All posts by Dan Senick

Prpick, ‘Bea’ Beatrice

It is with great sadness that the Family of ‘Bea’ Beatrice Prpick, announces her passing at the Davidson Health Centre on the Thanksgiving weekend, October 9, 2020.

She is lovingly remembered by her husband Stan ‘Bud’ Prpick, of nearly 62 years and her six children and their families: Vonné (Everett) Johnson, Renée Prpick White, Tom (Gail) Prpick, Rocky
(Christina) Prpick, Tracy (Brent) Bergen, Stephanie Prpick-Boss (Stephen Boss) and her twelve grandchildren and three great grandchildren.

Bea is also survived by her only sister, Marg Thompson, sister-in-law, Janet Prpick and many nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her parents, Cornelius ‘Neil’ & Ethel Cooney and many in-laws, including Emil & Anna Prpich.

Bea was born in Tisdale, Sask. 87 years ago. She was raised on the Salm Family Homestead, south of Valpraiso, Sk. – it was 3 generations of her family living and working together on the farm. She has one sister – Marg, who would be her life-long best friend! Together they attended Arpsville country school and they also played sports together … the girls excelled in Ball, Hockey and Tennis, winning many championships.

The Cooney’s were a very ‘close knit’ family and enjoyed time together at the lake, sporting events, the Fairs and many family gatherings.

After High School, Bea moved to Saskatoon to pursue a nursing
career rooted in St Paul’s Hospital School of Nursing. Upon graduation as a Registered Nurse, Bea worked at St Paul’s Hospital for a year. In 1957, she and her new forever friend, Madeline Dierker, set out on an adventure and moved to California where they worked as nurses at St John’s Hospital in Santa Monica.

Bud & Bea met in 1953 when they were both attendants at a family
wedding in the Bladworth area. The couple were married November 15, 1958 and then moved to their farm north of Davidson, Sk. This would be where Bud & Bea would live, farm and raise their family of 6 children.

They lived a full life rooted in family, friends and Christian values. They were dedicated members of Davidson’s Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church and she was a faithful CWL member for 56 years.

The Prpick farm was a busy place; Bea always had a big garden and cooked endlessly for her large ‘bunch’. She was a busy mother who took her ‘Motherly’ role very much to heart but she was equally the ‘Fun’ Mom. She had a quick sense of humor and loved to laugh. Bea attended so many of her kids’ activities and sporting events, often with a cooler full of food to share.

The Prpicks’ were regulars at the RINK. Hockey has been an ongoing
love for generations. Bea played hockey, she was a goalie. She thoroughly enjoyed watching her sons and grand kids play the game.

Then the weddings began to happen and the Prpick Family Tree
would grow again with the addition of grandchildren: Kaden, Erik, Ian & Quinlyn Johnson, Rockwell & Danika White, Dean & Bryce Prpick, Nate Bergen and Lexi, Eve & Joe Boss.

She was a very proud grandmother who attended many of their activities. ‘Nan’ was thrilled when she became a great grandmother to Wyndsor Bea & Sutton Johnson and Harvey Prpick.

Bea & Bud built their new home and moved into town in 2011. The
couple continued to be blessed with wonderful neighbours. Bea’s family and friends were always welcome and her generous personality drew many different people, of all ages, to her. She was gentle and loving, but she was also strong and resilient as she faced challenges with her health this past few years. Her brave, positive attitude showed us her character and she practiced her Faith as she persevered.

Bea’s Funeral Mass followed Covid-19 guidelines, and was held
October 16, 2020 at Davidson’s Sacred Heart Church. Father Joseph Thazhathemuriyil officiated, organist Mary Jane Morrison accompanied soloist Karen Reich, who beautifully sang some of Mom’s favorite hymns.

Prior to the service a poem was written and read by granddaughter Eve Boss followed by a Tribute given by her 3 eldest grandsons: Kaden & Erik Johnson and Dean Prpick. Interment followed in Kenaston, Sk at St. Andrew’s Catholic Cemetery.

BEA PRPICK , A GENEROUS SOUL WHO LAUGHED OFTEN
AND LOVED MUCH – HER LIFE IS A BEAUTIFUL MEMORY.

