Okotoks

A town in Southern Alberta was the warmest place in Canada yesterday (Nov. 7).

Environment and Climate Change Canada Scientist Christy Climenhaga says that according to their records, not only were there numerous weather records broken yesterday in Alberta, Claresholm was the warmest place in the country.

"So, very, very mild temperatures. In fact, some record-breaking temperatures in many areas of Alberta, including the Edmonton area," Climenhaga says.

While Claresholm got up to 19 degrees, it wasn't the hottest temperatures the town has experienced in November.

The weather is still quite warm this weekend, and there is lots to do in Okotoks this weekend.

This is what's happening in Okotoks this weekend:

Friday, November 8

The Dewdney Players Group Theatre will be performing their play "Noises Off" at the Brookfield Residential YMCA at Seton's Evan Hazell Theatre. Curtain call is 7:30 p.m.

I have another amazing art installation from my Billet Designers.

As always, enjoy the latest (satirical) chapter in my journey as a billet mom!

Residents of Heritage Pointe are being asked to keep a watchful eye out after some recent cougar sightings.

Late last week, the Heritage Pointe Golf Club shared a trail cam picture of a cougar taken in the community on Friday morning.

Flags at a few different municipal buildings in the area will be flying their flags at half-mast today and this weekend.

The Town of Okotoks has the flags at their municipal buildings at half-mast today (Nov 8), to honour Indigenous Veterans Day.

As part of this day, Canadians are encouraged to honour the contributions of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit people in the Canadian military effort.

The flags will be returned to full height after sunset.

The Town will lower the flags to half-mast again for Remembrance Day on Monday, November 11.

The Sawkas have been a staple of Okotoks Oilers hockey since the eldest brother of three started in the 2017-2018 AJHL season.

Defenceman and eldest brother Tanner was the first to crack the roster, followed by goaltender Parker, and then the youngest brother Hunter.

Tanner and Parker played on the Oilers together when Parker first joined the team and then Hunter got to play with Parker in Hunter's first season with the team.

Now Hunter continues the Sawka legacy with the team.

Canada’s unemployment rate held steady at 6.5 per cent last month as hiring remained weak across the economy.

Statistics Canada’s labour force survey on Friday said employment rose by a modest 15,000 jobs in October.

Business, building and support services saw the largest gain in employment.

Meanwhile, finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing experienced the largest decline.

Many economists see weakness in the job market continuing in the short term, before the Bank of Canada’s interest rate cuts spark a rebound in economic growth next year.

Christmas is coming early to Okotoks with the Christmas Market opening this weekend.

It runs Friday (Nov. 8) through Sunday and then next Saturday and Sunday.

Five days of Christmas fun will be spread out over two locations at the Viking Rentals Centre (formerly the Foothills Centennial Centre) and the D'Arcy Ranch Golf Club.

• Friday, Nov 8th: 2 p.m.- 6 p.m.

• Saturday, Nov 9th: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

• Sunday, Nov 10th: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

• Friday, Nov 15th: 2 p.m. - 6 p.m.

Now that it's November and winter conditions are on the way, the RCMP are reminding people to keep children safe in vehicles.

Part of that is ensuring children are properly secured in the correct car/booster seat.

The Alberta RCMP are recommending that infants up to two years old, or up to 10 kg (22 lbs), be placed in a rear-facing car seat until they are at least two years old or until they have reached the max height and weight limit for their current car seat.

A Remembrance Day event in Okotoks will cause a road closure.

The Remembrance Day service will occur at the Okotoks Cenotaph in Fredrick Price Park on November 11, causing a part of Veterans Way to be closed.

Veterans Way from Mountain Street to Elizabeth Street will be closed from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Because of that, there will be restricted or modified access to the businesses and streets in the area.

This includes access to Elma Street, the alleyways behind the Royal Duke and the Rotary Performing Arts Centre, and Elizabeth Street.