Levi Kevin Reich, born Jan. 1, 2016 at 11:35 p.m., is Davidson’s New Year’s baby.
By Joel van der Veen
DAVIDSON — Levi Kevin Reich might have seemed like a long shot for Davidson’s New Year’s baby.
“We joked about having him as a New Year’s baby, but we didn’t think that would happen,” recalled his mother, Heather Puckett.
Levi wasn’t due until Feb. 11, but as it turns out, the joke was on his mom and dad.
Puckett went into labour around 6:30 p.m. on New Year’s Day, and five hours later, she delivered a healthy baby boy at Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon.
She was only 34 weeks into her pregnancy, so Levi’s early arrival came as a surprise to both her and his father, Trevor Reich.
As of last week, mother and child were doing well, although Levi was expected to stay a few extra days in the hospital’s neo-natal intensive care unit (NICU).
“They just want him to grow a little more,” explained Puckett. “They haven’t given us a definite date yet. It could be by the weekend, I’m not sure though.”
Levi arrived at 11:35 p.m., weighing 5 lbs., 14 oz., and measuring 20.5 inches. Despite the surprise, his mother reported a smooth delivery.
The child’s arrival marked a happy start to 2016 for his parents, grandparents and many extended family members in Davidson and area.
Levi’s grandparents are Fran and Tom Vanghel of Davidson, Stan Schneider of Bladworth, and Kevin and Lorraine Reich of Saskatoon.
His great-grandparents are Val Thurlow of Kenaston and Norbert and Elaine Reich of Davidson.
Levi has two older siblings: Carter, 5, and Jayla, 4. His father Trevor works at Legend Autobody and Paint in Davidson, while Heather is a stay-at-home mother. The family resides in the former Zeleny home on Government Road.
Levi joins an exclusive club of past Davidson’s New Year’s babies that includes Brad McLaren, Carl Johnson and David Beckie.
SASKATOON — John Koch, 50, pleaded guilty in Saskatoon provincial court Thursday to impaired driving causing the death of 25-year-old Danille Kerpan of Kenaston.
Koch’s lawyer entered a guilty plea to the charge of impaired driving causing death.
Koch was present, however, he did not appear before the court.
The matter was handled in minutes as the Crown and defence set a date of Jan. 18 for the next court appearance to arrange for a sentencing hearing.
Danille’s parents Allan and Melanie Kerpan of Kenaston, other family members and friends, who were court Thursday morning, immediately left the room.
Allan Kerpan said the proceedings were “slightly less dramatic” than they’d expected.
“It’s another step we have go through.”
On Oct. 10, 2014, Danille was driving south on Highway 11 to Davidson when her car was struck by a pickup truck heading north in the southbound lane near Bladworth.
Danille died at the scene. Koch was seriously injured and later charged with one count each of impaired driving causing death, operating a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol level above 0.08, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death and criminal negligence in the operation of a motor vehicle causing death.
On Thursday, as the Kerpans prepared to leave provincial court, outside a media scrum was taking place with members of the family of Jordan and Chanda Van De Vorst and their two children Kamryn, 5, and Miguire, 2.
The family of four was killed around 12:30 a.m. on Jan. 3 when their car was struck by an SUV north of Saskatoon on Highway 11. The SUV was crossing the Highway from Wanuskewin Road when it hit the Van De Vorsts’ car.
Catherine McKay had made a brief court appearance Thursday to answer to numerous charges relating to the death of the Van De Vorst family including four charges of impaired driving causing death.
As the Kerpans’ ordeal through the courts is about to wind down, another family’s is beginning.
“I offer them our condolences and they are welcome to give us a call. I would never have known how they could possibly feel prior to this happening to our family. You think you know, but you cannot possibly know the sorrow and the loss and the grief when you lose somebody, and theirs is times four,” Allan Kerpan said as a message from one grieving family to another, referring to the Van De Vorsts who had spoken to reporters moments before.
Kerpan said when he learned of the Van De Vorst family’s death he was overwhelmed with sadness.
“It renews the sadness and grief we’ve had with our case,” he said.
For the full story, please see the Jan. 11 edition of The Davidson Leader.
The STC bus bound for Regina is seen leaving the Davidson bus depot on Friday morning.
By Joel van der Veen
DAVIDSON — Bus patrons in Davidson will likely have to continue crossing Highway 11 each time they hitch a ride with the STC.
Despite the circulation of a petition asking the company to consider a new location for the Davidson bus depot, Candace Phelps said STC has no plans to do so.
“We currently have an excellent working relationship with the current agent,” Phelps, the company’s executive director of strategic planning and communications, told the Leader on Thursday.
The Esso station on the east side of Highway 11 currently serves as the local pickup and dropoff point for STC bus passengers, as well as parcels sent using the company’s delivery service.
Last week, a group of concerned residents began circulating a petition asking the company to consider moving the depot to a location within town.
“We feel that if the STC bus service is moved back into town limits, it would be utilized more by both the passengers and businesses receiving parcels,” states the petition.
The petition was initially placed at half a dozen businesses in Davidson, said Larry Packet, who was distributing copies on behalf of some of the customers of his coffee shop and restaurant.
Packet said the current location of the STC agency has been a sticking point for some of his clientele, adding, “They finally decided to do something about it.”
Longtime resident Maurice Merkosky said having the bus terminal on the other side of the highway is inconvenient, since many users rely on the bus because they can’t or don’t drive.
“It’s not handy for anyone in town,” he said. “Convenience is what it’s all about. . . We’re just thinking of the people of the Town of Davidson.”
Eldon Pederson said that when his brother takes the bus from Estevan to visit him here, he has to drive across four lanes of traffic to meet him.
Packet said some of his customers have complained that bus users, many of whom are seniors, have to find a ride to the bus stop or risk walking across the highway.
