Lacombe

The Farmers' Almanac has released its 2025 summer outlook, and it is looking hot for Central Alberta

"With the exception of the Atlantic Coast, the arrival of the summer solstice will start on an unsettled, if not a stormy note for much of the nation," shared the Almanac.

The season officially begins with the summer solstice on June 20, 2025.

RCMP are reminding motorists to drive safely and responsibly after Alberta RCMP laid 9,419 charges for aggressive and dangerous driving in 2024.

Reckless behaviors such as excessive speeding, distracted driving, tailgating, and road rage put drivers, pedestrians, and other road users at risk. To prevent these incidents and improve road safety, RCMP is encouraging motorists to follow key safety practices and report dangerous driving.

To help prevent aggressive driving incidents and ensure safer roads, RCMP provided the following safety tips:

Red Deer Emergency Services responded to two separate residential building fires on Monday.

At approximately 6:30 a.m., crews received a report of a fire at a three-story apartment building in the Pines neighbourhood, located along Parke Avenue.

Initial reports claimed a fire began in one of the suites and that a couple of people were trapped on the third floor. The individuals were able to get out of the building safely and were treated for smoke inhalation.

Liberal Leader Mark Carney promised Monday to get the federal government back into the business of home building, while Pierre Poilievre's Conservatives pitched a national energy corridor to fast-track approval of key infrastructure.

The New Democrats rolled out their own national project — a promise to help retrofit 3.3 million homes and pay for it by cutting supports for big oil and gas companies. 

“I called for my dad, and he came and looked, and it was like a scene out of a horror movie.” 

This is what Cohen Hildebrand said of the day his recovery from a routine tonsil and adenoid surgery suddenly went awry in the most unpredictable way. 

It’s a sequence of events etched into not only his memory, but also his family's.  

Chinook’s Edge School Division and Olds College of Agriculture & Technology educator, Jackie Taylor has received a King Charles III Coronation Medal. Taylor is currently serving as the Executive Director of the Central Alberta Collegiate Institute (CACI) and the Community Learning Campus for Chinook’s Edge and Olds College.

The Town of Olds will be under a level 2 water restriction starting Thursday morning. A scheduled maintenance on the South Reservoir to facilitate required upgrades will begin, ensuring long-term system reliability and efficiency.

When:  Thursday, April 3, 2025, at 7:00 a.m.

Estimated Duration: 24 hours (updates will be provided once work is complete)

Impact on Residents & Businesses:

The Town of Sylvan Lake received the final 2025 property assessments, with a 8.5 per cent increase.   

In the draft budget, the town estimated an increase of 3 per cent and an estimated 3.38 per cent residential and commercial tax rate increase.   

Due to the difference, Sylvan Lake Town Council is now considering six options to adjust the budget.  

Option 1:  

The Encore Art Sale is just around the corner, featuring a diverse collection of pieces from talented Central Alberta-based artists in support of the Lacombe Arts Endowment Fund.  

The event features a range of art, such as fibre, stained glass, wood, metals, paintings, ceramics, music, and photography from 34 artists at the Lacombe Memorial Centre (LMC).  

Central Alberta will likely see a few more centimetres of snow before warmer weather arrives this weekend.

Justin Shelly is a meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada.

"We're still going to be in a relatively unsettled pattern," he explained. "We are going to see a continued risk of some scattered flurries through the week, with a more pronounced risk of snow Tuesday night into Wednesday."