Man wearing dress shirt and tie with computer on his lap sits next to three AI robots wearing ties

Jasper AI versus local reporter

Written by Shannon Peace on March 22, 2023. Posted in Columns/Opinions, Community, Shannon Peace. Leave a Comment

Artificial intelligence has been around for decades but it seems to be a topic everyone is talking about right now. I’ve been chatting with another newspaper publisher about opportunities and concerns when it comes to AI taking steps into the industry.

The use of AI by journalists, bloggers, novelists, poets, songwriters and kids who don’t care to do homework is not new — it’s been lurking around for about 60 years — but it is trending.

Technology already looks after many mundane tasks — Google Maps is one example and Siri another. Saying “Hey Siri, dial Mom” simplifies the process of making a call and it’s nice not to have to pull over to read a map in rush-hour traffic.

If you take a look around, you’ll see just how surrounded we are by technology that makes things easier for us. Machines make decisions based on data, which, in some ways, could make them better decision makers. If nothing else, they can certainly be faster.

The ability of AI to tackle highly complex tasks and computations is one of its strengths. It can learn and make predictions, and optimize based on outcomes.

In his article 15 Pros and Cons of Artificial Intelligence You Should Know, Mike Kaput lists automation of repetitive tasks, reduction of human error, completing tasks too dangerous for humans, better decision-making and problem-solving, cost savings, increased production and the ability to work 24 hours a day as pros to using AI.

“To experience the pros of AI, you need to have a clear, realistic understanding of its cons,” he says. These include the amount and quality of data AI has access to, the potential to make bad or harmful decisions, rationale behind decisions isn’t always provided, potential bias based on data provided, elimination of human jobs, unevenness of advancement in different fields means it doesn’t always deliver on promises, and it can be expensive.

I recently purchased a vacuum that incorporates AI with the hope it will spend more time sweeping up dog hair than me. I’m not averse to using technology in this manner although some would caution that its camera could be a spy.

Man in sunglasses and fez plays banjo and woman in orange dress plays guitar on poster for Over the Moon at the Empress Theatre in Fort Macleod

Some also say that AI will continue to replace journalists. This is true to some degree, but I can’t imagine turning these pages over to a robot to fill.

I tested what AI could do in the newsroom and chose Jasper AI for the job. Touted on its website as “the #1 AI Copywriter,” it scours the web to find information to create a story for you.

My experiment: Jasper versus Laurie (our civic affairs journalist) in creating an article.

The headline and first paragraph of Laurie’s page 2 story were provided to Jasper to base its own on, with the following result in about 10 seconds:

The Town of Pincher Creek is one step closer to having a new curling rink, after council narrowly approved the motion at the last meeting. The proposed rink would be built at the Community Recreation Centre on 942 Hyde Street and will be subject to a borrowing bylaw that must still pass before it can move forward.

This new facility would provide recreational opportunities for the community and create a much-needed gathering space. It is estimated to cost around $2 million, with half of that money coming from grants, and the other half from local taxes.

If everything goes according to plan, the Town of Pincher Creek could have an updated curling rink before the end of 2021. The project would create a number of jobs in the area and could help to stimulate the local economy.

Mayor John Smith says, “This is an exciting opportunity for our community. We know that many people enjoy curling and this will provide them with a place to do it. This project has been a long time coming and we are looking forward to making it a reality.”

Woman in orange and yellow safety vest speaks to older man dressed in grey beside a police car

The Town of Pincher Creek is now in the process of developing a borrowing bylaw that would fund the construction. Once this is approved, work on the rink can begin. The Town Council is hopeful that this new addition to their community will help create an enjoyable environment for all.

This is a hands-down win for Laurie as the article is full of inaccurate information.

Jasper could possibly have a role in headline creation, SEO optimization, proofreading (to a degree) and idea generation, but is not reliable for creating community news stories.

As AI becomes more prominent, consider the trustworthiness of the source. I’ll take a human who lives in and cares about the community any day.

Ask Mayor Smith.

E-Edition – March 15, 2023

Written by Shannon Peace on March 15, 2023. Posted in Current Issue.

