EdmontonNews4 people, including 2 teens, killed in central Alberta crashBy Diego RomeroPublished: May 05, 2025 at 12:24PM EDT Twitter feed ©2025 BellMedia All Rights Reserved Sign In Subscribe Now A head-on collision north of Ponoka has claimed the lives of four people.  police responded to a report of a serious two-vehicle collision on Highway 2A near Township Road 434.   a GMC Acadia with a deceased 41-year-old female and a Volkswagon Tiguan with a 26-year-old male and a 14-year-old male was airlifted by STARS to the hospital but succumbed to their injuries.  All four of those who died were residents of Maskwacis.  but preliminary reports indicate that the Acadia was passing other vehicles when it hit the Tiguan head-on.  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 Become a free member today and receive top local stories right to your inbox Texas singer Jake Worthington kicks off this year's stellar line up of Ponoka mainstage performances on June 25 "I hope I leave as a hard act to follow," he said with a laugh during a recent chat from New York who landed in second place on The Voice back in the show's sixth season has always had a passion for the classic country genre "Music was always playing," he recalled of his early years. "And I have always found myself intrigued by it I've just always enjoyed music - I've always loved it "I've also always been drawn to stuff with some soul in it." His musical gifts surfaced pretty early on and were also impacted by his talented grandfather who wrote his own music as well "Probably when I was around 13 or 14 years old we had a group of buddies that we played music with I'll do it," he recalled with a chuckle.  As to what he finds compelling about country Worthington points to its raw sense of honestly; of authenticity there is no question about his commitment to creating music that holds strongly to solid classic country sensibilities as reflected so richly in his debut disc which was released in 2023 not to mention a string of successful singles along the way He also points to legendary artists who have had such an impact on his own artistry and George Jones. There is indeed no mistaking their collective influence on him "Definitely those names stick out in my memory I also grew up hearing George Strait on the radio "Captivating the masses with his honky tonk stylings the singer-songwriter has brought two-step anthems to venues across the country opening for such gifted folks as Miranda Lambert fans of The Voice will remember him from season six back in 2014 where he soared all the way to second place under the guidance of country superstar Blake Shelton and I got to take a peek behind the curtain into the TV world," he said adding the whole experience certainly influenced his path as an artist He is thankful for the tremendous experience but he has certainly taken it all in stride and a pretty crazy thing to experience - however they put their britches on the same way that we do and I always kind of had that in the back of my mind," he said referring to being in the presence of some pretty legendary artists during the stint.  it was something unlike anything I have ever experienced." Working with Shelton was also a gift in and of itself has one of the most captivating voices in country music Worthington said he and his band typically fly by the seat of their pants when it comes to nailing down what tunes they will hit the stage running with "I've had a tendency to not have a set list we kind of get together about 15 minutes before What I'm also looking forward to is seeing the rodeo I'm well aware that there is a very western And that the Stampede is the 'big kahuna'.  Worthington said he feels blessed to be pursuing his dream "I've been really fortunate to be able to play my own songs," he said It's still like magic to me when it happens." rounding out this year's mainstage entertainment are Chesnutt on June 26, Dean Brody (June 27), the Hillside Outlaws (June 28) wrapping up the 2025 line-up is Hailey Benedict on June 30th check out ponokastampede.com/2025-stampede/entertainment The 1st Ponoka Traditional Scouting group held a pine car derby at the Baden-Powell Adventure Centre on April 26 welcoming scouting groups from Camrose and Edmonton.  "Family members cheered on racers as they raced their vehicles," said group commissioner Maurice Mazurat A number of awards were given out in the following categories: - Senior Explorers 16 to 18 (Pine trucks) and Each category was given awards for first, second and third place This was the second time the group used their new track since it was built locally the students at Ponoka Secondary Campus held a 30-hour famine event in support of Lacombe-based charity A Better World's Project Mahua It was the second year that the school had engaged its students in understanding global needs They raised over $2,000 to support the project which is to build a new kitchen for one of ABW's schools in Kenya The vibrant red fabric of several dresses are flowing in the breeze in Lions Centennial Park today suspended along the fence on Highway 2A and from the trees a striking reminder of the ongoing crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women is a National Day of awareness and remembrance in Canada.  