The provincial government is starting the new year with a new look.
The government of Saskatchewan has replaced the classic wheat sheaf with a new logo on its news releases and the government website.
Saskatchewan New Democrats were quick to jump on the move, calling it one that is partisan and lacking common sense.
“The new logo is a Sask. Party brand in party colours,” Buckley Belanger, NDP deputy leader, said Friday. “It’s not appropriate, and the fact that the Sask. Party tried to quietly sneak this change through makes it obvious that the Sask. Party knows it’s doing something wrong.”
The light brown wheat sheaf logo has been used in official correspondence, news releases and other government documents since 1975. The sheaf is symbolic of the province’s agrarian heritage. In 2007, shortly after it was elected, the Saskatchewan Party attempted to replace the sheaf logo with a new one, but had to quickly drop it due to public backlash.
Sask. Party MLAs such as Arm River-Watrous’s Greg Brkich are mindful of that public outcry.
The province is still retaining the wheat sheaf as its official emblem on signs and such, Brkich said.
Although it is a recent addition to news releases and the website, Brkich said the government has been using the new logo for some time on material that is seen out-of-province.
Reports of local break ins double in 2012
The Craik detachment of the RCMP was a little bit busier in some areas and a lot less busy in others in 2012 compared to the previous year, while the Hanley detachment stayed on an even keel.
The number of break and enters reported or responded to by Craik RCMP went up to 15 incidents in 2012 from seven in 2011. Mischief to property stayed relatively the same at 29 cases in 2011 versus 30 in 2012. Assaults were cut in half in 2012 when only 14 were reported or responded to compared to 28 incidents in 2011. Assaults with a weapon or causing bodily harm went down by one in 2012 to two cases. There were no reports of aggravated assaults in either year.
The Hanley detachment once again had zeros across the board when it came to break and enters, mischief, assaults, assaults with a weapon or causing bodily harm and aggravated assaults, just as it did in 2011.
Cpl. Rob King, spokesperson for the RCMP, said the Craik and Hanley areas are normally very quiet and the numbers really don’t tell the whole story because they are variable.
“It’s impossible to explain why incidents go up or down,” said King. “One year you could have one house party where there are five assaults and that could bring the numbers up 50 per cent.”
Cyclones on a roll heading into January
The Davidson Cyclones senior men’s hockey team are making a push for a top two finish in the Long Lake Hockey League in a quest to avoid a first round league playoff as their focus shifts to the provincial championships that start later this month.
The Cyclones (7-6) have won four of their last five games, their most recent being a 7-5 win over the Nokomis Chiefs at home Dec. 29, to move up to fourth in the standings of the six-team league. If the Cyclones can make it into second place, they gain a bye through the first round of the league playoffs starting in early February, which gives them more of a chance in the provincial “C” championships which begin in late January.
The defending 2012 league and provincial “C” champions started off their hot streak with a win against the Watrous Winterhawks at home Dec. 14, followed by a 4-3 OT victory at LeRoy Dec. 21 against the Braves and bettered a day later with a 8-3 win versus the Lanigan Pirates. The Cyclones would suffer a set back against the Canucks in Drake Dec. 28 losing 5-2, but jumped back into the win column a day later at home against the Chiefs.
“Both teams were missing some guys, but it was an alright game,” said Cyclones head coach Jason Shaw about their win over the Chiefs. “The first period, there was no score, and then we got up 7-2 (in the second). The third period was lackluster on our part. It was 7-5, the final, but it’s a win.”
The ice appeared to be heavily tilted in the Cyclones favour during the first period as they peppered Chiefs goaltender Matt Shenher with shots from all areas of the offensive zone. Shenher held his ground making miraculous save after save during the first twenty minutes, but appeared to be out of gas by the start of the second.
“After scoring not too many goals in the last game, we were getting a little worried,” said Cyclones netminder Mark Zoerb. “Then in the second period it sure opened up for us. Usually once you get that (first) one by them, it seems to open everything up.”
To read more please see the Jan. 7 print edition of The Davidson Leader.
