Okotoks

The Claresholm RCMP are looking for information on a person and vehicle after a young girl was approached by a man driving a white van.

It happened between 9 and 9:15 a.m. on Wednesday, April 9.

A young female student from Willow Creek Composite High School was out for a run off school grounds as part of P.E. class, when a man driving a white van offered her a ride.

According to the RCMP, the driver persisted after the girl refused, only driving away when the student threatened to take down his license plate information.

As Alberta heads into the heart of wildfire season, the province is committing almost $1 million to upgrade its early-warning systems.

Forestry Minister Todd Loewen says $900,000 is being allocated to upgrade and expand its network of 150 weather stations.

These stations monitor environmental conditions, like temperature, humidity, wind and moisture, in real time to help fire crews know where they will be needed when the weather gets hot and dry.

The Town of Okotoks is continuing to sweep up the dirt and gravel from the streets after winter.

While the street sweepers are out, the Town will implement some parking bans, to ensure the sweepers don't miss a spot.

On Friday, April 11, crews will be sweeping the following areas from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.:

Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi says the government's proposed bill to wipe out municipal councils' codes of conduct could create a free-for-all of delinquency and grift. 

"This bill is an affront to local voters. It basically says to local voters, ‘We don't trust you,’" Nenshi told reporters at the legislature Wednesday.

Municipal Affairs Minister Ric McIver proposed the bill in the house Tuesday. He said the change had to be made because codes of conduct were being weaponized to silence dissent on municipal councils.

Do you see the Diamond Valley firefighters in action? They could just be doing some training.

The Diamond Valley Fire Rescue took to Facebook this week to let people know of some upcoming training.

Their firefighters will be conducting search and rescue training drills at the arena in Black Diamond, as well as at a business in Longview.

According to the Diamond Valley Fire Department, they are doing fire ground survival and fire search and rescue drills.

The Vulcan County Health and Wellness Foundation recently held a fundraiser to help upgrade palliative care in Vulcan County.

They held the fundraiser last Saturday (April 5) to raise funds for upgrades to Vulcan County Community Health Centre's palliative care.

Those planned upgrades include adding some tracks from the bed to the bathroom.

Because of the cost, the Vulcan County Health and Wellness Foundation stepped up to help fundraise the money for the upgrades.

The Town of Okotoks is creating a new tourism strategy, and Okotoks residents can provide some input.

They are creating a new five-year Tourism Strategy and Action Plan, which will help guide how the Town manages and grows tourism sustainably, and they want residents to share their thoughts on what tourism means to them.

On top of boosting tourism in town, this plan will also explore how to boost the local economy, support small businesses, as well as celebrate what makes Okotoks a great place to visit and live.

High River's Chase Morgan is hitting up the Mucky Duck pub in town on Friday night.

The local Country music singer-songwriter will be playing some of his hits along with some new music.

One of the new songs was played on the 99.7 Sun Country Morning Show with Charlie Brown on Thursday morning.

"This one is one that I wrote just after a trip down to Nashville, and I picked up Johnny Cash's autobiography, and he was talking a little about his dad in there. So, this is a little bit loosely based on his dad, Ray Cash."

The Provincial Government is taking steps to address scrap metal and catalytic converter theft in Alberta.

They are proposing changes to the Scrap Metal Dealers and Recyclers Identification Act, which would enhance sales reporting requirements for businesses, and allow officers to issue tickets rather than issue a court summons wherever appropriate, which the provincial government says would streamline the administration of justice for some minor offences.

Construction season is now in full bloom throughout the Foothills.

With that also comes more rock chips and cracked windshields.

Brian Grover, co-owner of Carstar Collision and Glass Repair in Okotoks, says they are seeing an increase in traffic.

"Definitely, definitely this time of season is busier for sure, but we can always get you in within a day or two."