OUTLOOK - Last week, we revisited the biggest headlines from the first half of 2024. This week, take a look at everything that made the news in the second half of the year!
JULY
Canada Day festivities in Outlook saw the riverside community buzzing with activity. A morning parade around town served as the kickoff to the day before everything moved over to the grounds of the Jim Kook Rec Plex, where events such as a classic car show, a multicultural display, a kids zone in the curling rink, and even a movie played out on the main rink surface kept hundreds of people entertained throughout the day and evening. Canada's 157th birthday was officially capped with a spectacular fireworks display by the Outlook-Rudy Fire Department.
The Outlook newspaper, a longtime staple on Saskatchewan Avenue in town since the 1970's, pulled up stakes and moved down the east side of the street to a new location just beside the Bargain Shop. Town mayor Maureen Weiterman dropped by to wish staff members luck and cut the ceremonial ribbon on the 115-year publication's new beginning.
Cool dinosaur bones and fossils awaited visitors at the Outlook Heritage Centre, where the Diefenbaker Dino Hunters, together with Dinosty Fossils and the Adventure Wranglers, hosted three days of showings. In addition to the cool exhibits, Outlook rockers Bad Influence played a free show at the Heritage Centre, providing a solid soundtrack to the fossil surroundings.
Fundraising for the new fire hall in Outlook was off to a great start, and things only got better when local ag business Western Sales announced a blockbuster donation of $250,000 towards the new facility. With many of its employees serving as volunteer firefighters and first responders, Regan McGrath of Western Sales noted that the business recognized the impact that local fire crews had on their communities and that they were honored to do their part in supporting the venture.
A special legacy project that was spearheaded by the Town of Outlook put a spotlight on a number of people who've served the riverside community in the role of Mayor. Portraits of Bill Childerhose, Darcy Tofin, Donna Smith, Bob Stephenson, Ross Derdall, and Maureen Weiterman were produced and highlighted the leadership of the town over the last 33 years. Combined, the six individuals served as councillors and/or Mayor for a period of 89 years.
Speaking of the Mayor, then-Mayor Maureen Weiterman revealed at a town council meeting her future intentions later in the fall with the civic election coming up, announcing that she would not run again for the role and would be stepping away from the local political scene.
AUGUST
An Outlook hometown boy was coming home to Saskatchewan and bringing his years of hockey knowledge with him after it was announced that Andrew Sarauer, who for many years had played the game all over the world, had been selected as the new assistant coach of the WHL's Saskatoon Blades. Sarauer would begin his time with the team in the upcoming 2024/25 season.
Smashing barriers and finding new challenges was something that Outlook's Azelyn Beckett was intent on doing when she started her new job working for the town's public works department. That's because Beckett was the first woman hired to be a full-time staff member on the town crew, something that she took with a lot of pride.
A violent incident that happened in the bar room of the Outlook Motor Hotel had many people talking on social media within the community. It was said that a fight between a number of young adults had escalated after a failed pass attempt in the bar, which led to the fight outside the business. Sgt. Mark Langager of the Outlook RCMP confirmed that the altercation had taken place, involving a number of weapons, and three arrests had been made of individuals working in the area as part of a work crew from Alberta.
A local family was joined by the entire community of Outlook and beyond when it was learned that Winton 'Bud' Hardy, working as a combat medic on the Ukrainian front lines amidst the conflict with Russian forces, had been killed by a drone strike attack earlier in the summer. This reporter sat down on a sunny morning with Bud's brother Will to talk about everything that had happened, as well as dig into the kind of person that Bud was. Hardy was open and honest about his brother, shedding light on the kind of driven and determined man he was in his life. A Canadian flag joined by a Ukraine one could be seen blowing in the wind in front of the Hardy home on McKenzie Street in town.
