Latest Articles from Jason Kerr

‘He’s just completely overwhelmed’: family of Orlan Peterson thanks community for their support

0

The man who was shot at a construction site north of Prince Albert sparking a Dangerous Persons Alert has been released from hospital and is recovering at home.

Orlan Peterson was released from hospital on Thursday, his son Josh said in an interview with the Daily Herald. Despite the injuries, Josh said his father has maintained a positive outlook since the attack.

“He’s one of the most optimistic and outgoing and friendliest people I’ve ever met,” Josh said. “Leaving the hospital, he had to say good-bye to everybody he made friends with. That’s just who he is. He’s so mentally tough. He doesn’t let things get him down…. He’s just always focused on tomorrow always being a good day.”

Orlan was working by himself when he was shot at a construction site near White Star Road at around 7:30 a.m. on Oct. 24. He was left for dead by his assailants after they stole his cell phone and vehicle, but he managed to leave the construction site and flag down help.

The shooting prompted the Prince Albert RCMP to issue a Dangerous Persons Alert. Two suspects were arrested, and a warrant has been issued for a third.

Josh said his father was shot in the shoulder with a shotgun at close range. When the family heard about the injury, they expected Orlan would soon be dead.

“I was just coming up with a plan (for) what’s next—planning a funeral, how would that look, that sort of thing,” said Josh, a longtime Prince Albert police officer. “For the family, we all were just scared. Me personally, I made it to the hospital and I was able to get into the emergency room and I saw the tremendous staff that were working with dad and some of the paramedic staff that I’m familiar with from work. It made me feel better about the situation because I know what tremendous hospital staff and paramedic staff we have.

“Dad was conscious when I first saw him and he was able to acknowledge me and say, ‘hey Josh, I’m so glad I’m here.’ Just to be able to talk to your Dad after you think that (his life) was done, it was a lot of emotions.”

Josh said his father was hesitant to leave the construction site after being shot. The assailants abandoned their old vehicle at the site when they left, but it was too dark for Orlan to see if anyone was inside. He was worried someone was waiting to shoot him again if he tried to escape.

“In addition to dealing with the incredible amount of pain and fear, he was able to keep his head and understand the importance of being a little tactical,” Josh said. “He did say, there was a certain point where he realized if he didn’t make a break for it, for lack of a better term, he was going to die in that trailer, so he did. Thankfully there was no one in the truck and he was able to make that walk and thankfully somebody stopped and was able to call 9-1-1.”

Even though he’s out of the hospital, Orlan still has a long road to recovery. Josh said he doesn’t know if his Dad will ever have full movement in his shoulder again. The bones and joints in Orlan’s shoulder and upper arm are “basically shrapnel”, Josh said, and doctors are working with him on potential rehab options.

Josh said his father has approached recovery with positivity.

“Dad was never discouraged at the possibility of not having that shoulder back,” Josh said. “The first words to come out of his mouth were, ‘well, I have the lower half of the arm and I’m alive and that’s all I can ask for.’”

The community has rallied together to support Orlan since the shooting. The biggest effort was a Go Fund Me campaign that raised more than $121,000 for Orlan in four days. The funds will help pay for travel expenses, fuel, meals, and lodging while Orlan recovers.

Josh said they community support has been unbelievable.

“The amount of text messages and all kind of messages that all of my family members have been getting from all walks of our lives, it’s just been uplifting,” he said. “Dad sees it. He’s one of the most optimistic people I’ve ever met to begin with, but he’s just completely overwhelmed with all of the support that he’s received. The entire family is. I can’t say enough positive things about everyone who’s contributed to our recovery in some way.”

As of Thursday, Prince Albert RCMP have charged two suspects in connection with the shooting. Melissa McCallum, 18, of La Ronge and Angus Heathen, 33, of Prince Albert face multiple charges. They made their first court appearance in Melfort on Monday, Oct. 28 and have a show-cause hearing scheduled for Nov. 18 in Prince Albert.

