Celebrating 120 years of the Vermilion Fair
The Vermilion Fair officially rang in 120 years of family fun. Now, they’re setting their sights a few years down the road.
“I think we’re starting to already talk about 125 and rev up for that. That’s a fairly big, symbolic number,” said Nicole Polishuk, president of
the Vermilion Agricultural Society. She credits the fair’s longevity to their volunteers.
“It’s amazing that we’ve been going this long,” she said. “It’s all due to our volunteers. The society is run entirely on volunteers and volunteer work.”
Christian Apostolovski Meridian Source
CHRISTIAN APOSTOLOVSKI
While volunteers help drive the fair, it’s a family atmosphere that keeps locals coming back.
“It’s that kind of small-town, community, family atmosphere. We really strive to keep this family oriented,” Polishuk said. “It always feels like a really big reunion. You wander down the main road and run into people you haven’t seen in years. Or you see them once a year at the fair.”
Keeping families in mind, entertainment is catered to bring in anyone, with musical acts and a ventriloquist as part of the grandstand entertainment.
“We have entertainment that brings in everybody,” she said. “We have
people that are really involved in livestock. But then we also go all the way to the other where we’ve got for the gearheads, the lawnmower races and the modified tractor pulls and antique tractor pulls.
“We also have some chuckwagon races, chariot races.”
Polishuk noted the low price of the fair makes it affordable for families, with a three-day pass at $30 or a daily admission of $15.
“I think that’s part of why we continue to have such a positive response in the community and in surrounding area. It’s affordable for families,” she said.
She said attendance over the past three years has been around 24,000 over the three-day fair. Every year, the fair kicks off with a parade around Vermilion.
“I think we normally average right around 200 (floats),” she said.
FAIR FROM PAGE 2
Vermilion Fair festivities took place from July 23-25 with music, competitions and showcases as part of the 120th celebration. Christian Apostolovski Meridian Source photos
Lloydminster council concerned over political advertising in proposed policy change
The City of Lloydminster is reviewing its advertising policy, with updated rules regarding facility banners among the proposed changes.
First adopted by city council on Dec. 17, 2018, the policy was last amended in 2022.
“As part of this review, administration prepared an updated draft that clarifies roles and responsibilities, strengthens banner standards and updates provisions related to revenue allocation, gifts in kind and existing agreements.”
Administration clarified that guidelines for banners were added to address growing operational demands.
“Administration has completed a review of the policy to ensure it continues to provide clear direction, reflects current operational practices and aligns with related city policies and approval processes,” said Joel Turcotte, director of recreation and cultural services.
“We’ve received some questions about banners — who can hang them and for what purpose,”
Turcotte explained.
“Some individuals don’t like how untidy they look, so we were trying to gather some guidelines for it.
“We’re getting a lot of questions from many different sporting organizations. Every organization is starting to ask for banners. We have banners from 15
or 20 years ago that are hung up, and we’re running out of room.”
Coun. Jim Taylor recounted his own experience seeing banners at various venues.
“When I travel to other arenas and facilities, it’s something to look at when you’re in there and it’s neat to see the history, but I also agree with it — after a while, there’s more than needs to be there,” he said.
One major revision is the removal of a restriction on political advertising, a move that raised concerns among several council members.
“I don’t know how we protect ourselves on that one,” said Coun. David Lopez.
Turcotte noted the restriction was removed following legal advice, a point expanded on by Tracy Simpson, executive manager of community development services.
CHRISTIAN APOSTOLOVSKI
“We were challenged on the idea that we weren’t allowing political advertising in our buildings,” Simpson said. “We received a legal opinion that said we have no legal grounds to limit political advertising in our public spaces, so we’ve removed it based on that legal opinion.”
Coun. Michael Diachuk expressed concern over how political advertising might reflect on the municipality. “We’ve opted to not get involved in the ‘Stay in Canada’ and ‘Get out of Alberta’ piece to stay neutral, recognizing we have people in the community with both of those opinions,” he said. “But here we are saying it’s OK for someone to advertise on our buildings, and then we could be construed as saying we support that because we let them rent that space and say exactly what we don’t believe in.”
Simpson said administration would bring back additional information when the policy returns to a regular council meeting, adding that the city retains final approval over all advertising inside its facilities. The item will return to a future council meeting for a decision.
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Lloydminster barista places third in Regional Starbucks championship
When Coi Garcia stepped onto the stage at the Starbucks Western Canada Regional Barista Championship in Calgary on July 21, she was already carrying years of coffee expertise. But as the sole Filipino competitor among the region’s best baristas, the pressure was unmistakably high.
“Every one of us has a different story, so might as well keep it going, keep pushing. After a year here, I feel at home.
- Coi Garcia
“I felt nervous at first because the pressure is so high, but then I just told myself, ‘Yeah, I can do this,’ ” said Garcia, who works at the south Lloydminster Starbucks off Highway 17.
Her confidence paid off with a thirdplace finish in the competitive regional showdown.
The journey to Calgary began inside her home store. Each Starbucks location was asked to select a representative for the district competition, and Garcia’s store manager immediately had her in mind.
“My manager chose me because she said that I can do latte art, so why not try it?” Garcia said.
TAYLOR WEAVER
Lloydminster barista Coi Garcia placed third in the regional Starbucks championship in Calgary on July 21.
Taylor Weaver Meridian Source
Although she initially hesitated, questioning if she was “too old” for the event, her manager pushed her to go for it.
At 38, Garcia is far from new to the coffee world. Before moving to Canada nearly two years ago, she spent five years working her way up the ranks at a Starbucks Reserve store in the Philippines — advancing from a seasonal barista to a coffee master and supervisor.
After moving to Canada, Garcia joined the Lloydminster location, where she has worked as a part-time barista for the past 12 months.
