The Biggar Independent Volume 115 Issue 9

Just about ready for Chicago ... New Creation Community Players’ Katy Kurulak and Izac Mactal, along with the cast and crew of their upcoming Chicago offering, have been hard at rehearsals. The musical offering is rapidly approaching opening day. (Independent Photo by Kevin Brautigam)

e cost is only

It wasn’t the storybook ending we’d hoped for, but the Biggar Senior Nationals’ season came to an end, Saturday. Fellow Sask West Hockey League rivals, the Wilkie Outlaws, were in town for the Provincial C best of three. Falling 9-3 in Wilkie, February 18, Saturday’s Game 2 at the Jubilee had the Nats facing a tough Outlaw squad, falling 7-2. Still, not a bad Provincial run for the Nats after defeating the Rosthern Wheat Kings in the first round. In league play, the Nats fell to the Hafford Hawks in a Game 3 winner take all. A pretty good season, the Nats were “in it” for most games - it should be even better next season! (Independent Photos by Kevin Brautigam)

On the door ... Biggar U9 Nationals hosted the Kindersley Klippers in a high-scoring affair, Saturday. Nats came up on the short end, with a 15-13 loss. (Independent Photo by Kevin Brautigam)

Council minute highlights

The regular meeting of Biggar Town Council was held February 6 at 7:15 p.m. in the Council Chambers. Attending the meeting were Mayor Jim Rickwood, Councillors Alan Boyle, Dakota Ekman, Nicole Hoppe, Kevin McNicholls, Edward Young, and Ivan Young. Also attending were Chief Administrative Officer, Kristine Brown, Town Foreman, Mark Haynes, Recreation Director, Erin Poitras, Recreation Director, Community Development Officer, Cassidy Burton.

Council resolved that

Bylaw No. 24-858, being the Official Community Plan Amendment Bylaw (B) be read three times and adopted. Also, that Bylaw No. 24-859, being a bylaw to amend The Zoning Bylaw be read three times and adopted, and that Bylaw No. 24-860, being a bylaw respecting the Closing and Selling of a Road

or Street be read three times and adopted.

Council resolved that the minutes of the January 30, 2024 Committee Meeting of The Whole be accepted as presented.

Council resolved that the minutes of the January 8, 2024 Meeting of the Saskatchewan Health Authority Community Engagement Committee be accepted as presented.

Recreation Director Erin Poitras submitted two proposals for a new Zamboni room door from Creative Door Services. Council directed the Recreation Director to obtain one more proposal for this door and for the installation of the door at Jubilee Stadium.

Council resolved that the General Accounts Paid in the amount of $144,199.37 and the General Accounts Payable in the amount of $90,729.60 be approved.

Council resolved that the following correspondence be accepted for Council’s information and filed: RM of Grandview - SHA Housing. SGI - Provincial Traffic Safety Grant. Community Planning - Certificate of Approval. Landfill Use Reports - OctoberDecember 2023. Building Permits Report2023 Summary. BRDFA - 2024 Meetings. DCG Philanthropic Services Inc. - Film Screening Invitation. Prakash Consulting Ltd. - Curling Rink Assessment.

Council resolved that Councillor Ivan Young and Community Development Officer Cassidy Burton be authorized to attend the 2024 ReForum 2024 Co-Conference hosted by the Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council and SWANA Northern Lights Chapter to be held in Saskatoon on May 29-31.

Council resolved that the Biggar Recreation

Valley’s request for financial support toward their Leader of Leaders Steer Riding School event being held on May 10-12, be received and approved to be a $500 Hoodie Sponsor. Council resolved that the request from the Biggar School of Dance for usage of the Transit Van for the Dance Festival to be held on April 13-14, be approved. Council resolved that the request from Ruthilda Métis Local No. 105 to have the Biggar Community Hall rental fee reduced for their Winter Festival, held on February 10, be received and that 50 per cent of the hall rental fee be waived and approved in accordance with Policy C(8)the Community Organizations Rental Refunds Policy.

• Meeting adjourned at 8:28 p.m.

Biggar welcomes new CAO

You may have noticed a new face around the Town Office these last few weeks! Our new Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), Kristine Brown, has been in the office learning all things Biggar!

Kristine brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table, having spent time in both Gillam, Manitoba and Foam Lake, Saskatchewan, as their Chief Administrative Officer. She is very excited to be starting a new chapter here in Biggar. Kristine is eager to become a Biggarite. Her commitment to the community extends far beyond her professional duties as she looks forward to contributing to the growth and progress of the town. When not in the office you will find Kristine doing all the outdoor activities. She

has a love of camping, fishing, quadding, and snowmobiling, although this somewhat mild winter has put a halt to her snowmobiling plans.

Mayor Jim Rickwood, along with Town Council, are very excited to have Kristine and her husband become a part of “the Biggar scene” and look forward to her leadership as our new CAO.

Stop in at the Town Office and say hello! We welcome Kristine to the Town of Biggar!

RCMP Report

by Sgt. Dereck Crozier, Biggar Detachment

This past week 21 occurrences were handled by members at the Biggar Detachment.

Two warnings were issued and one ticket to a female driver of a light-coloured Ford Aspire that chose not to stop while being followed by a police vehicle with lights and sirens activated. Report of a white 2013 Buick going to Kindersley while the driver is reported to be high on drugs. The general public was assisted with well-being checks in the area of Duperow on neighbourly concerns. A father from Glaslyn wanted a check on his 15-year-old son; he wasn’t happy about him visiting friends in town. Grandparents calling for well-being check on 20-year-old granddaughter that decided to go for a ride on their bike. Members assisted EMS with a call on Main Street in Kinley with a male that had a tale to tell. Report of a fam-

ily civil dispute in the division of property and other ongoing issues.

47-year-old male complaining he received and unwanted voicemail message from a 36-year-old male that he does not like. 29-yearold female was arguing with a 30-year-old male - but not to worry mom was able to step in and defuse the issue and took junior home prior to police arrival.

Complaint of the local botanist displaying marihuana plants in the window of a commercial premises.

A few complaints from rural property owners that a side-by-side UTV has a total disregard for the Provincial Trespassing Act and continues drive where it is unwanted. This Act is not meant to be about chasing people down and issues tickets, but instilling a respectfulness in people to be courteous to rural property owners and not operate on land where you did not seek permission or are unwelcomed.

Bingo Numbers for February 29

Puck Battle ... Biggar U13 Nationals hit the Jubilee Stadium, Saturday afternoon for a battle with the visiting Kerrobert/Luseland Tigers. The Nats put on a good effort but just couldn’t get a good run at the Tigers, taking a bad 7-0 loss. (Independent Photo by Kevin Brautigam)

Storytelling is used in Indigenous culture to educate youth, particularly in winter months

by Doug Cuthand, Indigenous affairs columnist, Saskatoon StarPhoenix, Regina Leader-Post

During the cold winter period, parents and elders would educate their children with ancient stories that were passed down for generations

Last year February was designated Aboriginal Storytelling Month in Saskatchewan and the centuries-old tradition continues, but now with recognition from the whole province.

So why February, and what is storytelling?

Our tradition was that after the buffalo hunts and the winter solstice, our people would go to their winter camps and wait out the cold weather until the healing winds of spring arrived.

During this period the parents and elders would educate their children with ancient stories that were passed down for generations.

These were stories that could only be told during the winter when there was snow on the ground.

Sadly, the residential schools kept the chil-

dren away from home during the important winter months when they could have heard the stories. Now they would have to wait until they left school, but by then they would no longer be children and the magic would disappear.

My father, Stan Cuthand, recorded some of these stories in Cree and my friend Solomon Ratt is translating them into English. He sent me a story that I recall from my youth and the lesson that it contained.

The story is called “Why the moose has a baggy coat.”

Many years ago, the first animals had only summer coats and when the cold weather came, they would huddle together and suffered from the cold.

One spring after an especially cold winter, the bear called the animals to a meeting. The otter, the lynx, the rabbit, the deer, the fox and all the others of the forest came.

They decided they would ask their brother Wisahkecahk to speak to the creator. Wisahkecahk was a spirit who

was an emissary of the Creator. He had been sent to earth to create all the animals and serve as an important link to the Creator. He also had a sense of humour and often played the role of a trickster. The animals regarded him as their brother.

The deer, the porcupine and the bear were selected to go to Wisahkecahk with the request for warmer coats. Wisahkecahk agreed to speak to the Creator for them and he made a long journey to the mountains where he met the Creator and presented the request from the animals. The Creator spoke to Wisahkecahk and took pity on the animals. He told him to go back and make winter coats for the animals.

Wisahkecahk returned and met with the animals. He asked them to tell him what type of winter coat they wanted. The animals all lined up and ordered what they wanted.

However, the moose was alone in a swamp enjoying a meal of water

lily roots. He felt there was no hurry, so he continued to feast on the sweet leaves of young trees.

Wisahkecahk worked hard all summer and by the time fall rolled around, he had all the winter coats and horns prepared. During the summer some of the animals had warned the moose to place his order but the moose remained in his swamp. The animals all met and tried on their new coats. They strutted around and admired themselves in the reflection of the water.

The moose finally showed up but by that time all the coats had been claimed. Wisahkecahk looked around and found some scraps and some flat horns. He made a coat and gave it to the moose. The moose put it on, and it hung in floppy folds around his neck. The horns no one wanted were large and flat. They looked so awkward. But the moose soon forgot his loose coat and flat horns and he returned to eat the water lily roots.

When the other animals saw him, they

laughed and teased him because he looked so funny. The moose was hurt and returned to his swamp where he continues to live today, alone, shunning the world.

This story teaches children not to make fun of others because it may cause long-term pain. They are taught to respect everyone and accept them for what they are.

The word moose comes from the Cree language and the Cree word for a bachelor is “moosapeo,” or a man who lives alone like a moose.

ing the province’s deepseeded animosity to that federal government 2,608 kilometres to the east in Ottawa.

It has been blessed with having one of the most unpopular federal governments Western Canada has ever seen - a government whose

major agenda item of reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHGs) naturally flies against our natural-resourcesbased economy that’s been booming for two decades now.

Furthermore, few Saskatchewan Premiers have been blessed with a prime minister as detestable as Justin Trudeau has been in the second half of his 10-year run. Nor have many seen a federal government quite as bumbling.

