Thursday, January 1, 2026
VOLUME 8 I ISSUE 28
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Colleen Young
MLA for Lloydminster Constituency
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SPORTS FLASHBACK 2025 — NEWSMAKER
Thursday, January 1, 2026
Bobcats victorious in Hub’s first game
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pening-night hero Esteban Cinq-Mars made his AJHL debut a memorable one as he scored two goals to help the Lloydminster Bobcats christen the Cenovus Energy Hub with a 4-2 victory over the Fort McMurray Oil Barons on Sept. 19. The 19-year-old defenceman from Longueuil, Que., skated past a summertime hand injury that derailed his hopes of a tryout in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League. “Well, I guess it’s good — I scored two goals,” a smiling Cinq-Mars said about his recovery from a broken hand. “It’s all good right now. It’s in the past.” The future looks promising for the Bobcats as 1,827 fans showed up on a Friday night for the inaugural regular-season game at the 2,500-seat Cenovus Energy Hub. “It feels amazing,” said Cinq-Mars, whose opening goal goes down as the first for a Bobcat in Hub history. “We’ve been working a lot during the past few weeks — like, two practices a day, mostly. All the boys just want to win and today it just showed. Everybody was there. Everybody was putting on pressure. “Scoring two goals tonight, I’m really happy, but the win is more important, that’s for sure.” That winning feeling prevailed for much of the Bobcats’ first half of the season. They took a 17-9-3 record into the Christmas break, which began with news that Cinq-Mars is joining the Val-d’Or Foreurs of the QMJHL. He was fresh from an all-star showing with silver-medallist Canada West, including teammates Matthew
Hikida and Raphael Messier and Bobcats coach Eric Labrosse, in the World Junior A Challenge at Trois-Rivieres, Que. In their season-opener in September, the Bobcats owned the ice almost from the outset, even though the Oil Barons scored the historic first Hub goal when Trennen Redlick slipped the puck between Sam Madgett’s pads 3:25 into the game. Lloydminster quickly regained pressure and didn’t let up most of the night. Cinq-Mars scored at 6:15 on a wrister that beat Logan Cunningham on the blocker side. After their early opening goal, the Oil Barons didn’t muster another shot for the next 15:25 as they were outshot 15-4 in the first period and 46-20 overall. The Bobcats had a would-be goal called back in the opening period after the referees ruled the play had been whistled dead. Lloydminster broke open a 1-1 game in the second period on one-timer goals from Hikida (on a power play) and Cinq-Mars, respectively. Hikida and fellow returning forward Jack Ferguson each added a goal and an assist for the Bobcats. Fort Mac’s 16-year-old rookie centre, Jaggar John, broke in alone to score the game’s final goal against Madgett, one of the three new goaltenders on Lloyd’s season-opening roster. The first game in the Hub was played on a summer-like evening warm enough for a ball game in the nearby Legion fields. The boat in the arena parking lot didn’t look entirely out of place. Cinq-Mars and the rest of the Bobcats fired up the big crowd, with some fans sounding cowbells for the special occasion in Lloyd hockey history.
In the first AJHL regular-season game at the Hub, defenceman Esteban Cinq-Mars scored two goals as his Lloydminster Bobcats beat the Fort McMurray Oil Barons 4-2 on Sept. 19. John MacNeil Meridian Source
Staff Recognition Awards 2025
Ryan Koroluk 15 Years
Sheldon Dyck 15 Years
Adrian Rogers 15 Years
Jose Morales Jr. 15 Years
Randy Sewell 20 Years
5237 70 Ave Lloydminster, AB T9V 3N6 Visit our website BAReng.ca Daryl Krauss 25 Years
Alberto David
Doug Gilby Community Service
Muhammad Ibraham Ron Wilhelm Employee of the Year
Contact us 780.875.1683
SPORTS FLASHBACK 2025 — NEWSMAKER
Thursday, January 1, 2026
MERIDIAN SOURCE
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Foster lands with Lightning in NHL draft F
rom the Florida sunshine in July, Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Aiden Foster could taste NHL life, even if development camp is just a sneak peek. The 18-year-old forward from Lloydminster arrived in Tampa overnight Saturday, June 28, just hours after the Lightning selected him in the fourth round of the NHL draft with the 127th pick overall. “They set everything up really good for us,” Foster said Sunday night as prospects gathered for Tampa’s weeklong camp. “It’s a really nice hotel spot and our meal tonight was really nice, so we’re pretty lucky. We’ll see how the week goes. “That’s the exciting part of all this, just getting a glimpse. It kind of makes you want it more. It’s an eye-opener. You can take everything you learned from here back (to junior) and it gets you ready for pro, which is obviously the goal.” Foster’s goal became a step closer to reality at about 1 p.m. Saturday when the Lightning called his name during the second day of the NHL draft from Los Angeles. He was sitting at home in Lloydminster, watching TV coverage of the draft with his family and his girlfriend and preparing to host more family members later that afternoon for his high school graduation barbecue. “It worked out good — it was a draft and grad barbecue,” said Foster, part of the Class of 2025 from Lloydminster Comprehensive High School. “It was just me and my family watching, and then everyone else came over after (I was drafted) — my uncles, aunties and grandparents.” Foster has spent the past three years with the Prince George Cougars of the WHL, playing a physical brand of hockey that endears him to teammates and fears many of his opponents. His draft stock rose appreciably in the second half of the 2024-25 season, with NHL Central Scouting ranking him 89th among draft-eligible North American forwards. Factoring in goaltenders and Europeans, that projection was right in the ballpark with Foster’s selection late in the fourth round. His sister Alivia, who plays defence with the U18 AAA Lloydminster Steelers, heard the magic words — Prince George — in the background while TV broadcasters were talking just seconds before Foster’s name was called. “It was kind of weird how it happened,” Foster recalled. “My sister jumped up and said, ‘You got drafted,’ but no one else heard it. “A couple of seconds later, my name popped up on the screen and I was just like, ‘Holy crap.’ I was speechless and just hugged everyone. It was an unreal feeling. I still can’t really believe it.” The six-foot-three, 180-pound Foster made a believer of the Lightning, whose head scout and Western league scout followed him closely during the past season and did their homework on the
Tampa Bay prospect Aiden Foster, a forward from Lloydminster, is in his third season with the WHL’s John MacNeil Meridian Source Prince George Cougars. Lloyd boy. At least five teams, particularly the Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs, had shown substantive interest in possibly drafting Foster, or at least inviting him to their development camp, if he wasn’t selected. “You never really know (what could happen),” he said. “I was really surprised, to be honest.” That draft unpredictability was evident with the players ranked immediately above and below Foster. Brandon Wheat Kings forward Carter Klippenstein, rated 88th among North American skaters, went to the Minnesota Wild in the fourth round, 123rd overall, while Halifax Mooseheads forward Liam Kilfoil, ranked 90th in the same category, wasn’t selected in the seven-round draft. Foster’s draft shock still hadn’t subsided when a couple of surprise visitors showed up in his garage that rainy afternoon as his family was setting up for the celebratory barbecue. His hometown hockey buddies — Kade Fendelet from the junior A Bobcats and Cayden Wildeman from the junior B Bandits — were wearing Tampa hats, right on cue. “That was pretty much half an hour after I was
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Soon after Tampa Bay selected Lloyd’s Aiden Foster in the fourth round of the 2025 NHL draft, his buddies Cayden Wildeman (left) and Kade Fendelet (right) showed up at Foster’s home wearing Lightning hats.
picked and they were already there to congratulate me,” Foster said. “It was pretty crazy and all happiness at the same time, and to see my buddies there and how excited they were, it was really cool.” Fendelet and Wildeman had rushed to the Lids store in the LloydMall and bought Tampa caps. Soon after, Foster’s family members from Saskatoon and his grandfather from Lloyd purchased the remaining Lightning hats in the same shop. “They all showed up to my house wearing Tampa Bay hats, so that was pretty cool,” he said. “I guess the person working in the store was saying, ‘What’s the big thing with these Tampa hats?’ They got the last five. They sold out.” Before he even had a chance to sample any Lightning team clothing, Foster already had a busy afternoon of congratulatory calls and interviews. “My phone was blowing up and a bunch of people from Tampa called me, and then I hopped on a Zoom call with media from down here (in Florida),” he said. “I was wearing a collared shirt and some nice pants, just ready for the barbecue. I was kind of prepared, but when (my draft selection) happened, I couldn’t really wrap my head around it. I can’t really believe I’m here (in Tampa) now and part of this organization.” Lightning vice-president and general manager Julien BriseBois was among those who called that special Saturday to welcome Foster to the team. One of the first players to congratulate Foster on draft day was Prince George teammate Josh Ravensbergen, the six-foot-five goaltender selected in the first round Friday night when the San Jose Sharks chose him 30th overall.
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Thursday, January 1, 2026
SPORTS FLASHBACK 2025 — NEWSMAKER
Lloydminster captains (from left) Brady Gamble, Alex Hill, Jace Gunderson and Jayden Plamondon accept the trophy and banner in Calgary on August long weekend as the Xtreme were crowned provincial junior B Tier 2 lacrosse champions. Lloyd didn’t lose in 22 games this past season, including a 4-0 slate at provincials. Submitted photo
Xtreme scores provincial gold
Junior B lacrosse team records perfect 22-0 season
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lutch scoring in third periods set the tone for a celebratory August long weekend that ended with the Lloydminster Xtreme winning the team’s first provincial junior B lacrosse championship in seven years. In each of their four wins over four days at the Tier 2 provincial tournament in Calgary, the Xtreme meshed timely scoring with stingy defence right down to the final buzzer of holiday Monday’s 9-8 gold-medal victory over the Southern Alberta Chaos of Taber. “We just kept fighting, knowing what we can do, and executed when it mattered,” said Xtreme 11th-year coach Graham Murray, who also guided Lloydminster to its provincial title in 2018. “In all the third periods this past weekend, we only gave up two goals (combined) in those four games. It was a case of playing clutch.” Graduating goaltender Ryker Gamble exhibited that big-moment presence in style, springing across his crease in the dying seconds to preserve Lloyd’s championship win and trigger the celebration. “Ryker stood on his head,” Murray said. “And we had a huge performance from rookie Blake Sheppard. He iced every single game in the third period, including the championship goal with two minutes left on Monday.” It was the second time in as many days that Lloyd, the North Division champion, defeated the South Division-winning Chaos. The Xtreme prevailed 8-1 on Sunday when the eventual finalists met each other in preliminary play. Murray knew the Chaos had rested some of their best players Sunday, so he still expected a hard-fought battle the next day. With injuries mounting, Lloyd
didn’t have the same luxury of sitting out top guns in advance of the final. The Xtreme depth was indeed extreme, as other players stepped up in the absence of the injured Ben Stachniak (arm), Zander Ryan (hand) and Eric Wallis (knee). “It was a total team effort,” Murray said. “It took our whole 24-man roster. We are a sore bunch, but it was great to win.” It was a big weekend for Vermilion’s Sheppard, the double goal-scorer Monday. In the North Division championship game Friday, he fired a thirdperiod hat trick in an 11-7 victory over the Sylvan Lake Yetti. He added two more tallies in the final period of Saturday’s 9-3 win over the host Calgary Wranglers. As always, Lloyd received heady performances from their offensive leaders. Jayden Plamondon collected six goals and nine points in the four weekend games, while Jace Gunderson and Dalyn Hepburn each posted eight points and Sheppard and Rogan Macnab had seven apiece. Alex Hill added a couple of three-point games and Wallis had a two-goal night. The 2025 run — unbeaten in 22 games — marked the fourth straight season that Lloydminster has won a provincial junior B medal, including two silver and one bronze. The golden finish this past year was particularly gratifying for the Xtreme’s four graduating players — the long-serving Gamble, Hepburn and Plamondon, along with relative newcomer Larrin Thiessen, back in town for this season after playing junior football with the Edmonton Wildcats. After a silver-medal finish last year, Murray changed his pre-championship game speech this Heritage Day. “In past years, I’d revert to a championship speech my rugby coach (in Ontario) used to give, which basically ends with, ‘I’d rather be a lion for one day rather than a lamb my whole life.’ “But, with this one, I thought I had to try something different, and talked about just how good of friends everybody on the team is. The friendship group that we have is something special. ‘If we are selfless, we will win this game.’ I think it really summed up our team.” This coming summer, the Xtreme will certainly miss their four graduating players, but the future remains bright. “We’ve been a perennial provincial contender every year since 2018,” Murray said. “I think we run the best Tier 2 program in lacrosse. If kids don’t want to go play Tier 1 and they want to stay home and play with their friends, this is the place to do it.” Lloyd’s two provincial championship lacrosse teams shared similarities, despite the seven-year gap between them. “A common theme between both teams is that we had great goaltending, with great defence and clutch scoring from our offence,” Murray said. Not to mention quality coaching.
