Estevan

More rain is in Estevan's future, even though we just got through a system which dumped a whole lot of rain over the southeast. With more rain coming down than we usually average over a month, the new systems coming in this week may be overkill for moisture.

Environment Canada Meteorologist Danielle Desjardins says we've got some more rain coming through with a pair of systems over the week.

The head of one of Canada's largest federal unions says the federal government needs to focus on repairing the relationship between public servants and management.

Nathan Prier, president of the Canadian Association of Professional Employees, said this is a "delicate moment" and that new Treasury Board President Shafqat Ali has his work cut out for him.

Prier said the Trudeau government made several questionable decisions that eroded trust among workers. They included a messy return-to-office rollout that was conducted without consulting employees, he said.

Signs that underlying inflation was picking up in April put the Bank of Canada in a tricky position ahead of its June interest rate decision, with some economists arguing a second straight pause is now more likely.

"It is going to make it a much more challenging backdrop for the Bank of Canada to continue cutting rates, at least in the near term," said Benjamin Reitzes, managing director of Canadian rates and macro strategist at BMO Capital Markets.

Estevan’s annual Operation Clean Sweep has been postponed to the week of May 27 to June 1 because of ongoing wet weather.

City officials said excessive rainfall has made cleanup activities difficult to carry out safely and effectively, prompting the delay.

The City is also advising residents that the landfill site is currently very muddy and slippery. For safety reasons, and to avoid vehicles getting stuck, access is strongly recommended only for four-wheel-drive vehicles. Those without four-wheel drive are asked to postpone their visit until conditions improve.

Estevan Fire Rescue had a busy week, with calls coming in for a number of accidents, even if recent rains kept the southeast relatively fire-free.

On May 12, at 4:00 p.m., crews headed south of the city to deal with a grass fire. After responding, crews extinguished the fire with no injuries or damage. They found the cause of the fire to be a tree connecting with power lines.

The Estevan Police Service responded to 44 calls for service over the May long weekend, dealing with a variety of incidents including disturbances, break-ins, suspected impaired drivers and mental health concerns.

On May 16, officers were called to a disturbance at an east-end residence. A woman was arrested and held in custody until she sobered up. She was later released without charges.

The following day, police investigated a reported break and enter at a residence. A 44-year-old Estevan man was arrested and released shortly after. The investigation is ongoing.

A spring survey to gauge consumer opinions about food pricing, buying habits and values found affordability the top concern

Whether people throw steaks or hot dogs on the barbecue this summer could reflect how they feel about their food spending.

A new report from the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University found increasing anxiety about food affordability compared to last fall.

The southeast has seen a lot of rain over the last few weeks, with a major rainstorm hitting the area on Wednesday and lasting into Friday afternoon. That left much of the southeast choked with more moisture than most people were expecting.

From Environment Canada's figures, it was a whole lot of rain for the southeast, as laid out by Meteorologist Danielle Desjardins.

Deferred grazing, a practice that involves delaying livestock grazing until after key growing seasons, is a valuable strategy for preserving and enhancing native prairie ecosystems. Unlike continuous or early-season grazing, deferred grazing allows native grasses and forbs the opportunity to complete their life cycles, set seed, and recover from previous disturbances. This approach brings a range of environmental, ecological, and even economic benefits that support both sustainable ranching and grassland conservation. 

Canada needs flexible, farmer-driven standards to guide regenerative agriculture, experts say

With producer and policy interest in regenerative agriculture growing across Canada, policymakers and industry leaders are debating how to standardize the concept without undermining its core principles or grassroots appeal.

Questions around standardization and regulation were front and centre during an April 30 webinar hosted by the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute.