Meridian Source - December 26, 2024

Thursday, December 26, 2024

VOLUME 7 I ISSUE 27

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Merry Christmas

Thursday, December 26, 2024

VOLUME 7 I ISSUE 27

MERIDIANSOURCE.CA

Thursday, December 26, 2024

MERIDIAN SOURCE

Now Direct Billing CALL US The CDCP Insurance 306-307-0566 Plan for Dentures!

Thursday, December 26, 2024

VOLUME 7 I ISSUE 27

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Merry Christmas

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Thursday, December 26, 2024

2024 LLOYDMINSTER FARMER’S BONSPIEL would like to thank the following sponsor’s & service providers who made our event a great success!

PLATINUM

BRONZE

GOLD Homes To Go

Copeland Auctions Horizon AG & Turf Synergy Credit Union Tait’s Cold Beer & Liquor Mart Tim Horton’s (1504 50 Ave) Maz Entertainment

Northern Factory Workwear

“A” Event Winner

Team: Coolidge L – R: Karri Stremick, Diane Taylor, Carolyn Eagles, Neil Coolidge

“A” Event Runner Up

Team: Mile Zero L – R: Rod Whitrow, Tanner Bruynoogne, Ivan Svendson, Eldon Whitrow

FRIDAY EVENING SOCIAL

SATURDAY BREAKFAST SOCIAL

MORNING COFFEE

BANQUET EVENING

1504-50 Avenue

CASINO EVENING ENTERTAINMENT Proceeds to Kinsmen

CATERER Coolidge Country Catering AUDIO VISUAL

“B” Event Winner

Team: Richardson Pioneer L – R: Roland Olson, Brent Olson, Stacey Morrison, Jeff Wall

“B” Event Runner Up

Team : Hanson L – R: Russ Copeland, TJ Eagles, Kylie Goodfellow, Annie Hanson

RAFFLE PROCEEDS DONATED: Lloydminster / Lashburn / Maidstone Junior Curling

THANK YOU TO THE EVENT COORDINATORS: Heidi Mark – Synergy Credit Union Darren Anderson – TD Agriculture Services Travis Mark – Vallen Guest Auctioneer – Russ Copeland / Copeland Auctions

Thank You

“C” Event Winner

Team: Harley L – R: Aaron Dejong, Lyle Harley, Jared McKenzie, Wayne Piesinger

“C” Event Runner Up

Team: Standard Hill Livestock L – R: Cory Krepps, Stephen Myer, Travis Mark, Louise Hume, (Missing) Jayce Myer

to the Lashburn Curling Club as facility host Save the Date: November 5 - 9, 2025 Contact Travis Mark (306) 821-2026

Thursday, December 26, 2024

MERIDIAN SOURCE

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Lloydminster commits to mobile shelter CHRISTIAN APOSTOLOVSKI STAFF WRITER

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Lloydminster has committed just under $100,000 to a mobile warming shelter following a council motion.

At the Dec. 16 council meeting, a cold weather response plan funding request was made.

The response outlined details of a new warming shelter.

“What’s being proposed is a mobile warming shelter,” said Lloydminster Mayor Gerald Aalbers. “To add to that even further, is why is it a mobile warming shelter? Due to the issues that have been experienced at planning and understanding the planning act that we follow for the city to establish a warming shelter, would be likely three months before we could establish a warming shelter at the earliest.”

If the city wanted to find a building to put a warming shelter in, it would take some time before they

could implement the shelter. To set up a more permanent location council would have to find a suitable location and then embark on a lengthy rezoning process..

The mobile warming shelter gives them the option to take it wherever it’s needed.

“It may not be parked, it may be moving throughout the night,” said Aalbers.

Aalbers says there will be rules that must be followed to use the shelter.

“There will be rules around the use of that warming shelter because it’s not a free-for-all as some may assume,” he said. “Certainly, there would be requirements if you want to use the warming shelter for the night.”

The city has prepared to cover all the items they will need.

“You’ll notice security has been included in that. There’s a driver but we’ve tried to cover off all the possi-

ble steps to ensure things are handled as best and appropriately as we can to serve both the clients that need the service and the general community.”

The goal is to administer this initiative in partnership with a local group.

The city is committing $99,950 to this project. Of that, $54,000 is going to the vehicle rental, $13,500 for a driver, $12,150 for security, $3,300 for cleaning, $15,000 for agency support and $2,000 for incidentals. Administration confirmed this amount would sustain the project for 45 days.

The City of Lloydminster is looking to work with various branches of government on this issue.

“We’re left with working with Saskatchewan and Canada and hopefully between those two levels of government, we’ll see some support,” said Aalbers.

At this time, city administration has reached out to both provinces and the

federal government regarding funding opportunities but there is currently no confirmation of funding to support this plan.

Aalbers says the issue of homelessness is not new but is being augmented by migration from other cities.

“The challenge I’ve heard from local community leaders is they don’t have an unhoused population because they tend to end up in Lloydminster,” he said.

He says people may end up here because of the facilities and services available to them here in Lloyd.

“So it’s not necessarily from city to city, but it’s seeing that our local communities may not have an unhoused population because they’ve made their way to Lloydminster. Oh, there is the men’s shelter, there’s interval home, there’s other facilities,” said Aalbers.

The most recent Point-in-Time count indicated at least 60 unsheltered individuals living in the community.

City procurement highlighted at event CHRISTIAN APOSTOLOVSKI STAFF WRITER

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Businesses got the chance to learn about the City of Lloydminster’s procurement process over breakfast.

Businesspeople, councillors and community members alike gathered at the Lloyd Ex on Dec. 17 for a presentation and networking opportunity put on by the city.

Members of the economic development team as well as Lloydminster’s procurement officer, Mika Wangler, were on hand.

Wangler gave a presentation breaking down the various kinds of procurement the city takes part in.

It’s broken up into three categories, public procure-

ment, limited procurement and sole/single sourcing.

“Public procurement or what we call open competition, is a procurement option to any and all vendors to bid,” said Wangler. “We also engage in limited procurement or invitational, when a number of vendors are invited to submit in a bid quote on procurement.”

“And sole or single sourcing is when a single vendor is invited to bid,” she said.

She says sole or single-source procurement is often not used because it does not promote best competition.

Wangler says important strides have been made for the city’s procurement.

“The city, we have made important strides in policy and procedural improvements and transpar-

Students carol at seniors’ centres

Dan Gray Meridian Source Photo DAN GRAY STAFF WRITER

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Carollers from College Park School spread Christmas joy to local seniors on Dec. 16.

Travelling from Pioneer Lodge to the Dr. Hemstock Retirement Residence and Hearthstone Place and then the LloydMall, 14 students brought smiles and sing-a-long songs throughout the morning.

It was their first time singing outside of the school.

“We could not be more proud of our new middle school choir. They have shown incredible ded-

ication, pouring their hearts into every practice,” stated teachers Jaime Grant and Nicole Burrage.

“Their hard work is incredible and shines through in their voices. They’re ready to show just how far they’ve come in their journey to be their best.”

Hymns such as Silent Night and Joy To The World garnered audience participation from the seniors at Pioneer Lodge.

