Stettler takes stand as part of National Bullying Awareness Week . . . A3
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VOLUME ONE-HUNDRED SEVEN
PM40011853 R08546
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STETTLER, ALBERTA
November 20, 2013
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Police nab brothers in robbery bust LISA JOY Independent reporter
After receiving “several” tips, Stettler RCMP arrested two men this week in connection with the robbery at the Royal Hotel last week and Fas Gas in September and October. Cruise Daniel Donovan, 23, and his brother, Chase Gordon Donovan, 19, of no fixed address were apprehended Thursday at about 10 p.m. in a room at a Stettler motel, police reported Monday. The two appeared in Red Deer provincial court Monday morning and were remanded in custody until their next scheduled court date, Nov. 28. Const. Clayton Delowski of the Stettler RCMP said the robberies appear to be drug-related. Chase Donovan, who police believe robbed the Fas Gas on Sept. 30, faces seven charges — two counts of robbery, robbery with a firearm, three counts of disguise with intent to commit an indictable offence, and assault. He’s also suspected of being involved in the Oct. 11 robbery at Fas Gas and the Royal Hotel robbery last Tuesday (Nov. 12). Cruise Donovan is also charged in connection with the Oct. 11 and Nov. 12 robberies, He faces two counts of robbery, two counts of disguise with intent to commit an indictable offence, and aggravated assault. The brothers were arrested on an outstanding warrant from Drumheller on charges of armed robbery at the Mac’s store on Nov. 6. There was also an outstanding warrant in Edmonton for Cruise Donovan for urinating/defacating in public.
LISA JOY/Independent reporter
Police were called to the Royal Hotel last Tuesday as the bar owners, a senior couple, fought off two masked men carrying weapons. Stettler RCMP reported Monday that two brothers, ages 19 and 23, have been charged.
Senior couple combats two armed robbers LISA JOY Independent reporter When two masked men wielding a knife and handgun robbed the Royal Hotel at about 11 p.m. last Tuesday, all the owners cared about — a senior couple — was protecting each other. One assailant took the woman and
started walking away with her, said the 67-year-old husband, who co-owns the bar with his wife in Stettler. “I followed them.” He grabbed a baseball bat that he kept hidden for such an emergency, though in his more than two decades of running a business in Edmonton and Stettler, he had never needed it — until now. “I picked it up and I started swinging,”
the man said, lifting his hands and making a circular motion. But one of assailants took the bat and a fight ensued between the two. That’s when his wife’s instincts kicked in and she tried to stop them from fighting. “He tried to hit my husband,” she said. “I had to do something.” During the scuffle, her hands were
cut. Stettler EMS transported her to the Stettler hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Cpl. Cameron Russell of the Stettler RCMP said “two young males” stole an undisclosed amount of cash and ran off down the alley next to the hotel. Police announced Monday that they charged brothers Cruise Donovan, 23, and Chase Donovan, 19, with the robbery.
Here we snow again LISA JOY Independent reporter
Photos by LISA JOY/Independent reporter
It was a crisp morning, with temperatures hovering near minus 18C, but Isabel Nixon, 89, was determined to take her regular walk Monday. “I have to keep moving,” the spry senior said about braving the cold weather and snow-covered sidewalks.
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For the second time in the past three weekends this fall, winter was the talk of the town. A snowstorm last weekend brought heavy snowfall, frigid temperatures and postponements, and kept tow-truck drivers and police busy into this week. “It hasn’t ended,” Tracey Gauthier of SAW Towing said Monday, noting that the company pulled many drivers out of the ditch and helped others whose vehicles were stuck in the kneehigh deep snow. “We were up most of the night (Sunday),” he said. “It’s been just crazy.” As of mid-afternoon Monday, 12 people came to the Stettler RCMP office
to report they went off the road. “Today, it’s out of hand,” said Sgt. Duncan Babchuk, adding that there were more motorists yet to report incidents with $2,000 or more in damages. A two-vehicle collision at about 1:20 on Highwy 56 and Township Road 40-4 required a tow truck for one of the vehicles, said Sgt. Babchuk. Police said no injuries were reported. Len Skaley, who operates a landscaping and snow removal business, has also been going non-stop. “It’s been hard to keep up and we’re just getting to a point where everything is under control,” he said Monday afternoon. Skaley, who with his crew cleans about 30 parking lots on a regular basis,
worked 21 hours Saturday and put in 16 hours Sunday, functioning on about five hours of sleep Monday. About 20 centimetres of snow fell in the Stettler region on the weekend, two weeks after the first major snowfall of the season. “With that much snow, it takes a little longer,” Skaley said. Another five centimetres hit the region Monday night and Tuesday morning, with temperatures remaining cold in the minus 28C range overnight. It’s expected to warm up Thursday, with a high of -2C, then go down to -23C Friday with a 60 per cent chance of flurries. Most local sporting events were postponed in Saturday’s storm, including the Stettler Lightning junior B hockey game.
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