HighRiver

Update:

A portion of Highway 40 in Kananaskis remains closed this morning (Aug. 5) as the result of a mudslide over the weekend.

The closed areas include the Mount Lipsett Scramble, Mist Mountain Scramble South Access, Mist Hot Springs Access, and the surrounding area.

Crews are working to clear the area, however, pedestrian and vehicle access is still unsafe due to the current conditions.

The section of Highway 40 remains closed until further notice, and there is no timeline for when it will reopen.

Some premiers say they want to have more local control over the immigration system — but experts say what the system really needs is a national conversation on immigration reform that shores up public support.

"Most of the existing policies have been formulated on the fly without any evidence or serious impact evaluations of what the various classes of immigrants are, how they're performing economically and otherwise," said Michael Trebilcock, a retired academic and co-author of two books on immigration policy.

"So it's basically research-free."

Dominic LeBlanc said Sunday that he expects Prime Minister Mark Carney and U.S. President Donald Trump will speak "over the next number of days" as the United States ratchets up pressure in trade talks.

The Canada-U.S. trade minister appeared on CBS's "Face the Nation" and spoke about where talks stand between the two countries.

LeBlanc told host Margaret Brennan that while Canada is "disappointed" with Trump's new 35-per-cent tariffs, he is continuing to work toward a deal that would hopefully strike down trade restrictions between the nations.

Ottawa's new trade minister says he's looking to sign deals in South America, Southeast Asia, Africa and beyond — and to convince businesses to actually use the trade agreements Canada has already signed.

"My primary role as Canada's top salesman is to be out there hustling, opening doors for businesses and accessing new markets," Maninder Sidhu told The Canadian Press.

"My phone has been ringing with opportunities because people want to deal with reliable, stable trading partners."

Environment Canada issued a Special Weather statement for Foothills County and Vulcan County, due to risk of funnel clouds.

According to Environment Canada, the conditions are favourable for funnel clouds developing today.

As a result, Environment Canada issued the Special Weather Statement for:

With it being the long weekend, the RCMP are reminding Albertans to drive safe.

For this weekend, the RCMP are reminding people to follow some tips to ensure they are driving safe this weekend.

Do not drive impaired, as alcohol and drugs can impact judgement, coordination, and reaction time.

Instead, arrange a safe ride home, as impaired driving is not only a legal issue, but also a matter of life and death.

On top of that, avoid all distractions.

Unionized workers at Canada Post have voted to reject the Crown corporation's latest contract offer.

The Canadian Union of Postal Workers said Friday that 68.5 per cent of urban mail carriers who voted were against the deal, while their rural and suburban colleagues were 69.4 per cent against.

The offer included wage hikes of about 13 per cent over four years but also added part-time workers that Canada Post has said are necessary to keep the postal service afloat.

The union had urged the roughly 55,000 postal service workers it represents to reject the proposal.

Tom Dimitroff purchased the winning $1 million LOTTO 6/49 ticket just North of the Foothills in the Calgary community of Seton.  

Dimitroff checked his numbers on the WCLC’s website and was thrilled to see he won in the July 12 draw. 

“I was pretty pleased,” he said.  

Adding, his wife didn’t believe he won, until he showed her.  

A local charity was recently presented with a cheque from Tim Hortons.

Baby It’s Cold Outside (BCO) was this year’s beneficiary of the Smile Cookie campaign in Okotoks, which ran from April 28 to May 4.

Over the course of the week, 8,238 cookies were sold, raising $16,725 for the organization.

BCO is dedicated to ensuring Foothills residents have access to basic necessities and mental health support.

The charity’s president, Pamela Morgan, said community support has allowed BCO to grow significantly and, in turn, help more people.

Town councillor and local business owner Brenda Walsh has officially entered the race to become High River’s next mayor.

First elected to council in 2021, Walsh is now looking to bring what she calls a more people-focused approach to municipal leadership.

"I believe that it's time for a change in leadership that's inclusive, transparent, and collaborative," said Walsh. "In a lot of cases, it isn't just about politics, it's about progress. It's about working side by side and building a stronger, more connected High River."