“The residents love seeing the kids,” stated Pioneer Lodge’s Lori Choma. “They appreciate them coming out and spreading joy.”

The school planned these as the only performances before Christmas.

ency and education have been key initiatives,” she said.

Katlin Ducherer, Lloydminster’s economic development officer, who spoke to the importance of business licensing.

“From our perspective, we use business licensing as a directory, as a master document for the businesses and the diversification we have in our community, it’s very important to register yourself as a business,” said Ducherer.

“It really helps us in understanding the local ecosystem, that diversification and how we can help you expand as well as attract new business.”

Some metrics were also provided regarding income and workforce in Lloyd. The median age in Lloydminster is 35.5, boasting a workforce of 20,250, an average economic household income of $128,600. The average residential price in the city is $308,968.

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MERIDIAN SOURCE

YEAR IN REVIEW 2024 – January

Thursday, December 26, 2024

MERIDIAN SOURCE YEAR IN REVIEW Local singer wins Sask music award Residents in Recovery

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inger/songwriter and local restauranteur Elenee Young has quite a lot on her plate, but she wouldn’t have it any other way.

The wife and mother of two was recently named Inspirational/Spiritual Artist of the Year (2023),

at the Saskatchewan Music Awards in Saskatoon.

“It was kind of out of nowhere … it was an honour. My reaction was a bit surprised, but I was also overwhelmed a little bit,” said Young, adding she didn’t have a speech prepared because she didn’t think she’d win.

Young said she’s also very grateful for the support she has received from those in the Lloydminster region.

“The community has been super helpful, and encouraging, even though my space is really a niche— I’m a Christian/gospel singer/songwriter/producer. The people that aren’t interested in that niche of music, they still support me, which I think is really cool.”

Inspiration for her music comes in the moment, and she’ll write down song ideas and lyrics when the mood strikes.

“When I feel down or tired or stressed, I write with the mindset of, OK, how do I want to feel? I write from that vein because I feel like the theme of inspiration music—it always has a positive undercurrent.”

Teachers strike for students

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ead our lips.

Roughly 550 teachers, including 462 from the Lloydminster Public and Catholic school division, joined a one-day province-wide strike of Saskatchewan teachers during frigid temperatures

on Tuesday, hoping the government gets the message to return to the bargaining table.

Classes were cancelled and schools were closed for the day.

“This strike is province-wide in S as kat c he w an, all 1 4,5 00 members are striking today,”

said Lloydminster Teachers’ Association president, Derek Armstrong.

The Lloydminster demonstration was bolstered by teachers from other associations in the region.

Many teachers were seen carrying placards parading along 44 St. from the Border Inn and Suites in solidarity to demand the government negotiate better working and learning conditions in publicly funded schools for a new four-year collective bargaining agreement.

“Our employers, our families, our students, the community, we know they are behind us,” said Armstrong.

“We hope we can demonstrate to them how much we care about the students they trust us to care for and that they recognize this fight is for the students.”

faces major cuts

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he Residents in Recovery Society has been forced to cease the operation of life-changing recovery programs due to a lack of funding.

Executive director, Tyler Lorenz, says the decision to discontinue pre and post-treatment sober living and outpatient day programming was brought forward by the board with a heavy heart.

“It was pretty devastating … there’s really no options. We’re the only organization that takes people unfunded. Most places will require you to be on Alberta Works or Sask income support before you come into their program. We do not,” explained Lorenz.

“We’ve seen it over and over again—if they don’t come directly from jail or remand directly to the centre they just don’t come. We talk to a lot of probation officers because a lot of our clients are on condition, so they’re all kind of beside themselves right now,” he said, adding they work closely with probation officers on both sides of the border.

In a Jan. 8 press release Residents in Recovery stated that requests from both provincial governments had been made without success, and the existing funding from the Saskatchewan government was reduced when the cost-of-living increase was removed from the contract the previous year.

Onion Lake health faces challenges

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he Onion Lake Health Board Inc. would be in a healthier position with more federal funding, or better yet, operate its own healthcare system.

Those were some of the messages board director, Albert Jimmy and associate director, Lori Worthing, shared in a presentation on Onion Lake’s health services at the Rotary Club of Lloydminster’s Monday lunch.

Jimmy says more provincial and federal funding is needed to expand the services in their community health plan, which serves more than 7,000 band members, including 5,000 residents on the reserve.

“The challenge we are always facing is funding from the federal government. That’s a unique issue and our Treaty Right to Health is a unique issue,” said Jimmy. “We’ve been negotiating the Treaty Right to Health on a needs basis.”

Mother Teresa students go nuts for donuts

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hat does 263 lbs. of donut icing, 60 lbs. of chocolate fudge icing, 10 lbs of sprinkles and a school full of creative kids with kind hearts equal? A total of 5,476 individual donuts sold, bringing in $3,422.50 to go towards local organizations.

Over the past month, students at Mother Teresa Early Childhood Education Centre have been going nuts for donuts after partnering up with Sobeys Lloydminster to create unique, one-of-a-kind donuts to spread kindness to non-profits in the Border City.

The three-week sales campaign was nothing short of a success, with 1,369

four-packs of donuts sold.

Funds are being doled out to the Lloydminster Rescue Squad, the Lloydminster Public Library, the Lloydminster Interval Home Society, Furbabies Furever Homes, the SPCA, as well as Points West Living Lloydminster Inc. “At the beginning of January we started to create this donut project, and really let it come to life in February,” said Mother Teresa Grade 1 teacher Paige Kindopp. “Each class designed their own classroom kindness donut, and each of their toppings had a special meaning to it; a random act of kindness,” she said.

YEAR IN REVIEW 2024 – January

Thursday, December 26, 2024

Koe curls into Astec jackpot

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fter an action-packed four days of worldclass curling, Team Koe returned to Calgary a little bit richer.

It was an all-Canadian final at this weekend’s inaugural Astec Safety Challenge curling bonspiel with the rink of Reid Carruthers of Winnipeg taking on Koe and company on Sunday afternoon.

With nine of the top 10 men’s teams in the world competing, it was still anyone’s weekend.

Quarter finals took place Saturday night before the semis on Sunday morning.

Quarter-final action saw Alberta’s Team Bottcher, sponsored by Astec Safety, beat out by Team Mouat of Stirling, Scotland 8-5.

Koe beat out Yannick Schwaller of Geneva, Switzerland 6-5, Carruthers sent home Team Gushue of St. John’s N.L. after a tight 5-4 game, and Team Retornaz, the top-ranked team in the world, beat Niklas Edin and company from Karlstad, Sweden 6-1.

Koe, who was a crowd favourite over the weekend, beat Carruthers 6-3 to win the bonspiel.

Rustlers women’s basketball 14-0

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he Lakeland College Rustlers women’s basketball team is unstoppable.

With a 14-0 Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) record, the ladies have put up 1,121 points, allowed 768, and remain at the top of the Canadian Collegiate (CCAA) Athletic Conference national rankings for the eighth week in a row.