The installation will be on display at the park all day on Monday The Ponoka Jubilee Library invites people to participate in a self-guided walk around the park "in remembrance of those that have been lost." was inspired by Metis artist Jaime Black "The artist chose the colour red after speaking with an Indigenous friend who told her that is the only colour spirits can see Red dresses are used to call the spirits of missing and murdered women and girls back to their loved ones The goal was to speak to the gendered and racialized nature of violent crimes against Indigenous women and to evoke a presence by marking absence." (alberta.ca/red-dress-day) the homicide rate for Indigenous women in Canada was almost six times higher than that for other women (Statistics Canada) "This day reminds us of the 231 calls for justice in the final report from the National Inquiry into the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls," stated an Ermineskin Cree Nation social media post on May 5 "It’s also an opportunity for people who have lost loved ones or who have experienced violence to gather for comfort and for solidarity Our prayers to you and your families."  The Ermineskin Women's Shelter Society is holding their annual 'Walk a Mile in Her Shoes' event on May 5 If you or someone you know is experiencing signs of distress these services are available 24/7/365: It proved to be yet another record-shattering night at the Ponoka Stampede's 2025 WPCA Tarp Auction held May 2 in the Stagecoach Saloon on the Stampede grounds the Stampede marked a record sale total and it's also the very first time the auction broke the $600,000 mark Prime advertising space was available on the chuckwagons of the best 32 drivers in the world plus for four wildcard wagons on chuckwagon racing’s predominant racing circuit The wagon community and the Ponoka community do so much to support us and that (in turn) helps us give back to the community and it also helps us to put on a world-class fair," said Jim Harbidge, the Ponoka Stampede Association's chuckwagons director "We've had just fantastic support from the sponsors." This year's totals were up a whopping $40,500 over the now previous record total of $576,500 set just last year "The top bid of the night went to defending Ponoka Stampede Champion Luke Tournier and 2022 Calgary Stampede Rangeland Derby Champion Kris Molle when Pidherney’s and Eagle Builders respectively each paid $35,000." the Cattle Raffle early bird draw was made "This is the kick-off to our Stampede season," said Harbidge of the auction giving the buyers a chance to advertise on those tarps," he said adding that 80 per cent of the money goes to the drivers with 20 per cent going towards ensuring a top-notch Stampede event in general The auction kicked off with a reception followed by the auction which was led by world champ auctioneer Danny Skeels Another highlight of the evening was the crowning of Miss Ponoka Stampede 2025 Tonight is special - it's officially the day I will take over," she said but overall I'm just really excited to get the summer started." She also emphasized how honoured she is to be Miss Ponoka Stampede and looks forward to a busy stint representing the world-class event "I am overjoyed - the Ponoka Stampede is the best of the best so I'm counting down the days to be able to represent it - I honestly can't wait This year's Ponoka Stampede runs from June 25 to July 1 Join your fellow Red Deer neighbours and subscribe to the community's #1 source for local news The feel-good stories for the professional chuckwagon drivers continued tonight as the second last chuckwagon canvas auction for the 2025 WPCA Pro Tour presented by GMC took place for one of chuckwagon racing’s premier events – the Ponoka Stampede – at the Stagecoach Saloon on the Ponoka Stampede grounds in Ponoka Prime advertising space was available on the chuckwagons of the best 32 chuckwagon drivers in the world today plus four Wildcard Wagons on chuckwagon racing’s predominant racing circuit the Ponoka Stampede had a record Sale total It’s the first time the Ponoka Stampede Chuckwagon Canvas Auction broke the $600,000.00 mark up $40,500.00 over the now previous record total of $576,500.00 set just last year The top bid of the night went to Defending Ponoka Stampede Champion Luke Tournier and 2022 Calgary Stampede Rangeland Derby Champion Kris Molle when Pidherney’s and Eagle Builders each paid $35,000.00 respectively for the six day show that starts June 26 The low bid for the sale was at even $8,000.00 The final chuckwagon canvas auction involving WPCA drivers will be for the Teepee Creek Stampede on May 27 2025 at the Jackpot Grill & Events Centre located at 10904 92nd Avenue in Grande Prairie The Teepee Creek Stampede will run from July 11-13 2025 at the Stampede Grounds in Teepee Creek In less than one month, the wagons roll into Grande Prairie, Alberta with the first stop on the WPCA Pro Tour presented by GMC from May 28 – June 1, 2025 with the running of the Grande Prairie Stompede. Check wpca.com for further details and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" You will also start receiving the Star's free morning newsletter Ponoka—Didsbury 2025 federal election live results. Browse live