Okotoks

The Okotoks Film Festival is happening this week, and a local filmmaker has a couple of films being shown.

Okotokian Logan Coutts has two films as part of the Film Festival, which begins on Wednesday.

One of them is an official selection of the festival, while the other is part of the 48-hour challenge.

"Usually, filmmakers can only submit one, but because the 48-hour exists, we're able to get your stuff in there twice, which is really exciting," explained Coutts. 

The High River Stampede Breakfast is gearing up for the big day on Saturday, July 26th.

There are a lot of new changes for the second annual events, including three events that the public can register for.

They include mini-chuckwagon soapbox races, a pancake eating competition and a cowboy bean cook-off.

Organizer of the event, Rick Green, is pretty excited about how it's all coming together now, and they even have a sponsor for the mini-chuckwagon races.

Alberta Fish and Wildlife Enforcement recently conducted angler compliance checks on the Bow River near Bearspaw Dam, uncovering multiple violations that led to arrests and charges.

One individual was caught using a set line, which is a fishing method often associated with illegal bait use.

Officers confirmed the angler was using worms, a prohibited bait in the area.

They soon discovered the individual had three outstanding warrants related to previous fisheries offences, including over-limit catches and the use of illegal bait.

The Okotoks Dawgs' bats came alive last night in Brooks as the Dawgs dumped the Bombers 15-6.

The two teams battled it out early until the Dawgs poured it on and scored 11 runs in the final four innings.

The game lasted almost three and a half hours.

Nate Charlton got the win, pitching for the Dawgs as the team now has back-to-back wins.

Early in the season, the team is now 2-2 with game five coming up tonight at Seaman's Stadium.

The Dawgs welcome back the Lethbridge Bulls to town for a 7 p.m. game time. 

Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree is expected to introduce a bill today spelling out the federal government's next steps on border security.

The recent throne speech promised legislation to bolster security at Canada's borders and new tools for police and intelligence agencies to help them stop the flow of deadly fentanyl and its precursors.

The government also said the Canada Border Services Agency will be given new powers to examine goods destined for export to prevent the movement of illegal and stolen products, including cars.

The federal government plans to work urgently to remove Chinese tariffs on Canadian agriculture and seafood products, Prime Minister Mark Carney said Monday.

"The Canadian government is engaging with its Chinese counterparts at the ministerial level and we'll continue those discussions," Carney told reporters after meeting with premiers in Saskatoon.

"They're a top priority for us." 

The commitment came in a statement after the meeting and it says premiers want Canada's trading relationship with China to improve. 

RJ Sigurdson, MLA for Highwood and Alberta's Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation, is in Southeast Asia this week to promote agri-trade with Alberta.

The trip comes amid uncertainty around North American trade and the potential effects of tariffs.

Sigurdson will visit Vietnam and the Philippines, which, according to the province, were ranked the second and third-largest Southeast Asian markets for Alberta’s agriculture and agri-food exports.

Nanton students rallied together, raising a record-breaking amount to fight cancer.  

During this year's Relay for Life, students from the J.T. Foster School raised $17,366.35.  

Every year, students fundraise and then run the relay along the school's track, where the team with the most laps earn bragging rights.  

The RCMP responded to a fatal collision near Taber over the weekend.

A motorcycle reportedly left the road on Highway 875, south of Range Road 141, on Sunday, June 1.

Taber and Vauxhall RCMP, along with EMS, responded at approximately 5:30 p.m.

When emergency crews arrived at the scene, they found the rider, a 70-year-old man from Regina, dead.

The RCMP are extending their condolences to the family and friends of the rider.

Some residents in the MD of Willow Creek will experience an evacuation drill this evening.

The M.D. of Willow Creek took to Facebook to let people know that the community of Moon River Estates is conducting their annual evacuation drill today (June 2).

This is a planned exercise that will ensure everybody is prepared in case an emergency were to happen.

The drill will begin at 6:30 p.m. and will be announced with a siren. The drill will last about an hour, and then there will be a bit of a debrief afterwards.