EDMONTON — An Edmonton-area teacher has been found not guilty of sexual assault in the touching of a female colleague.

A judge ruled there was no provable sexual nature to the touch but did find Heinemann guilty of assault. Heinemann admitted in court to touching the buttocks of a female colleague without her consent. The incident took place in a school copier room in 2017

Aaron Heinemann was charged with sexual assault two years later, in relation to that incident. A two-day trial that included testimony from an eyewitness took place in March with a publication ban in place.

The Crown and Defence submitted approximately 40 similar prior cases to give the judge guidance. Sentencing is expected at a later date.

EDMONTON — As outdoor temperatures push Alberta thermometers to new highs, first responders have been kept busy dealing with heat-related emergencies.

According to Alberta Health Services, Tuesday saw paramedics in Edmonton respond to 48 calls related to the heat.

Since Tuesday afternoon, Edmonton emergency rooms have had 18 heat-related visits.

Calgary emergency rooms saw 10 heat-related visits since Tuesday, while paramedics in that city responded to 24 calls related to the heat.

CTV News Edmonton reported on Monday that last week saw Edmonton Fire Rescue Services respond to 30 incidents of people or animals locked in vehicles.

Updated numbers from EFRS suggest the trend has worsened since those numbers came out, with 17 new incidents reported since Monday.

Since June 24, EFRS have responded to 40 cases of animals or people locked in vehicles.

Eighteen of those calls were for people, 22 were for animals.

On Monday alone, rescue crews were called 13 times for such incidents; nine for animals, and four for people.

RECORD-BREAKING POWER CONSUMPTION

According to Alberta’s power grid operator, Monday and Tuesday saw record summertime highs for power consumption in the province.

Tuesday’s power use in the province led the Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) declare an energy emergency alert. 

The 11,721 MW used in Alberta on Tuesday was eight MW shy of the all-time record which was set in the wintertime.

The AESO has been asking Albertans to do what they can to conserve power. A sentiment echoed by EPCOR.

“We are joining the AESO in encouraging Edmontonians to reduce their power use, especially during peak hours of 4 to 9 p.m.,” the Edmonton-based utility company stated in a news release.

“Steps customers can take include: turning off unnecessary lights and electrical appliances; minimizing the use of air conditioners; and limiting the use of major power-consuming equipment such as dishwashers and washers and dryers.” 

EPCOR said customers are encouraged “to be prepared for power outages given the potential for current conditions to affect the performance of electrical equipment.”

DIRECT ENERGY REGULATED SERVICES INCREASING JULY RATES

On Wednesday afternoon, Direct Energy Regulated Services (DERS) announced in a news release that default rates would be applied for July.

“A typical residential customer consuming 600 kWh per month would see approximately a $13.58 or 7 per cent increase in the total amount of their bill compared to last month,” a DERS news release stated.

Energy rates are adjusted monthly to reflect what DERS pays to purchase energy for regulated customers in the ATCO Electric service territory.

According to DERS, the energy rate for July is about 35 per cent higher than the rate charged in June.

According to CTV News Edmonton meteorologist Josh Classen, the single-day record for June 30 in Edmonton “will definitely get shattered” on Wednesday.

EDMONTON — The body of a man killed and dumped in a septic tank near Tofield, Alta. in 1977 has been identified by RCMP with the use of forensic genetic genealogy.

On April 13, 1977, a body was found in a septic tank on an abandoned farm 55 kilometres east of Tofield.

The body was covered in lime, wrapped in a bed sheet and tied with a nylon rope. Police say parts of the body were mutilated, and the victim was shot twice with a .32 calibre semi or automatic weapon.

The crime has been unsolved for more than 40 years.

RCMP say the state of the body prevented it from being identified until now.

The man has been identified as Gordon (Gordie) Edwin Sanderson. He was born in Manitoba on Oct. 22, 1950. Police say he was in his mid-20s when he died.

After seeing officers in California use genetic genealogy to find the Golden State Killer, officers in Alberta decided to try a similar technique.

“We in the serious crimes branch saw the potential of this new technique,” said Zazulak.

RCMP partnered with a lab in Texas to create a DNA profile, and then that profile is uploaded to a public genealogy website in compliance with the site’s terms and conditions.

“We were fortunate that someone within Gordie’s family had participated and had consented to having their DNA profile shared and matched against others and then we were able to find Joyce.”

“There have been many different RCMP investigators over the years trying to solve this crime,” Staff Sgt. Jason Zazulak.

“Until we know the answers and gather evidence and hopefully provide enough information and evidence to see these through to court, we’re never finished. The use of the term cold case is a bit of a misnomer, as investigations never end.”

Police say Sanderson was part of the 60s Scoop, and was put into foster care at the age of nine.

“He struggled with addictions and has various run-ins with police,” he said.

In the 1970s he was living in Edmonton, and was going to visit his brother Arthur in Calgary when he disappeared.

RCMP believe Sanderson was killed by associates of his involved in various criminal acts in the Edmonton area. However, they do acknowledge that his killer may not be alive today.

