Estevan Mercury 20240403

Estevan physician Dr. Mehdi Horri is facing additional restrictions for his medical practice.

His office announced in the morning of March 26 that he will not be seeing any female patients, starting the next day.

The changes came weeks after the announcement of 14 new disciplinary charges laid by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan (CPSS) in late January. An announcement was put up at Horri’s office, saying that Horri, practising out of the Estevan Medical Group, is not allowed to see female patients.

In an email to SaskToday and the Estevan Mercury that afternoon, CPSS associate registrar Brian Salte said there was a suspension hearing before the executive committee of the College of Physicians and Surgeons for March 23.

“The executive committee decision was that Dr. Horri would not be suspended if he signed an undertaking that he will not see any female patients,” Salte wrote.

“We expect that the executive committee will ul -

By Ana Bykhovskaia

The Estevan RCMP detachment hosted a town hall meeting at the Bienfait Weldon School on March 25, with several dozens of people attending.

The informative event offered an update on the local RCMP’s activity over the past year and provided details about crime prevention tools and tips.

Estevan RCMP detachment commander Sgt. Steven Ross discussed community policing, ongoing crime prevention and reduction initiatives, the detachment’s amalgamation with the Carnduff RCMP, and also addressed questions or concerns people had.

He started off by introducing the current seven members of the detachment, including himself, as well as detachment service assistant Shari Sutter, supervisor Cpl. Srdjan Bunjevac, and general duty Constables Kyle Secord, Adam Himmelspach, Kris McMahon and Sean Hylton.

timately give reasons for its decision, but we don’t know how long that will take.

“Dr. Horri is entitled to remain in practice, subject to the previous restrictions and the restriction against seeing female patients.”

Horri has signed the undertaking and the CPSS has received it. As of March 27, Horri has agreed to practise under the following restrictions:

1) He will not have any professional encounter, or portion thereof, with female patients.

2) He may only practise in a clinic seeing patients by appointment or on a walk-in basis.

3) He has agreed not to perform any invasive procedures (anything requiring a scalpel or stitches.)

Salte noted that there has not yet been a hearing date set for the charges that were laid against Horri in January.

“As we do not have reasons for the executive committee’s decision, we cannot comment on what the committee considered in reaching its decision. The college provided

Service Constables Craig Bird and Jeff Fry. The unit operates under Regina Traffic Services.

The Regional Combined Traffic Services Section includes the RCMP, and Estevan, Weyburn and Regina Police Services.

Ross also talked about the joint work of the Estevan and Carnduff detachments. The two units, along with many others across the country, have been experiencing a shortage of staff. The situation was mitigated through the amalgamation of the two detachments, as well as the hiring of several members lately.

Ross said the Estevan detachment currently has two soft vacancies, one of which is to be filled by a cadet in June, and one member is currently off work. Estevan Traffic Services is three positions short, and the Carnduff detachment has two hard vacancies.

information to the committee about its concerns, and Dr. Horri provided information to the committee in support of his position that he should not be suspended,” Salte outlined. Female patients were contacted by the office last Tuesday to deal with any urgent needs. The office was also working with other local doctors to arrange to accommodate the patients. The public is being asked

to call the CPSS at 306-2447355 if they have any questions or complaints. The new restrictions come after the CPSS referred allegations of unprofessional conduct involving three patients to the college’s discipline committee at the end of January.

He also introduced the Estevan Traffic Services members, currently consisting of traffic services supervisor Cpl. Andy Knowles, and Estevan Police

As a result of the amalgamation, Estevan members can respond to calls in the Carnduff area and vice versa, Ross explained.

The amalgamation allows members to balance their vacation time and ensure sufficient resources, but there are still two

entities with constables serving in Estevan and Carnduff respectively, and answering a question from the public, Ross said he hasn’t heard anything about a potential for the Carnduff detachment to close.

The Estevan detachment’s boundaries extend to just beyond Benson to the north; past Willmar, Frobisher and North Portal to the east; approximately 15 kilometres west of Torquay to the west; and to the CanadaU.S. border to the south.

The Carnduff detachment’s

boundaries are beyond Alida to the north; east of Frobisher to the west; the SaskatchewanManitoba border to the east; and the Canada-U.S. border to the south.

“In the newly created Estevan/Carnduff Detachment area there will be two to four members on shift at a time (exceptions: illness, training, vacation),” Ross said. “The combined detachment areas are approximately 3,400 square miles [about 8,800 sq. km.].

A2 » ESTEVAN

SaskToday and the Estevan Mercury will have updates on the situation as they become available. PAGE

United Way celebrates generosity at annual meeting

By David Willberg

The annual general meeting for the United Way Estevan, held Wednesday night at the Beefeater Plaza, gave the organization another chance to celebrate the generosity of the community during the past 12 months.

Audited financial statements for the year ending Dec. 31, 2023, showed the United Way received $381,953 in donations, down slightly from the $386,658 from the previous year. The bulk of the donations in 2023 came in during October's telethon, when $357,001 was raised.

The fundraising goal for 2023 was $343,064.

The United Way Estevan also received $123,918 through a special projects grant, courtesy of the United Way Canada Community Services Recovery Fund. That money was used to support a couple of projects in the community for $124,674.

The United Way distributed $250,000 to its member agencies and $54,607 through the community impact fund last year. Campaign expenses for the telethon were $48,725.

Michelle Beaulieu, who was the United Way's president in 2023, reflected on their accomplishments during the past

12 months and thanked all of those who made the success of the past year possible.

"It's hard to believe how quickly the last year went, and now we're here again," said Beaulieu. "A year ago, I stood up here, nervously excited to take the presidency reins, and I was uncertain what the year had in store."

The Day of Caring was productive with many organizations in the community participating, and the telethon not only reached its goal with more than two hours remaining in the broadcast, but it brought in extra money that was distributed to the member agencies and community impact partners.

"I'm grateful for the experience of being president and I'm extremely proud of this board," said Beaulieu. She later handed over the presidential gavel to Mark Pettitt, who will hold the role for the next 12 months. This is Pettitt's second term as president, as he was at the helm of the organization in 2007-08.

Pettitt described the United Way board as one of his favourite groups that he has been involved with in his entire life.

"I think that's maybe why I've stayed on for so long, because as someone moves out, someone comes in. We just have

a wonderful group of people to be involved with. Hopefully, I can do a good job this year," said Pettitt, who thanked the board for putting their trust in him.

The United Way board does a lot of work and it raises a lot of money, but it does so while having fun.

"To our community of Estevan, I believe it's the most generous community anywhere. You volunteer your time, energy and resources, and make it a better place for all of us to live in. So, thank you to our community of Estevan," said Pettitt.

"And to the member agencies and community impact partners, it's you who touch the lives of those in Estevan that you serve. You play a vital role in keeping this city healthy and improving the quality of lives for our residents.

"We're blessed to be able to carry out our work in such a great city in partnership with our agencies and our projects. And I am grateful and blessed to be part of something so great, and am looking forward to another successful year."

Breanne Van De Woestyne will be the first vice-president for the next 12 months, Brittney Brokenshire will be the second vice-president and Lynn

Trobert will be the treasurer.

Beaulieu, who will serve as past president, has committed to remain on the board for another three years, as have Becca Anderson, Danny Ewen, Jacie Vandermeulen and Shelly Veroba.

The United Way's 48th annual fundraising telethon will take place on Oct. 18 and 19 at the Estevan branch of the Royal Canadian Legion.

The annual meeting also served as an opportunity to release the United Way's updated strategic plan. Jackie Wall, the founder of Inspire

Cowan is the new firearms officer

After an extensive and competitive process, former Estevan deputy police chief Murray Cowan has been selected as the new deputy commissioner and chief firearms officer of the Saskatchewan Firearms Office (SFO), effective April 1. The provincial government made the announcement Wednesday afternoon.

Cowan will oversee the central administration of the SFO and report to the commissioner. Robert Freberg, Saskatchewan firearms commissioner, will have oversight of the entire SFO and be responsible for strategic planning, advancing government priorities, and external relationships and ad-

vocacy. Freberg will continue the work he has been doing for Saskatchewan citizens in his expanded role as the Saskatchewan firearms commissioner.

“Keeping Saskatchewan people safe and promoting responsible firearm usage and storage are critical priorities for our government,” said Paul Merriman, Corrections, Policing and Public Safety Minister. “Mr. Cowan’s track record speaks volumes about his dedication to representing the interests of our firearms community. With his expertise, we are confident in our shared mission to promote safe and responsible firearm practices across our province.”

Cowan brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the Saskatchewan Firearms Office. He has over 45 years of firearms-related experience, nearly 40 years of service in public safety, and served with the Estevan Police Service for 30 years, rising to the role of deputy chief of police in 2017. He has been an active member of the Saskatchewan Association of Chiefs of Police, and is an avid outdoorsman, hunter, target shooter and firearms enthusiast.

