Cochrane’s new town council divvied up committee work for the upcoming year at its first meeting Oct. 25.
The committee roles will be reassigned in October, 2005.
Assessment Review Board: Couns. Larry Wackershauser, Ken Hynes and Andy Marshall;
Bully-Free Community Task Force: Mary Lou Davis, Wackershauser;
Business Licence Appeals Committee: Davis;
Calgary Regional Partnership: Mayor Ken Bech;
Cochrane Arts Council: Hynes;
Cochrane Environmental Management Advisory Committee: Marshall;
Cochrane Planning Commission: Couns. Jeff Genung and Truper McBride;
Cochrane Ranche/RancheHouse Committee: Genung, McBride;
Community Survey Steering Committee: Marshall;
Disaster Services Committee: Bech, deputy mayor;
Family and Community Support Services: Hynes;
Intermunicipal Committee with Municipal District of Rocky View: Wackershauser, Genung, Hynes, Marshall;
Intermunicipal Committee with the M.D. of Bighorn: Davis, Wackershauser, Marshall;
Municipal Facilities Implementation Committee: Genung, Davis, Wackershauser;
Nan Boothby Library Board: McBride;
Noise/Nuisance Bylaw Committee: McBride;
Rocky View Foundation: Marshall, Hynes (alternate);
Spray Lake Sawmills Recreation Park Society: Genung, Wackershauser (alternate);
Strategic Planning Information Team: Davis, Wackershauser;
Subdivision and Development Appeal Board: Hynes, Wackershauser (alternate);
Team Health for Cochrane and District: Davis, Hynes;
Wired West Initiative: McBride;
Optional Committees:
Bow River Basin Council: Marshall;
Brownfield Committee: Marshall;
Cochrane Environmental Action Committee: Genung;
Cochrane Society for Housing Options: Hynes, Genung;
Health and Wellness Committee: Hynes.

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By Shawn Logan
The Eagle
A Cochrane-area man has been endorsed by the Progressive Con-servatives to run for one of four senators-in-waiting positions up for grabs in the Nov. 22 provincial election.
David Usherwood, who lives on a farm northeast of Cochrane, hopes the federal government will recognize an elected Senate will begin making the system more democratic.
“This is the first step in what I would call a democratic reform,” he said. “It’s not something I’m going to lie awake thinking about. Maybe I can make a difference if I’m elected.”
Usherwood, 58, is one of five Tories running for the four positions, including former MPs Jim Silye and Cliff Breitkreuz, current senator-in-waiting Bert Brown and Betty Unger of Edmonton. More candidates are expected.
With three of Alberta’s six Senate seats soon to be vacant, Usherwood said he would like to see Prime Minister Paul Martin honour Albertan’s wishes by appointing replacements from an elected pool.
“There are a lot of good initiatives coming out of Alberta on a lot of things,” he said. “We look at problems, wrestle them to the ground and come up with alternatives. We’re in a position where we could start things changing.”
Alberta has previously attempted to convince Ottawa to appoint elected senators.
Brown and the Tory candidate for the new Foothills-Rockyview riding, Ted Morton, were elected in 1998 but failed to reach Canada’s upper house.
Usherwood acknowledged the ruling Liberal government has shown little enthusiasm towards appointing an elected senator but the federal Conservatives, the official opposition in a minority government, may make reforms if they assume the leadership.
“I suspect they will support an elected senate,” he said.
In order to gain a nomination, Usherwood has 14 days from the start of the election campaign (Oct. 25) to secure 1,500 names on his nomination papers and raise $4,000.
Usherwood is chair of the Ag and Food Committee of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce and a member of Alberta Agriculture’s Govern-ment and Beef Industry BSE (bovine spongi-form encephalopaty) Task Force.
He ran unsuccessfully for the Municipal District of Rocky View council in a 2003 byelection for the Cochrane-area ward. The byelection was marred by accusations that Usherwood had tampered with campaign literature of eventual winner Paul McLean, charges Usherwood ultimately admitted to.

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Dear Editor:
For the last few years I have been decorating my front yard for Halloween.
I’ve put out a huge spider, the grim reaper, witches, Frankenstein, ghosts and a giant pumpkin.
During the night of Oct. 18, the pumpkin disappeared from my yard. This pumpkin was homemade with about 45 metres of bright orange material with a black face and green stem.
If you are not someone who sews, this may not be a big deal but it took a lot of work to build this pumpkin.
For the last three years I have covered a bush in my yard with this pumpkin and anchored it down so that even the Chinook winds could not blow it away.
But I guess it wasn’t the wind I needed to worry about — it was someone who just wanted to take something that did not belong to them.
What they will do with this pumpkin I do not know, but I do know that the children who looked forward to seeing it every Halloween will be disappointed this year.
So if anyone sees the giant pumpkin anywhere and they wish to return it to me, I would appreciate it and I am sure the children would like to see it returned also.
Judy Clarke,
7 Glenpatrick Place
Cochrane
932-2745

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Cochrane’s pee wee Lions football team will square off against the Broncos in the league’s Division 3 championship this weekend.
The squad, which had a rocky 2-8 season, pulled it together during an Oct. 23 snowstorm to top the Bulldogs 45-28. The Lions will play in the final at 2 p.m., Oct. 30, at Shouldice Park.