results for all 343 ridings 216 of 216 polls are reporting as of 4:22 p.m. Follow our full coverage of the 2025 federal election 216 of 216 polls are reporting as of 4:22 p.m. Follow our full coverage of the 2025 federal election is projected to be re-elected in Ponoka—Didsbury Calkins has 56,110 of 68,588 votes (81.81%) is in second place with 7,419 votes (10.82%) and Grant Abraham Calkins has represented the riding since 2006 Ponoka—Didsbury used to be named Red Deer—Lacombe The riding’s boundaries were updated for the 2025 federal election 27,715 voters cast ballots at advance polls Looking for another riding? Here are the full results for the 2025 federal election. The Liberals have 169 races called in their favour They have 8,535,128 votes and 43.69 per cent of the popular vote The Conservatives have 144 races called in their favour They have 8,059,938 votes and 41.26 per cent of the popular vote The Bloc Québécois have 22 races called in their favour They have 1,232,095 votes and 6.31 per cent of the popular vote The New Democrats have seven races called in their favour They have 1,231,198 votes and 6.3 per cent of the popular vote The Greens have one race called in their favour They have 243,471 votes and 1.25 per cent of the popular vote There were three independents and four vacancies in the 338-seat Commons the Commons has grown by five ridings starting with this election This article was automatically generated using data provided by Canadian Press and will update as riding results become available Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account Vegreville RCMP responded to a report of a break and enter in progress at a local business on May 1 at about 4:30 a.m a second break and enter was reported at another business in Vegreville Preliminary investigation revealed that over $5,000 worth of merchandise had been stolen Vermilion RCMP received a similar complaint of a break and enter at a vape shop in Vermilion  Investigators determined the same suspects from the Vegreville incidents were responsible About $14,000 worth of merchandise was reported stolen At 8:47 a.m. Lloydminster RCMP received a complaint of a break and enter in progress at a business on the west end of the city along with the Police Dog Service and the General Investigation Section (GIS) two suspects attempted to flee in a vehicle and collided with a police unit A third suspect fled on foot and was arrested following a brief foot pursuit The remaining suspects were taken into custody near Rolling Green Fairways Golf Course after their vehicle became inoperable Investigation revealed they were linked to the incidents in Vegreville and Vermilion All three were brought before a justice of the peace Carlson and Roach were remanded into custody while Carifelle-Potvin was released Carlson and Carifelle-Potvin are to appear at the Lloydminster Provincial Court on May 13 while Roach will appear before the Alberta Court of Justice in Vegreville on May 5 Anyone with information related to this incident is asked to contact the Lloydminster RCMP at 780-808-8400 you can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) online at www.P3Tips.com or by using the 'P3 Tips' app available through the Apple App or Google Play store or for access to RCMP news and information download the Alberta RCMP app through Apple or Google Play Community health centres in Central Zone increased access to measles vaccination as of Monday to help prevent the spread of the highly contagious disease A province-wide advertising campaign to raise immunization awareness will also be launched next week and will be translated into over 14 languages Community health centres in Central Zone now have walk-in availability including some with evening measles-specific clinics and additional Saturday availability.  Alberta reported 55 new measles cases to bring the total number of cases since March to 265 A total of 42 people were infectious and could transmit the disease to others Central and South Zones continue to be the hardest hit The South Zone saw a huge spike with 48 new cases to reach 154 over recent months Both evening and weekend immunization appointments are now being added.  Three new cases were reported in Central Zone for a total of 75 this year.  "Most of the cases that we see in Central Zone are from the northeast area Medical Officer of Health with Central Zone She said a 95 per cent immunization rate is needed to prevent further spread and immunization in the northeast area of the zone is at about 72 per cent.  "There's been some cooperation with the communities that are affected." AHS has planned for and is ready to ramp up additional measles clinics across the province including extending hours at existing measles-specific clinics and opening additional clinic space "We have started conversations about measles assessment and treatment centres AHS and the (Health Ministry) have been working together to fine tune that plan," said Dr He added that the province will be prepared to launch the services when the threshold has been met So far a provincial measles outbreak has not been declared since outbreaks have been localized He said no measles-related deaths have been reported and three people with the measles were in intensive care on the weekend Health Minister Adriana LaGrange said there would need to be ongoing increases in cases in every single zone for a provincial outbreak to be declared The vast majority of cases are in the Central and South Zones but what is concerning is that most cases are impacting children under the age of 18 "Getting immunized against measles is the single most important thing you can do to protect your loved ones and yourself and your community especially those young infants who have just come into the world and aren't able to be immunized as well as pregnant women and those with certain immunocompromising conditions," LaGrange said.  