RIGGALL, Larry Edmund

1940-2020

The passing of Larry Riggall, of Elbow, Sask. occurred on Wednesday, October 21, 2020 at his home in Elbow, at the age of 79 years.

Larry was born on December 2, 1940 at Balgonie, Sask. Larry worked in the Oil Industry in Calgary, Edmonton and Medicine Hat, AB. They moved to Elbow, Sask. in 2008. There he loved to play golf at Elbow and surrounding courses and fish on Lake Diefenbaker.

Music played a large part in Larry’s life. He played in the Regina high school band and then in a dance band. After retiring to Elbow, together with his wife Donna, they travelled to numerous surrounding small towns to entertain the residents in seniors’ homes with piano duets. Joining the Line 19 Community Choir was a natural for Larry as he had a wonderful singing voice. Never short of
words, Larry always had a new story from the past to add to conversations. His keen interest in technology was ever present.

He left his mark in Elbow’s Community Urban Orchard with the casting of concrete leaves used for signage in the orchard and in the peace garden. Larry’s sense of humour coupled with a ready smile and laugh will be missed by many.

Larry is lovingly remembered by his wife, Donna; two sons, Cory Riggall and Kelly Riggall (Kiersten & Megan); three sisters-in-law, Lynn (Roger) Sabourin, Peggy (Mahdee) Raies-Dana, and Joanne Riggall; brother-in-law, Ken Bobrowski; stepson, Darren Keck; and
numerous nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents, Wesley & Mabel Riggall; brother, Murray Riggall; and by his sister, Marilyn (Ed) Dunnison.

A graveside service was held on Friday, October 30, 2020 at 2:00 pm at the Elbow Cemetery, Elbow, Sask. with Rev. Ursula Wiig officiating. Social distancing and masks will be required.

Memorial donations may be made to: A charity of one’s choice.

Arrangements are in care of the Outlook Funeral Chapel 306-867-8255.

COVID-19 Update: 74 New Cases, 34 in Hospital, 14 Recoveries

There are 74 new cases of COVID-19 to report in Saskatchewan on November 2, 2020, bringing the provincial total to date to 3,292 cases.  The new cases are located in the Far North West (1), North West (5), North Central (22), North East (1), Saskatoon (18), Central West (1), Central East (1), and Regina (14) zones.

Eleven of cases reported today have pending residence locations.  One case reported October 21 has been assigned to the North West zone.

Of the 3,292 reported cases, 858 are considered active. A total of 2,409 people have recovered.

Thirty-four people are in hospital.  Twenty-seven people are receiving inpatient care; two in the North West, seven in the North Central, one in the North East, 11 in the Saskatoon and six in the Regina zone.  Seven people are in intensive care; two in the North Central, four in Saskatoon and one in Regina.

Of the 3,292 cases in the province:

  • 371 cases are travelers;
  • 1,581 are community contacts (including mass gatherings);
  • 801 have no known exposures; and
  • 539 are under investigation by local public health.

Overall in Saskatchewan to date:

  • 101 cases are healthcare workers; however, the source of the infections may not be related to healthcare in all instances.
  • 661 cases involve people 19 years of age and under, while the remainder are adults.
  • 1,207 cases are in the 20-39 age range; 929 are in the 40-59 age range; 412 are in the 60-79 age range; and 83 are in the 80-plus range.
  • 50 per cent of the cases are females and 50 per cent are males.
  • 25 deaths related to COVID-19 have been reported to date.
  • There are:
    • 845 cases from the Saskatoon area
    • 671 cases from the north area (204 north west, 328 north central, 139 north east)
    • 504 cases from the south area (230 south west, 215 south central, 59 south east)
    • 446 cases from the far north area (392 far north west, 0 far north central, 54 far north east)
    • 428 cases from the Regina area
    • 385 cases from the central area (197 central west, 188 central east)
    • Total, 13 cases have pending residence location

To date, 268,166 COVID-19 tests have been performed in Saskatchewan.  As of October 29, 2020 when other provincial and national numbers were available, Saskatchewan’s per capita rate was 176,818 people tested per million population.  The national rate was 251,039 people tested per million population.

Yesterday, 2,363 COVID-19 tests were performed in Saskatchewan.

