The Saskatchewan Roughriders announced Sean Lucas is retiring from the CFL.

“It is a difficult decision, but it is also the right decision for me,” the import linebacker said in a media release.

“I would like to thank the organization, Rider Nation and especially my teammates for a lifetime of memories.”

He signed as a free agent with the team in May 2006.

The 28-year-old played in four playoff games, two Grey Cups, and was part of the team when the Green and White won the 2007 championship.

Multiple Sclerosis clinical trial applications are now open to Saskatchewan's 3,500 patients, 86 of whom will be chosen to partipate in testing come March.

Premier Brad Wall made the announcement Thursday, calling it the largest double-blind liberation therapy study to date.

He said Saskatchewan will be the first province in Canada to do it; the disease is more prevalent here than anywhere else in the world.

“We’re going to move fairly quickly on this,” said Wall at a media conference in Regina.

It's been two years since an earthquake devastated Haiti and News Talk listeners donated more than $620,000 dollars to the Red Cross relief effort through the Day of Caring.

The 7.0 magnitude earthquake devastated the country killing more than 300,000 people and leaving about one million people homeless.

Secretary General and CEO of the Red Cross Conrad Sauvé says they've spent $150 million of the $200 million dollars that was raised, including the federal matching dollars.

They've moved through emergency and recovery phases already.

Import defensive lineman Brent Hawkins has signed a new contract with the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

The organization made the announcement on Thursday. Financial details of the signing were not released.

The Illinois State product began his career with the Riders as a free agent in 2010. He was sidelined during the 2011 CFL season due to a shoulder injury. He was set to become a free agent next month.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders have released import defensive back John Eubanks, import receiver Terrence Nunn and import defensive lineman Remond Willis from the roster.

SaskWater will be upping its rates come spring.

The Crown water utility is announcing a multi-year rate adjustment to handle rising operating costs and increased customer demand.

The rate hike will impact 23 communities, five rural municipalities, 80 rural pipeline groups, as well as industrial and commercial customers.

Customers will see an average increase of $4.26 per month

Another Saskatchewan First Nations chief is asking for resource revenue sharing.

On Wednesday, the George Gordon First Nation slapped the Saskatchewan and Canadian governments with a $10 billion lawsuit for potash and oil developments set up on traditional land.

Now, Little Black Bear Chief Perry Bellegarde says sharing resource revenues is essential for First Nations to contribute to the economy.

A warrant for him has been dropped by the courts, so the RCMP are hoping Christopher Crowe will tell them he is okay.

Crowe, who is from Piapot First Nation, disappeared in December after local police were called to the First Nation about a man in medical distress.

But because Crowe had an outstanding warrant, he made a run for it. Cpl. Logan Conrad says in that time friends and family and talked to him.

RCMP Cpl. Logan Conrad say the warrant has now been cleared by the courts.

With this dip back into the cold the heat is on, as Mission Ridge ski hill works furiously to make snow.

General Manager Don Williams says the runs were kept open through the thaw but it was a tough sell. He says it's been a challenge to get people out to ski - when it looks like they could be golfing.

Now they're looking at more than 36 hours to make as much snow as they can.

They're running the snow machines full tilt. Williams says they managed to hold on to most of their snow through the latest thaw.

Housing starts were up around Saskatchewan for 2011.

Swift Current had a huge year, seeing a 79 per cent increase.

Experts predict 2012 to keep up the pace, as Saskatchewan's economy continues to grow.

When the final numbers are tallied for Saskatoon, starts for 2011 should exceed 3,000.

Allan Thomarat with the Saskatoon Home Builders' Association says Regina saw a 25 per cent increase thanks to a very stable market place.

“That’s a number that hasn’t been attained since the early 80s,” he said.

The NHL's central scouting mid-season rankings are our and three members each from the Saskatoon Blades and Regina Pats crack the list among North American skaters.

For the Blades, defenceman Dalton Thrower comes in at 30, forward Lukas Sutter is 86 and goaltender Andrey Makarov is ranked eight among goalies.

For the Pats, left wingers Chandler Stephenson is ranked 36 and Dominik Volek is 95. Right winger Jack Rodewald also makes the list at number 208.

The top North American-based skater in the mid-season rankings was Nail Yakupov of the OHL’s Sarnia Sting.