Estevan

The Village of Roche Percee has taken a lighthearted approach to some unusual happenings around town, with Mayor Jay Riedel weaving humor into recent coyote sightings.

Riedel explained that the village has faced a series of puzzling incidents, ranging from odd speed readings on traffic signs to strange discoveries like anvils, Acme boxes, and even a giant magnet. “We’ve had a few issues here through the years, and we just really couldn’t put our finger on what was going on,” he said. “So now we’ve put some cameras out and lo and behold, we keep finding this coyote out here.”

At the latest Board of Police Commissioners meeting, discussions began regarding a potential initiative that could lead to bikes hitting Estevan's streets in a new way.

Part of the meeting had Jamie Blunden, the Estevan Police Service's chief, talking about some of the recent crimes seen in the area. A notable statistic came from thefts under $5,000, with a 20 per cent increase compared to the five-year average.

Estevan’s mural scene continues to grow thanks to the work of local artist and business owner B.J. Zieger. Zieger, who owns Lucky Buddha Tattoo, recently completed a mural featuring a horse in a wheat field under a prairie sunset.

The Estevan Bruins are set to kick off their Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League season with a weekend doubleheader against the Melville Millionaires. The team will open on the road Friday in Melville before returning to Affinity Place on Saturday for their home opener.

TS&M Woodlawn Golf Club is preparing to close out what General Manager and Head Professional Amanda Minchin says was one of their strongest years in recent memory. The official last day of the season is set for October 19, the Sunday after Thanksgiving, if the weather holds.

Widespread rain last week slowed harvest in parts of Manitoba. That is according to Oilseed Specialist Sonia Wilson, after Manitoba Agriculture released its weekly crop report. 

Wilson says the week of September 8th started warm, which allowed for harvest to progress. But then came some intense thunderstorms and extensive rain events, particularly in the southwest and eastern regions of our province. Wilson says the wettest location in the eastern region was Steinbach, with more than 100 millimetres of rain recorded in 31 hours. 

The federal government is asking the Supreme Court of Canada to set limits around how provincial governments can override the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Ottawa brought forward the request in a factum filed at the court on Wednesday, as part of a landmark case on Quebec’s secularism law, known as Bill 21.

Quebec has invoked the notwithstanding clause of the Charter in its legislation.

Prime Minister Mark Carney is expected to sign a strategic partnership agreement with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum during his visit to Mexico, which starts today.

The agreement will cover infrastructure, trade, health, agriculture, emergency preparedness and security, senior government officials say.

Carney's two-day visit to Mexico City is happening as Ottawa seeks more trade with Mexico in response to the United States' trade war, and as both countries brace for the renegotiation of the continental trade deal linking all three economies.

Pebbles to Rocks Daycare is moving ahead with construction on its new facility in Estevan while preparing for a major fundraiser in early October.

Executive Director Karolina Tamulaitiene said the new daycare, located behind the hospital, will provide 90 spaces, the maximum allowed in Saskatchewan. “We broke ground in the beginning of June, so construction is well underway. We’ve got walls, concrete was poured in the basement last week, so it’s moving fast and moving along,” she explained.

A new furnace replacement program will look to lower bills across Saskatchewan, with SaskEnergy announcing that earlier this week.

Through a Heating Affordability Program (HAP), eligible households will receive a new high-efficiency furnace, free of charge, to replace their low-efficiency furnace.