He said they intend to keep collecting signatures for a couple of weeks before presenting the results to STC.
Previously, the bus terminal was located at the now-defunct SM Gas and Convenience along the north entrance to Davidson.
After SM closed, the terminal moved out to the highway in January 2012, with services provided at the A&W fast food restaurant and Fast Toys for Boys. The terminal has been located at the Esso station since June 2015.
For the full story, please see the Jan. 11 edition of The Davidson Leader.
It is with sadness the family of Mary Folk announces her sudden passing.
Mary is survived by her loving family: children Janet Folk (Allan Burwell), Sharon Fowlie (Cyril), Don (Charlene), Lois Dueck (Larry) and Audrey MacDonald (Ken).
Mary also leaves to mourn her numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren, as well as many nieces, nephews and other family members.
Mary was predeceased by her husband Peter, sister Florence and brothers Clifford and Stanley.
A celebration of Mary’s life will be held at a later date in the spring of 2016.
For those so wishing, memorial donations in memory of Mary may be directed to the Davidson Swimming Pool Fund, cheques payable to the Town of Davidson.
Hanson’s Funeral Home was in care of arrangements.
It is with sadness the family of Rudy Thurlow announces his passing.
Rudy is survived by his wife Val; daughters Marion (Ross), Fran (Tom) and Carol; son Chris (Stephanie); daughter-in-law Leanne (Steve); numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren as well as his family from the Davidson Health Centre where he resided for the past 17 years.
Rudy was predeceased by his father Rodolf, mother Ruth, brother Geofrey, sisters Muriel and Leila and son Rudy Jr.
At Rudy’s request there will be a family service and burial at a later date.
For those so wishing, memorial donations in memory of Rudy may be directed to the Heartland Health Region Activities Department.
Hanson’s Funeral Home of Davidson was in care of arrangements.
Staff. Sgt. Greg Abbot of the Saskatoon RCMP detachment speaks to the crowd at Kenaston Place Dec. 15 as more than 80 local residents gathered to organize a search effort for missing Kenaston woman Sheree Fertuck.
By Joel van der Veen
KENASTON — With no sign of Sheree Fertuck more than a week after she was last seen, her brother said he and his family are still keeping up hope that she’ll be found soon.
“I gotta keep my head above the water,” Darren Sorotski said Tuesday at Kenaston Place, where more than 80 people gathered to discuss an organized search for Fertuck.
The Kenaston woman and mother of three has been missing since Dec. 7, when she was last seen around 1:30 p.m., leaving the family farmyard east of the village.
A semi truck used by Fertuck to haul gravel was found around 8 a.m. the following day at a gravel pit located off of Highway 15.
Searches undertaken by police, family and local residents since then have failed to turn up any trace of the 51-year-old woman.
Dozens of residents took part in the search effort last week, organizing into parties and combing the rural area east of the village.
Kenaston Place was serving as a registration and co-ordination centre for the search, with meals, water and coffee being provided for volunteers.
EMO co-ordinator Gene Whitehead said Tuesday that the volunteers would cover the area gradually, aiming to complete a thorough search.
“We don’t want to tire everybody out,” he told the group gathered at Kenaston Place. “We have a lot of areas we are covering.”
Staff Sgt. Greg Abbott of the Saskatoon RCMP detachment was present at Tuesday’s meeting, addressing the crowd several times.
He said the police are in full support of the community search efforts and offered guidance and suggestions to those involved.
“You’re looking for anything that can help us understand what happened,” said Abbott, “anything that looks suspicious.”
He advised anyone who finds anything suspicious to contact the search co-ordinators without compromising the scene, adding, “The intent is not to disturb anything that may be evidence to what happened.”
Abbott also said that safety is a priority, noting that the recently-fallen snow may mask the uneven terrain, leaving searchers vulnerable to stumbling over wells, pits or cisterns.
“I know you are all anxious to do whatever you can for the family, and for Sheree,” he said.
He told the crowd on Tuesday that he could not provide any information about the investigation into Fertuck’s disappearance, beyond what has already been made public.
Fertuck is the daughter of Juliann and the late Michael Sorotski of Kenaston, and was living and working from the family farm at the time of her disappearance.
After she was reported missing, the Saskatoon RCMP undertook a ground search of the area with assistance from the police dog unit and other RCMP units.
On Dec. 11, police released an update stating that the case was now being treated as suspicious, given that Sheree was “a person of habit and predictable behaviours.”
Local residents said Tuesday that Fertuck was a familiar face in the district and was regularly seen operating her truck on Highway 15.
“We all wish that this was different,” Whitehead said Tuesday night. “We have enough people to do a good job (of the search).”
Darren Sorotski said that the community has reached out in support in multiple ways since Fertuck’s disappearance, including delivery of hot meals to the family home.
He also spoke positively of the RCMP’s efforts.
Whitehead reminded the searchers to take their time, dress appropriately, take care when operating machinery and to be accountable so that organizers can keep track of who is taking part.
Anyone volunteering is required to check in at Kenaston Place at the start and end of each shift. Updates on the search effort are being provided online at kenaston.ca and through social media.
Search co-ordinators also issued a request to anyone who has not yet checked the wells, ditches, outbuildings and treed areas on their property, asking them to do so and then report same to Whitehead.
“As you work around the area, are loading or hauling grain, etc., please keep your eyes open for anything that looks out of place or suspect,” stated the request.
Fertuck is described as around 5’4″ in height and weighing around 250 lbs., with greying brown hair and blue eyes. She was last seen wearing grey sweatpants, a grey sweater and white running shoes.
Anyone with information on her disappearance is asked to contact the Saskatoon RCMP detachment at 306-975-5145 or Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