The regional competition put participants through rigorous tests, including the Coffeehouse Rush Challenge, where baristas crafted 10 handcrafted beverages against the clock while showcasing technical skill, coffee knowledge and customer connection.
While only the first-place champion advances to the North America Barista Championship Finals in Seattle, Garcia took home a deep sense of pride and a clear key takeaway from the experience.
“You have to stay connected with the customer,” Garcia said. “Even though it’s very busy, you have to make the customer feel like they are welcome, they are home. Waiting is not a hindrance at all if you genuinely talk with them.”
For Garcia, being a barista is less about the mechanics of making a drink and more about extending genuine hospitality — whether that means offering to bring an order directly to a family’s table or suggesting custom drink modifications.
“Every one of us has a different story, so might as well keep it going, keep pushing,” she said. “After a year here, I feel at home.”
ATCO to begin construction on Yellowhead Pipeline project
ATCO is set to begin construction on the Yellowhead Pipeline after receiving final approval.
ATCO Ltd. announced July 20 that its subsidiary, Canadian Utilities Limited, received final approval from the Alberta Utilities Commission for the Yellowhead Pipeline project.
The $2.9-billion project will consist of the construction and operation of a 235-kilometre, 36-inch-diameter natural gas transmission pipeline from
the Peers area to Fort Saskatchewan, along with one compressor station. The pipeline is expected to deliver more than 1 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day.
CHRISTIAN APOSTOLOVSKI
ATCO photo
Vermilion to repair airport runway
CHRISTIAN APOSTOLOVSKI
The Town of Vermilion is proceeding with airport repairs after a grant fell through.
“We did apply for funding for the overlay work through the strategic transportation infrastructure program (STIP). Unfortunately, we were unsuccessful this year in our application,” explained Robert Dauphinee, Vermilion’s director of infrastructure and planning services.
He noted they plan to continue to pursue the funding for the work.
“Our intent is to go back the next year. We’ll update our application and come back again and continue with the ask,” he said.
The ask of council is to move $15,387 from the airport reserve to help fund the project.
“We do have approximately $132K presently in the airport reserve and anticipating another $150K added as part of this year’s budget and process,” Dauphinee said.
Coun. Kellen Snelgrove said it’s money well spent, as their intention is to maintain the airport.
“This council has stated we want to keep our airport in good working order,” he said, noting that’s why they put money into the airport reserve.
Council awarded the contract for runway crack sealing to Applied Products Ltd. in the amount of $75,887 and runway pavement marking to Marshall Line Painting Ltd. in the
amount of $9,500 for a total project cost of $85,387.
Town of Vermilion council in discussion at the June 23 regular council meeting. Christian Apostolovski Meridian Source
Thursday, July 30, 2026
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Phone scams, don’t believe it all
Don’t believe everything you read on your screen. Whether it’s news on a social media feed or a text message sent to your phone — reader, beware.
On Tuesday, July 28, Saskatchewan RCMP issued a warning about a text message scam circulating in the Carnduff and Indian Head regions. The messages falsely claim to be from the Provincial Court of Saskatchewan and direct recipients to click an included link to pay an outstanding traffic ticket online or appear in court. They are fake. Mounties advise anyone who receives one of these messages not to click any links, send money, or provide personal or financial information.
I felt compelled to write about this because I received one of these exact text messages a couple of weeks ago.
Being the gullible, trusting guy I am, I read that text and immediately felt sick to my stomach. I haven’t been pulled over in more than four years, I thought to myself. It didn’t take long to question the validity of the text, and luckily, Chels was there to assure me it was a scam.
The RCMP also recommend blocking the sender’s number, taking screenshots for records, and refraining from clicking any links or sending money.
The world can be a scary place, and when a 36-year-old millennial almost gets duped by these new-age scammers, I fear for others who may take things further by responding. Stay safe out there, dear reader — you never know who might be targeting you with a phishing scam.
Chris’ A-Z: It’s been a good summer
I’ve had a lot of firsts recently. I attended my first Onion Lake powwow and my first Vermilion Fair.
I’ll start with the powwow. For one, I’ve never driven out to Onion Lake before, which was quite the trip.
One thing I was excited to experience was crossing the George Franklin Baynton Bridge, which I’ve previously written about. Baynton advocated to have a bridge to connect the communities and worked hard to make it happen.
Getting to the powwow, the security line was quick (I got there early) and there was plenty of parking. It felt like a big-time event with all the vendors set up surrounded by campers as people settled into a weekend of culture and fun. As always, the grand entry and various competitions were a spectacle to see.
Moving to the Vermilion Fair, I’d heard people talk about how great the fair is for a small town, and I’m happy to report it delivered.
My wife and I attended on the second day. While I did miss out on the parade, I heard it was well attended as it usually is. Getting to the fairgrounds, everything was just getting set up, which added a cool look to the event. The one thing that really caught me off guard was the vendor hall. I did not expect there to be so many vendors
and it was crammed full of people. Also, having it inside was a nice touch so people could get away from the scorching sun.
The highlight for me was the lawnmower races. Seeing people drifting lawnmowers and kicking up dirt everywhere was amazing. I did have to be pretty careful with the dirt flying at me while I was near the track taking photos, not to mention the possibility of a lawnmower not making the turn.
I was also pleasantly surprised to see Caroline Parke on the showcase stage, a local singer/songwriter I interviewed last year ahead of her new album. The crowd was enjoying the performance as much as I was.
Overall, the fair and the powwow have been big highlights for my summer so far.
Christian Apostolovski Meridian Source
Passport to YLL
Bingo at Moose Lodge
Bingo is back at Moose Lodge every Monday and Wednesday evening. Doors open at 5 p.m. and play starts at 7 p.m. Must be 18 to play.
