Author: Shelly W

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St. Kateri Will Open for First Day of School in Spite of Delays in Construction

St. Kateri, Fort MacMurray, school
St. Kateri, Fort MacMurray, school

 

St. Kateri, a Catholic school in Fort MacMurray, will be open for the first day of the 2014-2015 school year in spite of the delays in construction that have occurred. Valerie Dyck, the principal of St. Kateri, has said that any student who is registered will be welcome on the first day, and classes at this Fort MacMurray school will start on schedule even though some areas of the building are not completely finished and can not be utilized right away. Most registrations are handled online, but if parents wish to do this in person they can visit the temporary office which will be at the Holy Trinity Catholic High School until the start of the school year.

St. Kateri school in Fort MacMurray is well aware of the concerns about student safety. According to Valerie Dyck “The current situation is they’re going full steam ahead (with construction) and things are looking good. It’s all coming together. Construction should have minimal impact on students. Wherever students are not supposed to be, we will have safety fencing. We will have lots of signage for the public, whether they’re walking in or driving in … and of course, teachers will be extra vigilant, as we always are during supervision, to make sure students are staying where they’re supposed to be. Students won’t be able to go in where they’re still working, and likewise, workers won’t be able to get into the school. Currently around 430 students are already registered.

 

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ALERT and Wood Buffalo RCMP Seize Cash and Drugs in Fort MacMurray

Wood Buffalo, drug seizure, Fort MacMurray
Wood Buffalo, drug seizure, Fort MacMurray

On August 15, 2014 the Wood Buffalo RCMP and the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team partnered together to perform search warrants and initiate a drug seizure. Two individuals were arrested and cash was also seized during the operation, which occurred in Fort MacMurray. Everything started because there have been numerous complaints about drug activity in the Timberlea area, and these complaints were heard and taken seriously. This led to search warrants being issued, and when the operation was over both Allen Bryson, a 43 year old Fort MacMurray resident, and Chuol Both Chuol, a 19 year old believed to be a resident of Edmonton, were under arrest. All together law enforcement seized around $30,000 in cash and an amount of cocaine believed to have a street value of around $40,000.

 

This is not the first time that the Wood Buffalo RCMP and the ALERT team have worked together, and they have been responsible for numerous drug seizures in the Fort MacMurray area in the past. Last year the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team managed to find and seize drugs that were valued at over $1 million just in Wood Buffalo, and close to 60 people faced over 200 charges as a result. Fort MacMurray and Wood Buffalo law enforcement encourage residents to report suspected drug or gang activity in order to help keep the community safe and get drugs and criminals off the streets. If you suspect any illegal activity you can contact the local Wood Buffalo RCMP, and any suspected gang activity can also be reported anonymously to 780-788-GANG.

 

 

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Pollution Emissions Rise in Oilsands

pollution, oilsands
pollution, oilsands

 

Pollution is a big problem around the globe, and a new report recently released shows that the air and water pollution levels in and near the oilsands close to Fort MacMurray have risen over the past two years. There are a number of stations which monitor the level of air quality and water pollution, and these stations are situated along the route between Fort MacMurray and Fort MacKay. The actual numbers range from 2 to 3, still below the 4 that causes serious concern, but it is still alarming that the levels have gone up so much. According to the report that was released

“ESRD will work with specific stakeholders whose activities result in air emissions … to inform the investigation and assist in identifying management actions that may be necessary to address point and non-point source emissions.” An updated report is expected to be released at the end of the year.

 

Much of the increase in pollution in Alberta has been seen near the oilands operations of some of the largest oil companies who operate in the area, including Shell, Suncor, CNRL, and Syncrude. The emissions that were detected by the monitoring stations involved sulfur dioxide and nitrogen, but so far none of the results have been higher than a 3. In Alberta the pollution level can not exceed a 4 because anything higher poses a risk to human health, and if these levels are reached then steps would be taken to immediately address them and this could include suspending operations in the area if necessary.

