A dark, unused school classroom is now going to be transformed into a world of creativity for the students at Greentree School.

The Rotary Club of Drumheller was at Greentree School on Thursday to present a donation of $8,500 to go towards the new Rotary Innovation Center.

"Essentially, it is going to be a place where they can develop technical competency while having the opportunity to apply the things they see in their classes. They always say that a picture is worth a thousand words, so we feel like the medium of video and getting kids into the design will be really good. things like having the 3D printer are going to be really cool tools that they can you," explained Teacher of Greentree School, Adam Pirie.

Currently, the room has 3D printers, cameras, and a green screen wall. With the money donated they will be purchasing other tech programs and equipment for video editing, news broadcasts, and digital design.

"We do have a lot of technology in regular classes like chrome books and Ipads, but I think that these are some things that are a little bit meatier. These are some skills that, as far as video editing, that has long term career connections. We have had students as young Grade 2 using the 3D printers and we really see the video design being through K-6," he continued.

The Federal Government is facing a lot of pressure to exempt fuels for grain driers from the federal carbon tax.

The opposition tories in the House of Commons have been pushing hard on the issue this week, as parliament resumed after a long Christmas breaks. This was Ontario's Lianne Rood in question period on Thursday.

"The carbon tax makes everything more expensive. I had a farmer send me a bill and in one month had to pay over $7,000 in carbon tax to dry his grain."

Just last month, Federal Ag Minister Marie Claude Bibeau said, she was still open to the idea of exempting fuels used for drying grain, from the federal carbon tax.

-With files from Dean Thorpe. 

Drumheller's Mayor Heather Colberg has been nominated for as Canada's Top Mayor competition.

When learning of the nomination she was very honoured but she has no idea who has nominated her.

The mystery nomination could do a whole lot for Drumheller though as the prize is $10,000 for community initiatives. Colberg said she has an application to fill out that highlights Drumheller's top initiatives. The top twelve finalists are invited to a "star-studded" black-tie gala event where they will continue to compete for their communities.

The finalist will be judged by a panel of celebrity judges. The panel this year includes W. Brett Wilson from Dragons Den and Canadian Hockey Icon Theo Fleury.

The Drumheller Dragons ventured north to Fort McMurray and Bonnyville for a couple of games this past weekend.

On Friday, the Dragons visited the Casman Centre to face off against a Fort McMurray team that has been going through some changes.  They made a few trades at the trade deadline including sending their goaltender, Chris Curr, to the Dragons.  They have also had a change a the helm with the hiring of former Oil Barons coach Gord Thibodeau.  Curr would get the start for the Dragons and play a solid game against his former team. 

The Dragons would get on the board first with a power play goal by Shane Ott (16).  The Oil Barons would tie the game two minutes later on a short-handed goal by Josh Zinger.  Kaden Hanas (18) has been on a tear as of late and that would continue with a goal 42 seconds into the period to give Drumheller the lead.  Adam Heindel would add to the lead in the second with his fourth of the season.  Ft. McMurray would make it interesting with a goal by Ethan Jamernik to make it 3-2 Drumheller but that is as close as they would get.  Hanas (19) would score the empty net goal with 26 seconds left to go to secure the win for the Dragons.

On Saturday night, Drumheller would finish their northern road swing by visiting Bonnyville.  These two teams met in Drumheller the week before and it was a pretty spirited affair.  The same would be the case in this one.  The Pontiacs would score first with a goal early by Matthew McKim in the first period.  The Dragons would tie the game in the second as Kaden Hanas (20) scored on the power play to make 1-1 after two periods.  In the third, both teams would have their chances but both goaltenders, Easton Hesse for Bonnyville, and Daniel Allin for Drumheller, would close the door.  The game would head to overtime and in the extra session, the Dragons made a beneficial line change that brought Kiano Robinson on the ice to score the game winner (4) from the top of the right circle.

A great weekend on the road.  The Dragons have a couple of days of rest before their next game at home.  Saturday, the team that is chasing them in the AJHL South division, the Camrose Kodiaks, are coming to town.  Game time on Saturday is at 7:30 pm.

Friday was a hard day for the Drumheller Trial Golf and Country Club board. The golf course officially has gone into consented receivership after a last-minute deal for the Club fell through.

"It allows the bank to appoint a receiver, hopefully, find a buyer, and hopefully open the golf course. In essence, we have gone bankrupt," explained Club President, Mike Yavis.

The golf course board wasn't hoping for this outcome but still have faith that there will be a place to golf in the Drumheller area.

"It has been a non-profit community organization for the past 51 years. It really is not a happy time. The best outcome would to see someone come in that operates it as a golf course, has the necessary funds to do some improvements that have been lacking in previous years, and opening in the spring. I think that what all the golfers want, is to see the course stay a course in Drumheller. We hope that does happen, but it is out of our hands now," continued Yavis.

