YouTube that criticized the project, claiming it would cost $40 million-$50 million. The initial estimates released two years ago said it would be $33 million for the eight potential and optional phases.

Coun. Tony Sernick chaired the latest meeting of the Estevan board of police commissioners.

Estevan Comp. Grade 9ers urged to Be the Change

By Ana Bykhovskaia

Two days of transformation occurred at the Estevan Comprehensive School last week.

All Grade 9 students had the chance March 12 and 13 to experience the Challenge Day – a program allowing them to feel powerful love and belonging, connect across lines of difference and move towards creating the culture they want in their school.

The event was brought to Estevan by co-founders and leaders Yvonne and Rich Dutra St. John out of California. Over the two days, it engaged around 200 students and about 50 adult volunteers from the community.

Each day saw a different group of kids participating, learning new skills, taking on the challenge of being the change every day and becoming more sensitive to each other.

“It provided me with some really helpful insights. And I learned a lot about people,” shared Gwen Le, a Grade 9 ECS student, after the Challenge Day. “I’ll be more mindful about what I say to people because I don’t know what’s going on in their lives, and I might hurt them in some way that I don’t know. And I’ll express my thoughts clearly, because sometimes people will interpret them the wrong way, and then our relationship’s not be the same again.”

While emotions were fresh for the students right after the Challenge Day, some adult participants were confident that once the feelings settle, they will create a long-term change for the students and people around them.

Hannah Battersby, who volunteered during the event, was also an ECS student and had an opportunity to experience the Challenge Day herself over 10 years ago. She said it strongly affected her life.

“Challenge Day changed my entire life,” Battersby said. “Just the positivity in your own life to be able to bring that out. I try every day to say something nice to somebody or be mindful of kindness.”

She said experiencing the Challenge Day as a volunteer was very different, but her previous adventure motivated her to come and help the kids go through that life-changing day. Other adult volunteers were also impressed with what they’ve been a part of at the ECS.

“I think it was incredible. The interaction with the kids was incredible. The things that they shared, the

vulnerability, their participation, I was quite surprised, because I didn’t know what to expect. And it really, really had an impact on me,” said Const. Geoff Thiessen with the Estevan Police Service.

“It really gave me an open insight into this generation. They often aren’t given the time and effort, and they often are written off, but what I’ve seen in the room was kids that, I think … can really be world changers in their communities. And it really engaged me, too, to take a look at them with greater purpose and want to invest in them and want to be a part of their life.”

“It was amazing. It was quite the opportunity to hang out and see these kids open up to each other, to see them change throughout the day. I thought it was absolutely amazing,” said Heidi Hesselink, the United Way Estevan executive director. “I would say my main takeaway from today is that change can happen in a short period of time. Watching these kids go from just casual, whatever children, to actually wanting to make a change in the lives of people around them within one day was pretty amazing to watch.”

The leaders also were inspired by the students they got to work with over these two days.

“We had yesterday and today, so we had all the freshmen [Grade 9 students], and they did an incredible job. They often come in shy, and then by the end, they’re, apologizing, loving people and thanking peers,” said Yvonne Dutra St. John. “They’re co-operative. They were great. The adults were great. It was easy community,” Rich added. Yvonne noted it’s beneficial to work with students who are fresh to high school.

“It’s beneficial for every group, but what’s nice about the freshman year, they’re more insecure when they come into high school, and it’s a way to bring them together and help them really have some values around supporting each other and being kind to each other,” Yvonne said.

The Dutra St. Johns said they’ll be in contact with the school to hear about the results of the Challenge Day experience. There is also an app that encourages students to keep doing daily acts of change.

“It’s meant to enrol them into doing daily acts of service and change. And say 100 people are here and 70 do it. That’s

of change today,” said Rich. The event was brought back by the school and the school community council (SCC), with support from local people, businesses, the United Way and other organizations, and the organizers were happy with the results.

“It was a huge success and I’m so proud of everyone who volunteered and participated. A big thank you to the volunteers, the business sponsorship, the various associations and agencies, [principal] James Jones and the ECS and the students for participating,” said Kelly McConnell with the SCC.

Jones echoed McConnel’s gratitude to everyone involved and said now it will be the time to reflect on the experience.

“On behalf of the school, we really want to thank all of the people and the businesses and the community volunteers that came forth to make Challenge Day a reality for our students. I can’t thank our school community council enough for looking at bringing in a program to help support developing a positive school culture,” Jones said.

“Over the course of the next few months, we’ll enter into conversations with parents and students and community members and those that took part in the event to determine our next steps with the program. It’s a very emotional thing. And there’s a lot to Challenge Day, and I really commend all of our students for taking part. And as a community, we have to think and reflect on and determine our next steps.”

Jones also noted that the facilitators were also really good to deal with.

“They were very passionate about the program that they delivered and really spoke highly of our community and our students,” Jones added.

The Day 2 group of Grade 9 students posed for a picture after completing their Challenge Day. Photos by Anastasiia Bykhovskaia

The Day 1 group of Grade 9 students got together after the Challenge Day experience. Photo courtesy of Kelly McConnell

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When a downtown area is done properly, you'll find a variety of shops, businesses and other attractions. It should be aesthetically pleasing. And it needs to be pedestrian-friendly.

It's a place where people want to spend some time, and it's a drawing card for businesses, and for residents and visitors alike.

Nearly three years ago, the City of Estevan embarked on downtown revitalization efforts. Meetings were held, surveys were developed, opinions were sought and finally, a report was completed, including different phases, conceptual designs and a video. Lots of people supplied feedback once the report was out. But the caveat, all along, was simple: this wasn't going to proceed until the city had federal funding, no matter how much proponents wanted it to proceed.

Much like the master sidewalk and pathway project of 2021, and just like the water intake project that shifted our primary water source from Boundary to Rafferty Dam in 2020, nothing more would happen without support from other levels of government.

The federal money for downtown came in on Feb. 29, 23 months after the video was posted. Council approved the project on March 11. And the concerns have grown ever since.

The Concerned Citizens Estevan Sk group has started a petition, to the surprise of nobody. They released a video earlier this year panning the project. And there was a healthy contingent of their members at the March 11 council meeting.

The issue is not with the opposition by the

It looks like it is.

Does it have to do with elections coming up across the border and then, eventually, here? Or has the world of social media, with its many pros and cons, and cyberspace in general, come to a point where it can't continue without stricter regulations? Probably a bit of both.

In the ever-evolving landscape of digital communication, the battle for control over social media platforms has become increasingly pronounced globally, led by all-mighty China, closely followed by Russia and other autocratic states, and picked up by democracies (Germany started off in 2017, followed by the U.K. and Australia in 2021, and the E.U. implementing theirs in 2022).

The recent introduction of Canada's Bill C-63 and the American push to acquire TikTok underscore the growing state interest in control over cyberspace. These tendencies raise critical questions about national security, privacy, and the influence carried by tech giants and foreign powers, and also touch on the future of freedom of information.

Just like Bill C-18, which was created to help Canadian journalism survive, but resulted in blockage of news on Facebook and Instagram in Canada, the Trudeau government's Bill C-63 seems indeed well-intended. Also known as the Online Harms Act, it introduces a new legislative and regulatory framework to reduce harmful content on social media platforms.

The act includes stringent penalties and expanded authorities, aimed at combating what are perceived as harmful ideologies and protecting Canadians, especially youth, from a range of online dangers, including hate speech, terrorist content, content that incites violence, child sexual abuse material, non-consensual distribution of intimate images, cyberbullying and inciting self-harm, and non-consensual AI-generated pornography ("deepfakes").

