Cochrane

Two Albertans are sitting in the top 3 of the aggregate in Tie Down Roping.

Kyle Lucas, hailing from Carstairs and Nanton's Logan Bird, are sitting in 2nd and 3rd place after 2 days of rodeo action in Pool A.

Lucas had a time of 8.2 seconds on Day 2 to move into 2nd in the aggregate, with Bird tying Lucas's time of 8.2 to move into 3rd place in the aggregate.

Only the top 3 times in the aggregate after Sunday's event move into the finals on Championship Sunday, July 13.

High River's Jason Glass, the defending Calgary Stampede Chuckwagon Champion, sits in third place in the aggregate after two nights of racing on the Rangeland Derby.

Glass came in fourth place on the night, behind the aggregate leader Chanse Vigen and Jamie Laboucane. 

Obrey Motowylo had the fastest wagon of the night as night three gets set for Sunday night.

Dayton Sutherland from DeWinton came in 15th on the night and sits in the same position over two days.

Shelby Boisjoli-Meged from Langdon, AB, leads the ladies in the debut of Breakaway Roping at this year's Calgary Stampede.

It's making its debut this year at the world's largest outdoor rodeo.

Another local favourite, Jenna Dallyn from Nanton, came in 3rd with three other Albertans in the mix.

Here are some highlights from Day One in Pool A.

The Cochrane Horticultural Society has made a generous donation to Big Hill Lodge, following the overwhelming success of their annual spring plant sale.

Held outside the Cochrane Public Library, the event drew long lineups before the doors even opened. “We had people lined up all along the sidewalk, east side and Railway Street,” said society director Muriel Wymmobel. “It was a beautiful day, and we were thrilled by the turnout.”

The plant sale, which has grown significantly over the years, was supported by a network of volunteers and local donors.

Defending Rangeland Derby Champion Jason Glass from High River came in fifth last night in the first night of chuckwagon races at the Calgary Stampede.

Chad Fike had the fastest wagon of the night though, but Jason Glass is right there, along with Chanse Vigen, who now calls Calgary home.

Dayton Sutherland, hailing from De Winton, came in 15th.

Fike also led off last year's Stampede with the top time on Day One.

Once again, this year the heats have three wagons with 27 drivers invited this year.

Here's how it played out Friday night:

An Alberta First Nation is asking a judge to review the provincial government's decision earlier this year to end its moratorium on coal mining.

In an application for judicial review filed this week, Siksika Nation says Alberta failed in its duty to consult when in January it lifted its moratorium on new coal mining projects on the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains.

Siksika Nation, 95 kilometres east of Calgary, says the effects of coal mining in the Rockies threaten Treaty rights and the land that supports its livelihood.

Cochrane Fire Services is wrapping up major FireSmart work in the communities of Bow Ridge and Crawford Ranch, as part of the town’s ongoing wildfire mitigation strategy.

In a video update shared today, Fire Chief Shawn Polley highlighted the progress made on the project, which included mulching, pruning, and thinning trees to reduce wildfire risk. Crews also created mulch beds to help prevent fires from climbing into the tops of trees, where they can quickly become high-intensity crown fires.

County of Newell takes over Crop Diversification Centre South and hopes to attract dozens of tenants for the $100 million facility

Like the mighty Phoenix, the County of Newell is hoping the Crop Diversification Centre South in Brooks, Alta., will rise from the ashes and regain the prominence it once had in agricultural research.

June brought its share of thunderstorm activity to the Prairies.

The Canadian Crop Hail Association says mid-June thunderstorms damaged crops across Western Canada, dropping pea- to toonie-sized hail.
 
CCHA member companies are investigating more than 900 claims of crop damage from hailstorms that occurred June 13-20. The majority of the claims were filed in Alberta and Saskatchewan.

Farmers have been out evaluating crop damage to determine the impact, as some crops can recover depending on the damage and the stage of the crop.

Alberta Parks has issued a bear warning for the Grassi Lakes Trail System and surrounding area in Kananaskis Country due to increased black bear activity. The advisory took effect on July 1.

While the warning specifically applies to the Grassi Lakes area, Alberta Parks is reminding visitors that bear encounters can happen anywhere in Kananaskis at any time.

To reduce the risk of an encounter, visitors are urged to secure all attractants, such as food, garbage, recycling, pet food, and scented items, and never leave them unattended.