Lacombe

The Red Deer Rebels selected two players at the 2025 CHL Import Draft on Wednesday.

With the 19th overall pick in round one, the Rebels selected Czech forward Matej Mikes. The 18-year-old from Karlovy, Czechia played for Roki (Finland U20) and had 10 points in 28 games. He also played for Czechia at the 2025 IIUF U18 World Championship.

Airports were returning to normal operations Thursday after Canada's air traffic control service said some received bomb threats early in the morning.

Nav Canada said the early morning threats affected airports in Ottawa, Montreal, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Calgary and Vancouver.

RCMP in Richmond, B.C., said they received a report of a threat at the Vancouver airport's Nav Canada control tower around 2 a.m. local time. The tower was evacuated and no threats were found after a search, the force said in a press release.

A new law meant to protect supply management might not be enough to shield the system in trade talks with a Trump administration bent on eliminating it, trade experts say.

"It's certainly more difficult to strike a deal with the United States now with the passage of this bill that basically forces Canada to negotiate with one hand tied behind its back," said William Pellerin, a trade lawyer and partner at the firm McMillan LLP.

Confidence federal public servants have in their senior managers has fallen in recent years, a new survey suggests.

The 2024 Public Service Employee Survey said 55 per cent of public servants have confidence in senior management at their department or agency, down from 64 per cent in 2022 and 68 per cent in 2020.

Almost two-thirds of respondents in the new survey said senior managers in their department or agency model ethical behaviour.

The tornado watch has ended for all areas of Central Alberta.

A severe thunderstorm watch is still in place for many areas including Ponoka County, Red Deer County and Clearwater County.

Thunderstorms continue over a large portion of Alberta. Some of these thunderstorms will continue to be severe this evening and tonight, giving very large hail, and strong wind gusts.

For the latest forecast click here.

The Lacombe Fire Department is helping residents cool off with free pop-up splash zones while the Kinsmen Aquatic Centre's spray park undergoes maintenance.

The temporary splash pads will be set up on July 9 and 11, running from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the field behind Lacombe Composite High School.

Rimbey RCMP executed a search warrant on a local business earlier today, finding multiple illegal drugs.

After a lengthy investigation into illegal drugs and cigarettes being sold, Rimbey RCMP, in a joint operation with the AGLC Tobacco Enforcement Unit, executed a search warrant at The Vault Sports Pub in Rimbey.

As a result of the search, police seized:

• Over 46 cartons and many packages of illegal cigarettes

• Quantities of cocaine, fentanyl, psilocybin, and marijuana

Drivers in Lacombe should expect delays and detours near the city’s well-known 5-way intersection as construction continues on 53 Street.

The south portion of 53 Street to 52 Avenue is currently closed for a water valve replacement and is expected to remain closed until the end of the day Thursday.

In addition, the north portion of 53 Street, just beyond the 5-way intersection, will remain closed throughout the summer for sewer improvements.

Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools (RDCRS) is pleased to announce the appointment of Ike Hanna as Associate Superintendent of Learning Services and Nicole Zimmerman as Associate Superintendent of Student Services, effective August 18, 2025. These strategic additions to the Senior Leadership Team will bring extensive experience and a deep commitment to Catholic education to the division.

Alberta's government has named its own provincial police force and announced its first chief.

Premier Danielle Smith says former deputy Calgary police chief Sat Parhar has been tapped to lead the new force, which the province will call the Alberta Sheriffs Police Service. 

Parhar retired in 2019 after more than two decades with the Calgary Police Service in a variety of roles.