Okotoks

This year's wildfire season in Canada is shaping up to be the second-worst on record and federal officials are warning of a dangerous summer in parts of British Columbia.

Officials with several government departments held a technical briefing Thursday in Ottawa with an update on the state of multiple wildfires and its forecast for the coming months.

The Alberta government says it is considering letting oil companies inject wastewater deep underground as a way to manage the toxic tailings that are accumulating in the oil sands.

The idea is one of five being put forward by a government-appointed committee tasked with studying potential tailings management options.

A new report from the committee says injecting mine water underground is a practical solution but considering over 1.4 trillion litres of tailings exist as of 2023 it can't be the only option.

A former health-care agency leader is asking a judge to deliver a quick decision on her wrongful dismissal lawsuit against the Alberta government, but the province says it will push back.

Athana Mentzelopoulos, the former CEO of Alberta Health Services, or AHS, has applied for a summary judgment on the legality of her January firing, which would avoid sending the case to trial.

Nine Albertans have recently been awarded the Alberta Order of Excellence, including one person living in the Longview area.

John Scott owns a ranch near Longview and has been a staple in the Alberta movie industry for decades, but he says he isn't sure why he won the award.

"I just kind of found out [Tuesday] that I've won the Order of Excellence, which is a high award for Alberta. And just honoured to win it," Scott explains. "I've been so busy, I just haven't had time to absorb everything that goes with it."

The Town of Okotoks recently released their new Growth Strategy. 

According to the Senior Manager for Planning and Identity for the Town of Okotoks, Robyn Marsden, this Strategy will help guide how the Town grows.

"The Town's growth Strategy is really a practical tool, and it's meant to help guide how, where, and when we grow, with a focus on really ensuring that our growth is identity-driven," explained Marsden. "And what that means is that we're really about growing in a way that truly reflects the needs and the values of our community."

Canada Post's new set of stamps honouring Indigenous leaders will be revealed at a series of events next week, including one for a local Elder.

This is the fourth set of Canada Post's Indigenous Leaders multi-year stamp series, which began in 2022, and highlights the contributions of modern-day First Nations, Inuit, and Métis leaders who dedicated their lives to preserving their culture and improving the quality of life for Indigenous Peoples in Canada.

The Claresholm Fire Department has issued a Fire Advisory for the town as a result of hot, dry conditions.   

Under the advisory, backyard fire pits and liquid, pellet, or gas-fueled cooking appliances are still permitted.  

Fireworks, incinerators, and chimineas are prohibited, along with open burning of yard waste and debris. 

The house known locally as the Superman House in High River is now known as Mystic Manor.

Mystic Manor is an authentic haunted house, and according to the owner and creator of Mystic Manor, Faye Steinberg, everything in the building that is paranormal is real.

"We have no jump scares, we have no actors," Steinberg explains. "We have no manufactured haunts. Everything is a hundred percent authentic."

The house was originally built in 1905, and according to Steinberg, not only is the building haunted, but so are hundreds of objects inside.

Students from County Central High School (CCHS) in Vulcan got a first-hand look at the consequences of impaired driving during the RCMP’s second annual mock impaired collision.  

The demonstration was hosted by Vulcan RCMP Constable Ken Jones on June 6, as part of the Safe Grad mission to prevent teens from driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.   

Physiological Leaf Spot is suspected in a number of winter wheat fields in Southern Alberta.

Physiological leaf spot (PLS) appears as round or oval lesions that may be yellow or bleached white to gray in color. Lesions may also have a dark center with a narrow chlorotic (yellow) halos and tend to be more numerous toward the tip of the leaf blade. PLS lesions are often found in the upper canopy, and missing or rare on lower leaves.

Three Factors Favoring Physiological Leaf Spot (PLS):