Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan
Ken Francis, MLA Kindersley Constituency
kfrancismla@gmail.com
PHOTO BY KATE WINQUIST
Mayor Perkins provides update from Town of Kindersley
JOAN JANZEN joanjanzen@yahoo.com
Mayor
Rod Perkins, along with the Kindersley Town Council, are getting ready to do their budgeting. “Most of our major projects are done. We just need to finish the industrial area. We did about two-thirds of it but still have approaches to work on and streets to build up,” he explained.
Other than that, the town is not planning any significant projects for the next twelve months. “We’ll focus on doing some work with the Chamber of Commerce and small business. That will be our focus,” he added.
After a cold and snowy winter, Mayor Perkins was proud of the job the town crew had done. “We’re in next year’s budget for snow removal. We did some contracting with four or five companies giving us a hand because we don’t have enough equipment to handle that first huge snowfall we had. But now we’re just using our own guys for clean up,” he said. “We don’t often get that much snow, and I’m really proud of the job our crew did, doing it as well and as quickly as they did, while not dealing with the nicest weather as well.”
Besides the snow, he said there was only one case of Covid in the Town office, but now everyone is healthy and back working. As for the days and months ahead,
new businesses are preparing to open.
The 5Buds Cannabis store is currently renovating in preparation for its upcoming opening. There’s also a new women’s clothing store, which will be opening downtown sometime in March.
There are also plans for a new RCMP detachment to be constructed on a fiveacre parcel of land near Highway 21. “It’s certainly in the plans,” Mayor Perkins said. “I met with the Sergeant, and he said his understanding was that they’re supposed to break ground this spring or summer. It will be a year-long construction project.”
Those were all the projects that were on the calendar for 2021, according to Mayor Perkins.
Teacher
Local Kindersley resident, Curtis Ehresman, is currently working for the Sunwest School Division as a substitute teacher and Educational Assistant sub after completing his Education degree. However, after working hours, Curtis is busy “chasing his dream” of being a singer/songwriter and guitarist.
He’s been playing guitar since he was twelve years old but says, “I probably didn’t learn to sing until I was 19 or 20.” Curtis was part of a heavy rock band in high school and later joined a metal band before the members parted ways.
“In 2015, I went to Australia for a year and New Zealand for a year. I did some shows in Sidney, which was amazing. I was busy working the whole time, but on weekends I would try to get out and play a show or two,” Curtis said.
After two years, Curtis decided to come back to Saskatchewan and complete his Education degree. “I decided I wanted to become a teacher after working a lot of jobs in New Zealand. And I got homesick; I missed watching hockey and missed the snow. I realized what a homebody I am. But I’m super lucky that I got to travel,” he noted, especially now, given all the travel restrictions.
“It’s been five years since my official music release,” Curtis explained, as he was busy obtaining his degree. “I didn’t stop writing music the whole time, though. I’ve written dozens of songs; I almost have too many songs, but it’s a good problem to have. I need time and money to release them.”
In addition to time and money, Curtis has received a lot of help from close friends. “I have such a good group of friends. They’re all super talented musicians as well. One friend is willing to record for me, and I just kind of pay him with food and beer. It’s lucky because going into a studio can cost thou-
sands of dollars,” Curtis said, admitting he doesn’t know much about sound engineering. “With my new release, a friend of mine, who is really good on bass, stepped in to lay down some bass tracks.”
Curtis managed to make his first video on his own. “I did it on my phone, and it turned out pretty good. I”m hoping people like it because it took me a long time to make,” he said. “Basically, all my songs are about whatever I’m going through. No matter what I’m going through, singing and playing the guitar make me feel good. Music makes me happy.”
His musical talent is also a helpful tool in the classroom. In a science class, Curtis took a song and changed the lyrics to make it a song about mitosis. “Mitosis isn’t the simplest thing to learn; it’s pretty abstract,” Curtis admitted, but hey, even mitosis can become fun to learn about when you make a song about it. “I love teaching because there’s room for creativity in the classroom. It’s totally acceptable to play guitar in the classroom. I play a silly song, and the kids are certainly engaged.”
Not only are kids engaged in the classroom, but Curtis is acquiring an increasing number of Facebook fans. “I’ve only been grinding at it for a month, and a lot of friends and family are reaching out to help me. It’s small time, but even if I connect with one person, I’ll be super happy,” Curtis says. However, he’s had someone from Mexico listening to his music and people from all over the world.
“I’m super happy already with this new release,” he says, referring to his song ‘Is It Over?’ “I’m happy chasing my dream. It’s a passion thing; I do it because I love it, and it just makes my soul happy to say I did it.”
You can listen to Curtis’ “emotionally honest” music at www.CurtwoodBearsman.com
Curtis Ehresman
Walking back in time to the start of Pathway to Wellness
JOAN JANZEN joanjanzen@yahoo.com
There’s a saying that goes like this, “Don’t despise small beginnings,” and Pathway to Wellness in Kindersley is a prime example of how that plays out. What began as walking track days and educational classes soon evolved into many more opportunities.
Now those opportunities include gentle chair stretches, circuit training, an all-level mobility and strength class, chair mobility and strength classes, a special needs kids program, pickleball, yoga, and supervised time in a wellness room. Pathway to Wellness also helps youth with cognitive impairments like autism. Many of the programs offered are held at the West Central Events Centre, but other activities are held outdoors, such as pickleball.
All of this is made possible with passionate volunteers, the Town of Kindersley, and the Saskatchewan Health Authority. But how did it all begin? Joanne Kosolofski, from Kindersley, helped fill in all the details of the birth of Pathway to Wellness (P2W)
“In 2011, my husband, Randy, survived a widowmaker heart attack, and two weeks later had blood clots in both lungs. After a few scary weeks, he was on his road to recovery. One of our first appointments was at the Field House in Saskatoon, where I believe the seed was plant-
ed for P2W,” Joanne explained. Her husband began working with an exercise therapist, and Joanne first began envisioning similar opportunities being added to the walking track in Kindersley.
Once at home, her husband began to walk and go for runs, and Joanne began to ask herself how other people could start to participate in an exercise program.
“Long story short, I began P2W,” Joanne said. It began by offering educational classes and walking track awareness days. “Heartland Health then provided us with an exercise therapist who would come to Kindersley to run a couple of programs twice a week.”
In June 2016, P2W developed a partnership with the Town of Kindersley and Heartland Health, with the Wellness Room addition, which opened in November 2016. Pathway to Wellness charged members $50 for three months.
Pathway to Wellness has far exceeded Joanne’s original expectations. “I just wanted a cardiac rehab centre, so people didn’t have to go into the city,” she said. Over the years, her efforts have been rewarded by witnessing many people who live with chronic disease come faithfully to maintain their mobility as they work out with the exercise therapist. “It makes my heart happy,” Joanne concluded.
21024ge0
Randy and Joanne Kosolofski
JOAN JANZEN
joanjanzen@yahoo.com
OPINION
CHECK IT OUT with Joan Janzen
How one person can make a difference
How one person can A ten-yearold asked, “What’s the difference between a banana and bananas?” His answer: “One is just a banana, the other is crazy.”
