A 27-year-old Winnipeg man is facing charges after allegedly attempting to defraud and extort a 73-year-old woman. On February 26, the woman received a pop-up on her computer claiming her devices and bank account had been hacked. A scammer, posing as a bank employee, told her to withdraw her money or risk losing it to Russia.

She withdrew cash but became suspicious and contacted police. Officers arrested the suspect when he arrived to collect the money. A search revealed stolen credit cards.

The suspect is charged with fraud over $5,000, extortion, and possession of stolen credit cards.

As we mark Rare Disease Day in Canada, a Swift Current girl is in the hospital in Saskatoon dealing with the sudden onset of Guillain-Barré syndrome.

When Grade 8 student Kaydience Wieler was recently recovering from pneumonia, she suddenly started having rare complications that led to an emergency trip to the Pattison Children's Hospital.

"We were doing her grade 9 tour at the (Swift Current Comprehensive High School) and her legs were starting to feel funny," said her mother, Lanna Koethler. "By the next morning, she was starting to struggle to walk. By the Saturday (February 8th) she actually had lost full ability to walk or move her arms and she had to be ambulanced from our home to the hospital in Swift Current."

Without any sign of improvement they took Wieler to Saskatoon on February 13th where doctors diagnosed Kaydience with GBS. 

"Typically, Guillain-Barré is a very rare syndrome that affects adult men," Koethler said. "So it's even more rare that it's affecting an adolescent female. Typically (GBS) attacks the nerves of the body by peeling away the coating of the nerves, which is different in Kaydience's case. With her Guillain-Barré... it didn't attach the coating it attacked the nerve itself."

Mayo Clinic describes GBS as a condition in which the body's immune system attacks the nerves. 

"It's been a lot of battling up hill to relearn things like brushing her hair and brushing her teeth," Koethler said. "It's been quite an eye-opening experience where even the specialists they brought in had never seen it in a young female before."

Doctors are hoping Kaydience will return to full strength in time.

"They did a (Intravenous immunoglobulin) treatment for her," Koethler said. "They said it could take weeks or months for her to regain her full strength. We have been told that if she catches a virus or if she becomes overly exhausted that the Guillain-Barré can flare up again at any given time. Right now, we are just playing it by ear and working with the specialist up here. We're going to be meeting with them at least every two months."

Koethler is working to prepare her home to accommodate Kaydience's needs and is grateful to the support she has received from family and friends while having to travel to Saskatoon.

"It's been crazy," she noted. "My sister really stepped up to the plate. She moved into my house to take care of my other four children so I can be here. Ever since she's been admitted I've been by her side."

There is a GoFundMe for the family that has raised over $2600 so far.

"It has been such a true blessing experiencing this kind of love and support from now only my family but from the community," Koethler said. "It has been a true testament to not only what our community is capable of doing for a young person, but also a family in need."

You can click here to donate to the GoFundMe for Kaydience and her family.

Rare Disease Day is the globally coordinated movement on rare diseases, working towards equity in social opportunity, healthcare, and access to diagnosis and therapies for people living with a rare disease.

Regina Police Service are setting up a permanent presence at Cornwall Centre in downtown Regina. 

A space is being set up in the spring of 2025 which will serve as a hub for Regina Police Service at the mall. It will house activities of the Downtown Safety Team, serving as a work space for them. 

Kendra Wren is general manager at Cornwall Centre. She said this idea started as a boardroom vision, with the space based on what they saw at other malls elsewhere. 

Wren noted this idea was a natural progression, given the increased downtown safety efforts happening.

“It was more the natural partnership that came from the downtown safety team and the AROs (alternative response officers),” said Wren. “We saw that there was an opportunity for partnership to better the downtown, and so that’s the reason we moved forward with it.”

Wren pointed to the impact that having that extra added level of security should have for those downtown. “I think visibility is everything, and from a customer, shopper standpoint, knowing that RPS is in our downtown is going to be a good part of it. So I’d say, in the spring, I just feel like that extra level added of safety will probably bring peace of mind.”

The space is being fully provided by Cornwall Centre. There is no rent, and no formal arrangement that RPS be there for any certain amount of time. 

“It’s for the greater good of the community. And we were just able to provide the space.”

Regina Police Chief Farooq Sheikh pointed to this idea being used elsewhere where he has worked.

“I worked in the two largest police services in England. I also worked in Calgary. And every one of those, we had a little satellite station or office space for some of our cops to work out of,” said Sheikh. 

“So I understand the benefits of it because I want to make sure that people feel safe. And I also want to make sure that we have a good relationship with the Cornwall shopping centres. And I also want to be there to help people to engage, to communicate and have a visible presence. So for me, it’s worked around the world where I’ve worked and I wanted to see it here as well. Because I think every downtown needs a police presence.”

Sheikh said it was his expectation that his officers are patrolling all of downtown, but “they’ve got a base so they don’t have to go back to the police station.”

“So if they want to go and speak to somebody, they want to go deal with somebody, they want to go and do some reports, or if they want to park their push bikes, they can do that as well.”

This was not about improving response times, Sheikh said, but about “having that visible presence to increase trusted confidence, community engagement, signposts, even to do some recruitment strategies at the same time.”

A beloved Balgonie, Sask., high school teacher and coach who was left paralyzed after a bizarre accident has died.

Longtime Russian lawmaker Andrei Klishas hailed the outcome of the contentious Oval Office meeting as “a brilliant result” in a social media post on Friday.

Klishas called Zelenskyy a “clown” in the post on the messaging app Telegram, a derogatory term Russian officials often use in regards to Ukraine’s president, and said he “played his role of a ‘president’ poorly in the White House and was thrown out for bad behavior and disrespect towards the U.S.”

Another lawmaker, Alexei Zhuravlev, told Russian state news agency RIA Novosti that while Zelenskyy “may have lost the trust of the United States completely, … this doesn’t mean that the war will end.”

‘Without real security guarantees, war will return,’ Ukraine’s presidential chief of staff says

Ukraine’s head of the President’s Office who is part of the Ukrainian delegation in the U.S. said that “security is more than just a word — without real guarantees, war will return.”

“Security is not just a word. It means life, a future without sirens, without losses, without fear for our loved ones,” Andriy Yermak wrote on Telegram.

He added that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy continues to fight for those defending a just and lasting peace. Yermak also thanked those who recognize that Ukraine is more than just a point on the map.

“We are deeply grateful to the American people for their support. It brings us closer to the day when war will be just a memory,” he wrote.

