News | DrumhellerMail

RCMP investigate death near Big Valley

    On January 30 at 7:40 p.m., snowmobilers riding along the Red Deer River, west of Big Valley reported finding an abandoned truck and a dead body nearby.
    The Stettler RCMP Detachment investigated with the assistance of personnel from the Major Crime Unit and Forensic Identification Unit.
    The deceased is an unidentified male. At this preliminary stage, foul play has been ruled out.
    The investigation into the cause of death and identity of the deceased continues under the direction of the Provincial
Medical Examiner’s Office of Calgary.

K-40 Club donates $2,000 to new facility

The Drumheller K-40 Club has donated $2,000 to the Badlands Community Facility, the first time the group has made a charitable donation in 20 years. The club does no fundraising, but through careful accounting management by club treasurer Ed Castonguay, the motion to donate money passed at the club at a recent meeting. It was recognized that the new community facility was an important asset to Drumheller and members wanted to show support for the committee. (l-r) Luigi Vescarelli, club president, Jeff Hall, chair of the Badlands Community Facility fundraising committee and club treasurer Ed Castonguay. As well, the club sent $500 to Haitian relief from the earthquake experienced in January. K-40 Clubs across Canada are affiliates with the only completely Canadian service group in existence, the Kinsmen. The Drumheller K-40 Group has over 30 members and meets once a month. The construction of the Badlands Community Facility is progressing on schedule. The architect firm of Graham Edmunds Cartier is currently working on the design and the preliminary site work is underway. The construction will start with a field house, running track, fitness centre, meeting facilities and a new public library followed by an arena and curling rink as funding becomes available.

Shields calling auctions for 50 years

    Long time auctioneer of the Craigmyle area, Johnny Shields was honoured by his peers, and was presented his gold pin for 50 years in the industry.
    On Saturday, January 30, at the Alberta Auctioneers Association Annual Meeting in Red Deer, Shields was presented with a plaque and the gold pin signifying 50 years as an auctioneer.
    Johnny, who just turned 80 on January 5, was born and raised in Oyen. In 1951, he married Merna and moved to a small farm at Chinook. Farming has never been an easy business, and looking for something to help pay the bills, he was inspired in the late 1950’s by the famous Leroy Van Dyke Auctioneers Song. Knowing he could keep up singing the song, he knew he could excel in the industry. He sought out a school to learn the craft.
    In the spring of 1960, he sold two cows that came up dry, and was able to pay for the bus trip and tuition to the Western College of Auctioneers in Billings, Montana.
    While he spent two weeks taking the course, his wife Merna was left at home with her hands full, raising four children, feeding about 100 hogs and milking several cows.
     Johnny returned home and practiced in his tape recorders, perfecting the craft. He worked for the local auction mart at Cereal a few times, but then in the fall, the Shields conducted their first estate auction sale. That was 50 years ago.

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