HighRiver

With Alberta teachers set to go on strike Oct. 6 if no deal is reached, school divisions across the province are preparing for the possibility.

Both Foothills-area divisions, the Foothills School Division (FSD) and Christ the Redeemer Catholic Schools (CTR), have posted responses on their websites.

FSD is advising parents to prepare in case strike action occurs, which could include the closure of schools.

With a provincewide teachers strike looming, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says their union has a stark choice between heftier pay hikes and more teachers. 

Smith suggests they can have one or the other, but they can’t have both.

Smith made the comments today to reporters when asked about stalled contract talks between her government and the Alberta Teachers’ Association, the day after the union set a strike date of Oct. 6.

Alberta has offered wage hikes starting at 12 per cent over four years, with a promise to hire 3,000 teachers over three years.

Vulcan County Regional Fire Services responded to a baler fire that quickly spread into a grass fire on Tuesday (Sept. 9).  

Fire crews from Stations 19, 20, 21, and 27 responded to the fire, which was threatening nearby structures.  

No structures in the area were heavily damaged due to the quick response from emergency crews.   

Prime Minister Mark Carney named the first five projects on the federal government's fast-track list on Thursday — part of his plan to attract outside investment and bolster the Canadian economy.

The projects include planned energy development, mining and port infrastructure projects from the West Coast to Central Canada.

The government also released an expanded list of projects not quite ready for prime time that includes additional initiatives in Eastern Canada and the North.

The list of Okotoks candidates running in the 2025 municipal election has grown to 16.

With the Sept. 22 nomination deadline approaching, 15 candidates are vying for a seat on town council, while incumbent Mayor Tanya Thorn remains the only declared mayoral candidate.

The Alberta Court of Appeal is scheduled to hear today the appeals of two men serving time for their roles in the 2022 border blockade at Coutts, Alta.

Chris Carbert and Anthony Olienick were sentenced a year ago to 6 1/2 years for mischief and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose.

Olienick was also convicted of possessing a pipe bomb. 

The jury found them not guilty on a charge of conspiring to kill RCMP officers.

Carbert and Olienick are asking the court to overturn their convictions and, if that fails, to reduce their sentences.

Prairie residents can expect warmer-than-normal conditions through October before a flip to a colder, stormier pattern in November, according to The Weather Network’s 2025 Fall Forecast.

The release said the transition from summer to early fall has already featured “a dramatic contrast in temperatures across Canada,” including “record breaking cold temperatures” in central Canada and “record shattering heat, especially in western Canada.”

The real estate market in Okotoks was tight in August, as a result of fewer listings.   

According to the Calgary Real Estate Board (CREB) August stats, sales to new listings dropped to 59 per cent in the Foothills Region, a decrease from July’s 71 per cent.  

A new open mic event debuted at the Old Church Theatre on Wednesday (Sept. 10).

Acoustic Mornings gives local musicians a chance to connect and play on stage on the second Wednesday of each month.

It's organized and hosted by Dianne Harvey, Paula Briggs, and Cathy Checora, with Harvey and Checora having hosted previous open mics in town.

If you have boxes of sensitive documents or even just a few handfuls, the High River Legion is here to help.

High River Royal Canadian Legion #71 is ready to host another morning of shredding this weekend.

Don Horn, media relations with the Legion, said they partnered up with a few local businesses to make this fundraiser happen.

"Century 21, and we're doing this in partnership with the Rotary as well. It'll be on Saturday, September 13th, from 9 until 1. It's by donation, and all the money will be split between the Legion in High River here and also the Rotary."