Saskatoon StarPhoenix
Uncertainty for the city's unhoused
In the thrum of the confusion as the encampment across from Station 20 West was being torn down on Thursday, Melissa Zimmer turned to an old man and wondered where he was going to go. “I don't know,” the unhoused man replied. She reminded people that...
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`IT WAS SAD TO SEE IT GO'
On Oct. 8, 1996, about 100 firefighters converged on the 80-year-old building that housed Uncle Ed's furniture store and two other businesses. The six-story brick and timber warehouse was on fire — a blaze that turned into an inferno that could be seen...
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Federal minister, STC sign $269M family support deal
Māmowōhkamātowin, meaning “working together,” is the Cree name for the long-term child and family services reform agreement signed on Whitecap Dakota First Nation on Wednesday morning. Work together, they did. Everyone from national leaders to...
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`There's almost endless possibilities'
What role will the city play when it comes to the future development of the current Saskatchewan Polytechnic main campus on Idylwyld Drive? City council asked the question last month, sparking a new question about what will happen to the land once the...
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ROUGH TIME FOR RIDERS
REGINA Saskatchewan's farmers aren't the only ones having a bad fall. The CFL'S Saskatchewan Roughriders haven't accomplished anything since the Labour Day weekend. And the harvest-disrupting weather has nothing to do with the football team's issues....
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THOSE AUTUMN LEAVES
Fall is the time of year for the leaves near the South Saskatchewan River to change colours. Leading into the Thanksgiving long weekend, temperatures above the seasonal daily average of 14 C are expected, with highs near or above 20 C forecast by...
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THE END OF AN ERA
Tyson Thue, who was recently in Saskatoon for a Kakeyow Cowboys Rodeo Association event, warmed up his horse, Bonnie, on the old Marquis Downs track as the grandstand was being demolished. The facility that stood for more than five decades and was once...
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City `needs to step up' for homeless
A local lawyer says the City of Saskatoon “now needs to step up” after a King's Bench judge rejected her request for an injunction to stop the removal of an encampment housing more than 100 people in the Pleasant Hill neighbourhood. Following a...
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EVERY CHILD MATTERS
Dancers participate in the grand entry at the STC Every Child Matters Powwow at Sasktel Centre. The two-day event honoured missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, as well as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Wednesday.
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Muskeg Lake truth and reconciliation song a hit already
“This treaty lives in you and me.” It's both a chorus and a mantra to be remembered — not just on National Truth and Reconciliation Day, but every day, says lyricist Laurie Shaw-greyeyes of Muskeg Lake Cree Nation. When approaching the 150th...
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BOTH BARK & BITE
Const. Kyle Banadyga demonstrates an apprehension with his explosive-detection police service dog, Crash, along with Const. Josh Macfarlane during Vetavision at the University of Saskatchewan.
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LIFE IN `TENT CITY'
David Fineday holds Sage, a kitten that resident Lillian had been caring for, while waiting for Animal Control to arrive at an encampment across from Station 20 West. Fineday refers to himself as the `mayor of Tent City.' It sounds like a joke until...
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Mild winter may extend construction
The City of Saskatoon banks on good spring and summer weather for construction projects, but a milder winter could stretch out the season. “We're making great progress on several key projects and remain focused on completing as many of the projects as...
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Family says 30-year-old's death avoidable with due care
A grieving Saskatoon family is hopeful their personal tragedy can lead to positive changes in the provincial healthcare system. Kirsten Hanke died on Aug. 20 at the age of 30, collapsing after blot clots travelled from her ankle to her lungs. She had...
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A SNEAKY OLE SURPRISE
Saskatchewan's Jess Moskaluke, left, hears she's been invited to perform at the Grand Ole Opry, and Shannon Ella, right, celebrates with her. It was just one highlight from Saturday's CCMAS.
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AUTUMN HAS ARRIVED
A canoeist paddles along the South Saskatchewan River, with the Bessborough Hotel reflecting in the water. Even though fall has begun, summer weather is expected to stay around through the week, with Environment Canada forecasting daily highs between...
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CCMA AWARDS FINALE
Saskatchewan-based singer-songwriter Kolby Clunas performs an acoustic set in the lobby of TCU Place as people register for the Canadian Country Music Association Awards this week. After a variety of events over the last few days, the CCMA Awards are...
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THE FANTASTIC FOO'S
As a Californian's amplified voice boomed across a Regina football stadium Tuesday evening, an Ontario couple added their voices to the mix. But while Queens of the Stone Age and frontman Josh Homme had them singing together, it was the headliners who...
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Why Bell chose Sask. for its AI hub
Analysts believe there could be multiple factors that led Montreal-based BCE Inc. to select the southern outskirts of Regina's city boundary as the home for its behemoth $50-billion artificial intelligence data centre plans. BCE will quadruple the...
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Mom recalls son's horrific football injury
Sabrina Gronick had no idea that it was her own son; she was just going to help an injured football player. While watching the Balgonie Greenall Griffins take on the Swift Current Comprehensive Colts in Saskatchewan high school football action on...
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`Cracks' in system becoming `ditches': homeless advocate
Routine parts of the day for many people — drinking a freshly brewed coffee, lounging on a couch in an air-conditioned living room, eating leftovers from a fully-stocked refrigerator — are luxuries unavailable to David Fineday or the dozens of others...
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BRIDGING THE GAP
After being closed since April for repairs and road work, the University Bridge reopened this week to vehicle traffic and transit routes. According to statistics from the city, an average of between 36,000 and 39,000 vehicles cross the bridge daily.
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REMEMBERING ACE AND AL
Garnet (Ace) Bailey's wife dropped him off at Boston's Logan Airport on Sept. 11, 2001, a routine little stop for a routine little flight. Bailey grew up on the Saskatchewan side of Lloydminster and spent much of his life in hockey and on airplanes,...
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`Intimidating' scavengers spotted on Saskatoon tower
Randy Mazenc and his wife were in the backyard of their home in Saskatoon's Buena Vista neighbourhood last month when something in the sky caught their eye. They recognized the birds that circled above as the same ones they used to see on their...
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Mcilvenna mine set to open just as zinc prices soar
Eldorado Gold Corp.'s northeast Saskatchewan zinc mine is set to reach full commercial operation in the coming weeks as prices for the metal hit a fouryear high while countries scramble for enough to galvanize steel. Zinc, used as a protective coating...
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LAST CHANCE FOR A RIVER DANCE
Madison Banman, centre, leads a line dance to Sabrina Carpenter's Manchild during a free class at the River Landing Amphitheatre. Madison's Line Dancing has hosted free line dancing by the river over the summer, with one more class scheduled for...
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`HEART AND GRIT'
306Elite, a program that prepares Saskatchewan dancers to enter the professional industry in large cities, celebrated 10 years of operations in August. While they may fight an uphill battle, Prairie dancers still get booked for touring artists,...
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A FRESH START TO THE SCHOOL YEAR
There is some fear and uncertainty around the 2026-27 school year, students at Bethlehem Catholic High School admit. And staff concede there are plenty of questions that don't yet have answers. But, as classes began this week under the most unusual...
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U of S examines transit health benefits
It's about 400 steps from Robert Clipperton's home to the nearest bus stop. While that may not seem like much, it requires more activity than going into his garage and jumping into a car. “All bus riders are pedestrians before and after their trip,”...
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WORK IN PROGRESS
Orientation week is looking different for University of Saskatchewan students while renovations continue across campus. Classes for the fall semester at the U of S, as well as classes in the Saskatoon public and Catholic school divisions, begin on...
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`A HOLLYWOOD STORY'
Anton Amundrud's arm had its old zip Thursday at Griffiths Stadium, just one kilometre from the hospital where he recently fought for his life. The time he spent at Royal University Hospital helped the Saskatchewan Huskies' starting quarterback go...
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STILL ON THE BENCHES
Brent, left, and Melvin, who are both unhoused, sit on a bench at the corner of First Avenue and 21st Street across from Midtown Plaza. Melvin says they use the benches to “take a load off.” The Downtown Business Improvement District brought forward a...
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Moe split on tariffs against the U.S.
Saskatchewan's premier says a “reciprocal” 50 per cent tariff will be applied to American alcohol products, but he's opposing export tariffs on commodities like oil and potash. “On Sept. 8, Saskatchewan will reciprocate that tariff on American alcohol...
