Feature

Sweethearts since 1950
Caption: (L-R) Elma and Vernon Becker of Estevan have been married for 57 years.
By David Willberg
After 57 years of marriage, and, according to their count, more than 30 moves, Vernon and Elma Becker of Estevan are still in love.
The Becker's met in 1946 in Manitoba. She was a teacher in a country school in Broomhill, near Melita. The boarding house where she stayed belonged to Vernon's sister.
Vernon was working at his brother's farm when he and Elma went on a few dates - dances and movies were popular dating spots - but then he left and returned to work in his hometown of Weyburn.
In the days before the Internet and other modern communication tools, a long distance relationship was tricky.
Eventually, Elma moved to the small Saskatchewan community of Parkman.
"Parkman was one of my points, and whenever I'd get down there in good time, I'd sneak out with this big truck, and run up to Elma's, and away we'd go," said Vernon.
Vernon and Elma were engaged on Halloween of 1949.
The wedding came on November 18, 1950, in Pierson, Manitoba. It was snowing heavily that morning, Vernon said, and he just narrowly averted a collision with a passing vehicle. The wedding ceremony was small and quiet, they said. About 40 people attended a reception afterwards.
Once they got back from their honeymoon in Chicago, the Becker's acquired a 15-foot long, seven-foot wide trailer. Vernon got a job with Imperial Oil, and the trailer would be their living quarters as they crisscrossed Alberta's booming oil patch.
"You couldn't put a chesterfield in there, you had to take the arms off to get it in there," said Vernon.
Everything had to be portable, Elma said, because when they moved, they took everything with them. They moved many times each year, sometimes spending less than a month in a community. That's how it was in Alberta's oilfield in the early 1950s.
"We have moved, and moved, and moved," said Elma.
Most times they found a trailer park where they could live. Other times they would be next to the rink because they could access power.
"We weren't alone, there were others, too, that moved at the same time," said Elma. "So we had this group of friends that moved at the same time."
Despite all the moves, the marriage survived and prospered. It was tough, though, Elma said. Vernon wasn't home a lot of the time.
Stability came in 1958, when they settled down in Estevan. They would remain in Estevan for the next 18 years.
They'd move again in 1976 to Halifax and 1980 to Edmonton, but they returned to Estevan for good in 1983. Vernon operated Becker Oil Tools from 1983 until his retirement in 1994.
They have a hard time believing they have been married for 57 years, and that it's been more than 60 years since they met in Broomhill.
"When we used to go to these 50th anniversaries, we'd think 'Oh man, they're getting old,' said Vernon. "But eventually it catches up to you."
The key to their successful marriage is an ability to quickly make peace following an argument.
"It's not that we didn't have disagreements, you know," said Elma. "But you have to rationalize things out."
It's also important for people to keep their mind active, she said, and that has helped to preserve the marriage. Vernon lauded Elma for her cooking and cleaning ability - another strength in their marriage, he said.
The couple travels together. They just returned from Arizona. They have taken a cruise through the Panama Canal. In their younger days, they curled together for years, and they enjoyed snowmobiling.
Vernon also likes to golf and shoot pool. Elma has a garden in the backyard of their condominium, and she reads a lot. They owned a lakeside cabin for years, which they visited regularly, but they sold it last year.
The Becker's have three daughters: one who lives on a farm just north of Estevan, and two who live in Regina. They also have eight grandchildren.

News

POLICE REPORT
*Police received a report of a stolen vehicle. Agencies were notified across the province, and several hours later, members of the Regina Police Service's auto theft division advised they had located the vehicle in the north-central area of the city. The vehicle was impounded and the matter is under investigation.
*Two people were arrested for a residential break-and-enter. Following the break-and-enter, police obtained a search warrant for the residence. A 20-year-old Estevan woman was charged with possession of cocaine and marijuana. She will appear in court in March.
*Wilful damage was reported to a 2000 Chevrolet Cavalier, parked overnight at the Derrick Hotel February 1. Various parts of the car's body were kicked and dented, causing about $3,000 in damage. Anyone with information is asked to call the Estevan Police Service.
*A motorist was charged with failing to yield the right of way following an accident at the intersection of King Street and Spruce Drive. Both vehicles were towed, but there weren't any injuries.
*Police responded to a willful damage complaint at an apartment complex. The glass for an outside entrance door was smashed.
*A young offender was arrested on outstanding warrants and released on recognizance.
*A side mirror was busted off a vehicle that was parked on a city centre street. Anyone with information is asked to call police.
*A hit and run was reported in the east end of the city.
*Police caught up to and checked a vehicle one kilometre southwest of Highway 39 on the Rafferty Dam grid road, after the vehicle left Estevan. The 29-year-old male driver was intoxicated. He was charged with impaired driving and failing to provide a breath sample.

Nominations accepted for athlete of the year
Nominations are now being accepted for the Estevan and District Male and Female Athlete of the Year Awards.
Please drop nomination forms off at the Lifestyles office, 300 Kensington Avenue or e-mail them to lifestyles@sasktel.net. The nominations are due by Wednesday, February 13.
Nominations should include any sporting achievements from the past year, as well as past athletic achievements.
Last year's male athlete of the year was local hockey and baseball player Tayson Holt, and the female athlete of the year was bodybuilder Leigh Keess. Teams and individuals, from a wide variety of sports, have won the awards in the past.
The winners will be announced during the New Arena Fundraising Dinner March 15 at the Estevan Comprehensive School. An award for top junior official will also be handed out.

Estevan resolutions pass at SUMA
Three resolutions from Estevan City Council were passed at the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA) convention February 3 to 6 in Regina.
One motion called for SUMA to lobby the provincial government on clean coal. The former NDP government passed on a clean coal plant last year, which would have been located near Estevan. Nobody opposed the motion, Mayor Gary St. Onge said.
"I thought there might be some people around the province, who maybe aren't in favour of coal-fired generators, who might speak up, but nobody did," said St. Onge.
The other motions from Estevan's council were to petition the government on curbside pick-up for recycling, and to change legislation on by-elections. City mayors have already met with the environment minister, who has pledged to work on the curbside recycling file in the coming months.
The by-election legislation stipulates that a councillor won't have to resign their seat to run in a mayoral by-election. When St. Onge became mayor in a 2005 by-election, he had to first resign from Council to run for mayor, forcing another by-election for the councillor seat.
"It's a housekeeping thing that has to be looked at," said St. Onge. "I don't think a lot of people realized it was there, because very few places have by-elections in their communities."
The new legislation will require that the councillor seat be vacated, triggering a by-election, only if the councillor is successful in their bid for the mayoral vacancy.
Daylight saving time was discussed, but further debate was tabled until after a referendum on the issue that is slated for the next provincial election in 2011.
Provincial revenue sharing was a focal point. The provincial government has promised a seven per cent increase this year. St. Onge said that's not enough.
"We haven't had a budget yet, so we can't guarantee that for sure," said St. Onge.
St. Onge does expect a revenue sharing formula to be in place for next year's budget.
Joining St. Onge at SUMA were Councillors Lori Carr, Lynn Chipley, Brian Johnson, Roy Ludwig and Dennis Moe.

Housing boom to continue in 2008
Saskatchewan's housing boom is expected to continue in 2008, according to the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), and that boom will result in higher home prices in Estevan.
The average price for a multiple listing service (MLS) in Saskatchewan is expected to increase by a robust 26 per cent this year, before tapering off to 8.9 per cent in 2009.
"I'm expecting a price increase, because we're seeing it already," said Dennis Moe from Century 21 Border Real Estate Service. "Already from late fall to January and February, we're seeing increases. I wouldn't say 26 per cent, but we are seeing increases, and it's only going to get busier."
Prices continue to go up because the housing market in Saskatchewan is playing catch-up, Moe said. Saskatchewan was once the most affordable housing market in the country.
"Speaking for the Estevan market, the reason prices are up is because of demand," said Moe. "In the Estevan market, for a number of years, building starts weren't keeping up with demand, and it was eroding away at the used housing market."
The CMHC is predicting that housing starts in Saskatchewan will be about 5,600 in 2008 and 5,300 in 2009. There were 6,007 starts in Saskatchewan last year. Moe said the big cities might see a decrease in new home construction, but housing starts in Estevan will be strong.
Diane Jocelyn from RE/MAX said the 31 per cent increase in Saskatchewan's average MLS listing was a surprise. Those numbers would be a little high for the Estevan area, she said. The projected 26 per cent increase for 2008 might be above what Estevan sees, too.
"The average sale price increased approximately 21 per cent for 2007," said Jocelyn. "And I don't think we'll have that dramatic of an increase this year. There's more availability of homes, more lots available, and we should see more building starts."
Twenty-one per cent is still a very good increase, she said. The average MLS price will likely increase about 15 to 20 per cent this year.
Jocelyn believes the housing market in Estevan will remain strong in the future.
"We anticipate the market to stay strong for a few more years, if not longer," Jocelyn said.
On a nation-wide basis, CMHC is predicting that housing starts will be at 211,700 units, down slightly from 228,343 last year. The average MLS price across Canada is expected to be up by 5.2 per cent this year.

Saskatchewan leads in building permit growth
If Saskatchewan's construction sites seem busier than ever these days, new figures just out indicate why.
Saskatchewan led all provinces in residential construction growth and overall construction growth in 2007, according to a new report issued today by Statistics Canada. Overall construction growth rose 42 per cent in the past year, while residential construction growth was up by an astonishing 74 per cent. In comparison, Newfoundland and Labrador had the second highest increase in residential construction at just 30 per cent.
Premier Brad Wall said the new figures show that Saskatchewan's economy continues to gain strength and that Saskatchewan people are benefiting from the economic momentum.
"The residential construction growth shows that families are building new homes and the commercial construction growth shows that business are expanding and creating new jobs in our province," Wall said. "Both are clear signs that Saskatchewan is on a roll."
In December alone, the total value of building permits hit a record high of $217 million, an increase of 83 per cent over November and the largest month-over-month increase of any province.
"Building permits and the capital investment required are signs of a strong and growing economy and confidence in the future," Wall said. "Our government is committed to sustaining a positive economic climate and continuing our economic momentum."

Legion holds past-president's dinner
New member recruitment was a focal point of the Estevan Royal Canadian Legion's annual past president's dinner February 2.
Provincial first vice-president Peter Piper said they need new members, especially young members. Once young people know what the Legion stands for, and why they should become members, they will be willing to join.
"We need youth," said Piper. "Without youth, we have nothing."
New members are willing to work, Piper said, and they should be given responsibility. But they also shouldn't be overburdened.
Branches shouldn't have to close because they don't have enough members, Piper said.
Three new members - David and Gloria Keel and Ron Vollans - were initiated into the club.
Four executive members - John New, Jack Fingler, John Gulak and Gerry Wilson - were sworn-in during the evening. So was new second vice-president Lyle Dukart.
Several local Legion past-presidents were in attendance.

