Okotoks

The 5,000 residents of Jasper, Alta., chased out of their homes three weeks ago ahead of a devastating wildfire, can go home Friday.

Officials said essential services have been restored to the point where they can allow a blanket re-entry.

However, utility services could still be hit and miss. Some homes may look fine on the outside but will have sustained heavy smoke or water damage on the inside. Other homes may be fenced off as public safety hazards.

The RCMP have arrested one suspect and are looking for another relating to last week's shooting in Rocky View County.

On Monday evening, the RCMP released another update on the August 6 shooting that resulted in the death of a Rocky View County employee and left a Fortis Alberta employee with injuries.

On August 11, Alberta RCMP arrested one suspect who remains in custody with charges pending.

They're asking for the public's help locating a second suspect, 28-year-old Elijah Blake Strawberry.

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch has been issued for much of Southern Alberta, including Foothills County.

According to Environment Canada, thunderstorms that have developed in the afternoon could become severe heading into the evening.

Severe Thunderstorm Watches are issued when there's potential for storm conditions to produce hail, strong winds, and/or torrential rainfall.

As always, the statement from Environment Canada reminds people to seek shelter if a storm does come their way.

Last season's Okotoks Oilers Rookie of the Year, Brett Wilson, has officially committed to Bemidji State University.

The 18-year-old put up 46 points in 64 games last year, with 24 of them coming from goals. In the playoffs, he played 10 games with three points and a monstrous hit in game six of the second round against the Brooks Bandits.

The Canadian beef industry is taking a look at what it's done and how it can move forward as a status update on its 2020-2024 National Beef Strategy.

The status update covers the last two years of the strategy, covering June 2022 through June 2024.

Chair of the Canadian Beef Advisors Craig Lehr talks about some of the accomplishments they've gone through over the past couple of years.

A new volleyball club has been launched in the Foothills.

The Rocky Mountain Mavericks Volleyball Club was founded by a group of local parents, and having recently been verified as an officially sanctioned club by Volleyball Alberta, the club is gearing up to launch in the upcoming fall season.

The club's president, Kevin Sommers, says the aim is to establish an accessible club with quality coaching.

An athlete from Okotoks will be making an appearance at the Paralympic games in Paris later this month.

Paralympic athlete, and Okotoks resident, Zak Madell is part of the Canadian Wheelchair Rugby team that will be competing for Gold in Paris.

When Madell was 10 years old, he had to have his fingers and legs amputated due to a septic staph infection.

"I was a super active kid involved in sports until that point," Madell explains. "And it just made sense to get back involved in sports as soon as I was healthy too enough after my amputations."

Alberta is seeing some good conditions in the lead-up to harvest season, as reported by the province's most recent crop report.

In that, the province details that it received widespread thunderstorms which brought much-needed moisture across the province. The storms also helped lower temperatures to the mid to high 20s across all regions.

The rainfall provided relief for stressed crops that have gone through prolonged periods of high temperatures.

The Rolling Barrage returns to Okotoks this week.

It's an annual event where a procession of motorcyclists ride across Canada to raise money and awareness for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) among veterans and first responders.

Their journey started in St. John's, Newfoundland on July 27 and is expected to end in Vancouver on August 17.

The procession will be rolling down the hill on Veterans Way in Okotoks on August 14 at about 5:45 p.m. with a meet and greet scheduled to start around 7 p.m. at The George.

With harvest right around the corner, a flurry of activity is set to descend don't the southeast, with safety being a high priority during those busy days.

Producers will be moving crops and on the road a lot, meaning they'll need to keep an eye out for a number of possible safety issues.

Robin Anderson, the Director of Programs and Communications at the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association, says keeping safe is very important.