Feature

Estevan's dialysis unit opens
By David Willberg
Dialysis patients in southeast Saskatchewan have waited a long time for a dialysis unit in the region. They travelled to Regina for dialysis - some of them driving up to six hours a day, two or three times per week - but they needed something closer to home.
Hope arrived in 2006, when the provincial government announced that a dialysis unit would be constructed in southeast Saskatchewan. The dialysis unit at St. Joseph's Hospital in Estevan opened November 14.
Ruth Hansen of Oxbow was one of the first patients to receive a dialysis treatment.
"I don't have that three-and-a-half hour drive into the city, and here it's only 35 minutes or 40 minutes," said Hansen, who has been on dialysis for seven years.
Hansen was undergoing one treatment a week in Regina. Now that dialysis is available in Estevan, she will receive three treatments per week.
"This has been a long wait," said Hansen. "It's been a big boost as far as my desire to keep on going. It's much closer."
Wes Mann of Midale has also been on dialysis for more than seven years.
"It's so nice to have a unit so much closer to home," said Mann. "It was about 1,000 kilometres per week on a three treatment schedule to go to Regina. We're here with ease, only about 200 kilometres a week."
Sun Country Health Region CEO Cal Tant said he has spoken to patients who will save up to five hours of travel time a day.
"Their general health will increase because they can have dialysis three times a week, not once a week or twice a week," said Tant. "It's very exciting, bringing very high-tech but very day-to-day medical care."
Twelve patients will receive dialysis at St. Joseph's. The dialysis ward can accommodate up to six patients at a time. There will be morning and afternoon treatments administered on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
In addition to Estevan, Oxbow and Midale, patients are coming from Weyburn, Lampman, Stoughton and Lake Alma.
Some patients are not candidates for dialysis in Estevan, due to their health, and they will have to continue to travel to Regina.
The dialysis unit is located in the former pediatrics ward. Tant said converting the pediatrics ward into a dialysis area was akin to fitting "a square peg into a round hole." But it was quicker and more affordable than building a new wing for the hospital.
Tant said the new dialysis unit has helped Sun Country with nurse retention.
"It's allowed them to expand their careers, to do something new and different," said Tant. "It's unfortunate that we've had to take a nurse out of one area, which we're filling, back-filling and recruiting.
"But in my mind, it confirmed immediately that they're staying in southeast Saskatchewan because they can now practice nursing at a higher level, a different level."
Finding staff was the biggest challenge, Tant said. The dialysis unit employs five nurses - two licenced practical nurses and three registered nurses - and manager Cheryl Harrison.
"On each day, we'll have two RNs and one LPN," said Harrison. "We're still short one LPN, we're looking for one LPN to fill out our schedule, but right now we have enough staff to cover things."
Harrison said that all the patients she speaks with are excited to have dialysis in Estevan.
"Especially now that we're heading for winter, we're heading into difficult roads and stuff like that," said Harrison. "It relieves that stress of worrying about getting to their treatments, because treatments have to be completed, or else it's life-threatening for them."
There is the potential to expand, Harrison said, but they would need to find more nurses.
The total cost of the dialysis unit was $1.7 million. The provincial government kicked in $1.2 million. Fundraising and donations covered the remaining $500,000.

News

Estevan remembers

(L-R) Don Knight and Leo Saccary from the Royal Canadian Legion laid a wreath during the Legion's Remembrance Day service. Hundreds of people attended the service to pay tribute to Canadians who fought in combat.

 

Police report
*A 30-day driving suspension was issued to a female with a Novice 2 licence following a party in the Hillside area. A Novice 1 or 2 licence holder can't drive with any alcohol in their system.
*A female reported an assault during an argument with another female.
*Two out-of-province males were charged with possession of a controlled substance during a routine traffic stop. Just over 26 grams of marijuana were found in their vehicle. They will appear in court in December.
*A 29-year-old male and a 19-year-old male were arrested for public intoxication and breaching the peace.
*A 15-year-old Estevan male was charged with breaching his curfew. He had a previous arrest.
*An erratic driver lost his driving privileges for 24 hours after failing a breath test.
*Police were summoned to a local liquor establishment because a number of patrons were involved in a physical altercation. Three Estevan males were arrested and lodged in cells.
*A 26-year-old male was arrested for assault causing bodily harm following a domestic dispute. The victim spent the night in hospital as a result of her injuries.
*Two vehicles were victims of a hit and fun in the residential area. The vehicles were parked next to each other.

