Estevan Mercury

The Government of Saskatchewan has announced a plan to further ease visitor restrictions in long-term care and personal care homes in alignment with the three steps of the Re-opening Roadmap.

The number of active cases of COVID-19 in South East Zone 4 slightly dropped. According to the May 20 COVID-19 update, there were 146 new cases of COVID-19 in Saskatchewan, with 12 in the South East region.

Estevan fire crews were called to the northcentral area of the city Tuesday night regarding an electrical hazard. The call came in at about 10:30 p.m. The report stated that an electrical hazard and smoke were occurring in a house.

Effective 8 a.m. on May 20, eligibility in the provincial age-based immunization program for first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine moves to 12 years of age and up for the entire province.

A special air quality statement has been issued by Environment Canada for southeast Saskatchewan, due to smoke originating from intense wildfires over southern Manitoba. That smoke is expected to drift into southeast Saskatchewan Thursday.

Garnet Jess would have normally spent his winter months vacationing in Mesa, Ariz., with his wife. But because of the COVID-19 pandemic, that couldn’t happen this year.

The past year prevented the young Southeast Saskatchewan Search and Rescue (SESKSAR) chapter from many of the regular activities they would have otherwise.

Cheers: Cheers to the Estevan Wildlife Federation for organizing the fishing derby on Boundary Dam this month. Yes, it was a cool and windy day, but it was still nice to spend the day out on the water, enjoying something that can be done safely.

The Bow Valley Jamboree, a longstanding annual live music event, is returning to Oxbow this August. The event will take place on Aug. 7 at the beautiful Bow Valley Theatre south of Oxbow.

Westview School and the Estevan Salvation Army are teaming up on a new program that is benefitting students at the school. A lunch program sees the Salvation Army supply lunches to anywhere from 22-26 students who are from lower income families.