A Drumheller footballer, who dominated the gridiron as a Titan, is moving on to bigger fields.
    On February 5 Tanner Borowicz, son of Lawrence and Cindy, signed to play with University of Calgary Dinos. This September he will commence his studies and wear the red and gold.
    Tanner came late to football, but was a standout in lacrosse and basketball at St. Anthony’s.  He played in Grade 9, but only rejoined the Titans in his senior year. He quickly became an integral part of the team’s offence and defense in its campaign for the provincial title.
    He graduated from St. Anthony’s in 2013 and there was interest from post secondary schools for Tanner to join their squad.
    “Because I only played for a year there weren’t scouts following me around, but coach Ron Laprise talked to Simon Fraser and the University of Calgary… and gave them tape (video),” said Tanner.
    He had ambitions to play at Simon Fraser University, which plays in the NCAA. This led him to play junior football for the Valley Huskers in Chilli
wack. He was also invited to a Team Canada tryout.
    “It was a big step-up from high school football, but it can only go up from there,” said Tanner of his experience with the Huskers.
     Tanner then narrowed his focus to the University of Calgary and was able to participate in a workout and practice with the Dynos and they liked what they saw.
   “They asked me to bring a tape, and I went to a morning practice. There was me and another recruit from Edmonton there and they gave us a tour of the campus,” said Tanner.
   “Coach Blake Nil walked into the office, looks me in the eye and says ‘Tanner, I want you here.’ There is nothing better than that feeling.”
   Tanner will be heading to the school in the fall and he wants to study sociology with an eye on studying law, or kinesiology. He said there are possibilities for him to earn a scholarship as he progresses. Until then, he will continue to train and work out under the guidance of a trainer in preparation for next season.

According to the calendar, local realtor John Wiebe is only 22.5 years old.

The trick to getting to 90, says John Wiebe, is to live it day by day the best you can, enjoy, and have fun.
    Wiebe is selling real estate, something he’s been doing since 1997, because he didn’t like retirement.
    “I tried, and no. I have no intention of retiring. I’ll ride this horse until it drops.”
    Hometown Realty Owner/Broker Kelly Boyko says Wiebe makes the office a great place to be.
    “It’s just a pleasure having him around. He’s excellent at it, and he’s professional, hardworking - everything you want in a realtor.”
    Wiebe’s having a good year, according to Boyko.
    “It’s one of his best starts since he’s been there. He’s in the office every day and enthusiastic.”
    Wiebe is a leap year baby, turning 90 years young this February 29.
    “There’s a mistake on my birth certificate,” says Wiebe.
    “We were so far away from the registrars, my mother gave the papers for me and my cousin to my grandfather, and when he took the papers in he registered me on my cousin’s birth date and my cousin on my birth date.”
    John Wiebe grew up in Nuehorst, Saskatchewan, where he learned to drive at the age of 12.
    “When I got my driver’s licence, it was a dollar.”
    “You didn’t take a test or anything - you just paid the dollar.”
    Wiebe says the only thing he would have done is further education.
    “I was upset when I had to miss school, but I was the oldest of nine kids, and it was the ‘30s.”
    “But I learned a lot through it - it’s a great education in itself.”
    Wiebe says his mother was from Northern Saskatchewan and his father’s family came from Russia when his father was three.
    “When I started school, I didn’t speak a word of English. My friend, Bill Ens - who was a year older than me - told me every time the teacher asks me ‘What’s your name?’ to say ‘pardon?.’  So I did, and I got the strap because he (the teacher) thought I was b.s.ing.”
    “My nickname in school was Johnny Pardon,” he laughs.
    Wiebe says he and Bill remained friends until Bill’s passing several years ago.
    Wiebe has reached 50 years membership in the Royal Canadian Legion, having served in the Army Service Corps in the Second World War. He also ran a taxi company in Drumheller from 1950 to 1963.
    As for downtime, Wiebe says he just wants to get back on the golf course, and is an active dart player and pool player.
    “I’m in the pool league and I enjoy that immensely.”
    Asked if there’s anything special he would like to do for his 90th Birthday, Wiebe answers: “Just be there.”

