Man dressed as Santa rescued from power lines in California

·1 min read

RIO LINDA, Calif. — Santa found himself a little more tied up than usual this time of year.

A Northern California man impersonating Santa Claus and flying on a powered parachute was rescued Sunday after he became entangled in power lines, authorities said.

The incident happened shortly after the man took off near a school in Rio Linda to deliver candy canes to children in his community. He flew into a maze of power lines and wound up suspended in them, a Federal Aviation Administration spokesman told KCRA-TV.

The man, who wasn’t identified, was not injured.

Video from the rescue shows the red-white-and-blue aircraft dangling overhead as Santa sat fastened to the pilot seat.

Neighbours watched from the ground as crews worked.

Colleen Bousliman, who lives nearby, said the pilot flies overhead often.

“He flies just around so people can see and flies around people’s houses,” she said. “This was the first time he was in his Santa suit."

Power was shut off during the rescue to about 200 customers in the Rio Linda area, according to Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District spokesman Chris Vestal.

“It’s unfortunate, but we all need to remember that there’s still a lot of good out in the world, there are people doing good things and to look at the brightness of the holiday season,” Vestal said.

He said it didn’t take long to rescue the costumed pilot and lower him to safety.

“W/o a scratch & full of good cheer we made sure Old St. Nick will use his reindeer when he sees you later this year,” the fire department said in a tweet after the incident.

The Associated Press

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    Contractors are working to build up the winter ice road to Fort Chipewyan, after it was closed earlier in January due to safety concerns. The closure happened after warm weather caused problems with the ice thickness over two sections of the Des Rocher River crossings. The Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo announced on Thursday it was sending out a specialized contractor to rebuild the crossings. Coun. Bruce Inglis said the weather this January has been unusual and the community is even seeing large swaths of uncovered ice on Lake Athabasca. "That is not the least bit normal," said Inglis. "We should just be seeing ice and snow." Inglis said the community is adaptable and residents understand the challenges faced with the road this year. The road was already shortened this year, as the section connecting Fort Chipewyan to Fort Smith wasn't built as a COVID-19 precaution. The remaining 288 kilometres connecting Fort Chipewyan to Fort McMurray opened on Dec. 31, but closed two weeks later. The road is used by many to get groceries, visit family or go to medical appointments in Fort McMurray. One of the main concerns for the community is fuel supply. Every year hundreds of trucks travel along the road to bring in fuel for electricity, cars and heating homes. "We know our supply is OK at the moment, but we're very much focused on that," said Inglis. Inglis added there's a visual reminder about the importance of winter road safety — a truck that went off the side of the road. The driver was able to escape the vehicle in time. "It's just barely sticking out of the river," said Inglis "It's a big reminder to people, how tenuous this could be." Mikisew Cree First Nation Chief Peter Powder said people are still able to get in and out of the community by plane. He said leadership has been keeping a close eye on the fuel situation. "We're OK right now. We're not in panic mode," said Powder. "We're just being proactive and making sure that we have a good picture of what we have for our community." He estimated that the community likely has four to six weeks of fuel stocked in town. Elder Alice Rigney said her main concern is safety. "Sure we depend on it, but we want safety," said Rigney. She pointed to the truck sticking out of the water. "That's the kind of things you have to worry about." Rigney noted in Dene January is called "cold month," but the weather is different this year. "It's not cold. It's been very mild. Too mild for the winter road," said Rigney. She added that she doesn't want to travel at this time because of COVID-19. Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation Chief Allan Adam said an all-weather road should be considered for the area. "Let's face it, we are in the 21st century… why isn't there an all-weather road to Fort Chip?" said Adam. Adam said the trouble with the winter road is "putting the community in jeopardy." In 1998, the winter road was temporarily closed because the ice crossings couldn't support vehicle traffic, according to the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo. As well, last year the municipality struggled with ice integrity for larger loads and brought in a specialized contractor to build ice. The contractors are currently working on this year's winter road and the goal is to have the road open in early February.

