This is the last week to nominate a deserving teenager in your life for the Leaders of Tomorrow Awards.The Grande Prairie Volunteer Services Bureau is looking for teenagers in the city who keep busy by donating their time. The awards look to inspire youth to look for more opportunities in and around their community to give back. Nominations can be made up until April 4 at the Bureau’s office or website.

The province has set aside three days this week to talk to Grande Prairie residents about what sort of revisions they would like to see on the Municipal Government Act.

There will be seven different consultation sessions, including assessment and taxation, planning and development, and governance and administration.

All seven will be held at the Muskoseepi Park Pavilion from April 2nd to 4th, including an open house on April 3rd.

Development plans for the new Beaverlodge Health Complex are taking another big step forward.

The new facility was announced at the tail end of 2013, and now the town is looking for some interest from private investors.

Mayor Leona Hanson says they can’t move forward with the bricks and mortar without this part of the process.

“I think it opens the door for some very unique and innovative complimentary servicing on that site, to fill a real desperate need in our community. It is extremely exciting.

Hanson says she hopes to see the Health Complex offering a variety of services to the surrounding area, such as seniors support, 24/7 ambulatory care, chronic disease management and wellness care.

Submissions will be received by the town office up until April 24.

The Shaftesbury Ferry will be opening a little later than usual this year. The tug, which is about 50 years old, is in need of a new engine, gear box, and fuel tanks. As well, a fire suppression system is being installed to meet Transport Canada regulations. Jasmine Franklin with Alberta Transportation says the ferry should be ready to return to service by the end of May.

“Some people use it for travel crossings, some farmers use it to transport equipment as well, so the detour, of course you can still use the Peace River bridge, that’s an option still until this opens up.

The Shaftesbury Ferry operates on the Peace River about 60km south of that community along Hwy 740.

Image courtesy mightypeace.com

RCMP have issued a warrant for the arrest of a 23 year old Grande Prairie man following an early morning aggravated assault.

Police say yesterday around 1:50 am they responded to a report of shots fired in the Patterson area.

A man was found injured inside a home, and was taken to hospital where he is in serious condition.

Mounties say they believe the incident was a targeted attack, and are asking for the public’s help in finding Justin Lizotte.

He is described as 6’1″, 200 lbs, with black hair and black eyes.

Finance minister Doug Horner brought his post-budget discussion tour to Grande Prairie today. Horner says Albertans are expressing confusion over this year’s budget, and how some of the numbers are being reported. He says the government has changed the way they report budgets, in order to be more transparent. He adds while businesses and credit bureaus understood the changes, the general public did not.

“And you saw it here, nobody knows what we have in savings, so let’s have a savings fund.  Let’s show Albertans what we are doing.  People were very concerned about what we were spending on operating. So let’s show them what we are spending on operating, not just on operating and capital, and then let’s show them what we are spending on capital.”

Horner says these discussions are telling him that they recognized the concerns that Albertans expressed to him during their pre-budget round table meetings.