Lacombe County Farm Safety Day this Wednesday

Lacombe County will be hosting Lacombe County Farm Safety Day being held this Wednesday, June 11th at the Lacombe County Operations Building.

The event will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., with 320 Grade 5 students from 11 different schools across Lacombe County.

A barbeque lunch will be served from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m., which would be an ideal time for photo opportunities or other media access. This year, the Honourable RJ Sigurdson, Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation, will be attending the morning portion of the event.

Bank of Canada head Tiff Macklem says mandate should evolve in a 'shock-prone' world

Tiff Macklem is wearing an Edmonton Oilers pin as he reflects on coming very close to beating big odds.

It's a significant day for the governor of the Bank of Canada: he's just laid out his reasons to the entire country and a global audience for keeping the central bank's benchmark interest rate steady for a second straight time.

That night is also Game 1 of the NHL's Stanley Cup finals; Macklem ends his press conference with a hearty "Go Oilers!"

Teen mentoring program expands to Blackfalds

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Lacombe and District (BBBSLD) is expanding its Teen Mentoring Program to Iron Ridge Elementary Campus in Blackfalds, following the program’s success in Lacombe.

The expansion was made possible through a grant from the Community Foundation’s Community Microgrant program as part of its Winter 2024 funding round.

The Teen Mentoring Program connects trained teen mentors with elementary-aged students during school hours, aiming to reduce social isolation and support community wellness.

Red Deer Catholic student wins at national level

A Red Deer Catholic high school student has won big at a national competition. 

St. Joseph High School Grade 12 student Dane Schmidt won a gold medal in the Welding–Secondary competition at the Skills Canada National Competition held in Regina, Sask. 

The Skills Canada National Competition was held on May 29 and 30 and featured the top skilled trades and technology students from across the country. 

Marc Garneau left lasting legacy on Earth and in space, former colleagues say

Canadian scientists working on asteroid missions, exploring the universe through the James Webb Space Telescope or helping to put rovers on Mars say they can in some way thank Marc Garneau, who left an enduring legacy both as an astronaut and head of the country's space agency.

While best-known in later years as a federal cabinet minister, Garneau, who died this week at 76, was also a Navy officer, a systems engineer, and an astronaut with a lifelong passion for science, according to his friends and colleagues.

Lacombe mayor helps plant elder tree at new forest groundbreaking

A new forest haven is taking root in Lacombe, as the Woodland Sanctuary officially broke ground earlier today with help from Mayor Grant Creasey, who joined to plant the site’s symbolic elder tree.

Located west of Woodland Drive, the 1.7-acre municipal reserve will become home to 100 trees, along with native shrubs and greenery. The project aims to create a peaceful, natural space for the community.

Customer diversity seen as benefit to exporters

Sixty-six per cent of Canadian exporters rely solely on United States, but economists say that can be hard on the bottom line
 

For someone running an agricultural or agri-food business in Saskatoon, Kelowna or Halifax, it’s easier to sell products to customers in Canada than to someone in Vietnam.

It may be easier, but exporting will make the business more productive and profitable.

Lacombe Emergency closed overnight on Friday and Saturday

The emergency department at the Lacombe Hospital and Care Centre will be temporarily closed overnight on two consecutive days due to an unexpected gap in physician coverage, Alberta Health Services (AHS) announced.

The closures will take place from 11 p.m. Friday until 7 a.m. Saturday and again from 11 p.m. Saturday until 7 a.m. Sunday.

AHS said efforts to secure temporary physician coverage were unsuccessful.

Red lentil supply depends on Canada, Australia

 Australia hopes its crop will recover from last year’s drought and frost, while Canada’s production is expected to be down

The 2025-26 red lentil market hinges on what happens with Australia and Canada, say analysts.

If those two countries have average yields, supply and demand will be well balanced, Chuck Penner, an analyst with LeftField Commodity Research, recently told delegates attending the Global Pulse Confederation’s Pulses 25 conference in Singapore.

Good global green lentil production expected this year

Canada and the United States are both looking at sizeable crops, while conditions are also favourable in Russia and Kazakhstan

There is potential for a big increase in green lentil production in 2025-26 after several years of tight supplies, says an analyst.

Canada will lead the way with an estimated 842,000 tonnes of production, Chuck Penner, analyst with LeftField Commodity Research, told delegates attending the Global Pulse Confederation’s Pulses 2025 conference in Singapore.