Southridge Playschool
Registration is Open
The Southridge Playschool and Kindergym Society has opened registration for the fall 2026-27 term for kids ages 3-5. One day a week is covered by a government affordability grant, and two days a week is $325 for the whole term. Contact Mrs. Shandy at southridgeplayschool@gmail.com or message them on Facebook.
Chair Yoga
The Alcurve Community Hall is hosting chair yoga every Thursday at 10:30 a.m. Cost is $15 for drop-in or $50 per month. Call or text Deb at 780-808-0015 for more details.
Von Bieker at the Vic Juba Theatre
The Government of Alberta, City of Lloydminster and Vic Juba Community Theatre present Von Bieker on Aug. 29 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are free, reserved seating only. Reserve tickets, here.
The Hip Experience at the Vic Juba
The Hip Experience: Canada’s Premier Tribute to The Tragically Hip, returns to the Vic Juba Community Theatre on Sept. 23 for a 7:30 p.m. show. Tickets are $40.
Menopause the Musical
The Vic Juba Community Theatre presents the Dr. H.A. McDonald
Season production of Menopause the Musical on Oct. 1 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $70.
PWR/UP - AC/DC at the Vic Juba PWR/UP, Canada’s premier AC/AD tribute act, is coming to the Vic Juba Community Theatre on Saturday, Oct. 3, for a 7:30 p.m. show. Tickets are available here.
Elton John Tribute at the Vic Juba Electric Elton, the music and legacy of Elton John, is at the Vic Juba Community Theatre on Oct. 5 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $69.
Elvis and Dolly at the Vic Elvis and Dolly: Blue Suede and Rhinestones hits the stage at the Vic Juba Theatre on Oct. 8. Tickets are $60.25.
RCMP warn of traffic ticket text scam
Saskatchewan RCMP is warning the public about a text message scam claiming recipients owe money for traffic tickets.
Sent from a “+21” area code, these messages falsely claim to come from the Provincial Court of Saskatchewan and prompt recipients to click a link to pay outstanding fines online. Police emphasize that these texts are entirely fraudulent. Recipients should not click any links, send money, or share personal or financial information. Block the sender immediately and save screenshots of the message. Report suspected scams to local police at 310-RCMP or the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
Vermilion supports swim club
The Town of Vermilion is supporting a local swim club through a grant allocation.
The Vermilion Vipers Swim Club submitted a grant application to the parks, recreation, culture and environment board, requesting $1,000 in funding.
Deputy Mayor Kevin Martin explained that the board has up to $1,000 to allocate to groups each quarter.
“Each quarter, we have $1,000 that we have available for different groups to apply for,” he said.
The board recommended allocating $500 to the club.
“I think this is a worthy group. They didn’t get the full amount they had written the application for, a little bit because I think their numbers added up to only needing $300,” Coun. Justin Clark explained. “We
decided as a board to meet them in the middle at $500.
Administration said the grant is also available right on their website.
“One thing to add, we have included the parks and rec grant application on our website, so user groups will be able to access that through the Town of Vermilion,”
Johan Jones, director of community and protective services, said.
Council approved the request from the parks, recreation, culture and environment board to give the Vermilion Vipers Swim Club $500.
CHRISTIAN APOSTOLOVSKI
Vermilion Vipers photo
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LRHF raises more than $250K through gala, run events
The Lloydminster Region Health Foundation (LRHF) has made a major impact on local care after raising more than $250,000 through two signature events this year.
Leading the charge was the 24th annual Health Foundation Gala. Themed around the iconic Moulin Rouge and presented by Richardson’s Jewellery, the glamorous evening brought in $200,625. These funds directly support the newly launched A New Home For Hope campaign, an initiative dedicated to relocating and modernizing Lloydminster Hospital’s cancer care unit with upgraded treatment equipment and improved patient comfort.
Meanwhile, community members laced up their running shoes for the second annual Synergy Sunrise Run on May 9. The sold-out event generated $58,927 for Project Sunrise, a local mental health initiative.
Participants tackled a new seven-kilometre route, alongside fresh additions like the kids mini mile and the mini-to- mighty challenge.
The momentum doesn’t stop there. Beyond these major events, local businesses, civic groups, and sports teams— including the Lakeland College Rustlers women’s hockey team — have continuously chipped in to fund essential diagnostic tools and patient-care packages. Looking ahead, the foundation will host its annual Gift To Health Livestream Dodgeball Tournament, presented by
Cenovus Energy, on Nov. 10 to raise further funds for the cancer care unit.
Over seven years, the livestream initiative has raised more than $1.5 million for vital regional health operations.
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TAYLOR WEAVER
The 24th annual Lloydminster Region Health Foundation Gala helped the organization raise needed funds for the local cancer ward. Meridian Source file photo
Jumpin’ Joe claims back-to-back Lloydminster Indian Relay titles
For 20-year-old Jumpin’ Joe Jackson, winning at Halstead Downs is quickly becoming a summer tradition, but the horses and growing crowd of young fans are what keep him coming back to the track.
Jackson, riding for the Poitras Relay team, captured his second consecutive championship title at the Lloydminster Extreme Indian Relay Racing event on July 26, marking his third overall career victory at the venue.
Relay’s
Reflecting on the victory fresh off the track, Jackson was quick to share the credit with team owner Curtis Poitras and his family.
“I’m just fresh off the championship and grateful enough that I won the show two years back-to-back now,” Jackson said. “I just want to shout out to Poitras Relay, Curtis Poitras and the family for taking me in and giving me these opportunities.”
The high-energy sport, which requires riders to jump bareback from one horse to another across multiple laps, drew packed stands to Halstead Downs over the two-day event on July 25 and 26.
