Community Safety programs receive provincial grant
The Government of Saskatchewan is advancing public safety efforts in Weyburn with continued investment in the Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods (SCAN) enforcement initiative.
For 2025-26, nearly $6 million has been allocated to support the province’s multi-year plan to add roughly 100 new frontline officers across Saskatchewan. This funding builds on the SCAN initiative that was first announced in fall 2024. SCAN is designed to strengthen frontline policing capacity and improve calls for service response times for area residents.
“As a resident of Weyburn, I know firsthand how important strong, responsive policing is to our community,” said Community Safety Minister and Weyburn-Bengough MLA Michael Weger. “The people who live here care deeply about their neighbourhoods and neighbours. They deserve a police service that has the resources and supports it needs to meet public safety expectations. This investment will help ensure officers can continue working to keep
our families safe, strengthen community trust, and support the wellbeing of everyone in Weyburn for years to come.”
Through this year’s investment, the Weyburn Police Service will receive $238,000 to continue funding the two SCAN officer positions that were announced and hired last year by the police service.
“Weyburn is grateful for this continued investment in strengthening our community’s safety,” said Mayor of Weyburn Jeff Richards. “This funding will have a direct impact on frontline policing, increasing the Weyburn Police Service visibility and presence.”
The Government of Saskatchewan values its strong partnership with the Weyburn Police Service and municipal police services throughout the province. By investing in additional frontline officers and supporting local policing partners, the province is strengthening community safety by enhancing response capabilities and ensuring officers can attend more calls for service to help create safer neighbourhoods.
The City of Weyburn proclaimed February as Inclusive Education Month during the January 26 council meeting. This proclamation recognizes inclusion of all individuals in the education system and celebrates the power of inclusive education that ensures equitable opportunities for every student. Pictured, l-r, Mayor Jeff Richards, Inclusion Weyburn representatives Jackie Wilson and Kim Neithercut, along with Weyburn Youth Councillor Mariesa Erasmus.
Weyburn awards $449K project contract for new aquatics facility
Sara Parks
SaskToday.ca
City council has selected Colliers Project Leaders to manage the city’s new aquatics facility project, awarding the firm a $449,965 contract during its regular meeting on January 26.
The project management contract is the first major step toward replacing the aging Harry Church Indoor Pool, which has been closed since the 2024-25 winter season.
Colliers “will work as a city representative to man-
age the project through all phases,” said director of Leisure Services Richard Henning.
Councillor John Corrigan asked if Colliers’ work would include recommendations on whether the old building could be repurposed.
Henning said they would.
Councillor Todd Bedore asked whether the $449,965 price tag aligned with expectations.
Henning said the bid came in “quite competitive,” adding that project
management for a build of this scale typically runs up to three per cent of the total cost.
“A project of this nature would be up to about three per cent and this is coming in at 1.5 per cent of a project for $30 million,” he said. “It’s in alignment with industry standards.”
Mayor Jeff Richards asked Henning to explain the value of the contract in plain terms.
“If you had me in the elevator for one minute and you had to explain to me exactly what we’re getting
for this half million dollars of project management, how would you concisely say that to a layman who doesn’t understand how to build the swimming pool?”
Henning said the city is getting an independent company that will come in and focus strictly on the city’s interests of delivering a project laid out within its budget and time frame.
“They have local expertise plus the aquatics expertise on top of that, and they’ve got a lot of lessons learned from recent pro -
jects across Canada,” he said.
Corrigan also asked how the contract will be paid out over the fouryear timeline. Henning said invoicing will occur in stages, from project initiation through post-construction closeout. Funding for project management is included in the previously approved $3-million levy and loan allocation for early-phase work, including design and tendering.
Eight firms submitted proposals for the RFP, which closed Jan. 9. Col-
liers scored highest with 94 points, well ahead of the next closest bidder. Their submission highlighted extensive experience with major aquatic builds across Canada, including Regina’s $300-million indoor aquatic facility, the Yellowknife Aquatic Centre and the Meadow Lake Recreation Centre.
The city’s anticipated timeline includes design by fall 2026, tendering by spring 2027, construction completion by fall 2029, and a grand opening in 2030.
Photo courtesy of City of Weyburn
COMMUNITY
Growing need for Weyburn Free Little Pantry program
Sabrina Kraft Weyburn Review
The Weyburn Free Little Pantry was created to provide food and other household supplies to families in need. The need in the community continues to grow, and so Colleen Morrice and Ardell Waldner, the organizers behind the program, hope to expand it into a nonprofit organization.
“I started the Weyburn Free Little Pantry three or four years ago, when I saw people were in need of
food. So I wanted to help them out. At that time, I would just send an e-transfer so they could get their own groceries,” explained Morrice.
She found that she could get a lot more groceries by couponing, and also by hunting down the best deals for the families in need.
Ardell was helping out families herself, before she connected with Colleen and they united under the Weyburn Free Little Pantry program.
Colleen Morrice and Ardell Waldner, the organizers behind the Weyburn Free Little Pantry program, hope to expand it into a non-profit organization.
Photo Sabrina Kraft/Weyburn This
“When I first started the program, I had 27 families, and now we are at 79 families,” said Morrice.
Families are connecting with them directly, with a slight growth after a Facebook group was created for the Weyburn Free Little Pantry. Often the program is helping out families who are making decisions between paying for power or water, or buying groceries.
“People don’t know that others in our community are struggling, and their children were going to school without lunches,” said Morrice.
Morrice also noted there are a few families who have transportation issues, where they cannot drive to get to the grocery store, or are struggling to even purchase plates for their vehicle. She is willing to drive out to the store to pick up what is needed, and then get the donations to the family right at their own location.
“We both wanted to help more people,” said Waldner. “I’ve always supported the food bank. But I was just finding it wasn’t helping the people I wanted to help.”
In addition to helping families, who might have
Wheatland Centre game results
In Spades on January 26, Rose Levesque placed first, Marge Schultz won second and Erskine Sandiford finished third.