“We are thrilled to welcome Murray to our team,” commissioner Freberg said. “His breadth of experience, firearms knowledge and deep

understanding of the Saskatchewan people we serve will be instrumental in guiding our office toward achieving our objectives and delivering effective programming.”

“I am excited and honoured for the opportunity to become a part of the Saskatchewan Firearms Office, and will be dedicated to upholding the rights and safety of legal firearm owners in our province,” Cowan said. “I am eager to collaborate with dedicated and skilled professionals of the Saskatchewan Firearms Office in my new role, to navigate the complexities we face, and to seize the potential for positive change. This includes working

Strategies for Business, facilitated a strategic planning session with United Way board members and staff in January. "The United Way Estevan continues to be a very healthy organization. There is a strong and engaged board, a passionate staff and effective operations. United Way Estevan has also continued to see high levels of volunteers, strong relationships with member agencies and community impact projects, and very successful fundraising initiatives," said Wall.

alongside our law enforcement partners, Indigenous governments in Saskatchewan and all our community stakeholders.”

Cowan announced in January he would be retiring from the Estevan Police Service. His final official day with the EPS was March 31.

The SFO is responsible for supporting safe communities by managing the ownership, purchase, movement and use of firearms within the province through the administration of federal firearms legislation, as well as promoting Saskatchewan’s proud heritage of responsible firearm ownership. Having Cowan serve as deputy commissioner will enable the

Estevan and Carnduff RCMP work together

The result can be longer response times depending on where members are when calls are received.”

Ross noted that when a serious issue occurs, all members from both detachments will respond.

The Estevan RCMP detachment responded to 1,440 calls for service in 2022, 1,521 calls in 2023 and 296 calls as of March 23 this year. Members have also done presentations in schools on several topics, including internet safety, bullying and cyber-bullying, and plan on continuing to work with schools on other topics.

Ross broke down their calls for service by communities for

the period from April 1, 2023, through Feb. 29 this year. During that time, they responded to 121 calls for service coming from Lampman, with most incidents being thefts (12), mischiefs or damage to property (11), and crimes against the person (six).

The Estevan RCMP’s service was needed in Bienfait 134 times, with mischiefs or damage to property accounting for the most calls with 10, followed by seven thefts and six mental health calls.

Twelve calls for service came from Torquay, many of which (five) were mischiefs or damage to property. Another five calls came from Roche Percee, and 38 were from Macoun with

four crimes against the person and four mischiefs/damage to property, as well as three mental health calls among others.

North Portal accounted for 27 calls, led by 20 calls falling under the Customs Act or border-related activities.

While the department had fewer members, they still tried to engage with the communities they serve.

“Members make every effort to participate in community events such as Canada Day, Remembrance Day and various parades,” Ross said. “Regular school zone patrols are expected of members when on duty. The goal of this is simply controlling speed and safety through increased police visibility.”

He noted that members also consult with and utilize support services whenever an investigation requires.

Estevan detachment’s prisoners are lodged in EPS cells or the Regina Correctional Centre.

“In 2023 the Estevan RCMP had 44 prisoners lodged. So far to date in 2024, the Estevan RCMP have had 10 prisoners,” Ross said.

He also noted that the EPS is currently hiring guards, and the RCMP is actively recruiting new members as well, spending more time and funds in an effort to resolve continuous staffing issues. He also touched on the ride along program, which offers people who are interested in potentially joining the RCMP to have a feel of what the job looks like. He noted the career provides “great salary and benefits, ability to work in your home province and paid training in depot (for six months).”

Local priorities are reassessed every fiscal year starting on April 1, but tend to stay very similar and include visibility, prolific offenders and traffic.

The detachment tries setting realistic and attainable unit objectives. Ross noted that they don’t have ticket quotas, but may set some goals for check stops or other specific initiatives.

“After priorities have been identified, specific initiatives are identified which will be used to achieve the objectives,” Ross said.” Detachment members are consulted in the development of the initiatives as their buy-in is much higher when they have the chance to come up with initiative.”

"However, probably the most important focus of the United Way Estevan is to never be complacent."

Four strategic priority areas have been identified: fundraising, board development, community engagement and community impact.

The annual meeting wrapped up with speeches from the United Way's different member agencies and community impact partners. They reflected on their work in the region and how the United Way makes their efforts possible.

SFO to broaden its capabilities, fulfilling its mandate to ensure public safety and protecting the rights of lawful firearms owners.

companies, look for the lock [symbol] on the browser.”

Ross encouraged people to report scams to local police, especially if any information or money was exchanged.

He also reminded guests of Crime Stoppers - a resource to report any crime anonymously by calling 1-800-222-8477 or going online at saskcrimestoppers.com. Ross invited the public to join the Saskatchewan Crime Watch Advisory Network, utilized by various agencies to reach out to the public when assistance is required. To sign up for email or phone notifications, people can go to saskcrimewatch.ca.

Another resource mentioned was the Canadian Firearms Centre, which addresses all Firearms Act-related questions over the phone at 1-800-7314000.

Other RCMP responsibilities include provincial court/ court security on Mondays and special sitting dates; court security for the Estevan detachment’s Court of King’s Bench matters; and Provincial Traffic Court prosecution on the second and third Wednesdays of every month.

Ross also spoke about the detachment’s priorities, objectives and initiatives. Detachment priorities for a period should reflect and align with the divisional and commanding officer’s priorities, he said. The detachment commander also meets and consults with officials in the area and helps create detachment priorities that meet the policing needs to the area.

Ross said the Saskatchewan RCMP has identified three important focus areas to achieve their goals, including building relationships and trust, supporting their employees and enhancing and supporting police efforts.

To finish up the presentation he addressed the growing numbers of scams being reported. Ross noted that scammers also become more creative and can be very persistent, trying to get people’s money.

Sgt. McMahon then introduced and demonstrated their new investigative piece of equipment - a remotely-piloted aircraft system, which is essentially a drone.

“Trust your gut instinct –if it seems the least bit suspect, cease contact,” Ross said. He noted that recent examples of creative scams they encountered include LinkedIn and other online job postings, followed by interviews, training and even working, all leading to people being stripped of their money.

No legitimate business will ever ask for or accept payment via pre-paid credit, Apple or Google Play cards, he underlined.

“Never give banking information over the phone or via email,” he reminded. “For online purchasing, choose reputable

“This little guy right here, a very small piece of technology, but very useful in the policing world. Just got this two weeks ago, we had one pilot trained right now as myself, and we expect to have more as the program expands. The program is new, started in 2023,”McMahon said.

Uses for the RCMP drone include but are not limited to traffic-related investigations; emergency or disaster response; search and rescue; major crime scenes; investigations in areas where no expectations of privacy exists; investigation, when a warrant has been obtained; and inspection of communications infrastructure.

The public had a chance to ask questions afterwards.

Snacks, beverages and more information on various resources were provided.

Mark Pettitt, left, accepts the United Way Estevan’s presidential gavel from Michelle Beaulieu

Murray Cowan

Estevan music festival sees strong growth

By Ana Bykhovskaia

The Estevan and District Music Festival wrapped up its 60th edition with the Piano Awards and Highlights Concert on March 26. It was preceded by the Band, Instrumental, Strings, Vocal, Spoken Word and Musical Theatre Awards and Highlights Concert on March 24.

The year saw a return to the pre-pandemic participation level with 482 entries, and significant support from the community with over $11,000 in awards and scholarships distributed among local young talents.

Festival president Alisha Mann said they were up by about 80 entries in comparison to last year, and they’ve witnessed a lot of great local talent.

“Everything went really smoothly,” Mann said. “We were happy to see entry numbers up this year again, and lots of participants in

the festival. We didn’t have a whole bunch of cancellations for volunteers or participants. That was really good. And it’s just really nice to see so much music going on in the city.”

The festival ran from March 10-23, with students from the southeast demonstrating their musical skills in different disciplines and classes while being adjudicated. This year the festival added an electric guitar discipline and several new classes. “We added a few new classes to our local addendum. … We run on the provincial curriculum, their syllabus, and then if we feel that locally we want to add other classes that aren’t addressed with the provincial syllabus, then we can do that,” Mann explained.

“So, we added classes for the electric guitar. We added more classes for classical guitar. And we added some different piano classes as well for recognizing pop music as

it is getting to be a popular thing for the kids. They want to play that instead of classical music all the time. And then we brought in a sing and play class where you can accompany yourself and do a vocal performance, and we had one entry in that as well. It was nice to see those classes used.”

Mann noted adjudicators were also impressed with the students and were also great in providing feedback and guidance for the kids.

“We had great adjudicators this year. And they were really helpful with the students, very happy with how the festival was run here and the level of performance from the kids as well. Especially the piano adjudicator mentioned she was very impressed with the level of piano skill being taught in the Estevan community. That was really nice to hear, a kind of a feather in the cap for all the piano teachers, that they

are doing a really excellent job with their students,” Mann said.

