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GEORGES P. VANIER SCHOOL TO CLOSE 

Its official—Georges P Vanier School will close at the end of the year. The vote was unanimous at last night’s school board meeting. 31 disabled students will head to Herald school next year. Board members felt that the students will have better opportunities at Herald school.  Parents have had a chance to tour Herald school and comment on what renovations they thought were necessary. Georges P Vanier School will officially close July 1^st.  

GOV’T CRACKING DOWN ON BODY ARMOUR

The government is cracking down on who can wear body armour and bullet-proof vests in Alberta. Under a new proposed law, only those with permits, including police, ambulance attendents and security guards will be allowed to wear protective outerwear. The proposed law is aimed at reducing gang-related crime in the province. The province wants to make it harder for gangs to operate and protect more people affected by crime.  

WOMAN IN CUSTODY IN CONNECTION WITH FOOD TAMPERING IN CALGARY

Police have a woman in custody in relation to the food tampering at a Co-op grocery store in Calgary. The woman was questioned as a possible suspect behind numerous incidents at the Oakridge store where metal pins were found in different products like cheese and bakery items. The store has been doing its own daily checks and has beefed up security, including having uniformed guards in the bakery section. Charges are pending.

GAS CITY COMES CLOSE TO TEMP RECORD

We came close to breaking a temperature record here in the Gas City yesterday. It warmed up to 19 degrees yesterday, just shy of the 20 degrees record set back in 1905. Not too bad considering the normal high for this time of year is 6 degrees.  

REVIEW ON AMBULANCE DISPATCH SERVICES

It looks like a plan to centralize Alberta’s ambulance dispatch services is on hold. Medicine Hat’s ambulance dispatch was to be relocated to Calgary in 2011, but now the Alberta Health plans to wait until a review can determine if the move is still practical. So far about half of 35 communities have carried out changes to their emergency services. Health Minister Gene Zwozdesky says there are no plans at reversing any decisions, but they need to assess the situation and come up with a practical solution.  

BULLYING INCIDENT IN CALGARY

3 teenage girls are facing charges after a school bullying incident in Calgary on Monday. Two 14 year olds and a 15 year old have been charged with causing a disturbance over a lunch hour fight. One girl ended up with a concussion while the other suffered a fractured wrist. Police have seized cell phones from some of the witnesses and are looking through images captured on the phones to figure out what happened. Investigators say more charges could be laid.  

ROCK 105.3 SPORTS

Tiger Woods has announced that he will return to golf next month at the Masters.  It will end Wood’s four month hiatus brought on by a sex scandal. Woods last competed back in November when he won the Australian Masters in Melbourne. He’ll play at Augusta National in 3 weeks.  

The Montreal Canadiens won their 6^th in a row, 3-1 over the New York Rangers. Elsewhere, Minnesota doubled up Edmonton 4 2, Toronto beat Ottawa 4 1 and the Islanders downed Vancouver 5 2. Tonight the Calgary Flames visit Colorado.  

The Medicine Hat Tigers will open up the first round of the WHL playoffs Friday in Cranbrook against the Kootenay Ice. Games 3 and 4 of the series will be played here in the Gas City next Tuesday and Wednesday

HOSPITAL PARKING PLAN APPROVED 

City council has given final approval the new hospital parking plan. The plan, meant to address concerns of people living in the area, will be implemented this summer. People will be encouraged to use the hospital parkade and parking restrictions will be expanded in the area. Parking metres will be installed along the front of the hospital and residents in the area will receive parking passes allowing them to park in “residents only” zones. 

LOCAL MAN KILLED IN AVALANCHE

The avalanche that killed two men in Revelstoke on Saturday has some local ties. Shay Snortland lived in Medicine Hat before moving to Lacombe to operate his business. Snortland’s wife Janine is also from the Gas City. Snortland and his business partner Kurtis Reynolds died during a snowmobile event on Boulder Mountain. The slide was triggered snowmobilers who were “high-marking”—taking their sleds to the highest point of the mountain that they could reach. Of the 200 people watching the annual snowmobile event, 30 of them were injured.  

GORILLA ALMOST ESCAPES FROM CALGARY ZOO

A Calgary zookeeper has been suspended after a gorilla nearly escaped from its cage yesterday morning. The seven year old gorilla took a leap from a pile of ice and made it up on to the perimeter screen that separates primates from the public. The gorilla retreated after seeing a staff member and the workers then moved the gorillas back inside and removed the ice build-up. The keeper has been suspended for failing to properly secure the outdoor habitat. An outside review is currently being conducted at the Calgary zoo.

