D1 NORTHERN GATEWAY STYMIED BY APPEAL GERRY FEEHANâS LOVE AFFAIR WITH ITALY CONTINUES
C1
C5
B1
INSERT
MARLINS SWIM CLUB HAS STRONG HISTORY
THE COLOUR RED IS THE COMMON THREAD THAT WEAVES THROUGH EXHIBIT
EASING PRE-RACE ANXIETIES
HAPPY CANADA DAY!
F R I D A Y
J U L Y
1
$1.25
2 0 1 6
www.reddeeradvocate.com
Canada Post, union still talking SOME BENEFIT CHEQUES WILL BE MAILED DURING POTENTIAL LABOUR DISRUPTION BY SUSAN ZIELINSKI ADVOCATE STAFF Work stoppage has so far been averted at Canada Post. As of Thursday, neither Canada Post nor Canadian Union of Postal Workers have given 72-hours notice of a lockout or strike. Talks between management and the union have failed to produce a collective agreement for 60,000 workers after
seven months of negotiation and 60 days of conciliation. About 240 Canada Post employees work in and around Red Deer. But both sides say they are still focused on negotiating a deal. âWe remain committed to negotiating and hopeful weâll get a deal. But we want to move this forward quickly to end the uncertainty that is having a huge impact on our business, customers and on our employees,â said Can-
ada Post spokesperson Jon Hamilton. Canada Post put forward its global offer on Saturday and is waiting for CUPW to come to table to discuss it. âThe offers we put forward are based on our reality. We canât add a lot. But thereâs definitely increases in pay,â said Hamilton on Thursday. Wages for carriers currently range from $19 to $25 an hour. CUPW says itâs been waiting and waiting for a global offer from the com-
pany. In 2011, Canada Post put forth its first global offer over two months before the strike and lockout. Larry Dionne, president of CUPW Edmonton Local, said the global offer is a least a starting point for negotiations. âUp until now thereâs just been a lot of talk,â Dionne said.
Please see TALKS on Page A5
FUNNEL CLOUD SPOTTED NEAR PONOKA
County weighing its options for trail BY BRENDA KOSSOWAN ADVOCATE STAFF The future of the Central Alberta section of the Trans Canada Trail is up for debate at Red Deer County Council on Tuesday. For some years, members of the Central Alberta Regional Trails Society have been working on a project that would see construction of a trail between Bowden and Ponoka. The new trail, now partially complete, will be part of the Trans Canada Trail Network, which organizers plan to finish in time for Canadaâs 150th anniversary in 2017. The section from the south side of Red Deer through Blackfalds to Lacombe is now complete, including construction four years ago of a bridge over the Blindman River, CARTS president Paul Pettypiece said on Thursday. However, all that exists south of Red Deer is a one-kilometre section between Springbrook and Penhold, he said. The county has already received a portion of the grant promised by Trans Canada Trails toward building an 11km section from the south side of the city to Springbrook, running along Range Road 280. However, the county is now weighing its options and considering whether or not it should proceed with the project. A report to council prepared by community services manager Jo-Ann Symington estimates the total cost of construction at $2.15 million for gravel or $3.04 million for pavement with annual maintenance estimated at $55,000 to $77,000. Trans Canada Trail and the Alberta TrailNet Society are to provide half of the construction costs to a maximum of $1.5 million and there may be some additional funding to come from another source, Symington says in her report. However, the county has not received that commitment, she says. Please see TRAIL on Page A5
Photo by JEFFREY HEYDEN-KAYE/Ponoka News
A severe thunderstorm watch for the Ponoka area helped create a funnel cloud that threatened to touch down just north of Ponoka on Thursday. A little after 5 p.m., a funnel cloud started to form while Ponoka Stampede fans watched from the midway. After the cloud dissipated, there were reports of a downed power line north of town and a home that sustained some damage. See related story on page A5.
Blue-green algae alert issued for Alix Lake BY CRYSTAL RHYNO ADVOCATE STAFF A blue-green algae alert has been issued for Alix Lake, northeast of Red Deer. Alberta Health Services is warning residents to take precautions including avoiding all contact with bluegreen algae (cyanobacteria) blooms. Blue-green algae appears like scum, grass clippings, fuzz or globs on the surface of water. It is naturally occurring and can be blue-green, greenish-brown, brown, and/or pinkish-red, and often smell musty or grassy. It typ-
ically appears when weather conditions are calm. People who come in contact with visible blue-green algae or who ingest water containing blue-green algae, may experience skin irritation, rash, sore throat, sore red eyes, swollen lips, fever, nausea and vomiting and/or diarrhea. Symptoms usually appear within one to three hours and resolve in one to two days. Symptoms in children are often more pronounced. If contact occurs, wash with tap water as soon as possible. Residents are advised to take the
RED DEER WEATHER
INDEX
Local Today
Tonight
Saturday
Sunday
COMMENT A4
Mainly Sunny
Overcast
Sun and Cloud
30% Showers
BUSINESS D1-D2 COMICS D3 CLASSIFIED D4-D5
THURSDAY EXTRA: 3326813 PICK 3: 698
TRAVEL C1-C3 FASHION C4-C5
Please see ALGAE on Page A5
LOTTERIES
NEWS A2-A3, A5, B5-B6, D5 SPORTS B1-B4
following precautions: â Avoid all contact with blue-green algae blooms. â Do not swim or wade (or allow your pets to swim or wade) in any areas where blue-green algae is visible. â Do not feed whole fish or fish trimmings from this lake to your pets. â Consider limiting human consumption of whole fish and fish trimmings from this lake, as it is known that fish may store toxins in their liver. (People can safely consume fish fillets from this reservoir).
Numbers are unofficial.
24°
13
o
24°
25°
PLEASE
RECYCLE