Lacombe

The Public Health Agency of Canada is reporting another death from a salmonella outbreak involving cantaloupes, bringing the total to seven. 

The agency says there have been 164 lab-confirmed cases of salmonella in eight provinces linked to Malichita and Rudy brand cantaloupes so far.   

Quebec has been hardest hit with 111 of those cases. There have also been illnesses in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador. 

On Dec. 18, 2023, at approximately 11:30 p.m., Maskwacis RCMP responded to a report of a house fire on Samson Cree Nation. The fire department extinguished the fire and located human remains inside the residence.  

An autopsy of the remains was conducted at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Edmonton on Dec. 21, 2023. The manner of death was deemed to be a homicide. 

Alberta RCMP Major Crimes Unit has been called in to investigate. 

Red Deer RCMP Crime Reduction Team (CRT) had a busy month recovering stolen vehicles and laying charges against those responsible. 

On Nov. 30, 2023, Red Deer RCMP CRT, along with Edmonton ALERT Gang Enforcement Team, arrested a male after observing him in a stolen vehicle. At approximately 9 p.m. that night, the male abandoned the stolen vehicle he had been driving and was arrested by police shortly after. 

A 38-year-old male resident of Red Deer, has been charged with:

·Possession of property obtained by crime

·Obstruction of a police officer

The Ponoka Emergency Department (ED) will be without on-site physician coverage from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m. on Sunday, December 24.

This is a temporary measure due to an unexpected lack of available physicians and inability to secure temporary coverage.

During this time, nursing staff will remain on-site in the ED providing urgent triage and assessments and referrals for patients. EMS will be available to transport patients to facilities in neighbouring communities as needed.

The ED will resume normal operations at 9 p.m. on Sunday.

Red Deer RCMP request the public assistance in locating 29-year-old Kelli Gamblin. Kelli was last seen in Red Deer in October 2023. Red Deer RCMP are concerned for Kelli’s well-being and would like to speak to her.

Kelli is described as:

On Dec. 20, 2023, at 10:30 p.m., Olds RCMP were dispatched to a complaint of mail truck theft from the Canada Post Office in Olds. The driver got out of the driver’s seat to unlock a door, when a female jumped in the mail truck and drove away.

Within a short period of time, the stolen mail truck was spotted leaving the Town of Olds and was south bound on Highway 2A. RCMP followed the truck and called for back-up. Officers from Didsbury RCMP attended and successfully deployed a tire deflation device on Hwy 2A, which disabled the stolen truck.

How much have you paid in carbon taxes for essential farming operations such as drying grain, heating barns and greenhouses, irrigating land, or preparing feed?

The Agriculture Carbon Alliance (ACA) has launched a campaign around that question asking producers to show the impact the carbon tax is having on their operations.

The '#ShowYourReceipts' encourages producers to upload their receipts showing the carbon tax portion of the bill.

The Mustard Seed in Red Deer will be serving a traditional Christmas dinner for those experiencing homelessness or poverty. Those who need support, are missing family, and those who don’t want to be alone during the holidays are also welcome to attend. 

A family physician at the Apollo Medical Clinic in Blackfalds will be accepting new patients. 

Dr. Nkechi Gbenoba-Okumiahor has started a full-time family medicine practice after being recruited to the community and completing licensing requirements earlier this year. She will also be providing hospitalist coverage at Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre.

Dr. Gbenoba-Okumiahor is currently accepting patients and can be reached at 587-797-4088.

There’s good news for Alberta’s forests. Cold winters and the province’s aggressive control program have significantly reduced the population of one of Alberta’s most destructive pests, the mountain pine beetle. Populations have declined 98 per cent since their peak in 2019.