Join the conversation You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account on Tuesday as part of an organized crime investigation 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 has lasted over a year and is led by ALERT Lethbridge ALERT said Tuesday that residents of Taber Police will provide more information at a later date Residents who suspect drug or gang activity in their community can call local police or phone Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477 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 You can manage saved articles in your account CalgaryNewsTaber to see heavy police presence during organized crime investigation By Melissa GilliganUpdated: April 29, 2025 at 1:04PM EDT Twitter feed ©2025 BellMedia All Rights Reserved , Cattle producers in the Municipal District of Taber say they’re being pushed out as land leases come up for renewal and their lease rates skyrocket Fifth-generation cattle producer Billy Wenbourne spoke of the issue at a March council meeting in the southern Alberta community On his operation 5,280 acres could be lost representing two-thirds of his carrying capacity during the five-month grazing season “Our existence directly relies on you seven individuals I hear from council chambers we have been living on a gravy train of oil Grain and oilseed millers are predicted to see sales volumes and margins decline in 2025 according to Farm Credit Canada’s food and beverage report Ranchers in the region are facing the possibility their cattle ventures will no longer be viable if council decides to take new lease offer tenders being suggested by interested parties adding losing his operation would mean losing five generations of his family’s work Local representatives say they need to protect the interests of all ratepayers Reeve Tamara Miyanaga told Wenbourne she’s sympathetic to his situation but said the municipal district also had to raise a fair amount of revenue for its coffers from what she described as an “incredible asset.” “I’m trying to figure out what’s the right number to come up the middle that doesn’t pull the rug out from any of those lease holders but also can raise revenue for the municipality,” she said “The only source of revenue we have right now that’s gaining is land The Vauxhall Stock Grazing Association (VSGA) has similar concerns which it brought to the February council meeting They currently hold the lease on 75,0000 acres of the municipal district’s grazing land At the heart of the issue is what it should cost for the use of the land owned by the municipal district Current leaseholders want a price based on the provincial grazing rates the 2024 rental rates were $7.63 per animal unit month (AUM) in Zone 1 (southern Alberta) Wenbourne quoted $8.70 AUM at his March 2025 presentation reflecting the way the rates can change based on underlying economic conditions The rental rate formula includes factors like steer prices the consumer price index and data from a provincially-funded grazing lease cost survey Although rent is calculated on an annual basis there is a minimum grazing rent charge of $2.30 in the region it is based on the profitability of operating a grazing lease transportation and operating and labour costs To calculate rent a model is based on the purchase of yearlings in the spring weight gain on the lease during the grazing season and sale price in the fall “This price will go up and down as the cattle market does,” Wenbourne said The small chunks of grassland the municipal district has so far tendered out to the highest bidder have gone for ‘exorbitant’ and ‘unprofitable’ amounts of money according to leaseholders and the 2024 provincial rate was at $7.63 per AUM Private market rate from 2021-2023 was at $63.55 per AUM a lease tender summary for some parts of grassland in the M.D That’s a reflection of the changing use of the land making the comparison of rates and difficult Chris Siemens is president of the Hays Stock Grazing Association He was in the gallery at the VSGA presentation in February and later spoke to the Western Producer He noted the Taber area is better-known for its high-valued irrigated production of horticulture crops like potatoes “It’s an apples and oranges comparison,” said Siemens He also said there are issues that go well beyond simple economics The land stewardship of ranchers should not be forgotten as they try and carve out a living He noted the municipality has only about 30 per cent of its short-grass prairie remaining intact “What number are we comfortable with from an environmental standpoint?” he asked He noted that local cow-calf operators have been protecting the grasslands in the area since the 1940s and the value of that role should be recognized “We definitely don’t want to throw out the baby with the bathwater,” he said noting the local government needs to raise revenue to pay for the infrastructure and services local residents expect “We are not earning enough money off of these,” she said There is nothing in my personal or business world that has stayed the same for 20 years I would feel ashamed if I don’t do something as a councillor at this time to figure out how we can generate more money off of an asset.” Grazing leaseholders concede the price will be rising but they hope the pendulum won’t swing so far as to bring the existence of ranching in the area into question Wenbourne referred to a tiny 318-acre parcel of grasslands that was listed in council’s March 11 agenda for a grazing lease for 2025 and 2026 for $8,421 per year Wenbourne did the quick math on his operation with an outfit of scale and noted ranchers may as well pack up and move on to other things if grazing associations