Local News

China has hit Canada with a new round of canola tariffs, threatening one of Western Canada's biggest cash crops and causing potential issues for farmers looking to sell their crops. The tariffs were announced overnight Monday in China, meaning that people watching the agriculture markets were in for quite the shock Tuesday morning.

Chuck Penner, founder of Left Field Commodity Research, was watching the markets and says much of the agriculture sector saw this coming.

The Kenosee Lake Kitchen Party has received a surprise $20,000 donation that will help secure its popular children’s and teen programs for the next five years.

Founder and executive director Michelle Amy said the gift came unexpectedly from donor David Hongisto. “David contacted me out of the blue, and you could have knocked me over with a feather. It was such a beautiful surprise,” she said.

Folks can tune in to an upcoming webinar, hosted by a Saskatchewan conservation group to prompt to reintroduction of prescribed fire to manage grasslands across the province.

The Saskatchewan Prairie Conservation Action Plan (SK PCAP) will host the free webinar on Wednesday during the noon hour as a part of their monthly Native Prairie Speaker Series.

Caitlin Mroz-Sailer, stewardship coordinator with SK PCAP, shared that this month's educational session will delve into the risks, productivity, and benefits of prescribed fire as a land management practice. 

Written with files from Shawn Mullin

Employment numbers in the province are strong, and the two zones that represent West Central are helping lead the way. 

The Airdrie Food Bank has seen an increase year over year in purchasing food to provide for those in need.

Christine Arsenault, the marketing and communications manager at the Airdrie Food Bank (AFB), explained that the number of families they are feeding is still high.

"We're still feeding 700 to 800 families a week. There are just so many people who need food.  We're still able to give them the same quality of hampers that we have always been giving out."

This past year alone, the AFB hamper program and pantry assistance program have risen by 33 per cent.

A recent community meeting hosted by the RM of Tecumseh brought together residents, law enforcement, and political leaders to confront the growing issue of rural crime. The event featured a candid and informative presentation by RCMP Sgt. Warner Ignatiuk, alongside remarks from MLA Hon. Daryl Harrison, who addressed provincial efforts to support justice reform and community safety.

Sgt. Ignatiuk opened the meeting with a clear message: rural communities are not alone in their frustrations.

A recent community meeting hosted by the RM of Tecumseh brought together residents, law enforcement, and political leaders to confront the growing issue of rural crime. The event featured a candid and informative presentation by RCMP Sgt. Warner Ignatiuk, alongside remarks from MLA Hon. Daryl Harrison, who addressed provincial efforts to support justice reform and community safety.

Sgt. Ignatiuk opened the meeting with a clear message: rural communities are not alone in their frustrations.

RCMP in Unity say they are investigating a fraud complaint reported during the week of Aug. 5 to Aug. 11.

Mounties also spoke with two individuals in connection to a property dispute and responded to a call about a cat leaving a home through a window. Police say they attended and ensured the animal was returned to the care of its owner.

Other calls included a wellbeing check requested by a health-care worker, a Mental Health Act complaint where the subject was taken to Battlefords Union Hospital, and a complaint of disturbing the peace, though no suspects were located.

While there were no injuries resulting from a vehicle collision last Tuesday at the intersection of Fifth Street and First Avenue, one vehicle was towed from the scene, and another sustained minor damage.

Deputy Chief Shane St. John with the Weyburn Police Service said a young driver was issued a 'Fail to Yield' ticket for proceeding into the intersection before it was safe to do so and causing the collision.

The City of Estevan put out a new policy for food and beverages at the Estevan Leisure Centre so they could have a better level of clarity for the area and what they expect for food.

The new policy was adopted to "better reflect the current needs of facility users", with City Manager Jeff Ward talking about the reason it's before the council.