The RCMP have also issued a warrant for the arrest of Dallas Fulton, 27, of Prince Albert. Fulton is considered armed and dangerous. Police believe he has connections in Prince Albert, Rosthern, and Duck Lake areas, but this has not been confirmed.

Mayoral candidates outline plans to create new homeless shelter and reduce crime at Chamber of Commerce Forum

Crime, public safety, and a new homeless shelter dominated discussion as voters gathered at Carlton Comprehensive Public High School on Wednesday to hear from Prince Albert’s three mayoral candidates.

Incumbent Greg Dionne and challengers Bill Powalinsky and Brittany Marie Smith spent 30 minutes answering questions chosen by the Prince Albert Chamber of Commerce, which organized the event. The next half hour was dedicated to curated questions from the floor.

During his opening remarks, Dionne said he supports building a new homeless shelter, but would not vote to open one in a neighbourhood where residents opposed it.

“I support the neighbourhoods,” Dionne told attendees. “If they don’t want a shelter in their area, I totally understand, and I will not support it.”

Plans to open a new shelter hit a road block on Oct. 7 when a motion to approve a new bylaw allowing the shelter to open at 420 – 18th Street West failed to get a seconder. That failure meant a public hearing on the shelter scheduled for the same night was scrapped.

Dionne said the City is still working hard to find a location for a shelter. He told attendees they had identified “a couple locations” but were told by other levels of government it would be too expensive to bring services in.

He said that might have to change, since those locations appeared to be the only remaining options.

Candidates were asked of their views on a new shelter for the third question of the night. During his allotted time, Powalinsky said “fear of the unknown” was holding up the creation of a new homeless shelter.

He said there was a lot of speculation about how a shelter would impact local neighbourhoods, and called on the City to provide evidence showing well-managed and appropriately-sized shelter could reduce crime, and increase access to services like mental health treatments.

However, he added that council needs to follow the lead of other cities, like Regina, which voted in favour of a new permanent emergency shelter in September after the previous location was voted down in June.

“At the end of the day, City Council needs to have the courage to say ‘we are going to make a decision,” Powalinsky said. “Regina went through that, and much kudos to them. They took a chance and arrived at a decision that I feel was well thought out and well processed and hopefully will work for them as well. We can learn from other jurisdictions.”

Marie Smith said she attended the public consultations for the proposed 18th Street location and said security and bylaw needs to be more involved in the discussion. She said safety concerns seemed to be an issue for residents, and without addressing those concerns it would be hard to settle on a location.

“We need everyone to feel safe, and they weren’t satisfied with the Y’s level of security,” Marie Smith said. “That’s what I heard (during consultations), so therefore we would have to likely increase (efforts) from the City side to make sure everyone feels safe.”

The YWCA currently runs a temporary 45-bed shelter called Stepping Stones at the Prince Albert Exhibition grounds, along with a permanent 12-bed shelter at My Place. Stepping Stones typically uses a first-come, first-serve system, but demand is so high the YWCA announced it would start use a triage system in mid-October.

The most recent Point-in-Time Count (PiT) from 2022 showed at least 120 homeless residents in Prince Albert. Results from the 2024 PiT Count are not yet available.

Nationally coordinated PiT Counts conducted between March 2020 and December 2022 showed a 20 per cent increase in homelessness across Canada when compared to data from 2018.

Crime solutions: Powalinsky calls for ‘eye in the sky’ to help police respond to calls, Dionne vows to advocate for bail reform and tougher sentences

Crime and public safety were the other main issues candidates mentioned during the forum. According to a Prince Albert Chamber of Commerce survey, crime and public safety were listed as a top concern for voters.

Powalinsky had the first chance to respond and said the City can provide police with better technology to improve service and response time. That would include providing police with an “eye in the sky”, a manned drone that operates 24 hours a day.

“An eye in the sky can spot things from the air that you can’t see happening on the ground,” Powalinsky said. “That doesn’t help us with the shoplifting. That doesn’t help us with the other petty crimes, but it certainly helps us respond to crime as it’s happening in real time. It gives people a chance for a better response.”

Marie Smith, who works as a realtor in Prince Albert, said she’s had some success installing security cameras on properties, which has led to some success. However, she said the City needs to go a step further and have people watching the feed from those cameras in real time.

“We’ve tried it (cameras). It has works, but cameras aren’t enough. We need to put live camera watchers behind them and live camera watching costs about $15/hr,” she said. “With that we’ll get a response.”

Marie Smith said the security camera option would be tested in high risk areas first before being rolled out elsewhere. She also said the City would need an increased bylaw presence to answer the calls.

During his opening remarks, Dionne said dealing with crime was one of his biggest priorities. He said he’s visited Ottawa and Regina to complain about “catch and release” policies and advocate for tougher penalties and bail reform. He promised to continue those efforts if re-elected.

“We have a police department—men and women—who are doing a great job but they (criminals) seem to get out quicker than it takes us to put them in,” Dionne said. “We have to solve that.”

According to the most recent Prince Albert Police Service data, total violent crime and total property crime are both slightly down compared to 2023.

As of August 2024, there were 1,204 reported incidents of violent crime, and 2,431 reported incidents of property crime in 2024. That’s down from 1,417 violent crimes and 2,699 property crimes reported by the same time in 2023.

In 2023, Prince Albert ranked third in violent crime rates among cities with more than 10,000 people, and eighth in property crime rates, according to the Statistics Canada Crime Severity Index (CSI).

Candidates also answered questions about redeveloping downtown, reconciliation, economic development, and how they would avoid service disruptions like those caused when city workers went on strike in 2023, among others.

Wednesday’s forum was organized by the Prince Albert Chamber of Commerce. A complete replay of the forum is available on the Chamber’s Facebook page.

The Chamber has also organized a Ward Candidates Forum for Friday, Nov. 1 starting at 6:30 p.m. at Carlton.

The municipal election is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 13. Advance polls run Nov. 1-2 at the Alfred Jenkins Field House, and Nov. 8-9 at the Exhibition Grounds. Polls are open from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Nov. 1 and Nov. 8, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Nov. 2 and Nov. 9.

Too close to call in Prince Albert Northcote

Saskatchewan residents may know who will form the next government, but voters in Prince Albert Northcote will have to wait at least one more day to know who will represent them in the legislature.

As of press time on Tuesday, incumbent Saskatchewan Party candidate Alana Ross had a 125 vote lead over former MLA Nicole Rancourt with all 14 polls reporting. However, poll workers have yet to count mail-in ballots, the first batch of which will be tallied on Wednesday.

Ross said every Northcote election she’s been involved in has been close, so she’s not surprised to see it happen again.

“It is very diverse. I’ve always said that every time I talk about Northcote,” Ross said on Tuesday. “(We have) wonderful people and a very diverse constituency. We have the entire range of economic incomes, we have a diverse population for ethnicity, we have a lot of our social housing that is in this constituency, … we have some business people, and I think the results reflect that because people don’t always agree with what they’re looking for in a government.”

Ross said she’s confident in the campaign she ran, but wasn’t ready to declare victory until mail-in votes were counted.

“Our supporters were positive,” she said when asked about the campaign. “It was positive at the doors. Really, it wasn’t that different from any other campaign I’ve run here in Northcote.”

Ross’s main challenger, former Northcote MLA Nicole Rancourt, also said she’s waiting for mail-in votes to be counted. Like Ross, she was confident the campaign she ran was good enough to win the election.

“I think our campaign was great. I had a great campaign team. We had some new members and experienced members, a variety of people,” Rancourt said. “Talking to people at the doorstep, they felt like they could resonate with our platform, so it really did feel like a positive campaign.”

