Sign In Register OLDS —  A representative of the Olds and area Good Food Box program fears that if more people don’t sign up for the program The Good Food Box Program provides each participant with a box of local fresh fruits and vegetables every month that they’re in season plus a newsletter with information and recipes for meals and snacks Participants pay a membership fee and pay for either a small box for one or two people for a week or a large box with enough fruit and vegetables for three to four people for a week Olds resident Linda Livingston orders that food for the program and pays for it recently the number of boxes ordered has fallen to 26 “I’m told if it goes below 20 boxes it’s really not worth my time and effort to do it,” Livingston said during an interview with the Albertan “It takes me two days to figure all this out; how much goes in a small (box) “I’d like to maybe let other people know because there are people here in Olds and in Bowden too who know nothing about it.” She said people in the Sundre area used to come and buy boxes but don’t anymore she said a major employer used to fund quite a few boxes but that ended when they shut down their operation in the area Boxes can be picked up every second Wednesday of the month at Hope Pointe Community Church of the Nazarene in Olds The Good Food Box program operates on a cash-only basis and payments must be paid for the last Tuesday of the previous month You can sign up for a box at the Hope Pointe Community Church of the Nazarene The church office is open Tuesdays and Thursdays between 9:30 a.m Livingston said she’s met some of the people for whom she has created boxes “It’s a chance to make healthy easy food choices and helps to support the local community at the same time,” a sheet promoting the program says More SPOTLIGHT > If you haven’t gotten a head start on your spring cleaning this year the Town of Olds is bringing back several clean up programs to help give you a fresh start to the warm season the Town says they are excited to bring back two of its most popular clean up programs- “Kick It to the Curb” and the Pop-Up Transfer Station Both programs are designed to help residents refresh their homes and contribute to a cleaner community Kick It to the Curb is scheduled from May 9th to the 11th and allows residents to pass along their unwanted gently used items at the curb marked with a “FREE” sign for another participant to take home The Town says it’s an easy way to clear out furniture and other items that might be useful for someone else the Town is encouraging residents to share what they’re giving away on social media using the hashtag- #OldsKickIt2025 the Town asks that any uncollected items are removed and residents are encouraged to consider donating them to a local second-hand store offering residents a unique chance to get rid of household waste and hazardous materials like paint and lightbulbs without the hassle of leaving Town or paying disposal fees “Disposing of hazardous waste can be costly,” the Town says we will be accepting hazardous household materials at no additional cost.” Registration is required to participate and must be completed before May 22nd One level truck-bed load per household will be accepted Participants are also asked to bring their Driver’s Licence to confirm names and proof of town residency The Town of Olds’ Residential Branch Dump and Grass Clippings Area has officially opened for the season at the Operations Centre The Branch Dump is open May through October on Tuesdays and Thursdays and from 10:00 a.m the Town is piloting a separate Grass Clippings Area during May and October or paper bags containing grass clippings will be accepted The Grass Clippings Area will operate under the same hours as the Branch Dump Louis was expected to appear in bail court today has been charged with assault and assault with a weapon We apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Play VideoArticle contentOntario Provincial Police had issued warrant for his arrest. The Lennox and Addington County Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police confirmed that a death in the Odessa area of Loyalist Township did not involve foul play. On April 30 officers were called to a residence on Potter Drive where a 30-year-old woman had been found deceased. A postmortem examination found no indication of foul play. One person was arrested May 2 in Napanee in relation to injuries the deceased had suffered in prior incidents. The deceased’s vehicle has also been recovered. St. Louis, who also has outstanding arrest warrants in another jurisdiction, was remanded into custody and is scheduled to appear for a virtual bail hearing before the Ontario Court of Justice in Napanee on Monday. transmission or republication strictly prohibited This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Mild structural changes visible in knee MRI scans are already common among adults in their thirties - even in those without knee pain or other symptoms A study by the University of Oulu found signs of joint damage in more than half of the 33-year-old participants A high body mass index emerged as the most common factor associated with these changes The participants were part of the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986 (NFBC1986) with 297 individuals undergoing knee imaging Each participant received a comprehensive health examination and underwent a magnetic resonance imaging scan of the knee Weight in particular seems to be associated with structural changes in the knee joint as height had a much smaller effect compared to body mass index These results highlight the importance of weight management in preventing joint diseases." specialist trainee doctor and researcher at the Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine The University of Oulu Kemppainen, A., et al. (2025). Structural knee MRI findings are already frequent in a general population-based birth cohort at 33 years of age. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage. doi.org/10.1016/j.joca.2025.04.008 Posted in: Medical Science News | Medical Research News Cancel reply to comment Learn how experts are advancing benzodiazepine analysis and detection using insights from the lab discusses how he is addressing today’s medical challenges using the technology of the future Explore how the Radian ASAP mass spectrometer is being used to streamline and enhance seized drug screening you can trust me to find commercial scientific answers from News-Medical.net please log into your AZoProfile account first Registered members can chat with Azthena, request quotations, download pdf's, brochures and subscribe to our related newsletter content A few things you need to know before we start Read the full Terms & Conditions the Town of Olds will be holding an open house where residents can learn about the community’s draft housing strategy in council chambers at the Town of Olds administration office A needs assessment report will also be released after information from a housing survey which ended on April 21 is digested the town's council is expected to see and possibly approve a final housing strategy looking ahead to the next five years A needs assessment for the community goes all the way to 2041 The draft housing strategy and the needs assessment were introduced to council on April 14 we see it as a road map to create a more diverse affordable and accessible housing landscape in Olds but what we think our needs will be for the future,” chief administrative officer Brent Williams said Municipal intern Vanessa Hu shared an analysis of the housing situation in Olds with council members She said although growth slowed during the 2016 to 2021 census period the town is expected to grow by four to nine per cent every five years through 2041 Hu said there’s a real disconnect between what those looking for a home want or need and what’s available she said 61 per cent of households in Olds only require a one-bedroom apartment yet there’s a real scarcity of one-bedroom units for rent “One-bedrooms make up only about seven per cent of our existing markets so this demand is really driving prices up,” Hu said the average rent for a one-bedroom is about the same as the average rent for a two-bedroom.” A record 116 new units were added in 2024 alone 2,483 new housing units will need to be created in Olds by 2041 the proportion of renters in Olds has been growing with 28 per cent of households renting in 2021 “While the average household size of renters has been increasing their median income is about 40 per cent less than the income of homeowners especially when seeking larger housing,” Hu said She said Olds also has an aging population with a median age sitting about four years older than the Alberta median That will continue to be a factor in the coming years “We see no shortage of need or demand for more options around assisted living and aging in place and accessibility,” he said “As the baby boomer generation continues to age that will be a significant need for the next 20 years.” The proportion of visible minorities in town has been growing since 2006 making up about 10 per cent of current residents Hu said the market vacancy for purpose-built rentals is 0.6 per cent and the vacancy in the secondary market is 0.65 per cent “These numbers are critically low and far below a healthy threshold of about three per cent,” she said The disconnect between what people are seeking and what’s available goes further Hu said “a good majority” of households in town are smaller but the supply of housing consists largely of three-plus bedroom units An affordability analysis told a similar tale “Very-low-income and low-income households make up about 20 per cent of households in our town,” Hu said very-low-income households can't afford any market housing to rent or to own “And low-income households can only afford shared or studio rentals at market rates “Even moderate-income households struggle to afford two-plus bedroom rentals or entry -level homes home ownership is out of reach for many households only really being affordable for high-income households or households without mortgages.” Williams said the draft housing strategy includes creating housing in high-priority areas such as Uptowne and surrounding area as well as infill lots and mixed-use areas he said preserving the character of certain neighbourhoods like Uptowne and East Olds is a priority “We need to respect those older communities and the architectural designs that they aspire