During Military Whist on January 26, Mildred Sandiford, Gerry Thompson, Janet Van Winkoop and Brenda Paul took first and Jean Fahlman, Jeanne Molnar, Elaine Frasz and Gladys Lokken placed second. Third place was won by several people, who donated their prize money to the centre.
In Kaiser on January 27, Jean Knibbs and Rose Levesque placed first,
Eva Morley and Marlene Szczecinski took second and Jean Fahlman and Heather Carter came in third place.
During Canasta on January 28, Janet Van Winkoop won first, Eveline Porte placed second, Gerry Thompson came in third, Brenda Paul took fourth, Jean Reich claimed fifth and Sheila Wendel finished in sixth place.
In Hi-Low Whist on January 28, Willa Mae Donald and Ruth Boren placed first, Cris Herlick and Phyllis Lindskog came in second, Marge
Schultz and Fay Johnson took third and Brenda Paul and Dave Frayn.
During Thursday Crib on January 29, Sheila Wendel and Marlene Szczecinski placed first, Don Peterson and Heather Carter took second place, Ruth Boren and Garnet Barkley came in third and Elaine Frasz and Gerry Thompson finished fourth.
In Friday Contract Bridge on January 30, Lucie Nickel took first, Bonnie Olvera placed second and Dave Frayn came in third.
young or new parents, they are also helping to support older community members as well.
Both ladies take time out of their schedules every week to check out food prices and deals at the local stores, and also buy in bulk to help out more families.
“Because of the position we are in, where we are not mandated with any restrictions, we can accept opened packages and redistribute the items,” explained Morrice.
This allows the Weyburn Free Little Pantry to accept baked goods, homemade soups, and meals that were made in someone’s kitchen.
The soups and homemade meals mean a lot for the seniors that they help out, as they build connections.
“It’s a comfort for them,” said Waldner.
She added that many seniors in the community are struggling to make ends meet with their monthly pension income.
There is also a more personal connection to the families they are helping, and they are able to accommodate families who have autistic children and might have textural preferences for their meal
choices.
“The other thing that I’m finding, and this is where I’ve been, because as a single mom, I don’t have a million dollars. There’s little ways I can help,” said Waldner.
She provided an example of a 20 pound bag of potatoes might be on sale for $10, and even though her family would not use all of the bag, she can still purchase it and take out what she needs and use the rest to help out families supported by the Weyburn Free Little Pantry.
Other families who purchase in bulk who are looking to donate extra items they are not using are encouraged to reach out to either Colleen or Ardell.
There has been an interest in other community members donating food and gift cards, hence an immediate goal to apply for non-profit status. That will allow Weyburn Free Little Pantry to give charitable receipts.
Any restaurants who want to donate unused products, and reduce food waste, can contact either Colleen or Ardell on the Weyburn Free Little Pantry Facebook page. Any assistance with donating
food to the program is greatly appreciated.
Any residents who love to bake or make soup, but restrict themselves because they are making more than what their family can eat, is encouraged to contact either Colleen or Ardell as well.
They are also willing to purchase ingredients for a baker or a meal preparing.
“By doing what they still love to do, and giving back to others, it is a great way to find purpose,” said Waldner.
It is not just food that is being purchased either,. It is soaps, shampoos, cleaning products, and other household necessities.
Both ladies are aware that there are struggling families in the community who are not aware of the program, simply because they do not have access to Facebook.
A dream goal would be to build a soup kitchen, a place that would welcome everyone in need. A place that they could call their own. A place where anyone could come to sit, warm up, have a cup of coffee, and leave with a bowl of soup and a sandwich.
“A free space would be really nice, because everything’s coming out of our pockets,” said Morrice.
Legacy Park Ementary School student Piper and Special Care Home residents Connie Douglas and Edna Morrison enjoyed decorating and eating cookies. Grade 5 students visited the Special Care Home during their Neighbour’s Club program on January 29.
Photo Sabrina Kraft/Weyburn This Week
Week
St. Michael School students Emma, Maci and Savannah showed off their Rider pride during Spirit Day held at the school recently.
EDITORIAL
OPINION: MOE SHOWS CANADA CAN WORK TOGETHER
Doug Firby SaskToday.ca
There are times when Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe shows how a conservative can stand up for provincial interests without sabotaging Canada’s national interest.
That balance—assertive with Ottawa when necessary, cooperative when it counts—has been on display in how Moe has approached trade, diplomacy and the idea of Team Canada. It also highlights what Alberta Premier Danielle Smith continues to ignore.
Take the landmark agreement that Prime Minister Mark Carney reached in Beijing. Overcoming a decade of tense relations and ugly trade tit-for-tat with China was no small feat. It’s fair to say that China has treated Canada as a marionette of the U.S. administration, what with falling into lockstep on 100 per cent EV tariffs and arresting Huawei’s Meng Wanzhou seven years ago at the behest of the United States.
Never mind that both of those actions were arguably justifiable. Both poked the Giant Panda. Certainly, Canadians have plenty of reason not to trust China, a totalitarian regime known for its human rights violations and capacity to spy on us. And then there was the ordeal of the Two Michaels—Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor— who were arrested and imprisoned on charges widely viewed as without merit, in clear retaliation for Meng’s arrest.
Being able to orchestrate a truce with China, begin to rebuild trust and get punishing tariffs on Canadian canola dramatically reduced was a deft act of diplomacy by Carney, even if Ontario
Premier Doug Ford doesn’t like the quid pro quo of allowing a few made-in-China EVs to be sold here. Saskatchewan produces roughly half of Canada’s canola, and China has historically been one of its most important export markets.
Moe, a conservative, was gracious in his comments about Carney’s work and thoughtful in how best to address U.S. President Donald Trump’s economic threats. He called the China deal “very good news for Canada and Saskatchewan.”
More important were his thoughts issued before Carney headed to China. Speaking of working with the Liberal prime minister as part of Team Canada, Moe said: “We need to work together, and we need to work towards that common goal, which is, one, to have existing tariffs removed, and two, I would say, to advance additional opportunities to trade, not only with China, but many other countries around the world.”
