Chestermere Anchor March 27 2023

Chestermere NEWS MAGAZINE

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City council exploring Roadway roundabout options Page 2

More provincial funding to support classroom complexities

3

Langdon robotics club excels at First Lego League Alberta Championships

5

Calgary lawyer Alain Hepner

Pleads Not Guilty on behalf of Kim Wallace at Strathmore Provincial Court

Chestermere City Council is continuing work to improve traffic flow on Rainbow Road.

City Director of Community Growth and Infrastructure Travis Fillier explained during the March 14 council meeting that Merganser Drive, Rainbow Falls Drive, and Waterford Boulevard were previously deemed feasible intersections for roundabouts.

Merganser Drive was the most desired because of its proximity to Chestermere Boulevard, and high traffic in the area, while the Waterford Boulevard roundabout project could be deferred and paired with future construction projects.

The Merganser Drive roundabout project was estimated at $990,000, with construction starting this year.

The Rainbow Falls Drive roundabout would require acquisition of commercial property, and potential adjustments to sidewalks, with construction costs estimated at $690,000, and construction starting in 2024.

“It would be in the best interest that this one is not part of the pilot process. If we were to proceed with this, and residents are not fully comfortable with a multilane roundabout, let alone a single lane roundabout, in a school zone, there would be some safety concerns,” Fillier said.

“We recommend not proceeding with this roundabout,” he added. “If Chestermere had more roundabouts, and if we had more time, I would feel more comfortable putting this roundabout in at the school site. For the safety of the kids, everyone knows how conventional traffic lights work and we can make that happen.”

The Waterford Boulevard roundabout project also requires land acquisition and additional road right of way for the Rainbow Road expansion. City administration estimated the Waterford Boulevard roundabout project at $1.1 million, with construction being deferred to a future Rainbow Road project.

Additional consultant fees for the three roundabouts were estimated at $148,000, with additional construction costs estimated at about $2.78 million.

Fillier explained there is the potential for costs to be offset by a developer contribution in lieu of traffic lights, by approximately $350,000 per intersection.

Further discussions are required with the development industry.

City administration is now working to find balance among keeping construction costs and transportation levies down, ensuring the

Rainbow Road roundabout project can be done within the 2023 construction season, creating consistency among Rainbow Road between Merganser and Waterford Boulevard, and addressing safety concerns for a two-lane roundabout next to a school.

“Administration is recommending council eliminate the roundabout at Rainbow Falls Drive,” Fillier said.

A recent transportation analysis indicated there was not a significant level of service benefit of a roundabout over traffic lights, rather than roundabouts providing better full-day performance.

“Single-lane roundabouts have much better safety performance than signals, and multi-lane roundabouts are a little better,” Fillier said. Council directed Fillier to continue to explore intersection treatment options for Rainbow Road.

Going forward, city administration will work with a consultant to refine the roundabout designs, work with landowners about the right-of-way requirements, work with the development industry, secure offsite levy funding, and review engineer drawings before approval.

More provincial funding to support classroom complexities

Additional funding will help close learning gaps caused by the pandemic.

By Emily Rogers

The provincial government is investing an additional $126 million over three years to support complex needs in classrooms across Alberta.

“Alberta’s government has heard from teachers and school authorities that classrooms are becoming increasingly complex,” a government of Alberta press release said. “Many students in Alberta have diverse cognitive, social, and emotional needs. Some may have learning disabilities or behavioural challenges, and others may need extra support learning English as an additional language.”

The additional funding will ensure students have the supports they need in place to be successful in their studies.

The funding will enable schools to hire more educational assistants, counsellors, psychologists and interpreters, increase hours, and provide more training opportunities for staff.

“This funding will help school authorities increase staffing supports in complex classrooms, which will enhance student experiences and have positive effects on their personal and social development,” the release said.

“We recognize that today’s classrooms are more complex than ever, and we are taking decisive action to increase the number of support staff in schools. For students with diverse and differentiating needs, this means more focused time and attention. We appreciate the work that educational assistants and other support staff do to provide positive and successful learning experiences for Alberta’s diverse students,”

Adriana LaGrange, Minister of Education said.

The $126 million classroom complexity fund grant will be allocated based on student enrolment and is expected to reduce paperwork and avoid administrative burden placed on school authorities.

Funding for the 2023/24 school year will be allocated to school authorities in September as part of operational funding.

In addition to the grant, Alberta Education is in the process of developing and piloting another grant to keep educational assistants in classrooms.

Learning disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic also added to classroom complexities, with shifts between in-person and remote learning, and staff and student absences.

To address the learning disruptions, the provincial government is investing $20 million over two years to close learning gaps and strengthen students’ literacy and numeracy skills.

The funding will be available for students in Grades 1 through Grade 5, who need help with reading and math.

By 2025, the provincial government will have invested $85 million to support student COVID-19 learning loss recovery, and $50 million to support student mental health pilot projects across the province, the release said.

“This investment from the government is appreciated, as it will assist school boards in their continued support of student learning and

mitigate long-term effects of the pandemic,” Marilyn Dennis, president, Alberta School Boards Association said.

“The CASS board of directors is appreciative of the increased funding for classroom complexity and continued funding to address learning loss. The board values the flexibility to address the unique context of each school authority while also reducing red tape requirements associated with this grant,” Scott Morrison, president, College of Alberta School Superintendents said. Budget 2023 will support hiring approximately 3,000 education staff including educational assistants, bus drivers, and school support staff over three years.

Alberta’s Education budget for 2023/24 is $8.8 billion, with $820 million allocated to support enrolment growth.

Funding will support school authorities in managing class sizes and the growing number of students.

Budget 2023 also includes nearly $1.5 billion in learning support funding for students with specialized learning needs, and those requiring more help at school.

Specialized learning supports include Program Unit Funding, English as an Additional Language, Refugee Students, First Nations, Métis and Inuit. “The funding rate for most of these grants will increase by 10 per cent for the 2023/24 school year to help school authorities manage complex learning needs and address inflationary cost pressures,” the release said.

Calgary lawyer Alain Hepner Pleads Not Guilty on behalf of Kim Wallace at Strathmore Provincial Court

Submitted by Kim Wallace

For Immediate Release

March 23,2023

Kim

Wallace

“Presumed Innocent ... I am innocent of the charge brought against me and I look forward to being able to clear my good name in court, before a judge, who will hear all the facts of the case. I have plead not guilty and await for the court date to be announced.

Canadian Charter of Rights

Purpose:

First, section 11(d) guarantees the right of any person charged with an offence to be presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

For those in our community, who have prejudged me without knowing any of the facts, I remind them of what it means to be Canadian, to live in a country where we value our freedom and our rights. I have the right, just as we all do, to be presumed innocent. We all deserve the right to an unbiased opinion until the facts of a case are heard in a court of law.

Spreading rumours and gossip only serves to harm, rather than build up our community. Chestermere is a beautiful place to live. We should not allow the toxicity created by lies and rumours to permeate our city. I ask all of us, no matter what the situation, wait until both sides are heard before forming an opinion of others. Let’s work together to create a community we are proud of, where morals and values win over gossip and rumours. - Kim Wallace”

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The Alberta Dental Association Fee Guide

Strathmore Provincial Court House

Langdon robotics club excels at First Lego League Alberta Championships

Students were building the robots since September.

By Emily Rogers

The Langdon Schools robotics club competed in the First Lego League Alberta Championships.

On March 4, two club groups, the Banana Bots and the Dregos, travelled to Red Deer to show off autonomous Lego robots they worked to code, engineer, and program since September.

The First Lego League theme changes each year and challenges students to research real-world problems and create innovative solutions by designing and building a robot. The student’s robot must then complete missions on a playing field, the First Lego League website explained.

“We had to build a robot to complete missions on a Lego board,” said Dregos member, and Grade 6 student Rhylen Smith. “We presented different aspects, and different projects, like the innovation project, which was a way to show an idea that matched the theme of Superpower, and ways to save energy.”

Grade 7 student and member of the Banana Bots Scarlett Harris explained that at first, her group made a custom design, and tried to create a quick attachment. However, the group quickly ran into challenges, because the robot wasn’t steady.

The group decided to go back to their design from last year because they knew it worked well.

“The changes didn’t work, and we had to come up with a new design for the attachments,” Harris said.

The Banana Bots ran into another unexpected challenge during the championships, as each mission area was set up differently.

“Sometimes the mat was oily, or the robot tires were dirty, which made the robot mess up, or the mission wasn’t set up properly so the robot didn’t work how it should have,” Harris said.

When engineering and programming the robots, the Dregos group worked on two robots simultaneously.

“Having two robots allowed us to have two people testing at the same time, and we had people designing attachments,” Grade 6 student Jack Isaac said. “Everyone was doing their own job getting the robot working how we wanted it to.”

Langdon Assistant Principal Norman Ellis noted that building the robot didn’t take much time, but finding a robot design that worked was the bigger challenge.

“It went through a few iterations, and a few design changes until they got it,” Ellis said. “They were making changes to the overall design of the robot and the design until the very end.”

During the championships, the Dregos group received the Breakthrough Award.

“Our robot kept spinning whenever we had to do a mission. After the first competition, Jack and I went back to the code and started to fix it, and when we came back, we scored more points,” Smith said.

Students were first interested in joining the robotics club after hearing from their friends about the club, but quickly realized they enjoyed building, collaborating with other students, and being part of a team.

“I’ve always been interested in engineering, and persevering through problems, which is one of the main things you have to do,” Isaac said. “When I found out there was a robotics program, and you have to make an invention for a project, I really liked that, and I wanted to try it out. I really liked it and being part of the team.”

“I always wanted to be a mechanical engineer, and I’m good at building. One of my friends told me about it, I wanted to try it out, and I liked it a lot,” said Grade 4 student and member of the Banana Bots, Chase Chubey. For students, having the opportunity to compete against other students from across the province was a highlight.

“A lot of our kids were a lot younger than the other teams, but our kids came out and performed step for step with them,” Ellis said. “That was a big takeaway for the kids, that it doesn’t matter what grade you are in, if you take time and put the work into it, you can compete with anybody.”

Ellis explained that the club gives students an opportunity to see that learning continues outside of school, and not only teaches students engineering and programming but also how to present their ideas to a group in an effective way.

“There’s the engineering and programming aspect, but there’s also the presentation of big ideas and not being afraid to share it with the world, which is such a transferrable skill outside of the school,” Ellis said.

“They got help and guidance along the way, but it was all them. They took a keen interest and showed great pride,” he added. “It developed some real-world skills.”

Front Row: Chase Chubey, Ben Tucker, and Brody Brazolot. Middle Row: Brooklyn Boyd, Scarlett Harris, Mason Harker Connor Brown, and Greyson Smith.

Back Row: Jon Haag, Malcolm MacKinnon, Savannah Pike-Peters, Alivia Schrauwen, and Jack Isaac.

Missing: Rhylen Smith and Kianna Haag. Langdon School students competed in the First Lego League Alberta Championships on March 4. Students have worked on building, coding, engineering and programming robots since September.

Photo/Norman Ellis

A timeline of the province’s deep dive into Chestermere’s governance

Here’s everything you need to know about the ongoing municipal affairs inspection into the city’s governance.

By Emily Rogers

January 2022

• Concerns of Chestermere’s governance expressed to municipal affairs

• Former and current city staff, former and current city councillors, and citizens expressed their concerns of Chestermere’s governance to municipal affairs.

• The previous Minister of Municipal Affairs, Ric McIver, received letters, phone calls, and emails, sharing concerns until March 2022.

February 2022

City employees begin the unionization process

• Chestermere city employees began the process of applying to the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), to protect their rights.

• Communications Representative of CUPE Lou Arab confirmed to Anchor Media that the unionization application was submitted on Jan 26, 2022.

• “They signed all their cards within two weeks of the application. Our union drive was conducted entirely in the month of January 2022,” Arab said.

• Chestermere employees began the process of joining CUPE for better treatment from their employers, and respect for the services they provide.

• The union would add a layer of protection between city staff and the employer and outline how things must be done within the employment contract, such as laying staff off and negotiating pay and other benefits.

