The Weekly Bean - April 18, 2024 by yourwestcentral

SPORTS TALK with Greg Buchanan

ere has been a decisive uptick in discussion about National Hockey League expansion in recent weeks. And we aren’t merely talking a liate expansion and the push towards a 34-team league. e public debate as to whether the NHL should pursue an NBA-style playo format expansion has also increased.

For a variety of reasons (and surely, a topic worth getting to in the o -season here), I don’t think the NHL should expand its playo footprint, though it’s a nuanced debate and one that brings real incremental business opportunity to a league yearning for growth.

Setting aside the playo expansion debate for a moment, let me bring to your attention that what seems like an annual recurrence since the league reformatted to a divisional-based playo format in 2014, to a colossal issue that can be xed in a moment’s notice? It’s the current playo format. It is a topic I have exhausted in this space, but it’s also a problem the league has yet to address. When the NHL made its format changes, much of the focus was on rewarding divisional winners and the hybrid wild-card system. What was lost, or at least

sorely misunderstood, were the rami cations of forcing the second and third best teams within a given division to play each other in the rst round. Simply put, any time you have a talent imbalance at the divisional level, you carry the risk of creating a very ine cient playo seeding. is season, we have seen this train barreling down the tracks at full speed.

While the Western Conference playo race has been amazing (notably without any wild-card chase, thanks to the clustering of the top eight teams), the Eastern Conference has been abysmal. None of the wild-card teams, save for the Pittsburgh Penguins, are playing like they want to qualify for the playo s. is season, the two-versus-three rst-round matchup is creating major problems in the Metropolitan and Central divisions. e Metropolitan, of course, is by far the weakest of the four groups. e New York Rangers and Carolina Hurricanes each look like Stanley Cup contenders, but the rest of the division has been appalling to watch for much of the year. Meanwhile, in the other Eastern Conference division, Toronto and Tampa Bay, two other

STEEL PADLOCKS

high-quality teams, are jockeying for the third and nal seed in the Atlantic, which means the loser of that race will draw into a wild-card seed against a top-seeded Eastern foe.

So, despite almost certainly nishing below presumptive division winner Boston in the standings, Carolina will face a materially easier opponent in the rst round. e regular season is intended to do many things; one of those things is to separate contenders and pretenders, and to ensure that there is a meaningful reward for outperformance over those 82 games. In a sport as volatile as hockey, you would think the NHL would at least seed teams to start the playo s in top-down fashion.

Even if the league doesn’t want to dramatically overhaul its playo format and thinks divisional based hockey is good, this format only works when you have equitable talent and performance across each division. Ten years later, we have yet to see that be the case. In the instance of this season, there is dramatic impact in multiple divisions, with some bene tting while others are pulling their hair out at their likely playo fate.

bolt

Celebrity Extra

Is Us,” the heart-wrenching drama series about the lives of siblings spanning across several decades, was created by Dan Fogelman, who first got his start in animated films. He’s credited with writing the screenplay for “Cars,” “Bolt” and “Tangled,” but it was the critically acclaimed film “Crazy, Stupid, Love,” starring twotime Oscar winner Emma Stone (“Poor Things”), that showed audiences he had a gift for dialogue.

Fogelman’s first series was the shortlived ABC comedy “The Neighbors,” starring Jami Gertz (“Still Standing”). He followed that with several other shows that were canceled after one season (“Galavant,” “Grandfathered” and “Pitch”). He struck gold in 2016 when “This Is Us” premiered on NBC, averaging 14 million viewers in its first season. Not since “ER” and “Grey’s Anatomy” did a network television show become the topic of discussion the next day at work.

Expectations are high for Fogelman’s next project, “Paradise City.” The upcoming series is described as a thriller and stars “This Is Us” alum Sterling K. Brown, James Marsden (“Jury Duty”) and Julianne Nicholson (“Mare of Easttown”). Hulu has picked up the series, which started production this past February.

