By Sheri Monk
An article published in the Canadian Veterinary Journal in September of 1989 implores the government to consider banning the use of ruminant foodstuffs to animals of any kind. The same article also suggests it would be prudent to ban the inclusion of bovine and ovine brain, spleen and tripe from baby foods, as the United Kingdom had already done. A document from 1992 spelling out the government’s position on the possibility of BSE entering Canada was woefully wrong and contrary to widely held scientific knowledge about the disease. …

By Sheri Monk
The Badger has learned a new case of BSE was discovered two weeks ago, but the public was not informed as part of the government’s new communication strategy.
The decision not to announce new cases of BSE was made in August of 2009 and the public was informed by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) online.
“The CFIA is committed to providing all stakeholders, including the general public, media and trading partners, with timely information about disease detections in farmed animals. As such, we have revised how we report online …

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 …

Breaking News Alert
The Badger has had a report of an armed robbery at the Rexall store at Shaunavon.
The robbery allegedly took place at about 11 a.m., at knifepoint.
The culprit is still believed to be at large.
An official release from the RCMP is expected this afternoon. (Mar. 3, 2010)

The hospital is now reopened, as of the evening of Feb. 1.
An airborne asbestos threat at the Maple Creek Hospital caused its evacuation and the suspension of employees late last week. The facility was closed just after 5 p.m. on Feb. 25 because of concerns related to potentially loose asbestos. Patients were transfered or released and all staff were ordered to leave the building. The asbestos contamination was removed yesterday, and pending air quality results, officials are hopeful the facility will be reopened this week.
Beth Vachon, executive director of health …

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
One minute he was on his way to feed the cows. The next, Randy Bohnet was trying to save an outbuilding from the flames which consumed it.
“I didn’t even get down to feed the cows,” said Bohnet, who spotted the blaze and called for assistance.
Bohnet and his wife Katherine live southwest of Maple Creek, just off Highway No. 271 which leads to Fort Walsh.
Bohnet used the outbuilding for welding and tool storage, shortly before leaving to do chores, he had finished his task and put away his welding …

By Sheri Monk
On Feb. 8, CEO of Cypress Health Region Jim Hornell announced his resignation to accept a position in healthcare in Ontario. On Feb. 12, a deal for a new healthcare facility at Maple Creek offering increased services was announced after months of negotiations and temporary impasses. On Feb. 10, between the major announcements, a grief-struck woman with years of healthcare service experience granted The Badger an interview in an effort to illuminate what she believes must be done to save the system and ultimately, its patients.
When Brenda Andreas …

By Sheri Monk
A Leader-area man has been charged with three counts of possession of stolen property over $5,000, possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking, possession of unregistered firearms and unsafe storage of firearms.