Okotoks

Environment Canada has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Watch across much of Southern Alberta, including Foothills County.

Thunderstorms from Idaho and Montana are rapidly moving northward, and are expected to reach Alberta this evening.

There's potential for strong wind gusts and large hail, according to Environment Canada, with the potential to damage property and blow vehicles off of roadways.

According to their website, additional watches could be issued further north depending on how the storms develop over the course of the evening.

Manitoba's weekly crop report shows 60% of the winter wheat and 72 per cent of the fall rye has been harvested along with 3 per cent of the spring wheat and oats, 

A tentative agreement was reached between CUPE Local 5040 and Foothills School Division yesterday evening (Aug. 22) after resuming contract negotiations.

The union branch has been seeking a pay raise and increased/improved training for education workers within the division ahead of their contract expiry date of August 31.

A meeting for ratification is set for sometime next week and bargaining for a new round of negotiations is due to begin in September.

CUPE Local 5040 will be posting updates on their Facebook page.

The federal government is intervening in a countrywide work stoppage at Canada's two biggest railways, but railworkers are pushing back against Ottawa's move to get them back on the job.

In the culmination of months of increasingly bitter negotiations, Canadian National Railway Co. and Canadian Pacific Kansas City Ltd. locked out 9,300 engineers, conductors and yard workers in the early hours of Thursday.

Here are the latest developments on the rail stoppage (all times are ET):

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Another person has been charged with first-degree murder in connection to the human remains found during a grass fire last April.

The Alberta RCMP Major Crimes Unit have been investigating a murder case involving human remains that were found during a grass fire in Rocky View County on Wednesday, April 3rd near Range Road 40 and Township Road 241 in Rocky View County.

An autopsy identified the remains as 33-year-old Calgary resident Kyle Schuiling.

On May 3rd, 39-year-old Christopher Slack from Calgary was charged with the first-degree murder of Schuiling.

The ongoing rail conflict between members of the Teamster's Canada Rail Conference (TCRC), CPKC, and CN Rail has had another development as the union is planning a strike.

This morning the TCRC issued a 72-hour strike notice which detailed that they would be withdrawing work for 6500 members from CN Rail beginning on Monday.

The union previously issued strike notices for CPKC, which will have workers remain off the job pending an order from the Canada Industrial Relations Board.

This year's High River Half is coming up fast.

It's the biggest annual fundraiser for the Foothills Advocacy in Motion Society (FAIM), and has become a beloved High River tradition spanning over 20 years.

Scheduled for Saturday, September 7, the event will include 5K and 10K marathons, a Kids' Fun Run, and, of course, a Half Marathon.

As always, it will kick off in High River's George Lane Park, with a start time of 9 a.m.

The Highwood Lions Club will also be on hand for a pancake breakfast.

There are several events in the Foothills this weekend for those who wish to have fun close to home.

With a bit of variety, there should be activities and fun for everyone.

• Clark Schlosser Memorial Rodeo

The Nanton Ag Society will be hosting their first ever Canadian Professional Rodeo this weekend, known as the Clark Schlosser Memorial Rodeo, at the Nanton Ag Society.

A truck from a Nanton towing company was recently struck by another vehicle while out on a call.

At approximately 4:15 pm on Tuesday, August 20th, Southern Alberta Towing received a call to go help out a broken-down vehicle that was travelling North on Highway 2, North of Granum.

Okotoks Dawgs catcher Jacob Wrubleski has officially committed to playing for Gonzaga University this season.