Terry Lynne Mactavish
A tax refund is just a missed opportunity A large refund means you’ve been overpaying your taxes throughout the year.
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BY LLEWELLYN MELVILL
CRAIG PAETZ CFP, B.Comm., Executive Financial Consultant craig.paetz@investorsgroup.com (403) 664-8311
CRAIG PAETZ CFP, B.COMM, Executive Financial Consultant craig.paetz@igpwm.ca 403-664-8311
During the Centennial year, I thought the town should have some flower boxes to contribute to the celebration.
STEVEN PAETZ CFP, B.Mgt. Associate Consultant steven.paetz@investorsgroup.com (403) 664-9494
steven.paetz@igpwm.ca 403-664-9494
The town council agreed to finance the material for the planter boxes. That was the start. Gordon built them. We made self-watering pots and planted red and white petunias in them that year.
We encouraged businesses and residents to plant red and white flowers. The town looked great with many beautiful displays of red and white.
After that, we built a few more boxes and moved them to their present locations. Different combinations of colours followed over the years. It was fun trying to choose the varieties of flowers every year.
Oyen Greenhouses grows the best flowers, and the owners and staff make every year special. I truly appreciated their help over the years.
As time went on and we slowed down with age, the businesses agreed to take over watering the boxes closest to their business. That was very much appreciated. It was getting increasingly difficult to get in and out of the truck to water all the boxes. Our old knees didn’t care for that. We still cared for five spots in town until this year.
This year’s planting of the town flowers was a struggle—Mother Nature didn’t want to cooperate with us.
My right-hand man couldn’t help me much as he has lost a lot of muscle mass and can’t do what it takes to be as much help as needed.
Luckily, I was able to get some great gals to volunteer to help get the job done—Susan Wilson, Joanne McBain and Sharon Berg. They ate a lot of dirt along with me. It seemed when we were out planting, the good old winds would be at their worst.
Just as things were getting to the end of the planting, I landed in Medicine Hat Hospital for two weeks with kidney stones.
Luckily, the gals stepped up and got the rest planted. They also watered the planters we usually do.
As I said, Mother Nature was not on our side. The winds and heat were too much for eight of the plants. Lee Van Otterloo from Oyen Greenhouses and Sharon Berg replanted them—a huge thank you.
We are so fortunate to have such a great greenhouse in our community! You will not find a healthier variety of beautiful plants or a broader selection of petunia colours. I, for one, want to give them a big RAVE.
We have enjoyed caring for the flowers for the last nine years, but with heavy hearts, we must retire. We
truly appreciate the businesses for tending to the flowers after they are planted and hope they will continue to do so in the future. It truly makes the town look cared for. Maybe they would volunteer to plant their boxes in the future, with flowers of their choice, if the town continues to cover the cost. That would solve a big job that one or two people would have to do. Overall, 43 plants were planted.
The welcome to Oyen sign, the information sign, the park at the end of Main Street, and the two big grey boxes are the ones we have looked after planting and watering for the season. These are the ones that would have to be looked after by someone. Maybe the town crew could water them after someone planted them.
I am willing to help anyone who would like to take over the planting of the flowers in these areas.
If we work together, I know this community will figure out a way to keep the flowers around for years to come. They say it takes a village to raise a child. Well, I say, “It takes a great community to keep a village looking good.”
Thank you to all the volunteers over the years who have helped us with this project; we have truly enjoyed every year.
We have heard many out-of-town visitors say how beautiful the flowers are and how nice it makes the town look.
Over the years, a variety of flowers have been planted at the Welcome to Oyen sign. All were a welcoming sight as visitors came into town. We saw numerous people taking pictures.
So, here’s hoping someone will continue to plant and maybe look after the few spots that we did.
Enjoy the rest of the summer and take time to smell the flowers!
BY JOAN JANZEN
This kind of struck me as funny …. “I hate it when I’m talking to myself and suddenly realize I wasn’t paying attention and then have to start all over.”
22-year-old Omer spent a lot of time talking to himself while held hostage in Gaza for nearly two years. The Israeli citizen immediately began sharing his story after his release in 2025, in an effort to help the remaining hostages.
At the time of his capture, the 20-yearold was shot at resulting in two of his friends sustaining serious leg wounds. “They loaded us on the back of a truck and sat on us. As we got into Gaza I remember hearing the sound of the cheering people,” he recalled. Women and children were cheering, and shots were fired in the air. “It was like a holiday for them.”
His friends who were brother and sister, were taken to hospital and brought back to a room where they spent the next 53 days with Omer. At the hospital the bullets had been removed without anesthetic or medication. The terrorists took their shoes and socks, forced them to talk in quiet whispers at all times, and gave them very little food.
“I didn’t know there were so many other hostages,” Omer said. He thought he and his friends were the only ones.
