Local News

PEGGY REVELL

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Gloomy skies didn’t stop the Northside Extravaganza from being a hit in its first year.
The day turned out “way beyond our expectations,” said Perry Dooley, co-chair of the Northside Extravaganza’s organizing committee.
“It's been outstanding.”
Two years in the planning, the day hoped to create a community-based event on the north side of the city and Crescent Heights, Dooley said, since other events usually take place in the southern part of the city.
The focus is also about youth. Funds raised from the day were put towards the Medicine Community Foundation for Youth.
Part of this focus also saw 30 different acts hit the stage at the Northlands Co-op parking lot area — with young people  showing off their skills as contortionists, cheerleaders, comedians, singers and musicians.
“We want to make next year bigger and better,” said  Dooley. “Now that the word is out we 're hoping to have even more talent coming out.”
Dooley estimated that over 1,000 people alone came out to the Co-op site to see the performers, a number that doesn’t even include number of people who hit up Eighth Street NW for the activities based from there.
And one of the biggest hits on Eighth Street was the monster truck rides.
A steady line up as children — and those young at heart — eagerly awaited the chance to climb aboard into the seats fastened into the truck’s bed and bump around as they were taken over the huge pile of dirt in the middle of the street.
Around 20 car owners also brought their vehicles out for the car show on Eighth.
"The weather held away lots of the fellas,” said Jerry Zacher who organized the vehicle show for the extravaganza..
“But what do you do?" he added, saying that despite the weather there was a  great crowd of people constantly coming by and the organizers are quite proud of what they’ve put together.
"It's the first year we've ever done something of this nature, so we didn't know what to expect," he said. "It's a great addition to Eighth street."
"It's just great to see the community coming together,” agreed Dooley. “We're just proud to see that happening in Crescent Heights."

Medicine Hat News
Police have arrested a man who they say hit two vehicles while driving a stolen car on Sunday afternoon.
At about 2:45 p.m. on Sunday, police took a 46-year-old man into custody near Eagle Butte High School on Township Road 120 near Dunmore after the vehicle apparently broke down.
The man, who was not identified, is listed as having no fixed address.
Police say the car was reported stolen in Calgary and was involved in two hit-and-run accidents earlier in the day.
The man faces several criminal and provincial traffic charges. As well, the Medicine Hat Police Service says the man is also under investigation for several other local criminal matters.
He was to be formally charged late Sunday night or early Monday, according to a police release.

The Sapper Stephan Stock Memorial Walk in support of Valour Place takes place on May 12 with the fallen soldier's mother, Leona Stock, saying 60 participants have so far signed up.

More than 250 exhibitors are expected at the Southern Alberta Petroleum Show about to descend upon the Cypress Centre May 8-9. SAPS is the only trade show in Southern Alberta to place such a wide variety of oil and gas movers and shakers in the same location.

The Medicine Hat Catholic School Board will introduce its new superintendent to the public in their open house meeting in the next few weeks. Current Monsignor McCoy principal Clyde Pudwell takes over the post on August 1 but reporters will be sad to see David Leahy go.

In reference to the article featured on the front page of the News Friday entitled "Region gets $3M for home care," it should be noted that Medicine Hat is located in the eastern portion of Alberta Health Service's South Zone.

"We actually are starting to see some results," said local SPCA executive director Audrey Becker of the Spay/Neuter Assistance Program (SNAP), assisting people who can't otherwise afford to have their cat or dog undergo the surgery.

The phrase "It takes a village to raise a child" rings true as Alberta Education Week wraps up for another year in schools across the province. For Southview Community School, topping off the week was a visit Friday morning from ROCK 105.

Gary Patzer, Arborilogical Foreman with the City of Medicine Hat, says although many of the city's trees remain dormant he hasn't found any evidence to indicate that the winter killed off any of the commodity.