Red Deer Advocate, October 31, 2012

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FLIGHT

Movie about plane crash inspired by real-life disaster

Facing Halloween Cool makeup for the creepiest of occasions

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Details inside

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CENTRAL ALBERTA’S DAILY NEWSPAPER

BREAKING NEWS ONLINE AT WWW.REDDEERADVOCATE.COM

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 31, 2012

Photo by JEFF STOKOE/Advocate staff

A day after Red Deer city council decided to continue with water fluoridation, a shipment of fluoride was delivered to the city water treatment plant on Tuesday.

Fluoride fight not over OPPONENTS SAY THEY WILL TAKE THEIR CASE TO FUTURE COUNCIL BY CRYSTAL RHYNO ADVOCATE STAFF Anti-fluoride activists say the fight is far from over. While disappointed with Red Deer city council’s decision to continue adding fluoride to the city’s

regional water supply, opponents were encouraged that the controversial issue was brought to the forefront. “A lot of cities don’t even get that chance,” said Diane Hermary. “(This) opens the door for education. I think we have a solid victory in that because a lot of people have educated themselves on the topic that wouldn’t have before.” Hermary was in chambers when council voted 6-2 in favour of continuing with fluoridated water and putting the issue to bed on Monday night. Councillors Tara Veer and Chris Stephan were opposed to both motions. Coun. Paul Harris was absent from the meeting. Many expected the contentious issue to be settled

at the ballot box during next year’s civic election. Doubts about council’s ability to make decisions were raised after council halted the Red Deer Native Friendship Society’s affordable housing project in Clearview Ridge and backtracked on the bike lane pilot project in recent months. Hermary said they had the impression that council did not even want to talk about making a controversial decision. “Very surprised,” said Hermary. “I was almost convinced they were going to a plebiscite . . . I am really glad council stepped up . . . I am happy they had the courage to step up and do it.”

Please see FLUORIDE on Page A3

Winter shelters taxed by early demand People are turned away, but not without staff trying to find the best options for them.

BY SUSAN ZIELINSKI AND LAURA TESTER ADVOCATE STAFF The early onset of colder weather has some winter shelter programs in Red Deer already at capacity. Kath Hoffman, director of programs for the Safe Harbour Society, said that the Winter Inn program will start on Thursday. “We have changed it up a bit because it used to be at different churches,” said Hoffman. This year, it will run at Loaves and Fishes every day from 7:30 p.m. to 7:30 a.m., at 6002 54th Ave. This shelter’s purpose is to ensure Red Deer has the capacity in the cold winter months and that no one is turned away. The program is a partnership between Safe Harbour Society and the downtown faith community, with Safe Harbour providing the staffing and the churches providing the space. Winter Inn takes the overflow from the mats program as well as People’s Place, which is also located at Loaves and Fishes. Winter Inn will run upstairs and allows people who may be under the influence of substances. Up to 30 people can stay at a

PLEASE RECYCLE

time. Safe Harbour also runs the mats overnight shelter for 20 adults who are under the influence. It runs at 5246 53rd Ave. and operates from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m., 365 days a year. People’s Place, an emergency shelter for 23 adults, is for those who have no other means available to them. They are in the process of connecting back to the community. They are ready for an element of stability in their lives and are building their resources to that end. It’s also located at 6002 54th Ave. and runs from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. yearround. Those clients cannot be under the influence. They can stay at the emergency shelter for up to 30 days. Hoffman said the most people they had to turn away from the People’s Place and the mats program in October was 17. That means that both places were full, she added.

Please see INN on Page A2

WEATHER

INDEX

Cloudy. High -5.

Four sections Alberta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A3 Business. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B1-B3 Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A5 Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D1-D5 Comics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C3 Entertainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C6 Sports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B4-B6

FORECAST ON A2

Photo by JEFF STOKOE/Advocate staff

City of Red Deer laboratory technician Carole Morcom runs a test on a water sample at the water treatment plant on Tuesday.

New billing method may impact city utility fees BY MURRAY CRAWFORD ADVOCATE STAFF The groundwork for a major change in how Red Deer households are charged for water and wastewater could impact the price people pay for these services. Switching from a fee model with a more stable rate that relied heavily on the fixed charge, the new pricing method aims to charge households for how much water they use.

Paul Goranson, City of Red Deer director of Development Services, said the idea behind the change is to put the onus on users to affect how much water they use. “This is revenue neutral as far as utilities go,” said Goranson. “It doesn’t change the total amount of revenue the utility is going to collect in any one year, it just shifts it from the fixed monthly to the usage.”

Please see FEES on Page A2

CANADA

LOCAL

G20 TAKES STRIP OFF PROFITS

DEVELOPING HEALTHY CHILDREN

The federal government has reimbursed a Toronto strip club that lost money when the city hosted the G20 summit. A5

Nearly 300 people converged on Tuesday to learn how they can better promote physical activity, healthy eating and mental health in Central Alberta schools. A3


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