The proposed document is discussed as a

Concerned Citizens and others, or the petition now circulating in the community that's calling for a referendum on the project. People have every right to their opinions. But some comments have been erroneous.

Property taxes aren't going up this year because of this project. They're going up, across the community for the first time in five years.

If you think the city shouldn't go for this funding, that's one thing, although the money can't go to a new rink, a field house, an expansion of the Estevan Comprehensive School, a new nursing home or a much-needed MRI scanner. That's the reality of grants. But if you think the federal government shouldn't fund a project like this, that's your call.

If you think this project isn't going to have an impact on economic development, or you think this project should have a different look, again, that's your call.

Some have criticized the lack of public consultation. Three open houses and three surveys, all of which were well-promoted, is pretty good. As we've said before, when the city, or anyone else, provides you with the chance to give feedback, then take advantage of it. Let your voice be heard. Do it in the proper fashion. Don't pretend yapping on social media is sufficient.

If you're given the chance to give your thoughts, and you don't, then don't complain when you don't like the end result.

Maybe people have forgotten about these efforts. After all, the city had to wait about 23

proactive step towards safeguarding the nation's digital infrastructure and preserving democratic values in the face of emerging threats. The legislation is meant to enhance transparency and accountability among social media companies operating within Canadian borders. By compelling platforms to develop "digital safety plans" and content moderation practices, the bill seeks to mitigate the spread of misinformation and harmful content.

Good plan, right? However, there are some weak spots. First, the introduced changes and proposed penalties are also fraught with the potential for misuse, creating a climate where social media platforms may feel forced to proactively censor Canadians' speech.

Also, critics of the proposed legislation may argue that measures like Bill C-63 represent another government overreach and threaten free speech online. A valid concern, but it must be weighed against the dangers posed by unregulated social media platforms, including exacerbating disinformation campaigns. I believe responsible regulation is not opposite to free expression but rather essential to ensuring that the digital public space remains open, inclusive and safe for all.

Moreover, the rise of digital authoritarianism poses a direct challenge to democratic practices. Authoritarian regimes exploit social media platforms to follow, censor and suppress dissent, thereby undermining the very principles of democracy. (Something I've been watching happening in Russia over the past decade.) I'm not a fan of how social media has affected our lives and the way the information

months for the government to approve the funding. They might have forgotten about a meeting they didn't attend or a survey they didn't complete.

We've criticized councils in the past for a lack of transparency, public consultation and open discussion, but in this instance, people were given chances to express their concerns.

The city has up to $7.5 million in federal money to spend, and that money has to be spent by March 31, 2025.

We'll see what happens with the other seven potential phases. Something needs to happen on Fifth Street from 13th Avenue to Souris Avenue South. It needs attention, not just from an infrastructure perspective but from an aesthetics standpoint. But if you're going to do something beyond infrastructure, then federal funding would again be needed.

The two blocks of Fourth Street are pretty good right now but could also use improvement. It's not pedestrian-friendly. It's an area to drive through or to make one stop and leave. The vacancy rate for Fourth Street is pretty low right now but upgrades will make it more appealing to fill those vacancies and to bring in businesses in the future.

If you have questions or concerns about this project, then reach out to city administration or a member of city council. Get the questions answered. Get the facts.

Don't just believe what you read on social media.

spreads, creating an often-dangerous environment for misinformation (read mistakes and false facts) and disinformation (read deliberate lies). I believe social media and their influence have a role to play in the current argument about the Estevan downtown revitalization. Yet, I'm also careful about the government's reach into the private sector as well.

Like the suggested Canadian legislation, the American attempt to acquire TikTok exemplifies the broader geopolitical struggle for control over social media platforms. Recognizing the platform's immense popularity and influence, the U.S. wanted ByteDance to divest TikTok U.S. within roughly six months for the app to remain available in the country, citing national security concerns. While the proposed deal ultimately fell through, it highlighted the strategic importance of digital assets and the lengths to which nations will go to assert control over them.

At the heart of these tendencies lies a fundamental tension between technological innovation and regulatory oversight. Social media platforms have revolutionized the way we communicate, connect and consume information, yet their unchecked spread has also given rise to multiple challenges, from online radicalization to data exploitation. Now governments face the hard task of balancing the benefits of digital innovation with the responsibility to protect citizens from harm.

After all, Bill C-63 and the American fight for TikTok, to a point, represent two sides of the same coin in the battle for social media control. As nations search for ways to manage the complexities of regulating cyberspace, it is also important that they find ways to balance democratic values, national security and individual freedoms and rights. We are due for responsible legislation regulating the digital world, which is now often as big of a part of our lives as the offline one, but it's never an easy job to balance between protecting citizens from emerging threats while also upholding the principles of a free and open society.

Good Luck Curlers!

Monday morning, 23 teams had signed up, and the goal is to have 24 teams. If they exceed their objective, they would allow more teams to compete, but it would have to be an even number of squads. For the sake of the draw, they would not want to have 25 teams.

"If we can get two or four

more, then it keeps the draw even and that's what we would want," said Bakala. "We haven't had a full slate in five or six years now, so we're hoping to get to 24 and we'd be happy with that."

They expect the bonspiel will start at noon on March 22. The curling will continue throughout the afternoon and the evening, with the exception of a break for supper at 6 p.m. at the curling rink.

Additional games will be played on March 23 and the bonspiel will wrap up in the evening.

"If everything goes according to plan, the A, B and C final matches on March 23 would be at 8 p.m.," said Bakala. It will also be the final competition of the year at the Power Dodge Curling Centre.

There has been a lot of interest in the bonspiel, Bakala said. Registrations were submitted early and they have some teams that have never competed before. A number of perennial entries are also back.

The bonspiel carries a strong social component and opportunities for networking, which Bakala said is the most important part of the weekend.

"It's nice to get everybody together. It's good for the curling club. They make some money having a busy weekend, and it brings business and some people from out of town into town … for the event," said Bakala.

"That's the biggest part. We want everybody to come out and have fun. It's a social event, and the networking and the socializing and the visiting and

the good times that are had are what the event's really about."

Some curlers are competitive, creating some good curling during the weekend, he said, but a lot of the people who come out want to have fun on the

ice and see everybody who is participating.

And thanks to the number of out-of-town teams, there will be a good spinoff for the hotels and other businesses in the hospitality sector.

AC Power won the 2023 edition of the OTS Bonspiel.

File photo

114

By Ana Bykhovskaia

The Rural Municipality of Coalfields will receive funding for two capital projects, including $717,249 to help with the upgrade of Primary Grid Road 605 from Bienfait to Lampman, and $233,200 to restore the La Roche Percee Provincial Historic Site.

The funding from Prairies Economic Development Canada's (PrairiesCan) Canada Coal Transition Initiative was announced last week. According to a news release, the investments support the efforts of communities with coal-fired power to upgrade community infrastructure, attract new investment opportunities and create jobs.

RM of Coalfields chief administrative officer Monica Kovach said they started working on Grid 605 last summer. The road was in desperate need of repairs as a main connector between two active municipalities.

"When the RM upgraded this road, we applied for that funding, because the road is a main access in between Lampman and Bienfait and off of [Highway] 18 to the north to get up there to those other municipalities, especially for people who are travelling for a variety of reasons between the municipalities," Kovach noted.

"The 605 will be completely repaved, and it is almost completed. We have a bit more work to do here this summer. Two more inches of lift need to be added to the road. And then it will be repaved," she added.