Jackson, who grew up in Goodfish Lake, Alta., and now resides in Meadow Lake, Sask., to stay close to his team, noted a clear surge in fan interest compared to past years.
TAYLOR WEAVER
Poitras
Jumpin’ Joe Jackson salutes after an Indian Relay win at Lloydminster’s Halstead Downs on July 25.
Taylor Weaver Meridian Source
“The crowd was unreal. I love seeing the Lloyd crowd this packed,” he said, pointing to recent national exposure as a catalyst for the sport’s momentum.
“The relay’s been growing and that’s what we like to see. Calgary Stampede broadcasted us and it’s bringing more fans that haven’t seen it all over the world.”
Despite starting his men’s relay career at just 11 years old and considering himself a “young veteran,” Jackson sees his role on the track as expanding beyond the finish line.
As the sport’s popularity rises, he aims to serve as a role model for the next generation.
“What I look forward to is the young kids that look up to me,” Jackson said. “That’s the biggest thing for me is signing autographs and putting the kids first — having someone they can look up to, ’cause I never had someone to look up to besides my family.”
While the thrill of competition and the lifestyle of travelling to new tracks every weekend remain major perks of the job, Jackson emphasized that the heart of Indian Relay always comes back to the animals.
“My favourite thing about the sport is the horses,” Jackson said. “It’s the horses that bring all these people together. At the end of the day, it’s the horses that I enjoy.”
With another championship checked off in Lloydminster, Jackson and the Poitras Relay team plan to keep their momentum rolling as they continue their summer circuit.
ABOVE : Jumpin’ Joe Jackson celebrates after winning Lloydminster’s Indian Relay event on July 26 at Lloydminster’s Halstead Downs. BELOW: Jumpin’ Joe Jackson (second from right) and the Poitras Relay team receive buckles after winning the Extreme Indian Relay event.
Taylor Weaver Meridian Source photos
Indian Relay surges in provincial popularity
Standing-room-only crowds gathered at Lloydminster Exhibition’s Halstead Downs for two days of high-energy Indian Relay Racing over the weekend. Teams competed in one of North America’s most intense equine sports on July 25 and 26, presented by Onion Lake Enterprises.
Judge Brian Cardinal, a former
Saddle Lake team owner, has officiated relay races for four years. Watching the sport’s rapid growth is a source of pride for him.
“I used to have a team but there’s other teams getting into it,” Cardinal said, noting the sport’s expanding reach across western Canada and the United States. “Showing it on TV, Calgary Stampede, that was something.”
In fact, national television broadcasts at the Calgary Stampede boosted the sport’s profile to new heights this year.
Cardinal recalled how, during his own competing years at the Stampede in 2022 and 2023, the grandstands would visibly fill up as the relay heats approached.
While the sport offers thrilling entertainment for spectators, judging the races requires strict precision to ensure safety and fair play.
TAYLOR WEAVER
Taylor Weaver Meridian Source
“The main thing — we don’t want the rider being touched or helped to get on. If they help them on, they get disqualified,” Cardinal explained. Riders face automatic disqualification if they lose control of a horse. Additionally, track interference — like cutting off competitors down the stretch — causes placement penalties.
The competition structure begins on opening day with qualifying heats that determine final positions.
“If they come in first, they’re in the championship heat,” Cardinal said, with second, third and fourth-place finishers moving into consolation heats for the remainder of the weekend.
Action kicked off Saturday evening following opening ceremonies and wrapped up Sunday afternoon, leaving local fans treated to a display of speed, culture and extreme athleticism.
INDIAN RELAY FROM PAGE 18
Relay riders make exchanges as clean as possible at the Lloyd Ex’s Extreme Indian Relay event on July 25 and 26.
Taylor Weaver Meridian Source photos
Indian Relay Through the lens
Extreme Indian Relay races packed the Lloydminster Exhibition on July 25 and 26 for heart-pounding equine action. When the dust settled, Jumpin’ Joe Jackson and Poitras Relay took the win for the weekend. The Poitras squad also won best-dressed relay team, which included a gift certificate to Lammles. Taylor Weaver Meridian Source photos
Saskatchewan NDP releases originally-held
Lloydminster Health Services Needs Assessment
The Saskatchewan NDP is calling out the provincial government for suppressing a comprehensive healthcare report, accusing the Sask Party of misleading the public about the true state of local medical services.
At a July 23 news conference in front of the Lloydminster Hospital, opposition shadow minister for health Meara Conway stood alongside local community advocates to release the full 261-page Lloydminster Health Service Needs Assessment.
The document, commissioned jointly by the Saskatchewan and Alberta governments at a cost of over $250,000, highlights deep structural gaps across the region’s healthcare system.
Conway criticized the Sask Party
government for withholding the full report and instead publishing a fourpage summary that omitted its primary findings and recommendations.
“There could not be more daylight between this four-page summary and the 261-page needs report,” Conway said. “What is shocking is how clearly and comprehensively this report confirms those concerns, and that the Sask. Party chose not to share these with the public.”
According to Conway, the undisclosed report reveals critical failures across multiple areas of local care, including: Inadequate Facilities : The Lloydminster Hospital is no longer equipped to handle current patient volume or future demand.
Primary Care Deficits :
Access to primary care in the region sits below the provincial average in Saskatchewan, which already ranks lowest among Canadian provinces.
TAYLOR WEAVER
Mental Health Gaps : Emergency departments and law enforcement act as the primary response for mental health crises due to a total lack of local psychiatric beds and a 132 per cent staffing shortfall, supported by only one psychiatrist for a catchment area of 217,000 people.
Surgical and Emergency Delay s: Emergency room wait times have doubled, while surgical wait times consistently exceed provincial targets.
Capacity Strain : Seniors’ care and critical care infrastructure face severe pressure, with the regional population over age 75 projected to grow by 77 per cent over the next decade.