Drive-Thru COVID-19 Testing Available in Yorkton

The Saskatchewan Health Authority has established a drive-thru COVID testing site for Yorkton, in addition to the drive-thru options in Regina and Saskatoon:

Yorkton – 276 Myrtle Avenue
Monday to Friday 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Regina – International Trade Centre at Evraz Place – Hall C, 1700 Elphinstone Street
Sunday to Saturday – 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Saskatoon – 3630 Thatcher Avenue
Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays – 12 p.m. – 7:15 p.m.
Saturdays and Sundays – 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.

A valid Saskatchewan Health Card will be required for each person getting tested.  A Canadian Armed Forces number or Interim Federal Health identification will also be accepted.  Individuals from out of province will require a valid provincial health card from their province of residence.

You will be required to wear a mask during the registration process.

The drive-thru sites will be first come, first served so there may be some wait times.  You must wait in your vehicle.  There are no public washrooms available at these sites.

Further information on testing is available at https://www.saskatchewan.ca/government/health-care-administration-and-provider-resources/treatment-procedures-and-guidelines/emerging-public-health-issues/2019-novel-coronavirus/testing-information.

A referral for testing can be made by contacting HealthLine 811, your physician or nurse practitioner.  If you require urgent care, call 911.

Further information on testing, including drive-thru testing locations, is available at www.saskatchewan.ca/covid19-testing.

General COVID-19 Information

General public inquiries may be directed to COVID19@health.gov.sk.ca.

Find the most up-to-date version of the Re-Open Saskatchewan plan at www.saskatchewan.ca/re-open.

COVID-19 Update: 78 New Cases, 29 in Hospital, 81 Recoveries

There are 78 new cases of COVID-19 to report in Saskatchewan on October 31, 2020, bringing the total to 3,144 cases.  The new cases are located in the Far North West (2), North West (3), North Central (7), North East (6), Saskatoon (41), Central East (1), and Regina (18) zones.

Public health investigations are underway to determine the source of transmission for all new cases.  Of the 3,144 reported cases, 739 are considered active.  A total of 2,380 people have recovered.

Twenty-nine people are in hospital.  Twenty-three people are receiving inpatient care; two in the North West, six in the North Central zone, one in the North East zone, eight in the Saskatoon zone and six in the Regina zone.  Six people are in intensive care; one in the North Central zone, four in Saskatoon and one in Regina.

Of the 3,144 cases in the province:

  • 364 cases are travelers;
  • 1,546 are community contacts (including mass gatherings);
  • 793 have no known exposures; and
  • 441 are under investigation by local public health.

Overall in Saskatchewan to date:

  • 99 cases are healthcare workers; however, the source of the infections may not be related to healthcare in all instances.
  • 623 cases involve people 19 years of age and under, while the remainder are adults.
  • 1,146 cases are in the 20-39 age range; 887 are in the 40-59 age range; 406 are in the 60-79 age range; and 82 are in the 80-plus range.
  • 51 per cent of the cases are females and 49 per cent are males.
  • 25 deaths related to COVID-19 have been reported to date.
  • There are:
    • 802 cases from the Saskatoon area
    • 624 cases from the north area (193 north west, 294 north central, 137 north east)
    • 500 cases from the south area (229 south west, 215 south central, 56 south east)
    • 440 cases from the far north area (386 far north west, 0 far north central, 54 far north east)
    • 381 cases from the central area (196 central west, 185 central east)
    • 395 cases from the Regina area
    • Two cases have pending residence location

To date, 263,053 COVID-19 tests have been performed in Saskatchewan.  As of October 29, 2020 when other provincial and national numbers were available, Saskatchewan’s per capita rate was 176,818 people tested per million population.  The national rate was 251,039 people tested per million population.

Yesterday, 2,720 COVID-19 tests were performed in Saskatchewan.

Halloween

If you participate in Halloween activities, do so safely. For all age groups, consider gathering outdoors, or virtually, if possible.  Saskatchewan’s case numbers continue to rise with parties and gatherings in private settings, bars and nightclubs linked to further case escalations.  Gatherings must be kept as small as possible or connect virtually.