New Orleans North coming to Estevan
Caption: New Orleans North will perform at the Estevan Comprehensive School on February 29.
Stars for Saskatchewan is bringing New Orleans North to the Estevan Comprehensive School on Friday, February 29, at 7:30 p.m.
Hurricane Katrina ravaged much of the quaint, old, southern city that gave birth to America's greatest artistic gift to the world - New Orleans jazz.
The blues, the joys and the stomps so lovingly created by Jelly Roll Morton, Sidney Bechet, Louis Armstrong, and others, are still bringing people together around the world in such diverse places as London, Paris, Moscow, New York and Whitehorse.
And it is this soul-soothing, spirit-lifting music that brought together the members of New Orleans North. Lloyd Arntzen discovered Bechet by way of 78-rpm records on the dusty plains of Saskatchewan many years ago, and brought this passion with him to the Pacific coast.
Meanwhile, in the remote Canadian north, Grant Simpson was honing his skills as a stride pianist in Whitehorse, Yukon. They met and the seed was planted that they wanted to play together as often as possible.
Trumpeter Bria Skonberg and drummer Graeme Peters were added to the mix a little later, and when the circumstances are just right, guitarist Don Ogilivie is a welcome addition to the group.
The performance is presented in cooperation with the Organization of Saskatchewan Arts Council with assistance from Sask Lotteries, Saskatchewan Arts Board and Canadian Heritage.

Volunteers sought for MS campaign
Volunteers are needed for the Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society of Canada's carnation campaign, which will be held in Estevan for the first time this year.
A volunteer meeting will be held February 24 at the Days Inn, starting at 6:30 p.m. Coordinator Kristine Huber said she would like to have six to 12 volunteers who could canvas the businesses in Estevan. If they get more volunteers, she'd like to do a residential door-to-door blitz, too.
The carnation campaign will start in the middle of April. Orders will arrive the week before Mother's Day, and be delivered on the Friday.
A bouquet of carnations is $10. Huber would like to sell at least 100 bouquets.
Huber has been part of a team in the MS Super Cities Walk the last three years. When she heard about the carnation campaign, she approached the MS Society to tell them she would be interested in coordinating the campaign for Estevan.
This will be the carnation campaign's 32nd year, making it the longest-running campaign for the MS Society of Canada. Over $45 million has been raised to fund research to find the cause and cure of MS, and to provide services for individuals and their families living with MS.
More than $84,000 was raised last year in Saskatchewan.

Reception for Art Gallery exhibit
Caption: Sandra Staples with one of the works in her "Circle of Life" exhibit.
The Estevan Art Gallery and Museum hosted a closing reception for Sandra Staples' "Circle of Life" exhibit January 31, which was in their community gallery in January.
Staples’ exhibit looks at different stages of life, starting at the fetus and ending with a young child.
She used an encaustic hot wax style - melting bee's wax with colour paint and applying it to the surface of the painting.
The latest exhibit in the community gallery is Doug Ingram, who was a commercial artist for Eaton's. Ingram recently passed away, and his family will be at the gallery for a reception February 9 at 7 p.m.
Brenda Joy Lem's exhibit "Continuous and Unbroken," is in the main gallery in February.

An evening with the Legends
Caption: Robert Larrabee paid tribute to Tom Jones and other singers while in Estevan.
Celebrity tribute artist Robert Larrabee was the featured entertainment during the Estevan Family Resource Centre's annual fundraising dinner February 1 at the Estevan Comprehensive School. About 350 people, almost a sell-out, were entertained by Larrabee, who dressed and sang like country music and rock stars.
The event is the Family Resource Centre's largest fundraiser of the year, and all proceeds raised during the evening will go to the centre.

Library reaches 100 years
Captions:
- The Library was located in the former synagogue on Second Street in 1961 and remained until 1992 when it moved to its current location, within the Souris Valley Aquatic and Leisure Centre.
- The library has changed a lot over the years including equipment upgrades.
The Estevan Public Library will celebrate its 100th birthday in 2008.
A celebration will be held February 22. Birthday cake will be served. Library history will be promoted. The library is making arrangements to display some outfits from 100 years ago.
The library's history will be promoted throughout the year, too.
The first meeting of the Estevan's library board was held on February 12, 1908. An organizational meeting, the board chair was elected, and other duties were determined.
Current head librarian Greg Salmers said one of the items discussed at the first meeting was a request to council for funding. The free-lending library existed from 1908 to 1913, but only certain people had access.
The original library area was leased for $5 per month. The first librarian, a Mr. Scott, was paid $60 in 1908. Nobody was permitted to handle books except for Scott and members of the board. People could only borrow one book at a time, and overdue fines were two cents per day. The first shipment of books cost $93.48.
Five years later, the women's Christian temperance union petitioned the public library board to establish a "library space," Salmers said, that would allow all people to access the materials.
"What the women Christian temperance union was saying, was that for the well-being of women, and for the self-esteem of women, and the reduction of violence in the family, and alcoholism in the community, it would be good if people could read and enlighten themselves in a public place," said Salmers.
At one point, children under the age of 14 could not read in the library unattended.
"If you were on your own, and under 14, you couldn't get library service. And then I guess they had trouble with boys. By 1917, boys were isolated as a problem."
Boys had to promise best behaviour and careful handling of materials, and get a letter from their parents.
After the women's Christian temperance request was granted, the library moved to Town Hall, where it remained until 1957. The library moved to a neighbouring building in 1957, then to the former synagogue on Second Street in 1961, and finally its permanent location, within the Souris Valley Aquatic and Leisure Centre, in 1992 - after years of hunting for a location.
"The size of the library building has been quite a change, when you look at how we started, and the growth of the staff has been quite a change," said Salmers. "We started with one person, and then went quite a bit bigger than that over time."
Salmers said the library has changed a lot, but many concerns remain the same: censorship, funding, material selection, function and supervision.