to,” Williams said Williams said a key way to get more units in Olds efficiently would be via the “missing middle”: duplexes He said a goal could be to add up to 200 units per year via that kind of housing As people move in to Olds there’ll be a need for more schools “As our population grows over the next five to 10 years we will work with Chinook’s Edge School Division first to get the next elementary school built in Olds,” Williams said adding that capital plans already account for that He said land will also be found for another Catholic school when that need arises Williams stressed that the municipality will be counting on the private sector to build the housing units needed “The Town of Olds built exactly zero houses and we will continue building exactly zero houses,” he said “The private sector does all the work and our main role is to facilitate and enable them to do the work we need them to do (in) Olds.” Part of that strategy he said is “reducing the red tape Darren Wilson asked what role the Town of Olds' economic development department will play in the housing strategy Williams said that department will continue to be focused on attracting commercial and industrial firms to Olds ties closely into housing construction and residential attraction and that's the primary motivator,” Williams said tends to grow in communities that are growing.” economic development strategy and a land use bylaw review are all connected “We're going to make sure that there's a clear interlock between all of those,” Williams said Heather Ryan asked if the municipality will be looking at all its area structure plans to see if there’s room in them to accommodate R3 (multi-unit) housing Williams said the town currently has “plenty” of land zoned R3 “There are multiple areas of town that are currently (so) designated,” he said people may not be aware the certain lands are designated as multi-family or higher density and that's where the clash tends to happen “So I think our efforts are going to be on showing people where the current areas of town designated for R3 are and try to share the data on why it's needed and what we're doing to mitigate the challenges of those new developments.” Wanda Blatz said she’d done her own research on the matter on the municipality's website and encouraged residents interested in the topic to do the same “because it did provide an awful lot of great information.” council voted unanimously to accept the housing strategy as presented a professor of psychiatry at the University of Ottawa and a geriatric psychiatrist found himself at the center of a medical debate The World Health Organization wanted to officially designate “old age” as a disease but with more than 40 years of work with aging populations Rabheru saw this as another example of ageism that needed to be challenged Rabheru talks with Yasmin Tayag about how he fought the WHO and about the impact such designations can have on research and our understanding of growing old Marla Mclean: And I am 60-wonderful years old we’ve been asking people to call in and tell us their age and about some of their experiences of aging and I’m married to a younger woman: only 85 Brennan: Not wrinkling because I’m Italian … I like the sound of that But as I was moving through the collection of voicemails We also received a lot of callers sharing very similar anxieties about the unknowns of what could lie ahead … Gary Schuberth: And what aspects of aging am I nervous about Jes Chmielewski: I am nervous about feeling older Just all the aches and pains and failures of organs and body parts Jennifer Moffat: The things that make me nervous about aging are just physical breakdown Stella K.: I’m really afraid of getting dementia and we heard a lot about disease and decline I’m not totally surprised to hear that people are worried about getting sick as they age I mean—I do think culturally we conflate aging and disease It actually made its way to the center of a debate in the medical field the World Health Organization tried to connect aging and disease more officially they proposed defining aging itself as a disease In the ICD—The International Classification of Diseases the idea is that if old age is officially considered a disease then drugs can be developed to treat it … the way we have drugs to treat diseases like diabetes and cancer And these kinds of details are exactly what I wanted to know more about Kiran Rabheru: We don’t have a good clear definition of old age Kiran Rabheru—he’s a professor of psychiatry at the University of Ottawa and a geriatric psychiatrist He’s been focused on aging populations for over 40 years And he spearheaded the team that challenged the World Health Organization when it wanted to officially designate “old age” in the ICD Rabheru and why he’s so interested in aging populations Rabheru: That’s an easy one: my grandmother but they were busy: setting up a business and so on my grandmother was the main sort of person in my life probably the wisest and smartest person I’ve ever met in my life So how did that shape your view of older people the privilege of getting to know a grandmother historically: If you go back a century or two if you were walking on the streets in the year 1800 Most people died by the time they got to the age of 30 Rabheru: If you fast-forward a hundred years if you were walking around the streets in 1900 So there’s a difference of 10 years in that 100-year span But if you fast-forward another hundred years even across the lower- and middle-income countries Rabheru: And therein lies the crux of the matter that we’re talking about and that is the way people think and feel and behave or act towards the whole aging population Tayag: So it sounds like there have been some big but that may have led to an increase in the disparaging thinking we call ageism and that’s embedded as an unconscious bias Rabheru: The COVID-19 pandemic really shone a light on the gaps we have in our system Although our government sometimes tries to pit the old against the young But it’s about designing a society where everyone can live together with dignity and purpose and opportunity Tayag: One thing that I think makes those conversations difficult is that we don’t have agreed-upon language to talk about age and our society’s perspective on aging seems to reflect that our conception of age seems very rudimentary I understand that one of the attempts to assign a definition to old age came when the World Health Organization wanted to classify it as a disease in the ICD and the implications for how we think about age and illness I used to teach the course on classification diseases We have to adapt it as societal values change and our thinking changes and we need to change the classification system to match it it can change a whole generation of people going through the treatment and through the hospital or clinical system and that seemed to change some of the cultural thinking around it So that’s an example of defining a disease that really helped the culture find more empathy—and also more investment in the recovery and success of many people Could you give me an example of a condition that went through the process of being considered and classified as a disease but is no longer considered to be one we’ve gone through “diseases” like homosexuality—classified as a disease And think about the stigma associated with those terms And words matter; it tells people what value you place on that human being Tayag:  It’s so obvious to me that these official classifications matter it makes me think of the legalization of marijuana in Canada My parents were always super strongly opposed to it I’ve noticed their tone softening a little It’s not like they’ve gone and flipped and started using it but now they talk about it as a thing that some people do And it’s been fascinating to watch that shift just because there is some sort of binding declaration of this being legitimate Tayag: So I want to talk about disease classification specifically in relation to aging In December 2021 you found yourself in the middle of some very high-stakes deliberation Rabheru: It was the most fascinating experience that lead different organizations in aging And it came to our attention that the WHO was updating the International Classification of Diseases And part of the changes that they were proposing was to include “old age” as a disease And this is an example of ageism within WHO the same organization put out the global report on ageism So we wrote; we got together and we organized a campaign There were like eight or 10 different organizations that all wrote to the WHO and collectively we represented millions of people across the world Our team and the people that I work with immediately thought: Aging is a privilege The older people are much more challenging to see and treat because of the multiple medical and psychosocial conditions they have Having a diagnosis of “old age” would automatically just lead people to put them into that category that “This person’s just old”—and they move on to something that’s easier to deal with one of the big questions that the proposal to call aging a disease brought up for me was: Where do you draw the line if you have a car accident and you can’t walk tomorrow because of a spinal-cord injury you would have the same level of intrinsic capacity as someone who’s had a stroke at the age of 80 is—not that it’s not important; it is a risk factor So it is definitely part of the risk factor but it’s not the main driver of functional capacity Tayag: And so what happened next after you wrote to the WHO Rabheru:  And we went through it in a systematic And we explained we understand what they’re trying to do and they want to go after the biological aspects of aging—which absolutely we need to do There is a lot of pathology that we can reduce the risk of But to call old age a disease is not going to play well in society Tayag: Okay; so sounds like it was a worthwhile way to spend your Thanksgiving that year Rabheru: They came back to us a few weeks later saying they’ve met several times We were very happily shocked that they rescinded it Aging is universal and should not be pathologized And it’s time to reframe aging in a more positive way I want to work through some of this tension I’m feeling Rabheru talking about challenging the WHO—it does sound like a win for how health professionals and society in general think about older people this perception has tangible effects on the care and treatment that people receive