SPORTS FLASHBACK 2025 — NEWSMAKER
Rustlers taste victory in volleyball, hockey
Thursday, January 1, 2026
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he Lakeland Rustlers’ legacy turned into a dynasty as the women’s volleyball team won its third straight Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) championship last March in Ontario. After earning the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) championship in February, the Rustlers represented the region in the national championship tournament. In the CCAA final, they defeated the Humber Hawks of Ontario 3-1 to complete a record season. No other ACAC women’s volleyball team has won three straight Canadian championships in the 60-year history of the Alberta conference. “The team’s dedication, teamwork and perseverance in-spire us all,” the college said in a statement. GOLDEN GIRLS OWN THE ICE Meanwhile, another history-making Lakeland team is shaping up to be one of the best in ACAC women’s hockey history. In just their third year of operation, the Rustlers won their first ACAC crown. They topped the Red Deer Queens 3-1 in the best-of-five final. “It’s not every year you win your last game of the season, but when you do, it’s important to take time and enjoy it,” Lakeland coach Morgan Mann said after his Rustlers’ 7-1 victory in Game 4. The Rustlers advanced to the championship series after sweeping the SAIT Trojans 2-0 in their opening-round series. This season, Lakeland is leading the league with a 14-1 record, including a 13-game winning streak. MEN’S HOOPS SHOWING PROGRESS Late last season, the Lakeland College men’s basketball team was among the best in the ACAC through mid-February action. The Rustlers sported a 12-5 record after a three-game winning streak that included a home sweep of Northwestern Polytechnic Wolves in lopsided and overtime fashion on back-to-back nights on the Lloydminster campus. “We rely on our veteran players to carry the squad, but our rookies are really coming along and finding their way,” said Lakeland coach Sheray Thomas. “We’re not the biggest or tallest team, but we can … be a dangerous team.” The Rustlers later earned a split with the NAIT Ooks as both of those teams finished the regular season with 14-6 records, tied for second place behind the Keyano Huskies (17-3). In the playoffs, Lakeland lost 93-81 in its quarter-final against St. Mary’s, defeated Lethbridge Polytechnic 76-70 and lost 80-68 to SAIT in the fifth-place game. This season, the Rustlers’ men’s team is again showing its experience, posting a first-place record through the opening two months of ACAC action. Lakeland and Keyano are off to 8-2 starts, while NAIT sits third at 8-3.
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Thursday, January 1, 2026
SPORTS FLASHBACK 2025 — NEWSMAKER
Lloyd throws support behind ailing QB A
nton Amundrud was on the cusp of becoming a teenager when an even younger kid on the football field recognized him as an influential figure in their hometown of Lloydminster. “We first were teammates for one year in peewee, when I would have been nine turning 10, and Anton would have been 12,” Xander Pierce, now 21, recalled in November. There was something special about the athletic Amundrud, an astute Pierce noticed at the time. As they grew older, and later played high school and university football together, Pierce often spoke about his role model. Now, he and many others are extending their best wishes to Amundrud, the star University of Saskatchewan Huskies’ quarterback whose cancer diagnosis was revealed in November on the Saskatoon campus. “I feel like I say it all the time, but Anton is one of those guys I’ve always looked up to and idolized, and wanted to be just like,” Pierce said about his former teammate with the collegiate Huskies and the Lloydminster Comprehensive High School (LCHS) Barons. “The situation he’s in right now is obviously very tough. I’m rooting for him and trying to get in contact with him a little bit. I hope he’s doing well.” Amundrud, 23, has been diagnosed with a form of cancer called lymphoma. His sickness forced him out of the U of S lineup partway through the U Sports season, which continued as the host Huskies defeated the Queen’s Gaels 22-11 in the Mitchell Bowl and advanced to the Vanier Cup national final against the Montreal Carabins. Montreal went on to win that game 30-16 in Regina. As news broke that Amundrud is tackling cancer, it became clear in the early going that he can count on boundless support from back home in Lloydminster. Former teammates and coaches from the Border City are among the many people rallying behind Amundrud. “We are sending our best to Anton and his family,” said Kieran Link, who coaches the LCHS Barons. “Anton oozes charisma and is incredibly tough. He’s ready to face this challenge head-on.”
Now battling cancer, University of Saskatchewan Huskies’ Anton Amundrud is a Canada West all-conference quarterback. Liam Richards, Electric Umbrella photo
Vic Juba Community Theatre is seeking applications from those interested in joining the volunteer Board of Directors. The Board is primarily a governance board and is responsible for: 1. Ensuring the organization achieves its mission and strategic plan. 2. Supporting the general manager in continuously driving the success of the organization. We are seeking individuals who possess the following attributes: 1. An interest in performing arts and previous board experience, would be an asset. 2. Ability to attend board meetings on the last Tuesday of every month from 3:30 to 5:30 pm and committee meetings as required (no meetings in July). Please email to board@vicjubatheatre.ca prior to January 15, 2026 for more details Please include the following in your email: • Letter – indicating your interest in our community theatre (Why the VJCT? How do you feel you may best contribute? What changes do you see that you may assist with implementing?)
• Short biography, resume or similar (Current employment, past or present organizational affiliations or board appointments)
• Any other information you feel would allow the Nominations Committee to get to know more about you
FORMER BARON ‘A NATURAL LEADER’ Although it’s been five years since he graduated from the Barons, Amundrud is still remembered as one of the best football players ever to come out of Lloydminster. “He was our quarterback the last time we won the provincial championship,” Link said. “He’s a natural leader, tough, competitive and fun to be around. He was a Canada West (conference) all-star this year, even while missing several games. Anton is a consummate teammate, and the entire country is behind him in this fight.” His current team, the Huskies, fought for a U Sports national championship, albeit with heavy hearts and without one of the nation’s most dynamic university quarterbacks. The Huskies played the latter part of the fall without Amundrud, a fourthyear pivot who had stepped away from the team five games into the season. Just during their playoff push, his Huskies teammates learned of Amundrud’s cancer diagnosis and that he would begin treatment immediately. The news not only hit his own team hard, but also the greater football community across Canada. In the Bridge City, the Saskatoon Hilltops had just celebrated winning the Canadian Junior Football League championship on Nov. 9 on their home turf. The Canadian Bowl champions include two Lloyd boys in Pierce and Ryden Gratton, the hero in the national junior final. Gratton, another graduate of the Lloydminster Comprehensive football program, kicked the winning field goal with just 28 seconds left as the Hilltops defeated the previously unbeaten Okanagan Sun of Kelowna, B.C., 21-18. Gratton and Hilltops receiver Pierce are a few years younger than Amundrud, but all three of them were teammates for one high school season with the Barons. Pierce also played alongside Amundrud for two years with the Huskies, before joining the Hilltops in 2024. Gratton and Pierce, current U of S students, have looked up to Amundrud as a football role model from their high school and their home community. “It’s a terrible thing,” Gratton, 21, said about Amundrud’s health setback. “I can’t believe that’s happening to him. It’s so sad. I mean, everyone knows he’s a great football player, but he’s an even better person. I knew he was super sick, because obviously he didn’t dress the last few games. (Before then), he was starting quarterback there and had a really good year.” Amundrud’s conference-best numbers this season included 14 touchdown passes, no interceptions, and an average of 321 passing yards per game. He led the Huskies (later 10-2) to a 4-1 start. Amundrud, six-foot-three and 210 pounds, attended the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ CFL training camp this year. Those Roughriders just won the Grey Cup in mid-November, defeating the Montreal Alouettes 25-17. A GoFundMe account was established in support of Amundrud and his family. Within the first week, more than $62,000 had been raised through donations, many from former teammates and coaches and community members in Lloyd.
SPORTS FLASHBACK 2025 — MARCH
Thursday, January 1, 2026
Wainwright outlasts Lloyd to capture junior B crown Bandits to host provincials this April
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he Lloydminster Bandits tasted both playoff joy and heartache after a couple of memorable post-season battles in the Northeastern Alberta Junior B Hockey League. The Bandits were victorious in the opening two games of the best-of-seven final, but the perennial champion Wainwright Bisons bounced back with four straight victories to capture yet another junior B crown. In the decisive Game 6 on March 27, Wainwright won 2-1 in overtime. In the semifinals, the Bisons also needed six games to finish off the St. Paul Canadians, while the Bandits prevailed against the rival Vermilion Tigers in a series that went the maximum seven contests. Lloyd won 5-4 in Game 7. TIGHT RACE AGAIN THIS SEASON The head-to-head battles between the league’s three frontrunners — Lloydminster, Vermilion and Wainwright — carried into this season. It’s the Bandits’ first year playing out of the new Cenvous Energy Hub, where they will host the Hockey Alberta provincial junior B championship April 1-5, 2026. Going into this year’s mid-season Christmas break, Lloydminster (20-5) sat in first place, one point ahead of Vermilion (18-3-3) and three ahead of third-place Wainwright (17-3-3). On the final weekend of December action, Wainwright edged Vermilion on back-to-back nights, 4-3 and 3-2, as both games were decided in a shootout. The Bandits skated into the break with a 6-1 victory over the Cold Lake Ice. BANDITS’ DENNETT A DOUBLE AWARD-WINNER Lloydminster dominated the individual award-winners for the 2024-25 season. Smooth-skating Kade Dennett was named the most valuable player and the best defenceman, while forward Joel Webb was the top scorer and forward Adryan Bugiera the rookie of the year. Vermilion’s Ryan Stowe was chosen as the top goaltender. Scott Hood of Cold Lake was honoured as the coach of the year.
MERIDIAN SOURCE
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RM of Frenchman Butte OCP Notice NOTICE
Public notice is hereby given that the Council of the Rural Municipality of Frenchman Butte No. 501 intends to consider the adoption of a bylaw under The Planning and Development Act, 2007 to adopt an new Official Community Plan.
INTENT
The proposed bylaw establishes municipal land use policies including, but not limited to, the following subjects: Natural and Heritage Resources: Identify and protect natural features, ground water, historical and heritage resources, and ensure development happens in an environmentally sustainable manner. Biophysical Considerations and Hazards: Regulation for development on and near hazardous lands, including environmentally sensitive lands, contaminated lands and flood hazard areas. Ensuring source water protection and public safety. Transportation and Infrastructure: To provide adequate servicing capabilities for future development, ensuring the cost for required infrastructure is known and covered by servicing agreement fees. Intermunicipal and Interjurisdictional Cooperation: Pursuing opportunities with government to enhance services and provide innovative opportunities for the region, and facilitation of interjurisdictional cooperation with neighbouring municipalities, First Nations, and other stakeholders on joint planning issues. Agricultural Land Use and Development: Protection of prime farm land within the RM while allowing for diverse forms of agricultural development. Residential Land Use and Development: Identify existing and future residential development areas, support infill development, and ensure the preservation of agricultural land. Commercial / Industrial Land Use and Development: To minimize land use conflicts between commercial and industrial developments and any existing land uses, as well as any potential environmental impacts as a result of such development. Recreation and Tourism: The development and enhancement of recreation and community services within the R.M., preservation of natural areas and ecosystems, and support for public service delivery agencies. Implementation: Policies regarding the implementation of the Official Community Plan and the application of tools within the Zoning Bylaw for subdivision review, dedication of lands, the use of a Building Bylaw, and the use of Development Levies and Servicing Fees. The Official Community Plan also contains a development considerations and constraints map which graphically displays, in a conceptual manner, the present and intended future location and extent of general land uses in the R.M. These maps will assist in the application of general goals, objectives and policies of the Official Community Plan. The policies in the Official Community Plan will be implemented primarily through administration of the R.M.’s new Zoning Bylaw. YOUR PROPERTY MAY BE DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY PROVISIONS IN THE NEW OFFICIAL COMMUNITY PLAN. PLEASE CHECK THE FULL VERSION OF THE BYLAW, AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW OR PURCHASE AT THE R.M. OFFICE OR FOR REVIEW AND DOWNLOAD FROM R.M. WEBSITE.