The final tally won’t have an impact on who forms government. The Saskatchewan Party was elected or leading in 35 constituencies as of press time, four more than needed to form a majority.

When asked about the provincial result, Ross echoed Premier Scott Moe’s comments from Monday.

“We’re very pleased to have the majority, but what he (Moe) has said is it’s definitely a time for reflection,” Ross said. “What we’ve seen is the rural/urban split, so it’s a time for reflection and to be able to talk to people and see what we need to do to become united again.”

While they didn’t form government, the NDP did significantly increase their seat total from 13 in 2020 to 26 in 2024, as of press time. Rancourt said it’s exciting to see the NDP make major strides.

“It’s probably the biggest gain that we’ve had for two decades, and I hope it really does send the Sask. Party a clear message that a lot of people in Saskatchewan are not happy with some of the decisions that they’re making,” Rancourt said.

“I know a lot of people in the province are not happy with the fact that education is underfunded, healthcare is underfunded, and I’m hoping that this message will make the Sask. Party reconsider some of their decisions,” she added.

Saskatchewan United Party Candidate Terri Davis finished third with 294 votes, while Green Party candidate Jarren Jones finished fourth with 99 votes.

Saskatchewan Party retains Prince Albert Carlton, but lead over NDP narrows compared to 2020

The Saskatchewan Party retained both Prince Albert seats following the 2024 provincial election on Monday, but the results in Prince Albert Carlton were much closer than four years ago.

Saskatchewan Party candidate Kevin Kasun claimed victory with 3,007 votes, a less than 500 vote edge over the NDP’s Carolyn Brost Strom. Kasun sought to hold the seat after incumbent Joe Hargrave dropped out of the race in May.

“I just thank the constituency of Prince Albert Carlton for their support, (and) their belief in not only myself, but the party to continue on the path we’ve been on,” Kasun said after being declared the winner late Monday evening. “I just can’t wait to serve them, hit the ground, … continue conversations, and just keep PA strong.”

Kasun also thanked his campaign volunteers for their work over the past few weeks. He also thanked his family for their support.

“When you make this decision, it’s not only your decision, it’s the family’s decision, and my whole family was behind me,” he said.

Kasun won a contested nomination to represent the Saskatchewan Party in Prince Albert Carlton. He said many residents he talked to were happy with the province’s direction under Scott Moe’s government, and weren’t interested in replacing it.

“A lot of people said, ‘we don’t want change. We’re not ready for change. We like the way things are,’” Kasun said on Monday. “I actually got that at quite a few doors.”

Kasun joins a much smaller Saskatchewan Party government than in 2020. The party won 48 seats four years ago, but held just 35 by the time counting finished late Monday night.

Former cabinet ministers Paul Merriman (Saskatoon Silverspring), Christine Tell (Regina Wascana Plains), Gene Makowsky (Regina University), and Bronwyne Eyre (Saskatoon Stonebridge-Dakota) all failed to win re-election. When combined with cabinet ministers like Hargrave, Dustin Duncan, Don McMorris, Gordon Wyant, and Donna Harpauer not running again, the party leadership will look quite different when MLAs reconvene at the legislature.

“It was a tough fight,” Kasun said when asked about the province-wide race. “We’re not done yet. Results aren’t completely in yet, but I believe the province has hope to keep going and we’ll just keep it strong.”

NDP candidate Carolyn Brost Strom made healthcare a central plank in her Prince Albert Carlton campaign, but also hammered the Saskatchewan Party on education spending and crime. She finished 474 votes behind Kasun on Monday, a major improvement over the NDP’s 1,305 vote loss in 2020, but not enough to flip the seat.

“We ran a very positive, hopeful campaign and I’m very proud of our team,” Brost Strom said. “We had a very small but mighty team. We had to make up a lot of votes from the last election. We didn’t quite get there, but I’m proud of the work we did.”

Going forward, Brost Strom said she’s concerned about what the NDP loss will mean for healthcare and education in Saskatchewan. She plans to return to work as a registered nurse, but said she’d rather work for change in the legislature.