  • Record year of home sales in Waterloo Region

    The real estate market saw “exceptional” sales activity in the Waterloo Region last year. Home sales in 2020 exceeded the “6,000-unit threshold for only the third time in our history,” said Nicole Pohl, President of Kitchener-Waterloo Association of REALTORS in a media announcement. December also marked “the sixth consecutive month of record home sales in Kitchener-Waterloo,” she added. KWAR reported a nine per cent increase in residential home sales compared to 2019. Sales rose five per cent over the five year average and 11.6 per cent above the ten-year average. December 351 home sales were the highest ever recorded by the group, with 42 per cent more home sales compared to last year. This included 204 detached (up by 46.7 per cent), and 63 condominium-style semi-detached, townhome, apartment and detached units, which were up 34 per cent. KWAR reported 3,899 detached residential units sold in 2020 (up 8.1 per cent), and 804 condominium units (up 19 per cent), compared to last year. Sales also included 450 semi-detached homes (up 6.8 per cent) and 1,346 freehold townhouses (up 7 per cent), they add.“On a year-to-date basis, the average sale price of all residential properties sold in 2020 increased by 16.1 per cent to $612,521 compared to 2019,” they report. “Detached homes sold for an average price of $719,203, an increase of 16.9 per cent compared to 2019.” Low inventory was reported to be a factor in Waterloo Region, much like the rest of Ontario. The average time on market remained less than one month through most of the year, KWAR reported. The average days on market for homes sold in 2020 was 16 days, compared to a 5-year average of 27 days. For context, the average time of residential homes on the market between 2011 and 2015, KWAR reported, averaged 4months. “Looking to the year ahead, we should expect more of the same” Pohl predicted. “Real estate continues to be one of the shining lights supporting the Ontario economy, so we do not expect to see any significant efforts to try to cool the market. Buyers should continue to expect stiff competition in Waterloo Region.” Swikar Oli, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Cambridge Times

  • County argues personal medical cannabis growers underregulated

    After complaints from its residents, Wheatland County is confronting large, personal medicinal cannabis growing facilities that, unlike regulated commercial facilities, operate without having to notify the municipality. Tom Ikert, Division 4 Councillor, brought forth the issue after becoming aware of a cannabis growing operation close to his residence. “I went to the county because the neighbours were complaining about the smell,” he said. At first Ikert was assured that no growing facility exists in the area – the county allows commercial cannabis cultivation in the Wheatland Industrial Park only – but he later determined the facility was a personal medical cannabis growing facility. A big one. In November 2020, Wheatland County published a white paper arguing there is a regulatory gap for personal and medicinal cannabis growing that is creating safety and environmental risks and causing disputes among neighbours. The white paper was sent to local MLAs, Bow River MP Martin Shields, and Premier Jason Kenney. Under Canada’s cannabis laws, the federal government is responsible for the rules for cannabis production and processing, while provinces and territories are responsible for regulating distribution and sale. While Alberta municipalities have the power to create land use bylaws on where cannabis can be grown, these apply to commercial enterprises only. Municipal policies and land use regulations are not applicable to personal cannabis production. Under Health Canada’s Medicinal Use of Cannabis application, individuals can apply for a medicinal growing license. The number of plants each license holder is allowed is determined by a calculator tool that creates an output based on the number of grams they are prescribed daily. Up to 485 cannabis plants can be grown at home, without the requirement of notifying local authorities. “Even if you don’t know what you’re doing, that’s 1,000 pounds of weed you can grow in a year if you’re using 500-watt bulbs,” said Ikert. He added many of these growers have brought three-phase power onto the sites, which raises questions as to whether the cannabis grown is strictly for personal use as restricted by law. While the permit holder is expected to meet local bylaws, regulations and safety code requirements, the application and approval process does not require confirmation that all municipal requirements have been met. The county is arguing this has created a large regulatory loophole, where large cannabis growing facilities can be active without being known or accountable to municipal enforcement. The problem is exacerbated by regulations allowing a designated producer to be registered by multiple permit holders. Multiple (up to four) registrations can be active at one same location, meaning up to 1,940 plants can be grown together. “You can also congregate, in a sense,” said Bow River MP Martin Shields. “Three or four growers get together and say, ‘let’s just roll with this one place,’” he said. “Wheatland County is absolutely right saying that if cannabis is being grown as a congregated personal site, municipalities have no clue what’s out there.” Many growers choose to make changes to their homes or buildings that legally require an electrical, gas or building permit. If they applied for a permit, it would be reviewed for compliance with the Alberta Building Code and the work inspected by a safety codes officer, once complete. But by not having to notify municipalities, these growers may skip the permit process and install new systems that are unsafe, the white paper argues. Without the requirement for proper ventilation, there is potential for environmental health issues from home cannabis growing, including air quality and moisture concerns (e.g. mould), and chemical exposure from use of herbicides, pesticides and fungicides, it states. Residents also have little recourse when faced with nuisance issues from a neighbouring facility, namely odours. If the county is notified of a nuisance growing facility that is not a known commercial operation with a development permit, the RCMP will be contacted. However, if the occupant or owner is found to have a license for medical cannabis, the only option is to let the license holder know of the complaint and work toward a voluntary solution. These personal medical grow operations do not have to have the same security systems that commercial sites require, resulting in a higher potential for crime, added Shields. The resolution of the white paper is for the Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA) to collaborate with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), to advocate for Health Canada to ensure municipal compliance for all personal medical cannabis production facilities for existing license holders and prior to approval for all future applications. Reeve Amber Link presented the paper to the RMA District 2: Central directors, who supported the resolution. It will go forward to the RMA District 2 spring meeting on Feb. 5. If the resolution receives support at that meeting, it will go to the RMA spring convention for consideration by all rural municipalities in Alberta, she explained. The paper will also be presented to the FCM during its March 2021 board meeting. Sean Feagan, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Strathmore Times