Sterling K. Brown (Upcoming in Dan Fogelman’s “Paradise City”)

(Aasif Mandvi) states, “We’ve already hunted werewolves and demons. Are we now hunting witches?” Another plotline is said to involve the birth of the antichrist. Katja Herbers, Mike Colter and Christine Lahti are all said to be returning for the final run. ***

Q:When is Pat Sajak’s last episode as the host of “Wheel of Fortune”? Will Ryan Seacrest be taking over immediately? — J.J.

Central Crisis & Family Support Centre

Brown, who plays the head of security for a former president in the new series, notes that this character will be quite different than his “This Is Us” character, Randall.

Q:When is the show “Evil” returning? Is it only on Paramount+? — D.A.

A:The upcoming fourth and final season of “Evil” will air exclusively on the Paramount+ streaming service, beginning May 23. Fortunately, there will be 14 episodes, which will roll out weekly and air throughout the summer.

In the trailer for the new season, Ben

A:Pat Sajak, the longtime host of the iconic game show “Wheel of Fortune,” announced that season 41 would be his last. The season premiered this past September and will conclude on June 7, making that night the last time you’ll see Sajak spinning the wheel. Ryan Seacrest will take over hosting duties when the new season premieres, which will most likely be in September of this year. However, Sajak will remain with the show behind the scenes as a consultant for three additional years, and Vanna White has inked a deal to continue her letter-turning duties at least through 2026.

Send me your questions at NewCelebrityExtra@gmail.com, or write me at KFWS, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803.

Submit your event to: kate@yourwestcentral.com or text 306-463-2211

ALSASK

SUNDAY, MAY 19

• First CFS Alsask Radar Dome Tour of 2024! Tours at 12:00 PM, 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM. Please pre-register by emailing info@civildefence.ca. Entry will be a donation of your choice. Please arrive 15 minutes before your tour and wear closed toe shoes.

- Drop-in Pickleball 7:00 PM at the Alsask Rec Centre. All ages are welcome. $5 drop-in fee.

- Free Fun Learn Di erent Line Dances. Monday nights 7:00-8:00 PM at the Alsask Rec Centre. All welcome.

EATONIA

SATURDAY, APRIL 27

• Eatonia Spring Market at the Eatonia Community Hall from 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 1

• Regional Kids First Magnetic Tiles Creation Session at the Eatonia Library 1:30-3:00 PM. Geared towards families with children under 6 years old. Parent / Caregiver participation required.

- Every ursday from 11:30 AM -1:30 PM come to the Eatonia Library for puzzles, visiting and grab your books for the week!

- Check out our TOPS Chapter … it’s free to try! Every Wednesday. Weigh in: 5:45 PM. Meeting: 6:00 PM at the EOL Meeting Room. Contact Marie 3062546 or Mila 306-480-2035.

ESTON

THURSDAY, APRIL 18

• SCC Annual General Meeting 7:00 PM at Eston Composite School. Everyone is welcome to join us. We are always looking for new members.

• Dr. David S. Mulder Eston District Health Foundation Annual Meeting 7:00 PM at the RM O ce.

SATURDAY, APRIL 20

• Join the Eston 95 Lions Ladies Night Out for an evening of Greased Lightning featuring the Bromantics. $75/ticket. Cocktails 6:00 PM. Supper 7:00 PM. Entertainment and prizes to follow. Must be in attendance to win a prize.

MONDAY, MAY 20

• Yard Clean Up! Get your yard ready for the summer ahead. Town sta will be around to pick up your branches and bagged leaves.

FRIDAY, JUNE 14 & SATURDAY, JUNE 15

• Summer Bull Bash Bull-a-Rama and Minor Sports Day. Activities for the whole family. More details to come.

- Eston Wheatland Centre Chase the Ace - Draws every Wednesday at the Centre. Ticket sales 4-7 PM. Draw at 7:30 PM. See our Facebook page for details. Lic#LR23-0068.

- Wheatland Centre Potluck Supper fourth Friday of each month 6:00 PM. $5.00. Bring your own utensils. Co ee & tea provided.

- Wheatland Centre Bingo - 1st & 3rd ursday of the month 7:00 PM. Regular Bingo plus Bonanza, 50/50 Draw. Must be 14 years of age. Call 306-9627117 (ask for Linda) for more info.