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IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR
Harvest is underway at a wheat field off of Highway 219. Progress has been slowed early in the season in many areas, thanks in large part to rain and thunderstorms across the province. Producers have noted that warmer temperatures are required to help...
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Construction for new Saskatoon airport arrivals area `on schedule'
Passengers walking through Saskatoon International Airport's new arrivals area will get a visual introduction to the city and province. “What we're really trying to do with the arrivals area is make it a welcome-to-saskatchewan, welcome-to-saskatoon...
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A recovery from substance abuse, and a fresh start
There were about 180 drug toxicity deaths across Saskatchewan in 2019, according to the Saskatchewan Coroners Service. Robert Wilgenhof stopped himself from adding to the count. “I was trying to kill myself,” said Wilgenhof, clutching his tea on a...
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GRADE EXPECTATIONS
Now that the season has reached the halfway mark, it's time to take a look at Roughriders quarterback Trevor Harris, above, and the rest of the team to see if they're making the grade. There are some areas that need attention, but they're certainly an...
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Goodbye Koda, the `happy bear' at the Saskatoon zoo
There's a kind of calmness that comes with watching the grizzly bears at the Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park and Zoo, enough that it makes it difficult not to stand there all day. But Saskatoon has to say goodbye to one of the gruff, lumbering giants...
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`Social disorder police' aim to nip problems in the bud
Richard Mcintyre gets out of his Saskatoon Police Service special constable vehicle, puts on gloves and hat, and makes his way down 21st Street East in the city's downtown. During his morning patrol, the alternative response officer (ARO) checks a...
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Graffiti artists freshen up back alleys
An unlikely canvas in Saskatoon's downtown core is getting a fresh look despite some struggles to get an event in order. Spiral, a local artist and business owner of The Midnight Oil, collaborated with the Summer Fling event — a graffiti festival in...
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Saskatoon teen wrestler gaining confidence against global grapplers
Tyler Langford was in Azerbaijan, but it may as well have been Russia. There were Russians here, Russians there, “Russians” from other countries (French, Uzbek and American competitors with Russified names), Russians older than him, Russians possibly...
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NEW-LOOK FRINGE FEST
Pointetango's Erin Scott-kafadar and Alexander Richardson provide a preview of Tango After Midnight on stage at the Broadway Theatre during the recent Saskatoon Fringe Festival preview night. This year's Fringe features a new youth group's take on a...
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Ex parade kicks off with beloved longtime volunteer at the helm
More than 1,000 spectators lined Fourth Avenue and Spadina Crescent in downtown Saskatoon on Wednesday morning as colourful floats, clowns and performers kicked off the 2026 Saskatoon Exhibition. Children reached for candy tossed from passing floats...
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Mayor Block says DEED is `critical infrastructure'
A federal funding request has been made as discussions begin about a potential partnership for Saskatoon's Downtown Event and Entertainment District. An event was held at the Midtown Plaza studio on Monday, with members of the provincial government,...
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Anti-ai rally expresses concerns over data centres
With data centres being a major point of interest across Saskatchewan, locals voiced their opposition at an anti-artificial intelligence rally this past Sunday. Almost 400 attendees gathered at Kinsmen Park to express their shared concern over the...
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Booze makers welcome interprovincial agreement
Some Saskatchewan distilleries and breweries are toasting the news that Canadians can now order alcoholic beverages across provincial borders from most of the country's licensed producers. This is thanks to a new Direct-to-consumer sales agreement...
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READY FOR THE RUNWAY
Indigenous teen fashion designer Serenity Louis, right, fits model Shirlene Razor-harrison with her upcycled clothing designs during the Brave Girl Quilts Indigenous Teen Fashion Design Camp in Saskatoon on Wednesday. Participants in the camp learned...
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TENNIS CLASSIC SERVED UP
Canada's Alexandra Vagramov returns a shot against American Lilian Poling during the ITF World Tennis Tour's Pro Tennis Classic at Riverside Badminton and Tennis Club. The tournament began Tuesday and wraps up with the championship finals on Sunday.
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FARM INNOVATION EXPO
How Saskatchewan feeds the world — and could feed more of the world — is being demonstrated at this year's Ag in Motion. Across three days and more than 100 acres, tens of thousands of attendees have been rubbing coveralls with more than 550...
