Lacombe

The $12-million Challenge, launched in November 2023 in partnership with Impact Canada, uses a staged approach to move innovators through the process of developing and deploying their solutions in the cow-calf, dairy and feedlot sectors. The first stage of the Challenge attracted 86 applications from innovators across Canada and internationally. The 13 semi-finalists' entries span a diverse range of areas including feed additives and related technologies; production efficiencies and animal management systems; and pasture and grazing management approaches.

Due to unexpected gaps in physician coverage, there are multiple upcoming temporary closures at the Stettler Hospital and Care Centre’s Emergency Department. 

The emergency department will be closed: 

• From 5 p.m. on July 24 to 8 a.m. on July 25 

• From 5 p.m. on July 25 to 8 a.m. on July 26 

For those travelling north on the QEII highway today you can expect some delays as you approach Lacombe.

Crews are doing a bridge inspection today, July 23rd, until around 3:00 pm.

The right-hand lane will be closed with speed reduced to 80 km/h in the area.

Please follow all signage and watch for crews on the road.

After a five-day-long celebration, Westerner Days concluded Sunday night with a fireworks display.  

Despite the heat wave, Central Albertans flocked to the festivities including the parade, midway, market, kids' activities, livestock displays, live music, and entertainment.   

The North American Pony Chuckwagon and Chariot Races Results were highly anticipated during the event.  

Concrete work for the City of Red Deer’s 19 Street Improvement Project is set to begin today (July 23).  

Current daytime temperatures are too high for concrete to cure properly, and to avoid weakness or cracking in the concrete, crews will begin work at 4:30 a.m. for about four weeks.  

Construction hours were changed to maintain schedule, to ensure the project is completed in the fall.   

Multiple wildfires in Jasper National Park flared up with a vengeance late Monday night, forcing all park visitors along with the 4,700 residents of the Jasper townsite to flee west with little notice over mountain roads through darkness, soot, and ash.

Photos and video shared on social media illuminated a midnight cavalcade of bumper-to-bumper cars and trucks, headlights on, red tail lights glowing, cars inching, stopping, starting, crawling through swirling tendrils of acrid smoke.

Federal Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay announced $8.5 million for two projects led by Dairy Farmers of Canada.

“Dairy farms are at the heart of so many communities across the country, and I know just how hard our dairy farmers work to provide us with top-quality products while caring for their animals and the environment. Today’s investment is about giving Dairy Farmers of Canada the support they need to help farmers adopt sustainable practices to lower emissions, and improve the traceability and safety of dairy products.”

Residents and visitors in Jasper are facing a mandatory evacuation as a wildfire approaches from the south. 

The evacuation order, issued late Monday night (July 22), affects everyone within the townsite and the surrounding national park.

According to an updated alert at 10:18 p.m., the fire is rapidly advancing toward the community.

"Everyone in Jasper must evacuate now," declared the official notice.

Federal, Provincial and Territorial Agriculture Ministers spent time talking about ways to improve the Business Risk Management programs during their annual conference last week in Whitehorse.

A press release from the event noted that FPT Ministers of Agriculture discussed several areas of interest for Canada's agriculture and agri-food sector. 

Farmers are scouting fields on a regular basis for signs of insect damage or disease.

Insect activity varies from area to area and province to province with producers reporting issues with wireworms, grasshoppers, aphids, the pea leaf weevil and more.

Dr  Meghan Vankosky, a research scientist in field crop entamology with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada says it definitely proving to be a very interesting growing season.

They've just wrapped up the annual phermone trap monitoring program for bertha armyworm in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta.