Ensley, Walker, Ruby and Colt mixed their own
during the Weyburn Fair hled last week.
Heavy June rain soaks south Saskatchewan
Steven Wilson SaskToday.ca
Southern Saskatchewan’s soggy June was not just a feeling. New weather data shows several communities came close to record-setting rainfall, while the province’s north remained dangerously dry.
Environment and Climate Change Canada released its June meteorological summary, showcasing a stark contrast between a soaked southern parkland and a dangerously dry northern region.
While no all-time provincial monthly records fell, several communities neared the top of the history books.
Both Estevan and Saskatoon marked their 10thwettest June on record, while North Battleford tracked its ninth-wettest June after receiving nearly double its normal rainfall.
“We did have rankings that were significant with respect to monthly rainfalls,” said Terri Lang, a meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada. “A lot of places came in certainly in the top 15, if not the top five.”
Conversely, the northern half of Saskatchewan experienced the exact opposite phenomenon. La Ronge received just 20.8 millimetres of precipitation through the entire month, representing a
mere 30 per cent of its average June total. It officially marked the community’s second-driest June on record.
Lang noted the dry system created prime conditions for wildfires in the north, whereas the heavy downpours were concentrated from the parkland southward.
Stormy summer ahead
The heavy rainfall was accompanied by a highly active severe weather season. So far this year, Saskatchewan has recorded 15 tornadoes. The most powerful of the season was a severe EF3 twister that touched down near Oxbow.
More recently, the Northern Tornadoes Project confirmed an EF1 tornado touched down in Pelly and an EF2 tornado caused damage in Badgerville on June 28. Lang said confirming these events has taken longer than usual due to the sheer volume of storms and the subsequent infrastructure damage.
“One of the reasons why it’s a little bit delayed is because they couldn’t get out there because so many of the roads were washed out to try and do the damage surveys,” Lang said.
For the immediate future, Saskatchewan residents should keep their umbrellas close.
Sask. Polytech, Sask DLC renew student career pathways agreement
Jon Perez
SaskToday.ca
The renewed partnership between Saskatchewan Polytechnic and the Saskatchewan Distance Learning Centre will give students in the province, especially those graduating each school year, more options for the career paths they can pursue.
Saskatchewan Polytechnic president and CEO Larry Rosia and Sask
DLC CEO Darren Gasper signed a memorandum of understanding on June 22 to strengthen opportunities for provincial students to explore more careers over the next five years.
Education Minister Everett Hindley, who is also minister responsible for Sask DLC, and Advanced Education Minister Ken Cheveldayoff joined officials and other representatives of all agencies
in witnessing the signing at Saskatchewan Polytechnic’s administration office in the city.
Hindley said the MOU is designed to strengthen career pathways and better connect students with post-secondary training, career exploration and opportunities to earn credentials after graduation, aligning with the province’s labour market needs.
“This is a very significant announcement for high school students across Saskatchewan when it comes to what their life looks like after graduation. Graduation season is about celebrating academic success, but it also marks the start of the next chapter in their lives,” said Hindley.
He added that the MOU helps strengthen those pathways, noting that stu-
dents can work toward their desired careers and identify the courses and prerequisites they need to reach those goals, whether through their local schools, Sask DLC or Saskatchewan Polytechnic.
Hindley said labour demands in industries in the province, such as agriculture, construction and health care, are growing, and the current workforce is facing retirements that can be filled by students who choose the same career paths.
“This agreement is about helping Saskatchewan high school students see a clear path to a meaningful career. Students benefit when they can see the connection between what they are learning in a classroom or online and the opportunities available to them tomorrow,” added Hindley.
Photo by Sabrina Kraft/Weyburn This Week
A Canada Day bike parade was held at Nickle Lake on July 1, along with a number of other fun activities celebrating the nation’s birthday.
BUFFET
10:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Dr. Isaac Galante
He will join our practice on July 15th.
Dr. Isaac has 6 plus years experience and looks forward to providing you and your family with dental care here in Weyburn.
Recruiting bus drivers remains a challenge for SE Cornerstone
Submitted by Norm Park, Contracted Reporter for SECPSD
Most of the changes in the South East Cornerstone Public School Division’s transportation plans and schedules have been subtle, but still noticeable in terms of service to the sprawling division that dominates southeast Saskatchewan.
Jesse Forsyth, the manager of transportation for SECPSD was on hand in the board room at the division’s head office on June 22 to deliver the bi-annual transportation report to board members attending the afternoon general business meeting.
Forsyth started off by noting the number of school bus routes have been reduced by two with the omission of one rural route in the Arcola and Carnduff areas thanks to introduced efficiencies. The total number of routes now rests at 155 with
Wheatland game results
In Spades held on June 29, Gladys Lokken won first, Bonnie Olvera took second and Stan Hubick placed third.
Playing Trump Whist on June 29, Jannette Tonn and Marjorie Mcleod won first and Marge Schultz and Fay Johnson finished in second place.
In Kaiser on June 30, Eva Morley and Marlene Szczecinski won first, Jean Fahlman and Jean Knibbs took second and Marg
To book an appointment with Dr. Isaac, call us at 306-842-8111.
Schultz and Fay Johnson placed third.
