February 19, 2015

Vol. 38 No. 3 February 19, 2015 Email: [email protected] Ph: 780-868-9221 or 780-446-3088

Photo & Story Submitted by Greg Cruickshank (Gr. 5/6 teacher)

The Grade 5 & 6 class has been awarded the Wetlands

Hero award from Ducks Unlimited Canada along with a

$500 award of merit from Newalta. This is in recognition

of our ongoing class efforts to be involved in helping

reverse the decline in the Whitford Lake ecosystem and

to help create a better understanding in our local

community around its value and the importance of

wetlands in general.

This project was created as an innovative way to study

wetland ecosystems for the Grade 5 science unit.

Students have been learning about wetland ecosystems

and their importance. They have built some wood duck

nesting boxes and are in talks with local farmers about

setting up a demonstration area near Whitford Lake to

compare a grazed wetland to an un-grazed one. They are

becoming advocates for the preservation of wetlands as a

beneficial part of the environment for both ecological

diversity and agricultural practices.

This class has partnered with Lamont County to bring

forth an awareness campaign to educate people about the

importance of wetlands and will be commencing

activities in the spring when the water starts flowing and

the birds start landing.

The Andrew area is full of many different wetland

ecosystems and it is the class goal to ensure that this

unique environment is preserved and managed for future

sustainability and diversity.

Andrew School Students Recognized by Ducks Unlimited Canada

Elk Island Triangle, Thursday, February 19, 2015

Lamont Fire Dept. # 1 Fundraising Team in Canada! Congratulations to Capt. Scott Calder and his team

from Lamont Fire Department are in order. Earlier this

month, they pledged to strip down to their boxer shorts

and jump “snowballs deep” into a snowbank if they met

their fundraising goal, to help raise awareness of

Testicular Cancer and provide financial assistance to

patients going through treatment.

Not only did they meet and exceed their goal, their

team raised the most money ($2635.00) of all teams in

Canada, in this first annual event. Not only that, but Scott

Calder raised the most money as an individual

participant, bringing in $1620 himself.

The overall goal of Testicular Cancer Canada for this

first annual event was $15,000, which they exceeded,

bringing in a total of $20,037 – 133% of their goal.

Pictured above and below are (L-R) Kevin Price, Dan

Bowman, Kylee Dziwenko and Scott Calder, as they took

the plunge on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2015.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY

CAROL MARKO


Lamont Curlers Heading to Provincials in Calgary STORY AND PHOTO SUBMITTED BY DAVE DIDUCK

The Vernon Hafso rink, from the Lamont Curling

Club, participated in the Master's Northern Playdowns

with their goal being to win one of three NACA berths to

represent Northern Alberta at the Provincial Playdowns.

The Hafso rink won four games in a row to capture the

"A" berth. The rink made up of Vernon Hafso - skip (far

left), Dale Anger - third, Dennis Kucy - second and Dave

Diduck - lead will now travel to the Calgary Winter Club

on February 17th to play for the Alberta Provincial title.

The team crowned provincial champions will wear the

Alberta colours at the Canadian National Championship

being held in Whitehorse, Yukon, March 30 - April 5. The

team would like to thank Webb's Machinery, Classic

Stitches (Viking) and the Lamont Curling Club for their

sponsorship.

Tax season is on the horizon. Organization and good

record-keeping are keys to filing an accurate return in a

timely manner. Failure to submit income and expendi-

ture information can subject a person to an audit and ad-

ditional financial repercussions. To stay organized, set

aside a folder to contain any items applicable to your tax

filings. Make a list of expected documents, including in-

come summaries from work, bank interest statements,

student loan information, mortgage documents, charita-

ble donation receipts, and similar items. Check these doc-

uments off your list as you place them in the folder. If

documents are missing, promptly seek them out from the

appropriate sources. Once all of your the necessary docu-

ments have been compiled, make an appointment with

an accountant or get to work on filing your own taxes.

Money/Finance - Did You Know?


The Burden Will Be On All of Us One Way or the Other

With spring only a month away we have its arrival and

the provincial budget to look forward to. By all accounts,

Prentice’s budget should be one that’ll leave us all with a

bitter taste for quite some time. We’re being told we all

must “Share the burden” as he and his entourage plan cut

after cut after cut. No one will be immune.