• Every staff member that fell within the scope of the union was asked to send in a ballot, and with 50 per cent or more of votes in favour to join the union, negotiations proceeded.

City employees apply to join Alberta Labour Relations Board

• CUPE began a membership drive among Chestermere city employees.

• Cheryl Oates, a Communications Representative of CUPE confirmed to Anchor Media that the petition was completed with enough signatures to apply to the Alberta Labour Relations Board for certification.

• The voting ballots were submitted to the board, sealed, and waited for the result of objections from the employer and the union.

• The hearing was scheduled for May 25 until May 27, 2022.

March 2022

Municipal affairs launches preliminary review into city’s governance

• The city received a letter from McIver informing them that department officials would review the municipality to have a better understanding of issues and determine if further intervention was necessary, and if further action was required.

May 2022

• An independent contractor was appointed to carry out the inspection to determine whether any legislative contraventions or improper conduct had occurred, Municipal Affairs Press Secretary Scott Johnston said.

• The inspection report addressed issues such as members of council acting alone and outside of a council resolution, members of council performing administrative functions and duties, code of conduct infractions, improper council meeting procedures and conduct, and the sale of municipal property not in accordance with the Municipal Government Act (MGA).

• “The inspection process is designed to ensure objectivity and procedural fairness, while also ensuring that all allegations are given appropriate consideration,” Johnston said.

• The process typically takes between six to 18 months to complete.

• The City of Chestermere welcomed the municipal affairs inspection and agreed to begin the inspection in the last week of May.

• Council was hopeful that the inspection would be completed quickly, and would help in any way necessary, and later share the inspection findings with residents.

• City representatives said they had refuting information on when the first city employee application to unionize was submitted.

• They indicated the first application was submitted before the last municipal election, not in January 2022. However, appropriate documents could not be submitted, due to confidentially concerns.

• Arab explained that the evidence must be signed within 90 days of the union application, and 50 per cent or more of the votes had to be in favour of the union to proceed with negotiations.

City workers unionize

• City of Chestermere employees voted to join CUPE.

• CUPE Alberta President Rory Gill welcomed Chestermere city employees into CUPE after the majority voted in favour of certification.

July 2022

City employees move forward with CUPE

• CUPE began work with Chestermere city employees to negotiate a union agreement.

• After city employees were approved to join CUPE, the Alberta Labour Relations Board conducted a vote of all eligible employees.

• If over 50 per cent of eligible employees voted to unionize, the board would become the official bargaining agent for all employees.

• Representatives organized by the union then serve on the bargaining committee, ask members about their concerns, and prepare proposals for a first collective agreement.

• CUPE expected the city to also prepare proposals.

• Bargaining a first contract can be a slow process, taking over a year to finalize.

• When both sides have completed negotiations and come to a full agreement, the union will present the deal to members for vote.

Municipal

affairs orders formal inspection

• Municipal affairs ordered a formal inspection of Chestermere’s municipal governance, after completing a preliminary review.

• Throughout the process, city employees have a codified condition of employment, work rules, and can file any grievances that are backed up by union representatives if they feel the city is not following the set conditions or rules.

September 2022

Municipal affairs reviews Chestermere’s governance inspection report

• The inspection report into Chestermere’s governance was submitted to municipal affairs for review.

• Municipal affairs was set to give Chestermere council an embargoed copy of the inspection report for review and comment.

• Based on the report and councils’ response, the minister would then determine the next steps.

November 2022

City reviews municipal inspection report

• Municipal affairs shared an embargoed copy of the inspection report with city council for review and comment.

• City council had until Dec. 9, to provide any feedback to the newly appointed Minister of Municipal Affairs, Rebecca Schulz.

• Based on the responses from city council regarding the report, Schulz will determine the next steps.

• After considering input from council, municipal affairs will share the report with Chestermere residents through a public meeting.

• Until the public meeting, municipal affairs couldn’t comment on the contents of the inspection report.

• An inspection report is used to identify significant concerns with the governance, management and administration of a municipality, and to take corrective actions if necessary.

• Although an inspection report does not result in the dismissal of members of council, or a municipal Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), under specific conditions of the MGA the Minister of Municipal Affairs could take action to dismiss council members or a CAO.

December 2022

City rejects inspection report

• The City of Chestermere rejected the embargoed copy of the municipal affairs inspection report, due to a “Lack of evidence and a flawed process.”

• Council called a special meeting where Mayor Jeff Colvin and city councillors Mel Foat, Stephen Hanley, and Blaine Funk passed a resolution rejecting and opposing the draft report.

• City Councillors Shannon Dean and Sandy Johal-Watt opposed the motion but were defeated by a majority vote.

• Councillor Ritesh Narayan was not present for the entire meeting and did not vote.

• The city-run website Chestermere Today suggested municipal affairs rescind or redo the report, and that the draft report was biased against the city.

• The city declined to respond to the draft report based on “Breaches to the principles of Natural Justice and Procedural Fairness.”

• Municipal affairs was made aware of the inspection report rejection, and continues to uphold the process under the MGA, and will review the city’s feedback.

• The ministry has yet to release the findings of the draft report publicly.

• Chestermere residents can expect to receive an update from municipal affairs in early 2023.

January 2023

City rejects municipal affairs draft inspection report, again

• City council disallowed the Dec. 9, special meeting rejecting the municipal affairs draft inspection report, due to a time stamp issue.

• Kim Wallace, the City Director of Corporate Services presented the city’s official response to the draft inspection report.

• Wallace explained the city’s refusal of the report was due to breaches of the Public Inquiries Act, breaches to Natural Justice and Procedural

Fairness, and a lack of evidence.

• The city’s response indicated sections of the Public Inquiries Act were not followed, including evidence, attendance of witnesses, admissibility of evidence, the right to call witnesses, and notice of an allegation of misconduct.

• A motion was carried authorizing Colvin to write a letter to Schulz requesting to meet, with Colvin, the deputy mayor, and chosen councillors.

City director charged with assault

• Chestermere’s city director of corporate services was arrested and charged with assault.

• The Chestermere RCMP were made aware of an assault at city hall.

• Following an investigation into allegation, RCMP arrested and charged Kim Wallace with assault.

• Wallace was released on conditions and will appear in provincial court in March.

February 2023

KPMG requests city correct misleading information

• KPMG issued a letter to the City of Chestermere requesting misleading information be removed from the city website.

• The letter, dated for Feb. 21, explained that the city’s website indicates KPMG completed the 2021 audit.

• However, KPMG resigned from the city’s audit committee.

• “As a result of our resignation, we did not complete an audit of the city’s 2021 financial statements,” the letter said.

• KPMG requested that the city remove the information indicating they completed the 2021 audit from the city’s website and issue a statement expressing that the city’s financial statements for 2021 have not been audited by KPMG.

• KPMG also requested the city provide a written confirmation from city council that no parties were directly advised by the city that KPMG had completed the 2021 audit.

• The City of Chestermere was unavailable for comment.

• KPMG declined to comment.

March 2023

Chestermere given 12 directives following municipal inspection

• Chestermere City Council and administration were given 12 directives to return to good governance.

• The directives issued following the inspection report include reviewing and implementing the recommendations from the report, reviewing the procedural bylaw, developing a strategic plan and a timeline for completing the 2021 audit, and appointing an independent third party to handle all complaints.

• Councillors have also been directed to discontinue performing CAO duties, and report back to Schulz by-monthly on the progress made.

• “If the city implements these directives as they are required to, Chestermere will be in a better position to return to effective decision-making,” Schulz said. “My hope is to have a respectful and collaborative council with open and transparent processes that align with legislative requirements.”

City director pleads not guilty to assault charges

• Chestermere city director of corporate services, Kim Wallace plead not guilty to assault charges from January at Strathmore Provincial Court.

• “I am innocent of the charge brought against me and I look forward to being able to clear my good name in court, before a judge, who will hear all the facts of the case. I have plead not guilty and a wait for the court date to be announced,” Wallace said in a statement to Anchor Media.

Alberta RCMP bringing awareness to common scam types during Fraud Prevention Month

The RCMP is sharing resources on how Albertans can protect themselves.

By Emily Rogers

The Alberta RCMP is sharing tips on how to prevent falling victim to common scams during Fraud Prevention Month. Throughout March, the RCMP are sharing tips and resources in support of the Alberta Community Crime Prevention Association’s (ACCPA) Fraud Prevention Month campaign to educate Albertans on how fraudulent activity impacts communities, an RCMP press release said.

ACCPA and the RCMP are focusing on investment scams including investment fraud through social media, pyramid schemes, cryptocurrency schemes, real estate scams, and offshore investment schemes.

“Investment scams often appear as business opportunities that are just too good to be true. Always be suspicious of unsolicited investment opportunities, even from friends and family members,”

Alberta RCMP Provincial Economic Crime Team Cpl. Sean Milne said.

The RCMP is encouraging Albertans to better protect themselves from investment scams by always getting a second opinion, being skeptical of unsolicited investment opportunities, being suspicious of time-limited or high-pressure salespeople, and researching how the investment works, the risks, and the fees.

Identity theft including fraud, phone scams, email scams, and mail theft is another main focus for RCMP throughout Fraud Prevention Month.

The RCMP encourages Albertans to shred personal and financial documents before disposal, check mail regularly, and check accounts regularly for unusual updates.

Albertans can also help raise identity theft awareness by sharing strange experiences with friends and family, the release said.

“Identity fraud is one of the most common forms of fraud in Canada. Criminals will often steal a person’s identity to commit other crimes such as fraudulently applying for loans or credit cards, opening bank accounts, transferring bank funds and more,” Milne said.

To report fraud, visit the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre website at https://www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/index-eng.htm, or call 1-888-495-8501, and contact your personal bank and credit card company if you believe personal or financial information has been compromised.

Alberta Serious Incident Response Team investigating officerinvolved shooting in Wheatland County

The individual was taken to hospital and is receiving treatment.

By Emily Rogers

The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) is continuing to investigate an officer-involved shooting in Wheatland County.

On Feb. 12, ASIRT began to investigate the officer-involved shooting, resulting in an injury.

At approximately 1:56 p.m., the Calgary Police Service (CPS) received a call from a family member of the affected person who notified CPS that they had threatened suicide before leaving in a vehicle.

The person was found travelling east from Calgary on Highway 564, and was followed by the police HAWCS helicopter, capturing the person’s vehicle travelling at excessive speeds, and driving into coming traffic causing other drivers to swerve, an ASIRT press release said.

Police worked with RCMP and deployed a spike belt, bringing the vehicle to a stop on Highway 564.

When the vehicle was stopped, the driver got out, and ran at an RCMP officer holding a knife in their hand and yelling threats at the officer trying to retreat from them, the release said.

The driver attempted to enter the RCMP vehicle when the officer fired a conductive energy weapon but failed to stop them.

The driver then ran at the officer, still holding a knife, who discharged their firearm, striking the person and causing them to fall to the ground and drop the knife.

The interaction was captured by HAWCS video and recording equipment in the officer’s vehicle.

The driver was treated at the scene and then transported to the hospital where they remain receiving treatment.

ASIRT’s investigation is examining the use of force by the officer.

ASIRT’s mandate is to effectively, independently and objectively investigate incidents involving Alberta’s police that have resulted in serious injury or death to any person, and serious or sensitive allegations of police misconduct, the release said.

The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) is investigating an officer-involved shooting in Wheatland County. The interaction involved an individual running at the officer, holding a knife, who discharged their firearm, striking the person and causing them to fall to the ground and drop the knife. The investigation is examining the use of force by the officer.

Photo/Alberta Serious Incident Response Team

Go Girl encouraging girls to get involved in sport

Go Girl offered nine different activities for girls to try out.

By Emily Rogers

The Chestermere Regional Community Association (CRCA) highlighted the importance recreation during the annual Go Girl event on March 17.

Throughout the day, 140 girls between nine and 14 could try out nine different activities, including gym ringette, curling, boxing, dance, self-defense, rugby, and lacrosse, in addition to mental health and nutrition awareness sessions.

