Lacombe

Last December, Alberta RCMP officers removed 537 impaired drivers from Alberta roads. Among them, 49 were under the influence of drugs or a mix of drugs and alcohol.

As this year’s holiday season begins, RCMP is reminding Albertans to plan for safe rides home during National Safe Driving Week, which runs till Saturday, December 7.

A look at national news events in January 2024:

1 - Former world cycling champion Rohan Dennis is charged in connection with the death of his wife, 32-year-old Olympic cyclist Melissa Hoskins. She died late Dec. 30 after being struck by a vehicle while riding in suburban Adelaide, Australia. Dennis is charged with causing death by dangerous driving, endangering life and driving without due care.

Due to a temporary gap in physician coverage, the Stettler Hospital and Care Centre Emergency Department (ED) will be closed Dec. 31 from 5 p.m. to Jan. 1 at 8 a.m.  

During temporary closures, nursing staff are on-site in the ED to triage, assess patients and refer patients who may present to the department to alternate care options depending on their condition.  

Throughout the year Chinook’s Edge students and staff worked on projects that made a difference within their schools and in their communities.

Here are a few highlights of activities underway in the schools:

Communities across Alberta showed generosity during this year’s Alberta Health Services (AHS) Toys for Tickets campaign, helping bring joy to families and children this holiday season.  

The campaign allowed people who received an AHS parking ticket to donate a new, unwrapped toy instead of paying their fine.   

This year, more than 1,150 toys were collected province-wide.  

As Christmas Eve arrives in Central Alberta, families eagerly await a special holiday tradition: NORAD’s (North American Aerospace Defense Command) annual mission to track Santa Claus.

While NORAD is known for defending North American airspace year-round, its mission becomes more festive on December 24.

The tradition of tracking Santa started by accident in 1955 when a young child dialled a misprinted phone number from a department store ad in the local newspaper.

Immigration measures announced as part of Canada's border response to president-elect Donald Trump's 25 per cent tariff threat are starting to be implemented, beginning with a ban on what's known as "flagpoling."

This is when someone who was in Canada on a temporary visa leaves for the U.S. then quickly re-enters Canada to access immigration services at a port of entry. 

The restriction on providing work and study permits to flagpolers takes effect today.

Canada appears to be barrelling toward a spring election now that the NDP is vowing to vote down the government early next year — whether Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stays on or not.

Political watchers are abuzz over the possible scenarios that could play out in the coming year following last week's drama that rocked Trudeau's government, and a springtime national campaign is the one that's solidifying the fastest.

Ecole Deer Meadow School’s Grade 8 leadership students are feeling the Christmas spirit, after a recent community service project.   

The school delivered 75 stuffed stockings to a senior living facility in Olds, during the school’s second annual “Stockings for Seniors” campaign.  

The holiday season can be a time of joy and celebration, but it can also bring feelings of stress, sadness, or isolation.  

For many, the holidays can be especially difficult when dealing with addiction, mental health challenges, or the grief of losing a loved one. 

Alberta Health Services (AHS) is encouraging anyone struggling to be patient and kind to themselves. 

Here are some tips to help manage emotions and take care of your mental health during the holidays: