Local News

Olds residents will have the chance to turn unwanted items into someone else’s treasure starting tomorrow.

The community’s Kick It To The Curb event runs this Friday to Sunday across town. Residents are invited to place usable items they no longer need at the front of their property with a clearly marked “FREE” sign.

Neighbours can browse curbsides, reclaim items, and give them a new home.

Organizers remind participants to only set out items that are still usable. Any items not taken during the event must be removed from the curb afterward.

Sylvan Lake residents can expect detours and construction noise this fall as fibre-optic infrastructure is installed throughout the community.

TELUS and F3 Networks will begin work this month to expand high-speed internet service in Sylvan Lake.

The project will be carried out zone by zone, with each section taking about two months to complete, weather permitting. Work includes directional drilling and hydrovaccing on town boulevards and utility right-of-ways.

Emergency services are on the scene of an accident along Highway 13 west of Stoughton, involving a semi-trailer which has rolled onto it's side.

Traffic is currently being redirected, and drivers are asked to avoid the area if possible.

We'll have any more updates as they become available.

The Emergency Room at Bethesda Regional Health Centre in Steinbach has been identified as a measles exposure site. 

Public health officials with Manitoba Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care are asking anyone who visited the Emergency Room last Saturday from 1:45 to 8:50 pm, to monitor for symptoms. This should be done until October 5th. 

Public health is also asking anyone who was at this location during the specified times to check their immunization records and ensure they are up to date with measles vaccine (MMR or MMRV).

If you’re used to taking 3rd Street NE to get around town, you’ll need to plan ahead for the next two weeks.

The stretch between Saskatchewan Avenue E and Lorne Avenue E will be closed for road construction, starting September 18.

The City of Portage la Prairie says the work should be wrapped up by the end of the day on Thursday, October 2, weather permitting.

Anyone looking for more details can contact the City’s Operations Department by emailing operations@city-plap.com.

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.

Minds in Motion, a program offered by the Alzheimer Society of Manitoba, is preparing to launch its fall session in Portage la Prairie. Regional coordinator Pam Anderson says the initiative is designed for the following people. 

“Minds in Motion is a group that we have that's run throughout the province in various locations, and it's for mild to moderate folks with dementia and their care partners. It's an eight-week program that runs a few times a year. And it is really a time for people to come together. It's a time of fitness, fun, and friendship,” notes Anderson.

KeeshKeemequah, Manitoba, roared this past Saturday as four First Nations crews battled through a provincial Firefighting Competition that ran from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Hosted by the Dakota Tribal Council, the meet crowned Sandy Bay Ojibway First Nation after four gruelling evolutions decided the day and reaffirmed Manitoba’s reputation on the national stage.

Teams, winners, and Manitoba’s edge

The field featured Sandy Bay Ojibway First Nation, Pimicikamak Cree Nation (Cross Lake), Mathias Colomb Cree Nation, and Sagkeeng First Nation.

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.