Battlefords News-Optimist

With more provincial COVID-19 restrictions now in place, the Battlefords Chamber of Commerce won’t have a lot of opportunity to put on large-scale events early in 2021.

Discovery Co-op says when Battlefords Big Brothers Big Sisters put the call on Facebook to Ignite a Sparkle into the community, they couldn’t resist! The Discovery Co-op Kids Club Christmas elves quickly went to work putting together 25 Co-op Christm

Following an investigation by the Saskatoon Police Service General Investigations Section, eight persons have been identified as key participants of a protest that took place in Saskatoon on Dec. 19.

Dec. 22, the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) announced that they have received a notice of authorization from Health Canada to initiate a Phase 1 clinical vaccine trial.

Inmates housed in the medium-security unit of Saskatchewan Penitentiary are alleging a lack of access to cleaning supplies and growing frustration as a COVID-19 outbreak keeps them confined to their cells for 23 and a half hours per day.

Five residents who tested positive for COVID-19 have died. Two deaths in the 70-79 age group were in the Regina (2) zone. Three deaths in the 80+ age group were in the North West (1), Central East (1) and Regina (1) zones.

On Dec. 22, at approximately 6:45 p.m., an off-duty Battlefords RCMP officer noticed a suspicious vehicle parked at a local gas station. The officer further recognized the people in the vehicle as being prolific offenders in the community.

At their last council meeting of the year on Dec. 14, North Battleford city council discussed a request by Holy Family School to flood their new outdoor skating rink.

On Dec. 16, owners of Styles Plus, Joyce Smith and Shirley Maze, dropped by Battlefords District Care Centre with a special donation of over 60 new pieces of clothing.

A major project is on the long-term horizon in Battleford and that is expansion of the Battleford Arena. Council heard from director of parks and recreation Jordan Schechtel about the arena expansion at a recent town council meeting.