Category Archives: Unity

Trophies, plaques and accolades at Miners’ Awards Night

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Starting out with the Rookie of the Year award, won by Dustin McAleer, and ending with the Playoffs’ Most Valuable Player trophy going to Cory Grant, a total of 11 awards were handed out to members of the 2013-14 Unity Miners at their awards night March 28, held at the community centre hall in Unity, SK. The Rookie of the Year award was sponsored by the Jim Lee family and Gilbert Agencies sponsored the playoff MVP award.

The Miners claimed the Sask West Hockey League championship the weekend before, sweeping the Lloydminster Border Kings in three straight games.

miners behn1Forward Behn Robertson was the biggest winner, as the Miner’s top scorer of the season, sponsored by Wildeman’s Sports Excellence and as the best defensive forward, sponsored by Unity Motor Products.

Robertson was called to the stage at the Unity Community Centre a third time by MC and Miners’ manager Brent Weber as a co-winner of the season MVP award, along with goalie Cory Grant. The Miller brothers sponsored that award.

Best Defenceman, sponsored by the Peter Gartner family, went to Bobby Davey, while Brett Mosher was this year’s Unsung Hero, sponsored by Don Fesiuc. Dillon Belliveau was named the Most Improved Player, sponsored by Sperle’s Tire and Battery. The Delta Co-op’s Most Sportsmanlike Player award was won by Cody McCubbing.

Unity, SK men's hockey

Captain Adam Shirley was chosen by the players as Most Popular; the award was sponsored by Cinema Satellite.

The coach and executive chose Michael Shirley as the recipient of the Lawrence Gordon Fesciuc Memorial Award, which goes to the player showing the most perseverance and dedication throughout the year.

With the Miners finishing the regular season in the Sask West Hockey League in fifth place with six wins and 14 losses, fans may have regarded their march to the championship victory as a bit of a Cinderella story. Manager Brent Weber, MC for the evening, said he always believed the championship was possible, even though there “were a few bumps along the way.”

Co-manager Jake Senger told the players, family members and fans it takes a “true team effort to win a championship. We do have a great team and we definitely want to see you guys back next fall.”

Coach Lorne Nielsen, who coached the Miners for the first time this year, said he knew the team had some top-end talent but had to ask himself whether he wanted to be dealing with some of the drinking and discipline issues which can come up in senior men’s hockey. He “stuck with it” and said, “I’m glad I did.”

With some injuries to key players in the playoffs, 50-year-old Nielsen and the rookies had to “fill some holes and give the front line a breather.” Nielsen concluded, “It’s pretty satisfying when you win something you’re not supposed to.”

 

 

Mischief and theft of tools from motor vehicle

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The Unity/Wilkie/Macklin RCMP is requesting the public’s assistance in determining the person or persons responsible for a mischief/theft from a motor vehicle investigation in Macklin, Saskatchewan.

Sometime between the hours of 11:45 a.m. on Monday, March 31 and 6:30 a.m. on Tuesday, April 1, 2014, a vehicle parked behind a residence on the 5100 block of Leader Street had its driver’s side key hole damaged. A tool box located in the cab of the vehicle was broken into and the following tools were stolen:

• 1/4 inch socket set worth approximately $75

• 1/2 inch socket set worth approximately $330

• Twenty-piece wrench set with pliers worth approximately $120

stolenPersons with information about this crime are urged to call the Macklin RCMP at 306-753-2171. If you wish to remain anonymous, you may also call Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477, or *8477 on the SaskTel Mobility Network. Crime Stoppers will pay up to $2,000 for information which leads to the arrest of person(s) responsible for any serious crime. Crime Stoppers is anonymous and does not subscribe to call display, nor are your calls traced or recorded.

Monday’s paper

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You will see a LOT of hockey in Monday’s Unity-Wilkie Press-Herald. With Unity, SK minor hockey teams having an amazing season – three teams making it all the way to provincial finals, the Miners handing out awards after coming from fifth place in the league to win the league championship and even the neighbouring Wilkie, SK Outlaws winning the senior men’s provincial C title – they all deserved their spot in the paper!

If you’re not a hockey fan, never fear – it’s not all hockey! You will also be able to read about:

  • the history of the Delta Co-op Easter egg hunt;
  • the upcoming Unity Music Festival; and
  • regular features like the RCMP Report, our editorial page and Faith Matters,

as well as see some proposed new signage for Unity.

Never a dull week in our small town, it seems!

Behn Robertson, Unity SK

Rick Hill presents Behn Robertson with the Unity Miners’ Top Scorer Award at their awards banquet in Unity, Saskatchewan, March 28, 2014.

Provincial midget hockey weekend

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Both the Unity Midget AA and the Midget A Lazers played provincial final games in Unity, SK, Saturday, March 29. Although neither team emerged as provincial champions, these hard-working teams of young men deserve credit for their excellent seasons, including coming oh-so-close to claiming their respective provincial banners.

See the April 7 issue of the Unity Wilkie Press-Herald for a wrap-up article on the minor hockey season and additional photos. In the meantime, are some action shots from both games.

