Lacombe

Update: 

The extreme cold warning has ended for Central Alberta. 

Original story:

Environment Canada extended the extreme cold warning for Central Alberta.

Extremely cold wind chill values near minus 40 continued Wednesday morning.

Temperatures began to moderate in the afternoon.

The low tonight is minus 16. Wind chill minus 27 this evening and minus 19 overnight.

Warmer weather is on the way. The high for Thursday is minus 1, with a high of plus 2 for Friday.

Some topics during the Feb. 13 Wolf Creek Public Schools (WCPS) Board of Trustees regular meeting included a timeline for the 2025/2026 budget, a potential Advanced Placement course at the Lacombe Composite High School, and the Stakeholders’ Summit.  

Here are the meeting highlights:  

Potential Advanced Placement Course at École Secondaire Lacombe Composite High School  

The Town of Sylvan Lake is reminding users to help keep the lake clean this winter.

Here are some ways to help protect Sylvan Lake:

An internal government report warned a year ago that allowing "the trend of negative rhetoric" about the security of the Canada-U.S. border could lead to a thickening of the 49th parallel, adversely affecting trade and travel.

The report, written by a diplomat at Canada's embassy in Washington, said that failing to refute U.S. claims about a "crisis at the northern border" would lead to the erosion of Canada's image as a secure neighbour.

Just before 6:30 pm Saturday, February 15th, The Sylvan Lake Fire Department was sent to reports of an explosion in the area of Hewlett Park.

Upon arrival they discovered a vehicle engulfed in flames in the alleyway behind Harrigan Street. 

According to witnesses, the fire was extinguished within ten minutes and there were no reports of injuries.

Should more information become available, an update will be provided.

Sockey Day in Red Deer in partnership with United Way Central Alberta returns this Monday, Feb. 17 at the Peavey Mart Centrium when the Red Deer Rebels take on the Edmonton Oil Kings.

This fun family event brings the community together to collect warm socks for individuals and families in need across Central Alberta.

How it Works:

École Lacombe Upper Elementary School (ÉLUES) turned back the clock at the end of January by opening a time capsule that had been sealed for a quarter century. 

The gold-painted container—wrapped in chains and marked with a note reading “Please open January 2025”—was discovered in the school’s basement about a year and a half ago. 

A couple of local pilots have once again built an ice runway on the south shore of Gull Lake.

Lacombe Flying Club members Doug Francoeur and Jim Wigmore have been creating the runway on the lake for the past eight or nine years.

"We typically have to wait until the ice freezes about 15 to 18 inches thick to get the skid steers out there and bobcats and plow trucks," said Francoeur. "Then we make it about 3,000 feet long by 75 feet wide. It's open from January through until the ice starts to melt."

Flu cases are continuing to rise across the country, public health data show, with Quebec, B.C. and the territories particularly hard hit as vulnerable patients seek help at hospitals. 

The Public Health Agency of Canada's website says 24 per cent of cases tested positive for influenza during the week ending Feb. 8 — up from the already-high 21 per cent the week before.   

At around 3:20 pm, Saturday, February 15th, Environment Canada issed an extreme cold warning for most parts of Central Alberta.

Extremely cold wind chill values between minus 40 and minus 45 are expected tonight.

Wind chill values will moderate somewhat during the daytime hours.

These extremely cold wind chills will continue into early next week before coming to an end.

Extreme cold puts everyone at risk.