FortSask

Insect damage especially to newly emerged seedlings is always a concern for producers.

Farmers across the prairies will want to be monitoring for cutworm damage and flea beetles. 

The Prairie Pest Management Network says growers should also keep an eye out for diamondback moths and grasshoppers.

According to the report, grasshopper eggs have already started to hatch across Alberta and western Saskatchewan with reports of grasshopper nymphs in both provinces.

That puts the grasshopper hatch about 10 days earlier than normal. 

It could be yet another smoky weekend in the region. 

After a few clear days, light smoke has returned to the area, sparking fears that another weekend could be plagued by poor air quality. 

"[The smoke] is a lot more diffused than it was before," said Sarah Hoffman with Environment Canada. "Still a lot of active wildfires...and some fires not too far away from the Edmonton area." 

"In comparison to the start of the May long weekend, [the smoke] will be a lot less intense." 

It's been three weeks, and local firefighters are still battling fires in the area.

Although many of the fires in the area have been deemed under control, firefighters are still returning to the areas to check for hot spots. This even led to another fire being put out on Monday (May 22).

That same day, firefighters in Strathcona County were searching for hot spots southeast of Fort Saskatchewan.

Due to these fires, fire bans have been put in place for Fort Saskatchewan, Sturgeon County, Lamont County, and Strathcona County. 

The Town of Redwater opened its pool on Friday (May 26). 

The pool features public swims and fitness swims for those looking to stay active.

Here are the hours for the pool:

• Monday to Thursday: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Friday: 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.
• Saturday and Sunday: 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The outdoor pool is located at 5223 - 49 Avenue just to the north of Redwater’s campground. 

Monster Cash with MIX 107 is at a new location on Friday (May 26). 

If you're new to this, here's how it works: 

• Listen to MIX 107 when we're on-location until May 31.
• You'll hear a prompt to win with Monster Cash.
• Be the first person to show up to score $100!

We'll be at a well-known Fort Saskatchewan salon that allows you to 'relax, rejuvenate, and refresh.'

MIX 107 be there from 1 to 3 p.m. and have two cash prizes for YOU to win!

The city of Fort Saskatchewan has added some clarification to the reason why they are charging people to attend some of their Canada Day events. 

The $5 wristband to get into Legacy Park for afternoon activities has caused quite a stir on social media, but this isn't the first time they have done this. 

"It's historically been part of the event in the past," said Arthur Lewandowski, the community events and tourism specialist with the city. 

"People need to keep in mind that the wristband includes all the activities specifically happening in Legacy Park." 

The National Police Federation (NPF) is urging voters to reject the idea of a provincial police transition and keep the Alberta RCMP.

According to the NPF, the transition to a provincial service would be far too costly for Alberta taxpayers, starting with $550 million in transition costs including the loss of the federal government contribution.

Redwater residents should expect to pay a bit more on their property taxes this year. 

Earlier this month, the town council passed their 2023 tax bylaw, which included a 4.53 per cent rise. 

"It was a hard year to try and keep a sustainable budget with a reasonable increase for our taxpayers," said Diane Pysmeny, the general manager of corporate services with the town. 

A second RCMP Musical Ride has been added in Strathcona County. 

The 150th Musical Ride is slated to appear in Ardrossan on June 17, but a second demonstration has been added at Fultonvale School on June 15. 

This demonstration will take place in the fields behind the school and will start at 7 p.m. 

Attendance for both of the events is expected to be high so the county is strongly encouraging people to pre-register. 

Some major changes have come to the Fort Saskatchewan Transfer and Eco Station. 

The entire station has been redesigned, with a fully paved site and designated pull-out areas for users to sort through their materials.

Sadie Miller, the waste program supervisor for the City of Fort Saskatchewan, said that there are also changes to the way residents are charged for what they dump.