Festival organizers added that in order to become a district winner and compete at the provincial level,

Walk with the Cross in Estevan

People in the Estevan area had the opportunity to reflect on the meaning of Good Friday during a Walk with the Cross on Friday afternoon.

They gathered at Trinity Lutheran Church, and then walked to the Salvation Army, city hall, St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church, St. Giles Anglican Church and St. Paul's United Church. Participants took turns carrying a large cross.

At each stop, there was a scripture reading from the crucifixion story, a prayer and a question for them to quietly reflect on while walking. They also sang a brief hymn at each stop, with the exception of city hall, since that was an outdoor session while the others were indoors.

More than 30 people participated in this year's walk despite the cool temperatures and the slushy and slippery conditions.

performers have to enter into designated provincial classes at their local festival and receive a mark of 87 or higher. The Estevan and district festival is allowed to send two district winners from each class.

“This year we are pleased to announce three district winners: Kensie Aspinall, Hudsyn Hozjan and Jennika Linthicum. Each has qualified to compete in two provincial classes in June in Saskatoon,” said Margaret Duncan with the festival.

“This year is a high number for us for provincials,” Mann noted. “It’s really good that we’re able to send representation from our community to the provincial event.”

Two students were also recognized with prestigious local awards. Jacob Pyra became the 2024 Murray GM multi-discipline award recipient, entering eight solo and three duet classes in four different disciplines, and Sarah Kimball is the Dwight Thompson Memorial runner-

up award recipient for entering six solos in two disciplines.

The community traditionally stepped forward to ensure the success of the festival.

“We always have excellent support from the community. We have a huge number of donors and sponsors for our event, and also for the scholarships that we award to the kids. So it was a lot of work to get that all organized and put together but we have a volunteer who does a great job,” Mann said. “We were able to give out over $11,000 in scholarships this year, and that’s all from community donations from businesses and individuals.”

The festival is brought together in about two months and takes a lot of work from many dedicated volunteers, but always comes as a great celebration of music in the community.

For more pictures from the awards and highlights concerts, visit our provincial news hub at SaskToday.ca

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Jacob Pyra is the 2024 Murray GM multi-discipline award recipient, and Sarah Kimball is the Dwight Thompson Memorial runner-up award recipient.

Estevan and District Music Festival 2024 piano awards winners. Photo courtesy of Margaret Duncan

The Walk with the Cross departs Trinity Lutheran Church in Estevan.

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The federal government hiked the carbon tax by 23 per cent on April 1.

It's the first day of the fiscal year, so that's why the tax increase happens on that.

But it was April's Fool Day. Sadly, the feds didn't turn around and announce the tax hike was a gag.

Despite the ongoing cost-of-living challenges facing Canadians, the government decided to follow through with the increase.

Even though Canadians were telling the feds that they didn't want to see any more added expenses, even though the carbon tax hasn't done anything to reduce emissions, and even though the carbon tax increase has some pretty widespread impacts, the feds weren't listening.

You would hope that the federal government would heed the concerns of people across the country and pull the plug on this latest hike, but they didn't.

When the carbon tax was introduced a few years ago, there actually was support for it, particularly in urban centres, where you have public transit and other options for getting people to their destinations without vehicles. And with the number of voters in large urban areas, those are the voices the feds will hear.

But the carbon tax has increased, just like the cost of virtually everything has gone up. Canadians have grown increasingly frustrated.

My last month and a half was flooded with uncalled for, unconditional love and happiness.

No, I didn't fall in love. Nor did I have a child. Nor did I have any other major lifechanging experience, except for becoming a caregiver for a cute young pug.

Even though I've been a dog owner all my life and have had two serious full-time companions making my days more exciting for many years, this little four-pawed, shading, stinky, snoring and snorty ball of joy brought something very different into my routine.

Not only is Frank (a very serious name for a very funny creature) indeed a social dog, who wants to interact with people every minute of every hour, but he is also a small dog, which I've never really owned before. It's a dog that has a hard time staying on his own and even sleeping apart from people, but he is also a dog that naturally senses anxiety and stress and bumps up his therapeutic abilities to ensure I forget all worries.

Through the ages, people have claimed dogs as one of their closest, and best, companions. Yet, when I found myself in the office with little Frank sitting on my lap last week, I realized that we now put a different meaning into that claim.

Not that it was the first time I caught myself thinking about the role dogs play in many people's lives nowadays, but this new experience definitely made me re-evaluate this relationship from the inside.

The trend for developing deeper and closer relationships with dogs becomes more and more widespread as we progress. Dogs end up everywhere with us. We spend more and more money on them, and quite a few times, I've heard that people prefer dogs

And now we're looking at a 23 per cent increase? That's going to anger a lot of people, especially those in the lower-income brackets. With so many people now voicing their opposition, it seems the only ones who still support the carbon tax are the staunch environmentalist members of the party, and members of other parties who want to see really stringent measures put in place to reduce fossil fuel usage.

The government will tell you that most Canadians will get back more than they put in for the carbon tax. But there's a lot who pay more than they get back. And it's not just large polluters who lose money on this.

The carbon tax rebate cheques help people make ends meet, they still have to endure the higher cost of living for three months to get to the rebate cheques. For them, it's not easy. And it's going to be even more difficult with a 23 per cent tax increase.

We don't just feel the impact of the carbon tax with the price at the service station, although that is one problem area. We feel it at the grocery stores, the clothing retailers, the restaurants and anywhere else we have to pay for transportation costs to get goods to market.

It not only impacts the oil and gas sector, but it affects farmers, the trucking industry

over humans. But have you ever stopped to wonder why this phenomenon has become so prevalent in the 21st century?

Let's rewind a bit. Picture this: a time when dogs were mainly habituating in backyards or the confines of the home. Sure, even some 50 years ago, most of them were beloved companions, but their world was limited to the familiar sights and smells of their own territory. Fast forward to today, and you'll find dogs accompanying their humans on all sorts of adventures – from cross-country road trips to exotic vacations abroad.

I think my outsider's eye-opening moment happened when we were down south this winter, and I witnessed hundreds of tourists walking their dogs on Mexican beaches. Not one or even 10 families, but dozens of people brought their best friends south with them. That was something odd and new to see for me there, but at the same time, if we look around furry friends hang out in every other vehicle in Estevan as well.

We've always loved and needed our dogs, but not to today's level.

So, what changed? How did our canine companions go from backyard buddies to travel partners? Part of the change lies in the evolution of our relationship with them, as well as our own evolution. Probably the most dominant contributing factor is the evergrowing sense of loneliness that is spread through modern society.

Technology nowadays connects us

and so much more.

And it hinders our country's competitiveness. It makes it harder for Canada to attract businesses. If a company is looking to invest internationally, and if it's a close race between Canada and a country without the carbon tax, it will select the country without Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's "price on pollution".

The carbon tax increase also affects other levels of government that have higher fuel costs.

We can sit here and call on the government to withdraw this increase. and make life easier for all of us. But we know our cries won't be heeded.

The Conservative Party and its supporters can proceed with its Axe the Tax rallies, but the Liberals won't budge. At least not in the short term.

We know how people in rural Canada feel about the carbon tax. It should be gone. But we'll see if this is an issue for the next federal election in large urban centres.

Investing in projects that will actually reduce emissions would be a far better option.

Hopefully, this will be the last carbon tax increase in Canada for a long time to come. And hopefully one day it will become just a chapter in Canadian history.

more than ever, but paradoxically, many of us feel more isolated than previous generations. We're constantly bombarded with notifications and information of all sorts, yet genuine human connection often feels unreachable. Too often there is no time for good old face-to-face visits. And why, if you can Facetime?

But dogs, they are different. They have this natural ability to bridge that gap, offering companionship, loyalty and unconditional love in a way that few humans can match.

Think about it. When you come home after a long day at work, who's there to greet you with endless enthusiasm, tail wagging and everything else, as if it hasn't seen you in years? Your dog. When you're feeling down and out, who's there to cuddle up beside you, offering silent relief? Your dog. It's no wonder we've become so attached to them – they fill a void in our lives that we often don't even realize is there.

So why do we feel the need to take them everywhere we go? It's simple. Our dogs are more than just pets now; they're family. Dog moms and dads are not a figure of speech or a joke anymore. Our connection to our fluff balls is stronger than it's ever been. And just like we wouldn't dream of leaving a family member behind, we can't bear the thought of parting ways with our furry companions, even for a short time.

In a world where loneliness lurks around every corner, our dogs remind us that we're never truly alone as long as we have each other.

It's not just about the destination – it's about the journey, and who we choose to share it with. And for a lot of us now, that journey wouldn't be complete without our faithful canine companions by our side.

