Cemetery Vandalism

To some people a headstone at a cemetery may just be a large piece of cement; to others it is a memory of a sibling, parent, grandparent, significant other, friend or child.

They represent a final laying place for those who have passed away.

Last week seven headstones at a cemetery near Calmar were vandalized leaving thousands of dollars in damage for one family.

This is not the first time headstones have been damaged near Calmar, a few years ago Calmar Community Cemetery was vandalized leaving numerous families left to replace headstones, while flowers, wreaths and other items placed by graves in memory of someone were gone or ruined.

Among one of those headstones was one belonging to my cousin Rebecca, who was taken far too early and left behind a family who spent good money on a tombstone and flowers in memory of her.

When I talked to my Auntie about when her daughters headstone was vandalized all she had to say was how heart breaking it was.

“It is absolutely devastating to get that call from the grounds keeper to say ‘come down, daughters grave has been wrecked’.”

I will be the first to admit I have done some very, very stupid things growing up, sometimes hurting people who likely didn’t deserve it, even if I thought at the time they did.

One thing I knew even as a dumb, reckless, immature child was that death is never a joke, and the emotions that arise when a person loses a loved one is not something to mess around with.

If you are drunk, stoned or just stupid and want to break stuff, do everyone a favour, go home and ruin something that means the world to you.

 Photo above: One of the headstones damaged last week near Calmar. Photo taken by Carole Morris-Underhill

 

Weekly Roundup — Sept. 11

Here's what's making news in Leduc and area this week:

• Leduc and district RCMP welcomed a new regional commander, Insp. Chuck Jackson, to the force Aug. 10.

• Local MPs are preparing for a possible fall federal election.

• Leduc County council will borrow $3.5 million from the province on behalf of the Leduc Foundation to finance their three-year affordable housing plan.

• The Leduc Public Library is offering an outreach service to the housebound.

• The City of Leduc is gathering feedback on changes to Leduc Assisted Transportation Services, including a possible fare reduction.

• A trial date has been set for an Edmonton man accused of stabbing a Co-op taxi driver in Nisku last month.

• Second Glance clothing has made a financial contribution to the upcoming Visualeyes Youth Conference, which aims to motivate local students and teach them about good decision making.

• In sports, the Chinese national curling teams have chosen Leduc as their training ground in the leadup to the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver; the Red Deer Rebels and Edmonton Oil Kings played an exhibition game in Leduc last week; and a local track star placed fifth in his event at the recent Canada Games.

• Goofy Alberta musical comedy duo Lewis & Royal will play a free show in Leduc Sept. 19.

• Calmar is considering changing its water utilities bylaw to protect landlords whose tenants renege on their payments.

• A longtime employee of ATB Financial celebrated his retirement last week.

All this and more in the Sept. 11 issue of the Rep!

Weekly Roundup — Sept. 4

Here's what's making news in Leduc and area this week:

• Local school boards are waiting to find out how an $80 million cut to Alberta Education's budget announced last week will affect their operations this year.

• RCMP will be stepping up their presence in school zones this week to give drivers a refresher on speed limits.

• Laura profiles local punk band California Lane Change, who won the Battle of the Bands at Leduc's first Rock the Rails youth event Aug. 27. Also, check out our photo gallery with tons of pics from the event.

• Leduc County council has provided staff with guidelines for the county's 2010 budget, including a $250,000 contingency fund for Capital Region Board projects.

• Are you prepared to take up the Terry Fox challenge?

• Local school boards are updating their pandemic plans in advance of the fall flu season and are expected to include some guidelines for dealing with the H1N1 flu virus.

• Alex has a feature about Leduc County's Bridges mentorship program, which provides support and guidance for women living with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.

• City of Leduc council turned down a request by the owners of the Prairie Professional building — partially destroyed by a June 12 fire — for more than $10,000 in tax relief.

• Leduc County and the Town of Beaumont are embarking on a joint sustainable growth study.