New literacy coordinator speaks to Chamber.
The new literacy coordinator for the Estevan Literacy Group was the guest speaker at the Estevan Chamber of Commerce's monthly meeting November 14.
Pam Gunnlaugson, who was hired a few days before speaking to the Chamber, shared her thoughts on the importance of literacy to the workplace and the family, explained her organization's efforts to embrace immigrants who have come to work in Estevan, and discussed the literacy group's contributions to Estevan.
The literacy group is trying to reach out to different sectors of the community, not just immigrants, she said, although they are targeting that demographic. They are also targeting early childhood and family literacy, workplace literacy and First Nations' literacy.
Literacy develops the community, family relations and communication skills. It will also help improve workplace productivity. The literacy group is working closely with the Ocean Man First Nation.
As far as immigrants, they will have a stronger sense of belonging and a better understanding of the language. Most of the immigrants are bringing someone with them to Estevan, and that could lead to a 10 per cent increase in the population, Gunnlaugson said.
The literacy group will be working with the Southeast Community Settlement Committee.
Gunnlaugson said there will be a literacy festival in January to promote literacy in the community.
Desired outcomes for the literacy group include stronger communities where people feel involved, and can get involved. Gunnlaugson looks forward to working with others to further the community.

Council notes
Highlights from the November 13 meeting of Estevan City Council:
*Architects have been directed to assemble the team that will develop the new arena. A construction manager will be hired, different components of the arena will be tendered out, and construction will start while the design process is on-going. The deadline to reach $6 million in naming rights sales is December 31.
*More than 650 jobs are available in the Estevan area - the third-most in the province, after Saskatoon and Regina.
*Estevan has seen a 2.37 per cent increase in the number of people carrying Saskatchewan Health cards - the highest increase in the province.
*City manager Jim Puffalt said 95 per cent of this year's projects in the capital works program were completed.
*A street light will be installed at the back entrance of the Estevan Comprehensive School.
*Council approved the 2007-08 snow clearing plan. Two routes have been bumped up to Priority 1: Sixth Street from Souris Avenue to Kensington Avenue, and Second Avenue from Fourth Street to Sixth Street. Council also approved snow disposal sites.
*Estevan has already set a new single-year record for building permit values. A total of 137 permits, worth $18.9 million, have been issued this year. There were 98 permits worth nearly $14 million in the first 10 months of 2006.
*Council passed two bylaws. The first authorizes borrowing $4 million from the Royal Bank, at a fixed interest rate of 5.392 per cent. A previous agreement with CIBC, that had a slightly lower interest rate, fell through. The other bylaw will prevent vehicles from parking on Second Avenue from Fourth Street to Sixth Street.
*Councillor Lynn Chipley promoted biodegradable plastic bags as an option for local businesses.

Hundreds attend Remembrance Day service

(L-R) Elaine Walton and Cort Barker laid a wreath
on behalf of Canada Peacekeepers.

Second Lieutenant Greg Salmers, a reservist with the Saskatchewan Dragoons, discussed Canada's military history and the contributions of reservists during the Estevan Royal Canadian Legion's Remembrance Day Service at the Estevan Comprehensive School.
Salmers' grandfather was a machine gunner at Vimy Ridge in France during the First World War, and his father was a bomber during the Second World War.
"You will likely find similar stories in your family," Salmers told the crowd. "So honour the veterans in your family by learning and passing down these stories; preserving the old photographs, medals, letters and artifacts; and asking your grandparents about their wartime experiences."
Salmers is the webmaster and a lifetime member with the South Saskatchewan Regimen. The regimen's website has photos, letters, artifacts and documents. The site has helped people learn about military history in their family.
"These are local stories with national or international significance," said Salmers.
Canadian soldiers fought for their king and country, Salmers said, but they also fought for freedom of religion, speech and democracy, and freedom from fear.
"When you put it all together, it's a very compelling reason for making the supreme sacrifice," said Salmers.
Salmers and other members of the Dragoons attended celebrations in April for the 90th anniversary of Canada's victory at Vimy Ridge. The Vimy memorial was rededicated. Salmers and the Dragoons also attended a service at the Menin Gate in Ypres, Belgium.
About 1.5 million Canadians have fought in overseas conflict, Salmers said, and more than 110,000 have perished. About 62,000 Canadians are in the regular armed forcers; another 25,000 are reservists.
In the reserves, work, family and school come first, Salmers said. They learn about ethics, first aid, tactics, weapons handling and environmental protection. Opportunities exist to serve overseas.
"We are young, we are old," Salmers said. "We are men and women, and the Canadian reserves have a history and tradition that goes back about 360 years."
Legion president Dave Laing read the roll of honour - the list of Estevan residents who perished in the First and Second World Wars and the Korean World War. Laing also saluted Canadians who served while remaining at home, and family members who waited for veterans to come home.
A cenotaph service followed the ceremonies. Representatives from government and protective services agencies, and non-profit and youth organizations laid wreathes for those who perished during the wars.

