Okotoks

The Town of Okotoks is hosting a special Easter Bunny Party this Wednesday (April 16).

It is an annual event the Town hosts at the Okotoks Recreation Centre and is aimed at young children.

With the weekend upcoming, there is plenty to do to keep busy.

Here is what's going on in the Foothills this weekend:

Friday, April 11:

The Town of Okotoks hosts Nature Fridays events, and at this week's event, they are teaching about pollinators and how bees and butterflies help plants grow and grow the ecosystem.

High River's Jason Glass and the reigning Calgary Stampede chuckwagon champion claimed the top bid last night at the Big Four Roadhouse.

The unofficial kick-off to the Calgary Stampede saw record numbers last night for the 45th annual Canvas Auction.

Glass reined in $230,000 from longtime sponsor Birchcliff Energy, beating his $150,000 bid from last year.

"Thank you to Birchcliff Energy, my longtime sponsor. They're an amazing group. I can't thank Birchcliff Energy enough."

Season two of the HBO series The Last of Us returns this Sunday.

Aggie Days is happening in Calgary this weekend for the fortieth time.

It's been 40 years of celebrating all things Agriculture with children on the Calgary Stampede grounds.

It's a very family-friendly, free fun event that draws children in like bears to honey.

Kids will get a chance to 'milk a cow', plant seeds, see baby goats and farm animals and enjoy the up-close and personal opportunity.

The cow used for the 'milking a cow' experience isn't real; it's plastic, so the kids are safe while learning the proper techniques.

Spring sunshine and warmth bring bears out of hibernation.

Because of that, the Alberta government is reminding people to take the proper precautions when spending time in the great outdoors.

Due to black and grizzly bears and their cubs emerging from their dens in search of food in spring, this time of year marks a high-risk period for human-bear encounters.

Not only that, but because the bear's natural food sources are limited early in the season, they could be drawn closer to trails, roads, campsites, and residential areas.

That's the question many scientists and wolf lovers have been asking.

A report surfaced earlier last week from Colossal Biosciences claiming they had altered a gray wolf's DNA with dire wolf characteristics.

The bioengineering company claims to have bred three gray wolves with dire wolf characteristics using DNA from extinct dire wolves, which died off between 13,000 and 10,000 years ago. Dire wolves were much larger, more aggressive apex predators, but they are a completely different species from today's gray wolf.

Liberal Leader Mark Carney said Thursday he would pass tougher laws to stop people from being harassed at their places of worship, part of a suite of crime and justice measures he unveiled at a campaign stop in southern Ontario.

The promise comes after more than a year of reports of rising hate targeting Jews and Muslims in Canada following the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel in 2023, and the war in Gaza.

The Manitoba Crop Alliance has a new leader at the helm as Jonathan Hodson recently stepped into the role of board chair. Farming near Lenore in western Manitoba, Hodson brings years of experience to the position and a deep understanding of the organization, having been involved since its formation five years ago. 

Hodson has served in various roles over the years, including most recently as vice-chair. Before the formation of the MCA, he was a director with the Manitoba Corn Growers Association, one of the organizations that merged to form the alliance. 

Costco in Okotoks was evacuated due to a fire alarm on Thursday (April 10) evening

Okotoks Fire & Rescue responded just after 5 p.m., giving the all-clear after checking the building.

The warehouse reopened and resumed operations soon after.