Estevan Mercury 20240501

Celebrating our businesses.

Best of Estevan 2024 results run in

Sections B and C.

More development.

DEEP announces a greenhouse project for the southeast

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Learning about recreation. The first Southeast Summit details revealed.

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 2024

By Ana Bykhovskaia SASKTODAY.ca

Oxbow won’t soon forget April 24 and 25, the days when the community was shaken by a tragedy.

An increased police presence was the first sign that stirred the community last week.

A news release by the Saskatchewan RCMP on April 25 stated that the Carlyle RCMP detachment received a report of a potential homicide on April 24. The Saskatchewan RCMP Major Crimes Unit took control of the investigation and began working to confirm this information, including an initial investigation at the Oxbow landfill, where no human remains were located, said the RCMP in the press release.

Oxbow on April 25. The next day, as a result of continuing investigation, the RCMP said Taylor Japp, 24, of Oxbow was charged with seconddegree murder.

He made his first appearance in Regina Provincial Court on April 29, which was adjourned to Provincial Court in Carlyle on May 1 at 10 a.m.

A GoFundMe campaign was started by Oxbow’s Kalika Chicoine on the evening of April 25, to help Hayes’ family. Hayes had young children. Jade Moncrief listed is the beneficiary of the fundraiser, which aims to raise $20,000 for the family.

woman

As a result of the continued investigation, a woman was located deceased in a rural location in the RM of Moose Mountain around noon on April 25. The following day, the RCMP said the victim had been identified as 28-year-old Brianna Hayes from Oxbow. Her family has been notified and Southeast Regional Victim Services has been made available to them.

Recognizing the best.

Women of Distinction Awards nominees profiles can be found on

PAGES A8 - 11

Changes in leadership.

ECS announces hiring of new vice-principal.

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Hayes’ death has been ruled as a homicide.

As a result of continued investigation, the RCMP initially announced that 27-year-old Tyler Shaw from Gainsborough was arrested and charged with accessory after the fact to murder.

Shaw appeared in Regina Provincial Court by phone on April 26. The Crown opposed release, and Shaw has been remanded to his next court date on May 9 at 9:30 a.m. in Estevan Court of King’s Bench for a bail hearing.

A second adult male was also taken into custody in

“My name is Kalika Chicoine, I am a long-time friend of Brie,” Chicone wrote on the campaign page. “As many of you know we are saddened to announce the passing of Brie Hayes. We are starting this GoFundMe to help the family with funeral costs and any other expenses that they may have at this time. Any donations will be greatly appreciated. Thank you to everyone in advance.”

To contribute to the fundraiser, go to www.gofundme. com/f/brie-hayes.

A southeast Saskatchewan business also has stepped forward to support Hayes’ family.

S&C Detailing announced in a post on its Facebook page that it would donate 50 per cent of proceeds from its quick or full vehicle cleans from April 29May 4 to the family. The offer includes gift cards purchased during this time.

The money will be put towards anything they currently need.

The company noted it has been in contact with a good friend of Hayes who has contacted the family to

approve this fundraiser.

“I would love to work on as many as I can, rain or shine, to fundraise the most I can for her family,” said Chelsea Reykdal, who owns the business with her fiancé Sawyer Conrad.

The post noted that Hayes was a big supporter of the business in its early years, when Reykdal was just starting out. Hayes would often tag her on Facebook when Hayes saw people looking for detailing work.

“I wish I could tell her how appreciative I was for that, and that’s how I knew her – a kind soul that would do something as simple as tagging my name,” said Reykdal.

It is because of people like Hayes that the business grew, Reykdal said.

In light of the recent tragedy, the Envision Counselling and Support Centre announced a crisis and counselling come-and-go event in Oxbow to take place on May 2 from 5-7 p.m. For more information, contact Envision offices.

An increased police presence was observed in Oxbow since April 24 and it continued in the town, as well as at the White Bear First Nations and the RM of Moose Mountain while the investigation was ongoing last week.

Various rumours were spreading in the community, with some spilling online over the first 24 hours as the investigation into what happened

was ongoing. The RCMP reported that they’ve received media inquiries about the investigation, including requests to confirm that they located human remains before they did, and to confirm they were investigating a homicide before their investigators gathered the evidence to confirm it.

“It’s important for the public to understand that there are situations where we must temporarily hold back information to maintain the integrity of an investigation and to ultimately work to seek justice for victims of crime,” said the RCMP in the press release. “Generally speaking, whenever possible we also prioritize ensuring a victim’s loved ones are updated and provided support before publicly releasing information about their injury or death.

“As always, if we determine an imminent public safety risk exists, we will notify the public immediately,” the RCMP said.

The Saskatchewan RCMP’s Major Crimes Unit continues to investigate. They ask anyone with information about Hayes’ death, or who interacted with her from April 22-24, to report it by calling 310RCMP. Information can also be submitted anonymously by contacting Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers at 1-800222-TIPS (8477) or www. saskcrimestoppers.com.

The Mercury and SaskToday will continue to follow the situation.

Brianna Hayes of Oxbow was killed last week, the RCMP continues the investigation. Photo sourced from Facebook

CCS at Boundary Dam has best three-month stretch

By David Willberg

The carbon capture and storage (CCS) facility at SaskPower’s Boundary Dam Power Station is coming off of its best three-month stretch ever.

According to information released by the Crown corporation on March 25, the CCS project captured 240,515 tonnes of carbon dioxide from Jan. 1-March 31. The previous-best total was in the first three months of 2018, when 229,481 tonnes of CO2 were captured.

“It’s been an ongoing success. We’ve been building towards it for some time, really just understanding the chemistry if you will, with some slight improvements on the chemistry side, understanding the maintenance requirements,” said SaskPower vice-president of generation Howard Matthews.

“I put it down to really the dedication and hard work of the entire team, both on BD3 (Boundary Dam Unit 3) and on the CCS plants, just working really hard to maximize the production out of the facility.”

SaskPower has learned

how to manage the longstanding amine degradation issue. Matthews said the Crown corporation needed to learn how it happens, how quickly it occurs and how it can be minimized to maintain the reliability of the facility and keep costs as low as possible. The company will always look to find improvements on that front, he said. “I’m not sure how much more gains we’ll find. We’ve come a long ways with it, but we’ll always strive to do better,” said Matthews.

On March 22, thanks to the first-quarter results, the CCS facility eclipsed another milestone, with six million tonnes of CO2 captured. It has kept 6,028,768 tonnes of CO2 from entering the Earth’s atmosphere since it came online in October 2014.

During the first quarter of 2024, CCS was available 96.1 per cent of the time, which exceeds the target of 75 per cent, while Unit 3 was available 96.6 per cent, more than the expectation of 80 per cent. Unit 3 can produce power without the CCS facility being online, but CCS cannot function when Unit

3 is down.

There were eight outages during the opening quarter for various minor mechanical issues, with the outages ranging in length from less than two hours in early March to 70 hours in late February.

“Tube failures happen from time to time,” said Matthews. “It’s not unusual. We’ve seen really good performance across our entire coal fleet in terms of very few boiler tube failures, but they do happen from time to time.”

While online in the first quarter, the CCS facility had a daily average capture rate of 2,892 tonnes, with a peak oneday capture of 3,047 tonnes.

Unit 3 had an emissions intensity of 330 tonnes of CO2 per gigawatt hour, below the carbon tax threshold of 549.1 tonnes. The facility has been below the threshold for at least the last five quarters.

“It averages out over time. For instance, when you’re starting BD3 up until CCS comes online, you do emit more … of course, because CCS takes a little bit more to start up to heat things up,” said Matthews. “The important thing here, though, is the aver-

age over time is well below the required limit.”

There are no shutdowns planned for the CCS facility from April to June.

The associated acid plant at Boundary was available 74.8 per cent of the time, exceeding the target of 70 per cent. It’s the highest number since the first quarter of 2023, when it was online for more than 80 per cent of the time.

The plant produced 1,502 tonnes of sulphuric acid from Jan. 1-March 31, the best

output in the past five quarters.

The objective is 1,250 tonnes for a three-month span. SaskPower uses some of the acid at its facilities, but much of it is sold into the market.

“We’ve come a long ways on the acid production as well. It’s very important when we produce that acid, it’s a very tight spec right down to its colour, in fact, and it’s taken a lot of good, hard work to get that acid down to spec,” said Matthews.

When the CCS facil -

ity was announced in 2011, it was touted as potentially capturing one million tonnes of CO2 per year. Once SaskPower had some experience with the facility and a greater understanding of maintenance requirements, that target was adjusted to 800,000 tonnes. The record for the plant is 792,809 tonnes in 2016.

“We won’t be happy even with 800,000,” said Matthews. “We’ll continue to expand on that as much as we can, to capture all we can.”

Remaining charges stayed against Joshua LeBlanc

Charges have been stayed in the case of Estevan's Joshua Regis LeBlanc, nearly two years after he was arrested. Charges were stayed on April 16 against LeBlanc, who had been facing one count each of sexual assault and sexual exploitation. The case was scheduled to go to trial before a judge in Estevan Court of King's Bench in October.

"Mr. LeBlanc has always maintained that the allegations against him were untrue and he is pleased that the Crown has directed a stay of proceedings to the charges against him," stated an email from his legal counsel Darren Kraushaar. "He is looking forward to moving on and appreciates the support of family and friends who have stood by him throughout this process."

Crown prosecutor Bryan Carter said they are required to evaluate charges throughout all stages of a criminal prosecution to determine whether the charges continue to meet the necessary standard. He added this involves considering a twopart test: is there a reasonable likelihood of conviction, and is it in the public interest to proceed.

"In Mr. LeBlanc's case,

the Crown determined that there was no reasonable likelihood of conviction," Carter wrote. "Accordingly, it was my duty to terminate the prosecution by entering a stay of proceedings."

Estevan Police Service Deputy Chief Warren Morrical said the EPS is aware that the charges against LeBlanc have been stayed, but he could not provide any additional comments at this time.

