WILD WIN
QUEBEC TO VOTE
Stampeders defeat Eskimos B1
Election Tuesday A6
CENTRAL ALBERTA’S DAILY NEWSPAPER
BREAKING NEWS ONLINE AT WWW.REDDEERADVOCATE.COM
TUESDAY, SEPT. 4, 2012
TOUGHER IMPAIRED DRIVING LAW KICKS IN
Wider net for drunks cast Photo by CYNTHIA RADFORD/Advocate staff
Keelboat sailors ply the waters of Sylvan Lake on the weekend. The Sylvan Lake Sailing Club hosted the 2012 CYA Women’s Keelboat National Sailing Championship at the Marina Bay in Sylvan Lake. Eleven teams of four women each sailed Martin 242 boats for a chance to take home a trophy.
Camaraderie amid the waves The Chicks Ahoy team battled with the winds, but the weather didn’t keep their spirits down. The foursome — Gail Surkan, Cheryl Murdock, Nancy Smith and Linda Boyd — from the Sylvan Lake Sailing Club encountered some challenges on the water while participating in a weekend competition at Sylvan Lake. “The winds aren’t normally what we are used to, but I think we really grew as a team,” said Boyd after finishing Sunday’s race with her sailing cohorts. “We had a huge personal growth experience.” At one point, Murdock toppled overboard after the sailboat got knocked by a 28-knot breeze. The crew had to cut the lines
to retrieve the spinnaker, a special type of sail designed specifically for sailing off the wind, that had fallen into the water. They were only about 90 metres away from the finish line when this happened. So they abandoned that race. “I think we like sailing because it gives us a chance to be out together,” said Boyd, whose group has been together eight to 10 years. “It’s tremendous camaraderie,” added Surkan. They were participating in the 2012 CYA Women’s National Keelboat Championships that ran from Thursday to Sunday. This was the first time the championships were held in the Prairies and at Sylvan Lake. A total of 11 teams of female sailors participated. The Chips Ahoy team were glad
BY LAURA TESTER ADVOCATE STAFF
to be around the women from the B.C. coast, who sail so much more and are used to the winds. “This was the worst year for our sailing club because the waters were either dead or they were so over the top with threatening weather conditions,” said Surkan about their Wednesday sailing nights. Smith said they felt so safe because of the amazing crew of volunteers who were out on the water, plus those who were helping out at the clubhouse. Rick Howard, one of the head organizers, said the teams came from as far away as Ottawa and Victoria. The teams each use a Martin 242, a 7.2-metre high (24-foot high) performance sailboat. Over a twoday period, nine races were held.
A new impaired driving law targeting a wider range of Alberta drivers is being lauded by the Crown prosecutor’s office and Red Deer city RCMP. But a Red Deer criminal lawyer expects the new law will be challenged. On Saturday, tougher penalties were implemented for drivers who have blood alcohol levels of .05 to .08. Police have the ability to issue a three-day licence suspension and a three-day vehicle seizure on first offence. The penalties increase with additional offences. Chief Crown prosecutor Anders Quist said he believes the law is just because it curbs people from taking the chance to drink and drive. Someone with a blood alcohol level of .05 to .08 used to get a driving suspension for 24 hours, but now it’s three days with that first violation. “They used to get a bit of a warning and now they’re getting a more serious warning,” said Quist. “Hopefully, that will prevent them from getting cocky and pushing it further.” More vehicles will likely be towed and impounded as a result of the new impaired driving law. Sgt. Bob Bell from the traffic unit at Red Deer city RCMP said the new law that includes targeting .05 drivers will reduce collisions and calls for emergency medical responders to attend those crashes.
Please see BOATS on Page A2
Please see POLICE on Page A2
CENTRAL ALBERTA SAILORS COMPETE IN KEELBOAT CHAMPIONSHIPS BY LAURA TESTER ADVOCATE STAFF
LAUDED BY PROSECUTORS AND RCMP BUT CHALLENGE EXPECTED
Couple ties the knot under grandpa’s big rig 31.5-METRE TALL DERRICK ON THE WEST SIDE OF HWY 2, JUST SOUTH OF THE BLACKFALDS OVERPASS BY LAURA TESTER ADVOCATE STAFF Dana McMurray wanted her big wedding day to include a much bigger symbol of her beloved grandfather. She thought it would be great to get married in front of the 31.5-metre tall derrick that can be easily seen on the west side of Hwy 2, just south of the Blackfalds overpass. On Saturday, the 28-year-old Blackfalds woman became Mrs. Johnson when she wed Dennis Johnson, 38, in front of 130 guests. As raindrops started to fall and the winds picked up, the couple ended up getting married inside the decorated quonset hut where the reception was to be held. The blissful couple then rode in a 1961 Chrysler to the hill where the non-working rig stands. The small rain shower stopped by then as the newly wedded couple and their wedding party had photos taken. Dana said she knew she wanted to get married on the property where the
PLEASE RECYCLE
rig stood because she was remembering her grandfather, Bob McMurray, who died of cancer in August 2010. “I remember everything about him,” said Dana, then wiping tears from her eyes. The property was where her grandparents had lived as she grew up, so she was there a lot. More than 30 years ago, McMurray, founder of Twin Rock Holdings in Blackfalds, erected his first oil derrick next to his home above the Blindman River. The first derrick smashed to smithereens in 1993, while Bob was working with it. Bob’s son, Punk, had been standing on the floor with his small children, including Dana, at the time. “The base had been homemade...we had each of the legs welded. ” recalled Punk, one of Bob’s five sons. “We were sitting on the floor.” Bob gave the rig’s controls a bounce to see how strong it was.
Please see RIG on Page A2
WEATHER
INDEX
A mix of sun and cloud
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FORECAST ON A2
Photo by CYNTHIA RADFORD/Advocate staff
Newly married Dana and Dennis Johnson stand proudly under the rig that stands in memory of Dana’s grandfather. ENTERTAINMENT
ALBERTA
RIMBEY MUSICIAN GETS CD DEAL
SUMMER GOOD FOR BUSINESS
Silvergun and Spleen, which won $20,000 radio station contest that paid for a new CD recording, is on a cross-Canada promotional tour that stops on Sept. 7 in the drummer’s hometown of Rimbey. C5
Some Central Alberta tourist-related businesses will see increased revenues following this summer’s bounty of sunny, warm weather. A3