Lacombe

At 3:20 pm, Saturday, June 15th, Environment Canada issued a heavy rainfall warning for most parts of Central Alberta including The City of Red Deer and areas to the south and west.

Rainfall Warning in effect for:

Emergency department renovations have started at the Wetaskiwin Hospital and Care Centre.  

Due to construction, the emergency department will be temporarily relocated to a space on the hospital’s main floor on June 18.   

Strengthening Positive Assets and Resiliency in Communities (SPARC) newest "Paint the Town Positive" activity is promoting positive messaging in the community.   

SPARC partnered with the City of Red Deer and the 13U AA1 Red Deer Northstar Braves to bring a Kindness Rock Garden to the Oxbows Off Leash Dog Park.  

Red Deerians are encouraged to add their own positive colourful rocks to the garden.   

At 2:44 PM MDT, Environment Canada meteorologists are tracking a severe thunderstorm capable of producing strong wind gusts, nickel to ping pong ball size hail and heavy rain.

This severe thunderstorm is located 10 km southwest of Winfield and is moving east at 30 km/h.

In effect for:

Federal Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay has announced an early list of Livestock Tax Deferral regions for 2024.

This year, the Government has streamlined the process to identify regions earlier in the growing season, and has included a new buffer zone adjacent to the designated regions to capture impacted producers that may be on the edge of affected areas.

This year, the majority of Alberta falls into either the designated or buffered designated regions.

It will be a busy weekend for the Town of Innisfail as the Daines Ranch Pro Rodeo, and Innisfail Rotary Pro Rodeo Parade will be happening.

The Innisfail Rotary Pro Rodeo Parade runs Saturday. It starts at 10:30 and winds it way through downtown Innisfail. here will be barricades and signs at intersections, side streets and alley access points along the Parade route indicating the Street Closures from 9:00 am until approximately 12:30 pm.

Central Albertans should be prepared for another afternoon of unstable weather conditions.

Environment Canada has issued a severe thunderstorm watch for most parts of our area.

Severe thunderstorm watches are issued when atmospheric conditions are favourable for the development of thunderstorms that could produce one or more of the following: large hail, damaging winds, torrential rainfall.

Due to a sudden gap in physician coverage, the Emergency Department (ED) at the Ponoka Hospital and Care Centre will be temporarily closed today from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. 

The ED will reopen and resume usual operation as of 5 p.m. this evening.

During this temporary closure nursing staff will remain on-site in the ED to provide triage and assessments to patients who present to the department. Patients will be referred to alternative care options depending on their condition.

On June 10, 2024, at approximately 6:30 p.m., Drumheller RCMP responded to the Drumheller Correctional Institution to assist Correctional Officers who had apprehended two suspects whom were introducing illicit drugs into the penitentiary.

The investigation found that the suspects had tossed packages of contraband over the security fence. The packages were recovered and examined and it was determined they contained suspected cocaine and methamphetamine.  A black Volkswagen Golf car was also located nearby and seized along with other evidence as part of the investigation.

If you are looking for a local event for the weekend, then you may want to check out the L.A. Vintage Machinery Club's Tractor Pull and Show.

Although the event was designed for Father's Day, there are events happening all weekend long. Cody Fosnaugh, the Vice President of the club says it will be a busy weekend for everyone. 

"There will be tractor pulls, bouncy castles, pony rides, antique engine demonstrations, and even horse racing."

The weekend kicks off Friday with pull events and a pasta supper.