LeBlanc was arrested by the Estevan Police Service in May 2022. At the time, he was charged with sexual assault, sexual exploitation and one count of luring a child under the age of 18 – a charge that he was not standing trial for. He has had numerous court appearances, and a preliminary hearing was held in August 2023. At that time, the case was moved from Estevan Provincial Court to Court of King's Bench. The trial date was scheduled during a court appearance in January.

A stay of proceedings means the charges are effectively put on hold. The charges can still be brought back within one year.

Southeast Saskatchewan residents were treated to a blast from the past on Monday, as the 2816 Steam Train, known as the Empress, rolled through the region through the CPKC Last Spike Tour. While the train didn't stop in Estevan, it still drew a lot of people who wanted to view this link to the past. Byron Fichter Fotography captured this picture near the Shand Power Station. The Empress has been travelling throughout North America, with its journey starting in Calgary on April 24. It will wrap up in Mexico City in May. There have been public events in some communities, including Moose Jaw and Minot. Additional photos and a video can be seen on our provincial news hub at SaskToday.ca.

The CCS facility at Boundary Dam captured 240,515 tonnes of CO2 in the first three months of the year. File photo

| Wednesday, May 1, 2024

Geothermal facility announces agreement with Vancouver greenhouse company

Deep Earth Energy Production (DEEP) has reached an agreement with a Vancouver-based company that will create jobs for people in the southeast.

DEEP and Oppy, a leading grower, marketer and distributor of fresh produce out of Vancouver, announced on April 23 a partnership to establish an integrated greenhouse in conjunction with DEEP’s geothermal project in the Torquay area.

According to a news release, this collaboration symbolizes a significant step forward in combining sustainable energy and agriculture practices in the country. DEEP is set to develop Canada’s first-ever geothermal power facility.

Kirsten Marcia, the former Estevan resident who is the founder, president and CEO of DEEP, said the company has said for a couple of years that it would like to attract a greenhouse developer to utilize its excess heat at the geothermal facility.

Marcia noted that a year ago, Ashley Drobot, who is in charge of DEEP’s business development, went to a large produce convention to meet

with people. It resulted in the beginning of the relationship with Oppy.

“Since then, we’ve spent time with Oppy down at the site, looking at the potential positives, looking for any potential negatives at that location, and … both sides are mutually comfortable to announce this partnership, and to proceed into the development of this facility,” said Marcia.

The greenhouse will represent an additional revenue stream for DEEP, and Marcia said it could be a large employer for southeast Saskatchewan. The facility would encompass approximately 20 acres and operate throughout the year.

“The downside to geothermal power generation is that once it’s up and running, it doesn’t require a lot of people, so from an employment standpoint, this greenhouse can have a significant path for employment,” said Marcia.

She noted Oppy will likely be growing tomatoes on the vine.

In addition to the growing operations, there would be the packing, transportation, and marketing and sales

components.

The geothermal facility produces fluids at 120 C, she said. Once they’re finished removing the heat for power generation, the fluid is then put in the ground at 65 C, which Marcia said is still very hot.

“So, there’s a direct heating application to heat the greenhouse from our waste heat out of the facility,” said Marcia.

Marcia described Oppy as a significant player in North American produce marketing and distribution. They own and operate their own greenhouses so they bring “an enormous amount” of expertise to the project.

“Ultimately, DEEP would never be able to do this on its own. DEEP does not have greenhouse expertise, so in order for this to be a success, we need to partner with the experts.”

In a news release, Oppy said it is thrilled to collaborate with DEEP.

“By integrating a greenhouse into their facility, we’re not only promoting local Canadian produce but also reducing environmental impact and food miles. This partnership symbolizes the

future of farming, aligning with Oppy’s commitment to innovative practices,” said Oppy category director of greenhouse Kevin Batt. Marcia said DEEP is looking forward to beginning construction on this project once construction financing is secured. It will take an estimate 18 months to build.

If DEEP secures the financ -

ing soon, Marcia is hopeful geothermal production could begin before the end of 2025. She noted that Schlumberger has provided a report that says DEEP’s first 30 megawatts to the thermal field will generate power for 40 years. The report was required to complete construction financing.

“That was that third-

party sign-off by an international company, and of course all of the work and all of the drilling and testing that we did to date led to the requirement for that report. So that was a major, major milestone for us,” Marcia said. DEEP has also announced a partnership with Ormat as its power generation technology provider.

Cornhole tournament a big fundraiser for EPYC

The Estevan Public Youth Centre (EPYC) received excellent support for its annual cornhole tournament on Saturday at the Wylie-Mitchell Building.

Twenty-four teams entered the tournament. Games were played throughout the afternoon and evening, as each team was guaranteed at least three games.

The Backyard Boyz defeated the Killer Bs in the A final, while the Chiller Whales won the B event.

The Dashing Divas took home the award for the bestdressed team.

The Saskatchewan Cornhole Association helped with the setup and execution of the competition.

“I consider it another successful event, and the teams that were entered had a great time. I’m looking forward to next year,” said EPYC executive director Merissa Scarlett.

The people who turned out had a lot of fun, she said. Some of the teams showed up in matching outfits and costumes. Scarlett noted

some of the spectators said they looked forward to entering next year.

Supper was served by Black Beard’s Catering. Drinks were served throughout the day, with the Estevan Kinette Club – who sponsored the event – working the bar. DJ Angela supplied the music during the tournament and at a cabaret that followed.

Scarlett estimates close to 100 people were in attendance, including competitors, volunteers, spectators and people who showed up for the cabaret.

A final tally for the amount of money raised was not immediately available, but Scarlett said the event brought in more money than last year, when it generated approximately $6,000.

“We’re definitely looking forward to doing it again next year. It will be our annual event,” said Scarlett.

“It will definitely be with the cabaret. That was a new addition this year; it was [added at the] last minute. I think we will be pushing to

add that next year and just grow this event even further. The more teams we get, the more fun we can have, and I’m looking forward to it for years to come.”

The tournament was

part of what will be a busy stretch for EPYC. The centre will reopen on May 2, after being closed since midMarch due to a staffing and volunteer shortage.

Scarlett, who started

with EPYC on April 9, is looking forward to meeting the young people, families and others. She met some at EPYC’s recent clothing sale.

“It was really nice just to get some names to faces.

I saw some of the names on our sign-in sheets, and meet some of the parents who came in, too. So, I’m really excited to just see who comes out and what they want out of the centre.

“For me, the youth centre should be very much youth-led, and I will be trying ideas out, but at this point, what I want from the youth, too, is for them to give me that feedback on what they want to see in the centre as well, because it’s their space and I want to make it comfortable for them.”

The first day will have typical after-school hours from 3:30-6 p.m., and then May 3 and 4 it will be open from 5:30-10:30 p.m.

Scarlett said they have some work remaining in the centre to make it welcoming to the youth.

They will also relaunch their programming calendar this week. They have some activities coming, she said, including a couple of workshops with the youths through the Estevan Art

and Museum.

Gallery

Deep Earth Energy Production’s new geothermal facility has reached another milestone. Photo courtesy of DEEP

Teams took aim at the target during the Estevan Public Youth Centre’s annual cornhole tournament on Saturday.

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The milestones are being reached more rapidly, but it doesn’t make them any less impressive.

The carbon capture and storage facility at SaskPower’s Boundary Dam Power Station has now captured over six million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) since coming online in October 2014, according to the latest quarterly report issued by SaskPower last week.

Boundary Dam cleared the five million tonne threshold in early January 2023 and reached six million tonnes on March 22, a span of about 14 1/2 months. To put it in perspective, it took roughly 99 months to get to the first five million tonnes of CO2.

It’s a reflection of the improvements that SaskPower has made on the world-leading CCS project and the potential of CCS.

It hasn’t always been easy for CCS at Boundary Dam. Then again, it’s never easy when you try to change the world. The CCS project has had the ups and downs of a roller coaster.

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All of the Estevan Mercury’s content is protected by Canadian Copyright laws. Reviews and similar mention of material in this newspaper is granted on the provision that The Estevan Mercury receives credit. Otherwise, any reproduction without the permission of the publisher is prohibited. Advertisers purchase space and circulation only. Rights to any advertisement produced by The Estevan Mercury, including artwork, typography, photos, etc., remain the property of this newspaper. Advertisements or parts thereof may not be reproduced or assigned without the consent of the publisher.

There were the early days when CCS was the darling of energy and technology groups around the world, but the technology was constantly struggling to remain online, creating all sorts of ammunition for critics.

In 2016, the facility actually had its best year to date, keeping 792,809 tonnes of CO2

Saskatchewan recently found itself on both ends of the spectrum in a recent ranking.

Regina International Airport (YQR) was labelled as the second-worst airport in Canada, while Saskatoon claimed the top spot, according to a study released in mid-April.

With just one lounge available to passengers and an overall score of 22.36, Regina narrowly edged out New Brunswick’s Saint John Airport (YSJ) by a mere 0.28 points. The lowest-ranked airport in the ranking, St. John lacks airport lounges and offers only one dining facility, the researchers noted.

In contrast, Saskatoon’s John G. Diefenbaker International Airport (YXE) was hailed as Canada’s best, scoring 72.11 points. Notable features include proximity to 15 hotels within a two-mile radius, and access to 24 destinations serving approximately 930,000 passengers annually. Surprisingly, despite its impressive statistics, I have yet to experience it. Have you?

The study evaluated all 25 operating airports across Canada, grading each destination based on six determining factors to assign a score out of 100. Alongside the outlined factors, which seemed to worsen the score for Regina and other low-ranking airports, such as the number of lounges and nearby hotels, the study, conducted by CasinoHunters, considered criteria such as the number of outbound direct flight destinations, dining facilities, on-site car rental companies and operating airlines. Lounges, dining facilities and hotels were evaluated relative to the annual passenger traffic at each airport.

