WestCentral

A new nationwide survey shows the majority of Canadians have not received a pay increase in the past five years, with wages falling well behind the rising cost of living.

Storm-related debris littered the region Thursday morning as West Central residents woke up to the aftermath of a fierce overnight system that brought heavy rain, hail, and powerful winds that certainly left their mark across the area.

After a hot day on Wednesday with relatively nice weather, the script flipped from clear blue skies to dark clouds and increasing winds into the early evening. Models showed two separate systems on a collision course Wednesday evening, each creating their own wild conditions before merging around Saskatoon.

A violent long-track supercell storm tore across southern Alberta and west-central Saskatchewan on Wednesday, leaving a nearly 400-kilometre swath of damage in its wake and prompting critical alerts across the Prairies.

The storm first developed shortly before 3 p.m. near Nanton, Alta., before racing east-southeast at speeds topping 130 km/h. By 5:15 p.m., it had slammed into Brooks, where it toppled power lines, blew a building off a trailer at Highway 1 and 36, and shredded siding from homes and businesses.

Wilkie RCMP responded to several incidents last week, including a two-vehicle collision, a break-and-enter, and family-related calls.

Police attended a two-vehicle crash in Wilkie, resulting in minor injuries to one driver. Officers also investigated a break-and-enter at the old Wilkie pool, which remains under investigation, and mediated a child custody dispute. RCMP conducted a well-being check at the request of a family member and handled a report of criminal harassment that was unfounded.

RCMP say a coordinated community action plan has led to a steep drop in copper wire thefts at energy sites and critical infrastructure in eastern Alberta.

The Hardisty Community Action Plan, launched in August 2024, brought together RCMP units, municipalities, energy companies, and private security providers to target what police described as a persistent and costly problem.

Darlene Ferguson Obituary

1956 ~ 2025 (age 68)

It is with deep love and sorrow that the family of Darlene Janet Ferguson (née Yanke) announces her passing on August 15, 2025, in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, at the age of 68, with her husband and daughter by her side.

Darlene was born on December 12, 1956, in Medicine Hat, Alberta, and grew up in the Orion area. On August 15, 1975, she married the love of her life, Alex Ferguson, in Medicine Hat, and together they built a beautiful life in Leader, Saskatchewan, where they raised their family.

The Prairie Dirt Racing Association increases the atmosphere at any track it invades, and Kindersley was the lucky track this past weekend as they hosted two days of racing featuring the series alongside their regular competition.

A busier-than-usual race weekend typically takes an all-hands on deck approach, and the Speedway had some thanks to give on Wednesday once the dust finally settled.

Team Sask picked up two medals at Day 12 of the 2025 Canada Summer Games in St Johns, Newfoundland.

Wednesday's competition culminated with a bronze medal in diving for Lila Stewart, and another bronze in athletics for Logan Kok. Team Sask's ninth and tenth medals, Stewart's podium finish came in the Women's 3m Springboard event, while Kok was a top three finisher in Decathlon. 

Wednesday night's intense weather took out the lights for a section of SaskPower customers around Elrose, and while some spots flickered back on overnight, SaskPower crews are still on scene working towards a full restoration for their customers.

Two power grids, Rosetown-Elrose and Rosetown-White Bear, lost service at the same time on Wednesday. The initial report at 8:56 PM shared that SaskPower crews were dispatched to determine the cause and repair time for an outage affecting customers in Elrose, rural areas south to Kyle, and west to Plato.

The Kindersley RCMP is highlighting crime reduction efforts and community engagement in Eston and the Rural Municipality of Snipe Lake following its quarterly report for April through June.

Staff Sgt. Andrews said the detachment carried out 45 proactive patrols in the region over the three-month period, including 35 in Eston and 10 in the RM of Snipe Lake. Officers also conducted eight targeted patrols near Eston School to monitor traffic during student arrival and dismissal times.