Estevan

At the latest council meeting, the December building permit report was approved, providing a snapshot of construction activity in the region. The report highlighted a range of permit categories, and the financial values associated with them.

In December alone, one miscellaneous building permit was issued, valued at $850,000. When looking at the entire year, a total of 42 building permits were issued in 2024, marking a slight decrease from the 45 permits issued in 2023. The total value of permits for 2024 reached $10,818,257.

SGI's Traffic Safety Spotlight for January is focused on staying alert on the roads to avoid collisions.

With the new year comes the urgency to get out of holiday mode and back into the flow of reality. While reality is still setting in for some, safe driving practices are too important not to be used year-round to avoid the harsher reality that goes along with motor vehicle collisions.

While spending some time in the Canmore, Alberta area last summer, I became buddies with a few of these guys. This group must have included about 10 animals, and they were not afraid of the public.

The grass they were feeding on was right along the 1A highway, and motorists are so used to them, they just fly by at about 90-100kms per hour. It was kind of hard to watch as they missed the animals by about 8 feet at that speed, very dangerous for both the sheep and the people flying by.

The 600 block of 5th Street will be reduced to a single lane today to allow crews to replace a sewer line.

Drivers are encouraged to avoid the area if possible. A 30 km/h speed limit will be in effect through the construction zone.

Traffic in the area will be reduced, and access around the site will be restricted. The lane reduction will remain in place until the work is complete.

Topsey-Turvey is the best way to describe this week's weather, as the southeast is poised to receive a warm spell for the next couple of days. 

"It all has to do with the exact placement of the jet stream. So it's going to be almost a repeat of last week where we get warm Pacific air entering the province. We're going to see temperatures climb to near or maybe just above the freezing mark again. That will last for a few days, but then it's back on the roller coaster into the weekend," shared Danielle Desjardins, a meteorologist for Environment Canada. 

With 2025 getting started Saskatchewan will be the host of a number of agriculture events over the next two months, with the province's Ministry of Agriculture preparing for those.

Besides the larger agriculture shows happening across the prairies, the province's Regional Roundup and the Celebrating Rural Ranching Women events are just around the corner.

The Saskatchewan government has announced a new plan to deal with border security between the province and the United States with their Saskatchewan Border Security Plan (SBSP).

The plan will allow the Ministry of Corrections, Policing, and Public Safety to mobilize Provincial Protective Services (PPS) officers to assist provincial police services and federal agencies in boosting law enforcement near the border.

During recent budget discussions, City officials addressed the increasing challenges of maintaining aging facilities amid rising utility costs and inflation. To navigate these challenges, the City is focusing on essential upgrades, including the replacement of outdated boilers, structural repairs, and the implementation of water-efficient improvements, while shifting toward a more proactive maintenance strategy.

The U18AAA Estevan Great North Bears have kicked off 2025 with a mixed start, securing two wins and one loss in their first three games of the new year.

The team hit the ice on Jan. 8, facing the Regina Pat Canadians at home. The Bears dropped the game 6-2. They then hit the road for a doubleheader against the Battlefords Stars, where they earned a victory in both games.

John Rehm
1926-2025

The family wishes to announce that John Rehm, late of Estevan, SK passed away peacefully on Saturday, January 11, 2025 at the St. Joseph’s Special Care Home at the age of 98 years.

A Memorial Service will be held on Friday, January 17, 2025 at 1:00 p.m. at Hall Funeral Services, Estevan, SK with Shirley Petterson officiating. Please join the family for lunch at the Royal Canadian Legion, Estevan branch – small hall following the service.