A2 RED DEER ADVOCATE Wednesday, July 15, 2015
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED
WESTERNER DAYS PARADE
A Yabba Dabba Doozy of a car FLINTSTONES-INSPIRED VEHICLE HIGHLIGHTS BEAUTY OF WOOD IN RED DEER BY CRYSTAL RHYNO ADVOCATE STAFF Get ready to have a “Yabba dabba doo” time at the annual Westerner Days parade this morning. A Flintstones-inspired car built from recycled trees may just be this year’s show stopper. Shawn Moore of Trimmed Line Tree Services said he tossed around several ideas for a float. The intent was to create something that could be donated back to the community. A Flintstones car using recycled wood was the clear winner. But first Moore and his wife, Natalie, had to introduce their children Jazdn, 10, and Ryker, seven, to the cartoon classic about a working-class family living in Bedrock during the Stone Age. “It was mandatory viewing for a couple of months,” laughed Moore. “It was a lot of fun all around.” Moore said they wanted to do something to highlight the beauty of the wood in Red Deer. Moore’s company has been recycling wood for several years. “Saving it from the landfill is obviously something we could do and something the kids could enjoy,” he said. “We could maybe teach them about where lumber and cool things like this come from.” Black poplar trees that were taken down on 19th Avenue for the water/sewer pipeline project were used to build the car’s frame and canopy. The car’s dash was built from the maple trees and the steering wheel from green ash trees from the Asooahum Centre project on Riverside Drive. The front seat was built from an elm tree in Mountview and the backseat was built from a birch tree from a high school yard in Bentley. The car took a couple days to build, with help from local businesses who donated time and supplies. Moore hopes to donate the wooden car to the city for use in one of the community centres. “The wood we have in the city is just awesome stuff,” he said. The Westerner Days Parade kicks off today at 9:30 a.m. in downtown Red Deer. crhyno@reddeeradvocate.com
Shredding allowed to resume at the Alberta legislature after review EDMONTON — Shredding of documents can resume in most Alberta government departments after a review found proper policies are in place. Premier Rachel Notley called an immediate halt to shredding in all departments in May because of reports that documents were being illegally destroyed during the transition to power. Opposition parties cried foul when bags and bags
STORIES FROM PAGE A1
Photo by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Trevor Tully, left, and Eva Marie Dragos, right, of Sedona, Ariz., kiss a bust of Clyde Tombaugh at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Ariz., on Tuesday. American astronomer Clyde Tombaugh discovered Pluto at the observatory in 1930. NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft got humanity’s first up-close look at Pluto on Tuesday, sending word of its triumph across 3 billion miles to scientists waiting breathlessly back home. Confirmation of mission success came 13 hours after the actual flyby and, after a day of both jubilation and tension, allowed the New Horizons team to finally celebrate in full force. “This is a tremendous moment in human history,” John Grunsfeld, NASA’s science mission chief, said at a news conference.
Alix crash victim honoured at vigil BY MURRAY CRAWFORD ADVOCATE STAFF Close to 150 people gathered at Pigeon Lake Regional School to honour a teacher, coach, father, husband and victim of a deadly crash near Alix. Colin Axelsen, 37, and his 10-month-old daughter were killed on Sunday morning around 11 a.m. at the intersection of Hwy 21 and 601. Within 10 hours of the crash, a large group of students, staff and friends gathered at the school where Axelsen taught, Pigeon Lake Regional School, a Grade 7 to 12 school.