During Canasta on July 1, Elaine Frasz won first, Bonnie Olvera tppl second, Marlene Szczecinski placed third, Marg Warnke finished fourth and Joni McNaughton took fifth.
During Thursday crib on July 2, Cindy Renas and Marjorie McLeod won first, Cheryl Vogel and Emily Zyla placed second and Garth White and Stan Hubick finished third.
the assigned buses transporting 4,499 students to their respective schools compared with 4,680 students that had loaded onto buses in the previous school year.
There were just two unfilled routes in the division heading into the final half of the academic year with both being in the Carlyle area. Last year the unfilled routes numbered five.
As anticipated, route cancellations were a regular event this school year and last due to a variety of reasons, including weather.
The number of routes cancelled this school year was down to 1,415 or 63 fewer days than what was recorded in the 2024-25 school year.
Mechanical mishaps resulted in 80, half-day route cancellations last year and just 45 in the current school year.
Weather related cancellations however, were up significantly to 362 half days this school year compared with 257 half-day cancellations last year.
However full day cancellations were just 177 this academic year compared with 267 last year.
There still aren’t enough bus drivers in the Cornerstone pool and that led to 182 half-day route cancellations this year compared with 173 half-day cancellations last year. The lack of substitute drivers meant that 739 full days were left without bus service this year compared with 692 the previ-
ous year.
The average rural ride times remain the same with 48 minutes recorded as the average one-way ride with the longest ones still being the Estevan/ Torquay and Weyburn/ Oungre routes gobbling up 90 minutes on average.
Emergent issues, Forsyth claimed still included the shortage of spare drivers in all areas of the school division plus the more recent increase in fuel costs.
This year he reported, the division had gained a total of one more bus driving staff member with five new drivers hired while two retired and two others resigned. Last year the last few months of the school year there had been no new hires while one retirement was noted along with one termination.
Summer Break Board members will be taking a summer break much like the students and educators. The Cornerstone board will get back into action on August 19 with their annual strategic planning session.
The South East District Athletic Association annual general meeting is marked down for August 26 while the South East Cornerstone Teachers’ Convention is August 28.
Another strategic planning meeting for board members is August 28.
The next regular board meetings, including an open business session is marked down for September 16.
Photo courtesy of Nickle Lake Staff
Grade 9 students Pennylane, Nasyah and Aerendale showed off signed t-shirts from their class during the last day of school at St. Michael School. They will be moving up to the Weyburn Comp in the fall.
Photo by Sabrina Kraft/Weyburn This Week
Shelby showed off her Canada Day pride during celebrations at the Lei sure Centre on July 1. The festivities were hosted by the City of Weyburn.
EDITORIAL
Ride through the mountains
By Trudy and Dale Buxton, Publishers of The Independent
We continue our trip north from New Denver and along the very beautiful lakes and in between the mountains range of the Kootenay’s.
We are travelling on Highway 6 north, destination Nakusp.
Nakusp is an Indigenous word from the Sinixt First Nation meaning the bay behind the long point, and looking at a map, you can understand why - the lake is long and sitting in between the Selkirk and Monashee mountain ranges.
Nakusp has a year-round population of around 1,600 people and was formally established in 1892 as a permanent settlement as a steamboat landing and supply hub.
In this region it was first reported that a man by the name of Finan McDonald was the first European to explore these parts way back in 1811.
In the early days most people and freight would travel by steamboat and Nakusp was one of the connections between the U.S. landings and the Canadian Pacific Railway in Revelstoke.
The community of Nakusp relies mainly on sawmills and mining as the most important industries in the area and today one of the strongest industries is tourism.
Nakusp is most popular for the Hot Springs that were discovered back in the 1930’s that are nestled in the Selkirk mountains with temperatures that range between 100-106 degrees F. Nakusp has the oldest operating hotel, the Leland Hotel, built back in 1892 and has continually operated its 21 unique hotel rooms since that time.
One interesting fact about Nakusp is that despite the size of this municipality there is not a single traffic light in the
whole town.
Another interesting fact is that all the stores, including the major stores like Save on Foods, all close by 7 p.m. and they are a community with very little restaurants.
The waterfront Nakusp had to be rebuilt in the 1960’s due to the building of the Keenleyside Dam, it raised the water to such a level that almost all the buildings along the waterfront were now under water.
Nakusp is a great little community and surly one to return to in the future.
We continue from Nakusp up Highway 23 to Galena Bay where a ferry trip awaits.
One of our destinations is Revelstoke and we can’t get there without crossing the lake by ferry.
Galena Bay, named for the Sinixt First Nations people meaning the place to make canoes. This area was formally called Thumb Bay, because on a map it looked like a giant thumb.
Back in the late 1800’s this site was to be a major railway terminal and steamboat connection and a town site named Rosenheim was surveyed out. However, the railway boom fizzled out and so did the town, making it one of those ghost towns. Today it’s all about the ferry and the connection across the lake at Shelter Bay and then from there you can travel to Revelstoke.
On this particular day the skies were not that kind to us, and we discovered that you had no shelter in the middle of the lake and getting wet was a reality, however the trip across the lake was nice and the scenery was even nicer.
Stay tuned next week as we get into Revelstoke for the night and do some exploring.
