FortSask

Morinville RCMP is investigating a scam involving asphalt.

On Tuesday (Apr. 18), police received reports about a person selling asphalt in the area. The suspect was offering to fill or pave people's driveways at a bargain price. This scam is relevant this time of year due to thawing on driveways leaving potholes.

After asking for money upfront, the suspect cuts contact with the victims and takes the cash. 

Police believe the suspect is using a rental vehicle, with a black Dodge Ram truck being associated with the crime.

A Fort Saskatchewan man has been arrested on multiple charges related to drugs and theft. 

According to Strathcona County RCMP, police received a call in late March about a vehicle that was stuck after colliding with a control box near Township Road 544 and Range Road 222 in Sherwood Park. 

Upon arrival, police report that they found a man who refused to identify himself and attempted to flee in the vehicle. 

The numbers are officially in Canadian Western Agribition is reporting record setting revenue of $4.74 million in 2022, an increase of $400,000 from 2021.

During the AGM Agribition reported an overall profit from the 2022 show of $83,450. 

President Kim Hextall says the numbers tell us we have returned to business as usual.

"The organization is in a strong cash financial position which will help us build and focus on our vision and future events."

Farm groups are starting to raise concerns about the potential impacts the PSAC strike could have for the ag sector.

Keystone Agricultural Producers President, Jill Verwey is calling on negotiators for the federal government and the union to continue an open dialogue with adequate contingencies in place to minimize the negative impacts for farmers and the ag sector.  

Canada's largest federal public-service union has left the bargaining table but says it is standing by to resume negotiations when the federal government comes back with a new offer. 

Federal workers were hitting the picket lines across the country on Wednesday after Canada's largest federal public-service union and the government failed to reach a deal by a Tuesday evening deadline.

On Wednesday morning, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said negotiations had paused. 

A collision between two tanker trucks on Wednesday (Apr. 19) morning closed down a portion of Highway 15. 

The affected area was east of Fort Saskatchewan on the highway near Range Road 213 in Strathcona County. 

Fuel from the tankers reportedly spilt out onto the highway, causing significant delays as crews worked to clean the mess up. 

Just after 11 p.m. on Wednesday night, 511 Alberta reported that the cleanup was complete and the highway was reopened. 

Police say no injuries have been reported. 

There have been some fires burning in Elk Island National Park lately, but there is nothing to fear. 

The park is in the process of conducting its annual prescribed fires around the Shirley Lake area this Spring. 

"We've actually already conducted two ignition operations so far," said James Cook, a fire management officer at EINP. "Our usual window runs from March 15 to April 30." 

"[The fires] are located in the Shirley Lake prescribed fire area, so that's to the southwest of Astotin Lake on the western side." 

As snow melts and signs of spring start to emerge, many cow-calf producers are either just beginning to calve or their calving season is drawing to a close. For those nearing the end of calving, spring offers an opportunity to look back upon the successes and challenges of the season to make changes for next year. Spring is also a great time to begin planning for summer turnout and to consider implementing management practices that may offer health and performance benefits to your herd this summer.

Monday (Apr. 17) was a big night for students of F.R Haythorne Junior High.

The Grade 9 students in the school's film production class got to participate in the 19th annual Hawk Film Festival, hosted at the Sherwood Park Cineplex.

The lobby of the cinema displayed a row of posters for the festival's shorts, all of which were written, edited, and filmed by students of the class.

In total 17 films were shown, with each utilizing some sort of split screen, a filmmaking technique famously used for phone calls or to show multiple character reactions.

Our local MLA has been banned from entering Russia.

Earlier this month, Russia imposed sanctions on 333 Canadians, including public officials and prominent Olympians. These sanctions include a lifetime ban from entering the country.

Of those is Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville MLA Jackie Armstrong-Homeniuk.

“As a proud Ukrainian and a vocal opponent to Vladimir Putin’s war of aggression in Ukraine, I have never been happier to be on a list," wrote Armstrong-Homeniuk in a release.