Add to this a certain mindset that’s swept North America since the COVID-19 restrictions of 2020. Many have adopted the political libertarian views that have seeped north over the border from U.S. Republicans in which people place far more emphasis on their own interests - social or economic - ahead of collective interests that have been intertwined with

the province’s history.

It feeds on a what has been a gradually changing Saskatchewan - and certainly, the rural Saskatchewan that Scott Moe has grown up - in the last 40 years in which individualism has likely become more predominate than community.

Under such circumstances, one supposes any right-of-centre Saskatchewan Premier would likely thrive.

But credit Scott Moe for being the right person for the right time - at least, political speaking.

And further credit him for formidable-yet-underrated political skills that have seen him capitalize on these evolving political sentiments in this province.

In fact, he’s done so in a way that has convinced many to look past the shortcomings of his own Saskatchewan Party government. And some of those problems

are massively politically problematic for premier going into election later in the year. Provincial budgeting has been a mass (although, largely because of the COVID19 slowdown). Our only surplus budget was largely due to skyrocketing potash prices because of a war in Ukraine.

Other problems for Moe include a penchant for excessive travel, the bad behaviour of his Sask. Party backbenchers that forced him to send three of them backing from caucus, a few ongoing questionable incidents including Regina Northwest MLA Gary Grewal’s hotels disproportionally benefiting from social services placements and the dysfunction that is the current negotiations between the Education Minister Jeremy Cockrill and the teachers.

Part of the problemone that has been grow-

ing in the Moe government for the past two years - is the eagerness to cater to that far-right, exceedingly anti-Trudeau vote. It’s what brought us Bill 137 - the pronoun bill that the Saskatchewan United Party under former Sask. Party caucus member Nadine Wilson had demanded - and several other moves that fly in the face of traditional provincial-federal cooperation.

It’s quite likely that Scott Moe will go down as the least cooperative Saskatchewan premiersomething that’s probably cost this province opportunities to build. Normally, premiers from this province walk a thin line between criticizing Ottawa and working with them. Moe no longer does that.

Moe has clearly gotten away with crossing that line, as was evidence in his criticism of the

federal ArriveCan mess involving GC Strategies - a two-person company that somehow secured $250 million in contracts from Trudeau’s federal government since 2015.

However, Moe tied that criticism to the bizarre notion from Environment Minster Steven Guilbeault, who has been suggesting the federal Liberal government might limit its future spending on highway infrastructure.

And it’s not just the federal Liberals. Recently, the Saskatchewan and Alberta NDP Opposition issued joint statement condemning NDP MP Charlie Angus’s private member’s bill to block oil companies from advertising.

As such, one can hardly blame Moe for capitalizing on the federal government nonsense. Saskatchewan premiers have been doing this for years.

Notable

Notes

Bob Mason

Many times as I flop down on the hundred dollar mattress on our bed at home which, by the way, seems such a necessity now, I think of the arm cot palliasses that were so much a part of our military lives.

I often imagine that those cots by themselves could make up a column in any paper but they were a real comfort compared to the sleeping quarters on a troop train!

Apparently the people in Ottawa responsible for military design had somehow overlooked

the fact that while moving from here to there, a train full of soldiers needed a place to lie down.

True, the odd guy did get a pass on a sleeping car now and then, but those facilities were mostly relegated to officers. And everybody knows that officers are a much higher class than any Private! Mostly these lowly military types could be found slouching back on the wicker seats of some ancient coach with their tunics pulled on over themselves backwards.

Never having quite achieved that ever-sodesired rank of officer, Y.T. (Yours Truly) spent most of his military “career” thankfully in the peasantry of the Infantry, and is really qualified to make this report on the never to be forgotten troop train.

The short runs, like Shilo to Winnipeg, weren’t that bad. But,

Troop Trains

with all the pressing jumble of guys and gals all wanting to get on first and find a seat before the train left for some place thousands of miles away, all that enthusiasm was gone. A fellow marched on, sat where they said to sit, sweated and tried to sleep ... and never said nuthin’.

We were moving from Calgary to the east one time, and because it was summer, our coach was hot, hot, hot! The Sergeant refused to let us open the windows to cool off, lest someone jump out. But north of Regina when we were stopped, he selected two men who helped him carry on four boxes of cold drinks which he promptly sold at quite a profit!

A few miles down the line, four guys went back to the cook-car and brought up supper. One of the sweating young fellows threw his whole plateful of food in the Sergeant’s face and quite

Pass the Toast!

by Delta Fay Cruickshank

I followed my dream and set off back to France, where I grew up.

Because my travel companion had never been to England, we decided to fly to London, and to stay at a rural cottage near Oxford and sightsee from there!

The flight over began what I experienced every day for the 16 days I was away.

As I squeezed into my seat on the WestJet flight from Calgary, I looked around. All I saw was a lot of people squeezing into their seats!

“Pass the Toast” I said to my travel companion!

“What?”

“Did your mother and father ever make you eat sardines on toast?”

“No ... did yours?”

“Yes, and I feel like a sardine right now, there-

fore pass the toast!”

Eight wide-awake hours later, I squeezed myself off the plane. Then squeezed myself down the escalator.

Then waited in line to pee.

Then waited in line: to ask where to buy a bus ticket; then waited in line to buy the bus ticket; then waited in line to get on the train to get to the where the bus was; and then squeezed myself on to the train; then waited in line to get on the bus...

Finally reached Oxford, waited in line to eat, but was able to find a taxi without waiting in line! Then sat in the taxi for 45 minutes to drive five miles behind long lines of traffic.

Waited in line everywhere, traffic slowed down because of roadwork, waiting in line to

get into a historic site even though the tickets were purchased online to save waiting in line.

The rest of the stay was the same, squeezing onto buses, squeezing on to metros and undergrounds.

Experienced being squeezed onto a Paris Metro at rush hour ... pass the toast!

I’m so glad I got to go back, and it was good for my soul! I love it still there. But it taught me a valuable lesson...

I love Biggar, Biggar is beautiful, Biggar is best! I’m sure the population of Biggar was in that one subway car. I’m sure the population of Saskatchewan was in the Musse d’Orsay!

Thank goodness I went. And thank goodness Biggar is the best place to come home to.

Asquith Council news for February

Asquith Town Council held its regular council meeting on February 14.

Attending was DeputyMayor Jackie Stobbe, and Councillors Darcy Stack, Pete Heck, Cecilia Mryglod, Jodi Nehring, and Wade MonksJanzen. Also attending was C.A.O. Kathy Picketts and Office Assistant Kaila Montgomerie.

The meeting was called

to order by Deputy-Mayor Stobbe at 6:59 p.m.

A resolution was made to accept the council minutes from the January 10 regular council meeting.

Council made a motion to accept the January 2024 financials and January 2024 bank reconciliation as presented to them at the meeting.

Accounts Paid in the

a brawl ensued.

The guards at the end of the coach wouldn’t let anyone in or out but they finally let the beatup Sergeant go. I don’t remember ever seeing him again!

The troop trains in Canada may have been kind of rough but in England, things were often worse. I suppose the influx of “tourists” may have had a lot to do with that, and out there things were really different. Most of the English coaches that we rode in had individual compartments, sometimes with a narrow aisle down one side.

One time, six of us were jammed into one of those compartments on our way down from Scotland. It would have been okay, I think, but we all wanted to sleep. Three of us lay with our heads one way and the other three did the opposite.

In the middle of the

DEADLINE

night I awoke. But when I touched my leg, there was no feeling whatsoever.

I knew darn well it must be asleep from lying so awkwardly, and I was really massaging it to get the circulation going again when one of the guys hollered...

“Hey! Let go of my leg!”

We were crowded, all right!

On an English train later on, a lot of guys, including me, stretched out along the narrow aisle where the trainman usually walked.

He did ... and were we ever glad that we’d covered ourselves with our greatcoats.

Eventually, we got back to Canada okay, and on a

troop train with the “Far East Force” we finally were shunted up by the fair grounds in Regina, disentangled ourselves and staggered off of it at five in the morning.

The grass was wet underfoot and all was very quiet. The odd guy grumbled about the lack of a welcoming committee until the big doors of the Grain Show Building, now long gone, swung open and a thousand people inside cheered!

We marched into that crowded room as they cheered and yelled, finally the O.C. broke us off. They treated us like a bunch of returning heroes, and we forgot all about those lousy troop trains.

Until just now!

BIGGAR & DISTRICT COMMUNITY FOUNDATION INC.

e Foundation is pleased to announce that funds are available for grants from the Community Fund.

To apply, your group must have a charitable registration number.

Applications may be obtained from Kathy Sarvas at the Town O ce. e deadline for applications is March 8, 2024.

BIGGAR MUSIC FESTIVAL invites you to...

•Piano Performances - Monday & Tuesday March 4th and 5th (Duet Night - Evening of Monday March 4th)

•Vocal Performances - Wednesday & Thursday March 6th and 7th (Musical Theatre - Wednesday and Thursday Evening)

•Band / Instrumental Performances - Friday March 8th

All above Performances Start at 9:00a.m. each day

Performers

Concert & Awards Night

Saturday March 9 at 7:00p.m.

amount of $30,213.17 and Accounts Payable of $27,115.09 was accepted as presented.

Do you know about the Asquith Nature Destination? Please contact the Town Office for further information or alternatively access information on our website or Facebook page.

All Performances at the Biggar Majestic Theatre

Ask The Money Lady

Christine Ibbotson

Dear Money Lady Readers, I recently had a chat with my daughter and her friends who are all in University, (aged 23-26), working on their second and third degrees, and I was surprised to learn how very little these new Gen-Z’s really know about money ... nothing!

Okay, I realize that most young adults are feeling stressed and worried that they will never be able to buy a home, never make enough money to have a huge retirement portfolio, and generally feel that the economy now is set to keep them as the working poor for the rest of their lives.

Stop. This is not true!

You are the most educated demographic of all time. You are the most socially accepting demographic of all time. And you are the ones that will change the world for the better. I know this because, your parents and the rest of the world are counting on you to evoke change and we know you are more than capable of really doing it.

So, let’s address your money concerns right now for those of you in your mid 20’s to early 30’s.

First question: Do you have school debt? If so, great!

Did you apply for all the extra government school grants and assistance? If you did, another step in the right direction!

Are you living on your own, renting, and

paying your own bills and expenses? If you answered yes againwell done!!