MIDGET AA LAZERS vs. Notre Dame Hounds

Lazer Midget AA danger! defensive faceoff

Unity hockey puck drop

MIDGET A LAZERS vs. Yorkton Mintos

Midget A hockey a waiting abench

 

Unity Midget A Lazers benches

Next week’s newspaper

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News, info, photos, upcoming events, sales, job opportunities – all found in the Unity Wilkie Press-Herald paper coming out March 31, 2014. Monday’s paper includes stories on:

  • EMT shortages and the effect on nearby communities;
  • the Unity Miners as league champions – get the details of the final game and on the players and executive involved this year;
  • Unity Credit Union holding their AGM, reviewing 2013 and looking forward to 2014; and
  • the Senlac Cafe serving up gourmet meals.

The Top 10 lays out the  benefits of being a blood donor, while the editorial on page 4 explores in greater depth what it is like to be a donor.

Events in the past week at Unity, SK, included the Lions’ Spring Fling, where Jim Sego acted as MC and the Meota Hobby Band performed for attendees.

Unity, SK Lions ClubMeota Hobby Band

Frozen ground delays Unity pool construction

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Although progress is being made at the site of Unity’s new swimming pool, weather has also caused some delays. According to Unity’s director of culture, parks and recreation, Nicole Goldsworthy, it is unlikely the Unity Credit Union Aquatic Centre will be ready for June 1 as originally hoped.

In order to provide swimming lessons and recreational swimming as usual for community and area residents, the old pool will be used.

Goldsworthy said, “After a meeting on February 24, 2014 with Town Council and Paradise LeisureScapes, it was determined that the installation of the walls could not proceed until the frost is out of the ground and that will likely be in May. There is still six weeks of work left to install the walls and another two weeks to pour the swimming pool deck. At the earliest, the Town of Unity may be able to open the new pool mid-July if everything stays on schedule.”

The maintenance and equipment building is almost complete, while construction on the new change house will start “as soon as possible and will be completed over the summer.”

Although the work is a little behind schedule, enough has been done to date that ensures the Town of Unity will still receive the $250,000 through the Community Infrastructure Improvement Fund (CIIF).

Unity Credit Union Aquatic Centre

Grain transportation impacts local businesses

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How have the grain transportation issues affected you? Please comment!

A simple drive down area grid roads will give you a good indication of the impact of the shortage in allocation of rail cars for grain. Even when still covered with snow or blending into the surrounding snowy landscape, long raised ridges reveal the presence of grain storage bags in many fields.

With bins still full from last year’s record crop, if farmers can’t make deliveries to terminals, they have nowhere else to put the grain.

North West Terminal CEO Jason Skinner said it was in December the rail car allocation began to drop. Comparing December 2013 to February 2014 with December 2012 to February 2012, the number of rail cars available has been “significantly” less.

North West Terminal, Unity, SKAs has been noted in numerous media reports on the issue, compounding the problem is the fact that demand to ship grain is high as a result of the record crops last year.

Skinner said the situation will definitely affect the bottom line for NWT. Like other grain companies, they are incurring demurrage costs and contract delay penalties. He also noted once shipping opportunities are lost, “you don’t get those back.”

The inability to deliver and sell grain affects cash flow for farmers and, with seeding time near and input bills coming up, the terminal gets many calls asking about the opportunity to deliver grain.

Senior editor Mark Szakonyi, based in Washington, D.C., covers railroads, U.S. transportation and trade policy, sourcing and ocean shipping for JOC.com. He reported NC president and CEO Claude Mongeau as describing the 2013-14 winter as “brutal and unusual.”

Mongeau also gave Szakonyi the following information on rail car issues in Canada: with extended cold periods over the winter, there was little opportunity for CN to make up delays; speeds had to be reduced by about 9 per cent; air brake systems malfunction in extreme cold, requiring trains to be shortened anywhere between 10 and 15 per cent.

With the railroads running shorter, slower trains, other businesses also have been affected. For example, Sifto Salt in Unity, SK, reports they have also been having trouble getting rail cars for shipping their bulk product.

How have the grain transportation issues affected you? Please comment!

Midget AA Lazers in finals for double banners

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The Unity Midget AA Lazers are playing for a provincial banner, going up against the Notre Dame Hounds in the final. They also have advanced to the Centre Four Hockey League final.

REMAINING HOME GAMES: In provincials, the Unity, SK Lazers host the Hounds Saturday, March 29, at 4 pm while, in league, a tentative game 3 – if needed – against Beardy’s has been scheduled for Friday, March 28, at 7:30 pm.

These photos are from the second northern provincial final against the Saskatoon Icehawks, which the Lazers won 3-0. They were tied at 4-4 with the Icehawks going into the second game of the total-point, two-game series. Justen Close, shown in the first photo shaking hands with the linesman after the game, had the shutout, stopping 29 shots.

Lazer goalieLazers in provincialsUnity Midget AA Lazers hockey team midget aa faceoffminor league hockeyLazers' Midget AA goaliemidget aa shoot midget aa sticksUnity Midget AA Lazers hockey team

League done but still in provincial final – Unity Midgets

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Although the Unity SK Midget A Lazers lost the Hi-way 14 Hockey League final series to the Kerrobert Tigers, they still are on the trail to a possible provincial banner. The Lazers won the northern final, beating Melfort 6-3 in the two-game, total-point series, to advance to the provincial final against Yorkton.

Photos are from the March 16 game against Melfort.
Midgets vs. Melfort Mustangs midgets 8 Unity Midget Lazers midgets goalieminor hockey - midget boysmidgets 8cu