“The committee wanted to provide a day where young females can come and try recreation activities in the hope of them finding something they enjoy and want to pursue in the future,” CRCA manager Jody Nouwen said. “We also wanted them to make new friends, and most importantly have fun.” Instructors also gave participants information on how to register for their favourite activities. Go Girl is an important event for youth in the community because participation in sports and recreation declines in the tween years.

“We want to encourage young girls to remain active and healthy as youth and into their adult years as well,” Nouwen said. A highlight from the day for Nouwen was when two volunteer youth leaders told her they met at a Go Girl event years ago as participants and became close friends, and this year, came back as leaders to help the other girls enjoy their day.

Nouwen received a lot of positive feedback from participants, including girls asking when the next Go Girl event is, and giving out high fives.

Going forward, the CRCA is hopeful to continue offering the event in future years. Without support from the InMotion Network grant, the organizing committee, Macaroni kid, Synergy, Camp Chestermere, Chestermere Primary Care network, Stepping Stones to Mental Health, and the Chestermere Recreation Centre, Go Girl wouldn’t have been possible.

“We were fortunate to have so many great organizations who volunteered their time to teach at Go Girl,” Nouwen said.

Girls got to participate in sports and mental health and nutrition awareness sessions while making lasting friendships at Go Girl.

Girls between nine and 14 got to try out a variety of sports and activities like gym ringette, curling, boxing, dance, self-defense, rugby, and lacrosse at the Go Girl event.

Photo/Coralee McIntosh

Photo/Coralee McIntosh

140 girls participated in the Chestermere Regional Community Association’s annual Go Girl event on March 17. Girls tried activities including gym ringette, curling, boxing, dance, self-defense, rugby, and lacrosse.

Photo/Jody Nouwen

Go Girl is promoting recreation and mental health among girls, and showing the importance of continuing to be involved in sports throughout their teenage years.

Photo/Coralee McIntosh

Chestermere Ladies Team qualifies for Provincial Curling Club Championships

The team is one route to the Everest Canadian Curling Club Championships.

By Marla Forth

AChestermere ladies’ curling team is heading to provincials. Chestermere’s Trisha Kloschinsky rink qualified out of the “A” Event at the Southern Alberta Curling Club Championships in Coaldale Alberta from March 10 to 12, 2023.

Skip Trisha Kloschinsky, third Deb Davidson, second Cheryl McDonald, lead Darlene Swiderski, and alternate Marla Forth will represent Chestermere at provincials in Lethbridge from March 28 to April 2, 2023. Should they be successful in winning Provincials the next step is the Everest Canadian Curling Club Championships (previously Travelers Curling Club Championship and The Dominion Curling Club Championship) which is the annual curling tournament held in Canada. The tournament features the top club level curlers from every province and territory in Canada, plus Northern Ontario.

Skip Trisha Kloschinsky, third Deb Davidson, second Cheryl McDonald, lead Darlene Swiderski, and alternate Marla Forth represented Chestermere at the Southern Alberta Curling Club Championships in Coaldale from March 10 to 12.

Photo/Marla Forth

The Chestermere ladies’ curling team is heading to provincials, and on route for the Everest Canadian Curling Club Championships which features the top club level curlers from across Canada.

Photo/Marla Forth

anchormedia

Chestermere, AB, T1X 1K8

Published since 2000, The Chestermere Anchor News Magazine is a hyper-local digital publication that provides readers local news coverage, community and social events, information on local shopping, and contemporary coverage of arts and entertainment.

The Anchor reaches more than 30,000 active, educated and affluent readers, who look to the Anchor to guide their lifestyle, shopping and entertainment choices. Readers rely on the Anchor’s coverage of local social issues, politics, arts and culture to keep themselves apprised of what is happening in their community.

The residents of Chestermere, Langdon, Conrich, Lyalta, and area are nothing like you’ve seen elsewhere in the region. Literate, Highly articulate, Politically aware, and Socially conscious. They are a group with a mind all their own.

To reach out to our eclectic group of readers, you need an eclectic publication. The Chestermere Anchor’s magazine style reaches that group of people.

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Contributors

Hyper-Local news has always occupied a specific niche in the media marketplace. We are a vehicle for highly localized communications, linked to community interests and issues.

The views, opinions and positions expressed by all columnists and contributors are the author’s alone. They do not inherently or expressly reflect the views, opinions and/or positions of The Chestermere Anchor News Magazineor Anchor Media Inc.

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Chestermere’s Radio Station

Welcome to the FAQ page for Chestermere’s internet (streaming) radio station, CFTR the Rogue. Here, we’ll answer some of the most frequently asked questions about our station and the services we offer.

Q: What is an Internet radio station?

A: An Internet radio station is a radio station that broadcasts over the internet, allowing listeners to tune in from anywhere in the world with an internet connection.

While we can and do reach the whole world, as our slogan says, our target listening area is “from the bow to the badlands”. In real terms, we have regular listeners in: Calgary, Conrich, Chestermere, Langdon, Indus, Lyalta, Cheadle, Carseland, Mossleigh, Arrowwood, Siksika Nation, Gleichen, Strathmore, Irricana, Biesiker, Acme, Linden, Rosebud, and Drumheller.

Q: Do I need special equipment to listen to your station?

A: No, you don’t need any special equipment to listen to our station. You can listen to us on any device that can connect to the internet, including smartphones, tablets, laptops, Alexa, Google Home, and desktop computers.

Q: How do I listen to your station?

A: You can listen to our station by visiting our website and clicking on the “Listen Live” button.

• Play Store – Search for and install CFTR the Rogue

• App Store – Search for and Install CFTR Radio

• Alexa – Say “Alexa enable CFTR the Rogue” to enable the skill, then simply say “Alexa play CFTR the Rogue” Every time after that.

• Google Home: Say “Hey Google, Talk to CFTR the Rogue.

Q: Is your station free to listen to?

A: Yes, our station is completely free to listen to. We do not charge any fees or require any subscriptions to listen to our content.

Q: Can I make song requests?

A: Yes, you can make song requests by emailing us or using our website’s contact form. While we cannot guarantee that we will be able to play your request, we always appreciate hearing from our listeners.

Q: Do you have a mobile app?

A: Yes, we have a mobile app that you can download from the App Store or Google Play. Our app makes it easy to listen to our station on the go and provides additional features, such as song requests and push notifications for special events.

Q: Do you offer advertising opportunities on your station?

A: Yes, we offer a range of advertising opportunities on our station, including sponsorships, on-air commercials, and banner ads on our website. Please contact us for more information about advertising on our station.

Q: How can I contact you?

A: You can contact us by emailing us at rogue@anchormedia.ca, using our website’s contact form, or reaching out to us on social media. We’re always happy to hear from our listeners and answer any questions you may have.

Welcome to Rainbow Falls Dental!

Family Dentist Chestermere

Rainbow Falls Dental is excited to introduce their brand new state of the art Dental practice to the town of Chestermere and surrounding area. Our dynamic team will strive to ensure you are comfortable and confident with the complete oral health care you are receiving and will continue to receive.

You’ll always leave a lasting impression with a bright and confident smile. At Rainbow Falls Dental, we want to help you claim and maintain a strong healthy smile to enjoy for your entire life.

Rainbow Falls Dental is a full-service clinic providing everything from routine check-ups & cleanings for your children, to the complex cosmetic and restorative dentistry sometimes needed.

Our team understands that there is often a sense of uneasiness and anxiety associated with dental visits. We strive to put these emotions at ease by creating a positive and relaxing experience. It is very important to establish a great foundation of trust with each and every patient and take the time to accommodate to the specific needs of the individual. Our entire team is dedicate to providing you with a comfortable, pleasant, and friendly experience.

We offer dental services for families and individuals of all ages. We are Unit 214 100 Rainbow Road, Chestermere, AB. We are right beside the No Frills.

Call Rainbow Falls Dental to set up an appointment!

Our Office Follows

The Alberta Dental Association Fee Guide

Crows Feet Birding with Don & Elaine

Awalk through a parkland or better yet, boreal forest park, on a sunny October afternoon can provide the birder with opportunities to encounter a larger, non-migratory bird -- the spruce grouse. Nicknamed the “fool hen” by some, the spruce grouse seems almost tame when compared to other birds, being reluctant to fly away from humans until it absolutely has to. Such was my experience in Cold Lake Provincial Park that beautiful autumn afternoon.\

The spruce grouse, or falcipennis Canadensis, is wonderfully camouflaged to hide in its surroundings. My “companion”, revealed itself only by walking on the well worn trail. Males are finely arrayed with brown-black and neat white spots. Females are a work of art, scaled with brown, buff and white feathers. To truly stand out, males have a brilliant red eye comb, clearly seen when on display. With the autumn leaves on the ground and low foliage in a variety of fall colors, it would be easy to walk by or lose a spruce grouse in the forest.

The diet of a spruce grouse would certainly give any hunter pause, as the “fool hen” consumes the needles of spruce, fir and pine and the aromatic essence of those needles permeate the breast meat. In winter, with diet limited to such needles for the most part, the spruce grouse adapts to this coarse diet by increasing the size of its gizzard by 75% to grind up this hard food. In addition the intestines lengthen by 40% to further aid digestion as

the spruce grouse tries to maintain its size and level of energy.

During the months the young are being raised, the diet of a spruce grouse is a potpourri of delicacies that includes flowers, grasshoppers, snails, insects, mushrooms and blueberry plant parts. With the arrival of autumn, the young spruce grouse has switched to the diet of the adults. It is not uncommon for spruce grouse to fly up into the conifer trees, well out of sight and enjoy the sumptuous needles.

Generally solitary in nature, the spruce grouse is reluctant to fly unless flushed out by potential predators or when the male finds the urge to perform its seductive nearly vertical flutter-flight up into a tree to impress a hen. Hens will build a nest usually hidden under branches of a conifer tree, constructed with conifer tree needles. Safely hidden, the young begin their lives usually with five to seven siblings.

As my “companion” walked along the trail heading west, it would stop momentarily, forage for food and then continued in a most relaxed of states. We shared those fifteen minutes, with the spruce hen posing wonderfully for photographs. Eventually the grouse ambled over a deadfall and made its way down the slope towards the lake, disappearing from my sight, safe and sound. Most at home in the true boreal forests of Alberta, I knew I had been treated to some time with this special grouse, where it is not commonly seen. It had truly spruced up my day!

“Spruce It Up”

Older Adults Coalition of Chestermere (OACC)

March 2023

to participate in. On behalf of the Food Bank, No Frills will be hosting a “Fill the Firetruck” event in March. Watch for more details about this and future fundraising events. The need for assistance from the Food Bank continues to rise and the Food Bank extend their thanks and appreciation to their partners, volunteers and donors.

Chestermere Public Library is running a Basic Computers course – it’s free – and is a 10 week course. You do need to bring your own laptop, but it covers many beginner topics like using email, internet searching and much more. You can register by calling Rocky View Adult Learning at 403-4637669. Also, the Library has announced that they are no longer charging late fees!! The Library is also hosting the Community Support Resource Fair. It’s an opportunity to learn about a variety of free community supports available to you. On March 30, April 27 and May 25 from 10am – noon, there will various organizations to share their programs with you. For more information, you can call the Chestermere Support Services at 403-207-7079 or the Library at (403) 272-9025.

February 28, 2023, Edition

Older Adults’ Coalition of Chestermere (OACC)

As I sit writing this article, we are in a deep freeze that we’ve been pretty fortunate to avoid for most of the winter. All the more reason to enjoy my coffee, indoors, with the fireplace on where it is warm! I suppose we must remember that we do live in Canada and Alberta is very much renowned for having four seasons in a single day. This too shall pass, as they say. Be sure to listen in for the OACC segment on Chestermere’s only radio station – CFTR The Rogue at https://cftrtherogue.com/ around 11am Monday to Friday. As we get better at this radio thing, we’ll be looking for guests to chat with about all things Older Adult, so stay tuned!