The board will find out Wednesday who will take receivership of the course.

The Alberta Student Leadership Conference got a major boost in funding thanks to the Drumheller Rotary Club on Monday morning.

Teacher Vanessa Page was there to accept the donation with a group of students attending the event.

"We received $2,500 from the Rotary Club to support the Alberta Student Leadership Conference we are hosting with Strathmore in May. That money is going to go towards activities and food for the over 800 kids that are coming to Drumheller."

Among the students was Sarah Acorn who was very grateful for the donation.

"I'm pretty excited. It gives us more opportunity to have a pretty good conference."

The Dragons are back home after a successful road trip to Fort McMurray and Bonnyville.

Jason Blanke and Dragons Head Coach and GM, Kevin Hasselberg review the games this weekend and look ahead to the games coming up on Saturday and Sunday in this week's edition of Coffee With The Coach @ Tim Hortons.

The 8-day strike by thousands of workers at CN in November, tied up grain shipments to the coast.

Despite calls for the government to intervene, a deal was hammered out by both sides and on the weekend, members of the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference voted more than 91 per cent in favour of the agreement.

More than 3000 conductors, yard workers and train employees will receive annual wage increases of 2.5, 2.5 and 3 per cent.

But wages weren't the main issue in the strike. The Teamsters wanted concessions on work schedules, hours of work and crew fatigue.

A spokesman for the union says some of their concerns are being addressed by CN, but they said the issue of fatigue is far from settled. The new collective agreement expires in July of 2022.

-With files from Dean Thorpe. 

Starting March 2020, the monthly payment date for Albertans receiving Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) and Income Support is changing to the first of the month. 

Previously, the payment date was a few days before the beginning of the month, with the actual date of payment varying from month-to-month.

Having a consistent and predictable payment date aligns recipients’ monthly income and monthly costs. This change should help Albertans receiving payments better plan and budget for expenses from one month to the next.

When the first of the month is a weekend or holiday, payments will be deposited or mailed on the last business day of the previous month. For example, March 1st is a Sunday, and the payment date for AISH and Income Support is Friday, February 28.

The Bantams Raptors hockey team brought home the gold during a home tournament over the weekend! 

They finished the A final with a score of 6-3.

In a time amid budget cuts from the provincial government, Prairie Land School Division is committed to making sure their students are taken care of.

They have recently been hosting a series of community engagement sessions for parents, students and staff, to hear what are the needs of the students. According to Morrin School Principal Don Yavis, Prarie Land School Division paid for the things they lost in budget cuts out of their own pockets.

"It was an awesome meeting. They were very open and transparent, they told us what the story was and just asked what our ideas were. The NDP offset school fees, and that grant has since been eliminated. So they were wondering if we wanted schools fees back, or if we should have transportation costs. They really got the input from the parents and community members to see what we thought," he explained.

Each representative from Prairie land School Division rotated around tables of parents and staff with different topics. They wrote down all comments and will continue to analyze the results before the school next budget results in March.

The school division will be at Delia School next on February 13th at 7:00 pm.

Many in the dairy industry in North America, not pleased with a decision by Seattle based Starbucks to yank diary products off its menu.

Starbucks says its one measure its taking to reduce its carbon footprint.

The coffee shop giant has more than 31 thousand locations in 80 countries and is responsible for a lot of garbage. 

-With files from Dean Thorpe. 

Alberta RCMP is sending out valentines on behalf of people’s vehicles for the month of February.

Last year, there were almost 10,000 thefts of motor vehicles in Alberta RCMP jurisdiction. Over 6,500 of those thefts were trucks, SUVs, or vans. Cars made up a smaller portion of thefts accounting for just over 1,200. There was a 5% decrease in vehicle thefts from 2018 to 2019, but there is still room for improvement. In February 2019, there were almost 700 vehicles stolen from Alberta RCMP jurisdiction.

One of the most important tips is to lock your vehicle and remove the keys. If you plan to start your car to warm it up, you need a remote starter or plan to stay with your vehicle.

Here are some easy steps to keep your vehicle safe:

• Lock the doors
• Remove all valuables
• Use a steering wheel lock
• Lock your garage
• Remove garage door opener from vehicle
• Use a vehicle tracking system
• Park in a well-lit area

You can follow the Alberta RCMP Facebook (@RCMPinAlberta), Twitter (@RCMPAlberta) and #VehicleValentines for more tips on keeping your vehicle safe.

On Monday, February 3rd Council approved the 2020 tax-supported operating budget.

The approved budget supports new initiatives and key priorities identified by the Council and Administration while demonstrating continued fiscal responsibility. The operational budget includes a 2% increase in the municipal portion of property tax.

The administration initially presented Council with a $199,000 deficit budget that would have been financed by taking money from reserves, but instead, after the Council’s direction, came back with a balanced budget.