“I’m an optimist, but unfortunately for PA, fear won out, which is disappointing,” she said.

Saskatchewan United Party (SUP) candidate Denneil Carpenter finished third in Prince Albert Carlton with 230 votes, while the Green Party’s Andrew Muirhead finished fourth with 66 votes.

All results are accurate as of the evening of Monday, Oct. 28. The final count, which includes all vote by mail ballots, will not be completed until Nov. 9.

Online campaign raises nearly $70,000 for man shot at construction site north of Prince Albert

0

Friends and family members have started a Go Fund Me for Orlan Peterson, the man who was shot at a rural construction site north of the City of Prince Albert on Thursday, Oct. 24.

Peterson was working alone at the site when he was shot and his vehicle was stolen. The shooting sparked a Dangerous Persons Alert from the Prince Albert RCMP.

Prince Albert’s Brad Grolla started the fundraiser. He wrote that Peterson’s life has changed forever because of the shooting.

“It is unknown at this time how physically incapacitated he will be as a result of the life altering injury,” wrote Grolla, who identified himself as a friend of the family. “Orlan’s mental health will no doubt need much healing from the fear he endured. There will be more surgeries, rehab, physio, medical appointments, etc. in his and his family’s future. It appears Orlan may never work again due to this cowardly random act of violence.”

Grolla wrote that Peterson was alone at the worksite when two unknown vehicles entered the property. A masked person approached Peterson and ordered him around at gunpoint while assaulting him with a firearm.

Grolla wrote that Peterson had his phone and keys stolen, and was ordered into a trailer where he was shot and left for dead. Peterson was able to survive and get himself to the road for help. He was eventually flow by STARS to a Saskatoon Hospital for surgery.

As of 2 p.m. on Monday, the Go Fund Me had raised nearly $69,000 of the $70,000 goal.

Funds raised will assist with travel expenses, fuel, meals, and lodging. Grolla wrote that Peterson lives two hours from the specialists who need to monitor him so any donation will help.

The Saskatchewan RCMP have arrested two suspects in connection with the incident. Melissa McCallum, 18, of La Ronge and Angus Heathen, 33, of Prince Albert face nine charges each, including aggravated assault, robbery with a firearm, and unlawfully causing bodily harm.

Both suspects made their first court appearance in Melfort on Monday. They will be back in court for a show cause hearing in Prince Albert on Nov. 18.

As of Friday, Oct. 25, two suspects are still at large in the case. They are believed to be in the Hwy 123 area near Tobin Lake.

Saskatchewan RCMP have asked residents and businesses between Holbein and Nipawin and Nipawin and Thunder Rapids to check any video surveillance equipment between Oct. 23 and the morning of Oct. 24 for signs of a black Honda CRV with three to four suspects dressed in all black and bandanas.

Top local artists preparing for annual Evergreen Artisan Market

0

In one week, the best local jewelers, potters, woodworkers, and other artisans will fill the E.A. Rawlinson Centre and Mann Art Gallery as the annual Evergreen Artisan Market returns to Prince Albert.

More than 50 vendors from Prince Albert and the surrounding area will have their creations available for purchase. Market coordinator Vicki Gauthier said it’s exciting to have so much talent in one location.

“A lot of work has gone into this over the last year since last year’s market ended,” Gauthier said. “We start preparing right away, so we’re getting down to the last week before it, and I think everyone’s just getting excited.

“It’s such a fantastic venue we have in the E.A. Rawlinson Centre and the Mann Art Gallery. They’re such beautiful spaces and the vendors do such a great job of making their booths look so festive and inviting, and it just makes for such a great shopping experience. It’s such a great atmosphere.”

Gauthier is a vendor as well as market coordinator. She said Evergreen gives plenty of exposure to local artists who otherwise wouldn’t get it.

