RDC VOLLEYBALL
SKI CAMP
Queens set sights on ACAC crown
Puts youth through their paces B1
B4
CENTRAL ALBERTA’S DAILY NEWSPAPER
BREAKING NEWS ONLINE AT WWW.REDDEERADVOCATE.COM
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 12, 2012
Fluoridation showdown OPPOSING SIDES OF DEBATE SQUARE OFF AT PUBLIC MEETING BY CRYSTAL RHYNO ADVOCATE STAFF The two sides of the fluoridated water debate was argued at the last public consultation before city council or the public decides the fate of fluoride in the Red Deer’s water supply. About 50 people attended a fluoride public education session in the afternoon at the Sheraton Red Deer Hotel and another 50 attended a session that allowed citizens to present their cases to city council later Tuesday evening. Dr. James Beck argued against fluoridated water saying that fluoride is ineffective in fighting cavities, unsafe and unethical. He discounted studies that showed fluoride prevents cavities and not harmful to health. Beck is a professor emeritus of medical biophysics at the University of Calgary. He is the author of The Case Against Fluoride.
“The biggest truth and the most obvious argument and one that you don’t need to be a scientist to answer is it’s unethical,” said Beck. “You are mass medicating. You are forcing people to take a medicine whether they want it or not without ever having been examined by a doctor or a dentist and without ever being asked. That’s the most obvious objection they should stop it without question of whether it is effective or safe.” Dr. Digby Horne, a chief medical officer of health for the Central Zone, said community water fluoridation is a safe and cost-effective method of reducing dental caries or cavities. Horne said the cavities are an important health issue and there is no better alternative to fluoride. “At this point several reviews have looked at potential health concerns,” said Horne. “There’s nothing definite. They are saying nothing definite at this time. There’s no negative health affects that we are aware of at this time.”
West Nile kills local horse
On Oct. 29 after debates in council chambers and public consultations, city council will decide whether they will reduce, increase or eliminate fluoride in Red Deer’s water supply or let the citizens decide in a plebiscite next year. A plebiscite outside of a municipal election would carry a price tag between $100,000 and $150,000. Local dentist and fluoride proponent Jo Scalzo has practiced in Red Deer for 31 years and she says she has seen a drastic increase in the number of tooth decay in her patients because of the consumption of pop, juices and sugary drinks. “There’s quite a bit of dissent of having fluoride in the water,” said Scalzo. “I think they are not looking realistically at what will happen here if they take fluoride out. What will we see if there’s no fluoride if there’s no protection? It’s going to be devastating.”
Please see DEBATE on Page A2
9-11 MEMORIAL
PEOPLE URGED TO TAKE PRECAUTIONS AGAINST MOSQUITOES BY BRENDA KOSSOWAN ADVOCATE STAFF The recent death of a horse should serve as a warning that West Nile Virus is active in the Red Deer area, say veterinarians. Dr. Marcos Lores, a partner in the Alberta Veterinary Centre has issued a statement announcing that a horse treated at his practice had succumbed on Aug. 31 to the disease, which is carried by infected mosquitoes. It is one of only three horses affected in Alberta this year. There were none reported last year. Lores was not available for comment on Tuesday. However, another veterinarian who works with him said the horse died of the severe, neurological form of the disease, which affects both horses and people. Dr. Charlotte MacFarlane said people may feel safe now that the weather has cooled. However, she and her partners are cautioning people to continue their vigilance to protect themselves and their horses from the disease, including having the horses vaccinated against the virus. It is not to late to begin the vaccination regimen for horses, including an initial shot followed by a booster in three to six weeks. Once the horses have had their first shots, the West Nile vaccine can be included with their annual shots, said MacFarlane. Any vaccines delivered now will still offer protection at the start of the season next year, she said. At roughly $40 per horse, the vaccine is relatively inexpensive protection against a disease that can cost thousands of dollars to treat, said MacFarlane. Dr. Gerald Hauer, chief provincial veterinarian for Alberta, said he has received confirmation so far of two other cases of West Nile disease in horses so far this year after having none reported at all in 2011. The other two cases were at Barrhead and Edmonton, said Hauer.
Please see DISEASE on Page A2
PLEASE
Photo by JEFF STOKOE/Advocate staff
Red Deer RCMP and City of Red Deer emergency services personnel take part in a Memorial March ceremony at City Hall Park on Tuesday. The 10th annual march began in memory of those who lost their lives in the 9-11 terrorist attacks. The ongoing memorial ceremony also honours those individuals in police and emergency services who have been killed in the line of duty across Canada over the past year. See related video at reddeeradvocate.com.
Blackfalds home to new retail concept BY HARLEY RICHARDS ADVOCATE BUSINESS EDITOR
MAINSTREET HARWARE
Peavey Industries Ltd. is launching a new retail concept — and Blackfalds will be the site of its first store. The Red Deer-based retailer, which operates 29 Peavey Mart outlets across the Prairies, plans to open a MainStreet Hardware store in Blackfalds late this fall. If all goes well, similar businesses could pop up in other communities, said Brian Dagg, Peavey Industries’ manager of store operations. Dagg pointed out that MainStreet Hardware will be distinct from the Peavey Mart chain, which is known for its mix of agricultural and hardware supplies, as well as general merchandise. The new store will be geared to the needs of small-town residents, he said, with basic hardware like hand tools and fas-
teners, pet supplies, housewares from cleaning supplies to small appliances, lawn and garden equipment such as barbecues and outdoor furniture, work clothing and paint. “It’s not agriculture. It’s going to be an urban store.” Dagg said Peavey Industries is regularly invited to open Peavey Marts in small communities. Often, the economics simply don’t work. MainStreet Hardware should help bridge the retail gap, he said, giving small-town consumers an alternative to driving to larger communities to fill their basic hardware needs.
WEATHER
INDEX
Sunny. High 17. Low 2.
Four sections Alberta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A3 Business. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C3-C4 Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A5 Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D1-D5 Comics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C6 Entertainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C5 Sports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B4-B6
FORECAST ON A2
RECYCLE
over
65% sold
Please see STORE on Page A2
CANADA
ALBERTA
PM’S CHIEF OF STAFF INVESTIGATED
CREWS BRING GRASS FIRES UNDER CONTROL
Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s chief of staff, Nigel Wright, is now subject of a formal conflict of interest examination by the federal ethics watchdog. A5
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