Estevan

After 45 years in their Jasper home, it took mere minutes for Wes Bradford's quaint mountain abode to burn to a pile of ash.

A year later, he and his wife are itching to rebuild. They've hired a contractor and designer, and their insurance will cover the expected $1-million price tag. But they can't start yet — not until their empty lot, currently a flat mound of dirt, has been declared contaminant-free.

"We're up against the wall," says Bradford, after meeting their builder in Jasper the day before.

Choosing the right replacement heifers is more important than ever for cattle producers, especially with today’s record-high calf prices.

“Replacement heifers represent the genetic potential of a producer’s operation,” says Alexis DeCorby, Livestock and Feed Extension Specialist with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture’s Yorkton office.

“They’re a costly investment that requires about two years of inputs before they produce a live calf.”

The Bank of Canada has largely kept to the sidelines as it tries to get a sense of how U.S. tariffs will impact the economy — and some economists think it might just stay there.

After a quarter-point cut in March, the central bank held its benchmark interest rate steady at 2.75 per cent in April and June.

With last month's jobs figures showing a surprise gain and core inflation levels holding steady at around three per cent, economists now broadly expect the central bank will continue its holding pattern at its next decision on July 30.

Family, friends and supporters gathered in Estevan yesterday to celebrate Kasey McIntyre’s dedication to raising awareness and funds for cystic fibrosis.

The atmosphere was one of gratitude and inspiration as McIntyre and her family received Cystic Fibrosis Canada’s 2024 Mila Mulroney Award. The national honour recognizes families affected by cystic fibrosis who have made lasting contributions through advocacy and fundraising.

Lawrence Farms, located south of Rosetown, recently hosted Labatt Canada and SaskBarley for the official launch of a new scholarship.

The event featured an educational tour led by Stuart Lawrence, a fourth-generation farmer who took over the family operation earlier this year following the retirement of his father, Garry Lawrence.

The 2025 wildfire season is already one of the worst on record for Canada and there is a high risk that more fires will break out in August, federal officials said on Friday.

More than 5.5 million hectares of land have burned so far this year, more than double the 10-year average for mid-July.

That is still well behind the record fire season in 2023, when more than 6,000 fires burned more than 15 million hectares of land.

There were 561 fires burning as of Friday, including 69 that were considered out of control.

The Supreme Court of Canada on Friday upheld the sentence handed to one youth offender but overturned another, in parallel judgments that clarify the standard courts should use when determining whether a youth should be sentenced as an adult.

In the two separate cases, the youth, who were 16 and 17 years old at the time of their offences, were convicted of first degree murder and sentenced as adults to life in prison with no chance of parole for 10 years.

Estevan police dealt with a variety of calls on July 17, including missing children, alcohol-related offences and noise complaints.

Officers responded to a report of loud music at a local residence. Police attended and attempted to mediate a resolution between the parties involved.

A five-year-old child was reported missing that afternoon. Police, along with neighbours and community members, searched the area. The child was later found safe inside a neighbour’s home and returned to his parents.

It was another successful run of the Estevan Chamber of Commerce's annual event, Networking on the Green, yesterday. The golf tournament featured 26 teams of golfers, battling it out at the TS&M Woodlawn Golf Club. It was all in an effort to bring businesses from Estevan and surrounding communities together to meet, network and collaborate over a round of golf. 

A special Council meeting was held at noon on Friday to discuss the first reading of Bylaw 2025-20999, which proposes a zoning amendment. This bylaw amendment would allow for a new apartment development along North Wellock Road, from Sister Roddy Road to Devine Avenue and Irving Crescent.

The affected plots of land are currently zoned for single-detached dwellings, but the application requests permission to develop multi-unit apartment-style buildings, with construction targeted to begin this fall.