On Wednesday, the majority of classes will resume for students across Saskatchewan.

The start of another school year brings a level of excitement for those in the teaching field, including Mark Harmon, director of education of Regina Public Schools.

“Certainly, our teachers are working hard in classrooms to get them ready for September 2. The first day of school is always a very special day, not just for the adults, but obviously more so for the kids and certainly families and parents as well,” he said.

Education does also present its unique challenges, though.

Saskatchewan parents and educators have recently been raising concerns about teachers having to perform medical procedures on students without proper training, direction or support.

The provincial government says they are in the process of better equipping teachers with the tools to support children with complex needs.

“Earlier this year, I was talking to support groups and organizations like the Down’s Syndrome Society of Saskatchewan, and Ability and Me up in Saskatoon about what are some of the things that we can do as a provincial government to help provide those professional learning opportunities for teachers and for educational assistants,” said Minister of Education Everett Hindley.

“These discussions are to make sure that they have the tools they need to best support these students that need that little bit of extra help in the classroom.”

With every new school year also comes a reminder from the RCMP to follow traffic safety laws when children are out and about after their summer break.

The RCMP reminded motorists to obey school zone speed limits and to be hyper aware of their surroundings.

“Avoid U-turns and those three point turns within school zones. It’s extremely dangerous and illegal. Children have difficulties in predicting moving vehicles, and certainly when they’re turning around, it’s very, very dangerous,” said Inspector Lee Knelsen of Saskatchewan RCMP Traffic Services.

Knelsen told CTV News that drivers who break the rules of the road whilst travelling in school zones will face heavy fines and several demerit points off their licence.

“Speeding in a school zone, it starts at $170 and it goes up $4 for every kilometre above the speed limit. Failure to stop for a school bus with its emergency lights flashing, that’s $360. Again, we talked about U-turns, $230.”

Above all, Knelsen emphasized that drivers need to slow down in school zones and survey the surroundings, so that a safe and fun school year can be had by all.

Three people are dead after suspected toxic drug overdoses in Regina, according to an alert from the ministry of health.

The alert was issued on Aug. 31, the same day Regina observed the 25th annual International Overdose Awareness Day.

The deaths, which were reported by the Saskatchewan Coroners Service on Aug. 29, indicate a higher risk of overdose and death from drugs in the area, such as “suspected cocaine and/or fentanyl or other unknown substances.”

The alert also says alcohol may have been a contributing factor in one of the deaths.

The province says Naloxone will counter the effects of opioids, but not substances like cocaine. If anyone is in doubt about what caused an overdose, they are still advised to administer naloxone, which will not harm the person experiencing the overdose.

The alert will remain in effect until Sept. 7.

Two men and one woman are facing charges following a shooting in near Southey, Sask.

Southey RCMP responded to a report of a shooting at a residential property in the RM of McKillop around 11:30 p.m. on Aug. 30, according to an update from Saskatchewan RCMP on Tuesday.

RCMP say an altercation broke out between a group of people who went to the property and the occupants of the home. A gun was discharged during the altercation, which injured a man.

RCMP say the group of people stole items from inside the home and left the area in a vehicle.

The injured man was taken to hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

Southey RCMP, Lumsden and White Butte RCMP, RCMP police dog services, Combined Traffic Services Saskatchewan, Critical Incident Response Team, and the Regina Police Service’s Aerial Support Unit all assisted in the investigation.

Officers located the suspects’ vehicle at a residential property in Silton, Sask. and arrested two men and one woman at the property.

An RCMP police dog found a sawed-off firearm in the yard, which officers with Southey RCMP seized. Officers also found multiple knives, a machete and brass knuckles while there.

A 31-year-old man from Hatchet Lake First Nation, a 43-year-old man from Prince Albert, and a 37-year-old woman from Govan are each charged with aggravated assault, discharging a firearm while being reckless, robbery with a firearm, and possession of property obtained by crime less than $5,000.

The woman and the 31-year-old man both appeared in Regina Provincial Court on Tuesday.

RCMP say the investigation continues.

Brandt’s acquisition of the REAL District is facing delays on the road to finalization, according to the City of Regina.

In a brief statement Monday, the city said it is continuing to work with REAL and Brandt towards closing the proposed transaction that will see the company purchase a series of properties on the Regina Exhibition Association Limited (REAL) Campus.

The deal was originally expected to close on Monday.

“Given the size and scope of the transaction, the parties are taking the appropriate time to complete and finalize the detailed agreements and closing requirements,” the city’s statement read.

“This is a customary part of completing a transaction of this nature, and the parties continue to make progress toward closing.”

The city highlighted the “significant progress” made on the transaction since its approval earlier this year – noting the size and complexity of the purchase.

