JOHN MacNEIL/Independent editor
Firefighters check out the worst part of the damage Sunday afternoon after a fire gutted a 44 Avenue residence in Stettler. No one was injured, police reported.
Woman, dog escape Stettler house blaze SGT. DUNCAN BABCHUK Stettler RCMP detachment A fire Sunday afternoon gutted a Stettler residence. At 1:30 p.m., Stettler Regional Fire Department, Stettler RCMP and Stettler EMS responded to a 911 call of a house fire in the 5200 block of 44 Avenue, near the Stettler rodeo grounds.
Fire trucks had to be recalled from the Shootout races at the Stettler airport and additional resources responded from the Stettler fire hall to combat the blaze, which initially involved the entire front of the house. There was a lone female occupant of the residence at the time of the fire. She was able to safely evacuate herself and her dog from the home.
Emergency personnel from ATCO Power and Alta Gas were also required at the site to shut off the electricity and natural gas to the property. Firefighters remained on the scene for about six hours before returning to the hall. The cause of the fire is still under investigation and a value for the loss of property has yet to be determined, as of Monday afternoon.
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July 24, 2013
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Stettler area in full bloom for judges’ tour of town RICHARD FROESE Independent reporter Seeking to be “the most beautiful town in the world,” Stettler welcomes Communities in Bloom judges this Friday. “A blend of rain and heat helps to make our town look beautiful, and I see many people cleaning up their yards, so Stettler should be in fine shape,” said Rob Spencer, who chairs Heartland Beautification Committee under the Town of Stettler. Steve Preston of Brampton, Ont., and Evelyn Alemanni of Escondido, Calif., plan to tour the town with local officials. Concluding the day, the beautification committee will present four awards to local recipients, including the beautification champion who contributes to the beauty of the town. Excellence in recycling awards are also be presented for the first time. A citizen, non-profit group and business will be honoured for their efforts to reduce, reuse and recycle. “A lot of the committee’s role is to advocate the three Rs and encourage and recognize these efforts,” Spencer said. “We had seven nominated over the three categories and we hope to keep
growing over the years.” On the international stage last year for the first time in Communities in Bloom, Stettler earned five blooms and a rounded average score of 84 per cent. Last year, Stettler won the national outstanding achievement for landscaping and earned special mention for its network of walking paths. Communities are judged for tidiness, environmental action, heritage conservation, urban forestry, landscape, turf and groundcovers, floral displays and community involvement. Judges will embark on the tour with committee and town officials at 9 a.m., with lunch at the Stettler Town and Country Museum, and judges’ dinner at the Stettler Recreation Centre. Awards will also be presented to winners for their part to help beautify the town. Stettler is up against: Jasper. Fogo, N.L. Antigonish, N.S. Lakeside Chatauqua in Lakeside, Ohio. Stanghow, Redcar and Cleveland, United Kingdom. Tenby Town, Pembrokshire, UK. Village of Abbeyshrule, Lonford, Ireland. Winners will be announced Oct. 26 in Ottawa at the CIB symposium and awards night. For more information, phone Spencer, other committee members or the town office at 403-742-8305.
Contributed photo
HECK OF AN EFFORT — Four-year-old Roan Heck of Stettler high-fives Brandon Smith and Keon Raymond of the Calgary Stampeders last Friday at McMahon Stadium in Calgary. Heck, who has been named the War Amps safety ambassador for 2013, shot a safety video with Smith and Raymond on Friday afternoon.
RICHARD FROESE/Independent reporter
DOMINO EFFECT — Domino band from Stettler performs at Entertainment in the Park at West Stettler Park last Wednesday. The concert raised $2,600 for High River flood victims. High River Mayor Emile Blokland, a former Stettler resident who’ll be featured in next week’s Stettler Independent, attended the benefit concert.
Readers can also find the Stettler Independent at stettlerindependent.com