Drumheller RCMP has made another significant seizure of drugs along the highways surrounding the town.
    On September 15, the Drumheller detachment received a request from Calgary Police Service for assistance in locating a vehicle believed to be transporting drugs.
    At about 2:30 p.m. Constable Jones and Constable Maxwell located the vehicle on Highway 9, north of Drumheller.
    The result was the seizure of cocaine and crack cocaine with a street value of almost $24,000. It also led to the arrest of two individuals.
    Staff Sergeant Art Hopkins said the stop was the result of cooperation between the two agencies.
    The investigation has also helped the Calgary Police. Hopkins said this investigation allowed the Calgary Police to attain search warrants, which resulted in more arrests and seizures of drugs and property.
    “The drug seizures here don’t only affect the town. The drugs that we caught were passing through, and the seizure here has far reaching consequences in other parts of the country, be it Saskatoon, be it Calgary,” said Hopkins. “All the tidbits of information go together to make a big picture.”
     Penny L. Siles, 45, of Chestermere and Lacey N. Ironman, 26, of Calgary have been charged with possession for the purposes of trafficking. They have been released on cash bail and are scheduled to appear in provincial on October 14.

    The 2011 Canadian Badlands Scott Firefit Championship Finals were held in Medicine Hat last week from September 15-18. Two Drumheller residents, Duane Bolin and Merv Smith, participated in the nationwide event.
    “This year we hosted the Southern Alberta Regionals here in Drumheller and with the nationals here in Alberta it gave us a chance to attend a couple more events,” commented Bolin. “Normally the nationals are in the east, and only about every five or six years they’re out in the west.”
    The competition is based on firefighting tasks that are typically performed in emergency situations, such as a stair climb, hose hoist, forcible entry, hose advance, and victim rescue. The events are made even more physically demanding by being conducted in full firefighting gear with a self-contained breathing apparatus. The event promotes the importance of fitness and demonstrates the skills needed in firefighting.
    “This is my eleventh year doing these,” said Bolin. “It’s a great way to stay in shape and once you’re involved in them it’s a great venue to meet new people and develop bonds between firefighters across Canada.”
    Both Drumheller participants achieved personal bests. “With the extra competitions we got to attend this year it definitely helps,” said Bolin. “Lifting weights, jogging, or running stairs only does so much, you really need to have the course to work on technique and get better.”
    During the Thursday Men’s Wildcard event, Bolin scored a time of 1:59.10 and Smith achieved his personal best of 2:05.63, placing fourth and fifth respectively in the over 45 age category.
    For the Saturday Men’s Individual Run, Bolin improved upon his previous time and scored his personal best of 1:53.95, placing fourth in the over 45 category. Smith scored a time of 2:12.35, and in the over 45 category placed seventh.
    In the NXG2 team relay the the two did a time of  2:09.50 during the Friday Men’s Wildcard. For the finals  the team scored a personal best time of 1:54.25, placing eighteenth overall.
    The team isn’t done yet: “We definitely plan on attending more next year, and maybe hosting it in Drumheller again a year or two down the road.”