Lacombe

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

 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.

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.

The Saskatchewan Pulse Growers (SPG) and J4 Agri-Science have announced a new partnership aimed at developing new and enhanced  Faba Bean varieties. This initiative is expected to bring significant improvements to the crop's potential and provide farmers with more options for their rotations.

Canada’s dwindling farmland base and rising rental costs threaten the country’s agricultural sustainability, researchers warn

Canada’s agricultural sector faces mounting pressure as the country continues to lose farmland to urban development, while some existing acres sit vacant.

That’s according to new research released by the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute.

Competition for sales is expected to heat up as Russia expects a bigger crop following last year’s disappointing harvest
 

Canada will likely be facing more competition in pea export markets this year.

Russia’s production is expected to rebound after a disappointing 2024-25 harvest, said Gaurav Jain, analyst with AgPulse Analytica.

He is forecasting 5.01 million tonnes of production in 2025-26, up from 3.92 million tonnes last year.