Lacombe

As harvest operations begin across the prairies, CN Rail is monitoring the impact of weather on the harvest and working with customers as it prepares to ramp up grain movement. 

David Przednowek,Vice President of Grain for CN Rail says with the seasonal decline that they usually see in shipping, they move some of the hopper car fleet into long-term storage, and it's time to bring them back out and get them ready to roll.

Drivers heading into Ponoka should expect single-lane traffic on Highway 2A south of the town.

According to 511 Alberta, bridge maintenance on the Battle River Bridge, near Township Road 425A, will reduce southbound traffic to one lane and is expected to be completed on Sept 9.

The lane restriction will be in place 24 hours a day during the work.

Drivers are asked to slow down, follow traffic signs, and obey flaggers in the area.

A new report released as students across the country return to school finds bullying, poverty and mental illness are on the rise among Canadian youth and urges action from policy-makers to improve the lives of children. 

The Raising Canada report says more than 70 per cent of Canadian youth between the ages of 12 and 17 experienced bullying in the last year, and more than 13 per cent of children were living in poverty by the end of 2024.

The annual Community Showcase is set to return to Olds tomorrow (September 3) offering residents a one-stop opportunity to learn about local organizations, sign up for programs, and connect with community services

The event, which runs from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Olds Regional Exhibition Cow Palace (5116 54 Street), is free to attend.

Designed as a trade-show-style gathering, the Community Showcase features non-profits, service clubs, sports organizations, and community groups.

A unique blend of education and rehabilitation was at the heart of a recent presentation to Public School Boards’ Association of Alberta (PSBAA) trustees, hosted by the Wolf Creek Public Schools Board of Trustees.

Led by Wolf Creek Education Centre (WCEC) principal Evie Van Scheik, the presentation offered a deep look at the only long-term institutional rehabilitation program of its kind in Alberta. It serves students aged 16 to 65, most of whom are navigating complex acquired brain injuries, mental health diagnoses, addictions, or concurrent disorders.

Starting tomorrow (September 3) the downtown Red Deer RCMP detachment will extend its customer service hours every Wednesday to give residents more flexibility in accessing in-person services.

The new hours of operation are:

• Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

• Wednesday: 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

• Closed: Saturdays, Sundays and statutory holidays

Kidsport is working to make sure no child in the community misses out on organized activities because of money.

“The main mission is to make sure that not one child is left on the sidelines because of any financial barriers,” said Jill Little, director of support programs for the Boys and Girls Club Wolf Creek.

“In Ponoka last year we supported 127 youth and that worked out to the sum of $45,000,” she said.

Little said the program runs year-round. “You can apply for one calendar year at a time, and each family can receive up to $250 per calendar year.”

Central Alberta athletes played a leading role in Team Canada’s impressive performance at the 2025 IWWF World Waterski Championships in Recetto, Italy, where Canada earned multiple medals, world titles, and a second-place finish in the Team Overall standings.

Innisfail’s Dorien Llewellyn captured the Men’s Overall World Champion title, showcasing consistency across all three disciplines and sealing his victory with a bronze-medal jump.

Olds's athlete Ryan Dodd added to Canada’s medal count in Men’s Jump, soaring 70.1 metres (230 feet) to secure silver.

Alberta is planning to ditch its long-maligned paper health cards with a new app it has dubbed the "Alberta Wallet."

Holding her own crumpled health card from behind a podium, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said Friday the app would allow people to access their health card from their phone.

"We've been trying to get rid of these things," Smith told a news conference in Calgary as she toyed with the small, rectangular card.

She said her own card was dog-eared on both sides and the plastic cover had broken.

As Chinese tariffs on Canadian canola products continue to hamper the cash price of one of the country's most valuable crops, farming experts say producers have big decisions ahead of them.

Market analyst Chuck Penner with LeftField Commodity Research said while future prices are down slightly, the cash price farmers receive for their canola, also known as the basis, is much lower.