The Province is working on clearing up the sewer odour  originating with the Royal Tyrrell Museum sewage lines.
    Alberta Infrastructure recently did some work on the sewer lines to help clear up the foul air that has been plaguing Newcastle and Nacmine residents for a number of years.
    “Their initial corrective action is they’re going to be using water jets to scour the lines,” said Mayor Terry Yemen.
    “And they found some valves that weren’t working, so they replaced the valves.”
    The Mayor explained that was Plan A, and if Plan A doesn’t work, Alberta Infrastructure will get in there and try something different.
    A recent media release from the Town of Drumheller states  the representatives from Alberta Infrastructure are committed to ongoing monitoring and additional corrective action if the need arises.
    The Mayor said the odour has been very problematic for Town residents in the area and  they haven’t been able to enjoy their properties at certain time during the year, and adds:
    “I am pleased that the Province is committed to finding a solution as this matter has gone on far too long and needs to be dealt with.”

Sandbags are unloaded off Railway Avenue in June 2013. Albertans pitched in to help each other during the  spring flooding of 2013 that occurred in a number of communities across Southern Alberta.  The Alberta Government has hired three engineering firms to study flood mitigation options for the Athabasca and Red Deer rivers.

Albertans have recognized more than 1,300 of their peers who took incredible actions to help others in the wake of the June 2013 floods, as part of Alberta’s Heroes of the Flood recognition program.
    While the floods were a devastating time, every day Albertans became heroes as they reached out to help their friends, family, neighbours and even strangers rebuild and recover.
    “The flood was more than just a catastrophic event. It was an opportunity for all Albertans to come together, to offer support, strength and friendship for those affected by the disaster. It is important for us as a province to recognize those among us who showed such bravery and strength in these times of struggle, who have helped with the rebuilding efforts. Thank you for your courage, strength and sacrifice in our province’s time of need.”
- Alison Redford, Premier
    “I want to thank every Albertan who shared incredible stories of bravery, compassion and resilience. We’ll be working to celebrate these heroes for their extraordinary efforts over the coming weeks. While we still have more rebuilding and recovery ahead of us, we’ll rebuild stronger than ever with Albertans like these.”
- Municipal Affairs Minister Ken Hughes
    The 1,300 nominees represent a variety of organizations including 175 nominations for first responders, and 80 for post-secondary institution faculty, students and staff.        Several animal rescue organizations were touted for their incredible efforts, along with one non-human hero: Diesel, a miniature Husky who was rescued from the flood and is now training to be a service dog.
    All nominees will receive a certificate and letter of appreciation in the coming weeks. A complete list of Hero nominees is available online.
    Under the Building Alberta Plan, our government is investing in families and communities, living within our means, and opening new markets for Alberta’s resources to ensure we’re able to fund the services Albertans told us matter most to them. We will continue to deliver the responsible change Albertans voted for.

Chef Peter McDiarmid from the Dinosaur Trail Golf Course puts the final touches on his Tomato Basil Soup recipe as part of the five recipes he demonstrated in an Italian Cooking course Saturday. He was conducting the course for Drumheller Further Education, and said this is one of the favorites for students who can choose among Canadian, French, Italian and others. Student Shelby Jensen looks on.

Mayor Terry Yemen, left, and Chief Administrative Officer Ray Romanetz at Drumheller Town Council Monday, March 10, 2014.  Council approved the 2014 Capital and Operating Budgets which included a two per cent tax increase, no service cuts and the water slide replacement at the Aquaplex.