HOOSIER

- Sunday Service Hoosier Community Church 10:30 am at the Community Hall. Contact Joel Hamm 306460-7056 or Curtis Kornelson 306-460-7327.

KERROBERT

TUESDAY, APRIL 23

• Kerrobert Golf Club AGM Meeting 7:00 PM at the Kerrobert Golf Clubhouse. All are welcome to join.

SUNDAY, APRIL 28

• Kerrobert Cemetery Clean Up Day 1:00 PM. Bring your gloves, rakes and shovels. Alternate day will be May 5th.

TUESDAY, APRIL 30

• Kerrobert Courtroom Gallery new exhibition“Striking Dreams” by photographer and storm chaser Jenny Hagan. Artist Reception 7:00 PM.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 8

• Spring Clean Up. Pick up dates for bagged leaves and branches. Only leaves in clear bags will be picked up. Pick up will be done on front boulevard (not back alley). Questions? Call the Town O ce at 306-834-2361.

TUESDAY, MAY 21

SATURDAY, JUNE 1

• Kerrobert Seniors Centre Annual Town Wide Garage Sale. Free maps available at the Seniors Hall 9:00 AM. To register your property for free on the map, contact the Town O ce 306-834-2361.

• BBQ 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM at the Seniors Hall 541 Atlantic Avenue

- Storytime at the Kerrobert Library the rst and third ursday of every month at 10:30 AM.

KINDERSLEY

THURSDAY, APRIL 18

• Iron Horse Kindersley Clippers NHL Playo Dra 2024 at the Norman Ritchie Community Centre. Email brandon.cummings@hotmail.com or text/ call 306-430-1009 to register.

SATURDAY, APRIL 20

• Kindersley & District Co-op Kids Club presents “Trolls Band Together” at the Sunset eatre. Show Times: 11 AM and 1:30 PM. Each Kids Club member will receive a free snack pack including a drink.

• Saint Joseph Catholic Church CWL “Spring Fling” from 8:30 AM - Noon at 600 - 4th Avenue West. Hot Breakfast of Pancakes, Sausages & Scrambled Eggs. Huge Garage Sale. Used clothing, books & puzzles, bake sale room, pie & co ee room.

FRIDAY, APRIL 26

• Kindersley Arts Council presents Jack Garton at the Norman Ritchie Community Centre 7:30 PM

SATURDAY, APRIL 27

• Kindersley Screen Arts presents “ e Claw” 4:00 PM at Sunset eatre. $10 at the door.

• Trooper & e Northern Pikes at the West Cen-

tral Events Centre. Tickets available through Ticketmaster, the Kindersley Town O ce or Kindersley Co-op Food Store.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 8

• Kindersley Minor Sports AGM 8:00 PM at the Curling Rink Lounge. It is very important that everyone attends. We will be voting on important items including: New Ball Scoreboards, Ball Fence. Positions to be lled: Vice President, Fundraiser X2, Secretary, Bus Garage.

- FREE! Drop-In Soccer (Ages 15-99) Westberry School Gym every ursday at 8:00 PM; Elizabeth School Gym every Friday at 7:00 PM. All welcome. Contact Kevin for more info: 306-430-4103 or email: kindersleysoccerboard@gmail.com

- Parkinson’s Support Group Meetings are held the second Wednesday of the month 1:30 PM at 401 - 4th Ave West (New Life Church). Everyone welcome! For more info call Nancy at 306-463-4514.

- Monday Night Jam Sessions at the Norman Ritchie Community Centre. Doors open at 6:30 to set-up, then the fun begins at 7-11 PM. Call Keith 306-4608633.

- Interested in a support group for weight management? TOPS meetings; every Monday at 6:00 PM in the Kindersley Senior Centre OR contact Jill at 306463-4210.

- PickleBall every Sunday & Wednesday 7:00-9:00 PM at Elizabeth School $50 per season or $5 drop in. More info call 306-460-8356.

- Prairie Crocus Quilt Guild meet the second Tuesday of the month (September to May) at the Pensioners Hall (3rd Ave. E., Kindersley) at 7:00 PM. For more info contact Donna at 306-463-4785.

