Okotoks

The Alert Ready Emergency Alert System test that was scheduled for Wednesday, May 7, has been cancelled in Alberta.

Canada's emergency alert system is being tested in every province except Quebec, but Alert Ready announced the Alberta cancellation early on Wednesday morning.

Please be advised that due to ongoing wildfires in some parts of the province, Alberta has canceled its test scheduled for today, Wednesday, May 7, 2025, at 1:55 PM MDT.

It was a record-breaking Smile Cookie Week in High River last week.

Almost 10,000 cookies were sold at $2 each for a grand total of $19,870 raised for the High River District Health Care Foundation.

As the 2025 crop season begins, farmers across the prairies are already on high alert for potential insect damage. Dr. Meghan Vankosky, a research scientist in field crop entomology with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, provides insights into what farmers might expect this year based on last year's conditions and winter observations.

An all-star Ian Tyson tribute band is performing this Friday and Saturday night at one of Ian Tyson's favourite venues.

'The Gift' will be playing at a venue Tyson played numerous times and featured in his 'Live in Longview' album, the East Longview Community Hall.

The Hall had a tribute mural and a plaque dedicated to him on July 4, 2024, with both of his children attending.

The chief of staff to Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is defending a business class flight he charged to taxpayers, citing a health condition that increases his risk of blood clots.

The flight in question was a return flight he took from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to Calgary earlier this year when he accompanied Smith to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump.

The CBC reported this week that the two-day stop in Florida for Smith, Anderson and two others cost Alberta taxpayers about $10,000, with Anderson's flight home billed at nearly $3,000 alone.

The Town of High River is temporarily closing some facilities this afternoon to allow staff to do some training.

The Bob Snodgrass Recreation Complex is closing at 11:30 a.m. today, followed by Town Hall closing at 12:00 p.m.

The following facilities will also be closing at noon today.

Senior federal officials have been looking quietly for ways to bring together Canadians who don't see eye to eye on the economy, immigration and social issues.

With a general election looming, officials prepared to meet last November to brainstorm solutions to the problem of social fragmentation, according to an internal presentation drafted by the Department of Canadian Heritage.

Prime Minister Mark Carney is expected to brief Canada's premiers today following his seemingly successful first meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday.

Carney and Trump spent about two hours together at the White House, including about half an hour in front of the cameras in the Oval Office, and a private luncheon.

Both leaders were accompanied by senior members of their cabinets and their chiefs of staff.

The Conservative caucus has tapped former leader Andrew Scheer to lead the party in the House of Commons when Parliament resumes on May 26 — a role that's needed because Pierre Poilievre lost his seat in last week's election.

"I'll be taking over the parliamentary leadership duties of the caucus until Mr. Poilievre rejoins us in the House," Scheer told reporters after emerging from an all-day caucus meeting on Parliament Hill Tuesday.

An Okotoks couple from the Netherlands is inviting the community to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Dutch Liberation Day.

The occasion is celebrated every five years on May 5 to mark the liberation of the Netherlands by primarily Canadian forces in 1945, following five years of Nazi occupation.

Husband and wife Gary and Anneke Scholte marked the occasion by placing 80 tulips along Okotoks' Salute to our Veterans wall on Veterans Way.