• Construction is underway on a new elementary school in Thorsby.

• In sports, the Atlanta Thrashers have their eye on Leduc minor hockey alum Travis Toomey, who is heading to a scouting tournament this week.

• We have updates on the Bobcats', Wildcats and Ti-Cats' weekend football games; and despite not making the finals, the E2 Crude/West women's rugby team dominated in the B-division playoffs last week.

• And in your weekly crime and punishment update, a Leduc man racked up more than $3,000 in fines for playing his stereo too loud.

All this and more in the Sept. 4 Rep!

Weekly Roundup — August 28

Here's what's making news in Leduc and area this week:

• A 55-year-old Edmonton woman remains in hospital after sustaining serious but non-life threatening injuries when her car jumped the barrier on the Highway 2 overpass and landed in the middle of 50 Avenue in Leduc Monday afternoon.

• Time is running out for Canadian boaters to get their pleasure craft operator card.

• The 16th annual TD Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup is coming to a body of water near you next month.

• Canadian Blood Services are looking for at least 115 donations at their next clinic in Nisku.

• The City of Leduc is giving residents the chance to sneak a peek at the LRC next Wednesday.

• Protect your "grown-up toys" this winter.

• Laura has an inside look at the daily life of a STARS air ambulance pilot.

• Leduc County council aired some fears about the Capital Region Board's land-use plan at their Aug. 25 meeting.

• ACI-NA says EIA is tops in PR.

• Leduc and District Victim Services is looking for volunteers.

• You know that inner door connecting your garage to your house? Always lock it.

• Feel sorry for Laura.

All this and more in the Aug. 28 Rep!

Weekly Roundup — August 21

Here's what's making news in Leduc and area this week:

• The Kinsmen Alexandra Outdoor Pool is celebrating 40 years this week.

• Calmar's town manager is retiring after 21 years of dedicated service.

• Laura spoke to MLA George Rogers about his take on distracted drivers and whether the province will initiate legislation this fall to cut down on cell phone use and other distractions while driving.

• The first ever Santa's Big Biker Ride for Santa's Helpers Leduc, which was to take place Sept. 12, has been cancelled.

• A pedestrian who was struck and killed on Highway 2 last week may have been waiting for a ride back to Leduc after his friends left him, according to his family.

• Leduc County is offering free spraying to control weeds on certain types of county properties this fall.

• The Leduc Recreation Centre has received a generous funding boost from the federal government.

• It was a hot August night indeed last week at Castrol Raceway.

• A local used clothing store is working with ROMPS to get their new play space up and running by September.

• A Devon man who fled police and was subsequently bitten twice by a police dog received little sympathy from a provincial court judge last week.

• In sports, the Edmonton Oil Kings will play an exhibition game at the LRC on Sept. 5.

See this week's Rep for more!

Weekly Roundup — July 3

Here's what's making news in Leduc and area this week:

• Alex has seen the future of the capital region, and it's large and scary and GTA-like.

• Residents of Wizard Lake say boating is all fun and games until someone gets hurt.

• Bobby waxes rhubarbic on Alberta's forgotten vegetable.

• She's a dancer.

• Leduc County missed out on grants for a waterline study this year.

• Everyone knows you shouldn't leave your dog in a hot car, yet for some reason we hear about it every summer, so here's the obligatory "DON'T LEAVE YOUR DOG IN A HOT CAR" story, along with some other great tips to help your pet beat the heat.

• Of the five whole people who answered our poll question about vacations versus "staycations," three said they will be staycationing this summer, so here are some ideas for what to do in the Leduc County area.

• A local charity is collecting pyjamas to give to children in need this Christmas.

• This gal ROX.

• Sometimes the court stories just write themselves. Oh, and in case you're wondering, this is why we report on court cases.