College hosting information session
The Southeast Regional College's Estevan campus will host a free informational session on Saskatchewan's new Occupational Health and Safety regulations February 21 at 9 a.m.
Bob Ross, the manager of the workplace safety unit for south Saskatchewan, will discuss the amendments, which came into effect October 9, 2007. The primary focus of this session will be the changes to the Powered Mobile Equipment (PME) regulations.
The Energy Training Institute (ETI), a division of Southeast Regional College, was quick to respond to these amendments by developing new safety training courses and making changes to others.
"One of the regulations that has had the most impact within industry is the change to powered mobile equipment" said ETI consultant Karen Melle.
A new operator must now complete a minimum of 16 hours in classroom and practical training, and an employer or contractor shall conduct an examination of practical skills for each operator required or permitted to operate the specific type of PME.
New safety training courses include PME orientation for the inexperienced operator, plus PME competency testing for the experienced worker.
Fit testing training has been enhanced, and fall arrest orientation is now being offered.

$8 million for research projects
The provincial government has announced more than $8 million in agriculture research funding.
Agriculture Minister Bob Bjornerud awarded $8.23 million in funding for 58 agricultural research and development projects through the province's Agriculture Development Fund (ADF).
"We are very blessed as a province to have the resources and the skilled personnel to be able to keep agricultural research on the cutting edge," Bjornerud said.
"Our government is committed to the future of agriculture. Strategic investment in research and development is necessary to ensure we are leaders in the industry."
The current round of ADF funding provides support for research projects undertaken by organizations such as Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the National Research Council, the Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute, the University of Saskatchewan, the University of Regina, the Prairie Swine Centre and the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO).
Funded projects include the development of improved breeding technology for canary seed, improved disease resistance and DNA marker development, nutritional enhancement of lentils, the development of high oleic flax with enhanced oil concentration and genomics research aimed at understanding cattle's appetite.
"I am encouraged by the innovation I have seen in these proposals, and the great work that will be done by these scientists," Bjornerud said. "For each dollar of increased producer returns, an estimated additional dollar accrues to other sectors of Saskatchewan's economy. These include agri-value sectors, transportation and marketing, manufacturing, financial services, and wholesale and retail trade."

Columnists

"Well… maybe… but"
Here is a strange question for you: If Jesus dropped by and told you to do some very specific things, would you do them?
I do not know what your response would be (I mean after you woke up from passing out at the sight of Jesus), but I do know this: The first time Jesus was here, he heard lots of excuses.
Just for interest's sake, I made an "Excuses tour" of gospels last week and noted every excuse that people used in order to get out of doing what they were asked to do. Some said that it was too difficult (Mark
10: 17-22). Others said that they would do it later (Luke 9:57-62).
Others said "yes", but later found reasons not to bother (Luke 14:16-20). One decided that his business was more important than listening to God (Luke 12:13-21). Still others wanted "just a little more proof" that Jesus was the Son of God (Mark 15:29-32). I could fill this whole article with excuses.
Then John records that, "Many of his disciples said, 'This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?'" (John 6:60). Notice that the message was not "hard to understand". They clearly understood what they were to do.
The problem was that it was "hard to accept". That is likely the issue for most of us.
You see, in various ways, God is going to ask us to do certain things, or to stop doing certain things. If we are listening at all, we are going to be challenged in a thousand different ways.
At each of those points, our response will be either faithful following or excuses and missed opportunities.
As James reminds us, "Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins" (4:17).
So, what is God asking you to do? Are you doing it?
Tim Pippus, Estevan Church of Christ

SUPER WHAT??
By Linda Wegner
Although I don't remember why, I do know that as kids we used to throw around the word: supercaliflagamistagatedalagosis. Perhaps it was fascination with the way it sounds, or the rate of speed we attained in spitting it out, or just the simple fact that we could say it - I'm not exactly sure why. But whatever it was, I and my group of buddies loved to regale whoever would listen and we reveled in our speedy yet flawless pronunciation of the tongue-twister. I no longer vouch for its spelling nor can I recall the context in which we used the word - in fact, I'm not nearly as convinced as I once was that it's even genuine vernacular!
I do know, however, that there are a couple of contemporary super events this month (although Super Bowl and Super Tuesday will be over by the time this goes to press). There's the Chinese New Year celebration, for one, and of course, Valentine's Day. (That's the one holiday spouses or sweethearts forget at great personal peril. Reminder to self: the fabulous 14th is my husband's birthday). Farther from home, my American (as in the USA) friends celebrate Washington's Birthday while we Canadians just wish we had an excuse for another day off as we dream about spring.
I guess I shouldn't forget that our province touts the motto: Supernatural British Columbia or that superlatives describe pretty well every product that ever was advertised in the media. There are super-sonic jets, superimposed images and the temptation to supersize fast-food meals.
How wonderful to know that because of His power at work in us He carries out His purpose and does superabundantly, far over and above all that we dare ask or think. (Ephesians 3:20 paraphrase/ Amplified Bible)
Now if that's not Super, I don't know what is!