Lately there’s lots of stuff going on that’s ba-
nanas. Everyone has heard the reports of Canadians returning to Canada who were forced to quarantine at an undisclosed location because their negative tests were insufficient, or because they had been given the wrong test. These people were charged $2,000 for
a few nights accommodation and their family members weren’t allowed to know where they were taken. These Radison Hotels are owned by a joint venture led by a Chinese state-owned hospitality company.
The federal government is looking into de-
veloping a national childcare program, which isn’t necessarily ‘bananas’. However Jasmine Moulton from the Canadian Taxpayers Federation stated $20 million was spent on just the consultation about this program. “It’s going to be incredibly expensive and it won’t solve the real child care problems,” she said. “Not every parent should be forced to use a government childcare program, which the government can’t afford. Quebec introduced this program last year and it cost $2.7 billion. Every taxpayer should be worried because the next generation will foot the cost for these child care costs.”
Jasmine said, the federal government is spending $1.8 billion every day, and they don’t even know what they’re spending it on. Katherine McKenna lost track of tens of billions of dollars spent on infrastructure, and $100 billion is slated to be spent when the economy begins to recover. “CERB payments, in many cases, were over compensating for lost income,” Jasmine said. “Debt today means
taxes tomorrow. Much of the debt will be subject to interest hikes in a couple of years. This is historic spending. For people who care about programs, and care about the next generation, they really should be holding this reckless government to account.”
How will all this debt be paid? Dan McTeague, Former Liberal MP explained the recklessness of the new carbon tax and blocked pipelines. “When you lose that kind of capital because your number one export is oil and gas, how are you going to pay down the $400 billion tab you just rang up in the last 12 months? Let’s have some common sense.”
All of these circumstances could qualify as being ‘bananas’, and have ordinary taxpayers asking how one Canadian (banana) can make a difference? One Canadian lady was asking herself the same question, and decided to attend an Electoral District Association (EDA) meeting of the party to which she was a member. She let her name stand on a council and got voted in the policies part of the EDA.
Each council member expressed their opinions and a policy was brought forward at a local level. A resolution was put forward and the vote was taken. The results were 8 for and 7 against.
“So that’s the power of one person showing up and you never know if you’re going to be that person,” the woman said.
“I was brand new to the board and brand new to the committee. It’s really important that each one of us shows up at the level where these decisions are being made. These policies are passed at the grassroots level, before they go forward at the national level.” That may be another difference between a banana and bananas.
Moe’s decision to extend restrictions a tough one
Politicians seldom get enough credit for making the tough decisions they don’t want to make or that they know people won’t like.
So perhaps Premier Scott Moe deserves more credit than he’s getting for his decision to prolong current restrictions to fight COVID-19 another month to March 19.
Those fed up with not seeing hockey in their communities or not being able to freely go to bars and casinos will not be happy that Moe decided not to lift any more restrictions.
In many cases, it’s unhappiness less based on personal selfishness than a legitimate fear of more job losses for friends, family and neighbours.
You may see the current measures as completely unnecessary because of low case counts in your area. Unless you are involved in the health system, it is pretty hard to see the impact of something that hits in pockets and is most deadly to the elderly.
However, those opposing lockdowns or further restrictions do not have the monopoly on fear and frustration in this debate.
Those watching Saskatchewan’s daily new case count hover in the triple dig-
its as a more infectious strain of the virus hits this province and elsewhere also have reason to be scared and frustrated.
They view Moe’s unwillingness to impose stricter restrictions as political stubbornness stemming from his stated position at the end of the provincial election campaign last October that he would not lockdown the province again.
They argue that had Moe and his government simply imposed more stringent lockdowns earlier, we would not have had the prolonged restrictions we are currently enduring.
ing Saskatchewan people to “stick it out”.
“We’re in the final stretch,” he told reporters in provincewide broadcasted press conference.
They further argued its worse that businesses like bars and restaurants have been allowed to stay open under circumstances where it’s exceedingly difficult for them to make any money because of limitation of the number of customers they can seat.
MURRAY MANDRYK Political Columnist
That Moe does badly wants to reopen Saskatchewan seems obvious.
So about the best he could do last week is put a brave face on things, urg-
“There is some hope on the way.”
Moe again held out hope that “vaccines are going to ramp up in later March”. That should ease the decision to open up the economy.
“I think things are going to start happening quite quickly in the months ahead,” the Saskatchewan Premier said.
Whether Moe is making the exact right decision with what seems to be a middle-ground compromise is questionable. Certainly, it won’t make either extreme in this debate very happy.
But as such, it might be helpful to add a little perspective.
For starters, Saskatchewan people are not the only ones suffering through restrictions.
It can be argued we’ve had fewer restrictions that were imposed much later. Take mask mandatory mask wearing not imposed provincewide in Saskatchewan until Nov. 27. People in Winnipeg have been forced to wear masks since late September.
Manitoba and Alberta were already prohibiting all indoor gatherings and limiting outdoor gatherings long before we were here in Saskatchewan.
Similarly, Manitoba and Alberta closed bars and limited restaurants to takeout _ something we haven’t done here since the spring. And restrictions to store capacity in those provinces also came much more quickly in a more severe way.
One can argue based on total per capita cases and total deaths, we have fared better than our immediate neighbours. At mid month, Saskatchewan had 354 deaths compared with 871 in Manitoba and 1,722 in Alberta.
Yet by further comparison, Nova Scotia (with 979,115 people) has had just 65 deaths and only 1,597 cases compared with Saskatchewan’s 26,829 total cases. It’s food for thought for those quick to criticize Moe for either doing too much or too little.
Saskatchewan municipalities won’t be banning firearms, because they can’t
REGINA – You don’t have to worry about your town, city or RM in Saskatchewan passing a bylaw banning handguns, something the federal government will soon be allowing municipalities to do. That’s because, at least in Saskatchewan, they can’t.
Last year the Government of Saskatchewan passed legislation prohibiting Saskatchewan municipalities from making such bans, and as municipalities exist at the pleasure of the provincial government, that’s essentially the last word.
Premier Scott Moe was asked about this during the Feb. 16 COVID-19 briefing, which took place a few hours after Prime Min-
ister Justin Trudeau and a number of federal cabinet ministers announced another round of gun control legislation to be introduced. Asked if the province would be doing anything in response, Moe said, “Well, I would say that we already have. We passed legislation this last session that really makes that portion of the announcement that the federal government made today, with respect to municipalities enacting bans on how handguns are moved around, or any type of municipal legislation with respect to handguns, isn’t available to Saskatchewan municipalities. We passed that legislation last session.”
He said the broader concern that we would have with the gun legislation that is being moved on is a
lack of consultation with provincial governments. “In fact, I think our consultation has ultimately, you know, amounted to a phone call after the legislation was introduced publicly. That’s the degree of consultation that our province, at least Saskatchewan, has had. So we’ve had to be fairly proactive in our efforts of passing legislation last section that would prevent this patchwork of numerous different municipal laws in different communities across Saskatchewan. There’s one set of firearms regulations in the province. That is interpreted by a provincially-appointed fire chief firearms officer of which we had proactively put in place, as well. Understanding this is the federal government’s jurisdiction, but the laws will be interpreted by a provincial appointee and the chief firearms officer, here in Saskatchewan.