Brennan: But I’m still trying to work out if treating aging is a worthwhile pursuit or not And time has a physical effect on our cells—building up damage I could understand a world where we are working to heal or repair that damage I am guessing it would relieve some of the anxiety that we heard in so many of the voicemails we received there are existing drugs that are being repurposed to maybe slow aging And researchers are trying to determine if those or other existing drugs could slow the passage of time for cells or the molecular junk that time leaves behind Brennan: I have Timothy Caulfield in my ear from Episode 1 telling me to assume nothing works I’m skeptical about the ability to achieve these things And I’m just immediately wondering if something else is going on here Tayag: I mean—a lot of this does come down to money There’s a hope that there will be more investment in research on slowing aging because if people get sick less often as they age it will bring down the costs of health care Tayag: So that’s one argument for exploring it. There was a report in 2021 from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission showing that much older people tend to be the most costly to the government, health care–wise I guess what I am trying to understand is: Although aging is not a disease in and of itself And we could work harder to address the concerns that people have when it comes to aging This was something I was really trying to work out the strongest risk factor—for cognitive impairment or dementia if you have a stroke or a genetic predisposition But if you’re healthy and you’re getting older One in three people by the time you’re 80 will have some form of dementia And the biology of that should be explored to mitigate it I’m always looking at new research going on And it does seem like there is continuing research that still treats aging like a disease even though the World Health Organization decided not to classify it that way One thing I saw recently was an effort to delay or stop menopause altogether the symptoms of menopause can be really tough to deal with the way that postmenopausal people are treated in society And so I can understand why there’s a desire to delay menopause or stop it altogether Tayag: And it’s in these sorts of questions that I’m not really sure where to fall Rabheru: The solution depends on what your agenda is; like So for example—if your values are coming from the financing side of things I have been victim to a lot of face creams Rabheru: There might be things that you can do from a scientific point of view But to completely alter the course of a human being: Just because you can doesn’t mean you should We don’t really understand the medium- and long-term implications of doing some of those things And the science is advancing so quickly with AI and with technology but the long-term ramifications of what it does to humans and our society are not well studied so we don’t know if reversing or stopping aging is even going to work and you’re saying it’s something that maybe we shouldn’t pursue Yet we still have this problem of people assuming that old age means they will get sick He’s 96 years old and walks two miles every other day but I would never think of him as unhealthy we’re going to—we’ll have billions of people by the year 2050 who are older And that’s a resource; that’s not a burden If we keep them safe and healthy and happy I have to admit when I hear those statistics about risk for diseases as you age Disease does still sound so inevitable to aging I mean when I think about my family’s heart-health trajectory I feel like it’s inevitable that I’m going to get all the same diseases as my parents as I get older because I had slightly high cholesterol this year and I couldn’t bear to tell him after years of me pestering him about this [Laughter.] Here I am on my little lentil-and-sweet-potato high horse Meaning the same genes that came for his heart might just come for mine Tayag: But have you heard of the concept of healthspan Tayag: It’s what comes to mind when I think about my grandfather-in-law And all the other older people who called in telling us how they’re thriving and living their best lives Healthspan is the idea of extending the period that a person is healthy it’s about making it longer in your life without disease Just like: staying healthy for as much of your life as possible Which is the case for a lot of older people Tayag: So we don’t know how to guarantee an extended lifespan yet But we do know how to increase healthspan: Eat well It’s all the stuff we’ve been talking about this season Rabheru what his advice to his patients is I have given the same prescription to every single patient I see what is one piece of advice you think we could all benefit from When you leave my office or clinic or hospital So: I need you to give at least 20 smiles a day Second is to do 20 minutes of activity of some sort; and I usually say walking because physical activity is really important for health And thirdly: Socialize for 20 minutes a day And not just with the person you’re living with; that’s fine too but try and do something outside of yourself and then all the treatment I give you will be much more effective I’ve talked to you for way more than 20 minutes and I guess I just have to go on a walk later I do think that a really important part of this conversation is making sure we highlight the aspects of aging that people are excited about When we asked listeners for those voicemails we didn’t just ask what people were nervous about as they aged and the freedom of doing what I want when I want to John Shuey: What are you looking forward to as you age Staying mobile and fit and able to get around Is there someone in your life who has made you excited to get older Lynn Clark: I wanted to leave this message for all the women who are nervous about aging I’ve raised two children and was widowed by age 59 I started weight-resistance training and cycling I am slowly backing out of my company towards full retirement something I wouldn’t have dreamed of when I was younger I do all sorts of weird and wonderful new sports head off in whatever direction I feel like And all of it is about just that desire to continue to grow The next question you had was: Who do you hope to be like when you are older That phrase that I think Clint Eastwood is known for—“Don’t let the old man in”—and I think that’s really where the secret lies I see so many people who just let the old person in And so I admire anyone who really doesn’t allow that to happen maybe better: Change your idea of what the old man is like they are just always looking forward to the next game And they’re still so excited for what’s to come lifespan … I want to extend my curiosity-span Myron Murray: I want to see ’em land on Mars I want to see ’em land and live on the moon I want to see all the new things that are gonna come and we’re going to get to see Tayag: That’s all for this episode of How to Age Up and co-hosted and produced by Natalie Brennan Our editors are Claudine Ebeid and Jocelyn Frank Rob also composed some of the music for this show The executive producer of audio is Claudine Ebeid and the managing editor of audio is Andrea Valdez Tayag: Looking to the future doesn’t always feel easy when climate issues loom large Sarah Jaquette Ray: It’s not about taking shorter showers It’s really about kind of setting up your brain when you consume this information Tayag: How to age up in a world affected by climate change TorontoNews17-year-old charged with first-degree murder in Riverdale double shooting, police sayBy Jermaine WilsonOpens in new windowPublished: May 04, 2025 at 12:44PM EDT Twitter feed ©2025 BellMedia All Rights Reserved Re:  There's room to raise taxes, hire more staff in Olds, councillor says In response to Olds councillor Darren Wilson and his idea Olds has room to raise taxes As a longtime resident and taxpayer in this town I feel we aren’t getting value for our taxes The fact that some consultant feels the Town of Olds is lean in the operations department is ridiculous new large operations centre building they feel let’s add more staff – we have room for them There has been a void of management within the operations centre the last few years and by adding more staff all that will be accomplished is spending more taxpayers’ money Some real leadership at management level would go a long way The council and administration needs to look outside the box This town and community is loaded with private contractors With private industry there is competition and many tasks would be done much cheaper by private contractors There are assets within the town that are very expensive for the town to have The cost of having one and an operator cannot be justified And even owning a dump truck is questionable The misuse of a $160,000 asset astounds me It was stated to me before that the life-long cost of adding one full-time staff member to the operations centre is in excess of a million dollars -- the wage I have worked indirectly as a contractor for the Town of Olds for over 40 years and I feel the system is completely broken with Olds operations It is like the Liberal government is running the show I might add that didn’t you want us to throw  more money into O-NET a year ago There is nothing sustainable about what the operations department is doing in Olds OLDS — The Town of Olds' chief administrative officer has until June 30 to investigate how the municipality could best handle the problem of dealing with and housing stray animals The town's council passed a motion to that effect last month in response to a notice of motion on the matter the town isn’t in a crisis situation when it comes to dealing with and housing stray animals he said the matter does come up for discussion in council from time to time about the service level that the town’s municipal enforcement officers can provide for animal control “I know we are challenged and forced to make difficult decisions only in the sense that we don’t have an animal shelter to aid and assist with when animals need to be I guess seized or sheltered and put in a facility which then requires compromises in terms of our service levels,” Wilson said Wilson said the notice of motion was not meant to suggest that the Town of Olds should immediately set aside money for a shelter -- he noted that Olds is facing big challenges with infrastructure costs -- but rather that it should be “forward looking” and examine potential solutions to the problem almost certainly won’t involve just the Town of Olds alone but more likely partnerships with “everybody from the county perhaps some existing facilities that are involved with animal and animal care and sheltering certainly the province and the college perhaps.” Mayor Judy Dahl spoke in favour of Wilson’s idea saying on March 21 she received an email from an Olds resident who likes the idea of creating an animal shelter in Olds Dahl said that person would like to be involved in such a project and knows others who would like to help too The email writer said there are wonderful animal shelters in Didsbury and Crossfield but they are overwhelmed if Olds did investigate the possibility of setting up a shelter people from surrounding municipalities would come forward to help “without a doubt.” Wilson said as Olds and surrounding communities continue to grow the problem of controlling and housing stray animals will likely only grow “We know this is only going to become more and more of a situation that requires attention,” he said OLDS — The Olds Pickleball Club’s spring tournament attracted about twice as many participants as last year and a local guy was one of the two champions Mary Wilson of the club says 44 people participated in the tournament held April 19 at the Community Learning Campus gym The tournament was split into two competitive divisions: intermediate and advanced.  