Lacombe

Two of the Alberta Law Foundation's provincially appointed board members have resigned in protest over proposed legislation that they say amounts to political interference in how vulnerable people access the justice system.

The bill would give Justice Minister Mickey Amery final say on grants over $250,000 that the foundation provides to community legal clinics and researchers.

The foundation says it funds about 65 non-profit service providers every year through interest earned on lawyers' trust accounts, not government coffers.

In November 2022, the City of Red Deer notified Red Deer RCMP that their staff had discovered approximately $99,283.04 in internal fraud that dated back to the year 2018.

Between 2018 and 2022, a former employee in the City’s Electric Light and Power Department was alleged to have created several fraudulent purchase orders for goods and services that were never received.

Following an intensive investigation, the Red Deer RCMP General Investigation Section has charged Krutisha Patel, a 35-year-old resident of Calgary, with the following offences:

Ashley MacDonald is the Green Party of Canada's Member of Parliament (MP) candidate for the Red Deer riding.

Voters head to the polls on Monday, April 28, with advance voting taking place April 18 - 21.

CentralAlbertaOnline.com reached out for an interview with MacDonald but did not receive a response at the time of publication.

This is one installment of our Meet the Candidate series.

Below is the profile for MacDonald provided by the Green Party of Canada:

With the arrival of spring, Alberta Forestry and Parks and Public Safety and Emergency Services are issuing a public safety advisory as bears begin emerging from hibernation across the province. 

In a joint statement released Friday, officials remind Albertans that spring marks a high-risk period for human-bear encounters, as black and grizzly bears and their cubs emerge from dens in search of food.  

It’s not every day that college students are encouraged to destroy a car, but Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) offered students a chance to do just that to release some stress.

The car smash event took place in front of the campus library from April 8 to 10. In the days leading up to the actual smash on the 10th, students were invited to write their stressors on the vehicle.

There were typical end-of-term complaints about finals, exams and practicums, along with more emotional stressors like cancer, cheaters and self-doubt.

The Sendero Centre, a Red Deer non-profit that provides free support to survivors of sexual trauma, abuse and violence, is issuing an urgent call for community support as it faces a significant funding shortfall.

In 2024, the centre served 26,204 individuals through its various programs, including child and adult counselling, police and court support, and education initiatives delivered in schools and communities. All services are offered at no cost to clients.

Lacombe County residents and business owners can expect some stability in their municipal taxes this year, as the County has announced it will maintain the municipal tax rates for residential, farmland and non-residential properties at 2024 levels.

The decision comes as part of the County’s ongoing commitment to responsible fiscal management, aiming to provide both stability and affordability for the community.

Students got imaginative last week… dreaming about what might be possible in future school buildings.

At the Students Matter committee meeting, students gave their ideas and discussed how facilities could best support their success.

The main themes included ensuring there are flexible spaces, as well as dedicated spaces for specialty subjects like art, music, drama and career and technology studies (CTS). Students also encouraged future planners to consider the flow through the building and ensure lockers are not in congested areas.

Red Deer remains one of the most affordable cities to rent in Canada, according to the latest National Rent Report from Rentals.ca and Urbanation.

In March, the average rent for a one-bedroom unit in Red Deer rose to $1,314, marking a 2.9% increase from February and an 11.8% rise compared to the same time last year. Two-bedroom units in Red Deer saw a 5.2% increase from February, with an average rent of $1,558, up 4.2% year over year.

The Encore Art Sale begins Friday (April 11), and will feature a diverse collection of pieces from talented Central Alberta-based artists in support of the Lacombe Arts Endowment Fund.  

The event features a range of art, such as fibre, stained glass, wood, metals, paintings, ceramics, music, and photography from 34 artists at the Lacombe Memorial Centre (LMC).