WestCentral

Some areas of the prairies have received some rain over the past few days, but the weeks of hot, dry weather have had an impact on crops, hay, and pastureland. 

With the dry conditions across so much of the Prairies, there's been an increased concern about grasshopper infestations.

Dr. Meghan Vankosky, a research scientist in field crop entomology with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, says grasshoppers could be shaping up to be an important story again this year.

Farmers across the G7 are confronting unprecedented pressures as the world faces overlapping geopolitical, economic, and environmental challenges. Inflation, high interest rates, and continued fallout from recent financial shocks have destabilized farm economies. At the same time, trade disruptions, and fractured supply chains are compounding uncertainty in the agricultural sector. Meanwhile, the impacts of climate change—more frequent droughts, floods, and extreme weather—are threatening productivity and straining rural infrastructure.

UPDATE 2: North Battleford RCMP have announced there is no longer a heavy police presence in the north-west area of the city, and that there is no immediate threat to the public.

UPDATE: North Battleford RCMP currently have a heavy police presence in the north-west section of the city and believe the suspects to be within the area.

RCMP in North Battleford are searching for four suspects following the theft of a vehicle early Monday and a possible weapons offence.

A Sunday fire response out of Kindersley saw local crews quickly jumping into action to stop a blaze in a local field.

Dispatched Sunday morning at 11:15 AM, firefighters responded to an open-area fire involving wildland/brush/grass at the base of a power pole located on Township Road 280 and Highway #21.

Multiple units were involved at the scene as the fire grew up to a 1/2-acre in size, being extinguished before it could get any bigger as the fire team brought the situation under control. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.   

Dakota Buttar is still on top of the Canadian standings after a second-place finish at the PBR Ottawa Classic.

Maple Creek's Jared Parsonage won the event with a total ride score of 175 across two events, Buttar finishing second with a ride score of 169.5. That extra half point was just enough to edge Jake Gardner who finished third, currently chasing Buttar for first in the national standings.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders arrived in Hamilton for Week 2 of the CFL season riding the high of a 31-26 win against Ottawa, and maintained their perfect start with a strong second half effort for a 28-23 win over the Tiger-Cats on Saturday night to improve their early season record to 2-0.

Fire crews responded to a large blaze at an oilfield battery site east of Provost on Friday night, after a suspected lightning strike ignited the facility during a thunderstorm.

The fire broke out near Highway 13, close to a grain terminal and seed cleaning plant. Videos shared on social media showed towering flames and thick black smoke rising into the sky, visible for kilometres. Some onlookers at a local racetrack reported seeing the site "light up" in the distance.

Two suspects have been arrested following an assault with a weapon at a business in Martensville on Friday night that sent two people to hospital.

Warman RCMP say officers were called to the 200 block of Centennial Drive North at about 9:55 p.m. on June 13, where they found an adult man suffering from injuries consistent with stab wounds. Officers provided first aid before EMS transported the victim to hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

PAYNTON, Sask. — It’s almost time to pucker up and celebrate the tangiest stalk in the garden as Paynton prepares to host the inaugural Saskatchewan Rhubarb Festival on June 21.

Organizers say community support has been overwhelming, with dozens of vendors, volunteers, and sponsors signing on to help launch the province’s first-ever festival dedicated to rhubarb.

Federal Agriculture Minister Heath MacDonald recently spent Friday and Saturday touring Saskatchewan.

During his visit, he had an opportunity to talk with producers and stakeholders about key agricultural issues and concerns and the potential opportunities that exist within the industry today and in the future.