The Rustlers hosted the Keyano College Huskies (5-9) for back-to-back homers last weekend, steamrolling KC 84-53 on Friday before an almost tooclose-for-comfort win on Saturday afternoon.

Tied 34-34 at the half, the Rustlers hit the court with the drive and determination head coach Chris King is used to seeing from his team.

King did, however, say Saturday’s game was a humbling experience that showed his players they’re not super humans, after all.

Vaadeland packs Vic Juba Theatre

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YEAR IN REVIEW 2024 – February

Thursday, December 26, 2024

Synergy sponsors Games volunteers

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he volunteer drive for the 2024 Saskatchewan Summer Games is underway with Synergy Credit Union contributing $50,000 as the official volunteer sponsor.

The milestone announcements took place at Synergy Credit Union on Monday with local members of the Games’ host society and community leaders celebrating the moment along with mascots, Tansi and Ravi.

“This is a big step to really start the volunteer

drive. That is a key component of what we need — over 1,000 volunteers to make these Games go,” said Games host society co-chair, Aaron Rawlake.

“The synergy of our volunteers and sponsors to make this happen to give these athletes a memora-

ble experience is huge.”

Volunteers will help greet the athletes, keep score at sports events, assist with medical needs, manage logistics, sell merchandise, manage ticket sales, and more.

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Sunday, December 29 at 10:00am - Online Service Rev. Cathy Kinsman and Rev. George Mafuleka

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ANGLICAN CHURCH OF THE NATIVITY LLOYDMINSTER at Lloydminster Public Library, Lloyd Mall West Entrance - Unit 160, 5211 44 St, AB A Christ-centered, multicultural, multiracial, Bible-based Anglican Church of Lloydminster that believes in the apostolic teaching and is sensitive to human needs

SUNDAY SERVICES AT 12:00 NOON BIBLE STUDY AT 7:00 PM & FRIDAYS VIA ZOOM https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87146305791?pwd=e4yawgRifbUJABQXMVne AsP2olkl3c.1, Meeting ID: 871 4630 5791, Passcode: 989498

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Students help grow game of hockey

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ecognized as Canada’s national winter sport, hockey is a game played by young and old from all walks of life, but where does a love for the game come from?

That question was asked and answered at E.S. Laird Middle School last Thursday as students laced up some skates and took to the ice; a first for many in the group.

Hosted by E.S. teacher Morgan Mann, who also happens to coach the Apex Automation Lakeland College Rustlers women’s ice hockey team, the learnto-skate-style event took place on the outdoor rink behind the school with instruction from the Rustlers and the U15 AA Richardson Jewellery Steelers.

Aside from basic skating skills, the Rustlers and Steelers helped students tie skates, work

on puck control, and of course, perfect some clappers.

“The U15 Steelers and the Apex Automation Lakeland College Rustlers women’s hockey team applied for a grant with Hockey Alberta to grow the game of hockey, and more specifically, hockey and skating and the experience of being on the

Housing needs under microscope

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outdoor ice,” explained Mann.

“Our initiative was for students who have maybe never had this opportunity before.

The two teams decided to join together, and we got a perfect day for it. This is also our first skate on our ODR here at E.S. Laird, and the ice is in great shape.”

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he City of Lloydminster held a meeting to discuss what it will take to fulfill housing needs in the community, with a survey now underway.

The City of Lloydminster Housing Needs Assessment and Strategy Community Conference was held at the Lloyd Ex on Jan. 30, with nearly 100 registered attendees participating in the day-long conference.

“One of the things we’ve been hearing from folks is that it was a really great opportunity to connect with other people who are involved in housing in Lloydminster. From a business, but also from a social services provider perspective, to start building some of those relationships,” said Patrick Lancaster, the City’s manager of social programs and services.

The day began with a presentation by Bassa Social Innovations, a consultant team that’s been conducting workshops with various groups in Lloyd for the past seven months to gather information and present an initial report. Lancaster said the validation of their findings was an important part of the process.

“The main presentation was a presentation of the initial findings of the report. A big part of that was the validation process. It was like ‘here’s what we learned—does it feel like Lloydminster? Does this make sense about our community?’

“Our consultants are very conscious of the thought they want to make sure the report represents our community, so they need to hear that from us, as residents.”

YEAR IN REVIEW 2024 – February

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Thursday, December 26, 2024

Town hall touches on ‘unhoused’ dilemma

he Lloydminster RCMP held a town hall meeting last week, which was open to the public.

Those in attendance were encouraged to ask questions throughout the presentation and offer their input as to what they think should be focused on within the Lloyd detachment.

“Our priorities are developed through consultations with the community, and through my police officers on the ground. They see things every day, through mayor and council because they talk to the constituents all of the time, and then through general complaints,” explained Lloydminster RCMP detachment’s Commander Brian Nicholl.

One of the hot topics during the community engagement part of the

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evening was homelessness within the city.

“Right now we need a shelter and we need a warming facility. As a community, we need those services,” said Nicholl.

“Do you want it in your neighbourhood? I say that not to be rude to anybody because, no, I definitely don’t. I do not want those services in my neighbourhood because I do not want what it brings.”

He explained whether the shelter is in a residential area or a commercial area, there will be complaints either way.

“I’m trying to make everybody think a little bit more, and a little bit broader. There is no simple solution, because believe me if there was, we would already be doing it,” said Nicholl.

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Wobeser enters hall of fame

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he Heart of the Farm Banquet, held in conjunction with Agri-Visions, was the event chosen for a very special presentation to a long-time supporter of the Lloydminster Agricultural Exhibition Association.

Jean Wobeser was officially inducted into the Lloyd Ex Hall of Fame in recognition of over 60 years of dedication.

“To say that I was honoured when Jean asked me to speak tonight would be the understatement of a lifetime,” said Sheila Phillips, who went on to explain her relationship with the Wobeser family.

“In 1973 on Neville Goss’s playground, a life-long friendship began between me and her oldest daughter Kelly. Kelly encouraged me to join Lloydminster’s Silver Spur Light Horse 4-H Club.”

“Her mom, Jean, was the general leader. Jean led a very active club, bringing in an array of specialists to

see that we not only learned to ride well but also had instruction from vets, farriers and feed specialists.”

She was born in Spalding, Sask. and loved animals from an early age, growing up on the farm.

Jean and her husband Dennis relocated to Lloydminster in 1961. Their three children Kelly, Wendy and Brady were all born in Lloydminster.

War bride receives Jubilee Award

magine, as a young person, leaving your home, your family and the only way of life you know and starting over in a far-away land.

This was a reality for war bride Jean Fells, who recently received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, presented to her by Lloydminster MLA Colleen Young. Fell’s family members made it out to the presentation as well.

“Every province got these medals to give out

to special people like you. It also recognizes Saskatchewan citizens of all ages and from all walks of life, who have made contributions to our country, our province, and particularly to their community,” said Young, before making the presentation on Feb. 14.

It is the last of its kind to be given out in Saskatchewan, since they were issued by Queen Elizabeth II in Feb. 2022 in honour of the 70th anniver-

sary of her ascension to the throne.

“This medal that I’m going to present to you today recognizes what you, personally, have done to make Saskatchewan a better place for all of us,” said Young.

