WestCentral

West Central Saskatchewan was once again under the gun Monday afternoon as a round of severe thunderstorms prompted tornado watches and warnings across the region, following a weekend of thunderstorms and heavy rainfall.

A staffer in the office of Saskatchewan Party MLA Doug Steele testified Monday in the ongoing Rosetown human trafficking trial, saying he was asked to help transport an alleged victim from a cold, unfinished basement in Elrose to a women’s shelter in Swift Current.

Sean Checkley, who works for Steele, told the court he was directed to the Elrose residence by the MLA in March 2023 and helped the woman, a Bangladeshi national, pack her belongings and leave the property. Checkley said the woman appeared “very nervous” and in a hurry to get out of the house.

SaskEnergy is advising residents in parts of West Central Saskatchewan to expect large visible flames in the sky this week as crews carry out scheduled maintenance involving controlled natural gas flaring.

A 40-foot flame may be visible southeast of the Village of Plenty on Tuesday, June 24, as SaskEnergy conducts a controlled flare at its Meter Station Site in the RM of Mountain View. The flare is expected to occur between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m., depending on operational needs.

Outlook Elementary School is one of fourteen community projects across Western Canada to receive funding through the Co-op Community Spaces program, receiving an allotment of $50,000, out of the $1 million being invested in the program's eleventh year. 

Wheat producers are being advised that Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus (BYVD) has been found in two wheat fields in Northwest Saskatchewan. 

Crop Extension Specialist Quinton Cubbins says they did a couple of tests for the virus, which was found in the Medstead area, as it's earlier than they might normally see it. 

BYD Virus is spread by aphids, so controlling their population in the field is important.

Once the wheat is infected, there are no effective treatments.

Protein Industries Canada says a new soybean breeding program will open new opportunities for producers and processors.

The new $4.3 million initiative for Canada's identity-preserved non-GMO soybean is being led by NRGene Canada, Pulse Genetics, Hensall Co-op, and Yumasoy Foods Ltd. 

The project, involves the launch of a new breeding program to develop early-maturing, high-protein, non-GMO soybean varieties suited to Canada’s northern climates, including Manitoba and northern Ontario.

Normally, a shop truck is a purely utilitarian implement.

However, the Leader Electric truck isn't your normal parts-getter. This custom 1942 Dodge body has been paired with a three-quarter-ton frame from a 1992 Dodge. Old meets new and becomes something original thanks to the efforts of John Butt.

Butt owns both the Truck and Leader Electric. Originally, he had planned to use this black and orange monster for doing mud bags, hence the 39-and-a-half-inch tires.

"It didn't do very good (at the Lancer pits)," said Butt. "It still has the stock transmission."

Environment Canada has issued a tornado watch for portions of west-central Saskatchewan, warning that conditions are ripe for the development of funnel clouds and possibly brief, weak tornadoes.

The advisory, issued at 1:26 p.m. CST on Monday, covers a wide swath of the province, stretching from the Alberta border to Rosetown, and extending south to the South Saskatchewan River and north toward Lloydminster.

Canada's supply managed sector is breathing a sigh of relief with the passage of Bill C-202 which protects it from any further concessions in future trade talks.

An identical bill died on the order paper in the last session but this time moved quickly through Parliament and the Senate, before receiving Royal Assent last week.

The Dairy Farmers of Canada, Chicken Farmers of Canada, Egg Farmers of Canada, Turkey Farmers of Canada, and the Canadian Hatching Egg Producers issued a joint statement supporting the legislation. 

Another week of court proceedings started Monday morning in Rosetown, pertaining to the high-profile human trafficking trial taking place out of the West Central community.

Before court last broke on June 6, a brand-new set of disturbing allegations charted the course for another interesting week at Rosetown Provincial Court as the trial continues. New claims from the victim, whose name is unavailable under a publication ban, attempted to substantiate attempts at manipulation, coercion, and blackmail over a span of months at the hands of the accused Mohammed Masum.