Hayden Michaels

With the Saskatchewan Firearms Act (SFA) passing into law, the province is offering more support for citizens and law enforcement. 

The SFA will allow the province more autonomy regarding certain scenarios and situations surrounding investigating and handling firearms-related crimes and disputes.

Today is the first actual dose of spring for 2023, with sunny skies and a high of plus three. 

But it won't be a permanent change, as the forecast for the rest of the month and into April is calling for cooler conditions to persist. 

Meteorologist for Environment and Climate Change Canada, Terri Lang, is a little jealous of the southwest for getting warm weather during these persistent arctic air fronts. 

Options abound for students enrolling with the all-new Saskatchewan Distance Learning Corporation (SaskDLC). 

With the announcement that SaskDLC will be accepting students this spring and opening their digital doors not long after, it comes as no surprise that they have followed up with course options for their acolytes. 

Darren Gasper, CEO of SaskDLC, is heading up the efforts at the organization, where he and his contemporaries have managed to expand courses to nearly 200 unique options.

It's almost time to reel in the gear for the season.

The deadline for bringing in ice shacks off lakes and rivers is coming up, set for March 15 for all water bodies south of Highway 16.

With all the warm weather recently, many will have already made plans to fetch their transportable fishing abodes. Others may still want to get a few more lines in the water before they get up and go. 

Murray Koob, a sport fish specialist with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment, encourages even the most devoted of anglers not to leave it too long. 

Who needs weather satellites when you have pig spleens?

The Pig Spleen Forecast for 2023 has been conducted by Jeff Woodward, a professional pig spleen prognosticator. His family has been doing these forecasts ever since his Grandparents immigrated from Sweden. 

"I think my grandfather would do it as sort of a joke when he was a farmer in southwest Saskatchewan," said Woodward. "My uncle saw them doing this and then when he retired he decided that he was going to take it up in earnest. He gained a lot of notoriety when he made some predictions that came true."

This month, SGI is running an anti-speeding campaign surrounding people's love for their vehicles.

 For a lot of people, their vehicle is a cherished item and is something they strive to take great care of. 

That's why, for the month of February, SGI is asking people to drive a little slower, a little more carefully, and to act a little more loving to their vehicles.

Tyler McMurchy, a spokesperson for SGI, is encouraging folks to embrace this Valentine's inspired push for safety.

So far this winter, snowmobilers in Saskatchewan have had even odds of breaking some rules.

During the holidays, RCMP who were out patrolling the trails and checking in with sled enthusiasts had less than stellar numbers of unregistered sleds being operated. 

It was revealed in a release that about 50 per cent of snowmobiles pulled over were not registered. The fine for failing to plate a sled is costly, at $175 per sled operating without registration. 

This month, SGI is reminding people to buckle up their seatbelts when they take to the roads.

"Buckle up, it's just that easy" is the slogan for this month's campaign. With seatbelts being required by law for 45 years now in Saskatchewan, it's a little surreal to think that it's not automatic yet for some.

Every month in Saskatchewan, around 341 people are ticketed for not wearing their seat belts. 

Tyler McMurchy, a media spokesperson for SGI, is encouraging people to ensure their safety by simply strapping in.

A new year means some new regulations for the Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) in Saskatchewan when looking into serious incidents.

The changes are a result of the Police Serious Incident Response Team Amendment Act, 2021, coming into force as of January 1, 2023.

These changes will enable an expansion of operational capability for the SIRT. The goal is to better enable its ability to engage in any serious incident involving local police.

In the new year, SaskEnergy will be continuing to focus in on sustainability goals.

As the Crown Corporation continues to march into a more efficient and sustainable future, it's looking back at the success had over this last year.

In a release, it was revealed that in 2023, SaskEnergy will be continuing to work toward a 35 per cent reduction in emissions by 2030. This goal is well underway after the work done in 2021 and 2022.