Cochrane

Industry is applauding the federal government’s progress toward a foot-and-mouth disease vaccine bank after it awarded supply contracts to two companies.

Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health and Biogenesis Bago SA will supply vaccine products and develop the vaccine bank.

Canadian Cattle Association Saskatchewan director and former Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association president Garner Deobald, who formerly worked for Boehringer, said both companies are well respected and were good choices.

“I think it is important, for sure, to be ready,” he said.

Cochrane performers are front and centre in this year’s Calgary Stampede Grandstand Show, entertaining nightly crowds of 20,000 through Sunday.

Glenn Watts, one of the last modern square dance callers in Alberta, and 19-year-old fiddler Katerina Rose are featured alongside 16 square dancers from across southern Alberta and 16 Young Canadians in a high-energy, two-song performance.

The Cochrane Endurance Project brought home a strong collection of medals and personal bests from the Athletics Alberta Age Class Provincial Track & Field Championships held this past weekend at Strathcona Athletics Park.

A 13-member squad, including athletes Raimo Sollitt, Eli Torrie, Kayley Torrie, Eddie MacMillan, Abby Torrie, Ryden Bruce, Jessica Kaiser, Clay Grattidge, Csenia Irvin, Roman Lang, Coach BobbiJo Waite-Lang, and Jillian Roberts, represented the club in a variety of events.

Alberta NDP leader Naheed Nenshi says the revival of the Progressive Conservative Party by two former United Conservative MLAs is a sign of growing discontent within Premier Danielle Smith’s government.

In a statement, Nenshi accused the UCP of fostering “corruption, incompetence and chaos,” and claimed recent internal dissent points to deeper fractures within the governing party.

As summer temperatures climb and more people flock to lakes and rivers to cool off, Cochrane RCMP are reminding the public to make water safety a priority.

With an increase in recreational activity on and around local waterways, police are encouraging people to take precautions whether they are boating, paddling or simply going for a swim.

"Warm weather draws people to the water, but it’s important to keep safety top of mind,” said the Cochrane detachment in a release issued this week.

Among the key safety tips being highlighted:

With a string of strong performances and multiple wins under his belt, young piper Kellan Harris-Still remains a standout on Alberta’s Highland Games scene this summer.

At the Red Deer Highland Games on June 30, Kellan competed in Grade 3 solo piping events, placing first in both the Strathspey/Reel and Piobaireachd, and third in the 6/8 March. His results earned him another Grade 3 aggregate title. He also performed in both a youth quartet and with the Foothills Caledonia Youth Pipe Band (FCYPB), with both ensembles claiming first-place finishes.

Two Cochrane students have been named this year’s recipients of the Cochrane Activettes Bursary.

Claire Meyer, a graduate of Cochrane High School, and Natonya Fedeyko, who recently graduated from Bow Valley High School, will each receive a $4,500 bursary to help support their post-secondary studies this fall.

The bursary program, offered annually by the Cochrane Activettes, aims to recognize local young graduates who demonstrate strong community involvement, academic achievement, and leadership.

The premiers of Alberta and Ontario are set to meet in Calgary today to sign two memorandums of understanding.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith's office says she and Ontario Premier Doug Ford will sign agreements on energy priorities, trade and interprovincial co-operation.

The pair were together at a roundtable in Calgary on Sunday, with Ford tweeting that they discussed how to build new pipelines, as well as rail lines to export Canadian critical minerals and energy.

Smith also bumped into Prime Minister Mark Carney at the Calgary Stampede on Saturday.

Steer Wrestler Scott Guenthner from Provost, Alberta, is going to the Championship finals this Sunday at the Calgary Stampede.

Guenthner had a time of 4.7 seconds on the final day in Pool A to finish in second place on Sunday, but more importantly, he finished first overall.

That means he's going to the Steer Wrestling finals on Sunday. 

Two other Albertans also qualified for Championship Sunday.

Ladies Breakaway Roping standout Shelby Boisjoli-Meged from Langdon finished in first place yesterday, and overall, so she's moving on to the finals.

The track was wet and a bit slow on the Rangeland Derby on Sunday night, and several penalties slowed down some of the drivers' rankings.

Defending Champion High River's Jason Glass took out a barrel, costing him 5 seconds and pushing him from 3rd down into 13th place in the aggregate.

Glass also suffered a 5-second penalty in last year's Calgary Stampede, but also set a new track record and was able to overcome his penalty and went on to win it all.