Cochrane

Update: Residents are reporting a return of power to the area as of 7 p.m.

Orignal story follows. 

Residents in the Bow Ridge/ Bow Meadows and Jumping Pound area of Cochrane are dark this evening after an unexpected power outage.

Fortis Alberta is currently working in the area to restore power. 

The work is predicted to return around 8:30 p.m. Wednesday evening. 

Mayor Jeff Genung is hopeful the province's school construction accelerator program means we'll be getting more schools sooner.

"I've long said Cochrane has been the recipient of a lot of new residents and it's putting extreme pressures on all of our schools and frankly on all of our infrastructure," says Genung. "It was great to see the UCP government step forward and announce a plan to get more schools built in the province."

There's some good news for Canada's pulse sector as industry representatives gather this week in Winnipeg for the Annual Pulse and Special Crops Convention.

India announced late last week that it would once again extend the timeline for duty-free imports of yellow peas until December 31st, 2024.

India originally lifted the duties on pea imports on a temporary basis in December of 2023 and has continued to issue temporary extensions since then, while the import duty exemption on lentils is in place through March 31, 2025.

Zoocasa has released a new blog post showcasing the affordability of property taxes for 25 municipalities around Alberta.

How does Cochrane stack up?

Canmore, Chestermere and Calgary locked in the top three spots.

Cochrane has ranked as the fourth most affordable.

P&H Milling Group, a division of Parrish & Heimbecker Limited, have started construction on a new, state-of-the-art flour milling facility in Red Deer County. 

A sod-turning event earlier this month marked the start for the $241 million facility which will have the capacity to mill an estimated 750 metric tonnes of wheat daily from Western Canadian farmers.

More than a dozen soldiers were sent to hospital this afternoon after an accident at a military base in Quebec.

Capt. Hermione Wilson, a public affairs officer with the Canadian Armed Forces, says the accident took place at Canadian Forces Base Valcartier.

Wilson says the accident in the base's training area involved two armoured vehicles.

She says civilian and military emergency services responded immediately to the scene.

Wilson says 16 members of the 5 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group were taken to local hospitals with minor injuries.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has confirmed he will ask the other opposition parties to bring down the Liberal government next week with a non-confidence motion.

A Conservative spokesperson said the motion will simply say the House has no confidence in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his government.

Now that the NDP has ended the supply-and-confidence deal with the Liberals, the minority government needs to shore up support from opposition parties on a vote-by-vote basis.

It's officially Girl Guide Cookie season in Cochrane!

This weekend is a cookie blitz hosted by all the Cochrane units including Sparks, Embers, Guides, Pathfinders and Rangers.

A beloved miniature donkey missing from his Bragg Creek home of 25 years, has sparked a search effort involving drones, dogs, and volunteers, with fears he may have been stolen.

Goliath, who is approximately 28-years-old hasn't been seen since Monday.

He lives with four other donkeys on a fully fenced 24-acre property.

Dr. Judith Samson-French said she has to entertain the possibility that Goliath has been stolen but she's not sure how that would have happened. 

After more than 12,000 votes cast, Sunset has officially locked in their spot in the finals of Cochrane's Best Neighbourhood Showdown.