Estevan

With Donald Trump being inaugurated as the new U.S. president on Monday, threats of tariffs on Canada haven't gone away since they were first floated over a month ago.

Canadian businesses are now facing the reality that the longtime trading partner to the south will be introducing some bumps when it comes to trade between the two nations.

The Estevan Comprehensive School will play host to a basketball tournament this weekend, inviting teams from around the province.

Trevor Dutka, the coach of the ECS senior boy's team, says that the team has been practicing hard for the mid-season tournament.

We started the year off right with a visit to Weldon School in Bienfait to celebrate Jaden and his Grade 2/3 classmates as December’s Classroom of the Month winners! Mr. Nickel’s class was all smiles as we joined them shortly after their holiday break for a fun and festive lunch.

The students were eager to share their favourite holiday memories, from family traditions to wintertime fun, bringing the festive spirit into the new year. The celebration was complete with delicious meals from KFC Estevan and tasty treats from the Southern Plains Co-op, making it a day to remember.

Monday, the federal government announced they had approved the purchase of Regina-based Viterra by Bunge Global, a global agribusiness and food company based in St. Louis, Missouri. The move, with a value of $34 billion, is considered to be unprecedented in the global agriculture markets and comes with a number of conditions.  

Estevan's budget has been the highlight for the new Estevan city council as they've begun their term, with the initial budget meetings held earlier this month.

While those were just the early administrative budget and are subject to change, the meetings gave good insight into the city's finances for 2025.

Last night's Board of Police Commissioners meeting in Estevan had the assembled civilians and EPS members discussing some of the latest figures to come from the city's police force.

Overall, December 2024 saw slightly more calls for service than December 2023, with 560 calls compared to 532. The total calls for year-to-date actually showed a decrease, with 2024 seeing 7,423 calls and 2023 seeing 7,946, a drop of 6.6 per cent.

The RCMP have alerted the public to a stolen truck which they believe is headed through the southeast.

The release says that a truck was stolen from the Crane Valley area, a 2016 Red Ford 350 SD Crewcab with the Saskatchewan license plate 054 INC.

Residents are asked to keep an eye out for the vehicle and report it to 310-RCMP if they see it.

The Eagle Sky Estevan Bruins' playoff push continues, as they picked up their first win of the year over La Ronge. 

After a busy trade deadline last week where the Bruins picked up six new players, the new recruits proved themselves yesterday. Estevan dominated the Ice Wolves inside Affinity Place, walking away with a 7-4 decisive victory. 

The country's premiers emerged from a key meeting about Canada-U.S. relations in Ottawa on Wednesday with a message of unity and a pledge to stand together, with one exception: Alberta's Danielle Smith, who said she cannot support the federal government's plan if energy export tariffs could be a part of it. 

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who chaired the first ministers' meeting, said it was "highly productive."

"We have a shared sense of purpose, a shared sense of understanding, and a commitment to stand together on a united path forward," he said.

Saskatchewan's new provincial police force has begun interviewing Mounties as it prepares to launch this year, a move critics say highlights concerns of job poaching.

Chief Marshal Robert Cameron of the Saskatchewan Marshals Service says the force has received interest from across the country for its positions, including officers from Saskatchewan.

A spokesperson with the marshals later confirmed it's been interviewing Saskatchewan Mounties for positions.