After 50 days Omer’s friends were sent home. “I was happy for them but the feeling of being left behind was very very hard,” he admitted. During the first
“I really did try to understand their side, but they don’t want peace.”
three days of being alone he thought he was going crazy; however he was about to experience more challenging times.
Omer was led for an hour down a tunnel and placed in a tiny cell, not wide enough to stretch out his arms and not tall enough to be able to stand up straight. It was so dark inside he couldn’t see his hand in front of his face. He was there for 80 days, given one biscuit to eat each day along with a few sips of salty water, and didn’t shower for 80 days. “I could scrape the dirt off my skin,” he said.
“By the last day I was so so weak; I asked God please take me somewhere. Ten minutes later they let me out of the cell,” he said. After walking for an hour he was taken to a big room in the tunnels, where Omer saw white walls for the first time in months.
“I took a shower and they gave me some food. I ate like crazy!” Omer said. His captors called him a Jewish pig but he was so hungry he didn’t care.
“They told me I’m going back to the small cell the next day, but during the night the way to the cell was bombed and we couldn’t go there,” he reported, recalling another answer to prayer.
Omer remained there for 400 days, along with nine terrorists. “I really did try to understand their side, but they don’t want peace,” he said. “They used to remind me all day long – they’ll destroy Israel. I’ve seen the way they hate us.”
After twenty-seven days some of his captors went above ground and came back with some books the IDF soldiers had left behind. One of the books was the Old Testament story of Joseph being thrown into a pit and being rescued.
“I told the leader I would cook and clean for them if they just let me have that one book,” he said. “The leader gave me the book. I read it about a thousand times. It kept me going and imagining I’m going to get out of the pit. It was God’s way of helping me.”
In return Omer cooked, cleaned, did electrical and plumbing jobs and dug in the tunnels. “I bonded with them as a way to survive,” he said. “They would curse me, spit on me, but I never experienced physical abuse, thank God. I was their slave.”
While in captivity, Omer learned to understand Arabic, but didn’t let his captors know. “I listened to everything that was important and remembered it. When I came back home the IDF told me I gave the most helpful intelligence they ever got.”
After 400 days, he began receiving three meals a day and snacks in between; Omer suspected they were preparing him to go home. Fifty days later
he was blindfolded and led outside, where he breathed fresh air and felt sunshine for the first time!
He was taken to a tunnel along with two other hostages. “They took off our blindfolds and I could see them. They looked like holocaust survivors,” he recalled. “Because I ate so much during the last month I had lost 39 pounds.”
Omer described his homecoming as amazing! “We went to the hospital by helicopter. They gave me a whiteboard and said I should write something for the media. I wrote: I’m OK, and I want a burger please. I got to the hospital and we had thousands of burgers. We gave them to everyone in the hospital,” he said.
That first night his family all wanted to sleep in the same hospital room. “My mom sat next to me and looked at me all night long, like a newborn baby, watching me breathe,” he recalled. Since returning home he appreciates the small things in life: sunshine, food on his plate, a shower, time spent with family.
“Most people don’t understand what we’ve been through. I tell people: trust God, keep on praying, and say thank you. That’s something I learned while I was there. Try to make the best out of what is given to you.”
Not only did Omer speak those words, but they helped him to survive for for almost two years.
BY MADONNA HAMEL
I remember when dad bought mom a microwave oven. Rumour had it, if you stood too close you could render yourself sterile. I also remember going from a rotary dial phone to a push-button. And when satellite phones arrived, they were such a status symbol that you could buy a fake one and pretend you were talking into it while driving, just to impress the guy in the car next to you.
I remember going from a face clock with a sweep second hand to those single digit clocks where the minutes and hours flipped like calendar pages. Then came the digital clock that glowed an eerie red at night. I didn’t know then what a jolt to the psyche it would be to go from analog to digital. In the days of analog, reality came on a sliding scale – subtle shades of grey transited us from black to white and back again. With digital you were either a 0 or a 1. And, the more I think about it, maybe that’s what started this whole mess of extreme polarization – where you are either number 1 or a big fat zero, with nothing in between. And certainly no variation.
I remember when the remote control was invented, too. Before that you had to physically get off the couch and turn the tv dial to one of two, or three, channels. Now you can circle the globe with remote in one hand and beer in the other. And best of all you can mute the ads when they come on.
That was the seventies, when we humans, as a collective, went from being citizens to consumers. We understood, soon enough, how television worked and the nature of sponsors and commercials and how popular shows attracted companies who, eventually dictated to those same shows what their content should,
and should not, be.