Sookram said areas affected in the Central and South Zones are where vaccine coverage has fallen sometimes due to concerns about safety We know immunization decisions can be deeply personal but we're here to support families with science-based information and to make sure people know where to go and what to do it has saved the lives of over 154 million people in the last half century the vast majority of lives saved — 101 million — were infants or children," Sookram said.  The province has also introduced a new early dose of measles-containing vaccines now available for infants six to 11 months of age in the North HealthLink 811 also introduced a dedicated measles hotline Albertans seeking information about measles can fast track their call through HealthLink by calling 1-844-944-3434 The hotline will speed up access to assist Albertans with accessing their immunization records or general information; provide advice for those experiencing measles symptoms and are feeling unwell; and assist with booking measles immunization appointments or locating a nearby public health clinic offering immunization For more information about the measles, including how to access the vaccine which is available for free, Albertans can also visit www.alberta.ca/measles Alberta's New Democrats Leader Naheed Nenshi said measures announced on Monday should have been in place months ago.  Now we have more than 200 people who have gotten needlessly sick and people are in intensive care with this terrible disease," Nenshi said in a statement “It’s wrong to say Albertans forgot the importance of vaccinations when the Smith government is full of vaccine deniers actively spreading misinformation that discourages people from getting their shots." One of Red Deer's own will represent Canada in Italy at the 2026 Winter Olympics.  Red Deer's Jocylen Peterman and her husband who now live in Chestermere, punched their ticket to the Olympics in Mixed Doubles curling Gallant won bronze in his only Olympic appearance as a member of Brad Gushue's rink at the 2022 Beijing Olympics also represented Canada in the 2022 Beijing Olympics in women's curling.  but to have the opportunity to do it twice and also to do it with my husband as a teammate and we just can’t wait to be in Italy next year We’re excited about the road in front of us and we will be doing everything we can to prepare ourselves for the Olympics,” said Peterman in a Canadian Olympic Committee press release Peterman and Gallant provisionally earned their nomination to the Canadian Olympic Team by winning the 2025 Canadian Mixed Doubles Curling Trials on January 4 They then competed at the 2025 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship in Fredericton where their sixth-place performance secured Canada’s Olympic spot in mixed doubles curling but lost a heartbreaking 7-5 loss to Estonia The performance over the week was still enough to earn them a spot in the Olympics.   “Jocelyn and Brett are superb athletes and even better people which makes us happy and proud that they’ll be representing Canada in Milano Cortina," said Nolan Thiessen Chief Executive Officer of Curling Canada.  "In addition to their achievements on the ice they play a leading role with our Athletes Council and are driving forces for positive change in our sport system We couldn’t be more excited to have them wearing the maple leaf on the ice in 2026." Since their debut as a mixed doubles team in 2016 the veteran pair has steadily made their mark on both the national and international curling scenes They captured silver at the 2019 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship and reached the podium at the 2023 and 2024 Canadian Championships At the 2022 Mixed Doubles World Championship At the 2025 Canadian Mixed Doubles Curling Trials capped off by a 8–7 win over Rachel Homan—who had represented Canada in this event at Beijing 2022—and Brendan Bottcher in the final “Since Jocelyn and I started playing mixed doubles it’s been our dream to represent Canada at the Winter Olympics as teammates and we’re going to embrace this opportunity We appreciate that Curling Canada adjusted its qualifying process for mixed doubles in order to provide more time to get ourselves ready for the Games and we’ll be using that time to the best of our ability to be in peak form in Italy,” said Gallant in a Canadian Olympic Committee press release Canada was fifth in mixed doubles curling at the Olympics in 2022 but won gold in the inaugural event in 2018.  