Rotary donates to hospital

(L-R) Becky Areshenkoff from St. Joseph's Hospital in Estevan accepted a $4,500 cheque from Estevan Rotary Foundation representative Gloria Chicoine. The money, which came from the Rotary foundation, will be used to purchase an ice machine for the maternity and surgical wards at the hospital. There are two ice machines in the hospital, but none in the vicinity of the maternity and surgical wards. The ice machine will be used to create ice chips for patients.

Reward offered for moose attacks
A reward of up to $2,000 is being offered for information leading to the arrest of culprits responsible for the death of two large bull moose near Glen Ewen.
Between October 5 and 15, one or more suspects located the two moose about five kilometres northeast of Glen Ewen. The suspects used a pickup truck to chase the animals and killed the first moose in a willow run.
While chasing after the second moose, the vehicle collided with a large boulder hidden in the willow run, possibly causing serious damage to the undercarriage of the truck.
The suspects continued to chase the second moose in a southwest direction for about one kilometre, shooting it several times until the animal could go no further. The second moose was killed in a stubble field. The suspects hooked onto the moose and dragged it to a nearby slough.
A partial attempt was made to remove the antlers, but after cutting about halfway through, the suspects gave up.
Both moose were killed with a 12-gauge shotgun using bird shot. The moose were then left to rot.
"We've had a lot of moose shot left (to rot) or moose poached, but I guess the unique thing about this one is that they were killed with bird shot, with shotguns, and that is a first for me in my profession," said Estevan conservation officer Ryan Kreinke.
Kreinke said they haven't received any tips. They don't have suspects, or a description of the pick-up truck.
Anyone with information is asked to call the SASKTIP poachers line at 1-800-667-7561. Tips will remain confidential. The reward will be paid after a conviction.

Keess to audition for Ontario play

Leigh Keess of Estevan will travel to Toronto November 16 to audition for a play that celebrates age and beauty for women.
Sponsored by Unilever Canada and Dove's Campaign for Real Beauty, the play will capture the beauty of 12 women over 50. Eight of the 12 women have already been selected, and Keess is one of 20 women that will audition for the final four spots.
Applicants had to write a letter to their body. Some thanked their body for getting them through tough times, such as cancer. Keess wrote about bodybuilding in her letter.
Keess said about 1,000 letters were sent in. To her knowledge, she is the only person chosen for an audition to discuss bodybuilding.
The audition will start with a meet-and-greet reception on the 17th. Each of the 20 women auditioning will meet with the director and the producer. The women will be given a personal project to work on, and each woman must describe their project. The four women will then be chosen.
Keess expects to find out later in November whether her story was chosen. If it is, she will return to Toronto in late November for a series of acting and stage presence workshops.
The 12 women will portray themselves in the play. Most or all of the women would be lacking in acting experience.
Rehearsals will start in late March, Keess said, and the play will be in Toronto in late April or early May.
Keess said that if the play is well-received, it could tour across Canada. There will also be television documentary on the making of the play.

Saskatchewan Addictions Awareness Week Kicks Off
Volunteers all over Estevan are preparing to launch a week of activities in conjunction with Saskatchewan Addictions Awareness Week (SAAW), November 18 to 24.
SAAW activities are organized around the theme, "Reality Check" - an effort to raise awareness of the facts surrounding addictions to alcohol, drugs, tobacco and gambling. Local organizers say it is especially important to get accurate information to youth.
In Saskatchewan, a major focus of this year's activities is creating awareness about the harms related to excessive or "binge drinking". Binge drinking is typically defined as consuming 5 drinks or more for men, and 4 drinks or more for women, on one occasion.
Alcohol is the most popular recreational drug of choice in Saskatchewan, even though many do not consider it a drug. According to the 2004 Canadian Addiction Survey, 78.2% of people in Saskatchewan reported drinking alcohol in the past year.
Activities:
• November 18, 2007 - Coloring contest begins at local Elementary Schools
• November 19, 2007 - FREE: Drug Free Skate with Bruins @ Civic Auditorium 7:30 - 8:30 pm
• November 20, 2007 - Lights of Love Walk down 4th St. begins @ 4:00 PM St. Giles Anglican Church, Mayor St. Onge opening and hot chocolate to follow
• November 22, 2007 - Come and go visit at St. Joseph's Hospital Auditorium for Addiction Services - coffee and cookies served
• November 23, 2007 - Check Stop by City Police
• November 24, 2007 - Judging of coloring contest and prizes awarded to winners
Saskatchewan Addictions Awareness Week is held in conjunction with National Addictions Awareness Week (NAAW). An estimated 600,000 people participate in NAAW activities across Canada every year.
For more information, contact: Brenda Sehn, Coordinator, St. Joseph's Hospital, Addiction Services 637-2422 or 637-2420.