Today, news is the product for sale. And if you don’t like one version of reality, you can switch to another until you find the news “show” that’s tailor-made to your specifications. The host of the “show” will deliver the “news” in a manner to your suiting - want righteously indignant? Flirtatious? Shocked and Appalled? Snide? Glib? Blasé? Ridiculing? Pandering? Outraged? Bored? It’s all there - ready and waiting to confirm your bias. Trust us, we are told: we are letting you know what to freak out about today. This is the world that matters.
But the “news worth knowing” provides more ammunition than information. And here’s the most disturbing part of all: I’m not telling you anything new. You already know this. But, hey, life is rough and it’s nuts out there so please don’t give me more than I can handle. I’m free to watch the channel of my choice; I’m free to pick and choose the truths that are palatable to me. Don’t make me consider someone else’s side, don’t force an encounter with Reality - and the rest of humanity who inhabit it.
I worked in a newsroom. (Before that, I engaged in activist art - I led protests, marches, and graffitied buildings. Before that I studied literature while working several jobs, waiting tables, popping popcorn at a cinema, painting parade floats, cleaning toilets, selling books, doing voice overs, singing in blues bars, etc. Suffice it to say I’ve seen the world, I’ve made good coin, and I’ve struggled to pay rent. Eventually, I settled for a modest wage with a huge dividend in personal freedom, saying exactly what I believe, and no fear of getting fired.)
And I’m here to tell you: The news is there to scare you. You can count on it. Thats its job. And its hosts, no longer anchors, offer up the daily carnage from safe offices and neighbourhoods. They work and live in places far from the danger and the fray.
BY JOHNATHAN HERRON
Last summer, The Crossroads Museum received quite the item from the Kimber family of Youngstown—an old wooden phonograph with records within the compartments. This donation was, and still is greatly appreciated! It is on display in the main office of the museum.
If you’d like to learn more about it, come visit us down on 1st Ave in Oyen, Alberta!
We are open at 9:30 am-12:00 pm and 12:30 pm-5 pm Tuesdays to Saturdays!
Behind the scenes some of the most diametrically opposed broadcasters dine together, scratch each others’ backs. The president, on his way into the studio of a politically opposed newscast, tells the host he’s about to send his ratings sky high. And the host knows this, even though he is “ethically” opposed to everything the president says - and most of all- how he says it: with contempt, cruelty and dismissiveness, measuring everything by monetary gain. But he’s right. He will help with ratings. And so, he does the interview, hoping for an outrageous outcome.
Krista Tippett, the host of the podcast On Being says it’s time to mute your feed. “I can’t count the number of people I’ve encountered across the last weeks who have reported that they are deleting apps, limiting their consumption of news, boycotting or disrupting the barrage of information overwhelm,” she says. “I’m beginning to see this as a spiritual discipline for being alive in this time. It is not to be confused with disengagement or passivity. It may be an essential tool for sanity.”
Surely, it’s time to shift the conversation, to not give over to getting scared. Getting paralyzed by fear is not staying informed. There will never be an end to “breaking hard-hitting news” that makes us angry, renders us nonproductive at work and unable to sleep at night.
If we must keep ourselves apprised of every insane gesture performed by the man we fear can make or break our day, can we not balance the craziness by stepping away from the screen after ten minutes? Maybe go for a walk. See what the birds are up to? What’s blooming in the garden? Listen to our own selves, for a change - to the murmurings of our hearts, the still small voice crying to be heard beneath the chaos?
We can remind ourselves there are stars in the sky more enduring than the celebrity stars of the speedy digital world, a world that only lives for the next news cycle and seems too frightened, and less able to remember: there’s a whole world out there.
— Oyen RCMP is warning residents of a phone scam involving the STARS lottery. Recently, there have been reports of unknown callers saying they are calling on behalf of the STARS Lottery. The caller tells the intended victims that they have won a prize, and must send a payment to claim the prize. The caller ID even displayed “STARS Lottery” to add legitimacy to the call.
RCMP and STARS is ensuring the public that this is a scam and STARS would like to stress the following: STARS is aware of ongoing scam attempts involving lottery tickets and actively works to inform the public, especially during campaign periods. Lottery ticket purchasers will never be asked to send money to claim a STARS LOTTERY prize. If you are being asked to send a cheque, money order, or payment of any kind to claim your lottery prize, it is a scam. Hang up the phone or delete the email. Check with STARS directly to verify if you are a winner. Winners are listed on our official lottery websites. Always use our official phone numbers and websites, shown below, and not the ones a scammer may provide. Our official contacts are: 1-844-782-7775, info@stars.ca, and www.starslottery.ca
In addition to notifying us, ticket purchasers can also call the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-4958501 and share the information you collected.
BY BRUCE PENTON
While Toronto Blue Jays are needed having an unexpectedly great season, baseball fans in general are enjoying a terrific season on a number of fronts as Major League Baseball passes its halfway mark.