The original proposal outlined that for $6.5 million, Brandt would purchase the Ag-Ex Building, Canada Centre Building, Commercial Cattle Barn, Queensbury Convention Centre, Stockman’s Building, the Brandt Centre, the Agribition Building, the land lease for the McDonald’s located at 1810 Exhibition Parkway and the parking lot west of Mosaic Stadium.

Additionally, Brandt would absorb REAL’s approximately 700 employees.

This proposal was approved by Regina’s executive committee and city council in May.

However, an additional proposal was discussed and approved by city council on Aug. 27, extending the terms of Brandt’s operation of the remaining REAL District properties, which include Mosaic Stadium, the Co-operators Centre, AffinityPlex and Confederation Park, for up to 20 years.

In its statement, the city did not specifically refer to the term extension agreement.

Saskatchewan RCMP are asking the public for its help in returning a stolen truck to its owner.

Mounties say an investigation has determined a truck was stolen from a residential garage in Watson some time between midnight and 8 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 28.

The truck is described as a black 2022 Dodge Ram with the Saskatchewan licence plate 470 NRF.

Humboldt RCMP are asking for any dash cam footage that may have been captured of the truck on the day it was stolen in the Watson area.

“If you saw this truck, or have information about this incident, please report it to police,” RCMP said in a statement.

Information can be provided to Humboldt RCMP or submitted anonymously through Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers.

A Saskatoon woman undergoing cancer treatment says she was concerned to find much of the cancer centre closed when she arrived for chemotherapy last week.

Ashley Eckhardt was diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer a few months ago, and is undergoing chemotherapy every two weeks.

She says the Saskatoon Cancer Centre is usually busy, with a full parking lot and treatment chairs filled with patients. She says that changed last Friday, alleging half of the treatment areas were closed.

After asking about the change, Eckhardt said nurses told her the closures were due to staffing shortages.

“The nurses informed me that they, due to staff shortages, needed to close half the center,” she said in an interview with CTV News.

Eckhardt said she called the complaint line to raise her concerns.

“I voiced my concern that I shouldn’t feel like I’m the lucky one to get my chemotherapy on time, and that it was unacceptable in my mind,” she said.

She said she was initially told her complaint was being redirected and she would receive a response. Days later, she hadn’t heard anything.

Eckhardt said the experience added another layer of stress to an already difficult time.

“It is super stressful just going to receive those infusions. It’s not a place that you want to be, and then having the fear of your life-saving treatment being taken away, it just added to the stress of the whole treatment process.”

She believes changes are needed in the health-care system.

“I think there needs to be some big changes on a government level with our health care, not just throwing more money, but some real changes,” she said.

In a statement to CTV News, the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency said staffing levels can affect the number of chemotherapy chairs in use.

“As with any health service, sufficient staffing is required to support the delivery of safe patient care. On occasion, we have operated a reduced number of chemotherapy chairs to align with staffing levels,” the statement read.

“It is a priority to deliver all treatments safely. This can also mean taking into account factors like how the patient is feeling and lab results. This helps to ensure that patients continue to receive safe, high-quality care in a timely manner,” the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency added.

The agency added it continues to focus heavily on recruitment and retention.

With another appointment scheduled in a few weeks, Eckhardt says she’s worried staffing shortages could again affect the centre.

Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill says the province is working to address the staffing shortages plaguing the Regina Pediatric Diabetes Program.

The staffing issues have caused some Regina parents to seek specialized care in Saskatoon.

Cockrill told Your Morning Saskatchewan on Monday the new arrangement would be the status quo in the short term.

“The key goal here is that we are focused on restoring those services right here in Regina. This is not a final state,” Cockrill said.

Last week, the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) said it had implemented a strategy to provide care for current patients in Regina, though still admitting some would need to access care in Saskatoon.

“When you’re used to receiving care from a team here in Regina and then if you have to go somewhere else to another city further away to receive that care, that adds some inconvenience to your life and we understand that,” Cockrill said.

“We’re taking a look at the physician complement, the nursing complement and getting that team back up to full strength eventually.”

Having access to local services is essential for supporting children diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, according to Karen McPherson with Diabetes Canada.

“What families need, what the patients, the children and youth need, are ongoing specialized support to manage insulin therapy. So that includes things like insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitors,” explained McPherson, who is the group’s manager of government affairs for Western Canada.

She said those tools are used to prevent serious complications from diabetes.

McPherson also highlighted the added obstacle of forcing families to seek care outside of Regina.

“There could be families that are already traveling an hour or more to get to Regina for care … It can mean extra time off for parents who have to attend to the appointments, and it means time off from school as well for the for the students,” she said.

“… Kids are only kids for so long, and to establish the routines to make sure that medications are correct, especially while children are growing — that’s imperative.”

Speaking to reporters at an event on Monday, Cockrill did not provide a specific timeline as to when the issue would be resolved.