    Drumheller Town Council approved the town’s operating and capital budgets at the Monday, March 10, 2014 Council meeting.
    The town states the Operating Budget includes a two per cent general tax revenue increase, 2014 revenues of $16,294,598 and estimates the surplus at $61,130.
    The Corporate Services Request for Decision memo states “The revised 2014 Operating Budget sets the operational priorities of Council for 2014. The budget sets the estimated costs of the priorities and service levels identified by Council.”
    “Council, with the co-operation of administration, was able to reduce taxes to a two per cent increase, with no service cuts whatsoever,” said Mayor Terry Yemen.
    The Mayor notes the previously approved three-year budget would have seen a three per cent tax increase for this year.
    He thinks they were able to reduce taxes because the council got into deeper and more forensic discussions for the 2014 budget.
    The Mayor gives credit to Councillor Jay Garbutt for doing an extensive review and bringing a number of items forward for Council’s discussion.
    “The operating budget was a real focus for me this year because it appeared as though there was a lot of opportunity to trim and shave without service cuts,” said Councillor Garbutt.
    The Councillor said he’s grateful there was an opportunity to delve deep into the operating budget, hoping that it “sets the stage for future years that any tax increases will be hard fought.”
    “Every Councillor is responsible to the ratepayer to make sure every dollar is effectively and efficiently spent. My background is an asset, but we share that burden as a team,” he adds.
    Garbutt said there’s a lot of credit owed to administration. He said the town is saving thousands of dollars, organization wide, over previous years with the new power and natural gas contracts.
    Council also passed the Capital Budget with a value of $6,496,968.
    Councillor Garbutt said the 2014 Capital Budget is a fairly standard year for infrastructure improvements and fleet improvements. He said it’s important to note the capital budget doesn’t reduce the town’s financial reserves, “which is crucial for the long term sustainability of our capital financing strategy.”
    Garbutt said the big capital item he thinks people will be pleased to see move ahead is the waterslide replacement at the Aquaplex. He notes other work may be able to be included with the replacement.
    “We’re going to continue to investigate the affordability of additional Aquaplex improvements as well.”
    Mayor Terry Yemen‘s thought: “I hope that they (residents) see that Council is working to make Drumheller a better place to live, work and raise a family."

There is no question that fraud has come to dominate the headlines in Drumheller and beyond.
    To shine a light on the problem, the Drumheller RCMP is hosting a fraud awareness session to help residents learn more about the serious issue of fraud and how residents can protect themselves from being taken advantage of.
    Constable Mike Maxwell will be at the Badlands Community Facility this Thursday to host the session. It is open to all ages.
    “The Competition Bureau of Canada has published a correspondence called the ‘Little Black Book of Scams,’” said Maxwell.
    He will be using this as a base to unveil some common scams that are happening throughout Canada and highlight some of the common ones police are seeing in Drumheller.

    “We want to try to show people what to look out for and try to protect themselves,” said Maxwell.
    Maxwell said in his career he has seen a rise in fraud.
    “It is not just cyber (fraud), there are phone scams and cell phone scams. There are things coming in your mail, people knocking on your door to tell you they want to put a new roof on your house, then they walk away with the money and never fix your roof,” said Maxwell.
    “There are all kinds of scams coming at you from every angle and that is why people need to learn how to protect themselves.”
    The session is this Thursday, March 13 at 6:30 p.m. at the Badlands Community Facility. The session is open to the public and there is no cost to attend.

Rick Strankman
Drumhller-Stettler MLA

The Provincial Government has handed down its 2014 budget characterized as supporting communities and continuing to build the province, however it has met with criticism.
    According to a press release from the Alberta Government, it has delivered a fully balanced budget that focuses on core areas that support families and communities through investment in health, education and support for those most vulnerable and at the same time investing in infrastructure. 
    “Alberta is the fastest growing province in the country, and we can’t afford to stop building. Under our Building Alberta Plan, we are meeting the challenge of enormous growth head-on, while focusing every day on making Albertans’ quality of life even better. By being conservative in our budget planning and living within our means, we have delivered Alberta’s first balanced budget in six years,” said Premier Alison Redford.
    Local MLA Rick Strankman however says the budget continues to plunge the province deeper in debt.
  “The unfortunate thing is the way the government is calling it a balanced budget. They are borrowing against capital equity and it isn’t a truism to say it is balanced,” said Strankman. “They have increased the deficit significantly. The budget is actually including over a billion dollars that is coming from the federal government, how can they use that as a consistent source of income?”
     He says the operation budget is up almost six per cent and capital spending up almost eight per cent. He said according to the Wild Rose math, inflation plus population this year shows a suitable increase being in the area of 5 per cent.  
    There is one item he would like to learn more about, which could be a positive support for agriculture.
    "Bill 1 talks about sustainability funds and one of these leads to hands-on style agriculture,” he said.
    One example he cites of how this could be applied is an organization called the Chinook Applied Research Station near Oyen, which is doing hands on research to develop products specifically for the Special Areas.
    "That was an interesting thing I noted and was supportive of, the government trying to inject money into those areas,” said Strankman.
    He is not sure, however, with this budget, if funds would be allocated to these types of projects.