For context, Quebec City’s Jean Lesage Airport claimed the second position, Toronto’s Pearson International Airport secured sixth place, followed by Montreal’s Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport and Vancou-

from entering the Earth’s atmosphere. It appeared the record would fall in 2018, thanks to a sensational opening quarter, but then a freak June storm hit the Estevan area and knocked Unit 3 offline for months. When Unit 3 is down, CCS goes down with it.

(You can criticize Boundary Dam for its early production woes, but if you need to use a severe thunderstorm, you’re reaching).

In the second half of 2021 and into early 2022, there were prolonged outages that kept the CCS facility offline. But since returning to service in early 2022, it’s been prolific, capturing 749,035 tonnes in 2022 and 786,540 more last year.

In addition to clearing six million tonnes of CO2 in March, the CCS facility had its best three-month performance yet to open 2023, capturing 240,515 tonnes and eclipsing the previous record of 229,000 tonnes set in 2018.

Boundary Dam checked every possible performance box in that first quarter, from time spent online to emissions intensity. Even the connected sulphuric acid plant put up stellar numbers for the first three months.

Those who were hoping that Boundary Dam would spawn the use of CCS in other coal-fired generating stations were disappointed. Right now, it remains a global stand-alone. A technological marvel that has

ver International Airport. Winnipeg’s James Armstrong Richardson Airport ranked ninth, while Calgary landed in 11th place. Fredericton emerged as the third-worst airport in the ranking.

Despite Regina’s airport not being the most impressive, there are several aspects that I, as a consumer, have always appreciated about it.

Firstly, its simplicity stands out. While travel is second nature to me, many find airports daunting. However, Regina Airport’s compact layout eliminates any chance of getting lost in its small and cozy confines.

Secondly, the waiting times in Regina are noteworthy. I’ve only experienced a people jam at the Regina airport once, and even then, the wait was under 30 minutes. In contrast, major hubs have subjected me to security screening lines exceeding an hour, something indeed nerve-wracking with short layovers. Even the full check upon departure in Regina was not more than five minutes, while elsewhere I had it last for a good 15 minutes or more. (All that allows me not to waste hours upon hours when travelling through Regina.)

Thirdly, while having only one lounge, Regina’s airport offers several eateries and convenient amenities, including a green petwalking area and private office-style booths for important calls. There’s not much to do, but it covers the essentials—grabbing a meal or a drink to calm those nerves, shopping, or catching up on work.

ultimately proven itself reliable and proficient in the fight against climate change, but it remains the only one of its kind in the world.

SaskPower still gets global interest and requests for tours from those who want to see it, but nobody has stepped forward to replicate it.

We hear people talk about the role that CCS can play in creating a greener world. Elon Musk is among its proponents. We heard about its potential for natural gas power generation and a variety of industries. We’d like to see it applied to the Shand Power Station and Unit 6 at Boundary Dam, but the present federal government has staunchly called for zero-emission power sources by 2035. As long as that stance exists, CCS won’t be getting the green light from the feds for power generation, no matter how much SaskPower is able to prove the technology, and regardless of the business case for the technology.

We should be very proud and supportive of what has been happening in our backyard, and we should remain proud to be a community that has coal as one of its resources. After all, it’s created employment and opportunities for so many.

It would be sad if Boundary Dam’s successes don’t get to be replicated elsewhere.

Fourthly, while there may be fewer nearby hotels, the Regina airport’s proximity to the city eliminates the need for costly and timeconsuming transfers. For travellers like us from Estevan, reaching the city is still a journey, but once there, finding accommodations near the airport isn’t essential, given the city’s manageable traffic and ample hotel options. And since a lot of hotels will allow you to make it to the airport in no time, you don’t need to pay extra for that airport’s close proximity (when that’s the case, hotel prices vary based on many factors).

In addition to these by-design advantages, YQR has seen notable improvements lately, including a major runway reconstruction last year and the addition of new destinations. The recently-launched Regina to Minneapolis-St. Paul route, operating seven days a week, further enhances connectivity. With a total of 17 destinations, Regina also directly flies to Phoenix, Las Vegas and Orlando (and sometimes those tickets are way cheaper than going to Calgary or anywhere else in Canada). And I sincerely hope that offering will keep growing as we are back to normal and hungry for travelling.

If I had a say in the rankings, I’d prioritize the variety of destinations and the presence of low-cost carriers, as who doesn’t appreciate affordable tickets? But I think the number of lounges and proximity of hotels affects the quality of smaller airports like Regina to a much lower scale.

So, while Regina’s airport may have been labelled the second-worst, as a user, I believe it offers a decent facility with room for

ment. (But I’m certainly curious to

what Saskatoon’s airport,

Canada, has to offer.)

Southeast College brought together employers and educators for a fair at the Comp.

By Ana Bykhovskaia SASKTODAY.ca

Join the workforce or continue with education? Study locally or leave home? Continue with the current job or change careers? The Southeast College tried to help answer those questions by hosting a Career and Hiring Fair at the Estevan Comprehensive School on April 24, followed by a similar event in Weyburn on April 25.

Many high school students and young adults turned out for the afternoon event, which featured a variety of vendors, including various post-secondary institutions from all across Saskatchewan, as well as a few from Manitoba and some from Alberta. Local employers were also on location

to share information about the job opportunities they offer.

“Our purpose is to create a platform for post-secondary institutions and companies to showcase opportunities to students and community members,” said Jaycee Young, co-ordinator of student recruitment and engagement with the college.

The college also partook in the event, promoting programs available locally.

This year the college partnered with ECS for the event to allow for better access for students and community members alike.

“We partnered with ECS this year, and it actually worked out really well. We’ve got a good student turnout,” Young added.

City council awards paint tender for 2024

Estevan city council has awarded the traffic paint tender to Sherwin Williams for $41,667.85 for its ProMar line paint.

In a report to council at the April 22 meeting, Hayley DeConinck, the manager of the city’s public works roads and drainage division, noted the city uses an alkyd-based paint for traffic lines, parking lots and handicapped stalls, and has had success with this paint. She also said this paint has been used the past few years.

Coun. Shelly Veroba noted some people have previously expressed concerns that the paint doesn’t last as long as it used to. Veroba added the city now

has to meet environmental standards with its pain, so it won’t last as long as when lead was used.

• • • The city’s membership with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities for 2024-25 will cost $3,068.13. There is a base fee of $577.50 for a community of Estevan’s size, and a per capital rate that amounts to $2,450.63.

• • • Council approved a new violence policy and prevention plan, which applies to all City of Estevan employees, visitors, customers, students, council members and the mayor, volunteers working on behalf of the city, individuals in fee-for-service contracts,

and any others conducting affairs at the workplace.

It was prepared by safety co-ordinator Helen Fornwald.

She noted the Saskatchewan Employment Act requires all workplaces to have a violence policy and a prevention plan by May 17.

“Violence means the attempted, threatened or actual conduct of a person which causes or is likely to cause injury,” the policy states.

“It includes any threatening statement or behaviour that gives an employee reasonable cause to believe that the employee is at risk of injury.”

Coun. Rebecca Foord noted the policy says citizens

Hill View Manor happenings for April and May

By Jeannette Betteridge

A very special thank you to the businesses that donated a wonderful Easter basket to our residents for the holiday.

Thanks to KFC, Eddie Webster’s, A Loving Touch Florist, B&V Trucking, Estevan Eye Care and Scotsburn Dental. Thanks for the kindness and care shown to our home’s residents; it was appreciated and it generated a lot of smiles.

April entertainment included the Caragana Ramblers, Maggie, the Sacakas Family, Laurie Fornwald, Susan Shepard, Wilma and Val, and Keith and Gary. On April 22, we went to Make Music with Friends, which is an all-time favourite outing for our residents.

A very special thank you goes out to the Lischka Family for the donation of an indoor curling game. We are very appreciative of this gift.

Our residents will enjoy this very much.

May outings will be to Walmart for shopping and the Black Grasshopper for lunch.

In May, we have four birthdays: May Lischka and Pat Parent will turn 92, Clara Craigen celebrates her 91st birthday and Theresa Dukart will be 95. Happy birthday to all.

Many activities are planned for May for the residents. The first Wednesday of the month is Catholic mass, followed by the Trinity Lutheran Church communion in the afternoon. The first Thursday of the month is the residents’ meeting where they give feedback on what is happening.

The Gospel Chapel comes the third Sunday of the month. Devotions for the residents are held Wednesday late afternoon; it is nondenominational. Residents look forward to exercises,

Bingo, card games, crokinole, a bean bag toss, various board games and more.

May 10 is our Mother’s Day tea for our women of the home. Letters from family members will be read to each and every one of them, with a copy being given to the mothers.

Thank you to the families for sending such beautiful letters to their mothers or grandmothers, telling them how special they are.

The Estevan Public Library book exchange is on the second Tuesday of the month. The library has been coming once each month for a craft afternoon as well; this is part of their outreach program. The residents that attend this sure do love and enjoy it. Thanks for such a wonderful program.

The last Friday of the month is loonie bingo followed by wine and cheese, or fruit juice for anyone not wanting wine.

of Estevan might be banned for a period of time from a service or facility if deemed necessary to stop or prevent the violence exposure. She asked that with the number of people from out of town

coming to Estevan’s facilities, a change should be made to all facility users. Council agreed with the request.

•

•

• During the inquiries portion of the meeting,

Veroba reminded people to include their name, phone number and address when submitting a request. Without that information, she doesn’t know if the person resides within city limits.

May is Celiac Awareness Month.

Celiac disease is a serious autoimmune disease that occur s in genetically predisposed people where the ingestion of gluten leads to damage in the small intestine. It is estimated to affect 1 in 100 people wor ldwide.

Ask our educated, knowledgeable staff about our gluten free options today!

Students visited the Southeast College’s Career and Hiring Fair at the Estevan Comprehensive School on Wednesday.