Arcola photographer bringing back Cancer Thrivers

By Stephanie Zoer

Arcola photographer Kennedy Tessier is continuing with her efforts to honour those battling cancer.

The disease hits close to home after her father died from a rare throat cancer in 2019, and her grandmother is a breast cancer survivor. Her motivation is to honour her father and make a positive impact in the lives of others who are affected by the disease.

Two years ago, she organized and hosted her first Cancer Thrivers event, and it will be held in Estevan on April 5. Through this event, Tessier found solace and purpose in supporting cancer survivors and raising awareness about the different forms of cancer.

With her commitment to giving back, Tessier and tattoo artist Bradon Bell will hold the event at Monarch Aesthetics’ Lounge at 901 13th Avenue in Estevan, giving a percentage to fighting cancer.

People can book their tattoo through Bell, but he also welcomes

walk-ins. Supporters will have the opportunity to adorn themselves with a unique design and simultaneously contribute to a great cause.

Bell is originally from Saskatoon and moved to Estevan 10 years ago. “I am excited to be part of this because it is an absolutely great cause,” said Bell.

According to Tessier, 50 per cent of her proceeds will go to fighting cancer.

Tessier has owned Wild Flower Photos for six years, and she will capture the essence of the event through the eye of her camera lens.

Her sessions of 60 minutes will have two meticulously-edited images included in the fee, creating a cherished keepsake of the day.

For three years, Tessier has held Cancer Warrior photo shoots. She embarked on this journey, fuelled by a desire to raise awareness for all cancers, but particularly breast cancer.

Another Cancer Thrivers event will be held in Regina on May 25 at

the Podium Executive Club. Cancer survivors courageously share their journey, and these narratives are transformed into videos and shared with the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency (SCA).

At this event, there will be speakers from SCA and other experts in cancer advocacy and patient support.

A complimentary photo shoot is offered to survivors, along with a care package for those attending, and a gift certificate from the photo shoot for later use.

Tessier hopes that these small gestures will uplift and support those going through their cancer experience.

It is her vision to expand the reach and scope of her event through partnerships with organizations that share her commitment to those with cancer.

Together she hopes to shine a light on the journey of those with this disease by offering support, hope and solidarity.

Drewitz dancers impress during jazz and tap exams

Students from the Drewitz School of Dance were recently tested in the Associated Dance Arts for Professional Teachers’ (ADAPT) syllabus jazz and tap examinations this past November and January.

Examiners for the No -

vember session were Jean Neveu and Gwen Bloom from Ottawa. January examiners were Ryan and Andrea Foley from Toronto. “Students work hard to achieve their goals and progress through the examination program,” the dance school said in a news release.

Results are as follows:

Tap exams:

Pre-junior tap: Highly commended plus – Mackenzie Mann and Brinley Wilson. Commended plus –Rylee Gallaway and Madelyn Grobbink.

Junior 1 tap:

Commended plus –Chloe Marsh.

Commended – Sawyer Zahn and Delaney Tamblyn.

Junior 2 tap:

Highly commended –Harper Eskra. Commended plus – Al ice Mowchenko. Commended – Lexey Lievaart and Eva Gedak.

Pass plus – Ivy Eskra.

Pre-intermediate 2 tap: Commended plus –Peyton Irwin and Brooke Dzeryk.

Commended – Syd ney Lainton, Sophia Fleck,

Rowyn Siever and Elliana Wiebe.

Pass – Rya Strilaeff.

Jazz exams: Pre-junior jazz: Highly commended plus – Claire Kwochka. Highly commended – Madelyn Grobbink and Mackenzie Mann. Commended plus –Rylee Gallaway and Johan Montecillo. Commended – Victoria Wock.

Pass – Brea Benning.

Junior 3 jazz: Commended plus – Aspen Mayuk. Commended – Ava Mann, Raelle Stenhouse and Coco Mercer.

Pass plus – Sierra Mantei, Kennady Poole, Summer Petersen, Sophia Deitz and Taylor Ellis.

Pass – Aubree Marchuk.

Pre-intermediate 2 jazz: Commended – Brooke Dzeryk and Tegan Mosley.

Pass plus – Sydney Lainton, Mckenna Sullivan, Payton Sernick and Elliana Wiebe.

Pass – Emma Morhart.

Pre-intermediate 3 jazz:

Commended plus –Layla Kitz.

Commended – Tyann Babyak, Peyton Irwin, Rowyn Siever, Sydney Ross and Sophia Fleck.

Pass plus – Aurora McCutcheon.

Pass – Rya Strilaeff.

Kennedy Tessier is a photographer who wants to help those who have battled cancer. Photo courtesy of Kennedy Tessier

Pre-intermediate 3 jazz dancers were, from left, Rowyn Siever, Tyann Babyak, Mercedes Irwin and Layla Kitz. Photo courtesy of Lorie-Gay Drewitz Gallaway

Estevan entrepreneur publishes first kids’ book

Kittelson noted.

By Ana Bykhovskaia

Estevan’s Daralee Kittelson, the owner and operator of Jewels and Jems Furniture and Interior Redesigns, has recently tried on a new project. Her first children’s book was just published, with the big announcement being made on March 25, and hardcopies coming available at Impressions Gift Co. in Estevan starting April 11.

Addie’s Enchanted Glasses is geared for kids ages four to eight, but it also carries a big message, and some takeaway information for everyone. It’s all inspired by a true story of a brave little girl.

Kittelson says she’s had thoughts of becoming a writer throughout her life, but didn’t proceed until the right story came around.

“I’ve always wanted to write a book. I wrote short stories and poems when I was younger, and I took journalism in university, so I always had that background,” Kittelson shared. “I just didn’t know what my book would be about. So, this book is loosely inspired by a real-life family member who was born with a visual impairment.” The illustrated children’s book is 30 pages long and tells the story of Addie, a fictional character who is visually impaired. The book follows Addie’s adventures and her search for ways to overcome her challenges. Additionally, the book aims to raise awareness about biofeedback therapy for visually impaired individuals. This treatment is available in a clinic located in Toronto and had a significant impact on the life of the main character’s real-life counterpart.

Hardly anyone, except for her closest family, knew that Kittelson was working on the book, and it came as a big surprise for the child who inspired it.

“I read it to the real-life girl myself the other day. And she knew it was her right away. She picked out small details that I included in the illustrations,” Kittelson shared. “Her reactions were really priceless when she figured out that the book was about her.”

The real-life transformations she witnessed inspired her and made her want to empower the little girl and also spread the word about the treatment.

“It wasn’t until she started going for her eye treatments that I found the narrative that I was looking for and started writing about her journey as the youngest person in the world to undergo this biofeedback treatment,”

“When she started this clinical trial, I witnessed firsthand the remarkable transformation in her vision after she did one round of the biofeedback treatment. So, watching her progress, I saw how the hurdles that she faced, the struggles … with her

confidence with her vision and the fact that she wears glasses. So, I decided to craft this narrative that would celebrate her incredible resilience but serve as empowerment for her and others that face similar challenges as young kids with disabilities,” Kittelson said.

“In telling the story, I wanted to emphasize that her visual impairment doesn’t define or limit her. It’s a testament to her strength. And I wanted to also shed light on the ground-breaking work of the doctors, who are pioneering this biofeedback treatment, and their dedication and innovation, and the importance of making people aware of the options for the visually impaired.”

She noted that in the book, there is a link to the University Health Network (UHN) where the treatment is done.

“I’ve included it, so people can read more information about the research that they’re doing and the biofeedback trial, and learn more about the foundation. And they can also donate on there.”

VILLAGE OF ROCHE PERCEE

Notice of Assessment

Notice is hereby given that the assessment roll for the Village of Roche Percee for the year of 2024 has been prepared and is open to inspection in the office of the assessor from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm on Fridays.

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

If you have any questions regarding your assessment, please contact Lyndon Stachoski at the Village of Roche Percee office located at 609 Birch Avenue Roche Percee, SK S0C 0M0 or by phone (306) 634-4661.

Any person who wishes to appeal against their assessment is required to file his or her notice of appeal along with the applicable fee of $150.00 with: Marlene Hassard Secretary, The Board of Revision, Box 149, Meota, Saskatchewan, S0M 1X0, by the 3rd day of May 2024.

Dated this 3rd day of April 2024.

Lyndon Stachoski Assessor

Biofeedback treatments were initiated for the girl in November, and Kittelson began working on her book in January. The writing process was quick, but she chose to self-publish, which always means a lot of work for the author.

“There was a lot of research that I had to do to decide what I was going to do. I had a few publishers interested in traditional publishing, but it potentially would take a long time, eight to 12 months at the earliest. So, given that I wanted to highlight the biofeedback treatment and give the book to [the real-life girl], I didn’t want her to be 10 when I gave it to her, so I published it myself,” Kittelson said.

