Lacombe

Red Deer students showcase artwork at public exhibition.

Graduates from Lindsay Thurber Comprehensive High School and Hunting Hills High School are having their artwork presented in Red Deer.

The Red Deer Arts Council and Red Deer Public Library present "Hang Ups and Insights", a showcase now in its 17th year.

It features artwork from students in the Baccalaureate Art Programs and Advanced Placement courses from the graduating class of 2025.

The exhibition runs until June 23 in the Kiwanis Gallery at the Red Deer Public Library.

The Local School Bus Road-eo took place in late May, with drivers from two school divisions qualifying for the provincial competition on Saturday in Nisku.

The annual event brings together divisions and transportation providers from across central Alberta—including Wolf Creek Public Schools (WCPS), Chinook’s Edge School Division, Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools and Prairie Bus Lines—to collaborate on a fun and competitive challenge course designed to highlight the precision, professionalism and safety focus of school bus drivers.

Environment Canada has issued a Special air quality statement for some parts of Central Alberta including:
   Co. of Wetaskiwin near Pigeon Lake,
   Ponoka Co. near Rimbey Bluffton and Hoadley
   Ponoka Co. near Crestomere
   Co. of Wetaskiwin near Wetaskiwin Millet and Hwy 2, Alta. (076620)
  
Smoke is causing poor air quality and reduced visibility.

Conditions are expected to improve tonight.

Ag in Motion showcases the latest advancements in agricultural technology and equipment, and brings together farmers, industry leaders and ag experts from across Canada. 

The show takes place every July near Langham, Saskatchewan, and is Western Canada’s largest outdoor farm expo. Find out more information about this three-day farm show here or visit the Ag in Motion news feed on The Western Producer's website.

If you are living in Ponoka area and want to keep your kids active this summer, The Town of Ponoka has some options for you.

Registration opens Thursday, June 5 at 8 a.m. for Town of Ponoka summer programming, including two new day camps, swimming lessons, advanced programming and drop-in programming at the Ponoka Arena Complex. All programs will begin in early July and end in late August.

You can register online on the Town of Ponoka’s website at Ponoka.ca/p/recreation-programming or in-person at the Ponoka Aquaplex (5315 46 Avenue).

Testing ground and surface water sources can help determine if there are contaminants present that can affect animal health and production. In Saskatchewan, common contaminants include sulfate, sodium, nitrate, and iron. Stagnant surface water sources that experience nutrient-loading may be susceptible to blue-green algae, which can produce toxins that are unsafe for livestock.

The Prairie Pest Monitoring Network report shows flea beetle activity is getting started across the prairies. The warm weather seems to have brought them out of overwintering locations. So far it seems crucifer flea beetles are more prevalent than the striped flea beetles.

Red Deer Emergency Services have confirmed that a townhouse complex fire that happened late Friday evening was caused by careless youth.

“They were playing with a lighter that they found and managed to light some debris on fire outside the structures on the backside, which then extended to multiple buildings,” said Evan Stewart, assistant deputy chief of emergency services.

The fire caused significant damage to the rear of four townhomes located at 4251 54 Ave.

It’s officially Pride Season in Canada! 🌈

Pride Season refers to the wide range of Pride events that take place across Canada during the summer months—from June through September.

This is a time when 2SLGBTQI+ communities and allies come together to spotlight resilience, celebrate talent, and honour the contributions of 2SLGBTQI+ people across the country.

While most Pride events take place in the summer, many communities celebrate Pride throughout the year, reflecting the ongoing commitment to equity, visibility, and joy.

CAPI report says data strategies in agriculture need to be a 10-year national priority

Digital agriculture should be a national strategic priority with focused funding in the next federal-provincial-territorial policy agreement to help drive farmer-level adoption, says a new report from the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute.

CAPI collaborated with EMILI, a non-profit Manitoba organization focused on digital agriculture proving and adoption.