A brand new sublease agreement was signed by representatives of the Town of Outlook, the RM of Rudy, and the RM of Fertile Valley when it came time to renew the agreement with the Outlook Medical Clinic. A signing ceremony was held in the board room of the health centre, where doctors Reza, Mynhardt and Sodhi were joined by Outlook mayor Maureen Weiterman, Fertile Valley RM reeve Barry Friesen, and Rudy RM reeve Dennis Fuglerud in signing the new document.
The Riverbank Rodeo in Outlook was another smash hit with spectators out at the rodeo site just south of LCBI High School. Viewers enjoyed two nights of bronco-busting and bull-riding action, as well as entertainment from the Harper Sisters, who wowed spectators with their impressive trick-riding abilities. The rodeo also brought a sense of closure as it was the last one to be held at that location, as it will now move over to the grounds of the Jim Kook Rec Plex in the future.
Kids in Outlook had a blast hanging out at the Kinsmen Park when the Outlook-Rudy Fire Rescue team visited to give them a chance to look at the fire trucks the team uses in the event of emergencies, as well as try out some of the equipment. The youngsters enjoyed shooting the fire hose and seeing all the stuff the team uses, showing that the slides and monkey bars weren't the only things the park was offering on this particular day.
An Outlook man who was in the midst of fighting for his life in a battle with cancer was awarded with a prestigious honor with his family surrounding him. Local MLA Dana Skoropad visited the home of Dan Cordick to present him with the King Charles III Coronation Medal. Receiving the medal for his dedication to family and being a notable role model to his fellow Saskatchewan residents, Cordick was the first in the province to receive such an honor.
SEPTEMBER
Sitting down with this reporter to talk about her time in the role of Outlook mayor was Maureen Weiterman, who earlier had announced her intention to step away from the role as the civic election season had started up. As the first woman in the history of the town of Outlook to be officially elected as Mayor, it was a memory she would cherish forever, but she knew that she had to exit the role and wanted to see someone younger take the proverbial reins of the community.
A public forum hosted by the Town of Outlook at the Civic Centre during a community open house took a look at many current projects, aspirations, and general topics floating around town. Mayor Maureen Weiterman, councillor Ryan Husband, CAO Kevin Trew, and Superintendent of Municipal Operations Luke Lockhart fielded questions and provided answers on a number of questions that came forth from the public.
The Small Steps Early Learning Centre in Outlook was taking some giant leaps forward in realizing its potential to welcome even more kids to its daily programming. A supper fundraiser was held at the Rec Plex, where it was announced that Riverbend Co-op was making a massive donation toward the facility's expansion project, presenting them with a cheque for $150,000.
A pair of buildings in the small village of Wiseton were lost due to a blazing fire, those being the local post office and village administration building. As the village was left to deal with the aftermath, the work done by many volunteers was noted by local residents. For a time, postal services for local residents were moved to the neighboring village of Dinsmore.
The Outlook-Rudy Fire & Rescue team, together with the local spouses group known as the FireFlies, hosted the third annual open house event at the local fire hall, where a sizable crowd showed up and enjoyed a BBQ supper. Kids had fun checking out the equipment and playing games with the firefighters, and everyone got together for a massive group photo, snapped by this reporter.
The Lucky Lake Community Centre was the recipient of $5,000 thanks to area farmer David Bagshaw, who was announced as the winner of a Hometown Roots photo contest sponsored by Lallemand. With renovations being done to the facility at the time, Bagshaw got to choose where the company would make a donation, and so he chose his local community centre to receive the winnings.
Premier Scott Moe, on a tour with local MLA Jim Reiter, visited the BridgePoint Center for Eating Disorder Recovery in Milden to get an in-depth look at the facility and what it offers people. Seeing the progress that the facility had helped people make and the daily work being done by staff, Moe was left impressed by what he saw and what he learned in conversation with BridgePoint executive director Carla Chabot. A screening of a documentary piloted by BridgePoint entitled, 'Recover ED' was shown later that month at the Reel Theatre in Outlook, blowing away attendees.
