Local News

According to an SGI press release, with the holiday season now underway, law enforcement across the province will be paying extra attention to impaired driving during December's month-long traffic safety blitz, Operation Overdrive.

Calls to Battlefords RCMP between 6 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 5 and Friday, Dec. 6 included several complaints of dangerous and erratic driving including complaints about drivers texting while driving.

The Battlefords News-Optimist/Regional Optimist is announcing the addition of a new columnist for online readers. Wartime Wednesdays is a weekly blog researched and written by Elinor Florence of Invermere, B.C.

North Battleford RCMP are requesting the public's assistance in identifying the man in this photo. The man is being sought in connection with an alleged Nov. 25 assault at a business on Territorial Drive North.

It was an average day for Battlefords RCMP as members responded to about 20 calls for service/occurrences between 6 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 4 and 6 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 5. Wednesday 7:53 a.m. - Complaint of threats being made.

Dec. 12 has been circled as the date on which a decision on sentencing will be handed down in the sexual abuse case against former Beauval Indian Residential School dormitory supervisor Paul Leroux.

The RCMP say impaired driving enforcement is being made a national priority.

A man guilty of sexual assault following two attacks on women on the North Battleford walking trail Sept. 28 will remain behind bars for the next 11 months.

The Snow Angels program is off to a strong start in North Battleford, according to city officials. The program is a feel-good recognition program designed to encourage neighbours to help out neighbours by shovelling their sidewalks this winter.

Battlefords RCMP report that a girl who ran away Tuesday at about 8 p.m. from a care home outing at Don Ross Hill Tuesday has been located.