In other words, he seemed to be saying that even though he may disagree with Carney on politics, he recognizes that the province and the feds have to work together to improve international trade.
Compare that to Alberta Premier Smith. Her statement after Carney reached his deal with China smacked of a backhanded compliment: Thanks for getting some tariffs reduced; now do some more. She said she welcomes the reduction of Chinese tariffs on canola and peas and hopes to see a similar cut to Chinese tariffs on Canadian pork and other products “in the near future.”
No, “We should work together.” No real recognition that much of anything was done.
Of course, her go-it-alone mentality has been on
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display for the past year. In January 2025, she was the only premier absent when then-prime minister Justin Trudeau and all the other premiers announced their commitment to “stand together on a united path forward” in the face of Trump’s tariff threats. She also refused to sign the final joint statement from the earlier First Ministers’ Meeting.
In the ensuing 12 months, Albertans have witnessed the rise of free-range separatists, who have travelled repeatedly to Washington, D.C., to raise money, without formal censure or meaningful consequences. Smith’s refusal to condemn their actions reveals where she stands on the issue.
Maybe it’s too late for Smith to join Team Canada. The radicals she courted to build her political power base have grown into Frankenstein’s monster. She probably couldn’t get them to back down now, even if she tried. Which she hasn’t.
But leadership isn’t measured by who you placate. It’s measured by whether you put the country’s economic and strategic interests ahead of provincial grievance politics. Moe has shown that a conservative premier can defend provincial jurisdiction without undermining Canada’s ability to act as a nation. Smith has shown the opposite.
At a time when Canada faces hostile trade pressures, fragile alliances and a volatile global economy, premiers who choose not to work as part of Team Canada aren’t just posturing. They’re weakening the country they claim to stand up for. Doug Firby is an award-winning editorial writer with over four decades of experience working for newspapers, magazines and online publications in Ontario and western Canada.
SaskToday
The Government of Saskatchewan said Monday it is disappointed in the decision by Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) to deny Saskatchewan and Alberta’s joint emergency use registration request for two per cent liquid strychnine to support Richardson’s ground squirrel management for the 2026 growing season.
“Saskatchewan producers have been clear about the challenges they face in managing Richardson’s ground squirrels with the limited tools available,” Agriculture Minister David Marit said. “We are extremely disappointed by PMRA’s decision and ask them to reconsider this decision. We need a federal regulatory system that considers economic impacts felt by producers and the realities on the ground.”
Saskatchewan joined Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation to submit an emergency use request on October 1, 2025, following continued concerns from producers and industry stakeholders regarding the onfarm efficacy of currently-registered alternatives. Throughout PMRA’s scientific review process, Saskatchewan and Alberta officials met with PMRA to clarify the ur-
gent need for access to strychnine and to respond to PMRA’s technical and sciencebased questions.
PMRA’s decision means producers will not have access to strychnine for the 2026 growing season.
Saskatchewan maintains that the emergency use request included robust, science-based and strengthened mitigation measures—such as narrower application windows, mandatory training, enhanced reporting requirements and improved stewardship—to reduce risks to nontarget species while preserving the product’s practical value for producers.
While PMRA determined these measures were not sufficient to mitigate risk to an acceptable level, Saskatchewan remains adamant that all PMRA’s requests were responded to. Saskatchewan will need to pivot efforts in supporting producers with the management of this important pest through the implementation of a Richardson’s ground squirrel management strategy.
More information on Saskatchewan’s Richardson’s ground squirrel management programming is available at Saskatchewan.ca.
Health care tops Weyburn residents’ concerns in new safety plan
Sara Parks SaskToday.ca
Weyburn residents say the city is a safe, welcoming place but they also see growing pressure points in health care, community connection, and day-today safety. Those concerns shaped the city’s new Community Safety and Well-Being (CSWB) plan.
Weyburn city council approved the CSWB plan during its regular meeting on January 26 after a presentation by city manager Mathew Warren.
“The CSWB’s vision is to improve community safety and well-being through co-operative partnerships among communities, service delivery partners, and governments,” said Warren.
Health care access
emerged as the most urgent issue. Residents pointed to long wait times, physician shortages, and uncertainty about where to find mental-health and addictions support. Many said navigating services has become increasingly difficult.
Community cohesion was the second major concern. Residents said they want stronger inclusion, more opportunities for youth and seniors, and better ways to connect people, including accessible transportation options and volunteer networks.
Concerns about crime
Public safety was ranked high overall, but residents still flagged concerns about property crime, drug activity, and feeling less safe at night.
“The Community Safe-
ty and Well-Being plan aligns co-ordinated strategies to address these priorities,” said Warren.
The plan was developed by a local advisory committee made up of community organizations and service providers. The plan is the result of months of work that started last April, when a local advisory committee launched planning sessions and created a community survey to identify priority areas. A total of 709 residents responded.
Warren said that Weyburn was selected as a site for the provincial CSWB program, which is facilitated by the Saskatchewan Economic Development Alliance (SEDA) and sponsored by the Ministry of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety. The plan fo-
FARM PHOTOS
Weyburn This Week is in search of farm photos for our annual ON THE FARM edition coming out in MARCH!
around your farm
Email your pictures to acorrigan@glaciermedia.ca by March 2nd, along with a description of the photo and your name YOUR PICTURES COULD VERY WELL BE CHOSEN FOR OUR NEXT EDITION OF ON THE FARM!
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cuses on improving safety, strengthening partnerships among local agencies, and making sure residents have access to supports they need to participate fully in the community.
CSWB strategies
The plan outlines coordinated strategies to address the priority areas, including awareness campaigns, integrated service hubs, volunteer and engagement initiatives, and youth- and family-focused recreation. An implementation team has already formed to support the rollout. It held its first meeting last week.
Councillor Kellie Sidloski, who served on the committee, said the process opened her eyes to work happening behind the scenes in Weyburn.
“It was a fantastic group to be a part of,” she said. “There were some dynamic and very interesting conversations. I learned a lot from organ -
izations and was able to establish relationships with them and learn more about what goes on in the community that a lot of people don’t see.”
