With respect to elected officials, I have a personal rule to restrict any critique of them to decisions made in their elected capacity, and their personal life and family members are off limits. The exception to the rule is when the elected person injects their family members and/or personal issues into the controversy. Such is the case with Coun. Darren...
I didn’t make a good first impression at my summer job
Forty-nine years ago, I got my first summer job. It was one of those “who you know” scenarios that got it for me. It led to six years of summer employment with the City of Saskatoon’s Parks and Recreation Department. It didn’t start well though. I was initially put into the recreation part of the department. Much of the job...
Festival organizers figuring out what 2021 events will look like
After a devastating and dark 2020, when all Saskatoon festivals were shut down due to COVID-19, small lights are beginning to appear in the 2021 tunnel. Some festivals are going partly or entirely digital. Organizers for others are holding their collective breaths to see what the reopening of Saskatchewan might look like and rescheduling their dates. Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan...
I believe in the legend of Opimbataw
When Ken died in February, we had an outpouring of messages from readers, with many telling us how much his columns meantto them. In light of that, we thought we would go back through our files and re-publish some of his columns. Ken would be flattered by thekind words readers expressed. We miss him as a friend and as a...
Shirley sisters’ journey into unknown results in NCAA title
Sophie and Grace Shirley ventured into the unknown with the University of Wisconsin Badgers women’s hockey team last year. The siblings from Saskatoon played for the Badgers in a season that was like no other with the grips of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Sophie played her third season with the Badgers, while Grace was in her second. The Shirleys left...
Fan outrage scuttles ‘super’ soccer plan
Sports fans in Europe obviously carry much more influence than their counterparts in North America. A good old-fashioned fan uprising amazingly brought a halt to what was termed by some as a money-grabbing, tohell-with-the-little-guy plan to shake the very foundation of the most important aspect of life in Europe — soccer. That’s actually ‘football’ to a European; ‘soccer’ to us...
Exercise is Key for Mental Health and Brain Health
How do you feel today? It’s a simple question that can bring a lot of different responses, right? • You might say, “I feel great — had a checkup with the doctor yesterday and everything’s good.” • Or, “I feel tired and sore — didn’t get much sleep last night.” • Or even, “I feel kind of crabby and I...
What is intermittent fasting and how does it work
It’s an eating plan that switches between fasting and eating, it allows you to control your weight and helps prevent or reverse some disease. Most diets talk about what to eat, but intermittent fasting is about when you eat. You will only eat during a specific time. Fasting for some hours each day can help you to burn fat. Many...
Stress is everywhere, but you can ease it
– 31 per cent of adults report that their mental health has deteriorated in the past year. – Almost a third of parents of children younger than 18 have received help from a mental health professional. – 47 per cent of moms who have had children at home for remote learning say their mental health has worsened. – Nearly half...
City still in sellers’ market for homes
What’s happening in the real estate market these days? In Saskatoon, we are still very much in a sellers’ market. Sales were up 108.8 per cent, going from 273 to 570. Inventory in Saskatoon stood at 2.2 months (which is 57.9 per cent below the level last year, and 53.5 per cent below the five-year average, while the sales to...