Okotoks

A few local hockey players are looking to earn a spot on the Team Alberta U16 roster this fall.  

The Alberta Cup Hockey Tournament was held in Red Deer on April 24.  

Team Alberta Red took gold with local players Hudson Pineda on defence, and Nolan Ilsley and Max Mullen as forwards.   

Two Albertans are sitting in the top 3 of the aggregate in Tie Down Roping.

Kyle Lucas, hailing from Carstairs and Nanton's Logan Bird, are sitting in 2nd and 3rd place after 2 days of rodeo action in Pool A.

Lucas had a time of 8.2 seconds on Day 2 to move into 2nd in the aggregate, with Bird tying Lucas's time of 8.2 to move into 3rd place in the aggregate.

Only the top 3 times in the aggregate after Sunday's event move into the finals on Championship Sunday, July 13.

High River's Jason Glass, the defending Calgary Stampede Chuckwagon Champion, sits in third place in the aggregate after two nights of racing on the Rangeland Derby.

Glass came in fourth place on the night, behind the aggregate leader Chanse Vigen and Jamie Laboucane. 

Obrey Motowylo had the fastest wagon of the night as night three gets set for Sunday night.

Dayton Sutherland from DeWinton came in 15th on the night and sits in the same position over two days.

Shelby Boisjoli-Meged from Langdon, AB, leads the ladies in the debut of Breakaway Roping at this year's Calgary Stampede.

It's making its debut this year at the world's largest outdoor rodeo.

Another local favourite, Jenna Dallyn from Nanton, came in 3rd with three other Albertans in the mix.

Here are some highlights from Day One in Pool A.

Defending Rangeland Derby Champion Jason Glass from High River came in fifth last night in the first night of chuckwagon races at the Calgary Stampede.

Chad Fike had the fastest wagon of the night though, but Jason Glass is right there, along with Chanse Vigen, who now calls Calgary home.

Dayton Sutherland, hailing from De Winton, came in 15th.

Fike also led off last year's Stampede with the top time on Day One.

Once again, this year the heats have three wagons with 27 drivers invited this year.

Here's how it played out Friday night:

A fundraiser has been launched for an Okotoks family grieving the sudden loss of their seven-year-old daughter.

On July 2, Tanis Mitchell announced that her daughter, Lukah, had passed away unexpectedly over the weekend.

Lukah first captured the hearts of many in 2018, when, at just one year old, she underwent surgery to remove a tumour from her abdomen. Complications from the procedure led to multi-organ failure, requiring multiple organ transplants.

Prep work has begun on Okotoks’ new Southside All Wheel Skatepark and accessible playground at Howard Park.

Crews are currently removing the park’s existing playground. The central pathway will follow, with removal and realignment planned for late July to make room for the new amenities.

The playground area is now closed, and the pathway will also close once removal work begins. Pedestrian detours will be in place along Woodbend Way and Woodhaven Drive.

With summer in full swing, there are ways to stay cool in High River.

The Town of High River has cooling stations set up to help people find relief during any extreme temperature the area may experience this summer.

When there are high temperatures, the Town is reminding people to stay hydrated and safe, and when possible, plan ahead to minimize the amount of time spent outdoors.

On top of drinking a lot of water, it's advised to not leave people or pets in a vehicle, and make sure they are hydrated.

A local artist is not only selling her barn quilts at markets all summer, but they will also be on display at the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.

According to Jane Morgan, around 25 years ago, a lady in Ohio known as Donna Sue Groves wanted to do something special for her mother, Maxine, who was a distinguished quilter.

An Alberta First Nation is asking a judge to review the provincial government's decision earlier this year to end its moratorium on coal mining.

In an application for judicial review filed this week, Siksika Nation says Alberta failed in its duty to consult when in January it lifted its moratorium on new coal mining projects on the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains.

Siksika Nation, 95 kilometres east of Calgary, says the effects of coal mining in the Rockies threaten Treaty rights and the land that supports its livelihood.