Red Deer Advocate, August 05, 2015

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STYLE GURU FOUND DEAD Design personality Chris Hyndman has died

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JAYS KEEP ROLLING WITH WIN OVER TWINS PAGE B4

Red Deer Advocate WEDNESDAY, AUG. 5, 2015

www.reddeeradvocate.com

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CHERRY PICKING

Six bottled up on charges CROWN OPPOSES BAIL FOR ACCUSED BY MURRAY CRAWFORD ADVOCATE STAFF Six people arrested after Red Deer RCMP inadvertently stumbled upon a beaten man in a northend hotel room made their first court appearance Tuesday. Darren Curtis Lagrelle, 19; Jeffrey Allan King, 18; Daniel Arthur Potter, 26; Corim Kyle Conway, 23; all of Red Deer, and two 17-year-old female youths are charged with various offences. The youths can’t be named because of provisions in the Canada Youth Justice Act. They were arrested last Thursday after Red Deer RCMP obtained an arrest warrant and entered a room at the Aladdin Inn. Inside, they found a man suffering from non-life-threatening injuries who was being held against his will. He was treated by EMS and released. All six individuals were represented by duty counsel in Red Deer provincial court and they intend to apply for legal coverage from the Alberta Legal Aid Society. Potter has already been denied bail, but Crown Prosecutor Ed Ring said he is opposed to the release of the other five accused. Though the Crown did not seek the order, Judge Bert Skinner banned the six from having any contact direct or indirect with the victim. Ring said the Crown is proceeding by indictment on the charges, meaning that if convicted, the accused could face stiffer sentences. The four adults are charged with forcible confinement, aggravated assault, being disguised with intent to commit an indictable offence and robbery with a firearm.

Please see ASSAULT on Page A2

Photo by JEFF STOKOE/Advocate staff

Estelle Tabaczynski, 2, and her mother, Samantha, work their way through some of the 800 cherry bushes on the family acreage west of Innisfail on Tuesday. The cherries are just now ready to harvest and the branches at Sweet Acres Orchard are overhanging with ripening fruit. The six varieties of cherries growing on the site include Cupid, Carmine Jewel, Romeo, Juliette, Valentine and Crimson Passion. Some of the varieties are sour, but the riper they get the sweeter they become, says Tabaczynski . ‘We get people from around the world‚‘ says Tabaczynski, who likes to hear how their cherries are used by cooks, and wine and liqueur makers from around the world. The U-Pick is open to the public on Friday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. or by appointment. Visit sweetacresorchard.com or call 403-227-1301 for more information.

Human trafficking case in court BY MURRAY CRAWFORD ADVOCATE STAFF An Airdrie man facing human trafficking charges was enthusiastic to deal with his charges after just his first appearance. Javyrell Raymond Baird, 25, faces three charges, including human trafficking of a person under 18, procuring sexual services of a person under 18 and assault. He appeared in Red Deer provincial court on Aug. 4 before Judge Bert Skinner with his hair dyed red and in

a Mohawk style. After the charges were read, Baird confirmed he understood, and Crown Prosecutor Ed Ring chose to proceed by indictment. If convicted, Baird would face a stiffer sentence. Baird said he was supposed to talk to a lawyer later Monday. He asked for an adjournment to Sept. 1 to allow time to speak with the lawyer. When Skinner asked why he sought such a lengthy adjournment, Baird said he did not want to waste the court’s time and would likely be entering pleas. He is being held in custody at the Red Deer Remand Centre.

Baird was arrested after an investigation by the Airdrie RCMP General Investigation Section and Crime Reduction Unit. The investigation started as a missing youth investigation, but police determined she had become the victim of human trafficking. Blackfalds RCMP were also involved in the investigation of the offences, which are believed to have occurred in Gasoline Alley. The charges were heard in Red Deer provincial court because the alleged offences occurred in Red Deer’s jurisdiction.

Please see TRAFFICKING on Page A2

Officials optimistic about landing upgrades BY PAUL COWLEY AND CRYSTAL RHYNO ADVOCATE STAFF Hopes remain high funding will be found to expand the runway at Red Deer Airport. Red Deer County Mayor Jim Wood said local representatives were disappointed that funding through the Small Communities Fund wasn’t coming through. “That doesn’t mean we’re giving up,” he said on Tuesday. “We’ve still got some hope for this project to go ahead.” Red Deer MP Earl Dreeshen is on board and has been lobbying federal officials on behalf of Central Alberta to provide the cash necessary to lengthen a runway so it can be used by bigger passenger jets. About 600 metres must be added to create the strip

WEATHER 30% showers. High 21. Low 10.

FORECAST ON A2

RED DEER AIRPORT needed by 737s. The cost of the project is estimated at about $10.5 million. The city and county have proposed funding up to $4.5 million with hope the province and federal government would pitch in $3 million each. Wood said the need to upgrade the airport is not in question. A master plan for the airport made an airtight case for the need to upgrade the facility if it is to adequately serve the region in coming years. “The airport is a big economic driver within our region,” he said. “And the airport needs to make that next step to make it even more viable for the operations it has.”

Please see AIRPORT on Page A2

INDEX Four sections Alberta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A3 Business. . . . . . . . . . . . . B1-B3 Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A5 Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . D1-D3 Comics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D4 Entertainment . . . . . . . . C5-C6 Sports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B4-B6

Photo by JEFF STOKOE/Advocate staff

Located near the community of Springbrook south of Red Deer, the Red Deer Airport is looking for funding to extend the runway.

Harper retools renovation tax credit The centrepiece of Stephen Harper’s campaign came Tuesday in the form of a retooled renovation tax credit. Story on PAGE A5

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