As I sat through the latest County Council meeting, I

heard discussions about upgrades to undeveloped right-

of-ways, purchases of equipment, the start of regional fire

departments, the St. Michael water issue, the RR 202 road

rebuild, a proposed TWP 560 rebuild, gravel costs, etc.

and wondered if those doing the talking had heard about

Prentice’s upcoming budget and his warning of burden

sharing.

Most concerning, to me, was a discussion regarding

the transfer of funds to cover the 2014 expenditures for

the RR 202 rebuild project. As I understand it, the project

was put into the 2014 budget for a total of $6,255,400.00.

It was to be funded with $2,935,000.00 from Provincial

Grant funding and $3,320,400.00 from Off-Site Levies col-

lected by the county.

At the end of 2014 the cost of the project was

$4,526,955.72. The County received 80% ($2,348,000.00) of

the grant funding and can expect the remaining 20%

($587,000.00) when the project is complete. $2,178,955.72

was required to cover the remainder of the 2014 expendi-

tures. As the amount available from the Off-Site Levy

was only $930,646.20, a short fall of $1,248,309.52 needed

to be funded from somewhere else.

(I would have loved to ask why the Off-Site Levy was short by

$2,389,753.80)

Anyway, it was recommended the shortfall be taken

from the Road Construction Reserve until

such time the applicable Off-Site Levies are collected.

Once the Off-Site Levies are collected the money would

be put back into the Road Construction Reserve.

Uhhh... Say What? They’re short over a million dol-

lars! I admit it’s been some time since I’ve been in school

but I think I can still add 2 and 2. After doing the adding

and subtracting several times, I seem to end up with a

second and additional shortfall of $1,141,444.28 which

would bring the shortfall up to $2,389,753.80.

I’ll try to make this as easy to follow as possible. If the

whole project was budgeted at $6,255,400.00 and we sub-

tract the amount spent in 2014 ($4,526,955.72-assuming all

the funding was available) we should end up with a bal-

ance of $1,728,444.28 still outstanding. Then if we sub-

tract the $587,000.00 remaining in grant funding we still

end up with another shortfall of $1,141,444.28.

If you’re reading this, I welcome you to do the math

yourself. Lord knows I could be wrong and I really hope

I am, but if I’m not, and if the $1,141,444.28 isn’t in the

2015 budget, where is it going to come from?

In My Opinion

NEXT ISSUE – March 5, 2015

Deadline for Submissions: Friday, February 27, 2015

The Elk Island Triangle welcomes your letters to the editor, guest editorials, and news contributions with or without pictures

Please include your name and phone number for contact information Lamont County’s ONLY LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED newspaper!

(Continued on Page 5)


(Continued from Page 4)

The County currently has some costly issues staring

them in the eye. Last November, the folks in St. Michael

were asked for their input regarding the water issue there.

I haven’t seen any concrete decisions made on the matter,

have you?

What about the new regional fire departments? It

started with Andrew, now Chipman’s been added and

we have yet to see any indication of what the costs to rate-

payers will be. These firefighters will become part of the

County payroll and all related expenses will rely on

County coffers. Has Council made concessions for these

expenses in their 2015 budget? If discussions at the last

Council meeting are any indication, my guess would be

they haven’t.

Perhaps County Council should stop and listen very

carefully to what Prentice is saying. Cuts, cuts and more

cuts. The burden will be shared by all. There is

absolutely no reason to assume Lamont County will be

exempt.

Now may be the time for County Council to put a tried

and true accounting program to use. If they don’t need it

- don’t buy it; be frugal with ratepayer tax dollars, and

take away the county credit cards unless they’re prepared

to check each and every purchase themselves. They may

be surprised to see how much money is being spent

frivolously and needlessly.

If they don’t get it together, the burden will surely be

ours!

Sylvia


We are sports fans - hockey, football, basket-

ball, baseball, curling - not golf. We are armchair

critics to a point but not like we are for poli-

tics. We mostly just enjoy watching the

games. We have our favourites, e.g. the Oilers,

Eskimos, Raptors, Blue Jays and any winning Al-

berta curling team.