OACC News & Events

Some updates from around the community and our not-for-profit organizations….. Whitecappers is getting ready for their AGM. Be sure to check out their monthly calendar on their website at http://whitecappers. ca/ or stop by and pick one up at the south end of the Rec Centre at 201B Chestermere Dr W. There is always something going on. They are also focusing on increasing their membership which is only $35 for one year. They are available for purchase from 12:30pm to 3:00pm at their office on Mondays only.

The Chestermere Women’s Crisis Society (CWCS) has been busy helping clients and they are seeing an increase in Older Adults in crisis. This is everything from basic needs to domestic abuse. If you or a loved one need help, please know that CWCS is available to provide support and can be reached at 403-775-2927. Are you interested in volunteering? Contact CWCS.

Chestermere Food Bank is happy to report that the Christmas Hamper and Sponsor an Older Adult partnership with OACC was very successful. The family was overwhelmed at the kindness and generosity they were shown. There are some events coming up that residents are encouraged

As mentioned last month, OACC will be hosting a table at the Spring Energizer Night on Wednesday, March 29th at the Rec Centre in the MPP room. Lots of great organizations will be present, so please pop in and come have a chat with us (and pick up a Chestermere Older Adults Resource Handbook 2023 Edition).

With the success of the Older Adults’ Holiday Luncheon in December 2022, the group of not-for-profit groups and organizations expressed an interest to make this an annual event. OACC will be looking for grant opportunities for this amazing community event to be funded.

The launch of Conversation Café took place on the afternoon of February 27th at Lakeshore Manor. Hopefully you had an opportunity to attend. This event is intended to support caregivers and family members of those working with Dementia or memory loss. Many thanks to Don Montpetit for bringing this well needed support to our city. Regardless of where you or your family member is in the dementia journey, it is a casual conversation setting offering peer support. Family members and dementia patients are welcome to join in. Thanks to Don’s initiative and the support of Calgary Rural Primary Care Network (CRPCN), Older Adults’ Coalition of Chestermere (OACC), Lakeshore Manor and the Chestermere Whitecappers Association, the first Chestermere Chapter – Conversation Café launched. Future meetings will be held on the 4th Monday of every month from 2:00pm – 4:00pm at Lakeshore Manor (200 Marina Drive, Chestermere). You can contact Don at 403-473-1564 or check out the link for more information: https://dementianetworkcalgary.ca/event/newchestermere-conversation-cafe-in-person/

Just a reminder to be sure to apply for the Alberta government’s Affordability Payment Program that opened in January. It’s for “… eligible seniors and parents can apply for $600 in affordability payments over six months to help offset inflationary pressures. Eligible households can apply for affordability payments for each child under 18 and each senior 65 and up which will help to keep Alberta affordable.” It also stated that anyone who cannot easily go online can apply in person through any registry agent or Alberta Supports to receive support in 50 locations and over 100 languages during regular business hours. Here is the link for full details:

https://www.alberta.ca/release. cfm?xID=863948C59A4EF-CC453DFE-F942A72ABCBB7E40

News & Views on Health & Community

March is Nutrition Month! And the start of Spring

Please see the link for the Nutrition Calendar from AHS on Nutrition focussed ideas for healthy eating: http://bit.ly/nutritionmonth2023

As we round the flu season corner, please keep vaccinations in mind and up to date. Our new Clinic in Kinniburgh is up and running, Monday through Saturday as Chestermere Family Medical Clinic, and accepting new patients. They can be contacted at 403-984-0354.

CRPCN’s Team is happy to support this new clinic in Chestermere and their patients.

And finally CRPCN will also be attending the Spring Energizer evening on March 29th from 6-8:pm at the Rec Centre with information on CRPCN and all our programs available on https://CRPCN.ca. Feel free to contact Leslie Racz, Community Development Coordinator for CRPCN @ Leslie.racz@crpcn.ca.

Join the Older Adults’ Coalition of Chestermere

Are you an older adult? Do you live or work in Chestermere or the immediate surrounding area? Do you want to engage and/or volunteer in the community with similar residents? Do you have family that fits this demographic that you care for or have living in Chestermere? Did you know that as a business or organization that has an interest in providing services or programs for our older adults you are more than welcome to be a member of OACC? We welcome adult children of older adults, caregivers, educators, agencies, service organizations, funders, community partners and the community at large. The common goal is to work for the betterment of older adults in our community.

Please join us at our next monthly meeting! We meet the 3rd Wednesday of the month.

OACC – Next Meeting : Wednesday, March 15, 1:30PM – 3:30PM Lakeshore Manor (200 Marina Drive, Chestermere). While walk-ins

are welcome to our meetings, kindly RSVP. Please email Joanne jumpmaster2@shaw.ca or Betty illingw8@telus.net or Shannon shannon.fetterly@lakeshoremanor.ca.

The OACC welcomes community businesses, organizations, and service providers to join our meetings as a guest speaker. If you are interested, please reach out to Joanne, Betty, or Shannon.

Resources

The Chestermere Older Adults’ Resource Handbooks (2023) are available at the Older Adults’ Coalition of Chestermere meetings. They are also available at the Chestermere Library, Whitecappers Association, Lakeshore Manor, and Synergy as well as medical offices and pharmacies throughout the City. Please pick yours up or take one for a neighbour. You can also access these Handbooks by contacting the City of Chestermere at 403-207- 7079 or online at https://www.chestermere.ca/ DocumentCenter/View/20176/

Chestermere-Older-AdultsResource-Handbook-2023

Lakeshore Manor also provides a wide variety of resources and information for Older Adults within our community. They can be contacted at 587-349-7444 or online at https://lakeshoremanor.ca

Chestermere Community Services

The City of Chestermere website also has some great resources for older adults and seniors programming, events, and information! https://www. chestermere.ca/658/Programs-forSeniors

Community Support Services

........................ 403-207-7079 Text option. 403-826-2611

CSS offers programs and services to enhance the well-being of individuals, families, and communities in Chestermere. They provide free and confidential services related to social support, information, and referrals to local resources. Email: crcinfo@ chestermere.ca

Leela Sharon Aheer

Provincial News

Hello Chestermere-Strathmore

I wanted to share with you some of the funding being promised to our constituency leading up to the election. I want to thank all those involved and our municipal partners for their hard work attaining these hard-earned taxpayer dollars. The Municipal Sustainability Initiative (MSI) program ends this year and will be replaced by the Local Government Fiscal Framework in 2024. Since its inception in 2007, the MSI has allocated more than 15.2 billion dollars to communities to build and rehabilitate roads, bridges, water and wastewater systems, recreation centres, and transit. The new system and formula for allocating funding will be announced later this year regarding how the budgeted 722 million in capital funding will be distributed. This year there is a total of 485 million in capital funding, considering the increases in operating costs due to high inflation that municipalities face. Thank you for the budget submissions, and congratulations to all who have received much need funding. Here is what our communities received this year.

Funding for the Town of Strathmore totalling $2.907 million

· $72,000 to Rehabilitate the Strathmore Aquatic Centre

· $90,000 to replace playground equipment

· $75,000 to upgrade the irrigation systems at several parks and recreational areas

· $220,000 to install a portion of the waterline

· $90,000 to rehabilitate the outdoor tennis and pickleball courts

· $250,000 to construct an equipment storage building

· $75,000 to prepare engineering plans for the stormwater infrastructure

· $75,000 to install a columbarium

· $90,000 to upgrade the Strathmore Sports Centre

· $75,000 to purchase a water tank vehicle

· $75,000 to install a building automation control system at the Family Centre

· $210,000 to pave the parking lot at Kinsmen Park

· $525,000 to rehabilitate several roads

· $750,000 to replace waterlines and wastewater lines along Willow Drive

· $150,000 to upgrade the wastewater treatment plant computer systems

· $85,000 to upgrade the wastewater treatment plant

CCBF to Chestermere $237,000 to upgrade 1.6 km of Rainbow Road

$12,592.72 to the Town of Strathmore for the 2022/23 Fire Services.

Municipalities are responsible for determining the funding priorities and following the criteria. It takes a long time and hours of work to plan for longterm capital projects and operating projects that build capacity and improve efficiencies and effectiveness of municipal services, planning, and dollars towards assisting non-profits.

Finally, as you know, the Minister of Municipal affairs shared a detailed report of the municipal inspection findings into the City of Chestermere. There were multiple concerns around “irregular, improper, and improvident” governance that, if not resolved, could see the Mayor and some councillors or city officials removed. Here is what the City of Chestermere must do to behave responsibly and reflect the community’s interests. Some of the directives are as follows:

• Hire an auditing firm to submit outstanding financial statements for the previous two years.

• Review its procedural bylaws and provide an action plan.

• Submit to the province all code-of-conduct complaints and discontinue exercising power struggles on the council.

• The minister also wants a list of all municipal land sales since October 2021.

• The Mayor and Council will review the directives, and the legal council will also be engaged to help with the process.

As always, we love to hear from you.

Older Adults weekly radio chat

Tune in to our new radio chat show: 50+ Shades of Gray with Sharron where we talk about all subjects related to mature living

Starting April 13, With CFTR The Rogue, Chestermere Radio

Your Host Sharron Matthewman (The Brit)

Every Thursday at 10:30 – 11:30am

Join Sharron for an hour of lively conversations, entertaining stories, and expert advice on topics that matter to you. From health and wellness to travel and hobbies, we’ve got you covered.

Our experienced host and her guest experts will share their insights and expertise on a variety of issues affecting seniors today. We’ll also feature music from the ‘50s, ‘60s, and beyond, so you can sit back and reminisce with your favourite tunes.

Whether you’re tuning in from home, on the go, or in the car, 50 + Shades of Gray is the perfect companion for your day. So mark your calendars and join Sharron for an informative and entertaining hour of radio just for you.

Text, call, or email to ask questions on everything that you need to know and want to know about healthy ageing. Guest speakers and more. Please let me know of topics of interest. Let’s keep connected, all shades of GRAY welcome.

50+ Shades of Gray , airing every Thursday at 10:30 am on Chestermere’s Best Radio. Don’t miss it!

Winter Programs 2023

Session 2 programs are almost over. Call or visit the library for program availability. Find our full program guide on our website. www. chestermerepubliclibrary.com

Do you know that reading pairs with so many other activities? Spa days, Tire repair, Food, Beverages, Boating, Patio sitting, and many more. There are so many businesses in Chestermere that provide these activities. Are you a business owner that would like to pair your business activity with books??? We are looking for Corporate Donors to sponsor our Spring Reading Program. Advertising opportunities are provided.

Lego (Wednesday’s at 4:15 - 4:45pm) and Game On (Friday’s at 4:15 - 4:45pm) are Drop-In programs available to kids from 6 - 12 years of age (Last program date is Wednesday, April 5th.)

Upcoming Closure

We will be closed from Friday, April 7th to Monday, April 10th for Easter Weekend. Our return bin will be closed during this time.

Storytime

Storytime is back! Join us every Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday at 10:15AM for storytime. No registration is required.

Novel Book Club

Join us April 20th at 6:00PM in the library to discuss Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me by Mariko Tamaki. No registration is required, and copies are available at the library for borrowing.

Adult Craft Seed Bombs

Join us for our final adult craft of the Winter session on Saturday, April 1st at 1:00PM. Make your own self-sowing seed bombs. Add bee-friendly or wildflower seeds to your garden, a friend’s garden, a planter pot, or any outdoor space that could use some beautiful blooms.

Featured Artist

We are displaying Jennifer Schinschick’s artwork from now until April 5, 2023. Jennifer’s lovely artwork encompasses the beauty and boldness of nature. Come on in and check out Jennifer’s collection.

Graphic Novel and Manga Club

This month our teen and adult Graphic Novel and Manga Club are discussing books 90’s Comics on our Discord. Any comic from the 90’s are welcome to be discussed this month. Join our discord on our website.

Share Your Library Experience

Have you taken part in any of our library services? We are looking for feedback on the library and our programs. Let us know what you think and how we can improve. Your feedback directly impacts our services and programming so we can

continue to make the library better for everyone. Email your feedback to info@ chestermerepubliclibrary.com or drop it off in our feedback box.