U.S. President Donald Trump weighed in this week on domestic Canadian politics, firing insults at Chrystia Freeland and claiming Pierre Poilievre is not a “MAGA guy” as his deadline to impose steep tariffs on Canada inches closer.

In an interview with The Spectator, Trump called the Liberal leadership candidate terrible and “a whack” and claimed credit for Freeland’s resignation as finance minister.

“Governor Trudeau understood that. And he actually fired her because of a meeting he had with me. I said, ‘She is so bad. She’s bad for the country,'” Trump said in an edited transcript of a Thursday interview with the magazine.

Freeland resigned from cabinet in December — a move which ultimately led Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to announce he was stepping down as Liberal leader.

The president met Freeland in his first administration during negotiations on the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement. Freeland played a key role in crafting the continental trade pact to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Freeland said Friday there’s a reason why Trump complained about her negotiating skills, and why President Vladimir Putin kicked her out of Russia.

“I don’t back down — and Trump and Putin know it,” Freeland posted on X. “I’m ready to fight for Canada — and win.”

Experts have said that Trump’s ongoing tariff threats are an effort to rattle Mexico and Canada ahead of a mandatory review of the trilateral agreement.

Trump’s executive order to implement 25 per cent tariffs on all Canadian and Mexican imports, with a lower 10 per cent levy on energy, was delayed until March 4 after both countries agreed to introduce new security measures at the border.

Trump said Thursday he hadn’t seen any progress from Canada and Mexico and the levies would go ahead.

The wide-ranging interview, published on Friday, did not include comments on Freeland’s rivals for Liberal leadership. Advance voting in the leadership race began on Wednesday ahead of the March 9 vote to select Trudeau’s successor.

The president was asked about the Conservatives’ drop in the polls since Trump began making repeated jabs at Canada.

Trump said that Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s “biggest problem is he’s not a MAGA guy.” Trump also complained that Poilievre is “not positive about me.”

“I don’t know. I mean, I can’t tell you, Pierre. I just don’t know. I don’t like what he’s saying about me. It’s just not positive about me. And we’ve done a great job,” Trump said. 

Poilievre responded to Trump, saying, “Mr. President, it is true. I am not MAGA.”

“I am for Canada First. Always,” Poilievre posted on X Friday. “Canada has always been America’s best friend & ally. But we will NEVER be the 51st state.”

Trump’s latest comments come as Canadian officials pursue a last-ditch diplomatic effort in Washington to head off the tariffs. Public Safety Minister David McGuinty and newly appointed “fentanyl czar” Kevin Brosseau were joined by Canadian law enforcement and border officials in the U.S. capital this week for meetings with lawmakers and members of Trump’s team.

McGuinty said Thursday that “any test that was put on this country, on Canada, in terms of showing progress and meeting standards for the border — I believe those have been met.”

The president initially tied the tariffs to the flow of deadly fentanyl but said the pause would allow time to reach a “final economic deal.” It remains unclear what he wants to see from Canada. 

“It would just be nice to know what America wants ,” said Jamie Tronnes of the Center for North American Prosperity and Security, a project of the Macdonald-Laurier Institute.

Speaking during a panel at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington on Friday, Tronnes said the Trump administration has given Canada nothing concrete to work on outside the border.

The targets of Trump’s complaints about Canada have ranged from defence spending to trade deficits. He has claimed repeatedly that Canada should become a U.S. state.

Tronnes said that if security is the issue, there is no “secure North America if you impoverish Canada.”

Derek Scissors, a senior fellow with the American Enterprise Institute, said there is no strategy behind America’s current trade policies. Unless a stock market reaction forces the president to change course, he said, America and Canada may have to suffer the economic pain of these tariffs for a while.

“I think it’s up in the air whether U.S. trade policy makes any sense,” Scissors said.

Trump returned to the Oval Office in January with an aggressive tariff agenda targeting countries around the world.

He signed an executive order for 25 per cent tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports into the United States starting March 12. Another order will implement “reciprocal tariffs” on April 2.

Trump signed an executive order Tuesday to look at a levy on copper and has suggested tariffs on automobiles and forest products could land in April.

Southwest motorists are being advised of a semi on fire on the Trans Canada Highway just outside of Gull Lake. 

Emergency services are attending to the scene located two kilometres east of Highway 37.

Eastbound traffic around the incident has been reduced to one lane. 

Drivers heading through the area should to slow down, proceed with caution, and be prepared to stop.

Folks can find updates on Saskatchewan's Highway Hotline.

Swift Curren Rural RCMP are searching for the culprits who stole 600 pounds of deer antlers. 

Rural officers responded to a report of a break-and-enter on January 23 southwest of Swift Current. An investigation revealed that a sea can had been damaged by the burglars and that they stole roughly 600 pounds of deer antlers from the storage unit. 

The incident is believed to have happened between January 20 and January 23. The exact date and time is undetermined. 

The investigation is ongoing, with RCMP asking for the public to relay to them any information on who committed this crime. Call 310-RCMP or 1-800-222-TIPS for CrimeStoppers.
 

Ecole Centennial School is cheering both Kylie Stock and Fei Sheng as they go live at TeleMiracle this weekend. 

Both of these students are going after a week of fundraising put on by the school to bolster support. Everything from cupcakes and cookie sales to a staff versus student dodgeball game was put together to help raise money to donate this weekend. 

Tanya Hansen, one of the junior SLC advisers at Ecole Centennial, has been hard at work organizing, helping with, and engaging with all the efforts. 

"We're super proud of those girls and we as a school were of course very happy to support our stars and their fundraising for TeleMiracle," said Hansen. 

For the younger kids, grades five and below, there was a Squishmallow raffle. Kids could buy tickets for a chance to win one of the various cuddly pillows. 

The staff versus students dodgeball game pitted staff in the sport of champions against students who managed to raise enough funding to warrant the match-up at recess or phys ed. 

"The activity that's got the most hype around here this week is our staff versus student dodgeball game," noted Hansen. "We've had a lot of fun playing staff against the students in a fun game of dodgeball."

On Thursday, the kindergarten kids were able to play a match, and could be heard chanting 'dodgeball! dodgeball! dodgeball!' throughout the halls as they made their way to the gymnasium. 

"We've had a lot of fun with that, and of course that couldn't happen without our staff," said Hansen. "Our staff have been giving up parts of their lunch hours and rearranging their schedules to make this work. We're thankful for them and all that they do."

