Lacombe

Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) is facing a $10 million deficit for its 2025/2026 budget (fiscal year ending June 30, 2026) due to the Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) impacts to international student enrolments, along with rising inflation and an anticipated zero per cent increase to the post-secondary institution’s base grant funding from the Government of Alberta.

As a result, RDP will be looking at making structural changes. 

It was business as usual for the City of Lacombe in 2024.  

Throughout the year, the city continued to make progress in completing capital projects, maneuvering through economic challenges, and fostering community-wide collaborations.   

“It truly is government by the people, for the people,” Grant Creasey, Lacombe Mayor said. “We do the best we can and try to make the best decisions we can with the information we have, while utilizing the resources at our disposal as efficiently as possible.”  

Local not-for-profit, Dress for Success Central Alberta (DFSCA) has been selected as Bower Place’s 2025 Charity of Choice.  

Each year, a charity is selected with preference given to organizations that are registered charitable organizations, contribute to the Central Alberta community, and directly support families or youth.   

An RCMP officer who fatally shot a Red Deer man who was experiencing a mental health crisis has been cleared of wrongdoing in the death.

The 33-year-old, who lived with schizophrenia and substance abuse issues, was killed in 2023.

His family had sought to have him detained under the Mental Health Act.

The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) found that the officer's use of force in the shooting was justified.

Iron Ridge Secondary Campus (IRSC) in Blackfalds unveiled new basketball jerseys emblazoned with Cree syllabics this week, paying tribute to the school’s Indigenous namesake — the Bisons — and the Treaty 6 territory on which it stands. 

In front of a full gym for the Bisons’ final senior boys and girls home games of the season Feb. 10, IRSC Athletic Director Joe McQuay said the gesture extends the spirit of Truth and Reconciliation beyond a single day. 

The leader of Alberta’s Opposition NDP says it’s time to fire Health Minister Adriana LaGrange given new allegations surrounding high-level corruption in medical contracts.

Naheed Nenshi said Thursday if the claims made this week in a lawsuit are true, it would be the worst scandal and coverup in Alberta’s history.

“We cannot negotiate with other countries while being led by a banana republic. Albertans deserve ethical government," he said.

Highways across the region are partly snow-covered this morning with blowing snow in some areas.

Visibility is good in most areas.

Click here for the current road report.

It will be mainly cloudy today with a chance of flurries this morning. The high is minus 18. Wind chill near minus 28 with a risk of frostbite.

Click here for the forecast.

As President Donald Trump signed an executive order for reciprocal tariffs on Thursday that escalates his trade threats, his administration took aim at Canada's digital services tax as a major trade irritant.

The White House sent out a document calling digital taxes in both Canada and France "unfair" for taxing American companies.

Speaking in the Oval Office Thursday afternoon, Trump slammed Canada on trade and singled out its low defence spending, saying the country is a "very serious contender to be our 51st state."

Producers will be able to see a wide variety of webinars for agriculture practices as the province of Saskatchewan is hosting those through the winter and spring.

Those are set to begin next week, with Crops Extension SPecialist Meghan Rosso talking about what producers can expect.

The Lacombe Generals' quest for a third straight Vanberg Cup continues this Friday (Feb. 14) at the Gary Moe Auto Group Sportsplex in Lacombe starting at 8:45 p.m.

The Senior AA Generals will be going for the opening-round series sweep against the Westlock Warriors.

Lacombe won Game 1 of the best-of-five playoff 7-4 on the road Saturday night before picking up a 12-5 victory back in Lacombe on Sunday night.

If necessary, Game 4 will take place Saturday (Feb. 15) in Westlock with Game 5 scheduled for Sunday (Feb. 16) in Lacombe at 5 p.m.