Ducks Unlimited holds successful fundraiser

These paintings were among the 37 items
available during the live auction.

Estevan Ducks Unlimited held a successful fundraising dinner and auction November 9 at the Beefeater Plaza.
Nearly 250 people were in attendance, and early estimates indicated that up to $40,000 was raised.
Thirty-seven items were available during the live auction, including sports memorabilia, hunting gear, paintings, sculptures and decoys. Another 24 items were sold during a silent auction. Many items sported the Ducks Unlimited logo.
Proceeds will support Ducks Unlimited projects in the area and elsewhere.

Hein completes Dublin marathon

Denise Hein participated in the
Dublin Marathon for Team Diabetes.

Estevan's Denise Hein recently travelled to Dublin, Ireland, through Team Diabetes to participate in the Dublin Marathon.
Hein power walked the 43 kilometres in six hours and 26 minutes.
"I placed 7,946 out of approximately 12,000, so I was in the top two-thirds," Hein said.
She was one of 12 Team Diabetes Canada entrants in the Dublin Marathon. Six were from Saskatchewan.
Her husband, who is a Type 1 insulin dependent, accompanied her to Dublin.
Hein said she hasn't previously done anything like a marathon. Her training included two 18-kilometre walks, a 25-kilometre walk and a 40-kilometre walk.
Hein's husband helped with a lot of the fundraising, she said, and they received support from local businesses, family and friends.
The Dublin Marathon was a very rewarding experience, she said, and she would do it again.
"It is very addicting," she said.

Estevan flicks off and wins
Estevan will be the site of a carbon neutral concert next year, after the city won the inaugural Flick-Fest contest that was hosted by environmental agency Flick Off.
The city had the most people, per capita, who went to Flick Off's website and completed the carbon calculator form. They measured the emissions they contribute and learned how to reduce those emissions.
"They had to fill out a carbon calculator, which basically tells you how much carbon you're putting into the atmosphere by your own activities, like driving a car or using certain appliances," said Environmental Defence spokesperson Jennifer Foulds.
Ninety people from Estevan went to the site and entered the necessary data, she said. The other communities in the top 10 were small cities, she said.
The Flick-Fest contest has created a lot of awareness for Flick Off's cause, Foulds said. Thousands of people visited the website, and 388 communities entered the contest.
"We're pleased, already, with the amount of awareness we've raised about global warming," Foulds said.
Foulds said they don't have a date for the concert as of yet. A meeting will take place between Estevan officials and those in charge of Flick Off to finalize a date that works for both the city and the bands involved.
"We're thinking perhaps spring of 2008, because Earth Day is in the springtime, so that might be a possibility," said Foulds.
The bands will be announced at a later date.
Flick Off is an initiative of Environmental Defence, Virgin Mobile Canada, Roots Canada, MuchMusic and the Government of Ontario to combat global warming and create awareness about climate change.

More than 1,000 shoeboxes

Margaret and John Dyck with some of the shoeboxes
collected during Operation Christmas Child.

Estevan and area once again showed strong support for the Operation Christmas Child campaign.
A total of 1,355 shoeboxes were collected from the region during the annual campaign. Many churches and schools offered strong support, said local spokesperson John Dyck. He was pleased with the results.
The shoeboxes were transported to Regina November 15. They will be shipped to Calgary, and then they will be distributed to countries around the world, such as Argentina, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Chile, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, the Ivory Coast, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Senegal, Uruguay and Venezuela.

World Diabetes Day

Estevan Comprehensive School students joined together
for World Diabetes Day November 14.

Estevan Comprehensive School students showed their support for diabetics during World Diabetes Day November 14.
More than 70 students gathered in the school's courtyard and joined hands in a human blue circle. Most of them sported blue World Diabetes Day t-shirts.
World Diabetes Day is part of Unite for Diabetes, a global campaign that aims to raise awareness about the serious nature of diabetes. A blue circle is the official symbol for World Diabetes Day and the Unite for Diabetes campaign.
Diabetes is a leading cause of heart disease, kidney failure, amputation and blindness.
This was the first World Diabetes Day to be recognized by the United Nations.

Local journeypersons recognized
Forty-seven new journeypersons have been recognized by the provincial government for their outstanding achievement in the skilled trades.
They were the top achievers from among the nearly 1,200 new journeypersons certified in the 50 trades in Saskatchewan between July 1, 2006 and June 30, 2007.
Among the locals honoured were: Greg Johnston, Arcola, boom truck operator 'A;' James Niebergall, Lampman, partsperson; and Jeff Mehler, Estevan, welder. Karen Melle and Steve Wood, a rig technician team, won for the outstanding technical training team.
Increased awareness of the great career opportunities available in the skilled trades coupled with an economic boom and retiring baby boomers, has resulted in unprecedented growth in the trades. The total number of apprentices registered rose to 6,779 in 2006-07 up from 5,915 in 2005-06, a 14.6 per cent increase.
"The growing number of young people choosing skilled trades careers is encouraging news for our province," Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission (SATCC) Board Chair Paul McLellan said.
"Youth and parents are recognizing the great career opportunities that the trades offer, and employers are recognizing the benefits skilled workers make to their productivity and competitiveness. New programs like Saskatchewan Youth Apprenticeship continue to build momentum."