I love that you are independent, self-sufficient, and maybe a little bit of a maverick. So, hold that thought while you read on.

I know you are feeling overwhelmed and unsure of your future; this is natural. Stop beating yourself up all the time. You are supposed to feel unsure and stressed about the future. And you are supposed to have a lot of debt at this age. The reality is, you can still carve out a great financial life for yourself, buy a home and a cottage and do everything else you want to do as you age.

So, let me give you some pointers on how to get started right now.

First of all, the school debt.

I don’t want you to pay this off - yes, I said keep it. I know your parents are going to say that is not right, but to get ahead you are going to do what we bankers call: leverage lending. I want you to get all the school loans you can, get all the grant money you can, and pay off all your credit card debt, your car loan and start using some of this money (whatever is left over from your school expenses) towards saving in a TFSA (tax free savings account), a Home Buyers’ Account (gives you an auto tax credit of $1,500), sign up for a HBP (Home Buyers’ Plan) and also a FHSA (First Home Savings Account).

Okay, I know this is a lot, but you are smart, and once you start wrapping your mind around the idea of saving for your first home through these government incentive programs you will start to gain real inner power towards the idea of home ownership, because let’s face it, you

must get into the real estate market.

The reason why I want you to keep the school loans, is because all Canadian banks and major financial institutions view school loans differently than consumer credit. It has been this way for decades and a well contained secret in the lending industry.

You see, when a banker adjudicates a mortgage deal, they plug in all the numbers and are given a GDS score (gross debt servicing score) which mitigates the risk on the deal.

But having this number (especially if it is too high) does not strike out the deal. You see banks want to lend - and they want to lend to young professionals that have potential to earn and invest. They are greedy and have an ulterior motive to build a relationship with young professionals so they can eventually get the “full wallet” (your line of credit, accounts, investments, et cetera).

So, bankers are trained to mitigate deals by showing school debt as a good thing - meaning the client is higher educated and potentially will earn more over time. Your deal will be positioned perfectly, because you have no consumer debt or car loan, which means you are credit responsible and a good potential risk for a high-ratio mortgage with only five to 10 per cent as a down payment (remember you paid off your debts with the extra school loans and grant funds).

And if you have a low CB (credit bureau score) probably because you had too much credit in the past, as long as all balances show $0, we mitigate it as being someone “young and just starting out.”

Voila! Approved!

Honestly, in 35 years of lending in all kinds of markets, new first-time

Summer Student Employment – R.M. of Glenside No. 377

The R.M of Glenside No 377 is seeking to fill the position for our Summer Student. Duties to include general labour, yard maintenance and miscellaneous municipal jobs based on experience of the individual. This position is responsible to assist the team in daily operations in a variety of capacities, and offers weekends off.

Our recruitment process timeline and position start date is dependent on the availability and suitability of the successful candidate. Key

followed

 Ability to operate a variety of equipment and able to identify if the equipment is operating properly

 Good interpersonal skills and ability to establish effective working relationships with council, staff, contractors and ratepayers

The successful applicant should possess:

 Willingness to be supervised and take and follow direction from Foreman.

 Great communication and documentation skills

 Ability to lift and carry 50 lbs.

 Demonstrate attention to detail and be safety conscious

 Transportation to and from the R.M. Shop is the employee’s responsibility

 Valid driver’s license.

Please submit a resume stating experience, wages expected, two work related references, and current drivers abstract to:

RM of Glenside No. 377 Box 1084

113 6th Avenue East, Biggar, SK S0K 0M0 or emailed to rm377@sasktel.net on or before March 11th , 2024 at 4:00 PM.

We thank all applicants for their interest in this opportunity; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted

buyers are the easiest to approve with one of the Big-Five banks.

Oh, and that school debt you are hanging on to and just paying the minimum payments: just keep doing that. Never have this debt payment late or in any delinquent state. Once you purchase a home or condo and after it goes up in value (which it will) in the next two to three years, you refinance it

into a new mortgage and eliminate the debt.

That is the leverage lending piece, and you’re in - you made it into the real estate market.

Okay, it might be at the bottom of the market in the cheapest thing you could find, but who cares, you are a property owner and now an owner of an appreciating asset that will grow as you do, growing your career and making more

money over time.

Good job! Good Luck and Best Wishes!

Written by Christine Ibbotson, author, finance writer, national radio host, and now on CTV Morning Live, and CTV News @6, syndicated across Canada. Send your money questions (answered free) through her website at askthemoneylady.ca

SEASONAL GRADER OPERATOR – R.M. of Glenside No. 377

The R.M. of Glenside No 377 is seeking applications for the position of Seasonal Grader Operator. Duties to include but not limited to operating graders for the maintenance and repair of municipal roads as well as other various heavy equipment, assisting in road repair, and installing culverts

Position to start April 1 and end October 31, 2024 weather permitting

The R.M. offers a comprehensive benefits package including short term and long-term Disability, Municipal Employees Pension Plan and health & dental. The R.M. offers competitive wages

Key Duties and responsibilities:

 Operate a grader to complete road maintenance, grading, gravel reclamation and minor road construction.

 Ensure roads are maintained and repaired (culverts) on a priority basis and ability to repair machiner y and attachments.

 Manage shop inventory, log work, log and report inspections and ensure safety procedures are followed and fully maintained daily.

 Good interpersonal skills and ability to establish effective working relationships with council, staff, contractors and ratepayers

The successful applicant should possess:

 Experience in maintenance and operation of heavy equipment including but not limited to grader, backhoe and gravel truck.

 Willingness to be supervised and take and follow direction from Foreman.

 Great communication and documentation skills,

 Demonstrate attention to detail and be safety conscious

 Transportation to and from the R.M. Shop is the employee’s responsibility

 Valid driver’s license. With Preference given to applicants with Air Endorsement and Class 3A license

Please submit a resume stating experience, wages expected, two work related references, and current drivers abstract to:

RM of Glenside No. 377 Box 1084 113 6th Avenue East, Biggar, SK S0K 0M0 or emailed to rm377@sasktel.net on or before March 8th , 2024 at 4:00 PM.

We thank all applicants for their interest in this opportunity; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted

UTILITY OPERATOR – R.M. of Glenside No. 377

The R.M. of Glenside No. 377 is seeking to fill the position of Seasonal Utility Operator. Duties to include but not limited to mowing ditches, operating heavy equipment, general maintenance, road sign installation and other duties as determined by the Foreman

Position to start April 1 and end October 31, 2024 weather permitting

The R.M. offers a comprehensive benefits package including short- and long-term disability, Municipal Employees Pension Plan and health & dental. The R.M. offers competitive wages.

Key Duties and responsibilities:

 Operate a tractor to mow ditches and have working knowledge of mowing techniques.

 Ability to perform basic repairs on machinery and attachments.

 Manage shop inventory, log work performed, log and report inspections and ensure safety procedures are followed and fully maintained daily.

 Good interpersonal skills and ability to establish effective working relationships with council, staff, contractors and ratepayers.

The successful applicant should possess:

 Experience in operation of heavy equipment.

 Willingness take direction from Foreman and ability to work independently

 Great communication and documentation skills.

 Ability to lift and carry 50 lbs.

 Demonstrate attention to detail and be safety conscious

 Transportation to and from the R.M. Shop is the employee’s responsibility.

 Valid driver’s license. With Preference given to applicants with Air Endorsement and Class 3A license.

Please submit a resume stating experience, wages expected, two work related references, and current drivers abstract to:

RM of Glenside No. 377 Box 1084

113 6th Avenue East, Biggar, SK S0K 0M0

or emailed to rm377@sasktel.net on or before March 11th, 2024 at 4:00 PM.

We thank all applicants for their interest in this opportunity; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted

Government responds to feds proposed regulations

The Government of Saskatchewan has voiced its opposition to the federal government’s proposed oil and gas emissions cap and draft methane regulations.

The Government’s submissions to Environment and Climate Change Canada on the Oil and Gas Emissions Cap and Methane 75 regulations highlight the negative impacts both policies will have on the province and the energy sector. Initial analysis suggests that compli-

ance with the emissions cap would cost Saskatchewan’s oil and gas sector between $7-9 billion by 2030.

“These two policies have the potential to be devastating for our economy,” Energy and Resources Minister Jim Reiter said. “Both amount to a production cap by default, and represent further instances of the federal government infringing on Saskatchewan’s constitutionally protected right to develop our natural

resources.”

According to Saskatchewan’s own preliminary economic analysis, the impact of the emissions cap, alongside Methane 75, suggests that 20 to 30 per cent of Saskatchewan’s total production is at risk by 2030. This would negatively impact communities across the province and significantly reduce employment, gross domestic product, and royalties and other tax revenues that fund critical public services.

The federal govern-

TeleMiracle 48 raises $6,112,717 million

TeleMiracle, Saskatchewan’s Charity, wrapped up its 48th edition Sunday in Regina.

As of 5 p.m. the final numbers on the video tote board showed a total of $6,112,717 raised.

With this year’s incredible generosity added, the total raised by TeleMiracle since 1977 is now over $165,112,717 million.

“TeleMiracle remains rooted in Saskatchewan and the generosity of Saskatchewan people really shined through once again this weekend,” says TeleMiracle 48 Chair Tyler Hall. “These donations are going to help so many people across the province.”

One of the many highlights of this year’s show were the 75 talented Saskatchewan performers who appeared throughout the telethon.

Not only did these acts showcase the scope of talent from every corner of the province, they also raised money for the telethon - which was once again matched by Nutrien, who presented their donation of $100,000 just before the end of the broadcast.

“Every dollar counts and we are so grateful to the people of Saskatchewan for their continuing support,” states Hall.

“The best part is that all the money raised stays right here in Saskatchewan, to help their friends, neighbours and communities.”

All TeleMiracle proceeds stay in Saskatchewan and are granted through the Kinsmen Foundation for specialized medical and mobility equipment, assistance with medical travel, and new and innovative health care equipment.

The Foundation typically receives over 1,000 applications for assistance annually.

Donors that made phone pledges during the telethon can honour them by mailing their donation to TeleMiracle at Box 83000, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, S7K 9S1.

Planning begins shortly for TeleMiracle 49, to take place March 1-2, 2025 in Saskatoon.