“There’s not a lot of opportunities for some of these vendors,” she explained. “We have a couple of new vendors this year to Evergreen (and) it gives them a place to try out what works for their small business, what works for their artistic ventures, what does the public like to see, and what are they purchasing.


“For some of the more established artists, they are doing a circuit of holiday shows starting in the fall and going all the way through until Christmas. For them, it’s a chance to get out and see, sometimes, a different part of the province.

Evergreen also includes food vendors and live entertainment. This will be the 46th year for the market, and Gauthier said it continues to get strong reviews.

“We’ve had a lot of great feedback about the audience and shoppers that comes to the market that they’re ready to spend their money, so we curate a show with artisans and vendors who are putting out high quality home-made art and crafted items for the show,” she explained.

The market not only gives artists a chance to show off their creations, it also raises money for the next generation of creators. Proceeds from the $5 entrance fee will go towards the Youth Open Art Studio, a free arts program that runs one a week at the Margo Fournier Centre.

“(For) youth in Prince Albert, it gives them an opportunity to come to a space in an art facility and be exposed to some really great art projects that maybe in school they don’t get to spend as much time on,” Gauthier explained. “Some kids aren’t taking art in school, so this is a great way for them to get involved… It’s a really great program that has inspired, I think, a lot of kids to get into art and maybe, if they’re younger, once they get into high school, to want to take more art classes and explore that a little bit more.”

The Evergreen Artisan Market runs from 4-9 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 1, and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 2.

Mintos strike early and often for big win over Yorkton

0

The Prince Albert Mintos wasted no time jumping out to an early lead and cruised to victory at the Art Hauser Centre on Saturday.

The Mintos scored on their first shot 1:15 into the first period, and added six more goal the rest of the way for a 7-0 win over the Yorkton Maulers.

“That’s the most complete we’ve played all year—every single guy, back end, front end, (and) goaltending,” Mintos head coach Doan Smith said. “It just shows that if you continue to buy in and do the right things, eventually they catch on.”

Brock Kolibab and Landin Frank led the way with five points apiece. Kolibab finished with a goal and four assists, including the game winner, while Frank tallied two goals and three assists.

Luke Senick also had a two goal night, and goaltender Joshua Henry made 30 saves for his first shutout of the season.

Casson Silbernagel made 36 saves in the Mauler goal.

“Structure-wise, I’m very proud of the group,” Smith said. “They stayed on structure, stayed on task, and it’s let your offensive creativity take over when you’re in that O-zone.

“I’ve said it all year, it’s an older group, it’s a resilient group. They want to win. They want to buy in, and they want to be able to translate this to junior hockey in a year or two, so we’re starting to see the by-in and again, proud of the effort all the way through.”

Kolibab opened the scoring 1:15 into the first when he deflected Frank’s shot off the crossbar and in.

Lincoln Rogers made it 2-0 near the midway point of the first with a wrist-shot into the top right hand corner.

Senick made it 3-0 with his first of the night just 2:24 into the second period. The Minto forward took a pass just outside the Mauler blue line, skated in one-on-one with a defender, and beat Silbernagel gloves side.

Senick scored again roughly 10 minutes later when he broke in on a 2-on-1 with Kolibab, took a cross-ice pass, and fired it over a sprawling Silbernagel to make it 4-0.

The goal was the first of two the Mintos scored in less than a minute. Frank notched his first of the game 57 seconds later. The Mintos controlled the puck off a faceoff in the Yorkton end and Frank jammed the puck in short side for a 5-0 lead.

Keland Simmonds made it 6-0 on the powerplay midway through the third period, and Frank added his second of the night with 2:35 remaining to seal the victory.

The two teams are back on the ice Sunday at the Art Hauser Centre. Puck drop is 1:30 p.m.

Prince Albert police seize cocaine, guns, and nearly $40,000 cash as part of drug trafficking investigation

0

The Prince Albert Crime Reduction Team and their partners made two arrests and seized a pistol, a rifle, ammunition, 1,256 grams of cocaine, 1,349 grams of cutting agent, and $39,460 in Canadian currency following searches at two Prince Albert residences on Thursday.