For young adults: Don’t host or attend large events that exceed gathering size limits.  This includes house parties and public events.  It is strongly recommended that if you are going to a nightclub or bar, visit one location only and keep your group small. Pub crawls are strongly discouraged.

For teens and parents: Parents are advised to strongly discourage their teens from hosting or attending Halloween parties that exceed current size limits.

For parents of younger children: please follow Halloween Trick-or-Treating guidelines (including door-to-door and Mall/Retail Trick-or-Treating) Haunted Houses and Pumpkin Patches, and visit https://www.saskatchewan.ca/covid19-halloween.

Activities that do not follow public health orders or Reopen Saskatchewan Guidelines have been shown to be possible “superspreaders” and hosts/businesses can be fined under The Public Health Act, 1994.

It is recommended that all bars/nightclubs/licensed establishments take names and contact information of all patrons to assist contact tracing in the event of possible transmission.

Nightclubs

Saskatoon nightclub owners/managers are reminded of the public health order now in effect.

  • The consumption of alcohol in all nightclubs is prohibited from the hours of 10 p.m. to 9:30 a.m. for all persons, including patrons, staff, and owners;
  • Nightclubs must be closed to patrons at 11 p.m. until at least 9:30 a.m. the following day.  Takeout food services are permitted.

All nightclubs in Saskatchewan are to adhere to the following guidelines:

  • Six patrons to a table or booth.
  • Static seated groupings – no mingling among groups/tables.
  • Karaoke and dance floors remain prohibited.
  • Business owners and operators must ensure physical distancing within their establishments.
  • As outlined in the Re-open Saskatchewan Guidelines, mask use is required for staff. It is strongly encouraged for patrons until they are seated.

It is recommended that all bars/nightclubs/licensed establishments in Saskatchewan take names and contact information of all patrons to assist contact tracing in the event of possible transmission.

If there is conflict between the Re-Open Saskatchewan Guidelines and the Public Health Order, the requirements under the Public Health Order prevail. Owners/event planners/hosts are encouraged to reach out to the Business Response Team for advice if they have further questions.

COVID-19 Testing

A referral for testing can be made by contacting HealthLine 811, your physician or nurse practitioner. If you require urgent care, call 911.

Further information on testing, including drive-thru testing locations, is available at www.saskatchewan.ca/covid19-testing.

General COVID-19 Information

General public inquiries may be directed to COVID19@health.gov.sk.ca.

Find the most up-to-date version of the Re-Open Saskatchewan plan at www.saskatchewan.ca/re-open.

COVID-19 Update: 76 New Cases, 22 in Hospital, 41 Recoveries

There are 76 new cases of COVID-19 to report in Saskatchewan on October 30, 2020, bringing the total to 3,066 cases. The new cases are located in the Far North West (2), North West (2), North Central (19), North East (4), Saskatoon (34), Central East (4), Regina (7), South Central (2) and South East (2) zones.

Public health investigations are underway to determine the source of transmission for all new cases. Initial investigations in Saskatoon and Prince Albert are finding that some new cases are linked to known cases and clusters, and some appear to be unknown community transmissions. 

Of the 3,066 reported cases, 742 are considered active. A total of 2,299 people have recovered.

Twenty-two people are in hospital. Sixteen people are receiving inpatient care; one in the Far North West, four in the North Central zone, one in the North East zone, six in the Saskatoon zone and four in the Regina zone. Six people are in intensive care; one in the North Central zone, four in Saskatoon and one in Regina.

Of the 3,066 cases in the province:

  • 362 cases are travelers;
  • 1,514 are community contacts (including mass gatherings);
  • 781 have no known exposures; and
  • 409 are under investigation by local public health.

Overall in Saskatchewan to date:

  • 98 cases are healthcare workers; however, the source of the infections may not be related to healthcare in all instances.
  • 611 cases involve people 19 years of age and under, while the remainder are adults.
  • 1,112 cases are in the 20-39 age range; 864 are in the 40-59 age range; 398 are in the 60-79 age range; and 81 are in the 80-plus range.
  • 51 per cent of the cases are females and 49 per cent are males.
  • 25 deaths related to COVID-19 have been reported to date.
  • There are:
    • 761 cases from the Saskatoon area
    • 608 cases from the north area (190 north west, 287 north central, 131 north east)
    • 500 cases from the south area (229 south west, 215 south central, 56 south east)
    • 438 cases from the far north area (384 far north west, 0 far north central, 54 far north east)
    • 380 cases from the central area (196 central west, 184 central east)
    • 377 cases from the Regina area
    • Two cases have pending residence location

To date, 260,333 COVID-19 tests have been performed in Saskatchewan. As of October 28, 2020 when other provincial and national numbers were available, Saskatchewan’s per capita rate was 175,574 people tested per million population. The national rate was 249,367* people tested per million population. 