A vehicle collision that occurred just east of the village of Broderick saw one person lose their life. First responders were on the scene on Highway 15 where a serious head-on crash had taken place, where one female was killed while three others were injured and transported to hospital to be treated. The woman who died in the collision was identified as Outlook resident Delores Silljer, while her husband Murray was being treated in hospital for serious injuries suffered in the crash.
OCTOBER
Town of Outlook councillor Ryan Husband officially announced his intentions to run for mayor with a press release. Since moving to town in 2013, Husband had been involved in many aspects of the riverside community, and he was looking forward to engaging with residents to hear their thoughts, concerns and ideas for the future of Outlook.
The Sun West School Division was set to receive a large grant from RBC for the 2024-25 school year, helping to continue its support of mental wellness programming that had been in place throughout the division for the past several years. The Royal Bank of Canada Foundation presented Sun West with a grant of $100,000, which would serve wonders in helping the division launch new ways to educate in the areas of mental health.
One of the area's most recognizable community leaders was honoured by Canada when Chief Darcy Bear of the Whitecap Dakota First Nation was presented with the prestigious Order of Canada, presented to him by Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon. The Order celebrated Bear's contributions to the nation, as well as his dedication to enriching the lives of others.
This reporter was interested in the lives of younger Outlook residents and what things they enjoyed doing, so he sat down with 16-year old Alex Lockhart and his mom Destiny to talk music; specifically, attending live music shows and Alex's love of heavy metal. Lockhart's passion for music at the time included having attended 59 shows since 2016, and he had a massive collection of over 150 band t-shirts.
That fall brought with it a lot of northern lights dancing in the skies above Outlook and area, with photos being posted to social media left and right. On clear evenings, the chances were very good that if one looked up, you were bound to see some spectacular imagery in the sky.
LCBI High School was a hotbed of activity with its annual Homecoming weekend, but it was also the site of 3A Regional 'B' Soccer playoffs, where the boys team squared off against visiting competitors from Stoughton, Wynyard, Maymont, Langham, Moosomin and Lake Lenore. The final game came down to LCBI and Langham, and by the time the action had wound down, the Bisons found themselves as Regional 'B' Champions by winning at a score of 3-1.
The end of business came for the Outlook branch of Scotiabank when its final operating day ended on October 17. The move came as a result of a number of branches closing their doors, including the bank located over in Rosetown. Outlook's Scotiabank first opened its doors back in September of 1958, and the move brought with it an end to 66 years of local business in the riverside community.
The Outlook & District Regional Park transformed itself into a haven for ghosts and goblins with its eye-catching Haunted Walk Through the Spooky Cabins event on the last weekend before Halloween. The event gave a nightmarish facelift to a number of old cabins and allowed visitors to walk through the area and interact with assorted characters. With the nice weather, the event had an excellent turnout and made for a memorable Halloween event for all attendees.
Candidates running for Outlook's town council in November's civic election were put under a microscope and answered a special questionnaire provided by The Outlook & Â鶹´«Ã½AV. The intent was to give readers and prospective voters a chance to learn more about the candidates and those taking part, including Sharon Bruce, Kevin Grotheim, Andy Long, Donna Smith, Guy Derdall, and Tanner Barton, before casting their vote in November.
NOVEMBER
It was an appreciated work of art in Outlook for a long time, but after 25 years, a beloved mural on the side of a Franklin Street building was set to come down after the sale of the old coffee shop. Measuring 45 x 15 feet, the mural depicted pioneer life in an early agricultural settlement on the Prairies and was created by artist Michael Gaudet.
Newly-elected Saskatchewan Party MLA Barret Kropf was officially thrust into the political arena in the province on Election Night, and after gaining the trust of the people, this reporter interviewed him on what lay ahead for him. Kropf looked forward to getting out there and meeting everyone in the riding and working to address their concerns in the provincial legislature.
The staff and students of LCBI High School in Outlook hosted a somber Remembrance Day service in their chapel that not only paid tribute to the departed who had served their country, but also included a special ceremony featuring one of the school's own when LCBI teacher Andriy Prokopchuk was officially sworn in to the Royal Canadian Navy as an intelligence officer. Lieutenant Commander Michael Su swore him in, making for a special conclusion to the Remembrance Day service.