Fells, who was 96 when she received the medal, fell in love with a Canadian man named Bob Fells during the Second World War. He worked for the Canadian Army as a military engineer.

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MERIDIAN SOURCE

YEAR IN REVIEW 2024 – March

Thursday, December 26, 2024

Aalbers joins call to halt crime index L

5921-50 Avenue, Lloydminster, SK S9V 2A4 Phone: 306-825-5111 | Fax: 306-825-5147 meridiansource.ca Mail: Box 2454, Lloydminster, SK S9V 1W5 Hours: 8AM to 5PM Monday to Friday The MERIDIAN SOURCE is published once a week, on Thursday.

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Editor Taylor Weaver taylor@meridiansource.ca

loydminster Mayor Gerald Aalbers is one of several elected officials in Western Canada claiming the release of annual Crime Severity Index (CSI) rankings is harmful.

He and leaders from 11 cities in the four western provinces held a press conference in Saskatoon to formally request Statistics Canada immediately halt publishing CSI rankings until they consult with smaller communities and Indigenous leaders.

The bone of contention is the belief CSI rankings are misleading, scare away business investment and recruitment, promote racial bias and create the misconception of high crime rates by

the public and media.

In a joint news statement, delegates said by driving away investment and recruitment and creating fear and division, this CSI statistic perpetuates the very trends it reports on.

“Theses reports published by Statistics Canada are detrimental to communities, First Nations communities—many communities throughout Western Canada represented here today as well as many others,” said Aalbers, who addressed the media on behalf of delegates.

“The Crime Severity Index challenges us on many fronts.”

The delegates, however; consented to the release of weighted CSI data only to its initially-

RM donates $100,000 to health fund

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loydminster Region Health Foundation CEO, Stephanie Munro, was bowled over by a whopping $100,000 charitable donation from the Rural Municipality of Britannia council.

RM Reeve, John Light, presented the cheque to Munro on behalf of the RM’s council on Monday to be utilized by the foundation “as they see fit” as

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intended recipients – police services of jurisdiction, which will use and properly interpret the data for police matters and resource deployment.

“We learned what the CSI was intended for and the unintended consequences today,” said Aalbers.

Under Statistics Canada’s current reporting system, North Battleford has the highest CSI in Canada, but delegates argue if the 10,000 population threshold is removed, that city would be ranked as number 16 on a list of RCMP detachment areas in Saskatchewan only.

This does not include other smaller communities across Canada in other provinces.

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council put it.

“The Lloydminster Region Health Foundation is overwhelmed by the continued support of the RM of Britannia,” said Munro at the RM office on 47 St. “We are sincerely thankful to the council for acknowledging the value and hard work our organization does to enhance health care for all residents within the region.”

In turn, Light says the RM council appreciates the work the foundation does and continues to do for the people within the RM and surrounding areas.

“Thank you for all the Lloydminster Region Health Foundation’s work in providing excellence and innovation for health care service in Lloydminster,” said Light.

Munro calls the cheque an ‘extremely generous donation’ to be utilized by their greatest needs fund to purchase enhanced equipment and resources for the community and region in a timely and efficient manner.

“We are extremely grateful for the community collaboration that we have with them,” said Munro.

Anti-carbon tax rally to begin

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nd the carbon tax now.

That’s the battle cry of Lloydminster’s Miranda Courts, who heads up a local Nationwide Protest Against the Carbon Tax, with another federal carbon tax hike of 23 per cent set for April 1.

Courts estimates up to 2,000 supporters could join the Lloydminster rally starting at 8 a.m. on Monday.

The plan is to slow the right lanes in both directions on Hwy. 16 near the old Alberta Tourism stop on April 1 to send the message to Ottawa, voters can’t afford the tax.

“It’s a huge hit. This is the over-taxation of Canadians. This stand is, enough is enough, we’re not going to take it anymore,” said Courts, who notes there will be an alternate detour on 40 Ave. to the Upgrader road during the local protest.

The tax increase will add about 3 cents per litre to the cost of gasoline in addition to a 4 cents a litre increase at the pumps in Alberta as the province ends its fuel subsidy of 13 cents the same day.

Courts says the protests will be happening at provincial borders right across Canada and other locations with affordability the unifying issue.

YEAR IN REVIEW 2024 – March

Thursday, December 26, 2024

MERIDIAN SOURCE

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Rustlers win national gold at home

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t was the fairy-tale ending everyone was gunning for, and the entire community showed up to watch it all happen.

For the first time in program history, the Lakeland College Rustlers women’s basketball team are national champions after defeating the Lambton Lions 64-55 in an absolute nail-biter of a gold-medal game, and it all went down in the Lakeland gym on Saturday night.

“I have so many feelings; I don’t

really have many words,” said fifthyear guard Hailey Somers right after the win.

“I don’t think you could write a more perfect story (to describe) how our last couple years here have gone … I’m so proud of everything and everyone.”

The Rustlers’ first shot at a national title came in 2020, which was quickly taken away when the CCAA cancelled the tournament due to COVID.

NATIONAL CHAMPS, AGAIN!

The team’s second shot came in 2022 when they won bronze, but for head coach, Chris King, the road to a national title has been even longer.

“In 2003, when I came here to play for Phil Allen (who passed away a few years ago), Phil’s goal the first year of basketball here at Lakeland was to win a national championship.

Fast forward 20 years later, for us

to win, at home, and to be coaching now instead of playing, is fantastic,” said a champagne-soaked King during post-win interviews with media, who wore the green, black and gold from 2002-2005.

“It felt special having it here because this was his dream. Being here when he started the program to now is just phenomenal.”

Rescue squad banks on Rotary grant

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hey never dreamed it was possible, but the Lakeland College Rustlers women’s volleyball team is back-to-back national champions.

The Rustlers, under the long-time direction of head coach Austin Dyer, headed to Red Deer last week as a favourite in the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) women’s volleyball championship after winning Alberta Colleges Athletic Con-

ference (ACAC) gold in Lethbridge on Feb. 24.

“Honestly, it’s something I never dreamed would happen; it’s unbelievable what this group and this team has done over the past two seasons,” said Dyer on Monday afternoon.

“Other than losing a match each year, these are two of the most dominant seasons in CCAA history … it’s been an incredible thing to be a part of and we couldn’t be happier.”

LABIS celebrates new location

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ide open, bright and cheery.

That describes the new location of the Lloydminster and Area Brain Injury Society at 103- 4090 41 St. on the Saskatchewan side of the city and the organization’s grand opening on a sunny, March 20.

“We are really excited to have

everyone come out and check out our location,” said Labis’ executive director Michelle Neufeld.

“We’re happy to have everyone come and check us out and see exactly where their proceeds and funding comes right back in the community and supports needs in the community.”

he Lloydminster Rescue Squad hopes they’ve kicked off their fundraising campaign for a new 3/4 ton truck at the right time and place.

Rescue squad chief Norm Namur and d epu t y chief , R y an Lebl a nc have their fingers crossed to land a $75,000 Legacy Community Project grant from the Rotary Club of Lloydminster with the application deadline on March 31.

