RESIDENTIAL PLOWING IS UNDERWAY 1. Know your Snow Zone and Route 2. Check the schedule 3. Move your vehicle
ROCK ‘N’ ROLL REBEL DIES Glenn Frey co-founded the Eagles with Don Henley and produced many hit songs
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PAGE B9
Red Deer Advocate TUESDAY, JAN. 19, 2016
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Arsenal seized in drug bust BY SUSAN ZIELINSKI ADVOCATE STAFF An attempted armed robbery at a Calgary pawn shop on Jan. 5 led to a major seizure of guns, ammunition and drugs from two residences and a vehicle in Calgary, a Red Deer apartment, and two hotel rooms in Gasoline Alley. Nine guns along with 12,159 rounds of ammunition, $14,400 cash, and almost 400grams of drugs with a street value of about $39,000 were seized as a result of the joint investigation by Calgary MARTIN SCHIAVETTA Police Service and Red Deer and area RCMP with Central Alberta’s Priority Crimes Task Force. So far a Red Deer man and a Calgary man face 21 charges in connection with the drug trafficking ring. “We believe the individuals who were charged are associated with an organized crime group that was in the process of transitioning from a street level group to a mid-level organized crime group that had an influence not only in the Calgary area but Central Alberta,� said Calgary Police Service Staff Sgt. Martin Schiavetta, during a press conference at Red Deer RCMP’s downtown detachment on Monday. “We know through our investigation, which remains ongoing, that this group had ties to organized criminals in British Columbia.�
Please see BUST on Page A2
Photo by JEFF STOKOE/Advocate staff
From the left, Cpl. Bob Schultz, and RCMP Superintendent Scott Tod, centre, and Calgary Police Service Staff Sgt. Martin Schiavetta present evidence from a recent bust during a press conference in Red Deer on Monday.
Council approves vision for land north of Hwy 11A BY CRYSTAL RHYNO ADVOCATE STAFF Plans are taking shape to map the future of Red Deer. Council stamped its approval on the long-term vision for land use north of
Hwy 11A, the 1,300 hectare-area annexed from the county in 2009. Mayor Tara Veer said the high level conceptual plan that allows the city to take a step forward to develop but leaves some options open for the future. She said it fulfills a long-standing community vision while balancing
north and south development. The planning document guides future development with proposed sequencing, population density, general location of public utilities and major transportation routes in the plan area.
Please see COUNCIL on Page A2
IN THE SNOW ZONE
Photo by JEFF STOKOE/Advocate staff
Mary Stephan joins Benson Aimes in a milk jug igloo located in the library at G.W. Smith Elementary School in Red Deer on Monday. Students at the school are learning about the Inuit and Arctic and Antarctic animals. The igloo is made of about 472 milk jugs to give students a quite place to do their research.
WEATHER Sun and cloud. High -11. Low -18.
FORECAST ON A2
INDEX Two sections Alberta . . . . . . . . . . . . A3 Business . . . . . . A9-A10 Canada . . . . . . . . A5-A6 Classified . . . . . . B6-B7 Comics . . . . . . . . . . . . A8 Entertainment . . . . . . B9 Sports . . . . . . . . . B1-B5
RCMP ON TRIAL
Dispute over root beer led to assault: victim BY MURRAY CRAWFORD ADVOCATE STAFF Three RCMP officers are on trial for allegedly assaulting a man in Sylvan Lake for carrying an open bottle of root beer. Levi Desjarlais said he was beaten, pepper sprayed and kneed in the crotch while walking to his friend’s hotel room on Aug. 20, 2011. Testifying in Red Deer provincial court on Monday, he said it started when one officer pulled his van onto the sidewalk where he and his girlfriend, at the time, Melissa Collard were walking. Desjarlais was carrying a bottle of Stewart’s Root Beer with him. The officer, Desjarlais identified as Const. Drew Burchett, 50, asked to see the bottle Desjarlais was carrying. Desjarlais assured him it was root beer, but Burchett took possession of the bottle and inspected it. Burchett, Cpl. Kevin Halwa, 42, and Cpl. Dean Purka, 41, are all charged with assault for their part in the incident. Collard said Burchett inspected it thoroughly, even sniffed it. Burchett then told Desjarlais it was an alcoholic beverage. Desjarlais told the court on Monday that he wasn’t drinking that night and doesn’t drink at all. Though, he did see how someone could mistake the bottle for a beer bottle.
Please see ASSAULT on Page A3
Deaths strengthen resolve to fight terror Quebec’s premier honoured seven Quebecers killed in terror attacks in Indonesia and Burkina Faso late last week. Story on PAGE A5
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