A Beaverlodge woman has taken home $100K after adding Extra to her Western Max lottery ticket.

Leona Roberts says she is “still in shock” after her massive win during the May 21st draw, and says her entire family is “thrilled” to have an extra financial cushion after the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I’m very happy and surprised. I called my mom and my daughter,” she says. “They’re thrilled!”

During her prize claim interview, Roberts says she gave her tickets to her husband to check on the Lotto Spot app and was shocked to learn they won big.

“COVID was hard on us all, so it’ll be nice to have a cushion in the bank,” she says.

Roberts says she plans to buy a new truck and keep some of her winnings tucked away for some extra savings.

The Beaverlodge winner purchased her tickets from the Circle K at 826 1st Avenue in Beaverlodge and claimed her prize by matching the last six digits- 4999101.

The City of Grande Prairie will no longer provide the Grande Prairie Storm with free ice for development programming like skills camps and spring hockey.

In previous years, ice time for offseason programs was covered by the city, and this year, the committee in charge of the matter recommended council to do the same.

Despite the recommendation to cover expenses completely, council decided to cover instead, 50 per cent of the fees related to the Storm’s offseason programming, which Mayor Jackie Clayton says comes from a place of fairness to other springtime sports programs in the city.

“Council agreed that we appreciated their intent to have low-cost recreation and in particular access to low-cost hockey, but we also discussed and debated about the fact that there still needed to be some charge,” she says. “It couldn’t be completely free as other organizations are running sports camps and have costs associated with those camps, so we settled on the 50 percent discount on the ice for those development camps.”

However, council did approve some new arrangements with the Storm, including their continued support of large-scale events like the home opener, Indigenous Night, playoff festivities, and the prospects camp.

Alberta Health Services is hosting an opportunity for parents to speak with a registered nurse about their child’s health and learn more about early childhood healthcare.

AHS’ Tiny Talk program will be available bi-weekly between June 20th and August 15th and will serve families with children from birth to 12 months old with the chance to meet with a public health nurse, connect with other parents, weigh and measure their child, and ask questions.

A variety of topics will be discussed each week, including physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development.

Officials say each session will include 30 minutes of structured programming, and the remainder of the time will be available for questions and connection.

The program will be held from 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. every first and third Thursday of each month at the Grande Prairie Public Library’s Linda Smith Story Room, and registration is not required.

Following some complaints among residents regarding noisy vehicles throughout the city, Grande Prairie Enforcement Services is increasing education and enforcement initiatives.

According to GPES, Peace Officers have received training to conduct vehicle checks related to modified exhausts and other noise-related issues on vehicles throughout the city during the rest of June.

Officials say the issue seems to be an annual problem, with Enforcement Services receiving an uptick in the number of noise complaints related to vehicles with inadequate mufflers and negative driving habits such as stunting and overaccelerating.

Enforcement Services cites Grande Prairie Bylaw C-1103C, which prohibits creating or causing any loud and “unnecessary” noise from a vehicle and includes the use of engine retarder brakes and signalling devices that make more noise than is deemed “reasonable” by law enforcement.

GPES says vehicles making unnecessary noise at any time of day can lead to fines from $162 to a mandatory court appearance depending on the severity of the incident.

As a result, Peace Officers will be leading education and enforcement initiatives throughout the rest of the month with the hope of reducing the issue.

The number of people unemployed in the economic region which includes Grande Prairie saw a bump in May compared to the previous month and year.

According to Statistics Canada in May 5.5 per cent of people were unemployed in the Banff – Jasper – Rocky Mountain House and Athabasca – Grande Prairie – Peace River region, up from the 5.3 per cent reported in April. This is also a bump from the number of people unemployed in May of last year, which was also 5.3 per cent.

The number of people unemployed across the province saw both a month-over-month and year-over-year increase; with 7.2 per cent reported in May, seven per cent reported in April and 5.7 per cent reported in May 2023. In May, the Camrose – Drumheller region reported the lowest unemployment rate in the province at 4.9 per cent, while Calgary reported the highest unemployment rate at eight per cent.

Grande Prairie City Council has finalized changes to the current Land Use Bylaw that controls secondary suites.

Discussions have been underway for some time now and the final vote ultimately came down to the allowance of backyard or “garden suites” that would serve as separated living structures in a resident’s backyard.

After a lengthy meeting two weeks ago, council asked city administration to bring back a report regarding what changes to garden suites could be made, and following the report, Mayor Jackie Clayton says council simply was not ready to approve the idea at this time.