Refs trained to handle abuse
For the betterment of the game, Hockey Canada and the Saskatchewan Hockey Association (SHA) are trying to create an environment of respect for its officials whether that is a minor, elite or recreational showcase of the sport.
Ryan Lundquist, manager of officiating development with the SHA, said the association is trying to raise awareness of respect among officials, parents, coaches and players in hockey through advertising as well as supervision of the product on the ice. He said there are extra supervisors in the rinks at various times this season across Saskatchewan to monitor officials in how they react to abuse in an effort to resolve inconsistencies among the province’s referees.
Lundquist said there is a rule in place, namely 9.2 of Hockey Canada Referee’s Case Book/Rule Combination concerning “Harassment of Officials, Unsportsmanlike Conduct/Misconduct” that guides officials actions towards their conduct and that of the teams involved whether on or off the ice and in any place at the rink. He said this rule enables officials to call penalties on players or coaches that direct abuse in their way, but it is up to the individual discretion of a ref when to call a penalty.
As far as fans and parents abusing officials, the refs are generally advised to ignore them and focus on their own task at hand and not worry about what the motives of the people in the stands may be.
“Everybody is looking for somebody to blame because it’s easy,” said Lundquist. “Hockey Canada had a poster where there is an official dropping the puck between two kids and on the back of one kid it says ‘meal ticket’ and on the other player it says ‘daddy’s dream’ and then on the back of the ref it says ‘scapegoat.'”
He said it is also true that refs make mistakes as well, but everyone has to just remember minor leagues in hockey are learning leagues and the game on the ice that the fan is watching is somewhat new to the players, coaches and referees involved.
To read more please see the Jan. 7 print edition of The Davidson Leader.
Catton, Alta Pearl
Alta Pearl Catton was born on Dec. 16, 1916 on the Silverdale Stock Farm near Hanley. The sixth of nine children of Brooksbank and Lila Alta Catton, she spent almost her whole life in and around Hanley.
She went to school at Crescent View and Hanley schools then helped out on the family farm until she married Russ Richardson on Mar. 24, 1941 and moved to his farm near Strong Siding.
In 1944 they moved into town and remodeled a barn into a very comfortable, modern home where they lived and raised three strong, independent children. Alta was a full-time homemaker during these years, cooking and cleaning (her house was always spotless). She loved gardening and spending time in the yard. In later years she especially loved crocheting and won many awards at the local fairs for her precise work.
In 1957 the family moved to Hemet, California for a year, where Russ took on a building project to complete 15 small rental homes.
Alta and Russ divorced in 1970 and in the fall of 1972 Alta traveled all the way to Australia to spend a year with her son Ron and wife.
She moved into the seniors housing units in Hanley as soon as they were completed in the late seventies and lived there for more than 30 years.
Failing health forced her to move into Oliver Lodge in Saskatoon in 2010, but her health continued to deteriorate until she passed quietly on Dec 9, 2012, just one week short of her 96th birthday. A memorial service was held in Hanley on Dec. 14.
Alta is survived by her youngest sister Arlene and by her three children, Ron with wife Libby, daughter Linda, and son Don, as well as eight grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Vandenaweele, Kenneth
With unconditional love and sadness, the family of Ken Vandenaweele announces his passing. Ken was born on July 8, 1960 in Imperial, Saskatchewan. He passed away on December 29, 2012 at the Davidson Health Centre.
Ken was survived by his mother Alma and his wife of 28 years, Laurie-Lyn. Ken and Laurie-Lyn raised two daughters together, Charla and Cayla. He has a sister Theresa who is married to George.
Ken was predeceased by his father Jerome and his mother-in-law Olive Dean.
For the past 10 years Ken co-owned an auto body shop. He loved his work. Ken enjoyed building furniture for his family and he was the one to see when having computer problems.
Laurie-Lyn, Charla and Cayla would like to thank the staff at the Davidson Health Centre, with a special thank you to the head nurses. Thanks also goes to Dr. Lang and Hanson’s Funeral Home. Last, but not least, a thank you goes to the people who supported and stuck by Ken’s family from the very beginning.