WestCentral

The Government of Saskatchewan has officially proclaimed June as Parks and Recreation Month, honouring the vital role community park spaces and recreation professionals play in promoting healthier, more connected communities across the province.

A longstanding business in Kindersley celebrated a first this past week.

June 4 marked the first ever 'National Brokers Day', and Kelly Insurance in Kindersley ushered in the day by wearing their "Broker's Care Campaign" sweaters in line with fellow members of the Insurance Brokers Association of Saskatchewan.

Here’s your roundup of the top stories making headlines across West Central Saskatchewan this week. From a high-profile arrest tied to Saskatchewan’s most wanted list to a major rail investment and a heartfelt farewell from beloved local business owners, these are the five stories you need to know—from law enforcement crackdowns to long-term sustainability wins and everything in between.

Canadian scientists working on asteroid missions, exploring the universe through the James Webb Space Telescope or helping to put rovers on Mars say they can in some way thank Marc Garneau, who left an enduring legacy both as an astronaut and head of the country's space agency.

While best-known in later years as a federal cabinet minister, Garneau, who died this week at 76, was also a Navy officer, a systems engineer, and an astronaut with a lifelong passion for science, according to his friends and colleagues.

Prairie wildfires developed on two fronts Friday, as 1,000 more Manitoba residents were forced to flee their homes and Saskatchewan RCMP charged two people with starting blazes.

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe told a news conference that one charge relates to starting a fire near La Ronge, which has forced 7,000 people from the area.

“The RCMP have informed us that they have now charged a couple of individuals,” Moe said.

An 18-year-old woman from Montreal Lake Cree Nation and a 36-year-old man from Pelican Narrows each face one count of arson, said RCMP.

Saskatchewan’s latest oil and gas public offering brought in more than $9 million for the province, with parcels in the Estevan area drawing the highest bids.

The June 3 offering raised $9.13 million in revenue from 71 accepted bids, covering 12,586 hectares of Crown land. It marks the second of six scheduled public offerings in the 2025–26 fiscal year.

While the Estevan region in the southeast dominated the sale with $6.53 million in revenue from 34 leases, the Kindersley area contributed $547,467.36 from successful bids, a modest, but notable amount for the region.

With summer vacations approaching and residents spending more time away from home, Alberta RCMP are reminding property owners to take simple but effective steps to deter yard thefts and residential break-ins.

The call comes as part of a seasonal push for awareness, after 3,940 residential break-and-enters were reported in RCMP jurisdictions across Alberta in 2024 — including 367 incidents in June alone.

Battlefords RCMP are looking for information on a missing 18-year-old woman.

Earlier today, RCMP received a report that Talia Buffalow was missing.

She was last seen on Sweet Grass First Nation on June 3.

Police have been checking places Talia is known to visit and following up on information they've received.

They are now reaching out to the public for any information they may have.

Talia is described as:

SASKATOON, SK — The province’s largest family-focused addictions treatment centre is expanding its capacity with 17 new inpatient spaces, following a major investment from the Government of Saskatchewan.

Mental Health and Addictions Minister Lori Carr announced $7.3 million in annual funding on Wednesday to support the new spaces at The Carter House, a Saskatoon-based treatment facility that allows parents and their children to undergo addictions recovery together.

SASKATOON — The Saskatchewan government and the Saskatchewan Health Authority are expanding access to addictions treatment in Saskatoon with 40 newly funded mobile withdrawal management spaces.

The province announced $644,000 in annual funding for Medavie Health Services to operate the mobile units, which allow individuals to detox in community or home-based settings. The approach is part of Saskatchewan’s broader Action Plan for Mental Health and Addictions, which aims to add 500 new treatment spaces by 2028.