“Had we been consulted, I think we would have quickly indicated to the federal government that it isn’t law-abiding firearms owners that are the problem when it comes to crime rates, using firearms. It most certainly is firearms that are acquired by a different way, either smuggled and I think they’re addressing that here today, but also store stolen firearms, that are responsible for many of the challenges that we have with firearms-related offenses here in Saskatchewan. And I think there’s an opportunity for the federal government to increase their attention to dealing with property crimes that involve theft of a firearm,” Moe said.
Full-Time Seasonal Grader Operator
R.M. of Prairiedale #321
The Rural Municipality of Prairiedale No. 321 is seeking a Seasonal Grader Operator.
The successful candidate will meet the following criteria:
• Have willingness and aptitude to operate various pieces of equipment as required for the job assigned (Grader, tractor mower, gravel truck, etc.) or willingness to learn operation of the required equipment.
• Have knowledge of servicing and maintaining various equipment
• Valid Driver’s License
• Have a working knowledge of grading and maintenance or the willingness to learn
• Must be capable of working within a group or with minimal to no immediate supervision
• Attention to detail, safety conscious, and ability to take direction from Supervisors
Duties may include but not limited to:
• Operating grader and various other pieces of equipment
• Assisting in road maintenance and repairs
• Installing culverts
• Any other tasks assigned by the Supervisor with the direction of Council
Employment proposed start date is May, 2021. The R.M. of Prairiedale offers a competitive wage and comprehensive benefits package including the Municipal Employees Pension Plan (MEPP).
Applicants are invited to submit a resume by March 8, 2021 by 4 p.m. to:
R.M. of Prairiedale No. 321
Box 160, Major, SK. S0L 2H0
Fax: 306-834-1202
E-mail: administrator@rmofprairiedale.ca
Kindersley Denture Clinic
David
Kindersley Denture Clinic
FULL TIME GRADER OPERATOR
R.M. of Deer Forks No. 232
Grader Operator with duties to start immediately. The R.M. offers a comprehensive benefits package including Short Term and Long-Term Disability, Municipal Employees Pension Plan and Health & Dental. The R.M. offers competitive wages.
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
• Operate a grader to complete road maintenance, grading, gravel reclamation and minor road construction, snow plowing
• Ensure roads are maintained and repaired (culverts) on a priority basis and ability to repair machinery and attachments
• Manage all duties given by Foreman & Council, & log work on provided sheets daily
• Good interpersonal skills and ability to establish effective working relationships with council, staff, contractors and rate payers
• Other duties as prescribed
The Successful Applicant Should Possess:
• Experience is an asset in maintenance and operation of a tractor-trailer and heavy equipment, but training can be provided
• Willingness to be supervised and take direction from Foreman
• Great communication and documentation skills
• Valid driver’s license
• 1A license would be a preference
Your Resume Should Include:
• Past and present work experience
• Education and skills
• Two references
• Expected salary
Please have resumes submitted by March 14th, 2021 to: Rural Municipality of
Premier Scott Moe said the province has already dealt with municipalities and firearms. FILE PHOTO
BRIAN ZINCHUK Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Kindersley RCMP report a steady week with 75 calls for service
Between February 8th to February 14th, 2021, Kindersley RCMP responded to 75 calls for service*.
With the weather being a huge factor over the last week 38 of the 75 calls responded to by Kindersley RCMP were traffic related including 2 collisions and 1 person being arrested for impaired operation of a motor vehicle.
Some of the other calls police responded to included 5 suspicious persons or vehicle calls as well as 4 domestic related calls.
If you need to report any suspicious activity in your community, please contact the Kindersley RCMP detachment by calling 306-462-4642 or their local police service. Information can also be provided anonymously through Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers by calling 1800-222-TIPS (8477) or submitting a tip online at www.saskcrimestoppers.com.
*For more information on the calls to service please contact the Kindersley RCMP detachment.
FARMLAND
FOR SALE BY TENDER
R.M. OF NEWCOMBE NO. 260
1) NE 35-26-23 W3rd 160 acres approximately
Closing date for Tenders is February 28, 2021
• Highest tender or any tender not necessarily accepted.
• Offers must exclude G.S.T. or any other levies which may be payable by the purchaser.
• Purchasers must rely on their own research and inspection of the property.
• 10% of purchase price must accompany tender which will be returned if tender not accepted.
• 1 year remaining on crop share lease (expires Nov 30, 2021). Landlord pays 25% of inputs. 2020 crop was lentils.
• Offers should clearly state land description and total offer.
Forward tender to: Sheppard & Millar
Barristers & Solicitors 113 - 1st Avenue East Box 1510 Kindersley, Saskatchewan S0L 1S0
Attention: Mark L. Millar
Please include file 21-6098 when submitting tender.
“Honey, the truck won’t start!” I’m sure those words were said by a lot of Saskatchewan residents over the past couple of weeks. It looks like we’re going to head into some warmer temperatures after all.
It’s never too early to begin planning your garden
JOAN JANZEN joanjanzen@yahoo.com
Even though the temperatures are frigid and snowbanks are piled up high, avid gardeners have already ordered their garden seeds or may have already received them in the mail. Let’s face it, in Saskatchewan, it’s never too early to begin planning your garden, and Puddles in My Garden and the Kindersley Food Bank are hooking up with gardeners in our community to lend a helping
Farmland For Sale By Tender
R.M. of KINDERSLEY #290
of OAKDALE #20
Conditions of Offers:
1. All offers and inquiries to be submitted on or before Wednesday, March 10, 2021 at 3:00 p.m.
2. Highest or any offers not necessarily accepted.
3. Persons submitting offers must rely on their own research, inspection of land as to conditions and No.of acres.
4. Deposit cheque for 5% of the offered amount must accompany the offer. Cheque made payable to Edge Realty Ltd. in Trust (cheques will be returned to unsuccessful bidders).
5. No offers will be considered which are subject to financing.
6. Mineral rights not included.
7. Please forward all bids and inquiries to: BRAD EDGERTON - EDGE REALTY LTD. BOX 1324, Kindersley SK S0L 1S0 PH 306-463-4515 • Fax: 306-463-4516 • Email: brad@edgerealty.ca
hand to our community. Puddles in My Garden have partnered with the Kindersley Food Bank to start their first-ever “Plant-A-Row Grow-ARow” project. They ask gardeners to plan to grow an extra row of their favourite vegetables this year, which can be harvested and given to the local food bank.
They’re looking for twenty avid gardeners to participate in the program, and Puddles in My Garden will even give out seeds to help the gardeners get a head start. Participants will be able to pick the seeds up at Puddles in My Garden’s opening day on May 1.
