Cochrane

Swamp Donkey Musical Theatre brings history to life with The Hello Girls, a powerful production that tells the true story of the first women to serve as soldiers in the U.S. Army during World War I.

With a cast of 14, the show captures the bravery and resilience of female telephone operators who fought for decades to be recognized as veterans.

Music Director/Co-Director Choreographer Melanie Baux said it's the first time they've done a production that is based on a true story. 

The Oct. 7 attack by Hamas fighters on Israel last year, and the immediate Israeli retaliation that followed, sent shockwaves throughout the world that have shaken Canada culturally and politically.

Here is a look at some of the major developments in Canada related to the conflict.

Oct. 7, 2023 — Hamas-led militants launched air and ground attacks on Israel, killing nearly 1,200 and taking more than 250 hostages. The attacks, followed hours later by Israeli counterattacks in the Gaza Strip, marked the beginning of the current Israel-Hamas war. 

Mayor Jeff Genung calls a meeting with Alberta Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen the highlight of the recent Alberta Municipalities convention. 

Four town council members held private meetings with four cabinet ministers during the Red Deer convention to discuss pressing issues for the community, including the push for the twinning of Hwy. 22 south of the interchange and a new bridge across the Bow River.

Thousands of kids across Canada benefit from 4-H programming each year.

Ben Graham, chair of the Canadian 4-H Foundation says 4-H has an enormous impact on our youth.

"It's about team building, learning parliamentary procedure, how you run a meeting, and how to public speak. It's about how to manage projects, whether it's computers or dogs - canine, whether it's beef cattle. It's a real diverse opportunity for kids to learn skills that help them become better leaders and contributors to their community."

Beyond Ready is this year's theme for National 4-H Week.

The Canadian Crop Hail Association member companies are investigating 630 claims of crop damage from isolated storms that hit farms across Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan during the week of September 16-22.

Rodney Schoettler of Saskatchewan Municipal Hail Insurance noted that September brought an unexpected surge in claims:

He says the claim count is much higher than typical [for this time of year] and the severity of losses at this stage is costly to producers and insurers.

Farmers are making some good progress with the harvest. 

The latest crop reports show in Manitoba, 73 per cent of the provincial crop is now in. 

This week's crop report shows there's still some spring wheat, barley and oats to come in.

The canola harvest is now at 78 percent complete, dry beans are at 60 per cent, soybeans at 29 percent,  17 per cent of the flax is now in with the corn harvest just getting underway in Eastern Manitoba.

In Saskatchewan, 91 per cent of the crop is now in with harvest most advanced in the southwest at 99  per cent complete.

Emotional mourners gathered by the hundreds in cities across Canada on Sunday to honour the victims of Hamas's Oct. 7 attack on Israel that sparked the still raging war in Gaza and roiled tensions in the Middle East and beyond.

In the nation's capital, a sea of Israeli flags could be seen draped over participants in front of Ottawa City Hall, with Canadian flags waving alongside them as they called for the release of hostages still being held in Gaza.

What started with two dozen people has grown to 180 playing pickleball indoors at the SLS Centre.

The season is in full gear and kicked off with a traditional food drive.

Organizer and founder Bill Cooper believes the atmosphere they've created and the sport itself has made it an attractive recreational activity for Cochranites.

"You don't have to be an expert. You can come out and play at your beginner level and move along as you get better into more experienced groups," says Cooper.

Two games in the win column have set the stage for the Cochrane Generals home opener on Oct. 11.

Friday night's win in Three Hills came down to a shootout in a low-scoring match. The Gens lone goal in regulation came in the second from Nathan Sherriffs with his first of the regular season from Marco Rossi and Christopher Ugbaja. Just 90 seconds later, Kaden Raniseth scored for the Thrashers to tie the game.

When overtime proved nothing, Diago Coelho and Brendan Thubron scored in the shootout, and goalie Braydon Yonin foiled two Thrashers to secure the win.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau repeatedly reiterated calls for a ceasefire in the Middle East on Saturday as he blamed Hamas, Hezbollah and Israel for a staggering number of civilian deaths.

But Trudeau stopped short of outright condemning Israel for beginning a ground war days after the Israeli military crossed the border into southern Lebanon.

"We need to see peace in the region," Trudeau said from Paris on the final day of the Francophonie summit.