It is very difficult to see our favourite teams

falling to the bottom of the rosters but we remain

die-hard fans. If we could afford season tickets,

we’d be there. Instead, the couch and the easy

chair make fantastic, free seating; plus, the view

on television is every bit as good as the view on

the big screen at the game. Also, we don’t have

to wait until halftime or period breaks to go get

food. The fridge is just a few steps away.

All that being said, we were in silent shock at

the last play of this year’s Super Bowl. What was

Seahawks’ Coach Pete Carroll thinking? The

Seahawks had possibly three more plays. Did

the Coach think they wouldn’t get their goal? I’ll

bet he is still kicking himself. And, he should be.

And who was the sidebar camera trained on

over 60% of the time? Tom Brady, the quarter-

back for the Patriots, that’s who. The Seahawks

also have quarterbacks. Did we see

them? No! We saw Tom Brady sitting on the

bench and sitting on the bench and sitting on the

bench. Then we saw him jumping up and down

like a school boy when the Patriots rushed at the

mid-air ball (dumbest play ever made in football,

eh?) and intercepted it from the Seahawks in

their own end zone during the last seconds of the

game.

Yes, I wanted the Seahawks to win. I was

cheering and clapping and nervous eating. We

had followed the deflated balls scandal of the Pa-

triots. It was time for the west to win fair and

square, but we threw it away. Why? Whose

thinking cap had been launched on an orbit

around the moon when it should have been on

the right head in the stadium?

Oh well, enough sour grapes over a game that

went awry. Sports fans are like farmers, no

matter the outcome of the game or the crop,

there’s always next year. My only wish is that

the bloat and gloat Patriots do not get anywhere

near the Super Bowl next year, except as audi-

ence participants.

Now to get ready for the curling champion-

ships. There will be no winter blahs at the Mer-

eska house as long as there are sports on televi-

sion. I just hope that when the day comes,

there’s a big screen in the sky so we don’t miss

any important games - er, aren’t they all im-

portant?

(Note: The opinions expressed by this columnist

are not necessarily those of this paper or its publisher.)

What Happened at

the Super Bowl?


The Art Lady Visits Andrew School

PHOTOS & STORY SUBMITTED BY ANDREW SCHOOL

On February 13th, Tamara Martin Spady, also known

as the Art Lady & teacher of Fine Arts in Elk Island Public

Schools, spent Friday at Andrew School. During the

morning, students from kindergarten to grade 6 attended

a mini workshop on the making of Mrs. Martin Spady's

book titled 'The Gingerbread Teacher'. She explained the

process of putting her book together from the writing of

the story to the illustrations in her book. Using the ArtSet

app, Mrs. Martin Spady demonstrated how to draw the

book’s main character and students followed along using

paper & pencils.

The afternoon was spent in the elementary classrooms

where students learned more about the illustrating pro-

cess and the many techniques used by Mrs. Martin Spady.

This hands-on experience is sure to inspire our many stu-

dents who told Mrs. Martin Spady they want to write &

illustrate their own stories.

Above: Tamara Martin Spady reads her book 'The Gingerbread

Teacher' to Andrew School kindergarten to grade 6 students.

Below: Characters from 'The Gingerbread Teacher'


Lamont County Represented at Edmonton MONSTER JAM

Edmonton’s ‘MONSTER JAM’ Demo Derby

February 7, 2015 at Rexall Place

SUBMITTED BY ELAINE ENGMAN

Bill Engman (left) and his nephew

Rob Engman (right) with trophies

outside Edmonton’s Rexall Place

Rob Engman with 2nd Place Trophy at Rexall Place

Veteran Demo Derby racer,

64 year old Bill Engman with 3rd Place Trophy has been racing in

Demo Derbies since the 1970s

Elk Island Triangle, Thursday, February 19, 2015 Elk Island Triangle, Thursday, February 19, 2015 Page 11

CFCW Critters Face Off Against Lamont Old Gold

During Lamont’s 40th Anniversary Valentine’s Cup

Photos by Aaron Marko

Story by Carol Marko

If you’ve never attended a hockey game with

the CFCW Critters playing, the first thing you

learn is ‘There Are No Rules’. Within seconds of

the puck drop, Lamont scored a goal against the

Critters, only to be scored against themselves –

twice within the next few seconds – bringing the

score to 3 – 1 Critters within the first minutes of

the game.

With antics ranging from the CFCW Critters

Mascot climbing on the Lamont net and interfer-

ing with the goalie to racing down the ice with a

puck attached to his stick by a string, he certainly

kept the crowd entertained as music played from

such favourites as the theme song from the

‘Mighty Ducks’ movie to ‘Like a Fox on the Run’

played in the background.

At one point in the game, the referee sent the

entire Lamont team to the penalty box except the

goalie, while the Critters team descended on his

net en masse to score again. At another point, the

puck was seen flying almost to the ceiling of the

arena.

Not to be outdone, one of the Lamont Old Gold

turned Critter Wrangler to the Critters Mascot and

dragged him around by his tail until the rest of the

Critters team came to his rescue and pulled the

Lamont player to the ice, where he disappeared in

the midst of the Critters team.

First period ended with the Critters ahead 8 – 5,

while 2nd period ended at 14 – 7, and the final

score of the game was Critters – 18, Lamont – 9.

It was certainly the most entertaining hockey

game this reporter has ever attended!


Travel

Vaccinations

This is written for all those people who want to travel

to destinations you can’t drive to from here in Lamont

County. I’m thinking of places like Africa, India, South

America and others that may have diseases which could

make you very sick.

Before you travel, the first thing you should do is visit

a Travel Clinic, located in Edmonton or Sherwood Park,

and they can tell you which vaccinations you should have

or what pills you should be taking while away. Your

local Public Health Office can provide you with a phone

number to one of these clinics.

This should be done well in advance of leaving as you

will have to make an appointment and may even require

a follow-up visit after receiving your initial shots. Some

people may not feel well following vaccinations. You do

have to pay for travel vaccines. When travelling, you

should carry a travel vaccination record booklet with you.

This will be provided to you by the travel nurse at the

time of your vaccinations. If returning for additional

shots, remember to bring it with you for updating.

In the case of malaria, the Travel Clinic will write a

letter for you to take to your doctor, who will then give

you a prescription to have filled at your pharmacy. There

are a variety of different prescriptions that can be used for

malaria. This disease is spread by a mosquito and that’s

why in some areas you may have to sleep under

mosquito nets. I’ve always taken Malarone and many of

my travelling friends have taken the same. You begin

taking the pills prior to entering infectious areas and

generally take them for about a week after leaving the

area. Some small pharmacies may not stock these pills

and will have to order them in.

Another precaution you should take is for Hepatitis A

and B, which are protected by a vaccine called Twinrix.

This vaccine is a series of 3 shots generally administered

over a period of 3 weeks and followed up with a booster

shot after one year.

There are many other vaccines recommended for

travel to different countries and the Travel Clinic will

advise which ones you should have depending on the

countries you plan to visit.

The last time I checked I was good to travel anywhere

in the world. For some diseases such as malaria, your

medication needs to be renewed for each trip.

One thing I would like to emphasize is in many parts

of the world you should only drink bottled water, but be

sure the caps are sealed before you open them. We

purchased water in China and the water was murky.

Later we saw people filling bottles from a hose and

putting labels on them. Another thing to beware of is

eating lettuce and other raw vegetables that have to be

washed as unclean water may have been used.

I have a rule in some countries: if you can’t peel it

don't eat it. In many countries health standards are non-

existent. If bottled water isn’t available you may have to

resort to beer, but make sure the bottle is clean. Another

good practice is to carry travel sanitary wipes that come

in small packages. I always carry a small bottle of hand

sanitizer with me. If you plan ahead and take precau-

tions you will be okay.

Happy safe travels.

1. Spray WD 40 on a cloth and wipe over leather shoes or

leather boots, then buff with a soft clean cloth to shine

and make them waterproof.

2. To make nail polish stay on nails longer first coat

fingernails with white vinegar using a cotton ball. Let dry

then apply nail polish. To quickly dry nail polish dip

fingers into a bowl of cold water. Then shake access water

from hands and allow hands to air dry.