The rising Red Deer River in Drumheller from spring of 2013.

As spring nears and the snow melts, citizens and the Town of Drumheller are looking for answers on how to reduce the extent of flooding in the Drumheller valley.
    Late last week, Mayor Terry Yemen sent a letter to provincial Tourism Minister Richard Starke inquiring “if there have been any decisions made in regard to flood mitigation for Drumheller.”
    The Mayor said the Town submitted to the province in late 2013 an extensive plan for lowering the impact of high water events.
    “The Town has submitted the requested mitigation plan and have met with the Stantec consultants hired by the Government of Alberta on a number of occasions.”
    “As spring is rapidly approaching, the Town is constantly being asked questions in regard to future mitigation which we are not able to answer,” Mayor Yemen wrote the Minister.
    The provincial government hired three engineering firms in January to study flood mitigation options for the Athabasca and Red Deer Rivers.
    Stantec Consulting is providing the engineering assessment and recommendations for flood mitigation options for the Red Deer River basin.
    As reported in The Mail February 26, Alberta Environment and Sustainable Development stated the province starts monitoring the melting snow in the plains at the beginning of March, and they would issue an advisory of any concerns to municipalities.
    Currently there is a spring runoff advisory for Alberta posted.
    Residents can look up advisories at www.environment.alberta.ca/forecasting/advisories.

Heather Colberg, left, presented GM/superintendent of Dinosaur Trail  Golf Club Mitch Davidson with a donation of $10,000 in recognition of the value the course has had over the years for the family.

Dinosaur Trail Golf and Country Club is looking towards the new season with fresh faces and high expectations.
    The Club has seen a number of changes during the off season, the most noticeable is that Scott Westman has resigned as manager and former superintendent Mitch Davidson is now at the helm. Last season great strides were made to give golfers a great experience on and off the course. They plan to continue that same vein.
    To get the club off on the right foot for 2014, management was elated to receive a donation of $10,000 from the Kohut family to support the club.
    Heather Colberg explains simply that the family has enjoyed and benefitted from the golf club for many years and felt it is important to keep the club viable.
    “We understand what the course has been for us over all of these years and felt it was time to give back,” said Colberg.
    Dinosaur Trail is following up its successes of last season, Davidson says he wants visitors to the club to see an immediate impact when they come to the course.
    One of the biggest changes is that the tournament facility will be operated as the clubhouse this season. The club felt this facility is an improvement and should be utilized to its fullest potential and for the benefit of members.
     Last season the addition of Chef Peter MacDiarmid has helped the club build a reputation as a place where great food will be served, whether it is an afternoon snack or dinner.
    This is enhanced by the addition of Carmello Sangregorio as the new food and beverage manager.
    “He has moved to Drumheller to be closer to family, but we are lucky to have him as he has years of experience in food and beverage and most recently was the food and beverage manager at Carnmoney Golf and Country Club just south of Calgary. I look forward to him streamlining our operation and bringing a lot of new ideas to Dinosaur Trail,” said Davidson.
    They are hoping the support continues for the club as it gets ready to host its annual dinner and silent auction.
    This year the auction is on Saturday, April 12 at the Badlands Community Facility. The evening includes a special prime rib dinner, prepared by its own Chef MacDiarmid. This is followed up by a live and silent auction with Derek Dekeyser manning the block.
    Tickets are available from any board member or at the golf course. For more information, or to donate an item to the auction, call 403-823-5622 or e-mail mitch@dinosaurtrailgolf.com.