LAY’S SMOKEY BACON CHIPS RECALLED

Lay’s Smokey Bacon flavoured potato chips are the latest product added to a nationwide recall. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says some of the chips may be contaminated with salmonella. The CFIA is working with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to identify and remove all affected products imported into Canada from the U.S in the ongoing investigation. So far there have been no reported illnesses in Canada. To check out the other foods listed in the recall head to the CFIA’s website

DOLLAR TO HIT PARITY WITH U.S GREENBACK?

Experts think the Canadian dollar will hit parity with the U.S. Greenback later this week. The loonie ended last week at 98.2 cents U.S. and reached it highest level against the U.S. dollar since July 2008. The last time the Canadian dollar reached parity was back in May 2008.  

ROCK 105.3 SPORTS

NHL, Tomas Holmstrom scored his 20^thgoal of the season as the Detroit Red Wings edged the Calgary Flames 2-1 last night. The Red Wings moved 3 points up on the Flames in the Western Conference. Elsewhere, the Oilers lost another one on the road, falling 5-3 to Columbus and the New Jersey Devils beat Boston 3-2. The NHL has suspended Washington Capitals forward Alexander Ovechkin for two games for his hit on Chicago Blackhawks defenceman Brian Campbell on Sunday.  

Medicine Hat Tiger forward Bretton Cameron is the player of the week. Cameron scored four goals in two games this past weekend. The Tigers are gearing up for the first round of the playoffs. They’ll head to Cranbrook for games 1 and 2 against the Kootenay Ice this weekend.

Brian McKeever has won Canada’s first Paralympic gold medal. He came in first in the 20 kilometer cross country ski race.  

AVALANCHE KILLS 2 MEN 

Two people were killed in an avalanche at a snowmobile event in BC this weekend. The avalanche was triggered by 3 snowmobilers who raced up the side of a nearby mountain. The slide occurred at Boulder Mountain near Revelstoke Saturday afternoon. Officials say all of the people who were missing after the slide have been accounted for. 30 people were injured in the slide; the two people killed were 33 year old men from Strathmore.

SCIENTISTS UNLOCK GENETIC SECRET

Scientists at the University of Calgary say they’ve unlocked a genetic secret of the opium poppy that could open the door to cheaper pain relief. They’ve traced the unique genes that allow the opium poppy to make codeine and morphine. Codeine is one of the most commonly used painkillers in the world. Canadians spend more than 100 million dollars a year on codeine-containing pharmaceutical products. Canadians are among the world’s top consumers of the drug, but have it imported from countries like France and Australia.

TELETHON RAISES $17000

Over 17 thousand dollars was raised during the Public Schools Education Foundation Telethon in Medicine Hat on the weekend. The four hour telethon was held at Crescent Heights High School, showcasing local talent. The proceeds will go to the Education Foundation general fund and to the different schools that participated in the event. Money raised in past years has been used to purchase things like library materials and computer equipment.

 UNEMPLOYMENT RATE UP

Alberta’s unemployment rate increased last month to 6.9 percent, that’s up from 6.6 percent in January. Alberta was the only province in Canada to record a notable employment loss in February. Over 14 thousand full time jobs were lost, along with 600 part-time jobs. Most of the losses occurred in education services, wholesale and retail trade and agriculture. However, jobs were gained in the manufacturing, fishing, mining and oil and gas sectors.  

ALICE IN WONDERLAND TOPS BOX OFFICE

Alice in Wonderland has made more than 200 million in its first 2 weeks of release. It was the number one movie for the second week in a row, taking in 62 million. Matt Damon’s Green Zone debuted at number 2 with 14.5 million. She’s Out of My League and Remember Me rounded out the top four.

ROCK 105.3 SPORTS….

Kevin Koe won the Tim Hortons Brier in an extra end with a 6-5 win over Glen Howard. The Alberta skip and his teammates won 40 thousand dollars and will represent Canada at the world championship next month in Italy.

The Medicine Hat Tigers won their sixth straight on Saturday with a 4-1 win over Lethbridge to wrap up the regular season. The Tigers now get set to face Kootenay in the first round of the playoffs starting Friday in Cranbrook. Tickets for the home playoffs games go on sale to the generic public on Thursday at 9am.