TeleMiracle celebrated its 48th year in 2024. Through the proceeds of this annual telethon, the Kinsmen Foundation is Helping People Every Day in Saskatchewan, to improve their independence and quality of life through gifts of mobility and medical equipment, or funding for medical travel, that they otherwise could not afford.

ment has also indicated that there are no plans to apply similar treatment to imported energy products. The result will be increased reliance on oil and gas imported from countries that do not have strong environmental records, at the expense of domestic production and the associated economic

benefits.

“We urge the federal government to scrap both policies, and instead focus on practical solutions that reduce emissions while supporting the oil and gas sector,” Reiter said.

Saskatchewan’s upstream oil and gas industry has made significant progress in

reducing emissions and, guided by policies and programs already in place, will continue to achieve results. From 2015 to 2022, greenhouse gas emissions in Saskatchewan from venting and flaring at upstream oil facilities are down 64 per cent and methane emissions are down 70 per cent.

Healthy eating for a healthy smile

Food and beverage choices have an impact on a person’s oral and overall health.

We know that a sugarrich diet increases health risks like type 2 diabetes and heart disease, but did you know that foods high in sugar or acid can also lead to a weakening of tooth enamel and contribute to tooth decay?

Keeping your teeth and mouth healthy requires more than just daily brushing, flossing and rinsing. Dental hygienists remind us to

maintain a balanced and nutritious diet so that teeth and gums receive the nutrients that are essential to resisting oral diseases.

• Read the labels. When shopping, avoid ingredients ending in “-ose” (such as fructose and dextrose) as they are typically high in sugar.

• Cut back on added sugar by limiting sugary cereals, granola bars, sodas, energy drinks and fruit punches from your diet.

• Choose nutritious

snacks like apples, cheese and plain yogurt, following Canada’s Food Guide recommendations.

• Set a daily limit on treats for children.

• Make water your family’s beverage of choice.

• Plan and pack snacks in advance to help prevent temptation.

• Consider products flavoured with the natural sugar substitute xylitol.

Remember: the average diet can include some sugar, but moderation is key. By reducing your daily sugar intake and maintaining good oral hygiene habits (brushing twice a day for two minutes each time, cleaning between the teeth and rinsing daily), you can reduce your risk of tooth decay and other diseases.

For personalized advice on healthy food and beverage choices, talk to your dental hygienist during your next appointment. Together, you can work towards maintaining healthy smiles for a lifetime.

What people can do to prevent stroke

Stroke has been described as a “brain attack.”

Stroke occurs when blood flow to a part of the brain becomes blocked or when a blood vessel in the brain breaks, which can damage or kill brain cells. The Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion in the United States says stroke is a leading cause of death and long-term disability in adults. It also can cause irreversible damage to the brain.

Individuals who experience stroke may end up with memory problems or experience difficulty thinking or forming words. Mobility issues like difficulty walking or paralysis

and weakness may occur. Some individuals also may experience incontinence and other issues resulting from neurological damage. Although stroke can come out of the blue and is not always preventable, there are several steps people can take to help reduce their risk for stroke.

• Reduce blood pressure numbers. High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a significant risk factor for stroke, says Harvard Health. Doctors may advise patients to work to lower blood pressure to between 140/90 to 120/80.

• Work to lower BMI. Overweight or obesity increases risk for stroke,

says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Losing weight and maintaining a health body mass index can help lower stroke risk.

• Exercise more often. Routine physical activity can not only help a person lose weight, but also lower cholesterol and blood pressure levels - all of which are risk factors for stroke. The U.S. Surgeon General recommends individuals get a minimum of two hours and 20 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week.

• Get a cholesterol check. High cholesterol can increase risk of stroke, which makes routine cholesterol checks

important. The Office for the Assistant Secretary of Health in the U.S. says people should get their cholesterol checked at least every four to six years, with some needing to get it checked more frequently.

• Drink only in moderation. Alcohol can increase risk of high blood pressure. Individuals should reduce their alcohol intake, with one drink or less for women and two drinks or less for men per day.

• Know your family health history. Knowing one’s family health history may illustrate a risk for genetic health conditions that can make a person more likely to experience stroke.

• Treat heart disease. Do not delay medical treatment for heart disease. Heart conditions like coronary artery disease or atrial fibrillation should be addressed promptly to

prevent stroke.

Stroke is a serious medical condition that can leave a person debilitated. That is why it is key to reduce risk of stroke throughout one’s life.

5 ways to give your things a new lease on life

Whether you’re trying to be more eco-friendly in your day-to-day life, or some of your possessions are looking a bit tired, finding ways to make

items useful again can be good for your wallet and your spirit. Here are five ways to give new life to some of your possessions.

Embrace visible mending

Whether it’s an inconvenient rip in your comfiest jeans or a hole in your favourite sweater, there are plenty of simple techniques to repair clothes and other fabric items around the house. A garment that looks like new may not be beginner-level. But there’s a growing popularity of visible mending, where your darning is noticeable on the garment. Methods like Japanese Sashiko stitching are known for adding a beautiful touch to your repairs. Check

out your local library, craft shop or YouTube for tutorials. Visit a cobbler Believe it or not, cobblers are still in business. When your shoes and boots are wearing through, get one of these footwear experts to replace the sole. You’ll get another few years out them and save on a new pair as well as waste. It’s not just the soles you can get fixed either, broken zippers, buckles or ripped linings may also be repairable. Some will also repair leather goods like wallets and purses. Use your network

There are plenty of buyand-sell groups, buynothing communities and auction sites online. Before throwing something away, from a baby stroller to an old lamp, post it in one of these groups and see who bites. You never know when your junk will be someone else’s treasure. To get the best results be clear and upfront about terms of the deal (e.g., Do you expect them to pick it up? Are you willing to negotiate on price?) and prioritize your safetydon’t meet anyone alone after dark and choose a public place if possible.

Biggar Bowlers move to provincials

West Sask Teams

consisting of bowlers and coaches from Biggar, Perdue, Rosetown, Cut Knife and Lloydminster were at the Provincials

Rising Stars and FunBowl, February 17-18 in Saskatoon.

The top team in each tournament moves on

Chef Dez on cooking

Chef Dez

Let’s face it, regardless of the season, our lives are consistently hectic, often providing a convenient excuse to avoid cooking from scratch.

Incorporating quick and easy meal ideas into our culinary repertoire can significantly alleviate the stress associated with preparing dinner.

Our society inundates us with artificial solutions for our busy lives, such as fast-food

to inter-provincials in Newfoundland in April. The west Sask A-team for Rising Stars finished third, receiving provincial Bronze medals (Jason, Jeremy Wetsch, Chalyssa Wilson, Carla Wilson, coach Bill Shkolny).

The Saskatoon Team

A got Silver, and Saskatoon Team B (Cassandra Raschke (formerly of Biggar), Jesse, Kelsey, Alicia, coach Pat Beamish) took provincial Gold, and will now head to

Chef Dez on Cooking

yourself, with potential preservatives beyond your control.

Newfoundland! Joseph Silbernagel from Biggar on the West Sask, took second in mens singles over the weekend, ending up third in the Stepladder. Chalyssa from Lloydminster

Start a book nook

Home overflowing with books you don’t want or need anymore? Consider setting up a book station in your front yard or lobby, at your office or at your kids’ school for passersby to take and return as they please. Fill it up as you feed your reading addiction and encourage your neighbours or community members to add to it as well. Give others a lift

Donating clothing that’s in good shape allows someone else the chance to enjoy it.

finished in fifth place in ladies singles and finished fifth in the Stepladder. FunBowl Gold was won by Saskatoon. West Sask had four bowlers in the top 18 to win Pins over

average prizes: Tristan Otterson, Bridget Berg, Max, and Yvonne Markewich! No medals but awesome bowling.

(Submitted Photos)

Helping you bring dinner to the table establishments and prepackaged meals. It’s disheartening when the prospect of quick and nutritious meals is just an idea away. While some planning is necessary, it’s not as daunting as it may initially seem. Moreover, the more you engage in it, the more adept and efficient you become.

Slow cookers stand out as an obvious solution, with numerous recipes available online, in your local library, or within your existing cookbook collection. Recently, a commercial caught my attention, advertising a pre-packaged frozen slow-cooker meal that can be easily emptied into your crock pot. While it’s a step above deep-fried fast food, it’s basic cooking and comes at a higher cost compared to making it

Casseroles offer another solution, particularly popular with kids. Although it requires planning, preparing multiple casseroles of the same dish at once can save time. Freezing the extras provides an even quicker solution for your busiest evenings. Similar dishes suitable for bulk preparation and freezing include meat loaves, lasagna, shepherd’s pies, cabbage rolls, and more. Choose a convenient day, like a Sunday afternoon, to tackle this task.

In our household, a regular practice involves barbecuing a substantial amount of meat on Sunday night. This not only serves as our Sunday dinner but also provides leftover meat

for quick meals during the hectic weekdays. Transforming these leftovers into stir-frys, hot sandwiches, hearty soups/stews, pizzas, et cetera, becomes more efficient as the most time-consuming aspect, the meat, is already prepared. Food is not just a necessity; it’s an opportunity to celebrate life, nutrition, and the joys of flavours.

Unfortunately, many in today’s society view family meals as unappealing, relegating cooking to a mere household chore. A more fitting example of a chore would be vacuumingafter all, how often do you invite a friend to join you in vacuuming? Such gatherings usually revolve around dinner, lunch, or coffee and a treat.

Food is integral to

life in numerous ways - providing nutrition, building relationships, and offering pleasure through flavours. The first step toward change is shifting our perspective on food and cooking.

If you search for negatives, you’ll find them. Seek out the positives, and your perception will evolve. While my perspective may be biased, ask yourself: would you rather take pride in making (and enjoying) a great meal or spend your time cleaning the carpet?

Dear Chef Dez:

I like the taste of garlic in different dishes, however when I add it to a stir-fry it always adds a bitter flavour. What am I doing wrong?

Sincerely, John D.

Abbotsford, B.C.

Dear John:

If this is the only time you experience a bitter flavour from the addition of garlic to a recipe, I suspect that it is getting burned. Garlic burns very easily, especially if added to the extreme temperature in “wok cooking”. To avoid this problem in the future, always add a different vegetable first to the hot wok to temper it a little before adding the garlic. Send your food/cooking questions to dez@ chefdez.com or P.O. Box 2674, Abbotsford, B.C., V2T 6R4. Chef Dez is a Food Columnist, Culinary Travel Host and Cookbook Author. Visit him at chefdez. com

Dialogue key to international ag trade

Agriculture

Calvin Daniels

by Calvin Daniels

When you are an agricultural producer in Canada you will generally be reliant on export sales.

