LMT May 14 2018

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4 Monday, May 14, 2018 • Last Mountain Times World Migratory Bird Day Reminds us to help protect birds all year long World Migratory Bird Day was celebrated on May 12th. There is nothing that says “spring” more than the song of birds, starting an hour before sunrise, waking you from your sleep, and getting you into an argument with your partner about whether bird song is a good thing or not. Well, in case you had any doubts, we at Nature Canada are on the side of the birds (and those who love them). Bird migration is part of the Canadian fabric. Every fall, nearly 80 percent of the species and over 95 percent of the individual birds leave our borders to fly south where there is adequate food and shelter to sustain them. The survivors return in the spring, when nature withdraws her cloak of snow and ice and food becomes abundant enough for the birds to raise a brood or two. It’s an amazing, mystical phenomenon that we still don’t fully understand. It deserves celebration! Sadly, the spring chorus is not like it used to be as more and more of our bird species are pushed to the brink by human actions. A recent 2018 State of the World’s Birds Report published by Birdlife International confirms 40 percent of the world’s 11,000 bird species are in decline, and one in eight bird species is threatened with global extinction. Two Canadian provincial emblems, the Snowy Owl (Quebec) and the Atlantic Puffin (Newfoundland – Labrador) are now globally threatened with extinction. More than one-third of North America’s native bird species need urgent conservation action. Among them are the musical Wood Thrush, Bobolink, and the Canada Warbler. Can you imagine these birds disappearing forever? In Canada, over 65 percent of designated Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas lack legal protection, leaving these areas and birds vulnerable to industrial development, intensive agriculture and urban sprawl. These factors, combined with generic threats in wintering grounds and along migration routes like domestic cats and windows, are just a few of the reasons why Nature Canada partners with the Environment for the Americas to promote and celebrate World Migratory Bird Day. There were dozens of local events across the country put on by local nature groups. More information on this year’s World Migratory Bird Day celebration events can be found at birdday.ca. This year’s theme of “Conservation” focuses on the actions you can take to help birds right in your backyard, 365 days of the year. -by Ted Cheskey, Naturalist Director, Nature Canada Scrutinize government actions Dear Editor, Have you heard about the Regina Bypass land scandal? There’s a good chance you probably haven’t, because the Regina Highway No.1 Bypass Infrastructure Project has gone handin-hand with a huge land scandal that has been almost completely swept under the rug. As Citizens of Canada – one of the greatest nations on planet earth - it is our enduring right to voice our concerns and opinions, and it is our solemn duty to make sure those opinions are heard by the powers that be. Every citizen in this country has the responsibility to pay attention to what the government is doing, spending, and orchestrating, because democracy is a government of the people, by the people, for the people. It is the purpose of our organization to shine the light of truth on the Regina Bypass land scandal. We seek justice for the families harmed in the making of the Regina Bypass, and we’re aware that this may be an uncomfortable topic for some people, but we’re ok with that. Truth must be told and lies must be uncovered because the people who will ultimately pay for these scandalous decisions have the right to know where their hard-earned tax dollars are going. Failure by the public to scrutinize government policy and decision makers is not acceptable, yet it happens every day. Those who would callously better themselves from the public coffers are counting on that, and that’s where we come in: we are The Regina Association for Bureaucratic Accountability and we are a watchdog organization that seeks to hold the Saskatchewan government accountable for their decisions in governing our great province, starting with the Regina Bypass land scandal. To every concerned citizen out there we say this: this fight is absolutely your fight. This problem is absolutely your problem. The clock is ticking on our Provincial Deficit and you, your kids, your grandkids, and your great-grandkids are the ones that will have pay it off. Pledge your support and stand with us as we work tirelessly to make sure governmental corruption and ineptitude does not go unchecked. We need a Judicial Public Inquiry, Forensic Audit, and RCMP investigation into the Regina Bypass land scandal. -Nestor Mryglod, Regina Disclaimer: opinions expressed are those of the writer Saskatchewan budget misses opportunity on rental housing assistance It’s more effective to supplement rents in times of high vacancy because each dollar spent gets the tenant more. In the recent Saskatchewan budget, the Sask Party government made the surprise announcement that it would slowly phase out a rental housing assistance program known as the Saskatchewan Rental Housing Supplement. Given current rental housing market realities, the government ought to have done the complete opposite and expanded the program. High vacancy rates create a desirable climate in which to provide rental assistance to tenants, which can ultimately reduce costs for other sectors of government. More than 50,000 households in Saskatchewan experience core housing need, meaning that, by no choice of their own, they either pay more than 30 per cent of their income on shelter, live in housing requiring major repairs or live in housing with too few bedrooms. That represents more than 13 per cent of all Saskatchewan households - and for Indigenous peoples, the rate is nearly double. When rental vacancy rates are low - in Saskatchewan, this was the case when potash and oil prices were high - some landlords can demand more money and be selective. They can charge higher rents because jobs are plentiful and they can be picky because they have more choice who they rent to. But rental vacancy rates are high now. Across the province, they’re nearly 10 per cent on average. In such a context, landlords are more desperate to rent their units. In other words, it’s more effective to fund and deliver rent supplements in times of high vacancy rates because each EDITORIALS, LETTERS & OPINIONS dollar spent by government gets the tenant more for their housing dollar on the private market. That time is now. Yet, as of July 1, the Saskatchewan government will accept no further applications for the Saskatchewan Rental Housing Supplement. This will make life very difficult for low-income households, especially those receiving social assistance. Social assistance in Saskatchewan provides a single, disabled adult with less than $16,000 annually on which to live (for rent, food and other necessities). That’s where the province’s rent supplement program has been helpful. Households currently qualifying for the program receive between $61 and $364 monthly, which supplements the meagre social assistance benefits they receive. Approximately 13,000 people across Saskatchewan use this rent supplement. To qualify, an individual must have a disability or at least one child in their care. This is not the time to phase out the program. Rather, it’s the time to expand it. Not only can this help vulnerable people, it can also help taxpayers. By under-investing in housing for low-income households, health outcomes for those households can deteriorate - which becomes especially clear when people become homeless. The most comprehensive health survey ever conducted on the homeless in Canada found that persons experiencing absolute homelessness are more than 10 times more likely than the general population to suffer from anxiety, 20 times more likely to have epilepsy and nearly 30 times more likely to have hepatitis C. Homelessness and poor health outcomes lead to further health care costs for government. For example, it can cost $1,000 a night to keep a person in a hospital bed - vastly more than CONTINUES on PAGE 6
Craven break in Lumsden RCMP are requesting the public’s assistance in identifying two persons responsible for a break, enter and theft at the Esso Gas Station on Highway #20 in Craven, SK. The incident occurred at approximately 1:20 a.m. on May 3, 2018, when two individuals arrived at the business and pried open the front doors to gain entry. Once inside, a quantity of cash and approximately $5,000 worth of cigarettes were stolen. One of the individuals is described as being a heavy set male, dressed in white, wearing a ski mask. The other individual involved is believed to be a male wearing dark clothing. If you have any information about this incident, please contact Lumsden RCMP at 306-731-4270 or Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). Armed robbery RCMP REPORT At approximately 2:40 a.m. on Sunday, May 6th, 2018 two individuals entered the Wadena Hotel with their faces covered, armed with weapons. The individuals involved were able to get away with an undisclosed amount of cash and several packages of cigarettes.mNo one was injured during the robbery. The individuals involved are described as the following: male, approximately 5’3” to 5’4” tall; female, approximately 2 inches taller than the male. If you have information about this or any other crime, please contact Wadena RCMP Detachment at (306)338-6500, or if you wish to remain anonymous; contact Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers. Altercation investigated Monday, May 14, 2018 • Last Mountain Times On May 8, 2018 at 1:14 a.m. Yorkton Municipal RCMP were dispatched to a medical facility in Yorkton for a report of a 24-year-old-male with suspected gunshot wounds. Members have determined that an altercation took place at a business located on Highway #9 south of Yorkton. RCMP Major Crime Unit South and Yorkton Municipal RCMP continue to investigate the incident with the assistance