“The past few months I have been down a rabbit hole of writing a manuscript, getting illustrations done, researching publishing a book, getting ISBNs so it’s a legit book – it’s been intense, but I am so happy with how it came out,” Kittelson shared

in her post, announcing the book’s release.

Receiving her first book felt “surreal”, and she and her family are proud of how it came out, she said. Kittelson also hinted that there might be a sequel to the book, inspired by another family member, coming in the future, but it hasn’t taken shape yet.

Addie’s Enchanted Glasses is currently available on Amazon in paperback and e-book formats, and will be available in paperback at Impressions Gift Co. in Estevan starting April 11. People can also pre-order signed copies now for pickup April 11 at jewelsandjemsfurnitureredesigns.com. Hardcover and paperback will also be available in the coming weeks in bookstores and retailers globally.

Follow Jewels and Jems Furniture and Interior Redesigns’ Facebook page for updates on potential author readings.

To learn more about biofeedback therapy, go to the UHN Foundation website at uhnfoundation.ca.

Report from the Legislature

March 28, 2024

The 2024-25 provincial budget was introduced on March 20 and includes a record budget of $3.3 billion for the Ministry of Education. This is an increase of 247.8 million or 8.8 per cent over last year to support Prekindergarten through Grade 12 schools, early learning and child care, and libraries.

Saskatchewan’s 27 school divisions will receive the largest-ever increase in school operating funding, totaling $2.2 billion. This is up $180 million or 8.8 per cent over last year’s budget.

The school division operating increase includes $35 million to support enrolment growth for the 2024-25 school year, as our communities across the province continue to experience unprecedented growth.

The budget includes $356.6 million for classroom supports, an increase of $45.6 million or 14.7 per cent, over last year. This includes ongoing funding for the Specialized Support Classroom and Teacher Innovation and Support Fund pilot projects.

School infrastructure continues to be a key priority. In addition to the $3.3 billion for the Ministry of Education is an investment of $216 million for school capital, an increase of $68.7 million or 46.6 per cent over last year.

An investment of $165.9 million will support ongoing projects across the province, including 11 new or consolidated school projects and three major renovations. A further investment of $8.8 million will fund planning for nine new schools and two new school renovations announced in this year’s budget.

The budget provides $12.8 million for minor capital renewal projects which will allow school divisions to address structural repairs and renovations and prolong the life of schools across the province. In addition, the budget commits $28.5 million for relocatable classrooms to help address enrolment growth. School capital projects ensure our schools continue to meet the needs of Saskatchewan students and families. Since 2008, the our government has committed approximately $2.4 billion toward school infrastructure projects, including 60 new schools and 30 major renovation projects with an additional five projects approved through the Minor Capital Renewal Program.

To further support Saskatchewan families, the budget provides $408.7 million for early learning and childcare. This includes an increase of $21.1 million for the Federal-Provincial Child Care Agreements. This funding continues to support child care at $10 per day for children under the age of six, which helps make Saskatchewan one of the most affordable places in Canada to live and raise a family. Our government is also committed to adding more regulated home-based and centre-based child care spaces in the province, creating more jobs for our growing province.

The budget also provides $11.6 million for Saskatchewan’s library system and $1.1 million for funded literacy organizations. Our government remains committed to investing in students, teachers and classrooms through the 2024-25 Provincial Budget. As I continue to represent you in the Legislature, I welcome your questions or comments. You can reach my constituency office at 306-634-7311.

Daralee Kittelson recently published her first children’s book.

Addie’s Enchanted Glasses is available for order through Amazon and will be available at Impressions Gift Co. starting April 11.

The United Way Estevan has started accepting applications for projects to be completed during its up -

coming Day of Caring on May 29. Speaking at the United Way’s annual general meet -

ing on March 27, committee co-chairs Shelly Veroba and Wendy Gustafson promoted the importance of the day. Gustafson described the Day of Caring as “probably one of the best days ever, besides our telethon”, which is held in October. She went on to say the Day of Caring is a great time to participate in the community.

“It’s an all-day project where we go into the community, and we help those that have projects or things that they’re not able to do on their own,” said Gustafson. “So, we need a lot of volunteers, and we also need people’s names who need

projects done.

“So, it takes a lot of involvement, but it’s been ex-

tremely successful. We’ve had lots of fun, we’ve helped a lot of people, and what we find, at the end of the day, those of you that have worked and have helped others, it’s almost more gratifying for those that have been involved doing the work than the ones that receive it, but it’s a winwin all around.”

Last year there were nearly 150 volunteers and 60 projects completed for individuals and organizations. Some of the tasks can be completed in the morning or the afternoon, and others will require work throughout the day. Potential projects include window washing, grass cutting, gardening and planting, indoor and outdoor cleaning, painting and more. Veroba marvelled at the number of projects that happen and how companies allow their employees to

spend the day volunteering.

Also, there are a lot people in the community who don’t have a lot of social contact, so Veroba said they have created sunshine baskets to be distributed to local residents.

“So, if you know that person who doesn’t really need anything but they just need a friendly volunteer to come and see them, we will send those people out for the Day of Caring,” said Veroba.

Sometimes an applicant will submit a project that would be too much for the Day of Caring volunteers, and the United Way will inform them, but the United Way will offer to complete some of the work.

May 15 is the deadline to volunteer or submit a project for the Day of Caring, so that the United Way has time to assign volunteers for all the work.

Natalie Vincent Dawn Hengen Kolleen Scholpp and Jackie Thul with Vermillion

took on one of the

during last year’s Day of Caring. File photo

MLA visits Estevan to read to children

By Ana Bykhovskaia

Estevan kids had a special visitor at the Estevan Public Library (EPL) on March 27.

Regina University MLA Aleana Young, who is part of the opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) caucus, is visiting Estevan on Wednesday. The day in the Energy City started with story time with a group of pre-school kids and their guardians. Young read The Gruffalo book to the kids, while EPL children’s program co-ordinator Tracey Mathieson, with the help of young listeners, made the plot come to life with little stuffed characters.

“We love our local library. It’s something we use a lot in our own constituency as well for community events. It’s a place where people are and I, as somebody with a young family, and Carla [Beck, NDP leader], who’s also a mom of three, both of us are such believers in the importance of early childhood and early literacy development. So, it [the visit to EPL] just seemed like a really great start to me,” Young said. Following the story time, Young, who has two young children, visited with the kids and their parents and talked to the library staff about their recent renovations, upgrades and programming.

Young, a “buddy MLA” for Estevan, said she works with many organizations and entities throughout the year and tries to come down at least once a year. After her visit to the library, she was to meet with Estevan city council and then with the Estevan Chamber of Commerce,

and also was supposed to meet with the RM. “I’m the official opposition critic for SaskPower, and for energy and resources, as well as jobs and the economy. So Estevan, in particular, is a community that I try and maintain relationships with and focus on. I talk regularly with people at Boundary [Dam], people in the energy sector, with mine workers, as well as small business owners in the community.”

Young noted that the provincial budget released a week earlier and its allocations for the southeast were an important part of the reason for her visit to Estevan.

“I’m doing some outreach and seeing how the community feels about the budget. I’ve had conversations with people, [and some of them] have been a little bit skeptical,” Young said. “It is an election year budget. Obviously, people in Saskatchewan are smart. They know electionyear budgets are special. But I think there’s been some questions surrounding this budget. “It is a deficit budget. The province is running a deficit of over $200 million. And I think there are some question marks around things like economic development, as well as particular local issues like the MRI for Estevan, which we’ve heard commitments to, but there was not actually any funding in the budget for it.

“So, the people I’ve spoken to in the community, I think, have some real questions about whether or not this budget was good for Estevan in particular.”

Young also commented on Estevan’s latest hot-button topic – the downtown revital-

ization project.

“I think main streets are critical to the heart of small cities in Saskatchewan. Everybody wants to see money put into infrastructure, whether it’s through maintenance, whether it’s through those projects, creating jobs. But we also know that people aren’t feeling better off now than they were five years ago,” Young said.

She cited the Angus Reid Institute’s recent poll that showed six out of 10 people are very worried about being able to pay their bills in Saskatchewan.

“I’m a small business owner myself, and when I talk to people in the small business community, people who really support that entrepreneurship, that economic development, they have a lot of concerns,”

Young said.

She noted that a number of small businesses closing in Saskatchewan is concerning.

“There’s a lot of good things to celebrate about the province and where things are going right now. But there’s a lot of economic insecurity. The job numbers from Statistics Canada, particularly the southeast corner of the province, show a net loss for the past five years of 600 jobs. That’s

600 fewer jobs than there were five years ago.

“And we’ve seen the economy shrink before, during and after the pandemic. So, while there’s a lot that’s going well, I think people are worried. People recognize that things are tougher than they were a couple of years ago, especially for entrepreneurs, especially for small businesses. Those concerns around increasing costs, whether it’s the carbon tax, whether it’s your power bill, whether it’s your transportation,

those are really impacting the ability of small businesses, that mean so much to the community, to keep the doors open,” Young said.

