Okotoks

It's that time of year again when people can become a part of RCMP history.

The RCMP's annual Name the Foal contest is open for Canadians 14 years of age and younger.

As part of this contest, Canadian youth will be able to provide name suggestions for upwards of 10 foals that are expected to be born this spring at the RCMP's horse breeding farm in Pakenham, Ontario.

This year, they are specifically looking for names that begin with the letter "B".

The sun was shining for 'Hockey Day in Canada' at Okotoks Nissan on Saturday.

Hockey Night in Canada's Kelly Hrudey once again made a special appearance, cheering on the kids, chatting with hockey moms and dads, taking photos, and signing autographs.

Hrudey also brought along enough Hockey Night in Canada towels for all of the kids in the 4-on-4 ball hockey tournament.

The fun fundraiser had over 400 boxes of Cheerios and other cereals donated for the Okotoks Food Bank.

Okotoks' 2025 Community Priorities Survey has been launched, but not just anyone can access it.

Postcards with information on how to access the survey are being sent out by mail, with QR codes and phone numbers included.

You may also receive a call from TellCityHall, which provides an option for a link to be sent via text or email.

The survey is open until April 25, with participants being entered to win a $150 gift card to a local business of their choice.

Westwinds Communities' drive-by pies fundraiser is making a return.

It's become an annual tradition, with homemade pies available for order and pickup at local seniors' lodges.

The fundraiser has grown over the years, now being available at Sandstone Lodge in Okotoks, Medicine Tree Manor in High River, and High Country Lodge in Diamond Valley.

Funds raised will contribute to a new handibus to be used across all of Westwinds' Foothills locations.

Pies are $25 and available in apple and strawberry rhubarb flavours.

Orders had to made in advance.

A lottery that supports over 30 healthcare foundations and hospitals in Alberta will now happen every month.

The Split the Pot Lottery was introduced to Alberta in October of 2021, and they've now had three successful runs.

Funds raised by the lottery support 35 healthcare foundations and hospitals across the province, including the Sheep River Health Trust and the High River District Health Care Foundation.

So far, it's raised over $1,000,000, and Albertans have won over $620,000.

The Okotoks Oilers are down two games to none in their best-of-seven BCHL round one playoff series.

The Oil dropped game two on Sunday in Penticton, 5-0 to the Penticton Vees.

The Vees have shutout the Oilers 9-0 over the first two playoff games.

The Green Army should be out for games three and four on Tuesday and Wednesday at Viking Rentals Centre, adding that hometown advantage.

Both games have 7 p.m. start times with tickets still available.

Bird e-scooters are back for their fifth season in Okotoks.

As always, they're available to rent through the Bird for those aged 16 and up.

Some new pricing options are available, including a Community Pricing Program that provides a 25 per cent discount on rides for seniors, low-income residents and healthcare workers.

There are also options for multi-day passes and a monthly subscription.

Riders should keep some safety rules in mind though, including the one rider per scooter limit.

With just three weeks to go until election day, Canada's federal party leaders are back on the road today.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh is expected to make an announcement in Toronto today following weekend campaign stops on the East Coast, where he announced plans to impose national rent control and to get every Canadian access to a family doctor in the next five years.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is wrapping up a campaign sweep on the West Coast today before flying to Edmonton for a rally.

Cereals Canada has released a series of sustainability reports for Canadian non-durum wheat, durum wheat, barley, and oats to demonstrate how the cereals value chain is meeting the challenge of sustainable cereal production.

“Canada is a global leader in the production of high-quality, nutritious, and sustainable cereal grains,” said Mark Walker, vice-president of markets and trade. “These reports confirm that Canadian farmers grow some of the most sustainable crops in the world.”

Protesters rallied in several cities across the country on Sunday to demonstrate against Donald Trump's threats to Canadian sovereignty, as backlash to an American president who appears bent on upending the global order gains momentum.

Despite softer-than-expected tariffs against Canada last week and a more cordial tone from the White House over the past week, the echo from Trump's repeated remarks about making Canada the 51st state continues to ring in Canadians' ears.