Battlefords News-Optimist

The Battlefords Midget Stars hosted the Swift Current Legionnaires on the weekend and had a chance to leap frog them and the Saskatoon Blazers in the Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League, but failed to do so.

The Battlefords North Stars created some space between themselves and the Flin Flon Bombers with back-to-back wins coming Thursday against Estevan and Saturday in Nipawin. The North Stars won 5-4 at the Civic Centre Thursday.

The recent snowfall may have some people singing, "It's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you." Feb. 12, they'll be singing "Giddy up, giddy up, giddy up, let's go," as the fourth annual Cutter Rally comes to the Battlefords.

Budding young hockey players will have a tough time making it to the NHL if they don't pull up their socks and learn how to skate better, that according to Calgary's Institute for Hockey Research.

Saskatchewan - it is a hockey hotbed which has produced 477 NHLers, and whether that includes the likes of Jason Herter of Hafford, who played one game, or Gordie Howe, who played 1,767, there is no doubt Saskatchewanians know and love hockey.

Maidstone Museum Board charity poker event Jan. 14, once again produced an evening of fun and laughter. Twenty contestants braved the cold and snow to participate and enjoy home cooked beef on a bun.

North Battleford had a year for building permits in 2010, with final numbers beating 2009 in both numbers of permits and permit values.

The Saskatchewan Municipal Board's Local Government Committee has granted the City of North Battleford's request to increase its debt limit from $31 million to $45 million.

The incident that shut down F.E. Holliday water treatment plant and sent two workers to hospital was still on councillors' minds at Monday's North Battleford municipal services meeting.

The Neilburg Recreation Board held a Christmas tree draw with 15 winners of $15.