Moose Jaw Independent

They may have started out the school year not wearing masks at Prairie South School Division’s elementary schools in Moose Jaw but that is about to change starting Monday as masks have returned.

The growth of COVID -19 ICU patients because of the Delta variant has the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) delaying some elective and non-urgent surgical procedures to re-deploy staff elsewhere to expand surge capacity..

The SHA says the more transmissible Delta variant has resulted in increasing pressures on Saskatchewan hospitals at a much faster rate than previous COVID surges, drastically increasing ICU occupancy and hospitalizations due to COVID in the last month.

This weekend the Canadian Ranch Ropers Association is holding their annual finals in Moose Jaw here are some photos of the event for those of you who could not make it.

The FREE event continues Sunday from 9 am to finish (approximately 3 - 4 pm) at the Golden Mile Arena on the Moose Jaw Exhibition Grounds - 250 Thatcher Drive East

And we also break out the Horse Cam to give our readers an idea what it is like to be in the rider's seat during an event.

If you want to have your say the City is offering an on-line survey on the 2022 Budget as well as the Moose Jaw Transit system which is under a major review.

You have until September 26th at 11:59 pm to respond.

Wednesday evening’s temporary closure of a railway crossing on 9th Avenue NW was according to CN Rail a “minor incident “ with a train stopping rapidly to allow an inspection of the tracks. The incident had the Moose Jaw Fire Department dispatched.

Following the inspection the train proceeded on its journey.

If you want to catch an equine event with the real working cowboys and cowgirls the Canadian Ranch Roping Association will be holding their championships at the Golden Mile Arena this Saturday and Sunday.

The event is free to attend and the general public is welcome. A paid canteen is on site.

The Moose Jaw Fire Department was out stopping traffic on 9th Avenue NW just before 9 pm as a CN train pulling empty grain hopper cars apparently jumped the track.

No rail cars apparently flipped and the train was able to move forward far enough to clear the intersection.

With the fourth wave of COVID - 19 underway the majority of new cases, hospitalizations and deaths were amongst those not fully vaccinated in the month of August.

On Sunday the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) issued a public service announcement about the heightened risk of contracting COVID - 19 at a popular Moose Jaw eatery today they announced an outbreak was declared at the same eatery the day before.

We wrap-up the inaugural Aurora Wind Feeds/BUCKEYE Nutrition Barrel Futurity Derby and Slot Race with a video report and unmask the Horse Cam footage as we put your right in saddle.

A professional barrel racer from Olds, Alberta claimed her largest prize to date Saturday evening in Moose Jaw.

It was a trip Nancy Leischner almost didn’t make but with her sponsors’ help she made the trip that she says was well worth it.

The Moose Jaw Crystal Meth Strategy Committee (MJCMSC) are offering in person and on-line presentations on how to speak to your pre-teens and teens about narcotic substances in a manner designed to give children a sound basis to say no to drugs.

The Saskatchewan Health Authority has issued a public service announcement about the increased risk of contracting COVID - 19 at a local restaurant during the last five days of August.

The top barrel racers in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta have descended upon Moose Jaw for a major four day barrel racing event. Tomorrow will be the main event with a total prize pool of $75,000 up for grabs starting at 4 pm.

The event is FREE and the public is encouraged to attend. The barrel races are being held outdoors at the Bill Gommersall Arena just north of the Golden Mile Arena located on the Moose Jaw Exhibition Grounds 250 Thatcher Drive East.

Maxime Bernier, leader of the People’s Party of Canada, spoke at a Thursday afternoon rally which focused largely on personal freedoms under attack in a speech that played all the political chords.

Chey Craik, People’s Party of Canada (PPC) candidate for the Moose Jaw - Lake Center - Lanigan riding, told a political rally Thursday in Moose Jaw that he could no longer sit back and watch Canadian society deteriorate any longer so he did the last thing he ever thought he would do - become a politician.

In a speech filled with moments of applause from about 200 supporters Craik asked them to join him, spread the word and help make the change he saw as necessary for the good of the riding by electing him as an active and strong voice in Ottawa.

A political rally featuring People’s Party of Canada (PPC) leader Maxime Bernier drew about 200 enthusiastic supporters as well as just over a dozen peaceful protestors who labelled his and the PPC’s policies as homophobic, transphobic, Islamaphobic and xenophobic.

Allegations Bernier denied saying that although he was being insulted by the protestors he supported their right to express their views of him and the PPC because Canada is a free country.