Battlefords News-Optimist

An Alberta truck driver is free after a 12-person jury acquitted him Tuesday of second-degree murder. Gordon Dwight Hurley, 46, was re-tried in connection to the strangulation death of 20-year-old Jarita Naistus in a Lloydminster motel room in 2005.

Friday began with all 16 teams that qualified for the 2011 SaskTel Tankard, but at the end of the four draws at the Civic Centre only nine teams remain and one has qualified for the page playoff game Saturday.

Winning teams are most often described as having good chemistry and it's all about leadership from the top down.

Two North Battleford schools, Cando Community School and a Paynton artist have been awarded a total of $28,000 in grants by the Saskatchewan Arts Board.

The City of North Battleford is fed up with drivers who insist on driving around safety barricades. City officials indicate those who drive around barricades will have their driver information forwarded to the RCMP.

A million dollar contribution to Saskatchewan's food banks by PotashCorp is being welcomed by food banks all across the province, including the Battlefords.

On a surviving patch of ancient grassland not far from my home is a place where two artists live and create. The three principal structures on the site are former churches.

Happy New Year from Swift Mount Light Horse 4-H Club Unit One. We ended 2010 and began 2011 with a bang. The Unit One members have been busy with project meetings, making halters and developing their record books. Dec. 11, we had our Christmas party.

Despite reports of voter tampering and an RCMP investigation connected to last week's credit union merger vote at Synergy Credit Union, the results stand.

As the intemperate, gloomy, dark days of winter continue to curtail the activities of many individuals, the Medstead Library is offering a wealth of warmth to those traversing its portals.