Daniel and Henrik Sedin each had a goal and an assist as the Vancouver Canucks beat the Calgary Flames 3-1 last night. It’s the Canucks 4^thwin in their last 5 games. Elsewhere, the Islanders beat Toronto 4-1. Tonight the Edmonton Oilers take on the Blue Jackets and the Flames are home to Detroit.

ALBERTA ROYALTY RATES CHANGE 

Alberta is rolling back its royalty rates for oil and natural gas starting next year. The maximum royalty rate for conventional oil is being reduced to 40 percent. The province says this will provide a better risk-reward balance to investors. The top royalty rate for natural gas will be 36 percent, down from 50. The government says the changes will result in revenue of loss of 363 million in 2012 and 2013. The changes should increase production, increase jobs and increase spin-off benefits for all of Alberta.  

GROW-OP IN REDCLIFF

Police have busted yet another grow op in Redcliff—the third over the last 14 months. Police say they seized 81 pot plants from a home on 7^th Street SE worth in excess of 100 thousand dollars. Investigators also seized five long barrel .22 caliber rifles, cannabis resin and 5 thousand dollars cash. One woman has been charged with a number of drug production and trafficking offences.

FOOD TAMPERING AT CO-OP AGAIN

There’s been another case of food tampering at a Co-op store in Calgary. Store officials at the Oakridge Centre say they found metal pins pushed into some deli cheese items and flatbread packages. It’s the third similar incident to happen at the store. The store does searches every day and security has been increased since the first incident. Police say they have suspects in mind, but so far no charges have been laid.  

GOV’T LOOKING INTO RANDOM BREATHALYZER TESTS

The federal government is looking into the idea of allowing random breathalyzer tests. The justice department has posted a discussion paper on its website exploring the benefits of random breathalyzer tests. As it stands right now, police can only administer breath tests if they have reasonable evidence to believe someone has been drinking. Over 20 European countries use the random tests and say drinking and driving numbers are down dramatically. Federal officials are now looking for public input on the issue.  

CANADA’S ECONOMY RECOVERING

Canada’s economy continues to recover. 60 thousand full time jobs were added last month, mostly in the public sector. Men 55 or older accounted for all of February’s employment gain. The unemployment rate was 8.2 percent last month, the lowest since last April. Canada has added 159 thousand jobs since last July. 

ROCK 105.3 SPORTS…

It’s a crucial weekend for the Medicine Hat Tigers as they hope to gain home ice advantage heading into the playoffs. The Tigers open up a home and home series with the Hurricanes tonight in Lethbridge. The Tigers need to finish 4^th in the Eastern Conference to lock up home ice for the first round of the playoffs. Right now they are in 5^thplace, one point behind Kootenay. Tomorrow the Tigers host the Hurricanes for Fan Appreciation night at the Arena.   NHL last night, The Calgary Flames won their 4^thin a row, shutting out Ottawa 2-0. Miikka Kiprusoff made 33 saves for the shut out. Elsewhere, The Canadiens got past the Edmonton Oilers 5-4 in a shootout and Toronto edged Tampa 4-3 in overtime.

REPORT TO BE MADE PUBLIC 

Details of a report looking into medical errors at Calgary’s Children’s Hospital will soon be made public. The report was originally withheld because it contained confidential information. The report goes into detail about 4 patient-care mistakes, including two non-lethal drug overdoses and an incident where a patient was giving the wrong breast milk. Officials say they have already apologized to each of the families involved and have started implementing steps to prevent the same mistakes from recurring. The full report will be made public within ten days.

CITY SALARY INFO RELEASED

The city has released the mayor’s and aldermen salary and benefit information. Salaries and benefits totaled 437 thousand dollars last year, down 14 thousand dollars from 2008. Jeremy Thompson and Mayor Norm Boucher saw their spending drop considerably while Graham Kelly, Jamie White and John Hamill charged the city more last year than in 2008.

CROSBY’S EQUIPMENT FOUND

It turns out Sidney Crosby’s equipment was never stolen….it was just misplaced. Hockey Canada says Crosby’s stick and glove just ended up in the wrong place in the process of packing and shipping equipment after the Olympic final. Crosby’s stick was located in Toronto as part of a shipment heading to the IHF’s hall of fame in Russia. The missing glove was discovered by Patrice Bergeron in his equipment bag.