AFFECTED LAND
All land within the R.M. of Frenchman Butte as shown on the Land Use Concept contained in this notice is affected by the new Official Community Plan.
REASON
The new Official Community Plan will help direct and manage growth and development in the R.M. of Frenchman Butte for the next fifteen to twenty years.
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Any person may inspect the proposed bylaw at the R.M. Office, located 1/4 mile North off the Junction of Highway 3 and Highway 21 North, just east of Paradise Hill at Box 180 Paradise Hill, SK, S0M 2G0 . The R.M. office is open between 8:30 AM and 4:30 PM Monday to Fridays, excluding statutory holidays. Copies are available to persons at cost.
PUBLIC HEARING
Council will hold a public hearing at 2:00 PM on January 28th, 2026, at the R.M. Office located at SW 11-53-24-W3M (just north of the junction of highway 3 and highway 21N) to hear any person or group that wishes to comment on the proposed bylaw. Council will also consider written comments received at the hearing or delivered to the undersigned at the R.M. Office before the hearings. Email: administrator.rm501@sasktel.net Phone: (306) 344-2034 Issued at the R.M. of Frenchman Butte this 6th day of November, 2025. Aaron Neilly, Acting Chief Administrative Officer
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SPORTS FLASHBACK 2025 — APRIL
Thursday, January 1, 2026
Alberta’s top coach embraces Lloyd, Steelers L
ike any reputable hockey coach, Dan Auchenberg already had a sound scouting report on Lloydminster before moving to the Border City to become coach of the U18 AAA girls’ Steelers. As a veteran coach at various levels, from junior A to U18 girls’ and boys’ teams, he had been down this road before. “I’ve always respected Lloyd,” Auchenberg said in late April as his Steelers hosted the Esso Cup U18 girls’ hockey championship at the Centennial Civic Centre in Lloydminster. “I’ve found it’s always a tough place to play. They’re always committed to a hard-working team, whether it’s on the female side or on the male side. “You’ve got to come into Lloyd expecting a physical game all the time. It was the same thing when I first started with the girls here. That’s kind of the mentality. They’re not shy about working hard. And it’s working in their favour.” Auchenberg and his Steelers made a favourable showing in the six-team national championship tournament, beginning with a 2-1 overtime victory over the Eastern Stars of Prince Edward Island in front of a supportive hometown crowd April 20 at the Civic. It set the tone for the week, as the Steelers went on to finish with a 3-4 record that included an overtime loss in their semifinal against the eventual champions, the Edmonton Junior Oilers White. Just days before the Esso Cup, Auchenberg’s efforts with the Steelers during the regular season were recognized as he was named the U18 AAA coach of the year in the Alberta Female Hockey League. “I truly think this award is a big team award more than anything, because they’ve bought in to what we’ve asked from the start of the year,” he said. “It’s not just an individual award. Winning something, it has to do with your support all the way around you all the time. That makes you a better person or a better coach or a better player, whatever it is.” The provincial award was the latest honour for a coach with a long history in Alberta rinks. That reputation made Auchenberg an attractive candidate for the Lloydminster post in 2023 when he made the move from his longtime home in Sherwood Park. Now three years into his Steelers’ job, Auchenberg and his wife Daisy consider Lloyd as their hometown. “I don’t think we’re intending to move anywhere quickly, at all,” said Auchenberg, the general manager of the Lloydminster Minor Hockey Association. “We’re very comfortable here. We like Lloyd. Daisy likes Lloyd. The community here has embraced Daisy very well.”
As coach of the Lloydminster Steelers, Dan Auchenberg brings years of experience behind the bench at the U18 AAA and junior A levels. John MacNeil Meridian Source
Houle’s heroics fuel Lloydminster in Esso Cup
Lloyd goalie Harlee Houle made a whopping 50 saves in the Steelers’ 1-0 overtime loss in their Esso Cup semifinal against the Edmonton Junior Oilers. John MacNeil Meridian Source
Lloydminster Steelers goaltender Harlee Houle worked Houdini-like magic while steering the host team all the way to the playoff round at the Esso Cup last April. Houle was simply sensational in stopping 50 shots before the eventual gold-medallists, the Edmonton Junior Oilers, finally posted a 1-0 overtime victory over the Steelers in their semifinal at the national U18 AAA girls’ hockey championship. It was a game for the history books, and it attracted more than 1,000 fans on a spring Friday night as the Centennial Civic Centre neared the end of its six decades of entertainment. “I was just trying to stay calm,” said Houle, a 16-year-old Spruce Grove native now playing U18 prep with OHA Edmonton. “I didn’t want to give (the Junior Oilers) anything. Just stay calm.” Mission accomplished. With just 1:20 left in the 10-minute overtime period, and only 12 seconds remaining on the power play, it took a quality shot from Edmonton blue-liner Ciara Lang to end the Steelers’ chances of going for gold the next day. “It was a great shot, for sure,” said Houle, who was chosen as the top goaltender in the six-team tournament. “No shame. Good for her.” Lang knew it would take a strong shot to solve Houle’s mastery against the highly touted Edmonton franchise, which went on to defeat the Saskatoon Stars 7-3 in the gold-medal game on Saturday afternoon, April 26.
“She’s an unbelievable goalie, but we just peppered her (with shots) and I think one was going to come soon,” said Lang, whose historic goal came when she fired a wrist shot high on Houle’s blocker side. “I’m glad we could do that to win it and take it to the next game. “I kind of saw the girls using it as a screen. I just shot it through (the crowd) and I’m glad it went in.” As the hosts, the Steelers were the only team to play six straight days of evening games before the medal-round action Saturday. After posting gritty performances and comebacks all week, Lloydminster couldn’t replicate that script one more time, falling 4-1 to the North York (Ont.) Storm in the bronze-medal game, a 1 p.m. start Saturday. That was just 15 hours after the Steelers stepped off the ice from an exhausting semifinal marathon. Steelers coach Dan Auchenberg said he owed it to Houle to give her the start again Saturday after her standout game Friday. She eventually gave way to Grace Deveau in the second half of the bronzemedal game. Afterward, Houle reflected on the mixed emotions for the Steelers, especially for the senior players who were graduating from last year’s team. “Lots of them are pretty upset, but it’s also bittersweet because it’s a great season for them to go out on,” she said. “But it’s obviously sad that some of them aren’t going to be playing hockey anymore. Some of them are going to go on to play college hockey, though.”
SPORTS FLASHBACK 2025 — APRIL
Thursday, January 1, 2026
MERIDIAN SOURCE
Consort connection colours golden Oilers T
he Edmonton Junior Oilers can add the title of national champions to their long list of accomplishments in U18 AAA girls’ hockey. In the franchise’s ninth trip to the Canadian championship tournament, Edmonton won its first Esso Cup, topping the Saskatoon Stars 7-3 in April 26 final in front of almost 1,000 fans at the venerable Centennial Civic Centre in Lloydminster. “It’s just past words,” said Oilers blue-liner Jayde Sansregret, whose sister Sage is one of Edmonton’s assistant coaches. “Just being able to come so far with this team. These people are my best friends. I couldn’t have asked for anything else. I couldn’t have asked for other people to experience this with.” The milestone 15th edition of the Esso Cup capped the storied history of the Civic Centre, which formally closed after last season to make way for the flashy Cenovus Energy Hub. The Pacific region champion Oilers were the toast of the Alberta league all season, and they continued that form at the weeklong Esso Cup, posting a perfect 5-0 record in round-robin play. Then came Edmonton’s memorable 1-0 overtime victory over the host Lloydminster Steelers in Friday’s late semifinal, a dramatic night with more than 1,000 fans in attendance. The Steelers, who had exceeded their expectations in reaching the semifinals, went on to lose 4-1 to the North York (Ont.) Storm in the bronze-medal game Saturday afternoon. “There’s no better feeling than this,” Sage Sansregret said as her Oilers paraded the Esso Cup around the Civic Centre ice. “But to do it with this group, it makes it even better. It’s hard not to get emotional about it. They’re just a great group of girls and athletes. It’s been an honour to coach
The Consort-born sister duo of defenceman Jayde Sansregret and assistant coach Sage Sansregret helped the Edmonton Junior Oilers win the Esso Cup last April in Lloydminster. John MacNeil Meridian Source them and watch them come this far.” Each of them has a story to tell, like coach Sansregret’s journey from small-town roots to become a university hockey player and now a national champion U18 AAA coach. She was born and raised on a farm just outside Consort — an Alberta town of about 600 people — and played elite hockey in Red Deer before climbing the ladder to the collegiate game. “I grew up as a farm kid and that taught me a lot of work ethic,” said Sansregret, 24. “I’m very happy to have a lot of my family here today to be able to watch me and my sister go through this process.” Jayde Sansregret, 18, was a force on defence for
the Oilers, who lost just one game last season as they marched toward a national gold medal after earning bronze the previous year. The younger Sansregret followed her sister’s path through elite hockey in Red Deer before joining Edmonton at the U18 AAA level and moving in with her sister/coach. Jayde, also born in Consort, was nine years old when the family moved to Red Deer. “Just being able to be in the big city (of Edmonton), playing AAA for a team like this, has always been one of my dreams,” she said. “At the time, Edmonton Junior Oilers wasn’t a thing — it was still Pandas’ hockey (in my childhood) — but I don’t think I could have asked for anything better.” Jayde Sansregret went into the tournament as one of 16 Oilers already committed to university teams. She headed to the University of New Brunswick in September, along with three of her Edmonton teammates in Keira Grant at forward, Madeline Renfree on defence and Taya Christie in net. It’s no wonder that multiple UNB jerseys were spotted among the assorted Oilers garb in the Civic Centre stands for the Esso Cup gold-medal game. “It’s such an amazing campus and program,” Jayde said of joining the UNB Reds in Fredericton. “They treat you like one of their own and it’s everything that you want in a university. Every one of the girls and the coaches are like a family.” The Oilers expressed a similar sentiment after their powerful performance in the Esso Cup final, during which they scored two goals on their first four shots and led 3-0 before Saskatoon got on the scoreboard late in the first period. The Stars cut the lead to 3-2 in the first minute of the second, but the Oilers fired four straight goals to make it 7-2 before that period ended. SCAN FOR MORE OF OUR USED INVENTORY
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MERIDIAN SOURCE
Thursday, January 1, 2026
SPORTS FLASHBACK 2025 – FROM THE ICE
Locals give bite to Lloydminster Bobcats 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. All material printed in the Meridian Source is copyright and may not be copied or reproduced without the express permission of the publisher. The Meridian Source reserves the right to refuse publication of any advertising or editorial material at its discretion. Columns and letters are the expressed view of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Meridian Source. Editor Taylor Weaver taylor@meridiansource.ca
Hometown players Kade Fendelet (top photo), Jaxan Hopko (middle photo) and Brady Gamble (bottom photo) have been three of the steadiest hands with the Lloydminster Bobcats through the team’s productive first half of the Alberta Junior Hockey League season. John MacNeil Meridian Source photos
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SPORTS FLASHBACK 2025 — NEWSMAKER
Thursday, January 1, 2026
MERIDIAN SOURCE
11
King era begins for U18 AAA Lancers G
