August 8, 2024 Digital Issue

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Your City; Your Newspaper August 8, 2024

VOLUME NO. 18 - ISSUE 30

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Pitchin’ In SPN Saskatchewan hosted the Slo-Pitch Nationals in Martensville over the weekend where the Saskatoon Fireball went up against Team Gnarly from Calgary on Saturday, August 3rd at 4pm. See more on page 4.

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Page 2 - AUGUST 8, 2024 - MARTENSVILLE MESSENGER

August Council Meeting Dates

Property Tax Information- What you need to Know

Please Note: Council Meetings may be attended in person, and guests may wear a mask if desired within Council Chambers. Those still wishing to attend but wish to do so virtually should contact the City Clerk or visit the online agenda for the link to attend.

-Tax Notices have been mailed out. If anyone has not received their notice, they should contact City Hall. Ensure all contact information is up to date.

- Taxes are due July 31st, to avoid interest charges.

August 13th- Committee of the Whole August 20th- Regular Council Meeting

Didn’t Get Your Notice?

If you have not received your tax notice or have questions, please contact City Hall directly and we will be pleased to assist.

All Meetings are located at Martensville City Hall Council Chambers at Martensville City Hall - 37 Centennial Dr. S. All meetings commence at 5 PM. Those wishing to address or present to Council must be placed on the agenda. To be placed on the agenda please contact the City Clerk’s office at City Hall or visit the website for details.

The full Council and Committee of the Whole Schedule can be obtained at martensville.ca

Residential Fire Related Regulations

Martensville Fire Department would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone to take care and be mindful of the regulations for Residential Outdoor Fire Pits, Barbeques, and Fireworks to ensure the safety of themselves and others in our community.

Regulations include: - Fires must be contained within a non-combustible fire box constructed of material such as cement, brick or metal and covered with a heavy gauge screen and be at least 3m form combustible materials (fences, buildings etc) - The burning of rubbish, leaves or clippings is prohibited - Outdoor fires must be supervised and should be extinguished when finished - Keep a garden hose, pails of water or a source to extinguish a fire nearby - No permit is required for private fireworks display but those fireworks must be set off in a manner that would not create danger or nuisance to neighbors - No person under the age of 18 shall set off fireworks - Ensure you have the civic address of your residence prominently displayed in the event of fire or emergency; this is to ensure responders can clearly identify your home.

For a complete list of regulations please visit martensville.ca or contact the Fire Department.

Sculptors in the Park - Explore, Experience, Enjoy, August 6th-16th

Ways to Pay - Taxes can be paid by cash, cheque, or debit at City Hall.

-Taxes can also be paid online through Banking Bill Payments, or by etransfers; for payments: payments@martensville.ca.

Please include address &/or roll number in the comment section along with an indication the payment is for taxes.

NEW- A credit card payment option is now available through ‘OptionPay’. Please note, that payments through OptionPay is subject to additional fees, administered by and paid directly to OptionPay. This service is available in person at City Hall or through Martensville.ca, Look for the ‘Pay My Bills’ icon.

Damage from the June 21st Storm?- Provincial Disaster Assistance Program Applications are Open The City of Martensville has been approved as an eligible assistance area by the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency, stemming from the June 21st storm. With approval, residents impacted by the June 21st storm are now eligible to make application under PDAP. Application is made directly to the Province. Applications forms are available at City Hall or can be filled or printed out on our website at: https://www.martensville.ca/pages/ provincial_disaster_assistance_program_information.html Residents must apply by December 22nd, 2024 to be eligible and are encouraged to apply as soon as possible to ensure prompt processing.

Don’t Get Missed on Garbage/Recycling Day

The event will end with a showcase with dancers, music, and audience participation. We look forward to seeing you at Sculptors in the Park!

A few reminders to ensure you don’t miss your scheduled pick-up day: • Have the cart curbside by 7AM on collection day • Do not overfill carts. The lid must be closed to ensure contents cannot fall out of the bin, or spill onto roadways or against the garbage truck. Bins that are overfilled will not be picked up.

• Bag all trash and place inside the cart, bagged or unbagged garbage placed beside, in front, or on top of the cart will not be collected.