Support Your Local Library

Are you aware that the library is a Registered CHARITY? This means that we depend on donations from the public to support us. We are looking for corporate or personal sponsors for our Winter Program Session! Any donations help and allow us to improve all our programming. Contact info@ chestermerepubliclibrary.com if you would like to donate.

Monthly Newsletter

Are you wondering what’s happening at the library? Would you like to know? Sign up for our monthly newsletter for updates on programming, Reading Programs, Featured Displays, Community Outreach, Featured Artists, and more. Sign up by visiting our website at chestermerepubliclibrary.com

Library Hours:

Monday through Thursday – 10:00 am to 7:00 pm

Friday and Saturday – 10:00 am to 5:00 pm

Sunday – 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm

For more information about what is happening at the Library, check our website. Don’t forget to follow and like us on our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages.

Celebrating

Is it time for your mammogram? Screen Test is coming to Langdon April 5 to 10, 2023

Thank you for supporting Screen Test over the past 30 years. It has been our pleasure bringing screening mammography to you. Together we are saving lives, one community at a time.

Screen Test is a free service provided by Alberta Health Services that offers screening mammograms Our mobile screening units travel to 121 communities throughout Alberta to provide convenient access to breast cancer screening.

Having regular screening mammograms is the best way to find breast cancer early, before symptoms appear and when treatment may work better.

Who should have a screening mammogram?

If you’re 45 to 74, you don’t need a referral to have a mammogram. Make screening part of your regular health routine. Plan to have a mammogram every 2 years or as decided by you and your healthcare provider.

If you’re 40 to 44 or over 75, discuss the risks and benefits of screening with your healthcare provider. You will need a referral if you’re 40 to 44 and it’s your first mammogram, or if you’re over 75.

Call 1-800-667-0604 (toll-free) to book a mammogram with Screen Test.

Breast density scores are now included in your Screen Test result letter

Breast density is the amount of dense tissue compared to the amount of fat in a person’s breasts. It can be harder to find cancer in dense breasts because this tissue appears white on a mammogram, the same colour as many kinds of breast cancer. It’s common to have dense breast tissue.

Dense breasts are only one of many risk factors for breast cancer. Other factors, such as age and genetics, have a bigger impact on your overall risk. You can’t tell how dense your breasts are by size, look or feel. The only way to find out is by having a mammogram.

Talk to your healthcare provider about your breast density score and your personal risk of breast cancer Learn more about breast density on screeningforlife.ca

Is it safe to go for screening mammograms during COVID-19?

Enhanced safety measures are in place to keep patients and staff safe and help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Details will be shared when you call to book your mammogram.

For more information on Screen Test and breast cancer screening, visit screeningforlife.ca.

A screening mammogram is the best way to find breast cancer early. And it can truly save your life.

The SCREEN TEST mobile mammography unit will be in: Langdon April 5 to 10, 202 3 Appointments are required. Please call: 1-800-667-0604 (toll free) screeningforlife.ca

Our local newspaper: A FUNDAMENTAL ROLE

SO MANY BENEFITS!

Creates jobs for the people who drive your local economy.

Publishes credible, verified news stories.

Supports community organizations and foundations that empower local people.

Showcases local cultural activities and artisans.

Covers local sporting events and teams.

Organizes buy-local campaigns to support merchants in your area.

Promotes local businesspeople.

To keep up to date on current events or build connections among the various players in your community, THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER IS AN INVALUABLE ASSET!

Absolutely!

So much so!

True!

Clearly!

110%!

Yes, of course!

Always!

When you think about it, IT MAKES SENSE!

A Real Estate Minute With Michelle Eldjarnson

Welcome to a minute with Michelle for langdon

there are presently 19 properties available for sale including 1 townhouse bungalow priced at 384900 all the way up to 984900 for a beautiful walk out bungalow backing onto boulder creek golf course

For conditional - pending sales we have 5 including a townhouse in arbours circle that was listed for just one day at 349900, and 4 detached homes from 589900 to 679900 these homes included 2 new builds

For firm sales this week there were 4 - 2 new builds in the bridges, 1 bungalow on nesbitt and a large 2 storey on the golf course

Next stop! Strathmore where you can choose from 31 properties! priced from 124900 all the way up to 1.5 million for a walk out bungalow in hillcrest manor estates.

The choices are unlimited!

For pending - conditional sales in strathmore there are 11 including a townhouse style condo listed at 237000 up to a bi-level on aspen creek way listed for 564900

For firm sales this past week there were 3 all detached homes - ranging in price from 324900 to 435000 - strathmore market continues to move along quite well!

Then lastly we have Chestermere with 79 actives listings ranging from a townhouse style unit behind the safeway listed for 384900 up to

3.499 for a lake front property on the west side. for pending/conditional sales there are 21! Wow 21 that is quite a few! starting with a 2 bedroom apartment in the complex behind the safeway for 229900 up to 899 for one of the new builds in south shore

this weeks pending sales for new home builds are 8 in the last 7 days for sales in Chestermere we have 6 an apartment style in the lakefront apartments for 300 up to 725 for a new build 2 storey in Chelsea.

And that is this weeks real estate market update for Langdon, Strathmore and Chestermere. Thank you for joining me for a minute with Michelle.

OPINIONS

We are in the foothills of a Third World War

If history tells us anything, it is that regional conflicts spread

By Simon Bennett

Those of us who believe we are in the foothills of a Third World War despair at western leaders’ complacency.

On 13 Mar. 2023, Britain’s Foreign Secretary announced a derisory £5 billion increase to the UK’s defence budget, apparently ignorant of the fact that the British Army is the smallest it has been since before the Napoleonic Wars. The wasting of the British Army, due, in part, to the Conservative government’s misplaced assumption that cyber and hybrid warfare pose the most serious threats, leaves Britain ill-defended at a time when the war in Ukraine could easily spill over into neighbouring countries.

If history tells us anything, it is that regional conflicts spread. Consider how the 1937 SinoJapanese War fomented the Pacific War. Of course, American isolationism – a cynical euphemism for self-interestedness, indifference and moral bankruptcy – also played a part in fomenting war. Having turned a blind eye to Japanese militarism, America was caught out at Pearl Harbour. The 1930s hold many lessons, including that:

• isolationism is a hostage to fortune

• appeasement doesn’t work

• fascism is a durable and ambitious ideology

• fascists bully and exploit weakness

• war is contagious

• democracy is fragile and difficult – a matter of balancing, through reason and compassion, myriad competing interests in an ocean of unrest

• democracy must be actively defended, if necessary, by force of arms.

As to whether Britain has the capacity to defend its democracy, former head of the British Army General Lord Dannatt’s 2012 warning is prescient: “In making the army 20 per cent smaller, the government is carrying risks”. Conservative MP Colonel Bob Stewart remarked: “If you reduce the numbers you are actually putting the nation more at risk.”

Contagion

The Russia-Ukraine War is quietly spilling over into states that neighbour Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin is using hybrid warfare to destabilize states in Russia’s ‘near abroad’ that, in his estimation, threaten Russia. Hybrid warfare involves using soft-power tools to gain traction over the politics and policies of a state, such that its direction of travel complements the protagonist’s social, economic and political interests. Soft-power

tools include:

• inserting agents-provocateurs into a problem state

• recruiting agents-provocateurs within a problem state, perhaps by offering financial inducements to civil society actors such as political parties, trade unions and media outlets

• using economic dependencies to leverage policy changes favourable to the protagonist

• using false flags – events staged by the protagonist that paint a ‘problem’ state in an unfavourable light – to isolate, unnerve and destabilize it

• inventing and propagating false narratives about a problem state to cast it in an unfavourable light. Consider, for example, Putin’s unevidenced claims that Ukraine is run by drug-addled neo-Nazis and is developing chemical and biological weapons

• advancing a theory of ethnicity that denies the possibility that a people’s loyalties, aspirations and identities evolve over time. Consider Putin’s belief that all Russian speakers are primarily citizens of Mother Russia – ‘Russky Mir’ – rather than of their home state.

Moldova

Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, and Moldova’s declaration of independence, the country’s Russian speakers, many of whom lived in the east of the country, declared themselves citizens of Transnistria, a new, independent state bordering Ukraine. The Moldovan government’s acquiescence in this coup saw Russia station circa 1,500 troops in the breakaway. The fait-accomplis that is Transnistria offers Russia two opportunities. Either:

• use Transnistria as a springboard for an invasion of Moldova

• use it as a springboard for incursions into Ukraine.

Some have attributed recent street protests in Moldova to Putin’s desire to restore the whole of Moldova to the Russky Mir. Putin, they say, is cultivating a sense of grievance with a view, perhaps, to invading the Euro-Atlanticist country through Transnistria. Given Russia’s losses in Ukraine, however, some doubt whether the Russian army has the capacity to invade a second European state. The Russian army has lost men and equipment on a scale far greater than it lost in

Afghanistan – Russia’s Vietnam moment.

Georgia

Since the end of the Cold War, many Georgians have embraced Euro-Atlanticism. Predictably, this has solicited a spiteful reaction from the Kremlin that has seen:

• the 2008 invasion by Russia of two Georgian regions, South Ossetia and Abkhazia

• the recruitment of agents-provocateurs from within Georgia’s Establishment to return the country to Russia’s orbit. Examples include the role played by Georgian billionaire and founder of the ruling Georgian Dream Party, Bidzina Ivanishvili, who, according to Russia-watcher Therese Raphael writing in Bloomberg.com, enjoys “de facto control over key state institutions, the judiciary and security services”

• the government pressured to introduce a law that requires civil society organizations (media outlets, for example) with 20 per cent or more foreign funding to register with the state as’ foreign agents’. Russia introduced a similar law in 2012.

While street protests have forced the government to withdraw its foreign agents law, it may be reintroduced at some future date. Russia’s foreign agents law has helped Putin create what can only be described as a totalitarian state.

Foothills

These developments support the hypothesis that we are in the foothills of a Third World War. All is not lost, however. If Western democracies take decisive action, for example, by spending annually a minimum of five per cent of GDP on defence, they will be in a position to use both soft and hard power to deter Russia (and China). The international rules-based order may yet be salvaged.

Dr. Simon Bennett directs the Civil Safety and Security Unit at the University of Leicester. He’s interested in the organizational, social, economic and political origins of risk. He has worked with the Royal Air Force and U.K. National Police Air Service on human-factors issues. His latest book, Safety in Aviation and Astronautics: A Socio-technical Approach, was published by Routledge in 2022.

© Troy Media

The opinions expressed by our columnists and contributors are theirs alone and do not inherently or expressly reflect the views of Anchor Media

UNPACKED UNPACKED

POD POD POD POD

Episode: Next generation of men and boys experiencing less pain and cause less harm with guest Jake Stika

This week on Unpacked we are chatting with Jake Stika, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Next Gen Men. We chat with Jake on gender-based issues related to the social and emotional development of young men and boys, the health and well-being of men in communities, workplaces and their vision for a future where boys & men experience less pain, and cause less harm. We talk about power dynamics, breaking down gender roles, what to say to young men and boys, how to create more inclusive spaces at home, school and at work.

Unpacked is a podcast exploring life as messy people. It’s conversations with counsellors, leaders, storytellers discussing the experiences of being human. We talk about the strength that comes from big messy failures and vulnerable moments so we can learn to live more authentically. Subscribe and leave us a review!

Links: https://unpackedpod.buzzsprout.com/

Spring home & Garden 2023

Hardy Locally Grown Trees and Shrubs

• Assiniboine Poplar – Fast growing shelterbelt tree

• Byland Green Poplar – Fast growing shelterbelt tree

• Sargent’s Poplar – Cotton less Cottonwood

• Sundancer Poplar – A fast growing narrow poplar

• Swedish Columnar Aspen 10

Feature Shrubs -available late April or early May

Cotoneaster, Lilacs, Potentilla, Spirea & more

Bare root

Cotoneaster & Spruce

Ask for a quote.

Stump Grinding

We use a stump planer mounted on a skid steer. This attachment bores the stump below the surface in a clean and safe manner.

Tips when planting shade trees

Beautiful landscaping can add instant curb appeal to a property. But beauty isn’t the only thing that makes idyllic landscaping attractive to homeowners. Some landscaping features, such as shade trees, save homeowners money while adding aesthetic appeal.