Students at St. Anthony’s School took time out Wednesday afternoon to commemorate Canada’s exit from Afghanistan.

After a more than 12-year mission, on March 12 Canada officially pulled out. Captain Dwayne Nagy, who served in Afghanistan, took time to address students about his service and why it is important. He is flanked by RCSCC Furious cadets Josh Wolfe, Avril Wilson, Mya Russell Bailey Chung and Spencer Aulenback.

Drumheller's NGC Peewee Raptors celebrate on the ice after winning over Medicine Hat 4-3 indouble overtime.

There’s lots on the go for Drumheller’s minor hockey teams this weekend.
    Drumheller teams are involved in either league or provincial playoffs from March 13 to Mar 16.
    Drumheller’s NGC Peewee Raptors are heading to division finals Saturday versus Canmore after winning their series over Medicine Hat on the weekend.
    Team manager Wendy Nail said there was an outstanding effort made by the entire team throughout this series.
    The McDonald Novice Raptors will begin playing for the league banner in Novice Tier 3. They are the home team in Hussar on Saturday, March 15,  at 11 am.
    “During the regular season we had a high flying offense. Our defense and goal tending really stepped up the last series. We’ve become a complete team,” said coach Kit Clark.
    The Encana Atom Raptors are waiting the outcome of the Crossfield and Strathmore series to see who they face for the Atom Division 6 banner.
    Crossfield and Strathmore have their final game Thursday night, March 13. The winner will play the Encana Atoms on Saturday, March 15, in Hussar.
    “Our kids are really excited. It should be a good final round,” said coach Jeff Paarup.
    Encana won their series with Hanna in two straight games.
    Paarup said in regular season play, the Encana Atoms won all three games against Strathmore, and went one win, one loss, and one tie against Crossfield.
    Drumheller’s Bantam Midgets host the 2014 Investors Group Hockey Alberta Bantam D Provincial Tournament this weekend at Drumheller Memorial Arena.

Coaching legend Don Phelps, who coached the Calgary Canucks for three decades has been inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame. Phelps was a former Drumheller Miner and had his AJHL coaching start with the Drumheller Falcons.

   Almost exactly a year ago The Mail spoke to coaching legend Don Phelps about his induction into the Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame.
    This year he is honoured on a larger scale as a member of the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame.
    “In my mind there are two things that really resonate, one is the company you are joining (in the Hall of Fame), that speaks for itself. The other is a reminder of the fun I had at doing something I enjoyed. I stop and reflect and wonder why I am being recognized?  To me the fun I had was the big thing, this is just an exclamation point at the end.
    While Phelps is widely regarded as the legend behind the Calgary Canucks, some of his early hockey and coaching experience was in the valley. In fact, Phelps told The Mail previously that some of his fondest memories were from his time in Drumheller.
    Phelps came to the valley as a Drumheller Miner in the late 1960’s after the team had won the Allan Cup. He was on two provincial championship teams. A few years after the Miners, he came on as a coach for the Drumheller Falcons and ran that bench. He was the 1974-1975 AJHL Coach of the year.
    In 1979, he joined up with the Calgary Canucks and stayed with the team until he retired in 2011. In that time, hundreds of players were affected by his tenure.
    “It is humbling to get an award like this, but at the same time, the real satisfaction I get is so many people I worked with called me and said ‘hey you deserve it.’ Hey if they are going to say it I’m not going to argue,” he chuckles.
    It was also rewarding working with young people for all those years.
    “The big thing for me was if you made a difference for some of those kids in terms of them making the right decisions or getting their house in order and achieving something that was attainable, then good,” he said. “I know there are thousands of people out there who do the same thing with little or no notoriety, so I was just fortunate to be picked out of the herd.”
    “You don get into this with the idea of  ‘maybe I’ll become a member of the Sports Hall of Fame'. That is not the magnet that draws you in into it; you cannot replace the friendships I have garnered over the years, the people I have  worked with, that if I weren’t coaching I would have never known them. With kids on the teams, I have helped them solve problems, they have told me things they wouldn’t tell their parents and that is a lot of responsibility. When I look back at it I think I am a better person for having done it.”
   The induction into the Alberta Sport Hall of Fame is on May 30.

