Estevan

Kirk Bryan Joseph Hirsch
1971 – 2025

Kirk’s family broken-heartedly announces his passing in Regina, Sask. on July 6, 2025 at the age of 53.

Canada’s labour market topped expectations in June amid a surprise surge in hiring.

Statistics Canada said Friday that the unemployment rate dropped a tenth of a percentage point to 6.9 per cent in June as the economy added some 83,000 jobs.

The vast majority of those jobs were part-time, the agency said, with 47,000 positions added in the private sector.

A Reuters poll of economists heading into Friday’s release had expected the jobless rate would rise to 7.1 per cent in June as employment levels held flat.

A familiar smoky haze has settled over southeastern Saskatchewan this week, prompting the issuance of a special air quality statement by Environment and Climate Change Canada. The smoke, which blew in on Thursday and is expected to linger until Saturday morning, has created conditions that also make it essential to take precautions. 

Carnduff RCMP have arrested two suspects connected with the theft of a vehicle from Alida earlier this month.

On July 6, Carnduff RCMP received a report of a vehicle in Alida that matched the description of a truck believed to be stolen from Weyburn.

When officers responded, they located the vehicle on 1st Street East in Alida with two individuals inside. Officers determined the vehicle was stolen and the driver was in breach of a release order. A 35-year-old male and a 38-year-old female were arrested at the scene.

Residents of Saskatchewan will soon have the opportunity to try out angling as the province has a Free Fishing Weekend from July 12-13. The weekend lets people fish with no need for a fishing license over the weekend.

Mitchell Thorarinson, a fisheries biologist with the Ministry of Environment, talks about the upcoming weekend and what prospective anglers can expect.

If you tuned into Battle of the Generations recently, you may have spotted a familiar face, as Estevan’s Jodi Tweed took part in the trivia competition representing Generation X.

The episode aired July 8, featuring contestants from Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X and Boomers. Each round, the lowest-scoring contestant is eliminated. The finalist then faces the vault, where they try to answer four questions in two minutes to win the prize money banked throughout the episode.

Tweed applied for the show last summer after watching the first season.

The NDP's leadership race to replace Jagmeet Singh will formally begin in September, with a six-month race to follow according to a rules framework adopted by the party's national council. 

A new leader will be chosen no later than March 29, when the party holds its 2026 convention in Winnipeg.

An entry fee of $100,000 has been set for candidates to show their "organizational and fundraising capacity."

Debates and other leadership events hosted by the party will be streamed online in both official languages, according to the framework. 

U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to impose 35 per cent tariffs on Canadian imports on Aug. 1 in a letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney posted on social media Thursday night, evidently setting a new date for bilateral negotiations between the two countries. 

Canada and the United States had committed to working on a new economic and security agreement with a July 21 deadline for a deal. The boosted tariff pressures call into question progress toward the initial time frame.

Envision Counselling and Support Services is preparing for a major move that will help the organization continue expanding mental health services in southeast Saskatchewan.

After years of growing demand, Envision has outgrown its current space and will soon relocate to the former Estevan Mercury building. Communications advisor Raven Daer says the move reflects both the agency's growth and the community’s support.

Tonight, a rainy streak of weather is starting up in which might give farmers a bit of a boost for more moisture on their crops. With the cold front beginning tomorrow, that's being preceded by a few thunderstorms hitting tonight, along with smoke in the area.

Environment and Climate Change Canada Meteorologist Crawford Luke talks about where the storms will hit the hardest.