  • Meals for appreciation of Strathmore health care workers

    Frontline health care workers in Strathmore had a bit of extra time following their long shifts last week thanks to an initiative to provide them with a free meal. The meals were provided by the Calgary Health Foundation, a charity that raises money for health care across the City of Calgary and surrounding communities. The initiative, called Feed the Frontline, started after the organization started to receive requests from the community for ways to show gratitude to frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, explained Valerie Ball, director of marketing, communications and community engagement with the organization. “I think over the last couple of months, health care workers have been tirelessly putting everything that they have into providing care and fighting COVID-19 and ensuring that we are taken well care of,” said Ball. “So, people just really wanted a way to give back and give thanks.” The meals, from Sunterra Market in Calgary, were offered to staff members working in hospital and community health centres, in Calgary and 16 surrounding communities, said Ball. “It’s just to give them a night off, after everything they put into work every single day, whether it’s to fill their belly and rejuvenate or maybe spend some more time with their family.” Feed the Frontline provided health care workers in the region 21,000 meals in total, including 325 meals to health care workers living in Strathmore. The meals are a welcome relief, said Shayla Noel, a pre-triage screener at the Strathmore Hospital. “We do get pretty busy and it’s exhausting some days, so to be recognized is just touching,” said Noel. “I know everyone who is being recognized is very appreciative.” Work in the hospital has been busy, but everyone can still be seen, said Jarrett Fawdry, Strathmore Hospital site manager. “COVID is an old hat now – with our enhanced infection prevention and control measures, we’re very comfortable inside with what we’re doing to protect our patients in the community.” With meal prep and cooking out of the way for a night, Fawdry said he would spend some extra time with his kids, while Noel said she “might go to bed early.” Sean Feagan, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Strathmore Times

