Estevan

The Living Skies Come Alive fireworks competition returned in full force this past weekend, drawing thousands of visitors to Moosomin and District Regional Park for two nights of live music, fireworks and community celebration.

Saturday night featured a show by Saskatchewan-based fireworks producers, while Alberta’s team took the spotlight on Sunday and ultimately won the main award. Saskatchewan finished as the runner-up.

As summer winds down, the Estevan Chamber of Commerce is wrapping up a season of signature events — from riding the rails with Long Creek Railroad to teeing off at Networking on the Green. But before fall arrives, there’s one more key item on the calendar: nominations are now in the final stretch for the 2025 EBEX Awards.

Estevan Minor Football’s U14 Lions Oilers are gearing up for a fresh season with a nearly brand-new roster, but Head Coach Christian Pfeifer says the team’s culture remains unchanged.

“Five and one was our record last year and it was a historic season for us at the U14 level,” Pfeifer said. “We've never seen that kind of success before at our level. So it was really nice to go in there as my first year as head coach and bring that to the team.”

Estevan firefighters have come back from another deployment up north to help deal with wildfires, as another group goes up to keep assisting with the blaze. They're working alongside numerous fire departments from across the province who are helping to keep the current wildfires under control.

Estevan Fire Rescue Firefighter Nolan Lacoste and Deputy Fire Chief Kyle Luc both recently came back from a trip up north and shared their experiences.

The sound of drums, the swirl of regalia, and the sense of community all came together over the weekend just outside of Kisbey, as Pheasant Rump Nakota First Nation hosted its annual competition powwow at the 7 Lakota grounds.

The gathering welcomed hundreds of dancers and visitors from across Canada and the United States, turning the quiet grounds into a celebration of culture, language, and unity.

“This was our biggest turnout yet,” said event organizer Kathleen McArthur. “We had almost 200 dancers in the grand entry alone, and it stretched across three full songs.”

The federal government is setting up a safety net of loans, product-development grants and market diversification plans for Canada’s softwood lumber industry in an effort to shield it from the worst of American duties and fees.

Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the plan Tuesday, promising $700 million in loan guarantees to address what he called "immediate pressures" and $500 million for long-term supports to help companies diversify export markets and develop their products. 

Carney also promised that future projects will "prioritize" Canadian lumber. 

July, set right in the middle of summer, is often a month where temperatures rise and moisture amounts start to fall as the seasons begin to change. The latest data from Environment and Climate Change Canada shows that the opposite is true, with some cooler and rainer days making an appearance last month.

Scientist Christy Climenhaga takes a look at some of their statistics on July cooling down this year.

A crew of local firefighters is currently stationed in northern Saskatchewan, continuing their support in ongoing wildfire efforts.

Firefighters John Wells, Ben Brokenshire, Darson Gunnlaugson, and Colby Wainman, who is on his second deployment, headed north on Friday to relieve the previous crew, who returned over the weekend. The current team is expected to remain in the area for at least a week, with operations continuing in the same region as earlier rotations.

Estevan Police Service responded to multiple calls in recent days, including several involving intoxicated individuals and a report of a child left home alone.

Officers were called to the 500-block of First Street for a report of an intoxicated male who was having difficulty waking up. Police found the man intoxicated and unable to care for himself. He was arrested and detained for public intoxication, then released once sober. No charges were laid.

The Lampman Golf Course is dealing with a major blow after six of its rental golf carts were stolen just after midnight on Saturday, August 2nd, right at the start of the Saskatchewan Day long weekend.

According to course president Blaise Fornwald, the carts were locked and chained outside the clubhouse overnight, but the suspects cut through the chain and loaded the vehicles onto a trailer.