3. Shaving your legs with hair conditioner instead of soap

makes them soft and smooth. Just apply, shave, and rinse.

4. A little olive oil and enough sugar to make a paste

make a nice facial scrub. Gently massage onto face

avoiding eye area then rinse with warm water. This can

also be used on hands.

5. Witch Hazel is a great facial cleanser and toner.

6. Baby shampoo is not only gentle for baby’s hair, but

can also be used by adults for soft shiny hair.

7. To clean oil based paint off of your hands, use

vegetable oil. Then wash hands with warm soapy water.

General Hints & Tips

Elk Island Triangle, Thursday, February 19, 2015 Page 13

Puzzle of the Week County Council Accepts

Bids for Two Graders and

One Tridem Trailer

As part of Lamont County’s equipment replacement

plan, grader operators and ratepayers can expect to see

two new CAT 160M AWD #20 motor graders on county

roads in the near future. At their February 10 regular

meeting, County Council agreed to replace two 2010 CAT

160M graders with two 2015 CAT models

Quotations to supply the machines were received from

Brandt Tractor Ltd. and Finning Canada. Brandt Tractor

submitted a bid totalling $810,000.00 plus GST for two

2015 John Deere 872GP motor graders, while the cost of

the two CAT models, from Finning Canada, came in at a

total price of $831,000.00 plus GST.

Even though the price tag of the John Deere graders

was $21,000.00 less than CAT, Gerald Thorowsky, Road

Maintenance Supervisor, recommended Council accept

the bid from Finning Canada. He indicated that although

both companies offered a five year-7500 hour warranty,

CAT offered a forty eight hour replacement warranty

which John Deere did not and CAT front lift group

attachments would not fit the John Deere models. In

addition, the county has historically seen a higher resale

or trade in value for Cat models than that of John Deere.

Council unanimously accepted the $831,000.00 bid from

Finning.

In addition, a Request for Decision (RFD) was put

before Council for the purchase of a new Tridem Pup

trailer. According to the RFD, the ten year old Midland

Tandem Gravel Pup, currently being used, has had

extensive welding and or rebuilding of its suspension, the

box is experiencing rust out issues, the lights are falling

out and the trailer is becoming a safety concern.

Commercial Truck Equipment provided a quotation for

a 2015 Cancade Tri Axle Pup Trailer totaling $54,727.00

plus GST while Summit Trailer Ltd. quoted a 2016 Arnes

Tridem 450 Hardox tub style Pup for a purchase price of

$56,050.00 plus GST.

The new trailer would be used by public works in the

county’s graveling program and would be the same as one

purchased in 2014 which seems to be working well.

Council chose to accept the bid from Summit Trailer Ltd.

For $56,050.00 plus GST.


County to Develop a Chipman

District Fire Department

At the February 10, 2015 regular Council meeting,

Lamont County Council was presented with a Request for

Decision (RFD) regarding fire district support for residents

outside the Village of Chipman corporate limits.

The RFD confirmed the Village of Chipman had

decided to form their own fire department and would no

longer continue to partner in the Lamont County Fire

Agreement.

A letter from the Village of Chipman, dated January 5,

2015 stated “… as far as Council is concerned, the Emergency

Services Agreement has expired and provision of firefighting

services outside of the Village boundaries is now a problem of the

County. As indicated in the letter of December 22nd, the Village

is willing to operate under the expired agreement until March

31st, 2015. This should allow the County three months to

prepare for service alternatives.

The motion to withdraw from the present agreement was

unanimously agreed to by Council and numerous reasons were

cited for this decision. Council is of the view that Chipman

would be better served by having its own local fire department

rather than being affiliated with the County.”

The RFD also indicated

“A meeting was held with the

Council of the Village of

Chipman and its CAO and the

Council of Lamont County and

its CAO. At that meeting it

appeared very clear that the

option to use a revised

agreement or to follow the

recommendations of the Fire

Commissioners Office were not

acceptable to the Village of

Chipman.”

