Crowsnest Pass Herald
12925 - 20th Ave. T0K 0E0 Blairmore, AB, Canada

The following is Lisa’s editorial in the January 20th issue of the Pass Herald. I will admit I was erroneous on a few things I said on the CBC interview. I said our population was 6000 and it’s around 5600 and I meant to say the people I talk to are 100% in agreement and it came out that the whole community was 100% in agreement. Despite what was said I was not lying, I was nervous and have be ridiculed by local environmentalists and anti-coal groups. I can admit when I am w...Continue reading

MESSAGE FROM COUNCIL - JANUARY 20, 2021 Active cases of COVID-19 in the Crowsnest Pass have risen to 6, which is the highest number of active cases we have seen... to date. This is a stark reminder that we are not immune here in the Pass. Given this recent spike in our active numbers, we would like to urgently remind everyone to follow all of the measures put in place by the province to protect the health care system from becoming overwhelmed. Now is the time for caution. Please continue to be patient with each other. While it may be natural to begin to feel suspicious of each other or give in to feelings of panic, remember that we really are all in this together. We are all part of the same pandemic and we are all neighbors, friends, and loved ones. We remain proud of how our community continues to handle news of confirmed cases; that the individuals and their families continue to be treated with respect and as members of our small community. We would like to once again give a very heartfelt thanks to everyone in the Crowsnest Pass for their continued diligence and support during this time. The Crowsnest Pass is made of strong, caring people and we are doing an amazing job of sticking together and watching out for each other, even when faced with new and concerning situations in this pandemic. The most powerful measures we can take to reduce the spread of COVID-19 are to: Avoid any indoor social gatherings, keep outdoor social gatherings to a maximum of 10 Practice physical distancing by staying at least 2 meters away from others outside your home Wear a mask in all indoor public places If you are ill, please stay home Wash and sanitize your hands frequently, especially before and after entering a building or using a facility and every time you go back home Avoid touching your face Cough and sneeze into a tissue or your elbow Stay safe, stay healthy! We are all in this together! For complete and up-to-date information, visit https://www.alberta.ca/coronavirus-info-for-albertans.aspx

I know there are lots of rumours swirling around on the subject of coal development in the province. I’d like to clarify some of that misinformation. As Enviro...nment and Parks Minister and a resident of the Eastern Slopes region I can assure you there will be no free-for-all on coal projects in Alberta. Alberta Environment and Parks has not changed any of the strict rules that govern and regulate these projects. See my open letter to Albertans here.

MESSAGE FROM COUNCIL - JANUARY 8, 2021 Welcome to 2021! We are all watching and waiting for the vaccine to be distributed across the province but please be pat...ient. Until the majority of Albertan’s have been vaccinated, it is important that we continue to follow all the measures put in place by the province to protect the health care system from becoming overwhelmed. Active cases in the Crowsnest Pass have been low throughout this pandemic, and today we have only one active case! The residents of the Crowsnest Pass have shown just how much we all look out for each other. The extension of the measures put in place by the province last month will continue to have an impact on the Crowsnest Pass and our local businesses. Please continue supporting them and being patient with owners and employees who are trying to follow the orders and guidelines mandated by the province while remaining open for business. This extension of restrictions can also have an effect on our mental health. Take care of yourself, and take care of your family, friends, and neighbors. Give them a call, ask them what their impossible task is today and help them with it. Stay connected and talk to friends and family about your feelings and concerns. Take care of yourself and each other. Take deep breaths, stretch, or meditate. Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals, exercise regularly and get plenty of sleep. And if you find yourself struggling, reach out to your loved ones or any of the resources available to you. The Government of Alberta has many resources you can access at https://www.alberta.ca/coronavirus-info-for-albertans.aspx Please continue to be patient and kind to each other, not everyone will be experiencing this pandemic the same way. As always, we are very proud to be part of this strong, supportive, and resilient community. Please continue to look after yourselves, your family, your friends, and your neighbors! The most powerful measures we can take to reduce the spread of COVID-19 are to: Avoid any social gatherings Practice physical distancing by staying at least 2 meters away from others outside your home Wear a mask in all indoor public places If you are ill, please stay home and call 811 Wash and sanitize your hands frequently, especially before and after entering a building or using a facility and every time you go back home Avoid touching your face Cough and sneeze into a tissue or your elbow Stay safe, stay healthy! We are all in this together! For complete and up-to-date information, visit https://www.alberta.ca/coronavirus-info-for-albertans.aspx

CALLING ALL SNOW ANGELS Many of us love the snow and the fun that it brings, but for some people, particularly seniors or persons with disabilities, shoveling ...the snow can be very difficult and even dangerous. They need help they need a snow angel! The Municipality is looking for snow shoveling volunteers to aid our seniors and persons with disabilities that are on a fixed/low income. If you are interested in helping out, please call Kim Lewis at 403-563-2207 and give us your contact information. You can let us know how much or how little you can help every driveway or sidewalk helps! Your help will mean so much. Thank you.