Mixed doubles curling will take place February 4 to 10 (Day -2 to 4) in Cortina d’Ampezzo seven countries qualified for the Olympic mixed doubles tournament based on the Mixed Doubles Olympic Qualification Points ranking which was determined by combined placements at the 2024 and 2025 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championships  The Town of Ponoka’s annual spring cleanup and collection of compostable yard waste will begin on Tuesday May 20 after the Victoria Day long weekend (weather permitting).  Town crews will make one pass down each back alley in Ponoka to collect yard waste (grass clippings branches no longer than five feet) in excess of what will fit into your green cart.  Branches longer than five feet will not be picked up.  Residents are asked to place all materials for pick up in a pile at their back alley no later than Monday you can place your compostable yard waste at the front of your property near the curb where it is visible for pick up and clear of the roadway.  Residents are asked not to bag compostable yard waste for pick-up Bagged yard waste will not be picked up to avoid contaminating the compost pile at the town’s Waste Transfer Station.  Other items that will not be picked up include: stumps (the root ball) Ponoka residents can also bring compostable yard waste free of charge to the town’s Waste Transfer Station.  If yard waste is bagged and is brought to the Waste Transfer Station citizens must open the bags and empty the contents onto the town’s organics pile No bags (even compostable) can be placed on the town’s organic pile.  The town aks that residents do not use grey carts or green carts to transport yard waste to the Waste Transfer Station The grey and green carts pose a risk of contamination due to household waste and other organic matter.  The Waste Transfer Station also does not accept kitchen waste for its compost pile as the facility is not set up to compost that type of material Kitchen waste can only be composted through the curbside green cart program where the waste is transported to an approved composting site.  A complete list of what can be composted curbside in green carts is posted at ponoka.ca/p/green-carts.  Sign up for free account today and start receiving our exclusive newsletters The Ponoka RCMP are warning residents to be aware of scams following multiple attempts of attempted frauds in recent weeks.  "Fraud attempts come in many different ways - emails "Please be very diligent in any information you give out to anyone Do not allow anyone remote access to your laptop or computer under any circumstance." Ponoka RCMP advise some fraud attempts to be aware of include a family member calling stating they were in an accident and broke their nose explaining that’s why they sound different The family member will then ask for “bail money."  Or a person may claim to be with the government and claim you owe money and if not paid they will put a warrant out for your arrest and threaten that a police officer is coming to your house to arrest you "The government or police do not operate in this fashion," stated the Ponoka RCMP Another popular fraud is a person calling claiming that something has been ordered on your Amazon account and will proceed to ask for personal information in an effort to obtain or gain access to your bank or credit card "If somebody is calling you and demanding payment in the form of gift cards "You do not have a large amount of money sitting in an account somewhere that requires you to pay a 'fee' in order to have the money transferred to your account - this is also a scam "Hang up and contact the police if in doubt." Organizers with the Ponoka Community Lunch Program are reaching out to local businesses and residents for much-needed additional support Those interested in helping out can do so by preparing or providing meals which run every Wednesday and Friday at the Ponoka United Church from 11:30 a.m and thought as long as local groups are willing to sign up and to provide the food let's continue to go with it," said Charlotte Boychuck as it's tougher to plan for a steady stream of those available to plan for and provide the meals "Another thing that has been most concerning has been the possible loss of the Rising Sun Clubhouse," said Boychuk.  "They have been so great - they were the first ones to sign up (for the program) They will also get their clients to come along and help as well," she said adding how much the arrangement has bolstered an sense of community among the Rising Sun folks and those who drop in for lunch as some months we are short of groups signing up I really have to find a way to impress on people in our community how much we need their support for this," she said adding she wants local folks to know how valuable the service really is Boychuk emphasized the meals are open to anyone not just folks who may be homeless or who are dealing with any level of food insecurity these two lunches each week are the only substantial meals that they get," she said "And if they are lucky enough to have a place to rent they may not have enough left to make good meals and mental health can certainly be an issue," she said again emphasizing how much the lunches - and the sense of community and belonging they provide - are important "We want to continue filling this gap - for whatever reason that people come