Lacombe

Students in Blackfalds and Bentley will be playing hooky for hockey on Tuesday, January 16th. The students will be attending an AJHL’s Blackfalds Bulldogs game. They will be seeing the Sherwood Park Crusaders out at the Eagle Builders Centre in Blackfalds. 

Another edition of the Western Canadian Crop Production Show is in the books.

The 41st edition of the show introduced a new feature this year with the 'Innovation Awards'.

New Innovations entered into the program were judged on a variety of criteria from innovation and impact;  to quality and scope; value; marketability and environmental sustainability.

First place in the program went to Annelida Soil Solutions out of Nisku, Alberta.

Between 50 and 100 bald eagles were seen congregating near Gull Lake last week (Jan. 11). 

The group was seen on Township Road 412, towards Wilson’s Beach. 

Medicine River Wildlife Centre Executive Director Carol Kelly says it’s not uncommon during this time of year for bald eagles to gather when a food source is nearby, such as fish or roadkill. 

The City of Red Deer and the RCMP are asking for the public’s assistance in developing the community’s new 2024-26 Annual Policing Plan. 

The plan incorporates public feedback and crime data into the outline of the RCMP’s local priorities and areas of focus over two years. 

The RCMP will work in consultation with city council to determine the top policing priorities of the community, before the plan takes effect on April 1. 

Servus Arena in Red Deer is going to be getting a lot of national attention over the next six days.

The Co-op Canadian Open, Grand Slam of Curling will run in Red Deer from Tuesday January 16th to Sunday, January 21st.

This event features 32 of the top teams from around the world. The 16 men's and women's teams will compete over the week in a round-robin tournament, with the top 8 advancing to the quarterfinals. The finals will run on Sunday starting with the men's at 10:30 am and the women's at 3:00 pm.

Here's a look at school closures in the Central Alberta area for Monday, January 15. This page will be updated as information becomes available. 

For the latest road conditions click here

Wolf Creek Public Schools

With temperatures expected to remain below -40°C and colder, as forecasted by Environment Canada, Wolf Creek Public Schools has decided to close schools and cancel buses for Monday, January 15, 2024.

Extreme cold put Alberta’s power supply at risk on Saturday, January 13. An Alberta Emergency Alert was issued around 6:44PM. However, Albertans were quick to respond. By 8:40PM, the Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) declared the alert ended. 

“Almost immediately after the alert was issued, the AESO saw a significant 100 MW drop in electricity demand, which amounted to a 200 MW reduction within minutes. The Grid Alert was declared ended at 8:40 p.m,” said AESO in a news release. 

Whisker Rescue is working to manage stray cat populations in communities across Central Alberta, with the Rural Roundup/TNR Program. 

Last year, a record-breaking 247 cats entered the Whisker Rescue subsidized spay and neuter program, at a cost of $23,526. 

“Through this program we pay the majority of the cost of these life saving surgeries,” Volunteer Executive Director Stacy Worobetz explains. 

Registration for the 2024-2025 school year is set to open for both Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten at Red Deer Public Schools on January 15 at 8 a.m. Parents are encouraged to register online.

Kindergarten is an amazing step for children where they begin the next chapter of learning and growing. Red Deer Public Schools offers fantastic Kindergarten programming to help ensure children have a great start to their education journey and to make sure they start school ready to learn.

Update:

At of 8:40PM on Saturday, January 13th, the grid alert ended. Due to continuing cold temperatures, Albertans are being asked to reduce their usage during peak hours from 4PM to 7PM. 

Original Post: 

At 6:44 pm Saturday, January 13th, The Alberta Emergency Management Agency issued a critical civil Emergency.

Extreme cold resulting in high power demand has placed the Alberta grid at a high risk of rotating power outages this evening.