Vol. 104 No. 29
THURSDAY, JULY 18, 2013
Box 40, 102 3rd Ave West, Biggar, Saskatchewan S0K 0M0
email: tip@sasktel.net
20 pages
Phone: 306-948-3344
$1.25
www.biggarindependent.ca
Photo radar has arrived in Saskatchewan work zones periodically and as needed. This means photo enforcement could be set up in any work zone at any time. Where the automated speed equipment is present,
photos will be taken of the license plates of vehicles driving faster than 60 km/ hr. Tickets will be mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle.
Previously, fines for speeding in the work zone started at $140 and increased by $2-$4 for every km/h over the speed limit. Now, the base fine is $210
and will increase by $3-$6 per km/h over the speed limit. Also included in the fine is a victim’s surcharge which increases in severity by speed. For a driver who
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ith construction taking place on the highways around Biggar it is important to remember the laws regarding highway work zones. And now photo radar will be in place and operational in random highway work zones throughout the province. Highway #14 on the way to Saskatoon, east of Asquith is still under water. You can see the aquadam in place on the south side of the road which reduces the width of the highway. Drivers should slow down in the area. The road work on Highway #14 just outside of Saskatoon has been completed and the new pavement is a delight to drive on. When crews were working the speed limit was 60 km/hr. That’s what photo radar will do -- take a picture of the vehicle’s license plates as they go through the work zone. Anyone exceeding the speed limit will face heavy fines. At the other end of Highway #14 10 km west of Wilkie to eight km west of Unity there is also paving being done. Reduced speed is required. Motorists may encounter rough, fresh oil, sharp drop off pavement and one lane traffic. Remember to watch for equipment and persons working. Flagpersons will be in attendance so motorists should be prepared to stop during daylight hours. Delays are expected to be under 20 minutes. “Our only goal here is to motivate drivers to obey the law, which will ultimately make the work zone safer and potentially save the life of a worker or motorist,” Prince AlbertCarlton MLA and Chair of the Provincial Traffic Safety Committee Darryl Hickie said on behalf of Minister responsible for Highways and Infrastructure Don McMorris. “If we don’t collect one dime of revenue from photo enforcement, that’s a good thing - it means people are doing what they’re supposed to.” The location of the photo radar will change
Swimming in the rain . . . It seems whenever Biggar’s swim meet rolls around you can usually count on rain and this year was no different. However, the swimmers carried on with their events anyway while the officials and volunteers dug out their umbrellas or sought shelter under
tents. It was a good day for the Barracudas as Bailey Seidl captured a gold medal in 15-17 year girls; Kelley Knox got a bronze medal in 15-17 year girls; and Hayden McMahon struck silver in 7-8 year boys. More results are on page 16. (Independent photo by Daryl Hasein)
Tick populations and the diseases they spread under scrutiny “Ticks wanted: dead or alive.” The poster on University of Saskatchewan researcher Neil Chilton’s lab door invites residents to bring in the remains of their tick encounters this summer for DNA research. Chilton, a parasitologist, and his students use some of the same technology and research methods that crime scene investigators use. Most ticks have a hard exoskeleton and to extract a ticks’ DNA, graduate students pulverize their specimens with small drill bits to isolate and purify DNA molecules to be studied. “With this research we hope to learn more about what the ticks are doing, why we are seeing an increase in the last few years and the number of different species,” said Chilton. They are also exploring tick evolution, diversity and migration while identifying the micro-organisms that live inside them. Chilton and his team of
students head out during the summer to collect specimens by waving white flannel flags across leaves, flowers and branches. For those not too keen on helping his research, Chilton noted that “ticks aren’t very active. They can’t leap at you as you walk by, but if you brush up against them, they can latch on to you.” He recommended you stay on trails and avoid deep bush when outdoors in the summer. The call for more ticks comes from a discovery Chilton made about tickborne infections. “It turns out that it is actually bacteria, not the ticks themselves that cause infections like Lyme disease,” said Chilton. “Additionally, there are beneficial bacteria living in ticks that restrict the growth or transmission of pathogens.” One day this research could help control infectious diseases spread by ticks. While Lyme disease is the illness most
associated with ticks, Chilton explained that the chances of contracting it in Saskatchewan are low. This is because the blacklegged tick, which carries the disease, is found in southern Ontario and the eastern United States. According to Saskatchewan Health, more than 97 per cent of ticks found
in Saskatchewan are the American dog tick, which is not associated with Lyme disease. Chilton has several tips to avoid becoming a tick’s next meal particularly for kids at summer camp: • If ticks are in your area, wear long-sleeved shirts that fit tightly around the …see Ticks, pg 15
speeds through a work zone at just 70 km/hr, this would result in a total fine of $300. At 100 km/hr, this would result in a total fine of $530. ACS Public Sector Solutions, a Xerox company, was selected to provide photo enforcement through a competitive tender process and will be paid on a fee for service basis -- not based on the number of tickets issued. The RCMP will verify and determine if there is enough evidence to issue a ticket in each instance. Since the death of flag person Ashley Richards in August 2012, the Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure, Ministry of Justice, Saskatchewan Government Insurance, RCMP, Saskatchewan Heavy Construction Association and other partners have been working together to improve safety in work zones. Measures that have been taken to clear up confusion and keep workers and drivers safe in work zones are based on the “three E’s” of traffic safety -education, engineering and enforcement. In addition to photo radar, they include new black and white speed signs that make it clear to the driver exactly when to slow down, heavier fines for drivers who are caught speeding, rumble strips and gates to alert the driver they are entering a work zone, and increased enforcement by both the RCMP and provincial Highway Traffic Officers.
Around the barrel we go . . . This rider makes a sharp turn around the barrel during her ride. Every other Tuesday night is always busy in Biggar’s Rec Valley as barrel racers arrive for an evening of racing. Events include peewee, youth and open categories in barrel racing which starts at 7 p.m. The racers won’t go hungry though as home cooked meals are served at 5 p.m. Of course, everyone is always welcome so if you are interested in some good entertainment make your way to the valley in two weeks. (Independent photo by Daryl Hasein)