Hot runs and high fives

Touted as the ultimate mash-up of rednecks, horses and ski bums, the Pole and Spur provided a day of fun entertainment in Crowsnest Pass.

Black boy in white and black shirt and shorts moves with a basketball while being blocked by a dark-haired boy in blue with outstretched arms

E-Edition – March 8, 2023

Written by Shannon Peace on March 8, 2023. Posted in Current Issue.

Canyon Cougars take to the court

Channing Yellow Horn of Pincher Creek’s Canyon Elementary School plays defence during a basketball tournament Friday at Fort Macleod.

Old fashioned log cabin with wooden bench in front – heading for Frontier Canadian Recollections

Documents shed new light on early Pincher Creek ranches

Written by Shannon Peace on March 5, 2023. Posted in Community, Farley Wuth, History/Heritage. Leave a Comment

Many locals are keenly aware of the varied and rich agricultural heritage that has blessed the Pincher Creek area for nearly a century and a half. Yet our historical research here at Kootenai Brown Pioneer Village has uncovered old promotional materials from the late 1880s that shed some new light on the nature of some of the early family ranches.

Let’s have a look at a few of those early ranching operations.

Partial view of nurse dressed in purple scrubs holding a stethoscope

Excellent stock-raising area

The promotional literature made note of the excellent stock-raising attributes of the Pincher Creek area. Initial concerns that this district was too close to the mountains, thereby endangering ranching operations through a lack of open rangeland accompanied by heavy winter snowfalls, proved to be largely erroneous.

Early experiences established, with a few exceptions such as the harsh blizzards of 1886-87, that the local winters were not plagued with large snow accumulations. The large grazing areas indeed were a blessing for the early ranchers.

Promotional campaigns made note of the abundance of the local rivers and creeks, which provided adequate water for stock raising. The ranching potential along the South, Middle and North forks of the Oldman River, including those tributaries such as Todd and Ross creeks, was emphasized.

Pincher, Mill and Halifax creeks also were heralded as excellent year-round water sources for those looking for early endeavours raising cattle and horses. The southwest was a ranching paradise second to none.

Crowsnest Pass Music Festival and musical symbols on schedule announcement poster

Butte Ranch partnership

One of the earliest cattle operations established in the Pincher Creek vicinity was the Butte Ranch, originally connected with pioneer Frederick W. Godsal.

This ranching giant later went into partnership with a Mr. Allfrey (of whom we now know little; he seems to have disappeared into the pages of history) and Lionel Brooke, our area’s most infamous remittance man. Brooke later bought out most of the ranch from Allfrey and Godsal.

Situated adjacent to the South Fork, the ranch was enhanced by many improvements over the years. By February 1888, it was “well provided with good stables and sheds” as well as two fresh-water wells. Much of the ranch was fenced, and Brooke had built up the cattle herd to include 200 head of stock, bred by polled Angus bulls.

In spite of Brooke’s lack of hands-on ranching experience, the Butte Ranch did flourish during those early years.

South Fork Ranch envied by many

By the late 1880s, F.W. Godsal also was connected with his nearby South Fork Ranch. It was publicly touted as being “one of the best-improved in the country.”

Godsal, considered one of the premier ranchers attached to the southwestern corner of the Canadian Prairies, had painstakingly changed the system by which he had ranched. After a few years of practical experience, he had come to the conclusion that there was more financial profit in ranching with smaller numbers of cattle, well cared for, than having a large herd that had to be left to the uncertainties of the open range.

His cattle on the South Fork Ranch numbered an annual average of 400, which Godsal maintained provided easy access to those animals that were weak and needed veterinary attention. Feed, primarily alfalfa and timothy (which too were raised on the ranch) was readily available during the cold, snow-filled weeks of winter.

The ranch numbered over 5,000 acres in size, most of which was unfenced pastureland.

The modern South Fork Ranch buildings were the envy of many a non-local rancher. The well-constructed main ranch house utilized local logs, and was designed to withstand the massive weather fluctuations so common to the area. Inside, the structure consisted of a parlour, a kitchen, a pantry and two bedrooms.