*National rate – testing numbers for Alberta have been updated retrospectively which accounts for the approximate 10,000 difference from yesterday.

Yesterday, 2,190 COVID-19 tests were performed in Saskatchewan.

Halloween
Remember: if you are going to participate in Halloween activities, do so safely. Don’t attend or host large events that exceed gathering size limits under current public health orders or Reopen Saskatchewan Guidelines. This includes house parties, public events and pub crawls. Activities that do not follow public health orders or Reopen Saskatchewan Guidelines have been shown to be possible “superspreaders” and hosts/businesses can be fined under The Public Health Act, 1994.

For guidelines regarding Halloween Trick-or-Treating (including door-to-door and Mall/Retail Trick-or-Treating) Haunted Houses and Pumpkin Patches, visit https://www.saskatchewan.ca/covid19-halloween.

Nightclubs

Saskatoon nightclub owners/managers are reminded of the public health order now in effect.

  • The consumption of alcohol in all nightclubs is prohibited from the hours of 10 p.m. to 9:30 a.m. for all persons, including patrons, staff, and owners;
  • Nightclubs must be closed to patrons at 11 p.m. until at least 9:30 a.m. the following day. Takeout food services are permitted.

All nightclubs in Saskatchewan are to adhere to the following guidelines:

  • Six patrons to a table or booth.
  • Static seated groupings – no mingling among groups/tables.
  • Karaoke and dance floors remain prohibited. 
  • Business owners and operators must ensure physical distancing within their establishments. 
  • As outlined in the Re-open Saskatchewan Guidelines, mask use is required for staff. It is strongly encouraged for patrons until they are seated.

It is recommended that all bars/nightclubs/licensed establishments in Saskatchewan take names and contact information of all patrons to assist contact tracing in the event of possible transmission.

If there is conflict between the Re-Open Saskatchewan Guidelines and the Public Health Order, the requirements under the Public Health Order prevail. Owners/event planners/hosts are encouraged to reach out to the Business Response Team for advice if they have further questions.

COVID-19 Testing

A referral for testing can be made by contacting HealthLine 811, your physician or nurse practitioner. If you require urgent care, call 911.

Further information on testing, including drive-thru testing locations, is available at www.saskatchewan.ca/covid19-testing.

General COVID-19 Information

General public inquiries may be directed to COVID19@health.gov.sk.ca.

Find the most up-to-date version of the Re-Open Saskatchewan plan at www.saskatchewan.ca/re-open.

COVID-19 Update: 82 New Cases, 20 in Hospital, 41 Recoveries

There are 82 new cases of COVID-19 to report in Saskatchewan on October 29, 2020, bringing the total to 2,990 cases.  The new cases are located in the North West (6), North Central (11), North East (3), Saskatoon (37), Central East (7), Regina (13), South West (1), South Central (2) and South East (2) zones.

Public health investigations are underway to determine the source of transmission for all new cases.  Of the 2,990 reported cases, 707 are considered active.  A total of 2,258 people have recovered.

Twenty people are in hospital.  Fourteen people are receiving inpatient care; four in the North Central zone, one in the North East zone, six in the Saskatoon zone and three in the Regina zone.  Six people are in intensive care; one in the North Central zone, four in Saskatoon and one in Regina.

Of the 2,990 cases in the province:

  • 358 cases are travelers;
  • 1,473 are community contacts (including mass gatherings);
  • 761 have no known exposures; and
  • 398 are under investigation by local public health.