LEADER

FRIDAY, APRIL 19

• Youth Group Clue Night (Grade 7-12) 6:00-9:00 PM at the Alliance Church. Supper and a live Clue game. Try and dress in 1920s attire.

THURSDAY, APRIL 25

• Sandhills Music Festival Association Grand Concert 7:00 PM at the Leader Community Hall. Social to follow. Silver collection. Co ee & Snacks. Join us in celebrating the performing arts.

SATURDAY, MAY 11

• Leader Walking Trail Fundraiser “Donut Dash 2024” 10:00 AM Leader Community Centre.Registration and Pledge Sheets available at the Town O ce. Deadline to register is April 18th.

SATURDAY, JUNE 22

• Community Garage Sales 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Pick up maps at the Tourist Caboose.

• Marketplace Kick-O 5:00 PM at Sandhills Credit Union Marketplace. Live Music, Food & Drinks!

- Mondays are Family Fun Night (open to all ages) at the Leader Library 6:30-7:30 PM.

- Tuesdays & ursday Stretch Exercises 10:00 AM at the Leader Friendship Centre.

- Wednesdays Toddler Time (ages 1.5 to 3) at the Leader Library 10:30-11:00 AM.

www.yourwestcentral.com

ber 22) Expect to be called on once again to act as the peacemaker in a long-simmering dispute that suddenly flares up. Offer advice, but be careful to stay out of the fray.

ARIES (March 21 to April 19) A little wool-gathering is OK, but don’t let that dreamy state linger beyond midweek, when you’ll want to be ready to take on new workplace responsibilities.

TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) Love rules the week for single Bovines seeking romance. Attached pairs also find new joy in their relationships. The 29th should bring news about a business opportunity.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20)

Home becomes the center of a new social whirl, as you show off your talent for hosting great parties. You can expect to impress a lot of people who’ve never seen this side of you.

CANCER (June 21 to July 22) The Moon Child might have to raise those powers of persuasion up a notch to get a still-wary colleague to agree to go along with your plans. Finding more facts to back up your position helps.

LEO (July 23 to August 22)Hold off trying to fix the blame for an apparent mishandling of a work situation. A full investigation could reveal surprising facts on how and why it really happened.

VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) Your ability to see the details that others might overlook gives you an advantage in assessing an offer that possibly seems too good to be true. A trusted colleague has advice.

LIBRA (September 23 to Octo-

SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) Your organizational skills help you line up your priorities so that you get things done without added pressure. The weekend could hold a special surprise.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) New ventures are favored, but don’t launch yours before rechecking all the facts and sources. Also, be sure that you can rely on support from certain people.

CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) Don’t be pushed into renegotiating an agreement, even though it might help avoid a potential impasse. Get legal advice before you sign or agree to anything.

AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) Helping others is what Aquarians do so well. But this time, someone wants to help you. Expect to hear some news that will both surprise and delight you.

PISCES (February 19 to March 20) Things go so swimmingly by midweek that you’re tempted to take on more tasks. Best advice: Finish what you have now, then enjoy a wellearned relaxing weekend.

BORN THIS WEEK: Your understanding of human nature helps you make wise decisions that are appreciated by all. You would make a fine judge.

Apex Distribution Inc. 306-356-2116

Belitski Contracting Ltd. www.belitskicontracting.ca

Big Sky Steel Fabricators (2002) Ltd. bigskysteel@sasktel.net

Big Valley Sales www.bigvalleysales.ca

Bow-Way Electric www.bow-way.ca

Brock Oil Ltd. (Red Sky Resources) 306-460-7102

Bumper to Bumper 306-463-6232

Canalta Kindersley 306-463-1570

Carl’s Mobile Welding 306-372-4420

Dennis’ Welding Ltd. www.denniswelding.ca

Family Oilﬁ eld Services Ltd. familyoilﬁeld@sasktel.net

Fountain Tire (Kindersley) 306-463-4655

Full Tilt Holdings www.fulltiltholdings.ca

Get A Grip Tire and Performance 306-463-7215

Good To Go Rentals www.goodtogokindersley.ca

Good To Go Trucking www.goodtogokindersley.ca

GPE Fluids Management www.goodtogokindersley.ca

Great Plains College www.greatplainscollege.ca

H & G Motel 306-463-0440

Holland’s Hot Oiling www.hollandshotoiling.ca

Insight Sign & Decal www.insightsign.ca

Integra Tire 306-463-2277

J & H Rentals Ltd. www.hollandshotoiling.ca

Jorann Safety www.jorannsafety.ca

To be listed in our 2024 West Central Energy Directory, please complete our online Google Form at www.yourwestcentral.com/energy

