Food banks in southern Alberta communities including Blackie, Vulcan and Fort Macleod get a needed boost next week when the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train pulls into town. The Holiday Train consists of 14 brightly decorated cars, including a modified boxcar that has been turned into a travelling stage for performers. The Holiday Train stops at…Continue Reading

“Candy Land Christmas” is the theme of the annual Fort Macleod Santa Claus Parade on Saturday, Nov. 30. The 32nd edition of the parade will kick off the Christmas season at 11 a.m. with marching bands, floats and other colourful entries. The hour-long parade on Second Avenue and Main Street is the centerpiece of the…Continue Reading

Fort Macleod said farewell to Jesse Smith on Wednesday in one of his favourite places. Hundreds of family members and friends filled the bleachers at Fort Macleod and District Sports Centre for the funeral for the popular young figure skater. “Each one of us is here today because we had some connection with this amazing…Continue Reading

Fort Macleod residents turned out in force Monday to remember the sacrifices of men and women who fought for freedom. A standing room only crowd packed the Fort Macleod and District Community Hall for the annual Remembrance Day ceremony organized by the Royal Canadian Legion. “We must never forget the people who fought in the…Continue Reading

Ted Menzies resigned Wednesday after nine years as Member of Parliament for the federal Macleod riding. The resignation follows Menzies’ announcement last summer that he was stepping down as minister of state for finance. “Many of you will know that I never intended to be a career politician, and as I said earlier this year,…Continue Reading

Years of dedicated rock hunting paid off for Noel Plourde when he found a rare dinosaur fossil in the Fort Macleod area. Plourde discovered the preserved skeleton of a leptoceratops, a small dog-sized herbivore that lived 67-million years ago. “It’s a really, really rare discovery, especially for small animals like that,” said Francois Therrien, curator…Continue Reading

Disturbed by robocalls and other scandals, Ted Musson gave up a comfortable retirement to protest Stephen Harper’s Conservative government. The 71-year-old Musson is walking from his home in Victoria to Ottawa to protest the 2011 federal election. “I didn’t do this frivolously, nor for an adventure, but I’ll tell you what, it has been an…Continue Reading

Voters were in the mood for change Monday. Fort Macleod elected a new mayor in Rene Gendre, who received 489 votes to finish ahead of Shawn Patience with 457 and Susan Koots with 139. Newcomer Mike Collar led the council voting with 668 votes, followed by fellow newcomers Brent Feyter with 632, Keith Trowbridge with…Continue Reading

Voters in two divisions of the MD of Willow Creek opted for change Monday night. In the only two divisions that needed elections, both incumbent councillors were defeated. In Division 2, challenger John Kroetsch defeated incumbent Ed Neufeld 89-64. In Division 3, challenger Maryanne Sandberg defeated incumbent Phil Wakelin 167-111. Those are the unofficial results…Continue Reading