Household Hazardous Waste Day – August 17th, 2024

Green Bin pick-ups are now underway, alternating between North and South neighborhoods with pick ups scheduled on Tuesdays.

The City of Martensville is hosting the Prairie Sculptors’ Association in a gathering of artists who will be creating art on-site from August 6th to 15th at the MAP. Meet with the sculptors as their works progress from ideas to finished pieces. The event includes workshops in various three-dimensional media.

The City of Martensville will be holding a Hazardous Household Waste (HHW) Collection Day on Saturday, August 17, 2024, from 9:30am to 3:30pm in the parking lot of the Martensville Sports Centre. This event will give residents of Martensville the opportunity to dispose of a variety of hazardous household waste and chemicals that cannot be disposed of in the regular garbage or recycling collection. Improper disposal of hazardous household waste can result in contamination of the environment, including waterways and greenspaces within the City.

Residents will drive up and provide their materials to the workers on site who will direct those materials to the appropriate collection points. If possible, please have materials clearly marked and identified in containers or original packaging that will not spill or leak.

This program is for only local, residential use. Commercial, industrial, or farm chemicals/ waste will be accepted. For used motor oil, no container larger than 20L will be accepted to a maximum of 60L per resident.

For a complete list of accepted and non-accepted materials, please visit Martensville.ca or contact City Hall.

M

ARTENSVILLE

ESSENGER

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SPSA Launches New App to Support Evacuees and Communities The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) announced a new web application to enhance support for communities and residents facing evacuation.

The Saskatchewan Evacuation App (Sask Evac App) helps residents who have left their home stay connected to their communities and provide their leadership with essential information. Sask Evac App also helps leadership and decision makers ensure that resources are available during an emergency.

The Sask Evac App collects basic contact information at no cost to the community or resident so appropriate support before, during and after the evacuation can be provided.

The new web app is now live and has already been rolled out in communities such as Creighton, Buffalo Narrows and the resort village of Candle Lake. To best prepare for an event, Saskatchewan residents are encouraged to pre-register themselves and their families at https://app.saskecs.ca/. Registration takes less than five minutes.

Should a person or family need to evacuate their home community, residents who pre-registered can return to the Sask Evac App and verify their information.

"When an individual or family has to flee their home, events unfold rapidly," Corrections, Policing and Public Safety Minister Paul Merriman said. “The Sask Evac App is designed to enhance safety during an emergency and can also be used proactively.

It ensures that valuable time is not wasted in critical moments."

At the request of a community, the SPSA can provide provincial resources to support the evacuation of residents when a real and imminent threat exists to ensure the safety of their citizens.

"Evacuations are extremely disruptive to communities and families," SPSA President and Fire Commissioner Marlo Pritchard said. "Our goal is to support people within home communities whenever possible, but in the event of an evacuation, the Sask Evac App will help ensure people receive the timely support they need."

Information gathered through Sask Evac App is securely hosted by the SPSA and shared with community leadership when necessary. Information is not disclosed to any third-party vendor.

Established in 2017, the SPSA is a treasury board crown corporation responsible for wildfire management, emergency management, Sask911, SaskAlert, the Civic Addressing Registry, the Provincial Disaster Assistance Program and fire safety.

Communities interested in learning more about how the Sask Evac App can support their community, can contact spsaecs@gov.sk.ca.

MARTENSVILLE MESSENGER - AUGUST 8, 2024 - Page 3

Sculptors in the Park Brings Artistic Opportunity to the Community Shanine Sealey, Martensville Messenger From August 6-16, the area outside of the Martensville Athletic Pavilion (MAP) will take on a new look as artists from the Prairie Sculptors’ Association (PSA) create art on-site for Sculptors in the Park, an event held in partnership with the PSA and City of Martensville.

The PSA is based out of Saskatoon and is comprised of members from across the province.

Member’s skill sets vary from anything such as blacksmithing, stone carving, wood, ironwork, bronze casting, ceramics, clay, recycled materials and more.

There will be a total of 10 artists that will be creating sculptures from 9:00am – 8:00pm daily throughout the event. There will also be numerous other artists on hand to assist where needed throughout the event and the public is invited to come and watch in real time as the sculptures progress from being ideas to finished pieces. The completed sculptures will then be on display within the community until September 2027.