The city is still accepting organizations that want to join.
“We’re open to making a more collaborative effort,” said Warren. “This is making sure that we have service groups, publicly funded groups, provincially funded groups, working in collaboration.
“The biggest key for this is to increase awareness,” he added. “There’s so many great programs that are happening within this community that by having everyone in one conversation, one room, you can get that information out.”
Warren said SEDA will continue supporting the city through the implementation phase until March.
Mayor Jeff Richards asked how residents or groups can access the plan or get involved.
Warren said the document will be posted on the city’s website, and anyone interested in participating can contact city hall. Organizations involved The committee includes representatives from the following organizations:
• City of Weyburn;
• Envision Counselling and Support Centre;
• The Salvation Army;
• Southeast Advocates;
• Canadian Mental Health Association Weyburn;
• The Family Place;
• Saskatchewan Health Authority (Primary Health, Mental Health, Senior Population Health, Medical Health Officer);
• Holy Family Roman Catholic Separate School Division No. 140;
• South East Cornerstone Public School Division No. 209;
• Weyburn Police Service;
• Southeast College; and
• Weyburn Chamber of Commerce.
Weyburn Credit Union is seekingengaged, forwardthinking members to join our Board of Directors and help guide the future of ourcredit union
This year,four seats areopen forelection:
•Three seats with three-year terms
•One seat with aone-year term
•Currentdirectors Matt Caudill,Jody Holzmiller, and Jesse Ridgway, willbeseeking re-election.
If you’reamemberofWeyburn Credit Union and meet the director qualifications, we encourageyou to apply
Each year,the Boardassesses its future needs to identify the skills,experience,and perspectives thatwill strengthen ourgovernance. This year,the Board has identifiedthe followinggaps andpriorities:
•Technology expertise
•Greater diversity on the Board
•Strong representation for the Lang, Weyburn and Yellow Grasscommunities
Help shape thefuture of your creditunion. Visitweyburncu.ca to learn more.
Photo courtesy of Brian Pederson
SPORTS
OTS bonspiel to hit the rink on weekend
The 67th annual Oilfield Technical Society (OTS) bonspiel will be held at the Weyburn Curling Club this weekend with 24 teams taking part.
The first draw will begin on Friday, February 6 at 1 p.m. The A, B and C finals will take place in the afternoon of Saturday, February 7.
Local residents are invited to attend the opening ceremonies on February 6 at 2:45 p.m., which will
include all the teams before the second draw. At this time the Weyburn OTS will be giving out several donations to local groups.
The Weyburn OTS has donated thousands of dollars to youth sports in our community for over 20 years. In 2025, they donated: Salvation Army Foodbank $5,000, Junior Curling $1,000, Tatagwa Kidz Kare $500, Radville Community Grown Childcare $500
Red Wings take important OT win over Bombers
Red Wings take important OT win over Bombers
The Red Wings took a 3-2 overtime victory over the Flin Flon Bombers on January 28 in Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League action. A road game in Melfort scheduled on January 31 was postponed due to bad road conditions.
The Bombers scored the first goal of the game during a powerplay at 4:57 in the first period.
The second period was highlighted by eight different penalities, as tensions rose for both teams. Luke Dekay scored a Weyburn goal to tie the game at 2:19, assisted by Rylan Pearce and Will Munro, followed by Lucas Schmid scoring a powerplay goal, assisted by Josh Karman and Pearce.
The Broncos tied up the
game with a short-handed goal at 17:09.
There was no scoring in the third period.
In the overtime period, Pearce scored the gamewinning goal, assisted for Dekay and Schmid. It was a return to familiar territory for Pearce, who finished the night with three points, as he briefly played for the Bombers.
The Red Wings will travel to Nipawin tonight, February 4. Two more road games follow on Friday, February 6 and Saturday, February 7, when the Wings are in Flin Flon.
Currently in league standings, the Red Wings are tied in second place overall with the Battleford North Stars. Both teams are nine points behind the first-place Flin Flon Bombers.
Gold Wings move up the standings
The Weyburn U18 Gold Wings won 4-1 over Notre Dame during league action in the Saskatchewan Female U18 AAA Hockey League on January 29 at the Duncan McNeill Arena in Wilcox.
This moved the Gold Wings one point behind Saskatoon for fourth place in the league.
Tristan Todosichuk opened the scoring for Weyburn wtih an early goal at the 18:40 mark of the first period, assisted by
First round matchups set in the Big Six playoffs
David Willberg SaskToday.ca
The regular season is finished and the first-round playoff matchups have been finalized in the Big Six Hockey League.
The Redvers Rockets and the Moosomin Rangers finished tied for first overall with a 14-2 mark each, but Redvers won the season series because they won two of the three clashes between the two teams this season.
The Oxbow Huskies finished third with a 10-6 record and the Carlyle Cougars were fourth at 10-5-1.
Rounding out the standings were the fifth-place Wawota Flyers (6-9-0-1), the Carnduff Red Devils (511), the Kipling-Windthorst Oil Kings (4-11-0-1) and the Midale Mustangs (1-15).
Bud Holloway of the
Moosomin Rangers was the top scorer in the regular season with 28 goals and 39 assists for 67 points in 16 games. He finished 10 points clear of teammate Carter Sawchuk, who had 57 points in 15 games.
Levi Horn of the Rangers was the top goalie with a 1.38 goals against average in eight games.
The playoffs are set to start in early February. All post-season series will be best-of-five battles.
The Redvers Rockets, who are seeking their second straight Big Six championship, will face the eighthseeded Midale Mustangs. Game 1 is set for February 2 in Redvers, followed by Game 2 February 4 in Midale and Game 3 February 9 in Redvers. Game 4, if necessary, would be Febru-
ary 11 in Midale. A date for Game 5 has yet to be established.
Dates for the series between No. 2 Moosomin and No. 7 Kipling-Windthorst have yet to be determined.