The cost of the project, which is expected to be com-

pleted this summer, will be about $12 million, and announced funding will help with some expenses, Kovach said.

In the Saskatchewan Ministry of Highways Provincial Traffic Count from 2021, Grid 605 had the highest average daily traffic (ADT) count of any road in the RM of Coalfields.

The road is being upgraded from its current weight restriction of 10,000 pounds (4,535 kilograms) to primary weight standards. This will divert heavy truck traffic to Grid 605 and remove it from other non-primary roads in the RM, which will reduce the long-term impacts on the RM's roads and improve conditions for farm families and community members living along these roads. The RM of Coalfields tendered the project jointly with the RM of Browning in November 2022. Councils and administrations of both RM's agreed that a joint tender would generate extensive interest from road construction contractors throughout the province and provide the most cost-effective result, thereby benefitting both RM's.

* * *

The restoration of the La Roche Percee Provincial Historic Site begins in the spring of 2024. This site is unique to Saskatchewan, and the heritage value of La Roche Percee site lies in its status as an important First Nation and North-West Mounted Police landmark, as well as a visual record of the region's ever-changing historical landscape.

"The site remains a significant landmark and is considered

sacred by First Nations and locals. Restoring this unique destination by adding picnic tables, new lighting, new pathways and paving the road will significantly increase tourism to the area," said a press release.

Village of Roche Percee Mayor Jay Riedel said he started searching for funding in 2021 after an incident. He wanted to help preserve the site and make it more convenient for locals and tourists alike a while ago.

"I got a call, one time, somebody got up in the Roche Percee Rocks, it must have been in the evening, and they went in there and spray-painted some of the area," Riedel shared. "So, I thought, if we were able to get a streetlight out front, at least people driving by could see [that someone was there] or they would see the light lit up at night, and it might deter them from doing any damage there."

Riedel reached out to SaskPower for a quote and then started searching for grants in co-operation with the RM of Coalfields. With approval from Sask. Parks, they applied for coal transition funding.

"It went from a streetlight to lighting up the rocks at night. … And I also wanted to put some picnic tables and some benches so that when the kids are playing in the cave the grandparents or the parents can sit and watch and take pictures. And then in all the years I've been down there, over 30 years, a lot of times even before I was on council, I would talk to people up there and they didn't realize that there's a lot more in behind and you got to walk through the path to find it. … So [I also wanted to

put] signage, some little arrows along the pathway," Riedel said, outlining his vision of the site improvements.

"And we're going to put new signage right at the rocks, plus, we're going to put some signs on the highways, two signs so that people know it's there. And with some of the money [we want to develop] a website and the sign by the rocks would have a QR-code that would take you to a site that would give you the links to all the history of everything in there. Because a lot of people don't realize how much history there is. There's little bits and pieces here but nothing really in one central place."

Once the work begins, the village will call for volunteers to help with the project.

"I want to get a bunch of people, whether they're residents, or people from Estevan and surrounding area that can come and help, donate some time. Let's put this place back on the map where it needs to be," Riedel said.

The grant will cover the current revitalization project,

but Riedel also has more ideas on how to preserve the history of the area, and he said that once his two biggest projects are completed he might look into more funding opportunities and potentially reach out to the Historical Society to try to preserve some carvings at the rocks.

"When I ran for mayor down there, those were two things that I was running on. I wanted to get that highway coming into Roche Percee repaved, which we did last year at a cost of $500,000, and thank you to Lori Carr and to the Ministry of Highways for having that done because there was a safety hazard. And the other thing was to get some revitalization done at the rocks because I want to preserve the history up there," Riedel said.

This year marks the 150th anniversary of the North West Mounted Police's first arrival in the area, and Riedel hopes they will be able to organize an event this July to celebrate the local historic milestone. He added that Roche

Percee Rocks revitalization is bigger than a simple site improvement.

"The devastation of the flood in 2011 had everybody lost. We lost the community through all that. A lot of people moved out of there because of that. And I think we just need to get something to rally the community together again, and [this project] would probably bring everybody together again, and maybe even attract people from outside," Riedel said.

He also thanked everyone involved with the project.

"I would thank Sask. Parks, the RM of Coalfields, Southeast Saskatchewan Economic Partnership and the PrairiesCan for supporting what I wanted to do. It's taken a lot of people a lot of time to put it all together and I just want to put a thank you to everybody that helped out," Riedel said.

He added his next hope would be to keep improving the rec centre. He is also looking into possibilities to upgrade the village wells.

Transition funding for projects

Infrastructure improvements, economic development initiatives and tourism projects in southeast and south-central Saskatchewan are at the centre of more than $2.3 million in fund -

ing from Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan) Canada Coal Transition Initiative. According to a news release, the investments support the efforts of com -

munities with coal-fired power to upgrade community infrastructure, attract new investment opportunities and create jobs.

In addition to support for Primary Grid Road 605 and La Roche Percee Provincial Historic Site a number of other projects, including:

•The Southeast Saskatchewan Economic Partnership Inc. (SSEP) will get $349,234 to complete the Rafferty Marina Phase 2 Engineering and Consultation Requirements. The Rural Municipalities of Estevan and Coalfields, and the Town of Bienfait, have collaborated under the auspices of SSEP to evaluate the feasibility of establishing a new deepwater marina on McDonald Lake near Estevan. This initiative aims to

encompass recreational and permanent docking facilities, complemented by residential and commercial lot development surrounding the marina.

"The overarching objective is to bolster regional tourism and recreational activities and serve as a catalyst for economic growth."

•Southeast College will receive $200,000 to expand an industry-accredited heavy equipment operator program in Estevan. This expansion included the purchase of two additional classroom simulators.

•Sunrise Community Futures Development Corporation will receive $100,000 to assist new or existing businesses and social enterprises in southeast Saskatchewan to create and develop online sstrategies.

up any claim to, or in respect of, the land.

The amount required to redeem the land may be ascertained on application to the Clerk, Treasurer or Administrator of the municipality. For any questions about the tax enforcement process please contact Taxervice at 1-877-734-3113.

Dated this 5th day of March, 2024.

Carmen Dodd-Vicary, Treasurer Village of Macoun

The RM of Coalfields will receive $233,200 to restore La Roche Percee Provincial Historic Site. The restoration begins in the spring of 2024. Photo by Anastasiia Bykhovskaia

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Veteran, marching across Canada for mental health, stops to speak in Bienfait

By Ana Bykhovskaia

Marcus Jefferson, aka Michael Jordan, is a Canadian expatriate and French Foreign Legion veteran who is currently marching across Canada for mental health.

He stopped at the Bienfait branch of the Royal Canadian Legion on March 14 to share his story.

In addition to depression, feelings of abandonment, racism, and physical and sexual abuse, Jefferson has faced many challenges. In full, he shares his encouraging story with people he meets across Canada in an effort to inspire change.

During an evening event in Bienfait, Jefferson, who is coming from Kingsville, Ont., shared his journey of overcoming adversity, including abuse and trauma, and subsequently addictions, identity loss and mental health issues. He emphasized the importance of structure and support in helping individuals find their path in life and making a difference through their challenging endeavours.