Civic election results started coming in after Election Day , and once all the votes were tallied, the results showed a new town council for Outlook, including Mayor Ryan Husband and councillors Kyle McLeod, Sharon Bruce, Donna Smith, Kevin Grotheim, Guy Derdall, and Andy Long.
The day went to the dogs at the Outlook & District Heritage Museum for a festive event aimed at pets as Santa Paws Day took place, which saw Big Red welcome a long list of dogs and family members. In addition to visiting Santa, guests could enjoy treats such as popcorn, chips and juice and kids could work at an art station, while outside, a horse-drawn sleigh took people around town.
A special in-depth story looked at the history of The Outlook newspaper, which has been in production since early 1909. The stories told over the course of 116 years resonated with readers, and publisher Delwyn Luedtke and reporter Derek Ruttle provided insight and commentary on the current state of the news business in this ever-digital age.
New Outlook mayor Ryan Husband sat down with this reporter to talk about what he sees for the future of the riverside community over the next few years. Husband explained that he sees the town as having an upward trajectory and set to enjoy future benefits as the realization of current projects continues to be shown today. Husband says that after several conversations with people who used to call Outlook home, it served as some inspiration for him to throw his hat into the race.
DECEMBER
Outlook's own Cassie Lockhart, working as a Saskatoon server for popular restaurant chain Montana's BBQ, impressed judges in the city of Toronto as part of a live culinary showdown that was streamed online. Montana's Culinary & Bar Star Competition brought the best servers together in a contest and saw Lockhart present judges with her cocktail, a Montana's Milk Moustache. In the end, Lockhart took 2nd Place and won a cash prize of $500.
Members of the Outlook-Rudy FireFlies firefighter support group, including Rachel Sillers, Wendy Ball, and Judy King, sat down with this reporter to talk about the history of the group and to launch the group's latest fundraising calendar. Talking at the current fire hall, the ladies talked about the importance of launching such a group and how they've been able to help the local fire and rescue team. In addition, the FireFlies announced a donation to the new fire hall for $5,000.
The drama club at Outlook High School brought some comedy to the stage when they hosted a Christmas show entitled 'Head Elf'. In addition the antics onstage, a performance from the OHS Christmas Choir provided some musical levity to the evening. The show was a hit with attendees and the theatrics on display by performers such as Jossalyn Ziegler, Ray Sarvis, Ella Thiessen, and Brooklyn Klop were a favorite with the audience.
The Equinox Theatre group in Outlook put on a festively memorable event with its 'Celebration of Christmas' display, which saw all manner of holiday spirits strewn about in the Civic Centre. With admission by donation, the three-day event welcomed many visitors and served as an unforgettable way to ring in the Christmas season.
The Outlook & District Regional Park was once again lit up with all kinds of Christmas cheer when the fifth annual Winter Wonderland event saw a festive feast for the eyes of visitors for over ten nights. Businesses and organizations created incredible holiday displays and scores of visitors stopped by to take it all in. A total of 36 spots were decorated to the nines and helped make Outlook a must-visit community over the holiday season.
The sport of basketball was once again thriving at Outlook High School with the return of a senior boy's team. Coached by Owen Redlick and assistant coach/manager Jasmine Akre, the Outlook Blues created a roster of players eager to play the game and excel on the court. The team's debut game was played at home when the Blues welcomed the Delisle Rebels, defeating them in a close game at a score of 57-51.
So then, where will things go in 2025? What stories will be told? What attention-grabbing news will captivate readers everywhere? Well, of course, that all remains to be seen. I hope you've enjoyed this two-part look at all the news, headlines, and stories that encompassed 2024. It was certainly a busy year full of momentous happenings, and I've got a funny feeling that 2025 will add its own unique impact!
All the best in the new year ahead of all of us!
