Lacombe

This year marks the 55th anniversary of Earth Day, taking place on Tuesday, April 22.

The 2025 theme is “Our Power, Our Planet,” highlighting the shift toward renewable energy sources and the importance of building a sustainable future.

There are many ways to take part in Earth Day, whether by joining an event or making small, meaningful changes at home. Here's how you can contribute:

Ways to Get Involved:

At Home:

What began as a personal journey toward better health has grown into a budding movement aimed at building community and empowering women through running.

Paige Nisevic, a recent transplant from Toronto, has launched a women’s-only running group in Lacombe as an extension of the Toronto-based initiative Chix Run The 6ix. The local chapter held its first run on March 8 — International Women’s Day — and continues to gather weekly.

Alberta's transportation minister is calling on the province's two major cities to remove bike lanes from key roadways, prompting critics to say the government is overstepping and making an issue out of nothing.

Devin Dreeshen says he's trying to avoid clashes with the government's goal of expanding road networks, as he blames bike lanes for traffic congestion and obstructing work to build the infrastructure needed for Alberta's growing population.

An RCMP officer is facing assault charges following an investigation by the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) into a 2020 incident involving the arrest of several suspects in Maskwacîs.

The details were outlined in an executive director’s report released on April 16, concluding a probe that began on March 24, 2021.

Alberta Health Services is reminding Albertans to review their immunization records as National Immunization Awareness Week runs from April 21 to 30.

The reminder comes as measles cases have been confirmed in the province. AHS is urging the public to ensure they and their children are up to date with vaccinations.

The MMR-Var vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox, is free and part of Alberta’s routine immunization schedule for children.

If you're traveling along the QEII southbound near the Red Deer River this week, be aware of upcoming nighttime bridge maintenance operations.

Starting Monday, April 21, 2025, crews will be working overnight on the bridge from 8:00 PM to 8:00 AM each day, through Saturday, April 26, 2025.

During these hours, one lane of traffic will be closed, and speed limits will be reduced to ensure the safety of both drivers and workers. Motorists are advised to expect delays and plan extra time for their journeys.

With the federal election just days away, farmers and ranchers had the opportunity to hear directly from political parties about their agricultural policies.  With the federal election just days away, farmers and ranchers had the opportunity to hear directly from political parties about their agricultural policies.  The Canadian Federation of Agriculture held their National Agriculture Leaders Debate last week. The debate on Thursday featured representatives from the Liberal, Conservative, NDP, Green, and Bloc Québécois parties. 

A 1.7-acre municipal reserve on the west end of Woodland Drive will soon become a forested haven thanks to a collaborative effort between the City of Lacombe and St. Andrew’s United Church.

The initiative, originally launched as the 100 Tree Planting Project, marks the church’s celebration of the 100th anniversary of the United Church of Canada. The site has now officially been named Woodland Sanctuary, reflecting its purpose as a space for reflection, biodiversity and community connection.

Lacombe County Council met on April 10 to review a full agenda that included policy updates, community project funding, and tax rate approvals for 2025.

Workplace policy updated to reflect OH&S changes

Council approved revisions to the Respectful Workplace Policy AD(24), bringing it into alignment with recent updates to Alberta’s Occupational Health and Safety Code. The revised policy strengthens employer responsibilities around reporting, investigation, training and communication in the workplace.

Newcomers to Red Deer now have improved access to vital health services thanks to a new Alberta Health Services (AHS) pilot program launched at Johnstone Crossing Community Health Centre.

The Inbound Call Interpreter service, introduced last month, allows callers to select from a menu of seven languages when phoning the health centre. The options include Arabic, Ukrainian, Tigrinya, Tagalog, Spanish, French and English. Once selected, the caller is connected with a medical interpreter who helps them navigate the service.