The 2024-25 budget and its impacts on the southeast, as well as economic development, economic concerns and positive news from the local business community, were to be discussed during Young’s Wednesday meetings in Estevan. Regina Rosemont MLA Trent Wotherspoon was planning to come to Estevan as well but had to cancel at the last minute.

MLA for Regina University Aleana Young visited kids at the Estevan Public Library for story time on Wednesday. Photo by Anastasiia Bykhovskaia

- ORPHEUM 110TH BIRTHDAY -

Free movies for all to celebrate Orpheum’s big 110

Estevan’s independent gem, the locally owned and operated Orpheum Theatre, is marking a big anniversary this year. This week the theatre will celebrate its 110th birthday.

To make it special for the community and to thank everyone for their patronage, Orpheum owners Jocelyn and Alan Dougherty curated a collection of classic movies and people’s favourites, which they will play April 5-7 at no cost to guests.

“I was trying to get a mixture, so that there’s a little bit of something for all ages. I wanted some animated and some comedies,” said Jocelyn.

“It was tough. It was a huge list. And then when I did get it narrowed down, not all of them were available either … in DCP [format], that’s what we work with, with our projectors … That’s a format for movie theaters, so they’ll look astonishing. I’m looking forward to it. Some of these are my favourites, so it’ll be nice to see them again.”

They decided to do something different from 10 years ago, when they celebrated the theatre’s centennial. Back then, they had movies from every decade and even some silent movies with live accompaniment. This time they decided to go with a variety of films from different decades featuring something for everyone in the community. Some of them they’ve played before, but others will make it to the Orpheum for the first time.

On Friday, April 5, the Orpheum is starting with Rugrats movie at 1 p.m.

“We played this movie the first year Alan and I bought the theatre in 1998,” Jocelyn shared.

The same day at 3 p.m. will be The SpongeBob SquarePants movie, which was first released in 2004 and is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.

Finally, at 7 p.m. the theatre will be showing all-time favourite Forrest Gump with Tom Hanks. The film is celebrating its 30th anniversary, Jocelyn noted. Friday will be the only day they will be showing the Oscar-winning flick.

All other movies have different times throughout the three days, so people have a chance to see every one if they so wish. The schedule is available in the accompanying ad in this week’s Mercury, online through the Orpheum’s website at orpheumtheatre.ca

The Orpheum Theatre in Estevan has a rich and extensive history. Locally owned and operated, the theatre will mark its 110th birthday this week with a great collection of free movies for the community. File photo

and on their social media.

The other movies Orpheum will play on Saturday, April 6, and Sunday, April 7, are:

•E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982);

•Back To the Future (1985) starring Canada’s Michael J. Fox;

•Wayne’s World (1992), starring Canadian Michael Myers; and

•Up in Smoke, the comic team of Cheech and Chong’s big screen debut (1978).

“It will be great seeing these movies on the big screen again. It will be amazing to hear some of

the soundtracks with our 7.1 surround sound. Forrest Gump has such great music throughout the entire movie and of course Bohemian Rhapsody in Wayne’s World,” Jocelyn said.

Besides a variety of free movies, the theatre will also be giving the 110th customer each day a “swag” bag with some promo items from several different movies and some movie gift certificates.

“[This is our way to say] thank you to everybody. It’s still a struggle keeping our doors open this past while between the pandemic and the strikes in Hollywood. We’ve had trouble finding or getting some content but hopefully that’s going to start changing more. But we’re keeping our doors open and want to thank everybody for their patronage. And here’s hoping the theatre sees another 110 years,” said Jocelyn.

The theatre will also be showing the new Godzilla x. Kong: The New Empire movie, but it will not be a part of the celebration collection and will not be free. They’ll have a matinee on Friday at 1:30 p.m., all seats are $9, and it will play at 7:30 p.m. every night all week at regular admission prices.

Flashback –April 9, 1997

The weather may have been cool in early April 1997, but that didn’t deter these three youngsters from trying to make a few dollars while enjoying a break from school. The youngsters were selling strawberry or grape Kool Aid for 10 cents a glass. From left, Janessa Halladay, 7, Jaclyn Johnston, 5, and Jessica Johnston, 10. Their business was located at the corner of Valley Street and 11th Avenue.

Roundtables to address a key business need

Community Futures

(CF) Sunrise will host workforce roundtables to address a key need identified by a recent business survey.

In a news release, CF Sunrise said it supports the development of the regional economy by supporting the growth and development of small businesses and communities. The organization announced the completion of its regional business survey, which was developed to help the organization better understand the current needs of the local business

City Hall: 1102 4th Street

community. This initiative is part of CF Sunrise's ongoing commitment to fostering economic growth and development in southeast Saskatchewan.

The survey, conducted over the past several months, has provided valuable insight into the challenges and opportunities facing local businesses. Among the key findings, issues related to workforce retention and recruitment emerged as prominent concerns for business owners in the region.

"The business survey is

8 am to 4:30 pm | (306) 634-1800

Leisure Office: 701 Souris Avenue

8 am to 4:30 pm | (306) 634-1880

an important tool to help our office understand the challenges faced by businesses within our region," said Christina Birch, regional economic development coordinator for CF Sunrise.

"The insights gathered from the survey help inform our programming and services, ensuring that we are effectively meeting the needs of business owners in our region.

"It is evident from the responses that workforce retention and recruitment is at the top of mind for many

business owners."

The survey results identified that 53 per cent of survey respondents are experiencing difficulty with employee recruitment, while at the same time, 30 per cent of respondents are having challenges retaining employees. In addition, 62 per cent of businesses anticipate future employee recruitment and retention challenges in the next three to five years.

In response to these findings, CF Sunrise is taking proactive steps to help address the identified needs

Mayor’s Message

The Strippers Hockey Tournament is this weekend

PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE OF ASSESSMENT

Pursuant to subsection 187(1) of The Cities Act, notice is hereby given that the assessment roll for the City of Estevan for the year of 2024, has been prepared and is open to inspection in the office of the Assessor from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on the following days: March 18, 2024, to April 17, 2024.

Bylaw No. 2023-2066 required under section 184(2) of The Cities Act has been passed and the assessment notices have been sent as required.

Any person who wishes to appeal against his or her assessment or classification to the Board of Revision is required to file notice of appeal with:

Secretary to the Board of Revision – City of Estevan 1102 Fourth Street Estevan, SK S4A 0W7

On or before 4:30 pm on the 17th day of April 2024.

For further information, please contact the Tax Department - City of Estevan (306) 634-1811.

Trina Sieben, Tax Assessor, City of Estevan

1.

2.

3.

Proposal Submission Requirements

Interested vendors must submit the following documents:

1. Company profile 2. Rate per hour 3. Equipment 4. Herbicide 5. Insurance Verification

Submission Deadline

All proposals must be submitted in writing by April 2, 2024, at 10:30 cst.

Emailed submissions will not be accepted. Late submissions will not be considered.

Proposal clearly marked – Herbicide application 3-year City of Estevan

Contact Information For inquiries and proposal submissions, Please contact Shannon Wanner, Parks Manager 1102 4th st., Estevan, Sk, S4A 0W7

306-634-1833 • s.wanner@estevan.ca – Inquires only.

Lowest or any quote not necessarily accepted

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

The Estevan Police Service offers a competitive salary and benefits package, ongoing professional development, and a range of career opportunities. Currently serving and trained Canadian police officers are encouraged to apply. All candidates must possess minimum qualifications, including the following:

• 18 years of age

• Grade 12 Diploma or equivalent

• Excellent physical condition and health with no medical conditions that would prohibit your ability to safely complete recruit training and perform all aspects of police work

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

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

of the business community. One such initiative involves the organization moving forward with a series of workforce roundtables.

"Building the future of our communities starts with understanding the present challenges," said Andria Brady, general manager of CF Sunrise. "Through our workforce roundtables, CF Sunrise aims to empower businesses to shape solutions that drive economic growth and foster thriving communities in southeast Saskatchewan."

"We recognize the vital role that businesses play in driving economic prosperity in our communities," said Birch. "The upcoming roundtables will provide business owners with an opportunity to work collaboratively, share insights and contribute to strategies that address workforce challenges in southeast Saskatchewan."

Birch encourages those who are interested in attending an upcoming roundtable to contact her directly at 306-861-7013 or by email at ecdev@cfsunrise.ca.

Ron Friess July 13th, 1950 - March 18th, 2024

On March 18th after a lengthy battle with Cancer, Ron passed away surrounded by his loving family. Ron was born to parent’s Jerome and Annamary Friess, July 13, 1950 in Estevan Saskatchewan. Ron is survived by his Wife, Darlene, his two Sons, Cale (Erika), Brooks (Emma), his two Granddaughters, Elena and Allie and his sister Sharon (Jim). Growing up in Estevan, Ron developed a great passion for playing baseball. When his sons were young, many family hours were spent at the rink and travelling around BC for hockey tournaments.