Surrounding the house was a fenced yard, a portion of which was cultivated for a garden. Nearby was a second house, measuring 18 by 20 feet, which was for the ranch hands.

The outbuildings included a large barn, half of which was used for the horses and a harness room. The second half of this 30-by-40-foot log structure was for the calves.

An extensive system of corrals and sheds complemented the ranch operation. The arrangements well suited the ever-particular Godsal.

Get more from your dentist at Ascent Dental

Clear Water Ranche and French Flats

The Clear Water Ranche was located at French Flats, near the present village of Cowley, close to a mile and a half from the South Fork. French Flats derived its name early in our settlement history as a result of the large number of French Canadian and Métis families who settled there in order to take up ranching.

The Clear Water was operated under a partnership of Jones and Sharpe, two pioneers in their own right. The ranch was well known locally for its extensive cattle and horse breeding operations. The horse stock was being improved with two Clydesdale stallions named Atlas and Prince.

On the ranch, nearly 320 acres was fenced, most of which was utilized as pasture. Also grown was an annual allotment of 1,100 bushels of grain and smaller amounts of timothy.

Woman's torso and arms shown as she fills in a dietary chart on a table filled with healthy food.

The ranch buildings were extensive and well utilized. Featured was a log stable measuring 30 by 40 feet and complete with a loft. Farther down the yard were several outbuildings highlighted by a solid granary, a cow stable measuring 160 feet in length, and several sheds.

A solidly constructed 50-by-18-foot house, expanded during the summer of 1888, complemented the ranch buildings.

The Jones and Sharpe partnership worked well: the Clear Water Ranche was a flourishing success.

Each of these agricultural entities was well known for its cattle and horses.

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Local Obituaries

Two women in red coats and a man in a blue coat smiling and cross-country skiing

Fire truck parked on highway surrounded by vehicles in swirling snow after a multi-vehicle crash near Pincher Creek.

Multi-vehicle pile-up closes Highway 3 at Cowley

Written by Shannon Peace on March 2, 2023. Posted in Laurie Tritschler, Local News, RCMP/Emergency Services, Weather. Leave a Comment

First responders have shut down Highway 3 near the Village of Cowley following a multiple-car pile-up.
Pincher Creek Emergency Services announced the closure shortly before 11 a.m., citing the need to protect service members.

Details are sparse at this point, and Shootin’ the Breeze is awaiting comment from PCES Chief Pat Neumann as well as Pincher Creek RCMP.

PCES reported a multi-car collision on the highway at Pincher Station late Wednesday night. Shootin’ the Breeze is awaiting comment on that incident as well.

Emergency Services are recommending that motorists avoid Highway 3 between Pincher Station and Cowley.

Updated story available

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Couple dressed in toques and scarves on a winter background promoting winter walking in Pincher Creek

Woman dressed in a dark jacket, pants, touque and boots throws a frying pan at Wintervention in Crowsnest Pass.

E-Edition – March 1, 2023

Written by Shannon Peace on March 1, 2023. Posted in Current Issue.

Fine frying pan form

Lydia Carriere shows fine form in executing her toss at Wintervention on Saturday in Crowsnest Pass.

Blue mailbox with envelopes spilling out of it in the breeze symbolizing letters to the editor, op-eds and submitted content

Curling arena concerns: Open letter to Pincher Creek council

Written by Shannon Peace on February 27, 2023. Posted in Columns/Opinions, Community, Town of Pincher Creek. Leave a Comment

Open letter to the Town of Pincher Creek Council:

I am writing this letter to express my concerns with the decision to move forward with the proposed curling arena.

I have serious concerns with the bylaw that is being given first reading on Feb. 27, 2023, which will give the Town of Pincher Creek the ability to borrow $4 million for this project.

As I understand, the project has no dollar amount attached to it, if this is available it’s your obligation to inform the community of the price tag.

Who will be the partners in this? The MD of Pincher Creek No. 9 has not announced if they have any intention of supporting this project.

Group of people gathered around table with town of Pincher Creek logos on the backs of their chairs. Blue conversation bubbles are above text providing meeting dates.