While most bears have tucked into their dens for the season, it remains important to carry bear spray and keep dogs leashed year-round. Bears don’t truly hibernate. They go into a deep sleep called torpor and can be woken up. Some even venture from their dens on warm winter days!

ENFORCEMENT FOCUS - JANUARY Traffic Focus: Winter driving takes extra caution and attention, especially near intersections. Make sure you are giving yourself e...xtra space to stop as you are approaching stop signs and other controlled intersections. Additionally, be extra vigilant of pedestrians that may be crossing Municipal roads on crosswalks and allow them extra time to cross. Bylaw Focus: Business Licenses 2021 Business License invoices have been mailed and are due January 31. Your 2021 Business License is not valid until you have paid the invoice. According to our Business License Bylaw No 1043, 2020, it is an offence to carry on business in the Municipality of Crowsnest Pass without a valid business license and could result in up to a $500 penalty. If your business no longer operates in the Municipality of Crowsnest Pass, please advise us of your business closure by completing and returning a Business License Cancellation form found on our website, so we can take your name off our list. If you do not provide us with this information, you may be responsible for the 2021 Business License fee and associated penalties. Please visit www.crowsnestpass.com to view the complete bylaw. Animal Licenses 2021 Animal licenses are now available for purchase at the Municipal office. Choose from an annual, a three-year, or a lifetime license. To avoid receiving $100 a penalty for unlicensed animals, please ensure you have purchased your 2021 license by February 1. To view the complete Animal Control Bylaw, please visit https://www.crowsnestpass.com//bylaws-listed-alphabetically.

So a week ago Teri Harrison asked me (Lisa) if we could brain storm a Santa night or two on behalf of Brighter Futures and the Pass Herald. It started with Brandy Fehr who told me about Teck’s Covid friendly Santa visit and the impact it had on her girls. What we ended up with was virtual Covid Santa. Teri did the computer work and individual Santa photos. I did the emails to find out special things for the kids and scheduling, Darbie Fraser did the direction, staging and exc...el work and Aiden Douglas was Santa. We had only a few days to prepare. We had barely anyone until we posted a quick video and it went viral. We ended up with 38 families. What I didn’t expect is how this would move me. Watching it play out over 6 hours was perhaps the most enjoyable Christmas moment I have ever witnessed. I saw kids with autism shine, a young person with Cerebral Pasley light up. Kids giggling when Santa knew about their elf on a shelf or what they wanted. My 18 year old son did what most adults never do, unselfishly volunteering his time to change a few Christmas memories for some kids at a shitty time. It humbled me to watch this. It reminded me what Christmas is really about. I think Brandy, Teri, Aiden and Darbie may have taught me more in these moments then anyone has in a lifetime. Merry Christmas to you all and I wish you an incredible New Year from our family to your’s and of course from Santa Aiden. See more

COVID-19 UPDATE DECEMBER 10, 2020 New measures were announced by the province on Tuesday to help bend the curve and protect our health care system from being ...overwhelmed. These measures will be in place until at least January 12, 2021. Effective immediately in all communities across the province: Masks are mandatory in all public places All indoor and outdoor social gathering is not permitted Non-essential travel is discouraged Out-of-town visitors cannot stay in other people’s homes while these restrictions are in place All regions were moved to the Enhanced Status (purple) Areas to recognize the province-wide mandatory masking mandate, however, the Municipality has not actually crossed the threshold into the Enhanced Status so the additional restrictions (specifically for Enhanced Measures Areas) that were announced on November 24 do not yet apply to the Crowsnest Pass. Restrictions still in place for the Crowsnest Pass: Maximum 10 people at weddings and funerals, they must be held in a public place, and no receptions are permitted. Childcare and K-12 measures remain the same o Grades 7-12 will continue at-home learning until January 11 o Grades K-12 will continue in-school learning until Christmas Break, then will begin at-home learning until January 11 Further restrictions will be coming into effect on December 13. We will provide another update once the Public Health Order has been issued identifying the exact restrictions. In addition to these provincial measures, RIDECrowsnest ridership is restricted to trips for essential services only (medical needs, pharmacy, post office, and groceries).

In the December 9th edition of the Pass Herald, you will see a full page ad and Lisa’s editorial about Santa photos that would’ve been held at Country Encounters on their patio. Unfortunately with the new restrictions on outdoor gatherings, the Pass Herald was forced to cancel the photos. We hope everyone in the community can still manage to have a very Merry Christmas. As a precaution for our staff, we will only have the office open when necessary. If you need to contact the Pass Herald, we will be in daily to check messages. If it’s urgent, contact Lisa at 403-563-8814

New Covid-19 restrictions made mandatory across the province. Masks are now mandatory in all indoor public settings province wide. No indoor or outdoor gatherings of any capacity are allowed. These restrictions will be in place heading into the new year. For a full list of all restrictions click the link below. Cases in the Crowsnest Pass sit at 8 total with only 1 case active and 7 recovered.