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By Sarah Junkin
The Eagle
The Cochrane Generals had a mixed weekend with a 6-2 win in Banff Oct. 22, a 3-2 defeat at home to Rimby Rock Oct. 23, and another 3-1 loss to Three Hills Thrashers Oct. 24 rounded out the weekend.
But assistant coach Dennis Zinter said the team knew October was going to be a tough month.
“We have nine games away this month,” he said. “So we knew this would be hard but I think we’re hanging in there.”
Zinter added despite the score in the game against Rimby, the Generals played well.
“It was a lot better than the score would indicate,” he said. “We played great but their goaltender wasn’t letting in the puck.”
He added by the time the Generals played their third game of the weekend in Three Hills, fatigue had set in.
“We started slow and couldn’t catch up,” he said. “I thought they could have put in a better effort.”
Zinter coached the team all weekend while head coach Brian Zinter was with his wife who gave birth to a healthy baby boy.
The Generals now stand at 4-5-0 in the Heritage Junior B Hockey League, and continue their extended road trip this weekend taking on the Medicine Hat Cubs Oct. 30, and the Livingstone Rockmen in Stavely Oct. 31.

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By Verne Friesen
Special to The Eagle
As a result of finishing first in the high school football league, the Cochrane High Cobras had a bye last weekend.
The Cobras now face the Springbank Phoenix, who upset the Bow Valley High Bobcats 21-19 Oct. 23. Game time is 11:30 a.m. Oct. 30 at Cobra Field. The winner moves on to the provincial Tier 3 playoffs that start Nov. 13.
The Cobras won the only other meeting with the Phoenix this year by a score of 55-14.
In Tier 2 action last weekend, the Foothills Falcons from Okotoks defeated the George McDougall Mustangs from Airdrie 36-0 and will host the Chestermere Cowboys Oct. 30. The Cowboys beat Airdrie’s Bert Church Chargers 35-1.
The Cobras invite fans to Cobra Field Oct. 30 to watch the quest for a third straight title.
Verne Friesen is the business manager at Cochrane High.

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By Shawn Logan
The Eagle
Snowy conditions and a tenacious opponent couldn’t keep the Cochrane Lions from being one game away from the Calgary Bantam Football Association championship game.
The Lions gutted out a 24-22 quarter-final win over the Wildcats that came down to the wire on a snowy field at Shouldice Park Oct. 23.
Coach Pat Coyle said the Lions found a way to dig deep after a disappointing first half that saw them behind 14-8.
“It was definitely an interesting game,” he said. “Our offence was a little limited because of the weather. I don’t know what was happening in the first half. There was a lot of confusion but the kids calmed down a bit and relaxed.”
After the Wildcats scored on their first drive, the Lions’ offence came to life as quarterback Aaron Prochnau hit wide receiver Josiah Caouette with a long TD pass.
But the snow hampered the offence and the defence was beat on crucial third down gambles to leave the Lions behind at the half.
“They’ve shown they’re the better team all year long so they just had to go out and prove it” after the first half, Coyle said.
The Lions responded quickly as running back Nick Craig began the second half with a kick-off return touchdown for the 16-14 lead with a two-point conversion.
Craig then took the team on his shoulders, pounding the ball up the middle. The big running back broke a long run to put the Lions ahead 24-14, which held up until the final minutes of the game.
Next up for the Lions are the Hilltoppers who outlasted the Foothills Eagles 56-46 in an earlier game. The semi-final game will begin at noon, Oct. 30 at Shouldice.

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By Sarah Junkin
The Eagle
The Bow Valley High Bobcats football team was upset at home 21-19 by the Phoenix from Springbank Community High school Oct. 23.
“It was very disappointing,” said Bobcats coach Steve Etcheverry. “Penalties hurt us early in the game and they capitalized on that and kept the drive alive and scored. They (Springbank) completed passes and were able to move the football. In the end, that’s what it’s all about.”
Etcheverry said snowfall during the Tier 3 playoff game didn’t help either.
“We felt the weather did affect our strength and caught us off guard,” he said.
Springbank coach Jason Hutchins was delighted with the result.
“When we played them earlier in the season they beat us 32-14,” he said of the Oct. 12 game in Springbank. “Penalties hurt us early in that game and we learned from that. This time we only had two in the whole game.”
In the previous game Hutchins said he was also missing six starters due to injuries, sickness and suspension.
“This time we had all our bodies and offensively we just moved the ball,” the coach added. “The kicking game had a lot to do with it and we did a fake punt that magically worked.”
The Bobcats finished the season 8-3-0 overall, while in Rocky View league play they were 4-2 and the Phoenix 2-4.
“From a record point of view it’s okay, but not for an end result,” said Etcheverry. “Yup, it’s disappointing.”
Springbank’s next playoff match is against the Cobras at Cochrane High 11:30 a.m. Oct. 30.
The Tier 3 Cobras were 6-0 in league play.

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By Shawn Logan
The Eagle
A Cochrane man has been recognized for his prowess on the baseball diamond, a game he has spent most of his 63 years playing.
Tuff Ramsay was named the Alberta Amateur Softball Association male player of the year at an Edmonton event Oct. 16.
“Maybe nobody else was nominated,” the humble ball player joked Oct. 25. “The letter came in the mail and I thought it was junk mail.”
Ramsay, playing for the Edmonton Legends and other teams, suited up for about 18 tournaments in 2004 and fell just short of a national title in July.
He said his contribution to a second place showing in nationals and helping to win the 2004 Western Canada Senior Slo-pitch Championship likely led to his nomination.
Ramsay’s clutch hitting earned him the MVP batter for the tourney.
“Down there I was real good and then a week later in nationals, I couldn’t hit nothing,” Ramsay said.
While he admits base running is not as easy as it used to be, Ramsay intends to keep playing until he wins an elusive national championship.
“I’ve won provincials a lot but never nationals.”

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