Fibre Art Network’s Resist introduced at reception

By Ana Bykhovskaia SASKTODAY.ca

The Estevan Art Gallery and Museum opened two new exhibits in April, with artists coming for a meet and greet on April 19.

Weyburn artist Jaynie Himsl with the Fibre Art Network, speaking on behalf of their club, introduced a colourful collection of fabric art displayed in Gallery 2. According to the exhibition description, Resist explores resist techniques while preserving the unique individualistic style of each artist. Resist is an art technique that uses several layers to expose or define a design in negative space. Resistant substances are applied as a coat-

ing to protect a surface during some processes, such as prevent dye adhering.

“Resist can be artistic, positive, negative, frightening

or enlightening … to stand firm or hold out (against), not yield (to), fight (against). To resist something such as change – you refuse to accept it and try to

prevent it … resist temptation of … couldn’t resist teasing or laughing at,” continues the description.

“Every artist has inter-

preted how to resist in a different way. Some of them are using the fibre technique. And some of them [picture] different forms of human resistance,” said Himsl.

The Fibre Art Network is a group of fibre artists from Western Canada. Most come from a quilting background, but any kind of fibre art is welcome. There are currently about 100 members, and Himsl noted that it’s much easier to create exhibitions as a group. They meet once a year for a conference, which takes place at different locations, and come up with a touring exhibition. Whoever wishes to participate is welcome.

The network usually has

three exhibitions on the road, which go to different galleries across Western Canada.

“Probably somewhere in Western Canada, there’s always one of our shows on,” Himsl said.

The other two exhibitions currently on the road are On the Bias, and Chromatopia. Their newest annual collection, called Narrow Works!, will hit the road in May and will be touring this side of the country for the next three years.

Himsl thanked the EAGM for hosting their exhibition.

For more about the Fibre Art Network, check out their website at www.fibreartnetwork.com and their social media.

First South East Summit will offer a look at cultural vitality

With spring came the time to get inspired, learn and find new ideas.

The South East Sport, Culture & Recreation District Inc. is hosting its firstever South East Summit on May 23. The event, sponsored by the Southeast College, will take place at the Estevan campus from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

"The South East Summit is a one-day, in-person event for all individuals interested in cultural vitality. It is a day to network, learn, engage, share, break bread and create through an itinerary of activities that includes table talks (OSAC, SK ARTS, SaskCulture, Age Friendly SK, Culture Days, Community Initiatives Fund), break-out rooms, a curated panel and features celebrated speaker and cultural advocate Cadmus Delorme as a closing keynote speaker," said Amber Andersen, community development consultant with the South East Sport, Culture & Recreation District.

"This is a forum to celebrate arts and heritage while inspiring all. The skies are the limit at the South East Summit."

The one-day forum is meant to act as an incubator for ideas and inspiration, she added.

"As a district, part of what we do is research and promote forward-trending ideas in sport, culture and recreation, and the future is hybrid in many ways. We are trying to encourage the undertaking of projects that fall outside the confines of tradition and embrace a larger community and audience," Andersen said.

The day will feature Delorme, founder and CEO of OneHoop, a Cree and Saulteaux, and the former chief of Cowessess First Nation, as the keynote speaker with his presentation "There is no Reconciliation without Truth" in the afternoon.

Delorme graduated from Cowessess Community

Education Centre in 2000. He later moved to Regina to pursue a bachelor of business administration degree and a certificate in hospitality, tourism and gaming entertainment management from the First Nations University of Canada, and a master of public administration from the Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy. He has also received an ICD.D. designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors and its affiliate institution, Kenneth Levene Graduate School of Business, representing a lifelong commitment to excellence in the boardroom.

Under Delorme's leadership, Cowessess First Nation prioritized economic self-sustainability and progressed renewable energy, as well as agriculture and land-use efficiency initiatives to create current and future business opportunities. Delorme is the chair of the Residential Schools

Document Advisory Committee and the University of Regina board of directors, serves on the Saskatchewan Gaming Corporation board of directors and is a 2023 Banff Forum delegate.

The morning of the summit will offer three break-out session options. "Arts Starts at the Library" will feature participating artist Regan Lanning and Southeast Regional Library community services manager Morgan Kelly. "Coronach in Bloom" will have presentations by Kelsey Manske, Town of Coronach community development officer, and Andrew Exelby, Saskatchewan Parks and Recreation Association Parks and Open Spaces consultant. And "All Aboard Ogema! Southern Prairie Railway", led by Southern Prairie Railway (SPR) lead volunteer and Ogema Mayor Carol Peterson, will be dedicated to Saskatchewan's first full-sized tourist railway.

The morning will also

see table talks, offering an opportunity to connect with provincial funders and resources to build a culture in local communities. Each table talk is 10 minutes long, followed by a five-minute question-and-answer period. During this hour-long portion of the schedule, registrants can participate in any three table talk sessions. Organizations participating are Age Friendly Saskatchewan, the Community Initiatives Fund, Culture Days, the Organization of Saskatchewan Arts Councils, Saskatchewan Parks and Recreation Association, SaskCulture, and SK Arts. The summit will reconvene after the lunch break with a panel discussion, in which each presenter will provide a 10-minute PowerPoint lecture to discuss and explore the panel topic. The moderator will then pose questions to the panellists, followed by a brief questionand-answer period with the audience.

The theme is Transforming Spaces: How Art and Heritage Can Enliven Communities. This panel explores, the actions of communities big and small in partnership with arts and heritage groups that can create uniquely Saskatchewan experiences that highlight and celebrate the ingenuity and individuality of the communities.

Following will be a roundtable discussion, themed Artists in Communities. This session will help the South East District identify gaps so they can assist the communities in moving forward. Registration for the summit is underway. Early bird tickets are available until April 30 at $30, then they switch to $50. Interested individuals can register online on the South East Sport, Culture & Recreation District's website at southeastdistrict.ca.

IT’S NOT WORTH IT!

Drivers who use hand-held devices are four times as likely to get into crashes serious enough to injure themselves

Jaynie Himsl with the Fibre Art Network was at the Estevan Art Gallery and Museum Friday night to introduce their latest exhibition Resist. Photo by Anastasiia Bykhovskaia

ENERGY

The Saskatchewan Common Ground Alliance (SCGA) brought its annual Contractor Dig Safe Breakfast to Estevan on Thursday.

A large crowd filled the Beefeater Plaza for the event. They listened to an update from the SGCA, and then received safety tips through a video presentation.

Kaleigh Churko, a journeyman electrician who works with Pembina Pipeline, served as the MC for the event. She noted that ground disturbances are part of her job, so the message presented at the breakfasts is important to her.

"I'm very proud to volunteer with the SCGA's public awareness and education committees to deliver this message," said Churko, who applauded the audience members for attending and the employers for allowing them to be present.

The breakfast is an opportunity to prevent those "oops" or "I didn't know" moments that sometimes occur, she said.

Reflecting on the importance of box cutting, Churko recalled one time on a job when she realized it was a congested area with some underground lines they

might not know about, and so an inspection was carried out on the area.

"Sure enough, they box cut it nice and deep, find the pipe, find all the lines that were crossed there, but the GPS where they needed to work on the pipe was just a little bit shifted going north," said Churko.

"Well sure enough, instead of box cutting that little extra, they just went and dug it, and hit an abandoned line. Thank goodness it was empty – it was an old water line and it all worked out – but if you're going to assume, assume that there's something there, instead

of going 'There's nothing there. We just marked it.'"

Churko pointed out there can be a lot of underground lines that have been abandoned since the 1970s or 1980s.

She also emphasized the importance of removing stakes. It's not good for the environment or for aesthetics to have the stakes left in the ground, and Churko cautioned farmers can accidentally drive over them with their equipment, forcing the producers to remove them.

"It's not up to the locator to go out there and clean them up for you," she said.

Churko noted it's also

CRANES & TRUCKING

•

important to protect staff and the public by following safe traffic planning and necessary signage when working near roadways.

She noted that 2023 was a big year for the SCGA, highlighted by acquiring Sask 1st Call from SaskEnergy.

"It's actually been a really big change. So, our website and everything has changed. The mobile app has been updated. It may look different when you guys go

on there, so there might be some things to learn, but it is a little bit better, and we want to hear from you guys to make it even better," said Churko.

People in attendance received lots of materials on the SCGA to spread awareness on the importance of safety. The SCGA held breakfasts in 22 communities in April. A similar event was held in Carievale earlier in the month.

Job Title: Leak Detection Analyst

Location: Estevan, SK

Closing Date: May 5, 2024

Job Overview

The successful candidate will be responsible for managing the leak detection program, the associated leak detection software and tools, and coordinating changes and maintenance of the Leak Detection systems. The Leak Detection Analyst will collaborate with PLC programmers, SCADA developers, and other internal and external software support personnel. The successful candidate will play a pivotal role in ensuring compliance with relevant leak detection regulations and provide technical guidance on the safe operation of the pipeline system and assist during abnormal and emergency situations.

(1-866-747-3546) Before excavating call Sask 1st Call at 1-866-828-4888 for a free locate. www.sask1stcall.com

Position Responsibilities

• Manage Kingston Midstream’s Leak Detection Program, including software, tools, and documentation.

• Coordinate the ATMOS Leak Detection system.

• Maintain all leak detection reports and ensure daily completion.

• Monitor the design and implementation of leak detection.

• Troubleshoot the day-to-day operational capability of leak detection systems through reporting.

• Analyze all volume imbalances and leak alarms.

• Test leak detection systems in accordance with regulations and the Leak Detection Program.

• Maintain terminal balances.

• Develop and maintain training systems for Leak Detection, provide training to individuals as required.

• Provide on call support to the Control Centre Operations.

Skills and Qualifications

• Engineering Degree or Technical Diploma is preferred.

• 5+ years of leak detection, control centre, integrity or engineering related experience is preferred.

• Excellent problem-solving and troubleshooting skills.

• Knowledge of standards, regulations, and industry practices is an asset.

