Tag: Fort McMurray

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Alberta Ft Mac

Fort McMurray Drug Dealer Nabbed by Police Dog

A Fort McMurray drug dealer has been nabbed by a police dog, leaving him with charges pending and some dog bite wounds to nurse as well. 24 year old Ahmed Mohamed Ahmed is facing multiple charges after being chased, bitten, and arrested. According to police Ahmed ditched a bag of cocaine and ran from the officers who responded to a tip about drug dealing from an apartment building located at 9600 Manning Avenue. In the afternoon on July 18, 2016 police received a tip from a concerned citizen regarding drugs, and when officers arrived at the scene a RCMP Police Dog Services was already in the area and responded as well. According to police Ahmed allegedly threw a bag which contained around 20 grams of crack cocaine when he was fleeing from the officers.

RCMP spokesperson Cpl. George Cameron discussed the police dog capture of the alleged drug dealer in Fort McMurray, and said that Ahmed was aready on conditions at the time of his arrest. According to Cameron “When members approached the building there was an individual that started running and saw him throw something. He did his job. The dog caught up to him and unfortunately bit him on his leg. The individual is well known to us. We’ve had many dealings with him in the past.” After the police dog stopped the suspect and bit him Ahmed was taken to the hospital where he needed two stitches as a result of the bites he received.

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Alberta Economic Ft Mac

Insurance Costs for Fort McMurray Wildfire Claims Already $3.58 Billion

Insurance costs for wildfire claims in Fort McMurray are already estimated to be around $3.58 billion, making this wildfire the costliest so far in the history of Canada. 2,400 buildings were destroyed and thousands of people were displaced because of the wildfire, not to mention the evacuation of the entire area. A recent Insurance Bureau of Canada report gives this amount, and the report includes initial disaster estimates based on insurer surveys collected so far. Insurance Bureau of Canada vice-president Bill Adams explained “While this event is largely an insured one, the numbers fall well short of measuring the real tragedy of this wildfire – one that has taken an immense toll on thousands of individuals and families.” According to Adams the recent wildfire was one of the “most horrific and damaging natural disasters in Canadian history.”

The insurance costs for Fort McMurray wildfire claims are enormous, but what does this mean for policyholders and those who buy insurance in the near future? Will rates skyrocket because of the huge losses that insurance companies are facing because of the wildfire damage and claims? While the cost to insurance companies will be massive what happens to those who lost everything and had no insurance to cover these losses? Many in Fort McMurray are now facing this harsh reality. These costs are also probably in the millions or more, but individuals will have to cover these expenses on their own. There are programs and hotlines that can be used for those who have nothing left and who did not have insurance to cover their losses.

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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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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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Alberta Entertainment Ft Mac

Submissions for Book on Fort McMurray Wildfire and Evacuation are Sought by Local Writer

A Fort McMurray writer is asking for submissions from local residents in order to write a book about the recent wildfire and evacuation. Dee Bentley is also a published author, and she wants to create a book to give something back to the community that she calls home and loves so much. “As a writer, it just really struck me that we have so many amazing stories that have come out of this experience. I thought ‘wouldn’t it be great to collect all these stories?’” Bentley already has a title in mind, “Muscle & Heart-Fort McMurray Fire Stories”, and she has met plenty of people willing to share their courageous stories with her so far. Bentley explained “It was a therapeutic healing kind of experience. The more we’re able to talk about it, the more it helped us process what had happened.”

Bentley needs about 40 submissions from Fort McMurray residents, and each submission must meet certain criteria. The story must be approximately 1,500 words, and it must contain all of the essentials and answer the basic questions. Residents must identify who, what, when, where, why, and how in their submission in order for it to be accepted. The topic of the submission can cover everything from fleeing the fire to tales of loss, kindness, compassion, or generosity. Bentley said “I just don’t want it to be my show by conducting formal interviews. I know there are a lot of talented writers in Fort McMurray. It seems like a great opportunity for Fort McMurray to shine.” Stories can be submitted to mrs.d.bentley@gmail.com and they must be submitted by August 31.

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Ft Mac Health

Christina Gordon Public School Opening Delayed by Fort McMurray Wildfire

The opening of the Christina Gordon Public School in Fort McMurray has been delayed, and this could mean a wait of up to a year before students, teachers, and other staff can enter the school. The delay is caused by the recent wildfire and the devastation that it left behind. Right now construction and demolition efforts are focused on residences and commercial buildings so that the essential infrastructure is solid and residents have homes again. According to the superintendent for the Fort McMurray Public School District, Doug Nicholls, “We won’t be able to open in September. It’s an unfortunate delay, but it’s a minor setback. We will work with everyone involved to be in the school as soon as possible, but at the end of the day the students will receive a great education, We’re confident they’ll work very hard to get us into that school as soon as possible. Hopefully the school will open in January of next year.”

Much of the work on the Christina Gordon Public School is finished, but the contractor was one of those who weer forced to evacuate when the wildfire came to the area. Since the re-entry to Fort McMurray is still voluntary right now the contractor may not be one of the first to return and the work can not move forward until this happens. Other issues in the devastated community may also have to take priority, such as demolishing unsafe structures and removing health and safety hazards in the community. In the worst case scenario the school will open in the fall of 2017.