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documents were being improperly shredded.
because of its nature, he had to be “of good character,” in his role as an RCMP member. mcrawford@reddeeradvocate.com
Stacey Carmichael, director of programs for Central Alberta’s Safe Harbour Society for Health and Housing, said the number of people using city shelters is down a bit, which always happens in the summer when some people prefer to camp. “There’s camps all over the community. (Tent City) was just big and visible. Year round, there are people living outside in Red Deer,” Carmichael said. She said some people camp because of problems associated with addictions. Others may do it because shelters or affordable housing can’t accommodate their pets. It’s also hard for couples to find a place where they can stay together. Roxana Nielsen Stewart, community development supervisor with the city, said community agencies have been aware of those who prefer to sleep outdoors for a while. “They were always welcome into the resources and housing programs within the city,” Nielsen Stewart said. szielinski@reddeeradvocate.com
She said some of the people in Red Deer who have been ‘sleeping rough’ have been doing so for years and change would require figuring out what kind of housing they want that would work for them. “From our perspective, we’ve been really successful doing outreach to people where they’re living rather than always assuming people will come to us. I would suspect that would be part of what a solution would look like. Really it’s about innovation and about being able to provide really good communitybased service to folks,” Vanderschaeghe said.
Numbers are unofficial.
WEATHER LOCAL TODAY
TONIGHT
THURSDAY
HIGH 23
LOW 10
HIGH 17
HIGH 15
HIGH 21
60% chance of showers.
Showers.
Showers.
A mix of sun and cloud. Low 7.
60% chance of showers. Low 10.
REGIONAL OUTLOOK
Olds, Sundre: today, 60% showers. High 23. Low 10. Rocky, Nordegg: today, 30% showers. High 21. Low 9. Banff: today, 30% showers. High 23. Low 9. Jasper: today, 60% showers. High 20.
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
County declares agricultural disaster EDMONTON — A rural municipality west of Edmonton has declared a state of agricultural disaster due to severe drought. Council members in Parkland County voted unanimously for the emergency status. Mayor Rod Shiagec says he will be notifying provincial and federal government officials.
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financing for 84 months
TONIGHT’S HIGHS/LOWS
Low 6. Lethbridge: today, mainly sunny. High 27. Low 13. Edmonton: today, increasing cloudiness. High 23. Low 11. Grande Prairie: today, 30% showers. High 19. Low 9. Fort McMurray: today, 30% showers. High 26. Low 13.
WINDCHILL/SUNLIGHT
FORT MCMURRAY
26/13 GRANDE PRAIRIE
19/9
EDMONTON
23/11 JASPER
20/6
RED DEER
23/10
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23/9 UV: 6 Extreme: 11 or higher Very high: 8 to 10 High: 6 to 7 Moderate: 3 to 5 Low: Less than 2 Sunset tonight: 9:50 p.m. Sunrise Thursday: 5:33 a.m.
2015 Chevrolet Camaro Commemorative Edition
CALGARY
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LETHBRIDGE
27/13
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Calgary: today, 60% showers. High 23. Low 12.
Please see AXELSEN on Page A3
of shredded documents were seen being hauled away from the legislature after the Progressive Conservatives lost their 44-year hold on government to Notley’s NDP. A memo recently sent to government staff says a review found that departments were using sound practices and shredding could be resumed. Shredding still isn’t allowed in the Environment and Parks Department. That ministry is being investigated by the public interest commissioner and the privacy commissioner, because an anonymous whistleblower claimed
FIREARM: Personal weapon HOMELESSNESS: Camps all over the community Although he was a retired RCMP member and worked with the force in a civilian capacity, the firearm was his personal weapon. Willms said his client co-operated fully with the police investigation in the immediate aftermath of the incident. After the incident, he sought counselling for suicide survivors, ministerial counsel and other forms of support. The judge said that it was a positive step to do before probation ordered counselling. The Crown and defence jointly submitted a sentencing application of a conditional discharge with nine months of probation. Grieve agreed to go along with the sentencing application, saying Anholt had long employment and
Terry Pearson, Wetaskiwin Regional Public Schools superintendent, confirmed on Tuesday that there has been a large-scale vigil by the community, which is reeling from the tragedy. “One hundred and 50 people showed up to the school Sunday night and they opened up the school and had a candle-light vigil,” said Pearson. “It’s an example of the impact he had on the community. That many people within less than 10 hours of the incident came out during the summer to that kind of spontaneous event.”