“I thought it was a great way to give back to the community ... food for food,” Joanne Kosolofski, owner of Puddles in My Garden, said. On opening day, Joanne will not only be handing out free seeds to participants, but she noted there will be other special things planned for the day, which will be announced at a later date.
Leslie Omness from the Kindersley Food Bank is excited about the new project. She said they are registering the first twenty people to have an idea of people who are willing to grow, but additional people can donate vegetables as well.
“We normally get lots of potatoes and carrots donated over the year. It would be wonderful if we got a variety of things. The people that have registered so far are willing to grow peppers, beans and beets. We will extend the project if we don’t have the twenty required participants,” Leslie said. People who register can select from a wide variety of seeds, including carrots, beets, potatoes, peppers, radishes and tomatoes. So you see, it may not be too early to start planning your garden after all. You can phone 306-460-7022 for more information.
PHOTO BY KATE WINQUIST
Thanks for all the letters and messages this week! I look forward to another adventure in the warmer temperatures this week to share with you all :)
The Mail Bag
My name is Steve Merriman. I am in Brainerd, Minnesota. I read your article on Loverna that was recently posted on Facebook. I, along with several friends, have been hunting in the Loverna area since 1976, myself since 1980. We have watched Loverna and so many other small towns slowly disappear. We own a house in Loverna. I spend approx five months there every year, with the exception of 2020, of course. I look forward to being able to visit again soon. I have had the opportunity in talking to many of the old-timers, learning how many have Minnesota roots. Anyway, thank you for the story on Loverna. It is my home away from home, and I miss it.
- Steve Merriman
Thank you for your article and pictures of Loverna and Hoosier. My parents came to Loverna when the railroad did, (it was C.N. not C.P.) and my oldest sister was the first baby born in the new town, receiving a baby carriage as a gift for that distinction. Dad was pump man for the C.N. keeping those big seam engines filled with water to produce the steam. I took my schooling there until grades 11 and 12 in Kindersley, staying at the Dorm, way before your time. Graduated there in 1952. Married in 1955 and lived in Alsask until after my husband’s death. Moved to New Westminster to be close to my oldest son in 2013. Any articles you can discover about that part of the world will be of great interest to me, as were your stories this week. Keep it up. We “oldtimers” enjoy all the news you can find. Thanks again.
- Marjorie Griggs (Harley)
Letter to the Editor are most welcome! We’d love to hear from you. Drop us a line at Your Southwest Media Group Box 727 Kindersley, SK S0L 1S0 or email kate@yoursouthwest.com
Sask tourist attraction draws in kids and adults
The words “Saskatchewan tourist attraction”
immediately cause people in this region of the province to think of places like the Great Sand-
LEADER SWIMMING POOL
Swimming Pool Manager
May 4 - Sept 6, 2021 35+ hrs/week
Applicant must be at least 18 years of age. Previous experience necessary.
Qualifications: NLS, Pool Operator’s Course, LSI (all levels), CPR-C, Standard First Aid
Full-Time Lifeguards
Mid June - Sept 6, 2021 35+ hrs/week
Applicant must be at least 15 years of age. Previous experience necessary.
Qualifications: Bronze Cross, NLS (preferred), LSI (all levels), CPR-C, Standard First Aid
Part-Time Lifeguards
Mid June - Sept 6, 2021 12+ hrs/week
Applicant must be at least 15 years of age.
Qualifications: Bronze Cross, NLS (preferred), LSI (all levels), CPR-C, Standard First Aid
Part-Time Junior Lifeguards (Lifeguard in Training)
Mid June - Sept 6, 2021 50 hrs total (possibility of additional hours)
Applicant must be at least 14 years of age.
Junior Lifeguard program is limited to one summer per individual
Qualifications: Bronze Cross, CPR-C, Standard First Aid PARKS & RECREATION
Summer Program Coordinator
May 17 - August 30, 2021 35+ hrs/week Driver’s License an asset
Responsible for development/implementation of summer programs. Some weekends/evenings required. Includes some park maintenance. Must be outgoing and enjoy working with people of all ages.
Tourism Coordinator
May 14 - Sept 6, 2021 Fri to Mon 24+ hrs/wk. Driver’s License an asset
Responsible for Tourism Information Centre. Provide information to visitors. Promote sites and attractions. Organize WWD Tourism Breakfast. Includes some park maintenance.
Resumes and cover letters (indicating what you are applying for) can be sent to the undersigned no later than March 10, 2021.
TOWN OF LEADER Rochelle Francis, Recreation Director Box 39, Leader, SK. S0N 1H0 306-628-3860 recreation.leader@sasktel.net
hills or Cypress Hills. But there’s a store nestled in Maple Creek that has become a much-loved tourist attraction in Saskatchewan; it’s called Cowtown Kids Toy & Candy, and its owners are Bob and Kara Siemens.
Bob moved here from British Columbia and was warned that brick and mortar retail is dead. Nevertheless, he purchased the heritage building at 127 Jasper St.
“I fell in love with the building, but we didn’t know what to do with it. We ended up going with a more retro theme and started searching out products from another time period. I came up with the idea of a toy store, but we had no idea how popular it would be. Very quickly, we saw there was quite a lot of interest in the store,” Bob said. The store has been open for six years and is officially the largest independent toy store in Saskatchewan.
The right-hand side of the building was constructed in 1910 and the main part was built two years later. It was initially a hardware store, but
VILLAGE - KINDERSLEY
in 1920 it was converted into a provincial building and a jail cell was added. The bars from the cell and the wooden floor are just a few of the features that allow customers to experience history when they walk in the door.
“We added the upstairs and have a second building located three buildings down the street, which houses our book store,” Bob said. “It’s been a wild journey, and now we have over 27,000 products.”
Bob and Kara put a character front on the building, so the exterior matches the interior, thanks to access to funds from a heritage fund.
“We been busy since we’ve opened,” Bob said.
“One of our saving graces In March and April of 2020 was Canada’s largest puzzle display we have upstairs. Everyone wanted a puzzle, which helped us get a lot of publicity and retain many customers. It carried us through those weeks of lockdown.”
The store was recently visited by the travel blogger known as The Saskatchewanderer, where Bob and Kara’s toy store was viewed 100,000 times on their Facebook page. The store currently processes orders on their own Facebook page, “But we’re definitely working on an online ordering platform where people can order more efficiently,” Bob added.
“It’s fun having the store in a small town because people aren’t expecting a lot and get surprised to find so much stock, without the pressure of having city line ups,” Bob said.
The store stocks nostalgic toys like the Fisher-Price chatter phone, Spiro-graph, yo-yo, tops, building blocks, plastic animals, play kitchen toys, My Little Pony, all kinds of new toys, and an extensive amount of farm equipment.
“In the summer, the place is filled with kids on vacation. For so many families, this is an annual stop during their holiday,” Bob said. “During the rest of the year, the majority of customers are parents and grandparents, but kids are telling
them exactly what they need if they aren’t in the store.”