GARDEN NOTES
By Gerry Fichtemann
EVER POPULAR AFRICAN VIOLETS
The African violet may just be the perfect houseplant. It blooms readily and has no specific flowering season, so it can be in bloom all year round. As a result, it's found worldwide, from the far north to the Antarctic, anywhere there's a cozy windowsill for it to grow on.
Walter von Saint Paul discovered it growing in 1892 growing wild in what is now Tanzania. Today's plant breeders have now developed flowers that come in purple, pink, white, and red, some flowers are single, semi-double and double.
The popularity of the African violet is largely due to its ability to thrive indoors. Of tropical origin, it appreciates the year-round warmth of centrally heated homes; its thick, hairy leaves are quite resistant to indoor dry air.
It can also cope with less light than most other flowering plants, although bright, even illumination remains the primary key to successful flowering. Though the plant needs bright light, too much direct sun can harm it.
Keep the growing mix (peat-based houseplant mix is fine) slightly moist; wait until it feels dry, then water abundantly, drenching it. Don't get any water on the leaves as that results in leaf spot. Water from below by pouring tepid water into the plants saucer and letting it soak up what it needs. After 20 to 30 minutes, drain any surplus. House plant fertilizer is richer in phosphorus. Ideally, add one quarter of the recommended rate at each watering.
The worst pest is the mealy-bug, which resembles tiny patches of white cotton and is found under leaves and leaf axils. To control, dab them with cotton swabs dipped in rubbing alcohol, but you may have to start new plants from carefully cleaned leaf cuttings.
New breeding has developed the regular spoon-shaped leaves have leaves now ruffled, quilted, toothed or lobed and come in every shade of green or with beautiful variegations of white, pink or yellow.
When shopping for African violets, be very careful with your purchases. I personally have seen plants in big box stores that were in such horrible condition that the only place for them was the compost pile. Make sure you start with a healthy plant that doesn't need doctoring.
Gerry Fichtemann is the owner of River Bend Nursery.

Sports

Hritzuk wins senior provincials
Caption: (L-R) Eugene Hritzuk, Kevin Kalthoff, Verne Anderson and Dave Folk accepted the championship trophy from Richard Layton.
Humboldt's Eugene Hritzuk had a five-point eighth end to defeat Saskatoon's Jim Hunker 9-6 in nine ends in the final of the Affinity Credit Union senior men's provincial curling championship, held January 30 to February 3 at the Estevan Curling Club.
Hritzuk entered the eighth end trailing 5-4 in what had been a close final. Neither team was able to pull away - the largest lead was 4-2 for Hunker after five ends.
But Hritzuk had shot rock early, and some rocks guarding the house. Hunker missed a couple of shots to set up the five-point end.
"We left reasonably tough shots," said Hritzuk. "They could just see shot rock guards … that they had to play around. Usually if you leave enough tough shots for your opposition, they'll miss the odd one, but it didn't look like they were going to until the eighth end when they got the misses out of them."
Hunker scored one in the ninth end, and conceded the match.
The win capped a perfect week for Hritzuk. He went 7-0 in the round robin and advanced directly to the tournament final.
"We had our (tough) moments here, that's for sure, but I was never going to give up, didn't matter what the score was, because when we put together an aggressive end, we're usually good for two, three or four points," said Hritzuk. "Luckily we got five points."
Hunker beat defending champion Bill Weppler 7-4 in the semi-final.
Hunker provided the stiffest competition of the week, Hritzuk said. He beat Hunker 6-4 in the round-robin.
Hritzuk also won the provincial championship in 2002, 2005 and 2006. He'll advance to nationals in Prince Albert at the end of the month. He has two second place finishes in previous trips nationals, and he hopes a couple new teammates can earn his team that elusive national championship.
"We're looking forward to going back for our revenge, because we have, I think, a great team, probably a better team than I had back then," said Hritzuk. "Now it's a different team. Two guys are different. And I think that might be just the advantage that we need to make that extra step."
Other members of Hritzuk's team were lead Dave Folk, second Verne Anderson and third Kevin Kalthoff.
Hritzuk is also competing at the SaskTel Tankard provincial men's championship, currently underway in Balgonie. He was second in the event last year.

Big Six nears season's end
A couple of playoff races remain undecided as the Big Six Hockey League enters the final weekend of the season.
The Carlyle Cougars have clinched the West Division, and first overall, with an 18-1-1 record and 37 points. The Midale Mustangs (16-3-0-1) are second with 33 points. Midale can still tie the Cougars, but Carlyle holds the tie-breaker for winning the season series.
The only contested race in the West Division is for third. The Arcola-Kisbey Combines (7-11-1-1) have 16 points, two more than the Wawota Flyers (7-13).
The White Bear Redhawks (0-19) will finish fifth.
First place is still up for grabs in the East Division. The Oxbow Huskies (13-5-3) have 29 points, one more than the Carnduff Red Devils (14-6). Oxbow has one game remaining; Carnduff has two to play.
The Redvers Rockets will finish third, the Bienfait Coalers will wind up fourth and the Pierson Bruins will be in fifth. Redvers (11-9-0-1) has 23 points and one game remaining. Bienfait (7-10-2-3) has 19 points. They have finished their regular season schedule. Pierson (5-13-1-1) has 12 points and two games to play.

Atoms and novice team host tournament
Caption: The Estevan Mustangs played Weyburn in a round-robin game of the atom tournament.
Two girls' hockey tournaments took place in Estevan February 2 and 3.
In the atom division, the Estevan Mustangs defeated the Moose Jaw Warriors 5-2 in the B final. The Prairie Storm defeated the Estevan Bruins 3-1 in the C final.
The Weyburn Stars won the A final, defeating the Regina Stars 3-2.
The six teams in the atom tournament were divided into two pools of three. Teams played a round robin, and the round robin standings determined which final the teams played in.
There was also a novice tournament. The Estevan Guardian Angels went 0-3 in the round robin. Other teams came from Regina and Crosby, N.D.

