Crime - Fugitive arrested in
Longview

RCMP storm hotel to arrest U.S. man wanted for two murders in Arkansas

By Pamela Roth
Staff reporter

Five members of the Turner Valley RCMP and the Emergency Response Team surrounded the Blue Sky Hotel in Longview last Thursday before making an arrest on an American fugitive wanted on two counts of capital murder.
According to hotel owner Ron Skitch, the police arrived at about 2:45 p.m. and informed staff there was somebody at their hotel they needed to arrest.
Two RCMP members stayed with the staff in the office, while other policemen deployed what appeared to be a flash grenade before entering the hotel room to make the arrest, said Skitch.
Timothy Dale Wallace of Paron, Arkansas had apparently been staying at the hotel for five nights.
To staff, Wallace, wanted in Saline Country, Benton Arkansas, seemed like a regular guy.
Needless to say, staff were shocked to learn that a dangerous fugitive had been taking refuge at their hotel.
“He didn’t seem suspicious,” said Skitch. “He told us he was from the U.S. and he had been hiking in Kananaskis and just wanted to spend a little time relaxing. We have DVD players in our rooms, so he was just watching movies most of the time.”
Wallace, 38, was scheduled for trial on Oct. 24 on two counts of murder following the June 26 deaths of his ex-wife and her friend. He was reportedly freed on a $500,000 bond.
Benton detectives traced Wallace’s whereabouts by tracking his cell phone calls. Through those investigations, a number eventually traced Wallace to the hotel in Longview.
Prior to his arrival in the village southwest of Okotoks, detectives believe he went on a cruise in Mexico and then made his way to Canada on Sept. 26.
Canadian Border Service Agencies are not commenting on how he managed to get into the country.
“At this point all we can say is he’s in custody and it’s our priority to move him as soon as possible into the U.S.,” said Lisa White with the Canada Border Services Agency. “It’s still under investigation, so we can’t get into any specifics in the case at this point in time.”
Wallace was arrested on Canadian soil for breach of the Canadian Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and could not be arrested for the outstanding charges in the U.S.
The accused is believed to be formerly with the U.S. military with a background in explosives and survival training. He wasn’t found with any weapons at the time of his arrest.
RCMP said they weren’t surprised to find the man harbouring in a small town, but the man was surprised to see police.
“I’d say he was definitely surprised with the Canadian hospitality,” said Turner Valley RCMP Cpl. Mike Simcoe.
Since the Longview School is located across the street from the hotel, students and staff were briefly restricted to remain within the building to ensure their safety.
Wallace is currently being held at the Calgary Remand Centre and is scheduled to undergo a Canadian Immigration hearing some time in the near future to review his status in Canada.

In this issue...
Editorial Paul's Place News Sports Entertainment Classified Ads Foothills Visitor Guide Directory		He’s a gamer Okotoks artist making his mark with new game • See Scene Fire Prevention Week A tribute to our firefighters and volunteers • See News

Tower comes tumbling down

Workers remove the tower from the Rotary Performing Arts Centre in Okotoks last week. The building, formerly the United Church, was closed this summer due to safety concerns. Okotoks town council is contemplating the future of the historic building. photo by Laurel Nadon

Education - Parents demand busing issue be revisited

FSD board chair Jerry Muelaner skeptical original decision will be reversed

By Darlene Casten
Staff reporter

The Foothills School Division will be reflecting on a decision to discontinue busing for students attending their school of choice.
Parents, mainly with students attending Red Deer Lake School, formally asked the division to reverse its decision to axe a grandfather clause that provided busing to students not attending their assigned schools.
At the trustee meeting last week a delegation of parents requested that trustees revisit their decision.
The delegation said they were representing the parents of 284 students who have lost their busing. Ninety-six of those students attended Red Deer Lake School last year.
Parent Laurie Czerwinski, a former school trustee, told the board they should reconsider their finances and “do what is best for the kids.”
In June the board voted to eliminate the bus service, forcing school of choice students to find their own transportation or switch to the school they are assigned.
The move is expected to save the division over $70,000 and bring their transportation budget back into the black.
Czerwinski said the division should be considering not only the financial aspect, but also the effect on their students.
“If you have people who are only interested in solving fiscal problems then they aren’t going to make choices that are best for the schools,” Czerwinski said.
The transportation deficit is a drop in the division’s $50 million budget, she added.
“We suggest everyone pay a $25 busing fee and school of choice parents pay more,” Czerwinski said.
Students can still access buses to their school of choice at the closest bus stop.
Czerwinski said as a result parents are being forced to take time off work to drop off and pick up their children at bus stops kilometers away from their homes.
“Rural students depend on busing,” she said. “They can’t walk and carpooling is difficult because of the isolation.”
Despite the concerns raised by the parent delegation school board chair Jerry Muelaner said he doubts the decision will be reversed.
“There is nothing new,” Muelaner said. “They said the same things when we met with them last week.
“We have to respond to their request, but a trustee would have to raise their hand and ask to rescind the decision and receive a majority vote of support and when I look around the table I don’t see the will to do that.”
The ongoing busing issue has been a drain on the board, he continued.
“We didn’t make a decision at the end of the last meeting because we were emotionally exhausted,” he said. “This issue is going on forever and it seems to be an isolated group that keeps coming back.”
Parents are also concerned about a change to the transportation policy that alters the acceptable walking distance to the bus stop from 400 meters to 800 meters.
The delegation that included Ross Billings and Jay Lyons told trustees they were obligated to take another look at their decision because they failed to properly consult parents and the public.
“If we could meet face-to-face we believe we can reach a compromise that will be better for kids,” Czerwinski said.
Because a formal request was made the division will have to deliberate on the issue, said division secretary-treasurer Drew Chipman.
“I am sure the board will treat any request from the public with a great deal of respect,” Chipman said.
However, taking another look at the budget will not help, he said.
“A shortfall has to come from somewhere,” Chipman said.
Administration is looking into what obligations the trustees have now that a formal request is in place. Chipman said trustees do not have to cast another vote on the grandfather clause, but must debate on the request.
The matter will be discussed at the next meeting of trustees Oct. 18.