“We wanted to create something that will be special in kid’s memories. So they’ll walk by and say, ‘Oh, Mom! There’s the toy store!’” Bob said. It seems like Bob and Kara have succeeded in their goal. In 2016, Bob was named Rookie of the Year by the Saskatchewan Tourism Awards of Excellence and also won Business of the Year for 2016 in Maple Creek. One of the numerous comments posted by satisfied customers said, “We have travelled all over Canada and the US and have never seen a store like this! Every toy you can think of and some you never knew existed can be found here.”
SEASONAL MOWER OPERATOR
R.M. of Deer Forks No. 232
Operator with duties to start in spring 2021 (April 1st) weather permitting. The R.M. offers a comprehensive benefits package including Short Term and Long-Term Disability, Municipal Employees Pension Plan and Health & Dental. The R.M. offers competitive wages.
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
• Operate a tractor and mower, pick rocks, spraying, general labour
• Operate a semi truck and trailer
• Manage all duties given by Foreman & Council, & log work on provided sheets daily
• Good interpersonal skills and ability to establish effective working relationships with council, staff, contractors and rate payers
• Other duties as prescribed
The Successful Applicant Should Possess:
• Experience is an asset in maintenance and operation of a tractor, mower and heavy equipment, but training can be provided
• Willingness to be supervised and take direction from Foreman
• Great communication and documentation skills
• Valid 1A driver’s license an asset
Your Resume Should Include:
• Past and present work experience
• Education and skills
• Two references
• Expected salary
Please have resumes submitted by March 14th, 2021 to: Rural Municipality of Deer Forks No. 232 P.O. Box 250 Burstall, Saskatchewan S0N 0H0 Email: rm232@sasktel.net
JOAN
Cowtown Kids Toy & Candy is a must stop for puzzle lovers. This gigantic 42,000 piece puzzle was sold a couple of months ago. Good luck! FACEBOOK
Sports with Bruce Penton
Hextall completes full circle with Rutherford
The Jim Rutherford-Ron Hextall story — spaced out over 50 years — has movie potential.
The Coles notes: Veteran National Hockey League goalie befriends young son of a team-mate in the early 1970s; teaches him some goaltending tricks of the trade. Fifty years later, that veteran goaltender-turned NHL executive retires and is replaced by that same seven-year-old lad he played with 50 years ago. That youngster is now a 56-year-old with an extensive hockey background.
Lights! Camera! Action!
At the press conference announcing his hiring as general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins in early February, Hextall reflected on his relationship with Rutherford, who stepped down Jan. 27 for what was termed ‘personal reasons.’ Young Hextall, an aspiring netminder who was aged five through nine while his dad, Bryan, Jr., played for the Pens, would hang around the dressing room waiting for his dad to shower after practice, getting tips from Rutherford while he waited.
Their paths separated after Bryan Hextall retired from the NHL in the mid-1970s after more than 500 games and 99 goals. After retirement in 1983, Rutherford went on to a 27-year stint as general manager of Hartford/Carolina and Pittsburgh. Young Ron Hextall, meanwhile, made a name for himself as a junior goalie star with his hometown Brandon Wheat Kings, a 13-year career in the NHL (where he was a Rookieof-the-Year winner and later a Conn Smythe trophy recipient). After retiring, he took on a front office job with with Los Angeles Kings and then served four years as general manager of Philadelphia Flyers.
Then, in early February, the Penguins announced that Hextall would be Rutherford’s replacement as general manager, making complete the circle of friendship that began back in 1971. Brian Burke, longtime NHL executive and more recently a Sportsnet TV analyst, was hired alongside Hextall to run the Penguins show.
Besides getting goaltending tips from Rutherford, Hextall reminisced about playing road hockey with a couple of Pirates baseball players who lived in the Hextall family’s upscale Green Tree neighbourhood, Rennie Stennent and Manny Sanguiillen.
“I’ve come full circle,” Hextall said in a Penguins press release. His hiring certainly cements the Hextall name in the foundation of the NHL. His grandfather, Bryan, Sr., scored the overtime winning goal in 1940 for New York Rangers to win the Stanley Cup and is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame. His father, of course, played more than
500 games in the league, as did his uncle, Dennis Hextall. Now, Ron is in an ultra-exclusive group — one of 31 NHL general managers.
Hollywood could have fun with this one.
• Josh Braaten on Twitter, about the great Tom Brady: “If he really wants to cement his legacy, he’ll do this in a Vikings jersey a year from now.”
• Jay Busbee of Yahoo Sports, on the scrambling required by the two Super Bowl quarterbacks: (Patrick) Mahomes was running for his life, while (Tom) Brady had time to make himself a sandwich.”
• Patti Dawn Swansson, aka the River City Renegade, on ex-Jet Patrik Laine being benched for half of his fourth game under coach John Tortorella of Columbus: “Four games as a Blue Jacket and bully coach Torts turns him into a garden gnome.”
• Swansson, advising Laine about the drawbacks of signing a longterm contract with Columbus: “Can you imagine spending the next 10 years or so with someone barking in your ear? If that’s what you want, just get married.”
• Comedy writer Alex Kaseberg: “A clearly drunk Tom Brady throws the Lombardi Super Bowl trophy 10 yards from his boat to another boat. The impressive part of that throw to me was how Brady looked off the other boat in the cover two defence.”
• Headline in theonion.com: ‘This Cements Brady As The Second-Best Quarterback Of All Time’ Proclaims Terry Bradshaw
• Another one from theonion. com: “7,500 Health Care Workers Instinctively Rush Field To Treat Player Injury”
• Headline at dark.com: “Up for Emmy consideration: Matthew Stafford acting like it was hard to leave Detroit.”
• Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times: “Offshore sports book Bovada says it won’t pay out on a $10,000 Super Bowl streaker prop bet placed by the fourth-quarter interloper — or any of his associates — that would have made them all a hefty profit. Now that’s what you call a losing streak.”
• Tim Hunter of Everett’s KRKO Radio, on Yankee Stadium doubling as a vaccination site: “Out of habit, Red Sox fans immediately started yelling, ‘Vaccines suck!’ ”
• Bob Molinaro of pilot online. com (Hampton, Va.), on the Super Bowl commercial featuring Bruce Springsteen out on the range in a Jeep: “Bruce in a cowboy hat? He’s not even from West Jersey.”
Care to comment? Email brucepenton2003@yahoo.ca
Prairie folk love a weather story. We mark certain years, even decades, by memorable weather events, and use storms or extreme temperatures or even winds as a yardstick for recalling other important happenings like weddings or births.
It’s easy to understand our prairie preoccupation with the weather given that it is responsible for making our lives inconvenient, drastically changing our plans, and even putting us or our animals in downright dangerous conditions. Yet weather is one of the few things that is completely out of our hands. Perhaps the fact that we can’t do anything about current weather conditions irks us more than the weather itself.
We can collectively complain or post dozens of photos of our thermometers on social media, but these efforts won’t increase the temperature. More helpfully, people can share their water-bowl-thawing devices (and there are some good ones out there!) but even that isn’t enough to warm the atmosphere. We cannot stop power outages and in spite of our best efforts, we can’t
Calm, Cool and in Control
By Tara Mulhern Davidson
always minimize equipment malfunctions because unfortunately, machines don’t run at their optimum potential when it’s ridiculously cold. In case anyone needs a reminder, patience levels and relationships also don’t function at their peak when a cold front moves in.