• Strong analytical, communication, interpersonal, organizational, and change management skills.

• Ability to work and communicate with internal and external stakeholders.

• Strong mathematical and statistical skills.

• Ability to prioritize multiple issues and make complex decisions under high-pressure situations.

• Must be legally eligible to work in Canada without sponsorship. Kingston Midstream is committed to providing a flexible work practice to allow employees to work both from the office and from a remote location. This position would work remotely Mondays and Fridays and in the office

A large crowd of people attended the Saskatchewan Common Ground Alliance's breakfast for Estevan.

Equity and Inclusion Award by Saskatchewan Blue Cross

Aimee, a devoted SWIS (Settlement Workers in Schools) co-ordinator in Estevan, has tirelessly supported newcomers, exceeding her role's expectations. With unwavering dedication, she selflessly gives personal time to assist individuals transitioning to their new lives. Aimee's compassionate nature and commitment have left an indelible mark on countless lives, embodying the spirit of community and inclusivity in Estevan. Having been with SWIS for seven years, her experience and dedication have made her an invaluable asset to the organization and the community at large.

Pam was born in Estevan and has made it her lifelong community. Pam's career has been dedicated to helping individuals develop their potential academically and personally and creating an inclusive environment to support them in achieving their career and life goals. Pam thrives when working with newcomers and Indigenous people. She obtained her bachelor of education at the University of Saskatchewan and has taught various subjects and grade levels for the Regina Public and Cornerstone School Divisions. In 2007, Pam took her passion for teaching and creating equity in a new direction by undertaking the role of literacy co-ordinator for the Estevan and Area Literacy Group. In 2011, Pam transitioned to teaching adults at Southeast College. Pam has successfully used her diverse expertise to teach within the brokered SaskPolytechnic/STA, Adult Basic Education and Essential Skills programs. Pam embraces lifelong learning and self-development and is completing her master's of Indigenous education at First Nations University.

Outstanding Contribution to Workplace by TS&M Supply

Jennifer Henderson of Carievale, embodies multiple roles: she’s a devoted wife, mother, sister, friend and soonto-be grandma. She excels as a nurse, coworker, volunteer and leader. Jennifer has been working in LTC for 38 years. Her career began as a nursing aide at the age of 16, graduating as an LPN, also serving as a first responder. She has elevated her role with pride and a sense of duty beyond expectations. She actively assumes leadership positions in the workplace, fosters great teamwork and readily volunteers her assistance whenever needed, continuously showcasing her dedication.

When Michelle is on shift, whether it be in traffic, forensics or as platoon sergeant, she finds time to engage with the community and her peers. Michelle is breaking barriers as a female working in a non-traditional field as a police officer for the Estevan Police Service. In her role at EPS, Michelle has worked hard to be a community leader, while also developing her skills to become one of only two forensics officers in the city. Her passion for the community extends outside of her workplace, evidenced by her role as the past president of United Way Estevan, and as a volunteer on various other committees and boards in our community. In her personal life, Michelle is married to her husband Matthew and together they have four fur babies. In their free time, they enjoy snowboarding in the winter and kayaking in the summer.

Jackie is the Estevan Chamber’s first female executive director. Jackie has led by example, displaying courage, integrity and creativity to not only transform the chamber but lead and support the community. She is an ‘art-repreneur’, creative consultant and published author, in addition to being a full-time mother. Through good and bad times, Jackie epitomizes the pioneer spirit. Jackie was named 2022 Executive of the Year by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, additionally being awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal the same year. Jackie has overcome many barriers to be recognized as a leading advocate for local business, the community, and the role of women in both.

AIMEE HARALSON

JENNIFER HENDERSON

PAM GUNNLAUGSON

MICHELLE BEAULIEU

JACKIE WALL

Outstanding Contribution to the Community Award presented by Steam Est. Industries

Nothing is more inspirational than an individual doing multiple unpaid jobs that no one else wants to do. That benefits an entire community, especially children. Daniyale has been an active member on many boards in Bienfait including Bienfait Minor Ball, Bienfait Minor Hockey, the rink board and Bienfait Recreation. She has organized numerous fundraisers for items ranging from fire equipment to a new ice plant. She was a member of the volunteer fire department for three years and a dedicated coach in minor ball and minor hockey. Daniyale has organized Bienfait’s Canada Day parade since 2012 and has co-ordinated July 1 activities for years. She is continuously making the community better through her creative new ideas.

Verdeen was born in Oxbow and raised in Carnduff. After grade school, she went off to university and returned to work in the family business. She married her husband Grant and went on to raise three very active children. Following in her family footprints, Verdeen jumped in to all things community, volunteering throughout her life in many community activities and projects. Verdeen also ventured into local politics serving on the Moose Mountain School Division and then the Town of Carnduff council. She always leads by example.

It is hard to imagine what Estevan would look like without Lynn. When she had her retail stores on Fourth Street, she donated to every community cause that asked for help. Later, she became and still is one of the most ardent supporters of the United Way Estevan. As the treasurer and the chair of the banking committee, she takes the time to understand the social services organizations and their impact. Lynn is a fixture at the Estevan Motor Speedway serving on the board as treasurer and co-ordinating the race-day volunteers. Whether serving on boards, working at community events, or taking coffee to people she knows need a friend, her impact on Estevan and its citizens is profound.

Nancy was born in a very small community in southern Ontario. At 20 years of age, she moved to Kamsack to teach girls’ physical education at the Kamsack Junior High. It was there that she met her future husband, Ron Samoluk. In 1973, Nancy took a teaching position at Westview School and remained in the public school division as a classroom teacher and librarian before becoming the library consultant for the southeast school division. Nancy has volunteered for a number of organizations throughout her 51-plus years in Estevan, such as the Estevan Pottery Club, the Estevan Arts Council and the Estevan Music Festival.

Kasey was born in Estevan and raised in the Roche Percee Valley. Her advocating journey began in 2009 when her son Liam was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis (CF) disease at birth. Ever since, her goal has been to bring awareness to CF not only in Saskatchewan, but all over Canada. Kasey advocated that all provinces

Misty is a smalltown girl. She grew up in Assiniboia, where she and her husband still farm with her family. After earning a Business Degree with a major in human resources from the University of Regina, she relocated to Estevan. Transitioning from a decade-long career in the finance industry, Misty found her calling in the non-profit sector. At the Estevan Early Years Family Resource Centre, she helped to increase visits to the centre to its highest numbers in history. She volunteers for Estevan Minor Hockey and the Estevan Gymnastics Club. The pride Misty has for her community is visible in her outstanding contributions to Estevan.

In the two short years that Jeri-Lee has been working at the Midale Public Library, she has been recognized for her dedication and outstanding job time and time again by the headquarters of the Southeast Public Library. Besides working at the Midale Public Library, Jeri-Lee works at the South East Cornerstone Public School Division as a bus driver since 2015, and now drives a rural route in Midale. Jeri-Lee also volunteers with the Midale Central School SCC committee and the Midale Swimming Pool board. Jeri-Lee also spends part of her time at the Midale Come on Inn Motel. She never hesitates to lend a hand when it comes to the children she raises, her friends, or the community.

that didn’t offer any pre-screening at birth would provide it because she knows that early detection is vital. With the support of her family and friends, she advocated to have a special CF medication paid under Sask. Health. In 2012, she became team captain for Estevan’s CF Strides Walk and then joined the Estevan Kinette Club for a

few years. In 2021, Kasey was recognized nationally by Cystic Fibrosis Canada and was awarded as a Volunteer Fundraising Champion for the Western Canada Prairie Region. She is currently the co-ordinator for the Estevan CF Walk. She is considered a legacy walker for participating in her 10th Walk To Make Cystic Fibrosis History.

DANIYALE WOOLSEY

VERDEEN MATTHEWSON

LYNN TROBERT

NANCY SAMOLUK

MISTY PENNINGTON

JERI-LEE JONES

KASEY MCINTYRE

Creative Digital Services

Teigha is an honour roll student completing her Grade 12 year at the Estevan Comprehensive School. She is a kind, creative and hardworking student. Teigha is a member of the SHOUTS program at school mentoring students who are new to the Comp. She also has a vast love of music and theatre. She partakes in choir and drama. She was recently cast as Ursula in the school musical, The Little Mermaid. She has also been asked to sing the national anthem for the school events. Teigha has worked at McDonald’s since she was 15 years old. In September 2022, she was diagnosed with a rare aggressive form of cancer. Due to her treatment plan, she was unable to attend in-person classes, so she enrolled in Cyberstone and pushed through to complete her credits. Teigha will attend the University of Regina to start her bachelor of education degree this fall.

Isabella (affectionately known as Izzy) is a 17-year-old Grade 12 student at Estevan Comprehensive School. She loves playing sports, with her current passion being volleyball. She is a well-rounded young lady, who enjoys giving back to her community and supporting her peers and encouraging them to be better versions of themselves. She has taken the initiative to bring awareness to mental health among athletes and convinced her volleyball club to brand their warm-up shirts with the Smash the Stigma Mental Health Matters logos. She has spearheaded fundraising and bringing mental health awareness to our community during her time at the Comp. She is the type of person who people are drawn to because she makes them feel welcome, seen and appreciated. She will be graduating high school this June with a bilingual diploma and has aspirations to attend the University of Calgary to continue her passion for mental health in the psychology program.

Aivry was born and raised in Estevan. Her parents are Kevin and Shannon Culy. At school, Aivry has always walked through the halls with all the kindness and spunk you would expect from an outgoing and polite girl. She has decided to study nursing so that she can continue to have a positive impact on society. She is currently one of the hardest working employees at Sobeys and has been for three years. Aivry is always someone you can count on for help when needed.