“I just want to thank the Rotary Club for the Legacy project fund being open to the community again,” said Namur during an update at the club’s Monday lunch.

The rescue squad’s goal is to raise just over $100,000 to purchase a new Ford F-250 truck to tow some of their heavier boats.

That includes the Avatar airboat they purchased last year thanks to a $100,000 donation from Cenovus and their 22-ft. Kingfisher water rescue boat acquired in 2021.

“Our underwater rescue boat is a little bit big for the half-ton. We’re going to utilize it to tow those and also for a secondary rapid response vehicle,” explained Leblanc.

The fundraising goal will cover the cost of all the equipment that goes into the truck including the lighting and decals.

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MERIDIAN SOURCE

YEAR IN REVIEW 2024 – April

Thursday, December 26, 2024

Protesters take stand on border H

onking horns and flags in the wind were heard and seen on April 1 as carbon tax protesters congregated at the Saskatchewan border on the east side of Lloydminster.

The message behind the protest is simple: axe the carbon tax.

“Drop the tax altogether. I don’t want the 23 per cent gone, I don’t want a pause. Across Canada, Canadians want the carbon tax gone altogether,” said protest organizer Miranda Courts, amidst honks of support near the old Lloydminster Visitor Information Centre.

“This is organic and it will grow as more people talk. The people that came here talked to their friends and family. It’ll only grow from here as we continue on in this protest,” said Courts.

Courts says they aren’t against environmentallyfriendly programs or initiatives, but funds from taxpayers shouldn’t leave Canada.

“If you want to talk about money for initiatives to help the environment, I’m down for that … but as long as you’re sending one dollar out of this coun-

Steelers crowned provincial champs

Construction looms for dialysis unit

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he design phase of the planned relocation and expansion of renal dialysis services in Lloydminster is now complete with construction expected to start later this year.

The milestone achievement, which was announced by Alberta Health Services (AHS) and Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) last Thursday, is welcome

news to project advocates.

“Nearly three years ago, dialysis expansion was identified as one of our group’s top 12 priorities,” said Paul Richer, chair of the Lloydminster and District Health Advisory Council.

“There will be much to celebrate at the grand opening.”

Currently, Lloydminster hemodialysis operates at the Lloyd-

minster Hospital with five stations, allowing treatments for 20 patients per week.

The dialysis unit will expand to six stations serving 24 patients.

The new unit will be built to be fully functional for nine stations and 36 patients to respond to increased patient needs in the future, should funding to operate these stations be secured.

Agriterra opens for farm season

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hile most were hunkered down at home enjoying Easter weekend with family, the U13 AA Western Financial Steelers were busy winning a provincial gold medal on home ice.

The U13 AA Alberta Female Hockey League (AFHL) provincial championships were held at the Servus Sports Centre over the weekend, with the Steelers beating the Calgary Fire 3-1 on Sunday in the gold-medal game.

The provincial championship capped the Steelers’ storied season, which saw them wrap the regular season with a 21-0 record before representing Zone 7 at the Alberta Winter Games in Grande Prairie from Feb. 16-19 where they got their first taste for gold. After such a successful season, the three forwards attribute their on-ice success to a strong family dynamic, something coach Payne saw from day one.

“This is a very special group of girls,” he said.

“We knew they’d be good from the start, but we didn’t know how good or how special they were.

They all listen, work hard, and put in effort in practice, and it seemed like every time we were down a bit, someone, or a group of them, stepped up.”

try, I’m not paying a carbon tax.”

She said it was exciting to see so many people come out to support the protest, but the thing that surprised her the most was the support of those passing by.

“The one convoy, the one slow-roll that they did out of here was incredible,” she said, adding many people passing through joined in on a whim.

“They wanted to be a part of it and a lot of them joined into it just put on their hazards and joined in and were honking away. That to me was great because they’re engaging.”

Courts wants people to know that they’re in it for the long haul. She says they, along with others across the country, won’t leave until the carbon tax is discontinued.

“I want people to know that we’re out here 24/7.

We’re out here until the carbon tax is dropped. I want people to know that I know it’s an inconvenience for locals and it adds some extra time onto them, but in the end, if and when we succeed at this, everybody benefits,” said Courts.

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he sun came out for the grand opening of Agriterra Equipment’s new farm equipment shop along with up to 250 invited guests, employees and visitors.

The special event was held last Thursday with a ribbon cutting, door prizes and tours of the 15,500 sq. ft. facility in the refitted former Trans Canada Truck Wash off Highway 16 in Blackfoot.

“It’s very exciting. The weather is co-operating, the yard is full of equipment, so hopefully, we’ll have lots of people out and see what we’ve done to the building,” said branch manager Kim Wildeman.

The opening was timed just ahead of farming seeding with early sales of their Morris seeding drills and Fendt tractor units.

“We’re basically concentrating on that, getting them out and getting them ready for farmers to get out in the field,” said Wildeman.

“The farmers will be itching to get in the field pretty soon.”

Agriterra is primarily an AGCO farm equipment dealership and the owner of equipment brands such as Fendt, Massey-Ferguson, Hesston and Challenger.

YEAR IN REVIEW 2024 – April

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13

an honour.”

Sauer, who tagged off with his wife, Leanne, to talk about their organ donor experiences, was surprised to be ambushed as the Lions Citizen of the Year, but he said the recognition “feels good” nevertheless.

“I think Marleigh said ahead of me that there are a lot of citizens who have been recognized before in our community who do a lot, so to be a part of that group is something special,” said Sauer.

Smithson also highlighted Sauer’s extensive volunteerism behind his award with his personal highlight being his 30 years as a teacher at Lloydminster Comprehensive High School.

“I loved working with young adults at the high school age, and being involved in the sporting area really helped me as an administrator at the high school,” said the retiree and former city councillor.

Chris King crowned top national college coach

f Chris King’s recent undefeated season and national women’s basketball title didn’t cause enough excitement, perhaps receiving the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association’s (CCAA) highest coaching honour will.

King, who recently wrapped his 16th season as the Lakeland College Rustlers women’s basketball team’s bench boss, was named the recipi-

ent of this year’s CCAA Coaching Excellence Award on April 17, the highest honour a college coach in Canada can receive.

With roughly 100 teams competing in the CCAA, for King and the Rustlers’ athletic department, the award is ‘kind of a big deal.’

“My name is on it, but it’s about (Rustlers athletic director) Alan Rogan and the athletic department taking a chance on me as a really

Onion Lake welcomes detox beds

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MERIDIAN SOURCE

Lions roar for citizens of year

t was double deception night for recipients of this year’s outstanding citizen awards, presented by the Lloydminster Lions Club.

Teenager Marleigh Mann, named Jr. Citizen of the Year and senior Larry Sauer, Citizen of the Year, each thought they were invited to speak about pet projects at a Legacy Centre supper Monday night.

The 17-year-old Mann, who will graduate from Holy Rosary High School this year, talked about her involvement with the Beda club that earned her the award, presented by Lion Kathy Smithson.

“I was definitely surprised and I think it’s really an honour because I know how many great individuals are in our community and how many kids my age volunteer so much,” said Mann.

