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Coaldale Connection newsletter keeping citizens up to speed

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:02 GMT

By Heather CameronSouthern Alberta NewspapersLocal Journalism Initiative ReporterThe Coaldale Connection is a newsletter that connects the people with government in Coaldale.“The purpose of the newsletter is to inform the community about upcoming events, what’s happening with Council, and educate residents about municipal issues affecting Coaldale,” said Jonathan Wensveen, Manager of Government Relations for the Town of Coaldale. “It gets published once a month.”Wensveen says that various Town staff, including himself, contribute to the newsletter each month by submitting content to him and then he assembles it. The newsletter’s target audience is Coaldale residents, Wensveen says, and the response has been generally positive, with more and more residents joining the newsletter mailing list each month.“It has had the impact of keeping Town residents informed about issues and/or community events they may not otherwise know about,” said Wensveen. “The newsletter is just one way, among...

Southern Alberta man jailed for recent crime spree

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:02 GMT

By Delon ShurtzSouthern Alberta NewspapersA 51-year-old southern Alberta man who went on a crime spree earlier this year, is a menace to society, a judge said on Dec. 20.Justice Gregory Maxwell made the comment after Peter Conrad Bissonette pleaded guilty in Lethbridge court of justice to nearly a dozen criminal offences, primarily business thefts occurring around southern Alberta between August and October.Maxwell agreed with a recommendation by the Crown and defence for a seven-month jail sentence, but did so hesitantly given the offences and Bissonette’s lengthy criminal record.“We’re not talking about simple thefts, we’re talking about sophisticated, thought-out thefts, often that require some preparation in bringing tools,” Maxwell said.“The reality is, Mr. Bissonette represents a menace to society and these commercial businesses, and we’re not talking about insignificant thefts. Multiple thefts over a thousand dollars in total value, none of which is recovered and none of whic...

Peace on Earth…how?

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:02 GMT

Dear Editor: With the daily destruction and devastation on the nightly news, it’s hard to envision the “Peace on Earth” we see on greeting cards. Centre stage is the war between Israel and Hamas. The war in Ukraine still rages. Almost forgotten is the Syrian conflict now more than a decade old. In fact, doesn’t it seem that the number and scope of conflicts is growing rather than shrinking? The prevailing loss of humanity we see in high definition seems in stark contrast to the prospect of peace.It is is easy to feel overwhelmed and powerless as we see this. In truth, there are very few “at the table” to be a peacemaker directly. Yet, I submit there are multiple ways we can meaningfully respond. You see, we aren’t as removed as we think.Here are a few suggestions:1) Hire, house or help a local refugee in getting established. Invariably, these refugees in turn help those who remain in a war zone. If you don’t have funds, give your time to help direct refugees to resources.2) Advocate...

Conflict zone preventing access to Bethlehem

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:02 GMT

Dear Editor: Did you hear in the news that the celebration of baby Jesus will not be open to tourists that used to flock Bethlehem where Our Lord Jesus Christ was born due to the war between Israel & Hamas? Let’s keep Christ in Christmas.Paul Jones, Coaldale

Viva Vitality: Celebrate responsibly this holiday season

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:02 GMT

By Taneil ZanideanThe holidays can be a time for family, friends, and celebration. Celebration can look different for everyone, but for many, it includes alcohol. It is important to consider the risks of alcohol use.If you drink too much alcohol on a single occasion, you may experience the following short-term effects: impulsive behaviour, drowsiness, aggressiveness and violent behaviour, slowed reaction time, slurred speech, double or blurred vision, flushed skin, nausea or vomiting, frequent urination, impaired memory loss or loss of memory, or impaired attention, concentration and judgement. Severe alcohol intoxication can lead to alcohol poisoning which can result in stupor, coma, respiratory arrest, and death. You can reduce the risk of the short-term effects and other alcohol-related harms by limiting the number of drinks you have on a single occasion, and the number of drinks you have per day and week over time.   This holidays season if you’re the party host: • Offer a selec...

