Okotoks

The Okotoks Dawgs took the first game on their road trip to Saskatchewan and the first meeting with the Weyburn Beavers in the 2024 WCBL season with an 8-5 score.

Blake Crippin started on the mound for Okotoks, pitching in four full innings and earning four K's in the process. Ryan McFarland, Cade Herrmann, Aaron Hammer, Easton Corey, and Ashton Luera came into the game as relievers.

Luera picked up the save after pitching in one and one-third innings and struck out three of the Beavers batters.

A developing solar storm could give Southern Alberta a look at the Aurora Borealis tonight.

Roland Dechesne with the Royal Astronomical Society's Calgary Chapter says the initial impact of the storm happened on Tuesday later in the afternoon.

Foothills County is now under a fire ban as hot and dry conditions continue in the region.

The fire ban took effect on July 23rd which means all open fires, including burning barrels, campfires, fireworks, torches and lanterns, chimineas, charcoal briquettes and solid fuel barbecues, wood pellet smokers, and exploding targets are prohibited, and all open fires that are currently burning must be extinguished.

All fires that require a permit are also on hold until the fire ban has been lifted.

This past Friday was a hoot for residents of Nanton being treated to music from Bucking Horse Moon during the Nanton Ranch Rodeo.

In addition to music, the bucking broncos were showcased during the day keeping residents entertained.

People of all ages gathered for the festivities and lived their best cowboy and cowgirl lives on July 21st.

Photos of the bucking broncos in action are courtesy of Shane Richardson, and the photos of Bucking Horse Moon are thanks to Kally Jack.

The Alberta Government has made raising money through crowdfunding easier.

Since 2021, through the Crowdfunding Alberta platform, non-profit organizations have been able to raise money for their cause, with a bit of extra help from the Provincial Government.

Non-profits help to support and build vibrant communities in Alberta, and through the Crowdfunding Alberta platform, the Alberta government will match 50 per cent of the raised funds on eligible campaigns, up to a maximum of $5,000 annually, making each donation more impactful.

A polar bear that died at the Calgary Zoo last week drowned after some rough play with a fellow polar bear. 

Those details were released by the Wilder Institute and Calgary Zoo on Tuesday following a necropsy (an examination of the animal following its death.)

The examination determined that Baffin died by drowning, after suffering an injury to his trachea by another polar bear, Siku, during rough play.  

The $12-million Challenge, launched in November 2023 in partnership with Impact Canada, uses a staged approach to move innovators through the process of developing and deploying their solutions in the cow-calf, dairy and feedlot sectors. The first stage of the Challenge attracted 86 applications from innovators across Canada and internationally. The 13 semi-finalists' entries span a diverse range of areas including feed additives and related technologies; production efficiencies and animal management systems; and pasture and grazing management approaches.

It’s not just the intense heat that is affecting residents throughout the Foothills this week. 

According to the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) from Environment and Climate Change Canada, the Calgary area, including Okotoks and High River, will set between moderate and high-risk levels on Tuesday. 

The forecast calls for an AQHI reading of 6 which is moderate risk throughout the day before dropping slightly to a 5 for Wednesday. 

The importance of groundwater in Alberta is growing, especially as the surface water supplies are dwindling during drought conditions.

Currently, there are more than 600,000 Albertans who are already dependant on groundwater for drinking water, and that’s on top of the ground water supplied to domestic, municipal, agricultural, and industrial water needs.

This is not something you hear about every day, but Alberta Parks issued a warning for a ball python on the loose in Kananaskis Country.

On Sunday, July 21st a Ball Python was seen near the Bow Valley dump station around 11:00 a.m. While it's obviously not a native species they are common pets. They are non-venomous and native to sub-Saharan Africa. 

The warning was issued on Monday, July 22 for the Bow Valley Provincial Park, Bow Valley Campground and Willow Rock Campground.