o big or stay home. That was the prevailing philosophy last May as the U18 AAA Lloydminster Lancers staged their spring identification camp at the Servus Sports Centre. More than 100 elite hockey prospects participated in three days of practices and games, trying to impress new coach Chris King and his assistants. “We’ve got about 110 kids here this weekend, and then we’ve got probably 10 or 12 that aren’t here, so it’s a very large camp,” King said on the last day as players lined up for exit meetings with him. “I’m starting fresh with this program. It’s like a retooling, so we want to look at as many guys as possible.” After the weekend skates, King and his associates reduced the Lancers’ tryout roster to the 40-man range for spring and summer workouts, leading up to the main training camp Aug. 24-28. The U18 AAA Lancers had nowhere to go but up in the Alberta Elite Hockey League. Last season, they finished last in the 16-team provincial league, posting just six wins and 15 points in 38 games. “A lot,” a smiling King replied when asked what it would take to turn Lloyd into a competitive program. “I think they lacked a lot in goal-scoring, and they lacked a lot on team guys (who) are going to hold the culture and carry the water with the team. We’ve got to get better in all areas of the game. They took a lot of penalties (and) they didn’t score a lot of goals.” Just six players were eligible to return to the Lancers, who are counting on young talent and a professional coach to kickstart their rebuild. King, the former Lakeland College women’s basketball coach, was transitioning back to his minor hockey roots as the Kitscoty native took over the Lancers. His assistant coaches are Riley Fletcher and Joe Gidari. “We’re excited,” said King. “The demands that are going to be put on (the players) will be high, but I think they’re up for the challenge.” The substantial roster turnover opened the door for U17 AAA graduates and a bumper crop of 2010-born prospects who played at the U15 AAA or prep levels during the previous season. The Lancers’ wish list included hometown forward Tripp Fischer, the skilled Delta Hockey Academy captain who would soon become a WHL draft choice. Fischer wasn’t at Lloyd’s ID camp because he was in Philadelphia for a topprospects showcase. A few days later, the Lancers announced Fischer as their first signing for this season. As part of their rebuild, the Lancers hoped to bring even more such bright
Bobcats swept from playoffs The Grande Prairie Storm swept Canucks ousted the Storm in four the Lloydminster Bobcats in the games in the final. Grande Prairie’s opening round of the 2024-25 AJHL season continued, though, as the playoffs, the final post-season action S t o r m j o i n e d t h e h o s t C a n u c k s for the Bobcats in Lloyd’s Centennial as the two AJHL representatives Civic Centre. in the Centennial Cup national After losing the opening two games championship at Calgary in May. in Grande Prairie (7-3 and 8-2), the In the 2024-25 regular season, Bobcats tightened the reins in the Lloydminster posted a 31-19-4 record best-of-seven quarter-final when they to finish in third place in the North returned home. But it wasn’t enough. D i v i s i o n , j u s t o n e p o i n t b e h i n d Lloyd dropped a 2-1 decision in Grande Prairie (30-17-7) and 12 Game 3 and fell 4-3 in overtime in the points behind first-place Whitecourt Civic’s junior A finale on March 26. (36-12-6). Grande Prairie veteran Tomis Jeff Woywitka, a former NHL Marinkovic, a 58-point man in the defenceman from Vermilion, was regular season, scored the rink’s a finalist for AJHL coach of the historic last AJHL goal at 13:23 of year, but he didn’t return behind overtime. It was his second two-goal the Bobcats’ bench. In mid-June, game of the series. Marinkovic went Lloyd named Eric Labrosse as its on to record six goals and 12 points in head coach and director of player 12 playoff games. personnel. Last year, Labrosse guided Bobcats’ hometown forward Kade the Northern Manitoba Blizzard to Fendelet forced OT when he scored the MJHL3” championship. wide version with just 2:35 left in the third period. BROAD REACH at an AFFORDABLE PRICE Fendelet, now 20, is the captain of the Bobcats in his final year of junior hockey and the with a combined circulation of team’s first season in the over 500,000 for only... Cenovus Energy Hub. plus GST/HST Ask about the After sweeping Lloyd last March, Grande Value Ad Network Prairie swept the Alberta Weekly Newspapers Association Whitecourt Wolverines toll free 1-800-282-6903 x225 in the semifinals email classifieds@awna.com or visit your community newspaper before the Calgary
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New coach Chris King ran the show as the U18 AAA Lloydminster Lancers staged their spring hockey camp at the Servus Sports Centre. John MacNeil Meridian Source prospects back home to Lloydminster for the 2025-26 season. “That’s what we’re looking for, is these high-end, young kids coming back and being that staple of the Lancers hockey program,” King said. Another one of those local WHL-drafted players who would sign with the Lancers is Josh Frazer, an energetic forward who scored more than a point per game with the OHA Edmonton U15 prep team. “Frazer is one of the ones that we want to be a part of the program,” King said before signing him. “An absolute buzzsaw. He’s all over the place. He’s undersized, he works hard, he’s a 200-foot player and has good hands. He was just around the puck all weekend. For someone his age to be super noticeable at this camp is impressive.” Along with Fischer and Frazer, the Lancers welcomed two other players from the area also selected in the WHL prospects draft just days after Lloyd’s spring camp — high-scoring forwards Kael Scott and Brody Sunderland.
12
MERIDIAN SOURCE
SPORTS FLASHBACK 2025 — JUNE
Thursday, January 1, 2026
Barons track six Saskatchewan medals S
ix athletes from Lloydminster Comprehensive took home medals after making the five-hour trip to Moose Jaw for the Saskatchewan high school track and field provincials. Armed with 29 representatives at the two-day provincial meet, the Barons captured one gold, three silver and two bronze last June at Gutheridge Field. “Overall, very strong performances by not just the Comp, but also Northwest (district) as a whole,” said Barons coach Cole Bloxam. “Obviously, going down there, you’re competing against the bigger schools, so you’re going up against the best competition the province has to offer. “I’m so proud of the athletes from the Comp for the way they represented the school, the way they represented the community. They gave it everything they had, so it was an absolutely great experience. Every year, track provincials is a very fun experience for those that qualify, and obviously those that compete at a very high level.” Leading the Comp charge was senior girls’ high-jumper Sofia Simpson, who finished tied for first after multiple rounds of jump-offs. The silver-medallists from the Barons were Jasmine Kohlman in the junior girls’ 80m hurdles, Kyle Graf in the senior boys’ javelin, and LCHS football quarterback Joseph Kelly in the intermediate boys’ quadrathlon, a cumulativepoints competition that involves the 100 metres, 800 metres, shot put and long jump. The Comp’s bronze-medallists were Lexia Chambers in senior girls’ javelin and Lincoln Kvill in intermediate boys’ javelin. Overall, half of the Barons’ medals came in javelin. “Javelin performances were strong across the board,” Bloxam said. “But, overall, it was very well-balanced performances from everybody.” Those efforts — especially against challenging winds and smoky air during Saturday events — made the Moose Jaw trip that much more rewarding. “It’s a bit of a trip, but Gutheridge Field is a very nice facility,” Bloxam reported. “They had it laid out very well. It was very well-organized.” Friday’s opening-day weather was decidedly warmer than the windy and smoky conditions that factored into Saturday’s action. “Overall, it’s the same for every athlete that competes, so you just kind of have to deal with it,” Bloxam said. “But, yes, the wind was definitely stronger on the second day. It played some
COUNTY HIGHLIGHTS The Mental Health & Wellness Symposium will be held on February 4, 2026 at the Vermilion Regional Centre. Tickets and further information are available at www.vermilionalbertachamber.ca. Topics include fostering well-being and resilience in high-stress workplaces, exploring ways to build open conversations and support mental wellness at home and in the workplace, and finding simple, sustainable ways to support everyday wellness. Join Council and staff at the Open House in Kitscoty, at the Community Hall, on Monday, March 2, 2026 from 5:00—8:00 PM. This is a great opportunity to ask questions to staff and Council and find out what is going on in the County.
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Sofia Simpson of LCHS earned provincial gold in the senior girls’ high jump at the Saskatchewan high school track and field provincials. John MacNeil Meridian Source havoc with some of the throws and also was a bit of a mental challenge for some of the athletes running on the track, running into the wind and whatnot.” SIMPSON JUMPS TO SENIOR GOLD In the senior girls’ high jump Friday, the Barons’ Simpson and Gravelbourg’s Madeleine Simonsen emerged as the gold-medallists after multiple athletes reached the 1.50-metre-plus mark. An extended jump-off ensued as the number was whittled down to the two finalists. “They went back and forth several times,” Bloxam said. “I can’t remember exactly how many rounds of the jump-off there were, but there were quite a few. And then the decision was made by the official to basically ask, ‘Do you guys want to share the gold?’ As long as both athletes agree to do it, then they follow through on that.” Regardless of the school season, jumping is the operative word for Simpson, best known as a talented basketball player. She’s now in Grade 12 at LCHS. KVILL SMASHES PERSONAL BEST Another multi-sport athlete, hockey’s Kvill, was one of the Comp’s biggest surprises with his bronze medal in a personal-best javelin performance, said the Barons’ head coach. “Lincoln had a huge PB in the intermediate boys’ javelin, I think by eight or nine metres,” Bloxam said of Kvill’s 48.26-metre throw in the opening event Friday morning. “It was one of those situations where he got really into the competition. Cole Fry, who’s the javelin coach, was doing a great job of coaching him up and telling him to fix some little things. “Lincoln got hit with that adrenaline bug and he just hit it. That’s sometimes what happens at those big meets. You get some huge performances, you get people where it all comes together for them, and that’s exactly what happened with Lincoln. He was shocked but very happy, and everyone was very happy for him.” In a competitive 28-man field, Kvill finished ahead of everyone but goldmedallist Sawyer Sawchuk (49.52m) of Churchbridge and runner-up Bryan Carr (48.73m) of Edam. Kvill’s older brother Graydon also had a solid showing on the same weekend while representing Holy Rosary at the Alberta high school track and field provincials in Calgary. He placed seventh in his junior boys’ 800-metre race. A JACE OF ALL TRADES Among the notable results from the junior boys’ division, Neilburg’s Jace Newport earned high-jump silver to medal at the Saskatchewan provincials for a second straight year. Newport, who plays Rustlers club volleyball and Border Brutes lacrosse in Lloydminster, jumped 1.79 metres. Another Northwest district athlete, Lashburn’s Carter Churn, won that event with a 1.85-metre jump.
SPORTS FLASHBACK 2025 — JUNE
Thursday, January 1, 2026
MERIDIAN SOURCE
13
RM of Frenchman Butte ZB Notice NOTICE Public notice is hereby given that the Council of the Rural Municipality of Frenchman Butte No. 501 intends to consider the adoption of a new Zoning Bylaw under The Planning and Development Act, 2007.
INTENT / ZONING DISTRICT OBJECTIVES AG - Agricultural District: To provide for the primary use of land in the form of agricultural development, associated farm dwellings, limited single-parcel country residential development, location-dependent natural resource development and other uses compatible with agricultural development. RD - Residential District: To provide for low density multiple lot residential development surrounded by agricultural lands to accommodate acreage development and other compatible development in specific areas with standards for such development. LD - Lakeshore District: To provide for residential and limited commercial development on lands surrounding Perch Lake and other specific areas with standards for such development.
Holy Rosary runner Alex Giesbrecht stood out in 2025. John MacNeil Meridian Source
Giesbrecht mines gold at provincials — twice
T
he legacy of Lloydminster runner Alex Giesbrecht gained even more laps — and gold medals — at the Saskatchewan high school track and field provincials in Moose Jaw. In his Grade 9 year at Holy Rosary High School, he ran personal bests in both the intermediate boys’ 1,500 and 3,000-metre races as he won both events in decisive fashion. What’s more, the Raiders’ sensation did so in adverse weather conditions and without comparable competition of his calibre. “I was a little bit nervous when I got there, but the atmosphere and the energy at the event was really good,” said Giesbrecht, who turned 15 in June, about a week after provincials. He came close to setting provincial records, finishing 10 seconds shy of the Saskatchewan best in each case. “I think if the wind and smoke weren’t there, I could have had (those records),” Giesbrecht said. “It was very surreal, winning two golds, but I still wish there was somebody there that could have pushed me to run faster.” That’s the high school reality for Giesbrecht, who faced tougher competition in club track last summer as he stepped into provincial and national meets. In Moose Jaw, his results were as flashy as his orange cleats. In the 1,500m on Friday, he got off to a “really fast” start and maintained that pace the rest of the way to prevail in four minutes 23.22 seconds, slashing nine seconds off his previous best. Matthew Heidel of North Battleford finished second in 4:30.68, while Lake Lenore’s Mason Strueby took the bronze in 4:30.68. As freak weather hit the province on that Saturday, athletes had more than opponents to contend with for the final day of the meet.