Rent inflation starting to moderate, but at a very slow pace

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:02 GMT

The latest National Rent Report by Rentals.ca and Urbanation reveals that asking rents for all types of residential properties in Canada remained near record highs in November, with an average monthly rent of $2,174.While this figure was slightly lower than October’s record of $2,178, it marked only a modest 0.2 per cent month-over-month decrease.Despite the rental market still showing considerable year-over-year growth, the rate of increase has been gradually falling. In November, there was an 8.4 per cent year-over-year rent rise, following annual growth rates of 9.9 per cent in October and 11.1 per cent in September.“Rent inflation in Canada is slowly starting to moderate, a trend being led by a notable slowdown in rents in the country’s most expensive big cities of Vancouver and Toronto. Renters are adjusting to record high housing costs by shifting into less expensive markets,” Shaun Hildebrand, President of Urbanation, said.In terms of apartment types, studio apartments experi...

MacFarlane leaving Coaldale Public Library in the new year

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:02 GMT

By Heather CameronSouthern Alberta NewspapersLocal Journalism Initiative ReporterOn Dec. 8, Coaldale Public Library held a party to say goodbye to Head Librarian Dothlyn MacFarlane. She departed from her position at the library on Dec. 15, 2023 after six years to take a position as Associate Director at Chinook Arch Regional Library System.“It has been six wonderful years with some really good, great staff and support from both the library board and the Town of Coaldale administration, so it’s bittersweet, but I am also looking forward to the new challenge that the new position will bring,” said MacFarlane. “Bearing in mind it will give me the opportunity to maybe have a greater impact on southern Alberta. “MacFarlane says that she started at Coaldale Public Library in September 2017 and since that time, she has been able to modernize the library’s financial system and stablize staffing as well as install a new customer-focused circulation desk along with creating more quiet reading...

Coaldale Public Library promoting babysitting course

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:02 GMT

By Heather CameronSouthern Alberta NewspapersLocal Journalism Initiative ReporterCoaldale Public Library will be offering a St. John’s Ambulance Babysitting Course from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on January 27, 2024.“The purpose of the course is to offer kids the skills and tools they need to be confident and qualified as babysitters,” said Dothlyn McFarlane, Head Librarian at the Coaldale Public Library.The course, MacFarlane says, will cost $70 per participant. When participants are finished, MacFarlane says, they will receive a certificate of completion showing their new skills in babysitting. Initially, MacFarlane says, their local community partner CLCLC organized and ran the course, but the library took over providing the course in 2022 and have been able to host the class four times since based on community interest.“Each time we have held it, we always have a full group of 12 participants,” said MacFarlane. “It’s an important thing for members of the community to know so they can stay...

Rehoboth Christian Ministries supporting those with developmental disabilities

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:02 GMT

By Heather CameronSouthern Alberta NewspapersLocal Journalism Initiative ReporterRehoboth Christian Ministries is a not-for-profit organization that supports adults with developmental disabilities across Alberta.“Rehoboth collaborates with other disability service agencies in southern Alberta for programming, services, community access and advocacy for those we support,” said Emma Solowan, Public Relations Coordinator for Rehoboth Christian Ministries.Rehoboth, Solowan says, offers a variety of services to those they serve including 24/7 and supported indpendent living residential care, vocational retirement programs, employment preparation, employment services and community access, as well as supportive home, and respite care. Solowan says that the services Rehoboth officers are funded through Persons with Developmental Disabilities (PDD), a branch of the Alberta government. Intakes are done through PDD referrals, not through client or guardian applications directly to Rehoboth.Som...

Resiliency key to success in global ag context

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:00:02 GMT

By Heather CameronSouthern Alberta NewspapersLocal Journalism Initiative ReporterDuring Farming Smarter’s Global Crop Production Virtual Conference on Zoom on December 13, 2023, Ken Coles from Farming Smarter had a discussion with Zimbabwe farmer, Philip Johan Odendaal, about resiliency in farming.“I’m more and more blown away by what the world has to offer, the diversity of characters within the ag sector, and the passion in general for people to be change drivers,” said Odendaal. “And then what really shone through for me was the strength and resilience shown by farmers from all over the world.”Odendaal stated that it seems that everyone is against farmers and that everyone is rewinding and going back to nature, which is sad.“Policy makers may or not be aware of the impact of messing with farmers and restricting us but believe me when I say it’s real and it’s ugly,” said Odendaal. “Just a message to the farmers is let’s keep farming, and against all odds or whatever gets thrown at...