CFIB: Alberta’s Small Business Confidence holds steady in June

But confidence drops sharply across Canada to lowest national level in 4 yearsCourtesy of Gazette Grande

According to the latest Business Barometer results from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), Alberta’s small business confidence levels held steady in June, while the national index dropped almost three points to hit its lowest level since July 2009.

2013 Blue Weed Blitz to be held July 13

Pincher Creek Watershed Group's Blue Weed Blitz will be held Saturday, July 13 from 10 am to 6 pm.

Starting location:  Grier-Buhrmann Ranch on the Christie Mines Road
5429 Rg. Rd. 1-1

E-Waste/Toxic Roundup and Re-use Fair to be held June 15

Originally posted May 7, 2013

The Town of Pincher Creek, Municipal District of Pincher Creek No. 9 and the Alberta Recycling Council are teaming up to sponsor Pincher Creek's annual  E-Waste/Toxic Roundup and Re-Use Fair, which will be held at the Ranchland Mall parking lot on Saturday, June 15 from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm .  Some events run during a more limited time-frame (see below).

2013 Pincher Creek Gathering schedule

Smiling Fox Janet Barkwith
invites you to the Gathering

Thursday June 13th gates open at 5:30 pm.
Welcome, open mic, dance workshop, camp fire, Western hospitality. Camp on site for all four days.

Friday June 14th
10:00 am onwards: day-long cowboy music, stories and poetry; horsemanship demonstrations; Western fine arts show; artisans' booths; concession; Alberta beef BBQ supper; Feature Presentation including Tim Williams and others. Western hospitality all day

Saturday June 15th
10:00 am onwards: day-long cowboy music, stories and poetry; horsemanship demonstrations; Western fine arts show; artisans' booths; concession; Alberta beef BBQ supper; Feature Presentation including Mary Kaye and John Wort Hannam; buckle, silver earrings and signed souvenir poster auction; dance till 1:00am. Western hospitality all day

Sunday June 16th
8:00am - 9:30pm pancake breakfast, sponsored by the Town & MD, followed by Cowboy Church. Artisans booths until noon. Approx 1:00pm Family Fun Ranch Rodeo. Western hospitality all day.

Info at www.pcgathering.com or cowboypoetry@ymail.com
Tickets are available at the Pincher Creek Chamber of Commerce Office
Call 403-627-5199 FOR TICKETS ONLY, please!

Alberta SouthWest celebrates a year of outstanding regional achievement

AlbertaSW Board of Directors 2013
C. Davis photos

AlbertaSW press release

On the evening of Wednesday, June 5 at the Bayshore Inn, Waterton Park, the Alberta SouthWest Regional Economic Development Alliance (AlbertaSW) held its Annual General Meeting. Over 100 attendees gathered from across southwest Alberta, representing municipal and provincial government, education, media, tourism industry and local business.

Juan Teran Park available for functions

(advertisement)

Looking for a spot for a reunion, church picnic, company bar-b-que or a family gathering?  Juan Teran Park offers green space, Playground, lots of parking, concession and washrooms to name a few of the amenities.

Please call the Rec Office at 403-627-4322 for more information.

New date for St. Henry's Church and Cemetery clean-up

St. Henry's Church
C. Davis photo

Spring clean-up at St Henry's Church and cemetery will be held Saturday, May 25.  Due to inclement weather this has been re-scheduled to Saturday, June 8, 2013.

The clean-up will be starting at 9:00 am and volunteers will be working through lunch, so please bring your own lunch and drinking water. Also bring cleaning equipment and ladders. Men, please contact Ron Schmidt at 403-627-3021 for information on tools needed that day.

F.A.C.E.S. helps teens learn to face challenges

^ Students and leaders from session 1 of FACES in 2012 on the continental divide west of Castle Mountain. After gaining the summit of this ridge the students take time to reflect on where they have come from in their lives and where they choose to go in their future.   Submitted photos.