For his 3,000-metre race Saturday, “it was insanely windy and smoky, but I still got a personal best by 17 seconds,” said Giesbrecht, who posted a time of 9:31.37. “I think I could have run a much faster time, even more, if the wind and smoke wasn’t there.” The silver-medallist in the 3,000m was Matthew Quiring (10:02.92) of Carlton in Prince Albert. Third place went to Heidel (10:03.55), the runner-up in the 1,500m. Regardless of the level of competition he might have faced along the way, three meets in as many weeks helped Giesbrecht gear up for a big summer. “This sets me up really good, as I have learnt so many new strategies from all of these races I have had this past month,” he said. “With all the races, the mileage really adds up and it’s helped me ... improve a lot.” In all three spring meets (cities, district and provincials), Giesbrecht sported his new running shoes, size 11 Nike Dragonfly 2s. “I have had them for three months and raced in them for the first time at cities, but trained in them for a while before that,” he said. “They feel very comfortable, very cushioned and bouncy.” He chose orange cleats because they were on sale and that’s the colour of his club track jerseys with the Lloyd-based Split City Sonics. Giesbrecht was the lone Raider to medal at the Sask provincials, but two other Holy Rosary students reached the top of the podium at the Alberta high school provincials that same weekend in Calgary. In their respective senior divisions, the Raiders’ Ini Idiong captured gold in discus, while his sister Mfonma did likewise in shot put. This year, as a Grade 10 student, Giesbrecht plans to compete in the Alberta provincials for his first season of eligibility as a high school athlete.
HD - Hamlet District: To provide for high density multiple lot residential development and other compatible development in specific areas with standards for such development. CD - Commercial / Industrial District: To provide for general commercial, industrial and other compatible development in specific areas, with standards for such development. FD - Forest District: To encourage forestry and other natural resource-oriented development and activity on provincial forest lands. The proposed Zoning Bylaw also contains updated and new general provisions that apply to development throughout the R.M. Updated and new provisions include: development permit requirements, application fees and application process; discretionary use permit requirements, application fees, application process and evaluation criteria; regulations for fences; accessory buildings and structures; signs and billboards; manufactured dwellings; vehicle storage; shipping containers; communal farm settlements; shooting ranges; home based business; and farm settlements. regulations for development on or near hazard lands; and regulations for outside storage and waste material storage.
AFFECTED LAND
All land within the R.M. of Frenchman Butte as shown on the Map contained in this notice is affected by the new Zoning Bylaw. YOUR PROPERTY MAY BE DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY PROVISIONS IN THE NEW ZONING BYLAW. PLEASE CHECK THE FULL VERSION OF THE BYLAW, AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW OR PURCHASE AT THE R.M. OFFICE OR FOR REVIEW AND DOWNLOAD FROM THE R.M. WEBSITE.
REASON
The new Zoning Bylaw will help direct and manage growth and development in the R.M. of Frenchman Butte for the next fifteen to twenty years.
PUBLIC INSPECTION Any person may inspect the proposed bylaw at the R.M. Office, located 1/4 mile North off the Junction of Highway 3 and Highway 21 North, just east of Paradise Hill, Box 180 Paradise Hill, SK, S0M 2G0. The RM office is open between 8:30 AM and 4:30 PM Monday to Fridays, excluding statutory holidays. Copies are available to persons at cost.
PUBLIC HEARING Council will hold a public hearing at 2:00 PM on January 28th, 2026, at the R.M. Office located at SW 11-53-24-W3M (just north of the junction of highway 3 and highway 21N) to hear any person or group that wishes to comment on the proposed bylaw. Council will also consider written comments received at the hearing or delivered to the undersigned at the R.M. Office before the hearings. Email: administrator.rm501@sasktel.net Phone: (306) 344-2034 Issued at the RM of Frenchman Butte this 6th day of November, 2025. Aaron Neilly, Acting Chief Administrative Officer
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Thursday, January 1, 2026
SPORTS FLASHBACK 2025 — MAY
Momentum Black 15U girls, a regional team based in Lloydminster, went undefeated to win the Saskatchewan club volleyball championship last spring in Saskatoon. In the back row (from left) are assistant coaches Lisa Perkins and Raegan McGillivray, Ezri Vidal, Brooke Wicks, Cody Gratton, Katie Smith, Avery Perkins and head coach Cory Gratton.. In the front row (from left) are Eloise Benoit, Kenzie McGillivray, Addy Krauss, Jasmine Kohlman and Paige Brown. Submitted photo
Momentum strikes provincial volleyball gold
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omentum Volleyball Club lived up to its name in a big way as the 15U girls from Lloydminster brought Saskatchewan female club volleyball gold to the Border City for the first time. The provincial-championship performance, just as May arrived, put an exclamation mark on a nearperfect season for the Momentum Black 15U girls’ team, which lost just once all season in about 40 matches against Saskatchewan teams. At the provincial championship in Saskatoon, the Lloyd juggernaut posted a perfect 6-0 record and didn’t lose a set. What’s more, a second Momentum entry won Division 1 consolation honours, as the 15U Red club placed seventh among the 15 D1 teams and the 50-team field overall. “So, we’re the only club in Saskatchewan that has two of their teams inside the top 10,” said Momentum co-founder Cory Gratton, coach of the gold-medallists. “Which is pretty hard to do when you consider you’re competing with Saskatoon and Regina, who have a number of teams.” On the same banner weekend for Momentum girls, the 16U Black team earned provincial silver for the second straight year and the 16U Red group
finished 15th out of 52 clubs. In April, the 13U girls from Momentum brought silver medals back to Lloydminster. On the first weekend of May, the Momentum Black 17U girls’ team placed fifth among the 31 clubs at their provincials in Saskatoon. Combined with solid provincial showings from Rustlers boys’ teams, these are heady days for club volleyball in Lloyd. “Last year, there were 25 boys’ and girls’ teams in Lloydminster, which makes us the third-largest exporter of club volleyball teams in Saskatchewan,” Gratton said. “It’s grown a lot. “There’s also been a lot of good success on the boys’ side, too, recently. We don’t have boys’ teams in our (Momentum) clubs, but within the Rustlers, they’ve medalled at provincials last year and this year and have had good success.” RURAL ATHLETES HELP POWER LLOYD Gratton speaks from experience. He has coached volleyball teams in Lloyd for 28 years. He and Brent Teasdale founded Momentum in 2020, long after forming the Rustlers’ club program in 2005. With both local organizations, Gratton has been impressed with the extra effort that young athletes
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and their parents show in committing to club volleyball. As with Gratton’s own 15U team, multiple players from rural communities commit to regularly making long drives to Lloyd for practices and games, and even longer trips elsewhere for tournaments. “In the last 20 years, there’s only one other team that won provincials that wasn’t from Saskatoon or Regina,” he said. “So, for our group of smalltown kids to be able to beat all these (teams from) Saskatoon and Regina, along with Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver, Winnipeg and then some of the U.S. cities as well, that’s been really gratifying. Being from smaller communities and being successful against large cities.” His champion 15U team tasted U.S. competition during the February school break, when they won an international tournament in Phoenix, the 88-team Festival Fiesta Classic. Back home in the gold-medal match at the recent provincials, Momentum swept the Huskies, the Saskatoon club affiliated with the University of Saskatchewan varsity program. Momentum 15U Black’s roster — consisting of three Grade 10 students and seven players from Grade 9 — come from Lloydminster, Kitscoty, Maidstone, Neilburg, Chauvin and Provost.
SPORTS FLASHBACK 2025 — MAY
Thursday, January 1, 2026
MERIDIAN SOURCE
Raiders net Fischer in third round
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ripp Fischer not only has a noteworthy hockey name, but size, skill and smarts that stand out, too. The Prince Albert Raiders selected the wellrounded centre from Lloydminster in the third round of the Western Hockey League prospects draft May 8, a week after his 15th birthday. Fischer was chosen 52nd overall and led a strong contingent of Lloydminster players picked in the early rounds of this year’s draft. In March, he captained Delta (B.C.) Hockey Academy to the U15 prep Division 1 Western championship in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League. Fischer returned home this season to play with the U18 AAA Lloydminster Lancers in the Alberta Elite Hockey League, before hopefully making the jump to the WHL at age 16 about three hours up the road in Prince Albert. “Their team is going to be pretty good down the road,” Fischer said about the Raiders, now one of the top teams in the WHL standings. “They’ve had lots of high picks these last few drafts.” Watching the live draft proceedings from his home with his mother, Fischer received a congratulatory phone call from Prince Albert general manager Curtis Hunt just a couple of minutes after seeing his name pop up on the screen. “He just told me that they had picked me and that he really liked the way I play and that he heard from other people that I was a tough guy to play against,” said the solidly built Fischer, five-foot-11 and 175 pounds. “It felt pretty good.” It was a range of emotions for Fischer, who was considered a first-round candidate in some of the pre-draft scouting rankings.
Lloydminster forward Tripp Fischer was chosen by the Prince Albert Raiders in the third round of the WHL prospects draft. John MacNeil Meridian Source
‘NERVOUS AND EXCITED’ The opening round was conducted on the evening of May 7 as Fischer and his father Cole — a Memorial Cup champion during his WHL career — returned from a Philadelphia trip where Tripp
and other top prospects had participated in an international tournament. “We just got back from Philly last night, so we were driving for a little bit, and then once I got home here, we were sitting around and watching,” said Fischer, knowing he had a shot at a first-round selection. “I was nervous and excited, and then I was a little let down after last night, but then I was relieved after this morning.” Now, he’s part of a storied Prince Albert franchise that counts the likes of Mike Modano and Leon Draisaitl among its notable alumni. Fischer has had no shortage of hockey role models, beginning with his father, a defenceman who made three appearances in the Memorial Cup
Albeit a springtime tournament, Kael Scott was playing hockey — fittingly enough — on the early May morning that the Calgary Hitmen selected the Lloydminster forward in the WHL prospects draft. Scott was in Saskatoon, driving back to his lodge with his Métis teammates after a practice, when the Hitmen called his name in the third round with the 64th-overall pick. “It sounds great,” said Scott, who played U15 prep with OHA Edmonton last year. “I saw my name pop up and I didn’t know what to say after that. I was super excited. I’ve heard nothing but great things about Calgary. I was happy for myself when I got drafted, but it’s another thing making the team. There’s a lot of work to be done to actually make it.”
Scott, 15, played in Indigenous tournaments on back-to-back weekends before and after the May 8 draft. The six-foot, 190-pound centre had already made his case in front of WHL scouts, powering his way to a 22-goal, 51-point season in 36 games with OHA Edmonton. “Kael has good size, he can skate and he has a really good release on his shot,” said Gary Michalick, the Hitmen’s director of scouting. “When you watch him, he can be (effective) in tight. Like, he doesn’t score his goals from dipsy-doodling and going around guys. He goes to the dirty areas, like in the front of the net. And when he gets the puck, he can snap it. He can really shoot it.” CONTINUED ON PAGE 20
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championship and won the CHL title in 2002 as part of the Kootenay Ice. The older Fischer, who’s also an Allan Cup national senior champion with the Lloydminster Border Kings, went on to coach junior A and minor hockey teams for years. Tripp attributes his father’s coaching and guidance for developing him into a two-way player who can provide that complementary blend of offence and physicality. “It’s a little bit of both,” he said of his playing style. “A lot of guys don’t do it anymore. It’s a two-way style of play and it’s why, I think, the Raiders picked me. “I take pride in playing both ends of the ice. I create turnovers really well and I can put the puck in the net, too. I probably got (that persistence) from my dad. He was a pretty tough guy. Dad really pushed me to be a complete player. Ever since I started, he wanted me to play the full end of the ice and do everything.” Tripp also has deep hockey lineage on his mother Jill’s side of the family. Her first cousin is Montreal Canadiens veteran forward Brendan Gallagher, the captain of the Vancouver Giants during his WHL days. Gallagher’s father Ian is the president of Delta Hockey Academy, which made young Tripp feel that much more comfortable playing in British Columbia in the 2024-25 season. While it was a big move at the time, Fischer shook off any early homesickness and proceeded to score 29 goals and 56 points in 35 games in the CSSHL. He kept it up in the playoffs to lead Delta to gold. Scouts took note that he stepped up when the stakes were highest, firing five goals and nine points in six games at the Western championship. After the high of the WHL draft last spring, Fischer remained in the news through the fall as he was selected to Team Alberta for the U16 WHL Cup in Red Deer. He made the team, and played, despite battling a high-ankle sprain that delayed his U18 AAA season with the Lancers.