Province introduces more effective penalties for impaired driving
The Government of Saskatchewan is moving towards the use of administrative penalties for impaired driving as part of its ongoing commitment to strengthen road safety across the province. This approach would give law enforcement additional tools to hold impaired drivers accountable and remove them from Saskatchewan roads quicker.
“Our government continues to strengthen Saskatchewan’s response to impaired driving by making consequences more immediate, certain and effective,” Justice Minister and Attorney General Tim McLeod, K.C. said.
“The changes we are moving towards would give police an additional tool to act quickly at the roadside, while preserving their discretion to proceed with Criminal Code charges in serious cases or whenever criminal prosecution is warranted. This approach supports public safety, helps reduce unnecessary pressure on the justice system and allows police, prosecutors and courts to focus resources where they are needed most.”
Potential changes being considered to The Traffic Safety Act would mean drivers who fail a roadside breath test face stronger, more immediate administrative penalties, such as:
• Immediate driver’s licence suspension.
• Immediate vehicle impoundment.
• Immediate requirement for ignition interlock.
• Immediate impaired education courses.
• Immediate safe driver recognition penalties (demerit points and financial).
Impaired drivers would also face new, immediate financial penalties:
• First offence: $1,000 fine, plus a 30 per cent victim surcharge.
• Second and subsequent offence: $2,000 fine, plus a 30 per cent victim surcharge.
“Impaired driving remains one of the leading causes of serious collisions in our province, and Saskatchewan continues to have some of the highest alcohol-impaired driving rates in Canada. That must change,” Legislative Secretary to the Minister Responsible for SGI Travis Keisig said.
“We are grateful for the work of the Impaired Driving Advisory Committee and our partners in helping shape this approach, which represents an important step toward reducing impaired driving and protecting people in Saskatchewan.” Offences resulting in fatalities, injuries, property damage or involving passengers under 16, and drivers who refuse to provide a breath sample, would continue to be dealt with strictly through Criminal Code charges.
Law enforcement and Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) are supportive of the changes being considered, recognizing the role immediate roadside penalties can play in deterring impaired driving.
“Administrative penalties are an effective way to reduce impaired driving,” MADD Canada Chief Executive Officer Steve Sullivan said. “They empower police to remove more impaired drivers from the roads and provide immediate sanctions to hold drivers accountable. We applaud the Saskatchewan Government taking this important step to strengthen impaired driving laws, protect the public and reduce the burden on the justice system.”
This approach would provide police with additional options to remove impaired drivers from the road faster and allow police to spend less time completing paperwork and more time protecting Saskatchewan people on our highways and in our communities.
Nakusp is an Indigenous word from the Sinixt First Nation meaning the bay behind the long point.
Weyburn Chamber Summer Parade promotes local pride
Chamber parade a huge success
The Weyburn Chamber of Commerce held its 31st annual Summer Parade on July 2 Although the judges had a difficult time, in the end they made their announcement. The Chamber Parade award winners were:
E. Bourassa & Sons won in the business category and the Weyburn Motocross Association won the organization category.
“Each year the creativity and commitment from our organizations and businesses is absolutely amazing! We love how our community comes together for
celebrations such as our Summer Parade,” stated Chamber Executive Director, Monica Osborn.
The Weyburn Chamber of Commerce appreciated the businesses and organizations that entered the parade, the City Police for keeping the traffic diverted, City of Weyburn staff for helping with street sweeping, Southeast Advocates for helping set up and watch the barricades, and Access Communications for recording the parade.
This year’s parade was a great success, with over 60 floats entered.
Kathryn Groshong is driven through the parade by Murray Keefe in a vintage car for the Heritage Village float.
Jasmine Kravanya and Tana Torkelson waved from the Weyburn Credit Union lego-themed parade float.
Photos by Sabrina Kraft/Weyburn This Week
Santa made a special summer visit on the Weyburn Young Fellows float.
CUPE Weyburn staff showcased their heart of healthcare pride.
Cecilia’s Banquet Hall promoted their love of the World Cup, Pictured, l-r, Rowett (Brazil jersey); Rosalie (France jersey); Urijah (Canada jersey) and Jacob (Argentina Jjersey).
The Pharmasave Be Well bee was one of many mascots that joined the parade.
SPORTS
U17 Panther Drilling Thrashers won bronze at the 2026 Provincials in Estevan. Players included Aiden Wilson, Rowan Bocian, Arora Lasko, Brody Schneider, Chloe Tuchscherer, Araya Lasko, Charles Megenbir, Braxton Fifield, Ronin Pouteaux, Maci Patterson, Wyatt Gill, Deshawn Kaiswatum, Korven Pouteaux, Tobi Skogberg, Grady LaRocque, Kesler Jensen, Shiloh Mickler, Xavier Pehl, Liam Hartfield and Caycen Wyatt. The team was guided by assistant coach Mike Wyatt, trainer Michelle Schmidt, coach Brett Mickler, manager Lindsey Tuchscherer, trainer Amanda Skogberg and assistant coach Jake Dammann.
Weyburn Beavers return home, fall to Medicine Hat in extra innings
Randy Palmer SaskToday
The Medicine Hat Mavericks needed extra innings to make it two wins in a row, edging the Weyburn Beavers 3-2 Monday night at Tom Laing Park.