ROYALTY CHANGES ANNOUNCED TODAY

The province will be announcing royalty changes today. Energy Minister Ron Liepert will wait until after the stock markets close to announce the changes. Industry experts are predicting changes to include a decrease in the initial royalty on conventional oil and gas wells and a lowered royalty on deep wells. The government is also expected to drop its royalties on wells that are drilled below 2500 metres. 

BYE BYE WINTER

 Environment Canada says winter is over. Climatologists are calling it the warmest and driest winter in more than 60 years. The national average temperature this winter was 4 degrees above normal. Precipitation across the country was down 22 percent below normal.  

ROCK 105.3 WEATHER

The Vancouver Canucks wrapped up their 14 game road trip with a 4-3 shootout loss to Phoenix. Elsewhere in the NHL last night, Buffalo beat Dallas 5 3, The Capitals got past Carolina 4-3 in overtime, New Jersey doubled up the Rangers 6-3, and Chicago edged Los Angeles 3 2 in OT. Tonight the Oilers visit Montreal and Calgary hosts Ottawa.

The Medicine Hat Tigers will head to the Lethbridge tomorrow night to face the Hurricanes in the first game of a home and home series.  The Tigers wrap up the regular season Saturday night against Lethbridge at the Arena.

FIRE EAST OF CITY 

Fire crews were called out to a massive house fire east of the city yesterday afternoon. No one was home at the time of the blaze which broke out around 3:45pm at the farm located 5 kilometers south of Highway 41A. At one point fire crews though there were children in the home but a search confirmed they were all accounted for. Investigators aren’t sure what caused the fire. Preliminary damage is estimated around the 500 thousand dollar mark.

POLICE BUST 18 YEAR OLD FOR STOLEN PROPERTY

Police have charged an 18 year old man after finding 10 thousand dollars of stolen property. Police searched a home in the 1100 block of Bridge St SE on Saturday where they found 10 flat screen TV’s, fuel slip tanks, clothes, air compressors and other items taken from various break-ins around the city. The 18 year old has been charged with Break and Enter and possession of stolen property. Police are looking for other suspects. Meanwhile, police are looking for the owners of a number of items stolen during a rash of thefts in the Ross Glen and Rossdale Crescent areas. Police arrested 4 people after complaints of mischief in the area. Sunglasses, an Iphone, FM transmitter and GPS unit have yet to be claimed.   

REPORT ON PATIENT SAFETY AT CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL

Alberta Health Services is promising to improve patient safety after several medication errors at the Children’s Hospital. The report looked into four big mistakes at the hospital which included an accidental overdose of a narcotic and an incident where a nine month old baby received the incorrect expressed breast milk.  The errors weren’t related, but happened on the same nursing unit within a two month period. No deaths occurred as a result of the mistakes. Officials say they are working on developing better procedures, making adjustments to equipment and are ensuring better communication with staff.  

COREY HAIM DIES OF OVERDOSE

Actor Corey Haim died this morning of an apparent overdose. He was 38 years old. The 80’s child star was reportedly found unresponsive at his apartment. His mother was said to be with him at the time. Haim was in a number of films including The Lost Boys and License to Drive.   

VISIBLE MINORITY POPULATION TO GROW

Canada’s visible minority population is on the rise. According to new numbers from Stats Canada, about one-third of our country’s population will be a visible minority by the year 2031. That’s more than double the 5.3 million visible minorities counted in 2006.  In Calgary the visible minority population is expected to jump to 38 percent. The largest minority group is expected to be those of South Asian descent.

STILL NO CROSBY EQUIPMENT

Reebok says progress is being made on the whereabouts of Sidney Crosby’s missing Olympic equipment. The stick and one of the gloves that Crosby used disappeared after he tossed them aside while celebrating the overtime goal. The equipment hasn’t been recovered, but the tip line has been busy since a 10 thousand dollar reward was offered. Hockey Canada has been unable to pinpoint exactly when and how the equipment went missing. Reebok’s 10 thousand dollar reward for the stick and glove expires at the end of the month.   

