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Drumheller reminded of its Naval history

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    As part of their centennial celebrations, The Royal Canadian Navy visited Drumheller on Monday, April 26 and presented the Town of Drumheller with a plaque depicting the history of HMCS Drumheller at Town Council. 
    During his presentation, Commander Ron Pumphrey, Commanding Officer at HMCS Calgary, based at Esquimalt, British Columbia, explained they were touring to pay tribute to the towns and to talk and pay respect to veterans.
    Cmdr. Pumphrey said the corvette HMCS Drumheller played an important role in the Battle of the Atlantic in World War II.
    “When people think of Drumheller, they think the museum, the dinosaurs, at least my son does! But I think more towards the Navy, and I am quite proud about what you have done and the support given, I don’t know if you realize but the town actually used to send care packages and parcels to people from this ship during World War II as well so it is an interesting history that is here.”
    In September 1943, the  ship, under the command of Tony Storrs, was deployed to protect convoys at a critical stage of the Battle of the Atlantic and was subjected to repeated U-boat attacks.
    For this service Storrs was awarded the Legion d’Honneur and the Croix de Guerre avec palmes.
    Cmdr. Pumphrey talked about the significant role the Royal Canadian Navy plays in providing security for the sea trade, as Canada is surrounded by three oceans, Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic, explaining the prices of goods in grocery stores would be much higher without the Canadian Navy.
    “I have been to quite a few places around the world, and I will tell you Canada is the best part of the world to be, and I can say that without question,” he concluded, adding “I’d like to give my own personal guarantee from all the sailors, right from our highest Admiral down, that we will continue to do what we can to protect those sea lines, to protect your interests that are out there.”
    During his presentation to council, Cmdr. Pumphrey was joined by Cmdr. Sylvain Belby, Executive Officer, HMCS Calgary, Lt. Cmdr. (ret’d) Doug Bourne, from HMCS Tecumesh, Calgary, Ltn. Cory Titsing, Area Cadet Officer, Lt. John Ibbotson, Commanding Officer of the RCSCC Furious, and members of the Drumheller Sea Cadets.

Currie to be invested into Order of Alberta

 

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    Dr. Phillip Currie, who was instrumental in the creation of the Royal Tyrrell Museum  will be one of eight  to be invested into  the Alberta Order of Excellence.
    Dr. Currie’s involvement in the valley predates the Tyrrell Museum. He was involved in the conceptual plans put forward to the Government of Alberta in 1981 for the Tyrrell Museum. When it opened in 1985, he became the Curator of Dinosaurs, a position that he held until 2005 when he departed to work as a professor of biological sciences at the University of Alberta. He is also currently a research associate at the Tyrrell.
    “I still want to be a resource to the museum as much as I can be,” he told The Drumheller Mail in 2005. “It’s a great institution and the collection…we have all made contributions to it, and it is a world class collection. We’ll continue, all of us, no matter where we go, to always have roots there, and certainly all want to be resources for them.”
    In addition to the reams of research he has completed in the badlands, he has led, or been a part of expeditions all over the globe including the Gobi Desert, China, Argentina and Antarctica.
    His research interests focus on dinosaur palaeontology, with a particular interest for theropods.
    Dr. Currie is being inducted along with many other notable Alberta personalities including former Premier Ralph Klein, artist Alex Janvier and Robert Steadward, founder of Landmark Homes.
    The objective of the Order of Alberta  as written in the legislation is to “accord recognition to those persons who have rendered service of the greatest distinction and of singular excellence for or on behalf of the residents of Alberta.”
    It is the highest honour the province can bestow on a resident.
    “One of the things I’ve always valued about the Alberta spirit is our ability to pioneer fresh approaches and different ways of thinking,” said the Honourable Norman Kwong, Lieutenant Governor and Chancellor of the Order.  “These eight remarkable Albertans have all made very positive contributions to our province, and they have done so while forging a unique path and encouraging others to follow their lead.”
    The new members will be invested in a ceremony on October 20, 2010

Arrests made in alleged fraudulent use of credit card information


    The Drumheller RCMP have made arrests that led to the seizure of hundreds of credit card numbers, and the information to make them usable.
    On Saturday, April 10, police learned from a local business of four people attending to the store and using a credit card in a suspicious manner. RCMP officers located the subjects and they were arrested on a variety of charges.
     Subsequent investigation revealed they were in possession of hundreds of credit card numbers, and the associated security codes that were stolen from a Calgary business, the place of employment of one of the subjects. They were in possession of credit card blanks, and had the ability to make additional cards. In addition, property related to crime, and illicit drugs were located and seized.
    Ashley Whitt, 32, of Calgary, is charged with forging a credit card, fraudulent possession of credit card data, possession of stolen property and possession of morphine. He is scheduled to appear in provincial court in Drumheller on Friday, April 23.
    Valery Zielinsky, 46, of Calgary has been charged with fraudulent possession of credit card data, possession of stolen property, and possession of methamphetamine. She is to appear in provincial court in Drumheller on Friday, May 28.
    Anthony Golka, 43, and Holly Boutland are both charged with possession of stolen property and are also to appear in court in Drumheller on Friday, May 28.
    Police say the matters are still under investigation and it is believed there will be other charges laid. These credit card numbers have been used in other jurisdictions. Other police departments and credit card companies have been advised.

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