HighRiver

As we are getting into the dog days of summer, there is still plenty to do in the Foothills this weekend.

Let's take a look at what's happening this weekend:

Friday, August 15:

At this week's Nature Fridays event at the Environmental Education Centre, they will be teaching youth about mystical moths. This event runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Yamnuska Day Use Area, Trails, and Climbing Area will be closed, thanks to some routine work at a nearby quarry.

To help ensure public safety, access to Yamnuska will be temporarily closed, due to routine blasting at the quarry, which occurs periodically throughout the year.

This works is authorized by the Alberta Energy Regulator to be carried out near the quarry.

The closure is coming into effect on Aug. 20, which will be removed once the work is completed, which is typically within 1 to 2 days.

The annual attraction, put on by the Town of High River, is back again this year at the Bob Snodgrass Rec Plex's east parking lot.

Wild Rose Carnival has brought back all the rides, games and midway food from the last number of years.

You can expect the classic rides like the Berry Go Round, all the way to the Zipper.

The Go Gater mini rollercoaster is back, as is Castle Mania, the Super Slide, Car Combo, Airplanes, Area 51, the Hurricane, the Tornado, Mardi Gras, the Merry Go Round, and the Scooter.

You can purchase your tickets for the rides on site.

High River's Jason Glass and Calgary's Chanse Vigen are heading into the final weekend of the chuckwagon season, battling it out for the World Championship title this weekend.

Thursday night, Vigen came through with a blistering time of 1:12.76, setting a new track record and overtaking Glass in the World Standings by 3.5 points.

Whomever has the most points after Saturday night's heats will be declared the 2025 WPCA Champion.

Thousands are out of their homes, and many more are on alert to evacuate as wildfires continue to rage across Atlantic Canada.

Officials in Newfoundland and Labrador have expanded an evacuation alert along the Bay De Verde Peninsula as the Kingston wildfire burns nearby.

The community of Job's Cove in Newfoundland is affected by the expanded evacuation alert for the wildfire, which is considered out-of-control and is now more than 90 square kilometres in size.

The Kingston fire is the largest in the province and has forced more than 3,000 people from their homes.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has set his sights on Canada's electric vehicle mandate, pledging Thursday that his party will embark on a national campaign to push the Liberal government to scrap the policy he's dubbed the "Carney tax."

Poilievre led the charge as the Conservatives relentlessly attacked the consumer carbon price over the last two years, with the Liberals admitting the Tory tactics swayed public opinion and forced them to end the so-called carbon tax earlier this year. 

The Heaven Can Wait Animal Rescue Foundation is teeing up for its sixth annual Golf Classic on Sept. 8.

President Kim Hessel said the event never fails to be a fun time.

A judge has denied an application to quash a review of a proposed Alberta referendum question on separation.

Court of King's Bench Justice Colin Feasby says it will benefit democracy to have a full hearing on the constitutionality of the question.

Alberta's chief electoral officer, Gordon McClure, referred the question to court last month so a judge could determine whether it violates the Constitution, including treaty rights.

The group that submitted the question applied to have the referral quashed.

Foothills County is encouraging residents to help protect the ecosystem by reporting noxious weeds that have been found in the area. 

A variety of noxious weeds have been found in the county.  

The plants can be difficult to remove once they are established, due to their aggressive reproduction methods, adaptability, and resistance to control methods.  

The Town of Okotoks is hosting a movie night to celebrate the Alberta Day weekend.

On September 1, 1905, Alberta became a province, and in recognition of this anniversary, the Provincial government designated the day as Alberta Day.

To help celebrate the day, the Town of Okotoks is hosting a Movies in the Park event on Friday, August 29, in Ethel Tucker Park.

As part of the event, they will be showing a double feature under the stars, showing family friendly movies for free.