The following three options were presented to County

Council for their consideration:

“1) Renew efforts with the Village of Chipman to find a system

that would work with only one fire department serving both

municipalities.

2) Re-draft the fire district boundaries and initiate

negotiations with the Towns of Lamont and Mundare.

3) Direct administration to develop a “rural” fire department

utilizing the Chipman grader shop as the temporary fire hall.”

Council questioned if there had been any discussions

with the Lamont and Mundare Fire Departments about the

possibility of moving the fire district boundaries so they

could cover the area normally covered by Chipman. CAO,

Al Harvey indicated he had received a few calls from the

Mundare Fire Chief but to the best of his knowledge no

formal meetings had been held with Lamont or Mundare

When asked if the grader shop had enough space to

house the fire equipment, Gerald Thorowsky, Road

Maintenance Supervisor, indicated it would be tight but

could be done if needed.

Emergency Services Coordinator/Lamont County Fire

Chief, Randy Seimens indicated the Chipman hall had

been the busiest in the county over the past couple of years

and, taking into consideration the large area it covered, he

felt Lamont and Mundare would be tested to the deepest.

Seimens felt divvying up the boundaries now may be

premature and felt things could change in a year.

Considering costs of training, equipment, etc. he didn’t

feel Chipman could afford to keep a fire department. He

also commented on the capability of the firefighters by

pointing out that one individual was older and a heavy

smoker. “What will happen when he suits up and puts on an

air tank?” questioned Siemens.

Without many options to choose from, and with no

indication of costs at this time,

Councillor Anaka made the

motion “That Council for

Lamont County direct admin-

istration to set up a temporary fire

hall in the Chipman grader shop

and recruit and develop a

Chipman district fire department

within the concepts articulated in

the Ross Bennett report from the

Fire Commissioners Office”. The

motion passed unanimously.


Possible 9 Percent Cut to Provincial Budget

ASBA President Helen Clease issued the following:

In the wake of Premier Jim Prentices recent reference

to a possible 9 per cent reduction to Alberta’s provincial

budget, the ASBA is concerned about the impact any cuts

will have on classrooms in Alberta.

School boards have been doing more with less for a

number of years. Even when oil prices were good, in

times of prosperity, we have not always seen increases in

per student funding. Cost of living increases, contractual

obligations, reduction of grants and lack of infrastructure

have forced school boards to continually look for efficien-

cies and find ways to save in light of fluctuating and un-

predictable funding.

Further cuts to education now will have a devastating

impact on our already stressed classrooms. We currently

face the challenge of keeping class sizes manageable,

meeting individual student needs, providing resources to

our classrooms, providing supports for our teachers,

making sure we have adequate staff to meet the needs in

our schools, transporting students and providing space in

our already overcrowded schools. Any additional cuts

will severely impact student learning.

Even during times of austerity we must continue to

provide quality learning environments and opportuni-

ties. We owe it to our students.

We need stable, predictable sustainable funding to guar-

antee that every child in Alberta is provided the best op-

portunities to learn. These opportunities cannot be driv-

en by the price of oil.

I have had numerous conversations with Education

Minister Gordon Dirks regarding our concerns. He has

assured me that he is advocating for education and we

both agree that education must be a top priority. I am

hopeful that will be reflected in the budget.

Between now and budget time I encourage every Al-

bertan who cares about the quality of education to speak

up for our kids.

Education is an important investment in our future.

For more information: ASBA President Helen Clease at

1.403.650.2716

The Alberta School Boards Association serves and repre-

sents Alberta’s 61 school boards.

Edmonton, Alberta - February is distracted driving Month

in Alberta and traffic units across Alberta have been

focussing on distracted driving throughout the month. As a

provincial priority, the Alberta Integrated Traffic Unit (ITU)

efforts is reinforcing the dangers associated to this serious

traffic offence to reduce fatalities and serious injury crashes

as a result of distracted driving.

Distracted driving is defined as the diversion of attention from

driving as a result of the driver focussing on a non-driving object,

activity, event, or person. This diversion reduces awareness,

decision - making or performance leading to increased risk of driver

error and collisions.