The event will also feature the completion of a “glyph”, an idea which stems from the petroglyphs located within Saskatchewan and around the world.

“Petroglyphs are images etched into stone by ancient peoples. The glyph will display images made

by Martensville High School students. The students works will be inset in a concrete structure that will be on permanent display outside the main entrance to the school.

There will be an official unveiling of the glyph on August 16th,” Roxane Melnyk, City of Martensville Director of Recreation & Community Services, explained.

There will also be two artistic workshops taking place throughout the event; one on August 7th with an Introduction to Wire Sculpture where participants learn how to start a sculptural piece and how to express motion and emotion in wire. The second workshop is on August 11th with an Introduction to Needle Felting, where you can learn the dry felting method using a barbed needle, your hands and some wool to create a 3D wool sculpture.

Register for the workshops at www.martensville.ca before the workshop to ensure the proper amount of supplies are provided for participants.

Although this is the first time for an event of this nature within Martensville, similar events have taken place throughout the province for years. Melnyk noted that the City of Martensville was approached by the PSA and asked if they would be interested in partnering to bring an Art Symposium to the community.

“As we met, the event has grown and the opportunity to include Martensville High School in the province was a great addition.”

There will be a grand finale for Sculptors in the Park at 7:00pm on August 16th that will include live music and skilled dancers.

This event is made possible thanks to the contributions from sponsors; Clark’s Supply & Service Ltd, Air Liquide, Graveside Memorial Co. Ltd., and Sask Lotteries.

“I would also like to thank the board of the Prairie Sculptures Association, the art department from Martensville High School, and the staff from the City of Martensville. Without everyone’s hard work and dedication, this event would not have come to fruition,” Melnyk stated.

ABOVE: Sculptors in the Park will take place outisde of the MAP in Martensville from August 6-16. Ten different artists will create sculptures each day from 9:00am-8:00pm and the public is invited to see the progress take place in real time.

(Shanine Sealey/MM)

ABOVE: Colbie, Gus, Brooks and Arlo set up a refreshment stand as a way to help local residents get a break from the heat last week and to earn a little extra spending money.

(Submitted) RIGHT: A section of the parking lot at the Martensville Co-op Food Store is closed off as construction gets underway on a liquor store addition.

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Page 4 - AUGUST 8, 2024 - MARTENSVILLE MESSENGER

SPORTS

ABOVE: Local hockey player Brayden Yager recently signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Congratulations on this incredible accomplishment. (Martensville Minor Hockey Association)

ABOVE: The Saskatoon Fireball played against Team Gnarly from Calgary on Saturday, August 3rd during the Slo-Pitch Nationals that SPN Saskatchewan hosted.

(Shanine Sealey/MM) BELOW: The Saskatoon Silverbacks took a loss against the Raccompagenement SG/Metal Labonte from Sherbrooke, QC on Saturday, August 3rd during the Slo-Pitch Nationals.

(Shanine Sealey/MM)

POLICE

BEAT

Adult Males Charged With Kidnapping Following Drug Trafficking Investigation On July 29, 2024, Yorkton’s Saskatchewan Trafficking Response Team (STRT) executed a search warrant at a business in Yorkton, SK as part of a drug trafficking investigation. 23-year-old Parteek Sandhu was arrested at the scene.

As a result of continued investigation, also on July 29, Yorkton General Investigation Section (GIS) and Saskatchewan RCMP’s Critical Incident Response Team were engaged to assist with the search of a rural property in the RM of Wallace, south of Yorkton.

RCMP officers stopped a vehicle leaving the rural property and conducted a traffic stop – they arrested the adult female driver without incident – she was later released without charges.

Officers used a Remote Piloted Aircraft System to identify the location of a male suspect on the property: 46-year-old Ryan Langford was arrested without incident.

During a subsequent search of the rural property, RCMP officers located a severely injured, forcibly confined adult male inside a barn. Investigation determined the man had been kidnapped. Saskatchewan RCMP’s Emergency Medical Response Team provided immediate medical support and the adult male was transported to hospital.

