Cochrane

As her reign as Calgary Stampede Princess winds down, Breanna Correia says it’s been a year she’ll never forget.

“There are so many highlights, from riding my horse into that iconic Stampede arena to meeting Shania Twain and even the Prime Minister,” Correia said. “It’s been a pinch-me experience the whole way through.”

According to a new report, women say they need a girls' night every 22 days to feel recharged. That’s right—78% of women say these nights aren’t just a “nice-to-have” treat, they’re vital for mental health, sanity, and all-around happiness. Wine, laughter, and besties are basically self-care.

Here are some local spots to help you unwind, laugh, and feel fabulous:

Melt Away the Stress – The Cave Sauna & Spa

Imagine cozy saunas and steamy eucalyptus rooms, basically, a mini vacation right here in Cochrane.

Rocky View Schools (RVS) continues to see lower-than-expected student growth this fall.

At their Sept. 17 meeting, trustees were presented with preliminary numbers showing 29,489 students enrolled — up 246 from last year but 241 short of the division’s projection.

The figure is also lower than the 29,617 students reported to trustees on Sept. 3.

Newly released documents show Ottawa has spent almost $1.3 billion on cloud services provided by U.S. companies, with most of the money going to Microsoft — and its uses include what it calls "mission-critical" defence applications.

The information was shared in a government response to a question posed by Conservative MP Todd Doherty. He asked government departments and agencies how much they have spent since 2021 on cloud services provided by Amazon, Microsoft and Google, and to identify which of those cloud services cover critical government functions.

Canada and Mexico have signed a pact to deepen economic and security ties ahead of what is expected to be a challenging round of negotiations with the United States on a trilateral trade deal.

The agreement — billed as a comprehensive strategic partnership — was signed by Prime Minister Mark Carney and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum in Mexico City Thursday.

It includes a plan to build infrastructure such as ports, rail and energy corridors while tackling crime and protecting the environment.

Independent MLA Peter Guthrie is questioning why Premier Danielle Smith is focused on blocking the Alberta Party from becoming the Alberta Progressive Conservative Party and says she should be more concerned with protecting the Wildrose name.

Guthrie said Smith has a stronger case defending the Wildrose name, a party she once led.

Currently, the Wildrose name is part of two registered parties: the Wild Rose Loyalty Coalition and the Wild Rose Independence Party.

A woman and a young child from Hanna, Alta., are dead after a pickup truck collided with a semi on Highway 9 near the intersection with Highway 566.

Airdrie Rural RCMP say a Dodge Ram heading northbound struck the southbound semi on Wednesday, causing the pickup to catch fire.

The 36-year-old driver and her 18-month-old passenger were pronounced dead at the scene.

Two other children in the truck were taken to hospital in Calgary with injuries.

The semi driver was not hurt.

Mounties say the cause of the crash remains under investigation.

The Alberta government has chosen not to renew its ban on the practice of "carding" by police officers.

The provincial regulation enforcing the ban was due for renewal this past summer, but a government letter to the Edmonton Police Commission says the province wouldn't be renewing it.

Carding refers to police officers stopping members of the public without reason and asking for identification.

Officers who responded to an Israel-Palestine protest in Calgary have been cleared of wrongdoing after a teen was forced to the ground and concussed.

The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team, or ASIRT, says police arrested the 13-year-old at the downtown protest in November 2023 for assault after spitting at an officer.

It says the teen was part of a group of people who broke away from the main protest and gathered at city hall, blocking an intersection.

A nasty standoff between the Alberta government and its 51,000 teachers – with each side accusing the other of lying — is set to turn into an all-out advertising war.

Finance Minister Nate Horner’s office confirmed Wednesday it plans to release an advertising campaign to push its side in the dispute, countering a campaign by the Alberta Teachers’ Association that has been ongoing for weeks.

“The government must now correct the false narrative the ATA has created,” Horner says in a statement.