Author: Shelly W

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Ft Mac Health

Infestations of Bugs Reported in Higher Than Normal Numbers in Fort McMurray

Infestations of bugs are being reported in higher numbers in Fort McMurray, and for some residents and business owners it is causing them to bug out. Some residents came back to find their homes still standing, with little or no actual damage, but now they are seeing infestations and bug problems that they did not have pre-fire evacuation. According to exterminator Sher Gray emergency calls are common. Gray explained “I still have my regular clients that I service, but the emergency calls and inspections have probably doubled since my last trip up here in April. Normally I’d get maybe five to 10 calls over a week. I’m probably at around 35-40 calls and I’ve only been here three days. People haven’t been here for a month, the bugs have had free roam. And now all the tractors and bulldozers are here. They’re cutting down the burnt timbers, they’re turning the soil over to get it ready for planting and for new trees, and so they’re stirring up nests and stuff.”

University of Alberta entomology expert John Acorn explained how Fort McMurray residents can deal with bugs and infestations. According to Acorn “I would encourage people to not panic. Just go about the business of cleaning things up. Only use the pesticides or call in an exterminator if it’s a persistent problem.” Gray also said for people to “Just peel the bedsheets back… give it a nice check. And if you see any black dots or any movement that’s a good sign that there’s something there. In general, be aware of your surroundings. If you are staying in hotels, whether it be here in Fort McMurray, Edmonton, Florida, anywhere, bed bugs are worldwide. We’re hoping that this is just an anomaly. But so be it if we have to come up more frequently than usual. That’s what we’re here for.”

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Ft Mac

18 Year Old Facing Breaking and Entering Plus Other Charges by Wood Buffalo RCMP for June Crimes

18 year old Fort McMurray resident Taetm Lucaas D. Moon is wanted by the Wood Buffalo RCMP for breaking and entering as well as other crimes. The alleged crimes occurred on June 9, 2016 in the vicinity of Timberlea and Thickwood, and Moon is facing 5 counts of possession of property obtained by crime as well as a count of failing to comply with disposition, a count of breaking and entering, and a count of trespassing by night. There is a warrant out for Taetm’s arrest and police are actively looking for him. Police report that Moon is 5’9” in height, he weighs 140 pounds, and both his hair and eyes are brown.

Wood Buffalo RCMP spokesperson Cpl. George Cameron discussed the case and offered some tips to deter breaking and entering or theft. “He was already on some kind of conditions already. Don’t make it easy for thieves. Lock your doors, windows, don’t leave anything outside that is valuable. The harder we make it, the less complaints files like this we’ll have to investigate.” Anyone who has information about Moon can contact the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or call the Wood Buffalo RCMP at Wood Buffalo RCMP at 780-788-4040. Many thieves and other criminals can be deterred by some simple measures and vigilance. People forget to lock doors, they leave valuables in vehicles, and they are not always aware of their surroundings or what is going on. This can make you a more likely target for a thief or other criminal.

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Alberta Ft Mac Politics

Fort McMurray Recently Received a Visit From Royalty, the Countess of Wessex

The Countess of Wessex recently visited Fort McMurray to show her support for the fire ravaged area. Countess Sophie is Prince Edward’s wife and the Queen’s daughter in law, and she was accompanied by the Governor General. The Countess has been touring with Prince Edward and she took time out of a busy schedule to come to Fort McMurray and tour the damage from the fire personally. Before visiting the area the Count and Countess of Wessex visited an aviation museum in Winnipeg, and they made stops in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. In Regina Countess Sophie was given a flower bouquet by a local 5 year old.

Fort McMurray residents have been through a lot the last few months, and the tough times are anything but over for most people just yet. The fact that the Countess of Wessex cared enough to visit made many people feel hope once more. In a press release before the Countess of Wessex visited Fort McMurray the Governor General talked about the residents of Wood Buffalo and stated “They all have shown tremendous courage and resilience throughout this devastating disaster. Our visit to Fort McMurray will allow us to show our ongoing support and to recognize so many great Canadians for their outstanding work.” Those in Fort McMurray who had to evacuate left almost everything behind but they did not let this stop them, and now that the city is safe to return to many are already back. Now it is time to start rebuilding and replacing what was lost in the massive fire that caused the evacuation.

