A3 WOMAN FIRED FOR WORD ‘FAT’ GETS APOLOGY
NEW SHOP CATERS TO PEDALLING POPULATION
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END OF AN ERA AT REXALL PLACE
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LEITCH WANTS TOP TORY JOB
COUNTRY LEGEND MERLE HAGGARD DIES ON HIS BIRTHDAY
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Bones discovered
Benalto school closing BY PAUL COWLEY ADVOCATE STAFF Benalto School will close despite intense lobbying from parents to save it. Chinook’s Edge School Division board voted to close the school on Wednesday morning because of dwindling enrolment and cost. Board chairman Colleen Butler said while the school provided excellent education its low student numbers — 22 this year — meant the division had to heavily subsidize it. “If we had voted to keep this school open they would have gone back on to the regular resource allocation of other schools,” she said. “We can’t afford to keep subsidizing it because that takes resources away from the rest of the division. We have 11,000 other students.” On a per-student basis, Benalto is significantly more expensive than any other school at $15,918. The next closest is Elnora at $11,273. Of the division’s 28 other schools, the cost-per-student is mostly in the $7,000 to $9,000 range. Depending on enrolment next year the school, 15 km west of Sylvan Lake, would have gone from its two teachers to one with a possible additional part-time position based on the new funding level. “The feeling, I think, was the quality of education was probably going to diminish if that was the case,” said Butler. It would be a lot to expect a single teacher to make school plans for seven grades, she added. Students from the kindergarten to Grade 6 school will be bused to Sylvan Lake’s C.P. Blakely School next school year if they stay in the public system.
Photo by JEFF STOKOE/Advocate staff
RCMP investigate at the scene where bones have been discovered north of Antler Hill just west of the QEII highway along Range Road 275B. Police were focusing their investigation in and around a small wooded wetlands area. A forensic examination will be conducted on the bones to determine if they are human. RCMP Cpl. Laural Scott said police were called to a wooded area near Innisfail around 7 p.m. on Tuesday after someone found the bones. Police and specialized units searched the location throughout the day today to ensure all the bones were recovered. More details about the discovery are expected on Thursday.
Potty shortage forcing residents to take extreme measures MARY-ANN BARR BARRSIDE It may not just be bears and other critters pooping in the woods of Red Deer. I received a copy of a letter in the mail the other day from “A Citizen With Kids and Grandkids.” It was addressed to the city’s thrones keepers — the mayor and council. “This is a plea to have at least one Porta Potty placed in each and every park, play space, soccer field, baseball field and exercise park in the city.”
See SCHOOL on Page A6
Photo by JEFF STOKOE/Advocate staff
Permanent washrooms at Rotary Park and other park facilities throughout the city are still closed. Portable toilets have been installed at these locations.
Please see POTTY on Page A6
Police chief leaving RCMP to take job with city RED DEER NEEDS NEW SUPERINTENDENT FOR SECOND TIME IN THREE YEARS BY CRYSTAL RHYNO ADVOCATE STAFF The search is on for a new police chief in Red Deer for the second time in less than three years. RCMP Supt. Scott Tod, who joined the city’s detachment in May 2014 is heading into semi-retirement with a new gig at the city. Tod is the city’s new Municipal Policing Services Manager. He announced his retirement earlier this
SCOTT TOD
to fill the role since September after Marilyn Slawinsky was appointed to the provincial bench. The department head position is responsible for the overall management of the policing department on the municipal front, the enforcement continuum, leadership of staff and operation of the buildings and fleet. Sarah Cockerill, the city’s director of Community Services, said this council has placed a huge emphasis on safety in the community and the
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INDEX NEWS A2-A3, A5-A6, B4-B5, D5 COMMENT A4 SPORTS B1-B3 ENTERTAINMENT C1-C2 OUTDOORS C3 BUSINESS D1-D2 COMICS D3 CLASSIFIED D4-D5
year and the city approached Tod to take on the role. His final day in the superintendent’s office is on May 5 and he will start at the city on June 6. The city has been recruiting
enforcement from municipal side but also from a policing side. “It’s a huge win for us to have Scott come across from the RCMP with his 27-year career to come lead our team,” said Cockerill. “He knows policing inside and out and he has been the leader of the largest RCMP detachment in Alberta. We’re really looking forward to bringing that leadership and vision to the strategic direction of policing.” Please see TOD on Page A6
LOTTERIES
Local Today
Tonight
Friday
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60% Showers
LOTTO 649: WESTERN 649: EXTRA:
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PICK 3: Numbers are unofficial.
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