New natural landscape program announced
Gerry Ritz, federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board, has announced support for a new project that will help producers achieve positive environmental outcomes on their agricultural land in Saskatchewan.
Ritz made this announcement during a speech to the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities at their mid-term convention.
"Our farmers know that farm stewardship and economic growth go hand in hand, and that is why they understand the importance of protecting and enhancing Saskatchewan's natural landscape," said Ritz.
"This is why I am proud to announce funding for a pilot project with the Lower Souris Watershed Committee, which will measure the feasibility and benefits of various approaches to environmental stewardship."
The Lower Souris Watershed Committee will receive more than $530,000 in funding from the federal government to undertake an Ecological Goods and Services (EG&S) pilot project. The committee will create an inventory of the agricultural land uses and determine the most effective tools to achieve positive environmental outcomes.
"Local agriculture producer co-operation and strong industry partnerships will be key to the success of this project," said Sheldon Kyle, Watershed Coordinator, Lower Souris River Watershed Committee. "This research project is designed to aid in our understanding of how future Ecological Goods and Services programs can be utilized to achieve desired environmental outcomes."
This study is one of eight EG&S pilot projects being carried out across the country that will assist in measuring the feasibility and benefits of various approaches to environmental stewardship.

Columnists

It is God's Business
During his time in the desert, Moses had seen many things, but he had never seen anything like this. Off in the distance he could see a fire burning in a bush, but the bush was not being burned up. Moses decided to go and have a closer look and that is when he heard it: the voice of God.
"The Lord said, 'I have seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them…'" (Exodus 3:7-8a). That message changed the life of Moses and, if we really listen, it can change our lives too.
You see, God is in the rescue business. He saved his people when they were slaves in Egypt and he can save us too.
Now, you may be thinking, "Well, that is nice, but I do not need to be saved from anything", but the Bible would disagree. From God's point of view, we are as much slaves as God's people back then were. The only difference is that our slavery is to things like sin, self and stuff.
The good news is that God saved his people because he was "concerned about their suffering" (verse 7). Their salvation was based solely on the fact that God loved them and chose to save them. The Israelites did nothing to earn their freedom. It was given to them simply as a gift from God.
To Christians, that message sounds like this: "Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen" (Galatians 1:3-5).
That offer of freedom, love, joy and hope still stands for anyone who would like to receive it, because it is based on God's love, not our worthiness.
I am glad that God is still in the rescue business.
Tim Pippus, Estevan Church of Christ

 

AND THE WIND BLEW
By Linda Wegner
My ever-present thesaurus calls wind "an air current". An on-line rendering says it's air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure. As innocuous as that sounds, a strong transition between pressures disrupted a lot of things for West Coast inhabitants today. A heavy metal patio chair bounced and a rock placed on top of the barbeque (in order to secure the cover) scooted across the deck, both causalities of the gusts which reached close to 90 kms or approximately 55 miles per hour.
My carefully planned office schedule was blown away when all internet connections went down. Even this article is late in arriving at its destination - all because some air currents prevailed over man's technological advances.
We talk about the winds of change and people who talk a lot become known as windy. We rely on wind to clear smog, power sail boats, and wash seaweed ashore. (For non-coastal dwellers, collecting seaweed for garden fertilizer is a major fall event for us). Harnessed wind produces power; unleashed, it drops trees on electrical lines, leaving thousands of people in the cold and dark. All because air currents move.
A line from one of the Psalms reads: He causes His wind to blow, and the waters flow (127:18); in another, the psalmist compares "the wicked" to chaff, driven away by the wind (1:4). Prairie images of mild spring winds ridding the fields of the final dirty-laden snow of the season or of chaff being separated from fall's harvest comes to mind. Looking out my window at the heaving Pacific Ocean, I am aware that for now our link to the outside world is suspended because ferries aren't running.
No matter how the wind may blow for you, my friend, may God harness it for good.