BY BRUCE PENTON Sports Columnist
Trying to project a World Series winner in July is a fool’s game, but it was hardly in doubt back in April when most of the game’s followers were declaring the Los Angeles Dodgers to be a repeat winner of the October (that runs into November) Classic. And why not? The Dodgers dominated the 2024 season and returned with almost the same powerful lineup but with one key addition: Slugger Shohei Ohtani was returning to the mound. The Dodgers in a cakewalk, right?
Not so fast. The first team to get to 50 victories this year was somewhat of a surprise: The Detroit Tigers, who grabbed a wildcard playoff berth last year after languishing at or near the basement of the American League Central for nearly a decade. As the calendar flipped from June to July, the Tigers and Dodgers had identical records atop MLB’s 32 teams. Leading the way for the Tigers is arguably the best pitcher in baseball, Tarik Skubal, who won the AL’s triple crown of pitching last year (wins, ERA, strikeouts). He’s back at it again this year, with a 10-2 record, 2.13 ERA and 138 strikeouts in 109 innings.
But while the Tigers were the first to 50 wins, all teams in the American League must keep their eye on New York Yankees, who would likely prevail in a best-of-seven championship series against the Tigers. Outfielder Aaron Judge is having another sensation-
While the Tigers were the first to 50 wins, all teams in the American League must keep their eye on the Yankees
al season and is the mid-season favourite to win the MVP again. Free-agent pitcher pickup Max Fried is earning his hefty salary, going 10-2 with a 2.13 ERA at mid-season.
While the Dodgers posted the best half-season record, they’re far from an automatic World Series participant. Chicago Cubs are having a season to remember, and Philadelphia Phillies and NY Mets appear to be the class of the NL East, and any one of those teams has the firepower to dislodge the Dodgers in a short series.
Individually, there have been some breakout stories. Catcher Cal Raleigh of Seattle has become the new Sultan of Swing, bashing 35 home runs in his first 87 games, a pace that would give him 65 homers. Judge is on his heels, with 32 homers and a league-leading OPS (on base percentage plus slugging) of 1.202. And a youngster by the name of Jacob Misiorowski of Milwaukee Brewers reminded baseball fans of Fernando Mania of 45 years ago by making a huge rookie splash. In his first two starts, totalling 11 innings, the 6-foot-7 23-year-old did not give up a single hit. In his third outing, he was touched for three hits in five innings and outdueled Pittsburgh mound sensation Paul Skenes. Opponents are batting .061 against him.
Meanwhile, Blue Jays fans are enjoying watching their team flirt with first place in the A.L. The season’s second half should be exciting.
• Vancouver comedy guy Torben Rolfsen: “France is replacing Russia in Olympic hockey next year, so
berets over weird fur hats will be in fashion.”
• Rolfsen again: “U.S. law enforcement has cracked down on gang violence. When are they going to get to the WNBA?”
• Globe and Mail columnist Cathal Kelly, on Masai Ujiri trading “anchor’ Andrea Bargnani to the Knicks in exchange for valuable draft picks: “If sports had a criminal code, that trade would have been a Class A felony.”
• Another one from Kelly, with advice to fans in a column about blistering heat at Wimbledon: “If you feel faint, then for God’s sake don’t pass out while a point is being played. It will distract the players.”
• Manitoba premier Wab Kanew, on the Jets signing Jonathan Toews to a contract: “It’ll be really great for the documentary they make about the Winnipeg Jets winning the Stanley Cup.”
• Torben Rolfsen again: “Joey Chestnut on cover of Hot Dog 26 video game.”
• Comedy writer Alex Kaseberg: “Joey Chestnut once again won the 4th of July hot dog eating contest, eating just over 70 hot dogs in six hours. The real loser in this? Joey Chestnut’s plumber.”
• American political commentator George Will, (snipped from Jack Finarelli’s sportscurmudgen. com site): “Football combines two of the worst things in American life. It is violence punctuated by committee meetings.”
• Headline at fark.com: “I don’t want to say that gambling has ruined ESPN but here’s an article on the odds of the July 4 hot-dog-eating contest.”
• One more from Cathal Kelly, on waiting 18 minutes in line for strawberries and cream at Wimbledon: That is “something I would not normally do. One of my rules for life is that the only things I (grudgingly) line up for are airport security and the checkout at Costco.”
Care to comment? Email brucepenton2003@yahoo.ca
BY COLEMAN NORRIS
Extra!
Extra! Read all about it! The East Sounding Creek 4 H Club was in the Hanna District show and sale on June 6 and 7. We had a fantastic show and sale! Full of hardworking competitors, competing with top showcase steers and females. Competing for bragging rights through the Hanna district, these competitors didn’t only compete for confirmation, they were also competing for showmanship and grooming.