Kindersley Auto Value

www.mypartstore.ca

Kindersley Bearing www.kindersleybearing.ca

Kindersley Inn www.kindersleyinn.ca

Kindersley Machine Services 306-604-9984

Kodiak Sand & Gravel www.kodiaksg.ca

Kyote Energy Services www.kyoteenergyservices.com

Lufkin Downhole Pumps www.lufkin.com

Mayhem Mechanical Ltd. mayhemmechanicalltd@hotmail.com

McKinnon Oilﬁ eld Ltd. www.mckinnonoilﬁeld.com

Merrington Safety 306-463-3468

Mid Plains Diesel Ltd. www.midplainsdiesel.ca

Nova Inn Kindersley 306-463-4687

OK Tire Luseland 306-372-4389

Pro-Plus Sales & Rentals www.proplusrentals.ca

Reinbold Electric Ltd. www.reinboldelectric.ca

Safety Evolution www.safetyevolution.ca

Sequel Energy Services www.sequelenergyservices.ca

Shh... It Happens Septic Service www.ithappens.com

Sim-Con Oilﬁ eld Equipment Ltd. 306-463-4938

Tarnes Electric Ltd. www.tarneselectric.com

TGB Industries Inc. www.omtprojects.com

Tirecraft Dodsland www.tirecraft.com/tirecraft-dodsland

Weese Electric Ltd. 306-932-2001

PHOTOS BY BRAIN ZINCHUK

•

CAOEC disappointed in federal budget,

Twice last week, SaskEnergy set new daily natural gas usage records, and we can thank Alberta for most of our supply

calls it

lost opportunity to support energy workers

BY BRIAN ZINCHUK brian.zinchuk@pipelineonline.ca

e past weekend proved to be a closerun thing for the Alberta electrical grid, and Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe is making statements resolving he won’t allow that to happen here.

By Brian Zinchuk

Not only was Saskatchewan setting electrical consumption records during the cold snap of last week of December, we also set two consecutive natural gas consumption records, too.

Speci cally, a er having nearly completely divested itself of coal- red power production, Alberta’s dramatic buildout of wind and solar proved impossible to keep the lights on in that province when the chips were down and temperatures hit -35 C, or worse.

e Canadian Association of Energy Contractors (CAOEC) said it is disappointed with the federal budget, referring to it as a lost opportunity to support energy workers on the frontlines of Canada’s energy transformation.

According to SaskEnergy in a Dec. 31 release, “Extreme cold weather across Saskatchewan this week resulted in record-breaking natural gas demand in the province. On December 28 and 29, natural gas consumption surpassed the previous daily record of 1.57 petajoules (PJ) which was set in February 2021.

plant, very similar to Chinook, is under construction at Moose Jaw.

the development of new energy systems.

All of this added natural gas-fired power generation has, in turn, driven higher usage of natural gas during times of high electrical consumption.

The Crown noted that increased demand from SaskEnergy’s industrial customers, including natural gas use for power production, was the main driver of this week’s record-setting consumption.

temperatures reduced wind power generation to nothing at times, and close to nothing for most of the weekend. And since the mass of cold air stretched from the Yukon to Texas, every grid operator in between was in the same boat – high demand but short supply. e Southwest Power Pool, which incorporates parts of 14 states from south of Saskatchewan to the Texas Panhandle, as well as Texas grid operator ERCOT, all put out various forms of alerts suggesting their clients reduce electrical consumption.

“A new daily record of 1.62 PJ was set on December 28 and broken again on December 29 with total system delivery of 1.64 PJ. Delivery numbers for December 30 and 31 are not yet finalized, but are also expected to exceed 1.6 PJ.”