ROCK 105.3 SPORTS

The Calgary Flames doubled up Detroit 4-2 last night, moving into 8^thplace in the Western Conference, and pushing the Red Wings into ninth place.  The Ottawa Senators ended a 3 game losing streak with a 4-1 win over the Oilers. Elsewhere, Toronto got past Boston 4-3 in overtime, Montreal beat Tampa 5 3 and Vancouver rallied to a 6-4 win over Colorado.  

The Medicine Hat Tigers are gearing up for this weekends home and home series with Lethbridge. The Tigers will visit the Hurricanes Friday before hosting Lethbridge Saturday at the Arena.  

FIRE IN CRESTVIEW MOBILE HOME PARK 

No one was hurt after a fire ripped through a trailer in the Crestview Mobile home park yesterday afternoon. Neighbours say the blaze started around 2 o’clock at a home on Southview Drive and the corner of Carry Drive. The blaze caused significant damage to the home, gutting almost the entire trailer. The occupants of the trailer were not home at the time of the fire. There’s no word on what caused the blaze.

JUNK FOOD ITEMS RECALLED

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is recalling a number of junk food items that may have been contaminated with Salmonella. The bacteria is found in a vegetable protein, which is a flavour enhancer in many processed foods. So far 11 items have been recalled including No Name Onion Recipe and Soup Mix, No Name Cream of Leek Soup Mix, Family’s Best Smokey Bacon Potato Chips, Quaker Crispy Mini Rice Cakes and President’s Choice Honey Mustard flavour Pretzel Nuggets. For a complete list of products check out the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s website.   

EVENTS CENTRE COMMITTEE STILL LOOKING FOR FUNDING

The city’s Event Centre committee is still working on ways to fund the proposed 94 million dollar facility. The committee met informally yesterday, for the first time since the funding model was defeated at council on January 4^th. The committee said a number of options are being considered but nothing has been decided. Chair of the event centre committee Jeremy Thompson says he wants to get the project approved before the economy improves and construction prices start to rise.  

OPP OFFICER KILLED

 A close range gun battle in southwest Ontario has left a provincial police officer dead. 37 year old Constable Vu Pham was killed in the gunfight after he pulled over a pick up truck on a country road. The suspect, in his 70’s, was also hurt. Some witnesses reported hearing at least 20 shots being fired. The police officer was married and had 3 sons. Ontario’s special investigation unit is looking into the incident.

CANADIANS SAY NO TO ANTHEM CHANGE

 Canadians aren’t in favour of the government changing the lyrics to our national anthem according to a new poll. A survey found that 74 percent of people opposed the rewording of the national anthem to make it gender neutral. 87 percent of people agreed with the proposal to freeze the salaries of MPs and senators and another 79 percent of people liked the promise of more tough-on-crime legislation.  

OSCARS HAVE HUGE RATINGS

Sunday night’s Academy Awards were the most-watched Oscars in 5 years with 41.3 million viewers tuning in. The awards telecast was up 5 million viewers over last year. Over 25 million people watched the red carpet special—it’s biggest audience since 2007. Even Barbara Walters had a big night—her Oscar special had its biggest audience in 8 years.

ROCK 105.3 SPORTS…..

The Dallas Stars scored 3 times in six shots in the 3^rdperiod en route to a 4-3 shootout win over the Washington Capitals. The Stars ended Washington’s club-record home winning streak at 13 games. Elsewhere, Los Angeles shut out Columbus 6-0. Tonight the Calgary Flames visit Detroit and the Edmonton Oilers host Ottawa. 

Tyler Bunz has been named the Tiger of the Week. Bunz allowed just 5 goals in 3 straight games, recording a save percentage of .943.  On the season Tyler sports a record of 30-19-3-2 with a goals against average of 2.94. The Tigers are off until Friday when they visit Lethbridge.

TRAGEDY ON ALBERTA HIGHWAYS

Two people were killed on Alberta highways this weekend. The first crash took place Sunday morning on highway 44 west of Morinville. Police say thick fog was in the area at the time when a semi and pickup truck collided, causing the truck to burst into flames. The driver of the truck was killed in the collision. A couple hours later a highway maintenance employee was hit by a truck while directing traffic away from the initial collision. Police say the man was putting out emergency signs and pylons when he was hit; he died later in hospital.

