Lacombe

Wetaskiwin City Council unanimously approved the 2025 operating budget during its Monday, January 13, regular meeting. The 2025 capital budget was approved Monday, September 23, 2024.

The 2025 operating and capital budgets total $54,579,268. 

Speed has been reduced on Highway 2 southbound near the Highway 53 overpass west of Ponoka due to a guardrail repair.

Drivers can expect a left-hand lane closure and speed reduced to 80 km/h.

The repairs are expected to wrap up around 12 p.m. on Wednesday.

Click here for updates.

Update: 

At 9:24 a.m., the vehicle recovery was completed. 

Original story:

Motorists could expect traffic delays on Highway 20 south of Bentley due to a vehicle recovery.

The affected area was between Aspelund Road and Rainy Creek Road north of Sylvan Lake.

The highway was closed and vehicles were being rerouted.

Click here for updates.

Today, families in Central Alberta are set to receive the highest quarterly carbon rebate payments among provinces under the federal pricing system, as Alberta leads in rebate amounts.

An average family of four in Alberta will receive $450 per quarter, or $1,800 annually, through the Canada Carbon Rebate. For rural families, an additional 20 per cent supplement increases payments to $540 per quarter, or $2,160 annually.

Sylvan Lake RCMP say there have been multiple reports this winter of vehicles falling through the ice, and with the warmer weather the ice thickness on Sylvan Lake is becoming more unpredictable. 

Police are providing a few tips to stay safe while riding on designated trails or out on the lake:

Innisfail Town Council discussed adjustments to the RCMP and capital budgets, vehicle purchases, and modernization of the aquatic centre during the Jan. 13 Regular Meeting of Council.   

Here’s the highlights from the meeting: 

South Red Deer Regional Wastewater Commission (SRDRWC) – Operating Agreement Amendment  

Update: 

The bridge inspection was completed at 10:56 a.m.

Original story: 

Motorists travelling northbound on Highway 2 on Wednesday experienced a speed reduction and lane closure near Highway 12 due to a bridge inspection.

The inspection took place north of Township Road 402A southwest of Lacombe.

The speed was reduced to 80km/hr with the right-hand lane closed to traffic.

Click here for updates.

Members of Ponoka Legion Branch 66 and settling nicely into their new home located on 48th Avenue.

President Earl Peavoy says the old building, located on a couple of acres on the south edge of town along Highway 2A, had become unmanageable. The Legion decided about a year ago to sell the 15,000-square-foot facility and look for a smaller location. They had been at that spot for over 30 years.

School divisions across Central Alberta were affected by a data breach involving the widely used Student Information System (SIS), PowerSchool.  

Affected school divisions include Red Deer Public Schools, Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools, Wolf Creek Public Schools, and Wetaskiwin Regional Public Schools. Chinook's Edge School Division was not impacted.  

Following a public hearing, Red Deer City Council approved bylaw amendments that would allow the development of house suites in duplexes on a case-by-case basis.

On Jan. 13, Council adopted a new Direct Control Zone that would allow the development of house suites in duplexes in certain areas of the city.

Council approved an application to rezone 34 Rutherford Drive from R-D to DC (35).

The city has roughly 30 Direct Control Zones.

Duplex owners must first apply for a zoning change before pursuing a house suite.