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Last updateSat, 23 Nov 2024 12pm

Starland announces business park development plans

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Starland County has paved the way for a potential new commercial and light industrial development.
The County has purchased an approximately 145-acre property at Highway 9 and 27, southeast of Morrin Corner for a business park development.
At a special meeting on Monday, December 18, the county considered five tenders to develop an Area Structure Plan. They awarded the contract to Stantec to develop the plan. Developing the Area Structure plan will include having an environmental assessment completed as well as a historical assessment, a traffic impact assessment and stormwater management. A conceptual plan will be developed and public input will be sought along the way.
“As our economy evolves, it’s crucial for us to adapt and create opportunities that benefit not just today but also the future of Starland County,” said a Council representative. “This business park is more than just a development; it’s a stepping stone towards a prosperous future.”
According to a press release, the County will soon be issuing tenders for the engineering and construction work necessary for the park's development. As part of its commitment to transparency and community involvement, Starland County will publish a Request for Information and host a Public Open House. This step invites input from stakeholders, ensuring that the park aligns with the needs and expectations of the community and potential investors.
At the Special meeting, the council also accepted a motion to take $170,000 from its reserves to pay for the Area Structure Plan. They also approved a motion to support applications to the Alberta Northern and Regional Economic Development Program for a grant that could potentially cover half of the costs of the Area Structure Plan.
“There are a lot of people looking forward to it,’ said Reeve Steve Wannstrom indicating residents and potential businesses. The planning involves comprehensive strategizing to ensure the park meets the growing needs of the county, with a particular emphasis on modern infrastructure and sustainable practices.
“Council made sure before they approved the funding that administration went out and did preliminary conversations with different businesses; external one and internal ones and there was nothing but positives,” said Starland CAO Christopher Robblee.
They expect the Area Structure Plan to be completed in November - December 2024


RAVE Mobile Safety APP helps battle crime

 

The Drumheller RCMP will now be sending key information to the public using the RAVE Mobile Safety APP. RAVE is a mass notification system used to inform the public in cases where critical communications and public safety messages are vital.
Once you create a profile, you will then be able to choose areas of the Province that you would like to receive notifications for; those areas now include Drumheller and the surrounding communities that Drumheller RCMP serve.
Alternatively, you can choose to receive updates from across the entire Province. Notifications are sent via text, voicemail, or email, based on your set preferences. All user information is confidential.
In addition to Crime Watch notifications, community members in and around Drumheller will be able to receive notifications for urgent police matters that involve road closures, traffic advisory notifications, significant motor vehicle collisions, police presence, missing persons, police requests for public assistance, and more.
Staff Sergeant Robert HARMS stated “The RAVE Alert system has been tried and tested with our Rural Crime Watch Groups across the province and has proven very beneficial including in the Drumheller area. Users are receiving information related to important police activity from the RCMP in real time. We encourage everyone to sign up on this.”
To sign up and receive notofications:
1) Download the AlbertaRCMP APP. If you are an Android user head to the Google Play Store. If you are an iPhone user, the Apple APP Store.
2) Click on the RAVE Mobile Safety tile and scroll down to click Sign up now.
3) Fill out the form and click Create Account.
4) Confirm your Mobile Phone # / Click confirm by Text. You will then get confirmation text message Click Confirm Phone.
5) You now can determine what notifications you would like to receive. The default setting is all Alberta RCMP Notifications.
6) Unselect All Alberta RCMP Notifications and place a check mark beside Drumheller Crime Watch Advisory.
7) Scroll to the bottom of the screen and select save.
For a step-by-step guide to sign up for RAVE notifications, please visit

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Two arrested following joint investigation


20231214 123603On Dec. 14, 2023, multiple RCMP Detachments and RCMP support units jointly executed a search warrant and arrested fleeing suspects after a one-month investigation.
On Nov. 15, 2023, Hanna RCMP responded to, and investigated, a report of a break and enter to a residence located southeast of Hanna in a rural area. The investigation found that a silver 2010 Dodge 3500 pickup, numerous firearms, a safe, numerous valuable collector coins, and various other items were stolen.
On Nov. 16, 2023, Drumheller RCMP members responded to reports of an abandoned pickup truck destroyed by fire in a secluded rural area near Rowley, Alta. Investigators found that the burned truck was the truck stolen in the break-and-enter. Several stolen items, including the stolen firearms, were not recovered.
As a result of the above, Drumheller RCMP General Investigation Section (GIS), along with Drumheller and Hanna General Duty officers, engaged in an in-depth investigation referred to as Project Midas.
On Dec. 14, 2023, RCMP Detachment members from Drumheller, Hanna, Drumheller GIS, Alberta RCMP Emergency Response Team, Southern Alberta Crime Reduction Unit, and other support units, executed a search warrant at a rural residence near Michichi, Alta. The search warrant resulted in a female being taken into custody (not charged) and the seizure of stolen property and evidence including air pistols and rifles.
At the same time, an associated suspect vehicle was encountered near Erskine, Alta., resulting in the deployment of additional police resources including Three Hills RCMP and Police Dog Services.
Eventually, a vehicle stop was attempted in a rural area near Delburne, Alta., however, the vehicle fled from multiple police vehicles. As part of the operation, tactics were used forcing the vehicle to a stop. A female suspect was taken into custody and the second suspect fled on foot. A search of the area, including by RCMP Police Dog Services, resulted in the apprehension of the second suspect. The suspect vehicle contained a loaded 9mm semi-automatic pistol, quantities of cocaine, drug paraphernalia, stolen property, and more.
As a result of this operation, 33-year-old Justin Lenfesty, a resident of Drumheller, and 30-year-old Kali Miller of no fixed address, were jointly charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking cocaine, possessing a prohibited weapon, possessing a firearm without licence, possessing prohibited or restricted firearm in a vehicle, possess a loaded prohibited or restricted firearm with accessible ammunition, possessing a stolen prohibited or stolen weapon, fail to stop for a peace officer, five counts of possession of stolen property under $5,000, possession of stolen property over $5,000, and two counts of traffic stolen property.
Furthermore, Lenfesty was charged with driving an uninsured motor vehicle, operating a motor vehicle without valid registration, driving while unauthorized and trafficking in stolen property.
Miller was further charged with failing to comply with a release order condition and was arrested on seven outstanding arrest warrants for flight from police, two counts of possession of stolen property under $5,000, intent to avoid arrest, obstruction of a peace officer, possession of stolen credit card and possess/sell contraband tobacco.
As a result of judicial interim release hearings, both Lenfesty and Miller were remanded into custody and are scheduled to appear in the Alberta Court of Justice in Strathmore on Dec. 19, 2023.
Detachment Commander, S/Sgt. Robert HARMS, stated “This was an in-depth investigation involving several RCMP Detachments and Specialized Units. The involved members once again demonstrated investigational excellence resulting in recovered stolen property, weapons removed off the streets, and offenders held accountable.”
If you have any information regarding criminal activity, call 911, or contact your local Police Service. If you wish to remain anonymous, you can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), online at www.P3Tips.com or by using the "P3 Tips" app available through the Apple App or Google Play Store.


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