Local Treasures

   Every city and town has them. Those little "mom and pop" shops that have been open for years. But not everyone knows about them. That's why I sent my friend and morning show host Danny to this little gem in Regina. The Italian Star Deli opened in 1966, and is still being run by the same family.
   What makes it so special is easy to describe: The Giambattistas. Mama Gina still works the counter, but son Carlo runs the show, with his daughter, son and others. Not only does the Regina, Saskatchewan deli have a wonderful array of Italian ingredients and spices, but the family also makes the most wonderful sandwiches in the world. At least the world as I've seen it.
   These are true little treasures, and well worth the effort to track down. I've run into several over the years: The Hoito in Thunder Bay, Ontario. The Hitchin' Post in High River and the New Sun cafe in Peace River, both in Alberta.
   So, if you're moving to a new location, or if you haven't fully explored your own home town, do it. It really is well worth the effort.

TTFN

An RCMP Advisory

   The man in question is 38 year old Edmonton resident Michael Sean Stanley, and the RCMP believe he may have been seen in Saskatchewan. The Mounties say Stanley is a potentially violent, high risk sex offender who apparently cut off his electronic monitoring bracelet in Lloydminster earlier this week. It was later found on the roof of a business of the city straddling the Alberta/Saskatchewan boundary.
   The RCMP on Thursday initiated a "hold and secure" procedure for schools in Kindersley and area after getting unconfirmed reports that Stanley's SUV with Alberta plates had been seen in the town. The same happened in Lloydminster. Stanley has a long history of sex offences, including taking children from playgrounds.
   The RCMP are cautioning people not to approach Michael Sean Stanley, but to call the local detachment or Crimestoppers.

"Mission Accomplished"..UPDATED

   A few weeks back, an off-hand comment I made on our morning show resulted in a campaign to get "Craig in a Combine" during an event where we take a catered meal to a farmers field and serve it to them.
   Last night was the final night of the fall campaign...and I got my ride in a combine. It was near Oakburn, Manitoba. Not only did I get a ride, but the daugher of the farm owners, David and Helen Sytnyk, even let me take a few swaths of Canola off the field. What an experience. Steering the big machine took a little getting used to, since the rear wheels steer it. I'm used to my little 140 HP sport sedan, not a hulking John Deere with who knows how much horsepower.
   In the cab, you truly don't get a sense you're quite a way off the ground, and once you get used to the controls, it's actually not difficult to operate. For the short amount of time I did. But the farm we went to had been at it until 4:30 in the morning. They stopped for 2 hours sleep, and were back at it again at 6:30. I'll never complain about getting up at 4:00 a.m anymore after that!
   This was my tutor and chauffeur Sammy Sytnyk..Thanks Sammy, even though this isn't the best picture.

   I've managed to get a few more pictures from our "Supper in the Field" event:
   Me getting ready to head out into the field:

   Unloading the Canola Sammy and I picked up: (Mostly Sammy)

   A better picture of myself and my driver/tutor Sammy Sytnyk

 

   All in all, a wonderful evening. Thanks again to David, Helen, Sammy and everyone for helping a city boy get a taste, even a brief one, of farm life.

TTFN

Oops!

   Strange things can happen when you're moving house. But this picture from the RCMP has taken that to the extreme. It was on highway 7 near Warman, Saskatchewan when the house slipped off its supports while being transported. The highway was down to one lane while crews worked to get it back on the suports. That took 3 hours.
   There's been no word on how much damage was done to the newly built home.

TTFN

NHL Hockey Is Back!

   And for a full season too! After last year's strike/lockout, there will be a full 84 game season, plus the playoffs, which means the season will run for 9 months, until sometime in June. And what better way to kick things off than with an Original 6 match between old rivals the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens. The Leafs won that game, 4-3.
   And as die-hard fans start settling into their favourite couch or chair for the season, I got to wondering about something. Could one of today's teams beat an original 6 member if you could turn the clock back? I was wondering if, say, Anaheim or Phoenix..maybe even Edmonton or Winnipeg, could beat a Montreal, Toronto, Detroit, Chicago, Boston or New York Rangers team from their heyday?
   I know players today are bigger, stronger and have a strict training schedule to keep. But what if, just what if, we could transport them back 50 or so years. What would happen then? Technology has changed the game, with breathable uniforms, carbon fibre sticks and skates. Modern ice technology can micro-control ice surfaces, boards are better. Heck, even arenas have better climate control.
   Turn the clock back 50 years and put today's players in the old wool uniforms. With leather topped steel bladed skates and wooden sticks. Put them in one of the old barns when ice making wasn't as good as it is now. With older boards that bounced the puck back who-knew-where. Where arenas were not climate controlled. Against players who may not have been as fit as they are now, but just as good.
   Who would win? My heart says the 1960's team, since I grew up watching them on the old black and white T.V when we had just 2 channels, and to change it, you had to get out of your chair, walk over and physically change the dial. My head says today's team, even in the old gear, simply due to today's physical conditioning. But I'm sure it would be one heck of an interesting game!

TTFN

We Exsist. Really We Do!

   That's the plea folks in Davin, Saskatchewan have made, and the federal government has heard them. The tiny hamlet about 30 minutes outside Regina was declared a ghost town after the 2011 census. News that came as quite a shock to the 49 or so people who still live there.
   That, by the way, is the same number who were living there in the 2006 census. But the Stats Canada figures also showed the town's population fell to zero in the intervening 5 years, meaning Davin was struck off the federal list of communities.
   It seems the census takers simply missed the tiny village. The federal government says they will clear things up. However, the area M.P, Ralph Goodale (L. Regina-Wascana) called the mistake "insulting".
   But it makes you wonder if there are other small hamlets, villages and unincorporated towns with a few residents that were also missed by the census. My guess is there may be a few.

TTFN

Premier Wall Tops Them All

   And a new Angus Reid survey seems to back that up. Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall did in fact come out tops among his peers when it comes to how satisfied people in their home province are with there premier.
   Mr. Wall got 68% among respondents. B.C's Christie Clark was a very distant 2nd at 44%, while Ontario's Kathleen Wynn was 3rd at 39%.
   Wall's numbers really haven't changed much over the past few years, either. His satisfaction and/or approval rating has consistently been over 65% for as far back as I can remember. And I remember when he wasn't even leader of the SaskParty, which was formed literally months before we returned to Saskatchewan from our stint in Thunder Bay, Ontario.
   The same Angus Reid poll also looked at Opposition leaders, and Saskatchewan's NDP leader Cam Broten was 6th among his peers, with a 38% rating.

TTFN