Red Deer Advocate, September 16, 2015

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SAKOWICH UPBEAT

FALLEN HERO Steve Fonyo focused on rebuilding troubled life following documentary about him

Defenceman not far off from playing full time

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SPORTS — PAGE B4

Red Deer Advocate WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 16, 2015

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Syrian crisis one of many: speaker

AUTUMN ON THE WAY

HOPES ATTENTION WILL SPUR CANADIANS TO TAKE ACTION BY SUSAN ZIELINSKI ADVOCATE STAFF

“The vet said the chocolate speeds up the heart and she had a massive heart attack and died,” said Barlow. “There had to be some pain involved. I think she was just playing like she normally does.” Her other two dogs ate some chocolate but made it to the vet in time. Barlow said it took Akeela about six hours to die after eating the chocolate . She said Akeela was not acting strange and did not show any signs of distress. “I am not doing well,” said Barlow. “She was not yet four years old. I’ve had her since she was born. … She was like my therapy dog.”

The tragic photo of three-year-old Syrian refugee Alan Kurdi whose body washed up on a Turkish beach evoked powerful emotions earlier this month. Dr. Samantha Nutt, one of the founders of the Canadian humanitarian agency War Child, said it’s a photo that War Child would never use even though its workers are confronted with similar images — without exag- DR. SAMANTHA NUTT geration — daily. “But I also think there are times in human history we need to be confronted by ugly truths of it all. And I think that that particular photo captured misery and put a face to a reality that the numbers in and of themselves, as overwhelming as they were, never provoked action,” said Nutt, who will speak at the Herr Lecture Series at Burman University on Thursday night in Lacombe. “I think that people do need to confront sometimes the hard truth of it all.”

Please see DOG on Page A2

Please see WAR CHILD on Page A2

Photo by JEFF STOKOE/Advocate staff

Although not officially here yet, autumn in Central Alberta is certainly on its way. Cooler temperatures, shorter days and the colours of the forest are heralding the changing of the season. Here some people out for a walk in the park enjoy the colours as they cross the pedestrian bridge in Coronation Park at the bottom of the Ross Street in Red Deer on Tuesday.

Dog killer on the loose DOG DIES OF HEART ATTACK CAUSED BY CHOCOLATE BY CRYSTAL RHYNO ADVOCATE STAFF An Innisfail dog owner is heartbroken after someone used chocolate to kill her beloved pooch. Kim Barlow said someone threw enough pure baker’s chocolate into her backyard to slaughter all three of her dogs some time between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. on Aug. 27. “They cut up a re-usable shopping bag and made a bowl out of it,” said Barlow. “They broke up all the baker’s chocolate into chunks and dropped it over our fence. It was clearly intentional. … There was definitely enough

chocolate to kill all of them.” Barlow said her husband let the dogs out in the morning and picked up the makeshift bowl and set it in the house. Barlow said she did not give it too much thought. She went about her day and came back home about half an hour later to find her Akeela, her Australian shepherd, dead at the foot of the stairs. Police issued a press release last week asking for information that may identify the person responsible for the death. They confirmed the dog died due to complications related to the chocolate. Chocolate contains theobromine, a stimulant that is poisonous to dogs.

Human remains found in Amber Alert case RCMP ARREST SUSPECT BY THE CANADIAN PRESS BLAIRMORE — A candlelight vigil meant to lend hope and support in the search for a missing two-year-old girl dissolved in grief Tuesday night as RCMP informed the crowd that investigators had discovered human remains. As an official with victims services announced the Amber Alert for little Hailey Dunbar-Blanchette had been cancelled, one young woman crashed into a friend’s arms and sobbed. Others sniffed quietly and wiped away tears. Some just stood in stunned silence. A group cocooned Hailey’s grandmother in an embrace. “This is the news that nobody wanted to hear,” said Crowsnest Pass Mayor Blair Painter. “This is going to devastate our community and it’s going to take us a long time to heal from this.” RCMP confirmed in a news release that information they had received led them to what they believed to be Hailey’s body in a rural area near Blairmore on Tuesday afternoon.

AMBER ALERT TIMELINE A3 VICTORIA MOM REMEMBERS SON’S DISAPPEARANCE A3 “The RCMP extends its deepest condolences to Hailey’s family,” said RCMP Supt. Tony Hamori. “This is a sad day for the citizens of Blairmore and all Canadians who have held this little girl in their thoughts and prayers since Monday.” He said nothing much else could be said about the investigation at this point, “other than to thank the public and the media for helping us find Hailey.” Hailey had been abducted early Monday morning from the town of Blairmore, 220 km southwest of Calgary, by someone driving a speeding white van. Her father, Terry Blanchette, 27, was found dead in their home and police believe his death was a homicide. Mounties have a 22-year-old suspect in custody.

Please see HOMICIDE on Page A3

WEATHER 30% showers. High 13. Low -2.

FORECAST ON A2

INDEX Four sections Alberta . . . . . . . . . . . . A3 Business . . . . . . . B1-B3 Canada . . . . . . . . .A5,C3 Classified . . . . . . D1-D3 Comics . . . . . . . . . . . . D4 Entertainment . . . C5,C6 Sports . . . . . . . . . B4-B6

Photo by THE CANADIAN PRESS

RCMP investigations continue at the scene of the disappearance of Hailey Dunbar-Blanchette in Blairmore Tuesday.

Prescription denied by Alberta An Alberta mother whose daughter has severe epilepsy has travelled to Ontario for a medical marijuana prescription after the girl’s doctor said he was no longer allowed to provide permission to purchase the product.

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