The No. 3 Huskies and the No. 6 Red Devils will meet in a showdown of Highway 18 rivals. Game 1 is February 3 in Oxbow, followed by Game 2 in Carnduff February 7, Game 3 February 10 in Oxbow, and, if necessary, Game 4 February 11 in Carnduff. A date for Game 5 has yet to be finalized.
In the series between the No. 4 Carlyle Cougars and No. 5 Wawota Flyers, Game 1 is February 2 in Carlyle and Game 2 is February 5 in Wawota. Dates for the other games have not been established.
Chelsea Madsen.
Harper Danchilla scored a short-handed goal at 13:50 of the second period, assisted by Taelah Schnurr and Callie Tomilin.
The Hounds made it close with their only goal of the game early in the
third period at 17:05. Weyburn pulled away with two goals of their own to secure the win. Kinley Dammann scored at 14:39, assisted by Schnurr and Nola Exner, and Skyla McNichol scored a powerplay at 10:04, assisted by Haven Bourassa. Maci Patterson was in net for the Gold Wings win, stopping 21 out of 22 shots.
The Gold Wings will be on the road tonight, February 4, to face the Rebels in Regina. Weyburn will host Regina on Sunday, February 8, at 5:30 p.m.
Xander threw a rock from the hack, as Grade 5 to 6 students from Assiniboia Park Elementary School learned how to curl from local instructors.
Photo Sabrina Kraft/Weyburn This Week
Myles and Flynn played a math board game with Weyburn Red Wings goaltender Joey Rocha. Several members of the team visited Legacy Park Elementary School recently to spend time with students.
Photo Sabrina Kraft/Weyburn
Duplicate bridge results for January
The Weyburn Duplicate Bridge Club plays on Monday evenings at 6:30 p.m. and on Thursdays at 1 p.m. at the Wheatland Senior Centre. All bridge players are welcome to come and play.
The first game of 2026 was on January 5 with two and a half tables played. There was a tie for first place between the pair of Denis Tremblay and Terry Bendickson, and the pair of Gord Bell and Marg Stewart.
Two tables played on
January 8. Barry Mactaggart and Lucie Nickel were first place finishers, followed by Erskine Sandiford and Jeanne Molnar who placed second.
Two tables played on January 12 . There was a tie for first place between the pair of Barry Mactaggart and Marg Stewart, and the pair of Gord Bell and Boyd Stewart.
Two tables played on January 19. First place went to Gord Bell and Marg Stewart, and there was a tie for second
place between the pair of Erskine and Mildred Sandiford, and the pair of Denis Tremblay and Boyd Stewart.
Three tables played January 22. In a close game, Warren Betker and Denis Tremblay took top honours, Gord Bell and Barry Mactaggart placed second, and Marg Stewart and Diane Bell came third.
Two and a half tables played on January 26. Gord Bell and Barry Mactaggart had a strong game scoring 77.5 per -
cent to claim first place, while Warren
and
finished in second place. The last game of the month was played on January 29 with two tables played. First place went to Marg Stewart and Diane Bell, edging out Gord Bell and Barry Mactaggart, who came second.
CCS facility at Boundary Dam has productive year
SaskToday staff
The carbon capture and storage (CCS) facility at SaskPower’s Boundary Dam Power Station had one of its most productive years yet.
According to numbers released by the Crown corporation January 27, the facility captured 721,239 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) last year.
The numbers came despite a planned overhaul of Unit 3 and CCS that spanned from April 11 to July 8.
Since CCS came online in October 2014, 7,327,868 tonnes of CO2 have been captured.
The fourth quarter numbers for 2025 have also been released. From Oct. 1-Dec. 31, SaskPower said the CCS facility captured 232,826 tonnes of CO2. CCS was available 99.3 per cent of the time, and while online, it had a daily average capture rate of 2,826 tonnes.
Unit 3 at Boundary Dam was available 92.3 per cent of the fourth quarter, which exceeded the target of 80 per cent.
The 99.3 per cent rate for the connected CCS
site was the highest number recorded in the past five reporting periods, according to SaskPower’s data, and exceeded the targeted number of 75 per cent.
The connected acid plant was available 70.8 per cent of the third quarter, which was also the best number in the past 15 months. The fourth-quarter number exceeded the target of 70 per cent. The acid plant produced 1,511 tonnes of sulphuric acid, which exceeded the target of 1,250 tonnes.
SaskPower noted the acid plant produced a monthly record amount of 805 tonnes in December, and the quarterly acid production rate was the second-highest since startup.
The acid plant is integrated into the CCS process, functioning as part of the post-combustion cleanup process, converting sulfur dioxide captured from the coalfired unit into commercial-grade sulphuric acid.
Emissions intensity was at 296 tonnes of CO2 per gigawatt hour, below the carbon tax threshold of 549.1 tonnes.
Betker
Denis Tremblay
Legacy Park Elementary School students, Benjamin and Noah, decorated cookies while visiting with residents at the Weyburn Special Care Home. Grade 5 students have partnered with the Special Care Home to create a Neighbour’s Club program, which involves students and residents.
Photo Sabrina Kraft/Weyburn This Week 26024PR0
YouthBiz names 2025 winners across Southeast Saskatchewan
SaskToday YouthBiz has anSaskatchewan for standout business ideas, strong now in its 19th year, is open to students in
participants representing 19 educational programs
contest,” said Andria Brady, general manager of Community Futures Sunrise.
“These young entrepreneurs put significant effort into developing their business ideas, building skills, and exploring entrepreneurship. The ongoing support from educators plays a huge role in the success we see each year.”
Since its launch, YouthBiz has introduced more than 4,000 students to the fundamentals of small business and entrepreneurship, awarding over $40,000 in cash prizes.
Estevan and area
Third Place: Claire & Jordyn – Doggo Boutique (Estevan).
Grades 10 – 12 Category: Third Place: Koby –KWK Apparel (Redvers). Entrepreneur Award (Presented to a student who has started or is currently operating a real business)
• Vanessa & Jorja –Athlete Elite (Carievale).
• Ivan – Shining Bright (Estevan).