The Prince Albert Saskatchewan Trafficking Response Team and Proactive Policing Unit assisted in the searches. The residences were located on the 3000 Block of Fifth Avenue East and the other on the 300 Block of 40th Street East.

Police have arrested Nathan Peeteetuce, 34, and Jessica Naytowhow, 31. Both are charged with Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking Cocaine, Possession of the Proceeds of Crime, and numerous firearms related offences.

They made their first court appearances Friday morning.

Mintos out-battle Stars for 6-2 win

0

The Prince Albert Mintos didn’t get the start they were looking for at the Art Hauser Centre on Wednesday, but their play over the next 59 minutes more than made up for it.

The Mintos gave up a goal 19 seconds into the first period, but responded with six goals of their own in a 6-2 win over the Battlefords Stars. It was the second straight win for the Mintos, and their fifth in six games.

“Outside the first 30 seconds, I thought we were really good,” Mintos coach Doan Smith said afterward. “It’s neat when we get rolling and we can play our full line-up. (When) we can show off the depth of our team we’re going to be really tough to beat.”

The Mintos benefited from a bevy of powerplay opportunities, including a what could have been a full two-minute 5-on-3 after Battlefords received a bench minor with 37 seconds left in the first.

Prince Albert responded with two powerplay goals—including the winner by captain Simon Garchinski less than one minute into the second—and scored another on a delayed penalty.

“Everyone was going,” Garchinski said when asked about his team’s play. “It’s good that everyone contributed … and our goalie (Jayden Blanchette) stood on his head, so it was really good.”

“Our PK has always been good, which we’re proud of. Our power play is kind of hot (and) cold,” Smith added. “Tonight we get two big powerplay goals—a 5-on-3 goal and a 5-on-4 goal—so we’re proud of those guys in getting it done when it matters. That’s when you lean on your top players to contribute and they did so tonight.”

The Stars continued to press after the first goal of the game, outshooting the Mintos 9-4 by the midway point of the first period. However, the Mintos responded with two goals in the next 10 minutes, plus two more goals in the second to take a commanding lead heading into the third.

“I think we just put it behind us,” Garchinski said when asked about the team’s response to the opening goal. “Stuff like that happens—bad bounces and stuff like that. You’ve just got to move on from it and continue to play your game and don’t let it affect you too much. I think we did a good job with that.”

The Stars threw a scare into the hometown crowd with a goal five minutes into the third period, but that was as close as they got. The Mintos piled on the pressure, outshooting the visitors 19-10 in the final frame, and scoring two more goals.

Smith said the Mintos showed a lot of composure after the Stars made it a two goal game.

“We’re an older team this year,” Smith said. “They’ve been through it. They’ve seen highs and lows. We (the coaches) don’t have to bark. We don’t have to yell at them. They know when they need to bare down and get it done and tonight’s an example of that.

“They get one to make it 4-2, they could crawl back into it, and we go out and get a couple more. Again, that’s a resilient older group that’s starting to figure it out. As we do that, we’re going to be tough to beat.”

Kash Alger-East opened the scoring for the Stars 19 seconds into the first period. Waylong Gardipy intercepted a Minto breakout pass and fed Caleb Pockrant, who setup Alger-East for a tap-in at the side of the Prince Albert goal to make it 1-0.

Brock Kolibab made it 1-1 with 7:21 to play in the period when he deflected Staiden Parenteau’s point shot into the Stars goal on a delayed penalty.

Prince Albert made it 2-1 with just under two minutes to play. Carter Cole attempted a shot in the slot but checked. The puck slid to a wide-open William Chabot at the side of the net and he deposited it into a wide open goal.

