By Dorian Geiger
Not many would suspect the small prairie community of Eastend to be a hotbed of motorcycle culture. However, the community of 415 residents, along with it’s motorcycle faithful of the Eastend Dinos Motorcycle Riders Inc. are getting the tires spinning to host their fourth annual Rally in the Valley motorcycle rally from July 9-11.

By Sheri Monk
Though now recognized as having their own distinct culture and status, it wasn’t always that way for the Métis people of Canada. Last week, Fort Walsh National Historic Site, in conjunction with Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park, commemorated the Métis peoples of Canada and their contribution to the Southwest.
”This was part of celebrating 2010 as the Year of the Métis in Saskatchewan. This event was really just one part of an entire week of celebrations and here. It was called The Hills Are Alive,” explained Dominique Liboiron, interpretation officer …

By Dorian Geiger
Populations in rural Saskatchewan may have been on the decline for years and likely will continue along the same destined route in the future. And it is this same tragic desertion of rural centres that villages like Tompkins take serious pride in organizing homecoming events.
Yet, homecomings are a sacred convention amongst small communities and they are a time when everyone who’s had to migrate away because of families, work or adventure has the opportunity to return where they grew up.

By Sheri Monk
The Leader Union Hospital may not offer acute care services or any admissions for six months and possibly longer. A public meeting will beheld May 27 at 7 p.m at the Community Hall – Cypress Health Region representatives will be in attendance. The decision to hold a public gathering came as a result of a meeting held on May 13 between the Cypress Health Region and healthcare staff working at Leader facilities to prepare for an anticipated lengthy disruption of service. As well, the health region met with …

By Connie Burton
Five local athletes at the midget level were invited to join Team Southwest for the Saskatchewan Winter Games held at Moose Jaw from Feb. 14-20, 2010, simultaneous to the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games Feb. 12-28, 2010.

By Sheri Monk
Shaunavon, a bustling, thriving town nestled in relative isolation from larger urban centres, was hit with an overdose of the city life on March 3 after an attempted armed robbery at the Rexall drugstore.
The Tuesday morning incident happened at 10:03. A lone male wearing a mask approached the pharmacy counter with a knife.
But before he could make any demands, he was scared off.
“The bottom line is, he was spooked. They (staff behind the counter) would have started yelling. Obviously there was a bit of a panic and I …

By Sheri Monk
The Leader and District Make a Splash Fund received a $50,000 cash infusion from Sandhills Credit Union last week.
To date, a total of $265,000 has been committed – the committee wants to raise $700.000.
“The basin is cracked. We had it sandblasted and painted five years ago and it helped prolong the life a little bit, but now last year, it had that problem again,” explained Jackie Mertin, speaking on behalf of the committee.
The new pool may be bigger than the existing facility and will feature a beach …

Irene Florence Winzer, born April 20, 1929 to Henry and Lydia Biederman, passed away peacefully with family at her side on November 14, 2009.
Irene is predeceased by her parents, Lydia (1978) and Henry (1980); two sisters, Alma Louise who died in infancy and Edna Hostland in 2008; a baby brother in infancy, as well as Edwin (1965) and Fred (1997).
Irene was raised on the family farm north of Maple Creek attending school at Northridge until its closure at which time she attended the Galaway School. At the young age of …

By Sheri Monk
The new Cypress Credit Union building under construction at Maple Creek will not feature brick as included in original designs, but will be entirely stucco.

By Sheri Monk
With Valentine’s Day fresh on the minds and wallets of couples everywhere, fresh flowers still grace the counters of kitchens the world over.