Friday morning saw the final match-up of staff versus the grade eight students. No final tally has been totalled from these three campaigns yet, but it will be sent with both Sheng and Stock. 

Hansen is Saskatchewan born and raised. For her, TeleMiracle is a proud Saskatchewan tradition to be embracing. 

"We're also really proud to be from Saskatchewan this weekend when our kindness and our generosity is highlighted through this great cause," said Hansen. "I'm sure that there are people in our building who have needed to use funds that are raised through the TeleMiracle weekend. You never know when you might need it, so we're happy to support this great cause." 

Sheng will be performing 7:55 a.m., while Stock will be on at 2:55 p.m, both on Sunday. 

Professor Andrew Leach, an economist at the University of Alberta, says Premier Scott Moe's comments are likely just political theatre.

The Saskatchewan government and Métis Nation-Saskatchewan are asking the Supreme Court of Canada to consider whether a judicial review should consider the potential impacts to land that the Métis Nation has asserted claim over.

A local group is currently collecting red dresses, shirts, and vests to be featured around Swift Current this spring to spread awareness for Indigenous Canadians who have been murdered or missing.

Swift Current's First United Church is accepting the clothing donations for the Red Dress Awareness Southwest Committee in anticipation for Red Dress Awareness Day coming up on May 5.

Barb Parchman, a member of the Red Dress Awareness Southwest Committee, noted that the committee first began the initiative last year when they collected dresses and hung them around the City to draw people's attention to the cause. 

"That's what we're doing again this year but we've added men's clothing as well," she shared. "Recently there was a young man who went missing from Maple Creek, so we'd just like to draw awareness to the fact that while it is Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women's Day, there are other people who are missing as well."

Anyone interested can drop off red clothing donations at First United Church's main office from Monday to Friday between 9:00 a.m. and noon or 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. 

Parchman noted that plans are still in the works for an event on Red Dress Awareness Day and that the group is looking to start a Facebook page in the near future. 

Lucky Okurame, the owner of Lucky Hair and Beauty Studio, was the first barber Vuyo Ginindza went to after he moved to Regina. From Nigeria and Eswatini, respectively, they've both been able to express themselves more freely here with their hairstyles.

A local girl is again fundraising ahead of her performance at TeleMiracle. 

13-year-old Kylie Stock from Swift Current raised over $7,154.85 for the 48th TeleMiracle last year and is back performing this year for a third time.

"Last year I teamed up with my school to raise funds and also set up an account on the TeleMiracle website," Stock said. "I surpassed my original goal which was awesome."

Stock had raised $5,053 for TeleMiracle 47 before exceeding that total by more than $2,000 last year.

You can click here to participate in her fundraiser for TeleMiracle 49.

Stock has also raised over $1,100 this year by performing her music at The Bentley, Prairie View Lodge, and Riverview Village Estates.

"It's very important to me knowing the funds are going directly into Saskatchewan people," she noted. 

The live performances in front of a large television audience have been special experiences for her.

"It's helped me be a lot more confident as a performer," Stock said. "It's an incredible experience. I would highly recommend it. Being a part of that community is really awesome."

Other southwest Saskatchewan performers participating this year include Feye Sheng, Evan Baxter, Jesse Genns and Ashley Brown. 

Stock is set to perform "Big Yellow Taxi" by Joni Mitchell on Sunday afternoon at approximately 2:55 PM.

The Town of Shaunavon and former Mayor Kyle Bennett have resolved their dispute.

"New Council has taken a more reconciliatory approach to my matter and has agreed to rescind and amend the motion that found me in a conflict of interest and characterized my resignation in that context," Bennett said in a statement to Swift Current Online. "I maintain that my decision to resign was not a result of allegations of a conflict of interest but for my own personal reasons."

Shaunavon Mayor and Council released a statement on their social media to address the matter.

"One of the benefits of an election, particularly one that results in an entirely new Council, is a fresh perspective around the Council table. The current Council is looking to turn a new page with a view to act in the best interest of the Town and the residents. Council has decided to work with former Mayor Bennett to attempt to resolve the dispute amicably thereby avoiding the unnecessary cost and burden of continuing down the path of a court proceeding. Fortunately, we have been able to reach a consensus to put the dispute behind the Town."

Bennett had originally resigned on August 2nd, 2024.

You can click here to read some of the history of the dispute. 

Saskatchewan's Opposition NDP is calling on all levels of government to invest in infrastructure to reduce Canada’s reliance on the United States.

Swift Current's Faye Sheng will make her television debut this weekend as a performer for the annual Kinsmen Kinettes TeleMiracle 49.

"I've never been on TV before so I'm kind of nervous," Sheng said. "I'm also excited for the new experience."

The local pianist found out about the TeleMiracle auditions from her teacher.

"I've always liked helping people," she said. "I decided to audition to see if I could also help fundraise."

Her passion for the piano came from her siblings. 

"I've been playing piano since I was six so about seven years," Sheng said. "I got started because my sister and my brother have been playing piano, so it's passed down."

She performs the song "Autum Leaves" at 7:55 AM on March 2nd.

"It's a jazz standard song and really nice to play," Sheng said. "Whenever I play it, I feel like I'm sitting on a chair in autumn watching the leaves fall down. It's a really nice piece."

Sheng joins several other local performers as a part of TeleMiracle 49 including Evan Baxter, Jesse Genns, Kylie Stock and Ashley Brown. 

TeleMiracle 49 runs March 1st and 2nd. You can see the stream at https://telemiracle.com/

Opposition Leader Carla Beck continued her fight against the Trump tariff threat on Thursday by calling for a major push for east-west lines across the country.

Flanked by NDP jobs critic Aleana Young and by President Mike Day of Steelworkers Local 5890, Beck called on “provincial governments and the federal government to make massive new investments in rail lines, pipelines, power lines, and in highways.”

The four pillars the NDP are calling for include “new private and public investments to expand rail and port capacity,” to ensure rapid and reliable movement of agricultural products and mining products onto ships for international markets. She called for “major moves to add short rail line capacity,” which she said had been neglected under the current government. 

On pipelines, Beck called for construction of a pipeline to the East Coast, “something that will get oil and gas off rail and onto new markets in Europe and beyond.”

On highways, Beck called for Highway 1 – the Trans-Canada Highway — to be “twinned from coast to coast so that truckers can quickly and safely move goods across Canada without needing to enter the United States.”

The fourth pillar, which critic Young spoke about, was electricity.