District Winners
District Grand Champion Rate of Gain - Brandt Lyster
District Reserve Champion Rate of Gain - Quade Tye
District Grand Champion Yearling Heifer - Macy Lyster
District Reserve Champion 2 yr OldBrandt Lyster
District Champion Female - Macy Lyster (Yearling Heifer)
District Reserve Champion HerdEmma Westerlund
District Senior Grand ShowmanshipRhett Rude (Steer)
District Intermediate Reserve Showmanship - Doug Westerlund (Steer)
District Intermediate Grand Grooming - Ridge Foot (Steer), Ridge Foot (Heifer)
District Intermediate Reserve Grooming - Brandt Lyster (Steer), Brandt Lyster (Heifer)
District Junior Grand Grooming - Leif Westerlund (Steer), Jensyn Duque
(Heifer)
District Junior Reserve Showmanship - Jensyn Duque (Heifer)
Club Winners
Grand Champion Steer - Macy Lyster
Reserve Grand Champion Steer - Brianna Lyster
Grand Champion Yearling HeiferMacy Lyster
Reserve Grand Champion HeiferBrandt Lyster
2 Yr Old Grand Champion FemaleBrandt Lyster
2 Yr Old Reserve Champion FemaleEmma Westerlund
3 Yr Old Grand Champion FemaleDylan Woods
3 Yr Old Reserve Champion FemaleRhett Rude
Club Grand Champion Female - Macy Lyster (Yearling)
Club Reserve Champion FemaleBrandt Lyster (2 yr old)
Grand Champion Herd - Emma Westerlund
Reserve Champion Herd - Alyssa Andersen
Senior Grand Showmanship - Coleman Norris (Steer), Rhett Rude (Heifer)
Senior Reserve Showmanship - Rhett Rude (Steer), Emma Westerlund (Heifer)
Senior Grand Grooming - Rhett Rude (Steer), Emma Westerlund (Heifer)
Senior Reserve Grooming - Dylan Woods (Steer), Rhett Rude (Heifer)
Intermediate Grand ShowmanshipDoug Westerlund (Steer), Warren Westerlund (Heifer)
Intermediate Reserve Showmanship - Ridge Foot (Steer), Brandt Lyster (Heifer)
Intermediate Grand GroomingBrandt Lyster (Steer), Ridge Foot (Heifer)
Intermediate Reserve GroomingRidge Foot (Steer), Brandt Lyster (Heifer)
Junior Grand Showmanship - Macy Lyster (Steer), Macy Lyster (Heifer)
Junior Reserve Showmanship - Fallyn Duque (Steer), Jensyn Duque (Heifer)
Junior Grand Grooming - Leif Westerlund (Steer), Macy Lyster (Heifer)
Junior Reserve Grooming - Colt Grover (Steer), Jensyn Duque(Heifer)
On behalf of the East Sounding Creek 4-H Club, I would like to thank our buyers and bidders for their generosity and support this year.
Congratulations to all my club and district 4 H members on your success that you have achieved this year. Every year the competition gets stronger and stronger with the show steers, females and Carcass animals. Enjoy your time this summer and good luck to all the 4H members across the province in whatever adventures come your way! This is yours truly, Coleman Norris, signing off and reminding you all to “do yourself a favour and put some beef on your plate.”
The Oyen Indoor Rodeo is all about, friends, family and of course a shared love for rodeo! Three nights of amazing rodeo action took place at the Crossroads Centre from July 10-12. Did you know that the 2024 Oyen Indoor Rodeo was named the LRA Rodeo of the Year? Congratulations to the committee and the Big Country Agricultural Society for a top notch weekend. PHOTOS BY KATE
BY DIANNE SPATH
Hello, everyone. It was a wonderful week with the Stampede theme. A lot of the residents participated in the stampede activities and dressed in western attire. Thanks to all the residents who took part in them and made my week a success. Many residents had watched a lot of the Calgary Stampede, and some took in the Oyen Rodeo weekend.
Monday morning started with exercises followed by a one-on-one Scrabble game. After that, there was the Catholic Church, led by Father Rodell. In the afternoon, there was a Bingo in the “ Bingo Barn”. I called Bingo the old-style way with the little bingo cage. It was a little slower and a bit noisier, but it suited the theme. Happy Birthday to Donna MacLean on July 7th.
Tuesday morning was exercise, followed by the regular bus run downtown for shopping and then an outdoor walk. After lunch, the residents enjoyed a “Saloon Afternoon,” during which refreshments, peanuts, chips, and Cheezies were served. Country music was played to add to our afternoon. Pam Stark from FCSS and Dianne dressed up as Saloon girls to serve the refreshments and snacks. Happy Birthday to Sara Heath on July 8th.
Wednesday started with an outdoor walk, and then some of the residents enjoyed lunch at the Acadia Valley Elevator Teahouse.