The U.S. Department of Energy notes that shading is the most cost-effective way to reduce solar heat gain in a home. Shading also cuts air conditioning costs, which tend to be expensive in areas with warm, humid climates. In fact, the DOE notes that wellplanned landscapes can reduce unshaded homes’ air conditioning costs by anywhere from 15 to 50 percent.

When planting shade trees, one of the first decisions homeowners will need to make is which type of tree, deciduous or evergreen, they want to plant. Deciduous trees are those that seasonally shed their leaves, while evergreens are trees that keep their leaves throughout the year. Deciduous trees can help keep homes cool in the summer by blocking sun, and those same trees can be beneficial in winter after they shed their leaves by letting the sun in and keeping homes warm. But evergreens also can be beneficial in winter by blocking wind, potentially preventing cold air from making its way into a home through cracks in walls or around windows.

When planting shade trees, techniques vary depending on which type of tree homeowners ultimately choose to plant.

Planting deciduous trees

The DOE says that deciduous trees that are between six and eight feet tall when planted will begin shading the windows of a home within a year of being planted. Depending on

the species of the plant and the home, those same deciduous trees may begin shading the roof within five to 10 years of being planted. When planting deciduous trees, homeowners should keep these tips in mind.

• Plant trees to the south of the home. When planted to the south of the home, deciduous trees can screen between 70 and 90 percent of the summer sun while still allowing residents to feel summer breezes.

• Consider sun angles. Homeowners who want to shade their homes from low afternoon sun angles should plant trees with crowns that are lower to the ground on the west side of their homes.

• Cool air before it reaches your home. Shrubs and groundcover plants can be planted to cool air before it reaches a home.

Evergreen trees

Planting evergreens to block wind is known as “windbreaking,” which lowers the wind chill near a home. Wind also can be used to cool a home in summer. But these benefits can only be realized when evergreens are strategically planted.

• Location, location, location: The DOE advises planting evergreen trees to the north and northwest of the home to stop wind. In addition, to get the most bang for your windbreaking buck, the distance between the home and windbreak should be two to five times the height of the mature tree.

• Plant trees on either side of the house. Planting trees on either side of the house will direct cooling winds toward the home in the summer.

Shade trees can help homeowners reduce their energy bills, making them valuable and attractive additions to any landscape.

5 mistakes to avoid when cleaning your windows and mirrors

Clean mirrors, windows and glass furniture add instant sparkle to your decor. In your haste to get the shine, you may make mistakes that cause you to double your efforts. Avoid these five habits to get the best results the first time.

1. Cleaning when the weather or lighting is bad, like freezing rain or glaring sun

2. Neglecting to dust surrounding spaces, like mirror frames, before cleaning

3. Using a poor-quality cleaning solution

4. Drying surfaces with a non-absorbent, dirty or lint-covered cloth

5. Forgetting to wipe the squeegee after each pass

Purchase the best cleaning products and accessories at your local stores. You could also try hiring a cleaning pro for dazzling results.

Ready, set, declutter

Tackling spring cleaning without first decluttering a few rooms, drawers, or cupboards can be futile. Is this task worth the effort? The answer is a resounding yes. Getting rid of unnecessary things gives you, among other things, an incredible feeling of lightness and well-being. Here are a few tips on how to make this chore go smoothly.

Many find that sorting through their belongings brings up various emotions. Can you relate? To lighten the emotional load, start with items with little or no sentimental va lue , such as leftover renovation materials or take-out containers that can go in the recycling bin.

Once you’ve done this, sort through other items. When deciding if you should keep something, ask yourself if it’s useful.

If you haven’t used it in over a year, it’s not essential. If you’re reluctant to part with an expensive item, remember that you can sell it to someone else who can give it a new life.

If you have several duplicates of nearly identical items, keep only one or two (the least worn, for example). If you’ve been hoarding clothes that no longer fit, be realistic. Sell them if they’re in good shape or donate them to an organization that helps needy people.

After decluttering, reward yourself with a relaxing massage or meal out.

How to clean your walls without damaging the paint

Washing painted walls can be tricky and requires special care. Follow these steps to avoid marring the paint or leaving unsightly scuffs.

1. Gently remove dust and cobwebs with a vacuum cleaner or duster.

2. Place old towels along the baseboards to absorb excess water.

3. Wash the walls with a sponge or mop, working from top to bottom. Gently scrub away stains as needed. Water alone is usually sufficient for surface dirt, but you may need to use a mild detergent for stubborn stains.

4. Dry the cleaned and rinsed surfaces with a fresh cloth as you go.

Psst! The darker the paint colour and the more matte the finish, the less scrubbing you should do.

Spring cleaning: 5 fabric care tips

While spring cleaning your home, don’t forget about textiles. Here are a few tips for cleaning your quilts, bedspreads, curtains, cushions, duvet covers and more.

1. Before putting any textiles in the washing machine, shake out all the dust and debris or vacuum them. This will make cleaning more effective.

2. Me tal accessories such as zippers can damage delicate fabrics. Don’t take any chances! Wash your delicates in a separate load. Also, place particularly fragile fabrics, like lace, in a mesh laundry bag.

3. Use a mild detergent, and don’t use bleach, which can discolour your fabrics.

5. The drying method you use depends on the fabric type. You can generally use the dryer for heavy-duty texti les. However, hang other materials to air dry before steaming or ironing them.

have high walls

4 tips for tidying your home

4. Wash your fabrics in cold water on the delicate or normal cycle. Follow the care instructions on the label whenever possible.

If you have any items with special cleaning needs, bring them to your local dry cleaner.

Expert tips for maintaining your flooring

Have you finished most of your spring cleaning but haven’t washed your floors? Here are a few tips for maintaining your flooring without damaging it.

• Ceramic tiles. Clean the grout lines with a product specifically designed for this purpose. After letting the product soak in, scrub the grout with a clean brush or cloth and rinse. You can easily clean the surface of the tiles with a mixture of water and white vinegar.

• Vinyl. This popular material is easy to care for and will look new for years. Gently mop the floor with a vinyl cleaner to remove grime. Then, rinse with clean water and let dry.

• Floating floor. This type of flooring is practical and attractive but vulnerable to moisture. Therefore, avoid soaking it with water when washing it. Purchase a product designed for floating floors. Follow the instructions to restore your floor to its former glory.

• Hardwood. Restore the shine of this elegant material with an environmentally friendly, no-rinse cleaner. That way, you won’t leave behind streaks or residue. Avoid using scouring pads and other aggressive tools to remove stains. These items could damage the floor’s finish.

Visit local stores to find products and accessories to make your floors shine.

Have you carefully sorted your belongings down to the essentials, but your home is still a mess? Don’t worry! Here are a few tips to help you tidy up.

1. Take advantage of space. Go around your home and look for unused spaces underneath staircases and beds, over cupboards and behind doors. Make the most of this space with hooks, shelves and storage bins.

2. St ore seasonal items. For instance, put your camping gear and Christmas decorations in marked bins or bags and store them in your basement or shed. Make sure these items are easily accessible when you need them.

3. Keep frequently used items at hand. It doesn’t make sense to stow away items you use several times a day or week. Instead, place them within easy reach or on attractive displays. Keep rarely used products out of sight unless they’re particularly decorative.

4. Invest in multifunctional furniture. Convertible furniture, multi-purpose shelving and storage benches or ottomans are perfect for stowing away things in style. Visit your local stores to explore your options.

Consult a specialist in your area for personalized advice on organizing your home.

No matter what type of flooring you have, remove debris, crumbs and dust with a broom, vacuum or cloth before you start cleaning.

Pro tips to prep your garden for spring

(NC) There’s nothing quite like plucking a fresh head of lettuce or the first green bean from your own garden. It’s not only rewarding, it’s good for the environment. Gardening helps to improve air and soil quality. Plants help protect the soil, recycle nutrients and provide homes for animals. Gardening also helps protect local wildlife and pollinators. Whether you’re new to gardening or you’ve been at it for years, here’s how you can get a head start on growing season.

Plan your bounty

Start thinking about what you want to grow, and how you’ll arrange the garden. Remember that when different plants are grown side by side they sometimes give each other a leg up in becoming hearty, nutrient-rich food. Sometimes called interplanting, this technique has been used for centuries by Indigenous growers, namely with beans, corn and squash – often called the three sisters. Make note of local frost dates and find out what else might grow well together to help you plan out your plot of land.

Check your soil

A healthy garden starts with healthy soil, so when the ground has thawed a little, it’s time to check it out. Toss a handful of soil back and forth from hand to hand. If it’s dark coloured, falls apart easily and smells fresh and alive, then you know you’re in good shape. If it’s not – maybe it seems musty or smells bad – then it’s time to add some compost or manure to the top 10 to 15 centimetres.

Be wary of tilling

While weeding is a good practice, and mulching can help prevent weeds’ return, tilling your soil (i.e. turning it over and breaking it up) should be done with care. Tilling or raking too much can disrupt the activity of worms and microorganisms that keeps it fresh and healthy for plants. Only till in spots where you plan to plant directly or if you are mixing manure into the top of a new garden bed.

Todevelop95acrescenteredaroundanurgentcare facility;doctors’offices;pharmacy;wellnesscentre;retail andoffices;diversehousingformsfromsingles,semis, towns,andapartments;andopenspaceswith “string-of-pearls”parksandlinkedwithpathways.

While you take on these steps individually, Canadian farmers and agricultural businesses also work to bring responsibly grown food to our tables. Using cutting-edge farming practices, they can help preserve the environment and support community wellbeing. Find more information about how they’re feeding Canadians and growing a better future at canada.ca/taste-the-commitment.

Plan the best backyard retreat

(NC) Many of us would love to bask in a little extra living space, whether it’s for yoga, band practice or a just an extra hang out. Whatever the size and state of your outdoor space - not to mention your budget – there are plenty of ways to transform your backyard. Here are some considerations for planning your private oasis:

Exploring your vision

Why do you want this retreat and how are you going to use it? Will it be your art studio, a cozy book nook or a space to watch the game? Will it be summer-party central or a place to escape the world? Your dream of uses for the space influence crucial details such as size, layout and whether it’s enclosed or open air.

Preparing to make it real

Do your research to find materials and solutions that work best with your ideas. Determine the money you can and want to spend - and the smart ways to use it. If you plan to build a structure, there are plenty of options for every budget, whether you choose a prefabricated model, a do-it-yourself kit or design it from scratch. Just double check if you need local building permits. You may need to pay a fee, but skipping it risks having to tear down your work or pay greater fees if you’re caught.

Remembering to keep safe

As exciting as it might be to have a new slice of paradise, don’t forget essential safety steps, such as smoke and carbon monoxide alarms for a cabin or outdoor kitchen and leave plumbing or electrical work to licensed professionals. Also be aware of what’s safe to store in your new space and consider who has access to your items. Aside from installing theft deterrents like cameras, think about risks to kids or animals - from toxic art supplies to your cannabis products - and setup suitable storage.

When it comes to cannabis, particularly edible cannabis, always keep it locked out of sight in its plain, child-resistant packaging to avoid accidental harm. If they can access it, children and pets can unintentionally poison themselves. Never keep cannabis products near food or drinks in your backyard.

You can find more information about safety with legal cannabis at canada.ca/

Four solutions for IMPROVING YOUR HOME SECURITY

Being a victim of theft — or a home invasion — is a horrifying experience that we all want to avoid at all costs. Fortunately, several options exist to discourage thieves from breaking into your home. Here are four that can help you feel more safe and secure.

1. ALARM SYSTEMS

Home security alarm systems are increasingly sophisticated and accessible. In fact, homeowners can now protect their property remotely and at any hour of the day or night by using “smart” surveillance cameras and motion detectors. Such devices can be connected to security company switchboards or even to the homeowner’s Wi-Fi connected tablet, phone or computer.

The latest alarm systems typically include:

• Fire detectors

• Window breakage detectors

• Water leak detectors

• Carbon monoxide detectors

• Lighting control

• Thermostat control

• Notification of the locking and unlocking of doors

Tip: be sure to choose a recognized professional to install and maintain your alarm system. Ask family or friends for references or consult consumer protection organizations to find the right people for the job.