Mission Creek Golf Course, as

offs many days a week. He was an

When he wasn’t on the golf course, you

remembered as a loving husband, father, and Grandfather and will be greatly missed by so many. The family

and volunteers at the KGH

care Ron received during his fight with

Sharon Forrest 1952 - 2024 Sharon Ann Forrest (nee Semeniuk) passed away Sunday, March 24, 2024 with family by her side at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Estevan. She was 71 years of age. Sharon was predeceased by her husband George, parents, John & Patricia Semeniuk, George’s parents, Gerard and Alice

www. brydenconstruction andtransport.ca

I am currently PURCHASING

In 1950, before Alan Shephard became the first American in space, he was a fighter pilot aboard the USS Oriskany.

One night while cruising around the western Pacific, the radar operator spotted two unidentified aircraft and Shepherd was dispatched to go check them out. After strapping into his Banshee jet fighter, he launched, found the aircraft, and identified them as allies. That was the easy part.

Soon, bad weather rolled in, and Shephard found himself in heavy, driving rain. Unable to see and flying by his instruments, he headed home. Then his electrical equipment shut down.

Facing a dire situation, Shephard reverted to his training. When lost over open seas, pilots are taught to fly a square. Go so many minutes in one direction, turn ninety degrees and fly that same amount of time in that direction. Continue doing this until you complete the square. If you have not located

the aircraft carrier, begin flying larger squares until the target is found.

The rain made visibility so bad that he had to fly at a very low altitude, which meant that he was burning fuel at a tremendous rate. Time was running out. Just as he was preparing to face his fate and ditch his aircraft in the ocean, he saw a dim, red light just ahead of him. He knew immediately that it had to be the light from the destroyer that sailed on the port side of the aircraft carrier.

With what little fuel he had left, he pointed the jet to where he thought the landing strip should be and put his plane down with only seconds to spare.

Tim Pippus of the Estevan Church of Christ

It is not our job to save people. Jesus has provided everything for a safe spiritual landing. However, those around you could use a word of hope in times of trouble. They need grace when judgment is all around. They might be impressed by someone who does not just talk about Godly principles, but who tries to live them out.

It may not seem like much, but your actions can help people find their way home.

“You are the light of the world… let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16)

Alan Shephard was saved because he saw a light in the darkness.

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) seized a prohibited weapon and overcapacity magazines at the North Portal port of entry, according to a post made on their X account on March 21.

The Estevan Police Service members dealt with reports of a sexual assault, dog bite, scam and more on March 27.

An Estevan man was arrested and charged with sexual assault. He was released with conditions and a court date in May.

Police received a report of a man who was bitten by a dog while out walking. The man and the owner of the dog were both spoken to, and the matter is under investigation.

A woman was issued a seven-day driver's license suspension, and her vehicle was impounded for the same period

Officers seized one undeclared prohibited handgun, 22 over-capacity rifle magazines and one over-capacity handgun magazine from two travellers. The two people were fined and returned to the U.S. The CBSA

of time after a check stop where she tested positive for THC on the roadside screening device.

The same day, members received a report of fraud regarding a man who had provided money for an upcoming course. The man is trying to get his money returned but is unable to get a hold of the company. The matter is still under investigation.

Police also responded to a report of a large amount of junk and garbage located near an apartment complex in the central part of the city. The bylaw enforcement officer is to investigate the matter.

is reminding travellers entering the country to make sure they have the information they need before attempting to import items into Canada to avoid the possibility of penalties, including fines, seizure or prosecution.

The EPS apprehended three motorists for impaired driving – two of them for impairment by drug – on March 29.

A call through the Report Impaired Drivers line resulted in a 29-year-old man being charged with impaired driving and exceeding .08. He was lodged in cells until sober and then released with a court date in May.

A traffic stop resulted in a male driver testing positive for THC on a roadside screening device. He was issued a threeday driver's licence suspension and had his vehicle impounded for three days.

A traffic stop resulted in a male driver testing positive for THC on a roadside screening device. He was issued a 60-day driver's licence suspension and had his vehicle impounded for three days. He was also issued a ticket for having cannabis in a vehicle.

A male was arrested and charged with theft from a local business. He was released with a future court date.

The Estevan Police Service dealt with 31 occurrences from March 29-31. In addition to the March 29 incidents, there was one more drug-impaired driving suspension. A number of checks were done on individuals that are on release conditions. Charges of breach of conditions were done on one individual that was not compliant. Police also attended several well-being checks and requests for assistance over the weekend.

CBSA officers seized a prohibited handgun and magazines at North Portal. Photo sourced from the Border Services PRA X account

Bruins’ season ends in five-game loss to Melfort

By David Willberg

For the second straight season, the Estevan Bruins were knocked out of the SJHL playoffs in the first round.

The Melfort Mustangs defeated the Bruins 4-2 in Melfort on Friday night to win the best-of-seven quarter-final series in five games. Melfort won the first two games of the series, 5-1 on March 22 and 7-4 the following night. The Bruins recovered to take Game 3 4-3 on March 26, but Melfort won Game 4 5-2 the next night.

The teams were tied at 1-1 after two periods in Game 5, with Nolan Roberts scoring for the Mustangs and Zach Burfoot replying for the Bruins.

Cole Unger, Ryan Duguay and Aidyn Hutchinson tallied for the Mustangs in the third. Hutchinson’s marker was his seventh of the series.

Keagon Little rounded out the scoring for the Bruins when he scored with just over four minutes to play.

Jackson Miller stopped 28 shots for the Bruins, while James Venne made 34 saves for Melfort.

“They kept the puck out of their net more than we did,” said Bruins’ head coach and GM Jason Tatarnic. “That’s everybody’s responsibility on the ice, the goaltender, the defence and the forwards.”

The Mustangs were also better at even strength than the Bruins. Eight of the Bruins’ 13 goals in the series were with the man advantage.

“You have to be able to score even-strength goals to

By David Willberg

win in the playoffs,” said Tatarnic. There were moments in the games in which they played to their potential, which was encouraging for Tatarnic, but there were other times they needed more.

“At the end of the day, our work ethic was pretty good at times, and then when it wasn’t good it cost us goals against. That’s something you have to learn at this level is work ethic is the most important thing you can give, and that’s the first thing you have to give.”

The Bruins were down 3-0 late in the second period of Game 3, but they stormed back to tie the game with three power-play goals in the final five minutes of the middle frame, and then Little scored the winning goal on a power play with about five minutes remaining.

Blake Heward, Burfoot and Ilia Chmelevski had the Bruins’ other goals.

Zac Somers, Roberts and Logan Belton scored for Melfort. Belton’s goal was during a Bruin power play, and it came just before the Bruins started their rally.

Miller made 29 saves in the victory, including several in the final two minutes when Melfort pressed for the equalizer. Venne had 32 saves for the Mustangs.

Little said they knew they needed to play to their potential in Game 3 to rally for the victory. And they also knew Melfort would be even better in Game 4.

Once they scored the first goal, they were confident they could score again.

The condition of the ice plant at Oxbow’s arena and curling rink could impact the town’s winter sports offerings for next season.

In an interview with the Mercury and SaskToday, recreation manager Lane Nicholls and community development officer Treena Mohrbutter said when the town fired up the 37-year-old ice plant for the 2023-24 season, there were three leaks and a problem with the actuator, which cost $50,000 to repair.

When they shut down the plant following this season, they found two more leaks in the ice plant, which needs to be replaced.

“We’re looking at an 80 per cent chance that we’ll have natural ice next year, depending on where these leaks are actually located,” said Nicholls.

The arena and the curling rink share the ice plant, which has two sides and two compressors. Most of the time one compressor is needed, especially when it’s cold outside, but during warmer days, Nicholls said both compressors and both sides help each other out.

An ice plant has a life span of about 25 years, so Oxbow’s current unit has done well to hold on for this long. If they have to run natural ice next

“We have a group where we know we can score and come back, and we just had to keep positive and keep going,” said Little after the game.

As for Game 4, Melfort scored three times in the third period to break open a 2-2 game.

Chmelevski and Little accounted for the Bruins’ goals, as they scored 19 seconds apart in the middle frame.

Hutchinson scored twice for Melfort, and Chase FriedtMohr, Nolan Patterson and Duguay had their other goals.

Venne had 28 saves for Melfort, and Miller made 26 stops for the Bruins.

Eight members of the

Bruins are graduating from junior A hockey: goaltender Cam Hrdlicka; defencemen Felix Allard, Blake Heward and Luke Rybinski; and forwards Little, Burfoot, Owen Barrow and Zachery Burns.