Sasha has overcome medical challenges in her youth to become a highachieving student, an active volunteer and an athlete. She works hard at any activity or project she attempts. Sasha’s interests include artistic swimming, showing cattle and playing roller derby. She spends many hours volunteering in the community, involved in the student representative council at the Estevan Comprehensive School and as secretary of her 4-H Club. When Sasha is not busy with her activities, she can be found on her family’s farm working with cattle, riding her horse or operating different farm machinery during haying and harvest. Sasha is an avid artist and enjoys reading. She has recently been accepted to the University of Calgary in the architecture program.

Keira was born in 2006 in the Philippines and moved to Estevan in 2014. Keira is a Grade 12 student at ECS. She plays senior basketball and senior badminton, and is the SRC co-president. She maintains a high level of academic excellence, earning honour roll and principal’s distinction each year. Keira also works two jobs, as a server at Eddie Webster’s and at the Estevan Leisure Centre information desk. After graduation, Keira plans to attend Saskatchewan Polytechnic in Regina to study dental hygiene.

Andri attended pre-K to Grade 3 at Balcarres Community School, Grades 3-8 at Sacred Heart, and Grades 9-12 at ECS. She has been involved in many activities over the years: safety patrol, archery, football and band to name a few, but her favourite activity has been artistic swimming. Andri has taken on coaching three teams with the Estevan Mermaids and is tutoring with South East Tutoring Services. Andri’s plans include attending the University of Regina working simultaneously towards a bachelor of education and pre-med major.

Tayla is currently a Grade 12 student at Estevan Comprehensive High School who will be graduating in June. She has been on the honour roll every year while attending high school and achieved principal distinction in one of those years. Tayla grew up on a farm, where her parents instilled the values of hard work and weekly chores, taking care of animals, yard maintenance, and whatever else needed to be done around the farm. Tayla has a part-time job at Unique Edge Boarding and Grooming and volunteers her time within the community, making it seem effortless to manage all of these things at once.

TEIGHA LESY

IZZY SEMENUIK

AIVRY CULY

SASHA MANTEI

KEIRA LINDSAY ZEPEDA

ANDRI GROENVELD

TAYLA GERVAIS

Flashback –May 3, 2006

Pictured here are the winners of the Women of Today Awards held on April 26, 2006, at the Beefeater Plaza. From left, Gail Shirley, the SaskTel Award for outstanding contribution to the community; Samara Bush, the Shirley Orsted Memorial Award for young woman of today; Jane McMurtry, the SaskPower Award for outstanding contribution to the workplace; and Mary LeBlanc, the Ida Peterson Memorial Award for outstanding entrepreneur.

ECS announces hiring of new vice-principal

The Estevan Comprehensive School has turned to an experienced educator in southeast Saskatchewan to be one of its viceprincipals.

The school recently announced on its Facebook page that Annmarie Rosner, who is currently the principal at Lampman School, would be moving into the ECS vice-principal role for the 202425 school year. She replaces Brian Wright, who will retire at the end of this school year after 32 years of service at ECS as a teacher and an administrator.

“Annmarie works collaboratively with staff, parents and the community to ensure that her students receive high-quality learning opportunities,” the school said in a post on its Facebook page. “Annmarie is excited to build meaningful relationships with staff and students here at ECS and is eager to start in this new role in the

upcoming academic year.”

The school also thanked Wright for his contributions over the years.

In an email to the Mercury and SaskToday, Rosner said she received her bachelor of education from the University of Alberta and her masters in education leadership from the University of Regina. She began her teaching career with Edmonton Public Schools and taught overseas for a couple of years before moving back to Estevan.

Prior to becoming the principal in Lampman, she held the same role in Macoun.

“I am excited to work in the high school setting – working alongside teachers, students, their families and the greater school community,” she said. “I enjoy playing an active part in working with students and their families as they create unique graduation pathways that are built on students’ strengths

and interests.”

Rosner believes all of her past education experience will play an important role in her work as a vice-principal at ECS. Specifically, she said working in a K-12 school has provided her with the opportunity to be a part of the bridge between elementary and high school education.

“The transition from Grade 9 to Grade 10 is such an important one, as it marks the beginning of a student’s confidence and success in high school,” she said.

Although specific duties have not been determined yet, Rosner said she would work collaboratively with staff, students and their families to support ECS’s school improvement plan as they work towards success in the areas of Indigenous education, student transitions, teaching and learning, and student mental health and well-being.

Humane society hosting first-ever masquerade ladies’ night

The last few tickets remain available for the Estevan Humane Society’s first-ever ladies’ night masquerade.

The event is slated for May 11 at the Estevan Exhibition Hall. The night will feature comedian/magician extraordinaire Matt Gore and DJ Ruck n Roll.

“Expect an evening filled with laughter, dancing and memories to last a lifetime. Eddie Webster’s has created the most delectable appetizer spread that is sure to be a crowd pleaser,” the humane society wrote on its social media.

Estevan Humane Society board president Tayja Lakusta said while the event is called a mas -

querade, they want it to be inclusive as the main point is for guests to have fun and enjoy the night out.

“We want it to be inclusive to everyone, so it is set as come as you feel comfortable in. We fully expect people to be dressed up in dresses/ masks and also people who will not be,” Lakusta said.

She noted that organizing a first event of its kind takes a lot of effort, but they felt that after doing some upgrades at the shelter, they had to have another fundraiser to help with the expenses.

“This winter … we put in another furnace to better regulate our large dog room, so we are doing something to help cover those

costs on top of our general day-today expenses,” Lakusta explained.

The event is coming just three months after another big Whiskers and Wine Gala Fundraiser, and shortly before other popular events such as Dr. Howard Memorial Dog Jog and the duck derby.

“We’re not getting rid of anything. It was an addition,” Lakusta said. “We wanted to do a ladies’ night, and it just the way scheduling worked. … We planned around Mother’s Day weekend: ladies’ night, Mother’s Day; go out, enjoy yourself with friends and the next day, you get to be pampered by your kids and family hopefully. Make it a whole weekend for you

to enjoy yourself.”

As of April 25, the humane society was about 80 per cent sold out, with a few dozen tickets remaining at the shelter, Soul Hideout or via an online order through Lakusta (text to 306-421-5970) or their Facebook page. Tickets are $65, or $500 for a table.

Lakusta said the shelter was doing well with the number of animals in their care, but with spring, they start seeing kittens coming in as well as a litter of puppies, so there will be more animals up for adoption soon.

“We’re easing into spring and making sure we’re able to help when full spring happens with all

the animal needs,” Lakusta said. The humane society is also sending their supervisor to the Humane Canada Summit in Halifax in May to “be engrossed in all things animal welfare”, Lakusta said.

“We want to expand our staff knowledge and allow them to immerse themselves in that and really strive to improve our shelter and ways to get it better,” Lakusta said. To help with the expenses, they received some grants and are also running a 50/50 raffle, in which a winner could take home up to $1,250. Tickets are available at the shelter, Soul Hideout or online through their Facebook page.

Crimes against property on the rise in Estevan

The Estevan Police Service continued to see an increase in the number of crimes against property this year.

Numbers released at the April 23 meeting of the Estevan board of police commis-

sioners showed that the EPS dealt with 42 such crimes in March and a total of 105 such occurrences in the first three months of the year. In January, February and March of 2023, the EPS responded to

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• Tree and stump removal, cutting & stump grinding.

• Industrial and residential hedge trimming.

• Farm yard wind row restoration.

• Landscaping.

• Light carpentry, pergola, gazebos, fences.

• Staining fences, decks and steps.

• Deck building.

• Skidsteer work.

• Auger holes (4" to 24"-13" deep)

• Screw piles (commercial & residential)

a total of 59 such occurrences, so this year has seen a 78 per cent increase.

Out of the 42 crimes against property in March, 27 were thefts under $5,000, eight were mischief-willful

damage complaints, three were thefts of motor vehicles, two were residential and one was a business break and enter, and one was a theft over $5,000.

On a year-to-date basis, the EPS responded to 51

Notice of Preparation of Assessment Roll

Rural Municipality of Coalfields No. 4

Notice is hereby given that the assessment roll for the Rural Municipality of Coalfields No. 4 for the year 2024 has been prepared and is open for inspection in the office of the assessor, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, from April 25, 2024, to May 27, 2024.

Any person wishing to discuss their Notice of Assessment or potential appeal with the assessor may do so in person at 423 Main Street, Bienfait, SK or via phone at 306-388-2323 Ext. 4.

A bylaw pursuant to section 214 of The Municipalities Act has been passed and the assessment notices have been sent as required. Any person who wishes to appeal against his or her assessment is required to file his or her Notice of Appeal by the 27th of May 2024 with: The Secretary of the Board of Revision, c/o Western Municipal Consulting Ltd., PO Box 149, Meota, SK, S0M 1X0. The appeal must be accompanied by a cheque made payable to the R.M. of Coalfields No. 4, in the amount of $30 per $200,000 of assessment value to a maximum of $500.00, which will be returned if the appeal results in a change to the assessment.

Dated this 25th day of April 2024.

Monica Kovach Assessor

The Criminal Code traffic violations have seen a slight decrease as well. Thirty-two charges were laid so far this year, including 21 for impaired/exceed-related offences, seven for impairment by drug, and four cases of dangerous driving and other, which is a 20 per cent decline from 40 charges they laid in January-March a year earlier.

The EPS dealt with eight Criminal Code traffic violations in March, including five charges for drug impairment and three for impaired/exceed-related offences. Twelve violations were detected in March 2023. Total calls for service for the year are down. There were 510 occurrences in March of this year versus 686 calls in March 2023. The year-todate number of calls is at 1,624, down 10 per cent from 1,803 over the first three months of last year. As for the five-year averages, the EPS averaged 1,818 calls in the first three months, with 34 crimes against the person, 78.8 crimes against property, 28 Criminal Code traffic violations and 14.8 CDSA charges.

thefts under $5,000 (an 89 per cent increase from 27 in the first three months of 2023), 31 mischief/wilful damage complaints (29 per cent increase from 24), 12 vehicle thefts (a 1,110 per cent increase from one), 10 break and enters (43 per cent increase from seven), and one theft over $5,000 (there were no such crimes in the first three months of 2023). The EPS dealt with 10 crimes against the person, with seven assaults, two sexual crimes and one robbery. They responded to 14 such crimes in March of 2023. In the first three months of this year, police dealt with 37 crimes against person, with 29 assaults, six sexual crimes and two robberies. The number of these kinds of crimes declined by 16 per cent from 44 such charges laid over the same period of time a year earlier. The EPS had eight Controlled Drugs and Substances Act charges in March, with four charges for trafficking and four for possession. They had six CDSA charges in March 2023. In the first three months of the year, they laid 13 charges, including eight for trafficking and five for possession, as opposed to 20 a year earlier, which is a 35 per cent decline.