“If we want to keep the lights on, grow our economy, secure the country, we need to have a serious conversation about electricity,” said Young. She called for the repairing and expanding of electrical transmission into Alberta and Manitoba to sell power generated in Saskatchewan. 

“We need power lines, inter-provincial transmission running east, west, north, and yes, even south. And we need the federal government to pay for it.”

The NDP’s latest announcement, which happened right across from a major rail line near Brandt Industries west of Regina, took place as ever-changing positions on tariffs keep on coming from south of the border. 

Earlier on Thursday President Donald Trump indicated the 25 per cent tariffs would indeed be imposed on Canada and Mexico in March 4 in response to the fentanyl crisis at the border — this coming after the indication the previous day seemed to be that those tariffs would be delayed to April 2.

That news drew another outraged reaction from Beck. 

“Every day, we see Donald Trump threaten our sovereignty. And he moves the goalposts on tariffs,” said Beck. “We saw that again yesterday, and again just this morning. It’s all been just like a game of Russian roulette, and our government leaders simply can’t make the best decisions with a gun to our heads about the future of our economy.

“The past several months clearly should have been a wake-up call for all of us. We need to build out an economic future that is in our control. And we need to be less reliant on the United States increasing our access to overseas markets in Asia, and Europe, Mexico, and South America.”

The NDP were also asked about Premier Scott Moe’s statement on social media the previous day that Saskatchewan would consider all pipeline projects pre-approved. There is still a question, however, whether the Premier has the jurisdiction to approve them.

“I’ve just stated today, we understand the need to get pipelines built,” said Beck, who acknowledged “that that is not in the Premier’s jurisdiction right now.”

But Beck said there was a need to “bring the right people to the table” to get pipelines built. It was noted the NDP had been calling a Saskatchewan task force, one which Young described would “ensure that all voices were included in that. Industry voices, public sector voices, Indigenous voices.

“And whether Premier Moe likes it or not, those are all voices that need to be at the table,” Young said. “Industry doesn’t want to be in court any more than the government does, any more than First Nations want to be in court. So doing this in a good way, actually getting things done — not just putting out tweets on the Internet — is what we’re focused on. We’re focused on the future and actually getting these projects built.”

Beck repeated the same talking point that getting things accomplished wouldn’t happen through Tweets.

“People aren’t looking for more spicy language. People are looking for their leaders to actually act like grown-ups, to get to the table and get things done.”

“Stunning about face” from NDP, says Sask Party government

When asked for their response to the NDP announcement, the Sask Party government dismissed it as a “rather stunning about face from a party that has relentlessly criticized the government’s international engagement efforts to diversify Saskatchewan’s markets at every turn.”

“Over the past 17 years, our government has tirelessly and consistently worked to reduce interprovincial trade barriers, support pipeline projects and other vital infrastructure, and engaged with our industry partners to expand and open up new international export markets,” their statement read.  

“Unlike the NDP, we didn’t come to these positions as a result of threats from Donald Trump. These have always been our positions, as they represent what is best for Saskatchewan’s economy, jobs and families.

The SaskParty statement also pointed to examples of “the NDP record” including criticisms by MLAs including Beck and Young of international trade engagement efforts and offices, as well as the NDP casting their votes in the Legislature against the Canada-EU Free Trade Agreement, the Keystone XL pipeline and the Northern Gateway pipeline. 

Janko Kolosnjaji collapsed in a Saskatoon courtroom and had to be revived by a defibrillator after a judge declared him guilty of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl in a church.

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe says relations with the United States have been “a little more intense,” as he continues to push against the threat of tariffs.

Moe says even with heightened rhetoric from U.S. President Donald Trump, he’s committed to making the relationship work long-term.

He says maintaining free trade between Canada and the United States would allow both economies to remain strong.

He adds American consumers and farmers will see increased costs should the tariffs be applied to oil and gas and agricultural products.

Moe has been in Washington, D.C., this week meeting with U.S. lawmakers about the harms of proposed tariffs.

Trump is planning to impose tariffs on Canadian goods next week, a move that experts say would harm Canada’s economy.

There has been a collision of two vehicles at the intersection of Cheadle Street East and Second Avenue Northeast. 

A pickup truck collided with an SUV, resulting in a blockage of the intersection. 

RCMP have shut down Cheadle Street East from First Avenue Northeast to Second Avenue Northeast while the fire department, paramedics, and other RCMP officers respond to the incident. 

Traffic is being let through on Second Avenue Northeast in the southbound lane. The Northbound lane is closed at the intersection of Friesen Street West.

No report of any injuries has been made to Swift Current Online. 

The Riverhurst ice road is open for the time being, but it's only a matter of time and sunshine. 

The Saskatchewan Ministry of Highways currently has the ice road crossing open, with a total weight limit of 4,540 kilograms in place. 

Dan Palmer, a senior communications consultant with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Highways, is asking that people regularly check the Highway Hotline before heading to the crossing. 

"Check it even on your return journey," said Palmer. "We all know weather and conditions can change quickly in this province."

There is no date set for the closure of the ice road, as it is weather-dependent. For now, as temperatures continue to hover in the low positives, it is wise to always check the status on the Highway Hotline. 
 

SASKATOON—Opposition Leader Carla Beck praised the efforts of Canadians, including Saskatchewan residents, in supporting local businesses as a response to the threat of a potential trade war with the United States.

The Saskatchewan NDP leader, speaking to Saskatoon journalists on Wednesday, Feb. 26, at SaskMade Marketplace on Eighth Street, renewed the call to buy and support local stores and businesses to keep the economy strong. She emphasized that keeping Canadian dollars in the province benefits everyone.

“This is a call to action for all of us. We also know that so many Saskatchewan people are already making a conscious effort to shop local, support their neighbours, and support local and Canadian-based businesses here at home. We also know that in Saskatchewan, almost 80 per cent of shoppers are actively looking to buy Canadian or local. They’re looking to support great shops like the SaskMade Marketplace,” Beck said.

“When we invest in our local businesses, we see a domino effect across the economy and our communities. We want to make more jobs and businesses easier for Saskatchewan people and folks here at home.”

Beck added that this is why they launched the shopsk.ca, where Saskatchewan residents can show their support by sharing their favourite local businesses, including tattoo studios, restaurants, breweries, grocery stores, shops, cafes, tours, bakeries, dry cleaners, hotels,  automotive services and more. Residents can also grow the movement by signing the petition and downloading banners and avatars for their social media pages.

