Okotoks

Millions of enthusiastic, English football fans were glued to their televisions on Sunday, including hundreds in the Okotoks area.

The UEFA European Championship Final took place that day with Spain meeting England in the penultimate match. For England supporters, they hoped to witness their nation's first Euro title ever and first international championship since the 1966 FIFA Men's World Cup.

Sadly, it wasn't meant to be, as fans saw those dreams crushed in the 86th minute. Spain broke a 1-1 draw to lead 2-1 and eventually win its first European title since 2012.

The Okotoks Art Gallery's Gingerbread Station is making a return.

Registrations are open for the 2024 iteration of the event, which is in its seventh year.

Everyone is welcome, with a youth category for gingerbread architects up to age 15, and an adult category for ages 16+.

There are some rules to keep in mind, including entries being required to be made entirely of edible materials. That means plastic or wooden supports or props are not allowed, and entries cannot make use of electronics.

There's some good news for Canada's pulse sector as industry representatives gather this week in Winnipeg for the Annual Pulse and Special Crops Convention.

India announced late last week that it would once again extend the timeline for duty-free imports of yellow peas until December 31st, 2024.

India originally lifted the duties on pea imports on a temporary basis in December of 2023 and has continued to issue temporary extensions since then, while the import duty exemption on lentils is in place through March 31, 2025.

A black bear was spotted in Okotoks last night (Sept. 17).

A few Okotokians posted videos of the bear to Facebook, including Leslee Horniachek, whose security camera captured footage of the black bear walking across her front lawn and a driveway in the Westmount neighbourhood at 2:48 a.m.

According to Horniachek, she initially thought it was a prank when she first saw the bear on her camera.

P&H Milling Group, a division of Parrish & Heimbecker Limited, have started construction on a new, state-of-the-art flour milling facility in Red Deer County. 

A sod-turning event earlier this month marked the start for the $241 million facility which will have the capacity to mill an estimated 750 metric tonnes of wheat daily from Western Canadian farmers.

More than a dozen soldiers were sent to hospital this afternoon after an accident at a military base in Quebec.

Capt. Hermione Wilson, a public affairs officer with the Canadian Armed Forces, says the accident took place at Canadian Forces Base Valcartier.

Wilson says the accident in the base's training area involved two armoured vehicles.

She says civilian and military emergency services responded immediately to the scene.

Wilson says 16 members of the 5 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group were taken to local hospitals with minor injuries.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has confirmed he will ask the other opposition parties to bring down the Liberal government next week with a non-confidence motion.

A Conservative spokesperson said the motion will simply say the House has no confidence in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his government.

Now that the NDP has ended the supply-and-confidence deal with the Liberals, the minority government needs to shore up support from opposition parties on a vote-by-vote basis.

The Town of High River's two emergency sirens are undergoing maintenance today.

According to the Town's website, a short burst from the siren may be heard as a silent system test is conducted. 

If it was a real emergency, you would hear the siren repeat continuously.

To stay up to date with notifications by phone, text or email go to highriver.ca/alberta-alerts.

Santa Claus is coming to town... on Friday, December 6.

Santa's little helpers are already scurrying around getting ready for the 39th annual Santa Claus Parade in High River.

The theme this year is 'Celebrating Santa's Helpers'.

Registration is already open, and it's free as always, but the elves just need you to register so they know how many floats and entries will be taking part.

The elves have already opened up the bags for candy and could still use some sponsors to help out.

Foothills theatre collective, the Erratic Players, is looking for an Indigenous actor to join their ranks for an upcoming production.

They are producing a play about the legendary Lost Lemon Mine, rumoured to be hidden somewhere in the southwest section of the province.