When the council agreed to support this project “in principle,” the Pincher Creek Curling Club was to be a partner in this, however there is no disclosure as to this amount. A traditional P3 partnership would suggest they are responsible for 1/3 of the cost, is this the case?

I understand there is a grant that the Town is looking to apply for to cover some of the cost. This requires that this bylaw needs to be approved prior to the grant deadline of Feb. 28 (please correct me if this date is wrong). This means the bylaw needs to receive three readings and be passed at this one meeting, with no public consultations.

Planning for grant funding either provincially or federally is an unknown, as monies received from grants rarely achieve the full amount asked for.

The location

While I understand the reasoning of attaching it to an existing recreation facility, attaching it to one that is going to need upgrades in the future is questionable.

Moving it out of the downtown is irresponsible and damaging to the businesses on Main Street that are already struggling due to the rising costs of operating a small business.

By removing the building from Main Street, it will leave another significant empty lot in the downtown.

I believe a parking lot is to be built on this spot to address the parking issue on Main Street. Other than in the winter and during peak times for the arena and the Multi-Purpose Facility (pool), a proposed parking lot will not be a useful place for anyone as it is a significant distance from most of the businesses.

The finances

Is the town purchasing the land from the curling club?

If it is, where will the funds come from?

If so, who is responsible for the demolition of the current building?

Will the town also be responsible? If so, how will we pay for this?

Will the proceeds go to the curling club or towards the new facility?

The priorities

The Pincher Creek Regional Recreation Master Plan shows the curling club tied for third.

First for priorities is trail system expansion and enhancement.

This “will encourage people to get outside and live a healthy, active lifestyle as well promote active transportation,” page 10. Not only would it be beneficial to all ages and abilities it is an activity that is free for everyone at a minimal investment to the community.

Second was the Memorial Community Centre Arena upgrades. This facility can and is used at any age and is part of a sustainable and growing sport.

Is curling? If so, please provide how many members the curling club has, and the demographics. What is the overall growth in this sport? Not just the sturling club.

Housing

My last point, and one that affects every individual in Canada, Alberta and Pincher Creek, is housing.

The town has completed housing studies over the last 15 to 20 years. Continually these studies have shown that housing is a critical part of the community.

The Town of Pincher Creek has done nothing in supporting this crisis.

I task every member of council to try and find a safe, affordable home in this town, as a family or even a single person. Housing is skyrocketing. Many families spend half their income on rent and utilities, often feeding the family is becoming a challenge.

What are you going to tell these families? Sorry, we needed a curing club that serves one to three per cent of the population?

How about taking the money and addressing this issue? There have been many discussions over building affordable homes for people in need. The Town of Pincher Creek can take any of the land they own and develop it for this use, not sell land to developers who build executive condos for a few.

Orange cat in front of cage at pet shelter

Conclusion

When you took your oath of office it was to serve the citizens of Pincher Creek, not for personal agendas.

Although not in the strictest definition of conflict of interest, I believe that members of this council have forgotten why they are there and who they serve.

It’s time to look at why you are sitting in the position of responsibility and service, and decide if you are there for yourself or there to make a difference for the future of this beautiful community.

Tammy Carmichael

Pincher Creek

Shootin’ the Breeze welcomes submissions about local issues and activities. Personal views expressed in Mailbox articles are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect views of Shootin’ the Breeze management and staff.

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Community priorities: Open letter to Pincher Creek council

Written by Shannon Peace on February 27, 2023. Posted in Columns/Opinions, Community, Town of Pincher Creek. Leave a Comment

Dear Mayor Anderberg and Council Members,

Thank you for all the time and care you give the community of Pincher Creek and for taking the time to consider my concerns.

Coming from 35 years in Calgary to this community 33 years ago, initially part time and then full time, I have come to appreciate the immense value of living in a small town. Yes, sometimes it’s a little bit intimidating that pretty much everyone knows your business and you may know your doctor and your lawyer in various contexts.