Conway noted that many of the findings mirror issues previously documented in a 2013 assessment that was largely left unaddressed by the province.
Local leaders joining Conway
upgrades — such as those discussed for the local Jubilee Home — have been continuously stalled while waiting for report releases.
“The 2013 report is very clear in terms of what was needed, and very little was ever done to address the issues in that report,” Dunn said. “Taxpayer money paid for that report, they promised that it would be a platform to move forward, and the response is to hide it. And that has to be dealt with.”
Paul Richer, chair of the Lloydminster and District Health Advisory Council, emphasized that the regional health crisis impacts residents across provincial borders.
“This is not a Lloydminster thing. This is 217,000 people,” Richer said, urging both the Saskatchewan and Alberta governments to pool resources transparently.
“My advocacy is for the full release above the table of the study. This is what the community worked for.”
Full story and more videos, here .
Saskatchewan NDP shadow minister for health Meara Conway speaks to Lloydminster media on July 23, while accompanied by Paul Richer (left) and Darrell Dunn (right).
Christian Apostolovski Meridian Source
Loon Lake RCMP arrest three after response to drug-impaired call
Early Monday morning (July 27) on Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation, Loon Lake RCMP responded to a report of a drug-impaired individual. While on scene, officers spotted a wanted man entering a residence.
Police approached and arrested two wanted men without incident: 30-yearold Lane Anthony Purves and 28-yearold Rayden Joe Kytwayhat.
During the arrests, 40-year-old Rose Georgina Angus became confrontational and punched two officers. After ignoring commands, she went downstairs and
was arrested outside. She received EMS treatment for minor injuries and now faces multiple charges, including assaulting police, obstruction and cocaine possession.
Addressing online videos of the incident, Saskatchewan RCMP reviewed body-worn camera footage and determined the force used was reasonable under Section 25 of the Criminal Code. Because her injuries were minor, SIRT was not notified per RCMP policy. The footage will be used as evidence in court.
Full story, here .
MERIDIAN SOURCE STAFF
Word on the beat: body worn cameras
Staff Sgt. JERRY NUTBROWN
It has now been about a year since the Lloydminster RCMP started using body-worn cameras (BWCs), and after thousands of recordings, there are very few negatives.
While there was a learning curve, benefits became clear right away. The main reason for implementing them was better documentation of police interactions.
The primary benefit is disclosure to courts. Previously, courts relied on verbal explanations after the fact or occasional photos. We had some video recordings, but those were limited to what our in-vehicle cameras and microphones captured, or whatever civilian recordings were available. This left out many subtleties of interactions, as well as details officers didn’t hear or observe.
In critical incidents and stressful situations, tunnel vision can occur as a physiological response. Without intent, people’s memories can be limited — applying to law enforcement personnel and civilians alike. Since it isn’t unusual for memory recall to be incomplete, BWC footage now preserves incidents from multiple viewpoints for unlimited review.
BWCs capture far more of an incident, including a first-hand look at offender and officer behaviour. Having overseen public complaints for the entire Eastern Alberta District for three years, I strongly welcomed
their implementation. Beyond holding officers accountable when failing to meet RCMP standards, the cameras also vindicate those falsely accused of acting improperly.
Court is where benefits truly come to light. Judges often heard downplayed accounts of offender behaviour, but now an offender’s raw actions and words are brought directly into court. The cameras allow officers to articulate thoughts and plans in real time, recording reasoning behind decisions. In most cases, captured emotions add essential context.
One downside is the time required to redact footage — such as blurring faces of bystanders or obscuring unrelated details caught on camera.
Officers have adapted to BWCs, and results have been excellent. Courts now expect and rely on first-hand views that generate charges, benefiting from multiple video angles from all officers involved. Because trials often take place years after an incident, BWC recordings effectively bring everyone back to the moment it happened.
BWCs have not replaced officers taking notes or writing reports. Instead, they serve as a valuable additional tool that has been widely welcomed.
Staff Sgt. Jerry Nutbown is the NCO in charge of the Lloydminster RCMP detachment’s General Investigation Section. Stay tuned for future online columns from the Lloydminster RCMP.
multi-sport junior contains lacrosse league scoring champion Gamble pays off for Xtreme, Bobcats
Lloyd’s
Brady Gamble can’t get enough time at the rink. Best known as a defenceman with his hometown Lloydminster Bobcats of the Alberta Junior Hockey League, Gamble’s off-season is filled with lacrosse.
He’s an assistant captain and a worthy competitor with the Lloydminster Xtreme, which just last weekend repeated as North Division champions in the junior B Tier 2 division of the Rocky Mountain Lacrosse League.
“I think it’s just for the love of the game,”
Gamble, 19, said Sunday evening after the Xtreme’s title-clinching 9-4 victory over the St. Albert Crude.
“I love to compete against people. I love the sport of lacrosse. It’s rough, it’s hard. You score goals, lots of goals, and it’s just so fun. That’s what keeps me going.”
Gamble and the Xtreme are going to host provincials this weekend. They survived a push from St. Albert, which won 8-7 earlier Sunday to force a third and deciding game in the North final.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 26
Brady Gamble of the Lloydminster Xtreme shadows St. Albert Crude sniper Brandon McNalley on Sunday. John MacNeil Meridian Source
JOHN MacNEIL
‘Brady is the best defender in the league’
“I think it was just our heart,” Gamble said about Lloyd’s efforts to finish the job. “Like, the will to win a loose-ball battle, the will to get it back and the will to come back after a loss like that and win.”
While he’s a gentleman off the floor, and the ice, Gamble is relentless in his defensive diligence in the heat of battle. That competitive spirit was alive and well on the weekend as he blanketed Brandon McNalley, the league scoring champion in back-to-back seasons. Trying to fight back Sunday, the Crude placed their 118-point man high in the offensive zone, but Gamble and company stuck with McNalley stepfor-step and limited his opportunities and effectiveness.