Hitmen welcome Scott’s size, speed, shot
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The Calgary Hitmen selected Lloyd forward Kael Scott in the third round of the WHL prospects draft. John MacNeil Meridian Source
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MERIDIAN SOURCE
Thursday, January 1, 2026
SPORTS FLASHBACK 2025 — AUGUST
Thiessen carries Alberta into Canada Games
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hile a banner finish is the goal for any athlete, Team Alberta softball pitcher Katherine Thiessen took it one step further and fashioned a banner start at the Canada Summer Games. Thiessen, a 2025 graduate of Lloydminster Comprehensive High School, carried the Alberta banner during the Games’ opening ceremonies on Saturday, Aug. 9, at the Mary Brown Centre in St. John’s, N.L. She and fellow banner-carrier Ethan Darpoh (soccer) of Edmonton joined flag-bearer Jonnie Newman (canoe-kayak) of Calgary in leading the Alberta contingent during the colourful and musical opening-night show. Coaches from each participating Alberta sport nominated candidates for the ceremonial roles, before the final three selections were made. “I was really grateful that my coaches chose to write about me and enter me to be considered, and I’m really grateful that the board selected me,” said Thiessen, 18. “It’s a super-cool experience that I don’t think I’ll ever forget. Just like being in the (athletes’) village, there’s just so many people here, plus all the families and friends, and just the community that’s come to watch. “Even tickets for the opening ceremonies were hard to get, because people wanted to be there and wanted to see all the athletes. The number of athletes here is in the thousands.” Thiessen’s leadership and athletic abilities paved the way for her to carry the banner, parading hundreds of Alberta athletes into the flagship St. John’s arena. “On the team, I’m kind of a natural leader, and I’m not nervous to step into big roles or anything like that,” she said. “And then, I think partly too because I have played at the national level, on Team Canada, and also going to an NCAA Division 1 school, just those kinds of things probably stood out to the board.” Even before the Canada Games, Thiessen had a standout summer season with the U19 women’s River City Hornets of Edmonton, especially during their national championship at Surrey, B.C. “I had a really good nationals,” Thiessen said. “I was named all-star pitcher and tournament MVP, so I was very thankful for those awards. I had a great nationals, both pitching and hitting-wise. “I think our club finished seventh in the nation. We lost our first playoff game, so that kind of sucked. But we had a really good season overall. We were 29-7 on the year. I think we were a little disappointed with how our nationals
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Team Alberta softball pitcher Katherine Thiessen, a 2025 graduate of Lloydminster Comprehensive High School, carried the Alberta banner for the opening of the Canada Summer Games in August at St John’s, N.L. Thiessen, 18, is now in her freshman year with the NCAA Division 1 Southeastern Louisiana University Lions. John MacNeil Meridian Source
went. But the thing is, most of this team can return, so we’re excited to be an older group next year.” The hard-throwing Thiessen will again be in the thick of the action, just as she was in August at the Canada Games. “The whole season, I pitched quite a few innings. I mean, we had a great (pitching) staff overall, so it’s not like I had to overthrow my arm or anything. But whenever I wasn’t pitching, I was just hitting (as a designated hitter).” Those nationals, and the Canada Games tournament, set up Thiessen well for her inaugural NCAA Division 1 season with the Southeastern Louisiana University Lions. The Lloydminster Comprehensive High School graduate flew to Louisiana immediately after the Canada Games. Her father drove stateside from Alberta with her belongings for college, while her mother was in St. John’s for the Games to catch all the action. “For sure, I think it’s the perfect leadup to school,” Thiessen said. “Going from the nationals, which is always competitive, the best teams, to the Summer Games, which is the best-of-the-best tournament in Canada. So, just to play this high-level competition leading into my fall season at college is going to be a great step up to the challenge that my college ball will be.” In the fall season, the Lions posted an 8-0 record and the rookie Thiessen was the team’s top hitter, and part of the regular pitching rotation. DOUGAN ALSO ON ALBERTA SOFTBALL TEAM At the Canada Games, Thiessen and fellow Lloydminster native Karter Dougan stepped up as part of Team Alberta. Both played integral roles as the Albertans posted a 3-1 record in preliminary play and advanced to the playoff round. Most notably, Thiessen threw a one-hitter on Sunday, Aug. 10, as Alberta defeated Saskatchewan 1-0. Thiessen and Dougan, with two hits in that game, batted one-two in the order. Before becoming Alberta teammates, Thiessen and Dougan played together with the Lloydminster Liners every other year, because the 17-year-old Dougan is a year younger. “She’s a great ball player,” Thiessen said. “She totally deserves to be on Team Alberta. I’m excited to be back playing with her. “She plays outfield and second base, and she has a really good stick.” Dougan was part of the Liners U17 A team that placed fourth at their nationals this past summer in Warman, Sask. She headed to Saskatoon in the fall to combine her Grade 12 studies with softball training in the Bridge City. With four past or present Lloyd Comp students in the Saskatchewan rugby 7s mix, that’s one of the sports Thiessen and company were hoping to watch during schedule breaks at the Games. “I know everyone wants to get out and try to watch all the sports,” she said. “But I played (high school) volleyball with Daryl (Levitsky), and she’s on the Sask rugby team, so I think it would be fun to go and watch her.”
SPORTS FLASHBACK 2025 — JUNE
Bull-riding rush suits Hillis fine
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ometown boy Colt Hillis was in the spotlight — and the sunlight — for the ever-popular bull-riding competition in the Bordertown high school rodeo last spring. With temperatures pushing 30 C on Saturday, May 3, it was a long, hot day of waiting for the senior high bull-riders who stepped into the primetime evening show at the Lloyd exhibition grounds. “Especially at these high school rodeos, you’re waiting all day, and you want to get it out of the way, kind of,” said Hillis, then a Grade 12 student at Lloydminster Comprehensive High School. “You’ve got to sit around all day. “At all those bull-riding events (outside of the school season), it’s just strictly bull-riding, so you just go there and you do your thing.” The senior bull-riders entertained the Lloyd crowd in the final hour of a 12-hour program Saturday, and they did likewise again Sunday. A day after his 18th birthday, Hillis was bucked off a testy bull without reaching a requisite eightsecond ride Saturday evening. “Not good today, but we’ll get ’em tomorrow,” he said. “There’s always tomorrow, and there’s always another rodeo.” Sunday didn’t go as well as he had hoped, but Hillis planned to bounce right back the following weekend with Bull Riders Canada (BRC) semiprofessional events in Cold Lake and Penhold. The third annual Bordertown high school rodeo added another element for the small number of Lloydminster-area rodeo athletes. They’re used to travelling out of town and long distances to compete within the Saskatchewan High School Rodeo Association, so performing at home was an eventful experience on multiple fronts. “It puts a little bit more pressure on you to do better,” Hillis said. “Everybody knows you and everybody is watching you, and you want to do the best you can.” These are exciting times for Hillis, who comes from a rodeo family residing near Hillmond and about 15 minutes from Lloyd. This school year, he headed to Cheyenne, Wyoming, to join the Laramie County Community College rodeo team. His brother Gage was already a student — and bull-rider — at the same National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) school. Colt Hillis signed with Laramie County shortly before Christmas 2024. He’s enrolled in welding while continuing his promising bull-riding career. He has been riding bulls for about five years, after starting out on steers when he was just eight years old — a decade ago. Last spring, Hillis finished his final school season with a bang, qualifying for summer nationals, while also busy competing in BRC semi-pro events. “I might hit a couple of pro rodeos, too,” he said about his summer. “I’ll enter a couple of pro rodeos, now that I’m 18, and we’ll see how that goes.” Hillis has weathered more than his share of injuries on the rodeo circuit, but he believes it’s all par for the course, especially for bull-riders. “I had to get my left shoulder redone, so not the riding one,” he said. “I got surgery done there. I broke my arm about four times. Knocked out. “I haven’t been too bad, but there’s been a couple (of injuries). Whereas my brother lacerated his pancreas, punctured a lung and broke some ribs.” But, there’s no quit in cowboys. “Ah, you love it,” Hillis said of what keeps bull-riders coming back for more. “You always want to do better than the last event.” Just as he has looked up to his older brother, Hillis has been a role model to his younger sister, Allie, who competes in junior high rodeo.
Thursday, January 1, 2026
MERIDIAN SOURCE
COWBOY COUNTRY
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Lloydminster Comprehensive High School graduates Colt Hillis (left) and Cole Irwin headed to their respective John MacNeil Meridian Source U.S. colleges as freshmen this fall to continue their studies and rodeo pursuits.
Irwin ropes in success in two events
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here was no mistaking the rodeo kids last spring among the hundreds of students at Lloydminster Comprehensive High School. Grade 12 students Cole Irwin and Colt Hillis, both decorated cowboys who reached the National High School Finals Rodeo (NHSFR) last July in Wyoming, stood out in both competition and western fashion. “Oh yeah, you can definitely tell,” a chuckling Irwin said about how recognizable the rodeo students are in the Comp classrooms and hallways. “It’s a pretty tight bunch in Lloyd. Me and Colt are always the ones wearing jeans around school when everyone else is wearing shorts in the spring and summer.” As their June graduation approached, both boys were also sporting fresh championship buckles after qualifying for the coveted U.S. nationals for the first time in their respective categories. Hillis advanced in bull-riding, while Irwin punched his ticket in two events — team roping and tie-down roping. “I was really focused on making it in the team roping,” said Irwin, 17. “I wanted to make it in the tie-down, too, but I was also prepared not to make it in the tie-down. “But I had a better year than I thought I would, I guess. I got a little better throughout the year, so it worked out nicely and I got ’er done.” Irwin and Hillis — buddies from rodeo and school — got the job done in late May during the Saskatchewan High School Rodeo Association provincial finals in Maple Creek. “Oh, it was awesome,” said Iriwn, who lives just north of Marshall. “It was really close, but we had a lucky finals. We won a round in finals and that put us in a position where we had it locked in. “I was just on the very edge of it in the calf roping (tie-down), and then it was kind of a last-second thing, too, that I got a spot in that. “It was beautiful down there (in Maple Creek). We had a really good weekend. Not too windy. Everyone could swing their ropes, so it was good.” In team roping, Irwin partnered with fellow senior Brandsten Moore, who lives north of North Battleford, near Rabbit Lake. They had honed their craft in practices at each other’s home properties
during the high school season and at indoor practice pens all winter. “We just partnered up this year (for high school competition), but I’ve been roping with him since I was little,” said Irwin, almost six feet and 170 pounds. “We’ve roped around home and throughout Saskatchewan, just in jackpots together, so I knew him pretty good.” The chemistry between Iriwn and Moore was seemingly scientific and a decisive factor at the provincial finals. “Oh, I think so,” Irwin agreed. “We always had a plan. We always talked to each other before our runs, made sure we’re both in a good mindset before we go.” The dynamic duo qualified for the NHSRF in July at Rock Springs, Wy., and the Canadian high school finals in early August at Brandon, Man. COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP In mid-August, Irwin headed to Hobbs, New Mexico, to cash in on his junior college rodeo scholarship. He’s team roping and calf roping as part of the collegiate team and studying farm and ranch management. Within a few years, he hopes to transfer to Mesalands Community College, north of Hobbs, to study wind-turbine technology. Even before he left, Irwin appreciated the high calibre of collegiate rodeo stateside. “Oh yeah, it’s huge down there,” he said. “The rodeo team is a big part of their school in all those little towns with colleges. So, it’s good that way. It’s really competitive down there.” Irwin did his homework in selecting New Mexico Junior College in Hobbs. He shortlisted and toured multiple schools before making his choice. “They had a really nice facility and they offered me a good deal there, so it should be good,” he said. “I’d love to be down there, roping all day.” His passion for roping, and rodeo in general, goes all the way back to his grandparents. “My grandpa (Doug) taught my dad (Craig) and he taught me,” Irwin said. “Grandpa kind of started the whole thing. He taught all us grandkids. We all could go to his house and rope when we were little.” Irwin’s brother Ty, age 14 and a Grade 9 student last spring, was also active on the rodeo circuit.