“I am really grateful to the Lions Club for selecting me and it really is

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Thursday, December 26, 2024

sense of hope was felt throughout Onion Lake Cree Nation with the addition of 15 detox beds to the community’s Ekweskeet Healing Lodge.

“We had lost hope, including our young people, some who have committed suicide, and that’s evidence they’d lost hope,” said Chief Henry Lewis following Tuesday’s ribboncutting ceremony.

“This is a sense of bringing that hope back. Although we have a lot of hurdles to go through, I know we’ll get there eventually.”

Lewis was joined by members of the Onion Lake community, including the director of the Onion Lake Health Board, Albert Jimmy, local dignitaries, and two members of

the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN), 2nd Vice Chief Edward “Dutch” Lerat and 4th Vice Chief Craig McCallum.

For the Chief, the detox beds aren’t just a sign of hope, they’re also a way of setting a better example for youth.

“We need to work on our youth; the demographics look pretty scary,” he said.

“Youth are going to be taking over, so if we don’t do anything now, I can’t imagine if they all got out of control.”

And when it comes to setting a good example for today’s youth, Lewis explained he’s honoured to have people like Albert Jimmy in his corner.

“He’s walking the talk, and that’s very important. He’s been there and he walked it.”

young coach, supporting me and sticking with me this whole time.

I’m also very blessed I get to coach really good players,” said King on Tuesday afternoon.

“It’s always special winning an award, but this is a big one and it’s a

very cool award to win.”

King began his coaching career at Lakeland at the age of 24. Now 41, the Kitscoty native continues to achieve what he set out to do when he first started, which was to grow the local game of basketball.

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MERIDIAN SOURCE

YEAR IN REVIEW 2024 – May

Thursday, December 26, 2024

Local artist pens petinspired children’s book author’s process.

“It all started with the number of nicknames I give my dog, which is a lot of them, and the Munson one is the most popular,” said Hoffman.

“

I always had the story in the back of my mind and always thought about doing it.

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ike many pet owners, Jaime Hoffman has a million nicknames for her dog, but instead of concealing them, Hoffman celebrates them, to the point of writing and self-publishing a children’s book she calls Million Name Munson.

Originally published in December of 2023, Million Name Munson takes readers on a rhyming journey through the many names of Edna, Hoffman’s nine-year-old Schnauzer.

The Source caught up with Hoffman at the LloydMall during a book signing at Coles to learn more about the book’s inspiration and the

“I do think of the movie Kingpin when I think of that name, but in the story, I talk about how I started calling her Edna-Mode, like the little old lady from The Incredibles. Then I started saying Mode-son, and my brain just went to Munson.”

The final product was a long time coming for Hoffman, who wrote and illustrated the entire book, a process she’s been working on for years.

“It just poured out of me, and I kept it on my phone for a really long time until I had the time to illustrate it. The fact it’s all done is amazing,” she said.

“I always had the story in the back of my mind and always thought about doing it, but it’s a lot of work, so the fact it got off the ground is exciting.”

YEAR IN REVIEW 2024 – May

Thursday, December 26, 2024

Play it Forward charity game generates big bucks

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sk any of the 50 skaters who laced them up for Border City Connects’ third annual Play it Forward 12-hour charity hockey game and they’ll tell you it was a blast, but the real winners were the residents who utilize the services they provide.

The game took place at the Servus Sports Centre on April 19, and having met the $75,000 fundraising goal, Border City Connects’ executive director, Glenn Fagnan, couldn’t be happier.

“It’s amazing to think we raised

$75,000 through 12 hours of hockey,” he said.

“The attitude of our players and how truly amazing they are to step up and assist our community members is truly incredible and I can’t thank those players enough.”

Fagnan also thanked the countless businesses and community sponsors for their support over the years.

“We wouldn’t be able to do this without their support,” he said, noting the game was the brainchild of Aaron Buckingham and has brought in over $200K over three years.

Seven-year funder comes to fruition at Mother T

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eet me at the playground.

That was the theme of a seven-year fundraising campaign that recently came to fruition at Mother Teresa Early Childhood Education Centre in the form of a new playground.

Through the school’s east-facing windows, students watched crews assemble their new play structure last Thursday and Friday, which comes equipped with slides, climbing structures, and six swings, something Paula Scott, board chair of the Lloydminster Catholic School Division (LCSD), says students are stoked for.

“This is a great day. This has been about seven years of fundraising, so a lot of the kids that started this fundraiser aren’t here anymore, but they’ll still be able to come by and see it,” said Scott last Thursday afternoon.

“The kids and their families have been so supportive of Mother Teresa and getting this project going. Work started yesterday and they’re hoping to be done by Friday, which is fantastic, and then the kids will have a brand-new playground, with six swings, which is apparently awesome; the Grade 1’s are very excited about that.”

Local golfer makes 6 million to one shot, twice

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n golf, an albatross, also known as a double eagle, occurs when a player finishes a hole three under par.

The odds of shooting one albatross are roughly six million to one, and to the amazement of everyone at the Lloydminster Golf and Curling Centre (LGCC), local golfer Jim Born Jr. recently sank two albatrosses within 15 days of each other.

“When I got the first one I was golfing with Ryan Rivett. The ball

kind of disappeared and I asked him ‘is that an albatross?’ He got out his range finder and couldn’t see the ball, so at that point, we knew it was in,” said Born.

“It caught me off guard, so no one really cheered or celebrated, so when I got the second one I went a little overboard; everyone got a hug and a high-five,” he said with a laugh.

Born’s first albatross came on May 11 with his second hitting the bottom of the cup on May 26.

MERIDIAN SOURCE

15

Seniors re-imagine Jubilee Home I

f building long-term care beds in Lloydminster were a hockey score, it would be 214 for the Alberta side of the city and 50 in Saskatchewan.

The Lloydminster Concerned Citizens for Seniors Care Society has prepared a draft proposal to level the playing field and replace Jubilee Home with 180 new spaces.

“The proposal is to get a replacement of the Jubilee Home,” said Seniors Care Society president, Graham Brown at the group’s meeting on April 23.

“We have to get 50 beds there to replace the ones that are now there, but we also need to add dramatically to the long-term care beds in Lloydminster.”

The numbers include the replacement of Jubilee’s existing 50 LTC

spaces plus 20 specialty, 20 palliative, 20 respite, 20 transition spaces and 50 new LTC spaces.

The Alberta side of the city has 60 LTC spaces at Lloydminster Continuing Care Centre, 50 at Dr. Cooke Extended Care, 60 at Points West Living and 44 at Pioneer Hours for a total of 214.

Brown says Saskatchewan has not added any long-term care beds in Lloydminster for many years so it’s their turn.

“So hopefully, they’ll look at this project favourably and we can get moving on replacing that as soon as possible,” he said.

The elephants in the room are competing for new projects in Saskatchewan and the completion of a new Integrated Health Services and Facility Infrastructure Needs Assessment.

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MERIDIAN SOURCE

YEAR IN REVIEW 2024 – June

Thursday, December 26, 2024

LCHS expansion dream now a reality

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he wait is finally over at Lloydminster Comprehensive High School (LCHS) as staff and students celebrated the completion of a $28.8 million renovation and expansion.