Since the legislation came into effect, on September

1st, 2011, there have been over 60 thousand charges

of distracted driving laid by our officers and sheriffs in

Alberta. In 2014 alone, there were 23,913 convictions for

distracted driving committed on roads parole by our officers.

In only one day of January 2015, Integrated Traffic Units in

Southern Alberta wrote 51 distracted driving tickets and one

of them was a person working on a lap top while driving!

Research has shown distracted driving is the lead cause in

20 to 30% of all crashes and that distracted drivers are three

times more likely to be involved in a collision than attentive

drivers.

A vehicle travelling at 100 km/h moves at about 30

metres in one second, therefore during a three second glance

at a cell phone, that vehicle has travelled almost 100 metres

(270 feet). The three second glance equates 100 metres at 100

kilometres an hour which is more than enough to get into a

serious collision.

People are being killed all across Canada every day by

distracted driving - in many communities, it is over taking

Impaired Driving as a leading causal factor in vehicle

crashes.

"We need YOUR help to make our roads and highways

safer", says Superintendent Eaton, Officer in Charge of

RCMP Traffic Services. "Don't be a half-attentive driver

because you or someone else may lose their life!"

"Saying NO to distracted driving is about saving lives",

says Superintendent Stiles, Officer in Charge of Alberta

Traffic Sheriffs. "Before you drive, put distracting devices

or material out of reach because driving is a full-time job."

Integrated Traffic Units consist of RCMP Traffic

Services members and Sheriff Highway Patrol officers work-

ing together in a collaborative effort to deliver effective and

efficient traffic safety services to Albertans, with a focus on

identified enforcement priorities. “Working Together for

Safe Highways”

February is Distracted Driving Month


It can be hard for some people to pick up a book when

there are so many distractions at the ready. But while books

might not be as flashy as the latest must-have gadget, they

can provide benefits that might surprise even the most avid

readers.

In addition to the intellectual benefits of reading,

indulging in a good book can also boost physical health.

According to Ken Pugh, PhD, president and director of

research at Haskins Laboratories, which is devoted to the

science of language, when a person is reading "parts of the

brain that have evolved for other functions connect in a

specific neural circuit for reading, which is very

challenging." Just like muscles in the body, the brain

benefits when it is pushed beyond its normal abilities, and

reading is a great way to push those limits.

But the benefits of reading do not stop there. Reading can

help reduce stress, benefitting the body in numerous ways.

A 2009 University of Sussex study found that turning to a

good book can be an effective relaxation strategy when

things become too stressful. Reading fiction can stimulate

the imagination and distract a person from the stressors in

everyday life. Choosing a humorous or uplifting story can

boost mood and help people relax, particularly when

reading before bedtime.

Reading also can help men and women get a better

night's rest. People who are accustomed to reading books

before going to bed actually train their mind and body for

relaxation. Picking up a book can send signals that it is time

to settle down and get ready for sleep. Health experts often

recommend developing a sleep routine to people who

struggle to fall asleep at night, and reading for 30 minutes

before bed each night can be an integral part of such

routines.

Research has shown that reading and engaging the brain

in other ways, such as through intellectual games and

puzzles, can stave off dementia. These activities stimulate

the cells in the brain to grow and connect, increasing the

power of brain tissue. According to the Alzheimer's

Association, keeping the mind active through reading can

strengthen connections between brain cells and build up

brain cell reserves. Mental activity might even generate new

brain cells. All of these factors can reduce the risk of

Alzheimer's disease and dementia.

According to a paper from researchers at Carnegie Mellon

University, reading can stimulate the brain to produce more

white matter. White matter works together with gray matter

and is responsible for sending sensory and motor stimuli to

the central nervous system to stimulate a response. Healthy

white matter keeps the central nervous system working

effectively and may reduce risk of learning disabilities as

well as impaired motor functions.

The educational benefits of reading are widely known.

But reading also provides a host of other benefits.

Exploring the Amazing Health Benefits of Reading


Recognizing Cyberbullying

Before social media became so prevalent, instances of

bullying were somewhat easy to recognize. However, with

a good majority of children now engaged in digital

networking and social media, bullying may not end with

the ringing of the school bell, and evidence of bullying

may not be so readily apparent.