“It was a great piece of information for council to consider,” she says. “At the end of the day, they were looking more for, for more traditional secondary suites being basement suites, duplexes, etcetera.”

“Council is not saying no to garden suites. It’s just no for right now,” she adds.

Despite the no regarding garden suites, the new bylaw will see changes to secondary suite regulations throughout the city, notably, the change to the required parking stalls on a per-bedroom basis. The new bylaw will require one parking stall for both a one or two-bedroom secondary suite, which has caused some concern among residents worried about parking in their neighbourhood; however, the Mayor says secondary suites are not the sole cause of parking issues in the city.

“Parking still continues to come up. I remind people that secondary suites are not the catalyst for parking issues in neighborhoods,” she says. “Adding secondary suites is an opportunity and we look forward to having that managed within neighbourhoods so that it doesn’t become an issue.”

Additionally, the new bylaw includes changes to the lot width requirement and size restrictions for secondary suites, and the allowance of up to eight suites within a 30-metre radius.

Clayton says the new changes make secondary suites more accessible for residents, and adds that the need for additional housing is a dire one across the province.

“We know that a great number of people need that second income by having a basement suite or a secondary suite in there in their building,” she says. “I think that council explored many opportunities, settled where they were today, and there are potential options in the future.”

During the meeting, council approved changes to the city’s Development Incentives and Grants program, which now includes secondary suites and duplexes.

Come September, students across the province will no longer be able to use their mobile devices during class time.

On Monday, the province announced personal electronics will be banned from classrooms at the beginning of the school year. The ban on personal electronic devices will be implemented in kindergarten to grade 12 classrooms and limit access to social media. Minister of Education Demetrios Nicolaides says the changes stem from the concern provincial leaders have heard all around about the impact that phones have in classrooms.

“We’re taking a measured approach to protect students by restricting the use of personal mobile devices during instructional time to reduce distractions and bullying, maximize learning time, and support student mental health,” Nicolaides says.

Alberta Teachers Association president Jason Shilling says the association is happy to see this announcement and the focus on keeping students focused on their studies.

“Teachers and school leaders look forward to having the support of government and school boards as they implement this new policy,” Schilling says.

Over the summer, school divisions across the province will need to develop policies with the exceptions of how these schools will manage and the consequences for non-compliance.

Students who use their devices for medical or educational reasons will be exempt from the from the ban.

Following a fire incident that resulted in the closure of the Grande Prairie Friendship Centre, the Grande Prairie Fire Department has issued a word of caution regarding battery safety in the home.

On June 11th, the GPFD was called to the Grande Prairie Friendship Centre due to reports of a blaze in the facility. The fire department responded quickly and contained the fire to prevent any further damage, and no injuries occurred as a result.

Chris Renyk, a Fire Marshal for the GPFD confirmed the cause of the flames to be related to a lithium-ion powered device that was left charging unattended. Renyk was hesitant to provide exact specifications regarding what the device was due to an internal investigation being conducted by the manufacturer; however, the Fire Marshal took the opportunity to educate residents regarding the safe use of lithium-ion powered devices as they become more prevalent in today’s electronic age.

“While lithium-ion batteries are very common in many devices, they pose significant risks if not handled correctly, and it’s crucial to follow those safety guidelines to prevent incidents like that,” he says.

Renyk encourages everyone with a lithium-ion powered device in their home to handle it with care and says preventing an accident can be a matter of taking a few simple steps. Renyk recommends avoiding dropping or puncturing the battery, checking for damage like swelling and off-odours, and never using a damaged battery should be considered before utilizing a lithium-ion powered device in the home.

When it comes to charging, Renyk says to always purchase chargers from a reputable supplier that meets Canadian safety standards and to avoid using third-party chargers for your devices.

“You can go on to places like Amazon or eBay or wherever you’re shopping and obtain things that may not exactly have those labels,” he says. “The goal is for a consumer to be informed and just make sure that the product that they’re purchasing or replacing a battery with, does meet those Canadian safety standards because they could be tested to a different standard.”

Due to the prevalence of RC cars and toys in Grande Prairie, the GPFD is currently sending messaging out to owners of remote-controlled toys to remain cautious as those devices can be more susceptible to battery damage due to the nature of their use.

“Those take a beating, those go off jumps, you know, scooters, kids scooters and things like that are another one, some of the electric bikes, those batteries that are on there oftentimes suffer impact from abuse in use beyond normal wear and tear, and the charging and working with high heat batteries and motors,” Renyk says. “Those oftentimes are where we see the fires.”