Some of those businesses shared on the site can be found in Estevan, Humboldt, Moose Jaw, Prince Albert, Regina, Saskatoon and Swift Current; the towns of Canora, Duck Lake, Gravelbourg, Indian Head, Ituna, Kindersley, Lumsden, Nipawin, Osler, Shaunavon and White City; the villages of Sedley, Torquay and Vibank; the hamlets of Oungre and Waskesiu Lake; and the northern settlement of Missinipe.

“This is just one more way that people can support each other and local businesses. I want to invite every Saskatchewan [resident] to visit our site. There, you can download social media graphics, sign our petition in support of Saskatchewan businesses, and my favourite part is that you can submit your favourite local business to be featured on the site and learn more about spots that fellow Saskatchewan people have shared as their favourites,” Beck said.

“Supporting our neighbours has always been a part of who we are in this province. Looking out for each other is part of our DNA, and it’s the Saskatchewan way. Whether it’s families at their local grocery store or governments regarding public contracts and builds, it’s time to bet big on Saskatchewan, Canada. Let’s unite and do our part to ensure our dollars support and grow Saskatchewan businesses and the economy.”

Beck said that although Trump’s proposed tariffs are unpredictable, they will devastate Canadian industries that export goods to the U.S. However, she noted that Canadians did not start the potential trade war and that the country is ready to work with its southern neighbours, as it has for the past 150 years.

“Our two economies, Canada and the [U.S.], have built one of the strongest economic partnerships the world has ever known, and we want to work together. But something has changed. Let me be clear: Saskatchewan and Canada will not bow down while threats to our economy and sovereignty continue to level at us. Saskatchewan and Canada will always be first, never the 51st,” Beck said.

“This period has been a wake-up call, and we cannot be caught flat-footed. We must build our economy and support local businesses like [SaskMade Marketplace]. I’m a proud Canadian. I am proud to call Saskatchewan home and say that Canadians have united together from coast to coast.”

The 30-day reprieve given by the Trump administration on imposing a 25 per cent tariff on all Canadian goods will end on Tuesday, March 4, giving an air of uncertainty on the economic situation of both countries.

Swift Current business owners, local RCMP, chamber members, and more gathered for the fourth meeting of Cops & Coffee on Thursday morning.

The Swift Current & District Chamber of Commerce hosted the meeting in a board room on the third floor of the Innovation Federal Credit Union beginning at 8:30 a.m. 

Staff Sergeant Evan Gordon with the Swift Current Municipal RCMP, noted that Cops & Coffee helps to build connections between law enforcement, the business community, and local folks. 

"Today's Cops & Coffee was an opportunity to discuss a wide variety of community issues and provide some answers on programs that are out there to help us help the community," shared Gordon. "There's all sorts of collaboration and cooperation that happens on a daily basis, I think it's important for people to understand that it's not just us working at these issues by ourselves, but the community as a whole."

The local staff sergeant highlighted the "great success" the detachment has had in identifying suspects thanks to the help of the community, modern surveillance technology, and local media. He noted several programs that can further help the community remain vigilant to crimes including Crime Stoppers, Citizens on Patrol, and the Crime Watch Advisory Network, which can provide relevant alerts like suspicious persons in the area.

"We definitely hit a wide gambit," said Gordon. "We got into some deep societal questions about substance abuse issues in town and how they're being addressed."

Attendees were also cautioned against common scams such as cloned gift cards, Facebook scams, fake fundraisers, family member or grandchild scams, and AI generated videos claiming celebrity endorsements. 

Additionally, he touched on policing shortages and the lower number of recent recruits, underscoring that Saskatchewan and Manitoba are currently priority posting areas with a plethora of opportunities. 

Members of the public are welcome to stop by the next Cops & Coffee coming up in a few months, and anyone signed up to receive the chamber's e-blast list will be emailed an outline of the meeting.

"Any way that we can try to discuss issues and collaborate, the better," concluded Gordon.

Swift Current residents who require RCMP assistance before 11:00 p.m. are advised to contact the City detachment at (306) 778 - 4870 or call 9-1-1 for 24-hour emergency services. Non-emergencies can be directed to 310 - RCMP.

REGINA – The Regina Exhibition Association Ltd. (REAL) potential budget for 2025 was a big topic during Wednesday’s city council meeting.

REAL is seeking over $12.7 million from the city, which is broken down into different parts.

Over $4.2 million is for their annual operating grant, which covers their financial losses in the 2025 budget. REAL is expecting to make a revenue of over $41 million, while expenses like utilities, labour, repairs, etc. will cost over $45 million.

The $4.2 million will go towards their community sports program, entertainment and events, major agriculture events, and tenant management of the Regina Pats, Sask. Roughriders and more.

For the annual debt funding, REAL is seeking $2.7 million. Over 1.2 million of that is aimed towards three debts that REAL is currently paying off, valued altogether at $14.7 million, which includes $7.3 million, $4 million and $3.4 million. For this year, REAL plans to pay off nearly $1.3 million of the combined debts.

The other approximate $1.4 million comes from paying off the interest from said debts.

Another $4.8 million is for the capital funding that REAL uses to cover emergency costs.

The last part is $1 million for ongoing capital investment into property. The Brandt Centre, Co-operators Centre and Queensbury Centre will need constant capital funding over the next four years (approximately $10 million) to repair the aging infrastructure of each building.

REAL noted each of the building’s mechanical systems “are beyond [their] use for life.”

“If any of these mechanical systems fail during an event, there are significant revenue and reputational risks not only to REAL but to the City [of Regina],” they added.

The Brandt Centre and Queensbury Centre would get $300,000 in allocated funding for 2025. Additionally, REAL would invest over $300,000 of ongoing capital investment into refreshing their hardware and IT software upgrades

The rest of the capital investment would go towards the Ag Ex Pavilion Building and contingency plans.

REAL is also planning to use the funding towards the expansion of user pay parking, reimagining signature events, increasing the utilization of multiple facilities, adding naming rights and revisiting commercial development opportunities.

Potential cuts

With the worry councillors have heard from their residents regarding increased taxes for 2025, there was lots of discussion regarding how REAL can reduce their budget.

Ward 10 Coun. Clark Bezo brought up a question regarding whether REAL could potentially use assets the city already has, like software licences or graders, that could reduce the costs of REAL’s budget.

Responding to Bezo, Roberta Engel, acting CEO of REAL, said, “absolutely. I think there is [an] opportunity not only on software and hardware… cost sharing or, you know, utilizing the same system that the city uses. But also utilizing the fleet.”