According to Cyberbullying statistics from the i-SAFE

foundation, more than half of adolescents and teens have

been bullied online, and about the same number have

engaged in cyberbullying. More than 80 percent of teens

use a mobile phone regularly, making it the most popular

form of technology and a common medium for repeated

cyberbullying.

Cyberbullying takes place through electronic technolo-

gy and differs from traditional forms of bullying. Cyber-

bullying can occur via text messaging, blogging, updates

to social media sites and/or phone conversations. What

makes cyberbullying more difficult to detect and remedy

than traditional bullying is that sometimes this type of

bullying is veiled in secrecy.

Those who engage in cyberbullying can create aliases

and accounts under false names, allowing them to covertly

engage in bullying behavior. As a result, tracking down

bullies can be challenging.

Although cyberbullying is on the rise, there are some

things that parents and children can do to help put a stop

to such unfortunate instances.

* Parents who feel their child is not emotionally ready for

the responsibility of a digital device can hold back on

purchasing a smartphone or choose one with very limited

features. Some schools set strict limits on phone usage at

school, and children who go only from school to home and

vice versa may not have the need for an "emergency

phone" that can open up a window for trouble.

* Adolescents and teens should feel comfortable talking

with their parents without the fear of reprimand.

Otherwise, they may hide instances of cyberbullying or not

know how to broach sensitive topics like bullying. Parents

can engage in conversation with their children often and

stress that the doors of communication are always open.

* Teens should be made aware that cyberbullying is a very

real occurrence and is not just other kids "having fun" or

"joking." If behavior is repetitive and hurtful, it should be

made public and addressed.

* Parents can monitor and limit their children's personal

accounts. Some smartphone and tablet applications can be

mirrored on the main account, enabling parents to see

incoming text or video messages.

* A laptop or desktop computer should be placed in a

shared space so that usage can be monitored. Parents can

restrict tablet or smartphone usage to public areas.

* When online, children should be advised not to share

personal information. Social media sites may be used by

bullies to gather sensitive information about a person that

can be used against them at a later time. Children should

be urged to keep passwords secret and to never give

information such as birthdays, phone numbers and

addresses to people who aren't close friends. Friend lists

should be restricted to only those people students interact

with frequently to minimize the chance for bullying or

other inappropriate behavior.

* Teens who have been bullied can keep evidence of the

bullying and may benefit from talking with a counselor.

Cyberbullying is a growing concern for educators and

parents and has far-reaching implications. Getting smart

about this phenomenon can help staunch new cases of

online bullying.

Adults should remain diligent in monitoring what kids are doing online. Bullying can take place through digital devices, such as mobile phones.


Recipe Corner

Cheese and Herb Potato Fans

Ingredients

8 medium potatoes

1/2 cup butter, melted

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons each minced fresh chives, sage and

thyme

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425°. With a sharp knife, cut each

potato into 1/8” slices, leaving slices attached at

the bottom; fan potatoes slightly and place in a

greased 9” x 13” baking dish. In a small bowl,

mix butter, salt and pepper; drizzle over pota-

toes.

2. Bake 50-55 minutes or until potatoes are tender. In

a small bowl, toss cheeses with herbs; sprinkle

over potatoes. Bake about 5 minutes longer or

until cheese is melted. Yield: 8 servings.

Nutritional Facts

1 potato equals 318 calories, 15 g fat (10 g saturated

fat), 43 mg cholesterol, 797 mg sodium, 39 g carbohy-

drate, 4 g fiber, 8 g protein.

Florence, a registered nurse, once fussed over eve-

ry pain or mishap that came his way. Recently, how-

ever, Fred got an indication that the honeymoon is

over.

Fred was about to fix the attic fan, and as he lifted

himself from the ladder in the attic, he scratched his

forehead on a crossbeam. Crawling along, he picked

up splinters in both hands, and cut one hand

replacing the fan belt. On the way down the ladder,

he missed the last two rungs and twisted his ankle.

When Fred limped into the kitchen, covered in dust

and blood, Florence took one look and said, “Fred,

are those your good pants?"

And that’s another almost trew story as told for Uncle

Fred.


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February 19, 2015

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