Annmarie Rosner

CLASSIFIEDS

The most important fact about you

“God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24).

Over the years, when I have heard lessons about worshipping God in spirit and in truth, the focus has always been on the “in truth” part. However, if we are ever going to connect with God, we must recognize the spirit part of that phrase.

We must understand that the most important facts about us have nothing to do with how we look, where we have been, what we do for a living, what we have in the bank or how we grew up. The most important fact about each of us is that we are spiritual beings. We have a spirit that will

live on when our short time on this Earth is over.

We spend a lot of time thinking about and working for things that will not last. We concentrate on the temporary rather than the eternal. However, God encourages us to rearrange our priorities.

In Matthew 6:33, Jesus said, “Seek first his kingdom

Tim Pippus of the Estevan Church of Christ

and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”  In other words, if we focus on the eternal and trust God, he will provide everything else that we need. As speaker Louis Giglio observed, “We are mostly focused on where we are going. God is mostly focused on who we are becoming.”

Your character is more important than your car. Your relationships are more important than your real estate. Your faith is more important than your finances.

Remembering that we are spiritual beings helps us decide what is most important and what is worth our time. God is spirit and so are you.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him” (John 3:16-17).

Two arrested for aggravated assault in Estevan

Members of the Estevan Police Service arrested two women in the early morning of April 29, after a call to a disturbance at an apartment located in the downtown area.

The victim of the assault was transported to St. Joseph’s Hospital for treatment. There was no immediate update on her condition.

The two accused are charged with aggravated assault and were scheduled to appear in court on April 29.

No further details were immediately released.

Earlier last week, the EPS supported the Weyburn police on April 23. Members arrested a Weyburn man on an outstanding warrant. He was held in custody to be taken before a judge.

Officers also received a report of a hit and run that

occurred on Nicholson Road. No further information was immediately released.

Members responded to a report of a debit card that had been lost and then used at several locations around the community. The matter is under investigation.

The EPS received a report of an elderly woman who might need assistance in the downtown area. Members attended and assisted the woman with transportation to her residence.

Several electronic items were also reported missing from a residence. The matter is under investigation.

Officers responded to a call through the Report Impaired Drivers (RID) line on April 24, regarding a vehicle entering the city on Sister Roddy Road. Members lo -

cated the vehicle and spoke with the driver. No signs of impairment were found.

The EPS received a report on April 25 of a vehicle being taken without consent. The matter remains under investigation.

Police were called about a vehicle being driven erratically in the downtown area. A vehicle description, including the licence plate, was provided by the complainant and the matter is under investigation.

A vehicle stop on April 26 resulted in a male testing positive for THC on the roadside screening device. He was issued a 72-hour driver’s licence suspension, and the vehicle was impounded for three days.

A male was arrested for breaching conditions of his release order. He was lodged

in cells to be taken before a judge.

A traffic stop resulted in a female driver testing positive for THC on the roadside screening device on April 27. She was issued a seven-day driver’s licence suspension, and her vehicle was impounded for seven days.

Police are also investigating a report that same day of two BMX bikes that were taken from a yard on Second Street.

Members received a report of an assault that took place in the downtown area. The matter is under investigation. The EPS responded to 43 occurrences over the weekend, including investigations into a break and enter, harassment, impaired operation and theft.

Education boards approve 202425 school year calendar

The boards of education of the Holy Family Roman Catholic Separate School Division and the South East Cornerstone Public School Division have approved 2024-2025 school year calendar.

Boards of education approved option 1 for the school-year calendar for 2024-25 as presented. It is now subject to approval by

the Ministry of Education in terms of compliance with the Education Act regulations.

In keeping with legislative and regulatory amendments, calendars must ensure that a minimum of 950 hours of instructional time is provided to all students. These legislative and regulatory

amendments were implemented to ensure that there is a consistent minimum amount of instruction time.

The 2024-25 school year will start on Sept. 3. The last day of classes before the Christmas break will be Dec. 20 and the first day back will be Jan. 6, 2025. Winter break will run from Feb. 17-21, and spring break will be from April 21-25, after Good Friday on April 18. The last day of classes will be June 26.

The calendar can be viewed at www.holyfamilyrcssd.ca and www.secpsd. ca.

Three reservoirs in the southeast receive funding

The Saskatchewan Water Security Agency (WSA) has announced funding for three reservoirs in the southeast, as part of a broader announcement made on April 17 of 60 projects worth $42 million.

As part of its 10-year capital plan, the WSA says it will be investing more than $1.5 million to complete design improvements for the diversion channel from Boundary Reservoir to Rafferty Reservoir.

According to the WSA,

the 10.9-kilometre diversion canal was constructed several decades ago to divert surplus flows in Long Creek that cannot be stored in Boundary Dam to Rafferty and to stabilize Rafferty’s levels.

The WSA says it is also investing more than $200,000 at Grant Devine Lake for public and operator safety upgrades, including improvements to the hydraulic power unit, used to operate outlet gates.

Finally, the WSA says it is working on erosion repairs near Rafferty Dam.

These projects will be completed within the next one to two years, the WSA said.

Previously, the provincial government announced in its budget that it was committing $3 million for a flood passage project for Grant Devine Lake, due to a railway that crosses the channel downstream from the dam.

Under extreme flows, the railway embankment restricts flood waters from passing further downstream, creating dam safety concerns. The WSA is

working with Canadian Pacific Kansas City Railway to address this matter.

The WSA has completed a procurement options analysis that will help guide the selection of a procurement model to further the project. Over the next two years, the project will focus on detailed site investigations, engineering analysis and design.

Elsewhere in the province, out of the $42 million committed this fiscal year, nearly $17 million is being allocated to six major projects, including:

•Craven Dam: Fishway bulkheads and lifting system;

•Buffalo Pound Dam: Emergency spillway upgrades;

•East side pump station (Lake Diefenbaker): Substation upgrades;

•Gardiner Dam: Public safety and operator safety upgrades (considered two projects); and

•Moosomin Dam: Spillway upgrades.

There are numerous other dam infrastructure projects planned throughout many regions of the province.

Sombre Day of Mourning service held in Estevan

The United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) Local 7606 once again organized a Day of Mourning Service at the Estevan Coal Car on April 28.

The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) No. 2067 joined UMWA members to honour those who have died or been injured for workplace-related reasons. Darcy Wright from the IBEW read the names from the Saskatchewan Workers' Compensation Board's fatality occurred and claim acceptance list for past year, and UMWA members lit candles in memory of those who died.

A total of 29 names were on this year's list. Motor vehicle collisions accounted for nine of the deaths. Asbestos exposure (five), heart attacks (four) and cancer among firefighters (three) were other leading causes of fatalities.

"We are here once more to honour those that have fallen in their line of work or because of their work," said Wright.

It's also important to be mindful of those who were injured or maimed, and might not be able to continue on with their employment.

"We will remember what has happened in our workplaces in the future," said Wright.

April 28 is the International Day of Mourning. It is observed each year to remember those who have lost their lives, suffered injury or illness on the job, or experienced a work-related tragedy.

Public Notice

Rural Municipality of Estevan No. 5 Notice of Intent to Amend Zoning Bylaw

Public notice is hereby given that the Council of the Rural Municipality of Estevan No.5, intends to adopt a bylaw under The Planning and Development Act, 2007 to amend Bylaw 5-2014 known as the Zoning Bylaw.

Intent: The proposed bylaw will rezone proposed Parcels C, L and M in the NE 21-02-08-W2 from Agricultural Resource (AR) to Country Residential (CR).

Affected Land: The affected land is legally described as part of the NE 21-02-08-W2 shown on a plan of proposed subdivision dated February 9, 2024 and signed by S. Rajakumar, S.L.S. as shown within the bold dashed line on the map adjacent.

Reason: The R.M. received an application from a developer and the rezoning of the parcels allows the appropriate zoning to the Country Residential (CR) District.

Public Inspection: Any person may inspect the proposed bylaw at the R.M. of Estevan Municipal Office at #1, 322 – 4th Street, Estevan, Saskatchewan between 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. from Monday to Friday, excluding statutory holidays. Copies are available at cost.

Public Hearing: Council will hold a public hearing at 11:00 a.m. (local time) on Wednesday, May 22, 2024 in the Council Chambers of the R.M. of Estevan No. 5, #1, 322 4th Street Estevan, Saskatchewan to hear any person or group that wants to comment on the proposed bylaw. Council will also consider written comments received at the hearing or delivered to the undersigned at the municipal office before the hearing.

Dated at Estevan, Saskatchewan this 17th day of April, 2024.

Michelle Dickie, Administrator

Report from the Legislature

April 25, 2024

A strong economy means a bright future for our province and its people. The 2024-25 Provincial Budget makes record investments in classrooms, care and communities – which are only possible due to our strong and growing economy. That’s why our government is committed to making strategic investments that help our economy to continue to grow.

An essential part of growing our economy is expanding our markets and exports outside of Canada. This ultimately leads to more jobs at home and allows us to invest in classrooms, care and communities. That’s our reality as an export-based province.

With a budget of $40.6 million, the Ministry of Trade and Export Development is supporting Saskatchewan’s economy by growing our presence in international markets. Leading the way will be Securing the Next Decade of Growth: Saskatchewan’s Investment Attraction Strategy, which will help grow and maintain private capital investment in the province.