Bruins winning streak ends
It took the top-ranked Junior A team in Canada to end the Estevan Bruins latest winning streak.
The league-leading Humboldt Broncos defeated the Estevan Bruins 5-1 February 5 in Humboldt. Estevan had won four straight and seven of their last eight prior to the Humboldt contest.
Head coach Karry Biette said the Bruins were able to skate with the Broncos at even strength. The difference was Humboldt's power play - the Broncos potted four goals with the man advantage.
"I think it was a good wake-up call, before we get into a big push for playoffs, but at the same time, I thought we held our own at five-on-five," said Biette.
The Bruins are in fourth in the Sherwood Conference with 56 points. They are seven points ahead of fifth place Yorkton. Yorkton has played one less game. The Bruins defeated Yorkton 4-3 in overtime February 1 on Chad Filteau's winning goal.
Estevan is six points behind the third place Melville Millionaires.
The Bruins have home-and-home series against Weyburn - February 8 in Weyburn and February 9 in Estevan - and another one against Melville - February 12 in Estevan and February 13 in Melville. Those games will determine whether the Bruins can catch Melville for third, Biette said.
"To me, we still control our own destiny," said Biette. "We're not relying on other teams to beat Melville for us to sneak in there."
The home game against Weyburn February 9 is a "Pack the Shack Night," and Biette would like to see capacity crowds at the Civic for the final three games in the regular season, and in the playoffs.

Mermaids swim in Regina
Caption: Competing in Regina were: back row (L-R) Tess Rensby and Dezirae Franke; front row Alyssa Wieting, Eden Palmer and Taylor Kuntz
The Estevan Mermaids synchronized swim team competed at the Synchro Saskatchewan Invitational meet February 2 and 3 in Regina.
In the Tier 2 12-and-under category, the Mermaids posted impressive results, with Tess Rensby finishing first and Dezirae Franke third.
In the Tier 1 team event, the team of Alyssa Wieting, Eden Palmer, and Taylor Kuntz placed third in their first-ever competitive meet.

8-ball league hosts tournament
caption: (L-R): Dave Sawatsky of Oxbow receiving second place finish in the 3rd Annual 8-Ball Tournament held on Feb. 2nd at Estevan Billiards from Jeff Michel.
The Estevan Tuesday Night 8-Ball League hosted their annual tournament February 2 at Estevan Billiards.
Sixty men and women, both league and non-league members, competed in the tournament. Glen Kish of Windthorst defeated Dave Sawatsky of Oxbow in the championship final.
Finishing in third place to 12th place, in order, were: Jeremy Kish, Cory Agawa, Shawn Wells, Doug Jensen, Alroy Yoner, Gary Cheney, Gerry Penner, Shaun Hein, Chris Wright and Graham Ball.

Award for Lampman volunteer
Caption: (L-R) Lampman Minor Hockey President Jodi Greening presented Eric Hanrieder with a SaskEnergy Volunteer Champion Award.
Lampman Minor Hockey presented one of its volunteers with the SaskEnergy Volunteer Champion Award on February 3.
Eric Hanrieder has made numerous contributions to hockey in the community. He assists with installing and maintaining the ice in Lampman every year. He constructed the new Zamboni room and organized the bleacher construction. He handles small repairs in the lobby and the arena when needed.
Hanrieder and his wife, Debbie, tracked individual and team stats for the South East Hockey League for four years. He also runs the scoreboard for home games.

From the Sidelines
Giants win Super Bowl XLII
By Kyle Kapiczowski
The New York Giants upset the New England Patriots 17-14 in the Super Bowl in a close game. This is the Giants third Super Bowl, and first in 17 years. I hope the Giants enjoy this because they will be the team with the target on their backs next season. The Patriots had a good run and they finished the season with an 18-1 record. The game wasn't all that exciting until the last five minutes. Giants quarterback Eli Manning was named MVP of the game. I enjoyed watching the half time performance, which was Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.
In the CFL, the Saskatchewan Roughriders have re-signed Canadian linebacker Dustin Cherniawski and wide receiver Michael Palmer to one-year contracts plus an option. George Cortez and Dave Ritchie have dropped out of the running for the Riders new head coach position.
In NCAA Basketball, the Florida Gators lost to Arkansas 80-61. The Gators record is 18-4 overall and 5-2 in conference play. The Gators currently sit in second place in the SEC East Division.
In the NBA, the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Los Angeles Clippers 98-84 in their last game. Cleveland's record is 26-20 and they are seven-and-a-half games back of the Detroit Pistons for first place.
In the WHL, the Calgary Hitmen beat Medicine Hat 4-1. Calgary's record is 39-13-1-3. The Hitmen are currently 11 points up on the Regina Pats for first place in the Eastern Conference. The Pats, meanwhile, dropped a 4-3 decision to the Red Deer Rebels. The teams that have clinched playoff spots are the Calgary Hitmen, Spokane Chiefs, Vancouver Giants and the Tri-City Americans.
In the English Premier League, Manchester United tied Tolttenham 1-1. Manchester's next game is against rival Manchester City. Man U's record is 18-3-4 and they are two points back of Arsenal for first place.
That's all Folks!

Big Six nears season's end
A couple of playoff races remain undecided as the Big Six Hockey League enters the final weekend of the season.
The Carlyle Cougars have clinched the West Division, and first overall, with an 18-1-1 record and 37 points. The Midale Mustangs (16-3-0-1) are second with 33 points. Midale can still tie the Cougars, but Carlyle holds the tie-breaker for winning the season series.
The only contested race in the West Division is for third. The Arcola-Kisbey Combines (7-11-1-1) have 16 points, two more than the Wawota Flyers (7-13).
The White Bear Redhawks (0-19) will finish fifth.
First place is still up for grabs in the East Division. The Oxbow Huskies (13-5-3) have 29 points, one more than the Carnduff Red Devils (14-6). Oxbow has one game remaining; Carnduff has two to play.
The Redvers Rockets will finish third, the Bienfait Coalers will wind up fourth and the Pierson Bruins will be in fifth. Redvers (11-9-0-1) has 23 points and one game remaining. Bienfait (7-10-2-3) has 19 points. They have finished their regular season schedule. Pierson (5-13-1-1) has 12 points and two games to play.

