Lacombe

 In time for the upcoming Westerner Days Fair and Exposition celebration, construction crews have nearly completed road rehabilitation of 19 Street between Gaetz Avenue and 49 Avenue.  

All traffic lanes will be open tomorrow (July 13).   

The final top lift of pavement will be placed when the roundabout construction is complete in the fall.  

Cheers erupted in a Winnipeg courtroom, spilling out onto downtown streets Thursday, as family members who lost their loved ones at the hands of a serial killer said they had finally received justice.

A judge convicted Jeremy Skibicki of first-degree murder in the 2022 slayings of four women in a case that put another bright spotlight on the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls in Canada.

Jorden Myran, whose sister Marcedes Myran was killed, said she held back tears when the judge delivered the verdict.

Federal Court in Vancouver is to hear a case today from the Saskatchewan government asking for an injunction to stop the Canada Revenue Agency from collecting millions in carbon levy money.

Premier Scott Moe's government argues it's unconstitutional for Ottawa to take from its bank account, and that it's unfair for Saskatchewan to pay.

Earlier this year, Saskatchewan had stopped remitting the carbon levy on natural gas to Ottawa, after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau exempted home-heating oil users from paying. 

Work is already underway on a new beef processing line and warehouse expansion.

The $90 million investment includes a new patty processing line and a state-of-the-art fulfillment centre, that is expected to be completed for the fall of 2025.

With the expansion, JBS Canada will produce almost seven million more kilograms of beef patties every year for restaurants in Western Canada.

Premier Danielle Smith says JBS is a cornerstone in Brooks, creating jobs and ensuring Alberta’s world-renowned beef makes it to the millions who love to eat it.

UPDATE:

At 8:54 PM MDT, Environment Canada meteorologists are tracking a severe thunderstorm capable of producing very strong wind gusts, up to nickel size hail and heavy rain.

This severe thunderstorm is located 40 km northwest of Rocky Mountain House and is moving to the southeast at 30 km/h.

ORIGINAL STORY:

At 5:54, Thursday, July 11th, Environment Canada issued a severe thunderstorm watch for Rocky Mountain House, Crimson Lake, James River and Caroline.

Heat records were broken across Central Alberta yesterday (July 10).  

Central Alberta communities saw the hottest day to date, as a heat warning remains in effect.  

The Lacombe area set a new heat record of 34 degrees Celsius, a jump from the previous 33 C set in 1985.   

The Red Deer area saw temperatures of 34.3 C, up from the previous record of 33.9 C set in 1906.  

The new Urban Habitat Planter project is adding a living element to the nature-based murals in Red Deer’s core.   

When Cynthia Pohl, the Project Lead, first saw the murals, she was immediately inspired to add another element that encourages residents and visitors to interact with the space.   

A man who admitted to killing four women in Winnipeg but claimed he was too mentally ill to be held responsible has been found guilty of first-degree murder.

Defence lawyers had argued Jeremy Skibicki was suffering from schizophrenia at the time of the slayings in 2022 and should be found not criminally responsible and detained in a hospital.

But Crown prosecutors said he had the mental capacity and awareness to commit and cover up the killings.

People in a packed courtroom cheered and clapped when the verdict came down Thursday. Skibicki showed little emotion.

Red Deer County has issued a fire restriction today (July 11), for all of the county, due to dry conditions caused by the recent extreme heat.  

Current permits will be allowed to expire, and no new fire permits will be issued.  

During the fire restriction, all outdoor fires within Red Deer County are prohibited.  

What’s permitted during a fire restriction:   

First Nations chiefs have heard enough promises and "performative reconciliation," Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said Thursday, adding they deserve a partnership based on honest conversations.

It was the first time Poilievre was addressing the Assembly of First Nations, an organization representing more than 600 First Nations that had a tense relationship with the Conservatives when former prime minister Stephen Harper was in power.