“In Saskatchewan, we will not attempt the impossible when it comes to power production in our province,” Moe said in a post on X and other social media the evening of Monday, Jan. 15.

Staring into the abyss

SaskEnergy said it measures daily natural gas consumption for the 24-hour period from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. A PJ is a unit of measurement equivalent to one million gigajoules (GJ) of natural gas. An average Saskatchewan home consumes about 100 GJ of natural gas each year.

The natural gas records coincided with record power consumption. On Dec. 29, SaskPower set another record in power consumption for Saskatchewan. At 5:27 p.m. on Dec. 29, 2021, Saskatchewan homes and businesses reached 3,868 megawatts (MW) in power use, according to the Crown corporation. The previous record of 3,792 MW was reached four years ago to the day, on Dec. 29, 2017.

“ e federal Liberal government has turned its back on thousands of energy workers by not extending the Clean Technology Manufacturing investment tax credit to include carbon technology innovations in the drilling and service rig sector, such as electri cation, fuel switching, battery technology, and hydrogen blending,” said Mark Scholz, president & CEO of CAOEC. “ is was a lost opportunity. e government wants to reduce carbon emissions, develop critical minerals, support Indigenous peoples, and create sustainable jobs, but they are not prepared to walk the talk and help the industry meet those goals.”

“We will not risk plunging our homes, schools, hospitals, special care homes and our businesses into the cold and darkness because of the ideological whims of others.

“To support the ongoing power demands across western Canada, Boundary Dam 4 has been restarted to ensure families can continue to keep the heat on. Net zero by 2035 is not only impossible, it’s irresponsible as it would leave Saskatchewan and Western Canadian families freezing and in the dark.”

Saskatchewan’s power production has increasingly shifted from coal to natural gas as a fuel source. In December, Boundary Dam Unit 4, a coal-fired generating unit, was retired, reducing the Boundary Dam Power Station to 672 megawatts capacity. On the natural gas side, Saskatchewan has seen the construction of several new natural gas-fired power plants. They include the baseload North Battleford Power Station (289 megawatts), Yellowhead Power Station peaking plant (also at North Battleford, 135 megawatts), the baseload Chinook Power Station at Swift Current (353 megawatts) and peaking plant Spy Hill Power Station (89 megawatts). Another 353 megawatt baseload

CAOEC members are active in all sectors the federal government considers part of the clean energy transformation. Scholz explains, “One month, we are drilling for helium, lithium, geothermal, or carbon storage; the next, we are developing Canada’s responsible oil and gas. Our industry can signi cantly reduce emissions through simple equipment modi cations, but the government will not extend the ITC because we also operate in the oil and gas industry. In reality, there is no business case to dedicate a rig ‘primarily’ to these new and emerging sectors.”

“SaskEnergy’s natural gas system design can accommodate additional capacity to manage increased consumption even on peak days,” SaskEnergy president and CEO Ken From said in a release. “Throughout the year, SaskEnergy employees inspect, maintain and enhance the system to support safe and reliable natural gas delivery in all weather conditions. In addition, employees monitor the system 24 hours a day to ensure sufficient system capacity to meet customer demand across the province.”

e Association has advocated to the federal government for over two years that Canada cannot extract critical minerals such as lithium and helium, produce heat from geothermal formations, or store carbon underground without a drilling or service rig. Unfortunately, the federal government has chosen to write o the sector, the CAEOC said, because it also helps develop Canada’s oil and natural gas resources. is short-sighted decision will impact Canada’s ability to decarbonize its traditional hydrocarbon sector and accelerate

It was in response to the extraordinary events that occurred in Alberta over the weekend, in which Saskatchewan played a key part. And it was also a tacit acknowledgement that as much as SaskPower’s been trying to wean itself o coal, it just can’t do it yet. We still need it to keep the lights on.

e Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) declared four “grid alerts,” over four days in a row, starting the a ernoon of Friday, Jan. 12. Desperately cold temperatures drove up demand for power, just as the same

COLEVILLE, SK

e rst three of Alberta’s grid alerts ran from mid-a ernoon until late evening, but the fourth occurred for an hour on Monday morning, as the workweek began. e second of those grid alerts turned out to be the most signi cant. On Saturday, Jan. 13, Alberta came within a half-hour of rotating blackouts, an Alberta Electric System Operator spokesperson told CBC News on Jan. 15, con rmed by Alberta A ordability and Utilities Minister Nathan Neudorf the same day.