 

GARDEN NOTES
By Gerry Fichtemann

Clay Soils
Soils dominated by clay (40 to 60 percent) become sticky and practically unworkable when wet; hard and cloddy when dry. They're called heavy soils for good reason - the pore spaces are so small that clay soils become completely waterlogged when wet. This encourages the rotting of roots. They drain slowly and generally can't be tilled until late spring, for working them when they are wet will destroy their fragile structure. Because of the small size of the clay partic1es, soi1 compaction is a problem with these soils. Plant roots can't penetrate clay soils readily because of the small spore space and poor aeration. Clay soils are generally low in organic matter, and poor aeration also causes a decrease in the activity of soil micro-organisms.
Massive infusions of organic matter are needed to loosen up clay soil and develop a friab1e, crumb1y structure that will promote good drainage and root zone aeration, it is also important to avoid walking on garden beds, since clay soils compact so easily.
Start your soil improvement by working two or three inches of organic matter into the surface. (If your soil is fine c1ay, start with three to 5 inches of organic matter). Work in at least an inch of organic matter each year. Good materials to add are compost, we11 rotted manure, leaf mould, peat moss, sawdust, fine wood chips, and very coarse sand (fine sand will make it like cement). Work organic matter into the soil in the fall and leave the soil surface in rough condition over the winter to allow frost action to break up the clods. Don't always dig to the same depth, for this will allow hardpan layers to form, which will hinder drainage and cause salt concentration to build up in the soil. Green manure crops such as 1egumes are very effective in improving clay soils.
Raised beds are a good solution for gardeners with extremely clayey soils. Ti1l organic matter into the soil before constructing the beds. Once the beds are constructed, continue to add organic matter, but till it into the top two or three inches. This provides a surface soil that is very high in organic matter, great1y reducing the amount of tilling that is necessary, and prevents the cracking and crusting characteristic of clay soil. Regular annual applications of organic matter such as compost or manure, leaf mould will keep your soil in top shape by maintaining fertility and structure.
Gerry Fichtemann is the owner of River Bend Nursery.

Sports

Safe and Fun Hockey

More than 100 young hockey players registered for Chevrolet Safe and Fun Hockey November 10. Estevan Minor Hockey hosted the classes, which included on-ice lessons, floor hockey and dry land exercises. Parents were encouraged to be positive influences for their children's hockey.

 

Bruins return to winning ways
Two wins in three games put the Estevan Bruins back on the winning track.
Estevan shelled the Battlefords North Stars 13-0 November 8 to end a four-game losing streak. The Battlefords game marked the Bruins' largest offensive explosion of the decade. Estevan lost 4-3 to the Kindersley Klippers November 10, but rebounded to beat the Notre Dame Hounds 2-1 on the 13th.
Riley Tetrault scored the winner against Notre Dame early in the third period. He was inserted onto the top line with Kyle Ermel and Payden Benning earlier in the game.
"Tetrault's been working very hard, and it's just been unfortunate that his wingers haven't always been there for him," said head coach/GM Karry Biette. "I rewarded him a bit tonight by throwing him up there, and he paid me back."
Goaltender David Ritz and defenceman Riley Hughes made their debuts in the victory over the Battlefords. Biette said both met expectations - Ritz the proven veteran goaltender, and Hughes the steady 20-year-old defenceman.
Biette said the tandem of Ritz and Karsten Felske is better than Felske and former No. 1 Guillaume Perusse.
"I think we're better in goal as far as play goes," said Biette. "I think Ritz has come in and played better than Perusse was playing. And the biggest thing is we have a healthy situation."
Captain Kyle Garagan said the mood in the locker room is much better since Ritz and Hughes arrived.
"I think all the guys are pretty upbeat," Garagan said. "We have a couple good guys that are team guys. Hughes is a 20-year-old; he brings a lot of leadership. Ritz is a 20-year-old goaltender, he's been around and he's been in the playoffs."
The rival Weyburn Red Wings visit Estevan November 16, and the return match is the next night in Weyburn. The teams are separated by four points in the overall standings: Weyburn is second in the Sherwood Conference with a 13-8-2-2 record for 28 points; Estevan is fifth at 12-10-2 for 26 points.
Estevan has a game in hand.
"There's a real buzz going in the room and the rink," said Garagan. "They're our rivals, and it's always nice to play Weyburn. It's always a battle."
Estevan visits the Melville Millionaires November 21.

 

Holland wins Southeast Ladies Classic

(L-R) Heather Seeley, Tammy and Kim Schneider and Amber Holland accepted the $4,000 top prize from Estevan Curling Club representative Frank Elberg.

