Okotoks

The owner of a Foothills County business pleaded guilty to two weapons charges, and was cleared of several others, including an animal neglect charge, last Friday (Feb. 21).

On Oct. 7, 2024, High River RCMP announced that several charges were laid against Justin Stenebaugh, the owner of The Dawg Father Daycare and Boarding.

Alberta’s finances, tied for generations to the steep peaks and sharp valleys of oil and gas prices, are once again plunging deep into deficit, with no immediate relief in sight.

Finance Minister Nate Horner introduced a budget Thursday that projects a $5.2-billion deficit this fiscal year on total spending of $79 billion.

That represents an $11-billion swing from the current budget, which wraps up at the end of March and is on track to register a surplus close to $6 billion.

The Alberta government tabled its budget on Thursday. Here are some of the highlights:

A new High River cenotaph will hopefully be in place for this year's Remembrance Day.

The current cenotaph in front of the Highwood Centre only represents the Great War (WW I) as it was built almost 100 years ago, said Highwood Memorial Board Society Chair Tim Whitford.

"The original cenotaph was built in 1934, and it was installed on 3rd Avenue, and the dedication ceremony was on November 11th that year."

The Highwood Centre is in partnership with the High River Royal Canadian Legion as they have $60,000 to raise for the new cenotaph.

A longtime member and current superintendent with the Livingstone Range School Division is leaving for the Land of Living Skies.

The Livingstone Range School Division Board of Trustees have recently received the resignation of their Superintendent, Darryl Seguin, who has been with the school division for 20 years.

Seguin had joined the School Division in 2005 as the principal of G.R. Davis School, and then became the principal of Willow Creek Composite High School in 2010.

A Special Public Avalanche Warning has been issued for much of BC and Western Alberta.

It's a joint warning from Avalanche Canada, in partnership with Parks Canada, Alberta Parks, and the Province of British Columbia.

The warning is effective as of Feb. 27, and will remain in effect until Monday, March 3, covering recreational backcountry areas across most of their forecast regions in both provinces.

The Rowan House Society was recently given a shoutout in the Alberta Legislature.

Livingstone-Macleod MLA Chelsae Petrovic addressed her fellow MLAs during the first session of their 2025 Spring Sitting.

She highlighted the non-profit women's shelter's efforts over the last 25 years to provide support to survivors of domestic abuse and to break the cycle of violence.

Relatives of two murdered Indigenous women expressed shock, hope and anger Thursday, after receiving news that potential human remains have been found at a landfill where their loved ones were believed to have been taken.

"I think the shock of everything has finally hit me," Melissa Robinson, a cousin of Morgan Harris, said at a press conference sitting beside other relatives

"To every one of you that said no (to a search), to every one of you that didn't believe in us, do better," said Harris's daughter Elle Harris.

The striking education support staff workers had some company on the picket lines in High River Thursday (Feb. 27) morning.

Members of the AUPE, the Alberta Union for Public Employees, joined CUPE 5040 striking workers near Spitzee Elementary School. 

Nanton residents may experience their water being intermittently shut off over the next few days.

Crews will be out doing some water service line work on Friday, Feb. 27 and Monday, March 3, which could cause the water to be shut off occasionally.

On Friday, crews will be working at 2406 17 Street, whereas on Monday, March 3, crews will be working at 2305 24 Street.