The Government of Saskatchewan and the Province of Alberta, through The Lloydminster Charter, jointly invested $28.8 million in the project, which

added an extra 2-storey building that houses an additional 16 classrooms.

With the new space, which officially opened last week, the school, which was once attended by Grade 10 to 12 students only, will now welcome 335 Grade 9 students.

“The successful completion of this significant

Women in Business a sold-out event

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he inaugural Women in Business seminar got off to a great start as a soldout event.

Th e e ve n t , h e l d o n J u n e 4 at the Centennial Civic Centre Auditorium, is the brainchild of Jill Kelly, owner and brand strategist of Red Bicycle Communications.

It was billed as an opportunity to celebrate, inspire and empower women in business.

“We sold out already and we re-released tickets and we have a couple left, but we have about

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144 women in the room,” said Kelly as attendees were filing in.

“We are really honoured this many women, not only in business, but interested in business, have come out to give support.”

Kelly says the purpose of it is to encourage women to become entrepreneurs and start their own businesses and build a network of support for the people who are in business so they can continue to be in business.

One of the eager businesswomen in the room was Michelle Benning, property manager and

accountant at Fort Pitt Developments and a Rotary member.

“I hope to learn a lot from the ladies in the room about how they’ve succeeded and progressed in their business experience in Lloydminster,” said Benning.

She also liked everything she saw on the agenda from the getgo.

“To be honest, I’ll find something beneficial out of everyone who’s here today. There’s always something to learn,” added Benning.

project can be largely attributed to the hard work and collaboration among various levels of government and local community,” said Sask Minister of Education Jeremy Cockrill.

“Our government is proud to have contributed to this project which provides more new classrooms where students can achieve their goals.”

David Thompson, Lloydminster Public School Division board chair, explained the grand opening of the new wing was the realization of a dream that was developed seven or eight years ago.

“Without the timely approval of this project and the funding from both governments, today we’d be standing in the middle of a field talking about the dream we’ve now realized,” he said.

“On behalf of the board, (thank you) to Synergy Credit Union and the City of Lloydminster.

Synergy contributed half a million dollars and the city, a quarter of a million dollars, and that allowed us to enlarge and enhance this part of the building as well as student experience and community youths.”

Stang to exit Synergy in an RV

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he timing was right for Synergy Credit Union CEO Glenn Stang to announce his retirement in advance of major changes on the horizon to the financial services industry in Canada.

Stang will retire this year on Dec. 31 as Synergy’s top executive, a post he’s held since 2013.

“As we wish Glenn all the best in his retirement, we will be working to find a new leader to carry on his good work and continue to build Synergy as your financial wellness provider,” said Synergy’s board in a statement last Thursday.

Stang says he just doesn’t have enough time on his hands to see the credit union fully adapt to open banking being introduced by the federal government this year.

“It will change how we do business with our members and how we serve our communities,” he said.

Judges revved up over student autos

udges at this year’s Car and Truck Show at Lloydminster Comprehensive High School were blown away by strong winds and most of the 28 vehicle entries.

One of the attention-getters was a greencoloured, 1975 Ford F-100 shown by student Kylie Bosch.

“I love it because it’s original and it’s authentic.

It’s fun and redneck,” said judge Rita Reiger in the school parking lot last Wednesday.

“She’s got the three on the tree and that makes it even cooler,” said Reiger.

The truck checked off a lot of boxes in the most redneck and custom truck categories to the delight of Bosch, who says the truck actually belongs to her

and her dad.

“We got it from a farmer for $700 and he got it running right there in the field and we fixed it up.

We’ve got chrome wheels on it. We fixed up the interior, cleaned it up, put a seat cover on because it was all ripped up,” said the teen.

“We swapped the motor entirely because the other motor was burning oil and we just swapped it for the same one.”

Bosch says she acquired an interest in vehicles by playing video games and helping her dad work on them.

She’s taking Mech Auto 20 at school right now as well as doing welding and machining this semester to hone her skills around vehicles.

YEAR IN REVIEW 2024 – June

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MERIDIAN SOURCE

Wastewater partners celebrate

he $81.5 million cost of the City of Lloydminster’s new mechanical wastewater treatment facility may be worth every penny.

That was the consensus of the project partners who spoke about the benefits at a grand opening celebration and tour of the site on Tuesday afternoon.

“We affect the lives of well over a quarter million people downstream from the North Saskatchewan River where our water is turned back to,” said Mayor Gerald Aalbers.

“It’s imperative we do the right thing for people in North Battleford, Prince Albert, Cumberland House, all the way to the Churchill (river) into Hudson Bay.”

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Thursday, December 26, 2024

Aalbers says the need for a new facility was dictated by federal regulations that were exceeded with the plant built to meet the needs of the community for the next 20 years.

The new wastewater facility was completed last November when it received a permit to operate from the Saskatchewan Water Security Agency.

Aalbers also assured residents the city’s water system is also in good shape, following a recent water emergency in nearby Wainwright and ongoing water pipeline repairs and a state of emergency in Calgary.

“Water and wastewater are some of the key factors that we provide each and every day and people have that expectation,” said Aalbers.

Country music awards make splash in Lloyd

ocal boys Dylan Hansen & The Rough Cuts kicked things off on the main stage on Thursday night before a weekend full of indoor and outdoor live music and markets. The Gold Horse Casino hosted a brunch with Mayor Gerald Aalbers on Saturday morning with the awards taking place that evening.

Big River’s Jake Vaadeland had a

busy night taking home four awards, including Male Artist of the Year.

Shaunavon’s Hunter Brothers took home four awards, including Fans’ Choice Entertainer of the Year.

Teagan Littlechief picked up two awards, including Female Artist of the Year, and host, Jess Moskaluke, was awarded National/International Artist for her international success.

City honours life of Coun. Fagnan

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he City of Lloydminster is honouring the life of Glenn Fagnan, a two-term seated City Councillor, a Rotarian of more than 30 years and the executive director of the Border City Connects Society, who died on Sunday, June 16 at the age of 65.

The Rotary Club of Lloydminster paid tribute to Fagnan at their Monday meeting and paused for a minute of silence.

Fagnan is warmly remembered as a companion, leader and architect of the community who significantly contributed to the development of Lloydminster’s business landscape.

He and his wife, Karen, along with their daughter, Brandy, moved to the Border City in 1989 to start Relay Distributing, and its rich history continues to operate today, serving the Lloydminster region for more than three decades.

Since selling Relay Distributing, Fagnan built and operated Midwest Communications, Diamond Limousine, Paige Industries and Knox Corporation. His love for business did not stop there. Over the past 35 years, he has shared his entrepreneurial wisdom by volunteering on many business-related boards, including that of the president of Lloydminster’s Chamber of Commerce, chair of the Lloydminster Economic Development Association and sub-chairperson for the Economic Development Corporation.

Of course, Fagnan’s love for the community extended beyond business. Most recently, he served as the Council representative for the Saskatchewan Summer Games to be held in Lloydminster from July 21-27. He also served as president of The Olive Tree, the former Handivan Society (now Border City Connects Society) and KidSport, and assisted with Scotia Bank Hockey Day in Canada and the Alberta Summer Games.

