Estevan

The winter months often come with uncertainty regarding road conditions and driving safety, a resource many drivers rely on is the Saskatchewan Highway Hotline. However, it isn’t always fully accurate. Dan Palmer with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Highways explains the hotline is updates based on reports by plow drivers and equipment operators on the move, and conditions change quickly.

The ongoing concerns about tariffs from the United States, although postponed until at least the end of February, are causing quite a stir amongst Canadians. Spending habits are changing, national anthems are being booed at sporting events, and the trend towards buying Canadian products is picking up steam. 

As consumers become increasingly aware of where their products are coming from, a common approach is to simply look for a ‘Made in Canada’ or a ‘Product of Canada’ mark on the label. 

Following blizzard like conditions over the past few days, the area is expected to see a break from snowfall for the next little while. Despite this, cold temperatures are expected to stick around which presents the risk of frostbite.  Dr. Stanley Enebeli with the Saskatchewan Health Authority says frostbite is a risk any time cold weather conditions exist. He explains frostbite is an injury that leads to the loss of colour and feeling in extremities due to freezing temperatures.

Youth football players are able to get a headstart on conditioning before the football season as winter workouts are being held here in Estevan.

Christian Pfeifer is leading the coordination of those, with a number of exercises for the kids to try out.

He says that the program is looking to teach the basics of being active to those kids.

At the latest edition of Coffee Talk, Gord More, Executive Director of the Southeast TechHub, and Tania Andrist, Executive Director of Innovation and Applied Research for the Centre of Sustainable Innovation at Southeast College, shared updates with the community. Both emphasized the importance of innovation and skills diversification for southeast Saskatchewan's future.

Residents in the southeast were presented with the King Charles III Coronation medal this past week, with Souris Moose Mountain MP Dr. Robert Kitchen presenting the awards.  

The national honour is given to individuals who have made a significant impact on Canada, a province, territory, or community, or who have achieved something outstanding that brings credit to the country.

Medal recipients:

The Government of Saskatchewan’s latest Crown oil and natural gas public offering was held Tuesday, bringing in approximately $3.04 million for the province, with the Estevan area generating the most revenue.

A total of 29 parcels were up for sale, with 25 receiving acceptable bids. The sales covered 2,754 hectares.

The Estevan area attracted the most financial interest, generating approximately $2.75 million for 16 leases covering 1,684 hectares.

With the many changes to 4th Street through the Downtown Revitalization Project, questions have arisen regarding the use of both angled and parallel parking in certain areas.

City Manager Jeff Ward clarified that the decision was based on a traffic study conducted by engineers, who assessed the current flow of traffic and parking.

Bienfait’s annual Battle in the Barn is back for its 14th year, running from March 27 to 30 at the Bienfait Memorial Arena. This 3-on-3 tournament has become a highlight of the hockey season, drawing families from near and far.

“We’re really excited about it,” said Danielle Woolsey, one of the event’s organizers. She noted the event’s long-standing success, thanks to continued support from the local hockey community.

The Village of Macoun is gearing up for a big fundraiser for its Town Hall. The community, located about a half-hour drive north of Estevan, will host a Skidoo rally on February 22. Marissa Martin joined the SUN 102 Morning Show to share some details about the event and the much-needed town hall renovations.

“We’ve been working on refurbishing the hall for years, and we’re closing in on the light at the end of the tunnel,” said Martin. The goal is to have the hall ready by the end of 2025, with the rally helping to bring them closer to that vision.