News | DrumhellerMail - Page #143
01122025Sun
Last updateFri, 10 Jan 2025 12pm

Terror in Twin Hills

IMG 0305

A favourite holiday for many Drumhllerites is Halloween, a night of ghosts and goblins and trick-or-treaters. It is evident in the keenly decorated homes and the intricate costumes. The downtown trick-or-treat is always a hit with hundreds of kids.
There is one small cul-de-sac that put their heart and soul into Halloween.
At this year’s Canada Day Parade, many may have noticed a decked-out hearse on the route, marked up as the Twin Hills Terror. This has had many Halloweeners anticipating for months what's in store.
Twin Hills Close has become a destination for trick-or-treaters. Families in the neighbourhood go all out for Halloween.
Kent Jensen and his wife Nicole are part of it.
He says prior to moving to town he would decorate a hall on their home on the farm every Halloween. When they moved to town they found kindred spirits.
“This has been the third year we have been doing it, between us and a few of the neighbours, we have been gradually upping our game,” he said, adding, “It’s a little addictive after you start.”
The weather has been a bit of a challenge, but nonetheless, they had their display ready for trick or treaters as well as folk who want to drive through Twin Hills for a Halloween adventure.


Downtown Trick or Treat set for Halloween

IMG 0693

The Ghosts and Ghouls will be haunting downtown Drumheller again this Halloween, with great support from the business community.
The annual Downtown trick-or-treat is set to go on Tuesday, October 31. This is an annual tradition where the downtown community decorates the core and hosts hundreds of local trick-or-treaters.
To facilitate this, the downtown core will be blocked off so young Halloweeners will be safe.
Many outside the business community are supporting the annual trick-or-treat by donating candy, which will be divided up evenly among participating businesses. Candy donations can be dropped off at Bikes and Bites or Dry Canyon Collectables.
Candy donations will be accepted until October 30.
The Downtown trick-or-treat goes from 4-6 p.m.
A note for trick or treaters, residents of the Manors and Sunshine Lodge are always appreciative seeing all the great costumes, so make sure to visit!

Trial date set for historical sexual assault

Courthouse

Trial dates have been set for a man accused in a historic sexual assault case from his time at Prairie Bible College in Three Hills.
In March of this year, Derek Taplin was apprehended by Winnipeg Police on a Canada-wide warrant and charged with four counts of sexual exploitation of a young person, four counts of sexual interference, four counts of sexual assault and four counts of invitation to sexual touching.
His arrest followed a two-year investigation undertaken by Three Hills RCMP.
Through the investigation, police have identified four alleged victims from multiple incidents at Prairie College between 2002 and 2004. Taplin was a student union president, a volunteer position, and was not employed by the college.
On Friday, October 19 an agent for Taplin’s council appeared in Alberta Court of Justice in Drumheller. Trial dates were set for November 26-29, 2024 and December 3, 2024.
Defense waived delay.
According to a police release at the time of the arrest, police believe there may be more alleged victims and are urging any other victims or anyone with information to come forward.
If you are a survivor of sexual assault or harassment, or if you have information about a crime of sexual nature that may assist an ongoing investigation, please contact the Three Hills RCMP at 403-443-5539. If you would like to remain anonymous, please contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), by downloading the secure P3 Mobile App, or by submitting a form online at P3Tips.com.


Subcategories

The Drumheller Mail encourages commenting on our stories but due to our harassment policy we must remove any comments that are offensive, or don’t meet the guidelines of our commenting policy.