2. BURGLAR-PROOF WINDOWS

To discourage thieves from targeting your home, consider replacing your windows with high-security models fitted with reinforced glass. These windows are incredibly resistant and are effective as a deterrent to thie ves, who will most likely want to try their luck somewhere else. Check with local window manufacturers and installers to find out more.

3. ANTITHEFT LOCKS

Cheap locks can be easily picked by thieves, even inexperienced ones. In other words, your possessions aren’t necessarily protected when you lock your doors before leaving home. Several reputable companies (Medeco, Abloy, Mul-T-Lock, Corbin and Ilco) have developed high-end locks that sell from around $200. Here are a few examples:

• Key control locks

• Double-cylinder deadbolt locks

• High-security rotary disk locks

• Code (or combination) locks

• Fingerprint locks

• Locks controlled via a Bluetooth system

Alarm systems, windows, doors and locks: several products can help you protect your most valuable possessions.

Check with locksmiths in your area to find a suitable model that will deter thieves.

4. REINFORCED DOORS

There are several ways you can make your doors more secure. You could, for example, add an additional lock to your front door or block the sliding mechanism of your patio door with a metal rod.

Door manufacturers also use such materials as burglar-proof glass, steel and composite to reinforce some of their mo d els. Check with the specialized companies in your area and improve your home security before — not after — your home is broken into.

Coldwell Agencies have been servicing the Strathmore area community for the last 40 years! We are family-owned and operated. We provide farm insurance, auto insurance, commercial insurance, home insurance and much more. Providing bundle packages, our insurance brokers will get you the coverage you need. Give us a call to learn more about our services at Coldwell Agencies Ltd.

ARTS & Culture

ARTS & Culture ARTS & Culture

with Hana Shaw

Philosophy: Friedrich Nietzschei

As ancient beliefs have established a firm foundation of knowledge to support today’s philosophical discoveries, it is essential to look at contemporary ways of thinking that have flourished because of ideas first developed in antiquity. As centuries have passed, humans have originated extraordinary, innovative ways of thinking that prove the true complexity of the human mind. Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche, a distinct Renaissance man, made profound, sophisticated contributions to ideas in the late 17th century.

As the month of March is drawing to a close, I thought it would be suitable to end off with a philosopher who showed a deep understanding of not just one philosophical question, but that explored a diverse range of questions that made him the recognized philosopher he is today. Contrary to what one would expect from a well-regarded, educated philosopher, he actually did very poorly while studying musical composition, languages (including Greek, Latin, and Hebrew) as well as physics and mathematics. He later went on to pursue a career of being a professor at the the University of Basel, where he became known to be the youngest philosophy professor at the age of only 24.

Nietzsche, during both his time as a student and as a professor, he turned to antiquity to develop modern day ideologies that can be applied to present turmoil. One Greek idea he regularly referred to was the concept of Apollonian and Dionysian to explain societies and rationale behind the way people act. Apollo and Dionysus were both significant Greek gods and often referred to when describing ancient Greek legends and myths. Apollo, on one hand, was motivated to act in such ways that were logical, sensible, and resulted in reasonable outcomes. This character is juxtaposed with the character of Dionysus, who was notorious for being irrational, reckless, and instituting chaos. This scenario has been transferred to various different artistic mediums, among the most famous is a play. Moreover, these two contrasting figures are used to describe how ancient Greek societies (and can be related to contemporary society as well) grow and thrive through the inherent polarity of good and evil that exists in any populated area. Nietzsche found great value in this idea and used it in his profession to explain several of his philosophical ideas.

As mentioned above, Nietzsche is considered a contemporary philosopher, and although many of his milestones took place a century ago, his thoughts and ideas are still considered when solving modern-day problems. Among the most significant of these thoughts was that of mass conformity and the use of will power to defy against the fixed society we live in. Nietzsche strongly believed that using the so-called “willpower” that we all intrinsically have as humans, we can rise above the general population and become paramount individuals when compared with the rest of the population. In today’s world, you could practice this belief through deleting social media. If one has the willpower to resist uniformity (in this case, having a social media account), they may become superior to those around them. In regards to this, you may get more time in your day back

to do things that interest you and bring you true joy and happiness. It can thus be concluded that you could then be distinguished from the rest of the masses.

Thank you for joining me again this week to discuss philosophy, and I hope this month you could use my articles to learn something new about the world around you and the nature of human beings. It is a truly fascinating concept and one that is essential to explain when discussing human expression, as human rationale and thoughts generally play a crucial role in what we choose to express and what medium we do that through.

Throughout the month of April, I will be discussing different museums around Canada and the world, beginning with the Metropolitan Museum of Art located in New York.

As always, if you have any questions, comments, suggestions, or writing suggestions, please do not hesitate to email me at hana.chestermere@ gamil.com . It has been lovely to hear everyone’s positive and encouraging feedback so far.

Friedrich Nietzsche, Wikipedia, March 16th 2023, link.

Ihave a suspicion about the way this world works. I believe that everyone, introvert and extrovert, rich and poor, young and old, are all looking for home. We are all on a grand life-long search to belong and finally sigh the relief of being safe right where we are. This longing hints at an inherent desire for connection and community, too. We were made to be among others. We were made for friendship. We find ourselves longing for the familiar people we love.

Kith and kin are two English words that have been used together for seven hundred years. Today we might say friends and relations, but the meaning is of these words may be even deeper. Kin are those who are related to us - our family. The word ‘kindness’ comes from this root word, too. When we are kind, we are extending the same treatment we may give to our kin, and offer it to others.

Kith is a word we do not use often, which often has been used to mean friends. Kith, was really used as the opposite of uncouth, that is, unacceptable things. So kith are those things that are acceptable, or familiar, or well known. Kith, then, are those person who are known or familiar, your friends, acquaintances, or neighbours.

Today our world is not ordered around kith and kin. Modern people do not need family connections, or the help of neighbours, to get ahead in life. It may seem to be an archaic layover of a bygone era to trust in kith and kin. This suspicious ache we have inside for a place to belong may change how we welcome others into our lives, and rely on them. We may need kith and kin more than we know.

Social isolation may instil in us a longing for kith and kin, those familiar and those related. In the uncertainty of our world, we may once

again take stock of those we know and care for. We can extend kindness to people who are not related to us, and we can embrace the gift of having familiar people - well known peopleneighbours, who are a part of our story, too.

Canadian poet Robert Service wrote this unusual poem that was created to capture the sense of restlessness we have, until we find our home again. “There’s a race of men that don’t fit in, a race that can’t sit still; so they break the hearts of kith and kin, and they roam the world at will. They range the field and rove the flood. And they climb the mountain’s crest; their’s is the curse of gypsy blood, and they don’t know how to rest.”

Today we do get to rest, we are learning to stop and appreciate others. We are not running about in the same way we did before. This season may reveal something new in us, and may reintroduce us to our kith and kin all over again.

Vaishali Kumar Co-Founder: KrishnaKul Law & Society Graduate | University of Calgary

चन्दन जैसा साधु है, सर्प ही सब संसार |

आदतों को प्रोहत्सान मिलते ही वह बढ़ भी जाती है । इसी लिए हममे सतर्क रहते हुए और सही परिक्षण के बाद ही अपनी सांगत का चुनाव करना चाइये। हम जिन लोगो के साथ नज़र आते है, दुनिया

तोह हाथ को मैला और कला छोड़ देती है। लकिन इस बात को देखने का एक और तरीका भी है। एक पौधा खाद

को तोड़े, यह कुचले, पौधा अपनी महक बाहरके दोषित वातावरण से हारके नहीं छोड़ता। ऐसे ही, हममे भी अपने सत-चरित्र और अनुशासन का अभ्यास करते रहना चाइये, अपने आदर्श और नैतिक विचारों का ध्यान रकते रहना चाइये, ताकि जब हमरा सामना प्रतिकूल स्तिथि यह व्यक्ति से हो

Canadian Music Scene Canadian Singer-Songwriter Rachel Hickey Releases Spellbinding Introspective AlternativeFolk

Single, “High” - Friday, March 24 2023

With commanding lyrics and radiant vocals, Canadian artist Rachel Hickey delivers her spellbinding take on Folk-Rock with stunning creativity and captivating ease. Effortlessly flowing across the genres of Indie, Pop, and Rock, Rachel’s reflective and riveting songwriting draws in listeners with her magnetic vulnerability and masterful vocal performance. Introspective, melancholic, and brimming with clever metaphors, Rachel’s exceptional songwriting offers listeners a glimpse into her deepest emotions, as well as their own. Her first two EP’s received critical acclaim from across the country, earning Rachel features in coveted publications including Exclaim! Magazine alongside airplay across the CBC Radio One network. With continued artistic evolution, Rachel’s latest record weaves traditional Folk with an enchanting use of atmospheric instrumentation, enveloping harmonies, and a driving groove. Citing artists including Florence Welch, Joni Mitchell, Julia Jacklin, and The War on Drugs as her musical inspirations, Rachel’s music creatively blends their influences to make a sound all her own. As she gears up to release her debut full length album titled “The Eve of St. Agnes”, heavily inspired by the world-famous poem late this summer, Rachel has just released her first single from the project, “High”, on Friday, March 24 2023.

Written and performed by Rachel herself, the artist also co-wrote the music alongside Kitchener-Waterloo artist and producer, Brandon Fehderau, who also engineered and mixed the track. The single was mastered by Noah Mintz at Lacquer Channel Mastering in Toronto, ON.

About “High”:

Skillfully written and sonically grand, Rachel Hickey’s “High” is a musical journey in selfdiscovery. Initially penned as a song about high expectations, the song later revealed itself to its writer as a lyrical quest to discover who she is without outside influences. Riddled with cleverly written and often contradictory metaphors, “High” travels deep into the core of identity and personality from a self-described “recovering people-pleaser”, faced with the monumental, often-ignored question of “who am I and what do I want?”. From its delicate, acoustic opening with an airy and elegant guitar melody wrapped in Rachel’s warm, suede cloaked vocals, “High” sonically expands to a grand, atmospheric, and urgent track with a driving drum groove and enveloping harmonies. Unknowingly confronting

her fears of acceptance and worthiness - both from herself and others, the artist sings “I am the forest just before dark/Get out while you can when your vision is sharp/I am a tall evergreen/ But if you don’t like where you’re standing/Then you should just leave” as the instrumentation expands to sonically compliment the ominous feelings portrayed in the lyrics. Expertly crafted with words both poignantly self-reflective and expressively potent, Rachel Hickey’s “High” is a cathartic musical experience, both for the writer and listeners alike.

A song three years in the making, Rachel hopes that listeners will draw their own meaning from the song - relating to the music and metaphors in whichever way speaks to them most.

Quote:

Ultimately, “High” turns the mirror directly on the listener, observing and questioning their own fears and identity… Who am I? Who was I? Who will I become? - Rachel Hickey

Biography:

Rachel Hickey is a Canadian singer-songwriter who makes melancholic folk-rock songs that will swallow you up and break your guard down with her unforgettable voice.

Following her 2021 debut EP Getting By, Rachel’s sophomore 2022 EP So Long further evolves her indie/folk sound and earned her coverage in Exclaim! magazine as well as plays on CBC Radio One. Rachel’s musical style can be described as folk-focused with a blend of indie, pop, and rock music inspired by artists like Florence Welch, Joni Mitchell, Julia Jacklin, and The War on Drugs. Often focused around guitar, Hickey’s feeling-packed sound incorporates moonlight-soaked vocals, atmospheric supporting electric guitars, bass, synth and traditional drums, using storytelling and descriptive imagery to captivate listeners. Rachel is currently performing live across Ontario in support of her latest EP and is preparing for her debut full-length album, “The Eve of St. Agnes”, due out in June 2023.

