It’s that time of year where pruning elm trees is in season.
As of April 1, pruning of elm trees is banned until August 31 to help limit the spread of Dutch Elm Disease.
“Dutch Elm Disease is always a concern,” said Melfort’s director of development, planning, and community relations Brent Lutz. “And it can come in and wipe out the elm trees in your community.”
The elm bark beetle, which causes Dutch Elm Disease is most active during that stretch from April to August and it is attracted to the smell of freshly cut wood.
In Melfort, about 76 per-cent of the tree canopy in the city consists of elm trees.
The Sask Lotteries Community Grant Program is open for applications.
The grant is available to a number of groups in the area to assist with programming in their communities, said Brent Lutz, the City of Melfort’s Director of Development, Planning and Community Relations, including “all groups that are involved in sports, culture, and recreation in our community, as well as service clubs.”
The money for the grants comes from lottery tickets sold in the province.
Lutz said it’s a great option for local groups to help with their programming.
“Possibly you’re a new group in town, or maybe you’ve not applied for this grant in the past,” he said. “You can call city hall and discuss what’s available and if you might qualify for this program.”
On Jan. 30, the WHO declared the coronavirus a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. The first confirmed cases of the disease in Italy on Jan. 31. By March, Europe was considered the active centre of the disease. On March 11, the WHO declared COVID-19 a pandemic. Public facilities were closed down across east central Saskatchewan. Face-to-face teaching in schools ended. Public events were cancelled. Businesses closed down or found alternate ways to serve their customers. The first case the East Central Recorder could confirm in the region was in Humboldt. The person in question contacted Mayor Rob Muench, who then confirmed with the Saskatchewan Health Authority.