FortSask

The recent rain in the area is bound to be a relief for local firefighters.

Devin Capcara with Strathcona County Emergency Services said that they've been busy with a string of wildfires since early May, which is usually their busiest time of the year.

Earlier this month, there was a fire in a rural area of the county, where construction workers on a bridge spread welding sparks to poplar fuzz.

"We've got a dozer in, cutting some protection lines between the fire area that was still smouldering and some houses that would otherwise be threatened."

Nolan Boychuk is the valedictorian for the class of 2023 at Archbishop Jordan Catholic School (ABJ).

Boychuk was raised in Sherwood Park, attending École Père Kenneth Kearns Catholic Elementary School, École Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic School, and finally ABJ.

Boychuk said he was excited to hear that he had been declared this year's valedictorian. He gave a speech at their grad night on May 28.

U.S.-based Bunge has signed a deal to merge with Viterra in a stock and cash transaction.

The deal will create a global agribusiness company estimated to be worth over U.S $30 billion including debt.

The press release notes that under the terms of the agreement, which was unanimously approved by the Boards of Directors of Bunge and Viterra, Viterra shareholders would receive approximately 65.6 million shares of Bunge stock, with an aggregate value of approximately U.S .$6.2 billion, and approximately U.S. $2 billion in cash.

Canada is experiencing its worst wildfire season of the 21st century.

Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair announced the grim milestone Monday, saying more than 47,000 square kilometres have burned so far this year, with 431 wildfires currently burning across Canada. 

One of those continues to threaten the Alberta community of Edson, where 8,400 residents remain under an evacuation order issued Friday.

If members of Parliament do not avoid the dangers of "performance politics" and chasing "likes" on social media, future Canadians will look back on the current moment as the start of the country's decline, Erin O'Toole warned Monday. 

The former Conservative leader and Ontario MP used his last address to the House of Commons to issue a call to colleagues to focus on what he said should be figuring out the country's national purpose.

Instead of debating that he said, "too many of us are often chasing algorithms down a sinkhole of diversion and division."

Strathcona County RCMP is looking for suspects in a string of arsons that happened over the weekend.

On Saturday (June 10) just before 2 p.m., police received a report of a fire in some trees near St. Nicholas Catholic School in Sherwood Park. The fire was put out with no property damage.

The next day at 10 p.m., emergency services responded to a dumpster fire that started at a strip mall on Brentwood Boulevard and Sherwood Park.

After winning several categories in FireFit regionals, the Strathcona County FireFit team will be headed to nationals.

On June 3, regionals were held in Strathcona County as firefighters from across the region took place in an obstacle course that tests the six essential tasks of a firefighter.

Brad Dicks, a firefighter from the county, scored first in the individuals' category.

"Our mixed team won the open category for the relays, Carla Morrison won the female individual, and Dave Murray got third place in the individual races."

A mother from Redwater thanked the community for their help after her 2-year-old daughter fell from a second-storey window last week. 

Sabrinna Velthuis said her family was getting ready for bed when her daughter Brinley fell through the window screen.

"I went to the washroom, and the girls went into their room," said Sabrinna. "They were climbing on this very large dollhouse, and Brinley fell onto the screen and fell out the two-storey window."

Sabrinna said that several people rushed to Brinley's help before she even knew what happened.

Earlier this month, the U.S. filed a dispute settlement consultation request under the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) based on Mexico's decision to ban the use of biotechnology corn in tortillas and dough.

Mexico's president says they also plan to gradually substitute the use of biotechnology corn in all products, and reject applications for the importation and sale of certain biotechnology products.

On Friday, Canada announced that it would be a third party in the claim.

An Ojibwe artist painted a mural in downtown Fort Saskatchewan in honour of June being Indigenous Peoples Month. 

Ellie Lagrandeur was hard at work under a hot sun last week, painting a gigantic eagle feather near city hall. 

"The city had approached me to paint it and I probably chose the hottest week of the year [to do it]," said Lagrandeur. "It was a great project to do and very meaningful for me." 

The eagle feather holds a lot of meaning in Ojibwe culture and there was a specific reason why Lagrandeur chose it as the mural's centerpiece.