That said, this is more importantly a community in which we care for each other, look out for each other, keep each other and our children safe because we know each other and we sense when something isn’t right. Yes, I will call your parents. If I don’t know them in person, I can surely find someone who does.

I wish to speak out about what I believe to be a potential disordering of our community priorities if we proceed with the $4-million investment in a new curling rink under consideration.

I can appreciate the social and physical benefits of curling; the richness of the camaraderie and subsequent enrichment of our community that would come with this initiative. I applaud those who care deeply about this and appreciate their efforts, and I hope that the day will come when this can happen.

It is my understanding that Pincher Creek has engaged in four publicly paid-for social needs assessments over the last 15 years or so. As a past Family and Community Services co-ordinator with the town, I was part of the assessment that followed the initial one spearheaded by the Associate Clinic. All of them pinpointed affordable housing as the greatest unaddressed need in our community. The Pincher Creek Foundation has done and is doing their best to provide this housing as they can. It is not enough. Their waiting list is long.

We see it again and again; a chronic shortage of affordable housing that means an inadequate supplement of front-line workers in:

—Day care

—Health care

—Seniors’ facilities

—Pincher Creek Women’s Shelter

—Restaurants

—Stores

—Potential new businesses that might be attracted to Pincher Creek if this were not such an issue.

As president of the Pincher Creek Women’s Shelter board of directors, I am acutely aware that women and children fleeing violence have nowhere to go other than back to their abusive situations after they leave the women’s shelter. Many of these women return to the shelter several times.

Restaurants have frequently reduced their hours for lack of staff.

Extended families are crowded in their homes.

People are living in mobile homes that are in very substandard conditions.

For all of the above reasons, we must address this urgent issue. We all care about the social and economic health of this community!

Let us not be adversaries. Let’s work together to ensure that the greatest needs of our community are met in the order of urgency. Let’s work together to have the best recreational opportunities we can afford once our primary, most urgent needs are met.

Elizabeth Dolman
Pincher Creek

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Pioneer rancher and hotelkeeper Cole Sedgewick

Written by Shannon Peace on February 26, 2023. Posted in Community, Farley Wuth, History/Heritage.

One of the less chronicled but very interesting pioneers from the long-ago pages of our local history was Cole F. Sedgewick (circa 1878 -1931). Although he had hard luck in terms of his ranching and family background, his perseverance won him accolades from friends and neighbours.

Ranching and business ventures

Cole Sedgewick was born in rural Montana. There is some disagreement as to his birth year. The Dominion of Canada Census for 1911 lists it as 1878, while his obituary from 1931 indicates that he was only 48 years of age when he passed away. That would have made his year of birth 1883.

Such discrepancies are commonplace in old-time data and are challenges for both the local historian and the genealogist.

Sedgewick’s family ancestry was English, and he had two brothers. His parents were involved in the ranching industry and hotel business south of the line. They operated three hotels in different Montana centres during the frontier era.

Building upon those life experiences, Sedgewick came north to the Lundbreck area in 1899. According to the 1911 Dominion of Canada Census he became a British subject three years later. He established a ranch just a short distance from this agricultural and coal mining settlement.

Red barn against fall-coloured leaves announcing MD of Pincher Creek permits

This was in the year following completion of the Crowsnest line of the Canadian Pacific Railway. Within a few short years, he had built up a large cattle herd and the ranch flourished.

However, a severe snowstorm during the winter of 1910 spelled disaster, as most of his cattle were wiped out. The resulting financial setback forced Sedgewick to give up his ranching venture.

Disappointed but not prepared to give up on southern Alberta, our ever-resourceful pioneer headed to Lethbridge for a short period, where he pursued business options. He soon ventured west, however, settling in the coal mining town of Blairmore, the heart of the Crowsnest Pass. There he purchased a hotel, which he operated until 1923.

Building upon his business experiences at his Lundbreck ranch, Sedgewick secured a thriving trade for the hotel. The mines often were busy and the hotel was located close to the Canadian Pacific Railway tracks, which saw near continuous passenger and freight traffic.

B.C. commercial activities

After more than a decade in the midst of the Pass, Sedgewick took on another business venture, this time adjacent to Kootenay Lake in southern British Columbia.