Atoms and novice team host tournament
Caption: The Estevan Mustangs played Weyburn in a round-robin game of the atom tournament.
Two girls' hockey tournaments took place in Estevan February 2 and 3.
In the atom division, the Estevan Mustangs defeated the Moose Jaw Warriors 5-2 in the B final. The Prairie Storm defeated the Estevan Bruins 3-1 in the C final.
The Weyburn Stars won the A final, defeating the Regina Stars 3-2.
The six teams in the atom tournament were divided into two pools of three. Teams played a round robin, and the round robin standings determined which final the teams played in.
There was also a novice tournament. The Estevan Guardian Angels went 0-3 in the round robin. Other teams came from Regina and Crosby, N.D.

Bruins winning streak ends
It took the top-ranked Junior A team in Canada to end the Estevan Bruins latest winning streak.
The league-leading Humboldt Broncos defeated the Estevan Bruins 5-1 February 5 in Humboldt. Estevan had won four straight and seven of their last eight prior to the Humboldt contest.
Head coach Karry Biette said the Bruins were able to skate with the Broncos at even strength. The difference was Humboldt's power play - the Broncos potted four goals with the man advantage.
"I think it was a good wake-up call, before we get into a big push for playoffs, but at the same time, I thought we held our own at five-on-five," said Biette.
The Bruins are in fourth in the Sherwood Conference with 56 points. They are seven points ahead of fifth place Yorkton. Yorkton has played one less game. The Bruins defeated Yorkton 4-3 in overtime February 1 on Chad Filteau's winning goal.
Estevan is six points behind the third place Melville Millionaires.
The Bruins have home-and-home series against Weyburn - February 8 in Weyburn and February 9 in Estevan - and another one against Melville - February 12 in Estevan and February 13 in Melville. Those games will determine whether the Bruins can catch Melville for third, Biette said.
"To me, we still control our own destiny," said Biette. "We're not relying on other teams to beat Melville for us to sneak in there."
The home game against Weyburn February 9 is a "Pack the Shack Night," and Biette would like to see capacity crowds at the Civic for the final three games in the regular season, and in the playoffs.

Mermaids swim in Regina
Caption: Competing in Regina were: back row (L-R) Tess Rensby and Dezirae Franke; front row Alyssa Wieting, Eden Palmer and Taylor Kuntz
The Estevan Mermaids synchronized swim team competed at the Synchro Saskatchewan Invitational meet February 2 and 3 in Regina.
In the Tier 2 12-and-under category, the Mermaids posted impressive results, with Tess Rensby finishing first and Dezirae Franke third.
In the Tier 1 team event, the team of Alyssa Wieting, Eden Palmer, and Taylor Kuntz placed third in their first-ever competitive meet.

8-ball league hosts tournament
caption: (L-R): Dave Sawatsky of Oxbow receiving second place finish in the 3rd Annual 8-Ball Tournament held on Feb. 2nd at Estevan Billiards from Jeff Michel.
The Estevan Tuesday Night 8-Ball League hosted their annual tournament February 2 at Estevan Billiards.
Sixty men and women, both league and non-league members, competed in the tournament. Glen Kish of Windthorst defeated Dave Sawatsky of Oxbow in the championship final.
Finishing in third place to 12th place, in order, were: Jeremy Kish, Cory Agawa, Shawn Wells, Doug Jensen, Alroy Yoner, Gary Cheney, Gerry Penner, Shaun Hein, Chris Wright and Graham Ball.

Award for Lampman volunteer
Caption: (L-R) Lampman Minor Hockey President Jodi Greening presented Eric Hanrieder with a SaskEnergy Volunteer Champion Award.
Lampman Minor Hockey presented one of its volunteers with the SaskEnergy Volunteer Champion Award on February 3.
Eric Hanrieder has made numerous contributions to hockey in the community. He assists with installing and maintaining the ice in Lampman every year. He constructed the new Zamboni room and organized the bleacher construction. He handles small repairs in the lobby and the arena when needed.
Hanrieder and his wife, Debbie, tracked individual and team stats for the South East Hockey League for four years. He also runs the scoreboard for home games.

From the Sidelines
Giants win Super Bowl XLII
By Kyle Kapiczowski
The New York Giants upset the New England Patriots 17-14 in the Super Bowl in a close game. This is the Giants third Super Bowl, and first in 17 years. I hope the Giants enjoy this because they will be the team with the target on their backs next season. The Patriots had a good run and they finished the season with an 18-1 record. The game wasn't all that exciting until the last five minutes. Giants quarterback Eli Manning was named MVP of the game. I enjoyed watching the half time performance, which was Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.
In the CFL, the Saskatchewan Roughriders have re-signed Canadian linebacker Dustin Cherniawski and wide receiver Michael Palmer to one-year contracts plus an option. George Cortez and Dave Ritchie have dropped out of the running for the Riders new head coach position.
In NCAA Basketball, the Florida Gators lost to Arkansas 80-61. The Gators record is 18-4 overall and 5-2 in conference play. The Gators currently sit in second place in the SEC East Division.
In the NBA, the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Los Angeles Clippers 98-84 in their last game. Cleveland's record is 26-20 and they are seven-and-a-half games back of the Detroit Pistons for first place.
In the WHL, the Calgary Hitmen beat Medicine Hat 4-1. Calgary's record is 39-13-1-3. The Hitmen are currently 11 points up on the Regina Pats for first place in the Eastern Conference. The Pats, meanwhile, dropped a 4-3 decision to the Red Deer Rebels. The teams that have clinched playoff spots are the Calgary Hitmen, Spokane Chiefs, Vancouver Giants and the Tri-City Americans.
In the English Premier League, Manchester United tied Tolttenham 1-1. Manchester's next game is against rival Manchester City. Man U's record is 18-3-4 and they are two points back of Arsenal for first place.
That's all Folks!