Toni Lucas, Pincher Creek Voice

Challenges.  You face them every day whether you are a child, adult, working, or schooling.  Learning how to face them with grace, integrity  and fortitude is a learned process.  Facilitating Awareness and Character Building Experiences for Students (F.A.C.E.S.) offer a 12 day extreme adventure camp centered out of Camp Impeesa out close to Beaver Mines Alberta.  The camp is for students in grade 9 going into grade 10 to help them learn that facing fears, facing challenges, and facing themselves is all part of facing life.

Pincher Creek Co-op holds 90th AGM

Pincher Creek Co-op Board of Directors

(l-r) Linda Wollman, Barb Dunbar, Ed Janzen, Pat Moskaluk, Jim Cameron, Nicki Schoening, Allan Wocknitz

Toni Lucas, Pincher Creek Voice

The Pincher Creek Co-op was established 1922 as the result of a Pincher Creek Chapter UFA resolution in January of that year. It was established as an agricultural marketing co-operative for local ranchers and farmers to sell their produce to local consumers in the tough economic and agricultural environment that followed the First World War.*

On the evening of Thursday April 25, 2013 Co-op management, staff, and members met at the old Field Store location for the Annual General Meeting.

Piikani Nation RCMP investigating death of pedestrian, seeks public's assistance

Updated May 20, 2013, 12:07 am:

• Deceased is Edna Four Horns
• Piikani Nation RCMP looking for public's assistance
• Board from vehicle suspected cause of death

Piikani Nation RCMP say they have no suspect vehicle right now in this incident.  "We thought we did," said Constable Tyrone Potts, "Now we're suspecting a piece of board came off a vehicle and struck our pedestrian in the face, killing her."  Constable Potts said it was likely a 2x4 or a 2x6 that struck her.

Hillary's Ride for Mental Health passes through Pincher Creek

Hillary's Ride participants at the Highway 3/Highway 6 (Pincher Station) junction
C. Davis photo 

Chris Davis, Pincher Creek Voice

Hillary Rose Werthmann
www.hillarysride.ca

“Love is all you need,” reads the memorial plaque beneath an Amur 
Cherry tree in a park in Edmonton, Canada. The tree was planted for Hillary Rose Werthmann, an affectionate 20-year old who would give hugs just because, and would often tell her family and friends how much she loved them. Yet despite the love around her, Hillary struggled within herself, and on May 8, 2003 she passed away in her living room, after overdosing on pills. ~ www.hillarysride.ca


When Bill Werthmann's daughter Hillary committed suicide by overdose at the age of 20 grief became a constant element of his life.  About 2 and a half years ago he conceived the idea of Hillary's Ride, which couples his compulsion to find a purpose in her death with his own boyhood dream of cycling across Canada.  His primary goal is to help destigmatise mental health.

Slow down!

RCMP Constable Scott Stafford next to Highway 3
C. Davis photos

C. Davis, Pincher Creek Voice

RCMP Constable Scott Stafford is one of the many law enforcement officers working while many Alberta citizens are playing this long weekend.  He was manning a radar gun pointed east on Highway 3 west of Highway 22 this afternoon.  I asked him if he was catching many speeders.  "Lots," he said.  "Way more than we should be."

Coincidentally, an unmarked patrol car pulled a westbound driver over a few hundred yards away  on the other side of the highway, cutting into Constable Stafford's action.   He said that although they were working towards the same purpose, they weren't working together.


Related link:
Enforcement ramping up for May long weekend

CALUA holds AGM, reaffirms opposition to transmission lines in Twin Butte area

Members of the new CALUA board
C. Davis photos

(l-r) Julia Palmer (Secretary), Stephan Blum (Vice President), Pia Blum (Director), Anne Stevick (President), and Bruce Russell (Treasurer).  Missing is Mike Vidricare (Director).

Chris Davis, Pincher Creek Voice

Chinook Area Land Users Association (CALUA) held their Annual General Meeting at Twin Butte Hall on May 8, 2013.

