WestCentral

Severe thunderstorms rolled across west-central Saskatchewan late Wednesday afternoon, prompting a tornado warning and pelting communities with large hail.

Storms began developing shortly after 3 p.m. near the Alberta border, quickly organizing into a long, linear band stretching from Meadow Lake south to Eatonia.

At about 3:30 p.m., a tornado warning was issued for Mantario, just west of Eatonia, after radar indicated possible rotation. The warning was lifted roughly 30 minutes later.

RCMP in Macklin are investigating after receiving a report of a drone flying over a residence during the week of Aug. 5 to Aug. 11.

Mounties say they are also looking into a vehicle collision involving a light pole.

Police responded to a theft of fuel from a local gas station, but the customer later returned to pay and no charges were laid.

One traffic complaint was also reported during the week.

The Tint Doctor, a well-known provider of tint services in the community, is excited to announce the launch of its newest expansion- The Tint Doctor Sign Division.

Starting today China is implementing a 75.8 per cent duty on Canadian canola seed imports.

China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) announced the preliminary ruling regarding their anti-dumping investigation earlier this week. 

The latest tariff on canola seed is in addition to the 100 per cent tariff implemented on Canadian oil and meal back in March 2025.

President and CEO of the Canola Council of Canada, Chris Davison, says China is a highly valued and important market for us, noting they were disappointed with the preliminary ruling.

Five-year survival rates for people with lung cancer have doubled since the 1990s, but the disease still kills more patients than any other type of cancer, a Statistics Canada report said on Wednesday.

The report said the number of people living five years after they were diagnosed jumped from 13 per cent to 27 per cent between 1992 and 2021.

Lung cancer is still responsible for almost a quarter of all cancer deaths in Canada, it said.

Farmer Bill Prybylski says China’s planned tariff on canola seed wasn’t factored into his business equations this year.

The president of the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan says the 75.8 per cent preliminary duty, announced Tuesday, has already caused canola prices to fall by $1 per bushel.

That translates to a loss of about $200,000 for his farm. 

“That’s a pretty significant financial hit,” said Prybylski, who farms northeast of Regina near Yorkton.

Battlefords RCMP are asking for the public’s help to identify a man wanted for questioning in connection with a reported sexual assault near Jackfish Lake last month.

Police released a sketch of the man, created by a Saskatchewan RCMP forensic artist, and say he is described as being in his 20s or 30s, standing between six feet and six-foot-two, with a medium build and dirty blonde hair.

Saskatchewan motorists will now have access to weekly updates on highway construction projects across the province, the government announced Friday.

Highways Minister David Marit said the new Weekly Orange Zone Construction Update, released every Friday at 10 a.m., will provide drivers with the latest information on new and ongoing projects to help them plan the safest and quickest routes.

The Grain Growers of Canada (GGC) has a new chair, elected into the position earlier this year. Scott Hepworth, who farms near Assiniboia with his farmer, moved into the role after the previous chair stepped away from the position.

Having previously been the vice chair at the GGC and currently a director with Sask Wheat, Hepworth is confident they'll be able to meet some of the goals he wants to solve.

As Saskatchewan continues to lead Canada's employment numbers, our region has the lowest unemployment in the country.