Building upon the business contacts he had made many years earlier in Lethbridge, he attempted to organize an oil company for these entrepreneurs. In spite of their best efforts, the venture did not get off the ground, but within two years Sedgewick had secured a short-lived position with the Canadian Oil Co.

This position was successful due to Sedgewick’s organizational skills. He secured new capital and combined it with the monies of the Canadian Oil Co. to establish the Kootenay Oil Co. His efforts resulted in his being appointed its general manager, a job he held until 1928.

That year Shell Oil bought out the smaller corporation, but Sedgewick continued his work for another 12 months, resigning in 1929.

Map marker on orange and blue background

Not content to retire from business life, Cole Sedgewick acquired the Pitner’s Café in early 1931, renaming it the Plaza. His wife, Lois, took on active management of the business. However, disaster struck just a few weeks later, in March, when Cole passed away unexpectedly. He had been ill for only a short time.

The former Lois Porter, whom he married in July 1925, was Sedgewick’s second wife. Little is known of his first wife, other than she was born in 1878. Official records list her only by her first initial of “W.” She passed away while the couple resided on their Lundbreck area ranch, following several years of poor health.

Socially, Sedgewick was a member of the Presbyterian Church. He also was active in the Independent Order of Oddfellows when he resided in Blairmore, and later in the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks when working in Nelson, B.C.

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Coldest Night of the Year walk to support Crowsnest Pass Food Bank

Written by Shannon Peace on February 24, 2023. Posted in Community, Community Organizations, William Cockerell. Leave a Comment

The Crowsnest Pass Food Bank is hosting its first Coldest Night of the Year fundraising walk in Blairmore this Saturday.

Coldest Night of the Year is an annual walk held in 166 communities nationwide to raise money for local charities that support people experiencing hurt, hunger and homelessness.

In Crowsnest Pass, the event will help the food bank cover the costs of food and its transportation over the course of the year.

The walk starts and ends at the Elks Hall at 2025 129th St. in Blairmore. Check-in opens at 4 p.m., and participants start their walks at 5 p.m.

Participants can choose between two-kilometre and five-kilometre routes, with both including rest stops along the way.

The fundraising goal was initially set at $20,000. However, with a couple of days still to go before the event, the food bank had already seen that amount almost doubled at $37,730, raised with the help of 649 donors, 18 sponsors, 20 teams and 78 walkers.

“The Crowsnest Pass always comes together to support one another and this situation is no exception,” says Desiree Erdmann, manager of the food bank..

“CNOY has created a great community vibe and is the perfect example of how many people contributing a little can add up to a lot.”

Desiree says food intake at the food bank has gone up 34 per cent in the last year. The money will go a long way in helping the organization continue to assist its community.

If the food bank manages to double its original goal and hit $40,000 raised, it will be enough money to cover grocery costs for about a third of the year.

“I felt confident we would reach our goal, as our community is so supportive,” Desiree says. “The amount raised so far is astonishing.”

Crowsnest Pass Food Bank has been supporting locals struggling with food insecurity for over 25 years, serving individuals and families within all areas of the municipality.

If you wish to make a donation, register to walk or learn more about the CNOY, you can get info here.

The food bank encourages walkers, volunteers and community members to take pictures of the event and share them by email.

Word "petition" written with black fountain pen on grey background. Red lettering explains notice to stop borrowing bylaw

More Local Stories

Author: Shannon Peace

Jasper AI versus local reporter

E-Edition – March 15, 2023

Hot runs and high fives

E-Edition – March 8, 2023

Canyon Cougars take to the court

Documents shed new light on early Pincher Creek ranches

Excellent stock-raising area

Butte Ranch partnership

South Fork Ranch envied by many

Clear Water Ranche and French Flats

Multi-vehicle pile-up closes Highway 3 at Cowley

E-Edition – March 1, 2023

Fine frying pan form

Pioneer rancher and hotelkeeper Cole Sedgewick

Coldest Night of the Year walk to support Crowsnest Pass Food Bank

News from southwestern Alberta and your local community connection