Amber Holland's first appearance at the Southeast Ladies Classic was a successful one, as her rink won the third annual competition, held November 9 to 11 in Estevan Curling Club.
Holland, competing out of the Kronau Curling Club, defeated Regina's Angela Gordon 8-4 in a seven-end final. Holland's team was 2-0 in the preliminary round to get the No. 1 seed for the playoffs. She defeated defending champion Leah Birnie in the quarter-finals and Kathy Thiele in the semi-finals.
The final against Gordon was tied 4-4 after six ends. Holland scored four in the seventh.
"It was a battle for both teams," said Holland. "We probably didn't play as well in that game as we had in others, but you take what you can and we stayed in it and capitalized in the seventh."
Gordon's team missed a couple of shots in the seventh, and Holland simply had to draw to the eight-foot ring to score the winning points.
"When they didn't execute, we finished it off," said Holland.
Holland missed the first two editions of the Southeast Ladies Classic. She said it's a good event with tough competition. Ice at the club was very good, she said, with only a few patches where the rocks didn't curl.
Holland's team pocketed $4,000 for the victory, and earned valuable points from the Saskatchewan Curling Association. If her team gets enough points, Holland will bypass the qualifying tournaments and advance directly to provincials in January.
"That definitely was a bonus for us to get the most points as well as a little bit of cash in our pocket," said Holland.
Other members of the Holland rink were Kim and Tammy Schneider and Heather Seeley.
A total of 12 teams entered the classic. Christine Massier and Sherilee Orsted's teams carried the local hopes.
Massier went 0-3. She opened with a loss to Jolene McIvor. Losses to Birnie and Orsted eliminated Massier from contention.
Orsted had a 2-3 record, but didn't reach the quarter-finals. She opened with a win over Penny Roy, but lost to Liza Park and Mandy Selzer. She rebounded to defeat Massier, but lost to Thiele in the last game of the preliminary round.

 

Big Six season opens
The Midale Mustangs opened the 2007-08 Big Six Hockey League season by trouncing the Arcola-Kisbey Combines 13-0 November 9 in Arcola.
It was a successful opening weekend for Midale. They also defeated the Wawota Flyers 6-2 in Wawota November 10.
The Carnduff Red Devils opened defence of their Big Six championship by beating the Bienfait Coalers 7-3 in Carnduff on the 10th.
Other results included the Carlyle Cougars beating the White Bear Redhawks 15-1 in Carlyle on the 10th, and the Redvers Rockets beating Bienfait 5-4 in overtime in Redvers on the 11th.
Two games slated for the 11th were postponed: Carlyle at Carnduff and Wawota at the Oxbow Huskies.
Oxbow and the Pierson Bruins have yet to play their first games of the season.

 

Riders advance to Western Final

The Saskatchewan Roughriders are off to the Western Final Championship game, where they will face the B.C. Lions. The Riders beat the Calgary Stampeders 26-24 in their first home playoff game in 20 years. Key players were quarterback Kerry Joseph, and receivers Andy Fantuz and D.J. Flick. It was just a sea of green Rider fans that were exceptionally loud at this game. There were 28,800 fans at the game, and no one left early.
While the Riders had a sellout, Winnipeg did not. The Blue Bombers had only 22,843 for their home game.
In the NFL, the Dallas Cowboys beat the New York Giants 31-20. The Cowboys are 8-1 and are in first place in the NFC East. Dallas' next game is against Washington.
Other scores from Week 10 were: Buffalo beat Miami 13-10, St. Louis took out New Orleans 37-29, Chicago beat Oakland 17-6 and San Diego upset Indianapolis 23-21.
In NCAA Division I football, the No. 3 Oklahoma Sooners hammered Baylor 52-21. The Sooners are in first place in the Big 12 South Division. Oklahoma's record is 9-1 overall and 5-1 in conference play, and their next game is against Texas Tech.
Other scores were: Utah wasted Wyoming 50-0; No. 17 Florida took out South Carolina 51-31, Virginia beat Miami 48-0, No. 11 Virginia Tech got past Florida State 40-21 and Illinois upset No. 1 Ohio State 28-21.
In NCAA Division IAA football, the No. 1 North Dakota State Bison got past Cal Poly 31-28. The Bison will close out their season against South Dakota State. North Dakota State's record is 10-0 overall and 3-0 in divisional play.
In NCAA Division II football, the North Dakota Fighting Sioux closed out their season with a 31-27 win over South Dakota. The Sioux's record is 9-1 overall and 7-1 in conference play. North Dakota's next game is against Winona State in the Division II playoffs. North Dakota goes into the playoffs as the number three seed.
That's all folks!

