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VOLUME ONE-HUNDRED SEVEN
PM40011853 R08546
NUMBER FORTY-FOUR
STETTLER, ALBERTA
October 30, 2013
PRICE — $1.09 Plus GST
Contributed photos
A semi-trailer flipped on Highway 12 near Gadsby on Monday afternoon, causing the death of about 50 hogs (below) that were on board, police reported Tuesday.
Hogs tie up traffic as truck rolls R ICHARD F ROESE Independent reporter A truckload of hogs tipped on is side on Highway 12 east of Gadsby and tied up traffic Monday afternoon and into the evening. Carrying hogs from Manitoba, the driver was travelling westbound on Highway 12 when his semi-truck wandered off the road about five kilometres east of Gadsby at about 3:30 p.m., reported Stettler RCMP. “Upon arrival on the scene, the uninjured 65-year-old driver from Acme stated that while reaching for a bottle of pop on the passenger seat, he lost control of the vehicle,” Sgt. Duncan Babchuk said in a news release Tuesday. The truck was owned by a Manitoba company, which
was hauling 180 hogs for slaughter into Red Deer when the accident occurred near Range Road 16-5. “Approximately 50 hogs from the shipment either died in the crash, or had to be dispatched on the scene,” Sgt. Babchuk said. Stettler RCMP, Stettler Regional Fire Rescue and County of Stettler County peace officers responded to a 911 call. The fire department was required to use the Jaws of Life and other cutting tools to gain access to the turnedover trailer to evacuate the surviving animals. Stettler Auction Mart and local farmers assisted in transporting the animals. Careless driving charges are pending against the driver of the semi-truck, police said. Total loss of property and cleanup costs have yet to be
determined, Sgt. Babchuk said. Crews from Stettler Fire and Rescue were called to the scene to control traffic and help remove hogs from the trailer. “We were on the scene to assist and we cut holes in the trailer to extricate the hogs,” said Deputy Fire Chief Etienne Brugman. “Doors on the trailer could not be opened, because it was on its side. “We were also there to help transport pigs to other trucks brought in by local farmers.” He said fire crews were on the scene until about 9 p.m., when highway maintenance contractor Carillion arrived to provide traffic control and assist in the cleanup. Traffic was reduced to one lane well into the night, as crews cleaned up and towed the vehicle away.
Simons willing to accept double defeat at the polls R ICHARD F ROESE Independent reporter Falling short in a bid to retain his seats on Stettler town council and Clearview school board in elections last week, Peter Simons says he has simply accepted the results and plans to “move on” with his life. “I respect the election process and voters did what
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they felt was best for the community, and I respect their choices,” said Simons, who finished last of the 11 candidates for councillor in the Town of Stettler and last of the three candidates in the Stettler ward for the Clearview School Division. In the previous election in 2010, he grabbed the sixth and final seat on council, just 12 votes ahead of seventh place and second in a bid for two seats. “I’m not really interested in analyzing the results,” Simons said. He said he was proud of his time in service on both council and school board. “In my terms, as councillor and trustee, I did what was best for residents and I don’t regret anything I did.” Now, he has given his blessing to the new council and school board. “I wish the new council and school board all the best in the new term,” Simons said. Also in the running for two local seats, John Schofer won and lost at the polls last week.
He reclaimed his seat on the Clearview school board for Byemoor-Botha when he beat Rhonda Maginn, while finishing third in County of Stettler for Byemoor-Botha. Les Stulberg won that seat. “The people spoke and you win some, you lose some,” said Schofer, who served on the school board for 12 years before he was unseated in the 2010 election. Despite his loss in the county race, he’s confident in the new councillor. “I do believe Les will do a good job for the area and county,” Schofer said. Back on the school board, he’s eager to get to work. “I look forward to working with the new board and help keep our small rural schools strong,” Schofer said. “I was first asked to run for school board to have a strong voice for rural schools, and then I was approached to run for county council.” County and town councils and Clearview school board will be sworn in by the end of this week.
Readers can also find the Stettler Independent at stettlerindependent.com