Battlefords News-Optimist

If you asked average Canadian families what their largest expense is, many would probably say housing. And you can't blame them. Mortgage and rental payments are a painful monthly reminder of how much we pay for this basic necessity.

Catmint, a hardy perennial, is an excellent addition to the fall garden being at its showiest now, in September. As one would expect from the common name, catmints are members of the mint family. In fact the Latin genus name, Nepeta, means mint.

Gardens and art have been closely tied together for centuries.

Things have been a bit slow this summer. The annual indoor rodeo will be taking place Aug. 21-23 with the amateur bull riding taking place on the Thursday evening. Entries have been filled for this event.

Natural resource development is expensive. New projects in oil, gas and mining all require significant capital investments and companies need to wait five to 10 years before realizing a return. So Apache Corp.

A 29-year-old St. Walburg woman has been charged with possession for the purposeoftrafficking after 18 ounces of Ecstasy was seized from a residence in St. Walburg by Turtleford RCMP Thursday. RCMP say the drugs were seized at about 3 p.m.

The demolition of a Landis elevator has begun. Built in 1967, its demo began Aug. 8. See the related photo gallery for more photos.

Jensen White of Vawn, who attends H. Hardcastle School in Edam, was in Toronto in July to take part in the seventh Miss Teenage Canada pageant.

Dear Editor Let's imagine in 2011 you were appointed the sole UN observer of a democratic election in a country. You watched closely for bribing or bullying of voters and witnessed none. You declared it a fair election and yet you were perplexed.

More than people gathered at the Speers Recreation Centre the weekend of Aug. 1-3 for a Cunningham reunion. Family came from British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario and Copenhagen, Sweden.