FortSask

The Salisbury Sabres are currently the second-best high school football team in the province, but that could change this weekend.  

In perhaps the biggest game of the season, the Sabres will be taking on the Harry Ainley Titans, who sit at the top of the provincial rankings, at Emerald Hills Stadium this Friday (Oct. 21).

A win would leapfrog the Sabres over the Titans for best in the province. 

Prepping for such a big game can be a challenge, but Sabres head coach Cam Fraser thinks he has the group in the right mindset. 

The USDA released its October WASDE report last week.  

Dan Basse with Ag Resource Company says the surprise of the report was the decline in soybean yields under 50 bushels per acre and a smaller-than-expected drop in corn.

He notes the drop in soybean yield was not expected, and down a little lower than what traders were looking for.

The City of Fort Saskatchewan has issued an official statement on Sunday's residential fire in Woodsmere Close. 

Multiple townhouses were affected by the blaze with a few families losing their entire homes. 

The incident started at around 4 a.m. and wasn't under control until about 9 a.m.

A few more details were released including that it appears that the fire started on the backside of the complex. 

The Fort Saskatchewan Trail Alliance is looking for volunteers to help them tidy up trails near the river.

The trail clean-up takes place on Oct. 23 at 10 a.m. at the boat launch parking lot.

Volunteers will be picking up garbage, raking leaves, moving brush, and creating clear sight lines.

Bags and gloves will be provided alongside other tools, but the trail alliance is encouraging volunteers to bring rakes, hedge trimmers, and weed whackers.

All volunteers are recommended to bring sturdy footwear, gloves, and eye protection as well. 

Two new murals have been added to downtown Fort Saskatchewan.

On Friday (Oct. 14), dozens of residents gathered in front of Twice but Nice on 102 Street to join Fort Saskatchewan mayor Gale Katchur in a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new murals.

The ceremony started with a speech from Katchur.

"For many years we've been criticized that we spend tax dollars on beautiful things," Katchur said. "Well, thank you to the federal government for providing us the money that we can actually do a couple of these, and hopefully some of the other businesses will catch on."

There could be a cap on vehicle noise later this year in Fort Saskatchewan. 

An amendment to the traffic bylaw could add limitations for vehicle noise that would be enforced by measuring decibels. 

Under the proposed new bylaw, Idle vehicles will be expected to stay under 92 decibels while moving vehicles will have to stay under 96. 

Fines for vehicles that go above those limits will start at $250. People who don't comply with sound meter tests will be subject to a $500 fine. 

A British Columbia community has declared a state of local emergency as a drought drags on and the area risks running out of drinking water. 

The Sunshine Coast Regional District, the District of Sechelt and the shíshálh Nation issued the declaration Monday, saying the first order affects non-essential commercial uses of water, including for swimming pools, breweries and concrete, asphalt and gravel businesses. 

The 31st Annual Tri-National Agricultural Accord is being held in Saltillo, Coahuila.

Saskatchewan Agriculture Minister David Marit is leading the Canadian trade and investment mission to Mexico this week. 

He's joined by other provincial agriculture leaders and senior officials from Canada.

The group will meet with their counterparts from the U.S. and Mexican states October 18th and 19th to discuss agricultural trade and development issues and expansion.

Next year's event will take place in Saskatchewan.

After the fire in Woodsmere Close on Sunday (Oct. 16), eight families are now without a home.

Rikki Woods, a single mother with three children, Eli, Westin, and Ryerson, was one of those families. 

They lived in unit 85, just a few doors down from where the blaze began.

"I woke up at 3:30 a.m., I could smell smoke then, but it kind of smelt like incense candles. I looked outside and saw nothing." Woods said. 

Olds College of Agriculture and Technology is expanding its Smart Farm research into Saskatchewan. 

Todd Ormann, Associate Vice President of Strategic Partnerships says the expansion into Saskatchewan was made possible with the donation of 800 acres of land west of Craik by Margery and her late husband George Steckler.