Thursday morning, there were exer-
cises, followed by an outdoor walk. ATB Financial was at the Lodge from 10:00 to 11:00 for the residents to do their banking. In the afternoon, the residents took part in some “Stampede Midway” games. Fake money was made for the residents to pay for the games that they played so they could win prizes. The residents had a great time and took lots of prizes home.
Friday morning, there was a “Horse Derby” (races). Hi Ho Silver and Poncho tied for first place. In the afternoon, there were “Cowboy Cookies” and coffee served in the “O.K. Corral”.
There was also a “Rodeo Queen and Princess” contest for the ladies that dressed up all week. The Lodge staff and the Homecare staff were the judges. Sashes were made for the winners to wear. Thanks to Karen Hayworth, who donated the prizes to the top three winners. Rodeo Queen was presented to Shirley Vanstone; Rodeo Princesses were Madeline Nichols and Sandi Jamieson. Everyone else who had dressed up in rodeo theme attire also got to pick a small prize. Thanks to all the residents who dressed up; everyone looked fantastic.
A huge thank you to my volunteers, Sandy Lockhart and Pam Stark, for helping me throughout the week. It was greatly appreciated, and the residents really enjoyed their enthusiasm. Thanks also to our secretary Amanda, who was always lending me a helping hand and dressing western all week.
Thanks to Lockhart Ranches, Randy Girletz and Tracy Hudson for some cowboy western décor for the month. It looks great.
With decades of service to her country and community, Bonnie Critchley is stepping up once again, this time as an independent candidate in the federal by-election for Battle River-Crowfoot.
A retired Canadian Armed Forces veteran, Critchley made history as one of the first women to serve in a Combat Arms unit, eventually becoming the highest-ranked woman in her trade within her regiment. Her 22-year military career was defined by resilience, service, and leadership, values she is now bringing to federal politics.
“I’m not running to play politics. I’m running because I believe this region deserves a voice that’s accountable only to the people, not a party,” said Critchley. “When backroom decisions removed a sitting MP to make room for a party leader, it became clear that the will of voters was being ignored. That’s not democracy.”
Bonnie has lived in the Battle River-Crowfoot riding for over a decade, first in Kneehill County and now in Beaver County with her husband, horses, and dogs. A longtime advocate for Veterans and First Responders, she’s also a champion for rural healthcare, democratic reform, and local small businesses.
Her campaign, under the banner “Our Home. Our Riding.”, focuses on listening directly to constituents across communities in Battle River-Crowfoot like Camrose, Drumheller, Stettler, Wainwright, and Three Hills.
“As an Independent, I’m not here to toe a party line. I’m here to speak up for the real needs of rural Albertans, from affordable living and mental health support to fairness in how our votes count.”
With no allegiance to any political party, Bonnie Critchley promises a straight-shooting, people-first approach to politics.
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CONSORT — On July 7, 2025, Alpha Bow Energy filed a complaint with the Consort RCMP stating that someone had attended one of their oil sites in Special Area 4, Alta. They had caused considerable damage and stolen copper wire from the site. Consort RCMP, with assistance from Coronation RCMP, set up surveillance on the site as information suggested that they would return. On July 8, 2025, at 2:30 a.m., the suspect returned to the site. Members from Consort and Coronation RCMP arrested a male suspect who was driving in a vehicle filed with lengths of copper wire.
As a result of the investigation, Nathaniel David Turner (26), a resident of British Columbia, was charged with:
• Break and enter with intent;
• Possession of break in tools;
• Theft under $5000;
• Mischief under $5000; and
• Failure to comply with court order. Turner was brought before a justice of the peace and remanded into custody. He is to appear before the Alberta Court of Justice in Coronation on July 11, 2025.
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VISIT OSOYOOS,
Learn more at www.osoyoossnowbirds. com; call the Osoyoos Visitor Centre at 1-888676-9667
BY TRICIA FISCHBUCH Library Manager
More new books have arrived this week!
Sisters Murder Investigations by James Patterson & Candice Fox
join us again this Thursday July 17th at 2PM for the next session.
The Summer Reading Contest has begun! Reading logs are available at the library for kids ages 4-12. There is a weekly prize for the child who reads the most minutes each week and a grand prize at the end for the one who reads the most minutes total. Minutes are due Wednesdays by midnight or can be handed in at the start of the Summer Reading Program sessions. Happy reading and good luck to all!