Viewpoints

Tea Time

Making Right Choices!
By Dani Stobbs
One of the things that I was desperate to see when I was in Yellowstone National Park was either a Moose or a Bear. I was so disappointed to not get the chance to see one.
One of the animals that are so often connected with Canada is the Moose. When I went back to England they ask if I have seen Moose roaming through the fields here, or if a bear has been rummaging through my trash. These are the stereotypes that us English have of living in Canada.
I was shocked to see my first picture of a Moose locally, to be one that is dead. I opened up my e-mail inbox to see a poster with the dead moose on the front combined with information of what had happened to them.
I couldn't believe that someone or some people had been so reckless as to kill these animals for no apparent reason, but just for fun. Not only that but that it is so close to home.
From the information that I read, it seemed like somebody thought it would be FUN to chase two Bull Moose in a pickup truck and kill the first one in a willow-run. Not only that but they continued to chase the second Bull Moose and shot at him until he couldn't go on any further.
To kill them for no apparent reason is bad enough but to then go through hauling the poor moose to a nearby slough and to attempt to remove its antlers and only cut half the way through - they gave up.
It makes me so mad to know that somebody could treat your country animal like a game of sport. These animals suffered in pain at the price of someone's fun. They were treated as if they were an object for humans to play with.
Everyone makes mistakes, and we do things that aren't right or aren't the best decisions. But what we need to learn in today's society is that it is not just about stopping these things from happening, but it's about realizing that we need to admit to the things we have done wrong, and then we can start to CHANGE the way we live.
We know that we can't always be perfect, but we can try to learn to make right choices. Whether it's lying, stealing, or even killing these moose, at least be wise enough to come forward and try and make something right out of this situation.
For more information about when this happened and to have more details as to how you can help read the article in Lifestyles this week.

 

Remember your local merchants
The soaring Canadian dollar has been a "good news, bad news" proposition for Canadians.
The high dollar reflects a robust economy. Not only is the Canadian dollar beating up on its sagging U.S. rival, it's thriving against other world currencies. Consumer confidence grows with news of a strong Canadian dollar.
It's been bad news for the manufacturing sector, and anyone else trying to export products to the U.S.
As long as the dollar continues to hover around or above the $1.00 US mark, American communities close to the Canadian border will benefit, too. Canadians who live close to the U.S. border will be scurrying to the U.S., trying to capitalize on the exchange rate, so they can gobble up as many products as possible.
Cross-border shopping can be a "grass is greener on the other side" proposition.
For one thing, American merchants aren't always willing to give a fair exchange rate. The Canadian dollar might be worth over $1.00 US, but many American businesses won't accept the loonie on par with the American greenback.
Maybe news travels slowly in the U.S. Or maybe those merchants don't want to admit weakness. Or maybe they're trying to gouge the bargain-hungry Canadians.
Remember when the Canadian dollar was hovering around the 65-cent US mark? North Dakota shoppers loved coming to Estevan to shop. How many businesses in Estevan sported signs that promised a fair exchange rate? Lots. How many in the U.S. have similar signs?
Most U.S. merchants won't accept Canadian currency, either.
And if you do find a business down south with a fair exchange rate, you're likely going to have to pay duty when you cross the border.
American businesses have a significantly lower minimum wage than those in Saskatchewan - about $2 per hour. While corporate and small business taxes are diminishing, both provincially and federally, the business taxes in the U.S. are lower. American retailers have those unfair advantages, too.
Shopping in the U.S. also creates problems for the local economy.
Local businesses build communities. They sponsor sports teams and leagues and donate to local charitable organizations. Business owners volunteer with service groups. The Minot Target store won't put a dime into Estevan, and you won't see their staff volunteering with local non-profit organizations.
If a business goes under, it's not just the owner and the staff that suffer. The entire community suffers.
Canadians have wondered why they aren't seeing lower prices at retailers, even though the Canadian dollar is worth more than its U.S. counterpart. Many businesses are still selling stock that arrived before the Canadian dollar reached parity with the U.S. dollar.
Some big box chains in Canada have lowered their prices to meet customer demands, but they're losing money on merchandise that arrived during the summer.
So before you rush down to Minot, Williston or even Crosby, on the quest for that great deal, realize that it might not be as good as you think.

 

What's Happening

Battle of the Hillcrest bands

Hillcrest School's Grade 7 class hosted a battle of the bands November 8 as a fundraiser for World Vision Canada. Seven student bands and one staff band entered. Five Grade 7 students - Melissa Sebastian, Ali Stelnicki, Karli Krantz, Kim MacKenzie and Dayna Skoczylas - won for their rendition of the Spice Girls' "Spice up your Life." Other grades at the school are holding fundraisers for World Vision.

 

Macoun contributes to Guinness record

Macoun School was one of 997 schools and organizations from around the world to take part in this year's cup stacking effort November 9 that broke a Guinness world record. Students and staff stacked cups, which remained in place for 30 minutes. A total of 164,416 people globally stacked the cups, which was more than double last year's Guinness World Record of 81,252.

 

Westview remembers

Westview School in Estevan held a Remembrance Day service November 9. Students sang songs, recited poetry, laid wreaths and observed a moment of silence for fallen soldiers. A video was shown on Canada's wartime contributions.