“Between the passage of time and just some of the lifestyles that people were involved in at the time as well it’s very possible that they have passed away.”

RCMP want to speak with anyone who may have known Gordie Sanderson, or have information about his death to contact the Tofield RCMP at 780-662-3353.

EDMONTON — Connor McDavid’s dominant 2020-21 season left little room for doubt when it came to naming this year’s NHL most valuable player.

The Edmonton Oilers captain picked up his second career Hart Trophy on Tuesday and, just as it was when he won this season’s scoring race, he left the runner-up in the dust.

McDavid received first-place votes on all 100 ballots, becoming just the second unanimous winner of the award. The other was another Oilers superstar centre. Wayne Gretzky swept all 63 first place votes in 1981-82 following his 92-goal, 212-point season.

Toronto Maple Leafs centre Auston Matthews who earned 69 second-place votes and was named on 98 of the 100 ballots, finished second to McDavid with 600 voting points — 400 behind McDavid. Colorado Avalanche centre Nathan MacKinnon was third at 313.

McDavid dominated the 2020-21 scoring race with 105 points (33 goals, 72 assists) in 56 games — 21 more points than Oilers teammate Leon Draisaitl, who won the award last year.

The 24-year-old from Newmarket, Ont., — who won the Hart Trophy in 2016-17 and finished third in voting in 2018-19 — is the fifth player in NHL history to capture the award multiple times before his 25th birthday after Wayne Gretzky (6x), Bobby Orr (3x), Gordie Howe (2x) and Alexander Ovechkin (2x).

McDavid’s win also makes the Oilers the first team with different Hart Trophy winners in consecutive seasons since the Boston Bruins in 1968-69 (Phil Esposito) and 1969-70 (Bobby Orr).

McDavid also won the Ted Lindsay Award, awarded to the league’s most outstanding player as voted on by members of the NHL Players’ Association, for the third time in his career.

In other awards, Vegas Golden Knights netminder Marc-Andre Fleury won the Vezina Trophy as top goaltender, Adam Fox of New York Rangers took the Norris Trophy as top defenceman and Minnesota Wild forward Kirill Kaprizov won the Calder Trophy as top rookie.

Fleury, a first-time Vezina finalist, ranked third in the NHL in wins (26), goals-against average (1.98), save percentage (.928) and shutouts (six) in 36 appearances.

Fleury earned 108 voting points, edging 2018-19 Vezina Trophy winner Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning (99 points). Philipp Grubauer of the Colorado Avalanche ranked third with 36 points.

Fox had five goals and 42 assists in 55 games with the Rangers with a plus-19 rating and 14 penalty minutes. He led NHL defencemen in assists, ranked second in points and power play assists (21), tied for second in power play points (23) and ranked third in takeaways (38).

Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche was second with 655 points, while Victor Hedman of the Tampa Bay Lightning was third with 433 points.

Kaprizov led his team, and NHL rookies, in goals (27) and points (51). He was a near-unanimous winner, receiving 99 of 100 first-place votes and one second-choice selection for 997 voting points.

Dallas Stars forward Jason Robertson, ranked second with 689 voting points, followed by Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic (386 points).

McDavid, Vasilevskiy, Fox and Makar were named to the NHL’s first all-star team, along with Toronto forward Mitch Marner and Boston forward Brad Marchand.

Fleury, Hedman and Matthews were named second-team all-stars, along with Carolina defenceman Dougie Hamilton, Colorado forward Mikko Rantanen and Florida forward Jonathan Huberdeau.

Kaprizov, Robertson and Nedeljkovic were named to the all-rookie team along with New Jersey defenceman Ty Smith, Rangers defenceman K’Andre Miller and Ottawa forward Josh Norris.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 29, 2021

CALGARY — Record high temperatures combined with significantly lower precipitation this year have many areas of Alberta heading toward drought.

The Calgary area has received just two-thirds of its normal precipitation since Jan. 1 — 117.7mm so far, which is nearly 60mm shy of the long-term average according to Environment Canada.

In many places, crops which should be growing quickly are starting to turn brown.

One life-long farmer near Strathmore says his usually dependable pasture has just a fraction of its normal growth, and he’s already concerned about where he will find feed for his cattle.

“You know, we’re not at the end of this yet but this is one of the worst years I’ve seen,” said Roger Deeg, of Deeg Simmentals north east of Strathmore.

“There’s 75 cow-calf pairs here and my biggest fear in all this is keeping them fed, keeping them healthy.”

If drought conditions continue to worsen with the heat, he may be forced to sell off some of that herd.

“Thirty-eight degrees and a stiff wind just sucks (the moisture) out. You look at the countryside and it goes from pale green to brown in a hurry,” said Deeg.

It’s a challenge facing thousands of farmers across the province.

Alberta Pork Producers say pigs are holding up well in the heat and all producers have large ventilation fans in the barns to keep air circulating. Some also have misting systems to help cool the animals.

Alberta’s weekly crop report shows much of the province still in largely good condition, but it was last released June 22.

The report comes out each Friday, and the Calgary area is forecast to reach at least 30 C, five out of the next nine days. The lowest forecast high is 26 C.