  • Water quality improvement work continues at Kipabiskau

    Lake Kipabiskau Regional Park Board and Water Quality Committee members have been working for years to improve their dropping water quality and are asking local groups to support them moving forward. Through the University of Regina’s Department of Biology, researchers have been doing spring and fall water quality tests in 23 Saskatchewan lakes, including Kipabiskau. Now the Kipabiskau board and committee want to take the process one step further and ask the university for their assistance with bigger water quality improvement projects, like assistance with weed harvesting and nutrient limitations. The board has sent out letters to local stakeholders asking for their support of this project, including Melfort city council and Tisdale town council, the Carrot River Watershed Authority, and Ducks Unlimited. Located just 40 kilometres south of Tisdale, Kipabiskau is home to Stoney Lake Bible Camp which sees over 2,000 campers a year, 184 cabins, and 61 season campsites, water quality has been an ongoing issue for the last 25 years, according to a recent press release from the board and committee. Five inlets empty into Kipabiskau, said Al Bradshaw, a member of the Water Quality Committee and all-season resident of the lake, and the surrounding agricultural operations, whether it is livestock pastures or cropland, does have an impact on the amount of nutrients going into the lake. “There's a big drainage basin here coming in from Pleasantdale area through farmland. There's just a whole lot of things happening before the water gets here (to Kipabiskau).” When Ross Mireau first started living at Kipabiskau 25 years ago, lake goers may have seen some blue-green algae appearances in August or late in the year but it has gotten considerably worse. Too much blue-green algae can do much by way of dropping the recreational value of the lake, said the Kipabiskau Regional Park board member, and increased weeds along the shoreline have made boating activities more difficult as well. The board and committee have done their own remediation work to improve water quality, he said, many of which will cut back on effluent going back into the lake. Inspections were done on all cabins to ensure the proper disposal of greywater from sinks and showers, as well as vaults being put under all remaining outhouses to eliminate that as a runoff source. Mireau attributed other work to the Water Quality Committee, including proper dog waste stations around the regional park and signage to promote the proper disposal of greywater. While this work has meant lessening their own impact on Kipabiskau, more needs to be done, Mireau said. While possible projects through the University of Regina have not been approved as of yet and grant money will be needed to fund these projects, Mireau is hopeful that these projects will happen in the near future. His hope is to see a vast improvement in the water quality in Kipabiskau over the next five years. Becky Zimmer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Battlefords Regional News-Optimist

  • Snowbombing and digging: Crews in Yukon still working to clear the South Klondike Highway

    The South Klondike Highway south of Carcross, Yukon, is still deemed impassable Friday morning after a series of avalanches earlier this week. A map on the 511 Yukon road report shows the closure extends from Carcross and south beyond the Yukon border. While crews have been working away to clear the road, Greg Eikland, western area supervisor with the Department of Highways and Public Works, says there's still a lot more snow to be dealt with as of Thursday before it can reopen. He says the avalanches are rated about a three on a one-to-five scale and can be around 15 feet high and between 40 to 100 feet wide. "A size three is [like] a very small car," he said adding it could take out a smaller building and bring down trees with it. So far, he says since there isn't any reported damage, though sometimes avalanches can cause problems for the guard rails on the road. Right now, crews are still working on digging through the snow. "We just target areas that are frequent avalanche zones," Eikland said. He explained that if the avalanches don't come down, when they should or if there is a lot of snow storage, such as large overhangs, then they'll do controlled snowbombing. "We'll actually close the road, bomb them and deal with snow that way," he said. "One particular [avalanche] that is a pretty active one, it didn't come down, so [we] threw some charges on that and brought it down." "So that just adds to the amount of work that we have to get everything cleaned up so we can open this road back up." More avalanches than usual Eikland says there can be up to about eight people working on the snow clearing. While the avalanches are only a little bigger that usual, he says it's an exceptional year in terms of how often they're tumbling. "It's just the frequency of them — they're coming down quite a bit," he said. "It's a good winter for snow for sure." He says, despite the border to Alaska being closed to all non-essential travel, it's still important that the highway is passable for fuel trucks and other traffic needing to get through. "We try and get a hole punched through so at least if we have to move some traffic for emergencies or what not we can all get them out," Eikland said. "Hopefully we can get that out as soon as we can … just keep keep plugging away at these avalanches and then we should be ready to open." It's hard to predict when the highway might open, but Eikland said on Thursday that the highway could open Friday afternoon or sometime on Saturday. 'Avalanches still possible out there' James Minifie, lead avalanche field technician for Avalanche Canada in Yukon, said Friday morning that people should stay aware of the fact that big storms have been creating sizeable avalanches. "People should continue to look for that pattern of storms coming, you know avalanche danger goes up during and shortly after the storm, and then kind of slowly comes down over the next few days." He said if people are heading out into inland areas they should build time into their day to account for varying conditions. "You might get surprised by avalanches in places that you wouldn't expect them, so, you know, really taking time to think hard about your route and using terrain wisely to ... reach your objective." "Avalanches are still possible out there, even though we've come into the moderate danger rating. You know just really thinking about the steepness of the slope," he said. He said people should also be aware of the quality of the snow, listen for "whompf" sounds, and watch for cracks. He said people in Yukon can get information on the Yukon avalanche website or the Avalanche Canada website. People should also post to the Mountain Information Network so they can track inland snow conditions.