As a result of further investigation, on July 29 and July 30, officers executed search warrants at three scenes: the business, the rural property, and a vehicle. At these locations, officers located and seized: • an explosive device with detonator; • approximately 161 grams of methamphetamine; • 14 firearms; • ammunition; • drug trafficking paraphernalia; and • a sum of cash.

46-year-old Ryan Langford from Yorkton, SK is charged with: two counts, possession for the purpose of trafficking, Section 5(2), Controlled Drugs and Substances Act; one count, aggravated assault, Section 268(2), Criminal Code; and one count, adult kidnapping, Section 279(1)(a), Criminal Code.

23-year-old Parteek Sandhu from Etobicoke, ON is charged with: two counts, possession for the purpose of trafficking, Section 5(2), Controlled Drugs and Substances Act; • one count, adult kidnapping, Section 279(1)(a), Criminal Code; and one count, possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000, Section 354(1)(a), Criminal Code.

An adult male from Laval, QC is also charged with two counts, possession for the purpose of trafficking, Section 5(2), Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. The explosive device will be disposed of safely by the Saskatchewan RCMP’s Explosives Disposal Unit.

Moose Jaw Crime Reduction Team (CRT), Swift Current STRT, Yorkton RCMP, Yorkton Forensic Identification Services and Saskatchewan RCMP Explosives Disposal Unit assisted in this investigation. Saskatchewan RCMP continue to investigate.

MARTENSVILLE MESSENGER - AUGUST 8, 2024 - Page 5

Russell RCMP Arrest Ex-Priest for Historical Sexual Assault

On June 13, 2024, Russell RCMP arrested 81-year-old Constantin Turcoane of Regina, Saskatchewan in relation to a sexual assault dating back to the early 1970s, when he was a priest at a church in Lennard, Manitoba.

Russell RCMP received a report of an historic sexual assault on March 16, 2022. A female in her 60s reported that she had been sexually assaulted multiple times over the course of two years by the priest when she was a parishioner at St. Elijah Romanian Orthodox Church. At the time of the assaults, the survivor was 11-12 years of age.

The investigation involved locating and taking statements from multiple people, a search of historic church records, and liaising with church-related organizations to obtain further investigative material. A warrant of arrest was issued for Turcoane for Rape (1970) and Sexual Intercourse Under 14 (1970). Turcoane turned himself into police. He has been released with a court date.

Police do believe there are further survivors and ask them to call the Russell RCMP Detachment at 204-773-2675.

Police Remind Motorists to Ensure All Passengers Safely Secured Following Checkstop

Corman Park Police Service, CTSS, Vanscoy and Luseland Police Services conducted a joint checkstop at Clarence Avenue and Middleton Road in the RM of Corman Park on July 26th.

Nearly 500 vehicles passed through the checkstop resulting in one criminal impaired for exceeding. 08, five drug related suspensions, two suspended drivers, two unlicensed drivers as well as an alarming number of children not safely secured in vehicles.

Corman Park Police Service remind parents/adult drivers that it is your responsibility to ensure all passengers under 16 years of age are properly buckled in, that seat belts cannot be shared by two people using same belt and children under 7 must be properly seated and secured in a booster seat.

Saskatoon Police Provide Mackenzie Trottier Investigation Search Conclusion

Police Seek Info on Grey/ Silver Durango Involved in Chamberlain Robbery On August 1, 2024 around 10:00 p.m., a male fueling his vehicle at a business in Chamberlain was approached by four people he didn’t know. The four people tried to sell the man gold or other items. When the man refused, the four suspects threatened him and stole cash from him. The victim was not physically injured.

The four suspects left driving the vehicle they arrived in – a grey or silver Dodge Durango. Their direction of travel is not known.

The suspect descriptions available are: 1.

A man with a beard who was wearing shorts and a Rolex-branded watch 2.

A heavyset man 3.

A younger-aged female 4.

An older-aged female The suspects may be armed and are therefore considered dangerous and should not be approached.

If you see the suspect vehicle – a grey or silver Dodge Durango, or four individuals matching the descriptions provided, contact police immediately by calling 911.

The Saskatoon Police Service has concluded its search of the City of Saskatoon landfill following the recovery of human remains.