“It is ironic that the day a er the House of Commons passed the Sustainable Jobs Act, which pledged to support our energy workforce, it failed to translate those promises into concrete tools and resources within the Budget. Our Association will continue to ght to save this key Canadian industry, and we call on the Standing Committee on Finance to extend the ITC as the budget goes through the legislative process,” stated Scholz.

This province is now largely dependent on neighbouring Alberta to fulfill roughly two-thirds of our natural gas needs.

When natural gas prices took a tumble roughly 14 years ago, Saskatchewan’s domestic gas production fell off a cliff. Targeted gas drilling went essentially extinct, with next to no gas-specific wells being drilled in this province for most of the past decade. Our domestic gas production is now largely based on associated gas production that comes with oil production. As a result, Saskatchewan went from being a net gas exporter for the period of 1988 to 2009 to a net importer that year.

Scholz concluded by saying, “Budget 2024 was a chance to show that the Government of Canada is committed to protecting middle-class jobs, furthering economic reconciliation, reducing emissions, and setting us up for a mixed energy future. We call on the federal government to do the right thing and support Canadian energy workers.”

Indeed, the province stood at the brink of the abyss Saturday night, as rotating blackouts would have impacted di erent areas of the province for 20 to 30 minutes at a time, as temperatures ranged from -30 to -45 C, depending on where you were in the province. As the province’s grid-scale batteries neared depletion, and there was nothing le to call upon, the AESO and provincial government put out an emergency alert to all cellphones and TV screens, asking Albertans to shut o and unplug everything they could, from electric vehicle chargers to ovens to bathroom fans.

It is impossible for a human to sneeze during sleep due to a bodily state called REM atonia.

For 200 years tomatoes were considered poisonous in Europe. In reality, their acidity was dissolving poisonous metals like lead from plates.

Scientists investigating the occasional appearance of thousands of dead sh on the banks of an African river eventually discovered that the cause was huge numbers of hippos pooping in the water.

Actor Danny DeVito used to be a beautician.

Ten thousand years ago, everyone’s eyes were brown until someone living by the Black Sea developed a genetic mutation that turned brown eyes blue.

In 2007, a gorilla escaped from his exhibit, grabbed and mauled a nearby woman, and then attacked a restaurant. Later it was later revealed that the woman had been making eye contact and smiling at the primate several times a week, something zookeepers had warned her not to do.

In April of 2018, scientists at the Gladstone Institutes in California completely erased Alzheimer’s disease damage in human cells by altering the structure of a single protein.

Stampede Drilling Rig 17 north of Lampman.

Paralyzed After a Cold

DEAR DR. ROACH: My daughter, 45, has had a paralyzed left vocal cord for about a year now. We have been to an ear, nose and throat (ENT) doctor who ran at least a half dozen tests, including several scans. These didn’t show a reason for the problem, and everything else appeared to be normal. She had a cold before this happened, and we were treating her for a lingering sore throat.

The doctor has told us that there is nothing to be done to unfreeze the vocal cord. I would love your opinion on this matter, as she has a lot of pain associated with it, and she coughs trying to get out what feels stuck in there. — K.P.

ANSWER: Paralysis of the vocal cord is often the result of damage to the nerve that leads to the vocal cord; there’s one on each side. The left side is particularly vulnerable and may be damaged during surgery (especially thyroid surgery), but a big fear is that a mass (especially a cancerous one) can damage the nerve and cause paralysis of the vocal cord. This is why her doctor did a CT scan.

There are other less-common causes, such as nerve damage from other occurrences (stroke and multiple sclerosis); inflammatory diseases (lupus and others); and infections (such as Lyme disease). It sounds like the ENT doctor looked for other possibilities such as these. (But if not, then it should be done.)