Kari Zalik Publicist, Bad Parade kari@badparade.com

Cousin Ernie Joins the League of Rogues

Listen Monday’s at 1:00 PM

https://chestermereradio.ca

Mondays 1:00 pm - 2:oopm MST

Out & About with Michelle

The Rogue is pleased to have Michelle Eldjarnson from Chestermere’s own Re/Max Key to our regularly scheduled programming.

Listen Monday’s at one to hear about things going on around town and to hear Michelle’s eclectic picks of music

Michelle has loved music all her life and was exposed at an early age to every type of music from Jazz to Hillbilly, old fashioned country, with stops in between at classical rock and classical piano, in a variety of languages including English, French and Spanish.

Michelle’s Weekly topics will cover

The people in your neighborhood

Local sports teams

All about our schools

The walking paths

The parks

The ponds

The lake

The wildlife

Walkability

Irish Ales Are Smiling

Nick Jeffrey

Another St. Paddy’s Day has passed us by. The local drinking establishments saw the annual surge of drunken revellers dressed as leprechauns, and green beer flowed like water for the entire day.

Most of us know Saint Patrick’s Day as that one day of the year we wear green, drink to excess, and say things like “Kiss me, I’m Irish”. I was guilty of all of these transgressions in the days of my squandered youth, but have dialled back the debauchery a little bit each year, as the ravages of time make the day after a bender of Irish proportions more difficult to shake off.

Guinness is without a doubt the most recognizable Irish beer, and is a fine example of an Irish Dry Stout, with a dark finish and aromas of toasted coffee. As a resolute beer snob, I have made the pilgrimage to Dublin to nuzzle the black stuff directly from the brass teats at the centuries-old Guinness brewery, and would recommend the trip to any beer fan.

Tragically, many beer drinkers have the idea that Irish beer begins and ends with Guinness, so miss out on the fine other brews from the Emerald Isle.

Made in the same style as Guinness, Murphy’s Irish Stout and Beamish Stout round out the holy trinity of the sterling examples of Irish Stout. Murphy’s is lighter and sweeter, with barely a hint of carbonation, while Beamish has a buttery flavour with a pepper finish.

Interestingly, Murphy’s was acquired by Heineken in 1983, and Beamish was also acquired by Heineken in 2008. A bit odd that a Dutch brewing company ends up owning two of the oldest breweries in Ireland, but the beer industry does make for strange bedfellows.

For those in the audience that don’t particularly enjoy Stout, Ireland does produce a few easyto-drink lagers as well. Harp Lager is probably the best known, and being owned by Guinness probably doesn’t hurt either.

Harp is a clean and crisp lager, first brewed in the 1960’s when pale lagers started to gain popularity in the UK. It’s an excellent session

beer for drinking all evening, and I personally enjoy it with spicy foods.

While I have consumed many a Guinness over the years, my favourite style of beer from Ireland is Irish Red Ale, which gets its name from the use of a small amount of roasted barley used in the brewing process. To contrast, a dark Stout like Guinness uses almost exclusively roasted barley, which gives Guinness its dark ruby (almost black) color.

Smithwick’s is a good example of an Irish Red Ale. Unsurprisingly, they are owned by Guinness, so at least some of their popularity can be attributed to the powerful Guinness marketing and distribution channels.

Lest you think a trip to Ireland is required to sample an Irish Red Ale, we have many Alberta breweries producing the style right here in our home province.

Perhaps the most popular Irish Red Ale in Alberta is the Red Rage from Tool Shed Brewing in Calgary, who were the first craft brewery in Alberta to open after the provincial government slashed the red tape required to open a brewery back in 2013. Red Rage is named for the gingerhaired co-founder, as a warning for all to beware the wrath of an angry redhead.

Unlike its namesake, the Red Rage is not

prone to angry outbursts or freakish displays of strength, but does pour nicely into your glass with notes of coffee and toasted bread from the caramelized malts.

Looking up the QE2 highway to Sylvan Lake, the Snake Lake Brewing Company produces Lucky’s Irish Red,, a delightful brew made with a crystal and chocolate rye malts imported from the UK. The rye malts impart a spicy finish, which nicely complement the toasty sweetness from the caramelized malts.

Just down the road from Sylvan Lake is Red Hart Brewing, adjacent to Gasoline Alley in Red Deer, and their Irish Red is one of my favourites, bursting with rich malts and toffee flavours from the caramelized malts.

Further up the QE2 is Sea Change Brewing in Edmonton, whose Irish Red Ale is particularly easy-drinking with soft toffee and caramel notes milder than I first expected after it poured very dark into my glass on my last visit to the brewery tap room.

These brews are widely available across Alberta, so pick up a six-pack at your friendly neighbourhood booze merchant, or pay a visit to the brewery tap rooms to sample directly from the source.

100 Women Who Care (or 100 Men/People/Kids

100 Women Who Care

Who Care) groups are making a difference in their communities around the world by strengthening and growing the giving circle movement.

100 Women Who Care Chestermere launched in mid-October 2021, and the first giving circle meeting was held on February 3, 2022. At that meeting, $3,100 was donated to the Community Therapy Dogs Society.

100 Women Who Care Chestermere is a group of local women who care about the Chestermere community and want to make a big impact within the community, but don’t necessarily have the time to commit to helping make that impact. Members commit to four one-hour meetings a year and donate $100 to a local charity or not for profit organization voted on by the members at each meeting. The next meeting is Thursday, November 3, 2022. If you would like to join and help make a huge impact in the community, please visit our website chestermere100.ca.

Older Adults

When: TBA

Coalition of Chestermere Meeting

When: Wednesday, April 19, 2023 Time: 1:30pm – 3:30pm

Where: Lakeshore Manor, 200 Marina Drive, Chestermere RSVP: jumpmaster2@shaw.ca or illingw8@telus.net

Walk-ins welcome, RSVP appreciated

Chestermere Lions Club

Meets on the 4th Wednesday of each month at 7:00pm Meetings are currently by zoom. Checkout our facebook page for more information,

Chestermere Christian Fellowship Services: Sunday 10:00 am

Pastor Vince VanderVeen 403-204-2079

1.6 km north of Hwy 1 on Conrich Road

Camp Chestermere Camp Chestermere is OPEN for Day Care, Rentals, and Community Events! We’ve even opened up registration for Summer 2021 Day and Overnight Camps! We are constantly reviewing and updating our policies to fall in line with current COVID protocols. Contact us today to find out how we can serve you and your needs. More at www.campchestermere.com

The Chestermere Fine Art Guild

The Chestermere Fine Art Guild meets every Thursday at 1pm, at the Recreation Centre North side, upstairs in room 2. Come and explore your artistic potential. Welcoming new members beginner to advanced. Like us on Facebook and chestermereartguild@gmail.com

Lakeside Quilters’ Guild

Meeting each month at the Chestermere Recreation Centre on the first Wednesday of each month. Sew days are on the third Wednesday of each month and a sew Saturday each month, including summer. Quilting experience not required, new members welcome. For more information please contact Joyce at 403-383-1940.

St. Gabriel's the Archangel Parish

Catholics in Chestermere: Weekend masses are now open for public celebration without seating restrictions at St. Gabriel’s Catholic School (197 Invermere Dr.). There is no longer advanced registration required to attend mass (Saturday 5 pm, Sunday 9 am, and 10:30 am), but please stay home if you feel sick that day. For more information please call 403-455-0196

The Rotary Club Of Chestermere

Holds virtual meetings via Zoom on the 1st & 3rd Wednesday of the Month at 5:00pm and hosts in-person “Socials” at local venues on the last Wednesday of the month.

Guests are warmly welcomed to “Zoom in” to our virtual meeting or join us for some social time when they can!

Please email us for more information at: rotarychestermere@gmail.com

Check out our website at: www.rotarychestermere.org

Classic Rock & Community Talk

CHESTERMERERADIO.CA

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Employment Opps

ROCKY MOUNTAIN EQUIPMENT IS HIRING: Parts Technicians, Agriculture & Heavy Equipment Techs - Journeyman, Apprentices, CVIP/Truck Techs and RAP Students, Shop and Field positions available. View Open Roles www. rockymtn.com/careers. Possible Relocation and Signing Bonus Offered.

CLASS 1 DRIVER: Hannah Transport Ltd., Acme, Alberta has an opening to haul anhydrous ammonia in Alberta and Saskatchewan. Spring and fall employment, hourly pay with overtime, safety bonus, paid cell phone. Training provided. Email: hannahtransportltd@gmail. com. Phone: Brian 403-312-8396.

Feed and Seed

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Health

HIP/KNEE REPLACEMENT. Other medical conditions causing TROUBLE WALKING or DRESSING?

The Disability Tax Credit allows for $3,000 yearly tax credit and $30,000 lump sum refund. Take advantage of this offer. Apply NOW; quickest refund Nationwide: Expert help. 1-844-453-5372.

Landscaping & Gardening

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Motorcycles

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Alberta. The Blanket Classifieds or Value Ads reach over 600,000 Alberta readers weekly. Two options starting at $269 or $995 to get your message out! Business changes, hiring, items for sale, cancellations, tenders, etc. People are increasingly staying home and rely on their local newspapers

for information. KEEP people in the loop with our 90 Weekly Community Newspapers. Call THIS NEWSPAPER now or email classifieds@awna.com for details. 1-800-282-6903, 780-434-8746 X225. www.awna.com.

Services

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PRIVATE MORTGAGE LENDER. All real estate types considered. No credit checks done. Deal direct with lender and get quick approval. Toll free 1-866-405-1228 www. firstandsecondmortgages.ca.

Wanted

BUY SELL TRADE GOLD, SILVER & PLATINUM! Bullion, Coins, Bars, Jewelry, Nuggets, Sterling +. Also purchasing complete coin collections, old money, Royal Canadian Mint, Gold, Silver +++ Todd 250-864-3521.

Classic Rock & Seniors Talk

Volunteers

The Rocky View Chestermere Agricultural Society will be starting the Chestermere 4-H Multi Club (to begin October 1, 2023) and we are in need of adult volunteers. There are three categories of adult volunteers: Trained Screened Leaders, Screened Volunteers and Supporters. To read more, or to register your interest, visit our website at www.rvcagsociety. ca/4-h

I don’t know the first thing about 4-H, I can’t be a leader!!

That’s ok! And, you also don’t have to be an expert in a particular project topic either (for example, you don’t need to be a photographer to lead a 4-H photography project). By following the provided project resources, learning along with your members and involving others, there is no limit to the variety of 4-H clubs or projects you can run!

What are the responsibilities of 4-H leaders?

• Develop a caring relationship with members.

• Create a safe environment for 4-H members.

• Provide opportunities for youth to build skills

• Create opportunities for youth to value and practice service to others.

• Allow youth to make decisions and lead.

• Create an inclusive environment.

• Keep up-to-date and trained.

What qualifications/skills do 4-H leaders need?

• Sincere interest in the safety and well-being of youth.

• Desire to facilitate and motivate youth while nurturing self-esteem, decision-making skills, responsibility, and leadership.

• Successfully pass the volunteer training process.

• Ability to organize information and materials and delegate responsibility.

• Ability to work and communicate effectively both verbally and written.

• Desire to motivate parents and other volunteers

• Interest in working in partnership with youth, other volunteers and professional staff in an educational setting.

• Willingness to adopt the philosophy, policies, and procedures of your 4-H organization

4-H focuses on youth-led projects for children ages 9 - 20. 4-H projects are in-depth learning experiences for 4-H members. At the beginning of each club year, each member chooses one or more projects to work on throughout the year. A few examples of projects are training pets, keeping bees, taking photos, building remote control airplanes, archery, and urban biking. 4-H may even be used towards school credits (please talk to your principal or counsellor first).

Members are required to:

Complete project records and have them signed by the club or project leader.

Attend a minimum of 70% of club activities.

Complete a communication activity that is: prepared by the member, presented by the member in front of a group and at least three minutes in length

Be involved in a club activity that is a benefit to your community. Participate in the club’s achievement event. If the member’s project is unavailable (for example, a calf dies), the member is still expected to have some part in the achievement event.

Interested in learning more about 4-H? Join our group and follow along as we try and answer some common questions and keep you up-to-date on the club’s progression. https://www.facebook.com/ groups/1419930731874413