Okotoks RCMP officers on the lookout for drunk drivers over the August long weekend turned up a suspected drug dealer.
Police blocked off both lanes of traffic on Northridge Drive on Aug. 1 for two hours. Sgt. Ian Shardlow said one driver who confessed to smoking pot was found with a large quantity of the drug in his car.
“He admitted to consuming marijuana and further investigation gave us cause to search the vehicle,” Shardlow said.
Officers turned up 65 grams of marijuana, that Shardlow said had been packaged up separately, but was …

An Okotoks man awoke to find someone had dumped garbage in a parking area behind his north side home like his backyard was a landfill.
Mike Harrison awoke at about 1 a.m. on Aug. 9 after hearing a loud noise behind his house. At first he thought someone was trying to get into his neighbour’s yard and yelled at them to leave. The next morning he found someone had dumped a mattress, a box spring and two old doors behind his house.
“The disgusting thing is it’s a bed,” he said. “It’s …

Okotoks officials hope a study of the Sheep River watershed will give them a better understanding of the changes in the river basin and the water needs of the surrounding area.
The Sheep River Watershed Advisory Group is looking at a variety of factors in the river including the quality and quantity of water in the river, land uses in areas near the river and fisheries.
The Sheep River Water Balance Study is the second phase of the Highwood River Water Management Plan looking at the overall Highwood basin, which includes the …

A date has been set for a project to rebuild the rail crossing on Northridge Drive, which will cost the Town of Okotoks $95,000.
CP Rail has scheduled the project for Sept. 21, a Tuesday, to replace the existing rail crossing structure on the road.
Municipal engineer Marley Oness said the Town is still trying to convince CP Rail to wait until after the 32nd Street bridge is finished to do the work.
“We’re still working with CPR that the 21st is not a fixed date,” he said. “We’re hoping that they can …

The sound of music and theatre will soon replace the noise of saws and hammers at the historic Rotary Performing Arts Centre in downtown Okotoks.
Work to rehabilitate the building is nearing completion and Town officials are looking forward to its grand reopening this fall.
The Town decided the building needed to be repaired a few years ago when it was noticed the bell tower was starting to pull away from the structure.
Okotoks community services manager Susan Laurin said the work was a rehabilitation, not a restoration.
“We’re using new products to make …

The Okotoks Toy Library is still hunting for a new location after a potential home fell through.
The toy library board was looking at relocating to a nearby building but never received a response. Carey Magee, chair of the toy library’s board of directors, said they are still looking for a location in downtown Okotoks.
“We have a little bit of money saved up now but by next year our savings will be gone,” said Magee.
The toy library received a $5,000 grant from Family and Community Support Services in May allowing them …

The Town of Black Diamond has posted information for voters and potential candidates on their website ahead of the upcoming municipal elections on Oct. 18.
Candidates are required to officially declare their intention to run for council or mayor on Sept. 20. Town administrators posted a 68-page information booklet for potential candidates covering filing nomination papers and election advertising.
“It kind of tells people what the duties of a council member are, including both mayor and councillors,” said Verna Staples, returning officer for the Town of Black Diamond.
The posting also details the …

Okotoks’ shopping scene is about to get a whole lot bigger as staff at the new Costco location are getting ready to open the doors this month.
The 142,000-square-foot Okotoks Costco is scheduled to open on Aug. 26 at 7:30 a.m.
Costco spokesperson Ron Damiani said its location close to Calgary was a big draw for the company. The Heritage Drive location in Calgary is one of the company’s busiest stores and he said the Okotoks location will take some of the pressure off the south Calgary store.
“The whole Calgary market has …

A Dunbow resident is suing the MD of Foothills for $8 million claiming developments allowed by the municipality have contaminated her well and property.
Ellen Alston alleged developments approved by the MD have directed the flow of feces-laden water from the DeWinton Riding Club onto her land impacting her health and that of her common-law spouse.
“The result of the foregoing is that Alston’s land, water supply and aquifer are polluted and Alston’s land has become a putrid, foul smelling slough,” reads a statement of claim filed against the MD on July …

Okotoks RCMP is investigating a late-night break-in at the Westmount Tim Hortons over the August long weekend.
RCMP Const. Kim Zinn said an unidentified male was able to get inside the store through the drive-in window during the early morning hours of Aug. 2. The store was closed at the time, but the window was unlocked, she said.
The individual was able to get into all the cash registers and made off with an undisclosed amount of cash.
“He wasn’t out quick, he did spend an amount of time in there but he …