Viewpoints

Editorial
Tea Time
Be Who You Really Are!
By Dani Stobbs
This weekend is an important weekend. Saturday marks the day when I am a bridesmaid. I have been a bridesmaid before, but only as a kid, and so this wedding is very exciting, as I get to be a grown-up one. It's definitely a lot different to when I was a kid.
This wedding is very special to me too. Not only is the bride on of my closest friends, the groom, used to live with my family and fast became a part of the family, and has now been unofficially adopted as my brother.
This of course means that Mum and Dad will be coming down for the wedding. There is going to be a little English Stobbs reunion in Estevan, which has been long awaited. I can not wait to have my parents back in Estevan, just for a short while.
As most of you know they moved to Medicine Hat a few months ago, and although they enjoy their new town and things it has to offer, there is still something that is missing, that Estevan can offer. That's community.
Being in Estevan was definitely hard a first, especially for me and my sister. Falling into the wrong crowd and trying to fit in to what was not familiar to us. To realize that the best way to be is who you really are has made me fall in love with this city. Because honestly the first few months I was ready to leave.
It's very intimidating when you have an accent that is so recognizable that there are days when you don't want people to know who you are - but unfortunately I'm not very good at being silent.
But when I began to discover who I really am, and that who you are does not come down to the things you have done. In some instances, that can be how people perceive you, but the true essence of how I am created is not absolute to my actions.
Estevan has allowed me to become that person; It didn't matter what I had done back home. The stupid amount of partying. Drinking to all hours of the night, thinking it would numb whatever pain I was going through. It just made me worse.
In Estevan, I feel like I am really the person I was always meant to be, of course with some faults too, as always.
But my family definitely found a connection with this city, and even though there may be some of you that don't feel that - perhaps because you have grown up here, or lived here for a considerable amount of time, there is always room to change. There is always someone out there that will accept the positive changes that you have become.
Believe me, I moved to this town and the people that I began with did not want to know me once I made the change in my life, but the people that do want to know me now, far outweighs those that didn't in the past.
So with a beautiful wedding approaching, and realizing that I get to be a bridesmaid at an Estevanian friends wedding, is exciting, as I know these friendships are more than conditional. To have mum and dad come back to town and see them trying to fit all their visiting into two days to the friends they have made, reminds me that this town is in essence a welcoming town. And when I'm at this wedding, I'm going to b around all these people that have accepted that I changed for the good, and that I don't have to fit in anywhere, because they take me as I am.

Editorial
A tough act to follow
By David Willberg
The Saskatchewan Roughriders new head coach has his work cut out for him.
Ken Miller has taken over the helm of the reigning Grey Cup champions. Not only is he subjecting himself to the microscope of the Riders' head coaching job, he does it at a time when expectations are high.
The Riders just won their first Grey Cup in 18 years. They hosted their first home playoff game in 19 years. Most of the Grey Cup-winning team will be back next year.
(Quarterback Kerry Joseph is trying out for the NFL's New Orleans Saints, but he won't make it. He's not good enough, and NFL teams generally aren't fond of 34-year-old back-up quarterbacks).
And he has to replace a popular coach in Kent Austin, who recently bolted for the offensive coordinator gig at his alma mater in Mississippi.
Not an easy time for Ken Miller.
The good news is Miller knows this team. He was offensive coordinator for the Riders last season. And with most of the team returning, the players know what to expect from him, and he knows their potential.
He's not new to the game, either. He's been in the CFL since 2002, and he has held offensive and defensive jobs. He has nearly 40 years of experience at all levels of football.
But there is a difference between a good offensive coordinator and a good head coach. And when expectations are factored into the equation, the job becomes that much tougher.
For the first time in nearly 20 years, good is not good enough for Rider fans. Many will be disappointed if the team doesn't win another Grey Cup. It wasn't that long ago that fans would have been happy with a home playoff game. If all they get is a home playoff game this year, a lot of people won't be happy.
Meanwhile, Richie Hall has been passed over, again. Hall, a popular, long-time member of the organization, both as a player and a defensive coordinator, might be the best defensive mind in the league.
Many hoped that he would get the job this time. And he deserves a chance. The Riders' defence is a perennial league-leader in just about every category. It's great to have excellent personnel, but Hall's systems and schemes make a big difference, too.
Hall will get his head coaching opportunity one day. When he does, it'll likely be the Riders' loss.

What's Happening

Wood carving classes
(L-R) Lorne Whitfield received wood carving tips from instructor Mike Saretsky during a wood carving class February 2 hosted by the Estevan Arts Council. Saretsky, who travelled from Watson to teach the class, taught people how to carve into bark. The Arts Council also hosted an acrylic painting class with instructor Sheila Kasick.

Water polo tournament
The Estevan Sharks hosted a water polo tournament February 3. Two teams from each of Weyburn, Estevan and Regina competed in the fun tournament, and each team played several games.

Author's tea
Caption: Levi Poirier was one of the authors chosen to read his story.
Sacred Heart School in Estevan concluded their reading month with a Queen Neferti-Tea author's tea January 31. Students read their poems or short stories to peers, family, staff and other invited guests. Maureen Ulrich, author of Power Plays, was the guest speaker. Many of the activities at Sacred Heart during the reading month centred around an Egyptian theme.