SYPHILIS INFECTIONS ON THE RISE IN ALBERTA

The number of syphilis infections in Alberta has hit a record high. There were 263 confirmed cases last year—that’s seven percent more than in 2008. Compare that to 1996 when our province had no syphilis cases. Doctors are calling the stats “profoundly disturbing” and blame it on the government’s lack of commitment to public health. The province’s chief medical officer of health said syphilis is one of his priorities and he’s almost finished a report that will provide advice on how to stop the outbreak.

ALBERTA MAN’S DEATH SENTENCE UPHELD

A US appeals court has upheld the death sentence imposed on a Canadian man 28 years a go. Ronald Smith from Red Deer was 24 when he killed two men while hitchhiking across Montana in 1982. Smith originally pleaded guilty and said he wanted to be executed. He later changed his mind and has been fighting his death sentence by arguing that he had ineffective counsel. The judge panel agreed that Smith’s defense lawyer should have done better, but upheld his sentence.

HURT LOCKER WINS BIG

The Hurt Locker was the big winner at last night’s Academy Awards. It took home 6 Oscars, including best picture and best director for Kathryn Bigelow, who is the first woman to ever win a best directing Oscar. Jeff Bridges scored the top acting honours for Crazy Heart while Sandra Bullock won for her role in the Blind Side. Monique won for Best Supporting Actress for Precious while Christoph Waltz won for Inglorious Basterds.

ALICE IN WONDERLAND OPENS HUGE

Alice in Wonderland had a huge opening weekend at the box office, taking in 116.3 million. That’s a record for a 3-D film—it event made more than Avatar did in its first weekend. Brooklyn’s Finest opened at number 2 with 13.5 million followed by Shutter Island at number 3.

ROCK 105.3 SPORTS..

The Medicine Hat Tigers won their 4th in a row last night, with a 5-2 win over the Edmonton Oil Kings. The Tigers sit 4th in the Eastern conference with a record of 39-23-3-5, one point ahead of Kootenay. The Tigers are back in action this Friday when they finish off the regular season with a home and home series with Lethbridge.

NHL, Jarome Iginla recorded his 10th career hat trick as the Calgary Flames beat the Minnesota Wild 5-2. Elsewhere, Edmonton blanked New Jersey 2-0, Montreal got past Anaheim 4-3 in a shootout, Vancouver doubled up Nashville 4 2 and Philly beat Toronto 3 1.

HOSTAGE SITUATION ENDS PEACEFULLY 

It was a peaceful end to a tense hostage situation at a Calgary junior high school. Police say a 25 year old man walked into the school office with a knife and took a secretary hostage. A 13 year old boy was in the office at the time; he hid and called his mom on his cell phone. Students were in a pep rally in the gym at the time and were relocated to a nearby elementary school. Negotiators worked with the man for 2 hours and got him to release the secretary in exchange for a bottle of water. The secretary and boy were not hurt. The suspect was a former student and was allegedly upset with the principal who he blames for a sports injury. Police say charges are pending.

CYCLIST OKAY AFTER BEING HIT BY TRUCK

A cyclist suffered minor injuries after being hit by a pickup truck yesterday morning. The incident happened around 11am on South Railway Street. The man was hit as the truck was pulling out of a parking lot. The cyclist suffered a few bumps and bruises. No charges are expected.

 CITY TO REPAIR CONNAUGHT DAM

Alberta Environment is ordering the city to repair the Connaught dam. The dam, which is located at College Drive was built in 1968 and has deteriorated after years of erosion. Upgrades include vegetation removal and erosion improvements. The outlet structure will be replaced and the willow trees will be removed. It’ll cost 1.35 million dollars to repair. 

 NATURAL GAS WELLS DRILLED AT CFB SUFFIELD

After a lengthy battle, Encana has been allowed to drill natural gas wells at CFB Suffield. The base granted access to drill three previously disputed natural gas wells on the base in January. The commander of the base threatened to block the project because of environmental and operational concerns. The three wells were drilled in February, but base officials still have concerns about the long-term impact of natural gas development on the base. BUDGET DETAILS

Ottawa hopes to rein in federal spending to cut a deficit that has soared to 53.7 billion. Finance Minister Jim Flaherty unveiled the budget yesterday, saying it’s the toughest budget he’s ever had to do.  Stimulus spending will end this year and the Home Renovation Tax Credit will not be extended. To save money the government plans on making Canadian coins less expensive to make. The Conservatives hope to save money by cutting funding to the Canadian military and freezing government salaries and department budgets for the next 3 years. Money was still earmarked for infrastructure projects across the country.