“Throughout my life, I acquired some skills. I started off in the air cadets, where I definitely got some structure and interest in the military. From there I went to high school, where I dabbled in mechanics and was a heavy diesel and industrial mechanic for 25 years. From there, I got into police foundations, where I studied in college; I left there with distinctions. After that, I went to university for emergency response technician … And after that, I tried getting into the military. This didn’t work out,” Jefferson said, as he recollected his life. He later started working

in the oilfield, after which he went to the French Foreign Legion. “I did this as an escape from my life. I had a hard time. I couldn’t figure things out. I didn’t know why, I didn’t know what was going on. But I knew something was clearly wrong with me,” he said. “I couldn’t hold jobs. Friendships weren’t really lasting. I had an engagement that failed right around the oilfield crash. Ultimately, all of this led me down to an avenue of drugs and alcohol for about three years … from 30 to about 33,” Jefferson added. “I did some damage, mainly to myself. I banged my head off the wall for three years, continuously, and I ended up becoming a victim. When I was around six, I suffered from sexual abuse, physical abuse. Again, when I got into high school, there was more abuse and sexual abuse from a trusted authority. So, I did have a problem with authority, anybody in any kind of position I felt had ruined my life, and [I constantly wanted] to protect myself.

“I got to the point where I was living in homeless shelters. I did a few detox centres, I got out of that. I lost my boss to a drug overdose. We were friends. That ended up closing down that business, so found myself without a job and [no other means].

“I found myself in the system and that cycle of mental health, being surrounded by major drug addiction and major mental health issues. It’s easy to become a victim and I fell victim to it,” Jefferson shared with the guests.

He said he didn’t attempt suicide, but he “was there”. Eventually, he started having

an “honest conversation” with himself about who he was and what was causing the pain.

He felt that the French Foreign Legion, one of the most difficult military formations to get into, was going to be his ticket out, so he put all he had into it.

“I trained as hard as I could. I did everything, studying, reading books, down to affirmations, down to completely shutting out everybody in my life to regain who I was,” Jefferson recalled. “By then I had gotten to the normal shape. I got in at 34 years old, and I left everything behind. I literally took a backpack with a pair of underwear, socks, toothbrush, and I had enough money to get to the door and pray to God that I was getting in because I had no other options.”

He was employed several times with the French Foreign Legion, protecting the population from terrorism in the late 2010s. Then he returned to Canada and had to face a new mental health challenge.

“Going out, not knowing what to do, I lost my identity,” Jefferson shared. “Like most veterans, I lost that sense of pride, that sense of belonging, our community. … [Time with the French Foreign Legion] definitely showed me who I wanted to be and who I didn’t want to be. … I went from being nothing to a soldier in one of the most renowned militaries in the world.”

Jefferson eventually realized that any kind of physical endurance sport or training was something that made him feel better and gave him a sense of accomplishment.

Through physical activity and his experience with

the French Foreign Legion, he eventually found purpose in sharing his story and helping others while also keeping a very physically active life.

“I always had this idea, even before I had gone to the Legion that I wanted to come across Canada and I wanted to serve my own country in some way,” Jefferson said. “I figured out a way I was able to cope with all the trauma from childhood. It was through sports and doing physical things, through action confronting my problems instead of running from them.”

He emphasized the importance of structure, discipline and physical endurance in his journey towards self-

improvement and personal growth. He also talked about his experiences with mental health challenges and the need to break the stigma surrounding mental health.

“I wanted to get around each community by foot to show people the resilience and toughness that we have as human beings,” he said.

Jefferson is currently on his way east. His journey for mental health awareness started last April at the Arctic Ocean, from where he marched to the Pacific coast and then headed east. Along the physically challenging journey, he shares his personal story of mental health struggle, resistance and coping. He is planning

on walking across Canada to the Atlantic Ocean, then heading to Windsor, Ont., and into the U.S. to march coast-to-coast there.

He is planning to get to the Atlantic Ocean in July and hopes to be able to cross the border at the Ambassador Bridge around the new year.

Walking every day, no matter the weather, he will cover at least 27,000 kilometres.

Through his march, he is also pioneering a new sport, called ultra-distance ruck marching.

To learn more about Jefferson’s mission and journey, visit his website at marchofthewarrior.com or follow him on social media.

Young people test knowledge at the Battle of the Books

Grade 5 and 6 students gathered at Westview School on Thursday for the latest edition of the Estevan Area Literacy Group's (EALG) Battle of the Books.

Seventeen teams entered, with a total of about 75 students involved. In the weeks prior to the competition, they were tasked with reading eight different books. Literacy co-ordinator Grace Caputo asked them several questions about each novel. The students jotted down an answer and were awarded points for having the right response.

"I think the students had a great time," said Caputo. "They were quite excited."

Bippity Boppity Books, competing out of Pleasantdale School, won this year's competition with 38 of a possible 40 points. Three teams finished tied for second with 34 points each. The award for best team banner, creativity and costumes went to the Four Book Nerds, also out of Pleasantdale, while the Smarties from Spruce Ridge School earned the best team name distinction.

The members of Bippity Boppity Books received a variety of gifts, and Pleasantdale School will host next year's Grade 5 and 6 Battle of the Books.

Teams from Westview, Hillcrest School and Sacred Heart School/École Sacré Coeur also competed.

One change for this year's challenge was to have teams read eight books instead of 10.

"I think it made it a little bit easier for them, in the sense that if they couldn't read all eight books, then at least they could read maybe two each. It helps them to work as a team and work together and prac tise. I had met with the students and let them know to write down questions as they read the books," said Caputo.

"Sometimes it's different to read different genres of books, so it gives them that opportunity to explore … and not stick to just one kind that they like, and to keep an open mind to different books."

She marvelled at how the students were able to remember all of the details for all of the books.

Caputo thanked the teach ers who helped get the students involved and prepare them for the competition. Volunteers helped out during the competition. She noted a lot more parents and other family members turned out to watch than in past years, and Westview did a good job as the host school, too.

She also credited the United Way Estevan, the Community Initiatives Fund and the South Saskatchewan Community Foundation for the support by allowing them to purchase the books, prizes and food. The Estevan Public Library partnered with the EALG.

Estevan Kinettes spread kindness on Kin Kindness Day

Even though it wasn’t the national day, it was still the right vibe.

The Estevan Kinettes hosted their Kin Kindness Day on March 9, instead of the national day on Feb. 24, due to a Telemiracle overlap this year.

“The Kinettes did not want our community to miss out,” Kinettes said in a Facebook post.

They were out in the community, spreading kindness by donating feminine products to the Estevan Salvation Army food bank. Then, they made a stop at Creighton Lodge to visit and play games with the residents.

They also handed out flowers at the lodge.

“Thank you to The Flower Crew for the gorgeous flowers. We had more than enough to stop and drop some off at Hill View Manor, Estevan Regional Nursing Home and long-term care at the hospital,” the Kinettes said.

They also left some coins at the leisure centre vending machines and at the service desk for the youths of the Estevan community.

“Thank you, Estevan, for everything you do in supporting us through the year,” the Kinettes said.

The Grades 7 and 8 Battle of the Books was March at Spruce Ridge School. Caputo noted it was supposed to happen last Tuesday, but had to be delayed when teachers withheld extra-curricular activi -

ties as part of the ongoing labour dispute with the provincial government. She didn't want to cancel the competition for Grades 7 and 8 because of the amount of time the participating kids put in to prepare.

Spruce Ridge and the HalfRead Chapters from Spruce Ridge School finished first. You Wouldn't Pirate a Book from Westview School was picked for best team name and banner.

From left, Hope Massier, Lily Fowler, Reese Brown and Kayleigh Reed were part of the firstplace Bippity Boppitty Books entry.