(Photo: Photographer Charles Hope, centre, takes a picture of a mock crash scene featuring members of the Thorsby Fire Department for The Fire Within 2010 volunteer firefighter calendar. The calendar will be sold at Canadian Tire to raise money for the fire department. Photo by Bobby Roy.)

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Weekly Roundup — June 12

Here's what's making news in Leduc and area this week:

• The manager of a local Chevrolet dealership says GM's decision to terminate their sales and service agreement is "unfair" and an inaccurate reflection of the store's recent sales record.

• A new website hopes to bring closure to families of missing persons.

• The children of Southfork finally have a park.

• Accessibility is a key issue in the construction of the new Leduc Recreation Centre.

• A local team is preparing for the upcoming Ride to Conquer Cancer in Calgary.

• In county news, Leduc County councillors want residents to be aware that an application has been filed to develop a gravel mining operation on the banks of the North Saskatchewan River, Warburg reviewed its financial audit, and Epcor hopes its new project will make its Genesee generating station a world leader in clean energy and carbon capture and sequestration.

• In sports, the LCHS Tiger rugby boys are hoping for redemption in the Tier 2 provincials, the Bantam Ticats football team has wrapped up their spring training camp, the Otters swim team is winding down their season after a strong showing at a recent meet in Red Deer, and it's charity golf season again.

• Alex has an omnibus edition of provincial court briefs, including a man who racked up $4,500 in fines stemming from one drunken ride through Beaumont and a man who stole tip money from a bartender to play the VLTs.

(Photo: Cheryl Agostinho, wife of the late Cst. Jose Agostinho, and Kool Mom Shannon Moroz unveiled the temporary sign dedicating the brand new Southfork park to Agostinho's memory after the park build on June 6. Agostinho, who was killed in the line of duty on July 4, 2005, while serving as a member of the Wetaskiwin RCMP, believed passionately in helping children become good citizens and loved Leduc, friends said. Photo by Alexandra Pope.)

Weekly Roundup - June 5

Here's what's making news in Leduc and area this week:

• We went all Edmonton Sun-esque on our front page this week with this story.

• The International Region has been voted the best place in Alberta to do business by Venture Magazine.

• What's the 211? Our summer intern, Bobby Roy, knows.

• Leduc County councillors are urging the county's subdivision authority to treat all residents fairly after a development was approved in the Wizard Lake area despite the fact that an area structure plan has yet to be completed for the region.

• In other county news, New Sarepta has released an overview of their finances in advance of their 2009 budget, Calmar is cracking down on speeders,

• Leduc's Storefront School is undergoing a change of name and location.

• I am so proud of this cuteness.

• Alex interviewed the retired cop who helped take down an armed robber at CIBC on April 7.

• A provincial court judge had some harsh words for a man who pleaded guilty to dealing marijuana in Leduc.

• The Rep has kicked off its auction to raise funds for the Boys and Girls Club of Leduc.

• Everyone is invited to learn about Leduc's history at the Grain Elevator this summer.

Sex offender sentenced

A Millet man who sexually assaulted an 11-year-old girl in Leduc last summer is headed to prison for four years.

Clinton Schuler, 27, pleaded guilty to sexual assault in connection with the incident at provincial court in Leduc on May 22 and was sentenced to six years in prison but received 20 months credit for time served.

MORE ...

Weekly Roundup — April 17

• Leduc has lost two great champions of the community: Doris Smith and Pearl Livingston.

• A man has been charged in connection with an armed robbery at CIBC in Leduc on April 8.

• Leduc County is looking at ways to cut back on capital spending after the province announces fewer dollars for municipal grants in 2009.

• Thorsby police are cracking down on drunk drivers.

• The Boys and Girls Club of Leduc is one step closer to its new home in the Leduc Recreation Centre.

• In sports, the Leduc Atom B1 Roughnecks brought home a banner.

• Laura has some tough advice for Leduc vandals.

For all this and more, visit our website or pick up a copy of the Rep.