Estevan

A new report released as students across the country return to school finds bullying, poverty and mental illness are on the rise among Canadian youth and urges action from policy-makers to improve the lives of children. 

The Raising Canada report says more than 70 per cent of Canadian youth between the ages of 12 and 17 experienced bullying in the last year, and more than 13 per cent of children were living in poverty by the end of 2024.

The Estevan Public Youth Centre (EPYC) wrapped up its summer fundraising season with a sold-out event at Eddie Webster’s Lounge, drawing strong community support.

The evening featured live performances by local musician Connor Piche, who donated his time and talent to the cause. He performed two sets — one before and another after a lively trivia contest — which co-executive director Bonnie Chepil-Kvamme called an act of overwhelming generosity.

The Estevan Mermaids Artistic Swimming Club is diving into a new season, with registration well underway and an open invitation for families to get involved.

Club representative Kelsey Potoma said the youngest group, the Mini Mermaids, is already full, but there’s still room in both the recreation and competitive programs. “Our Mini Mermaids have already been filled up so we're really looking to fill our recreation limited and have some more people join us in our competitive program,” she explained.

A line of powerful storms that ripped through Alberta and Saskatchewan on Aug. 20 caused widespread wind and hail damage, including at least one confirmed tornado, according to the Northern Tornadoes Project (NTP).

Based on witness accounts, ground surveys and satellite analysis, the NTP has confirmed several distinct events as the long-lived supercell system tracked more than 400 kilometres across the Prairies.

The Estevan Sharks Water Polo Club is welcoming new players of all ages as the team gears up for another exciting season. Tracey Ward, representing the Sharks, highlighted the benefits of the sport for kids.

"It's a good way for kids to learn to swim, become strong swimmers while playing a fun team sport," Ward said.

As Chinese tariffs on Canadian canola products continue to hamper the cash price of one of the country's most valuable crops, farming experts say producers have big decisions ahead of them.

Market analyst Chuck Penner with LeftField Commodity Research said while future prices are down slightly, the cash price farmers receive for their canola, also known as the basis, is much lower.

The Saskatchewan Ministry of Highways is advising motorists to be cautious on a portion of Highway 28 after a culvert failure led to a sinkhole. 

The affected area is located on the highway between its junction with Highway 13 and Radville. According to Dan Palmer, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Highways, the ministry became aware of the sinkhole on Monday morning after a culvert in the area failed. 

People will be able to do a bit more yard work this Labour Day long weekend as pruning elm trees will once again be allowed beginning Monday. The final day of the annual ban on pruning elm trees is August 31, with work beginning afterwards.

The ban, put in place between April 1 to August 31, is done to reduce the risk of spreading Dutch Elm Disease (DED), a fungus spread by elm bark beetles that kills elm trees. Freshly cut branches attract the beetles and risk spreading the disease to new trees.

Federal public servants were less likely to call in sick to work during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, new government data shows.

The figures shared by the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat indicate that in 2020-21, when the pandemic had most office employees working entirely remotely, the average number of sick days for the public service was 5.9.

That number grew to 8.1 in 2021-22, 8.8 in 2022-23 and 9.2 days in 2023-24.

New research on a sample collected from the asteroid Bennu — a small portion of which should arrive in Canada soon — is offering a glimpse into how it came to be.

Studies published in Nature Astronomy and Nature Geoscience last week offer some insight into the granules that were collected and brought to Earth in September 2023 as part of NASA-led OSIRIS-REx mission.