• Mackenzie-Grace –Creative Kids (Carievale). Community Futures Sunrise congratulates this year’s winners and thanks all participants for their hard work, creativity, and enthusiasm. The 20th year
Estevan artist debuts ‘visual diary’ in first gallery showing
David Willberg SaskToday.ca
Katie Wempe was left marvelling at the number of people who attended her first-ever art exhibit.
A reception was held for the Estevan artist January 30 at Art Concepts Custom Framing. More than 80 people, including many friends and family members, turned out to view her work and congratulate her on the exhibit, which has more than 20 of her selections.
Wempe said the exhibit turned out really well.
“A lot of the art was made when I was a teenager ... and there was a lot of the art that was grouped together, so it all flowed collection-wise,” said Wempe in an interview with SaskToday. “There was six collections, so they all flowed together nicely.”
Many of the paintings are abstract art, she said, with faces and emotionbased pieces using differ-
ent colours.
“The art was made when I was a teenager, experiencing different emotions and growing. The best way to describe it was a visual diary; instead of reading a diary, you could look at it.”
Wempe prefers abstract art because expectations are different from other mediums. She views abstract art as a really easy way to express yourself and get your thoughts on a page.
“As an artist, you can set the bar on what you want it to be, but you don’t feel the pressure to set the bar extremely high,” she said.
Art serves as a release for her, she said, because she gets to be herself and let her soul speak.
Art Concepts was great to work with, she said. Her parents have been getting items framed by business owner Theresa Fuhr for a long time. She recalls visiting the business as a child
and attended art receptions at the building.
“They are amazing to work with and lovely people,” said Wempe.
A lot of amazing artists have had their artwork on the walls before her, she said, and she is proud to have her work on the same walls as them.
“There is a lot of amazing local artists who are doing an amazing job,” she said.
One of her selections was for sale and was purchased by her brother Garrett for $950. Her mother Stacey was selling copies of her book A Million Times We Cry.
“A lot of my artwork is about emotions and feeling them, and my mom’s book is about grief and loss and dealing with that,” said Katie Wempe. “It was a very emotion-filled night. My mom got to speak after me.”
The exhibit is expected to remain at Art Concepts until the end of February.
A collection of Katie Wempe’s works at Art Concepts.
Photo courtesy of Trina Whelman
April racing on the schedule for Estevan’s speedway
David Willberg SaskToday.ca
The Estevan Motor Speedway is looking to have more race dates and it’s earliest-ever start to the season in 2026.
The facility released its schedule in late January with 15 race programs spread out over a fivemonth span.
For the first time, regu-
lar race programs are scheduled for April, with races slated for April 18 and 25. Traditionally, the season starts the first weekend in May. The April programs, as well as those for May 2 and May 16, are scheduled to start at 3 p.m.
Other highlights on the schedule include the Tougher than Dirt Tour for hobby stocks and sport
modifieds on June 5; a Can-Am Shootout June 26; the Dakota Classic Modified Tour for stock cars and modifieds July 6; Kids’ Night July 25; the track championship night Aug. 15; and Riley Raynard’s Dirt Wars hobby stock special August 28 and 29.
A spring Enduro race is set for June 14 and the fall Enduro is September 12.
Modified Madness is penciled in for July 24, but details are still being ironed out.
Speedway president Brad Pierson acknowledges the earlier start to the season is a “roll of the dice”, but when looking back on last year, April likely had nicer weather than most weekends in May.
Hearing pushed back for man charged in homicide
The man charged with second-degree murder last year in Estevan has new dates for his preliminary hearing.
Evan Dennis Isbister’s matters were back before Estevan Provincial Court Feb. 2. At that time, his preliminary inquiry was pushed back to July 21-23 in provincial court. The hearing will determine if there is enough evidence for him to stand trial in connection with the death
of his father Todd Isbister in May 2025. The hearing was originally scheduled for May 5, 6 and 8.
If there is a trial, it would be at a later date in Court of King’s Bench with a judge and jury.
Background: In a news release, the Estevan Police Service said that at approximately 8:46 p.m. on May 10, 2025, officers were dispatched to a residence in the 1400-block of
First Street. The caller reported an assault was taking place.
When the EPS arrived, they said officers located three men in the residence. The EPS added two people were arrested without incident and taken to the police station. Estevan EMS responded to the scene to care for the victim and transported him to St. Joseph’s Hospital for treatment. The EPS said he died from his injuries a
short time later. According to the EPS, one of the arrested men was cleared of any wrongdoing and was subsequently released from custody. The other man arrested was Evan Isbister, who was charged with second-degree murder a few days later.
He was released from custody with conditions in June following a showcause hearing in Estevan Court of King’s Bench.
EPS ask for help in locating stolen truck
SaskToday staff
The Estevan Police Service is investigating the reported theft of a vehicle that occurred in the downtown area that occurred between Jan. 30 and Feb. 1.
According to the EPS, the vehicle is a blue 2017 Dodge Journey with Saskatchewan licence plate 882 LTL. Anyone with information about this theft or who observes the vehicle is asked to contact the EPS at 306-634-4767 or Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
In other recent police news, EPS members had several reports Jan. 31 of three moose around the Dennis Moore Centennial Park. Members attended and the EPS said they guided the animals safely out of the city.
Police attended to keep the peace while two parties exchanged disputed property.
A rental scam was reported to the EPS in which the victim provided a deposit on property that wasn’t available for rent.
The matter remains under investigation.
Police received a driving complaint regarding a vehicle that was reported to be following too closely. The matter is also under investigation.
A report came in of a possible impaired driver. Members located the vehicle and conducted a traffic stop during which the driver showed no signs of impairment. He passed a mandatory roadside screening device test, and was advised of the complaint and cautioned about his driving actions.
Members received a report of a possible break and enter to a business in south Estevan. The EPS said officers attended and found the building to be secure with no signs of attempted forced entry.
A parking complaint from a local apartment complex resulted in members attending and issuing a ticket for parking in a handicap spot without a placard displayed. The EPS received a re-
port Jan. 31 of harassment via telephone in which the complainant had received multiple open-line calls. The matter is under investigation.