  • Treaty 6 Chiefs are concerned: Alberta's vaccine rollout is failing First Nations

    (ANNews) – The COVID-19 vaccination supply coming to Canada has changed and at least in the short term, it will be much less than was originally planned. Minister of Health Tyler Shandro issued a statement on the latest changes in the amount of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine coming to Canada, saying “I am extremely concerned by the announcement that Pfizer is even further decreasing the amount of COVID-19 vaccine coming to Canada from its factory in Belgium, with no doses expected to arrive next week and further anticipated reductions in the two weeks following.” Alberta’s Health Minister continued by announcing that the focus will be shifted to delivering second doses for those who have already been vaccinated. Elderly people in long-term care homes and healthcare workers who have been administered their first dose are the province’s main priority. First time dose appointments for healthcare workers are postponed as well as some second dose appointments. Shandro then went on to mention that province may not be able to vaccinate elderly people in the general population or Elders living within First Nations territory. “A sharp decrease in vaccines coming to Alberta may also further delay our plans to expand vaccination to all seniors over the age of 75 in the community and individuals over the age of 65 in First Nations communities and Metis Settlements around the province.” “Alberta has the capacity to deliver about 50,000 doses per week and rapidly expand distribution, but we lack supply. Whether we like it or not, Canadian provinces are dependent on the Government of Canada for vaccine supply. We continue to advocate to our federal partners to increase the supply of vaccine as soon as possible,” said Minister Shandro. Meanwhile in Ottawa, Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller says the Federal Government is working with the provinces to prioritize vaccinating Indigenous people against COVID-19. “This is a particularly acute issue and challenge when we’re talking about the deployment of the vaccine,” Miller told a news conference Wednesday Jan 20, in Ottawa. Concerned that Ottawa is not able to vaccinate its Indigenous population living off-reserve, Miller said, “We need participation of the provinces to ensure that needles get into the arms of people that are the most vulnerable.” “The role of the federal government, in my mind, is to offer our assets, offer our co-operation, our resources, our logistical capacities.” In response to the announcements, the Confederacy of Treaty 6 First Nations said that they are dissatisfied with “the COVID-19 Vaccine Implementation Plan proposed for our respective Nations without Free, Prior and Informed Consent. “There has been a failure to align resources consistent with the Famine and Pestilence Clause, the Medicine Chest, and the Treaty Right to Health." “Until the past week, our Nations were not informed that Health Canada had engaged Alberta Health Services to determine our vaccine requirements. In the past few months, Canada announced publicly on several occasions that Treaty First Nations were a priority and that vaccines would be provided. First Nations are at a greater risk of exposure due to a number of factors including, overcrowded homes with multi-generational families, lack of housing, remoteness, poverty, and distances to health care facilities and providers,” said the Confederacy in a statement. Also responding to the announcement is Chief Tony Alexis, who issued a statement condemning the vaccination roll-out happening in Alberta, “Meanwhile in Alberta under Minister Shandro’s watch, First Nations communities are seeing case numbers rapidly rise, while the rest of the Alberta covid numbers decline.” “The rate of infections, hospitalizations and ICU admissions for First Nations is increasing at an alarming rate compared to the rest of Alberta. The situation is dire for our people. In my community of Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation, over 5 per cent of the population has COVID-19 and numbers rise daily.” Alberta Regional Chief of the Assembly of First Nations Marlene Poitras added, “First Nations communities are reaching a breaking point with new cases of COVID-19. When considering the data provided by Alberta Health, we see hospitalization rates of 4.3 for Alberta in general and 7.1 for First Nations living in Alberta. These disparities are un acceptable. There was some hope that access to a vaccine would help us. However, given recent decisions of the Provincial Government, which lacked meaningful First Nations involvement, trust and commitment to partnership continues to be in question. “I’m calling upon the Provincial Government to ensure First Nations leadership are at the decision making tables…to ensure that all First Nations communities are protected from the ravages of COVID-19. “How many times must it be said that Sovereign First Nations must be involved in the decisions that affect them?” The National Advisory Committee on Immunization recommends the first phase of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout prioritize people who live and work in long-term care homes, people over the age of 80, front-line health workers, and adults in Indigenous communities where an outbreak can be particularly harmful and hard to manage. Indigenous Services Canada said there have been 89 COVID-19 cases, including 15 deaths, in nine long-term care homes on reserves located in Manitoba, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec. The number of COVID-19 active cases in First Nations communities reached an all-time high this week with 5,571 reported cases as of Tuesday Jan. 19 Jacob Cardinl, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Alberta Native News