Ultimately, Renyk says education is the biggest tool in the prevention of battery-caused fires, and he says the best practice is to always stay in attendance when a device is plugged in and charging to avoid any accidents.

The Grande Prairie RCMP has arrested a man following an incident involving a stolen “Wonderbread” truck earlier this month.

According to police, on June 6th, just after 11:45 a.m., the Grande Prairie RCMP received a report that a man had stolen a Wonderbread tuck from Save On Foods and was driving away “erratically.” Members of the RCMP were quickly discharged to the area and located the stolen vehicle.

Numerous units, including the Grande Prairie RCMP General Investigative Section, the Grande Prairie Special Investigation Unit, the Western Alberta Crime Reduction Unit, and the Grande Prairie Police Dog Services responded to the incident to assist as the truck left the City of Grande Prairie.

The truck was followed by members of the Grande Prairie RCMP while officers from both the Beaverlodge and Spirit River detachments set up Tire Deflation Devices to prepare for the arrest.

Law enforcement says the TDD was deployed and successful resulting in the stoppage of the truck in a Walmart parking lot in Grande Prairie.

Police credit two residents with stopping the suspect as he appeared to be walking away from the scene, resulting in his arrest.

Mark Anderson, a 44-year-old Prince George resident was arrested and charged with alleged theft of a motor vehicle, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, and failure to comply with a probation order.

Mitchell was brought before a justice of the peace and remains in police custody. He is scheduled to appear at the Alberta Court of Justice in Grande Prairie on June 17th.

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The Fairview Health Complex Emergency Department will be closed for much of the rest of June due to the inability to secure physician coverage.

The ED will be closed numerous times throughout the rest of the month, between 7:00 a.m. June 16th to 7:00 a.m. June 19th, 7:00 a.m. June 20th to 5:00 p.m. June 21st, 7:00 a.m. June 24th to 7:00 a.m. June 26th, and 7:00 a.m. June 27th to 7:00 a.m. June 29th the emergency room will not be available for residents.

AHS says nursing staff will remain on-site to provide triage, assessments, and referrals for patients to alternative emergency departments as needed.

Patients and residents can still access 9-1-1 during a medical emergency and EMS will remain available to the community.

Residents are also reminded to call Health Link at 8-1-1 for 24/7 non-emergency health-related questions. Additionally, patients seeking care at the ED are encouraged to access services that may be available through local pharmacies.

The County of Grande Prairie recently awarded more than $670K in grant funding to numerous organizations across the region.

Among them, nine cemeteries in the communities of Hythe, Webster, and others were awarded more than $40,000 (around $5,000 each) in funding for various maintenance projects for the grounds.

The bulk of the funding went to numerous community organizations that operate sport, recreation, and cultural facilities in the county to cover utility and operating expenses.

Grande Prairie Reeve Bob Marshall says the grants come at a time where quality of life among residents is a top priority for council, calling the chosen organizations the “backbone” of the county’s communities.

“We are pleased to recognize their valuable contributions with support from our grant program,” he says.

A variety of recreation boards were chosen, including those representing the areas of Beaverlodge, Clairmont, the Grande Prairie area, Hythe-Demmit, Sexsmith, and Wembley each receiving around $30,000 in grants from the county.

Additionally, the Hythe Arena received just over $131,000, and the La Glace Arena received more than $48,000 in funding for their indoor ice arenas. The county says arenas in neighbouring towns will be funded as per their Intermunicipal Collaboration Framework agreement.

Operating assistance grant funding is provided to non-profit organizations and volunteer groups throughout the Grande Prairie region. Eligible applicants must provide proof of volunteerism and fundraising and applications are available through any of the six County Recreation Boards to eligible community-based organizations.

A warrant has been issued for the arrest of a fugitive who escaped from Grande Cache Institution, a medium-security federal prison, while on a work assignment within the prison’s property.

On June 14th at 3:37 p.m. inmate Kevin Sider was reported to have escaped, and the Correctional Service of Canada says the Grande Cache RCMP detachment was immediately contacted.

Sider is described as a 44-year-old man with a fair complexion, blue eyes, and brown hair, standing five feet eleven inches tall, weighing 232 pounds, with a tattoo on his left leg.