While we can’t will the weather to suit our needs, there are a few things that we can manage. For example, we can control our ability to find our block heater cord before we need it. I’ve had two years to source that cord on our family vehicle, yet I found myself fishing around under the hood on the coldest day of the year at the darkest time of night in order to locate it.
As per the old saying that there is no such as thing as poor weather, just poor clothing choices, another thing we can control in many cases is how warmly we outfit ourselves. In our household, the rule is function over fashion and as the temperature decreases, our layers and use of woollen accessories increases. My warm winter chore boots are a wardrobe staple from October
through April. My choice of footwear not only keeps my feet warm and dry, but it has been scientifically proven to reduce my cold-feet-complaining by 73% which 100% of my family appreciates.
Controlling our expectations can be a little trickier. On one hand, if we are looking at that long range forecast and already mentally celebrating when temperatures appear to warm up in about ten days time, it’s hard not to be disappointed when – as we get closer – the temperatures not only remain chilly, they actually dip colder. On the other hand, during winter on the prairies, we can’t be generally shocked when we get long stretches of sub-zero temperatures. One final thing we can control is our weather chit chat and that’s where things can get really complicated. If you say “cold enough for ya?” to someone who has cold-started that engine or searched for that heat gun or hooked up that generator or thawed that water line one too many times, you might find the conversation will heat up before you know it.
Flaxcombe in February.
PHOTO BY KATE WINQUIST
Al Heron receives Lifetime Membership Award
ADRIENNE MASON agemason@gmail.com
AlHeron, the Town of Eston’s former Mayor, recently received a Lifetime Membership Award from the Municipalities of Saskatchewan Board of Directors (formerly Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association). The M of S convention and tradeshow is usually held in February in Regina, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 2021’s convention was virtual. M of S held a special presentation in honour of Heron’s many years of dedication
to the communities of Saskatchewan.
Heron was elected about 16 years ago to be the SUMA West Central Regional director. To be in this position, one had to also be a municipal councillor, which Heron had recently been elected. The director position also came with the responsibility of being a SUMA board member.
“It would have been about 2004 that I was elected in West Central to be the SUMA rep. You then get appointed to different committees. One was the Saskatchewan
NOTICE TO RESIDENTS
Many of our residents have noticed a new $10 fee that was added to the most recent utility bills. This new fee was implemented by Town Council and is intended to establish a fund for necessary upgrades to the Water Treatment Plant. We will be joining efforts with the Rural 44 project that allows us to upgrade our facility at a lower cost due.
The direct benefit to the Town’s water treatment plant will be increased capacity, a new filtration system, and automation of many functions which currently requires a manual operator.
For more information please visit our website at eston.ca/utilities
Assessment Management Agency; also the Doctors admission committee, which I thought was very important.”
One of Heron’s most significant accomplishments was helping to create SUMAssure. During an interview, Heron mentioned that “I made the suggestion that SUMA should be insuring itself. (Instead of going to a different agency.) In my first year on council in Eston, they tendered the insurance for the Town. But when we tendered, it started at a certain amount and went up by almost 50% each year, and the contract was for three years. Clients had no control over what they could pay. I suggested that we start SUMAssure. It took about 4 or 5 years, and now, the Town’s insurance is not that much different than what we were paying 12 years ago.”
When SUMAssure started, SUMA had about 124 municipalities within their association. Now they have over 230. “We had over 20 new memberships even in the past year (because of the pandemic), as municipalities are asking themselves, ‘what can we do cheaper?’ And [insurance] is one of those things. Just on this one thing, M of S is probably saving the Town of Eston about $10,000 every year.”
Heron also helped with a variety of fundraising efforts during his years of service. The annual Eston RiverTrek raised close to a quarter of a million dollars in its years. One year, Al noticed that the Eston Health Centre needed a new electrolyte machine.
When he used to take his Father-in-Law to the centre to get his blood tested, sometimes their machine would work, and sometimes it wouldn’t. When it failed to work, he would be required to go to a neighbouring community with his Father-in-Law to use their machine. A new machine would cost the centre around $5-6k. Al came up with the idea for “The Real Men of Eston” calendar to sell to raise funds. Eston locals will remember this infamous calendar as the one in which Al posed on an antique snowmobile with only his boots and his wristwatch. About a dozen other notable lo-
cal Eston men gallantly posed for this calendar as well. The sale of the calendar exceeded expectations and raised over $44,000. The extra money raised also supplied the Health Centre with a new medical bath and a few other needs in the Town, such as some of the theatre-style seats that now sit in the lobby of the AGT Community Centre.
Heron’s dedication to the Town of Eston and his service on the SUMA board has made way for many notable changes and achievements that he would say were only accomplished by team efforts.
“This whole presentation that M of S put on, it was just very humbling. The gentleman that presented it said, ‘You probably think that someone else should have gotten this, and I do think that. It’s so, ‘sure it was your idea and what not’ but you got to have a region that supports you, a Town Council that supports you, or you could never do any of these things. I think it pays for people to be involved. The thing that motivated me was, ‘what can I do to help my community?’ And that still exists.” Congratulations, Al, on an achievement well deserved!
Eston Centennial – Eston celebrated its Centennial in July 2016. Al and Claire dressed for one of the many celebrations that took place that weekend.
Citizenship Ceremony – Al and Claire Heron, councillor Gerri Holmes, community members and the RCMP at a citizenship ceremony for an Eston family
Eston River Trek - Al founded the Annual Eston River Trek. The participates walked from the town of Eston down to Eston Riverside Regional Park and back. For 15 years this 40-mile trek was said to be the most difficult walking challenge in Canada. The final River Trek took place on May 13, 2017. Over the years this event contributed to the Eston Community Complex or any other charity participates wanted to support. This raised $192,000 to the Complex alone. This photo was taken when Al was presented with a quilt made of the participant t-shirts over the years.
Owens & Sweitzer has been named by SATISFYD as a 2021 Top Dealer in Employee Engagement. This award is determined solely on employee rankings which saw Owens & Sweitzer exceed industry benchmarks in the workplace for employee engagement.
Owens & Sweitzer Recognized for Outstanding Employee Engagement
Eston business, Owens & Sweitzer has been named by SATISFYD as a 2021 Top Dealer in Employee Engagement. This award is determined solely on employee rankings which saw Owens & Sweitzer exceed industry benchmarks in the workplace for employee engagement. Rankings are a result of confidential, annual surveys conducted by the SATISFYD Voice of the Employee (VOE) platform. SATISFYD distributed over 5,500 employee
surveys nationwide with Owens & Sweitzer ranking among the top of all VOE participating dealerships.
“2020 was full of unique challenges for our dealership, having a toolset available that allowed us to stay close to our employees has been a huge win. We’re proud of how our team came together during such a challenging time. This award is important to us as a team as it exemplifies our commitment to not
Contract Opportunity Building Caretaker
The Eston Housing Authority is seeking the services of a contracted Building Caretaker. As an independent contractor, the Building Caretaker is responsible for the day to day caretaking, grounds keeping, maintenance and repairs of the housing portfolio.
