ONE YEAR AGO
• A Mexican exchange student was beaten unconscious in Red Deer by thugs who shouted racist slurs while stomping on his head. Witnesses said the unprovoked attack occurred just minutes after Franscisco, 18, and two female friends passed four male youths wearing dark hoodies near the Rosedale subdivision.
• Preliminary results of an independent study suggested Clearwater County’s decision to move the Clearwater River back to its old channel was the right move. The county undertook the project to prevent a possible inter-basin transfer of water caused by several years of flooding.
FIVE YEARS AGO
• Measurements over the previous two months showed the Red Deer River was flowing at the second-lowest level ever recorded. The Dickson Dam was still holding a substantial amount of water, but Alberta Environment said drought was primarily responsible for the shortage.
• The Hillcrest Community Hall west of Bowden went up in flames. By the time the fire department was called in there was no way to save what was called “the heart of the community.”
10 YEARS AGO
• Edmonton-based A-Channel joined the cable television selections in Red Deer. The independent station would become the fourth English station available to antenna viewers nearly a year later.
• In fear of energy shortages over the winter, city council decided not to light up City Hall Park for Christmas. The decision was later reversed.
25 YEARS AGO
• Computerized pricing was introduced at the Port-o-Call Safeway store in Red Deer. Computerized pricing was protested by consumer groups who said people didn’t know how much they were paying and that the price of old stock could be raised at the push of a button. A Canada Safeway spokesman said the complaints were not warranted. Jim Waters said while individual items weren’t priced, shelf tags showed the prices.
• Alberta Government Telephones announced starting Nov. 1 it would charge 35 cents for providing directory assistance for numbers already listed. An AGT spokesman said the move was intended to discourage people from using directory assistance instead of the phone book, rather than as a source of revenue. Some calls for directory assistance, including those from pay phones, would continue to be free. No charge would be made for numbers not yet in the book.
50 YEARS AGO
• Firefighting equipment was rushed out from Red Deer and hundreds of big game hunters were being turned back at Rocky Mountain House as a serious forest fire threat developed suddenly in the tinder dry Nordegg and Clearwater reserve areas.
• Special ceremonies marked the opening of the new divided highway leading south from Red Deer to Airdrie. The scene of the ribbon cutting was on the highway at Antler Hill, 20 km south of Red Deer.
90 YEARS AGO
• A cash auction sale of 150 ewe lambs, high grade Suffolks and Shropshires, was to be held. The animals were to be sold in lots of five or more at Hewson’s and Sons feed barn, Red Deer. The sale to commence at 1 p.m. Oct. 24, 1918. Terms, cash.
100 YEARS AGO
• In view of the statements made by the Lacombe Advertiser that Dr. Clark, the Liberal candidate, had been drinking intoxicating liquor during the campaign and was as “drunk as a tick” the night of his nomination, the Red Deer Advocate made it its business to ask Dr. Clark about these charges. “Since the day I accepted the Liberal nomination in Red Deer on Dec. 3, 1907, I have drunk nothing stronger than coffee,” he said.