“For him to lock down McNalley like that (was critical),” Xtreme coach Graham Murray said about Gamble. “I mean, (McNalley is) a 100-point guy, but I think he gets a little soft when he gets challenged like that, and tonight was a perfect example.”
Gamble’s clinical defensive work illustrated his contributions to the Xtreme.
“Brady is the best defender in the league,”
Murray said. “It’s not even a question who’s the best defender in the league. His tenacity, his pace, loose balls, everything. I can’t say enough great things about Brady. He’s our heartbeat back there. Without him scooping up loose balls, the series probably looks different, as well.”
This lacrosse season has been somewhat different for Gamble as his teammates no longer include older brother Ryker, who graduated last year after his standout goaltending helped Lloydminster win the provincial championship.
“It is a little different, but we still have had a real good goalie around in Jackson (Bennett), who we got at the trade deadline,” Gamble said. “He’s really helped us out. It’s different, but we’re still going on strong.”
After this weekend’s best-of-three series between the Xtreme and Calgary Wranglers, Gamble moves one step closer to hockey and the junior A Bobcats’ training camp.
“It’s been pretty good,” he said about his summer training. “I’ve been on the ice quite a bit, maybe four times a week, so I’m still keeping up with that.
“Yeah, (the Bobcats) are pulling in a lot of local guys, so that’ll be good.”
Xtreme climb where Hill takes them
Just calm things down. That was the message from captain Owen Hill and the rest of the Lloydminster Xtreme leadership group Sunday afternoon after they hit a bump on the road en route to winning another junior B Tier 2 North Division title in the Rocky Mountain Lacrosse League.
“Just calm ’er down,” Hill said about the Xtreme approach to their 9-4 victory over the St. Albert Crude in the third and deciding game of the North final at Lloydminster’s Co-op Community Arena.
“We’ve won four North titles in the last five years, so they’re going to try to get under our skin. Just don’t retaliate, that’s the big thing. Nobody can handle us when we play five-on-five, so if we stay fiveon-five, as it showed today, they couldn’t really handle us. Just calm down.”
The Xtreme stayed composed and regrouped just a few hours after the Crude had won 8-7 to extend the championship series to the three-game limit.
“Yeah, it’s tough we dropped that second game, but we knew we were a better team,” said Hill, whose Lloyd club grabbed the series-opener 12-3 on Saturday. “It feels good to win, but the job isn’t quite finished yet. We still want that provincial (crown). We still need to get that job done.”
The Xtreme captured last year’s provincial championship in Calgary. This year is the North’s turn to host provincials, so Lloydminster is at home again this weekend (July 31 through Aug. 2) at the Co-op arena, hosting the South Division champion Calgary Wranglers in a bestof-three series in a revamped provincial playoff format.
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Owen Hill, a business student at Lakeland College, has captained the Xtreme for the past two seasons. John MacNeil Meridian Source
JOHN MacNEIL
Graduating captain guides Lloyd to another North Division junior B title
Hill shares lacrosse passion with brother
This is the 21-year-old Hill’s final run with the Xtreme and his second season as the team’s captain. His teammates include his 19-year-old brother, Alex.
“It’s real nice playing with my brother,” the older Hill said with a smile as players and family members gathered for photographs.
“Even though he can get on my nerves a little bit, he’s always a good time. He’s pretty energetic. Yeah, that’s a nice way to put it.
“We love lacrosse. Me and Alex have both been playing since we were seven or eight
years old. Some of these (Xtreme) guys, I’ve been playing with for my whole life, so it’s pretty cool.”
Owen Hill, a business student at Lakeland College, has been a stabilizing influence as part of an Xtreme captaincy group that includes Brady Gamble, Jace Gunderson and Rogan Macnab.
“A calm presence,” Lloyd coach Graham Murray said about his captain.
“Owen is a great defender, great in transition, scores huge goals for us, a great penalty-killer and a floor general. He’s another spectacular kid, too.”
The Hill brothers, Alex (left) and Owen (No. 94), along with Xtreme teammate Ian Muir, clash with the Crude. John MacNeil Meridian Source XTREME
Owen Hill leads Lloydminster’s four-man captaincy group. John MacNeil Meridian Source
‘A total effort from everybody’
Macnab brothers spark offence as Xtreme clinch crown
JOHN MacNEIL
The junior B Lloydminster Xtreme staved off a Sunday push from the St. Albert Crude and went on to repeat as the Tier 2 North Division champions in the Rocky Mountain Lacrosse League.
Playing the entire best-of-three series at home in the Co-op Community Arena, the pennant-winning Xtreme posted a 9-4 victory in Game 3, just a couple of hours after the Crude scored an 8-7 win earlier Sunday.
Lloydminster took the series-opener 12-3 on Saturday.
“I thought we played all right (in our loss) this morning,” Lloyd coach Graham Murray said Sunday evening as the Xtreme celebrated the organization’s fourth division title in five years.
“Just too many turnovers and defensive lapses and loose balls. Just not getting through to the net, for our offence. When our big guns don’t score, it really hurts. Tonight (in the series-clinching win), they really shined through.
“Especially big was Quinn Macnab, a rookie who had been a healthy scratch up to this point in the playoffs. He finally
got in (the lineup) tonight and scored a hat trick. It was a total effort from everybody. It’s great to see.”
Macnab’s older brother Rogan, the Xtreme’s top scorer, netted a goal and three assists in Game 3.
LLOYD HOSTS PROVINCIALS :
Lloydminster hosts the best-of-three provincial final this weekend (July 31 through Aug. 2) at the Co-op arena, part of the Cenovus Energy Hub complex.