Certainly there are producers who have found local markets, but they are largely specialized and what might be called niche producers.

Of course many make local sales, they haul oats or flax or canola to a locally located processors which pays the farmer. However, what those processors make - rolled oats, flax or canola oil - typically ends up shipped out of country, so the farmer still needs export sales to operate.

In terms of securing export markets, it can be a very complicated thing.

The world of trade in general and agriculture trade in particular, is complicated. While not an economist it doesn’t take that degree to know trade in agriculture is not as easily achieved as a buyer wanting a product and a seller having it.

There are very often government-imposed impediments to what should be the free flow of goods. The barriers; tariffs and taxes and regulatory red tape, are created usually for political gain and not for good business. Countries have issues with other countries and trade between those countries may have new hoops to jump through.

And, of course countries often try to protect what they see as their key sector farmers from trade slapping tariffs of imports.

It is certainly not a case of the lowest cost producers filling worldwide market demand.

So when government representatives - federal or provincial - make trade junkets it is almost always a positive effort to be appreciated by the agriculture sector.

Recently, Lawrence MacAulay, Canada’s Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, visited Malaysia and the Philippines to strengthen trade relationships

there.

The trip wasn’t one which created a lot of major headlines, but high ranking officials do tend to find more doors open to them than others might, and that allows conversations with key people ensconced behind those harder to open doors.

For example, in Kuala Lumpur, Minister MacAulay met with Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Datuk Arthur Joseph Kurup to discuss how Canada can contribute to Malaysia’s food security goals, and how to leverage the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) to benefit both countries, noted an Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada release.

While in Manila, Minister MacAulay opened Canada’s firstever Indo-Pacific Agriculture and AgriFood Office (IPAAO).

The IPAAO will bolster regional ties, assist Canadian exporters in finding new business opportunities, and help position Canada as a preferred supplier in the region, continued the release.

Such talks aren’t likely to create an immediate spike in exports headed from Canada to that

by Trudy and Dale Buxton

We continue our story in the City of Dauphin.

Jim Reiter, MLA

Rosetown-Elrose Constituency

215 Main Street, Rosetown

Monday – Friday, 9:00 – 5:00

Dauphin is a city of around 8,400 people, and when coming into the city you will notice

Tel: 306-882-4105

Fax: 306-882-4108

Toll free; 1-855-762-2233

E-mail: jimreitermla@sasktel.net

Box 278, Rosetown SK S0L 2V0

Please call with questions or concerns

a 16-foot monument whose name is “Amisk the Beaver”. Amisk was built in 1967 as a Centennial project. The name Amisk is a Cree word meaning beaver and the monument commemorates the abundance of beaver in the area.

Attention: Kathie

being based here.

I gave you a few variations to look at.

Please let me know which you prefer by return email and we can get this ad started Thursday, November 24.

Price: $35.28 plus gst per week

Dauphin has also has a long tradition of the Canadian National Railway as being part of the community. The historic train station built in 1912 is still in use and is a provincial heritage site.

Talk to you later,

Urla Tyler, Advertising Consultant

Jim Reiter, MLA

Rosetown-Elrose Constituency

215 Main Street, Rosetown

Monday – Friday, 9:00 – 5:00

Tel: 306-882-4105

Fax: 306-882-4108

Toll free; 1-855-762-2233

E-mail: jimreitermla@sasktel.net

Box 278, Rosetown SK S0L 2V0

Please call with questions or concerns

Dauphin is the largest community in the Parkland Region and has a trading population of around 50,000 people. The main economy has always been based on a strong agriculture sector, growing many varieties of grains.

Dauphin does, however, have a good manufacturing sector with the Canadian company “Norwex”

A very sports minded community with hockey being the number one sport, Dauphin has several hockey players making their careers in the NHL after playing junior. One of those notables is Barry Trotz, who was the head coach of the Stanley Cup winning New York Islanders in 2018. Dauphin also has a history for championship baseball along with championship curling.

One interesting fact is that Dauphin is considered the “Horseshoe Capital of Canada” due mainly to one individual named Bert Snart, who brought the game forward for 32 years before being inducted to the Horseshoe Hall of Fame in Pennsylvania. Who knew that there was a hall of fame for horseshoes?

Did you know that Dauphin’s population is over 30 per cent Ukrainian? That probably explains why the city of Dauphin plays host to the “Canadian National Ukrainian Festival” each year.

Dauphin has a lot of recreation in the area with many things to do in summer and winter, from boating, biking fishing and snowmobiling.

Friday,

Just south of Dauphin is the Lt. Col W.G. (Billy) Barker Airport, named after William Barker,

Duaphins 16-foot Mascot, “Amisk the Beaver.” and area resident and one of Canada’s top fighter aces from the First World War, he was credited with around 50 kills of German aircraft and balloons.

If you are into some history you can visit the replica of a fur trading post, named Fort Dauphin, that was established way back in the mid 1700’s on the banks of the Vermillion River. The fort was built by French fur traders back in an era of trading with the many tribes of the First Nations people that lived in the area.

The site was designation as a Canadian National Historic Site in 1943.

If your hungry, Corrina’s on Main is a fabulous restaurant offering many different kinds of food.

I would say that our stay in Dauphin was really quite nice. We had the time to tour around the city and there was many things to see. It is definitely a place I would come back to if we were travelling this way again.

Stay tuned for more as we continue our trip in Manitoba.

OUTDOOR COURSE WORKER

Duties & Responsibilities:

Outdoor Sta shall be responsible for ful lling the following duties as assigned by the Course

Superintendent:

• Course maintenance, including: tee boxes, fairways, greens, rough, vegetation, weed control, ball washers, sand buckets, water lines and water system, etc.

• Equipment maintenance and repairs, including: golf carts, mowers, verti-cut, gators, etc.

• Prompt communication to the Maintenance Manager regarding unforeseen issues at the course – Ex. Equipment breakdown, water line breaks, etc.

• General maintenance and repair duties in Clubhouse

• All other assigned duties

Quali cations:

• Be 16 years of age or older

• Ability to work days and weekends

• Experience operating outdoor equipment is an asset

• Be willing to learn and accept direction

• Be able to work independently

• Mechanical skills an asset

Term of Contract:

This contract will be for the 2024 Operating Season of the Biggar Golf Club. This position will run from approximately May to September, with the potential to be extended to the end of October.

The Outdoor Staff will work up to 40 hours per week, understanding that some weekend shifts will be required.

Pay & Compensation:

The wage will be $14-$16 per hour dependent upon experience and qualifications.

Pay will be biweekly.

APPLICATIONS DUE: March 18, 2024 Email to: biggargolfclub@outlook.com

Send Resume to: Box 1431 Biggar, SK S0K 0M0

Lt. Col W.G. (Billy) Barker Memorial

Monarch Multiple 4H Club

CLUBHOUSE STAFF

Monarch Multiple 4-H beef club recently visited the P Cross Ranch feedlot for a tour. Members were able to learn about backgrounding calves and all different forms of feed used to do this. We would like to thank Garrett and Anneleis for taking the time out of their busy schedule to show us around. (Submitted Photos)

COURSE SUPERINTENDENT

Duties & Responsibilities:

e Course Superintendent shall be responsible for ful lling the following duties:

• Setting the work schedule for outdoor staff, including daily/weekly tasks.

• Orientating new staff on equipment and tasks.

• Weekly communication to Board Representative of planned tasks.

• Prompt communication regarding unforeseen issues at the course – Ex. Equipment breakdown, water line breaks, etc.

• Course maintenance, including: tee boxes, fairways, greens, rough, vegetation, weed control, ball washers, sand buckets, water lines and water system, etc.

• Equipment maintenance and repairs, including: golf carts, mowers, verti-cut, gators, etc.

• Ensuring adequate supplies are available (ex. Sand, grass seed, tools, etc.)

• General maintenance and repair duties in Clubhouse.

• All other assigned duties.

Quali cations:

•Must have a valid Saskatchewan Driver’s License

• Be 18 years of age or older

•Ability to work weekends

• Experience operating outdoor equipment is an asset

• Experience working with turf maintenance is an asset

• Experience managing staff is an asset

• Be willing to learn and accept direction

• Be able to work independently

• Mechanical skills an asset

Term of Contract:

This contract will be for the 2024 Operating Season of the Biggar Golf Club. The tentative start date will be Monday, April 15, 2024 until the tentative close date of Sunday, October 27, 2024. These dates are tentative and weather dependent; any modifications will be discussed between the Course Superintendent and the Biggar Golf Club Board. The Course Superintendent will work up to 40 hours per week, and shifts may be required on the weekend.

Pay & Compensation:

The wage will be $20-$25 per hour dependent upon experience and qualifications, with the potential to earn a performance bonus at the end of the 2024 season. Pay will be biweekly.

APPLICATIONS DUE: March 18, 2024

Email to: biggargolfclub@outlook.com Send Resume to: Box 1431 Biggar, SK S0K 0M0

Duties & Responsibilities:

e Clubhouse Sta shall be responsible for ful lling the following duties as assigned by the Clubhouse Manager:

•Booking tee times

•Processing greens fees, memberships, food and beverage sales

•Daily cash out and till reconciliations

•Ensure adequate change available in till

•Ensuring adequate supplies are available (ex. Food, beverages, score cards, etc.)

•Prompt communication regarding unforeseen issues at the Clubhouse/Course – Ex. Equipment breakdown, complaints, equipment requests, etc.

•Ensure Clubhouse is clean

•All other assigned duties.

Quali cations:

•Must have Food Safe Certificate, or willingness to obtain

•Must have Serve it Right (SIRS) Certificate, or willingness to obtain

•Be 19 years Åof age or older

•Ability to work days, evenings and weekends

•Experience operating food equipment is an asset

•Experience with cash out procedures is an asset

•Be willing to learn and accept direction

•Be able to work independently

•Great communication and customer service skills

Term of Contract:

This contract will be for the 2024 Operating Season of the Biggar Golf Club (roughly May to the end of September). These dates are tentative and weather dependent.