Overall in Saskatchewan to date:

  • 94 cases are healthcare workers; however, the source of the infections may not be related to healthcare in all instances.
  • 603 cases involve people 19 years of age and under, while the remainder are adults.
  • 1,075 cases are in the 20-39 age range; 843 are in the 40-59 age range; 389 are in the 60-79 age range; and 80 are in the 80-plus range.
  • 51 per cent of the cases are females and 49 per cent are males.
  • 25 deaths related to COVID-19 have been reported to date.
  • There are:
    • 727 cases from the Saskatoon area
    • 583 cases from the north area (188 north west, 268 north central, 127 north east)
    • 496 cases from the south area (229 south west, 213 south central, 54 south east)
    • 436 cases from the far north area (382 far north west, 0 far north central, 54 far north east)
    • 376 cases from the central area (196 central west, 180 central east)
    • 370 cases from the Regina area
    • Two cases have pending residence location

To date, 258,143 COVID-19 tests have been performed in Saskatchewan.  As of October 27, 2020 when other provincial and national numbers were available, Saskatchewan’s per capita rate was 174,383 people tested per million population.  The national rate was 259,467 people tested per million population.

Yesterday, 2,061 COVID-19 tests were performed in Saskatchewan.

Nightclubs

Yesterday, the Chief Medical Health Officer announced a new Public Health Order (PHO) for nightclubs in the City of Saskatoon.  The order was made following multiple outbreaks associated with night clubs in Saskatoon.  The need to restrict activities in these establishments is necessary to prevent ongoing transmission of the COVID-19 virus.

Below are two points of clarification:

  • For the purposes of this order, a “nightclub” means an establishment at which the main activities are selling liquor and providing music to which patrons can dance.
  • This order is not intended to capture lounges, pubs, restaurants, or liquor manufacturing facilities that have tasting rooms.

This order will come into effect on Friday, October 30 at 9:00 am.

The new order states:

  • The consumption of alcohol in all nightclubs is prohibited from the hours of 10 p.m. to 9:30 a.m. for all persons, including patrons, staff, and owners;

Nightclubs must be closed to patrons at 11 p.m. until at least 9:30 a.m. the following day.  Takeout food services are permitted.

The existing order also requires all nightclubs in Saskatchewan to adhere to the following guidelines:

  • Six patrons to a table or booth.
  • Static seated groupings – no mingling among groups/tables.
  • Karaoke and dance floors remain prohibited.
  • Business owners and operators must ensure physical distancing within their establishments.
  • As outlined in the Re-open Saskatchewan Guidelines, mask use is required for staff.  It is strongly encouraged for patrons until they are seated.

It is recommended that all bars/nightclubs/licensed establishments in Saskatchewan take names and contact information of all patrons to assist contact tracing in the event of possible transmission.

If there is conflict between the Re-Open Saskatchewan Guidelines and the Public Health Order, the requirements under the Public Health Order prevail.  Owners/event planners/hosts are encouraged to reach out to the Business Response Team for advice if they have further questions.

Business Response Team:

Phone: 1-844-800-8688
Email: supportforbusiness@gov.sk.ca 
Website: www.saskatchewan.ca/covid19-businesses

Establishments that serve liquor in Saskatoon and across the province are urged to remain vigilant in their compliance with the Public Health Order and the Re-open Saskatchewan Guidelines.

REMINDER: Activities that do not follow public health orders or Re-open Saskatchewan Guidelines have been shown to be possible “superspreaders” and hosts/businesses can be fined under the The Public Health Act, 1994 for failing to follow guidelines.

Weekly Reporting of Testing Numbers and Cases for Youth

Monitoring the trends of COVID-19 cases in school-aged children, the weekly report of cases and testing numbers for children aged 0-19 with data by age categories and testing positivity rates has been posted for the week of October 19-25 at www.saskatchewan.ca/COVID19-Safe-Schools-Plan.  Reports will be published Thursdays.

COVID-19 Testing

A referral for testing can be made by contacting HealthLine 811, your physician or nurse practitioner. If you require urgent care, call 911.

Further information on testing, including drive-thru testing locations, is available at www.saskatchewan.ca/covid19-testing.

General COVID-19 Information

General public inquiries may be directed to COVID19@health.gov.sk.ca.

Find the most up-to-date version of the Re-Open Saskatchewan plan at www.saskatchewan.ca/re-open.