  • P.E.I. opening 13 new public workspaces with internet access

    The P.E.I. government is opening what it is calling work and study hubs across the province to provide a workspace and reliable internet access to people who need it. Economic Growth Minister Matthew MacKay said the plan is a response to the increased need for Islanders to work and study online during the pandemic. "Islanders need access to a reliable internet connection now more than ever before," said MacKay in a news release. "Our hope with the work and study hubs is that we can help fill the gap as we continue working towards expanding broadband internet across the province." The hubs will be installed in 13 locations, from one end of the Island to the other. Tignish: Tignish Initiatives. Northport/Alberton: Community Centre. O'Leary: Future Tech West. Wellington: Royal Canadian Legion. Bedeque: Rural Women's Business Centre. Stanley Bridge: Stanley Bridge Hall. Kensington: Credit Union Centre. North Rustico: North Rustico Lions Club. Grand Tracadie: Grand Tracadie Community Centre. St. Peters: St. Peters Community Centre. Souris: Matthew McLean Building. Murray Harbour: Murray Harbour Community Centre. Cardigan: Cardigan Fireman's Office. Users will bring their own devices to connect to the internet. Physical distancing and masks are required at all hubs. They will have space for up to six people at a time. Eight of the hubs will open Monday, with the remaining opening the following week. The government has set up a website with details of opening hours. More from CBC P.E.I.

  • Arviat reports 1 new case of COVID-19

    There's one new case of COVID-19 in Nunavut, the government announced Friday morning in a news release. The case, which is in Arviat, is the territory's first new case since Dec. 28. The person is asymptomatic, isolating and doing well. Contact tracing is underway. Dr. Michael Patterson, Nunavut's chief public health officer, said in a statement that the positive result was part of follow-up surveillance testing in response to the earlier outbreak. He says the current health measures in Arviat will remain in place. "There is no evidence of community transmission and the risk of the virus spreading is low," Patterson said. The vaccine clinics in Arviat are set to continue from Feb. 11 to 15, when a second dose of the Moderna vaccine will be administered to those who took part in the January clinics. The news release says there is evidence that shows after the second dose, the vaccine is 94 per cent effective in reducing the risks of developing serious complications due to COVID-19. Arviat residents who missed the first vaccination clinics and wish to receive the vaccine can call the health centre to make an appointment, the territory says. Premier Joe Savikataaq says Friday's case shows that residents need to remain vigilant when it comes to following public health measures. "COVID is ever-present, and Nunavut and our communities are not exceptions," Savikataaq said. "Please continue to maintain physical distance and wear masks when you cannot, wash your hands frequently, stay home when you feel unwell." Those who think they have been exposed to COVID-19 should call the COVID-19 hotline at 1-888-975-8601 between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. EST, or notify their community health centre right away, and immediately isolate at home for 14 days. Do not go to the health centre in person, the territory says.