 

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Shell Albian Sands has New General Manager

Shell Albian Sands, General manager
Shell Albian Sands, General manager

 

Peter Zebedee has been hired by Shell Canada to be the new general manager for the Shell Albian Sands, and he will be responsible for the oversight of more than 1,500 contractors and over 3,000 employees for the company. Zebedee will be in charge of the oilsands operations, including the Jackpine Mines and the Muskeg River sites which are situated north of Fort MacMurray. The promotion to general manager is not surprising, Peter Zebedee has over 18 years of experience in the petroleum industry. In the past Peter has held positions in a variety of positions, including bitumen plant operations, bitumen plant maintenance, engineering, minimg, tailings operations, and others. Zebedee has also served in positions in corporate and business structures, and he holds a Geological Engineering degree that was earned at the University of British Columbia.

 

There are other qualifications that Peter Zebeded has which make him an ideal candidate for general manager at Shell Albian Sands. Peter is a member of the Canadian Institute of Mining and the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists Alberta. Tom Purves was the previous general manager for Shell Albian Sands, but he was promoted to Vice President for the Shell Upstream Americas Special Projects. Peter Zebedee is warmly welcomed, and he has been with Shell since the year 2009. It is too soon to say what type of general manager Zebedee will be but many look forward to working closely with him. What do you think of this promotion? Is Zebedee qualified for the job of general manager.

 

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Wood Buffalo RCMP Seeking Help in Vandalism Case

vandalism, Wood Buffalo RCMP
vandalism, Wood Buffalo RCMP

 

The Wood Buffalo RCMP are asking the public for help in solving a recent vandalism crime. On Tuesday vandals broke into the property at Dene Sky Industries located in Janvier and the Wood Buffalo RCMP went to investigate after they received a call about the crime. So far it is not known how many suspects there were, but police do know that the vandals broke into the fenced in property at Dene Sky Industries Monday night and committed vandalism. There were pieces of equipment that were targeted for vandalism and the criminals also damaged the shop that is located inside the business yard. The estimated damage that was done is given at approximately $10,000 but this is just an early estimate and the cost to make repairs could be higher.

 

Wood Buffalo RCMP are turning to the public in search of assistance in catching the people responsible for the vandalism. During the crime there were several fire extinguishers which were set off, and police believe that the vandals would have been covered with the residue from the chemical fire extinguishers. Wood Buffalo RCMP are hoping that someone saw or heard something that will lead to suspects. If anyone has information about the vandalism at Dene Sky Industries in Janvier they can call the Wood Buffalo RCMP or they can send in an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers. It is not known whether the vandalism was just teenagers who were in a destructive mood or of there was a more serious motive involved, and any help the public can give would be appreciated.

 

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Fort MacMurray Man Dies After Fatal Hit and Run

Fort MacMurray, fatal hit and run, criminal charges
Fort MacMurray, fatal hit and run, criminal charges

 

A Fort MacMurray pedestrian was recently pronounced dead after a fatal hit and run, and the driver of the vehicle will face criminal charges. As the victim was walking across the street at 2 a.m. on Franklin Avenue right in front of the 7-11 he was struck by a car. The victim of the fatal hit and run was eventually identified as Albert Mercredi, a 46 year old whose aunt Angelina Pratt wrote about his death in her blog. Mercredi was seriously injured as a result of the collision and he was taken to a hospital in the Edmonton area using medevac. At 6:20 pm Sunday Albert Mercredi was taken off life support and he passed away from the injuries that he received when he was stuck by the vehicle.

 

The driver who was involved in the fatal hit and run in Fort MacMurray could face a number of criminal charges. The driver has been identified as 28 year old Gaetan Henri Joseph Cartier, and the initial reports from police indicate that Cartier fled the scene after hitting the victim with his vehicle. Wood Bufflalo RCMP arrested Cartier after they received a complaint about a hit and run. According to the victim’s aunt Angelina Pratt “I remember him as a gentle and loving person. He was kind. He was funny. Some might remember him when he occasionally directed traffic in Fort McMurray. He was loved by many. He enjoyed life. He loved and was so proud of his only child, his daughter Antoinette. He loved his mom and would always tell to her not to worry about him and that he would take care of her. But she worried about and prayed for him. He didn’t deserve to have his life taken from him in this manner.”