Estevan Kinettes were busy on March 9 spreading kindness in the community. Photos courtesy wof Estevan Kinettes

Marcus Jefferson, a Canadian expatriate and French Foreign Legion veteran who is currently marching across Canada for mental health, stopped at the Bienfait Legion to share his story. Photo by Anastasiia Bykhovskaia

For Public Safety

Hall: 1102 4th Street to 4:30 pm | (306) 634-1800

Leisure Office: 701 Souris Avenue to 4:30 pm | (306) 634-1880

Mayor’s Message

With this week being Anti-Bullying week, please reflect on the fact that bullying an on going issue. Let’s try to work together to stop this toxic behaviour.

that bullying an on going issue. Let’s try to work together to stop this toxic behaviour.

For Public Safety

For Public Safety

Please help keep our sidewalks safe so all citizens can enjoy a safe passage while walking Traffic Bylaw 2022-2064 Depositing Substances

Please help keep our sidewalks safe so all citizens can enjoy a safe passage while walking Traffic Bylaw 2022-2064 Depositing Substances

(1) No person shall deposit any natural substances on any highway, public sidewalk, boulevard or ditch within the City of Estevan, excepting:

(1) No person shall deposit any natural substances on any highway, public sidewalk, boulevard or ditch within the City of Estevan, excepting:

(a) On 4th Street from Souris Avenue and 14th Avenue where the building is abutting the property line;

(a) On 4th Street from Souris Avenue and 14th Avenue where the building is abutting the property line;

(b) On 5th Street from 13th Avenue to Souris Avenue where the building is abutting the property line;

(b) On 5th Street from 13th Avenue to Souris Avenue where the building is abutting the property line;

(c) On 11th Avenue from 3rd Street to 5th Street where the building is abutting the property line;

(c) On 11th Avenue from 3rd Street to 5th Street where the building is abutting the property line;

(d) On 12th Avenue from 3rd Street to 6th Street where the building is abutting the property line;

(d) On 12th Avenue from 3rd Street to 6th Street where the building is abutting the property line;

(e) On 13th Avenue from the north side of 4th Street North 40 meters.

(e) On 13th Avenue from the north side of 4th Street North 40 meters.

The

The Estevan Police Service is seeking applications position of Police Constable.

The Estevan Police Service offers a competitive benefits package, ongoing professional development, range of career opportunities.

No person shall dump any substance on any highway, public sidewalk, boulevard or ditch within the City of Estevan.

No person shall dump any substance on any highway, public sidewalk, boulevard or ditch

Currently serving and trained Canadian police encouraged to apply.

The occupier of property in the City of Estevan shall remove any snow, ice or other obstruction from the public sidewalk adjacent to such property within twenty-four (24) hours of the time such snow, ice or other obstruction appears on such public sidewalk. In

The occupier of property in the City of Estevan shall remove any snow, ice or other obstruction from the public sidewalk adjacent to such property within twenty-four (24) hours of the time such snow, ice or other obstruction appears on such public sidewalk. In

All candidates must possess minimum qualifications, including the following:

• 18 years of age

• Grade 12 Diploma or equivalent

the event that this subsection is not complied with, the City may remove such snow, ice or other obstructions at the expense of such occupants or owner, and in the event of the nonpayment of such expense, such expense may be charges against the property as a special assessment to be recovered in like manner as and with the taxes.

the event that this subsection is not complied with, the City may remove such snow, ice or other obstructions at the expense of such occupants or owner, and in the event of the nonpayment of such expense, such expense may be charges against the property as a special assessment to be recovered in like manner as and with the taxes.

the event that this subsection is not complied with, the City may remove such snow, ice or other obstructions at the expense of such occupants or owner, and in the event of the non-payment of such expense, such expense may be charges against the property as a special assessment to be recovered in like manner as and with the taxes.

the event that this subsection is not complied with, the City may remove such snow, ice or other obstructions at the expense of such occupants or owner, and in the event of the non-payment of such expense, such expense may be charges against the property as a special assessment to be recovered in like manner as and with the taxes.

to safely recruit training and perform all aspects of police

• Excellent physical condition and health with conditions that would prohibit

• Canadian citizen, landed immigrant, or have residency at the time of application

• Valid driver’s license (unrestricted for a minimum year) and good driving record

•

• Good moral character

• Exemplary employment record

• Excellent communication skills, both written

• Computer skills

For more information on the requirements, selection and the application package, please visit our www.estevanpolice.ca (Employment Opportunities).

completed Personal Disclosure Form must accompany application. Please submit completed packages, up-to-date resume, in a sealed envelope to: Chief of Police Estevan Police Service

301-11th Ave., Estevan, Sask., S4A 1C7

Thank you for your interest in the Estevan

No phone calls, please. Only successful

contacted. The closing date is March 15,

By David Willberg

Young people from throughout southeast Saskatchewan were in Estevan on Saturday for the 2024 South East Regional 4-H Public Speaking Contest at the Estevan Church of God.

A total of 36 speakers were entered, with nine in each of the cloverbud (ages six to eight), junior (nine to 12), intermediate (1315) and senior (16-21) age groups. The length of the speeches ranged from one to three minutes for cloverbuds, to four to eight minutes for seniors. More than 20 different clubs were represented.

Judges determined the results. The top two finishers in each age group advanced to provincials in Melville on April 20.

In the cloverbud age group, Reed Vandenhurk from the Cymri 4-H Beef Club was first with his speech titled I Love Lego, and Mara Forden from the Serath Multiple 4-H Club was second with Part-Time Chore Girl.

The junior division’s winner was Darian Beattie of the Melville Town ‘N Country 4-H Clubs for The Right Decision, while Luke Vandenhurk of the Cymri 4-H Beef Club was second for his

speech Pheasant Hunting.

In the intermediate division, Gage Goetz of the Outram-Madigan Beef 4-H Club was first for discussing Slingshot Racing, and Amy Fradette of the PangmanOgema 4-H Beef Club was second for her speech Heidi Fradette 2.0 – a reference to her older sister.

As for the senior division, Ava Loveridge of the Goodeve Multiple 4-H Club was first for her Vertically Challenged speech, while Cailey Haus of the Candiac 4-H Beef Club was second for Small-Town Life.

Prior to announcing the winners, the judges were

He has also been entered in the Rotary 4-H Regional Show and Sale, and said he has been fortunate to show quality cattle.

“They were all born and raised on our ranch. The sales have been a great way to learn how to market and sell my animals, and it gave me opportunities to speak with many different potential buyers,” said Erdman, who is grateful for their generosity and support.

He has won a reserve champion award and has picked up firsts and seconds at the club level.

Erdman said he would recommend the OutramMadigan Club, and 4-H in general, because raising an animal can be fun and rewarding. He has made friends with other kids his age.

highly complimentary of the speakers. They praised the youths for their topics, information, preparation, delivery, introductions, confidence on

stage and minimal use of cue cards. They also offered advice on how to improve in the future. Each of the judges who

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addressed the kids said they had a hard time deciding the winners.

Glenn Gress of the Browning 4-H Club, who is a former provincial 4-H president, said he understands why it was difficult for the judges.

“They asked if we could have more than one winner, and we said ‘No, it has to be first, second and third,’” said Gress.

He also had great things to say about the kids and their efforts.

“Like all 4-H speeches, they were a really good calibre. All of the kids did excellent jobs,” said Gress.

The topics were appropriate for the age groups, he said. The audience members were entertained and the kids often incorporated humour into their speeches.

The first-place finishers were presented with a plaque, the second and third-place speakers received medals, and the other kids went home with certificates.

The region extends from Radville to the west, Lumsden and Yorkton to the north, the Saskatchewan-Manitoba border to the east and the Canada-U.S. border to the south. There are nine districts in the region, and the speaking competition alternates between them. The clubs in the Estevan area are in District 1, and Gress said it was their turn to host the competition this year.

