Okotoks musicians are banding together to fundraise in the wake of an announcement the federal government will match donations to registered charities responding to the earthquake in Haiti.
The first benefit concert in Okotoks took place on Jan. 30 and raised $1,600 for God’s Littlest Angels – they have applied to the government to be eligible for matching dollars. That night OK Taxi donated a portion of their sales taking concert-goers home, raising another $50.
Two more benefit concerts have since come together and organizers hope to rally people from across the …

Like a blooming flower the Mainstage performers will be reaching for new heights as the curtain goes up on opening night of Little Shop of Horrors Friday.
It’s a transformation the students in the Mainstage program at the Alberta High School of Fine Arts have been practicing since September. Starting on Friday, the cast of 25 will delight the audience with the comedy of how a prickly plant that feeds on human blood helps two downtrodden people find true love.
To help the students step into their characters artistic director James Keary …

The Sheep River Library board is ready to release the flood gates when it moves into its new space in Turner Valley.
Library board chair Diane Osberg said the library’s books, services and classes are expanding to provide an increasing population in the High Country area, but they are quickly running out of space in their Black Diamond location. The collections of books, four computers, video conferencing equipment and meeting area is being housed in a 3,000 square foot space. According to Alberta library standards, to serve the population of the …

A group of Turner Valley residents who objected to a proposed affordable housing development in their neighbourhood will not lose their green space after all.
Council decided on Jan. 18 the proposed location for the project on Anderson Crescent, including a connecting property behind it, is not suitable for single family home and six duplexes.
In December all the residents of Anderson Crescent — including Coun. Gary Rowntree — objected to a proposal to donate the land to the Foothills Foundation for the development of affordable housing.
Brent Lindblad, who organized the petition …

A woman frustrated with the lack of progress within the Foothills Humane Society is now rallying support in the community to form another animal welfare organization.
Turner Valley resident Cheryle Dobbyn has registered the High Country Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) and is hosting the first public meeting on Feb. 9. The meeting, which will take place at the Flare ‘n’ Derrick Community Hall in Turner Valley at 7 p.m., is designed to let the public know what the goals of the SPCA will be, seek input …

Turner Valley town council voted unanimously to reinstate Coun. George Wallace after a tumultuous past 11 months in which the councillor was stripped of his duties.
In March, council unanimously passed a vote of non-confidence against Wallace. Since then, Wallace has attended council meetings and cast his vote, but he could not attend committee or board meetings as a council representative.
Following the vote of non-confidence, Mayor Dona Fluter would not clarify the reasoning behind the vote of non-confidence, but she did say a letter Wallace wrote to the Western Wheel criticizing …

Walk into the Murray Arena on any given game night and you are just as likely as the goaltenders themselves to know who the Okotoks Bisons’ starting netminder is going to be.
Not that it matters who the Bisons’ coaching staff decides to put in net when they have two hot goaltenders.
“We are both equal and we are both playing really well, so it’s kind of an easy choice for (head coach Mike Hannigan) just throwing us in, one and two,” said Bison goaltender Bryce Scherschel.
Scherschel and his counterpart, Christian Chivilo, …

Violence on the Eden Valley Reserve escalated in January, resulting in six people being sent to hospital after they were attacked with everything from bats to chairs.
On Saturday police were called to their fourth call on the reserve west of Longview in one month involving a severe beating.
“This is a fairly common occurrence,” said Corp. Allen Busch of the Turner Valley RCMP.
According to police, at least four men broke into a home and beat two men inside with bats and a steel pole. The victims suffered broken bones. When their …

Nearly 14 years of making daily notes would account for one thick notebook and it is time for the new principal at Holy Trinity Academy to put those notes to work.
Every day since starting at the school in 1996 as a math teacher Carmen Ostafichuk, who is currently the vice-principal, has jotted down suggestions and ways to improve her class for the next day’s lessons.
Starting May 1, Ostafichuk can make notes as principal of Holy Trinity Academy (HTA) instead of vice-principal.
“I never just do things and say that’s good enough, …

The woman at the centre of a sex scandal at a Black Diamond high school did not attend her first appearance in court last Friday.
The accused woman’s lawyer, who also did not come to Okotoks court Friday, sent instructions with another lawyer, to ask the case come back on Feb. 26.
The Crown prosecutor in Okotoks told the court that their case is “voluminous” and would not be available for the defence until next week.
Nadine Nesbitt, a Crown prosecutor on a special team dedicated to sex crimes, is assigned to the …