The Xtreme’s opponents are the South Division champion Calgary Wranglers, who topped the Southern Alberta Chaos 12-6 on Sunday at Brooks in the third and deciding game of that series.
Calgary won 6-5 in Game 1, before Southern Alberta prevailed 6-4 in the second contest.
XTREME 9 CRUDE 4 : Along with the heroics from the Macnab brothers, and their seven-point contribution, Dagan Thiessen tallied twice and Blake Sheppard fired a goal and two assists.
Teige Brown and Ryder Plamondon had the other Xtreme goals, while Nate Fischer and Owen Hill each recorded two assists.
For the fourth time in five years, the Lloydminster Xtreme are the RMLL’s North Division champions. John MacNeil Meridian Source
Gunderson nets hat trick in Game 1 victory
SUDOKU
XTREME ROUNDUP FROM PAGE 29
Jackson Bennett stopped 19 of 23 shots in the Lloyd net. His teammates fired 54 shots at St. Albert goaltender Josh McNalley, who registered 45 saves.
Ryder Chaba and Chad Fedoruk each posted a goal and an assist for the Crude. Hunter McAmmond and Lukas Boissonneault added one goal apiece. Nathan Hendricks picked up two assists.
CRUDE 8 XTREME 7 : Austin Wells scored the winning goal on a power play with 3:15 left.
McAmmond connected for two goals for St. Albert, while Fedoruk supplied a goal and three assists.
Crude goaltender Josh McNalley made 51 saves. The Xtreme’s Bennett stopped 25 shots.
Hendricks and Brandon McNalley each netted a goal and an assist for St. Albert, which also got goals from Boissonnault and Ronan Brady, with a short-handed marker.
Sheppard, with two goals and two assists, paced Lloydminster’s offence. Brady Gamble contributed a goal and an assist.
The other Xtreme scorers were Brown, Hill, Thiessen and Tobin Dougan.
XTREME 12 CRUDE 3 : Jace Gunderson scored a hat trick for the Xtreme, which led 7-1 after the first period. Sheppard potted two goals and two assists, while Rogan Macnab collected a goal and three assists. Brown and Hill each netted one goal and two assists. Fischer, Dougan, Thiessen and Mathew Christensen scored the other Lloyd goals. Ben Stachniak assisted on three Xtreme goals. Gamble picked up two assists and winning goaltender Bennett had one.
The Crude goals came from Fedoruk, Brandon McNalley and Joshua Hogman, who played U18 AAA hockey with Lloydminster just a few seasons ago.
Jackson Bennett has given the Lloydminster Xtreme championship goaltending during their playoff run. John MacNeil Meridian Source
Outstanding season for 18U AA Pirates ends with semifinal defeat at provincials
The 18U AA Lloydminster Prairie Pirates had a nearperfect weekend going before their provincial run finished Sunday with a narrow loss in the semifinals.
The top-ranked Pirates, dominant in their previous two games at the six-team championship tournament in Strathmore, dropped a 10-8 semifinal decision to the second-seeded Parkland Twins, the eventual goldmedallists in Baseball Alberta’s 18U AA Tier 5 provincials.
The Pirates had fought back in the bottom of the sixth inning, scoring one run to pull into an 8-8 tie with Parkland, which answered with the final two runs in the seventh.
The Twins went on to defeat the third-ranked Coronation Royals 14-9 in the gold-medal game Sunday night. It was the first loss of the tournament for Coronation, which sidelined the No. 6 Drayton Valley Giants 12-5 in their semifinal.
PARKLAND
TWINS 10 PIRATES 8 (semifinal) :
Thad Molsberry registered two of Lloydminster’s six hits in the early semifinal. He and his brother Callum each provided an RBI, as
did Kaleb Hozack, Matthew Kenyon and Jax Roach. Luke Langley and Mason Brackley, respectively, split the pitching duties for the Pirates.
Dax Reiten picked up the win in relief of Twins’
starter Kade Olson, who lasted until the fifth inning. Olson, with three hits and two RBIs, led Parkland’s 10-hit attack. Reiten and Brody Armstrong each added two hits.
Jax Roach had a solid rookie year with the 18U AA Pirates. John MacNeil Meridian Source
JOHN MacNEIL
PROVINCIAL ENTRIES
: Rounding out the provincial field were the fifthranked Bonnyville Braves and the host Strathmore Reds, seeded fourth. Each of those teams went 0-2 in preliminary play, before Bonnyville defeated Strathmore 16-10 in the consolation final Sunday.
PROLIFIC PIRATES : Lloydminster made short work of its round-robin opponents, clubbing Strathmore 17-5 on Friday and Drayton Valley 17-6 on Saturday, with both of those night games ending in the fifth inning in accordance with the mercy rule.
It was that kind of a summer for the Pirates, who earned top grades for winning 19 of 26 games overall this season.
PIRATES 17 GIANTS 6 : Callum Molsberry, an overager from Vermilion,
CROSSWORD
slammed a first-inning grand slam as Lloydminster dumped Drayton Valley to push the Pirates’ record to 2-0.
Molsberry and Kitscoty’s Hozack, with a two-run double, each collected two hits as Lloyd won convincingly for the second time in as many days.
Brackley was the winning pitcher and Grayson Sinclair and Kobe Heck provided relief for the Pirates, who went up 9-3 in the first inning and led 15-6 after the second.
PIRATES 17 REDS 5 : Langley, with relief help from Lincoln Graham, pitched Lloyd to victory over Strathmore on opening night.
Callum Molsberry led the Pirates with three hits and one RBI. Hozack, with two hits, drove in three runs. Roach, with a couple of hits, and Kenyon each homered.