in or that they just need a safe place to come with no judgment That is something we are very strong about." Some who come in perhaps are able to make their own meals but the lunches provide a sense of 'family' for them "Others also get to a point where they are able to help out a little bit They provide support to the others in one way or another But we've also had some very sad situations It's like the goal posts keep moving for them - they just can't get a break "Some people are just skating on thin ice all of the time You can't let them fade away - you have to help them." groups interested in hosting or sponsoring a lunch are responsible for purchasing the necessary food for their meals They can use the church's dishes and coffee urns people can arrange for pizzas or sandwiches to be delivered or simply provide the money for meal purchases - there are various ways to make a difference It can even be plates of sandwiches with cold-cuts Another easy example would be to order pizzas and have them delivered to the church adding there have been businesses and churches who have been a consistent help to be sure.  "But my main concern is how do we get more groups and families involved in supporting this program." For more about the Ponoka Communty lunch program or how to get involved call the Ponoka United Church office at 403-783-4087 Thirty-six of the world's top chuckwagon drivers will descend on Ponoka tomorrow night for a chance to secure top dollar prices for their tarps at the 2025 Ponoka Stampede.  The Ponoka Stampede's 2025 WPCA Tarp Sale kicks off with a reception at 5 p.m at the Stagecoach Saloon at the Ponoka Stampede Grounds.  "We also have a a few other exciting things happening at the Tarp Auction this year," said Ponoka Stampede sponsorship director Danny Jones a framed print number 1/50 of the limited edition posters for this year's Stampede will be auctioned off the Cattle Raffle early bird draw will take place Miss Ponoka Stampede 2025 Kyla Lightfoot will also be crowned during the tarp sale The auction will be broadcast live at clauction.com and coordinated in person at the Stagecoach Saloon Those unable to attend the sale can also bid online at vjv.agribidder.ca/inventory.  The bidding will open with driver Luke Tournier followed by Chanse Vigen and Jason Glass.  Tournier was the 2024 Ponoka Stampede Tommy Dorchester Dash for Cash winner earning the $75,000 prize after an upset when Vigen hit a barrel at the start of his run dropping him to last place in the championship heat the Ponoka Stampede tarp auction had record-breaking totals with a sale total of $576,500 in 2024 and $553,000 in 2023 Walburg Saskatchewan’s Jamie Laboucane for $32,300 followed by Vigen’s in second place for $30,000 The unofficial start to the 2025 WPCA Pro Tour took place at the Grande Prairie Stompede Tarp Auction Gala on April 5 "eclipsing a new record total of $853,000," the WPCA said or to register for the Ponoka Stampede tarp sale visit ponokastampede.com/get-involved/chuckwagon-tarp-auction Country singer Hailey Benedict can't wait to hit the Ponoka Stampede main stage on June 30 The CCMA award-winning artist got her start at the age of 14 when Keith Urban pulled her onstage for an impromptu performance in front of a sold-out Edmonton audience she has gone on to release several singles and the positive buzz has grown steadily as well.  culminating in her victory at the SiriusXM Top of the Country competition She has also landed a spot on the Big Valley Jamboree main stage last year and along the way has garnered a quarter-million followers on TikTok - a feat that helped her earn a CCMA award win for 'Interactive Artist of the Year' as well she also landed a nomination at the 2024 awards in the Breakthrough Artist category Last year also saw the release of Things My Mama Says a wonderfully-crafted personal tune that wielded quite the impact as it spent six weeks in the top 10 at Canadian country radio and was the number one played country song by a Canadian artist for five weeks running New music will shortly be available heading into summer as well Looking back to when the seeds of a recording career were planted Benedict chuckled as she noted she didn't grow up in a particularly musical family so we did have music playing in the house all of the time "I went to my first concert when I was six and I did try other things - soccer and dance - but nothing clicked So I went to a summer camp that was about music and theatre I was also always singing since I could talk She was also learning how to play both piano and guitar.  "I feel like country music chose me in a way "But the turning point was when I started to write my own music. I realized that it was where my music was fitting into and so much of the county genre revolves around a storytelling element," she said "So I felt country music was the best home for my songs And I've felt it has always been where I can be my most authentic self." something pretty exciting - and totally out of the blue - happened at that Keith Urban concert Everyone always asks me if it was staged - it was not staged," she laughed "My sister and I had made these guitar-shaped signs for his Ripcord World tour "He then asked both of us what we wanted to be when we grew up "So I played my song Clean Slate in front of 20,000 people that night It was an absolute whirlwind - just surreal Urban shared the clip on his social media platforms and it proved a turning point for Benedict with the sudden and significant exposure it helped to generate.  