Clubhouse Staff will work up to 40 hours per week, with the understanding that shifts may be during the daytime, evening or weekend.

Pay & Compensation:

The wage will be $14-$16 per hour dependent upon experience and qualifications.

Pay will be biweekly.

APPLICATIONS DUE: March 18, 2024 Email to: biggargolfclub@outlook.com

Send Resume to: Box 1431 Biggar, SK S0K 0M0

CLUBHOUSE MANAGER

Duties & Responsibilities:

e Clubhouse Manager shall be responsible for ful lling the following duties:

• Setting the work schedule for Clubhouse staff, including daily/weekly tasks.

• Orientating new staff on equipment and tasks.

• Booking tee times

• Processing greens fees, memberships, food and beverage sales

• Daily cash out and till reconciliations

• Ensure adequate change available in till

• Ensuring adequate supplies are available (ex. Food, beverages, score cards, etc.)

• Setting weekly meal plans, and meals for tournaments, men’s nights, ladies’ nights, seniors’ afternoons, etc. by coordinating with the organizers.

• Weekly communication to Board Representative of Clubhouse activities.

• Monthly inventory counts.

• Prompt communication regarding unforeseen issues at the Clubhouse/Course – Ex. Equipment breakdown, complaints, equipment requests, etc.

• Ensure Clubhouse is clean and all other assigned duties.

Quali cations:

• Must have Food Safe Certificate, or willingness to obtain

• Must have Serve it Right (SIRS) Certificate, or willingness to obtain

• Be 19 years of age or older and ability to work days, evenings and weekends

• Experience operating food equipment is an asset

• Experience with cash out procedures is an asset

• Be willing to learn and accept direction

• Be able to work independently and be able to manage staff

• Great communication and customer service skills

Term of Contract:

This contract will be for the 2024 Operating Season of the Biggar Golf Club (roughly late April to early October). These dates are tentative and weather dependent; any modifications will be discussed between the Clubhouse Manager and the Biggar Golf Club Board.

The Clubhouse Manager will work up to 40 hours per week, with the understanding that shifts may be during the daytime, evening or weekend.

Pay & Compensation:

The wage will be $20-$25 per hour dependent upon experience and qualifications, with the potential to earn a performance bonus at the end of the 2024 season. Pay will be biweekly.

APPLICATIONS DUE: March 18, 2024 Email to:

to Biggar Minor Hockey

P&H

Junction (Biggar) donated pucks and puck bags to each age group of Biggar Minor Hockey. Pictured, left to right: Dana Lanigan, P&H Biggar, Taryn Argue, Biggar Minor Hockey, and Annette Gillespie P&H Biggar. (Submitted Photos)

U15 Pred’s loss close Game 1 Provincial ... The U15 Prairie Predators played Game 1 of their Provincial B round. Defeating Maple Creek Hawks in their opening series, Pred’s fell to the Watrous Hawks, 6-4, now going to their barn, March 3 for Game 2. (Independent Photo by Daryl Hasein)

U18 Nats even-up in Prov tilt ... A four-all tie was the end result of their Provincial B Game 1 versus the Aberdeen Flames, Sunday. Nats are on the road to Aberdeen’s barn this Saturday for Game 2. (Independent Photo by Daryl Hasein)

Dodgers appear to be invincible

With spring training camps under way in Florida and Arizona, it’s time to bring out the hyperbole machine to try to foretell what will happen in 2024.

Los Angeles Dodgers are going to be so dominant in the National League, they may go 162-0. Okay, 153-9 at worst. They may be baseball’s best team ever. They could have the home-run champion, the most valuable player, the rookie of the year and the Cy Young award winner. The commissioner’s office may step in “for the betterment of baseball.”

They may clinch the pennant by the Fourth of July.

How can the Dodgers possibly not win the World Series?

Manager Dave Roberts already had an all-star lineup, led by superstars Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts. They then signed baseball sensation Shohei Ohtani, who led the American League with 44 home runs for the L.A. Angels last year and who won’t pitch again until 2025 due to off-season surgery.

by Phil Hellman

League Playoffs are down to the final four and some Sask West Hockey League (SWHL) teams are still alive in provincials.

League

The Wilkie Outlaws opened their playoffs

Tuesday night in Game 1 of the best of five against the Macklin Mohawks, and in a thriller, it was Wilkie coming away with the 3-2 overtime victory and taking a 1-0 series lead.

Carson Pickett would open the scoring at the 7:26 mark of the first, but Ryan Keller would tie the game up at 1 on the power play just two minutes later.

The game would stay a draw all the way into the third when Spencer Bast fired a shot past Outlaws goaltender Jared Herle on the power play to give

The Dodgers also won the free-agent race for another Japanese superstar pitcher, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who is reportedly a better pitcher than Ohtani. With an apparently limitless supply of money, the Dodgers signed free-agent pitcher Tyler Glasnow, who was 10-7 with Tampa Bay last year. He will join Yamamoto, Bobby Miller (11-4 last year), Tony Gonsolin (8-5), Walker Buehler (6-3 in 2022 before an injury shut him down for the entire 2023 season, Dustin May (4-1) and future Hall of Fame Clayton Kershaw, who signed a one-year contract for his 17th season after undergoing off-season shoulder surgery.

And because a team can never have enough hitting, former Blue Jay and Seattle Mariner Teoscar Hernandez, who hit 26 home runs for the Mariners last year and has 159 homers in his eight-year career, signed as a free agent with the Dodgers.

Because Ohtani’s $700 million contract calls for $680 million to be deferred until after he retires, the Dodgers have circumvented some of the luxury-tax penalties they would otherwise have faced.

The Dodgers (100 wins) and Atlanta Braves (104) were the only two N.L. teams to win 100 or more games last year, and both were eliminated in their opening playoff rounds. Baltimore, the

only A.L. team to win more than 100 games, also went out in the fist round of playoffs.

Which means, of course, that regularseason success doesn’t always translate to the post-season. The situation may look different come October, but right now, on the eve of the ’24 season, it looks like the Dodgers, in a breeze.

A story on MLB.com said the obvious: “We’re looking at one of the most loaded teams in recent memory.”

• Comedy writer Alex Kaseberg, after Canadian swimmer Betty Brussel sets records in the 100to 104-year-old age class in Saanich, B.C at the age of 99 (turning 100 in July): “This beats the previous record of drowning.”

• Headline at fark. com: “Good news: Rob Manfred retiring. Bad

news: In 2029.”

• Super 70s Sports: “Every time Frank Sinatra attended a Dodgers game he permitted Tommy Lasorda to point out one person he wanted dead.”

• Super 70s Sports. remembering from 1973 the greatest racehorse of all time: “The fastest times ever recorded in each Triple Crown race: Kentucky Derby: Secretariat, 1:59 2/5; Preakness Stakes: Secretariat, 1:53; Belmont Stakes: Secretariat, 2:24.”

• Headline at The Beaverton, Canada’s parody website: “Auston Matthews vows to work on his ‘pass to a guy who passes to a guy who scores’ skills so he can finally deserve MVP.”

• Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel: “The sports betting industry recorded revenue of nearly $11 billion last

year, according to the American Gaming Association. How can that be? Every serious sports bettor I ever talk to always tells me how much they’re winning!”

• Scott Ostler of the San Francisco Chronicle, during the Steph Curry-Sabrina Ionescu three-point shooting competition: “Man, if you can’t enjoy watching this, give pro cornhole a try.”

• RJ Currie of sportsdeke. com: “At the Scotties, Team Canada first-rock thrower Briane Harris was ruled ineligible to play just hours before the tournament start - with no explanation given. Rather than a lead-off story, we got a lead-out story.”

• Headline at theonion.com: “Victor Wembanyama’s Head Lodged Between Rim And Backboard Again”

• From fark.com: “Mets

Biggar Bowl weekly scores

Monday Adult Mixed

IR list has arrived at spring training.”

• Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun: “The injury to Mark Stone in Vegas gives crafty GM Kelly McCrimmon all kinds of LTIR (long-term injury reserve) money to play with as the trade deadline approaches. No doubt, Stone will be back for the playoffs, where dollars don’t count and the creative McCrimmon will be front of the trading line with money to spend.”

• Another one from Simmons: “If NBA players don’t cover anybody during the season why would they be expected to cover anyone in an All-Star game?”

• Another one from fark. com: “Auston powers his way to reach 50 goals. Yeah, baby.”

Care to comment? E-mail brucepenton2003@ yahoo.ca

Macklin the 2-1 lead. Keller threw the team on his back again, scoring just a minute later to knot the contest back up. In the extra frame, Kolton Baptiste threw a wrist shot on net, squeaking through goaltender Trevor Martin to send the hometown fans away happy.

Martin stopped 41 of 44 shots in the overtime loss, while Herle stopped 34 of 36 shots in the win.

On Thursday night, the Hafford Hawks travelled to Kindersley to play Game 1 of the best of five semi-finals against the Sr Klippers, and it was the visitors who came away with the 5-2 win and the 1-0 series lead.

Kyle Ireland would open the scoring at the 5:56 mark of the first on the power, but Shayne Neigum would reply

Tuesday Night Mixed

Thursday Afternoon Seniors

YBC

Sask West This Week

with a power play goal of his own to knot the game up at 1 after 20 minutes.

Jonny Calkins would give the Sr Klippers the 2-1 lead super early in the middle frame which lead until the midpoint of the period. In a threeminute span, Ireland, Kyle Litchenwald and Ryan Schaefer (on the power play) would all score to give the Hawks the big 4-2 lead after two periods. Litchenwald would add his second of the night early in the third.

The fireworks started going off after that, leading up fisticuffs in the middle of the period. Three players were tossed, including Schaefer who was assessed a Match penalty for headbutting.

Joel Gryzbowski stopped 38 of 40 shots in the win, while Cody

Beswitherick took the loss stopping 29 of 34 shots.

On Saturday night, the Kindersley Sr Klippers travelled north to visit the Hafford Hawks in Game 2 of the best of five semi-finals. The Klippers left with a 4-3 OT win, tying the series up at 1.

Quinton Cubbon opened the scoring early in the first and added his second of the night just five minutes later, giving the Hawks the 2-0 lead. Jonny Calkins, on the power play, did cut the deficit in half before the buzzer went.

