Estevan

The 2025 wildfire season is already one of the worst on record for Canada and there is a high risk that more fires will break out in August, federal officials said on Friday.

More than 5.5 million hectares of land have burned so far this year, more than double the 10-year average for mid-July.

That is still well behind the record fire season in 2023, when more than 6,000 fires burned more than 15 million hectares of land.

There were 561 fires burning as of Friday, including 69 that were considered out of control.

The Supreme Court of Canada on Friday upheld the sentence handed to one youth offender but overturned another, in parallel judgments that clarify the standard courts should use when determining whether a youth should be sentenced as an adult.

In the two separate cases, the youth, who were 16 and 17 years old at the time of their offences, were convicted of first degree murder and sentenced as adults to life in prison with no chance of parole for 10 years.

Estevan police dealt with a variety of calls on July 17, including missing children, alcohol-related offences and noise complaints.

Officers responded to a report of loud music at a local residence. Police attended and attempted to mediate a resolution between the parties involved.

A five-year-old child was reported missing that afternoon. Police, along with neighbours and community members, searched the area. The child was later found safe inside a neighbour’s home and returned to his parents.

It was another successful run of the Estevan Chamber of Commerce's annual event, Networking on the Green, yesterday. The golf tournament featured 26 teams of golfers, battling it out at the TS&M Woodlawn Golf Club. It was all in an effort to bring businesses from Estevan and surrounding communities together to meet, network and collaborate over a round of golf. 

A special Council meeting was held at noon on Friday to discuss the first reading of Bylaw 2025-20999, which proposes a zoning amendment. This bylaw amendment would allow for a new apartment development along North Wellock Road, from Sister Roddy Road to Devine Avenue and Irving Crescent.

The affected plots of land are currently zoned for single-detached dwellings, but the application requests permission to develop multi-unit apartment-style buildings, with construction targeted to begin this fall.

Saskatchewan is leading the country in urban housing starts, according to new figures from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.

The agency reports urban housing starts in the province rose by 84.1 per cent in the first six months of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. That was the highest increase among all provinces.

The Canadian Union of Postal Workers is urging workers to reject Canada Post's latest contract offer.

Union national president Jan Simpson says a strong no vote would not only reject the offer, but also protect the integrity of the bargaining process.

The Canada Industrial Relations Board will hold the vote on the proposed deal starting next week.

Canada Post is at an impasse with the union representing roughly 55,000 postal service workers after more than a year and a half of talks.

The Estevan Public Youth Centre (EPYC) is turning Mondays into a highlight of the summer for local youth. After a wildly successful spaghetti-eating contest, the centre is back with another free event — the “Eggs-travaganza” relay night on July 21. The fun is part of EPYC’s ongoing effort to create safe, inclusive spaces for connection and creativity.

Road repairs and culvert work on Highway 18 west of Estevan are nearing completion, according to the Ministry of Highways. 

It was a packed and cozy evening at Woodlawn Regional Park as the latest Michael’s Coffee Shop & Bakery Open Mic brought music and community spirit to the park’s Binzebo. What started as a scramble to avoid rain turned into a memorable night under glowing string lights, with music echoing from the stage and lawn chairs filling the space.

“It was a total blast tonight.”
– Maureen Daoust, Woodlawn Regional Park Manager