Diane Rogers

Canadians are doing some things right but a lot wrong when it comes to good health. Smoking is down and “we’re eating less fat, but drinking a lot of sugary soft drinks,” said Ronald Labonte, director of a public health research body connected with the universities of Saskatchewan and Regina. He told a May 20 […] Read more

ARCHERWILL, Sask. – Karla Folstad remembers being excited the day she watched the counter on her website roll from 99 to 100. “Now we get 30,000 hits a day,” said Folstad, one of the three people who runs www.familyfarmers.com from this northeastern Saskatchewan village. The farm-focused website started in 1999. “My dad and I were […] Read more

Later this summer, all four westerners vying for this year’s Outstanding Young Farmers contest will be named. The program selects winners from seven regional contests who compete each fall to determine two national winners. The judging is based on farm financial and production history, environmental concern and contributions to community, province and country. To qualify, […] Read more

The British Columbia Women’s Institute heard at its May 1 annual meeting in Kamloops, B.C., that it might administer a provincial fund to assist farm women. BCWI president Joan Holthe said one of the provincial agriculture department’s priorities is to develop opportunities for women in agriculture. BCWI, which has 1,013 members, was one of several […] Read more

LAC LA PECHE, Sask. – Bill Nemish’s collection grew out of his basement and is now threatening to overflow the space he built for it on his north-central Saskatchewan farm. “It’s a hobby gone crazy,” says his wife Vivian, who has also contributed to a collection that is consuming their three-year-old 240 sq. metre General […] Read more

Provincial and municipal smoking bans are a concern to rural hotels and bars, say industry representatives. “My membership is very solidly opposed” to a smoking ban, said Jim Hansen, president of the Alberta Hotel and Lodging Association. He estimated 40 percent of his 500 members are rural hotels, bars and restaurants. It’s the same among […] Read more

Farmers who want to learn to do their jobs better can check out www.agtraining.ca. The new website is a project of the Saskatchewan Council for Community Development. Sheila Ragush of the council said the group did a survey in 2003 on behalf of the Saskatchewan learning department. “It recommended developing some sort of clearinghouse for […] Read more

A coalition of seven school and business organizations has sent a letter to the Saskatchewan government asking for more money for kindergarten to Grade 12 education. They weren’t prepared to tell the government how it should get the money, said Lance Bean, spokesperson for the group. “It’s time for them to take responsibility,” said Bean, […] Read more

Nuclear energy, tax cuts and privatized liquor sales were common themes as 160 university students pretended to be the Saskatchewan government earlier this month. The University of Saskatchewan commerce students presented their plans April 2 as part of a class project that split them into three “political” parties. “This year they looked at the barriers […] Read more

The ice went out of the Warner, Alta., arena two weeks ago, but the hockey dream has not evaporated. In fact, it is growing. Last fall, Warner opened its girls hockey school with 20 participants. This month, it was chosen to receive the 2004 school and community public relations award from the Alberta Teachers’ Association. […] Read more