Saskatchewan's Outstanding Young Farmers for 2023 - Leguee Farms at Weyburn

Leguee Farms is now managed by the third generation ...  the brother and sister duo of Jake and Sarah and their brother-in-law Erik Nikolejsin.

The trio manage the farm as a team and intensely manage their crops finding new ways to look after their soils and their margins.

Here is the farm bio as submitted by the Saskatchewan Outstanding Young Farmer's committee.

CGC is raising concerns about Ottawa' proposed pesticide measures.

The Canada Grains Council President Erin Gowriluk says decisions need to be firmly rooted in scientific evidence.

"By prioritizing evidence-based approaches, we can enhance environmental stewardship and maintain a strong relationship between scientists and policymakers."

She says while they commend the Federal Agriculture Ministers recognition of the importance of pesticides to food production and security they see two critical areas of concern.

Fort Saskatchewan RCMP arrest driver going 100 km/h over the speed limit

Fort Saskatchewan RCMP has arrested an Edmonton man for driving over 100 km/h above the speed limit.

Earlier this month, police observed a vehicle travelling at 206 km/h in a 100 km/h zone on Highway 15 near Highway 28A. The officer was able to pull over and arrest the driver.

The driver, 23-year-old Jose Sebastian, has been charged with dangerous driving and speeding.

Sebastian has been released from custody with a court date set for July 13 at the Alberta Court of Justice in Fort Saskatchewan

The McIntyre Ranch is one of the largest private prairie grassland conservation projects in Canadian history

The McIntyre Ranch located south of Lethbridge is 130 years old and is one of the largest private landholdings in Canada.

The 22,000-hectare property is home to more than 150 species of plants and animals.

Grasslands are one of the most threatened and least protected ecosystems worldwide. 

This week is Native Prairie Appreciation Week, stats show that over 80 per cent of native prairies in Canada and around the world have been lost.

This is National Pollinator Week

Here in Canada the vast majority of honey bee colonies (about 67 percent) are located in the prairies where 80 percent of the country's honey is produced.

Dr  Stephen Pernal, the National Lead for Apiculture Research program at AAFC's Honeybee research centre at Beaver Lodge (Alberta) says bees play an important role in agriculture.

Opening date announced for Lions Pool

A definitive opening date for the Lion's Pool on 104 Street in Fort Saskatchewan has been announced.

According to Shelly Brown with the Fort Saskatchewan Lions Club, the pool will open to the public starting July 3.

The reason for opening after Canada Day is due to funding and their staff.

"Because we have students that work for us, we have to wait until they're done school," said Brown.

Many residents may notice a mural painted on the pool back in 2022 by Robert Murray, who added an underwater aesthetic to the exterior of the pool.

Fort Saskatchewan Transfer and Eco Station holds grand opening

The new and improved Transfer and Eco Station in Fort Saskatchewan is officially open.

On Thursday (June 22) morning, city officials met at the station for a presentation and tour of the new facility, paved with recycled asphalt.

Construction on the project began in August of 2021 with a budget of $4.27 million. 

"We've increased the size of the site from approximately 8,500 square metres to 14,700 square metres," said Sadie Miller, waste program supervisor with the city. "There's ample space to move around and safely collect bins."

Titan submersible torn apart by catastrophic implosion, killing all five aboard

A catastrophic implosion ripped apart the Titan submersible, killing all five people aboard as it was descending to the bottom of the North Atlantic during an expedition to the wreck of the Titanic, a U.S. Coast Guard official said Thursday. 

Several pieces of the minivan-size craft, including parts of its carbon-fibre hull, were found in a debris field on an otherwise clear section of the ocean floor, about 500 metres from the bow of the sunken luxury liner, Rear Admiral John Mauger, commander of First Coast Guard District in Boston, told reporters.

Treaty 6 flag will permanently fly at Morinville Town Hall

The Treaty 6 flag will now be a permanent fixture at Morinville Town Hall. 

The town held a ceremony on Wednesday (June 21) to raise the flag and commemorate National Indigenous Peoples Day. 

"We are proud to demonstrate our commitment to, and importance of our Indigenous neighbours, by flying the Treaty 6 flag year-round at Town Hall," said the town in a Facebook post. 

Mayor Simon Boersma was joined by the town council as well as Alexander First Nation Chief Arcand Jr for the ceremony. 

'Debris field' found during search for missing Titanic submersible: U.S. Coast Guard

The search for a submersible carrying five people took a grim turn Thursday as the U.S. Coast Guard confirmed that a “debris field” was discovered by a remotely operated vehicle near the wreck of the Titanic.

The brief coast guard statement said experts were evaluating the find, but no other details were released.

The submersible Titan, operated by U.S.-based OceanGate Expeditions, lost contact with surface vessels on Sunday morning as it was nearing the famous shipwreck during a 3,800-metre dive that usually takes about two hours.