Medicine Hat opened the scoring in the second inning when Adam Vulcano drove in Eric Calder with an RBI single. The Beavers answered in the sixth as Brayden Mayencourt tied the game at 1-1 with a runscoring single.
The Mavericks regained the lead in the 10th inning on Josh Stark’s RBI double before adding an insurance run on a wild pitch. Weyburn made it interesting in the bottom half of the inning as Robert Gurney’s infield single scored Austin Boylan, but the Beavers left the tying run stranded to end the game.
Zach Raichel had a strong outing for Weyburn, surrendering just one earned run over nine innings, while Gunner Ferguson was tagged with the loss.
Medicine Hat 7, Weyburn 5
July 4
A pair of runs in the first and eighth innings proved to be the difference on the night, as the Mavericks built a 5-2 lead heading into the final two frames.
Diego Centella was the winning pitcher after allowing two runs on four hits over 5 ⅔ and striking out seven before five pitchers closed out the final innings.
Robert Gurney led Weyburn’s offence, going 2-for3 with a home run, double and two RBI. Trevor Dale was 3-for-4 with a run and RBI, Anthony Cortese also had a pair of hits.
Logan Lynch took the
loss on the mound after giving up five runs on 10 hits over five innings.
Sylvan Lake 14, Weyburn 8
July 3
The Beavers got off to a quick start with three runs in the first inning, but the Gulls got all of that back and more with a six-run third. Sylvan Lake then added two runs in each inning through the sixth to build a 12-3 edge, and while Weyburn would score five in the eighth, they’d get no closer.
Sylvan Lake pounded nine extra base hits. Johnboy Rittenhouse led the way with a three-run home run in the third inning, a double, two runs scored and an impressive six runs batted in. Charlie Collins had a 4-for-4 showing that included two doubles and three runs scored, Nathan
Hopkins, Joey Marino and Elijha Hammill all scored two runs apiece. Coleman Parry picked up three hits, Dominic Giusti knocked in two.
Trevor Dale knocked in a pair of runs for Weyburn, while Joe Madill crossed the plate twice. Hugh Montgomery went 2-for-4 with a run scored, Jared Kramp, Ryan Dauphinee and Nick Miller had two hits each.
Bill Hosegood started for the Beavers and gave up six runs on eight hits over 2 ⅓ innings to take the loss.
Sylvan Lake 4, Weyburn 1 July 2 It wasn’t the most conventional way to win a baseball game, but the Sylvan Lake Gulls will still most certainly take it.
The Gulls had taken the lead way back in the first inning on a solo home run
Waterpolo athlete wins Player of the Year award
Submitted
Weyburn waterpolo athlete, Russell Brock, was the recipient of Waterpolo Sask’s 14U Male Player of the Year Award for the 2025-2026 season.
Russell was also one of the youngest players selected to compete with Team Sask in Waterpolo Canada’s Canadian Championship in Montreal at Parc Jean-Drapeau
(June 28-July 1).
“Our 15U Boys also had a busy tournament, taking on seven different teams from Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, and Quebec. With much of their schedule featuring eastern Canadian teams, every game was an opportunity to test themselves against unfamiliar competition. They battled hard all weekend, earn -
ing several well-deserved wins while gaining valuable experience against some of the country’s top teams,” as stated on the Waterpolo Sask. Facebook page.
Throughout the year, Russell trains and competes with both the Regina Armadas and Team Sask. He competed with Team Sask’s 14U team in Alberta, Manitoba, Sas -
katchewan and the 15U team in Quebec during the 2025/2026 season.
Russell is a goalie, who also really enjoys playing. He expressed an appreciation and love for both the sport. Russell is grateful for the opportunities, through Waterpolo Sask, to advance his skills, compete, travel and spend time with his teammates.
from Joey Marino, and that would stand as the only run of the game until the top of the seventh, when Trevor Dale hit a solo round tripper of his own for Weyburn to tie things up.
Sylvan Lake then added a pair of runs in the eighth to put things away for good, in no small part thanks to an impressive outing from their pitching staff.
Bryson Leach got the start and allowed only two hits over six innings of work, striking out six and
walking two. Ryan Kucy gave up Weyburn’s lone run but was solid otherwise over the final three innings, scattering four hits.
Marino was the only member of the Gulls with multiple hits, finishing 2-for-4 on the evening.
Hugh Montgomery had two of Weyburn’s six hits in the game.
Maddock Day had a solid start of his own for the Beavers, giving up a single run on five hits in the losing effort.
Russell Brock, right, received the Waterpolo Sask’s 14U Male Player of the Year Award for the 2025-2026 season, presented by coach Payton Donald.
Photo courtesy of Janette Brock
Horses, Motocross and Rodeo action during
Competitors from across the province were in Weyburn for the Souris River Rodeo, held during the Weyburn Fair on July 3 and 4.
Barrel racers showcased their skills in a horses vs. horse power competition held July 2.
Photos courtesy of Bill Allen Photography
Skills in horsemanship were displayed during the Weyburn Fair, as calf roping was part of the Souris River Rodeo activities.
Bronco riding was another feature of the Souris River Rodeo.
Barrel racers were a big hit during the Souris River Rodeo.
An FMX Motocross show was the feature of Thursday Night Thunder.
Two new EPS officers are eager to serve the community
David Willberg SaskToday.ca
The two newest members of the Estevan Police Service (EPS) bring varied backgrounds but both have a desire to serve the community with the municipal police service.
