Cochrane

A soggy and humid summer in Cochrane has created ideal conditions for ticks, and local health officials are reminding residents to stay vigilant outdoors.

“You want to avoid walking through tall grass or brush, especially in forested areas,” says local nurse Sarah Hofferman. “Ticks love those spots, and they’re more active in warm, damp weather like we’ve been having.”

Black-legged ticks are the ones to watch for. They’re small, fast-moving, and can be difficult to spot. Sarah says a full-body check after time outside is a simple but effective habit.

This week’s Adorable Adoptables spotlight is on Kirk, a once-timid pup who’s transformed into a playful and loyal friend.

Kirk arrived at the Cochrane & Area Humane Society shy and unsure, but he’s made incredible progress.

“He was really a scared little guy when he first came to the shelter,” says Robyn Roy, communications coordinator with the Humane Society. “It took him a while to warm up, but with our help and lots of patience and love, he’s finally warming up.”

Alberta’s inaugural U19 women’s baseball team went winless at the Canadian championship in Springbank, July 31 to Aug. 3.

The squad was in position for a win against Newfoundland in their third game, but was forced to forfeit after a pitcher exceeded the two-day pitch limit by three balls.

Alberta lost by one run to both Manitoba and Saskatchewan and suffered a lopsided 27-8 defeat to Ontario.

Labour experts say another postal service strike is unlikely after unionized Canada Post workers rejected their employer's latest round of offers in a forced vote and the parties mull their next steps.

The Canadian Union of Postal Workers said Friday that the roughly 55,000 members represented by the union shot down the Canada Post's latest proposal, which would've seen wage hikes of about 13 per cent over four years and restructuring to add part-time workers to the deal.

A severe thunderstorm warning is in effect for Cochrane and surrounding areas, according to Environment Canada.

As of 12:45 p.m., meteorologists were tracking a storm capable of producing nickel-sized hail and heavy rainfall.

The storm was located about 30 kilometres east of Exshaw and was moving east at 25 kilometres per hour.

Officials warn that the storm could bring flash flooding and poor visibility due to heavy rain.

There is also a risk of property damage or injury from large hail.

Team Canada secured second place overall at the 2025 IWWF World U21 Waterski Championships, which wrapped up Sunday at Predator Bay Water Ski Club south of Calgary.

The host nation was one of 22 countries competing at the event, held July 31 to Aug. 3, and brought a 12-skier roster. Six of those athletes contributed to the silver medal team finish, placing behind the United States and ahead of Austria.

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.

Hot off the buzz of The Monkey, Cochrane actor Rohan Campbell is attached to a new Netflix series now in production in Newfoundland.

The series, which remains untitled, stars Josh Hartnett, Mackenzie Davis, and Charlie Heaton, alongside Campbell, Willow Kean, Ruby Stokes, and Kaleb Horn.

It centres on a hard-bitten fisherman who discovers that a mysterious creature is terrorizing his hometown.

Cochrane is on the menu this August as Alberta on the Plate, a 10-day, province-wide dine-around festival, returns to celebrate the best of Alberta-grown, raised, and crafted food.

From Peace River to Lethbridge—and Cochrane—over 100 restaurants are creating special menus that highlight local ingredients.

One of the most unique dishes this year? Alberta-raised yak.