Okotoks

The Alberta government says it has postponed the release of its revised school library book ban policy.

The government initially promised the new ministerial order this afternoon, but the province now says it will be released Monday.

Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides says the government is "taking the time needed" to make sure the new ministerial order is clear.

The new version of the policy is set to come almost one week after the government directed school boards to pause their work in complying with the original ministerial order.

A new contract has been reached between some 23,000 civil servants and the Alberta government, averting a strike that could’ve happened as soon as next week.

The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees says the mediator-recommended deal passed with 63 per cent of voting members in favour and 36.5 per cent opposed.

In a release Wednesday, the union said 71 per cent of eligible members voted.

The affected employees include administrative workers, some Alberta Sheriffs, social workers and provincial wildfire fighters.

The Canadian economy lost jobs for the second month in a row as the unemployment rate climbed to its highest level since May 2016, excluding the pandemic period.

Statistics Canada said Friday the unemployment rate ticked up to 7.1 per cent in August, its highest level since August 2021, as the economy lost 66,000 jobs for the month.

The report follows the July labour force survey that showed a loss of 41,000 jobs and an unemployment rate of 6.9 per cent.

The aquatics facility at the Okotoks Rec Centre is reopening today (Sept. 5), ahead of schedule.  

The pool was closed on Aug. 24 for annual maintenance and was originally scheduled to reopen on Sept. 7.  

Upgrades to the facility include a new rope, a new large inflatable toy for public swims, and repairs to the changing rooms and the pool deck.  

While that high heat has left, this weekend will still be quite warm.

With a high of 19 on Saturday and a high of 20 on Sunday, the weekend will be perfect to get out of the home.

Let's see what's happening in the Foothills this weekend:

Friday, September 5:

High River will once again host film crews early next week.

Traffic control and parking restrictions will be in place at various locations from Sept. 8 to 11.

The Town of High River shared the schedule on Facebook:

Monday, Sept. 8: Filming along 3 Avenue SW & 3 Avenue SE, traffic control and parking restrictions on MacLeod Trail & 5th St SE.

Tuesday, Sept. 9: Filming on 8th Avenue SE & Crescent Avenue and 2nd Street SE with intermittent traffic control.

Wednesday: Sept. 10: Parking restrictions on MacLeod Trail & 5 Avenue SW.

A Fog Advisory is in effect in Foothills County.

Environment Canada warns of "near zero visibility fog" over the region.

"Visibility may be significantly and suddenly reduced to near zero. Travel is expected to be hazardous due to reduced visibility in some locations," reads the advisory.

It's expected to dissipate over the course of the morning.

The advisory is in effect for:

With it being harvest season, there is a risk of wildfires growing quickly.

Harvest fires can grow quickly, move rapidly, and burn with so much intensity that they are able to produce 20-to-30-foot flame fronts.

Vulcan County took to social media to provide some harvest fire safety tips to prevent fires from spreading quickly.

According to Vulcan County, have diskers and water trucks in place, because fires can spread before the fire department arrives.

The disks can quickly create fire breaks, and the water trucks can act as immediate fire suppression.

The Town of High River is advising residents of an upcoming sidewalk closure.  

On Sept. 5, from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., crews will be completing construction work.   

During the work, the east sidewalk of Macleod Trail SW between 4 Ave SW and 5 Ave SW will be closed.  

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said Thursday human smuggling across the border with Canada is getting worse — and that traffickers are looking north following the Trump administration's crackdown at the border with Mexico.

"The northern border, it always has been, but it's gotten much worse, much more prevalent because … it's a multibillion-dollar business, the smuggling of drugs, guns and humans," Bondi said during a news conference in Tampa, Fla.