Strathmore

Graham Abela is currently one of three men running to be the new Conservative candidate for the Bow River MP riding.

Abela has been living in Taber for almost 50 years and currently serves as the chief of police for Taber police.

"My father brought us in here in 1977 and opened up Hostess Foods here," said Abela. "In 1994, I joined the Taber police service and served the community since that time. I was commissioned in 2003 as an inspector, and in 2016 I was promoted to the chief of police position."

Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) have ended the extreme cold warning issued on Tuesday (Feb. 11) during the night.

According to the group, wind chill values near -40°C hit Strathmore bringing an increased risk of frostbite to the area.

Although temperatures have moderated, ECCC is expecting temperatures to reach a wind chill near -29°C on Wednesday night.

You can keep updated on local conditions by visiting our forecast.

Work on the Rainbow Road Bridge in Chestermere is taking a bit longer than expected.

"Due to adverse weather and site conditions and the need to safely prepare rig mats for the operations of the excavators along the canal slopes, work is taking longer than anticipated," mentioned the city in a news release.

According to the city, the piers have been removed and the bedding material and rip rap in the channel are the only things that need to be done.

Joanne Smyth and Yvonne Durnford from Brooks cashed in on winning tickets, taking home $100,000.

According to a news release from the Western Canada Lottery Corporation, the duo had been buying Western 649 and Extra tickets together for a year.

“We buy our tickets every second week," said Durnford. “Joanne texted me asking what time I take lunch and then I didn’t hear back she showed up at my work with the news.”

Smyth recalled feeling pure shock at the news.

“I called my spouse first to tell him we won big and then headed to Yvonne’s work to tell her.”

With Valentine's Day right around the corner, there are a few love-themed events going on in Strathmore and the surrounding area.

There are also many local restaurants accepting reservations as they expect Valentine's Day to be quite busy.

Here are a few things you can do to get into the Valentine's mood on Friday (Feb. 14):

1. Poetry Cafe

Starting at 7 p.m. in the Strathmore Municipal Library, this special Poetry Cafe doesn't just fall on Valentine's Day, but it also marks the one-year anniversary for the event.

Residents in Drumheller may have noticed a change in the look and smell of their water.

"We want to assure residents that our water is safe to drink and fully meets the guidelines for Canadian drinking water quality and municipal waterworks standards set by Alberta Environment and Protected Areas," said a news release from the Town of Drumheller.

According to the town, workers are looking into the causes by testing raw and treated water.

Siksika Nation is gearing up to honour women in the nation in just under a month.

"This year’s Siksika Women’s Day calls for accelerated action. We’re looking for amazing women in our community who are making a difference and breaking down barriers to accelerate action for a more fair and inclusive world," mentioned the nation in a news release.

Women's Day runs on Saturday, Mar. 8.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is in Brussels today as Canada works to deepen its trade and defence ties with Europe.

The prime minister landed in the Belgian capital around 10 a.m. Wednesday morning. His one-day visit includes a meeting with NATO secretary-general Mark Rutte and the European Union's two most senior leaders.

Ursula von der Leyen has been president of the European Commission since 2019, and her job involves directing the EU's policy agenda and legislation.

U.S. president Donald Trump announced he has postponed the 25% implementation of widespread tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico until March 4th. These tariffs would have economic impacts on a variety of industries, including canola. The canola industry in massive in terms of supporting Canadian agriculture, with the economic activity accounting for over $43.5 billion a year. Chris Davison, President and CEO of the Canola Council of Canada, reiterates just how impactful this industry truly is and how important trade relations between Canada & the United States are. 

It's been a history-making season for the Agra Risk Wheatland Kings as the team recorded their best year in franchise history at 27-11-1.

The Strathmore based team will battle the Medicine Hat Cubs in the second round of a best of five series in the playoffs.

The Kings will start game one of the playoffs with a date against the Cubs on Saturday, Feb. 22 at 8 p.m. at the Strathmore Family Centre Arena.