Constables Hayley Bunjevac and Jonathan Nixon graduated from the Saskatchewan Police College in early June and had their first respective days as part of the EPS patrol units later in the month.
Bunjevac has previous experience with the Canada Border Services Agency and also worked at the Saskatchewan Legislature for the speaker of the house. She decided to join the EPS because she
wanted more of a role in the community.
She and her husband moved from Regina a few years ago and fell in love with the Energy City, she said. Bunjevac applied to the EPS, was hired and then went to the police college.
“It’s been a great experience so far, only about three weeks in, but they’ve been nothing but great and I’m happy to be here,” said Bunjevac.
She had positive things to say about the other members of the EPS, particularly EPS Insp. Tyler McMillen, with whom she said she has spent a lot of time.
“He was the one who took me along the recruitment process, and led me
to my position now. I’m just enjoying rolling out to the calls and serving the community where I can,” she said.
Bunjevac also enjoyed spending time at the Saskatchewan Police College earlier this year, as the aspiring officers learned about the job. The people who are running it are doing a very good job, she said.
The recruitment process was a lot, she said, and a lot of people are interested. She was happy the EPS supported her and believed in her.
“I hope to give back to the community and put my best foot forward for them,” she said.
The EPS has a lot of
opportunities for its members, she said, and Bunjevac is trying to learn about them. Criminal investigations interest her the most, but she is happy to be part of the patrol unit and has no intentions of leaving that part of the EPS.
“I really like digging into things, and if investigating bigger files is what gets people put away who are harming the community, that would be something noble,” she said.
Nixon, meanwhile, has lived in Estevan for about 20 years. He spent 10 years as a member of the Estevan Fire Rescue Service, and has been a reservist for the Canadian Army for about six years, including time as a paratrooper.
“I always wanted to be in the army, so I joined the army,” he said.
He has enjoyed his time with the EPS. Officers have to worry about a lot of things, he said, and he welcomes the constant change.
“It’s not just a regular, over-and-over kind of task, it’s different tasks over time,” he said.
His fellow officers are very knowledgeable and are able to provide instruction.
He also learned a lot at the Saskatchewan Police College, calling it a “fire hose of information” in what seemed like a short amount of time.
“In policing, there’s always stuff to learn, so I don’t think I’ll ever stop
learning,” said Nixon.
He knew some of his fellow EPS members from his time with the fire department, thanks to their response to many of the same calls. That familiarity has helped him since he joined the EPS.
“Obviously, a police officer is working in a different capacity than a firefighter, but an emergency scene is still an emergency scene, and it’s that familiarity of what tasks need to be done,” he said.
Nixon said the joint tactical support team is something he would be interested in joining, but he won’t push ahead with that immediately and his efforts are focused on being the best patrol officer possible.
Country Thunder’s museum on wheels rolls across Saskatchewan
Josie Hlohovsky
SaskToday.ca
Rolling Thunder, the Country Thunder music festival’s museum on wheels, parked at Southern Plain Co-op’s Estevan grocery store on July 6.
Country Thunder, one of the longest-running annual music festivals in North America, and in Saskatchewan, is held in Craven. Director Ted Gross has been wanting to do more outreach, he said, and thought of something that would connect him with communities who support the music festival, as well as keeping the history alive.
“There’s a lot of history with Craven,” Gross said. “We just wanted to showcase it with the fans and take it to them.”
Rolling Thunder is a museum on wheels driving around southern Saskatchewan in preparation for the music festival on July 9-12. Gross said the museum is a “little tour pre-Craven,” to show fans some of the history of the event.
“The music festival is only three days, but it takes
a year of planning to put together,” he said. Rolling Thunder is part of that year.
In a touring trailer, he has memorabilia from several different years of the festival, as well as a timeline running along the walls. Some of the memorabilia include old access passes, a signed guitar, a handwritten note of the 2005 lineup, when it was the Craven Country Jamboree, as well as a football signed by Tim McGraw from the same year.
“Tim McGraw actually had a football game with our security. He just randomly went up to the security and said, let’s play football. They had a twohour football game in the rain,” Gross said.
He has been working with Country Thunder since 2005, and knows what the festival means to Saskatchewan. Because of this, building the museum was a team effort. The owner, he said, has been around since the very beginning, and knew a lot of the stories included in the museum. A Regina company was brought in to
build the touring trailer, but the rest was done by Gross.
“We have some very cool features that we’ve gathered along the years, so we want to take those to the fans, let them hear
the stories, let them see the pieces,” he said.
In addition to being a museum, Rolling Thunder also has a giveaway in which people can enter for the chance to win
general admission weekend passes and a meeting with 2026 headliner Riley Green.
The museum also stopped in Saskatoon, Regina and Swift Current.
This is not the last that communities will see of Rolling Thunder, Gross said. “As this thing evolves, we’re going to be adding more.”
SaskToday column: I left for Toronto, but came home to tell stories
Josie Hlohovsky
SaskToday.ca
My name is Josie Hlohovsky, and I will admit, I’m nervous. I am going to be working with SaskToday, writing and reporting on events that happen in southern Saskatchewan, and the prospect is oddly nervewracking. I try not to be a nervous person.
I have lived here for most of my life. I grew up on a farm and worked all around southeast Sask. When I was in high school, I even wrote for the Estevan Mercury. In some ways, this internship feels like something I’ve been preparing for since I left for school.
I attend the University of Toronto in Ontario, and I am studying journalism, partly
because of the work I did with the Mercury, but also because I like to tell stories, and this place has plenty of stories. Compared to Toronto, Estevan isn’t even a dot on the map, and I found myself missing parts of Saskatchewan.
There were several opportunities for internships in Toronto, but I chose to return to Estevan and work here instead. This job feels like a much bigger responsibility than any internship in Toronto would be, because I care about this community. Estevan has made so many strides in my lifetime, like the rebuilding on Fourth Street, or the introduction of small modular nuclear reactors.
When I was young, playing local sports
eventually landed me in the Estevan Sharks, the city’s water polo team, which led me to Team Sask and eventually to Team Canada. Water polo was what inspired me to attend the University of Toronto and sent me across the world. I play on the Toronto Varsity team, and I’ll never forget the Estevan Leisure Centre and how much I learned there. I am nervous to begin this job, but not because I don’t have faith in myself. It’s because I care so much about this community, and the work that has been done to carry this place into the future. I am young and am part of that future. I want to keep telling this place’s stories, so if you have any ideas, send them my way at jandrist@sasktoday.ca.
Rolling Thunder, the Country Thunder music festival’s museum on wheels, was parked at Southern Plain Co-op’s Estevan grocery store on July 6.
Photo by Josie Hlohovsky/SaskToday.ca
Josie Hlohovsky
Minor Baseball to host provincials, salute history
David Willberg SaskToday.ca
Talented young players from around the province will be converging on Estevan later in July for Baseball Saskatchewan provincial tournaments.
Up first will be 11U AAA, 11U AA Tier 2C and 15U AA Tier 3, bringing 28 teams to Estevan from July 17-19. The Estevan 11U AAA Brewers will compete in the AAA
competition, while teams comprised of house league players will play in 11U AA and 15U tournaments.
“It will be a very busy weekend,” said Estevan Minor Baseball president Mel Murray.
Then the 13U AA Tier 5 tournament will be held from July 24-26, with eight teams competing, including an Estevan team boasting house league players.
All provincial tournaments will be at Mel Murray Cactus Park.
Murray noted the EMB will use the opening ceremonies for both weekends to honour its past. During the ceremonies July 17, which start at 5 p.m., the EMB will honour the late Barry O’Handley and his family. O’Handley’s son BJ will throw the ceremonial opening pitch.
Minor ball has also
named one of its diamonds after Barry O’Handley, and the diamond is one of four located at O’Handley Field, named for Barry O’Handley’s father Allan.
Barry O’Handley was inducted into the EMB Wall of Fame in 2012. And minor baseball has named the U13 top player award after him.
“When Barry finished coaching, the coach would phone him up and ask him
‘Could you come down and help with the pitchers?’ And he really liked working with the U13 kids because that was the first year they had the pick-off move,” said Murray.
O’Handley was president of EMB for a long time, and was involved with the executive and as a coach for many years, Murray said.
As for the opening ceremonies for the July 24-26
weekend, Murray said the EMB will honour the Estevan U13 AAA Haulers team that won the 2002 provincial championship and went to nationals in Summerside, P.E.I. Murray said the tournaments have a big impact on the local economy, espcially the first weekend with 28 teams. He expects 2,000-2,500 people will be in Estevan between the three divisions.
Souris Valley Theatre opens first summer production
Josie Hlohovsky SaskToday.ca
The Souris Valley Theatre launched its first summer production on July 6. Mamma Mio: An ABBA Love Story, opens that night and continues until July 17.
“If you’re familiar with Mamma Mia, the Broadway show or the movie, it’s sort of a musical parody of that,” said director Brad Wiebe. He hails from Winnipeg, where he and his wife, Pamela, are actors during the year.
During the summer, he said, they get to be working behind the scenes. Pamela is the choreographer of the show.
While the musical takes inspiration from the movie and Broadway show, it is not the same story. Written by Randy Apostle, the musical introduces some new
characters and new songs.
“I think it’s got a lot of heart,” said actress Kelly Benzing. “My character is Sophie, who you may know as the Donna character in Mamma Mia, [played by] Meryl Streep.”
The six-person cast auditioned from all over Canada, and there are members from Saskatoon, Edmonton, Calgary and Winnipeg. They spend the summer with the Souris Valley Theatre to put on the production. It is cast member Nathaniel Woodward’s first time in Estevan. He said he had heard about the city from other actors, and reached out to Wiebe directly.
“I always wanted to come to Estevan and do this. I see what the legends and all the hype is all about. And it has not disappointed whatsoever so far,” he said.
Estevan’s community was something the rest of the cast and crew echoed. Nicole Gillis, another cast member, cited the community as her favourite aspect of the show. She said she has met “wonderful” people and they have become a bit like a family.
“If you like any type of musicals, if you like any types of arts, we love to see people from the community come out. It’s a really hard show and a beautiful story. It would be a shame for people to miss it,” Benzing said.
Mamma Mio: An ABBA Love Story will start at 7:30 p.m. every night from July 6-10 and 13-17, with a matinee on July 9.