Thanks to everyone who brought their kids by for the first Summer Reading Program session! Nine kids showed up for the story, craft, and snack. Caregivers took advantage of the perpetual puzzle while the children crafted and played games. Please make plans to
Programs:
• Mental Health & Addictions
• Family Support (FSW) & Diversion Support
• Family Violence Intervention (FVI)
• Rapid Access Counselling (RAC) for Children Youth/Caregivers
• Rapid Access for Counselling (RAC) for Adults
• Crisis Intervention & Debriefing
• Suicide Intervention & Suicide Impact Supports
• Sexual Assault Victim Support
• Trafficking Intervention
• Family Intervention Rapid Support Teams (FIRST)
• Client Advocacy
• Intimate Partner Violence Intervention
• Court Mandated Supports
The West Central Crisis & Family Support Centre’s mission is to provide support services to individuals and families experiencing trauma, violence, addiction, or crisis in their lives, as well as outreach programs to communities within our boundaries.
The online TD Summer Reading Club (www.tdsummerreadingclub.ca) is also ongoing which features fun online games and activities that promote Pick up a registration packet at the library to get started!
Remember that the library will be closed for cleaning starting July 22nd and will reopen on August 5th.
The new language learning eResource, Transparent Language Online, is now available to all library cardhold(This is the one that is replacing the former Pronounciator option). Transparent Language Online offers a learning experience in over 110 different languages and even provides apps so you Access it through the library’s website at www.acadialibrary.ca/eResources.
“Books are a refuge, a kind of sanctuary where we can retreat and escape from the realities of life, even if just for a little while.” - Nicholas Sparks
SURPRISE VISITOR AT OYEN RODEO. Pierre Poilievre, leader of the Conservative Party of Canada and candidate in the Battle River— Crowfoot by-election, dropped by the Big Country Ag Society 4th Annual Oyen Indoor Rodeo to say a few words to the crowd. He was welcomed by Damien Kurek and his son, Matthew. Kurek resigned so that his party’s leader can get back into the House of Commons.
August 6, 1927 - July 8, 2025
Dorothy Agnes Smigelski passed away peacefully on July 8, 2025, at the age of 97 in the Oyen long-term care facility, surrounded by her family.
Dorothy was born on August 6, 1927, in Nicolaeff, Russia, to her parents Nick and Rose, who immigrated to Canada in 1929; Dorothy was the second oldest of seven children.
In 1946, Dorothy married the love of her life, Peter Smigelski. Together, they farmed side by side through both the good times and the hard, raising eight children and taking pride in the growing family they built. Dorothy was known for her love of cooking, endless baking of crumb cake and cookies, her tidy home, and her tireless work ethic. On more than one occasion, you could find her hauling grain from the combine while her children napped on the floorboards of the grain truck. She often tended to her garden at the farm, where she spent hours planting, picking, and ensuring her family always had fresh vegetables on the table and a pantry full of canned goods. In the winter, that same garden was flooded and transformed into a hockey rink, providing endless hours of fun for her children and creating cherished family memories.
ing home with a bag full of purchases. She never hesitated to wear her heels, even on icy sidewalks, simply because she found them comfortable.
She loved nothing more than a game of baseball in the yard with her children or grandchildren. No matter the weather, distance, or sport, Dorothy never missed a single game, meet, or event; always cheering from the sidelines. And without fail, after every game, the children could always count on a toonie or loonie, handed out with a proud smile. Family was of the greatest importance to her - she was so proud of all her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.
To place an obituary
Dorothy was the definition of a devoted farm wife. She worked tirelessly alongside Pete, not only in the fields but also helping care for the cattle and horses. Whether it was feeding livestock, assisting with branding, or lending a steady hand in the barn, she embraced every part of farm life with strength, resilience, and quiet determination all while wearing a dress.
In 2000, Pete and Dorothy moved from their beloved farm home into their house in Oyen.
She volunteered countless hours within the community, dedicating her time to the Catholic Women’s League and actively supporting the long-term care bingo games and various events. Her commitment brought joy and companionship to many, making a meaningful impact on those around her.
Dorothy had a true love for fashion, often com-
Anyone who knew Dorothy admired her pride and dignity; she carried herself with grace and strength throughout her life. She is lovingly remembered by her children: Julie (Bill) Martin, Dwayne (Jo Ann), Len, Dean, Randall, Lyle (Karen), Glen (JoAnne) and Rhonda (Pat) Mills; grandchildren Nelson, Russell, Audra, Stacey, Brad, Kent, Braden, Jarvis, Jayce, Travis, Ryan, Jordan, Adele, Sheena, Kristyn, Kira, Cortney, Terrin, Garin, Chelsea, Ryland, and Mitchell; and 31 great grandchildren and counting.
Dorothy was predeceased by her loving husband of 68 years, Pete Smigelski; her parents, Nick and Rose Hertz; siblings Lydia, Emilie, Ralph, Rosie, and Margery. She is survived by her brother, Danny.
