‘A’ FOR EFFORT
OUT SHOT BUT ON TOP
But Les Miz cast comes up short on execution D1
The Rebels hang on to down the Oil Kings 5-3 B1
CENTRAL ALBERTA’S DAILY NEWSPAPER
BREAKING NEWS ONLINE AT WWW.REDDEERADVOCATE.COM
FRIDAY, DEC. 28, 2012
Cool crash
Photo by JEFF STOKOE/Advocate staff
With the hill below Michener Centre to themselves, Gaia Shaw of Red Deer and her brother Matthew Murphy of Calgary found their snow racer a little difficult to steer, crashing on each attempt when they were riding it together. As the temperatures are expected to climb this weekend, the sledding hills will no doubt see more action.
Changing attitudes, saving lives This is the fifth in a series of Red Deer Advocate stories on the impact of impaired driving on our community, and the various efforts to put an end to the carnage caused by drunk drivers.
Coming Saturday Those who see far too closely the damage wrought by drunk drivers have coping mechanisms to do their jobs.
BY PAUL COWLEY ADVOCATE STAFF
ADVOCATE SPECIAL FEATURE
paired driving repeat offenders in the court system by changing attitudes. To that end, those convicted of drunk driving in Alberta must complete education programs of varying intensities depending on their history. When their driving prohibition ends, they will also have to pay to have a de-
Information to be just a 211 call away
Please see PROGRAMS on Page A2
Charity scam may have hit Lacombe
SYSTEM EXPECTED TO BE RUNNING BY THE FALL AT THE LATEST BY SUSAN ZIELINSKI ADVOCATE STAFF A 211 call system to connect Central Albertans to a range of community, health, government and social services information is expected to be up and running by next summer or fall. The 211 system, a simple three-digit telephone call like 911 for emergencies or 411 for directory assistance, has been available in Edmonton and Calgary for several years. In Central Alberta, it will enhance what was offered by Community Information and Referral Society (CiRS), now called Volunteer Red Deer. Robert Mitchell, CEO of United Way of Central Alberta and member of the provincial 211 steering committee, said 211 — a confidential, multi-lingual, 24-hour system — will ensure everyone
PLEASE
will have access to information, particularly the most vulnerable populations, like seniors. “It’s a free phone call. You don’t need to have an Internet connection,” Mitchell said. “It will kind of replace all the other information sources. It puts it all in one place. If you need community information across a whole broad spectrum of issues, call 211.” Human service professionals often use 211 to get information for their clients, he said. Some parts of Canada have 211 and Alberta is now working on a provincial 211 network. “From June onward, it’s going to roll out across the province. Some areas are further ahead than other areas. “What (Central Alberta) needs to do is update our data base locally. We’ve got about 70 per cent. That will be the
WEATHER
INDEX
Sun and cloud. High -8. Low -12.
Five sections Alberta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A3 Business. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C3-C4 Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A5-A7 Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E1-E5 Comics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D4 Entertainment . . . . . . . . . . . D1-D3 Sports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B1-B7
FORECAST ON A2
RECYCLE
Win your
BY MURRAY CRAWFORD ADVOCATE STAFF
first stage before the phone line goes live. We’re hoping to do that in the next quarter.” Central Alberta calls would be answered by the 211 call centre in Edmonton by people trained in information referral who will ask callers questions to assess exactly what callers need. Mitchell said 80 per cent of funding to operate the provincial 211 system will come from the province. A $3.5-million provincial grant is anticipated in the new year and the province is initially committed for about three years. United Ways across Canada have supported 211 and United Way of Central Alberta is initially providing $10,000 this year.
Lacombe police are looking for victims of an alleged fraudulent cancer society fundraiser who targeted donors in that city, as well as nearby Red Deer, to step forward. The man is believed to have gone door to door soliciting for the Canadian Cancer Society, fundraising for the Cancer Walk. While a suspect has been arrested, charges are still pending. Lacombe Police Services Sgt. Steve Murray said the man is believed to be the same person who Red Deer RCMP allege bilked more than $10,000 out of 600 residents. “This is the lowest of the low,” said Murray.
Please see 211 on Page A2
Please see SCAM on Page A2
CANADA
ADVOCATE VIEW
RECORD STORM SLAMS A FARCE-FUL NEW YEAR Don Ferguson appears in ‘Air Farce New Year’s EASTERN CANADA Eve 2012’ Monday on CBC Television. Authorities found themselves relying on snowmobiles and snowshoes to respond to some emergency calls as a historic storm smothered Eastern Canada on Thursday. A5
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The war against drunk driving isn’t all about punishment. Hefty fines, licence suspensions and even jail sentences are well known consequences of taking the wheel with illegal amounts of alcohol in the blood. But concerted efforts have also been made to try to stem the number of im-
vice installed in their vehicle that kills the engine if it detects alcohol in the breath of a driver who blows into it. Last July 1, the province toughened the penalties for impaired driving, and part of that was making the interlock ignition program mandatory after a criminal conviction. Drivers must have the device installed for at least a year after a first conviction, three years for a second conviction and five years for a third conviction. Previously, it was six months, although that period could be extended.