CALUA was formed in 2006 by landowners from the Twin Butte area who are concerned about industrial development encroaching upon the region, including windmills and power lines. In particular they are opposed to AltaLink’s proposed above-ground 240 kV Goose Lake to Etzicom Coulee Transmission Project.
 Opposition to that project by area landowners seems to be virtually unanimous.

Town Council Notes, May 13, 2013 meeting

Toni Lucas, Pincher Creek Voice

• Rezoning bylaw fails to pass second reading
• Multi Purpose Facility Steering Committee to move forward
• Kootenai Brown Pioneer Village gets additional funding from the Town
• Paperwork clean up continues
• Penalty date for unpaid current taxes may change in the future

KBPV gets new critters, extended summer hours commence this weekend

I remember ewe!  Clover with Paddy
C. Davis photos

Tracy Glen, KBPV

Chickens, turkeys and sheep arrived at Pincher Creek's Kootenai Brown Pioneer Village during a snow storm on April 29, 2013.

U-16 soccer win for CNP over Pincher Creek

U-16 Soccer: Pincher Creek vs CNP
T. Lucas photos and video

Toni Lucas, Pincher Creek Voice

Pincher Creek hosted Crowsnest Pass for a U-16  game played on the  Matthew Halton field on the evening of May 16, 2013.    This was the third game of the season for the Pincher Creek U-16 team, and their second home game.

St. Michael's Graduating Class of 2013

St. Michael's 2013 Graduating Class
C. Davis photos

Chris Davis, Pincher Creek Voice

St. Michael's School in Pincher Creek held their 2013 Commencement Celebration on Friday, May 10.  The ceremonies were held in the Dale Wentz Memorial Gymnasium at the school, which was packed with family, friends and well wishers.

Lundbreck Gardeners provided with seed money

Lundbreck Gardeners accept $500 donation from Lundbreck Citizens Council
C. Davis photos

(l-r) Robyn Dowson, Mike Bates, Betty Ozar, Lennie McKim, Dan Cleland, Agnes Thibert, Monica Zwikstra, Johanna Nickle, Rose Olson (missing: Sigrid Reners)

Chris Davis, Pincher Creek Voice

The newly formed Lundbreck Gardeners were pleased to accept $1000 in donations yesterday in the form of two $500 cheques, one from the Lundbreck Citizens Council and the other from Pincher Plumbing owner Mike Bates.

They began their mission to beautify Lundbreck by establishing a sizable plot in front of the Livingstone Sabres sign at the entrance to the hamlet, just across the road from the Windsor Senior's Centre.  It's got a stout wooden enclosure and rich loamy soil, and will henceforth be one of the first things people see when they exit the highway.

Athlete of the Day May 17, 2013: Amber Sokownin

Amber Sokownin

Pincher Creek's Amber Sokownin earned her Taekwon Do Black Belt after testing was held on May 11, 2013.  She had to redo one of her patterns earlier this week, and passed with flying colors.  She officially got her black belt yesterday.

Amber is 15 years old and has been participating in the martial art of Taekwon Do for about 10 years. She's a Grade 10 student at Matthew Halton High School, where she also enjoys participating in volleyball.    She's shown here wearing her red belt at the May 11 testing, which was held in the small gym at St. Michael's School.

Constable Robert Wright says goodbye to Pincher Creek

RCMP Constable Robert Wright
T. Lucas photo

Toni Lucas, Pincher Creek Voice

Constable Robert Wright has been seen in the Pincher Creek area for the last six years at Remembrance Day Ceremonies,  in schools, out in public with his family, and on the job as a member of the local RCMP force.

Most recently he was handing out graduation certificates for students who participated in the Canyon School DARE program, for which he has long served as a volunteer.  Now he is saying goodbye to Pincher Creek, as he has been assigned a new RCMP position in the Lake Louise/Banff area.