“I love our city, and we have many wonderful organizations and a huge pool of volunteers. I always say that the true measure of a community can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable community members,” Fagnan wrote in a community bio after being elected to city council for a second term in 2020.

Over the years, Fagnan was honoured with many awards and accolades recognizing his service and achievements as a businessman and community advocate.

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PAGE 18 Thursday, December 26, 2024 MERIDIAN SOURCE

Need a hand Hiring great employees?

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The Rural Municipality of Britannia No. 502 invites candidates to submit in confidence, the following to Bryson Leganchuk, CAO via email at cao@rmbritannia.com, mail: P.O. Box 661 Lloydminster, SK S9V 0Y7 or in person at the “new” RM Office located at 50358 – Rge Rd 3281: • Cover letter and resume outlining work experience; • Expected hourly compensation; and • Three work-related references.

Applications will be received until a suitable candidate is chosen and all applications will be treated with confidence. Applicants are thanked for their interest, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. If you have any questions please contact Bryson Leganchuk, CAO at 306-825-2610.

Careers Word on the beat: Crime evidence Staff Sgt. JERRY NUTBROWN SPECIAL TO THE SOURCE

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We get people from the public coming to us with information about believed illegal activities wanting something done immediately. A number of people also tell us that so-and-so is a criminal and should be arrested. On social media, I’ll specifically get into that beast in a future article, people will state that so-and-so is a drug user, drug dealer, thief, etc., and that ‘everyone’ knows it. Careful with this last one.

There may be truth to what people believe but it may also be false. Believing something doesn’t make it provable and police officers experience that as well. There are instances where we know a person did commit an offense(s), but we cannot prove it to satisfy a court.

In criminal law, there is a burden of proof that must be satisfied by the Crown Prosecutors and the vast majority of that proof typically comes from police investigations. Remember that police have laws to abide by within every investigation and criminals are not adhering to ‘rules’ while acting outside the law. Investigations must reach a level that there is a likelihood of conviction or the Crown Prosecutors most often don’t pursue the charges in court.

When we get information from the public we are required to take it and through investigation, show it to be credible and provable to be able to back charges in court, all while complying with laws.

This becomes the challenge when people tell us their neighbor is a criminal and should be arrested, because, ‘everyone’ knowing this does not satisfy a court.

As I have previously mentioned, the arrest threshold is reasonable and probable grounds that the suspect has, or is about to, commit a criminal offense. But to pass charges through to court, there has to be a likelihood of conviction and most initial information we receive does not meet this.

The easiest way police can meet the requirements for charges to be taken to court is to have prov-

S

able evidence which can include catching criminals while they commit the offense. Often when there is overwhelming evidence, the accused will have their lawyer try to make a deal with the Crown Prosecutor. There are many reasons for this which I won’t get into here.

The less substantiated the evidence, the more difficult it is for the Crown to prove their case to a judge or jury. This goes back to our investigations and how we can legally gather proof/evidence, that a particular person has commited a specific offense.

In many cases it will take a lot of police work utilizing various investigative tactics to gather enough evidence to be able to meet the high threshold to have the charges carried and then proven in court.

Trials at the Alberta Court are on Wednesdays and Saskatchewan Court holds theirs on Thursdays. I encourage the public to attend to sit and observe this significant part of the Canada judicial system. By attending, people would witness what is required for someone to be found guilty of a criminal offense.

- Staff Sgt. Jerry Nutbown, is the NCO in charge of the Lloydminster RCMP detachtment’s General Investigation Section. Stay tuned for future articles from the Lloydminster RCMP.

A time to look back

eason’s greetings from the staff here at the Meridian Source.

An amazing 2024 is on its way out and we now head into 2025 refreshed and ready to go!

Every year in the paper our beloved readers get to take a look back at the year with us. This year we’ll be doing the same online.

You’ll be able to catch all our year in review stories and photos online until the end of the year. We’ll be covering all the highlights that made 2024 memorable. The good, the bad, and the ugly, as they say.

Don’t worry we’ll still be around with our regular news coverage every day.

If you missed any content in the paper and don’t see it online you can see all the year’s papers in a neat little link on our website called

“digital editions.”

For all those that have supported us here at the Meridian Source, we thank you for an amazing year and we look forward to ushering in an amazing 2025 together.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to those near and far, have a safe and happy holiday season.

PAGE 19 Thursday, December 26, 2024 MERIDIAN SOURCE

306-825-5111 bailey@meridiansource.ca

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NOTICE TO CREDITORS IN THE ESTATE OF

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MERIDIAN SOURCE

Thursday, December 26, 2024

Memoriams

EDITH BEEK

Doris Winkler July 12, 1940 – December 31, 2003

DECEMBER 26, 1927 – DECEMBER 18, 2018

Joe Winkler August 7, 1940 – December 30, 2022

Our Thoughts are ever with you, Though you have passed away And those who loved you dearly, Are thinking of you today.

In Loving Memory Those we love don’t go away, They walk beside us every day, Unseen, unheard, but always near, Still loved, still missed and very dear.

Forever Loved and Missed Dad Raymond & Marie, Alvin & Linda, Eldon, Myron, Lorne & Linda, Nada, And numerous grandchildren & great grandchildren

Forever In Our Hearts Anne & Family Ken & Family Wayne & Family

Celebration

Marg Priest ’s 90th Birthday

28th

North Bend Hall

Thursday, December 26, 2024

Brought to you by your Meridian Source Psychics December 22 - December 28 ARIES LIBRA This week, focus on closure and tying up loose ends.

Your focus is on health, daily routines, and work. It’s an It’s a time to reflect on the year and wrap up unfinished excellent time to establish better habits, whether that’s business, both personally and professionally. in your physical health, work-life balance, or overall productivity.

TAURUS Friendships and social connections are emphasized.

SCORPIO You might reconnect with old friends or make new Creativity and self-expression take the spotlight. ones who share your values.

Whether you’re working on a new project or spending quality time with loved ones, make space for fun and GEMINI Your career and public image take priority. You could passion. receive recognition for your hard work, or a new SAGITTARIUS professional opportunity may arise.

Home and family matters are your focus. You may feel the urge to get your space in order, spend time with CANCER loved ones, or revisit family traditions.

This week, you’re called to broaden your horizons.

Travel, learning, or exploring new ideas will expand CAPRICORN your mind.

Communication is key this week. Whether through writing, speaking, or socializing, your words have LEO Deep emotional transformation is highlighted. You may power. feel a need to let go of old attachments or reassess AQUARIUS your personal values.

Finances and material security are your focus. You may feel motivated to sort out your budget, make a big VIRGO purchase, or set up a savings plan for the year ahead.

Relationships are front and center. Whether it’s a romantic partner, close friends, or business PISCES colleagues, you’ll be focused on strengthening your You’re in the spotlight this week, Pisces! It’s a time for connections. self-expression and confidence.

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MERIDIAN SOURCE

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MERIDIAN SOURCE

Thursday, December 26, 2024