Harassment, peace bond violation
Mario Vena received a $1,000 fine and 15 months probation for violating a peace bond between him and a former rental tenant.
Vena was supposed to stay at least 100 metres from his former female tenant at all times and keep the peace, but the court heard that there were two incidents where he blatantly disregarded that peace bond.
The first occurred on March 27, 2012, when he was observed making a threatening gesture with his fingers toward the woman. She testified that Vena used his hand to mimic a handgun and pointed it at her.
A friend of the woman who was with her that day, testified that Vena flipped his middle finger at them twice. The witnesses鈥� differing reports on Vena鈥檚 hand gestures are indicative of the amount of time that passed since the actual event, noted Judge D. C. Norheim, but the rest of their stories corroborated.
A few days later on April 1, Vena entered a local drinking establishment where the woman was playing pool with friends. The bartender of the establishment testified that he asked Vena twice if he could get him a drink or any off sales, but Vena said both times that he didn鈥檛 want anything, and the bartender said Vena鈥檚 gaze remained focused on the woman.
鈥淲hen I consider all the evidence on this charge, I鈥檓 satisfied that [Vena] was intending to harass her,鈥� said Norheim. He 鈥渄isregarded that peace bond in deliberate fashion.鈥�
Pet pig trial Sept. 26
Linda Knight will be back in court on Sept. 26 to defend her ownership of Piglet, her pet Vietnamese pot-bellied pig.
In a brief court appearance Aug. 22, Knight pled not guilty to the $100 possession of livestock ticket she received from the municipal bylaw department on July 28. Bylaw 126 states that no one should keep any livestock in Jasper 鈥渙ther than for the purpose of attending a rodeo in the town sanctioned by the Canadian Rodeo Association and in a location approved by the municipal manager.鈥�
Knight argues that the Department of Agriculture classifies pot-bellied pigs as pets, and that by definition Piglet shouldn鈥檛 be considered livestock because she isn鈥檛 being raised to produce food, fibre, or labour.
If the judge finds Knight guilty and Piglet is considered an illegal pet, Knight will have to give her away to a shelter or home outside Jasper.
Firing BB gun in campground nets fine
Daniel Paez received a $300 fine for unlawful possession of a firearm after an air rifle was reportedly fired at the Wabasso Campground on June 30.
Paez said that people in his party used his air rifle to shoot at cans and bottles, which resulted in complaints by nearby campers. Campground staff also visited his campsite twice.
A warden arrived at Paez鈥檚 campsite to investigate, found the BB gun inside a mesh tent, and confiscated it.
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know that I couldn鈥檛 bring a gun to the campsite,鈥� said Paez. His BB gun was returned.
Illegal camp costly
An illegal camp on the back side of Pyramid Lake cost its four occupants a $250 fine.
Cody Eade from Saskatoon, Sask. set up camp with four other friends on June 29 and was unaware of Jasper National Park鈥檚 regulations about camping in designated areas, but was cooperative when asked to vacate the site.
