Publisher’s note: I know Martensville is out of our coverage area, but this is too cute not to share. Hope it makes you smile.
—Tara
Got any goat milk?A goat takes up residence in what appears to be a Tim Horton’s restaurant in Martensville. The sign doesn’t say anything about “NO GOATS”.
MARTENSVILLE—Early Sunday morning two Warman RCMP members were called to a business for a disturbance. There was a stubborn goat refusing to leave the establishment. The employees would ask him to leave and walk him outside, but he would just turn around and come back in through the automatic doors.
The members believed he was just cold and he decided to lie down and wanted to sleep in the entrance. He was “arrested” and escorted into the police vehicle. He was very unhappy with this so the members decided to take him home instead of to holding cells at the detachment.
After knocking on every farm house north of Martensville, members were not able to locate his house. Members contacted Animal control, but learned that they typically don’t deal with goats.
Members transported the goat to an animal hospital until his owners could be located. We are happy to report that the goat is safe and sound back with his owners after his adventurous night out on the town.
Education minister Don Morgan and Distance Learning Centre principal Jade Ballek tour the new facility currently under construction.
By Joel van der Veen
KENASTON — The future of education was on display in Kenaston last week, and Don Morgan said he liked what he saw.
During his visit on Tuesday, the education minister stopped by several classrooms at Kenaston School and also toured the adjacent Distance Learning Centre (DLC), still under construction and slated for completion in November.
Talking to local media, Morgan said he was impressed by the progessive ideas he had witnessed and the new facility underway, saying, “We’re really pleased to see the progress that it’s making.”
Speaking of the province as a whole, he noted, “We sometimes underestimate ourselves . . . (but) we can dream big and have big ideas as well.”
“It’s certainly an exciting and interesting project,” he added, saying he commended Sun West School Division and its staff for their efforts in growing the centre.
Morgan was joined by several school administrators, politicians and other leaders during the visit, including Arm River-Watrous MLA Greg Brkich and Kenaston Mayor ML Whittles.
Sun West board trustees John Collins, Karen Itterman and Connie Bailey took part in the tour, as did Kenaston principal Greg McJannet, DLC principal Jade Ballek and vice-principals Aaron Biberdorf, Kurtis Heath and Kimberley Johnson, and superintendent of education Darren Gasper.
First, Morgan visited Rebecca Farrell’s Grade 1 and 2 classroom to witness students at work using iPads to complete activities as part of their lesson.
He then stopped by the gym, where students in grades 7, 8 and 9 were engaging in physical exercise while wearing heart rate monitors, with the statistics wirelessly transmitted to a computer and displayed using a projector.
Teacher Jenna Fisher and Sun West physical education mentor Miles Bennett provided an explanation of the technology and its use to Morgan.
The minister also visited a mathematics class led by Nathan Herrem, where students were using mobile technology to guide their learning.
Finally, Morgan and the others donned hardhats to tour the DLC, which is quickly taking shape southeast of the school along Fifth Avenue.
Saskatoon-based firm Quorex Construction began building the 15,000-square-foot facility this summer. The project is expected to be complete in November, with staff hoping to move in by Christmas of this year.
Morgan noted several challenges in the growth of the DLC, chief among them being the need for increased network bandwidth as the centre has grown.
He said administrators are working with SaskTel to resolve these issues for Kenaston in particular, explaining, “We knew that this one (area) had to be a priority.”
As the DLC’s staffing levels have also increased, providing adequate housing has also become a challenge in a village of around 300 residents.
Morgan, who spoke briefly with Whittles during his visit to Kenaston, said he and the mayor had discussed the village’s ongoing efforts to engage developers and expand the number of available lots.
For the full story, please see the Sept. 21 edition of The Davidson Leader.
Percy Coldwell reacts as Marlon Wilcox uses the flight simulator at an open house held by the 553 Sherlock Squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Cadets on Sept. 14.
By Joel van der Veen
DAVIDSON — One son became an air force pilot, retiring as a lieutenant-colonel after a 24-year career with the Canadian Forces.
Another son pursued a career in the energy sector and now works in the Middle East for an oil company.
Though her boys pursued different paths, Gwen Eyre said they both took advantage of the opportunities provided to them as members of 553 Sherlock Squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Cadets.
Eyre said the camps they attended and the leadership skills they developed were beneficial for both Ryan, who wrapped up his career at CFB Trenton, and Michael, currently an operations centre manager in Oman.
While parents sometimes perceive Cadets as a method of whipping kids into shape, she said, in her experience it helps draw out qualities like self-control and responsibility.
“Those are skills that help you develop character,” she said.
Eyre spoke to an audience of around 35 people at an open house hosted by the Air Cadets squadron at Davidson Town Hall on Sept. 14.
The event included a free barbecue sponsored by Riverbend Co-op, along with hands-on activities and information about Cadets. Guests could try out the flight simulator, controlled with a steering wheel and pedals, or take aim with an air rifle (not loaded, of course).
The squadron’s numbers have dwindled in recent years, but commanding officer Capt. Krystal Klenk-Potts said she was encouraged by the crowd that attended Monday’s event.
A total of four cadets were enrolled in 553 Sherlock Squadron as of last spring. (By contrast, 30 cadets were enrolled during the 1998-99 season.)