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MERIDIAN SOURCE
SPORTS FLASHBACK 2025 — JUNE
Thursday, January 1, 2026
Bedwell right at home in Lloyd rodeo
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sed to travelling on the high school rodeo circuit, Heidi Bedwell welcomed an opportunity to compete at home last spring in Lloydminster. “It’s really nice,” Bedwell said on a sunny spring Saturday during the Bordertown high school rodeo at the Lloyd exhibition grounds. “I just live 20 minutes away, so I don’t even have to keep my horses here overnight. They can go back home and stay there. “And with a home crowd, it’s always nice to have friends and family come out to support you.” A small-but-dedicated parent group organized the Bordertown rodeo — now going into its fourth year — to promote the sport in Lloydminster and try to encourage more local students to participate in the Saskatchewan High School Rodeo Association. “It’s usually the Lloyd people going south,” said Bedwell, a multi-talented athlete who graduated from Lloydminster Comprehensive High School a few weeks later. “There’s a few from Lloyd — about five — in events here today. But there’s definitely more people from the south who come up (here).” Bedwell, who resides on an acreage in the Streamstown area, was a busy athlete on the weekend as she competed in barrel racing, breakaway roping and pole bending. “It’s been pretty good,” she said, patting her horse, Red Light. “My horse is solid. She’s always good to me.” Of course, Bedwell’s athletic achievements go beyond the rodeo circuit. She helped the Lloyd Comp girls’ rugby team place second in a high school tournament at home, just one day before the Bordertown show. She went on to earn a berth with Saskatchewan’s rugby entry in the Canada Summer Games last August in St. John’s, N.L. ATHLETE OF THE MONTH More accolades came Bedwell’s way in the spring as the LCHS student was named April’s female athlete of the month in the Alberta Schools’ Athletic Association, now School Sport Alberta. As she capped her high school rodeo career, Bedwell reflected on her unique start in the sport. “Our family kind of got into it a little later,” she said. “My parents didn’t rodeo when they were younger. But my oldest sister (Halle) really wanted to get into it. When I was about five (years old), I was riding horses. Then, in Grade 6, I started high school rodeoing.” At the senior high school level, she’s been involved in rodeo “a little less” than previously, because she’s heavily committed to rugby, both with the Barons high school team and at the provincial level. “In grades 10, 11 and 12, I’ve made as many rodeos as I can,” she said. “But rugby is my main sport.” Bedwell’s rugby schedule often entailed weekend events that conflict with rodeos. But she wasn’t about to miss her hometown rodeo, which was wellreceived by local and visiting competitors alike. “The weather is really nice,” she said. “I think
During her senior year at Lloydminster Comprehensive High School, Heidi Bedwell welcomed a hometown event last spring as Lloyd hosted the Bordertown high school rodeo at the exhibition grounds. John MacNeil Meridian Source people like Lloyd. Some of the Saskatoon people who usually have to go south (for school rodeos), they also like having one that’s a bit closer, too.” Bedwell’s father, Marty, is a co-chair of the Bordertown rodeo, which he reports has grown appreciably in just three years. “The Lloyd Ex (has) been absolutely excellent to deal with,” said Marty Bedwell. “We have probably the best facilities, right here in Lloydminster, when it comes to all the Saskatchewan rodeo associations. “We’re just trying to expand the product, which is high school rodeo and rodeo in general, and horsemanship and everything that goes with it.” One of the primary objectives is to involve more students from Lloydminster and area. “That’s the goal — to try to get more kids into rodeo,” he said. “It’s great camaraderie. You’ve got horsemanship with local people. There are scholarships available for kids that are in high school rodeo. “It’s just a great event and we’re looking to
expand to what we call the north here. Obviously, being in the border city gives us a lot of options with Saskatchewan and Alberta.” About 150 students participate in junior and senior high school rodeos across Saskatchewan, and many of them participated in the Lloyd stop. The warm weather early last spring contrasted with the Bordertown rodeo’s debut in 2023, when three feet of snow threatened the event even before it got off the ground. “As a committee, we were pretty worried, because we still had snow going about two weeks before the rodeo,” said organizer Mikey Hillis, whose children have competed in high school rodeo. “We weren’t even sure we could get into the arena. “But it all melted, and it worked out.” Likewise, the 2025 school rodeo in May provided worthy competition and popular entertainment. “The turnout has been great and the weather has been great,” Hillis said. “Our third year is going quite a bit smoother.”
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SPORTS FLASHBACK 2025 — NOVEMBER
Thursday, January 1, 2026
MERIDIAN SOURCE
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Raiders count fourth straight Alberta title P
laying in a record 12th straight provincial final, the Holy Rosary Raiders made it count Saturday, Nov. 29, as they won their fourth consecutive School Sport Alberta 3A football championship. In chilly temperatures pushing -15 C, Lloydminster’s golden boys warmed the hearts of the Holy Rosary faithful and defeated a familiar foe, the Cardston Cougars, 26-14 at Edmonton’s Jasper Place Bowl. “It was awesome to end the year with a win,” said Denem Weber, one of the Raiders’ 19 senior players. “This being my senior year adds a big factor to this championship. It was kind of emotional at the end. I shed a tear or two.” Weber, 17, and some of his contemporaries have won three provincial titles with Holy Rosary’s senior team throughout their high school years. “It was a big moment,” he said. “I know a lot of people don’t get to walk off the field as champions in your senior season. It’s a good feeling, especially with all your best buddies. You make a lot of buddies in this game. It’s one of the best things about it.” It’s also a game of momentum shifts. Weber authored one of those with a reverse fake and a prolific touchdown on an 85-yard kickoff return to open the second half and put the Raiders in front 19-14, instilling belief in his teammates and doubt in the Cougars. “Yeah, it was a long run,” understated the athletic Weber. “I had a couple of guys to beat and one guy to make miss. Then, I did a little stutter-step, and I was gone. “I’d say that kickoff return was a pretty big momentum swing. It was a big moment for me and our team. Afterward, I just got super-excited. It was nice to contribute like that and to have that momentum swing, because it’s a game of momentum, really.” It was an even greater turning point in the game, because Cardston had misinterpreted which team was kicking to begin the second half, said Holy Rosary coach Vince Orieux. “We lost the coin toss, but their kids made an error and didn’t defer,” Orieux said of the Cougars. “They took choice, and we ended up getting the ball at the start of the game and at the start of the second half. “They didn’t really realize what they had done, because they came out in the second half expecting to receive the kickoff, after scoring a touchdown to end the second quarter with no time left on the clock. So, they had all this momentum going into the third quarter. Then, they realized they had to kick to us, and we returned it for a touchdown. That flipped the game.” As all of that unfolded, a confused Cardston contingent watched its 14-13 halftime lead evaporate. “Their coaches were upset, their players weren’t sure what was going on, and their fans were screaming,”
Orieux said. “So, all of a sudden, they’ve got to kick off, and we ran a fake reverse and take it 85 yards to the end zone. “They couldn’t really recover from that. Our defence took over.” For the second week in a row, the Raiders didn’t give up a point in the second half, including their 44-15 provincial semifinal victory over the St. Paul Lions on Nov. 22 in the historic first game on Holy Rosary’s new artificial turf. Two days before December, the provincial final marked the latest date that Holy Rosary has played a gold-medal game during its string of championship years. The 3A battle between the topranked and unbeaten Raiders and the No. 3 Cougars lived up to the hype as part of the five-game provincial package of Alberta Bowl finals played in a showcase stadium on championship weekend in Edmonton. Kicking off at 11 a.m. in sunny but cold conditions, it was a hardfought, physical game between two historically winning programs. “It was a really good football game,” Orieux said. “If you were a spectator, you got your money’s worth. “From a coach’s standpoint, it was back and forth and lots of emotions. The kids played well. There were a few mistakes, as far as linemen were concerned, which cost us a couple of times. “But take nothing away from that (Cardston) team. They were loaded with athletes. Our preparation on both sides of the ball kind of paid off. We were able to neutralize some of their kids just by being in the right spot and pursuing the ball.” Brady Fallscheer, the Raiders’ spunky Grade 10 quarterback, continued to generate offence. He scored two rushing touchdowns during the defensive battle, including an insurance TD late in the fourth quarter. Cashing in on its extensive first drive, Holy Rosary opened the scoring on a Kostas Mavridis touchdown seven minutes into the game. That sequence was an early confidenceboost for the Raiders, who had bunked in Edmonton on Friday night and showed up at the field for warmups at about 9:30 a.m. Saturday. “We killed seven minutes off the clock on a long, sustained drive and scored a touchdown,” Orieux said. “That was great for us, knowing we could move the ball, and I think it deflated them a little bit. But being the athletes that (the Cougars) are, three or four plays on offence and they were in our end zone. We had missed a convert, so they were up 7-6.” Holy Rosary regained the lead early in the second quarter, going up 13-7 on Fallscheer’s first TD on Saturday. Cardston came back and scored on the final play of the quarter to take a one-point advantage into the halftime break. That set the stage for Weber’s heroics to kick off the second half.
Holy Rosary Raiders’ Grade 10 quarterback Brady Fallscheer exhibited veteran-like maturity as the provincial 3A champion Lloyd school fashioned an unbeaten season.
John MacNeil Meridian Source
Box 69, 4912-50 Ave. Kitscoty, AB T0B 2P0 PH: (780) 846-2244
INTERMUNICIPAL SUBDIVISION AND DEVELOPMENT APPEAL BOARD: 2026 to 2029 TERM The County of Vermilion River is seeking 3 Members-at-Large and 2 Alternate Members to serve on the Intermunicipal Subdivision and Development Appeal Board (the “ISDAB”). What is the Intermunicipal Subdivision and Development Appeal Board? The Intermunicipal Subdivision and Development Appeal Board is an independent, quasijudicial board that hears appeals related to subdivision and development decisions from the City of Lloydminster, County of Vermilion River, Town of Vermilion, Village of Kitscoty, Village of Mannville, Village of Paradise Valley and the Village of Marwayne. The ISDAB does not create planning policies or bylaws – the role of the ISDAB is to ensure decisions of the Subdivision or Development Authority are fair, impartial, and follow the County of Vermilion River Municipal Development Plan and Land Use Bylaw regulations, as well as applicable provincial legislation. What does an SDAB member do? ISDAB members are required to attend appeal hearings when they are filed (meetings are scheduled as needed). During the hearing, the ISDAB members must listen to all sides of the appeal and review any evidence presented. The ISDAB members will make impartial decisions based on the regulations of the County of Vermilion River Municipal Development Plan (MDP) and Land Use Bylaw (LUB), the Alberta Municipal Government Act and any other applicable provincial and municipal legislation. The ISDAB members will deliberate privately and provide written decisions to the Appellant. ISDAB members are required to maintain confidentiality and fairness throughout the entire process. Training Mandatory training is provided at no cost to ensure ISDAB members understand their responsibilities and applicable legislation. Term ISDAB members are appointed for a term of 3 years, with the option for reappointment. Who can apply? County of Vermilion River residents with an interest in planning or development. No prior experience is required – just a commitment to fairness and good judgement. How to apply: Submit your application and a short statement about your interests and abilities by January 20, 2026 to: INTERMUNICIPAL SUBDIVISION AND DEVELOPMENT APPEAL BOARD ATTN: PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT Box 69, 4912-50 Ave. Kitscoty, AB T0B 0L0 planning@county24.com
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Thursday, January 1, 2026
SPORTS FLASHBACK 2025 — MAY
Spokane selects two local forwards Kitscoty’s Sunderland goes in Round 4
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After a productive year with the U15 AAA St. Albert Raiders, Brody Sunderland of Kitscoty was drafted by the WHL’s Spokane Chiefs. John MacNeil Meridian Source
rade 9 leadership class never seemed as fun as it was last May 8 for Brody Sunderland, a student at Kitscoty High School. It was his WHL draft day, of course, and the emerging six-foot-two forward from the U15 AAA St. Albert Raiders Sabres got to share the moment back in his hometown with his childhood buddies from Kitscoty, a month before his 15th birthday. “Yeah, my parents wanted me to go to school,” Sunderland said with a chuckle. “I ended up getting notice of the draft while in class, so it was pretty cool with my friends. “I asked my teachers if I could have my Chromebook out during all the classes, just in case. They let me, so I was just following the draft, and I had an assignment on my desk.” Sunderland now has a special hockey assignment to add to his to-do list. The Spokane Chiefs selected him in the fourth round with the 75th overall pick in the two-day WHL prospects draft. “I was the first guy to see my name pop up,” he said. “I looked at my friends and they kind of knew what happened. It was, like, ‘Yeah, where did you go?’ I’m, like, ‘Spokane.’ It was just a really great moment with all my friends. When some of my other friends from different classes found out, they came over and congratulated me. It was pretty loud.”
