Lacombe

Ponoka drivers should be aware of some construction this morning.

Temporary partial lane closures will begin in town today on Highway 53 between Highway 2A and 38th Street as crews prepare the road for repaving.

Crews will first remove the old asphalt, with paving work expected to start early next week. The lane closures will remain in place until the work is complete.

Traffic will be maintained in both directions, with at least one lane open at all times. The speed limit will stay at 50 km/h along the construction zone.

The company will start commissioning the Saskatchewan canola plant in the next couple of months

Canola growers finally have some good news to celebrate.

Cargill’s brand-new Regina crush facility is coming online just as farmers are reeling from the loss of their top export market.

“At a time of uncertainty in the canola markets, to have domestic demand is a really good opportunity for farmers,” said Cargill Limited president Jeff Vassart.

The number of emergency department visits for pneumonia more than doubled last fall over the previous year, the Canadian Institute for Health Information says.    

The new data released Thursday said young people between five and 19 years old were the hardest hit. 

"This is actually the largest increase in pneumonia-related emergency department visits that we've seen post-COVID," said Tanya Khan, CIHI's manager of hospital data advancement and engagement, in an interview. 

Politicians in Canada are speaking out about political violence after Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist and close ally of U.S. President Donald Trump, was shot and killed Wednesday at a Utah college event.

Prime Minister Mark Carney offered condolences to Kirk's family and friends.

"There is no justification for political violence and every act of it threatens democracy," he said on social media.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said Kirk's shooting must be strongly denounced.

The nomination deadline for the 2025 Municipal Election is fast approaching. Prospective candidates intending to run for Mayor, City Councillor or School Board Trustee must submit their completed nomination papers by Monday, September 22 at 12 p.m. (noon). 

All nomination requirements and forms are available at elections.reddeer.ca. Candidates are encouraged to book an appointment in advance to submit their paperwork, ensuring Election Office staff are available to review and receive submissions. 

Red Deer RCMP continue to investigate a fatal collision that occurred on Aug. 30, 2025, north of Red Deer on Highway 2a.

Police are seeking public assistance and asking any witnesses or those who may have dashcam video footage, to please come forward to assist in the investigation.

If anyone has any video footage capturing the collision, or the moments leading up to it, you are asked to please contact the Red Deer RCMP at 403-406-2200.

Alberta teachers have officially started the countdown clock toward an Oct. 6 provincewide strike, with both sides accusing the other of failing students.

"Teachers’ patience has run out," Jason Schilling, head of the Alberta Teachers' Association, told reporters Wednesday.

He announced that if there is no deal in place by Oct. 6, the union's 51,000 members will hit the picket lines.

“What teachers want is simple: classrooms that are properly funded, respect for the work that they do, and wages that reflect their value to Alberta's future," Schilling said.

Harvest is well underway across the province, and while cold weather may still be a little way off, now is the time to start planning for fall soil testing, which is a key step in setting up next season’s success.

A Red Deer family is honouring their late son with a fundraiser for Ronald McDonald House, the organization that supported them during his cancer treatment.

In 2018, Nicolas Henkel was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia at just 16 months old. He passed away at age four after his family — parents Jamelle and Chad, and siblings Jorie and Gavin — spent 518 nights at the Calgary Ronald McDonald House.

RCMP have identified a suspect in connection with an August break-in in Three Hills and are asking the public for help locating him.

Police say James Wardrop, a resident of Ontario, is wanted after a home was broken into on Aug. 8 between 4:30 and 6:20 p.m. Assorted items were stolen.

Investigators say he had approached the homeowner earlier offering repair services and was driving a newer-model Ford F-150. 

Anyone with information is asked to contact 310-RCMP.

** With information from RCMP in Alberta Facebook.