Police received a report of criminal harassment related to the break-up of a spousal relationship. Members mediated a temporary resolution and recommended that the individuals contact legal counsel to assist with the separation.
The EPS received a report of a domestic disturbance in progress. Members attended and mediated a resolution in which one party left the residence for the evening.
Members were called to a domestic assault that was reported from a residence in the Trojan subdivision. The EPS says the matter remains under investigation.
Police received a reported theft from a vehicle. An individual left personal belongings in an unlocked vehicle and went into a local business. The vehicle was left unlocked and sev-
“We put a couple of dates in there and if we can race, we can race,” said Pierson, who added they had to cancel the Victoria Day long weekend program last year due to weather.
“Hopefully we can give a couple of extra nights for our fans and our racers,” he added later. The track has a lot of really competitive drivers who only race locally, he said, because of family or work commitments.
“We heard and we wanted to let people know we were listening, that we want to try to get in a couple of extra nights if we could,” he said. “It’s a catch-22. Sometimes you can run extra nights and not make money off of them or lose money, but we want to show that we’re trying to do our best for all of our people.”
He believes the 3 p.m. starts for the first four programs will help. If it’s a sunny, 15 C afternoon, then it could be great, he said. If it’s 5 C and windy, then they likely wouldn’t be racing.
The Dirt Wars program has been moved from late July to after the track championship night, and Pierson hopes that will attract a few more hobby stock drivers if it’s not for points. “Last year Dirt Wars brought in some drivers from different tracks,” he said.
Pierson noted that Estevan is among the latest tracks to crown its champions, and the local speedway would like to have the championship night out of the way earlier, leaving the final weekend of August available for something special.
Pierson said the track is always looking to try different things, and some of them work out and others don’t. It has looked at a fall special but recognizes it would be tough because it would be going up against established promotions at other tracks.
He added the EMS is also looking at ways that it can improve the facility to boost the experience for fans, drivers and volunteers.
PROPERTY FOR SALE BY PUBLIC TENDER
Under the Provision of The Tax Enforcement Act the Village of Frobisher offers for sale the following property:
Lots 1-2 Block 08 Plan C4363
• Property has been vacant with utilities disconnected for several years
• Property is sold as is, where is
eral items were missing when the owner returned to the vehicle. The EPS reminds the public to secure their property when leaving it unattended to disrupt possible crimes of opportunity.
The EPS received a request Feb. 1 for a well-being check on a 17-year old youth who hadn’t returned home for several days. Police located him at a friend’s residence and counselled him to communicate with his parents. The youth was safe and well, and did not require referral to any further services.
An EPS Combined Traffic Services of Saskatchewan member attended to a report of a semi unit knocking over a power pole just outside of Estevan. SaskPower was contacted to ensure the power was off so the semi could be removed safely.
A report of a suspicious person in the backyard of a residence in south Estevan was investigated. EPS members attended and were unable to locate anyone in the area.
TENDER REQUIREMENTS
Bidders are required to review the complete tender documents for information regarding conditions of sale and responsibilities of the purchaser regarding property condition. This information is available by contacting the Village Office in person at 423 Main Street, Bienfait, SK or by emailing office@villagefrobisher.ca.
Tenders must be submitted in the prescribed form and must be accompanied by a deposit of at least 20% (percent) of the tender amount The deposit shall be made by way of a certified cheque, bank draft, or money order payable to the Village of Frobisher. The successful bidder(s) will have 30 days to provide the payment in-full to complete the purchase. The deposit will be forfeited if the successful bidder does not finalize the agreement for sale within 30 days.
A tender must be submitted in a sealed envelope addressed to: Village of Frobisher Tax Title Property Tender P.O. Box 190, Bienfait, SK S0C 0M0
Tenders must be received by 4:00 p.m. on March 13, 2026. Highest, or any tender, not necessarily accepted. For further information contact the undersigned. Dated this 5th day of February, 2026. Kate Halkyard, Administrator 306-388-2323 ext. 3
Estevan Motor Speedway already preparing for 2026.
Photo David WillbergSaskToday.ca
CLUES ACROSS
1. Native American group of N. California
5. Geological times (Brit. sp.)
10. Tool to remove 12. Rods
14. One who renews
16. They precede C
18. Chatter incessantly
19. __ King Cole, musician
20. Insect parts
22. One from Utah
23. The world of the dead
25. Singer Redding
26. NBA legend Nelson
27. Indicates wrongly
28. Unhappy
30. Anger
31. Dark brown
33. Some are in kitchens
35. Made a mistake
37. Damp
38. Type of fuel
40. Actor Damon
41. What thespians do 42. One’s mother
44. Disallow
45. Swiss river
48. A banana has one
50. Philippines lake and volcano are two
52. Relative biological effectiveness (abbr.)
53. Agave
55. Journalist Tarbell
56. One-time tech giant
57. Indicates upon 58. Intestinal bacteria
63. Loose sheaths around the spinal cord
65. It goes with nook 66. A fashion
67. Very eager to hear or see CLUES DOWN 1. Witch 2. Utilize 3. Writing utensil 4. Where rockers go to work 5. Subsides 6. Consume 7. Greek
figures
8. California mountain town
9. Tin
10. Muse of lyric and love poetry
11. Animates anew
13. Humorous criticisms
15. Cool!
17. Worst
18. Wet dirt
21. Designed to be useful
23. Hebrew unit of liquid capacity
24. High schoolers’ test 27. Computer device 29. Indian territory __ and Diu 32. A place to sleep 34. AI tool
35. Pass or go by
36. Indicates a purchase
39. A digital tape recording of sound
40. More (Spanish)
43. Disfigured
44. White (Spanish)
46. Church building
47. Georgia rockers
49. Type of surgery
51. Much __ about nothing
54. Make by braiding 59. Local area network
60. Unit of work or energy
61. Member of indigenous people of Thailand
62. Liquefied
Test your knowledge with this crossword puzzle Crossword puzzle answers
Student services information brought to Southeast Cornerstone school board
Submitted by Norm Park, Contracted Reporter for SECPSD
The tasks of administering and deploying a variety of student services to meet the requirements of students with tier 2 specific needs, rests on the shoulders of Gillian Costelo, the student services co-ordinator for the South East Cornerstone Public School Division.