“If you ever want to see 4-H speeches, please come out. It’s a great enjoyment for the afternoon, and you’re just supporting a great organization,” said Gress.

districts, and then regionals three times,” said Erdman. “I’ve had opportunities to learn from many different people in the cattle industry, from feed lot owners to meat processors, marketing [people], public speakers and cattle sitters.”

“You learn to do things by doing things. It makes you responsible for another life in the case of beef 4-H. And 4-H also provides opportunities to learn things like parliamentary procedure, working together, public speaking and record keeping. It also offers leadership and mentorship skill and ability.”

The top two finishers in each division and the judges gather for a group photo following the regional 4-H speaking contest.

Allan W. Yergens 1940 - 2024

Allan Yergens, adored Husband, Dad, Grandpa, Great Grandpa, Brother and friend to many passed away peacefully with his wife Doris of 61 years by his side on Saturday, March 9, 2024 at St. Joseph’s Hospital, Estevan, SK at the age of 83 years. Allan was born in Torquay on December 10, 1940, to Herbert and Emma Yergens, who farmed in the Outram area. He attended school in Outram from grades 1 through 10, and then attended Estevan Collegiate Institute for grades 11 and 12. His love affair with Doris began when she was only 14; they became engaged when she was 18 and had just graduated from high school. They were married on November 10, 1962, and shared 61 years together. They have two children, Heather and Darcy, along with their spouses, children, and 5 great-grandchildren.

Having grown up on a family farm, Allan was always busy. He also served on many councils and organizations. He was a councillor and then Reeve for the Municipality of Cambria #6 from 1966 to 2000. Allan and Doris owned a Cessna 172 and were active members of the Flying Farmers of Saskatchewan from 1965 to 1969. Both were also involved with the Kinsmen and Kinettes for about 20 years, attending the first Telemiracle and many others. Allan was an active member of the Palliser Wheat Growers, which later became the Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association. Through this, he made many contacts and was one of the founding directors and a member of the fundraising committee for the Weyburn Inland Terminalthe first farmer-owned terminal in Canada, which is still operational today. They were active in the Estevan Snowmobile Club in the early ‘70s, which was a favorite winter pastime, along with curling, of course. Allan and Doris also enjoyed many camping, fishing, and hunting trips over the years with friends and family. They went on numerous vacations, including trips to Hawaii, Barbados, Cuba, Puerto Vallarta, Acapulco, along with Caribbean and west coast cruises, and their dream vacation to South Africa. After retiring from farming, Allan kept up with the latest practices and equipment, enjoying rides on the combines every year, especially the latest and greatest models.

Doris (Friess) and their 2 children

daughter Heather (Wayne Kolb) Turnbull (grandchildren, Aaron (Taunia) (children, Eli, Halle and Emili; Tyson (Katy) (children, Lucy and Karly) as well as Aaron and Tyson’s father Ed Turnbull; son Darcy (Dianna) (his children, Logan (Adrienne Ji) and Kirstie (Nicholas Hill) as well as Logan and Kirstie’s mother Michele (Hugo Valente) Yergens; his 2 sisters, Colleen Henderson and Berva MacDonald; Doris’s siblings, Marliyn Palmer, Karin (Ray) Morstad, Vivian (Robert) Adams, Gordon (Audrey Pady) Friess, Gerald (Barb) Friess, Wanda Friess and Johnny (Tressa) Friess; sister-in-law Geraldine Friess and brother-in-law Don Schmidt as well as numerous nieces, nephews and many, many friends.

Allan was predeceased by his parents, Herbert & Emma (Morstad) Yergens; brother Dallas (Anita & Pearl) and brothers-in-law, Roy Henderson and Jim MacDonald; Doris’s siblings, Angela Friess, Jeffrey Friess, Gary (Debhora Riersgard) Friess and Ivy Schmidt.

The Celebration of Life for Allan was held on Friday, March 15, 2024, at the Beefeater Plaza with Happy Hour starting at 5:00 p.m. Supper and a Time of Remembrance followed.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Canadian Diabetes Association at www.diabetes.ca or to TeleMiracle and Kinsmen Foundation at www.telemiracle.com or to the Kidney Foundation Of Canada, Saskatchewan Branch at www.kidney.ca Hall Funeral Services in Estevan cared for Allan’s family - Yvonne Clark, Funeral Director.

Herman Ulrich 1933 - 2024

Herman Arthur Emil Ulrich passed away in Lampman, Sask. on March 12, 2024 at the age of 91. Loving memories of Herman are cherished by his wife of 68 years, Marlene, and their children: Peggy (Allan) Fleck, Randy (Maureen) Ulrich, and Joanne (David) Schaff; grandchildren: Tyler (River), Christopher (Billi), Amy (Clayton), Robin, Blaire, Lane (Chaning), Lee (Jessica), and Shara (Ward); great grandchildren: Taryn, Finley, Aisling, Kip, Coy, Easton, Emma, Hayden, and Haylee; brother Jim (Sigra) Ulrich; sister-in-law Joyce Wilhelm; brother-in-law Ken (Bonnie) Wilhelm, as well as numerous nieces and nephews, and special neighbours, Randy & Donna Fleck.

He was preceded in death by his great granddaughter Madison; parents: John & Johanna Ulrich; brother Carmen (Mildred, Helen) Ulrich; niece Carol Ulrich; nephew Dean Wilhelm; brothers-in-law: Jack Wilhelm and Don Wilhelm.

The Memorial Service will be held on Friday, March 22, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. at Faith Lutheran Church, Lampman, with Rev. Sharon Kane officiating.

Estevan police arrest woman for animal cruelty

Members of the Estevan Police Service dealt with 46 occurrences from March 15-17. Of those, 12 tickets were issued for various infractions under the Traffic Safety Act.

Police received a report of someone deliberately causing injury to a pet. Police attended to a residence where a 20-year-old woman from Estevan was arrested and charged for injuring/ endangering an animal under the Criminal Code. She will attend court to speak to her charge in May.

Police attended to a report of a collision involving a vehicle and a pedestrian in a parking lot. Estevan EMS was also dispatched and transported the victim, who had sustained what the EPS described as minor injuries.The driver of the offending vehicle was issued a ticket under the Traffic Safety Act.

Police attended to a report of a domestic disturbance at a residence in the Pleasantdale area. Members spoke with all parties involved and were able to mediate the situation. No further police involvement was necessary.

Police attended to a disturbance call at a local hotel, in which two males were causing issues and refusing to leave. A 24-year-old man from Estevan was arrested for failing to comply with his probation order and he also had warrants from other jurisdictions. He was lodged in cells until sober and released with a court date in May to speak to his charges.

Officers received a report of a stolen truck. Statements were provided and the matter remains under investigation.

Police received two complaints of excessive speeds and erratic driving. One of the drivers was spoken to and warned of their driving actions. The other vehicle was not located, but the caller was able to provide a vehicle description and plate number, and that matter remains under investigation.

Members conducted several condition/curfew checks over the weekend. As a result, a 50-yearold Estevan man was arrested and charged for failing to comply with his release order. He was released and will speak to his charges at a later date.

Officers received a report of mischief to a residence. That matter is still under investigation.