Valentine’s Dinner will be Chef Murphy’s last hurrah ...

    After more than 15 years of service to the organization, Rosebud Centre of the Arts Executive Chef Pat Murphy will give his final “performance” with a gourmet Valentine’s Dinner on Friday, February 14.
    Although delicious food will still remain at the Mercantile Dining room and Wild Horse Jack’s Bistro & Grill, Rosebud Theatre patrons and the RCA organization will be losing a great chef and valuable team member.
    “I have always enjoyed watching the faces of people as they enjoy our rural hospitality, from the initial greeting to the sad farewell and all of the special moments in between,” says Murphy. “I will miss working in the Mercantile, but I’m happy that we will still be living here in Rosebud.”
     Chef Murphy’s annual Valentine’s Dinner at the Rosebud Mercantile has become a popular local tradition. Friends, theatre patrons and colleagues alike are encouraged to make their reservations and take this opportunity to connect with Pat to say farewell.
    For those who have never experienced a meal in Rosebud, Murphy describes the experience. “Dining in Rosebud is special because you get to enjoy the sights and scenery of rural Alberta along with the country charm and hospitality of the community.”
    Another highlight of the Valentine’s weekend is the Lewis & Royal concert and buffet dinner on Saturday, February 15. While audiences all over Western Canada have enjoyed the humour and heart of Rosebud’s very own folk comedy duo, this performance marks their first appearance at home on the Opera House stage.
     “It’s a rare thing to play a concert here at home in Rosebud, among family and friends,” said Sproule.  “When Lewis and I are on the road touring, one question often asked is when we are playing next in Rosebud? Our answer is always, ‘Well, actually we don’t play much at home.’ So it’s pretty special to have been invited to play a Valentine’s gig. Lewis is the king of love ballads, and with heartthrob Travis Friesen sitting in as a guest artist, there’s gonna be lotsa love.”
     Dinner is served from 5:30 to 6:30 pm with the concert at 8:00 pm. Contact the Rosebud Theatre Box office at 1-800-267-7553 to book.

    The Drumheller RCMP expect their office might be getting busier in the very near future as policies governing their communications system are implemented.
    Staff Sergeant Art Hopkins tells The Drumheller Mail there are plans to revamp their telephone communication system because of increased 911 calls.
    “We have received some direction to implement a change,” said Hopkins. “Every detachment, because our communications centres are being overwhelmed, will have to start managing phone calls directly into their own offices.”
    He explains that currently there is an administration number for the Drumheller Detachment (403-823-7590). There is also a call line for non-emergencies (403-823-2630) and 911 for emergencies.
    He says a non-emergency call that typically would go to a communication centre will now be directed to the local office, to be handled by a local clerk. This clerk will then be charged with making contact with an available officer.
    “We don’t know how it is going to effect our operation, but right now it appears it is going to be taking our clerical staff off their regular duties and they will be answering more calls,” said Hopkins.
    He explains the increased workload on 911 is due to the use of cell phones.
    “There is always going to be these false alarms and these 911 calls coming from cell phones. A lot of people no longer have landlines, and they don’t have a telephone book so they will call 911. As a result it is taking away our resources,” said Hopkins.
    “This is going to drastically increase the calls here (to the detachment) which is going to take the clerks away from the front counter and a number of other things.”
    He explains the change was planned to be implemented by the beginning of February, however the technical work to upgrade the phone system has not been completed.
    He says the changes are just one more way clerical staff is facing an increased workload. Today many organizations need a police check for volunteers, which is time consuming.  Often audio or video statements taken by police are required to be transcribed, which also falls on clerks.
    “That is just one more task, one more thing in the barrel that has to be done,” said Hopkins.