Equally important will be Saskatchewan’s recently announced labour market strategy – Building the Workforce for a Growing Economy: the Saskatchewan Labour Market Strategy – which outlines how the province will ensure Saskatchewan people benefit from the jobs our economy is creating. The strategy also ensures that Saskatchewan employers have access to the workforce they need to succeed.

In February 2024, Statistics Canada announced that total capital investments in Saskatchewan increased by 25.9 per cent in 2023 to $17.1 billion – second among provinces in terms of percentage change. This is expected to increase by another 14.4 per cent in 2024 to $19.6 billion –again second among provinces in terms of growth.

As evidence of the growth of investments in Saskatchewan, private companies have committed to more than 60 large-scale investment projects across the province in recent years, totaling more than $39 million. These include projects in the agri-value, manufacturing and processing, mining, forestry and energy sectors.

Our government recognizes the contributions small businesses make to our economy. That’s why the budget maintains the small business tax rate of one per cent until June 30, 2025. It was scheduled to return to two per cent in July 2024, but the extension of the existing one per cent rate will allow owners to re-invest in their operations.

Call For Board of Directors

To be elected at the May

The Southern Plains Co-operative Ltd. invites nominations for the position of Director. The 3 year terms for the following directors have expired: - Scott Kienlen - Frances Boutin - David Murray

Nominees must meet the qualifications and requirements specified in the Co-op's Bylaws. Details on the qualifications and requirements can be picked up at the Administration Office.

Nominations must be submitted in writing, no later than 5:00pm May 14, 2024 The Nominating Committee Southern Plains Co-operative Ltd. Admin Office. PO Box 904, Estevan, Sk. S4A 2A7

Questions can be directed to the Nominating Committee: James Lainton – 306-461-3411 Connie Hagel – 306-421-2525 Rhonda Huish – 306-482-7552

The AGM will be Tuesday May 28, 2024 Meeting at 7:00pm | Oxbow Friendship Centre 513 Peters Avenue, Oxbow Sk

The amount of eligible business income on which the small business tax rate applies will remain at $600,000 – the highest threshold in Canada. Saskatchewan will also continue to have the secondlowest small business tax rate in Canada, making the provincial tax environment very competitive. Saskatchewan’s strategic economic investments continue to pay off. Our exports to the world continue to grow, reaching $49.3 billion in 2023. Saskatchewan goods reached 163 countries, with 32 of those countries receiving over $100 million in provincial exports. Saskatchewan ranks first in Canada for per capita exports at $40,425, which is more than double the national average. The top exports were crude petroleum oil, potash, wheat, canola seeds and oil, lentils, uranium, dried peas and barley.

These trade numbers are a testament to the incredible work being done by our exporters, producers and industry leaders. The continuous work of Saskatchewan’s network of nine international trade offices to showcase our story abroad is clearly having an impact on international markets. Here at home, housing starts increased 12.1 per cent from March 2023 to March 2024. Construction investment totaled $235 million in February 2024, up 96.2 per cent from January – the highest growth among the provinces. This is also up 22.6 per cent from February 2023.

Our consumer price index here in Saskatchewan increased only 1.5 per cent from March 2024 to March 2023 – the second lowest increase in Canada and well below the national average of 2.9 per cent. This is largely due to our government’s decision to remove the carbon tax from home heating, helping to keep life affordable for Saskatchewan people.

Our government remains committed to investing in Saskatchewan’s key industries, ensuring economic growth continues. As we continue this work, I look forward to hearing your feedback. You can contact my constituency office at 306-634-7311 or loricarrmla@sasktel.net.

Darcy Wright read off the names of workplace-related fatalities during the service in Estevan.

Register to run, walk or bike the Coal Country

By Ana Bykhovskaia SASKTODAY.ca

Registration is well underway for Estevan’s favourite running event.

The 2024 Coal Country Run, the annual spring sports gathering that also serves as a fundraiser for the Fresh Air Fitness free outdoor gym, is slated for May 25, starting at Rotary Hall at Woodlawn Regional Park.

The Coal Country Run offers participants to go on a five-kilometre or 10-kilometre run or walk, or enjoy a 20K bike ride. For those under 15 years, there is a kids’ mini mile. The event is organized by Peggy Rohatyn and Debbie Knight, founders of Fresh Air Fitness, and they say it can be competitive or not, depending on how each participant feels.

“It’s only as competitive as you want it to be,” Rohatyn said.

The 5K and 10K runs or walks will start at 10 a.m., and the 20K cycling through the Estevan pathway system starts at 9:45 a.m. E-bikes are welcome to participate and riders will receive a gift upon finishing, but won’t be eligible to claim a place among the winners. The kids’ mini mile

Sharks part of championship team SPORTS

will head out at around 11:35 a.m.

Run the Course will also feature a free brunch for all participants.

A Cherry on Top will be on location selling ice cream, with part proceeds going towards Fresh Air Fitness. Also, all registered young participants will get a free ice cream, Rohatyn said. Canuckcade will also have a bouncy house set up at the location.

All proceeds go to Fresh Air Fitness – a free outdoor gym located at Woodlawn Regional Park to be used for maintenance as well as new projects this summer.

“We’re getting a regular volleyball net set up down there. … It won’t be regulation size, but it will be there. That’ll be coming this spring. We’re also working on our new project this year – disc golf. We’ve had the go-ahead from the park, and KRJ is making [the equipment],” Rohatyn said, noting that they want to make the game interesting utilizing the park landscape.

She noted that the park will do some work on the parking area, and Fresh Air Fitness volunteers are currently getting some gym equipment cleaned up and ready to go. Aerial

Two former members and one current swimmer with the Estevan Sharks water polo program have qualified for nationals with Team Saskatchewan.

Water Polo Canada held the National Championship League 17U Western Championships in Saskatoon from April 19-21. A total of 14 teams from across the Prairie provinces attended.

The Team Sask female squad won the gold medal and will compete in nationals in Montreal from May 24-26. The women’s team includes

yoga classes are set to start in early May.

They also hope to get more users of all ages familiar with the outdoor gym and adjacent park trails this season.

“We’re hoping to set up a get-together, inviting people to come down say one morning a week and work out a little bit without a trainer, but there’ll be people who can show them how to use the equipment and

Estevan Sharks’ athlete Jennika Linthicum and former Sharks Mahlyn Bomberak and Rachel Tober.

Team Saskatchewan opened with a 12-10 loss to the Renegades Black out of Calgary, but then defeated two B.C. teams, Fraser Valley 16-7 and Surrey 9-5.

Saskatchewan knocked off the Renegades Gold in the semifinal, setting up a rematch with Renegades Black in the final, a game Saskatchewan won 14-9.

where everything is, maybe go for a walk through the park and then do a few little things,” Rohatyn said. “I think a lot of people don’t realize that there’s stuff for people of any age to do down there.”

Registration for the Coal Country Run is open on the Running Room website for adult runners. For the kids’ mini-mile, parents are asked to inform Rohatyn at 306-

415-0040, Knight at 306-4614640) or Henders Drugs about kids’ participation, but the registration will be in-person the night before, during the race package pickup at Rotary Hall, and on the day of the event. The fee is $10.

The early bird registration at $25 is open until May 10, then it goes up to $40.

If anyone is interested in volunteering, they are asked to contact Rohatyn or Knight as well.

“We’re always looking for volunteers. And if you just want to bike part of it and then volunteer on the biking route, we can find you a spot and you can cheer on the cyclists, and you can still get a little ride in,” Rohatyn said. For the latest updates, follow Fresh Air Fitness on Facebook.

Speedway raising funds for long-time supporter

The season opener is always a special time for the Estevan Motor Speedway, but this year’s program will have even greater significance.

The EMS will use its opening event on May 4 to raise funds for the family of Gregg and Alisha Mann. In a post on its Facebook page, the speedway noted that in 2023, the Mann family had their lives turned upside down, as Alisha began a battle with cancer.

“We have no words to express how much Alisha, Gregg and the whole Mann family have meant to the Estevan Motor Speedway and the sport of racing as a whole. In fact, we don’t even know where to start, or if the words can even provide them justice,” the speedway said.

In addition to being a daughter, wife, mother, sister and aunt, Alisha has been a dedicated volunteer for the speedway, providing countless hours of service on the board of directors and in other capacities.

“Alisha herself graces us with her beautiful talent, as she regularly sings the national anthems to start the show,” the speedway said.

The sport of racing owes the Mann family a debt of gratitude that can never be repaid.

“The racing community likes to refer to ourselves as a racing family. Like all good families, we take care of each other. Our 2024 opening night will be a statement of that exact sentiment.”

All proceeds from the

50/50 at the May 4 program will be donated to Gregg and Alisha Mann in support of her ongoing battle with cancer.

“Please join in the fight with us. Grab a ticket, bring a friend, spread the word, or simply send your love, and prayers to the Mann family with us.”

Those who would like to support the Mann family but cannot attend the races, can drop off cash donations at Murray GM Estevan, or e-transfer them to accounting@estevanmotorspeedway. com with Mann Family in the subject line.

The speedway has pushed the start time for the program ahead to 5 p.m., which is two hours earlier than the usual start time.

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Despite the rain, the Coal Country Run 2023 saw dozens of sports enthusiasts enjoying the Fresh Air Fitness’ annual fundraiser. File photo

Team Sask won the U17 Western Canadian championship in women’s water polo, with some help from some Estevan Sharks swimmers. Photo courtesy of Nadine Linthicum

Mayor’s Message

Southeast

Sylvia Walliser checks out the selection at the Estevan Public Library's annual spring book sale on Thursday. The library held the fundraiser from Thursday to Sunday, with many people turning out to peruse the selection of books, magazines, audiobooks and DVDs. During the final day, customers could fill a Southeast Regional Library tote bag with materials for $5.