Cochrane

Seventeen-year-old Rachelle Van Dame has traded the Netherlands for the foothills, spending the school year at Cochrane High through the Rotary Youth Exchange program.

The international initiative, which began in the 1950s, sends thousands of students around the world each year. The Cochrane Rotary Club has participated for more than two decades, and this year welcomed Van Dame while sending local student Bella to Germany.

The rollout of the national dental care program is improving, industry representatives say — but political statements are still driving a misconception among patients that the program will cost them nothing.

"When the plan was initially announced, the government of the day continually talked about free dentistry, free dental care," said Dr. Bruce Ward, president of the Canadian Dental Association.

The Liberal government has introduced legislation to create four new hate-related criminal offences — including one criminalizing the use of Nazi and terrorist-related symbols.

Justice Minister Sean Fraser said Friday the bill would make it a criminal offence to wilfully promote hate through the use of hate symbols.

That designation would apply to two Nazi symbols — the swastika and the SS bolt — and symbols of designated terrorist entities. The maximum penalty would be two years in prison.

Liberal MP Kody Blois says to expect more high-level visits to China, as Canada tries working out a trade spat targeting Canadian canola.

Blois is the parliamentary secretary to Prime Minister Mark Carney, and he joined Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe on a visit to China earlier this month to advocate for Beijing to drop its tariffs on Canadian canola.

China imposed significant tariffs on Canadian canola this year following Ottawa's move to match U.S. tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles.

The Alberta government and the teachers’ union are back at the bargaining table with under three weeks to go before a possible provincewide strike.

Finance Minister Nate Horner’s office confirmed in a Friday statement that bargaining with the Alberta Teachers' Association has resumed and the government is presenting its deal.

The union, in an update to its members Thursday, said the government's deal will be a response to the union's latest proposal tabled last week. Union president Jason Schilling hasn't said what the latest offer includes.

The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) brought its leadership team and board of directors to Cochrane this week, giving the town a rare opportunity to host municipal leaders from across the country.

The FCM, which represents municipalities from coast to coast, rotated its retreat to Cochrane for two days of meetings and regional tours, including visits to the Cochrane RancheHouse and nearby MD of Bighorn.

Rocky View County (RVC) is looking to secure future opportunities for Artificial Intelligence (AI) Data Centre developments in a way that balances economic innovation with community priorities.

To facilitate regional AI projects, the county has established broader growth strategies and regulatory review processes that provide transparent public engagement.

An RCMP officer was injured Sept. 17 after a stolen truck rammed a police vehicle in Eden Valley.

Mounties say an officer was responding to a report of a stolen GMC Sierra around 6:30 p.m. when the truck swerved and hit the police cruiser on Stoney Trail Road. Both vehicles were heavily damaged and airbags deployed.

Despite injuries, the officer arrested the lone driver, 18-year-old Shantaya Lefthand of Eden Valley.

Cochrane RCMP say there was no attempted abduction in the community of Fireside earlier this week.

On September 17 around 6:15 p.m., a man reported that his 10-year-old daughter came home upset, saying someone had tried to take her.

Taxpayers have spent $294,568.18 on legal expenses for two investigations involving Councillor Marni Fedeyko, covering the period from February 2023 to Oct. 2, 2024.

Yesterday, town administration released detailed information on all legal costs related to the investigations and sanctions involving Fedeyko, along with a summary providing context and a timeline, prepared in consultation with legal counsel.