“This is important to recognize that these services are not only offered by physicians, they’re also offered by our nursing teams on this team as well,” the minister said. “That’s why we’re going to take a look at the Saskatchewan Health Authority — at our nursing staffing complement on that team.”

He added the ministry will be working closely with SHA and nursing teams to help offer services “as close to home as possible.”

Most Saskatchewan RCMP detachment areas had crime severity levels above the national average in 2025.

According to the data released Wednesday, 60 of Saskatchewan’s 84 detachment areas with populations of more than 1,000 recorded Crime Severity Index (CSI) scores higher than the Canadian average.

Data shows Canada’s CSI was 75.01 in 2025 while Saskatchewan’s was 146.64.

The CSI, compiled by the Canadian Centre for Justice and Community Safety Statistics, measures both the amount and seriousness of crime reported to police.

RCMP say 11 detachment areas had CSI scores more than 10 times the national average. Twenty five of the 60 detachment areas above the national rate were in northern Saskatchewan.

For instance, Black Lake had a CSI of 2,197.58, while Pelican Narrows recorded 1,558.50, Wollaston Lake 1,113.81 and La Loche 1,029.41.

Several urban centres were also above the provincial average, including Prince Albert at 285.01, Yorkton at 172.53, Saskatoon at 108.07 and Regina at 91.44.

RCMP say they are trying several ways to reduce crime, including using rotating officers in some northern communities, hiring more analysts to track crime trends and using specialized teams to target repeat offenders and organized crime.

“We’re modernizing how we police, investing in intelligence-led approaches, and strengthening partnerships to target prolific offenders, disrupt drug networks and continue focusing on our core mandate: community safety,” Amber Clark, a superintendent with the Saskatchewan RCMP, said.

RCMP say they will release additional crime related statistics in the coming days.

EVO Radio Network – Scheduled Maintenance Notice

EVO Radio will be conducting a network-wide server migration and infrastructure update beginning Saturday, January 17, 2026 at 3:00 AM, with work expected to be completed by Sunday, January 18, 2026 at 8:00 PM.

During this maintenance window, the following services may be temporarily offline or intermittently inaccessible at various points:

Websites

• https://z1035.evoradio.ca/

• https://979thecowboy.evoradio.ca/

• https://101therockhound.evoradio.ca/

• https://887thegoat.evoradio.ca/

• https://advertiseraccess.evoradio.ca/

• https://vipclub.evoradio.ca/

• https://evomcorp.com/

• https://djspinderella.evomcorp.com/

Live Broadcasting

• Z103.5

• 979 The Cowboy

• 101 The Rockhound

• Classic 88.7 The Goat

Stream Relay Network

• All Stream Relay services will be unavailable during the migration.

Because this update involves server transfers, database installations, and name server changes, exact downtime periods cannot be guaranteed. Individual service interruptions may vary, with some components taking up to several hours to complete.

Our support and technical teams will work to keep all stations and websites online for as long as possible and will restore services immediately as each system becomes available. Broadcast services and station websites will be prioritized, followed by additional network services.

We appreciate your patience and understanding as we complete these upgrades, which are designed to improve performance, reliability, and long-term stability across the EVO Radio Network.

Thank you for your continued support,
EVO Radio Network

🎉 Update Completed Successfully! 🎉

We are thrilled to announce that our scheduled network update has been completed without any issues! 🚀 All our broadcast stations, streams, and websites are now fully operational and running better than ever.

What’s New?

Here’s what you can expect from this update:
✅ Improved Audio Player – No more interruptions or cutting off! Enjoy seamless streaming on our websites.
✅ Enhanced Stream Stability – Our radio streams are now more reliable than ever.
✅ Upgraded Security & Quality – Improved protection and enhanced broadcast quality for an unmatched listening experience.

Fully Operational Services:

🎵 Stations:

• Z103.5 – https://z1035.evoradio.ca/
• 979 The Cowboy – https://979thecowboy.evoradio.ca/
• 101 The Rockhound – https://101therockhound.evoradio.ca/
• Classic 88.7 The Goat – https://887thegoat.evoradio.ca/

🌐 Websites:

• EVO Radio Advertiser Access – https://advertiseraccess.evoradio.ca/
• EVO Media Corporation – https://evomcorp.com/
• DJ Spinderella – https://djspinderella.evomcorp.com/

Experiencing Issues?

While everything is running smoothly on our end, we’re here to help if you encounter any issues. If you’re having trouble with our broadcasts or websites, please report the issue to us immediately so we can address it.

📧 Contact Us:

If you have having any issues please reach out to us on our websites!

Thank you for your patience and understanding during this process. We’re committed to providing you with the best listening experience possible and appreciate your support!

🎧 Happy Listening!
The EVO Radio & EVO Media Corporation Team