The CSC says the inmate is currently serving a sentence of nine years, six months, and 18 days for eleven counts of Break and Enter and Commit, one count of Laundering Proceeds of Crime, six counts of Enter with Intent, Failure to Attend Court, and four counts of Failure to Comply with Order and Intent to Cause Explosion.

Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Sider is asked to contact the RCMP.

Investigation is underway and the CSC says they are working with police to locate Sider as “quickly as possible.”

Graduation season is in full swing across Grande Prairie and Northwestern Polytechnic celebrated hundreds of Class of 2023-24 graduates over the past week in the Douglas J. Cardinal Performing Arts Centre.

The two-day affair saw more than 200 students cheered on by NWP faculty and staff along with hundreds of friends, family, and supporters,

During the ceremonies, the Paul J. Evaskevich Valedictorian Award was presented to Melborne Baiting.

The Valedictorian received the award thanks to his highest grade point average among his classmates. Baiting travelled from the Phillippines to pursue a Business Administration Diploma as an international student. During his speech, he offered a piece of advice to his fellow students.

“Success, as I learned, relies heavily on well-defined goals and mental well-being. As the saying goes, failing to prepare is preparing to fail.”

Nkeiruka Odoh, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing student received the Beth Sheehan Salutatorian Award. Another international student, Odoh moved from Nigeria in 2019 and managed her education during the COVID-19 pandemic all while being a new mother.

Both she and her husband, another nursing student, describe their rigorous study routine as waking up and studying from 1:00 a.m. to 4:00 a.m. before catching a few more hours of sleep. Odoh says her routine shows that anything is possible through hard work and dedication.

“This award shows that with determination and persistence, I can achieve anything I set my mind to.”

NWP President and CEO Dr. Vanessa Sheane offered her congratulations to the award recipients and their fellow graduates, highlighting their commitment throughout their studies.

Grande Prairie is set to receive a $300,000 investment from the Government of Alberta for projects in Grande Prairie’s QEII Hospital.

Within the recently approved Budget 2024, healthcare stood out as a significant priority for the Tories and includes $4.5 billion of capital funding over three years for health facilities across the province.

The funding comes through the Capital Maintenance and Renewal Program managed by Alberta Infrastructure in partnership with Alberta Health Services. Prior to the budget’s approval, AHS identified projects that prioritized the safety and health of patients and staff while preventing infrastructure deterioration.

Grande Prairie MLA Nolan Dyck calls the investment an important one for the well-being of Grande Prairie and Northern Alberta’s healthcare.

“I am very pleased to be a part of a government that recognizes the needs in our medical system and who takes action to ensure we are on the path to continued quality healthcare across Northern Alberta,” he says.

Capital maintenance funding includes more than $500 million to be split across the next three years- $172.3 million in 2024-25, $171.3 million in 2025-26, and $168.7 million in 2026-27.

Congratulations are in order for Harry Balfour School Principal Jen Clevette for receiving the Alberta Teachers’ Association’s Distinguished Leadership Award.

The Council for the Award recognizes “outstanding” principals, assistant principals, and school leaders who succeed in providing high-quality learning for students. Recipients are nominated by their peers for their contributions to their profession.

Nominees are chosen based on the selection criteria, reflecting the Alberta Leadership Quality Standard Competencies.

Mrs. Jessica Lavallee, a Junior Kindergarten teacher at Harry Balfour nominated her principal and describes Clevette as a “very deserving” award winner.

“I chose to nominate Jen for the Distinguished Leadership Award because she models the behaviours and practices she wishes to see in our school,” she says. “When a leader chooses to do what’s proven as the best for children, even when it isn’t familiar, she inspires others to do the same. That’s Jen, she does the hard things.”

Clevette says she is “honoured” to receive the award and looks forward to continuing her work with her team as they prepare to welcome in a new batch of students to their new school in September.

Following a recent incident within the Grande Prairie Catholic School Division, resulting in RCMP action, the GPCSD is asking parents to speak with their children regarding stranger danger.

According to the GPCSD, police contacted the division to indicate that an “older male suspect” who may have had a pet with him was reported to have been attempting to speak and interact with children in the St. Patrick and Ecole St. Gerard areas.

As a result, the school division is pointing to the RCMP’s tips for parents to talk with their kids about stranger danger. The RCMP says taking a few minutes to talk with your children about general safety tips can help build a child’s confidence and prepare them for situations they could encounter.

Police suggest teaching your child not to go anywhere with anyone without first getting permission from a parent or guardian, teaching children to always have a buddy, practicing scenarios, discussing plans for what to do if your child is lost or separated while out in public, and teaching your children to trust their instincts in suspicious scenarios.

