Okotoks

The Town of Okotoks is advising residents of additional parking bans this week while crews continue the spring cleanup.  

The bans are in effect between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.  

During that timeframe, vehicles and obstructions must be removed from the roadways.  

The parking bans include:  

Wednesday, May 7  

Abbey Norek of Gerald is this year's Agriculture Student Scholarship grand-prize $6,000 winner.

Norek's winning video highlighted an urban-rural disconnect when it comes to agriculture. 

She proposed education and advocacy as key solutions to this issue. 

In her video presentation, she talked about her experience building a school garden using recycled materials, leading outreach programs on her family farm, and lobbying for agriculture electives in her school division.  

Southern Alberta farmer has long-standing issues with supply-management system for smaller egg producers like himself.

A southern Alberta egg producer who had been jailed for missing a court date for violating the provincial laws governing egg production has passed a premises inspection by Egg Farmers of Alberta.

Henk Van Essen said an inspector only spent a few minutes inside his operation before coming back out and telling him he was in full compliance.

“They were so sure they were going to find thousands of chickens in this barn,” Van Essen said.

Seeding is kicking off across the province. And whether you're already putting in fertilizer, or still fine-tuning your plan, it’s important to make informed decisions when it comes to your inputs for the season ahead.

New products are everywhere on the market and choosing the right ones can determine profitability and long-term success for your farm. I’m going to talk about one group of products that gets a lot of attention -- micronutrient fertilizers.

Okotokians gathered at the Olde Towne Plaza on Monday (May 5) evening for a candlelight vigil in tribute to the victims of the tragedy at the Vancouver Filipino Lapu-Lapu Day Festival.

The April 26 incident claimed the lives of 11 people and injured more than 20 others. Vigils and tributes have been held across the country in the days since.

Those attending the Okotoks vigil were provided with candles, which were lit from a single flame passed hand to hand through the crowd.

Alberta's government says three children are in intensive care in hospital after contracting measles.

A health ministry spokesperson declined to disclose their ages, citing privacy concerns.

At a news conference Monday, Dr. Sunil Sookram, Alberta's interim chief medical officer of health, said there have been no deaths.

Sookram said the risk of getting the highly contagious disease in Alberta is at its greatest point in almost 30 years.

The 9th Annual Hike for Hospice Hustle was held on Sunday, May 4, in Okotoks.

Despite the chilly conditions, the event saw record numbers, both in the number of participants and in money raised.

In total, 819 people participated in support of the Foothills Country Hospice, representing a 56 per cent increase from last year.

They raised a combined $113,000 for the hospice.

The top individual fundraiser was 83-year-old Margaret Thiessen of High River, with $11,113.

Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre may soon join the ranks of Alberta MP's and regain his seat in the House of Commons.

Speculation around Poilievre's future was put to rest less than a week after the election when Battle River-Crowfoot MP Damien Kurek announced his intent to resign in order for Poilievre to run in the riding in a byelection.

Foothills MP John Barlow was quick to voice his support for Poilievre even before Kurek offered his seat.,

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is reporting the presence of AI in three non-commercial poultry flocks in Saskatchewan last week, in the RM of Indian Head, the RM of Colonsay, and the RM of Lipton.

To date, one case has been found in a commercial poultry operation in Manitoba in the RM of Wallace.

Previous occurrences have been found in Ontario and Nova Scotia.

Most poultry and egg production operations already have biosecurity measures in place, but producers who maintain small flocks, should look at enhancing their on-farm biosecurity measures.

Prime Minister Mark Carney will have to navigate a delicate balance during his first in-person meeting with Donald Trump today, following months of the U.S. president targeting Canada with tariffs and taunts.

Carney and Trump will meet at the White House and the prime minister has said he expects "difficult, but constructive" conversations.

Carney has said the meeting will mark the beginning of a larger economic and security agreement between Canada and the United States.