Interested parties can direct inquiries and/or submit expressions of interest in writing to:
Eston Housing Authority Gerri Holmes, Chairperson PO Box 84 Eston, SK. S0L 1A0 Phone: 306-463-7828
The deadline for written expressions of interest is 5:00 p.m., February 26, 2021 and must include references with phone numbers.
just customers but also our valued workers.” said Devery Sweitzer
Employee engagement measurements provide quantitative and qualitative assessments to employers seeking to increase employee job satisfaction and decrease worker turnover. Research shows that an above-average level of workforce engagement contributes directly to organizational success and profitability. SATISFYD’s Voice of the Employee platform provides a mechanism for employees to confidentially provide feedback and suggestions to their organization, providing actionable insights to employers.
“It’s no secret that an engaged workforce leads to increased productivity, higher customer satisfaction and lower employee churn, all of which play a key part in the success of the organization. 2020 presented some really huge and unpredictable challenges to companies as they scrambled to navigate the global pandemic, this award serves as great recognition to Owens & Sweitzer for traversing these challeng-
Eatonia Oasis Living ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
•
Permanent part time
20 to 30 hours per week, plus relief to cover sick days and vacation of the current Administrator.
Duties include, but are not limited to: Accounts Payable / Receivable, Invoicing, assisting with admissions/discharge of residents and assisting with other administrative duties as directed.
Successful applicant will have knowledge of Word and Excel programs; Experience with Payroll and Benefit remittances an asset. Must have ability to work independently with minimal supervision, multitask and be a self-starter.
Out of Scope position (not union affiliated)
Eligible for Benefits
Job description and salary will be discussed if/when applicant is chosen for an interview.
Please submit resume with references to: Cora Knuttila, Administrator Eatonia Oasis Living Email: eol@sasktel.net Fax: 306-967-244
END DATE: March 31, 2021
If you have any questions, please call 306-967-2447.
es so adeptly.” said Ryan Condon, President & CEO of SATISFYD.
The SATISFYD Top Dealer Award in Employee Engagement was established in 2020 to recognize organizations that have outperformed industry benchmarks. In addition to measuring employee engagement, SATISFYD’s Voice of the Employee solution provides a six-month ‘pulse survey’ to assess updated processes and programs to ensure efficacy and organizational success.
“Employee engagement has become a critical driver of business success in today’s competitive marketplace. Owens & Sweitzer have prioritized a work life
NOTICE
Annual General Meeting
for members of ESTON SNIPE LAKE FUNERAL CHAPEL & CREMATORIUM INC.
to be held at the Eston Funeral Chapel 615 Main Street South, Eston, SK MONDAY, MARCH 15, 2021 at 2:00 P.M. This is your opportunity to hear and express concerns. SPACE IS LIMITED EVERYONE MUST PRE-REGISTER TO ATTEND Phone: 306-463-2659 or e-mail: kcfh@sasktel.net All COVID-19 precautions will be followed.
PUBLIC NOTICE
Public notice is hereby given that the Council of the Town of Eston intends to adopt a bylaw under The Planning and Development Act, 2007 to amend Bylaw No.2017-12 known as the Zoning Bylaw.
INTENT
The proposed Zoning Bylaw amended is intended to:
• Permit single detached dwellings within the IND – Industrial District that existed prior to January 1st, 2021.
• Omit landscaping requirements for single detached dwellings within the IND – Industrial District .
• Permit outdoor storage in the required front yard for sites occupied by municipal facilities and public works within the IND – Industrial District.
REASON
• To accommodate existing single detached dwellings located in areas zoned for industrial development.
• To make landscaping provisions consistent (i.e. not required) for residential development in all areas of the town.
• To facilitate the development of public works and municipal facilities.
PUBLIC INSPECTION
Any person may inspect the proposed bylaw which is posted to the front door of the Town Office, located at 111 4th Ave SE in the Town of Eston. Contact the Town Office by email to get a copy of the proposed bylaw at contact@eston.ca.
PUBLIC HEARING
Council will hold a public hearing at their regular held meeting on March 10, 2021 at 7:00pm at the Town Office. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, written submissions to Council pertaining to this bylaw are strongly encouraged. Written submissions must be received by March 8, 2021 (two days before hearing), 2020 at 5:00 PM by email. Anyone wishing to make a verbal submission to Council must do so by phone. Please contact the Town Office by March 8, (two days before hearing), 2021 at 5:00 PM to schedule a time slot in which Council will phone you directly to hear your concerns or suggestions.
Issued at the Town Eston this 18 day of February, 2021. Jody Schmidt, CAO Town of Eston
culture that is reflected clearly by the results that we see reported by their team.” added Condon.
FOR RENT
ROOMS FOR RENT.
$500. Includes all utilities. Call Tim Schuh at 306460-9292.
WANTED
WANTED TO BUYHunting Rifles, Shotguns and Ammunition. Have permits. Call 463-7756 (Cell). MR29
NOTICES
RATES (based on 20 words or less). $10.00 plus GST. Additional words are 20¢ each. Deadline is Thursday at noon. PLEASE RECYCLE THIS NEWSPAPER
Sure-Fire Streaming:
The best in TV and film from your living room
BY JORDAN PARKER https://parkerandpictures.wordpress.com/
Unhinged – Available On Netflix
One of the first films to have a run in theatres during the summer was this awesome thriller Unhinged.
It’s a simple concept: A driver snaps following a confrontation with a woman at an intersection, and spends a hellish day stalking and targeting her to teach her a lesson.
What really makes this film work is one truly unforgettable performance from the formidable Russell Crowe. He is absolutely jaw-dropping and terrifying as our antagonist, and he’s like a one-man wrecking crew.
He fully, entirely lets loose, which allows the film to succeed. As a woman protecting herself and her son, Caren Pistorius proves a formidable hero, but make no mistake. This is Crowe’s show. It’s not high art, but you’ll certainly be on the edge of your seat for the entire runtime.
Shameless – Available On Netflix
This crass remake of the British hit came out of the gate a decade ago, and has been adored ever since.
It has spawned huge stars, made careers, made us love and hate these characters, and it’s finally coming to an end with an eleventh and final season, now airing on HBO.
Featuring the amazing William H. Macy as an alcoholic father whose kids mainly take care of themselves due to his ineptitude, it follows their lives and how their get by with almost nothing.
With Emmy Rossum, Steve Howey, Cameron Monaghan and Jeremy Allen White, it’s a huge showcase for young
actors too.
If you’re not familiar with the Gallaghers, a family living on the south side of Chicago, strap in. This very NSFW show is hilarious and absolutely crass. It’s the most non-politically correct show I’ve ever seen, but the loveable turns make it worth it.
Switchback – Available On Prime Video
I came across this nifty little thriller the other day, because the cast intrigued me.
It’s a serial killer film with Dennis Quaid, Danny Glover, R. Lee Ermey, and young Jared Leto and Walton Goggins.
The performances are incredible in this story of an FBI agent chasing the killer who kidnapped his son cross-country.
It’s scary, interesting, and takes some unexpected turns along the way. But it’s the intense, skillful acting that will keep you wanting more.
Switchback is a post-Se7en thriller that does so much more than just imitate, and the screenplay does the actors justice.
Wind River – Available On Netflix
Writer-director Taylor Sheridan is a remarkable talent. With Hell Or High Water, Sicario and series Yellowstone under his belt, he tackles this incredible mystery film.
It follows a hunter who is enlisted by the FBI to investigate the murder of a woman on a Native American reserve.
Perhaps the most important thing
about the film is it takes the topical killings of Indigenous women seriously, and puts a lot of focus on this underreported issue.
The performances from Jeremy Renner, Eliabeth Olsen, Graham Greene, Teo Briones and Jon Bernthal are incredible.
Talent from within the Native American acting community is in abundance here, and it’s an incredible showcase.
This is a brilliant film, and one of my favourites in recent years.
Chick Fight – Available On Prime Video
Never in my life did I think I’d be recommending this movie, but don’t let the reviews fool you. It’s a real gem of a comedy.
When a woman joins an underground, all-woman fight club to gain perspective and get control of her life, she finds out her mother has a huge history in the ring.
Main character Anna finds the strength she’s always needed within herself and begins to train to become stronger and tougher.
Malin Akerman – of Billions fame – is wonderful as the lead, and Bella Thorne plays antagonist fighter Olivia with huge prowess.
Alex Baldwin plays a version of most of his characters as a surly, drunken trainer to Akerman’s Anna, but he’s serviceable enough.
It’s the rounded out ensemble, though, that makes things really worthwhile. Watch for Dulce Sloan’s turn as a bar owner and fight mediator, as well as Dominique Jackson. This movie is hilarious.
WEEK OF FEBRUARY 21 TO 27, 2021
THE LUCKIEST SIGNS THIS WEEK: VIRGO, LIBRA AND SCORPIO
ARIES
You’ll have a lot of details to sort through at home or with your relatives. Fortunately, once tensions ease, you’ll feel great about where you stand with your partner and loved ones.
TAURUS
After you purchase a new gadget, you’ll have a lot of questions about how it works. You may have to go to a few different places to get satisfactory answers.
GEMINI
Your enthusiasm and dynamism will ensure you have a lot of fun this week. You might get your hands on some cash, and you’ll decide to treat yourself to a vacation or an outing.
CANCER
Rest is essential before you jump into action. It’ll do you good to get out of the house and break up your routine. Being more open and assertive will allow you to find inner peace.
LEO
You’ll be easily distracted this week. Fatigue might be to blame, in which case some down time is in order. Many people will be impressed by your creativity when they see one of your masterpieces.
VIRGO
At work, you’ll come across a mountain of documents that require your immediate attention. This will be what motivates you to get organized so that you can be more efficient and leave work earlier.
LIBRA
Before you commit to a project that will give you a lot of responsibilities, take some time to unwind and have fun. A promotion is in the works, and the future looks bright.
SCORPIO
You’ll be enthusiastic about planning a getaway or going on an adventure. You’ll finally find the time and money to take a muchdeserved vacation, or at least an exciting day trip.
SAGITTARIUS
A rather irritating situation is developing, and it’s a sign that changes need to be made if you want to truly be happy. Harmony is rarely restored by sticking to the status quo.
CAPRICORN
You’ll need to make some compromises to restore harmony both at home and at work. New accomplishments will follow as you manage to broker deals with future clients.
AQUARIUS
You’ll devote all of your time to your career this week. If you’re looking for a job, you’ll find a position that’s highly demanding but that will give you better prospects for the future.
PISCES
If you feel the slightest bit of dissatisfaction with your career, you’ll make changes and find a job that better aligns with your ambitions. You might also aim for a leadership position.
My boss asked me why I was only sick during the week. I told him it is because I have a weekend immune system.
CROSSWORD PUZZLE ANSWERS USE AMERICAN SPELLING
KLEIN - It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of John H. Klein aged 91 years on November 5, 2020. John passed away peacefully with his family by his side and will be lovingly remembered by his wife Doris of 69 years, daughter Nancy, son Brian (Wanda) and
LEORA SCHMIDT
thelivingword@mail.com
four grandsons Corey (Jessica), Chadd (Jade), Jonathan (Shelby), Mitchell and son-in-law Al, three sisters, one siter-inlaw and many nieces and nephews.
John is predeceased by daughter Marilyn, three brothers, one sister and parents Sam and Lena Klein.
John was born in Piapot, Sask. June 29, 1928, and was raised on a farm east of Maple Creek. In his younger adult years, he worked as a Chef at the Maple Creek Hospital and sold Fuller Brush.
John and Doris were married at Gull Lake then ventured off to Cabri, where John was employed as town police
and in charge of maintenance at the Cabri Hospital and raised their three children there.
In 1968 the family took on another adventure. Ed Marleau, chief administrator for the Kindersley Union Hospital invited John to come and be the Chief Engineer of the new hospital being built.
John also received his journeyman carpenter certificate and started a business named “Klein’s Construction.” He built many homes for family and friends and the Co-op. John also served on Town council, volunteered as a firefighter and sat with the Kindersley Funeral Home committee and participated in the
design of the new Funeral Home.
John and Doris loved their trips to Disneyland / World, Sri Lanka, Hawaii, Las Vegas and Mexico with family and friends.
They had the opportunity to be camp hosts at the beautiful Cypress Hills Park for ten years, where they met people from all over the world.
John enjoyed having coffee with his buddies and watching curling, baseball and hockey.
Arrangements entrusted to the Kindersley Community Funeral Home and Crematorium. A family service will be held at a later date.
THE LIVING WORD
New Beginnings
“Why don’t you like me?” questioned Lois’s house guest. Lois was shocked. She had been annoyed with her husband for an extended period. Suddenly
she realized that she was not treating him right. And her annoyance was carrying over into her attitude toward her house guest.
So Lois turned to the Lord and prayed for him to help her with her attitude. Picking up her Bible she read the familiar text, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control...” (Galatians 5:22, 23 NASB).
Heretofore Lois had felt smug, assured of having these positive traits in her life. But this particular day she read the preceding verses, “Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissension, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these...those who practice such things shall not inherit the king-
dom of God” (verses 1921).
Like an arrow to her heart, Lois felt remorse. She realized that she was acting out some of those hateful traits. Immediately she asked the Lord for forgiveness and a new, clean spirit.
Talk about new beginnings! She made things right with her house guest at once and with her husband in private moments. Since then, her life has been transformed. She has new joy and peace. Her marriage has greatly improved. And she looks forward every day to the opportunities that come to share her joy with others.
At the start of a New Year, each of us thinks of the blank pages ahead, and plans for new beginnings. Like Lois, we too, can seek the joy that comes from turning from “the deeds of the flesh” and accepting the fruit of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
PHOTO BY KATE WINQUIST