Three years ago when a local woman mustered the nerve to sing a karaoke song at a bar, her legs shook with anxiety.

In the spotlight on Feb. 11, on the stage at Ducky’s Pub in Calgary, Kelsey Knibbs was again vibrating, but this time it was with adrenaline. Knibbs finished her song triumphant following two costume changes, knocking over equipment and losing her mic in the melee. Judges chose her as the best performer of the whole three-month Ducky’s Idol competition.
The experience was exhilarating, nerve-wracking and fun, Knibbs said. And …

With any luck, an award-winning blues musician, will have his guitar face on for the audience in the Flare ‘n’ Derrick on Saturday.

The guitar face is a signal of reaching another plane, a pocket of emotion triggered by the blues, according to Nanaimo rocker David Gogo.
The blues is all about emotion, Gogo said. Judging by the recognition he has earned, Gogo knows his way around a guitar.
Gogo was named Musician of the Year at the Western Canadian Music Awards in 2000, was twice named Guitarist of the Year at the …

Creating a work of art intended to disappear into the background may not seem like a triumph, but a local artist is feeling honoured for her inclusion in a unique part of the Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
Red Deer Lake artist Wendy Palmer said her 12-inch by 12-inch painting of a beach in Tofino will be seen by millions of people, but the first thing viewers will notice is the 20-foot long killer whale with her calf swimming beside her.
Palmer’s painting is like one piece in a puzzle. The beach in …

Men’s rugby looks to be making a return to the fields of Okotoks this spring.
The Foothills Lions, once a perennial contender in the Calgary Rugby Union, could be reuniting in the coming weeks and playing their first game in May.
Darcy Gallant played rugby for 15 years and he decided it was time to rejuvenate an adult rugby program in the foothills to save players and fans the long drive north into Calgary.
Gallant said he believes the area will embrace rugby once again, just as people have with other sports teams …

This time last year the Foothills Stingrays had just four swimmers who qualified for provincials.
A mere 12 months later and the club has doubled the number of top swimmers and they have climbed all the way to national level meets.
Twin 14 year-old sisters, Christyna and Kalyna Dashko, set personal best times and Ryan Jackson, 14, broke his personal best in the 100-metre butterfly at Western Canadian Nationals in Saskatoon, Sask., Feb. 19-21.
“It’s just a stepping stone to where we want to be,” said Stingrays head coach Todd Melton of the …

An interesting scheduling quirk might end up tipping the scales in the Okotoks Bisons’ favour as they face the Medicine Hat Cubs in a seven-game playoff series.
Games one through six of the Heritage Junior Hockey League’s South Division finals alternate between Medicine Hat and Okotoks. This means that the home team holds the distinct advantage of being able to hold pre-game warm-ups while the travelling team cools its heels on the bus driving to the arena.
Exhibit one: The Cubs travel to Okotoks Friday and get outshot 52-25 in a 5-1 …

Residents of Turner Valley and Black Diamond often approach Muhammad Zia-ul Haque, manager of the Sheep River Library, on the street asking if they can book the library’s meeting room.
Residents of the two towns have a sense of ownership when it comes to the library, said Zia-ul Haque.
“The difference is large town libraries, you don’t know many of your patrons so they have a different set of rules,” he said.
A questionnaire has been sent out asking how the Sheep River Library can help meet the needs and goals of various …

The Sheep River Health Trust announced a new chair of the board during a recent meeting.
Dr. Robert Haslem stepped down from his position as chair of the health trust and Frances Jackson-Dover, a longtime member of the board was elected to the position on Jan. 28.
In the coming years, Jackson-Dover expects economic restraints to pose a challenge to the board’s fundraising efforts.
Currently, the board is in the midst of improving infrastructure such as new bylaws.
“If there is a way to support the rural needs that often differ from the urban …

Okotoks has caught a case of ring fever – the kind that is associated with the Olympics.
Staff and students from local schools held mini-Olympic events indoors and out to get into the spirit. Local pubs have seen an increase in business as Canada’s medal total climbed.
Tony Nicastro, owner of The George Traditional House in Okotoks, said he has noticed a five to 10 per cent increase in business since the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games’ Feb. 12 start date.
“The opening ceremonies was obviously big and when Canada plays in men’s hockey,” …

Following the advice of an independent consultant, Turner Valley council decided to cut its committee obligations in half.
On Feb. 16, council agreed to scale back the number of committees they collectively sit on to 17 from 34. They also agreed to reinstate Coun. George Wallace to some committees.
A corporate review conducted by independent consultant Glenn Pitman in 2009 advised council their time was being spread too thin because they were attending too many committees.
Turner Valley chief administrative officer Stan Ogrodniczuk said council members are required by law to attend certain …