Ward 6 Coun. Victoria Flores also asked if there were any budget costs REAL could feasibly reduce.

Engel mentioned their $1 million ask for ongoing capital investment or the $4.2 million request for their annual operating grant could be reduced.

However, with multiple buildings close to failure, Engel said decreased funding could lead to REAL “being back in front of [city] council [again] asking for emergency capital funding even if it’s in the dollar value of $400,000 or $500,000.”

She also mentioned operating costs are so variable, that depending on whether REAL has great revenue from events, they could look at continuing to reduce costs. But, that could potentially impact the right service levels that are needed for the community.

Council voted 10-1 in favour of referring the motion to budget week. It’s worth noting that this doesn’t mean REAL’s portion of the budget is set, as councillors will look extensively through the budget to see if any cost savings are achievable.

Mayor’s thoughts 

Mayor Chad Bachynski met with reporters, where he talked about the 2025 budget. ‘Yeah, it’s a big number. We have a number of big asks in front of us this year. REAL is no different.”

Bachynski noted taking a very practical approach to what the city spends on without “seeing hockey games cancelled and soccer [games] cancelled, [which] reduce the services that we provide to our residents.”

When asked about the $10 million in funding REAL needs over the next four years to cover the cost of the Brandt Centre, Co-operators Centre and Queensbury Centre, Bachynski said, “I think it highlights a common theme that we saw for a number of years that we didn’t invest in infrastructure that we needed. [So], I think we really need to think hard about how much longer we can bypass that.”

Illustration by Kaya Joan.

Colonization is as horrific as humanity gets: genocide, desecration, poxed-blankets, rape, humiliation. Settler colonialism… is an ongoing horror made invisible by its persistence – the snake in the flooded basement. – “A Glossary of Haunting” by Eve Tuck and C. Ree

I often feel haunted. I am haunted by mistakes and regret. I am haunted by past actions and decisions that have changed the course of my life. I often think about intergenerational trauma as a haunting. But I am cognizant of the fact that I am, even with these examples, understanding hauntedness – hauntings, being haunted – as a negative. As if anything bad that is passed down, that shadows our view of the future, that cloaks our understanding of ourselves, is what haunts.

Eve Tuck and C. Ree, Indigenous theorists and artists, ask us to reconsider this understanding of haunting. What if those who haunt are those who have been hurt? What if ghosts are the dispossessed, the murdered, the colonized, the violated and haunting is their agency, action, a ceremony of refusing to be forgotten? “Haunting […] is the relentless remembering and reminding that will not be appeased by settler society’s assurances of innocence and reconciliation,” according to Tuck and Ree. 

Canada’s very existence as a settler state is threatened by Palestinian resistance, and in many ways, relies on Israel’s existence as a way to assert its own. Both countries would like to ignore these ghosts or, worse, enable their ongoing dispossession, because if Canada were to deny Israel’s right to exist, when it too came into existence through the same violent means, what does that say about its own identity as a nation-state? 

At their simplest, treaties are agreed upon, consensual relationships.

In “Settler Moves to Indigeneity: From Canada to Israel,” Megan Scribe, an Ininiw researcher, writer, and educator, states, “We understand violence, assimilation, and dispossession. We know what it’s like for others to claim our lands and our very identities. For our struggle in the Canadian context to have any integrity at all, we must call out the dynamics of settler colonialism in contexts elsewhere.” In other words, for Canada to admit Israel’s violence is also to admit its own. It would mean engaging and repairing relationships with ghosts that it would rather ignore.

Treaty as a haunting

Erasure and defacement concoct ghosts; I don’t want to haunt you, but I will. – Tuck and Ree

Treaty is a responsibility that haunts, too. 

Our ancestors entered into treaty with the Crown – the 11 Numbered Treaties that most people are familiar with today – but Indigenous Peoples have been entering into nation-to-nation treaties since time immemorial. More important than understanding the specific legalese of these treaties is understanding the true spirit and intent of treaty for Indigenous Peoples, which is founded on mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and non-interference. At their simplest, treaties are agreed upon, consensual relationships.

Before I had the language to explain treaty, its history, or even the cultural significance of this important relationship agreement, I was being taught treaty. 

All of us enter into treaty at one time or another: we enter into treaty when we plant our gardens, when we enter into romantic relationships, when we make community guidelines. We’re agreeing to boundaries, expectations, and mutual decisions for how we will be in relationship with one another. 

As [miyo-wîcêhtowin, wîtaskêwin, and tâpwêwin] denote, treaty lives in our land, our language, and in our relationships. It is a construct, a system, a web. Despite all attempts by the nation-state to bury it, because it is a living ghost, it cannot be erased. Its haunting persists because language persists, because the land persists, because our memory and relationships persist.

The nation-state has attempted to re-story the history of treaty agreements with Indigenous Peoples. While there had been differences in opinion as to what treaties meant and which promises were binding, as Métis author and educator Chelsea Vowel explains, “European powers […] began to assert that Indigenous peoples were submitting to European rule when engaging in treaty-making.” Some First Nations have taken Canada to court over treaty disputes, and “[t]he courts, while at times taking an expansive approach to treaty interpretation, have also been steadily eroding treaty rights since 1982.” Despite this, Indigenous peoples continue to argue for their interpretation of treaty and their assertion of their rights under these agreements. Like any good ghost, treaty obligations refuse to be forgotten.

The responsibilities of treaty people are, among other things, to recognize the interconnectedness of our relationships, which extend to all living beings locally and globally. For nêhiyawak, we enter every treaty relationship with fundamental nêhiyaw laws that inform all of our treaty principles: miyo-wîcêhtowin [good relations], wîtaskêwin [peaceful living together on the land], and tâpwêwin [speaking with truth].

In order to live by miyo-wîcêhtowin and wîtaskêwin, we need to live in good relations to Indigenous Peoples locally and globally. Our natural laws do not draw arbitrary lines on land or relations. Our relatives are all of creation, everywhere, which means the lands under our feet and beyond. 

In order to live by tâpwêwin, we are bound to tell the truth about injustice, oppression, and violence. When we see the genocide being perpetrated in Palestine, we must speak because we are people living on treaty territory; because to live on this land means we are bound to the natural laws of treaty, which require that we speak the truth.

As these laws denote, treaty lives in our land, our language, and in our relationships. It is a construct, a system, a web. Despite all attempts by the nation-state to bury it, because it is a living ghost, it cannot be erased. Its haunting persists because language persists, because the land persists, because our memory and relationships persist: “Haunting is the cost of subjugation. It is the price paid for violence, for genocide,” as Tuck and Ree put it.

Canada and Israel

The United States is permanently haunted by the slavery, genocide, and violence entwined in its first, present and future days. Haunting doesn’t hope to change people’s perceptions, nor does it hope for reconciliation. Haunting lies precisely in its refusal to stop. – Tuck and Ree 

Like the United States, Canada and Israel are countries founded on violent settler colonialism, land theft, resource plundering, genocide, imperialist greed, and the displacement of Indigenous Peoples. The brutalization of Palestinians and Indigenous Peoples in so-called Canada has been well documented and shares similarities.

In order to establish Canada 158 years ago, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police cleared the plains of Indigenous Peoples who had lived here since time immemorial, forcing them off their land and onto reservations, requiring them to obtain a pass to leave until 1951. In 1948 in Palestine, over 700,000 Palestinians were violently expelled to establish the state of Israel. Palestinians, too, were forced onto small parcels of land where their movement, safety, and sovereignty was, and continues to be, controlled by Israeli law.

In Canada, Indigenous Peoples are still experiencing traumas from residential schools, the Sixties Scoop, and other laws and policies that prohibited Indigenous Peoples from practising ceremonies. As well, the Millennial Scoop, police violence, racism in the public health-care and school systems, and missing and murdered Indigenous relatives are all ongoing traumas. In Gaza and the West Bank, more Palestinians are murdered, injured, and displaced from their homes each day; they also suffer threats of widespread infection due to Israel bombing sewage systems and hospitals. They are detained in prison without cause, and Israeli settlers burn olive trees and destroy farmland with impunity. 

Even though there are similarities in the oppression of Palestinians in Palestine and Indigenous Peoples in so-called Canada, there are also parallels in our love: our love of dance in powwow and dabke; our love of art in beading and weaving; our love of water in lakes, rivers, and oceans; our love of land in grasslands and olive trees; our love of animals in rez dogs and street cats; our love of our children and Elders.

The workings of settler colonialism are the same – a bag of reused and repurposed weapons in service of dispossession. 

When nêhiyawak speak about everything being connected, we really mean that. We are talking about how struggle is interconnected; how the pervasiveness of white supremacy and settler colonialism show up in their use of the same tools globally and locally. White supremacy, genocide, and oppression wear the same face. 

Treaty and Palestine

Decolonization must mean attending to ghosts, and arresting widespread denial of the violence done to them. – Tuck and Ree

In nêhiyawewin, pâstâmowin means going against our natural laws. As Sylvia McAdam states in Nationhood Interrupted: Revitalizing nêhiyaw Legal Systems, “[i]t’s considered a pâstâmowin to remain silent or to take no action while a harm is being done to another human being or to anything in creation.” Canada has proven through its abuse of Indigenous Peoples within so-called Canada and Palestine that it cares more about furthering its own colonial power than its relationships to Indigenous Peoples. The government has been committing pâstâmowin and going against the natural laws – miyo-wîcêhtowin, wîtaskêwin, and tâpwêwin – inherent in our treaties. So too has Israel, and anyone supporting – or staying silent while witnessing – the killing of people, lands, and other living beings in the world.

One of our most sacred and peaceful laws is called nâtamâwasowin, which is carried out “in times of great threat and crisis. nâtamâwasowin [sic] means to defend for all human children of the world as well as future generations,” as McAdam notes. This law “directs us to defend for the children of all animals, plants, water, and the winged ones – everything in creation that has a spirit.” 

Again, nêhiyaw law, which informs our treaty processes, does not differentiate between peoples or borders. Our laws are premised on the understanding that we are all related through our vast kinship networks. This law is calling on everyone to attend to their ghosts. 

Even though there are similarities in the oppression of Palestinians in Palestine and Indigenous Peoples in so-called Canada, there are also parallels in our love: our love of dance in powwow and dabke; our love of art in beading and weaving; our love of water in lakes, rivers, and oceans; our love of land in grasslands and olive trees; our love of animals in rez dogs and street cats; our love of our children and Elders. There are parallels in our resistance. There are parallels in our fight for sovereignty. 

As Leanne Betasamosake Simpson notes in As We Have Always Done: Indigenous Freedom through Radical Resistance, Indigenous Peoples traditionally “didn’t accumulate capital, they accumulated networks of meaningful, deep, fluid, intimate collective and individual relationships of trust. In times of hardship, we did not rely to any great degree on accumulated capital or individualism but on the strength of our relationships with others.” In this time of hardship, individualism will not save us – our relationships will.

Treaties are the responsibilities of all people who live on and benefit from this land. I am reminded of this at every protest for Palestine I see broadcast across the world: when streets are lined with people in miyo-wîcêhtowin, when people demand wîtaskêwin by blocking ships and trains carrying weapons for Israel, when people speak tâpwêwin, the truth, to whomever will listen. Every single one of these people is invoking nâtamâwasowin. So, until settler-colonial states attend to our ghosts, let us haunt them.

MOOSE JAW — The huge dumps of snow that Moose Jaw has received this winter are forcing city hall to dip into reserves to pay for that cleanup.

City administration presented a fourth-quarter update during the Feb. 24 regular city council meeting, with the report containing information about the city’s revenues and expenses to Nov. 30, 2024.

The finance department said it was still working on its year-end process and didn’t have information to the end of 2024. It expected to present an unaudited year-end financial statement when it gave the Q1 2025 update.

“At this point, it is difficult to estimate the final year-end financial position as many year-end entries impact the final surplus or deficit that the city will end up with at year-end,” the report said.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

As of Nov. 30, the city expended 89 per cent of its snow operations budget, but it incurred significant costs in December handling several blizzards that pushed this area over budget for 2024, said finance director Brian Acker. Therefore, the city was forced to use up a major portion of the remaining snow operations reserve.

Acker noted that that reserve contains roughly $618,000, but since snow clearing operations for 2024 were over budget by roughly $350,000, that will leave about $268,000 in that account.

According to the report, as of Nov. 30, the city spent $1,264,342 on snow-clearing operations out of a budget of $1,416,885, leaving $152,543 left to be spent.

Revenues and expenses

As of Nov. 30, total revenues were $60,446,962 or 97 per cent of budget, while this area was expected to come in slightly above budget for 2024, which is “a positive for the city,” said Acker.

Expenses were $55,607,380 or 89 per cent of the budget, although it was difficult to project where the year-end expenses would finish since many other major money year-end journal entries needed to be made, he continued. This could have a significant effect on where expenses finish.