“These are challenging economic times for Alberta however Council were determined to keep the property tax increase as low as possible. We want to thank the administration as they have continued to manage the budget. We feel this budget offers the best options to provide the highest levels of service possible to the residents of Drumheller,” explained Deputy Mayor Tom Zariski. “This rate would mean an approximate additional yearly cost of $28.40 for a house that was assessed at $200,000 last year; which equates to $2.40 per month.”

“I am proud of our administration finding efficiencies in our operations and budget so that we can maintain existing services in our community while funding Council’s priorities that are outlined in the 2020 Strategic Plan,” stated Darryl Drohomerski, CAO.

Police seized nearly $10 million in cocaine and crystal methamphetamine from a vehicle near Drumheller late last week.

In November 2019, Calgary police received information from partner police agencies indicating a Calgary resident may be involved in the transportation of drugs across Canada. The Calgary Police Service Gang Enforcement Team initiated an investigation utilizing a number of covert resources. As a result of the evidence gathered during the investigation, police gained grounds to arrest the suspect.

On Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020, the suspect stopped his vehicle near Dorothy, Alberta. Calgary police, with assistance from the Drumheller RCMP, took the driver into custody without incident. A subsequent search of the vehicle led to the seizure of:

• 46.9 kg of cocaine in uncut bricks. The wholesale value of an estimated $2.4 million, with a street-level value of an estimated $4.69 million.
• 47.5 kg of crystal methamphetamine. The wholesale value of an estimated $2.38 million with a street-value of an estimated $4.75 million.

Jacob Cody Neumann, 33, of Calgary, is charged with two counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking. He will next appear in court on Friday, Feb. 7, 2020.

"Drug traffickers be warned – police agencies from across this country are working together to identify, locate and arrest those who traffic in illicit substances causing significant harm to our communities. Drugs fuel violent crime and investigations such as this address both the drugs and the associated violence," says Staff Sgt. Kyle Grant, Strategic Enforcement Unit, Calgary Police Service. "We are committed to working with our policing partners to address enforcement, and with our community partners to support prevention and intervention initiatives for vulnerable Calgarians."

The Calgary Police Service would like to thank our partners at Winnipeg Police Service and Edmonton Police Service for their assistance with the investigation, and members of the Drumheller Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Alberta for their assistance during the arrest of the suspect.

Some of the ongoing issues Canada has with countries like China, Saudi Arabia and India are starting to impact confidence back here at home.

According to Reuters, trade confidence among Canadian exporters fell to its lowest level in nearly 10 years.

The numbers are from Canada's export credit agency. In the bi-annual survey of 1000 Canadian exporters, the trade confidence index fell to under 70 per cent the lowest levels since 2012 and 6 per cent below the survey's historical average.

A spokesman said trade barriers are now the number 1 challenge bigger than issues like finding skilled talent and financing.

The survey was done between mid-November and mid-December before the US and China signed phase 1 of their new trade agreement which could serve to ease some of those concerns this year.

-With files from Dean Thorpe. 

The DVSS Jr A Dynos brought home bronze this last weekend at a tournament in Strathmore! 

February 20 is Hockey Day in Drumheller again, but this time it is the outdoor rink edition! 

This year, the event will be at the Midland Hall and you can bet your bottom dollar that your Drumheller Dragons will be there again.

Things kick off at 11 am with public skate, and then a BBQ for those who worked their appetite up from skating! This year, the funds from the BBQ will go to the Midland Community Association. 

When noon rolls around, skaters will have a chance to skate with the Drumheller Dragons as the Dragons warm-up for their skills competition at 1 pm. 

The Wheel of Winning will also be at the event and there are some really good prizes this year!

So grab your kids, your skates, and your winter coats and head on out to enjoy the winter in the most Canadian way possible! We hope to see you there!

A local couple is being recognized for their decades of hard work for Verdant Valley Agricultural Society.

Ron and Helen Leonhardt have been honoured with a lifetime achievement award from the Alberta Agricultural Societies.

They were nominated by Lyle and Diana Rowe.

"We wrote and submitted the application form with all their participation and accomplishments over the years," explained Lyle Rowe.

He continued on explaining the couples long heritage with the agriculture society, and it was clear they were very deserving of the award.

The couple had begun their journey in the 1960s and helped the organization to apply for provincial agricultural society status in the min-1980's.

Ron has been involved in the upkeep of the property and Helen has just retired from scheduling bookings for the property.

They accepted their award in Edmonton in front of their family and friends.

A group of students at Drumheller Valley Secondary School are excited to be attending the Connections Camp program this year thanks to the Drumheller Rotary Club and Drumheller Scotiabank.

They received the donations earlier this week, which has allowed five students to attend the week-long camp.

"I'm very excited to go camping with other students from all over Alberta. I think it is going to be a very unique experience," explained international student, Matthew Haraea.

The students will be attending Camp Kiwanis near Canmore. The students must create a project on their return that will benefit either their school or town community.