The middle frame only had Jeremy Boyer extending the lead to 3-1, but it was obvious that Hafford held control on the game. Despite the Hawks controlling the game, Calkins would score on a knuckleball to cut the lead down to 3-2.

Ladies high single - Melissa Raschke 220, Ladies high triple- Leisha Derosiers 559, Mens high singleJason Raschke 240, Mens high triple -Tristan Otterson 649.

Ladies high single - Anissa Silbernagel 276, Ladies high triple - Anissa Silbernagel 725, Mens high single - Jason Raschke 276, Mens high triple - Jason Raschke 725.

Ladies high single - Cheryl Porier 212, Ladies high triple - Cheryl Porier 518, Mens high single - Larry Tavanitz 195, Mens high triple - Greg Love 501.

Bowlasaurus - Benjamin Olson 90, Pee wee single - Ashton Kramer 85, Double - Ashton Kramer 167, Bantam single - Peter Olson 157, Triple - Peter Olson 374, Junior Single - Dominic Raschke 205, TripleDominic Raschke 486, Senior High single - Noah 255, High Triple - Noah 667.

Damon McKenzie would score with 5:28 left to unbelievably tie the game up at 3 and send it into overtime.

In the extra 10-minute frame, McKenzie would convert on a wraparound to complete the unlikely comeback.

Logan Drackett, in his first action since January 20, took the win, stopping 27 of 30 shots. Joel Gryzbowski took the OTL, stopping 28 of 32 shots.

On Sunday night, the Macklin Mohawks

welcomed the Wilkie Outlaws into town for Game 2 of their best of five semi-final and it was the Outlaws winning 4-1 and taking a 2-0 series lead.

Carson Pickett got the Mohawks on the board first on the power play. The 1-0 lead held all the way into the middle of the second period when Brett Boehm potted his own on the power. Boehm would add his second of the evening just three minutes later.

Bruce Penton

Sask. breaks new surgical record with highest-ever volumes performed

Saskatchewan’s surgical system achieved the highest volumes ever recorded in the first nine months of the fiscal year from April 1 to December 31.

As of December 31, 71,850 procedures have been performed, which is an increase of 6,000 procedures over December 2022.

“Thousands more patients are receiving the procedures they need thanks to the tireless effort, leadership and collaboration of our surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses and care teams,” Health Minister Everett Hindley said. “Our government will continue to work closely with our partner agencies to continue supporting health care professionals in improving the quality of life for patients in our province.”

Aggressive surgical targets are in place to surpass last year’s highest surgical volume of over 90,000 procedures, to ensure 90 per cent of surgeries are performed within 10 months and that no patients are on the waitlist longer than 18 months.

From October 1 to

December 31, 2023, the surgeries performed or offered exceeded the 90 per cent target.

The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) is responsible for delivering surgical services to meet the needs of Saskatchewan residents.

“The ambitious targets we set for ourselves this year pressed us to redesign our programs and processes to build a more sustainable model that opened up more surgical capacity and ultimately leads to more surgeries,” SHA Provincial Surgical Services Executive Director Cindy Graham said. “As we work to be more efficient and streamline how we provide high quality service, we are guided by our commitment on a patient-centered care approach that provides timely access to a more robust surgical program.”

In 2023-24, the annual investment for the surgical program was nearly $670 million. There was a $42.5 million funding increase to the surgical wait time strategy to provide 6,000 additional surgeries.

“As we build on the momentum started in 2023, we continue to reshape the way we deliver surgical care in this province to improve access and reduce wait times, while still providing high quality surgical care to the people of Saskatchewan,” SHA Provincial Department Head of Surgery Dr. Michael Kelly said. “This success is only possible with the remarkable dedication of the health care providers and physicians who help ensure we deliver high quality surgical care every day.”

Further expansion of resources will be possible through the work of the Government of Saskatchewan’s Health Human Resources Action Plan. Ensuring key staffing complements on surgical teams by improving recruitment and retention of nurses and associated professionals.

The Government of Saskatchewan continues to support all partner organizations in the historic delivery of services for Saskatchewan residents.

3 unique ways to support causes you care about

Many of us have different causes that are near and dear to us. We might support organizations seeking social justice, championing environmental causes, tackling healthcare issues that have affected a loved one, or all of the above.

Here are four ways you can support your favourite charities this year. Volunteer your time

There is an almost endless array of options for volunteering your time. Food banks and soup kitchens can always use an extra set of hands for sorting food or dishing it out. Environmental organizations regularly hold events to clean up local parks and waterways or to remove destructive invasive species. For a more informal approach, you could offer to shovel an elderly neighbour’s sidewalk or organize a meal train for a family going through a traumatic experience.

Look for matching donations

Many charitable organizations have partnerships with corporations or government agencies that provide matching funds, sometimes multiple times. So, for every dollar you donate, the charity will received several times that amount. Don’t forget to ask for a charitable donation receipt. You’ll get a bit of a break on your taxes, meaning you’ll have more money available to give next time.

Shop with a cause in mind

There really is power to the phrase, putting your money where your mouth is. Where you choose to shop - or not - sends a message to retailers. You can choose to purchase from retailers that actively support the same causes you do, follow sustainability practices or are run by underrepresented groups.

Feel-good campaigns that are easy to take part in

Many of us want to do our part for the community. But this year in particular, worries about the cost donating to charities might be holding us back.

Here are six easy, lowcost or free ways you can give back.

Share on social media

You don’t have to be an influencer with millions of followers to have an impact online. If there’s a cause you care about, post a message about how you’re contributing and encourage your contacts to take part as well.

Donate unwanted items

After major natural disasters and other humanitarian crises, there are often campaigns to collect clothing, furnishing and

other essentials for those impacted. Women’s shelters and other aid organizations need donations throughout the year. Join a fun run

You don’t need to be a fitness buff to participate in a charity run. There are events held across the country that cover different lengths. There are also walking, biking, rowing events and more that you can participate in. However you join, you get a bit of exercise and might meet some new like-minded friends.

Give money that multiplies

Many well-known charities have partnerships with corporations or government agencies that provide matching

funds for public donations. In some cases, the funds are donated in multiples. So, for every dollar you donate, several more go to the charity.

Volunteer your time

Many charities rely on volunteers to fulfil their goals. While some require a regular commitment, many others welcome one-time, once-aweek or once-a-month participants. Other options, such as tutoring or mentoring, can be done online from the convenience of your home.

Repurpose with purpose

If you have clothing that you no longer want or need, considering giving it to an organization that can give it a second life.

Dry mouth: When drinking more water isn’t enough

A sticky, dry mouth is more than an uncomfortable feeling. Occasional dry mouth from nervousness or dehydration goes away with a glass of water.

But if your mouth is often dry, your tongue is sticking to the roof of your mouth, and it is difficult to chew, swallow and talk, you may have persistent dry mouth, known as xerostomia.

There are also opportunities at the cash register. Most grocery stores, for example, give customers the option of adding a small donation to their purchase to support children or families who don’t have enough to eat. Note, however, that you don’t get a tax break for this kind of donation.

Dry mouth affects your overall health and wellbeing. Difficulty chewing and swallowing makes it a challenge to eat well. Difficulty talking can be socially embarrassing. Dry mouth can also cause bad breath, sores in your mouth and on your lips, cavities and other oral health problems.

Many things can cause dry mouth. Some medications, especially cold medicines and medications for high blood pressure, depression and anxiety, will leave your mouth feeling dry. Treatments for cancer and some diseases and chronic conditions are associated with dry mouth. So are some lifestyle choices, such as smoking.

If you notice that your mouth often feels dry and swallowing is difficult, ask your oral healthcare professional for advice. Scheduling routine visits with your dental hygienist will help monitor your health condition and provide regular scaling (cleaning and polishing).

For daily comfort, try the following tips:

• Clean your teeth and your mouth twice daily.

• Use an alcohol-free mouth rinse.

• Sip water regularly and drink water with every meal.

• Chew sugar-free gum or suck on sugar-free candies.

• Use lip lubricants or balm to prevent dry lips and sores.

• Avoid foods and drinks that are known to dry your mouth, such as caffeine, alcohol, cinnamon-flavoured items, and spicy and acidic foods.

• Reduce or quit smoking.

Find more information about dry mouth at dentalhygienecanada.ca

The Canadian Dental Care Plan: Seniors come first

Oral health care is essential for overall health and wellbeing. However, many Canadian residents cannot afford to visit an oral healthcare professional. A new federal insurance plan will help change that.

Beginning in 2024, qualifying Canadian residents without private dental insurance can apply to the Canadian Dental Care Plan for help with those costs.

Coverage under the plan is rolling out in phases. The first group

to qualify is seniors. Children under the age of 18 and persons with a disability tax credit certificate can apply as of June. Other Canadian residents between the ages of 18 and 64 will be able to apply for dental coverage in 2025.

The dental care plan will cover a wide range of oral health care, including preventive services provided by participating dental hygienists across the country. These include scaling (cleaning), polishing, sealants

and fluoride. Other services covered under the plan include x-rays, fillings, root canal treatments, dentures, periodontal treatment and extractions.

Seniors are especially at risk for the complications caused by poor oral health. Gum disease increases the risk for heart disease, stroke and diabetes. A sore mouth or loss of teeth can make it difficult to eat, leading to malnutrition. Dry mouth is another concern that often affects seniors and can cause cavities.

Many dental hygienists operate mobile practices and are well-equipped to care for the most vulnerable populations, such as seniors in longterm care or in their own homes, and those with physical or mental impairments and complex medical needs.

With the new Canadian Dental Care Plan and professional oral health care services available from dental hygienists, seniors and all eligible residents in Canada will be able to achieve better overall health.

-

Monday

rosetownnatural@sasktel.net

Troy

•

•

•

•

•

This

PHONE......306-951-0078

www.newufitness.ca

ARIES –Mar 21/Apr 20

Take a few days off from work if you find you have been running yourself ragged, Aries. The pressure to be the best may have gotten to you and you need a rest.

TAURUS –Apr 21/May 21

Powering through a situation sometimes works, but not if you are feeling ill or injured, Taurus. Prioritize your health right now and take a step back if need be.

GEMINI –May 22/Jun 21

Gemini, there are always two sides to every story, so resist the urge to weigh in on a situation between friends right now. Get all of the information first and then stay neutral.