Jaco Hoffman of Olds won the advanced division and Suzanne Hicks of Red Deer won intermediate division Wilson described it as “a very successful tournament.” “Everyone registered as an individual and played with different partners throughout the day,” she wrote. “Everyone played 15 games and the four finalists in each division played an additional three games.” The finalists in the intermediate division were James Hamilton The finalists in the advanced division were Jaco Hoffman and Jerry Prescott of Olds; Jim Cowitz OLDS — Debbie Thompson is now officially the president and chief executive officer (CEO) of the Olds College of Agriculture & Technology after serving as interim president since late August She moved into that interim role after former president Ben Cecil left that position after 20 months at the helm “This decision follows a thorough and extensive review process undertaken by the college’s board of governors,” a college news release says "We are just so thrilled to welcome Debbie Thompson as the president and CEO of Olds College," Al Kemmere we took great care to consult broadly across the college community and to learn those key attributes and characteristics that would be important in a leader of our organization at this time." Those consultations led to the creation of a presidential profile and then to the establishment of a search committee made up of members of the board The committee implemented a process that included an assessment of Thompson who had been serving as interim president for eight months and an in-depth interview with the entire board Thompson joined Olds College in 2014 and has held the position of vice-president academic vice-president academic and student experience vice-president student and support services and dean of animal sciences and horticulture She is passionate about education and learning having spent more than 20 years in the kindergarten to Grade 12 education system as a teacher Thompson holds a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership through National University a Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Calgary and a Master’s degree from Royal Roads University Thompson “leads by collaboratively seeking and assessing opportunities that are supported by evidence aligning the strengths and capabilities of the college and coordinating the engagement of the college community to maximize the benefit for students industry and the college,” the news release says Her “distinguished record of service at Olds College and her exceptional educational and leadership accomplishments make her the ideal person to lead the college into a bright future.” experience and dedication are vital to leading Olds College forward," Kemmere is quoted as saying "This appointment is an unreserved statement of confidence that she is the very person we need to lead Olds College into the future." OLDS — A longtime Mountain View Food Bank volunteer has received an award from the Olds Lions Club for her dedication Pat Graham was presented with the club’s second annual community service award by president George Schwieger during a meeting April 15 but it's nice when somebody notices that you do.” Graham has been volunteering at the food bank since 1991 She had moved to Olds and was looking for a way to distribute Christmas gifts she had collected who had started up the food bank just a few years before It was struggling because many of the volunteers also worked “I just started helping her and it just grew and grew and grew,” Graham said In 2012 Graham received a Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee medal for her volunteer work with the food bank.  “I still go in every Tuesday,” Graham said adding she mostly does office work for the organization She also continues to sit on its board of directors OLDS — Olds Minor Baseball (OMB) is preparing for the upcoming season Community registration for the recreational stream closed April 10 The organization has also hired standout former Olds Spitfires ballplayer Brynlee Rice to help provide grassroots programming for kids in the at the 5U-9U age groups Rice is currently an athlete with the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns “This is an exciting opportunity to tap into local talent in order to further assist with the development of these age groups,” OMB president Jeff Clattenburg wrote in an email The AAA and AA teams in the association’s competitive division have been chosen and have already begun practices Another important time in the Spitfires’ season is their annual Spitfire Summer Classic baseball tournament always held during the Canada Day long weekend “This tournament has become a summer favourite for our local teams and has grown to include 42 teams from 9U-18U ages,” Clattenburg wrote There will inevitably be a ton of great ball happening at OR Hedges and Rotary Athletic Park from June 27-30.” All that’s missing now is for the weather get warmer “Olds Minor Baseball is anxiously awaiting the weather to cooperate so we can get our teams back onto the diamonds,” Clattenburg wrote “We’re all set and optimistic for yet another successful season of Spitfires baseball.”  who grew up playing hockey in Olds and area playing at the U18AA level for the Airdrie Lightning in the Alberta Female Hockey League During the league’s awards banquet late last month having scored 16 goals and picked up16 assists for 36 points in 29 games She was also named the league’s top forward and its most valuable player had high praise for her during the awards banquet She goes above and beyond for her teammates and everyone around her," Laporte wrote “Ceder showed true leadership this year She is always the first to speak up in the dressing room “Ceder is a true competitor and wants to ensure her team has success at all times Ceder makes every drill count and her work ethic is through the roof “The impact she had this year speaks for itself she showed them the way to success and they never looked back “Ceder is truly an unreal player and person because she truly cares about making everyone around her better I am so proud and honoured to have coached her." Thorburn was asked why she thinks she had such a great season and my team always pushed me to do well; same with my parents,” she said “I just set goals for the year and just worked my way up to get those goals.” Thorburn can remember skating when she was about three years old “and then I just took off from there.” She got interested in hockey after watching her brother Mannix play the game Thorburn says she plays a good two-way game; offensively and defensively She was asked if there’s anything she needs to work on Thorburn has one more year of eligibility in U18 She was asked what she plans to do after that “I'm still talking with some AAA coaches I'll decide where I'm playing for the next season,” she said two-inches tall and weighs about 115 pounds the girls she competes with will likely be bigger and tougher than she is Thorburn was asked how she intends to deal with that making sure to just keep getting stronger,” she said MOUNTAIN VIEW COUNTY - Mountain View County's municipal planning commission (MPC) has denied a development permit request for the installation of two yurts on a property outside Olds compact and temporary structures approximately 800 square feet and used for sleeping and other accommodation agri-tourism - yurts for overnight accommodation came before the commission during its recent The property involved is located in the Netook rural neighbourhood in Division 7 on the west side of Range Road 20 about one kilometre south of Highway 27 agri-tourism is a discretionary use with the agricultural district It must be complimentary to the existing principle agricultural use and be compatible with the agricultural character of the area “The applicant is proposing to place two yurts in the northwest corner of the subject parcel that would be rented out as short-term accommodations,” administration said in a briefing note to the commission.  “These yurts area approximately 800 square feet in size occupied seasonally from May to October and the renting of them will be managed by the landowners The applicant incited that “many of the traditional agri-tourism venues in the county do not offer accommodation so this would become the home base for those who wish to explore the agricultural attractions in the county as they would actively promote these industries to their guests.” The commission received several letters of concern from nearby residents the writer said the proposed tourism business “will infringe on our farm business and impact the cattle we pasture on our land (adjacent to) with the likelihood more traffic on the access road “We feel this would set an unacceptable precedent for the future (and) we trust the council will agree this tourism business does not suit this property and is inappropriate at this location.” Administration recommended rejecting the application “Although the parcel is designed as agricultural there are not agricultural-related activities currently being conducted on the property that complement the existing primary use as required in the definition of business therefore the current zoning cannot accommodate the proposal.” to me (the application) just doesn’t fit the definition of agri-tourism and the size of land doesn’t really support this operation.” “I think that council works really hard and spends a lot of time carefully wording the municipal development plan and the land use bylaw and in doing that we take lots of things into consideration including our relationship with the Town of Olds and how any potential land use can affect the neighbours I think those are the things that are taken into consideration in this recommendation (to reduce application).” The commission voted in favour of refusing the development permit application the MPC is made up of county councillors and appointed public members VancouverNewsSearch and rescue team has gear stolen after finding missing 7-year-old girl in B.C.By Ian HollidayPublished: May 03, 2025 at 7:15PM EDT Please double-check the spelling in the URL or here are some helpful links instead: TorontoNewsSix-year-old boy dies after fall from balcony at North York apartment buildingBy Codi WilsonOpens in new windowPublished: May 02, 2025 at 7:11AM EDT WinnipegMissing senior found safe: RCMPBy Joseph BernackiPublished: May 03, 2025 at 4:54PM EDT CalgaryNewsOlds College suspending 3 programs due to decrease in international student enrolmentBy Brendan EllisPublished: February 27, 2025 at 7:05PM EST News Olds College is suspending Fall 2025 intake for a number of its programs due to the decrease of international students and funding grants to the post-secondary institution Glacier FarmMedia – Recent changes by Immigration Refugee and Citizenship Canada are having a major effect on many post-secondary institutions across the country and Olds College in the heart of Alberta is no exception Due to a significant reduction in international student enrolment and a decline in operational grant funding from the Alberta government Olds College is suspending intake into three program areas for the fall 2025 term: • Agriculture technology integration (post-diploma certificate) Zebra mussels could be incredibly damaging to Alberta’s waterways and irrigation districts if the invasive species were to make its way to Alberta • Craft beverage and brewery operations (diploma) • Hospitality and tourism management (certificate intake into the business management diploma three-day cohort on campus and the business management diploma at Concordia University College (Edmonton) are also suspended “Olds College remains committed to providing high-quality education experiences and support to our students,” Debbie Thompson “In order to navigate the growing demands and complex issues in the post-secondary system we’ve been reviewing our program mix to ensure we align with industry needs student demand and institutional priorities to ensure long-term stability for Olds College The educational journey and success of our students remain our top priority.” Olds College will continue with second-year courses for the affected programs for current students as they complete their studies that a cap would be set on international student permit applications for the next two years that cap was set at approximately 360,000 approved study permits which was a decrease of 35 per cent from the previous year in reality that number ended up being around 280,000 approved permits Only 91,000 of those were approved for new students in post-secondary institutions IRCC announced it expects a 10 per cent decrease in permit approvals from the previous year You’ll also receive industry and policy information all in one convenient email delivered right to your inbox One email delivered 6 days a week for ranchers May contract talks alarm sugar beet growers Bunge’s merger with Viterra stalled by US-China trade tensions Industry believes green pea supplies are over-reported Terms and Conditions | Privacy Policy | © 2025 "(Required)" indicates required fields Everything you love about Alberta Farmer Express and more breaking news alerts and a customizable newsfeed in one seamless experience New ownership group takes the helm of the Grizzlys and commits to the Olds community; Coaching Staff appointed for 2025-26 AJHL Season — The Olds Grizzlys are excited to welcome Calgary businessman Moe Jamal as the new principal owner joined by former NHL player Jay Beagle in a supporting role a dedicated entrepreneur with a passion for hockey development is eager to contribute to the success of the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) and the Olds Grizzlys organization who brings years of professional hockey experience will provide support to the group in a minor capacity “I have a deep love for the game and a strong commitment to developing young athletes,” said Jamal “Owning an AJHL franchise allows me to support these players in reaching their highest potential and to continue bringing high-level Junior A hockey to Central Alberta.” Jamal is also actively involved with the Calgary International Hockey Academy (CIHA) which operates U15 through U18 teams in the CSSHL The academy’s philosophy is built on the belief that hockey is more than just a sport—it’s a way of life that fosters dedication qualities that shape not just great athletes but great individuals The transition marks the end of an era for Friends of the Grizzlys (FOTG) a group of former players and local business owners who took over the franchise in 2017 FOTG successfully managed the team for the past eight seasons ensuring its continued presence in the AJHL “The Alberta Junior Hockey League and our member clubs are pleased to welcome Jay Beagle and Moe Jamal as the new ownership group of the Olds Grizzlys,” stated AJHL Commissioner Ryan Bartoshyk “We are fortunate to integrate their infrastructure and player development experience to provide stability and growth within the community of Olds and look forward to their contributions to the success of our League.” Stepping in as the new head coach of the Olds Grizzlys is Tyson Soloski The 32-year-old from Cochrane joins the Grizzlys from the Calgary International Hockey Academy (CIHA) where he led the U18 Prep team to the finals of the prestigious Circle K Classic in the 2024-25 season He also guided the team to a 25-9-2 record this past season having led the CIHA U17 team to a CSSHL championship in the 2023-24 season he coached the Airdrie Xtreme to a U15 AAA championship Joining the Grizzlys as assistant coach is Dylan Olsen The 34-year-old former defenceman brings a wealth of experience where he helped lead the team to a National Championship appearance in 2007-08 Olsen also represented Canada at the 2011 World Junior Championship played NCAA hockey at the University of Minnesota-Duluth and skated in 124 NHL games with Chicago and Florida His coaching background includes serving as head coach of the Airdrie Stars U18 team and assistant coach with the CIHA U17 Prep team this past season Returning to the coaching staff is Grizzlys alumnus Mitch Visser who will continue in his role as assistant coach after recently completing his first season behind the Grizzlys’ bench With new ownership and coaching staff now in place the Olds Grizzlys are set to build on their strong foundation and continue their legacy of developing elite junior hockey talent HONOURABLE MENTION: Whitecourt Wolverines (AJHL); Kam River Fighting Walleye (SIJHL); Haliburton County Huskies (OJHL); Carleton Place Canadians (CCHL); Condors du Cégep Beauce-Appalaches (LHJAAAQ) Sign In Subscribe Now A seven-year-old missing Chilliwack girl has been found alive after she went missing from Winona Road in the Chilliwack River Valley the previous day around 4 p.m she's in good health as far as we can tell."  Chilliwack RCMP had just wrapped up a press conference when media were called back to the detachment for the good news Bowerman said that Lily had wandered "quite a distance" from her home but was in good enough shape to walk out on foot with the search-and-rescue team in place.  "I really want to the opportunity to thank the citizens of Chilliwack that assisted in this search," he said Bowerman had explained the lengths that rescuers had already gone to in order to find the young girl She had chased some neighbour's dogs into the woods beside her home on Thursday (May 1) at about 4 p.m the dogs returned but Lily did not.  A massive search was launched immediately by neighbours in the closely knit rural area People in Chilliwack gathered Thursday evening to help in the search for a missing seven-year-old girl and she still hadn't been found by Friday at noon.  Chilliwack RCMP put a call out at 10 p.m Thursday night, asking for the public's help to find Lily Coursol Chilliwack Search and Rescue is on scene with a command unit and crews from around the Fraser Valley were out until about 5 a.m. They are conducting a full search on the ground According to a Chilliwack RCMP news release crews are using “all technological resources available” to find Coursol.  They are urging those who want to help to stay away from the area and let the search and rescue teams do their work Initially there were about 20 neighbours searching for the girl into the night and a call was put out for more searchers to arrive Friday morning.  officials decided to stick with trained search crews and those who arrived were turned away. A police checkpoint is in place along Sleese Road.  "We understand the public’s concern and wanting to help; however the search consists of difficult terrain and is a heavily wooded area Untrained personnel in the area will make search efforts more difficult and put others at unnecessary risk," Chilliwack RCMP said.  Police say the child apparently followed her neighbour's dogs into a wooded area but did not return with them An air and ground search are currently underway She was last seen wearing all pink clothing.  Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Lily Coursol is urged to contact their local police, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) Sign up for a free account today and start receiving our exclusive newsletters Dialogue and debate are integral to a free society and we welcome and encourage you to share your views on the issues of the day. We ask that you be respectful of others and their points of view, refrain from personal attacks and stay on topic. To learn about our commenting policies and how our community-based moderation works, please read our Community Guidelines VancouverNews81-year-old killer dies in B.C. prison after more than 50 years behind barsBy Ian HollidayPublished: April 30, 2025 at 5:21PM EDT New principle owner Moe Jamal & former NHLer Jay Beagle take over the longtime #AJHL franchise a Calgary businessman and dedicated entrepreneur with a passion for hockey development is also actively involved with @cihacalgary which operates U15-U18 teams in the CSSHL BarrieNewsMissing 15-year-old not seen for daysBy Kim PhillipsPublished: May 01, 2025 at 6:17PM EDT Join the conversation You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience whose seat number collapsed to a mere seven from 24 By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc The next issue of Top Stories will soon be in your inbox Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. but as we saw with his first cabinet choices after his successful Liberal leadership nomination the same team that presided over a decade of economic sclerosis largely remains intact — we shall see how this changes The Liberal Party does not appear likely to garner a majority with its current tally of 168 seats falling short of the 172 needed to govern unilaterally (the Conservatives have 144) which means the Carney-led Liberals will need to cobble support from either the NDP or the Bloc Québécois (which has 23 seats so far) and both fringe parties are major fiscal expansionist entities so the fact that they will likely have to team up with a partner that is even more ambitious on the fiscal front is not the greatest news for the Government of Canada bond market But it is positive at the margin for the Canadian dollar since it also means less pressure on the Bank of Canada to ease monetary policy as much as would have occurred had the Conservatives emerged victorious though the loonie thus far has refused to rally on the election results perhaps because of the uncertainty a minority government typically engenders the fact that the Liberals won but did not garner a majority and now must again be supported by left-leaning budget spending enthusiasts can only be viewed as a major disappointment That the NDP has likely lost official party status (it needs at least 12 seats in Parliament) and its leader says he is resigning is at least a small dose of consolation for those who still believe in a modicum of fiscal responsibility and less government influence in the country’s economic affairs It seemed unfathomable four months ago to think the Liberals would win this election but the polls in the more immediate lead-up to the election did not expect the Conservatives to come as close as they did nor did they expect the Liberals to do anything but secure a majority government Carney will likely have to team up with either the NDP or the Bloc (or both) which will bring more instability and likely more fiscal expansionism and deficits as far as the eye can see Any prospect of Canada seeing any meaningful tax reform has been placed in the lockbox Trump all but ensured the Conservatives would lose with his relentless musings that Canada should become a 51st state (with Pierre Poilievre also losing his seat) What a gift to the Liberals those musings proved to be (let’s see if he plans to influence the May 3 Australian election Trump is all about “wins,” and he delivered one to the ruling Liberals his timing with respect to further carveouts and reprieves for the auto sector on the tariff file will provide Carney with an immediate win of his own But the big challenge for Carney will be his need to confront a looming Canadian recession that will come from three sources: the hit from the Trump-induced trade war and all the direct and indirect negative effects for a country that ships 20 per cent of its gross domestic product south of the border; the lingering economic uncertainty which is bound to cause a freeze in business capital spending and hiring plans; and the mounting recessionary pressures in the U.S compounding the economic downturn here at home and that is not exactly good news for a small This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. 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By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy You can manage saved articles in your account CalgaryNewsClint’s Kitchen in Olds, Alberta providing free meals to people in the community By Kevin FlemingPublished: February 12, 2025 at 5:00PM EST Alberta has expanded and streamlined its animal health programs including the introduction of thrice-yearly intakes all three animal health programs including veterinary technician assistant (VTA) veterinary medical receptionist (VMR) and veterinary technician (VT) diploma will now have intakes in fall winter and spring starting in September 2025 graduates of the four-month VTA program will be able to transition directly into the second term of VMR allowing them to complete both programs in two terms instead of three Graduates from the VTA program may also be eligible graduates can enter the workforce or apply for admission to the VT diploma through the alternate admission pathway The VT diploma program includes four semesters on campus plus a six-week practicum The college has also signed an articulation agreement with St creating a direct pathway for students pursuing a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree An articulation agreement allows transfer of credits to a separate post-secondary institution “These program enhancements reflect our commitment to providing students with flexible high-quality education that aligns with industry needs,” wrote Amos Ngai dean of the School of Life Science and Business at Olds College streamlining pathways and strengthening career opportunities we are equipping future animal health professionals with the skills and experience needed to succeed in a rapidly evolving field.” The newly renovated Animal Health Education Centre opened in Fall 2024 It includes a small animal hospital with surgical The new facility also integrates with large animal treatment areas on the Olds College Smart Farm Western Canada has been experiencing a vet shortage for several years. The phenomenon has been studied since 2020, and the shortage is projected by some experts to last through 2031 A graduate of the Lethbridge Communications Arts program Jeff’s career has included writing and editing for a variety of Alberta publications and agencies Meristem Resources and Prairie Hog Country Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle likes to be called by his nickname ‘Chito’ I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle shares more than just a warm smile and infectious laugh with Pope Francis Tagle hails from outside Europe’s traditional Catholic power base bringing a fresh perspective to the Vatican As cardinals convene on Wednesday for the secret conclave to elect the next pope some believe Tagle’s similarities to Francis could position him as a frontrunner Tagle is currently the second favourite to be the next pope Tagle, who looks younger than his 67 years and likes to be called by his diminutive nickname “Chito”, has headed the Vatican’s Dicastery for Evangelization That position gave him enormous influence over national churches in developing countries While 67 is a sunset age in many organisations it is considered young in the Vatican because few cardinals want a very long pontificate Choosing Tagle could signal a clear intention to continue the progressive path of Francis His potential election would indicate a rejection of candidates who might reverse some of Francis’s reforms reassuring the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics of the Church’s continued trajectory It would also mean his fellow cardinals had shrugged off question marks over his management abilities “He would represent a continuity of what Pope Francis has been doing,” said Rev Emmanuel Alfonso a former student of Tagle’s who has known him for decades “He’s really like Pope Francis in terms of his love for the poor Tagle, the former archbishop of Manila, would be the first pope from what is now considered Asia, although in the early Church some popes hailed from what is now called the Middle East, technically part of Asia. As archbishop of Manila, and before as bishop of the Philippine city of Imus, Tagle gained pastoral experience in running dioceses in Asia’s largest Catholic country. By bringing him to the Vatican in 2020, Francis gave him one more notch in experiences seen as helpful to papal candidates. Tagle’s move to Rome brought criticism from the then Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte, who oversaw a bloody “war on drugs” that killed thousands of Filipinos during his 2016-2022 administration. Duterte said Tagle had been removed from Manila for meddling in national politics. The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines denied those accusations forcefully. Bishop Pablo Virgilio David of Kalookan, a conference official made a cardinal in 2024, called Duterte’s claim “unbelievably ludicrous”. Many cardinals already know Tagle personally, and many may see an attraction in having a pope from Asia, viewed by Church leaders as an important region of growth for the faith. Young people feel comfortable with him. When Tagle hosted Francis for a visit to the Philippines in 2014, the visit drew the largest crowds in the history of papal travel, including a mass that attracted up to 7 million people. Tagle, who speaks Italian, English, and Spanish as well as his native Tagalog, now has five years of experience of the Vatican’s arcane bureaucracy, although some cardinals may think even that is not enough to run the global Church. One possible weakness in Tagle’s candidacy is that he was involved in a management scandal three years ago. In 2022, Francis removed him from a second job as titular head of a Vatican-based confederation of 162 Catholic relief, development and social services organisations working in more than 200 countries. Francis fired the entire leadership of the group, called Caritas Internationalis, following allegations of bullying by top management. Tagle’s role, akin to a chancellor of the organisation, was mostly symbolic and ceremonial. He was not directly involved in the day-to-day running and was generally admired by staffers. Unlike Francis, Tagle enjoys a global reputation as a theologian, which could help him gain votes from moderate cardinals concerned by some of Francis’s off-the-cuff utterances, which led to what some called confusion about Church teachings. In the 