Sunderland might not be the loudest guy off the ice, but he made his presence felt on the ice during the past winter as he overcame injuries, weathered a growth spurt and flourished with the Raiders, providing clutch playoff performances as they earned bronze in the Alberta U15 AAA provincial championship tournament. He spent the 2024-25 hockey season living in St. Albert, making the move with his mom, Sara, after receiving an invitation to join the U15 AAA Raiders. Sunderland made big strides as he scored 18 goals and 37 points in 34 regular-season games and added 10 points in nine playoff games. “We loved Brody’s season,” said George Ross, the Chiefs’ director of player personnel. “We thought he got better and better each time we watched him play this season, which we felt was important to us. “We see a big, athletic, speedy and powerful forward that has some scoring ability, some playmaking ability, and really brings an element of power and toughness with heart and skill. We think he’s got quite a bit of untapped potential and upside for his game to grow these next few years.” This year, Sunderland is an offensive force with the U18 AAA Lloydminster Lancers, whose roster includes fellow Spokane prospects Josh Frazer (2025 draft) and Connor Nickle (2024 draft).
Lloydminster’s Frazer picked in Round 6
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John MacNeil Meridian Source
osh Frazer woke up, took a shower, brushed his teeth and settled in with his OHA Edmonton buddies on May 8 to watch Day 2 of the Western Hockey League prospects draft. Midway through the televised proceedings, the 15-year-old forward from Lloydminster saw his name on the draft board as the Spokane Chiefs selected him in the sixth round, 135th overall. “Oh, I was pretty excited, especially that Spokane chose me,” Frazer said a couple of hours later. “They have a pretty good program and a pretty nice rink. I heard people love playing there and it’s just a nice city, too.” Frazer is an electrifying talent who scored more than a point per game this past season with OHA’s U15 prep team in Edmonton. With his relentless and determined style of play, he collected 17 goals and 38 points in 35 games in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League. Frazer’s energy is through the roof, especially considering he measured in last spring at about five-foot-nine and 140 pounds. “Yeah, that’s a good way to put it — Josh is a speedy, tenacious winger that gets in hard on the
forecheck, is real good around the net and plays a detailed 200-foot game,” said George Ross, the Chiefs’ director of player personnel. “And that can be tougher to find for skilled players at this age. A lot of them want to just play an offensive game over time, but Josh brings a real strong, detailed defensive game, which is what we’re looking for.” Frazer credits his father, Vince, for instilling in him that any job worth doing is a job worth doing well. Even if that meant a few stray pucks, or the odd broken window, when shooting in their backyard, which doubled as a rink during Frazer’s formative years. “It definitely came a lot from my dad,” Frazer said of his high compete level on the ice. “He just pushes me hard to do a lot of things. Like, if I don’t want to do things or I’m not going to do something 100 per cent, then I shouldn’t do it at all. He’d just make sure I work hard all the time.” Frazer welcomed joining the same WHL organization as Brody Sunderland, the Kitscoty kid also drafted last spring. Now, they’re both U18 AAA rookie teammates with the Lloydminster Lancers.
The Winnipeg-based Michalick has decades of experience as a junior hockey scout. He worked with the Brandon Wheat Kings in the 1990s when they brought in Hillmond defenceman Wade Redden, who went on to become an NHL all-star. Michalick estimated that he saw Scott and his OHA U15 prep team play 30 times during the 2024-25 season. “Plus, with our northern Alberta scouts watching OHA Edmonton quite a bit, we really liked Kael,” he said. “He fits what we’re looking for, certainly with the size and his ability to score. And he can skate, too. We’re excited about him.” Michalick and his Hitmen scouting staff contrasted Scott’s robust style of play with his
relatively mild-mannered personality away from the rink. “He’s got a different demeanour on the ice,” Michalick said. “When you talk to him off the ice, he’s very quiet, very reserved, but when you watch him play, he certainly plays with some emotion and plays hard. He plays both centre and wing, which we really like as well.” Scott tries to emulate powerful and skilled NHL forwards like Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche and Leon Draisaitl of the Edmonton Oilers, who happen to be Scott’s favourite team. “MacKinnon plays more of a physical game,” he said. “He’s a big guy. I think we kind of play a similar game, as well as Draisaitl.” Growing up, Scott has “always been one of the
bigger kids, which has definitely helped me,” he said. “My strongest suit, playing with my body is a big one. Whether that’s laying hits or using it to protect the puck, or separate the puck from other people, I think I do a great job at that. I’d say I have a really good shot and my playmaking is pretty good. So, I think that’ll definitely help on the future teams that I play on.” Now leading the U18 AAA Lloydminster Lancers offensively, Scott’s well-rounded game made him a force with an OHA Edmonton team that had six players drafted. That group included Macklin defenceman Anderson Reschny (second round, Prince George), Lloyd forward Josh Frazer (sixth round, Spokane) and Edmonton forward Brayden Tucker (seventh round, Calgary).
In drafting OHA Edmonton U15 prep forward Josh Frazer last May, the WHL’s Spokane Chiefs described the Lloyd native as “a speedy, tenacious winger.”
SCOTT FROM PAGE 15
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Thursday, January 1, 2026
GRACE UNITED CHURCH
Sunday, December 28 – NO CHURCH Rev. George Mafuleka and Ben Nutbrown Nursery and Sunday Please join our Facebook and YouTube channels for the Cantata Concert Replay at 10:00am We wish you a Blessed and Happy New Year – 2026! Sunday, January 4, 2026 Join us for Epiphany Worship in the sanctuary or livestream on Facebook or YouTube.
#GodsHandsHeartAndFeetAlways All Are Welcome!
4708 - 50 Avenue T9V 0W4 780-875-8959 graceunitedchurch.ca
GABRIELA KULA 1928-2012
JOZEF KULA 1924-2009
Though your smile is gone forever God knows how much I miss you and your hand we cannot touch
Never shall your memory fade
Still we have so many memories
Loving thoughts shall ever wander
Of the ones we loved so much
To the spot where you were laid
Your memory is our keepsake
Though absent you are ever near
With which we’ll never part
Still missed and loved, always dear.
God has you in his keeping And we have you in our hearts.
Love your family & friends
JANUARY SUNDAY SERVICES
Jan 4
Jan 11/18/25
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In Loving Memory
IN MEMORY OF GERALD (GERRY) GRELOWSKI
CINDY NICHOLS
JUNE 16, 1943 – DEC 27, 2024
JANUARY 23, 1962 JANUARY 2, 2020
Although a year has gone by since you passed through, those that we love can never be more than a thought away. For as long as there’s a memory you live in our hearts to stay
Missing you my Love
As long as Hearts Remember Love Pat, Erin, Sierra (Travis) & family Doug (Brian), Michelle (Kevin) & family
Thursday, January 1, 2026
MERIDIAN SOURCE
CROSSWORD
LAST WEEK’S ANSWER:
SUDOKU HOW TO PLAY: Fill in the grid so that every row, every column, and every 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 through 9 only once. Each 3x3 box is outlined with a darker line. You already have a few numbers to get you started. LAST WEEK’S ANSWER:
HOROSCOPE
ACROSS 1. Antlered animal 5. Cherry stone 8. Egg on 12. Ballerina's skirt 13. "Bells ____ Ringing" 14. Other 15. Picnic visitors 16. Raised border 17. Mounted on a peg 18. Fishing necessity 19. Deadly reptile 20. Small boys 21. Soft throw 23. "____ on a Grecian Urn" 25. Type of antelope 27. 2,000 pounds
29. Attempt again 33. Give help to 34. Island greeting 36. Hole in a needle 37. Dust particle 39. Obscure 40. Tennis do-over 41. One, to a marcher 43. Huron or George 45. "____ Velvet" 48. Building shape 50. Track shape 53. Green citrus fruit 54. Kettle's kin 55. Ready to pick 56. Mischievous children 57. Amateur's opposite 58. On the Pacific
59. Sit for a photo 60. Nope's opposite 61. Geek DOWN 1. Random guess 2. Yellowfin, e.g. 3. Feeling 4. Zest 5. Sunshade 6. Spring bloom 7. Musical pace 8. Love seat 9. Not guilty, e.g. 10. Consumed 11. Ruby and rose 22. Pointed stick 24. Theatrical work 25. Cooking fuel
MOVIE SHOWTIMES
PISCES, ARIES AND TAURUS Take care not to procrastinate with your work or holiday planning this week. Instead, take time to relax and make the most of the season, keeping in mind that you don’t have to aim for perfection.
Prepare for last-minute changes to your party plans. The festivities will now be hosted at your home. This means you’ll have to handle all the preparations.
Organize a gift exchange with your colleagues to bring some festive cheer. You’ll be pleasantly surprised to find that everyone in your family has accepted your Christmas invitation.
You’ll be in the spotlight in one way or another this week. On the job, your hard work will be rewarded with well-deserved recognition.
Prepare for a demanding week at work this week. Your boss will pile on responsibilities just before the holidays. Some colleagues who were meant to help you may be absent, so stay focused.
Despite wanting to stick to a budget, your generosity may get the better of you and you’ll end up buying gifts for everyone.
If you take the time to resolve any issues that are weighing on your mind, you’ll be better able to enjoy your holidays to the fullest. By dedicating time to your romantic relationship, you’ll strengthen your bond.
You’ll brighten everyone’s day and put smiles on their faces this week. However, be careful if you plan to travel. You might even consider treating yourself to a new car as a Christmas gift.
Your boss will assign you new responsibilities, accompanied by a raise, which could be viewed as a promotion. Your success lies in taking risks and exploring the unknown.
As the year comes to a close, you may start to feel fatigued. Focus on maintaining a healthy diet to regain your energy and vitality. This will help you enjoy your holidays to the fullest.
You may suggest a magical holiday destination for a family You may be able to settle some family arguments with the help of your charm and your ability to get along with others, which will make Christmas trip. To be sure everyone can be together for an unforgettable holiday, don’t delay on booking flights. this time of year more peaceful.
780.874.9067 2602 50 Ave., Lloydminster, AB vividlloydminster.com
26. Quick bite 28. Bow the head 30. Show on the tube 31. Deli bread 32. Still 35. Mound's summit 38. Fondue need 42. Energetic 44. Muslim holy book 45. Radar dot 46. Luxury auto 47. Refs' kin 49. Folk legends 51. Impersonator 52. Be in front
Dream big! Just try not to nap through the opportunity this time.
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Thursday, January 1, 2026