Garchinski added to the Minto lead on the powerplay when he one-timed a point shot past Stars goalie Luke Norman just 52 seconds into the second period. Luke Senick made it 4-1 Prince Albert with 13:48 to play when he slid the puck past Norman during a goalmouth scramble.

Dawson Gamble made it 4-2 Prince Albert roughly five minutes into the third when he fired a rebound past a sprawling Blanchette.

The Mintos regained their three goal lead on the powerplay. Senick added his second of the game when he tipped in Garchinski’s point shot with 6:25 to play.

Lincoln Rogers added some insurance when he beat Norman high glove side for a short-handed marker at 3:55.

Blanchette finished with 35 saves in the Minto goal to earn the win, while Norman stopped 33 shots for the Stars.

The Mintos are off until Saturday when they take on the Yorkton Maulers at the Art Hauser Centre. Puck drop is 7 p.m.

Prince Albert realtor and entrepreneur announces bid for mayor’s chair

Prince Albert entrepreneur and realtor Brittany Marie Smith touted her plans for improved public safety, economic development, and a revitalized downtown while announcing her plans to run for mayor.

Marie Smith is the third candidate to join the mayor race, filing her papers the last day nominations were open. She said some acquaintances wondered why she wanted the role, since she could make more money in real estate, but she wanted to help the community, even if it cost her business opportunities.

“I want to do this because in the end, I think I can make a difference,” Marie Smith said during an interview with the Daily Herald.

“If you don’t make bold moves, then how am I going to help and what’s going to actually change?”

Marie Smith said she thought about running for a council seat, but chose mayor because she could make a bigger difference in that role. She was also concerned about the lack of younger candidates, and lack of women on the ballot.

“I’m a little spicy entrepreneur and mayor is a little more aligned with who I am and leadership,” she explained. “I just think that’s where the change happens.

Before becoming a realtor and entrepreneur, Marie Smith worked in corrections where she supervised offenders teaching job skills, among other duties. As a realtor, she’s represented property owners struggling to evict bad tenants who refuse to leave, and handled estate cases involving property. She said all those experiences have given her the skills necessary to be a good mayor.

“I really would like people to realize I’m going to be a hands-on mayor,” she said. “I’m going to show up on site. I’m going to use my skills…. I’m 39, and I’ve already been doing long hours. I want people to know that I’m going to be there. I’m going to show up. I’m not just going to be pushing paper.”

Policy wise, Marie Smith said her focus will be on making Prince Albert, safer, cleaner, and more attractive to business and property owners, especially in the downtown. As a realtor, she said too many property owners are concerned their business location is not safe, and that’s hampering economic growth.

If elected, Marie Smith said she would hire more bylaw officers to handle vandalism and other petty crimes, which ideally would free up police officers for more dangerous duties. She also said she would give those bylaw officers more power, which she also said would help take the burden off of police.

Marie Smith also said she would install security cameras in high-crime public areas, and provide targeted supports for landlords and tenants victimized by criminal activity. The list of possible locations includes downtown, Second Avenue, the Cornerstone Business District and “anywhere people are feeling uncomfortable.”

“I actually do believe that that will take the pressure off the police so they can focus on other things,” she said. “It’s also going to help with crime reporting, because, boom, we have a video.

“Other cities are doing this,” she added. “I’m not re-inventing the wheel on security cameras.”

As a realtor, Marie Smith said she’s already involved with projects to revitalize downtown, but public safety concerns make it a challenge.

“I can almost fill the downtown as a commercial realtor right now, but we’ve got it two-fold,” she said. “They don’t want to be down here because it’s unsafe.”

Marie Smith said she supports building a new homeless shelter in Prince Albert, and would promote more partnerships with non-profits, community groups, and Indigenous organizations to help reduce addictions and homelessness.

Marie Smith is a third generation business-owner who was raised in Prince Albert. Her family established Smith Hatcheries in the 1940s.

Marie Smith is running against incumbent Greg Dionne and challenger Bill Powalinsky for Mayor. The municipal election is scheduled for Nov. 13.