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Riders' Dalke killed while going wrong way on Hwy. 11
The families of two men are awaiting toxicology reports after a fatal collision in which a vehicle driven by a Saskatchewan Roughriders captain was travelling on the wrong side of the highway. Jayden Dalke, a five-year veteran with the Roughriders,...
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Up close and personal with city's newest little caribou ambassador
It took about half an hour after he was born for little Lyall to start drinking milk from his mother, Mira. The baby caribou calf was born at the Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park & Zoo last month. Lyall Petrie was named after a mentor in large animal...
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SNOWBIRDS HAVE REACHED `END OF AN ERA' IN MOOSE JAW
Fans watch the sky as the Snowbirds fly past the Moose Jaw Municipal Airport during the Hometown Air Show on Saturday, July 11. The popular aerial team had its final hometown show before being grounded so the Canadian Armed Forces can replace the aging...
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Legion is always `here for veterans'
As long as there are soldiers, the Royal Canadian Legion will exist, says past president and Afghanistan war veteran Henry Sobchyshyn. The national, provincial and local branches are all celebrating their 100th anniversary this year. “The Legion is...
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SASKATOON STOPOVER
After performing flyovers above the city, the Canadian Forces Snowbirds stopped in Saskatoon to refuel at an event at the Saskatchewan Aviation Museum, where fans had the opportunity to see the CT-114 Tutor jets up close ahead of their retirement...
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`ANTI-CONSUMER' MOVE
A recent decision by video game giant Sony is creating some concerns for local Saskatoon gamers. At the beginning of July, Sony Interactive Entertainment posted on the Playstation blog that physical discs for Playstation games would no longer be...
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Farmer still hopeful after hail destroys strawberries
The second year trying to grow strawberries has started on the wrong foot for Prairie Pathways after a recent hailstorm swept through the fields. The property, known for its strawberries, is located at the former Strawberry Ranch just south of...
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`ENJOY EVERY SINGLE DAY'
After 25 years with Saskatoon Public Schools, Shane Skjerven cleans out his downtown office. Skjerven is retiring this month as director of education. His advice to young teachers? `Just enjoy every single day. It is hard work,' Skjerven says. Keesha...
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`We're all connected': Auntie Advocate provides support
Kazi, the 19-year-old snow leopard, was euthanized at the Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park and Zoo recently due to declining health in his old age. Saskatoon's Auntie Advocate did some smudging at the zoo after hearing about Kazi's death, saying this was...
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Pipeline has `less than 50 per cent chance'
A proposed $35-billion oil pipeline to the west coast — backed by the federal and Alberta governments — signals the country is willing to produce and export more crude, industry insiders say. Even as the deal reached by Prime Minister Mark Carney and...
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Speed cameras temporarily inactive
Saskatchewan Government Insurance has a need for speed cameras after its vendor prematurely bolted. “The previous vendor made a business decision to end services earlier than originally planned,” SGI said in a statement. Now, “equipment will be...
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`I LOVE THIS SPORT'
Saskatchewan's Abby Fendelet has come a long way in the sport of baton twirling, but she aspires to go even further. The 16-year-old athlete hails from a farm near Hafford — about 100 kilometres northwest of Saskatoon — and was part of Team...
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THE SIGHTS OF SUMMER
With summer officially here, fans have been flocking by the thousands to events across Saskatoon, including the recent Outskirts Music Festival outside Sasktel Centre. Starphoenix photographer Michelle Berg has been there, capturing the sights around...
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Sask. Ghanaian soccer fan got free World Cup tickets to a recent game
Regina resident George Sakyi is hopeful his home country of Ghana will make the FIFA World Cup playoffs despite losing 2-1 to Croatia on Saturday. When Ghana plays its next game this Friday against Colombia, Sakyi plans to cheer for his team while...
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`UNPRECEDENTED' GIFT
Alan Rosenberg, a U of S College of Medicine professor, speaks during an announcement at the Hotel Saskatchewan in Regina. A $4-million donation from the Hospitals of Regina Foundation will help the college establish a research position to improve...
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Top researcher intrigued by MP'S psilocybin support
The lead on a major national psilocybin research trial is interested to see if a new private member's bill from a Saskatoon MP will make psychedelics more accessible to patients. If passed, the bill tabled by Conservative MP Corey Tochor on June 16...
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