The Grande Prairie RCMP maintains they are committed to community safety in both children and adults, and police request that residents report any suspicious people or activity to the Grande Prairie RCMP at (780)-830-5701.

Peace Wapiti Academy rugby players brought Indigenous heritage to the field with their new commemorative Treaty 8 jerseys.

PWA rugby coach Ms. Sandboe-Goleniec is credited with moving the project forward, saying the designs were inspired by one of her Indigenous players who showed great pride in her heritage.

“Last year she had these beautiful leggings with Indigenous art in PWA colours. When I started thinking about getting new jerseys to replace our old ones, I couldn’t get her leggings out of my head,” she says.

Sandboe-Goleniec says it was important for her team to get new jerseys while conveying a message at the same time, and after contacting the PWPSD’s Indigenous Education Services team for support, the designers joined forces with Grande Prairie Friendship Centre Program Coordinator Natascha Okimaw to create a meaningful message.

The jerseys feature a prominent curved design in recognition of Treaty 8 territory, and Sandboe-Goleniec says she feels the design represents Peace Wapiti as well.

“We felt the curving design represented Peace Wapiti well. We envisioned the two curves as being the Peace River and Wapiti River, and how they come together.”

Each sleeve boasts a hand print, one red to represent MMIW individuals, and one orange to represent residential school survivors, and above each player’s number is “Peace Wapiti Academy” in Cree syllabics.

The RCMP is maintaining its zero-tolerance policy for impaired driving during the upcoming Canada Day celebrations in Grande Prairie.

Mounties will be operating throughout the city during the holiday, and to mitigate any potential risks associated with driving under the influence, the RCMP has issued a word of caution ahead of the festivities.

RCMP Media Relations Officer Corporal Mathew Howell says the first step to take is planning ahead and anticipating any unexpected situations, whether or not you plan to celebrate with a drink.

“Always have a plan, that’s your first thing to go through, make sure you have a plan with regards to how you’re getting home, are you walking home, is there someone to pick you up, are you taking a taxi, or is there a designated driver,” he says.  “If you go there, you didn’t plan on drinking, and you do drink, you’re best bet is to see if there’s anyone else who did not drink, calling a taxi, using public transit, whatever you can to avoid driving, because once you get behind the wheel and you’ve drank, many things can happen.”

The RCMP has a “zero tolerance” policy for driving over the legal limit, which in Canada is 0.08 BAC; however, Howell says it is generally a dangerous practice regardless of if you feel you are under the limit, and it is best to never get behind the wheel if there is a risk of alcohol influencing your driving. Howell adds that distracted driving in any capacity is an unnecessary risk that can lead to collisions, injuries, traffic tickets, and even the loss of life.

“What we mean by zero tolerance is it is a dangerous thing to do, be it a habit, be it a single incident, you’re driving with capacities that are limited or hindered by the substance so you’re putting yourself, your passengers, and other people on the road at risk, and that is something we do not tolerate,” he says.

For those who choose not to drink, Howell says defensive driving is key, whether it’s Canada Day or not, whenever you’re on the road. The Corporal says remaining aware of your surroundings, anticipating any dangers on the road, and driving accordingly could make the difference in getting to your destination safely.

“Whenever you’re on the road I always say practice defensive driving, that way, there’s more of a chance you’ll see any oncoming dangers or any issues that could be harmful,” he says. “You can’t control what other people do on the road, you can only control what you do on the road so by practicing defensive driving and knowing your surroundings you’ll be able to better react to what other people do.”

The RCMP issued a series of tips for celebrating safely during long weekends, and a fulsome list of safe driving habits is available on the RCMP’s website.

The County is offering extended service hours this June to give ratepayers more convenience in paying their property taxes by the last business day of the month.

The extended hours for the County Administration Building are from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on from June 17th to the 21st and again on the 24th, and 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. from June 26th to the 28th.

Property tax and assessment notices were mailed to roughly 20,000 property owners in the county during the month of May, and payments can be made online by credit card on the county’s website, through banking institutions, by cheque mailed to the County Administration Building, or in-person at the Admin Building.

Property owners who recently transferred or purchased property in the county and have not received a tax notice are asked to contact the County Tax Office at (780)-513-3968 as soon as possible to avoid potential penalties and hassle.

Property tax payments are due on June 28th and the county says late payments are subject to penalties.