A few 2019 stories received some extra attention
In 2019 there were stories that warmed the heart or struck a chord with readers. Here are four worth remembering.
Saamis the pronghorn fawn
In May a little pronghorn fawn was born by emergency caesarean on Highway 41A, thanks to the quick thinking of local rancher Tyrel Pahl, who stopped to inspect a doe that had been hit by a vehicle.
An Alberta fish and wildlife officer made the decision that she had to be euthanized due to the extent of her injuries.
An emergency cesarean was done and the fawn was named Saamis by Pahl’s daughters.
Saamis spent the night at a Dunmore veterinary clinic and was then transported to a wildlife sanctuary in Saskatoon.
Within the captive population of pronghorn in Canada there is a focus on diversifying the genetics in the species survival program. In Saskatoon they did not have a male that wasn’t related genetically. So for Saamis to have come all the way from southern Alberta was really good, not only for the pronghorn there but even further afield.
The story was then featured on CBC radio and was recently named one of the favourite stories of the year.
Extreme cold leads to frozen water lines
In February and March intense, extreme and prolonged cold resulted in hundreds of frozen water lines,
By March 6 the city reported 108 locations with frozen water while a typical year would see about 32. Before the cold spell had ended the city had been dealing with 336 frozen pipes.
The cost for thawing and repairing the frozen water service lines internally, carrying out external dig-ups to expose and carry out external thawing of water service lines, plus water main repairs, was about $416,000.
Miniature doberman attacked by bullmastiff
In August a little miniature doberman pinscher was fighting for his life after being attacked by a bullmastiff in Crescent Heights. Rufus had seven deep puncture wounds, three broken ribs, a shoulder broken in two places and a few molars ripped out of his mouth.
It all started when Rufus, 7, and Max, 12, were on leash and going for a walk about 8 a.m. While on the sidewalk the bullmastiff from a neighbouring home rushed out and attacked.
The bullmastiff’s owner was living in a trailer parked in a neighbour’s driveway.
Fatality renews calls for highway twinning
In early August, Kayley Hayashi, 18, died in a fiery head-on collision with a semi-trailer on Highway 3 east of Taber. Her mother, Jeanine, called on the government to take action before more lives are lost.
In 2004, Wendy Nelson’s daughter, Ashley, 19, died on this highway.
A campaign to have the highway twinned at that time included letter writing, newspaper and television interviews and three or four meetings with the then transport minister, but nothing changed, Nelson said.
In August Drew Barnes, MLA for Cypress-Medicine Hat, said this project needs to be a high priority for government. He said millions have been spent on studies in the past 20 years and now it is time for action.
The UCP has yet to make any announcements for such a project.
Chris Spearman, mayor of Lethbridge, said the highway is of enormous value to the entire province and twinning it is integral to ensuring safe and efficient passage for some of the largest produce and food processing plants in the country.
The Highway 3 Twinning Development Association says traffic is only going to increase on this road and it is a crucial part of the economy in this region.