FortSask

Richardson ground squirrels or gophers can be a major problem for farmers and ranchers.

The adults tend to emerge in early spring as the temperature warms up and then are above ground for about four months.

Insect and vertebrate pest management specialist Dr. James Tansey says the males tend to appear two weeks before the females, but it's really the adult females that you need to target and get early prior to the litters.

With the use of Strychnine now prohibited producers are looking for other control methods.

The Public Service Alliance of Canada has reached a tentative contract agreement with the Treasury Board covering more than 120,000 federal government workers across the country.

The national strike is now over for Treasury Board workers, who are required to return to work at 9 a.m. today or their next scheduled shift.

PSAC says strike action continues for 35,000 Canada Revenue Agency workers nationwide, with contract negotiations ongoing.

Barrhead and Westlock RCMP were asking some residents to evacuate due to an out of control fire.

Police say the evacuation affected those living between Township Road 592 and 594 and Range Road 15 and 24.

“Residents which were evacuated due to the fire are now able to return to their homes,” Mounties said in a release.

An area around Range Road 14 and 15 is not passable as it has turned into a staging area for fire services and the RCMP.

“Expect this closure for at least one day.”

More to come...
 

Multiple fire crews are working on a blaze near Highway 15.

According to Radioyeg - Radio Scanner, Lamont and Mundare fire crews are on scene of a structure fire near the highway and Range Road 182 in Lamont County.

The fire reportedly spread to the surrounding brush and Range Road 183. 

The fire was first reported on Saturday (Apr. 29) evening.

Police are also in the area.

More to come…

Brett Kramers has been announced as the new coach for Fort Saskatchewan's U17 AAA Rangers.

Kramers said that he is from Edmonton but has had a budding interest in Fort Saskatchewan.

"I've worked with Mason Hawkes in Hockey Alberta events, and I know Tyson Munro pretty well," said Kramers. "They've all spoken very highly about Fort Saskatchewan."

Munro and Hawkes are also head coaches for the U15 and U18 AAA Rangers, respectively.

Kramers added that he hopes to bring a unique strategy to his team-building exercises.

Canada and the United States have agreed to share more information about the smuggling of guns across their shared border.

Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino says Ottawa has signed four new or updated agreements with Washington that allow the RCMP and Canada Border Services Agency to exchange more data with partners south of the border.

Mendicino says the agreements under a rebooted Canada-U.S. Cross-Border Crime Forum will allow more information-sharing with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

The Canadian Grain Commission has implemented some new procedures with the PSAC strike continuing.

CGC head of communications Remi Gosselin says with 65 per cent of their employees out on strike operations have been significantly impacted.

"The CGC has been able to implement contingency plans to work with grain companies to identify priority cargo. So that those can continue and that grain exports can continue to flow from Canada."

He says there are about 140 grain inspectors across the country in Port locations that are currently on strike right now.

Fort Saskatchewan RCMP is investigating a Valentine's Day incident that left the JRC with significant damage

Police say that, on February 14, an unknown person or group entered the JRC and caused a fair bit of damage to the facility's ice plant. 

The early estimate of the damages was $125,000 and it is suspected that the person(s) responsible were targeting the copper wire in the machinery. 

An investigation into the matter has not yet been able to identify a suspect in the case. 

A couple of local athletes will be playing in the 2023 Alberta Senior Bowl next month. 

Both Sturgeon Composite running back Stefan Visscher and Salisbury receiver Sam Bowen will play for the North team in this year's game. 

"It feels good, it's something I have been striving towards for the past four years," said Visscher. "I remember getting cut three years in a row and it's just really rewarding to be finally recognized for all the hard work." 

The Canadian Agricultural Partnerships five-year pulse cluster research program wrapped up at the end of March.

The total value of research under the Pulse AgriScience Cluster was over $17 million, with $11.1 million coming from the CAP AgriScience Cluster program.