“Every year, when I hear the numbers are down, I feel a litle bit nervous,” said Eyre, a former commanding officer. She called Cadets a great opportunity for small-town teens to learn new skills and find purpose.
Compounding the problem, said Klenk-Potts, is a decline in the number of parents and volunteers available to serve as leaders.
She said the Cadets program struggles to compete with sports, dance and other activities. Another issue is a general lack of awareness of the program. Klenk-Potts said they are working to combat this by visiting area schools.
For the full story, please see the Sept. 21 edition of The Davidson Leader.
Madelyn Vollmer (6) of the Davidson/Loreburn RaiTec delivers a jump serve during the team’s home tournament, held Sept. 11 and 12 in Davidson.
By Joel van der Veen
DAVIDSON — A weekend of spikes, smashes and serves ended in victory for the Davidson/Loreburn RaiTec.
The local senior girls volleyball team hosted five opponents in a weekend tournament at Davidson School on Sept. 11 and 12, defeating Porcupine Plain in the final to claim first place overall.
Also taking part in the tournament were teams from Allan, Biggar, Beechy and Vonda. The teams faced off against each other one by one with the top two schools competing in the final on Saturday.
Coach Karen McConnell said the event was a success and noted that the girls are playing together well, even at this early point in the year. She predicted a “very exciting season” ahead.
“Our Grade 10 girls are fitting in perfectly,” she noted. “The girls are all super hard-working … I’m excited to see how much they grow over the season.”
The RaiTec visited Outlook High School on Wednesday to take on the senior girls there, winning in all five sets. In one set, Loreburn’s Karissa Rendall made 19 consecutive serves.
The team was scheduled to face a couple of recent opponents again over the weekend as the girls visited both Beechy and Porcupine Plain.
In other local volleyball action, Kenaston’s senior girls hosted Outlook’s Lutheran Collegiate Bible Institute on Wednesday. LCBI won three sets while the home team won the remaining two.
CRAIK — Town councillors affirmed their support of the Water Task Force last week, giving the group approval to spend up to $10,000 in its efforts to address Craik’s water infrastructure issues.
Coun. Charla Edwards, a member of the task force, brought the request to council at its regular monthly meeting on Tuesday.
As parts and equipment are purchased and work is completed, the costs are adding up, and Edwards said that having to seek individual approval for every purchase was hampering the group’s efforts.
“All these purchases are ‘have to have’,” she told council. “I know that we have to have accountability . . . We’re asking for your trust.”
Councillors approved a motion allowing the Water Task Force to spend up to $10,000 on water maintenance and infrastructure, with the stipulation that council would be continuously updated on how the funds were being spent.
The task force will need to submit another request to council once it has spent that initial sum, while an overall spending limit of $60,000 has been set for the remainder of 2015.
Edwards provided council with a detailed update on the group’s efforts, which are ultimately aimed at bringing the town’s water treatment equipment into proper operation and thus providing Craik residents with potable water.
The Town of Craik has been under a continuous boil water advisory since Aug. 17, 2010. The task force was formed by a group of local citizens following a mechanical failure that forced the town’s water system offline for several days last July.
Edwards discussed some of the work being done to the water treatment equipment and to the plant building itself.
Having successfully started the natural gas pump at the old plant, she said she was completing an illustrated manual that details its proper use, along with an accountability chart to ensure maintenance is being carried out.
The gas pump must be ready for use in case of an emergency or power failure, said Edwards.
The task force had also asked town staff to prepare a tender for the repair of the plant roof, but a simpler solution was devised by members of the local fire department.
Edwards said she had obtained a quote from Aaron Obrigewitsch to install an energy-efficient furnace at the plant for around $4,200.
Several other items of equipment are slated for repair or replacement, while the task force is also making efforts to clean up and improve the old plant, constructed in 1965.
For the full story, please see the Sept. 14 edition of The Davidson Leader.
CRAIK — Two vehicles were stolen in the Davidson area during an apparent crime spree on Tuesday night that stretched from north of Saskatoon down to Aylesbury.
According to a news release issued by the Craik RCMP detachment, an unknown suspect or suspects embarked on a binge of breaking and entering of vehicles between 11 p.m. on Sept. 8 and 3:30 a.m. on Sept. 9.
Police believe the suspect or suspects rummaged through several vehicles in multiple communities along Highway 11, including Davidson, Craik and Aylesbury.
Two vehicles were reported stolen from the Davidson area, although one of the vehicles was later located within town limits.
Const. Matthew Moline, speaking to the Leader, was tight-lipped about the thefts, saying that the spree remains under active investigation.
Moline declined to disclose any information about the second stolen vehicle, which had yet to be recovered as of Thursday.
However, police have connected the incidents in this area to similar thefts in several communities north of Saskatoon, including Rosthern, Laird and Hepburn, that occurred the same night.
Moline said that items stolen in those communities were later recovered in this area, thus indicating to police that “it’s the same crew.”
The Leader also received reports of suspects rummaging through vehicles in Dundurn last week. Moline said he hadn’t heard about any such incidents but said there could be a connection.
Police issued the usual reminder to local residents to keep homes and garages locked in their absence.
The public is also reminded to keep vehicles locked and to keep valuable property hidden from view, and to report any suspicious activity in the area.
Anyone with relevant information is asked to contact the Craik RCMP or Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers.
