Estevan Mercury

The Estevan TS&M Bruins kicked off the 2014 portion of their regular season schedule on the weekend, earning a win and a tie at home. The bantam AA club drew 3-3 with the Regina Foxes on Saturday, then defeated the Moose Jaw Warriors 4-1 on Sunday.

The influenza season started later than usual this time around and is now in full swing across Saskatchewan, including the southeast area according to information released by the Sun Country Health Region late last week.

The annual alumni game between the Estevan Bruins and the Weyburn Red Wings is a tribute to the long history of both clubs.

Some of the challenges that have plagued the Sun Country Health Region remain intact.

A theft, a couple of incidents involving obstruction of police officers and a number of policing interventions summed up most of the major activities of the Estevan Police Service (EPS) during the last few days of 2013 and the first days of 2014.

A young offender was sentenced following an unprovoked attack that left a young man in hospital requiring surgery.

The Estevan Bruins' alumni have held onto the Challenge Cup for the most part since their annual showdown against the Weyburn Red Wings' alumni began, and that continued this year.

Saskatchewan's education system is going through some watershed experiences heading into the new year. The South East Cornerstone Public School Division will definitely be influenced by what comes down the pipe of learning.

The Estevan detachment of the RCMP has a new leader with the arrival of Sgt. Cate Rigaux who assumed the duties in early December. Her 16-year career in the RCMP has taken her through B.C. and Alberta and now into Saskatchewan.

One of the few givens in life is change. But the City of Estevan took that to an extreme in 2013 as it went through a raft of changes to both personnel and policies.