CANCER –

Jun 22/Jul 22

Listen to someone’s feelings when they come to you and try to vent, Cancer. Exhibit some patience and help this person work through his or her issues.

LEO –Jul 23/Aug 23

A great opportunity is coming down the pike, Leo. You will have to get your timing correct to maximize its impact on your life. Organize all of the elements you can control.

VIRGO –Aug 24/Sept 22

Advice from a loved one prompts you to reevaluate your plans for the coming weeks, Virgo. Step away from the situation to see how things might work.

LIBRA –Sept 23/Oct 23

It is important to take the reins this week, Libra, particularly if you want to get noticed by those in positions of power. You need to be your own best advocate.

SCORPIO –Oct 24/Nov 22

Sometimes the hardest thing to do in a situation is to stay silent when you don’t agree with things, Scorpio. Keep in mind that others may not be ready to hear your advice.

SAGITTARIUS –Nov 23/Dec 21

Take ownership of any mistakes you have made and learn from them this week, Sagittarius. That is the only way you can grow as a person and make a difference in others’ lives.

CAPRICORN –Dec 22/Jan 20

Capricorn, are you ready to accept the consequences of your actions? If you go out on your own path when others are warning against it, you will need to confront the consequences on your own.

AQUARIUS –Jan 21/Feb 18

Aquarius, you may be ready to make a big move in your life, but others may not be there with you just yet. You need to find the timing that works for as many as possible.

PISCES –Feb 19/Mar 20

Pisces, it may not be possible to put blinders on for every situation. However, sometimes it is adviseable to look the other way in the name of keeping the peace.

Cape Verde capital

43. One point north of due east

44. Kilo yard (abbr.)

45. Middle Eastern nation

46. It yields Manila hemp

48. People operate it (abbr.)

49. Regenerate

50. Not healthy

51. Chinese sword

52. Mild expression of surprise

CLUES DOWN

1. Unit of angle

2. Headgear to control a horse

3. Clots

4. Follows sigma

5. A woman who is the superior of a group of nuns

6. Greek units of weight 8. Radio direction finder (abbr.)

9. Systems, doctrines, theories

11. Stony waste matter

14. Bravo! Bravo! Bravo!

15. Hostile to others

18. U.S. State

19. Not wet

20. Something one thinks up

22. Where beer is made

23. Clumsy person

24. Belonging to us

27. Canadian flyers

28. Greek goddess of the dawn

29. Snakelike fish

31. Unhappy

32. Fruit

33. Not good

34. Zero degrees Celsius

35. Goo Goo Dolls’ hit

36. Crawls into the head (folklore)

37. Legally responsible

38. Move in a playful way

39. Regarded with deep affection

40. Partner to flowed

44. Native American tribe

47. Head honcho

IN LOVING MEMORY

EDWARD ELMER CHERWONIAK

November 21, 1943 - February 19, 2024

In Loving Memory of With fond memories and heavy hearts the family announces the sudden passing of our loving Husband, Father, Brother and Friend, Elmer Cherwoniak.

Elmer is survived by his loving wife, Karen, of 50 years and his beloved daughter, Devan, Saskatoon, SK. Elmer grew up in Landis, SK with his sister, June McConnell and loving parents Steve & Helene Cherwoniak. Elmer completed Teachers College in 1962 and started teaching in Rural, SK. He completed his Bachelor of Education in 1967 & Bachelor of Science in 1971, at UofS. He then taught Chemistry at Evan Hardy Collegiate in Saskatoon, until his retirement in 1997. Go Souls!

by Father Edward Gibney, Biggar/Landis Roman Catholic Church Lent

- A Time to Return to God

Ezekiel says, “If the wicked turn away from all their sins that they have committed and keep all my statutes and do what is lawful and right ... none of the transgressions that they have committed shall be remembered against them ... for the righteousness that they have done they shall live.”

In this Ezekiel is telling us that righteousness is not about living a perfect life, from the moment of birth to the moment of death. Righteousness is about recognizing what we do or have done wrong, and changing, so as to turn our lives around.

Elmer loved to spend time with his family, especially Saturday lunches with Devan.

Elmer was fortunate to gain a brother via his marriage to Karen, with Elmer & Karen enjoying many Christmas trips with Lorne and Barb Armstrong and their sons.

Elmer was an avid antique collector, especially clocks, and enjoyed spending time at the Family Farm in Landis with friends and family.

Please join the family at Grace Westminster United Church, 505 10th St E, Saskatoon, SK on Saturday, March 2nd, 1 PM for a memorial service, followed by comradery in the church hall.

REFLECTIONS

The righteousness of a life ‘turned around,’ is what God is desiring. He knows that, after the fall of Adam and Eve, and the onset of Original Sin, humankind is prone to error.

Therefore, He understands our imperfections. What He does not understand is our unwillingness to admit our sins and to change our lives, so as to follow the way of life He has called us to live.

This Lenten period before Easter is a traditional time for us to acknowledge our sins, and to make a commitment to restart our relationship with God.

It is valuable for us to remember that even the greatest Saints of History had sins that needed to be forgiven.

Many Saints, became Saints, only after years of impure and unrighteous living. We know that Saint Matthew was a Tax Collector who stole from the Jewish people, before he became a disciple of Jesus and a writer of one of the Gospels. Saint Paul did everything he could to destroy the new Way of Jesus, before he was converted and spread the faith throughout the Mediterranean. Saint Disma was one of the criminals that was crucified with Jesus, where seeing his faith Jesus told him, “Today, you will be with me in paradise.”

One of the great theologians of the Church, Saint Augustine, lived a life of debauchery before his conversion, and Saint Mary of Egypt led

an immoral life, following a deep desire for sexual experiences, before a mystical experience in Jerusalem led her to live the rest of her life as a hermit, praying in the desert.

Jesus lived as one of us and thereby knows about the temptations of the world. He also knows that we are weak, and are prone to fail. And so, He desires that we return to Him in this Lenten period, to change our lives so as to live the rest of our lives in righteousness and purity.

May God Bless you and protect you. GET

Everyone

St. Gabriel roman CatholiC ChurCh

109 - 7th Ave.W, Biggar Father Edward Gibney

Parish Phone: 306-948-3330

Saturday Mass.......7:00p.m.

Sunday Mass....... 11:00a.m.

our lady of fatima CatholiC ChurCh, Landis

Sunday Mass.......9:00a.m.

Presbyterians, Anglicans and Lutherans

Worship - 10:30 a.m.

St.Pauls Anglican Redeemer Lutheran 205 4th Ave. E 319 7th Ave. E MARCH 10, ST.PAULS ANGLICAN MARCH 24, ST. PAULS ANGLICAN

Rev. Daphne Bender Pastor’s cellular Phone: 1-306-621-9559 Office Phone: 306-948-3731 (Messages are forwarded to Pastor’s phone immediately)

Biggar associated gospel church 312 - 8th Ave.W. and corner of Quebec St., Biggar

Sunday Service 10:30 a.m.

All are welcome to come and join us

Biggar United ChUrCh

REGULAR SERVICES

SUNDAY 11:00 am Pastor Dale Worrall

Inquires Call Church Office 306-948-2280 Leave Message

SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH

SATURDAY SERVICES

BIBLE STUDY 10:00a.m.

CHURCH SERVICE 11:00a.m. 320 - 6th ave.east contact: 306-951-8445

3 abn www.amazingfacts.org

NEW BEGINNINGS CHURCH

...In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope...1Pe 1:3

You are Invited

Sunday Tea and Coffee -10:15am Worship - 10:30am NEW HORIZONS 117 3rd Ave. W, Biggar

For more info - Philip Watson - 250-487-8476

Water Security Agency releases preliminary runoff report

February 22, the Water Security Agency (WSA) released the preliminary spring runoff report.

Below average snow conditions, in combination with the generally dry fall conditions, is resulting in below normal to well below normal runoff across the province.

Despite dry conditions heading into freeze up in Fall 2023, major water supply reservoirs in southern Saskatchewan are mostly at or above normal levels, except for Avonlea and some in the southwest.

“In Saskatchewan, we are fortunate to have Lake Diefenbaker and I am glad to see other reservoirs in the province are at near normal levels,” Minister Responsible for the Water Security Agency David Marit said. “In anticipation of potential dry summer conditions, a conservative overwinter operating plan

focused on retaining water supplies is being implemented for Lake Diefenbaker and other reservoirs across the province.”

WSA is taking proactive measures to protect and manage Saskatchewan’s water by keeping water levels at Lake Diefenbaker 3.5 metres higher during the winter period to retain water supplies in the event of low mountain runoff, and by maintaining higher winter level at other major reservoirs, to store as much water as possible.

Long-range forecasts predict near-normal precipitation and warmer temperatures than usual across Saskatchewan from February to April, with the southern areas experiencing the highest temperature increases.

“Our network of reservoirs and canals combined with our allocation system means we can store

(Submitted Photos)

water and prioritize to ensure communities have reliable drinking water, while producers and industry receive equitable supply that does not negatively impact our environment,” Marit said.

WSA owns and manages 72 dams and over 230 kilometres of water conveyance channels across Saskatchewan for water management purposes. WSA collects real time data from nearly 300 monitoring stations across the province. The data allows WSA to track and forecast the province’s water resources and make timely responses to changing conditions.

WSA is also working with communities across the province to identify their water supply needs and support the creation of drought preparedness plans. A full runoff report in March will be released once additional data is collected from snowpack surveys across the province, and regular updates throughout the spring.

Randy Weekes, MLA

Biggar - Sask Valley

Constituency Office

106- 3rd Ave. West, Box 1413

Biggar, SK S0K 0M0

Open Mon-Fri 9am-12pm & 1-4pm

Toll Free: 1-877-948-4880

Phone: 1-306-948-4880

Fax: 1-306-948-4882

24031SS1

Open Mon-Fri 9am-12pm & 1-4pm

Biggar Skaters take in Saskatoon comp ... Congratulations to Chloe Evans, Oriana Gosselin, Kabrie Metz and Addison Molberg who competed at the River Skate figure skating competition in Saskatoon! Way to go girls!

Another Biggar championship curler ... Congratulations to Biggarite Justin Heather and his squad for winning the Saskatchewan Men’s Club Championship. They will now advance to the Canadian Club Championship. Pictured, left to right: Stephen McDonald, Trevor Wooden, Justin Heather and Aaron Shutra. (Submitted Photo)