Eden Valley - Reserve mourns murdered youth

By Pamela Roth
Staff Reporter

More than 100 friends and family of a 16-year-old boy who was murdered on the Eden Valley Reserve earlier this month gathered at Chief Jacob Bearspaw School last Wednesday to mourn the slain teen.
The teen, whose name is not being released, was fatally stabbed during a house party at a residence on the reserve around 2:30 a.m. June 2 after an argument allegedly began over rap music.
A 15-year-old boy, who also cannot be named, is charged with second-degree murder and currently remains in custody.
The tragedy is one that has shocked many of the 600 residents living on the reserve west of Longview.
In an effort to calm the escalating violence, two RCMP members from the Turner Valley detachment have been dedicated to police Eden Valley on a full-time basis.
Following the announcement in early May, band Councillor Gordon Wildman was pleased about acquiring a stronger police presence. Still, he knows it will take time before violent incidents such as the stabbing are less prominent.
“We will continue trying to build a safer community. Every death is sad, but
this is not the first time this has happened on the reserve,” said Wildman. “Somewhere we have to try to stick with our culture and find a way to crack down on crime.”
The youth charged with the stabbing will make his next appearance in Calgary Youth Court June 22 for a bail hearing.

Eye on the prize

Art Schooley of Okotoks chases down a calf in the Ranch Horse Competition Sunday afternoon at the Bar U Ranch National Historical Site south of Longview. The working ranch is now open for the summer. photo by Chris Graham

Education - Grandfather busing clause axed by division

By Ryan Laverty
Staff reporter

When it comes to transportation in the Foothills School Division every student is now subject to the same rules.
In a move to cut transportation costs the board of trustees passed a motion last Wednesday at their regular meeting to end the grandfathering rule used for families sending their children on division buses to schools outside their jurisdiction.
Affected parents will still have the option to send their students to their school of choice, but now the onus will be on those parents to get their children to a bus stop inside the school boundaries.
The board’s decision is expected to save the division $65,000 to $70,000 a year in transportation costs, by ensuring all buses are running on efficient routes. Chipman said the decision would also ensure that students are not riding the bus for excessive periods of time, noting that some children currently ride the bus for more than an hour one way.
The decision, secretary treasurer Drew Chipman said, will impact families at several schools in the region, but primarily at Millarville, Red Deer Lake and the High Country schools.
Community members from Red Deer Lake made a presentation to the board of trustees over a year ago, objecting to the idea of changing the policy regarding transportation and their school council president said he doesn’t anticipate the board’s decision to be taken lying down.
“I think it’s a huge mistake,” said Jay Lyons, who has been on the RDL council for seven years. “They are more or less forcing parents into a trap for where their kids should go to school. I understand that school divisions are under-funded and that they need to find ways to save money, but there has to be some way that is more efficient and less political.
Chipman said there has been extensive discussion on the transportation issue over the past few years and while he expects there will be some parents upset by the decision he said the decision was final and that it was the one that made the most sense for the division.
Parents who are unsure whether their children will be affected by the board’s decision on transportation may call the Transportation office at 652-6547.
The new policy on transportation will be effective for the 2006/07 school year.