Strathmore

It's been over 40 years since a group of residents decided to help families in need during the holiday season.

Back in 1981, members of the Strathmore Seniors Happy Gang pointed out a family who needed support during Christmas. The group talked to the Wheatland Family & Community Support Services who decided to start the Christmas Hamper challenge.

The society was previously known as the Strathmore & District Christmas Hamper but has since rebranded to the Strathmore & Wheatland County Christmas Hamper Society.

A new way of celebrating Halloween is coming to Strathmore and Wheatland County.

Accessible trick or treating aims to bring a more inclusive way of celebrating the day.

The point of the event is setting up either on your driveway or front path instead of at the front door, which may have chairs and is harder for kids with disabilities to use. 

Carey Rose, a local realtor for the Reps at RE/MAX explained how the idea came to fruition.

A haunted house in Strathmore is gearing up for some tricks-or-treats and fun Halloween scares.

On Saturday (Oct. 19), Chelsea Sollows and her family held their first night hosting a special haunted house tour for neighbours and friends.

"We're really lucky in our community here," said Sollows. "Our next-door neighbours, the Kelly family, they've been helping us every single year that we've done it."

The Canadian Country Showcase, hosted by Courtney Fielder, airs every weekend on Saturdays at 12 PM and Sundays at 4 PM. Courtney engages in conversations with emerging country music artists and the established stars we’ve come to love, celebrating their milestones and new releases.

Siksika Nation is looking to meet the needs of an evolving community and the demand for new facilities due to population growth.

"The program, led by Siksika Nation Engineering Services, aims to enhance the Siksika Memorial Park in Cluny. The improvements will include upgrading the site’s external landscaping, enhancing the water supply and wastewater systems, constructing a new Memorial Building (formerly Parish Hall), renovating the Crowfoot school into a community center, establishing a new Police Headquarters, and more," mentioned the nation in a news release.

It's almost time for residents to enjoy some trick or treating.

The spooktacular frights and unique costumes will be back on October 31.

Staff with Rocky View County provided a few safety tips for families when heading out for candy during Halloween.

Tips include:

Environment and Climate Change Canada has issued a special weather statement due to the first accumulating snow of the season.

"Snow will start along the foothills this morning, then push east across southern Alberta through the day," wrote ECCC.

According to the group, some areas may see 5 to 10 centimetres of snow throughout the day, with the flurries ending during the evening on Monday (Oct. 21).

The federal government is expected to boost the minimum hourly wage that must be paid to temporary foreign workers in the high-wage stream as a way to encourage employers to hire more Canadian staff.

British Columbia's redrawn political landscape won't be settled for about a week, with manual recounts triggered in two key ridings after a nail-biting provincial election that has yet to produce a clear winner.

Elections BC said Sunday the recounts will take place from Oct. 26 to 28 in Juan de Fuca-Malahat and Surrey City Centre, where NDP candidates lead B.C. Conservatives by fewer than 100 votes.

Alberta MP and Conservative Agriculture Critic John Barlow has been receiving a number of emails from Canadians who are concerned about Private Members' Bill C-293, which now sits before the Senate.

He says while the primary objective of the bill is pandemic prevention and preparedness, it contains content and language that will adversely affect Canadian farmers and ranchers.