Memorial Donations may be directed to the Sacred Heart R.C Church in Oyen, AB
Prayer Services were held on Thursday July 10, 2025 and Mass of Christian Burial was held on Friday July 11, 2025 with Father Rodel officiating. Services were held at Sacred Heart R.C Church.
Funeral Arrangements in the care of MacLeans Funeral home in Oyen, AB.
To leave messages of condolence, or to send memorial donations thru the obituary please visit ofsmacleans.com
Send a photo and text to 306-463-2211 or email Kate at kate@yourwestcentral.com or contact your funeral home to send it on your behalf.
BY KATE WINQUIST
For the second straight season, the Oyen Eagles will play for the Fertile Valley Baseball League championship. The Eagles were undefeated in the regular season and met the Kindersley Stallions in the best-of-three semi-finals last week. The flock travelled to Kindersley on Monday, July 7 and crushed the home team 111. They advanced to the finals with an 8-6 victory the
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We try our best to keep events up-to-date, but if you see an error or have a cancellation, please let us know!
ALSASK
- Drop in Pickleball every Tuesday 8:00 PM at the Alsask Rec Centre. All ages are welcome.
CEREAL
SATURDAY, JULY 26
• Cereal Mud Bog. Mud flies at 12:00 noon. Dance to follow.
SUNDAY, AUGUST 24
• Cereal Kids Rodeo starting at 9:00 AM. Pre-registration required July 7th thru August 1st.
- Monday Night Bingo (except holidays) at the CJ Peacock Centre. Doors & Concession open at 6:30 PM. Bingo starts at 7:30 PM
- Cereal Cottages Coffee on Tuesdays 10:30 - 11:30 AM
- Quilting Club weekly Wednesdays 10 AM - 4 PM at the CJ Peacock Centre.
following evening back at Doug Lehman Field. The Eagles will now play the Rosetown Angels, who took care of business, defeating the Kindersley Cubs in two games straight in the other semi-final matchup.
Game 1 was to be played on Monday, July 13, at Rosetown. Game 2 will be played in Oyen on Tuesday, July 15, at 7:00 pm on Doug Lehman Field. If needed, a game 3 would be played at Oyen on Wednesday, the 16th.
- Cereal Playground most Tuesdays 10:00 AM at the CJ Peacock Centre.
- Empress & District Fine Arts, Culture and Leisure Society Craft Mondays 1:00 PM at Empress Community Hall Craft Room. Everyone is welcome and coffee is always on!
- Empress & District Fine Arts, Culture and Leisure Society Crib Wednesdays 7:00 PM at Empress Community Hall. $5 entry fee. $1 for each hand scoring 19 goes into the loonie pot. All monies will be paid out at end of evening. Great opportunity to see old friends and make some new ones.
- Empress & District Fine Arts, Culture and Leisure Society presents Snarples Thursdays 7:00 PM. No entry fee. Great opportunity to see old friends, make some new ones and learn a new card game. Empress Community Hall (314 Centre St.)
- Game Night Saturdays at 7:00 PM at the Community Hall. Come join us for a
night of fun and excitement. Play games and hang out with friends and family.
- Empress & District Fine Arts, Culture and Leisure Society Garden Market Saturdays 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM until September 6. Breakfast served 9-11 AM or lunch from 11-2! Buy/Sell Local. Promoting local gardeners, artisans, crafters, bakers.
JULY 16-19
• Empress Summer Curling Bonspiel. Contact Brad 306-661-0409 to enter of for more info.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 16
• Empress & District Historical Society presentation “Wildlife, Landscapes, and Geology” by Dale Leckie Ph.D., P.Geol 4:00 PM at the Empress Train Station.
LEADER
THURSDAY, JULY 17
• Leader & District Arts Council and Town of Leader FREE Community Concert 6:30 PM in the Millennium Gardens (in case of bad weather, it will be at the
Submit your Upcoming Event to kate@yourwestcentral.com or text 306-463-2211 DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS IS FRIDAY AT NOON.
intended for business use.
Leader Community Centre). Featuring Berk Jodoin with Aspen Beveridge and Kurtis Kopp with opening act Owen Nelson. Concession available.
OYEN
JULY 18-20
• 4th Annual Prairieland Athletic Association Slow Pitch Tournament. Fun for all ages! Bouncy castles, beer gardens, food booth, DJ on Saturday at the beer gardens, tons of prizes. Contact Christopher 403-664-0878 for more info or to register.
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3
• Regular Pot Luck and Meeting for Oyen and District Seniors (50+) at Oyen and District Seniors Recreation Centre. Pot Luck at 6:00 PM and Meeting at 7:00 PM. Call Lynda 403-664-0908 or Beth 403-664-2462 for more information.
- Oyen Town Council meet 2nd Tuesday of every month 6 PM in Council Chambers. - Community Choir every Wednesday at 7 PM in the Evangelical Missionary Church.