An inquiry will be held to review the circumstances of an inmate’s death last Saturday.
    On February 1, Kenneth William Schaer, 25, an inmate at the Drumheller Institution, was found unresponsive in his cell. According to a press release, staff immediately began performing CPR and emergency services were called.
    Schaer could not be resuscitated.
    Schaer was serving a sentence of three years after being sentenced for aggravated assault. He was incarcerated on January 2 of this year.
    According to a press release, in cases of in custody fatalities, the police and coroner have to be notified and Corrections Canada will review the circumstances of the incident. The province also holds fatality inquiries following such deaths.

    The Provincial Government is finalizing the agreement it set out in October to pharmacies between the Alberta Government, the Alberta Pharmaceutical Association and Alberta Blue Cross.
    Health Minister Fred Horne states the agreement is one that recognizes the expanding role of pharmacists and “...Offers four years of predictable funding to help pharmacists plan their business.” He adds this is the first update of the Pharmacy Agreement since 2003.
    The plan lays out funding structures for fees pharmacists receive for counselling, medication purchases and reimbursement  from the province.
    “From this point, it doesn’t seem like prices will change for customers”, said Shoppers Drug Mart pharmacist/owern Arsen Gincher.
    “Counselling service fees were previously built in with dispensing fees - now the activity (counselling) is separated.”
    Gincher explains the money invested into new patient services for extended or enhanced counselling, for things such as prescription renewal or adaptation and smoking cessation, can now be measured, where previously the government had no way of doing this.
    “They want to see people are getting benefits from pharmacists’ intervention," said Gincher.
    Riverside Value Drug Mart’s pharmacist/rwner Ray Ainscough is attending a meeting February 24 of RxA, the Alberta Pharmacists Assocation, to get more information on the technical details of the agreement.
    Pharmacy manager for Freson Bros. Pat Doyle, says the new agreement would be signed in April.

    The Federal Budget came down last week and it recognizes the need of communities to be ready for floods.
    Last Tuesday, Finance Minster Jim Flaherty brought down the budget. M.P. for the Crowfoot riding Kevin Sorenson was appointed Minister of State for Finance last year and this was the first budget he participated in as a junior minister. He said the budget commits $200 million to communities to support flood mitigation and preparedness.
    “The Minister (of Public Safety Vic Toews) was there and was talking about disaster mitigation and how we cannot just wait for the flood happen and deal with the remains,, but how could we prevent it?” Sorenson told The Mail. “Some of the funds have been specifically focused on mitigation. It is going to initiate at $200 million. We are going to start doing a review of the disaster program … generally speaking, in the past that kind of funding has never been provided by a federal government, the province and municipalities do it, but we want to work with the municipalities and province.”
    The budget also indicated exploring the idea of flood insurance, something not offered in Canada.
    “That has to be done on a national scale. If we bring foreword some type of program, work with the public sector for example…but you would need a large scale buy in on something like that,” said Sorenson.
Sorenson said the focus of the budget has to do with employment.
    “We said we want to have a budget that wants to create jobs, build the economy and bring us to a balanced budget in 2015, and this budget does that,” said Sorenson.
    He adds that it also addresses some of the special circumstances in his riding about employment, where the level of unemployment continues to be much lower than the national average.
    “Something we have recognized, especially in Alberta is we need people in the trades. That is why we brought forward the Canada Apprenticeship Loan Program. This will allow young people to qualify for student loans. We have set aside up to $100 million across the country so apprentices can get an interest free student loan and will finish their apprenticship.”
    He said this will give people the chance to take time from their job to finish their apprenticeship in an affordable way, and in doing so increase their earning potential.
    Sorenson said the budget also provides 3,000 opportunities for graduating students to do an internship and get the experience they need in the work force.
    On Thursday following the initial budget speech, the Prime Minister of Canada announced more details to the New Building Canada program, saying it will “ensure small communities have stable, long term and unprecedented access to funding vital for infrastructure projects.”
    “Our government’s commitment to small communities has never been stronger. Under the New Building Canada Plan, we are providing predictable, stable support so that municipalities with fewer than 100,000 residents can build the projects that matter most to them,” said Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
    Sorenson explains this investment was done in the hard times.
    “Our government has invested in infrastructure more than any other government, and we did that in the recession, and we did that because we knew that projects are going to help create jobs,” said Sorenson. “The program actually ends in March 2014, so we knew we had to keep this infrastructure program moving ahead and today our prime minister outlined some of the particulars of how the next phase of infrastructure will be laid out.”
    One more area that benefits rural communities Sorenson feels strongly about is an injection to expand rural high speed Internet.
    “We brought forward $305 million to help with rural broadband,” said Sorenson. “This is a huge one for rural Canada. I have small schools in my riding and they depend on the Internet for school programs.”

