Lacombe

Officials from the Red Deer Regional Health Foundation presented the Red Deer Hospital Lottery’s grand prize on Tuesday (July 23).  

The key was presented to Sylvan Lake resident, Maxine Rumohr.  

She said winning the home is a dream come true.   

“This is a nice dream that I hope I don’t wake up from,” Rumohr said.  

A polar bear that died at the Calgary Zoo last week drowned after some rough play with a fellow polar bear. 

Those details were released by the Wilder Institute and Calgary Zoo on Tuesday following a necropsy (an examination of the animal following its death.)

The examination determined that Baffin died by drowning, after suffering an injury to his trachea by another polar bear, Siku, during rough play.  

The Town of Sylvan Lake has issued a town-wide fire ban due to dry conditions and high temperatures.   

Fires not allowed within town limits include open fires using charcoal, briquettes, wood, and any source of open flame.  

What’s allowed during the fire ban:  

• Certified portable gas fire pits  

The $12-million Challenge, launched in November 2023 in partnership with Impact Canada, uses a staged approach to move innovators through the process of developing and deploying their solutions in the cow-calf, dairy and feedlot sectors. The first stage of the Challenge attracted 86 applications from innovators across Canada and internationally. The 13 semi-finalists' entries span a diverse range of areas including feed additives and related technologies; production efficiencies and animal management systems; and pasture and grazing management approaches.

Due to unexpected gaps in physician coverage, there are multiple upcoming temporary closures at the Stettler Hospital and Care Centre’s Emergency Department. 

The emergency department will be closed: 

• From 5 p.m. on July 24 to 8 a.m. on July 25 

• From 5 p.m. on July 25 to 8 a.m. on July 26 

For those travelling north on the QEII highway today you can expect some delays as you approach Lacombe.

Crews are doing a bridge inspection today, July 23rd, until around 3:00 pm.

The right-hand lane will be closed with speed reduced to 80 km/h in the area.

Please follow all signage and watch for crews on the road.

After a five-day-long celebration, Westerner Days concluded Sunday night with a fireworks display.  

Despite the heat wave, Central Albertans flocked to the festivities including the parade, midway, market, kids' activities, livestock displays, live music, and entertainment.   

The North American Pony Chuckwagon and Chariot Races Results were highly anticipated during the event.  

Concrete work for the City of Red Deer’s 19 Street Improvement Project is set to begin today (July 23).  

Current daytime temperatures are too high for concrete to cure properly, and to avoid weakness or cracking in the concrete, crews will begin work at 4:30 a.m. for about four weeks.  

Construction hours were changed to maintain schedule, to ensure the project is completed in the fall.   

Multiple wildfires in Jasper National Park flared up with a vengeance late Monday night, forcing all park visitors along with the 4,700 residents of the Jasper townsite to flee west with little notice over mountain roads through darkness, soot, and ash.

Photos and video shared on social media illuminated a midnight cavalcade of bumper-to-bumper cars and trucks, headlights on, red tail lights glowing, cars inching, stopping, starting, crawling through swirling tendrils of acrid smoke.

Federal Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay announced $8.5 million for two projects led by Dairy Farmers of Canada.

“Dairy farms are at the heart of so many communities across the country, and I know just how hard our dairy farmers work to provide us with top-quality products while caring for their animals and the environment. Today’s investment is about giving Dairy Farmers of Canada the support they need to help farmers adopt sustainable practices to lower emissions, and improve the traceability and safety of dairy products.”