had to match those prices “There is definitely opposing views on council something has to be crafted,” said Siemens I don’t want any certain industries to get run over by a train in favour of other ones.” Newsletter Sign Up - Receive free Western Producer newsletters Breaking ag news stories and commodities markets snapshots delivered daily right to your inbox Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Cattle markets hold value amidst uncertainty Drought preparation is better than reaction Producers must take foot-and-mouth disease seriously Farmer incorporates cattle into grain operation to boost soil health Terms and Conditions | Privacy Policy | © 2025, Western Producer Publications Limited Partnership "(Required)" indicates required fields Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); A group of southern Alberta communities is pulling out of a provincial immigration program stream that has helped businesses fill workforce vacancies Taber has announced it’s ending its participation in the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program’s (AAIP) Rural Renewal Stream which the province says “empowers rural communities to recruit and retain foreign nationals to live Your weekday lunchtime roundup of curated links By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc The next issue of Noon News Roundup will soon be in your inbox Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Taber has also hosted the program on behalf of other southern Alberta municipalities — the Municipal District of Taber, Vauxhall, Coaldale, Lethbridge County, Picture Butte, Milk River, Raymond, Cardston and Nobleford. In all, 235 full-time jobs in the region have been filled through endorsed candidates, and 88 local businesses have benefited. “It’s really brought a bunch of stability and a bunch of growth to our businesses,” said Amy Allred, Taber’s economic development manager. Businesses struggling to stay open during their regular business hours were able to expand and keep their doors open, she said. But, in a case of diminishing returns, the communities are ending their participation in the program. “With provincial immigration allocations cut in half to 4,875 across all six AAIP streams and over 49,000 individuals already in the queue, this was a natural transition point for our participation,” said Allred. The Town of Taber has committed to providing endorsement letters to qualified candidates who submitted their application letters before the program’s pause. Businesses have raised concerns about Taber no longer participating in the program, said Allred. “However, with the program being so oversubscribed, the chance of a candidate in our community being selected from the queue has lowered quite significantly.” With Taber — which had a population of almost 10,000 in 2024, according to Alberta government estimates — continuing to grow, the municipality will keep looking for ways to support local businesses, she said. Rural communities need targeted investment in housing, health care and settlement services to remain attractive and competitive for both newcomers and long-term residents, said Allred. “It’s great if they want to come here and be part of our community, but we need the services and the infrastructure to be able to keep them,” she said. Neil Singh, press secretary for Alberta Immigration and Multiculturalism, said in a statement that the federal government has cut all provincial nominee program allocations by 50 percent, including Alberta’s. He confirmed that 4,875 is the province’s allocation for 2025. Currently, there are over 47,000 expressions of interest in the worker stream pool, including 3,411 registrants expressing interest in the Rural Renewal Stream. Since its inception in 2022, over 2,800 individuals have been nominated under the stream. There is no planned end date for the Rural Renewal Stream, said Singh. The Brooks Newell Region is another southern Alberta region which offers the Rural Renewal Stream, following approval from the Alberta and federal governments in 2022. Clarisse Dela Cruz, City of Brooks workforce development office, said that from 2022 on, about 240 workers have been endorsed. Daycares and JBS Foods, which employs more than 2,800 people at its Brooks beef processing facility, are among the local employers that have used the program. “It was basically to attract and retain individuals and newcomers in the region who do not have their permanent residency in place yet,” she said. For the first few application rounds, “basically anyone” who applied was endorsed, but the numbers of workers being approved has significantly declined, she said. Despite this, the City of Brooks continues to work with local and regional employers wanting to nominate candidates, she said. With the backlog in the Rural Renewal Stream queue, Dela Cruz says businesses might need to be flexible with their requirements and offer training programs to candidates so that they can take advantage of available grants. “They should always take advantage of those (grants). The issue is they don’t know that these grants exist,” said Dela Cruz. Lethbridge County Reeve Tory Campbell said there continue to be concerns about rural employment and supporting businesses within southern Alberta. The municipality is open to either collaborating, or working on its own, on another program to attract and retain workers, he added.  “I do think there is a need, and our businesses have been very vocal about that,” said Campbell. Lethbridge County, which saw four businesses participate in the Rural Renewal Stream, has had substantial growth in its manufacturing, agriculture and agri-food processing sectors, said Campbell, adding the county and neighbouring communities have the land and people — as well as two post-secondary institutions in Lethbridge — to attract more businesses. “We have a lot of good things happening here in the south, and we obviously see that as a huge opportunity to add more processing capacity,” he said. The Town of Taber will remain a town after all which celebrates its 120th anniversary next year had considered this fall upgrading its status to become Alberta’s 20th city the municipality said its council has decided to abandon that plan for Taber “Our residents’ voices were clear,” Taber Mayor Andrew Prokop said in a statement on Monday “While the idea of city status sparked valuable discussions about our future, the feedback showed that Taberites take great pride in being a town. Council heard you, and we respect that.” In September, the Town of Taber began exploring the change to city status, which the municipality said in a Sept. 6 news release could be a “significant milestone” in both the town’s and province’s history. But officials emphasized that no change would happen without first hearing from residents, and that they would have the final say on whether the municipality pursued city status or remained a town. Through a survey and during meetings, many residents expressed a “strong preference” for remaining a town, “reflecting pride in Taber’s small-town character and strong sense of community,” the Town of Taber said in a news release Monday. Council planned to further engage residents next year, but feedback had “clearly” indicated that they wanted the municipality to focus on making improvements in other areas — including improving infrastructure, supporting local businesses and “fostering even stronger community ties” — the news release said. “We will keep building on our strengths to ensure Taber continues to be a vibrant and influential voice in southern Alberta, whether we’re called a town or a city,” said Prokop. Taber’s population grew by 3.73 per cent from 2022 to 2023, and 8.03 per cent from 2019 to 2023, according to Alberta government population estimates. The Town of Taber said in the news release it might revisit a move to city status in “future decades” but that the southern Alberta town, famous for its corn, will “remain proudly a town for the foreseeable future.” LethbridgeNewsTaber residents shocked to learn U.S. woman wanted for 3 murders lived among them for decadesBy Quinn KeenanPublished: January 31, 2025 at 7:11PM EST Calgary WatchMurder fugitive hid in Taber, Alta., for decadesPolice in Missouri finally know what happened to a woman who killed three people in that state and in Mexico in the ’60s. A woman wanted for murders in Missouri and Mexico dating back to 1960 was likely living in Southern Alberta for nearly 50 years The Kansas City Missouri Police Department (KCPD) and Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) announced Thursday they have closed their investigation into “fugitive serial killer” Sharon Kinne after learning she died three years ago in Taber According to a timeline of events provided by the KCPD Kinne told police in March 1960 that her two-year-old daughter accidentally shot her husband James Kinne in the head inside their Independence Missouri home — just outside of Kansas City James was pronounced dead at a local hospital shortly after a man who had an affair with Kinne reported his wife Patricia Jones missing to police reportedly ended the affair with Kinne after she claimed to be pregnant Police allege Kinne showed a former lover the body of Patricia Jones Kinne was eventually arrested and charged with the killing Patricia Jones on May 31 and was also charged for the killing of James Kinne after investigators took another look at that crime She was found not guilty for the murder of Jones but was convicted and sentenced to life in prison for killing her husband in January 1962 The Missouri Supreme Court ended up reversing the conviction due to an improper jury selection just over a year later and granted Kinne a new trial Kinne would eventually flee to Mexico City with a new boyfriend in September 1964 She was arrested for murder soon after for allegedly shooting a man she had picked up in a bar in a hotel room The KCPD were able to link the gun used in the Mexico hotel room shooting to the killing of Patricia Jones Kinne was convicted of murder in Mexico and sentenced to 13 years in prison A warrant was issued for her arrest by JSCO after she missed her court appearances for the new trial for the killing of her husband James Kinne escaped from the Mexico prison and was not found again I’m Just an Ordinary Girl: The Sharon Kinne Story KPCD and JCSO each got anonymous tips about Kinne in December 2023 that suggested she had been living in Taber Glabus died of natural causes in January 2022 at the age of 81 Through forensic genealogy and fingerprint analysis investigators were able to confirm that Kinne and Glabus were the same person on May 31 2024 — exactly 64 years after her first arrest Investigators have since learned that Kinne married several times over the years including to James Glabus in Los Angeles in 1970 An obituary for James Glabus confirms he died in Taber in 1979 at the age of 38 and newspaper clippings suggest he was introduced as a new board member for the Taber Chamber of Commerce in 1977 Authorities still say Kinne’s exact whereabouts between 1969 and 1979 remain a mystery “Sharon was a woman that never faced the consequences of her actions leaving them for her children to deal with,” reads a statement from a spokesperson for the Kinne family “She caused great harm without thought or remorse.”“Hopefully this closure will allow the family a chance to heal from her traumatic legacy.” The closing of the file ends one of the longest outstanding felony warrants in American history “I would love nothing more (than) to one day sit across the table from her and I would like to pick her brain,” said JSCO Sgt Dustin Love at news conference on Thursday it’s unfortunate we couldn’t catch her when she was alive She was really good at what she did.” Premier Danielle Smith will take questions from reporters Tuesday one day after a 20-minute public address that touched on Alberta separation and "the path forward" under the new federal government WASHINGTON — Prime Minister Mark Carney will have to navigate a delicate balance during his first in-person meeting with Donald Trump today One person was taken to hospital in stable condition Tuesday morning after a rollover in Calgary's northeast Premier Danielle Smith says she will address Albertans Monday on a "path forward with the federal government" after a meeting with her caucus A condo complex in Calgary's Beltline community is increasingly concerned with the increasing number of calls they are making to emergency services Rayn Rashid speaks with the condo board president A major gap in sports field space is being tackled in Calgary’s NW with the launch of Rocky Ridge Athletic Park The $25m project brings more room to play for growing communities On the same day as the Alberta Rally for Independence Alberta Premier Danielle Smith appeared on her radio show is facing numerous charges after fleeing a traffic stop and crashing into a house in Calgary’s Radisson area late Friday night The annual Calgary Bike Swap filled downtown Calgary with bike buzz on Saturday listen to NewsRadio Calgary live anytime and get up-to-the-minute breaking-news alerts weather and video from CityNews Calgary anywhere you are – across all Android and iOS devices CalgaryNewsPotential measles exposure on flight to YYC, airport, Taber ER and pharmacy By CTVNewsCalgary.ca StaffPublished: March 18, 2025 at 6:21PM EDT CalgaryNewsDriver airlifted following serious crash in Taber, Alta. By Brendan EllisPublished: October 04, 2024 at 6:56PM EDT Reflecting on the unexpected success of the weekend Walsh admitted that she will now have to reset her goals for the rest of the long course season Carlson has the potential to impact UIC in the 200 free where last season’s top times were held by graduate students Spain repeated as the Men’s Water Polo World Cup champions and secured a spot to compete in Singapore a SwimSwam partner Commit Swimming has Team Management Software Improved Meet Entry Flow in Commit What… La decisión tiene efecto inmediato tras una votación en una reunión extraordinaria del European Aquatics Bureau el 24 de abril May 04th, 2025 College, NCAA Division III, News The College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) has announced the addition of Jake Taber and Cathleen Pruden to its Board of Directors as the newest Division III representatives Both were selected through a vote of their coaching peers and will help guide the direction of Division III swimming and diving at the national level assumes the role previously held by Brad Shively of Washington University Taber brings extensive experience to the position having led Hope College’s men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams while also contributing to broader Division III initiatives including his tenure as Chair of the CSCAA Division III Polls Committee “Jake has a tireless dedication to advancing Division III swimming and diving,” said CSCAA Executive Director Samantha Barany “His leadership has already helped shape the national conversation through his work on the Division III Top 25 Polls We are honored to have him bring his passion and insight to our Board of Directors.” Pruden is the head coach at Trinity University and a former All-American at Mount Holyoke College She steps into a previously vacant seat on the Board and is known for her fast-rising impact in the coaching ranks She has developed a reputation for excellence both in and out of the pool championing student-athlete well-being and the growth of Division III programs “Cathleen brings a powerful combination of personal experience and professional excellence,” said Barany as a strong female leader within our industry will be critical as we work to ensure that we are providing the best support possible to our Division III community and pushing swimming and diving toward a bright future.” Taber and Pruden begin their service immediately and join the CSCAA Board of Directors in its ongoing mission to strengthen collegiate swimming and diving across the country Divisional Representatives may serve up to three two-year terms Elections for Women’s Division Representatives and the President-Elect are held in even-numbered years while elections for Men’s Divisional Representatives and the Athletic Administrator occur in odd-numbered years the immediate Past President and the Executive Director of the Association serve as ex-officio members of the Board Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value" More from Sean GriffinSee All Subscribe to our newsletter and receive our latest updates Four people are dead after a multi-vehicle crash on a southern Alberta highway earlier this week Emergency crews were called to Highway 3 near Range Road 143 and 144 on Monday for reports of a three-vehicle crash a GMC truck and a Ford Escape were involved in the collision The driver of the Ford Escape suffered minor injuries Highway 3 was closed in the area for several hours The cause of the crash is still under investigation weather and video from CityNews Calgary anywhere you are – across all Android and iOS devices.