Costelo is of course, joined by a team of welltrained professionals that provide skills set to meet these various needs.
Colstelo was in the board room with SECPSD board members on January 21 at their regular monthly open business meeting in Weyburn, to bring them up to date on the work that is being done by the Student Services team. She was teamed with Raylene Forseth, mental health consultant for a two-pronged presentation for the board. Forseth’s presentation is noted in a separate posted article.
Counsellors work within a solution focused model, she told the board. They develop intervention plans when required for each student on their active caseloads.
They also work closely with families, school-based teams and outside agencies
when required to support student mental health and safety.
She noted that there are online learning sessions, plus individual and group sessions among the positive reach outs while continuing to support administrations across the division with the use of the STAR Renaissance Next program. This was a project that began in 2020, on a transition move and it involves three screening (seasonal) periods.
“Our STAR screener is an assessment delivered to students during three periods throughout the year to ensure we are supporting all students and that no student is left behind,” she said.
The program includes an early literacy and numeracy skills tests at the Grade 1 levels and reading skills from Grades 2 through 9 and oral reading fluency within Grades 1 through 6.
A STAR math skills program is administered from Grades 1 through to 9.
Home -based learning families can also participate, Costelo noted and there has been a high rate of completion for the current school year, thus far.
The reading assessments have included 4,277 students with a success level of 98 per cent com-
pared with an 83 per cent level in the fall of last year.
The STAR math students were at a similar success rate of nearly 100 per cent this year compared with 85.5 per cent in the fall of 2024-’25 school year.
She went on to say that classroom teachers use data to support interventions and Response to Intervention (RTI) coaches provide support based on data results, usually on a six to eight week block with varied intervention techniques used within individual caseloads, small groups or class supports in a co-teaching environment that includes monitoring progress being made.
Costelo added that classroom intervention plans numbered 298 in the 2023-’24 school year and 500 in 2024-25. The count so far in the 2025-’26 school year is 451 plans.
Group plans numbered 341 in the previous school year and 199 so far in this school year.
The team includes an occupational therapist, diverse needs coaches, a learning supports co-ordinator, a student services co-ordinator, and two registered psychologists (one provisional) who engage in monthly meetings and re-
ceive referrals from schools for intensive support or assessments. These are discussed within the team during these monthly sessions. The recommended strategies are then included in a student’s collaborative team plan and reviewed with parents and the schoolbased team, she said.
Last year the psychologist assessments numbered 38 for the SECPSD team with another eight referred to a contracted agency. So far in the current school year there have been 21 psychologist assessments, all being covered by the Cornerstone team.
There are 415 students registered for home based learning, she added, saying that they too are screened, provided reading challenges, career fairs, and bimonthly newsletters sent to the home and supporting families by other means as the students complete paperwork and are given written education plans.
The home based learning network has risen in recent years from 183 in the 2019-’20 school year to the current levels of 371 in the 2024-’25 school year and now the aforementioned 415 participants with 52 of them being in the Grade 1012 range.
People’s Choice exhibition a chance to celebrate artists
Sabrina Kraft Weyburn Review
The 42nd edition of the James Weir People’s Choice art exhibition is now on display at the Weyburn Art Gallery. The show is open for viewing and voting, set to run from now until March 17.
The annual gala reception to celebrate the artists and winners will be held March 27.
“We have 29 artists who entered the exhibit this year,” said Weyburn Arts Curator, Regan Lanning.
A variety of artwork is on display for the annual exhibit. Ballots are available as viewers come into the gallery and people are encouraged to vote for their three favourite pieces.
The artists’ names are not displayed to keep voting unbiased. Several of the displays have included an artist’s statement, something that has been encouraged by the Weyburn Arts Council for the past couple of years.
“We have a couple of cityscape paintings, which I always love because cityscapes, more than landscapes, show us not only a place, but also show us a time and I love that,” said Lanning.
As each piece can catch the eye of different people, Lanning said she did not know who she would vote for, or which piece would end up winning.
“One of the things that I love about the James Weir is that the piece that wins is not necessarily the piece that the artists would choose. It is the piece that
the public has chosen, as we all view art so differently.”
“When there are 15 sets of eyeballs on the same painting, everyone is going to see it differently. This is a show that really celebrates that,” added Lanning. “There is definitely something for everyone here.”
There is a wide variety of returning and new artists who have work in the show. “Even if you do remember who did a piece last year, I don’t think that is going to help you this year, because what they have entered for this year is so different,” laughed Lanning.
“Our local artists can come up with, and do come up with, something new every year. It is delightful to watch, as a curator, both the skill progression and people grow as artists.”
Lanning is planning to host tours for classes of the exhibition starting in February and invites any interested organizations or groups in the community who wish to arrange for a tour to contact her.
In addition, the Weyburn Arts Gallery is open for viewing any time the Spark Centre is open.
The James Weir People’s Choice art exhibit remains an important community event.
“The James Weir People’s Choice is the longest-running show of its kind in all of western Canada. That is truly a testament to the talents of our Weyburn artists,” added Lanning.
Members of the Saskatchewan Roughriders visited St. Michael School recently, School students Lainey, Benji, Thatcher and Logan dressed in Rider green for the Spirit Day.
Photo Sabrina Kraft/Weyburn This Week
a year!
Did you or someone you love add a new little bundle to their family in the past year?
Look for the Babies of 2025 Photo Album on February 12 , 2026!
Pick up and complete your entry form, along with a picture of your precious bundle and $29.99 (taxes included) and drop off to Weyburn This Week, 904 East Avenue, Weyburn, SK S4H 2K4 or email acorrigan@glaciermedia.ca and pay by phone 306-842-7487.
Your sweetheart’s happy face will make our reader’s day in the February 12, 2026 issue and will be entered to win! Entry forms available at our office904 East Avenue, Weyburn.
Deadline for entries is February 9, 2026 at 2:00 p.m.
