Okotoks

The Town of High River's second Highwood River watch of the year was released on Friday, May 23.

Snowpack remains below average, and is lower than the week before, at 198 mm of snow water equivalent.

"The Highwood River below the canal is flowing below normal levels, and a water shortage advisory remains in effect along the river," reads the update.

The 4-H Foothills District Show and Sale is this weekend at the High River Ag grounds.

It runs from Friday, May 23, to Sunday, May 25, and will feature 4-H clubs from all around the Foothills region.

"Everyone is welcome, the more people, the better," said member and club reporter with the Foothills 4-H Sheep & Multi-Club, Olivia Nemecek.

It starts with the Beef & Sheep Female Show on Friday from 5 to 8 p.m.

Several shows will run on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Crop would be eligible for biofuel tax credit under recent budget proposals in Congress

U.S. President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” could contain some beautiful news for Canada’s canola growers.

The U.S. House of Representatives’ ways and means committee has released its draft proposals for the U.S. budget reconciliation bill.

The proposals include provisions to amend the controversial 45Z clean fuel production tax credit so that canola oil-based biodiesel and renewable diesel would be eligible for the credit.

Students from École Percy Pegler released rainbow trout they raised into Emerson Lake in High River on Friday morning.   

For the last five months, Grade 3 and 4 students from the Explore: Nature Based Learning program raised rainbow trout from eggs, caring for them until they were ready to be released into the ecosystem.   

Construction is underway at the University of Saskatchewan that will see critical facility improvements within the College of Agriculture and Bioresources.

Two new facilities are being built - the Harrington Plant Growth Facility and the Soil Science Field Facility - while a portion of the Crop Science Field Lab is being renovated to provide additional workspace for the Crop Development Centre. 

Traffic saw major delays on 32 St. E on Friday (May 23) afternoon while Okotoks Fire & Rescue responded to a grass fire.

It broke out just before 2 p.m. on a pathway at the south end of the bridge near Cimarron Estates.

The southbound lanes were closed while crews responded, causing major delays.

Firefighters soon extinguished the fire, and traffic flow has now resumed.

The Okotoks RCMP are warning the public about scams involving paving and contractor services.

Several recent incidents have involved “illegitimate, out-of-town companies” purportedly offering cheap asphalt paving in small towns.

According to the Okotoks RCMP, contractors will offer these discounted services under the guise of having excess materials from previous jobs.

In some cases, the companies have used business names that suggest affiliation with government maintenance departments and often provide customers with false contact information or addresses.

The first phase of infrastructure upgrades along North Railway Street is set to begin in June.  

The work is part of the Wastewater Treatment Plan Infrastructure Upgrades Project for utility work and surface improvements from 32 St E to 103 N Railway St.  

Construction is scheduled to begin on June 2 and is expected to continue to December, with final surface repairs following in spring 2026.  

It's about to feel like summer in Southern Alberta, with temperatures expected to climb over the next week.

Highs in the mid to high 20s are on the way starting this weekend, and continuing into next week.

The shift will bring the temperature a fair bit higher than what we'd normally see at this time of year.

The Town of Nanton has begun its spring street sweeping.

They have begun street sweeping this morning (May 23), and crews are starting in the north side of town before moving south.

The crews are starting in the North Meadows neighbourhood, and then will work their way south through town down to Slade Drive, before finishing up in Westview.

While they are out sweeping the streets, there will be temporary "No Parking" signs put out, and the Town is asking residents to move their vehicles off the roads when those signs are in place.