Two U of L researchers win Parkland Institute awards

Dr. Tiffany Boulton

University of Lethbridge - Two research projects, one on midwifery care in Alberta and the other on the use of gallows humour among the Kainai, got a significant boost thanks to research awards from the Parkland Institute.

U of L students log more than 7,500 volunteer hours

Bryce Baker spent a co-op term marketing the UVolunteer program.

University of Lethbridge - Almost 600 University of Lethbridge students have volunteered more than 7,500 hours at community organizations as they learn first-hand about civic engagement through the UVolunteer program.

Indigenous language stakeholders to gather at 25th Stabilizing Indigenous Languages Symposium

University of Lethbridge - As Indigenous communities across North America face the challenge of keeping their traditional languages alive, an important conference is coming to the University of Lethbridge.

The U of L’s Departments of Modern Languages and Indigenous Studies have teamed with the Peigan Board of Education/Piikani Nation to host the 25th Stabilizing Indigenous Languages Symposium (SILS 2018), June 7-9 at the University. The symposium, supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), will bring together Indigenous language stakeholders from North America and beyond, including elders, community leaders and academics, as they seek to develop best practices and share resources and knowledge as they attempt to preserve Indigenous languages.

Claresholm and Nanton RCMP work together to stop vehicle driving dangerously

RCMP Alberta – RCMP from Claresholm have charged a 52 year old female with eight offences after a traffic stop near Nanton, AB.

On May 29, Claresholm RCMP were called about a truck driving erratically northbound on Highway 2. The Nanton RCMP were called to assist and stopped the vehicle near Nanton. The vehicle had a stolen license plate attached. The female driver was arrested and a search of the vehicle revealed drugs believed to be Methamphetamine.

Past Chinook Arch CEO to receive honorary degree from University of Lethbridge

Margaret (Maggie) Macdonald

Chinook Arch - Roughly 30 years ago a group of community-minded people came together with a vision: a library system that would unite southwest Alberta libraries to share resources efficiently and cost-effectively, thereby enhancing the services offered in each respective community. This vision became a reality in large part thanks to the passion and determination of Margaret (Maggie) Macdonald.

Knights of Columbus Endowment Fund awards grant to “Ready, Set, Go!” initiative

Chris Smeaton and Anita Lethbridge-Gross of the Holy Spirit School Division, Charleen Davidson of the Community Foundation, and Ed Hamel of Knights of Columbus #5726

Press release - On May 15 the Community Foundation of Lethbridge and Southwestern Alberta and the Knights of Columbus #5726 presented the Holy Spirit School Division with a cheque for $3,818.50 in support of the Ready, Set, Go! Program.  Ready, Set, Go! is a collaboration between the Holy Spirit School Division and Lethbridge School District No. 51. The initiative provides school supplies, backpacks, clothing, and many other goods and services to children in need during a back-to-school fair, held before the first day of school each year. The grant awarded today will support this year’s event, scheduled to be held in August. “The Ready, Set, Go! Program gives many children a good head start for the school year. We acknowledge the Knights of Columbus Our Lady Peace Council and thank them for their generous support,” said Chris Smeaton, Holy Spirit School Division Superintendent.

Charges laid in Claresholm convenience store robbery

RCMP Alberta - Charges have been laid against a Lethbridge man in relation to a late night robbery of a Mac's Store in Claresholm.

Hwy 3 bridge lane closures in Lethbridge begin Tuesday

Government of Alberta - The bridge on Highway 3 over the Oldman River in Lethbridge will be reduced to one lane in each direction for rehabilitation work, starting Tuesday, April 24. Motorists can expect delays.  Drivers will be restricted to the westbound lanes, one in each direction, until July. The speed limit will be reduced to 50 kilometres per hour, and there will be a lane- width restriction of 3.7 metres for large truck traffic. There will be no pedestrian access to the bridge during the project.  There may also be periodic traffic delays on Coal Banks Trail and parking restrictions in the area once work is underway.  Check 511 for regular updates.

Loaded handgun seized From Lethbridge drug house

ALERT - Three people were arrested and a loaded handgun was seized from a Lethbridge home that has caused neighbourhood concerns about drug activity.

ALERT’s Lethbridge organized crime and gang team searched the home on February 26, 2018, with help from the Lethbridge Police Service. Located in the 400-block of 20 Street North, the home is less than a block away from an elementary school, and first came to police attention in December 2017 for suspected drug dealing.

Arrested gang members suspected of trafficking in Lethbridge, Blood First Nation

ALERT - An alleged member of the Mad Cowz gang has been arrested on suspicion of drug trafficking in Lethbridge and the Blood First Nation Reserve.  ALERT Lethbridge’s organized crime and gang team arrested Corey Amyotte on February 28, 2018, along with four other suspects. The 33-year-old man from Manitoba is an alleged member of the Mad Cowz gang and information provided by Blood Tribe Police suggested he was involved in drug trafficking in the region.

New parking options for Emergency Department at Chinook Regional Hospital

Alberta Health Services - A new parking lot located north of the Emergency entrance at Chinook Regional Hospital is now open, after being used for construction equipment during the hospital’s re-development project.  This lot is intended for patients using the Emergency Department and will operate with our Pay by Plate equipment, similar to parking options in the north loop and Auxiliary areas.

Help available for partners of people with sex/pornography addiction

• Lethbridge program offers support for partners, from the start of recovery

LifeStar Alberta - Recent news reports of celebrities being accused of sexual misconduct are airing with increasing frequency. The accused may or may not be sex addicts, but the frequency of complaints has sparked plenty of discussion around watercoolers about inappropriate sexual behaviour.  National Addiction Awareness Week in November provides an opportunity to shine a light on sex and pornography addiction and the hope that recovery can bring – for both addicts and their partners.

Blood Tribe man arrested for child pornography offences

ALERT - Following a joint investigation between ALERT’s Internet Child Exploitation unit, Blood Tribe Police and Lethbridge Police, a 24-year-old man has been arrested for a number of child pornography offences.  Cody Wright was arrested on November 8, 2017 at a home on the Blood Tribe First Nation Reserve with the assistance of the Blood Tribe Police’s Crime Reduction unit. ICE also searched a Lethbridge home with the assistance of Lethbridge Police. A number of electronic devices were seized for full forensic analysis.

Lethbridge and Edmonton approved to offer supervised drug consumption services

Associate Health Minister Brandy Payne speaks about the first five Alberta locations which will offer supervised consumption services to people in Edmonton and Lethbridge. (supplied photo)

According to a Government of Alberta press release issued today, Edmonton and Lethbridge are the first cities in Alberta approved to offer supervised consumption services to people at risk of overdosing. So far this year, 315 Albertans have died of apparent fentanyl-related overdoses. The Edmonton community-based sites approved for supervised consumption services are expected to open in late 2017 or early 2018, with ARCHES’ Lethbridge location expected to open in early 2018. The anticipated opening date for supervised consumption services at the Royal Alexandra Hospital is spring 2018.

“This is an incredibly important announcement for Lethbridge that is going to save lives. I want to thank Health Canada and the province of Alberta for recognizing the urgency of the crisis here in Lethbridge and providing a swift approval of the application to establish supervised consumption services in our city. The vetting process for the application is rigorous, and so I also want to commend Stacey Bourque and the staff at ARCHES for working so hard to prepare an exceptionally thorough application.” - Lethbridge Mayor Chris Spearman

Voluntary evacuation in Scenic Heights area of Lethbridge

Steven William Brown photo

City of Lethbridge advises Lethbridge Police are contacting residents in the Scenic Heights area for voluntary evacuation due to fire in the coulees. Scenic Heights residents are advised mandatory evacuation may be necessary due to fire and to prepare to leave on short notice. Firefighters are responding to a grass fire in the coulees west of Mountainview Cemetery. Please avoid the area.

Lethbridge Police Service advises mandatory evacuation may be necessary for Scenic Heights residents due to fire and should prepare to leave on short notice

Dr. Shelly Wismath appointed first dean of University of Lethbridge School of Liberal Education

University of Lethbridge - Recently named one of the most exceptional post-secondary teachers in Canada, Dr. Shelly Wismath has been appointed the first dean of the University of Lethbridge’s new School of Liberal Education. The U of L’s Board of Governors approved the appointment last week, granting Wismath a five-year term that commences Monday, Oct. 16, 2017.

Warrants issued for two men wanted in connection with Lethbridge kidnapping, assault

Wanted: Bisrat Seyum Hailu and Ruairi Joseph McGinnity

Lethbridge Police Service - Lethbridge Police have issued warrants for the arrest of two men in connection with an incident last month where a male was assaulted and kidnapped.

$150K of crack cocaine seized in Lethbridge

ALERT - A three-month investigation by ALERT teams in Lethbridge has resulted in the arrest of two Edmonton men and the seizure of more than $150,000 worth of crack cocaine.  The investigation began in July 2017 thanks to a tip from the public. On Wednesday, Sept. 27, ALERT Lethbridge’s organized crime team, with the assistance of the Lethbridge Police Service, arrested a 19-year-old man and searched a home in the 300-block of 13 Street South and a vehicle. In total, investigators were able to seize more than 1.5 kilograms of crack cocaine, with the drugs already packaged for street-level sale. ALERT also seized cellphones, a small amount of marijuana, and more than $8,000 cash proceeds of crime.

Lethbridge Police investigate suspicious social media post related to St. Francis Jr. High School

Lethbridge Police Service/Holy Spirit Catholic School Division - On October 3, 2017 at approximately 3:30 pm Lethbridge police received information about a Snap Chat image depicting a bag of bullets labelled “St. Francis Junior High.” Police immediately attended to secure and search the school. No bullets, weapons or anything suspicious was located. Although regular classes had  concluded and the majority of students had already been dismissed St. Francis administration quickly secured the building and brought all students from within the building and on the practice fields into the gymnasium as a precaution. A locker in the school was searched and police found no further evidence of an ongoing threat. A youth has been questioned and police are confident that there is no risk to the school.

Lethbridge home invasion and machete attack

Lethbridge Police Service - Police are investigating a home invasion where a man was attacked with a machete.

On September 23, 2017 police were at Chinook Regional Hospital in response to an unrelated matter when a 24-year-old man attended with injuries to his head. He told hospital staff he had been attacked by two unknown males after they forced their way into his southside home. One of the males was in possession of a machete and struck the victim in the head. The assailants tied the victim up and searched his home before fleeing with his wallet and cellphone. A friend transported the victim to hospital where he received treatment for his injuries.