WestCentral

Veterans, diplomats, members of the Armed Forces and political leaders gathered Thursday at events across Canada commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe.

"Nearly every family knows somebody who suffered from the effect of war," said Fraser McKee, a 100-year-old veteran who helped to lay a wreath at the Toronto ceremony.

"This is to remember people that will have to go to war, as well as remembering those that went and didn’t come back."

Gerald Busch Obituary

1934 ~ 2025 (age 90)

A life well lived, a legacy well left.

With heavy hearts, we announce the peaceful passing of Gerald Arthur Busch, age 90, on May 5, 2025 at Circle Drive Special Care Home in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. He passed away in his sleep, surrounded by the love of his family.

A new pope has been elected following the death of Pope Francis. White smoke began billowing from the chimney atop the Sistine Chapel on Thursday, signalling the decision by the College of Cardinals.

A large crowd in the thousands erupted into cheers as the words “Habemus Papam” ("We have a pope") rang out in St. Peter's Square, about an hour after the smoke first poured out. The new pope then came out onto the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica and greeted the crowd.

Kerrobert Composite School staff and students joined proud parents and community members inside the school gymnasium for a special ceremony on Wednesday.

Hosting "Rebel Pride Day", the gathering was in honour of the Rebels senior girls' basketball team and their terrific season that ended with a prestigious award from their time at HOOPLA, the provincial basketball championship.

A photographic and storytelling initiative aimed at preserving the legacy of small-town hotel bars is making a stop in west-central Saskatchewan this week.

The Beer Parlour Project, a labour of love by history enthusiasts Chris Doering and Rob Wierzbowski, will roll into the Coleville Hotel on Friday, May 9. Locals are invited to drop by any time after 3 p.m. to share memories, pose for portraits, or simply soak in the vintage vibes of the travelling cultural time capsule.

A large section of West Central will be without power late Thursday night, but residents likely won't even notice it according to SaskPower.

SaskPower has a planned outage for the area set between 10:00 PM to 12:00 AM affecting each of the Rosetown-Eston, Rosetown-Plato, Rosetown - Wiseton Dinsmore, Rosetown - Kyle White Bear grids. 

The Town of Kindersley has welcomed two new tourism advisors who are hoping to bring energy, creativity and community spirit to the region’s summer season.

Kayden Lake and Evan Pelletier have joined the team at the Kindersley Museum and Tourism Centre. Both are passionate about the town and excited to help organize events and promote local tourism initiatives.

Lake, who has lived in the Kindersley area since 2011, said the community's warm and welcoming nature inspired her to apply for the role.

Members of the Biggar Tae Kwon Do Club are preparing to compete on the international stage, with fundraising efforts underway to help cover the cost of travel and tournament expenses.

From May 30 to June 1, seven local athletes will travel to Toronto to compete in the ICTF Open World Taekwon-Do Championship. Representing Biggar will be Steven Carter, Kaleb Carter, Marissa Carter, Aleksandra Todorovic, Chloe Hebert, Harjap Thandi and Ibadat Thandi.

A wind warning is in effect for West Central Saskatchewan Thursday morning as strong westerly winds sweep across the region, with gusts nearing 90 km/h.

Environment Canada issued the alert at 9:43 a.m. CST, cautioning residents from Macklin to Biggar, and from the Alberta border east to Marengo, Kindersley, Rosetown, Eatonia, Eston and Elrose.

The powerful winds, associated with an approaching cold front, are expected to persist into early afternoon before easing as the front moves through.

The Kindersley Legion Branch #57 is marking the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day with a special march to the cenotaph.

In an interview with chaplain for the legion Scott Holloway he shared that a procession will begin at 10:30 AM from the hall located at 118 2 Ave E. They will arrive at Baker Park at approximately 10:45, where the procession will present the colours, sing the national anthem, and observe a moment of silence following the Last Post. The ceremony will end with a word from the legion president.