Lacombe

At around 3:30 Monday afternoon, Environment Canada issued a heat warning for most parts of Central Alberta.

During a water main service repair today, a significant issue occurred which has resulted in substantial disruption to the municipal water system. Town crews are working urgently to complete the repair and restore normal operations.

To maintain essential service levels and protect the system from further strain, the Town of Olds is now implementing Level 3 Water Restrictions, effective immediately.

Alberta's government is seeking advice to address violence and aggression in schools.

Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides says it's a serious problem as learning disruptions and mental health concerns are becoming more and more common.

Nicolaides says a team of 20 education system officials and teachers will develop potential policy options and solutions over the next six months.

He says some of the recommendations could be implemented as soon as the fall.

If you are planning on heading out to the many Canada Day events across Central Alberta over the next couple days, keep in mind it is going to be hot.

Environment Canada is forecasting temperatures in the high 20's for the rest of Monday afternoon and Tuesday (Canada Day). Some areas including Three Hills and Trochu are under a heat warning. 

Meeting new people can be tough, but the City of Red Deer is hoping to make it a little easier this summer with the return of a popular community program.

Meet Me at the Park is back with a wide range of fun-filled activities for residents of all ages, aiming to bring the community together and foster a sense of connection and belonging.

A youth soccer team from Ponoka is headed overseas to compete in one of the largest international tournaments in the world.

The Ponoka Storm U15 girls’ team is travelling to Estoril, Portugal, to take part in the prestigious IberCup tournament from June 30 to July 6.

The team will play its first matches on Canada Day, facing off against opponents from around the globe.

The roster includes talented athletes from Ponoka, Lacombe, Stettler, Red Deer, Rocky Mountain House and Camrose — all proudly representing their central Alberta communities on the world stage.

A byelection has been called in the federal riding of Battle River--Crowfoot, where Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is hoping to win a seat in the House of Commons.

Prime Minister Mark Carney has set Aug. 18 as the date for the vote.

Poilievre, who represented the Ottawa-area riding of Carleton for more than 20 years, lost to Liberal MP Bruce Fanjoy in the April 28 election.

Damien Kurek resigned his seat earlier this month to make way for the Conservative leader's return to Parliament.

Tick season has arrived in Lacombe County, with some recently found in the Soper Natural Area, east of Blackfalds.

Ticks are most active in warmer months and can be found in tall grass, wooded areas and even urban parks. While most ticks are harmless, some can carry Lyme disease — a serious bacterial infection that can affect both people and animals if not treated early.

If you find a tick

Three years after Alberta's government paid $70 million for children's pain and fever medicine, its front-line health provider says it has worked out a deal to off-load what remains of the controversial stockpile.

Alberta Health Services spokeswoman Kristi Bland, in a Friday statement, confirmed the medicine is being donated to the charity group Health Partners International of Canada to distribute to "vulnerable communities worldwide."

"Preliminary shipments of products have started to leave Alberta, and additional shipments will happen in the coming months," she wrote.

Canada is rescinding its digital services tax and will resume trade negotiations with the United States, Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne said in a statement issued late Sunday night.

The announcement came following a phone call between Prime Minister Mark Carney and U.S. President Donald Trump, and just hours before the first payment under the tax was going to come due for major tech companies like Amazon and Google. 

On Friday Trump announced on his social media platform Truth Social he was terminating all trade discussions with Canada because of the tax.