WestCentral

Saturday's storm system brought steady rain to the region through the day, but a sudden downpour Saturday evening triggered flash flooding at Eston Riverside Park, leaving a trail of damage through roads, trails and the adjacent golf course.

Faced with growing pressure to build faster and more efficiently, Canadian construction leaders are embracing digital tools to boost productivity, according to a new report from KPMG in Canada.

The biennial survey found that nine in 10 industry leaders agree advanced technology is key to addressing challenges in the sector, including labour shortages and sluggish productivity. Roughly 81 per cent of construction firms say recent investments in technology are already improving efficiency on job sites.

West Central's news cycle this week was marked by major economic milestones, severe weather events, and community concerns. The province led Canada with the largest surge in building permits, signaling strong growth despite stormy skies that brought hail, fire, and tornado warnings to West Central Saskatchewan. Meanwhile, police investigations continue into a $3,500 fraud case in Lloydminster, shareholders demand transparency after Northwest Terminal’s secretive AGM, and early tornado activity keeps storm watchers vigilant across the region.

Prime Minister Mark Carney is calling for de-escalation after the United States carried out strikes against Iranian nuclear sites early Sunday.

Carney issued a social media post saying the U.S. military action was "designed to alleviate" threats posed by Iran, but the situation in the Middle East remains "highly volatile."

He says stability in the region is a priority and is calling on parties to get back to the negotiating table to find a diplomatic solution.

The federal government is increasing the maximum compensation amounts for cattle destroyed due to reportable disease outbreaks, aligning with current market prices to better support Canadian producers.

Pedestrians and cyclists are experiencing near-fatal close calls at Canadian intersections every day, according to a new study from the Canadian Automobile Association.

The CAA’s Intersection Safety Study, released Tuesday, recorded more than 600,000 near misses over seven months at just 20 intersections across the country — a staggering figure that underscores the risks for vulnerable road users and the need for design improvements.

Kerrobert Composite School (KCS) has been recognized by the Public Schools of Saskatchewan for its commitment to student citizenship, earning one of just three province-wide awards given to high schools this year.

The award, presented at the school’s annual awards ceremony on Tuesday, celebrates initiatives that help students understand and demonstrate good citizenship, strong character, and meaningful community involvement.

The community of Stewart Valley certainly isn't made of sugar, hosting a car show in the Saturday rain.

While they did move it to the local fire hall, the car show showed the trade-mark local Stinger Strong spirit as people endured the conditions to show off their classics, tractors, and semitrucks.

Jennie Moen, a board member of the Stinger Strong Community Fire Rebuild Inc., was helping car show entrants get signed up, and with other organizational matters.

A pair of stories out of Eatonia, and a paint night in the community for seniors headline this week's local look at stories.

It's also graduation season, and Kindersley Composite School held their annual awards day. Read about that and more from the week in the top five stories from June 16-20 below:

With files from Cooper Douglas

The Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM) hit the road this past week, hosting a series of June Division Meetings in all six of its provincial divisions.

Between June 16 to 19, the meetings took place in Langham, North Battleford, Moose Jaw, Swift Current, Kipling and Kelvington. Each session featured presentations and updates relevant to local governance, rural issues, and municipal responsibilities.