Flashback March 13, 1996

Two members of the Estevan Bruins Hockey Club joined forces with a number of children on Spruce Drive for a game of road hockey in March 1996. Gathered around for a team photo with Shawn Collins and Darcy Haugan were, from left, Brady Henderson Dustin Brown, Dylan Bowerman, Marcus Scheerschmidt, Cole Bowerman, Andrew Scheerschmidt, Naston Dzuba Kevin Lausch and Taylor Stark

SV Theatre invites supporters to interactive murder-mystery supper

By Ana Bykhovskaia

The East Side Story – a ‘50s murder mystery party – will take guests on a festive and exciting adventure on April 12.

The Souris Valley Theatre is running the new artistic fundraiser in partnership with Kingston Midstream. The event will take place at Granby’s restaurant at the Days Inn Estevan, with cocktails at 6:30 p.m. and the main event starting at 7 p.m.

In a post on its Facebook page on Monday night, the theatre said the show was sold out. Capacity is limited to 84 seats.

East Side Story: A ‘50s Murder Mystery Party will have a local, live cast performing throughout the night. Guests will also be treated to supper.

“We wanted to do another fundraiser, just to help us out with our season this summer,” said board president Allison Holzer.

On

“We’re able to partner with Granby’s, they’ve got a nice restaurant that would really help with the atmosphere for the play, and it’s intimate enough. So, we’re looking forward to it. It’s going to be pretty cool.”

Holzer said she’s experienced similar performances, and the board supported the idea of bringing it to Estevan.

The cast involves eight local actors, including Cheri Haberstock, Jillian Connelly, Bethany Dittmann, Laura O’Hanlon, Kyle Whitehead, James Dobos, Stephen Froese and Patrick Dupuis.

“We had a couple of rehearsals already, and we’ve had so much fun. It’s not scripted, a lot of it is improv. We’re just getting some basic details that we have to include and incorporate into conversations,” Holzer explained.

“We’re going to have mics on all of the

Report from the Legislature

expected to lead the nation in 2024.

This plan builds on the significant investment made in our province over the last number of years and introduces new, expanded and improved incentives for industries looking to make Saskatchewan their home. To learn more about the new strategy, visit the new InvestSK website at www.investSK.ca.

Economic growth creates jobs and opportunities here at home, and Saskatchewan recently received some incredible numbers demonstrating this growth. The province added 18,700 new full-time jobs, which is an increase of 15,200 jobs last month when compared to February 2023, raising Saskatchewan’s employment growth rate to 2.6 per cent.

Saskatchewan’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate also remains well below the national average, sitting at 5.0 per cent compared to the national average of 5.8 per cent, the third-lowest amongst the provinces.

Strengthening our economy means investing in the growth of our key industries, like agriculture.

Our government will invest $15 million over five years into the Global Institute for Food Security (GIFS) at the University of Saskatchewan. Funding will support work at the GIFS, which helps keep Saskatchewan producers competitive and helps them remain among the most productive, innovative and sustainable in the world.

The strength and growth across our provincial economy allows our government to continue to invest in priority areas like health care. Our province’s ambitious Health Human Resources Action Plan continues to make significant progress in recruiting, training, incentivizing and retaining health care workers.

characters so that everybody in the room can overhear their conversations. And we’re going to find out, what their thoughts are, and what their motivations are, and eventually, someone is going to turn up dead.”

Guests will be a part of finding the murderer throughout the night, through learning more about the characters and receiving some clues and evidence.

“There will be a prize for the person in the audience who guessed [the murderer]. We’ll put all the guesses in a hat, and the person that we pull out that has the right answer will receive a prize,” Holzer said.

Actors will be mingling around, talking to people in the audience, asking their opinions and trying to draw them in.

Money raised will help the local theatre with its seasonal operations and upgrades. Holzer noted they did several major upgrades

last year, and are taking it easier this year, but there is still some work to be done.

“We do have to replace our lighting in the theatre, we’re switching over to LED bulbs, which will suck less power and produce less heat. But that will also mean replacing our fixtures because most of our actual fixtures that the light bulbs go into are obsolete. So, changing to LED is quite expensive up front, but it’ll save us money in the long run,” Holzer said.

People are encouraged to dress in ‘50s attire to make it even more fun.

“We’re really looking forward to it. It’s going to be a lot of fun. It’s going to be very entertaining. The characters that we have acting are hilarious,” Holzer said.

Holzer added that this season they will do two musicals and both will be based around the 50s theme.

To date, nearly 300 hard-to-recruit positions have been filled through the Rural and Remote Recruitment Incentive, and more than 1,000 Saskatchewan and out-of-province nursing grads have been hired since 2022. We will continue to make significant investments to build a stronger, more resilient health care system for the people of Saskatchewan.

As our government continues work to increase health human resources, we are exploring ways to expand the use of Nurse Practitioners across the health care system. The Ministry of Health is working to pilot a new model for independently-operated, publicly-funded Nurse Practitioner clinics. These new clinics will help to improve access to health care services for Saskatchewan patients and their families.

Fourteen new doctors are now practicing in rural Saskatchewan after completing the Saskatchewan International Physician Practice Assessment (SIPPA) program in December. The number of SIPPA training seats was recently expanded from 36 to 45 per year, and plans are underway to add more seats to the program. SIPPA plays an important role in our province’s ongoing recruitment efforts and we welcome the latest group of graduates and their families to communities throughout the province.

Education is a huge priority for our government as well. A new agreement with the Saskatchewan School Boards Association ensures a minimum of $356.6 million per year for four years for classroom supports. Now that our government has made this commitment in writing, it is time for the Saskatchewan Teachers Federation to end their job action and return to the bargaining table so that students and teachers can return to the classroom.

Our government continues to invest in new programs that create solutions to challenges in the classroom. Fifteen new teacher-led projects have received funding through the Teacher Innovation and Support Fund. This brings the total allocated in this fund to over $800,000 in two months and reinforces our government’s commitment to providing additional classroom supports to our students and teachers.

As our government continues to move forward on these plans for Saskatchewan’s growth, we look forward to hearing from you. You can reach out to my constituency office at 306-634-7311 or loricarrmla@sasktel.net.

Lori Carr, MLA

Estevan Constituency Office

306-634-7311

loricarrmla@sasktel.net

A15

Bruins will play Melfort in the first round of the playoffs

By David Willberg

The Estevan Bruins wrapped up the regular season on Saturday night with a 5-4 win over the host Weyburn Red Wings.

Estevan controlled Saturday night’s game, outshooting Weyburn 41-17, including an 18-4 edge in the third period, but didn’t get the game-winning goal until late in regulation, when Ilia Chmelevski scored with less than five minutes to play.

Estevan jumped out to a quick 2-0 advantage Saturday on goals by Felix Allard and Cade Kennedy in the opening 10 minutes of the game. Weyburn fought back to tie when Jerome Maharaj and Jaxson Ruthven scored in the final five minutes of the first; Ruthven’s goal was with 36 seconds to play. Lucas Schmid scored in the opening minute of the second to put Weyburn ahead. Owen Barrow and Dillon Jackson scored 26 seconds apart to put the Bruins back in the lead midway through the second, but Ruthven’s second of the game knotted up the game at fours. It was the final

goal until Chmelevski’s winner.

“I thought we got off to a really good start, got up by two, and then we hit a crossbar,” said Bruins head coach and general manager Jason Tatarnic. “We could have been up by three. But we had two breakdowns, they made us pay and they tied the game, and scored early in the second.”

Jackson Miller had 13 saves for Estevan, while Angelo Zol made 36 saves for Weyburn.

The win was the Bruins’ first over the Red Wings in six meetings this season. Estevan won at least once against every team in the SJHL in the 202324 campaign.