Batting atop the order, Callum Molsberry had a big impact
13U AA Twins Red take home silver; Twins Blue win their consolation final
At home and on the road, the Lloydminster Twins were well-represented in Baseball Alberta 13U AA provincial championship tournaments last weekend.
The top-ranked Twins Red were silver-medallists at the 13U AA Tier 5 provincials in Red Deer. They won three consecutive games before losing 9-6 to the fifth-seeded Oyen Orioles in the gold-medal match.
Lloydminster blanked the No. 3 Kneehill Kings 10-0 in their semifinal earlier Sunday.
In divisional round-robin play, the Twins Red defeated the fourth-ranked Sherwood Park Athletics Green 16-6 and the sixthseeded Red Deer Rangers, the host team, 18-10.
Back in the Border City, the Twins Blue hosted the 13U AA Tier 8 provincials at Lloydminster’s Driven Energy Legion Ball Park. After losing a couple of preliminary games, the third-ranked Twins Blue posted a 17-7 victory over the No. 4 South Jasper Place Jays Blue in the consolation final Sunday. In divisional round-robin games, Lloyd lost 23-15 to the second-seeded Fort McMurray Oil Giants Blue on Friday afternoon and 16-4 to the No. 5 Irma Tigers on Saturday morning.
Hosting the Tier 8 provincials, the 13U AA Lloydminster Twins Blue went up against Fort McMurray in Friday’s opening game. John MacNeil Meridian Source
JOHN MacNEIL
A member of the 13U AA Lloydminster Twins Blue slides safely back to third base during Friday’s game against Fort McMurray.
John MacNeil Meridian Source
Golden finish for 11U AA Twins Red
JOHN MacNEIL ..................................
It was a banner weekend for the host Lloydminster Twins Red at the Baseball Alberta 11U AA Tier 6 provincials.
Lloyd posted a perfect 4-0 record to win the gold medal in the three-day, six-team tournament at Ken Baker Park.
In the championship game Sunday night, the Twins Red defeated the previously unbeaten Oyen Orioles 13-8.
Sunday afternoon’s semifinals saw Lloydminster trounce the Sherwood Park Athletics Green 14-4, while Oyen outlasted the Edmonton Angels 9-6.
The Twins Red won twice on Saturday as they embraced the festival-like atmosphere at their home park.
Playing as hot as the weather, Lloyd whipped Edmonton 19-1 in the morning and roared back from an early 8-1 deficit to defeat the Bonnyville Braves 16-9 in their afternoon matchup.
Oyen also performed admirably in topping Sherwood Park 17-7 on Friday night and the St. Albert Cardinals White 17-9 on Saturday afternoon.
In the consolation final Sunday morning, St. Albert defeated Bonnyville 15-9.
11U AA Tier 2 provincials
This weekend at the 11U AA level, the fourth-ranked Lloydminster Twins Blue visit St. Albert for their Tier 2 provincial championship tournament.
In its opening game at 6 p.m. Friday, Lloyd meets the host St. Albert Cardinals Red, the top seed.
In their other divisional round-robin contest, the Twins Blue face the No. 6 Southwest Edmonton White Sox Grey at noon Saturday.
Playoff-round games in the six-team tournament are slated for Sunday at Legion Memorial Ball Park in St. Albert.
The 11U AA Lloydminster Twins Red made a big comeback to defeat the Bonnyville Braves 16-9 on Saturday at Ken Baker Park, where host Lloyd posted a 4-0 record to win the Tier 6 provincial championship. John MacNeil Meridian Source photos
Twins bow out in semis at 15U AA Tier 8 tourney Pirates to host AA provincials for 13U and 15U
The Lloydminster Twins reached the semifinals in the Baseball Alberta 15U AA Tier 8 provincials last weekend at Morinville.
The bases are loaded in Lloydminster this weekend as Baseball Alberta stages provincial AA championship tournaments at the 15U and 13U levels.
Beginning on Friday, July 31, two of the three Lloydminster Prairie Pirates teams are at home for their respective provincials this August long weekend.
The 13U AA Pirates host the Tier 1 championship at Legion Ball Park, while the 15U AA Pirates are on Hospital West Field for their Tier 3 championship.
The 13U AA tournament is an eightteam event. Top-ranked Lloydminster is in Pool A with the fourth-seeded Sylvan Lake Mariners, the No. 5 Camrose Cougars Royal and the eighth-ranked Southwest Edmonton White Sox Black.
In their round-robin games, the Pirates meet Camrose at 6 p.m. Friday, Southwest Edmonton at noon Saturday and Sylvan Lake at 6 p.m. Saturday.
Pool B consists of the second-ranked Okotoks Outlaws, the No. 3 Drumheller Miners, the sixth-seeded Strathmore Reds and the No. 7 Webber Wildcats.
The 15U AA Pirates are seeded sixth in their six-team tournament. They don’t play Friday but have two games Saturday — at noon against the No. 4 Lethbridge Junior Bulls and at 6 p.m. versus the top-ranked Camrose Cougars Royal. The other pool includes the secondseeded Airdrie Stars, the No. 3 Lacombe Dodgers Blue and the fifth-ranked Sherwood Park Athletics Green.
In their final-four matchup, the topseeded Twins dropped a 16-12 decision to the eventual gold-medallists, the secondranked Morinville Brewers.
The host Brewers went on to defeat the No. 5 MCHA Athletics 15-14 in the championship game of the six-team tournament.
The Athletics, based in Czar, clipped the fourth-ranked Drayton Valley Giants 17-3 in their semifinal.
Lloydminster defeated the sixthseeded Lacombe Dodgers White 10-9 on Saturday night to gain a berth in Sunday’s semifinals.
In their opening game Friday evening, the Twins lost 20-12 to Drayton Valley.
JOHN MacNEIL
JOHN MacNEIL