of the General Investigation Section (GIS) and the Forensic Identification Section (FIS). Flight from police Just before midnight on Saturday, May 5th, Warman RCMP were advised by Saskatoon Police Service (SPS) that a vehicle was being driven erratically west on Highway #16. With assistance from SPS Air Support, RCMP members tracked the vehicle’s movements. Initial attempts to disable the vehicle with spike belts were unsuccessful. The suspect vehicle ended up in a farmyard north of Langham where the driver attempted to steal fuel and then rammed an RCMP vehicle before fleeing the yard. A ground pursuit was authorized at that point. A short time later, the suspect vehicle became stuck in a field. The driver, and lone occupant, exited the vehicle, poured gasoline on himself and the vehicle and subsequently set himself on fire. Members immediately deployed a fire extinguisher. The suspect suffered only minor injuries although the vehicle was destroyed. No one else was injured in the incident. The suspect was provided with medical attention and was then taken into custody. Terrance Albert Morin (DOB 1981-07-03) is charged with five offenses related to the incident. *There was no additional news available from local RCMP Detachments. NEW 306-731-1487 FOR 2018 OFFERING FULL SERVICE AND INSTALL. Water softeners, water purifiers, iron and manganese filters, taste and odor filters, water quality analysis, water, sewer and lift pumps, pressure systems and irrigation systems. Residential or commercial we have water treatment solutions for you! 5 SPORTS Calgary pitcher sparks ‘Baby Braves’ The latest Canadian to make a big splash in Major League Baseball is part of one of the best early stories of 2018 — the Baby Braves. Mike Soroka of Calgary, all of 20 years old, made his major league debut May 1 and came away a winner, going six innings and giving up only one run in an eventual 3-2 victory by visiting Atlanta Braves over star pitcher Noah Syndergaard and the New York Mets. Soroka, picked from Canada’s junior national team in the first round of the amateur draft by Atlanta in 2015, is one of three Braves who comprise the youngest trio in all of baseball — the others being outfielder Ronald Acuna, 20, and infielder Ozzie Albies, 21. All three have been highly touted for the last couple of seasons, and Braves fans have been eagerly anticipating their arrival with the big club. That all three of them have apparently matured enough to make the team in 2018 has been a surprise, but not totally unexpected. Acuna has been the No. 1 rated prospect for the past 12 months and was called up in late April from AAA Gwinnett. Through his first nine games, Acuna was batting .342, showing power, base-running skills and speed in the outfield. Albies, the old guy of the three at 21, has been with the Braves all season and the 5-foot-8 165-pounder pounded 10 home runs by early May, two off the league lead. Overall, the Braves were leading the entire National League in almost every offensive category, with veterans Freddie Freeman, Nick Markakis and Ender Inciarte joining with the kids to beat up on opponents. Their team batting average of .275 on May 5 was 20 points higher than next-best. Soroka joined the Braves on the first day of May, and stymied the Mets, and if he carries on as he did in his debut, the Braves’ starting rotation (Julio Teheran, Brandon McCarthy, Mike Foltynewicz and Sean Newcomb are the others) would rank among baseball’s best. “He (Soroka) was really good. It’s not like it shocked me,” Braves manager Brian Snitker told Mike Fitzpatrick of the Associated Press. “The stuff, the composure, how he went about it was all very impressive.” Atlanta management has been promising fans that the current ‘rebuild’ would bear playoff fruit by 2019 or 2020 at the latest. From the looks of things after the first month (the Braves overtook the Mets for top spot in the NL East on May 2), that rebuild might find success in 2018. • Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times: The two youngest players in Major League Baseball — Ronald Acuna Jr., 20, and Ozzie Albies, 21 — both homered for the Braves in a win over the Reds. Not that they’re young or anything but ... after the game teammates took them to Dairy Queen.” Care to comment? Email brucepenton2003@yahoo.ca FROM THE SIDELINES BRUCE PENTON - Bruce Penton Disclaimer: opinions expressed are those of the writer. For all your collision repairs, glass repairs, and replacements, contact – We do Light Mechanical LORNE’S Collision Center Raymore, SK. SGI Accredited. Call Lorne Huber at 306-746-5800 or 306-746-5805 Open Monday thru Friday Advanced DENTURE CLINIC Kerry Rodgers, D.D. Denturist Tel: 525-5200 1-888-723-1110 Fax: 525-3271 Email: smile4me@sasktel.net 4306 Dewdney Avenue Regina, SK S4T 1A8 (Dewdney & Lewvan) 00074621
Page 1 and 2: Inside TIMES Now Serving The Waterf
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Page 11 and 12: Players in the Hall Today’s Trivi
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LMT May 14 2018

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