Lacombe

A new Statistics Canada study confirms that financial limitations are keeping people without private or employer-sponsored drug coverage from following through with their prescriptions.

It's true for both those who have no coverage at all and people who have some coverage through provincial or existing federal prescription programs.

The results of the study come as the New Democrats and the government negotiate the broad principles that will shape a federal pharmacare program.

Wheel tracks in a field can lead to soil compaction and depending on the depth can have a key impact on a crops yield potential.

Marla Riekman. a soil management specialist with Manitoba Agriculture, says soil compaction is more of an issue when your soil is moist and near capacity:

"Your soils are lubricated, the water that's in the soil can allow that soil to kind of move around. It's reduced in shear strength and now those big pores are filled with air. They've been allowed to drain, they can be crushed. The small pores are water-filled, they hold in place."

On Dec. 29, 2024, at approximately 2 a.m., Olds RCMP were alerted to a break and enter in progress at a local business. Officers attended and surrounded the business, trapping the suspects. The suspects attempted to flee the scene by jumping a fence, however, the officers were able to apprehend the suspects.

Edwin Maraya (54), a resident of Red Deer, and Rhomer Camelotes (45), a resident of Innisfail, have both been charged with the following:

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

Wolf Creek Public School Division

In anticipation of the significant drop in temperature below -40°C as forecasted by Environment Canada, Wolf Creek Public Schools has decided to close schools and cancel buses for Thursday, January 11, 2024. 

Red Deer Catholic School Division

ALL RURAL ( Red Deer County, Sylvan Lake, Olds, Rocky Mountain House) school buses are canceled. Schools are open.

At 3:15 pm Wednesday, January 10th, Environment Canada issued an extreme cold warning for Central Alberta. 

You can check the latest forecast here.

A long period of extreme cold temperatures and wind chills this weekend.

BGC has Wolf Creek students covered for unexpected snow days. 

The School’s Out Day for Inclement Weather program runs when Wolf Creek announces school closures by 8 p.m. the night before. 

The program is geared towards students Kindergarten to grade six, and runs from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. 

With the cold weather approaching, local shelters are gearing up to host more people to keep them safe from extreme weather conditions. According to Environment Canada, temperatures are expected to get near -40°C with the wind chill overnight on Thursday and Friday (January 11 and 12).  

Dani Villanueva, Street Level Supervisor at Red Deer’s Mustard Seed says their cold weather operations are now in place.  

A local duo sister curling team is representing the Lacombe Curling Club at the U18 Curling Championships next month (Feb. 4 to Feb.10) in Ottawa.

The DeSchiffart sisters of Lacombe, and the Yarmuch sisters of Sherwood Park secured their place for the national championship after going undefeated 8 to 0 at the Curling Alberta U18 Provincials in Sylvan Lake.  

A bus carrying a Western Hockey League junior team has slid off a highway in British Columbia's Interior, but the team says no one was injured.

A social media post from the Seattle Thunderbirds says the team bus slid into a ditch while on its way to Kelowna for a game.

Another post from the Kelowna Rockets, who were slated to play the Thunderbirds later today, says the Okanagan team sent its bus to transport their stranded opponents late Tuesday.

Lacombe police officers will be approaching unattended and idling vehicles in an effort to combat potential auto thefts. 

Until Jan. 12, officers will be participating in Operation Cold Start, an initiative to prevent crimes of opportunity, coinciding with the times when vehicles are most susceptible to theft as they are left idling.