Strathmore

Local country music artist Jordan Ostrom is coming out with new music.

Ostrom grew up on a farm outside Carseland and has been singing since she was young.

"My parents actually met on the rodeo circuit in the 80s. And so country music was just grandfathered into my existence", explained Ostrom.

She recently played at the Scotiabank Saddledome with a band called the Dungarees, who opened for Miranda Lambert.

Ostrom has since moved to Nashville, the home of country music, to widen her career.

The national chief of the Assembly of First Nations says talk of Alberta separatism is 'irresponsible' and it's "not smart" for politicians to make statements about it without consulting with First Nations first.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has introduced a bill that would make it easier for Albertans to launch referendums on various topics — including splitting from Canada.

Smith has pointed to growing alienation in her province and frustration with Ottawa, saying those wanting to separate "are not fringe voices."

Alberta's access to information watchdog has found the provincial government to be non-compliant with its own freedom of information rules.

A new report from information and privacy commissioner Diane McLeod says Alberta's government has implemented internal procedures and policies that allow government employees to wrongfully deny freedom of information requests.

Alberta's chief electoral officer is warning the government that proposed legislation will impair the election commissioner's power to investigate election rule breaking.

A controversial bill introduced last month, if passed, will make sweeping changes to voting and referendums in the province, and is making its way through debate in the legislature. 

Strathmore firefighters responded to a fire outside town on Sunday, May 11.

The blaze was at a home near Range Road 255 and Township Road 244 at around 8 p.m., with Wheatland County Fire and Emergency Services also attending the scene.

Range Road 255 was blocked near the intersection as crews worked on fighting the blaze, with motorists being redirected.

The extent of damages and whether anyone was injured is unknown.

An update will be provided once more details become available.

The federal government expects to spend about $7 million this fiscal year to store and maintain four custom-made, portable hospitals that cost taxpayers more than $200 million to buy — facilities meant to bolster overwhelmed hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic that were barely used.

Early on in the pandemic, as the federal government moved at breakneck speed to respond to a global health crisis, it issued rush orders for these Mobile Health Units.

The Strathmore Spartans senior boys' rugby team are heading to Medicine Hat on Saturday, May 10.

The event is a 7's tournament, with the team spending the entire day playing games in Medicine Hat.

Following the tournament, the team will be playing on May 12 in Okotoks before returning to Strathmore on May 21.

After their last home game, the Spartans will be playing in zone finals before moving onto provincials.

Indigenous groups in Canada say they want to see Pope Leo XIV continue the reconciliation work started by his predecessor, the late Pope Francis.

Francis was recognized as an ally of Canada's Indigenous Peoples and was known for advancing reconciliation efforts and apologizing — both in the Vatican and in Canada — for the Catholic Church's role in widespread abuses at residential schools.

His visit to Canada in 2022 was described as a "penitential pilgrimage" as Francis insisted on meeting with Indigenous survivors of residential schools and hearing their stories.

Alberta Sugar Beet Growers and Rogers Sugar have reached a new 5-year agreement.

The new supply agreement was announced in a press release on Friday.

Roger's Taber location is the only sugar beet processing facility in Canada. Established almost 75 years ago, the Taber facility is supported by approximately 200 Southern Alberta farm families, which supply the refinery with sugar beets. 

According to the ASBG website, those farms harvest about 900,000 tonnes of sugar beets annually, which are turned into 125,000 tonnes of sugar or nearly 2 million cups!

Lack of progress means time is growing short to get a successfull crop into the ground in Southern Alberta.

Contract negotiations are dragging on for Alberta sugar beet producers.

It’s already early May, and Alberta Sugar Beet Growers and Rogers Sugar, the sole sugar-beet processing plant left in Canada, still haven’t hammered out a deal.

Jennifer Crowson, executive director with the Alberta Sugar Beet Growers, cautioned the Western Producer in an email that she was limited in what she can share, other than that they are still in active negotiations.