When a cause can’t be found, we call

it “idiopathic unilateral vocal cord paralysis.” This often seems to happen after a viral infection, and it sounds like your daughter might have had one. Many people with this condition get better by themselves during the first year, but now that it has been about a year for her, she isn’t likely to get better without treatment.

I am not an expert in treatment, but ENT surgeons have several types of surgical interventions to improve hoarseness, cough and discomfort. It’s time to go back to her ENT doctor or get referred to an expert in the surgical treatment of this condition.

DEAR DR. ROACH: If exercise helps new arteries to grow, would it also help new veins to grow and alleviate varicose veins? — M.D.

ANSWER: It’s a good thought, but unfortunately, exercise does not make the body grow new arteries, which are the large blood vessels that bring oxygen-rich blood to our organs and muscles. Exercise increases the size of the arteries and can help keep them from getting stiffer with age. Exercise in combination with a good diet can also help keep them from getting blocked. In addition, exercise can help with varicose veins, but once again, it isn’t because the body grows new veins. Varicose veins are dilated veins that occur due to damage in the tiny valves inside the veins. Without those valves, the venous blood can pool under the effects of gravity, causing the veins to swell. Exercise helps because of the pump effect of the intermittent muscle contraction, which forces blood back into the large veins and ultimately back into the heart. Exercise, compression stockings and elevation are among the most important lifestyle changes for varicose veins.

Dr. Roach regrets that he is unable to answer individual questions, but will incorporate them in the column whenever possible. Readers may email questions to ToYourGoodHealth@ med.cornell.edu.

Embroidered Textiles

Textiles are fragile and need special care. Dust, light, insects and moisture can damage them. Antique textiles in good condition are rare and often sell for high prices.

This needlepoint casket was made about 1660 in England and sold for $17,920, nearly three times its low estimate, at Morphy Auctions. A closer look shows that the colorful people, plants and animals stitched onto the fabric are three-dimensional, making the stitching even more complex. This tricky technique, called stumpwork, required padding the stitches to make the designs stand out.

All forms of embroidery, including stumpwork, were popular in England throughout the 1600s. Richly embroidered textiles and the items made from them grew more popular as more people could afford them. Many surviving examples of embroidery, including some museum-quality pieces, were made by amateurs, probably girls or young women. Girls would learn embroidery at a young age and practice their stitches with samplers, another popular collectible. Elaborately embroidered boxes like these may have been projects for girls learning embroidery to show their mastery of the skill.

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Q: You had an article about a “Back to the Future” VHS tape selling for thousands of dollars. What auction houses or other outlets might be interested in buying or selling VHS tapes or LPs?

A: The VHS tape that sold for a record $75,000 was a sealed copy of the original 1985 film from a collection owned by Tom Wilson, who played “Biff” in the film. Factors contributing to the high price include the popularity of the film and the actor who owned the tape. Desirability, rarity and condition determine price. An unopened or sealed copy is more valuable than a used copy. Most VHS tapes sell for less than $10. Vinyl records have become popular again. Many are worth less than a dollar, but sought-after albums, including those from the

The embroidered figures on this 17th-century box were made with a technique called stumpwork that shows the embroiderer’s advanced skill.

1960s and ‘70s, are worth more. You can find prices online for both VHS tapes and LPs by searching sites like valueyourmusic.com or discogs.com. Look for “sold” prices on eBay. There are stores that buy and sell old VHS tapes and LPs. They can tell you which ones are worth more than a few dollars. They’ll give you about half what they expect to sell them for.

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TIP: The best way to store plates is vertically in a rack. If you don’t have space, store them with pads between the dishes.

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CURRENT PRICES

Cane, carved figure of fisherman with net, crustacean and fish, varnished wood, resin and green stone accents, D.P. Dahlquist, 20th century, 37 1/2 inches, $190.

Advertising sign, Perrier, c’est fou (it’s crazy), stylized woman’s face with bottles as eyes, wild yellow hair, red ground, heavy paper, linen backing, signed by artist Bernard Villemot, holes for hanging at top, 1970s-1980s, 26 x 18 inches, $685.

Stoneware jug, cobalt blue bird and flowers, stamped White’s Utica, bulbous, tapered, two high curled handles, marked at top, 5 gallons, 17 inches, $1,375.