an opportunity to show me this is possible but I think it was the catalyst to really start to double down on doing music as a career full time It was definitely one of those out-of-body experiences "I am forever grateful for that opportunity." The two met again last summer at the Big Valley Jamboree and Benedict was grateful for the chance to personally thank Urban for the extraordinary opportunity he gave her all those years ago.  "I was able to tell him about my record deal and publishing signings I had always wanted to thank him for that opportunity because it was such a pivotal moment in my career It was a very special moment (at Big Valley) - he was tearing up our family was tearing up - it was really sweet." it's already been a remarkable and very memorable journey - rich in creativity and personal milestones along the way and how it can connect people - and how it's this bigger medium that can bring people together," she said Benefits include a bonus subscription for someone in your household for as low as 2.10 The Town of Ponoka is inviting residents to stop by their booth at the Ponoka and District Chamber of Commerce trade show on April 11 and 12 at the Ponoka Arena Complex.  and staff and members of council will be taking questions as they chat with members of the public.  Information will be available about the planned improvements to Highway 53 and the expanded multi-use skate park design.  The town advises the skate park expansion is expected to be completed and open to users in the coming months.  Attendees can learn more about the Downtown Façade Improvement Program and other incentive programs offered by the town including the New Business Grant and Commercial New Build Incentive enter to win a Town of Ponoka gift basket Conservative incumbent MP Blaine Calkins handily landed in first place for the newly-formed Ponoka-Didsbury riding in Monday's federal election "I really want to say thank you to all of the voters of Ponoka-Didsbury for putting their trust in me," said Calkins and many are just getting to know me - I would like to thank them on behalf of our leader Pierre Poilievre and our whole team for continuing to keep their trust in us "We didn't get the results that we were looking for this evening but I know the team will come together in Ottawa which is playing that critical role of His Majesty's Loyal Opposition and of making sure that we respect Canadians' tax dollars," he said "We will also make sure our country is going in a good direction," he said adding the Liberals will have to re-think how they are treating the rest of the country and change their tone when it comes to dealing with the west in general it would be nice to be treated as equals with the rest of the country," said Calkins "We have great entrepreneurs - hard-working and tremendous natural and human resources and create some hope and optimism for future generations."' Other candidates for Ponoka-Didsbury included Grant Abraham (United Party of Canada), Larry Gratton (PPC) Calkins has been a member of the Conservative Party of Canada since 2006 and is one of the party's longest-serving MPs His political experience highlights include being appointed as the Official Opposition Shadow Minister for Hunting Before being elected as the MP for the former riding of Red Deer – Lacombe he represented the constituency of Wetaskiwin prior to the 2015 federal election including being chair of the Alberta Conservative Caucus chair of the Subcommittee of Finance for Bill C-38 (Jobs chair of the Access to Information and Privacy and Ethics Committee He has also served on other standing committees The newly-drawn riding of Ponoka-Didsbury is expansive It also covers the villages of Alix and Clive, the summer villages of Birchcliff Parkland Beach and Sunbreaker Cove, Lacombe County, parts of Ponoka County and parts of Red Deer County.  There will be a temporary road closure along 46 St. from 44 Ave. to 50 Ave. in Ponoka on April 5 (weather permitting) for the annual Ponoka Battle River Run Runners will begin at the Baden Powell Adventure Centre (Scout Hall) on 46A St. Cl. at 9 a.m and will travel along the trails throughout the Battle River Valley in Ponoka For more on the Ponoka Battle River Run (10 km Sign up below for unlimited digital access for 30 days receive our daily news alerts & breaking news Note: This story has been updated since it was first posted online to include further information from Protective Services Coordinator Donna Noble Ponoka County Regional Fire Services implemented a fire advisory due to forecasted warm Their response area includes Ponoka County the Town of Rimbey and the Summer Village of Parkland Beach Ponoka County Protective Services Coordinator Donna Noble gave an update on April 28 advising that the fire advisory is still in place after the snow over the weekend as not all areas received the moisture and temperatures are expected to hit 27 degrees Celsius by Friday Ponoka County Regional Fire Services gave mutual aid for a large wildfire in Maskwacis on Friday and while some of their personnel was responding to that another crew was responding to a brush pile within the county from a farmer's winter burn pile that had rekindled "We are encouraging everybody: no burning," said Noble adding that some burn permits are being allowed on a case-by-case basis A fire advisory means the fire hazard rating has increased and there may be restrictions on burning It is also a warning that more restrictions could be forthcoming if conditions don't improve.  - backyard fire pit (with a mesh screen and attended at all times) - barbecues (propane/charcoal briquette) and smokers "An 'under control' fire can change in a matter of seconds or minutes." Ponoka County Regional Fire Services recommends landowners who have done any burning over the winter months to revisit their burn locations to ensure the fires are completely extinguished and cold to the touch.  Smoke is not always present from the burn piles but they may still be smouldering underground and could reignite and cause a wildfire.  visit albertafirebans.ca or ponokacounty.com Enter your email to connect to 30 more days worth of stories by journalists living & working in Ponoka Thank you for supporting local journalism EdmontonNewsCentral Alberta girls soccer team to compete in Europe this summerBy The Local Journalism InitiativePublished: April 29, 2025 at 6:19PM EDT Excitement is building as youth with the Ponoka District 4-H Beef clubs prepare to showcase their animals during the annual show and sale set for May 5-6 at the Calnash Ag Event Centre "I know I have said this these past couple of years but it has just been growing like crazy," said Patrick Lentz president of the Ponoka District 4-H Beef Committee. The show and sale is made up of the Ponoka East Club and the Ponoka West Club "I think that a lot of kids come to see their friends at the event and then they start to understand what it's all about The event is broken down into a female show which runs on May 5 at 7 p.m we have 17 to show for the Monday night," said Lentz.  awards are handed down within a range of categories which recognize the youth for all of the hard work and dedication they have put in to prepare their animals for the event "It's a pretty big event to put on," said Lentz adding that the community's support is essential to the event's success as well "We also have so many activities going on throughout the year where they are giving back to the community by volunteering," said Lentz who became involved with the local 4-H back in 2019. "Whether it be through highway clean-up or the Festival of Tress - things like that "You tie that all in with their public speaking exercises and they are always going to be willing and wanting to interact with others." He noted that all the responsibility that comes with caring for animals at a young age also helps to instill a confidence and strong work ethic in the youth as well but there is also a lot of responsibility," he said referring to the benefits of being part of the 4-H community Lentz said it also marks a superb opportunity for plenty of community connection The event has a long history in the Ponoka community he couldn't be more proud of the hard-working youth who commit a whole lot of time to caring for their animals in the months leading up to the show and sale "I love to watch the kids see all of their hard work pay off," he said "And that's not necessarily just the sale - but through being able to be (a part of) the show as well We put a lot of effort into making the show as professional as we can.  "You start to see the kids make that extra effort with grooming and showmanship and it's great to see them support each other and it's a very tight-knit family that supports each other I also love it because I get to open the gate - I'm high-fiving the kids and there is also a team of parents and people around us who are doing the same," he said adding it's great to see the youth coming into the event perhaps a bit nervous but leaving feeling proud and fulfilled.  follow the local 4-H beef clubs on Facebook Don’t miss out on reading the latest local provincial and national news. Join our community and receive daily news alerts & breaking news A documentary that powerfully chronicles the ground-breaking mission of a Central Alberta ministry is set to run May 23 at Home Church in Ponoka which starts at 7 p.m., but donations are welcome.  based out of Home Church in Red Deer, is a child-focused non-profit organization that helps thousands of children and orphans with monthly sponsorship helping women to become self-sufficient with micro-loans and much more Join thousands of other like-minded readers and sign up below to gain immediate & unlimited access to our news for the next 30 days – plus start receiving our newsletters Organizers gearing up for this year's Central Alberta Fanfest in Ponoka are putting out the call for more volunteer support the free event is set to run July 26 at the Ponoka Jubilee Library from 11:30 a.m Central Alberta Fanfest’s objective is to provide a high-quality (and safe) expo with a small-town vibe 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. 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