Hrdlicka spent all three seasons of his junior A hockey career in Estevan and is the only goalie this century to spend three seasons with the Bruins. He didn’t play after Feb. 10 because he suffered a torn lateral collateral ligament and a meniscus in his knee.

“It was a pretty significant injury. We didn’t really get the details of it until … I’d say, probably three days before the playoffs,” said Tatarnic. There was hope, depend-

ing on rehab, that Hrdlicka might be able to return in the first round, but he wasn’t going to be back for several more weeks.

Miller started every game for the Bruins after Hrdlicka went down.

Little was this year’s captain and spent parts of four seasons with the Bruins. Tatarnic noted Little was playing Game 5 against Melfort despite battling an illness. Little finished second on the Bruins in points during the regular season and was tied for the team lead in scoring in the playoffs.

Those two players, along with Burfoot and Burns, were part of the Bruins’ SJHL

championship team in 2022. Burfoot and Burns rejoined the Black and Gold this season after playing elsewhere in 2022-23.

Barrow was in his second year with the club. Allard, Heward and Rybinski were in their first year with the Bruins.

Among those who are eligible to return next season, there are 11 players who will be 20 years old. SJHL teams can dress eight 20-year-olds, so the Bruins will have some decisions to make. Some older recruits might also be brought in.

“We definitely have decisions to make, and there’s no timeline on those decisions for us,” said Tatarnic.

arena and curling rink need new ice plant

season, Nicholls said it means curling likely wouldn’t be offered.

The town is waiting to get the system pressurized to determine exactly where the leaks are located. If the issues are in a copper line rather than a main component, it would be an easier fix, and they could cut the lines out and replace them.

“If it’s in our condenser, then we’ll be natural ice. Our condenser’s already been repaired three or four times. It’s a $120,000 part. If that’s the case, then it’s done and we’d be looking at natural ice,” said Nicholls.

During the 2023-24 season, there were some “touch-and-go moments”, Nicholls said, especially when temperatures warmed up in late January. Curling had to be cancelled for one night because the ice plant couldn’t keep up. There was also a Big Six Hockey League game that was at risk of being postponed due to warm weather affecting the ice.

This season the town had seven minor hockey league teams, the Oxbow Huskies’ Big Six Hockey League team, figure skating, rentals most weekends and public skates for the arena; and two leagues and youth activities for the curling rink.

“It’s busy pretty much every day straight from when school’s done until 11 o’clock at night,” said Nicholls.

The community has raised about $183,000 for the new ice plant, which has a price tag of $700,000. It would be a “green option” that would save operating costs during the season and create more grant opportunities.

The Oxbow Recreation Board has donated all of the funds from its Chase the Ace fundraiser. The oilmen’s

committee provided $15,000, the RM of Moose Creek gave $10,000 and Vermilion Energy donated $5,000.

The rink board has hosted numerous fundraisers.

A supper and dance on May 3 will happen at the arena. Country music act Quinton Blair will perform. Tickets are $70 each and there will be tables of eight available. Proceeds will go to the ice plant replacement.

Mohrbutter also noted they have an autographed Tanner Jeannot hockey stick for a draw. Jeannot is an Oxbow hockey product currently playing for the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning. Tickets are $20 each and 200 tickets are available. “They’ve been doing lots and lots of fundraisers,” said Mohrbutter.

The town is also applying for a grant through the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Green Municipal Fund for a community building retrofit.

Earlier this year, Oxbow submitted a bid for the Kraft Hockeyville contest, and while it wasn’t selected as one of the four finalists, Nicholls said they received a lot of community support, as their bid was among the national leaders for photos, videos and comments.

“I think it helped not only in our

community, but in all of the surrounding communities as well to know how dire it was,” said Mohrbutter.

“The nice thing about Kraft Hockeyville is even though we didn’t make the top four, all those stories that the community puts up there just reinforce the fact of how important the ice plant and the rink and curling are to the community, and how much of a necessity it is that it’s up and running for next season or longer.”

Once they have the money, it will take about eight to 12 months for the installation process to be completed. If they reach their goal by the end of this year they hope to have the plant installed for the 202526 season.

If Oxbow uses natural ice for next season, and if the temperatures are similar to the winter of 202324, then they likely wouldn’t start until December. Teams would have to practise and have early-season games elsewhere. Big Six teams can’t play on natural ice, he said, so they would have to play elsewhere. These changes would impact revenues for the concession, which would in turn hurt the fundraising.

Updates on the ice plant replacement fundraiser can be found on the town’s website at oxbow.ca.

Alex Papaspyropoulos cuts in past a Melfort defender during Game 3 at Affinity Place.

The ice plant in Oxbow’s arena is in need of replacement. Photos by Lane Nicholls

Oxbow’s arena is used by minor and senior hockey teams, figure skaters and more.

Estevan Strippers celebrating milestone edition of Spring Bust Tournament

By David Willberg

The largest recreational hockey tournament in Saskatchewan is going to celebrate a milestone this year.

The 40th annual Estevan Strippers' Molson Spring Bust Tournament will take place from April 3-7. Games on the first two days will take place at Affinity Place and the Power Dodge Arena, and then those two venues and the Bienfait Memorial Arena will host games on the third day.

For the second straight year, 36 teams will compete in the tournament. There will be 14 teams in each of the men's over-45 and over-30 divisions, as well as eight women's teams.

"Swing on down to the rinks, whether you're in Bienfait or in Estevan," said Steve Godfrey with the Strippers' tournament committee. "If you ever want to watch a bunch of people have fun playing hockey, this is the tournament to do it at, because we have no scouts in the stands, we don't have anything [on the line]. We're just out there

having fun."

Beer gardens will be set up at the Power Dodge Curling Centre all five days. Cabarets will take place on April 5 and 6, with Crossroads playing on April 5 and Third Degree Birnz the next night.

"It's free to the public and there's no cover charge," said Godfrey.

Everybody he has talked to about the tournament is looking forward to this year's edition.

There are some changes for this year. The Oldest Player Award has been named after Frank John, who was a big part of the Estevan hockey community for more than seven decades. John won the award the second year it was offered; a player can win the award only once.

"Frank was one of the founders [of the Strippers] and he played to a notorious [age]," said Godfrey. "I don't know how old he was in the last year, but I think he was in his 80s the last time he played. We had the oldest player [award], but we thought it was fitting to rename it after him, because he loved to

play the game and he played it longer than anyone I ever knew."

Also, there is a slightly different logo on the souvenir they give to the players each year. They're also having live music each night at the cabarets as opposed to live music one night and a DJ the other.

The tournament is a valuable fundraiser for the community. Since 1997, the Strippers have donated more than $230,000 to a wide variety of organizations. In 2023, they donated $10,250, and they have supported a couple of causes already this year.

"This is a great benefit to the community, and the only way we can do it is with the community support we receive," said Godfrey.

The cabarets are always a big fundraiser for the tournament. There will be a silent auction with several items for people to bid on.

The tournament also has a significant economic spinoff. At least half of the teams come from out of town and will spend two nights in local hotel rooms. Their players will be eating at restaurants and pubs.

"All of the hotels I talk to, they really love the people because they come and hang out and have fun. It's always a good crowd. I think the economic spinoff for the community is really good, and the spinoff for the charities and the groups that the Strippers help out is good," said Godfrey. SaskToday.ca will have updates from the tournament.

Strippers finish first at North Dakota tournament

Members of the Estevan Strippers hockey club were recently at the Barons tournament in Grand Forks, N.D., and took top spot in the division for

teams with an average age of at least 50 years.

In their opening game, the Strippers defeated Bemidji 3-1. Brennan Wrigley, Wade Young

and Stephen Terrett were the goal scorers. Their next game was a convincing 9-2 victory over the Soul Stalkers. Wrigley, Young and Terrett each scored twice, while Chris Terrett, Karl McKenzie and Warren Waldegger also scored.

In their third game, the Strippers lost 5-4 to the Bushwackers. Stephen Terrett, Kevin Kuntz, Young and Waldegger had the goals.

The Strippers and the Bushwackers met again in the A final, and this time the Strippers won 5-1. Young scored twice, while Waldegger, Chris Terrett and Tony Sernick had the other goals. Jody Waloshin was in goal for all four games.

The Estevan Strippers Molson Spring Bust Tournament will bring five days of hockey. File photo

Andrew Smoliak with Baker Hughes, left, and Rick Rohatyn with the Estevan Strippers, right, present a cheque for $2,000 to Chantel Rubletz with the City of Estevan for the parent-tot skate program.

Members of the Estevan Strippers were, back row, from left, Warren Waldegger Chuck Dzuba Steve Godfrey Wade Young Karl Mackenzie Brennan Wrigley and Kevin Kuntz. Front row, Tony Sernick Sean Garagan Stephen Terrett Jayson Howden Chris Terrett and Jody Waloshin. Photo courtesy of Steve Godfrey