The public works division showed significant improvements with expense management compared to 2023, as the workshop and fleet areas sat at $1,218,776 in expenses by Nov. 30 compared to $1,972,835 in 2023, Acker said.

The improvement came in the fleet services area, which showed a loss on equipment of roughly $239,000 compared to $1 million in 2023, the report noted. However, this area will still come in over budget in 2024.

Meanwhile, the only other area of concern in public works was in roadway maintenance and repairs, which sat at 153 per cent of the budget, said Acker.

The report indicated that as of Nov. 30, that line item had spent $843,152 compared to the budget of $549,966, causing a deficit of $293,186.

With transit, the regular bus service’s maintenance expenses were trending above budget by 115 per cent due to increased costs, the report continued. Specifically, by Nov. 30, expenses were $608,049 and the budget was $529,495, causing a deficit of $78,554.

Furthermore, paratransit saw similar cost increases for maintenance and was 137 per cent above budget, the document added. Specifically, by Nov. 30, expenses were $166,159 and the budget was $120,955, leaving a deficit of $45,204.

The next regular council meeting is Monday, March 10.  

The annual RCMP Name the Puppy Contest is back for another year as the national police force seek new names from Canadian kids for a number of future police dogs at the Police Dog Service Training Centre in Innisfail, Alberta.

This year, the RCMP are looking for names that start with the letter “A” with no more than nine letters and each name must be one or two syllables. The contest is open to Canadian kids ages 4 to 14 with one entry per child. All name submissions must be in by March 19th and the winning names will be announced on April 17th.

In total, 13 names will be chosen, which means there’s one lucky winner from each province and territory in Canada. CLICK HERE to enter the contest.

The contest winners will each get an RCMP water bottle, a plush toy dog, and a picture of they puppy they named.

(Photo from RCMP Depot Division Facebook page)

Congratulations to last year’s winners from across the country who submitted names that started with the letter “T:”

Tank: Scarlet Fitzgerald (Whitehorse, Yukon)

Trooper: Owen Hawco (Colliers, Newfoundland & Labrador)

Theo: Odin Arnold (Village Green, Prince Edward Island)

Thor: Sloane Neufeld (The Pas, Manitoba)

Tess: Tate Jackson Burke (Wheatland County, Alberta)

Tia: Olivia Lacasse (Montreal, Quebec)

Teddy: Vance Kress (Odessa, Saskatchewan)

Tuktu: Grace Britton (Resolute Bay, Nunavut)

Tilly: Edie Venne (Hay River, Northwest Territories)

Tori: Wayne Eluik (Sparwood, British Columbia)

Tucker: Breah Voegeli (Falmouth, Nova Scotia)

Turbo: Forrest Woodrow (Sioux Lookout, Ontario)

Tula: Ethan Johnston (Berwick, New Brunswick)

With warmer weather comes thinner ice.

That's the main warning in the City of Swift Current's latest release from the Swift Current Fire Department. 

Swift Current Fire Department Fire Chief, Ryan Hunter, is hoping people will exercise caution around the Swift Current Creek and other bodies of water while the heat continues to bring spring. 

"Every year, it’s worth the reminder to our community. Ice conditions can change rapidly and unpredictably," said Hunter. "And with the series of warm weather days that we are now experiencing, what may appear stable could give way without warning. We urge all residents to keep a safe distance from bodies of water and ensure children and pets are kept a safe distance from the creek."

People are asked to keep their distance from the ice and to refrain from walking on the ice. Children should be supervised any time they are near the creek and should be educated on the dangers. Pets will need to be kept on a leash in order to make sure they also stay off the ice. 

In the event water levels rise with the spring runoff, there is potential for flooding to break up the ice. 

If anyone has concerns regarding the conditions, they can call the authorities to file a report. 

The City of Swift Current and the Swift Current Fire Department are working with the Water Security Agency to monitor water levels. Duncairn Dam and Swift Current Creek will be especially tracked over the coming weeks as water levels rise. Any updates that pertain to flooding and public safety risks will be issued to the public. 

Residents are asked to please follow the official City of Swift Current media accounts to stay informed. 

A group of mayors from northern Saskatchewan villages and hamlets want to establish a new lobby group as some communities near resource developments are struggling to keep up with growth.

The southwest welcomes a new initiative that's keen to ensure that local children from financially limited families have access to the same sports opportunities as others.

The Kiwanis Active Kids program is gearing up to open in March, covering up to $400 worth of sport-related expenses for families in need.

Tickets are already sold out for the Kick-Off Breakfast that will be held next week to highlight the new program and spread awareness. 

Chad MacLeod, chairperson for the Swift Current Kiwanis Club, highlighted that the Kiwanis Active Kids program aims to support a healthy and active lifestyle for all children within the community.

"We wanted to start a new program that could encompass our youth and make sure we get as many kids as we can into sport who may be facing barriers," shared MacLeod.

The program will offer an opportunity called Adopt an Athlete, where folks can donate $400 to sponsor a local child in sport.

"Those dollars will stay in our community and go directly to a youth's sports equipment or registration fees," he explained. "So it's a great initiative."

There will be a full house at the Living Sky Casino next Wednesday for the sold-out Kick-Off Breakfast and doors open at 7:00 a.m.

"We're very thankful for the support of Swift Current," MacLeod added. "If anyone has any questions they're more than welcome to go to our website."

Those interested in applying to or supporting the Kiwanis Active Kids program can head to sckiwanis.ca/activekids or email [email protected]. 

Swift Current Municipal RCMP recently charged a duo of locals after a fruitful search last Thursday as part of a continued investigation into a string of thefts.

Officers executed one of several search warrants at a residence in Swift Current on February 20 where they recovered a handful of stolen items, suspected stolen items, and items that had been reported missing during break-ins and thefts.

19-year-old Abigail Squirrel and 25-year-old Jesse Oscar were arrested at the scene and have each been charged with one count of possession of stolen property under $5,000.

Squirrel has been released from custody and is scheduled for court on March 12 in the Swift Current Provincial Court, while Oscar was remanded into custody and is set to appear in court on March 4.

Police are continuing to investigate the series of recent thefts and encourage anyone with information to contact the Swift Current Municipal RCMP at (306) 778 - 4870 or submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers by calling +1 (800) 222 - TIPS.

Audi Lou Nordby has been a registered piano technician since 2013. She travels across Saskatchewan making old pianos sound like new. She joined the Morning Edition to share her story.