Lacombe

A Mountie seriously injured in a highway crash while responding to a mass stabbing on a Manitoba First Nation says she's doing well but the tragedy will stay with her forever.

About 3.4 million acres shifted from owned and operated to the “rented” land category from 2011 to 2021

The amount of rented farmland in Saskatchewan and Alberta shot upward in the 2010s.

Farmland rented or leased in the two provinces went from 25.7 million acres in 2011 to 29.1 million in 2021, says Census of Agriculture data.

So, in a decade, about 3.4 million acres shifted from owned and operated to the “rented” land category. The 3.4 million acres includes cropland and ranchland.

The Lacombe community is grieving the loss of Dawn Parent, a longtime city councillor and community volunteer remembered for her decades of service and compassion.

Parent, who served on Lacombe city council from 1989 to 2010 and was a dedicated board member with the Lacombe & District Chamber of Commerce, died last week at age 76.

She is survived by her husband, Bernie; son Stephen (Melanie); and grandchildren Jordyn, MacKenzie, Brenna, Raeghan and Dorien.

As farmers work on the harvest, agriculture ministers from across Canada gathered in Winnipeg this week for the annual Federal-Provincial-Territorial (FPT) meeting. The annual event hosted by Manitoba Agriculture Minister Ron Kostyshyn and Federal Agriculture Minister Heath MacDonald provided a key platform to discuss shared challenges, policy priorities, and the future of Canadian agriculture. 

The Lacombe Museum is relaunching an event aimed at collectors and antique enthusiasts.

The Lacombe Antique Show and Sale will take place Sept. 27 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Memorial Centre. The free event will feature 20 vendors from across Central Alberta, including Rimbey and Bentley, with a few from Lacombe.

Museum director Daniel Becker said some vendors were a surprise.

“We've had some people come out of the woodwork who we did not know were antique vendors, who are collectors and looking to sell and don’t have storefronts,” he said.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says her latest meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney has inspired optimism and he is demonstrating a "real shift" from the previous Justin Trudeau-led Liberals.

Speaking in Edmonton on Thursday, she said she understands why Albertans might feel the rug has been pulled out from them several times before, but she's committed to diplomacy.

"I found more common ground with the prime minister when I met with him yesterday than I have in any meeting with a prime minister," she said.

A longtime Lacombe firefighter is celebrating a major milestone of 20 years with the city’s fire department.

The City of Lacombe Fire Department is honouring Deputy Chief Heith Johannson for two decades of service.

Johannson, who joined the department on Sept. 2, 2005, has served the community with what the department describes as “unwavering dedication, professionalism and courage.”

Over the years, Johannson has responded to countless calls, trained tirelessly and inspired colleagues through his leadership and commitment to public safety.

Volunteers and divers are being sought to help clean up the shoreline at Sylvan Lake later this month.

The Alberta Underwater Council will host its 22nd annual Sylvan Lake cleanup on Sunday, Sept. 21 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Participants will remove litter and debris from the shoreline, helping protect wildlife, improve water quality and keep the community clean.

The day will begin with registration at 9 a.m., followed by a mandatory safety briefing at 9:30 a.m. A free barbecue lunch for staff and volunteers will be offered at noon.

Canada has a need for a co-ordinated flash flood warning system and could deepen its European partnerships as the United States cuts climate- and weather-related funding, says a new report digging into the future of Canada's weather service. 

The independent assessment prepared for Environment and Climate Change Canada says significant cuts to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration threaten a wide range of weather and water monitoring in Canada, from the Arctic to the Great Lakes. 

Canada's ministers of finance and procurement have given officials in charge of most federal contracting 45 days to come up with a plan to review all existing and planned federal contracts to find ways to save money.

The directive made by Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne and Public Works and Procurement Minister Joël Lightbound is the latest cost-savings directive from the federal cabinet as Prime Minister Mark Carney looks to cut government operating spending by 15 per cent over the next three years.