For 93 days, police and purposetrained dogs methodically searched a calculated area of the landfill for evidence relevant to the Mackenzie Trottier missing persons investigation. On July 30, 2024, members of a search team at the landfill made a partial recovery of human remains; following this finding, the search team ABOVE: Human remains were discovered continued their efforts where, on August 1, and identified as Mackenzie Lee Trottier 2024, a full recovery of human remains was following an autopsy on August 1, 2024 made. Through consultation with forensic anthropologist Dr. Ernie Walker and the examination of dental records, the deceased has been identified as then 22-year-old missing person Mackenzie Lee Trottier. Following an autopsy that was conducted on August 1, 2024, Mackenzie’s death is undetermined.

The Saskatchewan Coroners Service is continuing to investigate.

Through the police investigation, a suspect in Mackenzie’s disappearance had been identified; however, before investigators could obtain the evidence required to prove their involvement, the suspect died in an unrelated incident. Evidence recovered from electronic devices belonging to the suspect supported the search of the landfill.

During the police investigation, video surveillance had been released of a man believed to have information regarding Mackenzie’s disappearance. This man is not the deceased suspect and is not believed to be involved in Mackenzie’s death.

The no-fly zone that had been put in place in the airspace above the landfill has now been removed.

The Saskatoon Police Service extends its sincerest condolences to Mackenzie’s family and loved ones and is grateful for their trust, patience, and participation throughout this deeply difficult process.

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Page 6 - AUGUST 8, 2024 - MARTENSVILLE MESSENGER

MLA Terry Jenson’s Report from the Legislature Saskatchewan Economy Strong and Growing

Reasons Why Politicians Can’t Connect is No Surprise As the two major parties march towards the October 28 general election, it has become evident that they share a common, age-old problem that has become even more problematic in this age of instant communication.

Even in the best of times, reliability in politics is one of the tougher challenges for politicians. Being in a profession, in which one aspires to dictate policies affecting others, often requires a lot of off-putting ego.

At the best of times, it seems politicians are either relatable and likeable or they are not. Both the NDP and the Saskatchewan Party are being accused of not really having candidates that relate all that well to voters; although how much like or dislike a politician problem depends as much on your own politics as their politics.

Take, for example, the NDP. The on-going difficulty of its candidates is made even more difficult by the growing division between left and right and rural and urban fed by social media.

Besides the obvious political differences rural people might have with more urban-oriented NDP policies, there’s the problem of simply not knowing their NDP candidates.

After all there are only 14 elected MLAs right now; all in the cities or the north. That makes it even more difficult to get past the preconceptions and disagreeable policies and simply get to know the people running for the party.

That said, it’s not as if the NDP is putting itself in a good position in the run-up to this election.

So far, the NDP had nominated 47 candidates; many of which have been nominated within the last year.

That leaves 14 seats vacant; all of which are rural seats won by a Sask. Party MLA last election and most of which are occupied by well-established incumbents.

This, alone, will make it very difficult to make any headway in rural seats where winning Sask. Party averaged almost 73 per cent of the popular vote in 2020 election, but it’s who is running for the NDP; especially in those rural seats; that be most problematic.

Of those 47 nominated candidates, there are 15 candidates who are or have been teachers, principals or have some background as professors or instructors. There are five lawyers and another 10 that list their backgrounds as social workers or community activist or political or union organizers.

Sure, there is absolutely nothing wrong with this work experience when it comes to becoming a quality MLA. In fact, being a teacher or a lawyer (there’s always been a disproportional number of lawyers in elected office) has long been considered a very good background for public office.

It’s the sheer volume from one specific profession that raises eyebrows.

One gets that teachers may be especially motivated to run against the Sask. Party government after the rather acrimonious contract negotiations, but can a caucus objectively and collectively decide what’s best for provincial taxpayers when it’s disproportional represented by teachers or social workers or union activists?

Of course, the exact same argument can and should be made about the disproportional number of farmers in the Sask. Party caucus, but the NDP’s biggest problem is the number of career politicians who have been in office for almost two decades; or who simply aspire to be career politicians.

The thought crosses one’s mind after the recent passing of Thunder Creek/Lumsden-Morse MLA Lyle Stewart; the exception that proved the rule by being a longterm MLA who seemed to maintain his likeability.

Perhaps the biggest problem with Premier Scott Moe’s team is that some of his veteran/career (and even newer) MLAs just aren’t considered very likeable because of what they have done while in office and being unlikable and/ or unrelatable isn’t exactly a formula for success in politics.

Saskatchewan’s economy is stable and our province remains one of the most affordable places in the nation to invest, live, work and raise a family.

Saskatchewan saw a 12.9 per cent increase in building construction investments from May 2023 to May 2024, seasonally-adjusted. The province also ranked first in the nation for growth in retail trade, increasing by 6.1 per cent from May 2023 to May 2024. The total value of retail trade sales in May 2024 was $2.2 billion.

Morningstar DBRS recently affirmed the province’s AA (low) credit rating and stable outlook.

Saskatchewan currently has the second-highest credit rating among the provinces when all three major rating agencies (Moody's, Morningstar DBRS, and S&P) are considered. In June 2024, S&P Global Ratings gave Saskatchewan the highest credit rating among Canadian provinces.

Statistics Canada's latest GDP numbers indicate that Saskatchewan's 2023 real GDP reached an all-time high of $77.9 billion, increasing by $1.2 billion, or 1.6 per cent. This places Saskatchewan second in the nation for real GDP growth, above the national average of 1.2 per cent.

HHR Action Plan Showing Strong Results

A strong and growing economy allows us to invest in the programs and services that matter most to Saskatchewan people, such as healthcare. The province’s Health Human Resources (HHR) Action Plan to recruit, train, incentivize and retain health care workers continues to show strong results across the province.

The first of 27 new permanent Nurse Practitioner positions available across rural, remote and regional areas was filled in Maple Creek. The application and hiring process for the remaining positions is ongoing, and qualified NPs are encouraged to apply.

More than 330 hard-to-recruit positions have been filled through the Rural and Remote Recruitment Incentive program. Another 237 Internationally-Educated Health Professionals from the Philippines are now working throughout the province. In addition, applications are still being accepted for the Final Clinical Placement Bursaries. Ten new psychiatrists have accepted letters of offer and are moving through the onboarding process.

Our government, along with the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) are pleased to announce the successful recruitment of pediatric gastroenterologist Dr. Rabin Persad, who will begin practicing in the province on October 1, 2024. Children with gastrointestinal issues and their families will soon have local access to care in the province, reducing wait times and travel.

Details on health care opportunities, how to access them and information on Saskatchewan’s HHR Action Plan are available at www.Saskatchewan.ca/HHR.

Strengthening Communities

Our government is committed to investing in Saskatchewan communities to ensure they remain the best place to live, work and raise a family. Under the Targeted Sector Support (TSS) initiative, $620,000 was recently invested in 22 projects to strengthen municipal service delivery and enhance governance and administrative capacity. Since inception, over $9 million has been allocated to the TSS Initiative.

Saskatchewan is grown through investment in projects that support the longevity and vibrancy of communities and improve the lives of residents. The specialized TSS funding provided in partnership with Saskatchewan's municipal associations supports municipalities to work together to better serve their citizens.

To further strengthen our province’s communities, Lotteries and Gaming Saskatchewan provided $1.16 million in charitable gaming grants in the first quarter of 2024-25, benefiting more than 750 groups and organizations across the province. The grants support hundreds of charitable and nonprofit groups throughout Saskatchewan, including those focused on amateur sport, culture, the arts, animal rescue, service clubs and much more.

Over the next two years, our government is providing $2 million to Food Banks of Saskatchewan to help Saskatchewan families and food banks with high food costs. Food Banks of Saskatchewan will receive $1 million in August and another $1 million in 2025-26.

As our government continues this work, I look forward to hearing from you with any questions, concerns or comments you may have.

Tim Hortons Martensville Now Hiring FT & PT Food Counter Attendants Drop off resume at location or visit careers@timhortons.ca to apply

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Letter to the Editor The Martensville Messenger welcomes letters to the editor for publication. Letters must be signed and a phone number and/or email address included so the writer’s identity can be verified. ALL letters are the opinion of the writer and NOT the Martensville Messenger. We reserve the right to edit letters for length, clarity or compliance with the current standards of public taste. Submit your letter to news@martensvillemessenger.ca or mail to Box 333 - Martensville, SK S0K 2T0.