ROCK 105.3 SPORTS….

The Medicine Hat Tigers are in Cranbrook tonight to take on the Kootenay Ice. It’s the first of 3 games for the Tigers this weekend. The Tigers are 5 points behind the Ice in the Eastern Conference. Tomorrow the Tigers host Red Deer and Sunday they’re home to Edmonton

NHL, The Carolina Hurricanes won their 7^thin a row, 4-1 over Ottawa. Elsewhere, The Sharks edged Montréal 3-2, and the Bruins got past the Maple Leafs 3-2 in a shootout. Tonight the Calgary Flames host New Jersey and Edmonton is home to Minnesota. 

The CFL might have a new overtime format for the upcoming season. The league’s rules committee has recommended a new system in which the team that scores a touchdown in overtime be required to attempt a two-point conversion, as opposed to kicking an extra point. A decision on the new format will be made this spring.   

NEW PARKING PLANS FOR HOSPITAL AREA 

The city has unveiled its hospital parking plan to address concerns of residents. The new plan will try to encourage staff and visitors to park in the hospital parkade instead of on the street. New signs will direct visitors to the parkade and some areas will become one hour and two hour parking zones. There will also be a resident only zone. The plan also proposes installing parking metres along the front of the hospital. The plan is expected to cost 200 thousand dollars to implement. The new signs and metres could be installed this summer if approved by council.

THRONE SPEECH DETAILS

Cheaper cell phone bills could be on the way. The federal government says it will allow more foreign investment in the telecommunications industry, making way for more cell phone competition. The announcement was made in the federal Throne Speech yesterday. Other highlights include restoring fiscal balance by restraining government spending, revisiting the lyrics to O Canada, increasing child support payments for single parent families, and more tough on crime bills.

 HIGH SCHOOL COACH FACES SEX CHARGES

A Grande Prairie high school coach is facing a slew of sex charges. The 39 year old has been charged with sexual assault, sexual exploitation and sexual interference after 2 female teens came forward. The allegations date back to last summer. Both teens were under the age of 18 when the incident occurred and were part of a team coached by the accused. Police haven’t released the man’s name or what sport he coached. The man has been ordered to have no contact with the alleged victims; he’ll be back in court later this month.

 SCHOOL TRUSTEES LOOK AT SECURITY ISSUES

There could soon be security cameras installed in the Gas City’s senior and junior high schools. Public school trustees voted to develop a “camera policy” for secondary schools in the system. If the policy is adopted it could lead to the installation of surveillance cameras in hallways and school common areas. The camera policy will take around 2 months to complete and will then come back to the school board for future discussion.  

GRIZZLY BEAR COUNT

There are 691 grizzly bears roaming around Alberta according to the province’s most recent report. The new population number is what the Endangered Species Conservation Committee will use to determine whether grizzly bears should be designated as threatened animals. The province put a freeze on the grizzly bear hunt back in 2006. Whether or not that freeze will remain in place will be determined in the coming months.

JUNO NOMS OUT

The Juno Awards nominees have been announced with Michael Buble leading the pack with 6 nods. Billy Talent, Drake and Johnny Reid scored 4 nominations each. The Tragically Hip have been nominated for 3 awards including group of the year and rock album of the year. Bryan Adams will receive a humanitarian award and April Wine will be inducted in the Canadian Music Hall of Fame during the awards ceremony taking place April 18^th in St. John’s.

ROCK 105.3 SPORTS

The Medicine Hat Tigers beat Moose Jaw 3-2 in a shootout last night. Linden Vey and Bretton Cameron scored for the Tigers with Wacey Hamilton netting the shootout winner. The Tigers sit in 6^thplace in the Eastern Conference with 80 points. The Tigers will head to Cranbrook tomorrow to face the Kootenay Ice.

NHL, Minnesota shut out Calgary 4-0 while the Oilers lost their 3^rdin a row, 5-2 to Chicago. Ryan Kesler scored 2 goals as the Vancouver Canucks defeated Detroit 6-3.

The Washington Capitals had a busy trade deadline day, acquiring Milan Jurcina Joe Corvo, Eric Belanger and Scott Walker. The Oilers traded Steve Staios to Calgary for Aaron Johnson and a third round pick. The Oilers also sent Visnovsky to the Ducks for Ryan Whitney.