As we prepare to close out 2017, it’s time to look back at the Lethbridge- area stories Global News readers found the most interesting.
From September’s devastating Kenow wildfire that scorched parts of southwest Alberta, to a Monarch man’s ice fishing invention, these are the stories that drew the most attention from Global Lethbridge’s online audience over the past 12 months.
10) Ice fisher makes video about ice fishing rig, Internet can’t get enough
On Nov. 24, 2017, we met Russ Traber, an avid ice fisherman who, along with his brother, designed and built a new type of ice fishing rig.
The battery-operated outfit, inspired by an oil rig, bobs up and down to catch a fish, and when a fish is caught, it lets out a reel and a strobe light comes on.
After constructing 15 units, Traber featured the rig in a Facebook video, but he didn’t realize how many people would take the bait.
“A day later I got a text from someone that said, ‘Wow, you got 770 views.’ And I’m going like, ‘Uh, that’s a lot!’” Traber said.
After 1.3 million views, he took down the video because he was overwhelmed by the publicity. All 15 of the original units were sold.
The accidental entrepreneurs have since reached a deal with a manufacturer to help meet the demand.
9) Registered sex offender charged with sexual assault of 15-year-old girl
On Jan. 19, 2017, Coaldale RCMP charged 32-year-old registered sex offender Trevor Pritchard, of Coaldale, Alta., with six criminal offences after receiving reports that a 15-year-old girl was sexually assaulted at a home in the town.
Police said the report came in on Jan. 18 that the incident had occurred on Jan. 17. Mothers in the area with young daughters said the ease they once felt was gone.
“Concerned, for sure,” Susan Olsen said. “I have a 15-year-old daughter and a 12-year-old daughter so I’ll definitely make them more aware.”
Additional victims would later come forward.
Pritchard’s case remains before the courts.
8) Derek Saretzky trial: court hears accused murderer re-enacted child’s killing for police
On Jun. 16, 2017, jurors at Derek Saretzky’s triple-murder trial in Lethbridge were shown a police video that showed Saretzky, his hands handcuffed in front of him, taking investigators to the spot where he told them he choked two-year-old Hailey Dunbar-Blanchette with a shoelace before dismembering her and throwing her body in a campground fire pit.
The Crowsnest Pass man would later be found guilty in the death of Hailey, her father, Terry Blanchette, and 69-year-old Hanne Meketech.
Saretzky was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 75 years.
7) Alberta man frustrated with people throwing cigarette butts from vehicles
On Sep. 6, 2017, we spoke with a man who was the subject of a viral video shot along Highway 5 near Welling, Alta.
Wayne Dick, a former volunteer firefighter, said he confronted the passenger of a truck after he saw a man toss a cigarette butt out the window. At the time, fire bans were in place across much of southern Alberta.
“You see it every year, especially this time of year, with people’s carelessness, the amount of fires that happen because people are just not thinking,” Dick said.
6) Taber man recovering after being shot in Las Vegas shooting
On Oct. 3, 2017, we spoke with a Taber, Alta. man who was shot in the arm during the Las Vegas shooting massacre.
Martin Sorensen was among the 22,000 people attending the Route 91 Harvest music festival when a gunman fired into a crowd of people from a room at the Mandalay Bay hotel.
“I was yelling and I was waving my arm and suddenly I got hit in the arm,” Sorensen said. “I got shot in the arm and my arm just kind of, I don’t know, just kind of a blow up of my arm.”
The bullet that hit Sorensen went straight through his arm, just above his elbow.
He was treated in hospital for nine hours and was expected to make a full recovery.
On Oct. 17, 2017, an Alberta Emergency Alert was issued for Cypress County because of a “serious grass and wildfire.”
Residents of Hilda were asked to immediately evacuate and people in the hamlet of Schuler were also told to get out.
The fire would turn deadly as firefighter James Hargrave died while battling the blaze. He was 34 years old.
4) ‘Cowboys and Indians’ themed grad party draws reaction from Lethbridge school and students
In May 2017, an emergency assembly was held at Lethbridge’s Chinook High School to address a reported “Cowboys and Indians-themed” graduation party held by students.
Photos from a party began to circulate on social media, drawing accusations of racism from some members of the city’s Indigenous community, including one student who said he didn’t even know his peers were doing this.
“It’s 2017, racism should be dealt with already,” said Peyton Weasel Head, a 15-year-old Chinook High School student.
Lethbridge School District 51 would issue a statement following the emergency assembly.
“The staff and students at Chinook talked about how important it is to be publicly involved in this deep discussion of First Nations racism taking place over social media, news media and the community at large,” the statement read in part.
3) Live Alberta municipal election results 2017
On Oct. 16, 2017, municipal elections were held across Alberta.
In Lethbridge, Mayor Chris Spearman was re-elected to a second term in office, receiving over 70 per cent of the popular vote.
The race for city councillor saw incumbents Joe Mauro, Jeff Carlson, Ryan Parker, Blaine Hyggen, Jeff Coffman and Rob Miyashiro re-elected along with the addition of newcomers Mark Campbell and Belinda Crowson.
Liz Iwaskiw was the lone incumbent not to be re-elected.
2) Waterton wildfire grows by 33,000 hectares, visitor centre lost
On the evening of Sep. 11, 2017 and into the early morning of Sep. 12, 2017, the Kenow wildfire burning in Waterton Lakes National Park saw explosive growth, as it grew by 33,000 hectares.
The park’s visitor centre was lost in the blaze.
The flames would spread into neighbouring Cardston County and the M.D. of Pincher Creek, where several farms and ranches were lost.
Some of the people who lost their livelihoods in the Kenow blaze are now calling for a provincial inquiry to examine the overall response as well as communication during the fire fight.
1) Alberta landlord struggling to evict man living rent-free on his driveway
On Nov. 1, 2017, Global News learned of a bizarre landlord-tenant dispute in Cardston, Alta.
A man had been living in a makeshift shed, rent-free, on another man’s driveway for a month. Prior to that, he was renting the home on the same property with his common-law partner who was paying the monthly rental bill. But when she moved out, the man refused to leave.
“I wasn’t quite ready at the time, at the beginning of the month,” Robert Cox said. “I kind of stood my ground and protested quite a bit and this is where we are.”
Landlord Ivan Negrych told Global News he had called the RCMP twice to have his unwanted tenant removed but was told officers would not get involved because it was a civil matter.
“As long as he was living in the house, he’s entitled to keep living there until he gets evicted by a judge,” Negrych said.
The embattled landlord took his tenant to court on Nov. 7, where a Lethbridge judge terminated the residency of Robert Cox. However, Cox had moved off the property a day earlier. He told Global News he’s now living with a friend in Magrath, Alta.
Negrych said he still plans to file a civil claim against his former tenant for arrears of rent and damages to their property estimated to be nearly $3,000.
“We’ve learned from our experience here that we have to be more diligent in who we rent to now,” Negrych said.
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