MARTENSVILLE MESSENGER - AUGUST 8, 2024 - Page 7

Page 8 - AUGUST 8, 2024 - MARTENSVILLE MESSENGER

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306-244-4950

Martensville, SK

KEEPING YOU SAFE & ON THE ROAD

Sask Government Announces Plan to Restrict Cellphone Usage in Schools Shanine Sealey, Martensville Messenger

Saskatchewan’s Education Minister Jeremy Cockrill made an announcement on Tuesday, August 6th that the government would be implementing new rules for the 2024/25 school year that would restrict the use of cellphones in Saskatchewan schools.

Cockrill noted that the Saskatchewan government had heard loud and clear from parents, teachers and students that “Cellphones in classrooms are distracting our kids from learning and making teaching more difficult for our educators.”

These changes mean that cellphones will no longer be permitted during class time across Kindergarten to Grade 12 schools throughout the province.

“Technology has its place, but too often, cell phones are taking students’ attention away from what they should be learning,” Cockrill stated. “This new policy will allow students to be more engaged with their teachers and focused on learning the skills and knowledge they need to reach their potential.”

Other provinces such as Alberta, B.C., Ontario, Nova Scotia and Quebec have already announced that they will be implementing these measures for the upcoming school year.

Exemptions can apply at the discretion of the individual school divisions, such as if a device is needed for a medical reason, or specific learning needs. Additionally, teachers for grades 9-12 can receive an exemption if a cellphone is required for instructional purposes.

Each school division has emergency procedures in place to contact caregivers in case of emergency.

Martensville SK 306-244-4950

Martensville Food Pantry Receives Grant from Affinity Credit Union Jocelyn Ottenbreit, Martensville Messenger

The Martensville Food Pantry (MFP) received a Community Development Funding Grant from Affinity Credit Union for $5000 on Wednesday, August 7th.

The Affinity Credit Union awards grants each year to special interest groups that apply to help with their programs. Members of the council go through applications and, based on what their needs are, determine whether they meet the criteria for the grants. Grants can be applied for each year. A high priority of their criteria is if it is a community event.

“We did a really good job of spreading it out quite a bit and there were probably over 30 recipients this year. Some asks were very minimal, certain organizations were high up on our list such as the food pantry, senior citizens, etc. who represent our community the best,” said Ron Gurski, Affinity Credit Union North Member Council.

MFP continues to help to provide food for families and individuals in Martensville and the surrounding area with weekly food hampers. A dedicated group of volunteers get together weekly to sort and package the hampers. They rely on donations which are made by people, businesses, organizations, schools and more.

Regular donations are made by Martensville Co-op and Save on Foods in Warman which include dairy items, frozen items and meat. The MFP is currently in need of non-perishables such as tomato sauce, pasta, rice, cereal, canned veggies, and lunch snacks.

Other ways they have received donations is the annual ‘Stuff the Trailer’ event put on by the Martensville & District Lions club which was again a successful event. They held a BBQ in front of the Martensville Coop and many donations were made from the community with items donated to fill up a trailer and received a hamburger/hotdog and drink in return. They have also been chosen as the recipient for Coop Fuel Good Days in September.

You can help support the Food Pantry in several ways individual donations, purchasing a Hunger Bag from Martensville Co-op, donating the money received from recycled cans and bottles at Sarcan Drop n Go in Martensville under the name ‘MFP’, or you can support them by purchasing items through the MFPAmazon Wish List which ships directly to them. The list can be viewed at https:// www.amazon.ca/hz/wishlist/ls/19ZM88B64Q6M5?ref_=wl_share &fbclid=IwAR3IIJ2xk9r97VTc1E9VOJRZRAgwYRzOSiny7cVJ C954KPB3xvIldevA150.

LEFT: The Martensville Food Pantry volunteer members accept a cheque from Ron Gurski, Affinity Credit Union Member Council for $5000.

Jocelyn Ottenbreit/MM