“You can get tickets at Henders Drugs, at the box office or online,” Wiebe said. “It’s just a good night out of live entertainment.”
Estevan police arrest ATV, dirt bike riders for illegal operation
SaskToday
Members of the Estevan Police Service (EPS) stopped operators of an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) and a dirt bike on July 5, which led to other charges.
According to the July 5 EPS report, members located a driver operating an ATV on streets within city limits. The EPS reported a traffic stop determined he was also a suspended driver and as a result, the vehicle was impounded and the driver was issued several tickets for driving while suspended and operating a quad within city limits.
EPS members also located a dirt bike being operated on a grid road near the Estevan landfill. Following contact with the driver, the EPS said it was determined he had provided a false name and date of birth to police. He was located again later in the shift and arrested for obstructing police, driving while suspended and failing to comply with a probation order. He was subsequently processed and released with a future court date to speak to the charges.
The EPS says it is investigating damage to a resident’s window that reportedly occurred in the evening of July 5 on Smith Street. Nearby homeowners are requested to check their own properties for damage, as the EPS said it is unclear if this was an isolated incident.
Anyone with home security cameras in this area is asked to contact the EPS if video footage for this timeframe is available. Call 306-634-4767 or contact Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers at 1-800-2228477 or online at saskcrimestoppers.com.
An investigation into spousal abuse over what the EPS said was an extended period of time was initiated, after the victim attended the police station and provided a statement. The matter remains under investigation.
A report came in of a suspicious woman removing a bike tire from a trailer in the Hillside area. The EPS said members attended the area but were unable to locate anyone matching the description
provided.
EPS members dealt with an intoxicated youth twice in a short period of time during the night shift. Following the second interaction, the EPS said she was arrested and lodged in cells until sober, to be released to a parent.
A July 4 intrusion alarm at a business in the city centre was investigated. The EPS said members located the building insecure, but nobody one was located on the property when it was cleared by police. No signs of damage or stolen items were noted. Staff attended and secured the building. Multiple individuals reported receiving a scam text message indicating that a summons had been issued for them to attend court, but payment through an attached link would eliminate the need to attend. No loss of money occurred through the attempted scams, police said. The EPS added it wants the public to be aware that texts of this nature are fraudulent and that police and the courts do
not operate in this manner.
A search of a residence occupied by an individual who is on court-ordered conditions resulted in his arrest for failing to abide.
The EPS said he was in possession of cannabis. The individual was processed and released with a new court date to speak to the charge.
A complaint of an individual trespassing and stealing a bicycle in the Trojan area of Estevan was received. Video of the offence has been obtained and the EPS said the matter remains under investigation.
A traffic stop of a Novice 1 driver resulted in a vehicle seizure and 60day driver’s licence suspension. The EPS said the motorist was found to have alcohol in their system, contrary to the conditions of their graduated licence program.
Several suspicious individuals were reported to be walking or driving. The EPS said each report resulted in police locating the individuals, identifying them and speaking
with them about their behaviour. No criminal activity was noted during the field interviews and all those spoken to were sent on their way.
Members assisted former spouses July 3 by keeping the peace during division of property at a residence. The EPS said no issues resulted from the exchange.
A property owner requested assistance with a tenant who had failed to pay rent and wished to have the person removed from the premises. The EPS said members attended and kept the peace during their interaction, and educated them both on their obligations and rights under the Residential Tenancies Act. Both parties were referred to the Office of Residential Tenancies for additional follow-up regarding the situation.
A vehicle was reported to have been taken without consent by an individual known to the owner. The EPS said the vehicle was recovered and the matter remains under investigation.
The EPS said an alarm
at a residence in the Trojan area was investigated and determined to have been caused by an individual checking the property while the homeowner was away. A report of a vehicle driving erratically while entering Estevan was investigated. The vehicle was located and the EPS said the driver was subjected to a mandatory breath test, with a result of zero. No signs of impairment were noted during the traffic stop and the driver was warned regarding the driving actions observed by the complainant. Multiple compliance checks were conducted on individuals bound by court-ordered conditions. The EPS said each person checked was found to be in compliance.
A report of an individual trespassing in a backyard resulted in the arrest of an intoxicated youth, who the EPS said had also damaged property in the backyard. He was lodged in cells and released to a parent a short time later. The matter remains under investigation.
Mamma Mio is on stage at the Souris Valley Theatre.
Photo by Josie Hlohovsky/SaskToday.ca
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Implements
June wall walk at Southeast Cornerstone includes data collections
Submitted by Norm Park, Contracted Reporter for
SECPSD
The west wall in the South East Cornerstone Public School Division’s main conference room in Weyburn is festooned with colourful graphs created by data collectors throughout the division.
On a regularly scheduled basis, teams of educators, administrators and consultants make their way to that room to interpret and ex-
plain what’s happening on their educational front lines by directing school board members’ attention to that colourful wall.
The event played out once again on June 22 as the team gathered to relate how the data was gained and how they were doing in the demanding task of educating young people.
Several of the presenters pointed out how data collections allow them to quickly make corrections
when weaknesses appear since all students in the system are recorded in one way or another that benefits all.
The team presenters during the wall walk that was held during the early afternoon’s open business session included:
Keith Keating, Director of Education who led off the discussions followed by Nathan Johnson, Superintendent of Human Resources, who has trad -
itionally taken on the role of wall walk starter.