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Economic Ft Mac Politics

Does the Wood Buffalo Council Deserve the Pay Raise They Voted for Themselves?

A number of residents are upset over the pay raise that Wood Buffalo council members voted for themselves, with some receiving a new salary that is more than double what they were making before they voted to give themselves a hefty raise. As soon as the news reached the public there was anger and outrage. The votes meant that a part time salary for a council member went from a little over $35,000 to $75,000. 3 members of the council were designated as full time council members, and their salaries were increased to $150,000 per year, the same salary as Mayor Melissa Blake makes. This is the highest salary amount for a council member in Canada, even higher than Toronto and other much larger cities.

Some on the Wood Buffalo council who voted for the pay raise defended their vote. Colleen Tatum took to a Facebook post to defend her decision to vote for and accept the enormous pay raise, posting “Childcare, lost time in my business, lost opportunities elsewhere do cost me much more than I ever earn. It does seem obscene on face value, to ask for a raise in these extreme and very hard times, but the justification I do feel is there.” Mayor Melissa Blake and a number of council members voted against the pay increase but they were outnumbered. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation Alberta director Paige MacPherson asked “Was such a dramatic wage increase really necessary right now? That’s a fair question for residents and taxpayers to be asking. These are now some of the highest base salaries of any major centre in Canada. It’s unprecedented for a councillor to make the same or more as any mayor.”

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Economic Ft Mac

Downtown Fort McMurray Now Offers Back to Business Resource Centre

A new Back to Business Resource Centre is finally open in downtown Fort McMurray, giving local businesses and companies a single centralized location where they can find resources and information that they need. The centre was funded by the Alberta province and it is located at 9816 Hardin St. on the first floor of the building. In a press release Minister of Economic Development and Trade Deron Bilous explained that “We want to be there with owners and workers through the challenges ahead and this one-stop-shop will make it easier for them to get tools and support from local organizations who understand their unique needs.” Mayor Melissa Blake stated “We want to thank the Government of Alberta for their generous support. These funds will allow us to make sure our local business owners can get back to a new business as usual.”

The downtown Fort McMurray Back to Business Resource Centre was made possible because of a partnership between many different entities. The provincial government took care of funding concerns, and the centre was coordinated by Wood Buffalo Economic Development. Other partners involved in making the centre a reality included the Fort McMurray Chamber of Commerce, the Northeastern Alberta Aboriginal Business Association, Community Futures Wood Buffalo, the Fort McMurray Construction Association, and the Insurance Bureau of Canada. The centre is intended to be a portal which allows local businesses to access resources which can help them return to operation after the fire and evacuation. There are also business specialists who can offer guidance and support as well as business planning help.

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Ft Mac Health

Fire Cleanup Contractor Sought by SPECS Ltd.

SPECS Ltd., a post loss consulting firm, needs a prime contractor to be a leader in the post fire cleanup in Wood Buffalo. The company has been hired by insurance companies who have policy holders in the region to oversee the cleanup for homes that have been destroyed. The prime contractor would be responsible for directing the cleanup operations and will be doing the actual work. Structures which are larger like condos will not be covered under the contract. Andrew Ross, the COO of SPECS, explained that “We are strictly administration and oversight. We don’t do any of the demolition work ourselves.” Instead the company handles the bidding process and is involved in overseeing the cleanup project in an overall basis. The prime contractor will be responsible for the project logistics.

Anyone interested in the fire cleanup prime contractor position with SPECS Ltd. had to submit a completed pre-qualification application by Friday June 17. 2016 at 3 pm. According to SPECKS sales and marketing director Lucy Railton “We’ve had over 100 submissions already from contractors wanting to participate.” In order to qualify a contractor must meet a set 4 criteria. The applicant must have a minimum of 30 excavators on the ground at the same time, they must have enough trucks to haul the debris gathered by the excavators, the have to be able to manage at least 8 sites of varying sizes at a time, and they must have at least a $10 million minimum bond.