Red Deer 1913 — 2013 Create Celebrate Commemorate BARTOSAK’S BACK Rebels netminder returning for another season B4
ALBERTA FLOODING
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Inconsistent coverage angers Calgary residents A3
CENTRAL ALBERTA’S DAILY NEWSPAPER
BREAKING NEWS ONLINE AT WWW.REDDEERADVOCATE.COM
WEDNESDAY, JULY 3, 2013
Trails, parks slowly reopen Bomb plot thwarted Photo by THE CANADIAN PRESS
A photograph of pressure cookers that RCMP say two people intended to use as explosive devices is displayed as RCMP Assistant Commissioner Wayne Rideout stands by during a news conference to announce terrorism charges in Surrey, B.C., on Tuesday. The charges are in connection to an alleged Al-Qaeda-inspired plot to explode a bomb at the B.C. Legislature on Canada Day.
THREE MILE BEND TO REMAIN CLOSED FOR NOW
DUO PLANNED TERROR ATTACK AT B.C. LEGISLATURE: RCMP BY DENE MOORE AND JAMES KELLER THE CANADIAN PRESS VANCOUVER — RCMP say they have foiled a domestic terror attack hatched by two Canadian citizens, driven by an “al-Qaida ideology” to blow up the British Columbia legislature during Canada Day celebrations. The force was informed of the alleged plot in February by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, and a five-month investigation culminated with the arrests of two people in Abbotsford, B.C., on Monday, RCMP announced on Tuesday. “This self-radicalized behaviour was intended to cause maximum impact and harm to Canadian citizens at the B.C. legislature on a national holiday,” Assistant Commissioner Wayne Rideout said at a news conference in Surrey, B.C. “They took steps to educate themselves and produce explosive devices designed to cause injury and death. “The suspects were committed to acts of violence and discussed a wide variety of targets and techniques.” John Stuart Nuttall, 38, and Amanda Marie Korody, born in 1983, appeared in court Tuesday morning in Surrey, and were charged with three counts each: knowingly facilitating a terrorist activity, making or possessing an explosive device, and conspir-
acy to place an explosive device with the intent to cause death or injury. RCMP released photos of what they said were the home-made bombs contained in pressure cookers, that police say are similar to a pair of bombs that killed three people and injured more than 260 during the Boston Marathon two months ago. The RCMP categorically ruled out any links to the Boston bombings. “Our investigation revealed that these individuals were inspired by al-Qaida ideology but there is no evidence to indicate that these individuals had the support or were acting at the direction of a terrorist group, per se,” said Assistant Commissioner James Malizia. The RCMP revealed little about the suspects and their background or what may have motivated the alleged conspiracy, other than repeatedly saying the plot was linked to an “al-Qaida ideology.” When asked whether the alleged plot had a religious motive or was instead driven by something else, Malizia was vague. “In this case here, the ideology had to do with a criminal act, wanting to pursue criminal acts on behalf of an organization that they believed in, and that organization and the ideology behind that organization as you know it is the al-Qaida ideology,” he said.
Please see TERROR on Page A2
BY MURRAY CRAWFORD ADVOCATE STAFF Bower Ponds, Great West Adventure Park and Great Chief Park in Red Deer will reopen this morning after being closed for about two weeks as a result of flooding. Trevor Poth, Red Deer FLOOD COVERAGE A3 Parks superintendent, said those areas as well as the Kiwanis Picnic Park and the trail that connects Three Mile Bend to Heritage Ranch are now safe for people to use. “We still have a number of sites we’re keeping closed though,” said Poth. One that will remain closed is Three Mile Bend, as there is still a significant amount of water in the park. “We’re cautiously optimistic we can get part of Three Mile Bend open for this coming weekend,” said Poth. “Right now we’re still pumping water out of there like crazy and there are still some areas that have water on the trails. “That’s probably how a lot of our parks are going to feel, partially open. We’re still going to have barricades up in certain places and we’ll have certain areas that are off-limits, but we want to give people access as soon as possible.”
Please see TRAILS on Page A2
Hot, humid weather prompts rolling outages BY BRENDA KOSSOWAN ADVOCATE STAFF Near-record temperatures strained power systems on Tuesday to the point that rolling outages were implemented throughout the province, including in the City of Red Deer. City officials issued a release late Tuesday afternoon stating that rolling outages had started at 4:33 p.m. at the request of the Alberta Electric System Operator. Portions of Red Deer were affected, starting at 4:33 p.m. from north Red Deer, and both sides of Gaetz Avenue from Hwy 11A to 67th Street, including both residential and business areas. The outage was expected to last 45 minutes. Peak power usage is 5 to 7 p.m. “There is an increased demand resulting from warm temperatures, and with those temperatures expected to continue, we are requesting residents of Red Deer to be frugal with their energy use,” said Jim Jorgensen, Electric Light and Power Department manager. Traffic signals in the city were affected. Motorists approaching areas where signals were down were offered the following tips: ● Treat intersections with traffic lights out as four-way stops, with the person on the right having the right-of-way. ● Enter intersections or highways only when it is safe to do so, using turn signals to let other drivers and pedestrians know your intentions.
PLEASE RECYCLE
Photo by ASHLI BARRETT/Advocate Staff
Sebit Gatulak, 8, who moved from Sudan in 2010, learns how to play flag football in the G.H. Dawe Community Centre field in the Tuesday afternoon heat. ● Obey law enforcement officers who are directing traffic. ● Use common courtesy towards other drivers and pedestrians.
WEATHER
INDEX
60% showers. High 24. Low 14.
Four sections Alberta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A3 Business. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B1-B3 Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A6 Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D1-D4 Comics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C4 Entertainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C5 Sports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B4-B8
FORECAST ON A2
Extreme heat conditions were not expected to last. Warnings of thunderstorms with potential for large hail were issued for western areas of the region on Tuesday afternoon and early evening, to be followed by cooler weather and showers. Red Deer’s forecast called for slight cooling with “the odd shower,” said Environment Canada meteorologist John McIntyre. Stettler fell about four degrees short of its July 2 record, set at 34.4 in 1929. Hot, humid weather blew up from the United States, but would be replaced late Tuesday by westerlies blowing in from the West Coast, McIntyre said from his office in Vancouver on Tuesday afternoon. Red Deer’s daytime high had hit 31.4C by midafternoon and was still rising, he said. However, the upward trend was expected to be cut short by thunderstorms before hitting the record mark of 37.2, set in 1924. While the actual temperature on Tuesday didn’t hit the 90-year-old record, it may have felt that way. Combined with 61 per cent humidity, afternoon temperatures felt like 40 by 2 p.m. McIntyre said his records don’t show whether the people who suffered through the 1924 heat wave experienced a similar effect from high humidity. At other sites in the region, Rocky Mountain House came closer to a new high, reaching 32.1 in the middle of the afternoon, less than two degrees of its record high of 33.9, also set in 1924. bkossowan@reddeeradvocate.com
CANADA
BUSINESS
TORY MP MENZIES WON’T SEEK REELECTION
A WHITTLE PIECE OF U
Another seat has opened up around Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s cabinet table with the news that Alberta Conservative MP Ted Menzies won’t be running in the next federal election. A6
Desiree Marshall has been inspiring young musicians in a downtown basement. Now she’s hoping to do the same thing with young artists upstairs. B1