1990s, he served on the Vatican’s International Theological Commission under Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, a German known as a strict adherent to traditional doctrine who would later become Pope Benedict XVI. The Reverend Joseph Komonchak, Tagle’s professor at the Catholic University of America in Washington DC, said the cardinal was one of his best students in 45 years of teaching. “Not the least of Chito’s virtues was the joy that he radiated on everyone who encountered him,” said Komonchak. “He had a fine sense of humour, which endeared him to his fellow students.” Fr Robert Reyes, a seminary classmate who has known Tagle for more than 50 years, said Tagle has an ability to connect with people and a simple style of living. When he first became a bishop in 2001, he didn’t own a car. “He preferred to take rides, to hitch a ride with someone driving to a place that perhaps both of them were going to,” said Fr Reyes. There is no rule that cardinals electing a new pope vote a certain way according to their nationality or region. But understanding their makeup in geographic terms can help explain some of their priorities as they open the conclave on Wednesday to choose a new leader of the Catholic Church. A cardinal who heads the Vatican’s liturgy office might have a very different set of concerns than the archbishop of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. A cardinal who runs a large European archdiocese with hundreds of priests likely has other priorities than the Vatican ambassador ministering to war-torn Syria or the archbishop of Managua, Nicaragua, whose church has been under siege by the government. There are currently 135 cardinals under the age of 80 and eligible to vote, hailing from 71 different countries in the most geographically diverse conclave in history. Already, two have formally told the Holy See that they cannot attend for health reasons, bringing the number of men who will enter the Sistine Chapel down to 133. A two-thirds majority is needed to be elected pope, meaning that if the number of electors remains at 133, the winner must secure 89 votes. Here is a regional breakdown of the full 135 cardinal electors, according to Vatican statistics and following the Vatican’s geographic grouping. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies MontrealNews15-year-old in coma after tree falls on him during Montreal storm By Angela MacKenziePublished: April 30, 2025 at 8:52PM EDT The Olds Grizzlys are pleased to announce the LOI signing of 2007 born goaltender Kason Kobelka from the Calgary Northstars U18AAA program The Calgary product is 7-4-2 with a 2.83GAA and a .910 save percentage this season OLDS — The Regional Subdivision and Development Appeal Board (RSDAB) is expected to rule within 15 days on an appeal of a development permit for a 38-unit apartment building at 6108 53rd St consisting of three people outside the community Currently two condo buildings sit on that site The proposed new one would be located in a currently empty space between them That space has been referred to as “unit 2.” The appeal was launched on behalf of the condominium board of directors by Sunreal Condominium Management which looks after those facilities The two existing buildings were initially built as apartments in 1977 but were converted to condos in 2007 The primary issue was the fact that the town had approved a proposal by the developer for a 38-unit condominium in the open space even though The town granted a variance for those “missing” parking spaces as the number fell within the planning department’s ability to grant variances of up to 15 per cent (it came in at eight per cent) Development officer Kyle Sloan told the appeal board that initially the developer had proposed a 30-unit building in the space The number of parking spaces provided in that design fell within the bylaw the developer later came back with the current proposal for 38-two-bedroom units and that design did not allow for the required parking spaces it was said that not all the parking spaces for the existing units are utilized and it was also suggested that additional parallel parking could be obtained Four condo residents attended the hearing to speak against the proposal as did condominium manager Mandy Dunbar who signed the appeal document An architect also sat in the gallery and took notes but did not speak The appeal document raised several concerns about the proposed development a proposed design for a 32-unit condo project was sent to the condo board citing concerns it did not provide enough parking During an on-site meeting with the developer in June 4 last year a representative of Sunreal and the condo board expressed some concerns about the development and suggested that the developer consult with a lawyer specializing in condos the board of directors has not provided consent nor approval for the further development of unit 2,” the document said “Neither Sunreal Condominium Management nor the board of directors have received any written or verbal communication following the on-site meeting on June 4 Concerns the condo board has which led to the decision to appeal the issuance of the development permit include • the absence of details of the developer’s plan to relocate underground utility lines essential to the existing building 200 • the absence of details of plans for construction access to unit 2; • unauthorized relocation or removal of corporation property • concern that proposed parallel parking would impinge access for emergency vehicles to building 200; and • that the condominium corporation has not agreed to a proposed reduction in the ratio of landscaped land to the overall property the Town of Olds passed a bylaw reducing the minimum number of parking stalls required for multi-family housing from 1.75 stalls per unit to one stall per one-bedroom unit and 1.25 stalls per two-bedroom unit The document said having looked at the requirements in other Alberta communities “the Town of Olds requirements are very modest in comparison.” “While the board of directors is not disputing the new requirements as stated in the land use bylaw we feel there should not be further relaxation as was granted by the Town of Olds in the development permit,” the document said “While the board of directors is not opposed to the development of this area they hold a duty to all owners within the condominium corporation to ensure future construction will not negatively impact the day-to-day lives of current residents of the property nor decrease the property value of existing units.” In his presentation to the Regional Subdivision and Development Appeal Board a development officer with the Town of Olds while the appellant listed several concerns the only matter to be dealt with is the variance He said the proposed 38-unit building “complied with all regulations of the town’s land use bylaw and that is the minimum parking requirement.” Sloan said the necessary stalls will be provided by a combination of underground parking and above-ground parking on the lot that would eventually be shared by all three buildings He said all other matters raised are outside the town’s land use bylaw that it is not related to our role as a development authority.” Regarding the concern about access for emergency vehicles “we do circulate applications internally to our fire inspectors and there were no concerns on their end.” Sunreal associate commercial property manager and condominium manager Mandy Dunbar addressed the hearing more stalls than what is required for the current residents,” she said “But we're concerned with taking those stalls away from people who have purchased into the building or entered lease agreements with the belief that they will have access to parking and have that taken away “The developer should be consulting with the board of directors and receiving approval of the board with any developments and that has not happened,” she said Regional Subdivision and Development Appeal Board chair Joe Henderson asked what recourse Sunreal and/or the board would have if the development is approved and goes ahead “I think it's called a prohibitory injunction I don't know what's involved in that but we have consulted with the lawyer about it.” raising concerns about removal of parking stalls (which he noted have plug-ins) as well as the how the project would affect visitor parking and a stall for loading and unloading Sloan said there is a requirement for one loading zone space but it can also be counted as a parking space echoed the concerns raised by other speakers “I just would say that even though something is legal doesn't necessarily make it desirable or wise,” Wiebe said “This is quite a radical change of the property and the surrounding neighbourhood with an increase in density and all of the things that come with that: increase of traffic people learning to get along with each other “I own two units in building 100 and I rent them out Tenants are asking me how they can get more parking already are people not going to drive by this new development and say what were they thinking?’ Are they going to say ‘look what they shoehorned in there,’ and it's going to be so dissimilar to what is currently there.” Sloan said if the developer provides the necessary parking spaces and all other requirements are met “I'm talking oranges and the town’s talking apples I know -- a voice is a voice,” Wiebe said Furst and another resident who gave his name as Payton expressed concerns about the current shed being moved and replaced by a smaller one Two garbage collection facilities are proposed but there’s a concern that one of the two will be located near a road “We already have problems with people driving through and dropping off their garbage I think that will become a greater issue as well,” Payton said drove in from Vermilion to address the hearing “They're looking to invest into this community Is that a fair statement,” she asked “I just want to speak to how there was a community of local people that invested into this building,” Vandenberg said “I'd like to ensure that it kind of keeps its value or doesn't decline.” She expressed fear that more residents in the area could lead to “havoc.” “We already have a little bit of tension that's in that environment,” Vandenberg said Vandenberg also expressed concerns about potential privacy and noise issues “There are setback requirements for the building from the property line also from adjacent buildings,” Sloan said “Our building inspector has reviewed the site plan and those are met but the rest of the building code requirements will be discussed at the building permit stage “As for your comment or question about privacy the town bylaws don't regulate that in this area,” Sloan said “We built a very good team that works very well with this town I think together quite lovely at this point I don't I think we're getting there I don't think we're there yet,” Vandenberg said CalgaryNewsCalgary entrepreneur, former NHLer take over ownership of AJHL’s Olds GrizzlysBy Brendan EllisPublished: April 02, 2025 at 3:10PM EDT OLDS — Roughly 55 people packed town council chambers on Tuesday 5 to attend a meeting on council’s decision to sell Olds Fibre Ltd. The sale of the municpally-controlled corporation became effective Nov just the day after the meeting was held to solicit public input The sale and the meeting were announced by the municipality about 40 days ago The crowd was told that provincial legislation required that such a meeting be held Telus officials planned to meet with O-NET employees Nov Several people in the crowd were not happy with the timing of the meeting especially after The Town of Olds' chief administrative officer (CAO) Brent Williams revealed that council had been working on the sale for many months they couldn’t have been given the opportunity to provide their input earlier About five people were given a chance to speak and 16 emailed letters of reaction were read into the record speaking on behalf of the Town of Olds which is the sole O-NET shareholder Virtually no member of the public spoke or wrote in favour of the decision Williams said council reluctantly decided to sell the company because it couldn’t afford to keep it going He pegged O-NET’S total debt at $19 million O-NET was just too small to compete with the big telecoms like Telus and Rogers/Shaw who have much more money to work with As he did during a previous interview with the Albertan Williams declined to reveal how much Telus is paying for the purchase he estimated the Town of Olds' debt will end up being reduced to about $3.5 million Williams said council fielded offers from 13 telecoms and chose Telus because it offered to pay the most Williams and Telus vice-president of fibre network Shazia Zeb Sobani said current O-NET employees will remain in place and the services provided will not change A few speakers bemoaned the fact that when it started up 20 years ago O-NET made history and national news as a small town setting up and operating its own high speed internet service Williams said that legacy is not lost and will endure Olds College of Agriculture & Technology has been preparing students for careers in reclamation and remediation environmental stewardship and land use planning for more than 35 years through its Land & Water Resources diploma program Graduates of this program have a reputation for being able to hit the ground running as soon as they are hired thanks to the combination of in-class and hands-on training that is the trademark of an Olds College education That tradition continues with the launch of the Environmental Science & Technology diploma program subject-matter experts and other stakeholders the program has been updated with a new name and a revised curriculum designed to better meet the evolving needs of the field These changes will take effect in Fall 2025 The core set of 20 courses provides students with a strong foundation in soils wildlife and agriculture through both theoretical classroom instruction and hands-on lab and field learning Field trips to various ecosystems and industry sites complement classroom learning offering students real-world exposure to the subjects they study Students also gain skills and experience using the technologies required for their future careers such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS) drones and water and soil sampling equipment All students will also have an opportunity to participate in a work-integrated learning experience in the middle of their program "We are always looking for ways to enhance the student experience and ensure our programs provide the best possible learning opportunities," says Jay Steeves Dean of the Werklund School of Agriculture Technology "These changes reflect our commitment to hands-on education applied research and preparing students for meaningful careers by giving them real-world learning experiences that build confidence and prepare them for success." graduates are eligible for membership in the Alberta Institute of Agrologists to pursue the Agrology Technologist in Training (ATT) designation leading to Registered Technologist in Agrology (RT(Ag)) Graduates are also eligible for membership in the Alberta Society of Professional Biologists where they can pursue the Biological Technologist in Training (BTT) designation progressing to Registered Technologist in Biology (RT.Biol.) One key strength of the Environmental Science & Technology diploma program is that students benefit from the close integration of Olds College's academic and applied research programs Research conducted at the College often directly informs the curriculum ensuring students learn the most current industry practices Olds College is proud to introduce the Environmental Science & Technology diploma program continuing its commitment to supporting the reclamation and remediation industry Faculty remain deeply engaged in ongoing education ensuring that the curriculum stays relevant and responsive to the changing needs of the sector In a world hungry for sustainable energy, Alberta is fast becoming one of the pre-eminent jurisdictions on the planet for hydrogen fuel... Peel District School Board (PDSB) welcomed a distinguished delegation from the United Kingdom's House of Commons Education Select... Michelle Sylvestre (BFA - Art '17, MFA - New Media '21), a PhD student in the cultural, social and political thought program,... The first Canadian study of a new product that mimics a pheromone that helps mother cows soothe their upset calves has found it will likely boost the profits of cow-calf producers Researchers at Olds College of Agriculture & Technology found that every $1 Cdn spent on treating newly weaned heifers with FerAppease resulted in a profit of $6.47 It represents a return on investment of about 647 per cent who is a research scientist at the College's Technology Access Centre for Livestock Production (TACLP) and the publishing of studies that have been done so far in the U.S. A 28-day initial or pilot research project led by Gellatly was launched on Oct It found that FerAppease helped improve the liveweight and liveweight gain of 11 heifers compared to an equal number that didn't receive the product The study also showed that FerAppease lowered the costs of production by enhancing the feed efficiency of treated heifers Feed efficiency was evaluated by calculating the gain-to-feed (G:F) ratio which is the average liveweight gain divided by the average daily dry matter intake FerAppease is being sold by Texas-based FERA Diagnostics and Biologicals Corp as an inexpensive way to lower stress in cattle The doses used in the study cost $4.27 per 10 millilitres with a 300-millilitre bottle containing 30 such doses costing about $128 It is a synthetic liquid that seeks to simulate the effects of a natural pheromone secreted by lactating or milk-producing cows have a pheromone called the maternal appeasing substance," she said "The bovine version is released near the mammary glands or udders in the cows It helps each calf to identify their mother and it has a calming effect on the calves." FerAppease is attracting attention from Canadian beef producers because U.S studies have shown it can lower stress even for older cattle Scientists are examining its ability to improve everything from feed efficiency and weight gain to boosting immune systems against infections It could also make it easier for beef producers to handle and transport their herds by making them more docile The College's pilot study involved Angus-influence heifers averaging eight months old that were cared for under the guidelines of the Canadian Council on Animal Care The heifers were subjected to stress through practices that simulated those of the majority of cow-calf producers in Western Canada It included abrupt weaning followed by transport in cattle trailers to simulate travel to feedlots or auction marts "I wanted to see how the FerAppease would affect the immune responses of those animals because we know once we put them in the feedlot at weaning time they tend to get very sick due to multiple stressors." The stress experienced by newly-weaned calves due to hauling conditions in Western Canada was simulated in the pilot study by separately moving the experimental and control groups into a pen and loading them into two separate livestock trailers They were transported for an hour for a distance of about 84 kilometres "The reason we put them in trailers is that normally in a commercial operation the cow-calf producers wean the animals as soon as they are separated from their mothers They go straight to the truck and they are sent to the auction mart." Researchers applied doses of five millilitres of FerAppease to the muzzles of each of the 11 heifers in the experimental group along with a further five millilitres to the nuchal area behind the ears for a total of 10 millilitres per animal The heifers in the control group only received water The pilot study found that FerAppease influenced factors such as shrunk body weight which is an important measure of weight loss during shipment to feedlots from cow-calf operations "There was specifically a statistical tendency toward significantly shrunk body weight of about three pounds for each of the water-treated heifers compared to the FerAppease-treated heifers." The finding suggests greater differences might have been observed if more cattle had been involved in the study Heifers treated with FerAppease were also 22 pounds heavier at the end of the 28-day trial compared to the water-treated heifers representing a difference of about 0.7 pounds per day of liveweight gain Gellatly plans to follow up with a larger study involving more cattle as well as looking at the ability of FerAppease to improve things such as heifer pregnancy rates through artificial insemination that could help boost the profitability of cow-calf producers For more information on TACLP's research activities happening on the Olds College Smart Farm, visit oldscollege.ca/smartfarm