Cochrane

Cochrane’s Ethan Neutens and Kaden McCann will be hitting the ice for the Medicine Hat Tigers in their first taste of a WHL Eastern Conference championship.

The Lethbridge Hurricanes completed a comeback to eliminate the Calgary Hitmen on Tuesday night, setting up a matchup between two long-time Central Division rivals.

The Tigers had been waiting patiently for their next opponent after completing a sweep of the Prince Albert Raiders on Thursday, April 17. 

The best-of-seven series opens Friday night at Co-op Place in Medicine Hat.

As the weather warms up, Cochrane RCMP officers are trading in their cruisers for mountain bikes as part of the Summer Patrol Program, a seasonal initiative that brings police officers into closer contact with the community.

The program officially rolled out this month, with four bikes freshly tuned up at Big Hill Cycle and ready to go.

Cst. Nathan Moore says the patrols provide a more approachable and visible police presence throughout town.

Today, the town launched a campaign to try to distinguish between what portion of property tax notices are for the municipality and what amount is being collected on behalf of the province.

The collection of education property taxes has been a long-burning issue for Alberta municipalities, including Cochrane.

After tax notices hit the mail on May 31, it's not unusual for people to look at the bottom line and shake their fist at the town when they see a huge jump.

However, it’s not always the town’s fault—nor within its control.

Cochrane Food Drive - Saturday, April 26th

Starting at 10 a.m volunteers will be collecting food from Fireside, Bow Meadows, Bow Ridge, Jumping Pound, West Valley, West Terrace, West Pointe, Heartland, Heritage Hills, Montera, Cochrane Lakes, & Harmony. 

Bike Cochrane Bike Swap - Saturday, April 26th

Buy and sell used bikes at the Cochrane Ag Society lower barn. 

Cochrane’s skateboarding community is getting a major boost this summer with the addition of a brand-new skatepark in Fireside.

The project is part of a community enhancement initiative led by the Fireside Homeowners Association and supported by Calbridge Developments, in partnership with Shredz Shop and Newline Skateparks.

Construction is expected to begin in June and wrap up by October.

As spring temperatures settle in, Cochrane residents are reporting several sightings of garter snakes, an annual sign that the season is shifting into full swing.

These small, slender snakes are commonly found throughout Alberta and are especially likely to appear near the Bow River, where they thrive in grassy and wetland environments. While their sudden slithering presence can catch some off guard, garter snakes are completely harmless to humans and play a key role in the local ecosystem.

The second annual Canadian Wild Pig Summit is set to take place on April 29th. This virtual event will feature a morning of presentations focusing on wild pig monitoring programs and recommendations from Indigenous communities regarding the Canadian Invasive Wild Pig Strategy.

Organized by Manitoba Pork, Squeal on Pigs Manitoba, and Animal Health Canada, the summit aims to address the growing wild pig population in Western Canada. These animals pose significant dangers to people and livestock and cause considerable environmental damage.

Banff National Park officials are warning the public once again that operating drones without permission within park boundaries can lead to serious consequences.

The reminder comes after an individual was fined $1,100 for two infractions — one in Banff National Park and another in Waterton Lakes National Park — following an investigation into videos posted to social media.

Park officials say the person was charged under the National Parks Aircraft Access Regulations and issued two fines.

The Western Dairy Expo begins today in Saskatoon, bringing together dairy producers from across Western Canada to showcase the best of the best in the dairy industry. 

The event runs through Saturday at Prairieland and is also being live-streamed.

The Expo starts at 2 pm today with junior events, featuring showmanship and a junior show where kids under 21 will present heifers.

Donald Bolen, the archbishop of Regina, is travelling to Vatican City for Saturday’s funeral of Pope Francis – a journey, he says, is to honour a pontiff who mirrored his vision and his compassion.

"When (Francis) put out a book called 'The Name of God is Mercy,' I smiled. Because my episcopal motto is 'mercy within mercy within mercy' — very much that same understanding,” Bolen said in an interview.

"I had enormous respect for Pope Francis through his pontificate.”