Also making their presence felt in areas of expertise were Kristy Johnson- Co-ordinator of Early Learning, Gillain Costelo, Co-ordinator of Student Services, Tracey Kiliwnik, Co-ordinator of Learning Supports, Raylene Forseth, Mental Health Consultant, Adam Wilson, Co-ordinator of Curriculum and Instructional Technology and Sherrie Meredith Superintendent of Schools in the eastern region.
Shelley Sargent, Superintendent of Schools for the southern region was in attendance to lend information and support for the presenters this time around with Aaron Hiske, the Deputy Director taking on a presentation role regarding mathematic skill sets and parental connections.
By starting the process, Keating suggested board members could focus on the visual references while paying attention to such things as graduation rates in SECPSD as they relate to provincial outcomes as just one thing to use as an example while the charts were being explored.
Johnson focused attention on transitions to showcase “the work done with the support teams.” He spoke of transitions in various age and grade groupings and how educa-
tors get to know the students and what students will require additional support at different grade levels. The data, he explained, even included early childhood interventions and the pride that Cornerstone has in finessing these involvements for the benefit of the early learners.
Graduation data will be included in next fall’s report, he said.
Kristy Johnson addressed several topics including speech-language pathology from Kindergarten on through to the school year end.
She pointed out through the data charts when intervention is needed, and how data is used for programming and “chronological assessments year-to-year.”
She also pointed out how grade levels are generally reached by up to 80 per cent of the students and how these data can sometimes be skewed a bit due to low sample sizes since some students perform above grade levels. She also noted winter to spring results and how attendance and interventions affect outcomes.
all subject areas to obtain a strong grasp of relational understandings in all subject areas. A few minutes later she addressed credit alternatives along with Wilson who was focused on curriculum development and instructional avenues that can be pursued to gain credits.
Kiliwnik noted how these features often increase attendance for individual students since they focus on certain jobs while receiving specialized supports.
Wilson spoke of increasing First Nations achievement and various benchmarks achieved and noted through the data collection processes.
He spoke about how student choices are enhanced, and noted some simple truths such as “the best way to become a better reader is to read,” suggesting that some students will be encouraged to pick up books or other reading materials during the summer break. He also recognized math and reading patterns and progressions.
CLUES ACROSS
1. Nocturnal South American rodent
5. Requesting 11. Give temporarily
12. Excitedness
16. Armed Forces branch
17. Actor Harris
18. Middle Eastern capital
19. Air hostesses
24. Partner to “Pa” 25. Percussion instrument
Popular computers
27. Reduce light 28. Asian mountain range
29. Every one of two or more
Absence of difficulty 31. A public announcement of a proposed marriage
33. Whittles 34. Impact
38. Serviceman 39. A French river
Prehistoric people 43. Messenger
acid
__ Clapton, musician
45. Ancient Greek sophist
49. Largest English dictionary (abbr.)
50. Singer Hansard
51. A way to disentangle
53. Atomic #93 54. Manifesting approval
56. Indigo bush 58. Former AL MVP Vaughn
59. Off-Broadway theater award 60. Fencers 63. Small Eurasian deer (pl.) 64. Relating to passerine birds
65. Arrange systematically CLUES DOWN
1. Colorless fluid 2. Of a main artery
3. Photographer’s tool 4. Blues Traveler hit “But __” 5. Grew older 6. Not the leader 7. __ Lang (country singer)
8. A driver’s license is one
Crossword puzzle answers
9. Nests of pheasants 10. Wildebeests
13. Equal to one quintillion bytes 14. Japanese three-stringed lute
15. Type of cat
20. It cools your home
21. The ancient Egyptian sun god 22. Pouches
23. German trigraph
27. Form of Persian
29. Measurement unit
30. Body part
31. Bridge building degree
32. Indicates position
33. Political action committee
34. Snack food
35. Front part of a quadruped
36. Locate
37. Pitching statistic
38. __, myself and I
40. City in Utah
41. They play in the trenches
42. “Can’t Touch This” rapper __ Hammer
44. Type of tree
45. Performers
46. Slang for mistake
47. More open
48. Most slick
50. Needles
51. University of Dayton
52. Atomic #11
54. Large fish of the mackerel family
55. Not any
57. __ and behold
61. Popular highlight show (abbr.)
62. “The Great Lakes State”
Costello focused on literacy issues for her part of the program, noting progress being made at the Grade 1 to 6 levels on the reading and comprehension programming. She noted the areas of improvement within the middle years data collection and what might be next for students to refine writing skills and where intervention might be deployed.
Kiliwnik popped up twice at the wall, to speak of Indigenous learning supports and gathering information and, “our commitment to it.”
She mentioned how various conversations are slated with all schools in
Meredith and Forseth shared the data wall to speak about spring to fall attendance and mental health and how assessments are conducted twice a year and addressed the challenges regarding mental health follow up when the subject populations are low.
Conflict issues receive a follow up and data becomes very helpful when consistent data are used for family support and useful for assisting students to gain more independence. They also spoke of how attendance issues become important cogs in the educational wheel as well as after school activities.
The presentations drew a few queries from board members and a thank you from chairwoman Audrey Trombley.