    A Drumheller area man’s hope for others fighting the pain of arthritis prompted him to give an incredible gift to those suffering from the disease.
    Bent Peters was never known to have an outgoing personality, in fact, quiet may be the descriptor most used to characterize him. He passed away in April 2013, and has gifted a large part of his estate to the Arthritis Society. In the area of $850,000 has been gifted to the organization. While Cindy Stephen, communications manager for the Arthritis Society, Alberta North West Territories Division has never met Bent, she said stories of him have left an impression.
    “What came across to me is that he lived in hope,” said Stephen.
    His younger brother Fleming agrees with her assessment, and he has been working with lawyer John Sparling to settle Bent’s estate and make this gift a reality.
    Bent was born in 1930 and was the second of four children of Ferdinand Peters and Mary Krogh, both immigrants from Denmark who met and married in the Dalum area.
    Bent received his early schooling at the Nickel Spring School and studied for one year at Drumheller High School.
    He worked as a farm hand and a miner. He also drove truck for Dalum Corner Services for 14 years.
    Bent went on to trying his hand at farming and leased land in the Wintering Hill area. He worked the land for 17 years and retired in 1985.    
    At the age of  55, he had been suffering from the pain of arthritis for a number of years, and it was one of the deciding factors for him to stop farming.
    While he was heavily medicated to relieve some of the pain of his arthritis, he continued to find pleasure in his motorboat, fishing in Crawling Valley, and he enjoyed making toys out of steel. Fleming said his brother would weld scale models of farming equipment with the greatest of detail. Fleming said Dr. Crawford, a specialist in Calgary did a lot to help Bent cope with his arthritis.
    Bent moved to Drumheller in 1985 and then into continuing care at the Drumheller Health Centre in 2009.
    Bent never married or had children, and according to his brother, Fleming, kept to himself. Despite a solitary demeanor, this donation shows his altruism.
    “He had no kids, so he said, maybe it will do some good for someone else,” said Fleming. “It is for research, there is no cure, but maybe it can make it a little more comfortable for other people.”
     Shirley Philips, executive director for the Arthritis Society for Alberta and the Northwest Territories was struck by the generosity of Bent and is hopeful that this kind of gesture could send a message to others on the difference this type of donation can make.
    She explains it is fitting because Bent suffered for many years, that some of the funding would go to juvenile research. Much of this work is being done in Calgary and at Sick Kids in Toronto.
    The funds could also go to support programs such as Arthritis 101, a program for newly diagnosed patients.

  A troupe of young opera singers, above, performed at Drumheller Valley Secondary School Friday. Mel Kirby, Coordinator of the Emerging Artist Program with Calgary Opera said the group is on a Cenovus sponsored tour of Southern Alberta elementary and high schools. After Calgary Opera’s performance, three DVSS students each performed a song, receiving feedback from Kirby and the artists.

  Below are Bailey Kakuk, 17, left, Ho Lee, 17, and Emily Birch, 15. Kakuk and Birch are entered in the Drumheller and District Music Festival in March.