The night before, Weyburn blanked the Bruins 4-0. Weyburn had all of the offence they needed in the first eight minutes of the game, as Sam Callahan and Nicholas Kovacs scored 2:40 apart to give Weyburn a 2-0 advantage. Braigh LeGrandeur’s goal 2:10 into the second extended the lead.

Estevan had a couple of quality scoring chances midway through the second period, and hit the post on a power play late in the frame.

It remained a 3-0 game until Max Monette scored into an empty net with 4 1/2 minutes to play in the third.

Miller had 31 saves for Estevan, while Dazza Mitchell stopped all 33 shots he faced for Weyburn.

“We had chances to score Friday, but we just didn’t defend well, and when you’re getting scored on and not scoring, it’s not a good recipe,” said Tatarnic. “I didn’t … think the effort was what we needed, and it was nice to see a better effort the next night.”

The Bruins finished the regular season with a 26-262-2 record and 56 points, leaving them in seventh place overall. They will face the No. 2 Melfort Mustangs, who finished second in the league with a 38-14-3-1 record, in the quarter-final round. Melfort won four of the six meetings between the teams during the regular season.

Tatarnic said the Bruins played Melfort tough all year and the season series could have easily been at least 3-3.

“I think we just have to be very smart defensively. We definitely have to defend …

around the net. That’s where they seem to score a lot of goals, and they seem to score a lot of goals off the rush. We’ll have to be alert and know our assignments,” said Tatarnic. Games 1 and 2 will be March 22 and 23, respectively, in Melfort. Games 3 and 4 would be March

26 and 27, respectively, in Estevan. Game 5, if necessary, would be March 29 in Melfort, Game 6 would be March 31 in Estevan and Game 7 would happen April 2 in Melfort.

The Bruins played the game without several regulars. Captain Keagon Little

Estevan Murray GM U9 Cubs win league title

The Estevan Murray GM U9 Cubs are the Highway 39 League champions.

Murray GM defeated the Gilliss Casing U9 Cubs in the final of the year-end Whitecap Resources Highway 39 U9 League Championships. The top eight teams played in the champions bracket in Estevan, and the bottom eight teams were in the consolation bracket in Weyburn. Games were played March 9 and 10.

Murray GM won their first two games of the tournament, and then they defeated the Gilliss Casing Cubs 6-5 in the A event final, punching their ticket for the championship game. Gilliss recovered to defeat the Estevan Kingston Midstream Cubs 10-5 in the B final and advance to the championship game, which

Murray GM won 5-3.

Murray GM and Gilliss were the top two teams in the league during the regular season as well, as each finished with 19 points.

Other Estevan teams in the A event were Sunset Embroidery, Top Torque and Whitecap Resources. Living Sky Diesel was in the consolation event in Weyburn. As part of the Estevan Minor Hockey Association’s rebranding effort launched this season, all U9 teams had the Cubs name and a corporate sponsor.

Midale and one Weyburn team were in the A event as well.

The Estevan Minor Hockey Association was instrumental in creating the league, which is in its second season. It had seven teams from each of Estevan and Weyburn, as well as entries from Torquay, Midale, and Crosby, N.D.

has one game remaining on a five-game suspension and will miss the start of the playoffs. Forward Alex Burfoot is expected to be back for Game 1 and Daniel Tokariwski remains sidelined. The Bruins were expected to find out on Tuesday if goaltender Cam Hrdlicka would be back.

Sharks win medals at Community League Finals

The Estevan Sharks water polo club had a strong showing at the recent Community League Finals. They sent four teams between the U10 and U12 divisions. There were two teams representing the U10s, belted and non-belted, plus one U12 boys’ team and one U12 girls’ squad.

The two U10 teams brought gold medals home to Estevan.

The belted team consisted of Jackson Prefontaine, Kolton Fee, Lexi Olson, Patrick John-

son, Rose Chabot, Simon Hall and Tripp Davies. The no-belt team was Ayla Smelt, Elijah Vanstone, Gavin Tinant, Jaxon Ward, Maverick Martindale, Raymond Johnson and Willow VanSickle. The U12 girls were joined by two Regina players and received third place for their hard work. Members were Ayla Smelt, Meredith Knoll and Sianna Goudy of Estevan, and Cecelia Malone and Isabella Cote of Regina. The atom boys won a silver medal in their division after a

hard-fought final game. They were joined by players from Humboldt and Saskatoon. Dalton Maley, Jaxon Reinhardt, Royce Milford, Sebastian Martens of Estevan, Daxzen Stumborg of Humboldt, and Carter Budge and Knox FrederickRegnier of Saskatoon were on the team.

Two players from Estevan joined teams in the bantam division. Jennika Lithinicum won a bronze medal with her team, and Royce Milford had a fourth-place finish with his entry.

Elecs compete at Hoopla qualifiers

The Estevan Comprehensive School Elecs senior girls’ and boys’ basketball teams were at rural regionals Friday and Saturday, hoping to qualify for their respective Hoopla 5A provincial tournaments.

The senior girls, seeded sixth in the 10-team tournament, travelled to St. Mary’s School in Prince Albert. They opened with a 70-39 loss to Prince Albert Carlton, with Sadie Aspinall having 12 points and seven rebounds to lead the team. Megan Porter added nine points.

ECS recovered to defeat Balgonie 68-42 in the consolation round. Aspinall had 21 points and Miley Granberg added 15.

Head coach Jessie Smoliak said Carlton’s full-court caused problems, as the Elecs committed too many turnovers. Carlton led 23-12 at one point.

“The majority of our team is still young with most of them being in Grade 10,” said Smoliak. “We just couldn’t close the gap as Carlton pressed us the whole game.”

Not many teams pressured them this year and if they did, it wasn’t as aggressive as Carlton.

ECS had a slow start against Balgonie but ended the game well.

“Lots of good things in the second half which us coaches were happy to see.”

Smoliak said the girls put in a lot of time this season and improved from the beginning of the campaign.

“The coaches are looking forward to the work the team will put into the postseason, as they know now what we need to do at regionals if we are going to be a competitive team in our 5A rural region,” said Smoliak.

The senior boys were also seeded sixth for their regional tournament in Lloydminster. Estevan lost 84-76 to Prince Albert St. Mary’s in their opening game, a contest

that Estevan led 58-52 after three quarters. Koen Turner was the Elecs’ top scorer with 38 points. Then they lost 83-72 to Balgonie in their final game of the season. Jayden Kuchinka led the Elecs’ offence with 18 points.

“We played very, very well our first game,” said Elecs head coach Trevor Dutka. “Offensively and defensively, our game plan, we executed 100 per cent, and we really, really deserved to win that first game.”

Against Balgonie, they played everybody and tried to have some fun and make some good passes. For the seven Grade 12s on the team, it was their final game.

“We always said we wanted to be playing our best basketball at the end of the year, and we did [against Prince Albert],” said Dutka. Hoopla is slated to happen March 21-23 in Moose Jaw, but teachers are slated to have a one-day strike on March 20, and withdraw from extracurricular activities on March 21 and 22, as part of their ongoing labour dispute with the provincial government.

The Saskatchewan High Schools Athletics Association says if sanctions aren’t lifted before 3 p.m. on March 20, Hoopla will be cancelled.

Bruin defenceman Felix Allard checks Weyburn’s Blake Betson during Friday’s game at Affinity Place.

The Murray GM Cubs celebrate after capturing the Highway 39 League championship. Photo courtesy of Stephen Truman

The Sharks non-belted team won a gold medal at the Community League finals.

Photo courtesy of the Estevan Sharks