Lacombe

Heading into the long weekend, fire restrictions and bans are now in place in some parts of Central Alberta as the heat warning continues.

A city-wide fire ban has been issued in Red Deer due to dry conditions and high temperatures.

The ban is effective immediately and suspends all existing fire permits.

Prohibited activities include:

• Fires using charcoal, briquettes or wood.

• Any open flame, including outdoor fires, torches, displays, and open burns.

Permitted activities include:

The JJ Collett Natural Area Foundation is appealing to the public for information following a break-in and theft at the site last week.

According to the foundations social accounts, someone entered the park (located just north of Lacombe) cut locks on the gate and a storage container and stole a bobcat, along with tools and chainsaws.

The stolen bobcat is described as a 2008 220 diesel utility vehicle, serial number A59Z12845.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Jack at 403-588-0597 or the Ponoka RCMP detachment.

International Overdose Awareness Day is this Sunday, but a Red Deer organization is hosting an afternoon of remembrance and solidarity today at Rotary Picnic Park from noon until 3 p.m.

Turning Point Society is hosting a free barbecue lunch (while supplies last), including resource tables with community partners, naloxone training, and a memorial tree.

Following the gathering, the Moms Stop the Harm's Walk to Remember will be from Rotary Picnic Park to City Hall Park.

With extreme heat in the forecast, the City of Lacombe Fire Department is offering a way to cool down.

A temporary pop-up spray park will run today, (August 29) from 1:30 to 3 p.m. in the field behind Lacombe Composite High School.

The free event is open to the public, with residents encouraged to bring swimsuits, towels, and water-friendly gear.

The department says it’s an opportunity for families to enjoy some fun in the sun before school starts.

** With information from the City of Lacombe Fire Department Facebook.

Losing a golf ball is common, but losing a disc can feel more personal which is why the Town of Penhold has introduced disc return boxes to help players reunite with their gear

As the disc golf course continues to take shape, the Town has added two Disc Return boxes.

The boxes give community members a place to drop off discs they find while out on the course, ensuring lost discs make their way back to their owners.

For the past century, five generations of the Church family have dedicated themselves to the farming the land at Bowalta Farms Ltd.

The farm was established in 1925 by James Andrew Church, grandfather of current operator Greg Church.

Starting with a half-section of land that had only a small portion cleared, James built the original homestead from scratch.

The bad news for Alberta's oil-reliant budget is set to get worse.

Finance Minister Nate Horner says softening oil prices mean this year's projected budget deficit is expected to grow by $1.3 billion, and will now finish at $6.5 billion in the red when the fiscal year ends next spring.

That represents a massive multibillion-dollar swing in Alberta's financial fortunes, as it is coming off an $8.3-billion surplus the year prior.

"We are going to have to weather some of this," Horner told a news conference Thursday.

The City of Red Deer is kicking off Alberta Culture Days with the unveiling of an updated Francis the Pig “Ghost” statue today, (August 29) from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Central Spray and Play.

The bronze sculpture celebrates one of Red Deer’s most enduring legends, the tale of Francis, a pig who escaped a local slaughterhouse in 1990 and managed to evade capture for nearly five months.

Francis’ story began at C/A Meats in July 1990, when the 250-pound hog leapt over a wall, slipped through the sausage plant, and dashed into Red Deer’s parkland.

A new poll indicates an overwhelming majority of Canadians are in favour of regulating artificial intelligence, and almost half are worried it will contribute to cognitive decline.

The Leger poll found 85 per cent of respondents believe governments should regulate AI tools to ensure ethical and safe use. More than half, 57 per cent, said they strongly agreed with that statement.

"It's very clear Canadians want government involved," said Jennifer McLeod Macey, senior vice-president at Leger.