Weyburn

The Southeast College has named their new Interim President and CEO as Jody Holzmiller.

Holzmiller has been with the college for 20 years, holding master's degrees in leadership and educational administration.

Previously she filled the position of Vice President, Professional Training and Continuing Studies at Southeast College.

Canada’s annual inflation rate fell to 2.5 per cent last month, matching economists' forecasts and solidifying expectations for another interest rate cut in September.

Tuesday’s consumer price index report says prices for travel tours, passenger vehicles and electricity helped drive the headline figure lower.

Meanwhile, shelter costs are still the main driver of inflation as Canadians face significantly higher rents and mortgage payments.

People around Weyburn have been reporting seeing an unusual number of bumblebees and wasps in their yards or around the city. 

Cory Sheffield, curator of invertebrate zoology at the Royal Saskatchewan Museum, says it seems like there are more, because there are more. He accredits the increase in population to the time of year. 

The population and number of households in Weyburn has increased by 1 to 2 percent in the past five years. However, the number of dwellings in the city has only increased by 0.6 percent. This has the potential of creating a bottleneck in housing where there are not enough houses for the city's projected population.  

Executive director with Weyburn Regional Economic Development, Monica Osborn says available housing is at an all-time low, calling it a sellers' market.  

Global Affairs Canada said Monday it's aware of reports that a Canadian has died after a luxury superyacht sank off Sicily during a violent storm, while Italian authorities said they continued to search for six people who remained unaccounted for.

In a statement Monday afternoon, Global Affairs said consular officials were in contact with local authorities, but said it could provide no further information due to privacy concerns.

"We extend our deepest sympathies to everyone affected by this tragic event," the agency said.

When Alice Foubert entered her home in Jasper, Alta., for the first time since a wildfire roared into the community, the rancid smell from her fridge made it difficult for her to recognize where she was.

"It felt like a shell of home," the 25-year-old said in an interview Monday.

"My heart just sank. I'm used to my cats being in there to greet me but the streets were also pretty empty and it just didn't feel like home."

Foubert was among dozens of residents roaming the town Monday on foot, in cars or on bikes. Some were out walking pets.

While Weyburn's tap water is less than ideal tasting currently due to the higher levels of algae in Nickle Lake, the Superintendent of Weyburn's Water Treatment Plant, Shabbir Sakrani, said their three-part process ensures the water is completely safe to drink.

Algae, he noted, is a natural growth process of a microscopic organism in all-natural surface water, depending on the temperature, salinity, and pH of the water.

The Federal Government announced over $6.5 million on Monday for Bioindustrial Innovation Canada (BIC)  through the AgriScience Program.

Peter Fragiskatos, Member of Parliament for London North Centre, announced the funding on behalf of Federal Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay.

"This funding underscores our commitment to advancing technologies that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase the value of Canadian agricultural products. Together, we are strengthening our agricultural sector and building a greener future."

The appointment of longtime broadcaster Charles Adler to the Senate is being criticized in some quarters, including by a member of the federal cabinet.

Adler, who spent decades hosting talk-radio shows, was named to the Senate on the weekend by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and will represent Manitoba. 

Dan Vandal, the minister of northern affairs, has issued a brief one-sentence statement that says there are many Manitobans better suited to represent the province.

Braden Birnie is a former Weyburn Red Wings captain and is now in his third year of Division 1 NCAA college hockey with the University of Alaska-Fairbanks. The Weyburn native spent his minor hockey days playing for the U15 and U18 AA Weyburn Wings, then one year with the Regina Pat Canadians U18 AAA team before joining the Red Wings for 2 and a half years. Now playing in his third year in Alaska, transitions are never easy in hockey.